September 18, 2013

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Bedeviled, Besotted, and Bewildered | SLJ Reviews ‘City of Bones’ Film

Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower) tells (Lily Collins) about his childhood in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Photos courtesy of Constantin Film and Unique Features.

The first movie adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s popular series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, is out in theaters on August 21. Lily Collins as Clarissa “Clary” Fray and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace star in the action-fantasy, which provides the thrill of the chase and a sprinkling of the romance for its core audience.

Dastardly ‘Rogue’ Blog Tour Announced

Rogue

Fans of Gina Damico’s titles Croak and Scorch don’t have much longer to wait for the final title in the series, Rogue, due on shelves soon. To keep readers’ baited, Damico has just announced her 2013 Rogue Blog Tour. You’ll need strong powers of observation to keep up with her on this tour, and you’ll need to know all the letters of the English alphabet, too.

Do You Have What It Takes to Pass The Testing? | Houghton Harcourt Giveaway

Testing Swag

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate, eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies–trust no one. Houghton Harcourt is giving five lucky SLJTeen readers a chance to find out who Cia can trust, and win the ultimate Testing prize pack.

Pictures of the Week: YA Author Todd Strasser Catches a Wave

Todd Strasser

YA Author Todd Strasser poses with his surfboard in Montauk, New York. Strasser started surfing when he was in his mid-50s. His next book, Fallout(Candlewick), publishes in September 2013.

Debut Author and Filmmaker Hannah Weyer Talks About ‘On the Come Up’

On the Come Up

Filmmaker Hannah Weyer based her novel on a true story and uses an authentic “urban vernacular” to keep it real. Teen readers will be rooting for her young protagonist from start to finish. Adult Books 4 Teens blogger Angela Carstensen speaks with the author about On the Come Up and the real teen that inspired the book.

Enter to Win a Copy of ‘Brother, Brother’ from Macmillan | Giveaway

Brother Brother

SLJ says about Brother, Brother—“This prince-and-pauper tale will have readers poised to learn the truth with Brother, rooting for him. This uplifting underdog story will draw thoughtful readers with its well-wrought characters and themes of family secrets, romance, and virtue.”—and now, five lucky SLJTeen readers can win a copy.

Marc Anthony Returns, Selena Gomez’s ‘Stars’, and More Zombies | Teens Review Music and Games

Stars Dance

Teens review something old (Marc Anthony’s return to his salsa roots), something new (rising star Selena Gomez), and something that just might scare the bejeezus out of you (The Walking Dead: 400 Days).

Seek the Unknown: Start Planning for Teen Read Week Now

Teen Read Week Seek the Unknown

Don’t procrastinate: get your plans in place now for Teen Read Week, October 13-19, brought to you by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). This year’s theme, Seek the Unknown, has a world of possibilities for libraries and teens to explore.

Hosting Author Events at the Library | Fresh Paint

It's All Write Jay Asher

April Shroeder shares some advice on how to create unique and successful author visits for teens. Jay Asher and Ransom Riggs are some of the recent writers who have been hosted at the newly minted Gum Spring library, part of the Loudon County (VA) Public Library.

A Librarian’s Reason 2 Smile: A Visit to the Jambo Jipya Academy in Kenya

Mwtapa, Kenya

Back in the fall of 2010, SLJTeen reported on one librarian’s dream to build a library at the Jambo Jipya Academy in Mwtapa, Kenya with the assistance of the organization Reason2Smile. The fundraising is almost complete and Jambo Jipya is hoping to expand and purchase the land adjacent to the school to become the future home of the school library. Donna Rosenblum brings us up to date on her quest to build that library.

Chronicle ARC Offer: The Clockwork Scarab, The Templetown Twins Make a Scene

The Clockwork Scarab

Our friends from Chronicle want to put ARCs in your hands! For a limited time, SLJTeen readers are able to request ARCs of two forthcoming titles of interest to teen and middle grade readers, The Clockwork Scarab and The Templeton Twins Make a Scene.

Laurie Halse Anderson’s ‘The Impossible Knife of Memory’ and Toffler-Corrie’s Latest | Book Review

My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush

Bookmarked’s leader, Elizabeth Kahn, is up to her elbows in boxes, furniture, and books as she prepares to open a new library in her school’s new location, but she still found the time to write a review of Laurie Halse Anderson’s much anticipated ​The Impossible Knife of Memory​, and promises it “will not disappoint her legion of fans.”

A Short and Silly Interview Between James Dashner and Aprilynne Pike

Pike & Dashner

What happens when you let two YA authors interview each other? The result is hilarious, especially when it’s Aprilynne Pike and James Dashner

Teens Review ‘Magnetic’, ‘The Blessed Unrest’, ‘NCAA Football 14′ | Music and Game Reviews

Magnetic

Teens from Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School review Sara Bareilles’ s and the Goo Goo Dolls’s latest albums, and the new NCAA Football 14 video game.

What Did You Do This Summer? | Tech Tidbits for Back-to-School

Summer Collage

“What did you do this summer?” We’ve come up with 10 methods to use when answering that question which will allow your students to share the richness of their summer experiences. These activities just might help teachers and classmates to better know, understand and appreciate each other, as well.

‘City of Bones’ and More Kick-Butt Monster-Hunting Adventures

City of Bones

Adapted from the first book of Cassandra Clare’s wildly popular YA fantasy series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones bursts into theaters on August 21, 2013. Movie viewers will clamor to read or revisit the original work; when they’ve exhausted the series, be ready with more titles featuring demon-slayers and monster-hunters.

Great Big ‘Gated’ Giveaway from Debut Author Amy Christine Parker

Gated

A charismatic cult leader demands absolute loyalty from his chosen. Lyla has always obeyed, but begins questioning everything she’s been told after she meets Cody, one of the unchosen. Are the warnings about the oncoming apocalypse true? Thirty lucky winners will find out when a galley of Gated lands in their mailboxes.

Decisions Determine Your Destiny: New Mysteries for Teens | On the Radar

Out of the Easy

Do we control our own path or does fate determine our destiny? From Ruta Sepetys’s Out of the Easy to Bridget Zinn’s Poison, the following new mysteries selected by Junior Library Guild editors will give teen readers something to think about.

Tamora Pierce’s Fantasy Novel Picks | SLJ SummerTeen

curse dark as gold

Acclaimed young adult fantasy author Tamora Pierce headlined SLJ’s SummerTeen online event on July 24, and shared her love for libraries and books during the conference’s opening keynote. The 2013 Margaret A. Edwards Award-winner regaled the virtual audience of librarians and teens via webcam with a presentation about her writing process, her inspirations, and other fantasy novels and writers that readers should be adding to their to-be-read piles. The following is a list of the titles that were cited in Pierce’s talk.

Polsky’s ‘This is How I Find Her’ and A.S. King’s ‘Reality Boy’ | SLJTeen Book Reviews

Reality Boy

Dodie Ownes, editor of SLJTeen couldn’t keep quiet about Printz honoree A. S. King’s latest title, Reality Boy, and reviews it alongside teen-approved This is How I Find Her by Sara Polsky.