Summer Reading Recommendations 2008

Book Lists, Award Winners, and Recommendations for Summer Reading – 2008

This is a compilation of recent awards winners and recommended reading lists for Young Adults. This may help you (teachers) choose new material for your Summer Reading List, or may help you (parents and kids) choose interesting, fun, and quality books to read for pleasure.

ALA Teens’ Top Ten – 2007 (FICTION)

More than 6,000 teen readers across the country chose New Moon by Stephenie Meyer as their favorite book in the annual Teens’ Top Ten. The online vote took place during Teen Read Week, October 14–20, 2007, with the second entry in Meyer’s popular vampire romance series winning easily.

1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
2. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (Viking Children’s Books, 2006)
3. How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles (Flux, 2006).
4. Maximum Ride: School’s Out – Forever by James Patterson (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
5. Firegirl by Tony Abbott (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
6. All Hallows Eve (13 Stories) by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt, 2006).
7. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, 2006).
8. River Secrets by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, 2006).
9. Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (HarperCollins, 2006).
10. Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Chicken House, 2006).

ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers – 2008 (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)
The Quick Picks committee seeks books that teens, ages 12-18, will pick up on their own and read for pleasure. The list is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read. The list is not intended for teenagers with reading disabilities, though some of the selected titles may be appropriate for those teens. Teen input is a vital aspect in the final decision of the committee.

Bey, Dawoud. Class Pictures. 2007. Aperture, $45.00 (978-1-59711-043-3).
Erskine, Kathryn. Quaking. 2007. Penguin Group/ Philomel Books, $16.99 (978-0-399-24774-3).
Greenfield, Lauren. Thin. 2006. Chronicle Books, $35.00 (978-0-8118-5633-1).
Grody, Steve and James Prigoff. Graffiti L.A.: Street and Art. 2007. Abrams, $34.99 (978-0-8-1099-2986). Hopkins, Ellen. Glass. 2007. Simon & Schuster/ Margaret K. McElderry Books, $16.99 (978-1-4169-4090-6). Jamal, Joesph. Tupac Shakur Legacy. 2006. Simon and Schuster/ Atria, $45.00 (978-0-7432-92603).
Shaw, Susan. Safe. 2007. Penguin Group/ Dutton, $16.99 (978-0-525-47829-4).
Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. 2007. Simon and Schuster, $16.99 (978-1-4169-1204-0).
Sitomer, Alan L. Homeboyz. Hyperion/ Jump at the Sun, $16.99 (978-1-4231-0030-0).
Thalia. Thalia: Belleza!: Lessons in Lipgloss and Happiness. 2007. Chronicle Books, $19.95 (978-0-8118-5829-8).


ALA Alex Awards 2008 (FICTION)

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing.

• American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China, by Matthew Polly, published by Penguin/Gotham Books (ISBN13:978-1592402625)
• Bad Monkeys, by Matt Ruff, published by HarperCollins (ISBN13: 978-0061240416)
• Essex County Volume 1: Tales from the Farm, by Jeff Lemire, published by Top Shelf Publications (ISBN13: 978-1891830884)
• Genghis: Birth of an Empire, by Conn Iggulden, published by Delacorte (ISBN13: 978-0385339513)
• The God of Animals, by Aryn Kyle, published by Scribner (ISBN13: 978-1416533245)
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Sarah Crichton Books (ISBN13: 978-0374105235)
• Mister Pip, by Lloyd Jones, published by Random/Dial Press (ISBN13: 978-0385341066)
• The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss, published by DAW (ISBN13: 978-0756404079)
• The Night Birds, by Thomas Maltman, published by Soho (ISBN13: 978-1569474624)
• The Spellman Files, by Lisa Lutz, published by Simon & Schuster (ISBN13: 978-1416532392)

ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults – 2008 (FICTION)

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Illus. by Ellen Forney. Little, Brown, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-316-01368-0; $16.99.

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Sarah Crichton, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-374-10523-5; $22.00.

Downham, Jenny. Before I Die. Random House/David Fickling, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-75155-1; $15.99.

