Teen Frequency @ Hauppauge Public Library

Dancing Books

2012-01-16T15:49:00.002-05:00

How about some dancing books? Watch this video and see it happen!

The video (on Yahoo) was made by Sean Ohlenkamp and his wife, who spent many sleepless nights moving, stacking, and animating. I love it!

2011 Teen Read Week "Choose Our Next Book" Results

2012-01-11T14:22:00.000-05:00

Teen Read Week took place a few short months ago and following last year's successful "Choose Our Next Book" challenge, we decided to do it again. We asked you to give the staff titles that YOU thought WE should read. Staff members looked at the list and got started reading your recommendations! Below are the results on a scale of 1-5. (1= No good; 2= Eh; 3=Good; 4=Great; and 5=The Best)

Maximum Ride #1: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Summary: After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "bird kids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose. Rating: 2 (The reader wished the characters would have grown more throughout the story, instead of making the same mistakes over and over again.)

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Summary: After a night of indiscriminate partying, Rachel gets close to her friend's fiance and is consumed with guilt, until the intensity of her feelings forces her to make a difficult choice. Rating: 2.5 (The reader thought the content was a bit fluffy, but definitely mature- it was definitely for an older reader.)

Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
Summary: After winning a coveted spot on the high school cheerleading squad, 16 year old newcomer, Jess Parker, is still treated as an "outsider" by the majority of the student body thanks to the harassment campaign led by the popular cheerleader she displaced. Rating: 2 (The reader felt like she has read too many stories similar to this one, but says that if you like this type of story you'll probably love this book.)

Heroes of Olympus #1: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they learn they are demi-gods, and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself. Rating: 4 (The reader found great pleasure in returning to the familiar world of Camp Half-Blood, revisiting some favorite characters and meeting new ones. The action was intriguing as always!)

Heroes of Olympus #2: Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Summary: Demi-god Percy Jackson, still with no memory, and his new friends from Camp go on a quest to free Death, but their bigger task is to unite the Greek and Roman camps so that the Prophecy of Seven can be fulfilled. Rating: 4 (The reader liked this book a lot and can't wait to read more in the series.)

Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Summary: Seventh grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been uncomfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family. Rating: 3.5 (The reader thought this story was very realistic and liked the ending very much.)

Clique #2: Best Friends for Never by Lisi Harrison
Summary: A bet about wardrobes between the wealthy Massie and the middle-class Claire results in a testing of old friendships, a forging of new ones, and a change for the student body at Octavian County Day School. Rating: 4 (The reader liked this book because the story was very relevant to what kids are going through in their own everyday lives.)

A Boy at War by Harry Mazer
Summary: While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, 1941, teenaged Adam is caught in the midst of the Japanese attack and through the chaos of the subsequent days tries to find his father, a naval officier who was serving on the U.S.S. Arizona when the bombs fell. Rating: 5 (The reader thought this book was a very realistic and personal snapshot of the events from that period in history.)

Thank you to all the teens who gave us recommendations and all the staff members who took the time to read these books and give their opinions. This was a fun project! Look for it again next October during our annual Teen Read Week celebrations!

10 of the Most Beautiful Libraries and Bookshops to Visit on Your Travels

2012-01-04T16:08:00.001-05:00

You may or may not be a seasoned traveller, but world-wide, "libraries are often distinguished architectural landmarks and can provide deeper insights not only into a country's literature, but also its culture and history as a whole," (according to Bootsnall.com). Plus, libraries are almost always free and open to the public. So why not take a visit in your travels?

BootsNAll has compiled "10 of the Most Beautiful Libraries and Bookshops to Visit on Your Travels" to keep an eye out for as you go.

Have you been to any of these? You can start by taking a look at them online.

Vancouver Public Library (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Royal Danish Library (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Austrian National Library (Vienna, Austria)

National Library Singapore (Singapore, Singapore)

Law Library of the University of Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland)

Great Court and Reading Room, British Museum (London, United Kingdom)

Philological Library of the Free University (Berlin, Germany)

Lello Bookshop (Porto, Portugal)

Bibliothèque Nacionale de France (Paris, France)

Biblioteca Nacional de España (Madrid, Spain)

I've been to so many of the cities listed above, but only one of the libraries! I wish I could go back in time; these look so beautiful.

Happy travels!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

It's 2012! If you're like a lot of people out there, it's time for you to make a resolution to work on something you've always wanted to improve. No matter what your new year's resolution is, we've got the books to help you get started!

Get more exercise:
Yoga For Teens : How To Improve Your Fitness, Confidence, Appearance, and Health-- And Have Fun Doing It by Thia Luby

Yoga Step-By-Step by Michael Spilling and Liz Lark

Toning For Teens : The 20-Minute Workout That Makes You Look Good and Feel Great! by Joyce L. Vedral

Beyond The Blues : A Workbook to Help Teens Overcome Depression by Lisa M. Schab

Fitness Information for Teens : Health Tips About Exercise, Physical Well-Being, and Health Maintenance Including Facts About Conditioning, Stretching, Strength Training, Body Shape and Body Image, Sports Nutrition, and Specific Activities For Athletes and Non-Athletes by Lisa Bakewell

Recycle more:
The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts

Recycle This Book : 100 Top Children's Book Authors Tell You How To Go Green edited by Dan Gutman

Recycle : Green Science Projects For A Sustainable Planet by Robert Gardner

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : An Easy Household Guide by Nicky Scott

Recycle! : Make Your Own Eco-Friendly And Creative Designs : Over 60 Projects For Your Home and Garden by Moira and Nicholas Hankinson

Study harder:
How To Remember Everything : Memory Shortcuts To Help You Study Smarter. Grades 9-12 by Russell Kahn, with Tom Meltzer

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Study Skills by Randall S. Hansen and Katharine Hansen

Super Study Skills : The Ultimate Guide To Tests and Studying by Laurie Rozakis

The Secrets of Taking Any Test by Judith N. Meyers

Study Smart : Hands-On, Nuts-And-Bolts Techniques for Earning Higher Grades by Theodore Silver

Learn a new skill:
Crochet Basics : All You Need To Know To Get Hooked on Crochet by Jan Eaton

The Only Basic Guitar Instruction Book You'll Ever Need : Learn To Play, From Tuning Up To Strumming Your First Chords by Jack Wilkins and Peter Rubie

The Piano : An Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide by Frank Cappelli

Basic Cooking : All You Need To Cook Well Quickly by Jennifer Newens

Pathways In Juggling : Learn How To Juggle With Balls, Clubs, Devil Sticks, Diablos, and Beyond by Robert Irving and Mike Martins

Read more (Here are a few of my favorites that you might not be familiar with):
Every Little Thing In the World by Nina de Gramont

Paper Towns by John Green

The Eternal Smile : Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Or come in to the library to find a book to help you with whatever you want to do or improve!

Have a fantastic year!

The Endangered Species Act of 1973

2011-12-28T14:58:00.001-05:00

38 years ago today, President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This act provides for the conservation of ecosystems that are necessary for the survival of threatened/endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants.

Find out the endangered species in New York (or any other state) by clicking here.

Or check out a book to learn more about endangered species. Here are a few options that you can reserve right now:

Endangered Species by Sean Sheehan

Endangered Species by Cynthia A. Bily

Endangered Species : Protecting Biodiversity

Endangered Animals of Antarctica and the Arctic by Marie Allgor

Animals on the Edge : Science Races to Save Species Threatened With Extinction by Sandy Pobst

Almost Gone : The World's Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins

Amphibians In Danger : A Worldwide Warning by Ron Fridell

A Most Dangerous Journey : The Life of an African Elephant by Roger A. Caras

Face to Face With Elephants by Beverly and Dereck Joubert

Bengal Tiger : In Danger of Extinction! by Richard Spilsbury

Chimpanzee Rescue : Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife by Patricia Bow

Top 50 Reasons To Care About Giant Pandas : Animals in Peril by Mary Firestone

Sea Otter Rescue : The Aftermath Of An Oil Spill by Roland Smith

Great White Shark : In Danger of Extinction! by Richard Spilsbury

Biodiversity edited by Louise I. Gerdes

TAB - Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-12T15:03:00.000-05:00

Teen Advisory Board members!

(Grades 6 and up)

Join us on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:00-8:00pm to create your own gingerbread house. Bring a small milk or juice container as well as a bag of candy to share.

See you there!

James Patterson's College Book Bucks Essay Contest

2011-12-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

Are you a high school senior and know that you're heading to college next year? If so, you may have already heard about how expensive college textbooks can be. (Like seriously expensive!) So here's a cool opportunity... James Patterson, author of such favorites as the Maximum Ride series and Daniel X, is offering $70,000 in gift certificates redeemable at IndieBound stores. All you have to do is submit an essay that answers the question “How has your favorite book inspired you toward what you’d like to do in life?” The contest deadline is December 31, 2011. Winners will be announced nationally on March 1, 2012.

Read more about this contest here, and if you choose to enter... Good Luck!

Hunger Games Movie Trailer!

2011-11-16T00:47:00.000-05:00

Are... you... ready?

So, who else just got chills from watching that?

NaNoWriMo '11

2011-11-02T14:32:00.001-04:00

Happy November and Happy National Novel Writing Month. Yep, that's right. It's NaNoWriMo again: time to trade in hours of watching and nights out for the joy of writing a 50,000-word novel in one month.

For those of you who not in the know, 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!"

NaNoWriMo encourages quantity, not quality, so don't stop, don't think, just write. Use the opportunity to be free, write what you feel like writing, and see where the journey takes you! And take comfort in knowing that we're all producing mediocrity together.

Despite the fact that we aren't expected to create a work of quality, sometimes luck will have its way and, with enough editing, a NaNoWriMo novel can turn out to be a real masterpiece! Some even become popular, published books. Don't believe it's possible? The following books all started out as NaNoWriMo projects:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (a 2007 Alex Award winner)

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen (among YALSA’s 2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and 2009 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults)

Livvie Owen Lived Here by Sarah Dooley

Running for My Life by Ann Gonzalez

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

So, will yours be next?

This is year is my sixth year embarking on the challenging and really kind of silly journey and I'd love for you all to join me! Knowing that you just wrote a whole novel, no matter how terrible, is an AWESOME feeling... and it's only 29 days away!

Want to sign up? Check out the Official National Novel Writing Website for more information.

And be sure to read Figment's NaNoWriMo Approacheth Survival Tips for some genuinely good advice on handling this frenzied month.

Happy writing, everybody!

Alternate Uses of Halloween Candy

2011-10-31T18:38:00.000-04:00

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo, it's Halloween! The one day a year where anything goes, crazy outfits, candy for dinner, and ringing the doorbells of strangers.

But what about tomorrow? And what about all that leftover candy? Here are 10 fun ideas you might want to consider when the novelty of just eating it has worn off (or made you a little nauseated):

1. Make one of the awesome ornaments seen here. All you need is some colorful hard candy, some cookie cutters, an oven, and a little creativity.

2. Make a mosaic with it! Use sturdy cardboard as your base, cover it with colorful construction paper, then glue on candies (go for the colorful ones!). When you're done, cover it with spray shellac to prevent the candy from getting buggy or rotting.

3. CandyExperiments.com is awesome! Check out some of their fun experiment ideas and donate your candy to an afternoon of science fun.

4. Make Apple Candy Bar Salad or one of the other delicious-sounding recipes on this Squidoo page.

5. Save it to make miniature (and edible) cornucopia for Thanksgiving this year by filling sugar cones with a mix of candy corn, M&Ms, Runts, etc.

6. Chop up the chocolate bars and freeze the shavings so you have a year-round ice cream topping on hand.

7. Operation Gratitude (which sends care packages to US troops overseas) is looking for candy to send to Iraq! This is a copy of their current wishlist, and as you can see, Halloween candy is on it! Scroll down their list for information on donations and shipping. Or see if a dentist near you is participating in Operation Buyback.

8. Try making this candy corn fudge. It's easy and looks delicious.

9. Save some pristine candy to attach to wrapped gifts. All presents are more exciting to open when there are a couple of fun-size candy bars taped to the ribbon.

10. Make your own blizzard in the blender! Try crumbling your Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or all three and placing them in a blender with vanilla ice cream to create a homemade blizzard or flurry.

And of course, there's always the chance that you might just wind up eating it.

Happy Halloween! Be safe trick-or-treating!

NPR's new "Back-Seat Book Club"

2011-10-26T15:37:00.000-04:00

Do you like to listen to books on audio CD or MP3? NPR (National Public Radio) has a program called "All Things Considered" which is launching a new segment for kids ages 9-14, called the "Back-seat Book Club." Once a month there will be a new book selection offered, and kids and parents are encouraged to listen to the book and give their feedback.

We're asking young people and their parents to join us in reading a special book each month. We also want young readers to join in the conversation with that book's author. We want to know what you think about the book. And most important, we want to give authors a chance to answer your questions. This is a great way for All Things Considered to celebrate kids' books and to provide a special treat for all those youngsters who are fed a steady diet of NPR news.

October's selection is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. This book has won numerous awards, including the Newbery Award, the highest award for children's literature. It was also a Suffolk County Battle of the Books title from this past summer and a Hauppauge Middle School Book Chat selection from last year.

I personally have listened to this book on audio and have to say it was extremely well-done since the author himself is the reader... which is.not something that happens often in the audiobook world, believe it or not. And anyone who has heard Neil Gaiman speak knows that his voice has a special quality to it that makes it easy to listen to him! Check out the audio CD or the Playaway version today from the Hauppauge Library!

Teen Read Week 2011

2011-10-14T09:29:00.003-04:00

Teen Read Week officially starts on Saturday! It runs October 16th through 22nd, and this year's theme is "Picture It @ Your Library", encouraging you to read graphic novels and other creative or illustrated books just for the fun of it!

Teen Read Week started in 1998. Libraries across the world celebrate by encouraging teens to read for pleasure and (by using their library) to read for free.

It's important to celebrate Teen Read Week because, even though there are lots of other really great entertainment options out there, reading for fun is free, entertaining, and proven to help improve test scores.

