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February 28, 2008
ONE GOOD PUNCH by Rich Wallace
In many people's lives there is a moment; a moment which changes the plans and dreams of an individual human being. Michael Kerrigan experiences such a moment in ONE GOOD PUNCH by Rich Wallace.
Michael Kerrigan, 18, is the captain of the track team with dreams of taking the team to the State Championship in his senior year of high school, then off to college and become a writer. He also works three evenings a week at the local paper as an editorial assistant writing obituaries for the paper.
One evening at work Mike receives a phone call from a friend. The friend has left drugs in Mike's locker at school. Mike tries to retrieve the drugs, but the high school is under a lock-down, while the police and school officials search all the lockers for illegal drugs.
With his life going out of control Mike must decide what to do; turn a possible drug dealer, his friend, in or face expulsion from school? Mike interacts with his parents, school officials, his friends and his work colleagues, as he chooses his fate. To describe those people important to him Mike writes their obituaries.
GREAT READ, GREAT ENDING.
I RECOMMEND THIS TITLE FOR GUYS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Mrs Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 3:47 PM | Comments (1)
February 21, 2008
TAKEN by Edward Bloor
It is 2035 and a most profitable industry is kidnapping, because there are people with money and people without. Children of the rich and famous are the easy targets. Communities of wealthy families have sprung up; with security for the community and security for each family includes at least a butler/body guard and cook/maid. The children are always accompanied by security and most of their schooling is accomplished by satellite connections, however, Charity Meyer, our victim, is TAKEN in the Edward Bloor book.
Charity Meyer, 13, lives in secure community. She has been schooled in the rules of kidnapping including how to avoid stress. The rules are simple: the child is taken, the parents pay up within the 24 hour time period: the child is released and the victim stays cool by thinking of the good times.
Charity follows these rules. By staying cool we learn about who she is, her parents, her friends, and the servants through flashbacks. But this is not a normal kidnapping, one of the kidnapping is a young man, who life is very different from Charity. Through conversations between Charity and Dessi's life unfolds. Two teenagers with two different backgrounds meet during one kidnapping.
Once again, this is not an ordinary kidnapping. There are twists and turns that will keep the reader reading this thriller to the very end.
I RECOMMEND TAKEN FOR GUYS AND GIRLS IN GRADES 7 AND UP.
Mrs Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 1:12 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2008
THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine McCaughrean
Imagine being in a dry desert with water everywhere but nothing to drink, because you are in Antarctica fighting for your life. This is the story of the 2008 Printz Award winner, THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine McCaughren.
Antarctica was a passion for fourteen-year-old British, Symone. While her girlfriends concerned themselves with boys and dating, she reads everything about the South Pole. Her passion is so real, she had conversations with Titus Oates. Titus Oates, better known as Captain Lawrence Oates, was a member of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's expedition to be the first to plant a flag at the South Pole. The only problem with these conversations Titus and the entire expeditiion has been dead since 1911.
Sym's Uncle Victor is also obsessed with Antarctica and for Sym he is the only person who loves her. Victor believes Antarctica has an access hole to other worlds within the earth, and he has waited years to prove his theory. Victor, simply, misrepresents a weekend trip in Paris, and Sym gets to go on her dream trip to Antarctica.
This trip offers Sym the oppportunity to meet people unlike she has ever known, some rich Americans, a Norwegian filmmaker and the filmmaker's son. It is an adventure, until everyone gets sick and the trip is cancelled, but there is no way off the continent for her. Uncle Victor's obsession is about to become a life or death experience. Setting off in stolen vehicles Sym, Uncle Victor, the filmmaker and his son look for a way into the center of the earth.
You get to experience the cold and harsh life traveling across this barren ice continent. Each page uncovers the mad man in Uncle Victor, while Symone must accept the truth about him and the real people who love her.
This is a terrific adventure story of survival and deception. I RECOMMEND THE WHITE DARKNESS FOR ANYONE IN GRADES 8 AND UP.
Mrs. Jackson
Head of Young Adult Services
Posted by fjacksonem at 12:05 PM | Comments (0)
February 7, 2008
BREAKING NEWS ON BREAKING DAWN
TWILIGHT fans won't have to wait much longer for the next book in Stephenie Meyer's bestselling series. Little, Brown announced the official publication date of BREAKING DAWN will be 12:01AM on Saturday, August 2, 2008. The cover of the book will be revealed this summer. Only 6 months to go!
Don't forget to sign up for the Twilight book discussion taking place on February 19 at 2 pm.
Posted by fjacksonem at 1:03 PM | Comments (0)
February 1, 2008
FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS
A FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS IN TEEN SECOND LIFE on Saturday, February 2, 2008 You can celebrate young adult books in virtual reality with other teens!
The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC), TeachingBooks.net, and Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries and Information Services are pleased to announce a very special event, “A Festival of Authors”, a virtual literary celebration that will take place on Saturday, February 2, from 10 am to 2 pm PST (1 pm – 5 pm EST), in Teen Second Life. This event will showcase a group of selected authors of young adult literature for a teen audience. There will also be avatar author appearances by Barry Lyga (10am PST/1pm EST), Marc Aronson (11am PST/2pm EST) , and Carol Baldwin(12pm PST/3pm EST) .
Teen Second Life (http://teen.secondlife.com) is a 3D virtual world where teens can learn valuable 21st century skills and build a variety of developmental assets as they engage with their peers from all over the world, communicate in multiple media formats, and express their identities through their own virtual appearances.
Teens have helped construct a space for author exhibits with content provided by TeachingBooks.net, including author photos, brief profiles, selected bibliographies, and links to other interesting information about the authors. Teens have helped select the authors they would like showcased. Writing, role playing, and anime/manga groups are just some of the teen-driven, literary-related groups within Teen Second Life.
To Participate -Teen Second Life is a virtual reality grid for teens ages 13 - 17. Teens can register for their free avatar account at the website. Registration is authenticated via a credit card or select cell phone providers. For the best experience, plan to prepare and complete orientation several days in advance. Use the following steps:
1. Begin registration at https://secure-web5.secondlife.com/join.
2. Download the client software at http://secondlife.com/community/downloads.php
3. Verify system requirements at http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php
4. Log onto Teen Second Life using the downloaded software.
5. Go through the various orientation activities.
6. Search for the Eye4You Alliance land or sim and teleport to that location. Alternately, use the SLURL http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eye4You%20Alliance/168/203/25 to teleport to the event.
7. Participate in the “Festival of Authors” on the day of the event.
Posted by fjacksonem at 8:15 AM | Comments (0)