Hush Little Baby Don't Say a Word, Momma's Gonna Buy You a Mockingbird

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

When Alex wakes up in bed next to a guy whose name she can not remember, the evidence suggests one thing - she has been date raped. Her friends urge her to see out the help of the mockingbirds, a secret society which puts the students to trial for their crimes. If you are found guilty, you must give up the thing you love most. If you are found innocent, then your accuser must give up the thing that they love most.

The author, Daisy Whitney, was a victim of date rape in college. That is the reason that the after affects of the rape feel so real. Alex goes out of her way to avoid even a chance encounter with her rapist. She stops going to the cafeteria to eat. She maps out elaborate routes so she doesn't run in to him on the campus. She lives in fear as the details of that night slowly come back to her.

An interesting part of the story is the backstory of how The Mockingbirds came in to existence. They are based on the theory of justice and inspired by the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. And there are people involved that will surprise Alex.

Mockingbirds is a stunning, realistic read. From the very first sentence we are plunged into Alex's nightmare. Because of the subject matter, this book is recommended for older teens.

Teen Read Week 2010 and Zombies

Last week was Teen Read Week and I want to say thanks for all the teens who participated.

There was lots of zombie fun - and zombie reading.

Some of you even read some zombie books, and just in time for Halloween.

Just as we were getting ready for Zombie Read and Rock, a new zombie book crossed my desk - Zombies vs. Unicorns. This is a collection of short stories which argues the age old question of which is better, zombies or unicorns. Each short story is written by a different author. If you are a fan of either (or both), you should check it out.

Zombie fans will also want to check out Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. In this world, zombie hunter is a totally recognized profession. And everyone must have a job by the age of 15 or else they will lose their food rations. So zombie hunter seems like a good idea, right? But what does it truly mean to be human?

Teens' Top Ten 2010

Every year YALSA (an organization of librarians who serve teens just like you) lets teens vote on their favorite books of the year. Yesterday they announced the Teens' Top Ten for 2010. This is a list of the best books for teens voted on by teens.

The Teens' Top Ten 2010 is:

#1 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Heist Society by Ally Carter
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

There are a lot of great reads on this list, but my vote for #1 would definitely be If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

Follow this link to view a video of WWE Diva Eve Torress announcing this year's winners!

It's Teen Read Week! October 18th - 23rd

Check out this message from teen author Nikki Grimes about Teen Read Week



Be sure to stop in the library this week for a wide variety of activities as part of our Zombie Read and Rock fun . . .

All week long, for every 15 minutes you read fill out a Read Around the Clock slip for your chance to win a prepaid $50.00 gift card. All entries must be turned in by closing on Saturday, October 23rd.

Guess the amount of candy in our Ghoulish Candy Guess Jar for your chance to win it all.

Also, be sure to fill out a Nightmarish Reads contest entry form.

In the News: Bullying

Let's face it, bullying sucks. Seriously. It doesn't matter if it happens online or in person. And as we keep hearing in the news - it can have serious consequences. What is it like for someone to get up every day and know that they are going to have to go somewhere full of fear and pain? There are lots of stories out there that deal with bullying and one of my all time favorites is Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher. Whale Talk is the story of T.J. and his misfit group of students that make up the school swim team. Imagine what could happen if this group of outcasts could earn a letter jacket and rub it in the face of the tormentors. And yet, somehow, along the way it becomes about more than just that letter jacket - it becomes about them revealing themselves and being there for each other.

Another oldie but goody is The Misfits by James Howe. This is the stroy of Skeezie, Addie, Joe and Bobby and the 7th grade. First Addie refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Then all of the sudden, they are creating a new political party and running for student council. This year, the 7th grade, is there chance to be more than what others try to make them, but to be themselves.

Perhaps the most gripping story of what it is like to be an outcast is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. At the beginning of the school year, no one will talk to Melinda - and Melinda will not speak. You see, over the summer she was at a party and she called the police. Everyone hates her because they got busted. Throughout the course of the school year Melinda must slowly come to terms with what happened at that party, what caused her to call the police . . . she must find her voice, she must learn to speak again.

Sometimes we hear in the news about those teens who have been victims committing suicide. And of course, sometimes we hear about them getting revenge. The Hate List by Jennifer Brown is about one of those times. Valerie and Nick made a list of the people they hated. The people that bullied them. The people that tormented them. The hate list. Valerie had no idea that one day her friend Nick would go to school and shoot the people on that list. Valerie is shot herself trying to stop Nick, right before he kills himself and some of the kids on that list. Now Valerie must deal with the after. Valerie must return to that school her senior year and deal with it all. Her emotions. Her guilt. Her classmates. The Hate List is a powerful and moving story about what it is liked to be bullied, and what happens when someone takes revenge.

Other books that deal with bullying, old and new, include . . .
Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff
13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Undone by Brooke Taylor
By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
The Shadow Club by Neal Shusterman
What Happened to Lani Carver by Carol Plum Ucci

You can read Teen Author Amy Holder's and see Ellen Degenere's plea to stop bullying here

If you or someone you know is being bullied, tell someone. Learn more about bullying at kidshealth.org

The Awakening Book Trailer

The Awakening Kelley Armstrong Book Trailer - Watch more Funny Videos

Banned Books Week: Hey, You Can't Read That!

Throughout history the apple has come to signify the idea of forbidden fruit, the taboo . . . It is ironic that it appears on the cover of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Edward is, of course, the ultimate forbidden fruit - a vampire. To love a vampire is to put yourself in mortal danger every day. But today it means more than that, you see there are those who think you shouldn't be able to read Twilight. That the book itself should be forbidden.

Throughout history people have been challenging books and trying to say that one or another is bad for us and we shouldn't be able to read it. There is nothing more powerful than words and thoughts, which is exactly why we need to continue to fight for the freedom to read . . . as we read and open our minds to new thoughts, to new ways of living, to new ways of thinking, we allow ourselves to be open to change. If we never opened ourselves up we would still think the Earth is flat and the center of the universe. We might still condone slavery and women might not have the right to vote. The computer that you are reading this on, it exists because someone had a vision of a future with a technology beyond their wildest dreams and they worked to make it happen. What would a world without the freedom to read look like? Try reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or 1984 by George Orwell. Thought police and book burners, not cool.

You don't have to like each and every book you read. In fact, there are many in your life that you will be offended by. When you come across a book like that, stop reading it. Or finish it and talk to someone about it. But don't say that no one should be allowed to read it because it personally offended you. That is what the freedom to read is about: You should the books that are right for you and allow others to choose the books that are right for them.

Visit VOYA.com for a list of the top 10 teen books challenged in 2009 and the reasons why. And remember to celebrate your freedom to read by reading.

His Bruises are Not His Own

They call him Bruiser, because he is big and distant and it seems like he could take on anyone. But the truth is something they could never imagine. His real name is Brewster. And if he allows himself to become close with others, he can take their pain. When his brother falls off of the roof, it is Brewster whose arm is broken. And when his mother develops cancer, she sends him to live with an uncle so he does not die what should be her death.

Bronte and Tennyson are twins whose family is falling apart. Soon Bronte begins dating Brewster. She knows that he can take away her physical pain, but she does not realize how far his power reaches. How much like a drug it can be.

What would life be like if you never had to feel pain again? And can you really feel joy if you never feel sorrow or anger or the hurt that comes with life? Can the three of them find a way to love each other and save Brewster from this terrible "gift"?

Told in alternating viewpoints, this is a great story. From the moment that you first see what Brewster looks like without a shirt on, you are routing for him. At the end I cried satisfied tears at a story well done and a journey into a life that I genuinely cared about. Read it today. you won't be sorry. And then ask yourself, if you could take away someone else's pain but had to feel it for yourself - would you?

Also recommended, Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Angels Falling Everywhere

Pink is the new black and fallen angels are the new vampires. What else is popular?

Adult authors writing for teens. James Patterson is doing it with the Maximum Ride series and The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. Neil Gaiman does it (Coraline).

Now - you can get both trends in one place with this handy two for one deal: The Madison Avery series by Kim Harrison. Kim Harrison is the popular adult author of the paranormal series starring Rachel Morgan, who happens to be a witch.

In Once Dead, Twice Shy teen Madison Avery has been struck dead. Well, kinda. She is in a kind of purgatory. Here she is helping Barnabas, the light reaper, try to fend off the dark reaper who is taking the souls of those making serious life altering decisions. Madison's new death is quite the challenge. (Early to Death, Early to Rise is book 2 in the Madison Avery series.)

For other series with fallen angels, try Fallen by Lauren Kate (Torment, book 2 in this series, comes out on September 28th) and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Crescendo, book 2 in this series, comes out on October 19th).

I Know What You Read This Summer

The Teen Summer Reading Club has come to an end (insert sad face here), but here is a look at what you all read and what you thought about it.

Amy S. (9th grade) read Fang by James Patterson and said "I want MORE!!!!!!!" (Exact number of exclamation points duplicated for authenticity's sake :) )

Megan H. (10th grade) read Red Palms by Cara Haycak and said it was "Child-ish and unrealistic". Ouch.

Lydia S. (9th grade) read Let it Snow: 3 Holiday Wishes and said it was "good but weird."

Katherine S. (7th grade) read The Lost Queen by Frewin Jones and said, "I loved it! I can't wait to read more!!"

Aulbri S. (11th grade) read Crank by Ellen Hopkins and says, "I thought the format was original. It's a series of shaped poems that make up a novel. It's depressing but needed."

Paige M. (8th grade) read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and said she "thought it was a really good book." (One of my faves :) )

Seth I. (8th grade) read the graphic novel Batman: Hong Kong by Dough Moenah and said, "Very good graphics. Well done." He also read The Quality of Mercy by Gilber Morris and said it was an "awesome Christian mystery."

