Survivor Anger

 I am sure that I am not the only woman who spent the past couple of weeks engulfed in anger. Everyone knew that Trump was a rapist and a pedophile who was so enmeshed with Epstein they may as well have been conjoined twins sharing a pair of testicles. The release of the Epstein files, though, did prove that depravity of Trump and the other actors, businessmen, politicians, athletes, etc. named is only matched by their belief that their wealth, fame, and/or prominence gives them permission to commit any atrocity. The lack of response of the justice system, politicians, and the world for that matter have proven that these pigs (I refuse to call them men) are right. There has not been a time in history where men have not abused and exploited girls and women. We are the weaker sex, after all, and we learn from very early on to be wary of men, all men. 

In April 2024 the "I choose the bear" went viral.  The response was predictable: Not all men are bad; bears don't pay child support; bears are leaving the forest to escape women, and so many more that are much more misogynistic and repugnant. To be clear, I am a heterosexual woman in a monogamous marriage and I am the mother of three boys. I am well aware that not all men objectify women or are capable of sexual assault or misconduct.  What most men do not understand is that we (women) cannot tell if a man is safe and to be clear so many are not. Maybe they are not rapists or abusers, but do they laugh along with the sexist jokes, will they call out their friends or coworkers when they say disgusting things about women? In the case of Epstein where were the wealthy men who did not go to the island or agree with what they knew was happening, but did they say anything? Where were these men who did not want to participate in sexual abuse, but did not possess the moral fortitude to object, to stand up, to say something, anything. What about the wives, and yes I am talking about Queen Elizabeth the Second and Hilary Clinton. Queen Elizabeth II gave millions of dollars in lawsuit settlements and then also gave millions of dollars to charities supporting victims of sexual assault and abuse. Maybe she could have held her son accountable or perhaps have raised him to keep it in his pants and not pal around with child sex traffickers. 

We still have zero accountability for anyone mentioned in the Epstein files (at least in the United States). All these wealthy, privileged cretins are free to go about their lives. Many are still in positions of power, including of course the president of the United States. Apparently we are going to let him to face zero consequences for being a rapist and a pedophile while he destroys democracy in the United States.  Everyday that despicable, spray tanned sack of shit puts on display his misogyny, racism, ignorance, and incompetence. Yet his sycophantic supporters continue to deflect and defend the indefensible. 

 I highly recommend that everyone in this country right now read Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl.  Then tell me how anyone can continue to support the man mentioned nearly 40,000 times in the Epstein Files. Who says that they are a liberal hoax and that America should move on. Why is nothing being done and how do we ever move forward from the damage wrought by the current Republican party? And please do not start down the "but both sides are bad" road. No democrat is trying to protect anyone in their party who is in those files. Put them all in jail and let's also hold accountable the men and women who knew and kept silent.

My final plea to anyone who may read this is to not to become indifferent to what is happening in our nation. Be angry, speak out, read, learn, and stand up for common decency. I have had family members and former acquaintances try to make me feel stupid and ashamed for being a liberal, but they are the ones who should be ashamed. It can be really hard to keep some people at a distance, but this is not about politics, it is about morals. Ultimately each of us have to make the decision who is worthy of being in our circle.  I can be polite, professional, kind, but I do not have to allow people who do not share my values to take up space in my brain and heart. And I especially do not have to allow these people to influence my children. Also, if you know anyone who is a survivor of sexual abuse reach out to them. I guarantee that they are struggling with what is going on right now.

Legacy

 If you have been watching the news or on any form of social media you are probably aware that Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle, were recently murdered. The presumed killer is, tragically, their own son who has long struggled with addiction and mental illness. There is no doubt that this is a horrific event that has been made very public due to the fame of the victims. Let me first state that addiction along with all other mental disorders are illnesses. Unfortunately mental disorders are misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and horrifically stigmatized by the general public.

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has written (and reiterated in interviews) that Rob Reiner was a horrible person that  deserved to be murdered because of his liberal views. 

 Since then there has been a tsunami of admonitions of Trump for his crass and insensitive remarks. Also, there has been an effusive outpouring of live for Rob and Michelle Reiner, who friends, neighbors, and acquaintances have described as kind, generous, and compassionate. Then there are the scores of people who laughed, cried, experienced every emotion from sadness to joy due to Reiner's art. 

Am I surprised that a despicable, narcissistic person said something ugly and hateful about someone who dared to criticize him? Absolutely not. If anything the last decade has proven that Trump is not only a racist, a pedophile, and a rapist he also has the emotional bandwidth of a toddler having a tantrum over not being given a second cookie. 

What truly matters right now, though, is legacy which Trump with his demolition  and renaming of buildings and covering everything in cheap gult seems overly concerned about. Rob Reiner is a beloved human being who will forever be remembered for the positive impact he had on individuals and the world. People will continue to watch The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, Spinal Tap, old clips of All in the Family and they will laugh, cry, and ultimately feeling love for the artist and creator who made think and experience things outside of themselves. 

Trump will leave no such legacy. He is nothing but everything ugly in America scraped into a greasy wad and stuck to the bottom of someone's shoe. A century from now people will watch A Princess Bride and laugh and feel joy and Trump will just be a repulsive blot on American history that serves as a warning to future generations. 

