Hannah Just Read: Road Trip Books- Two Way Street and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

I know that Christmas is just over, and maybe I should be reading books about snow and Christmas miracles and such, but quite frankly, it is COLD out, and I do not need to be reminded of that fact. Consequently, I have been feasting on road trip books lately, and over Christmas break I read two of them. The first was:

Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt. I had been meaning to read this book since I first saw it go through the library more than a year ago. I finally got around to it, and I have to say I wasn't too impressed. I mean... it was good, but it wasn't great. If you're only going to read one road trip book, don't read this one. The two main characters, Jordan and Courtney, have just broken up, but they were planning on road tripping to college together. It is too late to change plans now, so they still set out to drive from Florida to Boston. The story is told from their alternating perspectives, which works sometimes, but in this case, the whole book was just kin of... lacking. I was mostly frustrated by this book and I really didn't like Courtney at all--she was really annoying. However, I also read:

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, which was excellent and funny and sweet and I loved it. This one is about Amy Curry, who has just lost her father, her brother is in rehab, and her mother moved across the country a month ago to start her new job and set up their house. Roger is a neighborhood kid (now a college student) whose mom has volunteered him to drive Amy to her new house. Amy's mom mapped out a very specific (and boring) route from California to Connecticut, but Amy and Roger decide to make up their own route. Like I said, I really liked this book. The story just seemed a lot fuller than Two Way Street, and, plus there were fun extras peppered throughout. I would definitely recommend this book.
So, now that I have done my road trip book study, I've noticed some similarities between road trip books. It seems like there is always a gender mix--it can't just be all girls or all boys, because without a mix there is less likelihood that hi-jinks will ensue. It is always summer in road trip books, too. It is either just after school lets out, or just before it starts again. Also there is usually a party pooper or someone who doesn't want to go or someone whose parents have forced them to go. This sets the characters up for self discovery which, too, is a quality of road trip books, which is expected, because a physical journey nicely sets up the ever present journey of self discovery. (I feel like journey of self discovery should be italicized or capitalized or something: Journey of Self Discovery; Journey of Self Discovery.) There is always a lot of terrible junk food involved, too, and, of course, an excellent playlist.
And here is a list of even MORE road trip/travel books if you, too, are feeling antsy cooped up inside.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Hannah Just Read: Twenty Boy Summer

I have to say, I was really kind of nervous about reading Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. I was under the assumption that it would be about girls who were acting stupid and running around trying to lure boys in with their feminine wiles and that I would hate it, because I hate stuff like that. But the book is on the 2010 Teens' Top Ten Nominations for the Young Adult Library Services Association and I've been trying to read all of them (and I'm failing miserably-- I still have 14 left and only like... 17 days left in the year). So anyway, I picked this one up and, as it turns out, I really enjoyed it a lot!
Anna and her best friend Frankie are going with Frankie's parent's to Zanzibar Bay in California for the A.B.S.E. (Absolute Best Summer Ever). They make a bet that they can meet twenty guys in the twenty days that they're there. Frankie wants to meet boys for herself, but she really wants Anna to have a summer fling. Anna, however, doesn't want to meet anyone. She's still mourning the death of Frankie's older brother, Matt, who died tragically the year before. He was Anna's first kiss and first romance, and Frankie has no idea.
What I really liked about this book was how thoughtful and mature Anna is. Sometimes maybe even a little bit too mature--way more mature and thoughtful than I ever was at 16, but it works for the context of the book. When Anna meets Sam, just boy number four into the twenty-boy summer, and starts to like him, she gives a lot of thought to what liking someone else means to her short relationship with Matt.
I would recommend this book very highly, but probably to high schoolers mostly. It can get pretty intense sometimes. Also, if you've read this one already and liked it, Sarah Ockler has a new book that just came out called Fixing Delilah. I told Mrs. G to order it, so hopefully it will be in in the new year!

Hannah Just Read: It's Kind of a Funny Story

As per the recommendation of one of our fabulous pages here at the library, I recently finished reading It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. The book is about Craig Gilner, who due to the huge pressures of his super fancy New York City high school, becomes clinically depressed. After a particular bad during which he plots to jump off of the Brooklyn Bridge, Craig checks himself into the hospital and is committed to the adult psychiatric ward.
As the book started I didn't know if I'd like it. The plot starts out pretty non-linearly--things jumped around a lot, but as I got more and more into the story I really started to appreciate Vizzini's humorous take on such a serious subject. There were parts in the book where I was thinking to myself, "should I be laughing at this, because it feels wrong, but it is also really really funny."
There were definitely some cringe-worthy moments, too, like when Craig calls the girl he likes and then she shows up at the hospital to visit. Ughh.
So I would very much recommend this book pretty much for anyone, even your parents, because I think Vizzini does a good job of showing what being fifteen is like, I mean, if you're clinically depressed and in a psychiatric hospital and you're really funny.

Oh! Also, I almost forgot, the book was made into a movie this year starring Emma Roberts and Zach Galifianakis. Here's the trailer:

The Movie and Some Changes and More

Well, I loved the movie, and I confess: I saw it twice last weekend, once in IMAX and once on the regular screen. I won't say too much about it here for fear that people haven't seen it yet; but, I have to say, it was worth it. So congratulations to the winners of our Harry Potter ticket giveaway, because the IMAX is awesome. I wish I could see it again for the first time.

In other news, if you're really observant you might have noticed the labels tag cloud on the right sidebar of the blog. This is something I've been working on with my reviews as well as Mrs. N's old ones. I've been trying to label them with words that might help you delightful readers find a good book to read, so if you're into fantasy books, you can click on the fantasy label and see all of the books that Mrs. N and I have reviewed that were fantasy books. I went through a lot of old reviews on this blog, and I only wanted to label the books that Mrs. N and I have both read, so if you are ever looking through old blog entries and you see a book that you've read that wasn't labeled, let me know in the comments with what you think it should be labeled, and I'll get right on it.

I'm just finishing up It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, and I'll be back with my review of that next week! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Congratulations to our Harry Potter IMAX Ticket Winners!

This morning we drew the names of the four lucky winners of our Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows IMAX tickets. They are:

Benjamin F. from Ravenclaw
Heather M. from Gryffindor
Corey H. From Ravenclaw
Austin T. from Gryffindor

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to the Whitaker Center for donating the tickets!

SPOILER ALERT!

I've been attempting to avoid spoilers thus far in my Potter posts, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to break with tradition as I post my last post before I see the DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 on Friday. So if you haven't finished book 7 or you just like to avoid spoilers in general, turn back now. I'll scroll down to below the dark mark and then start my actual post, but before I do that I wanted to remind you all of the giveaway we're doing at the Fredricksen for one of four pairs of tickets to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 at the IMAX in Harrisburg! Come in and enter ASAP! It is easy, you just write your name and Hogwarts house down! You barely even have to do anything!

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I spent last evening debating with my sister and a friend where the first movie would end and the second one would begin. It is hard to say, because the book is pretty bottom heavy--there is a lot of stuff that happens in the last third of the book, and a lot of wandering around in the woods before that. When I first started thinking about where the first movie would end (which, admitedly, was about four seconds after I found out that the seventh book was being made into two movies rather than just one) I thought that it would likely end on a sour note, just after Ron leaves, because it would be very dramatic and suspensful leading up to the second movie.

But now, probably because I am a bit more than half way through book 7 and remembering all of the little things that I forgot about, I realized that that can't be where they stop, because NOTHING HAPPENS before that. I completely forgot how long Harry, Ron, and Hermione wander around in the forest doing very little before they actually destroy the first Horcrux. So I have revised my thinking about where the first movie will end, and I predict that it will end just after the three find out about the Deathly Hallows from Xenophilius Lovegood, listen to Potterwatch, and are captured and taken to Malfoy Manor.

When do you all think the first movie will end? Do you think my predictions are right, or do you have another idea. Let me know in the comments, and I'll be back next week with my movie review!

Smash Brothers Brawl!

Wow, what a BRAWL! It was a good size crowd today, coming to take home the Smash Brother championship! Twenty one people battled, but it came down to three, Ruben, Darren, and Derek. After a very exciting game, Derek won with Ruben coming in second! (And to think, Ruben almost didn't enter the tournament!) Congratulations, Derek, who took home an iTunes gift card! While waiting their turn in the tournament, many played Mario Kart on the Nintendo or Smash Bros. Melee on the Gamecube. Oh, and a lot of popcorn and soda was consumed! Look for a Smash Brothers Tournament in the future!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows IMAX Giveaway!

It is sort of last minute, I know, but the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg has just donated 4 pairs of tickets to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 at their IMAX theater downtown. We are passing on those tickets to YOU dear blog readers, and here is how to get one of them:

1. Be a teen currently in grades 6-12.

2. Come in to the Fredricksen Library Reference Desk

3. Fill out our Harry Potter IMAX Ticket Giveaway form and tell us what Hogwarts house you'd be in (Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Gryffindor)

4. Enter it into our sorting hat for a chance to win one of

four pairs of tickets to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg

The giveaway will begin today, November 10, and we will draw the four lucky winners on Monday, November 22.

Good Luck!

9 DAYS LEFT!!!!!

According to theleakycauldron.org there are 9 days, 12 hours, and 22 minutes until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 is released. This is simulataneously exciting (because I really want to see the movie) and terrible (because I'm only on page 32 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) for me. I'm not saying that I'm not going to finish the books in time, but... well... I'm getting a little nervous.
I finished Order of the Phoenix yesterday at lunch, and I was very satisfied. One thing (one of the many things) that I think that J.K. Rowling does really well throughout the series is aging her characters accordingly, and that becomes most apparent in the fifth book, I think, when Harry is SO ANGRY all the time. I mean, I like that, and I can appreciate it, because he has every right to be angry, and he is, and he lets people know.
One of the other strengths of the fifth book, an annoying strength of the fifth book, is Delores Umbridge, because, oh man, she is so much fun to hate. And the Weasley twins' exit from Hogwarts... I love it, every time.
I remember reading Order of the Phoenix for the first time the night that it came out. I stayed up all night just zipping through it, and I remember that at about 3 in the morning I got close to the end and (I won't actually say what happens, just in case someone, somewhere hasn't read it) just crying and crying about the... ahh... end. It is a good ending though.
Ok, enough reminiscing, here's a YouTube video I found. It is the trailer for Part 1, but it is the literal version. I thought it was hilarious:

Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix and What Not...

I feel like I'm way behind on my Harry Potter-ing. I'm about 100 pages into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (book 5) and I'm starting to worry about finishing. I only have 18 days left, and that's counting today! Then I'll read something different, I swear.

It took me a while to get through book 4, Goblet of Fire, because that is absolutely my least favorite book. I might cause some controversy by saying that. I know a lot of people think that Chamber of Secrets is the worst, but I maintain... Goblet of Fire... too long... so many tasks! And I have a really hard time picturing Quidditch, so that crazy Quidditch World Cup at the beginning just completely looses me.

Of course there is a bunch of pivotal information in the fourth book. It is, after all, the central book of the series, so it would be expected that it is pretty important, and I confess that I cried quite a bit at the end, especially when Dumbledore makes his speech at the end of the year feast. That gets me every time, I swear. I think the most important stuff in the fourth book, though, is the information that we get about Lord Voldemort. Besides the apparition that we see of him as a teenager in book two, this is the first time that we actually see a glimpse of Voldemort as an actual human. We see his father's home if the first few chapters and at the end, we see him needing the assistance of his Death Eaters and Pettegrew, and we get parts of his life story. I admit, I think that Voldemort is one of the most interesting characters in the series--he is one complex dude. I actually think he might be my favorite after Dobby, on a purely academic level that is, don't get me wrong, he's totally evil, and as a Gryffindor myself I certainly do not approve, but you can't deny that he is interesting.

Build 'Em, Smash 'Em Contest Holds Record Weight!

On October 17th, five teams competed in the Build 'Em, Smash 'Em contest. The teams were given predetermined materials and asked to use all of the materials to build a structure. The structure that could hold the most weight before being smashed won the contest. This time the materials were drinking straws, uncooked spaghetti, hot glue, and a piece of notebook paper. The teams worked diligently for just over an hour building their structures and then the smashing competition began! The first team to test their structure was Team Awesome. Finally, at 11.8 pounds of sand on top of the structure, it was smashed! Unfortunately, no other team was able to beat this weight and Team Awesome lived up to their name.

