Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Dark Trends Teen Lit.

The New York Times had quite an interesting article on the trend toward dystopian writing in teen fiction.  It's worth checking out, including the various comments after the article.  Then follow up with the discussion on agent Suzie Townsend's Confessions of a Wandering Heart blog.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

This John Green clip is too funny to resist

I've already declared my away status, but I couldn't resist this too funny John Green video. Green just happens to be one of my fav. YA authors...and he was on Jeopardy (well sort of)...and he does an awesome happy dance.  


What more can you want from an author?  Good books you say...Ya, he's got those too.


An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska are both sooo good.

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WGSS Teacher Skit Flash Mob - Don't Stop Believin' (Glee) - Christmas Sk...

Advertisement from December 1922 issue of the ...Image via Wikipedia
Wishing everyone out there a fabulous holiday season.  Here's a little Xmas present from Walnut Grove High School Teachers and Admin.  I wish my high school staff had been this much fun...Back Soon.


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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Bull's Eye by Sarah Harvey

I love Sarah Harvey.  For one thing, she's an amazing writer, and for another, she's incredibly prolific.  In fact, I can't seem to keep up with her.  I thought I'd read most of her books, and then the other day I came across Bull's Eye, a young adult high interest novel for reluctant readers that I couldn't put down.  Harvey has a hook-you-from-the-get-go style that doesn't let up.  Listen to the opening line..."I'm the only one home when the UPS guy delivers the package that blows up my life."

See what I mean!  And, the package in question has nothing to do with real bombs, at least not of the 9/11 sort.  The explosion that rocks Emily's world is an emotional one; and once it goes off, it sends both her and her mother reeling.  The package contains the truth about Emily's real mother, now dead of a drug overdose.  Everything the "un-mom" has told Emily is a lie.  Emily has to get away.  She has to find out who her father is.  It doesn't take long to track him down, but she's too late by a year having been killed by a drunk driver.  Emily returns home but finds herself lashing out but she gets caught before things escalate too far.  She's fortunate enough to be sentenced under the restorative justice model; counseling once a week and community service twice a week at an after school daycare.  This is where she meets a 7-year-old April who helps her discover that family isn't all about biology.

Bulls Eye is a quick read, but like most of the other books from The Sounding Series, it's well worth the 100 or so pages and hour or two of your time.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Smell of Paint

Air Productions Co. did this book trailer for The Smell of Paint. I realize that I forgot to post this trailer.  Better late than not at all!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Opportunities for Young Authors

Hey if you are a keen young writer and you're 15 or older, check out this http://www.youthwrite.com/. They do weekend workshops during the winter, but a longer writing camp during the summer, so even if you don't live near Edmonton, Alberta, you should check them out.  They offer one-on-one blue pencil cafes, authors/teachers who are some of the best in their field including TV script writers, and they've even started a Spoken Word Youth Choir.  Here's one of their performances written by Gail Sidonie Sobat.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

So last week one of my daughters and I spent a rainy afternoon watching the new Harry Potter movie.  I admit, that I went in with attitude; I loved the books...all of them.  Would the movie be as good?  But, as a serious fan, it's hard to stay away.  Just like the previous two Potter films, my attitude was swept away within the first few minutes  The movie was totally absorbing.  In fact, when the lights went on I wasn't ready to let go of Harry, Hermione and Ron. 
 The film is centered around the fast-paced race for our three heroes to find and destroy the evil Horcruxes before the Dark Lord can get his hands on them.  Unfortunately, it seems the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts School of Magic have already been infiltrated by said evil so our three heroes are on their own.  While they do get help from an unexpected quarter, the movie ends with a chilling scene that will leave you on the edge.

There were so many scary scenes though, that I wouldn't recommend this one for kids.  I mean there were times when I found myself either closing my eyes or biting my nails or both.  And if the truth be known, more than one involuntary gasp escaped my clenched jaw...resulting in a hissed "shhhh" from my daughter. 
So what I want to know is...When is Part 2 out! Since I can't wait, I'll probably be rereading the whole book sometime very very soon.  I did notice that a game for The Deathly Hallows Part 1...but, you probably already knew that.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Today I'm going to see the new Harry Potter

Off to see Harry Potter this afternoon.  I know...I know.  You've probably already seen it.  But, I refuse to line up in the rain, which is what I would have had to do to see it sooner.  I hear it's quite dark, which would be in keeping with the novel.  Will report back.

Also have another review coming up of one of Sarah Harvey's books, but probably won't get to that until my daughter, who is visiting, heads back home to Vancouver.

In the meantime, here are some virtual cookies for you to munch.