young adult show and tell

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Witty, sardonic Cullen Witter agonizes over the disappearance of his beloved brother, Gabriel, while everyone else in his stiflingly dull Arkansas town thrills to the apparent return of a long-extinct woodpecker. Kidnapping, bromance, arcane religious texts, and ornithology collide in this ground-breaking coming-of-age tale.

2012 Honor Books

Why We Broke Up written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman

In this beautiful piece of bookmaking, heartbroken movie obsessive Min Green dumps a box of relationship ephemera on ex-love Ed Slaterton’s porch, each item attached to a raging, loving, insecure and regretful letter explaining how each memento contributed to their breakup.

The Returning written by Christine Hinwood

A large cast of characters from two fictional kingdoms recover from a drawn-out, brutal war in a portrait both sweeping and specific as it explores the ramifications of the conflict on Cam, the only one who lives to return to his village.

Jasper Jones written by Craig Silvey

Spurred by the mysterious death of a schoolmate, Charlie confronts racism and his fears as he learns about family, friendship and love in the oppressive heat of small-town 1960s Australia. Silvey weaves themes of freedom and loyalty with moments of humor in this wrenching novel.

The Scorpio Races written by Maggie Stiefvater

A bloody, intoxicating horse race on the Island of Thisby is the backdrop for this atmospheric novel. The heart-pounding story pits two teens against death – to win is to survive.

Science Fiction Love Stories

2012-01-10T08:23:00.001-08:00

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans on her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.

Matched by Ally Condle

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Steampunk?

2012-01-10T08:19:00.001-08:00

Just out: A Web of Air by Philip Reeve, the sequel to Fever Crumb

Two years ago, Fever Crumb escaped the war-torn city of London in a traveling theater. Now, she arrives in the extraordinary city of Mayda, where buildings ascend the cliffs on funicular rails, and a mysterious recluse is building a machine that can fly. Fever is the engineer he needs - but ruthless enemies will kill to possess their secrets.

High Fantasy

2012-01-10T08:11:00.001-08:00

Like to read high fantasy? Here are a couple of sequels in fantasy series just out.

Destined by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night Series #9)

Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet – which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together – if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow…But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more – or possibly less – than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him… Will Neferet’s true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox’s humanity in time to protect him – and everyone – from his own fate?

The Goblin War by Hilari Bell

The thrilling finale of the Goblin trilogy: Tobin has finally crossed back from the Otherworld, where he was trapped in mortal peril for months—only to be captured by the dreaded, bloodthirsty barbarians the moment he enters his own Realm. Meanwhile, the pretty hedgewitch Makenna and her legion of goblins are still trying to find a way out of the Otherworld before it fatally drains their magic and life force. To escape, they will need help from the spirits that live there—but that aid will not come freely. Now the barbarians are out to take over the Realm, and only Makenna, Tobin, and his younger brother, Jeriah, know what is needed to stop them. They’ll need to work together—and with the goblins—to formulate a plan. The answer lies with the Otherworld spirits and also with the blood amulets that give infinite power to the barbarians. The question is: Can they band together and save the Realm in time?

Science Fiction Fairy Tale Retelling

2012-01-10T07:59:00.001-08:00

Well, that’s a first for me…a science fiction retelling of the Cinderella story, involving cyborgs, androids, and matters of national security.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Modelland by Tyra Banks

2011-11-15T08:30:00.001-08:00

Every week, millions of would-be-runway walkers and inveterate model watchers in 170 countries tune into Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model for tips on the trade and human drama. The 17th cycle begins on September 14th (As if you'd didn't know!) Certainly no one can dispute the credentials of the show's creator and host to preside over this modeling boot-camp: During a career that began in the 11th grade, Banks starred in countless catwalks and graced covers of Vogue, Cosmo, and Elle. In her first novel, a trilogy launch, Tyra draws on her real-life experiences to flesh out the story of an insecure teenage girl who wants to achieve fame as a model. --Barnes & Noble

New Fantasy Books!

2011-11-15T08:22:00.001-08:00

A Monster Calls: Inspired by an Idea from Siobhan Dowd by Patrick Ness

The Fox Inheritance

by Mary E. Pearson

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries. Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead. Everyone except Jenna Fox.

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor. At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting— he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd— whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself— Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

Wolfsbane (Nightshade Series #2) by Andrea Cremer

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack - and the man - she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real. They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only peaks Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not be satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. Elizabeth, Henry, and Victor immediately set out to find assistance in a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula. Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrads life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another.

New Books I Can’t Wait to Read

2011-10-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy

by Bil Wright

Carlos Duarte knows that he’s fabulous. He’s got a better sense of style than half the fashionistas in New York City, and he can definitely apply makeup like nobody’s business. He may only be in high school, but when he lands the job of his dreams—makeup artist at the FeatureFace counter in Macy’s—he’s sure that he’s finally on his way to great things. But the makeup artist world is competitive and cutthroat, and for Carlos to acheive his stardom, he’ll have to believe in himself more than ever….

Now Playing: Stoner and Spaz II

by Ron Koertge

Beautiful but troubled Colleen Minou is the only girl who ever looked at Ben Bancroft as more than a spaz— more than just that kid with cerebral palsy. Yet the more time Ben spends with her, the more glaring their differences appear. Is what Ben feels for Colleen actual affection, or more like gratitude? Then there’s Amy (aka A.J.), who is everything Colleen isn’t, and everything Ben’s grandma wants for him: clean-cut and upper-class, academically driven, just as obsessed with filmmaking as Ben is. But what does A.J. see when she looks at Ben? CP? Or the person behind the twisted body? In Ron Koertge’s sharp, darkly humorous follow-up to the award-winning Stoner & Spaz, Ben tries to come to terms with his confused feelings toward A.J. and his inimitable connection to Colleen, who is sometimes out of it, sometimes into him, and always exhilarating.

Pregnant Pause

by Han Nolan

Nobody gets away with telling Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant sixteenyear-old, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the baby’s father and work at his family’s summer camp for overweight kids. Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised that she actually enjoys working with the campers. But a tragedy on the very day her baby is born starts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with unexpected emotions and difficult choices. Somehow, she must turn her usual obstinance in a direction that can ensure a future for herself—and for the new life she has created.

Viola in the Spotlight

by Adriana Trigiani

Viola is finally where she belongs—back home in Brooklyn, where there are no khakis or sherbet-colored sweaters and people actually think her yellow flats are cool. With two whole months of nothing to do but hang with her two best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, this is going to be the best break ever! But her BFFAA, Andrew, has started acting weird around her, and a new boyfriend has her friend Caitlin ditching her every chance she gets. When Viola's roommates from Prefect Academy show up for a visit, she starts to wonder—is Brooklyn where she wants to stay? When a tragic event shakes everyone's world, Viola realizes it's not where she belongs that matters—it's who she's with that really counts. In this heartwarming follow-up to bestselling author Adriana Trigiani's teen debut, Viola in Reel Life, Viola just may be ready to get out from behind her trusty video camera and take the starring role in her own life.

New Graphic Novels!

2011-10-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

Bad Island

by Doug TenNapel

Something on this island is up to no good . . .When Reese is forced to go on a boating trip with his family, the last thing he expects is to be shipwrecked on an island-especially one teeming with weird plants and animals. But what starts out as simply a bad vacation turns into a terrible one, as the castaways must find a way to escape while dodging the island's dangerous inhabitants. With few resources and a mysterious entity on the hunt, each secret unlocked could save them . . . or spell their doom. One thing Reese knows for sure: This is one Bad Island.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Vol. 1: The God Who Fell to Earth

Roger Langridge (Author), Chris Samnee (Illustrator), Matthew Wilson (Illustrator)

Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Volume 2

by Roger Langridge , Chris Samnee (Illustrator)

He's banished, he's mad, and he wants to fight. ROGER LANGRIDGE (Muppet Show, Eisner and Harvey Award nominee) and CHRIS SAMNEE (SIEGE: EMBEDDED, The Mighty) re-imagine the God of Thunder in THOR THE MIGHTY AVENGER! THRILL as he battles robots the size of cities! GASP as he tames the mightiest sea creatures! SWOON as he rescues damsels from the vilest villains!

Morning Glories, Volume 1 by Joe Eisma , Nick Spencer

Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country... but something sinister and deadly lurks behind its walls. When six gifted, but troubled, students arrive, they find themselves trapped and fighting for their lives as the secrets of the academy reveal themselves! Everything to date of the series from issues #1-12, plus many behind-the-scenes bonuses and other features.

James Patterson's Witch and Wizard, Volume 2: Operation Zero by Victor Santos (Artist) , Dara Naraghi

Whit and Wisty get the shock of their lives when a member of the New Order's inner circle, The One Who Bans Books, contacts them with a clandestine proposal: he wants their help in removing The One Who Is The One from power! He confesses to having grown disgusted with the N.O., and reveals that he's aware of an ancient book of the occult that holds a spell for stripping an individual of all their magic. Unfortunately, the book is in a heavily-guarded N.O. bunker that's shielded against magic portals from Shadowland. But more importantly, can the Allgood siblings even trust this man who is willing to commit treason, or is his offer just an elaborate trap?

New Fantasy Titles!

2011-10-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

Chime

by Franny Billingsley

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth Series #3) by Carrie Ryan

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again. But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Ironside (Modern Tale of Faerie Series #3)

by Holly Black

in the realm of faerie...the time has come for Roiben's coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing her love for Roiben. But when Kaye drunkenly declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest to find a faerie who can tell a lie. Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But when Kaye returns to the faerie courts, a battle of wits and weapons is being waged over Roiben's throne, and she soon finds herself at the center of it all.

…More Reviews

2011-09-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life

by Rachel Renee Russell , Rachel Renee Russell

The reason I chose this book was because this is an energetic and funny book for girls. The author Rachel Renee Russell catches your eye and brings you into a high schooler’s life. Nikki is the main character and she brings the story to life. She is a normal high schooler trying to enjoy her year at school. Every school, though, has a popular girl. Mackenzie is that girl and she is part of the ccp group (cute, cool, popular). She is the meanest girl in school, yet that’s an understatement for Nikki. Nikki meets some friendly girls, Chloe and Zoey, who become her great friends. While they are signing up for library shelving jobs they have an idea for the library trip to the New York library. Along the way, though, Nikki feels like Chloe and Zoey are ganging up on her. Will she be able to save her friendships? I feel this would be a good book for young readers. This shows how to get through a problem with your friend and make friends along the way. I enjoyed this book a lot and I hope you will too. Review by Hadassah

And..More Summer Reading Book Reviews

2011-09-06T15:38:00.001-07:00

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

by Wendelin Van Draanen

One day when Sammy gets home from school her Grandmother tells her that the woman who lives one floor below them in the apartment building received a threatening note. Sammy’s grandmother is angry at Sammy because this woman thinks that Sammy put the threatening note on her door. Sammy realizes then that the thief put the note on the door and that, in fact, it was meant for Sammy. The thief just made a mistake when he/she missed the correct apartment by one floor. This threatening note was Sammy’s first clue. I didn’t like this book because it was off topic too much like on page 129, “The minute I got to school I could tell Heather’d been doing a lot of talking.” This is a mystery book. Why the book got into Heather’s faked broken nose (injured by Sammy – but not broken!) is beyond me. I felt it was a waste of time reading about what Sammy has going on in her life beyond the mystery that she was trying to solve. I don’t care to know Sammy’s character behind the scene – I just like to listen to the clues and solve the mystery. Another reason I didn’t like the book was because the case wasn’t really exact – especially in how it was solved. I felt the clues didn’t connect cleanly. I like mysteries where the reader has the chance to solve the case before the author gives the final answer. I felt how Sammy came to the resolution to this case was a little unclear. For example, I like it when I can look back in the book and say, “Oh!” and realize that he/she or it did it. The only reason I like the book is because during the last pages/chapter there was a huge chase scene. It had a lot of suspense which was the main reason it was my favorite part of the book. Review by Chris

One Day You'll Know (Heartland Series #6)

by Lauren Brooke

Times are anything but smooth sailing for Amy, her family, and their healing horse farm. Things are rough because Amy’s mother has died in an act of service to a horse that needed rescuing. She had the magic power to give the horses the treatment they needed. Now that she’s gone the healing power seems to fade from Heartland, despite the challenges Grandpa Jack, Amy, Lou (her sister), Ben and Ty (stable hands), and the horse doctor Scott try to keep the farm running. In every book Amy cures a troubled horse. In this book she cured Melodies, a foal. Amy’s sister Lou moved back to Heartland to help them overcome the loss of Mother. As the book progresses, though, the family issues get bigger and everything goes wrong. The last chapters of the book, though, are full of happy surprises. I gave this book 5 stars, 1,000,000 hearts, and 1,000 thumbs up! I appreciated how the author added suspense and surprises in places where you least expected them. I also like how she kept the problems real, instead of that they died because of an alien attack. The book was well-written and full of details. It was also full of horse facts, which was nice because I love horses. This book was great and I think that you should definitely read the Heartland series. Have fun and enjoy these awesome books! Review by Lauren

The Boy Next Door (Candy Apple Series #2)

by Laura Dower

This book, by Laura Dower, involves neighbors Taryn and Jeff who have been friends since they were little and do most things together. Once they reach middle school they have more fights and even crushes. Jeff is always teasing Taryn in a nice way, but one day he takes it too far. They promise each other that they will never do it again. Jeff stands her up one night, though, and she becomes furious with him, even starting to ignore him. Will Jeff do the right thing and apologize? This book is great for 5^th graders and middle schoolers. I would also recommend “The Accidental Cheerleader” by Mimi McCoy, “Miss Popularity” by Francesco Sedita, and “How to Be a Girly Girl in Just Ten Days” by Lisa Papademetriou. Review by Ellin

William Sleator

2011-08-17T08:56:00.001-07:00

I regret to announce that YA author William Sleator died suddenly in Thailand, at age 66. Bill was one of the handful of writers who solidified the newly-created YA field in the early 1970s. His writing career lasted 41 years, and his 1974 book, HOUSE OF STAIRS, was named one of the 100 Best Books of the 20th Century by the New York Times, His last book, THE PHANTOM LIMB, will be published this fall. Bill made kids--boys especially--want to read. Early in his career, Bill supported himself as a rehearsal pianist for the Boston Ballet. He was able to give up that job in 1986 and write full time. Bill loved meeting with his audience and was a frequent presenter at libraries and schools. Bill traveled extensively and divided his time between Boston, Massachusetts and rural Thailand.

--Stephen Weiner, Director, Maynard Public Library

New Historical Fiction

2011-08-12T13:04:00.001-07:00

Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

Twelve-year-old Robert Jacklin comes face-to-face with bigotry, racism, and brutality when he is uprooted from England and moves to Zimbabwe with his family. Robert is enrolled in one of the country "s most elite boys " boarding schools. Newly integrated, the school is a microcosm of the horrible problems faced by the struggling new country in the wake of a bloody civil war. The white boys want their old country back and torment the black Africans. Robert must make careful alliances. His decision to join the ranks of the more powerful white boys has a devastating effect on his conscience and emerging manhood.

Novel in Verse

2011-08-12T13:02:00.001-07:00

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl--sharp, focused, and confident in what she sees through her camera lens. Suddenly, as the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship, and herself shifts out of focus.

Just In: The Sequel to Wings

2011-08-12T12:59:00.001-07:00

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

"I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying." Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

New Science Fiction Books

2011-08-12T12:56:00.001-07:00

Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson

In the seventh book in the bestselling series, evil scientists are still trying to convince Max that she needs to save the world, this time by providing the genetic link in speeding up the pace of evolution. Worse, they're trying to convince her that her perfect mate is Dylan, the newest addition to the flock. The problem is that, despite herself, Max is starting to believe it.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Sixteen-year-old Gwen lives with her extended--and eccentric--family in London. The time-traveling gene that runs through the female half of her family supposedly has skipped over her. So it comes as a surprise when Gwen starts taking sudden leaps into the past.

New Realistic Fiction

2011-08-12T12:51:00.001-07:00

She Loves You, She Loves You Not… by Julie Anne Peters

Seventeen-year-old Alyssa had family, friends, and, most important, her girlfriend Sarah. But once cut off from those she loves, she moves hundreds of miles away to live with the biological mother she barely knows. As Alyssa struggles to forget her past and come to terms with her future, will she be able to build a new life and believe in love again?

Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Thirteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her new job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother’s ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control....

The Queen of Water: A Novel Based on a True Story by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango

Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of ind genas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta-stupid Indian-by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.

Summer Reading Book Reviews

2011-08-04T16:48:00.001-07:00

http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronunciations.cgi

Desires of the Dead (Body Finder Series #2) by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambross has a special talent: when somebody or something has died Violet can sense it. Until they are buried properly, vibrations, echoes, colors and more call to Violet. Chelsea, her best friend, and Jay, her boyfriend, are both supportive in different ways. Jay knows about her talent and helps her whenever he can. Chelsea doesn’t know, but knows when to be there for her. Mike and Megan are brother and sister and are new to Violet’s school. Mike is instantly best friends with Jay and dating Chelsea. He invites Jay, Chelsea, Violet and Claire (another friend) up to his cabin. Megan has a crush on Jay, though, and secretly hates Violet. She leaves hurtful notes and phone calls to try and scare her into breaking up with Jay. Nothing works, but Violet knows it’s Megan. When everyone is at the cabin, Violet gets a very strong echo/vibration. It pulls her out of the cabin and she starts digging to try and find a body underground. Someone comes up behind her with a gun. Who will save her? Review by Caitlin

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

When Genevieve Walsh finds out that her mom signed her family up for a camp out in the Wyoming wilderness, she doesn’t know what to expect. Especially when she discovers that this isn’t going to be an ordinary summer vacation. First of all, there’s no TV or internet and she’s not allowed to bring her new phone. The night before they leave, though, Genevieve can’t resist the urge to bring her phone with her so she can text her friends all about life on the 1890 style camp frontier. When the Walsh family arrives at the camp, most of the people are actually pretending its 1890 and to survive, they must act like it too. This means that they have to wear old-fashioned clothes, live in a one room cabin, and unlike a regular vacation where they would get to relax and take a break, this is quite the opposite. They actually have to do more work than they do at home. They have to grow their own crops although they have no experience, make their own recipes and cook their own food with barely any ingredients, and milk a cow. All through the summer, Genevieve texts her friends about how hard it is to live at a camp frontier. They find her information so interesting that they turn it into a very popular blog with 500,000 readers! When the owners of the camp find out that she’s brought a phone when the rule is no technology, how will she be able to convince them that it was for a good reason? Read “Little Blog on the Prairie” to find out what happens next. Review by Nataniah

101 Ways to Bug Your Parents by Lee Wardlaw

This book is very addictive because the plot is always changing. First it’s about a 5^th grade boy inventor names Steve “Sneeze” Wyatt, who has big ideas for his creations. He brings a lot of his inventions to school with him to test them out. Most of his inventions, however, are failures. That doesn’t stop him from creating new ones. His glow-in-the-dark toilet seat ended up giving his teacher a glow-in-the-dark backside for a little bit. No matter what, though, his best and only friend “Hiccup” Denardo never leaves his side. When Sneeze is all excited about going to the Invention Convention his parents tell him that they can’t afford to go. He has to go because he received a letter that says a major professional inventor would like to release the “Nice Alarm,” one of Sneeze’s inventions. His parents send him to a summer writing class instead. Sneeze is so annoyed with them he starts to bug them. So he makes a book that has 101 ways to bug your parents in his writing class. He plans to sell the book to many people to raise enough money to go to the convention with an adult friend of his. Will all go according to plan? Or will everything go haywire? I would recommend this book to anyone ages 10-13.

Review by Brian

Don’t Forget! Free Art Workshop for Students Grades 9 – 12!

2011-07-11T09:46:00.001-07:00

The Art of Sketching: Demo & Workshop

July 26, 2 – 4 pm

Students in grades 9 – 12

Gregory Maichack will demonstrate expressive pastel painting, detailing how to achieve luminous color and volume, structuring an engaging composition, and tips on creating impact. Students will receive hands-on experience of basic sketching using pastels, as well as advanced techniques All materials provided, including professional grade paper and hundreds of pastels to work with.

This project is supported by a grant from the Westwood Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Registration required. Sign up at the reference desk, or call 781-320-1042.

Get Ready for Summer Reading!

2011-06-11T11:36:00.001-07:00

If you’re in grade 6 – 12, join the YA summer reading program to win some great prizes! For every book you read and write a short review about, choose from a selection of great new young adult books to keep! Pick a small prize, too, as long as supplies last. Sign up at the reference desk.

June 27 – August 31

Sponsored by Westwood Public Library, the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

New Nonfiction Book

2011-06-03T13:29:00.001-07:00

ask elizabeth: real answers to everything you secretly wanted to ask about love, friends, your body… and life in general by Elizabeth Berkley

Actress Elizabeth Berkley is the founder of Ask Elizabeth (Ask-Elizabeth.com), a not-for-profit organization that facilitates self-esteem workshops to empower girls ages 11 – 18. This is her first book for teens.

If you’ve ever asked yourself why the ups and downs of friendships are so hard; if you’ve ever looked in the mirror and hated what you saw; if you’ve ever gone through a horrible breakup and wondered how you’ll make it through..guess what? You’re not alone. Over the past several years, more than 30,000 teens have participated in workshops conducted by actress Elizabeth Berkley (Saved by the Bell). In an open, judgment-free atmosphere, girls come together to support, share, confess, and confide in one another. Written in the spirit of a group diary, Ask Elizabeth addresses the emotional lives of teen girls based on the most frequently asked questions from these workshops. Full of personal stories and advice offered up by countless teens, experts from a variety of fields, and Elizabeth Berkley herself, this ultimate life handbook for teenage girls can be relied on again and again for comfort, guidance, inspiration, and answers.

Have you ever wondered how to pronounce your favorite author’s name?

2011-06-03T13:19:00.001-07:00

Like Cornelia Funke or Neil Gaiman? Teachingbooks.net will tell you! Check out this cool website where authors pronounce their own names for you. Some of them even tell you the stories behind their names.

New Books!

2011-05-27T11:49:00.001-07:00

Father of Lies by Ann Turner

Lidda knew, with a clarity that was like a candle in a dark room, that all had changed; something was loosed in the village—Devil or not—and they would pay for it, every last man, woman, and child. Fourteen-year-old Lidda has always known she was different. She longs to escape Salem Village and its stifling rules—to be free to dance, to sing, to live as she chooses. But when a plague of accusations descends on the village and witch fever erupts, L idda begins to realize that she feels and sees things that others can't, or won't. But how will she expose the truth without being hung as a witch herself? Gripping and emotional, Ann Turner's retelling of the Salem witch trials captures one girl's brave soul-searching amidst a backdrop of fear and blame.

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

You Killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp-noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest case of his life. The question isn't whether Dalton's going to get paid. He always gets paid. Or whether he's gonna get the girl. He always (sometimes) gets the girl. The real question is whether Dalton Rev can outwit crooked cops and killer cliques in time to solve the mystery of "The Body" before it solves him.

Red Glove by Holly Black

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does. When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself? Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

The Art of Sketching: Demo & Workshop

2011-05-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

July 26, 2 – 4 pm

Students in grades 9 – 12

This project is supported by a grant from the Westwood Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Registration required. Sign up at the reference desk, or call 781-320-1042.

New Books!

2011-05-06T13:10:00.001-07:00

New Books!

New realistic fiction

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation,Rageis the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

Among Others by Jo Walton

Startling, unusual, and yet irresistibly readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.

New science fiction

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't. Lauren Oliver astonished readers with her stunning debut, Before I Fall. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful. An end as brave as it is heartbreaking." Her much-awaited second novel fulfills her promise as an exceptionally talented and versatile writer.

New mystery

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherlock’s true education in detection, as he discovers the dastardly crimes of a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent.

Just in: Sequels to All Your Favorite Paranormal Books! (and one stand-alone)

2011-04-22T10:13:00.001-07:00

All Just Glass by Atwater-Rhodes, sequel to Shattered Mirror

Tempestuous by Livingston, Wondrous Strange Series #3

Entice by Jones, Need Series #3

Awakened by Cast, Cast, House of Night Series #8

Afterlife by Gray, Evernight Series #4

Gemini Bites by Ryan

Two Great Realistic Fiction Books

2011-04-08T11:58:00.001-07:00

Pick-up Game: A Full Day of Full Court edited by Marc Aronson & Charles R. Smith Jr.

It’s one steamy July day at the West 4th Street Court in NYC, otherwise known as The Cage. Hotshot ESPN is wooing the scouts, Boo is struggling to guard the weird new guy named Waco, a Spike Lee wannabe has video rolling, and virgin Irene is sizing up six-foot-eightand-a-half-inch Chester. Nine of YA literature’s top writers, including Walter Dean Myers, Rita Williams-Garcia, Adam Rapp, Joseph Bruchac, and Sharon Flake reveal how it all goes down in a searing collection of short stories, in which each one picks up where the previous one ends.

Nothing by Janne Teller

"Nothing matters."
"From the moment you are born, you start to die."
"The Earth is 4.6 billion years old. You'll live to be a maximum of one hundred. Life isn't worth the bother!"

So says Pierre Anthon when he decides that there is no meaning to life, leaves the classroom, climbs a plum tree, and stays there. His friends and classmates cannot get him to come down, not even by pelting him with rocks. So to prove to him that there is a meaning to life, they set out to build a heap of meaning in an abandoned sawmill. But it soon becomes obvious that each person cannot give up what is most meaningful, so they begin to decide for one another what the others must give up. The pile is started with a lifetime's collection of Dungeons & Dragons books, a fishing rod, a pair of green sandals, a pet hamster — but then, as each demand becomes more extreme, things start taking a very morbid twist, and the kids become ever more desperate to get Pierre Anthon down. And what if, after all these sacrifices, the pile is not meaningful enough?

Need Some New Paranormal Books To Read?

2011-04-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Sam leads a pretty normal life. He may not have the most exciting job in the world, but he’s doing all right—until a fast food prank brings him to the attention of Douglas, a creepy guy with an intense violent streak. Turns out Douglas is a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and sees potential in Sam. Then Sam discovers he’s a necromancer too, but with strangely latent powers. And his worst nightmare wants to join forces . . . or else. With only a week to figure things out, Sam needs all the help he can get. Luckily he lives in Seattle, which has nearly as many paranormal types as it does coffee places. But even with newfound friends, will Sam be able to save his skin?

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Set in New Zealand, Ellie's main concerns at her boarding school are hanging out with her best friend Kevin, her crush on the mysterious Mark, and her paper deadline. That is, until a mysterious older woman seems to set her sights on Kevin, who is Maori, and has more than just romantic plans for him. In an effort to save him, Ellie is thrown into the world of Maori lore, and eventually finds herself in an all-out war with mist dwelling Maori fairy people called the patupaiarehe who need human lives to gain immortality.

Elixir by Hilary Duff

17 –year-old Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. But after Clea’s renowned father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea begins to notice eerie, shadowy images in her photos of a strange and beautiful young man –a man she has never seen before. As she is drawn deep inito the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, she discovers the centuries-old truth behind her intense bond with the mysterious man. They must race against time to unravel their past in order to save their lives –and their futures.

Publish Your Poem on the Westwood Library’s New Poetry Blog

2011-04-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

If you’re in grade 3 – 12, you can see your poem published on our poetry blog! Follow the poetry bits link on the right under Westwood Library links. Send us your poem by email: include your first name, grade and school, and we’ll put your poem up for everyone to read. Family friendly language only.

New Books!

2011-03-24T14:54:00.001-07:00

New vampire book: Bloody Valentine, a Blue Bloods book, by Melissa de la Cruz

Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series.

New science fiction book: XVI by Julia Karr

Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council–ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world–even the most predatory of men–that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina’s worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina’s mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past–one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

New historical fiction book: Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

From National Book Award winner Judy Blundell, the tale of a sixteen-year-old girl caught in a mix of love, mystery, Broadway glamour, and Mob retribution in 1950 New York. When Kit Corrigan arrives in New York City, she doesn't have much. She's fled from her family in Providence, Rhode Island, and she's broken off her tempestuous relationship with a boy named Billy, who's enlisted in the army. The city doesn't exactly welcome her with open arms. She gets a bit part as a chorus girl in a Broadway show, but she knows that's not going to last very long. She needs help--and then it comes, from an unexpected source. Nate Benedict is Billy's father. He's also a lawyer involved in the mob. He makes Kit a deal--he'll give her an apartment and introduce her to a new crowd. All she has to do is keep him informed about Billy . . . and maybe do him a favor every now and then.

New Books!

New realistic fiction books: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

A 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book

Gemma, 16, is on layover at Bangkok Airport, en route with her parents to a vacation in Vietnam. She steps away for just a second, to get a cup of coffee. Ty—rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar—pays for Gemma's drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what's happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. The unknowing object of a long obsession, Gemma has been kidnapped by her stalker and brought to the desolate Australian Outback. STOLEN is her gripping story of survival, of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare—or die trying to fight it.

A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley

CHARLIE DUSKIN loves music, and she knows she's good at it. But she only sings when she's alone, on the moonlit porch or in the back room at Old Gus's Secondhand Record and CD Store. Charlie's mom and grandmother have both died, and this summer she's visiting her grandpa in the country, surrounded by ghosts and grieving family, and serving burgers to the local kids at the milk bar. She's got her iPod, her guitar, and all her recording equipment, but she wants more: A friend. A dad who notices her. The chance to show Dave Robbie that she's not entirely unspectacular.

ROSE BUTLER lives next door to Charlie's grandfather and spends her days watching cars pass on the freeway and hanging out with her troublemaker boyfriend. She loves Luke but can't wait to leave their small country town. And she's figured out a way: she's won a scholarship to a science school in the city, and now she has to convince her parents to let her go. This is where Charlie comes in. Charlie, who lives in the city, and whom Rose has ignored for years. Charlie, who just might be Rose's ticket out.

Told in alternating voices and filled with music, friendship, and romance, Charlie and Rose's "little wanting song" is about the kind of longing that begins as a heavy ache but ultimately makes us feel hopeful and wonderfully alive.

New Fantasies

2011-02-24T17:15:00.001-08:00

Desires of the Dead: A Body Finder Novel by Kimberly Derting

Sixteen-year-old Violet Ambrose's ability to find murder victims and their killers draws the attention of the FBI just as her relationship with Jay, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, heats up.

Factotum: The Foundling’s Tale Part Three by D.M. Cornish

Accused of being a monster instead of human, Rossamünd Bookchild looks to monster-hunter Branden Rose for help, but powerful forces are after them both, believing that Rossamünd holds the secret to perpetual youth.

Star Crossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

In a kingdom dominated by religious intolerance, 16-year-old Digger, a street thief, has always avoided attention, but when she learns that her friends are plotting against the throne she must decide whether to join them or turn them in.

New Realistic Fiction

2011-02-24T17:06:00.001-08:00

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King

When her best friend, whom she secretly loves, betrays her and then dies under mysterious circumstances, high school senior Vera Dietz struggles with secrets that could help clear his name.

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

High school sophomore Danny excels at gymnastics but is bullied, like the rest of the gymnasts, by members of the football team, until an emotionally and physically scarred new student joins the football team and forms an unlikely friendship with Danny.

New Supernatural Books!

2011-02-24T17:00:00.001-08:00

The Gift by James Patterson

Book 1 of Witch & Wizard: After escaping imprisonment by the totalitarian regime known as the New Order, siblings Wisty and Whit Allgood, who possess magical powers, establish themselves as leaders of the Resistance, a hidden community of teenagers like themselves, hunted by the state and determined to defy its ban on the arts, magic, and all other forms of creativity.

Dark Goddess, A Devil’s Kiss Novel by Sarway Chadda

Billi SanGreal, a teenaged member of the Knights Templar, must prevent a young girl, who is being hunted by werewolves because of the dangerous powers she possesses, from falling into the hands of the ancient Russian witch, Baba Yaga

Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Sequel to Tantalize: Even as teenaged Quincie Morris adjusts to her appetites as a neophyte vampire, she must clear her true love, the hybrid-werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents' restaurant up and running before she loses her own soul

Gripping New Fiction Books!

2011-02-20T13:10:00.001-08:00

Not for the faint of heart

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate. Told in spare, powerful prose by acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they've reached the final page –from the publisher

The Knife that Killed Me by Anthony McGowan

Paul Vanderman could be at any normal high school where bullies, girls, and annoying teachers are just part of life. But “normal” doesn’t apply when it comes to the school’s biggest bully, Roth—a twisted and threatening thug with an evil agenda. When Paul ends up delivering a message from Roth to the leader of a gang at a nearby school, it fuels a rivalry with immediate consequences. Paul attempts to distance himself from the feud, but somehow Roth keeps finding reasons for him to stick around. Then one day Roth hands him a knife. And even though Paul is scared, he has never felt so powerful. –from the publisher

Feeling crafty? Come to these great craft programs!

2011-02-20T12:03:00.001-08:00

Come learn some new crafts with Eileen of Sheep Skate Yarn and Craft in Dedham.

Learn how to make leather and bead necklaces

Friday, March 11, 3 – 5 pm

Create usable bags with loom weaving

Friday, March 18, 3 – 5 pm

Make wool bangle bracelets with felting and embelishing

Friday, March 25, 3 – 5

For young adults in grades 6 – 12. Registration is required. Call 781-320-1045, or register in person at the reference desk. Funded by The Westwood Educational Foundation

New Fantasies!

2011-02-10T15:22:00.001-08:00

Pegasus by Robin McKinley

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pagasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own Pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But its different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close-so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo-and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

New York Times bestselling Robin McKinley weaves an unforgettable tale of unbreakable friendship, mythical creatures and courtly drama destined to become a classic.

Last Battle of the Icemark: The Icemark Chronicles Volume 3 by Stuart Hill

Oskan and Thirrin thought their bad-seed daughter was gone for good--burnt to a cinder and cast out onto the Spirit Plain. But banishment did not kill Medea; it made her stronger. Now, allied with Cronus, embodiment of all evil, the young sorceress is plotting revenge. Thirrin is distracted by a new invader whose troops ride huge triceratops-like beasts into battle. But the warlock Oskan realizes the true threat to the kingdom is the demon army assembled by his daughter. To ensure the Icemark's eternal safety, he knows he must destroy her soul--even if it means sacrificing his own.

New Historical Fiction!

2011-02-10T15:16:00.001-08:00

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner

It’s 1910, and thirteen-year-old Raisa has just traveled alone from a small Polish shtetl all the way to New York City. It’s overwhelming, awe-inspiring, and even dangerous, especially when she discovers that her sister has disappeared and she must now fend for herself. She finds work in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sewing bodices on the popular shirtwaists. Raisa makes friends and even–dare she admit it?– falls in love. But then 1911 dawns, and one March day a spark ignites in the factory. One of the city’s most harrowing tragedies unfolds, and Raisa’s life is forever changed. . . .

One hundred years after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, this moving young adult novel gives life to the tragedy and hope of this transformative event in American history.

Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood by Jame Richards

Sixteen-Year-Old Celstia spends every summer with her family at the elite resort at Lake Conemaugh, a shimmering Allegheny Mountain reservoir held in place by an earthen dam. Tired of the society crowd, Celestia prefers to swim and fish with Peter, the hotel’s hired boy. It’s a friendship she must keep secret, and when companionship turns to romance, it’s a love that could get Celestia disowned. These affairs of the heart become all the more wrenching on a single, tragic day in May, 1889. After days of heavy rain, the dam fails, unleashing 20 million tons of water onto Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in the valley below. The town where Peter lives with his father. The town where Celestia has just arrived to join him. This searing novel in poems explores a cross-class romance—and a tragic event in U. S. history.

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.

Seamlessly weaving together fact with fiction, Lisa Klein's newest historical drama is an engrossing tale of adventure and forbidden love—kindled by one of the most famous mysteries in American history: the fate of the settlers at Roanoke, who disappeared without a trace forty years before the Pilgrims would set foot in Plymouth.

Want To Know More about Janis Joplin?

2011-01-13T17:35:00.001-08:00

Check out this new biography by Ann Angel: Janis Joplin Rise Up Singing

Winner of the 2011 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award

Forty years after her death, Janis Joplin remains among the most compelling and influential figures in rock-and-roll history. Her story—told here with depth and sensitivity by author Ann Angel—is one of a girl who struggled against rules and limitations, yet worked diligently to improve as a singer. It’s the story of an outrageous rebel who wanted to be loved, and of a wild woman who wrote long, loving letters to her mom. And finally, it’s the story of one of the most iconic female musicians in American history, who died at twenty-seven.

Janis Joplin includes more than sixty photographs, and an assortment of anecdotes from Janis’s friends and band mates. This thoroughly researched and well-illustrated biography is a must-have for all young artists, music lovers, and pop-culture enthusiasts.

The Awards Are Out… In… Awarded!

2011-01-13T17:09:00.001-08:00

Newbery 2011

This year’s Newbery Medal Winner is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead! This fantastical book tells the a story of 12 –year-old New York City girl, who tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space that she receives as her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid."

Honor Books include Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (see review book bits March 11, 2010 http://westwoodchildrensdept.blogspot.com/search?q=evolution+of+calpurnia ), Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (see review book bits April 28, 2010 http://westwoodchildrensdept.blogspot.com/search?q=where+the+mountain+ ), The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (see review book bits June 24, 2009

Fallout

2010-12-30T16:57:00.001-08:00

The final installment of Ellen Hopkins’s trilogy is here! If you enjoyed Crank and Glass, you’ll definitely want to read Fallout. Written in free verse, Fallout explores how three teenagers try to cope with the consequences of their mother's addiction to crystal meth and its effects on their lives.

New Fantasy Books

2010-12-30T16:52:00.001-08:00

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

When sixteen-year-old Jacinda, who can change into a dragon, is forced to move away from her community of shapeshifters and start a more normal life, she falls in love with a boy who proves to be her most dangerous enemy.

The Iron King, Book 1 of The Iron Fey, by Julie Kagawa

"Meghan Chase has a secret destiny--one she could never have imagined.... Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth-- that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face... and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart. –from back cover

The Iron Daughter, Book 2 of The Iron Fey, by Julie Kagawa

Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan is deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, becomes a prisoner of the Winter faery queen, and loses her own fey powers. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey, ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. No one believes her and trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly.

Zombies vs. Unicorns

2010-12-30T15:44:00.001-08:00

Wow, Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black weren’t kidding around when they recruited the authors for this new book of short stories: Garth Nix, Scott Westerfeld, Libba Bray…just to name a few. Justine Larbalestier says that zombies are our own walking deaths. Funny, grim, and terrifying, they cannot be escaped. Unicorns are sparkly and pastel and fart rainbows (sorry, she said it, not me). Holly Black says that unicorns are healers, arbiters of justice, and, occasionally, majestic man-killers. Zombies drool and shed and probably carry diseases. So, according to Justine and Holly, one question has dominated all others since the dawn of time: Zombies or Unicorns? If you want to read the background on this epic argument, check out Justine’s blog http://justinelarbalestier.com/books/zombies-vs-unicorns/introduction/

I think my favorite thing about this book is how Justine and Holly use each story as another opportunity to further expound on their position regarding the relative superiority of their favorite genre of fantastic beings: zombies or unicorns. They are both incredibly and hilariously outspoken regarding their chosen ones. In the introduction to Alaya Dawn Johnson’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Justine writes, “Hallelujah! After wading through Garth Nix’s ye oldey unicorn muck you now get to read a proper zombie story.” And writing about Libba Bray’s “Prom Night,” Holly says, “’Prom Night’ creeped me right out. You know what I need? A nice unicorn story to get the taste of zombies out of my mouth!”

New Books!

2010-12-09T17:29:00.001-08:00

Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde, the author of Pay It Forward

Elle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her. Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle. And Elle is falling for him, hard.
But Frank is different in a way that Elle was never prepared for: he’s transgender. And when Elle learns the truth, her world is turned upside down. Now she’ll have to search inside herself to find not only the true meaning of friendship but her own role in jumpstarting the world. Tender, honest, and compassionate, Jumpstart the World is a stunning story to make you laugh, cry, and honor the power of love. –from the publisher

The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood

In the right dose, everything is a poison. Even love . . . Jessamine Luxton has lived all her sixteen years in an isolated cottage near Alnwick Castle, with little company apart from the plants in her garden. Her father, Thomas, a feared and respected apothecary, has taught her much about the incredible powers of plants: that even the most innocent-looking weed can cure — or kill. When Jessamine begins to fall in love with a mysterious boy who claims to communicate with plants, she is drawn into the dangerous world of the poison garden in a way she never could have imagined . . –from the publisher

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

It starts with whispers. Then someone picks up a stone. Finally, the fires begin. When people turn on witches, the innocents suffer. . . .Tiffany Aching has spent years studying with senior witches, and now she is on her own. As the witch of the Chalk, she performs the bits of witchcraft that aren t sparkly, aren t fun, don t involve any kind of wand, and that people seldom ever hear about: She does the unglamorous work of caring for the needy. But someone or something is igniting fear, inculcating dark thoughts and angry murmurs against witches. Aided by her tiny blue allies, the Wee Free Men, Tiffany must find the source of this unrest and defeat the evil at its root before it takes her life. Because if Tiffany falls, the whole Chalk falls with her. Chilling drama combines with laughout-loud humor and searing insight as beloved and bestselling author Terry Pratchett tells the high-stakes story of a young witch who stands in the gap between good and evil. –from the publisher

Review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-12-09T15:43:00.001-08:00

Shiver is an original romance/supernatural story about the heartbreak that can occur when someone shifts between two natures. Ever since Grace was attacked by wolves when she was younger, she has been obsessed with watching the wolves in the woods behind her house, especially the wolf with the yellow eyes, her wolf, the one that saved her from the rest of the wolf pack. These wolves are a haunting presence in her life. Sam literally lives a double life. For a few months every summer Sam is a normal boy, but every winter he turns into a wolf and loses his ability to think as a human, except for lingering memories of the girl Grace, whom he watches from afar. One day, Grace finds her wolf injured on her back porch, and before her eyes he turns into a boy! Finally together as girl and boy, they fall in love, but complications ensue. A newly-turned wolf is wreaking havoc in town, prompting the townspeople to want to get rid of the local wolves for good. Another major complication is that Sam can only turn human so many times before he loses the ability to change from wolf to human, and his time is up. As winter gets closer and it gets colder, Sam is fighting to stay human or risk losing his life with Grace forever. To find out what happens, read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Review by Lizzy Healy

New Audio Books

2010-11-04T17:40:00.001-07:00

New Audio Books

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Performance by Mandy Siegfried

A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect of Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Feed by M. T. Anderson; Performance by David Aaron Baker, read by John Beach, Josh Lebowitz, Tara Sands, and Anne Twomey

In a future where most people have computer implants in their heads to control their environment, a boy meets an unusual girl who is in serious trouble.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin, Read by Daniel Passer

Seventeen-year-old Matthew recounts his attempts, starting at a young age, to free himself and his sisters from the grip of their emotionally and physically abusive mother.

More New Anime!

2010-11-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

The Girl Who Leapt through Time

Something strange has happened to Makoto Konno. Time has suddenly stopped and moved her backwards. With her newly discovered ability to literally leap backwards in time Makoto finds that tests become a piece of cake, embarrassing situations are corrected and she can have her favorite food anytime she wants. Unfortunately her carefree time traveling has adverse effects on the people she cares for. With every successful leap Makoto somehow alters the fate of those around her. This was not supposed to happen and as she races back in time to fix everything, she notices that her abilities are not limitless but with every successful jump she is one step closer to discovering the most wonderful secret in her young adult life. –from product description

Steamboy

From the leader in anime and internationally-renowned director of Akira, comes Katsuhiro Otomo’s long-awaited epic anime Steamboy. Victorian London is attacked by an army of futuristic, mechanized war machines, and only Roy Steam –the young, brave inventor who kows the astonishing secret behing the invading force’s incredible power –stands between the city’s survival and ultimate destruction. Over 10 years in the making and Katushiro Otomo’s first feature-length film since Akira, Steamboy is one of the most elaborate animes ever made! –from back cover

New Graphic Novel: Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo vol. 2 by Mahiro Maeda

2010-10-27T16:34:00.001-07:00

“I have forged my destiny through the power of my own will –the power to manipulate the lives of others, from my own safe shore.”
The Count of Monte Cristo, a fabulously wealthy aristocrat from the far reaches of the galaxy, has returned to Paris on a secret mission of revenge. His first target is Gerard de Villefort, the prosecutor who falsely sentenced him to life imprisonment twenty-five years ago. His pawns are Villefort’s family—a dissatisfied young wife, a withdrawn daughter, and a pampered son. From a single drop of poison spreads a pool of lust and horror that none may escape.
Based on the acclaimed anime, this science fiction version of Alexandre Dumas’ classic The Count of Monte Cristo is a surreal, beautiful tale of love, death, and the seductive power of evil. Includes special extras after the story! –from the product description

New Audio Book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2010-10-27T16:31:00.001-07:00

Read by Allan Corduner

Death narrates this story of Liesel Meminger’s young life as she ekes out an existence in World War II Germany. Liesel’s foster father teaches her to read and write, and she shares this gift with both her neighbors and a Jewish man she helps to hide in the basement. Her sorrowful life is punctuated with the sweetness of a first love and her love for stealing what she cannot resist: books. –from the back cover

New Anime DVDs!

2010-10-27T16:22:00.001-07:00

Ah! My Goddess: Love Plus One Volume 2, Episodes 6 – 10 Based on a manga by Kosuke Fujishima, Ah My Goddess has been a fan favorite for years: the 2005 TV series was preceded by an OVA in 1993, the TV series Adventures of the Mini-Goddess in 1998, and a theatrical feature in 2000. It's hard for nerdy student Keiichi Morisato to live a semblance of a normal life with adoring Norse goddess Belldandy. It gets even harder when Keiichi's sister Megumi joins them at the Nekomi Institute of Technology: She's amazed to find her out-of-it brother living with a beautiful girl, and starts offering advice. Further complications arise when glitches in the celestial operating system cause Belldandy's older, wilder sister Urd to join the household. Meanwhile, deposed campus queen Sayoko Mishima and school Casanova Toshiyuki Aoshima are plotting to break up the happy, if unorthodox, home Keiichi and Belldandy have established. It all adds up to the mixture of slapstick and sentiment that Ah! My Goddess fans expect. --Charles Solomon for Amazon.com

Ah! My Goddess: With or Without You Volume 3, Episodes 11 – 14 As the broadcast series of Ah My Goddess continues, life grows more complicated for Keiichi Morisato and Norse goddess Belldandy. Marller, a demon Belldandy and her sister Urd sealed away ages ago, reappears and turns Keiichi into a motor scooter. Once Keiichi is back to normal--or as close as he's likely to get--Belldandy's younger sister Skuld arrives. As she's gadget-happy, she quickly clashes with Keiichi's mechanically minded younger sister, Megumi. The addition of these characters reduces Keiichi and Belldandy to relatively minor roles in their own series. The filmmaking is sometimes sloppy: when a glowing, rabbit-like creature steals the magic CD that gives Belldandy and Urd power over Marller, the goddesses don't even seem to notice the theft. But fans of the series aren't likely to worry about plot points. –Charles Solomon for Amazon.com

Kino’s Journey Complete Collection Destination is a state of mind. Travelers not only find themselves in a variety of locations and geographic phenomena, but they also bear witness to the myriad of interpretations connected to them. A wielder of cutlery, firepower and a piercing tongue, Kino is ready to embark on a journey unlike any other.

Try These Fiction Books about Music

2010-10-21T17:55:00.001-07:00

Beige by Castellucci

LBD: It’s a Girl Thing by Dent

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Cohn & Levithan

Pop Princess by Cohn

Diva by Flinn

Born to Rock by Korman

Guitar Girl by Manning

Celebrate Teen Read Week!

2010-10-21T17:45:00.001-07:00

Books with Beat @ your library®

Poetry, audiobooks, books about music

“Why is it important to celebrate? For a lot of reasons! Teens have so many options for entertainment, so it's important to remind them to spend time reading for pleasure: it's free, fun, and can be done anywhere! Research shows that teens who read for fun have better test scores and are more likely to succeed in the workforce. Also, it’s a great chance to let your school or your public library communities know how important teen services are! Let teens know the possibilities that exist within your doors, and within the covers of books.” – www.ala.org

Teen Read Week is an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

New Anime: Love Hina The Complete Series

2010-10-06T14:22:00.001-07:00

Keitaro moved to his grandma's apartment building to cram for a college entrance exam. Too bad nobody told him the complex is for ladies only and that he's the new manager. The job has some perks: girls frolicking in the hot springs all day and lounging in their naughtiest nighties all night. It's definitely gonna be tough for Keitaro to focus on studying, especially if one of his titillating tenants turns out to be his long-lost love.

Listen to Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-10-06T14:18:00.001-07:00

Just in on Audio CD: Catching Fire, the second book of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, read by Carolyn McCormick

By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.

Finally! The Conclusion to the Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness

2010-10-06T13:47:00.001-07:00

Monsters of Men

In the riveting conclusion to the acclaimed dystopian series begun with The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer, a boy and girl caught in the chaos of war face devastating choices that will decide the fate of a world.

As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many. The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale.

Just In: The Sequel to Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2010-10-06T13:34:00.001-07:00

Behemoth

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

New Graphic Novel! Salem Brownstone by John Harris Dunning & Nikhil Singh

2010-10-06T13:29:00.001-07:00

A mundane life takes a strange and magical turn in this rich gothic fantasy told with vivid black-and-white art — a graphic novel perfect for a Halloween night. As he twists the key and slowly creeps into the grand mansion left to him in his father's will, Salem Brownstone has an eerie feeling that his world is about to change. First there's the appearance of a beguiling contortionist from Dr. Kinoshita's Circus of Unearthly Delights . . . then a crystal ball . . . then an attack by the sinister Shadow Boys. It seems the father that Salem never knew was actually a powerful magician, and the son has inherited his dark legacy — and an unfinished battle for life or death. With intriguing echoes of Tim Burton, Edward Gorey, H. P. Lovecraft, and Aubrey Beardsley, this album-format, beautifully cloth-bound graphic novel forges a mesmerizing style all its own. –from the publisher

"Wonderfully imaginative and stylish. . . . A perfect example of the adventurous new directions that comic books should be taking in the future." — Alan Moore, author of WATCHMEN and V FOR VENDETTA

Review of Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story by Adam Rex

2010-09-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

Well, there are only two things I didn’t love about this book, and unfortunately, one of them was the ending. What a disappointment! I wanted to say that up front, because if a bad ending makes a book not worth reading for you, you should give this one a miss. The premise of the book is hilarious: Doug Lee, a fat, unattractive, geeky 15-year-old is attacked and turned into a vampire. Since he is now undead, he seems to be stuck being a fat vampire forever. One of my favorite quotes from the book kind of sums it all up –“I think sometimes you think you’re the hero of the story, and sometimes you think you’re the victim…but you’re not either.” There are some funny scenes where Doug desperately tries to find something he can feed off of without actually having to bite a human. He mostly makes do with cows, but his best friend Jay (who Doug has confided everything to) tries to help him out by breaking into the zoo with him to find something a bit more, well, cuddly (but not endangered) to bite. Eventually Doug is approached by the local vampire group, and as the book progresses, he discovers that if he drinks the blood of humans, his appearance improves. In fact, he becomes downright good-looking. However, he sort of loses his nice guy personality, too. The other thing I didn’t like about the book is that the passage that describes Doug’s attack that turned him into a vampire is very dark and graphic compared to the rest of the book. The tone of the book is so light and funny that it was quite jarring to read that part, and, to tell the truth, I pretty much skipped over it. I think the book is still worth reading –I did a fair amount of laughing out loud. Review by Stacy Church

Review of The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

2010-09-23T14:46:00.001-07:00

The subtitle of this book is: A Novel About a King, a Queen, and a Joker. As I’m sure you know, Louis Sachar is the author of Holes, its sequel Small Steps, and the old favorite Sideways Stories from Wayside School. The Cardturner is such a different kind of book, and I kept forgetting who the author of what I was reading was –it felt more like a Chris Crutcher book (Whale Talk, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes). Even if you don’t think you’ll like reading about the game of bridge (Do most kids even know what that is? My son and I once tried to learn to play by following an instruction book –it’s complicated!), you should give it a try. The author alerts you to the passages that include detailed bridge talk by preceding them with a drawing of a whale (you’ll find out the significance of this if you read the book) so that you can skip over them if you want to. I always felt too guilty to skip them, even though after a certain point I don’t think I absorbed too much of it. During the summer before Alton’s senior year of high school, he is forced by his parents to drive his wealthy great-uncle Lester to his bridge club 4 times a week and be his cardturner (Uncle Lester, in addition to being wealthy, is blind). Alton doesn’t really know his uncle or the game of bridge, but his parents have been trying to get him to suck up to his uncle for years, in the hope that he will leave them his fortune. Despite his intentions of despising this duty, and Uncle Lester’s treating him like an idiot, Alton becomes intrigued with the game of bridge. It helps (or doesn’t help) that he meets and is attracted to Toni Castaneda, who his only previous contact with was when he was 6 years old and she ran up to him at his uncle’s 65th birthday party, covered her ears and yelled, “Shut up! Leave me alone!” and then ran away. I found The Cardturned to be a pageturner (sorry, I couldn’t help it) and very funny. Review by Stacy Church

Banned Book Week: September 25 – October 2

2010-09-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

Read a banned book today! Come to the library during Banned Book Week and choose a book from our display of banned books. Banned Book Week is based on the principle of intellectual freedom.

"Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met: first, that all individuals have the right to hold any belief on any subject and to convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate, and second, that society makes an equal commitment to the right of unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used, the content of work, and the viewpoints of both the author and the receiver of information."

Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition

mea culpa

2010-09-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

A thousand apologies for my inadvertent misstatement regarding the number of books read by our top reader, Hilary, during our summer reading program. A gross understatement. Hilary in fact read and reviewed 9 books, not the paltry 6 I reported previously. Here’s another of Hilary’s reviews.

Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce

This book was excellent. It was everything that a fantasy book should be. There was magic, but not magic that was in your face, but subtle magic that felt like a natural part of life. Every now and then there would be a scene with action not dealing with typical fantasies. Also, the main character, Beka, is a person that you don’t get tired of reading about. She has well-thought-out morals and goals, but you don’t get tired of how good she is. Beka’s ways and background are introduced throughout the book, and when struggles and triumphs appear, you follow how she feels. The plot was fast-paced and there were turns that I didn’t expect. It was interesting the whole way through. I wished that the book never stopped, but the way it did was satisfying. Review by Hilary

New Anime!

2010-09-15T13:21:00.001-07:00

Mobile Suit: Gundam F-91 Special Edition release of the 2004 anime classic, screenplay by Tsunehisa Ito, Yoshiyuki Tomin, written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino. After a generation of peace, the Earth Federation has begun to build new space colonies to house humanity's growing population. A new force, the Crossbone Vanguard, plans to seize the colonies of the newly constructed Frontier Side for itself.

R. O. D. Read or Die Winner of the 2002 Anime Expo by Manga Entertainment, Koji Masunari and Taraku Uon. A sinister plot is afoot and only one schoolteacher, a special agent with an affinity for literature, can stop it. She is Ms. Yomiko Readman -- better known to her colleagues in Section A of Library Special Operations as "Agent Paper."

And the Award Goes to….

2010-09-01T14:13:00.001-07:00

As promised, the two students who read the most books as part of the Summer Reading program earned the most coveted prize: a 1GB Flash Drive. No, they don’t have to share it; we gave them each one. Jordan read and reviewed 5 books, and Hilary read and reviewed 6! Congrats to both of them. Check previous posts to read some of their reviews, and I’ll be posting more later. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Summer Reading Program Reviews

2010-08-26T15:13:00.001-07:00

Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff

I read Nory Ryan’s Song. It was much better than I expected. It takes place in Ireland during Gorta Mor, the great hunger of 1845 – 1852. Nory and her family live in Maidin Bay, Ireland, a small town that has never been as populated since as it was during the great hunger. Nory is an eleven-year-old girl who was not very brave before the great hunger. She reminds me of Hope from Hope’s Crossing. Both were not brave at the beginning, but towards the end their bravery made them stand out among others. The other main character is Anna, the older and wiser town healer. She had no one to pass her knowledge on to until Nory owed her a favor, so she worked it off and as they worked they became friends. The plot of this story is like a train. If you take one part out it still works. There are two big problems and one far-off solution. One problem is that there is no food because the potatoes went black. Also they had to pay rent and if they didn’t pay right away the English would take their goods and the only food they had. But after so long without paying, they’d be kicked out of their house. One of the few choices was to move to America. So Nory’s family slowly moved to Brooklyn, New York, to solve the problem of no food or money. But Anna, her dearest friend, decided to stay in Ireland in her warm house with her loving dog. This is a great book because now when I say, “I’m Irish,” I know why I’m in America. I will suggest it to every girl that loves history and a sad, loving story that shows what it means to be a good friend. Review by Shauna

Girl of the Moment by Lizabeth Zindel

“It’s amazing how one summer can change your life forever.” Lily is exasperated when her summer internship at the Museum of Modern Art is canceled, but her summer lights up again when her dad meets an old college friend who finds her an internship with teenage celebrity Sabrina Snow. Lily thinks her future life is going to be glamour, fun and parties, but once she starts her internship, she finds that being Sabrina Snow is not easy, and neither is being her sidekick. With dozens of commands to obey, millions of fan letters to reply to, lots of lists to make, and more than a few parties to plan, Lily discovers the ups and downs of Hollywood life. But there are still quite a few embarrassing but funny mishaps occurring in this star summer. When Lily is sucked into stardom life, she needs to find a clever way to get out of it… Girl of the Moment is a good book for middle-aged children readers who want to get a glimpse of a teenage actress’s life. It is a romantic book filled with funny mistakes, decorated goody bags, and lots of exaggerated magazine articles. The age range of this book should be ages 12-up because of the overfilled romance and some of the words they use. So if you like books with a lot of mishaps, fun, flirting, parties, and famous people, Girl of the Moment is a good book for you. So read Girl of the Moment now!!!!!!! Review by Anusha

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

A boy whose brain works on a different operating system pieces together the challenging mystery of where his lost cousin is. Wow! This book is fantastic. It tkes you around London while you learn weather terms and about the Coriolis Effect. It really describes characters like the main character Ted. It always tells you what he’s thinking in his different operating-system brain. The London Eye Mystery is puzzling and a great book. Review by Jordan

Another Summer Reading Program Review

2010-08-12T15:42:00.001-07:00

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne

8th grader Hamlet Kennedy does not have your average life. She has a genius 7-year-old sister that is in her 8th grade class and she has Shakespeare-obsessed parents. Dezzie (her genius sister) is ruining her life! Hamlet is failing pre-algebra and it doesn’t help that Dezzie is “tutoring” Hamlet’s secret crush, Carter. In English, their Shakespeare unit is just starting, and when Mrs. Wimple asks Hamlet to read aloud to the class from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she finds an unwanted talent. Hamlet gets assigned the lead role in the Shakespeare play, and trying to hide it from her parents isn’t working. Especially when Mrs. Wimple invites them in to teach the class about Shakespeare. Find out what happens to Hamlet by reading the book! Review by Caitlin

Reviews from the Summer Reading Program

2010-08-12T15:32:00.001-07:00

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

I read Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I picked this book because the cover intrigued me --simple but powerful. A plain yellow star with a green stick-figure girl. This story is very interesting. It is about what you would do for someone you love and how doing something for someone else will help you in the end. I thought Stargirl would be about a popular girl who was always the center of attention, but it turned out to be a book about the ups and downs of friendship. Stargirl Caraway is strange, but in a good way. She is strange because she looks through newspapers to find out birthdays, weddings, deaths, etc. Sometimes when she is learning something, she breaks down and acts like a little kid. Leo Borlock is shy and outgoing –he stands out in the crowd by his actions, and only opens up to certain people. This book takes place in modern-day Mica, Arizona, located in the middle of a desert. It was an amazing book. You can tell that Jerry Spinelli spent a lot of time on the characters. The way they acted and the way they connect flowed perfectly. I wouldn’t change one thing, because if you change something it wouldn’t sound as good as it did before. I would recommend this book to anyone who is sick and tired of the same thing every day. Even though you’re not in Mica, Jerry Spinelli makes you feel like you are. I can’t wait to read the sequel to this book. Review by Shauna

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

A girl in New York City starts receiving many strange notes. She starts to think that writing back is the only way to save her friend’s life. But when Disaster strikes, she thinks it’s too late. This book is very mild. The characters never really leave the city and it’s more about the main character making new friends than solving the mystery. The book had really short chapters that were about 3 pages long, which was nice. I thought When You Reach Me was very mild, but an okay book. Review by Jordan

