3.25.2013

Staff Pick: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

From goodreads:

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives. And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

Pick it: for the true-to-life narrative voice. I had trouble remembering that the book was not a memoir!

Skip it: if you're looking for a cry-fest. In fact, expect the opposite.This book had me in stitches. Seriously! I know a book about a girl dying of cancer doesn't sound like it would be hilarious, but it is. Trust me.

Pair with: It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, another hybrid funny/sad book with a narrator so real you'll feel like he could walk through the door at any moment.

Reviewed by: Melissa

3.18.2013

Books on the Big Screen: Wishlist Edition

2013 is the year of YA Books on the silver screen! Beautiful Creatures, Ender's Game, Divergent, The Mortal Instruments and more are all due to be released this year, and whole slew of others are on their way -- The Maze Runner, The Fault in Our Stars, Maximum Ride... we can't keep up with them!

We decided to play movie producer and pick out the YA books that we think should have movie deals, but don't. Enjoy -- and chime in with your picks (and any casting decisions for our picks!)

 Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
We're picturing something directed by Judd Apatow, screenplay by Kristin Wiig and
a cameo appearance by Tina Fey as Ladybird Hope. You'd totally see it!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Action, romance, murderous plots, vast conspiracies -- this book has it all! It's basically The Bourne Identity... with a female lead... set in a seaside kingdom... in a fantasy world.



 Looking for Alaska by John Green
We know The Fault in Our Stars is already Hollywood-bound, but this script has been stuck in some movie studio's vault for so long and we just NEED TO KNOW what it'd be like.


Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
This probably seems like a really weird pick, we know. But just envision a quirky-indie 1970's period piece with yellow-orange cinematography directed by Wes Anderson or something. It totally works. Trust us.


The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
We are so sick of paranormal romances being turned into movies... we want a
YA fantasy epic! This one about an expert thief who is ordered to steal something that may or may not exist (like Lord of the Rings, but reversed) would certainly suffice.

 Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
We pick Chloe Moretz to star in this tragic and surreal story about a popular girl who dies in a car crash and must relive her last day over and over again. Think Mean Girls meets Virgin Suicides meets Groundhog's Day.

 Across the Universe by Beth Revis
We don't think it'll be long before Hollywood jumps all over this sci-fi thriller set in
deep space, but at least we'll be able to say you saw it here first :P

 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
We're not the firsts (by a long shot) to intensely wish for a movie version of
this funny and deeply romantic book, and we want to know: who's your dream cast?

3.07.2013

Around the Library: 3.7.2013

This is a giant display for our 4th Annual Teen Peep-o-Rama event. And boy, is it eye-catching. We're taking votes on what the giant yellow chick's name should be.


Rachel Moani ain't got nothin' on Ms. Michelle! (We'll keep telling ourselves that...)

Inspired by the Washington Post's annual Peep Show, our Peep-o-rama is a diorama building contest where the only limit is your imagination and the only requirement is that you use Peeps! This year it will be on Saturday, March 23rd from 3:00pm - 4:30pm. Register now!

3.01.2013

Scholarship Opportunities from the Friends of the Library

Attention all graduating seniors! Once again, the Friends of the Library is offering scholarships for seniors with strong school and community involvement. You can download the application here to see the eligibility requirements and the application procedure/deadline.

For more information, contact Erin Breck at scholarship.chplnj@gmail.com.

For more information about the Friends of the Library, click here.
To find out about joining the Jr. Friends of the Library (the Friends' youth branch), click here.