The audiobook pairings will include a popular YA title and a classic that connects with the YA title’s theme and is likely to show up on a student’s summer reading lists. For example, Grave Mercy, an epic tale of assassins and revenge is paired with the classic paranoid murder play Hamlet. Check the summer download schedule to find your new favorites. I’m especially excited for Raven Boys the week of June 13-19, since it’s one of my favorite books that I have read in the past year.

You can also download awesome audiobooks with your library card year round at Overdrive and OneClickDigital. Share your favorite audiobooks in the comments!

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Israel

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 Colleen

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Adrienne

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Harrison

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Hannah

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Anika

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Noah

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 Seungju

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Yeju

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The super popular books Twilight and The Hunger Games might come to mind when you think of teen books. However, there is a lot more to the genre than fighting to the death or falling in love with vampires. Teen books are growing in popularity and now is a great time to come over to the Kids Library, specifically David J’s, and check some out. According to the Association of American Publishers, childrens and teen book revenues increased by 17.6 percent in 2012, while adult books only increased by 7 percent. Many authors of adult books have capitalized on the trend by crossing over to writing teen books, like James Patterson, Harlan Coben, Kathy Reichs, Philippa Gregory and Jodi Picoult.

Some adults are embarrassed to read teen books, but this attitude will cause you to miss out on an amazing genre. Avoiding young adult books because you aren’t a teen is like avoiding the Game of Thrones series because you don’t have a dragon. That said, there are some  books that will probably appeal to adults more than others. Here are some of my picks:

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

This book would be great for adult readers who love thrillers and for fans of the TV show Dexter. Jazz is the son of the world’s most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, “Take Your Son to Work Day” was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could–from the criminals’ point of view. And now, even though Dad has been in jail for years, bodies are piling up in the sleepy town of Lobo’s Nod. Again. In an effort to prove murder doesn’t run in the family, Jazz joins the police in the hunt for this new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret–could he be more like his father than anyone knows? From acclaimed author Barry Lyga comes a riveting thriller about a teenager trying to control his own destiny in the face of overwhelming odds.

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Adult readers who like self discovery travel stories like Eat, Pray, Love will be swept away by this book. When sheltered American good girl Allyson first encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem at an underground performance of Twelfth Night, there’s an undeniable spark. So when fate brings them together a second time, Allyson takes an uncharacteristic leap, changes course, and follows Willem to Paris. After just one day together, the spark bursts into a flame…until Allyson wakes up after a whirlwind day shocked to discover that Willem is gone. A life upended in one day turns into a year of self-discovery as Allyson embarks on a journey to break free from a lifetime of limits in order to find her true passions, and maybe even a true love. Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels.

White Cat by Holly Black

I recommend White Cat for adult readers who enjoy stories about crime families like the Sopranos and like twisty, turny plots. The first in a trilogy, this gritty, fast-paced fantasy is rife with the unexpected. Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn’t fit in at home or at school, so he’s used to feeling like an outsider. He’s also used to feeling guilty–he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago. But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas– and a plan to con the conmen.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Romantic readers who like light, happy books like those by Sophie Kinsella will love Anna and the French Kiss. Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris- until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna has long awaited?

The Fight by L. Divine

Urban fiction fans who like gritty, real life stories will enjoy this book. After a summer of bliss with boyfriend KJ, Jayd Jackson returns to South Bay High (aka Drama High) to discover that she’s been dumped, her former best friend is out to get her and KJ’s new girl is looking to knock her out. With drama at an all-time high, Jayd, with a little help from Mama and her mystical bag of tricks, is about to get some lessons in who’s really got her back – and, more importantly, when she’s got to watch it.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners is a suspenseful fantasy book set in the 1920′s with a touch of romance and humor. Basically, it has something for everyone. Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City–and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult–also known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies.” When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer–if he doesn’t catch her first.

If you’re already reading young adult books, what would you recommend?

The way that the words are arranged on the page can also make them more powerful. Look at this exerpt from Impulse by popular verse author Ellen Hopkins.

The way that she separated certain words gives them more impact and creates a flow that makes you want to read the lines out loud. All the extra white space on the pages means that you can read verse novels more quickly than normal novels, but you will probably appreciate the book more if you slow down and savor the poetry.

Check out these novel in verse from the library:

Teens can put together their own amazing little invention and discover how robotics work at the Electronic Inventions program March 14 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. They will combine electronic parts from a Littlebits kit to build miniature robot-like objects and circuit boards which light up. Check out this video for a preview:

“The focus this year is introducing tech-savvy teens to old technology,” said Jean Marshall, Youth Services Specialist. “Teens will be able to get their hands on old technology that they may have never seen before and experience it.”

Teen Tech Week, March 10–16, is a national, annual event that promotes the use of technology, tools and services for teen library users. Read teen-specific blog posts this week and all year round on our Teen web page.

The library’s youth services staff is committed to serving this energy-filled demographic all year round, with two areas in the library, David J’s and The Edge, and programs that include everything from Open-Mic Night to how to cook for yourself. The library’s Oveson-Campbell Homework Center offers time dedicated to teen students.

