Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and some very dissapointed readers.

The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld was an amazing read in the beginning. Uglies was catchy and intriguing, Pretties was tragic and addictive, but Specials was a big dissapointment to me. As the series went on, it seemed like the age group of readers Scott Westerfeld was writing for was getting lower and lower, the plot seemed unfinished, and Special Tally was completely diffrent than the Tally we had come to know and love (although her decisions sometimes make us want to put down the book then and there.) Don't get me wrong, it was a good book, but fell short of Uglies and Pretties by a long shot.

Cool Kites

TEENS - Kids and teens are invited to come together for a few high flying stories and a kite making craft on:

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

4:00 - 5:00 pm

If you're interested, please call Deborah at 610-446-3082 ext. 207 or email havteen@comcast.net.

When It Happens By: Susane Colasanti

Senior Year there is too directions you can go: Stress about getting into Ivy League or Slack like you aren't going to be working at McDonalds 1 Week after you graduate and realize you lame exsitance isn't relavant.
Sara is Stressing to and extend where a blow torch to a calc book is a considerable opition. She's been waiting and waiting for Dave to call. All Summer. He's Beach Blonde and a jock what isn't great about that?
Tobey had or should I say has and forever will have a huge crush on Sara. But his slacking ways might shine thought and bite all chances with Sara in the ass. There is a good chance his charm wit and big blue eyes might save him. But what about Dave? Dave can't give Sara all the things Tobey can, right?

In this Binding, Eyes-Super-Glued to the Page romantic teen novel is fantastic and clever as it's dynamic characters. And if you happen to read this and I happen to see you I'll know you read this because your eyes will be carrying heavy luggage and blood-shot from reading this.
-Literary Lunch Attendiee
4.5 Stars

The True Meaning of Cleavage By: Mariah Fredericks

Though the title may throw you for a spin, this inspiring story of one confused freshmen is witty and creative. Jess is Sari's best friend for life. Plain and Simple. Or so Jess thought. But when Sari falls for the smokin' senior David Cole things go in a different direction. Which happens to be the way David is walking or some person he may have asked for a pencil in the 1st grade. Jess is caught in the middle. Sari used to talk about things other than David but now it's her every thought. As far as Jess can see David maybe out of even Sari's reach. Or is he? Maybe we could ask his girlfriend, she must know right?
-Reviewed by Kelly #1 Literary Lunch Chick
4 stars

More Than Murphy

Murphy doesn't have a monopoly on laws: take a look at these from Blackstump:

Lab Workers Law: "When you do not know what you are doing, do it neatly."

Green's Law: "Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."

Law of TV Programming: "If there are only two shows worth watching they will be on at the same time."

Modern Science Laws:

• " If it's green or wriggles, it's biology."
• "If it stinks, it's chemistry."
• "If it doesn't work, it's physics."
  

First Rule of Acting: "Whatever happens, look as if you intended it to happen."

Second Law of Applied Terror: "The more studying you did for the exam,the less sure you are as to which answer they want."

First Law of Applied Terror: "When reviewing your notes before an exam,the most important ones will be illegible."

Finagle's 8th Rule: "Teamwork is essential - it allows you to blame someone else."

It Started With Incantation

It started with Incantation, a book by Alice Hoffman that has been receiving stellar reviews. After that I was hooked.

“I thought I knew the world.
I thought I knew myself.
I thought I knew my dearest friend.
But I knew nothing at all.”

Incantation is a beautifully written, moving story that takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. It’s about love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, and a 16-year-old girl who has been brought up to believe she is Catholic and her discovery that her family is hiding their true Jewish identity.

I had to read more of Alice Hoffman’s books!

Next, I read The Foretelling, an intense, complicated fantasy coming-of-age story about a teen is destined to become queen of the Amazons. While she becomes an expert horsewoman and warrior, she is drawn to mercy and peace.

Aquamarine was next, but read more like a short story than a novel. It’s a sweet coming-of-age novelette for younger readers.

Then I read Green Angel, which I thought was more along the style of Incantation and The Foretelling. When 15-year-old Green’s parents and sister fail to return from the city after an apocalyptic catastrophe, she renames herself Ash as she fends for herself.

Incantation, The Foretelling, and Green Angel are totally different and unrelated stories, but they illustrate Alice Hoffman’s style of lovely, poetic writing encompassing beautiful prose, print and pages.

