My Gift to You ~ New Books for December (part 2)

Fair Tail volume 23 by Hiro Mashima

Graphic Novel (Manga) 

SLAYING A MECHANICAL DRAGON!

The king of Edolas has taken a final stand in the fearsome, magic-proof Droma Anim! The only ones who can stop him are Fairy Tail's three dragon slayers. But how can magic stop a magic-proof killing machine? Discover the final fate of the world of Edolas!

Fantasy Sports vol 1 by Sam Bosma

Graphic Novel 

In Sam Bosma's debut graphic novel, a young explorer and her musclebound friend go treasure hunting in a mummy's tomb - but if they want to get rich, they're going to have to best the mummy in a game of hoops! Can they trust their bandaged adversary to play by the rules? Or will they be stuck in the tomb forever?

Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

Action/Adventure 

Natasha Romanov, called the Black Widow, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, rescues a young girl from Ivan, the man who once trained her as an assassin--and eight years later she is called upon to protect the teenager Ava has become from a threat from the past--and possibly from S.H.I.E.L.D itself.

Emergent Behavior by Nicole Taylor

Bots book #1

Science Fiction 

A robotics genius, Edmond West has developed a plan to create the world's first Artificial Intelligence truly indistinguishable from a human being. His Bots will eradicate global slavery and allow humanity to channel its darkest impulses safely, harming only these soulless machines. His greatest success, however, may also be his undoing. He's finally created the perfect humanoid robot; perfectly intuitive, perfectly emotive… and perfectly unpredictable.

The Foxglove Killings by Tara Kelly

Mystery 

 It started with the murdered deer in the playground with the unmistakable purple of a foxglove in its mouth. But in the dying boondock town of Emerald Cove, life goes on.

I work at Gramps's diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He's almost like a stranger now. I can't figure it out...or why I'm having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn't be having.

Then one of the cakes disappears.

When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it's up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I've ever known about myself — and Alex.

New books for October ~ Part 1

13 Days of Midnight by Leo Hunt

Paranormal 

When his estranged father dies, sixteen-year-old Luke inherits eight spirits who want revenge for their enslavement, and with Halloween fast approaching, he has only thirteen days to give them their eternal rest or he may join their ghostly ranks.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

Contemporary Fiction 

A bag of chips. That's all sixteen-year-old Rashad is looking for at the corner bodega. What he finds instead is a fist-happy cop, Paul Galluzzo, who mistakes Rashad for a shoplifter, mistakes Rashad's pleadings that he's stolen nothing for belligerence, mistakes Rashad's resistance to leave the bodega as resisting arrest, mistakes Rashad's every flinch at every punch the cop throws as further resistance and refusal to STAY STILL as ordered. But how can you stay still when someone is pounding your face into the concrete pavement? But there were witnesses: Quinn Collins-a varsity basketball player and Rashad's classmate who has been raised by Paul since his own father died in Afghanistan-and a video camera. Soon the beating is all over the news and Paul is getting threatened with accusations of prejudice and racial brutality. Quinn refuses to believe that the man who has basically been his savior could possibly be guilty. But then Rashad is absent. And absent again. And again. And the basketball team-half of whom are Rashad's best friends-start to take sides. As does the school. And the town. Simmering tensions threaten to explode as Rashad and Quinn are forced to face decisions and consequences they had never considered before. 

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius

Contemporary Fiction 

On a rigid path, set by his family, to become valedictorian, attend Harvard Law School, have a stunning political career like his father's, and date the right girl, Henry Tudor feels trapped until he meets the wild, brash Anne Boleyn, and they embark on a dangerous romance.

Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas
Fantasy
After Pin and Shoe escape from servitude in the Godmother's fortress, they learn that she has taken control of Story, which can warp the world around it, forcing people into its shape, and they decide to try to break out and create their own destinies in this tale that features many familiar characters.

 

Attack on Titan vols 4 & 5 by Hajime Isayama

Manga (Japanese graphic novel) 

Volume 4 back cover: The Survey Corps develops a risky gambit-have Eren in Titan form attempt to repair Wall Rose, reclaiming human territory from the monsters for the first time in a century.  But Titan-Eren's self control is far from perfect, and when he goes on a rampage, not even Armin can stop him!  With the survival of humanity on his massive shoulders, will Eren be able to return to hist senses, or will he lose himself forever?

