Merry Christmas!

I hope all my readers have a great holiday break!  I'll be back in January....unless I am just dying to post something before then.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Oh, and a Merry Christmas from my Annabelle also!

 

What's New Wednesday 12/19/12

New books at CHS:

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

BOMB: The Race to Build-and Steal- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
 

Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos
 

Bright Young Things series by Anna Godbersen
 

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
 

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
 

Keep Jumping/No Hating (a Flip book) by Stephanie Perry Moore (we also got 3 others in this series)
 

A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan
 

All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin
 

Grace, Gold, & Glory: My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglas with Michelle Burford
 



Top Ten Tuesday 12/11/12

Here are the top ten checkouts at the CHS Library this week:

1. Nook (not a book I know, but there are books on it!)
2. Warm Bodies: a novel by Isaac Marion
3. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
4. Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
5. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
6. Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan
7. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
8. City of Glass by Cassanrda Clare
9. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
10. Dead is Not an Option by Marlene Perez

Missing book solution?

 

 

This is something new I'm going to try in the library for books that grow legs and walk away (taken without being checked out to anyone).  I chose 4 books that were new titles when they disappeared.  I am going to see if drawing attention to the covers/titles helps us recover the book.  I offered a small (but valuable in our library!) reward for those that are turned in to us.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

 

Every Day by David Levithan

Summary (from www.goodreads.com): In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

Ms. Kiplinger's Opinion: I LOVED this book!  I wanted to read it from the minute it walked into our school library, but I was in the process of reading another book and had lots going on.  I left it so someone else could have the chance to read it, and someone checked it out right away.  When I went to the Young Adult Literature Symposium in St. Louis at the beginning of November, I was excited to see that this author was going to be at the Book Blitz signing copies of this title.  He was my first stop and I read the book right after I got home.  Yes, it's taken me awhile to get to this review!  Anyway, the book is easy-to-read and fast-paced (rightly so considering the character is in a different person's body each day).  The character is a very well-developed and dynamic character that you want to know more about.  You never really know if A is male or female, but it doesn't really matter as you're reading.  It is also a love story which will appeal to many of my readers.  This is not a concept that is usually written about, so I am recommending this to any and everyone who stops in because it just has that wide appeal.  There is the usual teenage drama and angst, but it's told in such a different way that it isn't annoying and you want to fully support the character.  My verdict: READ IT! :)

What's New Wednesday 12/5

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

The Panther by Nelson DeMille
 

Tell Us We're Home by Marina Budhos
 

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber
 

A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans
 

Don't Sit on the Baby: The Ultimate Guide to Sane, Skilled, and Safe Babysitting by Halley Bondy

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
 

 

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

 



Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Trailer!

Get More: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Jamie Campbell Bower, Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Top Ten Tuesday 11/13/12

Here are the top ten checkouts in the CHS Library this week:

1. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
2. Nook (again, not really a book but students are reading books on them!)
3. The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien (preparation for the movie?)
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
6. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
7. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
8. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
9. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
10. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Empty Coffin novels by Gregg Olsen

About the Empty Coffin series (from goodreads.com): New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with Empty Coffin, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch.

Summary of Envy (from goodreads.com): Crime lives--and dies--in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen--and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits.  Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out--and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined. Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge--and push you right over.

Summary of Betrayal (from goodreads.com): In this action-packed thriller sequel to Envy, foreign exchange student Olivia Grant is stabbed to death after a party--and the prime suspect is her best friend. As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into the aftermath of this Amanda Knox-like crime, they realize nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind?
Betrayal features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings, hard-hitting ethical questions, and information about the Amanda Knox case that inspired the novel. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past…and they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all

Ms. Kiplinger's Opinion: I had not heard of this series, but saw that a sequel (Betrayal) came out to a book we already had in the library (Envy), so I ordered it thinking that they looked interesting.  When we received Betrayal, I read the summary and was intrigued seeing that it was loosely based on the true-crime story of Amanda Knox.  I had to read it at that point!  The first novel is based on the story of Megan Meier, who committed suicide after being cyberbullied by a "friend's" mother.  Though the story had a paranormal touch to it when it came to twins Hayley and Taylor, there was definitely some touches of the actual event worked into the story.  I enjoyed reading Envy, and the concept behind the writing (who doesn't like to read about things based on real events?!), so I immediately followed it up with Betrayal.  The Amanda Knox/Meredith Kercher case was pretty fascinating to me, so I was interested to see how Gregg Olsen would incorporate that into the story.  There are many small details that he used from the real case to make the story seem similar to it, but the story stood on its own also.  I was impressed with the twists that were involved in the stories and did not predict most of the things that happened which is the case with many crime mysteries and stories unfortunately.  Gregg Olsen does a good job of portraying the teens in a relatable way (especially for those like them), but makes the story interesting for anyone that likes reading crime fiction and has followed these types of stories.  I am anxiously awaiting the next title in the series to see what it is based on!  The author's notes are pretty important to the story as he helps explain the actual event that the story is based upon. 

