Reading YA with Amanda

It is a new year and there are some incredible new YA books for your reading pleasure. There is something new for everyone, every interest and every mood! Keep checking back here since there are more great books still to come.



Been waiting patiently for Cinder's story to continue in the Lunar Chronicles?

Scarlet: the Lunar Chronicles, part 2 by Marissa Meyer

Linh Cinder grew up a cyborg and a stepchild in New Beijing, not sure which one made her life worse. But after her stepmother donated her body to science, it is the doctor's discovery that she is the lost Lunar Princess Selene that puts her in the most danger of all. Being the missing niece of Queen Levana only puts her in more danger as the Queen continues her pursuit of domination of the Earthern Union. Now, in prison, can she escape and reconnect with Dr. Erland? A world away in France, Scarlet Benoit's grand-mere has been missing for two weeks and the police have given up looking for her. She meets a man named Wolf, who seems to know more then he says, but she can't ignore the attraction she feels. He agrees to take her to Paris, where her grand-mere is being held for a past she won't share. But it is not until she tries to escape that Cinder and Scarlet's worlds collide and they realize just how much is at stake. 

Meyer, Marissa. Scarlet: The Lunar Chronicles. New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-0-3126-4296-9. (hardback). Ages 12+.

Meyer, Marissa. Cinder: The Lunar Chronicles. New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0-3126-4189-4 . (hardback). Ages 12+.

 
Are you addicted to Downton Abbey?

Cinders and Sapphires: At Somerton, Book 1 by Leila Rasheed

It is 1910 and the Earl of Westlake and his daughters, Ladies Ada and Georgiana, have spent the past decade in India, where their father has been the lieutenant governor. Now, forced to return to their home, Somerton, in the wake of political scandal, the family has to adapt in more ways than one. The staff at Somerton are in a rush trying to ready the home for the Averleys'  arrival. Then news comes of a wedding and the Lord's new wife and her children. Rose is trying to quickly learn the ropes as the new ladies' maid, but refuses to accept the advice she has been given to take advantage of her situation. Lady Ada feels the weight of her family's troubles on her shoulders. How can she choose between her dreams and ambitions and her family?
Rasheed, Leila. Cinders and Sapphires: at Somerton, Book One. New York: Hyperion, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-7117-1. (hardback) Ages 12+ 
In the mood for a murderously good laugh?

Who Done It? An Anthology conducted by Jon Scieszka (and YOU the reader)

A Serial Act of Criminal Literature to Benefit 826NYC

"You are invited to a gathering" reads the invitation sent by editor Herman G. Mildew to his clients. But Mr. Mildew is obsessed  not only with cheese and pickles, but also with being the most hated boss that ever existed. When we arrive at the party, Mr. Mildew is dead and every author and illustrator present is a suspect. Now they each have to convince us of their alibis, when every one of them had desire and motive. It is up to us to aid Jon Scieszka in his investigation. We must sort through the first person accounts of over 80 of the best names in YA and children's fiction. Each one has a story to tell and something to hide. One that may prove that, in the end, they all did it!

Scieszka, Jon (Ed). Who Done It? An Anthology. New York: SOHO Teen, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1-6169-5152-8. (hardback) Ages 12+

Looking for the next Hunger Games?

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Children are mysteriously dying all around the United States. But those who live meet a fate much worse fate than death. Parents are afraid of their own children and turn them in to the government. Most are carted off to camps claiming to rehabilitate them, but others are forced to run on their own with no adult support. It was Ruby's tenth birthday when her parents sent her away, and for six years she lived in one of the camps not really knowing what she truly was. When the truth comes out and she is presented with the opportunity to run, she takes it. Something doesn't feel right and she escapes. Not trusting any adult, Ruby becomes the fourth member of a group of kids looking for a safe haven. Fighting for survival, they quickly learn that nothing is what it seems and the only ones they can trust are each other.

Bracken, Alexandra. The Darkest Minds. New York: Hyperion, 2012. ISBN 13: 978-1-4231-5737-3. (hardcover) Ages 12+

Reading YA with Amanda

2012 is almost over, and with the upcoming holiday season and the end of the semester, this can be a hectic time of year. So why not curl up with a good book? This list has a little bit of this (fantasy and adventure) and a little bit of that (family and mystery), but are some of my favorite Young Adult reads.