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I did not like this book. I was originally attracted to the idea of a teenager’s point of view with a “Groundhog Day” type of plot. However, it just made me feel like I was reading a mess of a life happening over and over again with no change. Samantha was an annoying person, and the fact that we had to read about her stupid mistakes repeatedly while she didn’t have a clue what she did wrong was excruciating. The rest of the characters were not a joy to read about either. They were mostly drunks, drug users, or just plain selfish. Yes, there were the exceptiosn of Juliet and Kent, but the main character and her group almost destroyed them both. The book was tiring to read because there was almost no pause in the constant drama that filled their “typical” high school life. The author tried to make the ways Samantha spent her death day dramatically different to keep the audience interested, but I was just tired of it by the second death day. There were a few good moments in the book, but that was about it. This was a decent debut book, but even though the author is aiming for the teenage audience, she doesn’t need to dramatize everything. Teenagers are meant to read between the lines. Review by Hillary

Summer Reading Program Reviews

2010-07-15T15:27:00.001-07:00

Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz

Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is tired of working for the MI6 and needs a break. So they get him a summer job at Wimbledon. The only thing is that he has to keep an eye out for a group called the Red Circle. But Alex gets more than he bargained for when they start following him everywhere. Alex needs to get far away when the Red Circle becomes a danger to the people he is with. So, for his safety, Alex joins the CIA and joins two spies on a “vacation” to Skeleton Key, pretending to be their son. Troy and Carver say they are after something a salesman sold to the Russian president, but he starts to get suspicious. When Troy and Carver go scuba diving for Devil’s Cave and don’t come back up, he goes down to search for them. When Alex is down there, he finds more than just the answer to why they didn’t come back. In doing so, he meets a Russian army general from World War II who wants to change the world for the better. Find out how in this third book of the series: Skeleton Key. If you’re interested in thrilling mysteries with all sorts of twists and turns, then this is the book for you. Review by Nadia

Taken by Edward Bloor

I have been reading Taken by Edward Bloor for the past week. Overall, I thought it was a very well-written book that I enjoyed reading. I think that Edward Bloor did a great job describing this book in very great detail, since this book’s setting is the future –2035. This book is based on a different topic: kidnapping. Kidnapping is a major issue in this town. Kidnapping is up 50% in this small, little city. They actually have high tech security and guards surrounding their city. One day a 13-year-old girl named Charity called for an ambulance. She was not that sick; she simply wanted to see her parents, who were working at the hospital. When the ambulance came and took her away, they didn’t take her to the hospital, but kidnapped her. Charity was trapped in an ambulance with nothing to do until the kidnappers came in to remove her metal chip. A metal chip is a chip that is hidden somewhere inside every kid’s body. No one knows where they are hidden. Kidnappers have a machine that can detect where the chip is. For Charity it was in her braces. Now, after Charity had been stuck in the ambulance, she figured out an escape plan. The plan was for her to go to the bathroom and the kidnappers would go inside, and then she could make a break for it. The kidnappers found out her plan and she quickly tried to escape from their trap. She now got home safely with much to talk about. Review by Kathryn.

To Kill a Mockingbird Turns 50!

2010-07-14T14:30:00.001-07:00

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee!

“This heart-wrenching, coming-of-age tale set in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, served as the basis of an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country.” –Harper Collins

To find out more about the celebration, check out this Harper Collins website: http://tokillamockingbird50year.com/

Book Reviews from the Summer Reading Program

2010-07-14T14:09:00.001-07:00

Dial “L” 4 Losers by Lisi Harrison

Dial “L” 4 Losers by Lisi Harrison is a great book. It is a part of the Clique series. Claire, the unpopular new girl, Massie, a very popular girl and Alicia, also a very popular girl, all get invited to audition to be in a movie. When they go to audition far away from home, Massie obviously thinks she is so awesome that she will end up getting the role, but after auditions end, Claire ends up getting the part. When Claire finds out she will be the star in the movie she is psyched! Massie and Alicia are so jealous that they can’t stand it. They start packing their stuff to leave. As they are leaving, they get a call to be behind-the-stage reporters for a hit show. They take the jobs and start embarrassing Claire. Read the book to find out what they do and how it will get solved. Review by Caitlin

13 by Jason Robert Brown and Dan Elish

This book all starts with a boy named Evan who is turning 13, and is Jewish, so he will be having his Bar Mitzvah. To make matters worse, not only does Evan have to memorize Hebrew and write a speech, but he has to deal with moving to Indiana as a result of his parents’ divorce. Evan isn’t happy about the move because his dad is dating another girl, and he has to leave his friends, Bill and Steve, along with his lifetime crush Nina Handelman behind. Once Evan moves to Appleton, his mother and her friend Pam (who they are living with) search the internet for a Rabbi to help Evan prepare for his Bar Mitzvah. Evan find this torturous! Evan also meets people like Archie and Patrice, who are considered freaks by Brett, Kendra, Lucky, Fudge and Eddie. Patrice and Archie despise all of these people except for Kendra. Archie loves Kendra. Evan starts to blend with the “cool” gang and gets into some trouble. When he sends his Bar Mitzvah invitations, someone’s invitation was not going to go in the mailbox, and that someone found out. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was fun to predict what would happen next, because there were so many downfalls. I really liked this book. Review by Rose

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

I read this book Hush Hush, a fantasy teen romance novel about a boy whose nickname is Patch, and an ordinary girl named Nora. Nora is attracted to Patch, but she’s scared of him, too. He knows so much about her, but she knows so little abouthim. Patch is always making cute jokes, and she’s always trying to avoid him. Elliot is also trying to win her heart, but after she figures out he was part of a suicide investigations, she backs away from him, too. This book is truly amazing, and it will leave you with an “awhh” at the end. There are all these surprising uncoverings throughout the book, you will not want to stop reading. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thrill, love story, or even a fantasy! Becca Fitzpatrick’s first novel Hush Hush will leave you breathless. Review by Heba

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Evermore is the first book of the intriguing Immortals series. Evermore is about a girl named Ever whose family died in a car accident. She did, too, but somehow came back to live left with psychic powers that she can’t control. She used to have a wonderful life when she lived with her family. She was popular, but now she lives with her Aunt Sabine and only has two friends, who are not popular. They’re called names like “Goth Freak” and “Gay Guy.” Damen comes along and changes everything in her life, but Ever knows Damen is hiding something about his past and maybe even hers. Alyson Noel takes you through an enchanting adventure throughout the Immortals series. i would recommend this book and this series to anyone who likes a mystical adventure through a teem romance. Review by Heba

Review of Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

2010-04-28T15:21:00.001-07:00

I’m sorry that I looked at any reviews of Adriana Trigiani’s first young adult novel, because although I enjoyed reading it, I realize that some of the criticisms are accurate. On the other hand, I’m glad I didn’t read the reviews before I read the book, because I probably wouldn’t have liked it as much. Viola is a teen who has grown up in Brooklyn, NY, with all the benefits of living in such an ethnically diverse community, so she’s not too pleased when her parents drop her off at the all-girls school, Prefect Academy, in Indiana, for a year while they travel to Afghanistan to make a documentary film. Viola is a budding filmmaker, and her relationship with her camera is one of the things that sustains her when she feels she’s lost everything else. She does adapt a little too easily to living in a quad dorm room for someone who professes to be such a loner, but of course you’re happy that she finds such good friends. There’s a little bit of a supernatural element to the story, too, that I really liked. When Viola is looking at the footage she first shot when she arrived on campus, she notices a flash of red in the background. When she looks closer, she sees it is a woman in an old-fashioned red dress, who she is sure wasn’t there when she was filming. One of her friends back home assures her that it is a ghost who has something to tell Viola. Later in the book, Viola decides to make a short film to enter in a student film contest, and the identity of the red ghost-woman gives her the personal interest slant that she needs. During the course of the book, Viola gets her first boyfriend (who turns out to be too good to be true), finds out the real reason why her parents sent her to the academy for a year, and spends Christmas on the almost empty campus with her Broadway actress grandmother, who brings along her latest, much younger boyfriend. All in all, the book was a lot of fun. Review by Stacy Church

New Graphic Novels

2010-04-28T14:58:00.001-07:00

Bayou, Volume One by Jeremy Love

The first title from the original webcomics imprint of DC Comics!
South of the Mason-Dixon Line lies a strange land of gods and monsters; a world parallel to our own, born from centuries of slavery, civil war, and hate. Lee Wagstaff is the daughter of a black sharecropper in the depression-era town of Charon, Mississippi. When Lily Westmoreland, her white playmate, is snatched by agents of an evil creature known as Bog, Lee's father is accused of kidnapping. Lee's only hope is to follow Lily's trail into this fantastic and frightening alternate world. Along the way she enlists the help of a benevolent, blues singing, swamp monster called Bayou. Together, Lee and Bayou trek across a hauntingly familiar Southern Neverland, confronting creatures both benign and malevolent, in an effort to rescue Lily and save Lee's father from being lynched. BAYOU VOL. 1 collects the first four chapters of the critically acclaimed webcomic series by Glyph Award nominee Jeremy Love.

Foiled by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mike Cavallaro

A quirky, fast-paced urban fantasy by esteemed author Jane Yolen. Aliera Carstairs just doesn’t fit in. She’s always front and center at the fencing studio, but at school she’s invisible. And she’s fine with that . . . until Avery Castle walks into her first period biology class. Avery may seem perfect now, but will he end up becoming her Prince Charming or just a toad?

Omega: The Unknown by Jonathan Lethem with Karl Rusnak, illustrated by Farel Dalrymple, colored by Paul Hornschemeier

The story of a mute, reluctant super hero from another planet, and the earthly teenager with whom he shares a strange destiny - and the legion of robots and nanoviruses that have been sent from afar to hunt the two of them down! Created in 1975 by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes, the original Omega the Unknown lasted only ten issues, but was a legend to those who recall it - an ahead-of-its-time tale of an anti-hero, inflected with brilliant ambiguity. One of Omega's teenage fans was award-winning novelist Jonathan Lethem, who has used the original as a springboard for a superbly strange, funny, and moving graphic novel in ten chapters. Collects Omega: The Unknown #1-10.

Going Green with Geography: Give Kids the Power of Global Knowledge

2010-04-28T14:34:00.001-07:00

Check out the April, 2010 newsletter from My Wonderful World.org, a National Geographic Campaign http://newsletters.nationalgeographic.com/PS!HNk2yTS2hMgFBgIAAAAGCgFICgg3MDQ5Mjg2NgoKMjAwNzA3Mjk2NgkAQal/Cgk1MjExODIxNTUF

Here are some of the books chosen as the top 10 best books for young adult by the American Library Association for 2010

2010-04-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

The Demon’s Lexicon by Brennan

The Orange Houses by Griffin

The Great Wide Sea by Herlong

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Jinks

Alligator Bayou by Napoli

Marcelo in the Real World by Stork

Lips Touch: Three Times by Taylor

Young Adult Knitting Program

2010-04-21T14:35:00.001-07:00

Looking for something to do this summer? Would you like to learn to knit, or have a professional help you improve your knitting? Come join us at the Westwood Library on Tuesday Aug. 3, 10 and 17 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm for a young adult knitting program. Everyone in grades 6 – 12 is welcome. Registration is required, and enrollment is limited to 10, so register early! All material will be provided. Sign up at the Reference Desk or call 781-320-1045.

New Science Fiction Titles

2010-04-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

Fang, A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson

If you are a fan of the Maximum Ride series, you have probably been waiting for this book to come out.

“Fang will be the first to die.” Maximum Ride is used to living desperately on the run from evil forces sabotaging her quest to save the world –but nothing has ever come as close to destroying her as this horrifying prophetic message. Fang is Max’s best friend, her soul mate, her partner in the leadership of her flock of winged children. A life without Fang is a life unimaginable. “But there will be another…” When a newly created winged boy, the magnificent Dylan, is introduced into the flock, their world is upended yet again. Raised in a lab like the others, Dylan exists for only one reason: he was designed to be Max’s perfect other half. “To replace Fang.” Thus unfolds a battle of perfection versus passion that terrifies, twists, and turns…and meanwhile, the apocalypse is coming. --from the book jacket

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Fever Crumb has been adopted and raised by Dr. Crumb, a member of the Order of Engineers, where she serves as an apprentice. At a time when women are not seen as reasonable creatures, Fever is an anomaly, the only girl to serve in the Order. Soon, though, she must say good-bye to Dr. Crumb to assist archaeologist Kit Solent with a top secret project. The assignment involves a mysterious room that once belonged to Auric Godshawk, the last of the Scriven overlords, and Fever must help unlock it. The Scriven, not human, ruled the city some years ago but were hunted down and killed in a victorious uprising by the people. As Fever’s work begins, she is plagued by memories that are not her own, and Kit seems to have a particular interest in finding out what they are. All Fever knows is what she’s been told: She is an orphan. But whose memories does she hold? And why are there people chasing her, intent on eliminating her? Is Fever the key to unlocking the terrible secret of the past? –from the book jacket

Poetry Writing Workshops with Tom Daley

2010-04-07T14:58:00.001-07:00

Tom Daley returns to the Westwood Library! On April 29, Tom will host 2 poetry writing workshops as part of the library’s Positively Poetry series. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will meet from 2:45 – 4:00, and students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will meet from 4:15 – 5:30. Registration is required. To register, email us at westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com, or call 781-320-1042. The poems produced at the workshops will be included in the library’s 2010 Poetry Anthology.

