The zombies are coming!

Zombies and people in creepy white masks have been sighted hanging around the library...

Antoine, from France, was an intellectual hanging out in Paris when a zombie bit him.

Oliver, an English gentleman, is quite nonchalant about the blood all over his face and hands.

Don't miss our Teen Horror Fest this Saturday, October 23 at 2:30 PM. You can decorate your own very creepy white mask and arrange zombies Antoine and Oliver into funny poses. We promise they will be dressed in time for the party. Plus we'll have food, games, and classic horror movies to watch.

Attend our Open Mic Night during Teen Read Week

The theme for this year's Teen Read Week is Books with Beat @ Your Library. Come in to the library to check out books with beat. Maybe you're interested in...

◊◊ non-fiction books about musicians and bands (Check out call number 782.42166 !)
◊◊ poetry
◊◊ audiobooks
◊◊ fiction that features main characters who are musicians (stay tuned for a reading list)

Our Open Mic Night is Wednesday, October 20 at 7 PM. If you are interested in reading/performing something, show up a little earlier so you can sign in. You can also stop by just to listen. Snacks and refreshments will be available for attendees and participants.

Teen Horror Fest at the Dundee Library: Food, fun, and frights!

If you are excited for Halloween and want to celebrate early, come to our Teen Horror Fest program on Saturday, October 23 at 2:30 PM. We are going to use our creativity to decorate masks and also have some fun games planned. And nothing says "horror fest" like the inclusion of zombies, so of course they'll be there, too! If that hasn't gotten you interested, then how about this: Food! Beverages! Cookies! Have I gotten your attention now? You can register on the library website, or call us at 847-428-3661 x 308. Hope to see you there! I don't want to show up and be the only human hanging out with the creepy zombies.

Upcoming library program: College Advantage Workshop

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 28. We are having a College Advantage Workshop for interested students and parents at 7 PM downstairs in the Meeting Room. Presenter Betsy McDaniel will talk about the details involved in the process of applying to college. After attending this workshop you will learn how to make your college search easier and more affordable. You may register online or by calling the Information Desk at 847-428-3661 x 308.

Interested in writing a novel in a month?

November is National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write an entire novel (50,000 words for adults) from November 1-November 30. For the Young Writers Program, each person can choose his or her word count goal. Depending on your grade and the time you can spend on writing, look at this chart to see a suggested range for your word count goal.Writing can be done on a computer or by hand. After making it to your word count goals you will be able to print out a certificate from the website.

You can start signing up now at the Information Desk, but you can’t start writing yet (it is okay to write down ideas and notes). You can also set up an account on the site NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program. The YWP site has lots of helpful ideas and writing tools. Note: if you've already registered on the site we still want you to let us know you signed up, because we are ordering a kit of free incentives/progress charts for the teens who participate.

This is a program that anyone can sign up for on their own, but I thought it would be fun to get a group together at the library to help motivate each other if we were all writing toward our goals together. I will be participating as well, my word count goal is 50,000. You can also call the Information Desk at 847-428-3661 x 308 to sign up, or email Danielle.

TAG meeting this Saturday

Don't forget that we have a TAG (Teen Advisory Group) meeting this Saturday, September 2, at 9:30 AM in the Craft Room. If you have never made it to a meeting before, no big deal! Newcomers are always welcome. We have some fun teen programs coming up in the fall!

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

There's a new shapeshifter in town-- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher will appeal to fans of Hunger Games and the Gone Series

Incerceron is a prison unlike any other. Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.

Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can't remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incercaron. He's going to escape, even though most inmates don't believe that the Outside even exists. and then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia.

Claudia claims to live Outside-her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she's doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return

But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eyes.Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know:

BECAUSE INCARCERON IS ALIVE.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

In the novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Stephenie Meyer writes from the point of view of Bree, a newborn vampire. This book is a companion to the novel Eclipse, in which the vampire Victoria has Riley recruit vampires for an army to fight the Edward and the Cullens to avenge death of her mate, James. Because Eclipse is told from the point of view of Bella, we do not see much of the newborn vampires except during the fight with the Cullens and the werewolves. Bree is the only vampire in the fight who surrenders.

