#TXLChat

Texas Librarian Chat #TXLChat is a great way for librarians, or anyone, to connect with others on Twitter.  I have gained so many resources and book recommendations from participating in these.  Chats are every Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Twitter.  Just use #txlchat.

I just received an email from Nancy Jo Lambert through the listserv informing "chatters" that there will be a SyncUp at TLA next week.

I'm so excited about this opportunity to finally meet some of my online mentors!  If you are going to TLA, I hope you will join us.  I look forward to Syncing Up with you as well.

If you aren't, the chat moderators are a wonderful resource.  Here is the link to the active ThingLink shown above.  TXL Chat Moderators  This site will link you to their Twitter accounts as well as their blogs or websites.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday everyone!  Please check out Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers to learn more about It's Monday! What Are Your Reading?

My reading adventure and attention continues to be all over the place.  The positive side, however, is I'm enjoying some really good reads along the way.

This past week I read Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You.  It is the first time I've been able to read one of her books.  My niece loved her when she was in high school.  In fact, Dessen's book actually hooked my niece on reading.  She continues to read now that she's a mom and all grown up.  (Thank you Sarah.  You made this aunt a happy librarian!)  

Dessen is also popular with many of my girl junior high readers as well.  This is one of the reason's I haven't had a chance to read her books yet.  They stay checked out.  A good problem to have, I believe.

When I started the book, I figured it was going to be just a good romance story.  I happen to like these, so I was ready to settle in for a cozy read, but what I got was so much more.  Scarlett and Halley have been best friends forever, it seems.  One summer everything changes.  Life is not necessarily neat or a fairy tale.  Even Seventeen magazine doesn't prepare them for this roller coaster of a ride.  Through it all, however, they have each other.  This book explores the challenges of life and how those challenges mold and shape who we are as people.  Everything once familiar becomes threatened and different.  Can friendship survive the stress of growing up?  

I found the book a realistic view of challenges some teens face today.   Scarlett and Halley face life together, and I love the friendship they share.

This week I'm diving into Pearl by Jo Knowles.

Hope you have a great reading week.

Lone Star Reading List 2015

The Lone Star Reading List books have finally arrived in the library.   The yearly list is created by public and school librarians who serve on the Young Adult Round Table, a committee of the Texas Library Association.

What I love about this list is the variety of books suggested.  I have never read a book off the list that I didn't like.  I've written before about stretching myself as a reader by reading outside of my comfort zone.  This list helps me do just that.

Below is a Thinglink of the books on this year's list. I hope you find some new titles and/or authors you love.