Sno-Isle Teens: Infamous for Information

Teen Book Brunch with Heather Davis and Liz Gallagher

2012-01-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

Do you like donuts and free books? If you answered yes, you'll want to stop by the University Book Store in Mill Creek Town Center for the Teen Book Brunch at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 28th.

Come meet local teen authors Heather Davis, author of "The Clearing" and "Wherever You Go." and Liz Gallagher, author of "Opposite of Invisible" and "My Not-So-Still-Life." They will talk about inspiration, writing, and their favorite books.

Like all Teen Book Brunches there will be opportunity to share what you've been reading and get recommendations from other book lovers over Top Pot donuts.Stay for the galley (copies of soon to be released books) grab!

Mark your calendars for March 17th at 11 a.m. for the next Teen Book Brunch when Marissa Meyer, author of "Cinder," and Lissa Price, author of "Starters," will join us to talk about their new books.

Have you read any of these yet? What did you think?

Trailer Tuesday: Legend

2012-01-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

I think they could have done much better with Legend by Marie Lu, seeing as how the movie rights to it have already sold:

Read it. I thought it was okay. But others are absolutely rabid over it. So don't trust MY ambivalence. If you've read it, what did you think? If you haven't, does this trailer make you want to read it?

And the winner is...

2012-01-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

This book was awarded the Michael L. Printz award "for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature."

It was also awarded the William C. Morris YA Debut award, which "honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature."

In the remarkable, bizarre, and heart-wrenching summer before Cullen Witter’s senior year of high school, everything he thinks he understands about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town vanishes. His cousin overdoses; his town becomes absurdly obsessed with the alleged reappearance of an extinct woodpecker; and most troubling of all, his sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother, Gabriel, suddenly and inexplicably disappears. As Cullen navigates a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young, disillusioned missionary in Africa searches for meaning wherever he can find it. Through masterful plotting, these two stories are brought face-to-face in a surprising and harrowing climax that is tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, and above all, hope.

Congratulations for the double honors!

Learn more about these and other ALA awards, and see complete lists of winners and honor books.

2012 ALA Youth Media Awards

Have you read it? Do you plan to read it? Let us know what you think!

Author Jeyn Roberts this Wednesday at Alderwood B&N

2012-01-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

From the Alderwood Barnes & Noble:

Join us next Wednesday, Jan. 25th, at 7:00 PM for an free reading/signing with author Jeyn Roberts for her new book Dark Inside.

Dark Inside looks to be pretty exciting:

After tremendous earthquakes destroy the Earth's major cities, an ancient evil emerges, turning ordinary people into hunters, killers, and insane monsters but a small group of teens comes together in a fight for survival and safety.

You can also check it out from Sno-Isle...we have 5 copies, and only 2 people are waiting!

Weekend Book Give-Away: Melody Burning

2012-01-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

This week's Weekend Book Give-Away is Melody Burning by Whitley Strieber. Strieber has written a bunch of adult books, and this is his first book for teens:

Beresford doesn’t remember much about his past or how he came to live in the chutes and crawl spaces of the posh high-rise that shares his name. But when rock star and teen sensation Melody McGrath moves to an apartment on the fiftieth floor, he knows he has to be near her. Although she doesn’t realize it, Melody is threatened by more dangerous forces than her manipulative stage mom and the pressures of life in the spotlight. The owner of the glamorous building has been hiding a fatal secret within its walls, and Beresford puts all his plans at risk. Will Beresford and Melody be able to escape?

Sounds both suspenseful and intriguing. To enter the drawing for this book, tell me this: if you had to secretly live in a famous building, which one would it be, and why? How do you imagine secretly living there? Most creative answer will be chosen on Tuesday January 23, 2012 to win!

Harry Potter Actors Keep Booking

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

I know you are probably feeling bummed that there won't be any more Harry Potter movies. They had an excellent run, and will live forever in our hearts (and homes as DVDs). But here is some exciting news: some of your favorite actors from the movies are continuing the careers bringing MORE great books to the big screen!

Emma Watson is staring in a production of one of my all-time favorite teen books: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky.

And Daniel Radcliffe is staring in The Woman in Black (written by Susan Hill), which looks to be super spooky!

Who else would you like to see in your favorite books?

Great New Resource for You: Teen Health & Wellness

2012-01-18T10:10:00.000-08:00

I just got word that we have subscribed to an truly awesome award winning health database just for teens (I've been hoping we would pick up for ages).

From our reference services blog:

Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers—the award-winning, critically acclaimed online resource—provides middle and high school students with nonjudgmental, straightforward, standards-aligned, curricular and self-help support. Topics include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, green living, financial literacy, and more.Developed for teens, with their unique concerns and perspectives.

Because this is a database, when you click on the link above it is going to ask you to log into your library account. That is because this is not just some free website with random information we are linking to...this is researched, accurate information organized in a way that is optimized to help teens, and we pay a subscription to access it...so you know it is going to be good.

A great place to learn about issues that affect your health...both physically and emotionally. Please share this one with your friends...because it is so important for teens to have access to good solid honest health information!

Take a look and tell me which part you like best!

Trailer Tuesday: The Fault in Our Stars

2012-01-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

The Fault in Our Stars is the newest novel by nerdfighter king John Green. People seem to be falling all over themselves to praise it. I haven't read it. Have you? What do you think?

Here's the trailer. It doesn't really seem to tell us anything about the plot, but it is a pretty song.

I think there's maybe cancer in it. The cover screams Nick Hornby to me, which is unusual.

Related, unlike that last sentence, Green will be appearing at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park on January 30. Tickets are required. Click here for more.

Weekend Book Give-Away: Same Difference

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

We don't talk a ton about graphic novels on this blog, but I really do love them. A few years ago I became particularly smitten with a collection called Same Difference and Other Stories by Derek Kirk Kim. I don't recall anything about the other stories, but Same Difference has stayed with me as honest and funny, and in some moments, simply beautiful.

Apparently the folks at First Second Books felt the same way as me, because now they have taken Same Difference and republished it with an awesome new cover.

Want to win your own copy? Tell me about your favorite graphic novels, that have stayed with you over time.

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday January 17, 2012. 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.

Author John Green Coming to Third Place Books

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you are a fan of teen books, you know who John Green is, and that he has some fans. And by fans, I mean Nerdfighters. Nerdfighters are just any fans...they are SUPERfans, who not only read all his books, but also follow the wonderful vlogbrothers he shares with his brother Hank.

John's new book The Fault in Our Stars came out this week, and he is embarking on a big tour...and he is bringing his brother Hank! This tour has sold out in many places, but you can still get tickets (for the price of the book) for their Seattle area event. It will be taking place on Monday, January 30 at 7pm at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. You can buy a book/ticket and get more info here.

I wish I had a copy to give away, but alas, I do not. :( But I have seen John and Hank live before, and I can tell you it is quite a treat, and worth the drive! Just note, it is one ticket per book, so if your friends want to go with you, or your mom is driving you and wants to attend too...they will need to buy books. (Not my rules!) If you go, have fun and report back here to let me know how it goes :D

Author Marissa Meyer - tomorrow @ B&N in Lynnwood!

2012-01-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

Just heard from Barnes & Noble in Lynnwood...they have an exciting author visit this weekend! Marissa Meyer will be reading and signing of her debut YA novel, Cinder:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Sounds awesome, doesn't it?

Sunday, Jan. 8th, 2:00 PM - Alderwood Barnes & Noble

Weekend Book Give-Away: Unison Spark

2012-01-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

This week's book give away is for all you science fiction lovers out there. Unison Spark is author Andy Marino's first teen book. From the publisher's page:

Everyone is obsessed with Unison, the social network that knows you better than you know yourself. Everyone who can afford it, that is. Living beneath the vast ceiling that separates Eastern Seaboard City into rich topside and poor sub-canopy zones, fifteen-year-old Mistletoe can only dream of logging in and has to make do with technological hand-me-downs.

Worlds collide when Ambrose Truax, the privileged heir to the Unison empire, wanders into the dangerous sub-canopy streets and Mistletoe saves him from suspicious, uniformed men. They soon discover that they share eerily similar dreams, hinting at a significant past.

Together, Ambrose and Mistletoe begin to unravel the mystery of their identities and learn that they’re pawns in a bigger game: the Unison 3.0 upgrade, a whole new kind of Friendship.

