Are you up for the challenge?

Challenge yourself, and even challenge your friends! Can you write a novel in 1 month?

November is National Novel Writing Month, an annual challenge to writers to complete an entire novel in 1 month (November 1st to 30th). Take some time out this month from the demands of school and life and exercise your your creative thinking abilities.

More info on NaNoWriMo's Young Writers program can be found at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/.

The 2009 Teens' Top Ten Picks Are In!

More than 11,000 teen voted across the United States between Aug. 24 through Sept. 18 for the Teens Top Ten Books of 2009. The winners were announced during Teen Read Week by WWE Divas Brie Bella and Nikki Bella, with a special appearance by John Green. See the video here!

And the number 1 top pick as chosen by teens? Paper Towns by John Green! Find out why teens thought these were so great. Check them all out at the Renton Library.

1. Paper Towns by John Green
2. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
5. Identical by Ellen Hopkins
6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
7. Wake by Lisa McMann
8. Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast
9. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
10. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Read Beyond Reality - Teen Read Week 2009

October once again means it’s time for Teen Read Week October 18th to 24th! Stop by the Renton Main Branch or Highlands Branch, and check out some books and audiobooks that will change your world.

Here are some suggested titles that are TOTALLY beyond reality....and super fun. You can find any of these in the Young Adult area. Check 'em out!

Evernight by Claudia Gray
The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
Zombie Blondes by Brian James
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jne Austen)
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schrieber
Demon Chick by Marilyn Kaye
Hollow Kingdom by Clare Dunkle
Shiver by Meggie Stiefvater
Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi
Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Roar by Emma Clayton
Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
Need by Carrie Jones
Gone by Michael Grant
Wake by Lisa McMann
Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Kin by Holly Black

Teen Tuesday at the Highlands Library Goes Spooky

Ready for Halloween? Stop by the Highlands library next Tuesday the 27th after school (3-4:30 p.m.) for some *slightly spooky* (rated TVPG) anime, free snacks, and prizes. Oh, yeah, and Halloween costumes are always welcome...shall we have a contest?

Featured New YA Book!

Forest Born by Shannon Hale
It's finally here! The 4th book in the Books of Bayern series by the Newbery Honor-winning author of Goose Girl and Princess Academy!
When her beloved forest no longer gives her comfort and her brother Razo invites her to the city to be one of Queen Ani's waiting women, young Rinna happily accepts. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies--magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters--as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead.

TTYL - Teen Review (with possible spoiler)

TTYL by Lauren Myracle

Review by Natalie Stembridge

"I read this book and thought it was pretty good. I did not like how the boy dumps Maddie, but it was a great thing to learn about tenth grade.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars