Children's Choice Book Awards

Nominate Your Favorite Books of 2010 for the Children's Book Council's Teen Choice Book of the Year

In association with the Children’s Book Council (CBC), Teenreads.com is giving you a very special opportunity to let your voices be heard by telling us your five favorite books of 2010. The five titles that receive the most votes will serve as the finalists for the CBC’s 2011 Teen Choice Book of the Year. Once the five finalists have been determined, we will tell you where you can go vote for them. The winner will be announced in May 2011.

All you have to do is fill out this form between now and January 31, 2011. Your top five selections may come from the list we’ve provided below, or you can vote for titles not on the list. Important Note: If you choose to add a title for nomination that is not on our list, please be sure that the book(s) released for the first time in 2010; this means that paperbacks originally published as hardcovers will not be accepted. If you’re uncertain about a book’s release date, we suggest you search for that title on Amazon.com.


And please share the following link with your friends, teachers, librarians, and school media specialists --- the more feedback we get, the better:


http://www.teenreads.com/features/ccba_nominees_2011.asp

Teen Read Week Review Results

Unwind by Neil Shusterman

Recommended by: Daniel Nasta

Reaction by: Catherine Berntsen, Librarian

Here's the official summary from the library catalog:
In a future world where those between the ages of 13 and 18 can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs- and, perhaps, save their own lives. 

Here are my thoughts:

With subject descriptions such as: genetic engineering, revolutionaries, survival, abortion, bioethics, terrorism, organ harvesting, and dystopia--  I knew from the start that the book Unwind was going to be thought-provoking… and, boy, was I right!  This book puts a face to the concept of medical progress and makes you examine at what point are we are crossing the line into scary territory. 

Extremely deep and at times unnerving, this book is not at all for the faint of heart.  There are some heavy-hitting and horrifying concepts presented here- one scene in particular (where we witness an “unwinding”) I know will stay with me for a very long time.   But even though the story is deep, there is an overall feeling of hope as well. 

It made me think about the complexity of life: how there is always two sides to every story or issue and how we all are capable of even having two sides within ourselves.   All of the classic story-telling devices are here:  Good vs. evil; monster vs. hero; right vs. wrong; theory vs. practice; myth vs. reality- but I think I enjoyed this book in particular because the questions are not presented in an overbearing way.   I always appreciate a book that makes me explore what I believe in and/or where I stand on issues, whether they are current or in the not-too-distant future.    All of this was wrapped up in a suspenseful plot with well-drawn characters.  I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of science fiction.

Thank you, Daniel, for recommending this book…  I’m so glad I read it.  

Funny Vintage Computer Ads

What kind of man owns his own computer? The ad above is from 1980 and describes the idea of owning a computer as being "rather revolutionary."

Click here to read article in The Huffington Post called "13 Vintage Computer Ads Show How Far We've Come."

Another NaNoWriMo over!

Happy November 30th! For all those wondering, I have completed my novel for National Novel Writing Month and with 50, 165 words and I'm feeling a newfound sense of freedom!

The writing flowed more naturally for me this year than in previous years, and I think this was also the most fun I had with my story. I am proud to announce that I am now a five time (pretty bad) novelist! Did anybody else participate? How did you do?

Teen Read Week Review Results

This past October, during our celebration of Teen Read Week, we asked you to recommend a book to the library staff.  The idea behind this was that adults are always telling you what you should read, whether it's a school assignment, or for a library program, or just a book we think you'd love.  We recognize that there are books that you read that may not be on our adult radar.  So, we asked you: What do you think we should read?  We got 19 responses of very good titles!   So we put the list out to the whole library staff and asked people to choose a title.  In the next few months, as we finish reading our selections, we will be posting our thoughts on what we read.

Here are the first two book reactions:

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Recommended by Christine Phelan

Reaction by: Kristen Brewi, Librarian
Hunger Games, Hunger Games, Hunger Games... what can I say about a book that pits 24 teenagers against each other in a challenge to the death?  I found that I both liked and disliked this book.  I rooted for the 16-year-old main character, Katniss, and was never disappointed with her quick thinking that seemed to save her time and time again, but secretly I was rooting for Peeta to win it all!  I couldn't help but fall in love with Peeta!  His intentions weren't always clear but that just made him more mysterious... and more dangerous!  The twists and turns, and sometimes brutal violence of the book kept me turning the pages... always wondering what could possibly happen next!  And although I didn't love the book, I am intrigued enough to continue reading the series.  In fact, as soon as I finished the book, I already had the second book, "Catching Fire," on hold!