April Books bring May...more books! (April new books part 7)

Razorhurst by Justine Larbalestier

Historical Fiction

In 1932, in Sydney's deadly Razorhurst neighborhood, where crime and razor-wielding men rule, two girls with contrasting lives who share the ability to see ghosts meet over a dead body and find themselves on the run from mob bosses.

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles

Contemporary Fiction

Thanks to a bully in gym class, unpopular Nate suffers a broken finger--the middle one, splinted to flip off the world. It won't be the last time a middle finger is raised on this day. Dreamer Claire envisions herself sitting in an artsy café, filling a journal, but fate has other plans. One cheerleader dates a closeted basketball star; another questions just how, as a "big girl," she fits in. A group of boys scam drivers for beer money without remorse--or so it seems. Over the course of a single day, these voices and others speak loud and clear about the complex dance that is life in a small town. They resonate in a gritty and unflinching portrayal of a day like any other, with ordinary traumas, heartbreak, and revenge. But on any given day, the line where presentation and perception meet is a tenuous one, so hard to discern. Unless, of course, one looks a little closer--and reads between the lines.

Redeemed by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Paranormal

Zoey and her friends face the ultimate battle with evil, which will determine the fate of the world, both human and vampyre.

Rocket Man by Jan Coates

Contemporary Fiction

Feeling invisible as the middle child, Bob gets the chance to shine when he is asked to plan a basketball game to support cancer research, but his father, who suffers from cancer, may not be able to make the game when he lands in a wheelchair after a fall.

The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

Contemporary Fiction

Written as a college admission essay, eighteen-year-old Harry Jones recounts a childhood defined by the hideous scars he hid behind, and how forming a band brought self-confidence, friendship, and his first kiss.

New year, new books ~ Happy 2015! (part 7)

Signed Skye Harper by Carol Lynch Williams

In 1972, while her idol, Mark Spitz, is in Germany competing in the Olympics, fifteen-year-old Winston, her Nanny, and her crush, Steve, head to Las Vegas in Steve's parents' motorhome to reconnect with Winston's mother, who left ten years before to become a star.

Stranger by Rachel Manija Brown & Sherwood Smith

Many generations ago, a mysterious cataclysm struck the world. Governments collapsed and people scattered to rebuild where they could. A mutation called the Change arose, granting some people unique powers. Though the area once known as Los Angeles retains its cultural diversity, its technological marvels have faded into legend. "Las Anclas" now resembles a Wild West frontier town--where the Sheriff possesses superhuman strength, the doctor can warp time to heal his patients, and the distant ruins of an ancient city bristle with deadly crystalline trees that take their jewellike colors from the clothes of the people they killed. Teenage prospector Ross Juarez's best find ever--an ancient book he doesn't know how to read--nearly costs him his life when a bounty hunter is sent to kill him and steal the book. Ross barely makes it to Las Anclas, bringing with him a precious artifact, a power no one has ever had before, and a whole lot of trouble.

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Seventeen-year-old slave girl, Nym, should not exist. In a world where Elementals are only born male, and always killed at birth, she is an anomaly at best. At worst, people around her die. When a court emissary identifies her weather-manipulating ability as a weapon, Nym is purchased and put to work honing her skills. With time running out for the kingdom of Faelen, Nym might be all that stands between it and the technologically-advanced horror racing down upon them--not to mention the rumored reemergence of the monstrous shapeshifter, Draewulf. But some elements even she can't control. Nym must decide whom to trust as she's unleashed into a world of assassins and political betrayal surrounding a young king fighting for his throne, a tired nation that has forgotten its calling, and her handsome tutor whose dark secrets could destroy both her people and her heart.

Swagger by Carl Deuker

High school senior point guard Jonas Dolan is on the fast track to a basketball career until an unthinkable choice puts his future on the line.

The Terminals by Royce Scott Buckingham

Nineteen-year-old Cam Cody takes the opportunity to join a covert unit of young spies who, like him, are terminally ill but have extraordinary abilities due to an experimental super-steroid, but he soon learns the program is not what it seems--and they may not even be ill.

New books to spend the holidays with~ (Part 1)

Spiderman Big Time Ultimate Collection 

Peter Parker has finally hit the Big Time. He's a full-fledged Avenger, he just landed a high-paying science job, and he has an amazing new girlfriend. But big-time living means big-time pressure! When the Hobgoblin returns, Spidey will need a slick new edge to defeat him. And when the Scorpion targets J. Jonah Jameson and his loved ones, Spider-Man must grapple with matters of life and death in a moving and compelling tale. Then, Spidey is asked to join the FF, adding even more to his already overful plate. Peter has never been one to shirk his responsibility, but will all his new commitments prove too much to handle? Plus: a new and strangely familiar Venom makes his debut!

 Greek Mythology for Teens by Zach Hamby

"Greek Mythology for Teens" takes classical mythology to a new level by relating ancient stories to the culture, history, art, and literature of today. The book uses the innovative approach of reader's theater to teach mythology to teens, asking them to act out the stories and become engaged in a common learning experience. By looking at topics instrumental to both mythology and modern culture, teens are encouraged to question topics such as heroism, foolishness, love, and more. Each chapter builds on a particular theme found in the central myth and includes activities, discussion questions, and exercises that connect the myth to the modern world and everyday life. Visually appealing sidebars also give background on Greek and Roman mythology and culture. "Greek Mythology for Teens" takes the classic myths taught in school and turns them into an engaging, interesting, and modern way of looking at old material.

 Foul Trouble by John Feinstein

Terrell Jamerson is the #1 high school basketball player in the country. His team is poised to win State, top colleges are lining up to give him scholarships, and everyone says he could play in the NBA tomorrow. But it only takes one false step to lose everything. Danny Wilcox is Terrell's best friend and teammate, and a top prospect himself, but these days it seems like "everyone" wants to get close to Terrell: the sneaker guys, the money managers, the college boosters. They show up offering fast cars, hot girls, and cold, hard cash. They say they just want to help, but their kind of help could get Terrell disqualified. Danny and Terrell better keep their eyes on the ball if they hope to last the season. John Feinstein has been praised as "the best writer of sports books in America today" ("The Boston Globe"), and he proves it again in this fast-paced novel.

Michael Vey: Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans

The hair-raising action continues for Michael Vey in this charged third installment of the #1 "New York Times "bestselling series. Michael, Taylor, Ostin and the rest of the Electroclan have destroyed the largest of the Elgen Starxource plants, but now they're on the run. The Elgen have teamed up with the Peruvian army to capture them, and only Michael remains free. With his friends due to stand trial for terrorism--a charge that may carry the death penalty--Michael will need all his wits and his abilities if he's to save them. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Dr. Hatch and his loyal Electric Children have seized control of the "E.S. Ampere"--the super yacht the Elgen use as their headquarters. With the seven ships of the Elgen fleet now under his control, Hatch heads back to Peru to gather his army and begin his quest for global domination. Michael must free his friends then find a way to stop Hatch, but Hatch knows Michael and the Electroclan are coming. And he's ready for them. Can the Electroclan win the battle of the "Ampere"? Or has Michael's luck finally run out? 

Invasion by Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers brilliantly renders the realities of World War II. Josiah Wedgewood and Marcus Perry are on their way to an uncertain future. Their whole lives are ahead of them, yet at the same time, death's whisper is everywhere. One white, one black, these young men have nothing in common and everything in common as they approach an experience that will change them forever. It's May 1944. World War II is ramping up, and so are these young recruits, ready and eager. In small towns and big cities all over the globe, people are filled with fear. When Josiah and Marcus come together in what will be the greatest test of their lives, they learn hard lessons about race, friendship, and what it really means to fight. Set on the front lines of the Normandy invasion, this novel, rendered with heart-in-the-throat precision, is a cinematic masterpiece. Here we see the bold terror of war, and also the nuanced havoc that affects a young person's psyche while living in a barrack, not knowing if today he will end up dead or alive.

April's new books are all vampire romances! (Part 2)

April fools :)

All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin

Wealthy teen Thea Parott's jealousy of her older, prettier, more popular sister Alex prompts a series of self-destructive acts that threaten their seemingly-idyllic lives.

 Sailor Moon vol 10 by Naoko Takeuchi

The threat of Dead Moon Circus is so great that the outer planet Guardians return to fight alongside their compatriots. But with Usagi now coughing up black blood as well, are they too late? And to make things worse, Queen Nehelenia’s servant Zirconia casts another curse upon Usagi and Mamoru, sending them both back into childhood. However, Helios whisks away their spirits to Elysion, where they manage to break free and return to their true forms. After they rejoin their companions, the final showdown against Queen Nehelenia herself begins! Will the Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask manage to save Earth and Elysion before the Queen transforms them into eternal realms of nightmares?

 Athlete vs. Mathlete by W. C. Mack

Owen Evans lights up the scoreboards. His brother, Russell, rocks the school boards. These twin brothers couldn't be more different. They've long kept the peace by going their separate ways, but all that is about to change. The new basketball coach recruits Russell for the seventh grade team and a jealous Owen has to fight to stay in the game. When someone tries to steal Russell's spot as captain of the mathlete team, will the two be able to put aside their differences in order to save his position? Or will they be sidelined?

 The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman

Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school... until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth.

 ADHD in HD: Brains Gone Wild by Jonathan Chesner

ADHD in HD: Brains Gone Wild is a kinetic collection of frank personal stories of failure and success, hilarious anecdotes, wild ideas, and point-blank advice that will resonate with teens and young adults. More than 60 short essays, interesting topics, wacky illustrations--all stamped with Jonathan's irresistible humor. The book addresses the four main characteristics of ADHD: hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and indecisiveness. It provides positive advice about school, family life, social life, dating, careers, medicine, and how to be like Mr. T--even if you don't have a Mohawk, lots of gold chains, or huge muscles. Inspiring, upbeat, and fun and gives the unique perspective that ADHD isn't all bad--it can actually be a blessing in disguise

NO BOOKS FOR APRIL!

April fools :)    Here are the new books for April...

Vocabulary Cartoons: SAT Word Power by various

Check the Catalog

First complete collection of rhyming word and visual mnemonic aids for rapid vocabulary enhancement. This unique book contains 290 words commonly found on the SAT test and is presented with easy to remember memory aids in the form of word associations and humorous cartoons. Students learn three times more words in independent school tests. Makes vocabulary fun! As easy as reading the comics. It is a must for every college bound middle and high school student.

The Final Four by Paul Volponi

Check the Catalog

  Four players at the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament struggle with the pressures of tournament play and the expectations of society at large.

 Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Check the Catalog

High school sophomore Willa and her artist mother move to Arizona where Willa starts attending an elite prep school after her mother finally sells some paintings, and Willa attempts to even things out by stealing from the rich students and giving to the poor ones.

 Sailor Moon 2 & 3 are here!

Lightbringer by K. D. McEntire

Check the Catalog

Teenaged Wendy, who has the power to help souls cross over to their final destinations, falls in love with a ghost and discovers horrific, dark forces in the afterlife.

 Through My Eyes: A Quarterback's Journey by Tim Tebow

Check the Catalog

Headache -- The early years -- Preparing a foundation -- A fair farewell -- Philippines, football, faith, and Otis -- Where to go, where to go? -- Running down a dream -- Getting my feet wet in the swamp -- Ending up in the desert -- Starting over -- Communication problems -- The Heisman -- Doing the right thing -- A discouraging start and a promise -- A promise fulfilled -- Matching their intensity -- Finishing strong -- The draft and Denver.

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

Hiya teens~  Its the start of a new week!  How many days of school left?  You must be getting down to the final count.  May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, as you might have guessed from the post title.  This is an initiative spearheaded by the White House to get everyone active and on the path to a healthy lifestyle.  One part of the program is the President's Challenge.  For this program you are challenged by the president to increase the amount of physical activity in your life.

You can find out more here:
http://www.presidentschallenge.org/

Got that part down?  Or do you need some inspiration?  Well I've made a book display in the library of some of our books that are about active young adults, and here are a sampling of what we have available~


YA WEA
Since the death of his older brother, thirteen-year-old Billy Baggs has had a distant relationship with his father, but life on their farm in northern Minnesota begins to change when he starts to play baseball.


YA KOR NM '12
Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, sixteen-year-old high-school quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose childish behavior keeps Marcus in hot water.


YA MYE
If Harlem high school senior Drew Lawson is going to realize his dream of playing college, then professional, basketball, he will have to improve at being coached and being a team player, especially after a new--white--student threatens to take the scouts' attention away from him.


YA RUS
Anything seems possible to 13 year-old Gary when he's on his backyard rink. However, things aren't so easy outside of his backyard. Gary finds that his first year of bantam hockey is tough and that his recently separated parents are dating other people. The positive things in Gary's life include the arrival of the New Mexico Snow Dogs (a farm team) to his hometown and his new friendship with Dmitri. However, Dimitri's brother gets involved with the Russian mafia and the Snow Dogs consider leaving for a bigger city.


YA WAR
At boarding school, Katie tries to focus on swimming and becoming popular instead of the painful memories of her institutionalized schizophrenic older brother.


YA BRY
Avery heads to Telluride Colorado for a snowboard competition, but finds herself competing against an all-star boarder.

So, readers, get inspired, get out, get fit, and, most importantly, get healthy this month~