What to read, what to read?

A morning spent posting recent library purchases on the IRC blog has me wondering a couple of things in regards to blogs and my ever expanding shelf of books waiting to be read. First, the blog issue. I decided this morning the "book list" and information blog needed spiced up a bit and chose to add a few book covers to the lists, longer posts got three covers and briefer posts one or two. It took a bit longer (ok, considerably longer) to compile the lists, tag them correctly, and find engaging book covers to include on each post, but I like the visual appeal it gives the blog. However, as I was gleefully adding interest I began to wonder how many book covers and pieces of clip art would be too much? There is a fine line between visually appealing and grossly overdone. It's fair to say if the added images increase usage of the blog from campus users I have not crossed that line.

After updating a graphic novel bulletin board, highlighting a few new juvenile collection additions, the technical services assistant brought me a present. I have several more juvenile books on my shelf for reading (see New Books, New Books) and know it would probably behoove me to stop hoarding titles for myself. Not that I will, but I know I should. Here are a few of what I've chosen, the full list is on the sidebar, and of course, there are accompanying images:

• Games, Carol Gorman
• An Unlikely Friendship, Ann Rinaldi
• Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Wendy Mass
• The Cartoon History of the Modern World
• Alosha, Christopher Pike

I have already briefly looked at Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis (charming and so very true), The End, by Richard Egielski (love him), and the previously mentioned Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker (fabulous) and will be doing book reviews on these titles for the children's book review blog at work. I will be taking several books home with me this evening as the weather forecasters are predicting doom and gloom for the next several days. Though the library does not close, even when classes are cancelled, I would hate to be snowed in at home with nothing to read!

Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Picture books