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Recommended by: Jaclyn Kolsen

Reaction by: Andrew Salomon, Librarian
Milkweed was an excellent book.  Although the Holocaust is a very sad topic, Jerry Spinelli tells a tale of a young boy who lived through this very tough time and was able to help many people along the way.  Through his adventures sneaking out of the ghetto at night, Misha feeds many people who were otherwise starving for food.  Unfortunately, however, many of his loved ones pass away during the ordeal, along with many other Jewish people.  Misha learns an important lesson, however, that loved ones are always with us in our memories.  Ripe with many true details about the Holocaust, this historical fiction tale makes the reader feel as though they have a sneak peek into a very difficult but historically important time period.  I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical fiction, the Holocaust, or anyone looking to read a good book about a boy who grew up without many of the advantages most of us take for granted today.

Advanced Battle of the Books- 2011

What do the following three books have in common?

They are all great books?  They have teen appeal?  They are official Advanced Division Battle of the Books titles?  Yes, yes, and yes!

If you are in grades 9-12, you are eligible to participate in a county-wide trivia contest for High School students.  Everyone will read these three books, trying to remember as many details from each as possible.  Then, on April 29th from 6-9pm at Sachem Public Library in Holbrook, teens from across the county will meet to battle it out for the championship title.  Sound like fun?   You can start reading the books now if you'd like- we have plenty of copies.  We will have practice meetings at the Hauppauge Library on Tuesday, January 11th; Tuesday, February 1st; and Thursday, March 10th from 6:30- 7:30pm.    Call us to get your name on the list! 

Wii Game Time

Celebrate your day off from school this Wednesday, November 24th by coming to the library from 2- 4pm.  We're having a Wii Game Time form teens in grades 6-12.  And we just got a new game: Just Dance 2!  It should be loads of fun, so sign up now! 

New Book Arrivals!

Here are some interesting new arrivals... maybe one sounds good to you.  Come to the library and check it out!

Shadow by Jenny Moss
When Shadow, whose job all her life has been to stay close to the young queen and prevent her prophecied death at the age of sixteen, fails in her task and the castle is thrown into chaos, she escapes along with a young knight, embarking upon a journey that eventually reveals her true identity.

School of Possibilities by Seita Parkkola
My name is Sortm and I am twelve. To be twelve is like an eight-vehicle car wreck. It's like being stuck upside down on a roller coaster. I am starting a new school this fall call the School of Possibillities. It's my last chance. If I fail, I will be sent to the School of the Lost, which is a lot like prison. After that, there is nothing. I don't intend to fail.

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
In 1943, in a seaside town where their family has gone to be safe from war, thirteen-year-old Max Carver and his sister, fifteen-year-old Alicia, with their new friend Roland, face off against an evil magician who is striving to complete a bargain made before he died.

The Outside of a Horse by Ginny Rorby
When her father returns from the Iraq War as an amputee with post-traumatic stress disorder, Hannah escapes by volunteering to work with rescued horses, never thinking that the abused horses could also help her father recover.

The Billionaire's Curse by Richard Newsome 
When thirteen-year-old Gerald finds himself the heir to twenty billion pounds from an aunt he never met, he inherits with it a mystery surrounding his aunt's death and various artifacts in the British Museum.

Inflatable Street Art

How cool is this clip you're about to watch?  Meet artist, Joshua Allen Harris, who uses ordinary garbage bags and the breeze from subway gratings to create amazing works of art! 

NaNoWriMo 2010

It's that time of year again! Time to temporarily abandon your social life, skip sleeping late on a weekend, and trade your usual hobbies for the adventure of composing a 50,000 word novel in one month.

For those of you who don't remember last year's NaNoWriMo blog post, National Novel Writing Month runs from November 1st-30th, and is a self-proclaimed "fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing" and "thirty days and thirty nights of literary abandon!" Unlike any other writing you (or anyone) has probably ever done, NaNoWriMo encourages quantity...just quantity, and that's it. It's not about producing a work of quality (and really, how could it be with just a month to complete so much?), so you can use the opportunity to just be free, write whatever you feel like writing, and know that we're all producing ridiculously bad works of literature together - that's part of the fun!

Sound like something you'd like to try? This will be my fifth year embarking on the challenging and really kind of silly journey and I'm getting myself ready by trying to plot out different kinds of turns for my story to take. To be honest, it's looking like it might be a pretty mundane story - but hey, it doesn't matter! Knowing that you just wrote a whole novel, no matter how terrible, is an AWESOME feeling!

So do you want to sign up? Check out the Official National Novel Writing Website for more information.

Good luck writers!

Exciting Stuff for Rick Riordan Fans

Hey Percy Jackson fans! We've got some exciting news! First, if you haven't heard yet, the arrival of the first book in Rick Riordan's newest Heroes of the Olympus series - The Lost Hero comes out on Tuesday, October 12! If you're eagerly awaiting the day, put a copy on hold now!

