The 12 Days of Christmas

It’s the third day of Christmas also known as December 28.  We are bombarded with Christmas sales, music and decorations before Thanksgiving and on December 26 Christmas is packed up, put away, ready for November 2012.  Did you know that the Twelve Days of Christmas actually start on December 26 and ends on January 6?  Santa has come, the presents have been opened and now is the time to truly enjoy the spirit of this holiday season throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas.  Start by joining us today for a Magic of the Season magic show presented by magician Jim Mitchell at 10:00. 

A Rant About Movies by Staci

So I just finished reading Marlon Brando’s autobiography, and one word I would use to describe it would be LEGENDARY. Also, weird, because with great brilliance comes a huge dose of oddity, and Marlon was unable to avoid that situation. Since nobody seems to know who Marlon Brando IS (shame on their souls), he was an actor, and an amazing one at that. Now, the pathetic part is that nearly no one under the age of 18 has seen any of his movies! Of course, most good movies are overlooked and replaced with movies like Twilight. Just because most of Marlon’s movies were in black and white does not make them bad. A movie made before 1990 is not OLD. They were movies that made you feel a spectrum of emotions; where actors were the center of attention instead of special effects stealing the spotlight. Even now, nobody sees a film like The Kings Speech, which was deeply moving. I mean, what is going on with society?  Maybe the time has come to turn my back on my generation and brave this cruel unfeeling world as one of the only teenagers with good movie taste. Now for no good reason, other than my need to influence other's movie choices, here is a list of GOOD movies that everyone should see because I said so.

-The Departed

-Good Will Hunting

-Across the Universe

-When Harry Met Sally

-One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

-On the Waterfront

-It Happened One Night

-Casablanca

-Forrest Gump

-The Fighter

-Fight Club

-American History X

-Harold and Maude

-Silence of the Lambs

-The Town

-Bridesmaids

Perks of Being a Wallflower

In life there are certain books you read that make you feel completely different after reading them.  Normally, the difference is not specific.  It is not a good difference or a bad difference.  It is just a difference that only you can feel.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephan Chbosky is one of those books.  The book is comprised of letters written by the main character, Charlie, to an unknown recipient.  Charlie writes the letters about what is going on in his life and for the 213 pages of the book you are transported into the thoughts and life of Charlie.  The book is humorous at some points, while dark at others, but you truly feel every emotion Charlie feels.  It is not a typical young adult novel, but it is a novel worth reading once in your life.  In 2012, The Perks of Being a Wallflower will be released as a movie starring Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Logan Lerman as well as many other well-known celebrities.  Hopefully, if you plan to see the movie, you will read the book first.  It is a book that will surprise you and change you, and a book that you will remember for the rest of your life.  - Jacqui

Dan Belden's 80 Day Journey

The front page of this morning's Journal Times details Waterford's own Dan Belden and his trip from Waterford to the Gulf of Mexico in a canoe!  Congratulations Dan!

Gift Wrap Event Today

Teen Advisory Board members will be at the library today from 12:00 - 2:30 to wrap gifts.  They are hoping for donations to be able to start a project fund.  See you there!

Divergent

I recently read Divergent by Veronica Roth. I absolutely loved this book and it is one of my new favorites. This book is about a girl, Beatrice "Tris" Prior, who is in the Abnegation faction. The city is split up into separate factions. Each of them have a different personality and way of life. The different factions are: Abnegation, the selfless; Candor,the honest; Dauntless, the brave; Amity, the peaceful; and Erudite, the intelligent. Beatrice is in high school and at the part of her life where she has to chose which faction she wants to be in. She never felt like she belonged in Abnegation. To help her chose which faction would be most appropriate, she has to take a test. It is not like a paper test like we have in school. It's a virtual test that happens in your head. There are different scenarios you have to go through to find out which faction is right for you. After she is done with the test, her test giver seems nervous. The test giver said Beatrice's test didn't give a clear result which has never happened before. She tells Beatrice that that means she is divergent and she belongs in more than one faction. She cannot tell anyone about being divergent because she could be killed. When the time comes, Beatrice makes the right choice of where she thinks she belongs. That decision takes her on a wild journey. This book is filled with action, adventure, mystery and romance. I recommend this book to anyone who wants an exciting book that's hard to put down. - Alyson

Staci Reviews Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

So, on November 8th, my world was altered and dramatically changed for the better by the author Christopher Paolini. Oh what a wonderful man, truly, I would marry his writing (not him, sadly he is too old for me). The final book in the Inheritance cycle, conveniently named Inheritance, came out and put a new standard on what a good book is, making all other books cower before its mighty story telling power. I managed to finish it in about four days (pretty good, since it was 850 pages…) and it proved to be the best in the entire series. Every page was a beautiful masterpiece I wanted to cling on to and never let go of its brilliance. This book should be printed on gold paper, it would be worthy. There were plot twists, prophecies fulfilled, and dragons, tons of magnificent dragons. Also elves, dwarves, urgals, werecats, and humans converging for battles of epic proportions, aiming to reach the king, which proved to be a culmination of everything awesome in the world put together and sold as a hardcover book for $27.99. But the best part is that I went to get this beautiful book signed by the author. I always swore to never let out one of those high-pitched fan girl squeals of idiocy, but I just barely contained it. He was right before me. Years of my life flashed before my eyes, making me relive the times of my early youth as I read the first book in the series, Eragon, then Eldest…Brisinger. I grew up to his fictional world, and it was almost a second life to me! Now I’m done…with the last one…I’m so lost. Completely and utterly lost, like part of my life just vanished. Now I have to move on, or I will never be able to.

Hunger Games Trailer!

May the odds ever be in your favor! Check out the newly released trailer of the Hunger Games movie in theaters in March 2012. Read it before you see it!

40 days and Counting!

Christmas

I Am Better than Your Kids - A Review

The most recent book I have read is I am Better than your Kids by Maddox. This book is the funniest book I have read in a very long time. This book isn't really a novel. It is a book filled with kid's pictures and other things children have done that Maddox basically makes fun of. Yes, that does seem very sadistic but it is just hilarious. This book is not for everyone though. You need to get a certain type of humor to actually find this book amusing. I showed this book to a lot of my friends while I was reading and they also found it hilarious. Although, I do know a couple of people who found this book horrid and cruel. From a certain point of view I can see how they find it cruel. “They are just kids. How can you find humor in making fun of their hard work?” people say. It is just a certain type of humor you need to have. People think if you like this book, you must hate kids. I love kids and I also loved this book. In the intro of this book, Maddox explains it all. Why he wrote it and why people find it amusing. It all makes sense in this book. This book is short and an easy read because it is not an actual novel. So, if you would like an easy read that will make you laugh, I suggest you give this book a try.

Teen Book Club

 A book club is always a fun way to read a variety of books from different genres and authors, but for many teenagers it is hard to find a book club with titles they are interested in.  WUHS has its very own book club specifically for students! If you would enjoy joining the book club, but aren't interested in some of the titles, the club is extremely flexible!  It is not mandatory to read every book every month; you can pick and choose which books you want to read and forget the rest.  Once a month the club meets in the library after school and discusses the chosen book of the month (treats are provided as well!).  The WUHS book of the month club is a fun way to get involved in school and read an assortment of different titles! Stop in at the school library and pick up the November book, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach.  You can also visit the link listed below to see what books are in store for the rest of the year!

http://www2.waterforduhs.k12.wi.us/staffweb/Sereno/mainpages/bookofmonth.htm

For Harry Potter Fans

 If you are a fan of Harry Potter and you haven’t heard of Pottermore.com yet, keep an eye out for registration to begin!  I was lucky enough to be able to register early, and the site should be open to everyone any day now.  You can explore each book in detail, and as you explore you can unlock new content from J.K. Rowling.  She talks about decisions she made in the writing process (for example, why she chose not to use the metric system, and how, in doing so, she managed to anger her sister), and she also gives very detailed histories on favorite characters such as Professor McGonagall.  As you work your way through the first book, you get a wand in Diagon Alley, and you get sorted into one of the four Houses.  After that you can earn House points by brewing potions and collecting potions ingredients while exploring the chapters.  You can also participate in Wizard Duels, collect Chocolate Frog cards, and add your friends who are also registered so you can interact with them on the website. It’s definitely worth looking into for anyone who has enjoyed the books!

Just in Time for Halloween - Interview with Anne Rice

"Just in time for Halloween, queen of vampire fiction Anne Rice has provoked the outrage of thousands of lovelorn teenage girls by dissing Stephenie Meyer's sparkly bloodsuckers." quotes Alison Flood of  The Guardian.  Read the whole article at The Guardian to see how this facebook battle ended.

Top Ten Teen Books

Teens from around the United States were invited to vote on their top ten books of 2011.  10,000 votes were cast during the months of August and September.  YALSA, Young Adult Library Services Association, reported these as the teen's top ten:

1. “Clockwork Angel” by Cassandra Clare
2. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
3. “Crescendo” by Becca Fitzpatrick
4. “I Am Number Four” by Pittacus Lore
5. “The Iron King” by Julie Kagawa
6. “Matched” by Ally Condie
7. “Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel” by James Patterson
8. “Paranormalcy” by Kiersten White
9. “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver
10. “Nightshade” by Andrea Cremer

To learn more about the teen book groups and participating in the Teens’ Top Ten program, visit www.ala.org/teenstopten.

Goodbye Emily!

Emily Scherrer, Teen Advisor and Young Adult Program Planner, has accepted a new job in Arizona.  She'll be driving down to the sand  and sun next week.  Her last day is Saturday, October 22.  Come join us at the "Meet the Ghostbusters" program on Saturday from 1 -3 to wish her well.  Thanks for everything, Emily!

Emily Reviews: Ashes by Ilsa Black

Alex wouldn't do this. Because she's a nice person. The kind who helps small children, dogs, grandpa figures, and LOVERS (well, at some point, anyway)from the ZOMBIE HORDES and post-apocalyptic REBELS who are willing to KILL and EAT you for the taste of some used chewing gum you had in your mouth. Or an old boot. Or a paperback book from the local library. WHAT HAVE YOU. Doesn't take much when an EMP bomb explodes and everyone is fighting for survival in the barren wilderness that we like to call "Michigan."
So, yes, Alex is a good person, who has a special power--(not telling, nope), and is on her own, trying to navigate the wasteland we like to call the "Midwest."

