Thursday, March 31, 2011

More Great Video Contest Entries!

We've gotten a ton of entries since my last post!

A tribute to the House of the Night series:



A valentine to A Walk to Remember:



Life thru Books:



A hilarious interview with the characters of Ella Enchanted:



An alien discovers the "source of all knowledge in the universe" in Inorphs Travels:



Sno-Isle vs the World:



Local teens fall down the rabbit hole into Alice in Wonderland:



A wizard visits the Mukilteo Library in The Bookmaster:



A couple of kids explore the library in Let's Read:




Less than 10 hours to go...can't wait to see what else comes in.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Summer of the Death Monkeys

Just kidding! Actually, it is two more video entries, one for one of my favorite books, Summer of the Monkeys:



And one for an awesome manga series, Death Note:



Keep them coming! Tomorrow is the last day :D

Anne's Favorite Magazine for Tinkerers

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger for today is Anne the Oak Harbor Library Teen Library. Anne has a wicked crafty streak that has resulted in some really awesome teen programs. Here is where she gets some of her best ideas:

A favorite magazine/website: Make

MAKE magazine is perfect for anybody that likes to tinker. Electronics, robotics, DIY musical instruments – it’s all here for the technology aficionado. The magazine is available to check out from Sno-Isle Libraries, as is the book “The Best of MAKE” which is a collection of some of their most popular projects.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Newest Video Contest Entries! Where's Yours?

With the clock rapidly running out on our annual Teen Tech Month Video Contest, here are the latest entries.*



In order of receipt:

A thrilling mystery:


Someone who has FINALLY answered my call for the Meg Powers series:


A trailer of epic proportions:


And a couple with a flare for the macabre:




Deadline for entries is 11:59pm on Thursday, March 31! So enter already!

*If you haven't seen your video on this blog, you may want to check your email. We have had a few entries with issues that may mark them ineligible. Get back to us addressing the problem, and we may yet be able to count your entry!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Make Something Glowy: LED Throwies


Want to make something silly and fun? Come check out this simple, yet awesome how-to class:

Teen Altered Objects: LED Throwies
Celebrate Teen Tech Month with creating colorful LED lights that can stick to almost any metal surface.

Tuesday March 29th, 2001 - 4pm
Date: 3/29/2011
Lynnwood Library

Supplies provided by Friends of the Lynnwood Library.

Winner of Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

With this comment reacting with his excitement about last week's Eragon announcement:



Noah B has won Brandon Mull's new book to keep him entertained between re-reads of Paolini's Inheritance cycle. Noah, if you would email me [jparker at sno-isle.org] with your full name, phone number, and the branch you want to pick your prize up, I'll get that out to you as soon as possible!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Teen Review of the Week: Captivate by Carrie Jones

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Description:
Zara and her friends thought that they'd solved the pixie problem after they locked her father, the pixie king, and his court up. Apparently, they were wrong. As it turns out, there is more than one pixie king, and more and more pixies begin to flock to their tiny little town in Maine, all after the same things: Power- and Zara.

My Thoughts:
I loved Need. Absolutely LOVED Need. So my question is to why Carrie Jones didn't stop there. Captivate was just a complete train wreck compared to Need and I was bored out of my mind. The characters I once loved became hated enemies, and the book itself became so loathe-worthy I couldn't even finish. And that's saying something.

Recommendation:
Nobody. Just stick with the first book.

M.B., grade 9, Marysville

I'll be sending MB a free book for her review! Don't forget to submit a review for your chance at a free book!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Anne's Favorite Music Video of the Moment

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger for today is Anne the Oak Harbor Library Teen Library. Anne loves books, like any great librarian, but is equally passionate about music:

I LOVE LCD Soundsystem - and who can argue with the muppets? This is a great video... the reactions of the people on the street say it all. Who can keep a frown when the muppets are at work? Not me! And if you're not listening to LCD Soundsystem yet, you should be. Dance yourself clean, indeed!



Seems like a good mashup of music and pop culture, eh?

Cheers!

Friday, March 25, 2011

I Need a Pencil

One of the rite of passages for most teens are the standardized tests you usually have to take to be accepted to college. Parents spend thousands of dollars sending their teens to test prep classes. For that reason, and many more, students from privileged backgrounds are statistically more likely to score well on these required standardized tests. INeedAPencil is a FREE SAT preparation site started by a teen while he was still in high school. He's currently studying at Harvard, but he's still running the INeedAPencil and hoping to narrow the score divide between students at different income levels.

On the site, you can take lessons that will help you understand the types of questions on the SAT, you can answer random questions across disciplines, customize a random question generator to focus on your weaknesses, take practice tests and track your improvement.

So, add this site to your homework regimen. It might just help you get into your first choice college.

via I Heart Daily

Thursday, March 24, 2011

After Hours at the Edmonds Library


Looking for something to do this weekend? This Friday night, come to the Edmonds Library for a teen-only after-hours game night!

After-Hours Game On!
The library will be open Friday night to TEENS only. Join us for Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Wii, board games and other activities. If you are between the ages of 12 to 18, don’t miss your chance to be loud in the library! Free food too!
Supported by the Friends of the Edmonds Library.
Friday, Mar 25
6:30 pm

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

"It's Your Cause" Video Challenge

From Rosen Publishing, a Video Challenge:

"From depression to dating to green living, spread the word about any Teen Health & Wellness topic you feel passionate about by creating a video PSA (public service announcement). Enter to be included in a drawing to win an iPod Shuffle! Plus, all videos that meet submission guidelines will be published on Teen Health & Wellness.

How to enter:
  1. Shoot a short video (two minutes or less). Design it like a PSA (public service announcement) you might see on your favorite TV channel.

  2. Post it to your YouTube account and tag with THW_IYC.

  3. Contact us once you’ve uploaded your video and enter the following information:
    Your name
    Your email address
    Your school or library name
    Name(s) of video participants
    The subject or title of your PSA
    The link to your PSA

  4. You will receive an email confirmation that Teen Health & Wellness has received your submission.


Prizes:
All videos that meet our submission guidelines will be posted on Teen Health & Wellness! Along with that, you’ll receive a letter of commendation from Rosen Publishing and a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble or Chapters. Plus, every three months, one video will be selected at random from the pool of submissions to win an iPod Shuffle for its creator(s)!

Official rules:
  • Challenge participants must be between 13 and 19 years old.

  • All video content must be original.

  • Videos cannot include profanity or other inappropriate material.
  • You may enter as many videos as you like, but they must each have separate YouTube urls and must be submitted as separate entries.

  • All people appearing in the video must sign a release form prior to the video being posted on Teen Health & Wellness. (Those under 18 must have the form signed by a parent or guardian.)

  • You must submit a video that meets the contest rules in order to be entered to win an iPod Shuffle.

  • Winners of the iPod Shuffle will be chosen at the end of each March, June, September, and December from applicable videos submitted during those three months.


Go here for more info.

Don't forget to submit your entry into Sno-Isle's Video Contest! You have until March 31st!

Eragon Series Announcement and Giveaway!!

I've been watching your faces fall for over 2 years as you learn the fourth and final book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance cycle hasn't been announced or even titled yet. So I know how many of you have been waiting for this announcement!

Publisher's Weekly posted today that the 4th book will be called, appropriately, Inheritance, and will be out November 8, 2011.

Enter your thoughts, expressions of excitement (or derision) and/or speculations in the comments, and I'll choose one random commenter to win a copy of Brandon Mull's new title BEYONDERS: A WORLD WITHOUT HEROES.

You have until midnight on Sunday, March 27th to comment, and only those ages 12-18 or in grades 6-12, who can pick up the prize at a Sno-Isle Library are eligible to win.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Can YOU Draw the Walking Dead?

From Sourcebooks:

"In Ty Drago's upcoming thriller THE UNDERTAKERS: RISE OF THE CORPSES, twelve-year-old Will Ritter battles an invasion of animated Corpses that only he and his friends can see. Corpses hide in plain sight and can be disguised as anyone: teachers, doctors, policemen ... anyone at all.

Sourcebooks Inc. and Ty Drago are announcing a drawing contest for anyone aged 8+. The rules are simple: draw in black and white OR color, a rotting cadaver pretending to be a normal person. No rags on these dead guys. Suits. Uniforms. Swim trunks. Hoodies. Let your imagination soar! The grosser and scarier, the better!

The winner will receive a signed Advanced Reading Copy of THE UNDERTAKERS: RISE OF THE CORPSES. He or she will also have her winning drawing displayed on the front page of the UNDERTAKERS website.

Contest runs from March 1 through March 31, 2011. For more information, visit www.myTeenFire.com.

TO ENTER:

  • You must be over 8 years old


  • You must love "zombies" and want to draw them


  • You must submit an original drawing by uploading it into the contest forum on myTeenFire. It can be created on your computer or drawn and scanned.


  • Max size should be 600 by 800 pixels


  • Only one entry per artist please!


  • All entries MUST be submitted by 11:59 pm on March 31, 2011"

New Video Contest Entry: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Kendall from Coupville has submitted a video for one of my all time favorite books! The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is by Douglas Adams and is one of the funniest things I've ever read. I loved it when I was a teen, and never stopped. I'm also a big fan of the movie with Mos Def.



Don't forget...there are 9 more days to enter the contest! You could win a gift card to Best Buy, plus be immortalized on our blog ;)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Winner of Drought by Pam Bachorz

Last week I asked you to give me your reaction to the announcement of the actress who will be playing Katniss in the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games. I randomly chose this respondent to win a copy of Drought by Pam Bachorz:



Kasey R., if you could email me jparker [at] sno-isle.org with your full name, phone number and the Sno-Isle Library you'd like to pick up your book at, I'll do my best to get it to you as soon as possible (things are a bit weird around here as we switch computer systems).

Make a Micro Robot


This week at the Arlington Library, you can learn how to make a brushbot! What is a brushbot, you say? It is a tiny little robot made out of a toothbrush. What can they do? Well, race each other. Or paint a picture. Or polish a very small space?

Brushbot Races!
Create a micro-robot out of a toothbrush, then race the bot in a battle for prizes.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 3:00 pm
Supported by the Friends of the Arlington Library.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

SUPERSIZED: Teen Reviews of the Week (TRW)

Things have been hectic in the library as we reached the deadline for all of the Summer Teen Events, so I've missed a few weeks of TRW. Never fear, we're about to get all caught up. I'll also say that these were the toughest reviews yet to choose from! Do yourself a favor and check out all of the teen reviews. You're sure to stock up on great books for spring break!

For reviews submitted February 20-26:

The Land of Elyon: The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

Description:
Alexa Daley has always dreamed of venturing outside the walls that comfine her inside Bridelwell. Then the day comes that she discovers the secret entrance that leads out of Bridewell and into the unexplored territory outside the walls, and her life changes from dull to anything but dull.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the part where Alexa's enemy, Pervis Kotcher, is found out by Alexa's father to be an evil man.This book was extremely entertaining and it was difficult for me to put it down!Whenever I had some free time from school, I would pick it up and find a comfy spot to sit and read in. I'm planning to read the sequel, Valley of the Thorns.

Recommendation:
This book would be great for adventure lovers!

--J.S., grade 7, Mill Creek

For the week February 27- March 5:

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Description:
A totalitarian government tries to keep a utopic society by controlling their citizen's minds through fear and hate. However, one citizen begins to question the role of the government and begins to develop individuality.

My Thoughts:
I really like this book and it made me think in a different perspective about individualism and the definition of the word "I".

