New Books for the Best Month ~ March 2016 (part 3)

How to Win at High School by Owen Matthews

Contemporary Fiction 

Partly for the sake of his brother Sam, who is paralyzed, Adam decides to go from high school loser to god by selling completed homework assignments, buying alcohol, and arranging for fake IDs, but before the end of junior year, he realizes his quest for popularity has gone way too far.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Nonfiction Memoir 

I Am Malala. This is my story. Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school. Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on October 9, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause: She was shot point-blank while riding the bus on her way home from school. No one expected her to survive. Now Malala is an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize nominee. In this Young Readers Edition of her bestselling memoir, which includes exclusive photos and material, we hear firsthand the remarkable story of a girl who knew from a young age that she wanted to change the world -- and did. 

Imposter by Antony John

Contemporary Fiction 

Seth Crane has hit rock bottom. His mom recently died, his dad had a stroke and is out of work, and he just lost out on a commercial role.  So when a producer shows up at his community theater production and offers him the lead role in an Indie film with major Hollywood buzz, it seems like the answer to all Seth’s problems. Seth gets swept up in the Hollywood glamour right away, staying in a fancy hotel, going to the best parties, doing press conferences, and falling for the beautiful starlet Sabrina Layton and then his costar Annaleigh. But things suddenly start popping up in the tabloids—things Sabrina and Annaleigh told him in confidence and that no one else could know—and the line between the film and reality starts to blur. Nothing in Hollywood is what it seems, and Seth has to decide just how far he’s willing to go for fame, money, and to protect the people he loves.

The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Graphic Novel 

Tessa Gray has found friends among the Shadowhunters, supernatural protectors of mankind who possess angelic blood. But Tessa's new life is threatened when some members of the Clave challenge Charlotte's leadership and pressure her to resign. If Charlotte is forced out, Tessa will have to leave as well, making her easy prey for the still-at-large Magister! Will and Jem are determined not to let this happen, but sometimes danger comes from where it's least expected...

I See Reality: Twelve Short Stories About Real Life by various

Contemporary Fiction 

An anthology of twelve original short stories by top authors exploring real issues for real teens. Through prose and comics alike, these heart-pounding short stories for young adults ask hard questions about a range of topics from sexuality and addiction to violence and immigration. Here is the perfect tool for starting tough discussions or simply as an introduction to realistic literary fiction. In turns funny, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking, I See Reality will resonate with today's teens long after the last page has been turned. Contributing authors include Jay Clark , Kristin Clark , Heather Demetrios , Stephen Emond , Patrick Flores-Scott , Faith Hicks , Trisha Leaver , Kekla Magoon , Marcella Pixley , James Preller , Jason Schmidt , and Jordan Sonnenblick . 

Teen Book Club - March - Recap!

The TBC got together a little late this time to discuss March's pick, but they did!  Here is what we read & discussed:

Paul Fleischman offers teens an environmental wake-up call and a tool kit for decoding the barrage of conflicting information confronting them. We're living in an Ah-Ha moment. Take 250 years of human ingenuity. Add abundant fossil fuels. The result: a population and lifestyle never before seen. The downsides weren't visible for centuries, but now they are. Suddenly everything needs rethinking - suburbs, cars, fast food, cheap prices. It's a changed world. This book explains it. Not with isolated facts, but the principles driving attitudes and events, from vested interests to denial to big-country syndrome. Because money is as important as molecules in the environment, science is joined with politics, history, and psychology to provide the briefing needed to comprehend the 21st century. Extensive back matter, including a glossary, bibliography, and index, as well as numerous references to websites, provides further resources.

Here are the discussion questions we used:

1.  General thoughts.  What did you think of the book?
2.  How readable was the book to you?  Did you enjoy the writing?
3.  How much had you thought about the portrayal of the environment in media before reading this book?
4.  Were there any facts in this book you were surprised to read?  Anything you thought was true, that this book proved false?
5.  What was the most interesting thing you learned from this book?
6.  Will you be changing anything in your lifestyle after reading this book?  Why or why not?
7.  What do you think was the main message the author was trying to convey?  Do you think he succeeded?
8.  How has reading this book changed the way you will read news on the environment in the future?
9.  Will you be checking out any of the resources mentioned in the book?
10.  Ratings and final thoughts!

