Recommendation: Here Lies the Librarian

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Saranjeet
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  I definitely think we should keep this book because it keeps the reader interested.  Also, this book has a good story and will probably attract those who love cars.

This book was part of the Last Call book display in the teen section during November and December. Thanks to everyone who participated! If you still have slips, no worries.  Just bring them in by the end of January.

Board Game Day

Today, 24 people showed up for our winter board game day! Groups played all kinds of games, including Life, Apples to Apples, chess, checkers, and Scattergories.  A group even tried out my new random game Quelf, with rave reviews. 

The deal was that if a group played a game by the rules to the end, the winner would get a box of movie candy.  (For games like chess and checkers, you could only get candy once, even if you played multiple times.)  I gave away 26 boxes of candy, plus we ate our way through four bags of potato chips, several pounds of other candy, and a bunch of soda and lemonade! 

The best moments of the day included Saranjeet needing two cars to carry her family in Life, Owen naming one of his Life children "Ke$ha," Kathy singing "Rawhide" while waving her scarf in the air like a lasso, and Janae thinking McCain was a U.S. President.  I also had fun teaching a group how to play Scattergories with the rules.  And, thanks to Jasmine for bringing in Tutti Frutti...dinging that bell was a lot of fun!

If you like board games, we'll have them out at the Random-A-Thon in February.  Be sure to sign up!

Cute Calendar Girl Papercraft

This is one papercraft that will last you all year!  Make this cute cube calendar girl, and give her a new face every month in 2011.

Recommendation: A Friend at Midnight

A Friend at Midnight by Caroline B. Cooney

(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Eliza

Should we keep it?  YES

Why?  This is a very insightful book; probably one of the best I've read, and I read a lot of books.

This book was part of the Last Call display in the teen section.  Eliza checked it out, read it, and filled out the bookmark with her recommendation.  You can do the same...there are a lot more books that need a boost from readers like you!  Just make sure you get to the library before December 30 to participate.

Craft Closet Cleanout

Last Wednesday, 16 people dropped by for our end-of-the-year Craft Closet Cleanout. We made tons of stuff at the program, and I even let people take things home.  I have a lot of old projects hanging around, so it's good to move them on! 

Crafts people made:

• An adorable (and easy) Christmas papercraft
• Painted bottle vases
• Robot keychains
• Beaded candy cane ornaments
• Safety pin bracelets
• Soda tab bracelets

Crafts people took home:

• Necktie belt
• Dog chew toy
• Washer zipper pull
• Beaded flower hairpins

Sorry you missed it? Look for Craft Closet Cleanout at the Random-A-Thon in February, as well as on the spring schedule.

 Painted bottle vases are still around from this summer, and still popular!

 Making safety pin bracelets took FOREVER.

Judy's awesome robot keychain--I love the heart!

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

(Click here to find a library copy.)

SUMMARY:  Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch.  Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.  Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life.  Clay is one of them.  If he listens, he'll find out why.  Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide.  He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself--a truth he never wanted to face.  (from the inside flap)

OPINION:  This book has been on my to-read list for several years and I finally checked it out of the library. I like to read realistic fiction with a psychological edge and this book definitely fit the bill.  As secret after secret is revealed on the tapes in the book, the reader experiences it from the points of view of both Hannah and Clay.  The layers of tension kept me reading, even though I had much more sympathy for Clay than Hannah.  I thought the structure of the book was a bit false, the audio tapes acting a bit too overtly as a device to tell Hannah's side of the story after her death.  However, that same weakness is what gives the reader insight into some of life's big questions, like why people commit suicide and what responsibility we bear for our own actions.  Ultimately, I think this is a good read for those interested in puzzling out the "whys" behind people's personalities and actions.  

SIMILAR READS:

• Deadline by Chris Crutcher
• If I Stay by Gayle Forman
• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
• The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

New Books, Continued

Another pile of books just turned up in my office, so look for these on the teen shelves:

FICTION

• Jason and Kyra by Dana Davidson (replacement copy)
• Played by Dana Davidson (replacement copy)
• Hustlin' by L. Diving (Drama High series; replacement copy)
• Second Chance by L. Diving (Drama High series; replacement copy)
• Seven Paths to Death by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
• Promise Kept by Stephanie Perry Moore (Perry Skky Jr. series)
• Staying Pure by Stephanie Perry Moore (Peyton Skky series; replacement copy)
• Sweetest Gift by Stephanie Perry Moore (Peyton Skky series; replacement copy)
• Fast Forward by Celeste O. Norfleet (Kimani Tru)
• Homeboyz by Alan Lawrence Sitomer (replacement copy)
• Crashed by Robin Wasserman

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Vampire Knight, volume 11, by Matsuri Hino
• Bleach, volume 33, by Tite Kubo

NONFICTION

• No Choirboy:  Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row by Susan Kuklin

New Books Are Still Arriving!

Another giant pile of new books is coming through processing, so check out the latest:

• Blessings in Disguise by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• Fair-Weather Friends by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• Nothing but Drama by ReShonda Tate Billingsley  (Good Girlz series)
• With Friends Like These by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• Holidaze by L. Divine (Drama High series; replacement copy)
• The Pact by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru)
• Hotlanta by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller (replacement copy)
• Prayed Up by Stephanie Perry Moore (Perry Skky, Jr. series)
• She Said, She Said by Celeste O. Norfleet and Jennifer Norfleet (Kimani Tru)
• I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (Tiffany Aching series)
• A Boy Called Twister by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• To Be a Man by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• If I Were Your Boyfriend by Earl Sewell (Kimani Tru)
• The Pledge by Chandra Sparks Taylor (Kimani Tru)

Recommendation: Samurai Shortstop

Samurai Shortstop by Alan Gratz
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Kathy
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  It's an interesting part of history, and I like how it teaches about samurai seniority.

This book was part of the Last Call display in the teen section.  Kathy checked it out, read it, and filled out the bookmark with her recommendation.  You can do the same...there are a lot more books that need a boost from readers like you!  Just make sure you get to the library before December 29 to participate.

Further New Books

More fiction came through processing, so the shelves are packed with shiny new things for you to read!

• Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson (sequel to Chains)
• The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor (replacement copy)
• Friends 'Til the End by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Haunted by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Shadowland by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Hunted by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night series; replacement copy)
• First Semester by Cecil R. Cross II (Kimani Tru)
• Next Semester by Cecil R. Cross II (Kimani Tru)
• Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (replacement copy)
• Culture Clash by L. Divine (Drama High series)
• Frenemies by L. Divine (Drama High series; replacement copy)
• My Little Phony by Lisi Harrison (Clique series; replacement copy)
• If You Really Loved Me by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• One of Us by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• Outrunning the Darkness by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• Shadows of Guilt by Anne Schraff (Urban Underground series)
• Teenage Love Affair by Ni-Ni Simone
• Blue Is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz (replacement copy)

Recommendation: Kiki Strike

Kiki Strike:  Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Kathy
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  It's a very thrilling read, full of twists and turns, with tips on how to be resourceful in different ways.

This book was part of the Last Call display in the teen section.  Kathy checked it out, read it, and filled out the bookmark with her recommendation.  You can do the same...there are a lot more books that need a boost from readers like you!  Just make sure you get to the library before December 29 to participate.

2011 Books to Movies for Teens

A new year means lots of books are coming to a theater near you! I included all books with teen interest, not just those that were published for young adults, so there is something for everyone. I can't vouch for their quality, but look for these movies through the year and make your own judgments:

March 11--Jane Eyre (book by Charlotte Bronte)
March 18--Beastly (book by Alex Flinn)
March 25--Roderick Rules (book by Jeff Kinney)
July 15--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II (book by J. K. Rowling)
October 14--The Three Musketeers (book by Alexander Dumas)
November 18--Breaking Dawn, Part I (book by Stephenie Meyer)
December 9--The Invention of Hugo Cabret (book by Brian Selznick)
December 21--The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (book by Steig Larsson)
December 28--The Adventures of Tintin:  Secrets of the Unicorn (book by Herge)

No specific dates:
The Giver (book by Lois Lowry)
The Witches (book by Roald Dahl)
Uglies (book by Scott Westerfeld)

What's New

This week's new books are an eclectic mix that includes African-American fiction, supernatural romance, gaming manuals, and books about ninjas.  Proof that we try to buy something to suit everyone!  Come in and be the first to check them out!

FICTION

• Drama Queens by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• Getting Even by ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Good Girlz series)
• The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block
• The Selected by Patrick Cave
• Dirty Jersey by Phillip Thomas Duck (Kimani Tru)
• Dirty South by Phillip Thomas Duck (Kimani Tru)
• Blood Ninja by Nick Lake
• Blood Ninja II by Nick Lake
• Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
• Step Up by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru)
• Trouble Follows by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru)
• Prime Choice by Stephaine Perry Moore (Perry Skyy series)
• Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
• Flawless by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
• Perfect by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Unbelievable by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Wildwing by Emily Whitman

NONFICTON

• Quick Cash for Teens:  Be Your Own Boss and Make Big Bucks by Peter G. Bielagus
• When Ninjas Attack:  A Survival Guide for Defending Yourself Against the Silent Assassains by Sam Kaplan
• Ask a Ninja Presents The Ninja Handbook:  This Book Looks Forward to Killing You Soon by Douglas Sarine
• How to Build a Robot Army:  Tips on Defending Planet Earth Against Alien Invaders, Ninjas, and Zombies by Daniel H. Wilson
• Call of Duty: Black Ops (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)
• Dungeons and Dragons Essentials: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms
• Halo: Reach (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)
• Pokedex: All 493 Pokemon and Post-Story Guide for Nintendo DS (Includes HeartGold and SoulSilver)
• Red Dead Redemption (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)

GRAPHIC NOVEL

• Hetalia:  Axis Powers, volume 1, by Hidekaz Himaruya

You Think Writing a Term Paper Is Hard?

Could you write an entire book without using the letter E?  What if you could only communicate words by blinking your left eye?  Would you ever try to write 843 poems in just 24 hours?  Some authors have done these things, and more!  Read all about them in Ten Works of Literature That Were Really Hard to Write.

Recommendation: So B. It

So B. It by Sarah Weeks
(Click here to find a library copy)

Recommendation by Saranjeet
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  I strongly suggest that we we keep this book because it's really good and very well written.

This book was part of the Last Call display in the teen section.  Saranjeet checked it out, read it, and filled out the bookmark with her recommendation.  You can do the same...there are a lot more books that need a boost from readers like you!

Ninja Night

Last Friday, 29 teens showed up for Ninja Night.  (I only saw two of them!)  It was a great night, mostly thanks to Dan G., our "ninja."  We've never done anything like this before, but we definitely couldn't have done it without him.

First, Dan showed us how to make origami shuriken (throwing stars), and we practiced our ninja skills by throwing them at the library's cardboard cutout of Robert Pattinson.  For every round, people had to aim at a certain part of his head (ear, neck, eyes, etc.) and they got candy if they hit him accurately.  It was hard, and only a few people were ninja enough to handle the pressure.

We watched some random ninja videos online, with the laptop hooked up to the projector.  Then, Dan did a martial arts demonstration.  He talked about his intererst in martial arts, his school, and demonstrated some kicks, delivering an amazing, Chuck-Norris-style roundhouse to the jaw of Robert Pattinson (followed by a huge cheer!).  After that, Dan brought out a whole duffel bag of different martial arts weapons, talking about the history of each one and doing a short demonstration.  (Don't worry, it was very safe--Dan is a trained instructor and no one else handled the items.)  Then, he taught everyone a few self-defense moves.  It was really cool, no one got injured, and Dan was an excellent teacher. 

We finished the night by watching some of the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and having snacks.  What do ninjas eat?  Dark chocolate, of course, and ninja brownies (cut in circles with little icing eyes).  I guess they probably also try to eat quiet food, but we broke the rules with some potato chips. 

At the end, we had our costume contest.  We had all kinds of entries, and our winner was a panda ninja!  She got the Ninja Wisdom Deck, and the runners up each got candy and a fake moustache (ninjas need disguises, you know).  Congrats to Christine, Abby, Kaitlyn, Laurel, and Owen for having the best costumes!

Huge thanks again to Dan, and to the Delaware County Office of Behavioral Health for funding this program.

Origami shuriken pieces 

 A view of the origami lesson

 Everyone attempting to look more ninja...

 The beginning of the self-defense lesson

 A test of friendship...practicing self-defense moves on each other!

Having fun with self-defense

 How ninjas get brownies...?

Costume contest entries

Ninja Links

Here is lots of ninja randomness for your time-wasting pleasure:

Ninja Parade
A fake video news story from The Onion News Network about what happens when ninjas hold a parade.

Ninja Burger
You WILL experience the Ninja Burger® difference!  Guaranteed delivery in 30 minutes or less, or we commit Seppuku!

Ask A Ninja
It's not just a Q&A video series, it's a whole website!  However, here are the links to the two segments we watched:

• Ninja Hangouts
• Ninja Santa

The Ninja Glare
This video gets a little repetitive, but it's fun to try to master the ninja glare.  (Hint...they show it in slo-mo at the very end.)

Ninja Say What?!
This video made me crack up laughing...it's a whole new take on racism!  (FYI:  There are a few inappropriate words.)

How Stuff Works:  Ninja
Find out the history of the real ninja.  (Don't want to read?  Listen to the podcast.)

What We Got from the Bookfair

I had some money to spend at the Barnes and Noble bookfair on Saturday, so I tried to buy a variety of things.  TAB members Elena, Kaitlyn, and Christine picked out some new fiction for us, while I shopped for nonfiction and fiction replacements.  They will probably come through processing later this week or sometime next week, so come in and look for them or place a hold online!

 FICTION

• One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt
• The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor (replacement copy)
• Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Haunted by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Shadowland by Meg Cabot (Mediator series; replacement copy)
• Burned by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night series; replacement copy)
• Hunted by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night series; replacement copy)
• Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (replacement copy)
• My Little Phony by Lisi Harrison (Clique series; replacement copy)
• Blood Ninja by Nick Lake
• Blood Ninja II by Nick Lake
• Jane by April Lindner
• Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
• Flawless by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
• Perfect by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Unbelievable by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Blue Is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz (replacement copy) 

GAMING MANUALS

• Call of Duty:  Black Ops (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)
• Dungeons and Dragons Essentials:  Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms
• Halo: Reach (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)
• Pokedex:  All 493 Pokemon and Post-Story Guide for Nintendo DS (Includes HeartGold and SoulSilver)
• Red Dead Redemption (BradyGames Signature Series Guide)

OTHER NONFICTION

• Quick Cash for Teens:  Be Your Own Boss and Make Big Bucks by Peter G. Bielagus

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Hetalia:  Axis Powers, volume 1, by Hidekaz Himaruya

Barnes & Noble Bookfair Report

Saturday was our big bookfair day at the Barnes & Noble in Broomall, and it was a success!  Thanks to all of our library patrons who came to do their personal shopping, plus some shopping we did for the library, we are on track to make the most money ever!!  We are actually taking our fundraising dollars in books this year, so that will mean more new stuff for you in the coming weeks.

Thanks to TAB members Kaitlyn, Christine, and Elena who came by to help me select books to buy for the library's teen section.  Double thanks to Elena, who stuck around for three hours and helped the librarians at the gift wrapping table.

If you missed the day, don't worry.  You can shop in the store until December 10, and just tell them it's for the Upper Darby Libraries when you check out.  You can also shop online at http://www.bn.com/ through December 14, putting in our bookfair ID (10320109) when you check out.

Book Review: Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin

Review by Arig
(This book will be released on February 1, 2011.)

SUMMARY:  Charlie and Fielding are teen idols, an on-set celebrity couple.   On TV, they are portrayed as two next-door neighbors, Jenna and Jonah, who are in love.  They can't stand each other, but have to act like a couple when they are out together in real life.  What could go wrong?  They're actors, they could fake anything.  Right?  Wrong.  Conflicts arise when a rumor gets around that the whole "love" thing is fake and Fielding is gay.  Charlie and Fielding, on a quest to hide from the paparazzi, escape together to Fielding's estate house.  As the days pass, they learn new things about each other and start to realize that they might have some feelings for each other after all.  What will happen to these two actors?  Will they survive the heat of the hidden paparazzi?  Will they just end up hurting each other?  This book is written in alternating chapters by Charlie and Fielding, so you can travel this journey of emotions through both of them.

OPINION:  I couldn’t love this book more. It’s just great. I began reading it one night and then kept on secretly finishing it instead of devoting my time fully to my studies. I did study, but I couldn’t put the book down. It’s truly a great book that keeps you jumping up and down wanting to know what happens next. I kept laughing and reading and one time I got tears. It came to the point where my older sister (like 5 years difference) stole the book to read it. She loved it! I would totally recommend to all students that are mature enough to handle some of the topics in here. It’s still awesome though. I’m sure many teens will love it!

Our Own Ninja

Some videos of Dan teaching about martial arts weapons:

Sorry this is sideways, but it's a cool demonstration:

Last-Minute Ninja Costume

Don't know what to wear tonight?  Grab a black t-shirt, watch, and learn: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pobuw7Wk2k&NR=1

Recommendation: Acceleration

Acceleration by Graham McNamee
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Marissa
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  It catches you.  It's intense, funny, and you can't put it down.  The ending is intense.

This book was part of the Last Call display in the teen section.  Marissa checked it out, read it, and filled out the bookmark with her recommendation.  You can do the same...there are a lot more books that need a boost from readers like you!

Book Review: Good Behavior

Good Behavior:  A Memoir by Nathan L. Henry

Review by Anas
(Click here to find a library copy.)

SUMMARY:  Nathan L. Henry brings his teenage self to life in the autobiography Good Behavior. Nate Henry was a 16-year-old kid who lived for drugs, sex, and violence, who was put on trial for armed robbery and sent to jail. All his life he acted like the cool kid in town, with the tough personality. Learning from his father's actions, Nate builds his characteristics the same way. However, even with those qualities, you can see it was a protective shell that he lived behind to gain the respect that he wanted. When looking beyond that cover and studying his character you can tell that he is not the bad kid that everyone sees him as. His time in jail brings out this civil quality and gives you a deeper look to whom he really is, making the reader understand him more. It changes him into the better man that he really is.

OPINION:  This book draws the reader into it, and gives you the thrill feeling that you are not only part of the book, but that you are the actual character. The best part about this is not the telling of what happened, but a reliving of the past to live in the future. The tendancies of this character toward drugs, violence, and sex make it more believable, to the point that as the reader I wish I can do something to help him out. I would rate this book a five out of five because this was a gripping book that I was not able to put down. Even though I was busy, I made time for it by reading it while going from class to class, lunch, and outside.