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Welcome to What's in their Backpack? This month,
The Edge of the Forest talks with Barbara Crispin, Library Associate, at the Crofton Branch of the Anne Arundel
County Public Library, Crofton, Maryland, about what’s hot with her readers.
The Edge of the Forest: Hi Barbara, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed for this month's
The Edge of the Forest
Barbara: Hello, glad to share what’s happening here at Crofton with you.
The Edge of the Forest: First of all, please tell us a little bit about yourself, your library,
and the community in which you work.
Barbara: I work at the information desk and in children’s programming at a suburban library. My job includes
customer service for the general public which is readers' advisory and information requests. My favorite assignments are
presenting story times for babies and preschoolers, and helping to run the summer reading program for school kids.
The Crofton Branch is one of 15 county public libraries. We are a diverse community in the Baltimore/DC metro area.
Population changes in our area indicate a growing need for the new Spanish language collection that is currently being
added in our system.
The Edge of the Forest: What brought you to a career in children's books?
Barbara: As a child, I visited my library by waiting for the book mobile to arrive at the town drug store parking
lot. I work at the library because I brought my children to this branch for story time and other programs. My reading and
research requests were frequent enough that staff began to show me how to complete paperwork myself. Then they suggested I
work as a substitute librarian. The rest is history. I’ve been working in the system for over 15 years. Because I’m
enthusiastic about children’s books and story times, I have been involved in programming in every branch I’ve worked in.
The Edge of the Forest: What can you tell us about the children who visit your library?
Barbara: We have no typical reader because we have children coming from a variety of backgrounds and reading
interests. I am most familiar with young children and their parents because of my programming interests. These patrons are
looking for children’s literature classics by authors like Margaret Wise Brown, Eric Carle, and Dr. Seuss. They are also checking
out titles tied to current public and cable TV programs of picture book favorites such as Curious George, Clifford the Big
Red Dog, and Arthur.
The Edge of the Forest: This time of year is filled with tales of spooks and witches and things that go bump in the
night. Do your young patrons have an appetite for such fare? If so, what titles are most popular (among young readers,
middle grade, YA?)
Barbara: The displays are popular right now with all the Halloween and scary books we can pull. Some of my favorites
are Denys Cazet’s Minnie and Moo: Night of the Living Bed, and Chris Van Allsburg’s The Witches Broom.
Young Adult readers grab M. T. Anderson’s Thirsty and R. L. Stine’s Dangerous Girls titles as well as any
other vampire book we have.
The Edge of the Forest: In general, what type of children’s books are on the move in your library?
Barbara: Middle grade readers come to the information desk the most to ask for books. They are reading for the
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award. This statewide reading incentive program asks readers to vote for their favorite books from
the list. The books are no more than three years old and students must read at least three to be able to vote. The most
requested titles from this year’s list for grades 4 to 6 are Sid Fleischman’s The Giant Rat of Sumatra or
Pirates Galore, Dori Butler’s Trading Places with Tank Talbott and Pam Munoz Ryan’s
Becoming Naomi Leon. Young Adult readers request Code Orange, by Caroline Cooney, Last Shot, by
John Feinstein, and Brainboy and the Deathmaster, by Tor Seidler.
The Edge of the Forest: What titles/topics are most popular with middle grade readers?
Barbara: The last A Series of Unfortunate Events was one I thought would be wildly popular, but the kids
aren’t clamoring for it. Series fiction is popular. Junie B Jones titles by Barbara Park is a favorite with both
boys and girls in grades 1 and 2. Star Wars and super heroes graphic novels are high interest to middle grade boys here.
The Edge of the Forest: What about tweens?
Barbara: That is an elusive group at the library. They come in to use the computers but rarely appear at the
information desk. We stalk them in the stacks and try to hand sell books by popular authors. The girls will often take The
Princess Diaries titles by Meg Cabot.
The Edge of the Forest: What types of books do your young adult readers clamour for?
Barbara: They are a more self-sufficient crowd. Required reading takes up most of their time. The literature
classics are always checked out.
The Edge of the Forest: Have you noticed a difference in reading preferences along gender or ethnic lines? If so,
what have you observed?
Barbara: Yes, in my branch the lines are drawn by gender. The girls are reading the chick lit titles The Clique,
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and Dangerous Girls. Guys are reading predominately graphic novels,
fantasy, and comic books when they are choosing strictly for pleasure.
The Edge of the Forest: What are your favorite books of 2006 (so far)?
Barbara: Asking me for my favorite title is like asking which one of my three children is my favorite. I can’t ever
decide. I will share a few new titles I really enjoyed reading this fall. The picture books are Oink!, by Margie
Palantini, What to Do? What to Do?, by Toni Teevin, and Scaredy Squirrel, by Melanie Watt. Ghosts and kids
working together are popular right now for middle grade readers. I liked Johnny and the Dead, by Terry Pratchett,
Beasts of Clawstone Castle, by Eva Ibbotson. The newest Graham Salisbury book, House of Red Fish, is
already reviewed by The Edge of the Forest.
That is one of the best titles this year. I also recommend Richard Peck’s
Here Lies the Librarian.
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