Dreamland Social Club by Tara Alterbrando

When Jane's grandfather passes away he leaves his estate to her and her brother Marcus.  With their father in tow, the family relocates to her mother's family home on Coney Island. Jane is excited and hesitant at the same time. Since her mother's death years before, she has been struggling with who she is and where she came from. But it isn't just her life that is a mystery to her, after all there is a carousel horse chained to the radiator in her living  room. Then weird signs start popping up all over the walls at school. Dreamland Social Club, tomorrow afternoon, room 222, you know who you are. The history she discovers in her own house and the more people she meets at her new school only leave her with more questions than answers. Jane wants to learn about her mom and hopefully discover herself in the process. Maybe Leo, the tattooed boy can help? But what exactly is in room 222, and the mermaid ever give up her secrets?  

Alterbrando, Tara. Dreamland Social Club. New York: Duttons Children's Books, 2011. ISBN-13: 978-0-5254-2325-6. (hardback). Ages 14+.

Envy by Gregg Olsen

Nothing seems to be going right for Katelyn Berkley. She has drifted away from her group of friends and now that she didn't make the cheerleading squad her best friend won't talk to her. Unable to talk to her mom, she is lonely and depressed. But was she desperate enough to kill herself?
The night Katelyn was found dead in her bathtub everything changed for twins Taylor and Hayley Ryan. They are drawn by reasons they can't explain to figure out the truth about what really happened to Katelyn. But the deeper they get into the mystery, the more information about their own past seems to come to light which will change everything.
Envy is the first book in the Empty Coffin series by Gregg Olsen. If you loved Envy, check out Betrayal!

Olsen, Gregg. Envy. New York: Splinter, 2011. ISBN-13:  978-1-4027-8957-1. (hardback). Ages 12+

Olsen, Gregg. Betrayal. New York: Splinter, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-1-4027-8958-8. (hardback). Ages 12+
 

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

For over 400 years, the unUnited Kingdoms have been living in a world underneath the terms of the Dragonpact. Almost sixteen years old, Jennifer Strange is a strong, sassy heroine who just happens to be managing Kazam, an employment agency and home for wizards. Wizards and Sorcerers are struggling to find work as magic in the world and their powers are fading. Just when she thinks she has her hands full with Mystical Arts Management and a new foundling to train, pre-cogs start seeing premonitions of the death of the last dragon. Sometimes it seems that only her faithful Quarkbeast and Tiger Prawns, the new foundling, are the only ones on her side. Jennifer must figure out how to balance the demands of her job while magic seems to be disappearing all around them, and at the same time figure out who the Last Dragonslayer is and convince them not to kill the dragon.

Fforde, Jasper. The Last Dragonslayer. New York: Harcourt, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0-5477-3847-5. (hardback). Ages 12+

Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call
to storm or fire the world must fall
an oath to keep with a final breath
and foes bear arms to the doors of death

Now that Jason and Percy have reconnected with their home camps, the heroes know that time is running out to start their quest. With the Roman and Greek demigods finally all together, they must figure out what the prophecy of seven means and make it to Greece in time to stop Gaea from waking and hopefully save Hazel's brother Nico before it is too late.

Told from different points of view of several of the demigods, Riordan shares each one's unique voice and sense of whit. The Mark of Athena is a worthy third installment in the Heroes of Olympus series that will have you laughing out loud and hanging by the edge of your seat.

Riordan, Rick. The Heroes of Olympus, Book 3: The Mark of Athena. New York: Disney - Hyperion Books, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-4060-3. (hardback). Ages 10+

Riordan, Rick. The Heroes of Olympus, Book 2: The Son of Neptune. New York: Disney - Hyperion Books, 2011. ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-4059-7. (hardback). Ages 10+
Riordan, Rick. The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1: The Lost Hero. New York: Disney - Hyperion Books, 2010. ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-1339-3. (hardback). Ages 10+

Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride

Sam LaCroix is just trying to adapt to his new life as a necromancer. Just six weeks ago he went from a burger flipper to a powerful necromancer and a member of the local magic council who is now living in his dead enemy's house and is possible dating a very cute werewolf. Sounds completely normal, right? But Sam's self defense and necromancy training isn't exactly going well.  Oh, and on top of it all it seems that his new house may just be trying to haze him.

