Professional Reading Log/Reflection Week 2-5

Week 2 Reflection

What developmental assets are best suited to tweens?

I think there are four external developmental assests that best suited to tweens.  Family support is the foremost important asset because family life provides high levels of love and support.  The relationship between children and their families is the foundation upon which children's lives depend. The care and support of the family is crucial to a child's overall successful development.  Strong families and healthy children create thriving communities.  Positive family communication happens when parents and child communicate effectively.  The children feel comfortable to seek advice and counsel from parents.  They could talk openly to their parents about what happens at school.  It helps them to feel like they have their parents to talk to when they needed to.  It is very important for parents to be available at all time to talk to their kids.  Tweens are going through many transitions at this stage so they need to have their parents to guide them and provide support for them.  Parent involvement in Schooling is another developmental asset best suited to tweens.  Parents need to be actively involved in their kid’ school so they know how kids are doing at school.  What need to be done to help their kids get the best academic achievements?  Or how to help their kids improve in school if their kids are not up to speed?  These are some few factors why parents need to communicate with their children’s school.

“Children as resources” is another important development asset.  Child should be included in decisions at home and in the community.  Parents need to ask their children’s opinion when making important decisions.  This can help them think cognitively and develop early decision-making skill.  They will learn when they watch you make the decision and later on in their life.  In order for children to grow up healthy, they need to feel safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.  This helps them focus more on school then on the violence around them.  Living in a violent household or neighborhood effect the children mind and body.  They will be withdrawn and not want to go home or go out.

Week 3 Reflection

"Understanding Kids in the Middle." Principal (Reston, Va.) 86.4 (2007): 74-5.

After reading this article about middle school kids, I remember myself being a kid in middle school.  I came to the U.S when I was in the middle of 7^th grade.  It was a very huge transition for me.  Everything was different for me here in the U.S.  I was so miserable and depressed because middle school here is the opposite of middle in Vietnam.  In the article “Understanding Kids in the Middle”, Weiner stated that “due to musculoskeletal alterations, students have a difficult time sitting still for any length of time. No wonder they squirm and wiggle in their chairs and become distracted! Try addressing their physical needs by hav­ing them move around every 15 to 30 minutes with the creation of stations.”  However, school system in my old country is totally different. Students would have to stay in one classroom throughout the day.  Every period, teachers would come and leave, not the students.  Therefore, when I came here, I had to pick up and stuff and run from classroom to classroom.  I didn’t know the way around school and got lost easily.  I became resistant to go to school.  I hated it so much that I pretended to be sick just to stay home.  My parents would have to drag me out of bed and put me on the bus.  I still remember one of my friends in middle school used to laugh at me when she saw my dad at the bus station.  It was the most horrific time of my life.  However, once I got adjusted in school, I started to like it because I learned to be vocal and outgoing, not a timid girl any more.  I was active in class and participated in my non-academic activities which I never thought I would be doing in Vietnam. 

As we learn more about the emotional and physical changes that middle-schoolers are going through, we start to develop more curriculum that are suitable for their stages.  It helps us to create the programs around their needs.  Weiner mentioned in this article many strategies to “structure the class lessons to be relevant and filled with a variety of instructional strategies.  For example, tiering assignments encourages teachers to identify students’ early and advanced readiness, and to structure the assign­ment requirements based on the identi­fied levels. Another excellent strategy is to use learning menus. Students are given choices of tasks to complete in a unit of study—entrée (required), side-dish tasks (pick and choose), dessert tasks (for enrichment)—and students pick from this menu of options for each aspect of the assignment.”

Week 4 Reflection

Tweens 'R' Us. New York Times Magazine,6.31.  Retrieved December 14, 2009

How do marketer's understanding of tweens impact our understanding of the age group?

Well, my reaction to this article is “shocked”.  I couldn’t believe that this demographic is beign referred to as “sophisticated with wallets”.  Ha ha ha…. They are not working yet they spent an estimated $15 billion a year and “heavily influence'' more than $30 billion in other spending by parents.  No wonder why companies and marketers are too busy targeting this group. While and after reading “Tweens ‘R’ Us” by Ann Hulbert, I have to admit I was very shocked at first.  The way that our youth is referred to felt so very cruel, almost if there was this formula to brain washing our future adults.  But then I stopped and give it another thought, well, this was a consumer, marketing piece and not a public service lets-help-our- youth piece.  After thinking about it in these terms I was surprised to see how easily I understood the point “tweens will do what society tells them they should do”.

Well, take this and apply it to public library.  The role of the library is the same as that, only in a much more encouraging healthy manner.  If our society is telling them through commercialize that tweens need to buy this type of clothing and watch that reality TV show and eat those toaster pastries I think libraries need to focus on what their inside is shaping into.  What reasoning skills do they have?  What is their literacy level?  Do they have the tools to become productive and healthy adults?  I think that this is what the public library is selling to tweens.

Public libraries need to target the tween popular just like the commercial industry does.  WE need to start thinking like mainstream competitors, bookstores and amazon.  We need to focus on what we can offer to the tween and how we can sell it so they will be willing to buy it, at no cost of course!  Public libraries are always selling free information, entertainment, and resources but we need to do a better job at marketing our services.