Riley attempts to keep the group of twenty or so young vampires in line and decides when each vampire is able to leave the house to hunt. He acts on the orders of Victoria, who the newborn vampires never see (they don't even know her name). Most of the vampires also have no idea why they have been made vampires and brought together. I found it interesting to discover how little the newborns know about being a vampire. For one, the vampires think that sunlight will kill them; during the day they remain in cramped quarters in a basement. Also, the newborns have no clue about the wider vampire world --they do not know about the Volturri, and can hardly fathom the idea of living or befriending humans instead of feeding from and killing them. Furthermore, they do not even know that they are considered "newborns;" they know how strong they are and figure that will help them prevail in any fight. Riley keeps information from the vampires in order to keep them under his control, but at the same time this lack of knowledge hurts them later on when they do go to fight.

Bree follows Riley's rules, such as only feeding on the "dregs" of society, and also keeps her distance from the other newborn vampires, several of whom often pursue confrontations, going so far as to kill within the group. Most of the newborn vampires are very immature. They go out to hunt and make a huge scene with destroyed property and dead bodies but don't clean up their mess. But Bree does find makes friends with Diego, who is someone she can actually talk to. She also finds a friend in Fred, who repels everyone; Bree hides behind him to allow her to remain unnoticed.

This is a short read, and I thought the change in point-of-view was a refreshing addition to the Twilight series, in that this part of the story has nothing to do with Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle. You are also able to see how out-of-control newborn vampires actually are. The Cullens seem tame and domesticated compared to the red-eyed vampires under Riley's control. Even Bree, who avoids fighting at the end of the book, doesn't think twice when she goes out to hunt and kills people. Definitely pick up this book if you have already read the Twilight series. Bree, Diego, and Fred are welcome and intriguing additions to the Twilight series. Even though I knew what was going happen to Bree, I still rooted for her as I read the book. I would like to see Stephenie Meyer write other novellas that explicate the Twilight mythology even further-- Edward's first years as a vampire, Carlisle's time with the Volturri, etc.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
TEEN MEYER
Find it in the catalog!

Wendelin Van Draanen' s Flipped becomes a movie

Happy 4th of July

A different look at history

History + graphic novel + humor = Larry Gonick's cartoon history books. I think these books are helpful to read to refresh your memory about historical events. Gonick condenses the information down so that the narrative fits into word balloons and description in the comic panels. If you're looking for something different to check out, try one of these books!

Cartoon History of the United States
YA GRAPHIC NOVEL GONICK
Covers U.S. history up to 1991. Includes an index and an illustrated bibliography, which is something I've never seen before. Find it in the catalog!

The Cartoon History of the Modern World. Part 1, from Columbus to the U.S. Constitution
Young Adult 909.0802 GON
Find it in the catalog!

The Cartoon History of the Universe
part 1: YA GRAPHIC NOVEL GONICK 1
part 2: YA GRAPHIC NOVEL GONICK 2
part 3: YA GRAPHIC NOVEL GONICK 3
Find it in the catalog!

Who do you cheer for?: Team Edward or Team Jacob

One of the things I did to prepare for last Friday's Eclipse Movie Release Party, in addition to baking cupcakes, was create two short videos supporting Teams Edward and Jacob. Many Twilight fans consider themselves to be on Team Edward or Team Jacob when it comes to who they think should be with Bella. So, I brainstormed cheer ideas for both teams and got my cousin Mike to assist me with filming. We came up with our own cheers and choreography to demonstrate the obsessive support fans have for characters in the Twilight series. Neither of us had any experience with cheerleading (which will be obvious once you view either clip), but we had a lot of fun making the videos. The inspiration behind the videos was SNL's Spartan Cheerleaders (played by Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri). We had hoped to debut the videos at the Eclipse Party, but the computer would not play the files. I was very disappointed after all the work spent on planning, filming, and editing. Well, now thanks to YouTube, our embarrassing antics and choreography can be viewed on any computer. Enjoy!



