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Dan Kegley/Glenna Dickerson joins Smyth-Bland Regional Library children’s section staff members Tracey Reed-Armbrister, right, and Jennifer Tibbs, left, in putting together a collection of posters, buttons, bags and books to be given away at the library’s Twilight Party this Saturday.

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Bitten! Library celebrates love of Twilight books

By STEPHANIE PORTER-NICHOLS/Staff

The book literally fell apart from use.
Tracy Reed-Armbrister was delighted.
Replacing one of the books in the Smyth-Bland Regional Library’s collection of the widely popular Twilight series helped further establish the books’ value to the youth services supervisor.
“It’s a dream come true for me to see people who don’t read start and fall in love,” Reed-Armbrister said. She credits the Twilight phenomenon for making her dream a reality.
Written by a Mormon housewife, the four-book series has assumed the place held for years by Harry Potter and author J.K. Rowling. Instead of wizards, the Twilight series features vampires, werewolves and one emotional but likeable teen-age girl.
Like the Potter books, this series is also claiming fans of all ages. Kids and parents are discovering a common interest in the books. Reed-Armbrister noted that a woman called to make reservations for five for the upcoming Twilight Party hosted by the library to unite fans who want to share their love of the books. The reservation was for mom, dad and their three children. The books are “bridging the gap between generations,” the youth librarian said.
“People are passionate about the series,” she said, acknowledging that she has read all four books – “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”—multiple times. In her family, her mother, brother and niece are reading the books.
Her niece, Hannah Pauley of Bland County, credits her aunt with introducing her to the popular saga when she gave her the first book for Christmas last year. Pauley said, “I wasn’t really excited about it because I had never heard of the book before, but after I started reading it, I couldn’t stop.”
She described the typically long books (500-plus pages) as “a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, only better.” Pauley continued, “It keeps you wanting more page after page. It’s unbelievable how real Stephenie Meyers makes the characters seem.”
Pauley is counting the days until this weekend’s party, which will feature music by the Mitch Hansen Band and the Bella Cullen Project, both Twilight series-inspired bands.
Initially, Susan Owens, a sophomore at Marion Senior High School, also wasn’t excited about reading the books when she learned about the vampire theme.
“I went into this hating the idea,” she said. Today, Owens wonders, “How could I hate this?”
She believes the action and suspense are critical to the books’ success. “It keeps me wanting to read on,” Owens said.
Brooke Widner, a 10th-grader at Chilhowie High School, called the novels addictive.
A reader since kindergarten, Widner encouraged people to go into the books with an open mind.
Glenna Dickerson, also a sophomore at CHS, spoke of the compelling characters. “You can step yourself into the characters,” she said.
Introduced to the series by her librarian, Dickerson also was reluctant. She said the tale sounded cliché, but one day when she was bored, the student picked up one of the books. “I loved it,” she declared. Her advice to the uninitiated: “You should so totally read them. They are the best books ever.”
Librarians do recommend the books, which are noted for their lack of drinking, smoking and sex.
Michele Pruett, the Marion Middle School librarian, is reading the series and said, “These are good books.” She did encourage parents to read the fourth installment, “Breaking Dawn,” with younger readers because the main characters, Bella and Edward, advance their relationship after marriage.
Meyer “knows her audience,” said Pruett. She said the school library can’t keep the books on the shelves. Like Reed-Armbrister, she’s thrilled that the books are attracting reluctant readers. “We’ve gotten students who didn’t read to read,” she said, describing the value of reading in education and throughout life.
Chris Bird, the Marion Senior High librarian, agrees. “It’s fantastic kids are reading,” she said. Bird told of students she’s never previously seen in the library coming in and asking about the Twilight books.
“This is a series that has brought reading to kids,” Bird said.
The library is ready to celebrate that reality this Saturday. The Twilight Party, which will feature games like Twilight Scattergories and Twilight charades, will begin at 1 p.m. in the Marion branch’s Copenhaver Room. Attendees, who are asked to RSVP by Oct. 9 by calling 783-2323 Ext. 223 or e-mailing Reed-Armbrister at , are encouraged to dress in a Twilight-themed costume, in character or in Twilight attire.
Reed-Armbrister hopes the party will tide local fans over between the release early this summer of “Breaking Dawn” and the highly anticipated Nov. 21 premiere of the movie based on Twilight.
The Twilight saga is holding at the Number 2 spot on the New York Times best-seller list of children’s series novels. The novels have been on the list’s top spots for 60 weeks. Only two weeks ago, “Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini, another fantasy novel about a teenager and his dragon, took the first-place spot.
“The Host,” an adult science-fiction novel by Meyer, is currently ranked 10th on the New York Times hardcover best-seller list. It’s been on the list for 21 weeks.