Sunday, February 27, 2011

Teen Review of the Week (TRW): The Battle of the Labrynth

The Battle Of the Labrynth by Rick Riordan

Description:
Percy Jackson is back for more trouble, starting with setting his mom's new boyfriend's school on fire. From happy meals to erupting Mount Saint Helens, Percy is in for a HUGE summer.

My Thoughts:
I love this book, and all it's brothers and sisters. My favorite part was Calypso and Ogygia. :)

Recommendation:
Mythology freaks

--R.T., Sultan, grade 9

I'll be sending R.T. a free book, so don't forget to send in your reviews!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Hunger Game book trailers

Galleycat has an awesome post about fans who can't wait for the new Hunger Games movie to come out, and are making their own trailers. This one is professionally made as an audition tape, and is simply fantastic. (Be warned, it does capture the brutality of the books!)



Which of the ones they posted is your favorite? Do you know a better one on YouTube? If you type in hunger games trailer you get over 1600 hits there!! Have you ever thought about making your own?

Now is an excellent time to make your own book trailer, and enter it in our 4th annual Teen Video Contest!

You can win a gift card for Best Buy, plus be featured on our website, AND there are usually some delicious cookies involved, too. Fame, fortune and food...what more could you want?

Just be sure to follow the rules, and enter before midnight on March 31, 2011!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Teen Review of the Week (TRW): Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jacques

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jacques

Description:
A mute 14-year-old nameless boy runs away from his life as a abused orphan. Without knowing it, he steals a ride on the Flying Dutchman. When the ship docks at Esbjerg, a dog walks onto the deck and becomes friends with the boy. Throughout the novel, the boy and the dog strengthen the bond between their friendship.

My Thoughts:
I love how the boy ,who is later named Neb by the cook on the ship, befriends the dog and they become great companions, always working together as a team.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to middle schoolers.

--H.L., Mukilteo, grade 10

I'll be sending H.L. a free book, so don't forget to send in your reviews!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Another Video Contest for Teens

Sno-Isle isn't the only place you can express your love of libraries and win prizes. The American Library Association is having a Why I Need My Library contest. You can win up to $3000 for your public or school library, plus a $50 gift card for an online bookseller for yourself!



Read all the rules here.

I'd sure love to see someone make a video about Sno-Isle Libraries :)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sarah Dessen's New Book

Ok, so What Happened to Goodbye is not released until May, which means you can't even request it from us yet. BUT. Dessen put the first chapter up on her blog a while back, and while the die-hard Dessenites are probably FULLY aware of that fact, I think maybe some of you aren't.

SO. Go. Read. Come back and tell me what you think, and your comment will enter you in to win...

Girl Stolen by April Henry:

"Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?"

--publishers description.

You have until 11:59pm on Sunday, February 20th to comment.

Only students in grades 6-12 who can pick their winnings up at one of the 21 Sno-Isle Libraries are eligible to win.

via the ever-helpful Bookshelves of Doom.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day Quiz: Discover Your Literary Soulmate!

Teen Reads has a special Valentine's Day quiz for all of you who swoon over boys in books!

So, go! Find out who your book boyfriend is!

Come back and tell us who you matched with! I got Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss (which is totally supposed to be swoon-worth, although I'm still waiting for my hold to come in!)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Teen Review of the Week (TRW): The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

Description:
After losing both her step-father and her mother, Lainey's life gets turned up side down. She reconnects with her estranged sister who she hasn't seen in 10 years that is now her 5 year old brother's guardian. She most importantly has to decide whether to stay with her boyfriend or a new guy she met.

My Thoughts:
I thought it was a great book. I always wanted to know more.

Recommendation:
People who enjoy spontaneous things.

--A.K., grade 8, Arlington

I'll be sending A.K. a free book, so don't forget to send in your reviews!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Emma Watson's First Post-Harry Potter Role

Looks like the rumors have finally been confirmed. The actress best known 'round the world as Hermione will be starring in another teen book to movie adaptation. This time, it'll be with no magic at all. She'll be starring as Samantha from the much-beloved The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

Logan Lerman (better known as Percy Jackson by most of you) will have the lead role of Charlie. Having watched him as Bobby in the short-lived tv show, Jack & Bobby, I have real faith that he can nail this role.

In an unusual situation, the author has not only written the screenplay himself, but will also be directing the movie. Which should give any fan great hope.

via Cinema Blend and The Pittsburg Post-Gazette.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Glow-in-the-Dark Frisbee Golf?

Yep, in the library. On Friday night, an hour after the Lynnwood Library closes, we'll open back up to teens (grades 6-12) only. You'll be given glow-in-the-dark jewelry and a glowing frisbee to navigate the darkened library course.

