2015 Nutmeg Award nominees are here!

Thank you all who voted for your favorite book to win the 2014 Nutmeg Award.  Votes are being tallied as I type, and the winners will be announced by May 15^th at the latest.  In the meantime, the 2015 Nutmeg Award nominees have been announced and are ready for your perusal in the Teen Spot.

First up in the Teen category (that’s grades 7 and 8) is See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles. This is a sad sweet story about a middle child who feels invisible in her very busy family.  When unspeakable tragedy strikes, the whole family struggles to stay together.  

Next is Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon. It’s a techie type thriller with a lot of action and a little romance thrown in.  Secrets abound, and it’s a wild ride to the end!

Carley, the main character in One for the Murphys by Linda Mullaly Hunt is a foster child who has never known a stable happy-ish family until she ends up in the Murphy family temporarily.  All runs pretty smoothly until her mother shows up and wants her back. Now Carley has a difficult decision to make.

Like fantasy with a bit of humor?  Then The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde is for you!  Clever and funny, this one is a quick, funny, enjoyable book to take to the beach.  And you will end up wanting to own your very own Quarkbeast by the end. 

More thrills await in Kate Messner’s exciting book Eye of the Storm.  Jaden’s dad is a scientist who has been conducting mysterious weather experiments in Russia, experiments that were banned in the United States. Fast-paced and full of action, this one is for sci-fi fans and mystery fans alike.

March Madness basketball season is the topic in Paul Volponi’s book The Final Four.  More than just a sports book, this one looks at the lives of four of the players and how they went from kids to being in the biggest basketball tournament ever.  

Guitar Notes by Mary Amato is about a developing friendship between perfect student Lyla and outsider Tripp. A sweet story with music as a backdrop.

More excitement and thrills in S.A. Bodeen’s great survival story The Raft. Robie and Max are stranded on a life raft in the middle of shark infested waters after the plane they were on crashes in the Pacific Ocean.  A true survival story, this one will keep you turning the pages.

Sci-fi fans will want to check out Insignia by S. J. Kincaid. Tom is training to be an outer space soldier in this one. If you liked Ender’s Game, you will want to read this one. It’s the first in a trilogy.

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen is about a competition between four orphans to be the one to impersonate the son of the king of Carthya, which is on the brink of civil war.  Very popular, this one was voted a top ten for teens by the American Library Association.

The High School selections (for grades 9 through 12) have something for every reader’s taste. 

 Boy 21 by Matthew Quick (of Silver Linings Playbook fame) is a sports story that’s about so much more that you almost forget the sports part! Troubled Russ is convinced that his dead parents are coming back for him in a space ship. Only Matthew Quick could pull this one off!  Quirky and touching, it’s a read-in-one-night book.

Historical fiction fans and those who are interested in World War II will like Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. It is the story of a young female spy and her friend, a fighter pilot, who have to fight for survival when a plane goes down in Nazi-occupied France.  

More historical fiction with some horror and a bit of fantasy in Libba Bray’s atmospheric book The Diviners. Set in the roaring twenties, seventeen year old party girl Evie finds herself battling a supernatural serial killer in the dark streets of New York City. 

The main character in David Levithan’s fine book Every Day wakes up each day in a new body. We never know if “A” is male or female, because the body “A” inhabits can be either a boy or a girl. Interesting take on the “love has no gender” theme.

Cath Crowley’s Graffiti Moon was written to be read in one sitting. The action takes place in one night and is told from 3 points of view, Lucy, a mysterious graffiti artist called Shadow and his poetry-writing friend Poet. Short and lyrical, this one’s a winner!

Do you like verse novels? Get ready for a heartbreaker in Martine Leavitt’s book My Book of Life by Angel. Parts of this one are hard to read, and the theme is also difficult, but give it a try. 

The Khmer Rouge was a vicious rebel force in Cambodia during the Viet Nam war. Not many fiction books are written concerning this tragic period in history, and that is part of what makes Patricia McCormick’s book Never Fall Down stand out.  This is based on the true story of a young boy forced to become a child soldier in the Killing Fields. 

Out of the Easy by Ruth Sepetys is about Josie, a young woman who grew up in a brothel in 1950’s New Orleans and dreams of attending Smith College in Massachussetts. You will root for her as she struggles to gain her dream.

Horror fans, prepare to fall in love with the book The Reapers Are the Angels, a sleeper by Alden Bell that won the Alex Award (given to a book written for an adult audience but that has teen appeal).  Beautiful language abounds in this zombie apocalypse book whose protagonist is an extremely strong 15 year old girl who has never known a world without zombies. 

Louise Erdrich (author of The Birchbark House among others) is known for her stories of Native Americans. The Round House is a sad story told by 13 year old Joe Coutts who is desperately searching for the truth about what happened the day his mother was brutally assaulted in a sacred building on the reservation where he and his family live. Atmospheric and beautifully written, this story will stay with you for a long time.

So, come check out one or two to get yourself started on next year’s Nutmeg Award nominees!

Some non-fiction books you might have missed

Break These Rules is a series of 35 essays by popular young adult authors who talk about staying true to yourself. Carl Deuker writes sports fiction for teens, and he advises you to ignore the old adage in Don't Quit. On the surface it's about high school sports, but can be translated into many real life situations. There ARE times you should quit; you just have to be able to identify when those times are. Most of the essays are very short, 3 or 4 pages, so it's that kind of book that you can whip out in study hall and read 1 or 2 entries, skipping all around to find ones that sound interesting. The titles are the rules that the authors are advising you to break if you need to. It's Better To Be Safe Than Sorry by Matthew Quick advises on how and when to take chances in life. Boys Don't Cry by Chris Lynch gives everyone permission to cry. It's good for you!  So pick this book up and learn how to break some rules!!

Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple takes a fresh look at some historical women commonly considered to be "bad".  From the book description: "Society has long looked at tough, smart, ambitious women and written them off as bad". The two authors enter into debates over women like Cleopatra, Bonnie Parker, Bloody Mary and others and whether they were truly bad, not-so-bad, or somewhere in between.  An entertaining look at history.  Again, most chapters are quite short.

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler is the true story of a boy who grew up in home being taught that the "Rapture" was imminent, and that Jesus may come down at any moment to take him to heaven. That's pretty exciting when you are little, but upon becoming a teenager, Aaron begins to rebel and discovers that not all truths are in the Bible.  This is a coming-of-age memoir, sensitively and humorously written.

The Goddess in Every Girl by M. J. Abadie encourages girls to thrive in this world despite the patriarchal nature that all too often still exists. It is a book of empowerment teaching all girls how to unleash that goddess within.  It is also a meditation on discovering what's underneath the surface when you look into the mirror.  It includes many activities and challenges that will help you grow into a strong confident woman. Some may find the content irreverent as many bible stories are interpreted in a feminist fashion.

How Not To Be a Dick: An Everyday Etiquette Guide by Meghan Doherty is a practical guide teaching teens how to respect others, be considerate, treat everyone as an individual, empathize, etc in many different situations, from how to end a conversation gracefully when it isn't going well, to how to address a sensitive topic on social media.  This book has some great advice on how to not be a jerk to other people, so pick it up for yourself, or loan it to someone who needs it!

So, you see, not all non-fiction books are textbooks. As a matter of fact, most non-fiction ISN'T textbooks. Come check out the YA non-fiction collection for some really fun and interesting reads.

Maze Runner!

Heads up to all Maze Runner fans!  Here's the official trailer for the movie version coming out in September. James Dashner is one of the screenplay writers, so I have really high hopes for this one!  Check it out here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64-iSYVmMVY

Stars Dylan O'Brien of Teen Wolf fame as Thomas.

New Books On the Shelf!

A few new titles to watch for:

Altered: Crewel World by Gennifer Albin.  Fans of the first book in the series, Crewel, an American Library Association top 10 book of 2013, will look forward to the sequel which takes heroine Adelice to Earth. The love triangle continues, but shifts a bit as secrets are revealed. The ending promises to leave you eagerly waiting for the third and final book to be released.  Put your copy on hold today!

Todd Strasser, always a teen favorite, returns with No Place, a story of a homeless teenager living in a tent city with his family after both parents lose their jobs and subsequently their home. Our protagonist continues to attend high school while adjusting to a life of poverty, free school lunches, special buses, and no pocket money. This is a strong thought-provoking novel with a lot of social conscience. 

Book two of The Obsidian Mirror series is here: The Slanted Worlds by Catherine Fisher (The Relic Master series).  Fisher continues her time travel saga with lots of action, villains and heroes. A skillful blend of fantasy and sci-fi, this one will leave the reader anxious for the next in this proposed four book series.

Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Wintergirls, Chains, etc.) will be happy to know that her new book, The Impossible Knife of Memory, has arrived! Hayley's dad has recently returned from a stint in Iraq and is suffering from depression, PTSD, and consequently, drug addiction. This is a realistic portrayal of a veteran's return from war, and his family's struggle to understand and cope with this beloved but changed person.

A few new titles...

I am currently reading David Levithan's book Two Boys Kissing. From the title and the cover art, I assumed this was going to be light-hearted and fun. Boy was I ever wrong!  This story is narrated by a group of men who died of AIDS a few decades ago. Craig and Harry are trying to break the world record for longest kiss ever and are doing it on the front lawn of their high school.  Ryan and Avery met at a gay prom given at Ryan's high school and are tentatively starting a relationship. Avery has a secret that he fears will mess up his chances at happiness with Ryan. Connor lives with a violent and unaccepting father and lives in a dangerous on-line world that is dark and drawing him in farther and farther each day.  These boys' stories are observed and told by victims of AIDS who intersperse their stories and feelings throughout the book. The differences in the world of 30-40 years ago and present time is striking and bold. This is NOT a light-hearted book at all, but rather one that tackles some pretty difficult issues. 

Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You by Joyce Carol Oates tackles the difficult subjects of suicide and cutting.  The story is not groundbreaking, but Oates' exceptional writing talent makes this one stand out. 

The In-Between by Barbara Stewart is a bizarre story of a young girl, Ellie Moss, whose suicide attempt prompts her family to begin a new life in a small New York community, but a tragic accident along the way a whole new downward spiral for Ellie.  It's hard to know what's real and what's not in this edge of your seat story told by a very unreliable narrator. Hang on to your seat because there are plenty of twists and turns in this one!

Don't forget our One Book One Town teen selections: The Art of Fielding and One Shot at Forever.  Discuss them with friends and classmates on line (link on the teen page) or at one of our scheduled in person book discussions: March 27th at 6 for One Shot at Forever here at the library (pizza will be served), and March 31st at 2:30 in the Trumbull High School media center!  See you all there!

One Book One Town

March is One Book One Town month in Trumbull!  There are actually two books for middle and high school age: the adult selection, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, and an alternate for younger readers, One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard.  Some of you high school students have probably already read The Art of Fielding as it is on the summer reading list for Trumbull High. The protagonist is Henry Skrimshander, a college Freshman with a unique talent for baseball.  After a disastrous error on the field Henry loses his confidence, and the fates of five people hang in the balance.  Trumbull High School media specialist Dean Pelligra and I will host a book discussion in the media center on March 31st at 2:30. Check with your English teachers to see if extra credit will be granted for reading the book and attending the discussion.

The alternate choice, One Shot at Forever, is also a baseball book. This one's a true story about a high school baseball team from a small town in Illinois in the early 70's that defied convention as well as odds to advance to the state finals, led by a very unconventional coach with absolutely no experience.  There is a limited number of books available in the children's department. Come pick up your copy (you get to keep it!) and attend the book discussion here at the library on March 27th at 6 PM in the Kiwanis Room. You will be fed, too! Check out the trailer for this book at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVMlA0cG9LY.  If you liked Friday Night Lights, you will like this book! 

Check out our OBOT events, many of which are for all ages, on our homepage. 

What I'm reading right now

I just started More Than This by Patrick Ness (author of the Chaos Walking trilogy).  I am hooked and totally intrigued so far. Seth dies in the first few pages, a victim of a horrific drowning, and wakes up in what appears to be his old neighborhood in England, only it's completely deserted and desolate.  Very reminiscent of old Twilight Zone episodes. Any of my readers ever watch that moldy oldie?  Little vignettes of his past life sneak in from time to time in what Seth thinks are dreams, but feel all too real to be anything so common as that.  Right now he is exploring the old main street stores and restaurants foraging for food and clothes.  Can't wait to find out what's going on.  Is he in his own personal hell?  Or somewhere even worse?



Just finished Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston. This is a short little book, only 166 pages, that really packs a whollop and throws a lot out there to think about.  Valley (short for Valkyrie) and her brother Bo were raised in the isolated wilderness and trained to be "soldiers" against the government. Although you're never told outright, I believe this takes place in present day America, somewhere probably in the Northwest mountains. At the same time terrifying and sad, this one will grip you and not let go until the very end. 

What are you all reading right now? I'd like to know!