Friday, July 29, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: To Timbuktu

This week's book is the perfect read for our Summer Reading Program's theme: You Are Here. It is a terrific book written by Casey Scieszka (daughter of Jon Scieszka, the hilarious children's author) and illustrated by Steven Weinberg called To Timbuktu. They met on the road, and created this book together!

Casey and Steven met in Morocco, moved to China then went all the way to Timbuktu. This illustrated travel memoir tells the story of their first two years out of college spent teaching English, making friends across language barriers, researching, painting, and learning to be themselves wherever they are.



Tell us about the coolest thing that has happened to you while traveling, and you could win this book! Winner will be selected Thursday August 4th, as I will be out and about traveling myself!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Weeks Seven AND Eight Earbud Winners

Sorry I forgot to do the contest last week! I made a draft of the blog post, then took of to Cleveland for Digiapalooza (a conference on downloadables). We have so much cool stuff you can get from the library from home for free, and lots of great stuff coming down the road!

So just what are you listening to with your earbuds?

Right now I'm checking out this music:


and looking forward to listening to these books:


Heard anything good lately?

Anyhow...here are the lucky 30:

Amy C. - Monroe Library
Hope R. - Monroe Library
Abigail C. - Mill Creek Library
Halle C. - Stanwood Library
Emma C. - Mill Creek Library
Zoe J. - Mukilteo Library
Cassie K. - Stanwood Library
Nick P. - Marysville Library
Ann D. - Lynnwood Library
Madison B. - Mill Creek Library
Yeonhee J. - Lynnwood Library
Katie-Beth H. - Edmonds Library
Alexandra G. - Mukilteo Library
Jadia B. - Monroe Library
Olivia B. - Lynnwood Library
Naomi G. - Arlington Library
Estella J. - Lynnwood Library
Abbie G. - Marysville Library
Alethea C. - Marysville Library
Kristen S. - Langley Library
Brian T. - Lynnwood Library
Roman Y. - Marysville Library
Emily I. - Edmonds Library
Min C. - Mukilteo Library
Matthew B. - Marysville Library
Brianah N. - Marysville Library
Linh L. - Snohomish Library
Mackenzi C. - Marysville Library
Leah L. - Oak Harbor Library
Katie P. - Snohomish Library


Your Teen Librarian will notify you when they arrive :)

Haven't won yet? Keep trying, you still have two weeks!

We've hit over 4500 reviews!
Can we reach 5000?!?

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

You Are Indestructible

It is always fun to imagine having super powers.
Flying......Invisibility......Superhuman strength.

What if someone told you, “You are indestructible” and it was true?
How would you use this gift?
What is it like to jump off a cliff? Go find out!
Experience a car accident on purpose? Sure!

Would you tell anyone about your new powers?

What if you could share this power and temporarily pass it along?

Would you trust your friends with it?

It seems like a lot of fun and the opportunities to help people are endless.

But what if you found out there is always a price to pay for cheating death?

Read Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman and find out how 15 year old Jacob Fielding handles this “gift”.


Sunday, July 24, 2011

New Teen Books I'm Excited About (Part 1)

I've been on a bit of a reading roll recently. It didn't hurt that when I was at the American Library Association Conference in New Orleans last month I got to meet with some authors and hear about some new books (some which won't be released until late fall).



Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

This is the final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy. If you haven't read the series, you should. It takes paranormal romance to a whole new level. The basic story: Girl meets wolf. Wolf turns into boy. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy turns back into wolf. Girl gives boy meningitis to stay human. Girl turns into wolf. In the third book, the wolves are being hunted. Sam, Cole, and Isabel are trying to find a cure and save Grace before the wolves are driven from Mercy Falls/

Red Glove by Holly Black

The sequel to last year's White Cat. Cassel comes from a family of curse workers and as it turns out his family has been working him for years. Cassel can't tell if his longtime crush Lila, the daughter of a gangster, truly loves him or if she's been "worked" to love him. His oldest brother has been murdered and the Feds have recruited him to help solve the case. The catch? The mob wants him to work for them too.




Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

This is the follow up to Carter's teen crime-caper Heist Society. The team of young thieves are back after last year's epic art heist. Cat, Hale, and the gang must steal Cleopatra's Emerald and return it to its rightful owner. If you like the show Leverage and the film Ocean's 11 you love this.





Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

What happens when a plane full of teen beauty queens crashes into a deserted tropical island that also inhabits an evil corporation and a band of sultry pirates? Libba Bray has created a story so original and hilarious, you will wonder why it wasn't written years ago and why it isn't a show on the CW. Don't be fooled, these beauty queens have brains and some serious survivor skills. It's Miss America meets Lost meets Survivor meets Pirates of the Carribean. The perfect summer read!

What do these titles have in common? I listened to all of them on audio. You can learn more about these and other upcoming releases at the Teen Book Brunch at the University Book Store in Mill Creek Town Center in Friday, August 19th at 11 a.m. Come share your favorite book (or what you have to read this summer) and enjoy Top Pot donuts and free books!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: Ruby Red

The week's book is a Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier, in which sixteen-year-old Gwyneth discovers that she, rather than her well-prepared cousin, carries a time-travel gene, and soon she is journeying with Gideon, who shares the gift, through historical London trying to discover whom they can trust. Here is a trailer:




Once again there is a waiting list for this awesome book if you get it from the library. But if you want to read it next week, enter here to win!

To enter leave a comment telling us where and when you would go if you could time travel. ( Me, I'd like to see the Beatles live in concert.) Winner will be selected on Tuesday July 26, 2011.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Week Six Earbud Winners

What is this heat wave everyone is talking about? I'm looking outside and seeing some decidedly un-summery weather. But I guess this is good for books, because you can cozy up out of the rain with a nice stack of them! And lots of you have! We have over 3400 reviews submitted now! Once again, WOW!

This week's earbud winners are:

Adam A. - Mukilteo Library
Maddy E. - Mukilteo Library
Izabel N. - Marysville Library
Katie O'M. - Monroe Library
Nora H. - Edmonds Library
Ashley McC. - Monroe Library
Zahra Al-H. - Marysville Library
Vincent C. - Monroe Library
Grace M. - Marysville Library
Zach A. - Monroe Library
Robin C. - Oak Harbor Library
Korina T. - Oak Harbor Library
Daria J. - Lynnwood Library
Zane V. - Langley Library
Aileen D. - Lynnwood Library

Your teen librarian will contact you when they come in.

Keep those reviews coming!

:)

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

It's a Paper World

Cut…fold...glue…repeat. With scissors, some fine motor skills, and a great deal of patience you can create almost anything out of paper. Robots, architectural wonders, animals, and food are just a snip (okay a lot of snips) away. Check out these books to see the range of what is being created:

Papercraft: design and art with paper
edited by Robert Klanten, Sven Ehmann and Birga Meyer





Or download some free models at Canon’s Creative Park

Or join us Thursday, July 28th at 7:00pm at the Freeland Library to try your hand at building some models of famous buildings from around the world.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Birthday Weekend Book Give-Away: Forgotten

It is my birthday this weekend, and order to celebrate it properly I want to give one of our lucky readers a present! This week's book, Forgotten by Cat Patrick, is special. Not only is it only is it one of my favorite books I've read this year, it is also a beautiful signed hardbound I got when I met the author last month!

Sixteen-year-old London Lane forgets everything each night and must use notes to struggle through the day, even to recall her wonderful boyfriend, but she "remembers" future events and as her "flashforwards" become more disturbing she realizes she must learn more about the past lest it destroy her future.

It reminds me of two of my favorite movies, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and 50 First Dates, but with more mystery mixed in.

What do you need to do to win this book? Tell me either about the biggest thing you've ever forgotten (and then later remembered) or the best birthday present you ever got! Winner will be selected on Tuesday July 19, 2011.

Don't forget to check back here to see if you have won!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Week Six Earbud Winners

Is it really possible that the summer is halfway over? How can that be possible? We've only had a few sunny days! But on the plus side, boy have you gotten a lot of books read this summer! We are now up to 3206 reviews! WOW!

This week's earbud winners are:

Aaron S. - Marysville Library
Grace M. - Lynnwood Library
Julianne T. - Arlington Library
Michael H. - Oak Harbor Library
Zainab A. - Marysville Library
Alea W. - Marysville Library
Katie E. - Marysville Library
Elise E. - Snohomish Library
Abby M. - Mukilteo Library
Alex N. - Lynnwood Library
Rachael A. - Langley Library
Sarah B. - Mill Creek Library
Olivia E. - Lynnwood Library
Alexa H. - Monroe Library
Teresa B. - Lynnwood Library

Your teen librarian will contact you once they arrive :)

Friday, July 8, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

This week's book giveaway The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente is a splendid fantasy story that will make you feel like a dreamy little kid again.

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland.




You can begin reading the book online here, or get it from Sno-Isle here, too if you don't mind a bit of a wait.

To enter to win this book, leave a comment telling us about your favorite fairytale daydream...either current or from when you were a kid. Me, I liked to image I had a pet dragon!

Winner will be selected on Tuesday July 12, 2011.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Week Five Earbud Winners

Now that we've FINALLY had a bit of sun, and the rain and drizzle is back it is a perfect excuse to stop going outside and get back to the serious business of READING! And reviewing, of course.

Our review count at the moment is a marvelous 2638! Can we hit 5,000 this year? I believe that yes we can! Especially if this rain keeps up... ;(

This week's earbud winners are:

Annika B. - Arlington Library
Pauline W. - Arlington Library
Mirka M. - Freeland Library
Cole H. - Lake Stevens Library
Frances T. - Lynnwood Library
Naomi T. - Marysville Library
Charley M. - Mill Creek Library
Sammy L. - Mill Creek Library
Drew Q. - Mukilteo Library
Amber B. - Mukilteo Library
Katelyn B. - Mukilteo Library
Dominque N. - Oak Harbor Library
Lily W. - Snohomish Library
Halle C. - Stanwood Library
Sadie C. - Stanwood Library

Your Teen Librarian will contact you when the earbuds arrive. Keep them coming folks!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Book Winners

Just a quick recap of the winners for our Weekend Book give-aways so far this summer:

The Year We Were Famous - Jae
Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes - Ann Diana Dinh
Enclave - KJ

Be sure to email me at teens@sno-isle.org with your full name, phone number, and local library so I can send your book on. Or leave a comment below if this won't work for you for some reason...

Monday, July 4, 2011

Fun Non-Fiction for Summer Reading

From Kathleen at the Mukilteo Library:

Summer is a great time to read books for fun. For most readers, that means fiction, but there’s some great nonfiction out there, too. These new nonfiction books have been popular at Mukilteo:

1. Kiss: a girl’s guide to puckering up by Erin Conley —Tips, techniques and factoids about kissing. Really!

2. This is why you’re fat by Jessica Amason —That’s a hamburger made with doughnuts on the cover, but the gravy pizza is even more revolting.

3. How to survive anything by Rachel Bucholz —Because you never know when a shark will attack.

4. The Twilight Saga: the official illustrated guide by Stephenie Meyer—Need I say more?

5. Tom Thumb: the remarkable true story of a man in miniature by George Sullivan—The story of the most famous little person in American history is interesting, but the pictures are amazing.

Do you have others that you would recommend?

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Margo Lanagan at University Bookstore Seattle - TUESDAY!

One of my favorite authors is speaking this Tuesday at the University Bookstore in Seattle!

Tuesday • July 5 • 7pm
Clarion West Presents Margo Lanagan
Reading & Book Signing
U District Store

Margo Lanagan invokes the primal power of fairy tales through characters driven by joy, sorrow, and heart-clenching secrets. Her collection Black Juice received two World Fantasy awards; she also won World Fantasy awards for her novel Tender Morsels and her novella "Sea-hearts." Making a rare visit from her native Australia, Lanagan will share her writing live and fresh with the storyseekers in all of us.

Here are her rather challenging but totally excellent teen books we own:


Friday, July 1, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: Enclave

If you were tantalized by Nate's great review of Enclave by Ann Aguirre earlier this week, you are in luck...it is this week's free book giveaway! For anyone hungering for a Hunger Games follow up, this might just be the book you have been looking for:

In a post-apocalyptic future, fifteen-year-old Deuce, a loyal Huntress, brings back meat while avoiding the Freaks outside her enclave, but when she is partnered with the mysterious outsider, Fade, she begins to see that the strict ways of the elders may be wrong-- and dangerous.




Right now there are a ton of people waiting to read this book...so get out of the line and cut to the front, by winning your own copy! To enter leave a comment saying what skill, talent, or knowledge you have that would help you survive a post-apocalyptic future? Winner will be selected on Tuesday July 5, 2011.