More New Fiction

We are seriously about to bust out a wall in the teen section. Here's the newest books:

• Such a Pretty Face: Short Stories about Beauty by Ann Angel
• Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
• Enter Three Witches : A Story of Macbeth by Caroline B. Cooney
• Harlem Summer by Walter Dean Myers
• Forged in the Fire by Ann Turnbull
• No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull
• Flora Segunda: The Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit , her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog by Ysabeau S. Wilce

Book Review: Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

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

SUMMARY: Naomi and Ely are life-long best friends. Naomi loves and is in love with Ely, and Ely loves Naomi, but prefers to be in love with boys. So they create their "No Kiss List" of people neither of them is allowed to kiss. And this works ine - until Bruce. Bruce is Naomi's boyfriend, so there's no reason to put him on the List. But Ely kissed Bruce even though he is boring. The result: a rift of universal proportions and the potential end of "Naomi and Ely: the institution." Can these best friends come back together again?

OPINION: Growing up in neighboring apartments in NYC, Naomi and Ely have a history. Years of memories, secrets, and adventures have bonded them into an almost codependent friendship. But Ely is gay, and Naomi hasn't truely dealt with that, until the Bruce incident. Now Naomi has to face the fact that she really can't turn Ely straight, no matter how beautiful, funny, or needy she is. And Ely has to learn how to relate to people in mature ways instead of using them. This is a story of growing up and growing apart...or maybe not. Told from various points of view, not just those of Naomi and Ely, this novel explores complex relationship issues with depth, sensitivity, and just the right amount of humor.

Book Review: Neverwhere

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

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

SUMMARY: Richard Mayhew, learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished. He ceases to exist in the ordinary world of London Above, and joins a quest through the dark and dangerous London Below, a shadow city of lost and forgotten people, places, and times. His companions are Door, who is trying to find out who hired the assassins who murdered her family and why; the Marquis of Carabas, a trickster who trades services for very big favors; and Hunter, a mysterious lady who guards bodies and hunts only the biggest game. London Below is a wonderfully realized shadow world, and the story plunges through it like an express passing local stations, with plenty of action and a satisfying conclusion. (from the Amazon.com review)

OPINION: This was Book Grub's selection for our September meeting, recommended by Kara. And it was amazing! Everyone knows London's famous tube slogan "Mind the Gap," but Neil Gaiman infuses it with an entirely new meaning. After helping the mysterious Door, Richard Mayhew slips through a gap in space and time, entering the impossible underground world of London Below. Suddenly, what were just stops on a subway map become matters of life and death for Richard and Door. In London Below, Blackfriars Bridge houses combative friars and Islington is not just a borough, but an angel. It is really cool how Gaiman twists the real and the familiar into a strange, dark fantasy world. This book combines elements of Alice in Wonderland, legends, urban fantasy, Victoriana, and adventure into a cohesive whole that will keep you guessing until the very end.

WEBSITE: Just for fun, here's the official website of the London underground.

IF YOU LIKED NEVERWHERE: I made a list! Here are a few titles, and ask me for more.

• Valiant (and other books) by Holly Black
• Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophesies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman
• Mortal Engines (and sequels) by Philip Reeve
• Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? (and sequels) by Eleanor Updale
• The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (and other books) by Chris Wooding

Newness

More new books are entering the collection every day. Here's the newest:

FICTION

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
• Broken Moon by Kim Antieau
• The Princetta by Anne-Laure Bondoux
• Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
• Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

NONFICTION

• What Smart Teenagers Know...About Dating, Relationships, and Sex by Deborah Hatchell
• Paper Galaxy: Out-of-This-World Projects to Cut, Fold, and Paste by M. D. Prins
• Sex: It's Worth Waiting For by Greg Speck

Book Review: Guyaholic

Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler
Reviews by Alexa and Maria

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

ALEXA SAYS: Guyaholic, Carolyn Mackler’s latest novel, is a short yet full story of a girl who is crazy about hot guys and physical relationships. At least that is what it seems at first. In truth, Mackler has written a complex novel that goes deeper than any other I’ve read. V, the main character, only knows how to fling, until she meets Sam Almond who tries to change her world. Sam wants commitment, but V won’t let the word love roll off her tongue, let alone the word boyfriend ! Does this have anything to do with V’s mom? Sadly, V doesn’t see her mom nearly enough to know. With fun twists and turns on both sides of the highway, Guyaholic is a quirky, lovable novel that you will sail through!

MARIA SAYS: The story is about a girl named V who attends a hocky game and gets a nasty injury to the head. A boy saves her by placing his sweatshirt around her injured head as she partly blacks out. She comes home to hear that someone is knocking on the door; Sam Almond is his name. The two fall in love with each other. As the relationship goes on, hardships, break-ups, and broken friendships happen. It is a good read. At least it burns off an awfully boring day. I recommend this to a wide range of audiences in the young adult group.

Book Review: Club Dread

Club Dread by Walter Sorrells

Click on the book cover to find out which libraries own it.

SUMMARY: This sequel to Fake ID finds 16-year-old Chastity and her mother hoping to make normal lives for themselves in San Francisco. They are still pursued by a powerful, menacing figure from the past who is determined to reclaim a tape recording that proves him guilty of murder. Chass is a talented singer who dreams of having her own band. She witnesses, and is implicated in, the drive-by shooting of a famous young musician. Soon she is drawn into the dark underworld of a secret society that might have something to do with the crime. Teens with an interest in music will especially enjoy this suspenseful, action-packed thriller. (from the School Library Journal review)

OPINION: I enjoyed Fake ID, and was eagerly awaiting this sequel to find out what happens to Chass. This book was not quite as believable as the first one, but the story is fast-paced and very mysterious. And I loved the band Chass put together, especially the bass player. (She has a killer attitude and drives like a maniac!) The activities of the creepy secret club in this book seem worse than any frat initiation, and the mind games they play are outrageous. You will be kept guessing until the very end, and entertained by pages of car chases, narrow escapes, and dangerous situations along the way. If page-turning thrillers are your genre, this is a book for you. But read Fake ID first, if you haven't already!

Exciting and New...

We continue to get new stuff, and we're running out of room! Come check things out!!

FICTION

• Love Sick by Jake Coburn (replacement copy)
• I'm Late: The Story of LaNeese and Moonlight and Alisha Who Didn't Have Anyone of Her Own by Mari Evans
• Now Starring Vivien Leigh Reid, Diva in Training by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout
• Girls on Film (A-List series) by Zoey Dean
• Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
• Simply Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

NONFICTION

• The Far Side Gallery by Gary Larson
• Knitgrrl 2 by Shannon Okey
• The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
• Get Hooked: Simple Steps to Crochet Cool Stuff by Kim Werker

Book Review: Love Is a Many Trousered Thing

Love Is a Many Trousered Thing (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series) by Louise Rennison

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

SUMMARY: Georgia thought her heartbreak troubles were over when Masimo announced that he wanted to be her one and only. But just as she hits Swoon City, Robbie, the original Sex God, shows up. How in the world has Georgia accidentally acquired two Sex Gods? Before Georgia can decide what to do next, she must figure out what Robbie's intentions are—and if his sudden re-appearance changes her mind about Masimo. And as much as she wants to turn to Dave the Laugh for help, he's another romantic thorn (and prospective snoggee) in her side. Will Georgia get off the rack of love once and for all?

OPINION: I have been a fan of this series from the beginning! The books always make me laugh because Georgia describes things in the funniest ways. She takes British English to a whole new level! Full of hilariosity, this eighth installment further describes the insanity of Georgia's love life. Georgia says, "After queuing up at the cakeshop of luuurve for ages, I have accidentally bought two cakes...I have been to the bakery of love and I have got an Italian cakey...But I might also have an eclair called Robbie, in case I'm peckish and the Italian cakey isn't filling enough." Erlack a pongoes! What's a girl to do?

WEBSITE: Check out the website for this series! Read Georgia's complete glossary, join the Ace Gang, and even enter Georgia's Groovathon contest!!!

Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament

Last night, 14 teens entered our summer Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament, and 3 of them were girls! Evan, Connor S., Bo, and Conor O. made it to the semi-final round and all won candy. I was hoping for a Connor vs. Conor final, but Bo and Connor ended up as our last pair. After 3 games, Connor was the winner and got a $10 gift card to K B Toys to buy some Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Book Review: Boy Toy

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
Reviews by Kara, Alexa, Caitlin C., and Gretchen

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

KARA SAYS: Boy Toy is the story of Josh Mendel, a teenage boy who had been sexually abused by a female teacher when he was twelve. He is insecure and feels that everyone around him knows and judges him about it. To add to the pressure is the fact that his abuser has been released from jail. The book starts with Josh as a senior in high school, hoping to get into top colleges and being a star baseball player. A reunion with Rachel, a girl he had “almost raped” when they were thirteen and hadn’t spoken to since brings up all new emotions for him. Josh tells Rachel about the details of his abuse and his abuser: his history teacher, Eve. Josh goes into extreme detail about his experience and the aftermath. The rest of the book is dedicated to Josh trying to deal with all the new problems that face him: having Rachel back in his life, prom, choosing colleges, important baseball games, the possibility of seeing Eve again, trying to survive the end of senior year, and attempting to live a relatively normal life.

I thought that Boy Toy was very well written. It was the first book I had ever read dealing with the subject of child sexual abuse. I was surprised by the extreme detail used in the description of the abuse, but it did make it seem realistic. Some changes should be made, such as when Josh told his whole story in one sitting. I think there should have been some breaks in the narration to build suspense and make it more realistic. I also think that Josh’s relationship with Rachel moved a bit too fast. I feel that Rachel should have taken her time reuniting with Josh considering the circumstances and the way Josh acted. I would recommend this book for mature readers only because of the subject manner and details describing it. Overall, it was a very interesting read and shows Barry Lyga’s versatility as a writer.

ALEXA SAYS: Boy Toy, Barry Lyga's newest book, is an incredibly well-written story about a graduating high school boy finally dealing with a very large issue that is presently becoming more and more popular in the United States. In 7th grade, Mrs. Sherman, Josh's history tracher, lured Josh to her apartment every day for months, disguising the visits with a fake grad class project, and ending them by molesting him. As the end of the novel unfolds, it is revealed that she even made Josh think he seduced her, but through flashbacks--and flickers--Josh learns the truth. With such a tragic past, Josh struggles with relationships--except for his best friend Zik, who is always there and never pushes for information about what happened. Rachel, who Josh almost raped because he knew no better, has been out of Josh's life and wants back in ... but is Josh ready?

I recommend Boy Toy to anyone who enjoys stories about love and difficult truths. Boy Toy has become one of my all-time favorite books. I like the set-up of the book, which is about 100 pages of the story in present-day, then 100 pages of flashback, 100 more pages of present-day, 100 pages of other flashback, and it finishes out with an ending in the present. The story incoropates a lot of issues that I am dealing with, like college choices, friends, and sports, so I can relate well to it.

CAITLIN C. SAYS: This book forces you to think about a dozen different issues. Not only do you read the thoughts of Josh the high-school senior, you also see what went through his twelve-year-old head when he was with Eve, along with all the other characters putting in their two bits about the experience. When you finally think you have an opinion about the scandal, you’re forced to rethink it because Josh changes his mind many times over throughout the course of the story. It’s not just the sex scandal that has you confused either. During and after, the reader will be asking him or herself, “What is love? What is maturity? How do you define being mature? Who was Cal Ripken anyway?” You’re taken for a ride as everything you thought you believed is chewed up and spit back onto a bubble gum wrapper, and you don’t mind one bit.

Suffice it to say, I enjoyed this book. People can be absorbed by a good book so that they can’t stop talking about it, but few have ever been haunted by a book. Boy Toy was my literary poltergeist for the past few days, and it refused to leave me alone until I sat down for a few hours and finally finished it. There didn’t seem to be any spelling errors and the language was fluid and clear, but it all could’ve been in pig Latin for all I would have noticed. I’m not sure when or even if I’ll be haunted by another book, but if it ever occurs again, I’ll instantly think of Boy Toy. After all, they say you never forget your first time.

GRETCHEN SAYS: Boy Toy is definitely a departure from Fanboy and Goth Girl, but high schoolers will appreciate Josh's authenticity as a character. He is realistically struggling with social and psychological issues, even as he gets on with his own life of sports, and school. Although Boy Toy tackles the very current subject of sexual abuse, it should not be relegated to the pile of teen problem novels. I think showing Josh as a senior in high school looking back on the events of his seventh grade year makes the story more realistic and less voyeuristic. The detail in the flashbacks is somewhat graphic, but I don't think it was gratuitous. Boy Toy is a very honest telling of how victims are affected by abuse over time. Josh is a believable character, and readers will forgive the length of his flashbacks to find out more about his current life, including his fledgling relationship with Rachel, his performance on the baseball diamond, and his feelings about the release of his abuser from jail.

New: Teen Graphic Novels!

As of today, we have a small teen GN collection. It is interfiled with the teen fiction, so look for the POW! sticker on the spine. At the moment, the collection is extremely random, and you can make it even more so...bring in some donations!!

• The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
• Graphic Classics: H. P. Lovecraft
• Graphic Classics: H. G. Wells
• Trigun by Yasuhiro Nightow
• Star Wars: Dark Empire by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy

Jerry Spinelli Author 411 Is Here!

The Author 411 page on Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli has been posted, and the high school book group (aka Book Grub) is on it. It looks like a lot of our questions, some in a modified format, made it on the list! Scroll down to the bottom to see our name in print!!!

Click on the book cover to find out which libraries have Love, Stargirl on the shelf. You can have a copy sent to our library...just click the "Request" icon, type in your name and library card number, select our library for pick up, and wait for a phone call!

Answers from Jerry!!

Back in June, Book Grub members had the opportunity to read an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli through Random House's Author 411 program. At our meeting, we discussed the book and wrote questions for Mr. Spinelli. Well, tomorrow, the Jerry Spinelli Author 411 page goes live, including our questions. So cool! Meanwhile, the publisher emailed me our group's answers today. So, from Jerry to Random House to me to you...

1. Stargirl ends with an epilogue 15 years in the future, yet Love, Stargirl starts right after she moves away. How did you try to reconcile the plot of Love, Stargirl with the ending you had already written? Did you have any difficulties? Do you have any plans to write a third book about Leo or Stargirl that would tie the two together?

Terrific question, as it zeros in on a writer’s issue. When I ended Stargirl I had no intention of ever doing a sequel. Five years later I had a problem. Having decided to portray Stargirl the following year, what do I do with Leo, who, as you say, apparently doesn’t see her for quite a few years after Stargirl ends? I would just say that I tried to turn this “problem” to my advantage and to tell the story in a way that’s not too predictable.

Though there probably won’t be another Stargirl book, for a hint to what lies in the future for them, I refer you to the last page of Stargirl. Obviously, if Leo receives a porcupine necktie in the mail, Stargirl knows where he lives. We can assume she’s got an eye on him and that they are about to meet again.

2. Stargirl is written as a narrative from Leo’s point of view, while Love, Stargirl is written as a diary from Stargirl’s point of view. The books are very different because of this. Which storytelling style do you like better for these characters? Or does the story work better when told from both points of view?

Since . . . I could not have Stargirl and Leo physically interact, I thought a letter/journal format would be the next best way to bring them “together.” I added imagined conversations between Stargirl and Leo to further promote a sense of real-time interaction. Of course, when you tell any story in first person, you’re limited to what your narrator knows and sees.

3. Stargirl is incredibly different than the average teen, and there isn’t anyone like her in other books for teens. How did you come up with the idea for a character like Stargirl? Do you know any real-life Stargirls?

[My wife] Eileen comes closest to being a model for the character. Some things that Stargirl does I lifted right from Eileen’s personal history.

Not only could Stargirl exist today—she does exist. She may not resemble Susan Caraway point by point, but across the country and the world, girls with her spirit and heart and humanity dance and laugh and love among us all. As for fitting in, maybe the question should be, Could a “normal” school fit in with Stargirl?

4. In Love, Stargirl, Stargirl collects a lot of unlikely and unusual friends. How did you manage to make these characters interesting without making them unrealistic?

Stargirl evolved over 30 years. Others may come overnight. It varies. I seldom try to transplant a whole, real person onto the page, but in one way or another, real people—often combinations of them—are always part of a character’s fabric. As for making them real, I simply report in detail the results of one of my favorite pastimes: people-watching.

Stargirl is not an age bigot. She’s attracted to all interesting people, not age levels. She appreciates humanity in any color, size, nationality, age, whatever. Remember Archie said: “She’s an earthling if there ever was one.”

5. At the beginning of Love, Stargirl, she says, “I love beginnings. If I were in charge of calendars, every day would be January 1.” If you were in charge, what day would you like to celebrate more often?

Fourth of July. I’d like to have it twice a year. I love fireworks and marching bands.

6. If you could talk to Stargirl, what would you ask her?

Are you ever bored? Do you wear your seatbelt? What scares you most? Do you think you’re pretty? Do you care? Do you think you’ll ever see Leo again?

7. Do you celebrate the Solstice or other natural events?

I love astronomy, and the Solstice is an astronomical event. Beyond that, when Eileen first suggested I write a little holiday gift-type book about Stargirl, an early thought was to focus it on Christmas. From there it was a short step to swing that focus to something less specifically religious and more broadly natural. Stargirl and Solstice felt like the right match.

8. What is your experience with homeschooling?

Our daughter-in-law, Marina, homeschools five of our grandchildren.

9. If you could change your name, what would you want to be called?

Congratulations! That’s the hardest question I’ve ever gotten. It took me 30 years to settle on the name for the main character in the book that finally came to be called Stargirl. So you’ll have to give me at least that long to come up with a name for myself. In the meantime, I’ll tell you that in college I tried to get my fraternity brothers to call me Weasel, but it didn’t stick. As I note in Maniac Magee, you can’t give yourself a nickname; it’s what the world wants to call you. Of course, “Stargirl” is not a mere nickname.

10. Are there any plans to make a movie of Stargirl or Love, Stargirl? Would you like to see her on the big screen?

Stargirl is already under option for film. Last month the announcement was on page one of Hollywood Reporter. And yes, I would like to see it happen, especially if it turns out to be good.

11. Do you have plans to write sequels to any other of your stand-alone books? What new projects are you working on?

No, I’m not planning any more sequels . . . Love, Stargirl will be in the bookstores in August. And it won’t be alone—also on the shelves will be a companion Stargirl Journal. In September, I’ll cross the country on a book tour for those two. In the spring, Smiles to Go will come out. And right now, I’m working on a nonfiction book co-authored with my wife and fellow writer, Eileen.

12. Are any of your book characters based on real people?

Eileen comes closest to being a model for the character. Some things that Stargirl does I lifted right from Eileen’s personal history. I would say I’m not Leo as much as Eileen is Stargirl, but there certainly is some of me in Leo.

13. Which of your books are you most proud of? Do your children or grandchildren have any favorites?

My personal favorite is my first published book: Space Station Seventh Grade. But “proud of” is a little different. For that I might say Maniac Magee. If the grandkids have particular favorites, they haven’t told me.

A Brush with Fame

On Friday night, 11 teens and 2 adults came by to meet local author Jeffry Johnston and hear about his YA book Fragments. Although he had a lot of experience with writing articles and short stories, it took him 25 years and 6 books to write a novel that actually sold! Patience and practice were his words of advice to aspiring writers. Interestingly, the people who attended asked him a lot of questions about his background in theater, which he was totally unprepared for. We sold 9 copies of the book and everyone enjoyed getting theirs signed. Jeff even offered to come back and talk to our book groups if we were ever reading his book for a meeting, which I thought was really cool. If you missed the event, you can always check Fragments out of the library!

My lobby display to promote the event.

Jeff talking to the group.

Storytime!

Jeff read the first chapter aloud to the group.

People wait in line to get their books signed.

Author Visit!!!

Tomorrow night is our visit from YA novelist Jeffry Johnston, author of Fragments. Hear him talk about his life as a writer and about his book, then buy a copy for $5 and get it signed!! It starts at 7pm, and will be held in the adult library. See you there!

Look for these New Books!

Here are the newest additions to the teen area shelves...

FICTION

• Confessions of a Teen Nanny 2: Rich Girls by Victoria Ashton
• The Problem with Paradise by Lesley Dahl
• Manstealing for Fat Girls by Michelle Embree
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Samurai Never Fears Death by Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler
• Confessions of a Not It Girl by Melissa Kantor
• Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
• Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
• A Pickpocket's Tale by Karen Schwabach
• Amazing Grace by Megan Shull
• Peak by Roland Smith
• Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

NONFICTION

• We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Sharon Draper
• The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World around Them by Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell
• Stolen Sharpie Revolution by Alex Wrekk
• Sew Teen: Make Your Own Cool Clothes by Sheila Zent

Grease Is the Word

Today, 16 teens came out for our Grease Movie Sing-Along. We were nice and cool in the AC while it was roasting outside this afternoon! I definitely saw some other mouths moving, although I was the loudest singer. Some people did hand-jive along with me, though, so that made me happy. Everyone seemed to enjoy this classic teen movie. Look for another sing-along in the fall!

Eclipse Prom!

Tonight, 15 teens came to the Eclipse Prom to celebrate the upcoming release of the third book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series! We made souvenier picture frames, did a Mad-Lib of the time when Bella and Edward first met, had a contest to make Bella's prom shoe and walking cast, played Twlight baseball trivia, ate snacks with FORKS and drank ARIZONA tea, and took tons of pictures. Seriously, a bunch of people brought cameras and we spent a lot of time posing! Marissa won a prize for being best dressed. She did her hair beautifully, wore the prom dress she made herself, and even sported a walking cast! Other people won prizes for funny things like "most unexpectedly frilly" and "most colorful." Special thanks to Kara for making an atmospheric music CD for the party. It was great fun. I hope the book is as good as the party was!

Everyone who loves Edward got to hold the cake!

The silly group photo.

Working on creating a cast.

Beautiful dresses on some of my favorite readers!

One group decorating souvenier picture frames.

The lone male attendee put up with a lot!

Everyone shows off their group's entries in the Bella contest.

Complete picture frames and more pretty dresses!

A cute group photo.

Attacking the cake.

Book Review: After

After by Francine Prose

SUMMARY: A school-shooting incident in nearby Pleasant Valley causes Tom's high school administrators to be worried about a ripple effect. A crisis counselor is hired and a watchdog atmosphere grows as the teens' privileges rapidly disappear. Tom and his sophomore classmates are annoyed but not overly concerned about the new security restrictions until they notice eerie disappearances of friends who fail to conform, including Tom's two best friends. The random drug tests, backpack searches, parental e-mail, and dress codes soon expand into mind-controlling daily assemblies, book censorship, and camps for "behavior" problems. After a tip from a Pleasant Valley basketball player, Tom is convinced that students everywhere are being sent away and hopes his father hasn't also been brainwashed via the e-mails from the school authorities. The pace picks up as Tom and friend Becca are caught trying to alert their fellow students to the menacing counselor and know that their lives are at risk. (from the School Library Journal review)

OPINION: How much freedom are you willing to give up for the greater good? Should schools implement dress codes? Is it OK for police dogs to sniff students' lockers for drugs? Should schools restrict your reading material? What starts as a contemporary story about school violence quickly turns into a dystopian fantasy as students gradually lose freedoms in the name of safety. Many issues of student rights are explored, but the author incorporates them in such a gradual way that it blurrs the line between right and wrong. How much is too much?

Get a Clue

Today, 23 teens came to play in our Clue Tournament! Everyone brought their Clue games to share, so we had regular and Simpsons games going on. It was a lot of fun. We did a double elimination first round, then a second round with three games of three. This narrowed it down to the three finalists: Sophia, Deborha, and Genni. In the final round, Deborha was the winner, getting a $10 gift card to KB Toys! All the finalists got candy, too. Once people were eliminated from the tournament, they played lots of other board games from our teen stash, including Scattergories, Monopoly, and Scrabble. It was a great afternoon! Check out the pictures below.

Winners!

Monopoly

The first round begins!

Another shot from the first round.