About the Authors

Deban Becker

Deban Becker received her MLS with a specialty in Youth Librarianship from the University of North Texas. Ms. Becker was a member of the Texas Teens Read! Advisory Committee from 2006-2009. She co-authored two chapters of Game On! TTR.08, the Texas Teens Read! 2008 manual, she wrote four chapters for Time Twistin' TTR.09, the Texas Teens Read! 2009 manual, she wrote three chapters and the introduction for the Within Arms Reach…The Future is Yours! the Texas Teens Read! 2010 manual, and she wrote two chapters for the Texas Teens Read! 2011 manual. Ms. Becker is currently a stay-at-home mom with her one-year-old daughter Evelyn.

Natasha Benway

Natasha Benway is the Young Adult Librarian at South Regional Library, in the Montgomery County Memorial Library System. Ms. Benway's passion is working to have libraries be a place where teens can explore the fine arts. Ms. Benway received her MLS and completed 32 Graduate Hours in Dance from Texas Woman's University. She wrote the "Create a World: Cooperative Learning" chapter in the Texas Teens Read! 2011 manual.

Juli Gonzalez

Juli Gonzalez has been working as a Public Services Librarian, specializing in Teen Services, at the Denton Public Library, North Branch, since August 2007. She worked in libraries in Northern and Southern California after receiving her MLS degree from the University of North Texas in August 2005. Before working in libraries, she earned an MA in Education and taught 4th and 5th grade. She also served her country as a Public Affairs Specialist/photojournalist in the United States Army, stationed in Korea as well as the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. Juli looks forward to working with the teens after renovations are complete in the new teen space at the North Branch Library.

Rebecca Ivey

Rebecca Ivey has been a Public Services Librarian, specializing in Youth Services at the South Branch of the Denton Public Library since February 2007. Rebecca chaired the Denton Public Library's highly successful 2007 Summer Reading Club and is currently serving on the Texas Reading Club Advisory Committee for TLA. Previously, Rebecca was the Director of the Krum Public Library. She received her MLS from the University of North Texas in 2003.

Julia Riley

Julia Riley received her MLS with a specialization in Youth Librarianship from the University of North Texas. She began her library career as a library technician at the Pflugerville Community Library. In addition to her work on the Texas Teens Read! Advisory Committee, she also served on the Young Adult Library Services Association's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults committee from 2009-2011. She lives in Austin, Texas. Find her online at www.juliakriley.com.

Jenniffer Witherspoon

Is the author of the "Book Trailerzzz with Pizzazz" chapter. She has been the school librarian at Forte Junior High in Azle, TX for the past four years and is an active member of Decatur Public Library's Teen Advisory Board and Azle Memorial Library's Teen Library Council. In addition, she is an active committee member on the Texas Teens Read! Advisory Committee.