Books and Whine

Overheard today...
"No! You don't get to take any books out! You didn't listen during storytime!"
As a mother drags a two-year-old out of the library. Wow, that's lame. Some two-year olds are ready for storytime, some are not. Different children have different needs, and at that young age they probably shouldn't be punished for simply getting a bit squirmy during storytime (especially when it's not my storytime!) Besides which, punishing a child by not allowing them to take home books - that's awful!

Also, I was shushed the other day.
A woman was ignoring our no cell phone policy, blabbing away kids in tow, the library was quite peaceful with most people either studying or working at computers until she came alone. I approached her and said, "Excuse me, cell phones aren't..." as she waved her hand my face and violently expelled a loud "shhhhhh!!!!!" while turning away from me. I was more than a little offended. I take my personal bubble seriously! I love this sort of challenge. I wouldn't say I'm confrontational. But when I am clearly following the rules and someone else is not, and they're being rude to boot, well, I can be perisistant. "Excuse me, you actually need to turn your phone off in the library." She walked away from me, still talking and finished, then said, "It was important!" in a super loud voice. Shortly after I encountered the most sour mother daughter team in the universe. I was on a bad role. In the past two months I haven't had any bad experiences on reference (though now that I'm a full-time employee, I spend only 50% of my time on desk). Anyways see below for the other lovely experience.

Okay, enough complaining! Books I've read as of late...

Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet by Kashmira Sheth- teen fiction, really enjoyable and fast read but total girl fiction set in Mumbai, India - sibling rivalry, forbidden love...aaahhhh.

The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales - Pura Belpre Award winner - teen fiction - a bit too perfect and sweet - but a really interesting look at Mexican Catholicism. The author is Harvard grad, lawyer, human rights advocate, blah blah blah - somehow I wonder if her tough fight as a woman and as a Mexican to get to the top in a rather cut-throat world was as simple as her writing - upbeat but rings a little false and gets a little monotonous after a while.

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant - adult fiction- a book club title at our library. I quite enjoyed it, because I love historical fiction and this was a rich and lavish cascade of colour and sensuality from start to finish. A nun is discovered to have a shocking and explicit tattoo upon her death. Chapter one, we meet Alessandra Cecchi a difficult fifteen-year old who loves to paint and seeks only freedom. Religious fervor is making life in Florence very dangerous as she seeks freedom through marriage...I can't really say much without giving it away - my only complaint is the ending...

Wing Nut by MJ Auch - juvenile fiction - a boy on the road with his mom, transient, new jobs, communes, boyfriends, car troubles, you name it - so far fulfilling all the tough luck single mom stories you can fathom. But doing it well. Lovely little details are making this enjoyable - though I'm only half-way through!

Sour Kids - Yum, yum

Okay, I rate my energy level quite low. Must be productive. I find crazy people to be very demoralizing, I had two in a row. And now I feel like sipping my mug of hot cocoa and surf'n the net, rather than planning next weeks storytime programs...just now, a strange mother daughter pair who were rude, sullen, and rude. They had matching scowls. Usually people are happy when you find books for them, and even happier when you suggest one or two similar authors they may not of heard off. Maybe I'm living in bizarro land this afternoon. There are also dogs barking in the library. Yeah, some crazy authors brought their pets in for their booktalks. Cool, but annoying. Yes, I'm turning into a gasp...gasp...librarian!!!