9.19.2008

Complete Fall Schedule!

I finally got it all together! We have a bunch of amazing stuff going on this fall, so check out the whole list:

AUTHOR VISIT

Allison Whittenberg
Friday, October 17, 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Celebrate Teen Read Week by meeting author Allison Whittenberg. She writes urban teen fiction and just happens to live near our library! Her books, Sweet Thang and Life Is Fine, will be available for sale and signing at the event, or your are welcome to bring your own copies. Sponsored by the Teen Advisory Board. Register now.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Dragon Party
Friday, October 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Celebrate the recent release of Christopher Paolini’s third Inheritance book, Brisingr, with dragon-themed games, activities, and food! Register now.

Dance Dance Revolution
Wednesday, October 8, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Show your moves at our Xbox DDR program! We will project the game onto the wall so four people can dance at a time. Dance for fun, or enter a dance contest. Permission slip required. Register now.

Belt It!
Wednesday, October 15, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Make a few creative belts to accent your favorite outfits! Registration begins September 29.

Vampire Book Discussion
Wednesday, October 22, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Bring your favorite vampire books to share with the group! We will spend plenty of time talking about the Twilight saga, but all kinds of vampire books are welcome. Registration begins September 29.

Vampire Party
Friday, October 31, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Get an early start to your Halloween celebration at our after-school vampire event! Join the Teen Advisory Board to celebrate these mythical creatures of the night with games, snacks, movie clips, and more. Prizes will be awarded for best the vampire costume. Registration begins September 29.

Nintendo Night
Friday, November 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Race head-to-head in a Mario Kart DS tournament, enter a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament on the big screen, play games on an original NES, and more! Permission slip required. Registration begins September 29.

Book Swap & Comedy
Saturday, November 22, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Trade in your old books for new reads, enjoy Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (PG) and Men in Black (PG-13) on the big screen, and eat food! Registration begins October 20.

Origami Ornaments
Friday, November 28, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm

Turn ordinary origami into cute decorations! Learn to make basic shapes, then turn them into mobiles, boxes, gift tags, and more. Registration begins October 20.

Teen Movie: A Christmas Story (PG)
Friday, December 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Yes, it’s on TV constantly at this time of year, but it’s more fun to watch with a group! The antics of Ralphie and his crazy family never get old. Get out of your house and recite the lines to this hilarious holiday comedy along with everyone else. Registration begins November 3.

Craft Closet Cleanout
Wednesday, December 31, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm

After all the craft projects we’ve done, there are tons of leftovers. Stop by to make something you missed, or do something totally new. No registration, just drop in!

ELECTION CONTEST

Authors for President!
October 6 to November 3

To be President of the United States, you have to be born a citizen, have lived here for at least 14 years, and be at least 35 years old. So, if our favorite authors meet those criteria, why shouldn’t they be President!? Drop by our windowsill display (where summer reading was located) to place your vote during the month before the U.S. Presidential election. The winner will be announced on November 4

CLUBS

Gaming Club
Mondays, September 15 to December 29, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm (no meeting November 10)
Bring your Yu-Gi-Oh! deck, DS, PSP, or any other game stuff you’re into. We'll also hook up the Wii or Xbox for multiplayer gaming. Hang out, relax, and play whatever you want! Players provide their own gaming materials. Permission slip required. Registration is ongoing.

Anime Club
Fourth Fridays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 28, no Dec. meeting

Join our anime club! We meet once per month to watch and discuss great shows, as well as do anime-related activities. If you like to watch or create Japanese-style animation, this club is for you! Permission slip required. Registration is ongoing.

Zine Workshop
Wednesdays, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, 12, and 19

3:30 to 5:00 pm
Are you a writer or artist? Join the underground magazine movement! Get creative with your work and get published in our library zine. Participants must attend all four sessions. Registration begins September 29.

Cartooning
Wednesdays, December 3, 10, and 17
4:30 to 6:00 pm

Learn how to create cartoons from scratch, then bring them to life with easy steps. Your characters will jump off the page with action and style! This class will be taught by David Kramer, a Disney-trained animator and cartoonist who comes to us from the Community Arts Center. Sketch pads and pencils provided. Class size is limited. Participants must attend all three sessions. Registration begins November 3.
(Funding for this program is by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries and supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act through the Delaware County Library System.)

BOOK GROUPS
Get free books and free food! Every month, the group votes on a book, and the library buys them each a copy to discuss at the next meeting.

Read and Rant Book Group
Third Fridays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Sept. 19, Oct. 17*, Nov. 21, Dec. 19
Open to students in grades 7 to 9, this group is accepting a limited number of new members. Registration is ongoing until spaces are full. *We will host author Allison Whittenberg at our October 17th meeting, and the event will be open to students in grades 6 to 12.

Book Grub Book Group
First Fridays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec. 5

Open to students in grades 10 to 12, this group is accepting a limited number of new members.
Registration is ongoing until spaces are full.

Primos Branch Book Group
Third Mondays from 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15

Open to students entering grades 6 to 12, this group meets at the Primos Library at 409 Ashland Ave. in Primos, PA, 19018. Call them to register: 610-622-8091.

9.15.2008

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

SUMMARY: 16-year-old Katniss lives with her mother and sister in the poorest district of Panem, in the ruins of a place once known as North America. The primary breadwinner for her family since the death of her father, Katniss is accustomed to hardship, hunger, and struggling to survive. But not even a life of barebones survival can prepare the children of Panem for the Hunger Games. Each year at the Reaping, a boy and a girl from each of Panem's districts are sent to the Capitol and forced to participate in a gladiator-like spectacle called the Hunger Games, a series of bloody challenges that pit the rich against the poor and the strong against the weak. The children must battle to the death in this kill-or-be-killed event, which serves both to entertain Panem's bored ruling class and keep the districts from rebelling against the Capitol. When Katniss' sister is chosen to participate in the games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. The Games require every ounce of cunning, intelligence, and strength that Katniss has. Will she be strong enough to survive, and can she escape the gruesome ordeal with her humanity intact?


OPINION: Normally I'm not a fan of books that are bloody or über-violent, but The Hunger Games is worth it. Katniss is a fantastic heroine who uses her brain as well as her uncommon physical skills to undermine the powerful Capitol, even as it forces her and others like her to kill each other for sport. The author uses the book to make a powerful statement about how governments use violence to create fear, enforce laws (including unjust ones), keep the poor down, and entertain people all at the same time. There are some scary parallels to real-world conflicts (Iraq War, anyone?), which make the book all the more interesting. I would have liked to have known more about the history of Panem -- the author alludes to a war between the Capitol and the 13 districts that are ruled by it, as well as a disaster that destroyed the original United States -- and about the Capitol's reaction to Katniss after her performance in the Games. Hopefully these will be addressed in the sequel. For now, stay tuned for The Hunger Games, set to be released on October 1, 2008.

9.01.2008

Book Review: Dead Is the New Black

Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez
Review by Kaitlyn B.

This book was amazing! Marlene Perez incorporated fantasy, romance, mystery, adventure, and even some comedy into this novel. Dead is the New Black had awesome characters that kept the story interesting and fresh. It’s not just another book about magic and vampires. Perez created a completely original novel that anyone would enjoy. So if you enjoy books about psychics, psychotic vampires, teen romance, and mysterious illnesses that leave cheerleaders in the hospital, you would definitely love to read Dead is the New Black.