Fuse #8 is a blog written by the current New York Public Library's Youth Materials Collections Specialist. This blog features book reviews, notices of events, press releases, and videos. The voice of the blogger is extremely relateable, yet it is obvious that this is a blog not intended for children. For example, in her review for The Luck of the Buttons the blogger explains the genre of historical fiction, not just what it is, but the kinds of kids that like historical fiction. This would be lost on a child, who may even stop reading the review at the sight of the word history, yet it is incredibly helpful to a librarian looking for books to recommend or a parents that’s trying to find a new book to interest their child. The blog is set up in a user-friendly way, filled with videos, book cover pictures, and photos each entry draws your eye. It is also easy to scroll though, and you simply click ‘read more’ on entries you want to learn more about. Recommended for both librarians and parents. http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/ ( )

Oh, dear. To get online and look at Elizabeth Bird’s Library School Journal Blog, Fuse #8, is to lose about three hours of the day, clicking around to delightful little links, hilarious website features, and insightful children and young adult book reviews. Among the many playgrounds installed on her site, Bird includes the Top 100 Best Chapter Books, Top 100 Best Picture Books, The Review of the Day, and much more. Almost all books mentioned by the New York children’s librarian are accompanied by comments, reviews, and illustrations. She is definitely one of those bloggers whose life seems like an insane time warp trip leaving readers to wonder how she does it all and where in the heck she finds the time. How can she have this much knowledge and breadth of experience in children’s literature packed into one lifetime? Her reviews, though a little long (it’s her blog, isn’t it? She can write as much as she wants!), are ingenious in their perspectives on creativity, story and narration, placement, and relevance. She often points out aspects of story and telling that most reviewers forget to mention, not realizing how significant they are until they read her words. Oh, and she’s an expert art critic as well - approaching illustrations with an attentive eye rarely seen at the most hyped up gallery opening. Recommended for any and all with interests in children’s literature, education, and/or librarianship. ( )