These new books for the YA section just came today (so I haven’t read any of them yet), but if you are fans of the author, you might want to give them a try:
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen, a thirteen year old Pennsylvania boy in the Revolutionary War
Shadowland, by Alyson Noel, #3 in the Immortals series
Flightsend, by Linda Newbery
Hunted, by P. C. Cast + Kristin Cast, newest in the House of Night series
They Never Came Back, by Caroline Cooney
Happenstance Found, by P. W. Catanese, Book One in the new series The Books of Umber. “Twelve-year-old Happenstance awakens in a cave with no memory of who he is. Soon, a mysterious trio arrives, Lord Umber, the shy archer, Sophie and Oates. Hap and his new acquaintances narrowly escape the cavernous underworld and make their way to the dazzling port city of Kurahaven, where Lord Umber is revered as an adventurer, royal advisor, and chronicler of all things monstrous and magical.”
For those of you who just can’t get enough of vampires and are ready to go past the 11-15 age group of reading, try the Blue Bloods novels by Melissa De La Cruz. These books are found in the adult fiction section of the library. I just finished reading the fourth installment in the series (without having read 1 – 3) The Van Alen Legacy. The Blue Bloods are in a struggles with the Silver Bloods to survive. The Blue Bloods are not your “typical” vampires. They do not have to stay out of the daylight or sunlight. They do not have to drink the blood of humans. The patriarch of the Blue Bloods has died (or was he murdered) and has passed his legacy on to his granddaughter Schuyler who only knew him in the last few months of his life. Schuyler has forsaken her love for Jack, another Blue Blood who is to be bonded to his “sister” Mimi, and finds her love with Oliver, her human familiar or guide. Schuyler and Oliver are on the run all over the world because she is being sought as the murderer of her grandfather. Her best friend Bliss has been kept drugged for almost a year by her politician father. Bliss thinks she needs to help Schuyler or Schuyler needs to help her, but she cannot think for the permanent fog in her mind. It probably would have been easier to tell the good guys and the bad guys apart if I had read the first three in the series, but this was still an amusing tale for an evening’s reading.
Batman’s arch nemesis the Hush was first introduced as Tommy Elliot in November of 2002. At the time, readers of the book only knew him as a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne. It wasn’t until September 2003 that the character evolved into the bandaged, nefarious individual that we know today. Despite being a fairly new character, he has become quite important to the Batman universe.
In Batman: Heart of Hush, which collects Detective Comics #846-#850, Elliot is inspired to make another attempt on Batman’s life after hearing the Black Glove planed to do the same. He, as those that follow Batman know, is well-versed in the ins and outs of Bruce Wayne’s life and those he cares about; he also knows that Wayne moonlights as Batman. Immediately, Hush attempts to use the folks Wayne/Batman cares about most (Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing) to ensnare him in a trap he can’t get out of.
This is an excellent graphic novel that leads directly into the infamous Batman: R.I.P. storyline. If you managed to miss Detective Comics #846-#850, you may pick up Batman: Heart of Hush at the Muhlenberg County Public Libraries.
Marvel Comics’ Jeff Sutter interviews author Orson Scott Card on the latest edition of the Marvel Podcast. The comic company has an adaptation of Card’s classic Ender’s Game in the works which will release in October. It’s a pretty insightful listen that you can download through either iTunes or the Marvel Website.
If you’re a science fiction fan then I highly recommend the entire Ender series. Card’s written several books involving these characters that will appeal to both the young and old. The first book is a cross between Starship Troopers and Harry Potter.
Metamorphosis, our teen Summer Reading Program, is now underway. I’ve created a new blog specifically for keeping up with the events of the week and posting reviews written by those who attend. Check it out by clicking here.
Would you like to join the REBELUTION? Nineteen year old twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris from Oregon have started a rebelution – a teenage rebellion against low expectations. They feel that sometimes people have such low expectations for teens that teens simply have little choice and sink accordingly. In their book Do Hard Things they encourage other teens to actively resist cultural lies that limit their potentials. They started a blog in 2005 about their rebelution. Their website www.therebelution.com has many links to articles and essays, events, and blogs. They even seem to be making this into a career as they make public appearances around the country. They have partnered with some young ladies met through blogging to include the “female” perspective on their site and through blogging. It is all Christian based and may seem a little bit preachy at times, but there is good content to give you food for thought. The book includes experiences of many other teens they have come to know. An extensive reading list is mentioned as assigned by their homeschooling father on a wide variety of topics – The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, by Edmund Morris; The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, and many others. Several of their main points involve sometimes working outside your comfort zone, doing things without immediate expectations. doing several small hard things to get to one big one, and more. This is one of those books that you don’t have to read cover to cover, just browse and flip, then go back and read the parts that really interest you. Ok, I know this may seem tooooo preachy coming from someone who’s almost old enough to be your grandmother, but give it a try anyway.
The above video is the “official” trailer for the film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. Any fans of the book currently reading this blog? If so, please comment and let us know if you think the film looks faithful to the books.
I’d like to make a recommendation for the book The View from Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg. It is about a group of 6th graders that are chosen for the academic quiz bowl team. The book tells the story of how they met and includes all of the crazy things they do. This book won the 1997 Newbery medal. It’s really a great book everyone should read.
If you’re in the mood for a quirky, different style of music you’d do well to check out Danielson’sShips. Daniel Smith, the group’s principal member, has been making music in one form or another since the mid-90s. The first group he gained notoriety for was known as the Danielson Famile, which was comprised of Smith’s brothers and sisters, some of which were barely teenagers.
The group’s first recording, A Prayer for Every Hour, consisted of songs Smith had written for his senior thesis statement while at Rutgers University. The band took influence from indie pop, country, gospel, and some of the more weird folk groups to come from the 60s and 70s. Smith’s chirpy, falsetto singing voice also added to the band’s uniqueness. A Prayer for Every Hour was eventually released by Tooth & Nail Records in 1995.
The album won them a small, albeit loyal, following in the underground music community. Their spiritual lyrics made them appeal to Christian rock fans, and, their abstract style made them appeal to the secular independent rock community. The band performed together for several years, but, eventually jobs and marriages pulled the group apart. Daniel still wished to make music, though, so he reformed the band and dropped Famile from the name. Now he has a dedicated lineup performing as Danielson.
Danielson’s most recent album, Ships, was released by Indiana based Secretly Canadian Records in 2006. Smith’s signature style is still firmly intact, but, it has been polished enough to appeal to a wider audience. But, even with the polish, the band still falls within the “Either you’ll love it, or hate it” category.
Smith’s flare for the visual is evident in the band’s live concerts While performing as the Danielson Famile, the group often performed in doctor and nurse outfits that they crafted themselves. While touring to promote the Ships album they, of course, wore sailors outfits that also looked homemade. Smith sometimes performs material as Brother Daniel, and, at those concerts, he sings and plays his guitar while dressed as a giant tree. I also managed to catch a Brother Daniel show and can testify to the fact that it was really something to behold.
Those wishing to gain insight into the crazy world of Danielson should view the film Danileson: A Famile Movie, which is also available at the library. It contains footage from the group’s early career, lots of interviews with fans, family, and friends, and live performances. The Youtube clip below is the official trailer for the film. Danielson: A Family Movie is not rated, however, some of the interviews with secular fans and musicans contain minor profanity. I’d say the language level lies somewhere between a typical PG to PG-13 film.
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I’d like to make a recommendation for the book 
