April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate by entering the “I Am" Poetry Contest. Submit an original poem that reflects your individuality, hopes & dreams, who you are, and who you want to be.

Entries are due Saturday, April 22 and can be turned in at the Information Desk or via email to [email protected]

By Grace W 

Thanksgiving is typically a time of the year when we all take a few moments to reflect on what we are grateful for. It is always a good idea to take a few moments to practice gratitude, whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not. In stressful times, being able to identify things you are grateful for can be really helpful.

Here are 10 ways you can practice gratitude.

1. Keep a gratitude journal. Take a few minutes every day to write down 10 things you are grateful for.
2. Express your thanks to people in your community, especially essential workers. Next time you are at the grocery store or you see your mail carrier, make sure to thank them for all they do.
3. Try to pick one day a week where you don’t complain about anything. You can challenge your family and friends to try this too.
4. Send someone a card in the mail. Surprise your family, friends, or acquaintances with a note in the mail. It will be sure to brighten their day.
5. Spend some time in nature. A short walk can really uplift your mood and remind you of all of the wonders around you.
6. Make a gratitude jar. Take a jar, box, or any container you have lying around the house and decorate it. Then, whenever you feel like it write down what you are grateful for on slips of paper and put them in the jar. Whenever you are feeling down, pull out a few slips to remind yourself of all of the wonderful things you have in your life.
7. Make a gratitude collage or Pinterest board. Find images that make you happy and compile them all together.
8. If you find yourself doing some decluttering, re-home your items with friends or family or donate them.
9. Volunteering is a great way to practice gratitude. You can help out your neighbors by raking leaves and shoveling snow. You can also reach out to elderly neighbors and help pick up groceries for them.
10. Take a few deep breaths. Be grateful for your breath and the present moment.

The Michael L. Printz Award was announced by the American Library Association (ALA) today. The winner is Going Bovine by Libba Bray, and the honor books are:

Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Tales of the Madman Underground : an Historical Romance 1973 by John Barnes

The winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award is Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan, and the winner of the new YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award is Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman.

Check out the display of these award winners in the young adult area on February 1st, the day the library is scheduled to re-open!

The Michael L. Printz Award was announced by the American Library Association (ALA) today. The winner is Going Bovine by Libba Bray, and the honor books are:

Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Tales of the Madman Underground : an Historical Romance 1973 by John Barnes

The winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award is Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan, and the winner of the new YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award is Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman.

Check out the display of these award winners in the young adult area on February 1st, the day the library is scheduled to re-open!

The Michael L. Printz Award was announced by the American Library Association (ALA) today. The winner is Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, and the honor books are:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

The Returning by Christine Hinwood

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvery

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award is Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, and the winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award is The Notorious Benedict Arnold : a True story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin.

The winner of the Pura Belpre Author Award is Guadalupe Garcia McCall for Under the Mesquite.

The winner of the Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature is Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright. The four honor books include A + E 4ever by Ilike Merey, Money Boy by Paul Yee, Pink by Lili Wilkinson, and With or Without You by Brian Farrey.

Check one out or place your hold today!

The 2013 National Book Award Finalists were announced! Here are a couple of the YA winners!

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Here is the link to the full list!  : 2013 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

You may have heard that we have a 3-D printer! Interested in our August programs but not sure what you can do with it?

Here are some websites to give your ideas:

Search through images of 3-D printed objects that have already been created at Thingiverse!

http://www.thingiverse.com/

Check out tinkercad, which is a free, online program you can use to design your own 3-D objects!

https://tinkercad.com/

Check the newsletter for info on our upcoming 3-D Programs!

By: Grace W. 

It is never too soon to start thinking about finance! In this blog post I am going to be sharing 5 top tips for teen finance. These tips go along with the upcoming Facebook Live Program “Teen Finance 101” that is happening on Friday April 16 at 4:00 pm. If you can’t make it to the live stream, be sure to check out the video later for more in-depth finance tips.

1.  Separate Saving and Spending: If you have a bank account, you will likely have two separate accounts; one for saving and one for spending. If you don’t have a bank account, it is a good idea to keep your money in two separate sections for spending and saving. This makes it easier to keep track of things and helps you make sure that you are saving.

2. Track your Expenses: This is a great thing to do because it allows you to be aware of where your money is going. You can do this with paper and pencil, a word document, excel, or google sheets. You can start by listing money that is coming in such as birthday gifts, allowance, or money from a job.  You can include the amount, the date, and the reason for each entry. You will also want to have a separate section for money that is going out. You can track similar things such as the amount, the date, and the item you are buying. Doing this every month is great way to get an understanding of where your money is coming from and where it is going.

3. Get a Summer Job:  A summer job is great way to start bringing in more money. There are a lot of different summer jobs out there, so there is something for everyone. Some common summer jobs are babysitting, working at a summer camp, doing things around the house or for your neighbors like pulling weeds or mowing the lawn, becoming a caddy at a golf club, or plant, pet, or house sitting for neighbors who are going out of town.
4. 1. Volunteer: Volunteering is not something that you can get paid for, but it is a valuable use of your time. It allows you to gain skills that you might be able to use to get a job next summer. If you make a good impression with the organization, you might be able to find a reference for future job, college, and scholarship applications.

4. Think about the Future:  You are going to have to think about college and your future at some point. Having a plan of what you want to do can really help you save money down the road, so it is never too early to start thinking about your future career.  Doing research about financial aid, scholarships, and other options such as trade schools, can help you make a good choice for your future and your wallet.

5. Time is on your Side: The sooner you start saving, the better. Not only are you going to be developing good habits that can set you up for success later in life, but if you put any of your money into things like stocks and bonds, the sooner you start the more time your money has to grow. That is going to be huge for you in the long run.

Online Resources

Check out these online courses from Universal Class and LinkedIn Learning to learn more about personal finance.

Universal Class:

• Personal Finance 101: How to Manage Your Money and Investing 101 
• Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds 

LinkedIn Learning

•  Managing Your Personal Finances 
•  Financial Basics Everyone Should Know

The 2013 Abraham Lincoln Book Award Winner was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher!

The 2014 is now up and on Display underneath the New Manga books in the YA section. Check it out!

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

*Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (SF CLINE)

*Room by Emma Donoghue  (FIC DONOGHUE)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Every Day by David Levithan

Legend by Marie Lu

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

*The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern (FIC MORGENSTERN)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

The Pregnancy Project: A Memoir by Gaby Rodriguez with Jenna Glatzer

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Teens, don't forget! There is a FREE practice ACT test this Saturday!

The college admissions testing process can be a nail-biting experience. Exposure, practice, and prep can help reduce your stress and may increase your test scores, so take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment. A representative of the Sylvan Learning Center will proctor a full ACT practice test and return on Monday, November 25 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss your results with you and your parents.

Please bring your own calculator, and sign up online, in person, or over the phone if you wish to take the exam!

Saturday, November 16, 10:30am-2:00pm

Attention High School Students!

This Saturday, November 15 from 10:30-2:00 we will be hosting a practice ACT exam!

The college admissions testing process can be a nail-biting experience. Exposure, practice, and prep can help reduce your stress and may increase your test scores, so take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment.

A representative of the Sylvan Learning Center will proctor a full ACT practice test and return on Monday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss your results with you and your parents. Sign up now!

Join us this Friday for After Hours! After the library closes, come back for video games, board games, snacks and more!

This Friday, March 27 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. here at the library!

Please note that you must be at least 12 years old to attend this program.

Celebrate the end of finals with After Hours!

This Friday, May 22, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., join us for games, a video game tournament, snacks and more!

See you there!

After Hours is tonight, Friday, January 22 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Internet gaming, board games, and Super Smash Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided. Ages 12 to 17. Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this event. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday, June 23 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.! We'll have games, prizes, and snacks galore! Ages 12-High school.

Don't forget about After Hours tomorrow!

Join us for video games, board games, snacks, and prizes!

Friday, August 28, 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m. See you there!

Come to After Hours this Friday, February 23 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.! We'll have the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Wii out, as well as board games and snacks! Ages 12-High school.

After Hours is this Friday, July 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. If you are age 12- high school, come join us for gaming and snacks after the library closes!

After Hours is this Friday, September 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Join us after the library closes for games, snacks, and prizes!

Ages 12-high school.

After Hours is this Friday, April 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Teens can come to the library after closing for snacks, board games, video games, and more! See you there!

After Hours is this Friday, April 27th, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.! After the library closes join us for video games, board games, snacks, and prizes! Ages 12-high school.

After Hours is happening this Friday, September 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Join us for snacks, games, and prizes! Ages 12- High School.

Our next After Hours is this Friday, October 27th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Snacks, video games, board games, and prizes! Ages 12-high school.

Feel free to wear your Halloween costume!!

Join us this Friday, November 25 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for After Hours! We'll have board games, video games, snacks, and prizes! Ages 12-high school.

Come to After Hours, this Friday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m.

We will have the Nintendo Switch, board games, snacks, and prizes! Ages 12- High School.

Join us this Friday, August 23 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for After Hours! Play video games & board games, eat snacks, and win prizes after the library closes!

Ages 12-High School.

Join us this Friday, June 28 @ 6:30 p.m. for After Hours! We will have the Nintendo Switch, board games, prizes, plus snacks to keep your gaming energy up!

Ages 12-High School

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. We'll also be hosting Galloping Ghost's arcade game "PacMan"! 6:30-8:30 pm. See ya there!

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday from 6:30-9 pm!

Young Adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of movies, Wii, DJ Hero, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. See ya there!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. Featured this month: "Eyes" arcade game from Galloping Ghost! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday from 6:30-9 pm!

Young Adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of movies, Wii, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. See ya there!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks! 6:30-8:30 pm. Ages 12-16.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Internet, giveaways and don't forget snacks! Ages 12-16.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks! 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Ages 12 & up.

Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday at 6:30 pm for an evening of Super Smash Brothers Brawl tournament play, Internet, snacks, giveaways, and more! Ages 12 and up.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Ages 12 & up.

Please note: you must be at least 12 years olds to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. Featured this month: pizza! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks! 6:30-8:30 pm. See ya there!

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday from 6:30-9 pm!

Young Adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of movies, Wii, DJ Hero, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. See ya there!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday from 6:30-8:30 pm!

Young Adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of movies, Wii, DJ Hero, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. See ya there!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks! 6:30-8:30 pm. Ages 12-16.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks! 6:30-8:30 pm. Ages 12-16.

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun for ages 12-16. Come for an evening of Super Smash Brothers tournament play, Rock Band, Internet, giveaways, and don't forget snacks. See ya there! 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Please note: you must be between the ages of 12-16 to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

Come to After Hours this Friday at 6:30 pm! You're invited for an evening of movies, Rock Band, Wii, internet, and snacks. Ages 12 & up. See ya there!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of gaming tournaments and giveaways, and don't forget snacks. 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Ages 12 & up.

Please note: you must be at least 12 years olds to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

This Friday, October 28 from 6:30-8:30 is our monthly After Hours event! If you are aged 12-high school, come over to the library after we close on Friday for games, snacks, and prizes! Since it is so close to Halloween, wearing your costume is encouraged!

Don't forget, this Friday is our monthly After Hours Program! The library will be open this Friday JUST for teens (Ages 12-High School) for a night of video games (including the library's new OUYA!), board games, friends and snacks!

This Friday, August 23, 6:30-8:30, right here at the library!

Friday, September 20, 6:30-8:30PM

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Internet gaming, board games, and Super Smash Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided.Ages 12 and up.

Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

After Hours is this Friday, June 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m.! Join us for Mario Kart on the Switch, Wii games, board games, snacks, and more!

Ages 12-High School

See you there!

After Hours is this Friday, March 23 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.! Come for an evening of Internet gaming, board games, and Mario Kart 8 tournament play. Snacks will be provided.

Ages 12 and up.
Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this event.

Come to After Hours, this Friday July 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m.! We'll have the Nintendo switch out, plus our board games, Wii, snacks, and more!

Ages 12-high school.

Join us at After Hours, this Friday, August 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m.! We'll have games, prizes, and snacks!

*Must be at least 12 years old to attend, no exceptions.

Come to After Hours, this Friday, November 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. We'll have a Super Smash Brothers Tournament, snacks, and other games to play!

Ages 12- High School

This Friday, November 22, 6:30-8:30pm, come to the library after we close for a special edition of After Hours!

To celebrate the release of the second Hunger Games movie, we'll be showing the first movie, have a special craft available, and have our usual video game tournament! As always, snacks will be provided!

Guess what's coming up on Friday? After Hours!

Join us here at the library on Friday, March 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. We'll have video games, board games, snacks, and more! See you there!

This Friday: Come in costume to After Hours!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun. Come for an evening of Internet gaming, board games, and Super Smash Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided. Ages 12 and up.

Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this program. No exceptions will be made.

N.B. For Halloween, there will be a costume contest, so coming in costume is highly encouraged!

Friday's Halo II After Hours took a different turn, since all the guys who got XBox 360's for Christmas decided to play Gears instead of Halo, while the regular XBox boys were still playing Halo, and, by the end of the night it seemed that everybody was playing something completely different! The guys in the back were even playing online demos. So from now on, at least until something else changes, we're changing the name to XBox After Hours. (I think we're all just waiting for the release of Halo III.)

Even more interesting was that Kelly and Rick from Riverside stopped by, and we all figured out how it's going to work when, next month, we network our library with theirs and Brookfield and Riverside do battle online. Thanks to my good friends Brian and Rick for their expertise in working out the technical details, and especially to Rick for his enthusiasm!

Alex Awards 2023 Winners

What Are the Alex Awards?

• The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18, and given by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).
• The Alex Awards were first given annually beginning in 1998 and became an official ALA award in 2002.
• The Alex Awards are given annually and were announced during ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 27 – 30, 2023 in New Orleans.

Check out the 2023 Alex Award winners:

• A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, by Sophie Irwin, published by Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House (9780593491348)
• Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution, by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins (9780063021426)
• Chef’s Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine, published by Oni Press, an imprint of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group (9781620109045)
• Daughter of the Moon Goddess, by Sue Lynn Tan, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins (9780063031302)
• I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy, published by Simon & Schuster (9781982185824)
• Solito: A Memoir, by Javier Zamora, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House (9780593498064)
• The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere., written and illustrated by James Spooner, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins (9780358659112)
• The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan (9780765389121)
• True Biz, by Sara Nović, published by Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House (9780593241509)
• Wash Day Diaries, by Jamila Rowser, illustrated by Robyn Smith, published by Chronicle Books (9781797205458)

Check out the past Alex Award winners at: https://www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards

Like Pocky? Like Anime and Manga? Join the AniManga Club on Monday, December 7 from 4:00-5:30 pm for a new Anime movie or series and Japanese snacks! Ages 11-16.

Like Pocky? Like Anime and Manga? Join the AniManga Club on Monday, January 4 from 4:00-5:30 pm for a new Anime movie or series and Japanese snacks! Ages 11-16.

Come to AniManga Club next Monday at 4 p.m. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 7-9 and eating lots of Pocky!

Animanga Club is meeting on Monday, January 2, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Join us for Pocky, other snacks, and more episodes of Ouran High School Host Club!

Our next AniManga Club is on Monday, January 16, from 4-5:30 p.m. Join us for snacks (including Pocky), and Ouron High School Host Club!

Come to Animanga Club on Monday, November 17 @ 4:00 p.m. for Pocky, other snacks, and Fairy Tail!

Animanga Club members, we are watching more of Ouran High School Host Club on Monday! We'll be starting with episode 3 since we watched the first two episodes last time.

Come on over and join us, Monday, May 5, 4:00-5:30 p.m. here at the library! Yes, there will be Pocky!

Join us on Monday, April 2 at 4:00 for AniManga Club, where we'll eat snacks and watch Kiki's Delivery Service! See you then!

Ages 11- High School.

Our next AniManga Club is on Monday, October 16th, from 4:00-5:30 p.m.! We’ll have Hunter x Hunter and One Punch Man as options to watch. And, as usual, pocky and snacks! Ages 11-high school.

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 53-55 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 53-55 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog and Naruto Shippuden and eating lots of Pocky!

The next meeting of the AniManga Club will be this Monday, May 5th, from 4-6 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Scarred Man of the East. See ya there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, July 21st, from 4-6pm! We'll be watching Azumanga Daioh and munching on Pocky!

The next meeting of the AniManga Club will be this Monday, June 16th, from 4-6 pm. We'll be watching episodes 5 and 6 and any we have time for from What Becomes of Snow.

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, October 20th at 4pm! We'll be watching Tsubasa Vol. 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to the next meeting of AniManga Club this Monday, August 4th! We'll be watching episodes 5-8 of Bleach and eating Pocky. See ya there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, September 15th, from 4-6 pm! We'll be watching Mushi-Shi Vol. 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to this Monday's AniManga Club from 4-6pm! We'll be watching more episodes of Bleach and eating Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, October 6th, from 4-6 pm! We'll be watching Mushi-Shi Vol. 2 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching a little of this and a little of that: Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, and Sgt. Frog. See you there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Season One, Part Two and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Naruto Shippuden: Volume 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to the Library this Monday for AniManga Club. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Episodes 8-10 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, April 20th, at 4pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: The Fall of Ishbal and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 PM. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 40-42 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episodes 9-12 and eating lots of Pocky! We’ll also talk about the earthquake and tsunamis that have devastated Japan and what we as anime fans can do to help.

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Spiral: Shooting Fallen Stars and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Bleach: Episodes 31-34 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 9-12 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Reunion on Yock Island and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 1-3 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching InuYasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 56-58 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching DN Angel: The Dawn of Dark and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 14-16 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, December 1st, at 4pm. We'll be watching Bleach: Memories of Nobody and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Tsubasa: Spectres of Legend and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episode 13 and D. Gray-man: Episodes 11 & 12 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: The Altar of Stone and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Naruto the Movie: Shippuden and watching lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, February 16th, at 4pm. We'll be watching Bleach Vol. 4: The Substitute and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to the Library this Monday for the AniManga Club Variety Show! We'll be watching Soul Eater, Sgt. Frog, and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Bleach: Episodes 35-38 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Part I: Episodes 5-8 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday from 4-5:30 pm. We'll be watching Death Note Vol. 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 23-25 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching D. Gray-man: Episodes 1-4 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 p.m. We'll be watching Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 p.m. We'll be watching Lucky Star Vol. 4 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, January 19th at 4pm! We'll be watching Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 20-22 and eating lots of Pocky!

Ring in the New Year with AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Bleach: The Entry and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 17-19 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 21-23 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching InuYasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Spiral: The Melody of Logic and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Ouran High School Host Club and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Captured Souls and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: The Cost of Living and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Spiral: Sharpening Wit and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog and D. Gray-man and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Episodes 13-16 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Sgt. Frog and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Spiral: Disarming Fate and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, March 16th, at 4pm! We'll be watching InuYasha: Affections Touching Across Time and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to the Library this Monday for AniManga Club. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Episodes 5-7 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching D. Gray-man: Episodes 8-10 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episodes 9-12 and eating lots of Pocky! We’ll also talk about the earthquake and tsunamis that have devastated Japan and what we as anime fans can do to help.

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, March 2nd at 4pm! We'll be watching Bleach Vol. 5: The Substitute and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to the Library this Monday for AniManga Club. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Episodes 2-4 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching D. Gray-man: Episodes 5-7 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Lucky Star Volume 5 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 17-20 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm! We'll be watching Black Cat Vol. 1: The Cat Out of the Bag and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, May 19th, from 4-6 pm to watch Bleach: Volume 1 and eat Pocky. See ya there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog and Gurren Lagann and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Shakugan No Shana Vol. 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Black Cat: A Cat's Tale and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Lucky Star Volume 3 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Naruto the Movie 3 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday, November 17th at 4pm. We'll be watching episodes 7-9 of Tsubasa and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 p.m. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 10-12 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Naruto Shippuden Volume 2 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Bleach the Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebellion and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog Season Two: Episodes 30-32 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 p.m. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog: Episodes 62 - 64 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog Season Two: Episodes 27-30 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Lucky Star Vol. 2 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Bleach Vol. 7 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Episodes 20-23 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Lucky Star Volume 1 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Black Cat Vol. 3 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 PM. We'll be watching Soul Eater: Episodes 4-6 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Tsubasa Vol. 4: Between Death and Danger and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Black Cat Vol. 2 and eating lots of Pocky!

Don't forget: today is AniManga Club from 4-6 pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist: The Curse. See you there!

AniManga Club is on Monday, January 6, from 4:00-5:30pm! We will be finishing the movie Princess Mononoke, eating snacks (including pocky!), and just hanging out! Come on out and join us!

Animanga club is on Monday, November 18 @ 4:00! We will finish watching the movie "Spirited Away".

Ready for Animanga Club? It's this Monday, August 19 at 4:00 in the Meeting Room (downstairs)!

Join us for friends, Pocky, and Anime!

Don't forget, Animanga Club is meeting on Monday, Ocrober 21!

We will watch the next part of Hayao Miyazaki's film, Castle in the Sky.

Come to AniManga Club on Monday, June 1 at 4:00 p.m.! We'll have snacks (including Pocky!) and watch awesome Anime!

Also, since it is now Summer, we will be down in the Meeting Room! See you there!

Our next AniManga Club is on Monday, February 19 from 4:00--5:30 p.m. Come on in for Pocky, snacks, and Anime! We have a variety of options to choose from including the last episode of Flying Witch and Spirited Away. Ages 11-high school.

Come to our next AniManga Club, where we will finish watching Howl's Moving Castle (which we started at April 16th's AniManga Club).

Monday, May 7, 4:00 p.m. Snacks will be served; see you there!

Ages 11-high school.

Our next AniManga Club will be on Monday, June 5 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.! Join us for Pocky, anime, and other snacks! 

During summer, we meet downstairs in the meeting room. See you there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog Season Two: Episodes 33-35 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4 pm. We'll be watching Sgt. Frog Season Two: Episodes 33-35 and eating lots of Pocky!

Don't forget to come to the library on Monday afternoon for AniManga Club! We'll be watching more of Fullmetal Alchemist and eating some tasty tasty Pocky!

Don't forget to sign up in Youth Services for the AniManga Drawing class this Saturday, April 19th, at 2pm, where you'll learn to draw your own anime and manga. We'll also have the Media Swap going on from 1-4 pm. Bring all your unwanted stuff and trade it for new stuff, play some Guitar Hero, and munch on some snacks!

Wanna learn how to create your own anime & manga characters from a professional? Come to the AniManga Drawing Class this Saturday, September 20th, from 2-3 pm! Registration in person is required, and the class fee is $10. See ya there!

Wanna learn how to create your own anime & manga characters from a professional? Come to the AniManga Drawing Class this Saturday, November 15th, from 2-3 pm! Registration in person is required, and the class fee is $10. See ya there!

Wednesday! AniManga meets on Wednesday (Dec. 6) this week only, to watch Case Closed, eat, and find out what free stuff we got from Operation Anime this month. (I had a schedule conflict this week and decided it was better to reschedule than to cancel.) See you there!

Our next AniManga Club Meeting is on Monday, March 6, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Come for Pocky, Anime, and other snacks!

Our next AniManga Club is happening on Monday, August 21 at 4:00 p.m. Join us for Anime and snacks, including Pocky! Ages 11-high school.

Our next AniManga Club meets on Monday, September 18th from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Join us for Anime and Pocky! Ages 11-high school.

Our next Animanga Club is on Monday, July 3 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. See you there!

Join us at the next Anime Club, Monday, October 7 at 4 p.m.! We'll be watching The Cat Returns, and eating our usual snacks and Pocky!

Ages 11-High School

Anime Club meets again on Monday, August 19, at 4 p.m.

We will finish watching the movie Howl's Moving Castle, which is an Anime Club favorite!

Snacks provided, ages 11-High School.

Our next Anime Club meeting will be on Monday, November 4, at 4 p.m.

Join us for snacks (including Pocky!) and a few episodes of Bleach.

Ages 11-High School

Our next Anime Club meeting will be on Monday, November 4 at 4 p.m. As requested, we we watch the first part of Spirited Away!

Snacks are provided, ages 11-High School.

Come to Anime Club on Monday, March 4 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.! Watch anime, eat pocky and drink some green tea, and win prizes! Ages 11-high school.

Join us on Monday, December 3 at 4:00 p.m. for Anime Club! We'll have snacks (including Pocky!) and start watching Ouran High School Host Club. Ages 11-high school.

Join us on Monday, February 4 at 4:00 p.m. for Anime Club, where we will watch Ponyo, and enjoy some Pocky and other snacks! Ages 11-High School.

Our next Anime Club meeting is on Monday, March 18 at 4:00 p.m. We will have pocky, tea, and continue watching Hunter X Hunter!! See you there! Ages 11- high school

Come watch the anime classic Nausicaa and eat lots of Pocky! This Monday, November 12th @ 6:15 p.m.

Join us for the Anti-Valentine's Day Movie Night: Never Been Kissed on Monday, February 11 @ 6:15 PM. Watch a late 90s classic set in Chicago and decorate Anti-Valentine's Day cookies!

Written by Grace W. 

April is Earth Month. This month is a great time to learn more about your impacts on the environment. A great way to do this is to join us on Wednesday April 12 for "Leave No Trace for Teens". Leave No Trace is a set of 7 principles that help people minimize their impacts in the outdoors. At this event we will be playing games including trash timeline, will you make it?, and the pet peeve game. These games will help you learn more about the Leave No Trace principles so you can enjoy the outdoors responsibly. 

Register here for Leave No Trace for Teens https://brookfield.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=28586&backTo=Calendar&startDate=2023/04/05

In addition to joining us for this event there are many other ways you can celebrate Earth Month. Below are a few ideas of things you can do to celebrate. 

1. Create a list of Earth Day resolutions. These can be short or long term goals you set for yourself. 

2. Go for a bike ride or hike and enjoy the great outdoors. While you are out, bring a bag with you and collect any trash you find. 

3. Put some re-useable bags in your car, backpack, purse, etc. so you can avoid single use plastic bags. 

4. Calculate your carbon footprint and brainstorm ways to reduce it https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator1.html

5. When you get takeout, ask the restaurant to skip the plastic silverware and use utensils from home. You can also carry a set of silverware in your backpack or purse, so you are always prepared and can avoid single use plastic. 

Get ready this April for some new YA releases! Check out the list below to see what books are being most talked about this month even before they’re released. 

When You Wish Upon a Star 

Elizabeth Lim

Available Now!

Perfect for fans of twisted fairy tales based on Disney classics, especially Pinocchio.

Not Here To Stay Friends

Kaitlyn Hill

Available Now!

Do you like the Bachelor and romantic-comedies like Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales? Try this book out!

The Lake House

Sarah Beth Durst

Available April 25th!

Like horror mysteries with the added touch of a summer camp setting? This may be the book for you.

Spell Bound

F.T. Lukens

Available Now!

Incredible world-building, comedic romps, and fantastic character development, make this book a great spring book!

A Hunger of Thorns

Lili Wilkinson

Available April 18th!

Can one storytelling witch find her missing childhood friend in the ruins of the mysterious abandoned power plant? Who knows, but every good story is sure to have some monsters! 

Divine Rivals

Rebecca Ross

Available Now! 

Looking for an enemies-to-lovers kind of read this month? This book has a war among gods going on while two rival journalists try to find love through a magical connection.

Silver in the Bone

Alexandra Bracken

Available Now!

Love Arthurian legends fueled by love, revenge, and just plain adrenaline? This is the perfect book for fans looking for some retelling mythology!

Blood Debts

Terry J. Benton-Walker

Available Now!

In this contemporary fantasy debut, magical twins must reverse an intergenerational curse and overcome deadly political drama in their city of New Orleans. 

Check them out in our SWAN catalog once they’re available!

Bust out your creative side and make your own masterpiece with art teacher Gina DeVeno. This program is limited to 15 participants; please register online, over the phone or in person. Ages 10 - high school.

We feel a need for MORE YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMS at the library, and we have a lot of ideas, but we need to know what YOU want to do here! So, as always, when in doubt,we take a survey! Click on this sentence, take the survey, and help us plan our next move!

Join us this Saturday, May 2 @ 1:00 p.m. for a special BROOKFIELD READS! Author event! James Klise, the author of The Art of Secrets will be here to give a talk, answer questions, and sign copies of his book! This is an event not to miss!

Snacks and books will be provided.

If you haven't already taken our Red Cross Babysitting Class, there are just a few spaces left in our upcoming January classes. Learn child care skills, business basics, and improve your confidence like you wouldn't believe. It costs $30 and that includes your babysitting handbook, some supplies, and a cool totebag to carry them around in. You'll look so official! CALL US if you're interested, and we'll give you all the info.

Our next Red Cross Babysitting classes have been scheduled to coincide with your school’s spring vacations. They will be held from 1:00 until 5:00 on Monday and Tuesday, March 27th and 28th (for kids in Districts 95, 96, and 102) and on Monday and Tuesday, April 17th and 18th (for kids in District 103, St. Barbara, St. Louise, and St. Paul). They are open to anyone age 11 - 15, the price is $30, and you have to register in person. Give us a call if you need more information.

We have another BFYAC meeting on February 27. I’ll be calling everyone in the next 2 days to see if you can make it. If you haven’t come to one of our meetings before and are interested, call me at 485-6917 and let me know you’re coming so I can have enough food. We’ll look at the results from the survey, and talk about upcoming plans for a jewelry making class and our new Ani-Manga Club, and I have a few little things to give away. Think of a number between 1 and 10! See you there!

Our babysitting classes scheduled for January (see below) are both full now, but we are taking names for a waiting list and MIGHT run a third class this month. So call us if you are still interested, and get on the list. Whenever the next class is, we will call the people on the list first and give them a chance to register before we open registration to the public.

By: Grace W. 

Get ready to go back to school with these top tips!

Get organized

This includes your locker, your planner, and your backpack. Start the year off right with clean spaces. When you don’t have to spend time looking for assignments and figuring out their due dates, you can get them done a lot faster.

Establish a Morning Routine

This might sound silly, but it is important to know how long it takes to get dressed, eat breakfast, and get out the door. It’s not a good feeling to be scrambling out the door and hopping in the car with an empty stomach. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get ready, so you can start your day on a positive note.

Get involved

A new school year is the perfect time to try a new activity. Joining sports teams and clubs is a great way to meet new friends and learn new things. Take a chance and try something new this year.

Find ways to relax

Before you know it, your schedule is going to fill up and you might start to get stressed. In order to avoid high stress levels, make sure you build some stress relief activities into your schedule. Whether it be doing yoga, listening to music, coloring, or reading a book, have some stress relief tactics in place for when you need them. 

Declutter your room

It’s always nice to come home to clean room. When your space is clean, it helps you to have a clear head. It is also beneficial to have a clean closet, so you can get dressed quickly in the morning. Take some time to clean up your room so you can think clearly and find what you need.

Show off your talent at the Village of Brookfield's Battle of the Bands, Sunday, May 17th, 12-6 pm! Bands need to apply by March 27th. For more info call 708-485-1528 or go to the village's website. Applications are available at the Youth Services desk at the library - stop by and pick one up!

By: Grace W. 

If you are looking for something to read over winter break, check out one of the Goodreads Best YA Fiction Books of 2020.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (YA FIC ACEVEDO, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

Sisters Camino and Yaharia have no idea the other exists, until their father dies in a plane crash and they meet for the first time. This is a novel about love, loss, identity, and family.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (YA FIC JACKSON, also available on Overdrive and Axis 360)

This crime thriller follows Pippa as she investigates a closed, local murder case. Someone does not want her meddling with the past, but Pippa is determined to get to the bottom of things.  If you are looking for a book with a lot of twists and turns, give this a try.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 audiobook

One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus (YA FIC MCMANUS, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

This is the sequel to the New York Times bestseller One of Us Is Lying. In the latest addition to the series, there is a new mystery to solve at Bayview High and a whole new set of rules as a mysterious game of truth or dare begins.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 audiobook 

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender (YA FIC CALLENDER, also available on Overdrive)

This novel follows Felix as he tries to find out who is behind a traumatizing transphobic act while he also navigates complicated feelings and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. This story includes themes of identity, finding love, and recognizing the love you deserve.

Overdrive e-book 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (YA FIC JOHNSON, also available on Hoopla, Axis 360, and Overdrive)

In order to afford the college of her dreams, Liz finds herself trying to win the title of prom queen, and the scholarship that comes along with it. While running for prom queen is the last thing Liz wants to do, she is willing to try whatever it takes to get out of her small town.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book

Check out some of the other categories of the Goodreads Choice Awards for more book recommendations.

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2020

By: Grace W.

Here are 5 more book recommendations from the Goodreads list of Best YA Fiction Books of 2020.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (available on Overdrive)

Avery finds out that she has inherited a billionaire’s fortune after he has passed away. In order to receive the inheritance, she must move into his mansion filled with puzzles, riddles, and codes. If you are looking for a thrilling read, give this book a try.

Overdrive e-book 

The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson (available on Hoopla, Overdrive, and Axis 360)

In the third and final book in the Truly Devious series, author Maureen Johnson manages to wrap things up while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Read this book to find out if Stevie has finally cracked the case of who Truly Devious really is.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book  

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (YA FIC LORD, also available on Overdrive and Axis 360)

In this rom-com style novel, characters Pepper and Jack find themselves in a twitter war where they must defend their rival family restaurants. The book has romance, comedy, and themes of family pressure and growing up.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 audiobook 

The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper (YA FIC STAMPER, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

After Cal’s father gets chosen for a NASA mission to Mars, he has to move from Brooklyn to Houston and adjust to living on base. This story follows Cal as he grapples with family struggles, love, and social media.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book 

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (YA FIC JACKSON, also available on Overdrive)

This mystery novel follows singer Enchanted Jones.  After she meets the legendary R & B singer Korey Fields at an audition, she later wakes up with blood on her hands and no memory of the previous night.

Overdrive e-book 

Check out some of the other categories of the Goodreads choice awards for more book recommendations.

https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2020

Come to Beyond Reality this Monday at 4pm and indulge your tech side! Find out how to make your own games & electronic art & play some Wii.

Come to Beyond Reality this Monday at 4pm! You can indulge your tech side and find out how to create your own games and electronic art and play some Wii. Ages 11 & up. See you there!

Indulge your tech side with our new Monday YA program! We'll make our own movies & computer games & play some Wii. 3:30-5 pm.

Come to Beyond Reality this Monday at 3:30 pm! We'll be making movies and playing some Wii.

Come to our new young adult program Beyond Reality this Monday at 3:30 pm! We'll play some Wii & make our own computer games!

By: Grace W. 

6 Book Suggestions

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (YA FIC ATTA, also available on Overdrive)

This book follows Michael, a mixed race, gay teen, as he enters the Drag Society and begins his journey as a drag artist called the Black Flamingo. In this novel, Michael explores the layers of his identity and embraces his uniqueness.

Overdrive e-book

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith (YA FIC SMITH, also available on Hoopla and Overdrive)

Ida Mae Jones dreams of flying. When World War 2 begins, Ida tries to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), but they won’t accept her because she is black. This novel tells the story of how Ida pretended to be white to get accepted into the program and follow her dreams, while dealing with the burdens of hiding her racial heritage and denying her family.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

American Street by Ibi Aanu Zoboi  (YA FIC ZOBOI, also available on Hoopla and Overdrive)

When Fabiola leaves, Haiti she must navigate her new life in Detroit with her cousins after her mother gets detained by U.S. immigration. Once Fabiola begins to gain her footing in her new home, she is faced with a dangerous proposition that makes her realize freedom comes at a cost.

Overdrive e-book 

Hoopla e-book

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip M. Hoose (NEWBERRY YA B COLVIN HOO)

Philip Hoose presents an in-depth account of an important civil rights figure in this novel.  This book provides details of Colvin’s Montgomery bus boycott and involvement with the landmark court case Browder V. Gayle, which struck down segregation laws in Montgomery.

In the Shadow of Liberty: the Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by Kenneth C. Davis (YA 306.362, also available on Overdrive and Access 360)

This book provides an examination of American slavery through stories from five enslaved people who were considered property of some of the most well-known presidents. These stories help us learn about people who were essential to the birth of the nation, but have traditionally been left out of history books.

Overdrive audiobook  

Access 360 audiobook  

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Aanu Zoboi (ABRAHAM LINCOLN YA FICTION BLACK, also available on Hoopla, Overdrive, and Access 360)

This collection of short stories explores what it’s like to be young and black in America. This book emphasizes that one person’s experiences, reality, and personal identity are different than someone else’s.

Hoopla e-book 

Overdrive e-book 

Access 360 e-book  

The AniManga Club re-convenes on Monday the 8th at 4:00 to watch the first 3 or 4 episodes of Bleach, which we're borrowing from Sarah U. for a couple of hours. Thanks, Sarah! We'll have the usual snacks, drinks, etc. It will be great to see everyone again!

The best book I read last week was Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher, about the daughter of a Persian prince who is exiled from her home, living in a cave, when her little brother starts having prophetic dreams. An old woman living near by sells them to a magus whose caravan is passing through town, headed for Jerusalem because of some strange movements in the stars...By the end I was weeping openly. It's a good thing there was no one around to see me! It's in the New YA Fiction section, and I hope I'm not the only one who reads it, because it was really wonderful.

Did you know that the library has board games and coloring sheets available for tween and teen use? Just ask at the information desk! Coloring sheets, colored pencils and crayons, sharpies, as well as several board games are just waiting to be used by you! For board games, all we require is that you leave a library card with us while you borrow the games. All games are for in-library use only.

Earthling! by Mark Fearing and Tim Rummel

This graphic novel is about a nine year old boy named Bud. Bud’s dad moves them to a new deserted town so that he can work a new job. They live in an old house around hundreds of huge satellite dishes. Bus is not thrilled. The next morning after moving in he starts his first day of school. But on accident he gets on the wrong bus. This bus is filled with aliens, he is going to a space academy. He meets a friend Gort who helps him along the way. The real question is if they will figure out who he really is and how to get him back. Along the way he makes new friends and goes through struggles trying to not blow his cover. This book is a definite science fiction novel, has wonderful illustrations and has a coming of age theme. Hidden behind the apparent problem of getting home, Bud deals with struggling to fit in. This can almost be seen as a metaphor for how some kids feel on their first day of school. They feel like an outsider and almost want to hide. Bud makes friends with the kids who aren’t seen as athletic or popular, like him. I definitely recommend this book to kids and teens. It is a good quick story to read and has a lot of space humor. We get to see how aliens live their lives as kids. 5/5

Review by AHL

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

Little and lion is a novel that gives the reader an inside look on Suzette or Suz, a 16 year old girl who lives in California’s life. Suzette comes home from her boarding school to stay with her family for the summer. She lives with her recently diagnosed bipolar brother Lionel or Lion, her step-dad Saul and her mom. Lion and Suzette are basically inceprable [sic] till things start to change and secrets are revealed. While all of this is going on, Suzette deals with a boycrush and starting to feel attraction to girls as well. But there’s one major problem: Suzette and Lion have feelings for the same girl. This book is a black hole of love and confusion as Suzette struggles with her sexuality and a brother who needs help. This book covers many topics that teens struggle with including mental illness, sexuality, gender, drugs, alcohol, and more. This book was something different to read. As it is Pride Month, I decided to start a different book. It was a mix of highs and lows, but came together to form an awesome book. I definitely recommend this book but be aware that it is for an older age group. 5/5

Review by AHL

Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea by Sungju Lee

About a boy and how he has to survive in North Korea. I liked it because I couldn't put it down because of all the action and suspense. (Review by Alex T.)

One by Sarah Crossan

This book was about two sisters who were conjoined by the hip. They meet friends with health problems too, such as HIV. They are put on T.V. to let the public know about their life. That is until they have the choice to be separated. (Review by Zaina A.)

Yesterday the Teen Advisory Board created a book trailer for the book The Night She Disappeared by April Henry! Check it out here!

Happy Teen Tech Week! The fun continues tomorrow with our teen 3-D printing class, Maker Madness!

Don't forget to sign up for Spring Reading: BROOKFIELD READS!

The YA pick is The Art of Secrets by James Klise, and James Klise himself will be visiting Brookfield on May 2 @ 1:00 p.m.!

Stop by the library to sign up and get your book log, and don't forget that copies of The Art of Secrets will be given away at various events this spring! See you around!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Brookfield YA Poetry Contest! We received many great entries. Here are the four winners:

May

May dances
in with a
hush voice
It flutters
along with
the last of
April showers
with it floats
in the beautiful
fragrance of Spring
from the flowers.

Talented Boy

You're such a talented boy
What is there you can't do?
I know you succeed
At anything you set your mind to

And your long dainty fingers
Play on those ivory keys
A song for me
Such a sweet melody

And it's past midnight
We're dancing 'round the room
You're trying to teach those steps to me
But I'm watching you

My talented boy,
What did I do to deserve
A song written for me on piano
You losing your sleep to teach me some moves

You're my talented boy, but I can't do anything
You say my smile is enough for you
I feel so helpless, but you stay true
Because you want to be my talented boy

October

October candy
with tootsie rolls and snickers
fall leaves blow
on cold crisp sidewalks
tip toe tip toe
spooks and goblins
say trick or treat
On Halloween night

Untitled

Once on a yellow paper with green lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Chopo"
because that was the name of his dog
and that's what it was all about
and his teacher gave him an A
and a gold star
And his mother hung it on the kitchen door
and read it to his aunts
That was the year Father Tracy took all the kids to the zoo
And he let them sing on the bus
And his little sister was born
with tiny toenails and no hair
And his mother and father kissed a lot
And the girl around the corner sent him a
Valentine signed with a row of X's
and he had to ask his father what the X's meant
And his father always tucked him in bed
And he was always there
to do it

Once on a white paper with blue lines
he wrote a poem
and he called it "Autumn"
because that was the name of the season
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
And asked him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because of the new paint
And the kids told him
That Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left the butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year his sister got glasses
with thick lenses and black frames
And the girl around the corner laughed
when he asked her to go see Santa Claus
and the kids told him why
his mother and father kissed a lot
And his father never tucked him into bed
And his father got mad
when he cried for him to do it

Once on a paper torn from his notebook
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Innocence: A Question"
because that was the question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his professor gave him an A
and a strange steady look
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because he never showed her
That was the year Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end
of the Apostle's Creed went
And he caught his sister
making out on the back porch
And his mother and father never kissed
or even talked
And the girl around the corner
wore too much make up
That made him cough when he kissed her
but he kissed her anyway
because that was the thing to do
And at three a.m. he tucked himself into bed
his father snoring loudly

That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
because that's what it was all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each cursed wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time
he didn't think he could reach the kitchen.

Check out one of these eco-minded reads and find out how you can go green!

California Blue by David Klass

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

Generation Green: the Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Silversten

The Omnivore's Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat by Michael Pollan

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Skullduggery by Pete Hautman & Mary Logue

They Came From Below by Blake Nelson

The Weirdo by Theodore Taylor

Work in a country club this summer! Larry Regan, a registered Boy Scout golf merit badge instructor and long-time caddy, presents a free three-evening class for prospective caddies. Mr. Regan will teach the students the rules and strategies of the game, as well as etiquette of caddying, for the benefit of boys and girls looking for summer employment as caddies. The class is limited to 30 students from seventh grade to college age. Register online, or call the Youth Services Department for more information.

This past Friday, March 11th, Japan was devastated by one of the most massive earthquakes ever recorded. Thousands of people have died, and countless others are injured and need water, food, and shelter. The Red Cross is mobilizing assistance and has established a relief fund to help the victims, as is Save the Children, as well as many other organizations. At the Brookfield YA's next AniManga Club meeting we'll talk about what we can do to help.

Are you going into 6th grade in the Fall? (You can be older, too.) Do you need service hours for school or confirmation? Do you enjoy helping out at the Library? Then we need YOU! The Youth Services Department is seeking youth volunteers to help out with our Summer Reading Programs. Stop by the Information Desk to fill out an application and be sure to mark your calendars for the REQUIRED meeting for all volunteers on Friday, June 10, at 4 p.m. If you absolutely can't make the meeting, you MUST contact Kim Krueger at 708-485-6917, extension 141 to set up a private meeting.

This week's Anime will be another exciting episode or two (probably three) of Case Closed, featuring something called a mist goblin. One truth prevails! Come by on Monday, Dec. 4 at 4:00 and enjoy. AND/OR, come to a very special holiday Get Wired on Tuesday, Dec. 12, and Suzanne will help you make festive jewelry for all the people on your gift list. Or just make something really pretty for yourself. It starts at 6:30. Since space is limited and this will probably be our last Get Wired!, be sure to sign up for it at the Youth Services desk.

The book I'm telling everybody to read lately is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne. I read it last weekend. It's a holocaust story. The ending will stay with you for weeks. We have it on the New Young Adult fiction shelf.

The AniManga Club meets this Monday, the 23rd, at 4:00. It'll be different this time since Chrissy will be running it (I have to go to a meeting) and we'll be crammed into the Conference Room, but we're watching the first few episodes of Case Closed, so, if you've ever wondered how that little kid detective got that way, this is your chance to find out. We'll have some new giveaways and a new survey from Operation Anime, and lots of rice cakes.

Be there!

By: Grace W. 

5 Book Recommendations

Dear Martin by Nic Stone (ABRAHAM LINCOLN YA FIC STONE, also available on Overdrive)

As teen Justyce McAllister struggles with the reality of race relations today, he looks to Martin Luther King Jr. for guidance. He starts a journal to Dr. King as he looks to his teachings to see if they hold true to today.

Overdrive audiobook 

Just Mercy: Adapted for young adults by Bryan Stevenson (YA 353.48 STE)

In this novel Bryan Stevenson reflects of his work as a lawyer and delves into many of the challenges he faced in his work. He shares stories about how he has worked to protect the rights of the poor, wrongly convicted, and those facing marginalization and discrimination.

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom by Lynda Blackman Lowery (YA 323.1196 LOW, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

This book shares the story of Lynda Blackman Lowery, who was the youngest person to participate in the march from Selma to Montgomery. She shares her experiences about her imprisonments, nonviolent demonstrations, and how it felt to be a part of historic Civil Rights events.

Overdrive audiobook 

Axis 360 e- book

Chasing King’s Killer by James L. Swanson (YA 323.092 SWA)

Swanson transports readers back in time to one of the most shocking and sad events in U.S. history. The author provides information about the history of the time, the assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the aftermath in this book.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

March by John Lewis (YA GN LEWIS, also available on Hoopla and overdrive)

This graphic novel provides a first-hand account of Congressman John Lewis’ lifelong fight for civil and human rights. In book one of his series, he reflects on his youth, his life-changing meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and the battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins. After you finish this book, you can check out book 2 and 3 in the series.

Hoopla Book 1 e-book 

Overdrive Book 1 e-book 

Late Night at the Library, this Friday, March 27th, from 6:30-9 pm!

Young adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of Wii, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways.

See ya there!

Late Night at the Library!

Come to Late Night at the Library this Friday, June 26th, from 6:30-9 pm! Unlimited Internet, Wii, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, & snacks! Ages 12 & up.

April 16th is Support Teen Literature Day! Support Teen Literature Day is a day of recognition of young adult books within the larger celebration of National Library Week (going on all this week). There are tons of fabulous and prize-winning young adult books out there, and more being created all the time. Come to the library, read a book, and celebrate!

Today is Support Teen Literature Day, a day of recognition of young adult books within the larger celebration of National Library Week. There are tons of amazing and prize-winning books out there, and more being created all the time. Check one out today!

Also announced today by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) were the Teens' Top Ten 2011 nominees, a "teen choice" list where teens nominated their most-loved books from the previous year. Vote for your favorites starting August 22nd!

Teen Read Week is here! This year's theme is Read Beyond Reality @ Your Library, and there are many ways to celebrate:

Read a book that takes you beyond reality. Check out the young adult bookshelf for suggestions!

Enter the Brookfield Public Library's Teen Read Week Bookmark Contest! Create a bookmark using the Read Beyond Reality @ Your Library theme and get a chance to win a Borders gift card. Entries are due by the last day of Teen Read Week, October 24th. Entry forms may be picked up at the Youth Services desk or you can download an electronic version here.

Check out who won the Teens' Top Ten by watching the World Wrestling Entertainment's webcast announcing the winners.

Vote for the 2010 Teen Read Week theme here. The winning theme will be announced in December.

Happy reading!

In honor of the Teen Read Week theme of Books With Bite @ Your Library, we're celebrating with food! Come to our monthly It's Bizarre ... program on Monday, October 13th at 4pm for a candy tasting. Test your candy knowledge with our candy quiz! You can also enter our bookmark contest and be in the running for a gift certificate. (Pick up entry forms for both the candy quiz and the bookmark contest at the Youth Services desk.) Last but not least, vote for your favorite books on the Teens' Top Ten list!

Come to the Saturday Movie Marathon this Saturday, December 4th, from 12 to 4 pm. We'll be watching Elf and Unaccompanied Minors. Come for movies, snacks, and to make your own holiday graham cracker gingerbread house!

By: Grace W. 

Did you know you can access magazines digitally? If you have not already, you should definitely download the Flipster app. After you login in with your Brookfield library card, you can read all kinds of different magazines.

8 Flipster Magazine Recommendations

J-14

If you like to keep updated on celebrities, this is the magazine for you. Download a copy of this magazine to stay up to date on all of the latest news about your favorite actors and musicians, while also enjoying some fun quizzes and fashion tips.

Girls’ Life

This is a great magazine for teens interested in advice about all the important stuff; school, friends, family, crushes, and more. You will also get fashion, beauty, and fitness tips as well as celebrity interviews in each edition.

National Geographic

If you are interested in cultural, social, and environmental changes happening around the world, this is the magazine for you. Each issue will help you gain a wider world view, while also providing beautiful images from around the world.

National Geographic Traveler

If you love to travel, take a look at this magazine to view breathtaking photos, read reviews from travel pros, and escape to beautiful places.

Food Network

If you love to cook and bake, you should definitely check out this magazine. You will find hundreds of recipes and lots of inspiration to get into the kitchen.

HGTV

Get some decorating tips and inspiration by flipping through this magazine. If you love watching home improvement and house hunting shows, you should give this a try.

Macworld

If you love technology, especially Apple, this is a great place to read about the latest developments. Read reviews, tips, and analyses of the latest apple products.

Official Xbox

If you love to play video games, you should check out this magazine for all the latest news. Read reviews of the newest games and celebrate old favorites.

The Michael L. Printz Award winner and honorees have been announced! The winner is In Darkness by Nick Lake, and the honorees are Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Dodger by Terry Pratchett, and The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna. The Printz Award is given annually by YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association. Check one out today!

Check out this video from February's Late Night at the Library!

Lots of movies were made at our first Movie Maker Madness last Friday! Check out Isabel's Movie and Where Candy is the Star of the Film. Don't forget to join us for our next movie making session!

By: Grace W. 

Background Info

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, has more than 4,000 years of history behind it. Celebrations have been taking place for thousands of years to usher out the old year and welcome good luck and prosperity into the New Year. Festivities often include firecrackers, fireworks, and red clothing and decorations. This holiday begins on the first of the lunar calendar with the new moon, which is Feb 12 for the year of 2021, and ends on the next full moon, Feb 26, with a lantern festival.

Year of the Ox

The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year repeating cycle of animal signs. Your birth year determines your Chinese Zodiac Sign. The animal for 2021 is the Ox so if you were born in 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, or 2009 this is your year. Contrary to what you might think, if it is the year of your Zodiac symbol you might actually be facing an unlucky year. In Chinese culture, your zodiac year is seen as a hurdle you must jump through. If your Zodiac symbol is the Ox, make sure you have a strong support system of friends and family to help you get through this year.

Taboos

It is tradition to wear new clothes to celebrate Chinese New Year. They are thought to protect you from evil spirits. The best color to wear is red as it is viewed as a lucky color. Black and white should be avoided because they are unlucky and negative according to Chinese New Year traditions. You should also avoid saying negative words during the holiday such as “death”, “sick”, “pain”, etc. so you don’t jinx yourself and bring bad luck to your family and friends. In addition, if you are giving anyone a gift for the holiday, you will want to avoid clocks. The Chinese character for clocks is a homophone for paying one’s last respects.

Find out what your Chinese Zodiac sign is here https://chinesenewyear.net/zodiac/

If you submitted art for Summer Reading that you would like back, you may come to the library to claim it! We are making room for Fall now!

Thanks so much to all the talented artists; we loved displaying your art all Summer!!

We are closed on Sunday, September 2 and Monday, September 3 for Labor day. We re-open on Tuesday, September 4 at 10:00 a.m.

All of our online resources will still be available during this time! You can still check out books, movies, magazines, and music from Overdrive, Hoopla, RB Digital, and Freegal- just click on "Downloads" on the side of our website for access!

Don't forget, the library is closed on Thursday, November 22 all day for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We resume regular hours on Friday, November 23 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Have a great Thanksgiving!

The library will be closed all day on July 4th.

All of our digital resources will still be available, and the library building will re-open on Friday, July 5 at 10 a.m.!

Don't forget that the library will be closed all day on Monday, December 24 for Christmas eve, and all day on Tuesday, December 25 for Christmas day!

All of the library's digital services will still be available, so you can check out e-books through Overdrive, listen to music or watch movies on Hoopla, download magazines through RB Digital Magazines, and more!

Hope that your winter breaks are filled with joy (and a nice long break from homework).

Please note that the library will be closed all day on Friday, December 6 for a staff development day. We will resume regular hours on Saturday, December 7 at 10 a.m.

Have a wonderful Friday!

The library will be closing at 6 p.m. today, January 29, 2019, and will be closed all day tomorrow, January 30, 2019, due to extreme cold.

Please be careful! From the weather.com website:

"Wind chills as low as 20 to 30 below expected today and as low as 50 to 55 below zero expected tonight through Thursday morning. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes. In addition, the gusty winds will result in areas of blowing snow in open areas this afternoon and tonight, which could result in significantly reduced visibility and hazardous travel."

Make sure you are wearing appropriate winter gear if you need to go out. As we are closing at 6 tonight, please make sure you have a ride home from the library by then if you are here after school.

All of our digital resources will still be available; tomorrow would be a good day to check out an ebook and curl up on the couch with plenty of blankets!

We're decorating a prom dress to be put on display in Youth Services! From Monday, May5th - Friday, May 9th, stop by the Youth Services desk and lend us your creativity!

We'll be watching Twilight this Monday, April 27th at 6:30 pm! Come for the cheesy popcorn, the chance to win Twilight prizes, and the most haunting love story ever.

Young Adults After Hours this Friday, October 23rd, 6:30-9 pm!

Young Adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of movies, Wii, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. See ya there!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm. We'll be watching Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 3 and eating lots of Pocky!

Come to AniManga Club this Monday at 4pm! We'll be watching Bleach: The Entry and eating lots of Pocky!

Are you a teen who wants to be more involved in the library? Join TAG - Teen Advisory Group! Give your input on programs, the new Library's teen space, books, and video games while hanging out with friends. We will be meeting on Zoom to discuss all things Library. You will receive instructions for signing into the event by email in your registration confirmation. Sign up for October's meeting here (10/18 at 4:00 PM)

Meet the new TAG leader

Hello Teens! There is going to be a new Brookfield Library team member taking over TAG. I wanted to use this space to introduce myself and tell you why I am excited about TAG. My name is Grace and I am the new Adult & Teen Services assistant. I am a North Riversider and RBHS graduate. I am new to the Brookfield library, but native to the area. I have always loved reading and participating in library programs, so being able to work in a library is truly a joy. Some of my favorite genres are YA and adult fiction, especially historical fiction. Some of my other interests include enjoying nature, playing with my family’s cats, and trying new recipes.

I am super excited to meet all of you at this week’s meeting and throughout future programs. I can’t wait to learn about your interests and programs you want to see. If you can’t make it to this week’s meeting, feel free to email me any ideas you have for future programs. [email protected]

Saturday, October 20, 10:30 a.m.- Practice ACT test. Take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment. A representative from C2 Education will come to the library and proctor a full ACT practice test. Grades 9-12. Please register ASAP!

Monday, October 22, 3:30 p.m.-  Teen Crafting & Coloring Club. We'll get out our craft supplies and coloring books for an afternoon and hanging out and letting your creative side take over! Ages 11-High School

Wednesday, October 24, 3:30 p.m. -Teen Homework Cafe. If you need a quiet place to work on homework, group school projects, or to study or read, join us for Homework Cafe! We'll have a quiet space as well as tea and snacks so that you can get stuff done! Ages 11-High School

See you there!

Hope you all can make it to some of our upcoming November events!

Monday, November 5, 4:00 p.m.- Anime Club: Come watch more episodes of Haikyu!! and enjoy snacks and Pocky! Ages 11-high school

Friday, November 9, 3:30 p.m.- Gamers' Paradise: Play on our Nintendo Switch, try out a board game, and enjoy lots of snacks with your friends after school! Ages 11-high school

Sunday, November 11, 1:00 p.m.- Quilting for a Cause: Learn to sew a quilt while gaining volunteer hours and doing something good! All completed quilts get donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Ages 8 and up, adults welcome, no experience required.

Monday, November 12, 3:30 p.m.- Teen Homework Cafe: Come to the library for tea, snacks, and a space to do your homework (or read, or work on another quiet project or activity). Ages 11-high school.

Here's some info on next week's teen events!!

Monday, November 26, 3:30-5:00 p.m. Teen Crafting & Coloring Club. Do a craft, color, or just come hang out with other teens in a relaxing environment. Ages 11-high school.

Wednesday, November 28, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Maker Madness. Use Tinkercad to design something cool; we will print it later on the 3D printer. Registration required; ages 10-high school.

Friday, November 30, 6:30-8:30 p.m. After Hours. Hang out in the library after we close to play video games, board games, and eat snacks! Ages 12-high school.

Friday, April 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m.- After Hours! Come to the library after we close for After Hours! We'll have snacks, games, and more! You must be at least 12 to attend this program.

Monday, April 27, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Hidden Poetry! Come find poetry hidden among the words of book pages. For National Poetry Month, ages 11-High School.

Monday, October 6 @ 4 p.m. -Animanga Club! Join us for pocky and Fairy Tail!

Wednesday, October 8 @ 4 p.m. -Maker Madness! See the 3-D printer and create something awesome using Tinkercad!

Thursday, October 9 @ 5:30 p.m. -Teen Programming Club! Learn computer programming using Codacademy!

Friday, October 10 @ 3:30 p.m. -Gamers' Paradise! Videogames, board games, and snacks!

See you there!

Brookfield Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, December 31 & Thursday, January 1 for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

The library resumes normal hours on Friday, January 2.

Regular programming returns on Monday, January 5 with AniManga Club, where we will continue to Watch Fairy Tail. Happy New Year!!

Here are some upcoming events you might enjoy!

Monday, April 4 and Monday, April 18, 4:00-5:30 pm - Eat lots of Pocky and other snacks while watching some awesome Anime at AniManga Club!

Friday, April 8, 3:30-5:30 pm - Gamers' Paradise - Join us for video games, computer games, and board games to end the week with some fun! Snacks are provided, BYO friend. 

Interested in doing something great for charity? Beginning and Advanced Quiltmakers will be meeting on Sunday, April 10 and Sunday, April 24. Beginners at 1:00 pm, Advanced at 3:00 pm, and all quilts will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House!

Monday, April 11, 4:00-5:00 pm - Make sure your voice is heard at the Teen Advisory Board meeting. We really need your input to make the Brookfield Library's teen area great! Snacks are provided. 

Go high tech with Maker Madness on Wednesday, April 13 from 4:00-5:00 pm! Create anything from spaceships to houses to game pieces using Tinkercad and the Library's 3D printer!

Brookfield Reads! Teen Event on Tuesday, April 19 from 4:00-5:00 pm. Join us for a special book discussion of Trapped by Michael Northrup! Trapped is this year's pick for the teen/YA Brookfield Reads! book!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun, After Hours, on Friday, Aprill 22 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Come for an evening of internet gaming, board games, and Super Smach Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided. Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this event. No exceptions will be made. 

Need something to keep you entertained after school? Come into Teen Boredom Busters on Monday, April 25 from 4:00-6:00 pm! Every month the Teen Advisory Board will come up with different activities to keep your boredome at bay!

Come to the Teen Coloring Party on Wednesday, April 27 from 4:00-5:00 pm. We'll provide coloring sheets, sharpies and colored pencils, music, and of course, snacks! 

Hope to see you in April!

Some upcoming events you might enjoy!

Friday, September 11, 3:30-5:30- Gamers' Paradise returns! Join us for video games, computer games, and board games to end the week with some fun! Snacks are provided, BYO friend.

Saturday, September 12, 2:00-3:30 p.m.- True Self Empowerment for Girls! This is a wonderful workshop for girls ages 10 and up that includes yoga, journaling and plenty of chocolate! Sign up here.

Monday, September 14, 4:00-5:00 p.m.- Join us for the first Teen Advisory Board meeting of the school year. We really need your input to make the Brookfield Library's teen area great! Snacks are provided.

Monday, September 21, 4:00-5:30 p.m.- Eat lots of Pocky and other snacks while watching some awesome Anime at Animanga Club!

Interested in doing something great for charity? Beginning and Advanced Quiltmakers will be meeting on Sunday, September 13 and Sunday, September 27. Beginners at 1, Advanced at 3, and all quilts get donated to Project Linus!

Hope to see you at some of these events and classes!!

Here are some upcoming events you might enjoy!

Monday, May 2 and Monday, May 16, 4:00-5:30 pm - Eat lots of Pocky and other snacks while watching some awesome Anime at AniManga Club!

Monday, May 9, 4:00-5:00 pm - Make sure your voice is heard at the Teen Advisory Board meeting. We really need your input to make the Brookfield Library's teen area great! Snacks are provided.

Go high tech with Maker Madness on Wednesday, May 11 from 4:00-5:00 pm! Create anything from spaceships to houses to game pieces using Tinkercad and the Library's 3-D printer! Registration required.

Friday, May 13, 3:30-5:30 pm- Gamers' Paradise - Join us for video games, computer games, and board games to end the week with some fun! Snacks are provided, BYO friend.

Learn how to create a robot in Dynamic Droids on Saturday, May 21 from 2:00-3:30 pm! Work in a small group to build and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot. For kids and teens ages 9 through high school. Parents are welcome. Registration required.

Finals are almost here - are you ready? Join us for The Final Countdown on Sunday, May 22 from 1:00-5:00 pm and on Monday, May 23 from 6:00-8:30 pm. Come study at the Library where we'll have snacks, pizza, and a quiet space to study. High school students only; must present valid school ID to attend.

Come to the Teen Coloring Party on Monday, May 23 from 4:00-5:00 pm. We'll provide coloring sheets, sharpies and colored pencils, music, and of course snacks!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun, After Hours on Friday, May 27 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Come for an evening of internet gaming, board games, and Super Smash Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided. Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this event. No exceptions will be made.

Hope to see you in May!!!

Friday, April 10, 3:30-5:30 p.m.: Gamers' Paradise! Join us for board games, video games, and lots of snacks!

Monday, April 13, 4:00-5:00 p.m.: Teen Advisory Board. Help us plan for Summer Reading. Again, there will be food!

See you there!

Next week we have a lot going on in Young Adult!

On Monday, November 10 @ 4:00 p.m., come to the Teen Advisory Board Meeting! We want your input on a teen holiday movie to show, plus what gifts teens like you want for Christmas! We also will be working on a puppet show script which we hope to perform for some of our younger library patrons!

On Wednesday, November 12 @ 4:00 p.m., we have Maker Madness! Come see the 3-D printer and have fun creating something in Tinkercad! Registration is required for this event.

On Friday, November 14 @ 3:30 p.m. come chill out with us after school at Gamers' Paradise! We have board games, video games, and snacks for you guys!

See you at the library!

Some upcoming events you might enjoy!

Interested in doing something great for charity? Beginning and Advanced Quiltmakers will be meeting on Sunday, November 8 and Sunday, November 22. Beginners at 1:00 pm, Advanced at 3:00 pm, and all quilts get donated to Project Linus!

Monday, November 9, 4:00-5:00 pm - Make sure your voice is heard at the Teen Advisory Board meeting. We really need your input to make the Brookfield Library's teen area great! Snacks are provided.

Go high tech with Maker Madness on Wednesday, November 11 from 4:00-5:00 pm! Create anything from spaceships to houses to game pieces using Tinkercad and the Library's 3-D printer!

Friday, November 13, 3:30-5:30 pm- Gamers' Paradise - Join us for video games, computer games, and board games to end the week with some fun! Snacks are provided, BYO friend.

Learn how to create a robot in Robotics @ the Library, Saturday November 21 from 1:00-4:00 pm! Work in a small group to build and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot. Presented by Triton College and the Proviso High School Robotics Club. For kids and teens ages 9 through high school. Parents are welcome. Registration required.

Monday, November 23, 4:00-5:00 pm, Teen Coloring Party - It's getting near the holidays and the end of the semester- if you're looking for a way to de-stress, this is the event for you! Come and relax with fun & complex coloring sheets, snacks, and friends!

After the library closes it's time for our monthly young adult night of fun, After Hours on Friday, November 27 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Come for an evening of Internet gaming, board games, and Super Smash Brothers tournament play. Snacks will be provided. Please note: you must be at least 12 years old to attend this event. No exceptions will be made.

Hope to see you at some of these events and classes!!

There's still time to sign up for Empowerment for Girls, this Saturday, August 24 at 11 a.m.! Join Gina as she leads you in yoga and in how to feel positive and empowered! For tween and teen girls ages 10 and up.

On Monday, August 26 at 3:30 p.m. join us for some craft time! We'll have materials to make various back-to-school crafts including pens, bookmarks, locker magnets, and notebooks! Ages 11-high school.

See you there!

Finals are coming up. Are you ready?

We're here to help.

On Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 from 6:00-8:30PM we will provide any High School students studying for finals with a quiet place to study, pizza, and other snacks to help you study.

Congrats to Christina, Katharine, Katie, and Thais, our bookmark contest winners for Teen Read Week 2014!

Stay tuned, these bookmarks are being printed and will soon be available in the library! Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry!

The winners for the Very Short Fiction Contest have been chosen. Here are the winning entries, and thanks to everyone who participated!

Battle in Town Square

"Ya!" I screamed and chopped off a Greilian soldier's head. We're Ugainians fighting the Greilians in an epic battle. Suddenly, a boy behind me shouted, "Greilian's leader's coming!" I ran to town square, and saw King Xavier in the middle. He ran towards me, and I drew Lord Hetmanso's crossbow. He came closer, and I noticed something peculiar, he had one eye. Before I could think, my used-to-fighting hands had drawn the arrow and shot. I watched it strike the cyclops's hear. He fell, and I knew I did the right thing, even though he was my only brother.

Emotions

Woke up this morning,
Very excited today.
We're going sledding.

"Zip, snap, help me pack.
Grab your coat and gear to go.
When are we leaving?"

Shut the door. Let's go!
Finally we're in the car.
Dad, are we there yet?

My knees are shaking.
Honk! Honk! "Is it just me, or
Is it hot in here?"

Let's climb up the hill."
"Ready, set, and here we go.
Lucy, are you scared?"

Sledding down the slope
Feeling good at the moment.
Whoosh, swerve, crash, and boom!

"I want to go home.
I can't do this. I'm too small."
"Try one more time" ... "Fine."

"I'm scared. Let's go back."
"Don't be afraid. I got you."
"Whee! Look, I'm Sledding!"

For the Pit Bulls

Cool air, the white ground, I was walking when I turned the corner and saw a dog. A dog that had no food or shelter, covered in scars and battle wounds. A dog said to be so vicious, so evil, banned from so many different places, just sat there so angel-like. Its eyes were filled with love and the urge to please, just wanting your love and affection in return. It knew it would never hurt anyone or anything, just wanting to make its owner happy. So innocent, but called so mean. What can we do? What can I do?

Where Are You

"Where did you go Piglet," I asked as I looked under the bed. My guinea pig Piglet escaped from my arms and hid under the bed. There is so much stuff under the bed I can't see you. I can hear your little squeaks. "Come on little piggy piggy." "There I can see you, come on, come here," I said. "Yes, finally you are in my arms safe and sound." "Whew you need a bath!"

Congratulations to Sophia Ramirez, the winner of the Very Short Chicago Writing Contest! Thanks to everyone who entered and made our contest a huge success.

"The Bean"

I stare at it,

at myself

On the outside

Not as special as on the inside

Waiting

I get under

Where am I?

Where could I possibly be?

I can't seem to find myself

Where am I?

There, her in the purple shirt.

I am near her.

now where am I?

I try

I try as hard as possible to find myself

Where? Where?

Where am I?

Yes

There I am

I've found myself.

I stare

at myself

once again

only this time it is on the inside

and it's that much better

Congratulations to both our winners and honorable mentions of the Teen & YA Art Contest:

Winners:

Lucia Adami Kelly Bast Casey Whisler

Honorable Mentions:

Margaret Antene Lena Tirva Joanie Brosnan

Thanks to all who entered artwork in the exhibit and make sure to come visit the Library to check out all the entries!

Congratulations to the winners of the Teen & YA Poetry Contest and thanks to all who entered! Please see below for the winning entries and the top finalists:

Winner: "The Rain" by Juan

The rain washes away pain it waters the flowers giving them power. It gives us water For our daughters Our daughters give us sons who use the sun to grow us flowers and build towers the rain is good It grows us food that makes us strong So we'll last long So we can achieve our goal like not using coal because it hurts our air and it's unfair.

Winner: "Mother Nature's Body" by Caitlyn

The grass is her soft skin, moving peacefully and quietly in the slow breeze. The trees are her clothes, Keeping bad off her skin and letting healing water to her body. The rivers and streams are her flowing hair, long and beautiful, always moving and never ending. Her emotion is the weather, Sometimes depressing rain, sometimes bright happy days, and even harmful tornadoes, hail, and floods. There must be good, and bad in and on us all. As her emotions go wild they may be deadly, we are hurting her as she is hurting us. We cut down her clothes that leaves her vulnerable. This gives her scars, burns, and diseases. We are supposed to help, not hurt her. We start the fires, We kill and scar her skin, We make her sick and beat her down. She might kill millions but, Millions are killing her.

Winner: "Untitled" by Christian

I see the world today, and all the people I know. But there is one place, that I love to go.

Deep down in the forest, they thrive and live in peace. The animals, they are ravenous, and they love to feast.

I love to visit them, and give them a nice treat. Yes, my throat is tight, they do love meat.

It can be frightening, I do have to admit. But if they don't attack, I am not scared one bit.

It is the forest, the place is a haven. To see all these animals, is quite amazin'.

Finalist: "Untitled" by Kayla

The sun set, casting the door of night open Shadows; engulfing the world in darkness, devouring the light Stars; the warriors of heaven, protecting the abyss of the sky

These things last, until the door is thrown shut And the shadows retreat into their world of the dark These things last, until the stars drift away, their work done for the time being

Finalist: "Mother Nature" by Yasmine

White clouds and blue skies Where the sun lies behind Beautiful long trees upon the deep blue seas After rainy days Colorful rainbows carefully fade away With your bright green grass how it grows so fast with lightning and thunder you helped us find out that light comes before sound wonderful leaves The color of green peas changing color from summer to spring

Finalist: "Nature's Mirror" by Joseph

When I look at you You look at me Even though I cannot see

If you speak I talk right back Even though a mouth, I lack

If you touch me Then I'll be gone And all that's left Is what always was

Even though you saw two there was always only one

It all ended where it all began

You may be wondering: "How can this be?" I can be deep I can be shallow I can be vicious I can be mellow I can be contained I can be free

I am water, specifically a river a sliver of silver, and as long as I'm here two of everything will appear.

Finalist: "Snow" by Adam

Snow comes in silently like a cheetah on the prowl It makes the ground white It swiftly comes in without a sound It comes from the sky when it's done it melts

Finalist: "Lightning" by Marissa

Lightning comes in silent Like the noiseless slither of a snake. It leads the team coming before thunder By flashing a bright warning up in the dark black sky. A cascade of stars hidden by the ghostly gray clouds and then goes away momentarily.

The Young Adult Department has three Nintendo DSi consoles for checkout for use inside the library. Use your own games or games you check out from the library, share photos and listen to music, connect online to download games and apps, and much, much more. Check one out today!

Come to the Media Swap this Saturday, May 17th from 1-4pm! Bring in any unwanted comics, manga, books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to trade for something you want. Drop by for a little while or the whole afternoon to swap stuff, play games, test your skills at Rock Band, and munch on some snacks!

Itching to create something? Come to Teen Crafting & Coloring Club on Monday, August 27th from 3:30-5:00 p.m.!

We'll get out our craft supplies and coloring books for an afternoon of hanging out and letting your creative side take over! Make Harry Potter pens and bookmarks, book magnets, collages, or just chat and color- whatever you want to create, you can!

Ages 11-High School, no registration is required, just come on in after school.

Are you on Tumblr? Then you should be following the Teen Tumblr! We post program info, library info, and fun stuff to scroll through!

Brookfieldteens.tumblr.com

The library will be partially closing starting Monday, November 23rd for refurbishing, and will reopen in mid to late January 2010. Updates regarding the refurbishing may be found on the homepage. You can also access the library's databases (including the ever helpful Tutor.com) for homework help, search the library's online catalogs for books, movies, and more, and check the BFYA blog for additional updates!

Come volunteer at the library! If you're going into 6th grade next fall (and up), come to the Youth Services desk and fill out a volunteer application! Applications are due June 1st, and volunteers can earn service hours. Give us a call at 708-485-6917 with any questions.

Attention! Dungeons & Dragons, which was scheduled for this Saturday, has been changed to SUNDAY, September 22, 1:00-5:00PM!!

Hope you can still make it, and we’ll see you there!

Attention D & D gamers! Dungeons & Dragons has been rescheduled for SUNDAY, January 19, from 1-5pm. Again, we will not meet saturday, instead we'll be here Sunday! As always, there will be snacks!

Answer the call of the Dungeon Master! Join a local group of D & D players at the Library. Snacks will be served! Saturday, November 17th, 1-5 p.m.

Larry Regan, a registered Boy Scout golf merit badge instructor and long-time caddy, presents a free two-evening class for prospective caddies. Mr. Regan will teach the students the rules and strategies of the game, as well as etiquette of caddying, for the benefit of boys and girls looking for summer employment as caddies. The class is limited to 30 students from seventh grade to college age. Mondays, May 18th and June 1st at 6:30 p.m. Sign up online or call Youth Services at 708-485-6917, ext. 140.

There is still time to sign up for our event, Empowering and Inspiring Girls to Live their Potential! Girls ages 10-high school can attend this amazing workshop on Thursday, January 5 from 11-12:30 p.m.

This is a girls’ workshop which includes a nurturing environment, self nurturing practices, yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, relaxation, listening, interactive talk, peer support, creative art, drumming, journaling exercises, and chocolate! *Note, if you attended one of these workshops before, you can still sign up, as the topics discussed will be different from the last workshop!

Don't forget to sign up for Empowerment for Girls!, happening on Saturday, June 17 from 11:00-12:30 p.m.

Join us for a girl's empowerment workshop! As always, Gina Slager creates a fun and welcoming environment for young teen girls as they learn self-nurturing and self-empowerment practices! During this workshop, girls will be creating a "mind jar", to help them learn to allow their mind to settle, and learn how to respond to situations mindfully and skillfully.

Join us for a girl's empowerment workshop! As always, Gina Slager creates a fun and welcoming environment for young teen girls as they learn self-nurturing and self-empowerment practices!

Saturday, July 21, 11:00-12:30 p.m.; ages 10-16; please register.

Hey Guys! Did you volunteer with us over the summer OR did you complete our Beneath the Surface Summer Reading Program! Then don't forget about the pizza party tomorrow, July 24, from 2:30-4:00! Pizza, video games, board games and friends! What more could you want?

Celebrate Chicago and express your thoughts and feelings about the city in 100 words or less! It can be fiction, a true story or poetry. Winners will have their work displayed in the Library and published on the On the Same Page website. Pick up your entry form at the Youth Services Information Desk or send your submission electronically to the Teen Librarian. Open to teens & young adults in grades 5 & up; entries due on Friday, March 1st. You can also enter the Design a Chicago Bookmark Contest, sponsored by the Riverside Public Library and open to teens & young adults in grades 6 & up. Entries are due by Friday, February 15th. Bust out your creative side and make your mark!

Write a story between 50 and 100 words and submit either a paper entry to Youth Services or via e-mail to [email protected]. Please write your name, age, phone number, and title of your story on your entry. One entry per person. Your entry must be completely original and thought up only by you. Entries will be judged on creativity and originality. Four winners will be chosen and will receive gift certificates from Borders. Questions? Call the Youth Services Department at 708-485-6917, ext. 140. Entries are due by February 15th. Ages 11 and up.

Don't forget to submit your artwork to the Teen & YA Art Exhibit! Entries are due by this Saturday, July 21st, and the exhibit is open to ages 10-16.

Good luck as you rock the end of the school year! Here are some Teen Events happening this week!

The Final Countdown: High School students studying for finals can come to the library for pizza, snacks, tea, soda, coloring pages, and most importantly, a quiet place for study. Monday, May 21 & Tuesday, May 22, 6:00-8:30 p.m. (Grades 9-12)

Teen Advisory Board: Come in for our last T.A.B. meeting before summer starts to discuss what you want as far as teen events and materials, and also for snacks and hang out time. Wednesday, May 23, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (Ages 11-high school)

After Hours: Come to the library after we close on Friday for snacks, video gaming, board gaming, and prizes! Friday, May 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Ages 12-high school).

See you there!

Today is the first day of the library’s 2018 winter reading program! Our theme is FANtastic Books and Where to Find Them, and there is a reading log for teens! Just keep track of how long you’ve read each week, and anything counts (including comics, Manga, Audiobooks, and even Fanfiction!); as long as you are reading something.

We also have many Fan-tastic events this winter including cosplay workshops, so be sure to come on in to the library to get out of the cold!

The Ani-Manga Club watched our last 3 episodes of Fruits Basket today, and we made so much noise I thought they would hear us all the way upstairs! Next meeting, we’ll get going on Full Metal Alchemist, so stop by on June 5th and 4:00 and start something new.

The summer schedule is out, and we have some new things and some old ones, too. New: Miss Becky’s Wild Things Quiltmakers, meeting on Tuesdays in June and July, to learn the fine art of quilting for charity. Old: Get Wired!, more anime, and more Halo parties scheduled for May 26, June 16 and 30, and July 14. Also, we bought some DDR pads and now we have to figure out what to do with them! Get all the info on the Youth Services page of our NORMAL website.

We still have a reading program! You could win some very interesting prizes just for reading books from the library. See the staff, if you want to know more.

Written by: Grace W. 

Finals season is here! Take a look at these tips to help prepare yourself. 

1. Find a place to study. If you need a quiet space to study, stop by the library May 22-24 from 3-5 pm. We will have a quiet space, snacks, and stress relief crafts to help you prepare for finals. You can also book a study room or visit the Quiet Reading Room to enjoy a quiet space to study. 

2. Don't let devices distract you. Try putting your phone in another room, put it on do not disturb mode, or turn it off so you can focus on studying. 

3. Take breaks. Give your brain a chance to rest and refresh by taking a walk, doing some stretches, taking a power nap, meditating, or having a snack. 

4. Get your sleep. Getting quality sleep will help you perform your best on your exams. 

5. Try different study methods to find what works best for you. You can use flashcards, study with a group, write yourself practice questions, attend a review session, or use visual tools like diagrams, charts, and mind maps. 

6. Check your exam times. Make sure you know when all of your final exams are taking place and use that information to help you create a study schedule. 

7. Ask questions. Reach out to your teachers if you need help with the class material or information on the study guide. 

Good luck! 

By Grace W.

Stumped on where to look to find a great book? Never fear, a Brookfield librarian is here.

Novelist, Novelist K-8

These two sources are accessible to you through the Brookfield Public Library. Both of these websites are great resources for finding a book to read. One way to use this site is to type the title of one of your favorite books, or enter an author into the search bar at the top. After you type a book in and see it in the search results, you should see the following links to click on: “title read-alikes," “author read-alikes,” and “series read alikes.” These links will help you find books and authors that are similar to ones you already love.  All of the suggestions include brief information about the book and a quick explanation on why it is similar to the book you searched.

Another way you can you use this site is to browse. You can browse by fiction and nonfiction, then you can further narrow your search down by age group and genre. Use the links below to access these sites or you can find them under the Online Resources section of our website.

Novelist

Novelist K-8

GoodReads

This is another great source for finding a good book to read. A cool feature of GoodReads is that you can see reviews for pretty much every book on the site. You can see an average rating of 1-5 stars and you can also read written reviews. This can be a great way to gauge whether or not you want to read a book. Another handy tool this site offers is the ability to track the books you have already read, the books you want to read, and the books you are currently reading. In addition, this site also suggests similar books and more books by the same author when you select a title.

The “New” section

This is a great place to look if you want to find the latest books the library has to offer. The new YA section is across from the reference desk. We have new YA fiction, YA nonfiction, YA DVD, and video game sections.

Ask a Friend, Parent, Grandparent, or Librarian

We can oftentimes find ourselves reading the same types of books or reading the same authors over and over again. An easy way to get out of a reading rut is to gain a new perspective. Ask your friends, parents, siblings, and family members what their favorite books are; you might be surprised to find a new favorite from your grandma.

One of my favorite YA fiction books that I would recommend is Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys. This book is set in 1957 Madrid, and explores what life was like under Dictator Francisco Franco. I couldn't put it down!

The Teen Advisory Board came up with the idea of having a Harry Potter club for teens, and our first meeting is on Monday, January 23 at 3:30 p.m.!

This is an opportunity to discuss Harry Potter with fellow fans, work on a couple HP-related crafts, have a couple snacks, and if there's time we might even watch part of the first movie!

Preteens and teens ages 10-high school are welcome; please do register!

Don't forget about our Digital Collection! Under downloads (on the right side of the website's home page), you can find links for downloadable music, magazines, books, movies, and more! And it's all completely free! Check it out today.

It's Friday! Whatcha reading? Adult & Teen Services staff weigh in.

Martha: "Currently reading The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling, a space horror book that's like if you crossed The Descent movie with Alien. Very creepy AND has an unreliable narrator! Perfect for October." (Check it out here!)

Jessica: "City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert. City of Girls is about an elderly woman reflecting on her time in New York City as a flapper during the 20's, and the theater scene she was involved in. An easy beach read with some nice reflective moments, and proof historical fiction doesn't have to be boring!" (Check it out here!)

Grace: "I just started a book on Hoopla called The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman, about the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. I'm finding it really interesting to compare our current environment to the Spanish Flu, and the book is showing how people dealt with the flu similarly to how we have had to change our lives now." (Check it out here!)

The Ani-Manga Club will meet on Monday April 10 at 4:00 to screen the first three episodes of Fruits Basket. I’ve seen it, I like it, and I bet most of you will, too. Give us a call to let us know you’re coming, so I know how many bags of wasabi snacks to buy (there’ll be popcorn, too, for traditionalists).

Get ready for the ACT! Instructors Mary Kate Durkin and Chris Mikulskis present a "game plan" for high school students and parents to gear up for the test, including reducing text anxiety, test-taking strategies, and test preparation. After the program both instructors will be available to speak one-on-one with families and have copies of their workbook available for purchase. Tuesday, November 13th @ 7:00 PM. Sign up here.

Come to the last session of Game It this Tuesday, July 15th at 1:30 pm. We'll be doing a scavenger hunt and eating yummy snacks!

Late Night at the Library!

Young adults ages 12-16 are invited for an evening of Wii, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. This Friday, November 28th, 6-9 pm. See ya there!

Gamers of Brookfield! Don't forget that Gamers' Paradise is Friday the 13th, here at the library from 3:30 to 5:30! Get ready for snacks, brawl, OUYA, DSis, even board games!

Join us Friday, December 11 @ 3:30 for Gamers' Paradise. Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to our Gamers' Paradise program. Check out all our gaming systems, our board game collection, & enjoy LOTS of snacks!

The first Gamers’ Paradise of the school year is this Friday, September 8, from 3:30-5:30 p.m.! Teens & Tweens ages 11-high school can join us for snacks, board games, and video games!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to our Gamers' Paradise program. Check out all our gaming systems, our board game collection, & enjoy LOTS of snacks!.

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, April 7 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.! Video games, board games, and snacks galore! Ages 11-high school.

Join us this Friday, December 9 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for Gamers' Paradise! Play board games and video games, bring your own gaming device (such as a DS or laptop), and enjoy some snacks! See you there!

Join us this Friday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m. for Gamers' Paradise! We'll have the Nintendo Switch, Board Games, and snacks! Ages 11-high school.

Join us tomorrow, March 9th from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for Gamers' Paradise! Check out our Switch, board games, and snacks! Ages 11- High School

Join us at Gamers' Paradise! This Friday, December 13, 3:30-5:30 p.m. we'll have the Nintendo Switch, plus board games, card games, and snacks!!

Ages 11-High School.

See you there!

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, October 12, from 3:30-5:30 p.m.! We will have the Nintendo Switch, board games, and plenty of snacks! See you there!

Ages 11-high school.

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday! We'll have board games, the Nintendo Switch, and plenty of snacks! See you there!

Friday, April 12, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Ages 11-High School.

Join us this Friday, February 8 at 3:30 p.m. for Gamers' Paradise! We will have board games and card games, the Nintendo switch, and snacks! Ages 11-high school

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, February 9th from 3:30-5:30 p.m! We'll have the Nintendo Switch out, as well as all our usual board games. Snacks are provided. Ages 11-High School.

Our next Gamers' Paradise is this Friday, October 13 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. We'll have board games, video games, and plenty of snacks! Ages 11-high school. See you there!

Be sure to come to Gamers' Paradise, happening this Friday, November 8, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. We will have the Nintendo Switch, plus board games and snacks! Ages 11-High School.

See you there!

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, August 9, @ 3:30 p.m.! We'll have board games, the Nintendo Switch, and snacks!

Ages 11-High School.

See you there!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, February 22 @ 3:30 PM. Come and check out the library's Nintendo DSi and iPad devices, join the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and game to your heart's content! We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, February 8 @ 3:30 PM. Come and check out the library's Nintendo DSi and iPad devices, join the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and game to your heart's content! We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

It's back! Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, January 11 @ 3:30 PM. Come and check out the library's Nintendo DSi devices, join the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and game to your heart's content! We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, January 25 @ 3:30 PM. Come and check out the library's Nintendo DSi devices, join the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and game to your heart's content! We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to our Gamer's Paradise program this Friday, March 22 @ 3:30 PM. Check out all our gaming systems, including the Nintendo DSi & enjoy LOTS of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, March 8 @ 3:30 PM. Come and check out the library's Nintendo DSi and iPad devices, join the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and game to your heart's content! We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to our new Gamers' Paradise program. The library's Nintendo DSi gaming devices will be available for use, as well as the Wii. We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Bring your laptop and gaming savvy to our new Gamers' Paradise program. The library's Nintendo DSi gaming devices will be available for use, as well as the Wii. We'll have space to game and plenty of snacks!

Please note this program is rescheduled from its original date, Friday, September 14.

Join us on Friday, August 9 @ 3:30 p.m. for Gamers' Paradise! Enjoy snacks, board games, card games, and Nintendo Switch Games!

Ages 11-High School; see you there!

This Friday, September 14, 3:30-5:30 p.m. we'll have snacks, board games, and video games in the classroom! Feel free to bring in a laptop for computer gaming as well! Come on in for some Friday afternoon gaming time! Ages 11-high school.

This Friday, December 8 from 3:30-5:30 p.m., join us at Gamers' Paradise! We will have board games, video games, and plenty of snacks! See you there! Ages 11-high school.

Come to Gamers' Paradise this Friday, May 11 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.! We'll have the Nintendo switch, board games, card games, and snacks available! Ages 11- high school!

Gamers' Paradise is on Friday, November 13 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.! Come to the library to eat snacks and play games with friends! We have video games as well as bored games!

Gamers' Paradise is tomorrow, November 8, 3:30-5:30pm! Come join us for video games, board games, and food!

Don't forget, tomorrow, Friday October 11, from 3:30-5:30 we are having our monthly Gamers' Paradise program!

Come to the library for video games, board games, and snacks!

Don't forget, we have Gamers' Paradise on Friday, May 9 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Join us for board games, video games, and snacks!

Registration for the library's summer reading program "Scare Up a Good Book" begins Monday, June 7th! Get a head start with these scary reads:

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Clay by David Almond

Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Malice by Chris Wooding

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles

Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

If you're looking for an excuse to get out of the house, you'll have plenty of reasons to come to the library in the next couple of weeks! Our next Late Night at the Library (games, food, and lots of BFYA's) is this Friday from 6-9, the next Get Wired jewelry workshop is next Tuesday, the 14th, at 6:30, the next AniManga Club (more Cased Closed) is Monday, the 20th at 4:00, and the next Halo II After Hours is on the 24th from 5-9. Plus we've added some more great new books, including the new one by Tamora Pierce (autographed by the author), John Green's An Abundance of Katherines, the new Meg Cabot, and the Halo graphic novel.

Late Night at the Library!

Young adults ages 12 and up are invited for an evening of Wii, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways.

This Friday, February 27th, from 6:30-9 p.m. See ya there!

A Vampire Late Night at the Library

Young adults 12-16 are invited for an evening of Wii, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, bloody snacks, and frightening giveaways. Friday, August 22nd, 6-9 pm. See ya there!

Late Night at the Library!

Young adults 12-16 are invited for an evening of Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, Halloween snacks, and gruesome giveaways. See ya there!

Interested in learning more about getting around without a car?

The library is hosting an event to learn all about the CTA, Pace Buses, Metra Trains, and how to plan your trips! Please join us if you'd like to learn more!

Wednesday, July 10, 1 p.m., Here at the library!

Teens and Adults

Credo Reference, one of the library's online resources, invites teens going into grades 6-12 to create a video showcasing the Brookfield library. Film a two-minute commercial telling the audience all the great things going on at the library and why everyone should check it out. The winning library will receive six tablet computers! If you're interested in producing a video for the contest, please see the Go Viral website for further details, and talk to Miss Louise, the teen librarian. Brookfield can send one entry to the contest.

By: Grace W.

If you are looking to read something spooky to get into the Halloween spirit, try one of these books.

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass (YA FIC DOUGLASS, also available on Overdrive)

Jake already has a hard time fitting in at school, but to make matters even more complicated he can see the dead. Most of them are harmless and don’t interact with people. But then he meets Sawyer. In life, Sawyer was a troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Everything Jake thought he knew about ghosts goes out the window as Sawyer begins to haunt him.

Overdrive e-book

Overdrive audiobook 

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell (YA GN ROWELL, also available on Overdrive)

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. They work at a pumpkin patch together every year and say goodbye on October 31. However, this Halloween is different; they are finally seniors and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Josiah is ready to spend the whole evening feeling melancholy about it, but Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan. What if their last shift together isn’t sad, but it’s an adventure?

Overdrive e-book

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (YA FIC CRAIG, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea. There used to be twelve sisters in the home, but after four of the girls’ lives have been cut short, loneliness fills the grand halls. Each death was more tragic than the last, and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed. Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accident. When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family.

Overdrive e-book 

Overdrive audiobook 

Axis 360 e-book

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalo (YA FIC Maniscalo, also available on Overdrive)

Audrey Rose Wadsworth leads a life of wealth and privilege, but between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a secret life. She often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for an answer brings her close to her own sheltered world.

Overdrive e-book 

Overdrive audiobook 

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins (YA FIC PERKINS, also available on Overdrive)

Makani Young is settling into her new home in rural Nebraska with her grandmother. She’s found new friends and has started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larson, but her past isn’t far behind her. Then, one by one, the students at her high school begin to die in a series of gruesome murders. As terror grows closer, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets. When you finish this book, check out the Netflix movie.

Overdrive ebook

Overdrive audiobook

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson (YA FIC JACKSON, also available on Overdrive and Axis 360)

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her new blended family to a Midwestern town might be the fresh start she needs. But her new house has some problems; doors open on their own, lights turn off, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping in through the vents.  Mari begins to see that her new house is not the only dangerous place in her new town. And secrets always find their way in through the cracks.

Overdrive e-book 

Overdrive audiobook 

Axis 360 e-book

Hey Teens!! Come to the library tomorrow, Friday October 18, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for our Halloween Movie Matinee! We will be showing Coraline, and there will be popcorn and Halloween Candy! See you there!

Happy New Year! We hope that everyone is enjoying the remainder of their winter break!

Here are some events for teens that we have coming up next week!

Monday, January 7, 4:00 p.m.- Anime Club! Currently the Anime Club is watching Ouran High School Host Club. Join us for Pocky, snacks, and Anime! Ages 11-High School.

Wednesday, January 9, 3:30 p.m. - Teen Homework Cafe. We set out tea and cookies in the classroom so that you can have a room to do homework, study, work on school projects, or just read. Ages 11- High School.

Friday, January 11, 3:30 p.m.- Gamers' Paradise. We just got Super Smash Brothers for the switch! We will have that available, as well as our usual board games and snacks! Ages 11-High School.

Teen Read Week: It Came From the Library has begun! Stop by and check out all the amazing, weird, and wacky things you can find at the library. The annual Teen Read Week Bookmark Contest is in full swing; stop by the Youth Services Information Desk to pick up your entry form or download a copy here. All entries are due by October 20. And the Teens' Top Ten winners have been announced - here's the list! You can also help choose next year's theme by taking this survey!

Happy reading!

We are hosting a Harry Potter Trivia Night on Monday, November 20th at 7:00 p.m.

Test your trivia knowledge at Harry Potter Trivia night! Teams need to be at least two people and no more than six to a team. Prizes will be available for the top three teams! Space is limited, so please register! All ages.

Well, I guess not...So we'll be hosting another LAN party this Friday, the 30th, from 5 'till 9. Bring your XBoxes, games, controllers, and $5 for pizza. And bring a TV if you have one! We never seem to have enough of those. I'm going shopping this week for more cable and maybe a little switch to use in the storytime room. If anyone can think of anything else we need (within reason), let me know before Thursday.

Want to have a say in Summer Reading? Want to see some new programs at the library? Come to the Young Adult Council this Tuesday, April 14th at 4pm, and give us your opinion! Pizza and snacks included, and this will also count as volunteer time.

While looking around at some other libraries’ teen blogs, I ran across this website, which is devoted to info about libraries using technology to connect with young adults - and the BFYA Blog was included in their list of YA blogs. How cool is that?

There are still a few spaces left in Tuesday’s Get Wired jewelry workshop, so give us a call if you want to come.

Written by: Grace W.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (YA FIC Sanchez, also available on Axis 360 as an e-book and audiobook)

Julia is not a perfect Mexican daughter. That was her sister Olga’s role. After Olga passes away in a tragic accident, it’s not long until Julia begins to wonder if her sister Olga was as perfect as everyone thought. Julia is determined to find out if there was more to her sister’s story, while she struggles to put the pieces of her shattered family back into place.

Overdrive audio book 

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book 

Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez (YA FIC MENDEZ, also available on Hoopla as an e-book and overdrive as an e-book and audiobook)

In Rosario Argentina, Camila has a double life. At home she lives under her rising soccer star brother’s shadow. But while she is on the field, she is La Furia, an incredibly talented soccer player. Her parents don’t know about her passion and when her soccer team qualifies for the South American tournament, she will need their permission to participate. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila will need to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambitions of a girl like her.

Overdrive audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

Hoopla e-book 

Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Pena, (YA FIC DE LA PENA)

Danny is tall and skinny, but he can throw an incredible pitch that would get him signed by a college scout on the spot, but he’s not even on a team. Every time he gets on the mound, he loses it. The students at his private school don’t expect much else from him. Danny is half Mexican and growing up in San Diego near the border, means people judge him before he opens his mouth. While he spends his summer with his father’s family, he has to find himself and in the process face demons he refuses to see.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book 

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenez (YA FIC SAENEZ, also available on Hoopla as an audiobook, Axis 360 as an audiobook, and overdrive as an audiobook and e-book)

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison and Dante is a know it all with an unusual way of looking at the world. When these two boys meet at the swimming pool, they don’t seem to have anything in common. But as they spend more time together they develop a special friendship. Through this friendship, they learn important truths about themselves and the kinds of people they want to be.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 audiobook 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (ABRAHAM LINCOLN YA FIC ACEVADO also available on Hoopla as an audiobook and e-book, axis 360 as an e-book and audiobook, and overdrive as an e-book and audiobook)

Xiomara feels unheard and unseen in her Harlem neighborhood. She has a lot she wants to say, but she pours her frustrations and passions into her notebook. When she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could attend without her mami finding out, or speak her words out loud. But Xiomara can’t stop thinking about performing her poems and refuses to remain silent.

Hoopa e-book 

Overdrive audiobook 

Axis 360 e-book 

Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza (YA FIC MENDOZA, also available on overdrive as an e-book)

Flash forward to the year 2032 where all citizens of the United States are chipped and everyone is tracked. It’s almost impossible to survive as an undocumented immigrant, but that is what 16 year old Vali is doing. Vali and her family are living in a small town in Vermont when her mother’s counterfeit chip starts malfunctioning and they are forced to flee. Pick up a copy of this book to find out what happens to Vali and her family.

Overdrive e-book 

If you want to get into the holiday spirit, try out one of these books!

Decked with Holly by Marni Bates (available on Hoopla as an e-book)

Holly is not thrilled to be spending her Christmas vacation on a cruise with her cousins. When seasickness causes her to stumble into the nearest open room, she gets pepper sprayed by Dominic, who happens to be a drummer in a famous band. This book follows Holly as she navigates her cruise pretending to be Dominic’s girlfriend.

https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12413709

Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle (YA FIC GREEN, also available on Overdrive as an e-book and audiobook)

This book is comprised of three short stories that intertwine with each other in hilarious and romantic ways. It is set on Christmas Eve and follows several characters as they deal with a snowstorm that has swept through their small town. Check out the Netflix original film when you’re done!

E-book https://dlil.overdrive.com/nsls-brookfieldpublic/content/media/bf56e999-fcac-49fc-bd33-01d6b6ba1370

Audiobook https://dlil.overdrive.com/nsls-brookfieldpublic/content/media/4692242

Snowed in by Rachel Hawthorne (available on Hoopla as an e-book and audiobook)

Ashleigh has a lot of changes to adjust to when she and her mom move from sunny Texas to an icy, cold island in Lake Michigan. This story follows Ashleigh as she navigates through snow, small town life, and boys in her new home.

E-book https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11918599

Audiobook https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12204991  

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand (YA FIC HAND, also available on Hoopla as an audio and e-book)

After Holly fails to heed the warning of three Christmas ghosts, she dies and becomes part of the Scrooge Project in her afterlife. In her second phase of life, she must serve as a ghost of Christmas past. If you enjoy the original A Christmas Carol story, this book is a good fit for you.

E-book https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12667242

Audiobook https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11931220  

My True Love Gave to Me: 12 Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins (YA FIC MY, also available as an e-book and audiobook on Overdrive )

This book tells 12 different holiday stories from 12 different authors including Rainbow Rowell, Gayle Forman, Ally Carter, Stephanie Perkins, and more. If you love romance and are looking to get into the holiday spirit, I would suggest giving this book a try.

E-book https://dlil.overdrive.com/nsls-brookfieldpublic/content/media/1647031

Audiobook https://dlil.overdrive.com/nsls-brookfieldpublic/content/media/1556338

Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen (available on Hoopla as an e-book)

This book tells the story of a whirlwind romance between two teens who meet on a train in the middle of a snowstorm. Can 24 hours change their minds about love?

https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12704516

Kiss Me in New York by Catherine Rider (YA FIC RIDER, also available on Hoopla as an e-book)

Two lovelorn, single, teens connect in an airport on Christmas Eve. This book follows Charlotte and Anthony as they try to heal their broken hearts together and put the past behind them.

https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/12140991

We hope that everyone did well on their end-of-semester final exams!

Please note that the library will be closed all day on the following days for the holidays:

Sunday, December 24

Monday, December 25

Sunday, December 31

Monday, January 1

We hope to still see you around the library! Our next teen event is AniManga Club, on Monday, January 8 at 4:00 p.m. Suggestions for an Anime show or movie to watch can be given to Ms. Kat or left in the teen suggestion box in the Young Adult area. Happy holidays!

By: Grace W. 

Don’t forget to tune in to this Friday’s Facebook Live program, “Sustainable Gift Workshop” at 4 pm. I will be going over ways to wrap and give gifts sustainably, teaching you how to make a homemade gift bow, and giving some low-cost gift ideas.

Sustainability and the Holidays

When it comes to the holidays, there is so much going on that sustainability can oftentimes get forgotten. This is totally understandable! Most of us don’t think about how we might be using more electricity, creating more waste, and making a bigger impact on the environment during the holidays. However, if we all work to make the holidays a little greener, it would make a big impact.

Here are 7 tips to make a difference during the holiday season.

1. Be mindful of your holiday lights by turning them off in the daytime. In addition, if you are in the market for some new holiday lights, try to look for LED’s. These use less energy and will last a lot longer than traditional lights.
2. In the U.S. people throw away 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Years. To help combat this, try to donate or re-gift any unwanted gifts. You can also try avoiding un-recyclable decorations like gift bows and glitter, and try making your own decorations (like the gift bows in Friday’s program).
3. Try re-using materials, like newspaper, to wrap your gifts. If every family in the U.S. wrapped 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough wrapping paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
4. Food waste is a big problem during all seasons, but big holiday feasts can sometimes make us have eyes bigger than our stomachs. To avoid wasting food, start out with small portions and go back for seconds if you want more.
5. Another way to reduce waste involved with holiday meals, it to use re-usable silverware, plates, cups, and cloth napkins. Since we have all been having smaller gatherings this year, this swap shouldn’t affect your clean up time too much.
6. Try sending e-cards. This not only saves paper and transportation emissions, it also saves you money. You can also try re-using the front of old holiday cards as to and from tags.
7. If you are looking for a new family tradition, why not try participating in the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count? This event will get you out in nature and allow you to try out birding. The Lisle-Arboretum bird count will be taking place on December 20^th this year.

For more information, check out these links.

Sustainability tips 

Christmas Bird Count 

Sustainability tips 

Join us at Teen Homework Cafe this week, Wednesday, November 13, 3:30-5 p.m.

We put out tea and light snacks, and provide a space to study or do homework.

Ages 11-High School.

By: Grace W.

The library may be closed for a few days, but Hoopla is available 24/7. Check out these holiday reads on the Hoopla app or website.

Blame it on the Mistletoe by Beth Garrod

Elle is an American social media star with a seemingly perfect life. As the holidays are approaching, she is determined to shake up her content and gain new followers. So she sets out on a mission to find a British fan to swap places with her for Christmas. After Holly’s Christmas plans unravel after a mistletoe disaster with her ex, she wonders if she can save Christmas by switching places with her favorite social media influencer. Download a copy of this book to find out what happens to Elle and Holly.

e-book 

I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas by Tiffany Schmidt

Noelle Partridge is a fantastic ballet dancer and babysitter and she is the person with the most holiday spirit in her small town. When her favorite babysitting clients ask her to accompany them on a ski trip, she packs her bags and gets ready to have some fun. That is until she finds out that Wyatt, the older half-brother of her babysitting charges, decides to surprise his family for the holidays. Wyatt attends the ballet school Noelle dreams of getting into and makes her head spin faster than pirouettes. Download this book to find out what happens between Noelle and Wyatt.

e-book 

Icing on the Lake by Catherine Clarke  

Kristen has three New Year’s Resolutions. The first is to survive the next month at her sister’s house with her three-year-old nephew. The second is to learn how to ice skate better. And the third is to find someone to invite to the next weekend cabin trip aka groundhog getaway. Download a copy of this book to get in the winter mood and find out how Kirsten does with her resolutions.

e-book 

Snow in Love by Claire Ray

If you are looking for a festive read with skiing, snowboarding, and a hint of drama, give this book a try. Jess is ready to enjoy her break from school at an Alaskan resort. But then her boyfriend Jake shows up at the lodge with a new girl. Find out what happens between Jess and Jake, see who will win the annual costume contest, and find out what happens at the Northern Lights Ball.

e-book 

Love on the Lifts by Rachael Hawthorne

Kate is ready for winter vacation with her friends at her aunt’s bookstore and hot chocolate shop in Colorado, but it does not end up going quite as she planned. Unfortunately her annoying brother is staying in the same house as her and he is bringing two of his friends. Dive into a cozy atmosphere of skiing and snowman building and see what romance and drama unfold for Kate.

e-book 

audiobook 

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

When Sophie’s parents announce they will be visiting her sister for Christmas, Sophie is looking forward to a break from her parents and lots of time with her boyfriend Griffin. But then Griffin tells Sophie he wants a break from their relationship. Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents house where her grandma sets up a plan to have Sophie go on ten different blind dates set up by ten different family members. Find out what happens to Sophie as she tries to get over her heartbreak.

e-book 

audiobook   

By Grace W. 

There are hundreds of movies on Hoopla that you can access without leaving the house. If you have not already, now is a great time to make a Hoopla account. All you need is your Brookfield Public Library card and your PIN. Your PIN is most likely the last four digits of your phone number. If that doesn’t work, chat, text, or call the Library and we can reset it for you.      

 Chick Flicks

• Legally Blondes: This movie is a hilarious spin off from the original film Legally Blonde. It follows twin sisters as they adjust to their recent move from England to California and take on prep school.

• Sleepover: This classic teen comedy tells the story of four best friends’ sleepover-turned-scavenger hunt. This movie was released in 2004, so it provides a bit of nostalgia as well as comedy. (I’ve watched this movie several times and think it’s hilarious!)

• A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song: If you liked the original Cinderella Story, I would definitely give this one a try. It stars Lucy Hale and shows how she grapples with her stepmother and siblings while trying to pursue her dream of singing.

Family Movie Night

• Furry Vengeance: If you like Evan Almighty, this is a great choice for you. This movie is about a family that recently moved to Oregon for their father’s real estate venture.  It soon becomes clear that the local animals are not in favor of his project.

• Soccer Mom: This film stars Emily Osment, who you may recognize from Hannah Montana, in the role of a soccer playing teen, Becca. When Becca’s soccer team needs a new coach, her mom decides to dress up as a famous Italian soccer coach named “Lorenzo Vincenzo” to take on the job. The movie follows Becca as she navigates through living a crazy new double-life.

• Free Willy: Escape from Pirate Cove: This movie is a spinoff from the original Free Willy series. It stars Bindi Irwin and tells the story of her character Kirra’s friendship with a whale. If you love animals, you should check this movie out.

Fantasy

• Into the Woods:  If you like musicals, magic, and fairytales, this is a great choice. This movie was inspired by classic fairy tales like Cinderella, Jack and the Bean Stalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. If you want to be enchanted, give this movie a try.

• Star Trek: Hoopla has three Star Trek films to choose from: The Voyage Home, First Contact, and Generations. Check one of these out if you are in the mood for a futuristic tale about aliens and space.

Documentaries

• Yellowstone: Hoopla offers 7 different films about Yellowstone National Park. If you are a nature lover be sure to check out one of the following movies: Yellowstone, Yellowstone America’s Eden, Christmas in Yellowstone, Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone, Yellowstone: Realm of the Coyote, Secret Yellowstone, Yellowstone, and Yellowstone: The World’s First National Park.

• Walt Before Mickey: If you are a Disney fan, this a great choice for you. This documentary tells the true story of how Walt Disney overcame obstacles, became an animator, and created the famous character, Mickey Mouse.

Our new Young Adult survey is available in the library and at some of our area schools, or can be downloaded by clicking here. Fill it out and get it back to us by February 14th (or so). The programs and services we plan in the next few months will be directly influenced by what we learn from your answers, so, tell us what you want!

Celebrate the release of The Hunger Games DVD and find out how much you know about the series! Fill out a quiz online or snag a paper copy from Youth Services. Your quiz will be entered into a raffle to win a Hunger Games prize! The deadline to enter is September 10th.

Come to a special Library showing of The Hunger Games movie on Monday, September 10th @ 6:15 PM!

See how The Hunger Games began in this first movie of the trilogy. Dystopia, danger, and intrigue - The Hunger Games will keep you on the edge of your seat. Running time 142 minutes; rated PG-13. Ages 11 - High School. And don't forget to enter The Hunger Games Trivia Contest - entries are available at the Youth Services Information Desk, or you can enter online! Entries due on September 10th.

Each week we'll tell you about a new book on the YA shelves. If you decide it's a book you want to check out, let us know if you liked it!

This week's pick is Into the Dark: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams.

In this third installment of the Echo Falls series, 13-year old Ingrid finds herself sucked into yet another mystery, this one a little closer to home than she'd like. While snowshoeing with Joey Strade one day Ingrid finds a body. It is a man Ingrid recognizes, and his body is on Grampy's land. Will Grampy be implicated in the murder? How many secrets will Ingrid have to uncover in order to prove Grampy is innocent? Find out in Into the Dark.

Late Night at the Library!

Come to Late Night at the Library this Friday, May 29th, from 6:30-9 pm! Unlimited Internet, Wii, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, & snacks! Ages 12 & up.

... this Monday, November 10th, at 4pm. Come make marble magnets and wordage, all while ingesting cheesy snacks. See ya there!

Come make rubber band bracelets and other creations this Monday, February 9th, at 4pm!

... this Monday, January 12th, at 4pm, where we'll be making beaded photo frames. See ya there!

Come celebrate Teen Tech Week and make cell phone charms this Monday, March 9th, at 4pm!

Come celebrate National Poetry Month and make mini journals this Monday, April 13th, at 4 pm!

Come to It's Bizarre ... this Monday at 4pm, where we'll be making CD sun catchers!

Summer Reading 2019 has arrived!!!

Sign up at the Information Desk or on Saturdays at the Farmer's Market! The Summer Reading Challenge for Teens is for grades 6-12.

The goal is to complete 9 challenges by August 10 for one raffle entry, or 18 for two raffle entries.

Choose a prize from the teen box up to once per week if you log at the Information desk. The grand prize this year is an Oculus Go Standalone Virtual Reality Headset!

All volunteers and all teens who complete 9 or more challenges are also invited to the end of Summer Reading Pizza Party on August 14 @ 1 p.m. Mark your calendars!

See you at the library!

Late Night at the Library! Come to Late Night this Friday, July 24th from 6:30-9 pm. Young Adults 12-16 are invited for an evening of Wii, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways!

Late Night at the Library!

Come for an evening of DDR, Guitar Hero, Rock Band. Internet, snacks, and giveaways. This Friday, July 11th, from 6-9 pm. See ya there!

Meet with other teens at local libraries and Lyons Township High School and discuss some of this year's top young adult books! Our next meeting is Wednesday, November 7th @ 4:30 PM at the LaGrange Park Public Library. We'll have snacks, copies of the books, and lots of great conversation! For more information, check out the 10 to 1 Facebook page and the 10 to 1 blog or stop by the Youth Services Information Desk.

Join us for K-Pop Night!

Meet up with other K-pop fans to listen to and discuss the latest comebacks and songs of your favorite groups. Try out the dance moves, learn some basic Korean, and make a craft - all while enjoying delicious Korean snacks!

Monday, November 11 at 4 p.m. See you there!

Mothers & Daughters: Keeping Your Bond Strong

• Saturdays, February 16 & 23, 11 a.m.
• Saturdays, March 2 & 23, 11 a.m.

Ages 10-High School with mother figure
Registration required

A series of events for daughters and mothers. Each session will focus on different topics, including:

• Keeping Your Bond Strong Through the Pre-Teen Years
• Self Care Techniques to Keep You Grounded
• How to Work with Your Emotions
• Plus, yoga, meditation, deep relaxation, energy healing, and chocolate

Join us, beginning this Saturday!!!

It's nearly September!

Don't forget that the library will be closed on Sunday, September 1 and on Monday, September 2 for Labor Day. Sunday hours (11-6) will resume on September 8!

Starting on Tuesday, September 3, you can sign up for Fall Reading! This year's theme will be a Harvest of Good Books. Read an hour per week, check in, and get a prize! Happy reading!

Are you learning a second language in school? Don't forget that the library can be a great resource! Not only do we have the typical language learning books and dictionaries, we also have some books in languages other than English, such as Spanish, French, and German! Pick one up today to practice reading something fun in your target language!

If you're looking for some extra practice on the go, you can access Mango Languages through the library, both on a desktop computer and through the app on your phone! Happy learning!

Happy winter break! We have two more teen events for you to attend in 2019!

On Friday, December 27 @ 3 p.m. we are showing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse! Join us for the movie, plus snacks!

Monday, December 30 @ 7 p.m. visit the La Grange Park Public Library ( 555 N. La Grange Rd., La Grange Park, IL) for Rockin' New Year's Eve Eve! There will be snacks, games, and party hats!

These will be Ms. Kat's last events at the Brookfield Library, and she hopes to see you all at one or both of those events!

Celebrate the start of summer at Late Night at the Library! Young adults 12-16 are invited for an evening of DDR, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Internet, snacks, and giveaways. This Friday, June 13th, from 6-9 pm. Please make sure you arrive at 6 and are prepared to stay till 9!

Become a Rock Band expert at Late Night at the Library, this Friday, May 9th, from 6-9 pm. We'll have DDR, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and other fun stuff. See ya there!

At least 40 kids showed up for our first Late Night at the Library on Friday, September 15, and they played games, surfed, distinguished themselves at DDR, and did strange things with puppets. And ate all the food we bought! We're doing it again on October 13th at 6:00. Want to come? Let us know at the Youth Services desk. And, as soon as I figure out how to add pictures to this thing, I'll upload some and you can see just what those puppets had to endure.

Late Night at the Library is sadly canceled this Friday, September 26th. We'll be back next month!

I just finished calling everyone on my Late Night call list, and my dialing finger is sore! The next Late Night is this Friday, the 12th, from 6:00 'till 9:00. We'll have the usual games, Internet, DDR, and snacks, and the usual people, too. Hope to see you there!

Artist and performer Paul Merklein will teach kids and teens ages 9 and up how to draw great big faces! Be sure to come to Paul's family performance @ 7 PM.

Show your support to the people of Japan and write a letter! The Youth Services Department is collecting letters, drawings, and poems to send to a school in Japan. You can stop by the Youth Services Information Desk to pick up a form letter to fill out, or create your own! Please drop all completed letters off at the desk and the library will send them to Japan.

Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, but we will be closed on Friday, December 6 for a staff development day.

We hope to see you when we re-open on Saturday from 10-6!

The library will be closed this Friday, December 7th for a Staff Development day. We re-open on Saturday, December 8th for our regular hours.

Please note that the library is closing at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30 to prepare for The Taste of Brookfield. We are sorry for any inconvenience, and will be open regular hours again starting on Saturday, October 1. Thanks for understanding!

The Library is closed for Labor Day on Sunday, September 3 and Monday, September 4. We re-open on Tuesday, September 5th!

The first announcement we can make on our new weblog is that there are still four spaces left in Miss Becky’s next American Red Cross babysitting class. The class will be held on January 4th and 5th from 1-5 pm in the meeting room.If you are between 11 and 15 years old, and would like to improve your babysitting and business skills, this is what you’ve been waiting for. Once you have successfully completed the course, you’ll get a Red Cross Babysitting Certificate, the Official Red Cross Babysitting Handbook, and your own personalized BABYSITTING BAG with a lot of cool babysitting things inside. Plus you’ll have skills and confidence like you’ve never had before.

Come to the Youth Services Department soon to register and reserve your spot. There is a registration fee of $30 to cover the cost of equipment (dolls, dummies, your book & bag, and some other stuff) that you have to pay when you sign up. You will be treated to pizza from Paisans on Thursday afternoon. Then, you will be a GENUINE CERTIFIED BABYSITTER and you can get out there and make lots of money.

If you are interested in the class but can’t make it in January, give us a call anyway and get on the list for the next class. We will call you when we schedule another one, and give you a chance to register before we open it to the public.

Get ready for a game-filled week!

On Tuesday, June 25 @ 2 p.m. we'll have Gamers' Paradise for ages 11-High School. We'll get out snacks, the Nintendo Switch, and board games!

On Friday, June 28 @ 6:30 p.m. we'll have After Hours for ages 12-high school. We'll have a Super Smash Brothers Tournament after the library closes, along with snacks and the Nintendo Wii.

See you there!

For Monday's Anime Club, Nicole has picked out a Lupin the Third that she thinks everyone will like (she seems to know a lot about this), and we have all sorts of cool things to give away, courtesy of Operation Anime. Plus some "special items" to raffle off that I've been hoarding in my office for weeks. So be there! 4:00. See you then.

GET WIRED! Learn to make jewelry with beads, wire, and Swarovski crystals at the Brookfield Public Library this Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30, with expert instruction from local jewelry guru Suzanne Beatty. Bring $5 - $15 to cover the cost of your supplies and go home with a bracelet that you designed yourself. In April we will make necklaces, and we’ll do earrings in May. Sign up soon by calling the Youth Services Department at 485-6917.

Don't forget, tomorrow is our Maker Madness program! Learn about 3-D printing and cool programs like Tinkercad! See the 3-D printer in action! Design something cool to print!

Tomorrow, Wednesday October 9, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

We have a working 3-D printer again! Come see it  and design your own 3-D print at Maker Madness this Wednesday, March 14 from 4-5 p.m. Ages 10-high school, registration is required.

Join our Teen Maker Madness Summer Challenge! At the beginning of this 3-D printing workshop, attendees will be given a challenge (for example, to create a 3-D monster), and given the hour to create their object. After the class, the designs will be printed using the library's 3-D printer and put on display for the remainder of the summer.

Monday, July 9, 4:00 p.m.

Ages 10-High School.

There is still room in tomorrow's Maker Madness Program! Learn to design and print your very own 3-D creations tomorrow, Wednesday September 11 from 4:00pm-5:00pm! See you there!

Don't forget, tomorrow is our Maker Madness program! Come to the library to see the 3-D printer and to play around on Tinkercad!

Wednesday, February 12, 4:00-5:00pm

After Hours for March is this Friday, March 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Join us after the library closes for games, snacks, and prizes! Ages 12-18.

Is there such a thing as true love? Find out when we watch the late '90s classic 10 Things I Hate About You which combines Shakespeare, fistfights at the prom, and bold declarations of love. Monday, March 11 @ 6:15 pm.

Written by: Dalia M. 

Get ready this March for some new YA releases! Check out the list below to see what books are being most talked about this month even before they’re released.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

Available March 7th!

Gothic scandal meets Bridgerton in this LGBTQ+ Historical Fiction.

In Nightfall by Suzanne Young

Available March 28th!

Are you missing the vampire genre? Jump into this new novel that will just suck you in!

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

Available March 21st!

Booksellers who need to keep dangerous magic under control before it leads to death and destruction? Sign me up.

Made of Stars by Jenna Voris

Available March 28th!

If you like Bonnie and Clyde, space warfare across the galaxies, and romantic angst, give this book a try!

