Palmer's Picks: Gimmie Some Manga! Review of Dororo by Osamu Tezuka

Hi guys! My name's Palmer, and I work in the Young Adult Services department of the Charleston County Public Library. I love graphic novels, root beer floats and thunderstorms (and flip glasses). I also love finding truly awesome books and sharing them with you avid readers! Remember to click on any title to put it on



                                                                                  

                                                                                   DORORO

BY OSAMU TEZUKA

Is is cheesy for me to describe Dororo as a super-sweet story of adventure, friendship, and family that mixes in some amazing Japanese supernatural lore? What if by super sweet, I mean super awesome, super action-packed, and super funny (although Dororo does have a few tender moments)? The hero of Dororo is a young ronin (a masterless warrior) named Hyakkimaru who was born with some serious issues. Our story opens with Hyakkimaru's father, quite the power-hungry guy, offering up fourty-eight parts of his yet unborn son to fourty-eight demons in exchange for control of the region. As a result, Hyakkimaru is born without things like eyes, ears, arms, legs, a nose, and a voice. Fourty-eight missing parts in all makes Hyakkimaru quite unlike your typical infant and unlikely to survive, so his grieving mother sends him downriver in a basket to his fate. Lucky for Hyakkimaru, a kindly doctor discovers him in the river and raises the child as his own, discovering that despite his fourty-eight disadvantages, Hyakkimaru has developed senses beyond the abilities of a normal human and can function quite well without his missing parts. As Hyakkimaru grows into a boy, the doctor begins to construct prosthetics to help the lad appear a little less unusual to the outside world. The prosthetics make Hyakkimaru's life easier for a while, but the growing boy seems to be attracting some unwanted supernatural attention...

New Graphic Novels Arriving at the Main Branch!!

Good news for all readers of manga and graphic novels! The bevy of new graphic novel acquisitons that we've been anxiously awaiting has finally begun to arrive! To whet your appetites for graphic novels, I'm going to give you a little taste of our newest additions:

Salem Brownstone
by John Harris Dunning and Nikhil Singh


This creepy tale appeals with equal parts of  strangeness and loveliness. Its serpentine illustrations and odd storyline together make for a book that reads and looks like a noir detective film set in haunted circus. There is definetly a touch of genius, as well as a touch of insanity in this slim book... for truly remarkable artwork that will lurk in your brain for weeks after, give Salem Brownstone a try!

Jen's Picks: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Greetings! I'm Jennifer Hawes, and I work with young adult books at the Charleston County Public Library. Welcome to my random thoughts about books for teens. If a book grabs you, click on the title to reserve a copy, or click here to search CCPL's e-books. Happy reading!




The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

By Rae Carson

Elise is a 16-year-old princess about to marry a king she’s never met – and she actually hopes he’s old or ugly or fat or smells or something, anything, that will keep him from being disappointed with her.

You see, Elise loves to eat. She eats when she’s stressed out, bummed out, or just plain bored. The result: She’s overweight and insecure.

But Elise has this to offer: She is God’s chosen one, according to the magical stone she was born with in her belly button. Trouble is, she has no clue why God would choose her to do anything.

Books With Looks

When Words and Images Unite

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? How about a drawing? A painting? A sketch? The books below combine words with images to tell some really amazing stories! (Click on any title to reserve a copy at a CCPL branch, or click here to search our e-books.)

Wonderstruck

By Brian Selznick

Having just lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, 12-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home to find the father he's never known in New York City. There, he meets Rose, who is also longing for something that's missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's is told in pictures.

Take On the Challenge (and Win)!

Read If You Dare: 365 in 60 Days

We have just received a brand new set of the Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord. There are 12 books in the action-packed series, one for each month of the year, conveniently named things like January, February, March...you get the idea. Now, we challenge you: Read all 12 books in 60 days!

So, what's a challenge without The Rules? 

The Spoken Word

New Teen Books on CD

We've just received a TON of new teen books on CD. So, if you'd rather listen to words, or if you're facing a long car trip, check out these titles. (Click on titles to reserve them. We'll ship the CDs to the CCPL branch closest to you!)

