Jen Robinson's Book Page

Reading More and Connecting More in 2021

New Year's Greetings to any of you who are still following my sorely neglected blog. December 17th marked the blog's 15th birthday. I had hopes of doing a post to celebrate that, but today will have to do. I am still here, and grateful for my years of blogging and reviewing books. Sadly, however, juggling work and family responsibilities in this pandemic year has caused blogging to fall off my plate. 

I popped in today to share two things: my "one word" for 2021 and my list of books read in 2020. 

Last year, my "one word" was LESS. I intended that to mean spending less time on things I wasn't enthusiastic about, and more time on things like reading. But, as with many people's plans in 2020, that is not how things turned out. I ended up with LESS reading and much less blogging time instead. 

I read 75 books in 2020 (see below), of which 41 were audiobooks. My normal pace, through 2018, was about 150 books a year. I slowed down some in 2019 (to 123) because I was reading a greater percentage of adult books. This year, though, I think the decline was more about 2020's challenges and my own inability to focus on reading. I also listened to quite a few podcasts, which cut down on my audiobook listening time. I hope to be able to read more in 2021, but there's no telling. I intend to accept that as it comes. 

2020 also ended up meaning LESS travel to see family, and LESS time with other people closer to home. A silver lining for me of the year was how very much I came to appreciate the people that we did see in person and the people that we connected with in other ways. One of my favorite reads of the year was Vivek Murthy's Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. I closed out the year with Kate Murphy's You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters.

I've gone back and forth between choosing CONNECT and LISTEN for 2021's one word. Ultimately, I chose CONNECT. If there's one thing I learned this year it's how critically important genuine human connection is to well being. I think LISTEN is more of a skill to help me strengthen my connection to people, though it's one I intend to actively work on. But my real goal is nurturing stronger connections with the people who matter to me. What that's going to mean in terms of my blogging, I can't say. 

My wish for all of you is more human connection in 2021 AND more time for reading and listening and taking care of yourselves. Happy New Year! And thank you for listening. 

Jen's 2020 Reading List

Middle Grade Books

1. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Gamer. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 9, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
2. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Ninja. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 22, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
3. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Youtuber. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed February 5, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
4. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Meme. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed February 28, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
5. Kenneth Oppel: Bloom (The Overthrow, Book 1). Knopf Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed March 8, 2020. 
6. Julia Nobel: The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Mystery. Completed March 21, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Chris Grabenstein: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Random House. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed April 11, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter.
8. Amy McCulloch: Jinxed. Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed May 9, 2020, on Kindle.
9. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Coder. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed May 13, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter.
10. Lawrence Yep: The Earth Dragon Awakes. Harper Collins Children's Books. Middle Grade Historical Fiction. Completed May 14, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter for school.
11. Julia Nobel: The Secret of White Stone Gate. Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 6, 2020, on Kindle.
12. Elizabeth Enright: Gone-Away Lake. HMH Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 8 2020, personal copy.
13. Elizabeth Enright: Return to Gone-Away. HMH Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 11, 2020, personal copy.
14. Kazu Kibuishi: Amulet (Book 1). Scholastic. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed August 26, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
15. Kazu Kibuishi: Amulet (Book 2). Scholastic. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed August 30, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
16. James Ponti: City Spies. Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 18, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
17. James Ponti: Framed. Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 26, 2020, on Kindle.
18. James Ponti: Vanished (Book 2). Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 27, 2020, on Kindle.
19. James Ponti: Trapped (Book 3). Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 6, 2020, on Kindle.
20. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman: Book Scavenger. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 16, 2020, on Kindle.

Young Adult Books

1. Elizabeth Eulberg: Past Perfect Life. Bloomsbury YA. Young Adult Fiction. Completed January 7, 2020, personal copy.
2. David Yoon: Frankly in Love. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed January 16, 2020, on MP3.
3. Adriana Mather: Killing November. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed February 7, 2020, on Kindle.
4. Maureen Johnson: The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, Book 3). Katherine Tegen Books. Young Adult Mystery. Completed February 20, 2020, on Kindle.
5. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Deadly Little Scandals (Debutantes, Book 2). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Mystery. Completed February 25, 2020, on Kindle.
6. Karen McManus: One of Us Is Next (sequel to One Of Us Is Lying). Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed March 5, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Rebecca Hanover: The Similars. Sourcebooks. Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed August 14, 2020.
8. Rebecca Hanover: The Pretenders (Similars 2). Sourcebooks. Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed September 5, 2020.
9. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: The Inheritance Games. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed September 10, 2020, on Kindle.
10. Adriana Mather: Hunting November. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed September 27, 2020, on Kindle.
11. John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle: Let It Snow. Young Adult Fiction. Speak. Completed December 20, 2020, on MP3.
12. Karen McManus: The Cousins. Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed December 21, 2020, on Kindle.

