New Photo and Upcoming Events

So, can you identify any of the books in my new photo? How about the one I am reading? E-mail me if you have a guess. You could win something.

Upcoming Events!

Teen Film Festival
Still accepting, but hurry. Festival is on Sunday, Jan 27 at 1 pm
Deadline for submission is January 7th.

Crochet Buddies
Looking for teens and children to get together and crochet. Teens will teach. Make scarves, hats, toys - they know how and can show us! Bring your own yarn if you can. We have hooks. Teens and kids need to register 732 572-2750 Cookies, hot chocolate served.
Wednesdays starting Jan 16th. 3 pm

Game Days
Fridays at 3 pm. Guitar Hero! Monopoly, scrabble, chess and more... check the calendar for dates www.hpplnj.org/teens

Zine
Help do the artwork for our next issue. Also need typists and editors. Tuesdays after school. Jan 8th, 15 and 22nd. 3 - 4:30. Just show up.

Be at something.....

Michelle

An Attitude of Gratitude

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
~ Albert Schweitzer

We accomplished a lot in 2007. How did that happen? Hmmm, well, we happen to be very lucky that we live in a community full of talented and generous individuals. We are very fortunate that many people in our own community came out to the library to share their time and their skills with us.

So, as we wrap up 2007, let's offer some gratitude to those who have helped to light the flame within us all.


Harriet Gordon taught us how to knit and inspired us with her beautiful creations.

Pria "starheart" Campanelli led us through a spiritual evening of yoga and meditation.

Jack Yang helped us improve our chess skills and we enjoyed challenging him and one another!

Tina Weishaus shared her Global Warming presentation with us. An Inconvenient Truth, indeed.

Maxine Sussman shared her beautiful rock collection and inspired us to write poetry that we published in our teen magazine, Expresso.

Laura Callahan and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office presented a fascinating program all about crime scene investigation to kick off our summer reading program.

Sergeant Gary Panichella kicked off our book buddies program by reading to us. I heard he is in one of our teen films as well.

Rick Black taught us how to write haiku and showed us how to make our very own haiku
booklets illustrated with handmade stencils.

Pat Huneke, and her therapy dog, Phoenix, came in so our book buddies could read to Phoenix. Phoenix was a very good listener and Pat was terrific for sharing her time and her
story of working with a therapy dog.

Jennifer Williams ran some super programs for us including the very popular Harry Potter party! Welcome back, Jennifer, we missed you.

Leora Wenger shared her talents with us by showing us how to design our own websites using CSS. You can see them if you visit the teen page of our website www.hpplnj.org/teens

Marc Mappen, entertained us with fascinating stories of Weird NJ!

Dara Botvinick and Tim Harrison have been bringing the 6th graders over to foster a love of reading and make sure the kids know that they are most welcome here at the public library. They have also used the art displays here as writing prompts. We'll be sharing some of those stories with you in Expresso. Awesome teachers, HP is lucky to have them both.

Along those same lines, awesomeness included, Nicole Marionni brought her poetry class over to do some research. She also brought the required summer reading books over to the library so we could make sure you all got your copies and so that I could have an opportunity to help you find your optional titles. I hope to see more of you next summer....

Gary Leslie, of HPTV, and Sam Shiffman are helping us make films for our teen film festival. They have been an extremely valuable resource to us and very generous with their time. Check out our commercials on HPTV!

Our library board, our director, Jane Stanley, and all of the staff here are very supportive of all that we do, for that we are very grateful. Jeanne, Fran, Lucy, Val, Lisa, Renee, Udeshi, Maria and all of our part-timers and pages - thank you for all that you do to make the Highland Park Public Library a wonderful place to be!

The Friends of the Library who fund our programs. We couldn't do any of it without them.

Lastly, a big thank you to my favorite sparks - the teens who have worked with me to plan and promote programs, to those who participated and helped make our events successful and well-attended, and to those of you who just visit to do homework or select books - it is always my pleasure to see you. I count you all among my many blessings.

I look forward to a new year full of reading, writing, playing and whatever else we decide to do - with you.

Be happy, healthy, safe and always, always grateful.

Michelle

Project Linus NJ - Monday night Dec 17th at 7 pm

Aaah, it's that time of the year again! The teens at our library love this project. I don't think they will mind if I speak for them by saying that we like it for multiple reasons.

Everyone can participate in the project - no sewing skills required. We love an all-inclusive!


We get a chance to socialize (and eat) while we are working

The finished blankets are absolutely adorable!

And the best part....
The blankets go to children in need


For more information on the project and to see how you can get involved visit www.blankiedepo.org

See more photos at our photo gallery www.hpplnj.org/teens





Michelle

What I've Read Lately....How about you?

Some of these titles are new and some were just new to me...

Beastly by Alex Flinn
Loved this modern day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. It takes place in NYC. The chat room bits are my favorite. Check it out - literally!

Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
A comical fairy tale with some quirky characters. Nice artwork as well!

Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages
Loved reading about this time period. It is set in the 1940's and is about about Dewey (not of the decimal system) who lives with her father in Los Alomos, New Mexico. Officially, Los Alomos does not even exist, although it is buzzing with scientists and mathematicians from all over the world who are working on "the gadget". Can you guess what that might be? A glimpse into what the world was like before the invention of "the gadget".

Echo by Kate Morgentoth
Justin's life has unraveled since the death of his brother. On the anniversary of his brother's death things start to really fall apart. He seems to be reliving the same day over and over again. Each time it is slightly different - what's real and what isn't? Just like you are, Justin is trying to figure that out.

Flight by Sherman Alexie
Just "Call me Zits", says the main character. He has inherited his mom's green eyes and his dad's acne, which neither of them are around to see. He has been in and out of foster care since the age of 10. See where this is going? Yes, not good. He goes on a shooting spree and finds himself travelling back in time, inhabiting various people's bodies whose lives will help to shed some light on his own.
It's a bit violent, so not for everyone, but if you do read it, stop by to chat with me about it.

Just started The Golden Compass by Pullman. Gotta read it before the movie comes out!

Your Halloween Treat - New Books!

It's true...the only thing better than being able to order books is to open the box
and get them ready for you! So stop by to see what came in...

Here a few titles to whet your appetite:

Click One novel by 10 authors
Stories within a story, written as separate chapters by ten juvenile authors including Linda Sue Park, Eoin Colfer, and Tim Wynne-Jones, reveal the adventurous life and legacy of George "Gee" Keane, a photojournalist and world traveler.

Does my Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Despite her parents' gentle warnings that she may be ostracized, Amal decides it's time to be true to herself and her faith and to wear her head scarf, or hijab, full-time. Can she handle the taunting? Could you? Think about that as you read about what Amal has to deal with. You will love her for her humor, intelligence and her courage!

Leap of Faith by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Forced to attend a Catholic middle school because of her conduct, Abigail discovers a talent for theater and develops a true religious faith.

Sure Fire by Jack Higgins
A popular author of best-selling adult novels, Jack Higgins has written a thriller for teens. I'm currently enjoying this one! The plot: Resentful of having to go and live with their estranged father after the death of their mother, fifteen-year-old twins, Rich and Jade, soon find they have more complicated problems when their father is kidnapped and their attempts to rescue him involve them in a dangerous international plot to control the world's oil.

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
For those of you who are very busy, but want to enjoy a quick read, I bring you a collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman. As he says in his forward, "Short stories are tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams. They are journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and still be back in time for dinner". How can you not love a man who says stuff like that?!

On that note...I'm off to another world. Dinner is 10 minutes so it's Neil Gaiman for me tonight ;)

Hope to see you in the stacks.

Michelle

I am thankful for laughter.....

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose."
~ Woody Allen


Celebrate laughter during Teen Read Week, Oct 14 - 20th

This year's theme is Laugh Out Loud @Your Library

Miss Fran and I will be at Autumn in the Park, Thursday night with a Laugh Out Loud Trivia Game. Please stop by and play - you could win a free doughnut from Dunkin! We will be outside of Saiff Drugs.

Also, vote for your favorite teen read at the American Library Associations website
Teens Top Ten - see the nominated titles and vote for your favorite!

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/teenstopten.cfm

Last year's top ten:

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
3. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
5. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
6. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
7. Poison by Chris Wooding
8. Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart
9. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
10. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

And, mark your calendars - Oct 29th at 7 pm we'll have film making workshop!

Also, submit any short stories, poetry, book reviews, games etc. to me via expresso@hpplnj.org

Expresso may come out before Christmas - and we may sell copies- thoughts?

E-mail me, mreasso@hpplnj.org

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

September 29 - October 6 is official Banned Books Week!

What is a banned book? It's a book that has been removed from a public or school library or classroom because someone or some organization believes that the content is inappropriate.

The message that Banned Books week hopes to get out is that
Free People Read Freely.
That's not to say that all books are appropriate for all people, just that you (or your parents) should have the freedom to choose for yourself what is appropriate.

Banned Books week is about protecting your freedom of choice.

Please take a few moments to reflect on that message and to also consider the quote by Voltaire at the top of my blog.

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

For more information check out ALA's website www.ala.org/bbooks
Take a look at some of the most challenged books in recent years. Do they offend you? Why or why not? Why might someone else be offended?

Talk about it tonight at your dinner table.

Peace.

Whew...Summer Wrap-up and what's next? Film Fest

We did it! Along with lots of other events - we read almost 500 hours this summer - and that's not counting those of you who didn't share. Congratulations, I'm proud of all of you! Even those of you who read secretly...
We also some fun with Monday night activities; the murder mystery (remember the tape outline of the dead you-know-who?!), The Birds (still creepy after all these years!), altered books, Sherlock Holmes, game night, Crime Scene Investigation, and Karaoke (appreantly more fun for those of singing than those in the audience. You know how I know? You asked us to please stop! It was fun while it lasted...)

Book Buddies was a HUGE success with an average of 50 of you reading together each Thursday afternoon. That's awesome! The little buddies adored you and they read and chatted with you about a LOT of books. You should very proud of your work. I am. I know some of you have run into your book buddies around town - did you do the secret handshake?! Okay, okay...we'll re-think that idea for next year ;)

As far as our other events, I have to admit my favorite event was the haiku book-making workshop with Rick Black. I don't know what was more fun, the nature walk, the writing, or the stenciling. If you haven't stopped by to see our handmade books, please do. You are sure to be impressed and will want to make your own.

