Novels in Verse: Drugs, Sex, Death, and Heaven

NOVELS IN VERSE

It's National Poetry Month! Time to study sonnets written by men in white wigs, right? Not necessarily. Edgy teen books written in verse is a hot area of publishing today, one that drags stanzas and meter into the realms of drugs, sex, war, murder, pregnancy, and suicide. You won't be bored! (Click on the titles to place holds, or go to our eBooks.) 

Tricks
By Ellen Hopkins

Five troubled teenagers fall into prostitution as they search for freedom, safety, community, family, and love. Other novels by Ellen Hopkins, queen of edgy books in verse, include Perfect, Glass, Fallout, Identical, Impulse, Burned, and Crank.

South Carolina Junior Book Awards

Awesome Books for Middle Schoolers!!

The 2012-2013 South Carolina Junior Book Award nominees are in! Check out the results. They include dangerous underwater worlds, kids forced to work in sweatshops, and a talking origami Yoda. Yes, there is a book (or two or three) for all tastes. Click on any title to reserve a copy!

Start off with:



The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
By Tom Angleberger

When Dwight, the class weirdo, shows up with a talking origami Yoda, kids tease him. But Yoda seems to know things—and his advice is oddly wise. Is the Force really with him, or has Dwight fallen off the deep end?

Sequel: Darth Paper Strikes Back

S.C. Young Adult Book Award Nominees

Great Books for S.C. High Schoolers!!

The South Carolina YA Book Award Nominees are in for 2012-2013!

Our state's students, librarians, teachers, parents, and others chose these books as the very best for high schoolers. (Heads up: Teachers like to pick summer reading requirements from these lists...so get a head start!)

Click on any title to reserve a copy:



Pathfinder
By Orson Scott Card

Rigg has a secret ability to see the paths of others' pasts. However, revelations after his father's death set him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either control his destiny or kill him.

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

Books Need Buddies, Too!

Duets: When One Book Isn't Enough

When are two related books better than one? How about when you want to get another character's perspective. Or to find out what happens next. Or to tie up all those loose plot threads. People aren't the only ones who like to pair up. Some books need buddies, too! Here are a few that prove it:

(Click on any title to reserve it at a CCPL branch.)

If I Stay and Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

In If I Stay, 17-year-old Mia's parents and brother are killed in a car wreck that leaves her in a coma. Should she fight to survive for her boyfriend, Adam, and the rest of the living? Or, should she let go to be with her family? Three years later in Where She Went, Adam is a rising rock star who reconnects with an old friend after the horrific events tore them apart.

What You (and Your Friends) Are Reading

Here's What You Have to Say....

Thanks to all who've entered our summer reading contest! So, what's everyone reading? Tons of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and the Hunger Games. But what else? Here's what you recommend -- in your own words!

(Keep the entries coming…we have lots more prizes to give away.
Click on titles below to put the books on hold.)

City of Bones
By Cassandra Clare

"Clary is thrown into a world where fairies, vampires, werewolves, and demons are real. Then she finds out that her mother is a Shadowhunter, a group of humans who have angel blood and kill demons. But her father is Valentine -- the evil Shadowhunter trying to destroy all the other Shadowhunters."

(Read City of Ashes next!)

Rating: Excellent

-- 8th grader, Laing Middle School








City of Glass
By Cassandra Clare

"Clary sneaks into the City of Glass and is immediately caught up in a life-and-death battle as the werewolves, vampires, and faerie gather for a war that will 'rend the heavens.'" (Next read the new sequel City of Fallen Angels!)

Rating: Excellent

-- 12th grader, Charleston County School of the Arts

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.

It's Wicked, It's Sexy...It's a Poem?

Warning: This Is Not Grandma's Poetry!



April is National Poetry Month -- and, sure, we love Poe and Frost and Longfellow. But let's talk modern poetry, stuff written for today's teens about today's issues -- friend drama, drugs, divorce, meltdowns, crushes, exams, peer pressure and even fun, fun, fun!

In poetry, it's all fair game. Whatever you're dealing with, there's a poem just for you. Plus, writing poetry is a great way to get down -- and get out -- whatever is on your mind.

Click on any title to learn more...



Slam

Edited by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Poetry is cooler than ever, whether it's Maya Angelou or W. B. Yeats, Tupac Shakur or Sylvia Plath. As proof, Slams -- spoken word poetry readings -- are taking place in cities across the country. Check out this collection edited by the Gossip Girl series' author.

When Race is a Family Issue

Welcome to That Reminds Me of a Book, a regular feature where we link current events and pop-culture happenings with YA books.

The Other Half of My Heart

Have you heard about this ABC News story about twins born to a Caucasian mother and an African-American father? Gabe has ivory skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. His sister, Trinity, has ebony skin, black hair, and brown eyes. 

The Cunningham family gets some curious looks -- and perhaps a few behind-the-back whispers, too. It all raises questions about how we view race in this country. 

Which reminds us of a book...



The Other Half of My Heart
By Sundee Frazier

When Minerva and Keira were born, they made headlines: Keira appears black like Mama; Minni looks white like Daddy. The twins are close, but their relationship is tested when their grandmother invites them down South to compete for the title of Miss Black Pearl Preteen America. The sisters have always shared a special bond. But is it strong enough to overcome racial biases?

Click on the title to reserve it at your favorite library branch.

Say Yes to the Mess

Maxine Banks is Getting Married

by Lori Aurelia Williams

Maxine Banks is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to make it happen, and what she wants right now is to get married. Well, what she REALLY wants is to get out of her mother’s house, and a wedding seems like the best way to do that and be treated like a queen for a day.  She's seventeen, and has seen enough of her mother’s bad boyfriends to know that her man Brian is a keeper. She convinces him that they should get married but their parents object – they’re still in high school, after all – but Maxine knows how to get her way...and tells everyone that she’s pregnant. She’s not. But it works. Maxine Banks gets married.

Author Yasmin Shiraz Takes On Retaliation

Retaliation

Author Yasmin Shiraz writes about the tough realities today's girls face, especially when it comes to peer pressure and fights. In her novel, Retaliation, 17-year-old Tashera is brutally attacked by a group of high school girls. Can Tashera, her mother, and her brother (who considers rejoining a gang to send a message) rise above their anger? Or, will they fuel the cycle of violence and retaliation?

We had a chance to ask this inspiring writer, filmmaker, and WedTV producer a few questions:

 

What motivated you to write Retaliation?



I visit schools and after-school programs conducting workshops on self-esteem, youth issues, teen pregnancy and the like. In one of my workshops, girl fights were brought up. I began to do additional research on girl fights, the fights on YouTube, and girl fights across the country. Once I started to do the research, I knew that I had to do a book that addressed girl fights and the retaliation that comes as a result of it.

Did any of your experiences as a teenager, or the people you knew at the time, make it into the book?



Yasmin Shiraz

The feeling of helplessness, the feeling that nobody understands what you're going through -- those were all my genuine feelings from when I was a teenager. I incorporated a lot of my teen experiences in several of the characters in Retaliation. For Tashera's character, I drew on my personal experiences of having girls pick on me when I was in high school even when I hadn't done anything to them.  For Alexandra's character, I saw so many people in high school who wanted to fit in no matter what the cost. So, a lot of my feelings made it into the lives of the characters in Retaliation.

The characters face difficult and violent life-and-death situations. Are they modeled after your own experiences as a teenager or young adult?

When I was in 11th grade, I was attacked from behind as I was about to get into a car with this guy who liked me. I didn't know why this girl had pulled my head and my hair. Apparently, she was dating this guy or used to date this guy and didn't appreciate the fact that he wanted to drive me home after the dance. In the moment that she yanked the back of my head, I was overwhelmed with feelings of having to protect myself, but also being completely clueless as to why I was being attacked. Though I have never been jumped, per se, I've had experiences -- violent ones -- in which I've had to defend myself. I have a little bit of Tashera inside of me in that respect.  

Also, I wanted to show in Retaliation that the person who is fighting is not necessarily always the aggressor. I've been in fights in school, I've been suspended from school, but never have I been the aggressor. In situations like Tashera's, people often blame the victim and say, "She asked for it...." or, "She must have done something." Sometimes with girl fights, a girl doesn't like you, and she'll do everything she can to make your life miserable, including trying to beat you up.

Shiraz wrote the film
"Can She Be Saved?"

Were there times when you felt like retaliating? How did you handle it? 

I remember one time feeling like retaliating and that was with the girl who yanked my head and hair. She was wrong for that, and I was so angry about it. Me and my friends went to her school, and after a basketball game we were planning to beat her and her friends up. It's not my proudest moment. But she and her friends were so scared that they wouldn't leave the building. They stayed in the school and got the police so that we would leave. It was a good thing because I don't know what would have happened to me if I got a hold of the girl who yanked my head and hair...

Otherwise, I haven't had any other instances of feeling like I needed to retaliate. After high school, I didn't even have any more problems with girls or young women where I felt that I had to defend myself.


 Did you get along with your parents as a teen? Who else influenced you?

I got along with my parents as much as any other teen. My parents went through a divorce when I was a teenager so it was a little strange around my household for a while. Thankfully, I connected to women from church and my favorite teachers were mentors to me. Many times when I couldn't talk to my parents about issues, I would reach out to my mentors, and they were always there for me.


I also had two best friends when I was in high school. We went through everything with each other. We were as close as sisters. Their friendship sustained me through my high school years. I was also heavily influenced by music. Music was and still is therapy for me. I believe music can make the world a better place.

Great Books For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. today, we look to the newly released 2011 Coretta Scott King Book Awards, which honor fantastic African-American authors. One of our favorite writers, Walter Dean Myers, made this year's honor list with:

Lockdown



It seems like the only progress you make at Progress juvenile facility is moving from juvy jail to real jail. Sure, Reese wants out early. But is he supposed to just sit back and let his friend Toon get jumped? Reese gets a second chance when he's picked for the work program at a senior citizens' home. He doesn't mean to keep messing up, but it's not so easy -- at Progress or in life. One of the residents, Mr. Hooft, gives him a particularly hard time. If Reese can convince Mr. Hooft that he's a decent person, not a criminal, maybe he'll be able to convince himself, too.

Walter Dean Myers books often portray urban teenagers struggling with real life -- especially drug use, violence, and peer pressure. They're trying to find ways out of the problems they were born into. From his own real life, Myers understands what his characters are going through. He was raised in Harlem by foster parents and dropped out of high school. He also had a severe speech impediment -- so, he began to write as a way to express himself. Try it yourself. Writing is a great way to vent, to celebrate, or to just work through complicated stuff in your life.

We wouldn't even know where to start telling you about all of  Myers' other great books. For starters, check out these:



Dope Sick 

The Cruisers



 Fallen Angels

Sunrise
Over
Fallujah

Monster   



Street Love





Now, for all you graphic novel fans....

Yummy: The Last Days
of a Southside Shorty

Check out another Coretta Scott King honor book, Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri and and Randy Duburke. In this book, 11-year-old Roger is trying to make sense of his classmate Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's death. But first he has to make sense of Yummy's life.

Was Yummy a monster who'd just killed a little girl? Or, was he just another kid? As Roger digs, he finds more questions. Did Yummy really kill someone? And why do so many answers lead to the gang Roger's older brother belongs to?

This gritty depiction, based on a real murder in Chicago, might make you question your ideas about good and bad, right and wrong.

 

Remember to click on book titles to reserve them at your favorite library branch.