Adult Books

1. Eve Rodsky: Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 3, 2020, on Kindle.
2. Janet Evanovich: Twisted Twenty-Six. G. P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed January 3, 2020, on MP3.
3. BJ Fogg: Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 22, 2020, on Kindle.
4. Tom DeMarco + Tim Lister: Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams. Addison-Wesley. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 25, 2020, personal copy.
5. Michael McGarrity: Tularosa (Kevin Kerney, No. 1). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed February 8, 2020, on MP3. The fact that this series uses the same narrator as the Walt Longmire books bothered me at first, but I soon got past that.
6. David L. Bahnsen: Elizabeth Warren: How Her Presidency Would Destroy the Middle Class and the American Dream. Post Hill Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed February 13, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Taylor Stevens: Liar's Paradox (Jack and Jill, Book 1). Pinnacle. Adult Thriller. Completed February 15, 2020, on Kindle.
8. Michael McGarrity: Tularosa (Kevin Kerney, No. 2). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed March 1, 2020, on MP3.
9. Michael McGarrity: Serpent's Gate (Kevin Kerney, No. 3). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed March 9, 2020, on MP3.
10. Gytha Lodge: Watching from the Dark Random House. Adult Mystery. Completed March 14, 2020, on Kindle.
11. P.J. Tracy: The Guilty Dead. Penguin Random House. Adult Mystery. Completed April 11, 2020, on Kindle.
12. Suzanne Redfearn: In an Instant. Lake Union Publishing. Adult Fiction. Completed April 12, 2020, on Kindle and MP3.
13. Julia Spencer-Fleming: Hid from Our Eyes (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed April 19, 2020, on Kindle.s
14. P.J. Tracy: Ice Cold Heart. Crooked Lane Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 2, 2020, on Kindle.
15. Michael McGarrity: Hermit's Peak (Kevin Kerney, No. 4). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed May 4, 2020, on MP3.
16. Iona Whishaw: A Killer in King's Cove. Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed May 16, 2020, on Kindle.
17. Graham Norton: A Keeper. Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 18, 2020, on MP3.
18. Michael McGarrity: The Judas Judge (Kevin Kerney, No. 5). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed May 4, 2020, on Kindle.
19. Harlan Coben: The Boy from the Woods. Grand Central Publishing. Adult Mystery. Completed May 25, 2020, on MP3.
20. Mark Greaney: The Gray Man (Court Gentry, Book 1). Berkley. Adult Thriller. Completed June 17, 2020, on MP3.
21. Madeline Levine: Ready or Not: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World. Harper. Adult Nonfiction. Completed June 4, 2020, on Kindle.
22. Victoria Thompson: Murder on Pleasant Avenue (Gaslight Mysteries, No. 23). Penguin Group. Adult Mystery. Completed June 7, 2020, on MP3.
23. D.E. Stevenson: Listening Valley. Sourcebooks. Adult Fiction. Completed June 20, 2020, personal copy.
24. Iona Whishaw: Death in a Darkening Mist. Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 3, 2020, on Kindle.
25. Joy Ellis: Hidden on the Fens (Nikki Galena, No. 11). Joffe Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 7, 2020, on MP3.
26. Iona Whishaw: An Old, Cold Grave (Lane Winslow, No. 3). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 12, 2020, on Kindle.
27. Iona Whishaw: It Begins in Betrayal (Lane Winslow, No. 4). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 21, 2020, on Kindle.
28. Paul Doiron: One Last Lie (Mike Bowditch, No. 11). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 21, 2020, on MP3.
29. Iona Whishaw: A Sorrowful Sanctuary (Lane Winslow, No. 5). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 26, 2020, on Kindle.
30. Iona Whishaw: A Deceptive Devotion (Lane Winslow, No. 6). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed August 2, 2020, on Kindle.
31. Elly Griffiths: The Lantern Men. Recorded Books. Adult Mystery. Completed August 3, 2020, on MP3.s
32. Michael McGarrity: The Big Gamble (Kevin Kerney, No. 7). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed August 24, 2020, on MP3.
33. Jen Fulweiler: Your Blue Flame. ZOndervan. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 28, 2020, on Kindle.
34. Vivek Murthy: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Harper Wave. Adult Nonfiction. Completed September 5, 2020, on Kindle. 
35. Keith McCafferty: The Royal Wulff Murders (Sean Stranahan, Book 1). Adult Mystery. Completed September 8, 2020, on MP3.s
36. Louise Penny: All the Devils Are Here (Gamache, No. 16). Adult Mystery. Minotaur Books. Completed September 27, 2020, on MP3.
37. Margaret Mizushima: Hanging Falls (Timber Creek K-9, Book 6). Adult Mystery. Completed October 7, 2020, on MP3.
38. Tana French: The Searcher. Adult Mystery. Viking. Completed November 2, 2020, on MP3.
39. D.E. Stevenson: Spring Magic. Adult Fiction. Dean Street Press. Completed November 8, 2020, on Kindle.
40. Janet Evanovich: Fortune and Glory (Stephanie Plum, No. 27). Adult Fiction. Atria Books. Completed November 14, 2020, on MP3.
41. Keith McCafferty: The Gray Ghost Murders (Sean Stranahan, No. 2). Adult Mystery. Penguin Books. Completed December 1, 2020, on MP3.
42. Michael C. Grumley: The Last Monument. Adult Speculative Fiction. Audible. Completed December 31, 2020, on MP3.
43. Kate Murphy: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters. Adult Nonfiction. Celadon Books. Completed December 31, 2020, on Kindle.