And for those of you who canNOT get enough of Rick Riordan's fabulously adventurous writing, there's a very special event going on Tuesday night, the night the book comes out! You can be a part of the largest demigod gathering in history! Rick Riordan will be broadcasting live from Camp Half-Blood! Be sure to register for this FREE live webcast as soon as possible! It will be held on October 12th (7pm Eastern, 6pm Central, 5pm Mountain, 4pm Pacific). To register, visit camphalfblood.com.

Want to know what the book is about ahead of time? Here's a quote from the official Heroes of the Olympus website on what the first book is all about:

After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they'll need the help of some familiar demigods.

Exciting stuff! Enjoy!

Battle of the Books Review: Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This book was okay. At times it was a little confusing, but it gives you a sense of what life was like at that time. Also, there are some unique, funny problems and a really funny family. Also, they do a good job of incorporating events that were going on in the 1960s into the story.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
There is one thing Holling Hoodhood knows from the first day of seventh grade: his teacher, Mrs. Baker hates his guts. It was an odd concept to Holling: he wasn't a bad kid, he never pulled cruel jokes on any teachers, but Holling knew from the second Mrs. Baker called his name that she had a problem with him. And so begins seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, 1967. Holling has to face a battle against expectations, rats, cream puffs, flower children, baseball, and (the horror!) Shakespeare… and all in time for strawberries. This is a fantastic, quick read and I strongly recommend it to anyone.

Battle of the Books Review: Schooled

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Reviewed by: Erika, Gr. 9
This is a very interesting book. It tells the story of a boy whose body is in 8th grade in present day, but his mind is stuck in 1967. Since Capricorn (Cap) Anderson's grandmother Rain went into the hospital, he had to live with a former resident of the commune, and go to Claverage (C Average) Middle School. Since he is in 8th grade, one of the school bullies named Zach Powers sets things up so that Cap is stuck as 8th grade president which in middle school, is a big joke for the rest of the school. Meantime, Cap has no idea what is going on, but after a few weeks, he has become the best middle school president yet, and Zach Powers does not like it at all.

I think that this book is a wonderful way to look back on the 60's, and understand how life has changed, and how in some instances, oblivion is a good thing. I would recommend this book to everyone, even people that don't enjoy reading. =]



Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Schooled is a great book! Capricorn "Cap" Anderson lives with his grandmother Rain. They live on Garland Farm. They live like it's still the 60s. After Rain gets hurt when she falls from a tree, Cap is sent to Mrs. Donnelly, who is the guidance counselor at Claverage Middle School, the school that Cap will be going to as an 8th grader until Rain gets better. Claverage is called "C-Average" by its students. When Cap is voted to be the 8th grade president, he doesn't know what to do. This book has funny parts, romantic parts, sad parts, and a lot of mean parts. I really liked this book.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I didn't like this book very much. I found it to be pretty boring and I thought that it was weird that a person still lived like a hippie in the 21st century. I wouldn't really recommend this book to a friend.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr.9
Capricorn Anderson is stuck in the sixties. He was brought up in the commune of Garland, where peace is a necessity, money means nothing, and duct tape fixes everything. He has never had a haircut, he wears all tye-dye, and his shoes are made from dried corn husks. Living with his grandmother, Rain, in their sheltered home, means he has no idea how to live in the outside world. But that is exactly what he must do when Rain is injured and forced to attend months of therapy. He must face the cruel justice of middle school where bullies rule. But Cap, although clueless about some things, spreads a message of peace and love to the students of Claverage Middle School and to all those he meets. Schooled is a well written story of the harsh reality of middle school life. I strongly recommend it.



Reviewed by: Sarah, Gr. 9
I really loved this book! "Schooled" was a hilarious, inspiring, and touching story about a hippie-boy who came from the middle of nowhere and had to deal with the sudden transition into a life at a public school. Cap has to learn social skills, organize social events, and please everyone in the school-while he has only known one other person, Rain, his entire life. He tries his hardest to juggle everything he considers his duties by being President of Claverage Middle School: writing checks, learning everyones names, and teaching tai-chi classes on the lawn. This book has an amazingly unique story! I would give it 4 out of 5 stars!!

