May Anime Club Drawing Challenge

In honor of Memorial Day, last month's Anime Club drawing topic was "patriotic." The entries were really random! Here is some of the artwork created:

If the guy from One Piece helped us win WWII...

Kawaii presidents??

Nice hair!

A reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Hmmm...maybe we should have specified "American" patriotic!

TAB Graduates

Today was our final Teen Advisory Board meeting of the school year, which means we had to celebrate our three graduates! We are sending Alexa, Amy, and Stephanie off to college this year, and we will really miss them. Stephanie and Amy have been members since 2007, and Alexa has been on the TAB since it first started in 2004. We had cake, cards, and gifts today, so that makes it an official party. (That, and the dollar store tablecloths!) The TAB bought Borders gift cards and I put together a photo memory book for each of the girls. I keep digital pictures from all of the programs over the years, so it's fun to look back and see what we've done and how much they've changed! We also gave Stephanie and Amy their original TAB applications so we could laugh at their answers. Today was actually doubly special, because we welcomed three new members. Laurel, Christa, and Arig are joined the group just in time for the party, and we are looking forward to working with them more over the summer and through next year. Only one person couldn't be there, so it was nice to have nearly everyone in the same place at the same time. It's a rare occasion! Congratulations and lots of love and success to Alexa, Amy, and Stephanie!!!

The TAB

Oooohhh, shocking!

Book Grub Grads

It's that time of year again...we have to say good-bye to our Book Grub seniors! Although some will still be around through the summer, June is always our graduation party meeting. I made cupcakes (with help from Nat), and bought some other snacks. We heard from everyone about their plans for the summer and where they are headed in the fall. It's amazing to have such a diverse and talented group of library teens! We also talked over all the books the group read this year, and definitely heard some strong opinions. Here's what we read:

• July 2009: Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
• August 2009: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
• September 2009: The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding
• October 2009: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• November 2009: Impossible by Nancy Werlin
• December 2009: Paper Towns by John Green
• January 2010: Unwind by Neal Shusterman
• February 2010: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
• March 2010: What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundel
• April 2010: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
• May 2010: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This was a really wide range of books, so I'm proud of us for not getting stuck in a reading rut this year! A lot of people said the one that stuck with them the most was Unwind, and I definitely agree with that. I liked looking back over the year and hearing everyone's overall opinions. It helps make the group better in the future (not that it isn't already awesome, of course). Anyway, congratulations and best of luck to our graduates!!!

Book Grub Grads: Martha, Alexa, Ashveen, Jeff, Anila, Busra, and Stephanie

We always have to do a silly picture!

Craft Closet Cleanout

Today, nine people dropped by for our spring edition of Craft Closet Cleanout. We forgot to make reminder calls, so that's a good effort by people who just remembered to show up! Everyone could choose to do either the main crafts I had out at the tables, or take their chances with a DIY project from the box. People made tissue paper flowers, jean leg autograph pillows, scratch-painted CD magnets, beaded flower hairpins, button earrings, painted star magnets, and more! I forgot to bring my camera, but everyone made at least two things. Emily's button earrings turned out especially well and got her complements when she wore them to school! I always like to hear craft success stories. Anyway, CCC will return at the end of the summer, so check the schedule.

Candy Sushi Drop-In Day

A record 36 people stopped by last Wednesday to make candy sushi! I had directions for four different types of sushi, three of which were the same as we made last year. The fourth one was a gunkanmaki that we filled with Nerds candy to look like fish eggs! It was pretty realistic looking, and probably tasted better too. Everyone started out with a giant plate of junk food, and some even complained that it was too much unhealthy food all at once. However, by the time it was transformed into cute sushi, no one seemed to care. Almost everyone stuck around to eat their sushi with chopsticks and take turns playing the always-hilarious WarioWare: Smooth Moves. This year's after-school drop-in days were awesome, so look for more of them in the fall.

It was fun, but it took concentration

Chopsticks!

A completed plate of sushi

Look at all the junk food it takes to make fake sushi...

It's fun to play with your food!

