Calling It for the Printz: "Winger" by Andrew Smith

I will absolutely get to the comments you guys have posted over the past several days, put up your book reviews, AND welcome our new blogger(s) (by the way, did I mention we have new bloggers! so awesome!), but right now I just want to direct everyone's attention to this book ------------>

It's Winger by Andrew Smith, and I'm calling this one now: it's definitely my pick for the 2014 Printz award (honoring what the judges consider to be the past year's best YA book).  To sum it up quick and dirty, it's about 14-year-old Ryan Dean West, a junior (yes that's right, he's a 14-year-old junior) at a northwestern elite private school for rich kids.  Ryan is pretty much a normal teenage dude: he's in love with a "smoking hot" girl (his best friend, who's 16 and thinks of Ryan Dean as a little kid), gets into fights with jerks, plays sports (rugby, which I never found particularly interesting until Winger), and he's navigating that tricky terrain between constantly feeling like a loser and not actually being a loser.  Oh, and he's constantly thinking about the stuff that pretty much all teenage boys think about (I won't say anything more about that other than wink wink).

It's an incredibly funny book that chronicles the everyday misadventures of Ryan Dean West (there's all kinds of comics scattered throughout the store), but ultimately Winger (named after Ryan Dean's position on the rugby team, which is also his nickname) is a tragicomedy.  I won't say anything more, other than that something pretty life-changing--no, very life-changing--happens at Pine Mountain that....Well, that changes Ryan Dean's life (hence, you know, the life-changing thing).

It's hard to say a lot about this book without giving away major plot points, but I will say it's one of my top reads of 2013 so far.  I'd strongly recommend it, especially for anyone 14+, but please be aware that Winger contains graphic language and semi-graphic themes (you know, the whole wink wink and all).  In other words, it contains the kinds of language you'd probably hear kids saying in most high schools; it contains the kind of words you'll probably hear (and probably already do hear) in real life.

Winger is a fairly mature read that may not be for everyone.

Go read it.*



*Unless you don't want to.  Or wait a couple of years, and then read it.  It's worth the wait!

YA Book Review: "The Probability of Miracles" by Wendy Wunder

So this book was recommended to me by TAG's own Caitlyn* and yes, she assured me, Wendy Wunder IS the author's real name (I totally didn't believe it was her real name, because doesn't it sound like a superhero name or like, a bad stripper name?).

Anyway, The Probability of Miracles is a book about cancer, and nothing says fun summer read like YA books about teens with cancer!  But really, sort of like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, this book is actually incredibly witty and lots of fun, though obviously yes, there are terrible, incredibly heartbreaking moments as well (because, you know, CANCER).

Campbell Cooper is 15, lives in Disney in Florida with her mom and younger sister, and she has cancer; she's also completely sick of being dragged around from hospital to hospital and healer to healer to find something, anything that will help make her better.  She's slowly dying from her illness, and there's probably pretty much nothing that's going to change that.

Except....Except Cam's mom hears of a town in Maine that's nearly impossible to find but supposedly possesses healing powers, and so the family packs up and heads north for the summer in Cam's little car and a U-Haul to lovely, beach-y Promise, Maine (which they do find, but barely, after picking up some milkshakes and whoopie pies from a Dunkin Donuts which, by the way, is one of my most favorite places ever).

Soon Cam is noticing all kinds of things -- flamingos nesting in Maine (if you've never been to the northeast, I guarantee you you'll never see a flamingo up there that isn't in a cage), the astonishing reappearance of something that'd been missing, the fact that is, in fact, feeling so much better -- things that her mother and sister swear are miracles, but which Cam just writes off as coincidences.  The thing is, Cam doesn't believe she can afford to have hope.  How can she hope for a miracle when she's pretty sure she won't live to see her 18th birthday?

Enter a guy (an adorable guy named Asher); old friends (well, really just one old friend**); a cast of new friends; and the "Flamingo List," Cam's list of stuff she'd like to do before she dies, like have an awkward moment with her best friend's boyfriend--all of which change Cam's life in ways she never thought possible.

Seriously, I love Cam's sarcasm, her little sister's funny way of being both weirdly mature for an 11-year-old but also adorably young (she has this ridiculous theory on why unicorns obviously exist), and Asher's sweet naivety.   Despite the heavy topic, I think this actually is a great summer read, and I'm really glad Caity recommended it to me.  Two thumbs up.

