The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing is Now In

The National Book Award winner - M.T. Anderson's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation is now in. I read this one when I got an advanced reader copy over the summer. It's not an easy read but it's well worth it. It's a complex story and I don't want to give away a lot, but it's the story of a boy who has grown up in seemingly opulent surroundings in pre-Revolutionary War Boston, but finds out that he is really the subject of a very perverse scientific experiment to prove the inferiority of the African race, and that's just the beginning. If you've read Feed you know that Anderson definitely does not write your typical YA novel. He holds true to that reputation here with another novel that raises a lot of moral and ethical questions. This is the first book in a series of two. I'm anxiously waiting for the second one.

DDR Tournament

If you missed the DDR tournament on Saturday, you missed a great time! 40 kids showed up and 25 participated in the tournament. Some chickened out when they saw the competition (which was quite impressive!) My photos aren't so great because, well everyone was moving (duh!), I'm not a very good photographer to begin with, and I was trying to keep the tournament running at the same time. Well, enough with the excuses, here are a few of the better, believe it or not, pictures. For at least one better one, get a copy of Sunday's Patriot News. They did a nice article with a picture. If you missed it you can check out the article (sorry, no picture) at http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/
base/news/1166323219128970.xml&coll=1 (Sorry! I broke the link to keep it from forcing the sidebar to the bottom of the page. Cut and paste to get the entire link in your address bar.)
We had a great turnout and everyone had a fabulous time, so we will definitely be doing this again. In fact, several of the kids at the tournament were bugging me to do Guitar Hero, so we'll be trying that as well. I'm trying to have the Community Room open for an afternoon at the end of Camp Hill's mid-terms and have both DDR and Guitar Hero available for free play (instead of tournament.) Watch this space, or listen for announcements at school for details. We'll also run a tournament of each in March so watch for that too.
Enjoy your holiday break!

Ruler of the Realm is in

The latest installment in Herbie Brennan's Faerie Wars Chronicles, Ruler of the Realm just hit the shelf. For details see New YA Books: Ruler of the Realm is in!

New CHERUB and a Short Story Collection

The latest books to hit the shelf are Divine Madness, the latest installment in the CHERUB series, and Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday. For more details see New YA Books: New CHERUB and More.

Thought for the Week

Haven't started your Christmas shopping yet? Have a project due before break that you haven't started yet? Think of it this way...

"Procrastination gives you something to look forward to."

Joan Konner

Thought for the Week

Here in central Pennsylvania winter just blew in with a vengeance after a few weeks of very pleasant, unseasonably mild weather. As a person who is usually cold, and would like be to huddled under a blanket with a good book rather than out and about, the following seems appropriate:

"Perhaps I am a bear, or some hibernating animal underneath, for the instinct to be half asleep all winter is so strong in me. "

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

If you see me at the Reference Desk nodding off, wake me up, but gently please.

What Mrs N's Been Reading - George Washington Spymaster

I'm a bit behind on my reading (a bathroom remodeling project has taken up a bit of my reading time) but I just finished Thomas B. Allen's George Washington, Spymaster. It's not terribly action-packed, but if your American history teacher gave you the typical version of the Revolutionary War, you may be surprised to learn how much of the outcome was really determined by spies, double agents, and deception. Many of the spies and double agents were names that will be familiar. It's a quick read and it includes examples of some of the codes that were used.

New YA Books Include Fantasy Series

A few new things have trickled in, including the first 3 books in the Chronicles of Cheysuli series and a new It Girl installment. For more detail see New YA Books: New Fantasy Series and More Enjoy!

Thought for the Week

If you're still recovering from a massive overdose of food from Thanksgiving weekend, especially pie, this one's for you:

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

Jim Davis

Thought for the Week

If part of your Thanksgiving tradition is to share what you are thankful for, that's a good start, but keep this quote in mind:

" Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving."

WT Purkiser

Enjoy your turkey!

Assortment of New Books Just In

Just got a small pile of new books in. There's a little something for just about everyone - a few chick books (Nothing But the Truth, CC Cape Cod, and Introducing Vivien Leigh, Daughter of the Diva) the latest fantasy in the Farsala Trilogy (Rise of a Hero) and an extreme sports/survival book (Peak Survival.) For details see New YA Books: Batch of New Books In - Something for Everyone

Video Game Tournament Update

Yesterday's tournament for middle schoolers was another great one with 45 in attendance. It looks like splitting into 2 age groups is definitely the way to go. Everyone had plenty of chances to play, and the food and sodas held out longer. In the future we'll be doing one for each age group, a week apart. The next ones are scheduled for February. Watch this space for details.

Thought for the Week

As the last of the leaves are falling off of the trees in this part of the country, for those of us who don't do cold weather, the following seems appropriate:

"Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring. "

Doug Larson

Newest Warriors: The New Prophecy Installment Now In

If you're a fan of Erin Hunter's Warriors: The New Prophecy series, check out the latest installment, Twilight. For more info see New YA Books: Latest in the Warriors:The New Prophecy Series In.

Video Game Tournament Reminder

Remember, this Sunday, November 12, 2:00-4:00 is the video game tournament for 6th-8th graders. The EBGames guys will be here with 3 systems, and it looks like we may have some retro systems at this one as well. See you then!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - The Forensic Files of Batman

I just finished Doug Moench's The Forensic Files of Batman. Very cool! If you're looking at the Batman part of the title and expecting lots of action you'll be disappointed. However, if you're a CSI fan and really get into the forensic science part, this book was great. It's written as a series of journal entries written by either Batman, Alfred, or Commissioner Gordon. The chapters alternate between a short one that describes a particular forensic technique and a longer one that gives the details of a particular case and how it was solved. The forensics part was done extremely well. There was enough detail that you really understood the science, yet it didn't get bogged down in heavy-duty technobabble that would make you scurry for a dictionary. I'm a fan of the original CSI (not the NY or Miami ones) and even having seen every episode, there were some forensics that I had never heard of before. If you enjoy CSI and the nuts and bolts of forensics, I highly recommend this one.

Operation Typhoon Shore is Now on the Shelf

Fans of Joshua Mowll's Operation Red Jericho, rejoice! The sequel, Operation Typhoon Shore just came in. For details see New YA Books: Operation Typhoon Shore Now In .

Thought for the Week

With tomorrow being Election Day, here's a thought for those of you old enough to vote:

“If you have been voting for politicians who promise to give you goodies at someone else's expense, then you have no right to complain when they take your money and give it to someone else, including themselves”

Thomas Sowell

If you're old enough, get out there and vote!

High School Video Game Tournament

Yesterday's video game tournament for high school students only was a big success, even with the technical difficulties we had along the way. With 38 kids in attendance and 5 systems available, everybody had plenty of opportunity to play whatever they wanted. A big thank you to Josh and Brandon from EBGames, and also to Ben R. and friends who brought in the retro systems and TVs. Duck Hunt - yes, that great classic for the original Nintendo system - was a big hit. I was too relaxed and was having too much fun to bother taking pictures, so sorry, no photos from this one. However, for Harrisburg Academy students, two of your peers were there taking photos and getting quotes and info for an article for your school paper, so you can look for pics there. Remember, middle school (6th-8th grades) is this coming Sunday, November 12, so see you then.

Video Game Tournament Reminder

Just a quick reminder - video game tournaments are this Sunday, November 5 and next Sunday, November 12, both from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Remember we're splitting by age group, high school on the 5th, 6th-8th graders on the 12th. This should help alleviate our overcrowding problem and provide a better experience for everyone. Don't try to sneak into the wrong one. I'll be spot-checking for school IDs, so remember to bring yours along. Again, a big thanks to both the guys at EBGames at the Capital City Mall for providing games, systems, and prizes, and to the Friends of the Fredricksen for providing sodas and snacks. See you there!

Mississippi Trial, 1955 Now In

The latest new YA book to hit the shelf is Chris Crowe's Mississippi Trial, 1955 about the Emmett Till murder. For more info go to New YA Books: Mississippi Trial, 1955

New YA Books Just In

A nice assortment of new stuff just arrived including the latest in the Truth or Dare series, Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery, Forest of the Pygmies, and The Boyfriend List. For more info see New YA Books: Assorted New Stuff .

Thought for the Week

Amaze your friends with these somewhat-useless bits of information:
Samhainophobia is fear of Halloween.
If it's not the whole holiday that gets you, just the ghosts, then you may have plasmophobia.
If it's just cats, then it's ailurophobia.
If you get more than just your standard case of the willies in a cemetery, you may have coimetrophobia.
If none of those things bother you, then Happy Halloween!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - The Afterlife

I just finished Gary Soto's The Afterlife. This one's about a high school senior who is murdered in the first 3 pages of the book. Normally saying that the main character dies, kinda ruins the story for anyone who wants to read the book, but in this case it doesn't. The story is really about what happens after Jesus, or Chuy as he's known to his family and friends, dies. It was well-written, but it just didn't really grab me like some other books I've read recently. Maybe it's partly because it reminded me of how little I remember from 3 (or was it 4?) years of high school Spanish from way back when. Don't let that frighten you away from this book though. Because Chuy is Hispanic, there are some Spanish words sprinkled lightly through his speech, but there is a glossary in the back of the book, and even without that, you'd still get the gist of what he was saying. For books about after death experiences, I liked Gabrielle Zevin's Elsewhere better. If you've read either book, let me know what you thought.

