What's Up for Teens
Subscribe to this blog: 
Great Graphic Novels – Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura
You've just been dumped by your celebrity boy/girlfriend do you:
- Tear down the posters, throw away the pictures and otherwise remove all reminders of their presence.
- Sink into a deep funk, get a new blonder hair cut and fashionable clothing.
- Swear revenge on your former significant other by surpassing them in stardom and then ruthlessly crushing them with the full weight of your celebrity. Then they’ll be sorry.
- All of the above
If you were Kyoko Mogami, the main character of Yoshiki Nakamura’s Skip Beat, you’d be circling option “4” so deeply your pencil would snap. Skip Beat tells the story of Kyoko as she, freshly dumped by her arrogant celebrity boyfriend, tries to break into showbiz with the sole purpose of surpassing him. While her less than noble intentions make her no friends (including attracting the disgust of Japan’s #1 young celebrity Ren Tsuruga) and initially sink her chances of stardom, her intensity and overwhelming drive to succeed at her current goal makes her irresistible to the L.M.E Entertainment Company and its bizarre President. Now all she has to do is become an actor. How hard can that be?
Kyoko’s overwhelming drive and intensity sold me on this series despite the fact that, as a guy, I’m somewhat out of the author’s target audience. Her emotions, shifting from seething rage to blissful pleasure to abject terror, are so compellingly depicted that you can’t help but be drawn into her emotional world. Watching her growth as an actor, especially as she transforms so completely into her characters, is amazingly satisfying. Every time she takes on a new role I am excited; I know her new transformation will be even more incredible than the last. The side characters, enemies, allies, and frenemies alike, add a much needed element of comedic balance and pacing to Kyoko’s emotional tempest and help to guide Kyoko (and in a way we readers) deeper into the world of show businesses. After reading Skip Beat, I don’t want to go back.
Don’t miss my other Great Graphic Novel Series
Full Metal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Pluto by Naoki Urasawa
Ready for a Scare?
Enjoy the following recommended scary reads for teens at your library today!
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Cas Lowood, a bold teenage boy, travels around the country to hunt down vengeful ghosts for a living. One day, he was dispatched to hunt down a ghost known as "Anna Dressed in Blood". The locals describe her to be a ruthless spirit, filled with rage and curses and has killed every person she has met in a deserted old house. However, when Cas meets her, she spares his life. What will happen to Cas? Read this chilling and witty story to find out! This title is also available in CD audio book format.
The Last Apprentice* by Joseph Delaney
A series of creepy and suspenseful stories about Thomas Ward, a young farm boy who possess special abilities to see boggarts, ghasts, ghosts and other supernatural beings. He soon becomes an apprentice of the Spook, a man who is well-known for guarding the villages from evil entities. They soon embark on several adventures of protecting villages from invasions of vengeful spirits, witches and monsters. This title is also available in CD audio book, e-book and digital audio book formats.
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Things were normal for Lexi, a rebellious teenage girl who lives with her parents and younger sister in a beautiful victorian home. However, her younger sister starts behaving strangely and unusual occurrences start happening in her house, where doors open and close and kitchen appliances turn on by themselves. Lexi decides to investigate and soon discovers frightening facts about previous occupants of the house. What will Lexi do? Read this suspenseful story to find out! This title is also available in e-book format.
*series
Great Graphic Novels - Full Metal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Can you put a price on a human life?
Alchemists Ed and Alphonse Elric are “Alchemists,” magicians with the ability to use the magic of equivalent exchange to transform raw matter. They can turn lead into gold, rebuild buildings from rubble, and turn scrap metal into deadly weaponry. Despite all their power, no alchemist can bring the dead to life. Trying it quite literally costs Ed an arm and a leg (which he replaces with mechanical contraptions) and costs Alphonse even more. Now they are on the hunt to find the mythical “philosopher’s stone” the only thing said to be able to restore their missing limbs. Their quest puts them at odds with an outrageous and deadly array of enemies and brings them face to face with a conspiracy at the very heart of their nation.
If you like a compelling story with plenty action and comedy, you should definitely check out Full Metal Alchemist, even if you’ve never touched a Japanese comic in your life. It is not only one of the best but also one of the most accessible manga I have read. Hiromu Arakawa brings her characters to life, both through the dialogue and her distinct character designs. In addition, the series’ setting (a sort of early 1900s steam punk America or Europe) lacks many of the Japanese manga tropes and conventions that prove most confusing to American readers. Finally the fight scenes are exciting and use “alchemy” in incredibly creative ways, though definitely violent enough to justify its “teen” rating.
If comic books and manga aren’t your style or if you just can’t get enough of the alchemical goodness, the library also has this series on DVD and as a novel.
Let me know what you think of Full Metal Alchemist, and leave me a comment about any other series you think deserve to be called great.
Don't miss my other Great Graphic Novel Series
Free SAT Essay Workshop
Teens, learn how to write a great essay for the SAT test in this FREE workshop presented by Kaplan on Wednesday, October 3, at 6:00 PM in the Almaden Branch Library.
Get advice about what essay graders are looking for.
Learn strategies on writing effective essays for the SAT.
This workshop will include practice essay writing and evaluation.
The essay portion of the SAT is important: "The first section you'll see on the SAT Writing component is the essay — and it counts for one-third of your 800-point Writing score.... For the essay portion of the SAT, your task is to write a short, persuasive essay on an assigned topic. The word, persuasive, is key. You can write a compelling essay on a meaningful experience, but if you have not offered good reasons to see things from a particular point of view, you won't score well." (www.kaptest.com)
Pre-registration is required for this workshop. To sign up, please call the library at 408-808-3040 or visit the library's Information Desk during business hours. You will need to provide your name, phone number, and email address.
Family Open House ~ Casa Abierta Para Familias
Now that school has started again, this is a great opportunity to find out what your neighborhood library, Joyce Ellington Branch (491 E. Empire St., San José, CA) has to offer to kids, teens and their families at our Open House event on Tuesday, September 25th from 6pm - 7:30pm.
Come join us in a fun and educational night with a craft activities, games, prizes, information on homework resources, goodies and more!
For more information, contact the Joyce Ellington Library at (408) 808-3043.
Ahora que la escuela ha comenzado de nuevo, esta es una gran oportunidad para descubrir lo que su biblioteca vecindario - la Biblioteca Joyce Ellington (491 E. Empire St., San José, CA) tener para ofrecer a los niños, los adolescentes y sus familias en nuestro evento de Casa Abierta - el martes, 25 de septiembre de 6pm - 7:30pm.
¡Están invitados a una noche divertida y educativa con manualidades, juegos, premios, información sobre los recursos para ayuda con las tardeas, gololsinas y mucho mas!
Para más información, contacte la Biblioteca Joyce Ellington al (408) 808-3043.
Homework Center at the Alviso Branch Library
Starting Wednesday, September 19th at 1pm, the Alviso Branch Library's Homework Center (5050 N. First St., San José, CA 95002) will again continue to offer a tutor to help students in grades K-9 with their homework in the subject areas of math, science, reading or writing.
The weekly schedule for the Alviso Library's Homework Center will be:
Wednesdays 1pm-5pm
Thursdays 2pm-6pm
Fridays 2pm-6pm
Some one-on-one sessions will be available on Saturdays.
(*Please contact the Alviso Library to sign-up.)
Registration is required for all participating in the Alviso Library's Homework Center.
*Please contact the Alviso Library for signing up for participating in the Homework Center at (408) 263-3626 or by e-mail at je.sjpl@sjlibrary.org.
Friends of the Alviso Library Booksale Event!
The Friends of the Alviso Branch Library are having a booksale event this coming -
Saturday, September 15th from 10am-4pm in the Alviso Library's Community Room.
This is a great opportunity to purchase used books and media (dvds, music cds, vhs video, etc.) in different languages, genres and for all ages.
Come show your support for your neighborhood library, the Alviso Branch by purchasing these gently used books and media!
Proceeds from this booksale event will go to help support programs at the Alviso Branch Library!
We encourage everyone to be green by bringing their own reusable bag for purchases made at this booksale event.
For more information or to volunteer at this booksale event, please contact the Alviso Branch Library at (408) 263-3626 or by e-mail at al.sjpl@sjlibrary.org
Advanced Craft: Felt Pencil Bags at the Berryessa Library
Teens and tweens: join us for a fun craft and sew your own pencil case. Bring your friends or make some new ones, and join in the fun.
Location: Berryessa Branch Library
Room : Community Room
Date Time: Thursday, September 13, 2012 - 1:30pm
SAT Practice Test at Edenvale Branch Library
Find out how you would score on the SAT.
Take a full length practice SAT test, proctored by Princeton Review on Wednesday, September 26, at 3:30 PM.
This is a great opportunity to try your hand at the types of questions you will see on the actual test. The test takes around 4 hours to complete.
Pre-registration is required. Please pre-register at Edenvale Branch Library's "Info" Desk or by calling 408-808-3036.
Come back for the Strategy Session on Tuesday, October 8, 2012 at 5:00 PM to receive a personalized score report.
Graphic Novel Contest--Congratulations!
SJPL’s Graphic Novel Making Contest wrapped up with an awards ceremony at Berryessa Branch Library on Saturday, August 25th. 250 people attended to hear the names of winners announced across four age categories. All attendees received refreshments, free tickets to the San Jose Museum of Art, and complimentary comic books/graphic novels (also donations).
Booklets with the winning entries in each category will be available through circulation and online (as PDFs) via the SJPL catalog now! In the meantime, check out a few photos from the ceremony:
Interests
Tags
1st Grade Booklist books business children eBooks fiction films kids King Library music reading teensBlog Archives
- May 2013 (51)
- April 2013 (52)
- March 2013 (67)
- February 2013 (62)