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog or if I am honest written anything personal. Of course, I have excuses other than just being a horrible blogger. The library I work at is growing by leaps and bounds (suck on that every person who says libraries are obsolete). Also, I have been taking classes which has required a lot of academic writing (sometimes interesting, more often boring). The predominant reason I have not posted very often is that the presidential campaign, the election, and now the aftermath have left me depressed, angry, scared, and so bewildered I have not really known what to even say. I find myself identifying with Trudy the bag lady from The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life saying: "Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it." For those of you unfamiliar with that reference you absolutely must watch Lily Tomlin in the one woman performance. You can read the play by Jane Wagner , but the written word will not compare to seeing it and hearing it.

But sticking one's head in the sand and ignoring the ignorance, cruelty, and complete dismantling of our democracy and civil rights is also wrong and it is a privilege that many people do not have. Of course, there are horrible things happening right now that do personally affect me. The shuttering of the Institute for Library and Museums is terrible for my entire profession. It is an attack on education, literacy, freedom of information, and will definitely have a greater adverse impact on lower income and minority communities that desperately need services that public libraries provide. 

 

According to Kareem Weaver, a professional educator and the co-founder and executive director of

FULCRUM (Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate), “Literacy is our greatest civil right.

If you can’t read you can’t access anything in our society” (The Right to Read). I know that my

profession (and love of books) makes me biased but I believe that public libraries are essential to

promoting literacy, love of reading, and learning by providing free access to books,

but also a multitude of free programs such as storytimes, book clubs, author visits, etc. 

 

I have already written profusely about book banning and the vilification of libraries and

librarians for supposedly peddling pornography i.e. anything that has LGBTQ characters. 

Not surprising that the persecution of LGBTQ individuals and the culture wars involving

"woke" or "pornographic" literature have worsened since November. You're shocked, right? 

I keep trying to channel the Lorax, but instead of saying "I speak for the trees" I am saying 

"I speak for the youth that need books that speak their truth". 

 

As important as libraries are to me personally, I know that they are not the most important issue (or 

travesty) even happening right now in our country.  There are human beings being deported to torture

prisons in another country, and for some unknown reason we as in American taxpayers are footing

the bill for this. Strange isn't it that the way to really get through to so many voters is to discuss 

the taxpayer cost rather than the complete disregard for civil rights and human life.

 

Of course, this go backs to why people voted the way they did in the first place. According to all of the 

polls the economy was the number one factor in this election. I really do not want to debate with

my neighbors, relatives, fellow Americans that decided that the price of eggs was more important than the

lives and rights of anyone that is different from them, or was not deterred by Trump being a convicted felon, 

a racist, a rapist, completely without any morals and willing to sell out our country for flattery and money.

 

It is difficult right now. I have family members that belong to a conservative church that is pro Trump, 

anti-vaccine (even though my own family member is going through chemo therapy), anti-LGBTQ, etc.

It is difficult to comprehend and it is even harder to play nice as in smile, be polite, make small talk, and 

all of those other social niceties that sometimes require us to completely ignore everything that we think,

believe. or have learned. 

I am exhausted. It has been not even been six months and I am tired of this administration and it's cruelty,

greed, and absolute incompetence and stupidity. I say this as a straight, white woman in a monogamous

marriage so I cannot even imagine the fear anyone who is not white or straight or already married with

children feels.

 

To all of those people that voted for Trump: prices and taxes will not go down (unless you are a billionaire),

someone that you know who relies on services will be hurt, someone that you know will suffer because 

critical research, grants, relief, etc. that may help them has been discontinued, and the rights of someone

that you know or care for will trampled upon and disregarded for profit or political gain.

 

I honestly do not know what else to say about what is happening right now. I highly doubt that anyone's

minds will be changed by this post. More than likely no one will even read it. But I know that I 

will have expressed what I feel and believe. In conversations with other librarians I have said that I will

always do my best to be polite, kind, and professional, but that does not mean that I owe people respect,

deference, or false equivalence for their completely idiotic opinions. 

That is it. I cannot currently say any more about what is going on with this administration without

resorting to four letter words. Also, anything I post will also lead to me being investigated by the 

DOJ. Haha, you think that I am joking but that is probably true right now.

Anyways, peace out. Please, keep reading all of the books. I do not care if it is smut, nonfiction, 

fantasy, graphic novels, whatever. Just keep reading.

 

No Place Like Wichita-ARSL 2023

Last week I had the privilege of attending the annual conference of the Association for Rural & Small Libraries in Wichita, Kansas. Now, Kansas may not seem like the most exciting location for a national conference. Especially, if like me, you assume that all of Kansas resembles the sepia-toned portions of The Wizard of Oz. Of course, Wichita is the capital city of Kansas, so logically I knew that it was not going to look like the Gale's neighborhood. However, I am from near Lansing, the capital of Michigan, and you can be in the middle of the city and see corn fields within a ten to fifteen minute drive.

All joking aside, I had a fantastic week in Wichita, Kansas. The conference had inspiring speakers, educational, beneficial break out sessions, and I got to network with other rural librarians from around the nation. I even managed to see some interesting things in the city such as the Wichita Advanced Learning Library which was pretty phenomenal (of course, librarians like to visit other libraries wherever they go).

The theme for ARSL 2023 was Unite & Ignite, which may sound hokey (but that is true of most slogans). Despite the cheese factor, I found the slogan to be particularly relevant to the present standing of small public libraries and how we attain future success in our communities.

