Zorgamazoo

Zorgamazoo byRobert Paul Weston

Are you a believer in fanciful things? In pirates and dragons and creatures and kings?

Then sit yourself down in a comforatable seat, with maybe some cocoa and something to eat, and I'll spin you a tale of Katrina Katrell, (a girl full of courage and daring as well), who down in the subway, under the ground, saw something fantastical roaming around ...

What was it she saw? I'd rather not say. (Who's ever heard of a Zorgle anyway?)

But if you are curious, clever and brave, if intreped adventure is something you crave, then open this book and I'll leave it to you to uncover the secret of ZORGAMAZOO.

Join Morty the Zorgle and Katrina on a fantastically illustrated, you'll wanna read every word aloud, sophisticated rhyming adventure for all ages.

If you'd like to hear a chapter read by the author check out this his Zorgamazoo website -

www.zorgamazoo.com

I've had one reader say "it's like reading a really long Dr. Seuss story", so if your a Dr. Seuss fan, or if you liked The Name of This Book Is Secret than you might have found your next book.

Read On

Crocodile Tears

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

It's just another day in the life of an average kid. If you're Alex Rider that is. A con-artist has realized that there is big money in charity- the bigger the disaster the more the money flows. So that is what he will produce - the biggest disaster known to man, all thanks to genetically modified wheat that can release a virus so potent it can knock out an entire country in one windy day. But Alex Rider will face whatever it takes -- gunfire, explosions, hand-to-hand combat with mercenaries -- to bring down his most dangerous advisary yet.

Fans of this series, snap up the couple of copies we had at the library before I could even take one home with me, and from their reviews this one is a winner. We were led to believe that this would be the final Alex Rider book, and surprize at the end of this one we learn that there willl be two more. Bravo Mr. Horowitz, Bravo!

I hope there will be a copy for me, waiting under the tree.

Read On.

Here's and interview with Anthony Horowitz.

The search for Wondla

The Search For Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi

Eva Nine had never seen the actual sun before, or walked outdoors. In fact, she had never even seen another living person in all twelve years of her life. That changes when a marauding huntsman destroys her underground home and sends her fleeing for her life. She is desperate to find someone else who is like her, and a single clue gives her hope: a crumbling picture of a girl, a robot, an adult, and the word WONDLA.

The search for Wondla begins a trilogy whose imaginative text and breathtaking illustrations are sure to inspire dreams.

This book has been reminding me of bits and pieces of Star Wars, weird creatures that look like bugs, robots, a girl with Princess Leah hair - and then there are pieces of Lord of the Rings - moving, talking forests. It kind of seemed like I had read this somewhere before. I'm left wishing I could say I loved it, but I kind of just put up with it. The are work was beautiful and very in keeping with the original illustrations of The Wizard of Oz - tone on tone. And if you visit the website Wondla.com you can use the book to make the maps and story come to 3D life (kind of cool). I'm never a huge fan of fantasy, so maybe this is why I wasn't totally hooked by this one. But I hope for some of you, you won't be put off by my review and will try it for yourselves.

Here's the book trailer.

The Unsinkable Walker Bean

The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier

Wow! Another graphic novel winner, Loved it!! but then I do love a good pirate story and this one has a little bit of everything I could love in a story - an underdog of a main character Walker, chubby, shy, stay at home kind of guy - Grandpa, with a strange curse cast upon him and memories of great adventures that all should aspire to - pirates, battles, a skull with a powerful curse, seawitches, friends, banjos, castaways and the promise of more. Whew, that was a lot to pack into a sentence let alone a book.

If you're a fan of graphic novels, a fan of Rapunzel Revenge or Calamity Jack, a fan of Bone, a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, then I think you've just found your next book to read.

Here's a taste more of what it's about:

Walker Bean never wanted to be a high-seas pirate waging a pitched battle with the forces of the deep. It just worked out that way.

Meek, mild and a little geeky, Walker is always happiest in his Grandfather's workshop messing around with his inventions. But when his beloved Grandfather is struck by an ancient curse, it falls on Walker to return an accursed Pearl Skull to the witches who created it, and his path will be strewn with pirates, magical machines, ancient lore and deadly peril.

Can't wait for more of this story to be told.

Read On.

Things not seen

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Thank you to Mr. Newman for recommending this book to me. It just recently came back into the library and I felt so strongly about it that I felt I should include it in my blog - even though I read it awhile ago. (Last year I read it aloud to a group of grade 7's- and although it took us a long time to get through it, I think we all felt it was worth while).

What would you do if one morning you woke up invisible? Well that is exactly what has happened to Bobby. I know your thinking this is stupid and could never happen, well that's pretty much how Bobby feels too. And even though the premise of this book is highly unlikely, it's told in such a way that you can't help but wonder if such things are possible. Sure being invisible would be cool for awhile, but it also has its complications, and what if you really want your old life back, what then?

This was an awesome story.

From the back cover:

It's a Tuesday morning in February, and I get up as usual, and I stumble into the bathroom to take a shower in the dark. Which is my school-day method because it's sort of like an extra ten minutes of sleep.

It's after the shower. That's when it happens.

It's when I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair. It's what I see in the mirror. It's what I don't see.

I look a second time, and then rub at the mirror again.

I'm not there.

That's what I'm saying.

I'm. Not. There.

The Amulet of Samarkand

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud, art by Lee Sullivan

This is the graphic novel adaptation of The Amulet of Samarkand, and I have to admit that at first I was skeptical of such an undertaking, but I have to say Stroud has adapted and condensed the story with finesse. the humor of Bartimaeus still comes through loud and clear. The art work has a wonderful clarity for what could have become an overly dark work.Characters are fully recognizable and distinctive (a feature that can sometimes be confusing with manga and some graphic novels). I'm hoping that the graphic novel will lead readers into this magical trilogy.

Here's the summary from the back:

Nathaniel, a twelve-year-old magician in training, thinks he's ready to take on more challenging spells. With revenge against the proud and ambitious Simon Lovelace on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all and summons Bartimaeus, a 5,000-year-old djinni, to assist him. But summoning a djinni and controlling him are two different things entirely. When Nathaniel sends Bartimaeus to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure, the Amulet of Samarkand, he finds himself caught in a whirlwind of espionage, murder and rebellion.

The magic comes to cinematic life in The Amulet of Samarkand. This is Bartimaeus as you've never seen him before.

Dear George Clooney, please marry my mom

Dear George Clooney, please marry my Mom by Susin Nielsen

Twelve year old Violet's TV director father has caused a huge upheaval: he has left his family in Vancouver to start afresh with his new blonde trophy wife in LA. To Violet, it seems like he's traded his old life for a new and improved one - complete with new and improved children.

When her mother takes up with the unfortunaltely named Dudley Wiener after a series of disastrous relationships, Violet - with the help of her best friend, Phoebe - decides to take conterol. If her mom can't pick a decent man herself, Violet will help her snag the most perfect one of all: George Clooney. In turns brazen, infuriating, and hysterical, Violet's antics will delight readers, who will root for her even when she's at her worst.

In this poignant, funny new novel , author Susin Nielsen explores the emotional fallout of divorce by creating a true original in Violet, whose outrageous yet heartfelt ploys to set things right will resonate with readers for years to come.

What a great, fast read. I read it Friday afternoon. Characters you can relate with. Funny stuff that will make you kringe, teenage struggles and of course an encounter with George Clooney, make this into a very enjoyable read.

Read on

Beverly Hills Maasai

Beverly Hills Maasai by Eric Walters

Another title that will be at the bookfair -- $12.50

From the back cover:

When Alexandria answers the phone in her California mansion, the last person she's expecting to hear from is Nebala, the Maasai warrior she befriended during her life-altering trip to Kenya. Not only is Nebala calling, he, along with two other Maasai, have just arrived at the LA airport. They are there to compete in the Beverly Hills marathon, a race they plan on winning so that the prize money can be used to build a well in their village back home.

Before the big run, and with Alexandria as their guide, the Kenyan trio spend some time getting to know their urban surroundings. The Maasai find life in the world's most famous zip code as baffling and intriguing as the citizens of Beverly Hills find them. But in a day full of drama and surprise, whent he Maasai approach the marathon finishing line they demonstrate that what unites us is more powerful than what divides us.

This is the sequel to Alexandria of Africa.

Dark Life

Dark Life by Kat Falls

Here's another title that will be at the Bookfair - $11.00.

from the back cover --

The oceans rose, swallowing up the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor, the Dark Life.

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea, helping his family farm the ocean floor. But when outlaws attack his homestead, Ty finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life ... secrets that threaten to destroy everything.

In Dark Life, Kat Falls has created a breathtaking world where the deep can be dangerous, the darkness can be deadly, and sometimes it takes extraordinary power to survive.

And the book trailer

Kat Falls - Author of Dark Life - Book Trailer - Free videos are just a click away

The strange case of origami yoda

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

A fun light-hearted read, if you like diary of a wimpy kid and such - you might try something like this.

