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They’re that eyeglass wearing black family in that cellphone commercial. They’re all over Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

They’re watching Cosmos with @neiltyson

And now, they’re reaching YA Lit.

Black + Nerd = Blerd

The numbers of urban lit books for teens has been decreasing for quite some time and nothing had really become the new niche for black authors. With very few romance, adventure, dystopian, science fiction or mystery books written that featured black protagonists, one had to wonder what publishers would establish as the next genre where we would find black characters.

This month, HMH Books for Young Readers give us Eddie Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile written by debut author Marcia Wells and illustrated by Marcos Calo. In May, Varian Johnson’s Great Green Heist (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) hits the shelves. I believe both books are part of a series.

The timing is great for each of these as MG fiction is becoming the hottest thing since sliced bread and Blerds are in!!

 I think the glasses were the first sign that Blerds were trending.

I’ve stumbled across some on Twitter.

@BlackGirlsCode Our mission is to empower young women of color ages 7-17 to embrace the current tech marketplace as builders + creators. http://www.blackgirlscode.com/ 

@BlackGirlNerds An online community devoted to promoting nerdiness among women of color. Live tweeter. Ranter. Raver. Geeker Outer. Tweets by @jamiebroadnaxblackgirlnerds.com (Shorty Award nominee)

@BlackGeeksMeet A place where Geeks of Color can Meet, Talk and get excited over their passions. Not exclusive, just empowering and energizing. blackgeeksmeet.com

@blkintechnology Blacks In Technology is the premier online community for Black techies. Membership is free. Visit us. Bringing Unity to the Black IT Community Cincinnati, Ohio ·blacksintechnology.net

@TheNerdsofColor Pop culture with a different perspective. Watch us at: http://www.youtube.com/thenerdsofcolor  thenerdsofcolor.org

No, they’re not only Black.

@GirlsinCapes On identity in geek culture. Tweets by @FelizaCasano. http://facebook.com/GirlsInCapes girlsincapes.com

@LatinasinSTEM Org established and run by #Latina #MIT alumnae. Our mission is to inspire and empower Latinas to pursue, thrive and advance in #STEM fields.LatinasinSTEM.com

@Latinitas Empowering Latina youth through media & technology, 1st digital mag by & for Latina youth. Now accepting Summer internship applications!· latinitasmagazine.org

Melo Funkademic1 @melofunkademic1 STEM Ambassador for The People. Tumblr: funkademic1funkademic1.wordpress.com

And, they morph into futurism and fantasy.

@iafrofuturism Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi & Fantasy Culture (Lawrence Hill Books) by @ytashawomack http://iafrofuturism.wordpress.com  The Future of Now · iafrofuturism.com

@scifilatino Commenting on Latinos and Latinas in science fiction and fantasy. Includes TV, movies, books, and other media.The ‘Verse · scifilatino.wordpress.com

Asian girls fight this stereotype and aren’t as likely to embrace nerd power. While I’ve found several black and Asian males who tweet about technology and STEM, I’ve not found a consolidated effort tweeting for male nerds of color.

So, why am I giving all the attention to these nerds? I do so for three reasons. First, I think they’re part of a growing trend that tells our children that it’s OK to be smart, it’s preferable to be intelligent and information in necessary for success. I see this as a direct consequence of having a black president.

Second, I hope this trend continues to influence publishing. Not only should it lead to a wider variety of books, but it should get decisions makers to make that tiny leap to realize that Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans do read (and write!!) books.

And finally, it’s also important for librarians to be aware of nerds of color. It would be wonderful if we could attract them to our profession because their knowledge and skills are germane to librarianship of the future. 21^st century librarianship is all about collaboration, data management and scholarly communication. These new activities transcend all areas of librarianship in different forms.

As these new groups begin to develop and strategize, they benefit from our ability to network with them as they seek new collaborators and ways to organize information and data. Working with them grows our field and provides many mutual benefits. I’ve reached out to do some networking and found myself in the middle of a tweetup on coding. As participants shared their needs and frustrations, I saw ways librarians could easily address these concerns while participants could go on explore the world of coding. Other librarians would find ways to develop their coding skills.

We can also work in our public, school and academic librarians to provide space and leadership for those groups who need to know it’s OK to be a nerd.

Students of Middle Eastern decent.

American Indians.

Even Asian girls and boys need to know it’s OK if the want to be a nerd.

Black and Latino males. Let’s overcome the lies told about black boys. (Read this informative article to find out how the numbers of black males in college and prison are misrepresented and how sports do not build habits of mind necessary for success in our young men.)

It can start with book groups that provide safe places for students to talk about their love of reading or technology clubs that developing information literacy skills, but it needs to expand to uncover and nurture these students desire to go to college, invent new technologies, lead countries or vacation on the moon. Move them forward with metaliteracies. Librarians touch the future. (BTW, National Library Week begins today!)

Have you read any books featuring nerds of color?

. The Odd Squad, Book 1: Bully Bait Written & Illustrated by Michael Fry Hyperion Books 5 Stars . From Website:  Nick is the shortest seventh-grader in the history of the world (he’s pretty sure), doesn’t fit in with any groups or clubs (who needs ’em?), and spends more time inside than outside his locker …

I'll be at the Philadelphia Comic Con on Friday dressed as a short semi-bald cartoonist named Chuck Dillon. Say hi. I'm very approachable (so long as you don't smell).

Librarians: You know how it goes.

You are out partying with your librarian friends. Suddenly you realize that your gathering requires a suitable soundtrack. A library-themed soundtrack. Indeed, without the proper music, the event will be a disaster!

It could happen. The worst case scenario is sobering: everyone ends up hopping around to the They Might be Giants’ album “Flood” until the police show up and ticket you with a noise violation.*

Using a combination of technology and powerful query-typing skills, I have SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. Introducing Dancing on the Reference Desk, a free playlist dedicated to libraries, librarians, and their interests.

Including such timeless classics as Ch-Check it Out by the Beastie Boys, and Lady Writer by Dire Straits make sure your next librarian rave is a success with this excellent compilation.

Related posts:

1. Hot Librarian Necklace
2. Virgin/Whore = Librarian/Librarian
3. Rock Rock Rock n’ Roll Librarian

NERDS (Book 3: The Cheerleaders of Doom) by Michael Buckley

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Michael Buckley is the author of the New York Times bestselling series and Today Show Al Roker Book Club pick The Sisters Grimm. He has also written and developed shows for Nickelodeon, Disney, MTV Animation, the Sci- Fi Channel, the Discovery Channel, and VH1. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Alison, and son, Finn.

About the book:

Matilda “Wheezer” Choi, the asthmatic who can fly and kick butt courtesy of her nanobyte-enhanced inhalers, loves pro wrestling and hates anything “girlie.” Maybe that’s because she grew up with six brothers—or maybe it’s because her home life has become a battle zone in the conflict between her parents. Unfortunately for Wheezer, when a former member of NERDS turned villain gets extensive plastic surgery in order to become a cheerleader, Matilda must swallow her pride to successfully infiltrate the squad.

The newest supervillain, Gerdie Baker, assisted by the criminal mastermind Simon, has created a device that opens portals to other worlds, which she and the other cheerleaders have been pillaging. But the alternate realities are starting to get awfully close together, so it’s up to Wheezer and the NERDS to stop the cheerleaders before the worlds collide.

My take on the book:

Buckley’s latest is another wonderful read in his imaginative and entertaining spy spoof NERDS series. Book 3′s storyline focuses on another NERDS team member, Matilda Choi. Matilda is called by the codename, “Wheezer” because she uses technologically-enhanced inhalers which help her fly through the air (even space) and blast bad guys.

This series has gotten better with each book and I can’t recommend it highly enough. This book has been my favorite. I loved Matilda’s toughness and her fiery personality. You know right away that she’s not going to be pleased going undercover as a cheerleader. Wheezer has a lot of preconceptions about cheerleaders and has to change her way of thinking in order to complete her mission. It’s a great lesson for kids about learning not to judge someone based on their looks or on ideas you’ve only heard about but have never seen in person for yourself.

Like in the other NERDS books, young readers will once again find the James Bond-style gadgets, villains and story-lines hilarious and wildly entertaining. Each book is also filled with cool lessons on spy tools such as how to make invisible ink and secret code making and breaking.

Word is Michael Buckley is working on the 4th book in the series. It’s not out yet so you have some time to catch up. Check them out at your local library or bookstore.

By Adam Rosen A little over three weeks ago, Hurricane Irene passed through New York City. Although residents greeted warnings from authorities with wildly varying degrees of seriousness, their response was nearly uniform: hunker down. Even for those types relishing the chance to buck official admonishment, there wasn’t much point. Concerts were canceled, beaches were closed, and untold numbers of brunches went unserved. I wasn’t, in truth, all that bothered by the state of affairs.

NERDS (Book 2: M is for Mama’s Boy) by Michael Buckley

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Michael Buckley is the author of the New York Times bestselling series and Today Show Al Roker Book Club pick The Sisters Grimm. He has also written and developed shows for Nickelodeon, Disney, MTV Animation, the Sci- Fi Channel, the Discovery Channel, and VH1. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Alison, and son, Finn.

About the book (from the publisher):

NERDS combines all the excitement of international espionage with all the awkwardness of elementary school, and the results are hilarious. A group of unpopular fifth graders run a spy network from inside their school. With the help of cutting-edge science, they transform their nerdy qualities into incredible abilities! Their enemies? An array of James Bond–style villains, each with an evil plan more diabolical and more ridiculous than the last.

My take on the book:

The second book in the NERDS series starts right where it leaves off, with a storyline featuring around NERDS team member Duncan Dewey. Duncan bears the codename of ‘Gluestick’ due to his propensity for eating paste. Like all of the NERDS, Duncan has nanobyte upgrades. His upgrades allow him to stick to any service.

In this story, readers get to meet Duncan’s family members who know about his secret agent duties with NERDS. Like Book 1, there is an important mission for the NERDS, but the backstory centers around the theme of fitting in and believing in oneself. It’s an excellent theme to explore with middle readers, many who will find themselves relating to and finding a lot in common with Duncan and his family.

Young readers who enjoyed Book 1 will once again dive right into this action-packed story and will be clamoring for Book 3 in the series. Parents will have fun reading along as well and will definitely get a kick out of Buckley’s clever and entertaining story.

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society (Book 1) by Michael Buckley

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Michael Buckley is the author of the New York Times bestselling series and Today Show Al Roker Book Club pick The Sisters Grimm. He has also written and developed shows for Nickelodeon, Disney, MTV Animation, the Sci- Fi Channel, the Discovery Channel, and VH1. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Alison, and son, Finn.

About the book (from the publisher):

Combining all the excitement of international espionage and all the awkwardness of elementary school, NERDS, featuring a group of unpopular students who run a spy network from inside their school, hits the mark. With the help of cutting-edge science, their nerdy qualities are enhanced and transformed into incredible abilities! They battle the Hyena, a former junior beauty pageant contestant turned assassin, and an array of James Bond–style villains, each with an evil plan more diabolical and more ridiculous than the last.

My take on the book:

This book was so much fun, I can hardly wait to get started on the next one! Michael Buckley has really set the bar high here by creating an engaging, clever and action-packed series for middle readers. Both girls and boys will enjoy reading about the James Bond-style gadgets and Transformer-like abilities (called “upgrades”) each member of the NERDS possesses.

