Sources: Putting the User First: 30 Strategies for Transforming Library Services
The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends. By Megan M. McArdle. Chicago: ALA, 2015. 232 p. Paper $55 (ISBN: 978-0-8389-1256-0).
Part of the ALA Readers’ Advisory Series, The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends explores the dynamic world of books that combine characteristics of multiple genres. With more than fifteen years of experience in collection development and readers’ advisory and her own website devoted to genre blending, author Megan McArdle has both the knowledge and the passion needed to tackle this amorphous topic. More than 420 different titles from adult fiction are listed, and some teen titles, graphic novels, films, and TV shows are also cited.
The majority of the guide comprises book annotations, and entries are coded into seven main genres: “Adrenaline Blends,” “Fantasy Blends,” “Historical Fiction Blends,” “Horror Blends,” “Mystery Blends,” “Romance Blends,” and “Science Fiction Blends.” Each genre chapter is then further divided into more specific blends with the other six genres. McArdle is able to distinguish the subtle nuances that differentiate a spine-tingling horror/romance from a more amorous romance/horror, and she organizes them as such. Each chapter begins with a brief description of the genre, followed by a discussion of its appeal, and its “blended” characteristics. Each annotated title is paired with two read-alikes that allow the reader to decide which genre path to follow. Chapters close with brief advice on working with the blends; however, these sections seem a bit repetitive and merely reinforce the earlier discussions.
The guide’s latter part delves into the process of readers’ advisory. One chapter provides advice on how to find blends outside of traditional fiction and explores media mixes; three TV shows, films, and graphic novels are summarized, and additional suggestions are included. The final chapter provides examples of readers’ advisory interactions and offers suggestions for marketing genre blends, such as displays, booklists, book clubs, and tags within the library’s catalog. An appendix deals with “Literary Fiction Blends,” describing the blend of so-called literary fiction with the seven other genres. One annotation and several booklists are included for each genre. Another appendix profiles four authors considered to be “Genre Blending MVPs” and discusses their bodies of work. Additional authors are also given honorable mention. Finally, a bibliography of books and articles about genre as well as genre blending is included.
Although the single index is very thorough, separate indexes for title, author, and subject would have made the book a bit more user-friendly for quick readers’ advisory. In addition, it is somewhat puzzling that full bibliographic citations are not included for each book, as these details can make it easier to track them down. Yet these small issues are outweighed by the great amount of content included within this volume. And, although the plethora of readers’ advisory resources on the market would seem to make this book merely a supplemental purchase, it is essential for librarians looking for a greater understanding of a literary realm that continues to grow in popularity.—Jackie Thornton, Children’s Librarian, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Baton Rouge