Books That Rock

by Jose J. Ruiz-Vazquez

A couple of tasty rock ‘n’ roll marinated novels.

Beige by Cecil Castellucci

Katy, a quiet French Canadian teenager, reluctantly leaves Montreal to spend time with her estranged father, an aging Los Angeles punk rock legend.

Born to Rock by Gordon Korman

High school senior Leo Caraway, a conservative Republican, learns that his biological father is a punk rock legend.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at the Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song about her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts.

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going

Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.

Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

As her band, The Hormones, becomes an international sensation, seventeen-year-old Molly begins to question the high cost of fame.

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Scott Pilgrim’s life is fantastic. He’s 23 years old, in a rock band, between jobs, and dating a cute high school girl. Everything’s awesome until a seriously mind-blowing delivery girl named Ramona Flowers enters his life.

SYNC summer special: YA audiobooks

by Andrea

This summer, SYNC pairs classic and contemporary YA audiobooks and is offering free downloads of a different pair each week beginning today. Visit SYNC for more information on how to download the titles.

Available June 23 – June 29
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

Available June 30 – July 6
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
The Trial by Franz Kafka

Available July 7 – July 13
Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster

Available July 14 – July 20
The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Beowulf by Francis B. Gummere [Trans.]

Available July 21 – July 27
Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton
Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Available July 28 – August 3
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
Rescue: Stories of Survival From Land and Sea by Dorcas S. Miller [Ed.]

Available August 4 – August 10
Immortal by Gillian Shields
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Available August 11 – August 17
Storm Runners by Roland Smith
The Cay by Theodore Taylor

The Mighty Thor

by Jose J. Ruiz-Vazquez

Getting into comics can be difficult without knowing where to start, so I’ve compiled a list of accessible storylines for those of you interested in learning more about Thor.

Thor Visionaries Vol. 1 by Walter Simonson

Few people have ever left their mark on one character quite the way Walter Simonson has. His work on the Mighty Thor swept the Norse God of Thunder to heights never before seen and rarely achieved in his wake. Spanning epic tales of heroism and treachery, love and war, Simonson’s work is often considered the definitive Thor. From the majesty and mystery of fabled Asgard to the gritty streets of New York City, Thor was never the same.

Thor: Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee

Two of comics’ immortal talents — the legendary Stan Lee and Jack Kirby — tell the tales of that most hallowed pantheon of gods: Asgard! Experience the seminal tales of Norse godhood: the origins of the Ice and Storm Giants, the diabolical Surtur, and the noble Heimdall; and the very creation of Asgard itself! Plus: delve into the boyhood of Thor, when his relationship with wicked stepbrother Loki was not yet fully formed! Throw in the earliest tales of Thor’s loyal Warriors Three — Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg — and TALES OF ASGARD proves to be one of the most fun and fast-paced curios from Marvel’s glorious Silver Age!

Thor: The Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge

He’s banished, he’s mad and he’s ready to fight! Join the Odinson as he battles robots the size of cities! He’ll tame the mightiest sea creatures and rescue damsels from distress! It’s Thor as you’ve never seen him, hammering his way into your hands!

Avengers Disassembled: Thor by Michael Avon Oeming

The End Times are here! Ragnarok appears to have come for the gods of Asgard, and only Thor and his Avengers allies might be able to stave off that fate – but will the Thunder God be Asgard’s savior, or the architect of its downfall? In search of new wisdom, Thor must repeat the ordeals of Odin – and the price may be too terrible for even an immortal to pay! Beset on all sides by treacherous foes from his past, the God of Thunder leads the tattered remnants of the forces of Asgard on a desperate quest, as the Realm Eternal burns.

Thor by J. Michael Straczynski

Not a clone! Not a robot! Not an imaginary story! The God of Thunder is officially BACK! The Odinson comes roaring back to life but how does a god return from Ragnarok?

Thor: Ages of Thunder by Matt Fraction

Matt Fraction and Patrick Zircher as they examine the triumphs and tragedies that have befallen the God of Thunder across the eons. As all the things he holds dearest are threatened by unimaginable forces of evil, Thor must rise up, again and again, to hold the line against terror and chaos as only the God of Thunder can!

ICCSD Summer Reading List

by Jose J. Ruiz-Vazquez

Summer Shoes

ICCSD Junior High Teacher Librarians have prepared a 2011 Summer Reading List which is available here:

http://www.iccsd.k12.ia.us/library/Bibs/Summer/2011SummerBib7-8.pdf

You are welcome to link to this page, download the PDF, or use however you would like.

Hunger Games, Mutts, and Biopunk Science Fiction.

by Jose J. Ruiz-Vazquez

I recently read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and really enjoyed the biopunk aspects of the series. I was especially creeped out by the muttations (sometimes referred to simply as mutts, muttations are animals that have been genetically altered by the Capitol for use as weapons).

Biopunk is a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on biotechnology. These biopunk stories explore the unintended consequences of human experimentation, synthetic biology, genetic manipulation, genetic engineering, and the like.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Really more proto-biopunk than biopunk itself, the timeless tale of reanimation shines an uncomfortable light on some of the more greedy, selfish, and dark corners of human nature.

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

Like Frankenstein, this book laid the groundwork for the biopunk movement to later emerge. It remains an essential and terrifying read.

