Free audiobooks!

Trying to get your hands on a copy of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins?

For one week, you can download the audiobook for free! Just go to this website: http://www.audiobooksync.com and follow the links and instructions. The download is in mp3 format, compatible with Windows and Macs, and will play on most listening devices.

Also this week, you can download the audiobook for The Lottery and 7 Other Stories by Shirley Jackson. If you're a fan of The Hunger Games, you'll probably like the short story "The Lottery" too. Hurry and download these great books before August 4th! Each week until September 1st, two new titles will be available. Remember to check back!

After you've listened to the audiobook for The Hunger Games, don't forget to register for the teen program R.E.A.D.: Read, Eat, and Discuss on August 18th at 7 pm. We'll discuss the book, eat food, and win prizes! You can register now by visiting the Reference Services Desk, calling 847-929-5101, or going to calendar.webrary.org.

Banned Books Week

Two weeks ago you probably saw books on display at the library for Banned Books Week. Young Adult books are usually some of the most questioned books across the United States. Common reasons for challenging a book are "offensive language", "unsuited to age group", and "violence." Just because a book may be challenged somewhere, doesn't mean it's bad. Sometimes the challenges raise awareness about a book or subject and teens can discuss it and what they think about it. Other times a book may be questioned by someone who hasn't even read it but thinks it contains material that's not suited for teens - you. Here are some of the most frequently challenged books in the last few years.

• What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• TTYL by Lauren Myracle
• Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
• The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
• Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
• The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
• Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

It's never too late to celebrate, highlight, and discuss books that are questioned. What do you think? Have you read any of these? What would you say if someone told you that you (and everyone else) shouldn't be allowed to read something?

New Books!

Looking for something new to read? A few books that have already gotten a lot of buzz come out TODAY!

Fire by Kristin Cashore

She is the last of her kind... It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to

unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

This fantasy novel is a considered a prequel to Graceling, but you don't have to have read it to pick up Fire.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

You may have read Scott Westerfeld's other books - Uglies, Pretties, Peeps, etc. - but this is a brand-new sci-fi trilogy. The first book, Leviathan, takes place in an alternate 1914 Europe. Fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.

While these two are processing to get out on the shelves asap, be sure to get your hold on them today. And in the meantime, here's a few other new books out recently that you may have missed...

Pop by Gordon Korman

Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, sixteen-year-old high-school quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose childish behavior keeps Marcus in hot water.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Libba Bray was well-known for her Victorian-gothic Gemma Doyle trilogy. Her newest novel, Going Bovine, is nothing like her other books. Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob's (aka mad cow) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.

These (and A LOT more!) are available at the Teen Zone in the library. Stop by and pick them up today! Have you already read any of these? Let me know what you think!

New Teen Books coming to MGPL

The newest shipment of teen books will soon be on the shelves. If you want to make sure you get the book you want to read right away, you can place a hold on the book at the Library with help from a Reference Librarian or you can reserve a book by yourself from any computer. Once you find the book you want in our catalog, click on place a hold and enter your library card and PIN number. So simple!

Here's a few of the titles:
Girl, Barely 15: Flirting for England
by: Sue Limb
The Sweet Far Thing
by: Libba Bray
Project 17
by: Laurie Faria Stolarz
The Luxe
by: Anna Godbersen
My Swordhand is Singing
by: Marcus Sedgewick
Before I Die
by: Jenny Downham
Every Crooked Pot
by: Renee Rosen

more graphic novels are coming in too
- check out the newest Naruto or The Good Witch of the West

R.E.A.D. Book Club

"In the end, only the survivor gets to tell the story"

Join Read, Eat, and Discuss
Thursday, October 18, 2007
at 7:00 pm for a discussion of the book:
The Rules of Survival
by: Nancy Werlin

R.E.A.D. is open to all teens, grades 7 and up

Questions?
Add a comment to this blog or call 847.929.5124

Teen Zone Events

Calendar of Teen Zone Events

August 15 TLC Meeting 7:00 in the Board Room
August 16 Movie: Dreamgirls @ 2 & 7pm in the Baxter Room

September 1 Movie: Prestige @ 2pm in the Baxter Room
September 8 Movie: The Illusionist @ 2pm in the Baxter Room
September 18 TLC Meeting 7:00 Board Room
September 20 READ Book Club: Gospel According to Larry 7:00 in the Activity Room
September 29 Gettin' Saucy Cooking Class 11:00am (French Brunch, Registration Req.)

October 6 Movie: Hotel Rwanda @ 2pm in the Baxter Room
October 7 Movie: Freedom Writers @ 2pm in the Baxter Room
October 11 Chat about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows @ 7:00pm
October 18 READ Book Club: The Rules of Survival 7:00pm (check blog for location)
October 30 Gettin' Saucy Cooking Class: Halloween Edition 6:00pm (Regis.Required)

READ, EAT, AND, DISCUSS

Join MGPL's Teen Book Club for a discussion of its next book:

The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian

Seventeen year old Josh started his own website to put his thoughts out into the world for people to see. He had no idea how famous it would make him!

Thursday, September 20, 2007
7:00 pm @ the Library

FYI--
READ's October book is The Rules of Survival by: Nancy Werlin
Thursday, October 18, 2007
7:00 pm @ the Library

Read, Eat , And Discuss

Join us June 28 at 6:00 pm in the Activity Room to discuss I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. We have four copies available on the shelf for checkout.
Barnaby's Pizza, dessert and pop will be served!
Call 847 929-5101 to register.

