Teen Space

Black, White, Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong

2012-02-13T13:09:00.004-06:00

Fifteen-year-old Nina Armstrong is caught in the middle in so many ways. Her mom and dad recently split up, and her formerly-stable family feels suddenly unreliable. Nina is biracial, but that’s never been an issue for her before. Now, her dad is getting in touch with his African-American roots and starting to express anger with white people, and her white best friend, Jessica, has found a new friend who is doesn't hide her feelings about the “ghetto” black kids in their high school. Even worse, her brother is being stalked by a bully from her high school. She can’t seem to tell her parents anything: they don’t get that race is just black and white to the kids she knows, and that whatever she is doesn’t fit in with either and that means everyday is harder and harder for her. Nina finds solace in a story her dad is writing, adapted from the journal and letters of her great-great grandmother Sarah, a slave who, despite all obstacles, escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad. As Nina reads Sarah’s story she becomes inspired to run away, too, from all her troubles at home and school. In the end, though, Nina realizes that her problems are nothing like Sarah’s but, like Sarah, she has it within her to change things for the better. Author Joan Steinau Lester tells two tales of two strong young women, Nina and Sarah, that all strong young women will enjoy.

Local Author Alert!

2012-02-06T13:57:00.006-06:00

Do you know Julie Cross?

She has her own blog. She's been interviewed by Entertainment Weekly and WCIA. So what's the buzz on Julie Cross all about?

She's the author of Tempest, a new novel that might be turned into a movie by Summit Entertainment. And, she's from Champaign, Illinois.

Tempest is a supernatural tale involving a nineteen-year-old college student named Jackson, who's your average guy... except for the fact that he can time travel. After a violent fight with some bad guys that resulted in his girlfriend, Holly, getting fatally shot, Jackson travels two years into the past, and gets stuck in 2007. While Jackson's stuck in the past, he falls in love with Holly all over again, tries to better understand his time-traveling abilities, finds out his dad is a spy, and gets chased by the bad guys who turn out to be "Enemies of Time." Jackson must decide how far he'll go to save Holly, and possibly even the world.

Curious about how the story ends? Place your request for this book today!

Review: Mangaman by Barry Lyga

2012-02-01T12:37:00.003-06:00

East meets West in Mangaman by Barry Lyga, a graphic novel about a teenage boy named Ryoko from a manga comic who falls through a rift and ends up in the "real" world of a Western comic. With his long hair, girlish good looks, and manga style, Ryoko stands out in his new high school. Marissa Montaigne, however, thinks Ryoko is fascinating. But Ryoko doesn't belong in the "real" world, and as tensions between Ryoko and the other Western characters rise, he has to choose between his love for Marissa and the possibility of returning to his own world.

This story is probably not the best story for readers who have never read manga before. Manga fans, however, will love the way the Western characters react to Ryoko's sweat-drops of nervousness, heart-shaped eyes, motion lines, and kung fu battles. There are also tons of jokes about the art of comics themselves. Ryoko sometimes gets confused and walks through panels from right to left, the direction manga is read in Japan. The characters also realize they're in a comic and start jumping around and through panels.

The story packs a lot of plot into just one short volume, so it might feel rushed to readers who prefer a more leisurely pace. But if you're looking for a commentary on the differences between Eastern and Western comics, this story is for you!

Your Opinion Counts!

2012-01-30T13:28:00.002-06:00

Is the Teen Space meeting your needs? What do you want out of your library? What do you use the library for? Come and give us the answers to these and other questions and we'll give you free pizza!

We will be meeting Thursday, February 2, 2012, in the Satterthwaite Conference Room on the Ground Floor of The Urbana Free Library from 4:00-5:00p.m. We hope to see you there!

Can't make it but still want to share your opinion? Email Amber at acastens@tufl.info for a PDF copy of the survey that you can fill out and turn back in to The Urbana Free Library. Please return the survey by February 4th!

The Fault in Our Stars

2012-01-23T15:55:00.005-06:00

If you are a fan of John Green's previous books (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson), or if you are just a fan of bittersweet love stories, you should check out his new novel The Fault in Our Stars. Hazel is a smart and sarcastic 16 year-old who is suffering from terminal cancer. A new drug has bought her some time, and she is spending it taking community college courses, hanging out with her parents, and attending her "Cancer Kid Support Group". This is all working out fine for Hazel until adventure walks into her life in the form of Augustus Waters, a witty (and gorgeous) new arrival at her support group. Suddenly the world opens up for Hazel in ways she didn't think were possible. She's falling in love, making friends, and tracking down the elusive author of her favorite novel in a quest for closure. Join Hazel for her adventures and check out this sweet, funny, and heart-wrenching story of love in the face of terminal illness.

Upcoming Events in January

2012-01-07T16:23:00.001-06:00

Looking for something fun to do this month? Come to The Urbana Free Library and participate in one of our latest events for teens!

If you like GAMING…

On the 2^nd Saturday of most months (this month it’ll be the 14^th) you can join us for drop-in video gaming from 2-4:30pm in the Lewis Auditorium. You can bring your own games and consoles (no M rated games please), or use the library’s Wii, PS2, and N64 games and consoles. There will also be board gaming, cards, jenga, and free pizza!

If you prefer a wider variety of board games, the 2^nd Saturday Board Games event will also be held on the 14^th from 2-6pm in the MacFarlane-Hood Reading Room. This is a drop-in program for all ages, where you can play old classics like Go and Backgammon, as well as new favorites like deck-building Dominion and treasure-hunting Tobago. Never heard of ‘em? No problem. We’ll have staff and volunteers standing by to lead demonstrations of how to play.

P.S.-- The Library has a wide variety of board games available to check out at the 2^nd floor Reference Desk!

If you like ART…

On the 4^th Monday of most months (this month it’ll be on the 23^rd) you can join us for an hour of artistic creativity at the Art Day @ Your Library event, which takes place in the Lewis Auditorium from 3:30-4:30pm. This month we’ll be designing Teen Tech Week posters for the Teen Space. Teen Tech Week will run from March 4-10, 2012, and this year’s theme is “Geek Out At Your Library.” So come help us geek out by drawing all sorts of techy stuff, from old 8-tracks to iPods; vinyl records to CDs; VHS tapes & VCRs to Blu-ray players; floppy discs to flash drives; Atari’s to XBOX 360s; clunky computers monitors to sleek notebooks, and whatever else you can draw!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol. 1

2011-12-06T15:28:00.004-06:00

What can be said about Sailor Moon that hasn't been said before? Yes there are sailor outfits, romantic drama, hidden identities, and an obsession with bedazzled weapons that double as fashion accessories. Yes, some of the catch phrases are a bit cheesy and ridiculous, "I punish you in the name of the moon!" Yes, it stars a clumsy, not-too-smart school girl who transforms into a mystic superhero (with the help of classmates and her talking cat from the moon).

But you know what? It is fun for the same reasons that make it absurd. Sailor Moon speaks to the desire to be more than we think we are. To be more than normal, especially when you feel that you'll never live up to all the expectations that people have for you. It might seem exaggerated and over the top, but it's a wish fulfillment fantasy. And if you're going to dream why not dream big?

This is one of the original star-crossed lover mangas. In the 90s, Sailor Moon was most American kids' introduction to anime and it showed girls that there was an animated program just for them. The newly released Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a re-release of the original manga from the 90s, originally titled Sailor Moon. The new version has made some changes. Bunny, the main character, is now Usagi, which is Japanese for rabbit. It retains the right-to-left reading style of the original Japanese version, while the first printing in America was left-to-right, flipping the art so the book could be read like conventional western comics. The biggest change though, is that the original American printing came in 18 volumes, while the new release will tell the same story in 12. No material is lost, but the story breaks in different places.

If you have read Sailor Moon before, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is your chance to finally own the story. The original release went out of print quickly. For new readers this is a great way to discover the classic series for the first time.

2011-12-02T17:43:00.018-06:00

DUBSTEP at The Urbana Free Library

COMING SOON!

Due to popular demand, the library has ordered extra copies of the following Dubstep CD’s:

Deadmau5:
4 by 4=12

For lack of a better name

Random Album Title

Rusko: O.M.G.!

Skrillex: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

BassNectar:Divergent Spectrum

Let the Countdown Begin!

2011-12-01T14:49:00.002-06:00

On December 15th (two weeks away!) from 3-5pm in the Lewis Auditorium, The Urbana Free Library is throwing an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party for teens! Anyone between 13-19 years old is welcome to come and join in the festivities. Attendees can compete in the Ugliest Christmas Sweater contest/fashion show, custom decorate ornaments for the Christmas tree, get a picture taken with friends in their truly ugliest holiday attire, and rock out to holiday tunes while indulging in decadent holiday treats. Don't forget to bring your gift ($3 limit) for the white elephant-style gift swap, and be sure to wrap it to leave the other party-goers guessing!

Your Opinion Counts!

2011-11-29T15:37:00.002-06:00

Have you seen these cards near the Teen Space at The Urbana Free Library? Well, they were made just for you! We want the Teen Space to be fitted to your personal wants and needs, so we'd love to hear your opinions and ideas. If you have a great idea for a future event or series of events, let us know! If there's a new (or older) book, audio book, CD, or movie that you want us to get, let us know! If there's a particular game that you want to play at the monthly gaming day, let us know! If you want to get involved in a Teen Advisory Group (TAG), where you regularly contribute ideas and take a leadership role in certain events and programs, let us know! Are you sensing a general theme? If not, here's a hint. . . We want to hear from YOU!

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto

2011-11-27T21:49:00.005-06:00

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper

Seth Baumgartner is not a lucky guy. In the course of an hour at the beginning of what would otherwise be a great summer, three events occur that change things: his girlfriend, Veronica, breaks up with him, he sees his dad with a woman who is definitely not his mom, and he gets fired from the fourth job he's held that year. His summer seems off to a rocky start, to say the least. But, he has a passion for podcasting, and because of his lack of employment and seriously blue attitude, he spends time crafting The Love Manifesto, an anonymous cast that gains fans quickly. Seth opens up completely in his podcast, chronicling his amateur sleuth efforts at learning more about his dad's possible mistress, his trials and errors with girls including his ex, and the serious life lessons he learns along the way. When he's not podcasting, he gets a new job, meets a new girl who might be trying to kill him with chicken salad, and perfects his golf swing in time for a huge father-son tournament his dad is determined to win. Things get rougher than they already were for Seth when the podcast ceases to be anonymous, but he manages to keep (pretty) cool through it all. And, although his best friend Dimitri and his ex-girlfriend (well, most girls, really) might not always get him - his parents don't either, but whose do? - he ultimately proves through both his podcast and his actions that he is one wise dude. Seth's tale is hilarious and very real, painfully so at times, with a character to match every person you know: you'll be hooked. (Especially recommended in audiobook format!)

National Gaming Day this weekend at The Urbana Free Library!

2011-11-10T17:23:00.008-06:00

On Saturday (11/12), join us from 2-6 for board games in the MacFarlane-Hood Reading Room on the first floor. Choose a game to play from the library's new collection of board games for adults and families. We have some old classics like Go and Backgammon, as well as new favorites like deck-building Dominion and treasure-hunting Tobago. Never heard of 'em? No problem. We'll have staff and volunteers standing by to lead demonstrations of how to play. Grab some warm beverages at the coffee shop and spend an enjoyable afternoon playing games with friends at the library. This is an all-ages event.

On Sunday (11/13) teens can join us from 2-5 for video gaming in the Lewis auditorium on the ground floor. Bring your own games and consoles (no M rated games please), or use the library’s wii consoles and games projected on the walls! There will also be board gaming, cards, and free pizza! This is a teens-only event.

Both of these events are now monthly drop-in sessions on the second Saturday of most months!

Sita's Ramayana

2011-11-01T15:23:00.004-05:00

While most Westerners are familiar with Greek epics such as Homer's The Odyssey and The Iliad, the epic traditions of other countries are unfamiliar territory for many American readers. Written by an Indian author known for her retellings of Indian myths and illustrated by a traditional Indian folk artist, this unusual graphic novel introduces the Hindu epic The Ramayana to a new audience in a bold new format unlike anything else in the world of comics today

Part magical adventure, part treatise on war and gender equality, Sita's Ramayana tells the ancient tale of Prince Rama's journey into exile and eventual triumph over the demon king Ravana. Rather than retelling the story from Rama's perspective, this version draws on little-known variants of the tale to show the story from the perspective of Sita, Rama's wife. Fans of the epic will love this new take on the familiar tale, but prior knowledge is not necessary. New readers will be able to dive in and enjoy the story as it unfolds. There's also a family tree at the beginning to help readers keep track of the many characters and their relationships to each other.

The most interesting part of Sita's Ramayana is the artwork. Based on the Patua folk art tradition of India, the illustrations are done in the traditional Patua style and text is arranged non-traditionally on the page, which reflects the oral tradition (in which a storyteller points to images on the scroll as s/he tells the story aloud). The bright colors and bold brushstrokes create lively illustrations that depict the emotional and cultural landscape of this important piece of Indian culture.

Geek: Fantasy Novel

2011-10-24T16:34:00.007-05:00

Ralph Stevens is a not-very-clever geek with a big imagination and a life goal of being a video game designer. His super boring parents, Mary and Steve, have only one rule for him: “Ralph must never, ever, make a wish. Not under any circumstances whatsoever.” Ralph doesn’t even get to wish on his own birthday candles. All Ralph is allowed to know about why his parents feel so strongly against wishes is that his family’s history is, well, a bit strange.

When Ralph is invited to spend the summer in England by his mother’s sister, Gert, who invites him over to set up a WiFi network in the family’s new fortress-like castle, he jumps at the chance to be rid of his parents for a few months. Ralph becomes friends with his cousins, sullen Beatrice, social activist Cecil, and tiara-and-tutu wearing Daphne, and it's a good thing, too. He and his cousins soon discover the reasoning behind the no-wishes rule on a series of hilariously unreliably narrated adventures when they find themselves flung into absolute fairy-tale mayhem after their mysterious aunt Duchess Chessie of Cheshire makes a visit. Not only do the four have to fight evil Chessie over and over, they also have to deal with a complaining narrator who puts in ridiculous twists and turns willy-nilly, seemingly with no regard for his characters’ well-being. Fairies, exploding bunnies, poisoned scones, a meteor made out of a seven-year-old girl, and a brief trip to the underworld will keep geek and non-geek readers guessing and laughing right through to the ultimate plot twist.

Virals

2011-10-19T10:26:00.002-05:00

Virals, by Kathy Reichs, follows Tory Brennan—niece to Temperance Brennan from the Bones television and book series. Similar to her aunt, Tory loves all things science and adventure. However, her current adventure involves moving to South Carolina after her mother’s death to live with a father who doesn’t even know he has a teenager daughter. Tory makes the best of it by finding three friends—Ben, Hi, and Shelton—just as into technology as she is.

Things in South Carolina seem boring until Tory and her friends stumble upon a mystery surrounding dog tags from a Vietnam vet. Clues lead to a secure research lab located on an island off the coast of Charleston. While there, the foursome is exposed to an experimental virus. At first, nothing seems to out of the ordinary. Who doesn’t get sick every once in a while? But then Tory and her friends start having flares and suddenly they can do things normal humans can’t—like see in the dark and out run men chasing them with guns.

Now the four friends have two mysteries to solve, and as it turns out, both have high stakes and, possibly, lethal consequences.

Virals is fast-paced thriller and a fresh take on paranormal abilities. Reichs keeps the plot moving well and makes the book difficult to put down. The first in a new series, the second book Seizure comes out October 17.

New Book Display!

2011-10-17T16:54:00.003-05:00

Halloween is almost here, so the librarians have put together a "spooktacular" display on the 2nd floor that will terrorize and delight. With so many great titles to choose from, you'll have a hard time picking just one -- that's why I chose three! Ghost, Ghouls, and Witches. Monsters, and the undead. . . Are you ready to be spooked? Stop by the library today!

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown "A ghost will find his way home. But I am not a ghost. And this house is not my home. After losing her parents and her brother, falling in love with Will was Jennie Lovell's last opportunity for happiness. But then she lost him too. As Jennie tries to mend the pieces of her broken life, she feels an eerie presence from something otherworldly, something that won't let her leave the past behind. Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown have created a spellbinding mystery where the living cannot always be trusted, and death is not always the end"--Dust jacket.

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay "Q: How many Zombies does it take to ruin a social life? A: Not many. Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a whole bunch of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you're trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it's kinda hard to score a date. Let's just say Megan's love life could use some major resuscitation. Megan's convinced her life can't get any worse--until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it's up to Megan to stop the Zombie apocalypse. Her life--and more importantly, the homecoming dance--depends on it"--Back cover.

Killer Pizza: A Novel by Greg Taylor "Pizza you'll die for. Toby McGill dreams of becoming a world-famous chef, but up until now, his only experience has been watching the Food Network. When Toby lands a summer job at Killer Pizza, where pies like The Monstrosity and The Frankensausage are on the menu, things seem perfect. His coworkers, Annabel and Strobe, are cool, and Toby loves being part of a team. But none of them is prepared for what's really going on at Killer Pizza: It's a front for a monster-hunting organization! Learning to cook pizza is one thing, but killing hideously terrifying monsters? That's a whole other story. Still, if Toby quits Killer Pizza, will monsters take over his town?"--Dust jacket.

2011-10-03T10:28:00.005-05:00

Don't you love being read to? I can totally lose myself in an audiobook - especially when the narrator sounds just how my imagination says she should sound! My favorites this year have included two books - both heart-breaking, smart and completely absorbing.

The C hosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is a story right from the headlines - Kyra is a 13 year old who lives in an isolated religious cult where men have multiple wives and young girls are married off with or without their consent. She lives in a tightly controlled world with her three mothers and 20 brothers and sisters. Kyra longs for freedom - the freedom to read, to fall in love, to explore the world beyond the compound where she lives. The reader for this story is perfect. She captures the vulnerability, the sweetness, and the fear of Kyra's story. This audiobook was a big award-winner last year, and when you hear it, you'll see why!

I also loved If I Stay by Gayle Forman. The story opens with teenage Mia in a coma, drifting in and out of awareness. We learn through flashbacks about her quirky family, the story of her first love, and the nature of the tragedy she now faces. It's a poignant story, with incredible characters - I really felt I knew them by the end of the story. And some special effects used in the audiobook bring Mia's musical talent to life. I downloaded this story to my IPod using Mymediamall.net (a free download service available to library patrons). I just went to the website, selected Illinois Heartland Library System, logged in with my card number and downloaded the book to my IPod. If you have questions about how to do it, ask a librarian. It's a great service and its free!

Anya's Ghost

2011-09-18T16:08:00.002-05:00

In Anya's Ghost, a new graphic novel by Vera Brosgol, Anya is not having a good year. Despite trying to be as American as possible after having come to America from Russia when she was five, she still doesn't fit in at her Catholic school. Her American customs put her at odds with her mother, and she is fighting with her best (and only) friend. So when she falls down a well and is befriended by the ghost of a girl who died in 1918, at first she thinks this may actually improve her social life. However, things start to get creepy as the ghost gets more and more demanding, and Anya starts to doubt the honesty of her new friend. What is the real story of the ghost's death, and what does she want from Anya? Check out this funny and suspenseful graphic novel to find out!

