Fresh Dawgs' Book Blog

HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TRAILER

2011-12-13T00:32:00.002-05:00

THE DATE HAS BEEN SET - MARCH 23, 2012!!!

2011-10-30T23:54:00.000-04:00

PERFECT by Ellen Hopkins

2011-09-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

She has done it again! Ellen Hopkins new book PERFECT is described as a companion to her previous book IMPULSE. Hopkins has a gift for following her characters through life, and as a reader, I appreciate this skill and her willingness to dedicate writing time to keeping her characters growing and changing from one book to the next.

PERFECT follows the lives of those changed by Conner's suicide attempt in IMPULSE. The family has kept the details of Conner's "accident" hidden from most, but this has left his twin sister Cara struggling with problems of her own. Cara is dealing with a mother worried more about what her bridge club will think than what is happening in her family. Her father spends as much time as possible away from home.

At first Cara hopes Sean will help her deal with her confusion about Conner's absence, but she soon realizes he will not be providing the answers she needs. He is having his own issues as he deals with the pressure of excelling in academics and sports, his ticket to the college of his dreams. In his drive for perfection, he turns to steroids which turn him into a raging menace bent of having Cara no matter the cost.

An afternoon of snowboarding ends with Cara finding the perfect person destined to rescue her both literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, Cara discovers that finding her perfect person could potentially reveal that Cara herself may not be the "perfect" person her parents envision.

Conner's actions have changed another life - Kendra's. She was sure the love she shared with Conner would last forever. When he didn't return to school and no one seemed to know the real reason why, she turned all her focus on the modeling career of her dreams.

The pressure to fit the perfect ideal of a runway model has Kendra starving herself to the point of collapse. Any chance of loving intervention is lost in her own dysfunctional family.

Finally, there's Andre. Connected to the story through his plastic surgeon mother's relationship with Kendra and his chance meeting with Kendra's sister Jenna, Andre enters the story on his own search for perfection. His ambitious parents have a definite plan for his future, but those plans are far different than Andre's own dreams. He recognizes the warning signs of self-destruction in the risk-taking Jenna but seems to miss similar signs in his own life.

Ellen Hopkins masterfully intertwines the lives of her characters as she takes readers on a journey revealing the power and potential destruction in the search for perfection. Hopkins uses her talent to present a no-nonsense, direct message that being perfect is about self-respect and not about the perfection imposed upon us by others.

THE HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TRAILER!!!

2011-08-30T20:57:00.000-04:00

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE by Heather Gudenkauf

2011-08-24T17:58:00.000-04:00

This is one of those books I really loved so I know writing the review will be challenging. It seems the better the book; the harder I find it is to review. Perhaps because I want to share so much, I'm afraid I'll share too much. Here goes...
Two seven year old girls have disappeared. The two are neighbors and best friends. Each girl was tucked into bed by parents who awakened early the next morning to discover their little girls were missing.

Calli was last seen wearing a pink nightgown and no shoes. Since the age of four, Calli has not spoken a word. No one is sure what caused her selective mutism, however, witnessing an incident of domestic violence which ended in her pregnant mother tumbling down a flight of stairs and losing the baby as a result most likely provides the answer.

Petra is not only Calli's best friend but also her voice. Her parents are frantic when they discover their only child has disappeared. She is described as wearing blue pajamas, tennis shoes, and a musical note necklace.

Many twisted secrets complicate the search for the two little girls. Calli's older brother Ben strikes off into the woods on his own believing that he knows exactly what has happened. Calli's mother Antonia desperately wants to join the search, but the authorities want her available for questioning. Petra's parents are fighting the urge to immediately place blame on Calli's brother Ben or their alcoholic father Griff Clark.

Author Heather Gudenkauf presents the story through multiple viewpoints. THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE was a gripping tale from page one to the very end. Although published as an adult novel, it would work as an excellent crossover book for many YA readers.

DEAD TO YOU by Lisa McMann

2011-07-26T19:43:00.000-04:00

Ethan had been missing for a year. He finally is found and returned. He's welcomed by everyone, except his little brother.

His brother begins to doubt him being real. He even sets up an experiment to prove it to his parents.

The book is very exciting and makes you begin to wonder if Ethan is really Ethan.

Contributed by: JT

BALEFIRE by Cate Tiernan

2011-07-19T04:50:00.000-04:00

If you want a suspenseful book with a twist, then I recommend this. It is about a small town girl whose life is about to get turned upside-down. She meets her twin sister she never even knew existed. Then she meets a guy which she later regrets.

Read it to find out the rest.

Contributed by: SL

IT'S CONTEST TIME OVER AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST!

2011-07-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

You have a chance to win PAYBACK TIME by Carl Deuker!

Just head over HERE to enter.

ON LISA MCMANN....

2011-07-17T11:49:00.000-04:00

I had the extreme privilege of being invited to the vacation condo of author Lisa McMann. She invited Michigan teacher and librarian supporters to spend the afternoon and have dinner with her while she vacationed along Lake Michigan. I enjoyed excellent conversation and met some wonderful new reader friends.

Lisa's newest book comes out on 8/30. It's titled THE UNWANTEDS and looks like one everyone will be excited to read. The cover quote promises it is "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter." Sounds fun!!

DEAD TO YOU is another book Lisa has coming out in February 2012. Plus, she's working on another new one for spring of 2013. YEA!

THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD: TWELFTH GRADE KILLS by Heather Brewer

2011-07-10T15:52:00.000-04:00

I think that the 5th and final installment of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, titled TWELFTH GRADE KILLS, was absolutely fantastic!

First of all, you can NEVER have too many epic fight scenes between vampires and slayers. Then there is the suspense of whether or not Vlad really did see his father, and if he really can trust everyone he loves.

This marvelous book will leave you breathless and also dreading that the final page of this series is going to arrive.

Contributed by: MMH

BEST FOOT FORWARD by Joan Bauer

2011-07-10T15:40:00.000-04:00

I recommend this book because it's very touching and easy to relate to. It shows the maturity of a young girl, Jenna, as she is faced with all the problems life can throw at her.

But then she meets Tanner, a boy who stole shoes from the store where she works. When Tanner is given a job at Gladstone Shoes, will things really be as bad as Jenna thinks? Can she trust him? Or will everything she worked for fall apart?

Contributed by: MMH

THE BODY FINDER SERIES by Kimberly Derting

2011-07-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

THE BODY FINDER series by Kimberly Derting is absolutely fantastic, and I would suggest it for ANYONE, especially those who like mysteries or romance.

Violet can sense dead bodies, bodies that have been murdered. As the dead bodies of teenage girls are found, Violet knows she is the only one who can stop the killer because an imprint is left not only on the dead, but also on the killer.

A boy named Jay, Violet's best friend, is trying to protect her and keep her from searching for the killer. But as Violet and Jay's relationship seems to become more than just friends, it appears that the killer Violet searches for is now hunting for her.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD is book #2 in the Body Finder series. When Violet is drawn to the body of a young boy, a boy she shouldn't have been able to find, the FBI takes an interest in her and how she knew where the boy was.

If that wasn't enough trouble, a new family moves to town, and she finds out a secret about them. When bizarre things start to happen, she realizes she could be in danger and so could the people she cares about.

Contributed by: MMH

THE CARDTURNER by Louis Sachar

2011-06-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

Alton Richards is stuck as the cardturner for his rich, *bridge-playing, blind Uncle Lester. His mother is insistent that he stay on his uncle's good side because she wants to make sure she gets some of Uncle Lester's money instead of the "crazy" Castaneda family, but in the meantime, Alton discovers that bridge isn't that bad.

Then he meets Toni Castaneda, a girl his mother has told him is crazy. As he seems to be falling for her, Alton's mother and father become more insistent that he talk to his uncle about his will. But Alton finds that bridge is much more fun and interesting than he ever thought.

*Side note: I must say I have never been so glad to see a whale in my life!

Contributed by: MMH

WILLOW: IT'S HARD TO KEEP A SECRET WHEN IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR BODY by Julia Hoban

2011-06-27T22:05:00.001-04:00

Quick Pick from the Stair Teen Book Club -

WILLOW by Julia Hoban

Willow cuts. She cuts because she can't find any other way to escape, to express her pain. After all, she is a killer. But when a boy named Guy discovers her secret, everything changes.

Contributed by - MMH

BOOK SUGGESTIONS FROM THE STAIR TEEN BOOK CLUB

2011-05-15T18:27:00.000-04:00

Here are some book suggestions made at the Saturday, May 14th meeting of the Stair Teen Book Club.

CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare
CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare
KISS OF LIFE by Daniel Waters
HOUSE OF NIGHT series by P.C. Cast

NEW GIVEAWAY CONTEST AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST!!!

2011-04-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

Interested in winning a copy of IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY by Ned Vizzini?

Just click here to enter.

PATRICK JONES TO VISIT STAIR PUBLIC LIBRARY

2011-04-02T18:38:00.000-04:00

Young adult author and teen librarian, Patrick Jones, is scheduled to visit Stair Public Library in Morenci, Michigan.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 AT 11:00 am

He is the author of six young adult books including THINGS CHANGE, CHASING TAIL LIGHTS and STOLEN CAR.

Jones will share from his books and speak about his experiences as an author. Borders Books will be on hand selling copies of his books. There will be refreshments and a book signing after Jones's presentation.

Come and join us Saturday, April 16 at 11:00 am at Stair Public Library!

NEW GIVEAWAY CONTEST AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST

2011-03-26T19:35:00.000-04:00

Stop by Readingjunky's blog and enter the contest to win a paperback copy of IDENTICAL by Ellen Hopkins!

Click here to enter.

BLOG AWARD

2011-02-26T15:28:00.002-05:00

Thanks to BRITTANY'S FANTASY who passed along this award.
It's our first!

If you receive this beautiful award, THANK the person who gave it to you, SHARE the award with 15 other blogs, and NOTIFY those blogs that they have received it.

We are passing it along to these blogs:
1. SIMPLY BOOKS
2. THE NINJA LIBRARIAN
3. YA BOOK NERD
4. READING TEEN
5. WORD FOR TEENS
6. LA FEMME READERS
7. LAUREN'S CRAMMED BOOKSHELF
8. THE BOOK MUNCHER
9. DREAMING IN BOOKS
10. BOOK CHIC CLUB
11. BUXTON'S BLOG O'BOOKS
12. POISONED RATIONALITY
13. THE BOOK PIXIE
14. THE TAINTED POET
15. GREEN BEAN TEEN QUEEN

STAIR TEEN BOOK CLUB'S FIRST MOVIE MATINEE IS A SUCCESS!!

2011-02-20T19:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of some of the movie watchers who braved the Michigan winter weather to attend the Teen Book Club showing of IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY based on the book by Ned Vizzini.

The audience of 26 had a great time watching the movie and enjoying popcorn and ice cream during the intermission.

GREAT BOOK FOR NO NAME CALLING WEEK

2011-01-25T19:50:00.000-05:00

SCRAWL is the first hand account of a bully. Tod Munn has finally been caught, and his punishment is a month of after school detention supervised by the school counselor. While he is doing his time, she is requiring him to write in a journal, although Tod prefers to simply call it a notebook.

At first Tod responds to questions and prompts from Mrs. Woodrow, but gradually he writes freely about his escapades, his home life, and his feelings about being viewed at as one of the biggest bullies in the school.

Readers are given a look inside Tod's gang as they steal from and torment their fellow classmates. Tod explains the incident that brought about his punishment, and as the story unfolds, readers will learn facts Tod never really wanted anyone to know. Tod's detention experience helps him recognize his talent for writing as well as another hidden talent he has always taken for granted.

Tod's story is fascinating, but that's not all readers will take away from SCRAWL. Author Mark Shulman creates a voice for Tod that provides humor and language play more mature readers will appreciate. It is refreshing to find an author who challenges YA readers to think as they read.

SCRAWL is perfect for this week, No Name Calling Week, and bringing the issue of bullying to the attention of the teen readers who are often found at the center of this increasing problem.

FIRST EVER TEEN BOOK CLUB MOVIE MATINEE

2011-01-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

The Stair Teen Book Club is holding their first Movie Matinee on Sunday, February 20.

Beginning at 3:00 pm we will be watching IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY based on a novel by Ned Vizzini. Yes, the same Ned Vizzini who has visited our library four times!

All teens are welcome. Come join us for a great movie and plenty of snacks.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

2011-01-15T16:23:00.000-05:00

I highly recommend BRUISER by Neal Shusterman. After reading it, I'm out looking for other books by Shusterman.

I'm currently reading the MARKED series by P.C. Cast and PANDORA HEART, a Manga series, by Jun Mochizuki.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KD

FAT CAT by Robin Brande

2011-01-03T20:22:00.002-05:00

Can a science fair project change your life? One high school student named Cat would say, "Yes, indeed".

Cat lives for science, and being part of Mr. Fizer's advanced science class will give her the opportunity to create the winning science fair project she has always dreamed about. Although, she is excited, she is also scared to death. Everyone knows that Mr. Fizer requires his students to blindly select a picture and then develop a project based on something that picture represents. What picture would she choose?

When Cat sees her picture, she panics. It is a picture of the first man, Homo erectus. Actually, it is a picture of ancient men and women battling a pack of hyenas for the remains of a dead deer. Cat can't believe her reaction to the picture. She notices a woman brandishing a club and immediately wishes she had a body that looked that good. It is that thought that sparks an idea for her science project.

Cat's objective will be to prove that the current state of our health is directly related to the evolution of our diet, daily activity, and the advent of technology. She plans to use herself as a test subject. Will she be able to give up her beloved junk food, TV, cell phone, and internet? Is it possible to turn her previous lazy lifestyle into a more active one, and will it result in weight loss and a chance to feel pretty for the first time in her life?

Author Robin Brande takes readers on an adventure with Cat that proves if we change our lifestyle, we will change more than just our looks. The adjustments Cat makes in her life-long habits have an incredible impact on her life and relationships. What started out as a way to win a science competition, turns into much, much more. Any reader who has ever struggled with the dreaded science fair project or with issues of weight will enjoy FAT CAT.

FAT CAT by Robin Brande is on the list of books nominated for the Thumbs Up Award for the Michigan Library Association. Voting takes place until May so try to get your hands on a copy of FAT CAT and all the other great titles on the list and then go to your local Michigan public library to find out how to vote for your favorite. More news to follow here on FRESH DAWGS' BOOK BLOG.

IT'S CONTEST TIME OVER AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST!!!

2010-12-19T13:32:00.000-05:00

Giving away a brand new copy of THE BOXER AND THE SPY.

Click here to enter.

GIRL V. BOY by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

2010-12-12T20:48:00.000-05:00

When Principal Alvarez announces the city-wide contest to see which school can earn the most money for literacy, the student body of Dunfield High groans. However, when she adds that if their school wins she will dismiss two weeks early for the holiday vacation, everyone takes a moment to reconsider.

When Luisa hears the contest will be girls v. boys, she isn't particularly excited. School is not her favorite place. After witnessing her older sister become a dropout and a teenage mom, Luisa realizes she needs to stay in school, but that doesn't mean she has to like it.

Much to her surprise as she leaves her English class, the teacher asks her to stay a moment after class. He reminds her that he is in charge of the school newspaper, and being impressed with a recent writing assignment she turned in, he has a proposal to make. He would like Luisa to report on the girls' side of the upcoming competition. The catch is that she will report anonymously, and a male student will do the same for the guys' side of the contest.

When Luisa tries to tell her mother about this exciting new assignment, she is too busy getting ready for work to pay much attention. Luisa's sister Grace only stops long enough to heckle Luisa and point out that it's a dumb idea and a waste of time. Despite their less than enthusiastic response, Luisa decides to give the challenge her best effort.

Luisa begins attending more high school sponsored events than she ever has before. She writes up her articles and enjoys seeing them in print, but each time her anonymous partner's articles appear in the paper, she gets more and more curious about his identity. She and her friends have some ideas, but finding out is more difficult than anyone would have expected.

Authors Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout take the age-old competition of girl v. boy to a new level. Constant action and non-stop guessing will keep readers glued to the story right to the end. GIRL V. BOY captures high school drama at its best.

READING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A TEEN BOOK CLUB

2010-12-11T22:16:00.000-05:00

The Stair Teen Book Club recommends these titles but add a caution that they should be rated PG 13.

GIRL V. BOY by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

BE MORE CHILL by Ned Vizzini

TRICKS by Ellen Hopkins

QUICK PICK #9

2010-11-17T08:41:00.000-05:00

DESERT BLOOD by Ronald Cree

DESERT BLOOD is the best book I have ever read. It is very intense and mysterious. If you're looking for a mystery book packed full of awesomeness, I recommend it to anyone 8th grade or older.

- DH

NED VIZZINI 'S AUTHOR VISIT

2010-11-14T22:56:00.000-05:00

Author Ned Vizzini visited Stair Public Library on Saturday, November 13. His third book IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY was recently released as a major motion picture. In his presentation he spoke about the book, the movie, and the Brooklyn Bridge. This was his 4th visit to speak in our town!

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I'LL BE DEAD by Julie Anne Peters

2010-11-12T19:52:00.000-05:00

Author Julie Anne Peters has written an incredibly powerful new book focusing on bullying and the issue of suicide as a consequence. With this problem appearing so recently in national news, BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I'LL BE DEAD is a book to be read and taken seriously.

Overweight, misunderstood, and bullied for almost her entire life, Daelyn has already tried suicide. Her attempts so far have failed, but after finding a website called Through-the-Light, her determination to end her life has been renewed.

After multiple attempts, the most recent resulting in permanent damage to her esophagus and vocal cords, her parents have her under close watch. She finally regains her computer privileges which allow her to find the website that has connected her to others serious about terminating their lives. She is officially registered on the site and has chosen her DOD - Day of Determination. In 23 days she will be dead.

What follows is Daelyn's account of those 23 days. She details her horrific past including "fat camp" and its humiliations, a sexual attack in the boys' restroom, and countless other bullying incidents that have stripped her of any feelings of trust or self-worth. Feeling totally friendless and never able to confide in her parents, she has suffered alone.

During the 23 days, Daelyn does have some new insights. As she documents her struggles online, she is able to view her past in a new light that provides a kind of release. She also meets a boy outside her school as she waits for her mother's car each day. This odd character has serious issues of his own, but he relentlessly pursues her friendship and helps her imagine new possibilities.

Much of this book is dark and deeply disturbing, especially when Daelyn spends time online. To realize that there are sites like the one she visits that describe in such detail the methods and options for suicide seekers, it is frightening to think how venerable people might be influenced to take this drastic step. Peters attacks this subject bravely and doesn't attempt to soften it or romanticize it. She provides a needed voice for those unable to express the inner torment caused by the cruelty and viciousness of some in our society today.

BEAT THE BAND by Don Calame

2010-11-07T16:54:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share this one in case there are any fans of Calame's SWIM THE FLY looking for a sequel.

In the author blurb for BEAT THE BAND, author Don Calame states, "It was hard saying good-bye to the characters in SWIM THE FLY. And then I realized I didn't have to. I just needed to find a way to get them back into trouble again."

This reader is extremely pleased that Calame missed his characters enough to give them another chance in BEAT THE BAND. I found them even more engaging and entertaining the second time around.

It is sophomore year, and Cooper Redmond has a new goal in life. He has decided during his second year in high school he needs to find a way to hit all the bases, and he's not referring to athletic feats on the baseball diamond. Cooper has his sights set on Prudence, the leader of the hottest group of popular girls in the school.

When Mrs. Turris announces the semester long health project, Cooper sees it as his chance to shine. He is sure the odds are in his favor and he'll score Prudence or at least one of her minions as a project partner. When the Fates intervene and give him hated Helen Harriwick as a partner, his whole plan begins to crumble. And if having a disastrous partner is not bad enough, the subject of their partnership project is contraception. It's truly the end of the world for Cooper.

Cooper thinks he may have the answer to all his problems when he hears the announcement about the upcoming Battle of the Bands. He and his buddies Matt and Sean have experimented some with the rock band idea. Maybe they could dust off their instruments and with a little practice wow everyone with their musical talent enough to get everyone thinking of Cooper as a cool dude and not as some loser stuck with "Hot Dog" Helen.

What follows is a story hilarious and raunchy enough to hook every guy reader and gross out most girls brave enough to crack the cover. Calame is right on target with the thoughts and antics of 10th grade boys. His gritty locker room banter combined with offbeat characters like Cooper's dad and his crazy schemes work to create a super sequel to SWIM THE FLY. This one has me waiting eagerly for what Calame has to offer next.

AUTHOR NED VIZZINI TO VISIT STAIR PUBLIC LIBRARY!!!!

2010-10-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

Author Ned Vizzini whose book IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY was just released as a major motion picture will be visiting Stair Public Library in Morenci, MI.

This will be Ned's fourth visit to the tiny Michigan community. He will be speaking on Saturday, November 13 at 2:00 pm as part of a program entitled New York City in a Tiny Midwest Town.

Please come join us if you are in the area.

TEEN READ WEEK - October 17-23

2010-10-17T10:01:00.001-04:00

TEEN WEEK READ-A-THON
Attendance was a bit low this year, but our town just suffered the loss of a young teen which still has everyone's mind whirling. I'm sure the readers who did attend were thinking of him as they read.

Here's a list of the books we were reading at the Read-a-Thon.

CHOSEN (House of Night series #3) by P. Cast & Kristin Cast
CHARLIE ST. CLOUD by Ben Sherwood
REMEMBER ME trilogy by Christopher Pike
THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES by Kristina McBride
ITCH by Michelle D. Kwasney
MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS by Kristina Springer

Thanks to all who attend and donated canned goods for the food bank.

TEEN WEEK READ-A-THON TOMORROW!!!

2010-10-15T23:08:00.000-04:00

I've got my pile ready to go. The Read-a-Thon is from noon until 4:00 pm. Lots of uninterrupted reading time!

We'll post a list of the books readers have their noses in all afternoon.

Sponsors are pledging canned goods for each hour participants read. Everything will be donated to the local food bank.

Wish us luck.

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY -- The Movie

2010-10-10T19:18:00.000-04:00

AWESOME!!! That's how I would describe the movie version of IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY.

I saw it last night and thought it was terrific! The directors, Anne Boden and Ryan Fleck, definitely kept the movie true to the message of the book. Author Ned Vizzini came through loud and clear in the movie adaptation.

I highly recommend hitting the theaters for this movie. Everyone currently in high school or anyone that remembers the stress and pressure they experienced during those years will relate to this film. And if you haven't yet, READ the book, too!

QUICK PICK #8

2010-10-10T19:06:00.001-04:00

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

I thought it was a very interesting book. I loved that it was very easy to follow. I got a surprise in the middle with Peeta and Katniss. You'll have to read the first two books to understand this one, though. The ending was different than what I thought would happen.

- KK

IT'S FINALLY HERE....

2010-10-02T21:55:00.000-04:00

FALLOUT by Ellen Hopkins

It's the long-awaited final book in the CRANK and GLASS saga.

Click here to read Readingjunky's review.

BANNED BOOK WEEK SEPT. 25 - OCT. 2

2010-09-25T17:22:00.000-04:00

QUICK PICK #7

2010-09-11T15:20:00.001-04:00

GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES by Robin Epstein

This is a heartwarming book that teaches you a lot about friendship, honesty, and loyalty. It's a story about love and following your heart. I highly recommend this book.

- KC

You can read a review here.

BLUE PLATE SPECIAL by Michelle D. Kwasney

2010-09-06T10:28:00.001-04:00

Well, what can I say about this book? It was an excellent read and kept me turning the pages and not wanting to put it down. Michelle D. Kwasney brilliantly put this book together, making sure everything was explained in full detail. Every situation built up to the final moment where the main characters were connected.

Madeline is a main character in the book. She has what you would call a "dead-beat" mother who drinks and goes through boyfriends like she changes her underwear. Madeline is a rather "heavy-set" girl, if you will, with lots of self-esteem issues. She struggles through every day, until one day she meets someone who appreciates her for who she is.

Desiree, another main character, also has a "dead-beat" mother who drinks and overdoses on pills. Her mother's boyfriend Larry follows Desiree home one day, gets her to drink alcohol, and tragically, he rapes her. Desiree starts to wonder what is going on with her body when she misses her period.

Ariel, the final main character in the book, has a great mother who works hard every day to support her. She seems to have it all together, until you find that her father is in prison for murder, she and her best friend are drifting apart, and her boyfriend is turning into a psychopathic, controlling, and sadistic freak.

This book by far met my expectations and then exceeded them. It is an amazing tale of many heartbreaks and hardships. It was a very powerful book, and I enjoyed every careful detail the author put into it. I would recommend this book for 9th grade and above.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KC

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEEN BOOKS!

2010-09-03T19:07:00.000-04:00

Want to vote for your favorite books of 2010?

Go to Teens’ Top Ten 2010 at YALSA.
http://tinyurl.com/3hwnpy

                                        Voting is open Aug. 23 – Sept. 17.

QUICK PICK #6

2010-08-30T17:44:00.001-04:00

MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES series by Rachel Caine

I love this series because it's mysterious. People who love romance, wars, and vampires will love it. This series will keep you reading and possibly will keep you addicted.

- SRL

FINALLY!!!

2010-08-24T09:47:00.000-04:00

It's finally out! Rush to be the first to get your copy from the nearest library or teacher's classroom!!!

IT'S CONTEST TIME OVER AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST

2010-08-23T18:53:00.000-04:00

Win a signed copy of LOVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Check out the new contest here.

QUICK PICKS #5

2010-08-21T15:55:00.000-04:00

THE LAST SONG by Nicholas Sparks

This book was absolutely amazing! It opened my eyes to different perspectives, and it helped me to step in other people's shoes even if only for a minute.

This book was touching and emotional. It was definitely a great read. I would recommend this book to anyone of a mature nature.

-KC

GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES by Robin Epstein

2010-08-18T21:31:00.001-04:00

GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES was by far one of the best books I've ever read in my lifetime. It brings so many emotions into play. The sarcastic humor was a focal point in the book that in turn was one of the largest "interest grabbers" for me.

Grace Manning, who is the main character and also provides the point of view from which the story is told, is a 15 year old candy striper who is very close with a client named Frank Sands. When Mr. Sands presents Grace with an "impossible request", she is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

She is also dealing with problems at home, her changing feelings about her best friend Eric, and just being a teenager in general. Grace is going through some of the roughest times she has ever been through.

I highly recommend this book, and that is an understatement.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KC

QUICK PICK #4

2010-08-13T18:25:00.000-04:00

THE DEN OF SHADOWS QUARTET by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

A good book about vampires, actually four books in one. I don't have much to say except they are all short books. A few are about vampires, and a few are about vampire hunters.

-KK

QUICK PICK #3

2010-08-11T13:11:00.001-04:00

ROMIETTE AND JULIO by Sharon Draper

I love this book because it's like a romance/action book about two teens who fall in love after one just moves into a new school. Gang members terrorize the two after the gang finds out where the guy is from. This is a wonderful book! -HF

REPORTING IN ON A TERRIFIC TRIP TO TWO BOOKSTORES

2010-08-09T19:05:00.001-04:00

The Stair Teen Book Club members journeyed to Borders and Barnes & Noble with paper and pencil in hand. The purpose of the trip was to browse the teen/YA shelves and search for books the library should order.

Wow! That meant we were spending other people's money. Always a fun thing.

The list created included a variety of great books that will be ordered over the next months by the library director. A cool promise was made that whoever requested a particular book would be given first chance to read it when it arrives. Can't beat that guarantee!

Everyone had fun, and it was decided that a repeat trip should be scheduled for the future.

QUICK PICK #2

2010-08-09T18:47:00.002-04:00

THE FORBIDDEN GAME by L.J. Smith

I haven't finished the book yet, but I like it. It has a good storyline. It also has romance, although it is sadly confusing at times.

- SL

KICKING OFF A NEW FEATURE CALLED "QUICK PICKS"

2010-08-07T04:35:00.000-04:00

UNWIND by Neal Shusterman

If the future is anything like UNWIND, teens need to be afraid - very afraid. This is sci-fi at its best. It is the stuff of nightmares.

- RJ

JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS AWAY!!!

2010-08-04T23:56:00.000-04:00

Everyone here is excited!!! Pre-orders have been made, and cars are gassed up ready to head for the nearest bookstore.

We will let you know what we think. Please don't hesitate to share your comments, too.

August 24!!!!!

REPORT ON THE SECOND MEETING OF THE STAIR TEEN BOOK CLUB

2010-07-19T20:53:00.000-04:00

Here's a list of what everyone is reading.

THE SHINING by Stephen King
FAERIE WARS by Herbie Brennan
BEING by Kevin Brooks
THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER by Stephenie Meyer
THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls
SLEEPING FRESHMEN NEVER LIE by David Lubar

It was suggested that we contact John Green, Nicholas Sparks, and Patrick Jones to see if a phone chats or Skype discussions would be possible. The club members are open for other author suggestions.

Everyone agreed that ECLIPSE is the best Twilight movie yet. There was some discussion about the upcoming BREAKING DAWN movie. Everyone agreed - NO 3-D!!!

Finally, ice cream drumsticks for snacks. Yummmmmmm........

FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING OF OUR TEEN BOOK CLUB

2010-07-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

The Stair Public Library now has a TEEN BOOK CLUB. We had our first official meeting today at 2:22 pm. (Why the weird time, you ask? No reason.)

There was a nice discussion about the books people had recently read, and plans were made to keep meeting on Mondays at 2:22.

Here is a list of books the members recommend.

VAMPIRE ACADEMY series by Richelle Mead
CITY OF BONES series by Cassandra Clare
WISH YOU WERE DEAD and IF I GROW UP by Todd Strasser
JANE IN BLOOM by Deborah Lytton
THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simons
ROMIETTE AND JULIO by Sharon M. Draper
BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARE series by Laurie Faria Stolarz
CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins
All books written by John Green.
All books written by Nicholas Sparks.
All books written by Mitch Albom.

Stay tuned for more about our meetings and more book suggestions.

THE CHOSEN ONE by Carol Lynch Williams

2010-06-19T13:24:00.000-04:00

Thirteen year old Kyra has grown up in an isloated community without wondering that her father has three wives, and she has twenty brothers and sisters with two more on the way.

Kyra has two separate lives, yet one of them is a secret. She visits the Mobile Library on Wheels to read books. She also meets with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. In the end the prophet chooses someone for her, and he is not the best guy out there. She has to decide if she wants to run off or stay with him forever.

Carol Lynch Williams writes amazing books and is a very talented writer. She knows how to draw in her readers and make every sentence something that makes readers want to read more. She bases her book topics on very interesting subjects. Her word choices are also very strong.

You are likely to find this book in any public or school library. I found this book in my teacher's classroom. The book's cover caught my eye, and I'm so glad I read on and decided to choose this wonderful book, THE CHOSEN ONE.

CONTRIBUTED BY: BG

WITCH & WIZARD by James Patterson

2010-06-19T13:13:00.000-04:00

Whit and Wisteria Allgood are living a normal life, other than the fact that they have powers. But then something terrible happens...

* * *

Whit and Wisteria Allgood are kidnapped and jailed because of their magical powers. They are treated cruelly and barely fed. They escape by going into another dimension where they meet up with other kids like them - kids who are wanted.

The One Who Is The One is the man who has issued the proclamation making Whit and Wisteria's powers illegal. He has also banned law, science, and many other things. Any who defy The One Who Is The One's proclamation will receive a very harsh punishment - execution.

When Whit and Wisteria get recaptured, they are facing execution. They are standing at the gallows awaiting their turn at death, trying desperately to find an escape.

This was a fascinating book. It had many twists and turns. I never knew where it was going. This book was written by James Patterson. I really recommend WITCH & WIZARD because I think you will like it, too. I can't wait to find out what happens in book two.

CONTRIBUTED BY: MH

BAIT by Alex Sanchez

2010-06-18T11:05:00.000-04:00

BAIT is a pain-filled story. It is about an average teen boy named Diego. He has a mom, a brother, a dad he doesn't know, and a dead stepdad.

Diego has a bit of an anger problem, especially about being gay, which he isn't. When the school's gay kid decides he likes Diego, Diego breaks the guy's nose. He goes to court, and another chapter in his life begins.

Now Diego is on parole, and his P.O. Mr. Vidas, also has a few secrets to hide. The two of them find they're more alike than they think.

This story is full of crazy stories and secrets that kept me reading. Alex Sanchez obviously knows how to keep the reader hooked. I trust that anyone who enjoys secrets or pain will love BAIT.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KD

TTHE BAT BOY by Mike Lupica

2010-06-18T10:58:00.000-04:00

I recently read the book THE BAT BOY by Mike Lupica. This book is about a boy named Brian Dudley. He is a bat boy for the Detroit Tigers. He got this job by writing a letter to the team owner.

Being a bat boy may sound easy, but it is actually pretty difficult. He runs into problems with players yelling at him and much more.

There is one guy in particular who gives him a hard time, and his name is Hank Bishop. Hank is Brian's favorite player, but having this job shows Brian how rude Hank really is. On top of Hank being a jerk, Brian also has to worry about his everyday life like his own baseball playing. Brian's baseball team is in the running for the state title so he has to find time to practice around the Tiger's schedule.

To find out what happens in the rest of the book, read it sometime. I found this book on my teacher's bookshelf.

CONTRIBUTED BY: DA

GIVEAWAY CONTEST OVER AT READINGJUNKY'S READING ROOST

2010-06-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

Enter here for a chance to win LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

THE LUCKY ONE by Nicholas Sparks

2010-06-17T11:13:00.000-04:00

THE LUCKY ONE was a well-written book by Nicholas Sparks. He captured the emotion in this book. It was eventful and had many interesting twists and turns.

In my opinion the author was very clever in writing this book. I liked how he changed chapters by the character. The chapters always left you begging for more. Very rarely there was a part that was a little dull. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

All of the characters coordinate in a way you wouldn't expect. Thibault, Beth, and Clayton are all connected in a mysterious way. Clayton's secrets become threatened by Thibault, and all of a sudden, Clayton isn't the Big, Bad Cop in town. Thibault puts Clayton in his place and actually stands up to him.

Beth keeps working at recovering her mother's kennel, but she won't for long. Fall is returning, and Beth will have to go teach every day. Her mom is still recovering from a stroke so she won't be able to run the kennel. The only other option would be to hire an employee. But who would want to work at a kennel? That is when Thibault comes strolling up the driveway.

There are many different places you could find this book - at a school or local library or you could buy it in a bookstore or online.

CONTRIBUTED BY: HJ

THE LESS-DEAD by April Lurie

2010-06-17T11:04:00.000-04:00

Noah and his best friend love to party. They even made a band. Noah's dad is the Bible Answer Guy. Noah meets Will, a foster kid, who has a crush on him. They do have one thing in common, they like to write. Will writes poems, and Noah writes lyrics to songs.

One night Will told Noah how he felt about him. Noah gave him the brush off. Noah felt bad for being so mean about it, though. He went to find Will to apologize, and Will was dead.

Noah found Will's notebook with his poems and also someone else's poems. He thought they were clues, and he was determined to find out who did it.

I really liked this book. The author had really good descriptions. I felt like I was there watching it all happen. I was always suspicious with each character which made the book more interesting. I got this book from my classroom library. I recommend this book to all who like suspenseful books. When you start reading, you're never going to want to stop.

CONTRIBUTED BY: TC

SHOCK POINT by April Henry

2010-06-14T15:26:00.000-04:00

There are many good books I've read, but this book SHOCK POINT is probably the best book. I like this book because the cover tells the truth. This book is shocking, and you never want to stop reading it. I enjoyed it, and I bet you will, too.

SHOCK POINT is about a teenage girl who gets accused of having meth. She is heading home and a white van is sitting there waiting for her. They take her away, and her parents were standing right there watching them take her away. They take her to a place called Peaceful Cove. This place is not peaceful at all. It is a horrible place, and you will learn terrible things about it and about the girl's step-dad.

I hope you read this book. It has many twists and turns and a surprise ending.

CONTRIBUTED BY: LS

RUCKER PARK SETUP by Paul Volponi

2010-06-14T15:18:00.000-04:00

The story in RUCKER PARK SETUP is about these two high school basketball stars from Harlem, New York. These two basketball players were asked to be on a Rucker Park team. They only accept high school players going to college.

The story is not all about basketball. RUCKER PARK SETUP has a lot of gangs as coaches. If you make them feel embarrassed or mad at you, or if you make them lose a game, you will pay for it very quickly.

The two characters in this story are best friends and on the same team in high school. These two players were going to be successful in the future, but not after what happens.

It starts out when they are very popular in their part of New York. Things change when J.R. gets stabbed to death on the basketball court when he was practicing by himself. Mustard is very upset, of course, because he was his best friend. Their coach gambles or bets with other team coaches. Everyone knows you cannot gamble or make bets with other coaches.