Battle of the Books Review: Ranger's Apprentice- Book 1

Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
This book is about Will, a castle ward that was chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. Will always thought that he could have a chance at being accepted into Battle school to train to be a knight, but Sir Rodney didn't accept him. Halt, the Ranger that chose Will, teaches Will the ways and techniques of a Ranger. I don't like fantasy books much, but I really loved reading this book. I was glued to it until I finished reading it.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I really liked this book, the plotline is very interesting and the mystical land of Alaruen is really cool. Also, the villains are real strong and they are completely ruthless. Also, it tells the story of a boy who doesn't fit in anywhere but gets a life worth living eventually.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Will is an unusual case. Unlike the majority of the fiefdom, he is a ward of Baron Arald, being raised out of the goodness of the Baron's heart. This means that he has no parents to set the course for his future and thus will take part in Choosing Day with the rest of the wards and be chosen by one of the craftsman to be taken in as an apprentice or else become a farmhand for the rest of his life. But unlike the rest of the wards, he has no skills to speak of for any of the known crafts. So when Choosing Day comes, he is hopeless. But, Will is, as mentioned, an unusual case. And he is chosen to train under Halt, a shadowy member of the even more shadowy group known as the Rangers. And so Will starts his life as a Ranger, a protector and spy for the kingdom. Even as an apprentice, he will face danger and action beyond his imagination. The Ranger's Apprentice was an engaging read that I completely enjoyed. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and recommend this book to everyone.

Battle of the Books Review: Peeled

Peeled by Joan Bauer

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Hildy Biddle is a journalist for Banesville High's newspaper, the Core. There, the newspaper is based on facts. The only town's newspaper, The Bee, twists lies around to sound like the truth. Their story talks about the so-called ghost of the Ludlow property. Years ago, Clarence Ludlow was found dead on his property. It's up to Hildy and the rest of the Core staff to uncover the truth.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I didn't like this story very much because I am not very interested in books about reporting. I find them kind of boring and I didn't find the plotline to be very interesting.



Reviewed by; Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Hildy Biddle desperately wants to prove herself as a journalist. She lives in a small town where news is slow going and everyone's focus is on this year's apple harvest. But, there is one thing attracting the attention of everyone in the small town of Banesville. The old Ludlow house seems to be the home of a ghost. Soon, the rumors of the ghost spread out of Banesville and through the country as wild and sensational stories are being published by the other local paper, The Bee. But Hildy and her friends aren't willing to listen to the rumors. Hildy is determined to get to the bottom of this ghost story and see who really is lurking as a threat to Banesville. Joan Bauer weaves a tale of mystery and suspicion in this fast paced book that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Battle of the Books Review: Peak

Peak by Roland Smith

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Peak is an amazing book. It involves friendship, trust, and one of the most famous mountains in the world-Mount Everest. When Peak Marcello is busted by the cops for scaling and tagging a skyscraper, he is sent to court. The judge decides to put Peak on probation and make him pay a fine. The state will refund the money if Peak follows his probation. Peak would have to leave New York that day so the story that the media is talking about would die down. When Peak leaves New York to go live with his dad in Thailand, he finds out that his dad, the famous Joshua Wood, is going to take him to climb Mount Everest. If Peak makes it to the top before his 15th birthday, he will be the youngest person to ever climb to the summit of Mount Everest. Will he make it in time? I really enjoyed this book and was glued right to it.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
I enjoyed this book. Reading about mountain climbing is always cool because it is so adventurous. Also, it is pretty dangerous and people are breaking the law, which gives it an interesting twist. The main character is very nice.

Battle of the Books Review: The Lightning Thief

Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Reah, Gr. 7
Last year, The Lightning Thief was one of my favorite books. I still love it as much as I did last year. Percy Jackson is expelled and sent to another school every year because something weird happened. Percy is now finding out who he really is...and he is definitely not normal. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood to keep away from monsters, but on his way there, a monster finds him and his mom disappears in a flash of golden light. Where is his mom, and will he save her? This book has monsters, fighting, and some sadness in it. It involves a lot of Greek mythology. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.



Reviewed by: Rebecca, Gr. 6
This was a really good book! Rick Riordan created very real characters with an interesting plot. I liked that the book took place on Long Island.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This is one of the best books I have ever read. There is a lot of adventure and it is very unique how Riordan uses Greek gods as part of his story and the characters are very well developed as well.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr.9
The Lightning Thief is the story of Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old, New York City boy who learns that he is the son of Poseidon. He is whisked off to Camp Half Blood to train as a hero but quickly realizes that he is the child of a prophecy that affects the future of the gods. This means that there are many, many people who quickly dislike him. Percy must, with the help of his friends, Annabeth and Grover, go to the Underworld, retrieve a stolen weapon, and prove that he is not the lightning thief. This book is packed with excitement and Greek history and I strongly recommend it.

Battle of the Books Review: Kingdom Keepers

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr. 7
Kingdom Keepers involves a magical place, Disney. There, in the Magic Kingdom, the tour guides are called DHIs, standing for Disney Hosts Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging. The 5 kids that are DHIs are Finn, Charlene, Maybeck, Philby, and Willa. Together they have to stop the Overtakers, a group of villains from the Disney parks such as Maleficent. This was an amazing book full of magic, suspense, and secrets.


Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
What would you do if you had the chance to roam Disney Parks after dark? Finn Whitman is an Orlando teen who gets to do just that, along with four of his friends. Finn, Charlene, Willa, Maybeck, and Philby are connected for a special reason. They were all chosen to be a part of the DHI (Disney Hosts Interactive) program. At first this means filming and having hologram copies of themselves roam Disney's Magic Kingdom as tour guides, but as they all soon realize, it is more than that. The DHIs were created to save Disney, and the world as we know it, from a mysterious enemy group called the Overtakers. The question is, will they be able to? Read this exciting, action-packed, first installment of the Kingdom Keepers to find out.


Reviewed by: Varun, Gr. 9
This book was great. It has a really unique idea in how the park comes to life and there are villains. I like the imagination in how there are holograms that people can turn into in their sleep. It’s like having superpowers, except in a funny and unpredictable way. I really liked this book.

Battle of the Books Review: Found

 Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Reviewed by: Reah, Gr.7
Found is a great book. Jonah Skidmore is adopted. When he starts receiving weird letters that make no sense, he wonders if it has something to do with his adoption. His wondering gets him, his younger sister Katherine, and his best friend Chip Winston involved in a crazy adventure. I really liked reading this book.



Reviewed by: Jocelyn, Gr. 9
Jonah Skidmore is an average kid. He is adopted, but his family is his family: quirky, annoying, and loving. Everything about Jonah's life is normal until, one day he receives a mysterious note in the mail: "You are one of the missing." Six words that change his life. Jonah looks deeper and finds that his new neighbor, Chip (who is also adopted), is also receiving anonymous notes. Jonah, with help from his loyal sister, Katherine, and his new friend, Chip, now must look back to his past to figure out what it means to be one of the missing.



Reviewed by: Varun, Gr.9
This book was very good. Haddix has unique ideas about time traveling and they are really cool. I also think it’s cool how everybody moves to the same place to be sent to the cave. The sequel to this book is really good too.

Games on cupcakes?

Do you recognize what games are pictured on the cupcakes above? I somehow stumbled across THIS AWESOME WEBSITE filled with game-themed cupcakes. And they're not just cute pictures- they're a GAME!

Browse through the 100 cupcake pictures and see what you know. Then roll your mouse over the question marks to see if you're right. I had a good time admiring the frosting-masterpieces as well as testing my game-recognition in the 100 Games Cupcake Game.

Teen Advisory Board meeting 9/30/10

Attention teens in grades 6-12... this Thursday, September 30th from 7-8pm there will be a meeting of the Teen Advisory Board.  This is the first one of the new school year!  Remember: we are now having you sign up for each individual TAB meeting instead of one sign-up for the whole school year like we've done in the past.   So be sure to sign up!

We're going to be working as a group on a special photo collage commemorating our 10th Birthday!  It should be fun to create and it will definitely make a nice presentation for our upcoming birthday party on Sunday, October 3rd. 

We're also going to be talking a little bit about the details of a special project that we'll be tackling in the near future... a local artist is going to be creating a wall mural in our Young Adult fiction area and she's looking for input and possible volunteers to help her.  Being this is a small area, we're only going to need a handful of volunteers for the actual painting so we'll have an application available on Thursday for anyone interested in being considered for this special project.   If you can't make it to the TAB meeting this Thursday and want more details about the mural project, you can stop by the library after Thursday.

Popular author guest stars on Arthur cartoon

If you like the author Neil Gaiman, check out this article!  He's guest starring on an episode of the TV series Arthur on October 25th... perhaps an episode that you and your younger relatives can appreciate together!

Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole arrives today

Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole opens in theaters Friday! Even if you haven't read the books yet, who wouldn't love to look at talking owls this cute?

For those unfamiliar, here is a plot synopsis adapted from the one on Movie Insider:

The film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father's favor from Soren. But Kludd's jealousy has terrible consequences--causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones. Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls.

Be sure to check out the beloved "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" series by Kathryn Lasky. Click here to place a hold on the first book!

And visit the official movie website here: http://legendoftheguardians.warnerbros.com/#/home

Flipped Has Arrived.

Incase you missed it, Flipped opened this past weekend in a few select theaters around Long Island! So exciting!

Haven't read Wendelin Van Draanen's fabulous book yet? Come in and check one out or click here to reserve a copy.

Here's a quick plot refesher from Movietickets.com for those who read it a while ago (that would be me-- thanks Movietickets):

When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows its love. But Bryce isn't so sure. Girl-phobic and easily embarrassed, young Bryce does everything he can to keep his outspoken wannabe girlfriend at arm's length... for the next six years, which isn't easy since they go to the same school and live across the street from each other. But if Juli finally looks away, will it be Bryce's turn to be dazzled? "Flipped" takes Bryce and Juli from grade school to junior high; through triumph and disaster, family drama and first love, as they make the discoveries that will define who they are - and who they are to each other.

