BOOKENDS: 2 BOOKS
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Elizabeth Holland is one of the social ruling class of Manhattan in 1899. She is well-mannered, rich, from an important family, and of course, very beautiful. Her best friend is her greatest rival, her personal maid is jealous and vindictive, her sister finds her bland and weak-willed. When her mother tells her that their family has been left with heavy debts after the death of Elizabeth's father, it becomes Elizabeth's responsibility to save the family from poverty by marrying a young man of high social status and wealth -- a cad who has his own reasons for marrying her. But Elizabeth has a secret, a dangerous secret that could turn her family to ruin and must make her decide between true love and family responsibility. As events start turning, rumours, misunderstandings, and small tragedies abound, all leading up to the fateful day that was to be her wedding day....
If you like prince-to-pauper stories of social status, gossip, passion, mystery, tragedy, love, infatuation, pettiness, and wealth, this will be just the book for you. Set in Manhattan at the turn of the last century, it blends historical fiction with the difficult life of a teen socialite with heavy responsibilities and her own dreams for happiness. Each chapter is headed with a newspaper clipping or quotation from a magazine, and each chapter is told from a different viewpoint. It's a fun read that sweeps the reader along, almost like reading a gossip column or a tabloid.
The few sexual encounters are quickly glossed over and left fairly vague.
Y FICTION Godberson


Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Terrorists have attacked San Francisco, blowing up the Bay Bridge. Marcus and his friends, skipping school in favour of playing a game, are picked up by the Department of Homeland Security and taken to a prison where they are questioned and threatened. When all but one of them are let out and they find that their hometown has turned into a police state with every move of every person monitored every day, Marcus is determined to do something -- he wants to get back at the DHS for kidnapping his friends and torturing them. He believes that the government has overstepped its bounds of authority in taking away his freedoms and the freedoms of everyone else in San Francisco. So he starts his own private war, setting up an untapped internet and starting a movement that soon builds a life of its own.
A fascinating look at terrorism, technology, government policies and practices, and the rights of American citizens. The pacing was good, the story was good, and overall, it was mostly believable -- it reads like something that could happen today, tomorrow, or next year. I found it a hard book to put down and was even interested in the short technological tangents about hacking and software and gaming and such. A great book for techno-geeks, free spirits and freedom lovers, and fans of books like 1984 and Animal Farm. Of course, others will like it a lot, too. Recommended.
Sexual scenes and conversations included.
Y FICTION Doctorow
(For more on Little Brother, or for the audio download, see previous posts.)

Labels: book review, books for boys, books for girls, chick lit, friends, good books, historical teens, mysteries, new books

~emily - 9:08 AM~
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BOOKENDS: Standard Hero Behavior
Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson
The town of Darlington, long protected by Duke Darlinger from the ogres, orcs, witches, dragons, trolls, and other dangerous creatures that inhabit the woods surrounding the town, is now in very big trouble -- and the duke can't fix it this time. Unfortunately Mason, the young town bard, is the only one who knows about the real trouble. Since all of the town's heroes moved out and have been away for over 10 years, Mason and his friend Cowel head out onto the open road with a bag of gold coins in the hope that they can find a hero for hire. Along the way they run into an orange-haired witch, a bootmaker who killed off one of their heroes, a cross-dressing giant, an army of pixies, and more.
Two unlikely heroes off to save their families and the town they love and face multiple dangers along the way, eventually finding things they weren't expecting. This is quite an adventure for two friends to go on -- danger and comedy lurk together, and it has flavors of Will Allen's Swords for Hire. I enjoyed it and say it's a good middle-school book.
Y FICTION Anderson

Labels: book review, books for boys, books for girls, fantasy books, friends

~emily - 9:38 AM~
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BOOKENDS: The Nature of Jade
The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
A book about fears, friends, anxiety, secrets, and... elephants. Jade has been diagnosed with panic disorder -- when she has anxiety attacks she gets dizzy and terrified and loses her breath. And so she uses the zoo webcam in the elephant exhibit to keep calm. There's something about those elephants.... One day Jade notices a guy in a red jacket with a baby stopping too look at the elephants. He returns again and again, and Jade can't help but be curious about this guy who seems to appreciate the elephants the same way she does. When she starts to volunteer at the elephant house, she gathers up the courage to meet him -- and his son. And what she discovers in them -- the secrets, the dangers, the wonder -- changes her life, but not her nature: the nature of jade.
A fantastic and realistic story about family and school troubles, layered with anxiety and fears and courage to survive another day. The characters were not stereotypes and all seem to have their troubles and their strengths. Jade's community of classmates, zoo workers, family, and neighbors could all be your own classmates, neighbors, family, and locals. A well-written book, good characters, good story that I definitely recommend -- especially to someone with family or fears or college applications or a therapist or a crush or classmates or friends or a fondness for elephants.
Y FICTION Caletti

Labels: book review, books for girls, friends, teen issues

~emily - 11:13 AM~
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GETTING MORE INFO
Some of you have found the FPL Teen Group on FaceBook -- if you haven't joined yet, I invite you to do so -- it's one of the best ways to keep in touch with what's going on (write-ins, manga clubs, and more). Also, the teen librarian (that's me!) is now also available via gtalk -- fplteenlib@gmail.com, as well as being available via AIM: fplteenlib and MSN Chat: fplteenlib@hotmail.com (see the left). Link up to ask questions about homework assignments, club activities, and other such things.
Don't forget to come pick up spooky reading material from the display today. All kinds of books on vampires and werewolves and witches and more are out and ready for you to read!

Labels: calendar, displays, friends

~emily - 9:10 AM~
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TEEN READ WEEK!
It's Teen Read Week this week -- and the theme is LOL @ Your Library -- and there are lots of things to do this week!

First of all, be sure to vote for the Teen Top Teen books this week -- join with thousands of teens across the country to choose this year's best, and then tune in in November to see the results.

Second, come to the library to check out one of the many FUNNY books we have on display! (Yes, believe it or not -- some books in the library will make you LOL!)

Third, participate in the WrestleMania Reading Challenge -- or at least pick up a WWE poster (there are a few available on display).

Fourth, join us for our manga club on Tuesday afternoon.

Fifth, win a Nintendo Wii™ for your classroom or library or an iPod just for you! Visit Mirrorstone for details!

And, voice your opinions in the SmartGirl Teen Read Week survey!

There's so much to do and so much going on -- hope to see you this week!

Labels: books for boys, books for girls, calendar, friends, manga, poll

~emily - 11:02 AM~
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GET BOURNE!
The Bourne Ultimatum opens this Friday -- and what better way to celebrate and prepare than to watch the first two Bourne films on the BIG SCREEN!
We'll be starting the action at 1pm on Thursday August 2 and follow straight through. Come with friends, bring pillows or blankets, and let the chase begin!
It's free and open to all teens entering grades 6-12!

Come to the library and get on the trail of the one who doesn't want to be found!

Labels: friends, movies, mysteries

~emily - 3:09 PM~
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GOODREADS
What's everyone reading these days? Here's a way to

- see what your friends are reading
- keep track of what you've read and what you'd like to read
- get great book recommendations from people you know

It's GoodReads.com -- take a look. It's a little bit like LibraryThing, a little like the iRead Facebook app, something like local library bookgroups, and a little like your own online bookstore.
What are you reading?

Labels: friends, good books, links

~emily - 1:58 PM~
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CALENDARS & FURNITURE
Good news! The Friends of the Library approved a new furniture purchase for the YA area -- be looking for it soon -- not that you'll be able to miss it.... (Thank you, Friends!) I'm absolutely looking forward to all the new displays I can create!

Also, I've just printed up actual calendars of upcoming events. The calendars for June and July are posted on the bulletin board in the YA area and on my office door. They'll be coming monthly to keep you ever-informed about what's going on at the library! (Of course, this blog and the library website do a pretty good job of that, too, but a little extra never hurts.)

Labels: calendar, friends, furniture

~emily - 3:41 PM~
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