If you want to know more about this book you have to go to your local library or bookstore. This story was very interesting. I could not take my eyes away from it. If you are going to read any basketball book, get this one.

CONTRIBUTED BY: JS

FOR BOYS ONLY: THE BIGGEST, B-A-D-D-E-S-T BOOK EVER by Marc Aronson and H.P. Newquist

2010-06-12T18:42:00.000-04:00

This book was one of the best books I've ever read. It takes you through things you would never expect, like cars, oobleck, fake blood, how to win at rock, paper, scissors, monsters, how to fight off an alligator, and much more.

I didn't expect it at first, but books really can be good. I wish the authors would have put more older kid stuff in instead of monsters. Or they could must make it a more "manly" book, but there are still a lot of cool and useful things like how to land an airplane in an emergency or how to fight off a shark. Overall, a very good book.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KT

THE RING by Bobbie Pyron

2010-06-12T18:34:00.000-04:00

Could boxing be the solution to not getting into trouble? Even if you're a girl? Well, that's what helped Mardie Wolfe. Her story starts like this.

Mardie gets picked up by the cops, and she's charged with drunken disorderly conduct. Oh, did I forget to tell you, she's only fifteen years old. She tells her parents after they finally trusted her that she was going to the movie, but she really went to a party.

All of her problems started because of a new boyfriend named Ben. He's the hottest senior around, at least that's what Mardie says. After she spotted Ben cheating on her, she broke down. She didn't know what to do so she went to the store and just began to shove things into her pockets. She started to leave after she couldn't fit any more into her pockets, but then she was stopped by the police and was taken to jail and given 1,000 hours of community service.

One day she went with her step-mom to the gym. She saw the girl boxers boxing and thought it looked like it would be fun to fight someone without getting into trouble so she joined. She began to work really hard. There were only three rules to follow. Kitty's rules were "No cussin, no whinin; and no fightin' ." Mardie really didn't understand the last rule, "No fightin'" because didn't they have to fight? Soon she learned she was there to box not fight, and she would have to learn to fight with her brain, not her fists.

She trained for months and months, running every day. She worked her way to her first match, and she lost. She decided she would give up boxing because she thought she needed to win. She did come back to training and won a couple of matches. She was becoming a quick, smart boxer.

Finally the Denver Tournament came. She boxed two really good boxers, and she won which meant she would fight the best boxer the next day. Did she win or lose? You'll never find out until you read the book.

I really enjoyed THE RING. It made me want to start boxing. I never wanted to put the book down. I got this book from my English teacher's classroom library.

CONTRIBUTED BY: -tbear

HELL'S HEROES by Darren Shan

2010-06-10T18:45:00.000-04:00

This is the last book in the amazing Demonata series written by Darren Shan.

Grubbs Grady has had his Uncle Dervish in his life for years. Now with Dervish dead, along with Meera and other friends, the closest person to him is Kernel Fleck.

Grubbs thought that Bec would have his back, but as it looks, she has created an alliance with Grubbs's greatest enemy Lord Loss. Now without Bec, they have last a huge part of the Kah-Gash, so Grubbs, Kernel, a couple disciples, and three of his closest werewolves, go into the realm of the Demonata to rescue Bec from Lord Loss.

There are a lot of things that could change the outcome of this rescue. One is the scare of Bec being in an alliance with Lord Loss, another is will the human race last long enough for them to rescue Bec and unite the Kah-Gash, and finally, can they kill Lord Loss on his home turf?

I thought that the way Darren Shan wrote this book was purely amazing. He went into a detailed description of everything from what they thought to what they saw. If you want to read some amazing books, read the Demonata series as well as Cirque Du Freak, another awesome series by Darren Shan.

CONTRIBUTED BY: CP

TWENTY FRAGMENTS OF A RAVENOUS YOUTH by Xiaolu Guo

2010-06-10T09:38:00.000-04:00

FenFang was always stuck in the middle between two completely different and opposite lives. One was an ordinary farming life; the other a dramatic life of a city slicker. FenFang is different from many other teenage girls. She is more then a teenage girl, she is more like a grown-up.

She has her own house and buys her own clothes and the items she needs to survive. She also has a job. She's an actress.

She met this guy during acting, Xiaolin. She has been dating Xiaolin for awhile. She moved in with him and his parents. Then she moved out and broke up with him because he was too quiet and not up beat like her, I guess.

I like this book so much. It is in my top five. It helps me as a person to understand the values a woman has, both the good values and the bad. We women need to stay strong, independent, and forgiving.

I think the author Xiaolu Guo's interpretation of this book is that two different girls can be one girl. When you combine a girl knowing values from one side of the world with another, the woman becomes stronger.

CONTRIBUTED BY: KB

INTERVIEW WITH SAM ENTHOVEN AUTHOR OF THE BLACK TATTOO

2010-06-08T17:38:00.004-04:00

Thank you to Sam Enthoven for taking the time to answer my questions. I loved THE BLACK TATTOO. As I mentioned in my earlier review, it was a very exciting read.

QUESTION: How long did it take you to write THE BLACK TATTOO?

ANSWER: Five years. Yep: a long time! I spent something like two and a half years writing the first draft. The rest of the time I spent cutting, refining, and polishing the book until it was as fast and thrilling as I could possibly make it.

QUESTION: Where do you get your inspiration for writing?

ANSWER: What keeps me coming back to the desk is excitement about the story I'm telling. I think a writer has to be passionate about what they're writing. More on this later.

QUESTION: How did you come up with the idea for THE BLACK TATTOO?

ANSWER: Up until THE BLACK TATTOO I'd been trying to write books that I thought "would sell." That seemed like a sensible approach, but it had got me (or "gotten me" I should say for American readers!) nothing but a big stack of rejection letters. So, when I sat down to start thinking about what would become THE BLACK TATTOO, I tried a different approach. I asked myself a question that went something like this:

Imagine if you, personally, were to come across a book in a bookshop or library that had /everything you want in a book/ - a book so thrilling that you wouldn't want to stop reading it even to eat or sleep. What would the elements be?

For me, at that moment, the elements were: swordfights, demonic possession, flying kung fu, vomiting bats, the end of the universe, a seven-way gladiatorial monster fight to the death set in Hell... stuff like that! THE BLACK TATTOO started out as a wish-list. Then I set about thinking of ways to put it all together.

Think about what you would most love to read. I think that's the best way to start writing a book. For every person it's different. For every story it's different. But if you've got that central passion and enthusiasm and commitment to your project then not only will that keep you going through the tough bits of creating it, but that excitement should - if you work hard enough - come across to the reader.

QUESTION: What authors or books do you like to read?

ANSWER: All sorts. I love all kinds of storytelling: games, movies, comics, animation, you name it, but I sometimes think that books are as important as food, or breathing, to me. From first thing in the morning to last thing at night, I read every chance I get. There's too much to list here, but I've put up a bunch of my favourite things at my LibraryThing profile.(http://www.facebook.com/l/8f94b;www.librarything.com/profile/othersam) Feel free to take a look.

QUESTION: What other books have you written?

ANSWER: There's TIM, DEFENDER OF THE EARTH: that's basically a giant monster smackdown in which most of London's landmarks get gleefully destroyed. There's CRAWLERS, a survival horror story about eight teenagers trapped and menaced by mind-controlling alien parasites. There's also a novella that should be coming out here in the UK next year, about a heist on the Bank of England. There are plenty more where those came from. I've just got to keep pedalling. ;D

QUESTION: Are you working on any books right now?

ANSWER: Definitely. Right now I'm deep into my latest full-length novel, but the next one - and the one after that - are already fermenting and bubbling in the depths of my soupy brain. Writing fantastical action thrillers for young people is my dream job: I aim to keep doing it for as long as I possibly can. To keep up with the latest on what I'm up to, check my homepage:
www.samenthoven.com

Thanks for interviewing me. And my thanks and best wishes to everyone who reads this.

CONTRIBUTED BY: MG

THE BLACK TATTOO by Sam Enthoven

2010-06-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

THE BLACK TATTOO starts with two teenagers, Jack and Charlie, in London. Charlie just found out his parents are getting a divorce, and he takes Jack along to eat supper with his father. For Charlie, seeing his father makes him furious, and he and Jack storm out of the restaurant.

While they were on their way home, Charlie yelled at a man in a crowd for bumping into him. He decided to get some money out of an ATM and a hobo stole his card. He chased after the thief, but he was getting away. Suddenly the man who bumped into Charlie stopped the thief and gave him back his card. The man's name was Nick, and the only thing he asked in return was for Charlie to come with him and do a small test.

Charlie dragged Jack along and they went with Nick. They both decided to take the test along someone named Esme, who was already at the building. Nick summoned a black staff and all four of them grabbed on to it. Jack and Esme were flung off, and then Charlie started screaming. There was a crack, the staff vanished, and Nick fell to the floor.

Soon after they found out they were now members of the Brotherhood of Sleep. The Brotherhood's goal was to stop a liquid black demon, The Scourge, from destroying the Universe. The Scourge's plan was to go through "the fracture" into Hell. The Scourge had recently escaped from his imprisonment and they must stop him from making it to Hell. The Scourge also needed a host, like a parasite, to be powerful.

Charlie woke up in the morning with a moving black tattoo, but he thought nothing of it and went back to the Brotherhood's base with Jack. He soon finds out he has been given super powers by the "test." They find some clues about The Scourge and go on a journey through Hell to stop him.

This book is written by Sam Enthoven from London. THE BLACK TATTOO was his first book, and he did a great job. THE BLACK TATTOO is so exciting you can't put it down. You'll fly through those five hundred and three pages in a week.

CONTRIBUTED BY: MG

INTERVIEW WITH CYNTHIA LEITICH SMITH AUTHOR OF ETERNAL

2010-06-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

Miranda was just any normal teenager until one night when she and her firends decided to go into this graveyard that was supposedly haunted. While they were out there Miranda was just about to plunge into a pit , but her G.A. (Guardian Angel) lit up the whole cemetery with light and saved her. When he did that a vampire came up to Miranda and kidnapped her and turned her into a vampire.

Zachary, Miranda's fallen G.A. has a job working at a mansion where she lives. His job is to destroy tha head honcho, and he wants to save Miranda at the same time. The job seems next to impossible to him, and when later Miranda starts to fall for him, it only makes his job even harder.

Will Zachary be able to kill Dracula? The only way to find out is to read the book.

QUESTION: What was your motivation to start writing and did you ever think you'd be an author when you were a child?

ANSWER: I have an active "inner" life, a boisterous imagination, and was captivated from the start by story per se in fiction, films, and family tales swapped around kitchen tables.

I recall writing stories on my own as early as second grade, and in fact, my first "audio publication" was a tale I'd written about hiking to the creek in the woods behind my house to catch crawdads. It was read over the school intercom, a surprise to me at the time. By fourth grade, I'd become an avid poet. In sixth grade, I had a "Dear Gabby" column in Mr. Rideout's classroom. I went on to become editor of my junior high and high school newspapers, to graduate with a journalism degree from the University of Kansas, and to earn a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, where I taught legal writing in my third year.

During college and law school, I also worked as a writer in the public relations departments of major corporations and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition, I interned as a reporter for various suburban and small town newspapers as well as The Dallas Morning News.

In all that time, I didn't imagine myself writing book. It wasn't until after law school when I was finally a sort of grown-up, clerking for a federal law office in Chicago, that I decided to become an author.

Seems strange, doesn't it? But perhaps based on assigned reading at school, I tended to assume authors were long-dead Europeans or at least long-dead New Englanders.

It wasn't until I was on my own in my latter twenties that I could imagine my byline on a book.

QUESTION: What type of books do you like to read?

ANSWER: My reading tastes have expanded over the years. When I was in high school, I enjoyed spooky stories, and I still do. But I also love great creative nonfiction, historical novels, novels in verse, and many more genres and formats. Writing has made me appreciate more what I can learn from embracing a wide variety of books.

QUESTION: Who's your favorite author?

ANSWER: I have many, many favorite authors. I should probably begin by nodding to my author husband, Greg Leitich Smith, and then highlight just a few. My favorites include Libba Bray, Rite Williams-Garcia, Annette Curtis Klause, Y.S. Lee, David Levithan, and Jennifer Ziegler, among many, many others.

QUESTION: If someone asked you if they could make this book into a movie, would you allow them to?

ANSWER: I would consider any film offer seriously and talk it over with my agent. A "movie deal" is a sub right, a secondary purchase of the book, though, and authors usually aren't especially involved with the screenwriting and production processes.

QUESTION: Why did you allow Miranda to be turned into a vampire? She seemed so innocent before.

ANSWER: This may sound strange, but I had nothing to do with it. That was Radford's decision and an unintended consequence of Lucy going into the cemetery, Miranda following her, and Zachary choosing to show himself. They're all complex, three-dimensional characters with their own goals and personalities. I'm merely the author.

That said, Miranda is the real Miranda again, her true soulful self, in heaven. She's still informed by her experiences as a vampire, but the demonic influence is gone.

QUESTION: Did you have any struggles while creating this book?

ANSWER: The angels originally had been elves, which didn't work at all. They were far too wide-eyed to effectively combat the eternal hierarchy. I also originally started it too far in. The early insights into Miranda's human life where added in the revision process, and my hope is that they serve to offer a glimpse of the girl she had been and the nature of her soul at stake.

QUESTION: Why was Zachary given the sword at the end of the book?

ANSWER: Zachary has a new mission, given to him by Miranda. Michael's giving him the sword confirms that heaven has approved that mission but also strongly hints that it won't be a safe one. He may well need to defend himself and perhaps others in the near future.

QUESTION: Which book do you like more - TANTALIZE or ETERNAL?

ANSWER: BLESSED, which picks up where TANTALIZE leaves off and crosses over the two casts. It'll be available from Candlewick Press in February 2011, along with my equal love TANTALIZE: KIEREN'S STORY, a graphic novel illustrated by the amazing Ming Doyle.

Thank you to Cynthia for taking the time to answer these questions about her book and her experiences as an author.

CONTRIBUTED BY: JE

SOPHOMORE SWITCH by Abby McDonald

2010-06-07T22:39:00.000-04:00

SOPHOMORE SWITCH is about two girls, Natasha and Emily, who switch colleges for the school year. Natasha, who was studying film at the University of Santa Barbara in California, has to swap colleges with Emily, who was studying to be a lawyer at Oxford University in England.

Emily is an average, organized, and hardworking student, but a mix-up with her application to Oxford sends her to her only other option in California. Natasha is the laid back, go with the flow party girl, but an embarrassing incident involving a boy and a hot tub was filmed as part of a TV show which went viral sending her to the only college that would get her away from it all.

After the first couple of months at different colleges, they both feel that fitting in to totally different lives is difficult. They get in touch through email and create the idea of making a survival guide for each other. With Emily's guide, Natasha learns how to fit in with the know-it-alls of Oxford by getting involved in school issues. With Natasha's guide, Emily learns how to more laid back and not so controlling. Their experiences in different colleges teach them to see life from a different perspective.

The author's subject, seeing life from a different perspective, was presented in a way that young adults could understand. Sometimes the people you think are way different than you, are actually not that different. Through reading this book I believe the author presented that subject in a clear and understandable way. You can find SOPHOMORE SWITCH at your local library or maybe in your teacher's classroom library.

CONTRIBUTED BY: AV

INTERVIEW WITH ERIC LUPER AUTHOR OF BIG SLICK

2010-06-07T22:22:00.000-04:00

BIG SLICK is a very good book. This book is an amazing book for teenagers. It's a comedy one second and a love story the next.

BIG SLICK is a book for someone who enjoys life's dramas. In this book teenagers are confronted by decisions that we all can relate to.

A big thank you to Eric Luper for answering the following interview questions about the book and his life as an author.

QUESTION: What inspired you to be a writer?

ANSWER: I didn't aspire to be a writer until I was in college. It was during my freshman composition class that I discovered I had a knack for it and I found out that writing was a lot more fun when there wasn't someone breathing down my neck with an essay topic.

QUESTION: Why did you decide to write a book that had to do with poker?

ANSWER: I was actually working on a different young adult novel when I started watching poker on television. In learning about the game, I came to realize that it would be a perfect setting for a book. So I dropped the other thing I was working on and started in on what would become BIG SLICK. I guess it was the right decision!

QUESTION: Was there or is there something you wanted to do other than write?

ANSWER: I am a chiropractor by day and I still work doing that. When I was in college I knew I could either be a starving artist or a not-starving artist and I chose the latter. The good news is that the writing is taking off and I hope to become a full-time novelist soon.

QUESTION: Do you consider writing a job or a hobby?

ANSWER: If I considered writing a hobby, I would let myself not do it for long stretches of time and the quality of my work would suffer. It's like going to school. You need to treat that as a job. Otherwise, you'd slack off, stay home on days you didn't feel like getting up, and eventually everything would fall apart.

QUESTION: Who is your favorite character from the book? Why?

ANSWER: My favorite character in BIG SLICK is probably Shushie. He's just so colorful. I had a great time writing him because I could just get ugly, ugly, ugly.

QUESTION: Who is your favorite author? Why?

ANSWER: That is a hard question to answer because I love so many authors. Also, I know so many authors. But I'd have to say my favorite is Neil Gaiman. He writes such a wide variety of things and he does each so well. That's a really hard thing to do.

QUESTION: What is your favorite genre of books to read?

ANSWER: I like reading contemporary realistic fiction with some humor in it. Stuff sort of like BIG SLICK or my newest one, SETH BAUMGARTNER'S LOVE MANIFESTO. However, I also like to read modern-day stories with a little supernatural or fantasy twist. Things like David Lubar's TRUE TALENTS and HIDDEN TALENTS or A.M. Jenkins's REPOSSESSED.

QUESTION: How long does it take to write a book?

ANSWER: That all depends on the book. BIG SLICK took only four months to write a first draft, but edits took much longer. BUG BOY required so much research that it took me nearly two years. But when I finished, there were very few edits. It's also a tough thing to estimate because sometimes other things happen that require me to put a book aside for awhile. While I was writing SETH BAUMGARTNER'S LOVE MANIFESTO, I had to promote BIG SLICK and then edits came in for BUG BOY. It can all get very confusing!

CONRIBUTED BY: RS

NO RIGHT TURN by Terry Trueman

2010-06-02T19:46:00.000-04:00

NO RIGHT TURN is a great book. It's about a young man whose father commits suicide when he was home with his son. A year or two later, his mom starts dating the neighbor guy who lives down the street.

Jordan likes his mom's boyfriend's car. It's a 1976 Stingray Corvette. He starts to take the Vette out when the boyfriend leaves town for business. He gets away with it all the way up until the day he out ran the cops with his girlfriend. When he returned the Vette, the cops were there.

It is a very good book. It's one of the best books I've read because it has a lot of action.

GONE by Michael Grant

2010-06-02T19:39:00.000-04:00

GONE by Michael Grant is one of the books that keeps you guessing to the end. It was very suspenseful.

One day Sam was at school in Perdido Beach, California. Then all of a sudden the teacher and three students disappeared. After a couple of minutes, Sam and Quinn (Sam's best friend) looked around the school to see if there were any other teachers there. They saw there were other students, but there was no one over the age of 15. They started looking for their parents, but when they went into their houses, no one was there. That's when everyone started to panic.

Sam's girlfriend started looking for her brother. First they went to the power plant and then to the hotel. Half the hotel was inside a sphere and the other half they couldn't even see. That's when they figured out that the area they lived in was inside of a sphere.

In another part of the book, Lana was driving with her grandpa, and all of a sudden he disappeared. Her dog was in the truck with her but not her grandpa. The truck drove off a cliff and she blacked out from the pain until it got dark. She woke up and started to look around to see how bad her injuries were. Her arm was twisted into a question mark, and she was bleeding profusely. The dog licked at her wounds, and she blacked out again. She kind of figured that she was going to die, but then she woke up and she was completely healed without even any scars.

GONE is a good book. It keeps you on the edge of your seat because there are parts in it that keep you wanting to read the rest of the book. The author did a good job of ending the story because it makes you want to read the next book, HUNGER.

PLAYLIST MIX FOR GLASS BY ELLEN HOPKINS

2010-06-02T19:19:00.000-04:00

Some authors listen to music while they write. The music inspires them as they create their characters and the world in which they live.

Have you ever thought about music as you read a book? Is there a song that fills your mind as you picture a character or a situation in the story?

One of the project choices for this class was to create a CD mix of songs that represent the characters/plot in a book. Here is the list of songs inspired by Ellen Hopkins's novel GLASS.

BAD COMPANY by Five Finger Death Punch
*Imagine the "monster" singing this to Kristina.

LAST RESORT by Papa Roach
*The "monster" is Kristina's "last resort". The song talks about self-mutilation which is like doing drugs for Kristina. When everything falls apart, it's there calling for her.

SOMEONE WHO CARES by Three Days Grace
*Kristina has two personalities; one when she is a normal sober teen and a hateful one when she is high. Kristina is calling out for help or trying to find someone who cares.

BOTTOM OF A BOTTLE by Smile Empty Soul
*"I do it just to feel alive. I do it for the love." Now this is definitely a song for Kristina, in fact, it could be her theme song.

HEADSTRONG by Trapt
*When she is high, she is extremely hard-headed and doesn't like people telling her what to do. Just like the song says, "headstrong to take on anyone" describes Bree's attitude towards the world.

WALK AWAY by Five Finger Death Punch
*This could be Bree telling Kristina how she really doesn't care about her.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY by Greenday
*This song is about knowing who you can trust and who you can't trust. Kristina doesn't trust the same people as Bree who trusts the "monster".

FALLING DOWN by Atreyu
*This song is more about Bree's outlook on life. As the song puts it, "it's in your head all the voices mistaken, shake it off shake it off, we're all dyin' in the end."

CHASING BROOKLYN by Lisa Schroeder

2010-05-26T10:41:00.000-04:00

My book review will be on CHASING BROOKLYN. There is a series of the books. They are I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME and FAR FROM YOU. They are very good books.

The books are about someone close to them who dies and then haunts them. CHASING BROOKLYN is mostly about the girl’s boyfriend named Lucca who dies. Lucca tells his brother to help Brooklyn. Nico is Lucca's brother who is trying to help Brooklyn get over the loss of her boyfriend she had for a long time. The only reason that Nico is helping her is because Lucca is leaving messages telling him to help her. Everything gets emotional for Nico and Brooklyn.

Brooklyn has a close friend named Gabe dies from an overdose. He gives her messages just like Lucca is giving to Nico. Everywhere Brooklyn goes and closes her eyes Gabe's ghost is right beside her.

Nico gets Brooklyn to do a half-mile swim, twelve mile bike, and three mile run. This kind of helps her get her mind off Lucca. It makes her feel better than she has in a long time, she says. Nico and she become very close friends and he tells her why he keeps helping her.

I think this was a very good book. I recommend it to most of the teenage girls because you never know when you are going to have to go through it and it will help you understand how it is to lose someone close to you. I think the author used enough details for the characters and the scenes behind them.

GONE by Lisa McMann

2010-05-26T10:17:00.000-04:00

I chose to GONE because it's a great book along with the other two books that go with the series. These books are WAKE and FADE. It's a suspensefull book that you will never want to put down.

GONE is about a girl named Janie. She's not just an ordinary girl. She gets sucked into people's dreams, and she has to try to help them. She lives with her alcoholic mother but doesn't know her dad. She has a boyfriend named Cabel who helps her through everything.

It all starts out where Janie and Cabel are with some friends on vacation. Janie gets a phone call from her friend who says that her mother is at the hospital. Janie tells Cabel what's going on and they leave. They get to the hospital, and Janie finds her mother crying but nothing's wrong with her.

Her mom asks Janie where she's been. Janie told her mother before she left, but her mother never remembers because she's always drunk. Her mom tells her that a guy is in the room lying unconscious, and the doctors didn't know how long he had left. Janie asked her mother who it was, but it takes awhile for her to explain who it is. Finally, she says it was Janie's father. Janie doesn't know what to do or think because she never knew him. What will happen with her father and what will she do? To know more, get the series and start reading.

The author did a great job writing these books. They're mysterious and suspenseful, and you won't want to put them down. The author also uses great detail in the books and makes you wonder what will happen next. I got this book from the classroom library.

"BOOKTALKS" PROVIDE SOME GREAT READING RECOMMENDATIONS

2010-05-26T08:41:00.000-04:00

During the trimester a number of students have given "booktalks" about what they've read. Here are some of the highly recommended titles.

THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH (Percy Jackson series) by Rick Riordan
FLASH BURNOUT by L.K. Madigan
FAB FIVE: BASKETBALL, TRASH TALK, THE AMERICAN DREAM by Mitch Albom
HELL'S HEROES (The Demonata series) by Darren Shan

HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown

2010-05-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

HATE LIST, a novel written by Jennifer Brown, is nothing short of a terrible tragedy. The author writes of the obstacles two teenage outcasts faced while attending their high school Garvin High. Brown sends a powerful message to all readers through her honest writing and exquisite detail.

“It was just a list. Nobody was supposed to die…”

It has been five months since Nick, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, brought a gun to school and shot people who were on the list… her list. Some see Valerie as a hero, for stopping the shooting and saving a life, but she sees herself as the killer. She didn’t physically open fire on those students and teachers, but she had as much of a part in it as Nick did. She was in love with Nick. She is still in love with Nick, and even though she knows she shouldn’t miss him every second of every single day, she does. The guilt and sorrow she feels overwhelms her. School will soon be starting back up and she is determined to finish her senior year at Garvin High. She knows going back will be tough, but it’s time for her to grow up and face her guilt.

I definitely enjoyed reading this book. It’s a real eye opener and shows you what does happen even though everyone wishes it isn’t possible. I would recommend the book for the 8th graders and up or a mature reader because some of the content is graphic. You can find the HATE LIST at your local library, bookstore, and online.

I DON'T WANT TO BE CRAZY by Samantha Schutz

2010-05-26T08:24:00.000-04:00

I DON’T WANT TO BE CRAZY is a non-fiction story written by Samantha Schutz. This book was published in the year 2007. It’s a true story about a young girl that leaves for college and finds out that she has a disorder. Some situations are very hard for her to handle but she figures out a way.

The main character in this book is actually Samantha herself (author of the book), and it’s about her heading off to college and finding out later on down the road that she suffers from an anxiety disorder and has very frequent anxiety attacks. At first she doesn’t really understand how to deal with it; I mean it’s something new that she found out and hasn’t had time to just be able to cope with it.

I really like this book because it shows to all the people out there that suffer from anxiety, that they are not the only people in this world who do have anxiety attacks. I mean I’m not one of those people who suffer from anxiety, but I feel a lot for the people who do because when you have really bad anxiety like Samantha does, then it is really hard to actually be able to do a lot of things like deal with big, huge family get-togethers or the crowded Christmas shopping stuff. Many of people who suffer from this disease feel that they are not the same as everybody else but they are. They just have to learn to deal with things like that differently so that they know how to control it instead of letting the disease control them.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

2010-05-25T20:31:00.000-04:00

Okay readers, please take the time to imagine a fenced in area in the woods. That, my friends, would be one the Twelve Districts. In this District is a girl named Katniss, her cat named Buttercup, and her sister Prim. Pretty much a family, I'm trying to say.

There is an event they hold in the Districts every year called the Hunger Games. This is a game they put on TV, and in this game there are children from the ages of 12-18. These children are drawn and forced to play the Hunger Games. There are no quits; there are only replacements. As for Prim, that's exactly what her sister does for her.

The Hunger Games is a fight to the death. Last man standing wins. Simple enough?

On the plus side when reading this book, I really loved how the author described the book and how she really got into it during some of the fights. I could see it when I was reading because that's how I felt.

JANE IN BLOOM by Deborah Lytton

2010-05-21T08:14:00.000-04:00

Just like most of us, Jane never thought that her 12th birthday would be about her sister, Lizzie. Jane has been waiting for this day for a very long time. This is the day that she can finally get her ears pierced, but when her sister Lizzie passes out in the bathroom and is rushed to the hospital, all is forgotten. Lizzie was suffering from anorexia.

After being released a couple days later, Lizzie was found dead in her room where she overdosed on her mom's diet pills.

In this story you learn about the hardships this family is faced with, especially Jane. I think Jane deserves some props because of her being so young and looking up to her older sister. It would be hard to deal with her death.

I think Deborah Lytton did an amazing job writing this story. I respect the fact that she is able to write about such a touchy subject for some people, but still have them wanting more.

INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK JONES AUTHOR OF THINGS CHANGE

2010-05-21T08:08:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to welcome a guest post from an 8th grade reviewer. This eighth grader is a voracious reader who has currently read over 50 books this school year!
After reading THINGS CHANGE, she was able to score an interview with its author, Patrick Jones.

THINGS CHANGE is a good book to read for teens. It tells what teens go through and the experiences of many things teen do through high school.

It all started with "I want you to kiss me". Paul just looks at Johanna, pulls to the side of the road, and thinks why would she want me.

QUESTION: What made you write your book THINGS CHANGE?

ANSWER: I was visiting a high school one day and saw this girl backed up against her locker. She had in her hands lots of big textbooks, like chemistry and trig. A boy - I assume her boyfriend but couldn't know - was leaning against her, talking right into her face. I could tell she wanted to leave, but he was certainly bigger, probably stronger, and she was trapped. So the question I asked is one that all writers ask when they see something:
"How come?" How did this smart girl get herself in this situation? She had to know better, so why was she letting herself be pushed around? I wrote THINGS CHANGE because I thought, after reading lots of lame teen novels, that I could do better. I wrote it because I like to write and I love to publish, with over 100 magazine articles in addition to my books. I also wanted to write about the physical nature of teen relationships, both the good, bad, and the ugly. I don't think most teen novels deal enough with sex; not as the subject of the book but as part of the characters' lives. But mostly I wrote because at the time there wasn't a book about the subject of dating violence, and there were very few books with a character like Paul who doesn't change. If I could have published THINGS CHANGE back in the past, I think it would have been an earthquake. Most teen novels had to have happy endings, and I didn't want one. I wanted when people were through with the book not to sit it down and say, "that was a nice story", but instead say Holy ^%*! and be angry. Because of that and some of the other decisions I made in the book, I wrote this book for teens to read, think about, and pass on to their friends. I didn't write it for adults or teachers or librarians. I wanted it to be a book that most teens would know told their side of the story, warts and all.

QUESTION: Do you have any favorite books?

ANSWER: My four favorite YA novels of all time are RATS SAW GOD by Rob Thomas, SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson, VISION QUEST by Terry Davis, and SILVER KISS by Annette Curtis Klause. My all time favorite book - which I am rereading now - is BALL FOUR by Jim Bouton.

QUESTION: What made you want to write for teens?

ANSWER: Most of my work in libraries has been directly related to teens, from being a young adult librarian to now working with teens in correctional facilities. Because of that, about the only fiction I read is young adult literature, so I'm very familiar with what makes a good story for teens. Also, because I know so many teen librarians, I knew when and if I wrote a book that lots of people might be interested. All that said, I think the real reason is that I find teens to be fascinating on so many levels. Here are these people often treated by their parents or other adults as children who obviously engage in adult activities. The conflicts of the teen years are so huge that I don't understand how anyone would not want to write about teens, and I can't imagine writing a book for adults. The teen years are so full of drama, both real and imagined, that it is a gold mine for stories. Finally, I like to do school visits because I'm addicted to lukewarm mushy cafeteria French fries.

QUESTION: When did you start writing?

ANSWER: My first writing job was writing articles for a professional wrestling newsletter when I was just eight. I got hooked soon on seeing my name in print, and the actual writing experience was a lot of fun. But, like many authors, right now writing is my second career, as I don't make enough selling books and doing speaking engagements to leave my full time job. But as I once heard, things change and maybe I'll be writing full time in a few years. I've published six novels, but before I wrote fiction, I wrote 75 articles, a hundred or so reviews, and nine non-fiction/textbooks.

QUESTION: How long did it take you to write your first book?

ANSWER: THING CHANGE is older than Johanna: it took me 17 years from the very first draft - typed on a Sears electronic typewriter in 1987 - to when the book was published in 2004. Now, I didn't work on it full time, in fact I went almost all of the 1990's without even looking at it, but decided to pull it back out and give it one last chance on a suggestion of Emily Easton, the editor/publisher of Walker Books for Young Readers. All my other professional books took normally one year from idea to contract to first draft to publication. I'm a very fast writer, but I like to get lots of feedback from lots of people, including teens, so that slows down the process. Also, I don't think I'm a natural at this so I need - and get - a lot of help from my editor Emily at Walker Books. A novel also takes longer because every word has to matter, and every emotion about it has to be true. It's not about facts, it's about passion. And passion is no ordinary word.

Thank you to Patrick Jones for his willingness to answer questions, and thank you to our guest blogger. Hopefully, we'll hear from her again soon.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Topwordreader

CHASING WINDMILLS by Catherine Ryan Hyde

2010-05-19T10:12:00.000-04:00

What do you do when you have an overly impulsive father who has told you lies all your life? Well, that's how Sebastian lives. He spends his whole life for as long as he can remember in an apartment with just his father. His father homeschools him. He has no friends, at least that's what his father thinks. He only goes out to run.

He does have a friend named Delilah. She's an older lady. At least she is his only friend until he meets a girl named Maria on the subway.

Maria has a boyfriend who is very abusive. She also has two kids named Natalie and C.J. She rides the subway during her shift at work so Carl, her boyfriend, won't know she got fired. She has lived with Carl since she was 15. She begins to fall in love with Sebastian, but how can she leave Carl?

Meanwhile, Delilah talks Sebastian into writing a letter to his crazy grandmother. Actually, his dad said she is crazy and told him that his mother died a long time ago. But when Sebastian receives a letter from his grandmother, it says that she is glad to hear from him and that his mother says she misses him.

Sebastian gets so angry with his dad that Maria and he decide to run away to Arizona where his grandmother and mother live. Before they leave, Sebastian meets Natalie for the first time. When they get there, it feels like heaven, but Maria has to go back home to get C.J. Does she come back, and if so, does she stay with Sebastian? I guess if you want to find out, you're going to have to read the book.

I really liked this book. To me it has a lot of meaning to it. It also has lots of detailed description. It was one of the best books I have ever read. I got this book from my classroom library.

WISH YOU WERE DEAD by Todd Strasser

2010-05-15T20:45:00.001-04:00

The book WISH YOU WERE DEAD is a very suspenseful, breath-taking, and adrenaline-rushing book. It's hard to believe that one book could evoke such emotions, but after you read this book, you will see that it does.

The book is about a group of teenagers who live in Soundview, a safe and protected community. These kids are very privileged, and they are all part of what you would call "the in crowd." After one of the characters disappears mysteriously with no trace, people in the town start to wonder if it really was ......... just a COINCIDENCE.

Throughout the whole book, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It caught me in the beginning and kept reeling me in until the climax. Then I was shocked when the secret was finally revealed.

This author knows how to pull his readers into a certain mind-set for each of his books, and that is a quality I think every author should have. The reader will enjoy every aspect of the book because every detail builds up to the final thrill of the book.

I would recommend this book for 8th grade and up just because most people at this level are mature enough to handle themes and material like what is in this book. You can find it at your local bookstore or library, and you can also order it online. Read this book. It's appealing even if it isn't the kind of book you would usually read.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Kt102013

INTERVIEW WITH AMY EFAW AUTHOR OF AFTER

2010-05-11T22:57:00.000-04:00

This book is about a girl who gets pregnant and throws her baby in the garbage. The police come to see her and discover what happened when they pull the blanket off of her. Then she went to the hospital.

I think the author meant that people shouldn't do that to their kids. She shouldn't have put her baby in the trash, but she didn't know what to do. Part of me thinks she should have stayed in jail for the rest of her life. No matter what, it was a good book.

QUESTION: How long did it take you to write this book?

ANSWER: It took me about eight long years to write the book - from when I first started writing/researching it until it was sitting on shelves in bookstores and libraries. But I wasn't writing all this time! I have five kids, and when I started AFTER, my youngest was only about 4 or 5 months old (and my oldest was only about 10). I stay at home with my kids and don't work outside the home, and so my kids are my first priority right now. My writing time was (and still is, actually) pretty limited, being a busy mom with busy kids! Also during those eight long years, we moved from Washington State to Denver, Colorado, and my husband had a major job change (from serving in the military to being an attorney in a law firm). Finally, during this time, my husband was deployed to Iraq for a year (fall 2004-fall 2005), so I got very little work done on the book while he was away. I was frazzled enough taking care of my five kids with no dad at home as it was without adding writing a book on top of it!

QUESTION: How did you come up with the idea?

