Alex, a resourceful seventeen-year-old running from her incurable brain tumor, Tom, who has left the war in Afghanistan, and Ellie, an angry eight-year-old, join forces after an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky and kills most of the world's population, turning some of those who remain into zombies and giving the others superhuman senses.
Okay, so it’s starting to feel like a trend with me… my last review was for Ashfall by Mike Mullin and was (surprise!) about an extinction level event – Yellowstone erupting. This book is NOT about volcanoes, although you might think I had a thing for gray dust or something.
This book is actually about a girl coming to terms with death; her own impending death from a brain tumor, her parents’ death in a fiery helicopter crash (the source of the ashes BTW), the death of all the people around her who are being eaten by teenage zombies…
Yes. That’s right folks: Yet another zombie book. This one has some interesting twists though, and the zombies are only part of the drama. There’s a love triangle, a snarky eight year old, and old people with special powers. Oh, and just when you can’t take it anymore and you need to know what happens next or you’re going to hurl the book away from you… it ends. Yup. It’s a SERIES! Dibs on Book TWO!
The Host is not technically a teen book, but I know a lot of teens who loved it. (And I loved it too!) The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer is the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's human body, but Melanie refuses to leave and they both occupy the same body.
The movie is supposed to come out March 23, 2013 and they are filming it now. Saoirse Ronan (from The Lovely Bones) will play Melanie and Max Irons from Red Riding Hood will play her love interest, Jared. This trailer is just a teaser; there must not be much footage yet. I can't wait for this one!
Come make a mess and make art this Wednesday at 6 pm at Belmar! Use hair dryers, irons, and hot glue guns to turn a pile of crayons and a canvas into something remarkable. Your art will be on display at the library for a month, and then you're welcome to take it home.
I ran across a really interesting article about how tattoos actually work (including what sterilization should happen before it starts), here. My favorite part is the animation of a tattoo needle inserting ink.
Read the whole thing and still want one? Start planning your design with some of the library's tattoo books.
Hey Musical Teens! I KNOW you have been dying to make beautiful music… with FROGS! So here you go! (Click on the picture to play!)
This is just one of many fun (and sometimes very weird) games, contests, quizzes and articles you can find on ENature.com. You can find this nature site and several others in our Science – Life Science section on our Homework Help Page…Just scroll down! See… See how much fun Homework Helpers can be!
Read This! The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
I found it impossible to put this book down before getting to the end. It reminded me very much of the book, Graceling by Kristin Cashore. If you enjoyed that book definitely try The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Like Graceling this book builds a believable fantasy world that includes magical elements, a strong heroine, and a compelling and exciting adventure. While there is a romantic element to the story, it is not the focus of the book – the focus is on Elisa and her transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Elisa is a “Chosen One.” Once every century, one child is chosen to fulfill a great destiny. The chosen ones are recognized because they are marked with a Godstone in their navel. Elisa, now sixteen, is secretly wed to a king, who needs her to help unite his country, but Elisa has never done anything extraordinary. She is the younger of two princesses and she is pampered, spoiled, and anxious. In this new country among a strange people, Elisa learns that her own family has kept the truth from her. There is a long and dreadful history about chosen ones, including that most of them die before ever fulfilling their destiny. She learns that many people yearn for the power of the Godstone - and whether she is still attached to it, whether she is living or dead, is irrelevant. In this new country, circumstances force Elisa, to find hidden strengths within herself and she begins a journey that completely changes herself and the people around her.
Diablo Cody (she wrote Juno), is signed on to produce a Sweet Valley High movie. The latest rumor is that it's going to be a musical!
Sweet Valley books were first published in 1983 and have been coming out ever since, with Sweet Valley Confidential published just last year. Your teen librarians grew up on these books; they're an old-school version of Gossip Girl, with blond Californian twins leading the drama. Try Sweet Valley Confidential then scour used book stores or ask a librarian to help you track down the originals!
Writer and blogger Kate Hart just did a cool blog post on 2011 teen book covers. Well, actually she did a cool blog post on teen book covers in July--you may remember our blog post about the cover color wheel she made? Well, she has a new post that talks about the color of covers, but also the ethnicity of the teens on the covers (90% white), gender of the teens on the cover (79% female) and many other things. Check out her post on Uncovering YA Covers to find out how many teen book covers feature dead people, how many covers feature people only shown from the back, and how many teen book covers show mirrors. She looked at over 900 covers to get her results! What other book cover trends have you noticed?
There will be an annular solar eclipse tomorrow, Sunday, May 20th, starting at 6 p.m. The moon will pass in front of the sun creating a ring of fire effect for the sun. An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon appears to be smaller than the Sun, causing the Sun to look like an annulus or ring, and blocking most of the Sun's light. We will not be in the direct path of the eclipse but you should still be able to see something. Remember, don't look directly at a solar eclipse as this will damage your vision. Be sure to check it out!
See a map of the eclipse and learn more at the NASA website.
This is a new English band that I think is going to make it across the pond to America and do well! Make sure to catch their funny and addicting video on YouTube for “True Romance”.
Cas is a ghost hunter. His mother is a witch and his cat sniffs for spirits. He’s in the family business - his father was a ghost hunter until one snuffed him out and then Cas inherited his father’s athame and followed in his footsteps. Cas and his mother move around a lot. They only stay in one place long enough for Cas to dispatch his latest ghost, but this time will be different.
Anna Dressed in Blood received her name because she was brutally murdered; Her throat was slashed, and she bled so much that her dress was covered in blood. Anna went home after she died and her house was quickly abandoned. Without fail she kills everyone that walks through her doors, primarily teenagers, looking for a place to have fun or out on a dare! Anna is the biggest challenge Cas has ever faced because she is the most powerful and the most terrifying ghost he has ever met. She is also the most “human.”
The second book in the series, Girl of Nightmares, will be released in August. Put your name on the list now and be one of the first people to read it!
According to this article, the company that now owns the Twilight movies seems to be considering making additional movies, beyond the end of the books. What do you think, is this awesome or a bad idea?
Looking for something to do over the summer? Volunteer at your local library! We are always looking for people to help us out, especially over the summer. We have air-conditioning! Volunteering is a great way to build up real life work expereince, to meet librarians who might eventually write a college recommendation or to fulfill school volunteering requirements.
Think you know everything about the Titanic? I thought I did too, but I only got 27% o this quiz. Give it a try by clicking here, and let me know how you did in the comments below.
Some of my favorites so far are: I seriously love school bean burritos. - Kenna J. My weird elbows make me special. - Julie W. We are banned from Wal-Mart forever. - Kristin S. Afraid I'm crazy, Bell Jar style. - Annikka T. I got help. It didn't help. - Emily G.
So it has me thinking, what's my six-word memoir? Nerdy kid, cool librarian. Who knew? My scholarships made all the difference. Sought "success," but then found happiness.
We are going to be making Peeps Dioramas next Monday at 4 at the Columbine Library. Those of you who have seen me in the last month know how excited I am about this event and here is why:
For more great examples check out the other submissions for the contest the Denver Post does every year. Then come make your own with me!
Monday, May 14, 4pm Columbine Meeting Room I’ll have lots of supplies, but if you have a great idea feel free to bring your own additional props. See you there!
This book is about Lex, a 16 year old who only recently began to acting out in violent ways against anyone who crosses her. Even Lex herself has no reason why she does the things she does. After she almost gets expelled for the fourth time, her parents decide to send her to stay with her Uncle Mort for the summer. Mort lives in a town called Croak and Lex finds out that her behavior stems from the family gift of Killing. Killing is not what you think, rather it is safely removing someone's soul from their body after they die and sending them to the Afterlife peacefully. So in essence, Lex becomes a Grim Reaper for lack of a better word.
Damico does a really nice job of creating a believable town that caters to the people who do the kind of work needed for reaping. She is really inventive in coming up with cool ways that the town operates, like what the town uses Jellyfish for. (I'll let you read it and see.) Lex is a character you want to root for. The book is funny and serious when it needs to be. There is, of course, a likable and dreamy love interest. Along the way Lex discovers murders that no one can figure out the cause of death for and so becomes the mystery that needs to be solved. This is the first in a series so there is a cliffhanger ending. I can't wait for Book 2!
It's Movie Monday! Each week features an upcoming movie based on a book.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is due out in 2013. Snow White and the Huntsmen will be out on June 1. Mirror Mirror, another Snow White movie, opened on March 16. There are a bunch of recent and upcoming books too. What’s your opinion on the recent trend in rewriting classic stories? Which one do you love? Or hate?
A free hangout, complete with pool table, video games, and computers?! You're right, the library doesn't have a pool table. But The ROAD does! It's a free drop-in center in Lakewood for ages 15-22.
They have lots of fun stuff to do -- yoga classes, field trips, movie nights, and even a garden! In addition, they have free counselors available (you don't need parent permission to visit them), and classes to help you get ready to live on your own. The Independent Living Skills Class covers credit cards, insurance, car maintenance, health and nutrition. Through this class you can earn incentives like plates, alarm clocks and silverware. And, if you attend certain classes, presentations and groups you can earn a free bus pass!
Tomorrow, May 6, is a free day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science! The current featured exhibit is Lizards & Snakes, with more than 60 live scaled and slimy creatures.
Click here for a complete list of free days at the DMNS.
Tomorrow is the day you can get a free comic book at participating locations! Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE to anyone who comes into their stores. I'll say it again, FREE!!!!
Check out the Free Comic Book Day website to find a participating location near you and for some great interviews with assorted comic books writers and illustrators.
The Enchantress by Michael Scott: The sixth and final book in the series The Secrets of the Nicholas Flamel. The fate of the human race in the hands of the divided twins of prophecy, a near-death Nicholas Flamel, a sword-wielding John Dee, and Danu Talis, who has yet to fall. (May 22)
Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Raised by Wolves #3): Alpha Bryn's humanity becomes a bigger problem as she takes her place in the werewolf Senate and tries to address a new threat to the pack (May 22)
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (Sequel to Graceling and Fire) (May 1): Eighteen-year-old Bitterblue, queen of Monsea, realizes her heavy responsibility and the futility of relying on advisors who surround her with lies as she tries to help her people to heal from the thirty-five-year spell cast by her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities. (May 1)
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments Series #5): When Jace vanishes with Sebastian, Clary and the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world and Clary infiltrates the group planning the world's destruction. (May 8)
Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Sequel to Divergent) I know both these books have long wait lists, but they're so worth it! This is the closest thing to The Hunger Games that I have found. (May 1)
Did you run out of time to read your assigned book? Don't even have enough time to read the cliff notes? Here is something sure to save your school grade - Cliff Notes, the video version.
It’s her last night of high school, and art-obsessed Lucy is on a mission to find the mysterious graffiti artist Shadow, whose work appears all over the city. Unfortunately, she’s stuck with Ed, the guy she’s been avoiding since their single awkward date years ago. Lucy’s so infatuated with Shadow that when Ed claims he knows where to find him, Lucy relents, and the two spend the evening visiting Shadow’s works. Like Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, this Australian novel is told in alternating chapters over the course of a single night. Graffiti Moon has earned rave reviews from readers in Australia and the U.S. Check it out!