Columbine June 17, 2009

Title: Columbine

Author: Dave Cullen

Summary: On April 20, 1999, two boys entered their high school and proceeded to unleash the most unforgettable school shooting of the modern era. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were troubled outcasts in black trench coats, picked on by jocks and preps, who, after years of listening to angry music and playing violent video games, finally snapped.

Or were they? Actually, none of these accepted facts about the young killers are true. In this absorbing book for mature readers, a reporter who was on the scene that day and followed the story long after the tragedy of school shootings became seemingly commonplace, dispels the myths behind the shooting, its perpetrators, and even its victims. Everyone knows what you mean when you say ‘Columbine,’ but not one of us has ever heard the whole story until now.

Who will like this book?: Mature teen readers interested in crime and detection stories. 

If you like this, try this: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser. A mature fictional work that deals, in part, with Columbine and it’s aftermath, The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Marcelo in the Real World June 10, 2009

Title: Marcelo in the Real World

Author: Francisco X. Stork

Summary: Marcelo is different – he is not very good at interacting with new people or understanding the nuances in their conversation, but he can hear music no one else does and is deeply interested in matters of faith. At the end of his junior year, he is excited about his new job at his school, caring for the ponies that are used in student therapy. But his dad thinks he is ready to go to ‘regular’ school and tests him: If Marcelo can work the summer in the family law firm, he can return to his beloved school. If he fails or quits he must attend public school.

Marcelo takes up the challenge and enters the ‘real world,’ away from his familiar surroundings. In the office he makes friends, enemies, and discovers that it’s not so easy to determine who is bad and who is good. This beautifully written story is about growing up, testing yourself, and learning to stand up for what you believe.

Who will like this book?: People interested in the way differently-abled minds work. This is a great coming of age story for teens and adults to enjoy.

If you like this, try this: A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. For younger readers, The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Epic June 3, 2009

Title: Epic

Author: Conor Kostick

Summary:There is no violence in Erik’s world, only Epic. The global online multiplayer game allows people to create avatars to fight against one another and settle grievances. But Epic is more than just a game. It’s politics. Run by Central Allocations, a group of the richest, most powerful players, they lead a corrupt system that dictates the lives of everyone else.

Fed up with the difficulties his family faces, Erik creates a new type of character. He creates a girl named Cindella with only beauty instead of the typical fighter/elf/magician. But there’s something special about Cindella. When she starts getting attention from NPs (and not for her looks), Eric knows he’s onto something. Teaming up with his group of friends, they set off to fight dragons, find treasure, and slay the corrupt Central Allocations once and for all.

Who will like this book?: Boys and girls who enjoy discovering virtual worlds will find Epic to be a must-read. It’s packed full of adventure and has the interesting twist of a male player with a female avatar. The game system is well described but you don’t need to be a technician to understand the way this excellent sci-fi novel works.

If you like this, you should try: Saga, the sequel to Epic. Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde, 1/2 Prince(manhwa), The 39 Clues series, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Walls of the Universeby Paul Melko, The Game by Dianna Wynne Jones

Recommended by:ZZ, Fairfield resident and avid reader

The King’s Rose May 13, 2009

Title: The King’s Rose

Author: Alisa M. Libby

Summary: It is not until she is sent back to Lambeth Palace, her childhood home, that Catherine Howard is informed of her impending future: she will be King Henry’s fifth wife just as soon as he can have his disastrous marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled. Even though she is just 15, Catherine has been well-coached in her duties – she must keep her royal husband’s focus on herself, and provide the old and ailing king with a male heir. While Henry lavishes his young wife with gifts, Catherine is haunted – not only by the memories of queens past (including her cunning cousin Anne Boleyn), but by her own dangerous past.

This fast-paced historical chronicles the life of the least-famous of Henry’s wives. It doesn’t shy away from describing the lengths Catherine went to in order to get pregnant, making this a book for mature readers. If you are in the market for a summer read, this is a book that will sweep you to a Tudor court full of intrigue, scandal, and romance.

 Who will like this book?: Mature teens who like historical fiction, particularly royal historicals and ‘princess’ books. Fans of doomed romance.

If you like this, try this: Another great choice for mature readers is The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory. Younger readers might want to start with the Tudor books of Carolyn Meyer: Doomed Queen Anne (Anne Boleyn) and Beware, Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth I), or Nine Days a Queen (Lady Jane Grey) by Ann Rinaldi.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

The Last Olympian May 6, 2009

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 5: The Last Olympian

Author: Rick Riordan

Summary: In the final installment of this outstanding series, Percy and company must defend the island of Manhattan from the evil Kronos and the monster Typhon. The Last Olympian has the usual plot twists and turns, but the stakes are incredibly high: If Percy, Annabeth, Grover and the other demigods from Camp Half Blood lose the battle, civilization as they (and we) know it will unravel as the evil Titans take control.

If you haven’t read Percy yet, by gods, what are you waiting for! Begin with The Lightning Thief before the movie hits theatres.

Who will like this book?: Everybody! A great adventure series for guys and girls who don’t love to read, mythology buffs and everyone in between. This is also an outstanding series for teens and parents to share.

If you like this, try this: The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. The Mark of Solomon series by Elizabeth E. Wein. And it looks like there will be another Camp Half Blood series, featuring new campers, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Why I Fight April 30, 2009

Title: Why I Fight

Author: J. Adams Oaks

Summary: When Wyatt is 12, his house burns down. Leaving his uncaring mom and dad behind, he is taken in by his Uncle Spade, and begins his new life, moving from town to town, living with Spade’s various ‘ladyfriends.’  Wyatt, neglected and ignored, is gigantic – six feet tall and still growing. And when Spade realizes that Wyatt’s size and strength might be put to practical use as a fighter, things will never be the same. As he brawls with strangers in the backs of bars and in parking lots, Wyatt becomes more and more detached from the world around him, until an unplanned reunion forces him to change direction.

This is an intriguing story that is perfect for mature guys – especially those interested in MMA and fighting in general. It is gritty and intense, a sad story about a lost child never given the opportunities that most of us take for granted. You will be drawn into Wyatt’s world, hoping that he can find a way out before he loses himself completely in violence and desperation.

Who will like this book?: Guys looking for realistic fiction, or sports readers who are looking for something new. People who like to read stories written from a different perspective – in this case, a kid with little education but a lot of life experience.

If you like this, try this: The World Made Straight by Ron Rash. Fight fans should look at A Fighter’s Heart by Sam Sheridan or American Shaolin by Matthew Polley.  These books, like Why I Fight, are recommended for mature readers.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian