Library Ninja!

Freestyle Fridays @ Northeast

2009-07-10T14:06:00.002-05:00

Come make your very own polymer clay pen!

Where: Northeast Branch Library
When: July 10 @ 3pm

2009-07-10T11:22:00.001-05:00

Harry Potter Mania @ Central branch today! 1:30-5:30 Trivia, crafts, and a movie. Throw on a costume and enjoy snacks and more! http://ping.fm/ycDh7

Sneaky book fanatics

2009-07-09T14:50:00.004-05:00

My mom, brother, and I read pretty much the same books. My brother lives in my apartment complex and likes to sneak into my apartment and steal my books (and food, of course) when I'm not there. He usually leaves food wrappers or plates sitting around, so of course I know he's been there. He's not the stealthiest person I know.

My mom is sneaky in a different way. She recently read the Twilight series and loved it. Yay! But then I had her read The Hunger Games and she just about had a fit when she found out there is a sequel that won't be out until September. [ insert maniacal laughter here ] She hates to read series that aren't completed because she hates having to wait for the next book to come out.

I am a sneaky daughter because I tricked her into reading Patrick Ness' The Knife of Never Letting Go, knowing all the while that there is a sequel that has not yet been published. The book is incredible, one you don't want to put down, not even to eat or take a shower, so she loved it as much as I did.

But then she got sneaky. Patrick Ness, the author of The Knife of Never Letting Go, lives in England, so the book comes out first in the UK and is published months later in the U.S. The sequel, The Ask and the Answer is due to be published September 8, 2009.

I went over to her house yesterday and guess what she had? That's right. A UK copy of The Ask and the Answer. She'd ordered it through Amazon.co.uk and was very smug about it, too!

But I did what any good, sneaky daughter would do. I grabbed it and took it home with me. So now I am happily reading it and will know what happens in the story before she does. This is where I give a happy little sigh. =)

The Ninja Reviews. . ."Absolutely Maybe" by Lisa Yee

2009-07-08T08:30:00.005-05:00

What do tacos, platform shoes and kool-aid dyed hair have in common? Nothing really unless you read Lisa Yee’s latest book Absolutely Maybe.

The story revolves around Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut aka Maybe (yes, that’s her name and her mother’s name is equally long). She’s a daughter of a former beauty queen who does not live up to her mother expectations – kool-aid dyed hair does not scream Miss USA. After living through rounds of her mother’s various marriages in the boring town of Kissimmee, Florida, she decides to find her real father in California. In her quest, she is joined by two friends who get swept away in their own adventures.

This is Yee’s first venture into young adult literature and her efforts paid off. Yee has written children’s books before: Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time, and So Totally Emily Ebers. Each of these shares experiences of a developing friendship with wit and humor. This is the same for Absolutely Maybe. The characters are whimsical and quirky adding something more to a typical storyline of a girl finding herself. Whether it is the unusually long names, the stories of past boyfriends, her best friend’s out of this world personality, or a taco truck of deliciousness, the book served as an enjoyable, quick read.

Review by Lina

This book is on YALSA's top 10 nominee 2009 books for teens. You can see the list of nominees here. During August 25 through September 18 you can vote on your favorite and help create YALSA's next top 10 list!

The Ninja Reviews. . ."Impossible" by Nancy Werlin

2009-07-06T10:18:00.010-05:00

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to the one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine…”

Begins the ancient rhyme and classic song that has become a curse to the women in the Scarborough family. At seventeen, Lucy Scarborough discovers that unless she can fulfill the three quests written in the song, she will fall into madness at the birth of her child. Lucy has seen the curse at work in her mother’s life but is unsure if it is mental illness or another darker evil that haunts her. Her loving foster parents and her lifelong friend, Zach, are determined that she will not face her fate alone. Thus begins the race to unravel the puzzle of the rhyme and save Lucy from a timeless evil.

Impossible is an awesome story of love, friendship, and forgiveness. The characters are believable and engaging and will completely suck you into their world. I found myself reading faster and faster as Lucy’s time ran out. A great summer read you won’t be able to put down!

Review by Angela

Here's a book trailer that'll make you want to read it even more!

This book is on YALSA's top 10 nominee 2009 books for teens. You can see the list of nominees here. During August 25 through September 18 you can vote on your favorite and help create YALSA's next top 10 list!

Teen Review by Mikayla... Crowned by Julie Linker

2009-07-06T09:44:00.007-05:00

Hairspray, check
Fake Tan, check
Cute Swimsuit, check
Evening Gown, check
Sabotage Equipment, check

Presley loves the world of beauty pageants and glamour. She has a full time job being a cheerleader, helping at the retirement home, and preparing for the upcoming state scholarship pageant. So when her evil competitor, Megan,is found making out with Presley’s long time boy friend the heat is on.

How far will these 2 go to take home the tiara and title of Miss Teen State? When the winner also gets a chance to be a new reality show, they will stop at nothing… As Presley prepares for the contest she has to endure stolen boy friends, incriminating Internet Pictures, and vicious message board rumors, her 3 friends and a mysterious bad boy help her through it all. But will it be enough to help her win?

Books you might also enjoy…

Thanks Mikayla! You just earned yourself a free book! Any teens that frequent any branch of the Arlington Public Library can do the same thing too. Read a book, write a review, and then click the 'Email Us' link at the top of the page to send it in! You can also bring it by your library and give it to the teen staff member. Everyone is eligible for one free book a month!

HP displays

2009-07-03T09:29:00.002-05:00

Speaking of Harry Potter, you should really check out the Harry Potter displays at Lake Arlington and Woodland West. I hear they are pretty schnazy. If I can get my hands on some photos, I'll post pics of the displays!

Everyone's favorite wizard is back on the big screen!

2009-07-02T17:35:00.001-05:00

To celebrate the upcoming Harry Potter movie, the Central Library and Woodland West Branch are hosting a few programs the week the movie comes out.
Picture copyrighted by Warner Bros.

Harry Potter Mania!
Friday, July 10, 1:30-5:30
George W. Hawkes Central Library, Community Room

Come celebrate all things Harry Potter exactly one week before the new movie comes out! We test your muggle brain with trivia and have Harry Potter themed crafts followed by the showing of the most recent movie out on DVD! Snacks will be provided. Harry Potter costumes are encouraged! Participants should be 13-18 years old due to the PG-13 rating of the movie.

Harry Potter Trivia
Tuesday, July 14, 2 p.m.
Woodland West Branch Library

Think you remember all there is to know about Harry Potter? Put your muggle brain to the test before the new movie comes out. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Grades 7 to 12 only. Space is limited. Registration is required for this event. Please call 817-277-5265 to register!

Harry Potter Movie Day
Thursday, July 16, 2 p.m.
Woodland West Branch Library

We want to be prepared for the newest Harry Potter movie, so we’re showing the latest HP movie out on DVD. Wizards and muggles both are welcome. Dress up if you’d like! Snacks will be provided.

The Ninja Reviews...The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

2009-07-02T17:16:00.009-05:00

Set during the turbulent times of the French Revolution, The Red Necklace follows the life of young Yann Margoza. Born into the life of a performer, he has traveled with a dwarf and a magician, helping them perform various tricks for numerous audiences across France. However, when a Count Kalliovski invites them to a special performance at Marquis de Villeduval's chateau, Yann's world becomes filled with death and shady pasts.

Sally Gardner smoothly transitions the reader to a previous time, as the reader follows the lives of Yann, a young gypsy with extraordinary gifts, and the Marquis' unfortunate daughter, Sido. The reader gets to see how, at the worst possible time in French history, the life of a simple performer gets intertwined with the realm of nobility.

The Red Necklace will draw you in with unforgettable characters.

The Ninja Reviews... Bloodline by Katy Moran

2009-06-29T13:36:00.006-05:00

The year 650 A.D. in Britain is a time of allegiance to Kings and lords. With the always looming possibility of war, the right allegiance is often the only way to survive. Essa, however, is a boy with no ties except to his father Cai, a roving musician and story weaver. Curiosity is often all Essa can hold on to when it comes to his ancestry. He is neither fully Wixna, Northumbrian, nor Wolf Folk. When Cai mysteriously leaves his son among the Wolf Folk, Essa learns to make a family regardless of blood ties.

Three years after he is left, Essa is made to submit allegiance to the Wolf Folk, sending him on a mission which in turn puts him in the middle of the Wixna people and the Wolf Folk. Knowing King Penda wants to attack his forged family, his true love, and all he holds dear has Essa creating strange alliances, honing his mysterious gift of sight, and bringing forth hidden secrets of his parentage and past.

Mixing history with the mysterious, Katy Moran's Bloodline is a surprising page turner set in Britain. Though sometimes names, clans, and geography can get confusing, Moran has included a helpful map in the beginning of the book labeling the names of British land areas and where the clans live. Teens who love coming of age stories, historical fiction, war stories, and mysteries will enjoy Bloodline. Recommended for all ages.

This book is on YALSA's top 10 nominee 2009 books for teens. You can see the list of nominees here. During August 25 through September 18 you can vote on your favorite and help create YALSA's next top 10 list!

Freestyle Fridays @ Northeast

2009-06-25T15:21:00.006-05:00

Where: Northeast Branch Library Meeting Room

When: June 26th @ 3p.m.

What: Create your own rubberband bracelets!

Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"

2009-06-24T17:33:00.003-05:00

Aaaaahhhhh!!! I've been waiting several years for this! It's finally here!! Well, almost.

If you are a fan of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, or Alice in Wonderland, then you'll be just as excited as I am to see the first official images from the new movie. The current release date is March 5, 2010.

Click on any of the photos to read more!

Teen Webisode Auditions!

2009-06-23T13:44:00.008-05:00

July 7, 3-5 p.m.
The world’s first sci-fi teen soap opera has arrived at the Lake Arlington Branch Library! This show, called The Topic, tells the story of a king’s granddaughter, Mardge Samedi. Mardge and her best friend follow a police officer on his investigation of a kidnapped lawyer. The two girls have no idea at that time how drastically their lives are about to change. . .

We're Casting For:
Mardge: 15-16, female
Wesachloe: 15-16, female
Lawyer: (Constent Teller Andrewson): 15-17 male
Officer Drupe: 15-16 female/male
Soldiers:13-16 male/female
Dancers/Singers: Any

The performance will be recorded during a live audience, and then uploaded online!

Auditioning spaces are limited, so call 817-478-3762 to reserve your spot today!

*If auditioning for a speaking role, please bring a photograph and a memorized monologue. If auditioning for a singing/dancing role, you must also have a memorized song/routine ready to perform.

The Ninja Reviews... Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, second book in The Hunger Games trilogy

2009-06-22T10:29:00.010-05:00

Were you trapped by The Hunger Games? Then feel yourself burn for Catching Fire...

Katniss and Peeta made a mistake. Sure they were able to both stay alive, making Hunger Games history last year. But their rule breaking, particularly on Katniss' part, has brought down the hard fist of the Capitol upon them. Even President Snow has made threats to Katniss, mainly centering around killing her family and friends...friends that seem to shut her out. Gale reveals his true feelings for Katniss while seemingly pushing her away, confusing her even more, as Peeta keeps his distance while reminding her she is everything to him.

All Katniss wants to do is escape into the woods, but with the Capitol threatening all she holds dear, she must figure out how to make things right. While she tries to undo what she did to win the Hunger Games, Katniss and her mockingjay pin become symbols of small rebellions that are rippling through the districts in Panem. The Capitol is not happy with these small acts of defiance, putting more pressure on Katniss.

In an attempt to appease the President, Katniss must find a way to convince him and the rest of Panem that she is still blissfully in love and on the fast track to happily-ever-after with Peeta. As hard as she tries, Katniss' tendency to wear her true emotions on her sleeve doesn't convince the President of her affection. As the 75th annual Hunger Games begins, there is devastating news in the form of the Quarter Quell, which happens every 25 years in the Hunger Games. Katniss must decide what is most important and what is worth fighting for.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced copy of Catching Fire from one of our librarians who went to BookExpo America. The actual novel doesn't come out until September 1, 2009. This gives all of you plenty of time to read The Hunger Games, which I heartily recommend for anyone: guy or girl, teen or adult, romance or sci-fi lover. The Hunger Games is, as one of my coworkers put it, crazy addicting. I have to say that book two, Catching Fire, is just as obsession worthy. If you want to find out more about The Hunger Games then read The Ninja Review of it.

If you've read The Hunger Games. . .

2009-06-19T10:09:00.005-05:00

Here's a little something to drive you crazy while you wait for Catching Fire to be released September 1st.

Brought to you by Expanded Books.

Vote now for MyCard@MyLibrary

2009-06-18T13:57:00.007-05:00

Click on the box to vote!

Penguin Offers Online YA Author Episodes!

2009-06-17T10:56:00.009-05:00

Hey there, everyone! :)

Penguin has announced the start of a brand new interactive feature on their website dubbed YA Central; they plan to feature interviews, Q & A sessions, and conversations with current YA authors. They're just getting started, so only three authors are accessible at the moment - Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green & Laura Myracle. Why not stop by and watch an episode or two? You just might learn some interesting new facts about these authors and their books.

This week at the library. . .

2009-06-16T12:45:00.006-05:00

First, don't forget our weekly, recurring programs.

Video Editing 101
Tuesday, June 16, 1-3 p.m.
Central Branch, The Studio

If you fancy yourself the next Stephen Spielberg then we invite you to learn the basics of how videos are put together. Using Adobe Premiere, we will navigate the basics of importing, editing and completing digital videos.

Must be 13-18, bring your library card and a picture ID (school ID or driver's license), or a parent with an ID.

The Art of Ancient Origami
Wednesday, June 17, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Southwest Branch Library

Learn the ancient ceremonial art of Japanese paper folding with a modern twist!

Got Tape? Redux
Thursday, June 18, 3-6 p.m.
Southeast Branch Library

Join us at the Southeast Branch for this Summer Reading Club craft favorite as we once again test our ingenuity using duct tape as our creative tool. Explore the possibilities this versatile tape and your imagination have to offer as you make everything from unique (and free!) Father’s Day gifts like wallets and ties to flip flops and sturdy bags for the pool. Whatever you choose to create using the “strongest tape in the world,” it is sure to survive the test of time! All supplies provided.

Teen Review by Mikayla...Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2009-06-12T09:17:00.005-05:00

For Zoey Redbird life has just taken an unexpected turn as she enters the world of vampyre’s and the House of Night.

Not only dose she have to leave her old friends behind, but the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has gifted her with affinitys for the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit). Her life is made extremely when the leader of the Dark Daughters (the schools most elite club), Aphrodite “welcomes” her to the school, and when she imprints on her human ex-boyfriend.

After starting her new life as a vampyre fledgling Zoey has to face new challenges and fears when she discovers that the High Priestess-in-training is misusing her goddess given abilities behind the schools back. Zoey’s mentor Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night and helps Zoey through the difficulties of the change. But what will Zoey do when the people she trusts the most may be the enemy, and the enemy could be more trust worthy than friends.

I loved this book and my favorite characters are Zoey and Eric.
There are 5 books in the series and a 6th coming out 10/27/09!

The sequels to Marked…

The Ninja Reviews...The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2009-06-11T16:34:00.008-05:00

Jenna Fox has been in an accident; a really bad accident. After spending a year in a coma, she wakes up, not in a hospital, but a house she has never seen before. Her mother and grandmother are by her bedside, with anxious faces. There's only one problem.

Jenna Fox does not remember anything.

Mary E. Pearson keeps you guessing the entire book. Every page reveals a new mystery ast to why her parents moved her away from her home town after the accident. Why none of her things came with her. Why they won't let her attend school.

Ms. Pearson has written a novel which will make the reader rethink everything they have thought about what life really means.

Don't let this book sit on the shelf! Immerse yourself in a world which seems like the one all around you, but holds something wondrous and terrifying underneath the surface.

Freestyle Fridays at Northeast

2009-06-11T16:32:00.002-05:00

Summer Reading Club at the Northeast Branch library is all bout your creative side on our Freestyle Fridays at 3pm.

June 12: Retro Tie-Dye

June 19: Instant Teen Zine
Topic-Rules: Make 'em, don't follow 'em!

June 26: Rubberband Bracelets

July 10: Polymer Clay Pens

July 17: Instant Teen Zine
Topic-30 Questions

July 24: Paint Chip Bookmarks

July 31: Instant Teen Zine
Topic-A List

What's an Instant Teen Zine you say? Well, have you ever wanted to be published? Now you can be during Freestyle Fridays at the Northeast Branch Library. Just show up with your creative juices flowing and help your fellow teens put together your very own magazine which will be published when finished.

Book Signing and Donuts!

2009-06-11T11:15:00.001-05:00

This Friday (as in tomorrow!), Rachel Caine will be signing copies of her latest book, Carpe Corpus, at Barnes & Noble in Fort Worth, 1612 S. University Drive.Click Here for directions from the Central Arlington library.

We all know donuts are delicious. I mean, right? YA author Lara Zielin's book Donut Days comes out in August, but she's sending me an advanced copy to review just for all of you! To help promote her book (and the fact that donuts are oh-so-delicious), Lara made this video for the enjoyment of donut-connoisseurs everywhere. If you like it, let Lara know, because she is a super-fabulous lady.

Get a Hobby!

2009-06-09T11:09:00.008-05:00

It's summer and you've got some free time, so why not do something constructive!? Check out many of the crafts, technology programs, and summer fun we're having at the library and, while you're participating, take a look at some of the awesome teen hobby books we have!

Summer Reading Club

2009-06-08T10:08:00.008-05:00

Saturday was the first day of Summer Reading Club and this week we have programs every day!

Teen Summer Programs

Wii^TM Free Play Night and Day
Southeast Branch
Monday, June 8, 4 - 7 p.m.

Teen Sculpture
East Branch
Tuesday, June 9, 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Read-In Challenge
Lake Arlington Branch
Wednesday, June 10, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
AND
Woodland West Branch
Thursday, June 11, 1 - 5 p.m.

Twilight Night: Trivia and Craft
Central Branch
Friday, June 12, 2 - 5 p.m.

The Official New Moon Trailer!!!

2009-06-03T16:26:00.006-05:00

Here it is! The first official trailer for New Moon!