© 2021 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage. Links to be books may be affiliate links, for which I receive a small commission.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week Approaches

Abby (the) Librarian said this perfectly on her blog this morning. So I'm blatantly copying from her:

"September 14-18, 2009 is Book Blogger Appreciation Week! Bloggers will be posting on different themes each day, so check those out and participate if you're into it. I think this week can also be a time when we really show our support for one another. It's the community that makes book blogging so much fun, so have you told a blogger you love him/her this week? If not, this just might be the week to do it. ;) "

Stay tuned!

Twitter: Like joining a party late, and already having friends there

People have been encouraging me to get onto Twitter for quite a while. It seems like every week more of Terry Doherty's leads for our shared children's literacy round-ups come from her sources on Twitter. I've seen several interesting posts about Twitter on Greg Pincus's new blog, The Happy Accident, and various updates originally from Twitter on people's Facebook pages. Even my library foundation board is thinking of getting in on the act. 

So today I finally decided to pop my head in, and sign up for @JensBookPage. It's been fun so far, if a bit overwhelming. It's like I'm joining a party, a bit late, but with a bunch of my friends already there, and already knowing their way around. Honestly, I don't know that I've ever had such a warm welcome anywhere. Thanks, Twitter friends!! I'm still finding my way around, faintly surprised that there seem to be people here already who want to meet me, and thrilled to see so many familiar faces. But I think it's going to be a good thing. Once I figure out how to re-tweet, anyway...

My current plan is to use Twitter mostly to collect and disseminate children's literacy and reading news. Obviously, I do a lot of that on my blog already, but I think that there will be value in the immediacy of Twitter. In being able to see a link that's interesting, and share it with people right then, in addition to saving it up for inclusion in a larger round-up. But we'll see how it evolves, or if having one more thing to follow sends me right over the edge, sanity-wise. Meanwhile, you can find me on Twitter (and still on Facebook, where I'm now at www.Facebook.com/Jen.Robinson).

December 18th is Bake Cookies Day

Via the Sylvan Dell newsletter, tomorrow (December 18th) has been declared (by someone) Bake Cookies Day. According to the Holiday Insights website, this is a non-denominational holiday in December, one that anyone can observe and enjoy. All you have to do is bake your favorite cookies, alone or with friends or family members. Stock up on butter, sugar, and chocolate now, that's all I have to say... And be sure you have a copy of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie handy, too.

Giving Thanks

Are you in need of some warmth and perspective as Thanksgiving approaches? Head on over to HipWriterMama to read Vivian's post A Thanksgiving Feast of Sorts, and the other posts that she links to. Trust me, it's worth your time, and a fine way to usher in the holiday weekend. I especially enjoyed Christine's post about holiday traditions.

As for me, I'm thankful that the Red Sox were able to sign Mike Lowell for three more years. But, on a more serious note, I'm thankful for Mheir, and for our families (although sad that we won't be able to spend Thanksgiving with them), and for the friends with whom we will be spending the holiday, and for the other friends who we love and don't get to see enough. I'm thankful to have a job that challenges me and pays the bills, and to have this blog to feed my soul. I am happy to have found so many kindred spirits in the Kidlitosphere. And I'm more grateful than I can say to those of you who take the time to read my blog, and especially to those of you who are on the front lines, putting books into the hands of kids.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Escaping Adulthood at IHOP

Last week, I had the good fortune of meeting Kim and Jason Kotecki, the husband-and-wife force behind the Escape Adulthood website (and book, and blogs, and online store). Here's an excerpt from their About page:

"Kim & Jason is all about an idea. It's the crazy notion that there is more to life than the hectic busyness, cynical melancholy and overwhelming stress that is typical of most modern lives. Adultitis tricks us into missing out on the best parts of life and causes us to take ourselves WAY too seriously.

We believe that life is meant to be lived to the fullest, that our lives should be bursting with big dreams, oodles of passion, and an enthusiastic playfulness. We believe in curiosity, delighting in the little things, and a faith that knows things always work out for the best. We believe that a life that embraces a childlike spirit is a life that is less stressful and way more fun."

And I'm here to tell you that these two walk the walk. We met for breakfast at a local IHOP, and I wasn't even a little bit surprised when Jason ordered chocolate milk instead of coffee. And check out their fun t-shirts:

In case you can't read them, Jason's is "Where the Wild Things Are" and Kim's is "What's Up Toots?", with a picture of a tootsie roll character. My shirt is very boring. Anyway, we had a great breakfast, talking about our blogs and our visions and why we live where we live. I felt like I had known them for years. And I hope to have a chance to chat with them again in the future. It's so nice when you meet people in person for the first time after having email interactions, and they completely meet your expectations.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Robert's Snow Blog Project Update

Last Thursday I mentioned the Robert's Snow blog event to fight cancer that's being organized by Jules from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. The idea is that kid lit bloggers will write individual posts about illustrators who are creating custom art snowflakes for the Robert's Snow effort, and use the posts to drive traffic to the auctions for the snowflakes. Today I am so pleased to report (after word from Jules) that the more than 150 illustrators on the original list have already all been snatched up by more than 60 participating blogs. You can find the complete list here. What an amazing testimonial to the power of the Internet, and the strength of the kid lit blogging community. Not to mention the organizational prowess of Jules herself. It's a wonderful thing to be part of.

Well, technically I'm not part of it, because I'm not featuring any of the illustrators, but, along with several other blogs (like Read Write Believe; Robin Brande; Journey Woman; JacketFlap; The Reading Tub; Miss Erin; Bottom Shelf Books; Roz Fulcher; Liz In Ink; and Mitali's Fire Escape), I am going to help Jules to promote the event as much as I can. Because I think it's a great thing, and one that deserves lots of attention. You can read more here.

"Could You? Would You?" Questions

Jules and Eisha have started a contest at 7-Imp this week, inspired by questions from Australian illustrator Trudy White. If you answer the following questions, you could (courtesy of Kane/Miller Book Publishers) win a copy of Trudy's book: Could You? Would You? Even though I'm drowning in picture books, I like the questions, so I decided to play.

How would someone find you in a crowd? I don't think that I stand out much in a crowed, but I am likely to be wearing a Boston Red Sox shirt. Or maybe a New England Patriots shirt. 

If your house had a secret room, what would be in there? Books, books, and more books. And a comfortable couch to lie on to read them. Next to the couch would be a big box of Swiss chocolate. And in the corner, a wine refrigerator, filled with excellent red wines. I could hide out in this room for a long time.

Where do you like to walk from your house? There's not much of interest within walking distance of my house. Probably the best thing is being able to walk to Blockbuster.

How will you change as you grow up? I'll probably continue to become ever more introverted. But I'll get better at knowing what I need to do to protect my recharge time.

What sort of animal would you like to be? None. I prefer to stay a person. Even as a kid, being an animal never interested me much. Animals can't read books.

If you'd like to play, post your own answers to these questions. And leave a note at 7-Imp.

Adultitis Antidote: Children's Books

I learned today that my blog has been declared an Adultitis Antidote Blog Winner by Kim and Jason of Escape Adulthood fame. According to Jason and Kim:

"When it comes to the blogosphere, an Adultitis Antidote is a blog exhibiting a childlike spirit that helps counteract the effects of Adultitis by using honesty, curiosity, passion and playfulness to encourage its readers to delight in the little things, dream big, and stress less."

About my blog they said:

"Not only does she encourage the love of books for kids, but Jen also promotes the continued reading of children’s books by adults!"

Which makes this a great time to link back up to my Why You Should Read Children's Books as an Adult. I'm repeating my top 10 reasons here, but there's lots of other background in the original post.

