Reading Rants 2008 Top Ten

www.readingrants.org
Reading Rants, a website featuring out of the ordinary booklists for teens, has been an online presence since 1998. Written by Jennifer Hubert and designed by Andrew Mutch, Reading Rants has become a popular book review source for teenagers as well as their grown-ups. In May 2007, Andrew transformed the original website into an interactive blog, where teens can not only respond to Jen’s reviews but write their own.


2008 Top Ten
Please note that there has been absolutely no attempt to balance this list by age, gender or genre. These are just my “from-the-gut” favorites. Just click on the title to go right to the review.
Abel, Jessica. Life Sucks.
Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. II: The Kingdom on the Waves.
Barlow, Toby. Sharp Teeth.
Johnson, Maureen. Suite Scarlett.
Lanagan, Margo. Tender Morsels.
Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.
Meldrum, Christina. Madapple.
Myracle, Lauren. Bliss.
Rebeck, Theresa. Three Girls and Their Brother.
Reeve, Philip. Here Lies Arthur.

Best Pictures of 2008

The Boston Globe's "Big Picture" site has 120 of the best photos of the year from around the world, showing amazing natural events, the horrors of war and disasters, and the triumphs of human achievement.

Check them out

here

here

and here.

(Please be aware that some of the photos contain disturbing images, including some injuries and even images of the dead. We suggest the site in spite of this because the overall collection is so powerful.)

Merry Christmas!

Santa's just had a long night. What is he dreaming of?

May the Force Be with Yule!

Did you know there was a Star Wars Holiday Special? It stars many of the characters from the original Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), as well as some characters you never heard of. It's the first time the world met Boba Fett. And it turns out George Lucas doesn't like to talk about it.

What could Lucas possibly have to hide? Why is this lost masterpiece not on DVD? Find out for yourself, starting here.

A Twist on the Classic Christmas Tree

Take a look at some unusual Christmas trees around the world.

Buzzwords of 2008

Buzzwords are words and phrases people use to describe a new trend. The New York Times has a list of what was hot in '08 -- including online favorites like "FAIL," "Twitt-," and "DWT." Read about high-tech graffiti, Stephanie Meyer fans, the perfect kung fu term for pwning a jaguar, and more.

Club Penguin

http://www.clubpenguin.com/
Club Penguin is a snow-covered, virtual world where you can play games and interact with friends in the guise of colorful penguin avatars.

The Internet: It's Good for Ya

The next time someone complains that you're spending too much time on-line, you can remind them about the Digital Youth Project's recent report that says Internet use is beneficial to teens.

Then, once your position is secure, go play the drums or pop some bubble wrap.

New Books: Ghostbusters, Joker, and more

Ghostbusters: Ghost Busted

The heroes of the Ghostbusters films return in an all-new collection of manga stories. They’re saving New York from ghosts, ghouls, and poltergeists!

Joker by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

The Joker has been released from Arkham Asylum. Now he’s back on the streets of Gotham City, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get back what’s his.

Headlong by Kathe Koja

High school sophomore Lily opens herself to new possibilities when she becomes friends with “ghetto girl” Hazel, a new student at the elite prep school which Lily has attended since preschool.

I Have Seen the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke

Seventeen year-old Robert wants to fight in the Civil War, but a promise keeps him working the family farm and the Underground Railroad… until a letter from his cousin propels him into a prison escape to free his Confederate uncle.

Teen Game Night - Wed., December 17

Come play Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and more! Snacks and drinks provided.

The Game Night will run from 7 to 8:30 and is open to all teens grades 6-10.

The Hajj and Eid al-Adha

Yesterday, Boston.com posted a big photo spread about the Muslim Hajj and the festival of Eid al-Adha. These amazing photos show an insider's perspective of Muslims performing their duty to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. They also show how Muslims around the world commemorate Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son to God.

Website of the Week

Cartoonster
http://cartoonster.kidzdom.com
This site is a site worth visiting if you are interested in learning about the basics of cartoon animation. Created by a teenager, there are simple tutorials that help you understand the concepts of frame by frame animation.

College students play "Muggle Quidditch"

Check out this article about Boston University students who play a live-action version of the game made famous in the Harry Potter novels.

New DVDS for December

The Oak Lawn Public Library orders many of the latest and greatest movies and TV shows on DVD every week. But if you look at our shelves, you might not always see the newest stuff. That's because many of our patrons reserve them weeks before they're ever released.

