3.31.2010

Random-A-Thon Final Report

The final total for the teen Random-A-Thon Fundraiser is in! Altogether, we raised $932.75!!! That is an amazing total for our first effort of this kind. Huge thanks to our 24 teen fundraisers: Kaitlyn, Christine, Genni, Ross, John, Tommy, Laurel, Nitha, Nikki, David, Avis, Billy, Alexa, Owen, Georgia, Jasmine, Leslie, Matthew, Anas, Morgan, Emily, Colin, Conor, and Elena.

I can now officially award the fundraising prize to Nitha! Nitha raised $204 by asking her favorite current and former high school teachers for small donations. Go Nitha!!! Nitha wins a $25 gift card to Borders and a basket of reading goodies from the Teen Advisory Board. Billy gets an honorable mention for raising $150 in just one week.

All participants could designate where their fundraising money went in my budget, and gaming was the overwhelming winner with $256 donated. Gamers are already enjoying new games, new equipment, and good tournament prizes with this money.

We are definitely doing this again next winter! Thanks again!!! All participants will be receiving a thank-you note in the mail soon. Please share it with everyone who donated to you.

3.25.2010

Check These Out

Here are the latest books to hit the shelves of the teen section:

FICTION

  • Crown of Earth by Hilari Bell (The Shield, Sword, and Crown trilogy)
  • Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson
  • Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers
  • Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
  • This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer (two copies)
  • Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
  • The Year I Turned Sixteen by Diane Schwemm
  • One of the Survivors by Susan Shaw
  • Night Fires by George Edward Stanley
  • Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
  • Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt
GRAPHIC NOVELS
  • Twilight: The Graphic Novel, volume 1 by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim
  • Ranma 1/2, volume 4, by Rumiko Takahashi
  • Her Majesty's Dog, volumes 1 and 2, by Mick Takeuchi
NONFICTION

  • Ask CosmoGIRL! about Beauty: All the Answers to Your Questions about Hair, Makeup, Skin, and More (second copy)
  • A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer
  • Guinness World Records 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 (donations!)
  • The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer
  • Quicksand: HIV/AIDS in Our Lives by Anonymous

3.24.2010

Bubble Gum Drop-In

Today, 21 people stopped by for the bubble gum drop-in program. Some people stayed for ten minutes, others lasted for the entire three hours, and everyone had fun! Lots of library regulars showed up, but there were also some new faces. Thanks to everyone who brought a friend! At the event, we made chewed gum sculptures, had a bubble-blowing contest, did gum trivia, ate snacks, and played Wii games. Winners of the trivia and bubble blowing contests got packs of gum, of course.

I finally found a used copy of Wario Ware: Smooth Moves for the library's Wii, so we took turns playing that for a long time. I mean, you have to do something while chewing all that gum, right!? The game is so random that even watching someone else play is entertaining, but it is so easy that even someone who has never played Wii can do it. We also played some Rock Band games, ending the event with our always-amazing rendition of Yellow Submarine.

To make our gum sculptures as artistic as possible, we used gumballs in a variety of colors in addition to bubble gum. Here are some creations:

A crazy 3-D monster by Justin. This used the most gum of any sculpture. The dripping saliva gave it an extra gross flair...

Jasmine's poor armless girl couldn't actually pick those flowers!

Yes, Laurel made a macabre skull.

Anas enshrined his love for soccer.

This is Jace from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, immortalized in gum by Kaitlyn!

"Birds fly over the rainbow, why, then, oh why can't I..." by Emily

3.20.2010

Book Review: Nightrise

Nightrise by Anthony Horowitz
Click on the cover to find a library copy.

SUMMARY: Scott and Jamie have always been different. Not only are they twins--they can read each other's minds. Their whole lives, people have taken advantage of this. Now it's going to get much, much worse. An evil group called Nightrise has taken an interest in Scott and Jamie...and want to imprison them and neutralize their abilities. When Nightrise attacks, one of the twins is taken and the other breaks free. The stakes are even higher than Scott or Jamie could imagine...because both of them are Gatekeepers, and the fate of the world hinges on their survival. (from the inside flap)

OPINION: In this third book in the series, the plot shifts to introduce two more of the Gatekeepers. Interestingly, the timeline for this book begins during the action of Evil Star. Just as action-packed as the previous two volumes, this story also shows the great reach of the Nightrise Corporation and further describes how they are utilizing the evil unleashed through the Nazca Gate. The reader really starts to get a sense of what the Gatekeepers are up against, as Nightrise is revealed to be an insidious evil with its tentacles in every area of society, including juvenile prisons and the American presidential race. However, instead of further developing this intersection of reality and fantasy, the story devolves into a collection of cliched characters and truly outlandish plot devices. The part of the book that made the least sense for the story or for the series was when Jamie was gravely injured, only to find himself transported 10,000 years into the past to help the first group of Gatekeepers. Nonetheless, once Jamie returns to the present, the ending is a heart-pounding race that pits brother against brother in a race to save a presidential candidate from assassination. This part of the story was definitely classic Horowitz, and I felt a little rewarded for slogging through the whole middle section of the book. Overall, I would recommend Nightrise only for devoted fans of the series. New readers will definitely want to start with the first book, Raven's Gate.

The books in The Gatekeepers series:

  1. Raven's Gate
  2. Evil Star
  3. Nightrise
  4. Necropolis
  5. ??

3.19.2010

Free Stuff from Simon & Schuster!

Here are some opportunities from the publisher Simon & Schuster that you may be interested in:

Pulse It
Join the Pulse It community to read teen books online, submit reviews, and be a trend-spotter.

Deb Caletti Book Giveaway
Enter by March 31 to win a bookshelf of her older books to celebrate the release of her newest one!

Call Me Book Club Sweepstakes
If you are a member of one of our bookgroups, enter us to win a set of books and a phone call from a teen author like Kate Brian, Deb Caletti, Angela Johnson, or Elizabeth Scott!!

Free Stuff Page
This is where Simon & Schuster announces all of their contests, so enter whatever suits you. They also offer special downloads on this page.

3.18.2010

Mad Libs!

I love Mad Libs, and this little widget lets you play them on our blog! I added it to our sidebar, but I couldn't resist posting it here, as well. Visit the Mad Libs website to get your own.

3.17.2010

St. Patrick's Day Party

Today, a surprising 22 people showed up for our first-ever St. Patrick's Day Party! It was crowded and crazy, but fun. We started with some green trivia, then worked in groups to do a St. Patrick's Day improv. After that, we made duct tape shamrocks and decorated shamrock cookies. We finished off the day by eating the cookies, along with green candy salad and Shamrock Shakes.

For the improv activity, each group got the same St. Patrick's Day props with a different Irish legend. The idea was to have one member narrate with the legend, while the other members used the props in as many ways as they could to act it out. The trick was, they couldn't use the props as what they really were. One group did so much improv that they created an entirely new script from what I had given them! Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took came out, so you'll just have to take my word about how hilarious some of the presentations were. We met a guy kneeling on his sneakers as a leprechaun, a feather-bearded assassin, a Druid priest in a striped headdress, a human shamrock, and some crying snakes. It was a lot of fun, and the winners got to pick a prop as a prize.

For more Irish fun online:
Green candy salad!

3.15.2010

Nintendo Night

On Friday, 26 teens showed up for our Teen Tech Week edition of Nintendo Night. In addition to two tournaments, people enjoyed free play of Rock Band games on the Wii and Super Mario 3 on the vintage NES. We had 24 in our Super Smash Brothers Brawl tournament and 7 in the DS Pokemon tournament. The Brawl tournament brackets worked down to a top six, so we did two rounds of three players taking the top one from each round. The final ended up being Alex vs. Jared, and Jared emerged victorious again. In the Pokemon tournament, the final was Ross vs. Le, with Le as the winner. Alex and Le both earned $10 gift cards to Game Stop, while Jared got a $25 one. All of the quarter-final finishers in both tournaments earned candy.

This is the first time in a long time where we actually managed to finish both tournaments during the program and actually have time left over for free play on Brawl! Also, the only technical difficulties we had were that I forgot the speakers for the second Wii. My husband came to the rescue, though, and ran home and back here with our kids in tow. He arrived just in time! Thanks, Jason!!! Everyone who enjoyed Rock Band appreciates you.

3.13.2010

March 2010 Teen Scene Book Suggestions

I just got this month's Teen Scene email newsletter, full of new reading ideas. It starts with a list of new fiction. How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles, Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson, and After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick are new offerings by three young adult authors who I really like. Then, there's a booklist called "Inside People's Heads," which features titles dealing with mental and emotional issues. This email is a great service provided free for DCLS cardholders, so sign up now!

3.12.2010

Announcing the Spring 2010 Program Schedule!

Enjoy all kinds of activities at the library from now until the end of the school year! Please note the registration dates. You can also join our Sellers Library Teens page on Facebook and register for events there.

DROP-IN DAYS
No registration, just come by after school and bring your friends! The hours are long because everyone’s schedules are different.

Bubble Gum
Wednesday, March 24, 2:00 to 5:00 pm

Drop by to make a chewed gum sculpture, enter a bubble blowing contest, try some trivia, eat snacks, and play Wii games! This is an early-out day for UDHS.

Candy Sushi
Wednesday, May 26, 2:00 to 5:00 pm

Back by popular demand! Candy sushi looks like the real thing, but tastes a lot yummier. Stop by with your friends to make several styles of sushi out of junk food. This is an early-out day for UDHS.


SPECIAL EVENTS

St. Patrick’s Day Party
Wednesday, March 17, 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Join us after school for St. Patrick’s Day games, food, crafts, and prizes. Be sure to wear your green! Register now.

Book Swap & Miyazaki Movies
Wednesday, March 31, 1:00 to 4:30 pm

Put your spring break to good use! Trade in your old books for new reads, enjoy Hayao Miyazaki’s anime movies on the big screen, and eat food! Stop in to swap anytime, or stay and watch movies as long as you want. Swap books should be intermediate or young adult
paperback fiction in good condition. Register now.

Rock Band Jam Session
Wednesday, April 7, 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Enjoy Rock Band 2, Rock Band: The Beatles, and Lego Rock Band. Come by yourself or with your band members. Register now.

Zine Workshop
Wednesdays April 28, May 5, May 12
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. In celebration of summer reading, the theme for this edition of the zine will be Make Waves. Participants must attend all three sessions. Registration begins March 22.

Nerd Appreciation Night
Friday, April 23, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Whether you are a drama nerd, book nerd, computer nerd, manga nerd, video game nerd, or any other kind, we appreciate you! Defend your favorites in our Battle of the Nerd Media and enjoy snacks, games, and activities in the company of other nerds. Sponsored by the Teen Advisory Board. Registration begins March 22.

Dance Dance Revolution
Wednesday, June 9, 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 once. Dance for fun, or enter our contest. Permission slip required. Registration begins May 3.

Cheese Night
Friday, May 21, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Yes, it’s completely random. Yes, it’s a little bit weird. But if you love cheese, this night is for you! Enjoy cheesy movie clips, games, and crafts. Of course, there will also be plenty of cheesy snacks! Registration begins April 19.


CRAFTS

80s Crafts
Wednesday, April 21, 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Rock out to 80s music while Beadazzling a retro-print tote bag and making a punk necklace. There will even be 80s prizes and candy! Registration begins March 22.

Jean Leg Autograph Pillow
Wednesday, May 19, 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Get ready for the end of school ! Recycle a pair of old jeans into a pillow and collect good wishes from your friends for the summer. Registration begins April 19.

Craft Closet Cleanout
Wednesday, June 2, 3:30 to 5:00 pm

Make something you missed or create something totally new as we get rid of leftover craft supplies from this year. Registration begins May 3.


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

Read and Rant Book Group
Third Fridays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
March 19, April 23, May 21, June 18

This group is accepting a limited number of new members in grades 7 to 9. Registration is ongoing until spaces are full.