Top 10 Reasons for Reading Children's Books as an Adult

1. It's fun.
2. It keeps your imagination active.
3. It strengthens your relationship with the children in your life who read.
4. It sets an example for the children in your life, making them more likely to become readers.
5. It clues you in on cultural references that you may have missed (both current and classical).
6. It's fast. Children's books are usually shorter than adult books, so if you don't think you have time to read, you DO have time to read children's books.
7. It allows you to read across genres. Children's books aren't limited to mystery OR science fiction OR fantasy OR literary fiction. They can have it all.
8. It's like time travel - it's an easy way to remember the child that you once were, when you first read a book.
9. It's often inspirational - reading about heroes and bravery and loyalty makes you want to be a better person. And couldn't we all do with some of that?
10. Did I mention that it's fun?

Actually, I have one more reason (which seems ok, since 1 and 10 above are the same):

11. Reading children's books as an adult gives you the chance to participate in the amazing kid lit blogosphere (the Kidlitosphere), and discuss books with many wonderful people.

Many, many thanks to Kim and Jason for making my week. Also, be sure to check out their other two 2007 adultitis antidote winners:

• Make it Great! | Phil Gerbyshak’s infectious and cheerful mission is to help you unleash the greatness within!
• Success from the Nest | Tony D. Clark is helping the dreamers out there who are — or want to be — working from home.

I've added them both to my blogroll. Wishing you all a weekend filled with childlike joy and wonder. And may Jason and Kim be successful in their quest to make the world a happier place.

This post is (c) 2007 by Jennifer Robinson. All rights reserved.

We Remember

It's a beautiful day here in Northern California, though the sky is not quite so blue as it was in New York six years ago. I was in Austin, Texas that day. It took me a while to get home, and I had to cancel a planned vacation a few days later. Of course these were very small prices to pay. My brother ended up in Kuwait for a year with the National Guard, but he's home now, too. No direct damage for us, just ... wounds to the spirit.

The primary change in my day to day life from 9/11 has been increased security measures when I'm traveling. And this I do not complain about (though I complain about many travel-related things). When the screeners call me aside for an extra check, I say "Thanks!", and I mean it. They're trying to keep us safe.

One thing that I remember about the days after September 11th (besides the searing images), is realizing that in a 48 hour period I had talked to everyone I was close to. How often can you say that? Not often, for me. I live 3000 miles from most of my family and friends. So that was a good thing out of 9/11. And something that I try, not not always successfully, to do better about now.

Here are some September 11th musings and remembrances from the blogs that I visit:

• Chicken Spaghetti
• Charlotte's Journey Home
• Kim and Jason
• The Simple and the Ordinary
• Educating Alice
• Two Writing Teachers (here and here)
• Becky's Book Reviews
• Semicolon

Updated to add:

• World of Words
• The Shady Glade (the putting up the flag photo)
• The Library Lady Rants
• And, not to be missed (with thanks to Miss Erin), Meg Cabot

Thanks! I wish you all a peaceful day.

Suicide Prevention Week: September 9 to 15

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. You can find a short summary of statistics related to teen suicide here at Blah Blah Blah (with thanks to Little Willow for the link). For instance:

Teen suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young adults and adolescents 15 to 24 years of age in the U.S., following unintentional injuries and homicide.

The CDC's suicide prevention site has lots of additional resources, as does the Young Suicide Prevention Program (YSPP) website.

Recommended Reading: It's not out yet, but if you have an advance copy of Jay Asher's book Thirteen Reasons Why (reviewed here), this would be a great week to read it, share it with teens, and/or order a copy for your library. Jay does a wonderful job of addressing a difficult issue, while putting the characters and story ahead of the message.

Following Up on the Introvert Discussion

I've had some good feedback to the Self Care for Introverts post that I wrote on Thursday (and which was inspired by a post at Shrinking Violet Promotions), and it's led to some other interesting discussion. Monica Edinger commented with a link to an Atlantic Monthly article by Jonathan Rauch on this same topic. The article was actually new to Shrinking Violet Promotions, and they wrote about it and found a follow-on interview with Jonathan Rauch titled Introverts of the World Unite.

The Rauch articles are both excellent - I kept nodding my head as I was reading, and eventually printed them both out to share. I feel like this whole discussion is making clear something that I've struggled with for my whole life.

Alkelda from Saints and Spinners also took up this topic and wrote about her own experiences as an introvert who goes in front of audiences to do musical storytelling. She talks about her "camouflage techniques for coping in an extroverted world".

Rauch says about introversion: "it's not a choice. It's not a lifestyle. It's an orientation." I find this liberating. And some of you, who love books and particularly enjoy interacting via blogs and the Internet, might find it liberating too.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.