[CALIBK12] Query: Appropriateness of Specific Titles/Series

[Karen Tukua]

Hi Anne,
I have some fear street books in my library. However, I only allow fifth graders to check them out after the first of the year, and they must have a permission slip signed by their parents, myself and my principal. The permission slip explains the nature of these books, and that it might be a good time for some student/parent discussion. I keep the permission slips in a file and place a note on each student's circulation file that flashes "Fear Street" every time I scan their card. I keep the books on a special shelf behind the circulation desk. In order to even look at these books, they must have the permission slip signed. I use to keep them in a brown paper bag on my desk. lol 
The upside... 
Kids are reading more. They talk about the books, and can't wait to come in and get more.
 
Some students, after looking at the books, decide they don't want to read them. That's okay too. I'm glad to see that they are able to censor themselves. That shows me they are growing up. One shoe does not fit all!
 
My two cents.Karen Tukua, MLIS, LMT  Cambridge Elementary School  Concord, CA 94520  librarykaren at hotmail.com  "What a school thinks about its library, is a measure of what it thinks about education."  Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education


Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:20:27 -0800From: asnyder at ceres.k12.ca.usTo: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.eduSubject: [CALIBK12] Query: Appropriateness of Specific Titles/Series

Dear Collective Wisdom, 
I have a junior high library (Grades 7-8 only) requesting to add the following titles to their collection.  For the most part these titles/series have School Library Journal recommendations for Grade 9 and up or are classed as adult fiction (some of the titles have more relaxed grade recommendations/interest levels from other review sources).  
While I don't always adhere strictly to grade level recommendations, I have not personally read any of the books and would appreciate any advice/comments from those of you at middle school, junior high, or high school who care to share your experiences/opinions.   Just on the basis of the information in the reviews, I could rather easily disapprove half of the list.  However, since I tend to be on the liberal side of access debates and sincerely want to make an informed decision, I have included all the titles in question. 
Thanks so much, Anne 
Clan of the Cave Bear (Auel) Dune:  House Atreides (Herbert) Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You (Jansen) Dangerous Girls and The Confession  and Killer Kiss (R.L. Stine's Fear Street series) Fallen Angels (Myers) The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Anderson) Sewer Rats (Brouwer) and Chat Room (Butcher) -- both of the Orca Currents series Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either (Cabot) The Uglies series (Westerfield) -- Pretties has a 9+ SLJ recommendation Dead Girls Don't Write Letters (Giles) Abundance of Katherines (Green) Beating Heart:  A Ghost Story (Jenkins) Sold (McCormick) Rules of Survival  (Werlin) King Dork (Portman) 
Anne Snyder K-8 Librarian Ceres Unified School District (209)556-1500 Ext. 1109 
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