Recently someone posted to YALSA-BK asking for people to suggest good books for guys. The recommendations began immediately, and one of the best I encountered was Robin Brenner’s suggestion to look at the Guys Lit Wire
blog. So I did. It has been around since at least 2008, they have more than 25 regular contributors and generally have a new post Monday-Friday of each week. That’s a lot of books and topics. There is a “search this blog” button on the left column if you scroll down a bit. I searched for several books and found entries for all but one. Take a look and find some new and new-to-you titles to share with teen boys in your library.
Bink and Gollie, Two for One by Kate DiCamillo & Alison McGhee, and illustrated by Tony Fucile is another winner (the first book about Bink & Gollie received the Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal for beginning readers in 2011; see this
site). This second book about the two best friends also contains three stories – all set at the state fair. The first story shows Bink trying to win a prize at the Whack-a-Duck stand – it is quite painful. The second is Gollie participating in the Amateur Talent Show. The third is a visit to find out what Madame Prunely sees in her crystal ball. Another great look at friendship and the ups and downs of going to the fair.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
