Teen Read Week winners

The Teen Read Week writing contest Say it Your Way brought out some interesting pieces. Winners are listed below:
Poetry - Alex Scott -"All about me" 7th grader from MSMS;
Short Story High School - Emilee Seaman, "Shadows, Light & Motorbikes," tied for first with
Jordin Pleasant, "Freedom Remembered," both are homeschoolers
Short Story Middle School - Sarah McDonald "Holding Hands" 6th grade MNMS
2nd Place - Brooke Pleasant "Dear Diary" homeschooler

LOL grand prize to Rachel Vick- 7th grade MSMS for "Mistake or Accident" - about her little sister...

Stories and poems will be submitted to Teen Ink magazine for possible publication so we will not reprint winners works here. But if you know them -- get them to read you their stories.

Judges H.C. Mooningham of MCTI Theater, and JoAnne Moore, retired librarian of the Central City Business and Professional Women's Club who judged the event were very proud of our young authors. We thank the judges for the time and efforts and their comments of encouragement to the young writers.

Teen Read Week Say it Your Way! contest

Hope you are planning to enter our Teen Read Week writing contest - Say it Your Way!

Poetry, Short Story, Essay or Comic Strip - entries due in to either Central City or Harbin Memorial Library by closing Monday night October 15, 2007 at 8 pm.

LOL @ your library!
is this year's ALA theme for Teen Read Week so we will give a special prize to the most humorous piece of work as our overall contest winner. Winners in each category will also be recognized. It is planned to send the winners to Teen Ink magazine for possible publication as well.

Good Luck.

Write a little, write a lot but Say it Your Way!

Miss Pockets

Don't Forget TAB October 26, 2007 - featuring Eragon!!!!

TAB teens speak out about books they really liked

Lots of readers at the 2nd TAB - Teens and Books. We had pizza again, but not a trivia game this time, too many different titles read in this extensive series. (Unlike Harry Potter where the trivia was fast and furiously competitive.)
Also, the moms, who were the teens' invited guests and indeed Miss Pockets, had read more Nancy Drews than our current set of teens. We had a book discussion about Nancy Drews and other books that made memories for us and here are some of the results of the discussion.
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Scully wrote:
Mystery at the Ski Jump , a Nancy Drew: it took me to Canada. It was neat reading about her adventures in Canada.
I read My Friend Flicka, that took me out west. It is a very exciting and emotional book. I loved it.
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Jon T Tay reported on W.E.B. Griffin's
Behind the Lines: it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read it - you will love it.
It's an adult World War II novel...lots in the series for those interested in military history and fiction.
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ah12 said:
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It took me to a time before I was born. The Little House on the Prairie books let me see how people lived before the world started inventing technology. Julie of the Wolves is another memory maker.
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beepleased cheerfully shared this:
I read Savanah’s Journey. The girl lost her father and her “sister” Its one of the best books I’ve read.
Nancy Drew, don’t remember the title but they went to Florida and it was good, that’s about all I remember.
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"General George first pres"
The Mutt by Rodney Mullen
He always looked at the technical side of skateboarding and appreciated all the styles and personality of all the other skaters.
--- note this title was not at MCPL but sounds like one we need to get so it will go on the "Needs and Wants list." The library keeps a daily list of requests and suggestions, so please, let staff know about titles and authors you would like to see the libraries offer.

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Sam Sprite
I read a Nancy Drew graphic novel. It was freaky how the house kept moving. I thought Nancy was crazy to follow the house when it showed her death. Nancy Drew: The Haunted Dollhouse.

I really suggest Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: The Nixie’s Song.
Suggestion already taken care of - both HM and CC have a copy and they were both checked out. Book was only published Sept. 18, 2007, so MCPL was ready for you to be excited about this title. Just put your name on the reserve list and it will be in your hands soon. Reserve books are for all ages, so if it is out and you want it, please ask the staff to "Reserve" it for you.
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JP48driving

I read a few Nancy Drews, but wasn’t a major fan. So I don’t have many memories there.

