Congratulations also goes to April Henry who is this year’s Truman Readers Award recipient for her book, “Girl, Stolen.” Griffin, a high school dropout, steals a car, but later realizes that he has kidnapped a blind girl, Cheyenne, who was sleeping in the backseat. Sick with pneumonia, Cheyenne tries to gain sympathy from Griffin, though she wonders if she can trust him.

This past October, April was a guest blogger for DBRLTeen and shared her thoughts on writing and kung fu. We hope you’ll enjoy her advice for young writers and check out some of her recommended reading which includes “Life as We Knew It” by Susan Beth
Pfeffer, “Ashes” by Ilsa Bick and more!

No, on second thought, give me some strong ladies.  I want to read books about women making hard choices and doing it well.  I want to see a girl save the day.  I want to see a woman find her happiness without the aid of some significant other.

I want characters I can respect like “Sabriel“ who travels into Death to rescue her father, a necromancer.  Is she prepared?  Not really.  Is it scary and dangerous?  Oh, yeah.  But, she does what she has to and she does it without much help.

Beatrice in “Divergent” leaves her family, her home, her friends and everything she has ever known because she needs to be true to herself.  She needs to find what will make her happy, not what everyone expects from her.

D.J. in “Five Flavors of Dumb” is a deaf teen struggling to fit in at her hearing school, manage a rock band, AND get into college even though her parents stole her college fund.

In my search, I have collected a pretty good list.  Hopefully everyone can find something that appeals to the hero in all of us.

Predicted Gateway Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “Ship Breaker” by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Second Place: “Rot and Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry
• Third Place: “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver

Predicted Truman Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “The Grimm Legacy” by Polly Shulman
• Second Place: “Virals” by Kathy Reichs
• Third Place: “Girl, Stolen” by April Henry

The actual award winners will be announced at the MASL Spring Conference in mid-April.  Subscribe to our email updates to have the results delivered directly to your inbox!

• Best Fiction for Young Adults
• Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• Amazing Audiobooks
• Great Graphic Novels
• Fab Films

YALSA has also created the “Teen Book Finder” app available for iPhone or iPad so you can get book recommendations on-the-go!

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

• Award Winner: “In Darkness” by Nick Lake
• Honor Book: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein
• Honor Book: “Dodger” by Terry Pratchett
• Honor Book: “The White Bicycle” by Beverley Brenna

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.

• Award Winner: “Seraphina” by Rachel Hartman
• Honor Book: “Wonder Show” by Hannah Barnaby
• Honor Book: “Love and Other Perishable Items” by Laura Buzo
• Honor Book: “After the Snow” by S. D. Crockett
• Honor Book: “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” by Emily M. Danforth

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults.

• Award Winner: “Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin
• Honor Book: “Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different” by Karen Blumenthal
• Honor Book: “Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95” by Phillip Hoose
• Honor Book: “Titanic: Voices From the Disaster” by Deborah Hopkinson
• Honor Book: “We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March” by Cynthia Levinson

Alex Award Winners are the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences.

• “Caring Is Creepy” by David Zimmerman
• “Girlchild” by Tupelo Hassman
• “Juvenile in Justice” by Richard Ross
• “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan
• “My Friend Dahmer” by Derf Backderf
• “One Shot at Forever” by Chris Ballard
• “Pure” by Julianna Baggott
• “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich
• “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt
• “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” by Maria Semple

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adult.

• Award Winner: “The Fault in Our Stars” written by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd
• Honor Book: “Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian” written by Eoin Colfer and narrated by Nathaniel Parker
• Honor Book: “Ghost Knight” written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill
• Honor Book: “Monstrous Beauty” written by Elizabeth Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren

Pura Belpré (Author) Award honors a Latino writer whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience:

• Award Winner: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano

Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered experience.

• Award Winner: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Honor Book: “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier
• Honor Book: “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Hannah Moskowitz
• Honor Book: “October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard” by Lesléa Newman
• Honor Book: “Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie” by S. J. Adams

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.

• Middle School Award Winner: “A Dog Called Homeless” by Sarah Lean
• High School Award Winner: “Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am” by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States.

