Get That New Book Smell...

Here are this week's additions to the teen section:

• Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson
• The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
• Shelter by Harlan Coben (Mickey Bolitar series)
• Legend by Marie Lu
• Blood by K. J. Wignall

Asian Culture Club 11/23/11

The day before Thanksgiving, 21 teens came by to watch the amazing anime movie Howl's Moving Castle.  Thirteen of them were regular Asian Culture Club members and eight were visitors, including some college students home on break!  We finished off 14 bags of microwave popcorn during the movie, and also had a drawing contest on the theme of "buildings."  Here are some drawings that won prizes:

by Christine

by Tracey

by Alvin

by ?

Book Review: Across the Universe

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

(Click here to find a library copy.)

This book opens with a chilling description of Amy and her parents undergoing the cryogenic freezing process, in hope of being the first to colonize the distant planet of Centauri-Earth.  It grabbed me from the start!  When Amy is purposely unfrozen 50 years early and left to die, she is found just in time by Elder.  The generations have been manipulated on the ship to provide strong leadership, and Elder, a leader in training, is the only other teenager.  In the claustrophobic environment of the ship, Amy must navigate a society that has changed dramatically from what she knew on Earth.  She doesn't look or talk like anyone else, and she certainly doesn't know who to trust. As Amy and Elder get to know each other, they also start to realize that something is desperately wrong aboard the ship.  Told in alternating chapters between Amy and Elder, this gripping science fiction story will keep you guessing until the end.  This is a great book for guys and girls, despite the slightly girly hardback cover.  If you are looking to read the next big teen trilogy, this might be it!  Want to find out what happens next?  The second book in the trilogy, A Million Suns, will be released on January 10, 2012.

As you're reading, check out a clickable map of the ship at http://www.acrosstheuniversebook.com/ to help you visualize the layout.  

Mini Wreath Magnet Craft

Last Wednesday, 18 teens showed up after school to make mini-wreath magnets.  Someone donated a giant box of mini wreaths to us, so everyone got to make as many as they wanted.  Everyone made at least two, but some people did as many as seven!  We decorated them with odds and ends of ribbon, lace, fake flowers, buttons, rosettes, bells, and patches.  People did seasonal ones, of course, but also branched out and made themed wreaths like "three-year-old ballerina" and "picnic."  And, for the first time ever, I let teens use the glue guns!  (It worked out really well and no one injured themselves.)  Check out our work:

Look! New Books!

Here are what's new this week:

FICTION

• Bite Club by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires series)
• Last Breath by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires series)
• Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst
• Damned by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
• Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
• Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
• Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
• Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
• Fury by Elizabeth Miles
• Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri (replacement copy)
• The Hidden by Jessica Verday

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Fractured Fables
• Bleach, volumes 20 and 26, by Tite Kubo
• The Sons of Liberty, volume 1, by Alexander Lagos (replacement copy)
• BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo, volumes 1 and 2, by Yoshio Sawai

NONFICTION

• Strutting It!  The Grit Behind the Glamour by Jeanne Beker

Eleven Party!

Tonight, 25 teens showed up to celebrate 11/11/11!  It only happens once a century, so it's a good excuse for a party.  We did all kinds of activities with the number 11, which was a challenge to plan.  It made the Teen Advisory Board and me be very creative!  For example, our prizes for the evening were two pixie sticks for the smaller events (representing 11) and 11 pieces of candy for the bigger events.  

We started with some brainteaser questions, like naming six-letter words that had a double L in the middle or trying to say "eleven" in eleven foreign languages.  Throughout the event we also watched some media clips:

• The scene in This Is Spinal Tap where we learn that their speakers go up to 11
• The heist from the end of Ocean's Eleven
• Inigo Montoya besting the six-fingered man in The Princess Bride (because he only had six fingers on one hand, thus making him a eleven-fingered man!)
• The opening scenes from an episode of Dr. Who titled "The Eleventh Hour" featuring the 11th regeneration of the Doctor.

We also did a little activity where we wrote the "11th Commandment."  Chutima and Michael won with this entry:  "Thou shall not be narcissistic, like bragging, showing off skills, throwing money in the air, start speaking another language, kissing yourself in the mirror, etc."  Other funny entries:

• "Thou shalt not be normal.  It'll be boring."  --Veronica and Shorell
• "Thou shalt not eat macaroni without cheese."  --Chantiel and Blya
• "Thou shalt not read this commandment."  --Grace and Marissa

We had a lot of fun with our 11-item chopstick race, as well.  Everyone got plate and a set of chopsticks, and sat in a line with their team.  The chopsticks represented the number 11, of course, and the teams had to use only the chopsticks to pick up 11 objects and move them down to the other end of their lines.  It was hilarious, and everyone was very encouraging to their teammates who didn't have great chopstick skills.  Team One (in the front of the picture below) was an early lead, but then competition heated up.  It was a close finish, but Team One pulled it out at the last minute!  If we had more time, we would have done it again.

Our biggest activity of the evening was the 11 scavenger trivia hunt.  Internet access was banned, so everyone had to find their information in (gasp) books!!  Only the computer catalog was allowed for a few questions.  All of the questions were about the number 11, of course.  Questions covered everything from the 11th President to Apollo 11 to how November got its name.  Two teams turned in perfect papers, getting all 11 questions and the bonus.  Congrats to Emily, Jasmine H., Marissa, and Grace for having excellent library research skills!

We won't get to repeat this program for another hundred years, so I'm sorry for those who had to miss it.  It was so much fun!

 Everyone loved the chopstick race!  It was intense!!

Two sisters came in identical outfits as the number 11.  Awesome!

Asian Culture Club 11/9/11

Today at our Asian Culture Club meeting, we:

• Hooked people's phones and mp3 players up to the speakers to listen to J-pop and K-pop. 
• Had a ramen bar, where we made our own recipies for different combinations of things to add and tried them out.
• Learned about the classic Japanese anime character Doraemon and had a coloring contest to win a Doraemon crayon set.
• Watched some anime clips, courtesy of Laurel

What did we put in our ramen?  I made chicken-flavored ramen and added extra chicken.  Then, people selected from:  rainbow bell peppers, mushrooms, tomato, onion, carrot, peas, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and a variety of spices.  Everyone's turned out differently, but no one was unhappy with their choices.  We had enough ramen and supplies for everyone to have seconds, and even thirds!  Want more ramen ideas?  Laurel found a great list of recipes.

Want more Doraemon?  Here is a coloring sheet, and there's also a nice papercraft version of Doraemon available online.

Join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, November 23, from 3:00 to 5:00.  We are starting early so that we can watch Howl's Moving Castle (PG)!  We will have snacks and free drawing time during the movie.

Check These Out!

Here are the new books in the teen section this week:

FICTION

• Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
• Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck (Tiger's Curse series)
• The Black by D. J. MacHale (Morpheus Road series)
• The Light  by D. J. MacHale (Morpheus Road series)
• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
• Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Cross Game, volumes 1 and 2, by Mitsuru Adachi
• The Sons of Liberty:  Death and Taxes by Alexander Lacos
• My Boyfriend Is a Monster by Evonne Tsang

What's New!?

Here are our newest books in the teen section!

FICTION

• Playground by 50 Cent
• Ambition by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires series)
• Crossed by Ally Condie (Matched trilogy)
• Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures series)
• Everybody Sees the Ants by A. S. King
• Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (replacement copy)
• Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce
• Thirst, No. 1, by Christopher Pike
• Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
• Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
• The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Comic Party, volume 1, by Sekihiko Inui
• Chibi Vampire, volume 1, by Yuna Kagesaki