To enter to win this fine brand new hardcover, all you have to do tell me what you think would make an awesome improvement to today's social networks. What would be a cool 3.0 improvement for you? (The ability to smell online? Actually poke your friends? ???)

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday January 10, 2012. 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.

Geek Out: Book Recommendation and Tech Tip

2012-01-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm listening to a really fun book called Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. If you like video games, 80s culture, sci-fi and/or quest books, you are going to LOVE this.

It is about a bazillionaire game designer who creates an amazing virtual universe that humanity basically plays/hides in while Earth falls to pieces. When he dies, his will reveals that he is going to give away all his wealth to whoever can solve the game he has been creating in anticipation of this event. You get the story from one of the teens competing for this prize, and along the way learn the story of the genius programmer.

I'm always super impressed with folks who teach themselves how to code. I seriously never gave it much thought, only doing a little bit of basic html when I was in school. But now, it is so much apart of our world, and so many jobs use it...I feel like I'm carrying around some major ignorance on this subject. Which is why when I heard about Code Year, I got pretty excited.

Basically, this new website Codecademy is offering FREE weekly online lesson on coding:

Make your New Year's resolution learning to code.

Sign up on Code Year to get a new interactive programming lesson sent to you each week and you'll be building appsand web sites before you know it.

The first lesson goes out next week, so why not give it a try? Maybe it will send your life in a whole new (awesome) direction!

Teens review books for publishers--and you!

2012-01-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

The members of the Teen Advisory Board at the Mukilteo Library work hard planning and putting on library programs, but that wasn't enough for them. They were eager to take on even more work reviewing books for publishers and were chosen by the American Library Association to be a Galley Group. Publishers send copies of books to the teens and the teens send reviews to the publishers. Win win!

The Mukilteo Beacon, our local newspaper, heard about the program and asked one of the teens to explain it to their readers. Zoe Jovanovich's article was published today and it's great! This is a great example of how teens can contribute to their library and their community.

So, what new books are we seeing? 2012 will bring fallen angels, cute demons, Cinderella as a cyborg and much, much more--and our teens will review it all!

Trailer Tuesday: Dark Eden

2012-01-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

Patrick Carmen's last book, Thirteen Days Until Midnight, gave me the heebie jeebies, so I'm both excited and apprehensive about Dark Eden. They've also got an app for this that I'm curious to try out. Have any of you read this, or seen the app? What did you think?

2012 YALSA Non-Fiction Award Finalists Announced

2012-01-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

Last month YALSA announced five books as finalists for the 2012 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, which honors the best nonfiction books written for young adults between Nov. 1, 2010 and Oct. 31, 2011. YALSA will name the 2012 award winner at the Youth Media Awards on Jan. 23, during the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting in Dallas.

What is YALSA, you ask? YALSA stand for the Young Adult Library Services Association; it can be thought of as the teen 'branch' of the American Library Association, or ALA. YALSA's mission is to expand and strengthen library services for teens, aged 12-18.

The 5 books selected were:

Click on each book cover to learn more about the title or to place a reserve at your local Sno-Isle Library!

Weekend Book Give-Away: Unleashed

2011-12-30T17:28:00.000-08:00

For everyone who is sick of vampires and zombies, today's book is Unleased the first in a brand new werewolf series by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie called the Wolf Springs Chronicles:

Orphaned Kat McBride, nearly seventeen, must leave California to live with her grandfather in small-town Arkansas, where she is drawn into a paranormal world of feuding werewolf clans.

To win the advanced readers copy of this popular new title (already has a holds list!), tell me about a time you thought something was going to be boring (Arkansas?) and was surprisingly exciting (werewolves!) and/or...what is your favorite werewolf story?

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday January 3, 2012. 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.

2011 Favorites

2011-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

As 2011 comes to a close, people everywhere reflect on their favorites of the year - books, movies, music, live concerts... lists can be found all over the internet. Sometimes it can be hard to narrow it down, but for me there was one book that really stood out.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus turned out to be a very different book than I expected. I'm not really sure what I expected - the subject matter seemed intriguing, but other than that I wasn't sure where it might go. It's best described as a horror book - and there are some pretty gruesome scenes! There is also a good dose of psychological horror. Joey, the main character, is not only bullied and tormented by students and teachers at his new school, but also has to come to terms with his father's chosen line of work. Once I started reading, I was sucked in and couldn't put it down - and I'm about to read it again!

Watch the book trailer for a hint about Rotters - I don't want to give too much away.

What were your favorites of 2011?

Book Trailer Tuesday: Between Shades of Gray

2011-12-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

"We don't need your death. We need your pain and suffering."

Not so much a book trailer, as a author interview, but it is captivating all the same. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys is an amazing, horrifying novel about a period of history that's probably missing from your textbook.

Weekend Book Give-Away: How to Save a Life

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend's book is a mixture of hope and love, angst and heartache. If you've ever read a book by Sara Zarr, you know she is incredibly good at writing the teen heart and all the hardships it can go through. In How to Save a Life:

Told from their own viewpoints, seventeen-year-old Jill, in grief over the loss of her father, and Mandy, nearly nineteen, are thrown together when Jill's mother agrees to adopt Mandy's unborn child but nothing turns out as they had anticipated.

Drama potential? Unlimited. Emotional read potential? Great. How good is this book? You tell me.

If you would like a lovely brand new hard copy of this book to keep and love forever, write about something that turned out completely different than you expected.

Winnerwill be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday December 27,2012. Be sure to leave a name with your entry, and check back to see ifyou won. To win you must be a teen (6th-12th grade, or 12-18) who uses aSno-Isle Library.

VOYA's Teen Poetry Contest

2011-12-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

A poetry contest for teens age 12-18, but the catch is that entries MUST be sponsored by a teacher or librarian. Teens, you can't just enter yourself. However, if you come up to one of us, I'm sure we'd be happy to send in the poem for you.

Submission Guidelines:

Contest submissions may be poems of up to thirty lines on any topic.

They must be typed in a Word document.

Include the following information on the same page of each poem entered: poet’s name, age, town, and state; sponsor’s name, title, organization/school/library, address, phone, and e-mail.

Name the document file with the poet’s last name. Ex: Smith.doc

Attach the document to an e-mail with “VOYA Teen Poetry Contest” and the poet’s last name in the subject line.

Only one poem per teen, please.

Contest Deadline: December 31, 2011.

Each winner will receive a $20 cash prize and a copy of the April 2012 issue of VOYA in which their poem will be printed.

From VOYA, where you'll find more info.

Trailer Tuesday: Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe

2011-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

Compulsion is intense. There's no murderer to track down or chase scene, but it is nevertheless a tense thriller. Will Jake be able to overcome his OCD to save his sister?

Weekend Book Give-Away: Slayers

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

For this week's book give-away, I thought you might be getting sick of winter and too much frantic holiday craziness, and appreciate some pure escapism (plus a touch of summer).

When I was a kid I loved dragons. Correction. I LOVED dragons. Couldn't get enough of them. So I would have loved to have what happens in Slayers by C.J. Hill happen to me:

At a rustic summer camp, sixteen-year-old Tori, a senator's daughter, learns that she is descended from medieval dragon slayers, that dragons still exist, and that she is expected to hone her special abilities to join her fellow campers in battling the beasts and the man who controls them.

Whoa! Doesn't that sound AWESOME? Or is that just 6 year old me talking? If 6 year old you also thinks this is awesome and wants a chance to win this beautiful brand new hard cover, tell me what sorts of skills you would want to be trained in, if money and realism were no problem?

Winnerwill be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday December 27,2012 (as I'll be on vacation next week). Be sure to leave a name with your entry, and check back to see ifyou won. To win you must be a teen (6th-12th grade, or 12-18) who uses aSno-Isle Library.

Trailer Tuesday: The Flappers by Jillian Larkin

2011-12-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

It starts with VIXEN:

and continues with Ingenue, but you'll have to wait until July for Diva.

Ok, I'll admit, I was a little bored reading the first book, but, wow, isn't that a great trailer?

Morris Award Finalists Announced

2011-12-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

Last week YALSA announced the five finalists for the 2011 Morris Awards.

What are the Morris Awards you ask?

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults.

The five finalists are:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

The winner of the Morris Award will be announced on Monday, January 23rd at the Youth Media Awards at the midwinter American Library Association Conference in Dallas, Texas.

Have you read any of these finalists? Who deserves to win? Who was shut out?

Anya and Her Ukulele!

