CCC

Today's Craft Closet Cleanout only had 5 attendees, but everyone went home with completed crafts. Among other projects, Shannon made a Pop-Tart cozy for her new iPod, Katie made two cute beaded flowers for her hair, and Genni added beading to a purse. People also made robot key chains, team spirit ponytail holders, magnets, Valentines, and more! We will do the CCC again in March, so check the schedule!

Books Selected by the TAB

The Teen Advisory Board helped me chose tons of new books for the teen area at the Barnes and Noble fundraiser on December 6. They are on the shelf and ready to be checked out! Here's what we bought:

FICTION:

• Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Courtin' Jayd by L. Divine (Drama High #6)
• Lady J by L. Divine (Drama High #5)
• Troy by Adele Geras
• The Devouring by Simon Holt
• Burned by Ellen Hopkins
• Identical by Ellen Hopkins
• The Greek Who Stole Christmas by Anthony Horowitz (Diamond Brothers Mystery)
• A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
• 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (replacement copy; read my review)
• Girl at Sea by Marueen Johnson
• Hot Girl by Dream Jordan
• Heat by Mike Lupica
• The Lost City of Faar by D. J. MacHale (Pendragon #2)
• The Merchant of Death by D. J. MacHale (Pendragon #1)
• The Never War by D. J. MacHale (Pendragon #3)
• The Reality Bug by D. J. MacHale (Pendragon #4)
• Cut by Patricia McCormick
• Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series)
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (additional copy)
• Handbook for Boys: A Novel by Walter Dean Myers
• Bliss by Lauren Myracle
• Breathe My Name by R. A. Nelson
• Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe) by Kimberly Pauley
• Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez (read a review by Kaitlyn B.)
• Skinned by Robin Wasserman
• Generation Dead by Daniel Waters (read reviews by Meg and Caitlin C.)

SHORT STORIES:

• Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances with stories by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
• Love Is Hell with stories by Melissa Marr, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Gabrielle Zevin and Laurie Faria Stolarz

NONFICTION:

• Guiness World Records 2009
• Spore: Official Game Guide
• The Twilight Companion: The Unauthorized Guide to the Series by Lois H. Gresh

GRAPHIC NOVELS:

• Azumanga Daioh #1 by Kiyohiko Azuma
• Azumanga Daioh #2 by Kiyohiko Azuma
• Azumanga Daioh #3 by Kiyohiko Azuma
• Azumanga Daioh #4 by Kiyohiko Azuma
• Jim Henson's Return to the Labryinth #1 by Jake T. Forbes and Chris Lie

Urban and African American Teen Books

If you like urban and/or African American teen fiction, here are some recently released and upcoming books to look for:

• Friends ’Til the End (2/09) by ReShonda Tate Billingsley shows how everything is working out for The Good Girlz, until an unexpected tragedy throws everyone for a loop.
• Kendra (10/08) by Coe Booth creates the vivid voice of a teen trying to find her place in the world, even though nothing is what she thought it would be.
• Beacon Hills High (9/08) by Mo’Nique Jackson offers a girl’s coming-of-age story, with 21st-century challenges.
• If Only You Knew: A Hotlanta Novel (10/08) by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller finds Sydney reeling from a breakup, while at the center of an unfolding murder mystery.
• India (10/08) and Veronique (3/09) by Victoria Christopher Murray follow four African-American teen girls who form their own singing group.
• Amiri and Odette: A Love Story (1/09) by Walter Dean Myers is part poem, part love story, part rap and rhapsody, and book celebrates two hearts that beat together on the mean streets.
• Dope Sick (2/09) by Walter Dean Myers spins a harrowing urban tale of recreational drug use, violence, perceptions of reality, and second chances.
• Chameleon (9/08) by Charles R. Smith Jr. evokes the bittersweet summer of transition for an inner-city Los Angeles teen.
• Trouble in My Way (11/08) by Michelle Stimpson follows Keris, a good-but-grounded teen trying to bend the rules.
• Hollywood & Maine (1/09) by Allison Whittenberg is about tenth-grader Charmaine experiencing both her first romance and the dream of becoming a Hollywood celebrity.
• Jumped (3/09) by Rita Williams-Garcia is a gritty novel about bullying and its consequences.

