I wanted to recap what we talked about during the book discussion. You can read Paul Volponi's inspiration for Black and White and a sneak peak at his new book, Response, on his website: http://www.paulvolponibooks.com/
Some fabulous book recommendations were made: Bloodhound, by Tamora Pierce. "Bloodhound was really good. Tamora Pierce creates a language but uses it little enough to make it enjoyable to read." The Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane. Order of the Stick, comic series--I will have to order them, we don't have any! The Girl's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons, "so funny, and of course, meant for girls!" I had a request for a booklist on novels that have magic in a real world setting--coming soon.
The Teen Book Club selection for June 27th is Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow! Please stop by the library to borrow a copy or reserve one online with your library card by clicking here.
You can watch the book trailer below. It's a little long, but you get an idea of how great the book is!
Read Beyond Reality @ your library! Lancaster Public Library's Youth Video Contest!
Have you read any of the Teens’ Top Ten Nominees? Read a great book, make a great video, win a Flip Video Camera!
How to Win: · You must be age 11 through 18 to participate. (Participants under age 13, please ask for help with uploading videos to YouTube.) · Read one of the Teen’s Top Ten Nominees or another Young Adult book. (ask the librarian for help) · Shoot a short video (up to three minutes long). Make it a Video Book Review (talk about why the book is so great) or a Video Book Trailer (think movie trailer – you get to be even more creative this way). · Post it to your YouTube account. · Tag your YouTube Video with LancTeenContestFlip2009 · Enter your video in our contest beginning June 1st. You can enter as many videos as you like – they just need to have separate YouTube URLs and be entered separately. Deadline is October 1st, 2009 @ 9pm.
Want details? Call 396-9313 ext. 124; e-mail akantner@lancaster.lib.pa.us; or stop by the Lancaster Public Library at 125 North Duke Street
Here's a short video on how to upload your video book review or book trailer to YouTube:
You can get more instruction by clicking on the Help link in the right corner of YouTube. Talk to you soon! Audrey
Every year, teens across the nation vote for their favorite top ten teen books. Click on the title link to view this year's nominees. Have you read any of them? Are they the best? What do you think? If you haven't read it yet, click on the title to put the book on hold. The actual voting for the Teen's Top Ten is from Aug. 25 through Sept. 18 at www.ala.org/teenstopten. Keep an eye out for more teen events!
Zachary has been watching over and saving Miranda since she was born. It's his job; he's her guardian angel. One night, Miranda and her best friend Lucy are lured into the graveyard by a grinning storeclerk who promises that he has "a scary idea." Lucy has been crushing on this boy for a long time and they had gone to the video store in hopes of running into him. Miranda doesn't like to be scared, but Lucy is her friend, so she goes along. She has trouble finding Lucy in the graveyard and almost falls into a newly dug grave, but Zachary saves her by illuminating the scene and shouting to Miranda...or does he? Miranda disappears...and Zachary is in big trouble for breaking the rules! Radford's doublespeak is enchanting. Miranda has been "elevated" to an "eternal" "princess." He takes Miranda out on the town and shows her her new nightlife. She feels swept away and struggles to fit into her new identity. All the while, Lucy and Zachary are looking for her. Can she be saved? I like how this novel takes turns in perspective, switching from Miranda to Zachary in each chapter, much like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist does (but that's the only similiarity.) This story is a lot more gorey than Twilight, but I enjoyed it moreso despite the blood and violence. Zachary's love and dedication to Miranda could easily make him the next Edward, but it's his identity as an angel that makes this novel stand alone. The ending definitely leaves the story open for a sequel, but it's sewn up tightly. I would recommend this novel to older teens who love vampires, and especially those who love to hate vampires.
Maggie Quinn and her best friend D&D Lisa are heading down to Florida in her ragtop Jeep. They suddenly crash into a large cow and pull off to the side of the road. Upon closer inspection, Maggie discovers that the cow was already dead, slashed by a large animal with enormous strength and claws. She accidently touches the cow, and gets a vision of the cow's horrible demise. She realizes that this is no ordinary predator. The girls are now stuck in the small town of Dulcina, Texas, with not much else to do but sit at the local bar and figure out what's attacking everyone's cattle. Maggie and Lisa have a very strong and sisterly friendship, full of all of the wit, charm, and dedication that everyone hopes to find. Maggie has the ideal boyfriend, who just so happens to be studying anthropology and urban legends. Justin's best friend just so happens to be studying to become a priest. All of the coincidences aside, Highway to Hell is a funny and exciting read that will make you yearn for more magic. I would recommend this to older teens who like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, urban legends, and Dungeons & Dragons.
So, Anime Club went well. We had a few newcomers and they fit right in. I had some technical difficulty with animecrazy.net. Who new that you could only watch 72 minutes of megavideo before they locked you out for an hour? So we only watched the first episode of DNAngel and then watched the first three episodes of Fruits Basket. Yes, Animecrazy has Fruits Basket, they just mistakingly label it Fruit Basket. wink, wink. We will be watching Fruits Basket again next month. I ordered the DVD from Blockbuster. I was asked to have a sushi making day again. I'm ready to cave. I don't know when we will do it yet, maybe in July or August. They have tons of awesome crafts in ShojoBeat (you can borrow a copy from the library) as well. I am so tempted to do them all! I will have some on hand for the Anime Club this summer and more during the Open Art Studio in July. I love the Moko Pincushion. Oh, so cute! Please mark your calendars for the next Anime Club on June 13th @ 2pm! Please e-mail me with any questions. Cheers, Audrey
Free comic book day is a single day where comic stores and other locations around the world pass out free comic books. We'll be doing it again this year too!
On May 2rd come to the library and pick up your free comic book!
Maggie has just moved to Austin Texas, not very unusual right? Well, Maggie moves every few months all over the country with her hippie parents, Rosie and Les (that's what she calls them.) Her mother is taking classes to be a massage therapist while her dad is running a consignment clothing shop downstairs to the apartment where they live. Doesn't sound like too bad of a move, right? But Maggie was in love. She left behind Trevor, the boy she thought was the one. Only, he broke up with her before she left because he couldn't handle a long distance relationship. Maggie is tired of making new friends, joining new clubs, and trying to fit in...so she decides to do everything in her power to be unpopular. She finds the wackiest outfits from her father's store and wears them to school. She tries to sit alone at lunch. She joins the nerdiest club that she can find. She blows off the hottest guy in school. Her plan seems to be working...How Not to be Popular is a very fun read. I mean, I was truly LOL most of the time. Imagine bringing a rosemary plant to school and having your friend ask you if she can sniff it after you tell her about its medicinal qualities. Even if you are popular at school, you will enjoy Marilyn Manson style hating the beautiful people at Maggie's new school. I had a Bella flashback when the girl from the school paper asks Maggie for an interview, but Maggie actually gives her one...and it doesn't have the effect that Maggie had planned. While reading this book, I found myself having no idea what was going to happen next and then laughing uproariously. I'd recommend this book to anyone who had an embarrassing moment or an entirely dreadful high school experience. So, I guess that covers...everyone. Cheers, Audrey p.s. fans of Dyan Sheldon's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (1999) , Catherine Gilbert Murdock's Dairy Queen (2006), and Jaclyn Moriarty's The Year of Secret Assignments (2004) will like this book!
Consider this fair warning: You will not be able to put this book down once you start. In a dystopian futuristic North America, we meet Katniss, a superior hunter who is able to support her impoverised family by hunting illegally in the adjacent woods to District 12. Everyone looks the other way of course, because the whole district is poor and her neighbors benefit from her hunting. Then comes the Reaping, a morbid celebration where a boy and a girl from each of the twelve districts is chosen to compete in The Hunger Games, a televised Gladiator meets Survivor type of program where the winner gets food and a place to live, and all of the losers are dead. Once the initial shock of how inhuman The Hunger Games are, you will find yourself cheering for Katniss, hoping that the people she chooses to trust in the games will prove to be true friendships. Do you know how to be hungry? Later, Audrey
If you love King Arthur and you wouldn't like to see him in any way other than an epic hero, then this book isn't for you...but if you would like to consider an alternative Arthur, a tribal, meat-headed, war-mongering Arthur, then give this book a try. Philip Reeve describes the story better than I ever could, so watch the YouTube video of him below, and of course, select the title link to reserve a copy of the book. Cheers, Audrey
Wintergirls takes you into the mind of Lia, deep, deep within her mind. It is so easy to get lost in it. Her self-loathing, her hateful self-talk, and her false rationalizations about emptiness are overwhelming...but I couldn't stop reading this book! I'm one of those girls who was raised to clean her plate at a meal and if I didn't, I'd get the starving kids around the world speech and I would sit at the table until I was done. Anorexia is a foreign concept to me, very scary, very lonely. The whisperquiet blog is Lia's only link to communicating about her problem and all she does is read what other girls are writing. The wintergirls concept is very poetic and is a running theme throughout the book. Lia cannot get warm, no matter what she does. Anderson is very cautious when writing this book; she has consulted many doctors, laypeople, and girls who have had this disease. The story also revolves around how Lia deals with her friend Cassie's sudden death, that she thinks may be related to Cassie's bulemia, but no one will tell her what really happened in that hotel room where Cassie died, alone. Lia blames herself for not answering the phone when Cassie calls that night, but they hadn't spoken to one another for months. Lia didn't know what was going on in Cassie's life. Anderson also has this crossing out word device that reveals what Lia is actually thinking, but denying to others. I would recommend this to any high school student who is familiar with anorexia, is studying it, or even those who may have a friend who perceives food in caloric numbers as opposed to nourishment. Cheers my friends. Audrey
Hey Peeps, If you can't check out the book because all of the books in the system are checked out right now, (Darn those book clubs), you can watch Sherman Alexie read from his book if you click on the link below. Don't forget, you can also visit his website: http://www.fallsapart.com/. Talk to you soon, Audrey
One of my teen advisors, Amanda Heffner, recommended Beastly, by Alex Flinn, at our last Teen Book Club. She said it was a modern day fairy tale version of Beauty and the Beast. I was interested; of course, she alway recommends fabulous books. So, I went to my local bookstore and they didn't have any! We have some at the library, of course, but I wanted to be able to give one away at the End of Summer Party for Teens in August. I had to order one and wait a few days. Anyway, be sure to read Flinn's author's note at the end. I love how she explains that she was "disturbed by the inconsistencies" in the retellings "of a traditional tale" especially in the Disney version. Flinn's Beast is one of the beautiful people that you will find in your high school. Do you have a rich and handsome boy in one of your classes who just knows how rich and handsome he is and flaunts it all over the place? Do you hope someday that he will get his comeuppance? Well, Beastly, is a safe place for you to get your vindication. Kyle Kingsbury, who later becomes the Beast, is beautifully cruel to all of the regular people at his private school. One day he notices a goth girl and starts to tease her in front of everyone! Little does he know that she's actually a witch and she turns him into the Beast for his inability to see past appearances and treat people with respect. He not only goes through a transformation on the outside, but Flinn's Beast goes through an inner transformation as well... Don't worry, it's not just a love story; there is plenty of flesh ripping and bone cracking for balance. I think my favorite aspect of the story is that the Beast reads so many great books during his time of change and talks about them with his tutor, Will. If you like fantasy fiction, you should put a copy on hold today! Click on the title to reserve a copy now! Don't forget to come back to the blog and post a comment on how you liked the story! Later, Audrey
Sing, Sign and Storytime - Mondays @ 10:30 am Each session consists of some singing, some stories, and a few simple American Sign Language (ASL) signs. The hope of this program is to educate younger children to communicate more readily even if they are as yet unable to verbally respond. Appropriate for preschool age children.
Lapsit Storytime - Wednesdays @ 10:30 am Join in with some singing, stories, fingerplays, and other fun things to do with books. Appropriate for Newborn - 2 1/2 yeras old. Preschool Storytime - Thursdays @ 10:30 am A few stories, usually focusing on a theme for the session and a small craft. Appropriate for preschool age children.
Visit with Mr. Lincoln - Fri. March 20 @ 10:30am 2nd Grade and up. Jim Getty, will visit public libraries across Lancaster County to celebrate the 200th birthday of one of America’s most famous Presidents.
Therapy Dogs - Sat. Feb 28 @ 10:00 am - Farmer and Kenzie are back and ready for you to read to them. Please come give our Therapy dogs some company and let them do what they do best...listen.
TEENS
After School Gaming! - 3, 10, 24 & 31 @ 3pm Meet in the Bates Auditorium for Video Games, Board Games & Legos! All Tweens & Teens 11-18 are welcome.
Teen Anime Club - March 7 @2pm Seirei No Moribito. Based on Nahoko Uehashi's Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit (won the 2009 Mildred L. Batchelder Award), available at the Lancaster Public Library. All teens 11-18 are welcome.
Teen Playlist Party! March 9 @ 7pm Meet in the Computer Training Room to make your own Infinite Playlist on Playlist.com while watching Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist. One lucky door prize winner will go home with a copy of the book and the movie!!! All Teens 13-18 are welcome.
Dungeons & Dragons - March 14 & 28 @ 1pm Go on an adventure with our Dungeon Master using dice as your only weapons. Create your own character or use one already made. Use teamwork, a little math, and a lot of imagination. You won’t want to stop!
T.A.B. Meeting - 3rd Tuesday @ 4:30pm (March 17) Is there a club or an event that you would like to have at the library for teens? Come to our teen advisory board meeting and let us know! Members help Audrey plan what books to read in book discussions, movies to show in the library, and teen parties. All Teens are Welcome!
Teen Job Fair - March 23 @ 4:30pm Meet in the Bates Auditorium to find out about job applications, interviews that get you hired, what employers really look for, and more! Local Employers will be visiting, so dress to impress!
Registration is Required for most programs. To Register: 717-396-9313 x124
SAY CHEESE! Your attendance at events sponsored by Lancaster Public Library may be photographed or video recorded. These images may be posted on our website, in our newsletter, by local newspapers or ultimately on the World Wide Web. If you do not wish to have your child’s image published, please notify a member of the Library staff before the event.
Wow chicka pow! I just finished reading What I Saw and How I Lied, by Judy Blundell. Hmm, what can I say without giving away too much? The dust jacket says that Joe is Evie's father, but really, he's her stepfather. He gets back from World War II and he, her mother, and Evie start getting their lives back together while living in Joe's mother's house. Sound like a good time? Joe gets a strange phone call and then decides that he's taking the family to Florida for vacation without grandma. I know, it's pretty obvious something is up and let me tell you, you get that feeling a lot in this book. A handsome young veteran shows up to throw a whole lot more than a dash of romance and intrigue into the mix. What's more, a couple that Evie's parents befriends turns out to mean more to her than lipstick and cocktail dresses. This was a really great read! Be sure to read the acknowledgements in the back, Blundell cites many, if not all, of the books that she uses for historical and linguistic reference. Brava!