Team Tri Tower, a brother-sister team and previous Build 'Em, Smash 'Em winners, came in second with 6.8 pounds. Team No Names and team Monster both had structures that held 5 pounds, and finally, team Jolly Ranchers' structure held 4.6 pounds. The competition was friendly and fun! Look for Build 'Em, Smash 'Em as a future program. It's a SMASHING good time! :)

Chamber of Secrets and Worldly Book Covers

I finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets last week, and while I profess to being a huge Potter fan, I think that Chamber of Secrets is the book that I've read the least. I know that I've read it multiple times, but I don't think I've read it since the seventh book has come out. By that time I was really concerned with trying to figure out what was going to happen at the end, and I thought that the fifth and sixth books would give me the most relevant clues, but I completely didn't realize how important the second book is. I admit it. Chamber of Secrets was always my least favorite of the series, but I appreciate it a lot more now that I've re-read it after also knowing the end of the entire series. There's so much information in there! Like when Dumbledore gets suspended as headmaster he says, "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." I mean, that pertains to the end of Chamber of Secrets, but also SO MUCH STUFF that happens later. Genius!

Now I'm most of the way through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and I found this totally sweet boxed set of the books that I want for Christams, and that got me thinking about the covers of the books from other countries. There are some really awesome ones. I think the Swedish one is my favorite:

But I really like the Dutch one, too:

And can we please discuss how hilarious the one from the Ukrane is? I think it is particularly awful:

Which cover is your favorite? Do you know of any other particularly good/really really terrible ones? Let me know! I should have Prisoner of Azkaban finished by the end of the week, which puts me perfectly on schedule to read one a week until the 19th. Is anyone else counting down the days? I can't wait!

Harry Potter Mania!

There is something big happening in November. Not Thanksgiving or Black Friday or my mom's birthday, nay, but part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out, and I could NOT be more excited. So in order to prepare, I have put myself on a strict Harry Potter diet. I am re-reading all of the books from Philosopher's to Hallows, from Quirinius Quirrell to Amycus Carrow, so get ready for some Harry Potter reviews and stuff, because I have seven books to get through in the next five weeks.

And while we're at it, let me know in the comments which Potter book is your favorite. Are you going to see the movie right at midnight, or do you think it looks more like a renter? Do you even like Harry Potter, or are you more of a Gandalf fan? Let me know!

Girls Day In!

On Sunday the 26th thirteen girls gathered for a Girls Day In of pampering! While most enjoyed creating beautiful fingertips at the manicure station, several relaxed while sitting in a massage chair. A new feature this time was a foot soak, which provided bubbles and/or vibration for a foot massage. We will have the foot soaks again, but next time I will have help! Look for another spa day after the new year!

What Hannah's Been Reading: Suite Scarlett

So, last weekend I went down to Washington, DC for the National Book Festival, (which was awesome. I saw Suzanne Collins, who was awesome) but I needed something to keep me occupied on the drive down, so I picked up Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson on MP3-CD, which I have to say, I wasn't all that excited about. I was sort of desperate for something to listen to, and this book isn't my usual style. It's the story of Scarlett Martin who lives in her family's hotel, the Hopewell, in New York City. It's summer, her friends are gone, and she's turning fifteen. Her birthday present is the care of a suite at the Hopewell, and along with the suite comes a guest-- Mrs. Amberson, who turns Scarlett's summer on its head. There's also a hot actor named Eric, a production of Hamlet, some tuna fish, and a lot of trickery.

I was really pleasantly surprised by Suite Scarlett. It was a lot of fun to listen to, and I was so into it that I had to pick up the paper copy when I got home so that I could finish it. I was worried that the plot was going to be predictable. I thought that I had it figured out about half way through, and I considered stopping the CD, but I'm glad that I didn't because I was completely wrong about what I thought was going to happen. The plot was fun and well thought out, even if it was a little repetitive. Scarlett is a pretty cool character. She is a smart and independent girl, which I think is really important in teen lit. She also has a cool older brother, and their relationship was my favorite.

I would recommend Suite Scarlett to anyone who has ever wished they lived in a hotel in New York. Also, if you've already read the book, or you're planning to, or you're going to now, here's a link to a Twitter discussion the blog readergirlz had with Maureen Johnson specifically about Suite Scarlett. Most of it is along the column on the right.