One of my favorite books is “Shadow Spinner.” I love to travel, and would love to go to the exotic places mentioned in the book: Afghanistan, India, Persia, and Pakistan; but the book took me there and there was a lot of culture and history in the book as well.

"The Flames of Rome" is another fave of mine. It involves a lot of history and is very vivid and descriptive.

Suggestions – for the teen space – I would enjoy Brio magazine and Contemporary Gospel music added to the cd collection – Casting Crowns, Mark Harris or Matthew West and similar artists…

SaraLeeh
Nancy Drew: Diamond Deceit. If I can remember Nancy & George went to California to see Bess. Well, I have read tons of books about California.

Book suggestion: Nancy Drew: Sea of Suspicion
(this is #85 - an older title we don't have at MCPL, maybe someone will donate one - we do accept books as gifts to the library)

Stickyfingers
A while back I read a book called The Cabin Faced West. It was interesting to read about living in a cabin on a farm.

penguinsfriend
I remember one Nancy Drew where it took place in a creepy castle or manor with a rose in the center of the floor. It intrigued me. (Probably "In Search of the Black Rose" set in England and including Oxford University - it is one of the Nancy Drew On Campus series in the Teen Space, not with the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys collection that is on the new spinner rack at the Central City Library.
Note: Series titles such as these and other special groups have display boxes in the J Fiction section at Harbin Memorial.

The Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman. It was a very good book and made me feel afraid, happy, curious and sad. I fully realized the horrible opium addiction that plagued that time period. It was well written and a splendid novel.

More Phillip Pullman books please.


SPsant
Snow Dog by Jim Kjelgaard. It’s about a trapper and his dogs and how they live off the land.


Teens at the TAB meeting will probably understand our internet code names. If you wish to be a TAB member or blog author please email tech.hmlib@gmail.com for more details. Personal details will not be posted but you must verify Muhlenberg County library membership in order to attend TAB or post on the blog.

Join us in October for the featured title: Eragon, Friday, October 26, 2007, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Youtube video for sampling MyLibraryDV

New library service featured on youtube : http://youtube.com/watch?v=DD5HHFz-doo
Check out the sample shown and try out our new MyLibraryDV. It's Free!!!

And for added youtube.com joy try John Prine's famous ode to Paradise....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DEy6EuZp9IY&mode=related&search=

KSA youth storytellers at Glema Center in Madisonville

I am pleased as punch to tell you that the Muhlenberg Co. children, gently walked away with first place in each category, Elementary - Katie Beth Dorris from Greenville Elementary School,& Middle School- Brooke Pleasant, High School - Emilee Seaman, and Tandem Tellers - Jordin & Jonathan Pleasant - the last four students - homeschoolers sponsored by the Muhlenberg County Public Libraries who held an open event for this competition.

The Glema Center was a wonderful stage for them to tell on and Mr. Bradley Downall and his staff of volunteers, Neville and Joanne Crawford, were welcoming and helpful.

Don Creacy did an outstanding job as organizer, emcee and encourager, & he brought volunteers Mary Hamilton and Pam Holcomb (Thanks to both of them and Don for traveling so far) with him and KSA member E. J. Dewitt from Marion, met us at the Mahr Center, along with a local storyteller Mrs. Kerby Parish of Madisonville, reading teacher retired --oops, not retired, on staff at MCC teaching for Murray State University off campus classes.

The Pleasant family entries told classic fairy tales by Andersen and Grimm Bros.; Emilee's was an original story she wrote, not a fairy tale; and Katie Beth told stories that her papaw told her so we have the variety of original, interview and classic...pretty good for a first year effort. Mrs. Jill Walker Arts Teacher at Greenville Elementary as Katie's sponsor and Miss Pockets from the Muhlenberg Co. Public Libraries were very proud of the students as they performed well on that huge stage before highly trained and polished professional storytellers. It was a great day!

Youth Storytellers compete in Madisonville

Muhlenberg County Public Libraries is proud to present for the Kentucky Storytelling Association's first regional Youth Storytelling Showcase at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts at Madisonville Community College, four outstanding youth who jumped in with both feet and did an excellent job at our first ever youth teller festival on Aug. 17. Middle School student Brooke Pleasant, High School student Emilee Seaman, and Tandem Team Jordin and Jonathan Pleasant will compete for a chance to have their story's video in the statewide elimination for possible appearance at the National Youth Storytelling Showcase in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Also at our youth event on August 17, was Greenville Elementary student Katie Beth Dorris , who will represent the county at the elementary level. She gave a demonstration of her story for the audience of family and friends at the library that Friday night and will compete in Madisonville today. Best wishes to all.

This is a wonderful opportunity for practicing a family skill usually handed down in families. The fast food generation can still be awesome tellers if they listen to their elders before it is too
late to learn their stories.

Check back here for results later today!

Miss Pockets

Alex Rider recommended by nephew and doting aunt

Recommendations from a doting aunt:
I have a wonderful, wonderful teen nephew who loves to read and play soccer -- he's not really interested in being a good student though. When he really likes something he has read, he shares it with his old aunt and suggests she reads it too. In the absence of any new Harry Potters or Eragon books, he turned to Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series. I read Scorpia and really enjoyed it. It is not the first in the series, but it didn't matter. Alex is a teen spy. Sometimes, he's not sure if he's working for the good guys or the bad guys. He has only one friend who knows what he does -- his schoolmates just think he misses a lot of school. Scorpia is an international terrorist group -- maybe even the ones who killed his father. As he infiltrates the group, he experiences many dangers -- an attack from an albino tiger, being "disposed of" in the sewers of Venice, parasailing into the terrorist compound, hanging from a hot air balloon to stop a satellite from detonating a powerful explosion to wipe out London, and more. I was almost as exhausted after reading this book as I was after seeing my first Indiana Jones movie 25 years ago in my previous life as a much younger librarian. AW

* editor's note: adults may post on the teen site if recommending teen books. Our director Anniesse Williams has a pipeline to teen books courtesy of her nephew Matthew...adults and teens sharing reading joy is a wonderful thing. Share the joy of a book you like with someone today!

Spiderwick Chronicles movie coming Feb 2008

Yes, it is true, read it at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Bowling Green over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Teens at the TAB meeting Aug 24th discussing Harry Potter all agreed that America's behind the wall fantasy from Spiderwick Chronicles, by Holly Black with magical drawings by Tony DeTerlizzi was an absolute must to become a movie and they hoped soon. Well, soon it is - around 6 months from now. Perhaps TAB will have a field trip night and all go to the Central City movie theater together for the premiere.

This fantastical series set in New England USA is not as large as the HP series, but it is filled with danger, intrigue and kids working out their own problems in a unreal world. Arthur Spiderwick's estate where they have moved to is filled with behind the wall and in the attic intrigue featuring faeries, sprites and dwarves and other magical creatures. Big sister Mallory and twins Jared and Simon Grace have lots of the same sibling and school problems as normal children and yet they have accepted they must preserve the Spiderwick legacy.

Series titles are 1) The Field Guide, 2) The Seeing Stone, 3) Lucinda's Secret, 4) The Ironwood Tree, 5) The Wrath of Mulgareth. Eerie and yet fun. Check them out before the movie comes!

dfs =)

Harry Potter on the wall

The Friday August 24th Teens and Books program at Central City Public Library featured discussion of the Harry Potter books and movies, all teens present agreed that the books have more info than the movies. So if you see the movie first you are not disappointed but excited about the additional info. When you read the book first the movie is not as good as the book because movies often leave out parts you feel are very important. One of the teens present had read all but the first book before seeing the movie counterpart - the kind of Harry fan that gets each book now as it comes out and reads as fast as he can. One had not read them all yet or seen all the movies but had a good time anyway. There is a joy of sharing books. And sharing what you read. All had things they could have brought to show and tell so we agreed that next TAB meeting anyone who wanted to could bring costumes, posters, or other stuff related to the books on this falls list to show and tell about. I will try to post a picture of the TAB group watching Harry on the wall in Central City's new meeting room. We have signed a contract for permission for group video showings on many of our dvd's so look for more special events to include dvd's on the wall or at least a portion to encourage you to check out the library's dvds.

