YA Books and More

Interesting stats on my booktalk last week...

2012-01-31T10:33:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I went with some information gathering technology during this booktalk to see what I could gather about the readers here on my campus. This was done in a day (booktalked two days with a colleague) and they were mostly freshmen and sophomores.
12 classes
391 students
189 girls
202 boys

Books on the list:
20
Book trailers on the list:
6

The top five picks for girls:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coben (book trailer)
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe
The Poisoned House by Michael Ford ( book trailer)

The bottom five picks for girls:
The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolfe
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Ahhhh, the girlies. They will read guy books, girl books, non-fiction. You can tell from the top five that they run the gamut of genres. Most of the titles in the bottom five were interesting as well. Three of them were pitched for guys and girls but had a more grisly vibe to them. Girls don't seem to want to read about man-eating horses or zombie pit fights. Interestingly enough, not all of the book trailer books made it into the top ten for the girls. Most of them did, but Variant by Robison Wells wasn't in their top ten. As for Bad Taste in Boys? See the comment I made in the guys section below. Applies here as well.

The top five picks for guys:
Divergent by Veronica Roth (book trailers)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coban (book trailer)
Trapped by Marc Aronson
How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg

The bottom five picks for guys:
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Bunheads by Sophie Flack
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

It seems that boys never lose faith in non-fiction. The only two non-fiction titles were in the guys top five. My personal opinion is that when they get older, it becomes more difficult for guys to really find enjoyable non-fiction titles, which is why I always include 2-3 titles in the booktalk. Of the top ten titles for guys, all six booktrailers made it, which may show they boys tend to connect visuals to the choice of books. And the bottom picks? All girls books, with the exception of Freak Magnet, which is told in alternating guy and girl voices, where the main character is considered a "freak." The only caveat I would have is Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris, which was the very last book talked, and if we ran out of time, I had to give it a hasty talk and hope they kids could hear me as they exited en masse out of the lecture hall.

TOP 10 BOOKS FOR ALL STUDENTS (in order of popularity):
1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
2. Shelter by Harlan Coben (book trailer)
3. The Poisoned House by Michael Ford (book trailer)
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth (book trailer)
5. Trapped by Marc Aronson
6. How they Croaked by Georgia Bragg
7. Kick by Walter Dean Myers
8. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
9. Compromised by Heidi Ayarba
10. Wither by Lauren de Stefano (book trailer)

Would you look at that? The top four picks had book trailers. Another point of interest was the top 10 was divided right down the middle for traditional booktalking and the use book trailers. That's why I usually incorporate a 3:1 ratio of traditional to trailers.

So there's my little experiment using Google Forms and the cooperation of 391 students. I really liked this and could go on about different genres, how the books were talked (summary vs. audience participation), length of time for each book, order of book in the presentation et all, but this is just the general gist. Hope you enjoyed my rant : )

Another Digital Platform for Booktalking

2012-01-27T07:47:00.004-06:00

I enjoy using technology, and I've always used Prezi for booktalks. But I ran into some trouble where Prezi wasn't allowing me to upload images...don't know why. So after teaching several classes about Weebly, I decided to try that platform instead and found I really liked the layout! So here's the link to my booktalk website, including links to all authors, a list in genre form, and books with links to trailers.
http://www.nhsspring2012booktalk.weebly.com/

Genre Displays....again

2012-01-25T09:41:00.000-06:00

Finishing up the ones I hadn't already done. Here they are : )

Genre Displays

2012-01-24T10:59:00.007-06:00

Got this idea from a very dear friend....it sure looks a LOT better than just plain signage! I'll post another lot tomorrow

Shelter by Harlan Coben

2012-01-17T11:05:00.003-06:00

Penguin, 2011

Mickey Bolitar has lost everything. His father is dead, is mother in rehab. The only person left to care for him is his uncle Myron, which he isn't too thrilled about.

What is good, though, is the fact that finally Mickey is enrolled in a regular high school. When he was younger, he traveled the world with his parents, but not anymore. His first day of orientation, he meets Ashley, and they begin a slow, tentative relationship.

When the first week of school starts, Ashley has completely disappeared. Even stranger, the old Bat Lady in town (yes, the one who lives in the dilapidated house and everyone tells stories about her) tell Mickey his father is alive. But how could he be? Mickey saw him die....
The further Mickey gets entrenched in these circumstances, the more dangerous a game he's playing. And the people he meets may not be who they say they are.

Coben is best known for his adult mystery fiction, of which I'm a fan of. This is his first venture into young adult fiction, and he does an excellent job in transferring his writing to a completely different audience. YA readers of mystery will swallow this book in one sitting. The characters and their lives in high school isn't a shallow brushover, but conveys exactly how teens live in today's society. Readers will enjoy the relationship between Mickey and his peers with all of their quirks. When I read this, all I could think of was Law & Order: SVU - it has that kind of quality about it. Fast-paced, I'm looking forward to more from this author. These would be great segues into adult fiction for those teens ready to make that transition.

There's also a great book trailer for this one:
Shelter book trailer

E-books and Digital Books in the library - a prezi presentation

2012-01-11T13:13:00.000-06:00

Just a little information I came up with for a presentation for a district library meeting. Worked on it with a fellow librarian, Lindsey Mendrop.

E-books Digital books on Prezi

Book trailer: Variant by Robison Wells

2012-01-10T14:12:00.000-06:00

I can't get to Youtube, so it's posted on Schooltube and the NHS library webpage:

http://www.nisdtx.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=3590

http://www.schooltube.com/user/naomibates

Poetry Slamming technology

2012-01-06T12:59:00.000-06:00

This is a MUST see... this guy is talented and spot on!

The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf

2012-01-05T15:34:00.001-06:00

Candlewick, 2011

Question: What sank the Titanic? How many died? Would it be hard or easy to imagine this disaster?
Well, thanks to James Cameron and the phrase, "I'm King of the World!" I'm sure you can. But then again, there are many sides to the story, and this novel takes on these many sides in a remarkable way.

Meet the first voice in this novel-in-verse. His name is John Snow. And he's the one that had to pick up the dead left after the Titanic sunk. His tale told will make you think about the aftermath....

How about Charles Joughin, the baker? All he thought about was the bread, the passengers, and the food on board. It's his tale from the time he stepped on board till the time he was in the dark cold water....

Then there's Frankie Goldsmith, only nine years old when he sailed. He got to meet the captain and others, but he was on the lookout for dragons. He just didn't know dragons could live in ice...

And there are other voices as well, from the iceberg itself, calmly waiting for its destined meeting with Titanic to the rat who got a ride. And there are familiar voices, such as John Jacob Astor, Captain Smith and Margaret Brown. Whomever it is, the characters are all entangled with each other, sometimes bumping shoulders. Their lives are separate at first, but become more intertwined the further the novel takes the reader.

What's unique about this book is that each and every character (well, maybe not the rat - they really can't talk) was very much alive and a part of the disaster called the Titanic. Wolfe found his characters from true historical evidence, then weaved this into a unique and compelling novel-in-verse. He details all of this in the author's note, along with a brief biography of each person included in the novel. This was just as much of an intriguing read as the story itself because Wolfe also tells where his imagination for some of these characters became part of the story.

There are twenty-five voices in this novel, but don't let that intimidate or overwork the mind. Instead, each voice that comes to life will tell the story of the Titanic in twenty-five different ways but ultimately will only have two endings. All told in novel-in-verse, this is the story of the very beginning of the Titanic from its first rivet to its last collapse. And while the prose is beautiful, the poetry is amazing. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and this book is the perfect fit for this milestone.

This isn't necessarily a novel for teens, but is a fantastic historical fiction for any collection. The way the author approaches this subject through NIV will make it more interesting to those teens like enjoy this genre and readily read YA authors like Ellen Hopkins, Lisa Schroeder, et al. Highly recommended

Ebooks and Libraries: A Stream of Concerns

2012-01-02T10:05:00.000-06:00

Ebooks and Libraries: A Stream of Concerns

I've really tried to justify the using of Kindles and Nooks in the library, and I've really been researching this topic. I just don't think that I'm ready to jump into this whole concept. Right now we have 1:1 netbook to student ratio, and I quite like the free e-books available to them..... I really like this blog. More to come

Trapped by Marc Aronson

2011-12-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

How the world recused 33 miners from 2,000 feet below the Chilean desert. Atheneum Books, 2011

Now, you may think, "Not another book about a sensational current event tragedy turned triumph again!" and if you are, then you don't know Marc Aronson. This is much more than the Chilean miners. It's about mining, history, technology, current events, psychology, aeronautics, and politics, all of which Aronson delivers in a short but powerful book about hope.

Aronson writes in tandem about the Chilean miners while giving back history on mining itself, from early Green and Roman mythology to current books about miners and their god Hephaistos. What grabs the readers attention is the background details Aronson writes about, including the importance of mining and how the entire world rests with what miners bring to the top for consumers around the world. Since the San Jose' mine was a copper mine, Aronson also goes into detail not only about the history of copper and its uses, but also incorporates a pictures of the small town of Copiapo, where the miners and their families lived.
Aronson also gives the reader information on the psychology of the miners, and how they were able to stay months underground without any mental or physical damage to themselves or others, which is the true miracle in and of itself.

Images are always a great part of the storytelling, and Aronson incorporates some powerful images, including an aerial view of a diamond mine in Alberta Canada, to the very first note that was pulled up from the miners when the first hole was punched through over 13 days later. Diagrams of the drilling, pictures of the Chilean desert...they are all there to show how bleak this disaster could have become but thankfully didn't. The world and its humanity pulled it out to make these men come back to life.

Finally, the afterword is a must read for all librarians and/or teacher teaching research. Aronson takes the reader through the process of researching and having to use the internet, which could definitely be something to share with students as they begin the reading process. This author is always insightful, interesting, and intelligent. This is an easy book to read, with only 111 pages to the story and afterward, but I agree with Aronson. It'll make readers run to the computer searching for more. I know I did. Highly recommended for JH/HS

Variant by Robison Wells

2011-12-14T10:44:00.004-06:00

HarperTeen, 2011
Benson has lived in over thirty foster homes in the Pittsburgh area. He's tired of it all, and wants out, wants some normalcy. That's why he was so surprised when Ms. Vaughn came. Filling out a scholarship to Maxfield Academy on his own, Benson was happy to learn he had been accepted and now he and Ms. Vaughn were on their way there.

As they pull up to this prestigious school, Benson is filled with anticipation. Within the first hour there, he knows something is not right. The door that closed behind him was locked. Becky, the first person he met for initiation, is acting strangely. And the kids beating on the windows? What was that all about?

It doesn't take long for Benson to realize that he's trapped. There are no teachers, no adults. Just three factions of teens - Society, whose members run security; Havoc, whose members run the cafeteria; and Variant....those that do the maintenance. Benson is being coerced to join Society and Havoc, but he places himself in Variant's group, all the while planning on how to get out....

Stories begin to emerge about those that try to escape. No one ever has, according to those that have been at Maxfield Academy the longest. But why would anyone want to leave? They have food, warmth, education, which is much better than being in foster care or homeless. But it doesn't dissuade Benson from plotting, even if it means facing detention....which no one ever comes back from. But how to escape? There are cameras everwhere, and the schedules vary - sometimes going to class at 7 am, sometimes at 10 am. Big brother is watching and listening to every action and word. The Iceman is always there, handing out punishments and rewards on-screen, knowing exactly what's happening. Benson has no escape. Until.....

Lord of the Flies...meet Big Brother. Wells serves out an excellent YA novel with twists and turns that the readers won't expect in a science fiction novel. Wells's writing will take you from the first page to the last with a big surprise right when you least expect it. He creates a dystopian world set in the real world, call it a world within a world, and provokes the reader to either love of hate those who want to stay or go. For those guys who want a great thriller comparable to Kevin Brooks' Being, be sure to put this one in their hands. This is just the first in a trilogy, and I can't WAIT for the next one (I have a love/hate relationship with cliff hanger endings)!!!! Recommended for high school.

Kill You Last by Todd Strasser

2011-12-12T11:20:00.001-06:00

Shelby lives a privileged life. She drives a Jeep, shops whenever and wherever, and has a father who adores her. Her best friend Roman and she are inseparable and it seems like they always have been - through the good times, through the bad times. And it's about to get worse for Shelby.

Shelby's father, a photographer, has been called in question for two missing models whom Shelby's dad was the last to see after a portfolio session with each one. What makes it worse is that Shelby's father already has a rather skeezy reputation with young models, which puts him and Shelby's mother at odds with each other. But they continue to stay married, Shelby's mother hanging onto hope that her husband will leave it all behind.

Not only has her father been called in for questioning, but weird emails begin to come in, threatening Shelby,
"I like you Shelby Sloan. if I have to kill you, I'll kill you last."
At first, she ignores them but they keep coming, offering tidbits of information no one else could possibly know. She tells her parents, her best friend, and now they're afraid for Shelby's life as well.

Who could it be from? It seems the only person Shelby can trust is Roman, but can she? What about Gabriel, the ex-model who now works for her father? Or could it be Whit, a reporter who tries too hard to be Shelby's friend, but only wants to scoop?

This latest mystery from Strasser will have you on the edge of your seat as you read this another excellent book in a trilogy of mysteries from this author. A fast page-turner, the reader will connect instantly with Shelby all the while trying to fathom what is going on and who is the murderer. For those of you who enjoy this genre, you will NOT be disappointed. In my opinion, this is the best of the three. It looks like Strasser hit the high note with this latest one. Recommended.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

2011-12-09T11:16:00.000-06:00

Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2011
Kate Grable is a good girl. She doesn't party, she does well in school, she knows what she's going to do in the future. She has a best friend, Rocky, who is Kate's opposite - beautiful, talented, loved by everyone. And to help supplement her career as a physician someday, Kate works with the football team as the manager as well as assists her teacher in a lab at school.

The trouble begins when Kate finds out that Coach has been giving the players steroids. She decides to take matters into her own hands and get rid of the steroids, but before she can it's too late. There's something in the vials that aren't what they seem, and soon most of the players, including Mike, the caveman, handsy one, are spewing black stuff from their mouths are turning the color of stinky cheese...and they are beginning to smell like them too. And it all happens at the first party of the year.

Kate, who usually doesn't go, ends up going with Rocky, but when things go awry, she doesn't know who to turn to. But quarterback Aaron does, and he turns to Kate for answers, as well as a date. But are romance and zombies a good mix, or will Kate have to make a decision about her love life because of contamination?

If you've read serious books for awhile, pick this one up for a great refreshing read of humor, romance and zombies. Harris takes a subject that has been on the forefront for awhile, but gives it a zippiness and gallows humor that makes it stand apart from other zombie books. Harris's character run the gamut of typical teens from the cheerleader to the quarterback to the overly hormonal littler brother Kate has to deal with. The adults only add to the books whimsy. Fans of zombies will enjoy it as will girls who enjoy romance. It's got a great cover too! Recommended for JH/HS

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

2011-12-09T11:00:00.000-06:00

Publisher: G.P, Putnam's Sons, 2011
Rory was raised in a small town in Louisiana, but that doesn't mean her aspirations are small. Before her senior year, her parents are offered a position in England, and Rory jumps at the chance to go to school there and soak in all of the culture. And off she goes to Hawthorne to live out her English adventure. It's there that she meets her roommate Jazza as well as the handsome Jerome from the boys' school. Rory tells them stories about her crazy family and their weird habits. In turn, Jerome fills Rory in on the latest...the new Ripper killings...

Despite all of the security cameras in the city of London, a murderer is successfully killing people and Londoners as well as visitors are very much into Ripper-mania. But not Rory and Jazza. Both find it creepy, but it gets worse when a murder takes place near their school. When lockdown begins for students, Rory's curiousity gets the better of her.

What she finds out is that she has a unique ability none of her friends have. It's a gift she never knew she had until she came to London. People she sees aren't necessarily the people others can see. The murderer knows Rory has this gift, and now he's after her to stop her from finding out who he is and what he wants.

Talk about a mashup! Johnson has done a fantastic job of creating a murder mystery book full of the supernatural as well as romance. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy the book because of its setting and the intrigue of Old Lond and Jack the Ripper. Others will enjoy it because of the ghostly presence and the gifts that Rory and other characters hold. Mystery fans will read through this quickly to see who or what is killing people and why. Recommended for JH/HS.

Tech Tool Twinkle - Just in time for the holidays!

2011-12-01T11:30:00.000-06:00

Throughout this semester, I've been tooling around on the internet intermittently (try saying that three times in a row!) and found some wonderful new sites, some beta sites and others your may know about already. I thought I'd share them with you so if you get bored during the holidays, or if there's snow on the ground but your internet still works, these may be some things you'd like to incorporate into your transliteral world of co-teaching for the greater good of students, who seem to know more about social media than educational media online.

New Sites for Sore Eyes:
1. Projeqt - http://www.projeqt.com/
This is a site du jour, where you can create the most visually beautiful presentations I've ever seen. They call themselves the creative storytelling platform, and most certainly can be! Find one of two themes you like, and start creating with your words and images. Add sounds, RSS, twitter feeds, video and more. Recommended that you watch the video tutorial first

2. Jux - http://www.jux.com/
Beautiful presentations can be made here using a variety of settings to create a unique slideshow. Create and mash together from six different templates from slide show, to video, to a top 10 list. The images you place in your presentation will stretch throughout the entire slide...that's the only caveat to this site

3. Tripline - http://www.tripline.net/
This could be such a powerful tool for all curricular levels. You map out a trip, and add details and the trip becomes interactive. Includes nice music you won't have to download. Think of the possibilities with this one! This is also an app for iphone.

4. Stixy - http://www.stxy.com/
This is an alternative to glogster - not as showy, but that's what makes this a quality site. You can add photos, notes, documents (ie Word, Excel PDF), a to-do list and a calendar. Website addresses become links. Easy to use with younger students, but the simple template makes it pleasing.

5. Popplet - http://www.popplet.com/
This bulletin-board type site is set to show off your creations from photos of a project to creating a flowchart of ideas that sync together. You can use this alone or ask others to create with you. The user can organize each "popple" by height, width, columnar or vertical as well as use multiple links to map each popple created. Choose colors, add links and images....this is a great tool that can be used with ease.

Two others I'm demo-ing:
9Slides - http://www.9slides.com/ Right now, it's in the beta stage and I'm on the list to test it, but haven't been successful is creating one yet. In short, this is a mashup of video and powerpoint. Looks to have potential

Masher - http://www.masher.com/ Another interesting video creation site online. Easy to use, it mimics moviemaker.

So, here are some virtual jingle treats for you. Enjoy!!

CommonCraft and Plagiarism - Great combo!

2011-11-15T11:39:00.000-06:00

It's just a link, but a great one.....
http://www.commoncraft.com/video/plagiarism

Book trailer: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2011-11-14T09:05:00.000-06:00

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg

2011-11-10T08:52:00.000-06:00

Walker & Co., 2011
We all know how Cleopatra died, right? Well....maybe not. How about Albert Einstein or Henry VIII? Twenty famous people in history are dug up for a second exam in this new book. It's biography meets forensic science in this book, all with a dash of the gory and humor.
Death by itself isn't pleasant, and some of the ways the people in this book died are truly sad. Interestingly enough, this book is written in chronological order starting with King Tut and ending with Albert Einstein. And with the chronology, comes a pretty interesting look at the ways people would try to ward off disease, infection, pus, gout, draining of the stomach and the black fingers of Marie Curie.
Georgia Bragg does such an excellent job of weaving together history and humor. A few excerpts from the introduction lets the reader know the style of this book that permeates throughout the pages:

"There are funny crying parts and disgusting stupid parts and hideous cool parts, but it's pretty much one train wreck after another. And who can tear they eyes away from a train wreck?"

"Looking back from where we sit now, people a long time ago sure did some dumb stuff - and it's definitely the kind of stuff worth writing about."

And that's what hooked me not only into reading about these past lives of famous people (including Christopher Colombus, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, and Charles Dickens) but going to the interet to learn more about these amazing people's lives.

So, if you're awash with all the dark and suspenseful YA books out there, this is a refreshing read that'll not only make you laugh out loud, but also explore the darker side of these luminaries. Recommended for junior high and high school

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

2011-10-31T13:17:00.000-05:00

Amber sneaks out of her house this morning. She’s been thinking about it for quite awhile and she’s prepared herself. She has all the essentials to get her by: jelly beans, drumsticks, and a limo waiting to take her to the ocean. It’s the day before the thing she is dreading most, and she has only this one day to herself to figure it all out…

Cade is standing in the aquarium mesmerized by the swirling, floating jellyfish. He’s here on purpose to lose himself however he can. He thinks he’s prepared for what going to happen. It’s the day before the thing he is dreading the most, and he’s hoping to find the courage to face it, using this one day.

Amber and Cade meet accidentally, and this is where their journey begins. It starts out quite innocently, no one daring to tell their story, or what is going to happen. But slowly, the stories pour forth along with the pain of decisions needing to be met. Heads: you lose; tails: you lose. Is there even a winning side? Both Amber and Cade aren’t sure, but they do know that this is a day of oxymorons – happiness found inside the overwhelming fears both must face.

Is one day enough?

Lisa Schroeder’s novel in verse will carry the reader forward with the story of each person slowly coming to the surface without the reader losing interest. Her story is poetic, not only in the cirumstances both teens finds themselves in, but also in her concrete poetry she scatters throughout the pages. Redemption can be found even in the darkest of places and Schroeder’s novel captures these two elements with clarity and beauty. After reading this book, it did make me stop and think about both character’s situation and what tough decisions in life both have to make. That is a sign of a quality book. Recommended.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary- Clement Moore

2011-10-25T13:33:00.000-05:00

Amy thought she was going to have a peaceful summer while her Aunt Hyacinth was in China. How hard would it be to take care of her aunt’s herb farm in the beautiful hill country of Texas? The worst thing Amy encountered so far were trying to keep the goats out of the yard.

Until she ran after them in her underwear. And met Ben McCullogh…

The McCulloghs own the ranch in Barnett that surrounds Aunt Hyacinth’s small farm. Ben (and everyone in town) has always known the Goodnights have a little bruja to them. And Amy and Ben’s first chance meeting causes even more friction. Not only do the families have a tenuous relationship, but a recent project on the McCulloughs ranch has brought on even more tension. Long dead bodies have been excavated, and the ghost of the Mad Monk now haunts Amy.

Amy and her sister Phin are now part of the anthropological dig headed up by a team of UT students and their professor. The bones seem to be from long ago, but it’s the dangerous and threatening ghost that tries to harm Amy that is the foremost concern for the sisters. Amy now realizes she’s haunted, but doesn’t know what the ghost wants. All he tells her is to be careful (Alto! Cuidado!) but is that enough?

Ben doesn’t want to help Amy find solutions, nor does he believe in hauntings. Even his worst enemies, the Kellys (including the deputy) tell Amy to stay away from trouble and quit stirring up the community. Amy would love more than to stop, but her haunting won’t let her go. It’s telling her to find him…but will it lead to more danger that it’s worth? What exactly is going on at the McCullough ranch?

A great ghost story founded on Texas legend, this novel will be one where teens will find a great mixed genre of supernatural and mystery. The Goodnight girls’ personalities, as well as that of the family, will carry the reader, while the sharp romance between Ben and Amy will carry the reader even further. Adding a flair for modern forensics and ghost-hunting, this novel balances past history with today’s techniques readers may be familiar with. It’s Ghost Adventures meets CSI – all in a great YA book. For a Texas native myself, Clement-Moore’s writing captures the heart and scenery of Texas, from the families to the folklore to the personality of small town Texas.

Okay, a little shameless self-promotion

2011-10-21T13:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, there are things I post on my Twitter feed that I don't put on my blog. If you want to see links to sites, comments et al, look at:

@yabooksandmore

teacher librarian with a twist of technology

Zombie Books

2011-10-19T09:22:00.003-05:00

With all the interest about zombies, I decided to compile this list of suggestions, add to and tweak it a little, and post it just in time for Halloween! Check out the trailers with the Youtube links : )

My Boyfriend is a Monster: I Love Him to Pieces (graphic novels)

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0jZ24bsy3c

Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? By Max Brallier

Bad Taste in Boys- Carrie Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiOvsdxDAEI

Zombies Vs Unicorns- Holly Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv7V1u0FBXo

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—Seth Grahame Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1JdPvyy93I

The Forest of Hands and Teeth. The Dead Tossed Waves. The Dark and Hollow Places. by Carrie Ryan.
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877246
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877246
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK3us21XFvE

The Zombie Survival Guide: How to live like a King after the Outbreak. by Etienne Guerin DeForest

World War Z by Max Brooks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fynNJEjbPTw

Boneshaker by CheriePriest

Generation Dead series by Dan Waters

Zombie Haiku by RyanMecum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlndPmjDHWA

The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2-zYcD-dDs

Rot and Ruin; Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFPpyaGhai0

Z by Michael Thomas Ford
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eWq2aMAUx0

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A8aLLRos9o

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by by Ehrich Van Lowe

The Cellar by A.J. Whitten

Dust by Joan Frances Turner
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877260
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877260
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXkV1B79jw&feature=relmfu

The Boy Who Couldn't Die by William Sleator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZyOicLYR6o&feature=related

The Enemy by Charlie Higson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jUXsJOlmoY

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqG6ODZ8ykY

The Zombie Autopsies by Steven Schlozman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqFbkmTpsU

I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked it by Adam Selzer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Oxx1RBEGQ

Zombie Blondes by Brian James
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjLux0IRfsA

Book trailer: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

2011-10-14T14:06:00.001-05:00

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-10-12T09:04:00.003-05:00

2011 HarperCollins

In New Chicago, there are five factions of societies: The Dauntless, who have no fear; the Erudite, who have knowledge; the Amity, who are kind and open; the Abnegation, who possess selflessness; and the Candor, who are honest. Then there are the factionless, who don't belong to any group, but are drifters living on the streets, reliant on handouts. Then there are the Divergent....

Beatrice has only known Abnegation. She sees the selfless life she leads, but when she and her brother Caleb go to school, her eyes automatically turn to the Dauntless - they intrigue her. Now, Beatrice is to go through the ceremony which all sixteen year olds go through and make her ultimate decision, whether to stay in her faction or leave it completely behind and start a new life in a new faction. She also carries a dark secret with her. She is Divergent, a special set of people who possess traits of more than one faction.

Her brother chooses the Erudite, a faction known to stir trouble with the Abnegation faction, who are in charge of the government. Beatrice chooses Dauntless, and a new name - Tris. Her family is devastated, and Tris knows that she'll never see them again, but what waits her for during her initiation process into Dauntless gives her no chance to mourn. She'll either be part of the faction or factionless if she fails.

It is during her initiation that Tris understands more about herself, what she is capable of doing, and the secret of her status as Divergent. Tris also uncovers a plot created by the Erudite, threatening the existence of the factions and causing chaos and death. But is knowing enough? Is Tris strong enough to fight against this plot, or become a part of it? Faction over blood is the Dauntless credo...Tris has to make the ultimate decision.

This is a excellent novel for those who enjoy reading dystopian fiction. The author takes the reader into New Chicago and her writing creates images for the reader, a trait seen in quality writing. It is the characters, though, that are the strong part of the novel, from those showing love to those who are reckless, to the evil a human can possess. Adults also play a strong role in this novel and aren't use simply as backdrops to the situations Roth writes about. A sequel will follow May 2012. Recommended for junior high and high school.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

2011-10-04T11:08:00.001-05:00

Conor was awakened by the monster one night. But when he looks at it, this thing that is a yew tree, he isn't afraid of it. In fact, he really doesn't have any feeling for it, because it's just a dream...

Conor lives with his mother in house beside a graveyard with a yew tree. His father remarried and now lives in America, and his bossy grandma comes by once in awhile, the way Conor likes it. It's just him and his mum, and he's happy with that. When her hair begins to fall out, he understands. Her continuous trips to the bathroom to throw up after treatments have become part of their schedule.

At school, Conor is alone. The bully beats up on him, but he won't raise a fist or fight back. He won't speak to his best friend Lily, because of the secret she revealed to everyone. No one notices him.

But when the monster calls, Conor goes. And the monster is going to tell Conor three stories. The last one will be the one Conor tells. And that's the scarierst one of all. It's nearly 12:07....time for the monster to come out.

Don't let the cover fool you - this isn't one to put with the scary reads. Instead, this is a hauntingly beautiful story about the power of love and strength of hope. Ness has captured such a perfect story that relies on allegories and double entendres that serious readers will understand. What exactly is this monster and the crazy stories he tells? Although Conor may not understand, the reader begins to see the whole picture. Ness takes the reader into the mind of Conor, how he justifies his actions, and how he deals with this most difficult issue of his life.
It's been a long time since I cried through a book, and this one packs an emotional punch. This isn't a book just for children, but a whole range of audiences about love, loss, and letting go. Highly recommended.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2011-10-03T08:09:00.000-05:00

By Ransom Riggs, Quirk Books, 2011

When he was young, Jacob loved his grandfather's stories about his life, especially the ones about the peculiar children. They all lived at Miss Peregrin's Home for Orphans on a tiny island in Wales, and each had different talents. They ranged from being able to lift huge boulders, to being invisible, to being able to float through the air. And there were also the monsters that were chasing Jacob's grandfather....

But as Jacob grew older, the less he listened to his grandfather's meandering tales. They were for children, and he knew his grandfather, in his old age, didn't make as much sense anymore. But one day, while Jacob was trying hard not to work in his family's business, he got a call from his grandfather. And this call changed Jacob's life.

Now, at sixteen, Jacob hears a cryptic message from his beloved grandfather, now deceased. He has a recurring dream about his grandfather telling him to "find the bird, find the loop, find the grave." His other dreams are about monsters, whose mouths are lined with dangerous teeth and tentacles. Now, he sits in Dr. Golan's office, telling him about these dreams, along with the stress of finding his grandfather's dead body and the monster he truly saw, which his doctor says is trigged by this stress.

The best curative for Jacob, under Dr. Golan's orders, is to find out about his grandfather's past, and now Jacob has a chance to find out what exactly his grandfather was talking about by going to this mysterious island in Wales. But are they truly tales or the truth?

