Hey Teens,
Can you believe that our annual "Winter Reading Club" will be starting in just a few months?!? Where has the time gone? Anyway, T.A.B. members and I discussed what the format should be for keeping track of what you're reading or doing when you participate in the club. Should we continue to use the "Bingo Boards," or should we use a "Point System" which we've used for the Teen Summer Reading Clubs in years past?
Well, I'll have to do some "tweaking" of course. But the decision has been made: "Bingo Boards." For those teens who loved following the "Point System," fear not! I will be incorporating this system into your bingo boards, so you'll have the best of both worlds!
(Did that sound too much like Hannah Montana)?
Anyway, the "Teen Winter Reading Club" will begin on Monday, January 25th through Friday, March 12th for teens in grades 6 - 12. Teens can sign-up beginning Monday, January 11th. So if you like to read, participate in fun teen activities here at the library, and earn fun prizes along the way, then you really should join.
A big thank you goes out to all of my T.A.B. members for their input. What would I do without you guys?
Denise J.
Teen Librarian
This year to help celebrate "Teen Read Week" which was October 18 - October 24, teens were asked to submit book reviews for a chance to win a great book to keep!
Here's what teens had to say......
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Reviewed by N.V.
Of Mice and Men was a book about two men, Lennie & George. Lennie has a problem and George tries to take care of him. After the incident in Weed, "George and Lennie are forced to move to Soledad (California). As they go along, they learn about racism and loneliness. I liked this book because it taught me about the 1930's, and the story of the two people.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Reviewed by L. F.
Of Mice and Men was a book about two men named George and Lennie. They work on a farm and have a huge adventure!
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Reviewed by Y. C.
In Of Mice and Men, there are two characters named George & Lennie. Lennie has a mental disability and George has to watch over Lennie. I really liked this book because I learned how people were treated in the 1930's.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Reviewed by A. R.
Of Mice and Men is a good book with a great plot. It uses sensory experiences along with foreshadowing, metaphors, similies, and symbolism. This book was nice to read.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Reviewed by A. R. (different reviewer from above)
It was a really good book about American society in general. The ending is great for many reasons.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by M. G.
I thought the book was the best book that I have ever read. I LOVED it. It was about a boy who has Poseidon as his father, and has to fight the old powers that were beaten by the Gods a long time ago, the Titans. The Lightning Thief is one of my favorite books...EVER!
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by A. D.
Percy Jackson is about to be expelled from this school. Not the best kid ever. However, he has seen some unique and interesting things. He comes to know he has an interesting life story. What will he do?
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by T. C.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief is about a boy named Percy Jackson who goes to school. There's one wicked twist though. One of his parents is a God or Goddess. He meets up with others that are like him and they go on an adventure to get Zeus' lightning bolt back.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Reviewed by A. F.
Rick Riordan makes Percy Jackson embark on a journey of mystifying adventures. Will Percy Jackson defeat the terrible monsters?
Max by James Patterson
Reviewed by A. R.
THE BEST BOOK EVER! Such a good book. Probably my all-time favorite.
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
(Book 2 in the series) by Darren Shan
Reviewed by S. F.
It was a terrifying book that was frightening and interesting. It has info. and stories about vampires.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Reviewed by B. S.
Good book, good plot. You'd like it if you're into fantasy. It has great detail, and it's interesting and suspenseful.
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
Reviewed by M. N.
A very interesting "Sci-Fi" story. There's creatures seen and unseen all over. I highly recommend it to "Sci-Fi" lovers.
Blue Bloods by Melissa De la Cruz
Reviewed by N. S.
A great book about vampires living in the upper East Side of NYC. A group of teenage vampires face a deadly secret from the past. A wonderful, heart thrilling book.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Reviewed by M. L.
A VERY GOOD BOOK "****"
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Reviewed by N. V.
I think The Giver is probably the best book you'll read in school. It takes place in the future, where everything is the same. When the main character Jonas becomes the Receiver, he finds out things he never knew about his community.
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Reviewed M. G.
Have you ever thought of a city underground? Well, in City of Ember you can get a great image of it. In this book there are characters that are unpredictable, and their names are Doon and Lina.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Reviewed by a Really Cool Teen!
My Sister's Keeper is a tantalizing book about a girl who has cancer, and her sister who was born to save her. This book gives its readers a sense of hope, bringing us into the lives of a family dealing with tragedy.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Reviewed by A. R.
It was good. I think the relationship between Bella and Edward was kind of rushed though.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Reviewed by A. F.
In this book Bella meets a family of vampires, and falls for one named Edward. This book was also about intense romance and the fear of being devoured by other vampires. It left me wanting more.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Reviewed by S. W.
Twilight was an intense romance novel. Bella goes to live with her dad in Washington State. It ends up to be a crazy, fall in love, near death experience that left me wanting more.
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Reviewed by M. M.
New Moon is another brilliantly written book.
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Reviewed by G. K.
I LOVE BREAKING DAWN!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
Reviewed by M. G.
