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!