Tom Daley teaches poetry writing at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and poetry and memoir writing at Lexington Community Education. In addition, he is a member of the faculty of the Online School of Poetry, serves on the tutorial faculty of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, and has been a guest instructor at Brown University, Stonehill College and SUNY Cobleskill. He has also been served as visiting poets at several schools.

Tom Daley’s own work has been published in numerous journals, including Harvard Review, Prairie Schooner, Barrow Street, Vox, Diagram, and Hacks: The Grub Street Anthology.

Positively Poetry at the Westwood Public Library

2010-04-07T14:55:00.001-07:00

Positively Poetry at the Westwood Public Library is a celebration of poetry that includes the publication of an anthology of original poetry by students in grades 3 - 12, a public reading from the anthology, and sometimes a writing workshop or two!

Send us your poems for The Westwood Library's 2010 Poetry Anthology. All students in grades 3 - 12 are invited to send one original poem for inclusion in our 2010 anthology. Poems should be no longer than 30 lines, and must have family friendly language and content. Deadline for submissions is April 16. Email us at westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com and include your full name, grade, name of your school, phone number and email address. Check out our poetry blog at westwoodpoetry.blogspot.com, where some of the poems will be published.

Review of Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

2010-03-31T14:35:00.001-07:00

This is a book about a young woman questioning her faith --and she has good reason to question it. Her father is the pastor in a small town with one post office, one hardware store, only one restaurant that’s open on Sundays, but seven churches. Even though everyone knows pretty much everything about everyone else, something no one seems to know is that Sam’s mother is a drunk. Then Sam’s mom is in rehab, court-ordered after a drunken-driving accident, and Sam is left alone with her father, who seems to have infinite time for his parishioners’ problems, but no time for his own daughter or to visit his wife in rehab. The author describes Sam’s disillusionment perfectly when giving Sam’s reaction to a poster in the youth group room that shows a bunch of happy, multicultural-looking teens and the slogan: Community Happens! “I stared at that poster and pictured myself in it, smiling, knee-to-knee with the other youth group kids, who would be my best friends…Because, as we’re reminded all the time at church, community happens through sharing…I believed in the theory, and expected that once I hit high school my life would be filled with all this understanding and friendship and spiritual bonding, and my faith would come alive, just like the poster promised. It hasn’t really happened that way.” Then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, a 13-year-old member of the youth group, Jody, disappears. Sam’s lack of faith intensifies, and it’s clear that part of the problem is her lack of faith in her own father. As he’s getting ready to leave to visit the family of the missing girl, this is how Sam sees him: “He was strangely calm-looking, his tan face smooth, his hair in place, jaw set. It dawned on me that in a way he’s been prepping for a tragedy like this all his life; he’s like an actor getting his ultimate role. For someone whose career is believing in God and convincing other people to, this is exactly the kind of thing that would give him a chance to really prove that everything he’s been saying is true.” I absolutely love this book. It’s a perfect combination of characters, setting and plot. Review by Stacy Church

Review of Chasing the Bear, a Young Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker

2010-03-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

If you haven’t read any of Robert Parker’s Spenser novels, you might be confused by the chapters of this book that are set in the present day, where Spenser is talking to his girlfriend Susan, and being prodded by her to recall episodes from his childhood. But you certainly don’t have to have read the Spenser books to appreciate the great stories that he tells. Spenser grew up in a completely male household. When his mother died, his father’s two brothers moved in to share the parenting duties, so Spenser grows up being taught to think for himself, to cook, and how to throw a mean right hook. When Spenser’s best friend, Jeannie, drives by in a car driven by her mean, drunken father, and mouths “Help” at him out the window, he knows he has to go after her. He’s scared, but he knows that if he goes to get help he’ll lose them, so he follows them to the jetty, and then out onto the river in a rowboat, with only his dog Pearl for help. It’s an exciting story, and my favorite one. Throughout the book, Spenser tells Susan that he spent his life looking for his one and only love, and she is it. The book is truly an adventure book for boys, but it doesn’t hurt to hear such a heartfelt message from so tough a guy. Review by Stacy Church

Review of Wings by Aprilynne Pike

2010-03-17T16:29:00.001-07:00

I have to say that despite what might be the most outlandish concept for a plot in the history of literature (ok, that’s overstating it a bit), this book is actually pretty good. Laurel is just starting to attend the local high school after being homeschooled all her life. She’s not happy, but things haven’t gone too badly on her first day –she’s made some friends, she’s not too far behind the other kids in her classes, and she even gets a cute guy named David to eat his lunch outside with her. But then she feels a strange lump in between her shoulder blades. For some reason, she doesn’t tell her parents, even though every day it gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one day it opens up into a huge….flower. That’s right, flower. She still doesn’t tell her parents. She binds the petals down and wears loose clothes. Wait, it gets even weirder. She goes back to visit her old house with her parents, and when she goes into the woods for a walk, she’s approached by a strange-looking green boy, who tells her that she’s a faerie, and that faeries are not animals/humans, they are plants. So if you’re willing to suspend disbelief long enough to accept that Laurel never noticed she doesn’t have a heart beat, or blood in her veins, and never thought it was that unusual that she doesn’t eat food except for canned peaches, you will enjoy this book. It has an exciting ending that involves trolls, Laurel and David being weighted down and thrown in the river, saving Laurel’s dad (who was poisoned by the trolls), and Laurel telling her parents the truth about her faerieness. Oh, and by the way, one of the pieces of information that the green boy passed on to Laurel is that, for faeries, pollination is for procreation, sex is just for fun. Review by Stacy Church

Review of Eli the Good by Silas House

2010-03-11T16:15:00.001-08:00

There is so much sadness in this book. The first paragraph kind of tells it all:

“That was the summer of the bicentennial, when all these things happened: my sister, Josie, began to hate our country and slapped my mother’s face; my wild aunt, Nell, moved in with us, bringing along all five thousand or so of her records and a green record player that ran on batteries; my father started going back to Vietnam in his dreams, and I saw him cry; my mother did the Twist in front of the whole town and nearly lost us all. I was ten years old, and I did something unforgivable.”

Whew. The story lives up to all of that, too. In fact, there’s even more sadness. Eli’s best friend, Edie, is abandoned by her mother, and has to live with her alcoholic father. Eli finds out (by eavesdropping, which he indulges in whenever possible) that the reason his Aunt Nell moved in with them is because she has cancer. His mother and Nell are very close, but Eli's father and Nell --not so much. While Eli’s father was off fighting in Vietnam, Nell was protesting the war, and because of one very famous photograph, everyone in the country knows her, which Eli's father takes as a personal affront. Eli watches everything, and, despite the closeness of Eli’s family, he doesn’t really feel taken care of by anyone. He’s never forgiven his mother for something he overheard her say to his father once, “I love you too much. More than anything. More than anybody.” Eli’s great sadness is that he feels his mother doesn’t love him or his sister as much as she loves their father. The writing in the book is so beautiful, and it really captures the essence of the time (1976). Review by Stacy Church

Review of After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

2010-03-08T09:46:00.001-08:00

I couldn’t wait to read this new book by one of my favorite authors, Jordan Sonnenblick, who also wrote Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie (see review on Book Bits June 1, 2006) , and Zen and the Art of Faking It (see review September 16, 2008). After Ever After tells the story of Jeffrey Alper, the main character from Drums, Girls…, when he’s in 8th grade. If you read Drums, Girls…you know that in 4th grade Jeffrey was being treated for cancer. That book was mainly the story of his older brother, Steven, and how Jeffrey’s cancer affected Steven’s life. Sonnenblick’s books are funny, even though the things the characters are dealing with are not funny at all. Jeffrey as an 8th grader has some physical and mental problems that are after-effects of his illness and treatment. His right foot kind of drags due to nerve damage, and he has some learning and attention problems from the powerful drugs he was given in chemotherapy. All right, enough with the bad stuff. Jeffrey’s best friend, Tad, is a somewhat bitter, angry person, maybe because of the cancer that he has survived twice, but maybe just because that’s the way he is. Jeffrey has terrible trouble with math, and the school district has just enacted a rule that says if you fail the new standardized test, you can’t pass 8th grade, even if your grades have always been good. Jeffrey knows there’s no way he’s going to pass, and after getting busted for hiding the letter from the school to his parents, he accepts Tad’s offer of tutoring. In exchange, he challenges Tad, who’s in a wheelchair, to work out enough to be able to walk across the stage at graduation. Jeffrey also gets his first girlfriend. She is sort-of a little too perfect to believe, but you have to feel happy for Jeffrey. Lindsey and Tad hatch up a plan to protest the standardized testing, and since Jeffrey is grounded for months, they are able to hide it from him right up until the last minute. This book is a quick but fun read. Review by Stacy Church

Review of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

2010-03-08T09:07:00.001-08:00

This is the funniest book I have read in quite a while, and I just couldn’t put it down. Will Halpin is deaf. He has finagled his way out of the “deaf school” and into the local high school, even though he will have to completely rely on his lip-reading skills. The public high school doesn’t have a closed-captioning system, or interpreters like the fancy private schools. He bumbled his way through a hearing test by guessing, lip-reading and promising to wear his hearing aids, which he usually just carries in his pocket. On the bus, he learns that if he sits in the seat behind the bus driver, he can watch the other kids in the bus driver’s mirror and read their lips to see what they’re talking about. People mostly ignore him, even though in every class he gets seated in the front corner of the room so that he can read the teacher’s lips, if they keep facing him, that is. His math teacher, the sexy Miss Prefontaine, turns her back on him so she can make snide comments about him when she catches him reading his history textbook in math class (other bad things come out about her later in the story). There’s the usual pecking order, and the only kid who befriends Will is the second-least-popular student, Devon, who knows very basic sign language. Later in the book, he gives Will a PDA so they can text each other, even when they’re together, which I thought was brilliant. During a class field trip to a coal mine, the most popular kid disappears, and then is found dead at the bottom of a mine shaft. Is it murder? Will and Devon decide to team up like the Hardy Boys to try and solve the murder, but when they break into the school to look at the footage of the police interrogations, Devon has them fast-forward through his. Is he somehow involved? Some funny things from the book: Will calls the school bell a sound-impairment discriminator; instead of et cetera, Will says et crapera; when his mom signs to him during dinner, he tells her not to talk with her hands full; once when his mom asks him, “What’s that noise?” he says, “You’re asking the wrong guy.” Review by Stacy Church

Review of Watching Jimmy by Nancy Hartry

2010-03-03T13:23:00.001-08:00

I love Carolyn, the main character of Watching Jimmy. She feels a lot of regret about what happened to her best friend Jimmy. She thinks she should have yelled at her Aunt Jean not to leave them alone with her brother, Uncle Ted, or that she could have run faster when Uncle Ted went zooming off down the street with Jimmy sprawled out across the trunk of his fancy car, or maybe if she had screamed, someone would have come and stopped the awful thing that happened next. The worst thing is that Uncle Ted told everyone Jimmy fell off a swing at the park and that he tried to wake him up and then carried him to his car to get help. Carolyn knows it won’t do any good to tell, so she tries to protect Jimmy as best she can after he comes home from the hospital. She never leaves him alone with Uncle Ted, and she coerces Uncle Ted into helping Aunt Jean by threatening him in a way that only he will understand. Carolyn has her own troubles, but she knows they’re nothing compared to Aunt Jean’s: Ted claims ownership of her house and says she’ll have to move out; Jimmy could have surgery to help with his brain injury but there’s no money to pay for it; and she has the great sadness of having lost her older son in the war. Carolyn has a couple of talents. She has a beautiful singing voice (but she’s careful not to let anyone hear her), and she’s a moving public speaker (which she’s not shy about showing off at all). This is a story where good triumphs in the end, even though things can never go back to the way they used to be. Review by Stacy Church

New Books!

