Are you at The Studio? No? You should be! From Bach To Rock until 4pm today @ Central branch.

The Ninja Reviews. . .The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

One of my favorite series is The Mortal Instruments trilogy. I'm very happy to say that book two in the series is on the list of nominations for YALSA's Top Ten

Book one begins with Clary Fray and her best friend, Simon, going to a New York club called Pandemonium. While there, Clary witnesses other three teens sporting weird tattoos and weapons attack a seemingly innocent club-goer. She soon discovers that she saw something that no normal human should be able to see: an entire world of supernatural beings that exist alongside ours.

Clary's mother soon disappears and Clary is attacked by a creature that she knows shouldn't exist. Questions begin to pile up as Clary wonders why this is happening to her and what secrets this new world carries not only about the beings in it, but about herself.


Book two (the YALSA nomination!) continues right where book one left off. Clary is now fully involved in the world of the Shadowhunters, warriors who battle to protect the world, human and non-human alike, from the darkness of the supernatural world. But how does she fit into this world and can she prove herself while also surviving and protecting those she loves?




The final book in the trilogy will keep you up all night reading so that your questions will finally be answered! What will happen with Clary and Jace? Will Simon be able to lead a life anywhere near normal? Is Clary's mother going to live? And can Clary prove that she can be the strong, powerful young woman that she really is? Will she be able to save them all?




I highly recommend this fast-paced series. It is highly addictive and full of strong and interesting characters. There are a lot of dark moments, but even some highly amusing ones, too. If you enjoy this series, try these titles as well:

Okay, peoples. Why aren't you all trampling each other to watch Order of the Phoenix at Woodland West Branch right now? Come visit me!

Ancient Art of Beading - today 3-6pm @ Southeast Branch. Create jewelry, keychains, charms: all supplies provided!

Slytherin wins against Gryffindor in HP Trivia

That's right. Slytherin beat Gryffindor! It was girls versus guys at Woodland West Branch's Harry Potter Trivia event. All the ladies joined Slytherin house and beat the Gryffindor guys by 10 points. It was an intense trivia match, with lots of debate (mostly because the question-maker was a bit of dork on a few questions - sorry, guys!) and a ton of laughter (mostly at my expense).

At the end, trivia contestant Hayley won a new copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard, while contestant Tara won a hand-knit Harry Potter scarf.

Check out a few photos of the event.

Left to Right (click image for larger version):
Slytherin wins! ; Delicious snacks ; Tara wins the scarf! ; I am the Trivia Maven.

The Ninja Reviews... Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

When the cryptic letters started arriving in the mail, Jonah thought they were a prank. But when his friend Chip started receiving the same letters both boys realized something was up. With no return address and no way of finding out who sent the letters, Jonah and Chip begin to investigate on very little.

Jonah has always known he was adopted and once the letters help Chip find out that he too is adopted, questions start to arise, strange people start to appear, and the only witness to Chip and Jonah's bizarre story shows up. She's the only one talking, but there is a race to silence her story of a mysteriously appearing airplane carrying 36 babies and no adults.

This book starts off a little slowly but builds into a fantastic adventure. It had me steadily turning pages to find out the true identities of Jonah and Chip. And trust me, you will not believe the twist in the end! This book is appropriate for all teens and is a Lone Star Book for 2009-2010.

To find other great books on time travel take a look at our Time Travel Booklist.

TODAY! Wii Free Play @ Southeast branch 4-7pm. We'll have retro gaming, too!

One more day until Harry Potter Trivia @ Woodland West Branch. Call 817-277-5265 to register! Remember: Tues @ 2pm. Dress up if you want!

Saturday Free-play (Wii!) @ Central branch, 3-5:30. Ages 13-18, Studio ID needed (library card & photo ID, or parent w/ID to get Studio ID)

Freestyle Fridays @ Northeast

Come make your very own polymer clay pen!

Where: Northeast Branch Library
When: July 10 @ 3pm

Harry Potter Mania @ Central branch today! 1:30-5:30 Trivia, crafts, and a movie. Throw on a costume and enjoy snacks and more! http://ping.fm/ycDh7

Sneaky book fanatics

My mom, brother, and I read pretty much the same books. My brother lives in my apartment complex and likes to sneak into my apartment and steal my books (and food, of course) when I'm not there. He usually leaves food wrappers or plates sitting around, so of course I know he's been there. He's not the stealthiest person I know.

My mom is sneaky in a different way. She recently read the Twilight series and loved it. Yay! But then I had her read The Hunger Games and she just about had a fit when she found out there is a sequel that won't be out until September. [ insert maniacal laughter here ] She hates to read series that aren't completed because she hates having to wait for the next book to come out.

I am a sneaky daughter because I tricked her into reading Patrick Ness' The Knife of Never Letting Go, knowing all the while that there is a sequel that has not yet been published. The book is incredible, one you don't want to put down, not even to eat or take a shower, so she loved it as much as I did.

But then she got sneaky. Patrick Ness, the author of The Knife of Never Letting Go, lives in England, so the book comes out first in the UK and is published months later in the U.S. The sequel, The Ask and the Answer is due to be published September 8, 2009.

I went over to her house yesterday and guess what she had? That's right. A UK copy of The Ask and the Answer. She'd ordered it through Amazon.co.uk and was very smug about it, too!

But I did what any good, sneaky daughter would do. I grabbed it and took it home with me. So now I am happily reading it and will know what happens in the story before she does. This is where I give a happy little sigh. =)

The Ninja Reviews. . ."Absolutely Maybe" by Lisa Yee

What do tacos, platform shoes and kool-aid dyed hair have in common? Nothing really unless you read Lisa Yee’s latest book Absolutely Maybe.

The story revolves around Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut aka Maybe (yes, that’s her name and her mother’s name is equally long). She’s a daughter of a former beauty queen who does not live up to her mother expectations – kool-aid dyed hair does not scream Miss USA. After living through rounds of her mother’s various marriages in the boring town of Kissimmee, Florida, she decides to find her real father in California. In her quest, she is joined by two friends who get swept away in their own adventures.

This is Yee’s first venture into young adult literature and her efforts paid off. Yee has written children’s books before: Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time, and So Totally Emily Ebers. Each of these shares experiences of a developing friendship with wit and humor. This is the same for Absolutely Maybe. The characters are whimsical and quirky adding something more to a typical storyline of a girl finding herself. Whether it is the unusually long names, the stories of past boyfriends, her best friend’s out of this world personality, or a taco truck of deliciousness, the book served as an enjoyable, quick read.

Review by Lina

This book is on YALSA's top 10 nominee 2009 books for teens. You can see the list of nominees here. During August 25 through September 18 you can vote on your favorite and help create YALSA's next top 10 list!

The Ninja Reviews. . ."Impossible" by Nancy Werlin

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to the one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine…”

Begins the ancient rhyme and classic song that has become a curse to the women in the Scarborough family. At seventeen, Lucy Scarborough discovers that unless she can fulfill the three quests written in the song, she will fall into madness at the birth of her child. Lucy has seen the curse at work in her mother’s life but is unsure if it is mental illness or another darker evil that haunts her. Her loving foster parents and her lifelong friend, Zach, are determined that she will not face her fate alone. Thus begins the race to unravel the puzzle of the rhyme and save Lucy from a timeless evil.

Impossible is an awesome story of love, friendship, and forgiveness. The characters are believable and engaging and will completely suck you into their world. I found myself reading faster and faster as Lucy’s time ran out. A great summer read you won’t be able to put down!

Review by Angela

Here's a book trailer that'll make you want to read it even more!





This book is on YALSA's top 10 nominee 2009 books for teens. You can see the list of nominees here. During August 25 through September 18 you can vote on your favorite and help create YALSA's next top 10 list!

Teen Review by Mikayla... Crowned by Julie Linker

Hairspray, check
Fake Tan, check
Cute Swimsuit, check
Evening Gown, check
Sabotage Equipment, check

Presley loves the world of beauty pageants and glamour. She has a full time job being a cheerleader, helping at the retirement home, and preparing for the upcoming state scholarship pageant. So when her evil competitor, Megan,is found making out with Presley’s long time boy friend the heat is on.

How far will these 2 go to take home the tiara and title of Miss Teen State? When the winner also gets a chance to be a new reality show, they will stop at nothing… As Presley prepares for the contest she has to endure stolen boy friends, incriminating Internet Pictures, and vicious message board rumors, her 3 friends and a mysterious bad boy help her through it all. But will it be enough to help her win?

Books you might also enjoy…

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Thanks Mikayla! You just earned yourself a free book! Any teens that frequent any branch of the Arlington Public Library can do the same thing too. Read a book, write a review, and then click the 'Email Us' link at the top of the page to send it in! You can also bring it by your library and give it to the teen staff member. Everyone is eligible for one free book a month!