About & Policies

General policies
My review and blogging work is done entirely in my own time and I do not receive any compensation (review copies are generally donated to the library). My blogs represent my personal views and not those of my employer.

To request a review, email me at JeanLittleLibrary(at)gmail.com

About my job: My name is Jennifer Wharton and I have been the manager of the youth services department of the Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn, WI since 2008. We provide programming, collection development, marketing, and outreach for ages 0 to 18 as well as providing reference and reader's advisory for children and families.

Programming Materials
The plans and materials in my programming posts are free to reuse and adapt in school or library settings, but do not reuse photographs, copyright art (reading programs etc.) or sell these materials.
 
For library questions contact me at jwharton@elkhorn.lib.wi.us

Review Policy
The genres/age levels I primarily review are:
  • Board books
  • Picture books (fiction and nonfiction)
  • Early readers and beginning chapters
  • Middle grade nonfiction and graphic novels
  • Occasional middle grade fiction and fantasy
I do NOT accept for review:
  • Titles that are exclusively available as ebooks
  • Titles not available through my primary vendor (Baker and Taylor)
  • Self-published or vanity press titles
I do not participate in contests or giveaways and rarely in interviews or blogging tours. I rarely review young adult fiction, poetry, picture book biographies, or sequels to anything. I do give critical reviews; if I wouldn't recommend a title to a patron or purchase it for the library I will say why in detail with (hopefully) constructive criticism.

I do not respond to all requests for reviews, but I will notify the original contact when a review publishes.

More of my deathless prose

Flying Off My Bookshelf
This is my secondary blog where everything not reviewed on Jean Little Library is posted. All posts go up as I write them and I do not send publisher notifications for this blog, unless it is a title I specifically requested.

I also review for No Flying No Tights

I have two more personal blogs, Under the name of Cailin Sanders which ranges from my high school poetry to current creative endeavors including cooking, quilting, and more.

Random notes
The title of my programming posts, In short, I am busy, comes from an old Mbundu poem and I know I read it in an anthology, but I don't remember which, although I was sure it was a Clifton Fadiman anthology, but apparently not. Possibly one edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins?

  Song of an Unlucky Man
Chaff is in my eye,
A crocodile has me by the leg,
A goat is in my garden,
A porcupine is cooking in the pot,
Meal is drying on the pounding rock,
The King has summoned me to court,
And I must go to the funeral of my mother-in-law:
In short, I am busy.
  Trans. By Merlin Ennis

Updated 1-1-22