2011-12-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

There are some REALLY talented teens in Snohomish and Island Counties, and here is one of them:

I first met Anya at the Monroe Library's summer talent competition called "Monroe's Got Talent". It was held this past June and Anya won first place in that competition when she sang the Bruno Mars song "Grenade", which you can hear her play below:

After hearing Anya play, we thought it would be awesome if she came and played a concert for people in Monroe at the library. The YouTube videos you see in this post were recorded at that concert, which was held last month. There were over 50 people from our community in attendance at the program, and Anya really put on an entertaining show with her music and stories about the ukulele and it's history. She did a great job and the library was really lucky to have her perform!

Do you have a special talent, play an instrument or have a unique skill? Share it with us in the comments section!

Weekend Book Give-Away: Winter Town

2011-12-09T11:13:00.001-08:00

Winter break can be many things. It can be a time filled with family and fun traditions. There are often trips to the mall. Maybe if you are lucky, there is snow. If you are really lucky, you have time to read a few books.

And like with many things, the older you get, the more complicated it all seems to be. Who doesn't long for those days of childhood when you could have a break with no homework, no job, no responsibilities, just playing in the snow, drinking hot cocoa and enjoying the wonders of the season?

Stephen Emond (author of Happyface) has a new book just coming out called Winter Town:

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy returns this year, he learns just how much a person can change in twelve months.

I'm in the middle of reading this right now and am really enjoying this realistic and emotional book. To get a chance to win this brand new book (which hasn't even hit our shelves yet!) Tell me about who you are looking forward to hanging out with this winter, and how your relationship has changed (or not) over the years.

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday December 13, 2012. 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: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

2011-12-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

Blood Red Road is EASILY my favorite book this year. I haven't been so geeked about a book or character since Graceling. Those of you I've forced Graceling on understand those are strong words.

I'll admit that I was thrown by the lack of punctuation, but once I got used to it... I Can Not WAIT for the next book, people. It's the first in the Dustlands Trilogy, so I've got two whole books to look forward to.

Dare I say it'll appeal to you Hunger Games fans out there?

Teen Art Show

2011-12-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

It's that time again in Oak Harbor - the annual Teen Art Show is happening this weekend! Every year yours truly and a small crew of dedicated, hard-working volunteers transform the somewhat drab meeting room into a gallery showcasing the work of Oak Harbor's very talented teens.

We open the show on Thursday evening, with a reception catered by Wildcat Catering - yet more talented teens showing off their culinary arts prowess. The show is then open Friday and Saturday - all are welcome to visit and admire the art. All visitors are invited to vote for their favorite pieces for the People's Choice Awards, and each year we honor many teen artists.

I'm always stunned by the quality of the work each year - I can't wait to see what this year's show will look like!

Show hours:

Thursday, 7-9 pm
Friday, 10-5
Saturday, 10-5

Weekend Book Give-Away: Ashfall

2011-12-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

When I was a little kid, we were on a family road trip when Mt. St. Helens went off. Because of the huge amount of ash dumped, we were unable to go back across the state to home for days. Last summer, I finally went and visited the volcano in person, and was totally awed by the amount of destruction still evident 30 years later.

Every now and then I hear rumors about how dangerous Mt. Rainier has the potential of being. It is much bigger than St. Helens, and has a lot of people living in line of its mudflow. But would two volcanos in one state go off in the lifetime of a human? Seems doubtful to me, since geologic time moves so much slower than ours, so I try not to worry about it.

But then the new book by Mike Mullin, Ashfall came across my desk. It is about what might happen if the supervolcano under Yellowstone National Park went off. Supervolcano?! According to the Discovery Channel's website this supervolcano is totally active, and if it went off it would be HUGE:

The last major eruption at Yellowstone, some 640,000 years ago, ejected 8,000 times the ash and lava of Mount St. Helens. And that wasn't even the largest eruption in Yellowstone's prehistoric past.

Yikes!

Tell me about what potential natural disaster freaks you out the most, and how you have tried to prepare for it (or distracted yourself from thinking about it) and you could win not only a beautiful brand new hardcover of Ashfall, but a poster featuring Mike Mullen's Top 10 Tips for Surviving a Supervolcano!

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday December 6, 2012. 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: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2011-11-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

Yeah, that looked intense, and I've already READ the book!

Mara was in a coma for three days. Upon awakening, she is told that her life-long best friend, her boyfriend, and another girl, died in the accident that plunged Mara into unconsciousness. Understandably haunted by the events, the loss of her memories surrounding the accident, and the loss of her friends, Mara is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Her entire world is a reminder of what she's lost, and she manages to convince her family to move away and start new lives in Florida, but starting over doesn't keep the memories at bay, and it doesn't mean she's safe.

Place a hold on The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

Weekend Book Give-Away: All the Earth Thrown to the Sky

2011-11-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

When going through hard times, people have different ways of coping. Readers seem to be split into two major groups. Some like to read fantasy that takes them a thousand miles away from their troubles. And then there are those who like to read about people who are having an even worst time then they are...telling themselves "well at least I don't have it that bad". Me, I try to practice gratitude ever day and be thankful that I have wonderful creative escapist books to read whenever I like, and that I also can learn empathy and how lucky I am by reading about struggles brave people endure.

Jack, the main character in All the Earth Thrown to the Sky by Joe R. Lansdale, is having a very hard time, and living in really tough time in America's history:

When the devastation wrought by endless dust storms in 1930s Oklahoma makes orphans of Jack, his schoolmate Jane, and her brother Tony, they take the truck of a dead man and set out to find a new start.

This week's question has two parts:

What do you like to read to get you through challenging times?
What are you thankful for this week?

Me, I like to read graphic novels when I'm stressed out, because they are imaginative, really pull me out of myself, and because they are quick...give me an easy feeling of accomplishment. I'm thankful for my great job (working with you guys), my adorable French Bulldog Liza Lou, and my family...especially my brand new baby niece!

Winner will be selected by my buddy Random Number Generator on Tuesday November 29, 2012. 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.

Book Trailer Tuesday: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-11-22T14:42:00.000-08:00

Laini Taylor is a lovely lady with impossibly pink hair. She has written an INCREDIBLY GOOD BOOK about a girl with impossibly blue hair. A girl who was raised by a monster...

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is, by my estimation, the front runner for the prestigious Printz Award, and it's a great read to boot. If you are looking for a story about epic battles, good vs. evil, or true love, this is definitely your book.

This is also one of the title for the Sno-Isle Mock Printz. We'll be having a Mock Printz book discussion at Marysville Library on Saturday January 14th, and all of you are welcome to attend. We'll have more information about the event as that date gets closer. In the meantime, place a hold on Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

Rate and Review - Books, Movies, and Music!

2011-11-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can now rate and review books, movies, and music through the Sno-Isle Libraries catalog?

The next time you're searching the catalog, look for the "Write a Review" link under the picture of the book or DVD cover. You'll be able to tell if other people have written reviews or if you'll be the first! These reviews are collected from libraries in several states, so you'll be able to share with your opinions with a wide audience. All you have to do is create a user name and password, and then you'll be on the way to writing your reviews.

Reviews are moderated, so they won't show up right away. But as long as you haven't written a review full of bad words (of course you wouldn't) it should show up by the next day.

Don't forget to submit book reviews at the Sno-Isle Teens site too - these will still be the only way to earn extra credit if your school offers it, and of course the ONLY way to win prizes during summer reading.

What's the first thing you've written a review for? Let us know so we can check it out!

Black Friday Craftacular

2011-11-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

With money tight this year, and many teens having trouble finding jobs, Black Friday may be a grim day for shopping. But Sno-Isle Libraries is offering a fun, free, gifting alternative for teens and families the day after Thanksgiving this year! Six of our libraries are offering free craft programs:

BRIER LIBRARY - 1:00 p.m. Fun crafts for the whole family.
SULTAN LIBRARY - 11:00 a.m. Fridge magnets and bird feeders.
MILL CREEK LIBRARY - 1:00 p.m. Buttons, duct tape creations, gift bows,and holiday cards.
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE LIBRARY 1:00 p.m. Duct tape creations.
MUKILTEO LIBRARY - 1:00 p.m. Angry Bird pom poms.
OAK HARBOR LIBRARY - 2:00 p.m. Duct tape creations.

I love making duct tape wallets and have been using mine for years! I've never made these Sesame Street ones, but would love to give it a try. Maybe I'll see you at Mountlake Terrace Library?

All programs take place this coming Friday, November 25, 2011.

Weekend Book Give-Away: Between

2011-11-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

This week's weekend book giveaway is a gorgeous brand new hardcover of Jessica Warman's (author of Breathless and Where the Truth Lies) newest book Between.

By weaving through her memories and watching the family and friends she left behind, eighteen-year-old Liz Valchar solves the mystery of how her life ended in the Long Island Sound.

Hmmm...reminds me a bit of The Lovely Bones or Before I Fall, so if you like that trapped in limbo between life and death, "what does it all mean?" sort of thing, this should be right up your alley!

This week's question: If you had to revisit your memories at the end of your life, which ones would you want to linger on longest?

Random drawing will take place Tuesday November 22, 2012. Be sure to leave a name with your entry, and check back to see if you won (I'm looking at you Macey and Nethmi!) To win you must be a teen (6th-12th grade, or 12-18) who uses a Sno-Isle Library.

Miss Representation

2011-11-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

I just stumbled across this trailer on a friend's Facebook page. It looks to be a very powerful movie that raises issues we should all consider.

From the YouTube page:

"While women have made strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States still ranks 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, depression rates have doubled among teenage girls, and cosmetic surgery on minors has more than tripled in the last ten years. "

For more information, check out the website.

Book Trailer Tuesday: A.S. King

2011-11-15T15:48:00.000-08:00

Last year A.S. King won a Printz Award Honor. Her latest book Everybody Sees the Ants has just been released. I read it, and it's really staying with me. I think it's for anyone who has ever seen, witnessed, or perpetrated bullying. While Lucky Linderman's voice was in a far lower register in my head, here's the trailer:

The trailer for her Printz Honor-winning Please Ignore Vera Dietz:

And the trailer for her first title, a Cybils finalist for Teen Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Dust of 100 Dogs:

I have to say that while the trailers are rather sedate, the books really aren't. Listen to the plot, and amp it all up a few watts, and then you've got a good idea of what to expect. What do you think? Have you read any of these books? Are the trailers good representations? If you haven't read them, do they make you want to?

Enter the 2012 Teen Video Challenge!

2011-11-14T17:54:00.001-08:00

If you read this, you're probably already aware of the book trailer contest we hold each March during Teen Tech Month. Perhaps you've watched from afar and wanted to enter but were afraid to.

Here's your chance to practice making videos and possibly earn some extra cash in the 2012 Teen Video Challenge.

A little bit of imagination in a short public service announcement could make you the Teen Video Challenge Winner! The video produced by a Washington student or group of students that best encourages use of their local public libraries and promotes reading all summer long will take away the contest prize. The top video will be featured throughout 2012 as the official commercial for Washington’s Summer Reading Program.

The theme for the 2012 Summer Reading Program is Own the Night.

One video from each participating state will be submitted to the CSLP, which will award each State Teen Video Challenge Winner $275. Their public library or member affiliate will receive copy00 from CSLP and $50 from Upstart. The winning videos from each state will be posted to the CSLP website and become the official Teen PSA for the 2012 summer program.

In addition, the Washington State Library and the Washington Office of the Secretary of State will post the top 10 Washington applicant videos on their website.

The deadline to enter is March 9, 2012. You can read more about the contest details and rules at the offical site.

Need inspiration? Check out our Book Trailer winners from last year!

Official Hunger Games Trailer!!

2011-11-14T13:17:00.001-08:00

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Weekend Book Give-Away: Without Tess

2011-11-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend's featured book is the newest by Marcella Pixley (author of Freak) called Without Tess. From the author's website:

If you look inside Lizzie Cohen’s high school locker you will see that her world is falling apart. First you will find the unfinished homework assignments and crumpled tests with failing grades and furious teacher comments scrawled in red pen. Then you will see the crushed coffee cups and half eaten bags of chips. Look closer. On the top shelf, beneath an old sweater she is hiding something. A secret. It is a battered journal that used to belong to her older sister Tess, who died six years ago when they were little girls. It is filled with Tess’s poems and sketches, a record of a time long ago when Lizzie almost believed in magic—back when she did everything her sister asked her to do, even if it meant putting herself in danger. The journal is also an account of one child’s mind teetering on the brink between make-believe and something much more frightening and serious—a time when Lizzie was ready to grow up but Tess was still clinging to her belief in magic like it was the only thing in the world that mattered. Now Lizzie is using the journal to come to terms with the terrible guilt of her own survival. She will need to learn that sometimes growing up means letting go—even if that means saying goodbye forever.

To win a brand new hardcover copy of this most excellent sounding book, tell us about something you lost, and how it affected you. Winner will be randomly drawn from all non-anonymous entries Tuesday. Must be a teen (12-18 or 6th-12th grade) in Sno-Isle Library service area to win. Check back here to see if you won!

Veterans Day

2011-11-10T11:20:00.000-08:00

Every year on November 11th we celebrate Veterans Day, honoring all men and women who have served in the U.S. military.

Why November 11th?

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for more information about the history and observance of Veterans Day.

Sno-Isle Libraries will be closed on Friday the 11th, and will re-open with regular hours on Saturday.

Book Trailer Tuesday: Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

2011-11-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

I'll admit that I'm totally obsessed with diseases - to the point where people have told me I should have gone to medical school. Knowing that, you probably shouldn't be surprised when I say that Typhoid Mary is fascinating. Needless to say, after seeing the trailer for Deadly by Julie Chibbaro, I immediately placed the book on hold.

An Author to Check Out

2011-11-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Last year I found the book Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick and thought it was amazing. It's the story of a teen living in a small town who begins to have dreams and nightmares that bring out unusual talents--he can paint other people's thoughts and memories and he can inhabit the mind of a child from the 1940s. Both talents endanger and frighten the teen and made this a mysterious and vaguely creepy book that I couldn't put down. I also couldn't wait for the author's next book.

And now her new book has arrived! But is Ashes anything like Draw the Dark? Well, it's just as mysterious and creepy, but it's nothing I expected. It starts as the story of Alex, a girl with a terminal illness, but suddenly moves into the story of how she, a child, and a veteran with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder survive an electromagnetic pulse that kills most of the people around them. Oh, and there are zombies, too. And menacing town elders. And forced marriages. And general awesomeness. And the best part? It's the first volume in a trilogy!

Give Ilsa J. Bick a try and let me know what you think. Do you have any favorite authors you can recommend?

Weekend Book Give-Away: Everybody Sees the Ants

2011-11-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend's featured title is award-winning author A.S. King's newest book, Everybody Sees the Ants. I read this a few weeks ago, and can personally attest to the awesome level. It's high.

Lucky Linderman is anything but lucky. He's been plagued with bullies for years, and ever since Nader McMillan shoved his face into concrete at the public pool, he's been seeing ants. Not normal ants, but ants that dance and hold signs and yell commentary about whatever going on in Lucky's life. Especially when things get weird. Well, weirder.

To win this excellent novel, tell me in the comments what type of creature you'd hallucinate when in uncomfortable situations. Keep an eye on this blog next week to see if you won!*

*Anonymous answers won't be counted, so don't forget to include your initials and home library branch!

Being an American Essay Contest

2011-11-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

for ages 13-19. Teachers must submit entries.

From the Bill of Rights Institute:

How does the Constitution establish and maintain a culture of liberty?

In an essay of no more than 1000 words, analyze and discuss:

How one of the Founding principles established in the Constitution helps preserve liberty
Why at least one Founder, as evidenced in a primary source document, believed your chosen principle was a safeguard to liberty
Why your principle continues to be important today
How you personally help preserve a culture that ensures the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in America

All contest entries are due by 11:59 (PST) on December 15, 2011.

Cash prizes for Students in each of the five regions of the
2011-2012 Being an American Essay Contest
First place - $1,000
Second place - $500
Third place - $250

Cash prizes for Teacher Sponsors in each of the five regions of the
2011-2012 Being an American Essay Contest

Teachers who sponsor a student with a winning essay will receive $100 for each
student that places in his/her region.

via SLJ

Art Contest Winners!

2011-11-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

With 110 entries to go through, our judges had a huge challenge in selecting the four winners of our 8th Annual Teen Read Month Art Contest. Finally they narrowed it down, and the winners are:

Annabelle Barrett of Marysville

Megan Meadows of Lynnwood

Michelle Domanowski of Arlington

Garret Maytum of Monroe

The winning art will be added to our winners' gallery here soon.

Each winner will be recognized at their local library with a special ceremony, have their art made into posters to be placed all over our libraries and community, and receive a $50 gift card for Amazon.com provided by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation.

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and to the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation for its continued generous support of teen programs and activities!

More Dogtag Flashdrive Winners!

2011-11-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who reviewed books that you Read for the Fun of It this Teen Read Month! I love reading your reviews and hearing what you think about books, their characters, and how they effect you. Sharing books is one of my favorite parts of reading them, and I'm glad to share that experience with you.

Here are the dogtag flashdrive winners for the second half of Teen Read Month:

Amanda P. - Mountlake Terrace Library
Anna G. - Mill Creek Library
Anushri R. - Mukilteo Library
Blake K. - Arlington Library
Emma M. - Mill Creek Library
Kayla M. - - Mountlake Terrace Library
Liya E. - Mountlake Terrace Library
Mark N. - Lynnwood Library
Nitesh C. - - Mukilteo Library
Pauline W. - Arlington Library
Rimal D. - - Mukilteo Library
Shelby G. - Brier Library
Victoria N. - Edmonds Library
Violetta S. - - Mill Creek Library

Congrats to our winners! Your teen librarian will let you know when your prize arrives.

Much thanks to the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation for sponsoring this great prize, and so many wonderful things we offer here at Sno-Isle.

Check back soon for the winners of our 8th Annual Art Contest! Judging will take place Thursday...

Book Trailer Tuesday: The Trailee Award

2011-11-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

The second annual Trailee Awards are under way! They seek to identify the best of the best in book trailers that really make you want to read.

For all of the categories and videos, head here, where you can also submit your votes.

Voting ends 12 PM CST, December 16, 2011.

For just a taste of some of the trailers up for the awards:

Category: Publisher/Author created for secondary readers (7-12)

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes, by Brandon Mull (trailer by Escape Goat Pictures)

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann (trailer by Vand Media)

The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making by Catherynne M. Valente illus. by Ana Juan (trailer by David Taylor Design)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (trailer by Quirk Books)

Category: Student created for secondary readers (7-12 grade)

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer (trailer by Josie Baker, Ivy Kerr, and Xavi Stevens, from Denton, Texas)

Sleepless by Thomas Richard Fahy (trailer by Rachel Coleman, a student at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas)

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot (trailer by Anna Milius, a student at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas)

Tenderness by Robert Cormier (trailer by Daniel Neal, a student at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas)

Go vote!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

How do you celebrate Halloween? Here in Oak Harbor this year we invited people of all ages to dress in costume and bring their pets along for our Picture it With your Pet Costume Contest. We had a good turnout, with a total of seven dogs and many more humans dressed in some very clever costumes.

Here are a few highlights for your enjoyment... it's probably a good thing nobody brought a cat.

Last Day for Teen Read Month Contests

2011-10-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Don't forgot...today is the last day to enter our Teen Read Month contests. Submit your blog comments before midnight.

If you have created some art for our 8th Annual Teen Art Contest, be sure to turn it in to your local library before closing today!

Hope you have enjoyed this month as much as I have, and found time to Read for the Fun of It!

Drugs and Zombies

2011-10-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of reading Edward Bloor's book A Plague Year and so far I am not too sure what I think about it.

It is well written and the main character Tom is a likeable, hardworking kid. He lives in a small Pennsylvania town that has a growing drug problem, specifically Meth.

The books promotion seems to be trying to tap into the current Zombie craze by drawing comparisons between addicts and zombies. If it is done well, I think it might work. Some of my favorite moments in the television show The Walking Dead are when the survivors, particularly the sheriff Rick Grimes, show sympathy for the undead.

I have yet to read the graphic novels the show is based on. But I believe the same sentiment is displayed there.

There has been one very notable scene in A Plague Year so far. It struck home to me the incredible sadness of addiction.

A character in the book is trying to describe addiction to a room full of students and he starts by asking two of them what they love. This is what he says:

"You love to read, miss. And then you get high, and you love to read even more when you're high."

And you love to play video games, Tom, and then you get high, and you love to play video games even more when you're high."

"But then something bad happens. You find that you don't love to read anymore when you're not high. It's not good enough."

"Now, here's the really awful part."

"Miss, you soon realize you don't love reading anymore even when you are high. And Tom, you don't love video games anymore, high or not. You don't love anything anymore. Not books, not games, not even getting high."

"But you keep getting high anyway because..well, that's what you do."

"That's what you do, so you keep doing it. Even though you hate it now. You have officially arrived at zombieland. You don't love anything. You don't like anything. You don't care about anything. It has all been taken away from you...by drugs."

A powerful statement.

Nate - Snohomish Library

Weekend Book Giveaway: Hades

2011-10-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend's featured book is a beautiful brand new hardcover of Alexandra Adornetto's new book Hades:

Even the love of her boyfriend, Xavier Woods, and her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can't keep the angel Bethany Church from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, Jake Thorn bargains for Beth's release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly her loved ones as well.

We've got 19 people lined up to read this right now, but one of you lucky blog readers will get this one to keep for yourself!

All you have to do to enter the random drawing is tell me in the comments is tell me if you had a supernatural motorcycle, where would you travel to first, and why do you want to go there?

Random entry will be drawn Tuesday November 1, 2011. To win you must include your name or initials, and be a teen in the Sno-Isle Libraries service area.

Teen Read Month - Mini Contest #4

2011-10-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

It is our final mini contest for Teen Read Month. How did the time past so quickly?

Once again, we will be giving away a bag full of:

awesome swag
cool pins
books
candy
a really random surprise

This week's special featured prize book is an Advanced Readers Copy of Laini Taylor's newest, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which has huge buzz around it! Plus has been nominated for Sno-Isle Libraries' Mock Printz discussion, which I'll tell you more about soon. And there are 23 people waiting to read it, so you can skip that line!

Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters--the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known.

To win our last Secret Surprise Bag, tell me about a reading experience that changed your life. Winner will be selected Tuesday November 1, 2012. Must leave name or initials in the entry (so I know who you are) and be a teen in Sno-Isle territory to win. Check back here to see the winner!

Book Trailer Tuesday: Iron Fey Series

2011-10-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

You'll find some of this hit fantasy series by Julie Kagawa on the Teen Explore shelf:

Or place a hold by following the links:

Iron King
Iron Daughter
Iron Queen

Released today, and eventually showing up on your library shelves:
Iron Knight

Monster Pops!

2011-10-22T08:46:00.001-07:00

Turn your typical dessert into a delectable monster on a stick. Think cake pops, monster-style. It's time to play with your food and make it awesome. And horrifying. Or cute. It's up to you.

Thursday, October 27 at 3:30 pm at the Lynnwood Library. Preregistration required. Register here.

Weekend Book Give-Away: Nightshade

2011-10-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend's featured book is a hot new paranormal romance featuring werewolves called Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.

Calla and Ren have been raised knowing it's their destiny to mate with one another and rule over their shapeshifting wolf pack, but when a human boy arrives and vies for Calla's heart, she's faced with a decision that could change her whole world.

Right now there are 35 people to waiting to read one of Sno-Isle's copies, but one lucky blog reader can win an Advanced Reader Copy to keep! All you have to do is tell me in the comments what sort of monster you would like to date (werewolf/vampire/kracken/???) and why, to be entered in our drawing.

Random entry will be drawn Tuesday October 25, 2011. To win you must include your name or initials, and be a teen in the Sno-Isle Libraries service area.

Teen Read Month - Mini Contest #3

2011-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

This week's Mini Contest is for a Secret Surprise Bag once again contains:

Candy.
Really cool pins.
More books.
A really random surprise.
An assortment of the newest and greatest Sno-Isle Libraries swag.

Plus...a shiny new hardcover edition of the long awaiting new book by one of my favorite authors, Jack Gantos, called Dead End in Norvelt:

In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.

How can you win this great prize package? In the comments below, write your own title and description (in the style above) about the book you would write about the summer you were 12 (or will be, if you are a 6th grader who is still 11). For example mine would read something like this:

Bike Spokes and Weird Folks in Spokane

In the town pretending to be a city of Spokane, twelve-year-old Dawn R. spends the summer of 198something bicycling around with new found freedom, encountering fellow library geeks, dozens of books, milkshakes, swimming pools, Gremlins, and a bite in the butt from a surprisingly vicious dog!

Winning entry will be chosen next Thursday. Watch back here to see if it is you!

Creepy reads

2011-10-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

It seems that without fail, every October my reading habits tend toward the creepy and spooky. The shorter days, chilly weather, and parade of pumpkins make me crave something that'll give me nightmares (or at least make me jump). Here are a few recent favorites:

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz: Once upon a tome fairy tales were awesome. As if Hansel and Gretel didn’t already have it tough in their original fairy tale, Gidwitz pops them into a handful of other obscure Grimm stories and casts the siblings as heroes. Over the course of the book the twins are beheaded (and reheaded), dismembered, hunted, killed, brought back to life, sent to hell, and a number of other terrible fates. Is there a happily-ever-after? I'm not telling. It's really good on audio and you can also watch the book trailer.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann: This is still one of the creepiest books I've ever read. Missing boyfriend? Check. Creepy graffiti on your desk? Check. Strange whispers? Check. My advice, don't follow Kendall's lead and go looking for him alone in the woods.

Brains for Lunch: A Zombie Novel in Haiku by K.A. Holt: This isn't so much scary as it is funny and gross, but nothing says Halloween like zombies. Nearly 100 haiku's cover middle school life. Middle school is hard. It's even harder when you're a zombie.

What are your Halloween reads?

TRM - Mini Contest #2 - Entry #3

2011-10-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

From M.E.:

Myfavorite place to read is in a nook area underneath my bunkbed. It has a foambottom with pillows and lanterns. I would want to protect it from vampiresbecause like KJ it is my home. Why would I want vampires at my house??? I alsowould want to protect it because my cat will sometimes lay in there it is oneof her favorite places too. I wouldn't want the vampires to think my kitty wasthe perfect appetizer! My second favorite place to read is in my livingroom. I like to read there because the chair I sit in is super comfortable andhas the softest woven blanket on it. I would want to protect it from vampiresbecause, again, it is my home. I also would want to protect it, because if itwas gone where would I read?

TRM - Mini Contest #2 - Entry #2

2011-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

From MB:

My favorite place in the world to read is in that little space between my bedroom door and my sister's dresser. Maybe it's just my talent for finding comfort in the most awkward places, but for some reason, it's the most reader-friendly place I can think of! I love sitting there with a mug of hot chocolate in the evening and devouring some of my favorite books (a few of which are shown here). There's just something about it that makes me gravitate towards that particular spot...though my sister doesn't really appreciate me blocking the door every night!

I have tons of reasons to protect this spot from dirty vampires! The first, of course, being that this is my spot, and nobody touches my spot! Nobody! Even if they are undead and have an affinity for blood-sucking. Also, I keep my laptop and other important things right around this area. If they got to my spot, that could only lead to them finding- *gasp*- my bookshelf! I would definitely become a slayer to protect my books. Oh, and my sister, too, but mostly just the books.
Hmm...I am going as a vampire slayer for Halloween...looks like I'm set!

2011-10-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Certain books and stories stay with you forever. Maybe they mirrored what you’re feeling or changed the way you looked at life or marked a person or place in your life. I remember the summer after I graduated high school sitting in a Laundromat on a 100 degree day in Chicago reading Annapurna, a woman’s place by Arlene Blum. Along with avalanches and tragedies, there was a sense of the possible. It was a glimpse of the adventures I was tentatively stepping toward. Through the years I have often sent out thoughts of gratitude to the authors that have added color and context to my day to day, capturing what I have neither the patience nor the talent to put into words.

Has a book ever had a major impact on your life? If so, you should enter Washington State's Letters About Literature 2012. “Letters About Literature encourages young readers to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world…. Readers in grades 4-12 write a personal letter to an author, explaining how his or her work shaped their perspective on the world or themselves. Students can write about works of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Entries in Spanish will be accepted and translated for the Washington State judges. State judges will select the top letter writers in Washington, who then advance to the national competition. Letter writers compete at three levels: Level I is grades 4-6; Level II is grades 7-8; and Level III is grades 9-12. One letter from each level from each state is entered into the national competition.

Click here for guidelines and individual entry forms .

Book Trailer Tuesday: The Scorpio Races

2011-10-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Maggie Stiefvater exploded onto the scene with Lament, and furthered her name with The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. Next up is The Scorpio Races, out today. I'm fairly interested in giving it a go, since I'm pretty worn out on faeries and werewolves. Here's a very interesting trailer, that tells you almost nothing about the book, but is still cool because of the stop motion art:

Publisher description:
Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.

Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.

Nota bene: Her stop motion trailer for Linger is pretty awesome, too. As are the two different versions of the trailer for Forever.

Dogtag Flashdrives are Here

2011-10-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Our awesome new Teen Read Month dogtag flashdrives are here! Want one? Review books that you Read for the Fun of It this month for your chance to win!

Here are our winners for the first half of Teen Read Month:

Jasmein M. - Mill Creek Library
Emily M. - Brier Library
Deizanee McM. - Library on Wheels
Sadie J. - Lynnwood Library
Megan B. - Marysville Library
Sarah A. - Marysville Library
Kaitlynn K. - Marysville Library
Jynx T. - Granite Falls Library
Jessica L. - Marysville Library
Amelia von S - Lynnwood Library
Sereena G. - Edmonds Library
Diana L. - Marysville Library
Grace DeM - Edmonds Library
Ashley C. - Marysville Library
Keturah F. - Mill Creek Library
Mariela M. - Marysville Library
Krystal J. - Marysville Library

Congrats to our winners! Your teen librarian will let you know when your prize arrives.

Teens' Top Ten Revealed

2011-10-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Teen's Top Ten list has been announced!
Every year teens vote on their top ten favorite books of the previous year, and the winners are announced during the month of October. Nominees are selected by sixteen book groups from all over the United States - including the Mukilteo Library's very own Teen Advisory Group! Then during the months of August and September, teens vote online for their favorites.
Without further ado - this year's winners:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Matched by Ally Condie
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Have you read any of these books? Are there any books you think should have been included on the list that didn't make it? You can order them from Sno-Isle Libraries here.
Learn more about the Teens' Top Ten and see a list of all titles nominated here.

TRM - Mini Contest #2 - Entry #1

2011-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

From KJ:

My number one favorite place to read is in my front yard on the grass under the shade of the dogwood tree. It's very peaceful, quiet, and I love reading in the sunshine, it's so much better than indoors! Unfortunately though, Washington weather tends to get pretty cold, so when it starts to head in a chilly direction, my second favorite place is in this little cubby I put together between one of my bookcases and my bed. The beanbag chair is super comfy, it's tiny and out of the way, and it's the only spot in the house I can escape to when I'm trying to get some peace and quiet.

Why would want to protect it from vampires? It's my house!! I don't really think they would want my front yard so much (too much sunlight), but if they did, I would have to do my best to drive them out. I don't really want to turn into a vampire slayer, but hey! This is my family's house we're talking about! Too much at stake here, with it not only being the best reading spot in the world, but also being well within the vicinity of my family. On the upside, I know a guy who makes survey stakes, I imagine that could be helpful.

Space Lab

2011-10-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

"Your experiment, 250 miles above Earth, for the world to see. What will you do?"

From Space Lab:

We're asking you to come up with a science experiment for space and upload a video explaining it to YouTube. If your idea wins, it will be performed on the International Space Station and live streamed on YouTube to the world. And we'll throw in some out-of-this-world prizes, too.

We're excited to announce YouTube Space Lab, launching with Lenovo and Space Adventures in cooperation with NASA, ESA and JAXA. Watch amazing space and science videos and, if you're 14 to 18 years old, submit a space experiment idea for your chance to win out-of-this-world prizes. Find out more at Space Lab.

From Space Lab's FAQ's:

We'll be accepting entries from around the world from October 4th to December 7th, 2011.

The finalist voting period on the YouTube channel will be from January 3rd to January 10th, 2012.

All the regional winners will win a special prize trip in March 2012 to the USA at which the global winners will be announced.

The global winners' experiments will be performed by astronauts on the International Space Station and live streamed on YouTube around the world in mid 2012.

Weekend Book Give-Away: White Crow

2011-10-14T07:22:00.001-07:00

This week's Weekend Book Give-Away is the newest book by master story teller Marcus Sedgwick, White Crow:

When Rebecca moves with her father from London to the tiny seaside village of Winterfold, she's bitter about leaving her home and friends behind. Then she meets Ferelith, a twisted and rebellious girl who goads Rebecca into playing increasingly spookier and more dangerous "games" with her. As the present-day storyline progresses, a chilling -- and ominously related -- mystery unfolds in excerpts from a long-dead priest's diary. Building suspense and divulging tantalizing secrets bit by bit, this wickedly macabre tale is sure to give you shivers.

To win this creepy fall read, tell me about spooky games you have played with your friends. Winner will be drawn Tuesday October 18, 2011. (Be sure to include your name or initials so I can figure out who won!)

Teen Read Month - Mini Contest #2

2011-10-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

Enjoying Teen Read Month? Have you had a chance to Read for the Fun of It? I love love love all the haiku you submitted for last week's contest. So much that I am having trouble picking one out, so I'm getting some more opinions...so sorry for the delay!

This week's Mini Contest is for a Secret Surprise Bag contains:

One super awesome book (either brand new or autographed).
Candy.
An assortment of the newest and greatest Sno-Isle Libraries swag.
Really cool pins.
More books.
A really random surprise.

Plus...an autographed copy of the brand new book by Nancy Holder and Debby Viguié (authors of the Wicked series) Crusade.

An international team of six teenaged vampire hunters, trained in Salamanca, Spain, goes to New Orleans seeking to rescue team-member Jenn's younger sister as the vampires escalate their efforts to take over the Earth.

How can you win this great prize package? Share a picture of your favorite place on Earth to read! You can place a link in the comments below to a picture on the web, or you can email it to me at teens @ sno - isle . org (but with no spaces) and I'll post it to our Facebook site! Tell us why it is such a great place to read, and why you want to protect it from vampires :D

Winning entry will be chosen next Thursday. Watch back here to see if it is you!

Book Trailer Tuesday: Where Things Come Back

2011-10-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie, Where Things Come Back is a bit of an odd duck. But it's also one of my absolute favorites of the year. No question.

Here's the trailer:

WHERE THINGS COME BACK by JOHN COREY WHALEY Official Book Trailer from Corey Whaley on Vimeo.

Before Gabrielle disappeared, Cullen Witter held onto the hope that he wouldn't end up trapped in tiny Lily, Arkansas. He bides his time by coming up with book titles and imagining the zombie apocalypse. Without Gabrielle, Cullen does his best to maintain normal amid pain and absurdity when the town forgets one of their own has gone missing and instead becomes obsessed with the reappearance of a supposedly extinct woodpecker. But if a bird can reappear after 60 years of assumed extinction, surely a little brother can come back, too.

Place a hold on Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley.

Weekend Book Give-Away: All These Things I've Done

2011-10-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

Don't forget, the Pen Fatale Tour and will be coming through our area next week!:

Come meet Alyson Noël (author of the Riley Bloom series), Gabrielle Zevin (author of All These Things I've Done), Jessica Brody (author of My Life Undecided/The Karma Club), and Mary Pearson (author of the Adoration of Jenna Fox/The Fox Inheritance)!

Thursday, October 13 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Barnes and Noble
19401 Alderwood Mall Parkway
Lynnwood, WA

This weekend's book giveaway is for a title that I have been dying to read, All These Things I've Do ne by Gabrielle Zevin (author of two of my favorite teen books Elsewhere and Memoir of a Teenage Amnesiac):

In a future where chocolate and caffeine are contraband, teenage cellphone use is illegal, and water and paper are carefully rationed, sixteen-year-old Anya Balanchine finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight as heir apparent to an important New York City crime family.

For a chance to win this awesome sounding book, answer me this: If you lived in this future, which of these things would be hardest on you, and how creative would you get to break the rules?

Winner will be picked Tuesday October 11, 2011. Must leave name or initials and check back here to win!

Scott Westerfeld in Seattle

2011-10-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

I know there are Westerfeldians in this audience.

From his site:

Friday, October 7
7:00PM
Not 5PM as previously advertised!
Central Library
1000 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

This is a Secret Garden Bookstore event, so you’ll be able to buy books.

I Twittered at him to see if his talk would be similar to one I heard by him a few weeks ago. It will be. Which means:

Go. Seriously. Drop whatever plans you had and GO. It will SO be worth it. PROMISE. Even if you haven't ever had any interest in any of his books. GO.

Review and Win - Dog Tag Flashdrive

2011-10-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

It is Teen Read Month, and addition to giving away awesome Secret Surprise Bags, we will be having drawings for these awesome dog tag flash drives. What do you need to do to win? Just review any books you Read For the Fun Of It this month, and your name will be entered in the drawing!

Need some ideas for things to read? Here are some booklists we put together just for Teen Read Month:

The rest of our great booklists can be found here.

Teen Read Month - Mini Contest #1

2011-10-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

So...you want to know more about these Secret Surprise Bags, eh? Each Wednesday I will post a mini-contest here where you can get a chance to win a bag filled with:

One super awesome book (either brand new or autographed).
Candy.
An assortment of the newest and greatest Sno-Isle Libraries swag.
Really cool pins.
More books.
A really random surprise.

This week's Mini Contest is for a Secret Surprise Bag containing an autographed copy of the wonderful book The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by local author Sherman Alexie.

I really LOVE this book. Not only is it a great story, moving, thoughtful, and really funny...it as terrific illustrations by one of my favorite local artists Ellen Forney. If you want to celebrate great teen reads, this is a perfect place to start.

How can you win the Secret Surprise Bag containing this awesome book?

Write haiku about your favorite teen books! No limit to how many haiku you write...only one can be the winner, but it won't be a random drawing...it will be the one I like best :D

Here is an example I just made up for Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson:

Melinda won't talk.
Lonely in crowds, carrying
Secret from party.

Top haiku will be selected Wednesday October 12, 2011.
Winner must be a teen (12-18 or 6th-12th grade) in Snohomish or Island Counties who uses a Sno-Isle Library.

It is Teen Read Month - Let's Celebrate!

2011-10-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

In many places they like to enjoy Teen Read Week, which is pretty cool and okay by me. But it simply is not enough time to contain all the love we have here at Sno-Isle for awesome teen books and those who read them. So instead we insist on spending a WHOLE MONTH celebrating! That's right...it is Teen Read Month again here at Sno-Isle Libraries, and boy do we have all kinds of fun planned for you. The theme this year is Picture It @ Your Library, when we invite you to:

Visualize winning prizes.

Here on the teen blog you can enter to win Secret Surprise Bags in weekly mini-contests.
Submit book reviews to be a randomly drawn winner for a sweet Sno-Isle Teens dog-tag flash drive.

Imagine entering our 8th Annual Art Contest.

Create a 2-D art piece celebrating what you see when you "Picture It at Your Library."
Top four winners get a $50 Amazon.com gift card.
Entry deadline is Oct. 31, 2011.
For ages 12 to 18.
Funded by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation.
Print out the entry form here.

Envision yourself at one of our great teen events.

Love manga? Take a manga class or learn about the past, present and future of manga.
Love movies? Watch movies inspired by books such as "I Am Number Four" and "True Grit."
Love creepy things? Discover zombie pumpkins, sugar skulls, spooky movies, and put on your scariest costume for the zombie ball.
Plus, photo scavenger hunts, a foodie competition, and so much more!
Find out about all these events through our Teen Events Calendar.

Which Teen Read Month aspect or event are you most excited about?

Book Trailer Tuesday: The Perfect Chemistry Trilogy by Simone Elkeles

2011-10-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

These books are REALLY popular. And I suspect it might have something to do with the trailers:

The first one is oddly a rap video trailer, which is new to me...

Place Perfect Chemistry on hold.

Place Rules of Attraction on hold.

Place Chain Reaction on hold.

Check out all of the books by Simone Elkeles.

Weekend Book Give-Away: The Fox Inheritance

2011-09-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Love teen books and their authors? Right now there is an awesome tour happening that you will not want to miss. It is the Pen Fatale Tour and will be coming through our area next month:

Come meet Alyson Noël (author of the Riley Bloom series), Gabrielle Zevin (author of All These Things I've Done), Jessica Brody (author of My Life Undecided/The Karma Club), and Mary Pearson (author of the Adoration of Jenna Fox/The Fox Inheritance)!

Thursday, October 13 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Barnes and Noble
19401 Alderwood Mall Parkway
Lynnwood, WA

In celebration of this fun event, we will be giving away some of the titles to a lucky teen to bring to the even to be signed! This week it is The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson.

Two-hundred-sixty years after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, sixteen-year-old Locke and seventeen-year-old Kara have been brought back to life in newly bioengineered bodies, with many questions about the world they find themselves in and more than two centuries of horrible memories of being trapped in a digital netherworld wondering what would become of them.

This week's question is if you woke 260 years in the future with a newly bioengineered body, what features would you want it to have?

Drawing will take place Tuesday October 4th. Check back here to see if you won! (No anonymous answers, please...though initials are ok).

Book Trailer Tuesday: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2011-09-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

The first time I watched this it freaked me out. It becomes less creepy with repeat viewings, but I still totally want to read this book.

Place a hold on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (is that an awesome author's name, or what?)

Maureen Johnson's new book

2011-09-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

has a trailer:

And it looks like she's going to join the tumblr craze, based on where this was found... The new book is called The Name of the Star and is about an American girl spending the summer in London as a rash of Jack the Ripper-style murders start to occur...

You can place it on hold here!

Adult books with teen appeal

2011-09-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

I've read two adult books recently that have some major teen appeal and couldn't wait to share them!

Ready Player One by Ernest Clive: What would you get if you combined the 198o's with the Matrix? You'd wind up with this soon-to-be cult favorite. Ready Player One takes place in the not-so-distant future (the year 2044)--the world has turned into a very bleak place, but luckily there is OASIS, a virtual reality world that is a vast online utopia. People can plug into OASIS to play, go to school, earn money, and even meet other people (or at least they can meet their avatars), and for protagonist Wade Watts it certainly beats passing the time in his grim, poverty-stricken real life. Along with millions of other world-wide citizens, Wade dreams of finding three keys left behind by James Halliday, the now-deceased creator of OASIS and the richest man to have ever lived. The keys are rumored to be hidden inside OASIS, and whoever finds them will inherit Halliday’s fortune. But Halliday has not made it easy. And there are real dangers in this virtual world. This high-energy book has it all: action, puzzles, nerdy romance, and 80's nostalgia.

The Night Circus: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco fall in love—a magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Check them out today!

Weekend Book Give-Away: Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life

2011-09-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

This week's book is a perfect light back to school read. Written by adult author James Patterson, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is a fun read with wacky illustrations that is the perfect break from homework.

When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

There are 32 people waiting for Sno-Isle's copies right now, but you can win a free ARC (advanced readers copy) this weekend by telling me what rule you are most likely to break and why.

Winner will be picked Tuesday September 27, 2011.

Don't forget to put your initials somewhere, and check back here for the winner!

Northwest Bookfest 2011

2011-09-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for this year's Northwest Bookfest?!? All the action happens between 10a-6p on both Saturday October 1st and Sunday October 2nd at Peter Park (202 3rd Street) in Kirkland. The event will feature over 50 author panels, hundreds of authors, all kinds of writing and publishing workshops, various programs, and other surprises, and best of all the entire event is FREE!!!! (Donations will be taken at the event and do help to fund next year's Bookfest. They are gratefully accepted, but not required).

If you've never been to the Bookfest you should check it out! You could meet a cool local author like Deb Caletti or Cherie Priest. Or attend a writing workshop hosted by one of the awesome scheduled presenters. There are so many progams at several different locations throughout the park that you are sure to find something memorable and fun to attend!

Help - I'm stumped!

2011-09-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

Let's face it - school is in full swing and you're probably feeling the pressure to keep up with your homework. What do you do if you run into difficulties? Maybe you have a math problem that just doesn't make sense, or your teacher wants you to write about the themes in Hamlet and you're not sure what where to get started.

Sno-Isle Libraries has just the thing to help make your life easier - HelpNow live tutoring service.

Real live people are available between 1-10 pm every day to assist you with your homework. As long as you have a Sno-Isle library card, you can log in, select your grade level and subject, then connect with a tutor for one-on-one help. They can help you with a specific problem, or if you want to brush up on a subject you can select from the Skills Building section.

The Writing Lab is another great service. Upload your paper and they'll send it back within 24 hours with suggestions for improvement. What a great reason not to put your papers off until the last minute!

The best thing - all of these services are FREE. So there's no excuse not to take advantage of them and relieve some of the stress of school.

Weekend Book Give-Away: Shut Out

2011-09-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Last month I got to check out Mill Creek's Teen Book Brunch. This is a monthly book group that features our awesome teen librarian Danielle takes place at the University Book Store. The book store rep was super, the teens who came were incredibly great, and there were FREE DONUTS. And not just any donuts but delicious Top Pot Donuts. YUM.

Well, they are meeting again this weekend, and will be joined by Kody Keplinger author of The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) and brand new book Shut Out a retelling of the naughty Greek classic Lysistrata. Did I mention that Kody is only 20 and already has two books out?! And you can meet her at here:

Teen Book Brunch
University Book Store in Mill Creek Town Center
Saturday September 17, 2011 - 11am-noon

Can't make it? So sad. But you CAN win a copy of Shut Out (which I'm just going to say here and now is definitely for mature teen readers...lots of strong language and sexual subject matter). Just tell me what your favorite teen book based on a classic piece of literature is for your chance to win! Drawing will take place Tuesday September
20th, 2011.

Also...anonymous/unknown entries will not be entered in the drawing, as those folks never seem to claim their prizes! You must at least include your initials and what library you go to.

Weekend Book Giveaway: I am Number Four

2011-09-09T07:52:00.001-07:00

Ok, I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore has been out for a while, but there are over 60 people waiting for it, so we figure it is hot enough an item to give away on the blog. Plus, it has been made into a movie (with 342 people waiting for it!), which we are showing at some of our libraries this fall! Join us and watch it here:

Monday September 19 - 3:30pm - Marysville Library
Wednesday October 12 - 3pm - Oak Harbor Library
Wednesday October 19 - 4pm - Mountlake Terrace Library
Friday November 11 - 3:30pm - Darrington Library

So...to win an ARC of I am Number Four, tell me about your favorite movie made from a book...OTHER THAN Harry Potter (I know they are super awesome already).

If you are posting anonymously, please include your initials, so I know it is you if you win. And when you comment mark the box that says you want to be notified when other comments are made...we have like 5 books that haven't been claimed from this summer!

Giveaway will take place on Tuesday September 13, 2011. See you back here then!

Show your favorite librarian some love!

2011-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Do you love your librarian? Have they helped change your life? Now through September 12 you can nominate your favorite teen librarian for the 2011 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award.

Up to ten winners will be selected this year and receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times.
The award is administered by the American Library Association with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.

There's nothing like this award. The I Love My Librarian Award is unique. Previous winners have referred to it as the "People’s Choice Award" of the library world because library users nominate librarians for the difference they are making in their schools, campuses and communities.

Thousands of incredible nominations come in every year from teachers and principals, members of Friends groups, parents, students, administrators and members of the community. Now is your chance to tell the world how much your local Sno-Isle librarian means to you! Nominate your favorite librarian today!

National Read a Book Day

2011-09-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Did you know that today is National Read a Book Day? I just learned that this morning. So my question to you is - what are you reading? Something just for fun? Something you've been assigned for school?

I'm currently reading (and thoroughly enjoying) The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge.

"In an alternate 1950s, mechanically gifted fifteen-year-old Aoife Grayson, whose family has a history of going mad at sixteen, must leave the totalitarian city of Lovecraft and venture into the world of magic to solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance and the mysteries surrounding her father and the Land of Thorn. "

I highly recommend it!

Know What We Need? Your Advice!

2011-09-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for the new school year and all of your new school activities. We know that you have classes, sports, clubs, jobs--it's a lot! Your local teen librarian would love to have you save an hour or two a month for a very rewarding library activity, being a Teen Advisor. Teen Advisors can do everything from planning programs to reviewing books to helping to decorate the teen area to whatever you can imagine! This is a chance for you to help make the library a better place for you and your friends while earning volunteer credit (not to mention adding a nice activity to your college applications!) Check with your local teen librarian to see how you can help.

Vote for Teens' Top Ten

2011-08-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

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. Dr o ught.
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 P ayne.
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. Nightshad e.
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. Cresc endo.
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?

(Very Long) Weekend Book Giveaway: Halo

2011-08-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

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

One Last Summer Read?

2011-08-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

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:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Deadly Little Lies

Positively

Hold Still

Miracle Wimp

That Summer

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

2011-08-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

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...

2011-08-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

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

Books We Love

2011-08-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's awesome book give-away is an advance readers copy of With er 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!

Lost and Found

2011-08-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

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

34 Hours to Go - Write Those Reviews!

2011-08-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

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

YALSA's New Readers Choice Award.

2011-08-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

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

Weekend Book Give-Away: The Girl is Murder

2011-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

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!