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"To be careful with people and words was a rare and beautiful thing." ~ from Benjamin Alire Sáenz's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Greetings!Hello, I'm Caroline Peterson, and I am the editor of the Teen Scene E-Newsletter. I am also the Teen Librarian at the Southwest Library. As an avid reader of young adult literature, I hope you enjoy these recommendations! Please email me at cbpeterson@dconc.gov if you have any thoughts or questions! I just finished reading Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson. This is not your average superhero story. Kamala is Marvel's first Muslim superhero and she is quite easy to relate to. Kamala is a high school student, who just wants to fit in and go to parties. But she unexpectedly gets Captain Marvel's super powers and has to deal with fighting crime...and curfews. The art, by Adrian Alphona, is really great and colorful. I look forward to reading volume 2! If you'd like to read Ms. Marvel, you can find it in the Young Adult Graphic Novel section, under the call number: YAF MS.
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Walled City by Ryan GraudinFiction. In the lawless, overcrowded streets of Hak Nam Walled City, the lives of three desperate teens intersect: Dai, a drug runner controlled by the ruthless Brotherhood; Jin, a girl (disguised as a boy) in search of her lost sister; and Mei Yee, who longs to escape the Brotherhood's brothel. Though trust often leads to treachery in Hak Nam, Dai, Jin, and Mei Yee will need each other if they want to escape the city alive. Bleak and unsparingly violent, The Walled City is a riveting read for mature readers who appreciate gritty, high-intensity survival stories. |
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| Princess of Thorns by Stacey JayFantasy. Ever since their mother, Sleeping Beauty, was murdered by the Ogre Queen, warrior princess Aurora and her brother Jor have lived in exile -- one that ends abruptly when Jor is captured by ogres. Concealing her true identity, Aurora sets out to rescue him, and receives unexpected aid from Nikklaas, a prince with a secret of his own. If you're enchanted by the action, romance, and well-drawn characters in this post-happily-ever-after twist on Sleeping Beauty, don't miss Rhiannon Thomas' A Wicked Thing, which hits shelves in late February. |
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| Now That You're Here by Amy NicholsScience Fiction. Graffiti artist Danny is running from the cops when an explosion sends him hurtling into a parallel universe. Eevee, his clever classmate, realizes that this Danny isn't the same bully who usually sits next to her. So she offers to help, enlisting her best friend and fellow science geek Warren to join her in figuring out how Danny crossed over. But while Warren is interested in Danny as a science fair project, Eevee and Danny's relationship grows increasingly personal. Perfect for science enthusiasts and romance fans alike, this quirky read about love, friendship, and string theory is the 1st in a two-book series. |
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| All the Bright Places by Jennifer NivenFiction. A movie adaptation is already underway for this deeply felt book about two teens who pull each other back from the brink -- literally, since they meet on the ledge of their high school clock tower. Instead of jumping, Violet (who's grieving her sister's recent death) and Finch (who's eccentric, impulsive, and self-destructive) form a surprising yet life-changing bond. Similar to Corey Ann Haydu's OCD Love Story or John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, All the Bright Places features an unforgettable couple and breathtaking emotional suspense…but no easy answers. |
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| The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason ReynoldsFiction. Devastated by his mom's death and his dad's spiral into alcoholism, high school senior Matt finds comfort in a job the local funeral home. Strangely, witnessing the pain of others helps him cope with his own grief. Also, it beats slinging fried chicken at the Cluck Bucket -- although Matt is irresistibly drawn to Lovey, the tough, intriguing girl who works there. Readers who enjoy the believable characters and authentic urban setting of this "vivid, satisfying and ultimately upbeat tale" (Kirkus Reviews) will definitely want to try author Jason Reynolds' previous book, When I Was the Greatest. |
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| Revenge of a Not-So-Pretty Girl by Carolita BlytheFiction. Jaded Brooklyn teen Faye and her friends have mugged plenty of mean, pretty girls without feeling regret. But after they rob and injure Evelyn, an elderly former movie star, Faye's conscience leads her back to the crime scene and into an unlikely friendship. Even as Faye starts to enjoy spending time with Evelyn -- it's better than being home with her overworked, abusive mom -- she's still surprised to find that their friendship is influencing the way she sees herself and the world. 1980s pop culture references and plenty of emotional turmoil add realism to this thought-provoking tale of hard-won change. |
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| Rose Sees Red by Cecil CastellucciFiction. Rose lives in Cold War-era New York City; Ronald Reagan is president and people live with the ever-present fear of a nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. She's a dancer at the NYC High School of Performing Arts, and she's incredibly lonely...until the night that Yrena, Rose's neighbor and the daughter of Russian diplomats, crawls through her bedroom window and insists that Rose take her out for a night of "normal" American teenage debauchery. Giving a strong sense of the time, the place, and the desire to create art through movement, this character-driven novel is an especially delicious read for dancers. |
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| Bog Child by Siobhan DowdFiction. Set in Ireland during "the troubles" of the 1980s, this moody and suspenseful novel opens with 18-year-old Fergus finding a small corpse buried in a peat bog (where he was digging peat for his uncle to sell as fuel). Soon the bog is swarming with archaeologists, and Fergus ponders the mystery of his find while trying to study for the exams to get into medical school -- and avoid becoming embroiled in the IRA. Beautifully written, powerful, and occasionally painful to read, this coming-of-age novel gives readers a strong sense of life in Ireland during the time depicted. |
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| Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire SáenzFiction. In the summer of 1987, Aristotle meets Dante. Both are 15 years old and Mexican-American, but otherwise they're nothing alike: artistic Dante is an only child of intellectual parents who don't believe in secrets, while brooding Ari's family never talks about his brother in prison or his father's traumatic experiences in the Vietnam War. Nevertheless, the boys become close friends, and Dante's open attitudes start to crack Ari's carefully constructed shell. Award-winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz's "lyric prose and pitch-perfect dialog" (Library Journal) honestly portrays the inner life of a frustrated teen guy figuring out who he is and who he wants to be. |
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| The Scar Boys by Len VlahosFiction. There's no way that Harbinger "Harry" Jones can write his college admissions essay in just 250 words. It'll take a lot more to describe his life: the cruel bullying incident that left him physically and psychologically scarred; the relief of finding his best friend and bandmate Johnny McKenna; and the confusing, exhilarating, and heartbreaking events of their band's first tour. Rife with realistic angst and the heady atmosphere of the 1980s punk scene, The Scar Boys "etches its way onto the heart and leaves a mark" (Kirkus Reviews). To see how another band navigates their post-graduation tour, pick up Nina LaCour's The Disenchantments. |
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Battle of the Books Club
Tuesday, February 3, 6:30 pm
Southwest Children's Program Room
Are you on a Battle of the Books Team at your middle school? Do you just like reading really good books like The Red Pyramid? Join us at the library on the first Tuesday of every month to discuss a different book. Snacks will be served! Please register. In February, we will be discussing Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo.
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Teen Book Club: Mystery Edition
Saturday, February 7, 2:00 pm
South Regional Study Room 1
Talk books and nosh pizza at the teen book club. (Some copies of each months book are available at the South Regional Information desk.) We will be reading Antigoddess by Kendare Blake. Registration required.
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Chapter Chat: Trial by Fire
Saturday, February 7, 1:00 pm
North Regional Tutoring/Study Room #1
Come join our monthly teen-led book club. You can pick up this month's selection at the Information Desk. Don't forget to register! This month's selection is Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini.
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Teen Book Club & Pizza
Monday, February 9, 4:30 pm
East Regional Meeting Room - Full Room
Join our book club and discuss your favorite books. We will continue our discussion of Divergent by Veronica Roth!
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LGBT Book Club
Monday, February 16, 6:00 pm
Southwest Tutor Room 1/Room 125
This book club is a safe place where LGBT teens and their supporters can read YA novels that feature LGBT characters and meet other teens with the same interests. The book club meets on the second Monday of every month. Snacks will be provided. We will be reading Proxy by Alex London and Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky. Read one or both!
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Middle School Book Club
Thursday, February 19, 6:30 pm
Southwest Children's Program Room
This month's book is The Maze Runner by Dashner. Enjoy a lively discussion! Snacks are always provided. At this program books for the March (3/19) program will be provided; Unwind by Shusterman. Please register.
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Need More Recommendations?
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For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply with a list of the next five books you should read.
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NoveList Plus is a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. DCL cardholders can access NoveList Plus from any computer.
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Links to Newsletters from the past year:
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Durham County Library at
919-560-0100, 300 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27702
librarywebmaster@durhamcountync.gov
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