Chaos & Flame by Tessa Grafton and Justina Ireland

Available March 28th!

Is fiery prophecies and ancient blood magic threatening to devastate your entire world? If not, dive into this first book in a new YA duology as two unlikely heroes battle a fearsome ancient enemy before it annihilates their world.

Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

Available March 14th!

Vibrant, sweet, and whimsical, this book is perfect for readers of Margaret Rogerson and Tamora Pierce.

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

Available March 14th!

Love the Renaissance Faire and looking for a read about body positivity? This might be the perfect book you’ve been looking for.

A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

Available March 14th!

Mystery, intensity, and horror come together in this gripping tale of two girls trying to solve the only murder in their small town- through a podcast!

Check them out in our SWAN catalog once they’re available!

April showers bring May flowers! Get ready this May for some new YA releases! Check out the list below to see what popular books are being most talked about this month.

Nigeria Jones

Ibi Zoboi

Available May 9th!

A bold, powerful YA coming-of-age story that explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics. 

Cherish (Crave #6)

Tracy Wolff

Available May 20th!

The final chapter to the massive #1 New York Times bestselling series, don't miss this epic conclusion of the series that spawned a phenomenon! Vampires, dragons, and gargoyles, oh my!

Imogen, Obviously

Becky Albertalli

Available Now!

Looking for a romantic comedy that explores sexuality, identity, and friendship all mashed together with incredible humor? This may be the book for you!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes

Sher Lee

Available May 16th!

Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this joyful comedy about an aspiring chef who tries to discover the recipe for love by fake-dating a handsome customer!

The Isles of the Gods

Amie Kaufman

Available Now!

Love magic, romance, and slumbering gods? Great! This novel is just the start of a new fantasy series that's sure to be a thrilling ride.

The Sun and the Star

Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

Available Now! 

Who's been missing the world of Percy Jackson? Check out this new thrilling adventure all about Nico Di Angelo, the son of Hades.

Lying in the Deep

Diana Urban

Available Now!

Looking for a suspenseful thriller with jaw-dropping twists you never saw coming? This might be the book you've been looking for!

I'm Not Supposed to Be in the Dark

Riss M. Neilson

Available May 9th!

This book will haunt you with magical family secrets, broken friendships, and spirit possession!

Check them out in our SWAN catalog once they’re available!

 -We would like to do a new bulletin board feature which is books chosen by TEENS.One member has generally volunteered to write a review for “Midnight Predator” which should feature on the October Teen Bulletin Board.

-T.A.B. would like to put on another puppet show for younger kids. We are thinking of an original sequel to “The Three Little Pigs”. Ideas for this story? Let us know!

-We talked a bit about what sorts of things we would like to see in the new library building- teen-only computers and a quiet reading area were both ideas that were discussed.

-A suggestion box will go out soon. This way if teens have ideas but can’t make it to T.A.B., they can slip their ideas into the box to be discussed at the next meeting. For example, book/movie/music purchases, program ideas, decoration ideas, etc.

-We discussed the possibility of an end-of-the-school-year talent show for teens.

-We discussed doing a photo board with photos from our programs so that people can see what our programs are all about!

-In terms of books, we would like to see more dystopia books and also more animal books.

Next Meeting: We will likely decorate for Halloween! The next meeting will be held on Monday, October 13 @ 4:00 p.m. Join us! As always, snacks are provided!

The Michael L. Printz award for excellence in literature for Young Adults was awarded on Monday, January 23. Congratulations to the winner, March: Book Three, created by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell!

There were four Printz Honor Books named as well: Asking for It, by Louise O'Neill, The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry, Scythe by Neal Shusterman, and The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon.

Check out these new books on display in the young adult area:

Fruits Basket Vol. 20 by Natsuki Takaya

Kitchen Princess Vol. 6 by Natsumi Ando

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Naruto Vol. 30 by Masashi Kishimoto

Passion for Fashion: Careers in Style by Jeanne Beker

Skateboarding Skills: The Rider's Guide by Ben Powell

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Twice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Celebrate Teen Tech Week and come make movies with the Library's iPad and iPod Touch and check out all the creative possibilities of Animoto! This Friday, March 15 @ 3:30 PM.

Check out our latest Animoto video here.

Stop by the library this Saturday, June 20 for a 3:00p.m. viewing of Pitch Perfect! Acca-Awesome!

(Written by Grace W.)

November is Native American Heritage month! To celebrate this month, here are some book recommendations that feature Native American authors, topics, and characters. All of the books highlighted are available through the Brookfield Public Library either in print or digitally.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie (YA FIC ALEXIE)

In Alexie’s debut YA novel he tells the story of Arnold Spirit, a Native American teen who transfers from a school on the Spokane reservation to a white public school. In this novel Alexie explores the struggles Arnold faces on and off the reservation as he questions what constitutes one’s community, identity, and tribe.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (YA FIC SMITH)

This novel is the 2020 winner of the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award. It tells the story of Muskogee (Creek) teen Lou and how she grapples with her family’s recent move to Kanas. This book explores how she grapples with identity, equality, and dating while Native.

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Jean Mendoza (YA 970.004 MEN)

This book provides an indigenous perspective on US history. Dunbar-Ortiz covers topics that are sometimes omitted in history class such as genocide, the role colonialism played in developing the US, and the many ways Native Americans are resisting US imperialism. This book includes discussion topics, maps, and photos to encourage readers to think critically.

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band, Christian Staebler (Coming soon to BFPL in print)

This graphic novel tells the story of Native American rock stars and civil rights activists. This book tells the origin story of the classic rock band Redbone and discusses their involvement with the American Indian Movement and social justice causes. This colorful novel is a great choice for music fans.

Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices, by Lisa Charleyboy and Beth Leatherdale (YA 970.1 DRE)

This book provides readers with a collection of poems, photographs, artwork, interviews, and essays created by Native Americans from across North America. The topics this collection covers include bullying, identity, racism, poverty, coming of age, adoption, and more. This book shares the stories of strong and courageous indigenous youth.

Night Flying Woman, by Ignatia Broker (Available on Hoopla)

This book tells the story of Broker’s great-great grandmother who lived through a time of great change and loss for the Minnesota Ojibway. In addition to themes of loss and hardship, this book also highlights a story of strength.

For more information about Native American Heritage month, check out the link below.

https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

By: Grace W.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (YA FIC BOULLEY, also available on Axis 360 and Overdrive)

Pick up a copy of this thriller to read about Daunis, a biracial Ojibwe teen. Daunis has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of studying medicine, but must put her future on hold to care for her mother. Things are looking pretty bleak and before she knows it, Daunis must go undercover to root out corruption in her community.

Overdrive e-book 

Axis 360 e-book 

Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac ( YA FIC BRUCHAC, also available on Overdrive)

Navajo code talkers saved countless American lives in World War II by sending messages in unbreakable code, but their story is not well known. This fictional tale follows sixteen-year-old Ned Begay who becomes a code talker. This novel honors all young men who served in World War II and it honors the language and culture of the Navajo.

Overdrive audiobook

Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask: A Young Readers Edition by Anton Treuer (YA 970.004 TRE, also available on Overdrive)

This book provides answers to nearly 200 questions for native and non-native teens. If you have ever wanted to know "Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?" or What's it like for natives who don't look native?", you can find the answers in this book.

Overdrive e-book

Overdrive audiobook

If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie (YA GN 909 JON)

This graphic novel provides insight into one of the unique dangers of being an indigenous teen in Canada today. The text of this book is derived from a letter written to the Winnipeg chief of police by Brianna Jonnie. In her letter she calls out the authorities for neglecting to immediately investigate the missing Indigenous people.

Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac ( YA FIC BRUCHAC)

Luke is used to moving around a lot due to his father’s job as a black ops infiltrator. This time Luke hopes he will be able to settle in and have a normal life. But when his Dad goes missing, he realizes that his life will never be normal. Luke is faced with multiple challenges and he must decide who to trust as he creates his own destiny.

Surviving the City by Tasha Sumner-Spillett (YA GN Spillet, also available on Hoopla and Overdrive)

Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape. However, when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can’t stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can’t bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated. Will Dez’s community find her before it’s too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don’t?

Overdrive e-book 

Hoopla e-book 

For more information about Native American Heritage month, check out the link below.

https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

Enter up to 3 photos of naturally occurring plants, animals or fungi taken within parks, open spaces or yards in Brookfield for the Naturally Brookfield Photography Contest! E-mail photos to Reference or submit in person to the Information Desk by July 31st. Winners will be chosen and prizes awarded.

Join us for Navigating the College Planning Process on Monday, February 11, at 7 p.m.

Learn the myths, misconceptions, and most importantly, little-known financial strategies to increase financial aid. This is a must-attend workshop for high-school parents/guardians wanting to learn about strategies that can save their family money and headaches, while at the same time, finding the best college fit for their students.

This 90 minute workshop is presented by Samantha Uribe of My College Planning Team. 

Bored and feeling the winter blues? Don't forget that teens and pre-teens can take coloring sheets and borrow sharpies and colored pencils, or borrow a board game or card game from the reference desk. All you need is your library card or student ID to borrow a game. We have Ticket to Ride, Uno, Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Exploding Kittens, and more available- just ask the librarian!

We get new titles a few times a week and I don’t feel a need to list them all here, but I do want to mention the most interesting items, when they arrive:

For anime fans we’ve just added Kiki’s Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky and Grave of the Fireflies to our growing collection (we got Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke last month). Don’t forget, we also own the complete Gundam Wing series on DVD as well. And if you’re into manga we have the long-awaited Inu-Yasha vols. 21 and 22 and the first five Hikaru No Go (vol. 6 is due out in February).

If you’ve seen Peter Jackson’s new version of “King Kong,” check out The Making of King Kong: the Official Guide to the Motion Picture. We also picked up The Making of Doom 3 for the rabid gamers we know are out there.

The third installment in Kevin Crossley-Holland’s Arthur trilogy, King of the Middle March, is here, the latest in the Young Wizards series, Wizards at War, and a collection of song lyrics by Alicia Keys called Tears for Water.

If you’re interested in any of these give us a call at 485-6917 to place a hold. If there are any titles you think the library should own, you can let us know and we’ll do our best to get them.

Teen Services has just acquired a new game for gaming events and for in-library checkout! Come play Dominion, a card-game for teens and pre-teens to play in the library!

Description from the box:

"You are a monarch, like your parents before you, a ruler of a small pleasant kingdom of rivers and evergreens. Unlike your parents, however, you have hopes and dreams! You want a bigger and more pleasant kingdom, with more rivers and a wider variety of trees. You want a Dominion! In all directions lie fiefs, freeholds, and feodums. All are small bits of land, controlled by petty lords and verging on anarchy. You will bring civilization to these people, uniting them under your banner.

But wait! It must be something in the air; several other monarchs have had the exact same idea. You must race to get as much of the unclaimed land as possible, fending them off along the way. To do this you will hire minions, construct buildings, spruce up your castle, and fill the coffers of your treasury. Your parents wouldn't be proud, but your grandparents, on your mother's side, would be delighted."

Have fun!

Check out these new books and movies on the young adult bookshelf:

The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara

Gym Candy by Carl Deuker

Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 16: Cable

Check out these new books and DVDs on the young adult bookshelf:

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

High School Debut Vol. 8 by Kazune Kawahara

Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom

The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs by Clea Hantman

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle 4: Between Death and Danger

You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Burn My Heart by Beverley Naidoo

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new book on the young adult bookshelf:

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Chalice by Robin McKinley

Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

P.S. I Loathe You by Lisi Harrison

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bloodline by Katy Moran

Eleven by Lauren Myracle

Gotcha! by Shelley Hrdlitschka

He Forgot to Say Goodbye by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I Am Scout: A Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper

March Toward the Thunder by Joseph Bruchac

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Check out these new books on the young adult shelf:

Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Hero-type by Barry Lyga

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Kitchen Princess Vol. 8

Naruto Vol. 32

Oh My Goddess! Vol. 10

Tsubasa Vol. 19

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Captain America: Reborn by Ed Brubaker

The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics by Freddie E. Williams

Green Lantern: Agent Orange by Geoff Johns

Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse by Peter J. Tomasi

Green Lantern Corps: Sins of the Star Sapphire by Peter J. Tomasi

Mixed Vegetables Vol. 7 by Ayumi Komura

Check out these new titles on the young adult bookshelf:

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes by Christopher Yost

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Superman/Batman: Worship by Paul Levitz

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

All-Star Superman Vol. 2 by Grant Morrison

Arkham Asylum: a Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison

Batman and Son by Grant Morrison

The Death of Captain America: Vol. 1, The Death of the Dream by Ed Brubaker

Hikaru No Go Vol. 12 by Yumi Hotta

Japan Ai: a Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan by Aimee Major Steinberger

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Flash by Michael Cadnum

Ghostgirl: Lovesick by Tonya Hurley

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Reality Check by Jen Calonita

Up Over and Down Under by Micol Ostow and Noah Harlan

Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler

X-Men Forever Volume 1 by Chris Claremont

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Batman: Heart of Hush by Paul Dini

Courtney Crumrin's Monstrous Holiday by Ted Naifeh

High School Debut Vol. 11 by Kazune Kawahara

Inu-Yasha Vol. 39 by Rumiko Takahashi

Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss by Danica McKellar

Tsubasa Vol. 22 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Those With Wings Vol. 2 by Natsuki Takaya

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne

A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Blackest Night, Volume 1: Black Lantern Corps by Peter Tomasi

Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns by Geoff Johns

Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps Vol. 1 by Geoff Johns

The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The Year of Goodbyes: A True Story of Friendship, Family, and Farewells by Debbie Levy

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli

Bleach Vol. 30 by Tite Kubo

Broadway Lights by Jen Calonita

Dizzy In Your Eyes: Poems About Love by Pat Mora

InuYasha Vol. 44 & 45 by Rumiko Takahashi

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers

The Omnivore's Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat by Michael Pollan

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Chibi Vampire Vol. 13 by Yuna Kagesaki

Dead is So Last Year by Marlene Perez

Encyclopedia of the End by Deborah Noyes

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 18 by Hiromu Arakawa

Juvenile Court: A Guide for Young Adults and Their Parents by Leora Krygier

Nightrise by Anthony Horowitz

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

High School Debut Vol. 9 by Kazune Kawahara

Killer: A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard

Lucky: An It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Vacations From Hell by Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Mlynowski

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

The Clique: The Manga by Lisi Harrison

Every Little Thing in the World by Nina de Gramont

The Fire Opal by Regina McBride

Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams

Happyface by Stephen Emond

Hero Tales Vol. 2 by Huang Jin Zhou

Hikaru No Go Vol. 16 by Yumi Hotta

Med Head: My Knock-Down, Drag-Out, Drugged-Up Battle With My Brain by James Patterson

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

X-Men Forever: Vol. 2 by Chris Claremont

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers

It Had to Be You: The Gossip Girl Prequel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Gone by Michael Grant

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Tempted: An It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Dead is a State of Mind by Marlene Perez

Elephant Run by Roland Smith

Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

A Small White Scar by K.A. Nuzum

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman

Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith

High School Debut Vol. 1 by Kazune Kawahara

Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Me, the Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine

Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena

Naruto Vol. 33 by Masashi Kishimoto

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Tsubasa Vol. 20 by CLAMP

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Good Neighbors: Kith - Book Two by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

Maximum Ride: The Manga 2 by James Patterson

My Name is Jason. Mine Too by Jason Reynolds

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Black is For Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 20 by Hiromu Arakawa

Geektastic: Stories From the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Inuyasha Vol. 40 by Rumiko Takahashi

Oishinbo A La Carte: Ramen & Gyoza by Tetsu Kariya

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill Alexander

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Deadville by Ron Koertge

Envy: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bait by Alex Sanchez

D.N. Angel Vol. 12 by Yukiru Sugisaki

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 19 by Hiromu Arakawa

Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Oh My Goddess Vol. 12 by Kosuke Fujishima

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Superman: Escape from Bizarro World by Geoff Johns

Tsubasa: Those With Wings Vol. 1 by Natsuki Takaya

Twilight Tours: An Illustrated Guide to the Real Forks by George Beahm

Uncool: A Girl's Guide to Misfitting In by Erin Conley

Vampire Knight Vol. 7 by Matsuri Hino

The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir by Cylin Busby

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers

Good Behavior by Nathan L. Henry

Rise of the Huntress by Joseph Delaney

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford

Black Cat Vol. 19 by Kentaro Yabuki

The Death of Captain America: Vol. 2, The Burden of Dreams by Ed Brubaker

Dumped by Elisabeth Rein Conley

Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish

Naruto Vol. 39 by Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto Vol. 40 by Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto Vol. 41 by Masashi Kishimoto

Punisher War Journal Vol. 2: Goin' Out West by Matt Fraction

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Superman: Brainiac by Geoff Johns

30 Days to Getting Over the Dork You Used to Call Your Boyfriend by Clea Hantman

Trigun Maximum Vol. 13 by Yasuhiro Nightow

Ultimate Spider-man Vol. 17: Clone Saga by Brian Michael Bendis

Vampire Knight Vol. 6 by Matsuri Hino

Check out these new books on the young adult shelf:

Bleach Vol. 25 by Tite Kubo

Jars of Glass by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Nation by Terry Pratchett

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course In All Things Boy by Sarah O'Leary Burningham

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia

Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Badd by Tim Tharp

The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton by Connie Nordhielm Woodridge

Don't Get It Twisted by Paula Chase

The Iron King by Julia Kagawa

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Silver Sea by Julia Golding

So Not the Drama by Paula Chase

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Check out these new books on the young adult shelf:

Death's Shadow by Darren Shan

Kendra by Coe Booth

The Sorcerer of the North by John Flanagan

Wrath of the Bloodeye by Joseph Delaney

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Children of the Sea by Daisuke Igarashi

College Vegetarian Cooking: Feed Yourself and Your Friends by Megan & Jill Carle

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Kimi Ni Todoke = From Me to You Vols. 1 &2 by Karuho Shiina

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen

Naruto Vol. 47: The Seal Destroyed by Masashi Kishimoto

Oishinbo a la Carte: Japanese Cuisine by Tetsu Kariya

Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer by Van Jensen

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of Emmett Till by Simeon Wright

The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History by Adam Selzer

Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson

Ultimate Spider-man Vol. 22: Ultimatum by Brian Michael Bendis

We Were Here by Matt de la Pena

The Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School by David Borgenicht

The Vampire Book by Sally Regan

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Borrowed Names: Poems About Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters by Jeannine Atkins

Dark Song by Gail Giles

How to Be a Zombie: the Essential Guide for Anyone Who Craves Brains by Serena Valentino

Sex: A Book for Teens by Nikol Hasler

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Teen's Guide to World Domination by Josh Shipp

Tell Us We're Home by Maria Budhos

They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

The War to End All Wars: World War I by Russell Freedman

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Dark Princess by Amanda Kostro

Unforgettable: an It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Dark Calling by Darren Shan

Generation Dead by Dan Waters

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

Riot by Walter Dean Myers

The Spook's Tale and Other Horrors by Joseph Delaney

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Burnout by Rebecca Donner

Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers

The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang

Guardian by Julius Lester

King of the Screwups by K.L. Going

The New York Four by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly

Paparazzi Princess by Jen Calonita

Shugo Chara Vol. 6 by Momo no Tane

Vampire Kisses Vol. 1: Blood Relatives by Ellen Schreiber

Ultimate Spider-man Vol. 19: Death of a Goblin by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 18: Apocalypse by Robert Kirkman

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Cardturner: A Novel About a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar

Center Field by Robert Lipsyte

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Amulet of Samarkand: A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel by Jonathan Stroud

Bloody Valentine: A Blue Bloods Book by Melissa de la Cruz

Children of the Sea Vol. 3 by Daisuke Igarashi

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Hush by Eishes Chayil

Lola: A Ghost Story by J. Torres

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 1: Origins by L.J. Smith

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 2: Bloodlust by L.J. Smith

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Angry Management by Chris Crutcher

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

Get Cooking by Sam Stern

The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson

Naruto Vol. 45 by Masashi Kishimoto

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith.

Get Real by Mara Rockliff

Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Supergirl: Power by Jeph Loeb

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Stories About Falling Out of Love by Four Incredible Authors

The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

Green Lantern: Rebirth by Geoff Johns

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

Need by Carrie Jones

Superman and the Legion of Super-heroes by Geoff Johns

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Getting the Girl: A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery by Susan Juby

This Full House by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film about The Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bleach Vol. 27 by Tite Kubo

Loveless Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 by Yun Kouga

Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 12 by Bisco Hatori

Tsubasa Vol. 21 by CLAMP

Ultimate Spider-man Vol. 21: War of the Symbiotes by Brian Michael Bendis

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Check out these new books on the young adult shelf:

Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston

The Good Neighbors: Book One, Kin by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh

The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Spirit by J.P. Hightman

Things That Are by Andrew Clements

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only Vol. 1 by Cecily Von Ziegesar

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

Maximum Ride Vol. 3 by James Patterson

The Prince of Mist by Carol Ruiz Zafon

Tall Tales by Jeff Smith

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys by Sharon Flake

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Captain America: The Man With No Face by Ed Brubaker

Fantastic Four: Volume 1 by Jonathan Hickman

Girls Gone Green by Lynn Hirshfield

The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen's Guide to Saving the Planet by Jenn Savedge

100 Things Guys Need to Know by Bill Zimmerman

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Start Talking: A Girl's Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex, or Whatever by Mary Jo Rapini & Janine Sherman

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Dead is Not an Option by Marlene Perez

Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Ocean of Blood by Darren Shan

Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

Stay by Deb Caletti

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Black Box by Julie Schumacher

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

Nothing by Janne Teller

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bonechiller by Graham McNamee

Intensely Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins

Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

Possessing Jessie by Nancy Springer

Two new games have been added to the in-library gaming collection for tweens and teens: Uno, and Settlers of Catan! Ask for them at the information desk!

Don't forget, you need an I.D. or library card to borrow a board or card game.

Check out these new items on the young adult bookshelf:

After by Amy Efaw

Bandslam

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

Join the Teen Advisory Board this fall! We are really interested in your ideas for the library! We want to know your thoughts on teen programs and materials for check-out, as well as other ways to improve the Brookfield Public Library! There will be food and friends; can't wait to see you here!

First meeting: Monday, September 9, 4:00-5:00PM

Are you on Tumblr? Follow the YA department's new Tumblr at http://www.brookfieldteens.tumblr.com/! We'll post events, announcements, and fun stuff. Take a look!

Check out these new books on the Young Adult bookshelf:

Billie Standish Was Here by Nancy Crocker
11-year old Billie Standish is used to being on her own. As an only child of parents who had wished for a son and the girl at school none of the other girls want to be friends with, Billie knows how to be invisible. During the summer of 1968 Billie's small town of Cumberland looks like it might be engulfed by a flood and to Billie it seems the only people who haven't fled are her parents and herself. Then on a trip to get the mail Billie runs into her elderly neighbor Miss Lydia, and soon the two are close friends. But when something unimaginable befalls Billie, will she and Miss Lydia be able to move on and make peace with what happened?

Dream Factory by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler
Disney World is supposedly the "happiest place on Earth,"but as Luke and Ella soon find out, it is anything but. Hired for the summer to replace striking Disney cast members, Ella as Cinderella and Luke as Dale (as in Chip and Dale), the two teenagers grow tired of the Disney fantasy and find themselves connecting with each other. But Chip is played by Cassie, Luke's current girlfriend, and Prince Charming is Mark, a cute and forgettable Disney devotee. Will Luke be able to see beyond Cassie's blonde and beautiful perfection? Will Ella be able to tell Luke what's really going on in her life?

Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Amal has just made one of the most major decisions of her life to date - to wear the hijab (the Muslim head scarf) whenever she is outside of her home or in the presence of strangers. Amal soon learns that while she may have made an extremely difficult but rewarding choice, it is just the beginning of her journey to understanding who she really is.

Facts of Life by Gary Soto
Stories about difficult families, strange situations, and characters trying to figure out how to live life.

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith

Paper Towns by John Green

Students On Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown, and Me by John A. Stokes

Check out these new books on the young adult shelves:

Dial L for Loser by Lisi Harrison

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

A La Carte by Tanita S. Davis

Hot Lunch by Alex Bradley

Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Sherri L. Smith

Check out these new books on display in the young adult area:

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti.

Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mylnowski, and Lauren Myracle

Love is a Many Trousered Thing by Louise Rennison

Stop in the Name of Pants! by Louise Rennison

Check out these new books on display in the YA department:

Breathe My Name by R. A. Nelson
Frances Robinson's life is for the most part going well - she has a wonderful family who loves her, a great best friend, and a potential love interest named Nix. But she still has terrible dreams about the life she led with her birth mother and younger sisters. One day eleven years ago her mother smothered her children to death - except for Frances. Now Frances' mother is out of prison, and she wants to see Frances. And complete what was begun eleven years ago.

How They Met, and Other Stories by David Levithan
A set of stories about falling in love and out of love, meeting love, and losing love.

Starcross: A Stirring Adventure of Spies, Time Travel and Curious Hats by Philip Reeve
Continuing where Larklight left off, Myrtle and Art now find themselves vacationing with their mother at Starcross, a hotel in the Asteroid Belt. But all too soon they discover things are not what they seem, are soon contending with spies, life in prehistoric Mars, and other strange occurrences.

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf!

Don't You Forget About Me: a Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Newes From the Dead by Mary Hooper

Reckless: an It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Check out these new books in the Young Adult manga section:

Vampire Knight Vol. 1 by Matsuri Hino

Oh My Goddess Vol. 9 by Kosuke Fujishima

Check out these new young adult books:

Freak by Marcella Pixley
Until seventh grade, Miriam doesn't mind her social status of creative outcast. Her older sister Deborah has always been her closest ally and confidant, but then Deborah enters high school and is all of a sudden beautiful and popular. Add to the mix a set of parents not fully grounded in reality and a group of classmates intent on making Miriam's life miserable, and you have the makings for a horrible seventh grade year. And when Miriam reaches her limit, will she be able to change things for the better?

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Continuing where Wicked Lovely left off, Aislinn's friend Leslie is at the center of Melissa Marr's latest story of Faerie. Leslie has discovered an unusually beautiful tattoo of wings, and from the moment she sees it, she knows she has to have it. What Leslie doesn't know is the tattoo will bind her to the dark side of Faerie in ways she's never before imagined.

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

Shugo Chara! Vol. 3

Check out these new books in the young adult section:

Estrella's Quinceanera by Malin Alegria

Forever Rose by Hilary McKay

Harmless by Dana Reinhardt

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

November Blues by Sharon M. Draper

Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Check out these new young adult books we put on display in the Youth Services Department today:

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush

Cover-up by John Feinstein

Peeled by Joan Bauer

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm and Rich Tommaso

Vanishing Act by John Feinstein

Check out these new books on display in the young adult area:

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Betrayed: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast

Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast

Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst

Night Road by A.M. Jenkins

Check out these new young adult books on the young adult bookshelf:

Cooking Up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook by Sam Stern

Good Enough by Paula Yoo

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

Real Food, Real Fast by Sam Stern

Shugo Chara!: Vol. 4

Star Wars: Tag and Bink Were Here by Kevin Rubio

Ultimate X-men Vol. 10: Cry Wolf by Brian Vaughan

Ultimate X-men Vol 11: The Most Dangerous Game by Brian Vaughan

Ultimate X-men Vol. 12: Hard Lessons by Brian Vaughan

Check out these new books on the young adult bookshelf:

Almost Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Bleach 23 by Tite Kubo

Body Drama by Nancy Amanda Redd

Manga For the Beginner by Christopher Hart

Rumors: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen

Shugo Chara! 1 by Tane no Momo

Shugo Chara! 2 by Tane no Momo

Vampire Knight 2 by Matsuri Hino

Vampire Knight 3 by Matsuri Hino

Water Baby by Ross Campbell

Our next Anime Club is on Monday, July 15 at 4 p.m.

We will watch the first part of Spirited Away!

This is a fantastic film from Hayao Miyazaki, in which a girl gets trapped into a world of spirits, and needs to find a way to free herself and her parents.

Ages 11-High School.

Don't forget to show up for our next Anime Club, next Monday, June 17, @ 4 p.m.! Join us for more episodes of Hunter x Hunter, plus pocky and other snacks!! See you there!

Ages 11-High School

The Young Adult Council will have a meeting this Monday, Jan. 30th, at 4:30. I called everyone who indicated on our last survey that they would be interested in joining with an invitation to attend. But if I missed you, or if you’re a Brookfield kid in middle school or high school who is interested in getting involved at the library, give me a call at 485-6917 and let me know you’re coming. (I have to know how many are coming so I can know how much food to buy!) The meeting will last about an hour and should be fun.

Thanks to Steve Brosinski of the Brookfield Landmark for the article on page 7 of this week’s issue about our new blogs. And thanks especially for spelling my name right!

This Friday is Gamers’ Paradise, and the library has just acquired a Nintendo Switch!! Come over after school on Friday, January 12, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for snacks, board games, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!! Ages 11-High School.

Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m.

Learn the differences between Skype and phone interviews, how to prepare for them and tips for best presenting yourself when you're not actually in the room. 

For high school students & adults! Please register.

We have some great nonfiction on our new books shelf this week, including:
Bat Boy Lives! the WEEKLY WORLD NEWS guide to politics, culture, celebrities, alien abductions, and the mutant freaks that shape our world (be sure to use the link to check out the cover art, so you can understand what a credible news source this is)

Fantasy Encyclopedia: A guide to the fabulous beasts and magical beings-from elves and dragons to vampires and wizards (beautiful illustrations, if this is the kind of thing you like)

The Art of the Sports Car: The greatest design of the 20th Century (beautiful illustrations, if this is the kind of thing you like)

and

It’s Happy Bunny: Love Bites

Non-fiction does not have to be good for you!!!

Three Xboxes, ten guys, Halo 2, big fun. The next one will be bigger!

Want to get in on it? Call the library at 485-6917 and let us know.

Our next AniManga Club meeting is on Monday, July 2nd, at 4:00 p.m. We will watch From Up On Poppy Hill!

" Yokohama, 1963. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the Olympics. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi and Shun ... but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart."

Ages 11-high school. See you there!

Our next AniManga Club meeting will be on Monday, July 16, at 4:00 p.m. We will watch Porco Rosso!

"Take flight with 'Porco Rosso', a valiant World War I flying ace! From tropical Adriatic settings to dazzling aerial maneuvers, this action-adventure from world-renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki is full of humor, courage, and chivalry.

When 'Porco'- whose face has been transformed into that of a pig by a mysterious spell- infuriates a band of sky pirates with his aerial heroics, the pirates hire Curtis, a rival pilot, to 'get rid' of him. On the ground, the two pilots compete for the affections of the beautiful Gina.But it is int he air where the true battles are waged. Will our hero be victorious?"
 

Ages 11-high school, snacks provided.

During our last Anime Club, we started the movie When Marnie Was There. This Monday, January 21st at 4:00 p.m. we'll finish the film! We also have the show Hunter X Hunter to start watching! Join us for anime, snacks, and prizes! Ages 11-high school.

Come to our next AniManga Club on Monday, August 20, at 4:00 p.m.! We will have snacks (including Pocky!) and watch The Secret World of Arrietty!

Come to the Teen Adventure Club on Monday, April 24, at 3:30 p.m. Eat snacks, watch a Star Wars Film (either The Force Awakens or Rogue One), and complete a small craft!

About 30 kids, a few adults, and the entire Youth Services staff turned out Friday night after the library closed to celebrate the end of another successful Summer Reading Program! We ate junk food (including some pretty good pizza from Paisan), played games, and raffled off the coveted and highly symbolic trench coat. Plus everyone got thank-you gifts from a very grateful Head of Youth Services (me).

What would we do without our volunteers? I have no idea, and hope I never have to find out! See photos from the party on our Flickr account by clicking here.

We had our best Christmas Eve Eve Eve Storytime yet on Thursday night, and we couldn’t have done it without the six Young Adult volunteers who showed up (mostly) on time and were completely useful throughout the evening. They even cleaned up when it was over! THANK YOU once again to everyone who helped. You can see more pics from the program by going here.

Contribute a little bit of your creativity to our teen space here at the library! We will be painting bookends to add a little bit of art to our teen area. Paint a great design, make the bookend look like the cover of a favorite book, or paint a great book quote!

Monday, September 24, 3:30 p.m. Ages 11-high school. Please register!

Learn how to create your own masterpiece with art teacher Gina DeVeno. This program is limited to 15 participants, so please make sure you register! Saturday, October 1st @ 2:30 pm. Ages 10-16.

Learn how to create your own masterpiece with art teacher Gina DeVeno. This program is limited to 15 participants, so please make sure you register! Saturday, November 5th @ 2:30 pm. Ages 10-16.

Did you volunteer with us this summer OR did you complete at least 9 challenges on the Teen Summer Reading Log? Then you are invited to our annual end-of-summer reading pizza party! Please come and celebrate your reading success with board games, video games, prizes, and pizza!

Please let us know if you plan to attend!

See you there!

Unfortunately our Teen Programming Club instructor has cancelled the class on Thursday, September 4. If you are signed up for the class, please come the following week, Thursday, September 11 @ 5:30 p.m.

We apologize for the inconvenience!

Quilting starts this Friday, June 16, from 10:30-1:00! Come learn to make a masterpiece in fabric- all quilts are donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Open to ages 9 and up! Sign up today!

Quilting for a Cause starts up this week!

Join Miss Becky and learn how to make quilts for local nonprofit organizations in need.
No sewing experience required. All levels welcome!

This Thursday, June 14, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Looking for a way to learn a new skill while volunteering for a great cause?

Learn how to sew a quilt at Quilting for a Cause! At the end of the summer, all completed quilts will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House!!

This is a great opportunity for ages 9-adults who wish to learn sewing skills, and do a great thing for the community.

Our first class will be Thursday, June 20 @ 6:30 p.m.

This Sunday, April 8, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. join Miss Becky and learn how to make quilts for local nonprofit organizations in need.
No sewing experience required. All levels welcome!

Looking for your required and extra reads for Riverside Brookfield and Lyons Township High Schools? Look no further than the young adult bookshelf at the library! We created a special section for RB and LT books, and if we don't have the one you need when you come in, we'll order it for you.

Come to an Engineering Notebook Workshop this Friday, presented by the RBHS Bionic Bulldogs!

Friday, April 19, 4 p.m.

This workshop is a combination of two of the best things: scrapbooking and science! Join the RB robotics team for an afternoon of STEM scrapbooking. We will be learning how to create a scientific sketch, build an engineering notebook, and more. Everyone will be going home with their own mini engineering notebook!

Grades 4-8

The weather outside is dreary at the moment, but it's PERFECT for curling up with a good book!

Start off the New Year right by signing up for the Teen Winter Reading Challenge!

The 2019 Winter Reading Challenge begins Monday, January 7 and goes through Saturday, February 23.

Read a book or listen to an audiobook for one hour or more per week. Anything counts – comics, books, fanfiction — as long as you are reading! Log your time up to once a week to choose a small prize.

Develop your professional babysitting skills with our Red Cross Babysitting Training with CPR class! Learn basic child care, safety, first aid, and CPR. The 11-hour program is taught by certified instructor Katherine Danko, and is open to Young Adults ages 11-15. Please register in person at the Information Desk. We need at least 6 students to hold the class, so please register early. The cost of this class is $55. Wednesday & Thursday, December 28-29, 11:00-4:30p.m.

Registration for the library's summer reading program, Get in the Game, Read!, starts Monday June 2nd and continues through Monday, June 30th. You can start reporting your books on June 16th, and the last day to report books is July 18th. We'll be giving young adults a username and password when they register, so you can report your books online. Stay tuned for news about summer programs for young adults ...

Come to Rock On this Friday at 6:30 pm for some Nintendo Wii tournament play! Don't forget $5 for pizza. Ages 12 & up.

Come to Rock On this Friday at 6:30 pm for some Nintendo Wii tournament play! Don't forget $5 for pizza. Ages 12 & up.

Come to Rock On this Friday at 6:30 pm for some Nintendo Wii tournament play! Don't forget $5 for pizza. Ages 12 & up.

Thrills, chills, melodrama and more when we celebrate Halloween with the Rocky Horror Glee Show! This Monday, October 8th @ 6:15 p.m. Ages 11 - high school.

By: Grace W. 

6 Romance Book Recommendations

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender (available on Hoopla and Overdrive)

If you are looking for a rom com, look no further. This book follows Nathan, who has sworn off happy endings, as he begins to rethink his stance on romance when his childhood best friend Oliver moves back to town.

Hoopla e-book: 

Overdrive e-book: 

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali (YA FIC ALI, also available on Overdrive and Access 360)

Zayneb is on a flight to Qatar for spring break when she meets Adam. This book follows these two characters as they fall in love and struggle to live their own truths.  

 Overdrive audiobook: 

 Access 360 e-book: 

I Kissed Alice by Anna Birch (YA FIC BIRCH)

Rhodes and Iliana both attend Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts- and that’s about all they have in common. These girls are rivals in real life, but don’t know that they are both contributing to a fan fiction web comic together using aliases. Read this book to find out what happens when their online personas begin developing feelings for each other.

Love in English by Maria E. Andreu (coming soon)

Ana has just moved from Argentina to New Jersey and wants nothing more than to go back home, until she meets some new friends and American boys. This novel follows Ana as she navigates a new country, language, and feelings.

Frankly in Love by David Yoon (YA FIC YOON also available on Access 360 and Overdrive)

High school senior Frank Li takes a risk by going after a girl his parents don’t approve of. His friend Joy Song also has very strict parents, so the two of them make a pact to fake date to appease their parents. This book follows Frank as he navigates his real and fake relationships.

Access 360 audiobook: 

Overdrive audiobook: 

If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley (YA FIC WIBBERLEY also available on Hoopla and Overdrive)

Cameron has a reputation at her private L.A. high school of being brutally honest. When she slips up in front of her crush Andrew and his affection for her quickly fades, she decides to tame herself to win him over. As she begins apologizing to all of the people she has wronged over the years, she begins to rethink her crush on Andrew as she begins to get closer to Brendan.

Hoopla audiobook 

Overdrive e-book 

I just finished a new book called Angelmonster, by Veronica Bennett. It was good - a "life reimagined" about Mary Shelley, author of the ultimate goth novel, Frankenstein. When she was 16 she ran away with a famous poet who was already married, with two kids of his own, and lived with him for the next 8 years. And I'm almost done listening to the audiobook version of Valiant: a modern tale of faerie, by Holly Black, about a girl who catches her mom making out with her boyfriend, gets understandably upset, shaves her head, and runs away to New York City. She hooks up with a group of street kids who are making drug runs for...a goblin, yes, a goblin, and gets involved in a murder mystery involving a lot of supernatural creatures and a drug called Never. When you take Never, you can do magic. This one is delightfully creepy. Ask us where these are, next time you're in.

Don't forget, the SAT Practice exam is this Saturday, October 15 at 10:30 a.m. If you are a high school student who wants to practice taking the SAT, sign up for this FREE event! You will be able to receive your results just one week later.

Come to the library this Saturday, September 8th at 10:30 a.m. to take a Practice SAT test.

The college admissions testing process is a stressful time! Exposure, practice, and prep can help reduce your stress and may increase your test scores, so take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment. A representative from C2 Education will come to the library and proctor a full SAT practice test.

Grades 9-12; please register in advance.

The college admissions testing process can be a nail-biting experience. Exposure, practice, and prep can help reduce your stress and may increase your test scores, so take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment. A representative of the Sylvan Learning Center will proctor a full SAT practice test, this Saturday, October 21st, at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required; this event is for high-school students only.

Come to the Saturday Movie Marathon this Saturday, March 5th, from 12 to 5 pm. To celebrate Teen Tech Week we'll be watching Bandslam and Drumline. Come for movies, snacks, and to make your own glam rock rings!

