Daydream Believer

explore-blog:

Virginia Woolf memorably wrote:

I ransack public libraries, and find them full of sunk treasure.

Here’s to the glorious geography of ransacking: A stride-stopping map of the distribution density of public libraries.

Pair with these lovely vintage ads for libraries and this 1946 infographic on the state of public libraries.

1 day ago 198 notes

America the Beautiful

When ignorant people say YA isn’t “worthy literature”

teenagebookland:

yabookscentral:

This. Forever. Don’t hate on me just because I read a particular genre.

If YA can even be called a particular genre.
(via teen-stuff-at-the-library)

2 days ago 43 notes

that moment when

(Source: goodnightsweetgirl, via teen-stuff-at-the-library)

3 days ago 79,896 notes

That's the way it goes

story of my life

bookriot:

Penguin Launches Book Truck!

3 days ago 7,827 notes

5 Bookish Super Powers I Wish I Had

bookriot:

For example: Super Speed

What It Is: Being able to read more than a hundred pages an hour (given standard print size, spacing, etc.).

Why I Want It: Think about how many more books a speed-reader will get through over the course of his or her life. Assuming they spend the same amount of time reading as I do, they’ll finish more than twice as many books. Sometimes, I try speeding up my eyes to cover more words more quickly, but I only manage to jumble up the sentences and can only remember about three words out of every hundred when I read that way. *shakes envious fist*

4 days ago 25 notes

The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse — A Review in GIFS by Merideth

glendaleteenlibrary:

O.K. Confession Time. I am getting just a little bit burnt out on YA Dystopias.

It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that there are SO MANY of them. And, they are all starting to sound the same. I’m kind of

So, it was with some trepidation that I started The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse.

Alenna remembers the night her parents were taken. Agents of UNA came in the night and dragged her scientist mom and dad away.

Alenna has spent the last 6 years as a ward of the United Northern Alliance, a nation formed from what used to be Canada, Mexico and the United States. She is quiet, keeping her head down, but never quite fitting in.

At age 16, all residents of UNA must take a test that screens for deviant tendencies. Those who fail are sent to the Wheel, a prison island cut off from the rest of UNA, where chaos reigns. Average lifespan on the Wheel is 2 years. The whole island is populated by

Alenna is not worried about the test. She is a good student, a good citizen and never makes any trouble. She has no violent, psychopathic or rebellious traits. Of course, she fails.

So, Alenna is sent to the Wheel. There are two factions on the Wheel. One is exactly what Alenna expects: crazy violent and out of control.

These “drones” worship The Monk, an old man who has survived on the Wheel for years.

Alenna is “lucky” enough to be taken in by the other group on the island. This group of teens has put together a village and manages to live pretty well.

Or, they would if not for the constant drone attacks. Oh, and the mysterious sickness on the island. And the weird cyborg robot things that descend from the sky to snatch people.

So when a group from the village decides to find a way off of the island, Alenna joins up. She doesn’t have a lot of skills, but she is determined to learn.

And her decision is in no way influenced by Liam. Liam is a (totally hot) guy who is a hunter in the village. He is one of the villagers seeking a way off the Wheel.

I am of two minds about this book. On the one hand I can see where it would appeal to fans of the Hunger Games, and other dystopian survival stories.

However, this book sort of … lurches. You’ll get a big info dump, an action scene, and then a long time where Alenna thinks herself into a tizzy.

Also, this is the first book in a trilogy, and when I think about the number of series that I have started, and am now behind in.

But, if you are looking for a new series to fill that Hunger Games sized hole in your life…

(via teen-stuff-at-the-library)

5 days ago 10 notes

fishingboatproceeds:

hermionejg:

myoldestmemory:

Song I wrote for a class. There are no effects in this song, just pure voice and Uke how I sang and how I played. It’s pretty much live, except I sing harmonies to myself, which I can’t do live, obviously.

“The Great Perhaps” (lyrics from the novel Looking for Alaska by John Green)

for optimal listening- put yo headphones in :)

I can’t stop listening to this song and crying. It’s the good crying, but f, this is beautiful.

Wow, this is a very good song about Looking for Alaska. Wow.

5 days ago 11,727 notes

tastefullyoffensive:

[via]

Yeah he does.
(via teen-stuff-at-the-library)

5 days ago 10,142 notes

"Instead of trying to cultivate some kind of readerly image, I read what I like, how I like, whenever I have time. Of course, now I run into a new dilemma when I encounter folks who remind me of my former self: trying not to be a snob about not being a snob, trying not to feel superior for not feeling superior in the way they seem to. And obviously, I still dislike what I dislike, but I can’t find it in my heart to think less of you for liking it. Judgmental readers, ugh, I can’t stand them now that I’m not one of them anymore."

Shocking Confessions of a Recovering Book Snob (via bookriot)
(via bookriot)

6 days ago 127 notes

"There were a few votes for a male Jack, which I was fine with – until I read the comments that went with them. Some of the voters said they felt a gay male best friend would be ‘more loyal’, ‘more helpful’, ‘stronger’ and ‘better as a straight girl’s bestie’. I’m still not sure where those commentors are coming from. Are girls not loyal, helpful and strong enough to be best friends with? Is a guy friend always better? Perhaps this attitude is a little revealing as to why the gay gay-friend has become such a trope."

Author Zoe Marriott, on asking her readers whether the heroine’s best friend in her upcoming trilogy should be a gay guy or a gay girl

Read Zoe’s whole post over at GayYA.org

(via diversityinya)

6 days ago 533 notes

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