January update

Last time, I wrote about New Year's resolutions. How have I done so far? Nothing added to LibraryThing, but still putting titles in my ratty notebook which I haven't rebound yet. First two, nada. Organizing my room? I got a new clothes hamper, so the floor is tidier. 1 point for #3. Finishing my quilt...I bought some more fabric for said quilt, and I pulled out the squares from their hiding place. I've also taken apart some old clothes to repurpose into squares or bits for the quilt. 1.5 points for #4. I have made more art in that I finished spinning all the merino wool I got for Christmas, plus started spinning alpaca, and the quilt is out of the dark. 2 points for #5. Finally, traveling...I did drive to Williamstown, MA on MLK Day weekend and visited Sweet Brook Farm where I bought the aforementioned alpaca fiber and met the alpacas. I drove to Norfolk, MA last week, which is tucked off the beaten path and is quite lovely. There is no exit for it on 495-- you have to drive through Franklin, MA to get there, so it's a sneaky little gem. :) No visiting people I know per se, so 1 point for #6. I'm satisfied with that. It's only been a month. February brings my first Nutmeg meeting. I am also hoping for a snow day somewhere so I can bust out all my crafts. Craft extravaganza.

In library-world news, ALA announced the Youth Media Awards, which are like the Oscars of the children's/YA book scene. I've read the Caldecott and Newbery winners already, but the Printz and Morris are now on my to-read list. If that sentence made no sense to you, go here for ALA's press release.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Resolutions

Another year! Man, they just fly by. A new year means resolutions. I think I have only ever really kept one resolution, and that was 2001 when I resolved to write down all the books I read like my grandmother did. I still do that with pen and paper. My LibraryThing is a small slice of the list. I read 83 books in 2012 (although I missed some because when I read a picture book on the fly or read to my Lego Club, I don't count those.) I will continue to keep that resolution, but here are a few things that I will try to do in 2013:

1. I will add all my books to LibraryThing.
2. I will take my old notebook I write my books in and rebind it.
3. I will organize my room to the point that I can get a new bed.
4. I will finish the quilt I started randomly some years ago.
5. I will make more art! Bookbinding, spinning (my new love), whatever. It has been awhile.
6. I will visit people and/or travel just for kicks. (Lookin' at you, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.)

I'm going to stop there because I like even numbers. So, in short, be more creative, be more social, and clean up. I don't want to make any reading-related resolutions because of the Nutmeg Committee. I have 2 left of the 8 books I have to read by February 13. The Nutmeg Committee is a resolution in and of itself, reading-wise and being more social. I did that on purpose.

A few recommendations while I have you:
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (before she wrote Gone Girl)
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ex libris,

Marissa

The BEST books of 2012

Here is my list of the best books of 2012! To be fair, I clearly have not read every book published this year, so this is all my personal opinion based on what I read. That being said, I am in the book-suggesting business as part of my job, so I think I can say with confidence that you will like at least one of these books. Books labeled A are adult books, YA are for teens, and C are for children. That's not to say that there are rules-- you can read whatever you please. I'm just using the labels as a guideline so you know who the books are targeted toward.

The best book of 2012 was, without doubt, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (YA). After I read it, I was so stunned and overwhelmed that I said out loud to no one, "I never have to read another book again. This is it." I could not pick up another book for a little while afterward because everything else seemed so trivial. I was so thrilled to meet John Green at BEA, and he continues to amaze me. So you have to read this one-- it's not optional.
And now, for the rest of the list:
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley (YA) was actually published in the spring of 2011, but it won BOTH the Printz and Morris Award for 2012 and the paperback came out this summer, so I count it.
The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (YA)
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker (C)
The Diviners by Libba Bray (YA)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (C)
Every Day by David Levithan (YA)
Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy (A)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (A)
The Nightmare by Lars Kepler (A)
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (A)
Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow (YA)
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian (A)
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit by Tommy Greenwald (C)
Erebos by Ursula Poznanski (YA)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (A)

Enjoy!
Ex libris,

Marissa

Putting the "m" and "e" in committee!

A few weeks ago, I applied to be on the Nutmeg nominating committee for 2015. (I KNOW-- already?) For those of you not in the fine Nutmeg State, the Nutmeg award goes like this: the nominating committee of librarians and reading teachers read a LOT of books to be considered for the nomination. Then those books are narrowed down to ten by the committee. The noms are kept TOP SECRET until their announcement. Then kids and teens across the state read the Nutmeg noms and they can choose their favorite. The award itself is given to the book that gets the most votes from kids across the state.
I grew up with the Nutmeg award, and now that I am finished with grad school, I thought I'd go for the committee. I applied for the teen committee (grades 7 and 8) and the high school committee (grades 9-12). I found out on Thursday that I got picked to be on the teen committee! (I got some disappointing news on Wednesday, so this was a welcome invitation).
I work with children and teens, so the age level I'm reading for is quite good for any reader's advisory I may do at work since I am the "bridge" between the children's and teen departments. I already got a list of eight books (of which I already finished one-- BAM!) to read before the first meeting in February. These books are not necessarily ones I'd read myself (I tend to read YA and adult books) so I will be exposed to something new, plus I'll get to meet librarians and reading teachers and other rad bookish folks from across the state. The downside is I have to read something like 80 books in several months (and I average 50-70 a year) and I will have to set aside all other books in order to get through the pile. I apologize in advance to you, dear reader...and Netgalley, where I have galleys waiting for me. I can't really review the books I'm reading since ten of them will be the TOP SECRET nominees, so I will have to figure something out for the blog.

I will post a list of my top books from 2012 soon, so stay tuned for that at least...and I will blog about awesome library programs or something while I do the Nutmeg thing.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Newtown

I grew up near and still live very close to Newtown, CT. I am so overwhelmed by the tragedy there, and last night I took a break from watching the news because I just couldn't see anymore. A friend of a friend of mine was killed during the shooting. I can't believe that a place I know well is on international news. I don't want to go into the debate of mental illness and gun control and whatnot, I just wanted to blog to say that we should all keep our loved ones close and remember what happened last week. Also, there are relief efforts and scholarship funds being set up, so check those out and determine their legitimacy before you donate. You may also go to the website of the Newtown Town Hall here and get the details of the fund set up by the United Way of Western Connecticut.

Ex libris,

Marissa