Recommendation:
High Schoolers

H.L., grade 10, Mukilteo

For the week March 6-12:

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Description:
After killing the first Iron King, surviving the cold of the Winter Court- and being exiled, to top it all off- you'd think Meghan Chase would FINALLY catch a break. Wrong. Now faced with an offer at a second chance- defeat the new Iron King and have the exiles on her, Ash, and Puck lifted- Meghan must make a choice, one that might change it all.

My Thoughts:
I have to say that I was disappointed. After waiting so long for this to come out, the poor writing and obnoxiousness of this book was a huge let-down. I expected something epic, and got absolute blah. Shame, Julie, shame. Nonetheless, I couldn't put the stupid thing down. I'm afraid this is one crappy series I must keep up on, despite it all.

Recommendation:
Fans of fey, readers of the other two books

M.B., grade 9, Marysville

I'll be sending JS, HL, MB free books for them to pick up at their local Sno-Isle Library! Don't forget to send in your reviews for your chance to win!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Sequel to If I Stay

One of the most popular books of the last few years was If I Stay by Gayle Forman. If you haven't yet read it, you probably shouldn't watch the official book trailer for a sequel that you didn't expect. I was already pretty geeked for Where She Went to be released in April, but after watching this trailer? I CAN. NOT. WAIT.



Don't forget that you still have until the end of the month to enter our video contest! It can be just as simple as that one - don't stress yourself out. Oh, AND, I'd like to repeat my appeal, for the third year running, for one of you to do a trailer for Ellen Emerson White's Meg Power series: The President's Daughter, White House Autumn, Long Live the Queen, and Long May She Reign. No one has taken me up on it yet. Which makes me very sad.

Either way, enter the contest! 1st prize is $150 to Best Buy, second is $75 to Best Buy and then there's the Librarian's choice for another $75 to Best Buy. Seriously, people, that's a lot o' money. For info here.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Tonight:Teens Only After-hours Gaming


Friday Night Gaming for Teens
Wii, Rock Band, board games, card games. Come play your favorite games with your friends! Pizza and snacks provided by the Friends of the Mill Creek Library.

Friday March 18th, 2001 - 7-9pm
Mill Creek Library

* Attendee must be between the ages of 11 Years and 18 Years old.
* Attendee must be between the grades of 6 and 12.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Hunger Games Movie has a Katniss!

And it will be Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence!

What do you think? Relief? Travesty?

I'll admit I was hoping for Hailee Steinfeld, as I think that Jennifer Lawrence, at 20, is too old to play Katniss for the many years it will take to complete the trilogy. But maybe when I see Winter's Bone (the movie that propelled her to the Oscar nomination) I'll change my mind.

The Wrap also mentions that Alex Pettyfer is rumored to be the first choice for the role of Peeta. I haven't heard any rumors for casting Gale, have you?

Sound off in the comments, and one of you will win DROUGHT by Pam Bachorz.

"Ruby's blood holds the secret to the Water that keeps her and her fellow Congregants alive and enriches Darwin West, who has enslaved them for two centuries, but when her romance with an Overseer, Ford, brings her freedom in the modern world, she faces a terrible choice."

You have until midnight on Sunday, March 20th to comment, and only those ages 12-18 or in grades 6-12, who can pick up the prize at a Sno-Isle Library are eligible to win.

Learn How to Do Clay Animation - Tomorrow!

Teen Friday: Clay Animation Workshop
Create a simple clay character, then metamorphose it into other characters and shapes while operating a digital camera. At the end of class, all of the students' work will be “premiered” on the big screen. Finished work is placed on the site: www.cancancancan.com.
Presenter: Lukas Allenbaugh

Freeland Library
Friday, Mar 18, 2001 - 2:00 pm

Funded by Friends of the Freeland Library.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Anne's Favorite Music Website

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger for today is Anne the Oak Harbor Library Teen Library. Anne loves books, like any great librarian, but is equally passionate about music:

The Free Music Archive is a continuously growing collection of high quality music available to download for free. Yes, FREE – and legal! The main brains behind this fantastic project are radio stations WFMU and Seattle’s own KEXP. It’s a great place to explore and discover new (or old) bands, or test run a genre of music you might not have listened to before. You never know what you might find!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Two More Entries Promoting Libraries

So far this week we have received two more entries for our Teen Tech Month Video Contest. Both have some classic lines in them, and mix serious with laugh points:






Which is your favorite so far?

Last Year's Video Winner - A Rising Star

Last year's Teen Tech Month Video Contest winner, Kate Nilsen just won the Seattle organization Guiding Lights' Great Citizenship Video Competition:




Congratulations Kate! We are so proud of you :D

Monday, March 14, 2011

Skype the Author: Adam Rex

Two of my favorite books this last year were written by one man. One is a spoof on all things teen supernatural vampire romance. The other is the funniest science fiction book you may ever read.

This Thursday you can meet Adam Rex using the Powers of the Internet! Just come to the Mukilteo Library for our live online author chat.

Skype the Author: Adam Rex
Celebrate Teen Tech Month by using technology to meet one of our favorite authors Adam Rex by Skype! He is the author of both the delightful The True Meaning of Smekday and the hilarious Fat Vampire.
Thursday, March 17th, 2011 - 4pm
Mukilteo Library

Kathleen, our teen librarian at Mukilteo Library recommends checking out Rex's website for TTMoS. So fun!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Kathleen's Favorite Science-Fiction Book

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger today is Kathleen, our Teen Librarian at the Mukilteo Library. She reads a billion books and has an awesome teen advisory board.

My favorite science fiction book: Time and Again by Jack Finney combines great science fiction with a great mystery. Simon Morley is part of a government experiment with time travel and is sent to 1880s New York. When he falls in love, he resorts to extreme measures to make sure he can stay in the past.

This book has it all!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Super Smash Kart Tournament This Weekend

Are you a Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros master?
Now is the time to show off your stuff!

Super Smash Kart Tournament
The Ultimate Competition and a chance to show off your skills! Compete against other teens in tournaments for Super Smash Bros. and MarioKart. Prizes will be awarded. Doors open at 1:00, Tournament starts at 1:30. Sign up at the door or early online.

Saturday March 12th, 2011 - 1-5pm
Marysville Library

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Vote on Next Year's Teen Tech Theme



The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are the folks behind Teen Tech Week (or as we like to celebrate around here Teen Tech Month!) They came up with the groovy graphics and some ideas for the theme, but it is up to teens to pick out which idea is best.

So here is your chance to have your voice heard, and to tell YALSA and Sno-Isle what next year's theme should be.

The finalists are:
ESC @ your library
FYI @ your library
Geek Out @ your library

Vote today!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Take Your Inner Geek Shopping

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger for today is Jackie, the Teen Contact at the Sultan Library. Jackie reminds us that one part of loving tech, is loving fun gadgets and stuff celebrating geek culture!

The site ThinkGeek is fun to browse and it has cool things to buy for geeks.

A t-shirt I would definitely buy for my brother:

A t-shirt I would buy for myself:

Or a gift for the person who has everything: Survival Kit in a Sardine Can

Which stuff makes your inner geek want to go shopping?

Monday, March 7, 2011

Something Special for Sci-Fi Movie Fans

Do you love old science fiction movies where aliens invade the earth? Ever wonder why they became so popular in the 1950s? Do we have a treat for you!