Lilith’s Brood by Octavia E. Butler

Lilith Lyapo is in the Andes, mourning the death of her family, when war destroys Earth. Centuries later, she is resurrected, by miraculously powerful unearthly beings, the Oankali. Driven by an irresistible need to heal others, the Oankali are rescuing our dying planet by merging genetically with mankind. But Lilith and all humanity must now share the world with uncanny, unimaginably alien creatures: Their own children. This is their story.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits? And what happens when said bio-terrorism forces humanity to the cusp of post-human evolution?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives “unwound” and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs–and, perhaps, save their own lives.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

by admin

New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen-Age has a great blog post up on Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (FEBRUARY!).   Head over there to find  resources and information on dating violence.

Before working at ICPL, I worked with teens in the Des Moines area on dating violence eduction – what it is, what the signs are, and who you can talk to about abusive relationships.  It isn’t always an easy issue to talk about, but it is pretty important – each year approximately one in four teens reports verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse.  I worked with teens who experienced violence (not just dating violence) everyday, and it can make it difficult to function when you have that stuff going on around you.  Remember, if you need someone to talk to, you can contact For help contact a counselor 24 hours at United Action for Youth by calling 338-7518,
or you can contact the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474.

The following titles are YA Fiction that look at how teens deal with dating violence.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Played by Dana Davidson

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn

Boyfriends, Burritos, and an Ocean of Trouble by Nancy Rue

Teenage Love Affair by Ni-Ni Simone

Vote Now for the Iowa Teen Award

by admin

The Iowa Teen Award nominations are in and ballots are available in YA area on top of the New YA shelves.  Turn in your ballot at the Fiction Desk on the first floor.  You can also nominate titles for next year’s award.

Here is a little more info about the Iowa Teen Award:

Teens in Iowa, grades 6-9, are encouraged to participate in the Iowa Teen Award program. Participating students read books from an annual list of books and vote for their favorite title.

2010-2011 Iowa Teen Award Nominees:

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell The Boy Who Dared

Bingham, Kelly  Shark Girl

Bodeen, S. A.   The Compound

Colfer, Eoin   Airman

Connor, Leslie  Waiting for Normal

Dowell, Frances O’Roark  Shooting the Moon

Green, Tim   Football Genius

Hiaasen, Carl   Scat!

Jaramillo, Ann   La Linea

Lockhart, E   The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Prineas, Sarah Magic Thief

Scott, Michael      The Alchemyst: the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

Smith, Roland Elephant Run

Sonnenblick, Jordan Notes from the Midnight Driver

Van Draanen, Wendelin  Runaway

Have you read any of these?  If you have and really enjoyed them, please stop by and fill out a ballot and turn in by March 31st, 2011.

Books for a Snowy Day

by admin

The city has declared a snow emergency, school is out early, and the snow is piling up by the minute.  I admit, this isn’t the most creative list in the world but I picked the following books because they either had the word snow or some snowiness on their cover.  Happy Snow Day!

Snow Ball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

Having lost her stepfather, grandmother, and mother in the span of a year, seventeen-year-old Lainey unexpectedly reconnects with long-lost relatives, copes with her five-year-old brother’s behavioral problems, and endangers her long-term romance when drawn to a young man with an unexpected connection to her mother.

Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

A novel-in-verse about sixteen-year-old Ali’s reluctant road trip with her stepmother and new baby sister, and the terror that ensues after they end up lost in the snow-covered woods.

The White Gates by Bonnie Ramthun

When his mother becomes the doctor in Snow Park, Colorado, twelve-year-old Tor learns of a curse placed on the town’s doctors many years before by an eccentric Ute woman, but suspects that a modern-day villain is hiding behind that curse.
Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher
The snow-walker Gudrun came from the swirling mists and icy depths beyond the edge of the world to rule the Jarl’s people with fear and sorcery, but a small band of outlaws will fight to the death to restore the land to its rightful leader.

2011 Printz Award and Honor Books

by admin

Ship Breaker by Paulo Bacigalipi is the 2011 Printz Award winner!

The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association.

Ship Breaker sounded really familiar to me, and I realized  it was mentioned a lot when I was putting together a list of Hunger Games readalikes.    Ship Breaker depicts a futuristic world where teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living.   When he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.

Printz  honor books include Stolen by Lucy Christopher, Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King, Revolver written by Marcus Sedgwick, and Nothing by Janne Teller.

Jason recently wrote a Staff Picks blog post on Ship Breaker and the 2011 Alex Award winners, which you can find here.

New Year, New Resolutions

by admin

Have you decided on any New Year’s Resolutions this year?  If not, feel free to borrow from below.   While you are at it, go ahead and check out the linked materials at the ICPL. Good luck, and have happy new year!

BE MORE GREEN

Generation green : the ultimate teen guide to living an eco-friendly life by Linda Sivertsen

LEARN TO PLAY THE UKULELE

Beginning ukulele. Volume 1 [DVD]

DANCE LIKE THE KIDS IN FAME

Fame dance workout [DVD]

COOK LIKE A WIZARD


The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz

START YOUR OWN ‘ZINE

Zine scene / by Francesca Lia Block & Hillary Carlip

BECOME A ZOMBIE

How to be a zombie : the essential guide for anyone who craves brains by Serena Valentino

BUILD YOUR OWN WEBSITE

The really, really, really easy step-by-step guide to building your own website : for absolute beginners of all ages byGavin Hoole and Cheryl Smith

BECOME A KARAOKE MASTER

Hit me with your best shot! : the ultimate guide to karaoke domination by Raina Lee

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