Reviewer Spotlight

Branch: Morrison Regional

Reader’s Club honors Nancy, Children’s Manager at Morrison Regional Library. Nancy has reviewed several young adult novels for the website. Here is what Nancy has to share with us about reading and writing reviews:

It’s not easy for a Librarian to admit that she was not an avid reader as a child, but it’s true. Although I did well in school I have no memory of family or teachers encouraging me to read. Each Sunday I did look forward to sitting on my father’s lap while he read the "funnies" to my sister and me. And I do remember fondly riding my bike to that beautiful Carnegie Library in my small Midwestern hometown with the many steps, large pillars, and rows of great smelling old books.

Finding my way to the library profession was not a direct one. It found me when we moved to a small town in New Jersey and the municipal library posted their first ‘children’s librarian’ position. Since then my days are filled with children’s literature as I try to catch up with what I missed and sharing what I read with children through reader’s advisory, book talks, and written reviews.

It’s always interesting to hear what others are reading. At monthly staff meetings the children’s staff shares what they are reading from a variety of genres. Lunches with my husband include conversations about nonfiction trivia from such books as In a Time of War, Franklin and Lucy, Gold, Get Happy, Long Gray Line and Last Lincoln. Phone calls with my sons always include, "What are you reading now?"

As a Children’s Librarian it’s difficult not to mention picture books which today are so engaging and many are works of art. We have discussed the work of over 50 authors/illustrators during the Kid Lit for Adult’s discussions. Some of my favorites are Chris Van Allsburg, Kevin Henkes, Mordicai Gerstein, Robert McCloskey, David Weisner, Mo Willems, and so many more. Some of my favorite juvenile fiction and young adult authors cross over genres: Sharon Creech, Karen Cushman, Kate DiCamillo, Cornelia Funke, Karen Hesse, Lois Lowery, and Brian Selznick.

My favorite books to review are the ones that I enjoy the most which are often historical fiction. To me "true" stories (biographies and nonfiction) or those based on real incidents continue to be the most interesting and remarkable such as: Blue, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Trouble Begins At 8, To Reach the Clouds: My High Wire Walk Between the Twin Towers, and I Am Scout.

It is my hope that through book reviews I may connect the reader with a book that will lead to an enjoyable experience and another and another and another…”

Happy Reading!

Thanks, Nancy!