CHPL's Picks for the Printz

Well, last year we were only 1 for 5 with our Printz predictions, but that's not going to stop us from doing it again! (Hey, at least we got the medalist right -- that's got to count for something.) 

I'm feeling really good about this list. I guess we'll just have to see what goes down on January 28th!

Our picks/predictions for Printz honor books:

Our pick/prediction for the Printz Award winner:

And the rest of the books on our short list:

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick

Did you read any books this year that were award-worthy?

Staff Pick: Graphic Novelist Rick Geary

Looking for the ultimate 90's throwback? I recently rediscovered Rick Geary's Treasury of Victorian Murder and Treasury of 20th Century Murder (originally published in the mid-to-late 90's) and I'm officially obsessed. Each book details the events of an unsolved murder or mystery -- from the famous Borden tragedy to the disappearance of the Lindbergh baby -- presenting just as many questions as it does answers. The black-and-white illustrations keep the books from being gratuitously gory... but make no mistake, this is some brutal stuff. Geary's style draws you in from the first panel, blending historical fiction, investigative journalism, and just a bit of comic book pulp.

The bottom line?

Pick it: if you like some veracity to your tales of true crime. Geary presents only the facts and refrains from exaggeration and unnecessary speculation.

Skip it: if you're looking for twist endings, ultra-violence, or sensationalism. The measured, almost clinical tone may be less compelling to some than others.

Pair with: The True Crime nonfiction series by Brenda Haugen, which picks up in the 20th century where Geary leaves off!

Reviewed by: Melissa

Lord of the Rings Extended Editions Marathon

We're really excited to announce this event :D

You're invite to a three-day screening of the extended editions (aka the only editions, amirite?) of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy!

More info on the flyer below -- click to enlarge:

Each movie exceeds 3 hours in length, so it's literally going to be epic! We recommend wearing comfy clothing and maybe doing some meditation exercises beforehand... you know, to prepare your mind for the long journey into the heart of Mordor.

Spread the word, bring a friend. Hope to see you there!

Goodbye Ms. Jaclyn!

We're proud and happy to announce that Ms. Jaclyn starts her new job as the library's Circulation Supervisor today! We're also a little bit sad, because that means that she no longer serves as one of our Teen Librarians. It's a bittersweet symphony, this life :-\

We did a quick interview with Jaclyn on her thoughts about leaving the department:

What will you miss most about being a Teen Librarian?
I'll most miss talking and interacting with teens on a daily basis.

What is your fondest memory from your time as a Teen Librarian?
I have so many great memories, some of my fondest are:
- the “You are Here: Hogwarts” event (Summer of 2011)
- the TAB-run, Pajama Party-themed Family Fun Night (December of 2011)
- organizing Comic-Con!

How can our teen patrons keep in touch with you?
Teen patrons are always welcome to visit me at the main circulation desk! Please stop by to say hi!

If you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Jaclyn at the library this weekend, feel free to leave a message to her in the comments! We'll make sure she gets them.

Best of luck to you, Jaclyn! We miss you already!

Mega-Album of Behind-the-Scenes Photos from The Hobbit

Look what we found!

150 -- count 'em -- 150 images from the production of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, which premieres in exactly one month.



It might be too early to call, but... THIS MOVIE IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE ::flails::

Loving the concept design for the goblins and Radagast's house (!!!). What are your thoughts on Peter Jackson's vision of Middle Earth?

We have a winner!

It was no easy feat, but we chose a winner for our IT CAME FROM THE LIBRARY scary story contest.

The winning submission is...

Don't Blink by Daniel Backal

Daniel's psychological thriller left us chilled to the bone! We aren't posting it here, but keep your eyes peeled (ha!) for it in the next issue of Bridges, our teen and literary zine.

Congratulations, Daniel!

Staff Pick: Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal

From Amazon:

Elvie Nara was doing just fine in the year 2074. She had a great best friend, a dad she adored, and bright future working on the Ares Project on Mars. But then she had to get involved with sweet, gorgeous, dumb-as-a-brick Cole—and now she’s pregnant.

     Getting shipped off to the Hanover School for Expecting Teen Mothers was not how Elvie imagined spending her junior year, but she can go with the flow. That is, until a team of hot commandos hijacks the ship—and one of them turns out to be Cole. She hasn’t seen him since she told him she’s pregnant, and now he’s bursting into her new home to tell her that her teachers are aliens and want to use her unborn baby to repopulate their species? Nice try, buddy. You could have just called.

     So fine, finding a way off this ship is priority number one, but first Elvie has to figure out how Cole ended up as a commando, work together with her arch-nemesis, and figure out if she even wants to be a mother—assuming they get back to Earth in one piece. 

Pick it: for the snarky narrator Elvie, whose ability to be sardonic without ever sounding bitter or cruel reminds us a lot of another famous fictitious pregnant teen, Juno MacGuff.

Skip it: if you can't get on board (see what we did there?) with the far-fetched premise. To fully enjoy being in Elvie's world, you have to be able to suspend your disbelief.

Pair with: The Pregnancy Project: a memoir by Gaby Rodriguez, a teenage "pregnancy" story that is almost as outrageous as Mothership but 100% true.

Reviewed by: Melissa