Teens

Ooh, can you feel it? Prom time. Angst, euphoria, broken hearts, longing. Wait-this is just a jacked-up version of the emotional range of a typical teen on any given day! The Sneak Peekers bring it on home with their reviews of star- (and species-) crossed lovers, and one title that I've got to get my hands on, Dead Reckoning, which has a whiff of Will Smith and the 1999 movie Wild Wild West.

This time around, our reviewers weigh in on new albums from Macy Gray and Madonna. While Gray covers classics in, well, Covered, Madonna may be creating some of her own on MDNA. I'm totally with our game reviewer-it's time for America's pastime, baseball! The only things missing from MLB 12: The Show are Harry Caray, peanuts, and Crackerjack.

The study of World War II is part of every standard middle school and high school curriculum in the United States. The question is, how do you keep it interesting?

Short on a budget for new video games and fancy consoles? Go retro with a "Board Games You've Never Played" program.
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Do you need some support for young adult services in your library and community? Being a Teen Library Services Advocate (Neal-Schuman, ISBN 9781555707958) from former YALSA president Linda Braun is now available-and should be part of every teen librarian's professional resource collection.

YA author and teen services librarian Terri Clark wants your teen readers to fall for the fallen in her hilarious and hellacious new book, Hollyweird. The story of two girls, a foxy fallen angel and one smoking hot devil who's tearing up Tinseltown on a biblical scale, Hollyweird is a match made in Heaven for all fans of funny paranormal books with a touch of romance.

The Avengers blasts into theaters on May 4 in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D formats. And there's a lot of stuff in the print format coming out too! More...

The Book of Jonas takes readers deep into the psychological and spiritual consequences that result when the horrors of war become normal and force us to make unfathomable choices.

The teen reviewers from our Sneak Peek Reviewers Club put their heart and soul into their reviews and take their readers' advisory role seriously. And it isn't their only 'job'-they're also one of 15 groups around the country that are YA Galley Participants, part of the Young Adult Library Services Association's (YALSA) Teen's Top Ten program. The 2012 list of nominated books is now available, so be sure to have your teens weigh in on their favorites.

Improvements to PGA Tour gaming are evident to our reviewer, making the virtual experience as close to the real thing as possible—just leave your sticks by the door. Fans of The Hunger Games will definitely want to get the soundtrack loaded up on their iPods; it also provides a great introduction to a wide range of contemporary musical styles.

Even the most reluctant readers find it hard to resist the attraction of sparse text floating across white space on a page.

Entrepreneurs, social activists, an opera singer, and an autistic math wiz were just some of the inspirational young adults who presented at the TEDxTeen conference in New York City on March 31. Three hundred teens More...

What happens when a small group of dedicated teens decide to build a library? It happens!

And there's still time to sign up for DoSomething.org's Green Your School Challenge! DoSomething.org wants to hear how your school is going green through a recycling program, energy conservation plan, or any project involving environmental awareness.

Have you visited YALSA Academy lately? Supported by the Young Adult Library Services Association, YALSA Academy was created by and for librarians and library staffers, and features videos that focus on practical teen services topics.

In a starred review of Joanne Rocklin's new book, The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook, Booklist said, "The only imperfection in this novel is that it ends." Now ten lucky SLJTeen readers can win a copy of The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook!

Whether their interest is stirred up by seeing the film or they have had a long-standing passion for all things Titanic, YAs will be captivated by this selection of titles.

While first novelist Stephanie Guerra gives readers a chance to think about their choice of friends in Torn, the well-established Esther Friesner takes her storytelling skills from ancient Egypt to third-century Japan in Spirit's Princess. In Forbidden, mother-and-son writing team Syrie and Ryan James (best known for their novels that capture Brontë, Austen, and Dracula) take on the Grigori, a group of angelic creatures. And there's no denying that Norah McClintock has a gift for keeping teens on the edge of their seats, which she does again in Guilty.

Whoa. The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, has a new album. I love Rachel L.'s review noting his sound as "legendary"-which, I have to admit, makes me feel a bit old. Looking for some fresh faces? You can't go wrong with boy band One Direction, which is totally capable of diverting teens' attentions, particularly that of tween girls. And while our reviewer finds SoulCalibur V somewhat entertaining, the action is same old, same old.

Oh to be young and in love... or not! Such is the drama of high school romance. The titles featured here capture the full range of love and broken hearts.

Ah, tis' spring! The smell of the flowers, the warmth of the sun, and the dreaded end of the term's essay assignment!

From dystopias to ancient Greece's battlefields, this spring's graphic novels will transport readers to richly imagined worlds and every page promises intrigue and adventure.

March Madness for teen book lovers wasn't about basketball-it was all about the New York City Teen Author Festival, a weeklong event that brought together 70 teen authors.

Do you have a class project that's short on funds but long on potential? Do you know a teacher that's hunting for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes can help turn great ideas into reality for students. The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards.

Budgeting, managing conflicts and relationships, figuring out schedules, and finding time to shop. Phew! How can teens sort out everything? Here's your chance to win all six books in the new "USA Today Teen Wise Guides" series, a real life-ring for your teens.

Spectacularly illustrated and insightfully written, these handsome volumes will be of interest to gamers as well as to teens that are considering careers in the industry.

From the minute Uncle Mort rides up on his purple and black motorcycle, I was hooked on 'Croak' (Graphia), by first-time author Gina Damico.

This time around the Sneak Peekers have reviewed a completely mixed bag of titles that includes myths, contemporary fiction, weird SF, magic realism, and historical fiction with a sad-but-true ending. Having just returned from the Public Library Association's Conference in Philadelphia, I can honestly say that there's more great YA fiction and nonfiction coming down the pike than, as my Dad would say, "you can shake a stick at," and we plan to keep bringing it on home to you.

Who knew? I just found out from my reviewers that I've been missing Denver's hottest band—Tennis. (Maybe it's because they go on stage pretty close to my bedtime!) On Home, Dierks Bentley new album, the singer-songwriter demonstrates that you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. The role-playing video game Final Fantasy XIII-2 has a lot going for it design- and graphic-wise, but the combat action didn't live up to our reviewer's expectations (although it sounds like he managed to squeeze a few fun hours out of it).

Amusing and funny stories can get readers interested in new authors or even interested in reading. For laugh-out-loud selections, try a few of the following novels:

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day) is an annual celebration of children, families, and reading that takes place on April 30.

Back in 1998, Courtney Winkfield won first place in Tacoma, Washington's Pierce County Library System's Our Own Words Teen Writing Contest. Her first published poem sparked a lifelong passion to write, which led Winkfield to where she is today-encouraging young people to express themselves through writing. Winkfield's creative writing teacher urged kids to submit their best poem to the contest, which offered many of them their first opportunity to write for an audience beyond the classroom. After Winkfield won the contest, her photo appeared in the local newspaper, and she presented her poem at the awards ceremony. Today, Winkfield is the principal of New York City's Academy for Young Writers, where students learn that the ability to write critically and creatively gives them power over their lives.

Librarians go to extraordinary lengths every day for their patrons. To celebrate those feats of greatness and encourage others, Gale has announced its second annual "Are You a Librarian Superhero?" contest. Gale is once again calling on everyone—fellow librarians, library patrons, students, and school administrators—to nominate a superhero librarian who has made a real difference in their library and community.

Soul Searching: A Girl's Guide to Finding Herself was first written in 2000 when author Sarah Stillman was 16, and it's recently been updated for today's teens. Now, 50 lucky readers can each win a signed copy of Soul Searching and one lucky library will win an author's visit from Stillman.

Enslow Publishing has just released a new fiction series, "Champion Sports Stories," that's written especially for boys and girls who love sports. The series offers entertaining, action-packed stories with challenges that the main characters need to face-and overcome. The easy-to-read text, fast-paced stories, and sports themes are bound to entice readers of all levels, grades 3-7.

Introduced by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912, John Carter-former Army captain, skilled swordsman, and iconic pulp fiction hero-is about to battle his way on to the big screen.

After reading Marissa Meyer's Cinder, I thought that if we could just get June, the heroine of Marie Lu's Legend, to pair up with Cinder, they'd be able to solve every problem in the postapocalyptic world! Several of the following books feature strong female leads, and they're all working to right a wrong or protect their friends and families. There's also one nonfiction stand-out-Lewis Helfand's Nelson Mandela: The Unconquerable Soul, a graphic novel that offers a fresh take on the leader's life and impact on South Africa.

Everything old is new again: Paul McCartney reinterprets the standards in his own inimitable style on Kisses on the Bottom, while the members of Van Halen reach into the 1970s vault on A Different Kind of Truth to recreate the sound that made them hard-rock darlings more than 20 years ago. Teens that enjoy video games but want more than first-person shooter action will want to take a look at Trine 2, which combines magic and physics—really!

I recently talked to my ninth graders about cybersafety, sexting, and online predators. My informal polling of students uncovered some sobering statistics...

Do you work with teens that are in detention or correctional facilities? Are you interested in serving this highly disenfranchised and incredibly rewarding group? Then check out the Library Services for Youth in Custody's (LYSC) new website at www.youthlibraries.org.

I love SLJ's spring and fall announcement issues. I set aside a nice chunk of time to read them and pretend that I can order any titles I want.

The debut novel, The Song of Achilles—a retelling of the Iliad—presents the story of Achilles from a unique point of view, that of his friend Patroclus. More...

Now in its second year, the Kids In Need Foundation is dedicated to providing free school supplies to economically disadvantaged students and grants to underfunded teachers. This year, the foundation is teaming up with Elmer's, the adhesive giant, to offer approximately 250 teacher tool kit grants, ranging from $100 to $500.

Created and written by Academy Award-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), this British TV drama series has wowed American audiences and garnered a following among teens.

Yowser! Teen readers have an avalanche of good titles heading to them this spring. In Robin Lafevers's Grave Mercy, working for Death isn't exactly a minimum-wage job, but it does have its benefits. And while the novels Ladies in Waiting and Enchanted seem to highlight male-dominated cultures, our reviewers encourage you to see what the strong female leads have up their lacy sleeves. Think spy novels are just for boys? Well, Annabel Monaghan's A Girl Named Digit might just change your mind.

Zoinks, Star Wars is so old that it's new again! Feeling a little bit country? Though our reviewer doesn't promise that TimMcGraw's latest album will give you a "wow" moment, he calls the recording a "solid effort." And it looks like Leonard Cohen fans have one more treat in store with his latest album, Old Ideas.

I sometimes think that being a teenager means feeling like an outsider. It doesn't matter who your friends are, or what you look like.

You're probably thinking, I just recovered from Digital Learning Day and now I have to get ready for Read Across America Day? Isn't it coming up soon, on March 2?

Were you in one of the 39 states that participated in the first-ever Digital Learning Day on February 1? Nearly 2 million students took part in this event, which the Obama administration has highlighted to challenge schools to move to all-digital textbooks within five years. School officials, educators, and students have also been encouraged to continue to develop 21st-century literacy skills, using the technology that's available to them in their schools, libraries, and homes.

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Jennifer Sweeney’s Literacy: A Way Out for At-Risk Youth is a much-needed resource for this special group of kids.

Tempt your readers with these book tie-ins to daring private investigators featured in the media.

Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky is known for his entertaining nonfiction books for grown-ups, such as Salt, Cod, and The Big Oyster, which focus on familiar items. Now, he's dipped into the world of young adult More...

Though our reviewer was all set to be surprised by Snow Patrol's latest album, Fallen Empires, she reports that sound-wise, there's not much new there-but that's OK. Canadian singer Kathleen Edwards is in the right place at the right time with her smoky vocals on Voyageur. Itching for a cross-country trip, but don't like driving in winter weather? Easily accomplished with Electronic Arts' Run, its latest addition to the Need to Speed franchise.

Though our reviewer was all set to be surprised by Snow Patrol's latest album, Fallen Empires, she reports that sound-wise, there's not much new there-but that's OK. Canadian singer Kathleen Edwards is in the right place at the right time with her smoky vocals on Voyageur. Itching for a cross-country trip, but don't like driving in winter weather? Easily accomplished with Electronic Arts' Run, its latest addition to the Need to Speed franchise.

Ready to talk dollars and sense? Time for "Money Smart Week® @ Your Library," April 21-28.

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"The expert blending of vivid historical details with the voice of a courageous, relatable hero makes this book truly shine." SLJTeen interviews Barbara Wright, author of Crow.

This year is already shaping up to be a great time for the Big Brain Club, the nonprofit education foundation that helps young people recognize that "Smart Is Cool." There are lots of innovative school programs coming up this spring, and the Big Brain Club will once again be donating cutting-edge technology to classrooms, as well as publishing the creative writing of middle school students.

School Library Journal has launched a national survey for public librarians about their children's and young adult services and collections, and we need your input! The survey's findings will be featured in an issue of SLJ later this spring.

Birmingham, AL, was a city at the epicenter of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also home to two key players on opposing sides of history: Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a man of faith, and Eugene "Bull" Connor, the commissioner of public safety. In Larry Dane Brimner's accessible photo-essay, Black & White: The Confrontation Between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor, young adults are introduced to some of the landmark events of the period. Nuanced and thought-provoking, the book is an excellent addition to collections for Black History Month or studies on the civil rights movement.

Movie fans will be interested in learning more about this important moment in history and the timing is perfect for displays and booktalks geared toward Black History Month.

You'll find a couple of "second takes" in our latest column, but as Chris Selig, the fearless leader of the Sneak Peekers, once told me, "I just can't keep them from reading these hot titles!" And actually, we wouldn't want it any other way.

History is more than just names and dates—each of these nine novels captures a particular historical setting and tells a story through the eyes of an African-American protagonist.

As I began working on my column for Black History Month, it was tough to decide which two titles I wanted to highlight-so many great books to choose from!

I'm so excited. I live near the Red Rocks Outdoor Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, about 15 miles west of Denver—and for the first time ever, an event will be happening during the winter season, appropriately titled Winter at the Rocks. I'll be there, and Common will be there too, along with Atmosphere, Grieves, and Budo. Common first came to my attention because of his Common Ground Foundation, which helps secure funding for creative arts initiatives in schools. So I think I owe it to him to visit and give a listen.

This year, YALSA's Teen Tech Week takes place March 4 through 10, and its theme is "Geek Out @ your library!" So get ready to throw open your library's physical and virtual doors to showcase the outstanding technology and services you offer young patrons, such as online homework help and digital literacy-focused resources like ebooks, movies, music, audiobooks, databases, and more.

February is Black History Month in the United States and Canada, as it has been for the past 36 years. But the celebration's roots go deeper than 1976. And how cool is this? The event More...

Librarian Karen Jensen had a moment of inspiration and decided to create "The 2012 Project." Her goal? To gather 2,012 images that demonstrate that teens are still using libraries.

Students can learn a lot about their family, themselves, and even history when they listen to grandparent's or grand friend's life stories. And young people can win a Lenovo ThinkCentre computer and $25,000 of EdOptions Orchard software when they enter the Legacy Project's 12th annual Listen to a Life Essay Contest. The national contest, which is run in partnership with Generations United, a membership organization based in Washington, D.C., receives thousands of entries every year.

Everywhere you go, people are talking about the environment—how the earth is warming up, how oil-drilling is ruining natural habitats, how trash is overflowing into our waterways, and how chemicals used in various products are making people and wildlife sick. You know the planet is in trouble. The question is, What can you do about it? Go out and buy a brand new $30,000 hybrid car? Persuade all of the health clubs in your town to install low-flow showerheads and toilets? This kind of stuff is hardly a reality for most high school kids, but Zest Books can help by putting a copy of Lexi Petronis's 47 Things Teens Can Do for the Environment (January 3, 2012; $14.95 US; 128 pages; illustrated; pap.; ISBN-13: 978-0-9827322-1-2) in your hands.

With our kids at Floral Park Memorial High School recently on holiday break, we only have two reviews this issue. Lucky for us, they both feature somewhat notorious and interesting celebrities: Mario, an Italian-American plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom, and Amy Winehouse, the English singer-songwriter who died of alcohol poisoning in July 2011. While Mario Cart 7 is guaranteed to give players the ride of a lifetime, Lioness, a collection of covers by Winehouse, will also transport teens.

Here are Amy Cheney’s top 2011 picks for incarcerated teens. You'll find books that resonate with her teens, but aren't well-known in the general library community.

Take advantage of the Mission Impossible movie hype and display or booktalk a selection of espionage-themed titles for young adults.

Although two of the books that our teens have reviewed are by well-known writers (Beth Fantaskey and Pete Hautman), I hadn't heard of Rune Michaels. What a surprise it was to find out that she's from Iceland! After reading up on her a bit—she studied psychology at the University of Iceland and at the University of Copenhagen—it was not a surprise that she created a creepy scary world in Fix Me, a story with unusual twists and turns and settings. Reading our reviewer's take on Fix Me has made me want to take a look at Michaels's 2007 debut novel, Genesis Alpha, which also explores family relationships, but through the lens of medical science.

Darden Smith wrote his first song when he was 10. These days, Smith is a singer-songwriter and a dad. Back in 2001, when his daughter was in preschool, he helped her classmates write a song. The next day he overheard kids on the playground singing it and making up new verses. Then, a few years later, as he walked across a schoolyard in Glasgow, Scotland, students came up to him and started singing the song they'd written the year before with Smith's help. That's when he really started to take his work in schools seriously.

Are your kids ready to roll out their video cams? Then be sure to tell them about the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP) “2012 Teen Video Challenge“, a national video competition that encourages kids to get involved with their public library’s summer reading program. To enter, teens 13 to 18—working individually or as a team—create a 30- to 90-second video that’s based on CSLP’s 2012 teen slogan, “Own the Night.” Each participating CSLP member state will select one winner, who will win $275 and a $150 prize for their local public library. Winners will be announced next spring.

For Charis Freiman-Mendel, the author of Cook Your Way Through The S.A.T. (CYWTTSAT), learning vocabulary words has always been a piece of cake-and she wants to make sure that it's easy for your students, too. In CYWTTSAT, Freiman-Mendel pairs each of her 99 recipes with a "fun fact blurb" containing 10 vocabulary words that are often used on the S.A.T. Now, she's sponsoring a book-giveaway contest for middle and high school students. To enter, teens simply write a fun fact blurb for the author's recipe for chocolate lava cake. Three winners-a student in grades 6 to 8, another in grades 9 and 10, and one in grades 11 and 12-will each receive a copy of CYWTTSAT and a matching apron.

Would you like your school to win up to $10,000? Then check out the Science Teachers Association's ExploraVision Awards Program, which encourages kids to use their imaginations and scientific tools to create and explore the technology of the future. Teachers can win a Toshiba tablet, and the school that submits the most projects is eligible to win a bonus classroom prize package.

Brimming with magnificent artwork and fascinating perceptions, these handsome volumes provide an intimate look at the making of three recent releases that are on top of holiday movie-goers' lists. Each book explores the particular plot elements and production challenges associated with its featured film, while also conveying an overview of the creative process behind the finished product, the mind-staggering logistics of big-budget movie-making, and the many roles played by contributors from directors to artists to actors.

In Running the Rift, Naomi Benaron folds two of her abiding passions-Rwanda and running-into an enlightening, satisfying story that's set in the 1980s and '90s, during a time of terrible ethnic unrest in the East African nation.This combination survival and coming-of-age story has been awarded the Bellwether Prize, which recognizes works of fiction that address issues of social justice. Adult Books for Teens blogger Angela Carstensen talks with the author about her debut title.

Looking for a little bit of magic? Well, you've come to the right place. In Jackie Kessler's Loss, a boy with a bullying problem is transformed into a Rider, capable of poisoning the world with disease. In Saundra Mitchell's Springsweet, Zora's broken heart begins to heal when she realizes that she has the ability to find water—a talent that's surely appreciated by the residents of her small town in Oklahoma. In Sarah Porter's Waking Storms, the sequel to her very popular Lost Voices, mermaid Luce finds her father, forbidden love, and hopefully, shelter from an oncoming winter storm. With winter break coming, it's the perfect time to prepare a reading list to help your teens discover a little of their own magic.

With the holiday break on the horizon, teens will soon be streaming into the public library, seeking relief from visiting relatives, screaming little brothers, and plain old boredom. One sure-fire way to appeal to teens is to set up a display of the year's top 10 albums and top 10 video games and ask kids to vote for their favorites. You might also want to sponsor a gaming night or host your own version of America's Got Talent. Your young patrons are bound to appreciate your attention to the things that get their attention!