I didn't want to like this book. The budding adult inside of me resisted---(Really?? Another zombie book with a love tie-in and creepy swarms of religious fanatics...really Emily, do need MORE OF THAT)??? But apparently, yes, YES, I did, because I really loved this book--despite the fact that I now feel like painting my nails glittery purple and putting glow-in-the-dark stars and planets on my bedroom ceiling. It was a good thriller, and I didn't mind the about face in the middle of the book-- because it seemed, at least to me, realistic and added further SUSPENSE to an already creepy and ZOMBIE INFESTED novel. He, he, he, he:




And the protagonist, Alex, wasn't some whiny over-the-top teen queen who felt sorry for herself in the least, althgouht given her personal situation, she had every reason to be. I liked her; I liked the premise. She made me think about starting to gather up a fanny pack consisting of: wire, matches, ammo, some animal fat, and jello shots (yes, yes it's true), so that if I EVER feel like I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT, I will also go out into the wilderness and be one with nature and hopefully encounter some ZOMBIES that I CAN KILL.

So, the whole zombie/forest hiking/love triangle/forced into motherhood at a young age/crazy nut resembling that bad dude in "Apocalypse Now", or that guy in "Blood Meridian" (even better), really worked for me. And I dug it. And so I guess I'm not totally grown up yet. And...that's okay. Because I'll need that when the brain eating machines get here.

Ouch.

Justin Bieber Party!

We had over 20 kids, tweens and teenagers attend our Justin Bieber party on October 8th!  We watched "Never Say Never" (some people even came in their homemade t-shirts!), painted our nails using his "official" nailpolish by OPI, and endeavored to answer some pretty tough Bieber trivia.  Everyone walked away with glittery hands and awesome prizes!!

Thanks to everyone who came out!

"Death By Chocolate" Party---A Choco-Lot-A Success!

Last night, we had over 40 tweens and teens attend our first annual back to school Chocolate Party event.  We engaged in chocolate face painting, chocolate trivia, a chocolate game and tasting (guess the secret ingredient...hmm...is that.....pistachio???), as well as some good old fashioned games awarded (properly!) with chocolate surprises.  If that wasn't enough, we also had some great new organic hot chocolate that was served by members of our Teen Adivosry Board for everyone to taste!  It was a lot of fun and hopefully everyone slept well after all the sugar and fun!  Hope to see you at our next program! 

Emily Scherrer
Adult & Teen Services

Shel Silverstein's New Poem.....

When Shel Silverstein wrote the poem "Years From Now," he seemed to know that one day he'd be gone but that his playful words and images would still be making children happy. "I cannot see your face," he writes to his young readers, but in "some far-off place," he assures them, "I hear you laughing — and I smile."


The beloved children's poet and illustrator died in 1999 at age 68. "Years From Now" is one of the poems in a new book called Every Thing On It that has just been released by Silverstein's family. If you liked Silverstein's other books, such as Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends, you'll recognize poems — like "Frightened" — as vintage Shel:


"There are kids underneath my bed,"

Cried little baby monster Fred.

Momma monster smiled. "Oh, Fred,

There's no such things as kids," she said.

Visit NPR to read more and listen to an excerpt: http://www.npr.org/books/titles/140566536/every-thing-on-it-poems-and-drawings

New Post Secret Slideshow and App....

By: Frank Warren

I started PostSecret six years ago in Washington, DC by passing out postcards to strangers and inviting them to illustrate a secret and mail it to me. Quickly, word of the project spread virally around the world. Today I have a pile of anonymous secrets taller than me - more than 600,000.


Now I'm excited about the new PostSecret App that allows users to discover secrets from their cities or schools, create and share anonymous secrets with their phone, and connect with like-minded people. In this special collection made for Huffington Post readers, I have included five provocative secrets mailed to me on postcards and five secrets shared with the new PostSecret App, and a trailer that explains how the app works.

View here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-warren/post_2401_b_961034.html

DC Teens Work With the Homeless @ The Library

Rebecca Renard September 7, 2011

As DC Public Library's (DCPL) teen employment program coordinator, I often ask teens what it's like to work at our library. One of their biggest complaints? The fact that there are lots of homeless people here. "They stink," some teens have told me. "They talk to themselves. They're crazy." Frequently parents have echoed these sentiments and expressed concern for their children's safety.

It's true. Like many urban libraries, we attract our share of homeless patrons. And they often share the same space with teens. How could we better serve the needs of both groups? I wondered. How could we help teens feel more comfortable around homeless library users? As it happened, I was soon about to find out.

In early 2009, DCPL's Customers without Homes Committee hosted a workshop to offer sensitivity training to our staff so that we could better serve our homeless patrons. The session was sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless' Speakers Bureau, and featured people who spoke firsthand about their experiences of being homeless. Listening to these men and women, I soon realized that if our teens could learn more about who the homeless were as individuals, perhaps our kids would become more understanding and less antagonistic toward them. And maybe our teens would be inspired to become advocates for the homeless. With those aims in mind, I created a nine-month project to train our teen employees in portrait photography and interviewing techniques so they could photograph and collect the oral histories of some of DC's homeless residents.

Read more here:  http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newsletters/newsletterbucketsljteen/891874-444/your_story_has_a_home.html.csp

Teens and Banned Books

Please stop in the library and check out our new "Banned Books Display" brought to you by Waterford's own Teen Advisory Board.  Seven teens made the display out of cheesecloth, handcuffs, keys, eye patches, gas masks, and ravens (you'll have to see it to believe it)!  And yes (!) they actually go along well together!

September is Banned Books Month and the group wanted to highlight the importance of free speech and the ability to read by choice, not force.  As librarians, we celebrate the patrons' ability to have a wide-selection of books to choose from, and serve as gatekeepers to the knowledge and unique perspectives only books are at times able to bring.  Stop in!  Pick up a book! And.....Enter if you DARE!!!!

Early Prtintz Contenders??

Jonathan Hunt August 24, 2011

In any given year there are a dozen titles that could win the Printz Award, given by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

But this year there is only one title that should win, one title that stands head and shoulders above the rest: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) by Laini Taylor. It is a masterful fantasy with unique world-building, unforgettable characters, and an exquisitely crafted plot layered with suspense and surprise. The book ends with a cliffhanger, but answers most of our questions, just not the most compelling one: what happens next!

Anya's Ghost (First Second) by Vera Brosgol is an exceptionally strong graphic novel, and in any other year it might be my top pick. It's the story of a teenage girl, ashamed of her Russian heritage, who is haunted by a ghost that subtly changes over the course of the story from meek to manipulative to malevolent, bringing a sense of genuine horror to this ghost story. First Second struck gold several years ago with American Born Chinese. Can it happen again? I think so.

Read more here: http://www.slj.com/slj/newsletters/newsletterbucketsljteen/891664-444/out_on_a_limb_printz.html.csp

What does TAB mean????

You know, I'm frequently asked what "TAB" is. TAB is short for "Teen Advisory Board"--a group of over 20 teens that meets at the library monthly to discuss events, work on community service projects, and talk about what's new at the library. Anyone in either 6th grade or who is over the age of 12 is welcome to join. Just a simple application letter is filled out so that we can determine your interests and what path would best fit you within the organization. For some, its books and magazines, for others it's having engaging workshops, and some teens just enjoy the free food and comradely that goes along with belonging to an organization just for teens.

It's a great way to meet new friends and to get in some of those pesky volunteer hours needed for graduation. If you're interested in joining TAB, or want to know more about what TAB does for your local Waterford community, please contact Emily at escherrer@waterford.lib.wi.us or call 262-534-3988 ext. 15.

Next TAB meeting is August 28th at 6:30 p.m. in the community room. We will discuss future options for TAB and also work on a "Banned Books" display.

Come Hungry---Pizza will be served!

August TAB Meeting

Our first Teen Advisory Board meeting of the year will be held on Monday, August 29th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. I encourage any tweens and teens over the age of twelve to attend this meeting if they are interested in joining TAB or are currently a member. We will be discussing future events at the library, a community service project, and a holiday project that I think you're really going to get a kick out of!

If you are not currently a member of TAB, please feel free to stop by and enjoy some pizza and great conversation with other teens from the area. We always have a great time and every person brings a unique perspective to the group--so new members are always and actively encouraged!!

It is a safe place to discuss your interests, your vision for our library, teen programming, and what materials would add to our collection.

We always have some food, participate in a group activity, and brainstorm wildly...so if this sounds at all interesting to you, stop by or email Emily at escherrer@waterford.lib.wi.us

Hope to see you there!

*(Due to space issues, we will moving TAB meetings to the Community Room)*

Summer Prize Winners

We had a very successful teen summer program! Over 204 teens attended our Summer Reading Program in 2011--that's more than double from last year! Congratulations to you all and I hope your last month of vacation goes smoothly for you.

The Final Prize Winners Were:

Evan Hisey--Music Pack

Breanna Anderson--Museum & Mummies

Britanny Chic--Notebook Computer

Andrew Boster--Night in the Village

Door Prizes went to:

Eric Albrecht
Summer Thornton
Nicole Vorpagel
Daniel North
Katie Dross
Ambur Wanek
Maria Carrara
Emilie Bowen
Erin Muenter
Tanner Bart
Troy Wolfson
Lauren Muffick

Not only is the world going to end...we're all INFECTED!

This end of the world stuff is not a coincidence. YA is, in my humble opinion, on the cutting edge of what's coming up in fiction and is where we need to look when we want to know what's "HOT" and what's "NOT" (thanks Vanity Fair Magazine for that cute litle quip). And NO, this new fascination with the end of the world and for some reason mermaids (?), is not a coincidence...because truly, for many of us, it DOES feel like the end of the world. Ever seen....
Wasteland or
ENRON or
An Inconvenient Truth???
Infection plays on those fears, and while I would not classify it as technically being YA, it has elements of that genre (rage, apocalyptic undertones, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it-anxiety). While I would only recommend this book to those mature teens who can handle an absurd amount of blood, guts and gore (there are incredibly memorable scenes involving the oven and a fork but I'll leave it at that), it IS primarily an adult book for those who enjoy a good zombie/infection/can't take it with you so spend it crowd. While not written in the style of Henry James, it's good for what it does: SCARE. It's fast-paced, fun, and filled to the top with monsters and bloodshed. So, like I said, teen and adults-alike: skip this one if you're a tad bit squemish...or even medium bit squemish. This would be either rated R or MA if books had ratings.
The story basically centers on a virus that attacks the body and brain, making human beings go absolutely mad with rage and kill their fellow humans. "Blue Triangles" appear on the body and telepathically communicate with the host until they go mad and kill off a large number of innocent people. In addition, the "triangles" use the body as a vessel from which to hatch. Hatch what you say? Well, you'll have to read the book to find that one out. I've noticed more lately that there is a HUGE book culture out there that consists of horror and gore fans just chomping to get their hands on a book that might actually FREAK them out. This, for some of you, may be it.
While I've read novels in a similiar vein, this one gets four stars for being unabashadly unafraid to go where many would fear to tread. The end of humanity as we know it....because of a man-made virus that imprints blue triangles on the human body. Forget about Wall Street or your vanishing 401K fund. THE HATCHLINGS ARE AT THE DOOR!!!!

Teen Final Program

The Teen Food Tour was a great success! In all, 20 teens enjoyed the taste of Thai and Mexican from our local restaurants, Thai Italiana and Marty's Restaurant. Along the way, we learned some local history as well discovering our own local minority's heritages. It was an afternoon filled with good food, laughter, and learning!

The Teen Final Grand Prize Winners were:

Evan Hisey for the Mp4 player and gift certificate

Breanna Anderson for the Museum & Mummies package

Britanny Chic for the Notebook computer

and Andrew Boster for the Night in the Village prize pack.

Thank you to all our wonderful teens who helped make this program a tremendous one!

Hula Hype!

We had soooo much fun playing hula hoop games in the park and decorating our own hula hoops for the Summer Reading Program! We also participated in Hula Contests to see who could wiggle and jiggle the best! It was a wonderful program!

Wisconsin Death Trip--Be Warned!

Ah....Wisconsin. Home to infamous homebodies like Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as the birthplace of Schlitz beer and Usinger's sausage. Mmm...yummy treats. If you thought you knew everything about Wisconsin, then you clearly haven't traveled to the Wisconsin Dells to see the rock that resembles a piano, or learned how to make homemade soap and butter at Old World Wisconsin in the good land of Tichigan. Oh, Wisconsin how I love thee and your infinite weirdness.
But...I digress. Yes, I'd heard of this book in those "bizarro" circles in which it was whispered about as the "it" book when it comes to Wisconsin and it's all-encompassing rural weirdness. Being both a native Wisconsinite and a bit weird, naturally I checked this book out immediately from the library upon hearing about it in those hushed and forbidden circles often referred to as groups of "teenagers." Just in case, here's a picture of one:


If you enjoy books that take a look at society's darker half, it's "underbelly", please do find a copy of this book and sit yourself down for a delicious treat. Newspaper clippings from the State of Wisconsin around the turn of the century provide the meat of the book, but also included are black and white photos from the town of Black River Falls that seemingly correspond with the spine tingling (and often hilarious) true tales from around the state. For example:

"Frederick Schultz, an old resident of Two Rivers, cheated his undertaker by suddenly jumping out of the coffin in which, supposed to be dead, he had been placed." (State, 11/15).

"Constant worrying over the thought that he would be unable to solve the mysteries of perpetual motion has drive A.J. Dayton of Janesville insane. For the past 14 years, the study of perpetual motion has occupied the greater portion of his spare time. he would study at night till way into the morning. It is said that he spent considerable money in his efforts to solve the mystery of perpetual motion." (State, 4/19)."

"Jack the "Hugger" or James Moore who for more than 10 years past has followed the occupation of waylaying lone women after sundown and hugging them then dissapearing before assistance could reach them was caught. There, after a rigid examination he admitted he had committed the offenses of which he was charged. ....he drew his paycheck and left for the north to work in the woods during the winter." (State, 11/23).

"Harry Ehlers, a Milwaukee butcher, died from nosebleed. His nose had been bleeding for 9 days...he was 37 years of age and had been a great meat eater." (State 8/24).


If you don't like disturbing photographs, or cannot find good humor in suicide, dismemberment, arson, murder or thievery, pass on this one. If however, you have a blind date and need an excuse to either up the ante or high tail it home, I highly recommend pulling this one out of your pocketbook.

Bringing Back the Dead!

Charlie Higson, you made my week! Not only do you write zombie books with enough pus, blood, and brains to actually keep my interest, you are also daring enough to kill teens in DROVES!! Hallelujah! I've been waiting for a teeth-gnashing novel in which the author isn't afraid to kill off some of his best heroes and heroines and I finally got one! Hurray! Usually the killing of tweens and teens is censored in some way....but not in Higson world! Oh no, we have enough biting, gnoshing, and flesh-eating here for everyone (and we're not even sorry about it). To be coming soon...a theme park based on this novel-- (those under 16...BEWARE)!

I'm the type that loves a good zombie film but finds most books on the subject totally and utterly boring. Even World War Z, which some laud as the finest in modern zombie literature couldn't keep my interest. And as I sit here writing this, watching a new zombie film from Germany that I received in the mail today (Hammbock: Berlin Undead), I can honestly say that I had not yet read a very fine zombie tale. That, my friends, is no longer the case. I am puffed with pride like a pus nodule waiting to explode.

So, welcome to the Enemy series, where anyone over the age of 16 has become one of the undead, and those under 16 must fight back or become the next chicken wing on some zombie stay-at-home dad's Sunday dinner plate. Fantastic. *licking of fingers*

Our protagonist, Ed, and his group of over-priveged private school mates fight hordes of zombies that have invaded England while the group strives to maintain their sanity amidst the hungry, cannibalistic chaos. Oh, and while steering clear of the religious zealots as well. (THE LAMB....THE LAMB...HOLD THE FLAG)!!!!

Bravo! Teens finally doing what they do best....hacking apart adults with fifteenth century axes from the Tower of London. Yay for depravity and truth! May the teens forever reign! Certainly will read the next in the series just to see how far Higson is willing to go.