• Award Winner: “My Family for the War” by Anne C. Voorhoeve, translated by Tammi Reichel. Originally published in Germany in 2007 as “Liverpool Street.”
• Honor Book: “A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return” written and illustrated by Zeina Abirached, translated by Edward Gauvin
• Honor Book: “Son of a Gun” written and translated by Anne de Graaf

Margaret A. Edwards Award honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. Tamora Pierce is the 2013 Edwards Award winner. Pierce was born in rural Western Pennsylvania in 1954. She knew from a young age she liked stories and writing, and in 1983, she published her first series, Song of the Lioness. She continues to write and even record her own audiobooks. She currently lives with her husband (spouse-creature) and a myriad of animals in Syracuse, New York.

Whatever your favorite flavor of apocalypse or dystopian fiction, you’ll find something to read on this month’s teen display at the Columbia Public Library or on our latest booklist.

The Young Adult Library Services Association produces several lists each year which encompass books from a wide assortment of genres:

• Award Winners (Alex, Edwards, Morris, Nonfiction, Odyssey, Printz)
• 2012 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks
• 2012 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
• 2012 Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens
• 2012 Top Ten Popular Papebacks for Young Adults
• 2012 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Also, be sure to check out these lists created by the publishing industry’s most renowned book reviewers:

• Kirkus Book Reviews’ Best Teen Books of 2012
• Library Journal’s Best Books of 2012: Young Adult Literature for Adults
• Publishers Weekly’s Best Children’s Fiction Books of 2012
• NPR’s Top 100 Teen Books

With 2013 fast approaching, stay ahead of upcoming trends by subscribing to the library’s YA email newsletter and watch Good Read’s  list of Most Exciting Upcoming YA Books.

Why I checked it out:

What it’s about: Araby Worth lives in a land decimated by a plague. The rich are protected by porcelain masks and the poor are left vulnerable. Her father is a prominent scientist and so she is insulated from much of the horror. However, she cannot escape the memory of her brother’s death, though she tries by spending her nights at the Debauchery Club. While there, she meets two boys and soon finds herself caught up in a potential rebellion.

Why I liked it: The world-building was great. I enjoy a dark setting, thus my love of Poe, and Griffin’s descriptions of a dystopian city crumbling under the weight of sickness, despair, and civil unrest were real and haunting.

What I didn’t like: I didn’t enjoy Araby’s voice. She wants to escape from her sadness and guilt, and often turns to drugs as a remedy. Because of that, her understanding and recollection of events is dream-like and surreal. As a plot device and tone setting, it’s smart. As a reader, it drove me crazy. I wanted to know what was happening and it was maddening that the narrator of the story couldn’t give me answers.  Nonetheless, I’ll probably read the sequel, “Dance of the Red Death,” which is due out in April.

Hayden: What advice do you have for an aspiring author?

Polly: The most important thing is to read. Read, read, read! Read a book you think you’re going to like. Read books you think you’re NOT going to like. Read books that are different from anything you’ve ever read. That will help you learn about how other writers approach their stories and it will give you a ton of ideas.

Skyping with Polly Shulman

Then, once you start writing, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s important to step away and come back to your writing even if you think it’s terrible. Even the best authors write a lot of stuff that’s terrible.

Another very helpful tip is that if you do get stuck, take a break. The best kind of break to take is one where you move around and get a little exercise. Go for a walk, a swim, or a bike ride. It’s important to get yourself moving and get a change of scenery.

You might also have a friend who loves to read and write who could be your writing buddy. You can read each other’s work and encourage one another. My best friend and I read each other’s work and it’s really inspiring.

Garett: Are you working on another book right now?

Polly: I just finished the second Repository novel, “The Wells Bequest,” and it will be published next summer. It involves objects from classic science fiction including time machines and death rays. So, now I’m thinking about the next book and trying to decide what to write next.

Want a story with a little more bite? Try “Killer Pizza” by Greg Taylor. While working as summer employees in a local pizza parlor, three teenagers are recruited by an underground organization of monster hunters. Already read it? Don’t miss the sequel “The Slice”.

