Hunger Games--Capitol Costume Challenge

One of the activities at our Hunger Games Lock-In was to design a costume fit for a tribute to enter the Capitol!  Each district got identical materials:  duct tape, masking tape, four trash bags (two black, two white), one entire New York Times newspaper, and scissors.  They had 20 minutes to dress up one team member and plan his or her entry into the capitol.  It was hilarious!  Most groups followed the tradition stated in the book, of dressing the tribute to represent the main specialty of their district.  But, how they went about it was so funny.  I mean, we had a mermaid and a cow along with some really crazy-looking outfits!  We had everyone walk down the steps and pose in their costume while other members of their district provided music and commentary.  I wish I had video!

Working on the costumes:

Preparing to enter the Capitol:

Some tributes making their entries:

A publicity shot of all of the tributes:

RIP, Brother Jamar

Ra called me today to tell me that DJ Brother Jamar died this weekend from cancer. I was so sad to hear that news, but grateful to Ra for his thoughtfulness. Ra and Jamar did great positive hip hop programs for teens, and we had them at the library several times over the years. Jamar had an incredible knowledge of and passion for music, and a genuine spirit that made him very approachable. I loved how he would always invite everyone up to check out his equipment after the show! We will definitely miss him, as will many others in the Philly area.

The One Sun Lion Ra, DJ Brother Jamar, DJ Hot Blast, and me

October 2009

 Jamar and Ra performing

June 2009

Checking out the DJ equipment after the show

June 2009

Check These Out!

Here are the newest of the new in the teen section:

FICTION

• The Book of Spells:  A Private Prequel by Kate Brian
• The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima (Seven Realms series)
• The Project by Brian Falkner
• Salt by Maurice Gee (replacement copy)
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Now Playing:  Stoner & Spaz II by Ron Koertge
• The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird
• A Million Suns by Beth Revis (Across the Universe trilogy)
• Between by Jessica Warman
• All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

NONFICTION

• Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style by Ann Shoket and the editors of Seventeen (additional copy)

Shiny!

Here are the newest additions to our teen collection:

• Doing My Own Thing by Nikki Carter
• The Shattering by Karen Healey
• Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
• Wisdom's Kiss:  A Thrilling and Romantic Adventure Incorporating Magic, Villainy, and a Cat by Catheirne Gilbert Murdock
• The Fire by James Patterson (Witch & Wizard series)
• The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson
• A Web of Air by Philip Reeve

Fresh Picks!

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

• Lie by Caroline Bock
• Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
• The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
• Steampunk!:  An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link and Calvin J. Grant
• Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
• How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
• Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Potter vs. Twilight

This just shows how severe Potter fans feel about Twilight. Enjoy!

Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

The last book I read before this was Beautiful Creatures. After the somewhat horrible ending to that, I was ready for something else. But when I read the back of Fallen, I thought I would be reading the same thing. I, as I often am, was wrong.
Fallen tells the dystopian (why is everything dystopian nowadays?) tale of Lucinda Price who has (possibly) been the reason for the death of her friend, Trevor. She has been sent to Sword & Cross, a reformatory school for teens. There, the live triangles (SHOCKER!) start. Luce must choose between cute, smooth Cam (who sounds like he's the beachy blonde type but he isn't) and Daniel (who sounds tall, dark and handsome but is only the former and the latter) who flips her off on their first encounter.
On top of her brewing love triangle, Luce must worry about the shadows that cause so much trouble in her life. When they take the life of the new kid Todd, things start to get crazy at Sword & Cross. Cam and Daniel get in fights (sound like Twilight much?) that are pretty violent and Luce decisions are much more difficult. She begins to sway toward Daniel though when she has dreams of him in an angelic state.
Can Luce discover things about the twisted and mysterious past of Daniel? Does it involve her? Will Cam turn out to be sweet like he came on or turn into something worse? Will Luce EVER get out of Sword & Cross? Don't expect me to tell you! Go get Fallen today!

Stamped Wrapping Paper

Last Wednesday, 16 teens came out to make stamped wrapping paper.  We made worked in groups to make giant rolling stampers using mailing tubes and self-sticking foam shapes.  (Tip:  Double up the foam shapes to make a sharper impression on the paper.)  Then, the groups quickly painted the foam shapes and rolled out their designs on Kraft paper.  Yes, it was messy, but at least I had the forethought to cover the carpet with roofing tarps!  The finished products turned out nicely.  The wrapping paper did require some drying time, though, so I just hope everyone comes back to pick up their papers if they are planning to use them for Christmas.  Here are some (slightly blurry because I took them with my phone) action shots:

Gift Card Donations

The Teen Advisory Board is collecting partially used and unwanted gift cards from library patrons until January 15.  Make space for new cards in your wallet and help us fund teen programs in 2012!  We combine the amounts left on the cards to purchase supplies, snacks, and prizes. 

