YALSA, What's up?

Joanna mentioned this several posts back, but did you know you have to register with YALSA in order to view their award and booklist information?

Honestly, YALSA. What’s up? Why the lock-down on your booklists? Did you feel like you needed to throw up some barriers to all that free and accessible information?

So now if you'd like to take a peek at the award winners you have to register.

“If you are not a member, you will need to fill out this form. By filling out this form, you will receive some kind of contact from YALSA and will be provided an opportunity to opt-out of future communications at that time.”

Did you like that? You will be provided the opportunity to opt-out later. Gee, thanks guys! I also love that I’ll receive “some kind of contact!” That is just creepy! Are y'all going to show up on my doorstep with pamphlets proselytizing the virtues of being an ALA member?

The kicker is that then they ask what kind of information you want to receive from YALSA. And they don’t give you the option to receive nothing. It is required to pick one (or more!) categories of information that will then be sent to you via email. The lesson I learned from this? Information is not free! Even from an organization the professes the freedom to read!

“Thank you for telling us a little more about yourself so that we can meet your needs! You may now access the following pages”

I don’t know how to tell you this, but you met my needs a lot better before I was forced to give you my email address and receive spam from you!

Stop the crazyness!

Sincerely,

Patti

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

http://www.jeannebirdsall.com/about/point_mouette.html

During the ALA Media Awards earlier this year, Patti and I discussed our desire to read a book and review it together as a chat. We tossed around ideas and one of mine was The Penderwicks. I never read them and I knew a new book was due out later this year. I checked out the first book and finished it very quickly. My thoughts:  adorable.  It's also very retro in its design, its references to pop culture, and its genre. I'll explain this last one more below.) I also thought it wouldn't make quite the juicy conversation that Patti and I usually like to have so here I am on my own. Book 3 The Penderwicks at Point Mouette was released May 10, 2011.

Now just because I said it wasn't juicy doesn't mean I think less of them.*

EDITED IN LIGHT OF WSJ ARTICLE "DARKNESS TOO VISIBLE"

Okay, Friends. Are you going to tell me that none of the Penderwicks books were on those B&N shelves? Because it sounds like these are the books this mom might want. Shocker: these best-selling novels aren't books about cutting and sex abuse.  Heavens! The Penderwick Family Honor wouldn't stand for that nonesense. Penderwick stories are  about family. Funny stories about families. Interesting stories about families. No swearing, no meanness, just a pleasant view into the lives of 4 girls and a couple boys. They go to school. They read (other non-cutting/sex abuse books - all hard core classics that would please any parent who refuses to let their child read books post-1965). The girls like math (!) and science (!) and soccer (!). They have good friends. They are good friends. They are (rather) obedient children. They take care of and love each other.

Granted this series is geared a little bit younger than what the article chose to talk about, but 13 year olds would totally dig these stories. The oldest is 13 and there's kissing! And let's face it, 13 year old girls really really like kissing books no matter what their mothers might think otherwise. So let's hear it for the non-edgy-but-still-rockin' YA. It's a great big YA world out there. There's something for every one. Just because you haven't found it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If you can't find it yourself, ask your teacher or librarian.

*Oh yeah, about the novel: there's a surprise for one of our friends that I totally didn't see coming. Rosalind is MIA except phone call snippets which allows more time for Skye, Jane & Batty to have their stories. Mr. P, Iantha and Ben are also out of the picture, but we do get Aunt Claire. My heart still belongs to Skye though Jane nearly stole the show this time. And I want to go to Maine for the summer. It's June and it's hot enough here in FL.  This is book 3 of what will be 5 books.

Rant

I need to get something off my chest. I really do, I find that I just can’t hold it in any longer. I sincerely hope that I don’t offend anyone in the process, but there is something that I’ve been seeing all over that just gets under my skin. Readers, it is this business about Team Peeta and Team Gale.

I understand about the allure of a love triangle and I understand rooting for the character you like the best. I especially understand this in a book that is a romance like the Twilight series. I guess my problem is that I don’t find the Hunger Games to be books that are dominated by Katniss’ romantic possibilities. I see them more of a journey for survival. I see them as commentary on society: the ugliness of humanity as well as the strength and beauty of it.

And frankly, I see the focus on romance decisions as an insidious thing that reduces the power and importance of Katniss. Some sort of thing where since she is a girl, she might accomplish great things, but when it comes down do it, darn it, she just wants to be loved. So, yeah yeah, she has to fight for her survival, sure sure she becomes a symbol of resistance and change, but let’s get to the important part…which boy is she going to pick? And it drives me crazy. Because Katniss is so much more than that.

Yes I am aware there is romance in the novels. Yes, she is torn between two friends. But is that the most important element of her story? I emphatically say no. I think it is more of a side-story (and I certainly don’t mind the side-story since romance really does makes everything better) but, to me, the undercurrents of the resistance – the political structure of the capital, what the heck is going on in district 13, and what goes on in the arena are all way more interesting and compelling. I want to learn more about those things rather than focus on who Katniss is going to get it on with.

End of rant. With full acknowledgment that I may be over-reacting and taking all the fun out of life.