Teen Tech Month 2012- Skate 3 video game review

As you may have seen, March is "Teen Tech Month" at the Hauppauge Public Library.  We're encouraging our teens to review a video game they've played recently.  We just started circulating video games at our library, so this month's theme is quite timely.  Speaking of time, there's still a week left in order for you to review a video game that you've played recently.  All reviews will be posted to our blog and/or Facebook page and all reviewers will be entered into a drawing for a Game Stop gift card!  Here's a great example of a recent review:

Video Game Review by Garrett, Gr. 10
Skate 3 brought me back to my childhood memories where playing the old Tony Hawk games wasn't online. Now, for the Xbox, I met new friends across the world that liked to compete in online modes such as HORSE, Spot Battle, and many others. This made me get more interested not just in skating, but making gameplay commentaries on YouTube. I recommend this game to skaters and people that never learned to skate. My overall average for this game is a 5/5.

Hunger Games Day!

Has anyone seen The Hunger Games yet? With the movie out TODAY, I've compiled a few fun Hunger Games Internet activities, for your entertainment:

1. Watch a trailer. You can never do too much trailer watching, right?:


2. PLAY GAMES! Scholastic has created two of these: The first is called "Trial By Fire," where you can find out if you're ready for the Hunger Games and test your abilities to see if you'd be able to survive the real thing. The next is called "Tribute Trials," where you can see if you can survive being in an arena like the one in the Hunger Games, then try to discover how you might improve your chances. Click here to play!

3. Read Mockingjay.net, a fun and popular Hunger Games fan site, that will have you scrolling mindlessly for a hours.

4. Figment.com has created a few hilarious charts that are definitely worth a look at. Here's one, for example:
Click here for the rest of the Hunger Games related charts and graphs.

And if you've seen the movie, let us know! How did it compare to the book? Was it too scary for little kids? I'm seeing it tonight at 9:00 pm and I can't wait!

A Wrinke In Time's 50th Anniversary

I just found out from YALSA's The Hub that this year is the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite books, Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time!

As one of the earliest books with a female heroine, A Wrinkle In Time is not only a classic story but kind of a ground breaker for women!

Meg Murry, our protagonist, is a regular girl... not too pretty, not too cool, and totally anxious, fussy, and short-tempered. But it's this collection of faults that (a) get her the popular boy in school and (b) ultimately save everyone she cares about.

A Wrinkle in Time, however, almost wasn't published! The publishers had a hard time determining just who this book was for. They felt it would be too difficult for children to read but with all children characters, it wouldn't interest adults. Many also didn't like how L'Engle dealt overtly with the idea of good and evil.

But eventually (luckily) A Wrinkle in Time was published and thank goodness it was! Even 50 years later, it's still going strong as a popular favorite!

Put a hold on A Wrinkle in Time if you've never read it before (and even if you have!) and, for more A Wrinkle in Time fun, check out a few book trailers below: