The Last Airbender

The Last Airbender (motion picture, rated PG for fantasy action violence)
Paramount Pictures, 2010

Genre: Fantasy

Honors:

• Nominated for Choice Summer Movie, Teen Choice Awards, 2010
• Nominated for Film Music Composition of the Year and Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film, International Film Music Critics Association Awards, 2010
• Nominated for Best Performance in a Feature Film, Young Artist Award, 2010
• Won Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, Worst Director, Worst Supporting Actor, Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3D, and Nominated for Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Screen Couple, and Worst Prequel, Golden Raspberry Awards, 2010

Review: In a world divided into regions supporting four different elements (air, water, earth, and fire), there are races of people who can bend just one of the elements and live apart. However, to avoid conflict in the world and balance the energy of the elements, one person is born every hundred years who has the special gift of being able to bend all of the four elements. This person is known as the Avatar, and it is expected that the Avatar will have been born to the air tribe. However, in the present century, the Avatar that was identified suddenly disappeared. Fast forward almost one hundred years later, the Fire kingdom has managed to carry out plots against the other elemental tribes and destroy the Air tribe in an attempt to prevent the next Avatar from rising. The world over believes that there are no air benders left--until a young water bender discovers a bright light beneath the frozen waters near her home and uses her forbidden bending gift to break the ice, freeing a young boy and a large creature in hibernation. Through a series of events it becomes known that this frozen boy is the last air bender in the world--and he is the Avatar, the one person who has the power to stop the evil intentions of the Fire kingdom. This movie was intended to be a prequel and part of a trilogy.

Opinion: I found it very amusing that this movie received so many honors for being so bad, as opposed to being great. Still, it is possible the plans for the entire trilogy have been dropped, and that is a shame. The creators of the first film can still save face and improve in the second and third films. A lot of the criticism comes from fans of the anime series that originated in Japan and has Asian cultural attributes that folks claimed were stifled or changed to make the film into something very different--and ugly. I haven't seen the Avatar cartoon series, but my impression of the film was fairly similar. The acting: pretty bad. The dialogue: pretty unrealistic and not heartfelt. The plot: somewhat uninspired as it is presented. The action scenes: a bit dry. The soundtrack: too mellow, oftentimes it feels distracted, as if the orchestra has forgotten what they are supposed to be supporting. The directing seems rather shabby and unfocused, and the camera often stays at a distance from what is happening, which communicates disinterest to the viewer. There just isn't anything that stands out about this movie. The story idea is a good one, but it was treated poorly for such an expensive production. I suppose adults can criticize the movie all day long and at the end of the day, the kids are still going to enjoy it, but I have a feeling there are a lot of Avatar fans who see this for what it is (a cheap knockoff) and will avoid it or dump it early.

Ideas: Perhaps this one can go in a display of worst movies ever produced. The Golden Raspberry Awards have been presented to bad Hollywood films since the 1980s, so there are plenty to choose from across all of the categories.

Fossil Fish Found Alive

Fossil Fish Found Alive: Discovering the Coelacanth
by Sally M. Walker
Carolrhoda Books, 2002

Genre: Non-fiction

Honors:

• ALA Notable Children's Books 2003
• Book Report 09/01/02
• Booklist 03/15/02
• Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred 04/01/02
• Horn Book 01/01/03
• Kirkus Reviews starred 04/01/02
• New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age 2004
• School Library Journal starred 05/01/02
• Teacher Librarian 04/01/03
• Wilson's Children 10/01/10
• Wilson's Junior High School 01/09/10

Review: Ever since an unusual fish was discovered in a net full of the day's catch in 1939, scientists in several parts of the globe have been racing to discover more about--and find ways to protect--the Coelacanth (pronounced "see-luh-kanth"), a modern day version of a fossil fish more than 300 million years old, though hardly changed since the time of the dinosaurs. As different scientists and fish experts have found, this remarkable fish has many characteristics that are unlike any other modern fish anywhere on the planet, and scientists still haven't discovered why, or how this fish remained alive long after other ancient species either died out or evolved. Walker dives as deep into the mystery of the Coelacanth as possible, providing artifacts from research such as photographs and stills from video footage, letters and diagrams of the fish, and details about the known facets of the fish's daily existence.