Another completed plate of sushi

Bunches of New Books

Here are the new titles that we added to the teen section this week:

FICTION

• Kendra by Coe Booth
• Dawn by Kevin Brooks
• The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti
• Cool Like That by Nikki Carter (So For Real series)
• Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad (L. A. Candy series)
• Cold as Ice by L. Divine (Drama High series)
• Hourglass by Claudia Gray
• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
• Charmed and Dangerous: The Rise of the Pretty Committee by Lisi Harrison (Clique series)
• I Am the Wallpaper by Mark Peter Hughes
• The Sable Quean by Brian Jacques (Redwall series)
• The Enchanted Quest by Frewin Jones (Faerie Path series)
• The Immortal Realm by Frewin Jones (Faerie Path series)
• Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
• Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely series)
• Step Up by Monica McKayhan (Indigo series; Kimani Tru)
• Everwild by Neal Shusterman
• The Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn

NONFICTION

• Teen Cyberbullying Investigated: Where Do Your Rights End and Consequences Begin? by Judge Tom Jacobs
• A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Vampire Knight, volumes 8and 9, by Matsuri Hino
• Hacked by Mur Lafferty and Ryan Payne

Cheese Night

Last Friday, 28 people showed up for the Teen Advisory Board's Cheese Night program! This idea has been bouncing around among the TAB members for a few years, and we just decided to go for it this spring. It was a little random, but a lot of fun! As they came in, everyone selected a nametag of a kind of cheese and added their answers to my posterboards of cheesy questions. We did two cheese art projects, which were hilarious. First, everyone had to create a shape from a slice of American using only their teeth. Later, we made constructions out of cheese cubes and toothpicks. Of course, everyone got to eat their creations after I took some pictures! We watched clips from some cheesy movies like Marley & Me and Mamma Mia!, and we saw Wallace and Gromit's quest for moon cheese in A Grand Day Out. Throughout the evening, we also ate cheesy snacks that I cooked in my toaster oven. Overall, we ate 140 pizza rolls, 60 jalapeno poppers, and two trays of cheesy spinach dip with tortilla chips. We ended the program with yummy cheesecake cupcakes. I randomly gave away things from my cheesy prize box all night, including horrible teen library books from the 80s, books by Nicholas Sparks, dollar store junk, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and other cheesy snacks. I definitely declare Cheese Night a success! We'll have to do another one in the future.

Cheesy Pictures

Here are some pictures from our cheese art activities!

A three-legged dog

A rooster

An underwater scene of a fish with bubbles and seaweed

A ray

A snowflake

A diamond!

A pterodactyl

A dog's head

The Eiffel Tower

Two people and a dog

A pentagonal robot monster

A gorgeous jungle gym with a child playing on it

Cheesy Comments

As people arrived at Cheese Night, they added some commentary to my cheesy posters. Here's what they had to say...

Favorite Cheesy Food:

• Ravioli, lasagna, pizza, and baked ziti
• Mozzerella sticks
• Cheese on cheese
• Tacos, nachos, and quesadillas
• Cheese fries
• Macaroni and cheese
• Cheetos and Doritos
• Apples and cheddar ("best combo ever!")
• Broccoli with cheese
• Cheese-Its (and cheese zits...)

Favorite Cheesy Love Song:

• My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
• The Way I Loved You by Taylor Swift; Love Story by Taylor Swift; anything ever sung by Taylor Swift
• Beautiful Soul by Jesse McCartney
• Firefly by Owl City
• Baby by Justin Bieber; anything ever sung by Justin Bieber
• Your Song by Elton John
• Achy-Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus
• All I Ask from The Phantom of the Opera
• Something by the Beatles
• Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley

Favorite Cheesy Pick-Up Lines:

• Can I have a map? I got lost in your eyes.
• You need a ticket because you've got fine written all over you.
• It's a good think I have my library card because I'm checking you out.
• Are you Jamaican? 'Cause J-makin' me crazy.
• Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?
• Can I have your number? I lost mine.
• Are you from Tennessee? 'Cause you're the only ten-I-see.
• Do you have a Band-Aid? I hurt myself falling for you.
• Can I borrow your phone? I have to call my mom and tell her I found the girl of my dreams.