BCNU@WPL: Review: Lark by Tracey Porter

BCNU@WPL: Review: Lark by Tracey Porter

Review: Lark by Tracey Porter

This book is like a painted Easter egg; it's delicate, fragile, sometimes gorgeous, and/or a bit tacky depending on one's perspective of painted eggs.
The premise is similar to Sebold's "The Lovely Bones", although personally I never connected with that book and felt it lacked a certain something...a sprinkle of salt, glitter, and mozzarella cheese...what have you. The smells of home and of fresh bread baking in the oven. The rubber soles of boots. Grandpa's pipe.
I never felt firm in my conviction towards that book, and I don't with "Lark", either. There were foundation problems.
"Lark" is a quick read and suffers from the same ailments as Sebold's earlier work. While the writing and plot line appear fresh, the stories lacked a certain credibility and spirit that my yoga-minded, vegetarian omelet eating self couldn't quite connect with.
"Lark" is the story of a 16 year-old young woman who is taken against her will by a man who rapes and leaves her to die in the woods during the first big snowstorm of the year. The narrative of this book is told in three voices: Larks’, her no longer best friend Eve, and a young lady named Nyetta whom Lark used to baby-sit.
Eve struggles with Lark's death and the dark secret she was withholding from her which caused the demise of their friendship, while Nyetta believes Lark is trapped within the tree she was found under and claims to see Lark regularly. Enough so even, that Nyetta's parents finally find her an understanding therapist (enter April...the hippie therapist...anyone else sick of these people invading our fiction?) where she attempts to deal with Lark's horrible death and get our little Nyetta on the right track.
And if you lost me when I noted that Nyetta believes Lark's spirit is stuck within a tree, than most likely you are amongst the many readers who started this book and thought "What??!! Where did THAT come from??" As the whole concept is not clearly explained; nor does it really add any substance to the book. I'm just going to assume this particular author likes trees. Seems to be the sanest explanation.
The characters are not well drawn, the plot is shaky, and for the hugeness of the subject matter--(murder, death, rape, general drudgery), the novel is really too short.
So why 3 stars? Because it's fragile; like a baby bird waiting to spread its wings for the first time, or that moment when Michael Jackson held his baby over a balcony in Europe (gasp). With the right care and editing, this novella (?) could have been grand. And like that little chirping bird, the author shows promise and has a lyrical ability that not only made it palpable to read, but rather charming as well.

Cairo's Crazy Cab Culture!

When was the last time you actually learned something in a taxi--but weren't starring on TLC's Cash Cab at the time?
In Egypt, a new initiative aims to improve the reading rates among the country's growing middle class. Approximately 200 cabs in Cairo have joined the "Taxi of Knowledge" campaign, which was launched by Alef Bookstores, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported. Alef lends taxi drivers five books at a time to place in their cars for free perusal. They can be exchanged for other titles at any time.

More than 10,000 books have been donated to the project. Taxi driver Mohamed Saber said, "So far it's been a fantastic idea. It has allowed me to engage in discussions with my passengers that aren't necessarily personal but carry meaning. At night I am also able to read the books myself and share them with my family."

NYC's Mayor's Daughter writes YA Book.....

In “The A Circuit,” a young-adult novel by Ms. Bloomberg that just arrived in bookstores, the father figure, Rick Aaronson, is a blunt-talking Wall Street billionaire who lives in a Manhattan town house and “owns half of New York.” His older daughter, Callie, is an Ivy League graduate with a passion for politics. And his younger daughter, Thomasina, or Tommi, is an award-winning equestrian who chafes at her father’s expectations of a traditional career.

Mr. Bloomberg, of course, earned his fortune on Wall Street, lives in a Manhattan town house and is notorious for his candor. His older daughter, Emma, graduated from Princeton and went on to work for him at City Hall. And his younger daughter, Georgina, or George, is a professional horse jumper who has spoken openly of struggling to prove to her father that riding was a serious profession.

“She wasn’t afraid to say no to her father,” Tommi explains in the book, “even if half of Wall Street was.”

When she announces she will pursue a career in riding, rather than something practical, like the law, her father curtly tells her to “grow up.” He scoffs, “Nobody does that.”

As it happens, the real Mr. Bloomberg has occasionally grumbled about his daughter’s unorthodox profession, which, unlike his, tends to burn through as much money as it generates. Show horses can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Ms. Bloomberg owns at least six, which she keeps on estates in North Salem, N.Y., and Wellington, Fla.

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/01/nyregion/book-by-georgina-bloomberg-is-fiction-with-tell-all-references.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

YA author helps tornado victims...

After her experience rallying followers on Twitter to contribute more than $15,000 in donations for victims of the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan earlier this year, YA novelist Maureen Johnson didn't waste any time springing into action Monday morning to support the people of Joplin, Missouri. She started by announcing a random drawing for everyone who tweeted about their donations to the Red Cross using the hashtag #starforjoplin, with an ARC of her fall 2011 novel, The Name of the Star, as a prize. Then, she decided to auction a manuscript critique to the highest bidder: "I will read your book. I will send back my notes. If you're not done, you can send it later. If you don't have a book, I'll critique something else, like your life, or I'll make up lies." Other authors and editors offered up their own critiques: the auctions for YA novelists Robin Wasserman and Beth Revis, and Harry Potter continuity editor Cheryl Klein, are running concurrently with Johnson's and will end today at 2 p.m. Eastern. National Book Award novelist Laurie Halse Anderson will participate in a separate auction this weekend. Full details are available on Johnson's blog.

American Girl Reaches 25 Years~

A lot has changed at American Girl in the 25 years since Pleasant Rowland launched a mail-order children's book publishing/doll manufacturing company with 15 employees in downtown Madison, Wis., marketing its products as quality alternatives to Barbie dolls. Despite the phenomenal growth of the company, however, executives maintain that one thing has never changed: books are an essential component to the company's mission of simultaneously educating and entertaining girls.