Week 5 Reflection

What are the activities, issues, etc. that are popular with tweens?

The activities that the text books suggested are very interested and useful but I would like to mention those I work with at my local library.  I work with a teen librarian to develop programs for tweens and teens at the main library in my city.  We consulted many text books, online websites and other libraries to see what they offer their teens. And here are some of the programs that we created which attracted a lot of kids age 10-17.  Game night is the program that pulled in the most kids.  We have Wii, X-box and Play-Stations.  They can play by themselves for battle with their friends on the Wii.  Many of these kids are already playing video games at home but they love to come to the library to meet their friends to play with or battle against.  Plus, some the game we have at the library but they don’t have at home.  Therefore, they can try out different games and play against kids other than their friends. 

“Great Teen Book Swap” is another popular program we have at the library.  Here’s how it works:  The Teen Librarian will bring out several books (new titles, old titles, and titles that have not been published yet) and allow teens the chance to browse through them for one that they’d like to keep.  They will, in turn, swap the librarian a book mark review by the end of the month.  Many kids are starting to like this program because they get to keep for the book for free.

The last program that I’d like to mention is the “Teen GN Reviewers Club”.  This is a graphic novel/comics/manga club for teens to review new and upcoming titles that may or may not go on our library shelves.  These books are very popular among the tweens/teens population at our library.  The circulation rates for these books are very high compared to other books.  And I think this holds true for all the tweens and teens out there.  They love to read graphic novels.  Therefore, our library used this as a way to get them together to form a club.  They can come and talk about the ones that they are reading or just come check out what we have on our shelves.

Professional Reading Log/Weekly Reflection Week 6-13

Week 6 Reflection:

“Masculintiy in a Spray Can”
Teenagers nowadays are very conscious about their bodies.  The pressure for tween boys to keep with with tween girl has always been serious.  It is more intense now and literally being bombarded with marketers showing their products to help them look and smell better.  Tween boys will add streaks to their hair and put on different body odor to feel superior to tween girls.

I agree with the last paragraph about how pathetic it is that this kid thinks his only chance at "getting a girl" is some chemical spray, but it seems to me that the girls he knows are probably manipulated by the same marketing forces at play to appreciate style over substance.  Therefore in all likelihood they couldn't care less about his personality, beliefs and comportment and really would be attracted to someone who wears axe body spray over someone who doesn't.

As my comment for the mother, why aren’t the mothers doing any about their sons bathing themselves in these colognes and tell them that that they reek? If the scent literally turns their stomachs, then why do they allow their sons to leave the house smelling like a chemical weapon? This is where parent-kid communication comes to play.  Why weren't they having a conversation about it the first time the boys wanted to have the body spray?  They should talk to these boys that masking themselves with body odor is not the same as being clean, which is the primary objective, and that smelling like a can of AXE body spray does not make them attractive to women. The mother should be a reliable source for them to consult once it comes to what and what not attract woman.  More importantly, the conversation should not be just about attracting or not attracting girls.  It should be about taking good care of your body and personal hygiene is paramount than being attractive.  
 Sometimes I wonder who is reinforcing the fact that these scents make them attractive to girls at school?  When a man body odor is very strong, I would turn away from him no matter how attractive he is because my nose is sensitive to smell.  It knocks me out.  Therefore, if my son is wearing too much of anything, I’ll tell him right away because I do not want people running away from him.  Being parents, we need to talk to our love ones of what and what not to do so they know.  They are being bombarded by commercials very day so it is our job to steer them the right away, not the marketers, they just want to milk every single penny out of our pocket. 

Week 7 Reflection
Running in the Shadows
There is nothing new about children in the streets.  We often don’t see them in daylight because they have their special hideouts.  The sad thing is that we have shelter for adults, not children. They've been a forgotten segment of the population for a long, long time.  Most of the runaways in the story left unacceptable and dysfunctional home situations.  My heart goes out to them, and I wish we have some way to give them a home for a while but that would be against the law because housing minors is illegal.   They have no way to run to except the streets. 
But leaving home because you don't want to do chores?  This girl needs to grow up and learn how to take responsibilities.  She is completely disconnected from real life. What does she think everyone else does every day -- sit on their backside? Only Mom does chores, not her? Wow.
What can we, as a society, do to help these kids?  I don’t really have a good solution.  Perhaps our government needs to stop spending billions of dollars on wars.  Instead, they need to invest more in school and have social programs addressing strictly the issue of runaway kids.  Right now, as our economy is on the brink of recession, families are torn apart because of parents losing their jobs, their houses, and eventually themselves.  Kids are suffering big time.  Our government should bring back jobs from outside and focus more on creating new jobs.  Families are the foundations of a kid’s life. 
And lastly, as individuals, I think we should have some tolerance when our paths cross with these children because sometimes the most you can do is to have an interaction where respect and value for life is conveyed.  If one works in the social service sector in any capacity, know that you can only "protect" them when they are in care and when they are out there, they are on their own making their way in life as each of us to some extent must do. They can only access any lessons you may have taught them if you are respectful and if they can remember that you did care.