Parents and teachers will also appreciate the unique manner in which the story addresses the theme of bullying. The story also features excellent examples of teamwork (both good and bad); lots of geography and science-related references; and really well-done graphic illustrations which highlight each of the NERDS.

I’ll have reviews of Book 2 and Book 3 in the series over the next several weeks. It should give you plenty of time to get to your library and read Book 1!

The term “nerd” has been used to describe several different types of people with vastly different interests. Here are several types of nerds:

• Computer nerd: Computer nerds are the nerds that are really good with computers. They’re hobbies include computer writing software, building computers, hacking, etc. They spend most of their free time doing something with.
• Gamer nerd: Gamer nerds spend all of their free time playing video games, computer games, online games, or role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons. 
• Media nerd: These are the nerds that are obsessed with a certain TV show, movie, or comic book series, such as Star Trek, Star Wars, or Batman. They may also be obsessed with an entire genre, usually science fiction or fantasy.
• Science nerd: Science nerds are the nerds who are experts in some field of science, such as paleontology, neurology, geology, astronomy or rocketry. Even if they are not in their field of interest professionally, they may own a telescope or a vast collection of fossils, depending on their interests. 
• Asian wannabe nerd: These nerds, though generally Caucasian, want desperately to be Japanese. They read manga and watch anime obsessively and eat Japanese snacks, such as Pocky on a regular basis. The males generally have a fetish for asian women.

It is possible for these categories to overlap and a nerd may fall into several different categories. It’s not uncommon for a computer nerd to also be a gamer or science nerd as well. An Asian wannabe nerd may also be a media nerd if they are overly obsessed with the manga/anime aspect of Japanese culture. 

The most intelligent types of nerds are the science nerds and the computer nerds. The gamer nerds and the media nerds may or may not be smart, but the smarter ones have a tendency to not show their intelligence, via playing video games for hours instead of going to class or work or by simply interjecting obscure pop culture references that only they will understand into every conversation. The Asian wannabe nerd is the most annoying and least intelligent of the different types of nerds.

The term “nerd” has been used to describe several different types of people with vastly different interests. Here are several types of nerds:

• Computer nerd: Computer nerds are the nerds that are really good with computers. They’re hobbies include computer writing software, building computers, hacking, etc. They spend most of their free time doing something with.
• Gamer nerd: Gamer nerds spend all of their free time playing video games, computer games, online games, or role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons. 
• Media nerd: These are the nerds that are obsessed with a certain TV show, movie, or comic book series, such as Star Trek, Star Wars, or Batman. They may also be obsessed with an entire genre, usually science fiction or fantasy.
• Science nerd: Science nerds are the nerds who are experts in some field of science, such as paleontology, neurology, geology, astronomy or rocketry. Even if they are not in their field of interest professionally, they may own a telescope or a vast collection of fossils, depending on their interests. 
• Asian wannabe nerd: These nerds, though generally Caucasian, want desperately to be Japanese. They read manga and watch anime obsessively and eat Japanese snacks, such as Pocky on a regular basis. The males generally have a fetish for asian women.

It is possible for these categories to overlap and a nerd may fall into several different categories. It’s not uncommon for a computer nerd to also be a gamer or science nerd as well. An Asian wannabe nerd may also be a media nerd if they are overly obsessed with the manga/anime aspect of Japanese culture. 

The most intelligent types of nerds are the science nerds and the computer nerds. The gamer nerds and the media nerds may or may not be smart, but the smarter ones have a tendency to not show their intelligence, via playing video games for hours instead of going to class or work or by simply interjecting obscure pop culture references that only they will understand into every conversation. The Asian wannabe nerd is the most annoying and least intelligent of the different types of nerds.

