Slam! by Walter Dean Myers
Teen author, Walter Dean Myers, has been named as the
National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Mr. Myers is probably one of the most popular authors from our Young Adult room as his books constantly fly off the shelves. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Mr. Myers at a conference a few years ago and he was extremely gracious.
Check out one of our books by Walter Dean Myers.
Thanks to everyone who came to our video game event, yesterday. We had a great time and hope you did, too!
Also, if you’re anxious for some snow, go to google and type “let it snow” and watch what happens. (Or visit this site if you’re not using Firefox or Google Chrome)
Happy New Year!
Looking for something to do during your vacation? Come play video games in the lecture hall on Tuesday, December 27 at 2:00 pm. Show off your skills with WII sports, your driving skills with Mario Kart, or your singing skills with some Karaoke!
A friend of mine posted on Facebook that she was getting a little tired of Best of the year booklists and there is a part of me that agrees with her. It’s always frustrating when you read a wonderful new book and not one person compiling a best of list agrees with you. However, there is always a small amount of vindication when you see that title you love on several of those lists. (Or maybe you feel unoriginal because you like something that everyone else likes!)
In that vein, here is another Best of YA Fiction list, this time from National Public Radio.
Happy reading!
Amazon has listed their top 10 YA Books of 2011. How many of you read? (Click on the title to request a copy from the library)
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
- Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
- The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
- You Against Me by Jenny Downham
- Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
On October 15, a group from the joint Waltham Public Library/Waltham High School book club attended the Boston Book Festival in Copley Square. The four girls met authors, went to three different panels, and got some free swag from the tons of vendors at the event. It was a fun day for everyone! Here are some pictures from the day:
Checking out the courtyard at the Boston Public Library before going to the first panel.
The Boston Public Library is a little bigger than the Waltham Public Library!
Waiting with Mrs. Guelli for one of the panel discussions
Steam Punk Panel, including Holly Black!
One of our book club members asking the panel a question.
Waiting to get a book signed
The Book Festival was very crowded. So great that so many people are excited about reading!
Laura Bernheim (from the public library) and Mrs. Guelli from the high school.
High School Library Teacher, Kendall Boninti and Mrs. Guelli
Laura (after the wind got to me and I had to put my hair back) and Kendall
Here are some of the teen books that I have read, lately:
Cleopatra’s Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Didn’t know much about the daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony? Neither did I. This historical novel is fiction, remember, so while all of the facts aren’t there, it will still create a picture of life in the days of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra Selene, along with her twin brother and younger brother, are forced to live in Rome in the palace of Octavianus Caesar, after the death of her parents, Cleopatra and Marc Antony, in Egypt. Imagine being forced from your home to live with people who took over your country and cheered the deaths of your parents? I loved this book and can’t wait to read a biography of Cleopatra, to get a sense of the real story.
Lark by Tracey Porter
This short novel, told from three points of view, discusses how the kidnapping and murder of 16 year old Lark affects those who knew her. Lark herself is one of the narrators, and her kidnapping is really frightening at times. Everyone who knows me knows how I feel about dead narrators (I don’t care for them, usually), but in this case, it works, especially interwoven with thoughts of Lark’s former best friend, Eve, and former babysitting charge, Nyetta.
Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones
Seventh grader, Serena, is so excited to land a leading role in the school music, The Wiz. She has always dreamed of getting into musical theater. Unfortunately, her father is less excited. In fact, he doesn’t get excited about much of anything. His depression has taken a turn for the worse since Serena’s mother died, and now Serena must deal with a father who won’t get out of bed, caring for a younger brother, and well meaning relatives who are just not around. This book was so sad, yet so moving. Poor Serena really wanted to just be a regular pre-teen and focus on her play, yet had to play grown up for her family. She was a great character to root for.
If you’re looking for something to do, tomorrow and you enjoy going into Boston, you should check out the Boston Book Festival. It is a mostly free event in downtown Boston for anyone who loves to read. You can see real live authors talk about their books and visit the literary street fair right in Copley Square. I will definitely be there, along with Kendall Boninti, my counterpart at Waltham High School. Here are some (free) panel discussions that you might enjoy:
- Steampunk! 11 am, Boston Public Library
Featuring Kelly Link and Gavin Grant, editors of Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories, Holly Black, author of The Spiderwick Chronicles and Tithe; and Allison DeBlasio, creator of Steampunk.
- YA Fiction: On the Edge 12:30 pm, Old South Church
Featuring Danica Novgorodoff, author of Refresh, Refresh, Ellen Levine, author of In Trouble, and Daniel Nayeri, who wrote entire books on his I-phone!
- Page and Stage: Teen Spoken Word 4:00 pm Old South Church
Featuring teens telling original stories. If you go, you might even get to go on stage yourself!
For all of you readers, there are tons of Young Adult/Teen Books at our annual book sale which is running through Saturday, October 1. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes fans will find plenty of titles, and Joan Bauer is there, as well. If you come on Saturday, fill a box with as many books as you want, and pay only $5. It goes to a great cause and you can add a lot of books to your personal library!
The American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association (aka YALSA) is compiling a list of best films for teens featuring music and/or dance. While there are a lot of great librarians with great opinions about what to add, the committee wants to hear your opinions the most. (The list is for you, after all!). What do you think should be added to the list? Are you a Dirty Dancing fan? What about Hairspray? Do you like the original Footloose or do you think the new version will be better?
Let your opinion be heard! http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/fabfilm.php
Read a list of what’s been nominated so far (and to learn more about YALSA’s Fabulous Films for Young Adults): www.ala.org/yalsa/fabfilms