Favorite Cheesy Movies:

• She's All That
• A Walk to Remember; anything based on a book by Nicholas Sparks
• Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
• Texal Chainsaw Massacre
• Confessions of a Shopaholic
• Titanic
• 27 Dresses
• The Orphan
• Pokemon 2000
• My Girl
• Born Romantic
• 50 First Dates
• The Lake House
• The Hills Have Eyes

Jean Leg Autograph Pillows

Yesterday, 11 teens showed up to make jean leg autograph pillows for the end of the school year. Thanks to Sellers staff and patrons for donating all of the jeans and the fiberfill stuffing! We used the straightest legs to make the pillows rectangular. We just cut off the cuff, fringed the ends, cutting strips about 3/4" apart and about 5 inches deep. Then we knotted the fringe on one end together, ironed on an "Express Yourself" patch, stuffed it, and knotted the other end. It was easy and cute! At the end, everyone was given a Sharpie to take home with their pillow. Some people collected signatures from friends at the event, while others saved it for school.

Getting an early start on the signatures.

Look! Pillows!

Finished products.

What to do with leftover jean parts...?!

Shiny and New

Lots of new books are getting catalogued for the teen section. I just shelved all the new vampire books and manga I got at the Salvation Army, plus these titles:

FICTION

• Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
• Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan and Ben Alirez (Bluford High series)
• Break by Hanah Moskowitz
• Stranger and Stranger by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner (Emily the Strange series)
• The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (Forest of Hands and Teeth series)
• The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
• I Will Always Love You by Cecily von Ziegesar (Gossip Girl series)
• Kiss by Jacqueline Wilson

SHORT STORIES

• First Kiss (Then Tell) : A Collection of True Lip-Locked Moments edited by Cylin Busby

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Vampire Knight, volume 7, by Matsuri Hino
• Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You, volume 4, by Karuho Shiina
• Sgt. Frog, volume 6, Mine Yoshizaki

Book Review: Genesis Alpha

Genesis Alpha by Rune Michaels
Click on the cover to find a library copy.

SUMMARY: Josh worships his older brother, Max. They look alike, they talk alike, and they both have the same interests, including their favorite massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Genesis Alpha. But Josh and Max have an even deeper connection. Because Josh was born for a reason. It was Josh's stem cells, harvested when Josh was newly born, that saved his dying older brother's life. Now that same beloved older brother is arrested, accused of the brutal murder of a teenage girl. Josh is bewildered. Is Max really a monster, or is all of this a terrible mistake? And if the worst is true and Max is guilty, does that mean Josh is guilty too? After all, Max wouldn't exist without him. But this is only the beginning. Before long, Josh will come to a number of searing revelations -- revelations that have dire implications not only for Max's future, but for Josh's as well. (from the product description on Amazon.com)

OPINION: Chris recommended this book for our Primos teen book group, and I think it was a great choice. It is a short book, and the page-turning plot makes it a quick read. Max's twisted logic raises a lot of fear and doubt for Josh in the story, and their relationship raises a lot of points for the reader to think about. What is the truth about good and evil? How much of our behavior is related to nature versus nurture? Are you obligated to be loyal to your family? Genesis Alpha looks at some ethical questions similar to those in Double Helix by Nancy Werlin and The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, but it is more of a thriller. The action and plot twists will keep you turning the pages! This is a great book for boys who enjoy series like Alex Rider, as well as for anyone who likes medical science fiction.

The Salvation Army Strikes Again

I don't know where the Salvation Army in Darby gets their book donations, but some of them are brand new and they only charge 20% of the cover price. This means that teen paperbacks are always between $1.50 and $2.00 each, which is cheaper than I can get things from our library suppliers. Last time I went, I bought a giant pile of manga, some still in their plastic wrappers. Yesterday, I scored fiction and more manga, all brand new! Look for these on the shelf next week:

FICTION

• Betrayed by P C. Cast and Kristen Cast (House of Night series)
• Chosen by P C. Cast and Kristen Cast (House of Night series)
• Marked by P C. Cast and Kristen Cast (House of Night series)
• Untamed by P C. Cast and Kristen Cast (House of Night series)
• Wake by Lisa McMann (Wake series)
• Frostbite by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series)
• Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series)
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series)
• Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (The Immortals series)

MANGA

• Hayate the Combat Butler, volume 2, by Kenjiro Hata
• +Anima, volume 2, by Natsumi Mukai
• Ranma 1/2, volume 30, by Rumiko Takahashi

Use the Free Homework Help!

A few years ago, Delaware County started offering FREE Live Homework Help to all library card holders. With a library card and internet connection, you can use it anywhere! It is for everyone in grades K-12 (and even your first year in college) and it is now open 24/7. You can get help in your core subject areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, Writing, and English.

Try it out for yourself! Pretend you have trouble with a question from your homework. This will help you learn how it works for when you have a real problem. Also, take a second and show it to your parents or other adult so they know it's safe for you to use.

I always talk about this service when I do school visits, and I heard last week that one of the 6th graders actually went home and tried it like I suggested. Except that she pretended to be a Kindergartener who couldn't figure out how to add 9 + 3! The tutor told her to draw 9 circles, then 3 circles, then count them all. Hilarious, but educational if she had actually been a Kindergartener. The tutors won't give you free answers, but they will help you really learn how to do it yourself.

Anime Club Artwork

For the past year or so, we've included an art challenge in our monthly Anime Club meetings. However, this is the first time I've thought to bring my camera! The way the art challenge works is that we pick a topic at the beginning of each meeting, and people draw while watching anime. Everyone turns in their artwork by the end of the meeting, and I select the top four to win prizes.

If you want to join the Anime Club, we generally meet on the fourth Friday of the month from 3:30 to 5:00. This is a year-round club, and you can join anytime. You do need to register and get the permission slip signed before you can attend.

This month the theme was "royalty" and the prizes were four little puzzles that named objects in Japanese and English. Here are some of the entries:

by Sarah B.

by Katie

by Tracy

by Nikki

by Christine

by Billy

by Laurel

Book Review: Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Click on the cover to find a library copy.

SUMMARY: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing. (from the inside flap)

OPINION: This book started out as the kind of book I usually hate. Not one to follow (or even care about) the drunken exploits of the popular crowd in real life, I usually don't bother reading books about them! However, I had heard so many good things about this book that I gave it a chance. Sam becomes less and less self-centered as the story progresses, which made it much easier for me to keep reading. I ended up racing to the finish, alternately crying my eyes out and rooting for Sam as she figures out how to break the repetive cycle of days. As the same events unfold, with only Sam making any changes, this book really explores how even the smallest of our choices has an effect on everyone around us. The atmosphere of this book reminds me of both Sweethearts by Sara Zarr and Before I Die by Jenny Downham. This is a must-read for those who enjoy everything from the cattiness of Gossip Girl and Mean Girls to the real-girl world of authors like Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti.

May Reading Suggestions

This month's Teen Scene email newsletter has lots of great reading suggestions! There is a list of new books, as well as two intriguing themed lists called "Letting Go" and "Getting a Grip." And the choices are not all fiction, so there is something for everyone. I found several books that I had never heard of and now want to check out, including Hot Lunch by Alex Bradley. If you are always looking for a new book, this email is a free service from the Delaware County Library System. Just sign up, and it will arrive each month!

New to the Shelves

Here are the newest arrivals to our teen fiction section:

• Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian Cirrone
• The Boyfriend Trick by Stephie Davis (First Kisses series)
• Back in Black by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
• Blonde Ambition by Zoey Dean (A-List series)
• Friend Is Not a Verb by Daniel Ehrenhaft
• Trust Me by Rachel Hawthorne (First Kisses series)
• Chasing Tail Lights by Patrick Jones
• If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor (replacement copy)
• Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (additional copy)
• Street Love by Walter Dean Myers (replacement copy)
• Far from Xanadu by Julie Anne Peters
• A Golden Web by Barbara Quick
• Sophie Pitt-Turnbull Discovers America by Dyan Sheldon
• Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet by Kashmira Sheth
• Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones
• No Right Turn by Terry Trueman
• Truth or Fashion by Chloe Walsh (Interns series)
• The Debutante by Kathryn Williams
• 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson

Book Review: Princess of Glass

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
This book will be released on May 25, 2010. Click on the picture for a link to Amazon.com.

SUMMARY: Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

OPINION: This fairy tale is more than just a retelling, since it blends elements of several stories into a new narrative. Beautiful Princess Poppy is one of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, which does not make her an easy houseguest for her host family since she keeps turning down invitations to balls or refusing to dance. Poppy is a resourceful and determined sort of princess, though, and when the mysterious Lady Ella appears to be under an enchantment, Poppy draws on her experience to sleuth out the source. She even saves her own prince! I wouldn't say this book is particularly memorable, but it is an entertaining and easy read. I would recommend it for girls in middle or high school who likes fairy tales, light fantasy, or romance.