A close second was the webmaster workshop led by Leora Wenger. The web pages that were created will be linked to our teen page shortly. It was so nice to see it all come together for those of you who were new to HTML! Again, proud of all your work. Good job. We hope to have Leora back to run some other tech workshops for you. Let me know what you'd be interested in learning.

DEAR time was a bit of a bust - what? it's not cool to come hang out at the library and read?! I should have known better. Anyway, I had a couple of afternoons of quiet reading with a few of you. What's not to like about that?

On the other hand, Chess was a success! We met some new players and will be having tournaments throughout the year. Thank you to Jack Yang for running the summer program and congratulations to our winners

Look for photos of all of these events in our NEW photo gallery. Get it to it from the Teen home page.

Upcoming projects include a Teen Film Festival. We'll be showing films made by you. Can you do that? I'm impressed and would love to see your work. So, share your talents with us...get used to showing your work and get some valuable feedback from an audience who supports you! Want to get involved in planning and promoting the event? First assignment - tell your friends. Second assignment - start writing your scripts. E-mail me at mreasso@hpplnj.org if you want to get more involved than that. From our teen web page click on the Film Festival logo to get entry forms and guidelines.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather! Hope to see you soon.

Michelle

Haiku - for you

writing a haiku
in the library's back room --
purple mint flowers

~ Rick Black

This is the haiku that Rick wrote about our workshop. Nice, n'est-ce pas?
Like he told us, haiku is just 3 short lines and may conjure up a time and a place. What a nice way to keep a memory!
I am haiku-ing (probably not a real word) everything! Remember, this is my favorite part, it does not need to have certain number of syllables per line!

Here are some websites Rick thought we might enjoy. Check them out and continue to write - it's really fun! Please share any you write that you especially love and we will print them in Expresso.

http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/articles/haiku.htm
http://spice.stanford.edu/digests/Japan/haiku.html
http://haikuguy.com/issa/abouthaiku.html
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/Haiku.html

Enjoy the last days of summer vacation...and stop by for your summer reading books if you haven't already!


Michelle

Midsummer News

Happy August!

I just wanted to keep you posted on what we've been up to this summer - and what there is still time for!
Our book buddies program is in full swing. We have over 50 "buddies" here on Thursday afternoons. The little ones have been reading to our teens (and vice versa) and all have been doing a super job. Miss Fran and I are so pleased with all of our buddies! The little ones just ADORE you teens. We love to see them light up when they see you. Good job! Next year you should think about joining us. Aside from the adoration, did I mention we have cookies and pretzels after every session?

We just finished the coolest workshop on writing haiku and bookmaking. Local poet and book artist Rick Black, helped us write haiku and showed us how to make our own beautiful books. They are on display in the library by the reference desk. Please come by and admire our work. We are rightfully very proud! We are lifelong Rick Black fans and we hope he comes back again to work with us.

Also, we still have several nights of summer reading left. Monday nights a t 7 pm. Stop by and tell us what you're reading and to socialize. See me for details or just show up on a Monday night. This Monday, the 6th, is game night, the next is movie night and the last night, August 20th, we party with guitar hero and karaoke! Prizes for everyone!

We still have a whole lot of summer left..don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Let the Summer Reading Begin!

Hi, all,

Join us Monday Night at 7 pm for our kick-off of our summer reading program!
At 7 I will collect your reading logs and dole out your raffle tickets.
You will get an extra raffle ticket for showing me your library card. How else can you check out some of the new books we have just in - just for you.

At 7:30....
We will host a Crime Scene Investigation program, thanks to Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and our friend, Bruce Kaplan. Come see what it takes to break down a crime scene and how science is used to solve mysteries. Solve a crime yourself while you're here!

We will pull raffle tickets for prizes at the end of the evening (8:45)
YNK what you might win!

Don't forget to look for photos of Fran Lee and I "around town". Each week they will be in a new location. When you spot us come in and fill out a raffle ticket and tell us where you saw us. Prizes each week!
They are out there as I write this.....Why did I agree to this? Whose idea was this, Sophia?!


Happy reading! I just finished 13 Little BLue Envelopes - those fans of Sisterhood books will love this one. Her latest Girl at Sea is just out as well. Get your name on the request list for it - it's been out since it came in! I am now in the middle of Maximum Ride. To my delight - I'm enjoying it! I think the Erasers are pretty cool and I keep forgetting Max is a girl...what does that say? The third in the series is out (literally - checked out) but we have several copies.

Need some suggestions? No better way than to come to our meetings and see what your friends are reading. I'm going to start a Recommended Reads book to keep in the YA room. Who wants to help? Stop by and share some of your favorites.

DEAR Time is Tuesdays at 3 pm. Drop Everything And Read
is very cool. We have air-conditioning. ;) Bring a beach towel and come hangout in our sunny meeting room and read for a few peaceful hours. I had a nice group that met with me last week. Hope to see more of you next Tuesday. Bring a friend. It is another great place to get some reading suggestions. I'll share my favorites.

I hope to see you Monday night!

Michelle

Also, thanks to all you Book Buddies. We are off to a great start. You did a SUPER job! Muchos Gracias from the whole staff at the library. You make us proud.
Not to worry, we are proud of the rest of you too. ;)

Meet me at the Library this summer!

Are you going to around this summer? I am, and I'll be right here at the library.

Monday nights at 7 pm I hope to see you at our YNK summer reading nights! You Never Know what we'll be doing. Check the calendar to see the events we have planned...movie nights, a murder mystery party, games, even Guitar Hero! Sign up for Summer Reading at the front desk and get a packet of info so you know what we're doing or just show up a t a meeting and we'll sign you up then. We start July 9th with an evening of CSI! It will be a crime if you don't show up....groan...actually I just promise it will be better than that joke.

Or - be a Book Buddy! Let a child show off his/her reading skills to you this summer. Thursday afternoons at 1 pm we'll be meeting our book buddies and reading, drawing and preparing an aesop's fable skit to perform with our buddies at the celebration party in August. You'll get a t-shirt, ice cream, and a new buddy. You can never have enough buddies...and these are small and don't take up much space on the couch. Get an application off the website or stop in and see me.

What else will we be doing? Check the calendar for specific dates and times, but basically....

Remember DEAR time, Drop Everything and Read?! It's back in fashion here at the library. Tuesday afternoons in July at 3 pm. Bring a beach towel and curl up on the floor with a good book or magazine! Join us when you can.

Chess Club returns! Tuesday afternoons in August. Led by Jack Yang, our local champ who will help us improve and let us test our new skills on him!

Haiku/Book making. 2 mornings. One will be spent on a nature walk and then we'll write haiku. The next day we will making our own little books with our haiku and some artwork. Rick Black will teach us how to do it all!

And finally, our
Webmaster Workshop, the last week in August. Sign up early, we have limited space. Leora Wenger, local web designer will lead the class. Learn about good web design and how to write HTML and use CSS. You will be creating your own new teen pages for the library's website.

It doesn't look like I'll be getting to the beach much, so if you want to see me you'll have to stop by the library. I'll be at the beach after you go back to school :)

See you!

So....about Yesterday

So, yesterday we had an enthusiastic group of you who came out to talk about Scott Westerfeld's One Book NJ teen book, So Yesterday. Some of you came with your signed copies from "you know when" we heard him speak in Elizabeth. This added some extra excitement - it was almost like he was here with us! Almost. There was no pizza.

We missed those of you who had other commitments - like being honored at your school for your awesome accomplishments. Congratulations! We are proud of you. Why did the rest of you miss? Huh?

I will share some of the highlights here and attempt to post the Powerpoint "Identify that logo" quiz that we played. See if you can do as well as we did. I made up the quiz (with help, of course) and even I missed one!

Some questions we asked each other....

Who decides what is cool? Is it really the Innovators? Who helps them spread the word? The media? Big corporations? What sells cool?

What is planned obsolescence of a product? This was fascinating to me. At first you think - who would want their product to become obsolete?
The answer - anyone who wants to sell you a new and improved product to replace the one you have. Think about some of those. I bet you can think of at least 3.

What is total MOR? Hunter listens to it. We had to look it up. Tell us what you think. If you need a hint it's okay to use www.urbandictionary.com on this one.

What is the MBWF? Scott refers to The Mod Squad. Do you even know who they are? I do. Love them. I had Michael Cole's photo hanging on my wall. I cut it out of Tiger Beat :) Ask your dad who they were - see if he remembers Julie. What are some modern examples of MBWF? We thought of a few.

After when and before when are you not "supposed to" wear white pants? If you never heard that one, ask your mom. She'll know but she may break the rule anyway. If she does, is she an Innovator?

I thought the SHIFT movement was a riot. What was it? One of my favorite lines...."Agnostic? You mean you're not sure if capital letters exist?

On page 201 - what game is he referring to?

What works for you in an ad? Humor? A short story?

What doesn't work for you in an ad? What was the one you mentioned? Apply directly to forehead? Was that it? It was annoying - we saw it on Youtube. First to tell me gets a prize.

Your favorite ad?

In fashion, what is trendy now? How about 10 years ago? What fashions have come back into style?

Rebeccca hates those jingles that pop into your head when you least expect - or want - them to. Know what she means? I bet one popped into your head right now. Ha!
Can you finish this one - I am stuck on band-aids...
Do you know the Highland Park trivia on that jingle?

How popular is your name? Go the Social Security Administration website to see the most common names by decade. We had a lot of fun with this.
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

Did you notice how many shots he took at NJ? Hmph.

Last thought?
If, like Sophia, you object to being labeled - skip this question. Do not pass go, do not collect your $200. In fact, none of you should try to collect $200.
Think about the Cool Pyramid. Where are you? Remember you can be an innovator when it comes to fashion and a lagger when it comes to technology - or any combo.

Innovator
Trendsetter
Early Adopter
Lagger
How about the Jammers?

I hope you enjoyed this "post"-discussion. Please POST if you'd like to join in.

Next month - Private Peaceful. One of my favorites. Thomas is spending the night in a foxhole during WWI. Why would he possibly want the night to last forever? What does the morning bring? Read it and come out and discuss it with us. We're fun. Really. All are welcome.

Michelle

Vote - June Book Club Choice

Your first round of votes narrowed it down to these 12. Please just vote for one this time. h the most votes wins - duh, did I need to say that? Votes will be tallied by May 1st!
Vote by posting to the blog or sending me an e-mail by clicking on the envelope at the bottom of the post.
mreasso@hpplnj.org

Fade to Black by Alex Flinn
Alex Crusan is an HIV-positive teenager. So, when his family moves from Miami to Pinedale, Florida he is not exactly the most popular student. He has to deal with the whispers and taunts from students, especially Clinton Cole and his gang of jocks. So, one Monday morning when Alex goes to pick up coffee and donuts for his family he is violently attacked. Everyone suspects Clinton, especially when an eye-witness comes forward. But, did Clinton really do this? Is he really capable of this kind of violence? Each chapter alternates between the voices of Alex, Clinton and Daria, the eye-witness. As each narrator fills in the gaps of this story the reader starts to see the whole picture more clearly. Fade to Black explores issues of fear, prejudice and AIDs.

Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes
Fuentes uses Artemio Cruz to tell the tale of Revolutionary Mexico. A young idealist with a passion for social justice, Cruz becomes corrupted by power and money. We first meet him as a rich old man on his deathbed struggling with the inevitability of encroaching death. As the old man relives his life, we see the many facets of the individual, and we also come to view him as a symbol of Mexico. Cruz and the Mexican Revolution began as advocates for the rights of the common people, the working class and the peasants, only to be co-opted by the lures of luxury. This is a powerful literary tour-de-force by one of the modern masters of fiction; don't miss it.

Private Peaceful by Michel Murpurgo
At 15, Thomas Peaceful, like many other English soldiers in World War I, is too young to fight, but he lies about his age. Now at the front in France with his older brother Charlie he stands a lonely nighttime vigil for reasons that are not explained until the book's end, watching the minutes tick by and reflecting on his past. While readers see the events through Tommo's eyes, the author does not lose sight of the war's effects on the teen's friends and family. This thoughtful novel touches on themes of humanity and duty, and features brilliant characters whose personal decisions have earned them their very own badges of honor

Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
Thisunique retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" tale is told from the perspective of the Beast. Orasmyn is a prince of ancient Persia who accidentally angers a djinn and finds himself transformed into a lion. As he struggles to survive as a lion while maintaining his humanity, Orasmyn flees to France in a desperate attempt to find a maiden to love him and reverse the curse. He takes up residence in an abandoned castle, obsessively tending his rose garden in the hopes that the right woman will notice. Napoli's lyrical writing and imaginative storyline makes this a magical read.


Luna: A Novel by Julie Anne Peters.
Regan struggles to support her brother, Liam, in his decision to go public as a transsexual and to undergo a remarkable transition into his true self, Luna.


My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
Lyra overhears a murder being plotted and foils it, but is soon drawn into a web of intrigue that will expose shocking state secrets, force her into alliance with outcasts, and reveal the truth about her parents' identity and fate. Along the way she learns how to use a golden compass that gives figurative as well as literal directions. Just when Lyra things she's gotten to the bottom of the mystery, immense new complications develop. Author Philip Pullman sets the story in a world much like our own, but different in significant ways. Most interestingly, every person in this world has his or her own daemon - an animal spirit that can advise, comport, and befriend its human companion. Pullman's imaginative tale has only just begun.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.


The Gospel According to Larry By Janet Tashjian
Josh Swensen is not your average 17-year-old. At the age of two, he was figuring out algebraic equations with colored magnetic numbers. He is a prodigy who only wants to make the world a better place. Josh's wish comes true when his virtual alter ego, Larry, becomes a huge media sensation. Larry has his own Web site where he posts sermons on anti-consumerism and has a large following of adults and teens. Meanwhile, Larry's identity is a mystery to everyone. While it seems as if the whole world is trying to figure out Larry's true identity, Josh feels trapped inside his own creation. What will happen to the world, and to Larry, if he is exposed?

Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas
Steve York is writing his life story to earn the make-up credit he needs to graduate from high school. He recounts many of his high school experiences including his adventures as a charter member of the iconoclastic Grace Order of Dadaists, his first ever romance with a girl nicknamed Dub, and his difficult relationship with his distant father, a former football star and famous astronaut who wants Steve to be more like him. In writing his story, Steve confronts past feelings of anger and resentment and learns that life's situations are not always black and white. Rob Thomas' writing is intelligent, irreverently funny, and truly evocative of the teenage spirit and voice. A must for any teen who swims outside the mainstream.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
Because Shawn has cerebral palsy, he is unable to communicate, though he is a keen observer of the world around him. Most people see him as a "total retardate". But Shawn is really brilliant, bright and full of insight, though he is unable to control any of his muscles--his fingers, hands, even his eyelids. Amazingly, Shawn's sudden seizures don't bring him suffering, but moments of ecstatic release. How could anyone ever understand this, especially his father, who takes on a personal campaign that supports "ending the suffering" of kids like Shawn? This book will challenge your thoughts on what it really means to be alive.

Double Helix by Nancy Werlin
Eli Samuels' mother is dying of Huntington's Disease and he is aware that it might be in his own future. Yet his father seems certain Eli does not have the fateful genetic marker and maintains a secretive silence. An excellent science student, Eli is hired to work at the famed Dr. Quincy Wyatt's lab, foregoing college and defying his father. In some way, Wyatt is tied to Eli's parents and to their genetic mystery. Thus Nancy Werlin has set the stage for a suspenseful thriller whose seamless boundary between science and fiction keeps readers totally involved.

