ALLY: Aram Library Links for Youth

Mark Twain T-Shirt & Logo Design Contest!

2012-02-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

The Big Read: Twain in the Rock River Basin!
Student Art Design & T-Shirt Competition

What: The nation's largest reading initiative for students and adults. Your design will be featured in the promotional campaign and on the official t-shirt! Top artwork will be on display in April at Studio 84 in Whitewater.

Who: K-12 school students enrolled at a school or home school in Rock, Walworth, or Jefferson County and surrounding communities.

The winning artist will receive the following fabulous prizes:

Collected Works of Mark Twain
Two free t-shirts with your design/artwork
Four tickets to Mark Twain Tonight! with Hal Holbrook on April 21st, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Artist credit as the official designer of the 2012 Big Read t-shirt

Contest Rules:

*Artwork should relate to Mark Twain in Wisconsin or Twain in the Rock River Basin!
*Artwork should have a maximum of 3 colors.
*Any medium is acceptable. (photo, paint, digital, pen & ink, etc.)
*Artwork should be in one of the following accepted sizes: 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, or 16x20.
*Contest will be judged by an impartial jury. All decisions are final. Winners will be announced in late March 2012 and will be contacted by email.
*Artwork and reproduction rights will become property of the Young Auditorium.

Official entry forms are available in the Children's Department. Entries are due by March 6, 2012. Artwork will be displayed from April 1 to mid-May 2012.

Questions? Contact Ben Strand at (262) 472-4444

BIG READ BLOG: http://youngauditorium.wordpress.com

This week's big event!

2011-09-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Can you name the celebrity here?

How much would you love to give him a sparkly makeover? Or maybe add a zit or two to his face?

Want to watch a movie on the big screen? Eat treats?

If any of these things sound appealing, come out to our School's Back Lock-in THIS Friday, starting at 7 pm. We'll have food and activities that will be open to those 12-19 only. We are keeping this super laid back, meaning we'll do what you want to do -- so let us know. Games? Reading? Legos? A movie? We're open to it.

No need to sign up. Just show up at 7. We'll let you in. Event ends promptly at 10 pm.

Teen Book Club

2011-09-28T06:32:00.001-07:00

We're having a little trouble getting copies of October 6th's book club pick, Glow, by Amy Kathleen Ryan, so we're going to try something else out -- we'll discuss Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin, since last week's meeting didn't work out, and we'll have a chance to talk about everything else we've been reading. So, read anything you want to and we'll talk about it.

We'll skip our reading and discussion of Glow until the winter, and at next week's meeting, we'll have copies of Want to Go Private? for you to pick up.

I'm sad because I think Glow would have been an excellent discussion, but we'll have a chance to get to it when more copies become available. Plus, I'm eager to hear what you guys are reading, and I'm eager to pass on some of the books I think you'll love to you, too.

See you next Thursday, October 6, at 3:30 pm. We'll meet upstairs, rather than in the meeting room.

What you're reading and watching

2011-08-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a ton more reading logs in from summer reading and thought I'd share more of what you guys said are your favorite books, tv shows, and places/ways to read. Enjoy!

What are some of your favorite books?

Canterwood Crest: City Secrets

Party Princess

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

On the Run by Gordon Korman

Kidnapped

Graphic novels

Drizzle

Twilight

What book should be made into a movie?

Chestnut Hill

Canterwood Crest

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

Princess in the Spotlight

On the Run 1-6

Drizzle

Where and when do you usually read?

I usually read on the couch and when it's hot outside or when I don't have anything to do.

My room

My mom's room

Outside

In the car

In my room in the afternoon

Living room at night

At night in bed

At home in my room at 7 pm

I read in the morning and at night in my bed

24/7! Anywhere, but usually in my room

What's your favorite tv show?

Shake it Up!

I Love Lucy

Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?

Good Luck Charlie

Dude, What Would Happen

Pair of Kings

Kicking It

Suite Life on Deck

House

WWE

Extreme Home Makeover

New Books at Aram Public Library for Teens

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

More new books for you to enjoy! Remember, if you want to request the book from home, all you need to do is click the link then request it with your library card number and pin. Easy!

Dark Souls by Paula Morris: Sixteen-year-old Miranda Tennant arrives in York, England, with her parents and brother, trying to recover from the terrible accident that killed her best friend, and while in the haunted city she falls in love for the first time as two boys, one also suffering from a great loss and the other a ghost, fight for her attentions.

And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibinsky: Devastated by her parents' decision to split up, pressured by her boyfriend to have sex, and saddled with a case of chicken pox, fifteen-year-old Keek finds consolation in her beloved, well-worn copy of Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar."

The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin: Fourteeen-year-old Sunni, her stepbrother Dean, and an art-student friend trace the footsteps of a labyrinth built in Blackhope Tower by a mysterious and brilliant sixteenth-century artist, and suddenly find themselves trapped inside his enchanted painting, trying desperately to get out.

The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler: Through a letter to her English teacher, fourteen-year-old Lizzy Mortimer of Crabapple, California, relates her discovery that she and her eccentric grandmother are kin to Morgan le Faye, charged with saving the last descendant of King Arthur from an untimely death that would endanger the world.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce: When the owner of a candy shop molds magical treats that instill confidence, bravery, and passion, eighteen-year-old Gretchen's haunted childhood memories of her twin sister's abduction by a witch-like monster begin to fade until girls start vanishing at the annual chocolate festival

Death Sentence: Escape from Furnace #3 by Alexander Gordon Smith: After his failed attempt to escape from Furnace Penitentiary, Alex struggles to survive the bloodstained laboratories beneath where monsters are manufactured, with a death sentence--or worse--hanging over his head.

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Shecter: Cleopatra Selene, the only surviving daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony, recalls her life of pomp and splendor in Egypt and, after her parents' deaths, capitivity and treachery in Rome.

Between by Jessica Warman: 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.

This week @ APL

2011-08-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

Join us Thursday at 3:30 pm for our teen book club! We'll be discussing Cris Beam's I am J. Here's the description:

J, who feels like a boy mistakenly born as a girl, runs away from his best friend who has rejected him and the parents he thinks do not understand him when he finally decides that it is time to be who he really is.

If you don't have a copy, there are some available at the upstairs desk to check out.

Can't make it? We'll have another book discussion September 1 @ 3:30 pm. Copies of Clarity (click the link for a description!) will be available by the end of the week at the desk upstairs.

New books at the library

2011-08-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Now that summer reading club is over, we're catching up on processing all of the new books that have come in lately. That means, tons of new books for you on the shelves. Here's a glimpse at some of the stuff we're putting out. Links go to the catalog record so you can place a hold on anything that looks good right from home!

Conspiricies by Mercedes Lackey: When a series of magical attacks disrupts Oakhurst Academy, a boarding school for orphaned future magicians, a suspicious alumnus is hired to secure the campus and start training the students for war.

Cryptic Cravings by Ellen Schreiber: Sixteen-year-old Raven, a vampire-obsessed goth girl, is in love with Alexander, a real vampire.

The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B Scheinmel: Having always felt secure within his small family, Manhattan high school junior Nick is unsettled to discover the existence of an older brother that his father put up for adoption many years ago.

Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L Jones: After the death of her mother in an automobile accident, seventh-grader Serena, who has gotten the lead in her middle school play, is left to handle the day-to-day challenges of caring for herself and her younger brother when their father cannot pull himself out of his depression.

Clean by Amy Reed: A group of teens in a Seattle-area rehabilitation center form an unlikely friendship as they begin to focus less on their own problems with drugs and alcohol by reaching out to help a new member, who seems to have even deeper issues to resolve. If you like Ellen Hopkins, this is a book you must pick up.

The Babysitter Murders by Janet Ruth Young: Imaginative Massachusetts seventeen-year-old Dani Solomon confesses she has been troubled by thoughts of harming Alex, the little boy she loves to babysit, triggering gossip and a media frenzy that makes "Dani Death" the target of an extremist vigilante group.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very peculiar photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight: After a killing for which she feels responsible, sixteen-year-old Ashline Wilde moves cross-country to a remote California boarding school, where she learns that she and others have special gifts that can help them save the world, but evil forces are at work to stop them.

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker: High school junior Lacey finds herself questioning the evangelical Christian values she has been raised with when a new boy arrives in her small town.

The grand total is...

2011-08-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

78.5.

What does that number mean, anyway?

That is the number of days -- yes, days -- you guys spent reading this summer. Over the course of 8 weeks of summer reading club, you read over 1,885 hours, or a total of over 78.5 days. That's over two and a half straight months of reading non-stop.

You guys rock!

All-You-Can-Read Cafe chats with Nova Ren Suma (author of IMAGINARY GIRLS)

2011-08-05T06:40:00.000-07:00

Last week, the teen book club had the chance to chat with author Nova Ren Suma about her book Imaginary Girls. She was kind enough to agree to let us post the chat for anyone who might be interested in knowing more about the book -- enjoy!

Nova Ren Suma: Hi there!

AramTeens: Hello from Wisconsin!

AramTeens: I am handing you over to Ashley, one of our teens.

Nova Ren Suma: I'm ready! Thanks for having me on today.

Nova Ren Suma: Hi, Ashley.

AramTeens: we're glad to have you.

AramTeens: 1st question- where did this strange and eerie idea come from

Nova Ren Suma: Ah! The idea first started as a short story about two sisters, Ruby and Chloe... As a sister myself with a little sister I adore, it's something I always wanted to write about. But the idea got more eerie when I began writing about the reservoir in the story (much like the reservoir in the town where I lived as a teenager). I read about the history of the reservoir, and the towns drowned and it began to inspire some very strange things in my own writing.

AramTeens: Is that how it grew into a full length novel?

Nova Ren Suma: I wrote the story first and took it to a summer workshop. There was no magical realism in it at all... and there was something missing. So when I started writing it again, it turned weirder, and became a novel. Writing workshops can be so helpful that way.

Nova Ren Suma: (Not in making your fiction weird! I mean in helping you focus your ideas.)

AramTeens: So was it a more realistily based story before you took it to the writing workshop?

Nova Ren Suma: Yes, it was entirely realistic. The story was called "Mythical Creatures" — though there were no "creatures" in it. And it was simply about Chloe moving in with her older sister's new boyfriend.

AramTeens: Is there a reason why the story was set where it was? Small town on the east coast?

Nova Ren Suma: I live in New York City and I have for over ten years, but I'm from the Hudson Valley. That's where I grew up, and the town in the novel is very much like the town where I lived when I was in high school. For some reason, even though I moved away, I find myself very inspired to write about the place where I grew up. So I write about small towns like that often.

AramTeens: As we're all small town residents we appreciate having a setting we can relate too.

AramTeens: Do you relate too or see yourself in any of the characters in the book?

Nova Ren Suma: I do relate.

Nova Ren Suma: I think I'm more like Chloe than Ruby. But in real life I'm the older sister... my baby sister is named Laurel Rose. (I call her Rose.) She and I joke about how Chloe and Ruby have traits of both of us. But they are definitely their own people.

AramTeens: I'm an older sister too- the rest of the group doesn't have sisters and think I'm the real life version of Ruby but less crazy.

Nova Ren Suma: Ha! Glad to hear less crazy

Nova Ren Suma: I love being an older sister, and it was interesting to put myself in the shoes of the little sister while writing.

AramTeens: Was it hard to write from a younger sister's perspective?

Nova Ren Suma: Sometimes it was. But Chloe really grew as a character for me... I couldn't help but see the story through her eyes. And like I said, she's a lot like me sometimes. (Except she can swim and I really can't swim that well.)

AramTeens: Is London really dead?

Nova Ren Suma: Ooh tricky question!

Nova Ren Suma: I think there are different ways to see the story at the end... and I'd never say that any one perspective is wrong.

Nova Ren Suma: But, to me, London is no longer dead at the end. I believe Chloe, and Chloe believes London has been brought back to life.

AramTeens: oooooh good answer

Nova Ren Suma: Do you think anything different?

Nova Ren Suma: I get some emails with different views on what happened, and I love that.

AramTeens: We all have a different idea on the subject

Nova Ren Suma: That's awesome.

AramTeens: What's your favorite inturptetation?

Nova Ren Suma: I don't have a favorite... but sometimes people tell me they think Chloe made it all up in her head. That the story isn't actually magical at all. And I find that fascinating.

AramTeens: We can see the logic behind that inturpretation.

Nova Ren Suma: I like that. I like that it can be read more than one way.

AramTeens: Burning question from the group- have you ever written a request on a balloon and let it go?

Nova Ren Suma: GOOD QUESTION.

Nova Ren Suma: No, I have not!

Nova Ren Suma: And now I will have to.

AramTeens: We just did it, with red ribbons, it was fun!

Nova Ren Suma: Seriously??? That is so amazing!

Nova Ren Suma: I hope all the requests come true for you.

AramTeens: Why was Ruby obsessed with sunglasses?

Nova Ren Suma: Heh. That's taken from my sister. She is OBSESSED with sunglasses.

Nova Ren Suma: She always gets very fancy movie-star sunglasses...

AramTeens: There's no deeper meaning?

Nova Ren Suma: ...and I guess as I was writing Ruby it slipped in, and I couldn't take it back out.
Nova Ren Suma: I didn't write it originally with that intention, but I do see so much symbolism for it now. It's one of those perfect little details that were meant to be, I think.

AramTeens: Last question...

Nova Ren Suma: Ready

AramTeens: Who would you cast to play the characters in the movie adaption of the book?

Nova Ren Suma: Aha! The question I've been mulling over...

Nova Ren Suma: I hope this doesn't disappoint, but this thing happens when I write. The characters have very clear faces in my mind. I know exactly what Chloe and Ruby and Owen and Pete and Jonah and London look like, so I have a hard time picking an actor to play them.

Nova Ren Suma: But someone suggested Megan Fox as Ruby, and I can see that.

Nova Ren Suma: If you can recommend a movie cast for me, I'd love it.

AramTeens: We agree with the Megan Fox suggestion.

Nova Ren Suma: I've heard it more than once. So maybe the part is meant for her... who knows.

AramTeens: Dakota Fanning is our suggestion for London.

Nova Ren Suma: Oh, that is perfect.

AramTeens: Kelly suggests we resurrect devin sawa from his 90s hey day and make him Owen

AramTeens: A younger Luke Wilson would be good for Jonah

AramTeens: (if he could be serious )

Nova Ren Suma: Ha! Could work. He'd have to dye his hair.

Nova Ren Suma: I love these casting suggestions!

AramTeens: (we're glad you got that reference)

AramTeens: There's also a crowd suggestion for R Pattz to play EVERYONE

AramTeens: We aren't sure on Chloe

Nova Ren Suma: Hahaha. Amused.

Nova Ren Suma: Chloe would be hard to cast. If there ever is an IMAGINARY GIRLS movie, I wonder who they'd pick.

AramTeens: Selena Gomez, maybe. But we dont like her being with Justin Bieber.

Nova Ren Suma: Hahaha. Laughing again.

Nova Ren Suma: Agreed on Justin Bieber.

AramTeens: Miranda Cosgrove!

AramTeens: From iCarly (I didnt know that reference)

Nova Ren Suma: I just Googled! She looks the part.

AramTeens: Thanks so much for chatting with us! We appreciate your time.

Nova Ren Suma: Thanks so much for having me on! And for reading IMAGINARY GIRLS.

Teen Book Reviews

2011-08-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Ashley turned in a few book reviews for summer reading club, and they were all so thoughtful and worth sharing. If you're looking for a good book to sink into, try one of these out. All links go to our catalog, so you can request the book from home.

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison: This was a fun read, especially if you liked the first book in the trilogy. It picks up right where the previous book left off and builds on the world Harrison crafted. My one criticism was the way too obvious red herring. You know from the start that it's a red herring, but the main characters fail to realize this until the end.

It still had the charm of the first book and Marison's quest to change the world one innocent at a time is admirable. It saddens me that there's only one book left in this series, as I adore both Harrison's writing style and the way she crafts her main characters.

This book's writing style reminded me how Kim writes her other series, as she did some of the same central themes of right/wrong. I would recommend this books to fans of urban fantasy, angels, and the war between good and evil or fate vs choice.

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald: All three of the main characters were different from each other, but I never felt connected or like I could relate to any of them. I did enjoy their whack predictable story, though. Having alternating points of view was a little confusing, especially when you stop reading in the middle of a chapter. But all in all, it was a cute read. Nothing serious, just pure fun.

This book's plot was like a plot from a summer chick flick, but I can't think of a specific example. I would recommend to this book to impatient prom goers and lovers of chick flicks.

White Cat by Holly Black: Once you get a feel for the characters and what kind of a world they live in, I thought it was a really good mystery/fantasy book. The story was fast paced but we got to get into Cassel's head and see what kind of person he was, even thought he didn't know what kind of a person he was, which I liked. I also liked that there were some good plot twists worked in with the occasional predictability and that it ended with most of its strings wrapped up so you could stop reading the series if you wanted to (which I don't). But the loose ends don't give away too much plot for the sequel. I'm certainly interested in seeing how this series plays out.

This book reminded me of books that involve witch craft but nothing specific. Maybe a little bit like The Demon's Lexicon. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes magic, mystery, and complicated main characters.

This week @ APL

2011-08-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

Check out the awesome penguin the kids at Newark Library made! Can you and your friends build something as big or creative? Come on out for a special Lego Club for TEENS ONLY on Thursday at 3 pm. We'll dump out buckets of Legos, and you'll be able to build any and everything you want to. If you like what you made and want to show it off to others, we'll let you display it upstairs in the teen area.

New Books @ APL for Teens

2011-07-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Check out some of the new books that just came in for teens at the library! All links go to our catalog so you can request the books from home. This week, it looks like lots of girl-friendly titles came in, but I promise to showcase tons of great guy books in the next weeks, too (though make sure to check out that awesome sounding baseball book -- the cover of ours looks cooler than the one pictured below)!

Unfriended by Katie Finn: After months of upheaval, seventeen-year-old Madison MacDonald of Putnam, Connecticut, is glad when summer brings some normalcy, but soon her deepening relationship with Nate is putting a strain on her friendships.

Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia: In the 1970s, a teenaged Iranian princess, a German-Canadian girl, and a Cuban-Jewish girl from New York City become friends when they spend three summers at a Swiss boarding school.

The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt: Thirteen-year-old Drew starts the summer of 1986 helping in her mother's cheese shop and dreaming about co-worker Nick, but when her widowed mother begins dating, Drew's father's book of lists, her pet rat, and Emmett, a boy on a quest, help her cope.

Beanball by Gene Fehler: Relates, from diverse points of view, events surrounding the critical injury of popular and talented high school athlete, Luke "Wizard" Wallace, when he is hit in the face by a fastball.

Eye of the Sun by Diane Hofmeyr: When Tuthmosis and Isikara return from Egypt, Tuthmosis's sister-in-law, Nefertiti, is terrified that he has come to usurp his brother's throne, and will stop at nothing to keep the two brothers apart.

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard: Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren--a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for--or the love she can't live without?

Starstruck by Cyn Balog: Sixteen-year-old Dough is surprised when her long-distance boyfriend returns after four years and still finds her beautiful, despite her seventy-pound weight gain, until Dough learns that he is a member of the Luminati--an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives.

Your Favorites!

2011-07-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

Ready to see what other teens are reading and watching this summer? Here's another round of responses we've gotten on the backs of our summer reading logs. If you're looking for a good book or a good show to watch, check out one of these!

What are some of your favorite books?
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Harry Potter
Everlost by Neal Shusterman
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Vladimir Todd series
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Zombies vs. Unicorns (which the person notes they are TEAM ZOMBIE [me too!])
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Lord of the Rings

List Some Books You Read This Summer
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Torment by Lauren Kate
Monster High by Lisi Harrison
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Ask Elizabeth by Elizabeth Berkley
Gone by Michael Grant
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Divide
Cafe Wisconsin
Missing Witness
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
Kiki Strike by Kirstin Miller
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Haunted Wisconsin
Alienology
Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling
Saving Jessica
Saying Goodbye to Christina

What book should be made into a movie?
Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Super Mario Advance: Choose Your Own Adventure
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Vlaidimir Todd by Heather Brewer
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

When and where do you usually read?
In my room at night or when it's quiet
In my room when I have the time
In my room when I'm bored
In my room whenever I have time
Whenever and where ever
In my bedroom

What's your favorite TV show?
Monk
Big Time
Rush
World's Dumbest ...
Dr. Who
Victories
Degrassi :)

This week @ APL

2011-07-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

Join us on Thursday, July 28, starting at 3:00 pm to discuss Nova Ren Suma's new book Imaginary Girls. We'll talk about the book, then we'll chat with the author about it.

Here's what the story's about: Two years after sixteen-year-old Chloe discovered classmate London's dead body floating in a Hudson Valley reservoir, she returns home to be with her devoted older sister Ruby, a town favorite, and finds that London is alive and well, and that Ruby may somehow have brought her back to life and persuaded everyone that nothing is amiss.

There are a few copies left for check out, so stop by the desk upstairs to snag a copy. This is a creepy story, and one that will leave you a bit haunted.

The Hunger Games: The Movie Poster

2011-07-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Check out the official movie poster for The Hunger Games, courtesy of Scholastic's website:

Is that not cool? If you click on the link above, you can even see the animation (and I think there might even be sound to it, too). Only 247 more days to wait. . .

Librarian Favorites: A Booklist

2011-07-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Need a good book or two to get through these last few weeks of summer reading? Try one of your librarian's recent favorite titles. Links take you to our catalog, where you can reserve the book from home.

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson: While she is in a rehabilitation facility for drug and alcohol abuse, seventeen-year-old Maddie meets Stewart, who is also in treatment, and they begin a relationship, which they try to maintain after they both get out.

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly: When Drea and her mother move in with her grandmother in Bellingham, Washington, the sixteen-year-old finds that she can have real friends, in spite of her Asperger's, and that even when you love someone it doesn't make life perfect.

Scrawl by Mark Shulman: When eighth-grade school bully Tod and his friends get caught committing a crime on school property, his penalty--staying after school and writing in a journal under the eye of the school guidance counsellor--reveals aspects of himself that he prefers to keep hidden.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny--one she could never have imagined...Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school...or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth--that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face...and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy hear.

This week for Teens @ Aram Public Library: Death by Chocolate

2011-07-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

This week, come out on Thursday from 3 - 4:30 for our Death by Chocolate party. We've got a ton of fun chocolate contests for you to participate in and we'll give all kinds of prizes -- chocolate, of course!

Be prepared to get a little messy and come hungry!

Teen Book Reviews

2011-07-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ready for more book recommendations from fellow teens? Check out these titles! Remember, you have your book reviews posted here, too, by either filling out a book review form in the teen area and turning it in or by emailing us at aramteens [[[@]]] aramlibrary.org. Just remove the brackets.

Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder

It was an awesome book. I loved how it was suspensful and was something that could happen to anyone. Recommended to anyone who likes suspense.-Brianna

Break By Hannah Moskowitz

This book was scary/sad. I kind of disliked this book because of what went on in it. I thought it was scary because this guy tried hurting himself to cover up the pain of his family. 3 stars-Kylie

Before I Fall By Lauren Oliver

This book about a girl who thinks she has it all...boy was she wrong! She has to live the same day over and over again till she gets it right, but will it cost her life? I love this book and recommend it.-Carlie

HARRY POTTER!

2011-07-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some fabulous ideas to throw your own party for the premier of the final Harry Potter movie.

Recipes

Pumpkin Pasties

Makes about 3 dozen miniature pasties.2 eggs, slightly beaten3/4 cup sugar1 1 lb. can pumpkin(or 2 cups fresh, roasted in the oven then pressedthrough a strainer to save your Pumpkin Juice to drink!)1/2 tsp. salt1 tsp. cinnamon1/2 tsp. ginger1/4 tsp. cloves1 2/3 cups evap. milk (1 can)1/2 tsp. allspice9 oz pie crust pastry (enough for two single standard pie crusts)

Bake the pie filling only (no crust) in a large casserole dish in hot oven (425 degrees) for 15 minutes. Keep oven door closed and reduce temp to moderate (350 degrees F/180 degress Celsuis) and continue baking for 45 minutes or until table knife inserted in center of dish comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.Make or purchase pie crust pastry. Roll thin and cut into circles approx 4" in diameter. Put a spoonful of the cool pumpkin mixture towards one side of the center of the circle. Fold over the crust into a half-circle and firmly crimp the edges closed. Slice three small slits in the top for venting, place on a greased cookie sheet, and bake only until crust is a light golden-brown. Great served at room-temperature, then you don't have to worry about your guests possibly burning their mouths from the steaming hot pumpkin inside! :)

Treacle Fudge

Ingredients:1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar1/4 teaspoon salt4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate2 tablespoons unsalted butter1/3 cup molasses

Directions:In a large bowl, mix cream, brown sugar and salt together, set aside. In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove from heat and add molasses. Add the chocolate mixtures and cream mixtures together. Pour mixture into a pan and let cool. Cut into squares after cooled and serve.

Treacle Tart

The perfect dessert for the sweet-toothed is a Treacle Tart. A treacle tart recipe involves first making some pastry but if you are short of time ready rolled but make sure it is sweet pastry.Treacle Tart is full of delicious, sweet golden syrup and black treacle. If you can't find golden syrup then use corn syrup. And, likewise, can't find black treacle dark molasses will do.

Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 25 minutesIngredients:* PASTRY* 225g /8oz plain flour* Pinch salt* 25g /1 oz fine sugar* 115g /4oz very cold unsalted butter* Cold water to mix* FILLING* 300g /10oz golden syrup* 1 heaped tbsp black treacle* Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon* 4 medium free range eggs* 25g /1oz fresh bread crumbs

Preparation:* Heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4* Place the flour, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the processor running add the water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour.* Roll out the pastry and line a loose bottomed tart tin the place in the fridge for 30 mins.* Meanwhile, mix together the golden syrup and treacle with the lemon juice. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add to the treacle mixture. Finally stir in the bread crumbs.* Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared tart case.* Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the crust and filling are golden brown and firm to the touch.* Serve warm with crème fraiche which balances really well with the sweetness of the tart or a good vanilla ice cream.

ButterbeerChilled Butterbeer Ingredients:8 ounces cream soda3 teaspoons of butterscotch syrupWhipped cream
Directions:Stir soda and syrup gently in tall glass. Serve over ice. Add whipped cream for a frothy top.

Decorations Ideas

Get poster board and draw on the Harry Potter house symbols

Cauldrons

Fake owls, ravens, bats, and spiders

Apothecary jars

Brooms

Witch hats

A plastic creature from a toy store, in colored water.

Games

Ancient Runes: Create word jumbles using Harry Potter words and characters, such as “muggle,” “wizard,” and “Hagrid.”

History of Magic: Test kids on their trivia knowledge of Harry Potter or use the game Scene It?, Harry Potter edition.

Divination: Get a friend to dress up as a fortune teller and tell the kids their future with crystal ball, tea leaves, or tarot cards.

Herbology: Have the children decorate pots and then plant seeds or sprouts to take home with them as party favors.

Hogwarts Sorting Hat
Before playing any group games, you will need to sort the players into two different teams. Make a list of who will go on which team before the party. During the party, seat a cone-shaped pointed wizard hat on a stool or chair. (Wizard hats can be purchased at a party supply store or made of construction paper.) As you call out each guest's name, have him take a turn at sitting on the stool or chair and having the wizard hat placed on his head. As in the Harry Potter stories, whisper in each guest's ear which team she has been chosen to be on.
As at Hogwarts, award "house points" to teams when playing games

This Week for Teens @ Aram Public Library

2011-07-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

It's time for the All-You-Can-Read Buffet! Come out on Thursday from 3-4:30 to talk about Holly Black's White Cat. Here's the description:

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Need a copy of the book to read? We've got some upstairs you can check out with your card. We'll also pass out copies of our last summer book club pick, Imaginary Girls, this week.

What YOU'RE saying...

2011-07-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

On the back of the reading logs are a bunch of fun (and non-required) questions about what you like to read, where you read, and more. I love reading this stuff and thought I'd share some of the fun responses from the sheets that have come up so far this summer!

Name some books you've read this summer

Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser
Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder
I Am Number Four by Pitticus Lore
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by AS King
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (every volume, in fact!)
Why I Fight by J Adams Oakes
Split by Swati Avasthi
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Willow by Julia Hoben

What book should be made into a movie

Split by Swati Avasthi
The Cold, Cold Shoulder
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder

What are some of your favorite books

Twilight saga (by more than one person!)
Warriors saga
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Thristy by MT Anderson
Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
Blood Thirsty by Flynn Meaney
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Willow by Julia Hoben
Dragon Ball Z

When and where do you like to read

I read in my room or outside and I read when I don't have anything to do.
Any time, any where!
Outside
Home
At night in my bed

What's your favorite tv show

"Two and a Half Men"
"Criminal Minds"
"Raising Hope"
"The Middle"
"Modern Family"
"Ghost Whispers"
"Extreme Couponing"
"Say Yes to the Dress"
"What Not to Wear"
"George Avila"
"Dragon Ball Z"
"My Wife and Kids"

Keep reading throughout the rest of summer (and after!) to see some of the other fun books and shows your friends are enjoying.

Teen Book Reviews!

2011-07-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

It's time again to share some of the great reviews we've gotten at the library written by other teens. We're always happy to share a review, whether you loved or didn't love a book, so feel free to turn one in. Forms are in the teen area, or you can always email at aramkids [[[@]]] gmail.com (remove the brackets).

Dragon Ball Z, Volume 1 by Akira Toriyama

It's about one hero of name Son Goku. Son Goku is married, and he has a child,Son Gohan. They got a visit from outer space bearing terrible news for Goku. But Goku has a brother and his name is Raditz. Goku must fight his incredibly strong brother to save his family, especially his son Gohan. And this story keeps going in other volumes. -- Cristal.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Interesting. Definitely an original story and I love all the unique naming! Overall, a 4.5 star book. It reminded me of the show "Secret Life of the American Teenager" and I'd recommend it for anyone who has a very best friend in the world and would never let them go. -- Grace

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

I really liked how the book mixed historical with a fantastical tale. I liked that it was told through the grandchild's eyes about the grandmother. 4 Stars -- Katie

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

I think what I didn't like about this book was that it seemed ridiculous. The magic/witch thing seemed promising and the world pack working for witches was interesting, but there wasn't enough of it to keep me interested in finishing -- the protagonist seemed to get more desperate and girly as the story went on and that pretty much stopped me in my reading tracks. Halfway through I realized that the plot was almost exactly the same when you stripped it down to the bones as another book I had just read (Firelight by Sophie Jordan) and that annoyed me. In both, the books deal with magical creatures who are going to be exploited by their clans and they fall in love with an outsider and then run away. 2-3 Stars -- Linnea

This week @ APL for teens

2011-07-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Come out Thursday at 3 pm to do a little tie dying! We'll provide the supplies, and you bring your own article of clothing to dye. We'll also bring out some of these bad boys for you to enjoy, since we'll be doing this project outside under the tent:

Come out for this free and fun event!

New Books @ APL

2011-07-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for a brand new book to read? We've just gotten a ton of new stuff in and it's ready for you to check out. All descriptions are from our catalog. Happy reading!

Almost True by Keran David: Following a fatal stabbing, Ty and his family have been given new identities, but when his mum's boyfriend is killed by attackers, he finds himself torn between wanting to see his girlfriend and afraid that he is confided in her too much.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison: Self-conscious about her knobby knees but confident in her acting ability, fourteen-year-old Tallulah spends the summer at a Yorkshire performing arts camp that, she is surprised to learn, is for girls only.

Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy: Feeling betrayed, fifteen-year-old Enid follows her boyfriend, Wick, from Vermont to Maryland where he and six others they know from twin studies rent a yacht, but after she sneaks aboard a storm sets them adrift without food or water, fighting for survival.

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder: Sixteen-year-old Amber, hoping to spend one perfect day alone at the beach before her world is turned upside down, meets and feels a strong connection to Cade, who is looking for his own escape, for a very different reason.

Super Human by Michael Carroll: A ragtag group of young superheroes takes on a powerful warrior who is transported from 4,000 years in the past to enslave the modern world.

Teen Book Reviews!

2011-06-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Looking for a worthwhile read? Try one of these books, backed by other local teens! Links go to the catalog, so you can request the book from home

Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks: This was really good. The author really went deep into Wyatts mind. It expressed love and affection, as well as pain and hate. Overall, I give it 5 stars. It didn't remind me of any other books or movies because it was so original, and I would recommend this for everyone who likes to get absorbed in a book. -- Grace

Ever by Gail Carson Levine: Ever is an interesting story about a girl (Eki) who is doomed to be sacrificed to a false god, and an immortal (Olus), who wants to save her at any cost. It's a good story, but not as engaging and mature as this author's other book Fairest nor as fun as Ella Enchanted. Overall, 3/5 Stars -- Kelsey

Across the Universe by Beth Revis: I was not disappointed by this book. I thought the author balanced her sci-fi theme well with romance -- and a realistic romance at that! I was worried that, like so many of this type of book right now, this book would be all about the characters madly falling in love with each other and not at all about the problems facing them in space. But, like I said, I wasn't disappointed: the politics and science in this novel were totally within the realms of reality and a possible future. 4.5 stars out of 5. -- Linnea

Crush by Carrie Mac: This book was very different from all of the other books I've read. It wasn't bad, just different. I kinda fell in love with these types of books.* 3/5 Stars -- Kylie.

* These are the Orca Sounding and Orca Current books. They're fast paced and easy to read with quick plots. Look for them by the spine in the teen area.

What's up this week @ Aram Public Library

2011-06-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Don't forget -- the All-You-Can-Read Buffet (aka: teen book club) will be meeting on Thursday from 3-4:30 in the meeting room. We'll be discussing Lish McBride's Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. What's it about?

Sam LaCroix, a Seattle fast-food worker and college dropout, discovers that he is a necromancer, part of a world of harbingers, werewolves, satyrs, and one particular necromancer who sees Sam as a threat to his lucrative business of raising the dead.

This book's supposed to be a rollicking read, and it's even earned a nod from the American Library Association as one of last year's best debut (aka: first time author) books. Should be a blast to talk about.

Need a copy of the book? Bring your library card to the upstairs desk and ask. We've got one for you there.

Need a book to read?

2011-06-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a handful of book trailers of some of the new books that have come into the library lately. Haven't seen a book trailer before? It's like a movie trailer, but for a book.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Are you intrigued? We'll be discussing this one at our July 28 Teen Book Club discussion. Pick up a copy at the desk. Not only will we discuss it -- we'll be chatting with the author, too.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

This post-apocalyptic/dystopian novel will be one you want to pick up if you loved The Hunger Games. Saba, the main character, might be more of a tough girl than Katniss.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This fast-paced dystopian is another one fans of The Hunger Games will want to read, and this one's even set in Chicago. It's kind of cool to read about places you might be familiar with.

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

This is one of my favorite books in a long time -- it's set in Wisconsin (near Platteville) and is a great book for guys and girls. Felton's a hilarious and relatable main character.

Teen Book Reviews

2011-06-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

We've been getting so many great book reviews from you guys that I have to keep sharing them. Check out any of these if you're looking for a good read!

Split by Swati Avasthi: OMG! This is probably one of the best books I've ever read. Considering that's thousands, it is a really, really good book. It reminded me of an episode of Law and Order SVU and would be a good book for people like me who don't squirm away from rough, violent, and very graphic stories. -- Grace

Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney: This was really funny. I liked the part where he turns into a fake vampire to get girls. It was also funny because his name is Finnbar. This book reminded me of Vampire Diaries and The Twilight Saga because of the vampires, and people who have read these books or like funny books would like this one. Four stars -- Grace.

Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger: This book was great. This girl grows up knowing who she thinks she is, then when she finds out her real self, everything in her life changes. 5/5 stars -- Kylie

I was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison: I really liked this book. I thought the love in this book was really strong between Jenny and Captian W. It was really well written. 5/5 Stars -- Keanna

Siobhan Vivian @ Aram Public Library

2011-06-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that author Siobhan Vivian will be at the Aram Public Library this Wednesday at 3 pm! If you're a creative writer, you'll want to come learn how to hone your skills from an expert.

This program is best for those age 11 and up.

We have a few copies of Siobhan's book Same Difference left from our teen book club, so we'll raffle those copies off to random attendees who would like to get them signed by the author. Bring something to write with, and we'll supply small notebooks for attendees.

Want to learn more about Siobhan or her books before she comes? Check out her website!

Take a Road Trip!

2011-06-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

There's nothing more exciting than a good road trip -- you pack up the car and hit the open road with friends for an adventure. Sometimes, these adventures include a plan and sometimes, they're completely open ended.

Check out these books about road trips this summer. All books can be found in the

teen section by the author's last name. Can't find it on shelf? Ask at the desk and we'll get you a copy through our system.

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern: Recent high school graduates Lil and Josh leave Illinois for Oregon seeking Lil's sort-of friend Penny, who faked her own kidnapping to escape problems at home and an abusive boyfriend, but Lil also wants to find out if she and Josh are meant to be more than friends.

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith: When her boyfriend Zan leaves high school in Utah a year early to attend Pitzer College, a broken-hearted Joy and Zan's best friend Noah take off on a road trip to California seeking "closure."

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson: After the death of her father, Amy, a high school student, and Roger, a college freshman, set out on a carefully planned road trip from California to Connecticut, but wind up taking many detours, forcing Amy to face her worst fears and come to terms with her grief and guilt.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green: Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray: In an attempt to find a cure after being diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob's (aka mad cow) disease, Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen-year-old boy, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital.

Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis: Teens Octavia and Tali learn about strength, independence, and courage when they are forced to take a car trip with their grandmother, who tells about growing up Black in 1940s Alabama and serving in Europe during World War II

as a member of the Women's Army Corps.

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson: Seventeen-year-old Destiny keeps a painful childhood secret all to herself until she and three classmates from her exclusive boarding school take off on an unauthorized road trip in search of "one fair day."

Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez: While driving across the United States during the summer after high school graduation, three young gay men encounter various bisexual and homosexual people and make some decisions about their own relationships and lives.

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury: When best friends Chris and Win go on a cross country bicycle trek the summer after graduating and only one returns, the FBI wants to know what happened.

Need Something to Read? Here's Some Ideas

2011-06-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Looking for a book to read? Check out these teen reviews for some ideas of books that might interest you. If you've read/watched/listened to anything this summer you want to tell other teens about, let me know. I'd love to post your reviews here!

Divergent by Veronica Roth: I loved this book; it is full of action, romance, moral crisis, and character growth. One of the things I loved was how mean Beatrice/Tris was at times. I think it made her character feel more real. It was refreshing to have a narrator who wasn't sympathizing with everyone -- seeing everything in black and white/good and bad. The thing I found myself questioning while reading was what the state of the rest of the world was in (since this particular installment was centered in Chicago). I decided to assume that the reader wouldn't know this information because Tris didn't wand hoped that it would be delved into in future books. 4/5 Stars -- Linnea

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah: This girl feels ugly but one day she realizes that being beautiful isn't on the outside, but also comes from within, and she learns to love herself. 4/5 Stars -- Kylie

Laguna Cove by Alyson Noel: This book is about a new girl in town who impresses everyone at first sight. She shows everyone who she really is, unlike how she was at her old city she used to live in. 2/5 Stars -- Kylie

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead: I love this series, since it's very good. I love he way you can relate to the main character Rose and her forbidden love for a teacher. It is a great take on another society within our world. 5/5 Stars -- Dianna

This week @ APL

2011-06-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

This week's event:

Come out this Thursday from 3-4:30 pm to the library to join in our discussion of Siobhan Vivian's book Same Difference. Here's the book's description:

Feeling left out since her long-time best friend started a serious relationship, sixteen-year-old Emily looks forward to a summer program at the Philadelphia College of Art but is not sure she is up to the challenges to be faced there, including finding herself and learning to balance life and art.

Pick up a copy of the book at the desk upstairs. You can keep this book and have it signed by the author next week, too!

This week's prize
This week, you have the chance to win a $25 giftcard to Best Buy. Read for 5 hours (or more) and/or complete 5 activities on the Teen Passport to Summer to enter. Easy!

Kick off your summer reading with a summer-y book!

2011-06-10T11:17:00.001-07:00

Start your summer break with a list of books about summer breaks! All of these books are available at the Aram Public Library to check out -- and the links will take you to the catalog, where you can request the item from home to pick up at the library. Enjoy!

Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker: Quinn plans to enjoy her summer in Austin, Texas, working for a record company, even though she has to live with her cousin Penny.

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz: Over the course of several summers on the Atlantic coast, Chase struggles with his feelings for his best friend's sisters in the beach house next door while trying to get his own family through seemingly insurmountable problems.

Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis: When she is left with relatives in rural Minnesota for the summer, Sadie meets Allie, a spiky-haired off-road biker, and Joe, who team up to train for a race, but when they find a priest badly beaten and near death in the woods, Allie mysteriously disappears leaving Sadie and Joe to discover the dangerous secrets she is hiding.

All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz: Almost sixteen-year-old city-transplant Aurora must adapt to life on an organic farm as she navigates an eventful summer when she falls in love, discovers that her mother has left for good, and watches her father take a bold stand in defense of the rights of undocumented Mexican farm workers.