Cheers for Team Edward:


Cheers for Team Jacob:

Photos from our Eclipse Movie Release Party

On Friday we had an Eclipse Movie Release Party for fans of the Twilight books and movies. We even celebrated the vampire Edward Cullen's birthday (he turned 109 last Monday). In addition to answering trivia questions for prizes and listening to music, we also enjoyed eating Red Velvet Vampire Cupcakes and Jacob Black Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (made by yours truly)! I added a few pictures below. There are more on the library's Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who came to the party! We had 25 attend.

Only six more days until Eclipse

World Cup Action

Novels in Verse

Have a Beastly summer

HUNGER GAMES-- READ IT NOW --VIEW IT LATER

Teen Summer Reader Gets Creative

WHAM-O SUPER BOOK: THE MOST FANTASTIC BOOK EVER CREATED BY SCIENCE

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS INSIDE THE FUN FACTORY

They made toy that made summer's more fun.

Slip'n Slide
Frisbee
Hula Hoop
Hacky Sack
Wheelie Bar

Short Classics -- You'll have to read them sometime--why not now?

Abraham Lincoln High School Award Nominees

Fairy Tales Retold

Fairy Tales Retold

1. Ash by Malinda Lo

Comments

In this variation on the Cinderella story, Ash grows up believing in the fairy realm that the king and his philosophers have sought to suppress, until one day she must choose between a handsome fairy cursed to love her and the King's Huntress whom she loves.

2. Beastly by Alex Flinn

Comments

A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form. beauty and thtease b

3. The Blue Girl (Firebird) by Charles de Lint

4. Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Comments

Summary: In a novel based on Chinese Cinderella tales, fourteen-year-old stepchild Xing-Xing endures a life of neglect and servitude, as her stepmother cruelly mutilates her own child's feet so that she alone might marry well.

5. Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Comments

Grandmother reveals a terrible secret through her version of Sleeping Beauty. Sleeping Beauty and the Holocaust

6. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Comments

In a land where beauty and singing are valued above all else, Aza eventually comes to reconcile her unconventional appearance and her magical voice, and learns to accept herself for who she truly is.

7. Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Comments

When seventeen-year-old Lucy discovers her family is under an ancient curse by an evil Elfin Knight, she realizes to break the curse she must perform three impossible tasks before her daughter is born in order to save them both.

8. The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman

9. Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block

10. The Rose and The Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block

Comments

Nine fairy tales are turned "inside out".

11. Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman

Comments

Persephone runs off to the Underworld with Hades, with whom she has fallen in love, but when her mother Demeter threatens to destroy the earth to save her, Persephone finds a way to come back once a year, bringing spring.

12. Snakehead by Ann Halam

Comments

compelled by his father Zeus to accept the evil king Polydectes's challenge to bring the head of the monstrous Medusa to the Aegean island of Serifos, Perseus, although questioning the gods' interference in human lives, sets out, accompanied by his beloved Andromeda, a princess with her own harsh destiny to fulfill.

13. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley

Comments

The infant princess Briar Rose is cursed on her name day by Pernicia, an evil fairy, and then whisked away by a young fairy to be raised in a remote part of a magical country, unaware of her real identity and hidden from Pernicia's vengeful powers.

14. Tender Morsels (Hardcover) by Margo Lanagan (Author)

Comments

A young woman who has endured unspeakable cruelties is magically granted a safe haven apart from the real world and allowed to raise her two daughters in this alternate reality, until the barrier between her world and the real one begins to break down.

15. The Writings of Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

16. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Comments

Five sisters who live with their merchant father in Transylvania use a hidden portal in their home to cross over into a magical world, the Wildwood.

17. Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

Bullies and bullying-- read about it, think about it, don't do it.

Another reason to spend your time reading--extreme poodle grooming.

Elvis and Eddie -- is it the hair

Check out these blasts from the past on DVD

If you are in the mood for a laugh, or just want to watch something different than an ordinary comedy or drama, I recommend the DVDs How to be a Woman and How to be a Man. These DVDs feature educational films shown in classrooms from the 1940s-1980s. The films address topics such as getting a better personality, manners, and growing up. The films are at once funny, shocking, nostalgic, and quite mesmerizing, not only in terms of the attitudes of what defines a woman or man but in terms of fashion, hairstyles, and decor of past decades. Plus, as you watch the various films you see differences in quality of acting and filmmaking techniques.

How to Be a Man: Find it in the catalog!
NEW DVD 305.23 HOW

In the segment "Am I Trustworthy?" a boy learns from his dad about how he can be seen as trustworthy by others. He makes a chart of trustworthiness to demonstrate to his dad what he's learned. Other segments include "Act Your Age," "The Other Fellow's Feelings," and "The Show-Off."

"The Show-Off" deals with a classmate who always acts out in order to be the center of attention. Near the end of this film his classmates seem fed up with his behavior, but the film doesn't allow the audience to see what the junior class representatives decide to do about the student.

How to Be a Woman: Find it in the catalog!
NEW DVD 305.23 HOW

The film "Growing Girls" recommends to avoid wet feet and getting a chill. In "Let's Make a Sandwich" we are told that potato chips used to be thought of as only picnic food, but now it's acceptable to serve this food at parties.

"As Others See Us" is one of the most weirdly absorbing of the educational films; its theme is that you must avoid embarrassment at all costs because "nothing spoils a good time like uneasiness." Some examples: don't hold up the line in the cafeteria with conversation pieces, use your knife for cutting not tearing, and allow your date to order for the both of you in a restaurant: "At every age it is still a man's world when it comes to giving the order. So you tell your escort and let him tell the waiter. As we said before, you might as well learn this in junior high and avoid embarrassment in the days ahead. It will probably continue to be a man's world when ordering for a long, long time." I wonder what that male narrator would say today if he were to step foot in any given restaurant and find women of all ages ordering for themselves.

I found the film "Girls Are Better Than Ever" so unsettling I stopped watching. This film's theme is about being active and keeping in shape, but it directs a condescending attitude to its female teenage audience. Case in point: A male narrator says, "Do I have to tell you that every day competition is getting younger? And every day in every way you're getting older?" What a good way to demolish self-esteem!

The film "Pattern for Success" starts out annoyingly enough, with a teenage boy asking a girl about her clothing, and whether she makes all her own clothes. Then the segment switches to demonstrate how the teenager makes her own dresses and follows the girl as she uses a pattern to sew her own dress. I was absolutely mesmerized watching as the dress came together step-by-step. To be completely honest watching this film made me want to sign up for a sewing class.

Eclipse midnight movie release fun

Attention Twilight fans! If you're looking forward to seeing Eclipse when it comes out June 30, why not make a marathon of it? AMC Theatres are planning  The Twilight Saga Experience. At this event you'll watch all three movies in the series: Twilight (2008), New Moon (2009), and Eclipse (2010). The cost is $30 and you'll also receive a limited-edition event lanyard and a $10 AMC gift card. The fun starts at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 29. Local theaters participating in the Twilight marathon include South Barrington 30, Streets of Woodfield 20, and Randhurst 16 in Mount Prospect.

In November I attended back-to-back showings of Twilight and New Moon for the New Moon midnight release and it was fun to watch the movies with a large audience of crazy, but well-behaved, fans. Just remember to buy your tickets soon before they sell out! You can pick up the tickets at the theater in advance of the marathon, so on June 29 all you have to do is show up and present your tickets!

Coming in July 2010 the movie Beastly based on the book by Alex Flinn

Pretty Little Liars television series airs in June. Read the books first!

Why the Bronte sisters are important

Lizard King:the True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers

The Lizard King, a true story of a crafty reptile smuggler and the federal agent who tries to catch him, explores the vast criminal enterprise that supplies reptiles to pet shops, collectoers, and zoo's worldwide. It takes us into the middle of an unusaul family business, the global conservation movement, and one man's noble and monomaniacal quest for justice.