Libraries, especially in rural areas, have long struggled with securing funding, justifying their presence, and raising awareness about their services. Even when people have not been regular users or supporters of their local libraries, though, they still have positive feelings about libraries as a whole. Sure, they may not be big readers or they prefer to buy books, or, maybe, they assume libraries are the stereotypical old buildings filled with dusty books and women in glasses who shush people. Whatever their reason for not being library patrons, they are also not actively against libraries. That has begun to change in recent years as libraries have suddenly found themselves at the center of controversy. Let's be honest, attempts to ban books have occurred since people invented writing, but there is no denying that there has been a significant  increase in book banning since the American Library Association first began tracking censorship in libraries 20 years ago. Of course , many of these bans are focused on school libraries (which is a whole different can of worms) but in 2023 49% of challenges were focused on public libraries compared to only 16% in 2022. 

Now, I am not going to go into the whole book banning issue in this post. I have written about it before, and, to be clear, I am against book banning and censorship and am a firm proponent of the ALA's stance on intellectual freedom. So, what does this have anything to do with ARSL or Unite & Ignite? Well, libraries are suddenly facing actual opposition rather than just indifference. In order to resist acrimonious campaigns against libraries we need to prove our worth and establish ourselves as a necessity. In other words we need to "unite" our communities and "ignite" people's enthusiasm and support for libraries. 

How do we do this? Former librarian turned educational speaker, Will Stuck,  really summed it up with this statement: "Make the library a part of the community, not just a place in the community."

One of the ways small libraries can do this is with our customer service, which can be even more important than a library's collection. Librarians in small communities are in a unique position because we can get to know the majority of people who come into our libraries. We know their names, their kids' names, what they like to read, what they are probably going to ask for help with, etc. Small and rural libraries may not have huge collections or massive buildings with tons of cool stuff, but we can be more personable, positive, and helpful. I know that having good customer service seems obvious and easy to do. Just smile and say thank you, right? There are definitely ways that the staff at my library (myself included) can improve on customer service, though, and we need to incorporate concrete policies, strategies, and expectations that help us to do this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to having more patron friendly service, small and rural libraries can build community relationships with our programs and community outreach. My library already has the regular story times, book clubs, arts and crafts, a summer reading program, etc. and we go to schools, local festivals, farmer's markets, and participate in parades. The ARSL conference gave me some new ideas for ways to connect with current patrons and hopefully gain some new ones. 

I found it particularly interesting that some librarians are getting grants from the AARP to help fund telehealth booths in rural libraries. As we know, since covid zoom meetings and telehealth sessions have become the norm and "Shush booths" are a wonderful new service that could be a huge benefit to people in my community. Not to mention they look really cool, like something out of Star Trek. 

All of our programming, outreach, and daily interactions with people in our community lead to personal relationships and wonderful stories that we can use to build trust and goodwill. Librarians need to share those stories, and we need to get our patrons and supporters to share them too. Who helps the senior citizen learn how to use their new iPhone, where do teens go after school, where can you get free winter hats from a crocheting club, who is hosting a parent play group at the park over the summer? That is how we will stay relevant and be part of the community not just a place.

Just as important as listening to speakers and attending break out sessions was the opportunity to connect with other librarians from around the nation. There were many other programs, books, events, etc. that I am now looking into adding or implementing at my library because of simple conversations I had over lunch. "Uniting" with fellow librarians "ignited" my passion for this career that I have chosen or chose me (honestly I am in my forties and have no idea). All I do know is that ARSL 2023 gave me a much needed boost and I feel excited and reinvigorated about moving my little library into 2024.

As you can see, I also managed to have a little bit of fun in Wichita with my fellow librarians! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I got to meet Adib Khorram, the author behind Darius the Great is Not Okay, which was a huge honor! If you have not read the book you are missing out. And did I mention that the Khorram is a huge Star Trek nerd and his book's main character speaks Klingon? Swoon!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

 Hooray, May is Mental Health Awareness Month! The comics above are by the fantastic Gemma Correll, whom I do not know and have never met but still feel like I have a deep connection to. As someone who has dealt with anxiety and depression their entire life, Correll's work makes me feel like I am not alone.    Her comics perfectly combine poignancy and humor to depict the reality of living with a mental illness. If you want to feel seen and have a laugh I highly recommend checking out her work.

So, let's talk about some other amazing books to read and/or share this month (and any month really for people struggling with mental illness, it isn't like it ever goes away). I am going to start with picture books, and I know you are probably thinking "why would you need picture books about mental health?"
Well, kids (even ones not in school yet) can have anxiety, stress, sadness, or they may have an adult in their life dealing with these issues which, let's be honest, means they are dealing with it too. There may be incredibly serious issues such as abuse or trauma a child is dealing with, but there could also be more common fears like going to the doctor or dentist, the dark, or going to an unfamiliar place. People are wired differently, and in my opinion that is a great thing, but it also means that all people react in different ways. What one kid doesn't think twice about, might incite nightmares in another. Currently, my first grader is absolutely terrified of fire, tornado, and lock down drills. As this is his first year in public school, I understand that it is something unfamiliar and changes the routine, and they also are drills meant to deal with scary problems. Books provide the perfect segue to a discussion about fears, worries, and how to deal with those feelings.

The first book I want to share with you is The Don't Worry Book by Todd Parr. If you are unfamiliar with Todd Parr he is the author and illustrator of over 60 children's books and I guarantee that once you read one to your child you are going to want to get more. His bold and vivid illustrations and simple text are guaranteed to delight and engage toddlers and preschoolers. I always think of Todd Parr picture books as the Muppet books.  You probably think that this is due to the way he depicts his characters with simple features, crazy colored hair, skin, and clothes. This is definitely a big part of it since I feel like all of Parr's illustrations could exist on Sesame Street. However, I also think of Parr's books as the Muppet books because they are all happy and endeavor to make the world a kinder more loving place to live. In my mind that is the epitome of what Jim Henson stood for. The Don't Worry Book explains what worry is (thinking too much about something that may be scary), what are some things you may worry about (the weather, doctor's appointments, etc.) and what you can do to feel better (hug a stuffed animal, sing a song, or wear underwear on your head). I love that Parr gives concrete examples of what worry is and what kids to do alleviate those feeling all in language that they can understand. If you have a little one that is dealing with that awful W word this is a perfect book to read together so that maybe they can give words to what they are feeling and to work out some strategies to making that worry go away.

The next picture book I want to highlight is probably more for preschoolers and up. Ruby Finds a Worry is part of the Big Bright Feelings series written and illustrated by Tom Percival and published by Bloomsbury out of Great Britain. If you go to the Bloomsbury website they not only have a list of all the books in the Big Bright Feelings series, but also downloadable activities for each book. I confess that I normally do not enjoy picture books with a very specific "message" or "lesson". Don't get me wrong, they can definitely work to prompt discussion with children, but usually the story telling is bit stilted and dull for general audiences and read-aloud sessions.  The Big Bright Feelings series definitely deals with very specific topics but the gentle and enjoyable text combined with enchanting illustrations make these books winners for me. There are a number of topics that these books address (fitting in, jealousy, starting school, etc.) but for this post I want to mention Ruby Finds a Worry which, of course, deals with worry and anxiety. As you can see, Ruby is absolutely adorable and I love the way the worry is actually portrayed as a physical being. The colors of the illustrations particularly make the worry stand out and grow in prominence until Ruby learns to deal with the worry and reduce its prevalence in her life. In the story, young Ruby discovers that a worry has attached itself to her. I love that the worry has taken a physical form and also that it doesn't seem to have any specific cause or association with an event in her life. As far as the reader is concerned, the worry just shows and grows each day until Ruby can't focus on anything but the worry. As you can probably surmise, Ruby's attempts to ignore the worry just make it grow bigger. It isn't until she talks about her worry with a friend that it starts to shrink. I think that it is important to note that the worry does not completely disappear, it is still there, but it no longer interferes with Ruby's daily life. Some people (and I happen to be one of them) are just worriers. I remember my family referring to me as a Nervous Nellie when I was a child. It could be about specific things. I particularly remember a time period where I was petrified of acid rain, but often it was just anxiety that seemed to be about everything and nothing at the same time. 

A book that just came out in 2023 is

When Things Aren't Going Right, Go Left! written by Marc Colagiovanni and illustrated by Peter Reynolds. This is the debut picture book for Colagiovanni, but the style of the illustrations will probably look familiar. Reynolds is the author and illustrator of such classics as Ish and The Dot, as well a being the illustrator of the I Am picture books by Susan Verde (I Am Love, I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, etc.).

This may be a picture book, but I recommend it for readers of all ages.  Colagiovanni has written a charming story about hope and perseverance that is only made better by Reynolds's delightful artwork.  The story is simple enough to entertain young children, but the wit and whimsy will be appreciated by adults. We all have been troubled by doubt, worry, and fear at some point of our lives. Colagiovanni  reminds us  that during those times we can turn in a different direction and leave those burdens behind us

If you want to reach out to an older elementary age student struggling with mental health you cannot go wrong with The Worry (less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm and Tame Your Anxiety by Rachel Caine. Graphic novels, of course, are hugely popular with young readers and this one gives solid advice alongside entertaining illustrations and a large dose of humor.

Rachel Caine has also written and illustrated Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You, which is a must-read book for all young people. Both this book and The Worry (Less) Book are well-researched and deliver important, age-appropriate information in a format that will engage young people.

Speaking of consent, Rachel Caine is one of the creators of the viral tea consent video which has been promoted by police departments and played by on campuses and to young people around the world. As with her books, Caine employs humor to expertly and concisely convey vitally important information to young people. Seriously, if you have teens or young adults have them watch this video. It is funny and everyone will laugh but it has an imperative and easy to understand message for viewers.

 

Let's move on to some chapter books that deal with mental health. The first book I want to talk about is OCDaniel by Wesley King. As you may have guessed, the main character in this book is a middle school boy suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Daniel just wants to be a normal kids and hopes that no one ever finds out about his "zaps", what he refers to his as obsessive need to do certain things such as turning lights on and off a certain number of times. 

King does a remarkable job of writing about serious mental illnesses while making the characters relatable to all readers. Every middle schooler wants to fit in and may have parts of themselves that they wish to hide from their peers. As a coming of age drama, OCDaniel is a great novel, but what makes it exceptional is that King has also threaded a mystery into the story. A fantastic read that will shed light on mental illness for some readers and make others feel seen.

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand is another juvenile fiction novel that revolves around a young main character coping with mental illness, this time depression and anxiety. Eleven year old Finley is spending the summer at her grandparents' estate while her parents finalize their divorce. In order to cope with her intense emotions, Finley retreats into a fantasy world that she creates. Legrand magically combines fantasy and drama into a beautiful story about, not only juvenile mental health, but also family dynamics.  This is definitely a unique novel that will help young readers see that they are not alone and that reaching out and making connections can help alleviate feelings of overwhelming sadness, fear, or self-doubt.

There are probably an overabundance of young adult novels that are about depression and anxiety. Trust me, I have served on the Michigan Young Adult Award committee (the Thumbs Up) and there is a lot of angst, depression, and trauma in popular books for teens. One that I have found to be particularly memorable is Rainbow in the Dark by Sean McGinty. I am warning you that Rainbow in the Dark is a bit weird (and that is probably why I liked it so much). The main character is a teen named Rainbow whose parents' recent divorce has resulted in moving to a town and home that he hates. Failing in school and feeling isolated and disconnected from his family, Rainbow suddenly finds himself in a video game like world with other teens. Rainbow is now on a quest to discover where he is and how to escape to reality. I warned you that this was an odd book, but McGinty brilliantly deals with serious issues of depression and suicide in a way that will appeal to teen readers. I hate to classify books as being for girls or boys, but many young adult novels that deal with depression and mental health tend to be realistic dramas with female protagonists. Rainbow in the Dark stands out for its incredibly unique storytelling. There are kids out there dealing with depression that will never pick up a drama or nonfiction book about mental health. However, if you offer those teens a novel about a teen who finds himself trapped in a video game...Well, you just may get them to pick it up.

I have already mentioned one graphic novel, and if you are familiar at all with tween and teen readers you know that they gravitate towards this format. As a librarian I get so frustrated with parents who tell their kids that they cannot get a "comic" they have to check out a "real" book. Personally, and professionally, I vehemently disagree with discouraging any child from checking out a book that they want to read. First of all, if you forbid something they are just going to want it more, but if you tell them that certain books do not "count" and they need to read something different they are just going to hate reading. Graphic novels can educate, inspire, and entertain just as much as traditional chapter books. For children that are more visual learners they may even have a greater impact by sticking with them longer. I want to mention two graphic novel memoirs that deal specifically with anxiety, depression, and identity that teens struggling with these issues may find particularly encouraging. The first of these is Everything is Okay by Debbie Tung. Based on the author and illustrator's own struggles with anxiety and depression, this book is beautifully written and illustrated. This quick and easy read will hopefully encourage young people battling with similar afflictions while also making them realize that they are not alone.

The second graphic novel that I want to mention is The Fire Never Goes Out:A Memoir in Pictures by ND Stevenson. Stevenson is a graphic novelist and artist who achieved huge successes right out of the gate.  His first graphic novel, Nimona, went from web comic to best selling and Eisner-winning graphic novel. Stevenson then went on to the reboot of She-Ra on Netflix which was a huge success. In The Fire Never Goes Out Stevenson depicts in a series of comics and essays how they have always struggled with self-confidence, anxiety, and identity. I do want to note here that ND Stevenson (professionally)  now goes by the name, Nate, and chooses the pronouns he/him. Anyone who has struggled with who they are, who they want to be will be able to relate to this stunning memoir.

I know that I never even got to adult books about mental health, but this post has already gotten quite long. I guess for now we will just keep it to teens and younger. I hope that you find some books in this post that will help and encourage whoever you are reading or sharing with them.

Why the Drama?

On Monday, March 27, 2023 there was a shooting at an elementary school in Tennessee. Seven people died: three children, three school staff members, and the shooter. According to reports, the tragedy in Nashville took less than 14 minutes and was all over before 10:30am. It didn't take much longer for news channels and social media platforms to blow up with details.

Why am I reiterating information that you are already familiar with? Well, it was later in that same day that a parent came into the library to lodge a complaint. Specifically, this mother wanted to speak to our library director about  Drama, a graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier, that her nine year old daughter had recently checked out.

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of kids' graphic novels, Drama is an incredibly popular graphic novel recommended for readers 8-12 years old. The story revolves around a group of middle school students involved in putting on a school play. It is a sweet coming of age story about friendship, working together, pursuing your passions, and, yes, first crushes. I am quite sure that many of you have already guessed that there are gay characters in Drama. Full disclosure, there is also a boy-boy kiss but not to give too much away this occurs on stage as part of the play. So to be clear, there is zero salacious content in Drama. It is all very sweet and, in my opinion, actually delivers an extremely important message to young people about the importance of maintaining friendships and how those can be even better than romantic relationships.  

However, on an afternoon when I, like so many others, was mired in horror, grief, fear, and rage a mother in my community was more concerned about the fact that her nine year old daughter learned that gay people exist. The mother's exact words were that she thought "the library was a safe place" and was unprepared to discuss "serious adult issues" with her daughter. First off, to hear someone say that they think the library is not a safe place for children is preposterous. It would be funny if vilifying libraries and books was not so pernicious to children and society as a whole. Last I checked, reading never resulted in the death or even the harm of a child. Reading books just leads to imagination, empathy, and thinking and why would we ever want to encourage those qualities in our children?

The library is not just a safe place it is a sanctuary for ALL children. No matter their background, home life, interests, popularity, faith, gender, etc. I have often admitted to being a nerd and a Trekkie so it is probably no surprise that I follow Wil Wheaton on social media and read his blog. For those non-Trekkies, Wheaton played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wheaton recently wrote a beautiful post titled "The Library is a Safe Place" detailing his own childhood experiences at the public library and how they continue to be essential places for today's youth, especially those that identify as LGBTQ+. please, read this post. Wheaton is a superior writer and I don't think I have read a better tribute to libraries and the impact that they can have on vulnerable young people.