Book Review: The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
(Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.)

SUMMARY: On December 6, 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon was brutally murdered. From her perch in heaven (which looks a lot like her school playground), Susie watches over her family and friends as they pick up the pieces of their lives and move on. But when her father starts a risky quest to find her killer, everything changes.

OPINION: This is a book written for adults that has high teen appeal. The storytelling style is very unique because its gentle tone softens the true evilness of a child predator and murder. Grief and loss have never been so interesting, let alone miraculous. If you liked A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer or Elswhere by Gabrielle Zevin, this book may be a good choice for you. It's a tough read at times, so only pick it up if you are ready to have a good cry!

Book Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
(Click on the cover to see which libraries own it.)

SUMMARY: Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she's still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. Her parents show her home movies of her life, but she has no recollection. Is she really the same girl she sees on the screen? Little by little, Jenna begins to remember. Along with the memories come questions--questions no one wants to answer for her. What really happened after the accident? (from the inside flap)

OPINION: Most teen fiction takes place in a world where parents are uninvolved, unavailable, or maybe even dead. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is the exact opposite. Jenna was everything her parents hoped for, and their lives revolved around her. In America in the not-too-distant future, Jenna's family uses medical innovations to save their daughter's life. What starts like contemporary fiction quickly becomes dystopian as Jenna realizes that her parents may have gone too far to keep her alive. All good dystopian fiction has issues, and this book tackles tough questions of life and death, medical ethics, and parent-child relationships in ways that will keep you reading. I read this book in a day, and was only disappointed by the epilogue.

READ-ALIKE: If you liked this book, Eva by Peter Dickinson is a similar dystopian story that really impacted me when I read it.

Book Review: Before I Die

Before I Die by Jenny Downham
(Click on the cover to see which libraries own it.)

SUMMARY: Everyone has to die. We all know it. With only a few months of life left, sixteen-year-old Tessa knows it better than most. She's made a list, though, of things she wants to do before she dies. But getting what you want isn't easy. And getting what you want doesn't always give you what you need. And sometimes the most unexpected things become important. Uplifting, life-affirming, joyous--this extraordinary novel celebrates what it is to be alive by confronting what it's really like to die. (adapted from the inside flap)

OPINION: I was initially skeptical of this book because it came out at the same time as Chris Crutcher's book Deadline. Both books are about teens living out the last year of their lives with cancer. I thought, really, how many books like this do we need? But, as it turns out, we need both, because they are vastly different takes on the same subject. Deeply angry about her untreatable cancer, Tessa has quit school and dropped out of society, purposely alienating herself from friends and family. Only her list motivates her to get up and out of the house, and then it's usually for some illicit or illegal purpose. Tessa is not going to go meekly, and she wants the world to know. Sometimes. This book perfectly captures the ever-changing emotions that assault us when we are grieving. And, although you already know what happens at the end, it is well worth reading and crying your way through this story.

Black Friday at the Library

Yesterday afternoon, lots of teens ditched shopping in favor of hanging out at the library. First, six people showed up to make origami. Thank goodness for the animated instructions on Origami Club! We were able to figure out the directions when we had problems. After that, 18 people came to Anime Club. We ate noodles and watched several different shows. Tim and I also had prizes to give away, so a lot of people went home with something extra. This was our last Anime Club meeting of the year, but we will start back up at the end of January. Look for the winter schedule in mid-December!

Origami

I have found some great origami resources on the internet, so start folding! Or bring along an idea to our origami program this Friday. We will be making gift tags, boxes, or whatever, from 2:00 to 3:30.

Traditional Origami
This is my favorite site because it has tons of easy-to-follow patterns. And if you're hardcore, here's the site in Japanese.

Origami and Crafts
Written for cub scouts, this guide shows you how to make origami and then turn it into something else.

Money Origami
Don't have much to spend for a gift? Make one out of the money! I still have a pair of origami cowboy boots I got as a waitressing tip years ago.

More Origami
Find out how to make nontraditional items like rings, envelopes, and even edible items from origami!

Book Review: Little Brother

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
(click on the cover to see which libraries own it.)