Riggs writes a fantastical story about the modern world and those that reside beyond imagination. Not only is the story an amazing adventure, but how Riggs manages to incorporate old and unusual photographs into the story is what makes this book stand out from any other I've read. The photographs are part creepy, part intriguing, but the mash-up of both the narrative and images makes for an excellent read for adults and young adults alike. Riggs keeps the reader engaged with Jacob's discoveries about the truth behind his grandfather's stories and the possibility of leaping across time. Perfect for fantasy readers and highly recommended by this reveiwer. Publisher book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrNyVhSJUU

New Book Trailer: Stay by Deb Caletti

2011-09-29T16:44:00.003-05:00

And for those that can't access Youtube at school but have a smart phone:

Books about Bullying - a booklist

2011-09-28T13:39:00.000-05:00

I had this on 22books.com, but decided to share it on my pretty pink blog and add a few more books I've read since then. I've highlighted those books I feel are among the best when dealing with this subject. So, if you need a book about bullying, try some of these titles:

Blank Confession by Pete Hautman

You by Charles Benoit

By the Time Your Read This I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Shrefer

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

The Ruling Class by Francine Pascal

Bullyville by Francine Prose

Freak Show by James St. James

Angel by Cliff McNish

Endgame by Nancy Gardener

Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia

Inventing Elliot by Graham Gardner

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Breaking Point by Alex Flinn

Bruiser by Neal Schusterman

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Stay by Deb Caletti

The Guardian by Joyce Sweeney

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin

Raiders Night by Robert Lipsyte

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

(NF) Letters to a Bullied Girl: Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner

(NF) 101 Facts about Bullying: What Everyone Should Know by Meline Kervorkian

A Librarian's Life Split In Two...

2011-09-21T13:34:00.000-05:00

This morning, I had the privilege to be interviewed by a college student for a project. After asking all of the typical questions about libraries and my field, he asked me if the role of a librarian has changed because of technology. Of course, you know the answer to that. It's not about books anymore....

But it was the next question that made me really think. He then asked, "Which do you feel is more important, books or technology?" My immediate reply was both. I was split between both because of the integration and integral pieces of both.
It was after he left that I really REALLY started to think about it. Books.....or technology? Where does my heart truly lie? It's like asking which came first, the chicken or the hen. Back in 1996 when I was a teacher, I got my first taste of educational technology, but it was the books that sustained me. Three years later and a full-fledged librarian, I became intrigued with technology, even creating my first ever blog (which I thought was a place to store bookmarks) with books surrounding me, still part of my landscape. It was like having an older child and its youngest sibling, being able to predict one, still grappling with the behavior of the other.

But I digress. My love has always been books, from the first one I've read to the latest one I'm reading now. It's the foundation, information and story they have that makes them individually valuable or worthless; time well spent or time spent on. It was around during King Solomon's reign is still exists thousands of years later. Books fill a need for me as a librarian. It showcases my talents, my relationships with them and an individual or groups or readers, my abilities as that traditional librarian who knows her books.

But then there's the technology. A sweeping change across the face of our field, transforming what people see everyday into something far more grand and beautiful. It's transformed my booktalks and is meeting the needs of today's teens, who are all bound up in video and instantaneous virtual gratification. It makes those paper projects dull in comparison to the shiny LCD screened in project only technology is capable of. It puts books in the hands of those technophiles. It's not about old school, it's about trending.

So, without a list and with still a lot of thinking, I still don't know which would outway the other. I still have a lot of thinking to do. And the interviewer, a former student who graduated from my school 2007? He told me he was NEVER a reader until his senior year. It was during a booktalk I did where I captured him with the trailer for Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars that he flipped and become a true reader. I made a difference using books and technology. I wonder.... would it have been the same without technology?

Fall 2011 Booktalk Presentation

2011-09-09T13:34:00.001-05:00

Fall booktalk 2011 on Prezi

New Book Trailer: Cha0s by Rachel Ward

2011-09-08T14:03:00.000-05:00

It's been a HECTIC beginning of school year. I finished this a few weeks ago, but haven't had time to upload it yet. I'll have the link and download on the NHS library webpage and Schooltube soon. For now, enjoy it here and on Youtube : )

Ashes by Ilsa J. Blick

2011-08-10T16:21:00.001-05:00

Alexandra knew she needed to get away. Aunt Hannah was all she had left, but then came the deadly diagnosis – a tumor in her brain. Alex has been through enough treatments, including the PEBBLES, nano-sized beads implanted in her brain to help kill the tumor. But Alex has decided to make some of her own decisions, which is why she’s in the Waucamaw Mountains, miles away from her old life, no treatments just serenity….

It’s there that she meets Jack, and older man, his dog Mina, and his granddaughter Ellie, who Alex considers a major brat. What can go wrong does, but then something odd happens. Birds begin screaming, deer jump off cliffs, and Alex’s head feels like it’s about to explode….and then it stops. When Alex picks herself up, she see Jack, dead on the ground, and Ellie scared out of her wits.

Alex also notices a change in herself. She experiences things again that she hasn’t been able to since the chemotherapy started, like taste and smell. More than that, she can sense the mood and energy of things through her sense of smell, and something is definitely not right. This is made all the more apparent when she and Ellie come upon a campsite and see two teens in a grisly situation – they aren’t normal, and they’re killing and eating their campmates…

Soon Alex and Ellie meet up with Tom, and their trek through the wilderness goes from bad to worse. The only thing keeping them alive is the survival skills both Alex and Tom learned and Mina, the faithful dog that keeps close to her. Now, Alex must not only keep Ellie safe but figure out just what happened and how far this eerie phenomenon has gone and why people, especially teens, are changing into monsters…

If your teens are gobbling (pun intended) up zombie books, this one will do your collection justice. Ilsa J. Blick not only reinforces her novel with page-turning action, but also creates a world gone horribly wrong through one energy blast that completely destroys all things humans now take for granted, making Alex’s world even more difficult to survive in. The reader will find himself submerged in the details of this new world after “the Zap” as well as in the plot only to find that what one expects to happen, doesn’t always. The ending takes a complete twist and Blick leaves this book begging for the sequel, which I want RIGHT NOW but sigh…this book doesn’t come out until September 2012. Part horror, part dystopia, this one will grab attention from the first page. Recommended
Published by Egmont, 2011

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

2011-08-08T09:02:00.000-05:00

Victor Frankenstein wasn’t always a monster creator. At fifteen years old, Victor lives with his family near Geneva in the Frankenstein home. His father, a diplomat, tends business and travels frequently while his mother stays home. Of all of Victor’s siblings though, it’s his twin brother Konrad that Victor is closest to. Another family member, their distant cousin Elizabeth, has also come to live with them and the three make a lively pair.

Although Victor and Konrad are twins, their personalities are vastly different. While Konrad is gentle and slow to anger, Victor is vicarious, always looking for adventure and prone to anger quickly. Elizabeth, with a fiery temper, is not one to back down, but also realizes the importance of kindness. And as with all twins, there is definitely sibling rivalry. This rivalry becomes apparent when Elizabeth gives more attention to Konrad than Victor.

One boring day, the three and their curiosity lead them to an old cellar door in the castle where they find the Dark Library. In the stacks are books of alchemy and old magic, including the Occulta Philosphia, and when the boys’ father finds them there, he forbids them to ever come back. But when Konrad falls deathly ill, Victor will stop at nothing to save his brother, including taking this dark book from the Bibliotecka Obscura, to find a solution.

Without the help of the old magic, both Elizabeth and Victor know they’ll lose Konrad. They soon learn about an alchemist, a dangerous castoff, who is willing to help them if they can procure the ingredients for an elixir to help Konrad. But is Polidori, the alchemist, truly trying to help or using them for his own dark gain?

This is an excellent premise to the birth of Victor Frankenstein in the classic tale by Mary Shelley. Part historical fiction, part fantasy, the reader will be drawn into the adventure, and mystery all the having the opportunity to see Victor become the man known in legend and what circumstances brought him to that dark place. Not only does Oppel create an adventure mystery, but he also adds the element of teenage relationships into the mix, giving this book credence for both guys and girls to pick up and read. Oppel leaves the ending open for another dark look into the making of Victor Frankenstein (this is Book One), but for now, this book does an excellent job of that. Recommended. Published by Simon & Schuster, 2011. Due out 8/11.

ALA Book trailer presentation

2011-06-26T20:56:00.003-05:00

Here's the link to the prezi. Just an FYI: I updated the livebinders book trailer resources to include online photo editors : )

http://prezi.com/m68smuvk3bi9/book-trailers-making-students-want-to-read-created-by-naomi-bates-northwest-high-school/

http://prezi.com/4knxruygzvuv/book-trailer-survey/

Prezi booktalks/lists

2011-06-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone for coming to the presentation at SLSA day in Ft. worth! I learned a lot and enjoyed sharing as well : ) Here are the two link for the presentations I showed:

http://prezi.com/tv8s3pv207ky/fall-2010-ya-booktalk/ (Fall 2010)

http://prezi.com/fnd9om_dpp4h/spring-2011-booktalk/ (Spring 2011)

Enjoy!!

Num8ers: The Cha0s by Rachel Ward

2011-06-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

Adam knew he inherited the gift from his mother. He sees their numbers, the day they'll die, and it's a curse. His father died before he got to know Adam, and his mother passed away nine years ago. Now, it's the year 2026, and Adam knows something terrible is going to happen soon - 01012027....

Sarah is trapped. What's happened at her house has left permanent damage emotionally, and she's now holding onto the one good thing that could happen in her situation - a baby. And she knows she has to get away from Him. Her mother has turned a blind eye, and Sarah can't take it anymore. But more than that, it's the nightmare that keeps recurring, that of a scarred monster stealing her baby and taking it through flames and fire. She can shake the nightmare she's living, but she can't shake the nightmare that keeps coming back to haunt her.

Now in London, Adam and Sarah's paths cross. She can't help but be repulsed and drawn to Adam at the same time. He doesn't look like the monster in her dreams, but she draws away from him. Adam, on the other hand is drawn to Sarah, including her number, which isn't like the thousands of others he's seen. She's a beacon of hope in a world set to destruct on New Year's Day.

No sooner have their paths crosses, when they're separated again. And Nan, Adam's great-grandmother is telling him to do something his mother told him to always keep a secret. She's trying to persuade him that he can save lives, and numbers can be changed...but can they? Adam only hopes he can find Sarah, who is a missing link in this awful event, and he needs to find her quickly before their world ends in destruction.

Rachel Ward has once again written a thrilling novel that carries readers to the very end. Suspenseful, intriguing, she creates characters and a future world that is thoroughly believable. Although this is a sequel, it can also be read as a stand-alone book, which is a trait of an excellent follow-up to an original story. Teens will love this one because of the fast-paced situations and the ultimate ending. A quick look at the third book in this trilogy at the end of this one will make all readers hold on for another great book. Recommended

Stay by Deb Caletti

2011-05-27T12:25:00.002-05:00

Clara thought she'd found love, but what she didn't realize is that she'd found obsession as well.
After a bad relationship in the past, Clara sees Christian for the first time and she feels that connection. Even though they go to different schools, she makes the time to "bump" into him again, and a deeper relationship soon begins. She likes the way Christian makes her feel - wanted, cared for, concerned about - and the way she can be a new person around him. He's a good person, but sometimes, good is just a layer hiding the real truth.

Now, Clara and her father have moved away from Seattle to get away from the person Christian really is, and Clara wants no contact from him, this time from fear instead of love. They settle down in a small seaside village and soon become part of the community.

Life goes well for Clara and her father, but there are still secrets that are lurking under the happiness. Clara has become increasingly aware that her dad is hiding something about her mother through conversations she overhears between him and a close friend. Clara also has to get used to sharing her world, not only between herself and her father, but also with herself, when she begins a fresh friendship with Flinn, whom she meets by chance.

Always looking over her shoulder, Clara soon begins to find some breathing space, until a message comes through on her new phone - from Christian. Soon, she finds herself living a life of paranoia, convinced that he'll find her, that he's still around....and her paranoia then becomes reality....

Deb Caletti has written a beautiful novel, surrounded with layers of descriptive and poetic writing filled with witty metaphors, ironies, and narrative. She not only breathes life into her characters, but creates images through her words, so that what the reader is taking in becomes visual in their minds (I, for one, would LOVE to meet Clara's dad!!) Caletti's book is serious in tone, but her deft writing also provides some comic relief in the form of all things, a seagull, which she uses at perfect opportunities to give the reader a pause, just for a moment, in Clara's life. The adult characters in this novel aren't separated that far from the teen main character, but become a huge part of the story, that of a daughter and her father. But above all, it's about relationships on all levels, from friendship, to family, to loves present and past and how to make the decision to leave or stay. And this theme will draw readers in. Highly recommended

new book trailer! Z by Michael Thomas Ford

2011-05-20T10:56:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, I make a good book trailer, sometimes I KICK BUTT on one...this is definitely one I feel is the one of the best I've created so far....enjoy! You can download it on my NHS Library webpage as well as link from youtube or schooltube. NHS Library link: http://www.nisdtx.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=3587

The Horrors of Andersonville: Life and Death Inside a Civil War Prison by Catherine Gourley

2011-05-18T14:22:00.002-05:00

Some of the first pictures of war were from the Civil War, fought in the U.S. between 1861-1865. There were the famous men, from Lee to Grant; famous battlefields from Antietam to Gettysburg; and famous cities, from Richmond to Charleston to Washington D.C. But there’s the dark side of war too – the prison camps that hardly anyone talk about, that paints another part of the picture that was the Civil War. And Andersonville was one of the most squalid prison camps to come out of the Civil War’s history.

Andersonville didn’t start out as a prison camp. Set in the countryside of Georgia, 27 acres in swampy land would be cleared to hold Union soldiers. Built to house 10,000 prisoners, Andersonville maxed out in 14 months with over 32,000 soldiers, all living in squalid conditions with little food, no fresh water, lice, mud, open sewers….through cold winter nights and steamy hot summer, prisoners were left to try to live not through the war, but through this hell on earth.

The story of Andersonville is disturbing and intriguing at the same time. From orders issued from commandants to build the place, to the person (Wirz) who led camp, hindsight proved to be too late. There were no trade-offs between the Confederate and Union armies to free prisoners, afraid that once out, the soldiers would swell the ranks of that particular army. There was no discipline within the walls of Andersonville except those that belonged in gangs and those that opposed them. Everyone was fair game to be used, cheated, and killed – not only for their clothing and items, but for their living space as well. There was no food, especially not for prisoners. Men who came out Andersonville looked like walking skeletons, malnourished and suffering from anything from rickets to gangrene.

This non-fiction book is comprised of letters, diaries, first-hand accounts and court documents as well as photos and images of Andersonville for newspapers printed during the time. From the present perspective of the author looking back into history a new picture and story emerges from all of these primary source documents to weave a tale of hope, survival, death, and dedication. The author also uses inserts to other pertinent information involved with prison camps, including army orders, problems throughout prison camps in general (ie lice, gangrene) to personal letters, which creates a sore spot in once was called a gentleman’s war.

Catherine Gourley writes a great book to add to any collection of Civil War books, but what makes this one stand out is fact that this subject hasn’t really been written about or noted in most Civil War histories. Gourley writes for the reader, making it easy to process the facts, all the while keeping interest high through the many images and documents used within the book, which makes it highly appealing for teen readers. Gourley takes the reader on the journey instead of the reader digesting the facts, which is the beauty of the book. Highly recommended.

