Love Is In the Air: Romance Reads for Teens

February is here, and with it, Valentine’s Day.  Red hearts, cupids, chocolate and romance are in the air.  If you’re looking for a teen read to satisfy your inner romantic this holiday, check out one of the following stories, where love always prevails in the end.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohen

Undercover by Beth Kephart

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Read Like a Rock Star: Teen Books Where Music Takes Center Stage

The written word is always entertaining, but it’s even better if you can tie your reading habits in with your other interests.  If you’re a musician, or just a music lover, there’s no better way to relate to a book than to find yourself a story with music as a main theme.  If you’re in the market for a rockin’ YA read, try one of the following titles where music plays a central role.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen: Remy doesn’t really believe in relationships, until she meets rock-band member Dexter.

Beat the Band by Don Calame: Coop tries to increase his social status by entering his terrible band in the Battle of the Bands.

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick: Stephen uses music to help deal with his younger brother’s leukemia.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway: Audrey deals with newfound, and unwanted, fame when her rock star ex-boyfriend writes a break up song about her.

Beige by Cecil Castellucci: Katy leaves home to spend time with her estranged, punk rock legend father.

Jane by April Lindner: In this retelling of Jane Eyre, nanny Jane falls in love with her rock star employer.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Take a Stand

January 23 – 27th is No Name-Calling Week.  Over the past couple of years the media has brought to light incidences of name-calling and bullying that have led to tragic consequences.  Many schools have instituted anti-bullying measures, and a new state law is set to go into effect about how schools address bullying.

No-Name Calling Week was inspired by the young adult novel The Misfits, written by James Howe.  There are many young adult novels that address the struggles, tragedies and triumphs of bullying from the perspectives of both the victim and the instigator:

Playground by 50 Cent

Girl Parts by John Cusick

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie

Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones

The Misfits and Addie on the Inside by James Howe

The DUFF by Kody Keppler

The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Scrawl: a Note by Mark Shulman

Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser

 

For more information, check out the No Name-Calling Week website.

-Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Best Books of 2011 for Teens

It’s time to take a look at some of the best reviewed books of the year.  Check out these great titles you may have missed this past year.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A captivating story of survival during World War II.  Read staff review here.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Chime by Frannie Billingsley

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Divergent by Veronica Roth
If Tris can’t uncover the truth of a nefarious plot, her family and her entire society may be destroyed.  Read staff review here.

Blink & Caution by Tim Winn-Jones

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Stay with Me by Paul Griffin

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

White Crow by Marcus Sedgewick

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

- Lynn H.,  CADL Youth Services Specialist

Hot Books for Cold Weather

As the snowy season continues to approach, and frost needs to be scraped off the car every morning, the time has come to brace ourselves for the freezing phenomenon known as a Michigan winter.  Many an evening will be spent inside, snuggling into a favorite chair with a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa.  To keep yourself company in the cold, check out one of these hot new teen reads out right now.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins:  Lola has no idea what to do when the boy who broke her heart moves back in next door.  Is love in the air again, or will Lola ignore the past and look towards a different future?

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff: Daphne must leave her home in Pandemonium to navigate the perils of Earth, in order to save her little brother.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr:  Jill and Mandy are two very different girls who must learn to get along when Jill’s mom decides to adopt Mandy’s baby.

Destined by P.C. Cast: Fans of the House of Night series will not be disappointed in this ninth installment, in which Zoey continues to battle Neferet for the good of all humanity.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini:  The Inheritance Cycle ends in this gripping fourth novel, Eragon battles to topple the evil king once and for all.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Make your holidays without breaking the bank

With the holiday season approaching you may be stressed out over what to give your friends and family, especially if you’re short on funds.  Why not get creative and make a unique gift?  Many of these books feature projects made from things that you already have in your house.  There’s a little something for everyone in these titles – jewelry and accessories from old electronics, homemade beauty products (chocolate lip gloss!), one-of-a-kind t-shirts (think of all those freebie tees in the back of your closet), and even a book dedicated to making cool things with plastic shopping bags.

62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer and Other Discarded Electronics

101 Tees: Restyle + Refashion + Revamp

Alternacrafts

Amigurumi! Super Happy Crochet Cute

Ecobeauty: Scrubs, Rubs, Masks, and Bath Bombs for You and Your Friends

Get Hooked Again: Simple Steps to Crochet More Cool Stuff

Kilobyte Couture: Geek Chic Jewelry to Make From Easy-to-Find Computer Components

Steampunkery: polymer clay and mixed media projects

Trash-to-Treasure Papermaking

Upcycled Accessories: 25 Projects Using Repurposed Plastic

-Lynn H., Youth Services Specialist

Teens’ Top Ten Reading List

The votes are in!  Teen readers from around the country weighed in on their favorite books of the past year.

The top selection is:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Runners-up are:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Matched by Ally Condie

Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

- Lynn H., CADL Youth Services Specialist

Fright Night: 10 Scary YA Books to Read Before Halloween

The time of year for thrills and chills has finally come around again. The leaves turn, the air grows cooler and all you want to do is curl up at night with a good book that will scare you sleepless. If you’re looking for a great scary story to help keep you entertained between now and the upcoming Halloween holiday, check out one of the following novels from CADL’s collection.

Uninvited by Amanda Marrone: Jordan’s undead ex-boyfriend sits outside her window, night after night, begging to be let in.  If Jordan falls for his smooth talk, it will almost certainly be the last thing she does.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Krause: Vivian, a werewolf, falls hard for human Aiden.  But will her pack ever accept him, and can she keep him safe from her own desperate hungers?

Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan: Horrifying things begin to happen when Darren and his friends sneak out in the night to see a freak show.

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allen Poe: The master of classic horror brings terrifying tales to life.

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan: After covering up the accidental death they caused, four friends must escape from a killer who knows the truth about what happened that night.

Evernight by Claudia Gray: Evil forces are at work at Bianca’s new boarding school.

Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly: A monster, assembled from parts of corpses, is brought to life with terrifying consequences for his creator.

In the Forests of the Night by Amerlia Atwater-Rhodes: Risika seeks a bloody revenge against the vampire who has been her nemesis for three centuries.

Tenderness by Robert Cormier: A chilling tale of a teenaged serial killer, Eric, and the hapless Lori, who falls in love with him, despite the fact that she knows the truth about his violent obsessions.

The Haunting by Joan Lowry Nixon:  Lia tries to rid her new home of the evil spirits which inhabit it.

If you prefer to listen to your scary stories, instead of reading them, make sure to check out the spooky fun that will be hosted at CADL Leslie on Thursday, October 20 at 6:00 pm.  Ages 10 and up can visit the library for Scary Stories for Halloween Night, where scary stories and spooky snacks will add up to a fun filled night!  Registration is required for this program; call 517-589-9400.

- Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

If High School Wasn’t for You: GED Resources for Teens

A lot of information is passed around this time of year on back-to-school resources for teens.  What are not mentioned as often are the numerous resources for teens who, for whatever reason, are not able to finish high school.  Check out the following GED resources available at your local CADL library:

On-Line Library Resources:

Visit our Education Resources website to see what electronic resources are available free through the library.  Use the Learning Express Library to take practice GED tests.

Check out our collection:

We have numerous books on GED testing available at the library.  Some are available for checkout, and some are reference books, which are kept on the library shelf and available for in-house use when you visit the facility.  Here are a few great books to help you study for your GED:

Barron’s GED, High School Equivalency Exam by Barron’s.

The GED for Dummies by Murray Shukyn.

Kaplan’s GED by Caren Van Slyke.

Paterson’s Master the GED 2010 by Ronald Kaprov.

For additional information on GED resources in your area, consider contacting your local alternative education school, or your area’s Community Education program.  If you need help finding the right resource, make sure to call your local CADL library branch.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian

Hispanic Heritage YA Novels

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 this year.  It is a month in which tribute is paid to the many Hispanic Americans who have contributed to our nation’s history and culture.  Celebrate this year by reading a teen book with a Hispanic protagonist.  If you don’t know where to get started, try one of these great reads available in CADL’s collection.

Life, After by Sarah Littman

Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin

Red Hot Slasa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

To find out more about National Hispanic Heritage Month, visit http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/.

-Liz V., Youth Services Librarian