Facebook Online Book Discussion

Teens are some of the busiest people I know. Music lessons, homework, sports, after school activities, etc., etc. During the school year, most of you are so busy you hardly have time to go to a book discussion.

BUT did you know that Morton Grove Public Library has an online book discussion on Facebook? It's so quick and easy! Check it out! It's on our Facebook Fan Page in the Discussions tab. (Not a fan yet? Become one!) Every month we'll discuss a new book. One question will be posted each week.

For March, we're even letting YOU decide which book you want to discuss! Go to our Facebook Fan Page, and in the left column, choose between these three books:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Hurry! Voting ends Sunday, February 28th at 5 pm!

Award Winners: Nonfiction

Do you like to read about things that really happened? Here are five fascinating books awarded by the American Library Association with excellence in nonfiction for young adults. Pick one up at the Library today!

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith
By Deborah Heiligman
After creating a list of the pros and cons of marriage, science-minded Charles Darwin chooses to marry his strictly religious first cousin. Little does he know that he is about to embark upon the most loving, creative, and intellectually important relationship of his life.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
By Tanya Lee Stone
In the early 1960s, the doctor in charge of testing NASA’s astronauts decided to find out if female pilots were capable of passing the grueling qualification tests required of male pilots. Feasible? Yes. Allowed? No. All testing of women’s potential for the Mercury program was done outside NASA’s purview and without their permission. The reasons why will stun readers.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
By Phillip Hoose
Hoose recounts the largely untold story of Claudette Colvin, who was arrested and jailed at the age of 15 after refusing to relinquish her seat on a bus to a white woman. Interviews with Colvin create a vivid picture not only of the Montgomery bus boycott but also the Browder v. Gayle case, in which she was a key defendant.

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum
By Candace Fleming and illustrated by Ray Fenwick
Thrill to the audacity! Gasp at the hucksterism! Come one, come all to the jaw-dropping, larger-than-life biography of expert humbugger, relentless curiosity seeker, and unparalleled showman P. T. Barnum.

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
By Sally M. Walker
By presenting a detailed examination into the work of different types of forensic archaeology at excavations in both Jamestown, Virginia, and Colonial Maryland, readers are rewarded with both a picture of this fascinating work and an appreciation for what it contributes to our knowledge of history.

Book Cover Revealed

Big news this week for a certain popular YA series! Scholastic revealed the title and cover of the third and final book in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy!

Mockingjay will be published on August 24th. If you haven't read the first two in the trilogy yet, you still have some time! Check the Library catalog for The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

Have you already read them? What do you think of the new cover?

Book Review: Life As We Knew It

Life as We Knew It
By Pfeffer, Susan Beth
Check the Library's Catalog

When Miranda Evans hears astronomers have predicted that a meteor is going to hit the moon, she doesn’t give it a second thought. But, when it hits, because the meteor is denser than believed, it pushes the moon closer to Earth. This change in distance completely alters life on Earth, creating tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and more. Miranda, along with her mother and brothers, must fight for survival in a new world of dangerous weather, decreasing supplies of food and water, lack of electricity and heat, and complete isolation.

Life As We Knew It is written as a journal. This makes the novel a quick and interesting read because readers get a true sense of what life is like for Miranda and her family. We see her anger, fear, and sadness when dealing with this drastic change. The descriptions are so vivid that it’s easy to get lost in the story, believing chocolate chips are rare delicacies and the sight of the large moon is unsettling. Pfeffer’s second book is called The Dead and the Gone and follows the same scenario from the perspective of a new character in New York City. The third book in the trilogy is called This World We Live In and is out in the spring. Pick up this first book and get started on the trilogy today!

Award Winners: Alex

Are you a young adult who likes to read adult books? The Alex Awards is given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. These books range from fantasy to memoir to graphic novel. Give one of them a try!

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Young teen William, who taught himself enough physics and engineering to build a windmill and bring electricity to his drought-stricken village, discovered the magic of his Malawi homeland in the

miracles of science.

The Bride’s Farewell by Meg Rosoff

Rather than marry without love, Pell Ridley absconds with a favorite horse and her brother, Bean. Both are quickly lost, and Pell’s perilous journey to find Bean leads to discovery of the things she ran away from: family, love, and herself.

Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr.

While still in the womb, voices warn Junior of his impending death by comet in this unusually structured coming-of-age story. He has 36 years. How will he spend them?

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

This eye-opening account of “the surge” in 2007 follows the troops of Battalion 2-16, revealing the gritty reality for all those good soldiers serving in Iraq.

The Kids Are All Right: A Memoir by Diana Welch and Liz Welch with

Amanda Welch and Dan Welch

This heart-wrenching memoir, collaboratively written from four different points of view, chronicles the ups and downs of the Welch siblings, who struggled to define the notion of home after their parents died.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Fantasy and reality meld in unexpected and tragic ways when 17-year-

old Quentin Coldwater trades his ho-hum Brooklyn existence for the

magical society of Brakebills College.

My Abandonment by Peter Rock

Based on a true story, 13-year-old Caroline and her questionably sane father live in a nature preserve on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. A haunting exploration of familial lore, survival, and hope.

Soulless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel, by Gail Carriger

Wielding a parasol and hairpins, 25-year-old soulless spinster Alexia

Tarabotti accidentally stakes a vampire lacking all common etiquette to open this delightfully dangerous romp.

Stitches: A Memoir, by David Small

Replete with themes of anger, pain, and hope, and employing classic imagery from Alice in Wonderland, renowned illustrator Small chronicles the harrowing story of his childhood and adolescence in this dark graphic novel.

Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, by Kevin Wilson

In a wholly original collection of stories, Wilson turns down the odd side streets of reality to explore rentable relatives, unscrupulous Scrabble workers, Mortal Kombat–fueled romancers, and the adventures of other wildly quirky characters.

February Programs

Hey teens! There are LOTS of programs coming up this month at the Library just for YOU. Some of these programs have limited space, so check the registration date and reserve your spot before they're gone!

To register:
Online: Go to http://calendar.webrary.org
By phone: Call 847-929-5101
In person: Stop by the Reference Services Desk or Youth Services Desk

Teen Library Council (TLC)
Tues. Feb. 2nd, 6-7 pm
Meet new friends, get involved in fun activities, tell us what you want to see at the Library, and earn volunteer service hours in the process!

Teen Zine

Fri. Feb. 5th, 4-5 pm

Ever heard of a teen ‘zine? Learn about these self-created magazines and how you can use your creativity to start one.

DIY Crafts: Marble Magnets
Sat. Feb. 6th, 1-2 pm
Come to the Library and create fun marble magnets to put on your locker or refrigerator! Instructions and supplies are provided.
Registration is required. Registration is open NOW!

Teen Tech Workshop: Online Music
Mon. Feb. 8th, 4-5 pm
Do you know all there is to know about Microsoft Word 2007? Learn to create, format, and illustrate documents. This class will also cover templates, columns, headers, and more. Limited to 6. Morton Grove residents have priority.
Registration is required. Registration is open NOW!

Teen Drawing/Writing Club
Thurs. Feb. 18th, 5-6 pm
Do you like to write or draw? Come to the library for an informal club meeting where you can share ideas, tips, or just talk to other writers or artists.

Gettin' Saucy Teen Cooking Class
Tues. Feb. 23rd, 6-7 pm
Learn to prepare delicious food! Supplies and instructions provided. Grades 7-12 only.
Registration is required. Registration opens: 9 am Feb. 9th

See you there!