Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Vote for Teens' Top Ten

This year our Mukilteo Library teens are involved in an awesome YALSA project: Teens' Top Ten. TTT is all about teen choice! Teen readers at Mukilteo and other libraries around the country picked out the most greatest teen books published this year.

Now you can vote for your favorite books from this year’s list of 25 nominated titles! The resulting Teens' Top Ten will be announced during Teen Read Week.

Here are all the great titles you should read and vote on by September 15, 2011:

Bachorz, Pam. Drought.
Ruby and the Congregants have been enslaved to collect water for Darwin West and his Overseers. Ruby uses her magical blood to bless the water; without her blood, the Congregants will die. She and the Congregants pray to Otto, her father, to return and save them all. One day, Ford, the new overseer, arrives, and he and Ruby fall for each other. Ruby longs to run away with him to the modern world where she can lead a normal teenage life. She is torn between two worlds. Will she choose to be free with her forbidden love, or will she choose to be enslaved with her family?

Beam, Cris. I Am J.
J (Jeni) is a boy and has always identified himself as such, but he was genetically born female. As a teen, J acts like a boy and dresses in baggy clothes to hide his feminine body. He wants to begin testosterone treatments to transfer physically to a man, but his parents and best friend do not accept him as male. J decides to run away and enroll in a school for gay and transgender students, where he is able to begin to find acceptance. More than just a story of a transgender teen, this is the story of how teenagers live and love and cope.

Beaudoin, Sean. You Killed Wesley Payne.
Teenage Dalton Rev is a private eye. He is sent to a high school to find out about the death of Wesley Payne. Was it really a suicide? The school's tight cliques have gone insane and lost control. It’s up to Dalton to sort through a huge mess of betrayal in order to restore the hierarchy.

Black, Holly and Justine Larbalestier. Zombies vs. Unicorns.
Are you Team Unicorn or Team Zombie? In this anthology of twelve fast-paced stories, popular teen authors make strong arguments for both sides in the long and gruesome debate concerning the awesomeness of zombies versus unicorns.

Card, Orson Scott. The Lost Gate.
Danny thought he was a “drekka,” one without magic, until he discovers he has magical powers as a gate mage. The only problem: all the magic families made a pact to kill any person who could make gates to transport themselves. Danny is forced to run from everything and everyone he knows in an attempt to unravel the secrets behind his powers.

Clare, Cassandra. The Clockwork Angel.
In this prequel to the Mortal Instruments series, Tessa Gray travels to England to search for her brother, her only remaining relative. She is captured by the mysterious Dark Sisters and discovers that there is a fantastical world thriving alongside her own. She finds that she must ally with the unknown shadowhunters to save her brother.

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay.
The final book in the Hunger Games series finds Katniss Everdeen rescued from the horrific 75th Hunger Games—but not her fellow tribute, Peeta Mallark. Now she must lead a rebellion against the evil capital with the help of District 13, which is not destroyed, but has been quietly sowing the seeds of war for years. As Katniss becomes more entangled in war and revolution, the question of who she can trust becomes ever harder, and she must fight for her life once again.

Collins, Yvonne. Love, Inc.
Zahara, Kali, and Syd meet in a support group when their respective parents get divorced, but it gets so much worse when they realize they’ve all been dating the same guy: Rick, aka Rico, aka Eric! The girls are devastated...until they decide to show the cheater the error of his ways. When more and more people find out about their plots and plans, Zahara, Kali, and Syd realize that they are much more than three girls who were cheated on.

Condie, Ally. Matched.
In Cassia’s society, most of her choices are made for her, including the person with whom she will spend the rest of her life: her Match. At age 17, Cassia is happily surprised when her Match turns out to be her best friend Xander, but when a glitch occurs and another boy’s face appears on her screen, Cassia can’t help but wonder what would happen if she were able to choose her own Match. Now she must decide between conforming to society and pursuing a life where she can make her own choices.

Cremer, Andrea. Nightshade.
When Calla, who is a Guardian, saves a boy on her mountain from a bear attack, the consequences are farther reaching than could be imagined, especially when that boy shows up at her school and appears to be a favored companion of her masters, the Keepers.

Fitzpatrick, Becca. Crescendo.
In this sequel to Hush, Hush, a few months have passed since Nora’s lab partner Patch, actually a fallen angel, saved her from his murderous vassal Nephil and became her guardian angel. She and Patch are now dating, but she is starting to doubt his love for her. Is he keeping something from her? And is she really safe now?

