2009 Summer Reading Blog Book

Are you looking for a great new book to read this summer?
Want to try something new?

Announcing a Cross-CountryTeen Summer Reading Project
Blogbook 2009
“Loulane Lambert’s Lists for Life”
by Barbara Larmon Failing

On June 1, 2009, Barbara Larmon Failing will publish her never-before published teen novel, Loulane Lambert's Lists for Life on its own blog. The book is written as a journal, so each day (for about 2 months), she'll post a new entry until the entire novel is on the blog. Teens can interact with the book via their comments.

Barbara Larmon Failing is the author of LASSO LOU AND COWBOY McCOY (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2003) about which the New York Times Book Review said, “I love this book for its humor, its drawings and its suggestion, at the end, that there is more to cowboys than clothes.”

"Loulane Lambert's Lists for Life" Book Trailer

Starting this Monday...follow author Barbara Larmon Failing's new online blog book @

"Loulane Lambert's Lists for Life"

For now, enjoy the trailer!

Watchmen

The movie Watchmen comes out in theatres today, but before you go see the movie why not check out the graphic novel it is based upon!

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST WATCHMEN AT THE LIBRARY

Have a great weekend...

"Vibes" by Amy Kathleen Ryan

What's it about? Check out this YouTube video from The One Minute Critic

Like what your hear?
Click here to find the book at the Cape May County Library

Did you enjoy the Twilight series?

Chances are, if you live on planet Earth you've heard of the Twilight series. If you've read the whole series and want more vampire tales, I'm here to tell you that we've got A TON of Vampire related books at the Cape May County Library.

Fiction
Shattered Mirror by Amelia Atwater Rhodes
In The Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater Rhodes
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
Glass Houses by Rachel Cain
The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Cain
Midnight Alley by Rachel Cain
Feast of Fools by Rachel Cain
Untamed: A House of Night Novel by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Betrayed: A House of Night Novel by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Chosen: A House of Night Novel by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
The Cheerleader by Carolyn Cooney
Night of the Living Rerun by Arthur Byron Cover
Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz
Revelations: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz
Blue Bloods: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz
The Xander Years Volume 1 by Keith DeCandido
Lifeblood by P.N Elrod
The Dark Sleep by P.N Elrod
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Jessica Fantaskey
Monster Island by Christopher Golden
Halloween Rain by Christopher Golden
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Look for me by Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn
Sweetblood by Pete Hautman
Night Road by A.M. Jenkins
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause
Uninvited by Amanda Marrone
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Suck It Up by Brian Meehl
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Sucks to be me: All True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe) by Kimberly Pauley
Vampire High by Doug Rees
Vampire Kisses 1 by Ellen Schreiber
Vampire Kisses 2: Kissing Coffins by Ellen Schreiber
Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville by Ellen Schreiber
Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber
Vampire Kisses 5: The Coffin Club by Ellen Schreiber
My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgewick
Cirque Du Freak: Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Vampire Mountain by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire Prince by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Hunters of the Dusk by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Trials of Death by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: The Lake of Souls by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Sons of Destiny by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Lords of the Shadows by Darren Shan
Cirque Du Freak: Killers of the Dawn by Darren Shan
Night World No. 1 by L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and the Struggle by L.J. Smith
Vampirates: Tides of Terror by Justin Somper
Vampirates: Blood Captain by Justin Somper
Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper
Goodnight Kiss by R.L Stine
Dangerous Girls: The Taste of Night by R.L. StineCoyote Moon by John Vornholt
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Non Fiction
Twilight: the complete illustrated movie companion by Mark Cotta Vaz

Graphic Novels
Life Sucks by Jessica Abel
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1 by Joss Whedon
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 2: No Future for You by Brian K. Vaughn
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 3: Wolves at the Gate by Drew Goddard
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Orgin by Christopher Golden
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayer Volume 4
Vampire Knight Volumes 1, 2, 3 by Matsuri Hino
Rosario + Vampire Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 by Akishia Ikeda
I Am Legend by Steve Niles
Bram Stoker’s Dracula: The Graphic Novel by Gary Reed
Castlevania Volume 1: Curse of Darkness by Kou Sasakura
Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives Volume 1, 2 by Ellen Schreiber


...and that's just the books in our teen section!
Cape May County Library Online Catalog
Use our online catalog to find and reserve a book! If you need any help finding what you're looking for, stop by the library and one of our librarians will be very glad to help you...

Pretty Monsters: Stories by Kelly LInk

If you haven't checked out yet, why not give Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link a try.

Here's an interview with the author of Pretty Monsters, Kelly Link.

And here's a review...

Readers as yet unfamiliar with Kelly Link (who also wrote Magic for Beginners) will be excited to discover her singular voice in this collection of nine short stories, her first book for young adults. The first entry, The Wrong Grave, immediately demonstrates her rare talents: a deadpan narration that conceals the author's metafictional sleight-of-hand (Miles had always been impulsive. I think you should know that right up front); subjects that range from absurd to mundane, all observed with equidistant irony. Miles, hoping to recover the poems he's buried with his dead girlfriend, digs up what appears to be the wrong corpse (It's a mistake anyone could make, interjects the narrator), who regains life and visits her mother, a lapsed Buddhist (Mrs. Baldwin had taken her Buddhism very seriously, once, before substitute teaching had knocked it out of her'). Other stories have more overtly magical or intertextual themes; in each, Link's peppering of her prose with random associations dislocates readers from the ordinary. With a quirky, fairytale style evocative of Neil Gaiman, the author mingles the grotesque and the ethereal to make magic on the page.

Sound like a book for you?

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE BOOK AT THE CAPE MAY COUNTY LIBRARY!

The Noble Warriors Series by William Nicholson

People said the Nomana warriors had magic powers. They carried no weapons, wore no armour, they had no need. They were the Noble Warriors of the true way, and no one could stand against them - until Seeker. All his life Seeker has yearned to join the Nomana to fight alongside them, and to find glory. Until the day he discovers that this 'noble' sect are perhaps not as noble as they seem. Seeker sets out to uncover the truth, whatever the cost. Nicholson's first trilogy for teens, 'The Wind On Fire', met with universal acclaim. This second trilogy promises to be even more spectacular than his first.

Seeker, Morning Star, and the Wildman return in this gripping sequel to Seeker and discover that the mysterious warrior sect they were so desperate to join is not what it appeared to be from the outside. Deeply disillusioned, the three escape and head off on what they think are separate quests but that soon become intertwined--and desperately life threatening. Fortunately, they have acquired the remarkable physical skills of the Noble Warriors, for they are certainly going to need them. The mighty warlord of the Orlan nation is gathering his forces and has vowed to destroy Anacrea--and everything and everyone that crosses his path. With its riveting and deft handling of myriad themes including love, courage, friendship, desire, faith, and redemption, Jango will mesmerize every reader who dares to take the journey.

The safe haven of the Noble Warriors has been demolished and the Nomana have disbanded. When a young boy preaching peace and joy mesmerizes all who come in contact with him, a large following grows quickly--one that soon includes Morning Star and the Wildman. Yet Seeker, who is obsessed with his increasingly perilous journey to kill the last savanter, finds his mission placing him at odds with this new leader. As loyalties and friendships and faith are tested, all three heroes must question: Who can be trusted? And what can be believed? Part adventure-fantasy, part love story, and part reflection on the themes of power and faith, Noman is a thrilling and thought-provoking novel--a beautiful wrap-up to a critically acclaimed series.

Like what you read? Check out the series at the Cape May County Library...

(click on the picture covers to be taken to our online catalog)

(text borrowed from http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/)

YAREADS.COM

Need a new Teen Book to read?

YA READS DOT COM!

is a really cool site I've been reading over the past few weeks. Its got lots of great reviews of the latest Teen books and so much more...

I highly suggest you check it out!

And for those of you who want to talk more about all things Teen Literature, head on over to their forums for more...

YA READS FORUM!

Also...
CHECK BACK HERE IN FOUR DAYS (DECEMBER 22) FOR EPISODE 2 OF THE TEEN PODCAST!

Teen Playaways

What is a Playaway?

The best way to describe a Playaway is that it is sort of like an MP3 player with an audiobook already loaded onto it. The playaway is all ready to go once you check it out, so all you have to do is put in 1 AAA battery and headphones and listen. In other words, it's sort of like an IPod for books.

Here's an example of what a Playaway looks like:

The cool thing about Playaways?

We've now got them at the Cape May County Library!

Here's the list of our Teen Playaways at the Cape May County Teen Zone

The Outsiders by S.E Hinton

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer

M Is For Magic by Neil Gaiman

Jimi Hendrix: An Audio Biography in His Own Words

The Complete Star Wars Trilogy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

And to end our blog post, some questions...

How Many Can I Check Out?

-Right now, only 1 per card since we only have a few

What do I need to make the Playaway work?

-1 AAA battery and a pair of headphones. We try to keep it simple for you.

How long can I keep the Playaway?

-2 weeks (No Renewals. Sorry!)

Book Review: "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini

VERY MILD SPOILER WARNING!

The Inheritance Cycle continues as the battle for Alagaesia reaches a climax in Brisingr by Christopher Paolini. The book begins with a blissfully detailed summary of the first two books for those, like me, who need a reminder of what has happened before, and then drops the reader right into the action. The book begins with Eragon, the Dragon Rider, leading Roran into the depths of the evil King Galbatorix’s Empire to save Roran’s fiancée. The action continues from there with battles between dragons, Riders, spellcasters, and warriors that do not feel pain (think of slightly more intelligent zombies). Eragon and the soldiers he is leading, the Varden, sure look doomed.

Eragon has changed from the first book, both physically and mentally. He’s still impatient, but he takes time to think about his actions and their impact on others. He always tries to do what he thinks is right, even when others believe he is being foolish, which is always a good quality to have in a hero. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to identify with Eragon, as he’s now part elf and apparently some kind of superhero, with superhuman strength and the ability to use magic to make himself fly without his dragon. However, Eragon is in a position where everyone wants to tell him what to do, and they all have expectations of him, so he feels trapped. With so many tasks and standards thrust upon him, he finds it hard to remain true to himself. Don’t we all feel that way sometimes?

My biggest problem with the book is the way it splits its time between following Eragon and following every other major character of importance. Roran, Nasuada, and even the dragon Saphira all get the opportunities to present their points of view, which bothers me because Eragon is the character to whom I am most attached. I want to know his story in full, and view the action from his perspective. The structure of the trilogy mirrors that of the Lord of the Rings: the first book focuses on one individual or group, the second splits the narrative into two, and the third act splits even further to encompass all the action and politics that are inevitable in tales of war. The reader is able to get a broader scope on all the aspects of this war, but being constantly yanked out of one story arc and thrust into another tends to be wearying.

Despite this, I greatly enjoyed reading Brisingr. It is very exciting, holds a few surprises, and I am looking forward to the fourth and last book.

Review by Vicki the Children's Librarian

Banned Books Week!

Did you know that this week is Banned Books Week at the library?

Click here for more information on Banned Books

Here's a short list of some teens books that have been banned...you might be suprised what you find!

“The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” by Carolyn Mackler
“The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky


Here's a list of 100 of the Most Frequently Challenged or Banned Books from 1990-2000. Click here!

Interview with author Walter Dean Myers

NPR has a great new interview up with teen author Walter Dean Myers.
You may remember him as the author who wrote the Michael L. Printz award winning book Monster. He just recently released Sunrise Over Fallujah, which you can find at the Cape May County Library.

Click here to check out the interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93699480

Walter Dean Myers' website:
http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/

Have a good weekend!

Things for me to do this weekend

WATCH: Persepolis on DVD.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name...which I loved!

LISTEN: Genesis: Live Over Europe 2007

Does liking this band make me old? I don't care because I love them!

READ: Re-Gifters by Mike Carey, artwork by Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel

Part of the new graphic novel series by Minx (check them out here). These books look really good.