Z by Michael Thomas Ford

2011-05-18T11:14:00.001-05:00

Josh loves hunting zombies. He knows the rules of the game, and he’s good at it. He’s quickly risen in the ranks of zombie hunting and his skills no few bounds. There’s only one problem – his parents have banned him from playing this virtual game because it hits too close to home.

This is the year 2032, and Josh knows about the deadly virus that created a war between the well and this stricken that happened 15 years ago. It was a virus that slowly deteriorated the brain, creating “zombies” of those that had no control over their synapses anymore. It was kill or be killed, and to this day, Josh’s mother won’t talk about her experience much. But to Josh, it’s past history, and the game rocks. There’s nothing like killing meatbags and trying to out maneuver them to be the best torcher in the game. He and his best friend Firecracker, play online together when they can, but it’s Josh who receives a strange message from Charlie, THE best player, that’s an invitation to something deeper, something hidden….

When Josh finally meets Charlie, he’s amazed, not only that she’s a girl, but that there’s real zombie hunting going on without anyone being aware it’s happening. She invites Josh into a dark secret, where a real game is being played… humans vs. zombies… and televised live to a wealthy audience. Josh not only gets to play the game he loves, but also make some money at the same time.

But with all secrets, dark and deep, this secret holds a deadly consequence. Josh doesn’t realize it at first, but the more he plays the real game, the more he realizes he’s in over his head. But is it too late to stop playing? Can he just quit, or is he an unwitting victim in a game he thought he was in control of? Is Josh the player or the played?

What a great dystopian book that has so much written into it! Michael Thomas Ford has created a unique and brilliant premise not about zombies as monsters, but how a small virus infected the human race, one that put strains on relationships and families, both well and infected. The game simulation Josh plays under rides the main theme and focus of this book, but plays so well alongside it, making this one readers won’t be able to get through fast enough. This is one guys will pick up and read, and girls will too thanks to Ford’s main characters. I’m hoping there’s a sequel….it definitely leaves it open to one!

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

2011-05-18T10:48:00.002-05:00

Cara is a loner. She doesn’t have many friends at all. She left her best friend Zoe behind when they were just kids and she’s never replaced her. There could be no replacement for Zoe. But Cara wishes she could see her again, especially now.

Cara’s high school life consists of living in the fringes of society. She is part of the track team, but not quite part of the girls. But an incident in the cafeteria escalates Cara into running and hiding, especially from Alexis and Syndey, whose mission is to make Cara’s life miserable. They have everything going for them, especially Alexis, who’s dating Cara’s fantasy boyfriend, Ethan, who’s more than real. She doesn’t understand how someone that nice could be with someone that nasty.

Living beside Sydney doesn’t help either. Cara gets to watch the parties, the friendships, the life she’d love to lead through her bedroom window. It’s not enough that people in school don’t include her, but her parents are always absent as well, working through the nights in their law firms and leaving Cara by herself.

But one day, Cara comes home, and Zoe’s there. Her best friend, who’s run away from problems of her own asks Cara to help her, hide her, protect her….and Cara is ecstatic to have her best friend back in her life again. It’s easy to help Zoe with her parents gone, and Zoe more than helps Cara with her self-esteem and problems at school. And slowly, Cara’s life begins to blossom, from making friends, to even catching the attention of Ethan….

But then, one night Sydney mysteriously drowns. Accidental or deliberate? The town is rocked to its core, and Cara begins doubting how harmless her best friend is. It isn’t until Alexis shows up missing that Cara’s doubts become stronger. Is Zoe to blame?

Elizabeth Woods makes a stunning debut in her first novel. A glimpse into the life of a girl who’s been bullied and separated, Woods, connects the reader to the character through those emotional ties that are so important. The twist in the book is subtle and Woods manages to reveal it slowly but steadily throughout the narrative. This novel will keeper readers entranced until the end. Perfect pairing with de la Pena’s I Will Save You. Recommended.

Interesting stats on librarians

2011-05-03T11:19:00.000-05:00

++ Click to Enlarge Image ++

Via:Master-Degree-Online.com

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

2011-04-27T11:20:00.002-05:00

It's the future....the United States is now divided into eight territories. The population is dependent on the most influential political group in the nation, protecting its most precious commodity - water. While China is taking clouds from the sky, other corporations or desalinating and polluting the oceans, or damming up the precious liquid, only available to those wealthy enough to afford it. Things taken for granted in the past - bottled water, swimming pools, blue oceans, polar ice caps - are now stuff of legend and history. Now, most of the planet is covered with dust and endless hot days and nights.

Vera and her brother Will live in the Republic of Illinowa, where dust prevails and water doesn't exist. Their rations go quickly, and what there is of it is filled with chemicals, making people sick. Nothing happens in their small town...nothing, that is, until Kai shows up. He's different from everyone else. He drinks crystal clear water, takes showers regularly, is escorted in a limo while others use their electric cars. And he knows a secret that he only mentions to his new friends, Vera and Will.

But suddenly, Kai disappears and Vera and Will find themselves being pulled into the intrigue of who wants Kai and where he is. From gypsies to mobs to the most powerful people on the planet, the brother and sister set up against all odds to find Kai and in the process, finds out the truth about their world they live in.

Stracher creates a dystopic world that depends on the one resource no animal, plant or human can live without, and he paints a picture of a parched earth struggling to survive. The characters will reach readers, but it's the plot and action that will hold their attention as well as the descriptive writing that brings this bleak future world into the minds of those that pick up this book. Another good addition to those who love dystopian novels.

Book trailer: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

2011-04-25T13:46:00.002-05:00

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson

2011-04-20T13:38:00.001-05:00

Mad Dog Maddie....that's what people called her when she got wasted. Her alter-ego comes out and there's no stopping her. That's why she's at Spring Meadows for eight weeks. Her parents sent her there to dry up but how can she even try when it's like living in her worst nightmare? She shares her space Jenna and Angela, but it's Trish that she's drawn to, and a friendship begins to develop.

The girls share their stories, as well as their lives inside rehab. They go to the movies together, confide in each other, and work to make it out. Trish's rehab stint is nearly over, but the two promise they'll continue their friendship outside the walls of Spring Meadows. After Trish leaves, Maddie is on her own....until she meets Stewart.

There is no mingling between patients in Spring Meadows, but Maddie can't help it. During the rest of her time there, she and Stewart become close, unlike any other person she's ever been with. Maddie also knows she's putting her personal demons aside and vows to hold onto sobriety. Life right now looks so much different and feels so much better than she could have imagined. But now it's her time to leave...and also leave Stewart behind. Again, another promise is made outside of rehab...

But it's those promises Trish, Stewart and Maddie make to each other that become problematic in the real world. Maddie's friendship with Trish starts out well, but slowly takes a downward spiral when Trish tries to push past the damage she's done. Maddie's family life is still hard for her to handle, but going back to school and trying to make it past the whispers and rumors is the most difficult. And when Stewart gets out of rehab, it's into his arms that Maddie runs.

Sometimes though, the things you run from are the things you should run away from. Maddie's life is a completely different one than when she left it to go into recovery. Things are beginning to become clearer, including her wanting to graduate, making new friends instead of the ones she got into trouble with, and her love for Stewart. Real life gets in the way, and are the lessons and treatment at Spring Meadows enough to keep Maddie's life in synch or will she turn again to the demons in order to cope with the stress she faces?

Blake Nelson is an author who crosses bounderies in genres. This novel is realistically portrayed not only through the characters and their interactions, but also the situations each character finds themselves in. A powerful story begins to unfold in parallel worlds pre and post rehab. Blake doesn't sugarcoat Maddie's experience, but writes with gritty realism that resonates throughout the book. Nelson gets the reader down to the level of the characters, and this is what makes this a remarkable YA book that flows and will quickly take the reader along for the journey.

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

2011-04-06T09:42:00.001-05:00

Football is king. At least, at Oregrove High School it is. Coach has his best players on the field. Scott, Tom, and Mike are the reigning trinity for the Knights. Along with their coach, they are going to make sure they win the state title this year. But coach has been recruiting, and it’s where he finds a diamond in the rough….Kurt.

Kurt, a product of foster homes is big, strong, and fast. And he made a vow – he will never again be a victim. He remembers what Crud Bucket did to him and Lamar, but it’s what happened to Lamar that has made Kurt who he is today.

Walking onto the team, Kurt Brodsky tries to hide himself, but the scars on his face and his stuttering don’t help. But with Coach on his side, the three kings welcome him with open arms. Another warrior on the battlefield to help defend against the enemies, and target the weak….

Danny wants so badly to show his father that his sport isn’t just a hobby. He works hard beside Bruce, Ronnie and the other gymnasts to become the best he can on the mats, and the high bar. His suicide jump isn’t perfected yet, but when it is, he knows it’ll garner him some attention.

He also knows that the gym, especially the weight room, should be avoided when the football players take over. He’s not only seen how they bully the other, smaller students, but himself as well and will do anything to avoid a run-in. And now there’s another one.

But a confrontation does occur. And what starts out as a small incident quickly becomes violent over time. Danny witnesses what Scott, Mike and Tom do and so does Kurt, and it’s that incident that lays the foundation of right against wrong, right over might, and victimization vs. freedom.

Cohen writes his first YA novel that’s powerful. Gritty, realistic, intense… the reader will step into the halls of Oregrove and walk unseen with both Kurt and Danny as they struggle with themselves and those that surround them. Cohen doesn’t sugarcoat in this book. In your face…all of this describes how seniors, especially those that are privileged living in a small town, will act, think and speak like. Written in alternate voices between Danny and Kurt, readers will experience the triumph and the tragedy Cohen’s written so well within this novel while dealing with issues like bullying, suicide, drug use, friendship, and redemption, what others expect from you and what you expect from yourself. Excellent debut novel!

YA Books to Movies list

2011-03-31T15:44:00.000-05:00

I neede a list of these, and fabulous librarians, you responded! So, here it is - use it for displays, booktalking, whatever you can do with an amazing list!

21
About a Boy
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (they changed the title for the movie)
Beastly
Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Blood and Chocolate
Breaking Dawn

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)
City of Ember (2008)

Confessions of a Shopaholic
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Eagle of the Ninth (released as The Eagle)

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

Eragon
Flipped

Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen

Golden Compass
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Hellboy
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Holes, by Louis Sachar

Hoot

How to Deal (based upon 2 of Sarah Dessen's titles, That Summer and Someone Like You)

I am number Four
I Love You Beth Cooper
Inkheart
It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Jane Eyre

Legend of the Guardians : The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010)

Last Song

The Losers

Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

My Sister’s Keeper

Narnia

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Princess Diaries 1 was based upon a book, but 2 was not.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the world
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Soul Surfer: a true story of faith, family, and fighting to get back on the board
Speak
Stormbreaker

Upcoming (either the film rights have been bought, are in pre-production or post-production):

Hugo Cabret
Hunger Games
Incarceron
Maze Runner
Mortal Instruments
If I Stay
Divergent
Matched
Wicked Lovely
Shiver
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Thirteen Reasons Why

tv series:
Pretty Little Liars
Vampire Diaries

You may want to check out Mid-Continent Library's website Based on the Book:
http://www.mymcpl.org/books-movies-music/based-book

Check out http://www.teenreads.com/features/books2movies.asp as well.

Before they were movies bibliography: http://www.pmlib.org/node/446

I genre-fied!!!

2011-03-31T15:38:00.000-05:00

Took the plunge!! The funeral wreath is from our floral class and it just fits perfectly : ) This is the supernatural section. Working on fantasy next....

I know it's a little thing and lots of people are doing it, but it was WORK and I'm just so proud that I finally jumped tracks a little : )

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

2011-03-29T13:18:00.001-05:00

Liz and Kate has been forever bests since they were six years old and are still best friends at sixteen. Liz is Photo Girl – taking amazing photographs and hoping to purse photography in college. Kate is Mistress of Modern Dance, but unsure exactly what she wants to do.

It’s their monthly sleepover – the only time dedicated to the two girls without outside interference, without threat of anyone taking time away from them, cocooned in the comfort of their friendship and lives. But a minor spark, a disagreement, gets in the way this one time, and for tonight, Kate sleeps on the couch, while Liz stays in her room.

But something happened….Kate avoids Liz, even after she apologizes for hurting Kate’s feelings. But nothing Liz can say could possibly prepare her for what Kate finally reveals to her. Mike, Liz’s brother, home from college, raped her….

Is it true or is Kate lying? Liz can’t possibly believe that her brother, the one who introduced Liz to Brian, the one whom she told Kate was off limits, could do this. Why would Kate make something like that up? Or is Mike the one who is lying? Consentual or forced? It not only ruins a friendship, but ruins Liz’s focus, not only with Kate but with those closest to her as well as her passion for photography. She feels out of focus….and still unsure about who is telling the truth….

A powerful novel in verse, the author sets the scene of the book without the reader possibly knowing what could have happened until they read it. It’s a look at relationships, not only between friends, but those that are familial as well. Marcus delves into the gray area that teens start to run into the older they get. No longer is life a clear division of opposites, but sometimes the lines blur. And that is what that author so clearly writes about. Who is truly innocent or guilty is left up to the reader, but the nuances allow a certain modicum of bias the reader will pick up on. An excellent first book for a new YA author. Recommended.

Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams

2011-03-28T13:44:00.001-05:00

Liz and Hope are sisters, and they know what a regular family is like. But that’s in the past….now it’s just them and their mother. Things at home aren’t the same as they were, and it gets worse when Hope finds her older sister in the bathroom with gun.

Now, in order to make ends meet, Liz and Hope’s mother takes on clients at home to make money. At their age, they don’t exactly understand what that means, but their lives are uninterrupted with friends, secret crushes and a private spot in the house that becomes their clubhouse.

But for Liz, her normal life quickly turns into a nightmare, and one she wants to protect Hope from. But Liz can only stand so much before she breaks…

Although sisters, both girls have lived very different lives under the same roof. Hope doesn’t understand why Liz would want to kill herself, but she tries to every time she and her mother visit Liz in the mental hospital. Liz won’t talk to her mother at all – it’s only Hope that she’ll speak to, although it’s not a lot. All her mother wants to make sure of is that Liz hasn’t told the secret, whatever that means…

The more visits Hope and her mother make to Liz, who is still unresponsive, the more Hope begins to understand what happened to Liz, especially when she and her mother must see a family counselor who talks to Hope about Liz’s predicament. But it’s when the counselor asks for Liz’s diary that Hope’s mother becomes aggressive, mean…demanding Hope give her the book. Hope doesn’t have it, but she knows where it is. And when she finds it in their secret place, the floodgates open and Hope then realizes exactly how bad Liz’s life has become because of her mother’s demands on her.

Lynch Williams unfolds a tragic story gradually to a situation both girls live in and through, but with different voices that create very strong characters in Hope and Liz. The author writes a tale about abuse and neglect and its ugly aftermath without having to resort to first-hand experiences or sufferings of the older sister, but the reader knows all too well what has happened. Lynch Williams also leaves the ending open, not tied up in a perfect bow that makes this novel all that more realistic and powerful. Those who love novels-in-verse will find this an excellent choice, and one that will make them read every part of the beautiful prose Lynch uses so well to convey the truth about the lives of two innocent people. Highly recommended.

If you haven't seen this one...oh, you're gonna love it!!!

2011-03-20T21:45:00.000-05:00

I'm using this as the intro video tomorrow and Tuesday for my booktalks!

Book trailer: Blood on My Hands by Todd Strasser

2011-03-11T13:12:00.003-06:00

I love his YA mystery!!!!

Two for the girls! The Complete History of Why I Hate Her and Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

2011-03-08T11:40:00.001-06:00

I've been reading and have four to blog, but I'm cutting it up into two parts. Here's part one, which features some great reads for girls - one a romance, the other about friendships....

The Complete History of Why I Hate her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Nola just wants a summer to be herself. She loves her little sister, Song, but has always wanted the feeling of being a normal teenger, not a sister of a sibling who has cancer. So this summer, she’s off to Rocky Cove Inn to work at the resort as a waitress, surrounded by other teens from all over the place.

On her bus ride there, she meets the quirky, funny, and always lively Carly, who’s on her way to Boston to be with her family. All it takes is one bus trip to seal the deal of a friendship. Even though they've never met, when Nola gets off the bus at Rocky Cove, she already misses her new bubbly friend….

It isn’t long until Nola is immersed in life at Rocky Cove, including meeting the guy counselors from across the way, going to parties in a cabin by the lake, and spending the afternoons she has off swimming, running, and writing haikus to Song and sending them home. And the best thing that could ever happen – Carly shows up to work too!

But is it the best thing in the world? At first Nola thinks so, but slowly she’s seeing a side of Carly that she isn’t sure is real or imagined. Is Carly in competition with her, or is she just being a friend? Why doesn’t Carly cheer Nola on when good things happen to her? At first dubbed the Cannoli’s, Nola isn’t sure she wants a friend that she feels strangles her more than allows her freedom to be herself. Or is Nola just presuming that Carly is being this way? Isn't imitation the best form of flattery?

Jacobson has written a quick and dramatic unfolding of events between two girls and a friendship that quickly becomes toxic. She recognizes the invisible signs that people wear but don’t always show others they have. Both Nola and Carly are realistic in two very separate ways, and the reader at first is excited for the friendship, but is also omnisciently aware of what really is happening before Nola does. This is not a happy romance book, but one with a darker side. Jacobson’s use of haikus within the book, as well as a budding romance for Nola, rounds out this novel into one that readers will start and finish quickly. Recommended.

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy Curry killed her father. Now, she won’t even think about driving a car. Home isn’t home anymore since the accident either. Her brother is in North Carolina, and her mother found another job in faraway Connecticut – as far as possible from California as she could get, and now Amy has to leave too. But this time, it’s a cross-country trip, which Amy’s mother has meticulously mapped out. The conundrum? How is Amy to get to the East Coast in a car? She can’t do it after what happened….

Enter Roger, an old childhood friend Amy vaguely remembers. He has the summer off and is going to Philly to stay with his dad and volunteers to take Amy to Connecticut as well as drop of the car Amy’s mother needs. Great….just what Amy DOESN”T want – a long car trip with a college who happens to be HOT….

For about a year, Amy has had to deal with the pain and suffering of losing a parent. She doesn’t want to talk about it, feel anything, and becomes a recluse, only allowing herself out when starring in musicals, which is her passion. She doesn’t want to be stuck in a car answering questions, but when the road trip starts, she realizes Roger doesn’t know what happened, and a small weight is lifted.

And so the long cross-country trip begins, but Roger and Amy decide to take this time to come to terms with some of the people and incidents in their lives. Instead of taking the “safe route” Amy’s mom has emailed, Amy and Roger decide to start out at Yosemite, and from there they run into an endless highway with a shoe tree, a fabulous party in Colorado, and some amazing topiaries in Kentucky.

But more than that, Amy’s layers begin to peel off as she slowly realizes that life can go on. Roger also learns that sometimes the people you meet in life are there for now, but there are so many more interesting people to bump into.

What a wonderful read for girls! Not only does the novel contain romance and road trips, twinkies and tents, but so much added stuff, such as Roger’s playlists of music for the trip, and scraps of a travel log that Amy shares with the reader, including receipts, pictures, menus, notes, and doodles among other things. The readers feels like the back seat passenger in this novel, and gets to know Roger and Amy on so many different levels the closer they get to their destination, not only physically, but emotionally as well.

This is exactly what you get when you read the title – an epic adventure! Recommended.

This has been a day of posts!!

2011-02-28T12:17:00.000-06:00

Done all sorts of things over the weekend, and found this video...had to share it : )

Human.4 by Michael A. Lancaster

2011-02-28T12:04:00.001-06:00

We don’t know what happened to Kyle Straker. All there is left is a cassette tape. Old technology – worthless in today’s society of the 21^st century and the upgrades we’ve done…

For Kyle, it all started on a summer day in the small village of Millgrove. The local talent show, a tradition for this town of 1,000, was about to start, and Kyle, his best friend Simon, and Simon’s girlfriend Lilly wanted to see if Danny Birnie could actually hypnotize people. But no one volunteered, so Kyle did.

It was this decision that propelled him into the unbelievable, enough to drive a person insane…

When Kyle comes out of his hypnotic state, he realizes something isn’t right. Every one on the green isn’t moving. Televisions, telephones, and computers aren’t working. Weird green symbols flash onto the screens of the computer he checks – it looks more like an alphabet, but he isn’t sure.

And then the village awakens. And it’s what they’ve become. Human or inhuman? And what about Kyle, Lilly and the other two that were hypnotized? What did they miss? But more importantly, what have they themselves become?

Kyle soon pieces together the only parts he knows how to and what he and the others discover is something they can’t even comprehend. But Danny, their off-kilter friend knows the truth, and he gives them a choice. Follow or be erased….

Lancaster takes dystopia to a new level in this science fiction thriller that’s sure to catch the attention of the reader. The plot line is quick and will definitely grab the reader’s attention from the very first page. Lancaster pulls together an assortment of writing devices, which only lends to the “authenticity” of this book, which is actually the oldest form of communication for those who haven’t been upgraded. From a dictionary, to expert analyses, from flashbacks taken from the cassette tape, to the editor’s note, all of these are combined within the novel to slowly build tension for the reader, making it one of those books that can’t be put down. Excellent for junior high and high school collections – it won’t disappoint sci-fi readers!

Book trailer: Trapped by Michael Northrop

2011-02-25T15:26:00.011-06:00

Here's a link to the library webpage. Click on "book trailers" to view as well as download in .wmv format:
http://www.nisdtx.org/120820731141528687/site/default.asp

You can also view in schooltube and youtube. I do believe I have more to learn when it comes to QR codes!
Schooltube: http://www.schooltube.com/video/8cf9d2a53701c1f553b1/Trapped-by-Michael-Northrop
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KgwuQJNuVQ

Thanks for you patience guys. I still have a copy I'll be sending out too : )

Blood on My Hands by Todd Strasser

2011-02-23T12:49:00.002-06:00

A cell phone picture…it’s all that’s needed to put Callie on the run. She was holding the bloody knife, and standing over Katherine’s dead body. With her family’s past, everyone is going to believe she did it. But did she?

One year ago, Katherine Remington-Day asked Callie to sit with her and Dakota at lunch and it changed Callie’s life. Her best friend had moved away, and her boyfriend, Slade, joined the national guard. Callie’s only connection to safety were the few phone calls and instant messages she and Slade shared, a long cry from the two years they’d been dating. But now, in the small town of Soundview, Callie had a chance at a social life, and she took it.

What she didn’t expect were the nuances and dance friends played when they became Katherine’s friend. It came with a price – sometimes something trivial, sometimes something serious, but Callie knew if she bent to Katherine’s rules, there would be a next time. She didn’t know if she wanted to give more that she already had, and Katherine made her choose between Slade and her friends. Callie thought she chose wisely, but now, on the run for murder, the only person she can rely on is Slade.

With his help, Callie is able to elude the police, but she knows time is running short. And with flashback memories, she is able to piece together enough personal information to figure out who the killer is. But will she be believed? And is it enough?

Strasser comes back with another YA thriller, following on his Wish You Were Dead book. Fast paced, the reader is allowed into the present and past lives of Callie and her friends and is able to see just who her friends really are and the various motives they’d all have for murder. Not only that, but the situations Callie goes through are believable instead of far-fetched, the plot is tightly written, and the ending will surprise. The reader feels for Callie, and believes her story, but continues to look for clues as to whom it would be. It’s one of those books where you want to flip to the end to find out who the killer is, but decide to wait to see the story unfold. For those readers who enjoy mystery fiction, this is one to put in their hands.

And this is what a weeded book looks like afterwards...

2011-02-14T14:55:00.000-06:00

These are just two of the many art displays compliments of the amazing art staff we have on campus!

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

2011-02-14T14:08:00.001-06:00

Tessa and Noelle have been best friends for years. They’ve shared everything together in the small town of Centerville, Ohio. But with all relationships, events can stagger and tear them apart. And that’s what happened two years ago.

Now, Cooper, Noelle's older brother, is telling Tessa she's alive and coming home. After two years of abduction by a stranger, Tessa’s best friend is back, but not completely. Tessa thought it was hard to live knowing her best friend was gone, possibly killed. She’d gone through therapy to understand that loss, but now…it’s harder to live knowing Noelle is back and what happened to her. Two years at the hand of a monster can change a person to someone you never even knew. How do you deal with something like that? Can a friendship you thought was gone forever be re-kindled, and more importantly, can it be the same?

In high school, Tessa’s passion in photography has put her in the advanced classes, which she loves. A new student, Max, is in her class too, and Max sees Tessa for more than what she shows to everyone else, and slowly Tessa lets him into her world. The theme for the next photography project is the opposite of tensions – up down, hot cold, lost found….and all Tessa can think about is Noelle,

“kidnapped, abducted, snatched
Enslaved, imprisoned, restrained.”

When Noelle finally tries to start a normal life by entering into high school, both girls know it will be a long, hard journey, with students knowing what happened to Noelle, with Noelle facing her past and present, and with Tessa trying her hardest to create the perfect balance for not only her best friend, but herself and Max as well.

Kristina McBride creates a dramatic and bold debut novel that deals with real-life issues that have been on the front pages of newspapers as well as televisions today. Many people see the “inside story” of an abductor and can only imagine the horror. McBride writes about the opposite of the abductor and focuses on the life of the abductee after her rescue and the implications of her new life on her as well her family and friends after the tragic events have been aired in public. Paired with the photographic theme of Tessa’s work that creates not only the title of this book, but permeates with symbolism throughout, McBride has created a novel that will keep the reader engaged with the characters as well as the plotline and relationships, and what ultimately will happen to Tessa and Noelle…is there such a thing as resiliency after something that devastating? This debut novel focuses on the now and how the victim and those closest to her must cope with the tragic loss of two years without reliving the past and its brutality. Perfect pairing with Mazer’s The Missing Girl and Scott’s Living Dead Girl.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

2011-01-27T14:17:00.002-06:00

Excerpt from the book:
“Some of the others might’ve seen things differently, and some of them might’ve told it better, but you don’t get to pick. You don’t because, for one thing, not all of us made it.”

School is in session at Tattawa High School when the snow starts. Kids are milling around wondering if school is shut down and they get another holiday out of it. But Scotty doesn’t want that to happen. He’s all over shooting out at the basketball game scheduled that evening. Jason wants to work on his amazing go-cart in the shop, and their buddy Pete just wants to hang out. But then the announcement comes all. School and all activities are shutting down and students need to go home now.

The snow is still falling, but the guys have it all figured out. Jason convinces the shop teacher to keep it open and his dad’ll pick them up all. He has a four-wheeler. And then they get to work. And the snow continues to fall, harder and harder….

But now they know they’ve made a mistake. Scotty left his phone at home, and Pete’s and Jason’s won’t pick up signal. Their last hope are the buses, so they head that direction. But they’re all gone, and only Coach Gossell is left with a handful of students. Les, the meanest guy on campus, Elijah, who has a creepy vibe, Krista, the most popular and beautiful, along with her friend Julie are left behind. Now the snow is piling up and the road outside can’t be seen.

A nor’easter, the biggest and baddest in East Coast history has hit, and Scotty and the rest aren’t leaving campus anytime soon. And slowly they’re feeling the effects…first the power goes out, then the water freezes, and outside, it’s a freezing wasteland, where second story homes look like one story. They’re trapped and can’t reach the outside world. But it’s their world inside that is slowly starting to come apart, and it’s only day one…

What a great second novel from this author! A punch right to the stomach within the first two chapters of this book will keep readers turning the pages to find out just what happened to those left at school. Northrop actualizes the dire situation with what typical teenagers without adults around would do and how the environment of the school still resonates loudly with each clique left in the halls. The enemy is nature, and she is violent and dangerous, but Northrop leaves the reader guessing to find out is the enemy wins or not. Although some may disparage the ending, I found it surprising at first, but with a definite mental image in my mind. Excellent for reluctant readers as well as those who enjoy trying to outwit the characters and figure out just what will happen around the next twist and turn in this story.

Friend is Not A Verb by Daniel Ehrenhaft

2011-01-21T11:11:00.002-06:00

Henry (Hen for short) has just been dumped by his girlfriend, who also kicked him out of her band. His sister is on the lam as a criminal, and his parents continue to try hard to make him eat meat.....the only solid thing in his life is his best friend and next door neighbor, Emma.

And so begins the life of Hen Birnbaum, official bum. He lives the life of a teenager in NYC, trying to get gigs in places like the Bimbo Lounge and wondering where the popular tag, "Steal Your Parents' Money," found on buttons all over the city, originated. But right now, he has better things to think about - like why his sister decided to come home after a year of absence without warning and what the heck happened to her, why he and his friend Emma keep having some strange karmic connection through dreams and cell phone calls, and how come his parents are the most uncool people on the planet?

When Sarah, finally gets home, she tells him to see Gabriel, her partner in crime about bass guitar lessons. It can only help him become that famous rock star he's always wanted to be (according to the VH1 Behind the Music video he plays through his head that happens to star him as uber rock star of the future). But for now, his rock-star self gets to walk dogs while trying to figure out what happened to his sister and Gabriel and why they're being sought out by the authorties. It doesn't hurt that Hen commits his first crime ever by stealing Gabriel's manuscript (aka his love letter to Sarah) but it only adds fuel to the burning question of why (Jean Paul Satre's head, an ex- Nazi and leyaks don't help anything either!)

But along the way, Hen realizes that the Unseen Hand can either give him a fist bump, a high five or slap him in the face, and his life, which he may find pathetic, has some very interesting qualities to it. And sometimes a crisi-tunity (crisis and opportunity) is the most important thing you can try to overcome.

Ehrenhaft writes another extremely humorous novel about the life of a typical teen-age guy living out a life of angst with weirdo parents, a failed relationship with a rock goddess, all while trying to live out his dream of rocking out. Filled with lots of rock and roll references from David Bowie to Green Day to Journey, this novel will make you smile, if not make you laugh out loud. Along with a great story, Ehrenhaft parallels the plot with the sub-text of true friendship, where the word "friend" was a noun only but is now a verb as well (think Facebook) and how the the circles of friendship created in his story use both type of grammar to make their connections. What a refreshing, funny and humorous book in the midst of everything dark and deep in YA lit!

Yummy: the last days of a Southside shorty by G. Neri

2011-01-18T11:04:00.001-06:00

It was 1994, and a hot summer but things in Southside were getting hotter. There was a dangerous mankiller on the loose and police had no leads. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him...knew what he did...

A gang shooting took the life of a 14 year old innocent girl, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And she knew her killer - he went to school, even church with her.

Yummy was 11 years old when he died. At one point in his life, he was committing a felony every month, but because of his age, he came back to the Southside projects in Chicago, Illinois. Yummy is the cold-blooded killer everyone was looking for....

This powerful graphic novel takes the short life of a child and pulls in the reader through narrative, images, and a biography. But it's the essence and the not so black-and-white issue at hand that will draw the reader in. Although not an in-depth look into Robert Sandifer's (aka Yummy's) life, the reader gets to know him through the words and illustrations Neri and Du Burker have created. The forward by the author lets the reader know that this is a blend of narrative fiction and non-fiction taken from the stories, news reports and other sources about Robert Sandifer. The afterward gives a brief synopsis of Chicago's Southside and the Black Disciple Nation as well as an annotation of additional information. A very quick read, but one that will leave the reader with lingering thoughts, and for this reader, a desire to know more about the story of this tragic tale and life of this kid....

Book trailer: I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

2011-01-13T13:00:00.005-06:00

Here's the newest one born this year! Enjoy :)

You can also download it on the Northwest High School Library webpage. The booktrailer link is under the Might Red "N":

http://www.nisdtx.org/120820731141528687/site/default.asp

Novels In Verse booklist

2011-01-13T10:18:00.001-06:00

This is a very popular genre for students, and novels in verse has been around for quite some time. I remember the first one I ever read and was hooked as well. They're short, easy to read, and pack a powerful punch. Most seem to be based on character's voices, but whether they are or not, these are complex reads. Here's a list of 34 great novels in verse I've read:

Hard Hit by Ann Turner (2006) - A rising high school baseball star faces his most difficult challenge when his father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

One Night by Margaret Wild (2002)- a teenaged girl decides to have her baby and care for it on her own after a "one night stand" results in pregnancy

All the Broken Pieces by Ann Burg (2009)- Two years after being airlifted out of Vietnam in 1975, Matt Pin is haunted by the terrible secret he left behind and, now, in a loving adoptive home in the United States, a series of profound events forces him to confront his past.

A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone (2006)- Josie, Nicolette, and Aviva all fall for the same sexy high school senior, and while they each make different choices, they're all changed by their experiences of love and sex.

Sold by Patricia McCormick (2006)- Lakshmi, a thirteen-year-old girl from Nepal, is sold into prostitution in India.

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas (2009)- The youngest of three siblings, fourteen-year-old Anke feels both relieved and neglected that her father abuses her brother and sister but ignores her, but when she catches him with one of her friends, she finally becomes angry enough to take action.

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass (2007)- After an accident in gym class puts sixteen-year-old Tessa into a coma, she re-evaluates her life by visiting the mall stores where significant events in her life took place.

Walking on Glass by Alma Fullerton (2007)- A teenage boy recounts, in a free verse journal, his attempts to come to terms with the realities of his mother's near-death coma.

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham (2007)- After a shark attack causes the amputation of her right arm, fifteen-year-old Jane, an aspiring artist, struggles to come to terms with her loss and the changes it imposes on her day-to-day life and her plans for the future.

Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs by Ron Koertge (2010)- Fourteen-year-old Kevin Boland, poet and first baseman, is torn between his cute girlfriend--Mira--and Amy, who is funny, plays Chopin on the piano, and is also a poet.

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers (2007)- mother and daughter, who mainly communicate through short notes left on the refrigerator door, experience a life changing event when one of them is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Street Love by Walter Dean Myers (2006)- Damien, a seventeen-year-old from Harlem, takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love, Junice, will not be separated.

Kissing Tennessee and other stories from the stardust dance by Kathi Appelt (2000)- Graduating eighth graders relate their stories of love and heartbreak that have brought them to Dogwood Junior High's magical Stardust Dance.

Sonya Sones:
Stop Pretending (1999) - A younger sister has a difficult time adjusting to life after her older sister has a mental breakdown.

What My Mother Doesn't Know (2001) - Sophie describes her relationships with a series of boys as she searches for Mr. Right.

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (2007) - Artistic fourteen-year-old Robin Murphy is so unpopular at high school that his name is slang for "loser," so when he begins dating the beautiful and popular Sophie, her reputation plummets.

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies (2004) - Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother's grave in Boston and reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

Mel Glenn:
Foreign Exchange (1999) - When students from big-city Tower High School spend a weekend in rural Hudson Landing with the students of the local high school, an African-American boy from the city is accused of murdering a local white girl.

Jump Ball (1997)- Tells the story of a high school basketball team's season through a series of poems reflecting the feelings of students, their families, teachers, and coaches.

Split Image (2000) - A series of poems reflect the thoughts and feelings of various people-- students, the librarian, parents, the principal, and others-- about the seemingly perfect Laura Li and her life inside and out of Tower High School.

Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? (1996)- Free verse poems describe the reactions of students, colleagues, and others when a high school teacher is shot to death as the school day begins.

The Taking of Room 114 (1997) - A series of poems reflect the thoughts of school officials, parents, police, and especially a class of seniors who have been taken hostage by their high school history teacher.

Ellen Hopkins:
Crank (2004) - Kristina Georgia Snow's life is turned upside-down, when she visits her absentee father, gets turned on to the drug "crank", becomes addicted, and is led down a desperate path that threatens her mind, soul, and her life.

Glass (2007)- Kristina is determined to break her addiction to drugs in order to keep her newborn child; but when she fails and the pull becomes too strong, her greatest fears are quickly realized.

Burned (2006) - Seventeen-year-old Pattyn, the eldest daughter in a large Mormon family, is sent to her aunt's Nevada ranch for the summer where she temporarily escapes her alcoholic, abusive father and finds love and acceptance, only to lose everything

Identical (2008) - Sixteen-year-old identical twin daughters of a district court judge and a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, Kaeleigh and Raeanne Gardella desperately struggle with secrets that have already torn them and their family apart.

Impulse (2007) - Three teens who meet at Reno, Nevada's Aspen Springs mental hospital after each has attempted suicide connect with each other in a way they never have with their parents or anyone else in their lives.

Tricks (2009) - Collects five stories about three girls and two boys who question how they feel about themselves while learning about love

Fallout (2010) - Written in free verse, explores how three teenagers try to cope with the consequences of their mother's addiction to crystal meth and its effects on their lives.

Stephanie Hemphill -
Things Left Unsaid (2005) - After a lifetime of conforming to the image of what her parents and high school friends want her to be, Sarah must come to terms with her own identity when her destructive best friend tries to commit suicide. Told in the form of free-verse poems.

Wicked Girls (2010) - A fictionalized account, told in verse, of the Salem witch trials, told from the perspective of three young women living in Salem in 1692--Mercy Lewis, Margaret Walcott, and Ann Putnam, Jr.

Lisa Schroeder -
Chasing Brooklyn (2010) - As teenagers Brooklyn and Nico work to help each other recover from the deaths of Brooklyn's boyfriend--Nico's brother Lucca--and their friend Gabe, the two begin to rediscover their passion for life, and a newly blossoming passion for one another.

Far From You (2009) - A novel-in-verse about sixteen-year-old Ali's reluctant road trip with her stepmother and new baby sister, and the terror that ensues after they end up lost in the snow-covered woods.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me ( 2008)- A verse novel in which fifteen-year-old Ava, feeling guilty over the role she believes she played in her boyfriend Jackson's death, experiences a whole new range of emotions when she realizes he is back from the dead.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

2011-01-10T10:44:00.001-06:00

Sam....college dropout, hamburger flipper. His best friends work with him at Plumpy's and they include Ramon, the connoisseur of burger flipping, Frank who wants to please everyone, and Brooke, the hot chick Frank's eyes follow whenever he gets a chance. Just a typical burger joint in Seattle. All it takes is a game of potato hockey and a knocked out light on a Mercedes to change Sam's world from normal to paranormal, to say the least.

Sam has always been an outsider. He's never fit in, felt right in a crowd....but he's used to it by now. But when Douglas Montgomery comes into his life, he has to find a way to find himself, especially after discovering he's not just a drop out hambuger flipper whose mother loves herbs and potions. After struggling through several sources, Sam finds out his mother is a real witch...literally...and Sam is a necromancer - he can communicate and bring back the dead. And Douglas Montgomery, most powerful necromancer in the Seattle area, wants that power.

With the help of a ragtag bunch of friends (including a talking head) and some unusual acquaintances (we're talking witches, hounds of hell, fey, a seer and a Harbinger) Sam has seven days to find out if he'll apprentice under the dark and dangerous tutelage of Douglas or try to go back to his normal world, if normal is what you'd call it after the powerful Montgomery kills his family and friends. Really, what choice do you have?

What a riot to read! Lish McBride has done a fine job of blending a supernatural story with humor and tongue-in-cheek comebacks. If the title doesn't send a message, then the chapters will. Taking from song lyrics like "She's a Lady" to "Sweet Child o' Mine" to "Don't Fear the Reaper," McBride has created a quick read with quick wit. Readers will enjoy reading about Sam's life from Plumpy's to his messed up, beaten up forays into the unknown world of magic and the power of the Council. Humorous horror....I've read a few and this one doesn't disappoint. Recommended.

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin

2011-01-05T14:56:00.001-06:00

Yes, I've been reading over the break and now it's time to start posting. It hasn't been many books (I seriously just vegged most of the break!) but I'll post a book a day until I'm done. And onto the reviews!

Raye is smart. She knows she's going to a good college and knows that Fulton, a private all girl's school, is a great step in that direction. She hangs with her best friend Natalya and spends her Tal weekends watching movie marathons on the SyFy channel and eating homemade brownies. But one night, she decides to step out of her comfort zone. What better way to do that than online?

Raye sets up a fake facebook page and starts friending people she knows is out of her league. Like Julian, the hottie from MacArthur, the private all guy's school and some of his friends. It starts out harmlessly, but we all know what happens with those "harmless" situations....

Meanwhile, back at Fulton, Ella Parker reigns supreme as the most beautiful and untouchable of the Group. It doesn't matter if she has OCD and wears gloves all the time, or sits on the third row in the third chair or taps things a specific amount of time. Her beauty overshines everything. But it's in a Chinese class that Ella has problems with where she and Raye's diverse galaxies collide.

What starts out as an innocent tutoring takes on new meaning when Raye shows Ella her faux facebook page. With Julian as a friend, and the one to diss Ella at a party, the revenge begins....and the true personalities begin to come out....but can Raye go back to her true friendships or has she crossed the line? Will the good girl get the guy or will evil and bitchiness triumph?

Griffin creates a quick read that is all about high school cliques, romances and relationships. Reading this book is like walking down the halls of any typical high school. It's about mean girls and those that want to fit in. But Griffin does something different in this book (and you'll have to read it through to understand what I'm saying) and that to me, was the biggest draw of the book. It's real, it's quick, it's fresh. The characters, from the main character to the parents, are not drawn out for the reader but the author subtlely draws in reader reaction - you'll know who to love, who to hate, and who to be wary of. Recommended for high school

I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

2010-12-13T14:34:00.003-06:00

Kidd doesn't want to remember his past, but sometimes he's forced to. Now part of a group home for teens, his counselors ask him to remember. Maria is the one Kidd likes the most but now she's. But he remembers their sessions, and tries very, very hard to take her advice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Now, he's bound and locked away for pushing someone off a cliff. And he has all the time in the world to think about his life, from beginning to end....

Kidd remembers his mother, whom he lived with and loved very much. And a father who tried to love, but used his fists instead. He remembers seeing Mr. Red, Maria's friend, for the first time at Horizons, in his floppy sombrero and tie. He remembers Maria telling Kidd to stay away from Devon. But he's the only guy in Horizons who helped out Kidd, even though it may have hurt. But he also loves flirting with danger and death - it's a thrill ride Devon can't pass up on and one Kidd isn't too sure he wants to experience.

And one day, Kidd just walks out of Horizons, intent on finding a new life....He ends up finding Mr. Red again, who works at a campsite in Encinitas. Red hires Kidd on, and now all Kidd wants is a normal life. A hard worker, he does everything Red asks and more. He knows this won't last long, especially when Devon shows up and starts causing problems.

Devon takes Kidd on adventures, but they're dangerous and life-threatening. Kidd doesn't understand how Devon knows so much about him and what he's thinking, but even if he is dangerous, Devon makes sense. But then again, so does Mr. Red, who's the nicest guy Kidd ever met. But the person who changes his life is Olivia....

Some people have scars on the outside, some on the inside. Devon and Olivia have a lot of similarities, and that makes each one trust the other. And Kidd is determined to keep Olivia away from Devon, even if it means breaking all ties with him. Devon isn't about the leave....and one night, when the grunions come onto the beach, when Kidd and Olivia are sitting by the cliff, the dark comes out. But is the dark there to hurt or help Kidd?

Matt de la Pena is one of those authors who gets it right everytime. This book combines different voices in the form of diaries to flashbacks, to stream of consciousness to the present, all from the main character. De la Pena also combines characters that are in direct contrast with each other, from the privileged, to the lost; the capable to the troubled. It's the striking use of contrast that makes this book such a good read. It doesn't bog down, but instead makes the reader become incredibly close to Kidd, Red, and Devon. And it will definitely keep the reader in suspense until that sudden epiphany happens, when the reader is slowly drawn into the reality of what is happening in the novel. It will pull you and keep you turning the pages. One of the best I've read this year.

Book Trailer: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2010-12-07T16:16:00.005-06:00

It's available for download in .wmv format at: http://www.nisdtx.org/120820731141528687/site/default.asp
Look for the "book trailers" link under the red Northwest HS logo : )

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2010-12-03T08:48:00.002-06:00

Evie lives an interesting life. She's lived in the foster care system for as long as she can remember, until the night she met a vamp in the cemetery. And from there, her life has been surrounded by paranormalcy.

Now, at 16, her life revolves around bagging, tagging, and neutralizing those creatures that go bump in the night, keeping humanity safe from their deadly grip. Evie has the ability to see through glamours. What a normal human would see, she can see the rotting corpse of a hag, vampire, or zombie underneath.

Through her work at the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency), she's neutralized, or "neutered" a vampire named Steve, become best friends with a mermaid named Alisha, works with a werewolf named Jaques, and is trying to avoid Reth, whom she had a brief and dangerous fling with. The only real person in her life is Raquel, the head of IPCA, but Evie still feels alone and lonely. At least she has her normalcy to rely on.

But something strange is going on. Evie keeps hearing whispers in her dreams, which she doesn't understand. Then she meets the most extraordinary paranormal - a cute shapeshifter named Lend. He's broken into the IPCA to information, but about what or whom? And then the murders of paranormals begins...someone or something is killing them. The IPCA needs to find out who's behind the murders before it becomes worse. Is Lend behind the murders or is it someone on the inside of IPCA?