Growing up books were my escape and the library was my "safe" place. Now that  I am a Youth Librarian it is my mission to make sure that every child and teen who walks into the library feels welcome and seen. I can lead them to books that allow them to escape, see themselves, or learn more about the rest of the world. However, they do not even have to be readers to be welcome in the library (even though I will not quit trying to find them the perfect book). The library is a safe place that they can simply be themselves and not have to buy anything or fulfill any special requirements.

Now onto the the second half of the complaint, that Drama dealt with "serious adult issues". I already gave you a synopsis of Drama. It does not contain violence, swearing, sex, nudity, mortgages, life insurance, or retirement plans (seriously, aren't those last three the real adult topics?).  There are relationships in Drama, but those exist in every book.  Was this mom concerned because Drama dealt with childhood crushes? I have read about those in picture books or even younger chapter books. Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren deals with a kindergartner having a crush on a new boy in her class. I could go on and list hundreds of chapter books and picture books that deal with crushes or depict romantic relationships between characters like parents or older siblings. And let me stop here to say that people need to stop conflating relationships with sex, which can exist separately. After all, how many books for kids show parents as a couple without going into detail about how their children came to be? Are those inappropriate? No, it is only deemed inappropriate when the relationships occur between characters of the same sex. I hate to burst your bubble, but gay people exist and, let's be honest, they have always existed. They deserve to live their lives in the light without fear of discrimination, judgement, or violence. 

These parents who are so horrified that their kids will read about LGBTQ+ people in books, how do they want their kids to treat LGBTQ+ people that they will meet in their classrooms, neighborhoods, and communities as they grow up? Do they want their kids to look away in disgust, vote to have LGBTQ+ people have their rights stripped away, spit on them, call them names? These are human beings that adults  are teaching children to fear and abhor and it enrages and terrifies me at the same time.

Unless you live under a rock, you are aware of the divisiveness that plaques our country current. It's hard to miss and, unfortunately, libraries and books have become a frequent target of far right political groups bent on using bigotry to stir up their base. There were a

record number of demands to ban books in 2022 and it is already looking like there will be even more in 2023. You may have guessed that the majority of the recent challenges and bans pertain specifically to books that deal with the LGBTQ+ community or race relations. Whatever, the politicians say, banning books is not about protecting children. If they were really interested in child welfare they would care about the high suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth, gun violence, healthcare, poverty, climate change, etc. This is about consolidating power and as the Zinn Education Society puts so eloquently: In truth, what concerns the right is young people learning to ask critical questions about our society, how to organize for social change, and about the power of interracial solidarity. As I have already stated, reading leads to empathy. When you read a book you inhabit the mind and soul of the characters. You don't just view their actions, like a television show, you are inside their minds and hear their thoughts and feel your emotions. It is hard to despise someone when you have experienced their pain and joy, their triumphs and failures.

Books and libraries have always been an important part of my life. When I was struggling during my youth I needed the escape of fiction and the safety of the library. As a stay-at-home mom, the library was a free place for me to connect with other parents and educate and entertain my children. Now it seems like my life has come full circle and I am a youth librarian. It just so happens that my goal as a parent is the same as a youth librarian. More than anything, I want kids to be kind. If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, citizen longing for a better world please encourage people to read books and support their local libraries. Run to serve on the boards of libraries, vote yes on millages, attend library programs, check out books, tell everyone you know how important libraries are, and, most importantly, READ READ READ!

Season's Readings

 

So, I have a bit of a reputation for being a Grinch, and I am not going to deny that there may be some truth in this assessment. However, I do feel the need to defend my self. My heart is not two sizes too small, as one of my coworkers joked just last week. I do enjoy the holiday season: the snow, the decorations, the gifts, the food, even the music (at least some of it in moderation) etc. What makes me want to retreat to a hobbit hole is the excess and over the top extravagance that seems to grow bigger and last longer every year. As Alfred, the wise beyond his years janitor from Macy's, says: "Yeah, there's a lot of bad 'isms' floatin' around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism." I don't know if commercialism is actually the worst "ism", but it does suck the joy out of the holiday season.

I know that I started this post like a greasy black banana peel, so I'm going to move on to something that does fill me with holiday delight: Christmas books! After all, I am a mom and a children's librarian and nothing makes me happier than reading books to kids.

The first book that I am going to write about is actually better known as a movie, and it is in fact one of my all time favorite holiday films. You may be aware that I have an infatuation with anything and everything Jim Henson.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is a less well-know work by Jim Henson, but is enchanting with humor, memorable music, and just the right amount of schmaltz. Even if you are familiar with the Henson version of Emmet Otter you probably do not know that the movie was adapted from an adorable picture book written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban that was published in 1971. I actually read this book and watch the movie with my kids every December and I love them both. I will say that Henson's adaptation has a bit of an edge over the book because you get to hear the fantastic music composed by Paul Williams. Music is still an important element of the book, but the jug-band tunes, and Marilyn Sokol singing Our World and Wheren the River Meets the Sea make the movie unforgettable.