Find "The Probability of Miracles" at APL

*Spelling fixed, thanks!**That is, someone Cam's been friends with for awhile, not someone she's friends with who's like, a hundred years old.  Just clarifyin'.

"House of Hades" Book Cover!

Here it is!!!!  As I'm sure many of you already know, the official House of Hades book cover was revealed on May 31st, just a few days ago.  What's going on on the cover?  Well, it looks like Percy half-holding, half-dragging Annabeth through "the house of Hades."  Annabeth also appears to be wearing some kind of weird, fish-looking outfit, though I'm assuming it's actually just armor.

SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK.

Here's the info that's on Rick Riordan's website:

*** WARNING!  Contains mild spoilers if you haven't read the first three books in the Heroes of Olympus series! ***

Heroes of Olympus, Book Four

Coming October 8, 2013

At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?
They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

Did I mention that I am SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK?!  Also, why is every amazing- book-release-that-I-am-anticipating-more-than-other-book-releases (like Allegiance, the last "Divergent" book!) happening in October?  Must practice my speed reading skills....

YA Book Review: "One Came Home" by Amy Timberlake* **

1871 is a big year for 13-year-old Georgie: her older sister has disappeared with a group of pigeoners and instead of bringing Agatha home, the sheriff returns to their Placid, Wisconsin town with a body half-eaten by animals and missing a face and both hands, but still recognizable by its dress, a beautiful, shimmering, turquoise green gown hand stitched for Agatha by their mother.  For Mrs. Burkhardt and Grandfather Bolte, the dress is indisputable proof of Agatha's death; she is buried the next day.

Georgie suffers through her sister's funeral, but refuses to believe Agatha is dead -- Agatha, who craved a life of education, rather than marriage; Agatha, who climbed up into trees and down into caves and could survive nearly anything; Agatha with the red, red hair.  For the past year, Georgie's worst fear has been the possibility of losing her beloved sister to a husband or to the university, but death?  She knows her sister would never leave her that way, and with her rifle, a mule, Captain Randolph B. Marcy's The Prairie Traveler: A Hand-Book for Overland Expeditions, and a heart nearly collapsing with guilt -- Georgie had betrayed her sister not long before Agatha vanished; had she been ultimately responsible for whatever fate her sister met? -- Georgie sets out to prove that Agatha is alive.

Joined by Agatha's former beau on a journey to Dog Hollow, Wisconsin, Georgie unravels mysteries and discovers others, and is changed in ways she never sought or believed she would be.  One Came Home is a beautiful historical coming-of-age story full of mystery and adventure (Georgie just happens to be the best 13-year-old shot in Placid, if not in all of Wisconsin).  Recommended.

Find "One Came Home" at APL

* I would just like to point out that I wrote this book review for APL Youth Services's more "mature" blog for adults, which is why it doesn't sound like me and lacks all my favorite words to use, like "totally" and "yeah, so" and "awesome."  Rest assured, though, that this book is seriously awesome.  I highly recommend it!

** Also by the way, Amy Timberlake is also the author of the picture book "The Dirty Cowboy," illustrated by Adam Rex.  It's a children's book about, well, a dirty cowboy and it's been challenged, restricted, and/or banned in a handful of libraries, as well as by parents around the country, because it depicts a "half-naked" cowboy who's getting ready to take a bath.  Well I gotta say, librarian or not, I'm on the side of the parents here.  Taking clothes off to take a bath?  Never!  I don't know about anyone else, but I always shower with my clothes on.

Movies!

I absolutely cannot wait for the November release of The Hunger Games and the second installment of The Hobbit in December; they're probably the two movies I'm looking forward to the most this year.  In the meantime, though, there's Oz: the Great and Powerful (March), The Great Gatsby (May), and The City of Bones (August) to look forward to.  (The Sea of Monsters, the second Percy Jackson book, is also coming out in August, but I have mixed feelings about that one.  I didn't care for the fact that Percy is 11-years-old in The Lightning Thief, but like, 20 in the movie.  Seriously, he looked older than me!)

So here's the trailer for The Mortal Instruments: The City of Bones, which is the first in a series of six books by Cassandra Clare (the sixth book comes out next year).  I'm sure many of you have already read it, but if not, I'd definitely recommend it.  The story begins when 15-year-old Clary witnesses a murder at the Pandemonium Club in New York City.  Sounds like a call-the-cops kinda situation right?  Yes, except the murderers in this case are seemingly invisible to everyone but Clary.  Soon she's drawn into the world of Shadowhunters, whose mission is to hunt demons.  It's a supernatural and suspenseful and generally awesome read; it's also slated to become the Next Big Thing after Twilight and The Hunger Games.  That's a pretty bold prediction, I think, but who knows?