Week 9 Reflection
What is the role of technologies - cell phones, computers, etc. - in tween's lives?
We, as adults, use computers and cell phones for personal and technical purposes.  For teens, computers and cell phones aren’t just tools, they’re emotional, cultural, and social links that connect them to the rest of the world. Technology is very crucial to their lives.  It reflects an attachment and dependency that is far more intense than has traditionally been expressed by older generations. Their gadgets influence everything from friendships and leisure time to social status and self- confidence. This is a generation that grew up with the Internet at its fingertips. Most kids I know want and expect the latest and greatest technology and the ability to access the most current content. They want it and they need to have it no matter what: everything from interactive and sharing capabilities to social networks and free content sites, such as Facebook and YouTube.  Even phones and computers are perceived as outlets for self-expression, and teens want fashionable, customizable devices. In contrast, traditional media, such as broadcast television, is less appealing to these young consumers.
Parents, meanwhile, struggle to balance their children’s desire for technology with their own concerns
over safety and costs, particularly in today’s economy.  My sister equipped her 10 year-old son with
an Iphone when she only had a free cell phone herself.  This says something about parents encouraging their kids and not wanting to say no to their request.  May be parents do not want to their kids to be upset at them leading them to reject the parents in their daily lives.  This is very dangerous because parents are spoiling their kids.
Companies took advantage of this trend and tap into the influence and consumer strength of teens and satisfy their parents by providing affordable, customizable devices that are highly functional and also sleek and stylish. Teens in particular want the latest “styles” in technology—sometimes, • even if it means emphasizing form over function. They accessorize their gadgets, and the color, shape, and style of their devices are critical to their self-expression. This is especially true for more mobile devices, such as cell phones and MP3 players, as these are what they are most often seen using outside the home.

Spring Break Reading

Mary Pearson on What YA is and isn't
My personal experience with what books are considered YA and what not is when I did my fiction and non-fiction for this class.  The first criteria I used when selecting my titles is the reading level.  Well, I had a really hard time looking for such books because they are scattered around.  Some of the books I thought would be appropriate for age 8-12 but indeed they are labeled “children” books. The contents are sure written for tweens but the illustrations fall into “children” category.  There are some wonderful books being published for the teen reader now--brilliantly written, full of good ideas, complex characters, and mindful treatments of tough issues. There are also books that many of us call crack-fic, over-the-top situations, unbelievable characters, dialogue that hearkens back to Buffy's best seasons.
I see people railing against the bad example that Twilight sets, but I know if I'd read that book at thirteen, I would have adored it. Well, come to think of it, at thirteen I was glomming down a lot of those early bodice rippers, with heroes pretty much like Edward Cullen for wooden stalkeryness, they just didn't sparkle. Teens very often see different things in books than we old-time readers see. They're having fun with the equivalent of books (and comics) that our teachers and parents dismissed as trash.
I like to read YA books when I'm emotionally down or physically tired just because the odds of them being anxiety-inducing (for a jaded 33-year-old) are lower than for a run-of-the-mill book off the general shelves. It's not a sure bet, but a safer one than many.

And while some books now sold as YA/teenage would once have counted as adult, others would simply have counted as children's. What I typically see in a bookshop is an area marked 'Children's', in which the shelves are divided into sections marked, say, 5-7, 8-12, and teenage. I see no problem with using these classifications to direct readers to the kind of book they are likely to like, though of course intelligent children should realise that some books worth reading will be found outside 'their own' section.

Week 10 Reflection

Chapter  Cyberbullying (Totally Wired)

http://stopcyberbullying.org

This is a very interesting website that I found on the web about cyberbullying.  Here is what it wrote about cyberbullying:

“Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying.
It isn't when adult are trying to lure children into offline meetings, that is called sexual exploitation or luring by a sexual predator. But sometimes when a minor starts a cyberbullying campaign it involves sexual predators who are intrigued by the sexual harassment or even ads posted by the cyberbullying offering up the victim for sex.
When schools try and get involved by disciplining the student for cyberbullying actions that took place off-campus and outside of school hours, they are often sued for exceeding their authority and violating the student's free speech right. They also, often lose. Schools can be very effective brokers in working with the parents to stop and remedy cyberbullying situations. They can also educate the students on cyberethics and the law. If schools are creative, they can sometimes avoid the claim that their actions exceeded their legal authority for off-campus cyberbullying actions. We recommend that a provision is added to the school's acceptable use policy reserving the right to discipline the student for actions taken off-campus if they are intended to have an effect on a student or they adversely affect the safety and well-being of student while in school. This makes it a contractual, not a constitutional, issue.
Who knows why kids do anything? When it comes to cyberbullying, they are often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration. Sometimes they do it for entertainment or because they are bored and have too much time on their hands and too many tech toys available to them. Many do it for laughs or to get a reaction. Some do it by accident, and either send a message to the wrong recipient or didn't think before they did something. The Power-hungry do it to torment others and for their ego. Revenge of the nerd may start out defending themselves from traditional bullying only to find that they enjoy being the tough guy or gal. Mean girls do it to help bolster or remind people of their own social standing. And some think they are righting wrong and standing up for others.
Because their motives differ, the solutions and responses to each type of cyberbullying incident has to differ too. Unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" when cyberbullying is concerned. Only two of the types of cyberbullies have something in common with the traditional schoolyard bully. Experts who understand schoolyard bullying often misunderstand cyberbullying, thinking it is just another method of bullying. But the motives and the nature of cybercommunications, as well as the demographic and profile of a cyberbully differ from their offline counterpart
Education can help considerably in preventing and dealing with the consequences of cyberbullying. The first place to begin an education campaign is with the kids and teens themselves. We need to address ways they can become inadvertent cyberbullies, how to be accountable for their actions and not to stand by and allow bullying (in any form) to be acceptable. We need to teach them not to ignore the pain of others.
Teaching kids to “Take 5!” before responding to something they encounter online is a good place to start. Jokingly, we tell them to “Drop the Mouse! And step away from the computer and no one will get hurt!” We then encourage them to find ways to help them calm down. This may include doing yoga, or deep-breathing. It may include running, playing catch or shooting hoops. It may involve taking a bath, hugging a stuffed animal or talking on the phone with friends. Each child can find their own way of finding their center again. And if they do, they will often not become a cyberbully, even an inadvertent cyberbully. Teaching them the consequences of their actions, and that the real “Men in Black” may show up at their front door sometimes helps. Since many cyberbullying campaigns include some form of hacking or password or identity theft, serious laws are implicated. Law enforcement, including the FBI, might get involved in these cases.
But we need to recognize that few cyberbullying campaigns can succeed without the complacency and the often help of other kids. If we can help kids understand how much bullying hurts, how in many cases (unlike the children’s chant) words can hurt you, fewer may cooperate with the cyberbullies. They will think twice before forwarding a hurtful e-mail, or visiting a cyberbullying “vote for the fat girl” site, or allowing others to take videos or cell phone pictures of personal moments or compromising poses of others. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that in the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. We need to teach our children not to stand silently by while others are being tormented. While it is crucial that we teach them not to take matters into their own hands (and perhaps become a "vengeful angel" cyberbully themselves) they need to come to us. And if we expect them to trust us, we need to be worthy of that trust. (Read more about this at "Goldilocks and the cyberbullies...not too hot and not too cold," a guide for parents.)
And, in addition to not lending their efforts to continue the cyberbullying, if given an anonymous method of reporting cyberbullying Web sites, profiles and campaigns, kids can help put an end to cyberbullying entirely. School administration, community groups and even school policing staff can receive these anonymous tips and take action quickly when necessary to shut down the site, profile or stop the cyberbullying itself.
They can even let others know that they won’t allow cyberbullying, supporting the victim, making it clear that they won’t be used to torment others and that they care about the feelings of others is key.
We need to teach our children that silence, when others are being hurt, is not acceptable. If they don’t allow the cyberbullies to use them to embarrass or torment others, cyberbullying will quickly stop. It’s a tall task, but a noble goal. And in the end, our children will be safer online and offline. We will have helped create a generation of good cybercitizens, controlling the technology instead of being controlled by it.”

Week 11 Reflection

What are the media messages tweens are receiving from watching Disney and Nickelodeon?

