Book Review: Sweethearts

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Click on the book to see which libraries own it.

Review by Amy

I'm just gonna get it out in the open. Sweethearts is a tear-jerker. At first glance, it may seem like a cookie-cutter romance, a boy-meets-girl book. It's not. It's so not like that. This story is about the love between two people that are more than just friends, but not exactly romantic. I loved how this story developed. Jenna is a character you can relate to on some level. There are times that people feel so alone and end up wanting that one person of our childhood that accepted us no matter what. I truely love this story and I am going to buy my own copy because it's one of those books everyone should own.

Read another review of Sweethearts from our blog.

Leap Day!

Last night, 25 people showed up for our Leap Day celebration! We did a lot of random things, like filling out Leap Day Mad-Libs, making and racing origami frogs, designing paper Leap Day t-shirts, taking a trivia quiz, learning a Charleston-style dance to Jump, Jive, and Wail, and writing notes to our future selves in 2012. People won prizes that had to do with hopping or jumping, such as Honey Smacks, tricky triangle puzzles (where you jump the pegs to get rid of them), frog keychains, and chomping teeth wind-up toys. It was hilarious. I hope everyone had fun, because we won't get to do it for another four years!

Countdown to Lubar

Only 5 1/2 more days until David Lubar is at our library!! He will be here Wednesday, March 5, at 7:00 pm for an author talk and book signing. In honor of his visit, the blog poll is asking you to select your favorite Lubar books. If you want to know more about his books, check out David Lubar's website.

Send a Leap Day Card!

Celebrate the arrival of February 29 by sending your friends a Leap Day card! Look at the selection:

Care2
11 different Leap Day cards

E-Cards
Photo cards of creatures that leap!

American Greetings
1 Leap Day card

123 Greetings
4 cards celebrating Leap Day birthdays

Guitar Heroics

Yesterday, 18 teens came out after school to play Guitar Hero III on the Xbox 360. It was a lot of fun, except we ran out of time really fast! Next time, we'll definitely do a longer program and have a tournament. Look for another Guitar Hero event on the schedule this spring or summer.

Shiny and New

Here are the latest additions to the teen section:

FICTION

• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
• Click: One Book, Ten Authors
• Diamonds in the Shadows by Caroline B. Cooney
• Angel Isle by Peter Dickinson

NONFICTION

• 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, & Deck Out Your Denim by Faith Blakeney, Justina Blakeney, and Ellen Schultz
• 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special by Faith Blakeney, Justina Blakeney, Anka Livakovic, and Ellen Schultz
• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Shugo Chara! 1 by Peach-Pit

Book Swap!

Yesterday, 16 people showed up to swap books and watch movies. Almost everyone stayed for the entire three hours to watch both movies. Not a lot of people were singing, but I was! I haven't seen Aladdin or The Little Mermaid in a loooooong time. About 50 books changed hands during the swap, but some people didn't use their tickets. Don't worry, you can save them until we do this the next time! That will probably be in June.

Book Review: Stiff

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Click on the cover to see which libraries have it.

Yes, you read that right. This book is about dead bodies, and it is surprisingly funny. Just don't try to read it while you're eating! Everything you read in this book, no matter how weird, is true. For example, did you know cadavers are used to practice plastic surgery techniques? To help interpret the data from crash test dummies? And to assist detectives in interpreting clues from decaying bodies? You never know what will happen when you donate your body to science! This nonfiction look at life after death puts the "gross" in "engrossing."

Book Review: King Dork

King Dork by Frank Portman

Click on the book to see which libraries own it.

REVIEW: Through no real fault of his own, Tom (aka Chi-Mo) has almost negative social status at his high school. And his bully protection schemes, such as making up fake after-school clubs and reading gun magazines, totally backfire with his hippie parents. The only things he has going for him are his friend Sam and their ongoing string of imaginary bands. But when the band becomes a reality and they enter the school talent show, Tom has no idea what forces they will unleash. Tom is a cynical, sarcastic narrator with opinions on everything from high school social rankings to The Catcher in the Rye to rock-n-roll. If you don't quite fit in with the "normals," you will appreciate Tom's causitic worldview, and if you are a pop-culture nerd, you will love all the references in this book. My favorite parts were the hilarious bands Tom and Sam created, as well as the glossary of terms, which was full of commentary on actual bands. And I learned a new verb: ramone. If you want to know what that means, you'll have to read the book!

RANDOM FACT: Frank Portman, the author of this book, is the leader of The Mr. T Experience, a punk band out of California. Visit his website! Also, visit Amazon.com (scroll down) to read about and hear some of the band's songs related to the book.

Happy Un-Valentine's Day!

Today, 23 teens came to our Un-Valentine's Day party at the library. Despite a two-hour delay in the morning and yucky rain all day, everyone showed up and we had a great time. We started with an anti-conversation heart contest, in which David won Sour Patch Kids. Then we watched a clip of the least romantic movie I could think of: Weird Al Yankovic's UHF. After that, groups made catapults to shoot conversation hearts through a target. Genni, Katie E., and Caitlin C. came in first, hitting the board twice and getting one heart through a hole. David, Avis, and Evan came in second, hitting the board once and getting one heart through a hole. All of them got gummy snakes, Air Heads, and Dum-Dum Pops for their efforts. It was mass chaos, but a lot of fun to see all the catapults in action! Later, we ate snacks and finished up with Anti-Valentine Bingo. People won black roses and finger traps if they got five in a row. We didn't even get to do everything I had planned, including make black duct tape roses and watch the Monty Python "Crunchy Frog" sketch. It was a great afternoon, and we will definitely do it again in the future!!

Check out these photos of us building and launching our catapults!

Un-Valentine's Day Party!

Don't forget that this Wednesday, February 13, is our Un-Valentine's Day Party from 3:30 to 5:00! Make black duct tape roses, eat snacks, play funny games, and win prizes! If you haven't already, call the library to sign up. Don't worry; we will not celebrate love or relationships in any way!

FNL?

OK, so it was Friday night, but 16 teens enjoyed celebrating Saturday Night Live anyway! We watched some clips from old and new shows, did some comedy improv games, and watched the church scene from The Blues Brothers movie. We ate snacks and soda, including little chocolate doughnuts in memory of John Belushi.

The favorite improv game of the night was definitely Taxi. Basically, you set up four chairs to represent a taxi. One person acts as the driver and two or three people get in as passengers. The object is to portray who you are and where you are going while interacting with the taxi driver. It was a crazy night for taxi passengers and drivers alike! We had satanic nuns riding with a drunk taxi driver, a grandfather and his bad grandchildren riding with a taxi driver trying to sell them encyclopedias, comic book nerds riding with a strung-out taxi driver, and a nanny with bad kids riding with a non-English speaking taxi driver who didn't know her way around the city!

It was great fun, and we will definitely do it again sometime.

SNL Night Tonight!

Whether you like to create humor or just watch it, celebrate comedy at our Saturday Night Live event tonight from 6:30 to 8:30! We will watch some sketches, see movie clips, try out some improv comedy games, and have snacks. Everyone in grades 6 to 12 is welcome--bring a friend!

Not Your Mother's Hot Chocolate

Yesterday, 20 teens came to meet Dr. Elin Danien from the University of Pennsylvania and hear her presentation on the history of chocolate in ancient civilizations. We learned about how cacao was used in various ceremonies and saw photographs of artifacts depicting the bean. For a while, cacao was even used as money! We drank hot chocolate and had chocolate snacks during the presentation, then got in a really interesting discussion about archaeology and anthropology. It touched on everthing from the future of spelling to the misinterpretation of the information on a quarter! Dr. Danien had a hard time leaving because everyone wanted to ask her things. If you have more questions for Dr. Danien, just ask me for her email address. There are a lot of different programs available from UPenn, so we will hire another speaker sometime.

Look for These on the Shelves

Here are our newest items in the teen collection:

Fiction

• The Last Knight by Hilari Bell (Knight and Rogue series)
• Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles De Lint
• Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja
• Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin (Annals of the Western Shore)
• Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
• The Restless Dead edited by Deborah Noyes (short stories)
• 666: The Number of the Beast (short stories)

Graphic Novels

• Clubbing by Andi Watson and Josh Howard
• Good as Lily by Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm
• Re-Gifters by Mike Carey

Nonfiction

• Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat
• The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook by Dilara Hafiz, Imran Hafiz, and Yasmine Hafiz

Book Grub Strikes Again

On Friday, 15 members of the high school book group gathered to discuss Rash by Pete Hautman. We talked a lot about issues of freedom versus safety and why things are legal or illegal, as well as the relationship between mental illness and art. We also expressed our love for Bork! Bork's idea about why humans continue to make the same mistakes sparked a really interesting discussion of world history. It was an altogether great discussion, as we usually have with dystopian novels.

Next month, we are discussing The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald for the We the People Bookshelf project. I have never read this book (gasp!), so it should be interesting!! And it will help us get ready for 20s Night this spring!

Crafts for Your Hair

Last Wednesday, 7 teens came out to make fun things for their hair. We made ribbon rose bobby pins, beaded pony tail holders, and ribbon-decorated pony tail holders. We also tried to make flower bobby pins, but the beads were the wrong size, which was totally my fault. So we'll do that another time! Anyway, everyone left with a few new items to make their hairstyles more exciting.

If you missed this craft event or didn't get to make everything, you will be able to make some of the items at our "Craft Closet Cleanout" later this spring!

Book Review: Sweethearts

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Click on the book to see which libraries own it.

Just in time for Valentine's Day comes this tearjerker from Sara Zarr. Now, it may be the pregnancy hormones or the fact that book people are often more real to me than real people, but this book made me cry worse than anything by Sarah Dessen ever could.

Cameron and Jennifer are social outcasts and inseperable best friends in elementary school, kindred spirits of the best kind. But when Cameron disappears in fifth grade, Jennifer believes he is dead. Over the years, she loses weight, goes to a new school, and completely reinvents herself. But deep down inside, she longs for the close connection that she and Cam shared. So when he walks back into her life at the start of her senior year, she is overcome with emotion. Cam's return brings upheaval in her school and social life, and causes revelations in her own family. Is childhood love enough to bring them back together?

I think what made me reach for the tissues was all the possibilies for Cameron and Jennifer that were left unspoken. I don't really believe in soul mates or the idea that there is just one right person out there for you, but if there is anyone who can prove that theory to be true, then it is Cameron and Jennifer.

Visit Sara Zarr online: http://www.sarazarr.com/

PS--Just as an aside, I actually do have some married friends named Cam and Jen. They live in California and are expecting a baby! So that made this book extra cool for me.

David Lubar Is Coming!

Since the visit is only a month away (March 5), it's time to start getting ready!

I've posted this before, but I think David's young adult novel kit is really humorous. Just fill in the blanks to create your own storyline! Here's my most recent story idea:

As the story opens, the main character is in jail because she feels disaffected. On the advice of her ouija board she is creating free verse about the traumatic past, during which her puppy tragically committed suicide. While recording these events, she meets a hobbit who is even worse off than her, and soon commits suicide, helping the main character realize that life is just like a puppy.

Anime Club

Last Friday, 12 members of the Anime Club met for our monthly meeting. We started with an "Actual Japanese Knowledge Quiz," which asked members to recall facts and information about Japanese geography and culture. Maria won a Japanese-English dictionary for her efforts, while other members won smaller prizes. Tim came and gave everyone trading cards based on an anime series, which was very cool. We then got snacks and watched some anime for about an hour.

Since our club has grown, we joined a new anime club called Operation Anime. They will let us borrow different shows as long as we fill out a survey afterwards. So we finished up with voting for what we want to watch next month. I haven't tallied up the votes yet, but everyone was pretty excited about the ones on offer!

If you would like to join the Anime Club, get a permission slip in the children's room. We meet every fourth Friday, and our next meeting is on February 22 from 3:30 to 5:00.

Book Review: Big Fat Manifesto

Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught

Click on the cover to see which libraries own this book.

Jamie Carcaterra has a boyfriend, two best friends, pretty good grades, and a lead role in the school's production of The Wiz. Normal high school stuff, except for one thing: she is fat. Jamie is not just a size 12 suffering the injustices of social sniping. She is a large and proud 4x, bent on revealing her life and thoughts to the world through her newspaper column, Fat Girl Manifesto, and winning the National Feature Award to help with college expenses. This book is packed with humor, like when Fat Girl and her friends ambush a trendy mall store that only stocks small sizes. But Fat Girl also uses her column to reveal her innermost thoughts, especially as her boyfriend, dubbed Fat Boy, goes through bariatric surgery. Filled with social and romantic struggles that are universal, this book is appealing to people of any size. Plus, it should be especially interesting to you all at UDHS since you're doing The Wiz this year!

A Little Shopping

I went to Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago to buy some new and replacement books for the teen section. Don't worry...I still have plenty of money for future purchases! Here's the list:

• The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
• Forever by Judy Blume
• The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
• Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz
• I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan
• Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
• Ransom by Lois Duncan
• Haveli by Suzanne Fisher Staples
• Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Victoriana

In honor of her new book The Sweet Far Thing, 14 teens came to our Libba Bray Cele-BRAY-tion last night. It was basically a Victorian-style event with tea, crafts, and games. We started out with a dance card icebreaker, then had hot tea and finger sandwiches. After that, we learned about the meanings of flowers and had a contest to write down what flowers in a bouquet would be best for certain situations. Later, we played Hunt the Slipper and made Victorian valentines. Finally, we had our costume contest. Kara won (as usual!), but Kaitlyn B. had the most creative costume. She came as one of the factory girls from the new book!

People who hadn't read the books certainly will now because we had so much fun. If you are looking for the trilogy, the books are A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing.

Great costumes!

The food

OMG she's wearing her wig!

It's springy!

Filling up the dance cards as people arrived

What class! What style!

Making Victorian-style valentines

Another table working on their valentines

Excellent costume contest entries!

Book Review: The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks

The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks by Dan Elish

Review by Stephanie S.

The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks was a very funny book. From the first page, I was laughing. This book is about a boy looking for his father. Jimmy believes his father was kidnapped by frozen woodchucks. Of course, no one believes him but his best friend, but the evidence is overwhelming. With the help of his best friend and the weirdest girl in his class, plus his little sister, Jimmy must travel into space and save his father from the woodchucks.

The book was very well-written and fast-paced. The only thing I would change is to put the little sister into the first trip to outer space. The little girl was with her father when he found the frozen woodchucks; she should be a part of every rescue attempt. Other than that, the book was great. I would definitely give this book to all my friends to read. The ending was very unexpected but tied in nicely with the story. I can't wait for a sequel.

Get in Touch with Your Victorian Side!

This Friday night, we are having a Libba Bray Cele-BRAY-tion in honor of the completion of her amazing trilogy. These stories take place in the Victorian era, but have an excellent fantasy component and a lot of mystery. Even if you haven't read the books, you should come to the party! We are going to do crafts, eat finger sandwiches and drink tea, play parlour games, and generally act high-class. Also, dress in your best Victorian-style costume to win prizes. The event will be from 6:30 to 8:30 on Friday night, so sign up now!

Book Review: The Sweet Far Thing

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Click on the book to see which libraries own it.

I started the first book of this series on a snowy winter night three years ago, when I was supposed to be covering it for the library. So it seems a fitting end to my reading that I finished the third book tonight at the library, as it is snowing outside!

After years of waiting for this book, it did not disappoint. The writing style was atmospheric and haunting, much like the first book. Having bound all the magic of the realms to herself as a means of protecting it, Gemma must decide how to restore it properly. This is made complicated by power struggles in the real world and in the realms. As the story progressed, I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing who was giving Gemma true advice. And I really enjoyed her increasingly intense relationship with Kartik! The conclusion of the story reduced me to tears several times, but it was beautifully done.

If you have not read this series, check out A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels before reading this book. I highly recommend this trilogy, even though I *gasp* forgot to include it in my current trilogy blog poll!

Toolbox Jewelry

Yesterday, 11 teens came out to make jewelry from hardware store items. The stuff turned out really well, and was pretty cheap to make. Besides the craft store jewelry findings, I got everything we needed at Home Depot! We made plastic tubing necklaces, washer zipper pulls, O-ring bracelets, and hexagon necklaces. It was very cool.

All of the designs came from the awesome craft book Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox by Hannah Rogge. I love this book because the crafts are actually do-able without a lot of talent, the directions are really well done, and the final products look great. Randomly, I learned today that this book has its own MySpace page!

Making O-ring bracelets.

Modeling the finished products.

Check out the bracelets, zipper pulls, and necklaces!

Newest of the New

Fresh from processing...

• No Castles Here by A. C. E. Bauer
• Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
• Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
• Fire from the Rock by Sharon M. Draper
• This Is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis
• Hex Education by Emily Gould and Zareen Jaffery
• Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
• Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston
• Undercover by Beth Kephart
• Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
• Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
• Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick
• Middleworld (The Jaguar Stones: Book One) by J & P Voelkel
• Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Book Review: That Summer

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

This was Sarah Dessen's first book, and I have to admit that it made me cry. Through the story, Haven is feeling incredibly vunerable. Everyone in her family is progressing to new parts of their lives, and no one seems to think about how it is affecting her. Even Haven's best friend, fresh from summer camp, is consumed with her own stories. Then, Sumner Lee walks back into Haven's life. Haven relies on his friendship and her memories of the blissful season when he dated her sister a little too much, and finds that what seems perfect may not always be so. This book really captures what it feels like to be left behind when everyone else is moving on.

Sock It to Me!

On December 28, 14 teens came in to tie-dye socks, including a few of our grads who were home on break! Marissa headed several crazy card games while waiting for her socks to soak, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Stop by and show me your socks if they turned out well!

Squirting the dye.

Everyone was concentrating.

Board Game Party

Yesterday, 15 people showed up to play board games. Groups were playing Scrabble, Scattergories, Monopoly, Taboo, Yahtzee, and even a Pokemon game! It was a great way to hang out and pass the afternoon, and it was nice to see everyone in such a relaxed environment.

Japanamania!

Tonight, 36 teens came to the library for our first-ever Japan Night. I can't believe I didn't want to do this event! It was a lot of fun, and everyone was really enthusiastic. Several people even came in costumes. We watched some anime and other Japanese TV, had an anime quiz (Caitlin won a magnetic Naruto dartboard), made origami frogs and samurai hats, and played NES and Wii, among other things. I cooked 8 bags of Ramen noodles on the hotplate, and it wasn't enough! But, luckily, we had tons of other food later in the evening.

Thanks to the Teen Advisory Board and the Anime Club for convincing me that we needed to have Japan Night! Special thanks to Tim for sharing his expertise in all things Japanese and for bringing food from Pei Wei, to Adam for bringing his Wii (and to his parents for letting him), to Caitlin for bringing food and a for bringing great compilation DVD, to Marissa for bringing food, and to Daniel for showing people his crazy origami skills.

Samurai hats!

Fun with Nat's Japanese puzzles.

Lots of great food!

Mmmm!

A group photo.

B&N Books

The books we chose at Barnes & Noble are getting processed this week, so look for these in the teen section:

FICTION

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments, Book One)
• Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
• That Summer by Sarah Dessen
• This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
• A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
• Things Change by Patrick Jones
• A Break with Charity by Ann Rinaldi
• Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi
• The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
• Blue Is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz
• Red Is for Remembrance by Laurie Faria Stolarz
• Silver Is for Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz
• White is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz

NONFICTION

• Guinness World Records 2008

Do-It-Yourself Beauty Products Today

Today we are having an after-school drop-in craft program where you can learn to make beauty products out of common household items. Stop by the upstairs programming room between 3:00 and 5:00! If you can't come to the event, or if you want to try some things at home, here are some resources for you:

1. Beauty product recipies from the last time we did this are listed in this blog post.
   
2. Check out some books from the library--look for Beauty Trix for Cool Chix; Makeup: Things to Make and Do; The Girls' Spa Book; Insparation; or The Girls' World Book of Bath & Beauty.


3. Visit some websites with a vast array of home beauty product recipies, including Kitchen, Crafts 'N' More, Natural Beauty, and Make Your Cosmetics.

Beauty Product Recipies

Since we did are doing a few projects today that we didn't do last time, here are the recipies:

Easy Body Sugar Scrub
Recipe from http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (brown or white)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 drops vanilla or almond extract

Directions:

1. Combine sugar and oil in a bowl and mix until a pasty consistency forms.
2. Add two drops of extract and stir to combine.
3. Spoon into an airtight container and put on the lid.
4. To use, massage gently over damp skin. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. This is great for exfoliating feet, hands, and other rough patches of skin in the winter. Don’t use it on broken, irritated, or scarred skin, though.
   

Candy Cane Bath Salts
Recipe from http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/

Ingredients (double amounts for a bigger container):

• 1 cup Epsom salts
• 4 tablespoons sea salt
• 4 drops mint extract
• 2 drops red food coloring

Directions:

1. Place ½ cup of Epsom salts and two tablespoons sea salt in a Ziploc sandwich bag. Add two drops of mint extract, seal, and mix in the scent.
2. Place the other ½ cup of Epsom salts and two tablespoons sea salt in another Ziploc sandwich bag. Add two drops of red food coloring, seal, and mix until the color is evenly distributed. Open the bag and add two drops of peppermint extract, seal, and mix in the scent.
3. Carefully snip the right corner off the bottom of both bags. Alternately pour the white and red salts into a container, layering them to create a striped effect.
4. Fill the container all the way to the top to prevent shifting of the contents.
5. Put a lid on the container and throw away any leftover salts.
6. Add a few tablespoons to your tub for a fragrant and relaxing winter bath.

New African-American Fiction

Our collection of African-American fiction has grown! I replaced copies of books that were lost and also ordered a bunch of new ones. Come in while the selection is good!

• Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson
• Played by Dana Davidson
• Can't Stop the Shine by Joyce E. Davis (Kimani TRU)
• Drama High by L. Divine
• Drama High: Jayd's Legacy by L. Divine
• Drama High: Second Chance by L. Divine
• Bang! by Sharon Flake
• Keesha's House by Helen Frost
• Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes
• Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan (Bluford High)
• Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan (Bluford High)
• The Bully by Paul Langan (Bluford High)
• Payback by Paul Langan (Bluford High)
• Indigo Summer by Monica Mckayhan (Kimani TRU)
• Trouble Follows by Monica Mckayhan (Kimani TRU)
• Prime Choice by Stephanie Perry Moore (Perry Skky, Jr.)
• Problem Solved by Stephanie Perry Moore (Perry Skky, Jr.)
• Sweetest Gift by Stephanie Perry Moore (Payton Skky)
• Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
• Imani All Mine by Connie Porter
• Lost and Found by Anne E. Schraff (Bluford High)
• A Matter of Trust by Anne E. Schraff (Bluford High)
• Secrets in the Shadows by Anne E. Schraff (Bluford High)
• Someone to Love Me by Anne E. Schraff (Bluford High)
• Until We Meet Again by Anne E. Schraff (Bluford High)
• Like Sisters on the Homefront by Rita Williams-Garcia
• Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson
• The Dear One by Jacqueline Woodson
• If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

Book Review: Alphabet of Dreams

Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher

Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.

This book is an amazing tale of survival and adventure, with a unique twist. Mitra and Babak are hiding in ancient tombs on the edge of a city, barely surviving on what they steal. When Babek starts having dreams that seem to come true, their anonymity is shattered and they must flee for their lives. When they join the caravan of Melchior, Babek's dreams point the way toward an amazing moment in history. This book is a fresh look at a traditional story. Read it during the Christmas season!

Marie Lamba Lovefest Continued

I wrote a review of Marie Lamba's visit to our library, which included some quotes from teens who were at the program.

Here is my review:

Marie Lamba was one of the best young adult authors we have ever hosted at our library. Even though the weather was not cooperative, 23 readers in grades 4 to 12 attended the program, as well as some parents. Talking about both her journey to publication and the plot of What I Meant…, Marie created a meaningful hour-long presentation around the themes of inner strength and determination. She also encouraged listeners to find their own inner resources to deal with their dreams and challenges. Highlights of the presentation included readings from What I Meant…, great advice about writing, and a large pile of actual rejection letters. The students were very impressed with the quality of Marie’s answers to the questions during the Q&A session, and 16 people enthusiastically purchased books to be signed at the end. I would highly recommend inviting Marie to your school, library, or bookstore!

Here are the quotes:

“I liked how she described the publishing process and her difficulties with it.” --Amy, age 16

“She was very honest and in-depth about rejections.” --Caitlin, age 17

“Marie was a great guest speaker and I am really looking forward to reading about the lifeguard in her new book.” --Arwa, age 16

“I liked the fact that she was finally able to put her book In and Out of Time aside to work on a new project. It taught me that I could stretch further as a writer.” --Stephanie, age 15

“After hearing about What I Meant…, I wanted to stab that aunt in the eye with a blunt object.” --Katie, age 16

Here is Marie's response:

Thanks so much for doing this! It really is so helpful. I'll be sure to include your comments in the press I hand out at the ALA Midwinter meeting in Philly. I'll be at the SCBWI booth on Friday, the opening night. Maybe I'll see you there!

BTW, LOVED the eye-poking comment. You have such a great group of teens there. I bet you have a blast with them. And please let Arwa know that the book about the steamy bad-boy lifeguard just got mailed to my agent yesterday. Fingers crossed that it'll be accepted by a publisher soon!

B&N Fundraiser Report

On Saturday, we had a very busy day at Barnes & Noble. Lots of patrons and employees shopped to support our library, and several Teen Advisory Board members wrapped gifts through the day. The total income for gift wrapping was $60.25, which is about how much we made last year. We don't know yet what the total raised from book sales was.

Thanks to Alexa, Koumudi, Kaitlin, and Amy for showing up when they said they would to wrap gifts! We did some good shopping for the teen section, too, including a bunch of new fantasy books, a few historical fiction titles, and a copy of the 2008 Guiness Book of World Records. Look for those on the shelf soon.

Nintendo Night

On Friday, 25 people came out for Nintendo Night. We had a great time laughing at the Jeopardy! game on the original NES. For the first time ever, we ran not only a Pokemon Diamond and Pearl tournament for DS users, but also a Super Smash Bros Melee tournament on the big screen! The Pokemon tournament had 14 players, and the final came down to Rachel and Maher. Oddly, the Melee tournament, although it had 20 players, also came down to a final between Rachel and Maher! I guess we know who spends too much time playing video games!! Anyway, Maher ended up winning both tournaments and got a $10 gift card to game stop for each. All the semi-finalists got candy, which made them happy. And I got to whoop everyone at Dr. Mario on the NES, which made me happy!! Look for another Nintendo Night on the winter schedule.

New Now!

Here are this week's new additions to the teen area:

FICTION

• Firegirl by Tony Abbot (replacement copy)
• The Poison Apples by Lily Archer
• The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks
• How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
• Quaking by Kathryn Erskine
• Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin
• The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
• Glass by Ellen Hopkins (sequel to Crank)
• Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe
• Strays by Ron Koertge
• Miracle Wimp by Erik P. Kraft
• Dangerously Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
• Edenville Owls by Robert B. Parker

NONFICTION

• Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits

Marie Lamba Author Visit!

On Sunday, 26 people braved the weather to meet Marie Lamba at our library. It was a yucky day, but we had a great time. Of course, Marie did readings from What I Meant... and talked about the ideas and themes in the novel. Marie also talked a lot about writing and her journey to publication, including giant stacks of rejection letters, some of which were absolutely ridiculous. The worst one was written on an unevenly cut piece of green construction paper with red crayon scribbles on the back! The audience asked great questions and 15 copies of the book were sold to new fans. Hopefully, we will see more books from Marie in the future!

What an attentive audience!

An aeriel view

Marie shared her piles of rejection letters!

An action shot

Getting books signed

Everyone was happy!

Charm school?

Can't wait to read!

Woohoo, signed books!

80s Night...Totally Trippendicular!

Last night, 21 teens came out to our second-ever 80s Night. We did a variety of games in the beginning, including matching celebrities then and now, taking a Coke-Pepsi taste test (which actually ended in a tie), translating sentences into 80s slang, and trying the ever-popular "put Michael Jackson's faces in order" game.

Later, we tried to play an 80s-themed Don't Forget the Lyrics game, but I was surprised how few famous songs people actually knew! I thought I was picking mostly easy ones. Our snacks for the evening included Sour Patch Kids, Reese's Pieces, Cool Ranch Doritos, and chicken nuggets. I couldn't believe how desperate everyone was to eat the nuggets...I should have started cooking earlier!

Everyone enjoyed media clips about 80s fads, fashion, and technology, and we had a great time comparing the videos of Michael Jackson's Bad and Weird Al's Fat. Incidentally, yesterday, November 30, was the exact 25th anniversary of the Thriller album. We have such great timing, and I didn't even know it!

Here's some pix:

Oh my god, we are, like, so cute!

Translating phrases into 80s slang.

Pound Puppies are just so cuddly!

Our costume contest winner...no surprise there!

The Pound Puppies photo corner was a popular spot!

Even the guys were willing to pose by the Pound Puppies.

Food of the 80s

Looking for snacks and prizes for our 80s party on Friday night, I found lots of information about foods that were first available in the 1980s! Sadly, all of the beverages are no longer available, but everything else is (I think).

Beverages:

• Lemon Lime Slice (1984)
• Mandarin Orange Slice
• Wild Cherry Pepsi (1989)

Candy & Snacks:

• Jello Pudding Pops (1980)
• Tostitos (1981)
• Fruit Roll-Ups (1983)
• Pop Secret microwave popcorn (1985)
• Sour Patch Kids (1985)
• Cool Ranch Doritos (1987)
• Hershey Kisses with Almonds (1988)

Fast Food:

• Chicken McNuggets (1983)

Restaurants:

• The Olive Garden (1982)
• Bosten Chicken (1985--now known as Boston Market)

New Books on CD

A big order of books on CD just got through processing, so here's what's new:

• Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
• Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
• Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
• Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
• The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

iPod Crafts!

Need a quick gift for a birthday or holiday? Why not make an iPod accessory! These are adaptable to other kinds of iPods than those listed, as well as other types of MP3 players, so don't feel left out!

Here are some fun links I found...

• Make an iPod Nano Case from an Orbit Gum Package
• Knit an iPod Cozy
• Make a Duct Tape Case for Your iPod Nano
• Make an iPod Dock from Duct Tape and a Pringles Can
• Make a Toaster Pastry iPod Cozy
• Make a Hoodie for Your MP3 Player

Book Review: The Declaration

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Reviews by Marissa, Arwa, and Gretchen

SUMMARY: It's the year 2140 and Longevity drugs have all but eradicated old age. A never-aging society can't sustain population growth, which means Anna should never have been born. Nor should any of the children she lives with at Grange Hall. Children like Anna--Surpluses--are brought up to believe they must atone for their very existence. Then one day a boy named Peter appears, bringing with him news of the world outside, a place where people are starting to say that Longevity is bad. Peter begs Anna to escape with him, but Anna's not sure whom to trust: the strange new boy whose version of life sounds like a dangerous fairy tale, or the familiar walls of Grange Hall and the head mistress who has controlled her every waking thought? (from the back of the book)

MARISSA SAYS: This book was very exciting and hard to put down. When I first started reading it, I thought living forever wouldn’t be that bad, but by the end I was fully convinced that I would join the rebellion. I could not live in a world without kids and I would most likely run out of things to enjoy after living over 100. This book would make a great book discussion book due to the conflict and excitement it contains.

ARWA SAYS: This work reminded me a lot about Shakespeare and his work with man's fickleness--how changable humans. It also reminded me of how only a few select people can be leaders while the read of mankind is in the "followers" column. I thought parts of the story went too fast, while others were too slow. Yet, it still had a good, juicy plot. All in all, it was a very original piece of work that I hope does not happen in the near future.

GRETCHEN SAYS: I am an avid reader of dystopian future fantasy, so I was excited to read this book by a new British author. The concept is really interesting: in the future, stem-cell research has leads to Longevity drugs that keep people from aging. Because of this, there is a population problem and illegal children, called Surpluses, are rounded up and raised to be servants and workers for the Legals. As a reader, I cheered for Surplus Anna as she awakened to the reality and complexity of life and began to think for herself. However, I was disappointed with the writing style. The story is told from a third person omnipotent point of view, and the switches among characters are sometimes jarring. Many aspects of this future society were alluded to, but not fully fleshed out, and the ending seemed rushed. Nonetheless, the novel is a thought-provoking and frightening vision of the future. A sequel addressing the Underground Movement to get rid of Longevity and free the Surpluses from Grange Hall would be an excellent follow-up. I can forgive what is lacking in this book if there are others to follow!

Sellers Library Teen Blog Policy

Since the comment problem from a few months ago has stopped, I am allowing anonymous comments on the blog again. Just so we're all clear, here are the official rules of the blog!

PURPOSE

• This blog exists to promote library activities and materials for students in grades six to twelve.
• Items posted generally include book reviews, lists of new books, links to book and author websites, teen event schedules, and teen event reports.
• Pictures of events may be posted, if available.
• Other topics may be included, including pop culture discussions, links to fun websites, and blog poll results, at the discretion of the blog administrator (Gretchen Ipock, Young Adult Librarian).

COMMENTS

• Comments are open to anyone, even without a Blogger username and password. Users do need to type in a security code (shown on the page) to post a comment.
• Comments should be related to the post on which they are made.
• All comments are screened by the blog administrator.
• Inappropriate comments will be deleted from the blog. This may include factors like aggressive or confrontational language, use of foul words, or comment spam.
• The administrator reserves the right to change the comment policy if inappropriate comments persist. The administrator may moderate comments, disallow comments, require users to login to Blogger, or limit comments to blog contributors.

CONTRIBUTORS

• Members of the Teen Advisory Board and others who frequently attend teen events may ask to become blog contributors. These members are allowed to create blog entries, not just add comments.
• Contact Gretchen Ipock at yaservices@udlibraries.org if you want to be a contributor.

Duct Tape Forever!

Last Wednesday, only two people showed up to make duct tape crafts, but we had fun anyway. I had silver, white, red, and black tape available. We all made wallets, which wasn't very hard. Genni added very functional pockets to the inside of hers. She didn't even have directions! I also made a coaster for my cup and a postcard to send to my parents. If you missed it, don't worry. We will be making duct tape roses at the Anti-Valentine's Day party I'm planning for the winter!

Dance Dance Revolution

Yesterday, 17 dancers came to our afternoon DDR event. We have not done this in a while, so it was good to get moving. Especially after eating all that turkey and stuff on Thursday! There were a lot of people who were just learning to play, so no one felt too unskilled. Everyone was brave though--14 people entered our tournament! Chris was the winner (no surprise there), and walked away with a $10 gift card to GameStop. We will definitely do this again soon.

Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along

Yesterday, 10 teens came out to out Beauty and the Beast movie sing-along! It was our first Disney movie sing-along, and we will definitely have to do it again. We did notice some inconsistencies in the movie; for example, how did Belle get the Beast on the horse after the wolf attack? But it was great fun anyway! Look for another movie sing-along on the winter schedule.

Duct Tape Stuff!

Drop by today between 3:00 and 5:00 to make duct tape crafts in the upstairs program room!

If you can't come, here are some resources for you to make your own duct tape stuff at home...

BOOKS:

• The Original Duct Tape Halloween Book by Tim Nyberg
• Got Tape? Roll Out the Fun with Duct Tape! by Ellie Schiedermayer
• Ductigami: The Art of the Tape by Joe Wilson

WEBSITES:

• Duct Tape Case for Your Ipod Nano
• Duct Tape Wallet and Flowers
• Duck Tape Club Duck-tivities (a variety of projects from luggage tags to lunch bags)
• Don't forget to enter the 2008 Duck Tape Stuck at Prom Contest! (And check out the past winners, too.)

Book Review: The Crazy Horse Electric Game

The Crazy Horse Electric Game by Chris Crutcher

Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.

SUMMARY: The title refers to the game for the Eastern Montana American Legion baseball championship, as the star pitcher, Willie Weaver, leads his team against the powerful squad from Crazy Horse Electric. But the emphasis of the novel shifts quickly away from baseball after Willie suffers a head injury in a water skiing accident. Unable to accept the loss of his athletic prowess, the pity of others, and his parents' troubled marriage, Willie runs away and ends up in the inner city of Oakland, California. After being beaten and robbed by a gang, Willie is rescued by a black bus driver/pimp, who enrolls Willie in a school for troubled youths. (from the School Library Journal review)

OPINION: I have always liked the title of this book, but the actual text did not live up to my feelings for the title. Sad to say, this is not Crutcher at his best. The story took place over several years, but, even so, it felt like too many issues were crammed into the book. It seemed to take forever to make a point, then it ended very abruptly. I did like how Willie, a small-town good old boy in the making, found his place in the hood after his injury. Don't judge Crutcher by this book though. Look for Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Whale Talk, or his new one, Deadline, which are all worth your time.

Book Swap Report

Today, 12 people traded 45 books at our book swap! Most people came early and stayed the whole time. We enjoyed Disney Scene-It for two and a half hours with no repeats! And some of the questions were actually challenging, even though the game is rated for ages 6 and up. Of course, there were snacks...the last of that giant bag of candy finally got eaten! We will definitely do more book swaps in the winter and spring, so look for it on the schedule.