Saying Goodbye Is So Hard to Do...

The young adult collection at FPL has grown by leaps and bounds the last 6 1/2 years that I have been lucky enough to be in charge of it.  The materials are getting checked out a lot more and the Teen Zone space itself has become more inviting and comfortable for teens to hang out in.  But with all this growth, I also experience overcrowding and dare I say it...too many books for the limited space I have.

So I try to periodically, at least once a year, weed the section.  This means that I take a look at the books that have not been checked out for a few years.  There are a lot of things I take into consideration when I look at these books and decide whether or not to get rid of them (I won't bore you with the details), but some books I just cannot decide whether to get rid of or keep.  That is where YOU come in.

Right now in the Teen Zone area, there are two displays of books that will be deleted from the teen collection forever unless you come and check them out! Now, maybe you will look at them and nothing sounds even remotely interesting to you and you will think, "Please get rid of these!".  But maybe you will find a diamond in the rough, a jewel of a book that you would never have picked up before because it was hidden amongst all the other newer books in the teen section.

So when you are in the Teen Zone the next time you are in the library, take a look at those unloved books that are marked for deletion, pick one up, check it out and give it the chance to see the light of another day.

Miss Keri

The 2014 MCTBA (Milwaukee County Teen Book Award)

As a member of the Milwaukee County Teen Book Award committee, I have a lot of fun reading books throughout the year that might be potential candidates.  As a committee, we have the task of wheedling all the great books we think are contenders down to just 15 nominees.  This year might have been the easiest year yet.  We all pretty much agreed right away who were our top picks.  And the nominees are....

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Winger by Andrew Smith

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The 5^th Wave by Rick Yancey

Check out the MCTBA blog at mctba.wordpress.org for reviews of all the nominated books and to cast your vote for who you think should win this year's Milwaukee County Teen Book Award!

You can also stay up-to-date on what's happening with the MCTBA via Twitter @MCTBAward

Miss Keri

So, Catching Fire Was Awesome...

If you haven't seen the new Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie, what are you waiting for? I went and saw it on opening night and I have to say that it was much better than the first movie and then there was the addition of  Finnick (YUM). Even though I knew what was going to happen having read the book, the movie still created a great sense of suspense and tension for me.  I was on the edge of my seat for a few of the scenes :).  The whole of the film really played on the tension between the government and the people in the Districts and the idea that revolution could be a real possibility.  I don't want to give away any spoilers, but Katniss was so clueless....:)
As far as the cast goes, I thought that Jenna Malone did an excellent job as Johanna Mason and I grew to like Josh Hutcherson more as Peeta in this movie (I was really skeptical of him in the first movie; I didn't really feel like he really embodied Peeta). I loved Jennifer Lawrence and her performance was once again spot on. Woody Harrelson is such a great Haymitch that I wish that his part was much bigger as he always brings a little sass to his scenes. I absolutely love Phillip Seymour Hoffman and I am very excited to see him more in the next movie.
The movie followed the book very closely and it made me really excited for Mockingjay, but who knows how long I will have to wait for that?!  On the bright side though, they did run the Divergent trailer in the previews and I think that will tide me over for a bit.

So go and see Catching Fire, it is totally worth it!

Miss Keri