Sunday, March 27, 2011

Book List: Cool Schools

 {from Fred Bode}

So... you've been back in school for quite a while now, and things are starting you get a little... let's say routine, am I right? Same old tater tots, same old kickball in gym class, same old broken locker. Have you ever wanted to go to a school that was slightly more thrilling? Well, I've got you covered! Here's a list of books set in schools that are anything but normal, whether they are run by vampires, exclusive to descendants of royal lineage, or a place to hone your magical powers:

Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
While half-vampire Vlad, his best friend Henry, and Henry's cousin Joss make their way through their freshman year at Bathory High, a hired vampire slayer seeks to destroy Vlad.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Witch Sophie Mercer, having been sent to a reform school by her father after a prom night spell went horribly wrong, learns her roommate, who is the only vampire on campus, is the suspect in a series of attacks on students and sets out to find the real culprit.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Genius Cammie Morgan begins the spring semester of her sophomore year with many questions about her ex-boyfriend, mother, and the last term, and intends to use her spying abilities to have them answered.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
High school sophomore Nora has always been very cautious in her relationships, but when Patch, who has a dark side she can sense, enrolls at her school, she is mysteriously and strongly drawn to him, despite warnings from her best friend, the school counselor, and her own instincts.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson
Jane Jarvis, a senior at a Catholic girl's school in Providence, Rhode Island, tries to save her best friend by making a pact with a demon.

The Outcasts by L. S. Matthews
While on a field trip, five outcasts--who normally never participate in school activities--are transported to a different dimension and must try to return to reality.

Jekyl Loves Hyde by Beth Fantasky
As seventeen-year-old Jill Jekel and classmate Tristen Hyde work together on a chemistry project, hoping to win a scholarship for her and a cure for his curse, they also uncover family secrets and a chemistry of their own.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
When dead teenagers who have come back to life start showing up at her high school, Phoebe, a goth girl, becomes interested in the phenomenon, and when she starts dating a "living impaired" boy, they encounter prejudice, fear, and hatred.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
While attending a strict academy for potential princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected talents and connections to her homeland.





So if you're looking for a bit of a break from the routine, you might want to consider reading some of our out-of-the-norm high school-related picks, all of which are available at the library.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Van Gogh's World


Have you ever heard of tilt-shift photography? It is a technique where you can use photography to make paintings of real world scenes look three dimensional. These photos are from Serena Malyon, a third-year art student, who decided to simulate the effect on Van Gogh's famous paintings. Using Photoshop, she manipulated the light and adjusted the focus to make these scenes look like miniature models. Can you even believe how great these look?



Thursday, March 10, 2011

Reimagination of the Month


How many of you have read the book? I hope you raised your hand! Well anyways, I decided to put together a reimagination for the beloved 1951 version. This movie has such a staying power in my mind. I loved it as a kid and to this day I still sing "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date, no time to say hello, Goodbye!, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late" when I'm rushing out the door. Ah, vintage Disney..









Saturday, March 5, 2011

Book Trailer: Liar


This trailer makes the book look like a murder mystery!

Title: Liar
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Published: 2009
Age: 13+
Synopsis: Micah freely admits that she's a compulsive liar. Over the years she's duped her classmates, her teachers, and her parents. But when her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances, the shock might be enough to set her straight. Or maybe not.


If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!

Friday, March 4, 2011

New Arrivals!!

February 16th - February 28th

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Books to Movies in 2011

So I just realized that 2011 is going to be quite a year for books being made into movies! There are soo many. And with some interesting choices. Jim Carrey will be playing Mr. Popper. The Adventures of Tintin is going to be animated. Can't wait! Here are a few that I've come across:


Click the book covers for movie info. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (Coming in July)
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkein (Coming on New Year's Eve)
The Adventures of Tin Tin by Herge (Coming in December)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (Unknown)
Beastly by Alex Flinn (Coming in March)
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (Coming in February)
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer (Coming in November)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Coming in November)
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater (Coming in June)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Unknown)

Librarian's Pick of the Week: Mister Monday


Title: Mister Monday
Author: Garth Nix
Published: 2003
Age: 13+

Most of you have probably already read this, but in case you've been living under a rock for the past 7+ years, you're going to love this series! Don't worry fellas, it's boy friendly too. No lovesick vampires or cliquey high school sagas.

Synopsis: "Arthur Penhaligon's school year is not off to a good start. On his first day, he suffers an asthma attack while running cross country and dreams that a mysterious figure hands him a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. However, when he wakes up, he still has the key. That's when strange things begin to happen. Mister Monday dispatches terrifying, dog-faced Fetchers to retrieve it, a bizarre sleeping illness sweeps the city, and only Arthur can see the weird new house that appears in his neighborhood. The seventh grader knows it all has something to do with the key, one of seven elusive fragments of the Will to which he has become heir apparent, and a mysterious atlas. When he ventures inside the house, he meets more strange characters than he could have imagined, none of whom are what they seem. And, of course, he must battle Monday, who will do anything to get the key back. With the help of the key, Arthur must fight his way out. The first in a seven part series for middle graders is every bit as exciting and suspenseful as the author's previous young adult novels. "

Review: "In this first volume in Nix's (Sabriel) Mister Monday series, magic splashes across virtually every page. First, a brief, cryptic prelude tells of "the Will" that has been kept under cosmic lock-and-key by generations of Inspectors and their robotic sentries. Next, readers meet seventh-grader Arthur Penhaligon, an asthmatic adoptee who is struggling to fit in at his new school. Nix quickly thrusts Arthur into the heart of the mystery: while recovering from an asthma attack during gym class, Arthur is given a mysterious Key and Atlas from Mister Monday, an ominous wheelchair-bound man (mentioned in the prelude). The Key resembles the minute hand of a clock, and is actually a powerful talisman, tied to the clock-like device that guards the Will. Before long, Fetchers, strange dog-faced creatures, attempt to recover the key, and unleash a disease upon humans that threatens massive casualties. Arthur sets out to stop the Fetchers at the source, and ends up exploring a cavernous house visible only to him (it's 4,000 stories high, a girl inside tells him). Here the surreal story becomes even more puzzle-like and visually ornate-a sort of amalgam of Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth. Nix's grand explanation of the house and key is an original re-imagining of a classic sci-fi theme: the origin and purpose of the universe-and the willingness of man to circumvent that purpose for selfish gain. With a likeable unlikely hero, fast-paced plotting and a plethora of mystical oddities (e.g., Mister Monday only has "dominion over everything" on Mondays), this series is sure to garner a host of fans. " - Publisher's Weekly


If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!
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