Thought for the Week

Did you know that the first jack-o-lantern was made out of a turnip? And people wonder why some things just don't catch on.

The Guardians of Time Trilogy Now Complete

If you've been reading Marianne Curley's, The Named and The Dark, your wait for The Key, the last installment of The Guardians of Time trilogy, is over. It's here. For details see, New YA Books: The Guardians of Time Trilogy Now Complete.

Good News on Kino No Tabi

Hey, good news! I had said in a posting on Monday that I'd need to wait to purchase Kino No Tabi until after the first of the year. Well, proceeds from the bookfair at Barnes and Noble that I was plugging back in September have come in, so I have a little bit more money to spend on YA books, before the end of the year. Kino No Tabi is being ordered, so look for it soon. A big thank you to everyone who came out and supported the bookfair!

Thought for the Week

If you ever have one of those days when you're asking yourself (or annoying adults with the question) "Why am I in school? What's the point?" consider this quote:

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson. "

Bodett, Tom

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - Kino No Tabi

I get advanced reader copies of some books from publishers shortly before the book comes out. Some of you may have noticed them in the pile of free books for Teen Summer Reading. We aren't permitted to put them in circulation, but I can give them away as prizes. Sometimes I get great ideas for things to add to the collection, that might otherwise have escaped my attention. This book is one of those. It's Keiichi Sigsawa's Kino No Tabi Volume 1: Book One of the Beautiful World, the first in an 8-volume series. It's the story of a young girl, who takes the name Kino after a tragic occurrence at the beginning of the book, and her anthropomorphic (your SAT-prep word for the day;)) motorcycle named Hermes, as they travel throughout the countryside, always spending just 3 days in any one place. Each community that they come in contact with, has it's own strange history and/or customs. The book is actually a series of connected short stories, making it a good choice for people who like to read in short spurts then take a break, because each chapter could be a stand-alone story. In fact, as I was reading I was visualizing this being done as episodic anime. You'd think that would mean that I didn't stay up late reading this one, but it was so good that I was up late and into the next chapter because I couldn't put it down. I would suggest getting someone else to either read the book with you, or read it right before or after you do because it will generate some great discussion on politics, morality, and philosophy. But don't let that frighten you off - the stories are straightforward and action-packed, they just happen to also be extremely thought-provoking. The book is a translation of a best-seller from Japan. I'm always concerned when I pick up a book that has been translated from another language, because there are usually passages that leave you scratching your head wondering what language the translator actually speaks. No need to be concerned with this one. The translation was excellent. You never would have suspected that it wasn't written originally in English. The only downside is that I am out of money for the year for YA books, so you won't see it on the shelf until after the first of the year when new budget money becomes available. But Book 2 in the series is scheduled for publication in February, so it should be available at at about the same time I'm able to get this one. And of course, look for the advanced reader copy in the free books cart for next year's Teen Summer Reading.

Hot New Books to Beat the Chill

Ok, some of you may question beach books in October, but just go with the flow here and enjoy the Summer Boys series. For details see New YA Books: Beach Books in October?

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I just finished James Patterson's Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Good book! I stayed up later than I should have reading it because I was so caught up in it. It moves quick and has incredibly short (4 or 5 page) chapters. It's the story of a group of children who have been the victims of genetic experimentation and now have wings and an assortment of other unusual abilities. They escaped a few years before the story begins, but are now being hunted by another group of mutants called Erasers, on orders of the scientists who experimented on them. They're trying to figure out how they're being tracked and whether or not there's a traitor among them, while they try to track down secret information about their parents and what exactly has been done to them. I'll warn you that the ending leaves you hanging. You'll definitely need to read the sequel, Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever. After I post this I'm going down to the YA section to see if it's in. The Toronto Sun reviewer was right - this one screams to be made into a movie. I'm betting that it will be.

Thought for the Week

Make your English teacher nuts with this quote:

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense."

Tom Clancy

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I just finished Pam Wither's Raging River, the first in the Taking It To Extremes series. Not bad! It's a quick read with plenty of action. This one is about a whitewater rafting and kayaking adventure turned ugly. There's plenty of attention to the details of rafting and kayaking without getting bogged down in lots of really obscure teminology. I'd recommend it to anyone who has trouble getting through a big, thick book, but doesn't want to be talked down to either. If you like extreme sports and an action-packed plot, give this one, or any of the others in the Take It To the Extreme series a try.

Latest Artemis Fowl Now In

Artemis Fowl fans, rejoice! The latest installment, The Lost Colony is now in. The hold line isn't too bad yet, so get in line. For details, go to New YA Books: Newest Artemis Fowl Now In .

Video Game Tournament News Flash!

Great news! I just made arrangements with our friends at EBGames for a second video game tournament in November. The one that had been scheduled for November 5th is still on, but it will be for high school students ONLY. The second one has been scheduled for the following week, Sunday, November 12th and will be for 6th-8th graders ONLY. Splitting by age will allow everyone more playing time and will allow us to offer age-appropriate games. Let me know what you think.

New Melody Carlson Books In

Good news for fans of Melody Carlson. Two new books just came in - Bad Connection, the first in the Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series, and Bright Purple: Color Me Confused, the latest in the True Colors series. See New YA Books: New Melody Carlson Books Now In for more details.

Video Game Tournaments - New Policy

Wow! We had an absolutely incredible turnout for Saturday's video game tournament. I'm still working up the official tally, but we were definitely over 100 people. To make it a better experience for everyone, we are going to start adjusting the age restrictions. Basically, some tournaments will be for high school students only, and others will be for 6th-8th graders. Watch announcements, and make sure that you're coming to the right one. The tournament scheduled for November 5 will be for high school students. Middle schoolers - I'm working on trying to schedule one for you before the end of the year. Watch this space for updates.

Thought for the Week

Sometimes you have a couple of days where you keep seeing or hearing about things that leave you shaking your head and wondering what could possibly be going through some people's minds. Sometimes you're just left with a thought like this one:

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."

Frank Zappa

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

Just finished Michael Simmons' Finding Lubchenko. It's the story of Evan Macalister, son of an older, widowed, multi-millionaire pharmaceutical business owner. Dad doesn't think kids should be handed everything so he keeps a pretty tight rein on Evan. To get the money that he thinks he's entitled to, Evan steals office equipment from dad's company and sells it on-line. Suddenly, dad is arrested for murder in what appears to be part of a larger deal involving illegal sales of smallpox virus. Evan has the dead man's laptop, which could help free his father, but that would expose his theft scheme, so Evan and 2 friends set out to find a man known only by the name Lubchenko, mentioned in e-mails on the stolen laptop. I really wanted to dislike this book at first, because of Evan entitlement attitude, but it was actually a pretty good book. If you're looking for a lot of action, this book may not be for you. But it is a very good character study as you get to know some of the background about Evan's dad and their prior relationship. And even though Evan is still a spoiled rich kid, you see that he has a lot of universal teen issues that are played out nicely. One thing I really did like about the book, was that it didn't have a sugary ending, and it could very easily have gone that way. The ending, although leaving some unanswered questions, was believable.

Video Game Tournament and Game Day

Just a friendly reminder that this Saturday, September 30, will be our next video game tournament and game day. If you haven't been to one before, you've been missing out on a great time! The guys from EBGames will bring 3 game systems - one will be projected onto our 10' screen. EBGames will also supply prizes for tournament winners as well as some other giveaways. Board games will also be available, and thanks to the Friends of Fredricksen there will also be drinks and munchies. To give you an idea what its all about, here's a photo from a previous tournament.

Thought for the Week

We're starting to see people working on those infamous science fair projects. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed and like you really don't have a clue what the heck you're actually doing, you're in good company.

"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."

Wernher Von Braun

More New YA Books

Wow! I left my desk for a while on Wednesday, and when I returned some great stuff had magically appeared! For fans of Anthony Horowitz, the second installment of the Gatekeepers series is in. Also we now have Michael Skelton's Endymion Spring. For more info. go to New YA Books: The Latest "Gatekeepers" Plus a Bestseller

Newest "A-List"

American Beauty, the latest in Zoey Dean's The A-List series is now in - sort of. As usual there were holds on both copies already, so get in line. For details go to New YA Books: Latest "A-List" Is In

Last Reminder for International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday, September 19, is International Talk Like a Pirate, so of course we're celebrating. Just find me down in the YA section, anytime between 3:30 and 5:30 and talk like a pirate to get a treat. Tis yer last warning ye scurvy bilge rats! Get in here, else I be placin' a black spot on ye!

Thought for the Day

After watching a sailboat race this weekend with the boats designed and built by first year naval architecture and marine engineering students, using only 1/4" plywood, 2x2's, nylon zip-ties, and caulk, I couldn't help but be thinking of sailing today. But of course a lot of sailing principles can be applied to life in general, and this is a good one.

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. "

Bertha Calloway

New "Chick Books" On the Shelf

Readers of what I refer to as "chick books" - good news. Two new ones are in, including the latest Gossip Girls installment. For details see New YA Books: New "Chick Books" .

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

Wow, I've been picking some really good ones recently. I just finished Marjorie Blackman's Naughts and Crosses. This one has a bit of everything - a romance, social unrest, racial issues, disfunctional families, a kidnapping, terrorism, political intrique, you name it. It's written from two characters' viewpoints in alternating chapters - something that isn't always pulled off well, but in this case it was. It's billed as a thriller and I have to tell you that when I did need to put it down because I was propping my eyelids open in the middle of the night, I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. Some reviewers have thought that it starts out slow. If you agree, just hang in there a little bit, it picks up speed quickly. I would highly recommend it, but only to high school students, not middle schoolers, due to some mature content that was, however, handled tastefully and in context.

Latest Clique Book Now In

Dial L For Loser, the latest in Lisi Harrison's Clique series just came in. For details go to New YA Books: Latest in the Clique Series Now In (Sort-of) .
Enjoy!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I just finished Neal Shusterman's Dread Locks, the first in the Dark Fusion series. This is another one that I've been eyeing up for a while, just because the concept sounded interesting. Basically he's taken fairy tales and/or myths and put a modern twist (and I do mean a twisted twist) on them. If you like horror that is just creepy enough to make you go "eww" but not so creepy that it keeps you up at night (I'm kind of a wuss about these kind of things anymore, and I read it at bedtime without a problem), check this one out. And if you like this one, there are 2 more in the series, Red Rider's Hood and Duckling Ugly.

Thought for the Week

When I ask kids how school is going, the response I generally get is, "Pretty good, but the math is tough this year." With that in mind, this week's thought for the week is a math (and science, actually) quote.

"Black holes are where God divided by zero."

Steven Wright

Hot Off the Presses and On the Shelf!

CHERUB fans, the latest installment is in! Check out the New YA Books blog, New YA Books: Latest in the CHERUB Series Now On the Shelf for details

Thought for the Week

This past weekend was the beginning of the season for most high school and college fall sports. If your team started off with a win, great. If not, the following may be appropriate:

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time."

Vince Lombardi

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

One of the perks of making up new book lists, is that I get to look at all of the books and add some things to my "I gotta read this" list, that I might not notice otherwise. One of those books was Vicki Grant's Quid Pro Quo. It's one of the Orca Soundings books that I've been hearing so much about. If this one's any indication, they're quite good. They are billed as high interest, but lower reading level. This one is a mystery. Cyril McIntyre's mom has disappearred and he sets out to find her on his own. Mom is quite a character - a former street kid who had Cyril when she was 14, and made a lot of bad lifestyle choices along the way, but pulled herself up and put herself through law school, dragging a then 10-year-old Cyril along to night classes. Mom's background and behavior are described in plain, direct, but not graphic (her obsenity-laced rants are "bleeped") terms. You get a sense of Cyril's combination of love and admiration for his mom along with his being sick and tired of some of her nonsense and their bare-bones lifestyle. Each short chapter starts with an easy to understand definition of a legal term, so it will help you better understand some of those courtroom dramas. The story takes place in Canada, so there's an occassional "Canadian-ism", but they aren't frequent enough to be confusing. It's a quick, funny, read that really is good for those older readers who want some action and plot, but have difficulty with a longer book with higher level vocabulary. I'll be picking up some more books in this series. They definitely fill a void.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Wow! It's September already! You know what that means. Yes, only 18 days until International Talk Like a Pirate Day rolls around once again. To celebrate, from about 3:30 to 5:30 on September 19, I'll be handing out treats to anyone who talks like a pirate to me. Just come on in and wander down to the YA section where I'll be doing some much needed cleaning, purging and straightening of that section, and talk like a pirate. The start time is a bit flexible since I'll be coming from a workshop on the East Shore, so beltway traffic could delay me a bit. If you get here and I'm not here yet, talk to the Reference Librarian on duty instead.
So get in here ye scurvy dogs! Arrr!

4-Star Booklist Now Available

There are now nice printed copies of the list of YA books that you guys rated as 4-star during Teen Summer Reading 2006, available down in the YA area. Enjoy!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I just finished Hilari Bell's A Matter of Profit last night. It was a pretty decent sci-fi story about a young man, Ahrven, retuning home from war to find his sister being forced to marry the emperor's slime-bucket son, and rumors of an assassination attempt being planned on the emperor. His father, in charge of the emperor's security, challenges him to either prove or disprove the rumors, with both his sister's freedom and his freedom to choose a non-military life on the line. The really interesting part is actually the sub-plot. Ahrven can't understand why the inhabitants of the planet that the story takes place on didn't put up any resistance to his people when they came to conquer. The native scholar that is helping him sort through the rumor mystery challenges him to figure that out on his own. When he finally does, the answer is very thought-provoking, especially considering the current state of unrest in many parts of the world today. Worth a read.

