Spotlight Blog: Young Adult Books Central

For book reviews, up to the minute news, and best of all, monthly giveaways of young adult books just hitting the shelves, take a look at Young Adult Books Central blog and website. This month's featured book giveaways include Poseur and The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl.

Laurie Halse Anderson Needs Your Help!

From her personal blog, Laurie Halse Anderson is looking for help to update the media section of her website. Students who help her by making soundtrack recommendations for some of her books will receive a handwritten thank-you note from the author - so go take a look!

New Ways to Get New Books!

Here's an interesting opportunity for someone who doesn't mind writing in to share their thoughts about the books they read. A number of publishers with a web presence have clubs that YA readers can join to be eligible for drawings to receive advanced release copies of anticipated books, and offer the opportunity to act as book reviewers for their websites.

For more information, take a look at these three links:

HarperTeen's First Look Program

Random House Teen's Random Buzz

Simon and Schuster's PulseIT Club

Book Giveaways - Melissa Marr and HarperTeen Best of 2007

Via Melissa Marr's own LJ, here's a headsup that her fansite is holding a contest to give away four advanced release copies of Ink Exchange, the anticipated followup to her well-received first YA novel Wicked Lovely. Details on the contest may be found on her fansite, WickedLovely.com.

Interested in reading her first book? Wicked Lovely is featured along with four other books (Pretty Little Liars #1, Jinx, The Luxe, and Ana's Story) as part of HarperTeen's choices for their Best of 2007 Sweepstakes. Sign up for a chance to win this whole prize pack!

The Tenth Circle Reading Guide

Please be sure to take a look at Jodi Picoult's website for her reading guide and more information on our upcoming book club selection. The page for The Tenth Circle is full of neat extras, such as information on the graphic-novel illustration puzzle within the book, a podcast, and discussion questions. We're looking forward to seeing you all at lunch on the 10th!

HHS Reads for January

The HHS Reads book for January is The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult, a story of one family's journey through their own version of Dante's Inferno. When fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone, daughter of comic book illustrator Daniel and Dante professor Laura, accuses her boyfriend of rape, all the family's demons are brought to light. This is reflected in the graphic-novel illustrations interwoven throughout the novel, Daniel's artistic interpretation of the trials his family is going through, and how his own past influences the present.

Extra copies are available now at the library, so be sure to stop in to claim your own! We will be discussing the book on Thursday, January 10th during all three lunch periods.

It's a Giving Season...

'Tis the season for giving, and a number of authors just love to post holiday giveaways to fans and friends. Follow the links in this post for some terrific reading opportunities and contests!

Writer Tiffany Trent, author of the new YA series Hallowmere, is hosting a drawing to receive signed copies of the first two books of the series, as well as other goodies (who doesn't like cookies and chocolates?). The Hallowmere books are a post-Civil War gothic fantasy series that should appeal to those who favor Holly Black or M.T. Anderson's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation.

Jo Knowles, whose book Lessons from a Dead Girl has been nominated to the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, is doing a stocking-stuffer drawing for signed copies of her book. Post to your own blog to advertise the drawing, and get an additional name in the stocking!

Lisa Schroeder's blog on both MySpace and Livejournal is hosting The Twelve Books of Christmas! For twelve days in December, Lisa is giving away twelve different books to those who comment with interest. The list includes a copy of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, and Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - an upcoming HHS Reads book. Sign up and win!

For a basket of possibilities, Teenreads.com is hosting its Holiday Basket of Cheer giveaway ending the 17th; sign up for the possibility of winning a gift basket of twelve books - and Christmas stocking stuffers and sweets.

Event Reminder!

Just a reminder: Read It 1st this Thursday and Friday features Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. Come to the movie this Thursday, December 13th at 6 pm and the lunchtime discussion this Friday, December 14th. If you would like to read this book, we still have copies available at the library!

TTT--Results are In!!

According to teens across the country, New Moon by Stephenie Meyer is the one book of the year!. Check out the other books on the Top Ten List.

Anime and Manga Club @ La Crosse Public Library

There is an Anime and Manga Club at the La Crosse Public Library. Check out the article, "Group helps librarian mind her animes and mangas", in the La Crosse Tribune.

It's Teen Read Week

We are celbrating Teen Read Week along with libraries all over the country.
Join in the activities at HHS!

Book Swap and Sale--You brought the books in, you get to pick new ones. If you didn't bring in books to swap don't worry on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 you can purchase books for a quarter ($0.25).

Vote for the Teen Top Ten--nominated by teens from all over the country and voted on by YOU!

Vote for movies for our Comedy Film Fest on Friday--Vote today for what you want to watch on Friday, October 19, 2007 @ 3:30 p.m. during the Comedy Film Fest in the library.

Create your own comic strip for our Comic Strip Book Mark Contest--Pick up the form today and turn in the finished comic strip by Thursday, Octboer 18, 2007. You will get to choose the best comic strip on Friday which will be made into a bookmark and published here at HHS.

Visit HHS Library's very own Photobooth--On Tuesday, October 16, 2007 and Wednesday, October 17, 2007 and you can look like this too!

HHS Reads--Lunch Discussion of Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock on Thursday, October 18, 2007

The Results are In!

The November Book is Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. Thanks to those of you who voted. Inexcusable will be discussed on Thursday, November 15th during all lunches. Reserve your copy today--we will be getting additional copies of the book in the next couple of weeks.

New Book(s)!