ANSWER: Many years ago when my husband was still a law student and we were living in Philadelphia (we only had three very small children at the time), the big local news story was about a newborn baby that was found in the trash only days before Christmas. Luckily, the baby was found alive. I think that was the very first time that I had ever been exposed to the issue of Dumpster babies, and the story really bothered me. How could somebody do something like that to her helpless baby? And why? Then about four years later (my husband had graduated from law school and was working as a prosecutor for the Army), my husband got his own Dumpster baby case to try. Around the same time, I was pregnant with my fifth child (and not too happy about being pregnant yet again), and I was looking for another topic to write about. So, all these things sort of came together at the same time, and I started researching the topic. Once I learned about who Dumpster baby moms typically are (straight-A students who have never been in trouble before), I decided I just had to try to write a story that featured one as a main character.

QUESTION: Did you get any help or ideas from anyone?

ANSWER: I get ideas from just about everybody! Friends, family, fellow soccer moms, baristas in my favorite coffee shops, kids I meet when I talk about writing, etc. Authors are generally very good obsevationalists (is that even a word!?!), and so I pick up little details during my everyday life. Oftentimes, those details work their way into my novels. But I also get "big" ideas - like story ideas - from news events or TV shows or even from other books that I'm reading. It's really amazing how one thing or idea can spark inspiration for something completely different. That's why it's so important for authors to keep their eyes and ears open at all times. You never know when you'll stumble upon your next story idea!

But while I was writing AFTER, I got a lot of help from many people - doctors and nurses, lawyers and people working inside the juvenile detention system, fellow authors and family members, etc. If you'd like a list of specific people who I felt helped me most significantly, you can find them listed in my acknowledgments inside my book, AFTER.

QUESTION: Did this happen to anyone you know?

ANSWER: Fortunately no. But since AFTER has been published, I've had a surprising number of people write to me, telling me that they had hidden their pregnancies from friends and families. None of them told me that they had thrown their babies into the trash, but I was surprised to learn how many young women are fearful of telling the people closest to them that they are/were pregnant, and also how many of these young women had people in their lives who didn't notice their pregnancies. Both sides of these stories are very sad.

My husband, while a prosecutor for the Army, actually had a Dumpster baby case that he tried. A female soldier hid her pregnancy from her superior officers and fellow soldiers and then, after giving birth alone in her barracks room one early morning, she tossed her live baby into a trash Dumpster that was behind her barracks. Luckily, another soldier passing by the Dumpster heard the baby cry and rescued it just in time. I didn't know this soldier personally, but I was able to see a real case in a very personal way; my husband would come home every evening after work and tell the latest developments in the case and trial.

QUESTION: How many books have you written?

ANSWER: So far I've only written two books; both are novels for teens. BATTLE DRESS (published in 2000) is about a 17 year-old girl who goes through basic training at West Point (this is based very closely on my own experiences as a West Point cadet), and AFTER (published in 2009).

QUESTION: Why did you use the name Devon?

ANSWER: I first decided to use the name Devon because the defense attorney in my husband's Dumpster baby case (the case where he prosecuted the female soldier who threw her baby into the Dumpster behind her barracks) was named Devon. But then the character, Devon, who you now know took on a life of her own as I was writing AFTER.

I actually get names for many of my characters from people I know in real life even thought the characters themselves end up nothing like the people they were named after.

QUESTION: Are you ever going to write another one like this one?

ANSWER: I'm not going to write another book about teen pregnancy, but my next book is going to have to do with a controversial crime/issue that hasn't really been written about yet. I don't think I'll concentrate on the trial/lawyer side this time, but probably more on the police interrogation/investigative side.

Another book idea that I may write one day is a spin-off sequel to AFTER. I'd like to explore Devon's baby's father, Connor, when he decides to adopt their baby. So, it wouldn't really be Devon's story anymore, but a teen dad's story about taking responsibility and raising his child.

QUESTION: If you have children, did they read the book?

ANSWER: Yes, I have five kids. Three of those are currently teen girls, and all three have read AFTER (they've also read BATTLE DRESS, btw). My other two kids - an 11 year old boy and a 9 year old girl - have listened to most of AFTER on audio CD (I fast-forwarded through the parts that I feel are inappropriate for middle grade readers to read/hear!). My kids were very interested in reading the book after all the years they saw me working on it. The creation of AFTER was as much a part of their lives as it was of mine!

Ms. Efaw, thank you so much for letting me interview you and taking your time.

THIEVES LIKE US by Stephen Cole

2010-05-11T20:35:00.000-04:00

This book is good, but it has its flaws. It has a great story line about a kid named Jonah. He is a computer hacker, but he was caught and taken to a correctional unit for milking money from his step-father's business.

As he was sitting in his cell dreaming about life outside of the correctional unit, he realized it was quiet. Then a group of four kids appeared to break him out.

These four kids are as follows. Con is a mesmerist. In order to get out of the correctional unit, she mesmerizes a guard into letting a white van in. Matt is a weapons and fighting specialist. Patch is a kid who is a lock pick. He has a glass eye that often holds lock picking tools until near the end, but I will not tell you what that is about. Tye is a driving specialist. Tye is often the one who drives everybody around or if needed, flies them in a plane.

All of these kids are commanded by one person, cold-hearted Nathaniel. This group of kids is out trying to find an amirita. An amirita is a drink, food, or potion, if you will. It may sound unrealistic, but what the amirita actually is will surprise you. Some things that happen are more believable than others.

This book is an action book. If you don't like this type of book, then I am sorry because it is actually a good book. It is an almost puzzling book because you can guess one thing and something else happens.

If this book sounds good to you, you can find it in the library at our school.

CONTRIBUTED BY: McRibb

THE CONTENDER by Robert Lipsyte

2010-05-11T19:55:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting book about a kid named Alfred Brooks who has dropped out of high school. He now works at a grocery store for Mr. Epstein. Alfred Brooks's old best friend, James, wasn't around much now because he was hanging out with the wrong group of people. They would rob the grocery store and take drugs.

The leader of the group was Major. Major wanted Alfred to help rob the store by being a lookout, and when he refused, they beat him up and left him unconscious in an alley. His friend, Henry, helped him get home.

The next day he came across Mr. Donatelis's gym. Mr. Donatelis is a boxing manager who helps Alfred become a boxer. After he wins his first three fights, Donatelis tells him that will be his last fight. When he got home from his last fight, he learned from his aunt that James was badly hurt. James was trying to rob the grocery store a second time.

To find out what happens at the end, I recommend that you should read this book. I really liked this book because even though Alfred and James weren't really best friends anymore, Alfred still wanted to help James and try to make him drug free. He also tried to help him stay out of trouble and out of jail.

A SEASON IN THE BIG HOUSE by George Cantor and Lloyd Carr

2010-05-11T19:46:00.000-04:00

This awesome book about Michigan Wolverine football will take you from the 2005 season to Saturday season rituals.

The book starts off with pre-season events and how the Big House came to be. It tells how George Cantor was raised and always wanted to be at the games.

The story takes place in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the Maize and Blue. It is where fans are numbered greatly and a State fan is unheard of.

This book is a must read in order to know what it took for Michigan football to be what it is now. Even though we've had a few bad seasons, we have a clean slate now.

I like the author's way of telling what goes on even though it was confusing at times.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Kendrick45

FANG: A MAXIMUM RIDE NOVEL by James Patterson

2010-05-11T19:37:00.000-04:00

What would you do if the one you loved was taken away from you? If they died?

This is the challenge Max has to face in FANG. When Max and the flock land in Africa to help CSM (Coalition to Stop the Madness) they are met with a tragedy. "Fang will be the first to die." Max's soulmate will die.

Soon after getting this terrifying message, Max is hit with more news. There is a new bird kid, Dylan, and he is Max's soulmate. He was created for Max.

I got this book from my teacher's classroom library. This book is amazing. It is my personal favorite. In this book James Patterson writes about finding your heart, your family, and saving the world.

The view I have from this book is that we all have to make decisions in our lives, and we have to make the right decisions. We can't run away from our problems. We have to face them, and we can't run away if we don't like something.

CONTRIBUTED BY: -SUN-

SOMETHING, MAYBE by Elizabeth Scott

2010-04-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad makes a fortune on pictures and videos of pretty, young women, and her mother used to be one of them until she got pregnant and was kicked out of the "house" (think of Hugh Heffner). Her mother also brought that lifestyle home with her where she works on her own website based on flattering other men with herself. After living nothing but a life full of attention, Hannah's learned ways to stay away from others and stay quiet, but she is totally fine with it.

She wants to be unknown but that doesn't help at all with her gorgeous, sensitive soulmate, Josh. Trying to get him to notice her is very difficult, and now she has someone else running through her mind, a co-worker named Finn. Hannah's best friend thinks she should forget about Josh because Hannah isn't so much his type. Finn is showing his true feelings but expressing them in different kinds of ways - ways she's never seen.

Hannah must come to some agreement with her popular father when he sends her a letter telling her that he wants to see her very soon. Hannah's dad promised her the cameras would be turned off for the amount of time she would be there. It'll just be Hannah and him, so he says. Hannah has a hard time believing this.

Elizabeth Scott writes amazing books, and she is a very talented writer. She knows how to draw in her readers and make every sentence want them to read more, but I have noticed she does write similiar topics in the other novels she has written.

You are likely to find this book in any public or school library. I found this book in my teacher's classroom. This book's cover caught my eye, and so I read on and decided to choose this wonderful writing - SOMETHING, MAYBE.

PAPER TOWNS by John Green

2010-04-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

The book PAPER TOWNS was an amazing adventure. The characters felt real, the events were nail-biting, and the hunt was challenging. This book made me want to keep turning the pages.

Quentin Jacobsen and Margo Roth Spiegelman used to be best friends, but that started to change as they got older and she became the "it" girl. Then one night she came back into his life through his bedroom window, and he recalled his love for her.

When Margo wants Quentin to go on this crazy night of adventure with her, he had to think twice. Finally, Margo persuades him to go with her, but what he doesn't know is that he's in for the craziest night of his life.

Reluctantly Quentin decides to go, but it isn't very long into the trip when he starts to second guess himself. He was just told he had to drive, not actually help her. But when she kept pressuring him to help her, he gave in once again. Little did he know, they would only break the law I a couple of times.

As a result of their night of revenge, Quentin was really looking forward to school the next day with Margo. He figured Margo Roth Spiegelman, the most popular girl in school, would hang out with him, but he was wrong. It wasn't like she just blew him off...she wasn't there. That is when everything started to change.

In my opinion, this book was amazing. I thought the author did a great job by making you want more. I couldn't put this book down. All of the "events" were timed out perfectly so you never got bored. I think this book is awesome and suggest it to everyone.

I got this book from my teacher. A few more suggestions would be to look online or at your local or school library.

MONSTER by A. Lee Martinez

2010-04-28T21:39:00.000-04:00

The book I'm doing my review on is called MONSTER. The book is about a guy named Monster and a girl named Judy. Monster is a crypto biological rescue agent and Judy is a store clerk. They meet when a yeti gets into the store Judy works at and Monster comes to get it. Judy becomes interested in the job he has and joins him. They work together, and in the end Judy ends up being a permanent crypto and is partners with Monster. But what happens to them both will be a mystery to you all.

The reason I liked this book is because it is very funny and is about a guy living a day to day job, but his job is hunting down magical animals. I like it because you can relate to Monster and how people can be annoying and stupid in a job dealing with people.

I found the book in my teacher's classroom on the high school bookshelf. What attracted me to it is just basically the front cover because it had a picture of a skull and crossbones, plus it was bright yellow.

I would really like it if they made this book into a movie because it would be very funny and interesting. This book would be good for anyone who was into Cirque Du Freak and the Twilight series because it has that insane but funny science fiction kind of base to it.

INTERVIEW WITH ALISON CROGGON AUTHOR OF THE BOOKS OF PELLINOR SERIES

2010-04-28T21:26:00.000-04:00

Maerad is a 16 year old firl who has more power than any one in the land, but she struggles to contain it as she learns more about her Bardic and Elemental self. In the last Book of Pellinor, Maerad searches deep inside herself and finally releases her full potential. With the power came a fear, but also she had respect she'd never had before. In order to rid the nameless one's darkness from the land, Maerad must endure much suffering from the Power she released from within herself.

Alison Croggon answers some questions about her books.

QUESTION: What was your inspiration for writing the Books of Pellinor?

ANSWER: I just decided one day to write a story. I was broke, and for some reason found that, while I had always been able to get odd jobs as a journalist, I was suddenly unemployable. I used to read a lot of fantasy when I was younger, and my first ambition as a writer - when I was ten - was to write a fantasy book of my own. So I thought, maybe if I write a fantasy, I'll be able to make some kind of living.

