Best Loved Books of 2008

My choice for one of the best picture books for the little ones: Bats at the Library by Brian Lies. But then, I don't spend as much time with picture books as I should.

Speaking of um ... the library,

These paintings of best loved librarians or patroness types seem to grace every library. I always try to dress like this when I go to the library, hoping to be mistaken for some rich, possible patroness type.


As a kid library lady portraits always unnerved me a little bit. Thank goodness they were never in the children's room. At least these two are smiling in their portraits.


Some of the books of 2008 :
Library Journal's list.

The Best of 2008 according to The Statesman.

Top ten list of Young Adult books from 2008

A few days ago I read a young adult book (12 & Up) just because I hadn't read one in decades. The formula is still the same, ("I am not having this baby at the prom! get me to the hospital!") but I was lucky to get a well-written one. It did strike me as odd that none of the young adults had cell phones. Next time I'll check the copyright date to be sure I'm reading a book from this era. The author, Sarah Dessen has newer books (the latest published in 2008) but I just grabbed a book at random. I'm going to try and check out some of the sub-categories in teen fiction (vampire novels, vampire drug novels, vampire graphic novels, vampire pregnancy novels and so forth.)

I haven't really been reading much Sci Fi, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Thrillers, Chick Lit, Romance, True Crime, Poetry or Erotica either, so that's one thing I want to do in 2009. So many categories out there.

Resolution: Read books from all genres. Be more open to every category.

I read very few newly published this year, I was all over the place, reading wonderful books published in 1903, 1962, 2003, 1886, every year but 2008 it seemed. So I need to read more current stuff.

Resolution 2 : Read a newly published book once in a while.