If you have readers who enjoy YA romance, this is one they'll enjoy. How about those who want romance and the supernatural? Again, this is a great choice. White creates unusual but unforgettable characters of the paranormal, from the evil but beautiful fairies to the enigmatic newcomer who's part liquid, part shapeshifter, to a teenage heroine who yearns for the normal life of a teenager and only wants the life like the characters on her favorite television teen drama. White writes about the dark world of those things that go bump in the night with a light, witty hand. Readers will be drawn to this one. Drama, action, romance and humor all wrapped up between the covers of a great YA read.

2010-11-15T15:23:00.000-06:00

Book Trailer Survey on Prezi

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

2010-11-12T12:32:00.002-06:00

Themis Academy has the best and brightest. You see the ivy-covered walls, the graduates going on to prestigious colleges, students performing at the top of the game, both academically and athletically. It’s the perfect, picturesque campus….but it’s only the surface of what really happens.

Alex, a junior a Themis, is gifted with musical talent. She does everything a model student is expected to do, but one night changes her life. When she wakes up in Carter’s room, all she wants to do is disappear and hide, but it doesn’t happen. Now, everywhere she turns, he’s there telling everyone what happened, and the shame she feels for that one mistake is now becoming the new fodder on campus. The stares, the whispers, and the lies…

Alex doesn’t realize that there is help on campus, even if the teachers and administrators only want to see the façade they’ve created. Now, walking on campus, going to the caf, even trying to study in the library is extreme torture for Alex. She does everything to avoid Carter, but he keeps showing up. With the help of her roommates, Maia, and TS, Alex is introduced to the Mockingbirds, a group on campus dedicated to underground justice.

In bits and pieces, her nightmare comes back to her and the reality of the situation is serious – date rape. It’s after the Mockingbirds decide to “take the case” that Alex begins to feel that there is justice, especially after hearing and seeing other cases of bullying and student abuse that go on at Themis Academy. But she also knows that her situation is a he said/she said situation, and will it be that easily remedied?

Drawing on personal experience, author Daisy Whitney takes the reader inside the walls, hearts, and justice of the students in this novel. The complexity of the Mockingbirds itself creates a system that has a complex structure for both the accuser and accused. Alex’s character runs deep, from the personal shame, to fear and humiliation, to a sense fresh beginnings. Whitney writes an excellent novel on the psychological and emotional response of and from a victim who has nowhere to turn but inwardly and a group who saves her from it. This is an excellent novel and one that will resonate with readers, especially after a year where bullying has made headline news. Highly recommended

Even the Greatest would like to be like us....

2010-11-10T12:37:00.002-06:00

What a GREAT way to share Secret Santa!!

2010-11-10T12:18:00.000-06:00

If you're like me, then you enjoy the great days before Christmas, when colleagues join forces and show their spirit with the traditional Secret Santa.
Well, I just joined the coolest one I've ever seen!! It's a book blogger swap! So, if you're an avid book blogger and want to participate, the deadline is November 14! Here's the link:
http://holidayswap.wordpress.com/

It'll be so cool to see who I get and who got me....an with an online presence (or is that presents?) Have a great day!!

YA Books about Bullying, including trailers

2010-11-08T14:08:00.000-06:00

Blank Confession by Pete Hautman

2010-11-01T12:41:00.001-05:00

Mikey knows he has a smart mouth, but he makes up for it with style. He wears a suit everyday and it doesn't matter is people think he doesn't fit in or that he's short...his suave style gets him through the day. And a good day is one where he doesn't have to meet up with his sister Marie's boyfriend, Jon. Everyone in school knows that Jon's the major pusher, whatever your drug is. He's got the looks, the money, and whatever he wants.

But one day, when the cops come in with a drug dog, Jon forces a bag onto Mikey for "safekeeping." And when Mikey ditches it, Jon Brandt makes his presence in Mikey's life more known, and he and his gang, Trey and Kyle, will make sure Mikey repays.

In perfect timing, Shayne arrives. Driving a beat up BMW motorcyle and sporting dark clothes, Shayne doesn't shed a ruffled feather as the new guy. He sees what's going on between Mikey and Jon, and decides to do something to help Mikey. Through a series of events, it seems that everything Shayne does to help makes matters worse for Mikey. When you get two alpha guys against each other, something is going to snap....

Detective Rawls has seen them come and go. When it comes to teens, he can pretty well read them since he's spent his life in that department. It's at the opening of this book that the reader sees Shayne sitting in the police station, wanting to make a blank confession of murder.

Pete Hautman's books are short but powerful, and this is another fine example of a quick read with high impact. What exactly happened between the first showdown between Shayne and Jon to the present, where Shayne is at the police station? Told in flashback, Hautman draws his characters out, allowing the reader to take small glimpses of who they are while maintaining the pace of the story until the climactic denoument at the end of this novel. The reader is drawn into the personas as much as the storyline, and that is what gives this book excellent qualities of a great YA read. Compelling, intense, mystifying....all wrapped up in a perfect package Hautman delivers to his audience. Highly recommended

Book trailer: Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

2010-10-28T14:54:00.002-05:00

I loved the book so much, I couldn't resist!! Enjoy : )

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

2010-10-27T10:22:00.002-05:00

It’s been thirty years since Elisha’s (like the Biblical prophet) Bear hit world-wide. In this world, there is no war, prisons are not full, not mass deaths, slavery or environmental disasters. Elisha’s Bear took care of all of that. Because now, 97% of the population are women. Most of the men died thirty years ago….

In the PE (Post-Elisha) world, Kellen lives with his mother, who is has an upper-level job with PAC, the Population Apportionment Council. They ensure that the current percentage of population gaps don’t close in, making the earth a more dangerous and vulnerable place that includes males. Kellen feels the sting. At school, girls are given the chance to become who and what they want to be. He has limited choices and a tough battery of tests to pass to be able to do something.

Kellen takes Tia and Sunday, two new girls, down Epitaph Road, a place where mass graves for the dead men in the Seattle area are buried. Burning crosses dot the field with Frathiests coming to make their pilgrimages. Epitaphs on a granite monolith are carved with the words of the survivors, including the epitaph to Kellen’s grandfather. Life is tough, but now governments focus of healthcare, educational reforms and clean environments instead of nuclear devices, prison reform.

Kellen soon learns that Tia is looking and searching for truth behind cover-ups and conspiracy theories, including what exactly happened thirty years ago. And when his history project turns up a defunct website, junkyarddog.bites, he begins to fit some missing puzzle pieces together….

It isn’t until Kellen overhears his aunt and mother arguing about the safety and life of his father, now a loner living at Afterlight, to spur Kellen into action. Something big is about to go down and wipe out his father’s last breath, and Kellen is determined to save him. And it’s what happens to Tia, Sunday and Kellen when they begin their journey that opens to the door to more chaos, conspiracy and death.

What a unique and different twist on a future dystopian world. Patneaude takes the minority in society to create a very strong main character in this book, creating a balance between the two. Starting as a flashback to Kellen’s father as a teen who survived, the reader gets in touch with how the world is run now, but it isn’t until Patneaude takes the reader into the unseen history that changes the novel into one of intense suspense. This book is thought-provoking, page-turning, and will have readers reading fast and furious to find out the truth in the hidden history of this book’s past, but what the outcome will be for Kellen, Tia, and Sunday. Highly recommended

For those treading the uncertain waters of e-readers

2010-10-23T11:06:00.001-05:00

This couldn't come at a better time for me. The SLJ Leadership Summit focused on the 21st century. I am a changed person. Change is difficult and not very well received because people sometimes become entrenched in personal beliefs and status quos. But we need to make sure we look at the change and why it's needed and be careful....don't look at one side but BOTH sides. It's so much easier finding info YOU want to support reasons for not supporting change. I had the honor of listening to Stephen Abram, among other leaders, talk, and here are some key highlights of his speech for the change from traditional books to e-books:

The internet has passed it's infancy - it's now moving into its terrible twos, and we have to control it.

"Shift happens"

Teens have collaboratively created a new language (texting) in two years. Who are we to stifle their creativity because we don't understand this change paradigm?

9 percent of books through Amazon sales has gone down.

Women are predominant buyers of e-readers. This is going to filter down to their children as reading models

Google is in collaboration with 80 percent of publishers for online books.

We don't buy albums anymore but singles online. Kindle has singles, which is a fundamental shift that will change reading of short stories and poetry.

20 percent of the population is text-based learning while 80 percent is experience-based. Think of the preference of watching a video vs reading a manual.

Reading goes on with and without binding.

50 percent of people go to Amazon to look at a book and its reviews et al before going to the OPAC.

If you feel like you're drowning in technology and it's overwhelming, start small!

And there are still some questions. Another speaker said

we don't have a common vocabulary when it comes to e- books. There are e- book and enhanced e- books. Do you know the difference?

Books now come with directions

Do we buy or subscribe? What exactly do we own when we have an e-reader

The Carnegie Foundation speakers showed that 4 million US homes have e-readers and predicts sales of more than 29 million devices by 2015.

57 percent of kids 9-17 are interested in e-readers and are more likely to read for pleasure on this format.

So I'm changing my focus and looking at the evidence to embrace 21st century reading. If I don't, then the library I work in will be the one that never changes while the rest of my school goes forward in the classroom with educational technology and standards and the new state standards that have been revamped to integrate new technologies. I'm not one who wants to be a dinosaur...I like the hip, on the top of the newest out there instead.

Now to change some mindsets....!

Remember....10 years ago with the advent if the Internet, pessimists predicted the demise of libraries. But we proved them wrong and adapted to it. We can do it again in this new digital age.

Hot New Books For October!!

2010-10-19T14:56:00.001-05:00

I was creating a new list for October, and am posting this to share with everyone. These books have been published in the last three years and have appeal outside the month of October. But since October lends itself to the spooky, mysterious, and supernatural I thought an updated version would do nicely. On top of that, I've created a playlist of excellent booktrailers from Youtube that go along with most of these books. So look for the ones with an asterick - those have a trailer with them. I also listed sequels if there is one - that's always a good thing to display as well.
First the booklist:

2010 Books
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies graphic novel by Tony Lee
* The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
* The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
* The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer
* Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (associated novel: I Heart You, You
Haunt Me)
* Dark Divine by Bree Despain

2009 Books
* The Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (sequel: Guardian of the Gate)
The Twilight Zone graphic novels
* Sleepless by Thomas Fahy
* Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (sequel: Linger)
* Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith (sequel: Solitary)
* Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
* The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (sequels: Dead Tossed Waves
and Dark and Hollow Places)
* Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
* Ruied by Paula Morris
* Malice by Chris Wooding (sequel: Havoc)
* Eternal by Cynthia Leitech Smith
* Need by Carrie Jones (sequels: Captivate; Entice)

2008 Books
* Parliament of Blood by Justin Richards
* The Devouring by Simon Holt (sequels: Soulstice; Fearscape)
* Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley (sequels: Ghostgirl: Homecoming;
Ghostgirl: Lovesick)
Angel by Cliff McNish
* Bliss by Lauren Myracle
Night Road by A.M Jenkins
* Wake by Lisa McMann (sequels: Fade; Gone)

Story Collections:
Restless Dead
Love is Hell
Gothic!
666: The Number of the Beast

And here is the Youtube playlist I created. This can also be found on my Youtube channel, YA Books and More if you wanted to run it from a computer for display (of course, if you get it at school...grrrrr!!):

2010-10-08T09:14:00.002-05:00

Book Trailer Resources

A mashup booktalk presentation: Prezi, Animoto, and Schooltube!

2010-10-07T15:51:00.002-05:00

Fall 2010 YA Booktalk on Prezi

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

2010-10-06T09:08:00.002-05:00

Here's my newest trailer - this was published in 2009 but the sequel is now out. Sometimes I review a book in advance and have to wait a year or more for the sequel...not this time!!
Enjoy!

This is also posted on my Schooltube channel if you'd like to embed it:

www.schooltube.com/user/naomibates

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

2010-09-30T11:25:00.002-05:00

Tennyson doesn’t really like the Bruiser. He’s weird, standoffish, and just a huge bulk of nothing. But when his sister Bronte begins dating the Bruiser, that’s when Tenny’s had enough. The only way to break them up is to confront the guy, and that’s what Tennyson plans to do.

But his confrontation with the Bruiser isn’t what he expected. Brewster, aka Bruiser, doesn’t fight back, even though he’s big enough to pound Tennyson down. But it’s what Tennyson sees that makes him realize there’s more than meets the eye. Brewster’s back is covered with scars, bruises, bump, blisters…like someone has beaten the living daylights out of him….

And that’s where the story truly begins. Brewster and his little brother Cody live with his Uncle Hoyt, a mean drunk who works a steamroller at night and stays home during the day. Uncle Hoyt keeps Brew and Cody close, not wanting any outsiders in their “circle” and when Tennyson and Bronte step over that boundary, they don’t quite understand what they stepped into….

Strange coincidences – Tennyson’s bruised knuckles from lacrosse disappear, Bronte’s sprained ankle feels instantly better….and when they’re around Brew, they notice his red, injured knuckles and the limp he now has. Cody knows the secret and knows that his big brother would never let anything hurt him. Now Bronte and Tennyson know his secret as well, but they don’t know all of it or the ramifications it will have not only on Brewster himself, but on their family and friends as well.

If your family is falling apart; if you want so badly to be the next MVP; if you want to make a person’s life better by showing them true friendship….how far will you go? But more importantly, would you be willing to sacrifice one for the sake of all? Which hurts more – living in your own bubble without any meaningful relationships or caring for the people around you and making whatever hurts them your own?

I know I have an amazing book in my hands when I read through it in one sitting, but don’t want to read it all because then it’ll be over. Such is the case with Neal Shusterman’s newest YA novel. This isn’t just about child abuse, but something much deeper, much more emotional, and very thought-provoking. What seems innocent and helpful at first can be deadly and dangerous if put in the wrong hands. Shusterman not only wields a powerful tale told in different voices of the main characters, but also works magic on the reader by pulling them in on a rollercoaster ride of emotional and edge of your seat situations. I also loved his subtle use of vocabulary enhancement as well…something all readers get when they read, perhaps more so with this book. Excellent read for all secondary grade levels.

Booktalk Intro Video

2010-09-29T15:17:00.000-05:00

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

2010-09-24T09:58:00.001-05:00

In Victorian England, the protocol for young ladies was to learn the gentle arts (embroidery, music, hosting parties) and her goal of achievement was to marry a gentleman, start and family and become part of a social network of genteel ladies that included visiting cards and tea, and socials. But Louisa wants none of that….

Living in a home with the perfect Victorian mother as a model, Louisa struggles against her mother’s wishes and runs to her father for support. And it’s there that her father gives Louisa a look at the “other side,” a place of learning about medicine, reading and studying Latin, wanting more from life than scones, teas and garden parties. And Louisa wants this so badly.

Because of her gregarious nature, Louisa fights against becoming a gentlewoman. At her aunt’s house, she shows her true nature by speaking outright against the position women are held in and wants nothing of marriage, but a career instead. And this alarms her family more than she realizes…

With the passing of her father, the fate of her future now rests with her brother Tom, who is now head of household. He has deemed it fit for Louisa to become a companion to a friend’s sister, and there she must find her meaning in life. But what she doesn’t realize is that she’s been committed by her family to Wildthorn, the local insane asylum, to cure her of her “insanity.” And it’s at Wildthorn that will make or break Louisa, but is her will strong enough to survive the horrors she faces there?