March 10-16, 2013 is Teen Tech Week at the library! Teen Tech Week is a chance to showcase the outstanding technology TSCPL offers for free, like e-books, music downloads, video games to check out, Playaway audiobooks, databases and more. Check in at your library to use all of these resources.

We’re also celebrating Teen Tech Week with fun technology programs:

Technology Through the Ages [12–18 years]
Teen Tech Week gives you an opportunity to experience the old and the new of all things technological. You can play with examples of old technology like a transistor radio, cassette player, a typewriter, and more. Speculate as to why some inventions fail, predict what’s to come, and explore the fictional side of technology.
■ The Edge
Wed    Mar 13    3:30–4:30 pm

Electronic Inventions [12–18 years]
Unlock your creativity and assemble electronic components from our kit to make your own awesome invention. You can also make an LED light throwie. This Teen Tech Week program lets you explore electronics and engineering.
■ The Edge
Thu    Mar 14    3:30–4:30 pm

Are you a high school student who wants to go to college? The first step in the college financial aid process is to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). On Sunday, February 24, you can get hands-on help completing the FAFSA from financial aid professionals. This free program is called College Goal Sunday and will be at the Washburn University Henderson Learning Resources Center (Room 100). 

One student who attends the Topeka College Goal Sunday program will win a $500 scholarship to the school of their choice.  The winner must be a first-semester freshman in the fall of 2013.

You’ll need to bring some information to fill out the FAFSA. In order to complete the FAFSA at the College Goal Sunday Program, you and your parents will need the following:

• Social Security number (can be found on Social Security card)
• Driver’s license (if any)
• 2012 income tax return (if completed)
• 2012 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
• 2012 untaxed income records – Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
• Your latest bank statement
• 2012 business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
• Your alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)

This program is free. It’s a service supported by the Lumina Foundation and coordinated by the Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (KASFAA). The annual event is sponsored by USA Funds and Lumina Foundation for Education.

We’re getting in the spirit of the 1920′s at the library during February because of our Big Read Great Gatsby events. The Diviners is an excellent book to read this month, with plenty of suspense and 1920′s flavor!

Evie O’Neill is a small town girl with the mysterious power to see a person’s memories when she touches an object that belongs to them. She mistakenly reveals this power (and the town golden boy’s scandalous exploits) one drunken night and becomes the town pariah. Her parents send her off to live with her uncle in New York City as a punishment, but Evie is secretly thrilled to start an adventure. Evie definitely get her wish when she is drawn in to help investigate a series of grisly murders with a paranormal twist.

The Diviners has a large cast of characters and during the first part of the novel it was a little hard for me to keep everyone straight. However, by the end of the book I felt like I knew them personally and was sad to leave their world on the last page. Thankfully, this is the first book in a series. Bray does a great job capturing the giddy feeling of New York in the jazz age with wonderful slang and fashion. The chapters follow the perspective of different characters, which offers fascinating insights into their pasts and interactions with each other. Several chapters are from the point of view of the murder victims and they are truly chilling. I really enjoyed this book and I hope you’ll check it out!

Celebrate the 1920′s with these Big Read programs:

Monday, February 11  | 4:00–5:00 PM  | Marvin Auditorium 101AB
Great Gatsby Party [11–18 years]
Be like Gatsby and step back into the 1920s with music, dancing, food and fashion of the time. While you are there get your gangster on with a game of poker or some target practice (nerf gun style).

Monday, February 25 | 3:30–4:30 PM |  The Edge
Flapper Headbands [12–18 years]
Capture some Gatsby glamour by making a 1920’s flapper headband. Use beads, ribbon, feathers and more to create beautiful and fashionable headbands inspired by the book The Great Gatsby.

Check out The Diviners book trailer!

Nora and her friends are excited for school to be over and are ready to have a fun, carefree summer in June 1956. They love dancing to Elvis, watching James Dean movies, and dreaming of the cute boys at their high school. Everything seems safe and normal in their quiet town until two of Nora’s friends are brutally killed one morning while walking to school. Mister Death’s Blue-Eyed Girls examines the aftermath of the vicious double murder mostly through the eyes of Nora, a friend of the victims. There are also sections from the perspective of the boy who everyone thinks is the murderer, diary entries of the victims, and even the killer himself.

I loved Mary Downing Hahn’s ghost stories when I was younger; especially Wait till Helen Comes, so I was very excited to read this book. It is based loosely on an event that happened in the author’s life and according to this interview, she has been struggling with telling this story for 30 years. The 1950’s setting is fascinating and the details make the setting feel real without dumping a history lesson on the reader.

Mister Death’s Blue-Eyed Girls is an emotional read. Hahn doesn’t shy away from tough questions as Nora tries to come to terms with the murder and questions her faith in God. The scenes with Buddy, the boy accused of being the killer are especially intense and heartbreaking. All of the emotions feel very real and you can tell that this story is very personal to Hahn. I definitely recommend this well-written book!

We’ll be cooking up some vampire bite cookies, challenging ourselves with trivia, making a Twilight themed craft and watching Breaking Dawn Part 1. Feel free to dress up in costume. It will be a party to rival Bella and Edward’s wedding! But it probably won’t be crashed by an angsty werewolf.

Catch up on the Twilight saga with these books and movies: