Graduation tonight!

Graduation at North Canyon High School starting soon - watch it here if you can't be there! http://www.livestream.com/pvusdnorthcanyon

Digital Footprints - Your New First Impression

THINK before you post - would you want your mom (or grandma) to Google you?

Do book trailers create an interest in reading the book?

I've created 3 book trailers myself, and that was fun! Like a movie trailer, a good book trailer can make me really interested in reading the book itself. How about you? Do you have the same reaction?

As this blog continues to intertwine with other media, the side of the page gets longer and longer. So, the latest is adding a playlist from YouTube. My goal is to find book trailers, but I really only want to add the ones that authors like. When I read a book, in my mind's eye, I picture the characters, the dialogue, the setting. As the reader, am I seeing what the author has pictured? When I created the two book trailers for the Stella Pope Duarte books, it was so gratifying to hear from her that yes, I did see something similar to what she saw.

So now, I'm putting out a request on Twitter, where I'm following many, many YA authors, to see if I can find book trailers that they approve. They don't know me, and they have many fans, so I don't know if I'll get any responses. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Value of college degree challenged

What DO you want to be when you grow up? IS it possible to have a career that you find both personally and financially rewarding, WITHOUT a college degree? Talk amongst yourselves.

Value of college degree challenged

Congratulations Ruganza!

North Canyon runner escapes war-torn Congo, eyes state title

Ruganza is one of our regulars in the library, and one of the nicest young men you'll ever meet. He deserves the best!

How I Corrupted America's Youth by Dan Gutman

How I Corrupted America's Youth: Getting angry letters is no laughing matter—and the same goes for censorship - 5/1/2010 - School Library Journal

Dan Gutman wrote this post for the School Library Journal. As a librarian whose primary goal is to get kids excited about reading, I found myself nodding my head all the way through. My favorite paragraph: "Bruce Coville, who has suffered more than his share of angry book banners, hits the nail on the head: "Somehow the idea seems to have gotten loose in the country that in addition to the rights of speech, religion, and the press we now have a new constitutional right: the right to never be offended by anything."

Really, I want to know...

What was your favorite book this year? What was the title and who was the author? Why was the book meaningful to you? Why do you think other people should read it?