Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Galley Review: Night Runner by Max Turner

For Zack Thomson, living in Nicholls Ward isn't so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange and severe allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. He could watch as much television as he wanted; his best friend Charlie visited him often enough; and Nurse Ophelia--the prettiest no-nonsense nurse ever--sometimes took him bowling. Of course, that didn't mean he had it easy. His allergies restricted his diet to strawberry smoothies, and being the only kid at the hospital could get lonely. But it never once crossed Zach's mind to leave...until the night someone crashed through the front doors and told him to run. Now he's on a race for answers---about his past, his parents, and his strange sickness--even as every step takes him closer to the darkest of truths.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"I like how Turner includes all the traditional vampire ways. It's perfect for any present day Dracula fan." --Jenny L.

"The plot was corny and weird. The pacing was awkward at the end." --Shannon L.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Voice Your Choice and You Could Win a $25 Gift Card for Borders Books!

Teens across the country have nominated 25 books as the best of the year. We want you to help get the list down to the top ten--The Teens' Top Ten.

Look at the list of the Top 25 listed below. Then read, read, read. From August 25 to September 18, you can go to this web site: www.ala.org/teenstopten and vote for your favorites.

Print out the web page that thanks you for your vote. Write your name, phone number, and the titles of your picks on that page. Turn in that page to the children's desk to be entered in the raffle for the Borders Gift Card.

The winning books and the raffle winner will be announced at the end of Teen Read Week, October 24.

The Top 25 are...

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
Bloodline by Katy Moran
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Evermore by Alyson Noel
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
Geek Charming by Robin Palmer
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce
Paper Towns by John Green
Runemarks by Joanne Harris
Truancy by Isamu Fukui
Truancy: Origins by Isamu Fukui
Untamed by Kristin and P.C. Cast
Wake by Lisa McMann
Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten