If I Stay by Gayle Forman

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterward, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heart wrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time. (from Barnes & Noble)

Why I picked it up: It kept showing up on all the lists, good reviews, on blogs, etc. I figured I should see what all the hoopla was about.

Why I liked it: Very touching, good characters, heart wrenching is a good word.

Who I would give it to: Teens who like Laurie Halse Anderson and Sarah Dessen.

Keep a Kleenex on hand.

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

I picked this up on the word of fellow teen fantasy/sci-fi junkie Tyler. I was fascinated by the premise, a modern teenage girl who is a "bean sidhe" or banshee. I am looking forward to the sequel, My Soul to Save which I just put on order. If you are a fan of Twilight, this might be right up your alley.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Tournament

Monday, March 15 6:30 PM
Do you have what it takes to be a Super Mario Bros. Champ? Come compete against other teens in this fun Wii Game. No registration required, bring your Wii remote if you have one.

Award Winning Teen Books

The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association. The award is sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association.

This year's winner:
Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Once Charles Darwin sets his rational mind to marry the religious Emma Wedgeworth, they both must take a leap of faith in order to build a life together.

The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey

Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a monstrumologist, races against time to save his town (and himself) from the anthropophagi, a pod of monstrous creatures who prey on humans.

Punkzilla, by Adam Rapp

Fourteen-year-old runaway Jamie, homeless and strung out, embarks on a harrowing journey to reach his dying brother.

Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973

Karl Shoemaker wants to begin his senior year with a new identity separate from his counseling group, his alcoholic mother and the legacy of his dead father.

Teen Late Night

Friday, February 5 7:00-11:00 PM
Open to teens in 6th-12th grade only. Join us for an after-hours evening at the library. Computers, video games, snacks & hanging out with friends. Participants must be on time and stay for the entire evening. All participants must have a permission slip to attend the late night. Slips may be picked up at the youth desk beginning January 25. Only 40 spots available! Only one slip will be given to each teen, participants must pick up their own slip. Emergency number during the late night: 793-7116.

Milwaukee Bucks Reading Program

January 2 - February 13
The Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge is open to all youth in 3rd-10th grades. You score a point for each page you read from a book, magazine or newspaper. Score 500 points for pages to become an All-Star Reader.

You’ll earn a voucher good for a free ticket to a Bucks home game at the Bradley Center. You choose the game...either Sunday, March 14 at 12:00 PM vs. Indiana Pacers OR Friday, March 26 at 7:30 PM vs. Miami Heat. In addition all All-Star Readers and their guests will have the opportunity to shoot a free throw on the Bucks Court after the game!

Participants who read more than 750 pages will have their names entered into a drawing for an official Milwaukee Bucks Autographed Basketball—20 kids will participate in the Halftime High Five Tunnel, 20 kids will participate in the Bucks Kortside Kids and 10 kids will be recognized on-court at halftime!

Stop by the Youth Desk for your score card. All score cards must be turned in no later than Saturday, February 13!

Pokemon Rumble Tournament

Monday, January 18 6:30 PM

Pokémon Rumble lets up to four players battle at a time! You'll work together to defeat foes, but you'll also be trying to get the highest ranking! Come test your skills against other Pokemon fans! Open to teens in 6th-12th grade but younger kids who know how to play may join in the fun. No registration required.

Hope to see you there!