Hemphill, Stephanie. Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-375-83799-9; $15.99.

Jones, Lloyd. Mister Pip. Dell Publishing/Dial Press, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-34106-6; $20.00.

Landy, Derek. Skulduggery Pleasant. HarperCollins, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-06-123115-5; $17.99.

Peet, Mal. Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal. Candlewick, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-7636-3488-9; $17.99.

Polly, Matthew. American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China. Penguin Group USA/Gotham Books, 2007; ISBN13: 978-1-59240-262-5; $26.00.

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel. Illus. by Brain Selznick. Scholastic, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-439-81378-5; $22.99.

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. Illus. by Shaun Tan. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-439-89529-3; $19.99.

ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award 2008
The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, that have been popular over a period of time. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world.

Orson Scott Card is the recipient of the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring his outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens for his novels Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.

An accomplished storyteller, Card weaves the everyday experiences of adolescence into broader narratives, addressing universal questions about humanity and society. The award was announced January 14 at the 2008 Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA) in Philadelphia.

Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow both published by Tor Books, present a future where a global government trains gifted young children from around the world in the art of interstellar warfare, hoping to find a leader whose skills can prevent a second attack upon humanity by the insect-like aliens descriptively nicknamed "buggers." Young Andrew "Ender" Wiggin may be the savior they seek. He is not alone, as seen in the companion tale, Ender's Shadow, where orphaned Bean relates his own Battle School experiences. Just as the stories of Ender and Bean are paralleled in the novels, their experiences echo those of teens, beginning as children navigating in an adult world and growing into a state of greater awareness of themselves, their communities and the larger universe.

"Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow continually capture the imagination and interest of teens," said Edwards Committee Chair Brenna Shanks. "The conflicts of self and society, on a personal level and on a universal stage, never lose relevance."

Card, the author of numerous books, short stories and plays, lives in Greensboro, N.C.

ALA The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature 2008

The White Darkness, by Geraldine McCaughrean, published by HarperTempest, an imprint of HarperCollins has won the 2008 Michael L. Printz Award. McCaughrean has won numerous awards for children's literature in her native England. Celebrated for her novels, picture books and folklore adaptations, The White Darkness is her first contemporary young adult novel

Fourteen-year-old Symone's exciting vacation to Antarctica turns into a desperate struggle for survival when her uncle's obsessive quest leads them across the frozen wilderness into danger.

"Symone's unforgettable voice propels this journey of discovery in a book that is intricately plotted, richly imaged and brings new meaning to the term unreliable narrator," said Printz Award Committee Chair Lynn Rutan. "Readers will need to hang onto their snow goggles in this compelling book in which nothing is as it seems at first glance."

2008 Printz Honor Books

1. Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox,
2. One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke
3. Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
4. Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

Reading Across Rhode Island 2008

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

RI Teen Book Awards

2009 Nominees

Recommended for Middle School Students

Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen

Recommended for All Teens

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell

Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Epic by Conor Kostick

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes

Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier


Recommended for High School Students

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Beige by Cecil Castelucci

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser

Buried by Robin Merro MacCready

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Trigger by Susan Vaught

Children's Program - Magic with Scott Jameson

Middletown Public Library presents

Magic by Scott Jameson

Friday, December 28 11am

For more info, call the Children's Room at 846-1573

December Calendar

Events and Important Dates for December at the Library

December 7 - Friday - Greeting for the Troops YA Program - 2 - 4pm

December 14 - Friday - Email for Beginners Computer Class - 1:30 - 3pm

December 24 - Monday - CLOSING at 5pm

December 25 - Tuesday - CLOSED for CHRISTMAS

December 28 - Friday - Magic by Scott Jameson Children's Program - 11am

December 28 - Friday - Intro to the Internet Computer Class - 1:30 - 3pm

NEW Encyclopedia Britannica - In Print AND Online!

The library has purchased the latest edition of Encyclopedia Britannica - in print and ONLINE!

