ESL Teen Talk is an awesome program at the Library for ESL teens from 10 - 14 years old. It's a fun and casual place to practice your English conversation skills.
There are NO tests and NO grades - just lots of fun games and activities! You may even win some prizes.
To register for ESL Teen Talk at your Library, click here! You can also give us a shout at 403-260-2620.
J.D. Salinger, acclaimed author of Catcher in the Rye, died this past Wednesday.
You can read about Salinger here.
Celebrate his life (and Freedom to Read week) by reading Catcher in the Rye, which has been banned more times than I can count.
I'm sick of vampires. How about you? Even if you love them, maybe you've read all the good vampire fiction out there. Not to worry - there's a new supernatural being stealing hearts and souls in YA Fiction!
Angels seem to be popping up everywhere lately. Fallen angels are especially prevalent, possibly because they're rebels, which is always fun. If you're hankering for some heavenly (or not-so-heavenly) romance, try one of these!
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Fallen, by Lauren Kate
Kissed by an Angel, by Elizabeth Chandler
Eternal, by Cynthia Leitich Smith
If you want to hear about the hottest new books, movies, and contests for teens... follow us on Twitter!
https://twitter.com/CPLTeenZone
This will mostly be Stephen and I talking - just like on this blog.
BONUS: You'll get a sneak-peek at what our NEW teen website is going to look like!
This post is the second in Laura's Manga Mania series.
Naruto and Bleach are both team-centered shonen adventure series which star blond spiky-haired troublemaking teenagers. Both heroes have enormous power and a desire to protect everyone. The series are epically long (over 40 volumes each and growing), with complicated plots and a huge cast of characters.
For some reason, anime and manga fans have taken it upon themselves to pit Naruto and Bleach against one another. So I urge you, read them both, get in on the action, and pick your team!
Bleach
Art and story by: Tite Kubo
Teenage trouble-maker Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see spirits. But his trouble really begins when he meets Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki. He accidentally inherits her shinigami (death god) powers, and is forced to take up her task of sending lost souls to the afterlife and defending humans from evil spirits.
Bleach is an ongoing series, and the English translations are currently at volume 28, with a new volume coming out in December. It’s currently one of the hottest series in Japan, and has sold over 40 million copies. Bleach is so popular, it’s inspired several Original Video Animations (OVAs), animated feature films, rock musicals, video games, and a plethora of other merchandise.
Some fun facts:
You will notice the appearance of the number 15 in background art and costume design. This is because the name Ichigo can be broken up into “ichi” and “go,” which in Japanese are the words for “1” and “5.” The word “ichigo” also means “strawberry,” something that the hero is often teased about. His father meant for “Ichigo” to mean “he who protects." With Japanese kanji, it all depends on how you spell it!
Naruto
Art and story by: Masashi Kishimoto
Naruto is a story about an adolescent ninja, Naruto Uzumaki, whose skill is pulling pranks. However, his dream is to prove himself by becoming the leader and most powerful ninja in the village, the Hokage. Although this seems to be a pipe-dream, it’s not out of his reach. After all, he’s the vessel of an enormous power: the nine-tailed fox demon.
This series is ongoing, and available in English up to volume 46. The next volume is due out in December. Naruto has sold over 89 million copies in Japan and is the inspiration for: several sequels, original video animations (OVAs), novellas, video games, trading card games, and much more!
Some fun facts:
The name “Uzumaki” literally means “coil.” You will find images of coils throughout this manga (especially noticeable on Naruto’s belly). The word “naruto” is the Japanese word for a steamed fish-paste cake (looks like a flower with a coil in the middle) which is used to decorate soup or ramen -- Naruto’s favourite thing!
Books are regularly challenged, banned and censored in Canada! See this post for more info on banned books.
February 21 - 27 is Freedom to Read Week, a time when we celebrate intellectual freedom - your right to read, write or view whatever you want.
And we're having a contest! Submit a short essay about your experiences with censorship (has a book been banned at your school?) or about what "freedom to read" means to you. Then win prizes!
Click here for details and the entry form!
If you're a writer or artist, you can win a trip to Ottawa and other prizes!
I'm talking about the Mathieu Da Costa Challenge, which celebrates diversity in Canada. All you have to do is enter a piece of writing or artwork which "celebrates the contributions made by Canadians of Aboriginal, African, or other backgrounds to the building of Canada."
The winners get an all-expenses paid trip to Ottawa, VIP seating at the Mathieu Da Costa Awards Ceremony, and other mystery prizes!
For details, ask at your Library or check the contest website: www.mathieudacosta.gc.ca.
Try this list of awesome magic fantasy books, which was created by Larissa at Louise Riley. Thanks, Larissa!
The Princess and the Bear, by Mette Ivie Harrison
The Good Neighbors, vol. 1: Kin, by Holly Black
Elf Realm: the Low Road, by Daniel Kirk
How to Ditch Your Fairy, by Justine Larbalestier
Once a Witch, by Carolyn MacCullough
Into the Wild, by Sarah Beth Durst
M is for Magic, by Neil Gaiman
There is only one day left in the New Moon contest! The deadline is December 31 at midnight, so send your reviews, writing and art ASAP. You can enter up to 10 times!
Want to win the awesome New Moon prize pack pictured above? It's easy!
We are getting ready to launch a new Teen website for the Library. On this site, you'll be able to post reviews, art, and writing! But we need some stuff to put on the site for the launch. So send me your stuff, and you'll be entered to win!
The Rules:
1) For every item you send me, you will get one entry. You can send as many items as you want!
2) Reviews must be of books that the Library has in its collection (double check with the search). They should include the title and author of the book. They can be as long or short as you want, but you may want to mention plot, characters, and entertainment factor.
3) Other creative stuff: you also get one entry for each piece of art, photography, or writing (poetry, short stories, non-fiction) that you send!
4) Send your stuff to katie.edwards@calgarypubliclibrary.com by December 31 at midnight. Include your first name and your age.
Prizes:
Grand Prize: 3 full-size movie posters pictured above; keychain; buttons; New Moon tote bag (Bella and the Vamps on one side, Volturi seal on the other)
Second Prize: 3 full size movie posters pictured above; keychain
Third Prize: New Moon keychain
So what are you going to do over the break? Try some of these great "cold" books! . . . And if you're at Nosehill Library, ask for Barbara Longair, the magnificent librarian who created this list.
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
Bonechiller, by Graham McNamee
Life As We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Once Upon a Time in the North, by Philip Pullman
Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss
What is it about a good mystery that we love so much? Is it the clever titles? The way they combine the crime with the profession of the victim in a way which is not lame at all?
Supermarket Cashier = Murder in Aisle 3
Optometrist = Is This One Clearer, Or Is It Murder!!??
Ok one more
Fast Food Employee = Would You Like to Murder Size that!?
That was one too many…
Mysteries are a staple of the top seller lists. Authors like Agatha Christie, John Grisham and of course, Dan Brown, have sold a lot of books... a whole lot. So why do so many of us like mysteries? Many believe it all boils down to a need in us to see reason triumph over uncertainty and chaos. We like to know we’re in control and tying up loose ends is a great way to unwind. Others just like a good puzzle. A mystery can get you thinking, and a well written one can be a satisfying challenge like a crossword, a Sudoku or my arch nemesis… Origami.
Whether you like to read mysteries, watch mysteries or just act mysteriously sometimes, the Calgary Public Library can help you out. We've got mysteries for adults, mysteries for children and mysteries written with a teen audience in mind. The next time you visit the Library take a look at the mystery section, you might find something you'll love!
p.s. Don't steal those mystery titles, I'm definitely going to write those someday... well maybe not the last one.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
As Simple As Snow.
I love talking about this book because I still haven't figured out what happend. If you think you're up to the challenge, give this one a try. Then E-mail me with the answer cause it's really really really bugging me... seriously I can't figure it out.
Something Rotten.
The first entry in the Horatio Wilkes series, Something Rotten is based on your favourite play, Hamlet!
If Hamlet isn't your favourite play, then don't worry, it's only BASED on Hamlet. If you like this one be sure
to check out the next in the series: Something Wicked (can you guess which play that one's based on?)
Drawing a Blank: or How I Tried to Solve a Mystery, end a Feud and Land the Girl of My Dreams.
Ummm.... what the title said. Also, it's good!
Christmas was introduced to Japan in the 16th century with the arrival of the first Europeans, but it has only become a popular holiday recently. As with a Canadian Christmas, there are decorations, music, traditional foods, and presents. But somehow, Japanese Christmases have taken on some unique characteristics. For instance, they eat KFC rather than turkey in Japan. They enjoy strawberry shortcake instead of fruitcake. And they wait for Hotei Osho, not Santa Claus.
But the most significant difference is that Christmas in Japan is a holiday for couples, rather than families – think Valentine’s Day! It has become a favourite day for romance, and is often featured in shoujo (girls’) manga!
High School Debut (Volume 4)
Story and art by Kazune Kawahara
Meet tomboy Haruna. After dedicating her Junior High years to softball and shoujo manga, she has decided that her High School years are going to be committed to being in love and having a boyfriend. But she has a problem: she just doesn’t know how to attract boys. Luckily, handsome and popular Yoh knows what boys like about girls. On the condition that she doesn’t fall in love with him, he agrees to become Haruna’s love coach.
In volume 4, Haruna decides that she’s going to plan her and Yoh’s first Christmas together. Typically, she dives in heart first, turning their Christmas into a total production. This is one of my favourite shoujo Christmas moments: it’s full of angst, comedy, and of course, romance!
Ultra Cute (Volume 8)
Story and art by Nami Akimoto
When rivals Ami and Noa meet Tamon and Hiro, they are shocked to discover they DON’T fall in love with the same boy. Tamon and Hiro seem like cute, likeable boys, but they’re actually planning a mean prank on the girls. When Ami discovers this, she decides to get revenge.
Volume 8 is an angsty shoujo-style Christmas. Ami is excited to spend her Christmas with Tamon, but her plans are ruined when Sana is injured and it seems to be Tamon’s fault. When Sana requests that Tamon visit her in the hospital, will Ami be able to trust him or will jealousy get the better of her?
Sugar Princess
Story and art by Hisaya Nakajo
This is a short 2-volume shoujo series about first time skater Maya Kurinoki. After making an impression on skating coach Eijo Toda, she becomes the partner of Shun Kano, a professional skater. Although he agrees to train her, he has no interest in become partners with anyone – especially a novice. But when they learn that the rink is going to be shut down due to lack of funding, the two will have to pair up in order to save it!
YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) has released their list of this year's finalists for the Award of Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. If you are at Crowfoot Library, ask our very own Betsy Fraser about the books - she helped create the list!
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
In the early 1960s, the doctor in charge of testing NASA’s astronauts decided to find out if female pilots were capable of passing the grueling qualification tests required of male pilots. Feasible? Yes. Allowed? No. All testing of women’s potential for the Mercury program was done outside NASA’s purview and without their permission. The reasons why will stun readers.
Charles and Emma: the Darwin's Leap of Faith
After creating a list of the pros and cons of marriage, science-minded Charles Darwin chooses to marry his strictly religious first cousin. Little does he know that he is about to embark upon the most loving, creative, and intellectually important relationship of his life.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Hoose recounts the largely untold story of Claudette Colvin, who was arrested and jailed at the age of 15 after refusing to relinquish her seat on a bus to a white woman. Interviews with Colvin create a vivid picture not only of the Montgomery bus boycott but also the Browder v. Gayle case, in which she was a key defendant. (This won the National Book Award!)
The Great and Only Barnum: the Tremendous and Stupendous Life of the Showman P.T. Barnum
Thrill to the audacity! Gasp at the hucksterism! Come one, come all to the jaw-dropping, larger-than-life biography of expert humbugger, relentless curiosity seeker, and unparalleled showman P. T. Barnum.
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
By presenting a detailed examination into the work of different types of forensic archaeology at excavations in both Jamestown, Virginia, and Colonial Maryland, readers are rewarded with both a picture of this fascinating work and an appreciation for what it contributes to our knowledge of history.
... So who do you think should win?
Sometimes, the Library doesn't have the book, CD, or DVD that you really want. What do you do?
Tell us! Your opinion counts, and we often end up buying the stuff you want!
AND if we buy the item you ask for, we'll automatically put it on hold for you when we get it. Aren't we nice?
To get to the "Suggest a Title" page, click here or go to our homepage and click on "Contact Us" and then "Suggest a title."
When you see an acronym do you spell it out, or do you try to pronounce it the way it's written? Personally I like to try to pronounce it, so when I talk about M.M.O.R.P.G's I'm talking about mmmorpgeh's... mmorpjeh's... mmmorpguh's?
Well what I'm really talking about are Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games
. Of course you knew that already though right? If you didn't, you might not know what a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game is, so let's start there. A MMORPG is a video game which is played online massively... role-playing multi... it's an online game where you can play with others in a virtual (usually fantasy) environment. Many such games like Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft require you to create a character which you then improve upon by gaining experience, earning money and acquiring items within the virtual world. This is done by completing quests and killing things and killing things some more.
MMORPG's have become a social and anti-social (yep apparently that makes sense) phenomenon over the past decade. Game addiction has been compared to an addiction to gambling or even alcohol, as cases of divorce, job dismissal and even death have been tied 
to an excess of online gaming. In Shanghai a player was convicted of murdering another in real life over a disputed piece of virtual property after an attempt to involve the police failed. (They don't have laws which cover virtual property) The question of virtual property itself is creating economic interest, as these virtual items can sometimes be sold for real money on auction sites such as eBay.
With millions of players online worldwide (an estimated 30% of the population of South Korea is registered), MMORPG's are becoming more and more relevant each year. So what do you think? Do you play? If so, then which game? Will virtual life replace real life in a dystopian future ruled by robots?
Or, as in Conor Kostick's Epic, maybe a MMORPG will control every facet of real life: your school, your job, how much money you make... until a rebel teenager upsets the balance, of course.
Also, don't forget to check out some of our real life resources on virtual reality. Mmorpgeuh!
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