Book Grub Book Group
First Fridays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm
March 5, April 9, May 7, June 4

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

Primos Branch Book Group
Third Mondays from 7:00 to 8:00 pm
March 15, April 19, May 17, June 21

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


CLUBS

Gaming Club
Mondays, March 1 to June 21

3:30 to 5:00 pm (no meeting 5/31)
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! Permission slip required. Club size is limited. Registration is ongoing.

Anime Club
Fridays March 26, April 30, May 28
3:30 to 5:00 pm

The anime club meets once per month to watch and discuss great shows, participate in a drawing challenge, and learn about Japanese culture. Permission slip required. Club size is limited. Registration is ongoing.

3.11.2010

YouTube Party

We held our second annual Teen Tech Week YouTube party yesterday. Fourteen teens attended, and we watched everything from homemade videos to professional productions. I only had to stop two videos for being inappropriate, so thanks to everyone who tried to keep it clean! We had three categories: Humor, Music/TV/Movies, and Other. Laurel won in the Humor category for showing Irving the Socially Awkward Bee and Dominic won in the Music/TV/Movies category with an animated verision of Adam Sandler's Happy Birthday song. Atrielle won both the Other category and the overall prize for showing episode 6 of his homemade sketch comedy show Everyday Grindin. This video had some really funny moments, especially at the end when they did a sketch talking like Lil Jon. For their efforts, Laurel and Dominic won candy, and Atrielle got candy and a $5 giftcard to Blockbuster. We will probably do this again in the fall because it's always a good time!

3.09.2010

Coming to a Shelf Near You

Here are the newest books in the teen section:

FICTION
  • Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian
  • Take Me There by Susane Colasanti
  • Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga
  • The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (second copy)
  • Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel
  • Sea of Love by Jamie Ponti
  • Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Touch series)
  • Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Touch series)
  • The Diamond Secret by Suzanne Weyn (Once Upon a Time series)

SHORT STORIES

  • Immortal: Love Stories with Bite edited by P. C. Cast
NONFICTION

  • Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail by Danica McKellar

3.08.2010

Which Movie Nerd Are You?

I was thinking about the Nerd Night program idea dreamed up by some TAB members, and I came across this internet quiz!

Here's my result:

You're Hermione, the slightly bossy nerd with a hard-to-pronounce name. You're so nerdy that if someone gave you a time-travel device, you'd use it to take two classes at once. A double workload would drive some nerds crazy, but you obsess over packing your brain with knowledge. The only thing more important to you than studying? Using your excellent memory and analytical skills to keep your friends out of trouble.

Book Review: Ironman

Ironman by Chris Crutcher
Click on the cover to find a library copy.

Synopsis (taken from Chris Crutcher's website)

Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. Following angry outburst at his football coach and English teacher that have cost his spot on the football team and moved him dangerously close to expulsion from school, he turns to the only adult he believes will listen: Larry King.

In his letters to Larry, Bo describes his quest for excellence on his own terms. No more coaches for me, he tells the talk show icon, no more dads. I'm going to be a triathlete, an Ironman.

Relugated to Mr. Nak's before-school anger management group(which he initially believes to populated with future serial killers and freeway snipers), Bo meets a hard-edged, down-on-their-luck pack of survivors with stainless steel shields against the world that Bo comes to see are not so different from their own. It's here he meets and falls in love with Shelly, a future American Gladiator, whose passion for physical challenge more than matches his own.

My Review

Ironman was a heartfelt story about learning to accept that you can't change who your parents are, but you can stop yourself from becoming them. That was Bo's worst fear, to end up exactly like his dad. To him there was nothing worse in the world. As he struggles along, trying to make sense of the world, Bo works hard to compete in Yukon Jake's triathlon, pushing against anyone who wants him to fail, even his own father. This was about the third time I've read this book cover to cover and it still gets me every time. The raw emotion and the stories that leave to breathless. There are no sunshine and daises in a Chris Crutcher book, you feel the life these kids live and you wonder, that could have been me. Wonderful read.

I Have an Excellent Idea!

