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Below are 25 recent journal entries, after skipping 25

	2007.07.30  08.54 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows TWEEN/TEEN Aside from the fact that I was really busy at the library last week, I thought it might be a nice idea to wait a little while before posting my review of the final installment of the Harry Potter series. Since the book has been out for a week and a half, though, and I have been done with it for over a week, I figure it's time to post the review. Overall, I was very happy with HPatDH. I mean, I was sad that it was the final book, and I was devastated by some of the characters that died. But, for this book to be true to the story that was already started, I agree that it had to be this way. I do my best not to give away the ending of books, and this book is so near and dear to my heart that I definitely don't want to ruin it for anyone else. So, let me just say this: Die-hard fans will either love the ending or hate it. I have heard nothing from the middle. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer Current Book: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Book Waiting List: Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon Mood: satisfied

	2007.07.11  15.44 Life As We Knew It (LAWKI) TEEN I read LAWKI a while ago, when I was only reviewing Tween books, so it never made it on my blog (I don't think it did, anyway)... Such a shame because it was an awesome, albeit rather fear-inspiring, post-apocalyptic story. Miranda is a typical American sophomore. She is a bit self-absorbed, she often argues with her mom, and she can't wait until she can get her driver's license. When a meteor knocks the moon out of its usual orbit, however, "life as we knew it" comes to an end. Everyday luxuries like electricity, heat, and food for simply snacking become things of the past. Will Miranda's family pull together or fall apart? Will the world ever go back to "normal," or will natural disasters become the norm? Find out for yourself when you read the book! ON A RELATED NOTE: Lately, I have been getting really exciting about LAWKI's soon-to-be-published "sister" book, the dead & the gone. Yes, by the way, it is supposed to be all lowercase! Luckily, someone (either on a listserv or in another book blog) alerted me to the fact that Susan Beth Pfeffer has her own blog now! While I was checking out http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/ this morning, I noticed an offer for a free copy of the audiobook -- if you were among the first three people to e-mail her. I knew it was unlikely that I would be in the first three, but I had to try! Well... It paid off! I will soon be receiving my very own copy of the audiobook, as read by Emily Bauer. I AM SO EXCITED!!! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer Current Book: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Book Waiting List: Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: ecstatic

	2007.07.06  15.58 Hugging the Rock TWEEN/TEEN Some people might think that this book is only for Tweens, but I think it would speak to some Teens as well. Although it is a difficult subject, the free verse (poetry) format makes it easier to read. The book begins with Rachel's mother leaving home and goes on to show how Rachel and her father attempt (and sometimes fail) to deal with the resulting mix of grief and anger. A "must read" for children of bipolar parents. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Current Book: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Book Waiting List: Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: sad

	2007.07.06  15.40 Anansi Boys TEEN/ADULT Once again, I am feeling a little stupid. Not only have I never read anything by Neil Gaiman before, but I have also never heard of "Anansi stories." Charlie (one of the main characters) actually says, "Everyone has heard of Anansi stories." Well... Ummm... I guess he was wrong! Either way, though, this story was great. Charlie "Fat Charlie" Nancy is a typical, boring adult. He has a job. He has a fiancée, Rosie. But nothing much happens in his life. That all changes when his estranged father dies. Suddenly, Charlie is told that not only was his father the human form of Anansi (the African trickster god), but that he also has a twin brother, Spider, who has supernatural abilities similar to those of their father. When Spider comes to visit, he turns Charlie's life upside-down. Charlie ends up fired from his job and wanted by the police -- plus Spider convinces Rosie that he is actually Charlie. Will Charlie end up in jail? Will he ever get his own life back? Find out for yourself when you read (or listen to!) this book. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Current Book: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Book Waiting List: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: mischievous

	2007.07.06  15.25 The Lightning Thief TWEEN/TEEN Apparently, I am the last librarian alive to find out about the Percy Jackson series! Rick Riordan is an awesome writer, and I am sad that I only just heard of these books, but I am kind of glad that I did not have to wait long between books! For much the same reason, I am actually a little happy that I was late to jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon, too. (I started reading the first book around the time that the third book came out -- looks like a pattern!) Anyhow. For anyone who does not know about these books, let me get you up to speed. Perseus Jackson is a demigod, also referred to as a "half-blood." That means that he has one mortal/human parent (his mom) and one parent who is a god on Mount Olympus (I won't say which male god, though, since I don't want to ruin anything for readers who are new to the series). After Percy is nearly killed by a teacher -- or, rather, a monster posing as a teacher -- at his boarding school for troubled youth, he is finally told the truth. His best friend, Grover, is actually a satyr who has been sent out to find young half-bloods and keep them safe. His mother has known all along that Percy was a half-blood, and she has been selfishly trying to keep him near her. Now that she knows he is in too much danger, however, she is finally sending him to Camp Half-Blood for the summer. At Camp Half-Blood, Percy meets other half-bloods, trains for combat, and even discovers who his father is. But the story doesn't end there! Unless Percy and his friends can stop a feud between the gods, all of mankind is doomed to experience World War III. Aside from the obvious entertainment value of an action-adventure story, I really liked how Riordan stayed true to the Greek myths. I have taken mythology classes in the past, and I enjoyed the stories, but I was really bad at remembering them. Since this story translates the stories of the gods into modern times, nevertheless, I am able to relate to the stories and find that I am capable of remembering much more about them. I love when I can learn something and don't even have to "try" to learn! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Audiobook Waiting List: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Current Book: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Book Waiting List: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: geeky

	2007.07.06  15.02 A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama TWEEN Maud has been in an orphanage for years -- even though her brother and sister were adopted. She is constantly in trouble at the orphanage and no one is more shocked than Maud when the Hawthorne sisters actually choose to take her home. Once outside the orphanage, they begin to lavish her with new dresses, books, and treats like ice cream. For the first time in her life, she even has access to indoor plumbing! So, when the Hawthorne sisters insist on keeping her a secret and then ask her to help them stage phony séances, Maud does not object. When they ask her to play the part of a little dead girl to trick a grieving mother, though, will she continue to play along? Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Horns and Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson Current Book: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Book Waiting List: They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: curious

	2007.07.06  14.46 Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life TWEEN Jeremy Fink is 12 (almost 13) years old. Jeremy's father died when he was only 8 years old, and he left behind a mysterious box which has been engraved with, "The Meaning of Life. For Jeremy Fink To Open On His 13th Birthday." What's the problem? This box has an intricate locking mechanism that requires 4 different keys -- and Jeremy doesn't have any of them. His best friend, Lizzy, joins him on the adventure of a lifetime, as they search high and low for keys that may or may not exist. I won't tell you if they ever succeed in finding the keys or what, if anything, they find out about the contents of the box. What I will tell you, though, is that Jeremy gains some amazing insight into the meaning of life during the months leading up to his birthday and is extremely lucky to have a friend like Lizzy. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: thoughtful

	2007.07.06  14.33 Sorry... So, I have been so caught up in the Summer Reading Program (SRP) that I have not been doing well in keeping up with my book blog. Rest assured, I have still been reading! (Although I think there is a book that I forgot to add to my list, so I may be leaving a book out.) I will probably post a bunch of books all at once today, unless SRP business takes me away from my computer too often. So, I guess the message of the day is, "Please bear with me!" Thanks. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak, and Judy A. Bernstein Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: working

	2007.06.30  12.03 Don't do drugs... Please! If you are even close to tempted, please take the time to watch some of these ads about what meth, in particular, can lead to... Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: shocked

	2007.06.29  12.11 Good to know... P.S. I promise I will update soon with some book reviews and SRP madness... It's just been a bit busy at the East Greenbush Community Library. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: busy

	2007.06.07  13.58 Graphic Novel Study Guides?!? TEEN This is a really neat way to study for the SAT and ACT. A lot of people spend a lot of time stressing about how to study, but I think simply reading a lot of books is a good way to work on vocabulary skills -- and I don't mean the dictionary! Now that there are graphic novels to help you study SAT and ACT vocabulary, you really don't have any excuses. I will definitely have to look into ordering some of these for our library. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: curious