2010-02-24T13:17:00.001-08:00

Mystery

The Amanda Project: invisible i by Stella Lennon

When new and unconventional high school student Amanda Valentino disappears, her three closest friends, who are all from vastly different circles, band together and, using enigmatic clues that seem to come from Amanda herself, try to find her.

Realistic Fiction

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

It's Dade's last summer at home. He has a crappy job at Food World, a "boyfriend" who won't publicly acknowledge his existence (maybe because Pablo also has a girlfriend), and parents on the verge of a divorce. College is Dade's shining beacon of possibility, a horizon to keep him from floating away. Then he meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid. Falling in real love finally lets Dade come out of the closet—and, ironically, ignites a ruthless passion in Pablo. But just when true happiness has set in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer, and Dade will use every ounce of strength he's gained to break from his past and start fresh with the future.

Vampires!

The Van Alen Legacy: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa De la Cruz

Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods--an ancient group of vampires--now find themselves in an epic battle for survival following the stunning revelation of a young socialite's true identity and the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods.

Fairy Tale

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

George has always felt burdened by his princely duties, and even more by the need to hide the magic through which he speaks with animals, but when he is betrothed to the strange princess of a neighboring kingdom, his secret, and the persecution of people like himself, must come to an end.

Review of Salt by Maurice Gee

2010-02-11T17:41:00.001-08:00

It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy I liked as much as this one. The opening scene where Hari’s father, Tarl, is being taken away to be a slave could be straight out of a historical fiction, except for the part where the guards use “their electric hands” to shoot “fizzing bolts” into the air. Is this science fiction? Then comes the part where Harl “sent a questing thread out from his mind to the horses, found them and whispered silently: Brother horse, sister horse, the black fly stings your rump,” causing the horses to lurch forward. Harl has been learning from Lo, an ancient prisoner, how to communicate with animals without using words and although he is unable to prevent his father being taken away, he does manage to escape himself. Another story is unfolding at the same time: Pearl, the daughter of a privileged family runs away to escape an arranged marriage, taking with her Tealeaf, the maid who has been teaching her to communicate wordlessly. It is inevitable (for the story, anyway) that two young people fleeing the same city should meet up in the countryside; what isn’t so obvious is that they would meet when Hari kills Pearl’s brother (who is seeking Pearl, but is only too happy to be sidetracked by hunting and killing a Burrows boy). And so the great adventure begins. Tealeaf knows that the children need each other, but she won’t tell them why. Tarl’s father has been taken to the most dangerous of the mines, Deep Salt, from which no one has ever returned. The quest to save Tarl turns into a race to save mankind from itself. In this first book of The Salt Trilogy there’s plenty of adventure, suspense, fighting and romance to keep most readers happy. Review by Stacy Church

It’s summer in Australia, you know!

2010-02-11T17:03:00.001-08:00

Come check out these books set in Australia:

Genius Squad and Evil Genius by Jinks

Jellicoe Road and Looking for Alibrandi by Marchetta

The Wolf by Herrick

The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It by Shanahan

Magic or Madness, Magic Lesson, Magic’s Child by Larbalestier

Things You Either Hate or Love and Follow the Blue by Lowry

The Murder of Bindy MacKenzie, The Spell Book of Listen Taylor, The Year of Secret Assignments by Moriarty

Undine by Russon

all of John Marsden’s books

After Summer by Earls

Saving Francesca by Marchetta

Fifteen Love by Corbet

The Divine Wind: A Love Story by Disher

Walkabout by Marshall

It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me…

2010-02-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

Come in to the Young Adult Dept. and check out some books about music:

Beige by Castellucci

LBD: It’s a Girl Thing by Dent

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Cohn & Levithan

Diva by Flinn

Born to Rock by Korman

Guitar Girl by Manning

Garage Band by Gipi (Graphic Novel)

Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes (Graphic Novel)

New Books!!

2010-01-20T14:39:00.001-08:00

Check out the latest vampire books:

Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber

When 11-year-old Valentine, younger brother of vampires Jagger and Luna, comes to Dullsville looking for them, he threatens goth-girl Raven's younger brother, Billy Boy, as well as her relationship with her vampire boyfriend, Alexander.

Vampire Kisses 6: Royal Blood by Ellen Schreiber

While fending off Trevor, her nemesis at school with whom she must work on an important project, sixteen-year-old Raven is distracted by finally meeting her vampire-boyfriend Alexander's parents and trying to foil their plan that could jeopardize her future with him.

Interested in the supernatural? Take a look at these:

Sorceress by Celia Rees

In this sequel to Witch Child, 18-year-old Agnes, a Mohawk Indian who is descended from a line of shamanic healers, uses her own newly-discovered powers to uncover the story of her ancestor, a 17-century New England English healer who fled charges of witchcraft to make her life with the local Indians.

Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

15-year-old Billi SanGreal has grown up knowing that being a member of the Knights Templar puts her in danger, but if she is to save London from catastrophe she must make sacrifices greater than she imagined.

Or how about a fairy tale?

Ash by Malinda Lo

In this variation on the Cinderella story, Ash grows up believing in the fairy realm that the king and his philosophers have sought to suppress, until one day she must choose between a handsome fairy cursed to love her and the King's Huntress whom she loves

Here’s a new science fiction:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

And lastly, a spy novel:

Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Sally Carter

When Cammie Morgan arrives at her friend Macey's five-star hotel for the Democratic National Convention, where Macey's father is about to receive the vice presidential nomination, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. But if you're a Gallagher Girl, 'exciting' and 'deadly' are never far apart.

Review of Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

2009-12-09T13:26:00.001-08:00

It feels so strange to read a book about what happened on 9/11. It’s been a while since I thought about what it felt like that day to be watching events unfold on the TV, but it sure came back when I started reading this book. There are 5 parts: What Just Happened, The Next Hours and the Next Days, The Drown of Things and the Swim of Things, Hold Dear, and After; and each section is told in 3 voices: Claire, Jasper and Peter. After awhile I did get tired of the sort of mystical-speak of one character in particular. But, at least at the beginning, the voices of the kids rang very true and, like I said, brought back a lot of memories. Definitely worth reading. Review by Stacy Church

Review of King of the Screwups by K.L. Going

2009-12-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

This is the latest book by K.L. Going, the author of one of my favorite YA books, Fat Kid Rules the World. Liam Geller is the son of a fabulously wealthy and successful CEO and a formerly fabulous supermodel. He himself, as the title says, is the King of the Screwups. His father is abusive and neglectful, seemingly seeing Liam as an extension of his wife, who he seems to loathe. The only real insight into this situation comes from the short chapters recounting past events in Liam’s life. Reading them makes you want to shake Liam and tell him to pay more attention to what has brought him to this point: being kicked out of the house after being caught by his father about to have sex on his desk while he and Liam’s mom are right downstairs. Instead of getting shipped off to his grandparents (who seem to hate him as much as his father does), Liam’s mom arranges for him to go to his dad’s brother, who was ousted from the family 17 years ago for some unnamed transgression. And so Liam finds himself living in a trailer park with a glam-rocker/night DJ he calls “Aunt Pete.” Liam proves to himself that he’s still a screwup by immediately becoming popular in his new school despite his best efforts at being nerdy (joining the AV club, befriending the outsider girl who lives in the next trailer). I love the description of Liam getting dressed for the first time in the trailer. “…I make a hundred trips back and forth to the tiny, filthy bathroom at the other end of the trailer. I consider rushing, but getting ready is a ritual, so I do each thing carefully. I shower, shave, moisturize, and choose cologne –the one that matches my mood – then put together the right clothes. Nothing high fashion or anything –those are best left for the runway –just the brands and designs that will fit in but are interesting enough to catch people’s attention. Getting ready is the only part of my day I can be sure I won’t screw up.” It’s hard to believe that anyone could be so oblivious to the true nature of his situation as Liam is, but Pete and his friends do their best to get him to see his good qualities. The book has a satisfying ending (which I won’t hint at, except to say that the dad loses out). Review by Stacy Church

Poetry!

2009-12-01T13:36:00.001-08:00

Not sure if you like poetry? Here are a couple of unusual books to take a look at.

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle with art by Sean Qualls

Juan Francisco was born into the household of a wealthy slaveowner in Cuba in 1797, and spent his early years by the side of a woman who made him call her Mama, even though he had a mama of his own. Denied an education, young Juan still showed an exceptional talent for poetry. His verses reflect the beauty of his world, but they also expose its hideous cruelty. In this book, Margarita Engle uses her own powerful, haunting verses to evoke the voice of the Poet Slave of Cuba.

The Spoken Word Revolution Redux edited by Mark Eleveld

In the tradition of The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux brings more of the gripping, moving, innovative, often hilarious poetry in the oral tradition. 75 minute CD of live poetry: slam, hip-hop, and musical interpretations.

Review of Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen & Robert J. Harris

2009-11-18T13:08:00.001-08:00

In the late 1200’s and early 1300’s, England and Scotland were ruled by King Edward I, or Longshanks, as he was known. He ruled Scotland with an iron fist, and when Robert de Brus declared himself king of Scotland in 1306, Longshanks declared war against Scotland. Robert de Brus managed to escape capture, but some of his relatives were not so lucky. One of those relatives was his 11-year-old daughter, Marjorie. In order to try and force her father to surrender, Longshanks had Marjorie placed in an outdoor cage right in the middle of an English village. It was October, and she had only her clothing to keep her warm. The only furnishing in the cage was a curtain around a bucket for her to relieve herself in. Nobody was allowed to speak to her, and the only voices she heard were the peasants who taunted her and threw garbage at her. The chapters alternate between her captivity and the months leading up to her captivity - learning that she’s going to be a princess, and then fleeing through the Scottish Highlands trying to evade capture. This is an exciting book that takes place during a fascinating time and place in history. Review by Katie Corrigan

Review of Andromeda Klein by Frank Portman

2009-11-05T17:28:00.001-08:00

I would like to be able to say I loved this book by the author of one of my favorite books, King Dork, but the truth is that I loved some things about it. I’m certainly glad I read it, but I wonder how many people can get through the overwhelmingly slow pace and vast amount of arcane information about tarot cards, and the history of the occult and magical literature that the book is filled with. The main character, Andromeda, is so unusual and fascinating: she has osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition causing extremely fragile bones, and, as Andromeda explains, most people fail to realize that you hear with your bones. So, the text is peppered with the things Andromeda thinks that people say, often to hilarious result (stained flowers=strange powers, steak antlers=snake handlers, slam sex=slant six). The other lingo is a little harder for me to follow ( but is probably clearer to teens). It’s made up of word substitutions based on predictive spell corrections in texting.

Other things I love about the book:

1. That Andromeda’s cat is named Dave, and has “his own, unknowable cat religion, centered on the concept of unquestioning Dave worship…”

2. That Andromeda’s mom, who she calls “the mom,” plays an online networking game obsessively,and has been known to chant, “I can’t get on the network. I can’t get on the network. I can’t get on the network.”

3. That Andromeda’s dad, who suspects the government of" “spying on American citizens by implanting surveillance devices in electronic products,” periodically switches his antidepressant based on what free samples the clinic is giving out.

4. That Andromeda’s friend Rosalie regularly hacks into the mom’s computer game and messes things up for her. She also drops off packages filled with strange combinations of items (flip-flops, stapler, stick of gum, pinecone) when Andromeda isn’t home.

The thing I most didn’t love about the book is the ending. All of those elaborately set-up situations in the book that I couldn’t wait to find out the resolutions to were just dropped at the end of the book. Who was the older lover (or non-lover) Andromeda was involved with and was the relationship really as creepy as it seemed? Is she really communicating with spirits or is she insane? I think I’ll just forget about the ending and keep wondering about the things I was wondering about. Review by Stacy Church

Read Beyond Reality: Post-apocalyptic Fiction

2009-10-21T11:31:00.001-07:00

Post-apocalyptic fiction takes place after some terrible event occurs that alters life as we know it. If that sort of fiction intrigues you, try these books. They all take place after some horrible event –plague, nuclear disaster, alien invasion –you name it!

Juvenile Fiction

The Hermit Thrush Sings Butler
The Roar Clayton
The Last Dragon De Mari
The City of Ember DuPrau
The Other Side of the Island Goodman
Among the Hidden Haddix
Phoenix Rising Hesse
Gathering Blue Lowry
The Giver Lowry
River Rats Stevermer