New Blog!

You can now view our blog directly on the teen page of the Library website.

Check it out!
http://www.bernardslibrary.org/drupaldev/?q=teenservices

New in June!

• Z. Raptor- Steve Cole
  
• Dead Rules- Randy Russel
  
• Uncommon Criminals- Ally Carter
  
• Cruel Love- Kate Brian
  
• Passion- Lauren Kate
  
• Demon's Surrender- Sarah Rees Brennan

College Support for Students with Learning Differences or ADHD

Join Rana Slosberg of Slosberg College Solutions on June 14 from 7:00-8:00 for this free program for high school students and their parents, covering the following topics: College as compared to high school Should a student disclose LD or ADHD at college? Descriptions of support available at college How to learn what support a particular college offers Sign ups are required. Visit the program calendar at www.bernardslibrary.org or call us at 908-204-3031 ext. 5 to register!

After by Amy Efaw

I'm re-posting this review I did of After from 2009 because it was nominated for a Garden State Teen Book Award! It was one of my favorite books that year. Here's what I wrote:

After is the story of Devon, a straight-A student from a working class family who hides her pregnacy, gives birth alone and throws her baby in a dumpster. Following Devon through her hearing and first days in juvenial detention, the author explores how a teenager who had everything going for her got to this place and the denial and panic that led her to perform such a horrific act. It's interesting to hear about the attempted murder from the mother's side but be prepare- it's an addictive read and you might be up all night!

Soul Pancake

What is the biggest mistake you've ever made?
(Decca Records reject the Beatles in 1962 saying, "We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out anyway.")

What does art have to do with the soul?
("Originality is undetected plagarism- W.R. Inge)

How do you determine truth?
("Intense feeling too often obscures the truth."- Harry Truman)

These are some of life's big questions posed by Rainn Wilson (you might know him as Dwight from The Office) in the new book Soul Pancake. Each question is accompanied by quotes, images and sub-questions that get you thinking about the question, speaking your mind and helping you "figure out what it means to be human".

In addition to the book, Rainn Wilson also created SoulPancake.com, a social networking site. In his own words, "SoulPancake is more of a mission than a Web site. It's a MOVEMENT to wrestle with and chew on LIFE'S BIG QUESTIONS. It's a way to EXPLORE why we believe the things that we believe. It's a place for you to TALK about your soul and the existence of God. It's a space to ENGAGE in art, philosophy, creativity, truth, and beauty. And ultimately, SoulPancake is a community of people who are digging DEEPER to figure out what it means to be human and to experience this rich, strange, difficult, and awesome journey called life." Check it out at www.soulpancake.com

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

Wes and June are high school juniors. June is new in town. Her father's job doesn't let her stay in one school for very long. After six schools in four years, June has finding friends and boyfriend down to a science- find smart, fun people to hang around but no one who is so unique that she'll actually miss them. Wes's best friend Jerry fits the bill perfectly. Geeky but not too geeky, fun but not too fun. But Wes and June keep finding themselves thrown together and they fall hard for each other despite the many obstacles in their way. Big Crunch tells a story that's both sweet and simple and it manages to stay away from a lot of "teenage love story" cliches. If you are looking for a realistic story of two nice kids in love than this one is definitely for you!

Garden State Teen Book Award 2012

The nominees for the 2012 Garden State Teen Book Awards are here! Each year, New Jersey teens vote for their favorite books in three categories.
The ballot lists twenty nominees for each category, based on teen appeal and quality of writing. Follow the links to see the nominees in each category and to place your vote (if you are ready!)

• Fiction- Grades 6-8
• Fiction- Grades 7-12
• Nonfiction- Grades 6-12
  

Voting will run through January 7, 2012 so you have plenty of time to read a few and vote for your favorite! Paper ballots can be picked up at the library and all the books will be on display until voting ends. I'll be featuring some of the nominated books here in the future using the tag "GSTBA" so check back later!

Reach Out Reads

ReachOut is an organization that helps teens cope with tough issues and mental health problems. For the month of May, they are featuring teen novels that have characters facing different issues such as depression, anorexia, cutting and how to help a friend. If you or anyone you know if facing tough times, you may want to check this out. They also will be hosting a bunch of live author chats so you may want to see if any of your favorites will be featured!

Shine by Lauren Myracle

When 16 year old Cat's former best friend Patrick is found beaten, unconscious and tied to a gas pump at the gas station where he worked, everyone in rural Black Creek, NC assumes it was local college students that put Patrick in a coma because he refused to sell him alcohol and that it had nothing to do with the fact that he is openly gay. Cat, however, knows that's not what happened. She has drifted apart from Patrick and her other friends in the last few years but she's determined to find out exactly what happened to Patrick that night. As Cat begins to investigate, she turns up twisted relationships, shocking evidence and disturbing memories. This book is raw and gritty and at times difficult to read but it will definitely have you turning the pages and second guessing yourself! I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good mystery with rough characters.

Free Comic Book Day

Free Comic Book Day is being held at comic stores across the country this Saturday 5/7! Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE to anyone who comes into their stores. Find a store participating near you!

For the Win by Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow (you might know him as the author of Little Brother) is back with this fast-paced story about a group of teenagers from around the world who work in harsh conditions playing for virtual gold in several different massively multiplayer online role-playing games. Their bosses then turn around and sell the virtual gold for real money, very little of which these "gold farmers" ever see. That is until the mysterious Big Sister Nor brings these teens together, convincing them to unionize and bring their virtual sweatshops to a halt. This book is action packed (in the real and virtual world) as the gamers take on corrupt local bosses, social indifference, crooked cops and big business. You don't have to be a MMPORPG lover or a future economics major to love For the Win but both of those things would make this book perfect for you!

New in May!

• What Happened to Goodbye- Sarah Dessen
• Shimmer- Alyson Noel
  
• Beauty Queens- Libba Bray
  
• Everfound- Neil Shusterman
  
• Dead is Not and Option- Marlene Perez
  
• Cryptic Cravings- Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses)
  
• Bitter End- Jennifer Brown
  
• The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group- Catherine Jinks
• Between Here and Forever- Elizabeth Scott
  

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

The trailer for the last Harry Potter movie is here!

Children's Choice Book Award 2011

Voting has begun for this years Children's Choice Book Awards! The Children's Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by children and teens of all ages. The nominees for the teen category are determine by TeenRead.com readers. The site asks readers to write in their nominee for best book of the year. The list in compiled and the top 5 vote getters became the award nominees.

This year, the nominees are:

• Burned (House of Night, Book 7) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
• Fang (A Maximum Ride Novel) by James Patterson
• Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins
• Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Book 5) by Richelle Mead
• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Cast your vote by tomorrow at http://www.bookweekonline.com/voting/7-12.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

In Megan McCafferty’s new novel, Bumped, everyone in the world has contracted a virus that causes infertility after the age of 18, making teen pregnancies the only way to continue civilization. Chapters alternate between twins Melody and Harmony, separated at birth and just meeting for the first time. Melody has become the first “Reproduction Professional,” or “RePro”, in her school. She has a contract to “bump” and produce a baby for a wealthy couple. Harmony has recently run away from her religious enclave in order to convince Melody to break her contract and embrace God instead. In a case of mistaken identity, Harmony intercepts the news the Melody will “bump” with the world’s most famous surrogate father and the plot (and a huge mess!) unfolds from there. Each twin begins to doubt their motives and original plans.

I think you’re going to love this book! It’s fast-paced and upbeat (if you can call a dystopia upbeat!) and once you get the hang of all the slang it’s a quick read. The end is a bit of cliff-hanger though so you’ll have to wait for Book #2 for the conclusion!

Program Today!

Stop in to the library after school from 3:00-4:00 PM today for some Wii, PS3 and snacks!

Paper Cranes for Japan

Come out to the library today anytime from 3:00-9:00PM and you can help Japan by making paper cranes! In response to the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, the Seattle based organization Students Rebuild has partnered with the Bezos Family Foundation to donate $2 for every crane received to Architecture for Humanity's reconstruction efforts in Japan. The cranes will be used in an art installation as a symbolic gift to Japan. An origami teacher will be on hand at 3:00 PM to teach those present how to make the cranes and staff, and volunteers will pass on the instructions for anyone who drops in later. Come at any time and make cranes for as long or as short as you want!

Book review and Give Away!

Lauren Oliver, the author of Before I Fall, is back with her second novel and it's quite a bit different from her first! In Delirium, the United States borders are closed to the rest of the world with an electric fence and everyone is treated for the deadly disease amor deliria nervosa (formerly known as love and now called delirium) at the age 18. Without love, Lena and others who buy the government line believe that without love there will be no suffering and unhappiness. Lena meets Alex, a member of the resistance and quickly succumbs to delirium. Once Lena sees the world outside the fence where freedom and love reign, she is desperate to save herself and escape before her 18th birthday. The plot may be a little predictable but it's definitely worth the read anyway. Lena is likable, the world Oliver creates is creepy and interesting and you'll want to know how this one ends (and be ready for the release of book 2!).

Now for the GIVE AWAY! I have a copy of this book signed by the author to give away. Just comment on this post by Friday 4/15 and I'll randomly select a winner!

Cool site alert!

Turnstyle is a just-launched website written and produced by young adults. In their words, "Turnstyle delivers a mix of news, opinion, commentary, and entertainment produced by bloggers, filmmakers, photographers, and poets. It’s content with an edge that has visual allure and eclectic pacing". Partially funded by Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Turnstyle features high quality writing on a bunch of topics, both serious and light-hearted. In just the last few days, they've covered Coachella, safe investing, the government shutdown, how to make great coffee, trends in online dating, NASA news and a photo series titled "Old People in Bathing Suits". Check it out at http://turnstylenews.com/.

Calling all Harry Potter fans!

If you are a Potter fan and have nothing to do over Spring Break, I’ve got a couple ideas for you!

Next Friday, April 15, we’ll be showing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 here at the library on our big screen at 1:00 PM! Everyone is welcome to attend (not just teens!) but keep in mind that it is rated PG-13 if you are bringing younger siblings or friends!

Also, Discovery Time Square in NYC is hosting Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The exhibit features more than 200 authentic costumes and props from the Harry Potter films displayed in settings inspired by the films sets - including the Great Hall, Hagrid's hut and the Gryffindor common room. I can't wait to go! Check out the museum’s ad:

HP WEB 30 sec from Discovery Times Square on Vimeo.

New in April!

• Eona: The Last Dragoneye- Alison Goodman (Sequel to Eon)


• The Anti-Prom- Abby McDonald


• Where She Went- Gayle Forman (Sequel to If I Stay)


• We'll Always Have Summer- Jenny Han (Book #3 in the Summer Series)


• The Gathering- Kelley Armstrong


• Shine- Lauren Myracle


• Red Glove- Holly Black (Sequel to White Cat)


• The Last Little Blue Envelope- Maureen Johnson (Sequel to Little Blue Envelopes)


• City of Fallen Angels- Cassandra Clare (Book #4 in the Mortal Instruments series)


• Abandon- Meg Cabot


• Plague- Michael Grant (Book #4 in the Gone series)


• Forever Summer- Alyson Noël

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta

The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta is the sequel to Saving Francesca, although you don’t really need to have read Saving Francesca to enjoy this book. The story focuses on Francesca’s friends, Tom Mackee who abandoned the circle of friends and his sort-of girlfriend Tara after his beloved Uncle Joe was killed by a suicide bomber in London. Unable to handle his grief, Tom fell in with new friends who party hard. After a particularly reckless night, Tom decides to leave his new friends, move in with his pregnant aunt, work on reconnecting with his old friends, sort out his deep feelings for Tara and reunite his parents who separated after Tom’s recovering alcoholic dad started drinking again to deal with his grief. This all sounds like the makings of a depressing novel, but Tom’s family is loving and realistic despite being slightly dysfunctional and you are really rooting for Tom through all of his struggles and I think you’ll be as pleased with the ending as I was!

Inheritance Cycle Book 4!

The cover and the release date for Book 4 of the Inheritance Cycle has been announced! It will be out November 8, 2011. Only 222 days to go!

Win $3,000 for the Library!

Do you love to make videos? You could help the library win money that you can help us spend and a $50 gift card for yourself!

The American Libarary Association is holding a contest for students ages 13 to 18 to create original videos on why they think libraries are needed now more than ever.
Check out the details in this video or at www.ilovelibraries.org:

Attend Our SAT/ACT Practice Test This Weekend!

Join Kaplan for this FREE 3.5 hour Combo Practice Test that will help students decide which test is right for them. Students will receive results that compare their performance on each of the analogous test sections of the two exams—for example, SAT math section vs. ACT math section. This is a perfect opportunity to experience both tests. Results will be given out and discussed at a second meeting on Thursday, February 17 from 7:00-8:00 PM.

Registration is required. Registration will close on Thursday, February 10 at 4:45.

The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. This year's winner is Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. “This taut, suspenseful novel is a relentless adventure story featuring nuanced characters in thought-provoking conflicts. Bacigalupi artfully intertwines themes of loyalty, family, friendship, trust and love,” said Printz Award Committee Chair Erin Downey Howerton.

Check out my review here.

The committee also named four Printz Honor Books:

Stolen by Lucy Christopher
The rugged Australian outback becomes Gemma’s prison after she is drugged and abducted by a handsome, obsessed stranger in a first novel filled with searing imagery and archetypal characters.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Vera Dietz wants to be ignored, but the ghost of her ex-best friend won’t leave her alone in this dark comedy that examines relationships, identity, grief and flowcharts.

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
In Sedgwick’s grim, chilling story set in the Arctic Circle, Sig finds his father’s frozen corpse as human predator Wolff arrives seeking retribution and a hidden Gold Rush treasure.

Nothing by Janne Teller
Pierre Anthon’s nihilism causes his classmates to begin a search for life’s meaning in this bold, unsettling parable translated from Danish.