A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin: In Iowa farm country, sixteen-year-old Aspen and her friend Laurel plan to get noticed the summer before their senior year and are unwittingly aided by pig triplets, a skunk, a chicken, bullies, a rookie policeman, and potential boyfriends.

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Bell: Thirteen-year-old Genevieve's summer at a frontier family history camp in Laramie, Wyoming, with her parents and brother is filled with surprises, which she reports to friends back home on the cell phone she sneaked in, and which they turn into a blog.

Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita: When the exceptionally people-pleasing Sam spends a summer as a counselor-in-training, she learns how to say no, to stand up for herself, and what it feels like to have a crush on a great guy.

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle: Fifteen-year-old Carly's summer volunteer experience makes her feel more real than her life of privilege in Atlanta ever did, but her younger sister starts high school pretending to be what she is not, and both find their relationships suffering.

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald: Seventeen-year-old Jenna, an ardent vegetarian and environmentalist, is thrilled to be spending the summer communing with nature in rural Canada, until she discovers that not all of the rugged residents there share her beliefs.

Perfect Chemistry posters

2011-06-08T12:56:00.001-07:00

Have you read Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry? Seen the poster in the teen area featuring the cute boys from the book trailer below?:

I've got a handful of extra posters. If you want one, I'd love to hook you up with one. They will be ready to be picked up starting NEXT Monday.

The Hunger Games movie

2011-06-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Did you guys see they're going to be making the Hunger Games trilogy into four movies?

What do you think about that?

New Books @ Aram Public Library for Teens

2011-05-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

We've gotten a few new books in that might interest you as we gear up for summer reading. Check 'em out. All links go to our catalog record, so you can request the book from home:

Family by Micol Ostow: In the 1960s, seventeen-year-old Melinda leaves an abusive home for San Francisco, meets the charismatic Henry, and follows him to his desert commune where sex and drugs are free, but soon his "family" becomes violent against rich and powerful people and she is compelled to join in.

* This book is loosely based on the Manson family story, and it's told in verse (like Ellen Hopkins).

Future Imperfect by K. Ryer Breese: Seventeen-year-old Ade is addicted to the feeling he gets after knocking himself unconscious brings visions of the future, but when he meets Vauxhall, with whom he knows he will fall in love, he discovers that she also has an addiction and that together they may be able to do the impossible--change the future.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow: In 1936 Berlin, fourteen-year-old Karl Stern, considered Jewish despite a non-religious upbringing, learns to box from the legendary Max Schmeling while struggling with the realities of the Holocaust.

Department 19 by Will Hill: After watching his father's brutal murder, sixteen-year-old Jamie Carpenter joins Department 19, a secret government agency, where he learns of the existence of vampires and the history that ties him to the team destined to stop them.

Teen Book Reviews

2011-05-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for a good read? Pick up one of the books your peers are reading. These book reviews come through our Read Off Your Fines program, and they are too good not to share! Links take you to our catalog record so you can put a hold on an item from home.

Have a book review you want to share? We'd love to have yours posted here. You can email the review to aramkids [[@]] aramlibrary [[.]] org. Remove the brackets and spaces.

Werewolf Haiku by Ryan Mecum: This was a different, but very interesting, book. I was shocked that it turned out the way it did. Still, very interesting. 3/5 stars -- Kylie

Itch by Michelle D. Kwasney: I absolutely loved this book! It was so easy to follow and I knew exactly what was going on, which never happens. I would highly recommend this book to any one of my friends. 4/5 stars -- Kylie

Night World volume 1 by LJ Smith: It's a great story about the effects and consequences of the people of the night world falling in love with the day. It has interesting plots and twists, and the playfulness of the night society is really fun. 5/5 stars -- Dianna

I'll Be Seeing You by Lurlene McDaniel (located in the anthology True Love): Carley was a teenager who had a tumor removed from her head, which caused her to have a facial deformity. Carley would hide her feelings by making others around her laugh at the jokes she told. She ended up in the hospital because of a broken leg and then an infection and met Kyle. Kyle had been hurt in a chemistry experiment and he could potentially be blind. Carley and Kyle become close, but Carley is too afraid to let Kyle see her face, so she leaves with no intention of Kyle ever seeing her again. One day, Kyle finds her and they talk, but Kyle ends up leaving then. Another day, Kyle is flying a plane with a message directly to Carley. 4/5 stars -- Rocio.

Want to talk to authors? Win free books?

2011-05-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

One of our book club members shared a really cool link -- through Reach Out Reads, you can talk with a ton of different authors every evening and even win free books. Christy won a copy of Matthew Quick's Sorta Like a Rockstar just for asking him a question.

There are bookmarks in the new teen books area with more information about Reach Out Reads, as well as a list of books about the kinds of stuff you guys are interested in. Check 'em out!

First images from The Hunger Games filming

2011-05-19T03:59:00.001-07:00

Fan of The Hunger Games? Here's one of the first shots of Katniss:

What do you think? Does Jennifer Lawrence look like you think Katniss should look?

Teen Book Reviews

2011-05-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Need a good book to read? Why not see what other teens are reading and loving? Here are a few of the great reviews we've received from our Read Off Your Fines program -- and remember, if you have a fine on your library card, you can have $1 taken off for turning in a simple book review of *anything* you've read. But hurry! It won't be around forever.

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles: I LOVED this book! It was so sad, and I actually cried, but I love how this book brought me to tears. It truly is a great book. 4/5 stars -- Kylie

Side Effects by Amy Koss: One of the best books I've ever read. Truly amazing book. This was an inspiring book to know that there is hope out there for people who need help like that. 5/5 stars -- Kylie

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart: This book was about choosing what's more important: keeping a secret or keeping a life. She had to choose which one she was going to do, which turns out to be surprising and very hard for her. 3/5 stars -- Kylie

Jane by April Lindner: This book was such an inspiration to me because the characters Nico Rathburn and Jane's love relationship was my favorite part of the book. I couldn't put it down. I recommend this book to other teenagers. Highly!!! 5/5 stars -- Amanda

Prom!

2011-05-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

Prom for DDHS is this weekend -- why not get in the spirit by reading a book about one of the biggest nights of your high school experience? Links go to our catalog, where you can place a hold on the book from home with your library card.

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg: For Lizzie Bennett, a music scholarship student at Connecticut's exclusive, girls-only Longbourn Academy, the furor over prom is senseless, but even more puzzling is her attraction to the pompous Will Darcy, best friend of her roommate's boyfriend.

Will Work for Prom Dress by Aimee Ferris: Seventeen-year-old Quigley and her best friend Anne have big plans to prepare for prom, including working to earn money for dresses, but both girls seem to have chosen their prospective dates badly as Anne's family crisis affects them all. Bonus: check out this website featuring a ton of teen authors in their old prom photos!

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald: On prom night, Bliss, Jolene, and Meg, students from the same high school who barely know one another, band together to get revenge against Bliss's boyfriend and her best friend, whom she caught together in the limousine they rented.

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson: Eighteen-year-old Ash wants nothing to do with senior prom, but when disaster strikes and her desperate friend, Nat, needs her help to get it back on track, Ash's involvement transforms her life.

21 Proms edited by Daniel Ehrenhaft: This collection of short stories about the ups and downs of prom features works by John Green, Holly Black, Libba Bray, and many more.

24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley: Jack Grammar, average American senior, has no date to the prom. Or so he thinks. Percy and Natalie, Jack's so-called best friends, post an ad in the classified section of the online version of the school newspaper. They figure it couldn't hurt. After all, there's not much in this world sadder than Jack's love life. Soon Percy and Natalie have assembled a list of girls eager to go to the prom with Jack, including one mysterious girl known only as FancyPants. He has just seven days to meet and date them before he will ask one special girl to the prom.

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore: High school senior and yearbook photographer Maggie thought she would rather die than go to prom, but when a classmate summons a revenge-seeking demon, she has no choice but to buy herself a dress and prepare to face jocks, cheerleaders, and Evil Incarnate.

Suzi Clue: The Prom Queen Curse by Michelle Kehm: Suzi Clue, a mystery-obsessed freshman with her own sense of style, investigates "the curse of the prom queen" at Seattle's Mountain High School.

Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck: Entering her senior year at St. James Christian Academy, Daisy has less than 200 days to look stylish, develop social skills, find the right boy for the prom, and convince her parents to let her date.

Fat Hoochie Prom Queen by Nico Medina: Large, loud Margarita truly hates student body president Bridget Benson, a stuck-up television star whom Madge was friends with when both were child actresses, so when Bridget challenges her to a contest to win prom queen, Madge tells her to "get ready to lose by a landslide."

Prom Crashers by Erin Downing: It was love at first sight for Emily and Ethan. But then Em lost his number and , with it, all hope of finding a real boyfriend before the end of senior year. All she knows about Ethan is his first name, that he has a supercute smile, and that he's going to a prom this month. Which high school? That's anyone's guess.

Two teen book reviews

2011-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

Christy brought three book reviews in to share. Enjoy! Perhaps these will get you thinking about some of the interesting books you can pick up over the summer (which, despite being gray and chilly outside, IS just around the corner!):

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti: I like how the book references real things that happened, and they didn't sugar coat anything. 3/5 stars.

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick: It was a good book, and I'm proud that Amber stayed herself through the whole book and that the people around her tried to be her friend after what happened. 4/5 stars.

Carrie by Stephen King: I was very confused and had to reread parts. I also like to read books that are happy at the end, and this book did not end happily. 2/5 stars

Be ready to lose your brain...errr...

2011-04-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Tired of sparkly vampires?

Fearing the impending zombie apocalyse?

Worry every time you see the full moon that those you love might transform into hairier creatures?

Come out this Friday at 2 pm to our Bloodsuckers Book Discussion. We'll be joined via Skype by teen author Carrie Harris, of the forthcoming zombie book Bad Taste in Boys, and you'll get to hear about all of the awesome paranormal books available now and coming out soon. We'll have plenty of books to give away, and Carrie promises to be a hoot.

It's totally free, and you don't have to sign up. Join us!

*For those grades 6 and up.

All-You-Can-Read Buffet Upcoming Books

2011-04-08T07:36:00.001-07:00

At last night's book discussion, it seemed everyone's really excited about our next book, Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King. If you want to join in the discussion, we're meeting at the library from 3:30 - 5 p.m. on April 21. There are extra copies of the obok available, so just ask at one of the desks at the library and we'll get you set up.

Here's the description -- When her best friend, whom she secretly loves, betrays her and then dies under mysterious circumstances, high school senior Vera Dietz struggles with secrets that could help clear his name.

If you want to plan ahead for our next meetings in May, June, and July, have no fear! We've got dates and (tentative) titles for each one. Join us:

May 5 @ Starbucks to discuss Susan Bartoletti's The Boy Who Dared. Here's the description -- In October, 1942, seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hübener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls his past life and how he came to dedicate himself to bring the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people.

May 19 @ McDonald's to discuss Kiersten White's Paranormalcy. Here's the description -- When a dark prophecy begins to come true, sixteen-year-old Evie of the International Paranormal Containment Agency must not only try to stop it, she must also uncover its connection to herself and the alluring shapeshifter, Lend.

Here's the tentative list of next reads, as well, though we don't have locations set. Have a suggestion for where you'd like to meet, let us know.

June 2: Break by Hannah Moskowitz. Here's the description -- To relieve the pressures of caring for a brother with life-threatening food allergies, another who is a fussy baby, and parents who are at odds with one other, seventeen-year-old Jonah sets out to break every bone in his body in hopes of becoming stronger.

June 16: Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian. Siobhan will be at the Aram Public Library June 22 to give a writing workshop, as well. Here's the description of this book -- Feeling left out since her long-time best friend started a serious relationship, sixteen-year-old Emily looks forward to a summer program at the Philadelphia College of Art but is not sure she is up to the challenges to be faced there, including finding herself and learning to balance life and art.

June 30 @ Aram Public Library: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride. Here's the description -- Sam LaCroix, a Seattle fast-food worker and college dropout, discovers that he is a necromancer, part of a world of harbingers, werewolves, satyrs, and one particular necromancer who sees Sam as a threat to his lucrative business of raising the dead.

We're nothing if not diverse readers! Pick up a book, drop in, and join us for discussion and lots of fun (we pull out the Legos and Playdoh, too).

Royal Reads

2011-04-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Are you excited about the royal wedding? Like to see fairy tales happen in real life? If you're looking to do a little reading about life as a princess (and future queen!), here are a few books you might want to check out. All the links go to our catalog, where you can request the book.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot: Fourteen-year-old Mia, who is trying to lead a normal life as a teenage girl in New York City, is shocked to learn that her father is the Prince of Genovia, a small European principality, and that she is a princess and the heir to the throne.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale: On her way to marry a prince she's never met, Princess Anidori is betrayed by her guards and her lady-in-waiting and must become a goose girl to survive until she can reveal her true identity and reclaim the crown that is rightfully hers.

Violet Eyes by Debbie Viguie: In a dynamic retelling of "The Princess and the Pea," 17-year-old Violet falls in love at first sight with the dashing Prince Richard, who has arrived at her impoverished family farm in the middle of a storm and whose parents insist that he marry a princess of high nobility.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George: In the midst of maneuverings to create political alliances through marriage, sixteen-year-old Poppy, one of the infamous twelve dancing princesses, becomes the target of a vengeful witch while Prince Christian tries to save her.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George: A retelling of the tale of twelve princesses who wear out their shoes dancing every night, and of Galen, a former soldier now working in the king's gardens, who follows them in hopes of breaking the curse.

The Princess Trap by Kirsten Boie: Palace rules, boarding school, and paparazzi have Jenna, princess of the newly unified kingdom of Scandia, longing for her former anonymity, but when she runs away she finds herself in grave danger--and in a position to prevent the outbreak of civil war. This is a sequel to The Princess Plot.

Sphinx's Princ ess by Esther Friesner: Although she is a dutiful daughter, Nefertiti's dancing abilities, remarkable beauty, and intelligence garner attention near and far, so much so that her family is summoned to the Egyptian royal court, where Nefertiti becomes a pawn in the power play of her scheming aunt, Queen Tiye.

9th grade book talks

2011-03-30T12:34:00.001-07:00

Hear about a bunch of books lately at school? Can't remember the title or want to look through the list of books for ideas of what to read? Look no further -- here's the presentation from the 9th grade book talks at Delavan Darien High School. These books are appropriate for high school readers and older. And yes, you can play around with the presentation all you want to. It's no ordinary power point. If you're interested in seeing the videos shared, you can go here.

March Booktalks @ DDHS 9th grade on Prezi

Upcoming Book Discussions

2011-03-14T10:06:00.001-07:00

Want to come hang out with the All-You-Can-Read Cafe? Here's our schedule for the rest of the school year. We'll continue through the summer, so if there is book you're dying to read, let us know and we'll add it to the calendar.

Remember: you can get a copy of the book by asking at the library. We'll make sure a copy is sent your way.

All meetings are from 3:30 - 5 p.m. If you have to come late or leave early, that is totally fine.

March 24 @ Starbucks: Gentlemen by Michael Northrop. He'll be joining us in a chat that day!

April 7 @ Starbucks: Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick. This book is a little hard to get into, so give this one at least 100 pages before you quit. The wait is WORTH IT.

April 21 @ the library: Please Ignore Vera Dietz by AS King.

May 5 @ Starbucks: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Bartoletti.

May 19 @ McDonald's: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.

Hope to see you soon!

Teen book reviews

2011-03-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here's another round of teen book reviews for you to enjoy. All of these books are available at the library and all of these reviews come from Marissa.

Smile by Raina Telegmeier: I liked this book. It is about a girl who falls during Girl Scouts and breaks her tooth. Then she has to get all of these things done to her teeth. She has to wear a big mouth guard when she is sleeping too. I give this book 5/5 stars.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins: This book is about Kristina having to live her life with a new baby to handle. She is also a drug addict. I give this book 5/5 stars.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer: I feel really sad that a mother would do this. I wonder how it feels like to be Dave Pelzer? I wonder why his mom treated him like that and not her other kids. I give this 5/5 stars.

Win an iPod Touch!

2011-03-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

Ever been on a high-tech treasure hunt?

Want to win an iPod touch?

Come to the Aram Public Library between March 7 and 19 to take part in a hands-on QR code hunt, where the grand prize winner will walk away with an iPod touch to keep.

QR codes – also known as quick response codes – are small barcodes that can be attached to books, fliers, or advertisements. When scanned by a smart phone or an iPod touch with a camera, these codes lead to videos or websites online. They’re a fun and easy way to take notes, remember the name of a book, or connect to more information without having to write anything down, and they’re showing up more and more every day.

Come into the library with your smart phone with a QR reader or borrow our iPod touch to try your hand at our treasure hunt. You’ll be led through a series of steps taking you from books on the shelf to videos made by authors and other teens. But in addition to simply scanning QR codes, you’ll work to complete word puzzles, discover helpful ways to find good books to read, and much, much more.

When you reach your last clue, you’ll be entered into our drawing to win an iPod touch for yourself.

No registration is necessary, and we will have one iPod touch available to check out. To borrow it, bring your library card OR your school ID. The rules are simple and will be explained in the first step of the treasure hunt. Hope to see you soon!

Open to grades 6-12 only.

Award winning books: Check 'em out

2011-03-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

Code Hunters: Read this for your next clue, which is at the bottom!

Looking for a tried-and-true read? Why not check out these book award winners, selected by panels of librarians, bloggers, teachers, and more? We own each of these books, and you can find them by looking up the first three letters of the author's last name on the shelves in the teen area.

2010 Printz Winner

The Printz award is given to the most outstanding book written for teens in a given year. This is presented through the American Library Association, and the most recent winner is:

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.

2010 William C Morris Award Winner

The Morris Award is a more recent award that honors the best book written by a first-time author. It, too, is awarded by the American Library Association. Clue Hunters: Find this book, which happens to be 2010's Morris Award Winner:

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Suffering from a crippling case of post-traumatic stress disorder, sixteen-year-old Loa Lindgren tries to use her problem solving skills, sharpened in physics and computer programming, to cure herself.

2010 Cybils Awards in YA Fiction & YA Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Cybils awards are selected by a group of bloggers who represent professions such as librarians, teachers, authors, and some who are even teens themselves. These awards target books that are well written and have wide appeal for teens. There are two categories for young adult books. First, the winner for YA Fiction:

Split by Swati Avasthi

A teenaged boy thrown out of his house by his abusive father goes to live with his older brother, who ran away from home years ago to escape the abuse.

For the Science Fiction and Fantasy category:

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter.

Code Hunters: If you missed it -- go find this year's Morris Award Winner on the shelf for your next clue in the form of a QR code.

Straight from the author: Courtney Summers

2011-02-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

If you missed book club last week, you missed our exciting chat with Courtney Summers. Fortunately, she's given us permission to reprint the chat. Here's a little insight into her book, Fall For Anything, a bit of talk about RPatz, and a look into the publishing process -- something that will interest any aspiring writer!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: first question: where did your idea come from?

courtney: Hi! The idea for Fall for Anything sort of happened a little after my Grandfather died. I always knew I wanted to write a book about death/grief, but I kept putting it on the backburner. After he passed away, it was sort of cathartic to explore the topic. The specifics about the idea--the photography, the suicide etc--just kinda happened!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: what character is most like you/do you most relate to in the story?

courtney: Hmm. That's a good question! I try not to cop to being like any of my characters, just so I can keep people's ideas of them separate from me. The ones I relate to most--I think Eddie. She has a hard time letting stuff go! I'm like that and understand it. I think her father, Seth, had a complicated relationship with art that I can relate to (though I do not relate to the lengths he went to... at all!).

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: well that's good.

courtney: Definitely!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: are any of your characters based on anyone you know?

courtney: Nope. Although I do sometimes insert the names of family + friends to fill in for minor characters.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: we're impressed how everything is off the top of your head -- "it's crazy!"

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: next question!

courtney: Hee!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: Was Culler a good guy or a bad guy?

courtney: I think Culler was good! But I know a lot of people think he's bad. But I always see Culler as someone who is really struggling with the loss himself. Seth validated him as a photographer, which was important, and in losing Seth he lost a bit of his spark. I really think he believed he was helping Eddie, or didn't anticipate how badly it would go because he romanticized the outcome, like he romanticized his photographic process. So I think he's a good guy who did a not-so-smart thing.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: that was a great answer

courtney: Thank you. It was a great question.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: what interests you about the topic of teen relationships?courtney: Hmm! In terms of my own writing--I am interested in how fragile and volatile they can be, how uncertain, but that could because I throw my teen characters into volatile situations that make them fragile. It's exciting to write about how many times characters can screw up before they get it right (or they don't!).