Alien Encounters: Sci-Fi Movies and the Cold War Experience
Robert Horton will examine the underlying political and social anxieties that resulted in the alien-invasion scenarios of 1950s science fiction films. Using clips to illustrate, he will discuss titles that provide angles on Atomic Age concerns. Comparisons will be drawn with today's films, demonstrating how pop culture always reflects its era.
Thursday March 10th, 2011 - 7pm
Monroe Library

Supported by a grant from Humanities Washington, the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, and the Friends of the Monroe Library.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Video Contest Entry: Flipped

I'm a huge fan of the book Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. It tells the story of a boy and a girl who grow up next door to each other. She has loved him since the day she moved in, and he has felt she was the biggest pest ever. Then right when she gets fed up with him, he starts to see her with new eyes. Not so much a romance, but a book about relationship...how we related to friends, family, and how confusing it can be when we feel more than we expect.

This entry for our 2011 Teen Video Contest is by Ruth who goes to the Edmonds Library:



So charming!

Think you can do better? You have four more weeks to get your entry in!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

David's Favorite Sci-Fi DVD

Our Teen Tech Month guest blogger for today is David, the Teen Contact at the Camano Island Library Pilot Project. He has worked in bookstores and libraries for years, and always has fresh ideas and recommendations:

One of my recent favorite DVDs is Cloverfield – and it seems like hardly anybody knows about it. I think the title is the problem; it was supposed to be a code word so that details of the plot wouldn’t leak out ahead of release, but Cloverfield sounds like some British rom-com. Far from it – instead, a monster is rampaging through New York City, and some college students manage to ‘film’ it as they try to escape. The hand-held video camera effect just adds to the “you are there” drama.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Reading and Rocking in Edmonds

How often can you volunteer to do one of your favorite things, like READ? That is what teens in Edmonds will be doing this weekend at the Edmonds Bookshop in the Rock 'n' Read Marathon for Read Across America month. You can read all about it here.

Part of the campaign is to build awareness, but also to have a children's book drive for the local food bank. You can donate all weekend at the shop, they will take any of your old kids books in good shape.

Interested in volunteering? Spaces have filled up fast, but they might need more help. Email irelandr@edmonds.wedn.edu if you are interested.

Thanks to David at our Camano Island Library for sharing this article!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Danielle's Favorite Book Trailers

Our guest blogger for today is Danielle, the Teen Librarian at the Mill Creek Library. She has excellent taste in books, and a couple of ADORABLE dogs. Her favorite book trailers are:

Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. If you aren’t familiar with the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, allow me to fill you in. Girl meets wolves. Wolves attack girl. Girl lives. Girl falls in love with wolf. Wolf turns into a boy. Girl falls in love with boy. I’d say more but then I’d spoil the suspense of this supernatural romance.

Shiver:


Linger:


Both trailers were created by the author who uses stop motion art brilliantly to convey the book’s idea. She even wrote the scores! I absolutely adore these books. If you have the chance, listen to them on audio, especially Linger because Sam sings!

The third book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, Forever is due out in July.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

What Technology Are You Excited About?

For us here at Sno-Isle Libraries, a big part of Teen Tech Month is celebrating all the great things teens do with technology. Part of this is offering exciting programs where teens can learn new skills and show off their stuff. And by having our annual Teen Video Contest.

But the real authorities on teens and technology is YOU. So let us know, what tech stuff are you excited about right now? Have a favorite technology website, favorite book trailer, web gizmo, favorite web-based video creation tool, new technology or gadget you are excited about, or tech book you think is awesome? Share it with us!

If your post is featured on our blog, you will be entered to win one of our last few Sno-Isle Teens Flash Drives!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Free Ditgital Photography Class

Happy Teen Tech Month everyone! All month we will be celebrating teens using technology in innovative and creative ways, and exploring new things on the web.

Tomorrow, Wednesday March 2nd 4-6pm we will be offering a FREE photography class for teens at the Mountlake Terrace Library.

How to Take Awesome Digital Photos
Learn simple ideas to take better photos with your digital camera or phone from professional photographer Valentina Vitols. Learn to create killer compositions in photos that tell great stories and portraits your friends will want to use on their profiles.

Space is limited, so register ASAP!