Visit the library for a few awesome graphic novels, or put one or two of these great ones on hold:

The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim

Maus I : A Survivor's Tale : My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

Miki Falls: Book 1, Spring by Mark Crilley

Mail Order Ninja: Vol. 1 by Joshua Elder

Kitchen Princess 1 art by Natsumi Ando, story by Miyuki Kobayashi, translated by Satsuki Yamashito, adapted by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life. Vol. 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Jellaby by Kean Soo

Dramacon Vol. 1-3 by Svetlana Chmakova

Plus!!!

If you check out any book during Teen Read Week, you'll automatically get... (drum roll please)... a free book + CANDY + a raffle ticket to win one of the lovely prizes below:

(One per teen, per day)

Enjoy reading for the fun of it!

Banned Books Week 2011

2011-09-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow starts Banned Books Week, an annual event held the last week of September that celebrates the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Banned Books Week draws attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting books that have been targets of bannings, or attempted bannings.

Check out this map of the USA to see where some popular titles were banned. It's EVERYWHERE.

Take a look at some popular banned books below. You might be surprised to find some of your favorites listed! Imagine if you never got the chance to read them?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Ttyl by Lauren Myracle

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Celebrate Banned Books Week from September 24th through October 1st by reading a banned book! For more banned book ideas, try clicking one of the PDFs below:

Books banned in 2011

Books banned in 2010

Books banned in 2009

Peeta Vs Gale

2011-09-20T20:40:00.001-04:00

If you're a Hunger Games fan, you have to read this funny (yet, thought-provoking) post on the Figment Blog... presenting:

Peeta Versus Gale!

The two are pitted up head-to-head in the categories: Chemistry, Grand Gestures, Better Meal-Maker, Battle Royal, and Better Babysitter. Click here to read the post and find out who is the overall winner, the overall better choice for Katniss!

"They’ve vied for Katniss’s heart and divided loyal fans into brutal, warring factions. We’re here to settle the score between these two Hunger Games hunks. And our choice is definitive."

And if you haven't read any of the Hunger Games series yet, click here to put book 1 (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins on hold!

Talk Like A Pirate Day

2011-09-16T10:05:00.000-04:00

Arrrr you ready for Talk Like a Pirate Day this year? It's September 19.

This year Talk Like a Pirate Day falls on a Monday, which is GREAT news because you have the whole weekend to brush up on your pirate speak! Luckily, Mango Languages has you covered. Just type in your library barcode and password, and you'll be able to start learning Pirate immediately and for free (or almost any other language, for that matter: Dari? French? German? Hebrew? Thai?).

Talk Like a Pirate Day began on June 6, 1995 by two guys named John Baur and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket). They were playing racquetball and, for some reason, started talking to each other in pirate slang. By the time they had finished their game, they were in full-out pirate lingo and it was then that they decided that "what the world really needed was a new national holiday, Talk Like A Pirate Day." Once it was deemed September 19th, it was celebrated privately for several years by its inventors. That is, until 2002, when John Baur just so happened to come across columnist Dave Barry's e-mail address. Surprisingly, Dave Barry thought it was a great idea and became convinced of the holiday's potential. And that's when he wrote his Miami Herald article.

Looking for some good books on pirates? Try these:

Piratepedia by Alisha Niehaus
Throughout this book, we make 27 stops around the world, learning all kinds of interesting facts about pirates, complete with pictures of artifacts, maps, and even movie photos. This book covers everything. There’s even an interactive pirate map game tucked into a secret back pocket!

Real Pirates by Clare Hibbert
In this collection of over 20 true pirate stories, we look at tales and facts from the Caribbean, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as a quick look at some other useful pirate facts.

Everything I Know About Pirates by Tom Lichtenheld
Want a humorous take on everything from tying pirate knots, to creating your own pirate name? This book covers educated guesses about pirate facts!

The Golden Age of Pirates by Bob Temple
“You live in a time of discovery, adventure, and travel.” You are living life at sea, and it’s dangerous, yet rewarding. There are lots of important decisions and, in this book, you get to make them. Choose your own adventure in this action-packed pirate story!

And for more official information on the fun holiday, check out the official Talk Like a Pirate Day Website.

Arr me hearty, a fine gentleman o' fortune be ye!
(Translation: Great my friend! You're a fine pirate!)

I learned that one on Mango Languages!

Amazing Audiobooks

2011-09-14T15:03:00.000-04:00

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) recently announced their list of "Amazing Audiobooks Nominations." This is exciting for me because I LOVE AUDIOBOOKS. With my busy schedule, it's hard to find a lot of time to read actual books (without falling asleep three pages in), but I don't have to miss out! I can listen to audiobooks during my commute every day and still get through books regularly!

If you're new to the world of audiobooks, welcome! Audiobooks can:
1. Make a long car trip seem shorter.
2. Be a great conversation starter if you're travelling with others.
3. Help you appreciate good books that you might not have picked up otherwise.

For the complete list of amazing audiobook nominations, click here!

A few of my favorite audiobooks are:

Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale, 7 discs.

Holes by Louis Sachar, read by Kerry Beyer, 4 discs.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, read by Marika Mashburn, 2 discs.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, read by Johnny Heller, 5 discs.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, read by Neil Gaiman, 7 discs.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, read by Julia Whelan, 6 discs.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, read by George Guidall, 6 discs.

Happy listening!

Library Card Sign Up Month 2011

2011-09-02T13:24:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it's already September! Not only is this the last official month of summer but it's also officially Library Card Sign-Up Month.

A library card can grant you access to tons of free materials and activities! For example:

1. Free computer and internet access every day (this especially comes in handy after a hurricane).
2. Hundreds of books, DVDs, CDs, and video games to take home and enjoy.
3. Classes all week long, like crafts, story times, lessons, workshops, family movies, game nights, and magic shows.
4. Help with your homework through the use of Live-brary, where you can get tutoring through BrainFuse and do research with our library-card-holder-only Online Resources.
5. TONS of free audiobooks and e-books to download onto your devices.

...And a whole slue of lovely librarians to help you with whatever you're looking for (like me, for example).

Stop in with some ID and get a card and you'll have access to lots of cool and useful things for free. For more information, call us or visit us online: http://www.hauppaugelibrary.org/

Book Reviews by YOU. Take 2!

2011-08-31T20:28:00.001-04:00

Shooting Kabul

N.H. Senzai

Reviewed by Justin, Gr. 12

"Shooting Kabul" was definitely a great novel written by N.H. Senzai. The novel starts off in Kabul, Afghanistan were Fadi and his family are planning an escape to America in order to escape the influence of the Taliban. In the effort to escape, Fadi had his younger sister Mariam's hand slip right through his fingers as the truck drove off. Not being able to turn back, both Fadi and his father felt as if their honor was lost. Finally landing in America the family did whatever they could to search for the whereabouts of Mariam. While Fadi's father took the toll for what happened, Fadi personally felt responsible for Mariam's loss. Fadi on top of all the guilt had to now attend a new school in Fremont, California adapting to the new way of life. While in California a series of events takes place which makes it difficult for Fadi and his family to live in and go about with their daily lives. With all that has happened an opportunity comes up were there is a photography contest and the grand prize consists of two free tickets to a few countries which included India. Fadi sees this as a chance to go and rescue his sister and restore the honor to both his father and himself that he felt he had lost. Will this be the chance for Fadi to finally rescue his sister or will Fadi and his family never be able to return back to Kabul and find Mariam? What may seem like an opportunity doesn't always come the way a person may expect it. This novel is great in the sense another culture is brought into perspective along with a way of life and what a family may have gone through while in America. The time period which the novel takes place is also very modern and some of the events which take place is very much recognizable. This book was very interesting and fun to read so that it will get you "hooked" on from the beginning to the end. Its something that if you have time, you should definitely read. It’s a great book!

