Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

Before everyone heads off to a glorious summer, here's some advice from Aicha...

*****

 

Why Everyone Should Watch Downton Abbey

OK, so, I am one of those crazy fanatics who love Downton Abbey, you know who you are, that British soap opera show, full of “old people”.  (It’s not actually, it follows a family from 1914 through 1920, through World War I.)


I know what you’re thinking, bla-bla-bla , history, who cares?


Guys, it’s actually a really great show and I’m here to tell you why everyone should watch it.

1. The Characters are so loveable!!

2. The set is beau-ti-ful and the clothes are absolutely ravishing!

3. The drama is intense and and many cliff hangers and shockers!

4. You will laugh and cry.

5. All people who love British stuff and/or just history in general, it’s a must see!  But you don’t have to like history, my sister hates history and loves this show!




So what are you are waiting for! Go watch it now!

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

Before everyone heads off to a glorious summer, here's some advice from Aicha...

*****

 

Why Everyone Should Watch Downton Abbey

OK, so, I am one of those crazy fanatics who love Downton Abbey, you know who you are, that British soap opera show, full of “old people”.  (It’s not actually, it follows a family from 1914 through 1920, through World War I.)


I know what you’re thinking, bla-bla-bla , history, who cares?


Guys, it’s actually a really great show and I’m here to tell you why everyone should watch it.

1. The Characters are so loveable!!

2. The set is beau-ti-ful and the clothes are absolutely ravishing!

3. The drama is intense and and many cliff hangers and shockers!

4. You will laugh and cry.

5. All people who love British stuff and/or just history in general, it’s a must see!  But you don’t have to like history, my sister hates history and loves this show!




So what are you are waiting for! Go watch it now!

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

Here's what Marshall thinks about that:

*****

Congratulations to the Graduating class of 2013. As everyone rides the euphoria of never having to go to High School ever again, there are all sorts of cool things going on in the Library.

First, some cool authors who are on tour to support their books are stopping by the teen lounge for a bit. Their books are already making waves around the US and they have hardcore bookworms jumping up and down waiting for the books to launch.

Also of interest in the library community is Stephen King's highly anticipated book, Joyland, which is about a teenager who works at a Carnival and is confronted by a psychopath murderer. Sounds interesting. Then of course, having been on shelves for a while now are the latest books in the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead and the Embrace series by Jessica Shirvington. Indigo Spell for Bloodlines and Emblaze for the Embrace series. Both series are fantastic and fans of the series are going to be excited.









As if that's not enough, Vampire Academy also has a movie coming out with a release date of Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 2014. I'm excited for it. There's a full cast list and everything.

Things to look out for in the future include the 4th Bloodlines novel in November of 2013, the 4th Embrace novel in October 2013, and a sequel to what was arguably Stephen King's Best book of all time The Shining. A lot of talk goes on in the book world if you just listen.

But remember that the most important part of this is to get you reading. Now that school's out for the seniors and everyone else isn't too far behind, now's the chance to read the books you want to read, and not the ones the school makes you read. So go on and find something out there to enjoy.

Until next time.

June 5: End of School Karaoke Party!

It may not quite be the end of the year for everybody, but there's no doubt that everyone's counting down the days till summer vacation starts. 

Mark THIS day on your calendar, when the Teen Advisory Board is hosting an after school karaoke party!  Come unlease your inner diva and cheer on your friends!

You can browse song choices here.  Let us know what you'd like to sing and we'll get it on the playlist.

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

It's back!  The TAB guest post, and oh, how we missed it.

*****

Hello World! This is Khalil speaking, today I have the pleasure of reviewing a book for you. Said book is called Monument 14. Monument 14 is a book, set in the future, about the end of the world. Here’s the setup: 14 kids, 6 highschoolers; 2 middleschoolers; 6 little kids, are trapped in a mall, after hiding in the mall to escape giant hail. While they are in the mall they find out the storm was much bigger than they originally thought. In fact it included a megatsunami and a REALLY big earthquake. Unfortunately for them, a chemical weapons facility near them has been damaged to, and is now starting to leak. You can imagine the trouble they are in now. I won’t spoil the rest for you. I hope you pick it up, have a nice read.

 *****

Thanks Khalil!  And guess what?  Emmy Laybourne, the author of Monument 14 and its sequel, Monument 14: Sky on Fire, will be HERE in the Teen Room on Saturday, June 15 at 2:00PM.  Don't miss it!

Harlem Shake Video is HERE!

Now it's retro, y'all...



Hooray for our Teen Advisory Board! You guys are the BEST!

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

Welcome back, T.A.B. guest posts! with this enthusiastic endorsement from Aicha...wow!

