Give a Book, Get a Book

Ballou Senior High School in Washington DC has over 1,200 students. In a count earlier this year the school library only had 1,150 books in it. That's less than one book per student. The American Library Association recommends that there be 11 books per student in a school library. That's a pretty huge disparity.

Because of this, GuysLitWire has decided that their annual book fair will benefit Ballou. You can get in on the action by checking out the full post at GuysLitWire, and following the instructions to buy books through Powell's to donate to BSHS.

Similarly, KidEquip has partnered with The Giving Effect where people can donate 10 of their own gently-used books and get free postage to send to low-income and at-risk kids in the Detroit Metro area. So if you have books laying about that would be good for any child from birth to age 12, check out all of the details here.

Or, search The Giving Effect database for a local cause, and find out what you can do to help your community.

Give to any of these efforts, or spread the word about them, and tell me what you did in the comments. Every single one of the commenters will win a NEW book to keep for themselves, from us. So, when you comment, tell me what your favorite book is, and I'll try my best to match a freebie with your tastes.

Only students ages 12-18 or in grades 6-12 who can pick their winnings up at one of the 21 Sno-Isle Libraries are eligible for free books.

Comic Strip Winner

Anonymous with the Stripgenerator profile Tupac has won the free copy of The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinks.

Check out his winning comic here.

Anonymous/Tupac, will you email me with your name, phone number, and Sno-Isle library that you'd like to pick your book up at? jparker [at] sno-isle.org.

Congrats!

Today is Paranormal Day...Celebrate With a Book

From Kathleen at the Mukilteo Library.

Strange, but true…May 3 is Paranormal Day, a day for lovers of the paranormal to share their enthusiasm with others. The readers at my library love books about the paranormal, especially if they have a little touch of romance. Or a really big touch of romance. And humor doesn’t hurt, either.

So we’re excited that the nominees for this year’s Teens’ Top Ten books include the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins. Hex Hall and Demonglass follow Sophie, a young witch whose first spells have gone horribly wrong, landing her at Hex Hall, the paranormal version of juvie. Vampire roommate, hot gardener, ghostly relatives—these books have it all!

Reserve your copies today and, while you’re waiting, let us know what paranormal books you’d recommend.

Teen Review of the Week: Sisters Red

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Description:
Scarlett and Rosie March have always shared one heart. That is, until the day a type of werewolf known as a Fenris attacked them and stole Scarlett's eye when she attempted to protect Rosie. Now, she is utterly dedicated to the hunt, to slaying the beasts that ruined her life. But Rosie dreams of a life outside the hunt, a life free of Fenris...

My Thoughts:
I cannot give the book an accurate summary with the few characters I am given. Seriously, Sisters Red is an amazing book. Pearce writes emotions well, makes her characters believable, makes you love them and hate them and feel sorry for them all at the same time. Let me just say, I only feel one of those things for Sisters Red- L-O-V-E love!

Recommendation:
EVERYONE! READ THE BOOK, DANGIT!

--M.B., grade 9, Marysville

If you'd like a chance at being the Teen Review of the Week, be sure to submit your reviews! I'll be sending MB a free copy of The Girl Who Became a Beatle by Greg Taylor.

Harry Potter 7 Part 2

This is just because I'm really excited about it:



Have I mentioned that Lynnwood Library will be having a Harry Potter Party on June 25th? No? Hmm. I should change that. lalala.

World War Z Movie Project FINALLY Moving Forward!

It seems like there's a new cast member announced for the upcoming movie version of The Hunger Games every 20 minutes or so lately, and that's cool. I like The Hunger Games as much as anyone, and excitedly click on all the stories I see that announce the newest additions to the cast. But a large number of fans of books with post-apocalyptic themes remember another dystopian novel published a few years ago that for many of us was at least as exciting as The Hunger Games; that book was Max Brooks's World War Z.

After what seems like FOREVER, news has finally begun trickling out recently regarding casting for the movie version of World War Z. As the link said, Brad Pitt's production company has owned the rights to the film version of this awesome book for several years, and Pitt himself has long been slotted to play the UN reporter who records the oral histories of survivors of a worldwide war with the walking dead. However, those of us who have been following the buzz around this book/film crossover and the countless delays and difficulties surrounding casting the film, selecting a director, and finishing the screenplay wondered if the movie was ever going to happen. This week's announcement of Mireille Enos from AMC's The Killing signing on to play Pitt's wife in the film seems to finally end any lingering fears that the project won't move forward.

This exciting news prompts me to ask the question what other books with 'end of the world' scenarios do you think would make great movies? Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It and Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth came to my mind, but I know some of you can think of a great book I'm missing.....

Love Never Dies Contest

From Random Buzzers:

"One grand prize winner will receive a full year's subscription to Netflix© and signed copies of Torment, The Dark and Hollow Places and The Iron Thorn! 5 Runners Up will receive a grab bag consisting of 9 different "Love Never Dies" titles!

All you have to do to enter is submit an essay in 200 words or less explaining which character from a novel best personifies the phrase "love never dies"."

Being a Netflix subscriber and having read both The Iron Thorn and The Dark and Hollow Places, I can confirm that it's a pretty good prize package. Of course, I thought Fallen (the book before Torment) was painfully boring and woefully overwrought, so I'm not going within ten feet of reading Torment. But I know several of you will disagree with me, and I'd love to see your reviews telling me how wrong I am.

Last day to enter is May 20th. Check out the full info here.