I'd vote in the poll, but I don't think my opinion should matter for it, being as I won't be around for the discussion D: But! I've been reading, and I figured I'd share my opinions on a few new reads with everyone :D

Girl Overboard, by Justina Chen Headley
I actually read this novel as part of a new bookclub, and really enjoyed it. They talk a lot about manga in it, which is awesome, and is just a really cute book. I could easily see it as being a book club book for you guys at some point, so Bee, check it out!

Tithe series, by Holly Black
I'm calling it a series, though I honestly don't know if it is. So far there are 3 books: Tithe (about Kaye), Valiant (about Val), and Ironside (about Kaye again, but Val is a minor character). I really enjoyed them, and read them much too fast--I'll definately be going back and re-reading them at some point soon. They're about faeries, but if you liked Twilight, you'll probably like these :)

Vote on the Book=======================>

You get to choose the book we are reading in November. Your choices are:

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going
His name is Troy, but to the world--and in his internal dialogues— he is the Fat Kid. Really Fat. Almost 300 pounds of sweating, unhappy insecurity. Then out of a moment of despair comes magic. As Troy considers whether to splatter himself on a subway track, Curt MacCrae, a charismatic punk rocker/homeless kid/dropout, comes along and stops him. For the price of a meal, Curt befriends Troy, and he sees something under all those layers: a potential musician, a friend, and someone with the ability to see through life's bull.

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
High school senior and football player Keir sets out to enjoy himself on graduation night, but when he attempts to comfort a friend whose date has left her stranded, things go terribly wrong.

Vote in the Poll in sidebar to the right, on or before October 3 @ 4:00pm.

readergirlz.com

I stumbled on readergirlz.com tonight and thought some of you would be interested in it. Next month readergirlz.com has teamed up with YALSA, sponsors of Teen Read Week, they will be facilitating online discussions with 31 different YA authors! And some of your favorites will be there...Stephenie Meyer, John Green, Meg Cabot, Ann Brashares, Carolyn Mackler and many more. Check out the full schedule here.

From their manifesta, "Reading a book isn't the same thing as experiencing a book. You know what we mean. There's a reason why we readergirlz are known to shove books at our best friends: books that have rocked our world, books that have revealed our souls, books that are gifts of the heart." This statement totally shares how I feel about reading. Reading is an experience that is worth sharing. Share it with each other, your family, your teachers, your friends, everyone!! As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."

Fall Events

We are back in school! A few of you have stopped by to check out and say Hello. It is good to see you back and hear about your summers.

I wanted to remind you that this Thursday, September 13, we will be discussing Scott Westerfeld and his books during all three lunches. You don't have to have to read all of his books to attend. As usual, you bring lunch and will bring dessert.

On September 27, 2007, we will be reading, discussing and watching Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. Discussion will be during lunch and the movie will be in the library starting at 6:30 pm. We now have copies of Hoot to be checked out, get yours today!

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I know many of you have already read it and are itching to discuss this book. Here is your chance. If you haven't read this book do not read the comments to this post THEY WILL HAVE SPOILERS!!!

So those of you who want to discuss post comments to this post. By the way I finished less then a week after it came out and am itching to hear what you all think!

Road Trip Photo & Information

Mrs. B said you all had a great time and Stephenie was wonderful. I hope to see more photos posted here (hint, hint) of the activity. I hope you are all enjoying the rest of your summer.

Remember it is a Scott Westerfeld summer and we are discussing his books here this summer with a lunch discussion on Thursday, September 13, 2007.

More Stephenie Meyer/Twilight series things.

Several of us from HHS were at the Eclipse signing with Stephenie Meyer last Friday, and I have to say, it was AWESOME. I knew that Elizabeth, her publicist, knew who I was, but I was pleasently surprised when Stephenie and Elizabeth both started to holler my name to get my attention and wave in between the Q&A and the book signings :P I already commented on this to the people that were at the book signing, but they could have had it set up a lot better. 20-30 chairs for 500+ people will give you an idea how prepared they weren't. Regardless, Stephenie was funny (as always) and it was a really fun night.

Over the past few days I've read several articles about her and/or Eclipse, which I'll link below, along with an excerpt of my favorite:

"Ask any high school girl: boys can be a pain. Fall for one who seems appealing, and he turns out to be a monster. One moment he acts like you don’t exist, the next, he drives you crazy by playing it cool — while his brothers circle you with hungry eyes. If you take a break to cut the tension, and hang out “just friends”-style with a younger guy who’s puppy-dogging you, what happens? Wouldn’t you know, he turns out to be a nightmare too."

-- New York Times book review
-- Wall Street Journal: After Harry Potter
-- Wall Street Journal article
-- Deseret Morning News: a Utah newspaper

Happy reading!

Stephenie Meyer Trip!

REMINDER! You must have your money and permission slips in by Wednesday!!

We are going! Here is what you need to know...

What? Author, Stephenie Meyer Q&A and book signing

When? Friday, August 10^th 1pm from the Kwik Trip parking lot in Holmen.

The event starts at 7pm at the bookstore. We have allowed time for travel and dinner. We do not have an end time for the event. Students will have access to a phone at Kwik Trip when they return home to contact parents for a ride home.

Where? Borders Book Store Woodbury, MN

Cost? The event is free! You will need to pay $15 for transportation. Bring spending money for food and any other items you plan to purchase.

You will find the permission slip on the HHS LMC's website, to be printed off. Permission slips need to filled out and returned to the High School Office by Wednesday, August 8th @ 3 pm. There are 6 seats available in the van--availability is first come first serve. Also, we need 6 of you to go otherwise we will cancel the trip.

If you have any questions email me, recbec @ holmen.k12.wi.us (take out the spaces before and after the @ symbol).