Stephanie B. (9th grade) read Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr and said: "This is one of the best books I have ever read. A faerie that's considered a dark court hound falls in love with Devin a high court faerie and they help each save themselves."

Rayanna P. (1oth grade) read Dreamrider by Barry Jonsberg and said: "I like how they take a kid who is always getting picked on and beat up power. I like that he is using his power for good and not evil."

Evan H. (6th grade) read The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner and said, "The plot of this interested me, with all the fantasy."

Can You Hear the Whispers?

We've all that, at one time or another, that it would be cool to be able to hear
what others are thinking. You walk by a group of girls in the school hallway and wonder if they are talking about you. You wonder what the boy you like is really thinking. But what if you heard someone you love thinking that they would kill themselves if they had to . . . ?

Joy and Jessica are sisters, and they both can hear the "whispers" - brief thoughts from others. And while Joy thinks this talent is a gift, Jessica thinks it is a curse - and she will do anything to make it stop. Can Joy help her sister embrace her gift before she tries to destroy it, and perhaps herself? Read Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis.

Twilight: Eclipse Movie

So it seems like we can't really be at a place right now where we just don't mention the Twilight movie Eclipse. I did go see it. And I have decided that really, out of all the characters - I can't stand Bella. I'm sorry, but she is just mean and selfish to these two boys that she supposedly loves. Of the two boys I think the relationship with Edward is definitely less healthy - I mean, he sabotages her truck to control where she goes. That is just not cool. If you are in a relationship with a guy and he is acting like Edward - please do yourself a favor and run in the other direction. But I won't spend a lot of time rehashing what I thought about the movie, because this movie review says it so well:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-motion-captured/posts/the-m-c-review-the-twilight-saga-eclipse

And I can't say it enough - if you love Twilight, please give Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater a read. Seriously. Go now.

Miley Cyrus to Star in Wake by Lisa McMann

From the back cover . . .

She is floating. Not the falling dream again, she thinks. She is sick to death of the falling dream.

The scene changes immediately. Now Janie is outside. It’s dark. She’s alone, behind a shed, but she can hear muffled voices. She’s never been alone before, and she doesn’t know how people can have dreams that they are not in. She is curious. She watches nervously, hoping this isn’t somebody’s nightmare about to explode through the wall of the shed, or from behind the bushes…

Wake is the story of Janie, who is drawn into other people's dreams. It has just been announced that this series (which includes both Fade and Gone) is being made into a movie which will star Miley Cyrus (http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/17/miley-cyrus-wake/)

Perfect 10s

A boy pushes someone off of a cliff (Freefall)
Valerie's boyfriend open fires on his school (Hate List)
Jessica learns that she is a vampire princess (Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side)
What do these books have in common?
They all received a perfect ten score. Kind of like getting a perfect 10 on Dancing With the Stars or at The Olympics. You can see the full list of 18 titles here . . .
http://www.voya.com/2010/05/28/voyas-perfect-tens/

You Don't Really Want to Sleep Tonight . . . Do You?

"These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years. The one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me."

Will, age 12, is an orphan and assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. This doctor's specialty is monstrumology, the study of monsters. A grave robber comes visiting in the middle of the night and brings them both the deadliest case they have ever seen. And the nightmares will never end . . .

The reviews say:
"This gothic thriller will appeal to kids who like scary with high brow Dickensian writing...Yancey builds the action towards the climactic cemetery scene while also deftly handling the changing interpersonal dynamic between the doctor and Will. Readers who enjoyed Yancey's Alfred Kropp* series...won't want to miss this one. Recommended."--Library Media Connection

"Yancey takes...gore and violence...to thrilling new levels in this sophisticated tale."--School Library Journal

"This story is gothic horror at its finest and most disturbing. A cross between Mary Shelley and Stephen King, the tale will force readers to stay up late to finish and then remain awake, afraid to shut off the lights...The richness of the language, the strain of wry humor, and the perfectly drawn characters make it a marvelous read...This book is perfect for readers who want their nightmares in a literary package."--VOYA

"This has all the elements of the best Victorian mystery and horror...Readers who like their horror truly horrible and yet archly distant and peppered with ecstatic Victorian-scented comments on the woes of the human condition will jump right in and not emerge until the last relieved gasp."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

And a grandma says . . . "I'll probably have nightmares for a long time over this, with the cold mist of the fog over cobblestone streets and unthinkable things that go bump in the night." (amazon.com)

*Also, do try the Alfred Kropp series, which mingles modern day life with Arthurian legends and super spy stories.

Now Watch This . . .

Cool Female Authors for Cool Chicks

Today we can read a wide variety of books by female authors. There are even some teen ones, like Amelia Atwater Rhodes. But did you know that S. E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders which you have probably had to read in class, was a woman? She published under her initials so that no one would know she was. And she was still a teenager when she did it.

Many of the classics that we read today (such as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott) were published in a time when it was harder to be a female author. Today, some of the biggest and best selling authors are women: Mary Higgins Clark, Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwell and Rachel Vincent (one of many who write both adult and teen series).

I tell you all of this just so I can show you this: An awesome video that spoofs the fight that the Bronte Sisters may have had trying to get their books published. (Side note: Jane Eyre is one of my favorites, not so much the other two.)



P.S. - The S. E. stands for Susan Eloise. She went on to write other popular titles like That Was Then, This is Now and Tex.

Cool Female Authors to Try:
Laurie Halse Andersen
Holly Black (Fairies!)
Melody Carlson (Inspirational Fiction)
Sarah Dessen (One of my all time favorites)
Lois Duncan (Horror!)
Louise Rennison (Hysterical)
Nancy Werlin (Mysteries)
Ellen Wittlinger
Ellen Schreiber (Vampires!!)

Teen Summer Reading Club Promo #2

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

It's Coming . . .

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

What Do the Numbers Mean?

When Jem looked into her mother's eyes, she saw a number. Everytime she looks into someone's eyes, she sees numbers. When her mother died, Jem realized what the numbers meant - they are the date that someone will die. And they are always right. Jem tries hard not to be around people, but Spider won't let her be. Soon they are in a hesitant relationship. She doesn't want to be, because she knows that he is going to die soon. In fact, if the numbers she sees around London are correct - and they always are - a lot of people are going to die soon. But when Jem and Spider flee, they soon are the prime suspects. The clock is running out for a lot of people.

The Countdown is On

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Go Green: Check Out, Read, Return, Repeat

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"Glee"ful Reads

Are you a fan of Glee? Me, I'm a fan. I love music. Seriously. So let's talk about music and/or musicals in teen fic, shall we?

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman is the story of Wallace Wallace (not a typo). Wallace Wallace never tells a lie. So when he reads a book assigned by his English teacher, his report states matter of factly that he hated the book. Wallace is assigned detention where he is forced to re-write his book report. In what turns out to be a very cool detention, he is forced to sit day after day where the theater group is rehearsing the school play which is, of course, based on the very book he hated. Leave it to Wallace to turn a book about a dead dog into a disco musical. You'll want to read every funny page to see what happens to Wallace in detention.

And in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which I mentioned last week, the 2 Will's create a school musical.

Other books that deal with music, musicals, and the theater in general include:

Act I, Act II, Act Normal by Martha Weston

Secrets of My Hollywood Life series by Paul Riditis

Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

If I Stay: A Novel by Gayle Forman*

Pay the Piper: A Rock 'N Roll Fairytale by Jane Yolen

Troll Bridge: A Rock 'N Roll Fairytale by Jane Yolen

Rockstar Superstar by Nelson Blake

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen**

Born to Rock by Gordon Korman

Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

Confessions of a Backup Dancer by Kevin Shaw

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon

Pop Princess by Rachel Cohn

*This is one of the BEST books of last year, why have you not read it? It is seriously THAT good. Also, for those looking for tearjerkers - this is the only book that has ever made me cry.

** Read my blog entry about this book here

Congratulations to Our Teen Draw It Contest Winner

During March we held a teen drawing contest - and we have a winner!! Audrey W (grade 6) is this year's winner. Her artwork is featured on the publicity for the upcoming 2010 Teen Summer Reading Club: Making Waves @ Your Library. In addition, Audrey wins a prepaid $50.00 Visa card.

You'll want to be sure and participate in this year's Teen Summer Reading Club (from here on out referred to as the TSRC to make my life easier). One lucky grand prize winner will get their choice of an iPod Touch or a Wii. In addition, we will have tons of other prizes like gift cards to your favorite fast food joints and stores. All the fun kicks off on Saturday, June 5th.

Tine Fey Says to Read It!

There was this movie called Mean Girls. Tine Fey wrote it based on the book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. It was a pretty awesome movie, made before Lindsay Lohan basically fell apart at the seams.

Well, Rosalind Wiseman has written a new book called Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials. And Tina Fey gives the best book blurb ever: "You can't put this book down . . . or it will talk about you while you're out of the room." Actually, Tina Fey writes a pretty awesome book blurb. But what about the book?

Charlie is entering High School and looking to have a drama free year (aren't we all!). But nope, it doesn't look like that is going to happen. Her year is not helped by the return of Will, a former male bff who's back, HOT, and popular. So Will gets involved in a prank gone bad and Charlie must decide what she is going to do about it: Should she tell or keep her mouth shut?

And if you're a Meg Cabot fan - well, she says to read it too!

Nerdfighters!

So the other day I was getting my semi-regular Nerdfighters (1) fix and thought to myself - Why Have I Not Shared This With You? You should be mad at me. Nerdfighters is described as a place where "nerds gather and play" to "increase awesome and decrease suck." (2) The site was started by teen author John Green (more about him in a moment) and his brother. They have a blog and make fun video posts.

John Green is the awesome and talented writer of books like Looking for Alaska (a Printz Award Winner), An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns. His books are DEFINITELY for older, mature teens. But they are awesome. Seriously.

Green recently wrote an online book that you can only get to if you solve a series of riddles at www.thisisnottom.com. I haven't read the book because the riddles are wicked hard and I haven't gotten to it yet. (3) But I am loving the process and the concept. It is wicked fun. And if you look around the net you can get cheats and hints.

In a recent article for librarians (4), Green talked about the "magical moment when the space between you and me evaporates, and we are all of us making a story real together". He says that "reading is an act of translation—taking seemingly random scratches on a page and turning them into a story in your head—a book is, more than any new media, a cocreation of reader and writer." (School Library Journal, January 1, 2010). Imagine that - an author who respects the reader.

John Green's newest book is Will Grayson, Will Grayson with David Levithan. This is the story of two boys, both named Will Grayson, and how their lives come to intersect with each other. The two authors got together and decided they would write a story - each one focusing on one of the Will Graysons. Levithan chose the characters first name and Green chose the characters last name. As the two become friends they produce a high school musical (5) that tell their story. And this book - it is laugh out loud funny. And touching. And amazing.

Awesome quotes by John Green:

"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."

"Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back." - An Abudance of Katherines

"What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable?" - An Abundance of Katherines

"The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive." - Looking for Alaska

"So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane." - Looking for Alaska

"'Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.' " - Looking for Alaska

"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." - Paper Towns

"The town was paper, but the memories were not." - Paper Towns

This is me trying to be witty and copy John Green's source notes:

1. Go to http://www.nerdfighters.com/

2. More awesome is good.

3. Seriously, if you figure it all out PLEASE let me know. I need help.

4. Hey, that would be me :) Guess that's why I read it.

5. No, not THAT high school musical.

Graphic Novels 101

Graphic novels and manga are so popular right now, even your favorite books are being made into graphic novels. Some popular titles include Twilight (yes, THAT Twilight), the Maximum Ride adventures, Artemis Fowl, Cirque Du Freak and Alex Rider series. Popular adult authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Sherrilyn Kenyon are also diving into this very popular and very graphic medium. Harlequin, the popular romance publisher, even produces a line of romantic graphic novels known as Harlequin Pink

Some of the most popular manga series (Don't know what manga is? Just check out the handy GN Dictionary below) include: Beauty Pop, Blade of Heaven, Bleach, Chroncles of the Cursed Sword, Dragon Hunter and Naruto. Some of the most popular Graphic Novels include Bone and The Simpsons. And of course whatever superhero is popular at the moment.


GN Dictionary
Comics - The big umbrella term for stories told with pictures and words
Graphic Novel - A graphic book, or collection of comic books, that are put together like a book
Anime - Japanese animated cartoons
Manga - A Japanese comic book, usually black and white and read from right to left
Manga style - Like manga, but produced outside of Japan
Mecha - Anime or manga featured mechanical creatures, usually awesome giant fighting robots
Shojo - Comics for girls, usually romantic
Shonen - Comics for boys, usually action/adventure

Other interesting terms:
Panel - One part of a comic book page
Gutter - The space between the panels

Great GN and Manga Sites:
Bookshelf: Diamond Comics
Comic Book Resources
Comics Worth Reading
Newsarama
No Flying, No Tights

Free Comic Book Day with Brad's Bookstore and Marion Public Library

Join us on Saturday, May 1st for Free Comic Book Day. We will be giving away free comic books, provided by Brad's Bookstore and Comics, to teens who come visit (while supplies last). Each teen will have their choice of 1 of the titles provided.

April is National Poetry Month

It's April . . . which means it's National Poetry Month. Poetry is everywhere.

Poetry is in you. It's in the air you breathe. The chair you sit. And the car

you drive. It is simple. It is complex. It is everything. It is nothing.

So don't just sit there . . . get creative! Want a place to start? Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words by Susan Wooldridge is one of the best poetry writing books ever. The author gives you great tips such as collecting words and creating a wordpool: "A word can trigger or inspire a poem, and words in a stack or thin list can up make up poems" (p.10).

Other great things she talks about include grocery weeping (and we're not just talking about the cost of your grocery bill or wilted lettuce), joywriting, poem sound and song, fear of poetry (come on, some of you have it), dreamsense and being visited by words. Imagine answering the knock on your door and there at the open door stands the word "awesome". I'd like to be visited and told that I am awesome. As Wooldridge says, "Writing this way seems like being visited. And as with any visitor, I have to make room and time" (p. 190).

Or you can go online and play at "magnetic poetry." You know, those little word magnets that you put on your fridge and rearrange to make a poem. You can go here to create your own magnetic poetry.