Come to the Saturday Movie Marathon this Saturday from 12 to 4 pm. We'll be watching Iron Man 2 and Fantastic 4. Come for movies, snacks, and to make your own superhero emblem!

Come to the Saturday Movie Marathon this Saturday from 12 to 5 pm. We'll be watching The Nightmare before Christmas, The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror, and other spooky stuff. Come for movies, snacks, and Jack Skellington cupcakes!

Come to Scare Up a Good Game this Tuesday at 2:30 pm. We'll be getting out the Wii and making candy sushi!

Come to Scare Up a Good Game this Tuesday, June 22nd at 2:30 pm. We'll be playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the Wii and making marble magnets!

Come to Scare Up a Good Game this Tuesday at 2:30 pm. We'll be getting out the Wii and making bottlecap magnets!

Come to Scare Up a Good Game this Tuesday at 2:30 pm. We'll be getting out the Wii and making journals out of recycled stuff!

The 9/11 Commission approved this interpretation of their official report, told in the form of a graphic novel. This is NOT a dumbed-down version of what happened; it is an extremely well-rendered graphic novel that covers the events leading up to the attacks, a timeline of that day, and what happened afterward, from many different viewpoints. We have it in our new YA nonfiction section. Everybody should see this.

Monday's AniManga Club will feature a showing of an extra-long Case Closed episode, courtesy of one of our members. Thanks, Trevor! See everybody at 4:00.

Registration for Teen &Young Adult Summer Reading begins Tuesday, May 30!

Complete challenges to earn prizes and be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing for a chance to win an iPad Mini. All who finish are also invited to the Teen & YA Party in August!

Sign up for the SAT Practice exam being held here at the library on Saturday, October 19, at 10:30 a.m.

This is absolutely free, you only need to sign up!

The college admissions testing process is a stressful time! Exposure, practice, and prep can help reduce your stress and may increase your test scores, so take this opportunity to improve your test-taking skills in a practice environment. A representative from C2 Education will come to the library and proctor a full SAT practice test.

For grades 9-12.

"If we all make today awesome for somebody else, today will be awesome for everybody."

-Kid President

Wish we didn't have to, but tonight's Late Night is cancelled because we couldn't find enough adult volunteers.

We really want to continue running Late Night every month! If you know an adult who likes Middle-School kids as much as we do, and wants to help us keep this great program going, tell that person to give us a call and volunteer. It's just a few hours once a month, and for a really worthy cause!

This week's book pick is Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick.

Sig is just fourteen, but already he is caught in an impossible nightmare. He lives with his father, stepmother, and older sister in the Alaskan wilderness, far from civilization. But today Sig's father Einar has died after an accident on the ice, and a strange man has suddenly appeared at the family's cabin. Gunther Wolff states Einar stashed away some gold that belong to both of them ten years ago, and he's been tracking the family ever since. Now he's caught up with them, and won't be going anywhere until Sig finds the gold. Yet Sig never even knew the gold existed ...

This week's staff pick is A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn.

For those who like a good fairy tale, this is a book for you. Marni lives near the end of the forest with her grandfather, where she grows and sells flowers for the court. There, she is happy and safe from her uncle, the King, who slayed her mother. Marni is not only a princess– she is also half dragon, which is why the King wants her dead. As Marni grows older, the woods grow louder, calling Marni home, and once Marni’s Gramps dies and Marni joins the royal court, the trees begin to move into the kingdom. As the trees move in and the King plots her murder, Marni needs to be clever, discover who she can trust, and discovers what it means to be the daughter of a dragon. This original story reads like an old fairy tale you’ve always known, and has beautiful imagery of whispering trees and magical creatures.

This week's Staff Pick is A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman.

Veda is a wonderful dancer, and she knows that’s what she wants to do with her life. After winning a competition in classical dance, however, Veda is in a terrible car accident on her way home and her life feels shattered. Veda was hurt so badly that her leg had to be amputated, and she is crushed. Soon, though, she realizes that through hard work and determination, she can learn to dance once more. With the help of an American doctor a new, prosthetic leg is made for her, and through hard work and practice, Veda learns to walk again. With the help of a new teacher, Veda regains her connection to dance, and learns to dance once more.

Veda’s story is beautiful and inspiring, and it is easy to connect with her and the other characters in A Time to Dance.

This week's staff pick is Adaption by Malindo Lo

When Reese and David are heading back from debate team Nationals, strange things happen with birds everywhere, cause planes to crash and delays in travel everywhere. Deciding to forget flying back and renting a car, the head across the desert in a car, back to their home in San Francisco. Even that doesn’t go as planned when they get in a big car crash– and wake up nearly a month later in a advanced, but secret, hospital. They have to sign a nondisclosure agreement, but once they are home and getting settled back in, both Reese and David begin to notice some bizarre things that must have to do with the treatment they received at the facility. As Reese tries to figure out what new things are going on with her body and mind, things get more complicated with Amber arrives on the scene, and Reese begins a romance with her without being able to talk about what happened to her in the desert.

The world is full of mysteries and secrets, and Reese is only just beginning to learn how strange the world really is.

This week's Staff Pick is All the Rage by Courtney Summers.

The sheriff’ son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything– friends, family, and her community. After she’s been branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time– and they certainly won’t now– but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

This week's staff pick is All We Have is Now by Lisa Schroeder.

If you knew you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend it?

An asteroid is about to hit North America, wiping out most of the people who live there. Emerson and Vince, who have been living on the street and weren’t able to evacuate the country, decide to get it over with quickly and jump off a bridge together, but pause when they meet Carl, a man who has been going around granting people’s wishes. Carl has been doing things for people and when he sees Emerson and Vince he does one more thing, and gives them his wallet, since Vince said he had always wondered what it would be like to have money.

Now, Emerson and Vince decide to pay it forward, and spend their last 24 hours finding out what people have always wanted to do and help them achieve it. After all, when will they get another opportunity?

This week's staff pick is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz!

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

For fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Andrew Smith’s Winger.

This week's Staff Pick is Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston.

Valley White is fifteen, the government killed her family, and now her one purpose is to destroy Those People. The story jumps from past to present– a past where Valley is in hiding with her brother, and a present where Valley has a bomb strapped to her chest.

Black Helicopters is a short, bleak, intense contemporary story of a girl who is a terrorist weapon.

This week's staff pick is Black Widow : Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives.

Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type.

Until now.

When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . .

This week's staff pick is Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

The perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about, Boy Nobody shows up in a new high school, in a new town, under a new name, makes few friends and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die -- of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, and moves on to the next target. 

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter seems so much like him; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere, deep inside Boy Nobody, is somebody: the kid he once was, the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And he just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's next mission..

*Summery taken from front cover

This week's staff pick is Boys Like You by Juliana Stone!

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart– leaving her empty and broken. There’s a hold in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her grandma isn’t going to change that…

Nathan Everets knows heartache firsthand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it’s his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn’t going to change that…

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt– looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

This week's staff pick is Break These Rules, Edited by Luke Reynolds.

If you’re a girl, you should strive to look like the model on the cover of a magazine. If you’re a boy, you should play sports and be good at them. If you’re smart, you should immediately go to college after high school, and get a job that makes you rich. Above all, be normal. Right?

Wrong, say 35 leading middle grade and young adult authors. Growing up is challenging enough; it doesn’t have to be complicated by convoluted, outdated, or even cruel rules, both spoken and unspoken. Parents, peers, teachers, the media, and the rest of society sometimes have impossible expectations of teenagers. These restrictions can limit creativity, break spirits, and demand that teens sacrifice personality for popularity.

In these personal, funny, moving, and poignant essays, Kathryn Erskine (Mockingbird), Matthew Quick (The Silver Linings Playbook), Gary D. Schmidt (The Wednesday Wars), Sara Zarr (Story of a Girl), and many others share anecdotes and lessons learned from their own lives in order to show you that some rules just beg to be broken.

This week's staff pick is Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

After Annie’s boyfriend Kyle dies, Annie decides that she is going to run a marathon in order to honor his memory. It is the same marathon that Kyle himself had been intending to run. The problem is that Annie hates running. When she first starts off, she can only manage two laps around a track. She gets a trainer, and soon she is running further than she ever thought she could, though not without difficulty.

To add to her stress, she’s found herself being drawn to her trainer’s athletic, adrenaline loving brother. As she struggles to heal after Kyle’s death, Annie also struggles with re-learning how to connect with people, including old friends and some pretty great new friends.

This week's pick is Bruised by Sarah Skilton!

Imogen is a strong athlete. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, has just done an extremely successful demo at school, and loves teaching younger kids at the dojo martial arts skills. So, when there is a holdup at a diner she’s at and she freezes, Imogen begins to doubt her ability, her strength, and whether she truly deserves to call herself a black belt. Bruised is the story of Imogen’s struggle to rebuild her life and prove to herself what she can do after a traumatic experience. It’s a rough year as she lives with her guilt and self-doubt, but Imogen has people around who truly care about her. Ricky, who was at the diner when the holdup happened, her brother, who knows about the nightmares that haunt her sleep, and her parents, who just want her to be ok. Will Imogen let them in and let them help her? Will she rediscover her inner and outer strength and learn to let go of the guilt?

This week's staff pick is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell! Fans of Harry Potter and fans of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl should check out this book!

It is Simon Snow’s last year at Watford School of Magicks, but he still struggles with controlling his magic. Not only that, his girlfriend broke up with him, the Mage is avoiding him, ghosts are appearing all over the school, and the Humdum– a monster that is causing magic to vanish– is still on the loose. Not only that, his infuriating roommate hasn’t bothered to show up for term and Simon is going crazy trying to figure out why! With plenty of magic, mystery, and romance, Carry On is a great fantasy stand alone for teens and adults alike.

This week's staff pick is Close to Famous by Joan Bauer!

Foster and her Mom are running away from Elvis- or at least, an Elvis impersonator who was dating Foster's mom and turned out to be abusive. Now Foster and her mom are starting over in a small town in West Virginia. Foster has a special talent for baking, and wants to have her own cooking show one day. It is in baking cupcakes that she manages to cope with her fears, make friends in town, and even start making some money on the side! As Foster impresses the locals with her baking skills, she also deals with a big struggle as she learns to read, as well as a new fear of Elvises everywhere.

This week's staff pick is Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity is a thrilling tale of a secret agent in World War II who is captured in Nazi occupied France. Now we read her confession, which includes a tale of her close friendship with a pilot as well as many secrets. Each page she writes is a battle for her survival, but will it be enough?

Code Name Verity is a brilliantly written tale with a mid-book twist that will make you want to go back and re-read everything with a whole new viewpoint. Interest in totally awesome girls, history, fighter planes, the French resistance, and secrets will adore this elegant and clever book.

*Bonus– RB readers, it’s on your summer reading list.

This week's staff pick is Court of Fives by Kate Elliott.

Jessamy’s life is a balance between acting like an upper-class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But away from her family, she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for the Fives, an intricate, multilevel athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom’s best contenders.

The Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an improbable friendship between the two Fives     competitors– one of mixed race and the other a Patron boy– causes heads to turn. When Kal’s powerful, scheming uncle tears Jes’s family apart, she’ll have to test her new friend’s loyalty and risk the vengeance of a royal clan to save her mother and  sisters from certain death.

In this imaginative escape into enthralling new lands, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott’s first young adult novel weaves an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.  

This week's pick is Darius & Twig by Walter Dean Myers

Darius and Twig are two unlikely friends, both living in Harlem, New York. Darius is a writer trying to win a scholarship so he can get out. Twig is a runner who is also trying to win a scholarship. Darius and Twig share a strong friendship as they persevere in their respective passions.

Together, Darius and Twig are dealing with some rough things in life, despite being pretty good people who try to stay out of trouble. Twig has to deal with an abusive uncle, Darius has to deal with people who want to change his writing, and both have to deal with bullies and the idea that Harlem can’t offer them much.

This week's staff pick is Deviant by Helen Fitzgerald!

Abigail has spent the first part of her life growing up in a commune, and then being shifted from foster home to foster home. Just as she is desperately looking for a way out of her current life, she gets the news that her real Mom is dead and has left her with some money, a plane ticket, and a cryptic note to find her father and her sister. Abigail does just that, but doesn’t find that life gets much easier, despite having found a new family in a nice California home. In fact, she finds herself in the midst of a big conspiracy. Abigail’s new world is filled with a new family, but also with danger, secrets, drugs, and action.

This week's staff pick is DJ Rising by Love Maia!

Marley Johnnywas Diego-Dylan is a high school junior who breathes in music like oxygen. In the real world, Marley juggles caring for his heroin-addicted mother, upholding his scholarship at a school full of privileged snobs, busing tables to make ends meet, and pining for the beautiful Lea Hall. But in the private world behind his turntables, Marley is free: pulling sounds, adding beats, blending samples, and dreaming of becoming a professional DJ.

When chance lands him his first real DJ job, Marley’s career suddenly skyrockets. Life becomes a blur of clubs, music, and new friends. But when tragedy strikes, will Marley’s dreams come crashing back down to earth?

This week's staff pick is Dodger by Terry Pratchett.

Dodger isn’t a hero. He makes his living by going through sewers finding lost things– coins, rings, etc. One night, when the rain is pounding the London streets and the lightning flashes, Dodger notices a girl who is desperate to get away from two men who seem to be after her. Not one to stand by as the men catch her, Dodger comes to her rescue, and finds that she has been badly beaten by her captors. After making sure she has a safe place to recover, Dodger vows that he will find her attackers and get revenge.

Soon Dodger finds that he has gone from an invisible sewer dweller to a highly visible hero, as he meets and works Charles Dickens to solve the mystery, unwittingly defeats Sweeny Todd, and ends up being hailed a “hero” in the London papers.

Dodger is a delightful mix of historical fiction, humor, and fantasy, and a perfect read for those rainy, stormy evenings.

This week's staff pick is Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones.

In this novel by Diana Wynne Jones, we are introduced to effulgences, who are stars, and when Sirius the Dog Star is tried and found guilty for a crime, his punishment is to live on planet Earth as a dog until he completes a mission- to recover his lost Zoi. We then see the beginning of Sirius' life as a dog, as he figures out who and what he is and is taken in by a family. It's wonderful to see Sirius as he has both his cosmic and dog self in one body, befriending and learning to love a lonely girl named Kathleen, and how acutely she seems to understand him. Sirius now has to balance his life as a dog, which entails being there for Kathleen, a girl whom he doesn't want to abandon, and his mission to retrieve the Zoi and regain his life as an effulgence.

This week's staff pick is Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans, Written & Illustrated by Don Brown

In August 2005, a dangerous hurricane was making its way to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The city flooded, some people were chased by the water to the attics of their homes before drowning inside, people were left homeless, hungry, and afraid. Meanwhile the government lagged in sending in relief efforts, while ordinary citizens went around in boats rescuing both people and animals. 10 years after the fact, Drowned City tells the story of Hurricane Katrina through powerful words and images, talking about heroes, tragedies, and the grief that followed the disaster.

This week's staff pick is Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked… until Willowdean takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant— along with several other unlikely candidates— to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City— and maybe herself most of all.

This week's staff pick is Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire.

Elena’s father is dead and her mother is dying. She lives in a poor village in Russia where the weather is acting strange and there is no food, one of her brothers has just been  taken into the Tsar’s Army. Things look bleak for Elena when one day, a train pulls into the village, carrying noble family with servants, plenty of money, and plenty of food. They are on their way to see the Tsar in St. Petersburg, but have to pause while the tracks are fixed.

It is then that Elena meets Ekaterina, a rich girl of Elena’s age, and the two form a bond as they begin talking. When the train takes off again, the adventure begins as there is a case of mistaken identity, an encounter with a phoenix, another encounter with Baba Yaga- a very strange witch who travels in a house on Chicken legs- and plenty of other magical and strange surprises.

Egg & Spoon is a beautiful fantasy that will keep you engrossed, guessing, and a little bit unsure of whom to root for in the end.

This week's staff pick is Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider.

Lane has a plan for his life. He’ll study hard, ace his AP exams and the SAT, and get into Stanford. His plans are suddenly derailed when he gets an incurable strain of Tuberculosis and is sent to a sanatorium for teens with the same condition. The place is part boarding school, part hospital, and Lane hates that he won’t be able to keep up with his classes, take the SAT on time, or continue on the life path he had planned.

His new goal is to get better as fast as possible without falling too far behind when he runs into Sadie, a girl he once met at summer camp years ago. Sadie is changed from the last time they met, and now she is fearless and compelling. Lane’s priorities slowly shift as he spend more time with Sadie and her friends, more time resting to get better, and less time worrying about the outside world full of tests,homework, and just being able to go to town and be around normal people, and having normal conversations.

Soon Lane’s new home begins to feel comfortable as he settles in with new friends and learns many secrets about how to make life more bearable and interesting– how to steal internet, how to get to town, how to disable their medical sensors– but these are all dangerous secrets at a place where anyone can succumb to the disease that brought them all there.

This week's staff pick is Extremities by David Lubar!

A group of high school girls takes revenge on their sadistic gym teacher in the most fitting way possible. Two stowaways find themselves on a ship for the dead. An ancient predator stalks the wrong victim. Here are thirteen tales of death, murder, and revenge from the fertile and febrile imagination of master storyteller David Lubar.*

If you’re into short stories and horror, try some of these tales (if you’re brave enough)!

*Summary taken from book cover.

This week's Staff Pick is Fat Angie by e. E. Charlton-Trujillo.

Angie is the only one in her family– maybe the only one in the world– who believes her captured war-hero sister is still alive. Angie needs to believe it. It’s better than thinking about last year, when she tried to kill herself in front of a packed gym. Better than trying to steer clear of Stacy Ann Sloan and her posse of ultra-mean girls. Better than dealing with her corporate-lawyer mother, who wants to know only one thing: When is Angie going to lose exactly twenty-nine pounds?

Then a new girl, KC, arrives in Dryfalls, Ohio. She’s beautiful, hip, and smart, and everyone wants to know her. From the minute they meet, KC sees the real Angie, not the fat girl hiding from her pain under a mountain of junk food. She sees Angie for who she really is: someone who just might shake things up– on the basketball court and in KC’s life. Outrageous and touching, this darkly comic, anti-romantic romance brings us unforgettable characters on the edge.

This week's staff pick is Flowers in the Sky by Lynn Joseph.

Nina loves her home in the Dominican Republic, and she especially loves caring for her flowers. One day, Nina’s mother decides that Nina should go to New York to live with her brother, Darrio, because Nina might find a better life there. What Nina finds is a strange world without gardens and flowers, and none of the riches that her mother wanted for her. Nina misses her hometown, but soon learns to make the best of her current life, growing orchids on the fire escape and making friends with people at school. There are mysteries to solve though– why does her brother dislike Luis, the boy she likes, so much? Why does the doorbell always ring, and why won’t her brother ever tell her who it is? Nina dislikes all the secrecy, and struggles to fit in as she navigates a new life in New York City.

This week's staff pick is Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

*Summary taken from front cover

This week's pick is Furious, by Jill Wolfson.

Three girls who hardly know each other have something in common: they are all furious inside. Meg deals with the fury of being mistreated in her foster care home and made fun of at school, Stephanies is furious at the unjustness of a world which doesn’t care about the Earth, and Alix is furious about the way her father treats her family. One day, a mysterious girl named Ambrosia calls them together and wakes them up as the three mythical Furies of Greek mythology. Together, they discover how much power they have and how to use that power. Together, they create a world of justice, punishing those who have done wrong and causing them to feel guilt for their misdemeanors. Soon they girls believe that have done good, creating a high school where bullying is all but obsolete, where they are respected, where they are feared… but have they gone too far in their punishments? Stop in at the library to read it today!

Don't forget to check out the YA tumblr: brookfieldteens.tumblr.com

This week's staff pick is Gilded by Christina Farley.

Jae Hwa Lee is sixteen, deadly with a Korean bow and arrow, and struggling to fit in at her new International school in Korea while all she really wants is to go home to Los Angeles. At first she thinks dealing with her school and wishing she could go home are the worst of her problems, until she discovers that Haemosu, a Korean Demigod, has been taking the firstborn girl of each generation in her family for centuries and she’s next! Now Jae Hwa needs to figure out how to survive using her Martial Arts skills, strength of will, and some help from her Grandfather, Aunt, and a few creatures from the Korean spirit world! Add in the cute guy she’s interested in, Marc, and some friends who just can’t understand why Jae Hwa can’t hang out at the movies like a normal teen and Jae has one full plate.

Filled with Korean folklore, tough-as-nails characters, and an action-filled plot, Gilded is an exciting and quick read for anyone looking for their next fantasy novel!

This week's staff pick is Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.

In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin and his best friend, Robby, have accidentally unleased an unstoppable army. An army of horny, hungry, six-foot-tall praying mantises that only want to do two things.

Now it’s up to Austin to save the world in this sci-fi adventure filled with survival, sex, and giant bugs.

*summary partially taken from inside cover.

This week's staff pick is Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers.

Ismae’s childhood is filled with pain from the moment of her birth. Her father never wanted her, and eventually tries to rid of her through an arranged marriage with a brutal, unkind man. She narrowly escapes this fate and ends up finding a sanctuary with a convent full of nuns who serve the God of Death, Mortain. Should she decide to stay, she will be trained to be an assassin who carries out Mortain’s wishes.

Ismae has just received a new assignment which takes her straight to the high court of Brittany, her country. Her she must learn to discover who is traitor to the country, who is loyal, who is lying, and who she can trust. Can she trust her instincts and gut, or is her heart clouding her vision?

Grave Mercy is a book filled with magic, intrigue, mystery, romance, and death, taking place in medieval France.

This week's staff pick is Great by Sara Benincasa

Naomi Rye spends every summer in the Hamptons with her mother, but she doesn’t enjoy it. Surrounded by rich teenagers who are snobbish and vapid, she would rather be at her home in Chicago with her father and best friend, Skags. This summer starts off no differently, but changes as Naomi becomes intrigued with her new summer neighbor, and fashion blogger named Jacinta who throws lavish parties and is obsessed with the beautiful local, Delilah. Jacinta quickly befriends Naomi, and soon Naomi finds herself spending much of her free time with Jacinta, Delilah, and even a new boyfriend, Jeff.

As the summer goes on, soon Naomi realizes that Jacinta has a lot of secrets, and soon Jacinta’s grand plans begin to unravel in a scandalous end to the summer holiday.

This week's staff pick is Grim, edited by Christine Johnson.

Grim is a collection of fairy tales, but these tales are not for the faint of heart. Some of them are written in a very traditional style, some are in a modern setting, some are futuristic and fantastical, but all have a dark element to them. Read about fierce girls who refuse to enter an unsavory marriage, boys with good luck charms who talk with them and bring them fame and glory, and more. Some stories are easily recognized as favorite and well known tales, others are so twisted that they are entirely new, but all are entertaining and dark. Grim is a book of short stories written by many favorite young adults authors of our time.

This week's staff pick is Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the changing face of justice by Teri Kanefield.

Looking to learn more about our justice system? This non-fiction book delves into America's system and how it's changing.

What is a crime? What is the purpose of punishment? What does innocent until proven guilty really mean?

Author and lawyer Teri Kanefield looks at actual cases to ask tough questions about the American criminal justice system. From bank robbery to gambling, domestic violence to civil rights, and cheating to killing, Guilty? Examines how our laws change as our culture and values change. If what we consider a crime alters over time, how do we know the behavior we are punishing is in fact morally wrong? And how do we determine what punishment fits a given crime?

Guilty? offers a fascinating look at how justice in America has evolved, challenging readers to ponder difficult questions about how the criminal justice system works, while considering how our laws might be improved.

*Summary taken from inside cover.

This week's staff pick is Hostage Three by Nick Lake.

When Amy’s Dad says they are going to tour the world on a Yacht, Amy doesn’t want to go. Her dad thinks it will help Amy get a fresh start, a fresh perspective, and to bring the family together. At first, Amy just spends a lot of time sunbathing and listening to her iPod, until suddenly, they are boarded by pirates. The pirates seize the yacht and it’s cargo, and refer to Amy and her family as the hostages. Hostage One is her father. Hostage Two is her stepmother. Amy is Hostage Three. As negotiations for a ransom take place, Amy finds herself drawn to one of the pirates, Farouz. As the two talk more and more, they become dangerously close as the situation on the yacht becomes more and more dire.

This week's staff pick is House of Purple Cedar by Tim Tingle.

"The hour has come to speak of troubled times. It is time we spoke of Skullyville." Thus begins Rose Goode's story of her growing up in Indian Territory in pre-statehood Oklahoma. Skullyville, a once-thriving Choctaw community, was destroyed by land-grabbers, culminating in the arson on New Year's Eve, 1896, of New Hope Academy for Girls. Twenty Choctaw girls died, but Rose escaped. She is blessed by the presence of her grandmother Pokoni and her grandfather Amafo, both respected elders who understand the old ways. Soon after the fire, the white sheriff beats Amafo in front of the town's people, humiliating him. Instead of asking the Choctaw community to avenge the beating, her grandfather decides to follow the path of forgiveness. And so unwinds this tale of mystery, Indian-style magical realism, and deep wisdom. It's a world where backwoods spiritualism and Bible-thumping Christianity mix with bad guys; a one-legged woman shop-keeper, her oaf of a husband, herbal potions, and shape-shifting panthers rendering justice. Tim Tingle—a scholar of his nation's language, culture, and spirituality—tells Rose's story of good and evil with understanding and even laugh-out-loud Choctaw humor.

This week's Staff Pick is How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson.

How I discovered Poetry is a book of fifty poems which tell of the author’s childhood in America during the 1950s. It is a beautiful collection of poems which include topics involving civil rights, communism, and even the beginnings of feminism. Those interested in history, poetry, and/or memoirs should check it out!

This week's staff pick is how it went down by Kekla Magoon!

When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.

In the aftermath of Tariq’s death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.

Tariq’s friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy and to cope with the ole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a away to say with certainty: this is how it went down.

*summary taken from inside cover.

This week's pick is How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller.

In New York City, there is an extremely prestigious school which takes in underprivileged youth and gives them a top-notch education. The graduates always go to an Ivy League university for their continuing education and end up in top-paying, high-influence jobs. Nobody except for students and alum actually knows what goes on inside the school, so when Flick gets in invitation to join the student body of his father’s alma mater, he’s in for a surprise. Here, the students aren’t studying art or literature. They take course like “Assassination Techniques” and “Partnering with Corrupt Regimes”. All the students are learning criminal techniques to rise to the top of the food chain. Only half the students graduate, and the half that don’t graduate disappear forever. Flick has a big motive for staying in the school (other than just survival), but soon discovers that the secrets held within the school are a lot more dangerous than he ever could have suspected...

This week's staff pick is How to Survive Anything by National Geographic.

Want to know how to survive natural disasters, a lion attack, or even a bad breakup? This book has you covered! How To Survive Anything provides instructions, tips, and funny illustration to give you all the knowledge you need to survive anything from every day problems (like a mean teacher) to things you hopefully will never have to go through (like a shark attack). This book is the perfect survival guide for some of the scariest years of your life!

Good luck!

This week's pick is Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli.

Melkorka is an Irish princess, accustomed to a life of wealth, comfort, and servants. But hers is not a peaceful world: while visiting Dublin with her family, Melkorka's brother Nuada is grievously injured. As the family plans its vengeance on Nuada's attacker, Melkorka and her sister Brigid are sent into hiding. Before they can reach safety, both sisters are kidnapped and put on a slave ship. Soon Melkorka is taken away from everything she has ever known, and must find a way to survive.

This week's staff pick is Icons by Margaret Stohl

When The Day happened, six cities died, extinguishing all hope of resistance. They are the silent cities. Thirteen Icons fell from the sky, which have the power to disable all modern technology and thus control the Earth through its mega cities. Dol’s family died on The Day, and has since been hiding out in the countryside with the Mission. Dol has been feeling safe until her birthday, when The Padre gives her a mysterious book, the Mission is attacked, and soon Dol and her best friend Ro are off in a struggle to discover their past and survive a dystopian California. Soon they meet two other kids like them– kids who survived The Day, and kids who are known to have special powers. Icons is the newest book by the co-author of Beautiful Creatures, where the world is a mess after a sudden and fierce alien invasion.

This week's Staff Pick is If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?

*Summary taken from front cover

This Week's Book Pick is If You Find Me, by Emily Murdoch.

Fifteen year old Carey and her little sister Jenessa have been living in a camper in the woods with their mother. They are used to their mother disappearing for long periods of time, but this time she’s been gone longer than usual. One day, two strangers arrive to take them out of the woods and into society– a women with child services, and Carey’s father. As Carey struggles to adjust to modern life with a new family, a high school, and other teens her age, she starts to learn the true nature of her mother and father, why she was taken deep into the woods all those years ago by her mother, and why her father never came to find her. Meanwhile, Jenessa refuses to speak to anyone except for Carey, and only when the two girls are alone, and only Carey knows the reason. Carey’s struggles to keep her secrets and to stick with her sister become more and more of a burden as she realizes what she must do...

This week's Staff Pick is In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Mary Shelley is headed to San Diego in the most awful year of her life, in 1918. There is a war overseas in full force, and the boy she loves is over there fighting, her father has just been arrested, and now she must go live with her aunt in the midst of a terrifying flu epidemic. Mary Shelley does not believe in spirits, and is thus skeptical when her Aunt’s friend, a spiritual photographer, shows her a photo of her with a spirit hovering near her shoulder, but in a world full of dying people many neighbors are desperate for reassurance that there is an afterlife. Soon after moving to San Diego, Mary Shelley starts to experience many things that cause her to re-evaluate her belief in ghosts and the afterlife as she struggles to determine what happened to the boy she loves, and as she struggles to keep herself and her aunt healthy and alive while everyone around is dying from flu.

This week's staff pick is Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Stephen was born invisible. He is under a curse, and is used to living unseen in the world. Everything else about him is typical– he needs to eat, can touch and pick up items, and had a mother who loved him. Now his mom is gone, and he lives alone in a NYC apartment that his dad pays for. One day, a new family moves in two doors down from Stephen, and to his shock, the girl can see him. Elizabeth at first thinks Stephen is a perfectly normal boy, until she tries introducing him to her brother, and realizes the truth. Now she in on a mission to help Stephen break his curse and become visible again, in the process discovering that she’s not as normal as she once thought– she can see Stephen because she can see spells and curses, and now she needs to learn to harness her power to help Stephen, as well as the many other New Yorkers who have had terrible curses placed upon them.

This Week's Staff Pick is Just One Year by Gayle Forman.

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

*Summary taken from inside cover

This week's staff pick is Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

When fifteen-year-old Oscar Drai suddenly vanishes from his boarding school in Barcelona, no one knows his whereabouts for seven days and seven nights.

His story begins when he meets the strange Marina while he’s exploring an old quarter of the city. She leads Oscar to a cemetery, where they watch a macabre ritual that occurs on the last Sunday of each month. At exactly ten o’clock in the morning, a woman shrouded in a black velvet cloak descends from her carriage to place a single rose on an unmarked grave.

When Oscar and Marina decide to follow her, they begin a journey that transports them to a forgotten postwar Barcelona– a world of aristocrats and actresses, inventors and tycoons– and reveals a dark secret that lies waiting in the mysterious labyrinth beneath the city streets.

*summary taken from cover

This week's pick is Midwinter Blood by Marcus Sedgwick.

In this book which is sometimes mystery and sometimes horror, we read seven stories. Each is about a different person, in a different time period, but all on the same mysterious island in Scandinavia . An island where a strange plant grows, which has the power to heal but also to hurt. This is the story of a journalist, an archeologist, a pilot,  a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking, but it is also the story of the same two people, always finding each other throughout the history of the island.

Midwinter Blood is captivating, and with each of the seven stories a little more is understood about the island and about the story of these two people who always appear in each story, though in different forms. It all comes down to the final story, when we find out who these people are and why they are always appearing and able to follow one another throughout time.

 (PS! I also post these to the tumblr, along with other cool stuff! http://brookfieldteens.tumblr.com/)

This week's staff pick is Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza. Mila was living with her mother in a small Minnesota town when she discovered she was also living a lie.  She was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was never supposed to remember the past. Now she has no choice but to run--from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much, and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology.  Evading her enemies won't help Mila escape the cruel reality of what she is and cope with everything she has had to leave behind. However, what she's becoming is beyond anyone's imagination, including her own, and that just might save her life.    *Summary taken from front cover.   

This week's Staff Pick is Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Clay is looking for a job in a time when jobs are scarce, when he finally stumbles upon a help wanted sign in Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. After a test that involves climbing an old ladder to a great height to retrieve a book, Clay is hired for the late shift. He gets the occasional odd customer in the middle of the night, but soon realizes that the “real” customers are the ones who borrow the incredibly obscure books from the very back of the store. He soon gets his friends to help him figure out the patterns to find out what this store is really fronting, and soon finds himself in a literary adventure that goes back hundreds of years! Using a mix of modern technology (one of Clay’s friends works for Google) and old dusty volumes, Clay and his friends attempt to crack the code as they find themselves involved in a very old, very secret society.

This week's staff pick is Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona.

Kamala is your typical Pakastani-American girl! She likes to hang out with her friends, she likes Marvel’s Avengers, and she struggles with parents who just want to see her safe and living a good life. One night, after sneaking out of the house to attend a party, a mysterious fog appears and causes Kamala to pass out. Next thing she knows, Captain Marvel has appeared in front of her and grants Kamala one of her dearest wish– to be just like Captain Marvel. It takes Kamala a little while to get used to her new powers and how to control them, but soon enough she’s learned something else– rather than pretending to be Captain Marvel, she should be her own person. Kamala creates her own costume and a new super hero is born– Ms. Marvel. Can Kamala/Ms. Marvel learn to balance crime fighting with being a good student and keeping such a big secret from her parents?

Ms. Marvel is a refreshing new comic in the Marvel Universe, and we can’t wait to read more! Check it out today!

This week's staff pick is My True Love Gave to Me, edited by Stephanie Perkins.

My True Love Gave to Me is a wonderful collection of twelve holiday stories written by twelve different young adult authors. Each story is unique and engaging, and some include a lot of magic, such as Holly Black’s Krampuslauf, while others just have that touch of Holiday Magic, like a boy who knows exactly what to cook for people to make them feel better in Kiersten White’s Welcome to Christmas, CA. This book has a holiday romance for everyone with stories about Christmas, New Year’s, Hanukkah, and Winter Solstice, and is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold, snowy day.

Check it out and get in the holiday spirit, whatever your holiday of choice may be!

This week's pick is Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper.

As a servant, Anne Green has spent her life being told what to do, and that includes obeying the wishes of her master's grandson, which will have dire consequences for Anne. In a turn of unbelievable events, Anne is tried for a crime she did not commit and sentenced to be executed - by hanging. But when she wakes up and finds herself in limbo, unable to move, not sure if she is alive or dead, Anne finds herself trying to understand what brought her to this point. Set in 1650 and based on real events, this is the story of a girl brought back to life.

This week's staff pick is One by Sarah Crossan.

Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins, joined at the waist, defying the odds of survival for sixteen years. They share everything, and they are everything to each other. They would never imagine being apart. For them, that would be the real tragedy.

But something is happening to them. Something they hoped would never happen. And Grace doesn’t want to admit it. Not even to Tippi.

How long can they hide from the truth– how long before they must face the most impossible choice of their lives?

This week's staff pick is Parallel by Lauren Miller

Abby knows exactly what she wants in life. She’s going to go to Northwestern to study journalism, and land a job at a prestigious paper. Everything changes her senior year when her perfect schedule gets messed up and she has to take Drama. By the time she was hoping to start at NU, she’s in Hollywood, filming a movie, and wishing her life had gone a different direction. The next day, she wakes up at Yale University with a new life, and realizes her past from the time her senior schedule changed to the present had been rewritten! A Yale professor and a scientifically inclined best friend help her understand that two parallel worlds have collided, and somehow Abby is the only person who has retained memories from her previous life! Each day, her parallel self is living exactly one year earlier, making decisions that are constantly shifting Abby’s current life. But one thing soon becomes clear– you can always change the path you take to reach your destiny, but you can’t change your destiny!

This week's staff pick is Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann!

“Once upon a time..”

Updated fairy tales about modern teen girls with a dark twist, Poisoned Apples is a book of poetry that takes a deep look into some of the issues teen girls have to deal with. Boyfriends, eating disorders and disordered eating, depression, and desperate attempts to be the prettiest girl possible are all topics covered in this collection.

Check it out today!

This week's staff pick is Positive: A Memoir by Paige Rawl

Paige Rawl was an ordinary girl. Cheerleader, soccer player, honor roll student. One of the good kids at her middle school.

Then, on an unremarkable day, Paige disclosed the one thing that made her “different”: her HIV-positive status. It didn’t matter that she was born with the disease or that her illness posed no danger to her classmates.

Within hours, the bullying began.

They called her PAIDS. Left cruel notes on her locker. Talked in whispers about her and mocked her openly.

She turned to school administrators for help. Instead of assisting her, they ignored her urgent pleas... and told her to stop the drama. She never felt more alone.

One night, desperate for escape, Paige found herself in front of the medicine cabinet, staring at a bottle of sleeping pills.

That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning.

This week's book pick is Possessing Jessie by Nancy Springer.

Jessie and her mom are completely devastated by Jason's death in a car accident. Jason was a year younger than Jessie, but he was always far more popular, as well as their mother's favorite child. Convinced that the accident was her fault, Jessie decides the only thing she can do is to pretend to be Jason - maybe then her mother will talk to her again. Jessie puts on Jason's clothes, adopts his mannerisms and ways of speaking, and soon her mother believes she is Jason. As the days go by Jessie becomes more and more like Jason. But surely she can go back to being Jessie someday - can't she?

This week's staff pick is Princeless by Jeremy Whitley!

Adrienne is your typical princess. Her parents had her locked in a tower in order to find a suitable suitor– a brave man who could defeat the dragon guarding her! One day, she decides she’s tired of watching knight after knight get roasted and eaten, so she takes matters into her own hands. After explaining to her dragon that it’s all part of the plan for him to eventually get slayed, the two team up and Adrienne decides to abandon her tower and go on a quest to rescue her sisters (who are also locked up with monster guardians).

Princless is a great comic for anyone who is in the mood for a princess tale that strays from the typical princess tale and shows just how tough and awesome girls…(and boys) can be!

This weeks pick is Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz.

Yanek was living a typical life in 1930s Poland until the Nazis arrived. When they did, little by little, the things he loved were taken from him. First Jews couldn’t go to school or the library, and Yanek loved to read. Then they had to share their apartment with three other Jewish families, and Yanek couldn’t get any space to play. Then they started taking families away. His parents were taken, and Yanek was alone. Then it was his turn. Yanek is moved from concentration camp to concentration camp, and miraculously manages to survive each day despite incredible odds. The concentration camps keep prisoners in terrible conditions, with only enough food to survive if that, and labor jobs that are difficult and strenuous. The Nazis are relentless and lacking in sympathy for the prisoners, and Yanek sees death everywhere he looks. Prisoner B-3087 is a horrifying account of what life was like as a prisoner in the Polish concentration camps during World War II as you watch Yanek’s struggle to survive.

This week's Staff Pick is Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Whether she’s injuring herself– again and again– in pursuit of a perfect croissant or bankrupting herself on fancy cheeses, Lucy Knisley know what she wants: a good meal. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, she comes by her priorities honestly. In this Technicolor love letter to cooking and eating, Knisley presents her personal history as seen through a kaleidoscope of delicious things.

*Summary taken from front cover.

This week's staff pick is Rook by Sharon Cameron!

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade.. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a single, red-tipped rook feather left in their place. The mysterious Red Rook is a savior of the innocent, and a criminal in the eyes of the government.

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Common-wealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from financial ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to the doors of Bellamy House, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow ever highter, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

Daring intrigue, delicious romance, and spine-tingling suspense fill the pages of this extraordinary epic tale from award-winning author Sharon Cameron.

This week's book pick is Rootless by Chris Howard.

Although living trees haven't been seen for over one hundred years, Banyan creates trees out of rusted metal and other salvaged pieces to create a break from the bleak landscape for wealthy landowners. When he is commissioned to create a forest for a rich client named Frost, Banyan is told to take as his inspiration a tattoo etched on the body of Frost's wife, a tattoo of a real tree the likes of which no one has ever seen. Banyan can't imagine such a thing exists, but when he sees a photograph of his father tied to a tree, he begins to wonder if there are some trees left after all. Banyan's father was taken over a year ago, and Banyan had believed he was dead. Will Banyan decide to go searching for him, despite all the dangers that lay beyond the relative safety of the Steel Cities? And are the trees of the photograph real, or just an illusion?

This week's book pick is Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins.

Until their father finds work in New York, Asha and her sister Reet are stuck with their mother in Calcutta, living in their uncle's home. Uncle means well, but he has the final word, no matter what Asha and Reet may think. And now the family's money is running out, and Uncle has decided Reet needs to be married. Asha promised her father that she would take care of Reet, and decides something must be done.

This week's staff pick is Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly.

Camellia hates witchcraft, so whenever the wicked witch she lives with plans something new, Camellia does everything she can to stop it! This time, however, things go wrong. The witch has summoned a demon, and lost control of it– and now the demon is in the cute new boy at school, Devon!

Cam’s problems keep multiplying as she struggles to find a way to get the demon out of Devon, pass algebra, figure out why all the girls at school are suddenly acting like zombies, and discovers that there is a phoenix hidden somewhere in her school that will explode the same night as the Halloween dance.

Cam has decided to set aside her abhorrence of magic to try a little something of her own. It’s the only way she can think of to save Devon from the demon, but does that make her just as bad as the witch?

This week's staff pick is Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy!

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs– however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger), But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she cause irreparable damage to the people around her– and to the one person who matters most?

*summary taken from front cover.

This week's staff pick is Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood!

1. Kiss Estelle

2. Get a job.

3. Cheer my mother up.

4. Try not to be a complete nerd/loser.

5. Talk to my father when he calls.

6. Figure out how to be good.

Nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a whole heap of problems, including a reversal of family fortune, moving, new-school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and a massive crush on Estelle, the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he’s narrowed it down to six impossible things...

This week's book pick is Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey.

Kipp is all alone in the world except for his younger sister Jilly. One morning while he attempted to catch a wild horse, his family's home burned to the ground, killing both his parents and younger brother. On that day he sees the Gwali for the first time. The Gwali are the beings who gather the souls of the dead, and only those with the ability of the Naqui can see them. Kipp is determined he will use his newfound capability to get his family's souls back, and to keep the Gwali away from both Jilly and the girl he loves.

This week's pick is Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers.

In the winter of 2003, Robin Perry is headed to Iraq. After 9/11 Robin knew he needed to serve his country, despite his father's reservations. As part of the Civilian Affairs unit, he doesn't expect to see much fighting. In fact, he's hoping there won't be hardly any fighting at all. But as time goes on, Robin begins to realize that what is happening in Iraq is much more complicated that what he expected, and that inevitably, what is happening can only be called war.

This week's staff pick is Sweet Madness by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie.

“Lizzie Borden took an axe/And gave her mother forty whacks./ When she saw what she had done,/ She gave her father forty-one.”

To this day, the mystery of whether Lizzie Borden was truly the one to take an axe and murder her parents, Andrew Borden and his second wife, remains largely unsolved. While the jury found her not guilty due to lack of evidence, there are still many who believe her to be the killer.

Sweet Madness takes a look at the story through the eyes of the family’s naïve maid, Bridget Sullivan, who thinks of Lizzie as her friend. Throughout the entire novel the reader wonders– is Lizzie mad enough to kill her parents in cold blood? Or is she just a sad, misunderstood young woman?

This week's staff pick is Talon by Julie Kagawa.

Ember and Dante are unusual in a few ways. For one thing, they are both dragons. For another, they are twins– and it is very unusual for dragons to have twins. They are to spend their summer learning to blend in with humans before taking their place in Talon, a powerful group of Dragons which all dragons are expected to play their part in. As the summer progresses and Ember begins her training, she begins to learn things that make her question Talon’s principles and leadership. In the meantime, she doesn’t realize that she is being hunted by a human called Garret, who is a soldier in the Order of St. George, a powerful military group which trains to kill all dragons. Things continue to get complicated as Garret gets to know Ember, and he also begins to question what he has been brought up to believe. As Ember and Garret try to learn more about the groups they’ve been raised to blindly obey, their strength, bravery, and morals will be tested to the fullest extent.

This week's pick is Taste Test by Kelly Fiore

If you can grill it, smoke it, or fry it, Nora Henderson knows all about it. She’s been basting baby back ribs and pulling pork at her father’s barbeque joint since she was tall enough to reach the counter. When she’s accepted to Taste Test, a reality-television teen cooking competition, Nora can’t wait to leave her humble hometown behind, even if it means saying good-bye to her dad and her best friend, Billy. Once she’s on set, run-ins with her high-society roommate and the maddeningly handsome—not to mention talented—son of a famous chef, Christian Van Lorten, mean Nora must work even harder to prove herself. But as mysterious accidents plague the kitchen arena, protecting her heart from one annoyingly charming fellow contestant in particular becomes the least of her concerns. Someone is conducting real-life eliminations, and if Nora doesn’t figure out who, she could be next to get chopped for good.

*Summary taken from inside cover.

This week's staff pick is Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan.

Leila already feels like an outsider as an Iranian-American girl at a mostly white school. She can’t fathom the idea of coming out as a lesbian, because it would just be one more thing that makes her different. When a new girl arrives by the name of Saskia, Leila’s secret is in jeopardy– she has a major crush on Saskia, and people are beginning to notice. As Leila starts to talk about her feelings with more and more friends, she learns that everyone has secrets and insecurities, and not everyone is who they seem at first meeting.

This week's pick is The 39 Deaths of Adam Strand by Gregory Galloway

Adam Strand is not depressed, but he has tried– and succeeded– to kill himself 39 times. He kills himself because he is bored and apathetic, but for some reason, he never stays dead. His family is frustrated, wondering why Adam is so depressed, but that’s just not it. Adams days are very repetitive– he lives in a small Midwest town, hangs out with the same friends everyday, and times keeps going in the same fashion. So he jumps off bridges, hangs himself, shoots himself, poisons himself, and it always works until he wakes up again. Calloway’s new novel is full of dark humor and beautiful prose, and is a perfect read for anyone interested in the strange and the dark side of life.

This week's staff pick is The Art of Secrets by James Klise!

One fateful fall day, Saba’s life changes. Her family’s entire apartment burns, apparently in a hate crime, and they are left homeless. Saba’s high school community surprises them by rallying around them. Soon everyone is offering help, and Saba’s family finds themselves living in a luxury high rise rent free, Saba starts dating a popular boy and gains many friends and a lot of attention, and soon a fundraiser is organized– an auction. When one of the items up for auction turns out to be the work of a very famous artist, worth a lot of money, soon everything is up for debate. Who should get that money? The kids who found it in an alley, Saba’s family, or the school hosting the fundraiser?

Told through multiple perspectives, The Art of Secrets is a fabulous tale of greed, suspicion, and of course, art.

Be sure to read this book before James Klise himself comes to visit the Brookfield Library on May 2 @ 1:00pm!

This week's staff pick is The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose.When Germany occupied Denmark at the beginning of World War II, Denmark’s government did not resist. This did not sit well with teenager Knud Pedersen, who was ashamed that his country would allow Hitler’s regime to take over so easily. So, Knud gathered a group of like-minded boys and together they decided that they would fight back, in any way they could, to show that they did not agree with Hitler or the Nazi party, and that they would not allow the Nazis to control their life so easily.Inspired by how England fought back, the boys named their club after Winston Churchill, and committed small acts of sabotage in rebellion. They stole Nazi weapons, destroyed Nazi vehicles, and soon the infuriated Germans were asking for any information about the people committing these acts.Eventually, the actions of these teenagers managed to spark a wide-spread Danish resistance in the later years of the war.The Boys Who Challenged Hitler is a true account of how young people refused to give in to Hitler and the Nazis without a fight.

This week's staff pick is The Counterfeit Family Tree of Vee Crawford-Wong by L. Tam Holland!

Vee is an awkward, unathletic, half Chinese and half Texan high schooler who doesn’t know much about his ancestors on either side. After a string of bad events including a getting into a fist fight and getting some bad grades, Vee decides he needs to learn a bit more about himself, starting with his family history. His parents are both mysterious about his family, so he forges a letter from his Grandfather in China, which leads to Vee taking a trip, along with his best friend and his parents, to the other side of the world! In China, Vee starts to learn more about himself and his family in a hilarious adventure full of ups and downs.

This week's Staff Pick is The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye.

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart,imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose. 

This week's staff pick is The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters.

Olivia Mead is a 17-year-old suffragist in Portland in 1900, living with a father who believes woman should be seen and not heard, and should always be lady-like and submissive to men. Tired of Olivia’s rebellious behavior, her father hires a hypnotist to “fix” her behavior and to make her accept the world as it is. The hypnotist, however, rather than causing her to accept the world, causes her to see the world as it is, and what Olivia sees horrifies her. Misogynistic and unkind men appear to her as demons, oppressed woman appear to her as ghost-like and fading out of existence, while suffragists have a glowing light inside of them.

While Olivia’s visions allow her to see which people are dangerous and which she can trust, she still has to struggle to regain her mind and gain her independence. The Cure For Dreaming is a beautifully written historical novel with just a touch of supernatural elements.

This Week's Staff Pick is The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living

*Summary Taken from Inside Cover

This week's staff pick is The Darkest Park of the Forest by Holly Black!

The town of Fairfold is a strange place to be. Humans and the Folk live side-by-side. Tourists flock to the town to see the magic of Faerie, but mostly the visit to see the famous horned boy. He sleeps in a glass coffin in the forest. Tourist like to get a glimpse, while locals tell tales of the boy and how he got there, and who he is. Local teenagers throw parties near his coffin, and Hazel and Ben, a brother and sister who grew up in Fairfold, spent their childhoods pretending he was their prince, and that they would be the ones to wake him.

One day, Hazel wakes up in the morning horrified to discover her feet are covered in mud and her hands are full of glass shard splinters, but she has no memory of what she did during the night. That same morning, the town wakes up to discover that the glass coffin had been shattered, and the horned boy was awake and missing.

As Hazel tries to puzzle out what happened to her and why she can’t remember, the town is in disarray as the monster at the heart of the forest causes chaos and despair. Hazel and her brother Ben take it on themselves to solve many mysteries, find the horned boy, and save Fairfold from the cruel tricks of the Folk.

This week's staff pick is The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet by Kate Rorick and Rachel Kiley.

While fans of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (youtube series) and The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet(book) will recognize this Lydia, this book works well both as a follow-up AND as a stand-alone novel.

Lydia Bennet is trying to get back on her feet after being wronged by George Wickham. First, she is going to complete some summer courses and get her associate’s degree. Then, she is going to transfer to a school in San Francisco to get her degree in Psychology. No problem.

Lydia soon finds that things aren’t always so easy as she tries to navigate a world of judgement, learns about her own strength as well as her fragility, and struggles to prove that she can get past her mistakes and find her voice again.

If you were ever curious to know how Lydia’s story ended, or if you’ve ever wondered how Jane Austen’s characters would handle themselves in a digital age, The Epic Adventures of Lydia Bennet is your book to read!

This week's staff pick is The Eye of Minds by James Dashner.

Michael spends a lot of time on the VirtNet, where he plays Lifeblood with his two best friends (whom he has never met outside of the game). One day, he’s in the game and sees something disturbing, and right after that, he is contacted by the government, who wants Michael to help him catch a hacker. The hacker is good at what he does, dangerous, and has been holding other gamers hostage inside the VirtNet. Are Michael and his friends good enough at the game to get this guy? Their mission is full of dangers, mysteries, and challenges, but Michael and his friends think they are ready to take on this hacker!

This week's staff pick is The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to stay with her older sister, she has no idea that the famed Ivy Kendrick is the capital’s number one “fixer.” For powerful people looking to make a scandal disappear, Tess’s sister is there to help… for a price.

And no sooner does Tess enroll at the prestigious Hardwicke School than she unwittingly finds herself following in Ivy’s footsteps. Tess never thought she and Ivy had much in common, but when her new friends at school need help, she discovers that her talents quickly make her Hardwicke’s go-to high-school fixer.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life— until their worlds come crashing together in a conspiracy that reaches from the halls of Hardwicke to Capitol Hill. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics.

The odds are stacked against Tess, and the price for this fix might be more than she can pay.

This week's staff pick is The Here and Now by Ann Brashares.

Prenna James is currently living in 2014, but she has experienced the future. She’s part of a group of immigrants that traveled back in time with a mission to stop the future– a dismal place where the Earth is hot and humid, and mosquitos carry a terrible plague that is wiping out the human race. There are strict rules to follow, including keeping their origins a secret and never getting intimate with a “Time Native” (people who belong in the current year).

Soon, Prenna begins to make some uncomfortable discoveries about her community– such as that the leaders are watching over the immigrants not to protect them, but to control them, and they might not even have intentions of preventing the future that they ran from. When she realizes that there is one specific event on a very specific day that needs to be stopped, Prenna starts breaking all the rules, teams up with Time Native, and does all she can to change the future– but will it be enough?

This week’s staff pick is The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson.

After five years of being on the road, Hayley and her father move back to her father’s hometown to try and live a normal life. Hayley’s father is haunted by the horrors he saw in the war, and turns to alcohol and drugs to try to drown out the memories. Hayley is trying to survive high school when she isn’t used to the structure of classes and homework, she is starting a new relationship, and she is trying to have friends while simultaneously trying to care for a father whose temper and memories she fears.

How do you cope when you have to take care of a parent more than the parent takes care of you? What do you do when it feels like your family is a ticking time bomb? The Impossible Knife of Memory explores the effects of PTSD in a true and terrifying way.

This week's staff pick is The Improbable Theory of Ana & Zak by Brian Katcher!

It all begins when Ana Watson’s brother, Clayton, ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal,resume-building high school trip.

If slacker Zak Duquette hadn’t talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn’t have broken the rules or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.

Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of zombies, bikini-clad princesses, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.

But in spite of Zak’s devil-may-care attitude, he may have more in common with Ana than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long, crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more..

This week's staff pick is the Isobel Journal by Isobel Harrop

THE ISOBEL JOURNAL is no ordinary snapshot of a contemporary teenage life. A charming and vivid narrative scrapbook of the eighteen-year-old author's sketches, mini-graphic novels, photographs and captions, it captures her wit, her observations and her creative talent as she takes us through the three central themes in her life: 'Love', 'Friends, Art and Otters' and 'Me'.

*Summary taken from cover

This week's Staff Pick is The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal

On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion.

Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, thing are seldom as they seem— and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

*summary taken from front cover.

This week's staff pick is The List by Siobhan Vivian.

Every year at Mount Washington High, a list is posted. It has the names of two girls in each class– one who is considered the prettiest girl in her year, and one who is considered the ugliest. Each girl listed suddenly finds herself noticed, and getting attention. The pretty girls gain friends, while the ugly ones find themselves dealing with ridicule. Nobody knows who creates the list, but everyone sees it– it is posted all over the school, so it can’t be missed.

In The List we see how each girl, pretty or ugly, deals with the attention, the name calling, and the changes in their social circle, confidence levels, and view of high school.

<p><img src="http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780062220004/LC.GIF&amp;client=sw…; style="float: left;" height="146" width="96">This week's staff pick is <a href="http://catalog.swanlibraries.net/search~S89?/Xthe+murder+complex&amp;se… Murder Complex </a>by Lindsay Cummings</p><p>Meadow lives in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birth rate, and her father has taught her how to survive in it. Zephyr has been programmed to kill– he can’t help it when it happens, and feels incredible guilt after the fact. They meet under unusual circumstances, and together they begin to unravel secrets about their society, Meadow’s family, and Zephyr himself, but not without intense dangers– one of which is the fact that Meadow is programmed into Zephyr’s brain as one of his victims to murder.</p>

This week's staff pick is actually a Teen Advisory Board Pick: The Night She Disappeared by April Henry.

The night Kayla disappeared after leaving to deliver a pizza, it was supposed to be Gabie’s night to work. To Gabie’s horror, she discovers that the man who called for pizza had asked for the girl with the mini-cooper– Gabie’s car. Believing that he   really wanted her, Gabie and he coworker Drew, who had worked with Kayla that night, set out to find out what happened to Kayla. Gabie is certain that Kayla is still alive, and is determined to find her and the man who she believes might really want Gabie instead.

Check out the book trailer that the Teen Advisory Board created for this book.

This week's staff pick is The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer.

Riley is an orphan who lives in Victorian London, apprenticed to Albert Garrick, an assassin. As they attempt to assassinate their latest victim, they suddenly find themselves in a wormhole leading to present day London! It turned out that their would-be-victim is part of the W.A.R.P. program (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program) and from the future. Garrick, in passing through the wormhole, has gained a dangerous amount of knowledge, and is just as evil as he ever was. With his newfound information, he could travel back to 1898 and change the entire world! In Modern day London, Riley is aided by an FBI agent  named Chevie, and together they are on the run from Garrick, who needs the Timekey to travel back and re-write history.

<p><img src="http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9781476763149/LC.GIF&amp;client=sw…; alt="lizzie bennet" title="lizzie bennet" style="float: left;" height="201" width="131">This week's staff pick is <a title="the secret diary of lizzie bennet" href="http://catalog.swanlibraries.net/search/?searchtype=X&amp;SORT=D&amp;se… Secret Diary of Lizze Bennet</a> by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick.</p><p>Lizzie is a hard-working graduate student studying mass communications and media when she gets a brilliant idea for a thesis project: making video blogs (vlogs) about her life! At first she is unsure as to whether others will find her life interesting enough to have a successful vlog, but as family drama begins to unfold, including a rich new member of town, whom Lizzie’s mother is hoping will marry one of her daughters, Lizzie’s videos gain thousands of views! Soon she is facing a deluge of problems and questions. How much of her family’s life and problems is it ok to share with the internet? What is Lizzie going to do once she has finished graduate school? How is she going to finish her graduate projects on time? And, most importantly, why is Darcy, a close friend of her sister’s new boyfriend, so stuck up, snotty, and rude?</p><p>For those who watched the popular webseries The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, this book is a wonderful complement to the series, full of favorite characters as well as new scenes, insights, and dialog! For those who haven’t, this book is also a great stand-alone, and a wonderful modern re-telling of Jane Austen’s classic, Pride &amp; Prejudice.</p>

<p><img src="http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=1596436972/LC.GIF&amp;client=swans…; alt="the shadow hero" title="the shadow" style="float: left;" height="310" width="200">This week's staff pick is <a title="the shadow hero" href="http://catalog.swanlibraries.net/search~S89?/Xthe+shadow+hero&amp;searc… Shadow Hero</a> by Gene Luen Yang &amp; Sonny Liew!</p><p>In the comics boom of the 1940s, a&nbsp; legend was born: the Green Turtle. He solved crimes and fought injustice just like the other comics characters. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity... The Green Turtle was the first Asian American super hero.</p><p>The comic had a short run before lapsing into obscurity, but the acclaimed author of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang, has finally revived this character in Shadow Hero, a new graphic novel that creates an origin story for the Green Turtle.</p><p>With artwork by Sonny Liew, this gorgeous, funny comics adventure for teens is a new spin on the long, rich tradition of American comics lore.</p><p>*Summary taken from Amazon</p>

This week's staff pick is The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton!

The Roux family tree is a strange one, and they always seem to learn lessons about life and love the hard way. By the time twins Ava and Henry are born, the family has seen so much heartache and tragedy that most of them have decided that it is best not to love at all. That way, they can never get hurt.

Ava and Henry’s mother, Vivienne Lavender is extra protective of her children, keeping them confined to the house– not just because of the heartache she endured, but also because of the unique nature of her children. Henry seems strange to other people in that he only speaks when there is something very important to say, and what he says doesn’t always make sense. Ava was born with wings.

When Ava is a teenager, she decides that she wants to act more like the normal girl she considers herself to be, and begins sneaking out to hang out with the local teens. As she walks to and from her friends each night, her walk doesn’t go unnoticed by a neighbor who is a pious man who believes Ava to be an angel. As he watches her his obsession grows until the Summer Solstice, when Henry’s cryptic words, too late, make sense to the members of the Roux family.

This week's pick is The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

In the future, the United States has become the United Commonwealth after 7 stages of war have left the land a charred and dangerous place. Colonies exist thanks to hard work, technology, and innovation which has revitalized parts of the land. To be a part of the elite people who lead these colonies in their innovations, one must attend the University at Tosu city, and to attend the University, one must undergo a series of rigorous tests. When Cia and 3 others in her colony are selected to take these tests she is overjoyed at the chance for a college education and a chance to be a leader in the commonwealth. However, the night before her departure, he father gives her these parting words: Trust no one. As Cia begins her testing, she learns why her father left her with these words. The tests aren’t just a difficult series of essays and questions, but “practical applications” which could result in life or death... And the competition will do anything to get the top score.

This week's staff pick is The Third Twin by CJ Omololu!

When they were little, Lexi and her identical twin, Ava, made up a third sister, Alicia. If something broke? Alicia did it. Cookies got eaten? Alicia’s guilty. Alicia was always to blame for everything.

The game is all grown up now that the girls are seniors. They use Alicia as their cover to go out with boys who are hot but not exactly dating material. Boys they’d never, ever be with in real life.

Now one of the guys Alicia went out with hasturned up dead, and Lexi wants to stop the game for good. As coincidences start piling up, Ava insists that if they follow the rules for being Alicia, everything will be fine. But when another boy is killed, the DNA evidence and surveillance photos point to only one suspect– Alicia. The girl who doesn’t exist.

As she runs from the cops, Lexi has to find the truth before another boy is murdered. Because either Ava is the killer .. or Alicia is real. 

Looking for a great spring break read? Try The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen.

Macy’s boyfriend has just left for Brain Camp, so it looks like she’s in for a boring summer of working at the library and prepping for the SATs in the fall. Her house is quiet and organized, as Macy and her Mother are grieving for Macy’s recently deceased father in their own way: by silently striving for perfection.

But you can’t control everything in life, and nobody is perfect. When Macy meets the fun but disorganized members of a catering company, she takes a risk and decides to join their team. What she discovers is that when she allows herself to let go, have fun, and live, she becomes a happier person, and that sometimes it’s actually not better to be safe than sorry.

This week's staff pick is The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement.

On the inside, within the walls of the Aurora Hills Juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom.

Tying their worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries..

What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve– in this life or in another one?

This week's staff pick is The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski!

Kestrel is an important young woman in her empire– she is the general’s daughter. As such, she can do two things with her life: she can either join the military, or she can get married. Kestrel is an independent girl who wishes to do neither– instead, she puts off the decision and goes around gambling and defying her father’s wishes.

One day she is out at the market, and impulsively bids on a slave– there is something intriguing about him and the way he defys the slave auctioneer. Soon though, it becomes evident that this slave has plans of his own, and that Kestrel might have gotten much more than she bargained for...

This week's staff pick is The Wrenchies by Farel Dalrymple.

In this demented future, whatever life remains on earth is oppressed by the evil shadowsmen. Only a gang of ruthless and powerful children called the Wrenchies can hope to stand against them.When Hollis, a lonely boy from our world, is magically given access to the future world of the Wrenchies, he finally finds a place he belongs. But it is not an easy world to live in, and Hollis’s quest is bigger than he ever dreamed of.

This week's staff pick is Through the Woods by Emily Carroll.

Through the Woods is a graphic novel collection of stories that will creep you out, gross you out, and make you think. Each story is reminiscent of old fairy tales, and each one is both beautiful illustrated and immensely creepy, with endings that make you ponder the fate of the characters involved. Read it on Halloween, read it on a dark and stormy night, read it together with friends or when you’re alone in the house– however and where ever you read it, it is a perfect collection for these cool fall evenings!

This week's staff pick is To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han.

Lara Jean has a hatbox with love letters inside. There are five letters in all, one for each of the boys she’s loved. She never meant for anyone else to see them– they were her way of getting over the boys. She is able to pour her heart out, seal the letter, and move on. One day, she notices that her hatbox is gone, and so are the letters. Even worse, the letters have been sent out. Suddenly, Lara Jean’s life is full of drama and it’s spinning out of control. Now Lara Jean has to confront her old feelings, figure out some new feelings, and set her life back to normal! But can her old friendships ever be normal again now that so many of her innermost thoughts are out in the open?

This week's staff pick is To Be Or Not To Be: A Chooseable-path adventure by Ryan North, William Shakespeare, and YOU!

To Be Or Not To Be is Hamlet as you’ve never read it before! To start your journey, choose whether you’d like to be Ophelia, Hamlet, or Hamlet Sr. Begin the story and decide what you want to do! With so many outcomes and storylines to follow, this is a book that can be read many times and be different every time. Fully of hilarious writing and fun illustrations, To Be Or Not To Be is a great read-aloud with friends or a fun diversion to read to yourself– just know that you will be laughing out loud no matter how you choose to read it. Shakespeare purist? No problem. To follow the story of Hamlet as Shakespeare wrote it, just follow the skull symbol as you make your decisions. The choice is yours!

This week's Staff Pick is Trapped by Michael Northrop!

A big snow storm has been predicted, but that doesn’t bother Scotty and his friends, who decide they should stay after school to work on a project. When they finally go to wait for their ride, they discover that they are among seven people waiting for rides– rides that never arrive. As they watch the snow bury the highway until it’s no longer possible to tell where the road even is, they realize that they are stuck for awhile.

At first, spending the night in the school isn’t so bad. Kind of like a sleepover. But then the power goes out, followed by the heat. Soon the pipes freeze, and the roof starts creaking under the weight of the snow, and the seven high schoolers wonder if they’re ever going to get out– or if their frozen bodies will only be discovered after the snow finally melts.

Read Trapped by Michael Northrop– this year’s Brookfield Reads! pick! Then join the discussion on Tuesday, April 19 at 4:00 p.m.! Snacks will be provided.

This week's staff pick is Trinkets by Kirsten Smith.

At a shoplifters anonymous meeting, three high school girls meet. They never would have become friends in a different situation, but when a challenge is laid out– to shoplift the best thing they can and exchange notes– a sort of bond is formed. Moe, Tabitha, and Elodie have more in common than they think, and as they hang out together more often, they discover that underneath their exterior they all have their own set of problems and insecurities. Written from three points of view, each girl speaks with her own voice. Tabitha’s story is told in a narrative, Elodie’s story is told in poetry, and Moe’s story is told in entries from her journal. As the girls continue their “Steal-offs”, they learn more about themselves, about each other, and about being a true friend.

This week's Staff Pick is Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Craig and Harry are two boys trying to set a new world record for the longest recorded kiss. As they stand in front of their high school, kissing for over 32 hours, observers come and go. Some support Craig and Harry and what they are trying to do, while others taunt them, hate them, and throw eggs at them. A live stream allows viewers all over the world to view the kiss and send comments and tweets. Meanwhile, while this is going on, we see Peter and Neil, a couple who have been together awhile, and how they deal with their relationship. We also see Avery and Ryan, whose relationship is just beginning, and their first dates together. And we see Cooper, who is alone, living online, and searching for a way out. All of these boys have unique stories about their families, friends, lovers, and relationships to share.

<p><img src="http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780316210171/LC.GIF&amp;client=sw…; alt="unbreakable" title="unbreakable" style="float: left;" width="131" height="200">This week's staff pick is <a title="Unbreakable" href="http://catalog.swanlibraries.net/search~S89?/Xunbreakable&amp;searchsco… </a>by Kami Garcia.</p><p>Kennedy doesn’t believe in ghosts. At least, she didn’t until she saw one in the graveyard. Soon Kennedy realizes that there are paranormal forces trying to kill her, so it’s lucky that twin ghost hunters Jared and Lukas find her before it’s too late! Kennedy joins up with a group of ghost hunters known as the Legion of the Black Dove as they race to put together pieces of a puzzle that could help them defeat a vengeful demon who is after all the members.</p><p>Fans of shows along the vein of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural will love the snark, romance, and creepiness of Unbreakable by Kami Garcia (co-author of Beautiful Creatures).</p>

This week's pick is Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected By Neil Gaiman

From a black dot which moves and grows all on its own, to gods who value order and regularity, this book is filled with short stories of strange, fantastic, and unnatural beasts and creatures of all types. Neil Gaiman has done a splendid job of collecting and arranging these stories in Unnatural Creatures, and includes his own short introduction for each tale. Whether you wish to read the book cover to cover or pick and choose what you find to be the most intriguing stories, Unnatural Creatures is bound to hold stories of interest for any fan of literature that is just the slightest bit… off. Featuring authors Dianna Wynne Jones, E. Nesbit, Gahan Wilson, and many others, there are many thrilling tales between these covers.

This week's staff pick is Unwind by Neal Shusterman.

*August Teen Book Club Pick!*

Imagine a world where, should your parents decide they no longer want you, they can just have you unwound. You would go to a harvest camp, and each part of you would be separated and used to help people who need replacement body parts– arms, legs, lungs, hearts, you name it. But don’t worry, it’s not dying. You’re still alive– just scattered about.

Risa, Connor, and Lev are all being unwound for different reasons, and find themselves thrown together by chance on their way to a harvesting camp. All of them make a cross-country journey, kept going partially by hope and partially by desperation.

Read this book and join our discussion on Monday, August 24 @ 4:00 p.m.!

This week's staff pick is Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle.

Vivian Apple never believed in the evangelical Church of America, unlike her recently converted parents. But when Vivian returns home the morning after the supposed Rapture, all that’s left of her parents are two holes in the roof. The Believers have been taken, it seems. And for those left behind, the world is a desolate and eerie place. Not sure what to believe, Vivian, along with her best friend, Harp, and Peter, a mysterious boy with the bluest eyes, embark on a desperate cross-country road trip through a paranoid and panic-stricken landscape, in search of answers and any family they may have left. Because at the end of the world, Vivian Apple isn’t looking for a savior, she’s looking for the truth.

This week's staff pick is Yoga for your Mind and Body by Rebecca Rissman.

Looking for a way to stay healthy this summer? Yoga can be done anywhere, and this book shows you how to do it. Rissman’s book gives clear instructions and excellent photographs to demonstrate the different yoga poses, as well as explanations for what the poses can help with (strength, calmness, focusing on certain areas of the body, etc.) Additionally the book tells you exactly what equipment you need, and gives tips on meditation and on remaining calm in stressful situations.

This book is great for all teens looking for a way to improve strength, flexibility, and/or focus.

This week's staff pick is You and Me and Him by Kris Dinnison.

Maggie and Nash are outsiders: She’s overweight. He’s out of the closet. They’re best friends, an they’ve helped each other survive their small-minded small town. But when Tom moves to Cedar Ridge at the start of the school year. Maggie and Nash have something unexpected in common– feelings for the same guy. As emotions take hold, their friendship is put to the ultimate test... up until now they have always chosen each other, but what if winning someone’s heart means losing your soul mate?

This week's book pick is How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr.

For Jill, it's hard enough getting through day to day life without her father, and now her mother has decided the best way to start the healing process is to adopt a baby. While Jill knows her parents had talked about adoption off and on over the years, adopting a baby now that her dad has died makes absolutely no sense, and adopting Mandy's baby seems to make even less sense. Mandy, who's in the last part of her pregnancy, hasn't had an easy life. Abandoned by a father she never knew and unwanted by a mother who moves from one boyfriend to the next, staying at Jill and her mom's house feels like a completely different world. Mandy started her search for an adoptive family in order to find something better for her baby than she had growing up, but is it possible to also find a more stable future for herself?

This week's pick is A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth Bunce.

Charlotte Miller is determined to save her family's mill, but she has many obstacles set up against her. Her father left the mill's finances in ruin, no one in the wool trade seems to want to deal with a woman, and no matter how hard Charlotte tries, there is some sort of curse blocking her way. Charlotte does not believe in curses, but a series of accidents and bad luck is starting to change her mind. And then a mysterious man appears, one who promises to make all Charlotte's problems go away ... but at what price?

This week's book pick is A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan.

16-year old Rose has been asleep in stasis for over sixty years, and the world she awakens to is vastly different. The Dark Times caused much of the population to die, and everyone Rose once knew is long gone. Will Rose be able to make a life for herself in this new world? More importantly, will she be able to discover why was put into stasis for so long in the first place?

This week's book pick is Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne.

15-year old Phoebe cannot believe her mother is allowing her cousin Leonard to come live with their family. Phoebe thinks she's okay with "different" (as she says, "I am different"), but Leonard brings "different" to a level beyond Phoebe's sphere of comfortability. Soon, Leonard's over-the-top personality has wormed its way into the hearts of Phoebe's mother and of her mother's hair salon clients, but Phoebe's not so easily impressed. She would no sooner take the advice Leonard deals out so copiously to everyone he meets than believe she could ever be friends with him. But when Leonard disappears, Phoebe realizes she never knew what Leonard meant in her life until it's clear he's not coming back.

This week's book pick is Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee.

Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut (also known as Maybe) has a mother who's a former Miss Florida, a soon-to-be stepfather who's completely slimy, and no idea where (or who) her real father is. When things get to be more than a little bit too much, Maybe decides it's time to head to California to find him. With her friends Ted and Hollywood in tow, Maybe reconnects with the one former stepfather who was actually worth her time, finds a taco truck that provides her with the best job ever, and starts to discover who she really is. And her father? He's out there somewhere ...

Check out the book trailer for Absolutely Maybe here.

This week's book pick is After the Snow by S.D. Crockett.

Willo has only known a world of ice and snow, where survival is tricky and it's best to stay out of the hands of the government. There was a time before when things like hot water and electricity for everyone still existed, but to Willo it's simply a story the elders tell themselves so they'll remember how things used to be. Willo's family makes a living by trapping animals for their meat and fur and everything is mostly okay until the day Willo comes home and everyone has disappeared. With only the spirit of a dead dog to guide him, Willo concludes it's time for him to leave as well and find out what happened to his family. Soon after leaving the family home he meets Mary, who will not survive without his help. Willo's decision to ensure Mary stays alive will end up changing his life forever.

This week's pick is Airman by Eoin Colfer.

Conor Broekhart has lived his whole life on the island of Great Saltee, but was born in a hot air balloon in Paris. The balloon ride that brought him into the world has also helped to shape his identity. Conor has always been fascinated by flight, and at age fourteen is almost to the point of making his dream come true. With his tutor the scientist Victor Vigny as his mentor and Princess Isabella as his best friend, Conor's life seems almost perfect. But one day Conor comes upon a plot to harm the king of the Saltee Islands, and before he knows it, his life has changed forever.

This week's pick is Alfred Kropp: The Thirteenth Skull by Richard Yancey.

Alfred Kropp has already had more life-threatening adventures than he cares to think about. Leading a regular life doesn't seem to be in the cards, however, when his guardian is killed and Alfred ends up in a psych ward. He's told he'll be able to escape if he hands over the Seal of Solomon, but Alfred knows there's got to be a catch. Who wants to kill Alfred this time?

This week's book pick is Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli.

It's 1899 in Tallulah, Louisiana, and Calogero and his Sicilian family are caught in between a town full of Jim Crow laws and recent memories of the Civil War. Scorned by most of the whites of the town and feared by most of the African-American community, a friendly face is hard to come by. But there's Patricia, a girl who decides to look beyond the fear and mistrust, and Calogero finds himself falling for her. Patricia's friendship, however, will not be enough to save Calogero and his family when many of the whites of Tallulah decide they no longer want the Sicilian family in their midst.

This week's staff pick is Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake!

Cas has an unusual talent: he can kill ghosts. He travels around with his Mom hunting down dangerous ghosts and getting rid of them, following legends, rumors, and tips. One day he gets a tip about a ghost named Anna Dressed in Blood, and feels compelled to go to Canada to get rid of her. When he finally meets her, he discovers that she is unlike any ghost he has ever fought. She’s strong, aware, and for some reason has spared Cas his life.

Follow Cas on his hunt as he tries to solve the mystery behind Anna’s murder and why she became the powerful ghost she is now.

This week's book pick is Ask the Passengers by A.S. King.

Astrid Jones has a lot to say and a lot of love to give, but no one appears to be interested - not her parents, not her sister, not her friends. Instead, Astrid goes outside and lays on the picnic table she built with her father and asks the passengers riding in the planes she sees above what she should do. Should she admit to herself (and everyone else) that she's falling in love with a girl? Can she tell her overbearing mother what's really going on inside her head? Astrid has no idea, but in the meantime she'll keep sending her love to the people riding past in the sky.

This week's book pick is Back Home by Julia Keller.

As a member of the National Guard, Rachel's dad was called up to serve in the Iraq War. After suffering a traumatic brain injury and losing both an arm and leg, he's been sent home. But the man sitting in his wheelchair is not Rachel's dad. Sure, he may look like her dad (mostly, that is), but this man seems like an empty shell. He barely talks, and when he does, it's just a couple words here and there. He doesn't seem to ever want to get out of his wheelchair, even though supposedly he knows how. How can Rachel make the connection between what her dad can do and what he will never be able to do again?

This week's book pick is Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins.

After his father was arrested for providing medical treatment to an "enemy of the state," Chiko has been terrified to leave his house. At the same time, he knows he must find work, or he and his mother will not survive. When he answers a newspaper ad calling for teachers, what he hopes will be a new start turns into a nightmare.

The Karenni people have suffered for years at the hands of the Burmese army, and Tu Reh's family was no exception - his family's home was burned by the army and they now live in a refugee camp. Tu Reh is more than ready to fight back, but when he meets Chiko, wounded in the jungle, Tu Reh's world turns upside down.

Good news, we are open again! Today we will be open from 10pm-5pm (we are closing early due to extremely low temperatures). Please remember to stay warm and safe!

And now, the Staff Pick of the Week! Belle Epoque, by Elizabeth Ross. Like historical fiction? Like Paris? Like exploring society's idea of beauty? Like girls who take charge of their lives? Check this book out!

Maude, unhappy with her future in her small town in Brittany, decides to run away and seek her fortune in Paris. When she arrives, however, she discovers that making ends meet isn’t as simple as she had hoped it would be. The job she finally lands isn’t what she expected, either. She ends up responding to an ad in desperation for the Durandeau Agency, which is an unusual agency which supplies ugly or plain women to wealthy women in order to make the wealthy woman appear more attractive. Maude is given a most unusual assignment with Countess Dubern, who wants a companion for her daughter– and her daughter doesn’t know Maude’s true role in her life! As Maude and the countess’ daughter, Isabelle, get to know one another, Maude realizes that soon she may need to choose between having a job and having a friend.

This week's book pick is Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler.

Hudson Avery has spent the last three years trying to forget she was a talented figure skater, on her way to a professional skating career. All that changed on the night of her biggest competition, when she discovered her father was covering up a horrible betrayal. Now Hudson is known for the cupcakes she creates for her mother's diner, Hurley's, and skating is never mentioned in the Avery household. Instead, Hudson spends her time looking after her little brother Bug and inventing new cupcake flavor combinations, such as dark chocolate with crushed peppermint and oatmeal pumpkin with fudge frosting. When Hudson receives an invitation to a skating competition named in honor of her old coach and is asked by the captain of the school's hockey team to help turn around its abysmal record, she finds herself re-entering the world she thought she'd left behind a long time ago. But in between coaching the hockey team, secretly practicing her skating routine, waitressing at Hurley's, and baking cupcakes, Hudson knows deep down something will have to give. Can Hudson follow her dream and still balance the rest of her life before everything falls apart?

This week's book pick is Black, White, Other by Joan Steinau Lester.

Nina just turned fifteen, and after spending a lifetime believing she knew who she was, now she's not so sure. Nina's parents are splitting up and her younger brother Jimi has gone to live with her dad. What's more, the fact that Nina is biracial all of a sudden begins to permeate every aspect of her life in a way it never has before. While Nina's father has become involved in writing the story of Nina's great-great grandmother Sarah, a former slave who made her way to freedom, her mother continues to insist race doesn't matter. On top of everything else, Nina's friends at school have decided that race does matter and are expecting her to choose one group of friends over the other. Sarah had to run away to make a better life for herself and Nina is beginning to wonder - should she do the same?

This week's book pick is Blessing's Bead by Debby Dahl Edwardson.

Many years ago, Blessing's great-grandmother Nutaaq suffered a loss so terrible she barely survived. Now Blessing is going back to the same remote village to stay with her grandmother, Aaka, far away from Anchorage and everything she knows. When Blessing discovers the blue bead that belonged to Nutaaq, will she begin to understand her family's past and be able to envision her own future?

This week's book pick is Bloodline by Katy Moran.

All his life, Essa traveled from one hall to another with his father Cai, a bard who tells stories and sings ballads to the different peoples scattered throughout post-Roman Britain. When Cai abandons Essa at the hall of the Wixna, a tribe of the Wolf Folk, Essa can't understand why. Yet slowly he becomes a part of the Wixna, and when the hall is in danger of being overrun by Penda, the king of Mercia, Essa knows he must act. But greater forces than he is aware of are at work, and Essa must use everything he has to try to avert a bloody conflict that could spell the end of everything he cares about.

Check out the book trailer for Bloodline here.

This week's book pick is Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd.

Fergus McCann discovers something unexpected in a bog on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland - a child's body. It is soon determined the body is at least two thousand years old, and it looks like she was murdered. Intermixed with this mystery is the rest of Fergus's life: his parents are divided by his brother Joe's hunger strike at the Long Kesh prison, he's a few exams away from getting into med school, and he's being blackmailed to carry packages for the IRA. Fergus also finds himself falling for Cora, the lead archaeologist's daughter, and he keeps seeing the bog child in his dreams. Find out how all the pieces come together in Bog Child.

This week's staff pick is Bone Gap by Laura Ruby.

Bone Gap is a bit of a mysterious place. Located in central Illinois, it is filled with whispering corn fields, mysterious people, and it’s where Finn saw Roza kidnapped by a man who moves in a distinctive way. That’s the only way Finn knows how to describe him, and soon people stop believing she was kidnapped at all.

Roza always was a mystery. And she was so beautiful, why would she stay with Finn and Sean O’Sullivan? While the townspeople are disbelieving, Finn knows the truth. And he knows that he has to find Roza.

Meanwhile, Roza is trapped in an unbelievable and mysterious place, and has to rely on her own strength and intelligence to try to find an escape…

Bone Gap is a beautiful book full of mystery, heartbreak, terror, and just a bit of magic.

This week's book pick is Born Wicked: The Cahill Witch Chronicles by Jessica Spotswood.

Cate Cahill is hiding a dangerous truth, one that could spell doom for her and her two younger sisters, Maura and Tess. All three girls are witches, in a place and time where such a thing is punishable by prison, the asylum, or even worse. In Cate's New England the Brotherhood rules all, and any girl discovered to be a witch is swiftly brought to justice. Ever since their mother died Cate feels responsible for her sisters, as she swore she would keep them out of harm's way. Cate's promise is becoming very difficult to keep - when she turns seventeens she must marry, and her suitor Paul wishes to take her to New London, far away from her home and her sisters. To make matters worse, Maura and Tess are only becoming more powerful in their magic, and their spells are getting harder to hide. Cate also finds herself falling for Finn Belastra, the bookseller turned gardener who is in most ways not the right marriage prospect at all. When Cate discovers her mother's diary and finds information of a prophecy that could destroy everything, she doesn't know where to turn - to Paul for protection, Finn for love, or to her own power deep within herself.

This week's book pick is Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald.

Jenna's mission in life is to save the world from environmental disaster. When her summer plans for an eco-friendly internship fall through, she decides the best alternative is to visit her godmother Susie in Stillwater, British Columbia. This Canadian town is serious backwoods, and Jenna is certain spending time in actual nature will only amplify her green credentials. But after meeting Susie's extremely unpleasant stepdaughter and realizing she (Jenna) doesn't have a clue about what "real" nature actually is, Jenna begins to understand that being a true environmentalist is much more than waving a protest sign.

This week's book pick is Bronxwood by Coe Booth.

For Tyrell, living with friends who are drug dealing is a better option than living with his dad, who just got out of prison and expects Tyrell to toe the line. Tyrell figures he can make it on his own working as a DJ at parties, but without his dad's equipment it's a bit of a challenge. His little brother Troy is still in foster care and Tyrell knows it's up to him to figure out what to do about it. Added to the mix is Jasmine, a girl Tyrell thinks he might be falling in love with but who has problems of her own. Will Tyrell be able to sort everything out before it all falls apart?

This week's book pick is Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse.

Fourteen-year old Joseph Michtom is spending the summer of 1903 learning what it is to have too much. Ever since his parents turned their candy store into a teddy bear making operation (inspired by President Teddy Roosevelt's refusal to shoot a bear cub), the money's started coming in, and all the neighborhood treats him differently. Joe doesn't even have time to go to the new boardwalk at Coney Island, because he's constantly making stuffed bears. But one night Joe does go to Coney Island, and what he discovers there could change his life forever.

This week's book pick is Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams.

Wyatt never thought much beyond playing baseball and how it would likely be his ticket out of East Canton, a town that is rapidly going nowhere. Then baseball gets slashed from the school budget, and Wyatt finds himself without a whole lot of options. He follows his best friend Dub to Silver City with the hope of getting on their baseball team next year, but is soon distracted from the promise of being able to play again. Silver City is the town where the prison that Wyatt's dad is incarcerated for life is located, and before long, Wyatt decides to meet him for the first time in his life. Is it fate, or perhaps simply a sequence of wrong turns?

This week's book pick is Burn My Heart by Beverley Naidoo.

Mugo and Matthew have always been friends, but their lives could hardly be more different. Matthew is white and British, and his father is the owner of the lands that Mugo's Kenyan family has lived on for generations. But rebellion is at hand, and soon Matthew and Mugo will be on opposing sides of a fight for what both believe is rightly theirs - the Kenyan nation.

This week's book pick is Butter by Erin Jade Lange.

16-year old Butter tips the scale at four hundred pounds, and while he knows there's much more to him than his weight, it is all that people around him see. His dad has stopped talking to him, his mom refuses to address the issue, and his crush Anna likes his online persona but would never acknowledge the real person. Butter is a talented saxophone player and does well in school, but has come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter. He decides to go out in a blaze of what some may call glory - a live webcast on New Year's Eve of his last meal, and suddenly Butter is popular like he's never been before. But does this newfound fame mean that people actually care, or are they only interested in cheering on Butter's horrific plan?

This week's book pick is BZRK by Michael Grant.

Sadie McLure is all that's left of the powerful McLure family now that her father Grey and brother Stone have been killed in a plane crash. Since Stone was the presumptive successor to their father's company, Sadie only now learns of all the secrets behind the advanced biotechnology her father developed. Grey McLure was the creator of biots, biological creatures generated by various strands of DNA and intended to keep a human alive despite life threatening medical conditions. Sadie is soon recruited by BZRK, an organization determined to keeping the Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation from taking over the world with nanobots. Nanobots are the corporation's answer to biots, and can manipulate individuals' minds. In BZRK's eyes, the Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation is out to destroy free will. The trouble is, many of BZRK's recruits succumb to insanity. Sadie may be no exception.

This week's book pick is Cadillac Chronicles by Brett Hartman.

Tired of his annoying mother and boring life in general, Alex Riley decides that a road trip with an elderly man named Lester is the best way to escape his problems. To help fuel her political ambitions, Alex's mother invited Lester to live with them and comes to the conclusion shortly after that the situation won't work. Having had enough of his mother's machinations, Alex leaves with Lester in his Cadillac and travels to Florida on a quest to find his dad, who he hasn't heard from in years. Along the way Alex learns about Lester's life, what it really means to walk in someone else's shoes, and that the history books don't necessarily get everything right. Will the things Alex learns from Lester be enough to get his life back on track?

This week's book pick is Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein.

Happy to be rescued from an uncertain future when Queen Elizabeth selected her as a maid of honor, Lady Cate Archer is certain life at court will be a dream come true. However, Cate is not prepared for the backstabbing and gossip of court life, nor for a potential secret romance with Sir Walter Ralegh, one of the queen's favorites. When Cate is betrayed by one of her fellow maids and her romance discovered by the queen, she is sent to Fort Ralegh in Roanoke, the English settlement recently established in the New World. Cate hopes Sir Walter will sail to the colony soon and looks forward to an adventure and a new start, but reality soon collides with fantasy. Roanoke is no paradise, and the colonists find themselves at odds with each other - and with the native tribes who already live in the area. While Cate waits for Sir Walter to arrive with relief supplies to assist the struggling settlers, help comes from another quarter. Manteo, leader of the Croatoan tribe, saves the fort from attack and starvation more than once. But through disease, misfortune, and strife amongst the colonists, the fort increasingly becomes an untenable place to live. Cate and the remaining settlers must make a difficult choice if they wish to survive.

This week's book pick is Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson.

When her owner dies, thirteen-year old Isabel, a slave, knows Miss Finch's will states she and her sister Ruth are to be free. But Miss Finch's nephew couldn't care less about the will, and sells Isabel and Ruth as soon as possible to the Locktons. Cruel and uncaring, the Locktons become Isabel's worst enemies, especially Mrs. Lockton. The day soon comes when Mrs. Lockton pushes Isabel too far. Will Isabel have what it takes to find her freedom, despite all the risks?

This week's book pick is Changeling by Philippa Gregory.

Through no fault of their own, both Luca and Isolde find themselves in circumstances beyond explanation. For daring to question the teachings of his superiors, Luca was suspected of heresy and banished from his monastery. Now he been sent on a journey by a mysterious unnamed Order to discover the evil forces the Order believes will bring about the end of times. Isolde was forced into a nunnery to keep her from receiving her father's inheritance, and has been charged with witchcraft, along with her friend Ishraq. Luca travels to the nunnery to investigate a series of strange circumstances, including nuns who sleepwalk and are covered in inexplicable gashes. When the true state of circumstances at the nunnery is revealed, Luca and Isolde find themselves running for their lives.

This week's book pick is Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman.

About twenty years before Charles Darwin wrote the book The Origin of Species spelling out his theories on evolution, he scribbled out a list debating the positives and negatives of marriage. Would marriage hinder his discoveries and experiments? Would he be forever lonely if he did not marry? In the end Charles chose to marry Emma Wedgwood, and counted it one of the best decisions he ever made. This is the story of Charles and Emma, and the one thing that could ever separate them - Emma's deep religious beliefs versus Charles's scientific ones.

This week's book pick is Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

Cinder is known as the top mechanic in New Beijing, but to her stepmother Adri it doesn't matter - Cinder is still a cyborg, a human with robot components. In Adri's eyes, all Cinder is useful for is to fix things. Cinder longs for something different, but doesn't see change happening in the foreseeable future. Then by chance Cinder meets Prince Kai, the future emperor, when he comes to her stall in the market looking for help repairing his android. Before Cinder has a chance to get to know the prince, her stepsister Peony is struck by the plague that has become all too common in New Beijing. Convinced Cinder is a carrier of the plague, Adri quickly decides Cinder will be used as a test subject in the search for an antidote. Cinder is certain she will be dead within days, as no test subject has yet survived after being submitted for plague study.

This week's book pick is Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose.

In March of 1955, in segregated Montgomery, Alabama, Claudette Colvin decided not to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus. She was arrested and taken to jail, and later declared guilty for what she had done. Instead of supporting her, most of Colvin's high school classmates openly shunned and gossiped about her, and Colvin began to wonder if she'd sacrificed everything by not giving up her seat that day. When almost a year later Rosa Parks made the same decision as Colvin and chose not to give up her bus seat, the revolution Colvin had started became a full blown boycott. While Claudette Colvin is not as well known as Rosa Parks, her act of courage changed everything.

This week's book pick is Cleopatra Rules! by Vicky Alvear Shecter.

When Cleopatra was named queen of Egypt at seventeen, her reign was a challenge from the start. First, she had to rule with her younger half brother,who expected her to cede the throne to him. He did his best to get rid of her, and her younger sister attempted to proclaim herself queen in Cleopatra's place. And Rome, the growing empire next door, was constantly on the lookout for ways to take over. Cleopatra was determined to rule over a united Egypt, but she accepted that she would need the partnership of Rome to make things work. But most of Rome believed a woman couldn't rule her own country, and many of those in power (especially Rome's ruler, Octavian) did their best to make it so. However, the last pharaoh of Egypt had other plans - Cleopatra refused to go down without a fight.

This week's Staff Pick is Coaltown Jesus by Ron Koertge.

When Walter prays for whomever is up there to help his mom, he is still surprised when Jesus appears in his bedroom. Even more surprising is how Jesus isn’t quite how Walter imagined him to be. Jesus laughs, makes jokes, and even convinces Walter to take in an unwanted Dog. Walter has a lot to deal with. He may have asked for help for his mom, but Walter needs some support as well. It’s been two months since his brother Noah died, and a lot of things still hurt. The way his friends acted the same as always, as if nothing had happened. The way his mom cried a lot. The way Noah’s bed was still in Walter’s bedroom, untouched. With patience, kindness, humor, and a touch of irreverence, Jesus is able to help both Walter, and through Walter his mother, come to terms with Noah’s death.

This week's staff pick is Contaminated by Em Garner

After a diet drink begins an epidemic that alters the brain and turns people into violent, emotionless creatures, the world is left in disarray. The “Connies” (short for contaminated) have left torn apart towns and have made survivors fearful. Now, two years later, science has discovered a way to control the Connies using collars, and the government is allowing families of the victims to “claim” them and care for their loved ones. Velvet is delighted to have finally found her mother, but soon discovers that her mother is not who she used to be. Her mother is now unable to communicate, and wanders without direction. Additionally, Velvet faces discrimination for having a Connie with her. Soon, her landlord evicts her out of fear, she loses her job because she must keep missing work to care for her mother and her younger sister, and now she must figure out how the family will survive and how Velvet will keep her mother when the government soon determines that no Connie, even those under control of the collar, should be left alive.

This week's book pick is Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances.

Imagine a world set in the past, with the imagined technology of the future: gigantic airships, manufactured monsters, timepieces that do much more than keep time. Travel to the battlefront during World War I, where a beating heart will only continue to function with the aid of a most unusual corset. Follow the course of an airship in an unforgettable journey in the Wild West. Witness a tragedy as a boy discovers his love for his betrothed is not as strong as his magical powers. A collection of stories filled with romance, machinery, and more than a little bit of strangeness.

This week's book pick is Croak by Gina Damico.

After Lex is yanked into the principal's office yet again, her parents decide it's time for a serious change. For the past two years Lex has been constantly in trouble for lashing out at fellow students and teachers, unable to keep her temper under control. Lex doesn't know why she gets so angry, but her rage feels inescapable. Now her parents are sending her to live with her Uncle Mort, who lives in the middle of nowhere in upstate New York. Lex was always told that her Uncle Mort is a farmer, but it turns out he's nothing of the sort. Uncle Mort is a Grim Reaper, and he plans to teach Lex to be one too. Lex learns she has the potential to be a very good Reaper and is soon guiding souls to the next world like a pro. But when Lex happens upon those who have had their lives stolen from them, will she be able to remain a neutral go-between like a true Grim Reaper should?

This week's book pick is Crossing to Paradise by Kevin Crossley-Holland.

Everyone in her family has died, leaving 15-year old Gatty completely alone in the world. All she has left is her singing and the work she does as one of Sir John de Caldicot's serfs. But when Lady Gwyneth needs a second servant for her pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Sir John decides to send Gatty to accompany her. Soon Gatty is experiencing and seeing things she never even dreamed were possible.

This week's book pick is Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick.

Instead of starting high school as a future baseball star like he'd planned, Peter finds himself in the back of the line like any other freshman, teased by upperclassmen and clueless as to where his next class is located. Over the summer Pete permanently damaged his pitching arm, and the doctors have told him that his baseball career is over. His best friend AJ still thinks Pete will play again, and Pete doesn't have the heart to tell him the truth. What's also weighing heavily on Pete's mind is his grandfather, who inexplicably gave Pete all his prized camera equipment at the end of the summer. Pete knows his grandpa would never do such a thing unless something was seriously wrong, but Pete's mom refuses to listen when he brings it up. The only bright spot seems to be Pete's photography class, which also happens to contain the coolest girl ever - Angelika. Angelika is smart, funny, and very pretty, and she might even be into him. But will Angelika be able to put up with Pete if he won't come clean with AJ - or make his mom listen about what's happening to his grandpa?

This week's book pick is Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier.

17-year old Paula is traveling with her father from their home in Transylvania to Istanbul, where a treasure beyond compare - Cybele's Gift - awaits them. When they arrive, nothing is as they expected: Paula's father's main contact has been murdered, friends are not what they seem, and Paula soon finds herself receiving inexplicable messages that appear to be coming from her sister Tati. Paula has not seen Tati since her disappearance to the Other Kingdom, a parallel world of magic and unearthly creatures. Is the quest for Cybele's Gift also a quest to see Tati again? Will Paula be able to succeed in the tasks the Other Kingdom has set out for her? Find out in Cybele's Secret.

This week's book pick is Darkwater by Catherine Fisher.

One hundred years ago, Sarah Trevelyan sold her soul to Lord Azrael in exchange for all her family lost when her grandfather gambled his fortune away - prestige, power, and most importantly, the family's ancestral home of Darkwater Hall. Believing it to be impossible that she had truly sold her soul, Sarah focused on taking care of her ailing father and setting to rights her family's past wrongs. But now that her hundred years are up, Sarah realizes what she's done and knows it won't be long until her soul belongs to Azrael. Before the inevitable occurs, Sarah is determined to save Tom, who hopes to attend the Darkwater Hall School but doesn't believe he has the smarts to do so. Azrael is prepared to make a deal with Tom that could change his life, but Sarah will do everything in her power to keep Tom from going down the same path she did.

This week's book pick is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.

Summer just started and Jack's already in trouble, this time for accidentally shooting his dad's Japanese rifle from World War II. Grounded for who knows how long, Jack is only allowed out to assist his family's next door neighbor, who happens to be the town of Norvelt's medical examiner and writer of obituaries. Miss Volker has crippling arthritis, and can no longer write or type. Jack becomes Miss Volker's scribe and driver as they race around town, chasing after information for obituaries and marveling as the bodies of Norvelt's oldest citizens continue to pile up. Through it all Jack continues to land himself in hot water with his parents and leaves a gruesome trial wherever he goes (of nosebleeds, that is). The summer of 1962 could turn out to be the most interesting of Jack's life - if he's ever allowed to leave the house again, that is.

This week's book pick is Deadville by Ron Koertge.

Ryan's been spending his life in a permanent daze. Two years ago his sister Molly died from cancer, and nothing has been the same since. Ryan can't see a reason to care about anything: his dad is never home, his only friend is a complete slacker, and he has a straight C average at school. But then Charlotte Silano, one of the senior "it" girls, falls off her horse and into a coma. Soon Ryan finds himself going to visit Charlotte almost every day. Charlotte's at the same hospital Molly was, and Ryan can't help but think of her as he talks to Charlotte. Will Ryan's one-sided conversations with Charlotte get him to care again?

This week's book pick is Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers.

17-year old Jeremy (or "Lil J" as he's known) is on the run from the cops, and it looks like there's no way out. Trying to find a place to hide, he finds himself in a vacant building. But the apartment Jeremy wanders into isn't so vacant after all, and the man sitting there seems to know far more about Jeremy's life than makes sense.

This week's book pick is Double by Jenny Valentine.

Chap defines himself as a nobody, someone with no last name, no past he'll discuss, and no future. When he finds himself in a shelter and recognized as another person entirely, he wonders if now is the time to become someone. Cassiel Roadnight disappeared two years ago, and his family has been looking for him ever since. Chap looks exactly like Cassiel, and the shelter believes that he must be him. The idea of a family and a home is too appealing for Chap to pass up, and he decides he will become Cassiel. But becoming someone else is harder than Chap realizes, and he discovers that Cassiel's home life may not have been as picture perfect as it first seemed. Chap is in constant fear that he'll be found out as a fake, but soon being found out will be the least of his worries.

This week's pick is Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey.

All her life Rosalind has lived under the shadow of a secret: only her mother knows that hidden beneath her golden left glove is a dragon's claw. Her mother has done everything in her power to ensure the talon remains hidden, and has sought healers throughout the land to cure Rosie. But even her mother, the queen of Wilde Island, cannot keep Rosie's secret safe from the dragon that haunts their land, nor hide her shame of her daughter's mark. Perhaps only with the dragon will Rosie gain true acceptance and find out who she's meant to be.

This week's book pick is Dragonfly by Julia Golding.

Tashi and Ramil come from opposite corners of the Known World - she from the peaceful Blue Crescent Islands and he from the forested land of Gerfal. In order to create an alliance between their two countries and to keep the warlord Fergox Spearthrower from taking over their lands, the two are required to marry. Unfortunately when Tashi and Ramil meet it is clear that they will not be getting along anytime soon. And then to make matters worse, they are kidnapped. What will happen to Tashi and Ramil now? Will they ever find a way to escape - and to make peace with each other?

This week's book pick is Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey.

Tess has always been taught to keep her dreams close to earth - for a Wilde Island girl, a husband and a home ought to be enough. Tess, however, has other dreams. She loves to draw and write, and hopes to make her living using her talents. But when the witch hunter arrives in Tess's small village, soon the only thought will be of survival. Tess is accused of witchcraft, and when she accidentally implicates her two friends Poppy and Meg, they all must escape to the Dragonswood, the sanctuary of fairies and dragons. Just as they are about to give up, a mysterious huntsman named Garth rescues them and brings the group to one of the king's hunting lodges. Tess is suspicious, though she has no choice but to accept his help. What if this is another trap and the witch hunter is waiting for them?

This week's book pick is Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst.

Sixteen-year old Pearl is a vampire through and through, and has everything a vampire could want - a love of the night, a powerful vampire Family, and a very hot vampire boyfriend. But one night Pearl finds herself out a little too close to dawn and is stabbed by a unicorn. Of course, no one in the Family believes in unicorns, and decides there must be some other explanation for why Pearl can suddenly stand to be in sunlight. While the Family has also never heard of a vampire who doesn't turn into ash at the sight of sunrise, Pearl's parents quickly realize that Pearl's newfound ability will allow the Family new opportunities to hunt humans. As it happens, there is an upcoming feast to be hosted by Pearl's family and presided over by the vampire king of New England, and as many humans as possible are needed to provide blood for all the guests. Pearl finds herself attending that most human of institutions in order to find victims for the vampires' feast - high school.

This week's book pick is Estrella's Quinceanera by Malin Alegria.

All Estrella wants for her fifteenth birthday is a simple party with her friends from her new private school, but her family (especially her mother) has an entirely different idea. Estrella's mother wants her to have a real quinceanera. With a puffy orange dress, gaudy decor, and a mariachi band looming in her near future, Estrella is wondering how she can possibly avoid the whole thing - and keep her new friends from finding out about its existence. That soon proves difficult, as does juggling the rest of her life - her old friends who have been roped into helping with the quince (and are not too pleased with how Estrella has more or less dropped them), her demanding schoolwork, and Speedy, the boy from the neighborhood Estrella has been secretly seeing. Will Estrella be able to handle it all without everything toppling down around her?

This week's staff pick is Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Sophronia, at fourteen, should be able to control herself and act like a proper lady by now. However, she is much more interesting in learning about mechanics by dismantling dumbwaiters, or climbing trees, or doing any number of other unladylike activities. At her wit’s end, Sophronia’s mother decides that it is finally time to send her daughter to finishing school.

Upon leaving for Mademoisell Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, it soon becomes clear to Sophronia that this is not the sort of finishing school her mother had in mind. In fact, it’s not like any finishing school she’s ever heard of! She has a teacher who is a vampire, one who is a werewolf, and is learning many things other than the usual etiquette, dancing, and dress– she is also learning diversion, how to deal out death, and espionage.

It seems to Sophronia that she is finally finding her place in the world, as she learns to have adventures, solve mysteries, and complete dangerous assignments with perfect poise and grace.

This week's book pick is Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King.

Lucky Linderman can't remember a day in his life when he actually felt lucky. His dad is barely around and when he is, he can't stand anything Lucky or Lucky's mom does. His mom's only way of coping is to swim in the community pool for hours. Fellow classmate and lifelong bully Nader McMillan has been tormenting Lucky for years, and no one will do anything about it, least of all Lucky's parents. The only place Lucky doesn't feel one hundred percent miserable are in his almost nightly dreams where he's with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War. When Nader escalates things to the point of no return, Lucky's mom decides it's time to visit Lucky's aunt and uncle in Arizona. But will Lucky be able to face his problems - and stand up to Nader - when he gets back?

This week's book pick is Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis.

Mazzy is doing her best to convince herself - and everyone around her - that it will all be okay. She's taking care of her mom (who refuses to get out of bed) and dealing with the fact that her dad is hardly ever there. She doesn't need the neighbors' help, and she doesn't need family friends telling her what to do. But her mom isn't getting better, and Mazzy is having a really hard time facing what made her mom so depressed in the first place, until it's clear she has no choice.

This week's staff pick is Far From You by Tess Sharpe.

Sophie Winters nearly died. Twice. The first time, she’s fourteen, and escapes a near-fatal car accident with scars, a bum leg, and an addiction to Oxy that’ll take years to kick. The second time, she’s seventeen, and it’s no accident. Sophie and her best friend Mina are confronted by a masked man in the woods. Sophie survives, but Mina is not so lucky.

When the cops deem Mina’s murder a drug deal gone wrong, casting partial blame on Sophie, no one will believe the truth: Sophie has been clean for months, and it was Mina who led her into the woods that night for a meeting shrouded in mystery. After a forced stint in rehab, Sophie returns home to a chilly new reality. Mina’s brother won’t speak to her, her parents fear she’ll relapse, old friends have become enemies, and Sophie has to learn how to live without her other half. To make matters worse, no one is looking in the right places, so Sophie must search for Mina’s murderer on her own. But with every step, Sophie comes closer to revealing all: about herself, about Mina… and about the secret they shared.

This week's book pick is Finding Somewhere by Joseph Monninger.

Hattie and her best friend Delores have left their small New Hampshire town in the middle of the night, with a trailer and a horse named Speed in tow. Speed spent most of his days as a kids' pony ride until coming to the Ferguson stables to live out the rest of his life. Now the Fergusons have decided Speed needs to be put down, but Hattie believes Speed deserves one more chance at being free and hopes to find some rangeland where he can live in peace. Hattie and Delores also need their own piece of freedom - Hattie needs space to figure out what to do with her life, and Delores need to find a place to stay now that her mom doesn't want her around anymore. But as Hattie and Delores drive further west the wisdom of their plan seems less and less certain, and Hattie wonders if they made the right choice to take Speed. Will they be able to find the perfect pasture for Speed before it's too late?

This week's book pick is Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta.

For the past ten years, Finnikin has roamed the land of Skuldenore, trying to find a place for his people, the Lumaterans. Ten years ago Lumatere was invaded and its royal family murdered, and a curse was placed upon the land. Those who managed to flee the curse have become exiles, and those who didn't are trapped within the walls of the kingdom. Finnikin can't imagine that the curse will ever be lifted, but then he meets Evanjalin. Evanjalin, who tells Finnikin the heir to the throne of Lumatere is in fact not dead, and that the heir will bring their people home. Can Finnikin risk believing that what Evanjalin says is true?

This week's pick is Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith.

Ida Mae Jones has dreamed of being a pilot for as long as she can remember. She's been flying her dad's plane for years, but no one is interested in giving an African-American woman a pilot's license. Then Pearl Harbor is bombed and the U.S. enters World War II, and a group called the Woman Airforce Service Pilots (the WASP) is created. Ida sees an opportunity to fly for real, and also help the war effort (which includes her brother, who has joined the army and was sent to the South Pacific). Could Ida join the WASP? And will she have to pretend to be white to do it?

Check out this book trailer for Flygirl.

This week's book pick is For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund.

Elliot North has spent her whole life doing her duty for her family and the family estate, which includes taking care of the estate workers. For several generations the Norths have belonged to the Luddite class, a group who survived catastrophic worldwide genetic experiments and escaped the fate of their counterparts, the Reduced. The Luddites believe the Reduced are unable to fully care for themselves and can only do simple tasks, and have thus remained under the Luddites' control. But a new class of individuals is emerging - the Posts, who are born of Reduced ancestry yet have none of the mental restrictions. Elliot's childhood friend and secret love Kai was a Post, and he ran away four years ago to join a Post enclave. Since her mother's death Elliot has done her best to run the estate and care for the Reduced and Post workers, but with a father and sister completely indifferent and often malicious as well as a world beginning to change around her, it has become an impossible task. When the infamous Cloud Fleet requests to rent her grandfather's adjoining estate and shipyard Elliot accepts, knowing it will be the only way to ensure the welfare of the North estate and its people. What Elliot doesn't know, however, is that Kai is a now a member of the Fleet, and will soon be near her once more.

This week's book pick is For the Win by Cory Doctorow.

Online gaming has become an industry, and there are people everywhere playing to make a living. Unjust labor practices exist even for workers in the virtual world, however, and while some are only just beginning to understand how much they are being exploited, there are others who are ready to fight. Led by Big Sister Nor, a girl most have never even met in person, the workers are eager to go into virtual battle. The trouble is, just about everybody else (corporations, hit men, even other gamers) will do anything they can to stop them.

This week's book pick is Forgotten by Cat Patrick.

Every night in the middle of the night, London's memory resets itself, and she forgets everything that happened in the previous day. To cope she writes notes to herself, adds reminders to her cell phone, and hopes her mother and best friend Jamie (the only ones who know about her condition) will fill her in on the rest. What London does remember, however, is the future. She knows when Jamie will get her heart broken, the places she'll travel as an adult, and that the death of someone she loves will occur. The trouble is, she doesn't know who - or when. Complicating matters further is Luke, a boy she has no future memories of but is clearly her boyfriend. Could London's lack of knowledge about Luke have something to do with her past?

This week's staff pick is Galgorithm by Aaron Karo.

What if the secrets of dating and love were revealed in one simple formula? That’s the tantalizing proposition high school senior Shane Chambliss offers the hopeless and hapless guys who come to him for relationship advice.

After the girl of his dreams breaks his heart, Shane devises a mysterious formula called the Galgorithm and establishes himself as the resident dating guru at Kingsview High School. But his attempts to master the art of romance go outrageously awry.

As Shane tries to navigate the ensuing drama, he must follow his heart, abandon all the rules, and ignore his own advices in a quest for true love.

What he discovers, no formula could ever predict...

This week's book pick is Getting the Girl: A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery by Susan Juby.

Sherman doesn't look like he's got a lot going for him: he's short, kind of a geek, and to top it all off, a freshman. What he does have, however, is a determination to protect the girls of his high school from being D-listed. D-listing is essentially the complete loss of one's social life, and there's no way to get it back. And Sherman just knows the latest love of his life, Dini Trioli, is next. Sherman decides to go undercover and find out who's behind the defilings before it happens to Dini. But when someone starts threatening Sherman's best friend Vanessa, is he already too late?

This week's book pick is Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski.

It's the end of senior year, and Devi Banks has come to the realization that her high school career has yielded her absolutely nothing. Bryan, her boyfriend since they were freshmen, just broke up with her. Because of Bryan, Devi stopped paying attention to just about everything else - friends, school, extracurriculars. Now that she doesn't have Bryan, Devi has no idea what to do. Plus, she's just fished out her cell phone from the fountain in the mall, and it only will dial one number - that of a girl who says she's Devi Banks. And this girl sounds a lot like Devi when she was a freshman ...

This week's book pick is Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler.

Living in small town like Landon, it doesn't take long for everyone to find out that Erik, Myra's boyfriend of nineteen months, just broke up with her. Things go from bad to worse when Myra's sister Melyssa moves back home from college and Myra quits her part-time job at the local ice cream parlor, mostly due to Erik. Myra decides it's time to get out of Landon, and suddenly the opportunity lands right in front of her - the chance to study birds on a research trip to the Galapagos Islands. Myra soon discovers she'll be competing with Erik in order to land a spot on the trip, but knows it just might be worth putting up with him if she can find a way to travel far away from Landon.

This week's book pick is Good Enough by Paula Yoo.

Senior Patti Yoon is sick of high school, SAT tests, and her parents' constant pressure. She's valedictorian of her class, a talented violinist, and goes to church every Sunday. But no matter what, it's just never quite what her parents want. And what about what Patti wants? Patti knows she wants to be happy, but isn't too sure how to get there. Find out if Patti succeeds in Good Enough.

This week's book pick is Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglas.

16-year old Gabrielle Douglas became world famous during the 2012 Summer Olympics for winning both a team and an individual all around gold medal in gymnastics, but it was by no means an easy road to Olympic glory. Gabrielle persevered through illness, injury, and family financial troubles, all the while never letting go of her dream. Whether it meant moving to Iowa to train with coach Liang Chow or facing down her fear that it was time to give up, Gabrielle knew in her heart that she had what it took to make it all the way. Discover Gabby's behind-the-scenes story and how she made it from her hometown of Virginia Beach to London, finding her faith and becoming her own inspiration along the way.

This week's book pick is Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Katsa lives in a world where there are those who have Graces (excessive abilities) and those who do not. Instead of being a benefit, however, Katsa's Grace feels more like a curse. Katsa possesses the ability to kill, and her uncle King Randa of the Middluns has utilized her Grace for his own ends for longer than Katsa cares to remember. Katsa sees no way of breaking free, but then she meets Po, a man who possesses his own unusual Grace. Soon a series of events causes the world as Katsa knew it to transform completely.

This week's book pick is Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera.

Though 15-year old Khalid is aware that 9/11 has made the world a different place, his life in Rochdale, England feels far away from what's going on in the United States and Afghanistan. Khalid's main concerns are school, soccer, and girls, and he doesn't think much about a visit to Pakistan to see his father's family. But once Khalid arrives in Karachi, everything starts to unravel. Khalid's father disappears and when Khalid goes to look for him, he unwittingly gets swept up in a demonstration. Soon after he is kidnapped, and then the true nightmare begins. Taken from Pakistan to Afghanistan and finally to Guantanamo Bay, Khalid is repeatedly questioned, tortured, and still he doesn't know if his father was ever found. Khalid has no idea is he'll ever get to go back to England, or see his family again. And he doesn't understand - why was he imprisoned in the first place?

This week's book pick is Guardian by Julius Lester.

It is 1946 and 14-year olds Ansel and Willie live in the small Southern town of Davis, where segregation trumps all else. Ansel's father owns the local general store and expects that Ansel will inherit it one day. Ansel can't imagine living in Davis for the rest of his life, but has no idea what he will do instead and isn't ready to defy his father just yet. Willie wants to be a doctor, but his race will hold him back unless he can escape Davis as well. Then Willie's father is accused of a murder he did not commit, and Willie's and Ansel's lives are changed forever.

This week's book pick is Have a Nice Day by Julie Halpern.

Now what? This is the question Anna Bloom is asking herself now that she's home after a three week hospitalization. Anna was very ready to leave the hospital, but is not so sure she's ready for her old life: parents not getting along, school drama, figuring out if her possible boyfriend from treatment is an actual boyfriend or not. Anna doesn't want to talk about what happened in the hospital, but doesn't want to completely ignore that she was there. And while Anna's fairly certain that she's now okay, some days are definitely better than others.

This week's book pick is Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve.

An Arhurian tale told from the perspective of Gwyna, a girl whose village is raided and burned by Arthur's (yes, the Arthur) band. While hiding in the woods Gwyna is discovered by Myrddin the bard, who agrees to protect her if she becomes his servant. Gwyna, who really has no other choice, agrees, and becomes witness to some of the most important events of Arthur's story.

Check out the book trailer for Here Lies Arthur.

This week's book pick is Hero-type by Barry Lyga.

Kevin Ross has one goal in life - keep under the radar and try not to let anyone know what's really going on. That all changes when he saves Leah Muldoon's life, and soon everyone knows who he is. And when he stands up for what he believes in, suddenly his hero status is replaced with that of a traitor and he becomes even more well known. But Kevin Ross would rather people call him a traitor than discover what he was really doing when he saved Leah ...

This week's book pick is Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins.

After Sophie Mercer casts a spell at prom that does not go as planned, she is sent to Hecate Hall (also known as Hex Hall), a boarding school for Prodigium (i.e. witches, shapeshifters, and faeries) who don't know how to behave in the human world. Sophie has known she was a witch for quite a while, but this is the first time she's been around other Prodigium, and these folks actually know what they're doing with their power - unlike Sophie. But then Sophie encounters a mysterious ghost who turns out to be her great-grandmother, and soon Sophie is creating spells that may get her into even more trouble.

This week's book pick is Homeland by Cory Doctorow.

In Little Brother, hacker Marcus Yallow was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the San Francisco Bay Bridge blew, and paid hefty price. Now he's back in Homeland, a college dropout desperately looking for a job and trying to bury the nightmares of the past. When he runs into fellow hacker Masha at the Burning Man Festival, she passes him a memory stick that will lead him to hundreds of thousands of documents, incriminating the Department of Homeland Security and many other powers that be. Masha tells Marcus not to leak the documents unless something happens to her ... and then something does. Marcus doesn't want to fall into the same trap as before, looking over his shoulder every second for possible bad guys, but knows something must be done.

This week's book pick is Hot Lunch by Alex Bradley.

Cassie and Molly couldn't be more different. Molly is a blue-haired, ornery, self-described loner. Her idea of a good time is to be left in peace. Cassie is overly perky and friendly, and in Molly's opinion, just way too nice. But when they get in a food fight in the cafeteria and their punishment is to take over the school's hot lunch, Cassie and Molly better find a way to get along - and fast. According to the principal, there's no getting out of the kitchen until they do.

This week's book pick is How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mylnowski, and Lauren Myracle.

Jesse, Vicks, and Mel are all total opposites of each other. Jesse is usually pretty fun to hang out with but takes her religion quite seriously (and even more so lately). Vicks marches to the beat of her own drummer and doesn't care what anyone thinks (except for her college boyfriend who isn't calling her back). And Mel isn't really sure what she wants or who she is, but she does know she really would like Jesse and Vicks to be her friend. When all three decide to take a road trip together to Miami, it's anybody's guess what will happen.

This week's pick is How To Build A House by Dana Reinhardt.

After her father and stepmother's divorce, Harper just needs to get away. She travels to Tennessee from her hometown of Los Angeles and joins a group building a house for a family who lost theirs in a tornado. Harper has no interest in getting to know her fellow house-building volunteers, and she doesn't want to talk about her recent past. But then Harper meets Teddy, whose home Harper is helping to build. Will Teddy be the one to get through to Harper that she needs to start talking and work on rebuilding her own life?

This week's book pick is How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr.

For Jill, it's hard enough getting through day to day life without her father, and now her mother has decided the best way to start the healing process is to adopt a baby. While Jill knows her parents had talked about adoption off and on over the years, adopting a baby now that her dad has died makes absolutely no sense, and adopting Mandy's baby seems to make even less sense. Mandy, who's in the last part of her pregnancy, hasn't had an easy life. Abandoned by a father she never knew and unwanted by a mother who moves from one boyfriend to the next, staying at Jill and her mom's house feels like a completely different world. Mandy started her search for an adoptive family in order to find something better for her baby than she had growing up, but is it possible to also find a more stable future for herself?

This week's book pick is If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser.

DeShawn lives in the Frederick Douglass Project, where violence and drugs are common. DeShawn knows his best hope is to graduate from high school, but his family is barely getting by. Will he be able to resist the money and power that comes from being part of the local gang? And if he becomes part of that world, will he be able to remember who he really is?

This week's staff pick is If I Stay by Gayle Forman

There are a lot of tough decisions in life. One February morning in the snow, Mia is suddenly facing the toughest, and perhaps most important, decision of her life.

When her family goes for a drive that morning, they think they are going out for a fun day off from school and work. Unfortunately, their car swerves in the snow, and a truck all but obliterates there car. Mia’s parents are pronounced dead, and Mia’s body is brought to the ICU. Mia watches from the sidelines as friends and family wait for news, as nurses and doctors work on her body, trying desperately to keep her alive, all while Mia remembers stories from her life as she tries to decide if she wants to stay, and face life without her family, or let go.

This week's staff pick is If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

There are a lot of tough decisions in life. One February morning in the snow, Mia is suddenly facing the toughest, and perhaps most important, decision of her life.

When her family goes for a drive that morning, they think they are going out for a fun day off from school and work. Unfortunately, their car swerves in the snow, and a truck all but obliterates there car. Mia’s parents are pronounced dead, and Mia’s body is brought to the ICU. Mia watches from the sidelines as friends and family wait for news, as nurses and doctors work on her body, trying desperately to keep her alive, all while Mia remembers stories from her life as she tries to decide if she wants to stay, and face life without her family, or let go.

Note: This is July Book Club pick! Read it today and join us July 27th @ 4p.m. for snacks and a discussion!

Our newest staff pick is Illuminae: The Illuminae Files _01 by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff!

Kady is already having a rough day. She has just broken up with her boyfriend, Ezra, and he’s not taking it well. But the day is only about to get worse. Soon, her tiny speck of a planet is invaded by a huge corporation, and she and Ezra have to fight their way to evacuation– and the fun doesn’t end there.

Told through interviews, instant messages, e-mails, and other hacked documents, Illuminae documents the incredible story of a spaceship with a warship in pursuit, and artificial intelligence that may be trying to kill them, and a deadly virus that is spreading and mutating. Chances of survival seem slim, but Kady doesn’t give up easily. Brace yourself, this is a pretty thrilling ride.

This week's book pick is In Darkness by Nick Lake.

15-year old Shorty wakes in darkness in a Port Au Prince hospital, wondering how he got there and what happened. Bit by bit, Shorty pieces together how he came to be at the hospital, from the gunshot wound that brought him there to the choices he's made and have been made for him. Now Shorty waits for rescue, as the earthquake that devastated Haiti continues to rain rubble and death around him. As the wait continues and Shorty begins to think he won't survive, a voice calls to him. It is the voice of Toussaint l'Ouverture, the former slave who brought revolution to Haiti over two hundred years ago. Will l'Ouverture's spirit save Shorty now that all hope is lost?

In Darkness is the 2013 Printz Award Winner.

This week's book pick is Incarceron by Catherine Fisher.

In Incarceron, no one enters and no one leaves. In fact, some of the prisoners of Incarceron wonder if there even is an outside world beyond Incarceron. Finn believes that he came from Outside, however, and knows there must be a way out. Claudia is the Warden of Incarceron's daughter, and will do anything to escape an arranged marriage. When both Finn and Claudia discover a crystal key that allows them to communicate (and allows Finn to begin opening doors in Incarceron), they begin to hope. Maybe Finn will be able to find a way to Outside. Maybe Claudia can escape her fate ...

This week's book pick is Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern.

Jessie's about to start her sophomore year and her two best friends Char and Bizza are driving her crazy. For starters, they've decided to morph themselves into punk-rock-wannabes. And then to make matters worse, Bizza makes a move on Jessie's older brother's best friend Van, who also happens to be the guy Jessie's been crushing on for ages. Jessie decides it's time for a different set of friends. At first she tries the band crowd, but concludes they're a type of geek she just can't handle. Then she tries hanging with the Dungeons & Dragons folks, and they are actually quite ... fun. But isn't D&D only for complete nerds? How can Jessie possibly hang out with them and get through high school in one piece?

This week's staff pick is I'm Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil

It’s the summer of 1963 and JJ Green is a born songwriter– which is a major problem,considering that her family thinks the music business is a cesspool of lowlifes and hustlers. Defying them, she takes an internship at the Brill Building, the epicenter of a new sound called rock and roll.

JJ is finally living her dream. She even finds herself a writing partner in Luke Silver, a boy with mesmerizing green eyes who seems to connect instantly with her music. Best of all, they’ll be cutting their first demo with legendary singer Dulcie Brown. Though Dulcie is now a custodian in the Brill Building and has fallen on hard times, JJ is convinced that she can shine again.

But Dulcie’s past is a tangle of secrets, and when events take a dark turn, JJ must navigate a web of hidden identities and shattered lives– before it snares her, too.

*Note: This book can be counted as a music-themed book for your summer reading log!

This week's book pick is Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh.

Jepp never left his small town of Astraveld until the day a mysterious man called Don walked into his life, promising him wealth and privilege as a court dwarf in Coudenberg. But after Jepp arrives he discovers these new comforts come with a price. Jepp was brought by Don to amuse the court, and as such finds himself jumping out of pies and performing other absurdities in order to keep the nobility entertained. Several other dwarfs also live at court, and Jepp is drawn to Lia, whose beauty and kindness cause Jepp to fall in love. When the unthinkable happens to Lia, will Jepp have the courage to break free from his gilded cage and find a new life?

This week's book pick is Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper.

November, Arielle, and Jericho have already been through more than they thought possible: November's baby was born prematurely, Arielle lost most of the friends she once counted on, and Josh's death still haunts them all. And just when they thought things were getting better, tragedy in the guise of someone who has been pushed too far comes and has the power to change their lives forever. Will they make it through?

The last thing (and just about the only thing) 13-year old Kat remembers is being hit by a car. She doesn't know that her name is Kathy, she doesn't recognize her mom, and she really has no clue why all her friends are so angry with her. And the worst part is, Poppy and Jade and Tina (her supposed friends) won't even tell her what it is she did to make them hate her. Kat has to find out who Kathy was - and what she did - but how? Find out in Kat Got Your Tongue.

This week's pick is Keeping Corner by Kasmira Sheth.

12-year old Leela is used to living a life of beautiful saris, bangles, and ribbons. Married since the age of nine to Ramanlal, she is preparing for her anu, the ceremony that will bring her to her mother-in-law's house. But then Ramanlal dies, and Leela's world is turned completely upside down. As a Brahman widow, she is expected to shave her head, give up all her jewelry, and stay inside her parents' home for a year. At first all Leela can see is how miserable her life has become, but then she starts becoming interested in the world around her and how it is rapidly changing. Set in India at the end of World War I, this is the story of a young widow in the midst of her country's transition.

This week's book pick is Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl.

Althea Crawley knows the surest way to save Crawley Castle, her family home, is to marry a rich man. The trouble is, every rich man she's met so far has been a complete bore. But then Lord Boring moves to the neighborhood, and things start looking much better. Lord Boring is handsome, well-mannered, and extremely rich. All Althea has to do is focus Lord Boring's attentions on herself and away from her two stepsisters (which shouldn't be too hard) and keep her final goal in mind - ensure Crawley Castle stays in the family and provide for her mother and little brother. But Mr. Fredericks, Lord Boring's cousin, keeps turning up at every visit Lord Boring makes to Crawley Castle. Althea can't understand why Mr. Fredericks is always showing up, nor why he continually insists on arguing with her at every opportunity - could it be that Mr. Fredericks doesn't want Althea to marry Lord Boring?

This week's book pick is Kendra by Coe Booth.

Fourteen-year old Kendra has always lived with her grandmother, waiting for the day when her mother is finally ready to have Kendra in her life. Now that Renee has her PhD and is looking for teaching jobs, Kendra's sure it'll be any day. But as Renee continues to act like Kendra isn't her responsibility and Kendra's grandmother gets impatient to live her own life, Kendra increasingly feels like nobody cares. And that's when things start to get really messed up.

This week's book pick is King of the Screwups by K.L. Going.

According to his father, Liam Geller can never do anything right. And now Liam's dad has decided enough's enough, and he's kicking him out. Liam goes to live with his uncle Pete in middle-of-nowhere New York, and Liam is certain he'll go crazy with boredom. But then Liam figures out this might be the perfect opportunity to start over and become the person his father wishes he was. The problem is, will his father ever be satisfied? And even if he is, will Liam be?

Check out the book trailer for King of the Screwups here.

This week's book pick is Legend by Marie Lu.

Although Day and June are both citizens of the Republic, a country made of what used to the be the western United States, they come from completely different worlds. Day is an infamous criminal from the hardscrabble neighborhoods of the Lake Sector, while June has known only the privileged military sphere of the Republic. June is about to graduate from the Replublic's top military college when her older brother Metias is murdered, and everyone thinks Day is the killer. June is assigned to track Day and bring him in, a job June is convinced won't take her long. But Day is very experienced in avoiding the authorities - his own mother doesn't even know he's alive. When June and Day do finally meet, they'll discover that everything they've been told about each other has nothing to do with the truth.

This week's book pick is Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld.

In this alternate history set in the beginning of World War I, prince Aleksandar Ferdinand is in danger. His parents have just been murdered, and only his small crew aboard the iron machine the Stormwalker has any interest in his welfare. (Everyone else would like him dead.) Deryn Sharp just joined the British Air Service and is hoping no one notices she's actually a girl, particularly now that she's landed a spot on the Leviathan, a living airship. When Deryn and Alek meet unexpectedly in the middle of the Swiss Alps, the clash between animal and machine becomes personal.

This week's book pick is Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge.

Is it possible to feel any sympathy for Cinderella's stepsisters? Perhaps Cinderella wasn't as nice as she seemed. Were Hansel and Gretel really all that innocent? And what if the princess truly wasn't bluffing when she said she could feel the pea through all those mattresses? Every fairy tale has its darker side, and there's always another version of the story.

This week's book pick is Little Brother by Cory Doctorow.

17-year old Marcus is used to outwitting the system - surveillance cameras are everywhere and his school laptop tracks his every online move. Until the day a terrorist attack occurs in Marcus's hometown of San Francisco, he thinks he'll always be one step ahead. But Marcus and his friends are unfortunately discovered by the authorities in a suspicious location shortly after the attack. Before they know it, they're shipped off to a secret prison where they endure days of questioning. After being set free, Marcus discovers he's in a completely unrecognizable San Francisco, one run by a very ironfisted regime. Will Marcus be able to spread the truth about what's really happening before it's too late?

This week's book pick is Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo.

15-year old Amelia is in love with 21-year old Chris, but she realizes their difference in ages makes it highly unlikely that Chris will fall for her. Not to mention Chris appears to be interested in just about everyone but her at Coles, the grocery store where they work. Also problematic is Amelia's inability to get in with the rest of her coworkers at Coles, as well as the frustration of running up against traditional parental roles at home (i.e. her mom always does the cooking and cleaning). Can Amelia convince Chris she's not the "youngster" he thinks she is? Can Chris come to the realization he might not be the complete adult he believes himself to be? As Amelia spends the next year working at Coles, going to school, and dealing with her family, she'll find out if Chris is worth waiting for, or will always remain unobtainable, no matter how old she is.

Love and Other Perishable Items is a finalist for the YALSA 2013 Morris Award.

This week's book pick is Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork.

Marcelo's dad wants him to live in "the real world," but Marcelo believes his world is real enough. If he wants to have a choice in where he spends his last year of high school, however, he has to spend the summer working in the mailroom of his father's law firm. Marcelo is certain he will loathe every minute, but that's before he meets Jasmine, the mailroom supervisor. And before he sees the photograph of the girl, a picture he was never meant to find.

Check out the book trailer for Marcelo in the Real World.

This week's book pick is Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis.

Mare is anything but a normal grandmother - she wears stilettos, smokes constantly, and drives a red sports car. And this summer, that sports car will be taking Mare and her two granddaughters Tali and Octavia on a cross country road trip. Tali and Octavia are less than thrilled, but somewhere between tourist traps in Arizona and truck stops in Louisiana, the girls learn about Mare's real story, and what made her who she is.

This week's pick is Me, the Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine.

Lucas can't seem to move past the disappearance of his dad Pete, which happened five years ago. While his mom and older sister are trying to deal with their own issues and move on, Lucas is trying to hold onto the past. When he finds an urn in the office of a cab company, something compels him to take it and learn about the person whose ashes it contains - Violet Park. Lucas becomes convinced Violet has something to tell him, and that is has everything to do with his father.

This week's pick is Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks.

There are many things in Odella's life that are simply not making sense anymore. Her mother is drifting further and further away from the rest of the family, and then she leaves altogether. Great-aunt Gloria, the one the family has always counted on, hasn't come to visit in ages. As Odella becomes the caretaker of her sisters and her father, she feels the need to create her own life, but isn't quite sure how. She begins to realize she must figure out the secrets that are haunting her family in order for them to move on, and she must go back to where it all started - Mistik Lake.

This week's book pick is My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve.

Although Franziska and her parents no longer practice the Judaism of their ancestors, the Nazi government considers them Jewish, and as such they are in danger. When Ziska's mother is unable to secure passage out of Germany for the family, Ziska is sent via kindertransport to England in the hopes that she will be fostered by a British family until they all can be reunited. By sheer luck Ziska finds refuge with the Shepards, and begins to rebuild her life as a girl named Frances. As time passes and World War II plunges Europe into chaos, her old life in Germany seems further and further away. Will Frances ever see her parents again? And will she be able to bridge the ever widening gap between her relatively safe life in England and the horror that has become Berlin?

This week's pick is My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger.

Augie and T.C. have been best friends since they were six. They're so close, in fact, they consider themselves brothers. T.C. knows Augie's gay and in love with fellow classmate Andy before he does. And Augie knows T.C.'s quest to win over the heart of Alejandra, a new student (and the daughter of the former ambassador of Mexico) is doomed if he doesn't figure a few things out. Between love interests, T.C.'s obsession with the Red Sox, Augie's obsession with the classic movie divas, and Alejandra's hidden love of the stage, ninth grade promises to be a very interesting year.

This week's book pick is My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson.

Luke doesn't expect anyone to be able to pronounce his real Inupiaq name at boarding school and decides to abandon it when he reaches Sacred Heart. At Sacred Heart, he and his fellow Native classmates are not allowed to speak their own language and everyone keeps to their own group - white, Native, Inupiaq. When two other Inupiaq students, Amiq and Junior, discover that a military visit to Sacred Heart is actually an excuse to conduct potentially lethal testing on Native students who live above the Arctic Circle, will everyone be able to come together and expose what's really going on?

This week's book pick is My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson.

Luke doesn't expect anyone to be able to pronounce his real Inupiaq name at boarding school and decides to abandon it when he reaches Sacred Heart. At Sacred Heart, he and his fellow Native classmates are not allowed to speak their own language and everyone keeps to their own group - white, Native, Inupiaq. When two other Inupiaq students, Amiq and Junior, discover that a military visit to Sacred Heart is actually an excuse to conduct potentially lethal testing on Native students who live above the Arctic Circle, will everyone be able to come together and expose what's really going on?

This week's pick is Nation by Terry Pratchett.

Mau left his island to become a man, and found no one from his village when he returned. Daphne was on her way to a far off land when her ship was wrecked on the island. Both have lost everything due to a wave too powerful to imagine. Fearful of each other at first, Mau and Daphne realize they must put the island back together, and take care of the survivors that wash up on its shores. But will outside forces take away what Daphne and Mau have fought so hard to rebuild?

This week's book pick is November Blues by Sharon Draper.

November Nelson has just had one of the horrible things happen that you could imagine - her boyfriend, Josh, has died after a pledge deed went extremely awry. If that wasn't enough, November discovers a few months later that she's pregnant with Josh's baby. At the same time, Josh's cousin Jericho is consumed with grief for Josh. He was there that fateful night, and just knows he should have done something to prevent what happened. Will November find the strength she needs to make the difficult choices she must make? Will Jericho move past his grief and be able to be there for November? Find out in November Blues.

This week's book pick is Now Is the Time For Running by Michael Williams.

On the day the soldiers come to Deo and his older brother Innocent's village of Gutu in Zimbabwe, a soccer match is in full swing. The soldiers accuse the villagers of being traitors to the president and lay waste to the village, leaving Deo and Innocent the only survivors. Knowing they must flee, the brothers make their way to South Africa and try to find work. Above all else Deo knows he must take care of Innocent, who is developmentally disabled, but he soon discovers they are not wanted in South Africa and help is hard to find. When tragedy strikes yet again, will Deo find the strength to keep going?

This week's book pick is Num8ers by Rachel Ward.

When her mother died, Jem finally understood the numbers she saw every time she looked into her mother's eyes - they were the date she was going to die. Ever since, the same thing happens every time Jem looks into someone's eyes. Jem's way around this is to not get close to anyone at all. But Spider isn't willing to allow Jem to stay away from him, and Jem decides to start letting him into her life. Spider's date is only months away, however - can Jem stand losing another person she loves?

This week's book pick is One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke.

Seventeen-year old Lily has just about had it with her strange family. Her older brother Lonnie can't seem to get his act together and choose a major at university, her mom is continually bringing home clients from the adult daycare center where she works, and her grandmother has an imaginary friend. Lily is very tired of always being the responsible one, of taking care of bills, cooking, cleaning, and whatever else comes up. Just once, she'd like to do something foolish and irresponsible. Maybe she could fall in love ...

This week's book pick is Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys.

Josie Moraine is tired of New Orleans. She's tired of the heat, the sleaziness of the French Quarter, and most of all she's tired of her mother, whose unrealistic dreams of Hollywood stardom and penchant for unsavory boyfriends have made Josie wish she had a different last name. Josie wants to go to college far away from the Big Easy, a place where no one will know about her mother's disreputable past. But when a man who comes into the bookshop where Josie works is found dead on New Year's Eve, Josie is quickly trapped in a web of lies that make her wonder if she'll ever be able to move on to the future she so desperately wants.

This week's book pick is Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst.

Julie and her mother Rapunzel (yes, the Rapunzel) have been busy cleaning up the damage the Wild (the enchanted forest that imprisons fairy tale characters and forces them to reenact their tales over and over) has done to their hometown of Northboro, Massachusetts. Unfortunately the individual who wished the Wild alive in the first place is not finished plotting, and before Zel and Julie know it, Rapunzel's prince has returned, Sleeping Beauty's been kidnapped, and the Wild is about to take over the entire United States. And it is up to Julie to find the wishing well and put a stop to the Wild once again. But is she already too late? Find out in Out of the Wild.

This week's pick is Paper Towns by John Green.

Quentin has spent a good portion of his life thinking about Margo Roth Spiegelman. His next door neighbor and childhood best friend, Margo is now part of a different world than Quentin, one that doesn't include him. But when Margo knocks on Quentin's window one night and invites him along for an all night prankfest, Quentin can't help but go along. And when she disappears the next day, Quentin knows he is the one that needs to find her. But who exactly is Quentin looking for?

This week's book pick is Peace, Love, & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle.

Carly has just about had it with her picture-perfect life of exclusive private school, big house in the suburbs, and shiny BMWs. After a summer spent volunteering in the wilderness, she's above all that and certain things will be different. What turns out to be different, however, is Carly's little sister Anna. The little sister that used to hang on every word and reinforce all of Carly's opinions is now suddenly her own person. To top it all off, Anna became completely gorgeous while Carly was away. And Carly just does not know what to do about it.

This week's pick is Peeled by Joan Bauer.

Hildy Biddle, dedicated journalist for her high school's newspaper The Core, is not very pleased with what's been going on in her hometown of Banesville these days. A once thriving community of apple orchards, Banesville's been hard hit by bad harvests in the past couple of years. Now the local paper The Bee is writing stories about the old Ludlow place, claiming the house is haunted. Hildy thinks the paper's playing on the town's fears and something else is behind the stories. Will Hildy be able to find out the real story in the midst of all the rumors?

This week's book pick is Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown.

17-year old Kendra and her parents' lives have always revolved around her older brother Grayson, who suffers from OCD and anxiety. Back when they were younger, Kendra thought of Grayson as her amazing older brother who had a few quirks here and there. But after Kendra's best friend Zoe moved from their Missouri town to California, Grayson's quirks became a full blown problem. Zoe understood Grayson like no one else, but Zoe's parents thought Grayson was a bad influence. In one moment, Kendra lost both her best friend and the brother she loved. Grayson got worse, and Zoe was gone. Now Kendra is a senior about to graduate from high school, and the pressure of being the never-any-trouble and perfect daughter has become too much. In order to get away fromt he one things she's done that wasn't perfect, Kendra decides to take Grayson on a road trip to see Zoe in the hopes that the three can reconnect and Grayson will get better. But is Kendra driving to California for herself, or for Grayson?

This week's book pick is Pink by Lili Wilkinson.

Ava is ready for a change. Secretly tired of the existential angst and rage against society of her girlfriend Chloe, as well as her parents' over-the-top free-spiritedness, she decides to enroll in the Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence and start over. Instead of her usual goth black, Ava wears a pink cardigan to her first day of class. She is soon befriended by Alexis, who is pretty, popular, and smart - everything Ava yearns to be. But when Ava's audition for the school musical is a complete catastrophe and she's faced with the decision of joining the stage crew or not being part of things at all, Ava begins to wonder if her decision to switch schools was a good idea or a total bust.

Pink was chosen as an honor book for the 2012 Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature.

This week's staff pick is Popular: Vintage wisdom for a modern geek by Maya Van Wagenen.

Maya Van Wagenen is not part of the popular crowd in her Texas middle school, and she is content with her place in the social hierarchy. That is until one fateful day she discovers former teen model Betty Cornells’ Teenage Popularity Guide. Maya decides to make an experiment of her 8th grade year and follow Betty’s advice to become popular. The catch? Betty Cornell wrote her popularity guide in the 1950s. Armed with her girdle and a strand of pearls, Maya follows Betty’s advice throughout her 8th grade year and learns that while fashions and trends change, some things about growing up and popularity remain the same.

This autobiography of Maya’s 8th grade year is both comical and heart-rending as she describes the ups and downs of middle school life.

This week's book pick is Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick.

Private Matt Duffy is stationed in Iraq the day he comes to in the hospital and is told he has a brain injury. It must be true, because he's having trouble remembering things. And then he's given a Purple Heart, and told he'll be sent back out with his squad soon. Matt wants to get back out there, back to where things make sense and he can be with his buddies. The trouble is, things don't really make sense any more than they did in the hospital. Matt begins to realize he needs to remember what occurred in the alley that day, and more importantly, whether he was responsible for what happened.

This week's book pick is Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi.

For the past four years Donna has held herself apart, not knowing how to move forward after her father died from cancer. She has no idea what she wants to study in college, until the day she attends the funeral services of a fellow senior at Brighton Brothers Funeral Home, the same funeral home her family used for her father. Suddenly, it clicks - Donna wants to be a mortician. She instinctively knows she'll be good at readying the dead for their final moments among the living, and comforting those who are mourning the deceased. Against her mother's strenuous objections Donna applies to mortuary school, and decides to do an internship at Brighton Brothers. Although Donna knows deep down she needs to move past her grief, she finds it much easier to be angry at her family for being able to do so. What will have to change for Donna to be able to find her place among the living once more?

This week's book pick is Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks.

When Marie-Claire's uncle Gerard comes to stay with her family in the summer of 1940, no one has any idea that he has brought a dangerous disease with him - tuberculosis. After he is moved to the nearby Pembina Hills sanatorium, Marie-Claire knows he probably won't come back. Several months later, she is in total disbelief as she too is diagnosed with TB and sent to the sanatorium, along with her younger brother and sister. Cut off from everything she has ever known, Marie-Claire is beyond angry at her situation. She rebuffs her new roommate Signy's attempts to make her feel better, and concentrates instead on the remorse she can't seem to make go away. Was it her fault that her brother and sister got sick? What if they never get well?

This week's book pick is Reality Check by Peter Abrahams.

Cody's GPA is just high enough for him to continue playing football, his summer job's pretty decent, and his girlfriend Clea is one of the most gorgeous girls in school. But before Cody knows it, everything goes from good to completely bad. Clea is sent to boarding school in Vermont and quickly becomes his ex. Not long into the football season, Cody receives an injury on the field that ends any hope for a scholarship. Soon after Cody discovers that Clea has gone missing, and realizes it's time to act. Before he knows it, Cody is headed to Vermont in search of answers.

This week's pick is Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins.

Demon Kiriel (or "fallen angel," as he would say) is tired of tormenting souls. He wants to experience what it would really be like to be human, and decides to inhabit the body of 17-year old Shaun, who was about to get run over by a cement mixer anyway. Plus, Shaun wasn't doing much with his life - he didn't have many friends, was completely lazy at school, and totally ignored his younger brother Jason. Kiriel decides he's going to change all this, while enjoying what it's like being a human in the process. Soon the joys of ketchup, video games, and falling in love make being human a very nice experience for Kiriel, and one he doesn't want to end. But Kiriel's superiors have other ideas, and it's doubtful whether he'll be able to hang on to Shaun's body for too much longer.

This week's book pick is Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson.

Taylor's one claim to fame is exiting stage left when life gets too tough, and the morning her family is supposed to leave for their vacation home in the Poconos is no exception. But Taylor's dad tracks her down, and Taylor is stuck. Stuck going back to the place where she betrayed her best friend Lucy and her first boyfriend Henry five years ago, and where she feels more invisible than ever compared to her brainy older brother Warren and ballerina-in-training younger sister Gelsey. And the reason Taylor wanted to run away the most, her dad's illness, is starting the entire family right in the face.

This week's book pick is Secret Letters by Leah Scheier.

Dora Joyce hopes to escape the fate of most Victorian upper-class young ladies of marrying an eligible suitor and spending the rest of her life at tea parties, but so far the opportunity has not presented itself. Dora is a detective at heart, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of the man she learned was her real father right before her mother died, none other than the infamous Sherlock Holmes. But when Dora travels with her cousin Adelaide to London to consult Holmes on a matter of some stolen letters, Dora finds the man she waited years to meet is dead. While deeply saddened she will never meet Holmes, Dora is determined to help Adelaide recover her letters. Holmes's former assistant, Peter Cartwright agrees to help, and before she knows it Dora is caught up in a web of intrigue and lies. And Adelaide's case turns out to have an unexpected connection - another young noblewoman named Lady Rose has been abducted and her disappearance may lead Dora to Adelaide's letters. Will Dora be able to solve the mystery of Lady Rose and save her cousin from social ruin?

This week's book pick is Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.

In Goredd humans and dragons interact somewhat unwillingly, connected by a treaty that threatens to break after the murder of Prince Rufus, the son of the queen. Prince Rufus was killed by decapitation, a method known to be used by dragons. As the new assistant to the court composer, Seraphina Dombegh is unwillingly thrown into the thick of things by her knowledge of dragonkind. She had hoped to go mostly unknown at court, utilizing her gift of music behind the scenes. Seraphina has her reasons for wishing to remain anonymous, the most important being a secret that must be kept at all costs. It is a secret that could at best ruin her life, and at worst, end it.

This week's book pick is Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier.

While Neryn's father was a shell of his former self, his drowning death leaves Neryn completely alone. Having lost her home and the rest of her family several years before, Neryn's father was her last link to a happier past. Now as Neryn wanders through Alban, looking for safey in what has become a dangerous country ruled by a despotic king, she hears the whispers of the Good Folk. Neryn has heard the voices of the fey for as long as she can remember, and knows she must keep her ability a secret as the king forbids all magic (except for his own), and his Enforcers ruthlessly cut down all who are found to practice it. Neryn knows she faces certain death should anyone discover the power she possesses, but she also knows she must find a way to save Alban before the land and its people are completely ruined.

This week's book pick is Shift by Jennifer Bradbury.

College freshman Chris Collins has more than just classes to worry about. This past summer he and his best friend Win biked cross country from their home in West Virginia out west. The final endpoint was supposed to be Seattle, but somewhere in eastern Washington, Win disappeared. Assuming Win decided to go off on his own and not really sure if they're friends anymore anyway, Chris returns home and heads off to college. When the FBI shows up and starts asking questions about Win, Chris knows something has happened. Is Win still alive? And if he is, does he want Chris to find him?

This week's book pick is Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Nailer has lived his entire life at Bright Sands Beach, thinking only of the work in front of him and survival. As part of an indentured crew toiling on old oil tankers in order to recover their parts, Nailer knows it's likely nothing will ever change. But when the beach experiences one of its worst storms ever, Nailer finds a potential goldmine that will change his life forever.

This week's pick is Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell.

12-year old Jamie is a true Army brat. She loves the army, believes in the army, and would do anything to go to Vietnam if she could. But Jamie isn't going to Vietnam - her older brother TJ is. And for some strange reason, Jamie's father (the Colonel, chief of staff for Fort Hood) isn't too excited about the idea. When TJ sends his first letter home, Jamie is expecting a blow by blow of events on the front lines. Instead, TJ sends Jamie a roll of film, with the request she develop the pictures herself. What Jamie discovers when she develops TJ's film will start to change her ideas of the army, her father, and the way of life she's always known.

This week's book pick is Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon.

Ai Ling is in a difficult position - rejected by her betrothed, no one else is interested in her as a bride. Happy for the freedom but knowing she has shamed her family, Ai Ling feels caught in the middle. When her father leaves on a journey to the Emperor's palace and doesn't return, Ai Ling quickly decides to go after him. Before too long, Ai Ling realizes there is something after her, something inexplicably evil. Will she be able to fight off the faceless horror that is pursuing her and reach the palace in time?

This week's book pick is Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire by Derek Landy.

Valkyrie Cain (aka Stephanie Edgley) has been kept busy, fighting the world's various criminals and demons with her mentor Skulduggery Pleasant. But when Baron Vengeous escapes from prison, Valkyrie and Skulduggery will need to call upon every strength they possess. The Baron has discovered the whereabouts of the Grotesquery, and is determined to bring it back to life. And if he succeeds, the Faceless Ones will be back - the malevolent gods whose return could spell the end of life as we know it.

This week's book pick is Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim.

Nina is starting junior year, and she couldn't be any less excited about it. As usual, her parents expect her to be as brilliant as her older sister Sonia, and she knows she'll still fall a little short. As usual, everyone will think she has no life because her parents don't let her do anything. To top it all off, she's got a crush that's making everything just way too complicated. What's next?

This week's book pick is Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria.

Sofi Mendoza may have been born in Mexico, but she's spent the majority of her life in California. When her friends plan a weekend trip to Tijuana, she decides to go with them despite her parents' disapproval. When they get back to the border, Sofi soon finds out why her parents didn't want her to go - her green card is a fake. Now Sofi's stuck until the legal issues get sorted out. No senior prom, no graduation, and no cable. (Her relatives' house in Baja is a bit on the simpler side.) As time passes and Sofi begins to understand more about life on the other side of the border, she realizes there's more to one's existence than all the things she always took for granted (Internet, cell phones, etc.). But still, Sofi wants to go home. The question is, will she be able to?

This week's book pick is Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd.

Holly is sick of everything: group homes, foster homes, social workers, you name it. She decides it's time to hit the road and find her real mother, who she knows is out there waiting for her. The last Holly knew her mother was on her way back to Ireland, and that's where Holly is headed. Holly also decides it's time for a new identity, and so Solace is born. But does Solace know where she's going any more than Holly does?

This week's book pick is Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee.

Retta Lee Jones spent all of high school waiting to graduate so she could leave her small town of Starling and move to Nashville. She always dreamed of being a country music singer, following the footsteps of Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. When Retta finally does get to Nashville, it seems like bad luck meets her at every turn. And then as things begin to look a little better, a devastating phone call causes Retta to head immediately back home. Willa Retta have to give up on her dream completely?

This week's book pick is Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S.J. Adams.

Debbie has been hopelessly crushing on her best friend Lisa for years, but never said anything for fear of ruining their friendship or possibly offending Lisa's religious sensibilities. But when Lisa starts dating Norman, the most straight-laced guy in school, Debbie knows she needs to take a stand and tell Lisa how she feels. The trouble is, Debbie's just made a scene in the school cafeteria, lost her backpack (full of incriminating information), and Lisa doesn't seem to be in any of her usual haunts. Aided by Emma and Tim of the Church of Blue, Debbie decides she must go on a mission to track Lisa down and tell her the truth before Norman becomes the only thing Lisa cares about. Will Emma and Tim and the healing power of Bluedaism be enough to help Debbie save the day?

This week's staff pick is Strays by Ron Koertge.

16-year old Ted's life is not going well. His parents just died in a car crash and he's stuck with scary foster parents and a couple of foster brothers - one seems okay but the other one could beat him up in about five seconds. Add those difficulties to the fact that Ted's never really gotten along with other people (he prefers to communicate with animals), it's kind of up in the air how things are going to work out. But as time goes by, Ted realizes that while he misses his parents and some aspects of the life he lived with them, he's not all that sure it was the right life for him. Will he be able to make peace with his parents' death? Will he realize that he is able to connect with others after all? Find out in Strays.

This week's book pick is Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan.

It's a fact of life in New Whitby, Maine that vampires are real. You can find them on the street, as a tourist attraction in the vampire part of town known as the Shade, or even in high school. Mel has never been a huge vampire fan, but she believes in live and let live. That is until her best friend Cathy falls for Francis, a new vampire at school. Francis is courtly, polite, and swoon-worthy handsome, but Mel knows better than to fall for his nineteenth-century act. Cathy is another story, and is soon talking about wanting to become a vampire herself. Mel is determined to save her friend from such a fate, but whose decision will it be in the end?

This week's book pick is Tempest by Julie Cross.

Jackson Meyer leads an average life for the most part. He goes to school, hangs out with his girlfriend Holly, and tries not to take himself too seriously. Yet Jackson possesses a power that is far out of the ordinary - he is able to travel back in time. He's never been able to go further back than a few hours at most, but with his friend Adam's assistance is contemplating further jumps back in time. On October 30th, 2009, Jackson's whole world spins completely on its axis. Holly is shot by an intruder, and Jackson finds himself in the year 2007 with no apparent way to get back to 2009. Can he save Holly from the past? Will the people who left her for dead come back in time for him? And is Jackson the person he thought he was, or someone completely different?

Tempest is a nominee for the 2012 Teens' Top Ten.

This week's book pick is Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher.

15-year old Ruby Jacinski knows what it's like to have it tough. Her father died several years ago, and her mother's rheumatoid arthritis has made her unable to work. That means Ruby has had to quit school and go to work herself. Working in the packinghouse is no picnic, and Ruby doesn't see how she'll ever pay the bills with her low salary. But when cute Paulie Suelze tells her how she can make real money - by working at a dance "academy," dancing with paying male customers - Ruby's convinced she's got everything figured out. Getting paid to dance sounds like the best job Ruby could ever have, until she realizes that nothing is what it seems.

Check out this book trailer of Ten Cents a Dance.

This week's pick is Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah.

She's Jamie at school, Jamilah at home. Jamie never tells anyone about her background and does her best to blend in at school, and at home she's constantly running up against a dad who insists on an unreasonable curfew and won't allow her to talk to boys. But Jamie/Jamilah's lives are about to collide - the Arabic band she plays the darabuka drums in is performing at her school's formal. Can she risk her friends finding out who she really is?

This week's book pick is Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.

Tessa and Lucas have been best friends since time began. They hang out all the time and know each other better than anyone else. What they don't know, however, is the other's biggest secret. Lucas is in love with Tessa and wants to take her to the prom, but Tessa is not in love with Lucas. Tessa, in fact, has a girlfriend, and would rather go to the prom with her. She would also prefer to wear a tux instead of the traditional prom dress. But in the small town where Tessa and Lucas live, no girl has ever gone to prom wearing a tux, much less taken another girl as a date. Before Tessa and Lucas know it, their entire town has taken sides for or against Tessa, and the impact will be felt not only at the prom, but well beyond.

This week's book pick is Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

Amy is known as the ordinary one of her family, the only one who refuses to develop the potential psychic or magical powers every Goodnight seems to possess. From her mother's spell-filled tea shop to her older sister Phin's talent for the scientific side of magic, Amy has her hands full in her task of keeping the family skills secret from the rest of the world. She hopes a summer of taking care of her aunt's farm will stay in the range of normal, but after a few visits from a local ghost known as the Mad Monk, Amy realizes all bets are off. Will Amy be able to summon the power of the Goodnights when she needs it most?

This week's book pick is The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees.

Frankie has always been in the shadow of his older brother Steve. Steve's a senior who everybody likes, the best player on the soccer team, and has scouts coming to his games, looking to offer him scholarships. Frankie, lucky guy that he is, can look forward to working in his parents' restaurant for the rest of his high school life. There is one aspect of his brother's popularity that Frankie's not sure he likes - that of Steve's current campaign to get an in with the cholos, the would-be gangsters of their small town. But when Frankie gets into a fight of his own and the cholos (and his brother) start to treat him as someone who might matter, will Frankie be able to do the right thing when it really counts?

This week's book pick is The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd.

All Laura Brown wants to do is play in her band the dirty angels and find ways to get her crush Ravi to notice her. And for the world to go back to the way it was (before global warming, that is). But it's 2015 and life in London is definitely not the way it was - crazy storms, carbon rationing, power outages, you name it. Laura's parents have gone completely strange (her mother's using up all the family's carbon ration and her dad's decided they must become self-sufficient) and her sister Kim has barricaded herself in her room. Little does Laura know that things are about to get worse ...

Check out the book trailer for The Carbon Diaries 2015 here.

This week's book pick is The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler.

Penny may be living in Hog's Hollow and helping out at her mother's cupcake shop, but in her head she's back in New York city, where no one in his/her right mind has any desire to decorate with sugar icing rosebuds. At the moment, however, Penny has no choice. Her parents have separated and neither one will will tell her what's going to happen next. Despite her goal to keep a low profile in Hog's Hollow (especially since she's certain she'll be going back to the City, once her parents work things out), Penny discovers there is no such thing in a small town. And having made an enemy out of Charity, the most popular ninth grade in school, Penny finds herself picked on again and again. Just as she is starting to accept that a return to the City isn't happening anytime soon, a message from her father tips the balance once again. Penny must make the choice she's been waiting for ever since she moved to Hog's Hollow, and surprisingly, it won't be an easy one.

This week's book pick is The Curiosities by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff.

"We have a vampire living in our basement." So begins "The Vampire Box," the first story of The Curiosities, a collection of tales by three teen authors. But this isn't just any short story collection - these stories are unedited, and contain comments from the three authors to each other. See what the writing process is really like, and lose yourself in stories of vampires, wolves, reimagined Arthurian myths and more at the same time. After all, you never know when you might discover a vampire living in your basement.

This week's book pick is The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk.

Will Halpin made the decision to transfer from his all-deaf school to the local high school, and knows there isn't any going back. And he knew it wouldn't be easy, but he's getting ignored by his new classmates even more than he expected. All of them, that is, except for Devon Smiley, who initially Will would like to distance himself from as it is clear that Devon is not by any means part of the in crowd. But when the very popular quarterback Pat Chambers falls to his death on a school field trip, Will finds himself teaming up with Devon to find Pat's killer. While Will is tired of being in the background, the fact that no one ever notices him just might be the key to finding out what happened to Pat Chambers.

This week's pick is The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Alex Morales is living a normal life in New York City when the meteor hits the moon and changes life forever. Instead of worrying about getting into college and becoming senior class president, Alex is now coming to terms with the fact that his parents are probably gone forever and he must keep his two younger sisters safe - and alive. But as food becomes more scarce and disease and death are everywhere he turns, it becomes harder and harder for Alex to cope. Will he and his sisters be able to survive?

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