Greg is back with a new book and hilarious new life. Greg has a new member of the family and it's a dog.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Reviewed by C. V.
This book is scary because it's true and it's depressing.
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Reviewed by M. G.
I thought the book was pretty dull. I couldn't get into it. It was two part dialogue, and I thought it was boring.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Reviewed by A. P.
I really like this book because I really like how the author reveals the truth to things. I think this one is the best out of the seven of them.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Reviewed by J. C.
An awesome book to read if you like magic. So read the book!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Reviewed by J. C. (different reviewer from above)
This book is a very good book with wizards, werewolves, and everything in between. Many kids like it, and I know I do!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Reviewed by H. G.
An amazing book! A thrilling ending to a classic series. Many darkened characters get caught in the spotlight. Repeat: AMAZING!!!
The 39 Clues series by various authors
Reviewed by B. M.
Great series!!!
2010 - TEEN READ WEEK REVIEWS
Hi everyone,
I'd like to thank all of the teens who participated in this year's special raffle contest by submitting these AWESOME reviews. Congratulations to all of our winners too!!! Happy reading. : )
Denise J.
Teen Librarian
Reviewer: J. M. (Grade 7)
Title: "Life As We Knew It"
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Review: This book is very addicting! It is about when the moon gets closer to the Earth and about how life changes for everyone.
Reviewer: C. K. (Grade 9)
Title: "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief"
Author: Rick Riordan
Review: Very good book; Descriptive, suspenseful, and full of action and adventure; Recommended.
Reviewer: M. G. (Grade 7)
Title: "Zatch Bell" (Manga)
Author: Makoto Raiku
Review: A little kidche's not a kid. He's running to become king. He needs help by a human. But who? Find out by reading.
Reviewer: J. C. (Grade 6)
Title: "Room One"
Author: "Andrew Clements"
Review: It's good. Do you like mysteries? Well this book has mysteries that will blow your mind away from this planet. So now would you like to read this book? I know I can't get enough of it.
Reviewer: A. H. (Grade 9)
Title: "City of Bones"
Author: Cassandra Clare
Review: It's a great book with major suspense and action. Plus the romance and humor teens love.
Reviewer: D. B. (Grade 12)
Title: "This World We Live In"
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was better than the 2nd one. I think it ended kind of badly though. I would have enjoyed it more if I knew she was writing another book.
Reviewer: A. N. H. (Grade 5)
Title: "Warriors" (series)
Author: Erin Hunter
Review: This book is about a cat named Rusty who adventures into the wild and becomes part of a clan. There are four clans in this book: Shadow Clan, River Clan, Wind Clan, and Thunder Clan (Rusty's clan).
Reviewer: D. L. (Grade 9)
Title: "Mockingjay"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: It was really confusing at some parts, but I still enjoyed the ending.
Reviewer: A. A. (Grade 7)
Title: "Tending to Grace"
Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco
Review: This book is about a girl who has a mom who ruined her life. She now lives with her great aunt who has a totally different lifestyle. This book is a great story about SOME everyday lives.
Reviewer: L. D. (Grade 9)
Title: "Crescendo" (sequel to "Hush, Hush")
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Review: It wasn't that good. Patch wasn't there for like half the book. Then the writing really wasn't that good, and the main character just annoyed me.
Reviewer: H. M. (Grade 9)
Title: "Mockingjay"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: I liked it because of Alma Coin.
Reviewer: A. W. (Grade 7)
Title: "The Red Pyramid"
Author: Rick Riordan
Review: I didn't like this book because there were too many characters and unlike Greek myths, there were lots of Egyptian myths that I didn't know of and it was hard to understand.
Reviewer: B. M. (Grade 6)
Title: "Elsewhere"
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Review: "Elsewhere" is a very good book about a girl who dies and about her life in heaven. It's a good book for people who like to read about the afterlife.
Reviewer: A. W. (Grade 9)
Title: "Harry Potter" (series)
Author: J. K. Rowling
Review: Harry Potter is an absolutely fabulous series with adventure at every turn, plots to foil, and friendships to help young Harry along the way.
Reviewer: M. G. (Grade 7)
Title: "Whistle" (Manga)
Author: Daisuke Higuchi
Review: Gooooal! Love soccer? Well so does a kid named Sho. He loves soccer but never was put on the field. Find out what happens to him.
Reviewer: M. G. (Grade 7)
Title: "H. I. V. E." (Higher Institute of Villainous Education)
Author: Mark Walden
Review: Evil! One kid gets accepted to an evil, secret school. It's like any ordinary school but you can't leave. Join him and his friends on an adventure of a lifetime.
Reviewer: M. G. (Grade 7)
Title: "The Hunger Games"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: In Panem, a death game on live TV takes place. 16 year old Katniss needs to face deadly challenges to win.
Reviewer: D. B. (Grade 12)
Title: "Mockingjay"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: This book was amazing! I loved this series so much and this was a great ending for a great series! I would recommend this book to everyone!
Reviewer: D. B. (Grade 12)
Title: "Mountains Beyond Mountains"
Author: Tracy Kidder
Review: I had to read this as a required summer reading book and I thought it was terrible! I couldn't finish it, and I only got half way through it!
Reviewer: A. H. (Grade 9)
Title: "Unwind"
Author: Neal Shusterman
Review: It was a good book that makes you think of how you're living your life now.
Reviewer: J. C. (Grade 6)
Title: "Rissa Bartholomew's Declaration of Independence"
Author: Lynda Comerford
Review: It's about a girl that is going to middle school and is having trouble with friends.
Reviewer: A. N. H. (Grade 5)
Title: "The City of Ember"
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Review: This book is about two kids, Lina and Doon. They live in a small town with many people in it. The lights that light the sky are running out of juice. These are the last lights the city of Ember has. Will this city be dark forever? You'll find out if you read it.
Reviewer: A. H. (Grade 9)
Title: "The Hunger Games"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: This is a very interesting twist to living life and will keep you absorbed for hours.
Reviewer: A. N. H. (Grade 5)
Title: "Harry Potter" (series)
Author: J. K. Rowling
Review: This book is about a boy that has magic powers and his parents are dead. He has an enemy that killed his parents. He goes to a school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Reviewer: S. G. (Grade 6)
Title: "Dork Diaries"
Author: Rachel Renee Russell
Review: "Dork Diaries" is about a girl who can't fit in with the crowd.
Reviewer: L. D. (Grade 9)
Title: "Beautiful Darkness"
Author: Kami Garcia/Margaret Stohl
Review: The beginning was a little slow and it wasn't that good that Lena wasn't there the entire time. It really didn't start getting good until the end.
Reviewer: H. M. (Grade 9)
Title: "Catching Fire"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: I liked this book because of Beetee.
Reviewer: A. P. (Grade 7)
Title: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
Author: J. K. Rowling
Review: I like this book very much. I have read this a couple of times already. My favorite part is at the end when Harry and Voldemort battle.
Reviewer: A. P. (Grade 7)
Title: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle"
Author: C. S. Lewis
Review: I have read this book a couple of times already. So I like it very much. My favorite part is at the end when everyone from the series end up together.
Reviewer: L. D. (Grade 9)
Title: "Halo"
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Review: If you enjoyed "Twilight" you'd like this book. It's about angels instead, but I thought that Beth (main character) was too obsessed with her boyfriend Xavier. It got to the point that it was annoying.
Reviewer: L. D. (Grade 9)
Title: "Reckless"
Author: Cornelia Funke
Review: I loved it! The first few characters were a little confusing, but once you get into it, it's really good. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Cornelia Funke's other books.
Reviewer: A. P. (Grade 7)
Title: "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"
Author: Unknown
Review: I liked this book very much. I have seen the movie. But I think the book is too descriptive.
Reviewer: S. L. (Grade 7)
Title: "Inkspell"
Author: Cornelia Funke
Review: It is my favorite book ever! It is a fantasy about a book that has many secrets.
Reviewer: H. M. (Grade 9)
Title: "The Hunger Games"
Author: Suzanne Collins
Review: I liked this book because of the games and suspense.
Reviewer: B. T. (Grade 7)
Title: "Hush, Hush"
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Review: I loved "Hush, Hush" because it was funny, suspenseful, and romantic. I loved Patch because he is funny, nice, and very chill. I really like this book and would recommend it for all teen girls.
Reviewer: M. T. (Grade 7)
Title: "Maximum Ride"
Author: James Patterson
Review: Great book. It's full of humor and action. Loved it!
Reviewer: M. M. (Grade 7)
Title: "Pretty Little Liars"
Author: Sara Shepard
Review: I love this book because it's mysterious and so funny.
Reviewer: A. P. (Grade 7)
Title: "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"
Author: Unknown
Review: This book was very good. I have the game so I wanted to read the books. I like the end when the apprentice battles Darth Vader and the Emperor.
Reviewer: M. G. (Grade 6)
Title: "Twelfth Grade Kills" ****(SPOILER ALERT)****
Author: Heather Brewer
Review: Vlad finds his father in this book. I was surprised on how he was still alive. I particularly enjoyed how Heather Brewer described the scenes, and how parts turned out the way you didn't even think of. Like when Vlad was forced to kill his father, who turned out to want to kill Vlad. I enjoyed Brewer's method of writing.
Reviewer: V. Y. (Grade 9)
Title: "Fahrenheit 451"
Author: Ray Bradbury
Review: I didn't like this book. It was very confusing since it took place in the future. I would not recommend it.
Reviewer: S. N. H. (Grade 7)
Title: "Frogs & French Kisses"
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Review: I like this book a lot. It was about a girl named Rachel and her sister named Miri. Miri has powers. The book was creative and had a lot of detail. Parts of it were really funny. I enjoyed it very much!!
Hey Teens,
