Book Review Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!

Here are a couple of YA book reviews by Savannah, age 13:

Book Author: Melody Carlson
Book Title: Pitch Black 
Star Rating: 5 Stars


















"I liked this book because it keeps you going. You never want to stop. I finished (this book) in one day. It is sad, but breath-taking. You never know what to expect."



Book Author: Gina Ciocca
Book Title: Last Year's Mistake
Star Rating: 5 Stars




"In the book Last Year's Mistake, there were a ton of interesting things going on. It was a romantic, drama-filled, and exciting book! You get very excited about one chapter that you have to read on. I loved this book so much. It is my favorite book now. It kind of reminds me of a mystery book, but romantic. I would recommend this book to people that like books with romance. (It is) funny, interesting, and just amazing. I loved this book. I wish she wrote another one like it."

Both books are in the MCPL YA collection! Check out or reserve a copy today.

Warm Up With A Good Book Display and Reviews

 As the month is nearly over, it usually means that it is time to change the displays in the library. As often as I can, I like to ask my tweens, teens, and staff to list their favorite books. Not only is this a fun decor, but it also provides great book reviews! (Thank you, Pinterest, for your inspiration!)

Here is an example of one of the coffee mug mini- reviews:

Here are some of the coffee-mug mini-reviews of books available at MCPL:

The Assassins Blade: the Throne of Glass Novellas by Sarah J.Maas
"It's a book filled with action, heartbreak and a little bit of romance."- Helen

Deep, Dark, and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
"When I read thus book, I could see the complete picture."- Isabelle

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
"It's full of adventure and mystery surrounding the purpose of the maze."- Hannah

Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
"Awesome, storyline and amazing characters. I absolutely love this series!"- R.S.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
"I think this book is very interesting, romantic, adventurous, and mysterious."- Lesly

There will be more reviews posted soon! Have a great week. :)

Book Review Wednesday: 100 Days

Hello! Here is a YA novel that I stayed up too late last night to finish. It's a good one, and be sure to have tissues handy. 

In her book, Nicole McInnes spins a tale of three high-school sophomores: Agnes, Moira, and Boone.  To her credit, she warns the readers that Agnes has Progeria, which is a progressive disease that causes sufferers to age quickly, and that she has 100 Days to live.  The story of their lives takes place in those 100 Days, and all three characters have problems to overcome.

McInnes also provides information about Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome: progeriaresearch.org. 

Friday Book Review

Happy Friday!

Today's book review is the book that Mrs. Schmidt and I will be presenting at book club at the Northridge Middle School next Monday.

The book is entitled Tabula Rasa, and this exciting read is Kristen Lippert-Martin's debut YA thriller. If you like dystopian novels (think Hunger Games), this is a good read. 

The story begins with Sarah, a sixteen-year-old protagonist, sitting in a hospital in a gown, strapped to a chair. She has bolts drilled in her head in the doctor's attempt to erase her memories.

If you want to know more, you have to read the book! ;)

Poetry as Memoir Program and Book Reviews

Shari Wagner, Poet Laureate of Indiana, is affiliated with the Indiana Writer's Center (Indianapolis). She presented a workshop on poetry as memoir. The participants needed to bring an object that was passed down to them from a deceased relative or friend.

Here are some of the main points that I took from the workshop:

 Book Recommendations and Using Imagery in Poetry 
 Book Recommendation: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.

 When writing a poem, paint with words. Most poetry is in free verse.

 Use similes and metaphor in poems.

  End your poem with an image. End your poem with a new perspective.

 Write your poem as if it were a mystery.

 Don’t be sentimental in poems. Don’t write as if the person is reading over your shoulder.

 Images instead of sentiment can be used in poetry.

  Use details that appeal to the senses. Use details of the giver of the gift.

 We read “The Box of Beads” by Jane Kenyon, “Flow Blue China” by Ted Kooser, and “Buckeye” by Shari Wagner. 

List Poem

·        We read “What I Learned from my Mother” by Julia Kasdorf

·        Variation… I learned to…

·         Verbs are important

·        Writing exercise—list to learn from a person.

·        Shari defined persona poems—speaking in another voice

·        Shari mentioned to set time to write every day around the same time. Even 10-15 minutes.

·        Weave a thread to follow.

·        Use past or present tense.

·        Use perspective and mystery in writing.

The beginning and the ending of poems are important.

 In addition, Shari has a couple of poetry books that we have in our collection at MCPL.

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Friday Book Reviews

Hello!

This review is written by Samantha Weaver, who is an adult volunteer and library student. She gave Stephen King's Skeleton Crew 4 out of 5 stars.

 "This is a collection of short stories, and each story brings chills down your spine and makes you wonder what terrors lay behind the next page. If you love reading stories that mystify and scare you, this book is for you. Many of these short stories were later adapted on the big screen (The Mist, for example)."    

The second review is written by E.T., age 11. She gave Sharon Creech's Ruby Holler 5 out of 5 stars. 

"It's confusing in the beginning, but it (the book) has excitement!" 

Both books are available for checkout at The Middlebury Community Public Library! If you are interested in submitting a book review of a book that teens may like to read, please send me an email: lori@mdy.lib.in.us.     

Friday Book Reviews

 Hello and Happy Friday!  On this blog, we will be featuring book reviews by staff and/or teens.
All of the books are available at MCPL or via InterLibrary Loan (ILL).

Here are a few Friday book reviews for you:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.
(Book review by Rachael K., 14) 

      I loved this book, due to the easy comprehension level of writing, but still in a very immersive style. The story was new, with very interesting characters that I loved to read about. The main character discovers a whole new world in which all readers can learn with him. Overall, it's definitely a book I think everyone should try to read.







Jinx by Sage Blackwood
(Book review by T.J., 14)

   I disliked this book. Although it had a neat story line, it lacked the "hook" to get me attached to this book. I am also aware of fellow readers who did not enjoy the book. The book is about a boy (Jinx) who gets lost in the forest and learns about magic. He goes on a quest to rescue an unlikely friend. I felt like this book was a punishment and I do not recommend this read unless you are a fan of fantasy and magic.





Zeus: King of the Gods by George O'Connor
(Book review by Lori, staff)

   I liked this book. The author does a great job explaining the mythological story of Zeus using a conversational tone, and using the graphic novel format. The illustrations are striking, and the story is easy to understand. I like that the inside cover features a family tree of the Olympians. I recommend this book for anyone who likes reading graphic novels and enjoy Greek mythology.