Mount Eskel is known for one thing; mining precious blocks of stone called Linder. Imagine everyone’s shock when the king’s priests name Mount Eskel as the home of the next princess. Surely, the lowlanders must be playing a joke on them. However, they soon find it is no joke as every eligible female is herded off to an academy to learn how to be a “proper princess”.
Miri is one of these girls. Thanks to her small statue her father has never allowed her to step inside the quarry. She has spent most of her life feeling like a burden…someone who can’t pull her own weight because of this decision. When the academy first starts, she fights against the harsh governess and her cruel tactics to keep them in line. But when a beautiful gown and first dance is promised to the head of the class, Miri finally sees her chance to make a difference. If the prince can pick her, maybe, just maybe, she can help improve life on Mount Eskel. Of course, Miri never imagined that the stuff she would learn to be a princess could be used to reshape life at home, even without the prince. Soon, she finds herself torn between wanting to being chosen and reinventing her village. Will the prince discover that Miri is the one…if so, can she really leave the mountain that she loves so dearly?
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Ever by Gail Carlson Levine
Olus is the Akkan god of the winds. He is also a very lonely god. At the age of seventeen he is the youngest god (the closest one is 300 years his elder). Yearning for a friend, Olus tries to live among the mortals. After several failed attempts, his goal to find mortal company seems hopeless…that is until he meets Kenzi.
Kenzi is a beautiful fifteen year old who loves to weave rugs and dance. She seems so carefree and happy and Olus loves to waste his days away by watching her. However, Kenzi’s happy life is soon shattered as she finds herself the victim of an unbreakable vow. By the end of the month her life will be sacrificed to the one and only Hyte god, Admat. The only way to save her life and thwart fate is for Olus and Kenzie to complete dangerous and near impossible tasks. Will they be able to overcome the odds to live happily ever after or will death be the only path for Kenzi?
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The United States as we know it is a thing of the past. It is now divided into 12 districts, with each district specializing in a trade. Katniss is from district 12, one of the poorest districts of them all. Through a selfless sacrifice, she finds herself as a participant in the Hunger Games. Now she must compete against 23 other girls and boys in a battle where only the winner survives. Katniss proves she is a fighter by rising above challenges and a weird love story/relationship that is thrown her way. But will it be enough to allow her to walk out alive?
Contest
Hey guys, for Dec/Jan each time you turn in a book review you will be entered into a contest to win a Twilight poster. You may pick up a book review form in the Youth Services area @ Main Library, email it to jplteens@gmail.com, or post it as a blog. If you post it as a blog, be sure to let me know so I don't miss it. All entries should be in by Jan 31, 2009 and you must be in grades 6-12. Here is the information you will need to include.
Name:
Date:
Title:
Author:
Summary:
What did you think about it?
Rating (1-5 stars):
Books Into Movies....
So you love Harry Potter and/or Twilight...book and/or movie...and you want to know what other books have been made into movies. Well, here is a list to get you started (and this is just a very small list). Feel free to add your own as well!
Already Released
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Dune by Frank Herbert
Emma by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Boy with the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine
Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
City of Ember by Gil Kenan
Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Upcoming Release
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Harry Potter 6 by J.K. Rowling
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Book Award List
Here are some book award lists you may be interested in:
Abe Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award (2009 pdf list)
Past Winners:
2008 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
2007 Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
2006 My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
2005 A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer
Rebecca Caudill Book Award (Grades 4 to 8) (2009 pdf list)
Past Winners:
2008 Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
2007 So B. It by Sarah Weeks
2006 Eragon by Christopher Paolini
2005 Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
view more
Michael L. Printz Award
Past Winners:
2008 The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
2007 American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
2006 Looking for Alaska by John Green
2005 how i live now by Meg Rosoff
view more
Storm Chasing
Yesterday, the PNG kids got to have some one-on-one time with Storm Chaser, Eddy Weiss. They got to learn about Dorothy (one of their trucks), how technology has reshaped Storm Chasing, and about the business overall. It was very interesting to hear him talk about storm chasing and how it has changed. I think the part that caught my attention the most was how YouTube has changed how they do things. Not only do they no longer make money (due to videos being up before new stations get them), but it has also made them responsible for how they do things. For example, one storm chaser went through several red lights at high speeds and was caught on tape and forced them to think more about how they operate. I also enjoyed hearing how technology has changed the way that storm precautions are done. For example, schools that have non-built in hallway lockers no longer have children take cover in the hallways. This is because a video surveillance caught footage of a tornado that came through, ripped the lockers off the wall, and carried the shards of metal rotating throughout the halls. (Thankfully no children were in the school at the time!)
Below is the first part of the event, you can find the rest here. I have also added the videos and pictures of the event to the Ning. Enjoy!
Twilight Alert
Alright, Twi-Hards, this post is for you. The buzz about the movie has been going on for months, but the anticipation is almost over! In 4 days, the world will finally see how big Twilight really is. That's right. Only FOUR. MORE. DAYS. (And really only 3 more days, if you're lucky enough to go to a Midnight Showing). Okay, so it still seems too far away, right? If you're like me you're dying to see it RIGHT NOW. Well here are some links that may help feed your Twilight-Need until then.
Official Movie Site
Stephenie Meyer's Official Site, also has a Movie Update Page
Pictures:
The First Movie Picture Released
Movie Pictures - Includes Magazine Covers and Various Stills
InStyle - Pictures from the Dec Issue
Trailers/Clips:
Official Clips/Trailers on YouTube
Merchandise:
Soundtrack
Posters
T-shits, Key Chains, Buttons via Hot Topic
T-shirt, Key Chains, Posters, and Jewelry via Amazon
Cool Bookmarks (Free for Personal Print)
Other Sites of Interest/Fansites:
Twilight Guide
Twilight Lexicon
Bella and Edward.com
His Golden Eyes
More Fansites Here
Have a site you want to add that I missed or just want to rant about the movie? Add a comment below!
New Teen Fiction - 6/2/08
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
Day I Killed James by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Fact of Life #31 by Denise Vega
Girl From Mars by Tamara Back
Lamplighter (Monster Blood Tattoo Book Two) by D. M. Cornish
Madapple by Christina Meldrum
Roots and Wings by Many Ly
Saga by Conor Kostick
Suck It Up by Brian Meehl
Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (Copyright 2008)
This book takes place sometime after the year of 2032. Jenna has come out of the coma she was told that she was in for the past 18 months or so. She has no memories. She does find that she doesn't quite walk normally, and that she can read emotions and thoughts in through the eyes of the people around here. As the memories begin coming back, she puts together the events of her life, and that things now are not quite what they seem. There are mysterious computers in a locked closet in her mom's bedroom. She doesn't quite bleed like other people. She suddenly has memories from when she was an infant, and her grandmother doesn't like her anymore. What happened to her friends in the accident? And why is she suddenly a walking history textbook when history used to be her worst subject in school? A lot of things she is told don't add up.
This is vaguely a science-fiction novel. It is well-written, and brings up a lot of ethical questions when it comes to bio-engineering. It is highly recommended.
New Teen Fiction - May '08
Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson series #3) by Rick Riordan
Bon Voyage, Connie Pickles by Sabine Durrant
Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees
Chosen (House of Night #3) by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
Death in the Air by Shave Peacock
Death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff
Edification of Sonya Crane (Kimani Tru series) by JD Guilford
Facts of Life: Stories by Gary Soto
Joys of Love by Madeleine L'Engle
Lily Dale: Believing by Wendy Corsi Staub
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Neptune's Children by Bonnie Dobken
Pirate Wars (Wave Walkers book 3) by Kai Meyer
The Pretty One by Cheryl Klam
Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
Road of Bones by Anne Fine
Ruby Key (Moon & Sun series #1) by Holly Lisle
Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Family Affairs by Jen Calonita
Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli
Stella Stands Alone by A. LaFaye
Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt
Review: My Most Excellent Year
Title: My Most Excellent Year: a Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger
Take a paper that needs to be written for school entitled "My Most Excellent Year" (well, that's what TC changes the title to be, anyway), journals, letters emails, lots of IMs, and three friends, and you have a great story. This very humorously written story is first about TC who has a passion for baseball and doesn't think he is popular, when in fact he his popular. He also misses his mother a lot. She died when he was little. His "brother" is Augie. They've been best friends since they were little and the connection is so strong that they consider each other brothers for life. They have their own spaces in each others' houses. Then there is Alejandra. She is the 'new girl' at their high school their freshman year. TC immediately falls in love, and writes Ale a note telling her that he is considering a relationship with her. She thinks he's terrible with his tactics.
It moves on from here. . . you learn about each of their lives and their perspectives. TC meets a little boy who loves Mary Poppins. He takes this boy, Hucky, under his wing, even learning American Sign Language so they can communicate. Augie comes out about his sexual orientation, but it's not really big news to everyone else. They've realized it for a long time. Everyone is very accepting. Ale discovers that she does not want to go into politics or anything else like that as her father expects. She loves singing and dancing.
In the midst of this, there is email communication between the adults in this story, particularly between TC and Augie's fathers. Sometimes this is all quite humorous.
If you want to find out how this all turns out, read this book!
- Reviewed by Leisl, YA Librarian
New Teen Fiction - 4/24/08
The Market by J. M. Steele
Me, the Missing and the Dead by Jenny Valentine
Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools by Philip Caveney
Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
Twice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Review: The Sky Inside
The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle
This new book is great for those who may not be "into" science fiction, but are intrigued by books such as Lois Lowery's The Giver. The Sky Inside takes place in the future, maybe a couple of generations from now. The lucky people got a place in the doomed suburb. Everything from the outside is sent through "packets". The seasons are controlled in the dome, and when seasons change, all the residents put different window clings on their houses (flowers in spring, for instance). Adults in the dome vote on an issue everyday (such as the color of the President's new curtains) via their interactive tv. Meals come through a devine that works much like a gambling machine - you never know what you are going to get to eat. Pets, such as Martin's dog, are "bots" that can be reprogrammed. Martin is a teen who is not part of the genetically-engineered "Wonder Babies" generation like his sister. Babies are sent via packet, too, after parents go through a long application process. His sister Cassie is always asking questions, about everything, like all of the kids of her "model". Then when she is about 7 years old, a stranger ( and strangers never come to their dome) comes, and offers to take all of the Wonder Babies to a school outside the dome so they can learn all that their insatiable minds want to know. This is after he helps find Jimmy's (8 years old, the oldest Wonder Baby) real - not bot - rat. This part of the story offers a modern take on "The Pied Piper", in this way. Read the book to find out what happens next!
New Teen Fiction - 4/ 18/08
Child of Dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji
Defying the Diva by D. Anne Love
Foot Free and and Fancy Loose by Elizabeth Croft and Sarah Fain
nugrl90 (Sadie) by Cheryl Dellasega
The Pact of the Wolves by Nina Blazon
Players by Joyce Sweeney
Ranger's Apprentice: Book Four: The Battle For Skandra by John Flanagan
Rits by Mariken Jongman
Saturday Night Dirt by Will Weaver
Steel Trapp: The Challenge by Ridley Pearson
Thaw by Monica M. Roe
Review: Imaginary Enemy
Review: Imaginary Enemy by Julie Gonzalez
Jane Venezuela White's second grade teacher thought she was writing a letter to Buddha, but she was really writing to Bubba (and just wrote the b's the in the wrong direction). Her teacher didn't hang her letter on wall as was the plan, and Jane put it in her math folder. She keeps that folder well into high school, and adds letter after letter to it over the years. She writes to Bubba, her imaginary enemy. As she says on page 3, this first letter was "a fairly modest beginning to what has proven to be a long and fruitless relationship."
This is a great read. You learn all about Jane's relationships with her family and her friends, how she believes herself to be the ultimate slacker (but as she eventually discovers, she really isn't) and how Bubba eventually starts replying!
You should really think about giving this book a try.
- Reviewed by Leisl, YA Librarian
New Teen Fiction - 4/15/08
(In Alphabetical Order by Title)
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Exodus by Julie Bertagna
Into the Dark (An Echo Falls Mystery) by Peter Abrahams
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Runaway (Platinum Teen Series Book Three) by Iuwell & Precious
The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle
New Teen Fiction - 3/26/08
How Not To Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler
Imaginary Enemy by Julie Gonzales
Life is Fine by Allison Whittenberg
Prey by Lurlene McDaniel
New Teen Fiction - 3/20 to 3/25/08
The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith
Go Big Or Go Home by Will Hobbs
Guinevere's Gift by Nancy McKenzie
The King's Arrow by Michael Cadnum
The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon
My Life: The Musical by Maryrose Wood
Runemarks by Joanne Harris
The Scarlet Stockings by Charlotte Kandel
Season of Ice by Diane Les Becquets
Skin Deep by E.M. Crane
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
When You Wish by Kristin Harmel
You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn
New Teen Fiction - 3/19/08
Confessions (Private series) by Kate Brian
Fatal Charm (Seer series #5) by Linda Joy Singleton
Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi
The Hanging Woods by Scott Loring Sanders
How They Met, and Other Stories by David Levithan
Hot Scots, Castles, and Kilts by Tammy Swoish
Hurricane: a novel by Terry Trueman
Last Dance (Seer series #2) by Linda Joy Singleton
Legacy (Private series) by Kate Brian
Private by Kate Brian (#1 of Private series)
The Squad: Killer Spirit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Stake That! by Mari Mancusi
Sword Play (Seer series #4) by Linda Joy Singleton
Thirteen by Lauren Myracle
Unforgettable (an IT Girl book) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Untouchable (Private series) by Kate Brian
New Teen Fiction - 3/14/08
Angel by Cliff McNish
The Big Field by Mick Lupica
The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Gabriel's Journey by Alison Hart
Primavera by Mary Jane Beaufrand
New Teen Fiction - 3/12/08
The Serpents' Coils (Hallomere #1) - Tiffany Trent
By Venom's Sweet Sting (Hallowmere #2) - Tiffany Trent
Review: Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn
Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn
(Teen Fiction Weyn)
This book is about two soulmates who live through many lifetimes (some shorter and some longer) to eventually come together to enjoy the love they have always had for one another. Whether or not you believe in reincarnation, this is a work of fiction that is well done. It shows that how we may want life to go for us does not always "work out" right then, in that particular lifetime, but that it can and does eventually. This book is fun, too, in that you can start recognizing the same "people" from lifetime to lifetime (one always has foot and ankle problems, and develops a fear of fire and another often has headaches and sometimes strange birthmarks). Besides that two 'main characters' - one of whom is mostly a woman and the other is usually a man (although during their Civil War liftetime, they switched) - there is at least another male and female pair who are always around, too, and often get in the way and cause problems with the soulmate pair. This story starts out in prehistoric times and continues through snapshots of lifetimes up to the current day. The scenes take place in various countries, cultures, and historical time periods.
This is a very good book. Teens in high school would really enjoy this book, particularly if they are into historical fiction and some romance.
- Reviewed by Leisl (YA Librarian)
New Teen Fiction (New to JPL)
Another Kind of Cowboy - Susan Juby
A Curse as Dark as Gold - Elizabeth C. Bunce
Game - Walter Dean Myers
In the Cards: Fame - Mariah Frederick
Indigo Summer (Kimani Tru series) - Monica McKayham
Keysha's Dream (Kimani Tru series) - Earl Sewell
Lucky (It Girl novel) - Cecily Von Ziegesar
The Missing Girl - Norma Fox Mazer
Notorious (It Girl novel) - Cecily Von Ziegesar
Reckless (It Girl novel) - Cecily Von Ziegesar
The Red-Headed Princess - Ann Rinaldi
Reincarnation - Suzanne Weyn
Safe - Susan Shaw
Check back soon for more titles and reviews.