Let's change the subject! Lol reference to Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

Seriously though, I noticed that at the Get Your Game On! club, people tend to be waiting for turns (sometimes for a long time) on Brawl, or gravitate towards Melee on the GameCube when Brawl isn't playing. I wonder if this idea would be overdoing it, or just adding to the fun: since the Wii plays GameCube games as well, perhaps I could (occasionally) bring in my Wii to a) Make the current Wii dedicated to non-Brawl, b) Offer multiple stations for Brawl simultaneously, or c) Expand the choices for people not playing on the current Wii (whether it be Brawl, Rock Band, or Guitar Hero).

In case this idea is accepted... well, I have all data on Brawl unlocked, and I obviously have the game disk. For other games that my Wii does not have data for, anyone with an SD card can transfer it over (I have over 8GB of free memory across my SD and MicroSD cards). Additionally I can offer 2 Wii Remotes and Nunchucks for use, as well as 3 wireless and 2 wired GameCube controllers.

Well, what does everyone think? Post your feedback!

Oscar Party Winner

Sarah just scored our Oscar voting sheets from Friday night, and we had five people who guessed seven Oscar winners correctly. I did a drawing from among those five, and Shannon wins the prize! She wins a $5 gift card to Blockbuster, along with candy, soda, and popcorn. Congratulations, Shannon!

3.07.2010

Random-A-Thon!!!

Even though the date was rescheduled, our first-ever library teen Random-A-Thon fundraiser was a huge success! Over the course of the day, 24 teens attended, and many stayed for the whole thing. We have raised over $700 already, and several people still have to turn in their money. I am amazed by that amount, having expected something in the $400-$500 range. Huge thanks to everyone who participated, no matter how much you raised. The top fundraising award will be announced after the March 19 donation deadline.

The Teen Advisory Board came up with the idea for the Random-A-Thon by combining a lot of our regular library programs into one long marathon event. The idea was that people would raise pledges and donations, then come stay as long as they could at the library on a Saturday. We've done lots of bake sales and yard sales, but we've never tried anything this big. We had no idea it would be so successful!

In the morning, we had DDR and Rock Band on the projector, and Monopoly and other board games at the tables. We took a lunch break to pig out on grilled cheese, PB&J (or fluff), carrots and celery, chips, cupcakes, and soda. Then it was on to an afternoon of chess and checkers, origami, crafts, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

In addition, we had many random things going on. I had prepared The Prize Box of Randomness, and brought it out at odd intervals and distributed prizes based on arbitrary questions and activities. A group hooked up the GameCube, Laurel practiced her katakana strokes from an iPod app, a group tried out my German Monopoly game, some guys played Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering, Nitha ran around harassing people with MadLibs, and several people did their homework.

Special thanks to Laurel for bringing homemade bread, to Nitha for running home to get a knife to cut it, and to Maria for staying late while I cleaned up at the end of the event. And happy birthday to Genni and Owen, who both attended the rescheduled Random-A-Thon even though it fell on the actual date of their birth.

Making Sharpie tie-dyed shoelaces!

Some completed crafts: origami, scratch-painted CD magnets, and a necktie belt as headwear!

"We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine..."

Chess

Monopoly

You never know what The Prize Box of Randomness will bestow upon you.

3.05.2010

Oscar Party

Tonight, 17 teens showed up for our first-ever Oscar Party. I said people who signed up could bring their friends, and they did! It made me happy because I wasn't expecting that many people and we ended up with a nice group. Thanks to the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for sponsoring this event with a $50 donation, and thanks to TAB members Genni and Nitha for attending!

Since we were celebrating the Oscars, everyone started the evening with a swag bag that had microwave popcorn and a water bottle in it. Through the evening, everyone had the opportunity to earn more swag by participating in activities. We wrote scripts using only the phrases on candy hearts, did a digital scavenger hunt around the library, and decorated star magnets. My favorite part was when people gave Oscar acceptance speeches for fake movies from The Official Movie Plot Generator. I gave away gum, boxes of movie candy, magnets, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, bubbles, candy jewelry, glow bracelets, and erasers as swag.

We also watched some clips from Oscar-winning movies and ate cheese, crackers, and grapes as our snack. At the end, everyone filled out their guesses for the Oscar winners, and whoever gets the most right after the broadcast will win a $5 gift card to Blockbuster, along with candy, soda, and popcorn. We used a really nice voting sheet that I downloaded from the Acadamy's Oscar Party Kit.

Watch the show this Sunday night!

3.04.2010

Pop Top Bracelet Craft

Yesterday, 7 teens showed up to make pop top bracelets. I thought we would make at least two, but everyone got so involved with the Sharpies that we almost ran out of time to complete one bracelet! We colored the pop tops, then threaded them together into a two-layer bracelet that closes with a button. We did a really basic pattern, but it has a lot of potential for variation. Some people's bracelets looked preppy while others were more punk. We used colored cord, but I think doing it with ribbon would look really cute. There are leftovers, so look for this craft at the Random-A-Thon on Saturday!

Books R Us

Here are the newest additions to our teen shelves:

FICTION
  • Beauty by Nancy Butcher
  • Heist Society by Ally Carter (author of the Gallagher Girls series; two copies)
  • The Queen of Cool by Cecil Castellucci
  • The A-List by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
  • Heart of Glass by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
  • Some Like It Hot by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
  • Tall Cool One by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
  • The Clique by Lisi Harrison (Clique series; replacement copy)
  • It's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison (Clique series; second copy)
  • Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson (sequel to Suite Scarlett)
  • The Clone Codes by the McKissacks
  • Hero by Perry Moore
  • ttfn by Lauren Myracle (second copy)
  • Breaking Up Is Really, Really Hard to Do by Natalie Standiford (Dating Game series)
  • Can True Love Survive High School? by Natalie Standiford (Dating Game series)
  • The Dating Game by Natalie Standiford (Dating Game series; second copy)
  • I Like It Like That by Cecily von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl series; second copy)
  • Nobody Does It Better by Cecily von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl series; replacement copy)
  • Unforgettable by Cecily von Ziegesar (It Girl series)
  • Would I Lie to You by Cecily von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl series; replacement copy)
  • You're the One that I Want by Cecily von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl series; second copy)

SHORT STORIES

  • The Eternal Kiss: Thirteen Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

3.02.2010

Book Review: Libyrinth

Libyrinth by Pearl North
(Click on the cover to find a library copy)

SUMMARY: Haly is a Libyrarian, one of a group of people dedicated to preserving and protecting the knowledge passed down from the Ancients and stored in the endless maze of books known as the Libyrinth. But Haly has a secret: The books speak to her. When the threat of the rival Eradicants drives her from her home, Haly learns that things are not all she thinks they are. Taken prisoner by the Eradicants, who believe the written word to be evil, she sees the world through their eyes and comes to understand that they are not the book-burning monsters that she has known her entire life.The words of a young girl hiding in an attic—written hundreds of years before Haly’s birth—will spark the interest of her captors and begin the change necessary to end the conflict between the Eradicants and Libyrarians. With the help of her loyal companion Nod, a creature of the Libyrinth, Haly must mend the rift between the two groups before their war for knowledge destroys them all. Haly’s life—and the lives of everyone she knows—will never be the same. (adapted from the product descripton on Amazon.com)

OPINION: What could have easily been an anti-censorship message thinly veiled in fantasy becomes a robustly-imagined world in the hands of author Pearl North. I understood the Libyrarians pretty well, since I know about reading and researching, but I found the Eradicants fascinating. Their oral and singing traditions were an amazing way to pass down information, and the Libyrarians eventually started to give them a little of the respect I thought they deserved. This is the first in a proposed trilogy, and I hope that the stories uncover more of the mysteries of the ancient civilization that first built the Libyrinth. I became most curious about Nod and the other clockwork creations after startling revelations near the end of this story! Also, this book gave me new appreciation for Anne Frank's diary, a book which my seventh grade reading teacher pretty much ruined. The creative inclusion of timely phrases from The Diary of a Young Girl were pivotal in changing the direction of the story. As many snippets of books shout out to Haly through the story, a biblography is included at the end. I think this is a good choice for people who have enjoyed fantasy series like The Books of Pellinor by Allison Croggon or The Chanters of Tremaris by Kate Constable, as well as people who enjoy thinking about questions of information and censorship.