You can find out more about the Megan Meier story here:
http://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/megansStory.php

And more about the Amanda Knox/Meredith Kercher story here (no I don't use Wikipedia often, but it was the best summary I could find for this situation):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Meredith_Kercher

Top Ten Tuesday 11/6/12

This week's installment of the top ten checkouts in CHS Library:

1. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
2. Nook
3. Thirteen Reasons Why: a Novel by Jay Asher
4. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
5. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
6. The Dead by Charles Higson
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
9. I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
10. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I find it very interesting that the Hunger Games trilogy is still dominating our Top 10!

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown

 

Summary (from goodreads.com): Kendra has always felt overshadowed by her older brother, Grayson, whose OCD forces him to live a life of carefully coordinated routines. The only way Kendra can stand out next to Grayson is to be perfect, and she has perfection down to an art -- until a cheating scandal threatens her flawless reputation.

Behind the wheel of her car, with Grayson asleep beside her, Kendra decides to drive away from it all -- with enough distance, maybe she'll be able to figure everything out. But eventually, Kendra must stop running and come to terms with herself, her brother, and her past.

Ms. Kiplinger's Opinion: As I've mentioned before, I am a huge Jennifer Brown fan (and I get to see her this weekend at the YA Lit Symposium--yay!), so I was all set to love this book...and I did!  OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) as a disease has always somewhat fascinated me.  So many people suffer from this ailment, many in only minor ways, and it was interesting to get a glimpse into what it would be like to live with someone who has it severely.  The story is more about the relationship between these two siblings though, and how it evolves throughout the road trip that the two take.  Kendra is running from a problem at school while thinking she can also cure her brother, Grayson, by exposing him to the things that set him off.  Along the way, they pick up a "hitchhiker" with a small baby and learn that they have both felt overshadowed by one another growing up.  This revelation is a defining moment for the brother and sister, as they try to figure out how they are going to get back home with only $46 in their pockets.  This story kept me interested the whole time and I was able to read it fairly quickly.  Even if you don't have a brother or sister with a mental illness, you can still relate to the sibling rivalry relationship that everyone deals with at some point or another.  For those who do have a sibling with a mental illness or physical impairment, it will be nice to read about someone you can sympathize with and relate to.

Exciting Weekend Ahead!

 

 

I am leaving for the Young Adult Literature Symposium Friday after school and I am extremely excited! I will get to meet some fabulous authors, like Ellen Hopkins, Jennifer Brown, and David Levithan; and sit in on workshops that they are leading.  The programs are about ideas and issues in Teen Libraries and there are lots of other fun things going on as well.  I can't wait to come back on Monday as a more educated librarian with new ideas for my students!

What's New Wednesday 10/31/12



 

Here is a sampling of the large order we received this week:

The Racketeer by John Grisham

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
 

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell
 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
 

Vietnam Series #1, 2, 3: I Pledge Allegiance, Free-Fire Zone, & Sharpshooter by Chris Lynch
 

The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf

 

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
 

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
 

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
 

The Paladin Prophecy: Book 1 by Mark Frost
 

Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
 

Ten by Gretchen McNeil
 

Necromancing the Stone (sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer) by Lish McBride

Uggie--My Story by Uggie



 

 



Top Ten Tuesday 10/30/12

Here are the top ten checkouts at the CHS Library this week:

1. Nook (not technically a book, most readers are reading Mark of Athena, Tilt, or Finale)
2. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
3. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
4. Thirteen Reasons Why: a Novel by Jay Asher
5. The Dead by Charles Higson
6. Deadly Little Secret: a Touch Novel by Laurie Faria Stolarz
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
9. The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What's New Wednesday

We have quite a long list this week, and this isn't even all of them!  I am in the process of ordering lots of new books, so I will be posting the ones that people have been asking for, are sequels to popular books, and ones that I think will stand out.  Enjoy!

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown
 

Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
 

Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics by John Feinstein
 

Erebos: It's a Game. It Watches You. by Ursula Puznanski
 

The Diviners by Libba Bray
 

Every Day by David Levithan
 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
 

Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
 

Dear Marcus: A Letter to the Man Who Shot Me by Jerry McGill
 

Bitterblue (sequal to Graceling) by Kristin Cashore
 

Son (last book in The Giver series) by Lois Lowry
 

Because it is My Blood (sequel to All These Things I've Done) by Gabrielle Zevin
 

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha
 

One Last Strike by Tony La Russa