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.
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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.
– Anniesse
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.
– Darci
If you’re in the mood for a quirky, different style of music you’d do well to check out Danielson’s Ships. 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.
We’ve now joined the ranks of Facebook. If you’re a member, feel free to add our page by clicking here. This will be a great way to keep up with events and happenings at your local library.
Amazon.com purchased J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the book, hand written by the Harry Potter scribe, at a Sotheby’s auction for approximately $3,985,410 U.S. dollars. Rather than keep it to themselves, they’ve posted pictures and descriptions of the stories held within the pages. It’s an incredibly neat looking volume worth taking a look it.
Those who’ve read the Potter series will remember Beedle the Bard being referenced in the story.
During the later years of my high school career I transitioned from listening to radio friendly country to independent rock. This transition was helped along by MTV’s 120 Minutes, a great show hosted by Mat Pinfield that highlighted interesting bands in a variety of genres. The MTV of this era was a far cry from where it is now. Imagine a channel with no reality shows, a minimal amount of sound-a-like hip hop bands, and hosts that actually knew music. Ah, I miss those days.
Now that I’m ordering new music for the library I hope to play the part of Mat Pinfield for the youth of the area. In the spirit of my high school years, I’ve ordered a handful of albums that will appeal to teenagers, as well as those who, like myself, have trouble convincing others that they aren’t teenagers.
MxPx is one band that 120 Minutes introduced me to that I’ll always be a fan of. The group formed in 1992 while each of the three members were 15. Only four years after their formation they released their seminal pop punk ode to high school life, Life In General. Song titles like My Mom Still Cleans My Room and Chick Magnet let you know that MxPx often uses humor in their songwriting. But, the album isn’t without its serious moments which is evident in songs like Doing Time and Today is in My Way. The group’s sound was similar to the raw, unpolished style that groups like Green Day and Blink 182 posesed at that time, but, surprisingly, they didn’t resort to the vulgarity that both those bands relied on.
Most high school bands seem to break up as quickly as they start. However, after thirteen years, MxPx is still together. You can check out their latest album, Secret Weapon, from Harbin Memorial. Life In General will soon be available at our Central City Location. I suggested checking both out to get an idea of how much they’ve grown as a band.
Stay tuned for more reviews and be sure to browse our music racks when you stop by.
-Wesley
GHOSTHUNTERS: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers and Other Investigators of America’s Paranormal World by John Kachuba
Published March 10, 2008 Uncategorized Leave a CommentJohn Kachuba aka “The Ghosthunter” investigates haunted locations throughout the country and interviews people who have had paranormal encounters. The author has discovered a growing interest in ghosts today, which has spurred an American pop culture phenomenon based on the supernatural. The TV shows Ghosthunter, Most Haunted, and Ghost Whisperer testify to that fact. Combining his case reports of actual hauntings, disucssions with leading figures in paranomral world, and stories about releated subjects such as buying ghosts on eBay, buying and selling haunted houses, and ghost tourism, Ghosthunters presents an intriguing and witty look at America’s paranormal world. One of the places mentioned in the book is the home of the Bell Witch in Tennesse. He has his own website where you can relate your own experiences of the paranormal.
-Eddie
I would like to recommend the book The Wish by Gail Carson Levine. The book is about a girl named Wilma who makes a wish to be popular. Her wish was granted and she became instantly liked by the populars. The problem is, though, that she only wished to be popular at Claverford, her middle school, and she is going to graduate in three weeks. Will she continue to be popular, or will the wish end? You’ll have to read to find out!
-Darci
MCPL Teenspace 