The Other Side of Dark (by Joan Lowery Nixon)

2011-08-23T15:58:00.003-05:00

The Other Side of Dark is about a girl named Stacy McAdams who wakes up after being in a semi-comatose state for four years. She soon remembers that she had been shot after coming face to face with an armed robber, who had also killed her mother. Now it is up to Stacy to remember who the murderer is, and also to adjust to living as a seventeen year old rather then a thirteen year old. Along the way she befriends Jeff Clinton, who isn't what he seems to be. He helps Stacy adjust to her new life and later helps when she is once again face to face with the murderer.

- Review by Sara

The Merchant of Death (by D.J. MacHale)

2011-08-23T15:52:00.003-05:00

Bobby Pendragon is a typical fourteen year old. He plays basketball, has friends, and only fights with his sister occasionally. He is normal...until his mysterious uncle shows up and asks for his help. Suddenly, he's flying through a flume and entering a world that he never knew existed. Two groups are battling each other, and Bobby is in the middle of it without the aid of his uncle. With only the help of the fierce and beautiful Loor, he must save the territory from the real threat: a scheming shape-shifting menace named Saint Dane who wants to control everything that ever existed.

- Review by Abby

Assassin's Apprentice (by Robin Hobb)

2011-08-23T15:42:00.003-05:00

He had always been known as "boy". His grandfather hadn't provided a name as he threw the child into the castle gates. He was the illegitimate son of Prince Chivalry, and everyone let him know it. He is pledged to the King at an early age because he is seen as a threat to the kingdom. One night a man shows up in his chambers and tells him that the King wants him trained as an assassin. Later on, he is trained in the Skill, but he fails and is left in shame. However, when he goes on a mission for the King, he uncovers a plot to kill the Prince and knows that he must stop it.

- Review by Abby

Barratt and Lauren Review...Otomen, Vol. 1

2011-08-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

High school student Asuka Masumune is a martial arts expert (nationally ranked in kendo, judo, and karate) with a slightly embarrassing secret: he's an "otomen," or a guy who likes girly things like cooking, sewing, and shojo manga. His life changes, however, when he befriends Juta, a womanizing classmate, and falls in love with Ryo, a girl whose own "womanly" skills leave much to be desired. Before he can confess his love, however, Asuka must come to terms with his dueling masculine and feminine natures.

Both Asuka's mother and Ryo's father have complicated ideas about gender that conflict with their children's. Asuka's fears about being seen as feminine and weak aren't just internal; the adults in the series respond negatively to his otomen interests as well. Juta and Ryo are much more accepting of his adorable bento lunches. While the premise seems silly, Asuka's worries about being accepted are genuine and relatable.

Another great element of Otomen is the way that it parodies shojo manga. One of Asuka's classmates is secretly the author of Love Chick, a popular shojo manga series, and has based his main female character almost entirely on Asuka. The fictional manga-ka is suffering writer's block, however, and tries to find inspiration by recreating manga plots in Asuka's real life. It's both a fun read and a subtle commentary on shojo manga itself.

Fans of shojo manga, especially Ouran High School Host Club, will enjoy Otomen's humor, satire, and sparkle.

Memoirs of a Geisha (by Arthur Golden)

2011-07-30T15:31:00.003-05:00

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my favorite books now. It is educational as well as entertaining. It's romantic and shockingly real, showing the hard truth about life as a Geisha in the 1940's. Starting with the narrator's childhood and winding through her life, this book gives you a glimpse into a world no one really notices anymore: the world of art, dance and class. I recommend this book to anyone over the age of thirteen, girl or boy, man or woman, this book is amazing. Once you start reading you can't put it down, and when it's over you will be dying to read it again.

- Review by Cameron

The Ring of Five (by Eoin Mcnamee)

2011-07-30T15:12:00.003-05:00

Danny Caulfield isn't happy when he finds out his parents are sending him to Heston Oaks, a boarding school for snobs in some out-of-the-way place. He's even less happy when he's kidnapped, taken to a mysterious place, and treated like a naughty schoolboy. When he finds out it's a school for spies, and he's been "chosen" for something, he decides to run away. He learns there are two worlds, vying for power over each other. When he can't leave, and when attempts are made on his life, he discovers that the dark side needs him. With the help of his new friends, including the winged Les, he must deny the allure of the dark side, and save his world.

- Review by Abby

August Manga Club: Rock Band!

2011-07-29T13:58:00.003-05:00

Greetings, Otaku! We can't believe that August starts next week. Luckily, we have another Manga Club meeting to help us cope with the heat and the impending end of summer.

This month, we'll be playing some Rock Band and raffling off some of the leftover Pocky and prizes from the Anime Mini-Convention.

Here are the details:

When: Friday, August 5 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

As always, there will be snacks for everyone. See you next week!

Anime Mini-Convention: FAQ

2011-07-15T14:40:00.002-05:00

The Anime Mini-Convention is just over a week away! This post answers some questions about cosplay and winning extra tokens for Pocky (and other cool prizes)!

So what is this whole "anime mini-convention" thing anyway?
Anime conventions are usually huge events featuring artists, publishers, and fans of anime and manga. Events include author signings, panels, anime screenings, cosplay (costume) contests, and booths selling every kind of anime-related merchandise imaginable. For large conventions such as San Diego Comicon, attendance numbers in the thousands. The mini-convention has similar activities, but on a MUCH smaller scale. We have:

Artists Alley: Bring your art for the display and earn an extra prize token.
Cosplay Costume: Dress as your favorite anime/manga (or other fictional) character and earn an extra prize token.
Anime Screening: Watch clips from new anime series.
Trivia Contest: Show off your manga knowledge by correctly answering questions about all things anime and win extra prize tokens.
New Manga Reveal: Be the first to see and check out some brand new manga.
Raffle: Enter for a chance to win Bakuman Vol. 1-5, a series about two manga creators trying to succeed in a tough industry.
Prize Store: Spend tokens you earn on prizes.

Wait, prizes? What kinds of prizes?
We have Pocky and some other Japanese snacks/candy, plus some other cool prizes (pens, cell phone charms, etc.)

How can I get extra tokens to spend on Pocky?
Everyone gets 1 token just for attending
Trivia Contest: 1-3 tokens, depending on team score
Art: 1 token for bringing some art (3 pieces or fewer) for the display (1 token per person, not per drawing)
Cosplay: 1 token for wearing a cosplay costume

Are there rules about what kinds of art I can share?
If you wouldn't see it in a PG-13 movie, you can't display it at the convention.

What about costumes? Are there rules about those?
Any fictional character (anime, manga, video game, comics, movie, fiction, etc.) counts as cosplay for the Anime Mini-Con. BUT! If you wouldn't be allowed to wear your costume at school, you can't wear it to the convention.

When is this thing again?
Saturday, July 23 in Lewis Auditorium from 1-4 p.m.

See you next weekend, otaku!

The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

2011-07-12T18:53:00.004-05:00

The Warlock is the fifth installment of The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott. My favorite part was when Nicholas destroyed the Lotan, though the whole book was very good. It starts off as John, Josh, and Virginia are rushing out of a burning building. After they escape they drive a boat to Alcatraz to let loose a ton of monsters. First they let loose the Lotan to scare all the civilians, but Nicholas, Perenelle, Niten, and Prometheus destroy it. While they are doing that Sophie is trying to make Josh go on their side but they end up falling into a Shadowrealm! I am looking forward to the 6th book in this series, which is scheduled to be published sometime next spring.

-Review by Tate

Gamer Girl

2011-07-12T18:40:00.005-05:00

Gamer Girl is about a girl named Maddy who depends on her video game to escape from her awful, unfair life after her parents divorced and they move to New Hampshire. But who could blame her? For on the first day of school her grandma, who is obsessed with unicorns, made Maddy wear her clothes because she didn't think Maddy's own clothes were appropriate. To make matters worse, her grandma drives her to school and walks her into the main office. So that is the tragic story of how she became "Freak Girl." Everyday things get worse, her dad lets her down, she argues with her mom, her eight-year-old sister has a better social life than her and her old friends forget about her. But things start to look up, or do they?

- by Candy, teen reviewer

Prom and Prejudice

2011-07-12T18:12:00.003-05:00

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg is a fantastic modern re-telling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Set in New York, the heroine, Elizabeth, is a scholarship student at an all girl academy, Longborne, while the hero, Darcy, goes to neighboring Pemberly Academy. With their best friends dating it is difficult for them to not be together often, even though they dislike each other. With a spellbinding plot, relatable heroine, and an even more evil villain than the original, Eulberg takes Pride and Prejudice successfully from a classic literary book to a completely relatable tale which leaves the teen reader completely satisfied in the ending.

- by Hannah, teen reviewer

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

2011-07-12T18:01:00.005-05:00

Eragon is a book about a teenager who tries to free his land from the reign of the evil king, Galbatorix. Before he began his journey, Eragon lived with his uncle and his cousin. His mother abandoned him when he was a baby and he never knew his father. This changed with he found a dragon egg. It hatched, and he learned that Galbatorix wanted it. Eragon's uncle was killed, and he swore to avenge his death. As he travels, he sees the results of Galbatorix's rule firsthand. He and his dragon, Saphira, realize that they are destined to rid the land of Galbatorix once and for all.

- by Abby, teen reviewer

Barratt and Lauren Review: Recommended Reads

2011-07-08T14:27:00.022-05:00

Since it's summer and we've had time to do a little more reading than normal, Lauren and I thought we'd recommend some of the great books we've been reading lately. We'll tell you a little bit about what the book is like, why we think you should read it, and where at Urbana you can find it.

Lauren’s Recommendations

Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba (Y/MANGA/OBA)
The creators of Death Note return with this manga about becoming a manga artist. Can an enthusiastic writer and a reluctant artist make it in a tough industry? This series is wildly popular with the Urbana Otaku Manga Club and may even be part of a giveaway at the Anime Mini-Convention this month!

(5 volumes, ongoing)

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Y/Roth)
In a future dystopian Chicago, society has been divided into five factions. 16-year-old Beatrice must choose which faction to join—and decide whether to remain loyal to her family or true to herself. This is the first volume in a trilogy by a 22-year-old author and has been getting great reviews!

Plain Kate by Erin Bow (Y/Bow)
Kate Carver sells her shadow to a witch to save her life, but soon realizes that her act may bring danger to others. With her talking cat and a group of nomads, Kate must follow the witch and stop him before her shadow disappears completely. A gorgeous eastern European-inspired fantasy. (Barratt also loved this one.)

Barratt’s Recommendations

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (SF/Fforde)
In an alternate 1985, Literary Dectective Thursday Next investigates crimes against fiction. When a mysterious villain steals the original manuscript of Jane Eyre and begins wreaking havoc at Thornfield, Thursday must follow him into the book and try to set things right. Timetravel, vampires, and genetically reengineered dodos also feature in this teen-friendly English novel.

(Sequels: Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten, First Among Sequels, One of Our Thursdays is Missing)

Fruits Basket by Natstuki Takaya (Y/MANGA/TAK)
High school student Tohru Honda is living in a tent after her mother’s death when a popular classmate offers her a place to live. But his family is under a terrible curse: they are possessed by spirits of the zodiac and turn into animals when hugged by a member of the opposite sex. As Tohru finds herself being drawn into the family, she becomes determined to break the curse.

(23 volumes, complete)

Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart (Y/Lockhart)
Seattle high school student Ruby Oliver is entering her senior year. She’s still having panic attacks, her friend Nora still isn’t speaking to her, and she’s still making lists. But a huge fight with her mom and some strange behavior from her boyfriend might make this the worst school year ever (and, after the debacles of sophomore year, that is really saying something).

(Earlier books in the series: The Boyfriend List, The Boy Books, The Treasure Map of Boys)

Happy summer reading!

Cosplay Links

2011-07-08T14:19:00.005-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the Skype chat with costume designer Victoria Chik last week! It was lots of fun for everyone involved.

[One of Tori's recent cosplay creations.]

During the chat, Tori mentioned some links to help cosplayers get started. I'm reposting them here so everyone can see them.

Cosplay Tutorial: http://cosplaytutorial.com/list.php
This site has tutorials for anything and everything you could possibly do for cosplay, including armor, plushies, wigs, and more!

And, speaking of wigs, here's a great source for finding wigs if you need one for your costume: http://kingdom-arts.org/arda-wigs.html

Hopefully this will help you get started on your own cosplay costumes! The Anime Mini-Convention is in two weeks, which should give you plenty of time to put together something awesome to wear. Plus, cosplayers get extra tokens to spend on Pocky and other cool prizes. More details about the Mini-Convention will be coming next week.

July Manga Club (Cosplay!)

2011-06-27T14:25:00.004-05:00

Greetings, Otaku! I can't believe it's the end of June already, but July does indeed begin this Friday with a meeting of the Urbana Otaku Manga Club. This month, we'll be having a Skype chat with cosplay costume designer Victoria Chik, who will tell you a little bit about how she got started in costume design and answer your questions about designing and making your own cosplay costumes.

What: Urbana Otaku Manga Club
When: Friday, July 1 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

We'll also be discussing the upcoming Anime Mini-Convention (on Saturday, July 23 from 1-4). As usual, we'll have snacks and a Pocky raffle. See you Friday!

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

2011-06-19T05:51:00.005-05:00

Fans of The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen fell in love with the decadence and drama set in the ballrooms of 19th century New York City. In Bright Young Things, the first book in Godbersen's second series, the author fast forwards to 1929 and lets readers peek at the glamour of the Jazz Age. Two eighteen year-old girls--Letty with dreams of stages and stardom, Cordelia with hopes of finally meeting her father--leave behind their sleepy Ohio town and board a train bound for the Big Apple. A misunderstanding shortly after their arrival leaves Cordy and Letty at odds with one another, and Bright Young Things follows the separate paths they take. Add socialite Astrid into the mix and what you have is a story brimming with fashion, family secrets, and three ambitious young women finding their way in NYC.

Bright Young Things is available at UFL in print and as an ebook through My Media Mall. The second book, Beautiful Days, will be released in September.

Graphic Novel Review: Kill Shakespeare

2011-06-03T14:50:00.004-05:00

Lauren and I are back with another graphic novel review. This month's title is Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1, which is (not surprisingly) a comic about a fictional world in which all of Shakespeare's characters exist simultaneously. The heroes revere their creator as a god, but the villains have recruited the hapless Hamlet to kill the evil wizard once and for all.

Since this is a new take on the Bard, Lauren and I thought it would be fun to, once again, write two sets of reviews: one for the fans and one for the non-fans.

10 Reasons a Shakespeare Fan Should Read Kill Shakespeare

Shakespearean Villains vs. Heroes
The Villains want to kill Shakespeare and take his powers and the Heroes think he is a mystical god-like figure that will save them from all evil.
Hamlet is the main hero, destined to find and awaken the wizard Shakespeare and his magic pen. If he can ever stop dithering over whether he should be trying to find the wizard.
Falstaff gets Hamlet to dress up as a woman of loose morals to escape capture.
Lady Macbeth and Richard III both think they can out manipulate the other and the Three Witches just might be pulling their strings.
Romeo might be dead and Juliet is a female Robin Hood (or Joan of Arc) with Othello as her Little John.
Iago is playing both sides (You're shocked I know).
The dialogue is still Shakespearean.
Characters stay true to their personalities in the plays.
It is as bloody and emotional as a Shakespearean tragedy, but feels more action packed than angsty.

10 Reasons Why a Shakespeare Non-Fan Should Read Kill Shakespeare

You don’t have to know Shakespeare to follow the story. It’s a heroic quest in the midst of a good vs. evil battle, just populated by characters that were written by someone else first. (Kind of like superhero comics!)
It gives you all sorts of insider knowledge about Shakespeare, without having to read the plays. I’ve never read Hamlet, but now I know who Rosencranz and Guildenstern are. Woo!
If you hate Shakespeare, that’s okay! So do Richard III and Lady MacBeth. And there’s a chance he might get killed off, which I know some non-fans have wished for sincerely in freshman English.
Even though dialogue uses Elizabethan English, it’s easy to follow, partly because it’s in the familiar format of speech bubbles and partly because you get visual context from the illustrations.
Bloody battles worthy of any action comic.
Intrigue! Scandal! Secrets! Everyone is manipulating everyone else and threats of betrayal are everywhere.
Juicy romantic entanglements. For starters, Juliet doesn’t seem to be in love with Romeo any more...
There are also ghosts!
And promises of revenge.
Basically, it’s a great story that takes Shakespearean drama and transforms it into something new and innovative.

Basically, we think everyone should read it post-haste!

Talking to Chimps.

2011-05-27T09:15:00.005-05:00

How would you feel if your family suddenly adopted a baby chimpanzee in an experiment to see if your family could teach him language? When it happens to Ben Tomlin in Kenneth Oppel's Big Brother, he is none too pleased. For one thing, he has to move all the way across the country and get used to a new school. For another, his parents tell him to treat the chimpanzee like a baby brother, which makes no sense to Ben, as Zan is not even human! His scientist father is so focused on the project that he has little regard for Ben's feelings on the matter, so the family sets out to teach Zan to communicate with them using sign language. As Ben spends more time with Zan, his relationships with Zan and those around him only seem to grow more complicated.

This story, although fictionally, is inspired by real life language studies using chimpanzees that took place during the 1960s and 70s. Two such cases are Project Washoe and the study of Nim Chimpsky. Both studies produced interesting results, as well as a host of ethical problems stemming from attempting to raise a chimp as human when it is young only to abandon them later in their lives. If you are interested in these issues, you may want to check out the documentary Project Nim when it comes out later this summer:

June Manga Club: Meet Dark Maze Studios!

2011-05-24T11:56:00.005-05:00

Greetings, Otakus! Can you believe June starts next week? Summer is almost here and I know many of you have plans to do some pretty fantastic things this summer (writing and illustrating an original manga, for example). Maybe you have a great idea but don't know how to get started? Or maybe you've just always wondered how comics and movies are made?

Wonder no more. Director/filmmaker Ed Glaser and artist/writer Alex Mitchell of Dark Maze Studios will be coming to our June meeting to talk about how they make their animated webcomic, Space Ninja (http://www.darkmaze.com/spaceninja/index.html) and answer your questions about creating a webcomic of your own.

What: Urbana Otaku Manga Club Meets Dark Maze Studios
When: Friday, June 3 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

(Ed also directed the video game movie Press Start, featuring our very own Lauren Chambers!)

We'll also be talking a little more about the manga summer reading program, which will help you earn manga money to spend on awesome prizes at our mini-convention in July. More details on the convention will be coming soon, but it's never too early to start working on your cosplay costume, talent show skit, or manga trivia contest knowledge.

And, as always, we'll have pizza and a Pocky raffle. See you next week!

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri & Randy DuBurke

2011-05-22T12:17:00.004-05:00

"I tried to figure out who the real Yummy was. The one who stole my lunch money? Or the one who smiled when I shared my candy with him? I wondered if I grew up like him, would I have turned out the same?" -- Roger, from Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty

During the summer of 1994, a fourteen year-old girl named Shavon Dean died in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago when a gang member's stray bullet struck her. Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, age 11, held the gun. In this unforgettable and inspirational book in graphic novel format, author G. Neri explores this real-life tragedy through the eyes of Yummy's fictional classmate, Roger, as Roger tries to make sense of what causes gang violence and what can be done to forward toward a more peaceful future. Thoughtful and expressive charcoal illustrations by Randy DuBurke bring Yummy's story to life. Looking for a short, yet powerful read? Request Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty today.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

2011-04-10T09:04:00.003-05:00

In We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, eighteen year-old Mary Katherine "Merricat" Blackwood lives in New England with her older sister, Constance, their sickly Uncle Julian, and a very loyal black cat named Jonas. Surrounded by a large piece of land and secured inside of a locked gate, their house appears to be more of a fortress than a home. Once a week Merricat warily slips off her family's property to enter the village for groceries. There is she is taunted by children and treated with suspicion by other adults. What was it that happened in their home to make the town so fearful of the Blackwood family -- and just who was responsible for this crime? Even after the big reveal, Merricat's unusual and unique perspective on her world will have you wondering what's reality and what's fantasy in this classic tale of gothic horror.

April Manga Club

2011-04-05T17:10:00.005-05:00

Our April meeting is coming up soon, and we have some fun stuff planned for this month! The details:

When: Friday, April 8 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

This month, we are having a jan-ken-poi (rock-paper-scissors) tournament. The winning team members will each receive an extra raffle ticket for the regular Pocky-and-prizes drawing.

And, as always, there will be snacks! We hope to see you there.

Review: Library Wars Vol. 1

2011-03-15T15:16:00.004-05:00

Take Full Metal Alchemist and cross it with Fruits Basket and you get Library Wars. In a country very much like modern day Japan, the government has created the Media Betterment Act to round up and destroy all books with dangerous themes. In retaliation the local governments have empowered libraries to form armed militias and literally fight back to protect the right to read. Iku Kasahara has just joined the Library Forces fresh out of college. But before she can be the first woman to join the elite Library Defense Force, where the best of the best take on the most dangerous missions, she has to pass basic training. But her commanding officer seems like he has it in for her; of course if she could stay awake through library classes that might help...

What Shojo fans will like:
1. an slightly airheaded main character, who tries her best no matter what
2. Iku is looking for her librarian Prince who saved a book from the army years before
3. Teasing and hints of romantic tension abound between Iku and her commanding officer, Dojo

What Shonen fans will like:
1. "Punching the bear" during training
2. Iku learning to fight and fire a gun
3. The Library Defense Force is run like a military
4. Hints of government conspiracy and betrayal
5. And, oh yeah, it's full of action and comedy

This comedic, action-packed title will delight both fans of manga and library fans in general.

A must read!

Stories of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.

2011-03-08T18:28:00.004-06:00

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, the worst workplace disaster in US history and an important event in the struggle for rights and safety in the workplace. A total of 146 people died in the fire, almost all of them young women, who were either trapped in the building or jumped to their deaths. This preventable tragedy brought desperately needed attention to the unsafe conditions in many factories at the time, and helped galvanize workers and activists to demand greater rights for workers. The three novels listed below bring this tragedy and it's great historical importance to life... check them out at the Urbana Free Library!

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner focuses on 13 year old Raisa, a recent immigrant from Poland who finds herself alone in New York City after her sister disappears. She takes a job in the Triangle Factory and finds a community of other girls like herself, until the fire changes her life forever.

Uprising by Margaret Haddix is a fictional account in which a survivor of the fire relates her experiences to a daughter of one of the factory owners, whose negligence had been blamed for the fire.

Lost by Jacqueline Davies tells the story of sixteen-year-old Essie Rosenfeld who takes a job at the Triangle factory and befriends a mysterious girl who turns out to be an heiress in hiding.

Manga Club This Friday!

2011-03-02T20:00:00.001-06:00

Hello, Otaku! Lauren and I are sorry we seemed to slip off the face of the earth in February; we both got sick at the beginning of the month, but we're all better now and ready for the March Manga Club meeting!

What: Urbana Otaku Manga Club
When: Friday, March 4 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

Since art-sharing has been so much fun, we thought we'd have another "bring your art to share" meeting this month. As always, we'll also have drawing supplies available, as well as PIZZA and our usual Pocky raffle. See you there!

New Anime: Summer Wars

2011-03-01T17:00:00.001-06:00

When I catalog movies here at the library, I sometimes need to watch the opening credits to verify title and other information. This is more frequent a responsibility with films in languages other than English, which will likely list the title in English and its original language.

Fortunately, this is not always dull as some opening sequences just look fantastic, like in the new anime DVD, Summer Wars. The good news with this film is that the unique visuals recur throughout the film, as it all takes place in the virtual world, OZ, which is at the center of this suspenseful story. Here's a preview:

Pinned by Alfred C. Martinez

2011-02-26T13:14:00.003-06:00

Looking for a little sports-related action as we spring into spring?

Wrestling is often considered a fall sport, but as the November-March wrestling season draws to a close in some schools across the country, Pinned by Alfred C. Martinez might be what you're looking for. It's an exciting story that switches between the thoughts of Ivan and Bobby, high school seniors on opposing teams who are both aspiring to be New Jersey State Wrestling Champions. Martino’s straight-forward writing style is as stream-lined and hard-hitting as his main characters, and anyone interested in this sport will hang onto every word.

No matter how you'd prefer to read Pinned, there's an option for you. You can request the book in print, CD audiobook, and Adobe PDF e-book formats.

February Fun: Pizza, Art, and NEW MANGA!

2011-01-26T23:18:00.006-06:00

Greetings, Otakus! It's almost February, and that means another meeting of the manga club is coming up soon!

What: Urbana Otaku Manga Club
When: Friday, February 4, 2011 from 4-5 p.m.
Where: Lewis Auditorium

As usual, there will be PIZZA and a raffle (including Pocky and other fun prizes). Our theme for this meeting is an artwork show-and-tell. Since we didn't have enough time to look at everyone's artwork last meeting, we're devoting a full hour to showing each other what we've been drawing lately.

We will also be doing another big manga reveal! After going over the surveys we handed out at the first meeting and talking to some of you at our club meetings, we sat down and ordered some new manga. Some of it fills in missing volumes of your favorite series and some are brand new series we've just ordered. We will be unveiling the new stuff for the FIRST time on February 4, just for you.

So, in summary: come eat some pizza, enter to win prizes, bring your artwork (or your artistic appreciation), and be the FIRST to check out some new manga. We hope to see you there!

Zombies!

2011-01-20T12:57:00.002-06:00

Set in the near future, Mira Grant's new novel Feed takes place in a society still reeling over 20 years after the zombie uprising 0f 2014. Although mankind survived the bloody and destructive outbreak, humans now share their world with roving hordes of the ravenous undead and the virus that causes the dead to reanimate. Georgia Mason, along with her brother Shaun, are ambitious journalists in the new world of news blogging that has in many ways replaced the old established news outlets. They are thrilled when they get their big break and are chosen to exclusively cover the campaign of Peter Ryman, a charming senator running for president. However, their coverage takes a dangerous turn as the campaign trail is struck repeatedly by tragedy and they uncover what could be evidence of a high-level conspiracy. Join them in their quest to uncover the truth while outrunning and outwitting both zombies and those in power who want to silence them! This book is the first in a planned series called Newsflesh.

Want to read more about zombies? The library has you covered! The list below is just a small sampling of our zombie fare.

Zombie Blondes: When Hannah moves to a new school, she wants to fit in and is excited to get the chance to join the cheerleading squad and it's clique of popular girls. However, these cheerleaders may not be quite what they appear to be.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: For when you want some classic literature to go along with your "zombie mayhem".
The Zombie Survival Guide: This survival guide parody will prepare you for the uprising, with humorously detailed plans and scenarios.
Zombie Queen of Newbury High: When Mia casts a spell and inadvertently turns her entire senior class into flesh-eating zombies, she must work quickly to find a way to reverse it in this playful zombie tale.
Forest of Hands and Teeth: Another novel set in a post-uprising world, Mary lives in a village ruled by a religious order called the sisterhood that is surrounded by fence separating it from a zombie-filled forest. Mary gets her chance to see the world outside the fence when a zombie invasion forces her escape.

Listen up! Amazing Audiobooks

2011-01-13T09:53:00.011-06:00

Looking for a great audiobook to make you laugh, give you shivers, or take you away to another place or time during this cold Midwestern winter? You're in luck! This week the American Library Association announced the winner of the Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production and released the 2011 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults List. Here's a selection of the audiobooks that were honored:

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex, read by Bahni Turpin.
Listening Library, 2010.

This winner of the Odyssey Award has been described as "laugh out loud." Follow the adventures of a wisecracking teen, Gratuity Tip Tucci, and her alien companion as they try to save the planet and find Tip's mom.

Request the CD Audiobook | Request the Digital .WMA Audiobook

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han, read by Jessica Almasy.
Recorded Books, 2010.

This sequel to The Summer I Turned Pretty alternates between the voices of sixteen year-old Belly and her love interest, Jeremiah, as Belly deals with the aftermath of losing one family friend and the disappearance of another.

Request the CD Audiobook

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, read by Alan Cumming.
Simon and Schuster, 2009.

In this action-packed steampunk caper filled with genetically engineered, mechanical beasts and danger at every turn, Austrian Prince Alek tries furiously to keep one step ahead of his would-be assassins. His closest ally? Deryn, a tough and clever British girl disguised as a boy.

Request the CD Audiobook | Request the Digital .WMA Audiobook

White Cat by Holly Black, read by Jesse Eisenberg.
Listening Library, 2010.

Imagine waking up to find yourself on the roof of your boarding school after dreaming all night that a white cat desperately wants to tell you something about the murder of your childhood friend. That's just another day in the life of Cassel, the only member of his family who doesn't have the power to magically alter people's memories or emotions.

Request the CD Audiobook

Muchacho by Louanne Johnson, read by Ozzie Rodriguez.
Listening Library, 2009.

Living in a rough neighborhood in New Mexico, Eddie Corazon witnessed his older cousin's violent existence firsthand. Will Eddie's choices lead him down the same hopeless path? Not if Lupe, his bright, independent classmate has anything to say about it.

Request the CD Audiobook

Calling all artistic Otakus!

2010-12-14T14:41:00.003-06:00

Hello again.

The Urbana Otaku Manga Club is announcing an art contest for the club avatar, which will be used on all club meeting posters. The avatar must a completely original PG work in color or black and white. The character can be whatever you want it to be as long as it is drawn in the mange style. Submissions should be dropped off in the new manga suggestion box next to the young adult manga books (yes the suggestion box is finally alive and spectacularly decorated by club members). Or avatar submissions can be brought to the club's next meeting on Friday, January 7th when the club will vote on the winner.

In other news. There will be new manga unveiled at the January 7th meeting. We have taken a look at all of the suggestions club members gave us and ordered a bunch of new volumes and titles. The new manga includes the winner of the previous New Manga Contest held in November. The winner was Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba, followed closely by Bamboo Blade by Masahiro Totsuka.

The theme of the January Urbana Otaku Manga Club meeting is a show-and-tell. Bring a copy of your favorite manga, or if you are artistic bring your favorite manga-style drawing that you have done. As always there will be pizza and a pocky raffle.

See you in January Otakus. And don't forget to work on your avatars.

Hidden stories of Civil Rights in America

2010-12-13T18:24:00.007-06:00

History is often more complicated, and sometimes darker and more disturbing, than we learn in our school history textbooks. Just because some topics are more difficult to read about doesn't mean they don't deserve to be explored, and two new fascinating (and YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction finalist!) books bring new light to two such aspects of the America in the Civil Rights era. The first, The Called Themselves the KKK: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, explores how the Ku Klux Klan developed in America. Not for the faint of heart, this book draws from personal accounts and other historical documents to paint a vivid picture of the rise of this powerful and brutal group. In Spies of Mississippi: the True Story of the Spy Network that Tried to Destroy the Civil Rights Movement, Rick Bowers explored once-secret files to tell the story of state spies who tried to block voting rights for African Americans and the brave people who overcame them. Check these books out and learn some history you may not get to learn in school!

Our own Manga Artists!

2010-12-10T17:18:00.014-06:00

The amazing artists of the Urbana Otaku Manga Club....
Next meeting: Friday, January 7 at 4pm.

You say you want a Revolution?

2010-12-07T18:54:00.008-06:00

Andi's little brother has died. Her mother is lost in despair. And, her father has left the family for a younger, pregnant girlfriend. She feels alone, abandoned, and suicidal. Andi's genius IQ can't help her figure a way to fix her family or herself. At the brink of failing her senior year of high school, she comes home one night to find her father has committed her mother to a mental hospital and expects Andi to accompany him to Paris on a business trip.
Having little choice in the matter, Andi glumly goes. Once there she finds the journal of a young girl, hidden since the French Revolution. Recovered from the catacombs beneath Paris, the journal tells of tragedy and speaks of hope. Andi finds comfort in reading the story of another young girl who was forced to play along as a Revolution tears her family, her country and her life apart. But as Andi reads, she grows so engrossed that she becomes unable to tell the past from the present and finds herself in a revolution of a whole different kind.

In her book, Revolution, Jennifer Donnelly deftly weaves together a story that transcends time. Citing popular musical lyrics throughout, she brings the past alive connecting it to the present through descriptive images, parallel story lines, and the realization that as history repeats itself, so does music. The suspense is all engrossing, and I found myself up until the wee hours of the morning, just wanting to read one more chapter, to find out one more detail, to pick up one more clue. Like Andi, the main character, I got carried away in a story that wasn't my own finding it difficult to tear myself away to face my reality.

I highly recommend Revoltion if you want a book that will provide you an escape to another time, another world, another life. Just don't forget to come back.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

2010-12-05T10:56:00.006-06:00

At eleven years old, Taylor Markham's mother abandoned her near a convenience store on Jellicoe Road. Taylor is now seventeen and in charge of her boarding school's dorm. As leader, she finds herself in secret negotiations with other teens from other schools in the area for bits and pieces of the Australian countryside surrounding the school, a game with a deadly serious overtone. When Hannah, the one adult she trusts, disappears from school grounds one day, Taylor's mind whirls with questions. Where did Hannah go? How did the territory wars between Jellicoe School students, Townies, and Cadets--a tradition several decades in the making--begin? What does the handsome and infuriating Jonah Griggs, leader of the Cadets, know about her past? And who were those five kids Hannah wrote about in an unfinished manuscript she left behind at Jellicoe?

Find out by reading Jellicoe Road, a mysterious and poetic tale of recurring dreams, connections between past and present, trust between friends, and family secrets. You can place a hold request for the book in print. Those who enjoy eBooks can also check out the title in Adobe ePUB format on compatible computers or eReaders.

Pegasus & Cake: Book Release Party

2010-12-04T14:58:00.003-06:00

Saturday, December 11, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Lewis Auditorium, Ground Floor

Come celebrate the release of Newbery Award-winning author Robin McKinley’s latest novel, Pegasus, at a dessert party for McKinley fans from East Central Illinois! In addition to delicious cake and baked goods, a trivia contest, and great conversation, we will also be raffling off posters and a copy of Pegasus. All attendees will be entered in a nationwide raffle to win an autographed copy of the book! The trivia contest will contain questions about all of McKinley’s published works, as well as biographical information and a “Name That Quote!” section. Prizes will include copies of classic McKinley books and Green & Black’s chocolate.

This program is part of a worldwide event sponsored by Putnam and organized through the blog community at Days in the Life* (http://robinmckinleysblog.com/), Robin McKinley’s blog. One of the organizers sent Robin a copy of our poster, and she liked it so much that she posted a version of it on the blog! Here’s the link to the post featuring our poster: http://robinmckinleysblog.com/2010/11/26/prc-weekly-update-black-bear/ (hot pink footnote is Robin’s reaction).

What, you ask, is Pegasus about? This summary from Robin’s website (http://robinmckinley.com/) says: “Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication. But it’s different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close—so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo—and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.”

Intrigued? The first three chapters are available online at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/36512923/Robin-McKinley-Esampler And for readers wanting more Pegasus, never fear! Pegasus is the first half of a single story about Sylvi and Ebon. Part II will be published in 2012.

Urbana Manga Otaku Club Dec 3rd

2010-11-30T15:24:00.004-06:00

Calling all Otakus!

The newly formed Urbana Manga Otaku Club will be having its second meeting this Friday, December 3rd from 4p.m.-5:30p.m in the Lewis Auditorium at the Urbana Free Library. We will be learning how to make origami cranes and gift boxes. For those of you who don't want to fold paper there will be plenty of supplies to try your hand at drawing your own manga. The club is open to anyone 6th grade and up. Also there will be FREE PIZZA, and a Pocky raffle at the end of the meeting.

We hope to see you there.

Are you FABULOUS?

2010-11-18T18:35:00.003-06:00

Are you fabulous? If you're Tiny Cooper, you have no doubt you are and that you need to spread it around. His plan? To write, produce, and star in a play for his high school that announces his own trials and finally his acceptance with his homosexual love life. Not something normally attempted by a high schooler? Well, that's because there's only one student as fabulous and self-aware as Tiny Cooper. However, there are two students named Will Grayson. Will 1 is Tiny's best friend, a heterosexual who has a difficult time relating to others and expressing his emotions. Will 2 is a love interest who has a difficult time relating to others and expressing his own emotions. The parallels drawn are an important message reminding us that no matter who we are, it's a safe bet that we have all struggled to become aware and accepting of our own unique characteristics that really do make us all fabulous.

John Green and David Levithan do a wonderful job of merging their humorous writing styles to create a tale that is both appealing and relevant to teens. Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a read I quickly became engrossed in and as I laughed at the conversations between characters, I also grasped that importance and seriousness of the situations they experienced. By the end of the story you'll realize that you have some fabulous to spread around as well.

Also available on disc and as a Playaway.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

2010-11-08T18:21:00.009-06:00

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is Sherman Alexie's semi-autobiographical story of Arnold Spirit, know to his friends as Junior, a Spokane Indian growing up in Wellpinit, WA. Junior has spent his first 14 years living and going to school on a Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons and hanging out with his best friend Rowdy. At the urging of a teacher who wants to see Junior fulfill his potential, he transfers to a nearby all-white (and much wealthier) high school. Even though he still lives on the "rez", and his new school is only miles away, he experiences a huge clash of cultures and crisis of identity. His old friends feel abandoned, and he feels like a novelty amongst his new schoolmates as the only Indian at school (except for the mascot!). He is forced to confront the realities of life on the reservation in a new way, and make choices about where he belongs and what he wants for his future. This National Book Award winner is an incredibly moving, and often very funny, story of a teenager trying to navigate between two cultures, staying true to his past while exploring his future. I've also heard great things about the audio book version audiobook, read by the author!

The Danger Box

2010-11-03T15:58:00.004-05:00

"It is like confessing a murder." - Charles Darwin

"His hand holding the purple crayon shook." - Crockett Johnson from Harold and the Purple Crayon

How are these quotes related? Read The Danger Box by Blue Balliett and find out.

Meet Zoomy, a 12 year old boy who lives with his grandparents in the small town of Three Oaks, Michigan. He sees the world in a different way than most because he can hardly see the world at all. He is legally blind and his "thick as oatmeal cookie glasses" give him only a limited view barely beyond the end of his nose. When he finds a treasure that is "fragile, easily recognized around the world, too valuable to put a price on, and could fit in your pocket," he knows he has to figure out a way to make others around him see its importance as clearly as he can.

If you like mysteries, enjoy learning new things, and are brave enough to see the world around you in a whole new way, pick up Blue Balliett's new book The Danger Box. You may be already familiar with her twisty plots, artful coincidences, and her unique style that embraces the reader and forces a true interaction with the story from her earlier works: Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, and The Caldar Game. However, The Danger Box allows Balliett to continue communicating with the reader and encourages them to not only think in a new way but also to act in a new way. A way that could change how one reads books - forever. A way that could change how one tries to survive - forever.

Hint: How is a book like a danger box?
Hint: How did Darwin and Harold get others to believe that the world they saw was real?
Hint: How is survival of the fittest like a game?

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

2010-10-31T11:22:00.006-05:00

In this spooky and suspenseful book set in 1888 New England, Will Henry is an orphaned teen who becomes the apprentice to the Monstrumologist: a scientist who studies and hunts monsters. After a series of particularly gruesome attacks, Will finds himself drawing closer and closer to a roving pack of human-like beasts that feast on people using sets of razor-sharp teeth. Can he defeat the pod of creatures before they overrun the town? I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book.

Not sure if the dark world of The Monstrumologist is for you? You can check out the publisher's trailer to get a preview of the book's creepy atmosphere:

The Monstrumologist earned a 2010 Michael L. Printz Honor Award. If you enjoy this book, you're in luck. It's the first in a series. For more of Will Henry's spine-tingling adventures, check out The Curse of the Wendigo.

Prefer listening? The Monstrumologist is also available on cd audiobook.

Teens Top Ten of 2010

2010-10-21T14:55:00.016-05:00

8000 Teens voted this year to choose the Top Ten books of the year, and the winners have just been announced. Read 'em and let us know what you think!

It's probably no surprise that the final book in Suzanne Collins' trilogy topped the list: Catching Fire tells the heart-stopping tale of Katniss Everdeen, the double winner of the Hunger Games. Fantasy novels were in high demand this year - others winners included Cassandra Clare's City of Glass (prequel to Graceling), and the third in the Mortal Instruments series, Fire by Kristin Cashore.

If you're not a fantasy fan, there's also something for you on the list: Laurie Halse Anderson, the incredible author of Speak, doesn't disappoint with Wintergirls, an intense story of a girl trying to overcome her eating disorder - or perhaps really, her own self-hatred. Another intense story, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, pulls no punches in its compelling portrait of a girl whose life is forever changed by a car accident.

If mystery and high stakes adventure are more your taste, check out Heist Society by Ally Carter. One reviewer calls it "daring and delicious" with enough twists and turns to keep you up late, racing to the end.

If you'd like to see all the winners, check out the link here. Happy reading!

Manga Collection at UFL: Desperately Seeking Feedback

2010-10-20T14:28:00.003-05:00

Like manga, but don't see the titles you want? We're trying to fix that.

We have new manga in, but we want your help to decide what else we get. You know best what UFL has and what you want to read. It's your collection. Help us make it better.

Come to the Manga Expo!

Free! Pizza, Prizes, and a Manga Giveaway.

Friday November 5, 4-5:30

In the Lewis Auditorium at the Urbana Public Library

6th Grade and Up Only

Come and see:

8 new series with every published volume, 42 new volumes total (if you want to be the first to see what the new titles come to the Expo, if not we will release the names afterwards).

6 new series to preview and vote on. We have multiple copies of the first volume of each series. Some of those copies will be given away in a raffle at the Expo. The series with the most votes will be the next series we order.

Voting starts during the Expo, but if you can't make it to the event you can vote online starting November 9^th in the comments section of a blog we will post that day. We will also have a new manga suggestion box in the manga section at UFL where you can vote on the previews and suggest new titles. To enter the raffle though you must be at the Expo.

All new volumes will be available for checkout at the Expo.

Additionally, help to decorate the manga suggestion box with your favorite characters.

Did we mention the pizza and prizes? Free manga and other fun stuff.

We're also thinking about starting a manga club that would sponsor more events like this in the future. We are hoping to discuss this in more detail at the Expo.

Sayonara!

Do you believe in love after death?

2010-10-10T14:18:00.004-05:00

Now that I've finally finished the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer, it's time to move on to something equally as enjoyable...or creepy.

If you like dark and foreboding, then you'll love the Generation Dead series by Daniel Waters. With a cast of complex and memorable characters, Generation Dead #1 introduces us to the students of Oakvale High - a school attended by the living and the dead. Phoebe is a typical teen with a goth-style and a case of undying love for one very dead student - Tommy Williams. Adam is Phoebe's very alive, best friend. He would do anything for Phoebe, but does that include protecting Tommy?

Less about love and more about prejudice and fear of the unknown, Generation Dead is surprisingly captivating with a dash of humor - just enough to keep things "lively."

When you're done with the first title in the series, keep your eyes peeled for Kiss of Life #2 and Passing Strange #3. With Halloween quickly approaching, the Generation Dead series would be perfect for a late night read. For those in grade 9 and up.

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

2010-10-07T10:33:00.003-05:00

Sol and his sister Connie have the misfortune of moving in right next door to the same witch who captured Hansel and Gretel. No longer living in a gingerbread house in the woods, she has settled down in the middle of the small town of Grand Creek. And, although these junior sleuths quickly figure out who she is, they can't stop themselves from looking delicious or stop her from stalking all the children in town. To make matters worse, their father and his new wife keep setting up scenarios that will deliver them right into the stew pot of neighbor Fay Holaderry, gourmet chef and witch. Will Sol and Connie learn to trust themselves and work together, or will the witch next door get the best of them, (with maybe a cream sauce or dumplings as a side)?
Author Keith McGowan retells the familiar fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel in a new and different way. Similar in intent to the picture books The Frog Prince Continued and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children gives us a whole new perspective on a old story. A chapter book with interesting and somewhat creepy illustrations, this is definitely a fun read for fairy tale enthusiasts.
Also available as a book on disc.
And, if you like fairy tales, why not check out some of the original Grimm's Fairy Tales?

I am a GENIUS of UNSPEAKABLE EVIL and I want to be you CLASS PRESIDENT

2010-09-16T19:17:00.003-05:00

"What is evil?"you ask.
To which I reply, "Who are you? Friedrich Nietzsche?"
To which you respond, "Duh...wha? Me no understand."
Then I put you back in your cage.

And that, my friends, is your introduction to Oliver Watson. He is perhaps the most diabolical, most manipulative, intelligent, richest seventh grader alive. He doesn't care about you, he just wants to control you. That is, after you've voted him your class president. Will he sucker you in and win complete domination of the middle school? Will he defeat his arch nemesis who also happens to be his father? Will he obtain the elusive Boba Fett the bounty hunter action figure that fires real rockets out of it's backpack?

To find the answers to these questions check out I am a GENIUS of UNSPEAKABLE EVIL and I want to be your CLASS PRESIDENT by Josh Lieb. Read chapters entitled: "Girls Can Be Cruel", "What Use Is A Newborn Baby?", and "Evil Is Made, Not Born." Filled with instructions on how to be evil, ideas for bettering your school, and illustrative photos, this book is sure to please. Oliver Watson is a totally unique character with a voice that has not been heard in young adult literature ever before. I laughed. I laughed some more. I called everyone I knew to tell them to READ THIS BOOK!

Ye toads and vipers!

2010-09-07T15:36:00.007-05:00

Newbery award winning author Karen Cushman may just win another with her newest book ALCHEMY AND MEGGY SWANN. Set in Elizabethan England the story follows a young Meggy Swann from her arrival at her father's alchemy shop to her part in trying to foil the plot to murder a local baron. Meggy is a young lady with quite a nasty temper and a gift at hurling insults, "A pox on you, moldwort, and a plague, and an ague, and the pukes!" Her only friend upon her arrival is a goose who happens to share a physical impairment similar to Meggy's lame legs as well as a bit of the same sort of surly attitude. Can they learn to survive in London a city "home to every kind of dirt, muck, and slime God ever created"?

I highly recommend this book. Pages will seem to turn on their own as you get caught up with Meggy in the twisted and surprising streets of London. In fact, you may find yourself thinking like her, long after you've set the book aside.

Check out other Karen Cushman books as well if you want to find yourself lost in the past and part of a suspenseful story. Other titles include THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE a Newbery award winner, CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY, MATILDA BONE as well as many more.

Everafter

2010-08-30T17:24:00.004-05:00

EVERAFTER is a unique and compelling read. Maddie, the narrator, suddenly finds herself in the midst of, well, nothing. Not a thing to feel, or see or hear, just darkness all around her. That is, until she notices some glimmers of light and finds that they are items she once lost in her life. She's dead and her only connection to the living is through these everyday objects she once knew.

Karen Kingsbury offers us a book that is not only suspenseful but thought provoking. What happened to her? How did she die so young? Can she change her life once it's over? Why are these everyday items so important now? Do we ever really see the big picture enough to appreciate our tiny corner of it? Come to your own conclusions as you explore EVERAFTER.

Available also as a book on disc or digital book.

Mockingjay!

2010-08-29T16:03:00.005-05:00

In case any of you have missed the hoopla, the eagerly-awaited third (and final) book of the amazing Hunger Games series is now available! Put your name on the hold list for Mockingjay now, and find out if Katniss can manage to save herself, her loved ones, and all of Panem from President Snow and the Capitol. If you are unfamiliar with this series, check out Hunger Games and find out what all the fuss is about!

