Teen Stuff from Marshalltown Public Library

LOL-Recommended "Books We Love"

joa — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:10:16 GMT

These books were highly recommended by participants at the recent "Books We Love" session of LOL at MHS:

The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution and Birth in America

by Joseph Priestly (Adult Biography, B Priestly)

The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution (textbook)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare (TEEN PB Speare Book on Cassette)

Project 17 by Laurie Stolarz (TEEN Stolarz)

Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling (J Rowling JCD books)

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (J Funke book on cassette)

Slumdog Millionaire by Vikus Swarup (on order)

Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven (Adult SF, Niven)

Neuromancer by William Gibson (Adult SF, Gibson)

Brisingr (and Inheritance series) by Christopher Paolini (TEEN SF Paolini TEEN CD Book)

Legend of Luke ( rest of the Redwall series) by Brian Jacques (J Jacques)

Interesting Times (Discworld series) by Terry Pratchett (Adult SF, Pratchett)

Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen (Adult Fiction, Gruen Adult CD Book)

Alex Rider series (starts with Stormbreaker) by Anthony Horowitz (TEEN Horowitz,

TEEN PB Horowitz TEEN CD Book)

The Last Summer (of you and me) by Ann Brashares (Adult Fiction, Brashares)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Adult Fiction, Kidd Cassette book)

Midnight for Charlie Bone (& Charlie Bone series) by Jenny Nimmo (J Nimmo JCD Books)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (TEEN Chbosky)

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Adult Fiction, Hosseini Adult CD book movie version)

Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (TEEN Rhodes)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Adult SF, Adams TEEN SF, Adams)

I Am Messenger by Markus Zusak (TEEN Zusak TEEN CD book)

Looking for Alaska highly recommended

joa — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:15:51 GMT

I highly recommend Looking for Alaska by John Green. A Printz gold-medal winner and IA High School Book Award choice, this is one of the best novels I've read this year.

For mature teen readers through adults, the story is told by Miles, a new student in a southern boarding school, where he meets a close-knit group of friends, including a wild and mildly cryptic girl named Alaska. The voice of this coming-of-age story, although more contemporary, reminds me somewhat of A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

The characters are relateable and multi-layered, from Miles' roomate, nicknamed "the Colonel," to the stern headmaster the students try to outsmart with a sure-to-be-legendary senior prank. This is the best kind of novel....it made me laugh out loud at times, reach for the kleenex at others, and continue to think about it long after I finished the last page.

I will likely seek out Green's other books, An Abundance of Katherines, which earned a Prinz silver medal, and Paper Towns, a well-reviewed novel published this year.

New school built in Afghanistan in honor of The Kite Runner author

joa — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:03:57 GMT

This is cool, especially if you are a fan of author Khaled Hosseini's works, The Kite Runner, and A Thousand Splendid Suns:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6618147.html

Change Your Shirt program

joa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:30:37 GMT

The Breakfast Club summer program for teens hosted Des Moines vintage clothing designers, Julie and Melissa, for a workshop on altered tshirts. Several participants changed an existing shirt or two into a new, updated shirt.

Pictured modeling her new shirt, which started out as a regular Community Y tshirt is participant Melisa Fonseca. Visit the consignment shop online site (or head there in person),Vintage Vitae, where Julie and Melissa sell their own creations, as well as other local and Iowa designers.

For fans of author Stephanie Meyer

joa — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:09:04 GMT

Read about Twilight's Stephanie Meyer "in concert"...or sort of.

Also, watch for news about a book discussion open to teens and adults this summer of the first, and possibly second in the popular vampire series by Stephanie Meyer. Interested? Let us know and we'll make sure you get an email or phone call when the date is set.

Upcoming LOL programs

joa — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:13:49 GMT

In celebration of Valentine's Day and Library Lovers month, we'll have a special Book Lovers LOL on Tuesday, February 12th. Just come with an idea of a book to recommend...bring a copy if you can or email me and I'll bring one from here. PLUS we'll have treats, and prizes...we'll have some random drawings for some new books that are by authors we've read over the past couple years for LOL. All you have to do is come, and you have a chance of winning a new book.

LOL takes place at MHS in Mrs. Fritzell's Room (106) and takes place over the A and/or B lunch periods.

Also, there is still time to read (and copies available of) Stone in My Hand to read before our special visitor, Palestian Dana Awaad, comes on Tuesday, February 19th. Even if you don't have time to read or finish the book, please sign up to come and learn more about this country...as she'll be traveling from Ames to talk with you. She has recommended the following website if you want to learn more about the country before she visits.

Passia: Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs: www.passia.org

B'tselem: Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories: www.btselem.org

I also just read Three Wishes by Deborah Ellis...which I would highly recommend. Ellis interviewed Israeli and Palestian youth about living in this conflicted part of the world.

Publication date set for third book in Eragon (Inheritance) series

joa — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:29:24 GMT

BRISINGR, Book Three in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, will be published in September, 2008.

New York Times bestsellers , Eragon and Eldest have both been New York Times bestsellers and Eragon was made into a movie.

A reserve list is already started for Book #3. Call the youth dept. at 754-5738 and ask to have your name added.

For Twilight fans...

joa — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:54:18 GMT

Twilight series author Stephanie Meyer has posted the first chapter of the story from Edward's point of view (instead of Bella's). She hopes to someday publish the novel Midnight Sun, which will tell his story in its entirety.

Meanwhile, she is hard at work on the fourth in the series, Breaking Dawn, which is tentatively scheduled to be published Fall, 2008.

Also, just FYI in Twilight movie news, a publicized open casting call went out January 18th for the actor who will play Jacob Black.