The story is a sweet twist on The Gift of a Magi with the widowed Mrs. Otter and her son, Emmet, sacrificing prized possessions in order to give the other the perfect Christmas present. The Muppet version stays very true to the story written by Russel Hoban and and it is impossible to not fall in love with Lillian Hoban's charming denizens of Frogtown Hollow. There is even a second book set in Frogtown Hollow about one Emmet's jugband friends, Harvey Muskrat.
    If the style of Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas and Harvey's Hideout look familiar, you have probably seen some of the other books created by the husband and wife team. The Frances series being the most well known. Although, the first Frances book, Bedtime for Frances, was illustrated by Garth Williams (illustrator of the Little House series) the remaining five books were illustrated by Lillian Hoban. After their divorce, Lillian Hoban went on to write and illustrate the Arthur easy reader series (Arthur the chimpanzee, not the aarvark), the Silly Tilly Mole series, and several other books for children. Russel Hoban switched to writing science fiction and fantasy for adults.

When it comes to reading picture books for storytime or to my own kids I have always preferred stories with humor. Two books that are always a big hit with the younger kiddos are Santa's Stuck by Rhonda Gowler Greene and Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? Both books are silly with fun and colorful illustrations. You can probably guess the plot of each story from it's title and cover. Suffice it to say, little ones are sure to giggle as a family dog, the cat and all of her kittens, the reindeer, and even a mouse have to pull Santa out of the chimney when he eats too many cookies. Also, who doesn't want to imagine Santa trying to deliver toys around the world with a sleigh pulled by tigers, kangaroos, or even snakes.

For older kids, I absolutely adore the Pig the Pug books by Aaron Blabey.  I know that I have mentioned Blabey before, but he is also the author of the Bad Guys series which was recently made into a movie.

It is the most wonderful time of the year and of course to Pig the Pug that means presents and MORE PRESENTS. If you have read any of the other Pig the Pug books, you will not be surprised when Pig's greed lands him in a dangerous and rather painful predicament. As usual, Pig should heed the advice of Trevor, who wisely goes to sleep on Christmas Eve, happy to open whatever Santa brings. Pig's over the top and ridiculous behavior (he actually bites Santa on the bum) will have kids giggling and, perhaps, checking their own attitudes at Christmas time.

Another wonderful book about appreciating family and love during the holiday season  (that is a bit more serious than Pig the Elf) is The Broken Ornament by Tony DiTerlizzi. If you are a fantasy lover, you may recognize DiTerlizzi as the artist of The Spiderwick Chronicles (please, do not watch the movie, it is just bad) and the author and artist of The Search for Wondla series. DiTerlizzi is also incredibly well-known among nerds like me for his Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: the Gathering artwork. He also illustrated an absolutely gorgeous version of the 1930s poem by Mary Howitt, The Spider and the Fly. I digress, The Broken Ornament is about a young boy who is very excited to decorate for Christmas and his enthusiasm breaks an old ornament belonging to his mother. Not really understanding why his mother is upset, the boy just wants everything to be bigger, brighter, more sparkly. Suddenly, a fairy appears that is willing to grant his wish for the best Christmas ever, which has bigger trees, more snow, brighter lights, etc. When the fairy shows Jack why the broken ornament was so important to his mother, though, he realizes that the best Christmas is not about the having the most or shiniest of anything. As parents, I think we all strive to give our kids memories that they will cherish long past childhood and that is really what this story is about. Learning that the best memories are not about stuff, but about spending time with those we love. If you fall in love with this book, be sure to check out Diterlizzi's website where he has ornaments that you can print and cut out. There are also activities, wallpapers, and oodles of other goodies about his books and art. 

Before , I finish I want to mention a couple of fantastic Christmas chapter books that are perfect for reading aloud together. You may have heard of A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig since it was made into a Netflix movie a year or two ago. I actually have not watched the film adaptation so I cannot tell you whether that is any good, but the book is adorable. I read this aloud to my then five-year-old and he was completely enthralled in young Nikolas's journey to the North Pole to rescue his father. Luckily, Haig has written a few more wonderful stories about Santa Claus and Christmas to keep us entertained for a few years to come.  Haig's writing is charming and witty, like a wonderful cross between Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl. Chris Mould's intricate illustrations make the books even more enchanting.

The last book I am going to recommend is a Christmas mystery/ghost story that will appeal to kids and adults. Part of what makes Greenglass House by Kate Milford so wonderful is a setting that could be straight from an Agatha Christie novel. The ramshackle inn high up above the smuggler's town of Nagspeake that requires a cable car to reach. Snowbound during the Christmas break with a number of quirky and mysterious guests, it is up to Milo to discover everyone's secrets.  This is the perfect book to snuggle under a blanket and read next to a cozy fire. 

If you celebrate Christmas and have little ones (and not so little ones) to read with this December, I hope that I have given you some fun books to read together. 

Happy Holidays!

Oceans of Possiblities (and Books)

If you are a regular patron of your local library, or have been in the past, you are probably familiar with the summer reading program. Every summer libraries across the nation decorate, plan parties, book performers, and purchase oodles of prizes to encourage kids, teens, and adults to keep reading books and visiting the library.  Since 1987 the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) has connected libraries and librarians across the country so that we all use the same theme, slogan, and artwork for our summer programs. The CSLP provides tons of valuable resources for the consortium including unique artwork created by a renowned illustrator. For example, Jarret Krosoczka, Brian Lies, Brian Pinkney, and Scott Nash have been artists behind previous year's themes.

This year the theme is Oceans of Possibilities and the artwork was created by the Sophie Blackall.