The print version will be on the shelves in the reference section soon, and the ONLINE version is available NOW. You can access the online version in the library, or at home (with your valid library card number). The online version also includes free access to Britannica Kids, which is perfect for homework assignments through grade 6 (or so). The link to Britannica Kids is in the upper right corner of the Britannica homepage.

We hope to have the links up on our library homepage soon, but in the meantime, you can access the encyclopedia both in the library and from home using the links in the sidebar of this blog.

Access Encyclopedia Britannica in the LIBRARY

Access Encyclopedia Britannica from HOME
*To access from home, you must have your valid library card number available

Let us know what you think!

Greetings for the Troops! - YA Program

Young Adult Program

Greetings for the Troops
Friday, December 7, 2 - 4 pm

Teens can come make greeting cards and write letters to be sent overseas to US Troops in time for the Super Bowl. Materials and ideas will be provided for making cards and decorated letters. All you need is your creativity!

Program is open to ages 12 and up.

Registration recommended, but not required.

To register for a program or class, please call the Middletown Public Library at 846-1573 or sign up at the circulation desk.

Upcoming Events

We have some new Adult Computer Skills classes coming to the library!

Email for Beginners - Adult
Friday, December 14, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Don't have an email address or not sure how your existing email address works?
Come to this class and set up an online email account, learn how to send and receive mail, and how to organize your mail.
Class size is limited to 7 people.
Registration required!


Internet for Beginners - Adult
Friday, December 28, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
New to the internet? Confused by what's out there?
Come learn what the World Wide Web "is," how to access it, and simple navigation techniques.
Class size is limited to 7 people.
Registration required!

To register for classes, please call the library at 846-1573 or sign up at the circulation desk.

Homework Drop-In Schedule

The Homework Drop-In Program has returned for its second season!

If your middle or high school student needs some extra help with homework, a aper, or a project, they can drop by the library and meet with VOLUNTEER tutors from Roger Williams and Salve Regina.

The schedule (so far) for this semester is:
Monday 3 - 6
Tuesday 3 - 5
Thursday 4 - 6 MATH HELP Available
Saturday 10am - 2pm MATH HELP Available



Please Note! This schedule may change to include more hours! To check on the current schedule, please click on the Homework Schedule link in the sidebar to the right. We have added Saturday hours to accommodate those with busy after-school schedules.

This is a volunteer drop-in program. Therefore, you cannot schedule times, and you cannot cannot be guaranteed that a specific tutor will be available. Please check the schedule, and then just stop by. And please be sure that your child has their assignment sheet and any books/tools necessary to work on the project.

This program is open to children and teens in grades 5 - 12.

Winners!

Congratulations to Holly and Keri, winners of the YNK (You Never Know) Summer Reading Program! Keri, a 5th grade student at Gaudet won the grand prize, an iPod Shuffle, for reading and writing reviews for a staggering 18 books! Holly, a Junior at Middletown High, took home a $25 gift certificate to Green River Silver in Bristol (thanks, Green River!) and a journal (Holly loves to write). Both Holly and Keri are talented writers - watch for more reviews from both of them at Teen Spot Reviews. If your teen is interested in writing book reviews and being published, direct them to the reference desk to sign up!

Family Geocaching Program

The Middletown Public Library will be hosting a
Family Geocaching Clinic
Sunday, September 16
1:30 p.m.

Geocaching is a fast-growing, healthy, and adventurous sport for all ages - and it's a particularly great FAMILY ACTIVITY. Geocachers use a hand-held GPS receiver to locate published latitute/logitude coordinates; at the coordinates, geocache hunters find a hidden treasure (the geocache or cache).

Geocaching allows you to get some exercise, interact with nature and the outdoors, see parks, preserves, and areas that you probably didn't even know existed - right in your own backyard!

Join us for
* Basic Instruction
* Safety Tips
* Refreshements
* Mingling with experienced geocachers
* And find your first geocache!

This is an ALL Ages Program.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more general info on Geocaching, visit www.geocaching.com

For more info on the program, or to register, please call the library at 846-1573.