Summer Reading Rants and Raves

Madden ’07 Elimination Line Up

Caroline — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:31:44 +0000

There are 14 Spots Still Available!! Registration is Still Open!

You must be in the Grant Room of the Lincolnwood Library by 3:45 pm on your scheduled tournament day!!

Day 1, Tuesday September 11th

m160
Lord of Death
Lord of Pwnage
MadMaddenMan
MB23
DaBears
Sports Center
Narq1234

Day 2, September 25th

Muhammad
NoMoreMaddenFoYou
CrazyPickle
MoHo123
All Star
F3arM3Hobo
EmantheHot
Jacob

Day 3, Tuesday October 9th

Zohair007
Demir
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Day 4, Tuesday October 23rd

Don’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover!

Caroline — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:21:31 +0000

I’ll admit it. This month’s Chick Lit selection, Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love, is one of those rare books that I was embarrassed to be seen reading. I am often proud of my voracious reading tastes, but the cover of this book, with its horribly provocative title, made me blush! Often, I would try to hide it behind my purse when I was reading it in public and when people would ask me, “What are you reading?” I would launch into a lengthy plot description and try to avoid mentioning the title at all costs. I mean, come on. Sex Kittens? Horn Dawgs? AHHHHHHHHH! How corny. How cheesy. How EMBARRASSING! I was too mortified to tell my own mother the title of my latest favorite book. And please note the last part of that sentence-latest favorite book. Yes, this book is one of my latest favorites. Despite a mortifying title, this forward-thinking and free-spirited novel is filled with wit, love, and some of my all time favorite characters. If I had the magical ability to morph myself into bookland and make a fictional world part of my reality, I would definitely choose to attend The Manhattan Free Children’s School with Kat, Jess and Felicia (although Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione is a close second choice). The characters in this book just exude individuality, self-confidence, and are the epitome of cool. Like I said, this is one of my favorite books and if my raving doesn’t convince you to get past the cover and read it, perhaps one of the reviews copied below will do the job. Which brings me back to my original point, and the title of this post, Don’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover.

For more information and reviews on popular fiction titles check out Novelist; a reader’s advisory database accessible through our website at www.lincolnwoodlibrary.org.

Booklist Review: Gr. 7-10. After 14-year-old Felicia falls for Matthew, a passionate science student at their alternative Manhattan school, she concocts a scheme to kindle his affections. Framing her unrequited crush as a scientific query, she proposes a joint science fair project to investigate love’s “X-factor”—“Why some combinations of people fall in love and some don’t.” Matthew accepts, and their research, involving fellow students and the adults in their world, drives this uproariously funny debut novel. The premise is farfetched; could any teen so calmly discuss with her crush why he doesn’t return her feelings? But like any romantic farce, realism gives way to giddy humor, intrigues, and captivating characters, while Felicia’s strong, pitch-perfect narration will easily win readers, whether she is talking about her New Age mother (“Can someone give peace a frikkin’ chance already, so the poor woman can MOVE ON?”), chatting with her best friends, or musing about love. Despite the potentially suggestive title, the characters are intellectually, not sexually, precocious, and this will appeal most to young, gifted teens feeling the shock of their own first crushes. — Gillian Engberg (Reviewed 11-15-2005) (Booklist, vol 102, number 6, p58)

School Library Journal Review: Gr 6-9This lightweight foray into the love life of 14-year-old haiku-writing Felicia, one of the supremely self-confident “sex kittens” at the Manhattan Free Children’s School (aka the “Pound”) will provide hours of laughter and empathetic nods from readers who enjoy the trendy lingo. The Pound is a free-spirited place where students can cut class at will, never do homework, and spend lots of time doing extremely original projects, and Felicia and her fellow kittens, Jess and Kat, make the most of every opportunity. The “Horn Dawgs” are the male students, and Felicia has zeroed in on making her science fair project a study on the Search for X, otherwise known as the thing that makes the one you love love you back. The Dawg participant is Matthew, the object of her affection. While the title might make some adults cringe, in fact the story is nearly squeaky clean and lots of good fun with a predictable but happy ending.Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY –Susan Riley (Reviewed February 1, 2006) (School Library Journal, vol 52, issue 2, p140

Olive’s Ocean

Laura — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:05:32 +0000

Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes

Two weeks after Olive Barstow was hit by a car and killed, her mother visited Martha Hubbard to deliver a page from Olive’s journal. The journal page said that Olive wanted to be friends with Martha someday, wanted to be a writer (just like Martha), and wanted to see the ocean. Now Martha feels linked to the dead girl, and tries to appreciate her own life despite the challenges of death, loss, embarrassment and anger. I liked how realistic this book was about the 12-year-old girl’s problems and the way Martha becomes aware and appreciative of her own experience growing up now that Olive can’t grow up at all.

j-14 magazine

loli_rox_ur_sox101 — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:05:21 +0000

itz such a cool magazine it has like posters and tells u the scoop on star info!!!! also itz really pimped out!

Uglies

loli_rox_ur_sox101 — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 01:41:36 +0000

okay i finished the first part of the book and itz great soo far so i suggest u read it!itz about a girl named tally youngblood and her friend Peris turning pretty wit 1 month left tuntil she becomes prett she meets a girl named Shay! together they do all kindas of stuff until___(fill in the blank) happens if u want to noe what happens read this amazing book!

SeVeNtEeN MaGaZiNe

loli_rox_ur_sox101 — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:42:45 +0000

ok i love reading magazines and who blames me or u if we’re into them!!!! one of mi fave magazines are seventeen magazines! they have a beauty section clothes section a real life section and a hair section sometimes they even have horoscopes!!!!! thats y this magazine rox! but mi other reason is that they have attractive covers on the magazine and they just rock!!!! if ur a seventeen magazine reader post a comment cuz i ain’t going anywhere and u can learn alot!!! lolz bbl 2 write more biiiiiiiiiiiii :*

Camp Crooked Lake

lnkteen23 — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:37:50 +0000

Mary-Kate and Ashley go to a camp called camp crooked Lake. There are a lot of weird things happening at camp. People say there is a curse, and then the food is missing,there are snakes, and a bear. Mary-Kate and Ashley are trying to find out what is going on. Mary-Kate and Ashley find out that the senior counselor were playing a joke on everyone.

Clue at the Zoo

lnkteen23 — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:36:53 +0000

Mary-Kate and Ashley are at the zoo. The Tang family from China were looking to see if their panda was safe in the zoo. Lots of strange things started to happen. The parrots were talking and said they didn’t like the panda. Snakes were missing from the cages and other things happened too. Mary-Kate and Ashley are trying to find out who is ruining the zoo. Mary-Kate and Ashley find out that Felicia was doing this.

Dog Show Mystery

lnkteen23 — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:36:42 +0000

Mary-Kate and Ashley enter their dog, Clue, in a dog show. Someone stole their dog Clue. Mary-Kate and Ashley look for clues. Mary-Kate and Ashley find out that Tony stole Clue. Then he gave Clue back

How to Train a Boy

lnkteen23 — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:36:26 +0000

There are two girls named Riley and Chloe. Chloe wants this boy Travis to notice her. Larry wants Riley to go out with him but she doesn’t like him. Chloe and Riley see their dad’s trailer. Their dad gave the a dog. Riley’s friend wants Riley to ask her mom if Sierra can borrow a dress from her. Chloe and Riley move into their dad’s trailer. Chloe found out that Travis lives next door in his trailer. Chloe and Riley use a dog training book on their dog and find out that the book works on boys too. When they said commands to two boys, the boys obeyed. Riley lets Sierra borrow her Mom’s nice shoes withought her mom knowing. Riley can’t find the shoes when she is at Sierra’s concert. Riley found the shoes and Chloe decided not to look for Travis all the time