Read, Eat, And Discuss: Book Club

The May/June title for Read, Eat, And Discuss Book Club is I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. The meeting will take place in the new Activity Room on the Lower Level of the Library with plenty of pizza for participants. Please stay tuned for date of meeting!!

Send your suggestions of titles for the group to read and discuss for our next ballot.

Happy Reading!

Book Club @ McDonald's and Teen Cooking Class this week!

Now that we are all back from Spring Break it is back to all the usual activities! Read, Eat, and Discuss Book Club meets this Thursday, 7 pm, at McDonald's on Dempster in Morton Grove. We will be discussing Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. Free food for participants! If you have not read it yet, there is still plenty of time. It is a short, quick read packed with emotion and suspense.

Come Get Saucy at the Teen Cooking Class on Saturday, April 14, 12:30 pm. We will be preparing a lunch of Chinese specialties. Call 847-929-5101 or e-mail info@webrary.org to sign up and reserve your spot. Space is limited to 10 chefs.

Hope to see you very soon @ MGPL!

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - a must read!

At the March meeting of Read, Eat, And Discuss, book club raved that Twilight is an amazing love story full of dramatic moments and surprising twists. 4+/4 Stars!

Everyone at the meeting was anxious to read the next book in the series, New Moon!

Join us for our April meeting to discuss Inexcusable by Chris Lynch.Thursday, April 12, 7 pm @ McDonald's
See you there!

Rave reviews for Pudge, the Colonel, and Alaska Young!

If you have not met them yet, they are characters in John Green's book, Looking for Alaska, the 2006 Printz Award Winner for Young Adult Literature.

MGPL's Read, Eat, And Discuss book club met last night at McDonald's and decided that the book deserves 4-50,000 stars for a review! ********** Our most enthusiastic response yet. Post your comments here to share with the group.

Be sure to get a copy of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer to read for Thursday, March 1, 7 pm, meeting at McDonald's. Call 847-929-5101 or e-mail info@webrary.org for more info.

New members are welcome to every meeting. See you there! Happy Reading!

Read, Eat, And Discuss @ McDonald's

Thursday, February 1 @ 7 pm

Read, Eat, and Discuss Teen Book Club will meet to discuss Looking for Alaska by John Green at McDonald's in Morton Grove, 6309 Dempster Street.

Free food for participants!

Sign up at the Reference Services Desk, call 847-929-5101, or e-mail info@webrary.org

See you there! Happy Reading!

A Must Read! From Read, Eat, And Discuss Book Club

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding was an overwhelming favorite at December's Read, Eat, And Discuss book club meeting on Thursday, December 7.

It was tough to decide which was the scariest part of this fantasy, thriller plot that twisted through the dark streets of London. The group decided if this book was made into a movie that we would go see it in a snap! We also decided which Hollywood stars we would cast as all of the characters.

Please post a comment if you have read the title and have thoughts to share.

Join us at the upcoming meetings, Thursday, January 4 @ 7pm to discuss How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff and Thursday, February 1 @ 7pm to discuss Looking for Alaska by John Green.

New members are welcome at all book club meetings.

Happy Reading!

Read, Eat, And Discuss recommends The House of the Scorpion!

At the November 2 meeting of Read, Eat, and Discuss Teen Book Club we discussed The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. The group voted four out of four stars to this futuristic, science fiction, coming of age, good verses evil, page-turning title! There were many aspects to the book that we thought would make an excellent movie!

Post a comment here if you have read the title and have thoughts to share.

Please join us at the next meeting Thursday, December 7 @ 7pm. We will be discussing The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding.

If you would like to know upcoming dates and titles for future planning...
Thursday, January 4 @ 7pm, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Thursday, February 1 @ 7pm, Looking for Alaska by John Green

New members are welcome at all book club meetings.

Happy Reading!

Read, Eat, And Discuss: Teen Book Club

At the October 5 meeting, we discussed If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. The group unanimously decided four out of four stars for the realistic "first love" story that is set in New York City.

Post a comment here if you have read the title and have thoughts to share.

Please join us at the next meeting, Thursday, November 2 @ 7 pm. We will be discussing The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer.

The group selected titles for the upcoming December and January meetings. The December title is The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding. The January title is How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.

Happy Reading!

Read, Eat, And Discuss: Teen Book Club

At our September 7 meeting we discussed The Beast by Walter Dean Myers. After a very thoughtful discussion, our group rated the book 1.5 stars out of 4. Ouch! Hopefully the next book will be rated higher.

The next book club meeting is @ 7 pm on Thursday, October 5, 2006. We will be discussing If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson.

The group also selected the title for the meeting on November 2, 2006. We will be discussing The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer.

Read, Eat, And Discuss: Teen Book Club

Friday, August 11 @ 11 am, the Teen Book Club is meeting to eat pizza and discuss the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Tuesday, August 15 @ 3 pm, the Teen Book Club is watching the movie Speak in the auditorium at the Library.

All teens are welcome to join our group for either or both of the events!

The next R.E.A.D. Teen Book Club meeting is Thursday, September 7 @ 7 pm to discuss
The Beast by Walter Dean Myers.

Happy Reading!