Alice Hoffman’s Official Page

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 LIttle Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson - This is a great book! It's about a 17-year-old girl who receives a packet of 13 little blue envelopes from her favorite "runaway" aunt. Following the clues in the envelopes, she leaves her home in New Jersey and makes her way to London where she begins her travels crisscrossing Europe. Well-written and full of surprises, it's a book you don't really want to end. I'm looking forward to Ms. Johnson's next book!

Free Starbucks Coffee Today

Starbucks Coffee Break
March 15
10 am - noon

a free 12 0z cup of premium drip coffee!

Anime Club Meets Twice a Week!

Our anime club meets on MONDAYS and WEDNESDAYS at 3 pm! Join us! For ages 12 and up or 6th grade and up.

The Boyfriend List

At the suggestion of Kelly (Literary Lunch) I finally got around to reading The Boyfriend List and the sequel, The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them by by E. Lockhart . Both books were great fun to read and fifteen-year-old Ruby "Roo" Oliver sounds like a real person, with normal crazy, mixed-up feelings. In The Boyfriend List she’s having a tough year due to a series of social debacles, in which she loses her best friends, her boyfriend, and her reputation. Now a “leper,” Ruby starts having panic attacks and ends up with a shrink, Dr. Z, who asks her to make a complete list of the boys with whom she's ever had any thoughts about, crushes, kisses, a relationship or anything. Along her journey of self-discovery, Ruby begins to notice patterns in her life. The sequel is as humorous and witty as the first book as Ruby, who is as likeable as ever, continues to narrate the events in her life. Now in her junior year Ruby adjusts to life after losing her boyfriend and friends. She continues therapy with Dr. Z., gains control over her panic attacks, and eventually makes new friends while reconnecting with some of her old ones.

Anime Club Meeting Change

Some news: Our anime club meetings are now on WEDNESDAYS instead of Mondays. Yesterday Zach gave a GREAT presentation on how to build your own computer. Thanks, Zach!

Build your own computer!

This is TEEN TECH week and yesterday we made IPOD cases out of duct tape. Today at 5, we are going to learn how to build our own COMPUTERS! All are welcome!

Your Ticket to Faraway Places

Your Ticket to Faraway Places: Check out some of our new books from the Outstanding International Booklist:
Clay by David Almond. An altar boy meets a slightly older sculptor who believes he can bring his figures to life. U.K.
Something Remains by Inge Barth-Gruzinger. Life changes drastically for the Jewish community in a small German town as the Nazi Party gains strength. Germany.
The Killer’s Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux. Murderer of young boy’s parents in remote Chile continues to live with the boy in what becomes a “father-son” relationship. France.
Markus and Diana by Klaus Hagerup. Precocious 6th-grader writes fan letters to a celebrity while posing as a millionaire playboy.
Surrender by Sonya Harnett. Psychological thriller focuses on a 20-year old who is dying. Australia.
By the River by Steven Herrick. Perspectives of life in a small town in Australia in 1962 are presented in the form of prose poems. Australia.
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen. Memories of 8-year- old from Rwanda whose family was massacred by Hutu neighbors. Germany.
Dogboy by Victor Kelleher. Boy raised by a dog and shunned by people lives in two worlds as he tries to discover who he really is. Australia.
The Book of Everything by Guus Kuijer. Family of deeply religious but demanding and abusive father slowly begin to heal. The Netherlands.
A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird & Sonia Nimr. Life in Israeli-occupied Ramallah from the perspective of a 12-year-old. U.K.
White Time by Margo Lanagan. Surreal short stories that explore other worlds, dimensions, and states of being. Australia.
Kampung Boy by Lat. Graphic novel about a free-spirited boy in a remote Malaysian village. Malaysia.
Web of Lies by Beverly Naidoo. Nigerian political refugees make their way in urban London. U.K.
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett. Highly humorous adventure fantasy in which 13-year-old witch-in-training unwittingly dances with Winter. U.K.
The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick. Seventeen-year-old foresees the deaths of her two brothers during World War I. U.K.The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Ordinary girl in Germany during World War II helps a Jewish man hide in her cellar and learns to read and love words. Australia.

What to Read Next?

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Find out what's new and cool for kids through 8th grade in the Kids' Books newsletter. The Young Adult Books/Teen Scene newsletter for high school age readers features all types of fiction for those who want to imagine different realities--and nonfiction for those who are trying to understand ours!

Teen Tech Week

Next week is Teen Tech Week and we have planned 2 special programs:

• Tuesday, March 6 at 3 pm. Make a duct-tape iPod case.


• Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm. Learn how to build your own computer.