What's it like to have 50 students milling around in your room 45 minutes before the school day starts, wanting to talk about books?

Welcome to Edina High School's Breakfast Book Club, where it's not uncommon to hear our young members saying things like, "Can anyone find the blueberry bagels?" "Asiago cheese in the morning? No!" "Any chocolate chip ones?" "What did you think of Enzo? I cried at the end!" "Really? I didn't care that much."

Chicago was the site of the 2011 National Council of Teachers of English Conference (NCTE) and the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) in late November, and the energy level and networking potential were off the charts. Maybe it was because 2011 marked NCTE's centennial, but I've heard colleagues talking about these conferences for years, and I'd never had the opportunity to attend. Wow, now I know what I've been missing! Every session I attended was terrific, and I didn't even mind dashing between the Hilton and the Palmer House to hit as many workshops as possible.

There's nothing like a garden to make a place look infinitely better. Now, thanks to the National Gardening Association's (NGA) Mantis Awards for community and youth gardens, 25 public schools and libraries will have a More...

Sherlock Holmes and his equally ready-for-action sidekick return in an exhilarating sequel to the 2009 box-office hit based on Arthur Conan Doyle's famous fictional characters. Premiering in theaters on December 16 from Warner Bros. Pictures, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (PG-13) reunites director Guy Ritchie with stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and the action, intrigue, and globe-trotting settings are even more spectacular this time around. Based on Benjamin Mee's memoire of the same title (Weinstein Books, 2008), We Bought a Zoo (PG), a comedy/drama from 20th Century Fox directed by Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire), premieres on December 23. With an intriguing premise, upbeat tone, and adorable young co-star (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), the movie is poised to be one of the top picks for family holiday viewing.

One of the perks of being part of SLJ's family is that I have access to books and authors. When I first heard about I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, I called the publisher and requested an advance copy. Ten minutes into it, I was emailing the publicist to see if I could interview the authors. Though Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum have been writing and editing for years for magazines like Spin, Blender, and Rolling Stone, this is their first book, and it is getting rave reviews. Those of us that actually lived through the MTV era will revel in the memories this oral history brings back, and teens that were into the video game Rock Band or dig classic rock will discover often hilarious and shocking tidbits about their favorite bands.

Two titles firmly grounded in the present lead off this issue's list, though diametrically opposed in tone-an examination of a young journalist's life and his death at 22 in Somalia in Dan Eldon: Safari as More...

Our music reviewers are giving us a varied earful—everything from Susan Boyle belting out the classics to Florence + the Machine proving that their style has staying power to the soundtrack from Breaking Dawn Part More...

You know it's a good day at work when you get pie thrown in your face.That's exactly what happened to me on November 4 at our library, the Twin Falls Public Library in Idaho. This fall we held a Teen Reading Challenge, and at the end of the challenge I got two pies shoved in my face. Believe it or not, it was truly one of my favorite days at this job, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. More...

When Southern Sudanese musician and former child solider Emmanuel Jal was seven, he had to flee his village. Jal was soon recruited by the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and forced to fight in his nation's bloody civil war. His best friend at the time? An AK-47 assault rifle. Our students recently heard Jal's amazing story firsthand, when he appeared at a school assembly.

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In Girl Meets Boy, 12 of today's most dynamic and engaging YA authors team up for a one-of-a-kind collection of "he said/she said" stories-he tells it from the guy's point of view, she tells it from the girl's. These are stories of love and heartbreak-the good-looking jock who falls for a dangerous girl, and the flipside of the toxic girl who never learns to be loved; a basketball star and the artistic (and shorter) boy she never knew she wanted; and a gay boy looking for love online and the girl who could help make it happen-which teach us that relationships become complicated because there are always two sides to every story.