Opinion: This was one of my favorite reads in this entire blog. Seriously. I was amazed at what I'd learned about the Coelacanth, and I have to wonder how many other library users have discovered this book in the ten years since it was published. It is not a lengthy read, it took me about forty-five minutes to complete, but with the scope of issues revealed in the book and the number of resources suggested for further research, I would put this on a higher level of reading and research material than some of the other non-fiction titles I've read, better for older tweens.

Ideas: As this book is a bit dated, a good exercise/lesson would be to send students on a quest to find newer information (if it exists) about the Coelacanth: what has been discovered, or what remaining questions have been answered (if any) since the book's publication date?

The Prairie Builders

The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands
by Sneed B. Collard III
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005

Genre: Conservation, Non-fiction

Honors:

• ALA Notable Children's Books 2006
• ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award 2005
• Book Links 03/01/08
• Book Links starred 09/01/05
• Booklist starred 06/01/05
• Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 07/01/05
• Horn Book 07/01/05
• Horn Book starred 07/01/05
• Kirkus Reviews 05/01/05
• School Library Journal starred 08/01/05
• Wilson's Junior High School 01/09/10

Review: Sneed Collard's photographs are captivating, bringing home the vast amount of work that goes into prairie restoration. As Collard explains, reconstructing a devastated eco-system is experimental, as scientists are still learning about what makes a system like a prairie or a river or a forest work in such harmony and keep it thriving over the years. He documents with interviews and photographs the work of several participants in the project and their years of attempts to re-grow native plants, encouraging native species to return to a prairie land that had been nearly decimated by agriculture practices in Iowa, noting some of the successes and setbacks that motivated their continued research and efforts.

Opinion: It is very exciting to see non-fiction written for children and young adults that delves into research and efforts made toward conservation and eco-system restoration. Youth can benefit greatly from non-fiction that aims to help them be more aware of the impact different behaviors and practices have on biodiversity and the lives of other species around them. A great book introducing an important part of environmental science studies.

Ideas: This is another great book to present in a lecture about conducting research and using reference points in non-fiction. There are some useful web sites and books recommended in the back of this book, along with a thorough glossary and index.

The Twelve Months

The Twelve Months
by Rafe Martin
Stoddart Kids, 2000

Genre: Fairy tales

Honors: unknown

Review: An orphaned girl named Marushka, who has lost her parents, goes to live with her selfish and greedy aunt and cousin, who turn her into a housekeeper while they sit around the house doing nothing. However, her relatives become increasingly bitter when they see how pleasantly Marushka takes to her life of chores and no outside contact. They vow to find a way to rid themselves of their burdensome, cheerful neice. The aunt decides to demand that Marushka go out in the middle of winter and collect items from the earth that it can't possily produce, and after she is pushed out the door, it is locked behind her. So begins a story in which twelve unusual characters sitting around a fire in the middle of the woods come to Marushka's aid again and again, to the frustration of her aunt and cousin. When she succeeds in fulfilling their demands, the two relatives decide that her bounty is not enough and that they must find the source for themselves. The moral of this story from Czechoslovakia is not to take advantage of others and to show appreciation for what you have.

Opinion: This is a fairly short story, with illustrations that only convey part of what is written in the narrative; they are beautiful, nonetheless, and the lessons taught in the fairy tale are very good ones. Not much else to say, except that this book was rated for younger readers and I'm not really sure why it wouldn't be just as interesting for nine-, ten-, and eleven-year-olds.

Ideas: The story is simple enough, with few characters and objects, that it could be told as a puppet show or play. Actors could have a lot of fun acting out the slob-ish behavior of the aunt and cousin, and the audience could have some fun playing with the props in the story after the play is over.

Anne Frank: The Authorized Graphic Biography

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography
by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon
Hill and Wang, 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel, Biography Non-Fiction

Honors:

• Booklist 10/15/10
• Kirkus Reviews 07/15/10
• Library Journal starred 01/01/11
• Publishers Weekly 09/27/10
• School Library Journal starred 03/01/11

Review: The collected accounts of friends, relatives, and those who helped the Frank family hide in an annex behind Otto Frank's business are re-told using visual depictions based on photographs of Anne Frank, her sister, mother, and father, and the four others who hid with them from the Nazi Germans during World War II. This graphic novel is not your typical manga or cartoon: the story is based on true events, and the narrative boxes surrounding the pictures are meant to tell the history of events that brought about the capture and deportation of Jews like Anne and her family and those that influenced Anne to aspire to journalism, beginning with the autobiographical account of her life in hiding. The story comes from entries in Anne's diary, leading up until the fateful day when an unknown person working at Otto Frank's business discovered the secret passage to the annex and sold the information to the police, and once the family is separated the story relies upon the stories of other survivors of the concentration camps who were in contact with one or more of the members of the Frank family.

Opinion: I remember hearing about Anne Frank, and the Holocaust, as a child, and then learning about her fate when a made-for-tv movie was shown on one of the major network stations many years ago. The movie was very difficult to watch, with graphic depictions of Jews being violently separated, stripped, shaved and tatooed, starved, and gassed, and then left to die. This novel tells almost the same story, but the images are a little easier to bear as they are true to events but not as dynamic as video footage. I was moved at the way the story was told, with third-person narratives accompanied by pictures with speech and thought bubbles conveying the spirit of the moment in the narration. It puts readers directly into the shoes of Anne, Margo, Peter and his parents, and Other and Edith Frank. It is also difficult to follow the deterioration of the Frank family as they are separated and starved, being drawn with shaven heads and appearing almost skeletal compared with the full-figured and colorful drawings of them that appear during the time of hiding.

Ideas: I am pegging this book as a must for anyone who is planning on teaching about the Holocaust. Anne Frank's published diary is well known and appreciated, and I don't mean to undermine the usefulness of reading the diary, but it is a lot easier to identify with her story, PLUS the history of events that occurred in Germany after the stock market crash and Hitler's rise to dictatorship and the many battles that led to the surrender of Italy and Germany so close to the time in which Anne dies, in this surprisingly smart format.

Pokemon Pearl

Pokemon: Pearl Version (ESRB Rated E for Everyone)
Nintendo, 2007

Genre: Role Play Game, Adventure

Honors:

• Nominated for Best RPG, Won Best Handheld Game, G4's G-phoria, 2007
• Nominated for Children's Kids Vote Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 2008
• Best online multiplayer, best RPG awards, IGN's Best of 2007 Awards
• Best Hit Award, Game of the Year Award, Famitsu Game Awards, 2006

Review: Short for "pocket monsters," Pokemon: Pearl Version is one of a multitude of different Pokemon releases that enable gamers with different versions to experience separate quests, encounter some unique monsters, and connect their DS handheld consoles together to share tips and pocket monsters. Usually, the only way to collect all of the pokemon in a given generation is to trade with other players via a link. In older generations of the pokemon series, a cable cord had to be connected to two gameboys and both players had to initiate a trade at a location in the game called a Pokemon Center. With the DS it is possible to use wireless technology to connect to another DS; therefore, with Pokemon Pearl one merely needs to be in the vicinity of another player where there is access to a wireless network. There are two goals to complete in any Pokemon version: 1) Become a Pokemon Master Trainer; and 2) collect every Pokemon that is known to exist in the given generation. An additional option in Pokemon Pearl that is appealing for today's avatar-centered youth is the ability to choose between a male and female as the main character, to name a best friend, and to customize the appearance of the pokeballs that store the monsters.

Opinion: I agree with some of the gaming sites' reviews of this release: it feels like more of a rehash of older Pokemon games, without a lot of improvement with the exception of extended battle scenes from having the dual screens and touch screen, plus better graphics than those of the original Pokemon Blue and Red for Gameboy. The music feels flat and disappointing, as the programmers could have taken advantage of a sound system with a lot more capabilities than those of previous generations of the game. Personally, I thought the newer generation of collectible pocket monsters were not as sharp and impressive as those of previous versions. This is a personal assessment, but I feel that it may reduce the overall popularity of the game, making it more acceptable for younger gamers or less seasoned gamers. Older tweens may think it is too babyish. The gameplay is also very slow: it literally took me over an hour to get through the opening sequence of the game and collect my first three pokemon because the battle scenes are slow, there are a lot of messages on the screen that delay action, and there is a lot of opening dialogue--and that is without accepting some of the characters' offers of advice. Even walking around on the game's map is a bit clunky.

Ideas:

Whip It

Whip It (motion picture, MPAA Rated PG-13 for partial nudity, language)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2009

Genre: Drama, Romance

Honors:

• Video Librarian 01/01/10
• Nominated for Bronze Horse, Stockholm Film Festival, 2009

Review: In Bliss's small town life, there is not much to do besides earn meager tips waitressing and participating in beauty pageants for her mom, who seems to be stuck in the 1950s. Deep down, Bliss is an alternative girl who wants to break out of her small town life and leave the dress-up world far behind her. An opportunity to do just that arrives in the form of a flier for a roller derby match, but knowing her parents would not approve, Bliss lies to her family and goes to the game. Then Bliss tries out for one of the teams and earns the nickname "Babe Ruthless," and the lies pile up as she and her team of new friends play their way to the top of the league. The only thing that can tear Bliss' dream apart is if her secret gets out: that she is only seventeen, too young to play roller derby without a parent's permission. This film is about one girl finding the strength to be her own hero, chase a dream, and learn to love her roots for what they are.

Opinion: The rating for this movie is more due to the brief sexual romance that is inserted midway through the film. There is a beautifully choreographed scene in which Bliss and her boyfriend undress in a public pool at night and--you can imagine where that goes. It does not get explicit beyond underclothes and does not go into details after the undressing, but it is some powerful imagery, a sexual fantasy brought to life on the big screen. There is also a lot of language, and some of the roller derby playing is very rough and there are a few fight scenes on the court. I had wondered at first why the movie wasn't in the YA collection at the library, but perhaps the catalogers thought it was a bit too on the mature side? Definitely a bit of chick flick drama in the film, and a bit of action and adventure as well.

Ideas: This film is based on Shauna Cross' novel, originally published as "Derby Girl" and later re-released under the title "Whip It." Another great example of a novel being adapted to film and great for an in-library, based-on-the-book screening event.

Hound Dog True

Hound Dog True
by Linda Urban
Harcourt Children's Books, 2011

Genre: Fiction

Honors:

• Booklist 09/01/11
• Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred 11/01/11
• Horn Book 09/01/11
• Horn Book 04/01/12
• Kirkus Reviews starred 04/15/11
• Publishers Weekly starred 07/25/11
• School Library Journal starred 10/01/11

Review: Having had a few bad experiences in her first year of public school, eleven-year-old Mattie is very introverted and shy. In the summer weeks before she starts school again, Mattie dreads her first day backas a fifth grader, and she begins following her uncle, the janitor at her school, around, trying to learn his trade in hopes of convincing him to let her be his apprentice during the school year: maybe that way, she can avoid other people. Then an older girl named Quincy shows up at her neighbor's house for a visit, and she seems to keep appearing in Mattie's life and may actually want to be her friend, despite Mattie's childishness. It turns out, Quincy may be older, but she may be just as unprepared for young adulthood as Mattie. Mattie keeps an honest account of her fears and her plans in her diary, and there, a remarkable story develops, one in which a frightened girl, afraid to grow up, finds a friend and faces the truth about herself.

Opinion: I really identified with the characters in Urban's story. It is hard being on the verge of teenhood when you are a very inward-facing person, and like Mattie, I was one of those awkward pre-teens who always thought I was going to say or do the wrong thing, and I wanted to grow up but I didn't know how to find myself and my voice under all of my bad experiences. Any young girl who reads this book will find a mirror of herself and, hopefully, a bit of comfort.

Ideas: I am inspired by this story, and it makes me think it might be nice to have a share-a-story event, in which participants can share an experience involving themselves or a friend, with someone who has had to face a difficult adjustment in life or overcome a trait like shyness.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (sound recording)
by J.K. Rowling; performed by Jim Dale
Listening Library, 2000

Genre: Fantasy, Book-on-CD

Honors:

• ALA Notable Children's Books 2001
• School Library Journal 09/01/00

Review: J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is wonderful to read, even better to hear. Jim Dale lends his talent to this 20-hour, 17-disc audio book adaptation, providing unique voice characterizations and smooth narration to guide his listeners through the world of Harry Potter. In Goblet of Fire, the fourth chapter of the Harry Potter saga, the students at Hogwarts' are whispering about a secret event being organized by the Ministry of Magic. When it is revealed that several magic academies are participating in an international contest, to be hosted by Hogwarts', Harry's friends are excited and many of them want to compete; Harry, however, is distracted. His scar has recently been bothering him, and sometimes his dreams take him to nightmarish places, where he sees Voldemort and Wormtail, and he hears things he doesn't understand. Then the unexpected happens: despite a rigid rule forbidding students under seventeen from putting their name into the Goblet of Fire (the medium for entering the contest), somehow Harry's name ends up in the Goblet and is accepted as valid. What this turn of events will lead to, only time will reveal.

Opinion: Jim Dale is a very talented storyteller and performer. When I put the first disc in, I expected to hear a straightforward narrative with not a lot of variation. However, Dale does a remarkable job switching from voice to voice, from girls and boys at Hogwarts to men and women at the Ministry, to elves. And his dynamic voice is easy to follow. I listened to a lot of the book while doing other things, and I could follow along without much effort. I'm going to say that the same readers of the series would enjoy the audio book, but beyond that, readers who aren't into the series, or who may not like the books but who like the movie series, may appreciate hearing the book read aloud instead as it is an entirely different experience.

Ideas: You know how you hear music when you walk through a supermarket or department store? Why not audio books? I wonder about playing a book over speakers in a certain area of the library, or during library time at school--how would that go? Maybe older children would enjoy hearing a narrative in the background as they browse for books or other materials--especially one that is narrated by Jim Dale.

Remember the Bridge

Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Philomel Books, 2002

Genre: Poetry, African American History


Honors:

• Book Links 01/01/07
• Book Report starred 09/01/02
• Booklist 02/15/02
• Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 05/01/02
• Kirkus Reviews starred 12/01/01
• New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age 2004
• Publishers Weekly 12/24/01
• School Library Journal 01/01/02
• Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) 08/01/02
• Wilson's Children 10/01/10
• Wilson's Junior High School 01/09/10

Review: "Remember the Bridge" is not only the title of this book, it is an appeal, a mantra, a lesson being passed on through a series of poems that are also historical accounts of the lives of skillful African hunters, unknowing that they themselves are being hunted, soon to be captured and sent to a new world to be slaves. There are stories of African American heroes such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Bessie Smith, as well as the unnamed men and women who worked hard day and night for their masters, who dreamed of freedom, and who escaped. There are poems about quilters and laborers, soldiers, basket weavers, and storytellers, musicians and athletes. Carole Weatherford can hold her audience captive herself with the emotions, the feelings of strife and victory present in the stories her poems convey.

Opinion: There are some very vivid and passionate lyrics in Weatherford's poetry that really hooked me and pulled on my heart strings. The poem, "On the Auction Block," tells how a captured African woman who bears a child on board a slave ship is separated from her baby hours later when she, but not her child, is bought by a slave owner. It is a sad tale, mostly because I can easily imagine that she is real and that she was one of hundreds (if not thousands) of women who had this experience.

Ideas: I practiced reading these aloud to hear the words orally, and it has beautiful rhythm and flow. Would make a good addition to African American history narrative storytime.

Every Thing on It

Every Thing on It: Poems and Drawings
by Shel Silverstein
Harper, 2011

Genre: Poetry, Humor

Honors:

• Booklist 09/01/11
• Horn Book 11/01/11
• Horn Book 04/01/12
• Kirkus Reviews 08/01/11
• Publishers Weekly starred 07/25/11
• School Library Journal starred 09/01/11

Review: This recent collection of poems from the Silverstein archives is filled with absurdities and humorous complementary drawings. His poetry discusses the every day (such as moving, eating out, and playing games), the ponderings of children, creations of the imagination, situational comedy (how about a horse so hungry it could eat a child? or a monster that is afraid there is a child under its bed?), and so much more. There are over one hundred fascinating poems, from one paragraph to one-and-a-half pages in length, making for loads of laughs and endless Silverstein goodness.

Opinion: I remember reading a lot of Silverstein's poetry as a child, but for the life of me, I can't remember any specific poem that I had read. But this book and its drawings really took me back. I know that these poems click best with the younger folks, but the wonderful thing about Shel Silverstein is that children grow up remembering how much they enjoyed his poetry and they return to it again and again. I had several fourteen-year-olds requesting his books when I worked as a school librarian, and it seemed like I could not provide enough copies to satisfy.

Ideas: I would love to do a read-aloud of Silverstein's poetry, complete with audio and visual effects. It seems like a book that a storyteller could have a LOT of fun with!

Anansi Goes Fishing

Anansi Goes Fishing
retold y Eric A. Kimmel; illustrated by Janet Stevens
Holiday House, 1992

Genre: African Folklore

Honors:

• Book Links 03/01/96
• Booklist 03/01/96
• Child Study Children's Book Committee 1995
• Elementary School Library Collection 06/01/00
• Horn Book
• Kirkus Reviews
• School Library Journal
• Teacher Librarian
• Wilson's Children 10/01/10

Review: Anansi the trickster is at it again, and this time, he tries to fool Turtle out of an entire meal. Only Turtle is just a clever as his spider friend, if not more so, and he has seen through Anansi's scheme--not only that, but he comes up with a plan of his own, one that will convince Anansi to do all the work and give up all of the spoils. With the aid of Janet Stevens' beautiful full-page illustrations, Eric Kimmel retells a classic African folk tale that imparts a lesson about trying to trick a trickster. The story also alludes to the invention of the spider's web, Anansi's version of the fishing net Turtle taught him how to weave in order to catch food.

Opinion: It is hard for me to imagine anyone not appreciating folk stories that are well illustrated with fun pictures. This book is often recommended for children, but in another format, the same story could be just as interesting to young tween or even older. I got a kick out of Anansi and Turtle's constant trickery.

Ideas: Anansi is a wonderful character to include in a storytelling event. His adventures can be told with puppets, a story board, music, and traditional oral telling.

Avalon: The Warlock Diaries, Book 1

Avalon: The Warlock Diaries, Book 1
by Rachel Roberts
Seven Seas Entertainment, 2009

Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel

Honors: unknown

Review: This is Rachel Roberts' first comic book series and it center around three middle school girls who have unique magical gifts and each are protected by a "bonded," similar to the idea of a familiar. Like many other mages, Emily, Kara, and Adriane are on a mission to find a mythical city, Avalon. It is known as the source of all types of magic in the world, and it is only accessible through a particular sequence of portals. As the mages try to figure out the sequence, and unexpected visitor arrives, one who the girls and their familiars thought no longer existed. While the new warlock in town has magic and animals in tow, his quest to find Avalon has different motivations from Emily, Kara, and Adriane, and the actions of his servants are highly suspect. This action series comes complete with drama, cute boys, and lots of butt kicking.

Opinion: This series comes across as a sort of a tame version of Sailor Moon. It also reminds me of the W.I.T.C.H. series. Very girly and cute, so I'm doubting boys would be interested in it, but it may click with both younger and older tween girls.

Ideas: This one goes on the list of comic character heroes youth can dress up as for a super hero day at the library.

Daniel X: Alien Hunter

Daniel X: Alien Hunter
by James Patterson & Leopoldo Gout
Little, Brown, & Co., 2008

Genre: Action, Drama, Science Fiction, Graphic Novel

Honors:

• Booklist 10/01/08
• Kirkus Reviews 11/01/08
• School Library Journal 11/01/08
• Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) 06/01/08

Review: After his family is killed by criminal aliens, Daniel X, son of an alien race, assumes his father's place and takes on a list of baddies from across the universe. He faces evil alone, using the power of his mind to create his sidekicks and imagine whatever weapon he needs to get the job done. Daniel's most dangerous mission yet is to take on Number 7, one of the strongest aliens on his father's list--and also one of the least-known species, an alien poacher who is responsible for the extinction of several innocent races. But with the help of an unlikely ally, Daniel may just find a way to prevent Number 7 from carrying out his latest plan. With vividly colored drawings and corny jokes, this cartoon version of James Patterson's science fiction novel is exciting, almost impossible to put down from cover to cover.

Opinion: Some violence, though not graphic, and very mild language form the backbone of this novel. It has more mature character drawings than most mangas and cartoons, and the reading level may be on the higher side, but the overall feel of the novel is fun and little bit goofy. Vengeance and protecting others are overarching theme that many tweens can identify with.

Ideas: I'd put this one out on display during a graphic artists' workshop, or in a series of displays for novels and movies that have been adapted for graphic novels.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Professor Layton and the Curious Village (handheld video game, ESRB Rated E for Everyone)
Nintendo, 2008

Genre: Brain Teaser, Puzzle, Mystery, Adventure


Honors:

• Spike Video Games, best handheld game, 2008
• Gamespy, best Nintendo DS game 2008
• British Academy Video Games Awards, best handheld award, 2009
• Nominated for best puzzle game for Nintendo DS, IGN video game awards, 2008
• Children's BAFTA Best Video Game Award, 2008
• GiantBomb, best DS game, 2008
• Nintendo Power Magazine, best puzzle game of the year
• AdventureGamers, "Aggie," best console/handheld adventure, 2009
• Nominated for best handheld game, G4's G-phoria, 2008

Review: One in a highly popular handheld mystery game series, Professor Layton and his apprentice, Luke, are much like Sherlock Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, piecing together unusual clues in order to solve a mystery that no one else can fathom. In this installment, the professor and his apprentice receive a letter from a recently widowed baron, claiming that the amazing fortune of the late baron will be awarded to the person who can solve a mystery: where is the Golden Apple? As the two enter Mystere, the curious village of the game's title, they encounter puzzles and brain teasers, which are worth points to solve. The game advancement is based on solving the brain teasers, which range in difficulty, and gaining information from the townsfolk of Mystere.

Opinion: The rating and design of this game are very deceptive. While gameplay in Professor Layton appears to be very simple and cute, the puzzles are extremely challenging and require some deep thought. I found myself jumping to the most logical answer many times and then failing to correctly solve many puzzles, and having to retry a puzzle means winning fewer than the max points originally offered for solving it. There are some that appear to be easy (such as, name the number of times in a 24-hour period three or more of the same number appear in a row on a digital clock), some are optical illusions, and some require specific knowledge (such as knowing in which direction the sun rises) in order to solve. As a grown adult who enjoyed being stumped by the puzzles in this game, I would say it is great for any age, really!

Ideas: One thought I had was to put on a mystery event and reenact some of the puzzles in Professor Layton, making useful reference materials available in the general area of the puzzles to assist the guest "detectives" in solving them. There are 120 in all, plenty to work with!

Mirrormask

Mirrormask (Motion picture)
Sony Pictures, 2005

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama

Honors:

• Herald Angel Award, The Scottish Herald
• Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, Black Tulip Award, 2006
• Locarno Film Festival, Nominated for Golden Leopard, Won Youth Jury Award, 2005
• Sarasota Film Festival, Audience Award, 2005
• Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival, Nominated for Best Film, Won Best Art Direction and Best Makeup, 2005

Review: From the imagination of Neil Gaiman and the Producers of Jim Hensen Productions comes a story that blends reality with a dream world. When Helena, a teenage circus performer, finds out her mother is in the hospital and needs surgery, her dreams take her to another world, one in which her mother is a white queen, and she is trapped in a deep slumber by magic. The daughter of a dark queen has escaped using a magical item called a "mirrormask" and has switched herself with Helena, putting Helena in the dreamworld. Without the dark princess, the dreamworld is coming apart, and Helena becomes the enchanted slave of the dark queen. The only way to return to reality and awaken her mother is to find the mirrormask, along with a window into the waking world, so she can switch herself back and return balance to the dreamworld.

Opinion: I had to watch this more than once to get into it: it has a very art house-y feel to it, and Gaiman's twisted artwork takes over the entire film, from costume design to scenery. Something about the tone and direction of the film make it very slow at first, and I felt like I had to be either an intellectual observer or a big Gaiman fan to appreciate the style present in Mirrormask. The film was rated highly by young adults and teens, judging by the film festival awards and nominations it has received, so my guess is it would be more appropriate for older tweens than younger ones.

Ideas: I like the idea of having multiple displays for fantasy authors that have transitioned to the big screen. We have seen many, such as C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowing, have their works adapted to film. This is going a step beyond, in a way, as Gaiman and Jim Hensen were working together to create this film, which is pretty neat.

Eureka!

Eureka!: Poems About Inventors
by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez
Millbrook Press, 2002

Genre: Poetry, Technology Non-fiction

Honors:

• Book Links 11/01/03
• Booklist 10/15/02
• Horn Book 04/01/03
• Riverbank Review 01/01/03
• School Library Journal 01/01/03
• Wilson's Children 10/01/10

Review: Ever wonder what Leonardo da Vinci was thinking? Who was the "Real McCoy"? Want to know what "graham" is? The answers to these questions and more are the makeup of sixteen poems written about famous inventors and inventions of the pre-past, the age of invention, and the present age of the Internet. Some of the poems take on a life of their own as Sidman brings the voices of some past inventors to life to speak their own account of what they've accomplished. Her rhymes are often silly and nonsensical, and sometimes, as in the case of Marie Curie, they are very serious.

Opinion: A sixth-through-eighth-grade teacher I used to work with would have appreciated this book immensely. She was always looking for unique poetry books to share with her students.

Ideas: A good example of how poetry can be used for more than conveying emotions. I would base a fun poetry workshop on books like Sidman's, putting it on display for a reference for young poets who attend.

Genetically Modified Food

Saving Our World: Genetically Modified Food
by Nigel Hawkes
Copper Beech Books, 2000

Genre: Biology Non-fiction

Honors: unknown

Review: Nigel Hawkes attempts to offer young readers a balanced look at the issue of genetic engineering of animals and food, which is becoming more relevant in the decade following the turn of the millennium. This book is part of Saving Our World series, which explores new ways in which science is involved in environmental protection agenda. Topics such as the uses of genetically modified food and its impact for farmers and the environment are covered from both the pro and the con side of the coin, making this a good introductory, unbiased resource for readers new to this issue.

Opinion: Aside from being very general, this book is more than ten years old and a lot of the information is out-of-date now. It has some good basic information, which is nice because I don't think very many books exist for youth on the subject of genetic engineering--and more adult books will have a for/against skew. A good book for tweens of any age looking to do some general research.

Ideas: For a lecture on using resources that non-biased, this book would be very useful. There is also a useful-though-brief glossary and index in the back.

Disturbia

Disturbia (motion picture)
Dreamworks, 2007 (MPAA Rated PG-13 for terror, violence, and sexual content)

Genre: Suspense, Thriller


Honors:

• ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, 2008
• Nominated for Empire Awards, Best Thriller, 2008
• Nominated for Kids' Choice Awards, Australia, Blimp Award, 2007
• Nominated for MTV Movie Awards, Best Kiss, 2008
• Nominated for People's Choice Awards, USA, Choice Actor (Shia LeBeouf) and Choice Horror Movie, 2008
• Teen Choice Awards, Choice Actor (Shia LeBeouf) and Choice Movie, 2007

Review: From Dreamworks comes a creepy thriller that takes the idea of being a part of the neighborhood
watch to the extremes. In the months following the death of his father in a fatal car accident, Kale (Shia LeBeouf) becomes overtly defiant, even violent, to the point that he socks his Spanish professor, lands himself in juvenile court, and is sentenced to three months of house arrest. What to do with all of that free time? Without access to the physical world beyond his front lawn, Kale turns to the only logical form of entertainment: spying on his neighbors. Only, what starts as innocent observations transforms into a technological stakeout when Kale begins to suspect that his neighbor is a serial killer and is responsible for countless unsolved missing women cases. As Kale and two of his friends gather more and more footage and test theories, the line between spying and creating evidence is crossed, and viewers will be frightened at how easy it is for an innocent person to be framed and a killer to go free. The suspenseful investigation scenes,, gory imagery, and chilling soundtrack to the movie make it a horror film with deep psychological thriller undertones.

Opinion: I was enjoying the comical breaks in this movie a lot, as some of the suspenseful scenes were very chilling and had my nerves on edge. By the time the mystery was resolved and the movie concluded, I wasn't sure whether I liked the film or not. The acting was superb, the directing amazing, and the plot had you doubting the evidence left and right, but when Kale and the killer face off toward the conclusion of the movie, the gore and music was so intense I felt like I couldn't watch anymore! I would definitely NOT recommend this movie to a younger tween. I think many older tweens like this kind of scary movie and will enjoy some of the erotic moments and heroicism displayed by Kale, but I have a hard time feeling like it is a good movie for young people of any age to watch. My personal feeling is that it over-glorifies the uses of technology to spy and the use of weapons to solve conflict.

Ideas: This movie would fit in well in a horror movie display; perfect for a Halloween theme for young adults and up.