	2007.06.06  11.28 Grief Girl: My True Story TWEEN/TEEN I do not know how Erin Vincent managed to make it to adulthood, let alone go on to live a "normal," productive life. I could not even tell you the number of times I was incensed by the heartless actions of people around her. I will not give too much away, but let me just share a list of the crap Erin had to put up with: Erin is 14-years-old when her parents got hit by a tow truck as they attempted to cross the street. Her mom died and her dad couldn't even make it to the funeral because he was still in the hospital. Exactly one month later, her dad died. She and her older sister, Tracy, had to fight their grandparents to keep custody of their 5-year-old brother, Trent. Their Uncle Peter refused to give them the money for Trent's Christmas gifts, to repair or replace the broken refrigerator, or for Erin to see a dentist -- and it's the money that their parents left behind for the kids in their will. I won't tell you any more because (1) it's depressing and (2) it could ruin the story for you if you don't read it for yourself. I will say that there is a happy-ish ending, just in case any of you would otherwise refuse to read it. If nothing more, though, this book can help you to (1) see that there is hope of recovery after experiencing such a devestating loss and/or (2) appreciate your parents and all their nagging, which really is just their way of showing that they care. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: touched

	2007.06.06  11.13 Great Lies to Tell Small Kids TEEN Some of you may recognize the author, Andy Riley, because of his previous work -- The Book of Bunny Suicides. Riley's twisted sense of humor comes through in some fascinating artwork and strange "facts" that you can relay to gullible kids you know. The very first entry, just to give you an example, is a picture of a rain shower with the caption, "Rain is Jesus's wee-wee." I think my personal favorite was, "It's unlucky not to name every ant you meet... For your entire life." Examples of ant names from the illustration include, El Gordo, Johnny Spoons, Dave, and Mrs. Anty. Priceless! I don't know that I would actually tell any of these lies to small kids, but I absolutely loved the book. Reading this book (aloud) with a group of friends would be a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: mischievous

	2007.06.06  10.59 Tripping to Somewhere TEEN I just came across an e-mail from the author (Kristopher Reisz) when I was doing some "spring cleaning" in my inbox. I remember telling him, at the time, that I could not post about this book on Librarina because it was very Teen and my blog was only for Tweens. Well, now that I am also posting about Teen books, I thought it was only fair to find the review I had written for the Library Goddesses Teen Book Reviews and to post it here too. So, here ya go! Ever wish you could leave everything behind and just have fun all the time? If you could only find a way into the Witches' Carnival! There, you can live practically forever -- and party your way around the world without even needing to sleep. Sam and Gilly think they are ready for the Witches' Carnival... They found it once, but were left behind. After stealing $50,000 (Gilly's dad is a crooked cop), running away from home, and finding the carnival once, though, they are not willing to give up. Can they find it again, or did they miss their only chance for the witches' way of life? An awesome adventure for mature Teen readers. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: hopeful

	2007.06.06  10.25 A Pure, Swift Cry TEEN Siobhan Dowd has officially broken my heart... As the story begins, we learn that life has been very difficult since 15-year-old Shell's mother died. Shell's father is very religious, but he is an alcoholic who gets by on money he steals from the church donations he collects. Shell's father often leaves her alone to care for her younger brother and sister. She has few friends at school, but manages to find some solace in the time she spends with a charismatic, anything-but-holy altar boy named Declan. When Declan suddenly takes off for America, Shell is left to face things alone again... And, though she is refuses to admit it, Shell is pregnant. What is she going to do? Will anyone be able to help her? Find out for yourself by reading this book. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: gloomy

	2007.06.06  09.29 Sardine in Outer Space TWEEN This graphic novel, by Emmanuel Guilbert, is hilarious! Throughout the story, Supermuscleman, the "Chief Executive Officer" of the universe, is scheming to make children more obedient. Sardine, her cousin Louie, and her uncle, Captain Yellow Shoulder -- along with the other orphans aboard the spaceship Huckleberry -- are doing their best to foil his plans. Supermuscleman and his assistant, Doc Kroc, keep trying out different costumes, but the disguises are never good enough to fool our unlikely heroes. Throughout the story, there are references that adults might "get" more than Tweens. [My personal favorite was the mention of a video game called No-Child-Left-Behind-School II.] The general tone is very appropo, nevertheless, with enough "gross" stuff for Tweens of both genders. If you've never read a graphic novel, this would be a good place to start. The layout is very easy to follow, and the humor doesn't stop! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: amused

	2007.06.06  09.20 Survey for Teens Below is a message I received via the PUBYAC listserv: Hello, All, Long story short, I'm writing an article about magazines for teens for a library publication, and I want to get as much direct feedback from teens as possible, and to get responses that represent different geographic areas in the U.S. I would be very grateful if some of you Teen Services Librarians would be willing to let your teens know about my Magazines for Teens survey (using Survey Monkey), whether by word of mouth, posting a link on your blog, sending notice via your email list, etc. Anything you could do would be greatly appreciated. Here's the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=nmdlT0O3RcwiMu2fLSarvQ%3d%3d Thanks so much for your kind consideration. I will gladly share results. Please let me know if you have questions. Peace, Marsha Marsha K. Rakestraw Teen Services Librarian Beaverton City Library 12375 SW 5th Street Beaverton, OR 97005 503.350.4001 mrakestraw@ci.beaverton.or.us www.beavertonlibrary.org/teens/ http://bclyaknow.blogspot.com If you are a Teen, please take the time to fill out the survey. Thanks! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: busy

	2007.06.04  16.15 Famous?!? Thanks to Liz B. for the kind words! I just found this today through a weird search I was doing (trying to find one of my own posts with without randomly guessing which post to pick in the archives). Very cool! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: jubilant

	2007.05.30  16.09 You Never Know @ Your Library! (YA Summer Reading Program, 2007) For the purpose of the SRP, Young Adults (YAs) at the East Greenbush Community Library are those who will be entering 6th through 12th grade in the fall. Summer Murder Mystery Game Too old for the traditional summer reading program at the library? This summer, at the East Greenbush Community Library, we will be having a Summer Murder Mystery Game. Pick up the Murder Mystery Game Rules and Suspect Sheet @ Your Library. Read or listen to books on tape or CD. Earn clue cards to eliminate suspects. Solve the mystery and enter to win some great prizes! (Everyone wins some sort of prize.) Sign up between June 18th and July 6th. Earn 5 clue cards by August 3rd to get invited to the End of Summer Mystery Celebration – and to be entered in the prize raffles! First 10 YAs to finish get a special PRIZE!!! VolunTeens YAs who will be entering 7th through 12th grade in the fall are invited to join the VolunTeen Program. YAs who have volunteered for at least 2 years can apply to be an SUV (Super Über VolunTeen). Call or visit the library to sign up to be a VolunTeen: VolunTeen Orientation will be on June 7th @ 7pm SUV Orientation will be on June 14th @ 7pm (Contact Chrissie to make special arrangements if you are unable to attend the appropriate orientation meeting.) YA SUMMER MEETING SCHEDULE We will be meeting on Thursdays @ 6 pm and all meetings will be approximately 1 hour long, unless noted otherwise. June 28th – Name that Tune – Karaoke (ends at 8:30) July 5th – CSI: Detective Training July 12th – Murder @ the Library July 19th – Urban Legends… You Never Know! July 26th – Break the Code August 2nd – Dinner and a Mystery Movie August 9th – End Of Summer Mystery Celebration (@ 7pm) Get out of the sun and have some fun… @ Your Library! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: excited

	2007.05.23  09.34 The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party TEEN I loved M.T. Anderson from the moment I set eyes on Whales on Stilts. After reading The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen, I was hooked. I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet read or listened to Feed, but I swear I will get to it. When The Pox Party started getting to much attention on ADBOOKS, though, I knew this had to be the next book of his I read. Since it is such a long book, I took the easy way out and got the audiobook! At times, I knew I was missing out on the "feel" of the book, since I only heard what was written on the letters and posters, but I can always go back and look at the book now that I have heard the story. In this story, we are introduced to Octavian Nothing. His mother was an African princess, kidnapped and sold into slavery. When she arrived in America, she was purchased by the philosophers of the Novanglian College of Lucidity in Boston, Massachussetts. Octavian is given a classical education, expensive garments, and fine foods. Very uncommon for a young black man in the era of the American Revolution. Octavian does not know any different, so he does not question any of the strange experiments -- like how they weigh, measure, and record both his input (food) and output (feces) every day. When the Novanglian College of Lucidity loses its funding, things begin to change for Octavian and his mother. For the first time, Octavian faces some of the harsh realities of slavery -- like being stripped and beaten, wearing chains and a metal helmet with a bit, and fighting in a war for "freedom" from England when the slaves, themselves, would never be freed from their owners. Booklist's reviewer said it better than I could ever say it myself: The fluctuations between satire and somber realism, gothic fantasy and factual history will jar and disturb readers, creating a mood that echoes Octavian's unsettled time as well as our own. A must read for anyone who wishes to know the truth about this period in American history. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Audiobook Waiting List: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: shocked

	2007.05.22  13.31 Story of a Girl: A Novel TEEN Any teenager knows that a bad reputation is hard to live down; second chances are few and far between. Deanna Walker, of all people, certainly knows it's true. When Deanna was 13 years old, her father caught her in the back seat of Tommy's car in an, ummm, compromising position. Tommy was 17 and a "friend" of her brother. Soon, the whole town knew what had happened, and everyone was re-telling (and embellishing) the story -- including Tommy. Three years later, Deanna's father still refuses to look her in the eye, a bunch of the guys at school still harrass her, and she still has no idea what she can do to change everyone's opinion of her. Her only idea is to get a job and save enough money to move out of her parents' house with her brother, Darren, and his girlfriend (who now have a baby and are living in the basement). The thing is, though, that even Darren doesn't know about this plan and may not like the idea once she tells him. Deanna needs to find a way to stand up for herself, even if she cannot re-write "the story" everyone knows so well. But will she be strong enough to keep going when it seems like the whole world is against her? A heart-breaking look at one girl's struggle to move on after making a huge mistake. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson Audiobook Waiting List: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: sad

	2007.05.21  09.15 Lion Boy: The Truth TWEEN Zizou Corder is amazing. I'm sure I have said that in both of my other Lion Boy posts, but I just wanted to be sure to say it again... Amazing! Now that I have the obvious out of the way, I will commence with the actual book review. Okay. So, cat-talking Charlie Ashanti has already run away with a circus (to go after his kidnapped, scientist parents), helped the circus lions escape, transported/hidden the lions with the help of King Boris (the king of Bulgaria), brought the lions back to their home in Morrocco, found his kidnapped parents (with the aid of cats all across Europe), and eluded authorities the entire time. You would think that being reunited with his parents would be the end of his story. But, then, you would be wrong. SPOILER ALERT!!! (I'm not giving away the end, but I am telling quite a bit about the beginning. Continue to read at your own risk!) The Corporacy is not happy to have lost Anabar and Magdaline Ashanti. Losing them could mean that the cure for asthma is gone as well. And if that cure gets out, the Corporacy would lose a lot of money. So, the very moment that Charlie lets down his guard, he is kidnapped. Along side him, he soon discovers, is his enemy -- Rafi Sadler. Why would they both be kidnapped? And where are they being taken? Will Charlie and his parents ever get away from the Corporacy?!? Find out when you read Lion Boy: The Truth. (In which there is finally a "real" ending!) Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson Audiobook Waiting List: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Story of a Girl: A Novel by Sara Zarr Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: accomplished

	2007.05.18  15.44 Busted TEEN If nothing more, this book was an incredibly engaging read. I seriously could not stop reading it for more than 5 minutes without needing to go back to it. Every time a patron or a coworker needed my attention, I lamented the fact that I had to stop reading in order to help them. Nevertheless, I love my job, so I did what was requested of me... And then ran back to read some more! In about 4 hours -- a "broken" 4 hours, mind you -- I read this book from front to back. Rather astonishing if you are privy to how many of my books need to be renewed so that I can finish them! Some of the passages are scandalous; others shocking; and some are simply chilling. Most importantly of all, though, this entire book rang true to me. As a former high school student AND a former high school teacher, I found myself drawing parallels between these characters and the students, teachers, and administrators I have known. Bildner certainly didn't hold anything back, and I think it would behoove a lot of adults to pay attention to books and movies that portray this reality. The only thing that I disliked about this book is the sudden ending. Perhaps that will be changed before the final draft is published. I think I will have to re-read this book [in its final form] just to try and wrap my mind around the whole thing a little better. It worked as a whole, but a few parts felt stiff and jagged. Like I said in my earlier post, though, this is an advance reader copy. I guess it may simply be that the "suddenness" of the ending left too many questions with me. But, that may have been Bildner's point in ending the book like this. Sure, you know what happens with most of the characters... But that last little nagging question keeps popping up. What about him? If you need to know who he is and why I care what happened to him, though, you're going to need to read the book. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Lion Boy: The Truth by Zizou Corder Audiobook Waiting List: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Story of a Girl: A Novel by Sara Zarr Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: enthralled

	2007.05.18  09.10 Holy box of books, Batman! This morning, I received a HUGE box of YA galleys... I'm talking THIRTY FOUR "advance reader" copies -- some of which are for books that aren't released yet! What does this mean?!? AWESOME SUMMER READING PRIZES!!! Lots of thanks and a big shout out to Heather Doss of Bookazine! And, for those of you who need specific authors, titles, and plot summaries to whet your appetite, I have decided to include a few: Busted by Phil Bildner [August 28, 2007] Jock? Cheerleader? Total nerd? Doesn't matter. You're busted. In Phil Bildner's second novel, he puts to good use his experience as a high school teacher as he propels us through a series of interwoven stories about kids doing things they're pretty sure are wrong. There's a violated "zero tolerance" policy on a senior field trip and the cruelest bully high school has ever seen. Throw in a gambling ring and a group of honor students doing very non-honor things and every crowd gets busted somehow. Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler [August 14, 2007] V Valentine is the queen of meaningless hookups... until a fateful hockey puck lands her in the lap of Sam Almond. And things with Sam are different -- meaningful. So now what? With humor and compassion, Printz Honor winner Carolyn Mackler takes readers on an unforgettable ride of missed exits, misadventures, and the kind of epiphanies that only come when you're on a route you've never taken before. How to Get Suspended and Influence People by Adam Selzer [February 13, 2007] It all starts with an assignment. Leon's "gifted and talented" class has to make educational videos for the sixth and seventh graders. Leon originally chooses "sex ed" as his subject in the hopes of showing a flash of boob. But as time goes on, his project starts to mean something. He wants to tell the younger kids that puberty is tough, but what they're going through is normal. After researching the avant-garde movement, Leon crafts his video in the style of Fellini: La Dolce Pubert. It's deeply disturbing yet comforting. But when the gifted program's director sees it, she suspends Leon—and he finds himself at the center of a townwide debate over censorship. Who gets to decide how far is too far? What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones [June 5, 2007] My name is Robin. This book is about me. It tells the story of what happens when after almost 15 pathetic years of loserdom, the girl of my dreams finally falls for me. That seems like it would be a good thing, right? Only it turns out to be a lot more complicated than that. Because I'm not gonna lie to you -- there are naked women involved. Four of them, to be exact. Though not in the way you might think. Don't get me wrong -- my girlfriend's amazing. But the way things have been going lately, I'm starting to believe that the only thing worse than not getting what you want, is getting it. The New Policeman by Kate Thompson [January 23, 2007] Who knows where the time goes? There never seems to be enough time in Kinvara, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter. When J.J.'s mother says that what she really wants for her birthday is more time in her day, J.J. decides to find her some. But how can he find time for her, when he barely has enough time to keep up with school and his music? And where will he get time to find out if the shocking rumor is true—that his great-grandfather was a murderer? It seems as though J.J.'s given himself an impossible task. But then a neighbor reveals a secret to him—there is a place where time stands still. J.J. realizes he's the only person who can make the journey, but to do so he'll have to vanish from his own life. And when J.J. disappears from the village, enter the new policeman. . . . The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin [September 7, 2006] It all starts when Matthew observes a heroic scene in a convenience store: A man named Murdoch puts himself between an abusive father and his son. Matt is determined to get to know this man. And when, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt’s mother, it seems as if life may become peaceful for the first time. Matt and his sisters have never before known a moment of peace in a household ruled by their unpredictable, vicious mother. And so, after Murdoch inevitably breaks up with her and the short period of family calm is over, Matt sees that he needs to take action. He refuses to let his family remain at risk. Can he call upon his hero, Murdoch? And if not, what might his desperation lead him to do? A thought-provoking exploration of self-reliance and the nature of evil and a heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin’s most compulsively readable novel yet. Zane's Trace by Allan Wolf [August 28, 2007] Zane Guesswind is running from one death straight toward another -- his own. Taking off in a stolen 1969 Plymouth Barracuda, armed with his brother's driver's license, a six-pack of Mountain Dew, a jumbo pack of Sharpies, and a loaded gun in the trunk, he's headed for Zanesville, Ohio -- to kill himself at his mother's gravesite. He's got no rearview mirror and no more worries. But when Zane picks up Libba, a hitchhiker also on her way to Zanesville, he gets a lot more than a girl who wants the last word in any argument. With each mile marker that he passes, Zane gets farther from the life he knows and closer to figuring out who he is. This suspenseful novel is a fast-moving read with a supernatural twist -- and an insightful look at families and how we can only escape them when we accept the way they are. So yeah... Summer Reading is on the way, and I am really excited about the programs we will be having! If you live in or near East Greenbush, you should definitely be signing up and coming in to participate. This year's theme is Get a Clue @ Your Library for Tweens (and younger kids) and You Never Know @ Your Library for YAs. For the purpose of the SRP, Tweens will be any students entering 3rd-5th grade in the fall and YAs will be any students entering 6th-12th grade in the fall. For more info, check out newsletter, which can be found on our website: http://www.eastgreenbushlibrary.org... Or, you may even see me when I come to visit your school! Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Lion Boy: The Truth by Zizou Corder Audiobook Waiting List: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Story of a Girl: A Novel by Sara Zarr Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: jubilant