The company, originally founded as the Pleasant Company in 1986 and renamed American Girl Inc. in 2004, has become a publishing powerhouse, releasing more than 40 titles each year for girls ages 8–12, selling 135 million fiction and nonfiction books since 1986, according to American Girl. Besides books, dolls, and doll accessories, the company publishes American Girl magazine and produces movie versions of its books, including 2008's Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (with executive producer Julia Roberts). More than 550 of its 1,946 employees—50 of them dedicated to the book division—work out of its headquarters, a 560,000-square-foot complex in an office park in a Madison suburb. There are nine American Girl retail stores around the country, with two more opening soon: one in Seattle, the other in Washington, D.C.

Read More: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/47124-american-girl-at-25.html

JK Rowling's Favorite Character....

She caused a scandal when she killed him off at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but Albus Dumbledore is still the character JK Rowling would most like to have dinner with, the bestselling children's author has revealed.

As her publisher Bloomsbury launched a global search to find the world's favourite Harry Potter character, Rowling said that her own most-favoured creation is the lightning-scarred young Harry himself. "I believe I am unusual in this, Ron is generally more popular (I love him too, though)," said the author. "Now that I have finished writing the books, the character I would most like to meet for dinner is Dumbledore. We would have a lot to discuss, and I would love his advice; I think that everyone would like a Dumbledore in their lives."

Read More Here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/2011/may/16/jk-rowling-favourite-harry-potter-character

Village Park Scavenger Hunt This Saturday!

If you are over the age of 8, join us in the Village Park (next to the library) at 1 p.m. this Saturday. We are going to have a blast picking up odds an ends while "greening" up the park for the spring/summer season! Prizes will be award to the winners! For more information, contact Emily at 262-210-2929 ext. 15 or email escherrer@waterford.lib.wi.us. Call to register!

Blood Red Road

Children's Review: Blood Red Road
Blood Red Road: Dustlands, Book One by Moira Young (Margaret K. McElderry/S&S, $17.99 hardcover, 464p., ages 14-up, 9781442429987, June 7, 2011)


Moira Young's debut novel, the first of the Dustlands series, unfolds in prose as spare as the wind- and sand-dominated landscape. Saba and Lugh, 18, are twins, born on the dried-up remains of Silverlake on Midwinter Day, "when the sun hangs low in the sky." Their mother died giving birth to their now nine-year-old sister, Emmi. Their father reads their fates in the stars, but he has no connection to the earth since the death of his wife. It seems to Lugh that there's nothing written in the stars, and Pa might do better to notice that there's too little to eat and no water supply except for the dew they collect. Only when four men in long black robes and leather vests show up on horseback (calling to mind the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) does Pa seem to come alive. He tells Saba, "They're gonna need you, Saba. Lugh an Emmi. An there'll be others too. Many others. Don't give in to fear. Be strong, like I know you are. An never give up."
The four horsemen kidnap Lugh and kill Pa--less than 30 pages into the book, and Saba is left alone to protect Emmi and rescue her twin brother. Pa once told them how to find Mercy, their mother's friend whom she'd known in Hopetown, the main city. Saba plans to leave Emmi with Mercy in Crosscreek while she searches for Lugh. They find Mercy in a dell with trees and two streams that meet up in a creek. Saba has never seen a place like this, with plenty of water and plants that grow, and begins to resent her father for keeping them in a dry desert land. Mercy explains to Saba that she parted ways with their father: " 'He looked to the sky for answers, I looked here.' She tap[ped] her hand over her heart." Before Saba goes on her way, Mercy gives her a heartstone, which Saba's mother had given her: "It lets you know when you've found your heart's desire." The stars versus the heart. The heroine must figure out for herself what she believes rules her path.
Saba starts out as an unsympathetic narrator. But as her world becomes wider, so does her perspective. Her ferocious will to survive serves her, and the information she gathers from those she meets along the way helps her see herself differently. The world Moira Young builds is breathtaking, with expanses of beauty, like Crosscreek, and a mountain pass draped in fog. But Saba also discovers shifting sands and winds so powerful that they can cover an entire "flyer" (airplane) fleet and make skeletons of skyscrapers. Giant carnivorous worms dwell deep beneath a dry riverbed. Few people know how to read. An addictive drug called chaal grown high in the mountains rules everything, and the Tonton--men in black robes, like those who stole Lugh--gather slaves to tend the chaal and serve a "king" who dresses like "Lewis Ex Eye Vee, the Sun King of France." For entertainment, the King holds gladiator-style fights in a "colosseum." After three defeats, the loser "runs the gauntlet," and the waiting crowd kills him or her in an end worthy of Tennessee Williams's Suddenly, Last Summer. There's an overriding sense of terror, akin to the world of Mad Max, ruled by tyranny rather than anarchy. But Saba also discovers romance, friendship and trust. Young uses coincidence to perfection, augmenting the importance of the question raised by Saba's father: Does fate truly rule our paths? This first book in the Dustlands series does not answer that question in full, but it does bring this first adventure to satisfying completion, and the cinematic images will linger in readers' minds until Saba's next adventure.--Jennifer M. Brown

French Chic! (Without the Baggage).

Celebrity model Inès de la Fressange shares the well-kept secrets of how Parisian women maintain effortless glamour and a timeless allure. Inès de la Fressange—France’s icon of chic—shares her personal tips for living with style and charm, gleaned from decades in the fashion industry. She offers specific pointers on how to dress like a Parisian, including how to mix affordable basics with high-fashion touches, and how to accessorize. Her step-by-step do’s and don’ts are accompanied by fashion photography, and the book is personalized with her charming drawings. Inès also shares how to bring Parisian chic into your home, and how to insert your signature style into any space—even the office. The ultrachic volume is wrapped with a three-quarter-height removable jacket and features offset aquarelle paper and a ribbon page marker. Complete with her favorite addresses for finding the ultimate fashion and decorating items, this is a must-have for any woman who wants to add a touch of Paris to her own style.

