A fast-growing area in fiction for the young, genre blends allow for new possibilities and ideas, stimulating children's imaginations. This helpful guide orients readers' advisory staff, educators, and collection development librarians with a hand-picked selection of hybrid genres and novels published since 2000. It's no wonder that genre blends are some of most popular books for children and teens. When you mash up two different traditional genres, it's like doubling what makes each one pleasurable on its own. This guide, the first of its kind, will help public and school librarians, teachers, and collections staff identify genre blends for readers' advisory, curriculum development, or creating core collections. Profiling more than 200 titles, inside its pages you'll learn about six of the most in-demand genre blends for young readers, including Fantasy Mysteries, Magical Realism, Steampunk, and Verse Novels; be introduced to each genre blend's most compelling novels and contemporary authors; understand both book appeal factors (such as genre and theme) and reader-appeal factors, assisting you in matching readers with the perfect book; receive guidance on finding genre blends for children who are facing difficult circumstances, such as their parents' divorce, cliques in school, lack of popularity, poor body image, or self-blame; and find what you're looking for quickly and efficiently with the help of succinct annotations and a thorough index.

This inspiring guide shows how to implement the principles of the Slow Book movement in college campus libraries as well as public and high school libraries, with the ultimate goals of encouraging pensive reading habits and creating a lifelong enjoyment of books. In a world of constant Facebook posts and Tweets, digital distractions and online reading habits are wearing at students' ability to focus, reflect, synthesize, and think deeply. This professional text, based on a concept introduced by Maura Kelly in the online edition of The Atlantic, delves into the trend toward contemplative reading-otherwise known as the Slow Book movement-explaining what it is, why it's important, and how you can implement it in various ways and in multiple settings. Author and librarian Meagan Lacy, along with contributions from others in the field, offers insights, advice, and practical tools to help you foster an appreciation of reading in students both during and after college. The first part of the book establishes the importance of the Slow Book movement, while the second and third sections combine case studies and guidance for employing the principles of this method across multiple genres, including fiction, nonfiction, classics, and contemporary works. Chapters build a rationale for the approach, describe its underlying philosophy, and articulate concrete ways to apply the methodology in different venues. Explains how you can address your users' growing needs for sustained reflection and authentic connection Shows how leading and promoting the Slow Book movement adds new value to your library Presents examples and advice that you can use and adapt to lead the Slow Book movement at your library Shows ways in which academic, public, and school librarians can form partnerships for literacy outreach programs

This guide identifies hundreds of books that can help children develop into engaged readers. Children's librarians, collection development specialists in public libraries, as well as K–8 school librarians and teachers will choose from the best in children's titles. This unique readers' advisory and collection development guide for librarians and others who work with children focuses on readers and their needs, rather than simply categorizing books by their characteristics and features as traditional literature guides do. Taking this unusual perspective brings forth powerful new tools and curricular ideas on how to promote the classics, and how to best engage with young readers and meet their personal and emotional needs to boost interest and engagement. The guide identifies seven reader-driven appeals, or themes, that are essential to successful readers' advisory: awakening new perspectives; providing models for identity; offering reassurance, comfort, strength, and confirmation of self-worth; connecting with others; giving courage to make a change; facilitating acceptance; and building a disinterested understanding of the world. By becoming aware of and tapping into these seven themes, librarians and other educators can help children more deeply connect with books, thereby increasing the odds of becoming lifelong readers. The detailed descriptions of each book provide plot summaries as well as notes on themes, subjects, reading interest levels, adaptations and alternative formats, translations, and read-alikes. This informative guide will also aid librarians in collection development and bibliotherapy services.