Ratings

Melanie - 7/10 - Good short book to get to know better the troubles going on with the environment.
Catherine - 6/10 - Interesting, but a little bit hard to read.
Librarian Karyn - 6/10 - Tons of information about an important subject and great resources, but writing a little bit dry and slow.

If you enjoyed this book, there are MANY resources mentioned in the book and in the source descriptions in the back of the book.  However, if you would like to read a fiction book, why not try one on environmental disasters?

Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd - In 2015, when England becomes the first nation to introduce carbon dioxide rationing in a drastic bid to combat climate change, sixteen-year-old Laura documents the first year of rationing as her family spirals out of control.

Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi - Twelve-year-old Miles Shaw goes to live with his father, a jazz musician, in New Orleans, and together they survive the horrors of Hurricane Katrina in the Superdome, learning about each other and growing closer through their painful experiences.

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher - In a world where water has become a precious resource, Vera and her brother befriend a boy who seems to have unlimited access to water and who suspiciously disappears, prompting a dangerous search challenged by pirates, a paramilitary group, and corporations.


For April we are reading The List by Siobhan Vivian – Discussion April 29th

Every year at Mount Washington High School somebody posts a list of the prettiest and ugliest girls from each grade--this is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, and how they are affected by the list.

Happy birthday to me! ~ New Books for March (part 5)

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff

Contemporary Fiction 

After his best friend, Hayden, commits, suicide, fifteen-year-old Sam is determined to find out why--using the clues in the playlist Hayden left for him.

Polly and the One and Only World by Don Bredes

Science Fiction 

Set in a much-diminished future America called the Christian Protectorates, a poor country ravaged by coastal flooding, drought, and cataclysmic social upheaval, the story features 15-year-old Polly Lightfoot, a maiden witch of rich heritage and tender ability in the craft.  When the story opens, Polly is forced to flee New Florida, where she has taken temporary refuge to escape a military purge of the country’s infidels, pagans, and followers of false creeds.  With the help of her steadfast familiar, Balthazar, a raven, and her brave teenage companion, Leon, whom she meets on the way, Polly undertakes an epic journey from the deep south to the wild north to be reunited in Vermont with her family and to save her ancient craft from obliteration.

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen

Nonfiction

Stuck at the bottom of the social ladder at 'pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren't paid to be here,' Maya Van Wagenen decided to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help Maya on her quest to be popular? The real-life results are painful, funny, and include a wonderful and unexpected surprise-meeting and befriending Betty Cornell herself. 

The Prey by Tom Isbell

Science Fiction 

After the apocalyptic Omega, a group of orphaned teen boys learn of their dark fate and escape, joining forces with twin girls who have been imprisoned for the 'good of the republic.' In their plight for freedom, these young heroes must find the best in themselves to fight against the worst in their enemies.

The Prince of Venice Beach by Blake Nelson

Contemporary Fiction 

Robert "Cali" Callahan, seventeen, gets swept up into the private-investigator business and must deal with the ramifications of looking for fellow runaways who may not want to be found--and with falling in love with one of them.

New year, new books ~ Happy 2015! (part 8)

Thor God of Thunder vol 3: The Accursed by Aaron Klein

It's the bloody return of one of Thor's greatest enemies: Malekith the Accursed! The former lord of the Dark Elves is freed from his otherworldly prison, and the chase is on across the Nine Realms to capture him! As Malekith begins a bloody rampage, Thor finds new allies to aid him: a Dark Elf sorceress! A gun-toting Light Elf! A gargantuan Mountain Giant! A dwarf who loves dynamite! And a particularly surly troll...?! The Wild Hunt has begun!

Training for Speed, Agility, & Quickness by Lee Brown

Today’s athletes are bigger, stronger, faster, and more agile than ever before. Exhibiting a combination of power, speed, and quickness, they’ve raised the bar on performance, competition, and training. Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness is the complete workout guide you need in order to perform a step ahead of the competition.   With this total training package, you’ll have exclusive online access to a video library of the most effective drills and exercises for developing movement skills, and you’ll see how to perform key tests and execute the best and most complex drills from the book. 

Unfriended by Rachel Vail

When thirteen-year-old Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table, she finds herself caught in a web of lies and misunderstandings, made unescapable by the hyperconnected social media world.

Whole Lotta Creativity Going On: 60 Fun and Unusual Exercises to Awaken and Strengthen Your Creativity by Regina Pecelli

Be your own kind of creative. Everyone has a creative core. Everyone! But, in order for it to thrive, it needs to be nurtured. That's where "Whole Lotta Creativity Going On" can help. It's not a crafts or how-to book, but rather a fun book, filled with 10 different types of unusual and thought-provoking activities and exercises, which can be used to ignite and invigorate your creative spark. 

Wild Rover No More by L. A. Meyer

In 1809, just when it looks like Jacky Faber and her beloved Jaimy will finally find their romance, Jacky is accused of treason and must flee Boston while her friends attempt to clear her name. Of course that means wild adventures for our fun-loving heroine, who manages to secure a job as a governess--and run away with the circus.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

An aristocratic girl who is a member of a warmongering and enslaving empire purchases a slave, an act that sets in motion a rebellion that might overthrow her world as well as her heart.

My gift to you...New Books for December! (part 9)

Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

A futuristic retelling of Snow White in which seventeen-year-old Essie, a master at repairing robots and drones on the frozen mining planet Thanda, is pulled into a war by handsome and mysterious Dane after his shuttle crash-lands near her home.

Stray by Elissa Sussman

Princess Aislynn's magical ability is powerful and uncontrollable, so she is "redirected" into the order of Fairy Godmothers, where her heart is removed and stored in a hidden cabinet, and she must spend the rest of her life devoted to serving another royal family--but her growing friendship with a palace gardener causes Aislynn to question the vows she has taken, and the motives of those who would prevent her from "straying" from the path.

They All Fall Down by Roxanne St. Claire

Kenzie's life is transformed when she's voted one of the prettiest girls at Vienna High, but when the girls on the list start to die, she's determined to uncover the deadly secrets of the list before her number's up.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Discover a terrifying world in the woods in this collection of five hauntingly beautiful graphic stories that includes the online webcomic sensation "His Face All Red," in print for the first time. Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to "Our Neighbor's House"-though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in "A Lady's Hands Are Cold." You might try to figure out what is haunting "My Friend Janna," or discover that your brother's fiancée may not be what she seems in "The Nesting Place." And of course you must revisit the horror of "His Face All Red," the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page. Already revered for her work online, award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll's stunning visual style and impeccable pacing is on grand display in this entrancing anthology, her print debut.

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser. Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George. Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey--and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him--and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

New Books for October ~ Part 5

When Tommy Smythe, a high school junior and particle physics genius, goes missing, multiple lives intersect--or don't--as the residents of a small Texas town relate, in their separate voices, what each thinks might have happened to Tommy.

In 1941, having a German plane crash near your house is exciting, but when twelve-year-old Peter Dixon and his friend Kim find a wounded German airman, Peter is faced with a dilemma--should he help take care of the man as Kim wants to do, or report him to the soldiers searching for him?

Twin sisters Moria and Ashyn were marked at birth to become the Keeper and the Seeker of Edgewood, beginning with their sixteenth birthday. Trained in fighting and in the secret rites of the spirits, they lead an annual trip into the Forest of the Dead. There, the veil between the living world and the beyond is thinnest, and the girls pay respect to the spirits who have passed. But this year, their trip goes dreadfully wrong.

With this fun and friendly beginners guide, you will quickly grasp how to play Minecraft in the three modes of game play: survival, creative, and hardcore. The easy-to-understand writing style walks you through every step of the way, from downloading the game to choosing a gaming platform to defending your creations against monsters and winning the game by defeating the Ender Dragon.

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair--the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she's a freak. A mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA. After all, her father is from Romania. Everyone else in Nebraska is about as American as an apple pie . . . wrapped in a flag . . . on the Fourth of July. Spider stew. That's what Anika is made of. But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauser, first most popular girl in school, will make her life a living hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can't get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it . . . ? Logan. Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?