APL currently has three copies of the book which, as of today, are each are checked out, with two people on the holds list.  If you're interested, definitely get on that list now!  I guarantee the request list will only get longer and longer the closer we get to the movie's release date.  (No pressure or anything though... :)

Apparently a movie is in the works for the first book in Clare's The Infernal Devices series, which is set in Victorian-era England and is a prequel to The Mortal Instruments.  She's also currently in the process of writing another series, The Dark Artifices, a series of sequels to The Mortal Instruments.  Geez, Cassandra Clare is one busy lady!  Gonna be honest, it made me tired just writing all that out.

March Madness Battle of the Books!

It's March 1!  Here are some sort-of interesting facts about today: 

• 1692: Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba were arrested for practicing witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts.  They probably never dreamed that would one day inspire novels and essays and entire college courses, not to mention movies (I don't know if they'd have been more shocked knowing they'd one day be important historical figures or learning that one day there'd be such a crazy, magical thing as "moving pictures," i.e. movies)
• 1803 and 1877: Ohio became the 17th state in 1803 and "most" of Nebraska became the 37th in 1877 (happy birthday, Ohio and Nebraska!)
• 1941: Captain America first appears in comic books (making him 72 years old!)
• 1978: Charlie Chaplin's coffin was stolen from a cemetery in Switzerland.  Apparently two guys dug it up, then reburied it in hopes of getting some money from Chaplin's family.  I gotta say, I've never heard of anyone kidnapping a dead body, coffin and all, for ransom.  It kind of seems like a lot of work to go through, though I guess dead kidnapped people are quieter than live ones.  ANYWAY.  So a lot of other stuff has happened on this day throughout history, but I'm just going to share one more, my favorite:
• 1980: Snow falls in Florida.

You know what else happened on March 1st?  The APL March Madness Middle/High School Book Battle polls have officially opened!!!  You can vote each week beginning today for your favorite books--"The Fault in Our Stars" or "Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition"?  "The Giver" or "The Westing Game"?  You choose!  This week 16 books are competing against one another; next week, 8 will be competing, and so on until there's one winner, the MOST AWESOME AMAZING TEEN BOOK CHAMPION WINNER as decided by you guys!  We'll keep updating the bracket in the Teen Zone here at APL to reflect which books make it through to the next round.

HERE is the list of books in the competition   |   HERE is where you can VOTE!

Note: You don't have to be in 7th or 8th grade to vote!  Any teen can participate by voting online or stopping in the Teen Zone @ APL and filling out a paper ballot.

March Madness, or The Big Dance

So "March Madness" refers to the crazy popular college men's basketball single-elimination championship tournament held each spring; it's one of those quivery-excitement thing that people (well, at least sports-type people) look forward to every year.  AND, as I just learned, March Madness is also apparently known as "the Big Dance."  Which, let's be honest, sounds a lot less awesome than March Madness (although I do find it completely entertaining to imagine big dudes hanging around, talking about "the Big Dance").

Anyway, this March APL is going to be hosting its own glorious, utterly nerdy version of March Madness, but instead of rounds eliminating basketball teams, our tournament will be a most awesome book for 7th graders and up championship.  Each week, teens get to go online and vote for their favorite among the 16 selected books that are pitted against one another until the whole thing culminates in one winner.

      

The bracket, by the way, is up on the wall behind the computers in the APL Zone, and it looks AWESOME.  Like, seriously epic, and I'm totally not just saying that because my boyfriend put it up and it took him 7 hours on a Saturday when we could've been home watching the IT Crowd or Sherlock or out shopping in Des Moines.

So on to the books.  Some of the winners are going to be hard to pick: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is up against The Graveyard Book.  The Giver is playing against The Westing Game. Seriously?  Seriously?  Tough call.  I'm glad I'm not the one who has to choose, though I think I'll have fun trying to predict each elimination rounds' winner.

Will post the link to the online voting when it's available...In the meantime, definitely brush up on some of the books on the list linked above and get ready to vote at the beginning of March when the polls officially open (sounds dramatic much?)!