Dystopia/Utopia Novels

Alright, so I meant to write this post a while ago. But things have been busy with me packing up for Kansas City. If you regularly read my blog then you know that I am fan of The Hunger Games (cue Robert thinking about Jennifer Lawrence [No Robert, concentrate!!!!!]. Recently, I have read other dystopian teen novels that are similar to  The Hunger Games.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

In my opinion The Maze Runner is a combination of The Hunger Games and Ender's Game. This story takes place in a place called the Glade. Every thirty days, a boy is transported to the Glade with no memory of who they are or where they came from. The story focuses on Thomas. His arrival causes many other of the Glade's inhabitants feel uneasy because strange things start to happen such as the arrival of the first girl and a message from the designers indicating that there will be no future citizens or supplies. Thomas and the others have to figure out how to get past the Maze which surrounds their home in order to survive. This is the first book in a trilogy. I hope to finish it up this year.


Uglies by Scott Westerfield

This is the first of four books in The Uglies series. Tally Youngblood lives in a world without war, disease, or hunger. She is about to turn sixteen, which is when all people in her community undergo surgery to make them "pretty". Tally has looked forward to this day for her entire life. This all changes when her friend Shay begins to have reservations about the surgery.  Shay frequently speaks of a society that leaves beyond the "pretties", where everyone is natural. Suddenly, Shay disappears one day.  Before Tally has her surgery, the authorities tell her that she must find locate where Shay escaped to. If she does not then she will have to remain "ugly" forever. As the story progresses, Tally learns a dark secret about her society that will make her question about what it means to be "pretty".  This book  addresses many issues that many teens (especially girls) will find relevant such as what and who defines beauty.  Some might define this as a dystopia. I am more inclined to say that this is utopia, but you are welcome to argue with me on this.Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I hope to finish the series soon.



Wither and Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStafano
This year I read Wither and Fever. They are the first two books of The Chemical Garden Trilogy. The final book is due to be published next year. This is about a futuristic society in which genetic engineering has gone wrong. Although the first generation of genetically modified humans were impervious to disease, their children would experience massive side effects. All men die at the age of twenty five and women die at the age of twenty. Many women are captured off the street and forced into polygamist marriages in a rash attempt to save humankind from extinction. The story focuses on Rhine, who is one of these captured women who is forced into a marriage against her will. This would be a good book to read if you want to analyze gender roles and power structures. This series gives a very depressing outlook on what a society will do in order to save itself. I found that the language that DeStefano uses in these books to be very beautiful. I would like to issue a content warning. This series does contain polygamy and sex is implied. Also, the women in this book endure harsh treatment under their father-in-law. So, if that bothers you then you may not want to read this. Overall, I enjoyed these books. I am eager to read the conclusion of the trilogy.

Percy Jackson and the Mediocere Movie

Alright, so I am a huge Percy Jackson fan. I read the first book last summer. This past semester I listened to the entire Percy Jackson series and the Heroes of Olympus series on audiobook. I think Rick Riordian is a magnificent author. The Percy Jackson series is a wonderful fantasy for both children and young adults.  I am very excited about the Demigod Diaries and The Mark of Athena that will come out this year. However, I have heard negative things about the movie.  Most people have said that they hated it. I know Rick Riordian refuses to see it.  Although, I have known a few people who said they liked it. And they are making another movie. So, I figured that I would give it a try. And I know what you are going to say "the book is always better then the movie". Well, that is not the case for me. Sometimes I like the book better then the movie. Occasionally, I will like the movie better then the book. Other times I think of the movie and the book adaptions as compliments to each other. Overall, the Percy Jackson movie was good. However, it had lots of problems.

Things I hated:

• Percy was way too old. The story starts out when he is 11.
• Annabeth was blonde in the books. Also, it did not mention her love of architecture. Speaking of love, she and Percy had way too many lovey dovey moments. Although, eventually they get together, they mainly just annoy each other in the first book.
• Grover was a womanizer.
• Kronos was not in the movie at all. Which was kind of a problem since he was the main villain through out the series. So, that is kind of a major plot hole that will need to be filled.
• Hades was evil. Of course they would sell out to the idea of the god of the Underworld being evil. The Greek gods were neither good or bad. They did sketchy and good things. Actually, Hades would be an ally to Percy Jackson in the last book. Also, they neglected to say that Hades helmet was also stolen.
• Ares was not in the movie. He is one of Percy Jackson's main enemies. So far they have yet to come to terms. He is also the father of Clarisse, who is bully (and later friend) to Percy Jackson. Clarisse was also left out of the movie.
• The fact that they did not show Elysium. They made the Underworld look  like doom and gloom.
• And there was no Dionysus. Not only is he the camp director, but was the comic relief.