*****

Ok, Naughts and Crosses* is my favorite book. There is no competition. It's by Malorie Blackman and if you have not read this book, drop whatever you are doing and READ this book. It's that simple. Plot: Parallel Universe where Black people (Crosses) oppress White people (Naughts), but at the same time, there is a forbidden relationship between Sephy, an upper class Cross and Callum, a second-citizen Naught.

Why is this book so good? Less is more is so true in this book. The writing is straight-forward, but the simple language accentuates the emotions of the characters to perfection. Oh, don't even get me started on the characters! I love Callum; that's my homie, my favorite character, but Sephy is just amazing too. The romance is heart-felt, but it is not mushy-gushy; there are not that many love scenes, which makes each one even more important to the reader. The plot is so unpredictable, even for an experienced reader like me and the action just makes your heart pound. I also just love the concept of this book; it's so unique and fresh. If you're an exhausted bookworm who seen the same stuff over and over again, this book is for you.

In conclusion, this movie NEEDS to be a movie. But it's not. Although it was very popular in England (it is a British book) and over there, it was even turned into a play. But across the water, barely anyone knows about it. It only had 100 likes on Facebook! And that needs to change, because the book is so fricking good.

This book makes Twilight look like it died in a hole, The Hunger Games look like child's play and it even gives Harry Potter a run for its money.

This book could easily be turned into a blockbuster film, for many reasons. It could really appeal to everyone, the old, the young, the action-lovers, the lovers, the men, the women, Black, White, Latino, everyone! The unique concept of the book could make it a very artsy, very intellectual sort of film and turn into an Oscar film, but at the same time, be marketed to all teenagers because of the action and the romance. The girls would love the romance and swoon at Callum, and the book could be an intense action-suspense movie, which the guys would really love to. (I am not being sexist, I do think that a macho guy could totally love a romance and a girl could really get into the action too, like I did, but I am just saying what marketers would see.) This movie really does have something for everyone, while at the same time, it has an important message that everyone should listen to.

Although I hated The Hunger Games book, I LOVED the movie. I just loved everything about it; the scenery , the way the action and romances was set up and the way the movie was made in general. I want Naughts and Crosses to made like The Hunger Games; so I want Gary Ross and Malorie Blackman to create the screenplay.



Callum: Liam Hemsworth


Image: Tom Sorensen


















Sephy: Quvenzhane Wallis


Image: blackfilm.com

I love the idea of Quvenzhane Wallis playing the part when she is older, because she’s such a talented actress at such a young age , but I am not sure that Liam could still do the part at that age. And I would honestly love for breakout artists to play either Sephy, Callum or both.





Sephy’s Dad: Samuel.L.Jackson


Image: pinguino k

YES, that guy can be SO Scary! Yes! But still kinda nice at the same time, because Sephy’s dad is a prime minister.














Sephy's Mom: Viola Davis




Image: Chrisa Hickey



Minerva(Minnie): Gabourey Sidibe




Image: Greg Hernandez



Callum’s Dad: I love Matt Damon, for this part; he has this lovable way about him that people could totally get into him. Or maybe Leonardo Dicaprio? Tons of guys could play this part.


Image: nicholas genin

Image: Colin Chou

Jude, Callum’s brother: Josh Hutcherson!!!


Image: Eva Rinaldi

















Callum's Mom: Marion Cotillard


Image: nicogenin

I love Marion Cotillard and Matt Damon as parents!!! So those are my suggestions! Any others? Other characters are too insignificant to give stars to. Would love to discuss this!

So this make this into a movie! Someone, email a Hollywood script-writer, a director, an actor, or something! LET’S MAKE THIS MOVIE HAPPEN!

*The book was retitled Black and White for U.S. distribution. 

T.A.B. Reading Update!

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

This week's post is from Meaza!

*****

This is my very first blog post, ever. I wanted to write something memorable and thought provoking. I expected inspiration to hit me spontaneously and my inner inspired writer would be able to pull words out of me that reached a level of deepness even I didn’t know existed, sadly my life being real (and not written by J.K. Rowling, Sarah Dessen or Alexandra Harvey ) … my inner writer still remains hidden.

I live by many on the spot yet long lasting philosophies. The first one:

“If you’re never going to see someone again why would you care what they might think about you?”

I use this philosophy to justify my … let’s just call them my loud moments in public. Of course this doesn’t mean that I go around terrifying random strangers in public but when I’m out with friends and we’re all being loud and obnoxious, your average-group of teenagers. I don’t want to be the only one not enjoying herself because she’s self-conscious. Chances are those people who looked at me while I jammed out in public, or did any of the many things one can do to embarrass themselves in public, will probably forget about me within the next minute, some of them may even applaud my sense of expression, I may cause a flashback to their years of rebellion, maybe they might even envy how much fun I seem to be having.

Second philosophy:

“You have enough reality in life, why read about it too?”

Books are for a quick healthy escape to an alternate universe where the laws of physics and common sense don’t necessarily don’t have to apply. I’ll admit I have read books based on true stories and biographies but those books I like to think are an escape too. Often people who have written books about their lives, or had books written about their lives have lived incredible adventures and for me that lands right on the borderline of reality and fantasy.

I love reading realistic fiction and paranormal books because they open up a world for new logic. Where being strong and fast and gifted is an everyday part of life, when words are given a powerful affect and meaning. Have you ever stopped to think about the book you’re reading? Literally? Thought about what inspired the author? Thought about what formed the details, the step by step ?

If you haven’t yet I encourage you to find that one, or multiple books, that inspire you to ask and want to answer these type of questions. If we are supposed to learn from the books we read, might as well learn our way. Who knows maybe you’ll make your own long lasting philosophies as well…

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board

This week's musings are courtesy of Khalil.

***

Being immortal is really not all it’s cracked up to be. At least not in the world Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan is set in. (Don’t be fooled by the title the book is nothing like Twilight trust me). In this world immortals are a group that has existed as long as humans have, and not even the oldest of the immortals remember their origin.

Throughout the story we follow Nastasya, a 400+ immortal girl with a seriously messed up past. “Nastasya has spent the last century living as a spoiled, drugged-out party girl. She feels nothing and cares for no one. But when she witnesses her best friend, a Dark Immortal, torture a human, she realizes something's got to change. She seeks refuge at a rehab for wayward immortals, where she meets the gorgeous Reyn, who seems inexplicably linked to her past.”

The wayward house is run by an immortal over 1000 years old, her name is River and she and Nastasya had met years earlier at the scene of a car crash (Don’t ask). The whole story is a mystery as both Nastasya and the other immortals under River’s guidance have their stories unraveled and presented.

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board!

This week's guest post is from Teen Advisory Board member Abdi!

***

He is known as the mercenary with a mouth Wade Wilson A.K.A Deadpool one of the most mentally unstable character in the Marvel Universe. Wilson lost his mother to cancer when he was 6 years old leaving him with his abusive military father at age 17 his father died in combat in the army at age 20 Wilson joined the army then got kick out for bad behavior, but he discover that he was diagnose with cancer later this government lab promised him a cure if he do some sketchy experiments.

Deadpool on the recap page of
Cable and Deadpool #26.
Art by Lan Medina.

After the experiments Wade has lost his cancer, but because the experiments they gave him was the combinations of all the mutants they have captured including Logan A.K.A Wolverine it cased him psychical damage to his skin and slowly making him crazy. Over the years Wade Wilson has discover that he has healing factor form Wolverine and and the teleportation skill from Night Crawler's father.

With his new powers and top military training he named himself Deadpool because of the fact that he can't die (I'm not kidding no matter how many times you shoot him, stab him, decapitate he will just put his head back on and take it like a man). Deadpool is well known in the XMEN, Spiderman, and Avengers.

Guest Post: Teen Advisory Board!

Brought to you by Marshall!

*****

Hey everyone, it's Marshall, here to bring you updates on all the stuff going on in the library's Teen Room and to give recommendations on some of my favorite books.

First things first, the Teen Room is going to continue putting on cartoons once a month. But we need people to actually show up. That falls on you to show up or else the cartoons are going to go bye-bye. Moving on, the Teen Room is going to hold a Jeapordy-style competition in which the winning team receives some awesome prizes. The answers can be found in the books on display behind the glass case as soon as you walk into the room. So hurry up to make your teams, and start reading.

Moving on to books, recommendations, and upcoming books, the Teen Room has a Stephen King section which I, personally, had never seen before. I recommend the books Cell, The Shining, and Carrie, as well as Salem's Lot and any other Stephen King book you can find. His books are legendary. For those supernaturalists, don't fret. Several new books will be coming out in the next 3 months to keep everyone busy, including my favorite Bloodlines series. The 3rd one from the wildly successful spinoff series of Vampire Academy drops in February so be prepared. Also, the second book from the Anna Dressed in Blood Series is already out, so check the library for that as well.

If anything, the Teen Room is about to become a lot more interesting. So stay tuned for the latest from the Library and for updates on events coming near you. Stay classy everyone.

What T.A.B is Reading

Our rough and ready Teen Advisory Board met Monday night, and along with about a million other things, we talked about what books we've been enjoying. A consensus was met about how frustrating cliffhangers are, but a consensus was NOT met about what kind of man Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart was. Dang, these teens can argue a point.

Anyway, here's a peek at what T.A.B. members are reading/talking about these days! You, too, could be part of this heroic group of individuals!

   

     

Return of the T.A.B. guest post!

Welcome to our 2012-2013 Teen Advisory Board members on their first group blog post!

The question was: What are you looking forward to reading/viewing/doing over the holiday?

Khalil recommends "The Cambion Chronicles, starting with Living Violet. The series is AWESOME."

Smiley Cookies says "I'll be reading the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel and Eldest, the third book in the Inheritance cycle.  They may be on different levels, but they have their own type of entertainment."

And Abdi will be reading "More Deadpool comics because Deadpool is awesome."

*****

There you have it, guys -- your peers have spoken!  Stay tuned for more updates and posts from T.A.B.

TAB: Lord Byron Had a pH of 4.5

The following blog post is brought to you by Teen Advisory Board member extraordinaire, Maggie.

Being a wanna-be novelist, I look for things that I believe can make me a writer (as I avoid doing the actual writing that would probably get me there the fastest). I sit there and think: "What odd, quirky things can I have in my personality that will make me angst and experience such emotional vibrance that I will be able to write like Vonnegut?" Will I befriend a person who makes massive nests out of hair he collects from around his house, much like David Sedaris did? Or must I drink whiskey prolifically into the night, just to achieve some sort of fame like Faulkner? Better yet, I might just go a few years writing in a tiny hideaway with my face tinted green to look cadaverous, just like T. S. Eliot.

And then I get it. It's the food. You are what you eat, right? So if I eat like a writer, I must be a writer. Infallible logic. Thus, here is the link to the list of the snacks of the greatest writers, just in case any of you want to be writers yourself, by the tried and true habits of old (not seriously, though, please).

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/07/31/books/review/macnaughton.html

TAB: It's Not the End of the World

This week's guest post offering is brought to you by your own Teen Advisory Board member, Stephanie (applause!) and is a fine reaction to the latest churn-out of dystopian fiction.



Thanks Stephanie! I for one, feel much better.

Make One-of-a-Kind Gift Wrap today at 4:00

You can be thrifty and save that cash for presents!  Or you know, that special something you find for yourself when you're out shopping for Mom.

(C'mon, we've all done that.  Seriously.  It's just saving time and effort for whoever was getting you a hideous sweater anyway.)

So join your very own craftastic Teen Advisory Board this afternoon and turn that brown bag into bling.

Teen Advisory Board meeting today at 5:00

Learn it, live it, love it, people.

TAB: Anthropomorphic Tales

Hey guys! So in reading The New Yorker recently, I stumbled upon his hilarious article called "Animal Tales," by Simon Rich. It's from their Shouts & Murmurs section, which if you don't frequent and check day and night more often than you breathe, you really ought to start. It can lead to a wonderful realm of wonderful knowledge (much alike Narnia, but without the evil)!

Anyways, this article is all about taking things from the perspective of animals. I've seen it done before, but not for humor, and it's great!

Here's an excerpt of the article, which consists of three conversations (frogs, dogs, and chickens):

“Well, it’s another beautiful day in paradise.”
“How’d we get so lucky?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.”
“I think I’ll go walk over there for a while. Then I’ll walk back over here.”
“That sounds like a good time. Maybe I’ll do the same.”
“Hey, someone refilled the grain bucket!”
“Is it the same stuff as yesterday?”
“I hope so.”
“Oh, man, it’s the same stuff, all right.”
“It’s so good.”
“I can’t stop eating it.”
“Hey, you know what would go perfectly with this grain? Water.”
“Dude. Look inside the other bucket.”
“This . . . is the greatest day of my life.”
“Drink up, pal.”
“Cheers!”
(Laughs.)
(Laughs.)
“Hey, look, the farmer’s coming.”
“Huh. Guess it’s my turn to go into the thing.”
“Cool. See you later, buddy.”
“See ya.”

Well! Hope you guys are enticed to check out the humor section of The New Yorker! Even if political commentary ain't your thing, chickens must be, right? Unless you're a vegetarian, in which case we can go for the soy protein equivalent (talking soy protein? o.o)\

-Maggie

Teen Room Blog: Now with More Teens!

Hey, hey.

So, we've kind of discovered that we've been using the 'yes, i am old' tag a little too often. We need some new blood around here. Young blood. The amazing and talented members of the Teen Advisory Board are going to be contributing to this very blog on a regular basis -- you'll be able to tell their posts from ours because they will actually be using current slang, and using it correctly. ALSO, the titles of their posts will begin with a triumphant TAB.

Oh man, I'm so excited.

As always, if you're interested in joining TAB the best idea is jump and squeal in front of the desk gasping "I want to JOIN! I want to JOIN!" Why wouldn't you?