TV for Tween by Chris Wagner

“Tweens are in a stage of their lives where they’re no longer beginning to think of themselves as kids. They have not yet reached full-fledged adolescence, but they are beginning to test their independence and find their individuality. Gary Marsh, the Disney Channel’s president for entertainment says, “[Tweens] are trapped between the cocoon and comfort of being a child, and the rebellion and independence they want as a teenager. So your goal is trying to satisfy all those needs that kids have.” Though differing opinions exist, cable companies generally categorize the tween demographic as being between 9 and 14 years old. The shows that connect best are those whose main characters fall in the same age group as their tween audience and deal with real-life situations that tweens can relate to, usually with a humorous twist. In an article for USA Today, Gary Levin reports, “Shows are imbued with moral messages, friendship and preteen angst, which are sugarcoated with comedy.” Episodes often revolve around problems faced with friends, in school or with parents.
The last several years have seen hits such as Lizzie McGuire and That’s So Raven. Lizzie McGuire launched the career of Hilary Duff, while That’s So Raven, starring Raven-Symone of The Cosby Show fame, has gone on to become the longest-running Disney Channel original series to date. Disney brought even more attention to the marketability of this genre in early 2006 with the made-for-TV movie High School Musical, which has been an immense success. The success of HSM spawned an entire franchise that includes books, CDs, live shows and more. The soundtrack to High School Musical sat atop the Billboard charts for several weeks and was the highest-selling CD release of 2006 across all categories. The cable networks realize that a lot more money can be made by franchising characters or shows and creating products for their hit TV shows that move beyond the small screen. One of the keys to this success is getting tweens to interact with the programming. Disney encouraged viewers to host parties during additional airings of HSM that featured the words to songs across the bottom of the screen—karaoke style—and the opportunity to learn the dance moves step-by step, taught by the actors and actresses themselves. Nickelodeon will begin airing the new show iCarly this fall. Viewers will have the opportunity to contribute to the show by sending in videos of themselves that may air during the program.
Disney is genius in cross-marketing, often casting young teens that have the potential to record and sell music as well. The Hannah Montana franchise released a top-selling CD while the show was still in its first season. Nickelodeon’s newest hit, The Naked Brothers Band, is an attempt at jumping on this bandwagon. The show’s Web site features music videos and mp3s, and Nickelodeon plans to release a CD. As they did with HSM, Disney casts their most popular characters in made-for-TV movies knowing that these characters’ loyal fan bases are likely to watch. Examples of this are the movie Cadet Kelly, starring Hilary Duff and Christy Carlson Romano (Even Stevens) and The Cheetah Girls movies, which feature Raven-Symone.
Parents often assume that shows on these kid-friendly networks are safe for their young children. However, as the networks begin to “grow up” and focus on tween fair, parents might want to start paying attention. The tween years are an especially impressionable time and it’s important that parents know what messages tweens are receiving from the shows they watch. As writers tap into the “real-life” situations of 14-year-olds for new shows and episodes, parents need to be aware of the content of these shows to determine if it is appropriate for a nine-year-old (who falls in the same targeted demographic) to be watching. Generally speaking, the tween shows on Nickelodeon and Disney are wholesome, light-hearted fun. This doesn’t mean however, that parents should get a free-pass at monitoring their tweens TV viewing habits. These shows offer glimpses into the everyday lives of tweens, and as such can be a valuable tool to learn more about their interests, struggles, friendships and family dynamics. Also, tweens are at the perfect age to begin learning media discernment. If they’re ready to begin watching shows that deal with “real-life” situations, then parents should be helping them learn what the Bible has to say about these circumstances as well.
Unlike major networks that air their shows once a week, tween shows often air numerous episodes several times in a single week. Combine this with the franchising of shows beyond the television screen and the proliferation of using popular stars in music videos, movies, advertisements and more, and tweens have the opportunity to see or hear their favorite stars regularly. They can also visit the Web sites of their favorite show or young actor/actress. Unfortunately, today’s children and early teens are not immune to our celebrity-driven culture. Young and impressionable tweens can easily become obsessed with their favorite star and look to them as a role model. It’s important for parents to discuss what a proper role model is with their tweens and what a biblical role model looks like. Girls, especially, will look to TV characters for the latest fashion trends. Are you comfortable with your daughter wearing the outfits they see on TV? Take the opportunity to promote modesty. Youth workers could address the sin of idolatry and could help students explore the difference between a healthy affection and an unhealthy obsession. Parents must have boundaries in place for their tweens, limiting their TV viewing and their access to other forms of media and encouraging other activities.
As children grow up, so will their television shows. Will cable networks be resigned to knowing that their targeted audience will eventually move on to more mature fare, or will they attempt to push the envelope of tween programming and grow older with them? Only time will tell. Regardless, make yourself aware of the shows your tween is watching and help them begin to form healthy media habits at an early age, and as such can be a valuable tool to learn more about their interests, struggles, friendships and family dynamics. Also, tweens are at the perfect age to begin learning media discernment. If they’re ready to begin watching shows that deal with “real-life” situations, then parents should be helping them learn what the Bible has to say about these circumstances as well.”

Week 13
Reflections: This is to get you thinking about programming using social media and activism, as well as tweens passions.
Tween and teens are very much dependent on social media nowadays than ever before.  How would they react if you banned Facebook or MySpace?  Of course, many would be outraged.  If middle-schools decide to ban these social media, I think kids would feel relieved and have more time to do other things. But make no mistake about it, kids wouldn’t necessarily benefit as a whole from schools, school districts, or parents banning them from Facebook and other social media sites. Some kids are using it to do homework with their friends, to start or be a part of online campaigns dealing with issues they believe in, and are the younger generation making their voices heard in their own communities.
According to YALSA “social media has many positive uses in schools and libraries. It provides an ideal environment for teens to share what they are learning or to build something together online. The nature of the medium allows teens to receive feedback from librarians, teachers, peers, parents, and others. Social media helps to create a sense of community (as do the physical library and school) and in this way are already aligned with the services and programs at the library and school”.
Children in middle-school and high-school are at the age where they are growing into the adult they will become. They are recognizing what they believe in, what they are passionate about, and they are building the foundation that they will later be used by them to decide what line of work they want to be in in the future. Some of these children may have a real passion for computers and the use of the internet. They may take what they learn through social media and use it to implement in their own lives.  Therefore, library can need to offer opportunities for youth to hang out, mess around and geek out in analog form.  The programs need to support messing around with social media using technology.  Here are some of the programs, from YALSA, that library can offer to tweens and teen:

1. A librarian in a public library works with teens to teach them how to create videos. In the process teens learn media literacy skills while gaining insight into video creation and publishing. The teens post their videos on YouTube and have the opportunity to talk about how to be safe while in the YouTube environment.
2. A public library creates apps that teens can use on their own Facebook pages. The apps provide teens with tools they can use to search for information for homework projects, find library events, and collect resources for projects and leisure reading. Teens get to use high-quality tools while working within an environment in which they are comfortable.
3. A high school library creates a website for members of the school community to access resources and connect with each other.

and

1. In the library, teens learn to use Glogster to create posters that highlight the personalities of their favorite book or movie characters. While creating the Glog, the teens have opportunities to talk about issues related to the copyright of images, music, and video as they add these formats to their posters.

