*This blog post got Hilary a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest.*

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

This is the second summer of the Sisterhood and its Traveling Pants. Each summer brings surprises, life, and love.
Bridget, after finding her grandmother’s letters, ones that she had never saw before, sets off for Alabama to see who her grandmother truly is. Her depression had changed her from a happy, spirited blonde into a moody, plump girl with fake brown hair. She doesn’t even recognize herself in the mirror…but as she spends the summer with her grandmother, the old Bridget starts to come back. For the first time in a long time, she wear the Pants…and it fits! She kicks a soccer ball…and feels everything come back to her. And to top it all off, she discovers love from the most amazing people…
Carmen is jealous. She can’t find her love story, but her mother sure has. Her mother is acting like a teenager again, going out every night with a man named David. Carmen can’t concentrate on her current date, Porter. Then the bad Carmen surfaces. After her mother borrows the PANTS to wear out with David, Carmen has really had it. This relationship has got to stop…with a little help from Carmen.
Tibby makes new friends — Alex and Maura. She suddenly feels like she wants to impress them all the time, so she makes a horrible movie about her mother…and begins to avoid Brian. But the Pants bring back a friend, one who didn’t care how a person looked, but one who cared about what was really inside. Tibby finds herself in a situation where she has to make a very hard decision.
Lena cannot get over her heartbreak, Kostos. She rereads his letters over and over again, until they’re sucked dry. She daydreams about the day when he will rush in and tell her that he loves her. But he’s with another girl now. But to Lena’s surprise, Kostos comes back. He tells her that he had never stopped loving her, and never would. Suddenly a wave of emotions come over Lena, and she realizes that she still loves him. But can Lena get over a second heartbreak by the same guy?
Branshares has written a marvelous second book to her bestseller series. As the Kirkus Reviews says, this book is “a story as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. A big, complex, satisfying sequel, sure to add to the author’s legions of fans.” Once you open this book, you’ll find love, courage, determination…and most importantly, friendship.

Teen Reviewer: Hilary Sun, Morrisville

*Warning: this review contains spoilers for anyone who hasn’t already read the book or seen the movie!*

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – the Movie

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a great movie. It is great to see an action thriller movie over the summer.  Harry and Professor Dumbledore research about Voldemort’s past.  Hogwarts has a new teacher: Professor Slughorn.  Professor Snape kills Dumbledore in the end, and Draco Malfoy turns out to be a death eater.  My favorite characters are Ron & Harry.

Submitted by Anonymous, Southeast Regional Library

*This blog post got Ankita a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest.*

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Lekha Banerjee Divakaruni

This book is basically on the Mahabharata. One may ask, what is the ‘Mahabharata’? Well, the Mahabharata is a ancient tale about the great fight that happened in Kurukshetra, a place in India, now called New Delhi. This Mahabharata is known to lots of people from the country India, and many people, such as myself, have grown up listening to the great mystery of this 18 day war. So naturally, when I picked up Chitra Barejee Divakurni’s The Palace of Illusions, I couldn’t put the book down!

Chitra’s “Palace of Illusions’ is quite different than any interpretation of the Mahabharata that I have read. It is told from Panchali’s or Draupadi as I like to call her, point of view. It shows her emotions in depth, from the part when she was discriminated, or when she was stereotyped, or when she had to marry 5 men, it is all show in great depth.

In my opinion, I believe that this was probably the best book I have ever read. The fact that my roots are in India may add to this, but I still believe that no matter what race or origin you are, you will absolutely ADORE Panchali, and of course, this book!

Teen Reviewer: Ankita Mishra, 13, Morrisville

]]> http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/west-regional-reads-palace-of-illusions/feed/ 0 michele at west regional library, cary palace http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/west-regional-reads-the-curse-of-the-campfire-weenies/ http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/west-regional-reads-the-curse-of-the-campfire-weenies/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:51:19 +0000 michele at west regional library, cary http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/?p=1469 ]]>

*This blog post got Hilary a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*

The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales
by David Lubar

One of the creepiest books I have ever read, the Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales will definitely delight those in search of strange and mysterious accounts. From a vampire stalker to a blood-thirsty chipper, these tales will definitely send chills down your spine.
This collection of short stories is Lubar’s third book in the “weenie” series, but it doesn’t lose any of its haunting. I would say the eeriest story in this book would be “The Soda Fountain”. It starts out with a boy named Ben who loves to go into Paulson’s Sweets Shop. Every Saturday afternoon, he goes in and asks for a soda from the soda fountain. It was pretty normal, but as I read on, a feeling of dread built up in my stomach. When Ben comes out of the sweets shop, he meets a little girl named Brandy who asks him what he was doing. He replies that he was getting a soda. Then, Brandy reveals that Mr. Paulson died two years ago when the sweet shop burned down. I won’t tell you the ending, but it made the hairs on my head stand up.
Lubar’s marvelous storytelling is worthy of those scary-stories-around-the-campfire and even the all-lights-off-except-for-a-flashlight times. The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales by David Lubar will leave a big impression on you – I know it left one on me.

Teen Reviewer: Hilary Sun, West Regional Library, Cary

]]> http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/west-regional-reads-the-curse-of-the-campfire-weenies/feed/ 0 michele at west regional library, cary campfire http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/photo-contest-in-full-swing/ http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/photo-contest-in-full-swing/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:33:37 +0000 michele at west regional library, cary http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/?p=1352 ]]>

You have until July 31st to submit your masterpieces, so get a move on!  You can submit up to 2 photos of anything you want as long as it’s an original work of yours!  Plus, earn a ticket for the Teen Summer Contest for each entry you submit!

Here is the Photo Contest Packet 2009.  It includes the contest guidelines and a submission form.

Prizes graciously donated by Jerry’s Artarama and others (tba).

*This blog post got Kayla a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*

News for Dogs by Lois Duncan

Another fantastic book by Lois Duncan! I’m not a big reader but I became a bookworm when I got this book from the Library! “News for Dogs” is about this teenager, Bruce, also from Lois Duncan’s “Hotel for Dogs”, and his little sister, Andi, trying to raise money with a doggy paper. Bruce and Andi get a couple of friends together and create a newspaper for dogs called “The Bow Wow News”. Bruce needs the money to pay for his new Irish Setter, Red Rover. He bought Red from his neighbors, the Gordon’s. Jerry Gordon had owned the dog before Bruce, but was not treating the dog well. Jerry is a spoiled, rotten kid who always gets his way. Red is afraid of Jerry, so when Jerry scares Red into traffic while Bruce is taking him for a run, Bruce’s parents don’t trust Bruce about taking care of Red.

While busy with their newspaper, Bruce, Andi, and their two friends get themselves into a little trouble with some neighbors. And then Jerry’s big bad cousin comes to town. But then Bruce and Andi’s parents go away on a trip. Suddenly, when dogs start disappearing left and right everything goes  berserk! I encourage you to read this book. And trust me, you cant put it down. . . I couldn’t!

Teen Reviewer: Kayla Cowan, 12, Raleigh

]]> http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/east-regional-reads-news-for-dogs/feed/ 0 michele at west regional library, cary newsfordogs http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/west-regional-reads-incantation/ http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/west-regional-reads-incantation/#comments Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:44:47 +0000 michele at west regional library, cary http://wakecounty.wordpress.com/?p=1346 ]]>

Incantation by Alice Hoffman
The main character in this book is Estrella deMadrigal. Estrella had a quite abnormal family in comparison to most teenage girls in Spain during the early 1300’s. Her mom, Abra, was the most beautiful person Estrella had ever seen. Abra used to make remarkable yarn in shades of blue never imagined. Everyone in town had believed Estrella’s mother was also a grand healer. Abra was believed to cure almost anything known to man.
Estrella and her mother lived with Estrella’s grandmother, a nasty old woman (in Estrella’s Opinion) who was kind to everyone but her; her grandfather, who was said to be the greatest teacher in Spain and who thought no woman (except Estrella’s mother, Abra) should be allowed to be educated; and her brother, Luis, who was off at a seminary, studying to be a priest.
Estrella was a girl on the edge of adult years and just beginning to experience life. Her best buddy, Catalina, her neighbor was her dearest companion. Catalina and Estrella had grown up as ‘Raven’ and ‘Crow’ (both nicknamed for their black hair) laughing and sharing everything. That was until the summer when Catalina’s cousin, Andres came to live with Catalina. Suddenly, the girls’ friendship is in jeopardy. Catalina has forever dreamt–as did her family–in her making a match with her cousin, Andres. However Andres has different plans. He’s fallen for the attractive neighbor, the best friend, the exquisite Estrella. Estrella try as she may can’t stop thinking about him either.

Estrella was alive at the time of Persecution of Jews in Spain in the 1500. Her family and their neighbors all despise Jews and call them ‘Marranos’ or secret Jews. There is a reward for anyone who finds such a family, and will get to keep all of the families’ possessions. Naturally, everyone suspects the other, but this suspicion brings the greatest of relationships apart, as you will soon see…

Teen Reviewer: Ankita Mishra, 8th Grader, Cary

*This blog post got Ankita a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*

The Lake House by James Patterson

The Lake House was a great book. It was so suspenseful I couldn’t put it down. James Patterson is one of my favorite authors because he writes short chapters which means that it is never hard to put the book down, if you must. He also writes with very powerful dialog.There was never a boring part in the book it was all action. There is so much detail in the book you can almost see it happening. The Lake House is the sequel of When in Wind Blows. It is about a journey of six genetically altered children that can fly while still maintaining their human traits while equipped with wings who are in danger. Everyone wants a part of them and others want to do experiments on them. The only safe place to be is the lake house…..or it use to be.

Teen Reviewer: Allie Churchill, 13, Southeast Regional Library

*This blog post got Allie a ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*

Wandering into the library without a book to hunt down is not my favorite thing in the world. I enjoy getting reccomendations from others first so that I have something specific to search for, but it was one of ‘those days.’ Luckily, the library displays books to read for those of us who have no clue what to read otherwise. I came across a book called 97
Things to Do Before You Finish High School by Steven Jenkins and Erika Stalder that was being showcased. I’ll be a freshmen next year so I decided it’d be a good time to get a head start on this list. I took the book home and immediately started reading, chipping my way through it. It had good ideas in it that I’ll definitely try to complete before I graduate. The authors offered tips that will help me achieve tasks ranging from the most difficult (writing my own manifesto) to the simplist (watching the sunrise). I greatly recommend this book of lists. It’s a good checklist of activities to do in the summer if you’re ever bored, and hey, pick and choose what’s right for you. You don’t have to complete all 97 things, I’msure I won’t. (If you knew me, you’d know I would never skinny dip) It’s summer–time to try new activities that you haven’t thought of before. So go ahead, read this book then start checking of the 97 things to do before you finish high school.

Teen Reviewer: Madison, age 14, Cary

*This blog post got Madison one ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*

West Regional Reads: 3 Willows by Ann Brashares

Even after the girls of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants go onto college, new roots continue sprouting.  The Sisterhood grows.

Polly, Jo, and Ama were once best of friends.  But as they age, they slowly grow apart. Jo hangs out with the “cooler” crowd. Polly is mostly by herself. And Ama just focuses on her studies. But, as Brashares says, “summer is a time to grow.”
Jo goes off to her family’s beach house, working as a bus girl. But the summer changes unexpectedly. Jo finds herself in a brief fling with an older guy, and when Polly comes to visit her, she finds herself embarrassed by Polly’s childish behavior. Her family is also being split apart, and Jo realizes that she is missing something – her friends.
When Polly finds out that her grandmother was a model, she is inspired to be one too. She begins to go on a diet, and completely changes herself. She goes to modeling camp, and finally to a modeling convention. She also finds out why her mother is never at any of her events – her mother was hiding. She also finds out what being herself truly means.
Ama is excited to win a scholarship to a summer camp that counts as a credit. But when the program sends her to a wilderness camp, she can’t stand it. She hates her hair, she hates the hikes, she hates the cliffs, and she hates her tent mate. But when she truly starts to see the beauty of the wilderness, she begins to rethink her doubts.
All three of these girls were separated. But now they’re together again. And they don’t need any magical pants – they just need each other, and maybe three willow trees.

Ann Brashares spins her knowledge of friendship, life, and growing up into this wonderful read, written especially for teenage girls just going into high school. I know I enjoyed this book, and especially if you’re a teenage girl, you’ll be able to connect to this novel.

Reviewer: Hilary, age 14, Cary

*These blog posts got Hilary one ticket in the prize drawing for our Teen Summer Contest. Click here to find out how to enter!*