Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
I truly enjoy Elizabeth Scott's books. The protagonists are very real and the average reader can relate to their plights. In Scott’s newest book, Perfect You, Kate has lost her best friend, is humiliated by her dad, and is perennially confused by boys. What 16 year old didn't/doesn't go through that?
The summer before her sophomore year of high school, Kate’s best friend Anna lost a lot weight and had a total makeover. But not only does she look different, Anna acts different too. She’s joined the cheerleading team and hangs out with the most popular girls in school. While Kate is being ignored by Anna at school, at home she is dealing with her dad’s mid-life crisis and a domineering grandmother. Further complicating matters is the incorrigible Will. Kate can’t stand Will, yet she can’t stop thinking about him either…
Perfect You captures the ups and downs of being a teenager, especially the (sometimes turbulent) father-daughter dynamic. When Kate’s dad picked her up from school wearing a carrot hat, I couldn't help but remember the time my dad rode his bike to my lacrosse practice wearing spandex shorts with a padded butt and aerodynamic helmet. My teammates were yelling "Tour de France! Tour de France!" until they realized "Oh... Suzanne... that's your dad..." I felt Kate’s pain.
The Lewiston Public Library owns Perfect You; it can be requested through NIOGA. Elizabeth Scott’s next book, Stealing Heaven, is due out in May 2008. To read more about author Elizabeth Scott visit her website and her MySpace.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
Beastly is not a book I would have normally selected to read. Fantasy is not my preferred genre, but since author Alex Flinn is speaking at a conference I am attending next month, I figured I would try her twist on an old fairy tale.
This modern-day Beauty and the Beast takes place in New York City. Kyle Kingsbury, a freshman at an elite private school, plays a cruel trick on the new girl in school dismissing her as some “Goth freak.” However, the girl turns out to be a witch who casts a spell on the vain Kyle. Transformed into a disfigured beast, Kyle has two years to break the spell. Abandoned by his father and unable to show his face in public, time begins to run out and it looks like Kyle may remain a beast forever.
I really enjoyed this fresh version of Beauty and the Beast, and read it quite quickly. It was great fun and a pleasant departure from Flinn’s other books which are realistic depictions of teenage angst. The research Alex Flinn put into the creation of this book is apparent. What makes it unique is it is told from the point of view of the beast, with Kyle the story’s narrator.
The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of Beastly; it can be reserved through NIOGA. To read more about Alex Flinn visit her website.
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
Beastly is not a book I would have normally selected to read. Fantasy is not my preferred genre, but since author Alex Flinn is speaking at a conference I am attending next month, I figured I would try her twist on an old fairy tale.
This modern-day Beauty and the Beast takes place in New York City. Kyle Kingsbury, a freshman at an elite private school, plays a cruel trick on the new girl in school dismissing her as some “Goth freak.” However, the girl turns out to be a witch who casts a spell on the vain Kyle. Transformed into a disfigured beast, Kyle has two years to break the spell. Abandoned by his father and unable to show his face in public, time begins to run out and it looks like Kyle may remain a beast forever.
I really enjoyed this fresh version of Beauty and the Beast, and read it quite quickly. It was great fun and a pleasant departure from Flinn’s other books which are realistic depictions of teenage angst. The research Alex Flinn put into the creation of this book is apparent. What makes it unique is it is told from the point of view of the beast, with Kyle the story’s narrator.
The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of Beastly; it can be reserved through NIOGA. To read more about Alex Flinn visit her website.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian
The sequel to last year’s smash hit Diary of a Wimpy Kid did not disappoint! In Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Greg Heffley returns with his embarrassing summer tucked safely behind him… or is it? Only Rodrick knows Greg’s secret and is using it blackmail Greg. Compounding matters at home is little brother Manny; now that he can talk, Manny’s turned into the biggest tattle-tale. And as Greg beings 7th grade he forgot one important detail–he still has the Cheese Touch! Zoo-Wee Mama.
Greg is still a jerky kid with very few redeeming qualities, but his journal (remember it is NOT a diary!) will once again keep readers in stitches. There were not as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but Rodrick Rules is still chock-full of that dry wit and familiar middle school tragedies that charmed us the first time around.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Diary of a Wimpy Kid command the 1 and 2 spots on the New York Times Children’s Best Sellers List. Like the original, Rodrick Rules also received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. The third installment, The Last Straw, is due out in the Fall. Also in the works? Two more Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and a movie! So while you’re waiting for more Greg Heffley, the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been nominated for a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award. Visit here and vote for it today!
