Librarian's Pick of the Week: Scarlet

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2012
Age: 12+

Synopsis: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood's thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It's only her fierce loyalty to Robin--whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her--that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Review: She has many names. Most know her as Will Scarlett and think she's a lad. Robin the Hood calls her Scar a nickname, yes, but perhaps he refers to the scar on her cheek. Then there is her real name, and that she tells no one. A part of Robin's band, Scar is quick with a knife, light on her feet, and always ready for a challenge, whether it involves nicking bread for the villagers or rescuing a poor soul about to be hanged. Haunted by what happened to her and her older sister in London, she knows that her soul is black, which may be why she won't return the affection of John Little. Or is it because of the feelings she buries and reburies for Robin? When the Sheriff of Nottingham hires Guy of Gisbourne to catch Robin, Scar is terrified. Gisbourne is at the heart of her trouble, and she knows he will recognize her by her unusual moonstonelike eyes. Debut novelist Gaughen does more than offer a rip-roaring tale, though it is that. The story, told in Scar's distinctive first-person voice, captivates and gets readers as deeply into the heart of a troubled girl as into the labyrinth of Sherwood Forest. Though some tightening would have helped the flow (a few rescues wouldn't have been missed), this has plenty for both the romantic and the adventure lover. An affecting take on an old story. - Booklist

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

NPR Best Young Adult Books

Don't you just love "All-Time Best" lists? Over at NPR.org they are condensing the nominations so that YOU can vote to determine the best Young Adult books ever written. All you have to do is hop over there and vote!

Visit the website here

From the website:

"Last month we asked you, our audience, to nominate titles for a top-100 list of the best young adult fiction ever written. Thousands of you sent in nominations. We've tabulated those suggestions and, with the help of an expert panel, narrowed the list to the 235 finalists you see below. 

In winnowing the roster to a manageable size for voting, we considered both a book's popularity — as represented by the number of nominations it received — and the question of how well it fits the YA category. The latter sparked plenty of debate; there is, after all, no objective test for teen fiction. Is Pride and Prejudice YA? What about The Catcher in the Rye? Or The Lord of the Rings? (No, yes and yes, respectively.) The judges looked at qualities such as a book's themes, the age of its main characters, its reading level. But in the end, the most important test was often whether a given book is one that teens themselves have claimed — whether they do, in fact, voluntarily read it. The resulting list is an interesting mix of classics and new titles (click here for a printable list of all the finalists). But Where's MY Favorite Book? What's In, What's Out, And Why: A Guide To The YA Fiction Finalists 

And so, let the voting begin! Everyone gets 10 votes. Once you've selected your top-10 titles, scroll to the bottom of the poll and click "Submit."

Paper Airplane 2D

How neat!

Librarian's Pick of the Week: The Apothecary

Title: The Apothecary
Author: Maile Meloy
Genre: History, Mystery
Published: 2011
Age: 12+

Synopsis: It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

Review: Janie, 14, has been living happily with her screenwriter parents in Hollywood. But it's 1952, and blacklisting makes it imperative that the family moves to London, where a TV job awaits. Janie is not happy about this, but a startling adventure opens to her as she becomes friends with Benjamin Burrows, whose father is an apothecary, and not just any apothecary. Mr. Burrows is part of a small, international group of scientists who are trying to contain the destructive results of the atomic bomb, including a weapon that is being tested off the coast of Russia. Those who know little about blacklisting, the Cold War, and European life after WWII will just have to dive into the fantasy-adventure pool, which runs long and deep. Magic elixirs, transformational disguises, and everyday cunning help Janie, Benjamin, and several scientists elude capture and defeat the desperate cabal that supports the Soviet Union. Readers must be willing to traverse a complicated tale and avoid stepping in a few plot holes, but Meloy offers a strong narrator in Janie and an intriguing mix of history and mystery. - Booklist

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

Book Preview: Seraphina

For those of you who like fantasy, boy, have I got a book for you! So who here has already read the new young adult fantasy buzz book Seraphina by Rachel Hartman? I must say it is something quite unique.

Here's the synopsis: 

"Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend the court as ambassadors and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high."

Stop by the library to grab it or put your name on it!

New Arrivals!!

July 1st - July 15th

Librarian's Pick of the Week: The Enchantress

Title: The Enchantress
Author: Michaela Scott
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2011
Age: 11+

Synopsis: The latest installment of The Secrets of Nicholas Flamel series. The twins of prophecy have been split. Nicholas Flamel is near death. John Dee has the swords of power. And Danu Talis has yet to fall. The future of the human race lies in the balance--how will the legend end? 

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

Glow-in-the-Dark Driveway!?!

Wow.... How awesome would it be to come home from a dance or a game to a glow-in-the-dark driveway?! And this isn't some Photoshop effect. This driveway has been sprinkled with Ambient Glow Technology glow stones. A tad expensive, but certainly worth it to drive home on the milky way...

DIY Project: Pinhole Art

DIY Project: Pinhole Art

A fun summer project! If you are at all crafty, you should try out this neat pinhole art project that you can create into a folded card or a framed picture. You can do an image, words, or whatever your imagination can inspire.

What Happened? Bandages

It's happened to all of us. A gruesome injury that you have to explain a thousand times until it finally fades. Well, here's a way for you to avoid that mundane conversation. What Happened Bandages by Urban Outfitters allow you to merely point to the injury and walk away mysteriously. You're welcome.

Librarian's Pick of the Week: Hard Gold

Title: Hard Gold
Author: Avi
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2008
Age: 12+

Synopsis:  Early Whitcomb's family needs a miracle. Their Iowa farm has been in the family for generations, but a long drought has withered their savings and left them in debt. Meanwhile, the great Chicago and Northwestern Railroad wants their land, and if the Whitcombs can't pay their loans, the local banker, Judge Fuslin, will foreclose and sell the farm as his own. Early's uncle (though he's more like a brother), Jesse, thinks he has the solution: to head West and dig for gold. Fueled by reports of prospectors striking it rich in the Rocky Mountains, Jesse can't think about anything but gold, and his determination to get to the western territories grows stronger by the day. Early is wild to go with him, as much for the adventure as for the gold. But the journey costs money--more than the boys can afford--and when Jesse flees during the night, after being accused of a robbery, Early doesn't know what to believe. Then Jesse sends an electrifying message--that he has found gold, but his life is in danger--and Early knows he must do whatever it takes to find him, even if it means running away and joining a wagon train with a strange family. The journey is dangerous and full of hardships, and the closer the travelers get to their destination, the more ruined lives they encounter--lives consumed by the hunt for gold. Then to his horror, Early learns that Jesse has been accused of another, much bigger crime and has fled to a secret place in the mountains. Somehow, Early must get to him without leading Jesse's pursuers right to his door. And even if he succeeds, Early will still have to make the hardest choice of his life.

Review: The I Witness series strives to make history more appealing by presenting fiction decked out with an array of nonfiction trappings: maps, diagrams, period photographs, and a multitude of paintings. This entry opens with a classic western setup: an unscrupulous banker tries to force the Whitcomb family off their farm, thus making way for the railroad snaking its way across the country. Young Early and his uncle Jesse hear rumors of a gold strike out in the Rocky Mountains, and see an angle to save the family farm. Jesse takes off without warning and sends word back that he's struck it rich but is being threatened by thieves. Determined to help him, Early hits the trail with a migrating family and discovers how gold fever can change even the best of men. The beginning and end of the story provide good excitement, but the middle section, the dull Nebraska crossing, is stretched a bit too thin. Still, the detailed, authentic touches of history and adventure are a good combination for readers who might resist straight nonfiction. - Booklist

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

New Arrivals!!

June 18th - June 30th