Awesome book, awesome author, hopefully awesome movie. Exciting stuff!

Happy Library Card Sign-Up Month!

Happy September! Did you know it's now officially Library Card Sign-up month? If you don't have one yet, now's the time! Want to know why? Here are a few things you can do:

1. Access the computers (and the printer) at the library.
2. Check out books, movies, music, games, and other materials.
3. Sign up for all kinds of cool FREE programs and volunteer opportunities like Wii Game Time, Pillow Painting, and Decorating Committee.
4. Get personal homework help or do research from the comfort of your home.

Come in, get a card, and find out how you can do all of these things. For more information call us at (631) 979-1600 or visit our home page: http://www.hauppaugelibrary.org/

And for more on what you can do with a library card check out the American Library Association's "52 Ways to use your library card."

Scott Pilgrim Avatar Creator!

Hey fans of Scott Pilgrim! Have you read the whole (awesome!) graphic novel series? Saw the movie? Gotten to the point where you really just wanted to Scott Pilgrim-ize yourself? Welp, I just did. Check it out:

Make your own Scott Pilgrim avatar by clicking here: http://www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com/avatarCreator/

Check out our new YouTube video!

When: August 13, 2010
Where: Hauppauge Public Library (special after-hours program)
Who: Twenty local teens armed with props, face-makeup and books
Accomplices: Several members of the library staff and an acting coach with years of theater experience
What: The end result... a movie promoting the joy of reading.

Click here to see how the characters and action in books can literally come to life! 

Teens' Top Ten- Place your Vote Now!

 Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, sponsored by the American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association, where teens across America nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! 

Voting is open Aug. 23 through Sept. 17, 2010. Winners will be announced in a webcast at www.ala.org/teenstopten during Teen Read Week, Oct. 17-23. 

Check out the list of nominees and place your vote for your favorite title!

Meet the Author: Aaron Renier!

Exciting news! We've just added a program for tweens and teens (Grades 3-12) ... author/illustrator Aaron Renier will be visiting the Hauppauge Public Library on Friday, September 3rd to promote the release of his new graphic novel, The Unsinkable Walker Bean. Not only will Aaron be telling us all about the cool career of being a writer and artist, he will also be conducting a drawing workshop to show you some of the tricks of the trade! Don't miss this special opportunity! Every participant will receive an 8 x 10 autographed drawing and five lucky participants will win a free copy of Aaron's new book! Sign up today! 

The Social Network (the Facebook movie) trailer

Yep. They're making a movie about Facebook starring Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerburg. Check out the trailer below:

The movie is due out October 1st. To read more about the plot and cast check out IMDB.

Author Event- Suzanne Collins

If you are a fan of the Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, you will be thrilled to learn that she will be appearing at the Barnes and Noble in Huntington Station on Tuesday, August 24th at 7:00pm!  In order to get in to see her, the store will be distrubuting bracelets on August 23rd starting at 9:00am.  See the Barnes and Noble website for more info!   And don't forget, the third book in the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay, is coming out that very same day!!  Are you excited?!?! 

Attention Teens Who like to Knit or Crochet

Call it lazy or call it efficient- I'm a big fan of things happening automatically.   Getting something accomplished while doing other things (and not having to think about) it is okay in my book.  So that's why, when I saw this ingenious design, my heart went a flutter!   It's a knitting clock that knits a 7 foot scarf over the course of a year's worth of time.  Pretty cool, huh?

Oh, that reminds me: we just had our second meeting (of eight sessions) of the Stitch and Sticks teen volunteer program.  That's the program where you can knit or crochet all sorts of cool projects for charity.  There's still time to join!  The remaining sessions are: Thursdays from 1:30- 3:00pm on July 22, 29, August 5, 12, 19, and 26th.   See a librarian to sign up!!

Rock, scissors, paper... with a twist!

Next time you find yourself on a long line, with no iPod or book to keep you company, grab a few of the closest people and try this game.

Monkey-Pirate-Robot-Ninja-Zombie

Twilight: Eclipse – The 8-Bit Interactive Game

Ok. This is awesome (and funny)! You've GOT to try this 8-bit (cool in and of itself) choose-your-own-adventure Twilight Eclipse game.



Note to all Twilight fans: This game doesn't take itself or the book/movie series too seriously. Make sure you play it with a sense of humor!

