February 16, 2013

Media Mania—Magic and Mayhem: Mesmerizing Fairy Tale Retellings for Teens

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Told and retold through the centuries, ever-evolving and repeatedly re-envisioned, folk and fairy tales continue to captivate imaginations. In fact, unwavering interest in these stories have sparked an onslaught of media offerings. Take the opportunity to booktalk or display a selection of splendid retellings of folk and fairy tales written for teens. The genre’s integral themes of transformation, self-realization, burgeoning independence, and first love are ready-made for a young adult audience, and these titles utilize a variety of writing styles, settings, and storytelling tones to explore timeless motifs in imaginative and appealingly contemporary ways.

Media Mania: Beautiful Creatures and Recommended Paranormal Romance Reads for Teens

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Beautiful Creatures is a story of star-crossed lovers with a supernatural edge and atmospheric Southern setting. The film adaptation of the first novel in Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s fan-favorite series (2009, Little, Brown) is fittingly scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day, 2013. Tempt teens who just can’t get enough of these Beautiful Creatures to keep reading by booktalking or displaying a selection of page-turning tales forged with mystical wonder and touched by true love. Encompassing copious coming-of-age themes and a variety of writing styles, these titles also make excellent choices for book discussion groups.

Media Mania: Got Gamers? Books Tie-ins to Teen-Favorite Video Games

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Tempt teens away from the screen and into the pages of a book with an appetizing array of offerings based on popular video games. You may even get them interested in history—the latest Assassin’s Creed is based on the American Revolution, set in the colonies in the mid-1700s.

From the Trenches: Parallel Universes

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Wishing for everyday life to disappear and to be magically transported somewhere else does not always deliver on the promise of a happier ending. Parallel universes seem to be a popular trend these days, with quite a few books released in 2011 and 2012. For one, YA thrill-master Christopher Pike is back, veering toward fantasy with his trademark thriller plot thrown in the mix. And, in one of the most highly acclaimed books of the year, Every Day, David Levithan drops the main character into a new body, and therefore a new world, each morning. Some of the titles are serious, offering a look at how one might escape a bad home or school life. Others trend toward humor or fairy tale retellings. In all, the glimpse of “what might have been” provides readers an escape from their daily lives.

Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins—Rise of the Guardians

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The film “Rise of the Guardians,” based on William Joyce’s popular series “Guardians of Childhood” premieres on November 21. Fans of folk and fairy tales will delight in the characters found in both the original series, the film, and in new books inspired by the movie.

Media Mania: Spy Novels for James Bond Fans

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With the release of Adele’s lushly orchestrated theme song and heaps of media coverage, the buzz is building for the opening of Skyfall (PG-13) on November 9, 2012. Take advantage of the Bond bonanza and display or booktalk a selection of recently published young adult spy thrillers. Impossible to put down, these titles feature an array of unforgettable protagonists, a mix of time periods and settings, and a teen-tantalizing variety of narrative styles.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Game On! Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph

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Wreck-it Ralph, the newest 3-D animated release from Disney, takes audience into world of video games to tell a humor-filled tale of friendship, heroism, and self-discovery. Fans of Ralph will also enjoy exciting but accessible picture books and chapter books based on the film.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Fairy Fanfare: TV’s Winx Club

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Fans of all things fey will enjoy Winx Club, a TV series about a flight of stylish teenage fairies with an updated look and an array of magical abilities. In addition to dolls, dress-up accessories, and video games, the franchise also includes fun, fast-moving chapter books and graphic novels based on the TV show.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: How to Rock TV Shows and Book Series

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“How to Rock,” a comedy series based on Meg Haston’s novel, “How to Rock Braces and Glasses,” premiered on Teen Nick in February. Pitched toward the “Drake & Josh” crowd, the show combines storylines centered around school and friendship issues with pop/hip-hop music performances and an upbeat be-yourself message.

Pitch Perfect—and a Roundup of Reads about Divas, Virtuosos, Rockers, and Other Music Mavens

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Perfectly pitched to fans of TV’s Glee and reality competition shows such as American Idol, The Voice, and X Factor, this musical comedy from Universal Studios opens nationally on October 5. Set in the fascinating—and surprisingly bodacious—world of collegiate a cappella singing, Pitch Perfect (PG-13) harmonizes crowd-pleasing acoustic production numbers with plenty of sassy and brassy girl-power attitude and ribald humor (hence the tagline—“Get Pitch Slapped”). The film is inspired by Mickey Rapkin’s nonfiction title, Pitch Perfect (Gotham, 2008; Gr 10 Up), which has been re-issued with an eye-catching movie-poster cover.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Go, Go Power Rangers: Refreshed Books and a New Graphic Novel Series

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First introduced in 1993 with Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, this iconic live-action TV series starring a group of teens able to transform into a team of color-coded costumed superheroes is still going strong. Power Rangers: Samurai, the show’s l8th iteration, premiered in 2011 on Nickelodeon, followed by 2012’s Power Rangers: Super Samurai (TVY7), a second set of episodes featuring the same characters.

Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Monster Movie Mash: Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania

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Two new animated offerings—Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania—pay homage to classic Hollywood monsters with fresh interpretations and plenty of panache—just in time for Halloween.

Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: ‘House at the End of the Street’ and Spine-tingling Thrillers for Teens

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Fans of the The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence will be flocking to see her newest, The House at the End of the Street, opening September 21. Suggest these gripping tales as read-alikes, or consider making them part of a Halloween display or booktalk.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Other Tales of Teen Angst and Alienation

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Since its publication in 1999, Stephen Chbosky’s epistolary novel (Pocket Books) has become a much passed around favorite among teens and a hot item for discussion groups (it has also appeared on ALA’s top 10 challenged books list five times in the last 10 years. Now, Charlie’s compelling account of his coming-of-age trials and tribulations has been re-envisioned for the big screen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (PG-13), adapted into screenplay format and directed by Chbosky himself, will be released by Summit Entertainment on September 21.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Jake and the Never Land Pirates

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With an “Ahoy, mateys!” and a warm smile, the leader of a crew of pint-size pirates welcomes viewers to each episode of Jake and the Never Land Pirates (TV Y). Airing mornings on Disney Junior, this popular animated TV series for preschoolers is now in its second season (a third debuts in 2013) and continues to rack up the ratings.

Project Runway Tie-in and Fun Reads for Fashionistas

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Who will make the cut? The hit reality TV series that provides aspiring fashion designers with a chance to strut their stuff—and compete for the opportunity to show their own collection at New York Fashion Week—has just launched its 10th season, airing Thursday evenings on Lifetime. Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, Project Runway dares competitors to design and sew their most wow-inspiring garments while working under strict limitations and tough time constraints. Capitalize on fashion-fever with this collection of titles.

Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins— Finding Nemo…in Spectacular 3-D

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The charismatic clown fish swims back into theaters—and the hearts of youngsters—on September 14 with the re-release of the animated classic newly converted to Disney Digital 3D. First presented by Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures in 2003, Finding Nemo (G) garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike, earned status as the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and sailed away with numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: TV’s Voltron Force and Avatar: Graphic Novel Grabbers

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The ultimate blend of high-tech machinery and good old-fashioned teamwork, Voltron—a flying robot formed by the linking together of five lion-styled vehicles and their pilots—is a formidable force for good. Sound familiar?

Watch and Read-Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Batman: Movie Reads for Teens

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Despite the awful tragedy that occurred in Aurora, CO on the movie’s opening night, fans continue to flock to theaters to see The Dark Knight Rises. Suggest these tantalizing titles to YA lovers of Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking film trilogy.

Watch and Read—Spotlight on Media Tie-ins: Weird and Wonderful ‘ParaNorman’

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Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell, ParaNorman (PG) combines quirky humor, spine-tingling adventure, and delightfully creepy supernatural elements. This stop-motion animated 3-D feature film from LAIKA, the studio that produced the critically acclaimed Coraline (2009), premieres in theaters on August 17.