September 18, 2013

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Adult Books 4 Teens | June 2013

Among the Stars: Historical fantasy fiction; World War II heroes; a memoir by a son about his CIA father

Books for black kids

There’s a provocative new comment over on Yolanda Hare’s “Beyond the Friends.” It has me wondering if the CSK awards ever suffer from Newberyitis, where some kids see the sticker and think, “oh, this is one of those books that’s supposed to be good for you.” Because light escapist fare they ain’t. (Nor are they [...]

The post Books for black kids appeared first on The Horn Book.

Win free money!

For COLLEGE. Ruta Sepetys and Penguin Young Readers Group are running an essay contest in conjunction with the release of Ruta’s new book, Out of the Easy, a tale of growing up in the French Quarter of 1950s New Orleans. The prize is $5000 toward college; full details can be found at the Out of [...]

The post Win free money! appeared first on The Horn Book.

Spring Fling: Teen Book Buzz

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Thursday, March 21, 2013, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET From living Japanese ink drawings to the return of the nun assassins, these forthcoming spring releases are sure to appeal to every teen on your reading list. Get ahead of the curve and find out the latest and greatest hot reads for spring during SLJ’s Teen Book Buzz! Join Harlequin Teens, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Egmont as they present the books that will have every teen chatting at their lockers. You do not want to miss this exciting webcast! Archive now available!

Adult Books 4 Teens: February 2013

FICTION

BLOCK, Francesca Lia. The Elementals. 320p. St. Martin’s. 2012. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-1-250-00549-6. LC 2012028277.
Adult/High School–Block’s latest is a perfect example of the “new adult” trend. While she is best known for Weetzie Bat (Harper, 1989) and its sequels, which won her the Margaret A. Edwards award, she has also written adult novels throughout her career, and this book straddles both age groups. Ariel and her friend Jeni had planed on attending UC Berkeley together, but when Ariel can’t [...]

Between Violence and Tenderness: Aristotle and Dante Author Sáenz Talks to SLJ

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Monday was a very good day for Benjamin Alire Sáenz. His sensitive young adult novel, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, was named for three Youth Media Awards, distinctions that left him both stunned and grateful. SLJ caught up with Sáenz for a revealing chat about his reaction to the YMA wins, his personal inspirations for the book, his writing process, and his next YA project.

‘Nerdfighters’ Sell Out Carnegie Hall to See John and Hank Green Plus Special Guests

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New York City’s Carnegie Hall hosted bestselling YA author John Green and his brother Hank this week at “An Evening of Awesome,” a special performance to a sold-out crowd. The event, which featured numerous special guests and a surprise appearance by Neil Gaiman, was lived-streamed through a special partnership with Tumblr.

Make it a triple

We saw Flight last weekend, and the first two hours were completely riveting both for–SPOILER–the minute-by-minute, you-are-there depiction of a plane flight in increasingly worse trouble; and for Denzel Washington’s portrayal of a bad-boy pilot who enjoys a drink or three. Upon takeoff. But–SPOILERRR–the last twenty minutes encompassed no fewer than three endings as the [...]

The post Make it a triple appeared first on The Horn Book.

Fly blind, suggests Susan

Illustration by Amy Wasserman.

Horn Book reviewer Susan Dove Lempke writes about being a proud defender of spoilers who met her Kryptonite in Code Name Verity. I recently listened to the fabulous audio edition of the book, and, despite, knowing how everything would turn out, found myself so taken in by the voice that I kept hoping the book [...]

Which would YOU rather read?

  Personally, I find the ARC cover more to my liking (and truer to the story), and the final art makes the book look like it’s about an angel who moonlights as a stripper. But then, I’m not a fourteen-year-old girl.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Emily M. Danforth
Balzer + Bray, February 2012
Reviewed from ARC
There’s a lot to discuss here. A lot of win and a lot of flaw, really.
Let’s start with win, which is the writing.
The writing is mature, sophisticated, free of unnecessary embellishments. There are marks of the author’s MFA; there is a style [...]

Lois Lowry LIVE!

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012– 1:00 PM ET Lois Lowry’s breakthrough dystopian novel, The Giver has been read by millions of people around the world. It left many with lingering questions: What happened to Jonas and Gabriel? Is a perfect society possible? What does it mean to live a complete life? With Son, Lowry continues to wrestle with the idea of human freedom while completing the story of Jonas and the baby he rescued. Archive now available!

Apres la guerre

Pursuant to an article coming up next year in the Magazine, we were having an old discussion today: how do teen readers feel about downer endings? Conventional professional wisdom has long been that teens themselves and open-minded adults applaud (where appropriate) an “uncompromising” conclusion to a book, and only conservative, rigid adults who don’t like [...]

Getting Boys to Read: Seeing Your Library Through a Guy’s Eyes

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Thursday, October 4, 2012, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET Ever help a guy find food in the refrigerator? In this fun and informative webinar, you’ll discover how some everyday observations – like that time you maybe helped a guy find the mayo that was right in the front of the fridge – are really vital clues for thinking about getting boys to read in your library. In addition to the fun, the serious side of the topic will be addressed, including why the gap between boys’ and girls’ reading levels is a major concern among health experts and educators, and why the vast majority of reluctant readers are boys. Attendees will learn some tips to promote and support genres that boys like, including comic books, graphic novels, sports, and nonfiction, as well as some ideas for creating reading role models and communities for boys grades K-12. If you want ways to get books in the hands of your guys – and take a different look at how we think about getting boys to read – this session will inspire you. This archive is no longer available.

Celebrate With Shannon Hale Live!

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Monday, October 1, 2012,1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET It’s finally here—Princess Academy: Palace of Stone, sequel to the beloved Newbery-Honoree book, Princess Academy. Reunite with Miri and her friends as they share in the joys of friendship, the delight of young romance, and the fate of a fairy tale kingdom. Join Shannon Hale for a unique opportunity to celebrate with her during a live webcast from Brooklyn Friends School and a chance to ask her questions live! Sign up now—space is limited. We encourage you to set up an assembly so all of your kids, parents and teachers can watch. Archive now available!

SLJ Teen Book Buzz

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET It’s going to be a spectacular fall reading season for teens! Our four participating publishers will be talking about the current hot reads, sequels and prequels on the verge, and new series and stand-alone titles that you need to know about. And you can bet on this — no genre is left unturned. Whether your readers are into romance, speculative fiction, coming of age stories, paranormal, thrillers or contemporary twists, you’re sure to find something on this fun and fast-paced Teen Book Buzz. You’ll hear about titles from new and well-loved authors, and get a sneak peek at spring 2012 lists, too. There are always galley giveaways, so sign up now and get a jump on the next must-have teen read! This archive is no longer available.