365 Ways to Live Green

Author:  Sheri Amsel

Reading level:  Age 8-14

Summary: 

This guide -book talks about ways to live with more care for our environment which is to become green.  It inspires readers to examine their everyday choices that could have big impact on the environment.  In this book, readers can learn how to make better decisions with 365 tips like picking safer cleaning products. 

Review:

If you are just beginning to learn how to live green, then this is definitely a good book to for your bookshelf.  However, if you are already into living green, this might not be new to you because it doesn’t have new information. However, I still think this should be a reference book every household should have especially the ones with kids.  We should educate our kids to live green so they grow up with the idea and be more responsible for their environment.

Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World

Author:  Allan Drummond

Reading Level:  Age 7-10

Summary:

Meet the environmentally friendly people who now proudly call their home Energy Island! This is a narrative tale and science book all in one about the island of Samso and how the citizens became energy self-sufficient. 

Review:

I like reading this book because book has beautiful illustrations of windmills and landscapes.  I feel so calm and relaxing as if I’m in the scenery myself.  The story is captivating with succinct, to the point, simple and easy to digest narrative.  The author tells the story of the Danish island of Samso so appealing and charming that makes me want to consider buying a wind turbine for my garden.  I gladly recommend this book to any one, even adult to read and find themselves on the island of Samso. 

How the Weather Works: A Hands-On Guide to Our Changing Climate

Author:  Christiane Dorion

Illustrator:  Beverly Young

Reading level:  Ages 8-12

Summary: 

This study guides focus solely on weather.  It touches on basic explanations of complicated meteoroligical concepts.  It has sturdy pop-up illustrations, flaps to open, tabs to pull, wheels to turn and cardboard pop-up models that include a stunning 3-D hurricane.  It explains to young readers about extreme weather and climate change.  However, it doesn’t offer easy superficial solutions.

Review:

Once you've read this book you'll have a basic understanding of how the greenhouse effect works, what conditions affect climate, how a hurricane is formed, and why high and low pressure are so important in forecasting the weather.

Each section is so full of material that it is almost too busy. There's a lot to take in and it is easy to miss a pull a tab or wheel. There's more depth in this book than in similar guides of this nature and although it is aimed at youngsters seven and older, I think it would appeal to a younger child who has shown curiosity about the weather.

Reducing your foodprint: farming, cooking, and eating for a healthy planet

Author:  Ellen Rodger

Reading level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: 

Reducing Your Foodprint teaches children to be cautious and know what they eat because what they eat and how they eat is important to the environment. Most of the food we eat today are not fresh.  They travel many long miles to come to restaurants and grocery store. The further food travels, the more harm to the environment. This informative new book explains how to eat nearby and be mindful of what they eat. Special case study sections highlight how others have reduced both their carbon foodprints and footprints just by making changes in their diets.

Review:

I am deeply in love with this book and I think this book could be a great teaching tool for our children.  In today’s world, our kids do not know the origin of the food that they eat.  They don’t eat right and become obese leading to diseases like diabetes.  Teaching them about good food and be responsible for their own bodies can be money for our society too.  Less kids getting sick meaning less money spent on health care.  I would recommend this book to parents that want their kids to eat right and be healthy.

Understanding Global Warming with Max Axiom Super Scientist

Author:  Agniesezka Bizkup

Illustrator:  Cynthia Martine and Bill Anderson

Reading level:  Ages 9-12

Summary:

In this graphic novel for young children, the Super Scientist tells the world about information about the threat of global warming.  His super powers include super intelligence, the ability to shrink to the size of an atom, x-ray vision sunglasses and a time-and space-travel lab coat.  The novel also covers important vocabulary, essential people and interesting facts.

Review:

After reading this novel, I feel that the author did a very good job in constructing the dialogue.  It was clear and appropriate for a young age group, though teenagers might find it a touch too didactical at times.  However, due to the fact that this is a graphic novel, found the dialogue dry and humorless. That is, until discovering the highly amusing pronunciation section at the back of the book.  Presented simply, and with clarity, it makes an excellent introduction to the topic of climate change. It’s part of a series of children educational books; other titles cover a spectrum of science topics, from magnetism to adaptation. These books are a great way of engaging children into science, which might not be an interesting subject to many.

