Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

Received: At the library

Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl—sharp, focused and confident in what she sees through her camera lens. Confident that she and Kate will be best friends forever. But everything changes in one blurry night. Suddenly, Kate is avoiding her, and people are looking the other way when she passes in the halls. As the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself shifts out of focus. What happens when the picture you see no longer makes sense? What do you do when you may lose everything you love most?

Before taking a children’s lit course towards my MLS degree, I was not a fan of verse novels. Why you might ask? I felt like I had to read verse novels the same way I read poetry, which is not necessarily the case. Sometimes it is hard for me to get teens interested in reading a verse novel because they see that the book is made up of poems and assume that if they don’t like poetry, they won’t enjoy a verse novel. I try to say it reads more like a story than a poem, but that doesn’t always work. As a side note, I’d love any tips you have for “selling” verse novels to teens, aside from the already popular novels by Ellen Hopkins.

 So when I finally made myself realize that I can read verse novels the same way I would read a regular novel, I really started enjoying verse novels. Using verse in this book worked so well because Marcus told a story in a quick, succinct way that captures your attention from the start of the novel and holds your attention throughout. Sort of like the main character’s passion for capturing photographs, Marcus tells the tale of Liz and her best friend Kate in brief snapshots, exposing key plot points slowly so that the story line unfolds throughout the entire novel, rather than at one specific point. This technique, along with writing, will keep readers interested in finding out why Kate all of a sudden begins avoiding Liz and why their relationship is ruined.

One of the things I really liked about this story is that it felt real. Liz experiences feelings and emotions, including towards Kate, that although we as readers might be shocked to read about, but that feel realistic. This verse novel is perfect for readers that enjoy a good story with conflict, tension, and character’s dealing with some hard to understand emotions.

Triple ARC Giveaway WINNERS!

I want to send a big THANK YOU to everyone that entered my TRIPLE ARC GIVEAWAY! Now, for the news everyone has been waiting for, here are the winners:
 Popular by Alissa Grosso*WINNER: Lea @ Stacked Up Librarian

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy*WINNER: Lisa @ Turning Pages 94

Shine by Lauren Myracle* WINNER: Marisa @ Secrets from Saline

 I have e-mailed all of the winners and they will have 48 hours to reply to it. If someone does not reply within the given time frame, I will select a new winner. Congrats everyone and have a great weekend!

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

Received: At the library

Rating: 5.0/5.0 stars

Summary: In 1973, when a renowned Canadian behavioral psychologist pursues his latest research project-- an experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills-- he brings home a baby chimp named Zan and asks his thirteen-year-old son to treat Zan like a little brother.

I have to admit, when I was growing up I thought it was cute to see baby chimps wearing a diaper and being treated like they were an infant. This book definitely made me think about this image a lot differently (further discussion on this to come). Although Half Brother is supposed to be a historical fiction book about animal experimentation, I wouldn’t necessarily “sell” it as that sort of read because I think some people hear “historical fiction” and run in the other direction. I do think it will give readers a slight glimpse into a time period in which animal testing was more accepted than it is today, but it is by far not the focus of the book.

In my reading experiences, there are often a couple of books that have deeply impacted me emotionally which make them stand out from the crowd. Half Brother is one of these types of books and literally had me crying in a couple of parts. This emotional connection with the story wasn’t based on some horrible tragedy, the way some stories draw readers in emotionally. Instead, the main character’s emotional journey is what did it for me. When his mother brought Zan, the baby chimp, home Ben was really unsure of how he felt about it. In addition, he was kind of jealous of all of the attention Zan was receiving. Throughout the entire book, Ben grows and matures and his attachment with Zan becomes quite strong. Half Brother is not overdramatic when it comes to emotions, but the book is natural and the emotions are believable. The one character off the top of my head that I can compare this emotional connection to and also Ben’s personal growth is Steven from Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. Although these story lines are different, if you enjoyed Steven’s personal growth and journey through trying circumstances, you are bound to enjoy Ben’s same experiences.

Besides the emotional connection with Half Brother , this book made me understand the impact raising a chimp as a human has on the chimp. Sure, an experiment might be complete and then those in charge of the experiment may assume the chimp can go back into the wild. Yet, that isn’t the case. How do you try to change the way a chimp has been raised and throw him/her back in the wild to fend for themselves? I have allows had a particularly strong connection with animals and they play on my emotions, especially when they are harmed or when you see them malnourished after they have been rescued from poor living conditions. I instantly think of that commercial with Sarah McLachlan and her music playing in the background showing abused/malnourished animals. Whenever this commercial comes on TV, I always have to change the channel otherwise I am bound to start crying.

I first heard about Half Brother at a conference I attended and the presenter seemed kind of on the fence about this book. So, I reluctantly picked this book up at the library. Yet, reading this book made me realize just how important the idea of “every book has a reader” is. Even though the presenter wasn’t too fond of Half Brother, I absolutely loved it and it will be one of my go to books to discuss with the teens that I work with. Once I started Half Brother , I found myself addicted to it and couldn’t stop reading until the very end. I wanted to know what would happen to Zan, I had a strong connection with Ben, and I could also identify with the problems and issues that were apparent in Ben’s family, particularly with his parents. Half Brother is not just about a chimp that is raised as a human. Instead, there are many layers within the book that make it one that readers will be able to relate with, connect to, and will remain on their minds long after the story is complete.

Teaser Tuesday (#1)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MiZB @ Should Be Reading

To participate grab your current read and open to a random page. Share two "teaser" sentences that don't include spoilers!

 

"As she walked away from the cage with the baby, she sung to him, songs she'd used with me when I was little. After a few days she got on a plane with her new baby, and flew home to us." (Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel, pg. 2)

Book Summary: For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan -- an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben's father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Ben's parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he's not the only one his father's going to scrutinize. It isn't long before Ben is Zan's favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. To him, Zan is only a specimen, no more, no less. And this is going to have consequences. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true -- between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate.

What are you currently reading?

In My Mailbox (#10)

“In My Mailbox” is a post that I will be incorporating into this blog to discuss various books I have either received in the mail to review, advanced reader books, or books I have picked up from the library. "In My Mailbox" is brought to you by The Story Siren.

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
* ARC to review for VOYA

Summary: Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to. Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift. As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
* Picked up from the library

Summary: For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan — an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben’s father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Ben’s parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he’s not the only one his father’s going to scrutinize. It isn’t long before Ben is Zan’s favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true — between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate.

The Zodiac Killer by Brenda Haugen
*Picked up from the library

Summary: In the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the area near San Francisco, California, killing at least five people. The killer mailed letters to newspapers written in code, daring police to discover his identity. He taunted the police and spread fear around San Francisco and beyond. Would the police and the public, working together, find this terrifying monster?

Icefall by Matthew Kirby
*ARC to review for VOYA

Summary: Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as winter stretches on, and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. A malevolent air begins to seep through the fortress walls, and a smothering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another. Those charged with protecting the king's children are all suspect, and the siblings must choose their allies wisely. But who can be trusted so far from their father's watchful eye? Can Solveig and her siblings survive the long winter months and expose the traitor before he succeeds in destroying a kingdom?

2010 Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books

A couple of days ago the American Library Association published an article that lists the Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2010. Below is a list of the titles on the Top Ten List, from the 10^th place spot to the 1^st place spot, along with reasons why the books have been challenged.

10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Religious Viewpoint, Violence

9. Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit

8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In American by Barbara Ehrenreich

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Drugs, Inaccurate, Offensive Language, Political Viewpoint, Religious Viewpoint

7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Sexism, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

6. Lush by Natasha Friend

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Drugs, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Drugs, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit

3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Insensitivity, Offensive Language, Racism, Sexually Explicit

2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Offensive Language, Racism, Sex Education, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

Reasons for the book getting challenged: Homosexuality, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

Comments:

I was really…REALLY…surprised to hear that The Hunger Games has been challenged for being sexually explicit. Out of all of the teen fiction books I have read, I would never have thought of this book as being sexually explicit. I don’t necessarily think the violence was so over the top in this book, but I have heard people complain about the violence so that didn’t surprise me too much.

Also, supposedly this book is unsuited for the age group, which I find really interesting. Last year’s Abraham Lincoln Book Award (IL), which is for high school students, and the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award (IL), which is for students in grades 4^th-8^th, both went to The Hunger Games! This book has won a number of awards and is constantly checked out from the library by patrons of all ages. In the end, I was most surprised by this book being on the Top Ten List.

How do you all feel about this year’s Top Ten List? Are there any titles that you are MOST surprised to see on the list? The American Library Association’s article on this year’s Top Ten List can be found HERE.

As a side note, I would like to say that I know I've been talking a lot about banned/censored books lately. It's a subject I feel very strongly about, so I hope I don't offend anyone by discussing it so much.

Bitter End Winner!

And the winner of an ARC copy of Jennifer Brown’s new book Bitter End is…

Adriana @ The Nostalgic Librarian!

Congrats Adriana! Please respond to the e-mail I sent you within 48 hours to claim your prize.

A big *thank you* goes out to everyone that entered this giveaway! I still have one contest currently going on in which I am giving away 3, yes 3, ARC copies. Check out the contest HERE.

Bitter End By: Jennifer Brown GIVEAWAY!

Hey everyone~I just wanted to send a reminder that my giveaway of an ARC copy of Jennifer Brown's new book Bitter End is ending tomorrow! If you haven't entered the contest yet, you can do so HERE.

:-)

...Ramblings from a Librarian...(#10)

In the past, I’ve posted a question asking my blog followers about authors or books they read most when they are experiencing a reading slump. Because I work as a Teen Services Librarian, I try to read as much teen fiction, and teen non-fiction, as possible so I have “good” books I can recommend to the teens I am working with. However, I also read teen fiction simply because I enjoy it.

A few weeks ago I was on the local news morning show, on television not on the radio, and I passionately expressed how many people assume teen fiction is just “junk” compared to adult fiction. YET, this is not always the case. Sure, not all teen fiction is written well, but the same goes for children’s fiction and adult fiction. But the fact of the matter is, when I was a teen, which was about 12-13 years ago, I don’t remember having that much “good” teen fiction to read. I either read older children’s fiction or jumped right into adult fiction. Although I don’t have kids yet, I’m so excited about all of the books they will have to choose from as they grow up, not just as children or adults.

Ok…so I’m kind of getting off the topic I was going to talk about. As I said, a lot of times I’ll ask for opinions about good authors or books to read for when I’m on a reading slump. Rather than asking about this, I want to recommend an author that has become my “go to” when I’m in a reading slump. Although I focus 90% of my reading time on teen fiction, I do still delve into adult fiction too. When I’m in a reading slump, it seems that I just can’t get into any teen fiction, so I tend to read adult fiction. My *favorite* adult author to read when I am in a reading slump is… ::drum roll:: …

JODI PICOULT!

Ms. Picoult is by far one of my favorite adult authors and I’ve read a number of her books, one of the most popular all of you may have heard of or read is My Sister’s Keeper, which was made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz. Why do I like her writing so much? Ms. Picoult writes with intensity and touches on topics that are often controversial. Also, when I read Ms. Picoult’s books, I always learn something, whether it’s about a medical condition or a different way culture/way of life. For example, one of her more recent books I read was House Rules, which deals with a boy who has Asperger’s Syndrome. Before reading House Rules, I knew this syndrome was a form of autism, but that was pretty much all I knew about it. Yet, after reading the book, I had such a better understanding of the syndrome. This type of “learning something” from a book is always present in Ms. Picoult’s books.

Two of my favorite teen authors, Laurie Halse Anderson and Ellen Hopkins, also often write about edgy, controversial topics for teens so it makes sense that I would enjoy Jodi Picoult’s writing as well. Most of the time people are able to get out of a reading slump by reading something sort of “light” or a “fluff” read, or so I’ve been told. But for me, it seems like I can get out of a reading slump by reading something that will take all of my attention, play up my emotions, and allow me to learn something.

In the end, this blog does focus on teen books, but I have to say…for those that want to explore books outside of the teen realm and have not already read a Jodi Picoult book, give her writing and books a try. As a side note, if you’ve seen the movie My Sister’s Keeper but have not read the book, it is definitely worth reading the book because it is quite different from the movie. If you’ve never read a book by Jodi Picoult, here are some of my favorites written by her: Handle With Care, Plain Truth, Change of Heart, and My Sister’s Keeper.

Friday's (Exciting) News!

As most of you know, the American Library Association (ALA) has a very popular young adult section (YALSA) that not only includes a variety of popular book awards, such as the Michael L. Printz Award, but also includes book lists, professional development sources, and sponsors two of the most nationally celebrated teen library events, Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week. Ever since I've been working with teens in public libraries, for almost 3 years, I have always used YALSA for book lists, programming ideas, and more. It has definitely been one of my top 3 "go to" resources.

With that being said, I am proud to announce that I have been chosen as one of the 7 members of YALSA's Teen Read Week committee!!! I will be serving on this committee for 2 years starting this June! To say the least, I am both honored and excited to be part of this committee. For the past year or so, I have wanted to participate more in YALSA rather than just being a member, not saying just being a member is a bad thing. This is a really big opportunity for me and I just had to share it with all of you, my loyal blog followers.

Happy Friday!!

...Ramblings from a Librarian...(#9)

I like to think that I am one that enjoys expressing myself, whether it’s how I choose to dress, how I express my personality/attitude, the various tattoos I have, ect. After browsing around for some “cool” library themed clothing and accessories, I was thrilled to find this BRACELET from ALA, the American Library Association. Since I am a big advocate against banning books AND I love to read children and teen books, this bracelet was a perfect fit for me to express myself…and to add as an accessory to my collection. J

Although I had read a couple of the books featured on the bracelet, my goal is to read all of them so if someone ever asks me about the book and/or why it is challenged so frequently, I can discuss it with them. What librarian doesn’t enjoy talking about challenged/banned books, especially since it always seems to spark interest in getting more people to read the books for themselves?

One of the books I hadn’t read that is on the bracelet is Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden. If you haven’t heard of this book, don’t worry, I didn’t either. This book was originally published in 1982, 3 years before I was born, which makes me think it never hit my radar as a teen…or even now as an adult. So, after reading the summary of the book and the reasoning behind why it has been challenged so much, I picked it up at my library, in the teen section, and checked it out. When I got home and opened the book to the title page, I was shocked at what I saw. There was a typed message that said “Not Suitable for Young Children”. Although there was some sort of piece of tape trying to cover this message, it was still clear as day to read. Before I start ranting, here is a summary of the book, courtesy of GoodReads.com:

This groundbreaking book is the story of two teenage girls whose friendship blossoms into love and who, despite pressures from family and school that threaten their relationship, promise to be true to each other and their feelings.

This was also on the GoodReads.com summary:

This book is so truthful and honest, it has been banned from many school libraries and even publicly burned in Kansas City.

I would like to start off by saying that I think GLBT books and materials have grown in the amount being published, popularity, and also being more accepted, at least in the public library world. I see these books being checked out quite a bit and not just by those that may be GLBT. What does bother me though is that there was a time that this book was labeled, a common way of censoring materials, as being unsuitable for young children. Really?....really?

All I can say is this: 1. Good grief! Do any of you see this type of censoring going on around you, whether it’s in a public or school library? What I mean by this question is whether or not you see books or other materials labeled as being unsuitable for young children. I’m sure at one time, when the book first came out, that it was located in the children’s section since the “teen scene” in libraries was pretty much non-existent. Yet, did the book really need to be labeled that way? Is it really not suitable for ALL young readers? I don’t know…maybe it’s just me that is bothered by seeing this label on the inside of the cover.

Hunger Games "Guys"!

The day has come and the guys for two of the most important male roles in The Hunger Games have been casted! You can see the two guys HERE. So.....what do you all think about the casting choices made?

As a side note, I love that there is so much attention and hype surrounding this movie being made. Not only does it bring new readers into the library wanting to check out the book, but (as with most books that are made into movies) the hype surrounding this book will only continue to grow as the release date comes closer. As a bonus, this book was well written and will give readers something really great to read! Yay! :-)

Anna and the French Kiss COMPANION Novel!!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins has not only been a huge hit in the library, but also in the blogging world. As a side note, I LOVED it too! So, I was really excited to hear that a companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, entitled Lola and the Boy Next Door is being released in September 2011. Information about this companion, and a second companion, can be found HERE.

Are any of you as excited as I am for these companions to come out? Do you think they will be as good as Anna and the French Kiss?

What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles

Received: From the library

Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars

Summary: Kyle Kirby has planned a cruel and unusual revenge on Cass McBride, the most popular girl in school, for the death of his brother David. He digs a hole. Drugs Cass. Kidnaps her. Puts her in a box-underground. He buries her alive. But Kyle makes a fatal error: Cass knows the power of words. She uses fear as her weapon to keep her nemesis talking - and to keep herself breathing during the most harrowing 48 hours of her life. (Summary from www.goodreads.com)

Ok, I have to start off this review by saying HOLY COW! This book is a psychological thriller, with all sorts of twists and turns. There is mystery, suspense, shock value, and more. As I first started reading this book, I instantly thought of television shows such as Law & Order. I say this because a crime has been committed and detectives are trying to solve it before the crucial first 48 hours are completed. As with crime based television shows, What Happened to Cass McBride? is told in a rapid pace and continues this pacing all the way until the end of the book. This story is told in varying points of view, which Giles does beautifully. Each character’s chapter in the story develops the plot and starts to unfold the mystery at hand. Plus, having the varying points of view allows readers to delve deeper into the minds of each of the characters.

Readers might say to themselves, why does Kyle want to kill Cass? Although the initial answer readers will jump to may seem simple enough, there is nothing simple about this story. The characters and their lives are complex and have a number of layers. For example, Cass comes from a wealthy family and is popular, but is everything really perfect in her life? Kyle seems to be the perfect older brother to David, but is he really a perfect brother? Just when you think you have a full understanding of what is going on in the book, another element of surprise is given making readers yearn for more.

What Happened to Cass McBride? is a mystery/thriller that will have readers on their toes and interested in unfolding the mystery up until the very end of the book. The book’s small size, short chapters, and large font will intrigue all levels of readers and make this a sure fire short, sweet read!