Just when we were starting to wonder what to do with our Harry Potter teens, with the 7th and final book published and the movie postponed until Spring, along came Bella and Edward. I'm not sure that there is anyone that spends time in a library or with teens that hasn't heard of the Twilight series, but in case there are some out there, this is a must read. Like the Harry Potter series, it connects with males and females. The four book (publication of the 5th is another posting!) series features an INTENSE teen romance between Bella, a human girl and Edward, a vampire. The series feels like realistic fiction, but it has the fantasy vampire twist. Bella's story has everyone scrambling for the books, from low-level readers to college bound students, males and females (the teachers don't have a chance at getting their hands on a copy!)
As a result of this new reading craze, all things vampire and paranormal are very popular. Destiny Quest on my Destiny Library Management system lists 8 out my top 10 titles as vampire books. Here are some additional titles that I have in our library:
1. The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (sequeal is Frostbite)
2. Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz (Masquerade is the sequel -3rd book released 10/28)
3. The House of Night series by Cast (Marked, Betrayed, Chosen)
4. Wicked Lovely by Parr (sequel Ink Exchange)
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Care (sequel City of Ashes)
Unlike the Twilight series, the above all contain more sexually explicit content. There are no explicit details, but some reviews classify them as racy. I would rate them as interesting enough to hold teen's attention without teaching them something that haven't heard about or experienced! All of the series have a different twist on the vampire story. The House of Nighseries has a pagan theme with salt circles and moon ceremonies, while the Blue Bloods has the Mayflower ancestors as vampires hiding from the fallen angels that would separate them eternally from God. (There is an interesting explanation for the lost Roanoke Colony, they were also a colony of vampires!)
I don't like all of the new vampire fiction and not all of it is great literature. But the reading it inspires! Makes a librarian :)!
English teachers and library media specialists may enjoy the discussions regarding Twilight on the social network site for book lovers: www.Shelfari.com. Teachers have discussed the role of Bella as a female role model. Very interesting. I say, you can't judge Bella before you finish the 4th book. Like all teens, she is a work in progress, maturing and learning as she goes.
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