August 25, 2006
I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter
Move over Alex Rider(see STORMBREAKER), meet Cameron, Cammie, Morgan, daughter of two professional spies. Since it is in her blood, Cammie attends the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school to the rest of the world, but behind its gates it is a school for spies. The students are taught the martial arts in physical education, study chemical warfare in chemistry and everyone is fluent in many, many languages. Cammie is fluent in fourteen, and her martial art training has enabled her to kill in seven different ways.
The students, for the most part, are geniuses or unusually smart, but they are also teenage girls. So an accidental meeting with a cute boy from the local town sends Cammie and her friends on a covert mission. They manage to tap his phone, hack into his email and examine the family’s garbage. Cammie has never had a boyfriend; she doesn’t even know how to talk to them. Is it possible that a genius studying to be a spy, fall a regular boy?
This is a fun read to a rainy Saturday afternoon for girls in grades 7 to 10. According to the jacket cover Ally Carter is hard at work on her next Gallagher Academy Girls adventure.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 6:43 PM | Comments (2)
August 22, 2006
TEEN TOP TEN 2006
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS THE YOUNG ADULT LIBRARY SERVICES ASSOCIATION HAS SPONSORED THE TEEN TOP TEN BOOKliST. THIS IS LIST IS NOMINATED, REVIEWED AND VOTED ON BY YOUNG ADULTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THE VOTING TAKES PLACE DURING TEEN READ WEEK ON THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TEEN READ SITE.
YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS AT www.ala.org/teenread DURING TEEN READ WEEK OCOBER 15-21, 2006
THE NOMINEES ARE
Bowen, Asta WOLF: THE JOURNEY HOME
Bray, Libba REBEL ANGELS
Brian, Kate MEGAN MEADE’S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS
Dowswell, Paul POWDER MONKEY: ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG SAILOR
Sally Gardner, Sally I, CORIANDER
Hart, J. V, CAPTAIN HOOK: THE ADVENTURES OF A NOTORIOUS YOUTH
Johnson, Maureen 13 LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES Blog review dated August 18.
Jones, Patrick NAILED
Kantor, Melissa IF I HAVE A WICKED STEPMOTHER, WHERE’S MY PRINCE?
Krovatin, Christopher HEAVY METAL AND YOU
Meyer, Stephanie TWILIGHT
Noel, Alyson ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS
Oppel, Kenneth SKYBREAKER
Paolini, Christopher ELDEST
Peters, Julie Ann FAR FROM XANADU
Reiss, Kathryn BLACKTHORN WINTER
Rowling, J. K. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
Thal, Lilli MIMUS
Westerfeld, Scott PEEPS
Whitcomb, LauraA CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT
Wooding, Chris POISON
Zevin, Gabrielle ELSEWHERE
AN ANNOTATED LIST IS AVAILABLE AT THE YOUNG ADULT SERVICES DESK.
Submitted by Mrs.Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
TO VIEW THE PREVIOUS YEARS TEEN TOP TEN WINNERS
2005
2004
2003
Posted by fjacksonem at 8:59 AM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2006
NORTH by Donna Jo Napoli
In this book Alvin, a twelve year old boy is the main character. I'd say the most interesting part of the story occurs when, Alvin's mother forbids him to go anywhere without his "nanny". She would always escort him everywhere. His mother did not allow him to have any freedom. At one point in the story, Alvin thinks that his mother has gone too far and he runs away from home, to retrace the steps of his greatest hero, Matthew Henson.
Throughout his journey Alvin must face trials, tribulations and hardships to understand and find himself.
I enjoyed this book because it could actually happen to anyone and I hope you do too. If you are one of those people who liked the Gary Paulsen books, about, Brian, you will probably love this story as well.
Alan Alex
Grade: 7
Posted by fjacksonem at 2:28 PM | Comments (0)
13 LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES by Maureen Johnson
Here is an adventure every girl would love to take. Ginny, 17, receives a letter instructing her to visit a favorite restaurant in New York City.The unusual thing about the letter it's from her favorite Aunt Peg who died three months earlier. At the restaurant she receives llittle blue envelope 1 with $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket. In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat. The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist. Each envelope gives Ginny a new opportunity to learn about the world and this European adventure eventually helps Ginny piece together family mysteries and discovers herself.
THIS IS A REALLY FUN READ FOR GIRLS IN GRADES 8 AND UP. Maureen Johnson has also written THE KEY TO THE GOLDEN FIREBIRD.
Submitted byMrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 9:19 AM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2006
KING OF THE CREEPS by Steven Banks
Tom is short, frizzy hair, big glasses and a bigger nose, no girl will look at him, a real creep, or so Tom thinks.Tom wants to jump off the George Washington Bridge, but it is 1963 and big noses and frizzy hair are in because of folksinger, Bob Dylan. All the girls in his New Jersey high school are crazy for folksingers, so Tom decides to visit Greenwich Village, buy a guitar and become a folksinger. He learns one chord, meets Angelina and his whole world turns upside down.
A poem, the Ed Sullivan Show and a creep can change the world.
This is a funny story for boys in MIDDLE SCHOOL who need a book report about friendships with girls. It was written by the head writer of SPONGEBOB SQUARE PANTS.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)
August 9, 2006
STORMBREAKER by Anthony Horowitz
Meet the world's most successful 14-year-old spy, Alex Rider. After the death of his guardian, his uncle, Alex is coerced to continue his uncle's work. It is working for MI6, the British Intelligence Agency. This time Alex must infiltrate Herod Sayle's compound. this is the man who invented the amazing Stormbreaker computer. But what's hiding in the software…
Move over James Bond, there is a new spy in town.
YOU CAN FIND THIS ALEX RIDER book, along with his other adventures, POINT BLANK, SKELETON KEY, EAGLE STRIKES, SCORPIA and
ARK ANGEL at the East Meadow Public Library. They are RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 10.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
HURRY UP AND READ THIS BOOK
THE MOVIE IS COMING ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 6, 2006.
ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 3, 2006 FROM 4 TO 7 PM
THE YOUNG ADULT DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOSTING A STORMBREAKER EVENT
Practice spy activities, writing in invisible ink, creating a spy disguise, and pick up a free movie poster.
Posted by fjacksonem at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)
SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE by Jen Calonita
Kaitlin Burke has been on a blockbuster night-time soap opera since she could walk. Now she's 15 and she needs a break from all the hangers-on, and the bad behavior of Hollywood. All she wants to be is normal. She wants to go to high school. But how does the most popular teen star around hit class without causing a major commotion and a rush of paparazzi?
This is the life we all dream about, but is it worth it?
This is the first book written by Jen Calonita and is RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 7 TO 12. It is available at the East Meadow Public Library.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
MEET THE AUTHOR ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 19, 2006
JEN CALONITA WILL CELEBRATE TEEN READ WEEK AT THE EAST MEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY
Come and decorate a pair of glasses with gems for that Hollywood glamour look, then listen to Jen Calonita, author of SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE. Ms. Calonita is a former Senior Entertainment Editor at Teen People; Jennifer has interviewed everyone from Reese Witherspoon and Lindsay Lohan to Ashton Kutcher. She lives on Long Island and loves writing, reading, taking pictures and watching Way too much TV. Her favorites include The OC, Gilmore Girls and Everwood. There will be a $2.00 non-refundable material fee. Registration begins Thursday, October 5.
Posted by fjacksonem at 9:59 AM | Comments (11)
THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION BY Nancy Farmer
This tale begins in a Petri dsh; where some DNA was divided, placed in the womb of a cow, and eventually grew into a baby. That child is Matt, a clone of El Patron, the leader of Opium, a country somewhere near the USA. El Patron or Matteo Alacran is a ruthless leader who was born to extreme poverty but rose to great power.
Clones have been bred to keep El Patron alive for more than 140 years. Alacran has also bred field laborers with mindless bodies and computer chips in their brains to keep them submissive.
Most clones have their intelligence destroyed, but Matt has been spared this fate, so his organs can be harvested for El Patron. Matt belongs to El Patron and everyone must treat him like an equal, even though he is hated by El Patron's family.
As El Patron grows weaker, Matt's enemies grow bolder and greedier. Is Matt to be sacrificed for El Patron's next ten years of life or can Matt find a way to escape and make a better world for himself and others living under the tyranny of THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION?
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT THE EAST MEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY and is RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN GRADES 7 TO 10. NANCY FARMER has also written A GIRL NAMED DISASTER, and the Newbery Award Winner, THE EYE, THE EAR AND THE ARM.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 9:32 AM | Comments (10)
August 8, 2006
AMONG THE HIDDEN by Margaret Peterson Haddix
IT IS THE FUTURE. The government says we have an overpopulation problem. Only two children per family are allowed and Luke is the third child. It is not a difficult life for Luke; his parents are farmers and they live away from most people. Young Luke can go outside, when no one else is around.
But now he is a teenager and the government is building an expensive housing development next to the family farm. Luke must stay indoors, alone, not making a sound for fear of being found out, until the day he sees the face of another hidden child in the new house across the way.
Luke chooses to sneak out to the other house and meets Jen, another hidden teen. Jen knows the government is lying about the overpopulation problem and communicates by computer to other hidden children. Jen's plan is for all hidden children to come out for rally on the President's lawn and force the President to change the law.
Coming out of hiding means possible death by the Population Police. Luke must now decide whether to go or stay hidden. What would you do?
THIS BOOK IS RECOMMENDED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS and AVAILABLE AT THE EAST MEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY. This title is the first in a series about Luke and the other shadow children.
The other titles are AMONG THE IMPOSTERS, AMONG THE BETRAYED, AMONG THE BARONS, AMONG THE BRAVE and AMONG THE ENEMY.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Margaret Peterson Haddix has written the final installment of the Shadow Children. It is called AMONG THE FREE.
Posted by fjacksonem at 3:29 PM | Comments (29)
WELCOME TO THE YA BOOK LOG
This space is for Young Adults to discuss young adult book titles. The staff of the Young Adult Department will recommend and review new and old titles for you to read and discuss.
Should you want to recommend a book for discussion, please send your review to the young adult librarian at fjacksonem@nassaulibrary.org and it will be entered on the blog. Please write the review using appropriate language and grammar. All reviews will be credited with your initials or first name or anonymous. It will be your choice.
Submitted by Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 2:31 PM | Comments (0)