SUMMARY: Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems. But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days. When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself. (adapted from the inside cover)

OPINION: This book is the most scarily possible dystopian fantasy that I have ever read, and yet it is also incredibly hopeful. Taking place in the not-too-distant future, Little Brother describes a great loss of freedom and privacy in the name of safety. Addressing questions important to Americans, particularly since September 11, this book takes reality one step further and shows how technology can be used to both dominate and liberate people. This book takes inspiration from Orwell's classic, 1984. Instead of allowing Big Brother to watch and control everyone, though, Marcus creates rebellion by inspiring thousands of Little Brothers to watch the watchers and outsmart them. As a long-time reader of this genre, I can say that this book is dystopian fiction at its best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cory Doctorow is a famous techno-geek that you've probably never heard of. Find out more about him on his blogs, Craphound and Boing Boing, and read more of his books!

AMAZING FACT: Cory Doctorow invented the Paranoid Linux operating system for the purposes of this novel. Now some coders are actually writing it!

Book Swap and Comedy

On Saturday, 14 people came to our Book Swap and Comedy program. Almost everyone stayed the whole time, and 55 books got swapped! We watched Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, which is completely implausible and yet extremely hilarious. We also enjoyed Men in Black, which is more of an action comedy. We ate food, lounged around, and even got the newest edition of the library zine assembled (thanks to Katie, Genni, and me). Look for more book swap events on the winter and spring schedules! And pick up a copy of our zine, What If..., at the next event you attend.

New to You

New books continue to be added to our tiny teen room, so come by and check out a few!

• Princess on the Brink by Meg Cabot (Princess Diaries series)
• LBD: It's a Girl Thing by Grace Dent (replacement)
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• Paper Towns by John Green
• Jazmin's Notebook by Nikki Grimes (signed by the author)
• Summer of Secrets by Paul Langan (Bluford High series)
• Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass (signed by the author)
• Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass (signed by the author)
• Leap Day by Wendy Mass (signed by the author)
• The Search for the Red Dragon by James A. Owen (Chronicles of the Imaginarium series)
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (replacement)

Katie's Creations

Check out the Nintendo characters that Katie crocheted! My favorites are the star and the mushroom, but they all turned out really well. Katie made them all without patterns, which takes a lot of thought and skill. She brought them to display at Nintendo Night last week. Thanks, Katie! Do you take orders??

Book Review: Inventing Elliot

Inventing Elliot by Graham Gardner

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

SUMMARY: Teased by bullies in his old school, Elliot is determined to reinvent himself at his new high school by donning a cool, unflappable exterior. Ironically, the 14-year-old's aloofness earns the interest of an elite group of bullies, known as the Guardians, whose members target school losers for punishment in cruel and ritualistic ways. In this psychological drama, the outwardly congenial Guardian leaders, who are never seen "in the company of actual violence," recruit Elliot using control tactics adopted from their favorite book, George Orwell's 1984. Not as a victim, though; they want Elliot to become a Guardian. (adapted from the SLJ review)

OPINION: At one time or another, probably everyone has wished for a chance to start over at something. And, some days, starting over at a new school really does sound like a good idea! Elliot decides to make the most of his chance, and completely changes his outward appearance and demeanor at his new school. But, he goes too far the other way, and becomes untrue to himself. The psychological story builds up to a dramatically realistic conclusion. This book is an interesting study of the "self" we present to the world versus the "self" we are on the inside. My only complaint is that Elliot never read 1984. If he had, he would see how the Guardians were completely misrepresenting its message!

RECOMMENDATIONS: If you liked this book, look for:

• Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
• Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
• The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
• The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Shiny Newness

One thing I am against is incomplete books in series, particularly if they are popular! In an effort to keep up, we just got these latest installments:

• The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (Heir series)
• City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments series)
• Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods series)
• The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau (Ember series)
• Rumors by Anna Godbersen (Luxe series)
• Doomwyte by Brian Jacques (Redwall series)
• The Indigo King by James A. Owen (Chronicles of the Imaginarium series)
• Stop in the Name of Pants by Louise Rennison (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series)
• The Coffin Club by Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses series)

Nintendo Night

Last Friday, 27 teens packed our programming room for our fall Nintendo Night event. Everyone entered the Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament on the Wii, and 11 people tried the Mario Kart DS tournament. We also had fun with my original NES, especially since John E. brought his gun for Duck Hunt! After five rounds, Maher emerged victorious in the Brawl tournament, winning a $15 gift card to GameStop. In the Mario Kart tournament, Connor S. won a $10 gift card to GameStop.

