 |
| We can’t have a Christmas tree, so this year I improvised and made a tree out of books. |
Welcome to another edition of Links of Note. With the year winding down, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are fewer links to share. But the ones I’ve got for this roundup are really worthwhile, so spend a little time with them.
- Over at the Lee & Low blog, there’s an eye-opening look at diversity when it comes to the adult New York Times Bestsellers list. Spoiler alert: there’s basically no diversity.
- Since the RITA award for YA was canceled this year, does that mean there weren’t any YA books about romance? I think anyone who has spent any time with YA knows the answer to that is a resounding no. Over at Smart Bitches, there’s a nice roundup of some of the best YA romances to come out in 2013. Check it out.
- Are adult readers shifting the middle grade book landscape? Wall Street Journal looks at a “growing trend” in “adults reading MG.” The “adults reading YA” trope must be out of vogue now. But it’s an interesting piece nonetheless.
- Love a fun font? Here’s an alphabet based on The Hunger Games.
- Dahlia Adler wrote a really interesting piece over on the Barnes & Noble blog about the rise of the unreliable narrator in YA. I like this piece a lot because what she’s talking about is a very specific kind of unreliable narrator — and a type of book that not only started trending this year, but that I think is going to be a really large trend over the next year, too. Definitely worth the read.
- Kelly Barnhill wrote a really thought-provoking piece on feminism and anti-feminism and what it means to have and use a voice — and why it is people want and try to silence it.
- Then read Anne Ursu’s post “Warning: Book May Contain Content.”
- Need to buy a YA book for a gift? Want a read that fits certain appeal factors for reader experience? I absolutely love the way Courtney Summers did her book recommendation post here — there’s something brilliant in being so simple in describing what a book is or has in it. I might be stealing this idea for library reader’s advisory because how often are you asked for a book that’s just “gross and awesome” or “unflinching and edgy?” Plus the books recommended here aren’t the same ones you’re going to read in every. single. book. guide. out this year.
Over at Book Riot, I had two posts to share:
- A roundup of celebrity ALA “READ” posters from the 1980s and 1990s (and definitely check out the comments, as other people have dropped images of the ones I didn’t include).
- For those looking to recommend books that are “gentle” in content (little swearing, graphic violence, sex, and so forth), I made a flow chart to these “green light” reads. There’s a link there to download it as a .pdf if you want to print and use it, too.
“Best Books” of 2013:
- If you missed it, Kimberly and I shared our favorite 2013 reads over at The Book Smugglers, as part of their annual Smugglivus celebration. I know I linked to it already, but I am linking again. Make sure you read through the other Smugglivus posts, too, since they are packed with other great reading (and viewing and listening) suggestions.
- At Book Riot, everyone on staff was asked to write about their two favorite/best reads of this year. Check out this amazing collection of best reads that feature about any and every genre, age group, and style you can imagine.