Jango continues the story of Seeker, Book One of the Noble Warriors series.Sit back and envision yourself entering a mega cinema with stadium seating.Settle back in your seat with your large bucket of popcorn and 44 oz. Coke to get ready for a major summer blockbuster movie: Jango!
William Nicholson is the screenplay writer for Gladiator and Shadowlands, both of which were nominated for the Academy Awards, and Jango feels like it is also written for the big screen with big name movie stars for its characters.The story picks up with the training of the three young Noma Warriors: Seeker, Wildman and Morning Star.They are close to completing their preparation as revered Noma Warriors, but not before they each encounter their final test which will reveal weakness in two them and greatness in the third.Friends during their training, they each now face their separate destinies, which will take them to far away places and unexpected battles which rival scenes from The Lord of the Rings.
Wildman has powerful aspirations of self glory, which eventually get him kicked out of the Noma, and Morning Star discovers her long standing smoldering love for Wildman, and has to decide if she will run off with Wildman and leave her calling as a Noma Warrior or not. Seeker has a far more deadly calling as he alone heads off to fight the Nomma’s enemies: the Orlan Army and the Axer Army who are both warring for the control of Anacrea, the home of countless noble but humble villagers, and the destruction of Seekers’ beloved Noma Society.
Jango is filled with mystical creatures and dark powers vying for the souls of man and evil leaders with aspirations for immortality and eternal dominance over every living thing as their goal.The players are all in place, the battle field is chosen, but who will step up to fulfill their destiny and save the day? Oh, and what on earth does the title Jango have to do with any of this? You’ll have to read to find out!
Jango is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Reviewed by Connie Harr from Holly Springs Public Library
Have you ever had one of those days or weeks where everything that could go wrong does go wrong?Well, for Jean Honeychurch, every day, every week, has been that way since the day she was born.So much so that everyone knows her as Jinx.
And when her luck goes from bad to worse, her parents decide she needs to try a change of scene.Jinx moves from rural Iowa to the home of her aunt and uncle in New York City.But the changes in store at her new home and school are not what she was hoping for, especially when her beautiful, sophisticated cousin Tory is in the picture.
Jinx is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Maximum Ride (Max for short), Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel. Part human-part avian. Ages 6 to 14.
“Bird-kids”: the result of genetic experimentation performed at the “school”, a high tech laboratory. Their DNA is infused with avian DNA.
Aided by a talking dog named Total, they are trying to save the world from the wicked scientists who want a select a population to be reengineered into a most superior of races. The kids will have to fight the “erasers” who are human-lupine (wolf) hybrids. Then there are also the “flyboys” to contend with, made mostly of metal but with a thin “eraser” covering on the outside.
Along the way they are captured by the flyboys and taken back to the school where Max is told everything that has happened was all a dream. Was it? Angel suddenly seems to have gone over to the other side. Has she really changed or is she actually playing mind games to stay one step ahead of the scientists? Can Max and the others survive the flyboys and scientists and save us all from this diabolical scheme?
This is the 3rd book in a great series for young adults about “Maximum Ride”.
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top 10. o read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here. To request it from the library, click here. And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Tyler Miller, self-professed “zit on the butt of the student body,” has one chance to apologize to Bethany since knocking her over into a puddle of broken glass at her parent’s backyard party.He had been dragged to the party by his over zealous father who was crashing the party in order to win points with his boss, Bethany’s Dad.Could this situation be more unfortunate?Next week, when the most popular senior in his class sits next to him in the lunchroom and puts her injured foot in his lap, right in front of God and everybody,it seems that all is forgiven until an incident of Internet bullying sets him up for disaster.
Author Laurie Halse Anderson writes convincingly as a 17-year-old boy who is dealing with the pressures of family expectations and the “haves versus the have-nots” social scene of high school.His tense, verging on violent relationship with his father erodes the support he might have when accused of Internet slandering his new girlfriend, Bethany.Dark humor and realistic dialogue make this a compelling read.
Twisted is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.”
If these sound like the ingredients to the newest Gossip Girl or A-List novel, think again.Anna Godbersen brings us all of these elements in her book The Luxe, a gripping novel about New York City’s elite at the turn of the century –the twentieth century.
It’s the end of summer, 1899, and Elizabeth Holland has just returned home to New York City from a season in Paris.She returns to find that her life is about to change in a big way.Her family, despite their old money and position of prestige among the upper crust NYC society, is on the verge of bankruptcy.Her best frenemy, Penelope, is plotting to take over Elizabeth’s spot as the darling of the gossip columns.Her younger sister, Diana, seems bent on disgracing the family name through reckless behavior where boys are concerned.Her secret lover, Will, has big dreams that threaten to take him away from New York forever.
How can Elizabeth be true to her family obligations, her public persona and her secret desires?With time running out before personal disaster turns into public humiliation, Elizabeth must decide whom to trust.
Godbersen’s debut novel is a page-turner, filled with all the glamour and deceit of today’s most popular teen series, but set in the luxurious past.Historical details are deliciously and deftly described, pulling readers into the drama of the fast-paced plot.While it appears, on the surface, to be just another modern-day Gossip Girl-alike plopped into a different time period, this novel truly shines.Characters are well-developed, the setting is made sumptuously real, and the plot carries readers along to an ending that begs for a sequel.
Oh, and the book has a totally hot website!Meet the characters, take a quiz, scope out the different hotspots mentioned in The Luxe and get a sneak peek at its sequel, Rumors.
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Aya Fuse, fifteen, is tired of being a nobody, so she wants to find a story that can make her an insta-celebrity and propel her face-rank to the top of the feeds.She gets in a little over her head, though, when she follows a secret group of daredevil girls who want to stay (horror of horrors!) unknown.Through some neat tricks of her own, she is asked to join the group, and soon enough Aya is torn between spilling the story to get famous and keeping the group’s secret.But that secret is nothing compared to what Aya eventually uncovers, which could spell disaster for the whole world!The highest face-rank of them all – Tally Youngblood – comes out of hiding, but she might be too late to save Aya.
This book throws you right into Aya’s world and you can’t help pulling for her, to be famous and to be safe.Part of the Uglies series, it’s also great to see how the world has evolved a few years after Tally’s daring deeds of a few years past.
Extras is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To learn more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Famous horror writer R.U. Tremblin (don’t you just love that name?) has sponsored a contest to find the next big horror writer.Five teens wrote scary stories and are finalists in the contest.All they have to do to win is stay one night with Tremblin in the ultra-creepy haunted house in their town.As the teens share their spooky winning stories, and Tremblin tells a few of his own, stranger and stranger things begin to happen. As the night goes on, people start to disappear, and the house has some horror stories of its own to share.
This thrilling story (and the stories within it) will keep you ‘Tremblin’ from start to finish – if you can finish it at all!Check it out… if you dare!(Cue the evil laugher.)
Daemon Hall is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request this book from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
In the not-so-distant future, the outcome of the Heartland Wars turns America into a sci-fi movie gone wrong – very wrong.Thirteen- to eighteen-year-olds are in danger of having their lives “unwound” and their body parts harvested for use by others.This is the story of three teens that go to extreme lengths to save themselves from this fate.Connor’s parents think he’s a troublemaker with no future.Risa, being a ward of the state, is part of the budget that must be cut.Lev is called a tithe: being the tenth child in his family, he has been offered as a sacrifice as part of his family’s religious beliefs.These three fugitives make a dangerous cross-country journey in an attempt to survive until their eighteenth birthday. This book is their journey.
I could not put this book down and I don’t even like futuristic settings, so that says a lot!The book really makes you think; their world is not so different from what ours could become.Would you go quietly and let yourself be unwound…or would you have the guts to do what Connor, Risa, and Lev did?And what does it really mean to be alive, anyway?
Unwind is a nominee for the 2008 Teens’ Top Ten.To read more about the Teens’ Top Ten program, click here.To request it from the library, click here.And don’t forget to place your vote during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.
Were you one of the people who attended the Harry and the Potters Concert at North Regional Library? If so, Wizard Rock is coming back to the county at a new venue, Eva Perry Library. But this time, four new bands are coming. Read all about it here, at the Wake County Library’s concert information page.
To follow up on the previous post discussion “What Is Beauty?”…
The other day I happened to be at home while Rachael Ray was on, and because I love her, I watched the show. She had the coolest feature on about a talent agency called Ugly NY Talent, which is actually a sister agency to the original Ugly Models based in London. Anyway, the idea behind the agency is that instead of using only “traditionally beautiful” models in advertising and films, directors and producers of this type of media should also consider using people who exhibit other kinds of beauty in their appearance.
During the segment on the show, several of the “ugly” models gave their definition of “ugly”. One model said, “Ugly is the new pretty.” Another said, “Ugly is a different kind of beautiful.”
The thing is, these people weren’t ugly at all. They were unique, appealing in different ways, from being ordinary looking to extremely exotic or out-of-the-ordinary.
I like that these people are out there getting representation in the media. It really is time to stop promoting one type of “beauty”, that ultimately makes people feel bad about themselves. It’s time to see the beauty in everyone, and to help one another recognize that they are beautiful, inside and out.
I encourage you to take a look at the link to Ugly NY Talent. Check out some of their models. What do you think?