If you've never done it before, it's easy! You can ask our staff for help in getting started, or you can do it online through our website. Just use our catalog to look up the DVDs you're interested in. (Naturally, it also works for books, music, etc.) Then hit the "Request" button. You'll need to sign in using your Oak Lawn library card, and a PIN, or password. Then you'll be added to the wait list. When your turn comes up, we'll call you letting you know you can pick up your DVD.

Here are some of the new releases coming up for December:

December 2
American Teen
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Wanted

December 9
The Dark Knight
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season
Man on a Wire

December 16
Mamma Mia!
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

December 23
Burn After Reading
Death Race
Hamlet 2
The House Bunny

December 30
The Duchess
Eagle Eye
Ghost Town

Click to Give Free Food

The Hunger Site was founded to focus the power of the Internet on a specific humanitarian need; the eradication of world hunger. On average, over 220,000 individuals from around the world visit the site each day to click the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button. To date, more that 200 million visitors have given more than 300 million cups of staple food.

The staple food funded by clicks at The Hunger Site is paid for by site sponsors and distributed to those in need by Mercy Corps and Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest). 100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners. Funds are split between these organizations and go to the aid of hungry people in over 74 countries.

New Books

All About Lulu by Jonathan Evison

After his mother dies, William stops growing – until his bodybuilding father remarries a kind grief counselor and brings him a troubled stepsister, Lulu. Soon she’s his constant companion and his heart’s true desire. But when she begins to pull away, he must find meaning somewhere else.


Green Lantern: Tales of the Sinestro Corps

Graphic novel. The Green Lantern Corps – intergalactic police who use high-tech rings fueled by willpower to defend the universe. Now they face the Sinestro Corps, a villainous army whose yellow rings are just as powerful, but run on fear. Includes files on many of the heroes and villains from the series.


Last Battle of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

The finale of the fantasy trilogy begun with The Cry of the Icemark and Blade of Fire. Queen Thirrin must protect her kingdom from her murderous daughter Medea, who has returned with the King of the Darkness and his terrifying Ice Demons.


On Beale Street by Ronald Kidd

In segregated Memphis, Tennessee, Johnny has found a job working for Sun Records, which keeps him near the blues clubs of Beale Street. But when a young musician named Elvis Presley records his first song at Sun, nobody has heard anything like it. Controversy surrounds the new kind of music just as racial tensions are on the rise. Johnny sees the power music has to bring people together, while secrets from the past threaten to tear his world apart.

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

Chicago, 1941. Fifteen year-old Ruby Jacinski helps support her family with a dull factory job, until she meets neighborhood bad boy Paulie. Soon she is wearing silk and satin and making lots of money doing what she does best – dancing. Paid ten cents a dance to lead lonely men around a dance floor, she thinks she’s found a way out of poverty… until swinging with the hep cats turns into swimming with the sharks.

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Kristy, a sophomore in an alternative high school, thinks that nearly everyone dislikes her. She should know – she’s psychic. But she begins to doubt her powers after learning long-held family secrets and some classmates’ true feelings.

You Just Can’t Get Enough

The latest Gossip Girl entry, featuring the heart-stealing Carlyle triplets.

Twilight Movie - What Did You Think?

Twilight, the movie, opens today.

If you've seen it, what did you think? How does it compare to the book? Do the actors live up to your imagination? Does the music work?

Send us your comments!

(Also, if you'd like to send us a full-length Twilight review, just click on the Review & Comment Form on the left.)

Websites of the Week: Decisions, Decisions

Making decisions can be hard, whether it's deciding how to spend your time, what kind of pizza everybody can agree on, or who gets to go first in a game. Fortunately, the web offers tools to simplify just about any decision.

When you can't convince someone with a persuasive argument, it's time to fight them hand-to-hand -- with rock, paper, scissors, that is. This simple game has been used to solve many disputes, but maybe it's not as simple as it looks. The World RPS Society website offers a look at basic and advanced strategy, tournaments, and even what your preferred move says about your personality.

Designate is an on-line tool that makes decisions for you in a snap. Just type in a question, such as "Who should wash the dishes tonight?" or "What should we have for dinner?" Then type in some choices and press the "designate" button. In seconds, your decision will be made. And if you don't like it, you can start over.

Then of course, there's the classic coin flip. But suppose you don't have any change on you. Or maybe you're bored with using a regular quarter. Random.org's Coin Flipper allows you to virtually flip anywhere from 1 to 16 coins from all over the world. The main site also provides random dice rolls, lottery numbers, and more.

New Books: New Ender and more

Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card

A new sequel in the Ender series tells what Ender did after saving the planet Earth.




Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

Fifteen year-old Jeff describes his stay in a psychiatric ward after attempting to commit suicide.



The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas

While regularly petitioning the Vatican to make her the first living saint, fifteen year-old Antonia Labella prays to assorted patron saints for everything from help with preparing the family's fig trees for a Rhode Island winter to getting her first kiss from the right boy.


William Henry Is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke

Thirteen year-old Robert attempts to understand why his friend William Henry is treated as less than human because he is black. Set in 1859 against the backdrop of the Underground Railroad.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Having recently been dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, former child prodigy Colin Singleton sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life.

Teen Game Night - Wed., Nov. 19

Come play Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and more! Snacks and drinks provided. The Game Night will run from 7 to 8:30 and is open to all teens grades 6-10.

Obama Wins Presidency

Scholastic News Online

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/election2008.htm

Website of the Week

We at Teenreads.com bring teens info and features about their favorite authors, books, series and characters. We are a part of The Book Report Network, a group of websites founded in 1996 that share thoughtful book reviews, compelling features, in-depth author profiles and interviews, excerpts of the hottest new releases, literary games and contests, and more with readers every week. Teenreads.com is THE place online for teens to talk about their fave books --- and find the hippest new titles!

New Books: Little Brother; Mexican WhiteBoy

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (author of the blog Boing Boing)

When the Department of Homeland Security turns San Francisco into a police state after a terrorist attack, a teenage hacker decides to fight back against oppression.




Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Peña

Danny, a half-white, half-Mexican teen with a 95-mph fastball but no accuracy, spends the summer finding in the alleys and ball fields of San Diego, learning about his family and himself.

Website of the Week: Candy Addict

Candy Critic
http://www.candycritic.org/

People give up trick or treating eventually, but most of us never lose our love for candy. Get ready for Halloween with the Candy Critic, a guy who reviews every type of candy he can get his lips on. Everything from classic candy bars to weird and wonderful treats from around the world are reviewed and discussed. Does a chocolate fortune cookie taste as good as it sounds? Should we even bother with a "slimy mint thing"?

The Candy Critic also has reviews on other types of snacks, ranging from salty to gum to lollipops. You may also want to check his links to many more candy-themed websites.

Don't read this site on an empty stomach!

Teen Game Night - Wed., October 22

Come play Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and more! Snacks and drinks provided.

The Game Night will run from 7 to 8:30 and is open to all teens grades 6-10.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Oracle of Bacon http://oracleofbacon.org/index.php

The trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is based on the concept of the small world phenomenon and rests on the assumpition that any actor can be linked through his or her film roles to actor Kevin Bacon.

Example:
Justin Timberlake
was inLongshot (2000)
withDennis Keiffer
was inDeath Sentence (2007)
withKevin Bacon

Teen Advisory Board Meets Wed., October 15

An easy way to earn volunteer time or just get better service at the library, TAB meetings are 1 hour a month, 7-8 p.m.

Teens tell the Library their opinions and ideas for upcoming programs. They rate programs we've just had. They tell us what books, movies, and music they'd like to see us add to our collection.

All you have to bring is your opinions and your requests. We bring free snacks and drinks. Easy, painless, filling.

For more information, call at 708-422-4990.

How to Subscribe to This Blog

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To get more enjoyment out of your feed reader, find other blogs and websites that you like to read. See if they have RSS subscription. If so, subscribe to them. Now you'll have fresh, fun, and interesting content coming to you all the time!

Teen Read Week

October 12-18

Click on the link below to take the Vampire Books Quiz and win a chance to receive the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
http://www.oaklawnlibrary.org/YS_quiz.html
Plus, check out these great vampire reads...

De La Cruz, Melissa. Blue Bloods. J/Fic De La Cruz
Select teenagers from some of New York City's wealthiest and most socially prominent families learn a startling secret about their bloodlines.

Garden, Nancy. My Sister the Vampire. J/Fic Garden
A beautiful Maine summer turns deadly for Sarah, Tim, and Jenny Hoskins and their neighbors as they discover the horrifying truth about the strange new owners of Spool Island.

Rees, Douglas. Vampire High. YA Fic Rees
When his family moves from California to New Sodom, Massachusetts and Cody enters Vlad Dracul Magnet School, many things seem strange, from the dark-haired, pale-skinned, supernaturally strong students to Charon, the wolf who guides him around campus on the first day.

