La Grange Park Library - YA Programs and News

November Reading

For as much as I read, I can't believe I haven't ever done a monthly reading recap. That is all about to change. Obviously I read quite a bit, but some months I find that I consume way more books than others. November was one of those months for me. Below you'll find a few of the books I've read.

I started with If I Stay by Gayle Forman - when I wasn't crying, I was recovering from crying. Yes, I read this in one sitting. I could not put it down! 

Mia's love for the cello is only surpassed by her love for her family and boyfriend. After a car accidents leaves Mia in a coma and her immediate family dead, the story alternates between life before the crash and Mia in the hospital. And though Mia is in a coma, she's aware of all that is happening, from her grandparents, aunts, and uncles waiting and visting to her boyfriend's band creating a diversion so that he can sneak into her room. This book is so raw and emotional. I'm pretty sure you'll be thinking about it long after you've finished reading it.

 

 

Nothing gets my attention like a bit of controversy, so I moved Shine by Lauren Myracle to the top of my reading list after the National Book Awards kerfuffle. I'm sensing a theme this month - books that are breaking my heart. Wait, do two books make a theme? I digress. 

Growing up, Cat was happy. She loved life and loved her best friend Patrick. Not in a romantic way, in a friends way. Plus, it wasn’t even an option, since he was gay. After an incident in 8th grade, Cat completely shut down and shut everyone out, including Patrick. Four years later Patrick is found unconscious and tied up at the gas station where he works. In a small southern town where the police won’t do anything to solve this crime, Cat takes it upon herself to find who did it. She isn’t at all ready for the town secrets that go along with it.

 

I'm the first to admit that I am scaredy-cat. Typically, I have to read/watch anything even remotely scary with all the lights on, during the day, preferably with other people around. But sometimes, I just can't control the circumstances. Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser did scare me A LOT!

The popular kids at Madison’s private high school, in one of the wealthiest suburbs in the nation, are going missing. Presumably they are being kidnapped for ransom, but when no notes appear, the authorities are stumped. Madison receives anonymous notes saying that her friends are in danger, but she has no idea how to help them. Twists and turns abound in this book, keeping you on the edge (and in my case, hiding under the covers) until the very end.

 

National Gaming Day Recap

A gazillion thanks to the La Grange Park Friends of the Library for sponsoring National Gaming Day. This was definitely our best year yet!

A short recap of the days events.

• Rock Band was the first game played - the new drums are incredible!
• The 3DS was a hit (don't forget you can use it in the library anytime)
• Telestrations did not disappoint - we got bicycling from a drawing of hot chocolate and a black hole from a butcher knife
• I'm pretty sure that Super Smash Bros. Brawl dominated the Wii for the entire six hours

I absolutely cannot wait for next year!

Check out some photos here.

National Gaming Day

Yay! It's finally here! This past week, I talked about some of the games and systems you'll be able to experience today. Here's a longer list of all the neat things you can try out.

• Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit
• PS3
• XBOX 360 and Kinect
• Nintendo 3DS
• iPad2
• Gaming laptops (Portal is installed on one of them)
• Lots of board and table games, including perennial favorite Hamsterrolle, Telestrations, Lord of the Rings Monopoly, and Apples to Apples

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, which is yet another reason to stop by TODAY!!!!

1 Day til NGD11

One day to go until we have six fun-filled hours of table, board, and video games! This is the last of the gaming/systems posts, but honestly, I could have kept going for at least another day or two. The Kinect for the XBOX 360 is one of our newer purchases, so I haven't had a chance to test it out (much!). All I'll say is that my inner dancer is so pleased that the Library now has a Kinect.

Many, many thanks to the La Grange Park Friends of the Library for sponsoring National Gaming Day! All of the posts this week would not have been possible without their support. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

2 Days til NGD11

Okay, I get it that Rock Band is on its way out. No, really, I do! Too bad that we still love it here at the Library! We purchased two new guitars (weighing about 9 pounds each [fyi, I was totally going to weigh them using our Wii Fit {yep, we have a Wii Fit, too!}, but I was distracted by the Fit yelling at me for not being around in 733 days. Whatever Wii Fit, whatever]) and new drums because of how much we love Rock Band, so all I'm saying is yes, we'll have Rock Band on Saturday, November 12.

3 Days til NGD11

The iPad doesn't need any introduction, I know.  However, what you might not realize is that the Young Adult Department has its very own iPad2 for use in the Library. You bet that I'm bringing that baby down for people to test out on National Gaming Day! We have a good selection of games on it, including, Robot Unicorn Attack, Infinity Blade, and (my personal nemesis) Plants vs. Zombies*.

(Infinity Blade)

(Robot Unicorn Attack)

*Not pictured due to me needing a serious break from that game. Oh, I'll be back PvZ. I'll be back!

4 Days til NGD11

It's no secret that we love games here at the Library - especially in the YA Department. Video games are obviously a hit, but we also have some great table games that are worth stopping by for on Saturday, November 12. Telestrations is just one of these fantastic games. Remember that game you played with your friends when you were little - some called it Operator, others called it Telephone? Combine that with the game Pictionary, and voila! you have Telestrations. In my experience, the worse you are at drawing, the funnier the game is, which is exactly why I hold the title of Most Awesome Telestrations Player EVER! You're welcome to challenge my title on Saturday.

(Pictured: Telestrations with one of my AMAZING drawings.)

5 Days til NGD11

With a mere 5 days left until National Gaming Day (w00t!), I thought I'd showcase some of the games and systems we'll be playing. Check back each day to see which cool game/system is featured.

Today's awesomeness is the Nintendo 3DS. First, let me tell you that playing a model at a retail store is not at all the same as playing it here or at home. You can position the device so that you can actually see the 3D (as opposed to positioning yourself to see it). After a vote among various teens (okay, 4, but still it was unanimous), I chose the Flame Red. It's awesome. I can't say that enough. Our 3DS  collection is small but growing (Tetris, Nintendogs, Zelda, and a few others) - it's worth a test for Face Raiders alone.

 

(Pictured: Nintendo 3DS with Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures)

If you don't have time to stop by on Saturday, November 12 for National Gaming Day, don't worry! The Nintendo 3DS will be available for use in the Library to anyone between grades 7-12. You must have a library card with access to unfiltered internet.