Thursday, June 30, 2011

Week Four Earbud Winners

Can you believe we are already a month into summer? It is going by TOO FAST! I need to go to a baseball game...as Michael Chabon says in his terrific baseball+fantasy read Summerland, ""The fundamental truth: a baseball game is nothing but a great slow contraption for getting you to pay attention to the cadence of a summer day." Nothing can make a summer afternoon stretch out longer and more luxuriously. Except maybe reading a book in a hammock?

We have over 2000 reviews submitted now. That completely blows my mind. I love to know there are so many teens out there who love reading as much as I do! And I'm so glad I can reward some of you with awesome prizes for doing what you love :)

This week's earbud winners are:

Jonathan M. - Lynnwood Library
Sara A. - Snohomish Library
Lisa A. - Oak Harbor Library
Emily M. - Mukilteo Library
Khanh L. - Lynnwood Library
Graydon F. - Monroe Library
Rachana B. - Snohomish Library
LeAnne S. - Stanwood Library
Bao-Quang B. - Mukilteo Library
Hailey S. - Mukilteo Library
Kevin M. - Monroe Library
Charmaine B. - Lynnwood Library
James I. - Clinton Library
Jacob O. - Lynnwood Library
Teresa K. - Mill Creek Library

Your Teen Librarian will contact you when the earbuds arrive. I LOVE reading your reviews. Keep on sending them in :)

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

School's Out!!! Now What?!?!?!?










Don't be like these guys.

Don't get caught with nothing to do this Summer.

Obviously, the first place I'd recommend you look for something to do this Summer would be at you local library.

But, even I know there is only so much time you can spend in a library during the Summer, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

Fortunately there are some nearby events this July that are pretty cheap or even free:

Why not try to break the world record for participants in a Zombie Walk on July 2nd?

Or catch a fireworks show at Gas Works Park on the 4th.

July 8-10th you could go to a community festival in either Sultan or Arlington.

Or expand your musical horizons with the Bluegrass Festival in Darrington July 15-17.

July 16-17th you could check out the Mill Creek Festival.

Or July 29-31st there are two more festivals in Lake Stevens and Gold Bar.

Whatever you decide to do this Summer remember to have fun, be safe, and visit your local library for Summer Reading or just to say 'Hi!' Do you have any cool Summer plans? Share them with us in the Comments section!

Monday, June 27, 2011

More Music Mashups!

Here are more music mashups for you to enjoy!





Interested in creating your own music mashups? Learn how at the Arlington Library on Thursday, July 7th at 1:30 pm.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Vacation Books

Every summer my extended family takes a week long vacation together at a cabin without television or internet.

This means there are lots of games played (this year it is 3-D Blokus and Settlers of Catan) and lots of books being read.

Every summer there is at least one book that we all pass around to each other. Or to be more accurate, steal from each other.

If the person reading it puts it down and goes into town…grab it and get some time in on it.

Watch people’s progress so you know when they are getting close to finishing and then swoop in on it before anyone else has a chance.

This summer that book has turned out to be Enclave by Ann Aguirre.



The first thing to know about this book is right across the top of the cover is a quote from Publishers Weekly “For fans of The Hunger Games”.

That is what each reader in my family does when the finish it. Talk about how it is different or similar to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

They are both dark books set in a future dystopia where children are taught to kill. And they both have strong female main characters.

For me that is where the similarities end. The Hunger Games while a slower read, created a much more vivid and fully realized world.

Enclave is set in an apocalyptic future earth after a chemical or biological catastrophe. Deuce is a Huntress who has lived her whole life in a small tribe like society underground, never going to the surface because it is said to be deadly.

As a Huntress, Deuce’s job is to scour through the maze of tunnels trapping and hunting for food for her people. However, she also needs to defend herself and her enclave from the zombiesque Freaks that are hunting humans.

This books I packed full of action, blood and gore. Deuce, armed with a pair of knives and a long club can rip apart waves of attacking Freaks.

Needless to say the book moves quickly. It really picks up when Deuce begins to suspect that the elders of her tribe are dishonest and scheming.

My only complaint about Enclave are my unanswered questions about the history of the Enclave. How did it come into existence after the apocalypse? How did they learn to be such amazing fighters?

It looks like Enclave is the first of a series. So I have future books to look forward to and hopefully they will provide my answers.

Have you read both The Hunger Games and Enclave? What do you think?

Nate - Snohomish Library Reference

Friday, June 24, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes


This week's book is a personalized and signed copy of Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes by another wonderful local author, Amber Kizer. It is the long awaited sequel to One Butt Cheek at a Time, bringing you the further adventures of Gert Garibaldi.

Okay, so here's the deal: there are books about volcanoes erupting and meteorites hitting Earth and plane crashes where the survivors have to eat people—those are extraordinary crises. That's not what this book is about. I'm more the ordinary catastrophe type. This second semester of my sophomore year, there are basically 7 KINDS OF ORDINARY CATASTROPHES: high school, boys, heartbreak, family, job, friends, and the future. Well, I guess everyone's life is full of ordinary catastrophes. These are mine. Hi, I'm Gert Garibaldi. Welcome to my crazy life.

To enter to win this awesome book, leave a comment telling us about an ordinary catastrophe from your life! Winner will be selected on Tuesday June 28, 2011.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Week Three Earbud Winners

WOW! We have over 1500 reviews submitted now for the Teen Summer Reading Contest. I wish I had time to read them all...but don't worry...the Teen Librarian at your branch is reading YOURS. And they will be picking out their very favorites as nominees for the Librarian's Choice Award! But that doesn't happen until August...now it is time for our weekly drawing, and the earbud winners!

This week's earbuds and Sno-Isle pouch go to:

Julien C. - Snohomish Library
Belle C. - Monroe Library
Natnael D. - Lynnwood Library
Isaac G. - Monroe Library
Gary W. - Mill Creek Library
Fatima J. - Mill Creek Library
Tori W. - Arlington Library
Jaden J. - Oak Harbor Library
Natalie S. - Edmonds Library
Heather M. - Monroe Library
Jaskiran G. - Mill Creek Library
Lacy N. - Lynnwood Library
Taylor S. - Marysville Library
Zoe W. - Lynnwood Library
Kenneth M. - Oak Harbor Library

Keep on reading, we have lots of summer and prizes left to go :)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My favorite book trailers

This year when I visted schools to promote summer reading I did something I've never done before: show book trailers. In general the quality of book trailers varies, but when done well they can create a good buzz for a title. These are my favorite right now.

I am a Genuis of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb.

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Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi


White Cat by Holly Black


Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann


What is your favorite book trailer?

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Kissed By an Angel?

People must be getting tired of romances with nasty old dead vampires, because all of the sudden there are a whole lot of romances coming out that feature angels! What is the advantage? They do seem to generally be a lot nicer and less likely to drink your blood.

To make it easy for you to find some, we have a new teen booklist: Heavenly Love - Paranormal Romance with Angels.




What titles are we missing? Which are your favorites?

Monday, June 20, 2011

Music Mashups

Music Mashup - a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, thereby creating a new song.

What do you think of these mashups?





If you'd like to learn how to make mashups, come to the Arlington Library on July 7, 2011 at 1:30 pm for a music mashup workshop!

On the Road

Unless something catastrophic happens, my car will reach her 200,000 mile mark sometime this summer. I am reminded of the all the road trips I have taken in this car, and while it will probably happen on the way to work or the store, it makes we wish that I was driving off on an unplanned adventure. For now, I will just share some of my favorite road trip books:
The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson, the sequel to 13 Little Envelopes has just been published. While the first book was more “trains, planes, and boats” as Ginny crisscrossed Europe following the clues and tasks her Aunt left her, this latest book sees Ginny squished into a beat up car driving the final legs of this adventure
In Going Bovine by Libba Bray, after discovering he has Mad Cow’s disease, Cameron leaves the hospital and sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed gaming dwarf and a talking yard gnome in search for a cure.
The Miles Between by Mary Pearson Destiny keeps a painful childhood secret all to herself until she and three classmates from her exclusive boarding school take off on an unauthorized road trip in search of "one fair day."
The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti
After Quinn gets dumped, she starts to wonder if there really are no good men. It doesn't help when she discovers that her selfish, womanizing father has stolen more from the women in his life than their hearts. Quinn joins forces with the stepsister she's never met and sets out to right her father's wrongs.

Or for a classic:
Travels with Charley: in search of America by John Steinbeck. “With his dog Charley, John Steinbeck set out in his truck to explore and experience America in the 1960s.”

So what is your favorite road-trip novel and where would you like to be when the dial hits 200,000 miles?

Friday, June 17, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: The Year We Were Famous

This summer we will be giving away a bunch of FREE books. Unlike library books, after three weeks you get to keep these :)

The first book we are giving away this summer is The Year We Were Famous by Carole Estby Dagg, a local author and retired librarian!

Based on the true story of seventeen-year-old Clara Estby's walk across America with her mother Helga in 1896, to win a ten thousand dollar prize and save their home from foreclosure. This fast-paced historical adventure takes place during the time of the suffragist movement, the 1896 presidential campaign, and the changing perception of "a woman's place" in society.

Right now there are 36 Sno-Isle fans waiting to read this...but you can win your own copy. To enter leave a comment telling us something cool about your own family history! Winner will be selected on Tuesday June 21, 2011.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Week Two Earbud Winners


I'm just delighted and thrilled to see all the wonderful Teen Summer Reading reviews rolling in. We have over 800 reviews already. Let me just say WOW!

This week's winners are:

Emily Z. - Marysville Library
Hugo L. - Mukilteo Library
Makenna K. - Mill Creek Library
Stephanie S. - Mountlake Terrace Library
Ryan M. - Marysville Library
Sarah A. - Marysville Library
Brianne C. - Stanwood Library
EmilyAnne B. - Lake Stevens Library
Caitlin D. - Lynnwood Library
Leah S. - Mill Creek Library
Meredith B. - Oak Harbor Library
Julia M. - Mill Creek Library
Trevyn D. - Oak Harbor Library
Levan J. - Marysville Library
Tekoah H. - Arlington Library

Your Teen Librarian will contact you once they receive your prize and let you know when you can pick it up :)

Keep on reviewing. The more you review, the more chances you have to win!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Teen Advisory Boards


"What is a Teen Advisory Board?" "Does my local library have a TAB?" "How can I take part in my library's Teen Advisory Board?" You probably ask yourselves these questions several times a week, but aren't sure where to find the answers to these important queries. Well, friend, I'm here to help.

Teen Advisory Boards are nothing more than a group of teens who are interested in what's going on at their local libraries. Being a member of a TAB can mean a lot of different things; TABs provide an opportunity to:

1. Provide ideas for you library, including feedback or suggestions for programs or events.
2. Share and recommend new and favorite books.
3. Provide input on teen spaces in your library.
4. Get to know your local library staff and invest in your community library.
5. Learn about upcoming library events, volunteering opportunities, etc.
6. Have your voice heard!

At the Monroe Public Library, I'm starting a new Teen Advisory Board this summer. If Monroe is your local library, you're invited to the Trivia Night and TAB Blowout seen at the beginning of this post. There will be snacks, gift cards given to the top finishers in the Trivia Contest, and after the contest is over we'll be discussing starting a new TAB for the Monroe library. If Monroe is not your local library, there are many other Teen Advisory Boards throughout the Sno-Isle Library system. Your local teen librarian would love to tell you more about what's happening at your library!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Britney Meets Hunger Games?

Ok, this is totally ridiculous, but it really cheered me up and I thought it might make you smile too:



What is the funniest video you've seen lately? Bonus points if it is book related (however vaguely).

Thursday, June 9, 2011

First Round of Summer Reading Winners

This year's Teen Summer Reading Contest is off to an awesome start! So far we have 360 reviews submitted from teens all over Snohomish and Island County...and most of you aren't even out of school yet.

Have you seen our awesome Sno-Isle Teens earbud pouches? How can you qualify to win one? Just review the books you read this summer, and we will randomly select 15 reviews every week!

This week's winners are:
  • Maxine V. - Marysville Library
  • Margaret D. - Oak Harbor Library
  • Alexia W. - Mill Creek Library
  • Monina N. - Mill Creek Library
  • Megan H. - Sultan Library
  • Lena P. - Snohomish Library
  • India S. - Edmonds Library
  • Victoria E. - Edmonds Library
  • Vanessa C. - Marysville Library
  • Faith F. - Marysville Library
  • Samantha C. - Mill Creek Library
  • Marina M. - Mill Creek Library
  • Zina D. - Mukilteo Library
  • David W. - Arlington Library
  • Adnan M. - Lynnwood Library
Your Teen Librarian will contact you once they receive your prize and let you know when you can pick it up :)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Teen Books Aren't All Depressing, Right?

If you follow Twitter or read the Wall Street Journal or pay any attention to book blogs, you might have noticed the web was all a flurry with #yasaves all weekend. So what gives?

On Saturday, June 4th, Megan Cox Gurdon, a writer for The Wall Street Journal wrote an article about how nearly all teen books were depressing and dark and about things like self-mutilation and hate crimes and kidnapping and that they might cause teens to self-destruct. You can read the whole article here.

I know what you're thinking- this is nuts, right? If you've been into a library or bookstore recently you'd know teen books aren't all about dark stuff and vampires. Sure there are books that reflect the harsh realities that we (and teens) face, but there are plenty of books out there that are funny or feel good books. Authors like Meg Cabot, Ally Carter, Maureen Johnson, E. Lockhart, Don Calame, and Adam Rex.

What are your favorite funny or feel good books?

Friday, June 3, 2011

Summer Jobs for Teens

From the fabulous Kathleen at the Mukilteo Library:

This probably isn't news to you, but summer jobs are really hard to find. The Seattle Times reports that this may be the worst summer for finding jobs since the Great Depression in the 1930s . But even without a job, you can do important work this summer as a volunteer. Every time you volunteer in your community, you make it a better place to live for you, your family and your friends--and it looks good on your job and college applications, too!

The Sno-Isle Libraries offer many volunteer opportunities for teens; check them out at here. You could be a Book Buddy who helps a child become a better reader at the Mountlake Terrace and Mukilteo Libraries, a Gadget Coach at the Marysville Library or a member of a Teen Advisory Board at most of our libraries. There are other volunteer opportunities, too. Ask your teen librarian about ways you can help the library and make your summer a lot more interesting.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Summer Reading is Here

Like me, maybe you are still wearing winter boots and sweaters one day, then pretending it is warm enough for sandals and shorts the next, and cursing the grey rainy skies. Where is summer? It is June 2nd already...I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some WARMTH.

Well, here at Sno-Isle we have no power over the weather, but we are happy to declare that as of yesterday summer has officially begun...the Teen Summer Reading Contest, that is! Are you ready?

Read, Review and Win Prizes

For each teen or adult book you read or listen to this summer (June 1 to Aug. 15), submit a review here.



GRAND PRIZE: Earn an entry in the drawing to win a 16GB iPad 2 for each review you submit.




LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE AWARD: Win an 8GB iPod Touch if the teen librarians select your review as the very best one of the summer.




WEEKLY DRAWINGS: Your review also enters you in weekly drawings to win a Sno-Isle Teens pouch with ear buds! Plus other prizes depending on your community library.



Grand prize drawing and Librarians' Choice announcement take place on Aug. 25, 2011.

Prizes funded by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation.