NYPL Blogs: Stuff for the Teen Age

Kingsbridge Teens Recommend: Favorite Books and DVDs of 2012

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 04:28:09 -0500

The members of our Teen Advisory Group have spent many hours reading, watching, and reviewing so that they can recommend the best of the best to you. Here are some of their favorite things they enjoyed in 2012…

Rosalie is a fan of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.
Mara's best friends are dead and she is alive. She moves to another school and she thinks she can't fall in love, but she's wrong. Noah knows a lot about her, and it seems like he already knows her before they even met. This is a story about a girl who is trying to get her life back together, or trying to live as everything falls apart. This is a cute story that has romance and adventure, but it also has a bit of horror.

Caitlin likes And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.
This book is about a group of people who are invited to an isolated island by the same person for different reasons. Then one by one, they all start disappearing. This is a classic suspense novel, and even though some teens might not be able to relate to it, it's a thrilling story that will surely keep readers turning the pages.

Genevieve enjoys the DMC (Detroit Metal City) series by Kiminori Wakasugi.
This series is about a death metal band that has a great following in the indie scene. The protagonist is a pushover who struggles with trying to make a living in the music world. Through a series of accidental occurrences, the band rises in the dangerous world of death metal. This series is very entertaining, however it is rated "M" for mature themes. The change in the protagonist from a pushover to the frontman of DMC is extremely enjoyable.

Jose suggests First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky.
The story describes the relationship between two people who are opposite from each other. They both learn that when two different lives meet, something good can come out of it. What makes this book great is that it teaches teens that not being perfect can help form a relationship with someone else who also isn't perfect, and that people can try to learn from their own unique characteristics.

Genevieve recommends To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
This book is a true look at society's opinion on racism, the power it holds over other people, and how it goes too far. This would be a good read for youth who don't quite understand segregation and racism, and it would be good to start an open dialogue.

Shania is a fan of Cat's Cradle by Jo Rioux.
Cat's Cradle is a graphic novel about a girl who wants to be a monster hunter. She finds a creature that can almost transform into a human — everything but its tail! While the boy is running, he drops some golden twine and the girl picks it up. Then the family kidnaps the girl to get the golden twine back. I'm recommending this book because people who like graphic novels or books about magical powers will enjoy it.

Caitlin recommends Soul Eater Vol 1 by Atsushi Ohkubo.
This is the first book in a manga series about a girl and her friends who attend Death Weapon Meister Academy. If you attend this school, you get partnered up with someone else who is either the person transforming into a weapon or the meister, the one who controls or wields the weapon. Each pair must collect a total of 99 demon-kishin souls and one witch soul in order for the weapon to become a weapon for Lord Death. The main character is Maka, who is the meister, while her partner is Soul "eater" Evans, her demon-scythe partner and friend. Together they go on life-threatening, emotionally exhausting, and trust-testing missions in order to transform Soul into a weapon that Lord Death would use. This manga does not follow the traditional boy-lead as most shonen manga do. Instead of focusing on a love triangle or general romance as a subplot, Ohkubo puts attention on the bond between the partners; he develops them into soul mates which doesn't have to be a "lovey dovey" type of situation. Also, the series has a lot of action and serious but funny moments which are a perfect mix for any gender.

Stephanie suggests The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter.
This book is about a white boy who was kidnapped by Lenape Indians at a young age and renamed True Son. True Son was raised by his tribe, but then one day he is rescued and returned to his white family. Does True Son stay or go? Where does he belong?

Genevieve likes the Hell Girl: Three Vessels anime.
The hands of time are still progressing as the third collection of Hell Girl is introduced. Everything comes full circle and Ai continues to help people looking for vengeance. It's an interesting story to watch as it explores the complex nature of human beings. Nothing is certain, even the people who are sent to hell.

Caitlin enjoys the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
It's the final part of the final movie, and things are really starting to heat up as the trio go looking for horcurxes so they can finally kill Voldemort. Throughout the movie relationships are created, lives are ended, and armies are truly put to the test — Team Voldemort vs. Team Harry. This is the final movie in the whole series, so it's best to complete it. Plus, you get to see Daniel Radcliffe in a bra :)

Are you Ready to See The Hobbit, My Precioussssss?

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 05:39:43 -0500

Okay, you're probably busy putting the finishing touches on your wizard's robe and/or brushing the hair on your furry hobbit's feet so that you will be as stylish as possible when you arrive at the movie theater to catch a midnight showing of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey later this month.

But while you're passing the time getting ready for the new movie, don't forget that you can use the library to read J.R.R. Tolkien's books, books about Tolkien, and other books connected to the LOtR universe. Plus you can also find videos, ebooks, audiobooks, and more! Let's start with an overview of the hobbit-related items in our catalog, and then I'd like to highlight a few cool and unusual items connected to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Books

If you search in our BiblioCommons catalog for books using the keywords "Tolkien" and "hobbit," you will find a lot of stuff, including books by Tolkien, books about Tolkien, The Art of the Hobbit, and much more.

If you search the catalog for books using "Tolkien" and "lord of the rings," then the list grows even bigger. You probably knew that Tolkien's original Lord of the Rings books were in the library, as well as overviews of the series
and books of criticism about the trilogy. But did you also know that you can feed your super fandom with The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth?

eBooks and Audiobooks

If you'd like to immerse yourself in the worlds that Tolkien created on your electronic device, or if you'd like to experience those worlds with your ears instead of your eyes, you can limit your search in our catalog to these different formats.

An ebook version of The Hobbit? Check! An ebook version of the Tolkien Trivia Quiz Book? DOUBLE Check!

Videos

If you think of Tolkien on video, your mind will most likely jump to Peter Jackson's recent films covering the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And watching his film versions of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King will certainly be worthwhile, especially if you want to compare and contrast his adaptations of those novels to his adaptation of The Hobbit.

But if you're willing to expand your search horizons a little further, you might also want to check out the 1977 Rankin & Bass animated version of The Hobbit, or (my personal favorite) the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animated version of The Lord of the Rings. [Wow — check out that crazy rotoscoping technique!]

So... which of Tolkien's books are your favorites, and what are YOUR favorite things connected to the The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?

Stop, Rewind, Play: Every Day by David Levithan

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:40:47 -0500

A is sixteen years old, and has never been the same person twice. Every morning, A wakes up in the body of a different sixteen-year-old: a boy, a girl, an athlete, an addict, a star student, a burnout. Then A falls in love, and things get REALLY complicated.

Every Day by David Levithan takes a weird but simple premise — imagine what it would be like to wake up each day in a different person's body — and expands on this idea with some thought-provoking questions. What kind of an impact would this have on people's lives? Would you or the person whose body you were inhabiting think you were crazy? Do you have the right to derail someone else's life? How much could you hurt or help someone by living in that person's body for just one day?

A can't control which body he will find himself (or herself) in each day, and wakes up each morning with no idea what the day will bring. A has learned from past mistakes to be careful — to make sure the body doesn't eat anything that will cause an allergic reaction, for example. But A must also be careful about fitting in, because A's behavior could change that person's life for the better or for the worse.

When A wakes up as a boy named Justin, it seems like it's going to be an ordinary school day. But when A looks through Justin's eyes and sees Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon, he sees a sweet and beautiful girl that Justin doesn't appreciate. After A and Rhiannon spend a few hours together, A starts falling in love with her, which creates a whole new set of questions.

How can A convince Rhiannon that her boyfriend Justin is a jerk and she should break up with him?

Will Rhiannon accept any part of this unbelievable story and understand who A really is?

Can two people have a future together if one person's future is constantly changing?

Blockbuster Books: Teens Make Trailers

Joanne Conte, Morris Park — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:55:38 -0400

I'm sure you've heard of blockbuster movies, but have you read a blockbuster book? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary online, a blockbuster is one that is notably expensive, effective, successful, large or extravagant. For example, the Harry Potter series of books and movies were blockbusters. Other blockbusters from the past include The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and The Lightning Thief and other Percy Jackson and the Olympians books by Rick Riordan.

Borrowing from the blockbuster phenomenon, The New York Public Library will be hosting several teen programs in the branch libraries called Blockbuster Books and, we just happen to be sponsoring one of these programs at the Morris Park Library starting this coming Tuesday, October 30th at 4:00 pm. If you are intersted in screenwriting and learning the mechanics of film editing, stop by and join the fun.

The program is open to teens 12-18. Sessions will be October 30, November 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2012. Come in and join teaching artist, Anya Hoyer from the Center for Arts Education as she helps you create a book trailer using music and more. Learn how a movie script is created, write your own script with the other participants, shoot it, and edit it into a finished product.

Here are several works of fiction where the main characters love to act, direct and write!

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby
My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff
Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Teen programs are now on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nyplteens
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nyplteens
ALL NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

The American Teenager Project Comes to the Kingsbridge Library!

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 06:12:46 -0400

Part photography program. Part exploration of personal history. All teenagers. The American Teenager Project has combined photographic portraits with oral histories of hundreds of teenagers over the last several years, and now is the chance for YOU to participate in this unique program at the Kingsbridge Library in the Bronx.

Tell the story of your life with film and friends. Join award-winning journalist Robin Bowman for a six-week series where you'll learn how to craft a narrative using photographs, personal insights, and shared experiences. Create an exhibition of your work, and see it published in a book, which is yours to keep and share.

If you'd like to learn more about this program and the teenagers who were previously profiled and photographed, you can visit the theamericanteenagerproject.org and theamericanteenager.com websites or check out Robin Bowman's book It's Complicated: The American Teenager.

This workshop will run at the Kingsbridge Library from 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons for six weeks starting on October 9th. If you are a teenager who is interested in participating in this project, you can stop by the information desk to pick up copies of the photo release forms that you and your parents will need to sign. Otherwise, we'll have copies of those forms available during the workshop, too.

Dark, Deadly, and Deeply Disturbing: Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:44:10 -0400

Cas Lowood uses his father's blade to send ghosts out of this world and back to where they belong. Cas used to help his father with this task, but now his father is dead, murdered by one of those evil spirits. Cas has battled with many ghosts in his time, but when he meets a ghost named Anna, his unusual life takes an even more dangerous turn.

In Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, Cas Lowood moves to the town of Thunder Bay to try to track down a ghost who became famous because she killed so many people. She earned the nickname Anna Dressed in Blood because she wears a white dress that is soaked with so much blood that it appears to be red. But when Cas meets Anna, she is unlike any ghost that he's ever seen before. Yes, she's angry. And yes, she will kill people who try to enter her house. And yet … in some ways she's more human than any ghost that Cas has ever encountered, and in some ways she's more alive than other ghosts. Cas and Anna soon learn that each of them is not what the other expects. Although they are both VERY dangerous.

At the beginning of the sequel, Girl of Nightmares, Anna has vanished from this world and everything is supposed to go back to normal. The problem is, nobody knows where Anna is, and things aren't normal at all. Cas can still see Anna sometimes, and every time he sees her it looks like she's suffering. But nobody else can see her at all, and Cas is starting to feel like he's going crazy. But if these visions are real, then Cas has to wonder ...

Is Anna truly dead?
Is she in hell?
And most importantly, does Cas have the power to rescue her from this fate worse than death?

Back to School: New School Year, New You!

Lindsy Serrano, Mulberry Street Branch Library — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:58:05 -0400

A few years ago, I put together a list of my favorite back to school books. It was a list of fun books to read after all of the mandatory summer reading that you had to do. Over the last two years, I've read some more really great books with a common theme: transformation.

If you want to shake up your identity, there is no better time than the first day of school. Unless you did something EXTREMELY memorable (i.e., super embarrassing), chances are people's perception of you is pretty shaky so you can slip in a few new character traits under the radar, and if you are starting at a new school... well... all bets are off! When I was in middle school I was in a totally different school (and sometimes different states!) for each grade, the idea of self transformation was not lost on me and I actually loved the fact that I was starting each grade with a clean slate. The characters in the following books also had that chance, whether it worked out for them is another story!

The List by Siobhan Vivian: Hands down one of my favorite books of the year. At the beginning of every school year, a list goes up naming the prettiest and ugliest girls at Mount Washington High school. No one knows where it comes from but everyone knows that the people who make the list will be changed forever.

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin: Seventeen year old detective Daton Rev transfers schools to solve the murder of a popular student who was found hanging from the football field's goalpost. Great for readers who love a good mystery, or really miss Veronica Mars.

Beautiful by Amy Lynn Reed: When Cassie leaves her boring tiny town for the suburbs of Seattle, she is determined to leave her "good girl" image behind. Turns out it was way easier to change than she thought and she is quickly swept away by a new crowd of kids who like to live dangerously.

Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes: As the school year begins, Kurt Shoemaker only has one goal. To be normal. But there is a lot standing in his way including an alcoholic mother, five after school jobs, and a mandatory therapy group that he’s dubbed “the Madmen.”

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks: Maggie has been homeschooled for her entire life, but now she is following in her older brothers' footsteps and starting fresh at a public high school. She's having a hard time fitting in with the other students there, and the fact that she is being followed by a lonely ghost isn't really helping her out.

Look for these books in the YA section of your local library, and visit BiblioCommons for the complete list of great back to school books!

Crafternoons at Mulberry Street Library: Fashionista Edition!

Lindsy Serrano, Mulberry Street Branch Library — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 06:38:59 -0400

We have some fun upcoming craft programs at the Mulberry Street Library and you are invited!

Wednesday, August 22nd: Decorate your own tote! We've got some drawstring backpacks courtesy of the library's Summer Reading program and a bedazzler. You do the math!

Thursday, August 28th: Make your own hair accessories! Barrettes, headbands, maybe even a scruchie? It's up to you!

Both programs start at 4 p.m. and are for ages 12-18. All materials will be provided. See ya there!

Teen Summer Reading Spotlight: "The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin" by Josh Berk

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:01:24 -0400

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, does it still make a sound? If somebody insults Will Halpin and he isn’t reading that person’s lips, does it still count as an insult?

In The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk, Will Halpin knows that he doesn’t fit into his new school. Transferring out of an all-deaf school and into a mainstream one has definitely been a difficult transition. He knows that his deafness makes him an outsider, as well as his tendency to stare at people so that he can understand what they’re saying. And he knows that some of the kids at his new school are jerks, and that some of those kids say mean things about him. Luckily, he can’t hear them when they do.

Will lives primarily in the world that’s inside his own head. He watches what’s going on, he reads lips, and he writes out his thoughts in his notebook. He checks his email and his IMs, talks to his family a little, eats a lot, and hangs out in his room. Eventually, Will becomes friends with a boy named Devon (another social outcast, but for different reasons), and his world begins to expand.

A lot of different things happen in this book. Will learns that he's related to a man who was famous for a very unusual reason. Will and Devon discover that they have similar senses of humor. Will starts falling for a beautiful a girl from afar... and then again from close up. Oh, and there’s a murder, too. Or maybe it’s an accident? No, if one of the most popular boys in school suddenly falls to his death during a field trip to a coal mine, then that’s definitely a murder.

But even with all of those things going on in this book, the best parts of the story take place in Will’s head. Which, as it turns out, is a pretty weird, funny, and amazing place.

Be sure to visit summerreading.org to sign up for the summer reading club where you can keep track of the books you read during the summer, review the stuff you’re reading, create lists, earn badges, and design your own avatar! Check out the teen summer reading list for even more book recommendations that will make you laugh, make you think, and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Old Meets New (and Hilarity Ensues) in Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:35:10 -0400

Talullah Casey is off to change her life in a very different environment. She’s going to be taking classes at a performing arts college. She will be living on the dramatic, damp, and windswept Yorkshire Dales where she can pretend to be Cathy looking for her Heathcliff. And yes, there will be snogging involved.

Talullah is the younger cousin of Georgia Nicolson, who readers may remember as the heroine of a whole series of novels that made readers laugh out loud. Talullah looks up to her cousin, but she is younger, less experienced, and less boy-crazy.

Okay, she’s a LITTLE less boy-crazy.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison tells the story of Talullah’s adventures in a summer performing arts program, where she makes new friends and explores her singing, acting, and dancing talents. Which raises the larger question… how much does it matter if you accidentally kick people while you’re dancing?

If you enjoy Talullah’s first adventures in the performing arts program, then you’ll definitely get a kick (ouch!) out of her next adventures in her brand-new book, A Midsummer Tights Dream. Yarooo!!!

The Library: in 3D!

Lindsy Serrano, Mulberry Street Branch Library — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:08:53 -0400

We have a Crafternoon every Tuesday at the Mulberry Street Library. Sometimes we make bracelets, sometimes we make greeting cards. But last month we were able to play with 3D.

You may not know this, but the library has a department called NYPL Labs that creates exciting ways for patrons to explore our vast digital collections. One of these projects was the Stereogranimator. According to the website, the Stereogranimator is an online tool that transforms historical stereographs into animated images OR 3D images. Read more about how this tool came to be!

The teens at Mulberry decided to try it out but didn’t have any 3D glasses, but no worries! We make our own!

It turns out it's not that difficult to make your own 3D glasses and it's pretty fun to decorate them and make them your own. Check out the how-to that we used (from NASA!) and make your own glasses today!

The British (and Irish) Boys of Summer: A Summer Reading List inspired by One Direction

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:03:24 -0400

I started summer 2012 seeing One Direction, not once but TWICE in concert! Let me just say this: they were AWESOME! I could go on and on (and on, just ask my friends) about my favorite four British boys and one Irish boy, but I won’t. I could talk loads about Harry’s accent, Niall’s laugh and Louis’s trousers but I will stop myself and instead mention that NYPL has bought their journal memoir Dare to Dream! As we wait patiently for it to arrive and listen to Up All Night on replay, here are some novels filled with charming, brooding, floppy haired British and Irish boys. Let’s start with a few books off the 2012 NYC Teen Summer Reading List:

Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen

Cat is not happy that she has to spend the summer in rainy London while her professor mother does research. The situation gets infinitely better when she discovers British chocolate, makes friends with three fun girls and meets Will. The mahogany haired Brit boy, with a killer accent, makes her laugh but confuses her with his mixed signals. Included in Cat's story is the diary of Katherine, a girl who lived 200 years ago and is experiencing her own boy problems namely a Mr. Nicholas Everhard, her elder brother's best friend. One moment he is flirting with her and joking and the next moment scowling at her — she doesn't know what to think. British boys can be very frustrating.

The Agency: A Spy in the House (A Mary Quinn Mystery) by Y.S. Lee

London, summer 1858: pickpocket Mary Quinn was saved from prison and educated by two forward thinking ladies and now she works for them as a spy and detective. Mary's first assignment is that of a companion to the bratty Miss Thorold whose father, a shipping magnate, is into some shady dealings. It is up to Mary to figure out what exactly is going on. The only problem? She is not the only one doing some detecting. One night while searching the study, she runs into James Easton. His brother is courting Miss Thorold and he does not trust her or her family. James is sarcastic, smart, handsome and completely baffling to Mary. For James, Mary is like no girl he has ever met. She's tough, bold and a fighter. She's no Victorian lady and he is smitten. Together they'd make a great team if only they would stop arguing.

A Favorite New Title:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

If all had gone according to plan, Hadley would have made her flight to London from New York, she wouldn't have been late for her father's wedding and she never would have met Oliver. Oliver, the floppy haired, cheeky British boy studying in America, is on the next flight and when he sees her arguing with the ticket agent he takes her suitcase and wheels it away forcing Hadley to follow him. On the long flight to London they talk about everything but when they arrive at Heathrow airport they lose track of each other. What quirks of fate will bring them back together?

Books filled with British Boys:

Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison - Starting with Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, the series details the adventures of sassy Georgia and her romantic entanglements with boys including: Robbie the Sex God and Dave the Laugh. See also the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

Girl, 15, Charming but Insane series - Jess is trying to find her place in the social order now that her best friend Flora has morphed into a beautiful, blonde goddess. She finds herself torn between two boys: gorgeous, mysterious Ben with his messy blonde hair, blue eyes and cute, slanty grin and Fred, her sweet, clever, gray-eyed friend who always makes her laugh and is in desperate need of a haircut.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham - Tessa is dying of cancer. With not much longer to live she makes up a list of all the things she wants to do before she dies. At the top of the list: "I want to feel the weight of a boy on top of me." She writes, "He'd whisper, 'Tessa, I love you. I bloody love you. You're beautiful.' - exactly those words - as he undressed me." Lucky for her, Adam has just moved next door.

The FitzOsbornes in Exile by Michelle Cooper - It's January 1937 and Princess Sophia FitzOsborne and the rest of the Montmaray royal family are living in luxurious exile in England after escaping the Nazis (see A Brief History of Montmaray) who are now occupying their small island off the coast of Spain. Even as she and her siblings participate in the social whirl of London balls and parties they are determined to free their island home.