I didn't know anything about the world when I began it - I just started with a girl milking cows, and then Cadvan turned up, and then I had to find out how the story turned out. What always drove the stories was the characters - they seemed to have minds of their own, and took charge of the story whether I liked it or not. My map began literally with a dot, which was Gilman's Cot, and filled out as they travelled.

QUESTION: How did you come up with all the names of the characters?

ANSWER: I adapted a lot of them from real names. Maerad came from the name of an Irish poet I know called Mairead Byrne. Cadvan is from a Welsh saint called Cadfan. Zelika is an adaptation of an ancient Hebrew name. Others, like Har Ytan, I just made up. Whenever I made up a name, I wanted to make sure that it sounded like it belonged to the culture that person came from.

QUESTION: Why didn't you allow Hem to be as powerful as Maerad?

ANSWER: Maerad was the Singer, so she had unusual powers that no one else had, not even Hem. Hem is, all the same, as gifted a Bard as Maerad, and once Maerad released the Elemental powers in the Singing, they were equal. Basically, they are Bards who come from a different part of the Knowing - Hem is a Bard of the Tending (which is why he was a great healer) and Maerad is a Reader.

QUESTION: Why did Maerad suffer when she released her full Elemental powers?

ANSWER: Because, even though she had these astonishing powers, she was still a human being, with human limitations. The powers were something beyond human capacity, which is why they frightened so many Bards. And Maerad herself. If she had not lost them, they would have killed her.

QUESTION: How did you come to the making of the Tree Song?

ANSWER: It comes from an ancient Welsh poem, The Battle of the Trees, supposed to have been written by the Bard Gwydion, who was also a wizard. The poet Robert Graves did a beautiful translation of it in his book The White Goddess, and if you look it up, you'll see how I've used and changed the poem. That poem - which was a druidic alphabet and contained a lot of knowledge about the sacred properties of trees - was in fact the inspiration behind the whole idea of the Tree Song.

QUESTION: If someone asked to make a movie out of these books, would you let them?

ANSWER: Yes, I would, but only if they were serious about it. To make a movie of these books would cost a lot of money!

QUESTION: How did you create the languages?

ANSWER: I didn't make the whole languages, just the bits I used, so you couldn't exactly have a conversation in them! (I'm not a linguist like Tolkien was!) With Suderain, I just tried to make the bits I used coherent and consistent. The language with the most words is the Speech. I made a grammar like Latin (which I studied at school) and then made two dictionaries, one for the meanings of The Speech in English, and another English to the Speech, and also made up some irregular verbs that get used a lot, like To Be. I wanted it to be beautiful, so it sounds a little like a cross between Latin and Gaelic.

QUESTION: Do you have any favorite books?

ANSWER: Yes, an awful lot! It's very hard when people ask you, because there are so many. But maybe at the top of my list of favourite books ever are:

Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Master and Margerita, Mikhail Bulgakov
The Little Prince, Antoine St. Expury
The Duino Elegies, Rainer Marie Rilke
Sappho's poems

QUESTION: What genre of books do you like?

ANSWER: Really almost everything, from non-fiction (history, current affairs) to all kinds of fiction to all kinds of poetry to all kinds of plays. (In my real life, I work as a theatre critic.) I think a writer has to be interested in everything.

Thank you to Alison Croggon for taking time to answer these interview questions.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Music maniac

IT'S CONTEST TIME OVER AT READINGJUNKY

2010-04-25T22:41:00.000-04:00

Click here to find out how you can win TWO books.

INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL ROSENBERG AUTHOR OF WAR AS THEY KNEW IT

2010-04-24T22:09:00.001-04:00

This book is about the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State, but also another rivalry between two of the best college football coaches of all time, Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. The book had very good detail in the way each of them coached, and also very good detail about what was going on in the world at that time.

I also think that the way the book was written showed how important this rivalry was to the people who watched college football. I think this book would be a big success in the lower part of Michigan and into Ohio because the rivalry means a lot to people from this area.

The best thing about the book was the fact that it showed how much Bo and Woody were alike. They acted the same and coached the same. Their best plays were the same. They both ran a "26" sweep and a "27 sweep.

I would recommend this book to any football fans. I would also like to thank author Michael Rosenberg for taking time out of his personal life to answer my interview questions. Thank you.

QUESTION: What team do you usually root for when Michigan and Ohio State play?

ANSWER: I don't cheer for either team. As a journalist, I have to stay unbiased when I am covering a game.

QUESTION: Do you believe that Woody Hayes should have retired sooner than when he did?

ANSWER: Yes, I do. Woody said so himself in the early 1980's, after he had time to reflect. I believe he wanted to retire after the 1975 season but when Ohio State lost the Rose Bowl to UCLA he decided he could not leave on such a sour note.

QUESTION: Why do you think that Bo Schembechler could never win a bowl game?

ANSWER: I think Bo (like Woody in the '70's) struggled in bowl games for several reasons, some of which were his own doing. He built his seasons around the last game of the regular season, against Ohio State, and bowls were a bit of an emotional letdown. He also overworked his players in bowl practices -- he treated them too much like another fall training camp instead of using them to make sure his team was healthy for the bowl. His bowl games were generally played on grass in an era when Michigan and most Big Ten teams played on turf, and the crowd almost always favored the opponent because of geography. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, Bo's teams usually didn't have to pass to beat Big Ten teams, and just as importantly, they did not have to stop the pass. So they were often out of their element against teams from other leagues.

QUESTION: Do you think that the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry would not have been hyped up so much, if Bo and Woody would have publicly said they were friends?

ANSWER: People knew they were friends. I think that added another layer to the drama for a lot of people. They were two like-minded, tough coaches who were fond of each other but put aside their friendship so they could focus on beating each other.

QUESTION: Did you grow up watching the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry?

ANSWER: I grew up in New York and was not a fan of either team. But I was a huge sports fan and the big rivalries -- Michigan-Ohio State, Notre Dame-Michigan, Notre Dame-USC, Miami-Florida State, and Oklahoma-Nebraska -- always got my attention. The great rivalries are what make college football special. No other sport can match them.

QUESTION: What inspired you to write this book?

ANSWER: I wanted to tell a story of what it was like to live in this era, and I was fascinated by the characters, especially Woody. I always say that Woody was the most fascinating person I ever covered, and I never even met him.

QUESTION: How long did it take you to gather information and write WAR AS THEY KNEW IT?

ANSWER: I began my research in the spring of 2005 and turned in the manuscript in November 2007.

QUESTION: Did you ever talk to Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler before they passed away?

ANSWER: I knew Bo a little bit from covering Michigan, and I interviewed him a few times for the book. I did get a lot of new information from him (he had been interviewed so many times and written his own books) but he provided tremendous insight into what it was like for him to coach in that era. His early encouragement meant a lot to me.

QUESTION: Do you think that Bo Schembechler enjoyed yelling at the refs?

ANSWER: I think Bo enjoyed living in the moment during games. Mostly he did it for effect or because he was angry, but I do think it was probably cathartic for him, too. He grew up in an era when coaches were expected to yell to make their point, even more so than today.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Gimp 102

INTERVIEW WITH WILL WEAVER AUTHOR OF SUPER STOCK ROOKIE

2010-04-23T20:06:00.000-04:00

I thought this book had a good story line. I liked all the characters and could relate to some of Trace's personal issues.

I am a fan of cars and dirt track racing so I enjoyed the book being very descriptive. I think the author created some good reading in the way the characters played out the end. I hope to see a third book because it kind of just left off.

I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to any car or racing enthusiast.

QUESTION: What gave you the idea to write SUPER STOCK ROOKIE?

ANSWER: I had always meant to write a series, and my idea was to follow a young driver, like Trace, as he works his way up in the racing world.

QUESTION: Do you have people in your life who are like the main characters in the story or are they all from your imagination?

ANSWER: I often use characters who are similar to - but not exactly like - characters in my book. But each book is different that way. Some of my novels have more life-like characters, and other characters are more fictional. Like George the Dirt Man; he's totally made up, but somebody has to run the grader and smooth the track.

QUESTION: Do you have any dirt track racing history yourself?

ANSWER: Sort of. I've driven in demo derbies, drag racing, and also ice racing. But nothing exactly like Trace does....

QUESTION: Why did you use young characters instead of older adult characters, especially Trace?

ANSWER: Since this series is aimed at young adult readers like yourself, I need a teenaged main character.

QUESTION: Why are you so specific about cars (make, model), track conditions, and people? (not that I mind)

ANSWER: Thanks for this question, because being specific is very important in writing. It makes people believe the story line - that I know what I'm talking about.

QUESTION: I realize you also write sports books. Why write a book about racing?

ANSWER: I have a trilogy of baseball novels, yes, but for this series I wanted some books for motorheads - but also I wanted to introduce dirt track racing to people who've never been to a little speedway.

Good luck with school, and keep reading!
Will Weaver

I would like to thank Will Weaver for his time, and I am glad he wrote a book about dirt track racing because I am a big fan of it.

INTERVIEW WITH SUZANNE MORGAN WILLIAMS AUTHOR OF BULL RIDER

2010-04-23T19:37:00.000-04:00

BULL RIDER is was about bull riding. Ben was a bull riding champion until he went to the Army and got shot up. This his brother Cam started bull riding, but things didn't work out very well.

I like it because I like reading about this subject. Someone who does not know much can learn some things from this book.

The author was willing to answer some questions about her book and here they are.

QUESTION: How did you think about writing this book?

ANSWER: The idea for the book originally came from an editor. It was going to be a book for very young students - maybe seven years old - and it was going to be a series. I wrote a 75 page manuscript and for a while it looked like that would be published. But the company changed their mind and then I took some time to rethink what I most wanted to do with BULL RIDER. I always planned to write about rodeo because I think it's interesting, but the idea about the war grew slowly.

QUESTION: Have you ever been to a rodeo and seen bull riding?

ANSWER: I've been to several rodeos - my dad took me to the Grand National, the equivalent of rodeo national finals when I was little and now I go to the Reno Rodeo almost every year. Sometimes I watch bull riding on TV. I think it's fun. To research BULL RIDER I went to rodeos, went to places where kids learn to bull ride, watched TV and read stuff on the internet.

QUESTION: What do you think is the best part of the book?

ANSWER: Oh, that's hard. I like so much of it. But I had a lot of fun writing the ending. The ending changed a few times too, but I like the suspense of it and the way so many parts of the book come together to create the final moments.

QUESTION: Do you live on a ranch or a farm with livestock?

ANSWER: Nope, but I have two goats, a big dog, and a cat. I have relatives who've raised horses and had farms, a cousin who is a race horse trainer, and I've milked cows and goats, can ride a horse. In fact, I can't remember the first time I rode a horse - I was little. Don't do much of that now, but I interviewed ranchers in order to write BULL RIDER.

QUESTION: When did you write the book and how long did it take?

ANSWER: I started that first book in 2004 and sold the final version in 2007. Then there was more editing so I finished that at the beginning of 2008. The book was published in 2009 (and the paperback comes out in a couple of weeks.) I wrote three versions of BULL RIDER and there was some of that time when I didn't work on it at all. I was doing other things. I figure I spent about two to two and a half years writing it.

QUESTION: Do you have any kids that do rodeoing or who are in the army?

ANSWER: I don't have any kids who do rodeo although there are a couple of bull riders in my husband's family and I've known a couple through friends. A lot of people in the rural west have tried it. I do have a son-in-law in the navy and I know first-hand the toll that long periods away from family can take and the worry that service families can have in war time.

QUESTION: Are you going to write any more books about bull riding?

ANSWER: Not sure. I'd write a sequel to BULL RIDER if there were interest (and that means from the publisher - a lot of readers have asked for one.) I am planning to write another book set in the west. This one is about horses.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the interview. I like that you wrote a book about bull riding.

HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown

2010-04-23T10:21:00.000-04:00

HATE LIST is a book about a girl named Valerie who was trying to get over the fact that her boyfriend Nick killed himself after shooting her and several other people in the school. That was near the end of the school year. It took her the whole summer to recover from getting shot in the leg.

Then it was time for her to go back to school to face the people who hated her for being Nick's girlfriend. That was just the beginning!

The author's style was good. The subject matter will go over well with people because murder and mayhem sells books.

I liked this book because it shows the different faces of hatred. It shows that people do not care that you were not the one holding the gun, but if your boyfriend was, you are just as guilty as him.

I found the book in the classroom library.

CONTRIBUTED BY: G.O.E.I.