The Lewiston Public Library has one copy on order. Other copies can be requested through NIOGA. To learn more about Diary of a Wimpy Kid and it’s author visit http://www.wimpykid.com/.
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian
The sequel to last year’s smash hit Diary of a Wimpy Kid did not disappoint! In Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Greg Heffley returns with his embarrassing summer tucked safely behind him… or is it? Only Rodrick knows Greg’s secret and is using it blackmail Greg. Compounding matters at home is little brother Manny; now that he can talk, Manny’s turned into the biggest tattle-tale. And as Greg beings 7th grade he forgot one important detail–he still has the Cheese Touch! Zoo-Wee Mama.
Greg is still a jerky kid with very few redeeming qualities, but his journal (remember it is NOT a diary!) will once again keep readers in stitches. There were not as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but Rodrick Rules is still chock-full of that dry wit and familiar middle school tragedies that charmed us the first time around.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Diary of a Wimpy Kid command the 1 and 2 spots on the New York Times Children’s Best Sellers List. Like the original, Rodrick Rules also received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. The third installment, The Last Straw, is due out in the Fall. Also in the works? Two more Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and a movie! So while you’re waiting for more Greg Heffley, the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been nominated for a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award. Visit here and vote for it today!
The Lewiston Public Library has one copy on order. Other copies can be requested through NIOGA. To learn more about Diary of a Wimpy Kid and it’s author visit http://www.wimpykid.com/.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Ashleys by Melissa de la Cruz
The Ashleys: There's a New Name in School by Melissa de la Cruz
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
The movie "Heathers" meets "My Super Sweet 16" in a junior high version of beautiful, rich, powerful, and deliciously mean girls. In Melissa de la Cruz's new series, appropriately named The Ashleys, Ashley Spencer, Ashley Li, and Ashley Alioto rule Miss Gamble's Preparatory School for Girls. Set in San Francisco, the girls vie over clothing, boys, and whose sprawling mansion has the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
In There's a New Name in School we meet the Ashleys on the first day of 7th grade where they soon discover that dowdy scholarship student Lauren Page has completely transformed over the summer. Lauren's family is now extremely wealthy, and Lauren has undergone a stunning makeover. Along with her new bank account and her new looks, Lauren is determined to join the Ashleys... and then destroy them.
The Ashleys promised to be a lively new series. Although not terribly original and at times blatantly over the top, it offers all the flash and fun of the Gossip Girl and It Girl series without the, ahem, questionable extracurricular activities. For those readers (like me) who got totally sucked into the glamorously spoiled and can't wait for the second installment, Jealous? due out April 2008, author de la Cruz offers a sneak peak in the back of book 1.
To learn more about author Melissa de la Cruz visite her website and MySpace page. The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of The Ashleys; it can be reserved through NIOGA.
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
The movie "Heathers" meets "My Super Sweet 16" in a junior high version of beautiful, rich, powerful, and deliciously mean girls. In Melissa de la Cruz's new series, appropriately named The Ashleys, Ashley Spencer, Ashley Li, and Ashley Alioto rule Miss Gamble's Preparatory School for Girls. Set in San Francisco, the girls vie over clothing, boys, and whose sprawling mansion has the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
In There's a New Name in School we meet the Ashleys on the first day of 7th grade where they soon discover that dowdy scholarship student Lauren Page has completely transformed over the summer. Lauren's family is now extremely wealthy, and Lauren has undergone a stunning makeover. Along with her new bank account and her new looks, Lauren is determined to join the Ashleys... and then destroy them.
The Ashleys promised to be a lively new series. Although not terribly original and at times blatantly over the top, it offers all the flash and fun of the Gossip Girl and It Girl series without the, ahem, questionable extracurricular activities. For those readers (like me) who got totally sucked into the glamorously spoiled and can't wait for the second installment, Jealous? due out April 2008, author de la Cruz offers a sneak peak in the back of book 1.
To learn more about author Melissa de la Cruz visite her website and MySpace page. The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of The Ashleys; it can be reserved through NIOGA.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Review of Stephanie Hempill's Your Own, Sylvia
Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath tells the tragic story of Sylvia Plath’s rise and fall through poetry. Author Stephanie Hemphill took true accounts from the life of Plath and imagined the thoughts, feelings, and exchanges that took place around those events. Hemphill included footnotes at the end of each poem that shed more light on the circumstances that inspired the preceding verse. These anecdotes revealed the more peculiar side of Plath, such as her and her husband’s reliance on a Ouija board to pick lottery numbers, and displayed Hemphill’s vast research on her subject.
I have never read Plath, knowing that works such as The Bell Jar were dark and tended toward the depressing. However, this book was a wonderful introduction to the enigmatic Plath. Additionally, Your Own, Sylvia would make a splendid companion for the seasoned Plath student. Hemphill is passionate about her subject, and this is much appreciated by the reader. I would have liked if more photographs were included, but this does detracts from neither the book’s literary merit nor the reader’s great enjoyment of it.
Your Own, Sylvia received Starred Reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Horn. On Monday, January 14 it was named a Printz Honor Book at the American Library Association’s 2008 Midwinter Conference. To read about author Stephanie Hemphill’s thoughts on Your Own, Sylvia visit Random House Authors. The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath tells the tragic story of Sylvia Plath’s rise and fall through poetry. Author Stephanie Hemphill took true accounts from the life of Plath and imagined the thoughts, feelings, and exchanges that took place around those events. Hemphill included footnotes at the end of each poem that shed more light on the circumstances that inspired the preceding verse. These anecdotes revealed the more peculiar side of Plath, such as her and her husband’s reliance on a Ouija board to pick lottery numbers, and displayed Hemphill’s vast research on her subject.
I have never read Plath, knowing that works such as The Bell Jar were dark and tended toward the depressing. However, this book was a wonderful introduction to the enigmatic Plath. Additionally, Your Own, Sylvia would make a splendid companion for the seasoned Plath student. Hemphill is passionate about her subject, and this is much appreciated by the reader. I would have liked if more photographs were included, but this does detracts from neither the book’s literary merit nor the reader’s great enjoyment of it.
Your Own, Sylvia received Starred Reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Horn. On Monday, January 14 it was named a Printz Honor Book at the American Library Association’s 2008 Midwinter Conference. To read about author Stephanie Hemphill’s thoughts on Your Own, Sylvia visit Random House Authors. The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.
Monday, January 14, 2008
And the winners are...
The American Library Association announced the winner of the Michael L. Printz Award this morning at their Midwinter conference held in Philadelphia. The Printz is awarded for excellence in literature written for young adults.
Winner:
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Honors:
Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dream Hunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox
One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clark
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill
The John Newbery Medal was also announced this morning. The winner was Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Amy Schlitz. Honors went to Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, and Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson.
For a complete list of ALA's literary winners, including the Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, Schneider Family Award, and the Sibert Medal visit ALA's official website.
Winner:
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Honors:
Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dream Hunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox
One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clark
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill
The John Newbery Medal was also announced this morning. The winner was Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Amy Schlitz. Honors went to Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, and Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson.
For a complete list of ALA's literary winners, including the Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, Schneider Family Award, and the Sibert Medal visit ALA's official website.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
TFL
Are you looking for something to do after school? Do you need community service hours to graduate high school? Are you trying to bolster those college applications? Do you want to do volunteer work but aren't sure where or how? Or are you just looking to make new friends and have some fun? Join TFL!
The Teen Friends of the Library is an exciting new service organization for students in grades 6 and up. I am collaborating with Peggy Salada, President of our adult Friends of the Library group, to provide a wonderful volunteer opportunity for you! TFL will help plan teen programming and assist with fundraising (we really, really, really want to buy a Wii!).
As part of TFL you can volunteer as little as one hour a month or as much as a couple hours a week. Besides programming and fundraising stuff, you can help babysit during our monthly Mom's Book Chat, write book reviews, and eat as much pizza at our meetings as you can!
For more information or to join:
Call 754-4720
Email sdlug@nioga.org
Or drop by the library!
Hope to see you soon!
Suzanne
The Teen Friends of the Library is an exciting new service organization for students in grades 6 and up. I am collaborating with Peggy Salada, President of our adult Friends of the Library group, to provide a wonderful volunteer opportunity for you! TFL will help plan teen programming and assist with fundraising (we really, really, really want to buy a Wii!).
As part of TFL you can volunteer as little as one hour a month or as much as a couple hours a week. Besides programming and fundraising stuff, you can help babysit during our monthly Mom's Book Chat, write book reviews, and eat as much pizza at our meetings as you can!
For more information or to join:
Call 754-4720
Email sdlug@nioga.org
Or drop by the library!
Hope to see you soon!
Suzanne
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