May 14, 2010 in Milwaukee police report.
Huge anacondas, alligators among reptiles found in Milwaukee home, building
Associated Press | Posted: Friday, May 14, 2010 8:57 am
Milwaukee police were called to investigate an alleged sexual assault and stepped into a crime scene crawling -- in some cases literally -- with hundreds of reptiles and other animals.
The incident happened Wednesday at a home and nearby building housing alligators, turtles, rodents and snakes.
Police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said dozens of reptiles were in the house, and hundreds more were inside a building used as a storage facility and residence. Police remained at the scene Thursday.
Lt. Paul Felician told WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee that there were also at least five anaconda snakes, ranging in size from 20 to 30 feet in length and probably several hundred pounds. He said there also were spiders and a chicken.
The animals were being kept in an assortment of storage containers, and some were roaming and not confined.
Schwartz said police were assisted by officials from two nearby zoos, Milwaukee Domestic Animal Control, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.
Officers arrested a 50-year-old Milwaukee woman on tentative charges related to the animals, including intentionally mistreating animals.
Police still are investigating the alleged sexual assault, too.


And is it still going on -- maybe in your own neighborhood.

Eclipse soundtrack song listing released

Yesterday the tracks for the soundtrack to this summer's Eclipse were released every half hour at myspace music. Way to be dramatic and work the Twi-hards into a frenzy! Here is the confirmed track list:

1. Metric – “Eclipse (All Yours)”
2. Muse – “Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)”
3. The Bravery – “Ours”
4. Florence + The Machine – “Heavy In Your Arms”
5. Sia – “My Love”
6. Fanfarlo – “Atlas”
7. The Black Keys – “Chop And Change”
8. The Dead Weather – “Rolling In On A Burning Tire”
9. Beck and Bat For Lashes – “Let’s Get Lost”
10. Vampire Weekend – “Jonathan Low”
11. UNKLE – “With You In My Head (featuring The Black Angels)”
12. Eastern Conference Champions – “A Million Miles An Hour”
13. Band Of Horses – “Life On Earth”
14. Cee-Lo Green – “What Part Of Forever”
15. Howard Shore – “Jacob’s Theme”

The soundtrack comes out June 8! Stay tuned for details about our upcoming Eclipse Movie Release Party, which we'll have at the library Friday June 25.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters: Book Trailer

You're acting like an animal

Animal Farm by George Orwell
Old Major a thoughtful boar describes his dream for farm life that allows all animals to determined there destiny free from the farmer who oppresses them. The animals overthrow the farmer and create their own society. Old Major’s dream becomes distorted.


Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaugh
From one of America's most acclaimed comics writers a startlingly original look at life on the streets of Baghdad during the Iraq War inspired by true events. In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. In documenting the plight of the lions, Pride of Baghdad raises questions about the true meaning of liberation - can it be given, or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live life in captivity? Based on a true story, Vaughan and Henrichon have created a unique and heartbreaking window into the nature of life during wartime, illuminating this struggle as only the graphic novel can.

 Watership Down by Richard Adams
First published in 1972, Richard Adam's extraordinary bestseller Watership Down takes us to a world we have never truly seen: to the remarkable life that teems in the fields, forests, and riverbanks, far beyond our cities and towns. It is a powerful saga of courage, leadership, and survival; and epic tale of a hardy band of Berkshire rabbits forced to flee the destruction of their fragile community and their trials and triumphs in the face of extraordinary adversity as they pursue a glorious dream called "home"

Shakespeare : Rebel with Applause

Where there's a Will there's a Play

Novels written in verse

Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

Brimstone Journels by Ronald Koertge

Crank

by Ellen Hopkins

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger

Keesha's House by Helen Frost

Love  That Dog  by Sharon Creech

Make Lemonade by Virginia Wolff

Out of the Dust by Karen Hess

This Full House by Virginia Wolff

Witness by Karen Hess

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Who Killed Mr Chippendale? by Mel Glenn

Riddle me this Batman

Where does he get those wonderful toys?

Batmobile

Batcycle

Batcopter

Bat Utility Belt

Batarang

What to read while waiting for the last book in the Hunger Games Trilogy

Feed by M.T. Anderson

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any trip to the moon-a chance to party during spring break. But that was before the hacker caused their feeds to malfunction. And it was before Titus met Violet, who has decided to fight the feed.
Find it in the catalog!

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

When brilliant Andrew "Ender" Wiggins is drafted to Battle School to learn to fight against the aliens threatening humanity, what he think are just battle games carry some very real consequences.
Find it in the catalog!

Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Who is Jenna Fox? She has just awaken from a coma, they tell her, and she is till recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?
Find it in the catalog!