This is Eagland’s first YA novel, and she tackles the historical side of Victorian England from all viewpoints, including parents, siblings, fiancees, men and women. What the reader realizes after reading this book is that problems young women face today are the same ones they faced over a hundred years ago. The only difference is the way these problems have been handled by society. Eagland writes not only about the forward movement of women into the workforce, but tackles personal issues as well, including assault against teens and feelings Louisa has toward the "gentler sex." The setting takes main stage in this book, looking at the horrors of what happened in an insane asylum in the Victorian Age. The only caveat would be the epilogue, which seemed to be a hasty happy ending of Louisa’s and Eliza’s relationship with each other. Otherwise, the allusions, situations, and twists Eagland writes within her novel makes this an outstanding new debut for YA fiction.

Need to know the Newest YA out there?

2010-09-17T12:20:00.000-05:00

I have a partial solution! This blog features YA authors who are debuting novel this year!! There's a list from April Henry, to Lisa Schroeder to Michael Northrup. Not only are they debuting new novels, but there's also videos, booktrailers and just some pretty interesting stuff on there....
I'm going to start following this one : )
http://www.thecontemps.com/

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

2010-09-15T15:15:00.001-05:00

Violet knew she had an unusual gift the day she found the dead body when she was nine years old....Flash foward...

Vi is now a junior in high school. She has a pretty good life, her circle of friends are there for her, her best friend since third grade, Jay, is still her best friend. She has parents and an uncle who love her. Life couldn't be better. Except for the imprints...

What are they? They're what's left of animals or people the moment they die. They linger, following and finding Vi through sound or color. Vi can see which people have imprints, from war veterans to policemen and firefighters. She can also see the imprints left on the dead...

HE is looking for his next victim. He can't help himself. The hunt is extravagant...making him feel so good. He looks for those that are alone, the beautiful helpless one, and takes her. But his hunting grounds have to change. Restrictions are now making him hunt in a more confined area. But he's careful, because he's been doing this for years...

Vi's friendships, especially with Jay are slowly changing. She can't shake the feeling that she wants to be more with her best friend, but at the same time is afraid of losing him as a friend if he doesn't feel the same way. What is a girl to do? And then she finds another body, this time at a party at the lake, and the imprint is calling out to her louder than ever before....

HE can't believe the body was found so quickly? What does the sheriff's niece know and how? He thought he was being smart, hunting quickly and quietly. He's decided this girl who keeps finding his body may have to be next....

What an excellent mystery novel! Not only does Derting use murder mystery as a backdrop, but she is able to deftly weave in a story about friendship, love and connections at the same time. The two even each other out, while not losing the reading to either storyline. The reader gets to know all the characters involved with each other, and will think they know who the elusive "HE" is but like all good mysteries, not until the last part of the book. And yes...there is a twist! Sensual, supernatural, suspenseful all wrapped up in a great YA novel! Highly recommended.

You Are Not Here by Samantha Schutz

2010-09-10T08:35:00.003-05:00

Annaleah loves Brian. He's the one....the one that makes her feel weak in the knees. The one whose kisses she craves and whose arms feels best around her. Annaleah would do anything for him. She forgives him when he doesn't return phone calls. And forgives him again when he says he'll show up but doesn't. And she'll forgive him again when he says he'll meet her friends, but he doesn't...

And then the most terrible thing in the world happens. Brian dies...and Annaleah goes into a tailspin. She has her friends Marissa, Parker and Joy who want to help, but she pushes them away. She has her mother, but doesn't want to tell her anything. She's fallen into a depression that wraps its arms around her and kisses her, promising to stay with her if she's faithful. And she is. Annaleah goes to Brian's grave, lays down beside him and tells him everything.

Slowly life changes. Her friends move on, her mother continues to work, and Annaleah is left alone with the Dearly Departed and Brian. But it takes someone and something to alter her life and see it for what it truly is. But can Annaleah resist the urge to isolate herself or fall headlong into the only comfort zone she knows?

Schutz has written a beautiful novel in verse about how one teen deals with depression on her own terms and slowly realizes the world she's created. Readers will know from the onset the persona of Brian and feel for Annaleah, while also trying to help her friends get her to know the truth. This is a fast read of a great story about love, loss and healing, with perfect characterization that will take the reader to the ending. A perfect pairing for those who enjoy novels from Lisa Schroeder. Recommended.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - booktrailer

2010-09-09T11:13:00.005-05:00

Just finished this not too long ago. I tried to upload it to blogger...can't.

Click here to watch the video

You can also embed it onto your website : )

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

2010-09-03T09:19:00.004-05:00

Junior year is upon Lani. She's been looking at the stars and tracking her horoscope and knows this year will be the best ever. She has her friends Erin and Blake beside her, and although she's not part of the Golden Circle, she is still likeable by her classmates.

Erin, her best friend, is also ready for high school, especially when she sees Jason, the guy she's been crushing on. Erin usually gets what she wants, and Lani is there cheering her on. Blake is hoping to get through his last year without any bumps in the road, and Lani is keeping his secret. Life couldn't get any better.

But then summer arrives, and as with all summers, life unexpectedly changes. Lani faces some major challenges before her senior year ever starts. And the biggest obstacle? How to tell her best friend that Jason and her are seeing each other. And Blake's secret? Oops.... Senior year isn't what Lani is hoping or wishing for, and the fates are definitely working against her.

Need some light and fun reading? This is one to pick up. It's a definite magnet for girls to want to read. What can be more taboo that dating someone's ex when the ex won't let go? Colasanti has weaved together two episodes in one life about love, friendship, betrayals, and healing. This will be one handed from one girl to another!

I have been reading!!!!

2010-08-30T21:36:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but the first two weeks of school just DRAINS me....you wouldn't believe the work me and my library assistant have to do to help get the school up and running. I have been reading, though I can't remember the titles. Ever have one of those days? I plan on posting the reviews this weekend. Finally, a loooooong weekend....

The Secret of Priest's Grotto by Peter Lane Taylor

2010-08-25T10:37:00.004-05:00

There is something about the Holocause that still draws an audience, young or old. And when you have a story that once again defies all odds, readers will be drawn to it. So it is with this book. A non-fiction pictorial of a story one man heard and then researched, it takes into account three Jewish families and the limits of humanity they endured in order to survive.

What's the record for the longest amount of time man has spent in a cave? Human isolation, sensory deprivation...like solitary but darker, deeper under the earth, claustrophobic...
The record was 205 days set my Michel Siffre in Texas's Midnight Cave. And he was given food, had modern clothing and lights. Toward the end of his stay, his mental and physical capacities had seriously deteriorated. It was excruciating.

This book is about the story of three families who fled into the longest horizontal cave in the world in the Ukraine, called Priest's Grotto. They survived in the not as modern world of 1943 far beyond what a modern explorer experienced but for much, much longer...and lived to tell their tale.

One word - intriguing... An amazing book for reluctant readers (short with many photos of the past and present) as well as for those whose interest lie in the Holocaust or tales of human struggle and survival against nature. An excellent addition to collections for junior high and up.

Immortal Beloved by Kate Tiernan

2010-08-16T09:14:00.006-05:00

Nastasya has seen it all, done it all. She's lived a hundred lives and goes on to see another day. Tonight, she's with her friends Incy, Mal, Katy and Boz for a night of clubbing...anything to dull her reality. But then she witnesses the true degradation of an immortal, and she doesn't like what she sees, not only in what Incy did, but how she reacted to it...

Nastasya and her friends are immortals - people who have lived hundreds of years and are eye-witnesses to all the world events mere humans can only read about. Nastasya hides her true beginnings even from herself and makes sure she doesn't attach herself emotionally to anyone or anything, except the amulet and scar she carries with her constantly. She and Incy have been inseparable for a very long time, but now she knows she must cut her ties. She remembers a woman named River whom she met over a hundred years ago and the invitation given to her then. And that's where Nastasya goes for safety.

But her lifestyle and the way things are run by River, Asher and other immortal teachers at River's Edge are not mixing very well. Not only that, but she feels that the other students there don't like or even want her around, particularly Nell and Reyn. And what she thought would be a haven for her to turn away from the dark side may actually be more dangerous. Someone is after her, but what for? Why? The more Nastasya learns about her past and the power she has, the more she is being hunted. Or is that the real reason?

What a great book for YA readers who enjoy reading fantasies that are dark, mysterious, and romantic. The characters are not vampires, but true immortals who struggle with something far larger than a simple person can concieve. From London and around the world to a small town in Massachusetts, the lives of the immortals, especially Nastasya, are revealed slowly but carefully, leaving the reader wanting to know more about her past as well as her present. Tiernan does an excellent job of weaving Nastasyas two stories through a series of flashbacks and present day that makes the reader understand not only who she is, but what she's fighting against. This will be a series of books, and after reading the first one, I'm already ready for the sequel! Due out September 2010.

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

2010-08-03T18:53:00.004-05:00

It's the future of the United States. A place where black-market and side alley deals are made for video games...a place where computers and their peripherals are high commodities. There is no Las Vegas, and Sam knows he's the one responsible for the downfall of the United States....

It started out harmlessly. A little hack to get some free neuro headsets for him and his best friend Fargas. Sam knew the hack was easy, but he still couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching. And then the invitation arrived. Neoh@ck would invite him to the elite of the elite if he could find their con. What did he have to do? Crack the firewall of the White House and find the virtual con. Sam did, and now the feds are knocking on his door.

But there is more to it than meets the virtual eye. Sam runs into Dodge while incarcerated and makes a daring plan to escape. And his escape turns into the a proposition he can't refuse, working on what he does best. One that means life or death, protection of countries and their resources and governments, and a battle against Ursula, a virtual being that wants to take control of not only the what Sam and the crew are trying to protect, but of people as well, using the only means available to her...neuro headsets.

WOWOW!!! Okay, this isn't quite a word you'd use for a review, but from the beginning I was hooked. Brian Falkner writes a YA thriller that does exactly what he set out to do - thrill the reader. A dystopian novel in a very futuristic, realistic way, Falkner writes about the dangers of the future involving technology, and one that could quite conceivably happen. Sam is one of those teens we all know...an extremely bright and talented person who walks, talks and lives for technology. He is vibrant, intuitive, and leaps off the pages as well as the other characters in this novel. The prologue will capture and the book will follow suit.
I requested a guy read on the floor of ALA...the next best novel that will capture this audience. The rep at Random House handed me this...Brian Falkner's book will too with the guys. Due out late September.

Book trailer: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

2010-07-29T13:32:00.003-05:00

So, I picked this galley up at ALA and read it from Texas to Illinois when I went on a family vacation....and I LOVED IT! In fact, I loved it so much, I enlisted the help of my father-in-law to help put together some farm implements he has laying around for most of the background video in this trailer. We left it up in the backyard for a few days...hope anyone who came up to his farm didn't think we were joining a weird club or something. I put my iphone to good use on this one : ) Anyway, hope you enjoy this!

Use this link if you want to embed it : )

Dark Song by Gail Giles

2010-07-29T08:35:00.006-05:00

Ames lives a more than comfortable life....large house, private school, expensive vacations and clothes. She has her circle of friends, with Em at the center. Ames is known as the "good girl," one who never challenges the rules and does well in school. But Em has given her a taste of what it feels like to bend rules, and Ames likes that feeling.

And then her world crashes. Her way of life is completely shattered, thanks to her father and she learns the hard and fast way of what life will be like. Her circle of friends have abandoned her, her way of life given away at garage sales, and what little they have left is swept away in a tide of embarrassment to Houston, where she now lives in the projects, mucking away discarded drug needles and animal droppings in her new home. She hates her life, her parents...everyone except her little sister. And that's where she meets Marc.

Marc takes him time when it comes to approaching Ames. His attraction to her began the first time he saw her. He knows the dangers and the unfamiliar territory Ames has moved into and he sees something in her that others don't - he tests her dark song, that feeling of living on the edge, the thrill of breaking rules without attracting attention, and finds hers without ever letting her know his own dark song he plays so well...

Ames feels the dark song too and the music is getting louder and stronger the more she follows Marc into his world. And she likes it...but will what she likes destroy her and her family or rescue her from a world she knows nothing about?

Gail Giles is a master of YA fiction on the edge. She's crafted a book where readers are drawn to Ames's privileged life and the deliberately crafted downhill ride she finds herself in. Picture perfect on the outside, the dysfunctional family side is revealed to the reader in perfect literary accompaniment. Fans of her body of work will not be disappointed!

YOU by Charles Benoit

2010-07-21T00:48:00.005-05:00

You see the jocks who walk the halls with their packs, looking like kings and making sure the weak know where they stand. People like Jake….

You see the girl that will be with almost anyone and uses them as much as they use her. People like Kristi….

You see the guys who wear hoodies, black shirts and baggy jeans and really don’t care about anything. People like Derrick, Max and Ryan….

You see the girl that gets along with everyone. The one you think about all the time, talk to as much as possible, just to look at her. People like Ashley….

You see the one the sparkles along the outer edges. He gets along with adults and can bring down the strongest by knowing what makes them tick. People like Zack….

And you see yourself. Wondering how you got where you are now. Looking at the choices you’ve made that altered your course of life and wondering which one was THE one that changed your life. Looking at the anger that bubbles deep inside of you and how you’ve tried to ignore it. And then you really look around you and see all of the blood….You’re name is Kyle Chase and this is your story.

What a POWERFUL book. This is Charles Benoit first venture into YA literature, and he comes in with welcome arms. You is the story of one main character, but the story cannot be told without the characters that surround Kyle. But makes this novel such a strong one is how Benoit writes about the STARK REALITY of high school from the perspective of the main characters. When you read this, you are walking down the halls of high school and understand what Kyle is going through as well as his reasoning for acting the way he does toward his teachers and parents. Reminiscent of Gail Giles’s Shattering Glass and Chris Krovatin’s Venomous, this is a book that goes the distance and doesn’t stop. I read this is one sitting and think teens and adults will too. Highly recommended.

Booktrailer Tech Tip (a little early, a little late too!)

2010-07-18T17:33:00.005-05:00

I haven't done a book trailer tech tip in awhile, and I thought I'd share with you an excellent way to begin your book trailer training. After making several for awhile, I realized I was looking at television commercials, beginnings of programs and even movie trailers in a completely different light. Now, it's, "Look at that transition! Look at how they incorporated music into the action!!"
Well, of course my next logical step was to look at some really good trailers in order to see what it took to make them. There are many found on youtube.com that are made by publishers who spend big bucks to create them. It was literally a library of trailers that I sat down and watched and realized what mine lacked. I went back to the drawing board and began using techniques from what I saw and creating some of my own.
So, here is a link of book trailers that I found on youtube. Included is a virtuoso of book trailer making, which you'll see on the big screen on the Youtube Book Trailer tab...she's amazing...
So look, take notes, and watch watch watch!! It'll definitely help with your trailering!

http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=13228

Oh the creative genius....

2010-07-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

This was shared from another librarian and I couldn't help but pass it along...the things librarians and/or library students come up with! The vintage aerobics one is by far the most disturbing : )

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/16/librarians-go-gaga-9-of-t_n_648177.html#slide_image