Monday, July 26, 2010

How to Ruin Your Boyfriend’s Reputation, by Simone Elkeles

In this sequel to How to Ruin a Summer Vacation and How to Ruin my Teenage Life, 17 year old American Amy Nelson-Barak finds herself lonely because her boyfriend Avi is off serving his mandatory military training time in Israel. So she packs up her bags and makeup kit, and along with her friends Jessica, Miranda and Nathan fly to Israel to sign up for a summer of training with the Israel Defense Force!

Amy didn’t count on the lousy bed springs, bad indoor plumbing, and mediocre food. But she’s even more surprised with Avi doesn’t seem happy to see her! What’s the problem???

This is a fun novel, and it gives us a glimpse into the mandatory military training in Israel. It’s a light read – perfect for the summer months! And don't miss this fun YouTube trailer for the book!

Robbie

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Looking for a good book to read? Check out NoveList, the library's special online service that recommends terrific books to read! It's fun and easy to use. Grab your library card and surf to the Greensboro Public Library's homepage. Cick on DATABASES at the top of the screen. On the next webpage, skim down to find the link for NoveList. Remember, you'll neeed your library card number to get in.

Once inside, enjoy NoveList's simple search features. Type in a few key words to describe the type of book you'd like to read, click the "Teens" option, and search to find a great assortment of terrific young adult books. Each comes with a detailed plot description and a link to our catalog so you can put it on hold!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Gossip Girl, by Cecily Von Ziegesar

"This book is a very good read for anyone who likes, or spreads, gossip. Gossip Girl, as she calls herself, is spreading vicious rumors about Selena, all of them are untrue, but noboby wants to doubt a gossip. In this book, Selena is back from boarding school in France, and not everybody is fond of her being back at Constance High. Blair, Selena's former best friend, is especially angry. When Selena left, she was the most popular girl. But will that change? Read the book and find out." ~ Mandie, 8th grade, Columbia Middle School

Friday, July 2, 2010


Have
a
Fun,
Safe
July 4th!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Modern British Poetry: "The world is never the same,” edited by Michelle Houle

I must make a confession: I am not a great lover of poetry. Rhyming couplets, dramatic monologues, blank verse, stanzas and quatrains??? It's mostly just blah blah blah to me. So I was a little surprised with I picked up a copy of Modern British Poetry: “The world is never the same,” part of the Poetry Rocks series, and found myself liking what I found! The author, Michelle Houle, has done a nice job pulling together interesting information about eleven British writers from the 19th and 20th century, showing the reader one our two of their more famous poems, and then helping the reader understand what the key messages are in the poems being showcased. It even comes with its own small glossary of terms often used to describe poetry.

Sure, some of the authors I had previously heard of, like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Alfred Lord Tennyson and W. B. Yeats. But others were unknown to me. For example, I happened to find a small chapter devoted to Wilfred Owen, who enlisted in the army and served in the front trenches in France during World War I. His poem Dulce et Decorum Est (Latin for "It is sweet and right to die for one's country") poignantly brought out the horror of watching a fellow soldier die during a gas attack in World War I. Of course, once you've read one interesting section, you want to press on to see what's cool about the next writer. I hope you’ll give this little book a chance!