At first glance, one would think that this video would be about as exciting as watching a tree form its annual ring. But it is actually surprisingly nerve wracking! I dare you to watch it without being nervous that the little guy isn't going to make it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Young Adult Recommendations App
{from the iTunes App Store}
Looking for a highly recommended book, but don't want to have to read reviews online to get one? Well, there's this new app from the American Library Association that gives information on Young Adult book lists, hot reads, and recently honored books.
From the iTunes website:
"Find the best books and media for teens, as selected by library staff and educators across the United States! The Teen Book Finder, generously funded by a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, offers easy access to the titles honored each year by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association. Search for books by title, author, genre, award, or list; create a reading list with the favorites button; share what you’re reading on Facebook and Twitter; and find a copy of the book in your local library, all from one screen! Not sure where to start? YALSA offers three hot picks on the homepage each day."
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Colored Flame Birthday Candles
Want to make someone's birthday extra special? How about trying out some of these colored flame birthday candles. And yes, I said "colored flame." Um, sign me up! I will take purple or green, pleaseandthankyou.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
DIY Project: Linen E-Reader Case
DIY Project: E-Reader Cover
E-readers. We're all getting them. Why not keep them scratch-free with a handmade case made out of an upcycled hardcover book?
*Disclaimer: As a librarian, I am in no way promoting the wonton destruction of books!! Please make sure it's an old, ratty one before you start tearing.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Librarian's Pick of the Week: All the Right Stuff
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Genre: African-American, Drama
Published: 2012
Age: 13+
Synopsis: A provocative new novel from the national ambassador for young people's literature and the New York Times bestselling author of Monster Who's on top of the social food chain? How do you get ahead? Who makes the rules? Who needs to follow them? Paul DuPree is working at a soup kitchen in Harlem the summer his father dies, just trying to get by. But Elijah, the soup man, won't stop talking about the social contract and asking Paul questions about heavy-duty things. Paul has never thought about this stuff. He'd rather hang out with Keisha, an unwed teen mom whose basketball skills rival his own. Then Sly, a notorious Harlem big shot, shows up. Paul is both intrigued and intimidated by Sly and his conspiracy theories, and for once he starts contemplating how you really get ahead in life. As the talk of what-ifs turns into reality, Paul realizes his summer is about more than getting by-it's about taking charge of your life.
Review: When his troubled father is killed in a street shooting, 16-year-old Paul determines to become the hero his father never was. The means to this end present themselves when he lands a community-service job working at a soup kitchen. The elderly proprietor, Elijah I. Jones, introduces the boy to the concept of the social contract. Soon Paul's job is far more than just serving soup to seniors; it is a de facto seminar on citizen-government interaction, social justice, and civil liberties. Set in Myers' signature Harlem neighborhood, this novel of ideas is a challenging but rewarding read that invites readers to learn, along with Paul, a complex philosophical and practical concept. The story is made more accessible by Myers' ability to create appealing characters whose presence dramatizes his otherwise expository material, while a subplot involving a 17-year-old single mother further humanizes the story. While the book will find an extracurricular readership, it will also prove invaluable for classroom use. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A robust marketing campaign will ensure that this new book from best-selling and critically acclaimed Myers gets significant attention from educators and librarians. -Booklist
If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
DIY Project: Giant Paper Flowers
DIY Project: Giant Paper Flowers
This is a fantastic project for those girly girls out there who want to make a "giant" statement. These are tremendous paper flowers from the creative team at Ruche for their spring lookbook. And here's a tutorial on how to make them. Neat!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Librarian's Pick of the Week: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Genre: Relationships
Published: 2009
Age: 13+
Synopsis: Belly's never been the kind of girl that things happen to. Year after year, she's spent her summers at the beach house with Conrad and Jeremiah. The boys never noticed Belly noticing them. And every summer she hoped it would be different. This time, it was. But the summer Belly turned pretty was the summer that changed everything. For better, and for worse.
Review: Belly spends every summer at the beach house owned by her mom's best friend, Susannah. While all the usual occupants Belly's brother, her mom, Susannah, and Susannah's sons, Jeremiah and Conrad are present, this year things are different. A note of finality hangs in the air, as Conrad will start college in the fall. He's always been closed off, but now he's taken up drinking and smoking, and gets moody whenever other boys pay attention to Belly. In addition to Conrad, there's Cam, Belly's summer fling, and Jeremiah also seems to have a crush on her. Who will she end up with? Some chapters return to summers past, revealing Susannah's cancer and Belly's first kiss with one brother, Jeremiah, and her unwavering love for the other, Conrad. Han plants enough seeds throughout the book for readers to ascertain what's really going on with Susannah, while keeping Belly who is appropriately self-centered, alternating between typical teenage vanity and vulnerable insecurity clueless. This is a quick, satisfying read, with a poignant conclusion good for budding romance fans. -Booklist
If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Wes Anderson: Moonrise Kingdom
So who else here is a Wes Anderson fan? Anybody? Just to jog your memory, he is the director of The Royal Tennenbaums and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Well, anyways, his new movie has come out and it's called Moonrise Kingdom, and it looks a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Librarian's Pick of the Week: Delirium
Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Fantasy, Realism
Published: 2011
Age: 13+
Synopsis: From the acclaimed author of "Before I Fall" comes her powerful second novel, a stunning tale of star-crossed romance, set in a world where love is forbidden. Lena Haloway has always accepted the government's decree that love is a disease that must be eradicated--but then she meets Alex.
Review: Oliver's follow-up to her smash debut, Before I Fall (2010), is another deft blend of realism and fantasy. The hook is irresistible: it's the near future, a time when love has long since been identified as a disease called amor deliria nervosa, and 17-year-old Lena is 95 days away from the operation that everyone gets to cure themselves. Can you feel the swoon coming? Enter Alex, a rakish daredevil who, as it turns out, is one of the Invalids a tribe of uncured who live on the lam in the surrounding wilderness. With the clock ticking down to her surgery, Lena is drawn into Alex's world, one of passion and freedom, while her emotionally castrated family members hope to turn her into yet another complacent zombie. Oliver's masterstroke is making a strong case for love as disease: the anxiety, depression, insomnia, and impulsive behavior of the smitten do smack of infirmity. The story bogs down as it revels in romance Alex is standard-issue perfection but the book never loses its A Clockwork Orange-style bite regarding safety versus choice. -Booklist
If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!
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