Things I liked:

• I did like the chemistry between Percy and Annabeth. Although they should have had a lot more arguments.
•  Luke was an annoying, prideful, know it all jerk. 
• Chiron was pretty cool.
•  Grover dancing to Poker Face.
• They all star actors such as Sean Bean, Uma Thurman, and Pierce Bronson.
• The special effects.
• Soundtrack
• A pretty good attempt at putting a complicated story into two hours. At least some of Percy, Grover, and Annabeth's misadventures made it in.

So I did not hate the movie, but I still prefer the book. Although I am kinda excited about the next movie. It will have some of the same cast. Oddly enough all the kids will still be playing their roles even though a couple years have passed since the last movie came out. Joining the cast will be Leven Rambin (Hunger Games) as Clarisse, Stanly Tucci (Hunger Games) as Dionysus, Nathan Fillion (Firefly) as Hermes, and Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Tantalus. Hopefully, that movie will be better. Although, it probably will not be better then the book. If you like fantasy or myths, I encourage you to read Rick Riordian's Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus Series.

Where my Heart will Take Me

    Alright, so I have had some major changes in my life since I last blogged. Recently, I have accepted a job as Head of Acquisitions at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. I am very excited this opportunity.  I consider myself very fortunate to get a job.  From this job I will gain a lot of useful experience. Also, this will be a wonderful Christian environment for me to live in. That is something I feel that I have really needed recently. I feel that so many events in my life have led me to this position. I am thrilled at the opportunity to get out on my own.  However, I am a little scared to leave Alabama. I have never lived outside the state this will definitely be an adventure. The song "Where My Heart Will Take Me", which is the theme song from Star Trek: Enterprise really represents my present situation. It is all about embarking on a great adventure. I encourage you to read the lyrics below or listen to the song on  YouTube.






It's been a long road
Getting from there to here
It's been a long time
But my time is finally near

And I can feel the change in the wind right now
Nothing's in my way
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No they're not gonna hold me down

'Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I’ve got faith, faith of the heart

It's been a long night
Trying to find my way
Been through the darkness
Now I've finally had my day

And I will see my dream come alive at last
I will touch the sky
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No they're not gonna change my mind

'Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I’ve got faith, faith of the heart

I know that we're so cold
We've seen the darkest days
But now the winds I feel
Are only winds of change
I've been through the fire
I've been through the rain
But I'll be flying, oh yeah

'Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I’ve got faith, faith of the heart

It's been a long road

YouTube Bonanza

So, I have been pretty active in the YouTube world lately. In January I did my video invite to get Jennifer Lawrence(aka Katniss Everdeen) to the UA Library School Ball. I created a fake event and asked her to be my date to it. I have over six hundred views on my video, but I still have not heard from her. However, I am still hopeful. Here is the link to the video. Jennifer Lawrence Video
They also wrote an article about my invitation in the Crimson White newspaper.  CW Article

CallieAnn Starkley, a fellow UA SLIS student, has  created a new YoutTube series called Book Talk Y'all. This series will focus on great books that we have read. The first episode is about our favorite Dr. Seuss books. I talk about how my mother would not let me read Dr. Seuss. That was the one author that she prevented me from reading. She thought that he was a pothead that wrote silly stories. Here is a link to that episode. Book Talk Y'all. The second episode is about students in SLIS anticipating the new Hunger Games movie. Here is the link :Book Talk Y'all (Hunger Games)

So who knows??? Maybe I will get discovered by an awesome library. Or become the biggest tv star since Johnny Carson. Or I could become the husband of Jennifer Lawrence. The possibilities are endless.

Books I have Read in 2011

I am going to keep a list of books that I have read this year. Hopefully next year this list will be doubled. This list does not include picture books:
1)The Rest of the Story: A Study of the Lives of the Apostles by James Fleming
2) Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas
3) Technology made Simple by Kimberly Bolan and Robert Cullin
4) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
5) Radical by David Platt
6) The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
7) A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman Geisler
8) Crazy Love by Francis Chan
9) Son of a Witch by Gregory MacGuire
10) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austin and Seth Grahme-Smith
11) Dracula: The Undead by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt
12) gods in Alabama by Jessolyn Jackson
13) New Testament Survey by Merril C. Tenney
14) Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
15) The Gunslinger by Stephen King
16) Radical Together by David Platt
17) The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
18) The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
19) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
20) Knowing God by J.I  Packer
21) The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
22) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
23) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
24) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
25) Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordian
26) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
27) When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
28) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
29) Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
30) Galaxy Games: The Challengers by Greg Fishbone
31) Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
32) One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
33) The Last Dragon by Silvania de Mari
34) Absolute True Story of A Part Time Indian by Shermin Alexi
35) Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
36) Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
37) The Shepard's Grandaughter by Anne Laurel Carter