Books filled with Irish Boys

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy - It's the 1950s in the small Irish village of Knockglen and Benny and Eve have been best friends through thick and thin. Their circle gets wider when they go off to Dublin to attend university and meet the beautiful Nan Mahon and Jack Foley, a handsome doctor's son. Along the way they learn about love, heartbreak, betrayal and the bonds that keep friends together and tear them apart. See also the film Circle of Friends.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon - After moving to a small Irish village, Megan is surprised to find that everything in her life seems to fall into place. She quickly makes friends and finds herself instantly drawn to the handsome and mysterious Adam. However, her feelings for Adam are more than what they seem. They are are tied to a fate that was sealed for them love ago.

The Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle - Penelope is off to Ireland to study magic and prove that she is just as good a witch as her twin sister. However, when the dashing and attractive Niall Keating begins to pay attention to her she is distracted from her studies. Is what she feeling real or is Niall using magic of his own?

Ask Amy Green series by Sarah Webb - 13 yr old Amy Green lives in Dublin with her Mum and younger siblings and assists her older cousin Clover in writing an advice column for teens. Only Clover doesn't just want to answer reader's letters, she wants to solve their problems personally and she drags Amy along to help. However, Amy needs help navigating her own relationship drama with the very cute boy from her art class, Seth.

Timeless Love by Judith O'Brien - While wishing on an antique necklace during her birthday, Sam gets sent back in time to Tudor England. She finds herself barefoot in the bedroom of the sickly, boy king Edward VI. Using modern know-how she cures the king and accidently changes history. Along the way she falls for the handsome, Irish nobleman, Sir Barnaby Fitzpatrick.

Teen Summer Reading Spotlight: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 06:48:45 -0400

Anya moved from Russia to America years ago, but even though she lost weight and lost her accent, she still has a lot of trouble making friends. And then one day she has an accident that changes her life. That’s the day she meets the ghost of a girl named Emily.

After Anya falls down a well, she finds a human skeleton and then moments later she sees Emily’s ghost hovering over that skeleton. Keep in mind — that’s three traumatic incidents in a row! So is it any wonder that Anya freaks out and starts screaming? But little by little, as Anya and Emily start talking to each other, Anya starts to calm down. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to learn that there are both pros and cons to being friends with a ghost.

First I’ll give you a hint about the pros: imagine what it would be like to have a friend who’s invisible!

Now I’ll give you a hint about the cons: imagine what it would be like if your new invisible friend was hiding the truth about how and why she died!

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a graphic novel about life, death, friendship, betrayal, and everything in between.

OMG! I Love that Song! A Guilty Pleasure Playlist

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:22:48 -0400

Guilty pleasure: something you like, but feel guilty about liking, because you are aware that your fondness for said thing is a little embarrassing or not so great. Reasons for feeling guilty include: enjoying a silly pop song, liking a band for their hotness and not necessarily for their music, the genre of music is considered uncool, liking the artist makes you one of them — and you are sooo much cooler than that! But SO WHAT? WHO CARES? You like what you like. Let your cheesy, pop-song lovin', freak flag fly! Have long discussions about your favorite member(s) of One Direction! Just know that you are not ALONE!

"Call Me, Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

This has to be one of the catchiest songs on the planet right now! Its beat practically begs to be danced to and the lyrics to be sung out loud as you walk down the street. I first heard it when my friend Sean sent me the video, featuring Rae Jepsen as she pines for the hot boy next door, then — PLOT TWIST — finds out that he's gay. It is perfect and charming, but almost even better is the viral video, featuring Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Big Time Rush, and Ashley Tisdale as they goof off to the song. Rae Jepsen was a Canadian Idol finalist and she can thank fellow Canuck Justin B. and his manager for signing her to a record deal. Listen to her two EPs Tug of War (2008) and Curiosity (2012 — includes "Call Me Maybe").

"One Thing" and "Tell Me a Lie" by One Direction

I love a boy band! I especially love a boy band with British accents, and this year we have two (!) British/Irish boy bands invading our shores (see Wanted, The below). One Direction has it all: catchy songs, sensitive ballads, great hair, fun personalities, and good fashion sense. I love that each member has his own fan base — Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis, and Zayn. Personally, I am torn between Harry with his fab hair and endless cheekiness; and Liam, the perfectly coiffed gentleman. According to this quiz I took, Liam is perfect for me, but I don't know... how accurate are these quizzes anyway? "One Thing" is my favorite song off their album Up All Night (2012), and "Tell Me a Lie" is probably my second favorite. There are days when I listen to the album on repeat during my commute. Do not judge me, you will do it too!

"Someone that I Used to Know" by Gotye (pronounced Go-tea-yay), featuring Kimbra

I wasn’t immediately in love with this quirky, plaintive cry of a break-up song, but it grew on me. So much so that I was listening to it on repeat. I am not alone in that impulse — the song, by the Belgian-born Australian Gotye, is a bona fide international hit — soaring to number one on the charts in countries all over the world. It’s not an obvious choice. How many songs containing a xylophone make it to the top of the charts? Off the album Making Mirrors, “Somebody…” has been covered by Glee and many, many others. Also, New Zealand singer Kimbra is featured on the track, who has her own album coming out soon.

"We Are Young" by fun, featuring Janelle Monae

I first heard this song performed on Glee last December, months before the song officially came out. Next thing you know, this NYC-based band and their song is EVERYWHERE. TV shows, commercials, the Super Bowl... all before its album Some Nights (2012) was even released. We Are Young is the quintessential sing-along party song. It embraces the joy of being young, prowling the city streets and getting into trouble with your friends. There is an artfulness to the song and lyrics — it's more than your average pop song. It will be a mainstay of dive-bar jukeboxes, high-school proms, and frat parties for years.

"Girl Gone Wild" by Madonna

I love Madonna. It's that simple and uncomplicated (I actually have a ticket to see her at Yankee Stadium this fall!). With her new album MDNA (2012), she announces that she is back with a vengeance, and the truth is, she never left us. I love it when she makes me feel good, but I love her even more when she makes me feel bad, and even a little wild. With this new song, a disco ball will float down — guaranteed — wherever you are. Colored strobe lights will start spinning and you will feel capable of being very bad indeed! The video is ridiculous and awesome and pure Madonna, and it has been banned for certain viewers on YouTube. Who knew she was still capable of shocking us?

"Glad You Came" and "Chasing the Sun" by The Wanted

Now we come to the second of our two British/Irish boy bands. Confession: I discovered The Wanted before One Direction, and from the first moment, I was a little obsessed. Is it the flirty performances? The addictive party tunes? Or maybe it's the lead singer, Max, with his thick, almost unintelligible Manchester accent, or Jay, with his mass of curly hair? Whatever it is, I am a now a huge fan of Siva, Jay, Tom, Nathan, and Max. There are differences from 1D — their ages for one (The Wanted is in their mid-20s), and their songs have a sexier sound too. 1D promises relatively safe, mostly domestic fun, while the songs off The Wanted (2012) album make you want to jet-set off to the Spanish party island of Ibiza (pronounced e-bee-tha) to dance and party until the sun comes up.

"Turn Me On" by David Guetta with Nicki Minaj

David Guetta is a musical wizard. With his 2011 album, Nothing But the Beat, he has had countless hits and one memorable song after another. "Turn Me On" is an infectious dance track that features the ultra-cool Nicki Minaj singing and rapping. Listening to this song just makes me feel cooler and makes me want to search for a dance partner. Someone recently asked me who NYC teens would rather meet: Nicki Minaj or the boys of 1D? Well, Nicki wins hands down. Who wouldn't want to meet her? Get wig tips, compare fake British accents, and explore a mutual love of day-glo moon boots... The 1D boys are more for a niche audience, whereas Nicki is for everyone.

"Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood

Newsflash: I like country music and you probably do too. Admit it: you are a closet Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Lady Antebellum fan. I first listened to Carrie Underwood a few years ago when I heard her Some Hearts album. I didn't want to like her. Up until then, I had defined myself as someone who didn't listen to country music, but I was soon hooked. Favorite songs include: "Wasted" and "Before He Cheats" from Some Hearts, "Last Name" from Carnival Ride, and "Cowboy Casanova" and "Someday When I Stop Loving You" from Play On. "Good Girl", off her newest album Blown Away (2012), is a fun, country dance track that proves it's better to be a bad girl than a good girl getting played by a bad boy.

"Princess of China" by Coldplay featuring Rihanna

In the circles I run in, Coldplay is the ultimate guilty pleasure. How they became so reviled is beyond me, but I shamelessly love Chris Martin, Jonny, Guy, and Will. Plus, how could I not include a Rihanna track? That girl is everywhere! She has taken over the world from a constant string of hit songs, endless speculation on gossip websites, and starring in the upcoming action film Battleship — which combines the board game with an alien invasion. Somehow we are supposed to believe that she is an ensign in the US Navy?! Anyways, "Princess of China" is a favorite track of mine off the album Mylo Xyloto (2011). It's another break-up song that always brings to mind a rainy day in NYC. I think it's the lush synth sound and the yearning in Rihanna's voice as she sings,"You really hurt me."

Family Problems, Redefined: "How to Save a Life" by Sara Zarr

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:01:53 -0400

Jill’s father is gone, and her mother isn’t making sense anymore.

When Jill’s father died, it broke their family into pieces.

Then Jill’s mother decided to adopt a baby from an unwed teenager.

That’s the part that doesn’t make sense.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr is a story told in two voices. Chapters alternate between the point of view of two very different teenage girls, Jill and Mandy.

Jill is angry and upset about a lot of things — her father’s death, her job, her relationship with her boyfriend Dylan, and the way her girlfriends have been acting ever since her father died. When she finds out that her mother has contacted a pregnant teenager and made an arrangement to adopt this girl’s baby when it’s born, Jill is even more upset.

Mandy is that pregnant teenager, and while she does have her own reasons for being angry, she’s much better than Jill at hiding her feelings. Mandy is keeping a lot of secrets — about when she got pregnant, about why she left home, and about something she stole before she left. Mandy wants to have friends and she wants to be loved. But from the moment she gets off the train and meets Jill, she knows that Jill hates her and that she's facing an uphill battle.

This is the story of two families with problems, two girls with secrets, and the friends who try to support them and fix their broken edges.

My Heart Will Go On: Stories from the RMS Titanic, Truth and Fiction

Anne Rouyer, Seward Park Library — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:19:41 -0400

In the late hours of April 14th, 1912 and the early morning hours of April 15th, about 85 years before a dying Leo DiCaprio urged a freezing Kate Winslet to live, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and sunk into the icy waters of the North Atlantic. In a matter of hours this “unsinkable” ship was on the bottom of the ocean and only 712 out of its 2,208 passengers would survive. Since the news of the sinking first got out up to the present day, on the100th anniversary of the tragedy, there have been hundreds of stories about those who died, those who survived and what really happened on board that ship — real and imagined. What trick of fate brought them to the Titanic, what did they experience aboard the luxury liner and what secrets and treasures did they take to their watery grave?

Amanda/Miranda by Richard Peck (1980)

Originally written in 1980 and rereleased for the anniversary, this Downton Abbey-esque tale opens in a manor house on the Isle of Wight (off the coast of England) in 1911. Mary has just started as a maid to the spoiled daughter of the house, Amanda. As they resemble each other, Amanda re-christens Mary as Miranda and slowly lures her into her manipulative web. Amanda is being courted by a young, rich American named Gregory but she is carrying on an illicit love affair with the handsome chauffer John Thorne. The book is filled with plenty of romance, betrayal and mistaken identity and this is all before Amanda and Miranda even board the Titanic! While the book is written in a melodramatic style, it is highly entertaining and the Titanic scenes are especially intense.

Fateful by Claudia Gray (2012)

On the night of April 9th, 1912, maid Tess Davies is wandering the alleyways of Southhampton running errands for her young mistress Lady Irene, who is about to sail to America. Lost in the fog, she encouters a man with a villainous laugh and evil intent, a mysterious young man who tries to help her and a large, menacing wild dog or is it a wolf? Little does she know that she will again encounter all three aboard the Titanic. She will have to use all her smarts and courage to outwit a dark destiny, survive a dangerous, new love and oh, yeah, there is that little matter of a sinking ship! Gray, known for the supernatural Evernight series, delivers again with this fun, supernatural take on the Titantic disaster.

The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf (2011)

We could still make out Titanic's brightly lit outline / as the stern rose up and the lights blinked out / Then it was just a dark silhouette where stars should have been. / And then it was gone altogether. / Then the moans. There was no one voice that stood out. / From that distance it was just one horrific roar (p.326) — Margaret Brown. Told in free verse, this story of the Titanic is recreated and observed in the first person voices of American millionaire John Jacob Astor, a young Lebanese immigrant in third class, socialite Margaret (Molly) Brown, Captain Smith, and others including the iceberg itself. The author does a great job recreating the disaster in poetic form, some of the entries are incredibly heartbreaking. Also included: the SOS cables that were sent to nearby ships, mini-biographies of some passengers and crew, Titanic statistics and a great bibliography.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson (2012)

In this superb, non-fiction book we get an almost exhaustive account of the disaster from the building of the ship to the arrival of survivors in New York and the eventual discovery of the Titanic in 1985. The author gets the majority of her information from first hand accounts of the survivors. The book's real treasure is the abundance of photographs, drawings and documents that are included. The pictures of the survivors taken on board the Carpathia (the ship that rescued them) are hard to look at as you imagine what they had just witnessed hours and days before. The author also includes a great appendix of information: biographies, timeline, statistics, commission reports, bibliography and several indexes. For young Titanic geeks, this is a great book to have.

Best of the Rest:

Fiction: In SOS Titanic (e-book only), 15 yr old Irishman Barry O'Neill finds his life in danger aboard the doomed ship. A young fashionista puts on a vintage gown and finds herself on board the Titanic as the dress's original owner in Time Traveling Fashionista. Four psychic sisters travel on the Titanic bound for New York in Distant Waves. A seamstress finds herself aboard the Titanic as the maid for a renowned fashion designer in The Dressmaker. In Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, a 13 yr old orphan becomes the companion of a wealthy American woman and sets sail on the Titanic. In the Unsinkable series we get the stories of four young passengers of various ages and classes and their experiences aboard the ship.