Somper, Justin. Demons of the Ocean. J/Fic Somper
When twins Connor and Grace's ship is wrecked in a storm and Connor is rescued by pirates, he believes that Grace has been taken aboard the mythical Vampirate's ship, and he is determined to find her

My Sister the Vampire (Series) J/Fic Paperback

Opening Today: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

By now, you've probably seen the commercials for the new movie, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Maybe the name reminds you of that commercial where the guy meets the girl, then spends the rest of his life telling her what's on his MP3 player. (It's not like that at all.)

But we wouldn't be doing our job as a library blog if we didn't point out that it's adapted from a book by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (YOUNG ADULT FICTION/COHN).

The story follows one night as Nick and Norah meet on the streets of New York City and pretend to be dating so they won't be embarrassed in front of their exes. Of course, one thing leads to another, and at some point, they aren't pretending any more.

Tell us what you think of the movie and/or the book. If you've experienced both: Did the movie live up to the book? What did they change?

Jet Pack Man Crosses English Channel

The future is here! It used to be that science fiction writers imagined that people would wear jet packs in the future.

The US Army actually tried to develop a jet pack in the middle of the 20th Century:
http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/Museum/Jetbelt.htm The problem was that they didn't work very well for combat situations.

That didn't mean people stopped imagining how cool it would be. James Bond used one as a gadget in Thunderball, and a Disney superhero fought Nazis with one in The Rocketeer. Then there's this guy.

But now Swiss pilot Yves Rossy has flown from England to France on a new kind of jet pack with wings.

What do you think? Is it just a cool stunt, or is there a way to make jet packs useful in the future?

For more on jet packs, check out this Wikipedia entry (but remember that wikis may have bad information mixed in with the good).

New Books: Hollywood, Manga, and The Queen of Sleepy Eye

Angel Diary
Volumes 1-6

Hollywood Nobody series

1. Hollywood Nobody

2. Finding Hollywood Nobody

3. Romancing Hollywood Nobody

4. Goodbye Hollywood Nobody

The Queen of Sleepy Eye

Here is a picture of my cat named Sebastian. That is his formal name, but I call him Puki. He likes to crochet.

Website of the Week

Internet Public Library for Teens

www.ipl.org/div/teen/

Teenspace includes all sorts of links to help you with homework, life and fun!

• A+ Writing
• Hot Topics
• Homework Help
• Graphic Novels Guide
• Poetry Wiki
• FAEQs
• Procrastinator
  
  
  

Your cat, dog, hamster, etc. could be famous!

.

Here is another cute kitty. Her name is Stalker, she lives on a farm.

Send us your pet photos and we will showcase them on the blog.

email photos to OLPLYS@gmail.com

Pet Photo

Here is my cat. Her name is MooKitty because she was born on a dairy farm and she's black and white like a cow. She is 6 years old and loves to chase crumpled up paper. --Miss Sarah, Youth Services Librarian

Homework Helper: EBSCOhost

Every student has to write papers using a variety of sources. When you need magazine and/or newspaper articles, the Oak Lawn Public Library provides a handy "homework helper" -- EBSCOhost Web.

EBSCOhost is an electronic database that allows you to look up magazine and newspaper articles on a wide range of subjects. You can search by a particular magazine or newspaper. You can search within a particular range of years; for example, if you only want to know what was published on the subject between 2006 and 2008, you can limit your search to those years.

EBSCOhost can also give you the full text from reference books, original documents, biographies, and a wide range of health and technology journals. It even has a collection of photos, maps, and flags.

Where do I find it? EBSCOhost is only available at the library. You can access it from any of our database computers, or from any Internet station through our website. Just find the menu item "Library Resources," then "Indexes and Databases." Use the drop-down menu to find "Basic Reference Resources" or "All Indexes," then scroll down until you find "EBSCOhost MasterFILE Premier."

Your music, your personality

A new study claims that the kind of music you listen to is closely linked to your personality type. Listen to rap? You're more likely to have high self-esteem and be outgoing. Listen to rock or heavy metal, the study claims, and you might have low self-esteem and be lazy and shy. Read the full story and then tell us in the comments: Do you agree with the study? Do your musical tastes say something about how hard you work or how you feel about yourself? Or do you just like the way it sounds?

Upcoming Evening Programs

Open Mic Readings

Wednesday, September 17 @ 7pm

Local writers are invited to share original poetry and short stories. Five minute time limit.

The True Lives of Pirates

Tuesday, October 17 @ 7pm

A slide lecture packed with fascinating facts about where pirates come from, their living conditions on the high seas and the rules, rewards and punishments of a pirate's life.

Fall Program Registration Begins Saturday

You can register for fall programs at the Youth Services desk beginning Saturday, August 30.