Harry Potter April 16th!

Pop on down to the library next Saturday to see the next installment of the Harry Potter series. Popcorn and soda provided. Pillows and other comfort items bring along! The movie will show promptly at 11:30 a.m.!

POD by Stephen Wallenfels

I thought the cover of this book spoke volumes, so I picked it up for that reason alone before reading some fairly decent reviews of it on Amazon.com--so I'd decided I'd better open it up.
The sci-fi teen genre (post-apocalyptic fun) is HUGE right now, and series like the "Dead and Gone" or books like "Compound" literally run of the shelves. I had a feeling POD might be one of those books, and I think my initial inclination may well be very right.
The story centers around two teens, Megs and Josh, who both have very different experiences. Josh is stuck inside his home with his dad, while Megs is literally fighting for survival in a parking lot garage; sleeping in various cars and trucks whilst trying to avoid killers and looters. Josh's voice can be whiny and as a character can be difficult to sympathize with--as his situation worsens his personality starts to develop in to a bit more likable one. Megs really has the more exciting story of the two and hers is one of total hands on survival and doesn't have time to whine or moan like Josh (who still has his dad to take care of him, and therefore, comes across bratty and unappreciative).
The story vacillates between the two teens and their outrageous existence now that the PODS have taken over. Oh, and PODS are literally black orbs in the sky that seems to annihilate anything in their path. A bright light crashes down and "whoosh" people and animals disappear. Literally, everyone is stuck inside their homes and as the lights go out and the water stops flowing, the drama really starts to set in.
This book is fairly fast-paced and quite heart-pounding. Teens over 12 will enjoy it, I think. While the writing isn't overly descriptive; the concept is interesting and the blood and gore just enough to keep the average reader not only interested--but wanting more.

Review "A Long Way Home"

What would you do if you woke up one morning and couldn’t remember anything that happened to you in the
past year? What if you realized you were wanted for murder and for being part of a terrorist group? What if that
terrorist group wanted you dead?

This is what has happened to Charlie. Having no idea where else to turn up clues to his mysterious lost year, he
returns to the most dangerous place - his hometown where it all started. There, the girlfriend and friends he
doesn’t remember decide to help him uncover the truth.

With the truth well-hidden and people wanting to erase his future, will Charlie be able to save himself and keep
his friends safe at the same time? What really happened during the past year? One thing’s for sure - life will
never be the same for Charlie again.

Action-packed from start to finish, this page-turner will keep you glued to your seat. The story reads fast and
the plot is intense. The characters are well-developed, and reluctant and avid readers alike will have a hard time
putting THE LONG WAY HOME down. I would, however, recommend reading THE LAST THING I
REMEMBER, the first book in the series, before starting this one.

Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous....

How they croaked is a series of vignettes regarding famous men and women who have lived and died. Whether someone had a lung explode, was stabbed to death, died of poison, or croaked from a really bad sore throat, getting sick and dying tended to be a big, ugly mess--especially before modern medical care. From King Tut's ancient autopsy to Henry VIII's explosive demise to Albert Einstein's great brain escape, these pages contain all the gory details of the awful ends of nineteen awfully famous people.

"How I Made it to Eighteen."

How do you know if you’re on the verge of a nervous breakdown? For seventeen-year-old Stacy Black, it all begins with the smashing of a window. After putting her fist through the glass, she checks into a mental hospital. Stacy hates it there but despite herself slowly realizes she has to face the reasons for her depression to stop from self-destructing. Based on the author’s experiences, How I Made it to Eighteen is a frank portrait of what it’s like to struggle with self-esteem, body image issues, drug addiction, and anxiety.

This was a CCBC choice this year!

The Professor's Daughter

Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert bring the true spirit of Victorian London to life in this witty, engaging, sepia-colored tale of a proper but mischievous young girl and the mummy who opens his eyes for the first time in 3,000 years and instantly falls in love with her. Will the love between Lillian and Imhotep IV survive when their fathers, the London police, and even the Royal Archeological Society are all determined to keep them apart?



Written by the hilarious and insightful Joann Sfar and painted in watercolors by the contemplative and beguiling Emmanuel Guibert, The Professor's Daughter tells an engaging, heart-warming love story through affecting, delightful art

Review: Divergent

Children's Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins, $17.99, 496 pp., ages 14-up, 9780062024022, May 3, 2011)

In her debut novel, Veronica Roth creates an engrossing coming-of-age story set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, recognizable only by the former Sears Tower and Hancock Building. Narrator Beatrice Prior has grown up in the Abnegation faction, where her father serves as a council member. Now that she is 16, Beatrice, along with her peers, must choose one of five factions to make their home. The teens first submit to an aptitude test, which demonstrates to them the faction best suited to their character traits. At a Choosing ceremony, they ultimately pick for themselves the faction in which they wish to serve.

Read the rest HERE: http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1416#m11734

Magical Stamps in the UK....

In the U.K., the Royal Mail has released a special set of stamps featuring "some of the world's--and fiction's--"most famous wizards, witches and enchanters," including Merlin, Dumbledore and Nanny Ogg, the Guardian reported.