Friday, August 30, 2013

Weekend Book Giveaway: Poison

This weekend's book Poison by Bridget Zinn takes the idea of fairy tales to the max with princesses, poison, poison, and even pigs! With ten library requests on it this wonderful story is ripe for the picking!

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction-which means shes the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdoms future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dartmisses.Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the kings army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least shes not alone. Shes armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she cant stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and shes certainly no damsel-in-distress-shes the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.Praise for Poison "A frothy confection of a fairy tale featuring poisoners, princesses, perfumers and pigs, none of whom are exactly what they appear (except maybe the pigs).

 
For a chance to win your copy, tell me what your favorite fairytale story is and why its your favorite.

Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Wednesday September 4, 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, August 29, 2013

Tech Thursday -- Online Brainteaser Games

I think one of the least stressful ways to learn about science and technology is to play games. Have fun playing games while increasing your knowledge base @ the Science Museum website. While they have quite a few games, the ones I've found most interesting are:

LAUNCHBALL, where you "slide, bounce, and spring your way through 30 obstacle-filled levels". The cool thing about this game is that you can build your own course and then challenge your friends (or have them challenge you). To start, you're given six levels to get warmed up and understand how the course works, and then it gets real. Bonus: you learn about physics while mastering the game!




Then there's Water Wars: DRENCH: use and maintain five technologies to capture enough water to grow food for a growing population. Can't say I'm awesome at the game, but I like the graphics.

drench screenshot
 
 
 
See how good you are at codebreaking with the Codebreaker Challenge. Inspired by Alan Turing,  a computer science pioneer who helped decipher the German's WWII wartime communication encryption program,"Enigma", this game will test your encryption (or, in this case, de-encryption)skills. Break three coded challenges on each level to get to the Master challenge and crack the Enigma machine. It starts off okay, but it is quite the challenge. (They will give hints, but hints cost you points!)

 
 
 
What science-related games do you like playing? 
 

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Teen Summer Reading Librarians' Choice Winner!


The winner of our Teen Summer Reading Librarians’ Choice Award is Pukhraj from the Mukilteo Library, who reviewed Marissa Meyer’s Scarlet.  Pukhraj will receive a backpack full of reading goodies.  Our thanks to the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation for their continued support of teen summer reading.
 
http://catalog.sno-isle.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.6&cn=583720

 
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
 
Description:
Not only is our beloved Linh Cinder , who, at the moment, may just be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive, in a pickle- but so is Scarlet Benoit. Scarlet's Grandma went missing not too long ago, but nobody seems to care. Even the POLICE gave up searching for her. So where is she? And what does Wolf, a street fighter, have to do with any of it?
 
My Thoughts:
Choosing a SINGLE favorite part of this book would be like... Iko having to become Thorne's monstrosity of a spaceship. Oh wait- that happened... my favorite part was probably... Wolf. Yep, Wolf is the best thing that happened to this book. Other than Kai, of course. My final statement? This series is even more adicting than The Twilight Saga.
 
 
 


 
 
 



 
 
 

Trailer Tuesday: Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum

Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us. Headstrong seventeen-year-old Nick has spent his whole life in a community in the wilderness, hiding out from the robots that have enslaved mankind. But when the bots discover the community's location, he, his tech-geek younger brother, Kevin, and adopted sister, Cass, barely make it out alive, only to discover that their home has been destroyed and everyone they love is missing. All survivors were captured and taken to one of the robots' Cities. The siblings have been hearing tales about the Cities all their lives: humans are treated like animals, living in outdoor pens and forced to build new bots until they drop dead from exhaustion. Determined to find out if their parents are among the survivors, Nick, Kevin, and Cass venture into the heart of the City, but it is nothing like they've been told. As they live among the bots for the first time, they realize they're fighting for more than just their family. The robots have ruled for too long, and now it's time for a revolution.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Weekend Book Giveaway: Of Triton

This weeks book of Triton by Anna Banks is perfect for the reader who is looking for a watery romance with a side of wit and humor. Second in the series, this new hardback copy has 15 holds on it! To skip the line reply to the prompt below.

From the publisher: "The Syrena kingdoms are warring, and Emma needs to choose who she will save. Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death.As if that's not bad enough, her mother's reappearance in the Syrena world turns the two kingdoms-Poseidon and Triton-against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen's request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself-and her Gift-to save a people she's never known? Once again, Anna Banks infuses Emma and Galen's points of view with humor, intrigue, and waves of romance."

 For a chance to win, tell me where you would have a summer romance take place (besides under the ocean).


Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Wednesday September 4, 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, August 22, 2013

Tech Thursday Free App Day: "Remember Everything" with Evernote -- a great way to stay organized this fall!

Yes, it must be acknowledged -- the start of school is close at hand. Evernote may help make your school life easier. Available for Windows, Android and iOS users.


evernote iconAs they promise on their website, Evernote "... is the easy and powerful way to remember everything, from lifelong memories and vital information to daily reminders and to-do lists."
 
You can do more than just save webpages:
  • Make notebooks for each subject, then take/save notes, upload images, and add relevant webpages
  • Organize your notes by notebooks and tags/keywords; search by keyword
  • Make to-do lists, take notes, and save Tweets to your Evernote account
  • Upload photos and add audio for an interesting presentation
  • All of your notes, web clips, files and images are made available on every device and computer you use  and automatically synced, so they're always ready for reading
  • Share your notes with classmates (or have them share theirs with you)
  • Connect Evernote to other apps and products you use
 
Plus there are lots of Evernote products that can help you organize your schoolwork and after-school interests even better...click on the links if you want to learn more or see how others have used them.
 
Webclipper: Save anything you see online forever — including text, links and images — with a single click.  (http://evernote.com/webclipper/)




Peek: Turn your notes, audio and images in Evernote into study materials (http://evernote.com/peek/)



 Penultimate: iPad only (really bummed and hope there's an Android tablet app soon) Beautiful digital handwriting app for iPad that combines the natural experience of pen and paper with the flexibility and syncing of Evernote (http://evernote.com/penultimate/)



Skitch: Get your point across with fewer words by adding notes, shapes and sketches to visual media. To get ideas of uses: http://evernote.com/skitch/

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Trailer Tuesday: Prophecy by Ellen Oh


The Prophecy by Ellen Oh is the first book in an exciting new fantasy series. It includes a female warrior protagonist, takes place in historical Korea, and looks packed with action. I plan on picking it up. What about you?

From the Publisher: "The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms . . . is a girl with yellow eyes. Kira's the only female in the king's army, and she's also the prince's bodyguard. She's a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she's their only hope. . . . Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King's prophecy, but the legendary lost ruby treasure just might be the true key to victory. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, an evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king. Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy."

Friday, August 16, 2013

Weekend Book Giveaway: Sky on Fire

This weeks book Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne is an action packed thriller full of characters with gritty determination who will do anything they can do to survive...even in the face of disaster. This brand-new hardback copy has ten requests on it!

The world hasn't ended; yet. Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope. Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . .
To skip the holds line for a chance to win a copy of this book tell me about a time you had hope even in the face of bad news (or disaster).

Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Tuesday, August 20, 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, August 15, 2013

Tech Thursday: Scratch - a fun way to learn programming


Created by the MIT Media Lab (which in itself is a really cool site to visit if you want to know more about trending tech), Scratch allows you to program your own interactive stories, games, virtual tours, birthday cards, interactive tutorials, and animations. Once made, share your creations with others in the online Scratch community.

Joining Scratch is free. Just visit http://scratch.mit.edu/ and click on "Join Scratch". After learning the basics with their step-by-step tutorial, proceed to making your awesome animated creations. The building code pieces click together like Lego blocks, so you don't have to worry about putting something in the wrong spot. The "See Project Page" button shows you what your choices do. I'm not a great animator, but I had fun playing around.

Click on the image below to go to the website for viewing (it needs Flash to play).


To run programs, click on the green flag in the project's viewing screen, then follow any other directions listed. For example, to start the above "DIY Purse Tutorial", you also need to press the spacebar. Click on the Stop Sign icon to stop the video.

People worldwide use Scratch to not only to make an interactive birthday card or fun cartoon, but for more serious things like school projects. For example, a 13 year-old boy from India animated a character's travels to the center of the earth, describing the various layers along the way: http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/200860/ . Scratch is available in numerous languages - language options are at the very bottom of the page.


screenshot of "Traveling through the Earth" animation  by msres in Bangalore, India
To see some of the cool things others have made, or if you're creatively blocked and need some inspiration, browse through Featured Projects, Featured Studios, or What the Community is Loving.
 


See something cool and want to know how they did it? Just
click on the "See Inside" link, and you'll see all their building
blocks.                                                                                                                                                     



Want to take someone else's creation and add your own flair -- which is strongly encouraged (all projects are covered by Creative Commons license)? Just click on "Remix" and a workspace opens up with all the code blocks already in place. When you're done putting your twist on things, click "Share" and your work will be posted on the website for all to see.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Summer Reading Contest is almost over

Teen Summer Reading
You have two more days to enter your summer reading, and tell us about what you loved (or hated) about the books you have been reading.  I've read so many awesome reviews this summer...my reading list is WAY too long now ;)

So get your reviews in by the end of the day Friday August 16th for your last chance to win one of these awesome prizes:

flying discbookmarkiPod speakerhacky sack 


Don't forget about our Librarians' Choice Award - next week the librarians will vote on their favorite reviews of the summer...one lucky reviewer will win a backpack full of brand new books!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Awesome Book Giveaway: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

This week's book The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black portrays so many emotions from love, to revenge, to humor, to horror. Think you are done with vampire books?   Think again:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave. One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

To win this copy published this month, tell me about a chilling (or scary) situation you have been in and what you did to get out of it.


Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Friday, August 16, 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.

Trailer Tuesday: Mind Games by Kiersten White


 Mind Games by Kiersten White is one of those books that switches from past, to present,. to future and often lets the reader into the characters mind in a stream of consciousness kind of way. Its exciting sequel, The Chaos of Stars is coming outin February, 2014. Do you plan on reading it?

 From the Publisher: "Perfect for fans of Sara Shepards The Lying Game series, Kiersten Whites Mind Games, a novel about two sisters trapped in a web of deceit, was called "lightning fast and fabulously fun" by bestselling author Laini Taylor. Fia and Annie are as close as two sisters can be. They look out for each other. Protect each other. And most importantly, they keep each others secrets, even the most dangerous ones: Annie is blind, but can see visions of the future; Fia was born with flawless intuition--her first impulse is always exactly right. When the sisters are offered a place at an elite boarding school, Fia realizes that something is wrong . . . but she doesnt grasp just how wrong. The Keane Institute is no ordinary school, and Fia is soon used for everything from picking stocks to planting bombs. If she tries to refuse, they threaten her with Annies life. Now Fias falling in love with a boy who has dark secrets of his own. And with his help, shes ready to fight back. They stole her past. They control her present. But she wont let them take her future. "

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Tech Thursday: Updated Teen Bookfinder App from Apple

 

Apple unveils a newer version of the app that helps teens find good books: "Teen Book Finder by yalsa"






 
Get it free through the Apple App Store and then go find some great books! (Android version due to be released in 2014)
http://itunes.com/apps/teenbookfinder 


"What's so updated about it?" you may be asking yourselves. Well, the app now includes all titles found on yalsa's 2013 lists of recommended reads, plus books that were honored with one of their six young adult literature awards. Pretty nifty, because now that means even more streamlined access to the last three years of awesome award winning books and recommended titles.

YALSA, in case you're wondering, stands for Young Adult Library Services Association, a national association whose mission is to "expand and strengthen library services for teens, aged 12-18".


There are a few ways to locate and manage books with the TBF app:

  • use the "Today's Hot Picks" option (3 new titles each and every day)
  • search by author, title, genre, award, booklist, or list year
  • create a reading list with a "favorites" button
  • Tweet or FB your faves
  • see if a particular book is at your local library (powered by OCLC Worldcat)

...and don't forget that you can soon vote for yalsa's Teen's Top Ten Choice list from August 15-September 15! Titles can be viewed here: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/reads4teens/
Winners will be announced during Teen Read Week (Oct 13-19)

App funded by a generous grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Amazing Race Digital Scavenger Hunt


What do these three things have in common:

  • seagull
  • totem pole
  • old technology

They are just three of the 50 clues in the 3rd Annual Amazing Race Digital Scavenger, hosted by the Mill Creek Public Library and Mill Creek Parks and Recreation Department on Friday, August 16th. The Amazing Race Digital Scavenger Hunt is a great way to explore your community, make new friends, and support local businesses while enjoying the summer!

The scavenger hunt starts at the Mill Creek Library at 1 p.m. where teams will sign in and pick up their list of clues. After that they have the next two hours to take photos of as many things on the clue as they can before meeting at the Mill Creek City Hall Council Chambers at 3 p.m. for a picture viewing party, snacks, and prizes before finishing at 4 p.m. Winning teams will receive gift certificates to local businesses like University Bookstore, World's Best Frozen Yogurt, and Qdoba.

How does the scavenger hunt work? You compete in teams of two to four people to solve road blocks and find clues around the Mill Creek Library and Mill Creek Town Center. All the clues are within walking distance from the library but you are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes. All teams must bring a digital camera. Cell phone pictures are cool, but won't work for this scavenger hunt. Parents and school-age siblings may participate but are not eligible for prizes. Space is limited to 50 people and all members of the team must preregister in order to participate. Don't have a team to join? Don't worry! We'll set you up with a team.

Questions? Contact Danielle, the Teen Librarian at the Mill Creek Library (425) 337-4822 or ddreger-babbitt@sno-isle.org. Don't forget to sign up!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Trailer Tuesday: Pulse by Patrick Carman





Perfect for a summer suspense! If you are still looking for dystopian novels to read this may be for you. Publishers Weekly said it is “[An] impressive take on the postapocalyptic novel.” Would you agree?

From the Publisher: "In the year 2051, who has a pulse? With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a "pulse," and Dylan has the talent, too. In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters who are so powerful they can flatten their enemies by uprooting streetlights, throwing boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with her unusual talent, the mind; and the heart; can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she'll have to harness the power of both. Patrick Carman's Pulse trilogy is a stunning and epic triumph about the power of the mind--and of love."

Friday, August 2, 2013

Weekend Book Giveaway: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

This week's book Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks is action packed graphic novel that includes a fierce competition between robot creators and cheerleaders battling it out for school funding for the glory of their club! Who will win? Answer the question below to have a chance of winning your own copy to find out!


How to steal a high school election, build a battlebot, and run away from home on Thanksgiving. You wouldn't expect Nate and Charlie to be friends. Charlie's the laid-back captain of the basketball team, and Nate is the neurotic, scheming president of the robotics club. But they are friends, however unlikely-until Nate declares war on the cheerleaders. At stake is funding that will either cover a robotics competition or new cheerleading uniforms-but not both. It's only going to get worse: after both parties are stripped of their funding on grounds of abominable misbehavior, Nate enrolls the club's robot in a battlebot competition in a desperate bid for prize money. Bad sportsmanship? Sure. Chainsaws? Why not. Running away from home on Thanksgiving to illicitly enter a televised robot death match? Of course!


If you want a chance to get you own copy of this book tell me about a type of televised competition you would enter (such as a battlebot match)? It can be anything!

Winner will be selected with Random Number Generator on Tuesday August 6, 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.