March 2007 Archives

When I was growing up everyone talked about the latest comic book, SUPERMAN, BATMAN, and for girls, WONDER WOMAN and ARCHIE and most of them cost 10 to 15 cents. Even though comics have never left, they are back bigger than ever, and now are called GRAPHIC NOVELS.

Stephen Weiner, a librarian and graphic fan, has compiled a list of the best in graphic novels. It does not include picture books or comic strip collections. Mr. Weiner feels, "These are really cousins of the graphic novel." He does include stories with ongoing characters including the manga story lines. Weiner checked bibliographies compiled by others, so his list is not purely personal.

My question is do you think he picked the best in 101 BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

I RECOMMEND THIS TITLE FOR TEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL ENTHUSIASTS.

Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

As I was sitting on my couch this past weekend looking at the snow and ice with spring only a few days away, I thought about traveling somewhere else. However, the airports were cleaning up from Friday, March 16th storm, so I picked up LILY B. ON THE BRINK OF PARIS by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel and read it.

Lily B. (aka Lily Blennerhassett, writer extraordinaire) was about to embark with her two best friends on the 8th grade French class trip to Paris. Armed with everything she needed to know or thought she needed to know from the MADELINE picture books by Ludwig Bemelmans Lily begins her new adventure. She was also armed with the words of her parents, "Stay with the group."

First airplane, first foreign destination and first realization you need more than Madeline as a guidebook to write the great Parisian novel. Follow Lily and her friends through Notre Dame Cathedral, the Lourve and the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Sometimes you might even giggle out loud at their antics.

This was my first Lily B. book, although it is the third one written by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel. You might want to check out LILY B ON THE BRINK OF COOL and LILY B ON THE BRINK OF LOVE.

I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND PROBABLY THE ENTIRE SERIES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 6 TO 8) GIRLS AND THIS BOOK FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TRAVEL TO PARIS.

Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

Do you have a class clown in your class? Or at least someone in your class that can make you laugh a lot. LAUGH TILL YOU CRY is the story of a boy named Cody who likes to make jokes. Cody moves next-door to his cousin to help his sick grandmother. When his cousin and his cousin’s friends decide to pick on Cody. Cody’s life turns into a living nightmare. But one day after running away from his cousin and his friends he runs into a police officer who doesn’t mind his jokes and is willing to pay money for them.

His life begins to brighten up. But things begin to turn ugly when Cody is blamed and framed for a prank call about a bomb to his school. Fellow classmates begin to look at him suspiciously. After he is framed with another call to the school. Life keeps getting worse. I mean how couldn’t it. He has a report on Shakespeare’s Hamlet due when he can barely understand it and people look at him like he’s a troublemaker when he’s really not. And to top it off he has to deal with his cousin and his friends. Who’s been setting him up? And why does his cousin have baking flour in his closet? Find out by reading LAUGH TILL YOU CRY by Joan Lowery Nixon.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THE BOOK TO ANYONE IN 6TH GRADE AND UP AND ANYONE WHO HAS READ ANY OF JOAN LOWERY NIXON'S OTHER BOOKS.

Camille Deytiquez
Grade 7
W. T. Clarke Middle School

Best friends Emma, Anna, and Mariah lied to their parents. Instead of going to the movies like they said they were, they went to a party that included boys and alcohol. Things were going great until Emma gets a phone call, her parents went to the movie and did not see them anywhere; she wants to know where they are. The girl’s panic, afraid of how angry their parents will be when they find out the girls were really at a party. To escape punishment the girls come up with a harmless story, or so they thought. Before they know it the whole community has become involved and the girls find themselves lost in their web of lies.

Dana Reinhardt's book, HARMLESS is FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 9 AND UP.

Miss. Samuel
Young Adult Services
East Meadow Public Library

SCARLETT by Cathy Cassidy

Scarlett is a twelve year old trouble maker. She has been kicked out of four schools in two years. But with her ketchup dyed hair and black fingernails, and tongue piercing, its what’s expected from her. Finally, as a last resort, her mother sends her to Ireland to live with her father. At first, Scarlett aches for London, but with the help of a mysterious boy, Kian, his horse, and her new family, Scarlett will finally find who she really is and where she belongs.

When Scarlett arrives at her father’s house in Ireland, she thinks that it’s the worst place ever. All country, a little step-sister, and another on the way, courtesy of Clare, the woman who stole her father away. After a few (hilarious) incidents, Scarlett realizes that she loves these people, and that she needs to try harder, for everyone’s sake. She learns what a family truly is, and once she puts aside her own anger, more importantly, she finds out who her family truly is.

RECOMMENDED FOR GIRLS IN GRADES 6 TO 8.

Alison Verderber
Grade 8
Kellenberg Memorial Latin School

Have you ever had a problem with a bully? GAMES is a story about Mick and Boot, two eighth graders who are rivals in every way. Mick likes reading, hopes to be a writer, dreams of Tabitha Slater and teases Boot Quinn. Boot plays the guitar, wants to be in a band, dreams of Tabitha Slater and punches Mick Sullivan. They have been fighting for as long as anyone can remember.

It is the first week of school and they have already had two fights. Waiting for their punishment they meet the new principal, Mr. Maddox. Maddox is unusual; the punishment he gives Mick and Boot is to play games every day for one period and lunch. The game room has no adult supervision. Anything can happen!

To complicate their lives Tabitha, the girl of their dreams, eggs them on to continue the rivalry.
At home both boys find no comfort, because their fathers don't know how to be fathers.

The story alternates between the boys, so you can hear both sides of the story. Are they really fighting one another or are the other people in their lives the problem?

Join in the GAMES by Carol Gorman. RECOMMENDED FOR BOYS IN GRADES 6 TO 9.

Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

From March 4 to 10, 2007 the American Library Association is celebrating the first annual TEEN TECH WEEK. This week celebrates other formats for telling a story or educating, so I decided to take a listing from the pamphlet, MIXED MEDIA:Selected Audiobooks & Films for Young Adults. MIXED MEDIA can be picked up in the Young Adult Area.

I have selected a short film called GEORGE LUCAS IN LOVE. It was created in 1999 and is 8 1/2 minutes. It is a takeoff on the film "Shakespeare in Love," which traces the "true" origins of the Star Wars saga to a young George Lucas suffering from writer's block as he tries to complete his final screenplay for USC Film School.

To see the film go to goggle.com, select Video, and type in George Lucas in Love. It's fun to watch even if you are not a fan of Star Wars. RECOMMENDED FOR STAR WAR FANS AND GRADES 6 AND UP.

Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services

Darcy Spillman loves baseball and knows everything you want to know about it, but upon entering seventh grade he is confused, when his friends talk about getting to first base with girls. For help in boy-girl relationships he speaks with his Grandfather Joe, who tells Darcy that baseball is the reason he met Grandma Rose, so Darcy decides there are similiarites between boy-girl relationships and baseball.

The object of Darcy's affections is Danalda Chase, one of the popular crowd and a fabulous softball player. To get to first base with Danalda, Darcy decides he must make the junior high school baseball team and the quest begins. Along the way he gets help from some unlikely people, and in the end learns a lot about himself.

This is a very very funny book with an especially funny scene at a girl-boy party and spin the bottle. If you want to laugh, pick up GETTING TO FIRST BASE WITH DANALDA CHASE by Matt Beam. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 6 TO 8.

For more information about Matt Beam visit him online at www.mattbeam.com.

Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services