REFORMA

    Okay, so I am super, duper late on this post. Grad school has consumed my life lately.  I wanted to talk about the REFORMA I went to a few months ago. REFORMA is the Latin American division of the American Library Association (ALA). It concentrates on services and outreach to the Latino community.  REFORMA also informs libraries on high quality Latino literature that accurately represents their culture. A group from the library school present posters on different issues in Latino children's and YA literature.  Our merry little band included Allison Scanlan, Lacee Nisbitt,Bekah Wood, Katy Olson, Beth Dobson, and Kelly  I did my poster on the relationship between Latino children and their parents and grandparents in picture books.  We all traveled in an Enterprise van with Dr. Jamie Naidoo from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Denver, Colorado. That is a twenty something hour drive one way. At least I had a few books with me. However, we did listen to this creepy audio book that Dr. N got at a Crackle Barrel called What the Night Knows. Do your self a favor and do not read this book. It will give you nightmares for a month.

These are some eyes that Dr. Naidoo bought and put on the back of our van.
Picture taken by Beth Dobson

    The conference was very enjoyable. I learned a lot about Latinos and the struggles they go through. I learned more about literature in general.  The poster presentation went very well.  I was a little nervous at first, but I was able to eloquently talk about what I found. I even got to meet a couple of authors and had them autograph children's books for me. I got  The Tooth Fairy meets El Raton Perez signed by Rene Calato Lainez. He also signed my poster, because I examined the father/son relation in his book My Shoes and I.  I also got Book Fiesta singed by Pat Mora. They only gave a few of those away in a drawing. A lot of us SLISers won. Was it rigged, you decide. Anyways, it was a fantastic conference. I definitely want to continue presenting at conferences throughout my career.

The SLIS winners of the Book Fiesta Drawing. Bekah Wood, Allison Scanlan, Lacee Nisbitt, and me.
Picture taken by Beth Dobson

Poster Presentation
Picture by Beth Dobson

Rene Calato Lainez signing my poster
Picture by Beth Dobson

Here is my poster for Reforma.

Favorite Moments in Library School

This is a list of my favorite moments in library school at the University of Alabama. This list will continuously be added to. These are in no particular order.If any one has particular moment that they wish to share then send me a message.
* Dr. Riter going on his long rants about how much he hates the sun.
* Miranda Webster and I going through the stacks while I was in my Hannibal Lector mask. I am pretty sure I scared the Civil War out of Katie Deale.
* Lizzy Theris accidentally making puppies into the wallpaper at one of the computers at the Information Desk. We had to call Office of Library Technology to get the puppies off. Those puppies sure were cute.
* Dr. Dalton giving a five minute lecture on the difference between its and it's. (One of the funniest moments in my life)
* Denise, Miranda, and I going to Buffalo Wild Wings to get footballs signed by Nick Saban at "Hey Coach". We sold each football for a 100 dollars and were able to buy a kids book for every student at a school of under privileged children.
* Dr. Dalton explaining the difference between the Jews and Palestinians after some people botched up one of the questions for an assignment. She then told them to read a newspaper. (OUCH!!!) I love Dr. Dalton.
* Susan DeBruin's "yo Mama" jokes.
* Helga informing me of how Iceland helped the allies in WWII. Apparently, Iceland was very essential to the war effort.
* Dr. Knuckles(Is this a real person) calling the Information Desk asking us to spell words that I am pretty sure he was making up.
* Dr. Dalton telling me that she was very proud of the job that I did in her class. ( I almost cried) [Okay I did cry]
* The Ghost Hunter coming to the Information Desk.
* Dorothy's corny jokes
* Denise Christa's pithy comments.
* The moment that Lizzy and I both realized we had plans for taking over the world. (Watch Out)
* Christian Robochaud always bringing up the topic of teen pregnancy around me (WHAT???)
* Pretending to work at the Information Desk and stealing questions from Allison Ladd, Lizzy Theris, Stuart Waugh, Rachel Rennick, Amy Yonts and Courtney Hicks.
* Benita talking about J.R.R. Tolkein for about twenty minutes.
* Planning Family Weekend Story Time at McLure.
* The Reforma conference was one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life.
* SLIS students and faculty pulling together after the tornado. Many students checked on each other and dispersed information about that they had found.
* Dr. Naidoo getting pulled over for speeding in Kansas coming back from the Reforma conference.
* Trying to convince Lizzy that I was not in my thirties.
 * Claire Veach referring to a certain professor as "Dr. Stupid Head".
* Amy Yonts refusing to sing a song from a Winnie the Pooh movie for Dr. Naidoo
*  Allison Ladd's Wedding Shower Picnic
* Edible Book Festival.