Growing up in medieval England, Catherine would rather master the fine art of wind-breaking than the more gentle skills of weaving or spinning. In hopes of helping Catherine overcome her overly-willful, tomboyish nature and grow into a proper Lady, Catherine's brother, Edward, gives her the daunting task of keeping a daily journal. What follows is a hilarious account of English manor life seen through the eyes of the book's spunky, opioniated heroine as she invents cuss words, takes near daily joy in pinching Perkin the goat boy, pens off-color songs, and artfully foils her Father's plans to marry her off ("sell her like cheese") to some highly unsuitable suitors. And that doesn't even include that whole disaster with the privy... Catherine Called Birdy is an exceptionally entertaining gem that will have you LOL-ing throughout. This one's not to be missed! Check it out today! --AJL
Read Books, Attend Programs, Win Cool Prizes!
Hey Teens! If you are going into 6th Grade or higher in the fall, you can sign up for OPL's Teen Summer Reading program. This summer's theme is You Are Here, and we've got some awesome programs and crafts inspired by cultures from around the world. We'll also be showing Blockbuster films set in some of the most well-known fantasy worlds including Hogwarts, Wonderland, and Middle Earth. The more books you read and the more programs you attend, the greater your chances of winning one of the fantastic prizes we will be offering. You may also win an EXCLUSIVE invitation to the end-of-summer Lock-In, where we will have games and activities based on Suzanne Collins' popular Hunger Games trilogy. Remember, you must register to win! You can register for Teen Summer Reading online or at the Teen Reference Desk (if you sign up online, be sure to visit the Teen Depart. to pick up your TSRP reading materials).
New At OPL:
The people Charlotte meets seem to forget her almost instantly. Soon, she is told, she will also fade from the memories of her friends and family. Charlotte learns she is a Forgotten, an otherworldly being compelled to drop everything and save lives of others, often complete strangers. Once a Forgotten has fulfilled their duty, they combust in a burst of golden light said to inspire hope and love throughout the world. Charlotte is horrified! All she wants is to have her normal life back, but the Need's increasing frequency won't allow that. It also means Charlotte's time is running out. Only one person knows of Charlotte's dilemma, but he's refusing to help her. Then Charlotte meets the darkly mysteriuos Onika, a former Forgotten who somehow escaped her fate. Charlotte learns that by resisting the Need she, too, can remain on Earth--but only at a terrible cost. Now Charlotte must make an important decision: She can give in to the Need and fulfill her destiny, or she can ignore it and be consumed by darkness. A Need So Beautiful is a gorgeous new fantasy by Suzanne Young. Look for it soon in the New Book section! --AJL
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Miles a.k.a. "Pudge" has a strange obsession: He collects the last words of people both famous and obscure. After reading the supposed final words of deceased poet Francois Rabelais, "I go to seek a Great Perhaps," Miles is convinced there must be more to life than his current, drab existance. He is thus inspired to go seek that Great Perhaps for himself. He transfers to Culver Creek, an Alabama bording school, where he meets a host of quirky characters including the somewhat neurotic Colonel and the charming-yet-unstable Alaska. Miles spends his first 128 days at Culver Creek hanging out with his new friends and learning lessons about life, love, and how to engineer the perfect prank. Then an unexpected tragedy strikes and, in the days to follow, Miles and his friends must pick up the pieces and deal with emotions far beyond what they ever expected to encounter this early in their lives. Looking For Alaska deals with life, love, grief, and, ultimately, healing. Although not light reading by any stretch of the imagination, John Green's award-winning novel is nonetheless a very worthwhile read! --AJL
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Some girls long for popularity. All Janie wants is normalcy. Unfortunately, she is anything but. She lives on a goat farm with her modern hippie parents, wears clothes she (very creatively) alters, and idolizes her best friend's funky older sister. Throughout the first few chapters, Janie spends lunch periods hiding in the library, lamenting her inability to achieve the coveted status of Normal. But soon life begins to eclipse Janie's obsession. She makes some awesome new friends, starts playing bass guitar for her school's (previously) all-guy Jam Band, and becomes deeply interested with her elderly neighbor's involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Soon, Janie forgets about trying to be normal and begins to let her true self shine through. And that true self is NOT normal. It's something even better! Ten Miles Past Normal is a fantastic and fun coming-of-age story about learning how to be yourself. Janie's character is likable and relatable. And, while not everyone has accidently gone to school with goat poop stuck to their shoe, most of us have had that feeling of not knowing how to fit in. Reminicent of Dairy Queen and How Not To Be Popular. Check out other books by Frances Dowell. --AJL
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A plane carrying the contestents of the Miss Teen Dream pagent crash-lands on a deserted tropical island leaving only 14 survivors. You'd expect these pampered, prettified, sparklefied girls to curl up and cry, right? Wrong! Crying would ruin their eye makeup. While some go mad (one in particular), the rest adapt to their island surroundings: They construct huts from natural materials, discover genius ways to obtain food and store fresh water, and work on their tans. And, oh yes, the beach sand makes a wonderful exfoliant! But the girls are not alone on the island. Deep within a dorment volcano is a secret government compound filled with secret government agents working on a secret government plot that makes Watergate look like a minor thing. And the girls are a threat to this plot. Now the girls must use their beauty and their brains to save themselves and save the day. Packed with author Libba Bray's trademark wit that earned Going Bovine a Printz Award (2010), Beauty Queens takes humorous shots at commercialism, reality TV, femininity and feminism, and stereotypes, all while delivering a story that is an adventure most epic. Oh, and did I mention there are Pirates? In a word: Supercalafragafreaking-Awesome! Check it out today! ---AJL
