The facts about Tom He grew up and went to high school in nearby Barrington, Illinois, where he was in a really awful rock and roll band. He can not sing. He went to library school at Indiana University and is one of seven kids. His favorite meal is Lod Nar, which is a Thai dish that features wide noodles, ginger, broccoli, gravy and hot sauce. He is very excited to be working with the Teen Advisory Group. They are busy thinking up programs, laughing, eating pizza and, of course, talking about books! He is passionate about reading “One of the most important ways to get someone to want to read for their own personal enjoyment is to allow them the freedom to choose what they read. This may sound simple, but letting them make the choice engages their interests, curiosities and needs. The freedom to explore books will allow them to see that there are books out there seemingly written just for them. When readers are connected to the right book, there is a good chance that this experience will lead them down the path of lifelong reading.” Some really great books for high school students Learn more about these books on the teen page The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks Blankets by Craig Thompson The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Maus by Art Spiegelman Graceling by Kristin Cashore If you are ever looking for suggestions for a good book to read or have any questions at all, you can email Tom at teenlibrarian@ahml.info. To visit the What's Up at the Library blog homepage, click here.