But he better get a grip on his powers, and fast. First something, or someone is threatening his sister. Then one of his mentor's ends up dead. Sam needs to solve the murder before his new life completely unravels around him. Seems like there is no rest for the necromancer.

McBride, Lish. Necromancing the Stone. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-9099-4. (hardback). Ages 14+

McBride, Lish. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2010. ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-9098-7. (hardback). Ages 14+

Tween and Teen Reads with Natasha

Halloween is creeping around the corner and we have some good Halloween reads for you. From new to classic and from creepy to funny -- you decide. Even though Teen Read Week is almost over, this is still a perfect opportunity to take a look at some of these titles. 

Teens

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake 
Cas Lowood has a special gift: he kills the dead. He inherited this gift from his father, who was gruesomely executed by a ghost whom he was trying to kill. Now Cas is carrying on where his father left off, along with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit sniffing cat. 

They arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood. She was brutally murdered in 1958 and she still wears the white dress she died in.  This ghost is not your ordinary ghost and Cas has never experienced anything like her before. She is a dangerous ghost who is possessed by rage and will kill anyone who dares to step into the abandoned Victorian place she calls home, except for Cas.

Expect to see in our collection soon the sequel, Girl of Nightmares.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff 

In the small town of Gentry, there is a sixteen-year-old boy named Mackie Doyle. He is known as a Replacement, a fairy child who replaced a human child when he was just an infant. His adopted parents know what he is as well, but no one talks about it. He wants to fit in, but he is slowly dying in the human world. He becomes interested in a girl named Tate. When Tate's baby sister goes missing, it is up to Mackie to save the young girl by going to the place where he truly belongs, the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. This is a place where a tattooed princess rules over living dead girls. He must face the creatures in the underground world and find out where he truly belongs.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Check out my previous mentions of the book here: Tween and Teen Reads with Natasha, June 28th.

Tweens

Prince of Dorkness: More Notes from a Totally Lame Vampire by Tim Collins 
If you like the Diary of the Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, you may like this book. 
Nigel Mullet has new found vampire abilities and he is finally happy and popular in school. He has a girlfriend named Chloe, but a new guy, Jason, ends up stealing Chloe from Nigel and that is when everything goes downhill. Nigel is bullied by his little sister and is losing his popularity at school. Desperate, Nigel decides to spy on Jason and follows him into the woods one day. He finds out a horrifying secret about Jason: he and his family are werewolves!
Will this secret help him win Chloe back or just make him even more lame? 
This book is the sequel to Notes from a totally lame vampire : because the undead have feelings too!. 

Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury 
In this timeless 1962 classic, a mysterious carnival arrives in a Midwestern town. Everything seems normal at first; there are many attractions, rides, mazes and sideshow tents. But soon people start disappearing and thirteen year old James Nightshade and William Halloway are suspicious of the carnival owner, Mr.Dark. No one will listen to the two boys when weird things continue to happen. The only person who believes them is William's father, a janitor at the local library. Will James and William be able to save the rest of the people in the town?


For more classic Halloween reads, read The Halloween Tree and by Ray Bradbury.

The Graveyard Book  by Neil Gaiman

A lonesome baby is the only survivor after a gruesome attack on his family. Left alone, the toddler leaves the house and ends up in a graveyard where ghosts find him.The ghosts, the Owens, decide to keep him and he is known as "Nobody Owens."
Soon the toddler grows up and the story revolves around him as he befriends a girl named Scarlett Perkins and convinces her mother that he is an imaginary friend.

Nobody Owens does not realize he is in danger: the man who killed his family is coming after him.

Closed for the Season : A Mystery Story by Mary Downing Hahn
Logan, a thirteen year-old boy, and his family move into a rundown old house in rural Virginia where a woman was murdered years ago. Logan eventually befriends his neighbor Arthur and they begin to investigate what happened so long ago in that house. During their quest, they make some dangerous discoveries that put their lives in danger. Will the two make it out alive?

 

Reading YA with Amanda

Its back to school time! But just because summer is over, doesn't mean the reading has to stop. Whether you feel like you need to escape reality for a moment, or just need a good laugh. Try one of these books out!

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Once upon a time Hazel lived with her parents and attended a private school where the teachers loved her imagination and creativity. Now that her father has left, the only one who seems to understand her is her best friend Jack. Like Hazel, his home life is not perfect, but together they use their imagination to have the time of their lives. But being best friends with a boy has its own challenges, especially when he seems to change mysteriously over night almost like his heart had turned to ice. Hazel doesn’t believe that he doesn’t want to be friends anymore, but when he suddenly disappears; his friend doesn’t believe the story and convinces Hazel that she is the only one who can save him. Only, does Jack want to be saved? For the first time, Hazel must become a player in her real life fairy tale to rescue her friend and save him from the ice queen.

Like Breadcrumbs? Check out the rest of the 2012 Girls of Summer List!

Ursu, Anne. Breadcrumbs. Illustrated by Erin McGuire.  New York: Walden Pond Press, 2011. ISBN-13: 978-0-0620-1505-1. (hardback). Ages 8-12.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

“Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme; remember me to one who lives there, for then she’ll be a true love of mine.” Lucy Scarborough is just like any other 17 year old girl, except that her birth mother, Miranda, enters and disappears from her life at the strangest times. Lucy’s mother was Miranda’s best friend, until she gave birth to Lucy and went crazy. So when Miranda starts showing up at Lucy’s school singing the lyrics to Scarborough Fair, Lucy tries to hide the fact that Miranda is her mom. But, when Lucy attends her prom and is raped by her date and then becomes pregnant, she begins to wonder if history is just repeating herself. Then, when she begins to read Miranda’s diary she wonders if there is more to the story, and the song, then meets the eye. As Lucy begins to believe in the curse, she finds solace in the fact that she has something that no other Scarborough girl had before her: love and support from family and Zach, the boy next door. Can Lucy and Zach solve the riddles and end the curse or will Lucy follow Miranda right down into the darkness?

Werlin, Nancy. Impossible. New York: Dial Books, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0-8037-3002-1. (hardback). Ages 13+

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: an Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger

Be a wimp or be a wookiee, that is the question! After being suspended from McQuarrie Middle, Dwight has transferred to Tippett Academy. All of his friends miss him, but they also miss Origami Yoda! However, Dwight looked out for them and gave Sara a Chewbacca Fortune Wookiee and a Han Foldo to translate. But, is the Fortune Wookiee the real thing? If so, can he handle all the strange things happening at McQuarrie? When the boys lose faith and decide that only Origami Yoda will do, they find that everything with Dwight may not be what it seems either. But dark times are ahead, can they save Dwight before its too late?

Check out The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Dark Paper Strikes Back, the first two Origami Yoda books!  Then look out for the forth book, Art2-D2′s Guide to Folding and Doodling: An Origami Yoda Activity Book! Coming this spring! 

Angleberger, Tom. The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: an Origami Yoda Book. New York: Amulet Books, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-1-4197-0392-8. (hardback). Ages 8-12+

 Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Matt, Coop and Sean are three friends who have always spent their summers on the neighborhood swim team (even though they aren’t very good) and trying to achieve their own personal summer time goal. This summer is no exception, except for their goal, which is the most unlikely the trio has set yet. To see a real-live naked girl! While that seems impossible enough, Matt has a major thing for the hot, new girl on the swim team, Kelly West. So, while he can barely manage one lap in the pool, he volunteers to swim the 100 meter butterfly.  As the trio plots and schemes to achieve their goal they must content with their bodies and girls. What could possibly go wrong?

Swim the Fly is a laugh out loud book for boys, and girls who are brave enough to learn what’s really going on inside their heads.

Calame, Don. Swim the Fly. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0-7636-4776-6. (paperback). Ages 14+

Special Sneak Peek Review

Safekeeping by Karen Hesse

"This is madness. This is the United States.
This doesn't happen here. But, it IS happening."

Radley Parker-Hughes is in Haiti helping at an orphanage after the earthquake when the President of the United States is assassinated and the American People's Party takes over. Radley sets out for home and her parents, but the United States she lands in is unrecognizable. Landing in New Hampshire, Radley's parents aren't there to pick up her, but she doesn't have the proper documentation to cross state lines into Vermont. So Radley decides to walk all the way home. But after days on the road when she finally arrives at her house, her parents are no where to be found. Feeling unsafe and afraid, she does the only thing she can think of and sets out for the safety of Canada, wanting nothing more than the safety of her parents and their love.

Safekeeping by Karen Hesse
Expected Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Young Adult, Ages 12+
ARC copy used for review.

(my complete review)

Teens and Tweens Reads with Natasha: Back to School

Summer is almost over and kids are going back to school. I know..I know...Here we go again! Parents are rejoicing and some kids are miserable, but we can fix it by reading some good books, right?

Here are some titles to get you back into the swing of things.

Tweens

Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson
This is the first book to, Middle School: Get Me out of Here!. I think it is appropriate to write about, Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life, because of the start of the school year. There are a lot of tweens who are going to start middle school this year and they may feel the anxiety and excitement of starting a new school. 
Rafe Khatchadorian is feeling the same way on his first year at middle school. Rafe wants the best year of his life, so to do so, he along with his friend, Leo, tries to break every rule in the Hills Village Middle School Code of Conduct book. They can gain points from running in the halls to pulling fire alarms. But once he finds success with misbehaving, Rafe gets in trouble with the principal. He gets in so much trouble that the principal is considering suspending Rafe from school. Now he has to decided if getting in trouble is worth having the best school year ever.

Liar, liar : the theory, practice, and destructive properties of deception by Gary Paulsen
Kevin is a 14 year old boy who is really good at lying and he never got caught. Lying makes life easy for this eighth grader, and he believes that lying is his second language. But when his lying catches up with him, Kevin gets in trouble with everyone at school. He doesn't mean to get in trouble for his lies, so he tries to find away to make things better. 

Troublemaker by Andrew Clements
Clayton Hensley is Principal Kelling’s #1 nuisance, and the principal has a folder of Clay's information thicker than anyone else in the school.
But when Clayton gets in serious trouble in his art class by drawing a picture of his principal as a donkey, he soon realizes that his troubling actions is making a spectacle of himself. And when his big brother, Mitchell, gets in serious trouble, Clay tries to change his ways. Can he change is ways of being a troublemaker?



Lunch Lady and the Mutant Mathletes by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Even though this book was written for a younger audience, it fits the theme for these reviews, plus, the Lunch Lady series is awesome! Everyone can get a good read before going back to school. 

When Hector, Terrence, and Dee (The Breakfast Bunch) gets in trouble for skipping out on a museum tour (from book #6), the principal punished them by making them join the school's math team. When the kids are up against Willowby Thompson Academy in a competition, Lunch Lady notices something strange about the other school and their coach and she begins her investigation along with her sidekick, Betty. Will they uncover something awful before the other school tries to snatch victory from the Breakfast Bunch and the rest of the Thompson Brook Elementary School math team?

Also, keep a look out next month for, Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril. It is book #8 in this graphic novel series.

Teens 

New Boy by Julian Houston
Rob Garrett is a fifteen year old boy who leaves his segregated town in Virginia to be the first person of color to attend an elite Connecticut boarding school because his parents wanted to shield him from the prejudice that was going on in the south. He first encountered bullies picking on an Italian kid and another boy for being Jewish. A lot has change and there is a Civil Rights Moment going on back home.
When Rob return home during spring break, he has to decided if he is going to join his friend for a sit-in at the lunch counter of the local department store, which refuses to serve African-Americans. Can Rob make a difference?




Circle of Silence by Carol Tanzman
The book, Circle of Silence, is the sequel to, Dancegirl. RPL does not have copies of the two books, but we will get both copies soon. Keep a look out!
Valerie Gaines is part of the Campus News crew at Washington Irving High School and she is looking for the biggest story of her life to report. Valerie is in charge of the news crew and she is feeling the stress of running things. 
Then mysteriously things started happening to the students at the school and it is up to Valerie and her crew to find out what is going on.

Tech Trends for Teens: Cool (Free) Apps for Teens

Everybody loves to play on their cell phones, right? Thanks to our Library Science student intern, Laura Buell, we have compiled a list of exciting apps for teens and tweens so you can check them out! And they're free!

Pandora
Pandora is an internet radio station that adjusts itself to your musical tastes! You can create up to 100 different stations and select your likes and dislikes to create the Perfect Music Experience!

myHomework
Great way to keep organized! First, input your classes so you can have a schedule in your phone (especially helpful for the beginning of the year). Second, put your assignments into the "Homework" section. Finally, there's an area called "calendar" where you can view all of your assignments at once.

OverDrive
Just in case you hadn't heard: OverDrive connects you to this library so you can download eBooks and audiobooks!

Temple Run
For when you just need a little fun, Temple Run is an adventure game. Your objective is to stay away from whatever is chasing you -- and as fast as you can!

Shazam
Do you ever hear a song you like, but you don’t know what it’s called or who sings it? The next time you hear it playing, use Shazam to figure out what it is!

Instagram
You can use this app to edit your pictures -- make them black and white or give them other effects to change their appearance. Lots of fun to play around with!

There are a ton of fun apps to play with and these are just a few that we know are fun to play with!

Teens and Tweens Reads with Natasha

Summer is here and kids are out of school. Yay!!! So why not take the time to read some books? It is me again, Natasha the YA Librarian and I am here to recommend some good books and to remind you to sign up for our Summer Reading Program. This would be a great opportunity to use some of these titles to add to your reading log. (Hint-Hint!)

Teens 
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
This interesting novel presents a collaboration of fiction and photographs. In this story, a sixteen-year-old named Jacob comes across a remote island off the coast of Wales. He discovers a decaying building named Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Jacob explores the home where children used to live, one of them being his own grandfather. This is an interesting book for those who enjoy mysteries, horror and paranormal activities. The photographs add an interesting take to this novel.

Just Write: Here's How! by Walter Dean Myers
This is a how-to-do guide for those teens who want to become writers. YA author, Walter Dean Myers, has put together this collection of valuable information and includes examples from his writing and reading experience. This book is inspiring and any young author would gain much needed information from a renowned author.

Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson
This is an extraordinary book about a girl named, Laurel Daneau, who is trying to gain a new lease on life. It all starts when Laurel loses her mother and grandmother after Hurricane Katrina which causes her father, younger bother and herself to move to another state. She gains new friends and become a cheerleader for the school's basketball team. Still grieving the lost of her mother and grandmother, Laurel gets caught up with the wrong crowd through her boyfriend, T-Boom, the co-captain of the basketball team, who introduced her to meth. Soon she begins to alienate her friends and family and as her life drifts downward, Laurel finally realizes she needs to find some sobriety. With help from new friends, Laurel now is able to rewrite her story and move on from her addiction.


Tweens

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie Pullman has a rare disorder. His head is malformed and he has scars from corrective surgery. After being home schooled, his parents decided it was time for Auggie to go to private school.  Auggie wants to convince his classmates that he is just like them-normal. The books starts from Auggie's point of view and then switches to his sister, friends and others. This novel shows how a community deals with acceptance. Wonder is a very powerful book for tweens and  teens to read and it helps deal with the issue of bullying.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes by Kazu Kibuishi 

This graphic novel has a collection of seven stories. Each story is about mysterious boxes. The stories may be short but they are well crafted. One of the stories in the book, Spring Cleaning, was illustrated by Raina Telgemeier. If you have read my book review from last month, then you would see my review of her book, Smile. 

Girls of Summer 2012: One Night, Three Authors and One Amazing Book List

Gigi Amateau and Meg Medina

If you were not downtown at Library Park on Tuesday, June 19th, you missed a real treat! Oh and ice cream too. Local authors, Gigi Amateau and Meg Medina, presented their second annual Girls of Summer book list. Books about amazing, strong girls for amazing, strong girls! The list is made up of 18 titles for girls of all ages; and includes fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. The complete list is posted to their Girls of Summer website.

Each book was introduced at random with a short review. We were even treated to a few readings, which were all done by three wonderful young ladies.

Each Friday, their website will feature and interview with a different author who wrote one of the books on the list. Short reviews of each of the books on the list are also posted.

We were also treated to a conversation with a conversation with Wendy Shang, author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu.

Wendy used to be a lawyer, and a few years ago she found herself wondering what was the one thing she hadn't done that she still really wanted to do? The answer was write a children's book!

It is hard to grow up and have one foot in two different cultures and no one is every completely comfortable with it. You are always told, to write about what you know, so she did. Which was also the reason why Lucy is twelve.Wendy remembers being twelve better then most other times in her life.

But she also wanted to make Lucy different, so she made Lucy a short, basketball player. (Gigi will tell you that is great basketball in the book!)

Wendy's advice to aspiring writers is this: read! Read a lot, read everything. Write a lot, write a little every day, and learn to edit your own work. 

We are looking forward to next year's event at Library Park!

a crowd of all ages