New Stand-Alone YA Books

In addition to the new series books and sequels, some new stand-alone books have been added to the colection as well. Check out the list at New YA Books: New Stand-Alone YA Books then check 'em out!

More YA Series Books and/or Sequels

Additions to some popular series' (including True Colors, Uglies, Cherub, and Dark Fusion, to name a few) have been added to the collection in the last month or so. Go to this link New YA Books: More YA Series Books and/or Sequels
to see the selection then either check 'em out or put 'em on hold!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I am so far behind in posting this stuff that I'll probably forget some books but here goes.
I would highly recommend Markus Zusak's, The Book Thief. This one had two strikes against it in my mind before I read it: it was getting very good reviews in library journals, and it was about the Holocaust. So many books that have gotten rave reviews in journals lately I've considered either the same sappy stuff about the main character or a parent dying, or the main character or a parent being gay that it's become formulaic and just plain, lousy reading. Yes there were deaths in this book, but it wasn't the usual sappy stuff. There are some great books for teens on the Holocaust also, but they all started to seem about the same to me too. Again, this one was different. Having the book narrated by Death could have been really gimmicky but it was very well done. The author intentionally gives very obvious clues, or tells you outright, some of the things that are about to happen, but it is so well written that even though you know what is going to happen, you're still compelled to keep reading. It reminded me of when I first saw the movie, Apollo 13. I'm old enough to remember when the actual event occurred so I knew the ending, but it was so well done that I was still on the edge of my seat. Again, The Book Thief is something a bit different. I highly recommend it!
I'm still waiting for Scott Westerfeld's Pretties, so I while I was waiting I read his So Yesterday. Ever wonder why some things are considered cool, especially when just a few months earlier that same thing would have been considered really dorky? Or why some things stay cool and others fizzle out really quickly? If these sort of thoughts keep you up at night, or if you love a good conspiracy theory, this book's for you. We'll never know how much of the book is based on facts, but it does make you wonder about the amount of time and resources that are wasted on advertising and gimmicks to get us to buy, buy, buy. There's a mysterious disappearance that the main characters are trying to solve, as well as a massive conspiracy. Fun and thought provoking. I'd recommend this one as well.
Right now I'm in the middle of Hilari Bell's A Matter of Profit. This book has been on my list of wanna-reads for a few years now, and I've finally gotten to it. I'll let you know what I think when I'm finished.

Thought for the Week

As you head back to school this week, here's a thought about the learning process:

“If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way.”

Mark Twain

With that in mind, proceed through your school year with caution.

Teen Advisory Group Meeting

If you enjoyed the Teen Summer Reading program, here's your chance to get involved in planning future teen programs. The Teen Advisory will meet on Monday, September 11 at 7:00 pm in the Board Room (see a Children's staff person for an escort back there.) We meet throughout the year to plan activities, as well as the Teen Summer Reading Program. If you'd like to get involved, but can't make it to this meeting, e-mail me and I'll add you to the e-mail nag (er, reminder) list for future meetings. Also watch this site, especially the listing of teen events on the right, for info on upcoming meetings. This counts as service hours if you need 'em for anything. Just bring me any paperwork you need signed for that. I'll bring snacks and drinks, you bring ideas. Hope to see you there!

Book Fair to Benefit YA

On Friday, September 8, Barnes & Noble at the Camp Hill Mall will be holding a book fair that will benefit the Fredricksen Library. Proceeds will be split between the Children's and Teen departments. All you have to do is present a voucher with your purchases that day and a percentage will go to the library. To get your voucher either stop by the library or download it from the Library Links area below. If you're an early Christmas shopper, or always wanted to be, here's an excuse to get out and make those holiday purchases well ahead of time. The YA area was used incredibly hard this summer. The additional funds will sure help to replace some of those books that were basically "loved to death." So come on out and give us your support! Spread the word!

Thought for the Week

For most of you this is your last week of freedom. For those of you whose parents are nagging you to do a few last summer chores before your schedules get hectic again, I offer this thought for the week:

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."

James Dent

Enjoy your last week of summer vacation!

More 4-Star YA Reads

As promised, here's the second half of the list of books that were given 4-star ratings over the summer. I'll be putting all of this together in a handout that will be available in the YA area soon.