I admit that there are years when I love the theme, the artwork, and the direction that the CSLP provides as far as planning. And then there are years when I feel constrained and unsure what to do. This year has actually been a lot of fun since there are so many interesting and fun things that you can do with the theme of oceans. Our library has made jellyfish in water bottles, mini coral reefs, sea glass candle holders, decorated with paper mache fish and paper bowl sea turtles. It has been so much fun and our patrons of all ages have been delighted. 

Ok, I have talked about themes and artwork, blah, blah, blah, but this post was meant to be about books. Specifically books that pertain to the 2022 theme, Oceans of Possibilities. As the librarian responsible for crafts, programs, displays, and storytimes it is always nice when the theme is fun and easy to promote. The theme, Oceans of Possibilities, brings to mind oodles of entertaining books for all age levels.

Let's start with picture books, since I have been planning ocean-themed storytimes for the past month.

I think it is important to always include the classics so I could not even imagine the summer without reading Mister Seahorse and A House for Hermit Crab by the preeminent author and illustrator, Eric Carle.
Yeah, I am pretty sure that I have mentioned Eric Carle picture books more than once. Come on, though, Eric Carle is a genius, and these books are not only beautifully illustrated, but they are also informative. How many children know that it is male seahorses that actually carry and deliver babies or that hermit crabs grow out of their shells and then look for new ones. These stories are also easy to translate into storytime crafts which is always a bonus. My storytime kiddos decorated their own hermit shell crabs and sea horses with markers, puff balls, glitter, sequins, foam stickers, etc. I always enjoy seeing the variety, how all the kids go about doing the craft in completely unique ways. 

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned having boys with a penchant for carnage in picture books. Honestly, I am not sure whether I should encourage this or not, but here are a couple of books that made my blood-thirsty six year old bust out laughing. If your little one will get upset by animals eating other animals you should probably steer clear of Ugly Fish. Also, if you are offended by the word bum or bothered by the idea of piranhas wanting to eat bums than I would definitely not check out the Blabey book. The majority of kids, though, (at least those that I have encountered) delight in the absurd and will be rolling on the floor laughing at both of these books. Blabey, who is the author of The Bad Guys juvenile series and also the

Pig the Pug picture book series, is a master at appealing to children while also giving them opportunities for a good giggle. Brian, the Piranha tries to encourage the other Piranhas to embrace his vegetarian diet. Eventually, they are willing to try fruit, but ultimately decide that "bum" is still better. 

Ugly Fish by Kara Larou is hilarious story about a ugly fish (who would have guessed) living in a fish tank that loves his solitary life until new fish appear. I don't want to give anything away, but Ugly Fish learns that company can be a fun thing, and then, not so much.

One of my favorite new author and illustrators is

Einat Tsarfati, I only recently became aware of Tsarfati's books (I just happened to see one in a bookstore) and I am so happy that I found them, especially considering this year's summer reading theme. Tsarfati is a brilliant artist whose illustrations contain wondrous detail that accompany her equally delightful text. It Could Be Worse has been my go-to-book for reading to my elementary class tours that would usually claim to be too old for a story.  In this story two shipwrecked sailors are floating along in the ocean on what is left of their ship. Albertini is, understandably, upset about their situation, but George is an optimist and keeps reminding Albertini that things "could be worse". Of course, every time George says this things get considerably worse. Readers of all ages will be in hysterics as the two sailors deal with flying fish with diarrhea, tone-deaf mermaids, ghost pirates, hungry whales, etc.

The Sandcastle is another book written and illustrated by Einat Tsarfati. The book features characters from one of Tsarfati's other books, The Neighbors. In this story the young red-haired protagonist is enjoying a day at the beach with her parents and decides to build a sandcastle. Not just any sandcastle, though, a fantastical sandcastle of such enormity that kings and queens from around the world move in and hold elaborate balls, games, and feasts. As with all of Tsarfati's books, the illustrations are whimsical and intricate and you will want to have a copy in your hands so you can appreciate all of the magical details on each page.

I could probably go on for several more pages describing picture books about the ocean but right now I do want to mention a few ocean-themed chapter books. The Flooded Earth Trilogy by Mardi McCondrie is an exciting sci-fi, dystopian adventure with a climate change twist that is sure to grab middle grade readers. It is the not-so distant future and in order to address world-wide drought caused by climate change scientists developed a machine that resulted in the earth being flooded.The planet-wide flooding has resulted in the navy taking control of what is left of America, billions of refugees whose homes are now underwater, and countless pirates roaming the expanded seas. These are books that I will continue to recommend and hope that I can get kids to check out, because I loved it. The premise and characters are intriguing and appealing and once you read the first book you are going to be chomping at the bit to find out what happens to twins, Will and Annalie, as they search for their missing father.

The last book I want to mention is a historical fiction set in Europe during the aftermath of World War I. There are so, so, so many books about WWII and young readers (as well as teens and adults) are fascinated by holocaust. I have enjoyed explaining to my younger patrons that there was a first world war that did not include Hitler and it also historically significant. Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant  is about two children whose lives are in turmoil following WWI. Together they set across the English Channel and into France aboard a narrow boat called the Sparrowhawk.  Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is an exciting adventure that is sure to capture the attention of young readers.

I know that there are countless more books that I could include in this post. I didn't even make it to teen or adult books. That will have to be my next post, I guess.  Anyways, I hope that this post inspires you to read some new books that revolve around the ocean. OR at least fish since I just realized that I mentioned two books that have nothing to do with the ocean. Obviously piranhas are freshwater fish and Ugly Fish takes place in a fish tank. Oops.