Grant, Michael. Lies. 2010. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books. (9780061449093). Lies continues the story that began in Gone and Hunger. Is death the only answer? Life is getting hard for the under 15s who survived. Food is running out, the beach is burning, and things are getting tense. The situation is getting worse for the survivors and everyone has their own battles to face.

Hawkins, Rachel. Demonglass. Disney/Hyperion. 2011. (9781423121312). An unbelievable betrayal, an ancient spell, and a love triangle all make Rachel Hawkins’ sequel to Hex Hall impossible to put down. When Sophie goes to her father’s mansion for the summer, she thinks she knows exactly what she wants: to undergo the Removal and get rid of the demon inside of her. But when it turns out that someone else is making demons, she has to question everything and everyone—especially Archer Cross, the boy she can’t get out of her head.

Hakwins, Rachel. Hex Hall. Disney/Hyperion. 2010. (9781423121305). Sixteen-year-old Sophie is a witch sent to live at Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (witches, faeries, shape-shifters, etc.), after she bungles a spell at prom and attracts too much attention from normal humans. At her new school, Sophie must face the usual teen troubles of mean girls and crushes with the added dimension of magic and learning about her own powers.

Kagawa, Julie. The Iron King. 2010. Harlequin. (9780373210084). On the eve of her 16th birthday, Meghan starts seeing dark creatures in the most unusual places and senses that everything is about to change. But she could never have imagined the truth—that she is a princess, the daughter of a mythical faery king. When she finds out her little brother has been kidnapped and replaced by a changeling, Meghan ventures in to the fey world to rescue him.

Lore, Pittacus. I Am Number Four. HarperCollins. 2010. (9780061969553). Number Four is one of nine aliens that escaped from the planet Lorien just ahead of the evil Mogadorians, a rival alien race bent of their destruction. He’s settling into another new town on Earth, trying to get a handle on his developing powers, when he gets the news: Number Three is dead. If Number Three is dead, that means Number Four is next.

Moore, Peter. Red Moon Rising. Disney/Hyperion. 2011. (9781423116653). In a world dominated by vampires, half-vamp, half-wulf Danny is used to hiding his true nature. When he experiences strange changes, it appears that his wulf side has become active. In a world where wulves are not treated equally, Danny faces a difficult choice: a dreary future as an inmate once a month or life as an illegal, unregistered wulf.

Nelson, Jandy. The Sky is Everywhere. 2010. Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers. (9780142417805). After Lennie's sister suddenly dies, she finds herself torn between two boys. One is the new boy in town, and the other is her sister’s ex-boyfriend. While she is genuinely attracted to one, the other really understands her feelings, yet she knows it is wrong. Who will she choose?

Oliver, Lauren. Before I Fall. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2010. (9780061726804). Popular, rich, and attractive Sam Kingston never worried about how her behavior affected other people. After dying in a car crash, Sam is forced to relive the last day of her life for seven days. She progressively becomes a better person as she realizes the ripple effect of her actions and uses the second chance to fix her most dire mistakes.

O’Neal, Ellis. The False Princess">The False Princess. Egmont USA. 2011. (9781606840795). At sixteen, Princess Nalia learns that the king and queen have used her as a false princess to protect their real daughter from an omen of death. Princess Nalia, now Sinda, is sent away from the palace to live with the one relative she has left in a world she does not know. Sinda struggles with her new life and uncovers a secret that may change her country forever. Magic runs through her veins, and theories of corruption in the royal bloodline keep her entangled in the royal family's affairs.

Patterson, James. Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel. Little, Brown & Company. 2011. (9780316036207). In book seven of the Maximum Ride series, the titular character is devastated after a fellow “bird kid” leaves to start his own flock of mutant heroes. Scientists tell her that another “bird kid”, Dylan, is her perfect mate, and that she’s been created to save the world. When the Doomsday Group starts hypnotizing children, Max heads to Paris with her flock to investigate. Unfortunately, Fang and his new flock are investigating as well.

Pearce, Jackson. Sisters Red. Little, Brown and Company. 2010. (9780316068680). Sisters Rosie and Scarlett March are left as orphans at eleven after their grandmother is killed by a Fenris, a soulless creature that takes the form of a man and can turn into a wolf. Scarlett loses an eye in the attack and decides to devote her life to hunting the Fenris. Eight years later, the sisters have vowed to protect their town from the Fenris. Silas, a young woodsman, returns to town. Rosie knows the Fenris deserve to die, but she's not ready to commit her entire life to hunting them. Can the sisters learn to live with their differences as Rosie and Silas’s friendship blossoms into something more?

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Blessed. Candlewick Press. 2011. (9780763643263). Quincie, everyone’s favorite teen restaurateur and vampire, is back in this follow-up to Tantalize and Eternal. This time, she has even more on her plate. She just died, became a vampire, said goodbye to her true love/ werewolf boyfriend Kieren, and she has to stop the most powerful and evil vampire in centuries and find a way to save her own soul and the souls of the soon-to-be evil vampires.

Westerfeld, Scott. Behemoth. Simon Pulse. 2010. (9781416971757). This sequel to Leviathan picks up where the last book left off with Alek, the lost Austro-Hungarian prince, and Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy, on the airship Leviathan heading to the Ottoman Empire. Upon arriving, Alek escapes and starts a revolution to overthrow the Sultan and try to stop a war.

White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 2010. (9780061985843). Normal? Yeah, right! Evie's biggest dream ever was to be normal, but with a faerie ex-boyfriend and a mermaid for a best friend, she might as well just throw the word “normal” right in the trash can. Evie has the unique ability to see through paranormals’ glamours, which has made her a valued asset of the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). When someone breaks into the Agency headquarters, Evie meets an unusual Paranormal: a boy who can shape-shift into any human. Can Evie save the lives of unarmed Paranormals from something that is after her too?

Friday, August 26, 2011

(Very Long) Weekend Book Giveaway: Halo

Well, it is the end of summer. Just a few more days before it is back to school. Hopefully you aren't having to cram too much homework in right now. You did it all earlier this summer, riiiiight?

This week's freebie book giveaway has 19 people waiting to read it, and is Halo, by Alexandra Adornetto, about an angel who goes to school:

When three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town of Venus Cove against the gathering forces of darkness, their mission is threatened as the youngest angel, Bethany, enrolls in high school and falls in love with another student.



Something to look forward to this school year?

Me, I'm ready for a VACATION. I'll be out of town next week, so will do our book drawing on Thursday September 8th. Tell me about you dream vacation...imagine the sky is the limit and you could go anywhere you want, with anyone you like...where would you go? What would you do? Who would you take with you? Can't wait to hear what you have in mind :D

Thursday, August 25, 2011

One Last Summer Read?

Summer is moving by pretty fast, and the first day of school is just around the corner. Labor Day is coming up fast! The good news is that even if you're busy these last few weeks before the new school year begins, you still have time to read at least one more good book before school starts back. Here's a list of some great books available from the Sno-Isle Library System that are all under 300 pages:








Purple Heart
Green Angel

These and many other great 'shorter' reads can all be found in Sno-Isle's Teen Explore collection. Check out the teen area at your local library to see which titles are on the Teen Explore shelf. The titles change frequently, so check often to see what's popular with Sno-isle's teen librarians and other teens just like you!



Do you have any favorite short reads? Share them with us in the comments section!

Summer List

By now I am sure everyone has heard the phrase "Bucket List". This is a list of things that someone wants to do before they die.
Each summer I have a Summer List. My list of things I want to do over the summer.
Well, guess what? I hate to say it but summer is almost over. Time to check my list.




  • Read George R R Martin's A Dance With Dragons - Check.
    I waited 6 years for this book and was very excited to get my hands on it this summer. I hate to admit it but I was a little disappointed. This series is so over the top fantastic that it couldn't maintain its excellence. However, this and the last volume covered a time period that the author was initially going to just bridge over, so I am trying to just look at it as bonus material. Like an director's cut of a movie.


  • Go Sailing. - Epic Fail.
    The wind failed to check with my calendar and coordinate with my days off. Nothing worse than going for a "float".


  • See Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. - Check.
    I was very pleased with the way they wrapped up the movie series. When it comes to movies I can be a real sap and this movie was no exception. I managed to get myself all chocked up by the end. It has been an amazing experience to watch those actors grow up.
    In a previous blog post I wrote about being able to separate a book I like from the movie version. This movie fits into that discussion perfectly. The movie was not the book but it was something I could enjoy on its own merits.


  • Build a new PC. - Check. And it screams!
    Asus P8P67 Deluxe Motherboard
    Antec 750W power supply
    Intel i5 2400
    8G RAM
    Radeon 6850 GPU
    Of course, my 14 year old son has been enjoying it the most!

What was on your Summer List? Anything yet undone? There is still time!


Nate - Snohomish Library

And the Winners Are...

And now for the moment you have all been waiting for! 5265 teen book reviews were submitted this summer, all with dreams of winning the fun and fabulous iPad 2 or an iPod Touch for Librarian's Choice Award. Your reviews were all so wonderful, I wish I could give each and everyone of you a prize, but as we know, there can be only one (for each category ;)

For the grand prize drawing of an iPad 2, our lucky winner is: Kat F. from Oak Harbor, whose review of Murder on the Orient Express was randomly drawn (though I must say it is a fine review, too!)

Choosing a favorite review from so many was INCREDIBLY HARD! Thank goodness we had a crack team of Teen Librarians reading your reviews all summer long. They were all so good! So....for the prestigious Librarians Choice Award: Reilly R. from the Coupeville for this wonderful review of Zombies vs. Unicorns:

Description:
Since the beginning of the universe there has been an incredible rivalry of Zombies and Unicorns. But until 2010 this war had only been fought in secret. Thus begins a most epic battle of words and wits, which has been published into this very book for your personal entertainment. Authors of all kinds have chosen their side. Now it's your turn.

My Thoughts:
This book was so good, meager words don't do it justice. Each story makes you love either Zombies or unicorns, and you just get tossed back and forth! Each story completely defied the stereotype of both creatures. Whether its zombies that are zombies because of their religion, or sarcastic, head smacking unicorns, this book has them all.

Recommendation:
Highschoolers who do or don' like to read.

Thank you to every single one of you who submitted reviews this summer, and made it our most exciting and wonderful yet. Please continue to submit reviews, even though there isn't a prize right now...we love to keep up with what you are reading and take your opinions and thoughts most seriously.

And GIANT thanks to the Sno-Isle Library Foundation, who has made all of this possible. Their generous support enabled us to offer all our wonderful prizes including the iPad, iPod, and earbuds. They are terrific supporters of our libraries, and truly love our teens :)

Yours in reading,

Dawn

Friday, August 19, 2011

Books We Love

At the Teen Book Brunch at the University Book Store in Mill Creek Town Center on Friday, we shared what we've been reading. Some of the books were hits, some were duds, and some got mixed reviews.

Here's what we love :), hate :(, and make weird faces at :\

1. Ashes by Ilsa Bick :\ (Out September 6th)
2. Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin :(
3. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater :)
4. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson :)
5. Misty: Digging Deep in Volleyball and Life by Misty May-Treanor :)
6. Wicked by Gregory Maguire :(
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury :(
8. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard :)
9. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard :)
10. Wither by Lauren DeStafano :)
11. Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker :)
12. Chain Reaction/ Perfect Chemistry/ Rules of Attraction by Simone Eckles :)
13. Forgotten by Cat Patrick :) / :\
14. Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson :\ (Out September 29th)
15. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann :) / :\
16. Juliet Immortal by Stacy Jay
17. Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber :) (Out October 25th)
18. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen :)
19. Alice, Bliss by Laura Harrington
20. Bigger Than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder :\ (Out September 27th)

Missed the Teen Book Brunch? Don't worry! Come to the next one on Saturday, September 17th at 11 a.m. and share your favorite books and meet author Kody Keplinger (author of DUFF and the forthcoming Shut Out).

Tell me about a book you loved, hated, or had mixed feelings about in the comments section. I will draw one person randomly to win an advanced copy of Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. To win this book, leave your initials in the post so I know who it is that won. Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, August 24th.

Weekend Book Give-Away: Wither

This week's awesome book give-away is an advance readers copy of Wither by Lauren DeStefano, which I just finished listening to on audiobook, and really enjoyed!

After modern science turns every human into a genetic time bomb with men dying at age twenty-five and women dying at age twenty, girls are kidnapped and married off in order to repopulate the world.



It is the first in The Chemical Garden Trilogy, and has 41 people waiting for it right now (unless you want the cd...which miraculously has no line a this moment...). I found it riveting and terrifying and surprisingly tender, too.

To win this book, tell me what your favorite way to amuse yourself is when you are trapped inside your house and are unable to interact with the outside world.

Winner will be announced Tuesday August 23, 2011. Please leave your initials in the post, so I can know who it is that has won if I pick your entry!




Thursday, August 18, 2011

Lost and Found


One of my most recent favorites is Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. In it, Cullen’s summer is framed by the return of an “extinct” bird and the sudden disappearance of his younger brother, Gabriel.

So many of the books I’ve read recently revolve and resolve around missing people and missing objects. We are often defined by what we have lost and what has been regained: lost opportunities…found love…lost family…found meaning…lost socks…found keys. Magazines, blogs, and books are dedicated to the “found object” – now elevated into an artwork of the possible. Of course, not every loss is sad and (as anyone on Facebook can tell you) not every person needs to be found. But which story would you rather read (or tell)… the losing or the finding?

You Did It - Our Biggest Summer Yet

I can't even begin to tell you how impressed I am with all you fabulous teen readers of Snohomish and Island Counties! Between June 1st and August 15th you reviewed 5265 books...well over our goal of 5000. SO AMAZING!

That is a TON of reviews. Our Teen Librarians are frantically going back over all their favorites to pick out the one from each branch that will be voted on to win the Librarian's Choice Award. Once that has been selected, we will also pick our Grand Prize winner. I know it is driving you crazy waiting...but it won't be until next week. So, in the meanwhile, here are another 15 earbud winners (even though we didn't have a full week in the end there ;)

Krysta W. - Monroe Library
Brooklyn C. - Marysville Library
Emma T. - Mill Creek Library
Ashly L. - Snohomish Library
Tatiana S.-Z. - Mountlake Terrace Library
Nancy O. - Lynnwood Library
Raiden U.-R. - Lynnwood Library
Myung T. - Lynnwood Library
Megan T. - Mill Creek Library
Jessica V. - Mukilteo Library
Natasha F. - Marysville Library
Symone W. - Mukilteo Library
Christian D. - Marysville Library
Caila J. - Granite Falls Library
Adrian N. - Lynnwood Library

Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews...will let you know next week who are winners are for the big prizes! <3

Sunday, August 14, 2011

34 Hours to Go - Write Those Reviews!

We've reached our goal of 5,000 reviews (5144 as of a moment ago)...but the end isn't here yet! We are still accepting reviews through the end of the day tomorrow, Monday August 15th. Then you will have to hold your breath and wait a bit while us Teen Librarians go through the important business of deciding which of those oh so many reviews we love the best. I can already tell it is going to be SO hard to pick just one!

So if there are any teen or adult books you've read (and by read I mean finished) this summer and haven't reviewed, do so ASAP to increase your chances of winning!

I'll be a little sad not to be getting so many reviews, but please do keep sharing what you've been reading, even after the contest is over. We love hearing what you think. (5146 reviews now). <3

Saturday, August 13, 2011

YALSA's New Readers Choice Award.

I'm a longtime fan and member of YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association), and was totally excited to hear their newest awards list is now live. The Readers' Choice List is a list not made by librarians for teens, but one the readers get to nominate and all YALSA members get to vote on!

The categories are Horror/Thriller, Mystery/Crime, Nonfiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, plus a wild card category each year...this year it is Steampunk! For this year's award you can nominate any books published between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011. Go here for more information and to nominate!

I'd love to hear what you nominate (so I can read it too), so please post titles below :D




Friday, August 12, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: The Girl is Murder

Looking for a sweet mix of historical fiction and mystery? This week's book give-away is The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines.

In 1942 New York City, fifteen-year-old Iris grieves for her mother who committed suicide and for the loss of her life of privilege, and secretly helps her father with his detective business since he, having lost a leg at Pearl Harbor, struggles to make ends meet.

I love the elegance of the cover, which makes me think of all those dark noir detective movies with all the men wearing hats, and the ladies looking glamorous and chic. But instead of the girl playing the femme fatal, it looks like she is going to be the one to save the day here! (At least I hope so).

To win this book, tell me about your favorite mystery, and what you love about it. (Mine is The Beekeeper's Apprentice...16 year old American orphan meets Sherlock Holmes, and proves she is every bit his match!)

Drawing will take place Tuesday August 16th. Look here for the winner!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Week Nine Earbud Winners

Hey everybody! We have only 4 days left in this year's Teen Summer Reading Contest. We are 104 reviews short of our goal of 5,000 reviews. 26 reviews a day? No problem...I know you guys can totally do it!

Here are this week's earbud winners. I'll do the last earbud drawing next Tuesday, so get those reviews in this weekend!

Maggie H. - Edmonds Library
Victoria M. - Monroe Library
Jessica B. - Mukilteo Library
Jessica B. - Mill Creek Library
Ashley C. - Marysville Library
Amelia H. - Langley Library
Joshua M. - Oak Harbor Library
Jessica W. - Mill Creek Library
Tara P. - Lynnwood Library
Elizabeth D. - Langley Library
Joshua E. - Lynnwood Library
Thien T. - Lynnwood Library
Nina S. - Mill Creek Library
Ana Maria B. - Lynnwood Library

Your teen librarian will let you know when they have arrived.

Have a great weekend, and keep reading! Monday is the last day reviews will count towards our contest.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Music and Art in Coupeville

Every year in August people come from near and far to attend the Coupeville Arts & Crafts Festival, which will take place this coming weekend on the 13th and 14th. The festival highlights a wide variety of craft styles, with over 200 vendors selling their work.

Bands will be playing all day Saturday and Sunday, right next to the Coupeville Library. This year not one but TWO bands are made up of teens from Snohomish and Island counties.

Well Known Stranger - 2:00 pm Saturday

Well Known Stranger is a multifaceted band that plays classic Celtic tunes as well as their own mixture of Celtic inspired indie rock. They hail from Marysville.




For the Birds - 10:00 am Sunday

For the Birds are an indie eclectic rock band from the south end of Whidbey Island.


It would be remiss of me not to mention that I'm a bit biased when it comes to For the Birds - they're dear friends of mine, and just happen to have recorded their music in my living room. I'm really looking forward to hearing them play a live outdoors show on Sunday.

And I can't wait to see Well Known Stranger, too. As always, I'm amazed at the talent our Sno-Isle teens have to offer the world. I hope you can get out and hear them play too! It's a great opportunity to soak up the sun and enjoy some free entertainment in a beautiful location.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Weekend Book Give-Away: Level Up

This weekend's book give-away is Level Up, a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang (who created the brilliant American Born Chinese), with lots of surprises.

Dennis loves to play video games, but his strict Chinese immigrant father has always harped on him to concentrate on his studies. But once his father dies, he becomes obsessed with gaming. Things start to get weird when four little angels start messing with him, trying to get him to do right by his father's memory, or else...

To win this book, tell me about something you got obsessed with, and what was so facinating about it. Winner will be drawn Tuesday August 9, 2011.

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

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

All good things must come to an end



I love a good book. I love a good book in a good series even more. I could read some series forever (yes, that’s you, Harry Potter), but a good ending can be satisfying, too, so I’m looking forward to some soon-to-be-published last books. Top on my list is Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, last in the Leviathan series, coming out in September. Also coming up are the last books in the Private series by Kate Brian, the Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey, the Hollow series by Jessica Verday, and the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick. Summer is a great time to start reading these popular series—and you could enter reviews of them online to win prizes. Enjoy!



Monday, August 1, 2011

Writing Workshops

For the next three Tuesday's Lynnwood Library has actual authors of teen fiction magically appearing at 4pm to help you hone your creative writing skills (and really, all your writing skills). This is a free series funded by the Friends of the Lynnwood Library, and a grant from Fred Meyer. Not only will the authors be there to answer all of your questions about writing and publishing, but I'll be giving away free books of the author's latest title to 2-3 teen attendees at each workshop.

Tuesday, August 2nd
Caridad Ferrer
4pm

Author Caridad Ferrer ("Adios to My Old Life," "When the Stars Go Blue") will use music, art, food, and other sensory stimulants to spark new creativity and precision in this writing workshop. Two attendees will win a copy of "When the Stars Go Blue."

Tuesday, August 9th
Sarah Jamila Stevenson
4pm

Author Sarah Jamila Stevenson ("The Latte Rebellion") will lead this writer's workshop on finding "voice" in your writing. She'll explain the idea of voice, illustrated with examples of distinctive writing voices from classic and contemporary YA novels. You will also talk about the difference between the author's writing voice and the characters' voices. As a group, you'll discuss what voice does for the reader's experience, and what role it plays in the writing process. Finally, the group will do a few writing exercises designed to help you find your own writing voice, and to help you experiment with character voices. Three attendees will win copies of "The Latte Rebellion."

Tuesday, August 16th
Lish McBride
4pm

Author Lish McBride ("Hold Me Closer, Necromancer") will guide teens in discovering the importance of characters and what makes them, be they good or evil, seem real. She'll share with you a few character tricks that helped her become a Morris Award finalist. Three lucky attendees will win copies of "Hold Me Closer, Necromancer."

Hope to see you there!

For directions to Lynnwood Library, click here.