Don't forget to sign up before the September Nancy Drew program.

TAB fun and food!

First TAB meeting was full of fun and pizza for those who came! Harry Potter glasses, a journal and a Hogwarts keychain were doorprizes won by those in attendance. Hopefully some of our new TAB members will email a post about their night and the scenes from Goblet of Fire that they watched on the full screen wall that is now available via the media projector and Central City's new library meeting room.

September 28th's TAB program will feature Nancy Drew, the books and the movies. Yes there is more than one. CC Library has an older TV Nancy Drew you can check out and maybe some of you saw this year's new Nancy Drew Emma Roberts and would like to talk about the books and the movies.

October 26 will feature Eragon and November 30th will feature The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Books and dvd's are available for check out from the libraries if you want to plan ahead to discuss and play trivia with TAB and enjoy the pizza party.

December's program is to be announced which means you still have time to make a suggestion.
Come to at least two programs and you can help plan the spring schedule as well!

As Dumbledore told Harry in the first book, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
"Choose to be a reader!" Miss Pockets
Miss Pockets, Donna F. Slaton, Children's Programmer II

Read a whole graphic novel! Clubbing

Well, I've finally done it -- read a whole graphic novel. Clubbing, by Andi (a guy) Watson and Josh Howard. I even understood most of it, even though it was "veddy, veddy" British in tone. Goth-girl Charlotte (Lottie) has been sent to live (and horror of horrors, work) with her grandparents at their country club for old folks because she was caught trying to get into a club with a fake id. She meets Howard and some village "yokels" her own age as well as her grandmother's "friends" in the W.I. When loonie old Geraldine turns up dead with a mysterious symbol scratched onto her arm, Charlotte decides to solve the mystery. Is her grandfather a murderer? The ending is somewhat bizarre, but you'll just have to read it to see what you think. "You don't have to be a comic book geek to dig DC Comic's kicky new imprint, Minx," says Vanity Fair Magazine.
Anniesse

TAB and Harry Potter Aug 25

Teens and Books at MCPL starts Friday night August 25, 2007. After hours 5:30-7:30 pm, we will serve pizza and drinks and begin our books and movies discussion with
the all time favorite Harry Potter.

Harry Potter books 1-7 will be up for discussion and trivia games. Prizes and food are there to put icing on the cake of just getting together with other Harry fans and talking Harry Potter. Which book was the best? Which movie was most like the book? What do you feel about how it ended?

This is for true Harry Potter readers. If you have only read one book or seen one or two of the movies, you may find this discussion too intense. We have a lot of well read (all 7 and sometimes more than once ) Harry Potter fans in Muhlenberg Co. If you have not yet read # 7 you may not want to come, because the evening is sure to be full of "spoilers" as they refer to plot details.

Because the TAB program is after hours at the library - it is limited to those who have pre-registered, have library cards and a parent or guardian must sign permission at first event. Please call 754-4630 to register and for more details. Later 4th Friday TAB events will feature Nancy Drew, Eragon, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. You may register for just one if that book or date is good for you.

Next spring's schedule will be decided by the teens in the program. Old books, new movies, whatever you want to discuss. So sign on early and help guide the program to make it what you want it to be.

Miss Pockets/Donna F. Slaton, Children's Programmer II

Australia blog about teen reads

Well, friends, hope your first week back to school - teens and teachers was great! Getting all settled in now, it's time to find some good books to read. This week we linked the adult Readers Roost blog to GoodReads.com and I found an interesting way to link to other readers who only post about books - from all over the world. Fascinating.