Mockingjay [compact disc]
By Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen has survived the fight-to-the-death Hunger Games. But now she faces her toughest challenge yet. With the Capitol and President Snow blaming her for the uprising in District 12, will she sacrifice herself to protect her loved ones?

Sequel to: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire






Fallen [compact disc]
By Lauren Kate

Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, 17-year-old Luce is sent to reform school in Savannah where she meets two intriguing boys -- and learns the truth about the frightening shadows that haunt her.

Sequel: Torment

Hottest Summer Reads

Escape the Dog Days of Summer

Summer is time for fun and adventure! Right? Unless, of course, you're facing a 14-hour drive to Aunt Nellie's. Or a flight with two layovers and a storm delay. Or maybe you get can't even get out of town because the gas funds dried up. Hey, they're all good reasons to escape into these great summer reads.

Click on titles to reserve them at your favorite CCPL branch. If it says "on order," place a hold on the book. You'll be one of the first to get it once we do!

We'll Always Have Summer
By Jenny Han

The summer after her first year of college, Isobel "Belly" Conklin is faced with a choice between Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher -- the brothers she has always loved -- when Jeremiah proposes marriage and Conrad confesses that he still loves her.

This is the brand new sequel to The Summer I Turned Pretty and It's Not Summer Without You.




 
 

Take a Trip Back in Time

Updated with new books at the top!

History's Intrigue

Clandestine meetings, killings and torture, romance, scandal, betrayal, adventures on the high seas...who says history is boring? Meet some of history's feisty women and courageous guys by taking a trip back in time. 
(Click on any title to put it on hold!)

Between Shades of Gray
By Ruta Sepetys

It's 1941 when Lina, her mother, and her  brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet secret police and sent to a freezing work camp in Siberia. Her father is taken away and sentenced to death. Lina clings to the drawings she hopes will find their way to him, if he's still alive--and if she can survive the horrors.

Book-O-Scope: Your Summer Reading Forecast

Wondering what to read next?

Find answers in the stars!

Gemini
May 21 -- June 21

You’ve been feeling confused lately. Yet, the answers are all there for you to find -- if you look. Read Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams, and find out if John decides to stay with his girlfriend, Cilla, or to take a chance with Destiny.

South Carolina Junior Book Awards

Updated with Goliath, new Skeleton Creek books!

What Should I Read Now?

From silly humor to chilling war stories, check out these South Carolina Junior Book Award nominees for 2011-2012. (They're great for middle schoolers --and might appear on your school summer reading lists!) Last year's nominees included The Hunger Games. Which of this new batch will be the next Big Thing?





Anything But Typical
By Nora Raleigh Baskin

What is it like to be an autistic boy facing daily sixth-grade life, not to mention lifelong struggles, in a "neurotypical" world? Jason Blake is most comfortable in an online writing forum called Storyboard, where his stories spark an email friendship with a girl. But what would happen if he had to meet her in real life?

Dystopias Have Caught Fire

UPDATED WITH NEW TITLES (AT THE TOP)!! ALSO, CHECK OUT THE NEW SEQUELS TO MATCHED AND THE MAZE RUNNER.


Hungry for Dystopias?

If the The Hunger Games left you hungry for more thrilling, world-gone-bad tales, we've got great news! Suzanne Collins' trilogy has become so incredibly popular that authors and publishers are cranking out tons of great dystopian and post-apocalyptic books for teens. Here's a bunch we think you should check out next.

(Click on titles to reserve them at a CCPL branch near you.)

Hot Books For Cold Days

CHILL YOUR TOES, WARM YOUR HEART!

Raise a hand if you're ready for winter break. It's almost time to hit the road (or maybe just the couch!). Here are books to help you brave the winter chill and savor the season of giving. Click on any title to reserve it at your favorite CCPL branch!

Trapped
By Michael Northrop

Seven high school students are stranded at their New England high school when a massive week-long blizzard chokes the roads, kills the heat and electricity, blocks the phones, freezes the pipes, and leaves them fearing for their lives. Grab some hot chocolate before you curl up with this chilling nightmare!