Non-Fiction: Beautiful drawings and layout dominate Iceberg Right Ahead. Photos and mementos of the tragedy abound in Last Days of the Titanic. Robert Ballard discovered the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic in 1985, follow his search in Exploring the Titanic, his follow-ups Return to Titanic and Titanic: The Last Great Images. Great illustrations and an interactive layout distinguish The Kids' Guide to Titanic. Get up-close and personal with the lives of Titanic's first class passengers in Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage. Originally published in 1912, Wreck and Sinking of the Titanic, gives a look at the disaster from the perspective of those who had only just survived it. Lost Voices from the Titantic: The Definitive Oral History gives complete account from the building of the ship, the voyage, the sinking and its aftermath. A non-fiction classic and the inspiration for the James Cameron film and countless other books is Walter Lord's 1932 account of the disaster A Night to Remember.

DVD: There is not a lot currently available on DVD but with many documentaries and specials airing spring 2012 on PBS, Discovery, NatGeo, ABC and HBO there should be more available in the summer and fall. For now, there is Titanic: Born in Belfast which examines the building and launch of the ship. Titanic Revealed takes a look at Robert Ballard's almost accidental discovery of Titanic in 1985. Ghosts of the Abyss goes back to the debris field and tries to discover Titanic's secrets and in Titanic's Final Moments we see a vivid recreation of how the supposed unsinkable ship broke apart. On the feature film side there is really only Kate and Leo's doomed cruise in the epic Titanic and the 1958 film version of Night to Remember.

Kingsbridge Teens: What We’re Reading / Watching / Playing / Enjoying

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:36:25 -0400

The kids in my Teen Advisory Group have been going through a reviewing frenzy recently. Here are some of the books and other “stuff” they’ve been enjoying this spring.

Fiction

Hey 13! by Gary Soto
This is a book of thirteen different stories about teens who go through different situations when they are thirteen years old. Most teens will be able to relate to these stories, and I really think that teens will find it to be a funny and easy book to read.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
Two six-year-old twin sisters went looking for a witch, and then one of them vanished. Years later the remaining sister Gretchen and her brother Ansel are kicked out by their stepmother and soon meet Sophia, a chocolatier. When Gretchen goes in the woods at midnight she is attacked by the witch, but soon finds out that the witch is a werewolf. This book was amazing, and full of fantasy, romance, and mystery.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
This book is about a kid who has problems with his family and at school. There are lots of great drawings, and it’s also really funny!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
This is about Greg’s summer vacation and his crazy adventure with his best friend Rowley. This is a great book because everyone loves Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg
Brie, a 15-year-old girl, dies of a broken heart. In order to move on to the afterlife she must go through the five stages of grief with a lost soul named Patrick. This was a funny and interesting book about how you should cherish the things you have in life and how everything happens for a reason.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Patch loves Nora. Nora loves Patch. Patch is a fallen angel. They have been through a lot together. Patch will do anything to protect her... even make her forget about him. I love this series! Lots of romance and action. Five stars if you ask me! [Note: This is the third book in the Hush, Hush saga.]

Assassin’s Creed: The Secret Crusade by Oliver Bowden
This book is based on Altair, who is the Master Assassin from the video game Assassin’s Creed. This is the story of Altair’s life and how he became an assassin. Since everyone plays the game, you might as well read the book!

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
This book is about a girl named Katerina who can raise the dead, and she also she likes a boy who has a secret of his own. This book was captivating, and it had lots of suspense, mystery, horror, and romance.

Fang by James Patterson
Fang and Max are finally together. Fang has always been there for Max, but when Angel predicts that Fang will be the first to die … will Fang leave Max? This is the seventh book of the James Patterson Maximum Ride series. It’s a must-read story filled with action, adventure, and a love triangle.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
This book is about a group of teens in different districts who compete against each other. I think that teens should read this book because it is filled with fun-filled action. I also think that teens would love all the romance and entertainment in this story.

Matched by Ally Condie
Cassia has always trusted the society’s choices. When her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia is certain that he is the one … until she sees another face flash across the screen before it fades to black. Now she is faced with impossible choices between the only life she knows and a path no one dares to follow. This is a great book, with lots of adventure and romance!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Thomas wakes up and he can’t remember anything else but his name. He is dropped off in a place called the Glade, where he is surrounded by other boys. The next day a girl is dropped off, and she is the first girl to join them. Thomas and his friends are trying to get out of the maze! This book is awesome, and it’s filled with action and adventure.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Meghan has a secret destiny. She's the daughter of a mythical faery king, and she's a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she will go to save someone she cares about. This book is like Alice in Wonderland, and it’s a great romance with lots of action and adventure.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Cinder is another version of Cinderella, but set in the future. Cinder is a cyborg and she and the prince fall in love, but she doesn’t want to reveal who she truly is. This is a captivating book and a very good romance novel.

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
This book is about a girl who is trying to fit in and be popular. Luke, the boy next door, knows who she really is and likes the “old” her better. She is caught between being a country girl and a wannabe country club girl. The plot is cute and filled with romance!

Slide by Jill Hathaway
There is a murderer loose who makes each death look like the victim committed suicide. The murderer is the person you would least expect! This is an amazing book, filled with romance and suspense.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
This is about a young girl named Cate and her two sisters who are all witches but must keep that a secret from the Brotherhood. Throughout this book, Cate must keep her sisters from exposing their secret. She also must choose between the man she loves and a man who loves her, or else join the Sisterhood. This book is enthralling; once you begin reading you can’t stop. I had to force myself to stay up at night just to keep reading!

Nonfiction

After September 11: New York and the World by Reuters
This book explains what happened on 9/11: the facts about the planes, the hijackers, and everything else. I would recommend this book because it was very interesting to learn about the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Movies

Transformers: Dark of the Moon directed by Michael Bay
Transformers was based on one of the best cartoon shows of the 1980’s. This movie was fantastic, with the Autobots fighting with their biggest enemies the Decepticons. I would recommend Transformers: Dark of the Moon for Stuff for the Teen Age because this movie was mostly for teenagers.

Music

Recovery by Eminem (Marshall Bruce Mathers III)
In this album you hear Eminem rapping. The song “No Love” is about how if someone is bullying you you should stand up for yourself and fight back. And “Not Afraid” is about Eminem fighting against demons, for example not being tempted into the bad side. I would recommend this CD because many people consider Eminem the best rapper of all time, and this CD shows how you should live your life by being in the good side.

Video Games

Batman: Arkham Asylum by Rocksteady Studios
This was the second-best Batman game ever. In this game you have to try to find Joker in the prison, but before you find him you have to search every building in the prison for clues. While you find those clues you have to fight enemies like Killer Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy, and the Joker. This was named best adventure game and Game of the Year for 2009.

Batman: Arkham City by Rocksteady Studios
This was the best Batman game ever! This was the most adventurous game I’ve ever played in my life, with crazy criminals such as Joker, Bane, Two-Face, Hugo Strange, Mr. Freeze, and Ra's al Ghul. This was named best adventure game of 2011.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 by Activision
The great graphics and the new dynamic weapon will blow people’s minds away! I would recommend this game because most teenagers love shooting games, and this game was named Game of the Year.

Street Fighter X Tekken by Capcom
This video game was epic because two of the best fighting games came together in one game. This was one of the top 10 best fighting games in 2012!

Many thanks to Ashley, Leslie, Michael, Reilanni, and Rosalie for their reviews!

The Annotated X-Men: A Top 10 List

Ryan P. Donovan, Mid-Manhattan Library — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:07:05 -0400

Looking for a good guide to get started with everyone's favorite mutant superheroes, the X-Men? Well, the New York Public Library has got a list for you! Explore this annotated list of the X-Men adventures collected in trade paperback format. Sadly, my favorite one-time X-Man Longshot is not featured in any of these stories. Also, join us next month at the Mid-Manhattan Library for Free Comic Book Day!

The Dark Phoenix Saga

Largely considered to be one of, if not the, greatest X-Men stories of all time. The Dark Phoenix saga focuses on original X-Man Jean Grey and her corruption and eventual destruction as the cosmic entity Phoenix. Initially, Jean Grey became the Phoenix to stop the mad tyrant D’Ken from the alien Shi’Ar. After defeating him and ending the crisis, the Phoenix remains with the X-Men... but it finds itself addicted to human feelings and impulses. When Mastermind, an old foe of the X-Men, exposes Phoenix to dark urges... well, things don’t go so great for anybody. This story is adapted in the X-Men Animated Series and less faithfully in X-Men: The Last Stand.

Age of Apocalypse

Not everyone knows that Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men, had a son. His name was David Haller and, for much of the young man’s life, Charles didn’t know of his existence, either. Suffering from a form of dissociative identity disorder, he was institutionalized and medicated for much of his life. Accessing his vast mutant psionic powers, he hatches an insane plot to go back in time to Israel when Charles and his enemy Magneto first became friends. His plan? To kill the Magnus before he can become the X-Men’s greatest enemy. When he kills Xavier accidentally, he plunges the world into an Age of Apocalypse.

God Loves, Man Kills

The X-Men face a very different enemy in this story: Reverend William Stryker. Using anti-mutant sentiment across the country to gain a following, Stryker is able to eventually kidnap Professor Charles Xavier, Cyclops, and Storm in an attempt to eradicate all mutants. This forces the team into a somewhat uneasy alliance with their enemy Magneto, who also seeks to stop Stryker. The story is notable in that the X-Men don’t face off against any costumed super-powered villains and serves to highlight the prejudice and discrimination the team faced just for being born different. The story is adapted loosely in the film X2.

Civil War

Not so long ago, the Marvel Universe was plunged into a superhero Civil War. The X-Men were not on the front lines of this war, having recently become an endangered species after the Avenger Scarlet Witch had depowered most of the world's mutants. But when rogue members of the X-Men’s defunct sister team X-Force take it upon themselves to liberate mutantkind, Cyclops, Bishop, and the government all attempt to stop them. For other Civil War stories featuring Marvel characters, be sure to check out Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Amazing Spider-Man, and Young Avengers & the Runaways. For background information, visit the Marvel Universe Wiki.

Prelude to Onslaught

Bishop, a time traveling mutant law enforcer from the future, found himself stranded in our time while pursuing a criminal. He’s more than a little starstruck at meeting the mythical X-Men... after all, in his time they are legends. He tells the team a cautionary tale; there was a rumor that the team had been destroyed from the inside out. There was a traitor in their midst. Believing it initially to be Gambit, Bishop begins to change his mind after getting to know him. He admits to not having any idea of who it could be. This story chronicles the revelation of who that traitor is... and why the X-Men never would have seen it coming.

X-Men Forever

Ever wondered how Chris Claremont’s 17-year run on Uncanny X-Men would have ended? This is the concept behind the series X-Men: Forever. In Picking Up Where We Left Off, Storm betrays the team and incinerates Wolverine. Subsequent stories follow an expanded roster of the team, including Kitty Pryde sporting an adamantium claw and a de-aged Storm named 'Ro. Check out these additional collections: The Secret History of the Sentinels, Come to Mother … Russia!, and Devil in a White Dress. The story is considered to be in an alternate history of the X-Men where Magneto never returned (and perhaps really died) after the destruction of Asteroid M.

X-Cutioner's Song

It’s a beautiful day in Central Park. Pop superstar Lila Cheney is holding a benefit concert for peace. Charles Xavier is slated to speak, and he opens with a heartfelt plea for all of humanity to look at mutants like they are people, too. It’s during this speech that Cable, a time travelling ally of the X-Men, appears and shoots Xavier in the chest. He teleports out and the X-Men race to get their mentor stabilized. As a techno-virus threaten to destroy Charles from the inside out, the extended family of the X-Men come together to track down Cable and the archvillain Apocalypse and avenge the man that brought them together.

Marvel Masterworks

Sometimes the only place to start is at the beginning. Explore these classic collections of the original issues of Uncanny X-Men reprinted in black & white. Many of these stories, written by either the prolific Stan Lee or Chris Claremont, also feature crossovers with the X-Men’s sister team The New Mutants who were formed around this time. Several stories, such as the United Nations putting Magneto on trial for crimes against humanity, don’t often play out in the ways you might expect. The team also faces memorable antagonists like The Hellfire Club, Proteus, and the evil witch Selene. Also, check out more recent issues of Uncanny X-Men, too.

Messiah Complex

After Magneto’s daughter Wanda Maximoff depowered most of the world’s mutant population rendering them as nearly an endangered species, the X-Men soon realized that no new children being born were mutants. Hank McCoy tries to find both a scientific or a mystical reason for this but answers are not to be found. So when a young girl with red hair — named Hope, of all things — is finally mutant-born, the X-Men race against Mr. Sinister, the Marauders, the Acolytes, and others so they can protect the child at all costs. What’s even more disturbing? The biggest threat to Hope is in fact a former X-Man no one expected.

Nation X

After relocating to the west coast, the X-Men eventually settle on the remains of Magneto’s former base Asteroid M. With Cyclops attempting to make the team’s new island home both habitable and sustainable, he also opens his doors to any and all mutants who want to live there. After butting heads with his longtime comrades Hank McCoy and Professor Xavier, he finds support from unlikely individuals such as the Atlantean king Namor and the X-Men’s foe Magneto himself, who offers to help Cyclops embrace his vision as it now coincides with his own. But with the X-Men gathering mutants all in one place, are they just making themselves one big target?

Check out this booklist on BiblioCommons >>

Are You Ready for Hilarious Chaos? Then You're Ready for "Axe Cop"!

Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:37:23 -0500

Axe Cop is a policeman who uses his axe to chop off the heads of bad guys. He meets many unusual characters along the way.

There’s Dinosaur Soldier, who was part man and part dinosaur… until he ate an avocado, at which point he transformed into Avocado Soldier.