Also, if you are interested in reading up on the topic, check these out:
It’s a question that seems to be in our faces more and more everyday. I just watched a glimpse of a what happens to a teen model who is transformed with hair and makeup artists into a woman - then is computer enhanced into something “gorgeous”. The images presented to us in advertising campaigns really have an impact on the way people view their bodies, self-image and others. After reading Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker and then seeing this film clip - it reconfirmed what I always have thought. You have to know your SELF and be true to your SELF. Beauty is in your spirit, your smile, your eyes, your laughter and thoughtfulness. Think about the most beautiful person you know - is the true beauty on the outside or the inside? What do you value most and what do you think that person values most? Several libraries are hosting workshops sponsored by Dove. Check out the videos - especially “Onslaught” - on this website called the Campaign for Real Beauty. What are your thoughts and observations?
If you are going to the Animazement Convention this weekend, please DO stop by the library booth. That’s right. Wake County Libraries is setting up a booth at the convention this year. We want teens to know that the library carries manga that they can check out for free at our libraries. Please stop by and say hi. We will also be having hourly drawings. Prize packs will include a bottle of Ramune and some manga novels. See you there!
The Teen Council of Multnomah County is now on our blogroll to the right. Recently, their teens got together and created this funny video called “Books” This is the story of a young (um!) woman who can’t get enough of books. It was recently posted on the YALSA blog. Enjoy!
Okay, so some days I don’t get the most interesting e-mail (or none at all). Recently I joined the Dear Reader Teen Book Club and now get a portion of a book a day for the entire week. It’s so fun because it’s actual teens who select, introduce, and ask questions about the book. A new book is picked each week - it is not always a new title, but something many people would enjoy. It’s a great way to be introduced to array of teen books and authors. To sign up visit www.dearreader.com/suteen.html
Finding the money to pay for college can be daunting. But the good news is that there are tons of scholarships out there to help you out. I know the College Foundation of North Carolina has virtual tours of schools and information about scholarships and student loans. It’s full of information. I love that it includes information for adult students too. I believe you have to sign up with a user name and password and then you are on your way. Also, we’ve compiled a great list of links to scholarship website for you on www.wakegov.com/libraries/teens/links/school/scholarships
It’s never too early to start looking at what’s out there!
Sometimes I just can’t find the right book. I know what I want, but I can’t put my hands on it. Wake County Public Libraries has a cool database that can help solve that problem - Novelist. Try it out when you get a chance. You just need your library card and PIN to access it from home or try it in the library. Go to Libraries/Research/Databases and select Novelist (or click here). Then under Teens, click on Recommended Reads. It’s kind of fun to find new books or authors that might interest you. Then, just check our catalog and request the book!
I never would have thought this would come to be…but how cool. A video study guide (think Cliffnotes) for the classics of literature. Surely students will read the books as assigned, but having a video to help them figure it out! It seems that it works and would be great for students (or adults) who are visual learners (or missed reading the classics when they were younger)! Check it out: http://myrocketbook.com/
So has anyone used this website before? What do you think? The commercials are a bit strange, but that makes it free. I wonder if the commercials fit the book (like clothing commercials with The Scarlett Letter).
Did you know that you can get a newsletter of new YA books sent to you by email? It’s very cool! Visit this site to get signed up - and tell your reading friends too!
Do you have a favorite book you read one spring or summer? It’s getting warmer outside and it’s perfect reading weather! What book would you recommend to others for spring and summer reading. First ones that comes to my mind is 13 Little Blue Envelopes and How to Ruin a Summer Vacation. The traveling, experiencing new places and the freedom that summer brings. If you haven’t read My Side of the Mountain or Alabama Moon - those are two great outdoorsy/survivalist books. What are your recommendations?
I remember needing money and looking for jobs during the summer when I was in high school and middle school. I usually ended up babysitting or cutting lawns. Not too bad considering that I liked the children I was babysitting (it’s weird that they are now working adults!). But things have changed and there a bunch of great websites for teens to use to find summer jobs!
Check out this pages that’s on the Teen Web Links. It’s a collection of websites that have potential leads for teen jobs!
The libraries also has jobs for pages (the people who shelve the books!) - just check with your favorite library about openings.
Here’s an upcoming event that might be perfect for you too!
Young Adult Employment Workshop (Middle and High School) - Southeast Regional Library Thursday, May 8, at 4 p.m.
A representative from JobLink will offer job searching tips, and representatives from local businesses will describe what they are looking for when interviewing a prospective employee. A packet including information on how to search for a job, write a resume and properly fill out an application will be provided to each attendee. Call 662-2251 or come by the library to register to attend.
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Book Reviews | Tagged: fantasy, jango, Teens' Top Ten 2008, william nicholson | 
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