Guitar Hero Tournament Update

The Guitar Hero Tournament this past Sunday was a rockin' good time! (Pun intended!) The competition was friendly and our winner, Robert D. warned everyone ahead of time that he was going to win! Huh, how about that? If he's that good at predictions, I'm going to ask him to pick my next lottery numbers for me! I think the finalists were out of breath after playing Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit in the "expert" round! Way to go Robert and runner-up Alex!

Hello Teens of Fredricksen!

My name is Mrs. Gay and I am the new Teens Services Coordinator at Fredricksen Library. I am very excited to take on this new position! I have experience working with teens, as I was a middle school teacher for 10 years and I have tutored high school students as well. Having worked the reference desk for two years here at Fredricksen, I am familiar with a few of the teen programs and I have had the opportunity to meet many of you already. The teen programs already scheduled for the fall will remain as scheduled. I hope to see many of you there! I plan to continue this teen Blogspot, but you may see changes. Hannah, a librarian who works at both the reference and circulation desks, will be doing most of the young adult book reviews. She reads YA literature nonstop and is really looking forward to giving you these reviews! Mrs. N. has created an AWESOME Teen Program at Fredricksen and I look forward to working to keep it great, but it can't be great without YOU, the teens! Do you have an idea for an upcoming teen program? Consider coming to the next TAG (Teen Advisory Group) meeting this Thursday at 7:00 pm in the community room. We would love fresh ideas and new faces! There will also be a TAG meeting Thursday, September 30th at 7:00 pm. The next time you are in the library, please stop by to see if I am working! I would love to meet you in person!

So Long

Many of the followers of this blog already know this, but I'll be leaving Fredricksen for a different job in a few days. This had been my dream job, and I got to work with some of the finest co-workers one could wish for, as well as some incredibly cool teens. A gigantic thank you to the Teen Advisory Group here, who made me look like I had a clue, as well as the front line staff here at the Reference and Circulation Desks who always made every single teen who walked through these doors feel welcome. You all made my job much easier. Hopefully my successor will have the time to keep up this blog. Thanks to this blog I was in contact with teen authors, librarians from as far away as Australia, and, again, some of the coolest teens on the planet. It's been one heck of a ride!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - For the Win

Just finished Cory Doctorow's For the Win. I'm a big fan of Doctorow's Little Brother, so I snagged this one when it came in. Although there are some similarities, this one is a bit different. If you're about to take a course in macroeconomics, or any history that covers the rise of unions, I'd suggest that you check out For the Win. Now, if you aren't, don't let that last sentence frighten you away from this one either. It starts out a little slow, and follows about half a dozen people in alternating chapters. Although you're getting several people's stories at once, you can see where Doctorow is heading to bring them all together later in the book. He does an incredibly good job of explaining basic economics, and labor relations, both of which can be incredibly dry, but does it by introducing them in a futuristic world based on gaming. In Doctorow's world, some online games have taken on a life of their own to such an extent, that the economies of the most popular games are larger than the economies of most actual countries. Kids are being used as almost slave labor in third world countries and the Pacific rim, to prop up those economies, and keep American kids pouring money into the games. Corporations and unscrupulous bosses are getting rich, while the main labor force struggles to eke out an existence. A movement starts, to unionize the gaming workers, but they need the backing of other unions to have a chance. The rich bosses use force, sometimes deadly, to try to keep their workers in line. A violent confrontation and uprising is almost guaranteed, given the circumstances. Highly recommended!

Another One Down!

Well, we wrapped up our summer program today with the final movie and weekly prize drawing. We also held the prize drawing for the 4 additional $25 iTunes gift cards. Each book review submitted got you a chance in that drawing. A big thank you to Good Hope Middle School librarian, Susie Breaux for sponsoring that drawing, and to all of the local businesses that donated other cool prizes for the regular weekly drawings. Thanks also to the Friends of Fredricksen for sponsoring all of our individual programs again this year. We couldn't do this without their enthusiastic support. And another big thank you to Meaghan, my faithful, incredibly efficient, summer assistant. It was a great summer! Seemed to fly by awfully quick this year. Not sure why. Before you know it we'll be planning for next summer. Remember, there are lots of cool programs during the school year as well, so I hope to see lots of you in the coming months. Watch this space for details. One last thank you to the members of my Teen Advisory Group (TAG) that helped me plan all of those great programs. If you'd like to join them, just shoot me an email and I'll get info to you. New faces are always welcome. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and have a great school year!

Sudoku Tournament Update

Congrats to Nick T for winning our sudoku tournament yesterday. (Yes, we can manage to make something like Sudokus competitive!) Matthew B was a very close second. Nick had been our second place winner a few years ago, when we last did this one. This is his last year of eligibility for the summer program, so it was nice to see him finally win it.

Aquapalooza Lost and Found

A few abandoned items have already been claimed, but we still have a broken book and a water gun. If either are yours, they're now at the lost and found behind the Reference Desk. Come and get 'em, please!

Aquapalooza II

Just wrapped up our second annual Aquapalooza. What a fabulous day for it! Couldn't have asked for better weather, and it was a great group of kids. We supplied the giant inflatable slip-n-slide, kiddie pools, 1000 water balloons, and beach balls. Lots of folks brought water guns. The music was much better this year since we took the big outdoor speakers out. Much better than the little boom box we used last year. If you missed, what can I say except "You missed a really good one!" Pics below.

Last Prize Drawing Reminder

Believe it or not, the summer program is rapidly coming to an end. This Thursday, July 29 is the last prize drawing so get any book reviews in by about 3:30 pm. Remember, we have the additional ITunes gift cards drawing with one chance for each book review submitted.

Aquapalooza Reminder

Remember you need a signed permission slip to get into Aquapalooza tomorrow. Link to a downloadable version is to the right. Looks like fabulous weather, so I'll see you tomorrow!

Murder Mystery

Always enjoy the interactive murder mysteries. This year's was Rock and Roll Over Dead, with a dead librarian case to solve. We ran 2 sessions to get everyone in without it being too crowded. It seemed like more of this year's participants solved the case correctly than some other years, so it came down to justifying your solution. Congrats to winners. Pics below. We do one every year, so look for a different one next year.

Video Game Day

The video game days are always a lot of fun. Call of Duty and Nerf ping-pong were the most popular games of the day, but there was also plenty of board game activity, as well as a variety of Wii games, and some Guitar Hero. A big thank you to the guys who helped with cleanup. Look for tournaments in the fall.

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

This was another one of those "finally-got-around-to-this-one" books - Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It's the story of Arnold "Junior" spirit, a young native American who decides as a freshman, at the urging of one of his teachers, to attend school off the reservation where he lives, in order to get an education that would give me a chance at attending college. Junior is smart and a kid whose heart and intentions are good. On the negative side, he's scrawny, with a host of medical issues. He has a hard time fitting in anywhere, since many on the reservation consider him a traitor, but the white kids at his new school aren't real receptive to an Indian attending their school either. It's a sometimes funny, sometimes sad look at both the positive and negative sides of reservation life, and a realistic look at the struggles and successes of a young man that almost anyone could relate to. Highly recommended. Enjoy

Build 'Em, Smash 'Em - Summer Edition Update

We just finished up our latest round of, what we call, Build 'Em, Smash 'Em. We did this one back in the spring, and it was so much fun, we brought it back. Basically, teams of 2-4, are given a certain amount of set materials, some size parameters, and 90 minutes to design and build a structure using those materials and parameters. Then we smash 'em, by gradually adding sand to a bucket on top of the structure. The team whose structure holds the most weight before being crushed wins. If needed, pre-smashing height is the tie-breaker. Today's materials included hot glue, toothpicks, spaghetti, loose-leaf paper, and scotch tape. Materials change every time we do this one. We had 24 kids in 7 teams competing today. 2 teams' structures were DQ'd for not meeting the minimum height requirement. We smashed 'em anyway - why not? Of the teams remaining, first place went to DeAnne M., Maria O. and John Paul O. Second place went to Ameer Q., Cody P, and Riley F. Just watching this one is a lot of fun, since you get to see the very different approaches that different teams take. And, of course, when the weight is added, there's usually a surprise or two - either a great looking structure that collapses immediately, or a questionable looking one that turns out to be sturdier than it looked. Congratulations to everyone who competed. Look for this again in October.