Friday, July 26, 2013

Weekend Book Giveaway: You Look Different in Real Life

This week's book You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle examines how the true us and how other's see us can be two different things. Fans of Sarah Dessen's books may really enjoy this story.

For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life. The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star. Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment. But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than whats on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes. Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between whats personal and whats public aren't always clear.

If you want a chance to get you own copy of this book, tell me about a time you or one of your friends might have shared a bit too much online.

Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Tuesday July 30, 2013. Be sure to leave a name with your entry, and check back to see if you won. To win you must be a teen (6th-12th grade, or 12-18) who uses a Sno-Isle Library.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Tech Thursday: Cool FREE Apps to enjoy this Summer

                       

I like browsing app stores and am a huge fan of any “Free App of the Day” headline. The following five apps, all free, are ones I like, so I thought I’d share. All are available in both the Andriod and iOS versions.

Always be sure your app comes from a reliable source and read through the overview and agreement carefully, as well as reading through comments by others. For a good overview of how to stay safe: http://www.ehow.com/info_12147712_android-apps-safe.html. See safety tip below.
 

 

 

 

 The Pic Collage app lets you create collages by importing images from just about anywhere, and then you add stickers, borders, backgrounds, or play around with the images themselves to make collages to share. To see the collage I made: http://pic-collage.com/_vCAeoTz. If you create one and would like to share with other teens via Twitter, send a tweet with “@arlsnoisle”.
 

Traveling somewhere the summer or just want to practice speaking a foreign language? iTranslate “puts 60+ languages in your pocket” for easy reference. It not only translates spoken or texted words, it also detects the language, can share and copy via email, Twitter, or just save to your phone, keeps a history, provides a dictionary, plus – one of my favorite things on a smartphone – allows you to use swipe gestures for quick copying and pasting.
  

 Heat making it hard to fall asleep? Relax Melodies offers personalized relaxation and sleep assistance. Select from 94 options to mix your favorite sounds together with different volumes and create your own personal melodies, and then save favorites for easy replay. Relax Melodies also has a complete alarm and timer system. Preview some of the sounds here: http://www.ipnossoft.com/product/relax-melodies/relax-melodies-sound-list/
 
 
 Want to star in your own manga tale? Otaku Camera app mangatizes your smartphone…take a photo, choose a frame, and then select the area you want in the frame. Otaku does the rest. You do need to plan ahead somewhat to make sure the image fits where you want it to, but other than that it’s easey-peasey. (Well, kind of...I tried to mangatize my cat, because that would be cool, but anytime the camera comes out, phone or real one, she starts walking away, even if she has to wake up to do it.)
 
 
 Pocket Penguins, streaming in real-time from the California Academy of Sciences, provides an intimate view into the CAS live African penguin exhibit. The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), an endangered species also known as the "Jackass Penguin" because of its donkey-like braying, is exclusive to the waters off South Africa and Namibia. Watch the birds swim, dive, flirt, nest and relax from any one of three live webcams. Listen in as Academy biologists answer questions from visitors during meal time, daily at 10:30am and 3:00pm PST
 
What free apps do you like? Please share below!
 
Phone SafetyYou can protect your handset by researching any new app you consider. Read the overview of the app, as well as the comments left by other users before downloading. During installation, read the agreement page and the permissions page in their entirety. If the permissions seem too much, delete the app from your handset. Read more: http://www.ehow.com/info_12147712_android-apps-safe.html#ixzz2a3i6Qbv2

Hint: if it looks like your phone battery is draining faster than normal, that could be a sign of a malicious installation.
 
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 "Information provided by the Sno-Isle Libraries does not imply recommendation or endorsement, is not interpreted and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a (law, engineering, financial, health care, etc.) provider."
 
                                  

 

Monday, July 22, 2013

How is Your Summer Going?

Have you read any amazing books yet? Still looking for some great ones? Our outstanding teen librarian Jackie recorded terrific booktalks and put them up on YouTube, if you are looking for some good ideas!


And don't forget to review any teen or adult books you read (or listen to) this summer!   You might win one of these fun prizes:



  (Left to right: LED bookmark, iPod/iPhone speaker (gadget not included), flying disc, hacky sack).






My favorite books this summer (so far) have been these:


MidwinterbloodEleanor & ParkThe Coldest Girl in ColdtownVader's little princessThe summer prince

 What have you loved?