Library Idea of the Week Mar 1

Library Idea of the Week

Through sheer luck, I've been asked to review new YA literature for a site called SmartWriters that features articles, advice, reviews, tips, and information for readers, writers, teachers, students, and librarians. Kelly Milner Halls, a Spokane writer and YA guru (and friend of Chris Crutcher, Terry Davis, and Terry Trueman!) is my connection and the site's web designer.

My first SmartWriters article—which is a full article, not a review, and is atypical of the stuff I will be writing for them in the future, probably—appeared March 1^{st and is called “Twenty Books for Young Adults
that I Couldn’t Live Without.” You can read it at} ^{http://www.smartwriters.com/index.2ts?page=swjmarch2004#belben}

^{At any rate, I'll be receiving ARCs of new YA lit every month. ARCs aren't
catalogued, so I'll be passing them along to students, colleagues, and other
librarians as I read them. I will be giving these books away for free! If you
are willing to accept the challenge, I would truly appreciate comments about the
books to include in my reviews. The only caveats: 1) you need to be willing to
read and respond within 4-5 days of receiving the book; and 2) you must pass the
book along to a student or colleague and not catalogue it.
I will rotate my donations, and it's a first-come, first-served basis. This
week, I've just finished reading these books and am looking for comments from
other readers. Email me your name and the snail mail address at which you'd like
to receive the book and I'll put them in the mail today. I need comments about
them by March 12 (this Friday). (List of available books followed in email).}