Teen Series List

The new teen series shelf includes fiction series in which we own five or more volumes. (There are a few where the fifth volume is not coming out until later this year, but I moved them anyway.) They are shelved in alphabetical order by series title. Within each series, the books are shelved by title (not by author or by number).

Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz
A-List by Zoey Dean
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Bluford High by various authors
The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen
Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan
The Clique by Lisi Harrison
Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison
The Dating Game by Natalie Standiford
Diamond Brothers Mysteries by Anthony Horowitz
Dragon Keepers Chronicles by Donita K. Paul
Drama High by L. Divine
Faerie Path by Frewin Jones
Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar
House of Night by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Kimani Tru by various authors
Maximum Ride by James Patterson
The Mediator by Meg Cabot
Once Upon a Time by various authors
Payton Skyy by Stephanie Perry Moore
Pendragon by D. J. MacHale
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Perry Skyy by Stephanie Perry Moore
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Samurai Mysteries by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

New Teen Series Shelf!

If you've been in the library during the past few weeks, you know that we've been doing some major shifting and reorganizing. Sarah R. rearranged the children's nonfiction collection and freed up a whole new shelf for teen books!! The shelf is located right outside the door of the teen room. You can't miss it...I used fluorescent yellow for the display signs.

So when a librarian is given a whole new shelf to fill up, it is a thing of beauty. I considered a lot of different arrangements, but ultimately decided to separate out the teen series books from the regular collection. This is great for several reasons: 1) it makes series with different authors easier to find, 2) it frees up a lot of shelf space in the teen section, and 3) it may help popular books not go "missing."

The new teen series shelf includes any series in which we own five or more items. It is organized in alphabetical order by series title. Within each series, the books are alphabetical by title, not author or number. There is a complete list of the book series in bright yellow on the top shelf, for your reference. I also put dividers between the series. Come check it out!!

The whole shelf.


A close-up of my lovely series dividers.

The top of the shelf.

Other Changes to the Teen Section

Since we relocated the teen series books, a few other things have changed as well:

1. Graphic novels and Shonen Jump magazines have moved to the shelves at the beginning of fiction. Look to your left as you enter the teen room.
2. The shorter shelf is now just for teen nonfiction, which is spread out over four shelves.
3. The top of the shorter shelf is now for display, and is currently showcasing fiction books with "prom" in the title.
4. The teen fiction section is mostly the same, but has been shifted down. Your favorite authors have probably moved!

One thing has not changed. The teen books on CD are still on top of the brown shelf outside the teen room. There's just no other place to put them!

African-American Fiction Update

We just added a bunch of new and replacement African-American fiction for the teen collection!

• Fabulous by Simone Bryant (Kimani Tru)
• The Exorsistah by Claudia Mair Burney
• Chasing Romeo by A. J. Byrd (Kimani Tru; additional copy)
• 16 Isn't Always Sweet by Cassandra Carter (Kimani Tru; additional copy)
• Next Semester by Cecil R. Cross II (Kimani Tru)
• Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson
• Courtin' Jayd by by L. Divine (Drama High series; replacement)
• Keep It Movin' by L. Divine (Drama High series; replacement)
• Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper (Hazelwood High trilogy; replacement)
• Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper (Hazelwood High trilogy; replacement)
• November Blues by Sharon M. Draper
• Romiette and Juilo by Sharon M. Draper (replacement)
• Dirty Jersey by Phillip Thomas Duck (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• Dirty South by Phillip Thomas Duck (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems about Boys by Sharon G. Flake
• A Matter of Attitude by Hayden (Kimani Tru)
• Payback by Paul Langan (Bluford High series; replacement)
• Deal with It by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• Indigo Summer by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• Jaded by by Monica McKayhan (Kimani Tru; additional copy)
• Hotlanta by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller (Hotlanta series; replacement)
• What Goes Around by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller (Hotlanta series; replacement)
• Crystal by Walter Dean Myers (replacement)
• She Said, She Said by Celeste O. Norfleet and Jennifer Norfleet (Kimani Tru)
• The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
• Lost and Found by Anne Schraff (Bluford High series; replacement)
• Someone to Love Me by Anne Schraff (Bluford High series; replacement)
• Gettin' Hooked by Nyomi Scott (Kimani Tru)
• Lesson Learned by Earl Sewell (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• Keysha's Drama by Earl Sewell (Kimani Tru; replacement)
• The Promise by Chandra Sparks Taylor (Kimani Tru)

DIY Craft: Jeans to Purse

If you've worn through the knees on your favorite jeans, give them new life as a bag! You don't even have to know how to sew for some of these.

Pocket Purse
Use the back pockets of a pair of jeans to make a cute, small purse.

Jean Leg Purse
Use the legs to make a little purse with a braided strap.

Booty Bag
This roomy purse is made from the top of a pair of jeans!

Booty Bag with Flap Closure
This set of directions has great step-by-step pictures. To modify this into a messenger bag, just use men's jeans rather than your old low-rises and make a longer strap.

New Manga

OK, so this sounds funny, but I bought us a pile of random new manga at the Salvation Army! I went in there to get cheap shirts for Nat, and came out with two bags of books. What can I say...the kids' clothes are right by the book section. I couldn't resist; the manga looked like it had never been read and it only cost $2 per book!!

Here's what we got:

• Hellsing, volume 1, by Kohta Hirano
• Ghost Hunt, volume 1, by Shiho Inada
• Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 2, by Masatsugu Iwase
• Eureka Seven, volume 2, by Jinsei Katako and Kazuma Kondou
• Love-Com, volume 5, by Aya Nakahara
• Fruits Basket, volumes 2 and 3, by Natsuki Takaya
• Rurouni Kenshin, volume 28, by Nobuhiro Watsuki
• Trinity Blood, volume 2, by Sunao Yoshida
• Airgear, volume 3, by Makoto Yukon

Nerd Appreciation Night!

On Friday night, 21 people showed up for Nerd Appreciation Night. Nitha suggested this program to the Teen Advisory Board over the winter, and it was definitely a success. I guess you could call almost any program we do "Nerd Appreciation Night," but this one was special because it had such a wide variety of nerds!

Everyone picked a nerd nametag as they came in, or made their own. The list included fictional characters like Hermione Granger, Steve Urkel, Lisa Simpson, and Peter Parker, but also some real people like Ben Stein, Weird Al Yankovic, Tina Fey, and Susan Boyle. We played Simpsons Scene-It for about 15 minutes while everyone arrived.

Our major activity for the evening was the Battle of the Nerds. Nitha suggested that we should let everyone defend their nerdish passions, so I set up some NCAA-style brackets and filled in a Sweet Sixteen of nerds. We pitted nerd against nerd in one-minute rounds where each person had 30 seconds to talk about his/her chosen subject. The group voted for the winner of each round, who then moved on into a new bracket. We had a good mixture of guys and girls from a variety of backgrounds, so topics ranged from the expected (role-playing games, fantasy books/movies, writing, drama) to the far-out ("the human mind," "the multiverse theory"). Our final round ended up being Anas (physics) against Nitha (celebrity obsession), with Anas declared the victor for his rational descriptions of how physics is related to real life. Anas won a DVD of the SyFy channel's original miniseries Tin Man, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz.

We also did a nerd quiz slideshow, with a question for the whole group on each slide. People raised their hands to answer and won Nerds (of course) for correct answers. I tried to come up with questions for all kinds of nerds so everyone had an opportunity to win. Some of the questions asked for demonstrations, and that's where we met some true nerds. For example, you're probably a nerd of some type if you can do an actual card trick from memory!

We had chips and candy for snacks, and we watched a movie clip from Spaceballs and a few Monty Python sketches. We ran out of time for nerd media so we definitely have to do this again! We didn't even get to The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, or Napoleon Dynomite. Look for another Nerd Appreciation Night next year!

Nerd and Geek Books

In honor of Nerd Appreciation Night tonight, here are a list of books that you might want to read with "nerd" or "geek" in the title!

FICTION

• Geek Abroad by Piper Banks
• Geek High by Piper Banks
• Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
• NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley
• Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
• Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen
• The Queen Geek Social Club by Laura Preble
• Queen Geeks in Love by Laura Preble
• Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott

NONFICTION

• Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them by David Anderegg
• Confessions of a High School Word Nerd edited by Arianne Choen and Colleen Kinder
• She's Such a Geek! Women Write about Science, Technology, and Other Nerdy Stuff edited by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Anders
• American Nerd: The Story of My People by Benjamin Nugent

Like, Totally Radical 80s Crafts

Yesterday, 13 people showed up to make 80s crafts! We snacked on popular food of the 80s (Reese's Pieces, Sour Patch Kids, microwave popcorn, and Fruit Roll-Ups) and rocked out to great songs like "Video Killed the Radio Star." I got to wear my very 80s cassette tape earrings and "Jason" heart necklace in honor of the day! The program itself was chaotic, but everyone left with three awesome crafts.

A few weeks ago, I ordered BeDazzlers from their (complete waste of time) website for this program. Note to self: never order anything "As Seen on TV" again!! They charged an arm and a leg for shipping, but never bothered to ship my order. Luckily, they never actually charged my credit card, either. I called and cancelled the order this week, but that left us without BeDazzlers to decorate our tote bags. So, I had to run around like crazy to see what I could get in the craft stores and ended up with iron-on studs as the most economical choice! This meant, of course, that we were treated to an endless variety of "stud" jokes from Jamie as I described the activity, but at least we got to do it!

So, we started with the retro-graphic tote bags, cutting apart the iron-on studs and positioning them on the bags. But, the directions said to turn the item inside-out before ironing, and then all the studs fell off as people did that. We ended up turning the bags inside out first, then sticking on the studs by reaching inside, which worked much better. (It would have been so much easier with BeDazzlers. Grrrrr.) Anyway, the bags turned out pretty well and only a few rogue studs had to be stuck on with craft glue. I hope everything stays on when people use the bags!

We then made a quick necklace modified from the jewelry book Hardwear by Hannah Rogge. It was just plastic tubing and screw eyes, connected in the front with a safety pin for a great industrial punk look. Very 80s, but also cool now.

At the end, I taught everyone about the magic of shrinky-dinks! We did some quick drawings with Sharpie, cut them out, and punched a hole in them. The library does not have an oven, so we used my toaster oven from home, which worked just fine. In less than two minutes, everyone got amazing small versions of their drawings! A lot of people safety pinned them on to their tote bags, which was a cute idea. We are definitely going to make shrinky-dinks again, but we will probably use colored pencils so the colors are not so dark. (If you want to do them yourself, the only craft store around here that sells the paper is A. C. Moore.)

Check out our pictures:

Tote bags get a thumbs up.

Fun with scissors.

Finished products!

New TAB T-Shirts

The new Teen Advisory Board t-shirts are here, and they look great! If you didn't make the meeting or if you forgot your money, the shirts are on the book group shelf. Bring in your $5 (or $8 for long sleeve), and you can have it anytime.

The front

The back...drawn by Anas!

The usual silly picture!!! I almost forgot, so thanks for the reminder.

Book Review: After

After by Amy Efaw

Click on the picture to find a library copy.

SUMMARY: Fifteen-year-old Devon Davenport lies on the sofa mindlessly watching morning TV. She is in physical pain, and her only recourse is to mentally disconnect. Suddenly her life turns upside down and she is left wondering what happened. Why is she being charged with attempted murder? Through a series of conversations with her court-appointed attorney, Devon begins to uncover deep-seated resentments and awaken to the fact that she had been pregnant, has given birth to a baby, and thrown the infant into a Dumpster. Devon begins as an unsympathetic character who grows, giving readers a better understanding of her choices. This is a skillfully written, emotionally raw story detailing one girl's difficult journey from denial of her circumstances to acceptance and redemption. (from School Library Journal)

OPINION: After is written in the third person, but the narrator is actually Devon herself. This unusual style gives voice to the fact that Devon is completely disconnected from reality, and has been for the last nine months. We, the readers, only know what Devon knows, and she is in such a deep state of psychological denial that the details are revealed piecemeal as events trigger her memory. This book is an answer to the question I think to myself whenever I hear a news story about human tragedy: "What kind of sick person would do something like that?" Get inside Devon's head in this dramatic novel, and be prepared to get emotional as Devon's case goes to trial. This book made me angry, it made me frustrated, it made me scared, and it made me cry.

Rock Band Jam Session

Last Wednesday, 13 people showed up for our spring Rock Band Jam Session. There was no love for The Beatles, but Rock Band 2 and Lego Rock Band got a lot of time. We had a lot of different people singing, not just our usual two or three. I did Two Princes by the Spin Doctors! I am going to get more Rock Band songs before our next event this summer, so that's something to look forward to. Thanks to everyone who showed up to play!