	2007.05.17  14.04 The Nature of Jade TEEN Many people on ADBOOKS were impressed with this book, and I am certainly glad they brought it to my attention! Being someone who is sometimes called "Worst Case Scenario Girl," I really related a lot to Jade and her anxiety issues. People who enjoyed reading about Ruby Oliver (in The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart) will surely like this book as well. As readers are introduced to Jade, we see that she has anxiety problems. I'm not talking typical "teen angst," but certifiable -- having panic attacks -- anxiety issues. Jade often watches the elephants of her local zoo (via webcam) when the stresses of high school come crashing down on her. After a while, she decides to volunteer at the zoo, with the elephants, and this helps her anxiety even more. On the webcam, and during her time at the zoo, she begins to notice a boy in a red jacket. This boy does not seem much older than her, but he has a baby. His own? A nephew? She decides to be brave and to introduce herself, but will it pay off? Or will she just have one more embarrassment to add to the list? Every chapter starts off with a quote from a book entitled The Fundamentals of Animal Behavior. I am not sure whether the title truly exists or if that content was made up as well. (I think I need to look into that!) Anyhow... These anecdotal stories about animals give some insight into the human condition, and they prepare you for the situations Jade will face in the following chapter. A great read for people with anxiety issues or who just love to read about animals. Happy Reading! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Audiobook: Lion Boy: The Truth by Zizou Corder Audiobook Waiting List: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Current Book: Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guilbert Book Waiting List: Spelldown: The Big-Time Dreams of a Small-Town Word Whiz, A Novel by Karon Luddy Story of a Girl: A Novel by Sara Zarr Grief Girl: My True Story by Erin Vincent A Pure, Swift Cry by Siobhan Dowd A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown Pre-Ordered: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [coming out July 21, 2007!] Mood: calm