Smiling about Smile by Raina Telgemeier

When Raina was in 6th grade, she tripped and fell while racing her friends and ended up knocking out two front teeth.

Raina's mom rushes her off to the dentist and she has to wear something like a cast on her teeth for weeks. Except her teeth don't heal properly and friends start calling her "vampire girl."

This graphic novel is the true account of Raina's ensuing dental drama throughout her junior and high school years--surgeries, braces, head gear and all! Even if you've never had braces (which I haven't), this story has universal appeal. It's about growing up, handling difficult friendships, going to high school, making new friends, and learning to accept and understand yourself. Who can't relate to that?

This is a quick, fun read. The artwork is colorful and full of action. All the panels and action sequences have a good flow and you feel like you've read a complete novel by the time you finish.

As a budding artist, Raina decides she wants to become an animator after seeing Disney's  The Little Mermaid on the big screen during high school. She's now the artist of the Babysitter's Club graphic novel series for Scholastic and X-Men: Misfits. Smile began as a web comic and grew into this book, which she drew and wrote herself. She has plenty to smile about now! Visit her website at http://www.goraina.com/.

Review of Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland

Either you're a James Patterson fan or you're not; that seems to be the case with most people. Side A thinks his books are gripping and creative while Side B finds them predictable and unbearable.

Personally, I'm on Side B! Now, before you Patterson fans attack, let me say that I've given him a fair try. I read When the wind blows in high school (required summer reading) and I've made an honest attempt to read some of the Maximum Ride series. While I've found some of his work to be interesting, the writing itself has never captured my attention. Plus, with 85 gazillion books coming out every month, we know he really isn't writing them all...

I got mildly excited yesterday when I came across this graphic novel because I thought it would give me a chance to experience the, excuse my pun, magic that everyone seems to be enjoying. Sadly, my hopes were dropped the moment I opened to the first page and came across Victor Santos' illustrations. As one person put it in an Amazon.com review, "if you like cartoons, then this is your book." The artwork is cloyingly cartoonish, given the more realistic cover art. For a book aimed at a slightly older generation, childish cartoons just don't fit.

Then there's the names of the main characters: Whit and Wisty Allgood. Is it just me or can you not take someone seriously with silly kiddie names? Maybe Patterson (or whomever is writing for him this week) wanted to distract the reader from the horrible dialogue and dragging panels? Perhaps I am just being too judgemental for not having read the actual novel, Witch & Wizard, so this graphic novel that bridges into the second installment, The Gift, just doesn't make sense to me. Either way, I couldn't even push myself to finish it.

I won't lie when I say I have high standards when it comes to graphic novels. For instance, the simply believable characters and brilliant illustrations in Batwoman: Elegy left me in awe. I urge you to compare the panel layouts between these two! No matter if you're on Side A or Side B, I suggest you pick up Witch & Wizard, graphic novel or book, and find out for yourself.

~~Sean

Reading into the New Year!

Yes, it's time to establish your reading goals for 2011! There's tons of different ways to approach this: for ideas, check out Crete Teens awesome blog post about their reading challenge. Even better, you, along with some of your friends, could create your own annual reading challenge!

Just to get your ideas flowing, here are a few examples of some 2011 online reading challenges:

• Fans of a certain author can participate in this Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge
• A YA Books reading challenge with levels of participation from "mini" to "mega!"
• Ughhhhrrrrh... a Zombies book challenge
• This Science Book Challenge is as easy as pi...

Read a cartload of books!

So, to make your own reading challenge:

-Think of a theme

-Name your challenge
-Create your rules (start and end date, etc.)
-Come up with a prize (doesn't have to be big)
-Round up some friends!

*Helpful hint: make sure you keep track of your reading, either electronically or the old-fashioned way--by hand... on paper. (A novel idea!)

Ready, set... GO!

Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

Entertaining read? Check. Great cover art? Check. (Admit it, it's important!) Lots of zombies and unicorns? CHECK!

If you'd like to read something not so serious over winter break--something you can easily set aside and resume between distractions and read in any order... this book's for you!

Zombies vs. Unicorns is an anthology of irreverent short stories written by some of the most popular young adult authors around. Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie) began a debate on their respective blogs about which supernatural being is better. The debate went viral and soon the entire YA writing community seemed to be divided! Long story short--this turned into a book. Half the stories argue for zombies, half the stories argue for unicorns--leaving you, the reader, to decide this question "as old as time itself."


Before you decide, WATCH this video, VISIT the website, and READ the book! Then, let us know your ANSWER!

P.S. BRRRRR! It's not too late to curl up with a good book. Join our Winter Reading Program by using our easy online sign-up. All you need is your active Palatine Public Library card to participate. Read 800 pages by January 31 to earn coupons to local businesses; read 1,000 pages to be entered into a drawing for an AMC movie gift card. Everything is online, including your reading log. Happy reading!

Incarcerated in...Incarceron

Welcome to the world of Incarceron, a vast living prison from which only one person has ever escaped. It is the only place 17-year-old Finn can remember as home, other than brief flashes of memory from the Outside. Are those memories real or fake?

Claudia lives Outside and is the daughter of the fearsome Warden of Incarceron. Outside, everyone is forbidden to use modern technology and is forced to follow protocols of 18th century England. Even though she lives a life of luxury and privilege, nothing can make up for the fact that Claudia is about to be forced into a marriage of her father's choosing. Both Finn and Claudia are trapped in their own prisons with no hope of escape... until they each find a crystal key that links them together. Vowing to help the other escape, Finn and Claudia put everything at risk to find the door to freedom. What both don't realize is there is far more at risk than their own lives, as well as sinister plots they couldn't have imagined.

Sign up for Vampires in the MOVIES!

