What is TAB?

The Teen Advisory Board is a program that continues throughout the entire year, but I do want to reiterate this program, its importance, and what it's about.

TAB is a group of teenagers that choose to meet with me on the 4th Thursday every month.  They give me input on books they want me to buy, programs they want to have, ideas for the summer reading program, what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong, and more!

This is the BEST way for me to get what the teens want and the best way for teens to tell me how to do my job.

SO! If you're interested, please get ahold of me so I can add you to my list, or just show up at the library on the FOURTH Thursday of the month!

Young Hoosier Book Club

I am also coming back for another year of Young Hoosier book clubs at NMS! Make sure you check in at the school library to sign up for the next book club.  

The Schedule:

September 7: The Time Fetch

October 5: The Great Trouble

November 2: Infestation

December 7: The Right Fight

January 11: Odette’s Secrets

February 8: Sasquatch in the Paint

March 7: School for Good and Evil

April 11: Sure Signs of Crazy

May 9: The Lost Kingdom

May 16: PARTAAAAY!

The same rules apply this year--you HAVE to check your own name off. If at the end of the year, you say you went to one but didn't check your name off, too bad so sad. YOU are responsible! You MUST go to at least FIVE book clubs to qualify for the party at the end of the year. I do keep VERY good track.

Guest Book Review: Across the Universe

Thank you to some of my very amazing teens! They have gotten bit by the review bug.  Here's the first review from Mary!

Across the Universe

Beth Revis

 

     Even though her parents left her with the option of not being frozen, Amy decided she did not want to leave her parents to travel to a new planet by themselves. Amy and her parents were to be frozen and sent to a new planet, Centauri-Earth, in three hundred years on a spaceship named Godspeed. However, hundreds of years later, before Godspeed has landed, Amy is unfrozen by a curious resident of the ship. Amy must spend her time in the hospital of Godspeed because the current leader, Eldest, believes Amy will cause an uproar due to her different completions. However, when more of the frozen humans are awakened, Amy and her new friend Elder must figure out who is trying to murder the frozen Earth humans and fast before the mystery man tries to murder her, again.

         

    Even though I listened to this novel on audio and did not actually read it, I still found it amazing. The narrator’s voices helped bring this novel character. When the point-of-views changed from Elder to Amy, the voice of the narrator would change from male and female (which helped make the book more personal in my opinion). I enjoyed how after each chapter I wanted more and when I got to the end of the novel I was dying to listen to the second one.  At first, I was a little confused about what was going on and some of the terms in the novel but once the characters started to explain what certain things were, everything started to fall into place.

 

NHS Book Clubs

Another program that I have throughout the year is a book club for high school students.  It's pretty low-key with some deep conversation.  We meet AT the high school, hopefully in the school library in the comfy chairs.  All those who show up to book club get the next book for free--to keep. Get ahold of me if you are interested.

Here are the next few months for book clubs:

Book Review: Green Shadows, White Whale

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you might know that I'm in love with the writing of Ray Bradbury. He is not a YA author, rather he writes for adults, but he nails it. Every time.  Here is the latest book by Bradbury that I have read, may he rest in peace!

Green Shadows, White Whale

Ray Bradbury

 

Goodreads summary:

In 1953, the brilliant but terrifying titan of cinema John Huston summons the young writer Ray Bradbury to Ireland. The apprehensive scribe's quest is to capture on paper the fiercest of all literary beasts -- Moby Dick -- in the form of a workable screenplay so the great director can begin filming.

But from the moment he sets foot on Irish soil, the author embarks on an unexpected odyssey. Meet congenial IRA terrorists, tippling men of the cloth impish playwrights, and the boyos at Heeber Finn's pub. In a land where myth is reality, poetry is plentiful, and life's misfortunes are always cause for celebration, Green Shadows, White Whale is the grandest tour of Ireland you'll ever experience -- with the irrepressible Ray Bradbury as your enthusiastic guide.

Generally, I stick with Bradbury's short stories, usually written in a collection.  But I saw this one sitting on the shelves, and it is related to Moby Dick, so I figured it can't be bad, right!? It was not bad at all! This story stays true to Bradbury's writing, even though it is realistic fiction, rather than Science Fiction.

Even in novels, Bradbury tends to write in short story form.  Each chapter, while explaining more of Bradbury's and Huston's lives, have a theme and a story in it.  This makes for easy reading, as there is a new story or episode every 10 pages or so.  

The story also takes place in Ireland, which, one can never go wrong with Ireland! The reader gets a little bit of Irish culture in this story, and I love that this novel is somewhat autobiographical!  

This book is a MUST READ!

Teen Craft Night

Now that the summer reading program is over, I've begun the planning of our school year programs! Teen Craft Night will start back up in September.  It will always be the FIRST THURSDAY of the month.

ALL materials are free, and I often have snacks, BUT in order for me to get enough supplies for everyone, I really need you to register.

You can do that online: http://mdypl.evanced.info/signup/eventcalendar.aspx

or email me

or come into the library--the teen section has a clipboard for sign ups.

Here are the next couple of months:

 

Book Review: Tempest

Started another new series---about TIME TRAVEL! Only this one is not your usual time travel story!

Tempest

by Julie Cross

When Jackson was in high school, he found out he could time travel--not a wide range of travel, but a few days or weeks, here and there, in the past.  Enough that his friend, Adam, is interested in testing his abilities and keeping a journal.  But when the Enemies of Time find out about Adam's ability, they confront him, shoot his girlfriend, and Jackson runs to 2007 to escape.

When Jackson finds out he is stuck in 2007, he finds there is a conspiracy to uncover, his girlfriend to woo again, and redemption at the hands of his dead twin sister.

This is a wacky tale! I mean that in the most complimentary way.  Some of the terms of the book are hokey, but this is a really great new twist on time travel. Jackson can't just time travel any-when he likes.  There are limits...and ways to hone his abilities to become stronger. While Jackson hopes to save his girlfriend both in 2007 and 2009, the book does not revolve around the love story.  There is also a strong friendship with Adam that Cross really unveils throughout the book.  There is Jackson's relationship with his father--a man he had started to think was heartless.  And there is Jackson's inner struggle with guilt about his sister's death.  This book has so many dimensions (not just the 4th dimension! Har Har!), but it is a deep book with a ton of layers.  Get it now!

The second in the series is: