New Fiction Review: Hold Me Closer

New fiction review by Teen Services Librarian:

If you liked Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green, you will LOVE Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story. From the author of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, comes the complete musical outlined in Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

I actually read Hold Me Closer first, but didn’t feel like I was losing out on the story at all, so they can be read in either order. It’s a quick read, since it’s a play. It’s also as heart-warming as it is hilarious. The incomparable Tiny Cooper, who is very big, and very gay, will be a character to remember. I can’t wait for the audio version—or dare we hope?—the actual musical production. Two enthusiastic jazz hands!

Grade Recommendation: 9+

We got on the Green Screen!

Last week we were able to Get on the Green Screen!

Here’s the video we made in our first program of the summer. Thanks, Mr. Zuber, for helping us out!

For behind-the-scenes photos, click here!

The Best YA Books of 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come check out our last book display of the year!  We are featuring what we at GPL believe are the best YA books that were published in 2011. We even have some of our staff talking about their favorite titles!

Summer Reads

Cool Down With a Good Read!

The days of summer might be numbered, but that doesn’t that you should stop reading! On display now in the YA section are great books that all have to do with water. Here are a few of them:

The Queen of Water / by Laura Resau & Maria Virginia Farinango

Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indígenas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta—stupid Indian—by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.

                                                               

                                                                                                                         

Pool Boy / by Michael Simmons

Fifteen-year-old Brett Gerson is a real-life S.R.K. (spoiled rich kid)–the guy you love to hate. Yep, Brett’s pretty much got life in the bag–until his dad is jailed for insider trading, and the family money swirls down the drain. Brett wishes things could go back to the way they were–until some dirty swimming pools change everything.

                                                                                                                        

I Will Save You / by Matt de la Pena

Kidd is running from his past and his future. No mom, no dad, and there’s nothing for him at the group home but therapy. He doesn’t belong at the beach where he works either, unless he finds a reason to stay. Olivia is blond hair, blue eyes, rich dad. The prettiest girl in Cardiff. She’s hiding something from Kidd—but could they ever be together anyway? Devon is mean, mysterious, and driven by a death wish. A best friend and worst enemy. He followed Kidd all the way to the beach and he’s not leaving until he teaches him a few lessons about life. And Olivia.

TSRE ’11

Teen Summer Reading Experience 2011 will be starting June 1 through July 16. The theme this year is “Read. Play. Move.”

As always, there will be many awesome programs throughout the summer that tie in with the theme (including rock climbing, Zumba and canoeing). You also can win prizes for reading (including movie passes, ice cream and more!) with every six books or 1000 pages, AND you get entered for the grand prize drawing (The Flip Video Camera)!

Call or check our sites for more info.

Teen Book Display

Come check out the book display in the teen area for the month of May! Books will cover everything you want to know about college (and everything you need to know), for teens who are starting to look at colleges and teens who are going off to college in the fall.

Bieber Fever Part 2

My desk has become a receptacle for all things Justin Bieber.  If you remember, the book jacket for Justin Bieber:  First Steps 2 Forever made a home for itself on my desk for quite some time.  Today, I came into work and found Justin Bieber:  The Fever! by Marc Shapiro waiting for me.  Unfortunately, this gem will not be used for a give away on the blog as the attached note suggests.  Michael has decided to put it in our collection, so you can put it on hold!

Bieber Fever

In May, Michael and I were visiting schools to talk about books and our teen summer reading program at the library.  Michael wanted feedback on books that you would like to see in the library, and someone said, “Books about Justin Bieber!”

If you know me, you know that I left the classroom a little confused and unaware of Justin Bieber.  If you know Michael, you know that he already was jealous of Bieber’s hair.  So as any good librarian does, Michael checked to see if we had any Bieber books at GPL.  We didn’t, which led to him placing an order for the official Bieber autobiography that wasn’t released until October.

Fast forward to October, Bieber’s book has arrived. The autobiography is titled First Steps 2 Forever:  My Story and instantaneously had holds on it.  Since the Bieber book’s release, I have been left with this staring at me from my desk.

This is the dust jacket from First Steps 2 Forever, which happens to unfold into a larger poster of Bieber.

The goal is to get Bieber off of my desk and into someone else’s hands.  In all honesty, it’s creepy to have him staring at me day after day.  Additionally, the title bothers me.  If you are going to replace words with numbers in a title,  you should go all out.  For example, I think that the title should have been 1st Steps 2 4-eva:  My Story, but I guess that we don’t always get what we want.

Anyways, the first person who comes to the front desk asking for the Bieber poster gets it!  If I’m lucky, my desk will be Bieber free by Monday!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…

2010 Banned Books Week

Saturday marked the beginning of Banned Books Week (BBW).  As we talked about last year, the American Library Association sets aside one week out of the year for you to celebrate your freedom to read whatever you choose.  This has been happening since 1982!

In order to celebrate BBW, our YA Book Display is full of banned and challenged books.  You also will find a handout that explains what are the differences between banned books and challenged books.  And, don’t forget to complete our Banned Books Week Trivia!  The person who answers the most questions completely will win a free book.  You will have until Saturday, October 2nd to turn your BBW Trivia into the the Front Desk.

(I’ll explain more about why TTYL by Lauren Myracle is here in a little bit!)