Week 9: Assignment 3

I really, really enjoyed this exercise.  I think it was a good "shot in the arm" for RA at BCPL.  I plan to read many of the books I discovered while doing the work.  These assignments rekindled the excitement about books.  I learned about book trailers which I feel will be important to the future of reading.  Teens and children are used to You Tube and it will natural for them to rely on trailers when searching for something to read.  I also enjoyed all genre segments, particularly the assignments dealing with nonfiction.

Thanks for all the hard work it took to create Be More Bookish!

Week 9:  Assignment 2

Wow.  I can really see how book trailers could take off.  Of course, there are some awful one out there, but this is a new way to get people to read.  Some of the children and teen book trailers are excellent.  I enjoyed My Life Undecided and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.  I intend to read both books now because of their trailers.

Creators of book trailers will have to be careful.  When people read, they use their imaginations and a book trailer can’t dictate what the reader sees in the book.

I really enjoyed this segment of BMB.  I didn’t know much about book trailers.

 

 

 

Week 8:  Assignment 4

Citizens of London:  The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson

If you are a lover of World War II history and would like to read about it from a British perspective, this book would be a great match for you.  Major players such as Churchill, FDR, Edward R. Murrow, the famous journalist, and John Gilbert Winant, US Ambassador to Britain, are characterized with utmost detail. The author, a former Baltimore Sun correspondent, used many primary sources and set us in the middle of London at this amazing time in history.  After reading this book, you discover that Britain’s citizens were remarkably brave and endured more hardships than we realized.  The storyline is fascinating and the pacing is perfect.

This book would interest history buffs because so many primary sources were used and it doesn’t read like an American textbook.  Additionally, anyone who likes a fast paced book that includes romance, intrigue and drama will love it.

Journey Without Maps by Graham Greene

This is a fascinating account of the famous author’s adventurous trek though Africa’s Liberia in a time when many roads were not yet chartered.   In 1935 Greene aged 31 and his 23 year old female cousin discovered areas of Africa that were not yet colonized by Europeans.  They encounter disease, unusual insects and inhabitants of a country that had an exotic way of life.  Greene finds a new love of life after this dangerous but invigorating journey to a world untouched by western civilization.

 It is Greene’s first travel book and fans of his subsequent books would like to read this adventurous travel account.  Also, people interested in 20^th Century African history would also enjoy it.

 

 

Week 8:  Assignment 1
Read both articles, but really enjoyed, Borderlands:  Crossing between Fiction and Nonfiction in Readers' Advisory.  I plan to read some of the older titles mentioned.

Week 8:  Assignment 2
I thought the video had a great deal of useful information. 

Week 8:  Assignment 3
History - Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain During Its Darkest Hour by
               Lynne Olson.
Crime - Presumed Dead:  A True Life Murder Mystery by Henry K. Lee
Travel - Journey Without Maps by Graham Greene
Memoir - Prague Winder by Madeline Albright

Week 7:  Assignment 4
Harper Teen:  This site has appealing graphics and they listed numerous ways to follow them via social media.  They did a really good job of selling their books.

Teens at Random: I didn't like the site but teens might be attracted to it.  The "Fun" section had some good fun and games.  The list of newsletters seemed helpful.

Week 7:  Assignment 3
Teen Reads - Teen Reads had some good annotations.  Teens would also really like the contests.  If you are an avid teen reader, wouldn't you like to win a slew of books?  The ultimate Teen Reading List looks inviting too.  The Coming Soon section would be great way to get teens to reserve new books.

Forever Young Adult - This seems very teen friendly.  The ads for clothing stores would appeal to most teens.  Also YA on TV is probably so popular with this age group.  The features section is also impressive.  Between 2 lockers is a way to learn about popular authors. 

Week 7:  Assignment 1
That flowchart must be popular with Young Adults and New Adults!

Week 7:  Assignment 2
New Adult: Needless Marketing-Speak or Valued Subgenre
Publishers were worried about teens aging out of the genre and not reading.   They shouldn't worry because the teens are getting older and still reading "new adult"  books.  These new readers are finding out who they are and getting more mature.  Also, these books can have more explicit sex scenes because they aren't for young teens.

Who is Buying Teen Books?
Adults and Young Adults are reading teen books.  Adults who read teen books are looking for escape, and fast paced stories.  Twilight and other teen books have attracted adults to the genre.  Amazon has picked YA titles four times for their monthly Top 10 List.

I posted to Courtney Rollins's blog and to Kathleen MacCubbin's blog.