Big thanks to Katie E., who displayed her crocheted Nintendo characters on the mantel for everyone to see. She has been working on them all fall, and made them all without a pattern. My favorites are the mushroom and the star, but they all looked great! I will get a picture of them on here soon. Thanks also to David for providing controllers and the Brawl game for the tournament.

If you missed this program, we will do another Nintendo Night in the winter with a new structure, so stay tuned!

Princess for President?

In the weeks leading up to the election, teens could vote for an author for president at our special windowsill display, called Elect to Read. The authors had to meet the basic qualifications: be born a citizen, have lived here for at least 14 years, and be at least 35 years old. And the winner is...Meg Cabot! Author of the Princess Diaries, among many other things, Meg got seven votes. Jerry Spinelli and Barry Lyga also did well in the voting.

I had three prizes to give away, based on people's reasons why they voted for a certain author. They didn't have to pick the winner, just defend their choice. Saranjeet had the best answer, and she wins a $10 Borders gift card. Katie E. and Genni had good answers as well, and they each win a copy of First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover by Mitali Perkins.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Vampire Party

Last Friday, 14 teens came out to our after-school vampire party! We made vampire lollipops and fake blood, played a crazy trivia race game, watched a video clip of Bram Stoker's Dracula, and, of course, ate food. Our best snack was sandwich cookies decorated with fanged smiley faces! Genni and Max won mini-vampire plushies as prizes for their costumes, and the team that won the trivia game got vampire-mouth lollipops. They were like ring pops, only on a fanged mouth instead of a ring. I wish I had pictures. I do have pictures of us making crafts, so here they are:

Making fake blood.

Making lollipop vampires.

They look awfully happy to be holding bags of blood!

More finished bags of fake blood.

Vampire Crafts

Whether you missed our vampire party on Friday or just can't wait for the Twilight movie, here are some vampire crafts you can make at home:

Coffee Filter Vampire Bats
Garbage Bag Vampire
Origami Dracula Face
Realistic Vampire Bite Wound
Vampire Bite Cookies
Vampire Blood
Vampire-Inspired Necklace
Vampire Lollipops

New Nonfiction

Here are the new titles on our teen nonfiction shelves:

• The Book Book: A Journey into Bookmaking by Sophie Benini-Pietromarchi
• L Is for Lollygag: Quirky Words for a Clever Tongue by Chronicle Books
• The Softer Side of Hip-Hop: Poetic Reflections on Love, Family, and Relationships by Laura Haskins-Bookser
• Amigurumi Animals: 15 Patterns and Dozens of Techniques for Creating Cute Crochet Creatures by Annie Obaachan
• Meet the Dancers: From Ballet, Broadway, and Beyond by Amy Nathan
• Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You by Deborah Reber

Vampire Book Discussion Questions

Today, we are having a vampire book discussion group from 3:30 to 5:00. Bring your favorite books to share with the group!

If you miss the event, try these questions next time everyone is talking about the Twilight books or something:

• Do you think vampires actually exist? How would they live in the modern world? Could they have existed more easily in the past? How?
• Why do legends about creatures like vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc. get created and passed down?
• Why do you think vampire books are so popular right now?
• What characteristics does the author assign to vampires? Did this match your previous idea of what vampires are like?
• How would you describe vampires, how they are created, and their lifestyles? Do you follow the traditional view, or has what you read changed your view of vampires?
• Would you want to date a vampire in real life? Why or why not?
• Are people inherently good or evil? What about vampires?
• How do the vampires in this book compare to those in other books you’ve read?
• What genre is this book? If you took out all the vampires, would it fit into another category?
• Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why do you think you felt that way?
• What themes did the author emphasize through the story? What do you think he or she is trying to teach the reader? Why did the author use vampires to help get across these themes?
• Have you ever read a vampire book that you didn’t like? What did you not like about it? How could the author have improved it?
• What kind of writing style do you prefer? Do you like more descriptive passages or more dialogue? Does the length of a book impact your interest in reading it? How about the viewpoint?