Yes, this is INDOOR FRISBEE GOLF. That GLOWS.

How can you POSSIBLY not want to come?

Friday, 7-9pm at Lynnwood Library.

Check out the calendar info.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Now I HAVE to read this one!

From Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray:

“She’s a librarian,” Sim said. “They’re not teachers; they don’t give you half as much hassle. If there’s a fire in the school and I’ve got to choose who I’m gonna save – a teacher or a librarian – the teacher’s gonna burn every time” p 24.

Sorry, teachers, but this librarian finds that HILARIOUS.

Discovered by our lovely youth librarian, Jayanne up in Langley & Freeland.

13 Reasons Why Movie

Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why is one of the most successful books in the last 5 years, but in a completely different way than Twilight. It's one that just about every teen knows about, but most adults are completely oblivious of. It's one that people read over and over again. It came out back in the fall of 2007, and there has never NOT been a wait list for it. Most paperback versions come out 8 or 12 months after a book's initial release - we MIGHT finally get a paperback version released this coming June.

But.

That's not what I'm here to tell you about today. No, today, I'm here to tell you that 13 Reasons Why is not only going to be a movie (which you might have already known) but that Selena Gomez will be starring as Hannah Baker, the suicide victim and sender of the tapes.

What do you think?

via ComingSoon.net

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Teen Video Contest

It is that time of year again! Teen Tech Month is coming up in March, and we are now accepting entries for our annual Video Contest!

Enter your video for a chance to win a Best Buy gift card!
1st Prize $150
2nd Prize $75
Librarians' Choice $75

All finalists receive an "Infamous for Information" T-shirt.

How to Enter:

  1. Create a video that promotes the library or your favorite book.
  2. Video length must be 30 seconds to 3 minutes long, including credits.
  3. Feature libraries only in the Sno-Isle system. Or, feature books written for teens and owned by Sno-Isle.
  4. Your video must contain credits indicating you made it for the Sno-Isle Libraries Video Contest.
  5. Post your video to YouTube with the tag "snoisleteens."
  6. Submit your YouTube URL through our online form by March 31, 2011.

Funded by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation.

You must be between the ages of 12 and 18 (or in 6th through 12th grade), and reside or attend school in Island or Snohomish counties to enter.

2010 Winner:

2009 Winner:


2008 Winnner

Think you can do better? Show us! I can't wait to see :D

Incarceron & Wesley Payne Winners!

We have two winners to announce today!

Winning Incarceron from the 100 YA Books for the Feminist Reader post, the winner is Kendall, with this comment:



I would say that defiantly liking the Hunger Games is totally appropriate. Katniss would approve.

Winning You Killed Wesley Payne is Emily, with this comment:



Emily and Kendall, please email me jparker [at] sno-isle.org with your name, phone number, and the Sno-Isle library at which you will pick your prize up!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Brian Jacques is Dead

"Brian Jacques, beloved children's author of the 'Redwall' series, dies at age 71."

So says the headline at Entertainment Weekly's Shelf Life.

The BBC has a little more information.

UPDATED: School Library Journal as a really nice obituary.

I will always remember reading Redwall and Martin the Warrior and Mossflower. I loved The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, too.

What was your favorite Brian Jacques book?

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Teen Review of the Week: Zombies vs. Unicorns

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Description:
It has been argued for centuries by countless scholars. Now, a collection of short stories by authors such as Libba Bray, Scott Westerfeld, and Carrie Ryan will answer the question. Who is better? Zombies or Unicorns?

My Thoughts:
Okay, as my friend so rightly put it, Zombies vs. Unicorns was "an addicting waste of time." I couldn't agree more. Most of the stories were okay at best, and yet I couldn't put it down. I was disapponted that some of my favorite authors (coughcough Cassandra Clare and Scott Westerfeld) didn't do the best job with their stories.

Recommendation:
Anyone who likes zombies or unicorns

--M.B., grade 9, Marysville

I'll be sending M.B. a free book, so don't forget to enter your review!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Readergirlz in February

It's a new month over at Readergirlz, where you can always find scads of authors hanging about showing off cool authorial factoids. February's theme is Loyalty, and they will be featuring:

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
The True Meaning of Cleavage by Mariah Fredericks
Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
Independent Dames by Laurie Halse Anderson

But that's never all they talk about. Check it out!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Youth of Egypt

You can't escape information about the revolution in Egypt. One thing you might have missed in this youth-led revolt is that it isn't blind violence for attention. From the director of one of the most famous libraries in the world:

"The young people organized themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria. They are collaborating with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full public order returns."

--Ismail Serageldin
Librarian of Alexandria, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Rather inspiring, isn't it?

Read more of his letter here.