Or use the following URL and make any page you love into your own person magnetic poetry kit. Simple replace the part after the url= with your own web address and presto - it is magnetic poetry. Here's this blog done as magnetic poetry.

http://wearehugh.com/public/2003/02/poetry.cgi?url=teenservicesmarionpubliclibrary.blogspot.com

So have fun with poetry this month . . . and remember the words of Piri Thomas:

"Each child is born a poet and every poet is a child."

What is Your Favorite Book Playlist?

What would movies and tv shows be without a soundtrack? The truth is, music helps build mood and is part of the expression of an artist and the story they are trying to tell. The best soundtrack I ever got was the soundtrack to the movie Garden State. I hated the movie really. But the music was awesome.

Music can also play a role in books. For some books, music is an integral part of the story. In Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Annabel spends a lot of time listening to music. Annabel's life is changing - old friendships are strained, her family may be falling apart, and she is finding herself friends with an angry loner named Owen. This is teen fiction at its best. And honestly, Sarah Dessen is one of the best teen authors out there.

Sarah (we're on a first name basis, she just doesn't know it) is so awesome she put together a playlist for her book. Here is the playlist and a reason why she choose each of the songs.

Then I thought - how awesome is that, making a playlist for a book? I am not the only one who thought that. Here is a lists of book playlists put together by authors or fans of some of your favorite books.

I think that should be everyone's challenge: Take your favorite book and come up with a music playlist that best expresses the book.

Reading Rants

Our favorite book review site gets a new look! Check out the newly updated Reading Rants to get great book reviews.

For example, I get asked every few days for a book that will "make me cry". Well, here you go. These books are rated by the number of hankies you'll need. These books are weeptastic. One of the books on the list, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, even made me cry.

Vampire lovers can check out Fanging Around. Those of you who like psychological thrillers should check out Nail Biters. One of my favorite lists is Cool Classics You Never Even Heard Of. Sure we all know about To Kill a Mockingbird and Shakespeare - but what about Cheaper by the Dozen? That is a fun read.

Reading Rants also has links to other great reading blogs and authors. You do not want to miss out on author John Green's Nerdfighters page where they "fight to increase awesome and decrease suck."

Other great sites to find great reads:
Teen Reads.com
Chicklish - a UK readers site with the awesome UK humor
Bookshelves of Doom - Seriously, how can you resist a site called Bookshelves of Doom?

Of course keep checking back here to read my book reviews and see cool book trailers (I am totally obsessed with book trailers).

Read Irish for the Day

Want to celebrate good ole' St. Patrick's Day? How about reading a book by an Irish Author? Check out The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, a tale of friendship between a little boy and the Jewish man wearing striped pajamas behind a wire fence in Hitler's Germany.

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 9 Up– . . . Through the eyes of Bruno, a naive nine-year-old raised in a privileged household by strict parents whose expectations included good manners and unquestioning respect for parental authority, the author describes a visit from the Fury and the familys sudden move from Berlin to a place called Out-With in Poland. There, not 50 feet away, a high wire fence surrounds a huge dirt area of low huts and large square buildings. From his bedroom window, Bruno can see hundreds (maybe thousands) of people wearing striped pajamas and caps, and something made him feel very cold and unsafe. Uncertain of what his father actually does for a living, the boy is eager to discover the secret of the people on the other side. He follows the fence into the distance, where he meets Shmuel, a skinny, sad-looking Jewish resident who, amazingly, has his same birth date. Bruno shares his thoughts and feelings with Shmuel, some of his food, and his final day at Out-With, knowing instinctively that his father must never learn about this friendship. . . –Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (read the complete review and more at www.amazon.com).

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover?

You know you've done it. We all have. You walk up to the shelf and there sits a book - you think it might be good, but man is that cover lame. The truth is, the cover art on a book is in fact one of the main things that draw us to a book. So is the title. And lots of time we don't even get past the first page if it doesn't draw us in.

Right now on Goodreads (which is a site that helps you keep track of the books you read and rate and share your reviews - kind of like Facebook for readers) they are rating book covers. Amazingly, almost all of the top 50 books rated as having the best covers are teen books (http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4581.Judge_A_Book_By_Its_Cover_)

Because We Just Don't Talk About Twilight Enough

Here you go, the trailer for the Eclipse movie . . .

Teen Tech Week entry form - download it!

Here you go - print it off, do the deeds, turn it in - and you could win!!!!

Learn * Create * Share

Teen Tech Week is here. Participate in our online scavenger hunt and you could win a $50.00 gift card. Complete at least 3 of the 5 challenges below and submit your entry form for your chance to win. The person who completes the most challenges will win; random drawing will break a tie. Other participants will win USB drives and $5.00 gift certificates. Up to 10 winners total. Entry forms must be turned in by closing on Saturday, March 13th. For teens grades 6-12.

So, in order to complete task #2 on your entry form . . . leave me a comment letting me know what you like to do with technology!

Vampires Are Out - The End of the World is In

Dystopian (adj.) - ad bad as can be, grim, characterized by human misery.

Sounds fun, right? The truth is, right now everyone is living in some tough times. People are losing jobs, the economy is bad and many of you are feeling the effects of it. Maybe your parents are out of work. Or maybe you just can't find a job for yourself. And in the news it seems all we hear about are pandemics (oink oink says the flu), terrorism, global warming, and war (what is it good for?). Books have a tendency to reflect the world we live in, so it is no surprise that a lot of the most popular and soon to be released books are what is known as dystopian fiction. Otherwise known as apocalypse NOW!

The Hunger Games is one end of the world scenario (we discussed it earlier on the blog). But it is certainly not the only one. Classics include 1984 (one of my favorite books ever), Fahrenheit 451 (also in my top 10) and Brave New World (which I have never read, oops).

You can also catch the Life As We Knew It trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer. The final book, This World We Live In, comes out soon.

Or how about The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carry Ryan? It's a dystopian novel - with zombies!

Coming Soon . . .

Empty by Suzanne Weyn - What if the earth ran out of oil?

Epitaph Raod by David Pateneude - What if most men simply disappeared?

The Gardener by S. A. Bodeen - What if we could grow humans from plants?

The Line by Teri Hall - What if a physical barrier completely enclosed the U.S.?

Girl in the Arena by Lisa Haines - What if we still had fight to the death gladiator wars?

Bottle Cap Crafts

The Ohio Wesleyan Lacrosse team joined Marion Public Library, Heart of Ohio Mentoring, and Marion County Recycling and Litter Prevention on Saturday, February 28th to make Bottle Cap Crafts. We learned about recycling our bottle caps into awesome craft projects. You can save the world and have fun, how cool is that?

One of cool projects that was made included picture frames. Other projects included earrings, bracelets, magnets and lapel pins. A good time was had by all. You can see more pictures of the event on our Facebook fan page.

If you are artistic - don't forget to participate in the Draw It teen art contest which is happening now.

6th Annual Draw It Teen Art Contest

It's that time of year again - help us draw the artwork for our 2010 Teen Summer Reading Club: Making Waves @ Your Library. Just print out (or pick up) the contest entry form, create your artwork and turn it in. You may be our $50.00 prize winner and have your artwork displayed throughout the Marion area on all of our publicity posters. How cool is that? Deadline for contest entries is closing time on March 31st.

Complete Rules and Entry Form Follow . . . . .

Rules:
Contest is open to all teens grades 6-12.
Teens may enter as many original 8 1/2 x 11 drawings as they would like, but each entry must be submitted with an official entry form (photocopies of entry forms are acceptable). All entries must represent and display the phrase, “Making Waves @ Your Library”.
Please use no more than four colors, one of which must be black.
Please do not put your name or any identifiable information on your drawing.
The Marion Public Library reserves the right to disqualify any entries that display or promote objectionable material or language.
Original, digital artwork that meets the above requirements will be accepted.
Deadline for entries to be turned in to the Reference desk is closing time on
March 31st.

Go Green, Get Funky - Bottle Cap Crafts

Looking for a way to be green and have fun? We've got it. Join us on Saturday, February 27th at 10:30 to make Bottle Cap Crafts. Don't throw out those bottle caps, get creative with them! You can make beaded curtains, pins, ear rings, necklaces, belts and more. We'll have everything you need (for free even!) - just show up. Provided by Marion Public Library, Heart of Ohio Mentoring and Marion County Recycling and Litter Prevention.

Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers, 2009

Every year VOYA comes out with a list of the top titles for middle school
readers. This year's list includes some great reads . . .

King of the Screwups by K. L. Going (This book was considered one of the top of the shelf books) (Teen Fic)
Kicked out of his house by his father, Laim goes to live with his uncle, "Aunt Pete," and tried very hard not to be popular.

Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka (Teen Fic)
This is the story of Celeste, who lives in a community that practices polygamy - as her 15th birthday approaches, she will be forced to marry an older man against her wishes.

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough (Teen Fic)
17-year-old Tasmin lives in a family of witches but does not have any of their magic. When a stranger asks her for help, she begins a quest to discover her true identity.

Stolen by Vivan Vande Velde (Teen Fic)
A girl with no memory must try to discover who she is . . .

My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald (J Fic)
Lucy's family drugstore is on the brink of financial disaster, can makeover tips and eco-friendly business plans save it?

The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen (J Fic)
Princess Meglynne jons Calen, the magician's apprentice and Jakl, the dragon, to rid the kingdom of traitors wishing to take over the kingdom.

Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan (J Fic)
Hannah and Miki find an ancient message and try to solve the riddle of the "ocean boy."

For a complete list of Top Shelf Fiction, visit VOYA http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA2010TopShelfFiction2009.pdf

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief Opens on Friday

This weekend I am heading out to the movies to see Percy Jackson - the series that just may be good enough to be the next Harry Potter. It can't replace HP in my heart. But everyone needs a good fantasy and adventure series to fall in love with. Plus, mythology - so that's a bonus.