When I mused about the rise of nerd culture the other day,  I stuck with mostly gender-neutral terms. But after reading these "5 Tips for Raising Your Girl Geek" on Wired I got to thinking and decided to revisit the topic. From the... Read the rest of this post

Last night I went to a reading for Benjamin Nugent's American Nerd. In the part-memoir, part-ethnography, Nugent defines the designation of "nerd" by two non-mutually exclusive types. The one marked by obsessive interests and the other social... Read the rest of this post

 Older men, younger women. This seems to be the norm, back in days of old when a farmer’s wife died, they took on a younger wife because they were able bodied and child bearing. The younger women could do what we now call “Multi-Tasking”. They would cook, clean, take care of the house, the garden, the yard, the animals, have children and raise them, and service their husband. For many years this was nothing that was frowned upon. Men did this thing all of the time for the benefit of the family. Children were taught to do everything both in and out of the farm. The more children you had, the more help you had. Large families were encouraged.

But Now…

 Old man step aside…Mama wants fresh meat!!! Older women have ditched their “Golf Bags” for the caddies. Gone are the days where older women would rather rock their grand kids to sleep in their rocking chairs. Now they want to go out with their grand kids and hang out with rockers. Gone are the days of identifying a grandma by her polyester pants and tissue tucked sweaters. Grandmas are sporting fake breast and bikinis. Now a days young women can’t hold a candle to grandma.

 This causes a problem. If grandma and grandpa aren’t together anymore, what do they do. Well, grandma’s on the prowl. She’s not looking for money because if she is smart, she got it in the divorce. She’s not looking to marry because if she does that, the money stops. She doesn’t want another old man, that’s why she divorced the one she had. She is looking for a fresh kill. A man who is young, dumb and full of…a head of hair. Grandma knows the game. She is wise and cunning. She knows that all young men want to do is find them a piece, do their business, and move onto the next. Frankly, that’s all grandma’s looking for too. She’s not interested in making breakfast in the morning, she’s done that for too many years. She does’t want to go through the trouble of changing her last name, she earned the one she’s got. She is interested in the thought of love, but only if he doesn’t have his heart set on shacking up in the house she got in the divorce. Grandmas are tired of being put out to pasture, but now that they own the farm they want to run around naked in the freaking corn field.a

Image via Wikipedia

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 Older men, younger women. This seems to be the norm, back in days of old when a farmer’s wife died, they took on a younger wife because they were able bodied and child bearing. The younger women could do what we now call “Multi-Tasking”. They would cook, clean, take care of the house, the garden, the yard, the animals, have children and raise them, and service their husband. For many years this was nothing that was frowned upon. Men did this thing all of the time for the benefit of the family. Children were taught to do everything both in and out of the farm. The more children you had, the more help you had. Large families were encouraged.

But Now…

 Old man step aside…Mama wants fresh meat!!! Older women have ditched their “Golf Bags” for the caddies. Gone are the days where older women would rather rock their grand kids to sleep in their rocking chairs. Now they want to go out with their grand kids and hang out with rockers. Gone are the days of identifying a grandma by her polyester pants and tissue tucked sweaters. Grandmas are sporting fake breast and bikinis. Now a days young women can’t hold a candle to grandma.

 This causes a problem. If grandma and grandpa aren’t together anymore, what do they do. Well, grandma’s on the prowl. She’s not looking for money because if she is smart, she got it in the divorce. She’s not looking to marry because if she does that, the money stops. She doesn’t want another old man, that’s why she divorced the one she had. She is looking for a fresh kill. A man who is young, dumb and full of…a head of hair. Grandma knows the game. She is wise and cunning. She knows that all young men want to do is find them a piece, do their business, and move onto the next. Frankly, that’s all grandma’s looking for too. She’s not interested in making breakfast in the morning, she’s done that for too many years. She does’t want to go through the trouble of changing her last name, she earned the one she’s got. She is interested in the thought of love, but only if he doesn’t have his heart set on shacking up in the house she got in the divorce. Grandmas are tired of being put out to pasture, but now that they own the farm they want to run around naked in the freaking corn field.a

Image via Wikipedia

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