Twilight Star Related to Dracula

How interesting:  according to research done at Ancestry.com, Robert Pattinson is distantly related to Dracula!  The real-life man, Vlad III Dracula, not the book and movie Dracula we know... cause that would sort of be impossible.  But now that I got your attention, read below:

Genealogy web site Ancestry.com said on Wednesday that the British actor is distantly related to Vlad III Dracula -- the cruel 15th century ruler who inspired Bram Stoker's literary Count Dracula in 1897. Family history experts said Pattinson and Vlad -- the Transylvania-born despot also known as Vlad the Impaler -- are likely related through today's British royal family. Pattinson, 24, is a distant cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry on their father's side, probably through the Pickering family who lived in northern England in the early 1500s, Ancestry.com said.

Real working printer... made of Legos!

I think I just found the theme for the first meeting of the kids' Lego Club in the Fall...

Modern Toilet

Ok, don't think I'm crazy, but ever since I heard about this restaurant a few months ago, I can't stop thinking about it (2 thumbs up for the Travel Channel). Anyway, I figured if it made such an impression on me, maybe it'll make an impression on all of you too... so I'm going to share it, but please, don't think I'm crazy.

It's called Modern Toilet and it's a bathroom-themed chain restaurant that is based in Taiwan, but expanding into China and other parts of Asia too (There are 12 branches in total, currently). The seats are toilets, fancy, stylish and acrylic with the lid down, of course. The tables are a layer of glass with a sink underneath. And the BEST part is that the food comes in a a mini toilet bowl and the drinks come in a mini urinal! Also, the REAL BEST part (and this is what started it all), the soft-serve ice cream comes to you in a dish shaped like a squat toilet!

Before Modern Toilet was a full restaurant, its owner, Wang Zi-wei, 29, had an ice cream shop that began selling chocolate ice cream swirls on paper squat toilets with tons of success. He got the idea for it from a Japanese robot cartoon character, Jichiwawa, who loved to play with poop. Grossly awesome, yes?

According to this article in TIME, the restaurant's menu includes curries, pasta, and fried chicken, as well as several shaved-ice desserts with gross names that are just a teeny bit too descriptive (read the article).

When I saw this on the Travel Channel I immediately thought, "If the dining room is full of toilets, what's in the bathroom?" Actually it made me a little bit anxious to think about, but luckily the restaurant does have proper bathrooms and they are, apparently, very well marked (so no mistakes). However don't think you'll get to wash your hands in a regular sink. Nope, their sinks are in toilets too.

Want to see more pictures? Here's some on Fun Fever, and here's some on Spot Cool Stuff Travel.

I hope one of these restaurants comes to New York! Otherwise, does anyone want to go to Taiwan?

Oh, and folding chairs and normal dishware are available if you really can't handle all the toilets. But what's the fun in that?!

39 Clues Authors Coming to Barnes & Noble!

Monday, May 24th!

Mark your calendars because the authors of the "39 Clues" books are coming the Barnes & Noble in Huntington Station! At 6:00pm, you'll have your chance to meet four of the award-winning authors: Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Jude Watson, and Peter Lerangis.

Bracelets for the event will be distributed Sunday, May 23rd at 10:00am. For more information, you can contact the store at 631-421-9886.

It should be exciting!

If you haven't read any of the 39 Clues books, click here to put a copy of the first one (Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan) on hold!

Novel-T Jerseys

Wearing a jersey is a good way to show your support for your favorite athletes. But what about showing support for your favorite authors and novel characters?

Welp, now there's a jersey for doing that too! With lost of famous names available such as Vonnegut, Sawyer, Poe, Thoreau, Quixote, Gatsby and more, you're sure to find a Novel-T, that fits your liking.

Novel-T, will donate $1 of each purchase to 826NYC, a nonprofit organization in New York City that helps students ages 6 to 18 with writing skills.

You can order them here!

Flipped is coming to theaters

Have you read Wendelin Van Draanen's novel Flipped? Did you love it? Welp, great news! It's being made into a movie!

The movie, starring Madeline Carroll as Juli Baker and Callan McAuliffe as Bryce Loski, is due out September 17th of this year.

If you haven't read the book yet (you have to read it before you see the movie) it's written in alternation perspective chapters between Bryce and Juli. The two young teens, while growing up, describe their feelings about themselves, their peers, family, and mostly, each other--even though they are complete opposites.

To read more about the movie click here.

To reserve a copy of the book click here.

Earth Day 2010

Happy Earth Day!

Every year, since 1969, we have observed Earth Day on April 22nd. Earth Day's purpose is to increase public awareness of environmental issues such as recycling, pollution, energy, and global warming.

There are lots of easy, small things you can do to help care for our planet. Here are a few ideas:

1. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Or, better yet, if there's enough sunlight coming in, leave the lights off when you enter a room.