I'll be sure and post my movie review on Monday. Until then, I am snowed in and reading Beautiful Creatures . . . Speaking of being snowed in. This is a great time to read, read, read. And if you are a middle school student looking for something to read, be sure to check out this year's annual list of Top Shelf fiction for middle school students http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA2010TopShelfFiction2009.pdf

More Teen Fiction Coming to the CW

Are you loving the Vampire Diaries on the CW? Or maybe you are a Gossip Girls fan. Both of these series are based on teen book series. The CW has now optioned the rights to another teen book series to be developed into a TV show: Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith.

The lives of Morgan, Ondine and Nix have always been touched on the edges by a mystery. One night, Morgan wakes to find blood under her fingernails. When Ondine looks at a painting, it comes alive. And Nix sees halos of light around people that are about to die. At a secret summer rave in the woods, the three teenagers learn of their true, changeling nature and their uncertain, intertwined destinies.

Read the book before the series premieres on the CW . . .

Steampunk Rocks! Leviathan Book Trailer

What is steampunk you ask? Steampunk is a type of science fiction and fantasy that are set in an era where steam power is still used and rebellion is a central theme. They are focused on an alternate history. It is by nature retro. If you have read The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, then you are familiar with steampunk. H G Wells wrote a lot of steampunk. So did Jules Verne. I have heard steampunk described as goth goes sepia. And yes, there is a fashion element to steampunk - lots of gears, corsets and goggles (oh my!).

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld is a great re-imagining of World War I. In this war, 2 societies have emerged: the Clankers and the Darwinists. The Clankers use technology to fight their war while the Darwinists use animals. Since Westerfeld does everything awesome (You have read the Uglies, right?) - this was an awesome read.

Other steampunk reads include Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Grand Tour by Patricia C Wrede, and Airborn by Kenneth Oppel.

Celebrity Mash-Ups Contest, February 1 -13

Here you go blog viewers (and Facebook fans) - you can get up to a
3 day jump start on the upcoming Celebrity Mash-Ups contest. People are doing amazing things with technology - and creating some freaky pictures. Practice your Internet searching skills to discover what 2 celebrities make up each 1 picture for your chance to win a $10.00 gift certificate. You'll need to identify both celebrity halves in each picture to win. Most correct answers wins, a random drawing will break a tie.

While you are out there searching the webs, see what kind of cool pics you can find. And hey, you may even want to try your hand at creating some cools pics of your own. The skills will come in handy for next month's Draw It contest - your chance to draw the artwork for our 2010 Summer Reading Club.

Here are some cool photo galleries for you to check out:
www.freakingnews.com (A gallery which highlights photoshopped pictures generated from the news.)
www.worth1000.com (Artist galleries and contests. An awesome collection of fun and creative photos. They have a great set of mash-up photos of celebrities mashed up with art masterpieces.)

Quotastic!

Everyone has a hobby, right? Some people collect stamps. Or Magic cards. Or postcards. Me? I collect quotes. I love the power of words. So when I am reading a book, I keep a journal close by to jot down a quote that speaks to me. Here are some . . .

"It was a pleasure to burn." Ray Bradbury, from Fahrenheit 451 (One of my top 10 all time favorite books).

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going inti it, if you want to know the truth." J.D. Salinger from Catcher in the Rye

"It was a wild, windy, southwestern spring when the idea of killing Mr. Griffin occurred to them." Lois Duncan from Killing Mr. Griffin

"When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news." Anthony Horowitz from Stormbreaker

"We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck." M. T. Anderson from Feed

"We will rise to the occasion, which is life." Virgina Euwer Woff from True Believer

"Strange how when you most want to say things, your brain gives you the least vocabular." Will Weaver from Claws

"Hope and sense aren't exactly kissing cousins" Margaret Peterson Haddix from the story Destination Unexpected

"All I know now was that nothing lasted forever, even a friendships, and that being different felt the same as being alone." Lauren Myracle from Kissing Kate

"Maybe people were always coming to each other - from the beginning of their lives. Maybe Miah had always been coming to me, to this moment, sitting in Central Park holding hands. Coming softly." Jacqueline Woodson from If You Come Softly (and if you really want to read an amazing love story, read this book.)

"As the hours crept by, the afternoon sunlight bleached all the books on the shelves to pale, gilded versions of themselves and warmed the paper and ink inside the covers so that the smell of unread words hung in the air." Maggie Stiefavter from Shiver

And I will leave you, dear blog reader, with this interesting discussion about boys in the novel Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer . . .

"Like all males, Hope, he has a code that has to be deciphered."
"What's the code?"
"I have no idea. But it's probably weirder than hieroglyphics."

And with the immortal words of Dr. Seuss . . .

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Drop me a comment and let me know what your favorite book quotes are.