Need volunteer hours, or just feel like helping out? Students in grades 6-10 can join the Junior Friends of the Library, a team of volunteers that helps the children's department with programs, displays, and general upkeep of the area. Just register at Youth Services with your library card, then come back on Monday, September 15 at 4 p.m. for orientation. All Jr. Friends will work at least 10 hours during the 10 weeks between September 15 and November 22. Additional hours may be available. Best of all, you can choose the schedule that works for you!

Want to see better programs and service at the library? Join us each month for our Teen Advisory Board (TAB), to tell us what you want. You don't bring anything but your opinion. We provide snacks, service hours, and the chance to make a difference in the library. What fun and interesting programs can we offer? What books, movies, music, and games do we need to add to our collection? The next meeting is Wednesday, September 17 from 7 to 8 p.m.

Want to play Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and more with friends? Come to our monthly Teen Game Night -- the next one is Wednesday, September 24 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Snacks and drinks provided.

Wiki Week Part 3 – Wikis and Wookies

There are many fun and interesting wikis available beyond Wikipedia.

Hardcore Star Wars fans created and write for Wookiepedia.

Wookiepedia is a part of Wikia.com, which has many, many wikis, from wikis about books and series - http://www.wikia.com/wiki/Books -- to ones on gaming -- http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/Wikia_Gaming.

Wikihow - http://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page - is packed with articles on how to do practically anything. Remember, these may not be written by experts and should be taken as “free advice” – you get what you pay for.

Have you found others? Let us know in the comments!

Wiki Week Part 2 – Wikipedia (Be Careful!)

Wikipedia is a free on-line encyclopedia that anyone can contribute to. YOU can write and improve articles on Wikipedia.

That means that a lot of people are taking subjects they know and care about, and teaching others more about them. Wikipedia claims to have millions of articles in hundreds of languages. You can find an article on practically anything – and if you can’t, YOU can start one!

But there’s a downside. If anyone can change the information on Wikipedia at any time, how do you know if it’s correct? Some people who contribute will get their facts wrong. Some write their own opinions as if they’re facts. And some will put fake information in just for fun.

If someone catches a mistake, they can fix it. But if they don’t know it’s a mistake, they might think it’s true. That’s why it can be dangerous to rely on Wikipedia for homework assignments.

Take a close look at the article. Does it list any sources at the end? Does it claim things that say “citation needed”? If there are no sources to build the article, then whoever wrote it might have made up some or all of it.

A good Wikipedia article will have links at the bottom to other sources. If you’re researching something for school, check these sources. Do they seem reliable? Do they link to an official web page of some kind? For example, are some of them government web pages with official information, or trusted newspapers?

Wikis can be good sources of information. Just use good judgment as you decide how much of it you use.

Have you used Wikipedia? What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments!

Wiki Week Part 1 – What’s a Wiki?

Chances are, if you've Googled something in the past couple of years, you've come across a Wikipedia article on the subject.

Wikipedia is just one example of a "wiki." Wikis are web tools that allow groups of people to share information with each other.

New DVDs

Burn Notice - season one
Covert intelligence operative Michael Westen has been punched, kicked, choked and shot. Now he's being burned, and someone's going to pay. When Michael receives a "burn notice," blacklisting him from the intelligence community and compromising his very identity, he must track down a faceless nemesis without getting himself killed in the process. Meanwhile, Michael is forced to double as a private investigator on the dangerous streets of Miami in order to survive.

Iron Man (9/30/08)
When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil (PG-13).

The Love Guru (9/16/08)
With his thick beard, curly mustachios, and easy-to-remember aphorisms, Guru Pitka has built a reputation as love advisor par excellence--but he's still just America's #2 guru, after Deepak Chopra. Finally an opportunity comes his way: If he can heal the rift between a star hockey player and his wife, he can appear on Oprah. But when he meets the hockey team's comely owner, Pitka realizes he must solve his own love problems as well (PG-13).

Planet B-Boy (10/28/08)
Planet B-Boy is set in the International world of B-boying the urban dance more commonly known as break dancing. Weaving between the vivid backdrops of Osaka, Paris, Seoul and Las Vegas, unforgettable images frame the intimate stories of dancers who struggle for their dreams despite being misunderstood by larger society and even their own families (unrated).

Star Wars - Episode I, II, IV and V

I: The Phantom Menace
II: Attack of the Clones
IV: A New Hope
V: The Empire Strikes Back
(PG)

Summer Reading Photos

Tie-dye Program



























Retro Food






















Book Buddies



















Live Clue