So far, we've collected $74.72 for stores like Wawa, Old Navy, Target, Kohl's, CVS, and Barnes & Noble.  Thanks to everyone who has donated this month!  We still have a month to go, and all contributions are tax deductible.  No amount is too small.  :)

2011 Barnes & Noble Bookfair!

Saturday was the library's bookfair at the Barnes & Noble in Broomall, and it was a success!  Thanks to all of our library patrons who came to do personal shopping, plus some purchases we made for the library, we are on track to make the most money ever!  We are taking our fundraising money in books again this year, which will be awesome for our teen section.

If you missed the day, don't worry.  You can shop in any Barnes & Noble store or online until December 17.  Just give them our bookfair ID number (10554343) when you check out.

Here's what I bought with my library budget at the fundraiser:

FICTION

• The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices series)
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games trilogy; additional copy)
• L. A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (replacement copy)
• The Fight by L. Divine (replacement copy)
• Frenemies by L. Divine  (replacement copy)
• The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (Lorien Legacies series)
• l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle  (replacement copy)
• Heartless by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Ruthless by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)

NONFICTION

• Guinness World Records 2012
• It Gets Better:  Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller
• Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style by Ann Shoket and the Editors of Seventeen

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Yotsuba&!, volumes 1-3, by Kiyohiko Azuma
• Naruto, volumes 51-53, by Masashi Kishimoto
• Bleach, volumes 36 and 37, by Tite Kubo
• Pandora Hearts, volumes 3-5, by Jun Mochizuki

Three Reviews

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
In The Red Pyramid, Riordan faces the challenge of introducing us to new characters and a whole new mythology!  He is famous for writing the Percy Jackson series, which is based on Greek mythology.  The Kane Chronicles series focuses on a brother and sister, whose Egyptologist father endangers all of their lives during a research experiment gone wrong.  Soon, Carter and Sadie realize that the gods of Egypt are real, and that saving their father means trying to stop the most evil among them.  I had to read this for middle school book group, and I was actually surprised to find myself liking it.  Of course, there was a lot of action and some great battle scenes, but my favorite part of the book was actually learning about Egyptian mythology.  The second book in this series, The Throne of Fire, is already available, and the third (unnamed) book will be out on May 1, 2012.

Heist Society by Ally Carter
Ally Carter is known as the author of the Gallagher Girls spy series, starting with I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You.  But, in this book, she goes in a different direction, featuring Kat Bishop, who has been raised as a thief since birth.  Kat attempts to escape into a "normal" life, but is sucked back into the family business when her dad is implicated in a major heist that she knows he didn't commit.  This book reminded me of a cross between Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman and a heist movie (like Ocean's Eleven or Tower Heist).  It was an easy and fun read, with plenty of action, cliffhangers, and plot twists to make it interesting.  There's also a sequel, Uncommon Criminals, so look for that as well!

Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien
16-year-old Gaia is a midwife-in-training who hands over a quota of babies to the Enclave every month, even though she's never been allowed inside. But when Gaia returns home and finds her parents have been arrested by the very people they serve, she starts a dangerous journey into the city to find them.  This dystopian fantasy's strengths are the character of Gaia and the medical problems caused by the small gene pool in the Enclave.  Several of the plot elements are a bit too convenient, but a disturbing twist at the end made the reading worthwhile.  This book is a good choice if you are a fan of the genre, or particularly interested in science or in childbirth.  And, if you like this book, the second book in the trilogy, called Prized, was released last month.

Newest of the New

Here's what you can look for in the teen section this week:

FICTION

• The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
• Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
• So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
• Caleb's Wars by David L. Dudley
• Lies by Michael Grant (replacement copy)
• Stay with Me by Paul Griffin
• The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
• Addie on the Inside by James Howe
• Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones
• Passion by Lauren Kate (Fallen series)
• The Other Girl by Sarah Miller
• The Vampire Diaries:  Stefan's Diary, Volume 3:  The Craving by L. J. Smith
• Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Touch series)
• A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

NONFICTION

• How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz
• Dear Bully:  70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

Fall DDR Day

Yesterday, 15 teens came after school to play Dance Dance Revolution.  We had free play for a while, then 14 people entered a tournament.  Everyone played cards and games between dancing, and, of course, there were snacks.  There were four really good players in the tournament, but Jennifer surpassed them all to win!  She earned two five-dollar gift cards, one to Burger King and one to Five Below.  (I usually do a $10 to one store, but I had to use up some leftover gift cards from summer reading.)  We'll do some more DDR over the winter, so look for it on the schedule!

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

New Audio Books!

Have you listened to any good books lately?  Try one of these!

BOOKS ON CD

• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
• Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
• Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
• This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
• Before I Die by Jenny Downham
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis
• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus series)
• The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (Kane Chronicles series)
• The Alchemyst by Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series)

BOOKS ON PLAYAWAY (Pre-loaded MP3 players)

• Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
• Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
• What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen 
• Looking for Alaska by John Green 

TAB Bake Sale

On Saturday, the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) had an amazing bake sale in the library lobby.  We raised $248.25 to fund our Hunger Games lock-in this December!!  We had a great variety of food, including cupcakes, brownies, lots of types of cookies, muffins, Rice Krispy Treats, and a delicious Middle Eastern sweet that was like a honey-filled fried doughnut.  We sold nearly everything by the end!  

Thanks to our bakers (and their families):  Katie, Grace, Emily, Elena, Amie & Kim, Anas & Arig, Billy, Genni, Marissa, and me.

Thanks to our workers:  Saranjeet, Genni, Arig, Anas, Katie, Marissa, Grace, Kim, Amie, Christelle, Jasmine, Emily, and Elena.

And thanks to all of the library patrons and staff who bought things from us!  We appreciate you all!!

Superhero Night!

Last Friday, 18 teens came out to celebrate Teen Read Week at our Superhero Night!  As everyone arrived, they used a superhero name generator to get an identity if they didn't already have one.  They also entered to win a comic book and took pictures in our superhero photo area.  During the program, we watched movie clips, did a theme song guessing contest, decorated cupcakes, matched heroes to their catchphrases, had a costume contest, and generally acted heroic.  It was a lot of fun!  Huge thanks to my friend Mike, who shared his love of all things superhero with us.  He had a great time meeting everyone!  Also, thanks to grown-up library teen Caitlin, who donated the comic books we gave away.

I handed out Spiderman pencils to people who knew the theme songs, and Katie ended up with three.  I had to stop calling on her!  For bigger prizes, the Teen Advisory Board suggested "things a superhero would put on his/her utility belt," so we came up with keychain flashlights and carabiner watches.  Everyone who won a contest got to pick one of those, available in many colors to match every superhero's costume, of course.  Micah and Chantiel won the cupcake decorating contest (see photos below).  Chantiel also won the comic book drawing.  Avis ruled the catchphrase matching, with Christelle and Own close behind.  We had seven people enter the costume contest, and it came down to Janitor Man and Bat Girl.  Bat Girl won because Mike was impressed that she had knitted her own hat and cape!  Bat Girl received a comic book for her efforts.  Janitor Man and Bat Girl both got candy, as well.

Are you sad you missed it?  I put lots of links below!  Also, next summer's reading theme is "Rule the Night," so we should definitely do superheroes again!

Movie/TV Show Clips:
Original Batman Bomb Scene
Original Batman Shark Scene
Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
X-Men 2
The Incredibles
Batman Begins
Spiderman 2
DareDevil
Mystery Men

Theme Songs:
Batman Beyond
Batman (1989)
Superman
X-Man Animated Series (1992)
Spiderman
1960s Batman TV Show
1980s Ninja Turtles Cartoon

Some shots from the superhero photo corner:

Some cupcakes:

Billy made Janitor Man's logo

Chantiel's winning cupcake:  a flying superhero

Nehimya decorated his for X-Men

Micah's winning cupcake:  the symbols of Superman, the Green Lantern, and Batman

Laurel did another version of Batman's logo.

Book Swap & Alice

It's Teen Read Week!  One way we decided to celebrate was to have a book swap and movie event with a movie inspired by a book.  This afternoon, 14 teens showed to swap 33 books and watch Alice in Wonderland (2010; PG).  We also  ate 10 bags of microwave popcorn, plus other snacks!  That has to be some kind of record.  I hope everyone enjoys their new books from the swap, but if you don't, we'll swap again over the winter!!

Stuffed Shelves

Look for these new items in our teen section!

FICTION

• The Princess and the Pauper by Kate Brian
• Ghost Town by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires series)
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (additional copy)
• Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
• Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series; additional copy)
• The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
• Witch & Wizard by James Patterson (additional copy)
• Life:  An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
• A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

NONFICTION

• The Duh Awards by Bob Fenster
• The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook:  Holidays by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht 

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Naruto, volume 1, by Mashshi Kishimoto (replacement copy)

Duct Tape Crafts

Last Wednesday, 14 teens came for our after-school duct tape craft program.  It was sticky, but fun!  I had two projects planned, duct tape wallets and hair bows, which most people chose to work on.  Instead of written directions, we used two online video tutorials.  This worked out really well because we could pause it to do work, or watch tricky bits twice!  (Two people did their own thing, creating duct tape versions of the Japanese TV character Domo!)  We had lots of fun colors and patterns of tape, thanks to a great sale at the craft store and the inspiration of my 5-year-old. 

You can check duct tape books out of the library, such as Got Tape? and Ductigami. Duck brand duct tape has also their own YouTube channel!  They have lots of helpful videos on there, as well as tons of craft ideas on their website.  Raid your family's toolbox for the duct tape and make something!

Here are some tutorials to get you started:
Duct Tape Bow
Duct Tape Wallet
Duct Tape School Folder
Duct Tape Bookmark

Duct tape wallets, hair bows, and Domos!

Book Review: Sean Griswold's Head

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Review by Elena

Sean Griswold's Head is a story about an average girl named Payton Gritas.  Ond day, she accidentally sees her mom injecting a needle into her dad's veins.  After this sudden shock, her parents tell her it's not what she thinks.  Her father has multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.  She is outraged to find out that her brothers already know, and Payton desides not to speak with her family.  Payton's parents ask the school counselor to help her, and the counselor tells her to keep a focus notebook.  This might help her focus on something other than her father's disease.  She also chooses a focus object to redirect her attention.  Unfortunately, Payton chooses the head of Sean Griswold, a boy who sits in front of her in biology class. 

Writing in the notebook is helpful at times, but Payton constantly argues with her best friends, quits the basketball team, and starts to do poorly in school.  Payton also slowly becomes friends with Sean, and is slowly crushing on him.  She still will not speak with her family at all, even though she always sees her father in pain and not moving at all because of the disease.  Payton's anger grows, not just at her family, but at the disease.  As the months pass, Sean persuades Payton to practice for a bike marathon to raise money for multiple sclerosis.  

I think this book is a great story for anyone over the age of 12.  It tells a lot about multiple sclerosis and the real symptoms people have.  This story is unique and fun, but also deals with a serious subject.

Fall Nintendo Night

Last Friday, 39 teens showed up for our fall edition of Nintendo Night!  It was our busiest one ever, with three simultaneous tournaments.  We had full brackets in the Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament, with 18 teams.  I matched them up randomly, and we ended up with a final match of David J. and Colin vs. Devon and Jared.  Jared put up a good fight at the end, but was ultimately beaten.  It was a great match!  David J. and Colin each got a $15 gift card to Game Stop, and all four guys got candy.  Huge thanks to John E. for keeping the controllers straightened out for each match.  It was a big help!

The Naruto Shippuden III tournament was also full, with 16 entrants.  This has been a popular game at our club meetings, so it was not a surprise to see some exciting matches and hear a lot of bragging!  Dennis M. defeated David T. in the final for a $10 gift card to Game Stop.  All of the top four finishers received candy.

For our third tournament, we did a Pokemon Black and White tournament on DS.  Evan didn't like our rules from last time, so he took a shot at running it his way.  It worked pretty well, and it also went really fast!  Ten people entered, which worked down to a three-way final.  David J. took home the $10 Game Stop gift card, and all three top finishers got candy.   Evan did all the work of this tournament, from making the rules to checking teams to recording victories in the brackets.  Thanks, Evan!

We do this several times a year, so look for another Nintendo Night on the winter 2012 schedule. 

Fall Craft Closet Cleanout

I don't usually do Craft Closet Cleanout two months in a row, but we have too much old stuff in the attic!  So, 14 people showed up after school on Friday to make things.  I like it because it gets supplies out of my storage room and they like it because there's a lot of variety.  I usually take pictures, but I forgot to charge my camera battery, so you'll just have to trust me that we made awesome stuff!

Here's what we made:

• Denim dog chew toys (from summer 2008)
• Decorated giant flip flops (from summer 2009)
• Sand art keychains (from summer 2009)
• Gift tags (from summer 2011)
• Beaded ponytail holders (from summer 2011)
• Pop tab bracelets (from spring 2010)
• Safety pin bracelets (from fall 2010)
• School spirit ponytail holders (from fall 2011)
• Button jumble earrings (from summer 2011)

We actually finished off supplies for several of these, so yay for us!  I worked yesterday, and I got lots of different projects organized for our next CCC (with help from Sara A.), so look for it on the winter calendar.