The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty is The. Perfect. Beach Read.  This story has summertime romance written all over it, and it will not disappoint readers looking for the tortured I-love-him-but-does-he-love-me? storyline, capped off with a satisfying conclusion -- except there isn't really a conclusion!  There are sequels!  Which is wonderful, if and only if you have the second book in your hand to open as soon as you close the first!  Seriously.  I can't get my hands on It's Not Summer Without You fast enough.  And book #3, We'll Always Have Summer, is out too. :)  Excellent.

So, quit looking for the perfect beach read and start catching up with the summer adventures of Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

Tamika Sykes is a high school student who hates to wear her hearing aids, loves the rhythm of a guitar, works hard in class, and draws pictures void of people.  Fatima is a refugee living in NYC all alone, with dreams of visiting the Statue of Liberty, and has a passion for finding beauty in everything and everyone.  Jimmi Sixes is a 19-year-old war veteran, stuck on drugs and poetry, and wise beyond his years.  When Jimmi introduces Mika and Fatima, he somehow manages to teach them how to look beyond the streets, beyond the skies, and into the world.  Tragedy is unavoidable in the worlds of these three young people -- far older in experience than they are in years -- but their struggles to survive and thrive are inspiring.  The author writes with a fluidity and subtle rhythm that allows readers to find comfort even in the darkest corners and most horrific scenes.  

Recommended to all.  This authentic story is both short and long-lasting.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

I Am an Emotional Creature : The Secret Life of Girls around the World by Eve Ensler

Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, offers incredible words aimed at the hearts of teenage girls everywhere.  This collection is virtually an emotional appeal to young women to be content and happy with who and what they are, and to not listen to anyone who suggests that they be less than satisfied simply because they are girls.  This book can serve as a quick silent read from cover to cover, or as a selection of monologues and poetry women and girls can choose to voice aloud to an appreciative audience.  Either way, the words are true and beautiful.

*My only less-than-positive thought about this collection is the extraordinary lack of balance between heterosexual and homosexual love and relationships.  This is a celebration of girls, but doesn't necessarily acknowledge the beauty of difference, choice, acceptance found in lesbian and "traditional" relationships.

Recommended to all girl readers from all walks of life!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Another Photo Contest!

Check it out for details: http://outofprintapparel.com/blog/2011/summer-vacation-photo-contest-2/

About Out of Print:

Out of Print celebrates the world’s great stories through fashion. Our shirts feature iconic and often out of print book covers. Some are classics, some are just curious enough to make great t-shirts, but all are striking works of art.

We work closely with artists, authors and publishers to license the content that ends up in our collections. Each shirt is treated to feel soft and worn like a well-read book.

In addition to spreading the joy of reading through our tees, we acknowledge that many parts of the world don't have access to books at all. We are working to change that. For each shirt we sell, one book is donated to a community in need through our partner Books For Africa.  

How we read is changing as we move further into the digital age. It's unclear what the role of the book cover will be in this new era, but we feel it's more important than ever to reflect on our own individual experiences with great literary art before it's forever changed.

What’s your story?

Vote for 2011 TEENS' TOP TEN!

Voting for the 2011 Teens' Top Ten is open and accessible through September 15.

Go directly to the Teens' Top Ten homepage or go here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/teenstopten11.

Winning titles will be announced at www.ala.or=/teenstopten during Teen Read Week, October 16-22.

The Teens' Top Ten is a reading list chosen entirely by and for teens. The twenty-five official nominations were chosen by sixteen teen book groups from across the U.S. that participate in YALSA's YA Galley project, in which publishers provide book groups with galleys and the teens provide feedback. Last year, more than 8,000 teens voted for the Teens' Top Ten, choosing Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins as their favorite title.

This year, the 25 nominees are:

Bachorz, Pam. Drought.

Beam, Cris. I Am J. 

Beaudoin, Sean. You Killed Wesley Payne.

Black, Holly and Justine Larbalestier. Zombies vs. Unicorns.

Card, Orson Scott. The Lost Gate.

Clare, Cassandra. The Clockwork Angel.

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay.

Collins, Yvonne. Love, Inc.

Condie, Ally. Matched.

Cremer, Andrea. Nightshade.

Fitzpatrick, Becca. Crescendo.

Grant, Michael. Lies.

Hawkins, Rachel. Demonglass.

Hawkins, Rachel. Hex Hall.

Kagawa, Julie. The Iron King.

Lore, Pittacus. I Am Number Four.

Moore, Peter. Red Moon Rising.

Nelson, Jandy. The Sky is Everywhere.

Oliver, Lauren. Before I Fall.

O’Neal, Ellis. The False Princess.

Patterson, James. Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel.

Pearce, Jackson. Sisters Red.

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Blessed.

Westerfeld, Scott. Behemoth.

White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy.

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Are you looking a little bit of gore, a whole lot of heart, some teenage boy humor, and a few kick-ass females?  Even if you think you couldn't get into a zombie novel, Rot & Ruin might just be for you.

Benny doesn't want to get into the family business basically because he doesn't want to work with (and especially not for) his older brother Tom.  Sure Benny wants to kill zoms, but there are much cooler Bounty Hunters in Mountainside to look up to than Tom.  He doesn't understand why others seem to respect Tom; Benny remembers him as a coward, taking Benny as a baby and running from his parents rather than trying to save Mom from a sure death.  But not everything is black and white in this time after First Night, and Benny just might have to learn the hard way.  There are no rules, and what happens out in the Ruin, stays in the Ruin.

This novel has a great beginning, which will help to carry the reader though the melodramatic B-movie moments through some predictable twists and turns, alongside a few surprises.  Recommended to those who don't always need high-quality classic literature, but prefer to mix some pure entertainment into their reading lists.

The sequel, Dust & Decay, is due out later this month! 

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Captain America

"Captain American" is a new Marvel Hero's movie that is still in theaters. Recently, Marvel has been coming out with a lot of movies. "Captain America" takes place during World War 2. It's about a small, scrawny boy from Brooklyn, who never could walk away from a fight. He tried out for the army, but always was stationed at a base (he never got to go over seas and fight). A doctor takes a chance at making him stronger to fight. This movie is really good except for the ending. (I don't want to ruin it!) This movie in my opinion would get a 4.5 out 5 stars.

Reviewed by Jonathan.