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: do you think the situations in fall for anything could really happen?

courtney: I think they are certainly within the realm of possibility... but maybe they wouldn't all happen at the exact same time. But then--life is often stranger than fiction!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: if your book were to be made into a movie, who would play the main characters?

courtney: Aaah, so difficult to answer! I'm not sure. I'm bad at casting--my characters are vague in my head. St. Martin's got Eddie exactly right on the cover but as far as I know that model isn't also an actress. I always pictured some kind of young James Dean look-a-like. Milo's a blank for me! And this was not a real answer to that question. Sorry!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: we have a protest that you cant even see the face of the model. one of our teens suggests: wynona rider for eddie since shes good at broken characters

courtney: Awww! Well.... when I picture my characters, I usually just see hair color in my head above all else. So... she works for me!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: and

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: robert pattinson for culler because he's creepy

courtney: HAH.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: BUT DEFINITELY NOT TAYLOR LAUTNER

courtney: What about Robert Pattinson for everyone???

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: we're all uncomfortable here

courtney: We can just a wig on him or something to play Eddie.

courtney: Aw.

courtney: It would be unintentionally art housey and brilliant.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: what teens are you aiming at (this is our second to last question)

courtney: Any teens that feel ready to read my books, really. I write to the upper end of the YA spectrum though. I used to think 14-15 and older was best, but I started getting emails from 13-year-old readers, which reminded me that teens are great self-censors + know best what they want to read or not read.

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: "darn right we do" - justin

courtney: :)

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: last question!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: what was the publishing process like? we have interested writers.

courtney: It's intense! It's slow but it's also fast, once things start rolling. Once a book is accepted for publication, it goes through a lot of steps to become a book. It's edited (I'm in the thick of edits now for my next book), it's copyedited, proofed... I read my books so much to prepare them for publication by the time they ARE published, I never want to look at them again. That's pretty vague, I know. If there are more specific Qs about the process, I am happy to take them but there's a summary!

all-you-can-read buffet @ APL: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to chat with us!

courtney: Thank you for having me! The questions were great!

Upcoming Book Club Books

2011-02-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

Want to get involved in the All-You-Can-Read Buffet? We've picked out the next several books we'll read, so grab a copy and join in the fun. We're open to high schoolers and we meet from 3:30 pm until 5 pm. Let your youth services librarian know if you need a book.

OH! And be prepared not to just talk about the books. We do things that might be a little . . . strange. Be ready to have to make things out of Legos, chat with the authors, draw, and much, much more.

March 10 @ Aram Public Library, we'll discuss Paranoid Park by Blake Nelson

March 24 @ Starbucks, we'll discuss Michael Northrop's Gentlemen.

April 7, location TBD, we'll discuss Matthew Quick's Sorta Like a Rock Star.

Hope to see you there!

Teen Review: Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff

2011-02-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff

I loved the fact that not only did this book have more than one perspective, but each one was told so well and precisely that I could remember nearly each detail in the sitautions, as if I had already lived it. I also really liked the fact that each character was real and authentic when they could have easily been stereotyped. Each character held a strong role and influence on the other and they each had their own point of view on things that intertwined perfectly in the end. I give this book 4 stars. -- Simona

Teen Book Reviews

2011-02-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

Laura brings us two more book reviews, both of which she gave 5 stars.

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson: I liked this book because I can connect to it and it seems so real! It reminded me also a little bit about the movie "Brother Bear" by being mysical and about getting back to Indian roots.

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey: I couldn't put this book down at times, but at other times I had to shut it closed. It is interesting enough to read on a rainy or snowy day but with breaks in between.

Next session of the All-You-Can-Read Buffet

2011-02-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

We had an excellent book club meeting last week at Starbucks, which included some photos, drawing, and a lot of great discussion about Julia Karr's XVI. We even got to chat with Julia, who let us know there is a second book in the series.

Next up for the All-You-Can-Read Buffet is our meeting February 24. We'll meet at 3:30 in the library meeting room to discuss Courtney Summers's Fall For Anything. She's agreed to chat with us for a bit at 4:30 to answer questions we may have about the book. Oh, and in this meeting, we're going to have a little discussion with Legos.

If you need a copy of the book, get in touch with Kelly, your youth services librarian. You can drop a comment here or email her at aramkids@aramlibrary.org. Hope to see you there!

Teen review: Beautiful by Amy Reed

2011-02-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Simona, one of our teens, has another book review to share. This time, she's talking about Amy Reed's Beautiful:

This book is amazing. I loved how Reed made everything so authentic, vivid, and detailed. I seriously felt as thought I was one of the characters because of how well the book was written. Everything throughout the book was so realistic and down to earth. Beautiful was nearly impossible for me to set down for a fraction of a second. Yes, it was that good. The main character ran into something new each chapter, and sometimes I had hope for her, and other times I didn't. I actually felt for the character in the book. Although I really enjoyed reading this book, I was not a big fan of the ending. But, it deserves 5 stars automatically! :)

New Teen Books

2011-02-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Don't forget that the Teen Masquerade Ball is THIS SATURDAY f rom 6-8 p.m. You know, AFTER the library is closed. This is just for those age 13-18. We'll have contests, games, and plenty of food and drink for all. We'll make some swanky masks, too. Come dressed in your finest.

While you're waiting to come to our hauntingly fun affair, check out some of the new books in our teen department. All links take you to the catalog.

Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith: Even as teenaged Quincie Morris adjusts to her appetites as a neophyte vampire, she must clear her true love, the hybrid-werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents' restaurant up and running before she loses her own soul.

Taking Off by Jenny Moss: In 1985 in Clear Lake, Texas, home of the Johnson Space Center, high school senior Annie Porter struggles with her desire to become a poet, but her resolve to pursue her dream is strengthened when she meets Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to go intospace.

Good Behavior by Nathan Henry: A memoir of a teen's life in jail. This is a true story.

Two more teen reviews

2011-02-04T10:43:00.001-08:00

Looking for a good book to read? Alex shares two of her recent reads and tells us exactly why we should read these books!

Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison: The story was well-told and highly detailed. The tale makes the reader go through a rollercoaster of emotions and throws in unexpected twists. The only thing I didn't really enjoy was the fact that it wa a little TOO sappy. It was cringe-worthy in some spots. Overall, Morrison did a wonderful job. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards: The main reason why I liked this book was because it had multiple narrators and Richards tied their stories flawlessly. Ricahrds also tells the story in a vivid, simple yet descriptive poetic form. The characters also grow and develop throughout the tale, and they all have to overcome their hardships together. 5 out of 5 stars.

New Books in the teen area

2011-01-31T09:49:00.001-08:00

We've been getting tons of new teen books lately. Here are just a small handful of the ones that have made their way to our shelves. Links go to our catalog for you to request from home, and all summaries are from our catalog. Lots of "girl friendly" books in this bunch, but don't worry guys -- next time you'll see a ton of really cool books up your alley (including one about a mega snow storm).

Sleepless by Cyn Balog: Eron, a supernatural being known as a Sandman whose purpose is to seduce humans to sleep, falls in love with a sad teenaged girl who is mourning her boyfriend's death.

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves: Portero, Texas, teens Kit and Fancy Cordelle share their infamous father's fascination with killing, and despite their tendency to shun others they bring two boys with similar tendencies to a world of endless possibilities they have discovered behind a mysterious door.

Smile for the Camera by Kelle James: This non-fiction story is about a girl who leaves her small farm town for New York City in hopes of making it in the modeling world. Hint -- it's not easy!

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon: After her parents die under mysterious circumstances, sixteen-year-old Renee Winters is sent from California to an old-fashioned boarding school in Maine, where she meets a fellow student to whom she seems strangely connected.

2 Teen Book Reviews

2011-01-26T13:00:00.001-08:00

Looking for a good read? Simona, one of our own teens, shares these two books:

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins: I enjoyed reading this book because from the beginning, it was relatable and interesting to me. I like teen books that involve struggle, but it's realistic. It has lots of tough experiences that the characters went through and it showed how they got themselves into those situations. Ellen is really blunt and straightforward, which I liked because she usually got straight to the topic rather than having it wait. I really liked the fact that each character is different yet connected in the end, which was unexpected but great as well. I always recommend this book to friends and I think that this book overall deserves a full 5-star rating.

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

This book is so great and also a quick read. I don't think I was bored with the material at any point in the book. It is perfect. I think one of the main reasons it is so good is because the details are ridiculous. I could picture and imagine smells, nearly everything that was described in the book. It attracted every sense and it felt like I was in the book when I would read. Althought it isn't necessarily a happy book in the beginning, I definitely believe it deserves 5 stars.

The All-You-Can-Read Buffet

2011-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

Wow! The response to our new high school book club -- now known as The All-You-Can-Read Buffet was more than we expected. For those of you who missed out and for those of you who helped plan and launch this, here's more details!

We'll be meeting February 10 at 3:30 at the Delavan Starbucks to discuss Julia Karr's XVI. This promises to be quite a read and quite a discussion. All are welcome to join in, even if you haven't read the book. We'll not only talk this title, we'll also work on reimagining and redesigning the cover, so think about what *you* think would make a good cover for this book as you read. And maybe, just maybe, Julia Karr will answer some of our lingering questions.

You can find out more about our club on goodreads, as well as through the blog and on our facebook page.

Can't make it this time? Keep your eyes posted for our next meeting and discussion title. We've got ideas cooked up to do a discussion in Legos. . .

Read off your fines is back!

2011-01-12T12:42:00.001-08:00

Do you have fines on your library card but don't have the money to pay for them?
Come in and learn about how you can "read off" your fines. Did you read that? You can reduce your fines simply by reading and reviewing a book.

Here's your chance to pay by doing what you love to do anyway.

Uncover a good mystery

2011-01-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

To kick off the new year in style (or suspense!), the new teen display features mysteries. These tales of sleuthing are sure to keep you guessing until the end.

If you're looking for a good mystery, here's some other titles worth checking out. It's a small sampling of a mystery titles we carry. Remember: if it's not on shelf, just ask at the reference desk and we'll hold it for you. Links go to our catalog so you can also reserve the title yourself.

A Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson (she writes an entire forensic science mystery series)

Trash by Andy Mulligan

The Less Dead by April Lurie

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Dream Life by Laura Mechling

The Agency: A Spy in the House and The Agency: A Body in the Tower by Y. S. Lee

Blood on My Hands by Todd Strasser

Invisible I by Melissa Kantor

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams (This is the first in the Echo Falls series)

Murder at Midnight by Avi

Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones

Cold Skin by Steve Herrick

Fake ID by Walter Sorrells

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

New books!

2010-12-30T06:10:00.001-08:00

You're still on winter break but getting bored? Try one of these books -- each of these is brand new to our teen section. Descriptions come from our catalog.

Good Fortune by Noni Carter: Brutally kidnapped from her African village and shipped to America, a young girl struggles to come to terms with her new life as a slave, gradually rising from working in the fields to the master's house, secretly learning to read and write, until, risking everything, she escapes to seek freedom in the North.

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston: Henry Whelp, son of the Big Bad Wolf, investigates what happened to the fairies that used to protect humans and animalia, and what role the corporation that manufactures synthetic fairy dust played in his father's crime.

The Properties of Water by Hannah Roberts McKinnon: When her older sister, Marni, is paralyzed jumping off the cliffs into the lake near their house, twelve-year-old Lace feels responsible for the accident and struggles to find a way to help heal her family.

The Less-Dead by April Lurie: Sixteen-year-old Noah Nordstrom, whose father is the host of a popular evangelical Christian radio program, believes that the person who has been killing gay teenagers in the Austin, Texas, foster care system, is a regular caller on his dad's show.

The F Factor by Diane Gonzales Bertrand: Javier Ávila, a smart but clumsy sophomore at St. Peter's High School, thinks it is a mistake when he is placed in the new course, Media Broadcasting, but over the course of the year, he discovers self-confidence, the value of extracurricular activities, and a talent for broadcast journalism.

The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes: Devastated by the death of her Shakespearean-actor father, Esti Legard moves to a tropical island for her senior year in high school, where she finds herself torn between a mysterious, masked mentor and a seductive island boy, as she tries to escape the overpowering shadow of her famous father.

Half Upon a Time by James Riley: In the village of Giant's Hand Jack's grandfather has been pushing him to find a princess and get married, so when a young lady falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and she tells Jack that her grandmother, who looks suspiciously like the long-missing Snow White, has been kidnapped, Jack decides to help her.

Win a free ticket to a Milwaukee Bucks game

2010-12-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

Are you in grades 3 through 10?

Want to get a free ticket to a Milwaukee Bucks game?

Come into the library starting January 3 to pick up a reading log. Read 500 pages between January 3 and February 26 then return the log to the library to pick up your free voucher.

Watch for more details in the youth services and teen departments soon!

The Monday Mashup

2010-12-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

This week, a book for you to enjoy on break, as well as a game for you to play to kill some time.

Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

Lucy keeps a secret, but that secret might be revealed when her mom ends up dead, buried under piles of stuff she's collected.

See, Lucy's mom's a hoarder -- someone who keeps everything -- and Lucy has never told anyone. But how can she possibly help her dead mom or herself if she doesn't finally break down and tell people what's going on?

This fast paced, realistic read will leave you wondering what you would do if someone you loved got themselves into such a situation. Would you do what Lucy decides at the end?

Are you ready for the zombie apocalypse?

No?

Well, you can get yourself prepared by playing Plants vs Zombies for free right here. A great way to kill a little time this winter break.

9th grade book talk

2010-12-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

For those of you who heard the book talk this week in the 9th grade classes or teens looking for a good read, here's a bunch of highly recommended titles for you to check out:

December 2010 9th grade book talk

View more presentations from aramteens.

New Books!

2010-12-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a small list of even more new books begging to be read. They're all available right now in our library. Links take you to the catalog, where you can place a hold.

Starcrossed by Elizabeth Bunce: In a kingdom dominated by religious intolerance, 16-year-old Digger, a street thief, has always avoided attention, but when she learns that her friends are plotting against the throne she must decide whether to join them or turn them in.

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Houtman: Middle school student Eddy Thomas loves science and inventing, but has trouble with people. Finally he meets some friends who appreciate his abilities and respect his unique view of the world. With their help can he rethink his definition of success?

The Best and Hardest Thing by Pat Brisson: When she is a sophomore in high school, Molly gets rid of her good-girl image but ends up becoming pregnant and having to make some difficult decisions.

Payback Time by Carl Deuker: Overweight, somewhat timid Mitch reluctantly agrees to be the sports reporter for the Lincoln High newspaper because he is determined to be a writer, but he senses a real story in Angel, a talented football player who refuses to stand out on the field--or to discuss his past.

The Enchanted Quest
by Frewin Jones: Princess Tania must travel outside of the Immortal Realm to seek a cure for the plague afflicting her people, while joined in spirit with all of the children of Aurealis to weave a web of protection over the Realm of Faerie.

The Monday Mashup

2010-12-13T12:56:00.001-08:00

Today, we bring you a some book trailers for new titles you are bound to love. This week, you're getting your books AND your videos all at once. Each of these books is available in our library now!

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card (he wrote Ender's Game if you love that one!)

Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Middle School Book talk

2010-12-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

If you're a 7th grader at Phoenix Middle School, then you'll have the chance to hear about some excellent books at the end of the week from our library. In case you forget the title of a book you like or you are interested in a good book and didn't get to hear the talks, never fear! Here's the powerpoint with all of the titles, cover images, descriptions, and book trailers just for you.

After you read any of these, share your thoughts in the comments. Let other people know why they should check 'em out.

There's *something* for everybody here, from true tales of scientists in the field to a graphic novel about getting braces. All are perfect for 6-9th graders (and even older people, too!).

Phoenixtalk dec2010

View more presentations from aramteens.

New books!

2010-12-07T06:30:00.001-08:00

Here are a handful of new titles on shelves for you to check out. Descriptions are from our catalog:

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

As world war and the looming Russian Revolution threaten all they hold dear, Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II, and her family are being held in captivity, where she falls in love with one of their captors, a young man who has espoused the ideals of Lenin.

Invisible Things by Jenny Davidson

In an alternate 1930s Europe, sixteen-year-old Sophie and Mikael, now more than a friend, investigate her parents' death, setting off a chain of events that unravels everything she thought she knew about her family, and involving them in international intrigue and the development of the atomic bomb.

The Dark Deeps by Arthur Slade

Fourteen-year-old Modo, a shape-changing hunchback, and Octavia take on another mission as secret agents for the Permanent Association in Victorian London, investigating the cause behind the sinking of several ships in the same place.

iDrakula by Bekka Black

An updated version of Dracula told through a series of text messages, instant messages, e-mails, and Web browser images. Eighteen-year-old Jonathan Harker comes down with a rare blood disorder after meeting mysterious Count in Romania. His girlfriend Mina and pre-med student Abraham Van Helsing investigate the source of the disease, learning that the Count is a vampire.

The Princess Trap by Kirsten Boie

Palace rules, boarding school, and paparazzi have Jenna, princess of the newly unified kingdom of Scandia, longing for her former anonymity, but when she runs away she finds herself in grave danger--and in a position to prevent the outbreak of civil war.

@LT 4Mats: Books told through letters, diaries, texts, emails, and more!

2010-11-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

Looking for something different to read? If you like stories that are told through letters, diaries, text messages, instant messages, or even poetry, try one of these books out.

If you don't see it on shelf, ask at the reference desk. Links go to our catalog record so you can place a hold on it with your library card number from home.

These books are most appropriate for high school students.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher (Letter)

Scrawl by Mark Shulman (Journal)

Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick (Tweets and journal entries)

Top 8 by Katie Finn (Facebook, instant messaging, texts, and emails)

TTYL and TTFN by Lauren Myracle (instant messaging)

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie (Diary and drawings)

Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (Diaries)

Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (Diaries)

Impulse, Tricks, or any other title by Ellen Hopkins (told in poetry)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Diary)

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (Diary)

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin (Diary/letter)

24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley (instant messages)

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (letters)

Terrier and Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce (Diary)

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Diary)

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (Diary)

The Monday Mashup

2010-11-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another installment of the Monday Mashup. Today we bring you a book to check out and a video perfect for this time of year!

Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff:

If you like your fiction gritty and real, you don't want to miss this story. Lily, Noah, and Simon have been good friends for a long time, and all of their lives are defined by some sort of tragedy. Simon's dealing with a family member's illness; Noah's got an abusive parent; and Lily's folks are not going to be keeping their marriage together for anything. Oh, and both Noah and Simon have the hots for Lily, even though she only has eyes for one of them.

This is a story told through three voices and all are very beliable and realistic. You won't soon forget it.

And if you dig it, check our book mark holder since Steve was kind enough to send our library a ton of bookmarks about this book, too.

And for this week's video...check out how to wrap your cat (it's totally harmless). Can you believe a cat would sit that still and let someone do that?

The Monday Mashup

2010-11-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first installment of the Monday Mashup. We'll give you a book review or two and a video or link to enjoy for the week.

This week, two books you should check out:

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Amber Appleton's got it rough, living out of a bus since she and her mom get kicked out of the place they were staying. But Amber's positive things will get better. . . until her mom ends up way worse than where they already are. This one's a weeper but Amber is one heck of a rock star character.

When I Was Joe by Keren Davis

Imagine if you were witness to a horrible crime, and because you don't want to say anything, you have to change everything about you? That's life for Ty - now Joe. He can't stay in London anymore, and he's starting over with a new life, new friends, a new name, and maybe new romance. But will his past come back to haunt him? A gripping, past-paced thriller.

This week, take a peek at the website I Heart Daily. If you're interested in style, entertainment, beauty, or love a good story about teen girls doing awesome things, this is a must read site.

I Heart Daily is run by Melissa Walker and Anne Icikawa. It's about stuff - cool stuff you'll love to see or want to know more about (maybe even score yourself a deal or two).

One of the best parts of the website is their Red Hearts feature, where teens get chance to post on what makes them excited. You can even take part!

November Book Talk

2010-11-01T16:32:00.001-07:00

Listened to a book talk lately? If you have or haven't, here's a slide show of some recent teen fiction, perfect for high schoolers.

Read one of these and have something to share? Add your comment to be automatically entered into our monthly drawing for a free book! If you want to know more about these titles, stop by the library and talk to Kelly.

Nov2010 booktalk

View more presentations from aramteens.

Welcome to Youth Services @ Aram Public Library

2010-10-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to ALLY, the new youth services blog for the Aram Public Library. We'll tell you about our upcoming programs, share fun links, highlight new additions to the collection, post teen book reviews, and much, much more. Hop into the conversation and learn about everything your library has to offer you!

2010-09-01T09:49:00.000-07:00