I Am the Messenger by Mark Zusak
Nineteen-year-old cabbie Ed Kennedy has little in life to be proud of: his dad died of alcoholism, and he and his mom have few prospects for success. He has little to do except share a run-down apartment with his faithful yet smelly dog, drive his taxi, and play cards and drink with his amiable yet similarly washed-up friends. Then, after he stops a bank robbery, Ed begins receiving anonymous messages marked in code on playing cards in the mail, and almost immediately his life begins to swerve off its beaten-down path. Usually the messages instruct him to be at a certain address at a certain time. So with nothing to lose, Ed embarks on a series of missions as random as a toss of dice: sometimes daredevil, sometimes heartwarmingly safe. You will enjoy trying to figure who the messages are from and what their motive might be.

All of these are good books, so I don't think we can go wrong in June! We'll use the "non-winners" for future meetings.
Now, VOTE! Click on the envelope below to send your vote by e-mail or the comments link to post here. Let me know if you have any problems.

Thank you!

We Saw (and spoke to!) Scott Westerfeld!

Are you jealous? You should be. We had a great time. And - all the teens got free signed copies of So Yesterday, thanks to the One Book NJ Committee. Scott was VERY cool if I do say so myself. Or should I say, MAD cool? Mad Cool, in what way, you might ask? Well, for me, cool is smart and funny and thoughtful. I thought he was all those things even before I saw him speak. I had already gotten that impression from reading his books. Peeps was my personal favorite, although I am looking forward to re-reading So Yesterday. So Yesterday, is the One Book New Jersey Teen Book this year. (I'll get back to Scott's visit, but first let me give you a little bit on One Book NJ).

Each year the One Book NJ Committee, along with young adult librarians from around the state, choose a book that is "a great read" and one that will spark some worthwhile discussion. This was "One Book" worthy on all counts. In So Yesterday, Westerfeld mixes mystery, pop culture and humor to explore the theme of consumerism. How do new trends become the new trend? It begs the question of you - would you be an Innovator, a Trendsetter, an Early Adopter, a Consumer or a Laggard? If you have a dictionary you could work out what they all mean, but why not read the book and meet some of the characters who fit the terms?! It's fast-paced, takes place in New York and "everyone" is reading it. Come on, be a Consumer on this one! We'll be discussing it at our May Teem Book club and I'll try to come up with some fun games and activities to go with the theme. Actually, I'll probably steal an idea or 2 from some Innovators...don't tell.

Back to Scott.... Rebecca, Adam, Natasha, Sophia and I took a road trip to Elizabeth Public Library. Here they are getting their free copies of So Yesterday signed by Scott Westerfeld. Sophia is writing an article about the trip for our magazine, Expresso, so I'll let you read more about the trip in our next issue. I will tell you that Scott read to us from So Yesterday and we got some inside scoop about the book he is currently working on, a fourth in his Uglies series! He also brought his wife with him, Justine Larbalestier. She is also an author and is writing the popular young adult trilogy, Magic or Madness. We have the first 2 books Magic or Madness and Magic Lessons and the third and final book, Magic's Child, will be released on March 24th. Come in and check them out!

Scott's advice to young writers is to read, read, read and practice, practice, practice your craft. He also said pay attention when someone is telling a story. We all have friends who can tell a really good story - what is it about it that works? How about those annoying friends who absolutely can't tell a good story - what doesn't work for them? Another thing he likes to do is when he gets halfway through a book - he thinks about how he would finish it, or considers different scenarios than the author chose. It's all about practicing your story telling. You can tell he enjoys what he does and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy what he does as well!

We will have other opportunities to see authors and I will keep you posted you can be sure. Who would you love to see? Let me know and I'll see what I can do!

(Scott Westerfield also has a blog. Click here to see it)



Did mention we had pizza?

New Arrivals - February 26th!


A librarian's dream - new books! I have a larger batch coming in next week so if you don't see what you like today, check back then. You fantasy/adventure lovers should be happy with these titles. More titles next week including some new manga. Happy reading!

Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground. Autobiography by David Beckham
If you don't know who this is, you probably won't want the book - but if you do...you're gonna want it! I got 2 copies. Published in 2004, it includes his first season at Real Madrid and lots of photos, stats and info about how he got to where he is. Come get a copy before my husband does!

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (Fantasy/Supernatural)
From the inside flap...Five adventerous sisters...four dark creatures...three magical gifts...two forbidden lovers...one enchanted frog. Cross the threshold into the Wildwood, and enter a land of magic, daring, betrayal...and true love.

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson (Fantasy/Time travel)
From Booklist - "When J. J. Liddy is 15, his mother jokingly asks for a birthday present of more time. From an eccentric neighbor, J. J. learns to his astonishment that his mother's request may not be impossible to fill. Bravely venturing into an alternate fairy world, J. J. takes on a thrilling, epic quest in which he confronts dark family rumors and tries to repair a cosmic time leak between his world and "the land of eternal youth."

Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce (Fantasy)
The sub-title which says it all and then some - Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms and a Red Dog.

Tamar by Mal Peet (Spy Novel) Winner if the Carnegie Medal in 2005
In England in 1995, fifteen-year-old Tamar, grief-stricken by the puzzling death of her beloved grandfather, slowly begins to uncover the secrets of his life in the Dutch resistance during the last year of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, and the climactic events that forever cast a shadow on his life and that of his family.
Peet also wrote The Keeper, about a fictional world class goalkeeper from South America. Worth checking out if you are a soccer lover!

The Navigator by Eoin McNamee Fantasy and Adventure)
Owen has always been different, and not only because his father committed suicide, but he is not prepared for the knowledge that he has a mission to help the Wakeful--the custodians of time--to stop the Harsh from reversing the flow of time.

I should put the photos of the covers next to the titles, huh? I'll work on that....

It's Been Awhile...What have we been doing?

Teaching chess for one thing....


Jack Yang, an 8th grader who is a local and state champion, ran a 4 week program that was very well-attended! We averaged 25 teens per session and all got to learn some new strategies and try out their new skills on one another and many got to "verse" Jack! All had fun and impressed me with their skill and sportsmanship. Good job to all and a huge thank you to Jack for running it for us.
The winners are shown below with their "teacher"




And knitting.....
Harriet Gordon, who is a local, retired and much loved math teacher led the 4 week program that was also very well-attended! We had all levels of knitters and many came just to help us out, which we all greatly appreciated! Thanks to those teens and adults who were there to help us cast-on and fix our mistakes(yes, we make mistakes...sometimes). A huge thank you to Harriet for giving up her spare time to not only teach us, but to make it look like it was something we could do! Many of you finished your projects and are working on a second. I was impressed by all. And, I actually think I might finish my scarf...although I'll need Anna to show how to get it off the needles!
No rush I'm only 2/3 of the way done. I'll post the final result, just don't look for it any time soon.

Next up - Anime Artist, Doug Baron is coming to show us how to draw some of our favorite characters and how to create our own on Feb 26th at 7:30. Please call to register so we can plan accordingly.

Yu-gi-oh this Friday, Feb 23rd at 3 pm. Bring your best deck and a smile.

Next Book Club is March 5th at 7 pm. We'll discuss the classic, Jonathan Livingston Seagull (ask your parents about it, I'll bet they read it years ago!) Bring some questions or favorite passages to discuss.
Bring suggestions for titles you would like us to read as a group. Be prepared to tell us a little about the book and why it might be a good one for discussion.
I'll send out a pre-list of my own suggestions beforehand.

Gotta run. My next blog will be about new book arrivals! Can't wait! I just love when a box of my book orders arrives! And, I've been reading quite a bit so look for my recommendations...coming soon to the HP teen blog nearest you. Let me know what you've been reading...post a comment!

"Banned Books" Discussion...ooooohhh, sounds exciting doesn't it?

Well, it was! There were only seven of us, but, as usual, we had a LOT to say! It's a long post - so get a cup of tea and settle in. Write back to us if you want to share your own ideas about censorhsip or your favorite quote.

Quote of the evening by Joel, our favorite newcomer,
"This group opens our eyes to things other people close their eyes to".
We love Joel.

Each of us read a different book that has been banned or challenged in a library or a school. Just to clarify - a banned book is one that has been removed from a library (not ours!) or school because "someone" has deemed it offensive or inappropriate. There are organizations that track this kind of information, namely the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.
Here is a blurb from their website:
The Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries. You can vist them online at, http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/Default622.htm

Please also visit ALA's Banned Books week webpages for more info
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

Joel read To Kill a Mockingbird, which has been banned for racism and vulgarity.
Elias read Captain Underpants, banned for vulgarity and some parents have complained about the mispelled words.
Bobby read Fallen Angels, banned for foul language, violence and gore.
Simon read And Tango Makes Three, about two male penguins at the zoo, who fall in love and raise a baby penguin as their own. Banned for "guess what?" Turns out this is actually a true story.
Tami read Harry Potter which has been banned for witchcraft and wizardry.
Sophia only reads banned books - just kidding - but she is very well-read and could comment on all of the books the others had read. And..we were so happy to have her back!

We discussed each book and why or to whom it might be offensive. While we understood why each book might offend one or more persons, we agreed that one should never be able to say "no one" should read the book. A book about 2 gay males rasing a child obviously has a place on someone's bookshelf. It was a lively discussion about censorship and we asked the question, "Is it ever appropriate?". We think it has it's place. We agreed that parents are often good judges of what you may or may not read, especially when you are young. Perhaps they want to protect you from things you are not emotionally ready for or subjects that might frighten you. We decided this was okay - big of us, huh? We also said that sometimes we do our own self-censoring, the best kind. When YOU decide you don't want to read something. Maybe the whole book, or maybe you just want to skip over passages that make you uncomfortable. Some may ONLY want to read those uncomfortable passages :)

As part of our discussion, I had printed and cut out various quotes on censorship. Periodically we would select a quote to discuss and determine whether it was blog-worthy enough to share. Here are our favorites.

Sophia led the way with the following Emily Dickinson poem.
Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924.
Part One: Life
LXXXVII

FORBIDDEN fruit a flavor has
That lawful orchards mocks;
How luscious lies the pea within
The pod that Duty locks!


A good follow-up is this one

"To forbid anything is to make us have a mind for it" - Michel de Montaigne, Essays 1959

Elias pointed this one out to us -
"I am thankful for all the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech" - Nancie Carmody

We all really liked this one, too
"Adam was but human - this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent: then he would have eaten the serpent" - Mark Twain

Good reverse psychology!

"Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance" - Lyndon Baines Johnson
This one set Sophia off. She objected to the reference to books as weapons and would prefer a gentler word, but the rest of us thought it helped make the point.
It made us think (what a good thing!) Can you think of a better word than "weapon?"

Here are some others that we agreed we'd like to share....

"All of us can think of a book... that we hope none of our children or any other children have taken off the shelf. But if I have the right to remove that book from the shelf - that work I abhor - then you also have exactly the same right and so does everyone else. And then we have no books left on the shelf for any of us."
-- Katherine Paterson, American author of childrens books

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." - Noam Chomsky

"What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist." Salman Rushdie

And as we ended the evening, so I will end this post....

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?" - Juvenal

Until we meet again.

Through the Looking Glasses

As you can see, I've got my 2007 goggles on and I'm ready to jump on in! I hope you'll join me. Glasses not required, but they do make it more fun!

I know I said I would do a year in review post, but I'll do that later - or not. What I will say is that I really did enjoy working here and spending time with all of you in 2006. So much so, that I'll be working full-time in 2007! AAGH! For you, it means I'll be here every day after school and Monday evenings until 9. It may also mean we actually get Expresso out on time (maybe, I said). For me, it means I do less around my house. You know what that means for my kids...

Anyway, if you were with us in 2006, you know how it went. If we missed you, well, we hope you'll join us in the new year. So, let's look forward and see what we have planned and think about what we might like to do. For starters, we will continue our teen book club, anime days and our magazine, Expresso. We will add chess, knitting, and yoga and meditation to our list of activities in January/February/March.

Please start thinking about other activities that might be of interest to you.

I'd like to create a wiki. Do you know what that is? Supposedly, it is easier than a blog to post to and have "chats". We could use it to have an online book discussion, either about one book or about the books you are each reading. You could provide suggestions to one another on good books, good movies, music, etc. Interest, no interest?

We could also highlight some social issue and plan programs around it. For instance, in January, local resident Tina Weishaus will come and speak to us about Global Warming. We could have a filmfest around that or any other issue that is important to you. Think about it. Perhaps you can start by sugggesting topics. Check out Patricia McCormick's new novel Sold for one idea. She also wrote Cut and My Brother's Keeper.

Technology...is there some technology you would like to learn? HTML, creating videos, working with photos, teaching one on one computer classes to seniors...you tell me. This would require some $ and planning, so if you're interested we have to start working on a plan.

Art? Writing? Poetry? We could have more workshops. Open Mic? Comedy and Improv again? Post, post, post, or...stop by and let me know what you think, or...send me an e-mail. mreasso@hpplnj.org

And, in general, I want to remind you that I am here to help you. Whether you are looking for a book, need help getting some information, or just want to say hello,
I would be happy look up from my desk and find you there.

I wish you all peace, love and laughter in your brand new year!

Tis the good reader that makes the good book;
a good head cannot read amiss:
in every book he finds passages which seem confidences
or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

New Arrivals!
In no particular order...bad librarian. Actually, good librarian. I'm making you read all the way to the end to make sure you see them all.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, the author of Printz award-winning, Looking for Alaska. Colin has been getting dumped by girls named Katherine all his life. 19 of them to be exact. Will his Theorom of Underlying Katherine Predictability help him get the girl of his dreams?


Getting It by Alex Sanchez - Carlos wants a make-over in order to attract the object of his desire so enlists the help of Sal, the guy at school everyone thinks is gay. In return, Sal wants help starting a Gay-Straight Alliance group. Will Carlos be willing to help Sal?

Street Love by Walter Dean Myers the author of many books,including Monster. Here he writes about first love and how it can be totally wrong for you, yet feel so right. Told in verse.

What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles. Creepy. Cass gets buried alive. Need I say more? I'm taking it home tonight. You'll have to wait!

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor.
You get the idea from the title?

Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah
From the back cover...Should anyone insult you, tell yourself this: I am a child of destiny who will unite the east and west and change the world.
I love it already!

Wide Awake by David Levithan
The presidential election has just been decided. The next president, gay and jewish. Would you be willing to support that and if you wanted to, would you have the courage?

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
A lunar impact knocks the moon closer in orbit to the earth, drastically changing its climate. Miranda's life changes dramtically as she struggles to hold on to hope in a time when that is very difficult to do.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
From the cover...Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret.

The World of Eldaterra by P.RT. Moredun
The Dragon Conspiracy
Mystery, fantasy and adventure!

The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven
Charlie has fallen under The Scourge's dark spell and Jack and Esme must find their friend and save him from the streets of Hell. Can they stop the evil?

Empress of the World by Sara Ryan
What do do when you thought you were attracted to guys and all of the sudden you find yourself in love with your best girlfriend? It happens. Very well-written fictional account what that must be like.

The Insiders by J. Minter
I got a few more volumes in the series. The day to day world of popular guys. According to the book, it's hard not to love them!

Ronaldo a biography by James Mosley
The life to date of famous Brazilian football star, Ronaldo.

Also - a few more Darwin award books came in for your laughing pleasure.

Please post comments on what you read. Let us know what you think! Enjoy!