The Limit

Kristen Landon

Reviewed by Nicholas, Gr. 7

"This was a good book, I am glad that I chose it to read. This book is about a boy who is forced to go to a workhouse to pay for his family's debt. There is a law that says children must work if their parents go over their ""limit"". The story is about his time spent there and his attempts to escape. The author uses a lot of detail to describe what is going on and this helped me picture it all in my head. I really liked the main character, Matt, because he took a lot of chances. I would recommend this book to my friends because it has an interesting plot that can relate to our lives and we could be the main character if our world was like that."

The Allegea Biscotti Collection

Olivia Bennett

Reviewed by Emma, Gr. 7

"I read the book called "The Allegra Biscotti Collection", and I enjoyed it. This book is about a girl named Emma Rose who is 14 and lives in the city. She is a fashion designer and loves to make clothes. Some of her clothes were left in her dad's factory where a famous fashion editor sees her work and wants to publish it in her magazine. Emma has to learn how to juggle school and having a secret identity, Allegra Biscotti. I would recommend this book to people, who love fashion.

The Last Best Days of Summer

Valerie Hobbs

Reviewed by Justin, Gr. 12

Lucy Crandall a twelve year old girl who all summer is looking forward to the last week in August were she can spend time with her Grams. For Lucy the week with Grams at Crescent Lake in California is the most perfect time in the world for her. Lucy can get away from her overprotective mother, her best friend Megan's obsession with becoming popular, and Eddie the neighborhood boy with Down Syndrome that she spends time with who constantly insists that both him and Lucy are friends. When Lucy goes to Grams all her problems goes away, and Lucy feels "centered". What seemed like it was going to be a perfect week, is nothing but perfect. It becomes more of a roller coaster ride with a lot of mixed emotions throughout the week, with some happy moments, but also some awful moments as well. Its a week full of surprises. Nothing goes as planned. Even Grams herself doesn't seem to be herself as she once was, which slowly makes Lucy more and more concerned with her. While it seems like there are lots of ups and downs, will Lucy still be able to find some happiness and excitement during the week, or will this be a week of disappointment and disaster that she will always remember? The only way to find out is by reading the book and seeing what happens to Lucy during the last week of August when she goes and visits Grams. While I found the book to be a good read and humorous, I may find it to be more geared and appealing to a female audience. It may not be as appealing or interesting to read for a male audience. Overall however it was a great book and one teens should read.

First Hunger Games Trailer

2011-08-29T12:56:00.000-04:00

If you lost power this weekend, chances are you missed the MTV Video Music Awards. In typical MTV Award Show Fashion, there was a pretty important movie trailer premier. Last night, we got our first glimpse at The Hunger Games movie!

Unfortunately, it was a little disappointing, all that anticipation to see Jennifer Lawrence run for a few seconds and the mockingjay logo rotate a few times. But never the less, take a look and get a feel for the much-anticipated Hunger Games movie:

And don't forget, if you still haven't read the book, there's plenty of time! Reserve a copy of The Hunger Games now.

Celebrity Libraries

2011-08-29T12:09:00.001-04:00

To the left... Oprah's home library.

The Accredited Online Colleges blog has compiled photos of 20 beautiful celebrity libraries. Aside from Oprah, the list includes famous names like Rod Stewart, Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, Ralph Lauren, and Sting.

Now if only we could see inside the books!

Take a look and a swoon at these libraries of the rich and famous. Maybe you'll be motivated to create or modify your own (less elaborate and less expensive) home library.

Book Reviews by YOU.

2011-08-22T17:48:00.009-04:00

Here are some of our Teen’s Top Ten Book Reviews from over the summer.

Paranormalcy
by Kiersten White
Reviewed by Victoria, 8th grade
Paranormalcy, a book by Kiersten White, tells a story about a girl who always thought herself to be normal, despite all the paranormal things in her life. Evelyn, or Evie, the protagonist, has worked for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, or IPCA since she was eight. She never had a family. She is one of their agents, who works in the field to neutralize paranormals. When she finds out that she is one, and she is caught up in a faerie prophecy, that's when things begin to take a turn for the worse. Read Paranormalcy to find out what happens.

Enchanted Ivy
by Sarah Beth Durst
Reviewed by Lena, 7th grade
If you enjoy fantasy books this is perfect for you. I really enjoyed this book. It's about a 16 year old girl named Lily Carter whos dream is to go to Princeton, but when her grandfather takes her there she's in for a surprise. If she can pass the Legacy Test and find the Ivy key she is automatically accepted in. There's only one problem she doesn't know what it is.

The Seventh Level
by Jody Feldman
Reviwed by Samantha, 7th grade
I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to all of my friends. This book is about a boy name Travis. Travis wants to be a part of The Legend. The Legend is his middle schools most top secret club. But first he has to pass the seventh level. I mostly enjoyed that all seven tasks got him into trouble.

Once
by Morris Gleitzman
Reviewed by Victoria, 8th grade
Once, by Morris Gleitzman, tells the story of young Felix in his quest to find his parents, during a time when the Jewish weren't so welcome. This was the time of Adolf Hitler, and the Nazi soldiers. The Nazis were killing the Jewish, and Felix had a close encounter. He is rescued by a kind man named Barney, who has done the same for many kids. The novel tells of all the lucky things to happen to Felix. "Everybody deserves to have something good in their life at least once" -Barney (page 122)

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall
by Mary Downing Hahn
Reviewed by Casey, 6th grade
"The rating word choice for me in regards to this book is ""Eh"". It was not a horrible book, but I would not recommend it to anyone. The storyline is about a ghost that haunts a house in the late 1800's in England, the boy who hides in his room in fear of the ghost which is his sister, and the cousin that comes along to this crazy household. Although the ghost was a nasty character, her self-centered and evil personality made her the most interesting one. Her time was spent finding ways to torture those that were still living because she was mad that she died. The only thing I liked about the book was that it was an easy read. For some reason I could not get into the book. I tend to like supernatural stories but this one was boring. My favorite quote from the book is said by the ghost - ""I tell you, you WILL be my friend, whether you wish to be or not. I always get my way. It's useless to fight me."" A friend is someone you like to be with, are not forced to be with. This ghost is too self centered to understand that. I did not care for this book to be on the Top 10 list. Maybe others would like it more than I did."

Hugo Trailer

2011-07-15T11:23:00.000-04:00

In the wake of the release of the final Harry Potter movie, there is some exciting news for Hugo Cabret fans (like me)! The first official trailer for Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," based on Brian Selznick’s award winning book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" has been released!

Take a look! It's beautiful.

This is Martin Scorsese's first 3D film as well as his first family-oriented film. "Hugo" is the story of an orphan boy who lives a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station in the 1930's. When he meets his friend, Isabelle, the two get wrapped up in a mystery involving a mean toy shop owner, Hugo's late father, and an automaton.

For more on the Hugo cast, see IMDB.

If you haven't read Brian Selznick’s 2008 Caldecott winner (and one of my personal favorite books), "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," you can reserve a copy here.

J.K. Rowling Interview

2011-07-12T11:56:00.000-04:00

Now that the last Harry Potter movie is almost here, the Harry Potter saga is coming to a close. Check out this very interesting article about J.K. Rowling and her future writing endeavors. If you're a Harry Potter fan, you may be happy with the very last part of the interview...

The Giver may be a movie someday

2011-06-28T22:40:00.000-04:00

Another book to movie to get excited about- The Giver by Lois Lowry. It was just announced that Jeff Bridges will produce and star in the movie adaption of this popular book. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and the full Hunger Games movie cast

2011-05-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

Well there she is! It's Jennifer Lawrence looking a lot more like I pictured Katniss Everdeen to look.

This week’s Entertainment Weekly (available tomorrow) will feature pictures and interview with Jennifer Lawarence about the Hunger Games movie! It's really coming!

Here is a little preview from the article on the Entertainment Weekly website:

When Lawrence was offered the role, she describes her response as a mixture of elation — and desperate anxiety. “I knew that as soon as I said yes, my life would change,” she says. “And I walked around an entire day thinking ‘It’s not too late, I could still go back and do indies, I haven’t said yes yet, it’s not too late.’” And yet, who can turn their back on Katniss? “I love this story,” she says, “and if I had said no, I would regret it every day.” After officially signing on, Suzanne Collins herself called to offer a starstruck Lawrence her most hearty congratulations. “I feel like when you said yes,” the author told her, “the world got lifted off my shoulders.”

And, similarly, several more actors have been added to the Hunger Games movie lineup. IMDB lists them here: The Hunger Games (2012) Full Cast and Crew.

Exciting stuff on the Hunger Games front!

Children's Book Week

2011-05-02T18:09:00.002-04:00

Happy Children's Book Week! This includes teens too!

Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally since 1919, but has been underway even longer! In 1913 Franklin K. Matthiews, a librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country, promoting higher standards in children's books. He then enlisted the help of a few other key people, Frederic G. Melcher (the visionary editor of Publishers Weekly) and Anne Carroll Moore (the Superintendent of Children's Works at the New York Public Library). With this trio at work, Children's Book Week was in full force by 1944.

Today, we celebrate with all kinds of fun events across the country (You can find out what's happening nearby here) and with a big Children's Choice Book Awards Gala!

For more on Children's Book Week, visit Children's Book Week Online. There's even a printable bookmark by Jeff Kinney! And check back later for the Children's Choice Book Award winners. They're being announced at the Gala tonight! If you voted for your favorite teen book and author of the year then you can't miss it!

Hunger Games Movie: More Casting

2011-04-28T08:11:00.001-04:00

Well, there are finally a few more confirmed cast members for The Hunger Games movie!

We already know about Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, but here are a few other characters:

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta

Liam Hemsworth as Gale

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket

Amandla Stenberg as Rue

Willow Shields as Prim

Dayo Okeniyi as Thresh

Leven Rambin as Glimmer

Not bad! Also, according to New York Magazine, John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Haymitch. Let's cross our fingers that he takes it! He'd be perfect!

Book Crossing and Teens' Top Ten Nominees

2011-04-15T10:31:00.006-04:00

Did you or your library do anything to celebrate Teen Literature Day yesterday? Did you Rock The Drop? If not, that's okay- you can still do something just like it!

Introducing... Book Crossing! This awesome project goes on every day, all year, and it's just like Rocking the Drop, except it's not only for teens and it's a little more calculated.

Just make a quick, free account (I have one!) and you'll have access to all kinds of features like lists of (worldwide) book locations for your hunting pleasure, labels to order or print for your book-giving pleasure, and their community of book-loving people. Once you plant a book, you can watch it travel all over the world by tracking it's various log-in's! Check out Book Crossing's About for all the details.

In addition, yesterday (to celebrate) YALSA announced the 25 nominations for this year's Teens' Top Ten. Read all twenty-five through the summer and get ready to vote for your favorite from August 22 through September 16!

Someday My Printz Award Will Come- Results

2011-04-13T15:21:00.000-04:00

Over the winter, teens in grades 6-12 volunteered to read and review books from a selection of titles that were possible contenders for the Michael Printz Award, an annual award given by the American Library Association for excellence in Young Adult Literature. Participants rated the books on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) and gave their opinions, both positive and negative. Thanks to all the teens who contributed to the "Someday My Printz Award Will Come" read and review volunteer project.

Titles (listed alphabetically)

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison

(Reviewed- 2 times; 5 stars)

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

(Reviewed- 2 times; 5 stars)

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky

(Reviewed- 2 times, 4 stars)

Batboy by Mike Lupica

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

(Reviewed- 1 time, 4 stars)

Death Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

(Reviewed- 1 time, 4 stars)

Free as a Bird by Gina McMurchy-Barber

(Reviewed- 4 times, 4 stars)

I.Q. Book 1: Independence Hall by Roland Smith

(Reviewed- 2 times, 5 stars)

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork

(Reviewed- 5 times, 4 stars)

The Line by Teri Hall

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

(Reviewed- 3 times, 5 stars)

Lucky by Wes Tooke

(Reviewed- 2 times, 4 stars)

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

(Reviewed- 1 time, 5 stars)

Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold

(Reviewed- 2 times, 2 stars)

The Rivalry by John Feinstein

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

(Reviewed- 4 times, 4 stars)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

(Reviewed- 11 times, 4 stars)

Theodore Boone: kid lawyer by John Grisham

(Reviewed- 5 times, 4 stars)

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

(Reviewed- 3 times, 4 stars)

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

(Reviewed- 6 times, 4 stars)

You by Charles Benoit

(Reviewed- 10 times, 4 stars)

Yummy by Randy DuBurke

(Reviewed- 7 times, 4 stars)

This project was very successful- we received a total of 94 reviews! Out of the 28 titles that were available to read, only two were not chosen at all by the teens participating: Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick and To Come and Go Like Magic by Sharon M. Draper. I'm kind of curious why these two titles weren't chosen by anyone to review, especially because Revolver was chosen as the official runner-up for the actual Printz award. I tried to read Revolver myself and couldn't get through it, so maybe my question for that one is why it won the runner-up prize of the Printz Honor award! Any thoughts on this would be welcome.

The actual winner of the Printz Award was Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi:

"The best thing about this novel is how the realistic aspects intermingle with the fictional components so smoothly." -Staci

"The best thing about this book was also what made it disturbing... how very real the futuristic world seemed." - Megan

The two books that were reviewed most often (and favorably as well) were:

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

"This book was absolutely amazing. There were twists within the plot, with surprises you'd never expect. The suspense keeps your fingers ready to hungrily turn to the next page!"- Raisa

"The best part of the book was its poetic roots. The poems Lennie writes are very beautiful. she leaves them lying around, on random scraps of paper, cups, tree bark, etc, and it makes it seem as though you're walking through her town finding the poetry."- Sarah

You by Charles Benoit

"The best thing about this book is how you feel as if you're actually a high school student facing the same things as Kyle. I liked the book although it ended too quickly." -Kerrin

"I liked how realistic it was... you probably know or knew someone in high school like Kyle or maybe he reminds you a little bit of yourself." - Danielle

"This book doesn't have a "happily ever after." It involves a lot of self-reflecting, putting you in the shoes of Kyle. I personally was led to question a lot of decisions I have made and any book with such power deserves to be recommended."- Brendon

Teen Literature Day: Rock The Drop

2011-04-13T10:01:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow is a pretty exciting day for people who love teen lit!

As many of you may know, we are smack in the middle of National Library Week, and every year, the Thursday of this glorious library-oriented week is dubbed Teen Literature Day!

So what can you do to celebrate? One of my favorite ideas comes from Readergirlz. This year they have teamed up with Figment (which you should check out if you like to read and write; it's cool) to bring us Rock The Drop in honor of tomorrow, Thursday, April 14th.

Here's how it works:

1. Print a copy of the official Rock The Drop bookplate and insert it into a book (or books) that you'll drop on April 14th.

2. Drop a book in a public spot (park bench, bus seat, restaurant counter, etc) and you're done! Lucky finders will spot the book it and see that the book is part of this awesome event.

3. Be sure to take a picture of your drop and send it to the readergirlz. They will be posting lots of pictures of drops happening all over the world on their blog!

Sound like fun? Click here for the official rules, banner, and book plate.

Additionally, YALSA has provided a list of other ways to celebrate Teen Literature Day as well as a pretty cohesive list of recommended books for Operation Teen Book Drop. Click here for YALSA's Teen Literature Day wiki.

Happy day and happy reading!

Authors Unlimited tickets available!

2011-04-02T16:02:00.000-04:00

Tickets are availalbe today! Don't miss this FREE full-day event! It's your chance to meet dynamic authors of YA literature such as Rita Williams-Garcia (author of One Crazy Summer), Robert Lipsyte (author of Center Field and The Contender), Tonya Hurley (author of the Ghostgirl series), and many more. This event is open to everyone, but teens get preferred seating. There will be cool giveaways, books for sale, and an autographing session.

The event is at St. Josepht's College campus on Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Doors open at 9:30 am.

For all of the details, visit http://www.authorsunlimited.org/ and come into the library for tickets!

More Hunger Games Movie buzz

2011-03-30T12:03:00.007-04:00

As you may have heard, Jennifer Lawrence (to the left) has been officially announced as Katniss Everdeen in the March 2010 movie release of The Hunger Games. This is pretty big news!

There's also so more casting buzz floating around the Internet, although Jennifer Lawrence is still the only role confirmed.

Some rumored possibilities for other roles:

Mackenzie Foy, who is also currently filming Breaking Dawn, is a possibility for Prim, as well as Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning's sister.

There is talk of Chloe Moretz as Rue, or possibly Willow Smith.

Josh Hutcherson is being considered for the role of Peeta as well as Hunter Parrish (who is my personal favorite). Lucas Till, who recently did a screen test for the roll, is another very promisng Peeta possibility.

For Gale, Drew Roy is a possibility, as well as Liam Hemsworth, Devid Henrie, and Robbie Amell.

But for now, we can be certain that we will be seeing Jennifer Lawrences face as Katniss. What do you think?

Children's Choice Book Awards 2011

2011-03-22T13:28:00.002-04:00

Voting is now open for the Children's Choice Book Awards! This is your chance to vote for your favorite!

The Children's Choice Book Award is broken up into four different levels by grade (K-2, Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, and Teens), and each ballot includes a few different nominees to vote for.

The Teen Vote includes Book of the Year, Author if the Year, and Illustrator of the Year.

Click here to view the previous years' winners.

And click here to cast your teen vote for 2011!

Funny Forecast!

2011-03-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Twilight fans! I just thought you all might get a kick out of the forecast my iPhone gave me for Forks, Washington!

Looks like Bella wasn't exaggerating.

Hunger Games Movie Buzz

2011-02-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

So it's been announced!!! The Hunger Games has gotten an official release date. And it's REALLY SOON. According to Entertainment Weekly, and IMDB, the highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games will be released on March 23, 2012.

That's eerily soon considering it doesn't even have a cast yet, isn't it?

There IS a significant amount of casting buzz floating around the Internet. YALSA's The Hub breaks down some casting possibilities for us.

Potential Peetas:

1. Liam Hemsworth (who, personally, would not be my pick ever, because he is a little too tough and dreamy looking.)

2. Alex Pettyfer (a lot closer to the Peeta I've been imagining, although still a bit old looking.)

3. Lucas Till (dingdingding! It's Peeta come to life!)

Now some potential Katniss':

1. Kaya Scodelario (I'm not sure if it's just because her hair looks messy in that picture or not, but she is almost exactly how I pictured Katniss, pretty but not perfect, effortless and thin, but wiry.)

2. Hailee Steinfeld (She wouldn't be my choice. She seems too perfect, too exotic looking without even trying.)

3. Chloe Moretz (I think The Hub expresses my sentiments exactly: "She’s blond and so young looking in her IMDb picture that it’s hard to picture her as Katniss – maybe as Prim!")

4. Lyndsy Fonseca (She would be perfect if she was just a little bit younger looking. But make up can do amazing things, right?)

Thoughts? I'm not completely in love with any of the casting options, but I'm sure the movie will be awesome no matter what. I'm desperate to hear some potential Gales though!

No matter what, there is only 1 year, 1 month, and 22 days until we find out EVERYTHING about The Hunger Games movie.

90 Second Newbery

2011-01-25T08:57:00.002-05:00

Every year since 1922, the American Library Association has awarded the very prestigious Newbery Medal. Now that we've already learned of our 2011 winner, a quick calculation tells us that there are 89 Newbery Medal books in all! That's a lot! Have you read them all?

Me neither.

But wouldn't it be nice to say that you did? Well, it might not be exactly the same as reading the book, but check out a 90 second reenactment of the 1963 winner, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle:

Get it? Want to make your own? Check out: 90secondnewbery.com for more information about the program, which is run by teen author James Kennedy.

Happy acting!

2011 Award Winners!

2011-01-10T17:54:00.010-05:00

What an exciting day for youth literature! This morning The American Library Assossiation announced the 2011 winners for 23 different youth literature awards, including the Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, and Printz Award!

And now for the big winners...

The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature goes to...

Moon over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool

Four Newbery Honor Books also were named:

Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults goes to...

Ship Breaker, written by Paolo Bacigalupi

Four Printz Honor Books also were named:

Stolen, by Lucy Christopher

Please Ignore Vera Dietz, by A.S. King

Revolver, by Marcus Sedgwick

Nothing, by Janne Teller

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children goes to...

A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead, written by Philip C. Stead

Two Caldecott Honor Books also were named:

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill

Interrupting Chicken, written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein

To view the complete list of awards and winners, click here!

And be sure to put this year's Newbury and Printz winners and honor books on reserve! Happy 2011!

The Book Bucket List Challenge!

2011-01-06T17:48:00.000-05:00

Picture this: You’re at a party talking with a group of friends. At one point someone says “Haha, phoney? Since when did you turn into Holden Caulfield?” and everyone laughs. You laugh too but on the inside you’re like.. I have no idea what they’re talking about……………!!! You know it’s something to do with Catcher in the Rye but you haven’t read the book (and it seems like everyone else has) so you don’t quite get it. It’s been on your book bucket list for ages but you just don’t have the time to get to it. That’s where this challenge comes in.

The Book Bucket List Challenge was created to give you the chance to get to all those books that you’ve wanted to read for ages but never found the time to.

Choose your level -
Level 1: 4 books in 2011

Level 2: 8 books in 2011

Level 3: 12 books in 2011

Rules:
Books can be either YA or adult

Books don’t have to be 2011 releases.

Anyone can join. Please link to a public (web) place I can find you.

You can join at anytime. The challenge runs from now till to December, 2011

You are required to review the books if you want to enter the giveaway. The review can either be a proper review, or simply use the short template (see below)

You do not have to run a blog to participate, although there must be a public website where I can find you (Goodreads, LibraryThing, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, etc)

**Tip – if you link to Facebook, a good way to do it is to write a note or use the Visual Bookshelf application

Your blog does not have to be a book blog

If you enter with your blog link, you must post about the challenge so I may link.

Reviewers, the book can not be part of your review books that you would’ve read anyway, it defeats the whole purpose of the challenge.

Your review doesn’t have to be a full review if you do not wish to do so, instead, just use this template:

Book:
Rating: /5

Why did you include it to your Book Bucket List?:

Was it worth it?: Yes/No

Brief Thoughts?:

Would you recommend it?: Yes/No

Prize: If you complete the challenge, at any of the levels, up for grabs is any number of books of your choice to the value of $50 from The Book Depository, to continue the theme of giving the gift of free will. I’ll hopefully add to that as the year progresses with other goodies.

Click To Enter!

Reposted from yaReads.com

Children's Choice Book Awards

2010-12-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-16T13:14:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-03T11:32:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-11-30T17:26:00.001-05:00

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

2010-11-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-22T11:21:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-11-19T18:18:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-19T14:53:00.001-05:00

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

2010-10-18T10:44:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-08T17:45:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-07T15:04:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-06T14:51:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-05T14:38:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-04T14:31:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-03T14:24:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-02T14:17:00.001-04:00

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

2010-10-01T14:11:00.000-04:00

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?

2010-09-29T11:26:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-27T12:39:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-22T13:04:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-22T11:58:00.003-04:00

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.

2010-09-14T12:27:00.001-04:00

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!

2010-09-01T17:55:00.003-04:00

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!

2010-08-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-08-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-08-28T20:25:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-08-12T15:05:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-26T15:37:00.010-04:00

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

2010-07-21T13:42:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-15T23:43:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-07-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

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

2010-06-29T17:49:00.009-04:00

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

2010-06-25T23:22:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-06-05T19:36:00.001-04:00

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

Modern Toilet

2010-05-25T12:13:00.009-04:00

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!

2010-05-17T12:04:00.001-04:00

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

2010-05-13T11:46:00.003-04:00

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

2010-05-05T10:54:00.010-04:00

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

2010-04-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-18T22:04:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-16T16:50:00.002-04:00

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

2010-04-08T01:08:00.001-04:00

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...

2010-04-03T14:42:00.003-04:00

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!

National Poetry Month: Book Spine Poems

2010-04-03T13:58:00.000-04:00

April is National Poetry Month! Check out this cool take on creating short poems from titles on book spines. Easy, fun, and once you start... quite addicting! What book spine poems can you make?

Printz Book Evaluation Results

2010-04-01T17:38:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all the teens who participated in the Printz Award Book Evaluation Project! From December 2009 until March 2010, teens in grades 6-12 have been reading books from our list of award nominees and then filling out in-depth evaluation sheets for each book. We received 33 evaluations- here are the results:

Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Carlos is Gonna Get it by Kevin Emerson (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)

Charles and Emma: the Darwin's Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Cricket Man by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Fire by Kristen Cashore (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Going Bovine by Libba Bray (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1 of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (4 of 4 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Jolted by Arthur Slade (2 of 3 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Jumped by Rita Williams (1 of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Riot by Walter Dean Myers (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT wothy of an award)
The Roar by Emma Clayton (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
Tropical Secrets by Margarita Engle (2 out of 3 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
The Unnameables by Ellen Booraem (1 out of 1 thought it WAS worthy of an award)
When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (1 out of 1 thought it WAS NOT worthy of an award)
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (2 out of 2 thought it WAS worthy of an award)

If you're interested in seeing the more in-depth answers on a particular title, just ask me and I'd be happy to share it with you! And if there's anyone who submitted a book evaluation and hasn't gotten credit for it in their community service binder sheet, please see me... I have 3 nameless papers that need to be claimed!!

Raffle winner chosen for Teen Tech Month!

2010-04-01T13:51:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Sharon Dang, our Teen Tech Month raffle winner! All Sharon had to do to win was submit a book review to our blog. Fun and easy! Congratulations on winning a Best Buy gift card, Sharon, and thanks for sharing your reading experience with the Hauppauge community!

Book Alert: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

2010-03-31T15:55:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Erika for alerting me to the latest Stephenie Myer news: Ms. Myer has a new book centered around Bree Tanner, a character who was first introduced in Eclipse. This new book will be released on June 5th, 2010! Read all about it here!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opening Date

2010-03-25T09:30:00.003-04:00

Big news!!! Universal Studios has unveiled the opening date of their new and very much anticipated theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

The park, which is part of Universal's Islands of Adventure, will officially be opening their towering castle gates on...

June 18th!!!!

But! If you're really, super, extra excited and you just canNOT wait until June 18th, the attraction will be open beginning May 28th for park guests who buy a special Harry Potter Travel Package (which are still available here under "tickets and vacation".)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will provide its visitors the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the magical world of Harry Potter. Guests will be able to visit iconic locations found in the books and movies, including Dumbledore's Office, the Defence Agency Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor common room.

Rides will include the Dragon Challenge and the Flight of the Hippogriff.

About the park, J.K. Rowling says, “The plans I’ve seen look incredibly exciting, and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed.”

Hey, if J.K. Rowling isn't disappointed, how can any of us be?

Teen Book Review: Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

2010-03-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Reviewed by Jeewon

Amy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendras wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money. After several of her escape attempts fail, Amy is forced to make one last, desperate move. Award winner Peg Kehret crafts a suspenseful thriller with a spunky heroine who uses her wits to save herself and the toddler.

Hunger Games Movie

2010-03-18T22:40:00.003-04:00

Newsflash! Lionsgate officially announced, today, that it has acquired the rights to the film version of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins!

Suzanne Collins is at work adapting the screenplay from her novel and Nina Jacobson will be producing the movie, due out in 2011. The announcement was made by Joe Drake, Lionsgate President. (Comingsoon.net)

Get excited by watching Suzanne Collins read part of The Hunger Games below: swliveconnect

For more Hunger Games fun, check out this site!

Or, if you haven't read the book yet (but now you really want to), click here to put a copy on hold!

Who's holding the Twilight Apple?

2010-03-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

Everybody knows the cover of Twilight, right? Did you ever stop to think about who those hands holding the apple belong to? What about the person holding the Kindle? Big Money, an economic website, has put together a slideshow of famous hands, including the Twilight cover. Interesting!

Beware the Ides of March!

2010-03-15T12:29:00.015-04:00

I'm sure by now you've all heard the famous March 15th expression, "Beware the Ides of March." In fact, many of you might even know that the saying came from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, but do you know exactly what it means?

I didn't, and it bothered me, so I decided to do a little bit (really, just a little bit) of investigation.

The earliest Roman calendar was organized around the moon. A few prominent days were named: Kalends (the 1st day of the month), Nones (the 7th day in March, May, July, and October, OR the 5th day in the other months), and Ides (the 15th day in March, May, July, and October, or the 13th day in the other months).

So, really, Ides didn't have any more of a special meaning than Kalends or Nones. And it came every month.

Then, on March 15th 44BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by Roman Senators who were concerned that he had too much power.

Then in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, a soothsayer says, "Beware the Ides of March" to Julius Caesar to warn him that this was going to be his assassination day.

Now, still, the soothsayer's warning gives today's date a sense of foreboding and impending danger.

If you're still interested, request a book or two on Julius Caesar.

(Information from InfoPlease and Dr. Robyn Silverman)

Teen Music Review: Almost Alice

2010-03-15T11:38:00.000-04:00

Almost Alice- Various Artists
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 8
This soundtrack that came out on March 2nd, is from the new movie Alice In Wonderland that came out on March 5th. This is a wonderful cd, and I would recommend it to all of the people that are excited for the movie. It has a few of the famous artists and bands, and others that you personally may not have heard of, but that your parents may have. I hope that you all enjoy the movie, and that you will get this soundtrack. =]

Teen Book Reviews: Assorted Titles

2010-03-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
I think this book is very exciting and fast paced. It is adventurous and a great friendship story between a boy and his wolf.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewed by Isabella, Gr. 6
This is my all-time favorite book! I love the whole idea of it!

The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
The Fire Within is a great book for kids that love fantasy. Dragons are mythical creatures but this book can make them seem real.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Reviewed by Isabella, Gr. 6
This book keeps you hooked until the end! I read the whole series in a week! The best book I've ever read!

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
Reviewed by Sharon, Gr. 6
This is the best book ever!! This book was very shocking and made me want to read more. I was so shocked I hit myself in the head. I seriously thought I was dreaming. That's how shocked I was.

Teen Book Review: Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

2010-03-15T10:23:00.000-04:00

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson
Reviewed by Jacquelyn, Gr. 12

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson is the witty, sparkling sequel to Suite Scarlett. Scarlett Martin is 15 years old, mastermind of stupid-plans-actually-get-carried-out-a-lot-more-than-you'd-think and a victim of slavery. Not exactly, but her eccentric boss Amy Amberson (who rivals Grandmere from Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries in terms of sanity) is pretty close to a slave driver. While Scarlett tries to keep her own sanity intact over her ex-flame Eric, her goofy brother Spencer becomes New York City's most hated villain, her levelheaded sister Lola goes over the edge, and her prickly youngest sister Marlene is acting disconcertingly sweet. Add her lab partner Max who is determined to push Scarlett to her breaking point and it's easy to see why everyone is plagued with Scarlett Fever.

Johnson writes dialogue so realistic one has to wonder if she spends her spare time hiding out in bushes, eavesdropping on teenagers. She puts a fresh spin on the New York City setting with the opulent but run-down Hopewell Hotel, where the charmingly quirky Martin family works and resides. The ending will leave you literally feverish for the last installment in the Scarlett series. This is one fever you won't want to get rid of.

Official Eclipse Trailer!

2010-03-11T14:43:00.002-05:00

It's up!!! As promised, here is the official Eclipse trailer! So exciting!

Eclipse 10-Second Trailer

2010-03-10T19:36:00.004-05:00

This is such a tease, but I can't help but feel excited anyway...

It's a 10-second trailer for the Eclipse movie, from book number three in Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. The FULL preview comes out tomorrow (I'll post it), but for now, enjoy this tiny preview of the trailer (that I just may have watched several times).

Got Required Reading?

2010-03-06T12:29:00.001-05:00

Let's face it. Even the most avid readers don't love every single required reading for English class. There are lots of services out there that try to help make the classics easier, but here's one that's a little different. It's called 60second Recap and its mission is "to make the great works of literature accessible, relevant, and, frankly, irresistible to today's teens."

And it does; it really does!

60second Recap, officially launched on September 14, 2009, is comprised of fabulously explained (and also funny!) 60-second skits by host, Jenny. Jenny sums up each of the classics in a series of 1-minute movies, each covering plot, characters, themes, symbols, or other relevant ideas. She actually does make even my most hated required reading seem interesting (Great Expectations, written in 1860 by Charles Dickens, actually seems interesting to me! Who thought?)

So far, there are 23 classic books covered on the site (under "The Library" section) but Jenny doesn't fail to include a link to request a recap (after logging in), so I'd predict there to be more on the site in the future, for sure.

Besides the old classics, Jenny also does a "Pick of the Week" where she covers fun, non-required reading (in less detail, but how much detail do you really need? These books speak for themselves.) So if you're looking for something new to read, try watching Jenny's "Pick of the Week" for an idea. So far she's suggested all pretty awesome books: Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson), Walk Two Moons (Sharon Creech), Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), etc.

Other features: "Recap Resource" where Jenny explains terms like allegory, metaphor, and satire, and also has tips on how to write a paper. And "Club Recap" where viewers can create and post their own video responses.

It's absolutely a site worth checking out for help with required and nonrequired reading. It's even funny!

The coolest video ever made!

2010-03-02T23:12:00.000-05:00

Hey kids, the word for the day is Rube Goldberg. I've never heard of that word before today, but I've just discovered I've actually known what a Rube Goldberg is without even knowing it. Let me explain: have you ever meticulously set up dominoes (with extra pieces from the kitchen junk drawer) to watch them fall in just the right way, or have you ever played the board game Mouse Trap (is that still around or am I dating myself here?) Then, my friends, you know first hand what a Rube Goldberg is!

So remember when I posted a video from the band Ok Go a while back? (The one where they were in marching band gear in the field...) Well, that same song has another video. In their usual way, they've shot this video all in one take... and let me tell you, it's amazing. Behold, an amazing Rube Goldberg sight:

The Cast of Glee on Tour

2010-03-01T22:35:00.000-05:00

FOX announces Glee Live! Tour, dates and details

Attention fans of the TV show Glee: the cast is going on tour and they're coming to New York!

2010 Glee Live! In Concert! dates:
May 18 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
May 20 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
May 21 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
May 25 Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
May 26 Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
May 28 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 29 New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall