Esther's Ever After

I have been interested in writing about the issues of teens and have found that many of the issues that they face are very difficult.  Since I read so much YA fiction, I have seen that there a lot of books that tackle teen topics in a very sensitive and conscious manner.  A few years ago I started to write about real topics that teens are dealing with such as depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, stress, and other mental health issues and pair these topics up with YA realistic fiction books in a column I called Reality Scoop.  I came up with this idea because I feel like many teens could relate to issues they might be dealing with by reading books they can check out from their library. Here are a few articles that I have written for my column Reality Scoop on the YALSA Hub: Random Acts of Kindness Holiday Stress Released Depression in Young Adult Literature Autism Awareness Mental Wellness I'm thinking of continuing Reality Scoop here on this blog and I am currently working...

I love to write, it is one of my favorite things to do.  I am a librarian so I am an avid and natural born researcher.  I am also very passionate about weird and wacky things and love the history of folklore and legends.  I have a master's degree in Consciousness Studies, so I have a strong background in psychology, philosophy, and dream studies.  My thesis for this degree was all about the history of fairy folklore and the origins of the dark fairy Morgan LeFay.  I love poetry and literature and enjoy reading very much.  I'm very in tune with the young adult world and have been a teen librarian for many years.  I have so many ideas that I could write about. Right now I am very interested in researching Urban Legends.  I feel that these legends are interesting, upbeat, and engaging for teen readers.  I think it would be great to write about different legends each week and find out more why these legends are important and how they relate to te...

I love starting new book clubs for teens! They encourage teens to read something new and provide great enrichment by asking them to examine what they've read. Then the teens soak up new vocabulary words, figure out the storyline, and learn about the characters in the story. I am also a firm believer that book clubs help teens build leadership skills and gain confidence. Joining a book club give teens a chance to speak up in a group and respectfully share their ideas and opinions, particularly since so many YA books delve into controversial topics. Teens that take the lead in book discussions will gain an extra edge that will help them in school and social settings. Most of my teen book clubs have focused on a theme. I think having a theme adds a bit more excitement to the club and also offers you, as the facilitator, a chance to be creative and find great books for your teens to read. One of my first teen book clubs was called “Muggles and Magic,” and all the teens wanted to do was...

I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction – When I was a kid I loved reading about people that really excited in faraway times and places. My favorite book in high school was none other than Gone with the Wind which was set in the Civil War (go figure??) I think this love followed me to college because I went on to study Humanities in college and learned about the history of art, music, philosophy, religion, language, and how people experience all of these things. Nowadays, I love reading for fun and I love coming-of-age stories combined with fascinating periods of history around the world. If you are tired of the same old boring history lessons you’ve seen and want a great Historical Fiction read then this is place for you! Tune in each month as Mrs. Librarian Lady starts from zero and goes all the way up to the 1990’s. You will be amazed at how many great stories are based on real life people in history! Here’s a little Historical Fiction kick starter for you! Wicked Girls: A...

Right now I'm reading The Sorceress by Michael Scott. It's the third book in the series the Immortal Nicholas Flamel . So far it's been pretty good, but the first book still has my vote for #1. I also have plans to read Max by James Patterson this week, but have not been able to thus far. I just finished some really great books that I want to write reviews about. I've become a huge Jodi Picoult fan and my #1 fave book by her is House Rules . I think my second fave is the Tenth Circle . I recently read two books by Sara Zarr and thought her writing was really fantastic. Sweethearts captivated me and I found myself not wanting the book to end. Once Was Lost was again captivating but not as amazing as Sweethearts. Zarr has other books that I definitely want to read and I think she is up and coming as an author and will rock the teen reader world. I also finished The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Calletti and was actually pretty surprised by the unfol...