The Biebs and cyberbullying..

Billboard.com. (2011). Charges to be dropped in justin bieber mall frenzy case. Retrieved from http://www.billboard.com/news/charges-to-be-dropped-in-justin-bieber-mall-1005174172.story#/news/charges-to-be-dropped-in-justin-bieber-mall-1005174172.story

Reflection

Oh the Biebs! Yes, his management company screwed up and they had to pay the price. But this is an AWESOME idea! I know that it sucks that these thousands of tween fans were possibly put into an unsafe situation but to have Justin Bieber speak out against cyberbullying is a great punishment. We all know how much tweens are invested in the popularity of entertainment, they live and breath it. From fashion to music, tweens are a huge marketing group for these giant corporations and what better way to pass along an important message?! By having one of the most popular tween superstars, messages like this will not fall on deaf ears. Millions of tweens will follow his message and hopefully come to understand that it is not ok to cyberbully. 

Justin Bieber has even taken it a step further and recorded a public service announcement that can be seen via online and on television worldwide. He also teamed up with Facebook and MTV and created a campaign called Draw Your Line, which aims to stop digital abuse among tweens and teens. People can enter on "A Thin Line" Facebook account (which will have to be done by a parent or guardian) and they can post the action that they believe will stop such abuse from happening. Huge prizes are given and it is a great way to spread the word and to cultivate better habits. I applaud Bieber for using his influence to improve the safety of tweens and teens. 

To be a Tween is to be Cool

Jayson, S. (2009, February 4). It's cooler than ever to be a tween, but is childhood lost? USA Today. 

Reflection

I remember when this article came out years ago,I cut it out because I had no idea that this age group had such a name. It has been tacked up on my bulletin board ever since. I knew that they were on to something but back then, tween was not as well known as it is now.  At the time, libraries still lumped together ages 5-12 and even the thought of separating them was a silly idea. Now, tweens are a hot commodity and everyone is jumping on this bandwagon, especially librarians and libraries. 

This article touches on every crucial part of tweendom. From marketing to self-esteem issues and entertainment ideas, retailers know that tweens are a hot market for clothes, music, and entertainment and they are not wasting any time marketing their commodities to meet their needs. Those of us who work with tweens know that the majority of them are immersed in consumer culture and they seek connections and identity through television shows, music choices, and even message boards and networking websites. Other interesting sections in this article talk about tweens earning money, obtaining debt at an earlier age, and even the gender issues that tween boys and girls face. This article should be read by all because it sums up tweens perfectly.
As a librarian I am constantly being asked by parents to suggest books about growing up. puberty, and parenting issues. When I take them over to the appropriate non fiction areas, I always sneak in articles or books that I have read that I believe would help them figure their tween out. I keep a filing cabinet full of articles and research studies that talk about kids, tweens, and teens, and it has been critical in many discussions with parents, co workers and my peers. 

Tween Superstars

Barnes, B. (2011). Tween stars wanted: must be primed for pressure. New York: New York Times. 

Reflections

As I said before, I am a parent of a tween, and I am forced to watch and listen to the Miley's, the Bieber's, and the Demi's. Luckily I have a "barely tween aged" daughter and she only gets her entertainment and media sources from Nickelodeon and Disney. I buy her CD's and we listen to family friendly radio. I do know that I am living in a denial state right now and I know that when she grows up a little I will have to worry about her influences from the outside world. Just the other day she was humming a tune and I realized that it was K$sha and I got so sad!! When the whole drama with Demi Lovato happened and television and radio was blasting news about her rehab, I did sit down any explain to my daughter what happened. I think that it is important to use these role models and show our children that just because they are famous does not mean that they are untouchable. Instead of putting these people on pedestals, our tweens need to put themselves on them. I think as a librarian we can let these children know that they are rock stars in their own right, and that they can be anything they want themselves to be. Cheezy I know..but these kids need encouragement every chance they can get. 


This article sums of the controversy of the tween craze in entertainment and the sometimes disastrous affect that it has on the person behind the superstar. It goes on to reiterate the fact that children's television is at a transitional moment and that tweens are being manufactured at an alarming rate. Things aren't so easy for them and instead of just showing up and smiling on a television show, they now also have to belt out songs, create clothing lines, star in television shows and then in their spin offs, all at the same time of trying to live a normal childhood.