Hungry for more? Check out some of these titles:

• “Close to Famous” by Joan Bauer
• “The Sweet Life of Stella Madison” by Lara M. Zeises
• “Big Mouth” by Deborah Halverson
• “A La Carte” by Tanita S. Davis
• “Recipe for Disaster” by Maureen Fergus

Author Polly Shulman

Our two favorite twins, Hayden and Garett Ballard, are back this week interviewing Polly Shulman, author of the Truman Award-nominated title, “The Grimm Legacy.” Polly has written about edible jellyfish, Egyptian tombs, infinity, blind dates, books, brains, centenarians, circuses, and cinematic versions of Jane Austen novels. She edits news stories about fossils, meteors, the ocean, the weather, and the planets for Science magazine. This week Hayden and Garett explore some of Polly’s favorite fairy tales, authors, and books.

Hayden: What are some of your favorite fairy tales?

Polly: I have about a thousand favorite fairytales. I really like “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” because I love the idea of having a trap door in your bedroom that leads to a magical room with dancing all night and forests made of gold, silver, and diamonds.

Garett: What is your favorite book?

“Middlemarch” by George Eliot is my favorite book. It’s actually an adult novel. My favorite children’s book is “The Princess and the Goblin” by George McDonald. It was written about 150 years ago, but it’s still a wonderful, magic story.

Garett: Who is your favorite author?

Polly: Like fairy tales, there are just so many authors that I love. It is very hard to pick just one. I’m tempted to say Shakespeare or Jane Austen, but I’m going to say Diana Wynne Jones. She wrote fantasy novels for kids and they are absolutely wonderful. Her books are funny and deep and exciting. Her characters are surprising and believable. I just love every one of her books!

Next Monday, Hayden and Garett will wrap up our interview series with Polly by asking her about the second novel in her Repository series, “The Wells Bequest.“

Author Polly Shulman

For the month of November, we have invited Polly Shulman, author of “The Grimm Legacy,” to join us for a discussion of her Truman Award-nominated title. In this book, Elizabeth feels like she doesn’t fit in with her stepfamily or classmates, but she loves her new after-school job in a private library that houses magical items from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Someone’s been stealing from the Grimm Collection, though, and Elizabeth and her fellow pages are determined to catch the thief.

At the helm of this interview series are twin brothers Hayden and Garett Ballard who also happen to be frequent and enthusiastic patrons of the Callaway County Public Library in Fulton. Today their questions focus on the experiences and stories that influenced Ms. Schulman to write “The Grimm Legacy.”

Hayden: How were you inspired to write this book?

Polly: When I was a kid, I was a passionate bookworm. I would read while walking down the street and bump into lamp posts. I would stay up late reading under the blankets with a flashlight. I knew when I grew up that I wanted to try very hard to write the kind of books that would make kids miss their bus stop, bump into lampposts, or stay up very late.

I wrote “The Grimm Legacy” because when I was a high school student I had this job as a library page. It was one of the best jobs I ever had. I thought it would make a great setting for a story, but I knew that I wanted the story to have magic in it. So, I decided that the library, instead of books, would have objects in it. And, obviously, the magical objects would be from books.

Garett: Where does the story come from about the bandage that can turn things to silver, or heal wounds?

Polly: It comes from a story the Brothers Grimm collected called “The Spirit in the Bottle.” It’s one of those stories where the hero finds a bottle and opens it up, and a genie comes out. When the genie threatens to kill him, the hero tricks the genie into returning to the bottle. Once the genie is contained, he promises to give the hero a wonderful magic object if he releases him. The bandage is the magical reward the hero receives for re-releasing the genie. It’s a good story. I recommend it!

Next Monday, Hayden and Garett ask Polly about her favorite fairy tales. In the meantime, check out her other teen novel, “Enthusiasm,” which follows Julie and her best friend Ashleigh, two high school sophomores. They both seem to fall for the same Mr. Darcy-like boy and struggle to hide their true feelings from one another.

Abandon by Meg Cabot
Pierce has experienced death before and barely escaped. When she moves from her old town to a town called Isla Huesos – Island of Bones – for a new start, she realizes that death wants her back. Can she escape death once again?