2. Reuse the back-sides of paper.

3. Turn off the water when you're not using it, specifically when brushing your teeth.

4. Don't leave the refridgerator open for too long. Decide what you want before opening the door because it takes more energy to cool the refridgerator down after the warmer air has come in.

5. Unplug unused electrical devices throughout your house. Anything plugged into an electrical socket, but not turned on will still use some amount of energy. This energy is being wasted! So besure to unplug old toys, stereos, and chargers that you aren't using.

6. Pack a greener lunch: Use a cloth bag instead of paper bags, and pack your food in reusable plastic or metal containers, instead of plastic wrap or foil. You can also pack your drink in a reusable bottle or thermos, and even try using a cloth napkin instead of paper ones.

7. Check out a book on Earth-friendly crafting, such as this one, for instance.

And why not read a few short storioes about the saving the Earth for inspiration? I think you're never too old to enjoy a picture book. Here are some titles to get you started:

Just A Dream, by Chris Van Allsburg

Charlie & Lola: We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers, by Lauren Child

Stuff!: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, by Steven Kross

The Great Trash Bash, by Loreen Leedy

Abigale the Happy Whale, by Peter Farrelly

Teen Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8

Even though I have seen this movie a thousand times, I still think that the book was better. And to be quite honest, I didn't think that it even was a book, till i searched it on the web, and decided to take it out. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I highly recommend you at the very least read the book. You haven't read a fairy tale story with a happy ending till you read The Princess Bride.

This book is about a regular girl that lives on a farm with her family and her 'farm boy' Westly. After Westly has left, and had been killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts, the Prince chooses her to be his bride. As she has been kidnapped, she is reunited with the only love of her life Westly, and they go through many battles with the prince to save their love.

This was and still is a wonderful book, and I recommend it to everyone that loves a good fairy tale. =]

*Note from Miss Catherine: The 20th Anniversary Edition of the movie has the coolest cover I've ever seen in my life... check it out below.  It reads the same upside down as it does right side up!  Unbelievably clever!  (By the way, fabulous post Erika!)

Check out Richie's Picks

I just spent a nice morning at the Fran Romer Memorial Workshop listening to Richie Partington tell us all about some great YA books. Turns out he grew up right in the next neighborhood from me in East Northport so we're almost like old neighbors! (Except now he lives in California!) Check him out at http://richiespicks.pbworks.com/. He has some really great books to recommend! Happy reading!

Intelligent video clip

Quite possibly one of the most ingenious video clips I've ever seen.  This is a video that was made by the people at Penguin Publishers (DK Publishing) for an internal meeting about the future of publishing.  It was so well received that they released it to the public.  It's brilliant in every way possible:  for its content, its message and the concept of perspective.  You have to watch this all the way through to get the full effect... trust me, it is so worth the watch. 

Peeps as...

This week is (was?) officially Peeps Week 2010 and, in honor of this delicious holiday week(end), I thought I would share with you some fun and interesting ways to eat and serve Peeps. I got ALL of them from awesome Serious Eats website, which also has all kinds of other interesting and yummy recipes.

Here goes...

(1) Peeps as Peeps Krispie Treats



Apparently, although these are made the same way regular rice crispy treats are made, Peeps Krispie Treats taste sweeter that regular ones (sprinkly sugar on top, maybe?). Plus, they're so pretty and colorful! I'm thinking of giving these a shot myself actually, because they look so easy to make. Click the link above for instructions.

(2) Peeps as Peepshi



You can make Peepshi (Peeps Sushi!) with just some peeps, rice crispy treats, and Fruit by the Foot. But you have take a picture before you eat it, because this one's all about the image. Click the link above for a Beginners Guide to Peepshi.

(3) Peeps as S'meeps



Seems so obvious, but I didn't think of it! Apparently these taste just like regular s'mores, but have an extra (and delightful) subtle crunch. I'm also considering making these.

(4) Peeps as Fluffernutter



This one has a surprise! It's not just a regular fluffernutter sandwich with a marshmallow swap. Nope. Instead of ordinary bread, this sandwich is made with 1" pieces of POUND CAKE. Mmmmm!

(5) Peeps as Peepza



Okay, I'll be honest, when I first stumbled upon this I let out an, "Ewww!" But then I gave it a bit of actual consideration and yep, I can see this giving me the exact salty/sweet combo I am always craving (you know, like chocolate covered pretzels do). You're actually supposed to melt the peeps, and when you think about it (really) pizza with a little extra sweet... probably pretty okay.

(6) Peeps as Chocolate Covered Peepsicles



I don't know how you can go wrong with this one, really. Plus it seems totally easy to make. I'd imagine that, in addition to coconut, you could probably cover these guys in sprinkles or even maybe a caramel drizzle or something.

Happy Peeps Week, guys!