Riot Grrl Reads

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve turned the spotlight on some great reads featuring heroines who are more interested in kicking butt than they are in romance. Check out these awesome titles full of riot grrl power!

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Ingrid didn't leave a note. Three months after her best friend's suicide, Caitlin finds what she left instead: a journal, hidden under Caitlin's bed.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

Bad Apple by Laura Ruby
Tola Riley, a high school junior, struggles to tell the truth when she and her art teacher are accused of having an affair.

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
A photographic negative and two surprising new friends become the catalyst for healing as fifteen-year-old Rowan struggles to keep her family and her life together after her brother's death.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance—Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!

It’s hard to avoid Jane Austen. Whether it’s from your Brit Lit class, the PBS mini-series or the countless movie adaptations, no doubt you’ve come across some version of Pride and Prejudice. Co-author Seth Grahame-Smith has re-imagined this classic novel by creating a subplot where a mysterious plague has afflicted England transforming people into flesh eating “unmentionables” (a.k.a. zombies) who roam the countryside killing and dismembering their victims. Grahame-Smith retains roughly 85% of the novel’s original text and his language and style mirrors that of Austen, making the addition of zombie mayhem relatively seamless. Whether you’re a loyal fan or zealous critic of Jane Austen, this book is definitely worth checking out.

Tech Alert: Google Buzz

Attention Gmail users! Google has created a new feature called Google Buzz which is built right into your Gmail account. Similar to Twitter and Facebook, Google Buzz allows you to share photo, links, and videos with people you chat with or email regularly. It is currently compatible with Twitter, Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, Google Chat and Google Reader so you can import material directly from these sites. There are currently plans to make it compatible with Facebook as well. Google Buzz is also available for mobile phones. Check it out today: http://www.google.com/buzz

Anti-Valentine's Day Poems

Even with postponing our annual Anti-Valentine's Party due to Snowmadgeddon 2010, we had an awesome turnout this afternoon! (Feb. 24th) One of the most hilarious activities we enjoyed were the writing of anti-love letters. Here are a few the spectacular ones:

Sweetie,
I love you, but now I see
You want nothing to do with me
This is really hard to say
'cause I held you tight,
You pushed me away
You leave me with the horrible fact
You're blind;
Can't see the heart you cracked
So I can see you like me- syke
but really ... what's not to like?!
--Veronica

You are my lover and always will be.
Even though you were just a little mean to me.
I know you love me,
and want me back.
But I'm sorry I can't stand this crap.
We're through.
I'm over you.
--Shelby

You mother fudge cake.
I'll kick your aspirin!
You biscuit,
so you better get the helicopter out of my face!
--Yvonne

Review of Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is every criminal’s worst nightmare: a sentient, ever evolving prison that morphs and grows according to its dark needs. Prisoners are born, live, love, fight and die in its depths like fleas on an infinite dog. Originally intended to be a utopian miracle of technological reform where criminals would be reborn and remade, the prison instead grew a cold intelligence and turned on its makers and the poor creatures trapped within it. Those on the Outside, in a parallel universe where humans have chosen to live like medieval villagers in an attempt to escape the anxiety of change and technology, still believe it is a paradise, while those who languish within do nothing but dream of escape. Only one man knows the truth about Incarceron—it’s Warden John Arlex. He possesses one of two crystal keys that allow communication between his world and the galaxy of the prison. Despite his best efforts to keep it hidden, it falls into the hands of his clever daughter, Claudia, who quickly uncovers its powers. There’s tons of cool twists–just when you think you have it figured out, the plot takes a 180. Place a hold on a copy today using the library’s catalog http://catalog.somerset.lib.nj.us/search~S8

Hunger Games 3 Title and Cover Announced!

I think anyone who has read the first two Hunger Games has been waiting anxiously for the final book in the series. The title and cover have just been announced. I personally LOVE the cover (mockingjay breaking free, pretty blue sky...foreshadowing?). To see the full article, visit the Scholastic Blog at: http://onourmindsatscholastic.blogspot.com/2010/02/hunger-games-book-3-cover-revealed.html.

So, what does an anxious reader do until the August 24th release date? Well, first you put the book on hold using the library’s catalog http://catalog.somerset.lib.nj.us/search~S8. Then you could read one of these books:



Dashner, James. The Maze Runner.
Teenage boys are deposited from a freight elevator into the middle of an enormous maze with no memory of their prior life or how they got there. One of the boys, 16-year-old Thomas, comes to a frightening understanding that he and the other boys must lock themselves in at night just to remain alive, and fight for their survival and a way to escape by day.

Fukui, Isamu. Truancy.
In the City, where an iron-fisted Mayor's goal is perfect control through education, 15-year-old Tack is torn between a growing sympathy for the Truancy, an underground movement determined to bring down the system at any cost, and the desire to avenge a death caused by a Truant.

Malley, Gemma. The Declaration.
In 2140 England, where drugs enable people to live forever and children are illegal, teenaged Anna, an obedient "Surplus" training to become a house servant, discovers that her birth parents are trying to find her.

Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go.
Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony's true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from the Old World.

Nix, Garth. Shade's Children.
In a savage postnuclear world, four young fugitives attempt to overthrow the bloodthirsty rule of the Overlords with the help of Shade, their mysterious mentor.

Wooding, Chris. Storm Thief.
With the help of a golem, two teenaged thieves try to survive on the city island of Orokos, where unpredictable probability storms continually change both the landscape and the inhabitants.

Warren Rock Stars

Forget American Idol, America's Got Talent, and Glee. There are rock stars in Warren Township. This summer, the teens wrote and recorded an original song titled Made a Mistake. They did this during a two-hour workshop with artist Kathy Moser. Coming soon to your iPod: Made a Mistake by WTL Teens.

Tech Alert: Google Goggles

Everyone loves Google but chances are you’re going to love it even more in the near future. That’s because Google Goggles is going to totally transform the way you search for information once again. The idea is pretty simple. Users can search the internet with images taken on their cell phones. See a book you want to buy but want to find the best price at all local store? Take a picture on your cell and Google Goggles will find you the answer by searching through billions of images stored in Google's database through a device running Android 1.6 software. Everything from logos to landmarks to artwork is all fair game. This program is still in its early stages but has proven itself in countless demos. Google also recommends taking photos in landscape mode to increase accuracy.

Think Google Goggles will be the next big thing? Let us know!

Big News for Twilight Fans!

The sparkliness of Twilight meets the sparkliness of manga? Brace yourselves.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 is set to drop on March 16. Published by Yen Press, there is expected to be a first printing of 350,000 copies. Check out the cover and one of the panels!

Also be on the lookout for the issue of Entertainment Weekly that goes on sale this Friday. It has a Q&A with Stephenie Meyer as well as a sneak peek at some more pages. And since the library carries Entertainment Weekly, you can read it for free!

Book Reviews!

So you thought those cookie reviews that you wrote over the summer would never show up anywhere, well think again! Do you agree or disagree with the reviews – let us know! Here are the first two:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Grade of reviewer: 8th

Review: Grace is nearly killed by wolves at a young age. A mysterious wolf, her wolf, saves her. Years later when he becomes human, she falls in love with him. The only problem is that this is his last year being human. Will they find a cure for him in time?

Fruits Basket v. 23 by Natsuki Takaya

Grade of reviewer: 9th

A great conclusion to a long and meaningful series. You felt happen for all the characters and saw that their future was a happy one. The curse was finally broken and everyone was free!

The Best Book You Probably Haven’t Read: Going Bovine

Title: Going Bovine
Author: Libba Bray
Audience: Older Teens & Adults

This book is so far and away my favorite read from 2009 that nothing even came close. On its surface, it is a story about Cameron, a slacker teen who find his whole life thrown off balance when he is diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease. What happens next is a roller coaster ride involving Cameron, a hypochondriac dwarf, a feisty gnome, a punk rock angel and one of the craziest road trips in history. But what really makes this story so irresistible is that it can be read either as a hallucination as Cameron’s loses his brain to his disease bit by bit or as a supernatural battle between good an evil. Either way, you’ll love Cameron’s acerbic humor and root for him in his battle against death. This book is a monster clocking in at 480 pages but the characters are so well defined and unforgettable that you’ll be tempted to start rereading the minute you finish.

My other favorites of 2009: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins; Columbine by Dave Cullin; The Everafter by Amy Huntley; The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan; When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

And don’t forget to check out Libba Bray’s own book trailer on youtube!

Tech Alert: TheOneAbout.com

Everyone knows that youtube is a rad way to upload and share videos with friends. But what about being able to have your friends add to that video to create one monster work of staggering genius? TheOneAbout.com is a super easy program that will not only do that but much, much more. Right now it’s only in its Beta version but you can still create what is called “Tributes.” Basically these are compilation videos of friends or events. Check it out here.

Think it has the legs to replace youtube in the future? Let us know!

Bye, Bye Hannah

It was a sad news day for Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana fans when The Disney Channel confirmed today that the hit comedy, Hannah Montana, will air its final season in spring, 2011. But thanks to the library you can relive all of the fun through our collection of DVDs and CDs. Check out the catalogue for specific titles today!

Movie Monday: 51 Things

HurricaneAubrey took the YouTube world by storm a little over a year ago with this entertaining video that made me think a little bit differently about the stuff I have hanging around my apartment. If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you take a peek.

Movie Monday: What not to do with books

While I don't recommend that you bust out some books to use as ping pong paddles (especially not SCLS library books!) I do recommend that you watch this video in its entirety. Hilarious!

Let your voice be heard!

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Really loved a book? Hated it? Let us know. Send us a book review.

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After librarian review, your thoughts, poetry or whatever may end up on the SCLS Teen Blog. Why not give it a try? Send us an email at sclsteens@gmail.com.

Movie Monday: Crowd Control

Madison Square Garden just has one question: Where's Rob?

Craftacular: Gift in a jar

Couldn't make it out to Watchung's Teen Cafe tonight? No worries, you can still make a gift in a jar for someone this holiday season. The best part about these gifts is that you probably already have the ingredients lounging around your pantry. This website has a vast variety of recipes sure to please your friends and family. We made the M&M cookies tonight, but you can use whatever you like.

Movie Monday: Holiday Craftacular Edition

Strapped for cash but still want to give a stunning holiday present this year? Or perhaps you want to look your best this New Year's Eve. Either way, try on this handmade accessory tutorial from Teen TV's Craft Club for size.

NOTE: The video play automatically (as I'm sure you've found out by now)

Sparkly bib necklaces:

Movie Monday: Daredevil Edition

There are no words for how mind boggling amazing this is, so just watch as these guys attempt to create a life-size Hot Wheels style Loop the Loop.



[Note: Obviously you shouldn't try this at home]