#DecDisplays – Poverty and wealth

You know that famous quote of Michael Moore “I really didn't realize the librarians were, you know, such a dangerous group. They are subversive. You think they're just sitting there at the desk, all quiet and everything. They're like plotting the revolution, man. I wouldn't mess with them." well I really try my best to … Continue reading #DecDisplays – Poverty and wealth

#DecDisplays – UAE National Day

Welcome to December Display month where I've been invited to showcase some poster and display ideas for libraries and library promotions. Many of these designs are inspired by the very active librarian communities that I am a part of, and as Austin Kleon says, "Steal Like an Artist". One of the things I aspire to … Continue reading #DecDisplays – UAE National Day

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Henna Start-Up

This is a young adult novel that tells the story of Abir Maqsood, a college-going student in Bangalore, who balances her family's expectations of her with her own desires of the direction that she would like her life to take.Abir's entrepreneurial side comes to the fore when she decides to build an app to help … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Henna Start-Up

#TaiwanKidLitMonth: Recommended Taiwanese literature by and for high school students

Every two or three years, I usually would have one Taiwanese student who loves to read come to the library occasionally to discuss the books they have read with me. We would recommend books to each other, and thanks to them, I read some fantastic Taiwanese literature while busy catching up with the English YA … Continue reading #TaiwanKidLitMonth: Recommended Taiwanese literature by and for high school students

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Smash the Patriarchy

"Up for smashing the patriarchy?" "Yes!""Yeah!""But... What is the patriarchy, exactly?" So goes the opening dialogue in Smash the Patriarchy, a fabulous graphic novel for upper YA readers. The much-deserving winner of this year’s GLLI Translated YA Book Prize, it describes and defines terms such as “the male gaze,” “slut-shaming,” and, yes, “the patriarchy” with … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Smash the Patriarchy

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Wild Poppies

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing Syrian civil war and the resulting refugee crisis, Wild Poppies is the story of two brothers, Omar and Sufyan. As the novel opens, they, along with their mother and younger sister, have been displaced to their aunt's home in a village named Al-Nuaman, or "the poppy flower." Their … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Wild Poppies

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Bodyguard Unit: Edith Garrud, Women’s Suffrage, and Jujitsu

The Bodyguard Unit: Edith Garrud, Women’s Suffrage, and Jujitsu is the engagingly told story of a lesser-known figure from an important part of 20th century history, Edith Garrud. A 2024 GLLI Translated YA Book Prize Honor Book, this superb nonfiction graphic novel connects the dots between women’s suffrage, their personal freedom, and their ability to … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Bodyguard Unit: Edith Garrud, Women’s Suffrage, and Jujitsu

Goodbye to GLLI’s 2024 #IntlYALitMonth

Dear readers, As we reach the close of #IntlYALitMonth 2024, I want to express my gratitude to the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative for inviting me to be involved. It has been a privilege to curate this month-long celebration of YA literature from around the world and to engage in meaningful conversations about the power … Continue reading Goodbye to GLLI’s 2024 #IntlYALitMonth

#IntlYALitMonth Review: Diary of a Young Naturalist

Review by Beth Kemp Dara McAnulty's Diary of a Young Naturalist is beautiful, following the teenage naturalist through a year of his life (aged 13-14) as he and his family move from County Fermanagh to County Down in Northern Ireland. From Spring – as he wakens to the blackbird’s call – through a Summer in … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth Review: Diary of a Young Naturalist

#IntlYALitMonth Review: Inkheart

Review by Dainy Bernstein Most booklovers have sometimes wished they could meet the characters they read about. But for Meggie, who gets to experience book characters coming to life, that wish becomes more of a nightmare than a dream come true. Her father, Mo, accidentally learns that he can bring characters to life when he … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth Review: Inkheart