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Ever since Mclean’s parents divorced, she has lived in four towns in two years – each time taking on a new persona. Mclean expects to leave Lakeview in six months, but soon finds that she doesn’t want to – she just wants to be herself.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Cryogenically frozen centuries ago, Amy and her parents are on their way to a new planet aboard the spaceship, Godspeed. Unplugged from her cryo chamber, Amy discovers she has been awoken 50 years early, in a failed murder attempt. With Elder, the future leader of the ship, by her side they are on an adventure filled with murder, lies, dreams, and stars.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
This sequel to Gayle Forman’s If I Stay is narrated by Adam, Mia’s ex-boyfriend. Shortly after the devastating accident that killed Mia’s family, the talented cellist moves to New York, where an accidental meeting brings them back together. Check out the staff review of this title as well as the book trailer.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hazel and Augustus meet and forge a relationship at a support group for kids battling cancer. As Hazel and Augustus struggle with the “side-effects of dying,” they come to learn the strength of wishes, the complexities of long human lives, and the wondrous ways of the universe. Check out the staff review of this title.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Every November, the beaches of Thisby come alive with the Scorpio Races. The water horses are vicious, the terrain is treacherous, and death is likely, but the reward can be beyond anything you could imagine. Puck Connolly is racing for her family, Sean Kendrick for his passion—but only one can win The Scorpio Races.

Legend by Marie Lu
June, a fifteen-year-old military prodigy, is hunting Day, the outlaw she believes is responsible for her brother’s death. What will happen when the two meet and discover the government is corrupt? Check out the staff review of this title.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
A futuristic retelling of the classic Cinderella, Cinder, a cyborg and talented mechanic, lives with her cruel stepmother and two stepsisters in the plague-ridden New Beijing. Soon after meeting Prince Kai, Cinder must find the truths of her past, which may help to save the future.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
When Jacob was little, his grandfather would tell him stories of the fantastical children’s home where he grew up and the seemingly magical kids who lived there with him. When his grandfather is killed, Jacob sets out to find the home where these children lived, unearthing a magical secret and uncovering his true heritage. Check out the staff review of this title.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Abnegation (selfless), Erudite (intelligence), Candor (honesty), Amity (peace), or Dauntless (brave): where would you fit? Beatrice lives in a society where she must choose either to remain with her family’s faction or set off towards independence and her beliefs. And what happens when the unity between these factions begins to fall apart? Check out the staff review of this title.

“When I was a little girl, I met Leonard Nimoy”

Today we wrap-up our three-part interview series with mystery writer April Henry. She is the author of the Truman Award-nominated title, “Girl, Stolen.” Many thanks to April for sharing her tremendous gifts as a writer as well as her wonderful sense of humor as we celebrate Teen Read Week. In this final segment, April shares some fun personal interests and stories… like the time she met Spock from Star Trek.

Angela: Does your daughter or other family members help you with details in your books?

April: My daughter has listened patiently to me when I’ve read chapters aloud. I did this even when she was really little. She has also helped me think of names for teen characters. (I went to school with a bunch of Lisas and Debbies, but those names don’t sound right for someone who is a teen now.) She just graduated from high school – a year early – and is off at college now, so I doubt I’ll have as much chance to get her feedback.

Angela: What are your favorite five YA books of all time?

April: “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, “Tomorrow When the War Began” by John Marsden, “Life as We Knew It” by Susan Beth Pfeffer, “Fake ID” by Walter Sorrells, and “Ashes” by Ilsa Bick.

Angela: If you could go back in time and visit your teenage self, what advice would you give?

April: Don’t wait until your thirties to dare to start thinking you can be a writer. Start now! Someday you won’t mind looking younger than you are. And, someday all that junk food you eat while staying stick-thin is going to start sticking around.

Angela: Who are some famous people that you have met?

April: I was once walking down the street in New York when I saw a man who looked like a really old Woody Allen. And then I realized it was Woody Allen. I tried to act nonchalant, but I’m sure I was staring open-mouthed.

When I was a little girl, I met Leonard Nimoy (the actor who played Spock on Stark Trek) when he was the parade marshall for the Pear Blossom Parade in my small home town of Medford, Oregon.

My aunt once acted with Katherine Hepburn in a musical about Coco Chanel, and my parents and I went to see the musical in Los Angeles. Afterward, we got to go backstage to meet her. Let’s just say that Katherine Hepburn was not terribly excited to meet some small town folks. We were given a piece of paper she wrote on during the play.

Angela: What is your favorite color?

April: Teal.

2013 Truman Award Nominee

In celebration of Teen Read Week, we continue our interview series with YA author April Henry. Today, she talks with librarian Angela Scott about kung fu, corpses, and her next book, “The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die.” Best of all, April shares her advice to help young writers develop their storytelling swagger.

Angela: What is a typical day like for you? Are you a morning person who immediately starts writing at the beginning of your day, or do you have another routine?

April: My typical day goes like this: get up at 6:00 a.m., make coffee, check the headlines in the New York Times, check my email, and go for a five-mile run. After breakfast, I start work. I usually have two projects I am working on at the same time, if not more. One is usually a book for adults, the other for teens. Sometimes I split my time evenly. Other times it’s dictated by whichever deadline is coming up first. Sometimes I feel like I’m sneaking around behind one book’s back to spend time with a different book. I always tell myself I am not going to write in the evenings or on weekends, but I usually do.

I make time to read every day. Sometimes I read books for research and sometimes I read books on how to be a better writer, but I always have a novel I’m reading, too. Right now I’m reading “A Storm of Swords,” the third book in the “Game of Thrones” series.

I also take kung fu classes three to five times a week. I even spar (in a class that is otherwise all male), which does not come naturally to me. I have a hard time not apologizing any time I hit or kick someone. It has proven to be great for research and great for helping me get outside my head and into my body.

“I’ve seen a few photos I wish I could un-see.”

Angela: What are some of the challenges mystery writers face?

April: I do a lot of research, but it’s very easy to go down the rabbit hole. What color are the vests that this type of law enforcement officer wears? Exactly what is the radio protocol? At the same time, I don’t want to make mistakes. You can’t count on TV or movies to be accurate. How many times have you seen a police officer on TV or in the movies fire on a fleeing bank robber, for example? Unless there is the imminent threat of deadly force, that is not legally justified. I run anything I have questions about past some of the sources I have gathered over the years: FBI agents, death investigators, cops, etc.

Another challenge is that if you do research, you are going to run across some images you wish you had never seen. I have seen a few photographs of corpses that I wish I could un-see.

A third challenge is making your plot believable. It’s easy to come up with a cool hook (“What if the boy is found alone in the woods with no sign of his missing friends? And the outsides of his boots are dry, while his socks are soaked in blood – but it’s not his blood?”), but far harder to come up with an explanation that makes sense. I have a book coming out next year called “The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die.” It’s about a girl who wakes up on a cabin floor with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that two men are standing over her discussing how she needs to be killed. It took me months to figure out why she lost her memory and why they wanted to kill her.

“Read, read, read. Read all kind of books.”

Angela: What tips would you offer teens interested in writing as a career?

April: Read, read, read. Read all kind of books. If you don’t like it and want to stop reading, try to figure out why it’s not working. If you love it, try to figure out why it’s so good (although that part is much harder).

If you have a local bookstore that has author readings, attend some. You don’t have to buy a book. It’s a great way to get to know authors personally, and to see that they are not really that much different from you.

When you first start writing, you might have a great story idea but then find you don’t know where to go after the first few pages. That’s pretty normal. Put it aside and work on something else. Over time, you’ll get better at powering through to the end.

However, one thing I have learned is that you can always edit bad writing. You can’t edit nothing. So sometimes I make myself write knowing that I can always make it better with editing.

You may need to have a day job, at least for a while. Any kind of job where you write and have to meet deadlines is good practice. For years, I was a health care writer and wrote my books after work.

If you are discovering April Henry’s books for the first time, be sure to check out “Girl, Stolen.” This title is a nominee for the 2013 Truman Readers Award. Tomorrow we discuss some of April’s favorite books and ask about some of the famous people she’s met.

Author April Henry

In honor of Teen Read Week, the Daniel Boone Regional Library has invited mystery writer April Henry to join us as a guest blogger. She is an award-winning author who has written over a dozen mysteries and thrillers for teens and adults such as “Shock Point” and “Torched.”