Award:  Winner of the 2008 Teachers' Choice Award for Children's Books

Gaia Warriors

Author:  Nicola Davies

Reading level:  Ages 12-16

Summary:

The Gaia Warriors is an enjoyable book about climate change for the next generation of eco-warriors.  The author is aiming at young teens because this book is for the future generations. 
 The book is divided into three sections.  The first addresses the fundamentals, the arguments around climate change. Next is a fascinating range of interviews with Gaia Warriors – people who are trying to change the way we use the planet. A small sampling of the interviewees reveals a stand up comedian, a pale climatologist, an eco-architect, an environmental lawyer, a sixteen- year-old U.N delegate, and the student who started Student Switch Off to reduce energy use in university halls of residence. Finally, there is an afterword from James Lovelock.

Review:

This book is simple and easy to read because the author is targeting younger readers.  It comprises of many basic facts about climate change in a fashion that readers at all ages will understand easily.

The book is written in a concise and humorous style that makes it very enjoyable to read.  I like the way the author includes interviews with different environmental conscious groups.  This opens up my view about what is being done about our environment and what I can do on my part to help the journey. 

One more aspect about the book that I love about is the graphs, diagrams, and photos.  This is very eye-catching and enticing to young children.  Over all, I think this is a great book to have on hand.

Red Riding Hood

Author:  Sarah Blakley-Cartwright

Reading level:  Ages 13 and up

Summary:

The villagers in Valerie's rough hometown have always sacrificed animals to appease the Wolf, but when it brutally kills a human being -- Valerie's sweet older sister -- the truce ends and the village men hunt the creature they've long feared. They think they've killed it, but when a famous werewolf hunter comes to town, he reveals to them an unbelievable truth: the wolf they killed is an ordinary lupine -- but the werewolf they seek roams among them every day in human form

Suspicion grows between neighbors, and circles around Valerie, who can understand the wolf's growls -- and that it wants her to come away with it. Meanwhile, Valerie finds herself suspecting the wolf could be either her kind fiance or the dark mysterious man she really loves -- she even suspects her own grandmother. 

Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henri, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the werewolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But no one is safe. When an expert wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them - it could be anyone in town.
It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the Blood Moon wanes . . . or everyone she loves will die.

Review:

I was so excited about the book after I saw the movie trailer.  I picked it up and jump right in.  Well, it took me one day to finish the whole book but to my disappointment, the ending was terrible.  There was no ending at all.  I was so frustrated and wanted to go to the bookstore to return the book.  However, the whole book was really good and has just the right amount of detail to make you think you are in the story.  It is very hard to put it down after I read the first few pages. The plot line and the characters are very good. They keep you interested in the book and its kind of hard to put down. I got to the last page and thought this cannot be the ending cause you do not find out who the wolf is.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It is targeted for teens, but if you enjoy romance and a bit of intrigue then this book is great for you!

Hate List

Author:  Brown, Jennifer

Reading level:  Grade 14 and up

Summary:

This is a novel about kids being bullied at school. At the end of their junior year, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend pulls a gun in the Commons, leaving six students and a teacher dead and many others wounded. Valerie is hit by a bullet in the leg trying to stop him, just before he ends his own life.  She has no clue that the “hate list” they created would be used to target victims in a shooting spree.  She created a list of tormentors to ease the pain of being bullied and to release the anger of witnessing her parents fighting all the time.  After being investigated by the police, she was freed to go because she had nothing to do with the shootings.  However, her parents and neighbors didn’t seem to agree. With the help of a patient and insightful therapist, Valerie bravely returns to school after the summer to face the challenges before her. Told by Valerie in then-and-now chapters, with a few "excerpts" from local newspaper articles added for perspective, this is a startling, powerful, and poignant account of the incidents leading up to, immediately following, and continuing through the teen's senior year of realization and recovery. Valerie is stronger than she knows—a beautifully drawn character who has suffered pain, guilt, and incredible stress as she heals from the shooting, the loss of a troubled boyfriend she deeply loved, and difficult family circumstances.

Reviews:

This is a wonderful story about self-redemption and self-discovery.  I wasn’t sure if I want to read this book or not because the title seems too “weird” to me.  I didn’t know what to think of it because it starts off a bit slow but the pace picks up soon after that.  Soon enough, I was staying up all night to read and finish this amazing book.  The subject of being bullied in school becomes very alarming in our society today. Hate List deals with a subject that is sure to strike fear into the hearts of everyone who reads it. It’s a book that immediately brings to mind images from other school shootings like Columbine and Virginia Tech. And those images help make this book so powerful. But Hate List isn't about the actual shooting its about what happens next. How do you move forward from the horrible incidence. How do you deal with the fall out? This is Valerie's story. She's returning to school after her boyfriend did the unthinkable and she has to face her role in the events that occurred on that fateful day.

This book has flashbacks to that horrible day in May, but I think this book isn't really about the shooting; it's about Vallerie and her story of getting her life back together after the shooting.
To top all of the "drama" from the shooting, somehow, her dad seams to blame her for it. Her family is slowly sort of falling apart.

Award:  YALSA 2010 Best Fiction Book for Young adults

The Color of Magic

Author:  Terry Pratchett

Reading level:  Age 10 and up

Summary:

The Color of Magic is the first story in the series.  Rincewind is an unsuccessful wizard with only one spell in his head. A spell so powerful other spells run away. Twoflower is a tourist from a faraway land who wants to see the fabled city of Ankh Morpork.  He is appointed as guide and protector for the four-eyed tourist Twoflower.   Of course this being Rincewind and the world being the Disc, a nice leisurely stroll through the sights and sounds of Ankh Morpock are well near impossible. It’s more like a gallop.

As the story opens, Ankh-Morpork is in the process of burning to the ground, and Rincewind and Twoflower are fleeing to safety. Accompanied by a frightening piece of many-legged luggage, the two-some experiences one misadventure after another. They are threatened by thieves and magic spells, made pawns in a dice game of the gods, dogged by Death, chased by dragons around the upside-down mountain of Wyrmberg, and shipwrecked at the edge of Discworld. The end of the story leaves the reader hanging in midair, but don’t fuss - because there are many more volumes that follow in this richly creative and hilarious series.

Reviews:

I definitely recommend this book to people who love to read fantasy and possess even just some kind of humor. Pratchett targets this book to the absurd lunatic in us all.  He delivers a very silly, very satisfying story on a pretty platter called Discworld.  Pratchett involves the readers to the novel from the very first page with wild fantasy that make reader think it must be true.  Pratchett's writing style is both warm and intoxicating.  He has a very good sense of humor which reflects many times through the characters.

If you're a little mad at heart, love a new perspective on things and want to be thoroughly engaged in a genuinely fun read that you won't want to put down till it's finished (and the fact that it isn't written in chapters aids to this end) then this book is an absolute must. Thoroughly recommended!

Award:  2011 Margaret A. Edwards Award

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

Author: Terry Pratchett

Reading level:  Ages 12 and up

Summary:

From Publishers Weekly

For this outrageously cheeky tale, British writer Pratchett pairs a dynamite plot with memorable characters a group of intelligent rats sporting such monikers as Hamnpork, Big Savings and Darktan (they've been foraging in the University of Wizards' garbage dump and come up with "the kind of name you gave yourself if you learned to read before you understood what all the words actually meant"), plus a "stupid-looking kid" with a flute and a criminal kitty mastermind named Maurice. The motley con artists' pied piper scam is highly successful until the rats develop a conscience. Reluctantly, they agree to one final heist, but in the town of Bad Blintz things go horribly, hilariously wrong. First, they're twigged by Malicia Grim (granddaughter and grand-niece of the Sisters Grim), then they encounter a pair of conniving rat-catchers, a real pied piper and an evil something lurking in the town's cellars. They triumph, of course, and there's even a glimmer of redemption for the deliciously self-centered Maurice, who tackles the "Grim Squeaker" and bargains for the life of his rat comrade Dangerous Beans. In the end, while the others settle down, Maurice hits the road and is last seen approaching another "stupid-looking kid" with a money-making proposition.

Reviews: 

There's a lot of humor in this book.  I love the names of the rats: Dangerous Beans, Additives, Big Savings, Toxie, and Sardines, and also the tap-dancing rat with a hat to the incident with the laxatives. The way he has written the dialogue is still brilliant.

But Pratchett doesn't forget the deeper currents either -- the sense of evil he builds up is very genuine, and Spider is one of the most unique fantasy villains he's created. Also good is the attitude of the Changed rats: they cherish their greater intelligence, fear their instincts, and gradually we see them overcome some of those ratty instincts.

In a way this book is about having dreams and trying to fulfill those dreams; and getting disillusioned along the way but not giving up. However, it has no morality overtones and despite its seriousness, it is also pretty funny.  The story ends on a happy note too but it isn't overly saccharine. In a way, it's like pop philosophy and a good story rolled into one.

Even though I am an adult, I still enjoyed this book a lot because it is fun to read.

Award:  2011 Margaret A. Edwards Award

Discovery Girls - a Magazine for Girls

Reading level: Ages 8 and up

Publisher: Discovery Girls

Content:

A magazine created for and by girls ages 7-12! Discovery Girls is a forum for girls to both express their ideas/dreams and address their fears. With articles on middle school challenges, inspiring stories about exceptional teens, sports, contests, quizzes, "embarrassing moments", fashion and more!

Reviews:

Discovery Girls magazine is created for 8-12 year- old girls, and the content and design of the magazine reflects that well. I like the magazine for the fact that it highlights the achievements of regular girls and discusses everyday issues. Girls submit stories and poems, draw pictures, discuss different debate topics and there are no professional models! I also love the fact that there are "reals girls" in the magazine and am thrilled by the possibility of being in it herself. I like this magazine because it is not your typical "teen" magazine in which boys and celebs seem to be the main focus. Discovery Girls focuses on every day, ordinary girls and the issues they face in this transition into the teen years. Such topics include changing in front of other girls at school, dealing with bullies, when to wear a bra, and middle school fears. Of course there is the fun stuff too, such as embarrassing moments, crafts, contests, games, quizzes, fashion, and sports tips. I recommend it to mothers and daughters alike!