Do you like movies, pop culture, random trivia, bats AND vampires? Well, we have the perfect program for you!

On Tuesday, December 14, from 7:00-8:30 p.m., enjoy a fun program all about famous vampires in film. Watch short movie clips and learn about the legends and folklore behind these mysterious characters. Such as... why don't vampires have a reflection? Why can't vampires go out into the daylight? Why do they turn into bats? Why aren't they vegetarian? You'll be an expert when you leave and you might even take home a DVD!

For an added challenge, participate in an online contest on our facebook page for your chance to win a gift bag of vampire-themed books. This event is for both teens and adults. To register online, click here.

Hope to see you there!

Teen Review of Keeper

It's been awhile... hasn't it? Fortunately, we have something special to share!


Here's the latest book review written by Lawson K., an 8th grade student at Winston Campus and one of our Teen Advisory Board members.  


"I recently completed a phenomenal realistic fiction book, Keeper written by Mal Peet. It's about a reporter who interviews a world-famous soccer player, El Gato. Throughout the book, El Gato—which means "The Cat" in English—describes how he grew up in an impoverished village and became a great player. Keeper revolves around an important theme that is found in many realistic fiction books: coming-of-age. This is not about his physical age; it's about how mature El Gato becomes over a few short years.


The following quote portrays this very concept: “It is about respect,’ the old man said. ‘Respect. You know what this word means?’” I would rate this book a four and a half out of five for its seismic enjoyment quality. This simple read is something I would recommend to anyone who needs something to satisfy his or her reading crave."

Score!

Librarian's note: If you're in the mood for sports fiction with a mysterious spin, you'll love finding out the secret behind the great player, El Gato. Thanks for sending us your review, Lawson!


Have you read anything good lately? We'd like to know!

Exclusive Author Interview with Susan Kaye Quinn!

Susan Kaye Quinn is a local author of a new young adult novel published over the summer, called Life, Liberty and Pursuit. It's a captivating love story about Eliza, a college-bound teen, and David, a navy recruit.

You can download the book's first chapter for free on this official website. (If you'd like to read the entire book, Palatine Public Library has two copies on order, coming soon!)


We were fortunate to be able to catch up with Susan recently and here's what she has to say:

Q: So, what are you currently working on?

I’m currently immersed in the third draft of my YA novel Open Minds. It’s a paranormal story about a future world where everyone reads minds, except for one sixteen-year-old girl. My first YA novel Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (a contemporary love story) came out over the summer. I also have a science fiction novel for younger kids (ages 8-12) that I’m sending out to agents and editors, trying to get published.

Q: What are you reading now or planning to read?

I just finished Behemoth (awesome), Paranormalcy (sweet and awesome), and White Cat (I adore Holly Black), and I have a crazy long TBR list. Next up in the queue: Hush, Hush (that cover? serious awesome), 13 Treasures (a middle grade book) and Found (Margaret Haddix’s new series – she rocks).

Q: What are your favorite genres? Your favorite authors?

I’m a Scott Westerfeld fangirl, as well as loving Holly Black and Rick Riordan’s work. My favorite genre has always been science fiction, but steampunk (which is more like retro SF) and paranormal have grabbed my interest lately.

Q: What do you do when you are not reading or writing?

I blog, a lot. Wait, that’s writing. I also go visit my sons' (ages 7-12) classrooms and talk about publishing a book and writing. Wait, that’s writing too.

Besides the usual mom-type-things, like driving to fencing practice and nagging my boys to practice piano, I love to watch Big Bang Theory and scheme to get my husband to watch Scott Pilgram vs. The World. I also like to talk about books with my friends, and help them find books for their kids. Wait, that’s reading!

Q: One book that you will never be too old to love is...

Harry Potter. It’s just a fantastic read, and now that I’m an author, I appreciate J.K. Rowling’s masterpiece on a completely different level.

Q: What were you like as a teenager? If you could redo your teen years, what would you do differently?

I was a geek. Math and science were my strengths (which is why I became an engineer), but I read voraciously. I used to write stories for my friends, serialized so that each day was a new mini-chapter, and I spent a crazy amount of time in our local bookstore, searching for a new release from my favorite authors (Larry Niven, Orson Scott Card, Jerry Pournelle).

If I could go back in time, I would tell my teen self, “Self, don’t be so shy. People will like you if you just let them know who you are. And that guy that wanted to kiss you at that party? Just don’t. He’s a loser.”

Q: What was your first job?

Newspaper delivery girl. Seriously – I tricked out my bike to carry the papers. I was maybe 11. I’ve also worked as a bookeeper, a lab technician, and the sales lady in the women’s delicates section (not the best gig). My “real” jobs include turns at NASA, General Electric Aircraft Engines, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NCAR had, by far, the best view (it hugs the Rocky Mountains)

Q: The last movie you saw was...

Scott Pilgrim (awesome) and Splice (really not so awesome).

Q: The last thing you ate was...

Peanut butter english muffin (yum).

Q: Do you have any pets?

Two kittens, Ninja and Techy. Because writers need cats.

Q: You desperately wish you knew how to...

Follow a map. I’m directionally handicapped.

Q: Does your life have a soundtrack?

No, but Lady Gaga and Green Day take up way too much space on my iPod.

Q: How do you make a bad day better?

Laugh.

Q: Go to the nearest window and look outside. What do you see?

Beautiful fall weather in Palatine. Fall is my favorite season. It almost makes up for winter, but nothing can really compensate for having to live through August.

Q: Participating in this interview has conveniently enabled you to avoid...

Laundry. But if it wasn’t this, I would have found another excuse.

Thank you, Susan!

It has been wonderful getting to learn more about a local author. Check out Susan's blog, Ink Spells, here.