Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of adbooks, a wonderful YA discussion group created and moderated by middle school English teacher Krista Fiabane. In 1998, having just completed her first year teaching, Krista started adbooks as a way to learn more about the literature for the children she was teaching. Today over 1400 people subscribe and adbooks plays a significant role for many YA enthusiasts.
I came to adbooks at the suggestion of a couple of child_lit friends. I was dubious; after all, I teach 4th grade — what did YA literature have to do with me? Well, I soon learned that adbooks was a vibrant community. We argue, we consider and we learn, we joke and we get a lot out of it.
But it was the JHunt awards that made me a complete adbooks addict. This award/game was started by a couple of adbook members who were frustrated by the limitations of other awards. Using reviews and polls a shortlist is created of around eleven books or so. Then week by week the books are discussed and voted OFF Survivor-style until five remain. There is one final vote FOR the winning book. Let me tell you, it is a lot of fun!
But it isn’t all JHunt. There are always monthly books under discussion, a July author study, and a lot more. Do check this wonderful list out here!