2010-08-26T16:33:00.005-05:00

The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Paterson is a suspenseful and meaningful read. Narrated by Meli, a 12 year old Albanian Muslim, the story of her family's survival during a time of war and bloodshed in Kosovo is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Taking place in 1998-1999, she tells us of her family's flight during the Serbian attempts to clear Kosovo of all Albanian citizens. Meli talks of fear in the face of your enemy, of her struggle with hatred, and having to grow up before you're ready. When we think of people being herded in to trains and carted away like cattle or when the term "ethnic cleansing" is spoken many tend to remember only the Holocaust. The Day of the Pelican reminds us that history can and does repeat itself. And, Meli speaks to try and stop us from allowing it to ever happen again.

You may recognize the author's name from her recent book Bread and Roses, Too or her widely known Bridge to Terabithia. (Have you seen the movie yet?) She writes again of a young adult's struggle to cope with death and understand what it takes to live a meaningful life.

Proms and Racism

2010-07-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

I should note that I haven't been reading as many (meaning none) YA titles the past few months--hence so few IMHO posts lately.

However, I am watching a documentary of potential interest. It's called Prom Night in Mississippi, and it's about the proms in the small town (pop. 2100) of Charleston, MS. Proms, as in more than one prom. Specifically, a white prom and a black prom.

Actor Morgan Freeman, a Mississippi native, offered to pay the full cost of an integrated prom in 1995, but his offer was ignored. In 2008, he tried again, and this film is about that year and that prom. I want to emphasize that in 2008, had Freeman not intervened, this school would have had segregated proms.

As I said, I'm watching it--it's stopped about halfway through at home, waiting for the next round of dinnertime DVD viewing--so I can't say how I felt about it. So far, it's interesting, and sort of mind blowing--at one point, a man states that he isn't a racist before noting that he doesn't want his white daughter to have an African American boyfriend.

I've gone on long enough. Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-06-04T13:00:00.001-05:00

Here's the trailer for the movie version of Bryan O'Malley's graphic novel Scott Pilgrim vs. the World ... it looks promising (and is directed by the guy who made Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead!). You can find the Scott Pilgrim series in the YA Manga section if you want to catch up before the movie comes out late this summer!

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2010-06-02T18:37:00.000-05:00

Fans of John Green (An Abundance of Katharines, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska) will find more of his signature humor and quirky characters in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Written in conjunction with David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy), Will Grayson, Will Grayson tells the story of two boys, both named (you guessed it), Will Grayson. By alternating between their stories, you learn the boys are strangers with not much in common, until their lives intersect during one crazy night in Chicago. One Will Grayson is dealing with confusion and depression by isolating himself from the world at large. The other Will Grayson is navigating a difficult relationship with his best friend, Tiny, and an ambivalent crush with a hefty dose of sarcasm. It's smart, sweet, and hilarious... plus it features one very memorable high school musical!

Listen Up! New Teen Audiobooks

2010-05-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

We just got a bunch of new teen audiobooks in at the library. There’s a lot to choose from including:

Julie Hoban’s Willow, a novel of tragedy and first love
The intense story The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti - based on a true story about bravery in Nazi Germany
Fire by Kristin Cashore – voted one of the 2010 Best Books for teens
This World We Live in by Susan Beth Pfeffer - an apocalyptic novel about survival after world disaster
All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (a mystery about the murder of a girl with secrets)
The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart (companion book to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book)
The popular vampire novel Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith.
And finally, Leviathan – the hot new steampunk novel by Scott Westerfeld; Check out the book trailer here.

Check ‘em all out in the YA section of audiobooks on the main floor.

Tough Reads: Bullies

2010-05-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Maybe you know someone like Daelyn - or maybe you've lived some of what she's gone through. She's the narrator of Julie Ann Peters' latest book By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead. Daelyn seemed marked by bullies from an early age, maybe because she was heavy, or didn't fit in, or just was in the wrong place at the wrong time. By ten years old she had already attempted suicide. This intense story takes you inside her head, inside the countdown to her plans to take her own life. The tension builds to a surprising ending that made me want to immediately talk about it with others who'd read it.

Jennifer Brown's Hate List is a kind of horror story that looks at bullying from another - and pretty startling - viewpoint. Valerie and her boyfriend have had it with harassment from the popular kids; they bond over their hatred and even make a list of the kids they most despise - "The Hate List." But imagine Valerie's horror when her boyfriend uses the list in a violent rampage that leaves many victims and unexpected consequences.

Some of the most popular teen books of the year are looking at the nightmare of bullying, including Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia, Bystander by James Preller, and Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman.

Ink

2010-03-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a fan of Neil Gaiman, and even after reading his more recent stories, I think of American Gods [Hardcover, Paperback], Neverwhere [Hardcover, Paperback, Book on CD, TV Miniseries], and The Sandman when I consider the characteristics of his work. So when I say that watching Ink [IMDb, official site]is like watching a graphic novel populated with Gaiman-esque characters, its those sort of odd, mystical characters that I've got in mind.

Ink takes the interesting premise of dream people (Storytellers bring pleasant dreams, incubi nightmares) locked in battle over a girl kidnapped from the real world, and adds an odd, blind Pathfinder who's manner brings to mind Delirium. The movie looks slick visually, with several fun fight sequences and some interesting special effects, and the story is engaging. Both the effects and the writing are a little rough, but are still pretty high quality for such an independent film. Ink was not picked up by any major distributors, likely due to the current recession, so the filmmakers released it themselves. If the library copy is unavailable, you can freely and legally watch it online. Check out the trailer:

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder...

2010-02-11T10:44:00.001-06:00

Jessie just started her sophomore year in high school, and had planned on spending it the same way as previous years: hanging out with her best friends Bizza and Char, sewing funny skirts, hanging out with her cool older brother and listening to audiobooks. However, her friends have both gone "punk" over the summer, and suddenly only care about shopping at Hot Topic and flirting with her brother's bandmates. After Bizza starts going after Jessie's longtime crush, it seems like it may be time for Jessie to seek out new friends. When she finds herself oddly drawn to the weird girl in class who makes up her own language, and the boy with too-short pants who plays Dungeons and Dragons, she wonders if she has found her group... but will liking nerds mean she's a nerd, too? Is Jessie prepared to join their ranks and head Into the Wild Nerd Yonder? Find out in this hilarious novel by Julie Halpern that takes on the weird world of high school cliques.

Dystopian Fantasy

2010-01-24T18:47:00.000-06:00

Have you tried a Dystopian Fantasy title yet? Dystopians are novels set in a world gone wrong where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. In teen fiction, the focus is on young adults who fight for what they believe is right - often against authority or society.

Imagine your father tells you that a nuclear war is imminent. You are hustled away to an underground compound, where you will reside for 15 years when the air will be safe to breathe again. Six years later, you are 15. The food supply is tainted and your father offers a solution for survival that makes you question his morals, his honesty, and his sanity.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen is the story of Eli, a teen caught in a desperate search for clues that will dispute his father’s claims about nuclear disaster and help his mother and two sisters escape their underground prison. An intense novel full of "edge-of-your-seat" moments.

In Unwind by Neal Shusterman, we learn about a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for body parts. Connor, Risa, and Lev are three teens, discarded by their families and scheduled to be unwound. Brought together by chance after making an escape from a journey that would ultimately lead to their demise, the three strive to fight to survive and rebel against a society with terrifying rules.

An intriguing tale with an unthinkable plot and a not-so-graphic unwinding scene that still might make you squirm.

You’ll find a list of other Dystopian Fantasy titles on the Teen Bookapalooza! page on the UFL website.

When You Reach Me

2010-01-15T12:47:00.000-06:00

Do you like to read about time travel? Did you love A Wrinkle in Time when you were a kid? If so, you will love the story of Miranda, the heroine of When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Miranda is in 6th grade and lives with her mother in an apartment in New York City in the 1970s and loves A Wrinkle in Time. She and her best friend Sal are independent kids who love exploring their neighborhood and do everything together. One day, however, after a mysterious incident where Sal gets punched in the face by a stranger, he shuts her out. After that, things get strange for Miranda. Her apartment key is stolen, and she begins to find a series of cryptic notes. The notes are addressed to her and are written as if she knows the author. More disturbingly, they seem to know things about her, things that haven't happened yet. They make reference to a tragedy that only Miranda can help stop. Who is writing the notes, and why? Can they be trusted? Read Miranda's story and find out!

Peter & Max

2009-12-31T09:19:00.001-06:00

If you haven't read Bill Willingham's Fables series and you like to read graphic novels, I highly suggest you get on it. Willingham created a world within our world where the characters from folk tales live, protected from "mundies" like you and me by spells that keep normal folks unaware of their New York City block or upstate farm. These characters are in our "mundane" world because they have fled a powerful enemy who has conquered their home worlds.

While I highly recommend the Fables graphic novels, I can easily recommend Willingham's Fables-based novel Peter & Max to those who refuse to read graphic novels, as well as fans of the series. Willingham has provided a summary of the backstory not only for those unfamiliar with Fables, but also to root this tale within the chronology of the Fables series.

The main story here is that of Peter and Max Piper, brothers of a musical family whose lives take different paths. The story is nonstop and engaging--at no time did I find a good place to stop reading as I would inevitably read the first few lines of a new chapter (to determine whether the story was flashing back to Peter's youth in enemy-occupied Hamelin where he struggled to make his way as a thief, or the present in which Peter's final confrontation with his brother loomed ever closer) and get hooked into reading the whole thing. Willingham is a great storyteller with a unique imagination, and reading Peter & Max would be enjoyable to any fan of light fantasy or folk tale reimaginings.