Here's a more detailed write up:
Meet Dwight, a sixth-grade oddball. Dwight does a lot of weird things, like wearing the same T-shirt for a month or telling people to call him "Captain Dwight". This is embarrassing, particularly for Tommy, who sits with him at lunch every day.
But Dwight does one cool thing. He make origami. One day he makes an origami finger puppet of Yoda. and that's when things get mysterious. Origami Yoda can predict the future and suggest the best way to deal with a tricky situation. His advice actually works, and soon most of the sixth grade is lining up with questions.
Tommy wants to know how Origami Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. Is Yoda tapping into the force? It's crucial that Tommy figure out the mystery before he takes Yoda's advise about something very important that has to do with a girl.
This is Tommy's case file of his investigation info "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda"

It will be available at the bookfair -- $6.00
Want to learn how to make an Origami Yoda -- check out the author Tom Angleberger showing us how

Read On

Anne Frank a graphic biography

Anne Frank: a graphic biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

Drawing on the unique historical sites, archives, expertise, and unquestioned authority of the Anne Frank House Amsterdam, New York bestselling authors Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon have created the first authorized and exhaustive graphic biography of Anne Frank. Thier account is complete, covering the lives of Anne's parents, Edith and Otto; Anne's first years in Frankfurt; the rise of Nazism ; the Frank's immigration to Amsterdam; war and occupation ; Anne's years in the secret Annex ; betrayal and arrest ; her deportation and tragic death at Bergen-Belsen ; the survival of Anne's father ; and his recovery and publication of her astounding diary.

I was so impressed by the quality of the art work, it was like visiting Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. And the story was told in a way that fills in the spots in history with her personal narrative. Loved it and it would be a terrific introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank or a wonderful way to refresh your memory of such a powerful and tragic story.

Here's an interview with the author and illustrator.

Need

Need by Carrie Jones

Here's the write up from the back --

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is semi-stalking her. She memorizes phobias and chants them when she's nervous. And, okay, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a shivery Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix - so her mom says.

Except, this new plan of getting away to help Zara stay sane? Yeah, it's not working. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's imagination. He's following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. there's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all the signs are pointing to Zara.

This book is followed up by Captivate, which we also have at the library.

Here's the book trailer for both Need and Captivate:

Diary of a wimpy kid: the ugly truth

Diary of a wimpy kid: the ugly truth by Jeff Kinney

Here it is book five in the the Diary of a wimpy kid series. I took it home with me on Tuesday night cause I needed a good laugh and much like the books before it gave me more than one giggle. In this volume Greg and best friend Rowley have had a falling out and that leaves Greg in search of a new best friend / or maybe just a friend / or maybe just someone to sit with at lunch. I don't want to give away to much more. Not as gut-busting funny as some of the other volumes but still good fun.
We have 5 copies, so make sure to get your name down on the hold list.
Here's the promo trailer:

Virals

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Adventure has always been in fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan's blood. after all, she is the niece of world-famous forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. So when she moves to middle of nowhere Morris Island, South Carolina, to live with a marine biologist dad she's never known, Tory does the best she can to adjust to her new life.

There she meets a group of local kids who are just as "Sci-Phile" as she is - science geeks who've grown up exploring the backwoods marshlands of nearby Loggerhead Island. But there's something strange going on at the Loggerhead Research Institute... maybe even something deadly. After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top-secret lab, Tory and her friends are exposed to a rare strain of canine parvovirus, changing them - and the DNA - forever.

Now, with newly heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes, they'll have to solve a cold case murder that's suddenly become very hot... that is, if they can stay alive long enought to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends. They are a pack. They are VIRALS.

Here's the trailer.

This Isn't What It Looks Like

This Isn't What It Looks Like by Pseudonymous Bosch

What do you think you're looking at? This book contains top secret, super-classified, highly confidential information...

...about Cass, who may be in grave danger. She's eaten the dreaded Time Travel Chocolate - and you know what that means... I won't even begin to tell you what trouble this delicacy has caused in the past. If only Cass could leave the past behind! But it appears she is literally stuck in it. How will Cass find her way home? Shield you eyes, but peek through your sticky, chocolate covered fingers and read on if you must!

...about Max-Ernest, who is worried for his best friend. He's got to face facts - Cass is being held at the hospital... in a coma. Can the expert hypochondriac diagnose her condition before it's too late? And will he have what it takes to save the survivalist?

For Max-Ernest, it's a race against time; for Cass, a race through it. For the rest of you, well, it's a race to find out what happens next, of course... before I come to my senses and stop telling their story altogether. but proceed with caution, and be sure to read carefully because... this isn't what it looks like.

There you have it - the inside scoop on Book 4 of the Secret Series. but shhhh, keep it a secret - will yah.

P.S. I love this series.

P.S.S. It reminds me of Hamish X.

P.S.S.S. If you like hilarious Hamish X, you might like this series.

P.S.S.S.S. It has lots of silly footnotes as well.

P.S.S.S.S.S. It also has an intriguing book trailer.

P.S.S.S.S.S.S. You might want to watch it - check it out below.

P.S.S.S.S.S.S.S. Read On :-D

Only the good spy young

Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

this has to be one of the most popular new series for our female readers and here's the newest title and the write up.

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at Gallager Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn't know was that the serious, real life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that's exactly what happened two-months ago when she faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere and even Cammie "the chameleon" can't hide. When a terrifing encounter in London reveals that one of her most trusted allies is actually a rogue doubel-agent - Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers or even her own heart.

In this fourth installment of the New York bestselling series, the Gallager Girls must hack, spy, steal and lie their wayto the truth as they go searching for answers, realizing the the key to the future might lie deep in the past...

Black Hole Sun

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill

Here's another one that I can't wait to take home with me - headed for the top of my bedside stack of books (but maybe one of you will claim it first - that's what happened with I am Number Four). anyways here's the write up and the trailer.

Durango is playing the cards he was dealt. And it's not a good hand.

He's lost his family.

He's lost his crew.

And he's got the scars to prove it.

You don't want to mess with Durango.

Beastly

I reviewed Beastly by Alex Flinn a while back, it's a terrific re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast story, at the time I let you know it had been optioned for a movie, well the movie is set to be released in March 2011. Plenty of time for you to pick up the book before then. But just to get you started, here's the movie trailer.

I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
This is the next book that I can't wait to be reading. Here's the summary.
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. but we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the super heroes you worship in movies and comic books - but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, train, become strong and become one and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught number one in Malaysia.
Number two in England.
And number three in Kenya.
They killed them all.
I am number four.
I am next.



If you liked The Hunger Games, or The Maze Runner - this might be something you want to get your hands on. After me - of course.

Read On.

Brain Camp

Brain Camp by Susan Kim, Laurence Klavan and Faith Erin Hicks

Fun, creepy graphic novel about summer camp.

Neither artistic, dreamy Jenna nor surly, delinquent Lucas expected to find themselves at an invitation only summer camp that turns problem children into prodigies. And yet, here they both are at Camp Fielding. settling in with all the other losers and misfits who've been shipped off by their parents in a last ditch effort to produce a child worth bragging about.

But strange disappearances, spooky lights in the woods, and a chilling alteration that turns the dimmest, rowdiest campers into docile zombie Einstein's have Jenna and Lucas feeling more than a little suspicious ... and a lot afraid.

Love the art work.

Framed

Framed by Gordon Korman

Griffin Bing's new principal doesn't like him. And Griffin doesn't like the boot camp football like atmosphere the new principal has brought. Griffin manages to stay out of trouble -- until a Super Bowl ring disappears from the school's display case, with Griffin's retainer left in it's place. Griffin has been framed!

Unfortunately the Man doesn't have a plan - and everything his team tries to find out who really took the ring backfires. Griffin ends up in an alternative school, then under house-arrest, and finally with an electronic ankle braclet - with no way to prove his innocence.

Griffin smells a rat, but will he be able to solve the mystery in time?

Gordon Korman books are always entertaining. Can't wait to take this one home with me.

The Crossbones

Skeleton Creek - The Crossbones by Patrick Carman

Strange things happen in Skeleton Creek - and when they do, Ryan writes them down and Sarah captures them on video. Now, the spookiness is spreading, and the mystery is going to take them far beyond

Skeleton Creek -- into places both unexpectedly sinister and spine-chillingly haunted.

Love this series - it's no wonder that Skeleton Creek the first book is second in our top ten list.

Here's the book trailer.

And here's Patrick Carman the creator of the series:

City of Spies

City of Spies / by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan, artwork by Pascal Dizin

In the comics Evelyn draws in secret, the heroic Zirconium Man and his loyal sidekick, Scooter alway beat the bad guys and save the day. But quiet, lonely Evelyn never imagined she could be a hero, too.

So Evelyn can hardly believe it when she and her new friend Tony uncover a deadly plot being carried out by Nazi spies, right in their neighborhood. Together, the two pals set out to save the day - and help win the war!

The artwork looks a lot like that of Herge the creator of Tintin through out most of the story but when Evelyn is drawing her comics it is more like early North American comics of Little Lulu, Archie and even Superman. Fabulous job!

This might be great for any of you that have read - The Search by Eric Heuvel.

Biker Girl

Biker Girl by Misako Rocks!

Meet Biker Girl... schoolgirl by day - Biker hero by night!

Aki is a bookish girl who finds a mysterious bike while cleaning out her family's garage. Feeling powerfully drawn to the bike, she questions her grandfather, and he tells her the story of her her beloved cousin Toru was killed by a rogue biker gang. Before she knows what's happening, Aki's special connection to the bike transforms her into Biker Girl, a sassy heroine with expert biker skills. And so she sets out to avenge her cousin's death with the help of Kai, a childhood friend who may be turning into a boyfriend...

This is a fast-paced adventure featuring incredibly dynamic artwork and a unique visual style that is rooted in manga tradition, but given a hot new look by Misako Rocks!

Maximum Ride

Maximum Ride 3 / James Patterson and Narae Lee

This is book three in the graphic novel adaptation of james patterson's Maximum Ride series. Narae Lee is the adaptor and illustrator (awesome job).

Heres the lead up from the previous two books - Max and her "flock" appear at a glance to be normal kids ... that is, if you don't notice the wings.

Instilled with avian DNA in a lab known as the "School", Max and her family escape confinement with the help of scientist Jeb Batchelder, who they believed perished assisting them. When the youngest of the flock, Angel, is abducted by the lab's foot soldiers - shape shifting men and women infused with lupine DNA called Erasers - led by Jeb's son, Ari, Max discovers the Jeb is not only alive, but still working with the school! Rescuing Angel, the flock heads to New York City to find the "Institute" which they believe holds the secrets to their past. While raiding the facility, thought they are again confronted by Jeb and his Erasers. The flock manages to get away, but not before Max accidently kills Ari. Now the flock is off to Washington D.C. following up a lead on their parents, but Max can't escape mysterious voice that's begun whispering inside her head - or Jeb's haunting words that in killing Ari she may have killed her own brother...

In book 3 - after narrowly surviving their encounter with erasers in New York City, the flock is following up a lead on thier pasts in Washington D.C. but what they find waiting for them is...a home? How will the flock adjust to a real school - one that doesn't involve mad scientists and genetic freaks?

Read On.

Amulet : The Cloud Searchers

Amulet: The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi

Yeah! book 3 in the Amulet series has just arrived!

This is a terrific fantasy based graphic novel series, if you haven't tried it yet - well, do so now.

Here's the summary for book 3.

Emily, Navin and their crew of resistance fighters charter an airship and set off in search of the lost city of Cielis. There they hope to find help from the Guardian Council's powerful Stonekeepers. It's a mission that Alledia's survival depends on, and time is running out - Emily's got to find Cielis before the Elf King finds her.

Loved it - and the artwork is breathtaking, imaginative and atmospheric. The amount of hardwork put in Kazu Kibuishi and his team is incredible for both this series and for his other series Flight. And that's the only problem, you get all swept up in this and your ready for the story to go on and you know you have to wait another year for the story to continue. Oh well, there are loads of other great books to venture into so I guess I'll--

Read On.

Heist Society

Heist Society by Ally Carter

We have many fans of the author Ally Carter here at Lakie and so I'm sure Heist Society will also see its share of check-outs.
Here's the summary:
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre... to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria... to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own - scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she expected.

Other books you might like along this line are: Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott or Gordon Korman's Son of the Mob.

Here's the book trailer.

Rick Riordan

One of my current favourite authors is Rick Riordan. His Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has to be one of the hottest tickets in our library. fun, action-packed, humorous and trilling all at once - who can resist a book that has all that , well not many of you. I'm not sure that one of his books remains on the shelf and we're talking multiple copies, my friends.

So just to pump you up for some more of his great writing here's a little write up for The Red Pyramid and the upcoming Lost Heroes (release date Oct. 12, 2010).

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with their grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead he unleases the Egyptian God - Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Eygpt are waking, and the worst of them - Set - has his sights set on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe- a quest that brings them closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of pharhoahs.
Here's the book trailer.



And now here's a trailer for the upcoming series Lost Heroes of Olympus (which I can hardly wait for).

Library transformation

As many of you already know, the G.S. Lakie Library is going to undergo a renovation, which students are encouraged to share their ideas of what they'd like the new space to look and feel like. I've started my research into what I'd like to see in some of the space as well. My ideas are way out there, and include all sorts of things most of you have never seen or heard of. I'm gonna share some of them here - to help you spur on your creative sides. my thought is that if your gonna dream, dream big.

This is the transformation children's library.


And the adult version.


I'll keep tossing some of the great library reno ideas out there, so stay tuned.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace by Megan Shull

Girls this one is for you - if you need a light read for pure escapism then try this one. it was one of my summer reads and was perfect for one of our many rainy days this summer. Not overly taxing on the brain but just a fun read with just the right amount of romance thrown in.

Here's the summary:

Teen superstar Grace Kinclaid has it all, an electric smile, million-dollar endorsement deals, and blond covergirl looks. But what happens when America's "It" girl doesn't want to be "it" anymore? With paparazzi stalking her every move, Grace quietly slips out of a TeenPeople photo shot, ducks the press, and calls her mom from a boiler room of the fabled USTA National Tennis Centre. And right there, in her custom-made Nike warm-ups, tears streaming down her face , Grace says the three magic words her mom told her she could say anytime, anytime that this whole crazy life wasn't fun anymore. Three simple words and her new life begins. For the hottest girl on the planet , life is about to change. Grace gets a make-under, a new identity, and a new life in a rugged little town on the edge of nowhere, population 813 (including one cute boy ; one very cute boy.)

Read On.

End of Days

End of Days: Night Runner II by Max Turner

Whoa!! I feel like I've just been riding the best and longest roller coaster ride all night long. This books rockets you from one event to the next, with crazy twists and turns along the way. Just when I thought I had things figured out, and thought I knew who the evil was - bam- they kill that character off, and I'd have to start figuring it out all over again. Even though it had been awhile since I had read the first book, I felt at ease with the characters right away. And this is one of those books where the action starts right away, so no worries there. I highly recommend this and Night Runner to anyone who needs their next thrill ride.

Summary:

Zach Thomson has spent the past year getting used to the idea that his best friend Charlie, and the lovely Luna are now vampires - just like him. As they all learn to cope with the changes this strange new state of affairs brings, a mysterious creature appears. Likened to the Beast of the Apocalypse, it begins to dismantle the network of support around Zach, who discovers he is more than just an orphaned vampire - he is the subject of an ancient prophecy that relates to the End of Days. As friends and enemies, old and new, throw his world into chaos, Zach is forced to re-examin what it means to be good at a time when it seems that only the strong and the ruthless can survive.

The end leaves me believing that we'll be seeing a third book in the future.

Thank you Max Turner for a creative guy option to a vampire book, and to keeping it Canadian.
Read On.

Here's an alternate cover that might be appearing on Amazon or in bookstores.

Leviathan

Leiathan by Scott Westerfeld

This book has been getting alot of buzz out there, but unfortunately it hasn't made it to the top of my reading pile. So I'm hoping one of my great readers will offer to take it home and give me a honest review.
But for now I'll give you what I know about it.
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists emply fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With the great war brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way... taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical around-the-world adventure. One that will change both of their lives forever.

Here's the book trailer

Scumble

Scumble by Ingrid Law

Loved it!

Ledger kale always dreamed of the awesome magical power he's get when he turned thriteen- the day when folks in his family inherit an extraordinary talent called a savvy. But Ledge's dreams are soon in pieces. And so are the toaster, the televison, and the wipers on the family minivan. After the Kales decide it's safe to head to a family wedding in Wyoming, Ledge's savvy grows. Worse, there's an outside witness to his monumental mess: thirteen year old Sarah Jane Cabot, eagle-eyed reporter and daughter of the local businessman. Now Ledge has to stop Sarah Jane from turning savvies into headlines, stop her father from getting too close to Uncle Autry's astonishing ranch, and scumble his savvy into control before he causes everything to fall apart.

Starting nine years after his cousin Mibs's Savvy journey, Ledge's story brings characters both fresh and familiar to the legendary Wild West for another rollicking, riveting, fantastical adventure.

here's the trailer and an audio clip

Into the Gauntlet

Into the Gauntlet - Book 10 - 39 Clues by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Wow! this series has been so great, mystery, intrigue, world travel, famous people throughout history, a quirky brother and sister team with their crazy nanny, and a twisted family tree, and a very serious prize that they are all after. Book 10 did not let me down, it reminded me of previous adventures and clues through the series as welll as plotting the route for this one.

Here's the write up:
Fourteen-year-old Amy Cahill and her younger brother, Dan, have had enough. Not only do they have to find the 39 Clues first, they're expected to reunite thier backstabbing family-the same people who killed their parents. But Amy and Dan haven't survived explosions and assassination attempts for nothing. They have a plan to finish the Clue hunt on thier own terms. Too bad there's a final- fatal secret the Madrigals haven't told them. A secret that could cost Amy and Dan - and the world - everything...

So I thought this was going to be the end of the series, but I think they have left the door open for these characters to go further - hint it has to do with the prize.

The Saint of Dragons

The Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman

I had one of my reviewers take this home over the summer, when she returned it to me, she commented that she had to fight with other members of her family as they all wanted to be first to read it. I think she won but I bet the others were sneaking a peak when she set it down. So if that's not enough of a reason for me to be taking it home before library classes start I don't know what is. So I took it home with me tonight and am already on page 60, and so far I love how it's started.

Here's the write up from the back cover.

You've been taught to believe they are dead. Figments of an ancient imagination. but one lonely schoolboy is about to have a rude awakening. Dragons are real. And they have... evolved.

Simon St. George has been living at the Lighthouse School since he was two years old, so it comes as a bit of a surprise when suddenly two men show up, both claiming to be his father. It's an even bigger shock to discover that he's actually descended from Saint George - dragon killer and all-round knight in shining armour - and that he's expected to carry on the family business.

In a moment, Simon is swept away from his lonely, predictable life, and thrown into the jaws of an adventure that threatens to swallow him whole. For dragons are alive, evil, and could be causing trouble in your neighbourhood this very day...

Read On

The Conspiracy of Kings

The Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

Sophos, under the guidance of yet another tutor, practices his swordplay and strategizes escape scenarios should his father's villa come under attack. How would he save his mother? His sisters? Himself? Could he reach the horses in time? Where would he go? But nothing prepares hime for the day armed men, silent as thieves, swarm the villa courtyard ready to kill, to capture, to kidnap. Sophos, the heir tot he throne of Sounis, disappears without a trace.

In Attolia, Eugenides, the new and unlikely king, has never stopped wondering what happened to Sophos. Nor has the Queen of Eddis. They send spies. They pay informants. They appeal to the gods. But as time goes by, it becomes less and less certain that they will ever see their friend alive again.

Across the small peninsula battles are fought, bribes are offered, and conspiracies are set in motion. Darkening the horizon, the Mede Empire threatens, always, from across the sea. And Sophos, anonymous and alone, bides his time. Sophos, drawing on his memories of Gen, Pol, the magus - and Eddis- sets out on an adventure that will all of their lives forever.

It had been awhile since I had read the other books in this series, so for a while I stumbled around with the characters and plot, but eventually got pulled in. Who to trust? Such a great question and it has played so heavily in both this book and Mockingjay. Who can you believe? Do you go with your gut or second guess the guesser? If I haven't yet turned you on to this series now is a great time to start - it begins with The Thief.

Here's the trailer.

Here's the trailer for The Thief.

Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Against the odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she has made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this trilling final installment of the Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. (from the inside cover.)

This is a hard one to blog about, I'm feeling overwhelmed! WOW what a rollercoaster ride. I feel like if I write anything it will be giving you a spoiler. It's taken me days to digest this book. It's dark, it's brutal, it's a bit gory but then so is war.

Fellow blogger Kathy Mahoney has written a terrific summary without giving anything away.--

It started as a game. It turned into a battle. In the wake of the spectacular failure of the Quarter Quell to crush the growing dissent amoung the citizen of Panem, The Capitol has declared open war on the Districts....

to check out the rest of her blog post visit: hiplibrariansbookblog.blog-city.com

Here's the trailer.

Teen Read Awards

Indigo (Chapters) has just announced it first annual Teens Read Awards. The awards were launched to encourage Canadians between the ages of 12-18 to selected their favourite titles across a number of categories; including best book to flick, best lip lock, best new writer, best hero, best villian, best hottie. Participants are eligible to win , gift cards, movie tickets or even a Kobo ereader.

Sound fun.
Here's the link
http://www2.teenreadawards.ca/

Read On.

The Old Country

The Old Country by Mordicai Gerstein

This is storytelling at it's finest, with vivid detail that leaves you feeling like you've just gotten lost in an enchanted wood and witnessed some very peculiar things, talking animals, fairies elves and the like, a goose who can lay golden eggs and a young girl on a mission to set things right.

I loved it!

Here's the summary:

The Old Country is a novel of singular insight and imagination set in a land where "every winter was a hundred years and every spring a miracle... where the water was like music and the music was like water... where all the fairy tales come from, where there was magic - and there was war." There, Gisella stares a moment too long into the eyes of a fox, and she and the fox exchange shape. Gisella's quest to get her girl-body back takes her on a journey across a war-ravaged country that has lost its shape. She encounters sprites, talking animals, a chicken that lays a golden egg, a court with a spider for a judge -- and bloodshed, destruction and questions of power and justice. Finally, looking into the eyes of a fox once more, she faces a strange and startling choice about her own nature.

The Old Country is at once timeless and contemporary - a tale that draws on a wealth of storytelling tradition and dramatizes the question of what it is to be human. Part adventure story, part fable; exciting, beautifully told, rich in humor and wisdom, it is the work of an artist and storyteller at the height of his powers.

Stealing Heaven

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

From the book -

I can pry the molding off a window without making a sound. I can drive a car, climb into a house, deal with growling dogs. I know exactly how much your average 19th century tea service weighs and how many pieces it has.

For silver i learned to read, write, work numbers. For silver I learned the names of every plantation from Virginia to Florida. I can tell you which ones we've visited, which ones we want to, which ones we never will. I can tell you how to find someone's house no matter where it is. I can tell you what to do if there is silver inside.

The story of my life can be told in silver; in chocolate mills, serving spoons, and services for twelve. The story of my life has nothing to do with me. The story of my life is things. Thins that aren't mine, that won't ever be mine. It's all I've ever known.

I wish it wasn't.

This was one of my first picks for summer reading, I took it with me to the lake, and it was perfect, captivating charcters that you feel for. You can't help wanting something good/different to happen for Dani, you know she's good - it's just the way she's been brought up. Butwe all know, it's hard to change.

If you're a Sarah Dessen fan and are looking for something similar in the realistic fiction genre try some of Elizabeth Scott's books I think you'll like them.

Bog Child

Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

This book totally got me caught up in it. I got caught up by the many differnent strands of it, the bog child (herself), then tensions in Ireland, with its hunger strikers, the friendship of Fergus and a young police officer from Wales, the budding romance between Fergus and Cora (the archeaologist's daughter), a family that is being torn apart by its involvement with the IRA.

Here's the summary from the cover:
In 1981, the height of Irelands "Troubles", eighteen year old Fergus is distracted from his upcoming A-level exams by his imprisoned brothers hunger strike, the stress of being a courier for Sinn Fein, and of a murdered girl whose body he discovered in a bog.

This is a sophisicated mystery, that once it grabs you won't let go.
Read On

Liar

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Micah freely admits that she is a complusive liar. And that maybe the one honest thing she will ever tell you. Over the year's she has duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents. But when her boyfriend, Zach, dies under suspicious circumstances, the shock might be enough to set her straight. Or maybe not. Especially when lying comes as naturally to her as breathing. Was Micah dating Zach? Or was Sarah his real girlfriend? And are the stories Micah tells about inheriting a "family gene" real or are they something that exists only in Micah's mind?

There has been a ton of buzz about this one in the publishing world, so I can't wait for it to come home with me.

Here's the book trailer and an interview with the author.

Foiled

Foiled by Jane Yolen

Yesterday I had the terrific surprize of receiving what will probably be my last shipment of books for the year, waiting for me on my desk. I dove into those boxes like a kid at Christmas.

Boy, do i have some summer reading ahead of me. I started last night with this graphic novel.

Aliera Carstairs just doesn't fit in. She's always front and centre at the fencing gym, but at school she's invisible. And she's fine with that... until Avery Castle walks into her first period biology class. Avery may seem perfect now, but will he end up becoming her Prince Charming or just a toad?

I enjoyed this flight of modern urban fantasy, from the chapter headings which are fencing moves, to the gray-scale artwork (which you learn has a significance later in the book), the artwork is manga-esque and I thought the illustrator Mike Cavallaro did an excellent job of showing Aliera's emotions, with just a slight dip of the brow or flick to the smile, to the sharp teeth she shows when angry. Jane Yolen has written hundreds of books and for her first venture into graphic novels, I think this one (and it is set up to have a sequel) will become a hit with readers.

Read On

Storm warning

Storm warning by Linda Sue Park --- Book #9 - 39 Clues

Yeah!! the next book is here, we're soooo close to knowing who's gonna win it all, and what the ultimate prize will be.

Here's a teaser:
The shadow of a man in black has followed fourteen-year-old Amy Cahill and her younger brother, Dan, on their worldwide search for 39 Clues that lead to a great power. Amy and Dan know the man in black has tried to kill them. They know he is a Madrigal, a member of the most secretive and terrifying group hunting for the Clues. And they know something else, a secret they would rather forget - their parents were Madrigals, too. Amy and Dan have run hard and fast, but they can't escape the man following them. And now, in the wake of a terrible tragedy, he's ready to step out of the darkness for their final confrontation.

Fruits basket

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

I was on a little shopping trip yesterday and found the start of this series, Fruits basket for a great price so I've added them to our collection. Here's an intro to the series.

Tohru Honda was an orphan living with her grandfather, when one day fate kicked her out of the house and she was forced to take up residence in a tent in the forest. Little did she know that the land she was staying on belonged to the Sohma family, a clan of beautiful and mysterious people. After stumbling upon the teenage squatter, the Sohma's invite Tohru to stay in their house in exchange for cooking and cleaning. Everything is going well, until she discovers the Sohma family's greatest secret: when hugged by members of the opposite sex, they each turn into their Chinese zodiac animals.

I know when I showed these to a couple kids yesterday, they practically begged me to let them take them home (even though the library is now closed.)

Thirteen Plus One

Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle

Summary from cover: Winnie Perry is fourteen now, and the countdown to high school is shaping up to be as eventful as an entire year of middle school. Not only are things shakey with her boyfriend, Lars, but BFF's Dinah and Cinnamon have been acting weird, big sister Sandra is college bound, little brother Ty has smuggled a stolen penguin home in his backpack, and new baby sister Maggie has everything turned upside down.

It's alot for anyone to handle, and loyal Winnie is so busy worrying about everyone else that she hardly notices that she just might be struggling a little bit herself.

With humor and honesty Lauren Myracle brings us another pitch-perfect novel featuring the characters that her legions of fans have grownup loving.

I know we have part of that legion of fans, so I'm happy to say this treasure will be waiting for you in September.

Read On

More new technology

Pranav Mistry : The trilling potential of sixth sense technology.
I watched this on Mr. Hall's blog and thought I'd share it with my crowd of viewers. It's truly fascinating to think of what the future will behold.