Outliers

The very notion of outliers in middle school intrigues me. What I remember about being in middle school is that everyone felt like they were left out. We all tried desperately to do whatever we could to fit in. For some, however, this is far easier than for others. Students who are genuinely different from the rest of the mob-- or students who do not try to be a part of it, often face intense criticism from their peers. This can result in many different types off bullying, which has caused countless tweens extreme pain.

The article Coming Out in Middle School by, Benoit Denizet-Lewis, tugged at my emotions in many ways (URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27out-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=5&hpw). While the middle school students in the article seemed to be so comfortable with their sexuality, my heart couldn't help but go out to them. I remember feeling so insecure about talking to boys or talking to people about my crushes, and I can't imagine how it would feel to be the only openly gay student in a middle school. The students in this article showed courage and strength beyond their years. I can't help but be inspired by the success these students have had in mobilizing both gay and straight people to come together to fight homophobia. These are the role models we need to be looking to for guidance.

The New York Times article, Recession Drives Surge in Youth Runaways (URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/us/26runaway.html?pagewanted=3&_r=5) was absolutely heartbreaking. I don't know how we, as a society, can sit idly by and watch so many youth fall through the cracks. Reading about families that kick out kids because money is tight makes me angry. It's bad enough the way seniors have been pushed out of the family home, but for it to happen to tweens and teens in incomprehensible to me. Schools are failing them, their families are failing them, society is failing them. What can we do? How can we help? American society doesn't generally like to get down in the muck and face some of the ugly truths that surround us. But by turning our backs and tuning out, we are forgetting about the most valuable resource this country has-- it's people.

As a footnote, I must add that one of my closest friends ran away from home at the age of twelve. He is one of the strongest people I know-- always looking out for others, always fighting for the underdog. Now, he is married, with a good job, two kids and a house. The tween runaway may have a harder time succeeding than others, but they might also have gained the strength to be able to surmount those obstacles.

Denizet-Lewis, B. (2009, September 23). Coming out in middle school. New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2010 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27out-t.html?_r=6&pagewanted=1&hpw

What's hot? What's not?

The tweens I work with have some very strong opinions of what makes a hot book. Unfortunately, because they are tweens, they still have a hard time actually describing what that is. They know they love graphic novels. Babymouse, Bone, and Naruto are some favorites. They also love the Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl Adventures. Books that fly off the shelves include the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Candy Apple books, The Lightning Thief series, and Goosebumps. Their favorite non-fiction books are usually origami or biographies. Some teachers have caused enough hype around certain books and topics that their students create a school-wide buzz about books like, A Tale of Despereaux, E.D. Baker's books, The Indian in the Cupboard series, and Greek Mythology.

Tweens enjoy getting together with their friends and hanging out. They want to read books about the same sort of things that they are going through. Sheila B. Anderson, in Serving Young Teens and Tweens, discusses the fact that tweens are going through many physiological, hormonal, religious, academic, and personal changes, and that librarians need to provide materials that will help guide tweens through this growth. Tweens and teens want answers, and more and more of them are turning to the Internet to find them. Many tweens feel more comfortable searching the Internet than searching through a library. It is the library's responsibility to help guide this quest to reliable resources, in both print and online formats, that will help lead these tweens in their evolution into adulthood.

There are a number of books that are really being hyped up this summer. Two of them are The Red Pyramid, and The Lost Hero by, Rick Riordon. Two other really popular books right now are The Short Secret Life of Bree Tanner and The Twilight Saga Eclipse: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by, Stephanie Meyer. All of these books had near guaranteed success-- due to the enormous popularity of the other books written by these two authors coupled with intense marketing campaigns. These have been pervasive; the jacket art for all four books has flooded bookstores and the Internet. The Internet also shows a strong campaign for Erin Hunter books, both the Warriors and Seekers series, and all books relating to dragons or vampires. A wide variety of fantasy series are spotlighting their newest additions. These include books by Brandon Mull, Chris D'Lacey, Jenny Nimmo, and John Flanagan.

Tweens are trying so hard to fit in that they swarm to things that are considered popular--in an effort to fit in. Also, their hormones are racing and they are feeling such intense sensations that anything which they love, they are infatuated with. This means that any books that have connections to music or movies are always incredibly popular. Anderson reminds librarians of the importance of purchasing some of these types of materials, as they will prove to tweens and teens that the library does value their interests. While some of these materials may lose popularity quickly, others will last for a number of years. Furthermore, valuing patron feedback helps develop life-long library users.

Tween Consumers

Reading the article, Tweens 'R' Us by, Ann Hulbert really got me thinking about the intense marketing campaign that is geared toward tweens. These kids are perfect consumers-- they think they need every product, and have little experience in exercising discretion with their purchases. With marketing campaigns that are of a higher quality than many of the goods themselves, sales to this age group is about $15 billion dollars annually (Hulbert, Tweens 'R' Us).

After switching gears and learning about the Tween Summit, I began to feel as if maybe the world was a more beautiful, brighter place than I had given it credit for. After attending the Tween Summit most of the young girls were motivated to go out and change the world. Four videos on YouTube left me feeling so inspired that I literally had to wipe the tears from my face. The Tween Summit was designed to show tween girls that they are unique, that their voice is important, and that together they can change the world. Tweens spoke with a panel of experts regarding their hopes and fears, their dreams and aspirations. They made video pledges to Obama and really stopped to figure out how they could make the world a better place. This all sounds pretty amazing...and then, of course, it came back to making money off these newly inspired minds.

The young revolutionaries were released into the exhibit hall where the main attraction was the gaming lounge. EA, the first to sign up as a sponsor for the Tween Summit, set up a gaming lounge where tween girls could play all of their newest games. The gaming industry grossed over 7 billion dollars last year just for girls ages 6-12. At Tween Summit they played games like, Littlest Pet Shop, which sold 2.5 million units last year alone. They played Charm Girls, an interactive game for girls to play with their friends where they can tease hair, design accessories, and bake cakes! What happened to the women's liberation movement? When is the gaming industry going to integrate technology with a game that provides messages similar to what the girls had heard all morning? Is this exhibit hall, loaded with trinkets for girls to buy and video games teaching skills that were valued in women sixty years ago, really the follow-up to a morning of such powerful inspiration?

Then, they were provided a lunch of pizza and ice-cream. Now, I love pizza and ice-cream as much as the next girl, but with an impressionable group of girls who already are dealing with issues of insecurity regarding body issues, wouldn't the Tween Summit be a perfect place to show girls that eating healthy can taste great? I would still recommend this event to any young tween girl, but the fact that inspiring tween girls is used as a marketing opportunity makes me feel a bit ill. Maybe, it was too much pizza.

Hulbert, A. (2004, November 28). Tweens 'r' us. New York Times Magazine,6.31. Retrieved June 15, 2010 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/magazine/28WWLN.html

Tween summit. (2010). Retrieved June 15, 2010 from: http://www.tweensummit.com/

What is a tween?

Sheila Anderson, in her book Serving Young Teens and 'Tweens, recommends looking back at our own tween years to better understand what today's tweens are going through. I remember wearing a sweatshirt tied around my waist every single day--just in case my period started while I was at school. I remember my first school dance; my friends all stood in a circle staring at each other as we tried to "look cool" trying to dance in public for the first time. I remember an ever-present fear of embarrassment in from of my peers.

Today's tweens still face the issues that Teri Lesesne refers to in her book, Naked Reading, regarding physical growth, hormonal changes and emotional maturity. Those are experience that tweens have gone through, and will continue to go through, throughout all of human existence. Bodies grow, voices change, and childhood slowly melts away. Transition is frightening and tweens who don't entirely recall the transition from babydom to childhood, feel as if they have never been through anything like the growth that they experience during the tween years.

What is different for today's youth is the prevalence of technology throughout all aspects of their lives. For tweens to be engaged in the library, we must be providing access to technology. Many teens and tweens complain that their education is not relevant to their lives. In the library, we have a unique opportunity to rectify that situation. The library is designed to provide each user with the unique experiences that they most need. It is crucial for librarians to expand our own horizons so that we can help tweens create meaningful library experiences that are personal to them.

I was especially impressed with Anderson's (p. 19) discussion on how to deal with tweens in the library. Yes, they are egocentric, noisy, packs of commotion. But it is our duty, as librarians, to be there for these people who are in a pivotal moment of their lives. If we consistently treat them firmly, but respectfully we are providing them an opportunity to become lifelong library users. How many adults actually visit the library with a pack of friends? This occurrence is an exciting opportunity for librarians to instill an appreciation of the library and a love of books-- helping to create the lifetime readers of tomorrow. Lesesne (p.17) states that 75% of teens would rather never read another book after they graduate. That frightening statistic is the very reason we need to find ways to bridge the cultural, societal, and generation gap between ourselves and the tweens we serve.

Anderson, S. (2007). Serving young teens and 'tweens. Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

Lesesne, T. (2006). Naked reading. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.