Now I have found a blog in Australia from a boys Catholic school that has some interesting book recommendations. Enjoy the ability to learn about the similarities and differences of students on the other side of the world. That is one of the joys of the internet. Visit the link for year 10 as written by Mr. Thompson : shelf/http://shelftales.wordpress.com/book-shelf/

Visit the new teen space at Central City soon and don't forget to sign up for Teens and Books starting Aug. 24. 5:30-7:30 pm - CC Public library will provide Books, Movies and Pizza with discussion and trivia games about Harry Potter this month. Others planned include Nancy Drew, Eragon and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Youth Storyteller Invitational August 17

Friday, August 17, 2007, Central City Library will host the first of, we hope many, annual Youth Storyteller events. This will provide a stepping stone to the National Youth Storytelling Showcase, sponsored by the Kentucky Storytelling Association in support of the National Storytelling Network. Young people may tell a folk or fairy tale, a Bible story, or a personal story. The time for the competition must be between 5 to 10 minutes.

For more details about rules and judging guidelines, visit http://www.kystory.org/, and follow their programs and activities link. Children in elementary, middle school or high school who wish to compete on Friday, August 17, must pre-register with the title of their chosen story by August 10, 2007. You may call 270-754-4630, email to misspockets3@yahoo.com or come into the Muhlenberg County Public Libraries to register.

Thank you J.K. Rowling

Well, first a big thank you to the author for giving me and indeed the world, these wonderful friends. Harry, Ron & Hermione and many more of the characters in the 7 enchanting books of the Harry Potter series will stand the test of time and be a friendship that will live in literature, history and every day culture all over the world for a long long time.

Not since Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, in my opinion, has there been such a memorable set of fictional friends. Choices about doing the right thing and standing up with your friends in difficult times are key ingredients in both legendary friendships.

Number 7 was wonderful, thrilling, emotional, sad, and heartwrenching at times. Everything we hoped it would be! I won't tell plot. For anyone who ever reads this, there are other places to find plot summaries, but as I re-read the story I will post quotes from time to time. There are many quotes in HP7 that are memorable and will be starting points for discussion and storytelling and sharing. Enough to say that the end was satisfying and lives up to our hopes for the three friends and Dumbledore's Army.

Just a little over half of HP7

Well, despite my best intentions, I have not finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Access to book and audio in my "spare" time has still only got me to page 499. There has been excitement, danger, spells and sadness. And yet there is more to come. I savor each page and because I am listening and reading, I go back over some of it transferring from car to book and back again.
Harry Potter is truly much more than fantasy. It is about growing up, relationships, friendship, love and determination. The quest to follow through on the mission Dumbledore asked of the three friends is much more than they expected. Hardships abound. And yet, strength flows from the three friends back and forth and they continue on. I am enjoying every minute of the book. Jim Dale is outstanding with the audio version.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

759 pages of magic - Harry Potter volume 7 has arrived. I stood in line at Wal-mart just after midnight to get my hardback copy and the audio. Also got a poster and a bookmark and a trivia flier for my efforts at being in line at midnight for this momentous occasion. Understood from some teens who had been there earlier that they were given arm bands to keep the line orderly before midnight. I waited until midnight to get there - sure that check out lines would be long for a while and while there were lines, everything went smoothly and I was checked out and headed home by 12:35 pm. I read a few pages in the check out line but will have to travel Saturday so I got the audio to help me get along in the book so I can finish this weekend. Oh the joy of seeing that many people excited about a book. It was great fun just being at Wal-mart on a Friday night with Harry fans!
Donna Slaton ~ Miss Pockets

New blog for teens

Hello everybody,
This is Muhlenberg County Public Libraries new blog for teens. Students in grades 6-12 in Muhlenberg County - public school, private school or home school may participate. Send an email to tech.hmlib@gmail.com
for detailed information on how to post book reviews and local event news and comments. In order to be posted on the site you must have an MCPL library card.

This site will feature info about books and programs at the Muhlenberg County Public Libraries. We also want to know what's going on with teens in our community, so we hope you will send in announcements about your club, team and youth group events. We will be developing guidelines as we go along and see how we can best serve our teens by sharing information on the internet.

Suggestions for programs, book and media selections for the library and services will be discussed as well. Visit your Muhlenberg County Public Libraries and get a card today if you do not already have one --it's FREE! and loaded with valuable services for you!