Since its premiere on AMC on Halloween 2010, this horror series has ambled into the homes of many a TV watcher, earning rave reviews from critics, garnering numerous award nominations and a spot on the American Film Institute's top-10 television programs of 2010, and steadily growing in viewership as well as in word-of-mouth buzz. Based on Robert Kirkman's Eisner Award-winning comic book series of the same name, illustrated by Tony Moore and later Charlie Adlard (Image Comics), the show was developed by Frank Darabont (well known for directing screen adaptations of Stephen King works, including 1994's The Shawshank Redemption), with Kirkman now serving as executive producer and writer. Devotees will find much on the web and on the shelves to fan their zombie fever.

A couple things in this month's books caught me completely by surprise. For instance, in Whitley Strieber's latest novel, Melody Burning, there's "a mega-handsome wild boy" who lives in the walls of an apartment building. And in Gina Damico's Croak, a teen transforms herself into the Grim Reaper. New and original stories always seem to catch teens' attention-so authors, give a listen. Don't serve up the same old, same old. Teens want to be surprised, delighted, and satisfied, just like the rest of us.

In Mangaman, written by Barry Lyga and illustrated by Colleen Doran, a manga character suddenly finds himself in the "real" world of a Western comic-and things quickly get hilarious. Willowy, long-haired Ryoko has trouble fitting in at an American high school. And whenever he's startled, speedlines appear around him-and then fall to the ground. When he looks at the lovely Marissa, his eyes literally turn into hearts. Yet, because he's a stranger to this world, Ryoko can see boundaries that are invisible to his classmates. The medium is the message in Mangaman. We talked to Lyga and Doran about the challenge of creating their story. And just so you know we're not cheating, Mangaman is Lyga's debut graphic novel.

Horror stories are wildly popular these days, and readers can pick their own favorite frights-everything from zombies, werewolves, and ghosts to psychological thrillers that would even scare Edgar Allan Poe. You know, the kind that keeps you up at night. Not because you're afraid that someone will come crashing through your door with an ax, but because you're not sure about that suspicious-looking shadow in the corner. Here are some creepy reads that'll hook kids and teens, though they might find themselves sleeping with the lights on!

I read a recent New York Times interview with Coldplay's Chris Martin, who was asked to explain the title of the band's latest (and perhaps last) album, Mylo Xyloto. "Music comes from a place we don't know," he told the Times. "It sort of comes through the fingers and toes. So we came up with the idea of, what if you had musical digits, like xylo toes." And as for the "Mylo" part? "It's just a great name," said Martin. "For anything." So now you know. Our reviewer definitely thinks it's worth a listen.

One of the coolest things about having our teens write reviews for SLJTeen is that they get to meet people like Nikki Roddy, Zest Books' marketing and research manager. Last month, Nikki stopped by a meeting of the Sneak Peek Reviewers Club at our library to give the kids an insiders' view of the publishing biz. Based in
San Francisco, Zest Books is a small independent publisher of nonfiction books for young adults. Name a topic that teens are interested in, and Zest has probably published a book about it.

Talk to Najee Ali, and you'll soon discover that the reserved, soft-spoken 17-year-old has already mapped out his career path. He's decided to go into computer programming. Ali arrived at that decision three years ago, after attending the Memphis Public Libraries' Teen Tech Camp, which his mother enrolled him in so the home-schooled Ali would be able to take part in an enrichment activity with other kids.

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It's time to toot your horn! Nominate yourself, your colleagues, or your library for the 2012 Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children. Sponsored by library luminary Peggy Sullivan and administered by More...

U.S. high school students and their teachers are invited to participate in the Bill of Rights Institute's sixth annual Being an American Essay Contest. Specifically, students are asked to share their thoughts on the Constitution More...

Director Roland Emmerich, well-known for sci-fi inspired blockbusters such as Independence Day (1996) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004), presents a drama that delves into a long-time literary debate, taking on the question: Who actually More...

We all have favorite authors, and A.S. King is one of mine. Her latest book, Everybody Sees the Ants, has already racked up stars from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and School Library Journal, but I bet More...

American Idol has launched many careers, and our reviewer thinks that recent contestant Scotty McCreery's debut album is proof of his star power. After a five-year hiatus from the recording studio, indie rocker Leslie Feist More...

Standardized tests got you down? Worried about that upcoming assessment? Not sure your teens are going to get the scores they need on the SAT or ACT? Then Grockit.com is the answer! Grockit was founded More...