DBRL librarian Angela Scott asked this New York Times best-selling author about the inspiration behind her book “Girl, Stolen” which is a nominee for the 2013 Truman Readers Award. This story follows Cheyenne Wilder, a blind teenager who falls asleep in the backseat of her mom’s car while she makes a quick trip inside the drugstore. In the meantime, the car is stolen… with her in it! When Cheyenne realizes she’s been inadvertently kidnapped, she must weigh the options for her escape.

Throughout the week, we will share April’s insightful responses about her book and her writing process. For example, did you know that this YA author also digs kung fu?!  Yeah, that’s awesome.

Angela: Your book was inspired by the real-life abduction of blind Portland teenager Heather Wilson. What was it like to meet her? What were her impressions of your book? 

April: Heather and I met on the set of a TV talk show. I was so nervous beforehand. I was worried she would mind that I had used five terrifying minutes of her life as the jumping off spot for a story. But, it turned out that Heather is a big reader, and, in fact, dreams of being a writer. She loved how her story inspired a book. I even gave her some feedback for a fantasy novel she is working on.

Heather and Cheyenne (the main character of “Girl, Stolen) don’t look that much alike. Heather is blonde; Cheyenne is brunette. Heather was born blind, and has some of those involuntary eye movements you sometimes see in blind people. Because Cheyenne was blinded in an accident; her eyes still follow sound and she appears to be looking at you when you speak. Most casual observers might not notice Cheyenne’s blind, especially if they don’t see her cane or her dog. (I realize I’m talking about Cheyenne as if she is real, but she is real to me.)

Heather (as well as other blind people I have spoken with who have read the book) felt that it accurately portrayed what it’s like to be blind. That was something I worked hard to get right. I feel that if you write about a character who has experienced something you haven’t, especially someone who is not in the majority, you are absolutely required to do your homework.

If you’d like a preview of this suspenseful story, check out the first chapter of “Girl, Stolen” available now at April Henry’s website. Tomorrow we ask April  about the challenges mystery writers face and get her recommended tips for teen writers!

About our Mock Newbery awards:

Throughout the fall, we are inviting youth in grades 4-7 to join us at the library twice per month to discuss Newbery finalists and defend the book you feel is the “Heavy Medalist” of the year. You can explore some of the books that we will be reading with this list.  Library staff will facilitate the sessions along with Nancy Baumann, a local educator and previous Newbery committee member. We even have a discussion blog!

How to get involved:

Sessions will be held at the Columbia Public Library on the following Wednesdays: September 26; October 10 and 24; November 7 and 28; and December 5 and 19. Registration is required. You may register in person or by calling (573) 443-3161 to get started today!

Why I checked it out:

Why I liked it: “The Raven Boys” entertains with its unpredictability. Filled with dire predictions for Blue’s future true love and her developing connection to four boys who attend a nearby private school, one might expect this book to fall into the star-crossed-lovers-from-different-worlds scenario. Instead, this book more strongly focuses on clairvoyance, ley lines, a dangerous quest, an unsolved murder, and a little bit of romance thrown into the mix. I guarantee you’ll be surprised more than once while reading this story.

Three words that describe this book: paranormal, supernatural, and suspenseful.

Similar books include: Stiefvater’s other works such as “The Scorpio Races” and the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy which includes “Shiver,”  “Linger” and “Forever.” You might also check out Cassandra Clare’s “Mortal Instruments” and “Infernal Devices” series.

DBRLTeen Insider’s Tip: While you’re waiting for the release of “The Raven Boys,” you can read the first two chapters of this book on Maggie Stiefvater’s blog!

Vote for the “Teens’ Top Ten!”

The “Teens’ Top Ten” is a list of recommended reading sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association. In fact, it’s the only reading list with titles nominated and voted on by teens.

How does it work?

• Sixteen young adult book clubs from libraries nationwide are responsible for narrowing down a list of nominees for teens to consider. (Does your book club want to get involved? Learn how.)
• Based on the recommendations of these teen book clubs, the list of this year’s 24 nominees was announced in April during National Library Week.
• Throughout the summer months, teens are encouraged to read as many of these titles as humanly possible.
• Beginning in August, young adults are invited to vote on their three favorite books from now through September 15.
• In October during Teen Read Week, the 10 most popular titles will be announced as the official 2012 “Teens’ Top Ten” list. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog updates to have this and other teen book news delivered to your email inbox!