A New Decade of Reading

Welcome to 2010!  I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but this year, I do have one to share:  I resolve to spend more time reading.  I know, I know...it seems strange that a librarian would need more time to read, but that is one of the ironies of this position.  The more time I spend doing my job -- teaching students and teachers, managing the collection, selecting materials, writing curriculum, planning promotions, and yes, writing blog updates -- the less time I have to actually read.  There's a ton of wonderful literature out there to be discovered.  I can (and do) rely on professional reviews to help me choose what I add to this collection, but there is nothing that can match a personal recommendation when it comes to putting a book into the hands of the right student.  So, this year, I want to spend more time actually reading the many titles I purchase.

Towards that end, I devoured two books over our recent holiday break: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.  While Gaiman's book won the Newbery Award, I have to admit that I preferred Collins' sequel to The Hunger Games.  Gaiman's tale of Bod, the boy raised in the graveyard, was well-crafted and superbly paced, but it was, in many ways, predictable.  Collins' tale, however, has left me longing for more.  I never once doubted that Bod would win out over the forces against him, but the fate of Katniss, Peeta, and Gale in their unexpected rebellion against the Capital is still too close to call.  It will be interesting to see if my students agree with me.