Special events include:
WRITING WORKSHOP
Join us in TeenSpace from 2:00 – 3:00 for a guest author writing workshop with Beckie Weinheimer, author of Converting Kate.
LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE CRAFT
1-4 PM. Volunteers needed! Sign up for a time slot to help children create a fun craft to celebrate our library’s Open House. Registration for SSD residents begins Monday, April 6; April 13 for non-residents. Free. Refreshments provided.
SCAVENGER HUNT
How well do you know your library? Throughout the afternoon, we are having a library scavenger hunt for our teens. You can pick up a worksheet outside TeenSpace and complete the hunt for prizes!
Hope to see you there!
Sharon Long
Teen Services Librarian
Archive for April 17, 2009
Library Open House Sunday, May 3
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Zombies are the New Vampires
There is a lot of buzz that zombie books are replacing the wave of vampire books that the Twilight series have made so popular. I’ve always loved a good zombie apocalypse story, so I’m excited to think if 2008 was the year of the vampire, then 2009 is shaping up to be the year of the zombie!
Here are some zombie books that have me convinced:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
“An account of the decade-long conflict between humankind and hordes of the predatory undead is told from the perspective of dozens of survivors who describe in their own words the epic human battle for survival.” This book is actually a recommended 12 grade summer reading book, so teachers can be cool after all! The multiple perspectives add a touch of realism where you can imagine a group of survivors sharing their stories. Also worth noting: the author is the son of comedy legend Mel Brooks.
Zombie Blondes by Brian James
“Each time fifteen-year-old Hannah and her out-of-work father move she has some fears about making friends, but a classmate warns her that in Maplecrest, Vermont, the cheerleaders really are monsters.” Goofy zombie fun mixed with catty cheerleaders. This was a lighter read and used zombies as a metaphor for the mindlessness of following the popular crowd no matter what.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
“Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the Unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.” Okay, this one was truly creepy. Don’t read it alone in the house at night, or you’ll be spooked. The Unconcsecrated are zombies who are separated from the villagers by a chain-link fence. The fence can’t keep them out forever… and then the story really gets going.
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
“When dead teenagers who have come back to life start showing up at her high school, Phoebe, a goth girl, becomes interested in the phenomenon, and when she starts dating a “living impaired” boy, they encounter prejudice, fear, and hatred.” Think of it as love conquering prejudice, zombie style. There’s a social commentary in the sharp and funny writing that you may not expect from a zombie book.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies : The Classic Regency Romance — Now With Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-smith
The hands-down winner of the best. Title. EVER! Contest. The undead meet Jane Austen. Just imagine the hoity-toity aristocracy trying to maintain high society with an “unmentionable menace” (namely, zombies) festering in the countryside. I haven’t read this one, but I’m simply dying to. Heh. The cover was simply too creepy to post here.
And just for fun – of the creepy variety, check out the website for The Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency: http://www.fvza.org/ Who knows, you might learn something that could save your life. Heh, heh.
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Poetry for April
April is National Poetry Month and a good time to see what’s new in our teen poetry collection. Poetry can mean many things – from expressing anger, joy, angst, and fear, to showcasing wordplay artistry. Check out the following titles to see a wide range of styles.
Angst!: teen verses from the edge, edited by Karen Tom and Kiki; illustrations by Matt Frost.
Over 60 angst-ridden poems with great tiles such as “The Whinings of a Middle-Class White Girl” to “Ode to Narcissus.” Although the angry poems make up most of the collection, there are some sweet love poems here as well.
The spoken word revolution: slam, hip-hop, & the poetry of a new generation, edited by Mark Eleveld.
This book is accompanied by a CD of a mix of poetry with a hip-hop edge. A stand out on the audio CD is “Television” with a refrain of “look at me! Look at me! LOOK AT ME!”
How to (un)cage a girl by Francesca Lia Block.
An interesting mix of characters from fairy tales and mythology combine to create street poetry using Los Angeles as a backdrop. There is a combination of poetry depicting female suffering tempered with female empowerment to create a unique and ultimately, hopeful, voice.
Honeybee : poems & short prose by Naomi Shihab Nye. 82 poems and paragraphs interconnecting all of the elements of life much like a hive of busy bees.
Falling hard: teenagers on love, edited by Betsy Franco. Written by teenagers, this collection covers all aspects of romantic love from desire to break-ups.
Partly cloudy: poems of love and longing, by Gary Soto. Told from the point of view of both girls and boys, this collection is both humorous and poignant.
Enjoy!
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