Book Suggestions

This month's Teen Scene email newsletter describes lots of great new books, as well as a list of one-of-a-kind graphic novels. Sign up now to get monthly reading suggestions delivered to your inbox! Here are some I am really interested in reading:

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (science fantasy)
Finn is trapped in Incarceron, a brutal, futuristic prison imbued with artificial intelligence and so vast that it's like a city. Claudia, the daughter of Incarceron's ruthless warden, is being forced into an arranged marriage for political reasons. The two of them live in completely separate worlds, but each is desperate to escape--and they may be each other's only hope. Readers of either science fiction or epic fantasy who love complex, twisting plots, intricate world-building, elegant writing, romance, and plenty of political intrigue are sure to be hooked by this riveting read.

Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki (realistic fiction graphic novel)
Being a geek never really bothered Emiko...but now her geeky friends are excited about attending a young executives' retreat over the summer, and Emi isn't interested. Then, just when it seems that her summer will be all babysitting, all the time, shy Emi is handed a flyer advertising weekend performance-art "Freak Shows," and she's both intrigued and terrified. After she finally works up the nerve to go to one of the shows, her whole life changes. Check out this slightly angsty, gently funny, and completely engaging read to see how Emi goes from geek to superstar on the road to becoming herself.

You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems about Boys by Sharon Flake
Lots of books tell stories about the trials and tribulations of being a teenage girl; the poems and stories in this companion to the girl-focused collection Who Am I Without Him? are all about guys and their lives. From 17-year-old Tow-Kaye, who's both excited and scared about marrying his pregnant girlfriend, to James, who's contemplating taking his own life after the death of his twin, to Eric, who loves his North Philly 'hood, the African-American young men you'll meet in this book are realistic characters that you'll care about and remember.

New Books for You

These are the new books that came through processing this week. A lot of them were purchased with money raised by the Random-A-Thon! I put labels in the front of all of those, so everyone will know. Some of the others were review copies from the county, which is always a great way for us to get free books. Come in and look for these:

FICTION

• In the Space Left Behind by Joan Ackermann
• ArchEnemy by Frank Beddor (Looking Glass Wars series)
• Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor (Looking Glass Wars series)
• The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle
• Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
• In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
• Everlost by Neal Shusterman

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Burn by Camilla d'Errico
• Maid Sama!, volumes 1-4, by Hiro Fujiwara
• Kimi Ni Todoke, volumes 1-3, by Karuho Shiina

NONFICTION

• The Art of Drawing and Creating Manga: Advanced Techniques by Peter Gray
• The Art of Drawing and Creating Manga: Women by Peter Gray
• The Art of Drawing and Creating Manga: Mechas and Monsters by Peter Gray
• The Art of Drawing and Creating Manga: Action by Peter Gray

Book Swap & Miyazaki

Last Wednesday, 27 teens showed up for our spring break Book Swap and Miyazaki event! Ten people swapped 36 old books for new reads, so I hope they are enjoying their selections. We watched a double feature of Miyazaki's anime movies, which was great for me because I have never seen any of them. Several members of the Teen Advisory Board suggested this event, and I am grateful because it was really popular. I was astonished, though, at how much food was eaten during the program. The group demolished a six-pound bag of gummy bears, two gallons of lemonade, an entire batch of chocolate cupcakes, and a giant container of snack mix! It's a good thing I went to BJs to stock up the day before. Anyway, we'll definitely combine Miyazaki and book swap again in the future because there are a lot more movies to watch. However, look for a different book swap and movie theme on the summer schedule!

Shiny and New

Be the first person to check out these new additions to the teen fiction section:

• Duplikate by Cherry Cheva
• Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
• Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey (Once Upon a Time series)
• The Walls Have Eyes by Clare B. Dunkle
• Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
• Crossing Stones by Helen Frost
• Into the Wild Nerd Yonder: My Life on the Dork Side by Julie Halpern
• How to Steal a Car by Pete Hautman
• No Way Out by Peggy Kern (Bluford High series; two copies)
• Search for Safety by John Langan (Bluford High series; two copies)
• The Fallen by Paul Langan (Bluford High series; two copies)
• The Gun by Paul Langan (Bluford High series; two copies)
• Schooled by Paul Langan (Bluford High series; two copies)
• Shattered by Paul Langan (Bluford High series; two copies)
• Ash by Malinda Lo
• Fade by Lisa McMann
• Downsiders by Neal Shusterman
• Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
• Homestretch by Paul Volponi

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.

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