Most of the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing
Mary’s Story (7th Heaven series) by Brenda Hampton (YA SEVENTH)
Mattimeo by Brian Jacques
Maximum Ride: School’s Out Forever by James Patterson
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Mossflower by Brian Jacques
Ninth Key (The Mediator series) by Meg Cabot
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
The Other Side of Dark by Joan Lowery Nixon
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
The Pretty Committee Strikes Back by Lisi Harrison
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Reunion (The Mediator series) by Meg Cabot
Revenge of the Wannabes by Lisi Harrison
The River Between Us by Richard Peck
The Sands of Time by Michael Hoeye
Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley
Shadowland (The Mediator series) by Meg Cabot
Shakespeare’s Scribe by Gary Blackwood
Silverfin by Charlie Higson
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz
Snow Walker by Catherine Fisher
So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld
Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia Wrede
Specials by Scott Westerfeld
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Stotan! by Chris Crutcher
The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
TTFN by Lauren Myracle
TTYL by Lauren Myracle
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
Winter Ball (7th Heaven series) by Brenda Hampton (YA SEVENTH)
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
The Year of the Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Thought for the Week

I'm a little bit behind in my postings. Between wrapping up the Teen Summer Reading Program and getting my youngest son off to college (yes, he's there already!) I let this slide a bit. Hopefully I'm back in a somewhat regular routine. So here's this week's thought for the week about education:

"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't."

Anatole France

4-Star YA Reads

As promised here is a partial list of the books that Fredricksen Library teens considered worthy of 4 stars. As I started going through the binders what struck me was how many books you guys really loved. To keep the list managable I'm only including books in the YA collection. I was also happy to see a mix of both new books and ones that have been around a few years but are still well worth the read. Another quick note: I'm also looking at the books that you folks liked that I don't have in the collection, and will use that information when I'm ordering new materials. This list is also only the books from the first binder - titles starting with A-L. I'll do the other binder soon. Watch for that. If a book is shelved in any way other than by the author's last name (non-fiction, or by series name) the call number is noted as well.

All of the Left Behind: The Kids series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lahaye (YA LEFT)
All of the Warriors series by Erin Hunter
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
All American Girl by Meg Cabot
The Amber Spyglass and The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman
Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz
Back in Black by Zoey Dean
Blade Silver by Melody Carlson
A Break With Charity by Ann Rinaldi
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah (YA 951.05 MAH)
The Coffin Quilt by Ann Rinaldi
Cut by Patricia McCormick
The Dark by Marianne Curley
Dark Blue: Color Me Lonely by Melody Carlson
Darkest Hour (The Mediator series) by Meg Cabot
Detour for Emmy by Marilyn Reynolds
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Caroline Mackler
Eldest and Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Emergency Room by Caroline Cooney
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Fatality by Caroline Cooney
Finding a Way Through When Someone Else Has Died by Pat Mood (YA 155.937 MOOD)
Flight #116 is Down by Caroline Cooney
For Teens Only by Carol Weston (YA 646.7 WESTON)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Gathering Blue and The Giver by Lois Lowry
Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
Girls on Film by Zoey Dean
Goddess of the Night (Daughters of the Moon series) by Lynne Ewing
The Golem’s Eye by Jonathan Stroud
The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
High Heat by Carl Deuker
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
Inca Gold by Clive Cussler
Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
Learning to Swim: A Memoior by Ann Turner (YA 362.76 TURNER)
Lucy’s Angel (7th Heaven series) by Brenda Hampton (YA SEVENTH)

Remember: the binders with all of the reviews will stay out in the YA area year-round. If you're looking for ideas for what to read next, take a look through them.

Summer Wrap-Up

Wow! What a summer! 344 of you registered for the Teen Summer Reading program this year - a 36% increase from last year. Attendance at programs was up, and we had an incredible number of book reviews turned in. In fact, I had to split the book reviews into 2 binders yesterday. Your somewhat-useless-tidbit-of-information-for-the-day: 561 book review papers just won't fit in a 3" binder.

Remember - the book review binders will stay out there in the YA area all year. So if you're looking for ideas for what to read next, and I'm not around to offer suggestions, check the binders to see what other kids have liked. As soon as I get a chance, I'm going to start going through the binders and posting a list of some of the 4-star titles on this site, so check back for that.

Also, keep checking this site for teen program information throughout the year. In fact, I'm going to conduct a little experiment to see how many of you are actually looking at this site. (Yes, I know about counters. There is one on this site, but the numbers include people like librarians in Australia. I love hearing from them, but I want to know how many of the readers are local teens.) Throughout the year, I will occasionally post something on this site, telling you to stop by the library on a certain date and do something simple to get a treat. The first one will be in September for an international holiday of sorts. (Hint: Think pirates.) Watch this site for more details.

Origami and Paper-folding Program

Chen Yu Tsuei and Emily Chen from the Chinese Cultural and Arts Institute presented a wonderful program on origami and paper folding. We learned a little bit of the history of paper and origami, then learned to make a few things. It's so much easier to learn with an expert on hand, rather than from a book! Although once you learn some of the techniques, it will much easier to follow book instructions, so if you were there for the program, try checking out one of the origami books from the library. It will probably be much easier now. If you weren't able to make the program, check out the photos to see what you missed.

Tapestry Bracelet Program

Those gorgeous tapestry bracelets turned out to be a bit more of challenge than expected. In the first session some of you caught on quickly and were doing fine, but the original pattern was taking forever to do. For the second session we adjusted the pattern to make it simpler. That helped a lot, but we still didn't have anyone finish in the time allotted. Everyone went home with the directions and materials needed to finish, so please bring them in to show me the finished product when you get them done. Once again, if you missed it, check out the photos. I love a photo of a table of guys doing needlework! Some of the guys put the girls to shame.

Weekly Challenge for July 31 - August 2

Wow! We're down to the last Weekly Challenge. The summer has just flown by. Anway, here's the last one:

Matilda is having a hard time with her pet bats. They insist on flying around and getting into trouble. Can you help her restrain them? Draw six straight lines through the box below so that each bat is left by itself.

Thought for the Week

The last day or so we've had a bit of a break from the hot, sticky weather we've been having the past few weeks, but it's expected to be a short break, with the hazy, hot, humid stuff coming back by mid-week. To prepare for it, here's this week's thought for the week:

“If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon.”

Scott Fahlman

Even if you don't recognize the name, you are all familiar with Mr. Fahlman's best known invention. He's the computer scientist who is credited with originating the first emoticon (or smiley) way back in 1982. Thank you, Mr. Fahlman ;)

What Mrs. N's Been Reading

I am way behind in posting this stuff, but then again I'm falling behind on my reading too. Anyway, I've read a couple of good ones lately. Alex Flinn's Fade to Black was a pretty good, quick read. It's about an HIV positive teenager who is the victim of a vicious attack. The story is told from 3 different points of view: the victim, the accused attacker, and a student with Down's Syndrome who witnessed the attack. Sometimes those multiple point of view books are difficult to follow, but this one is pretty clear. A thought-provoking read - good if you need a book for school on a controversial subject.

The other one I finished recently is Scott Westerfeld's Uglies. Excellent book! It's getting really good reviews by people in the Teen Summer Reading program as well. It's the first book in a trilogy about a futuristic society where everyone is transformed, medically into drop-dead-gorgeous people on their 16th birthday. Sounds great, but of course, all is not what it appears on the surface. I was going to go for Pretties, the next one in the series, but all of the copies are out. I'm going to wait until school starts when you guys are all busier with homework, and don't have quite as much time for leisure reading. I can't wait.

While I'm waiting on Pretties, I'm reading Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Very interesting so far. It takes place in Germany during WWII but it's narrated by Death. I'll let you know what I think when I finish it.

Quick Reminder

If you are using the downloadable book review form, and typing into it, please remember to circle the number of stars that you are giving the book. I'm seeing some coming in with no rating, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Balloon Sculpture Program

The balloon sculpture program with Rev. Dave Truitt was great! At times it sounded like 4th of July fireworks, especially while we were making those hearts with the bears attached - the most difficult sculpture of the afternoon. But it was great. I couldn't believe that we got through about 10 different sculptures in just over an hour. I'm using the word "we" a bit loosely. After my incredibly lopsided giraffe, I pretty much decided to stick to getting some photos. I got a lot of good ones. Check out some of the best ones here. The kids all got through all of the sculptures, so everyone had some great stuff to take home.

New Feature for Blog

I'm new to the world of blogging, so I'm still figuring out how to make this site as useful to you as possible. As this blog grows in size, it gets a bit more difficult to find things like the list of upcoming teen programs. Rather than make you sift through a ton of posts, I started keeping a list on the right side, between my profile info. and the links. Hopefully this will make it easier to find. For more info. on any program either go the link for the library's programs and events page, or sift through this blog to see if I've written up any details here.
If you have any other suggestions for how to make this site more useful or easier to use, please let me know. I'm always open to suggestions.

Weekly Challenge for July 24 - 29

This one is pretty easy. Just complete the maze.

Thought for the Week

In honor of today's murder mystery program and those who had a tough time solving it, we'll take a break from quotes about books and reading and go with this one instead:

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. "

Eden Phillpotts

If you're wondering who the heck Eden Phillpotts is or was, so was I, so I did a little poking around on-line. He (or she?) was a relatively obscure, but prolific British novelist and playwright, primarily in the first half ofthe 20th century. Consider that your relatively-useless-tidbit-of-information-for-the-day.

Murder Mystery Stumps Many

The murder Mystery Rock and Roll Over Dead was a lot of fun. I was afraid that it was going to be too easy, but only 3 out of 24 participants identified the correct suspect. Congratulations to Dev, Elliot, and Angela on some good sleuthing. We'll probably do another murder mystery next summer, so if you missed this one, look for one next year. Check out the photos of the gang examining evidence.