See YA author John Green hang out with President Obama

Following his State of the Union address, President Obama did a Google+ hangout with five engaged citizens -- including writer John Green.

Green is the bestselling author of the young adult books “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Will Grayson Will Grayson,” “Paper Towns,” “An Abundance of Katherines” and “Looking for Alaska.”

He’s also a popular video blogger, with his brother Hank. Their vlogbrothers channel has also launched a record company, a stage show that went to Carnegie Hall, and a lot of awesome.

In the Google+ hangout, Green asks about how to turn the national conversation to policy rather than ideology, specifically about issues like climate change. Obama gives a sophisticated answer.

But first Green asked about pennies. He thinks the country should get rid of them; Obama wasn’t sure. “It’s one of those things where I think people get attached emotionally to the way things have been,” he told Green. “We remember our piggy banks and counting out all the pennies and then taking them and getting a dollar bill or a couple of dollars.”

But it’s the end of the video that went straight to gif-dom. Allowed to ask a personal question, Green’s wife, Sarah, joined him on camera to ask what girl’s name they should pick for their baby-to-be: Alice or Eleanor. The president declined to choose -- but then he added John and Hank’s catchphrase, “don’t forget to be awesome,” something they clearly were not expecting.

ALSO:

Tell the L.A. Public Library what you want

Infiltrating Southern California biker gangs

Stephen King’s ‘Guns’: Exclusive audiobook excerpt

Carolyn Kellogg: Join me on Twitter, Facebook and Google+