There’s Uni-Baby, who was part baby and part unicorn… or at least... she WAS until an explosion broke off her horn, and the avocado soldier decided to use it to grant wishes.

Then there’s Ralph Wrinkles, who was an ordinary dog until the Uni-Avocado Soldier wished that he could talk, and then he became a TALKING dog.

Okay, if you think that this sounds like the kind of a story could only come from the mind of a five year old… you would be correct! Axe Cop was written by five-year-old Malachai Nicolle and adapted and illustrated by his 29-year-old brother Ethan Nicolle. Together, they created a web comic, and that web comic was published into this graphic novel, which contains some of the funniest, craziest, strangest, and weirdest stories you’ve ever read!

Be sure to check out Axe Cop Vol. 1 by Malachai Nicolle and Ethan Nicolle, and then get ready for some VERY memorable stories!

The Annotated Batman: A Top 10 List

Ryan P. Donovan, Mid-Manhattan Library — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:43:51 -0500

After reading Greg Rucka's Batwoman Elegy last year, I've been thinking a lot about graphic novels featuring the original Caped Crusader, Batman. Stories involving Batman and the characters in his universe have been published for over seven decades! Since that's a lot of reading to do, I've singled out 10 of my favorite Batman tales, all available to check out or request at your neighborhood library with your library card. Enjoy!

Hush

Batman spends a lot of time using grappling hooks to swing from building to building. But what happens when someone cuts his line? After suffering a near-fatal skull fracture, Batman begins to suspect that someone has set out to systematically destroy his life. He or she has also organized all of Batman's allies against him. And what’s worse, he or she seems to be committing crimes out of character, crimes Batman can’t predict. For example, Poison Ivy manages to turn Superman against Batman with a custom-made kryptonite lipstick. As Batman struggles to uncover the culprit behind all his recent misfortunes, he is drawn into an unlikely romance with Selina Kyle (a.k.a Catwoman).

The Dark Knight Returns

Author Frank Miller presents a definitive and engaging tale of Bruce Wayne struggling to reclaim his role as Batman in the midst of an uncertain future for Gotham City. What has the world become? Two-Face is cured, Superman is a corporate puppet, and the Joker is about to be declared sane. Gotham City is now under the control of the fanged Mutants, a visor-wearing gang that rules the city through fear and intimidation. After saving the young Carrie Kelly, Bruce fully embraces his old mantle of Batman. When Superman is sent to stop his return, only one superhero will walk away. Originally published in 1986, this is arguably considered to be one of the greatest Batman stories ever told.

No Man's Land

Batman’s mission is to protect the innocence of Gotham City by striking fear into the hearts of villains and ultimately stopping crime in its tracks. But what happens when the city he loves is devastated by a natural disaster? After a cataclysmic earthquake — 7.6 on the Richter scale — the fictional U.S. government of the DC Comics universe abandons the metropolis and forbids anyone from entering or exiting. Batman and his allies opt to stay and restore order to the chaotic streets. With Oracle helping to coordinate their efforts, the heroes are often overwhelmed by villains, such as the Penguin, who have taken over entire sections of the city.

Year One

Batman is pretty awesome... but did he start out that way? We all know Batman’s most important ally is Jim Gordon, who is destined to become Police Commissioner of the Gotham Police Department. How did Gordon rise through the corrupt ranks of cops on the take? This is the story of both men, as well as a radical reinterpretation of Selina Kyle’s origin as a prostitute and dominatrix before becoming Catwoman. This story has become so popular — it inspired the theatrical releases of the animated Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and the live-action Batman Begins — that it was adapted for film in Batman: Year One.

A Death in the Family

One could argue that nothing in the life of Batman ever really changes. As a comic book character, he battles villains, sends them to jail, and then starts the process all over again. When Dick Grayson retired as Robin and became the hero Nightwing, Batman even got himself a new Robin named Jason Todd. But Jason was never really like Dick. He was angrier, more reckless. After having a fight with Batman, Jason storms away and resolves to find his birth mother. After an initially successful reunion, it’s learned that she actually works for the Joker. Batman races to save Jason from his fate, but arrives too late. Jason dies in Batman’s arms, and Batman's inability to save Jason is his greatest failure.

The Long Halloween

Author Jeph Loeb spins a tangled web of Batman’s early crime-fighting years and is aided by Tim Sale’s eerily-horrific art. There’s a new killer in Gotham City, and his (or her) name is Holiday. As his (or her) name might imply, Holiday prefers to kill on holidays. Batman works with district attorney Harvey Dent, the man destined to become the half-scarred Two-Face, to uncover the killer, while simultaneously fending off some of the more colorful characters in his rogue’s gallery. Sale’s art is surreal, often depicting things in a distorted way, such as the Joker’s impossibly-wide yellow smile. The sequel to The Long Halloween is Batman: Dark Victory and its concurrent story is Catwoman: When in Rome.

The Killing Joke

Author Alan Moore, known most famously for penning Watchmen, focuses not on Batman but instead on his chief antagonist: the Joker. Out of Arkham Asylum once again, the Clown Prince of Crime decides to make an example of Commissioner Gordon. Along the way, he savagely shoots Jim’s daughter Barbara in her doorway at home, crippling her. The situation escalates when the Joker kidnaps Gordon, tortures him, and recounts a suspiciously contradictory tale of his origin. Barbara is left in a wheelchair and ultimately becomes the hero Oracle.

Cacophony

Filmmaker Kevin Smith tackles his own Batman story, creating an intricate tale of assassinations and red herrings involving the Caped Crusader, Deadshot, the Joker, and a mysterious villain named Onomatopoeia. The story opens with Deadshot as he attempts to kill the Joker in Arkahm. He is stopped and apparently killed by Onomatopoeia, who frees the Joker and gives him money to create chaos. Onomatopoeia’s real target is Batman, and Onomatopoeia hopes the Joker's antics will help draw Batman out. As all the characters converge on one another for a final confrontation, Deadshot is revealed to have survived, and Batman must decide whether to save the Joker or not.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?

Prolific writer Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book) writes an esoteric account of the “last” Batman story. Suffering from some kind of near-death experience, Batman finds himself attending a funeral... only to realize it’s his own. Guided by an avatar of his deceased mother, Martha Wayne, Bruce listens to bizarre Batman eulogies by his butler, Alfred; villains, such as the Joker and the Mad Hatter; and Superman. As Batman struggles to make sense of his death, he begins asking questions about his life and what it means to be Batman. This story is based on the classic Superman tale Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Batman: Year 100

Taking place in the year 2039 (100 years after the character of Batman was first introduced), Gotham City has essentially become a police state, and Batman has become something of an urban legend. According to Paul Pope, the writer and illustrator of 100% , "I wanted to present a new take on Batman, who is without a doubt a mythic figure in our pop-psyche. My Batman is not only totally science fiction; he's also a very physical superhero: he bleeds, he sweats, he eats. He's someone born into an over-arching police state; someone with the body of David Beckham, the brain of Tesla, and the wealth of Howard Hughes... pretending to be Nosferatu."

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