Teen Book Spotlight

Hey, teens! Today we've got the rundown on some new (and newish) and popular novels from the Teen collection. We'll pretend that each review is being written in Twitter and will keep the review under or at 140 characters. Here we go:

	Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, by Morgan Matson Girl's dad died. Girl & boy start boring cross-country road trip. Detours make it fun and meaningful. Real characters. Great music lists!
	Anna & the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins Anna sent to study abroad at Paris boarding school. Doesn't want to go. Meets boy. Swoons. See what happens next in the City of Love.
	Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver Popular teenager Samantha died in car crash. Somehow she relives day over & over. Can she change events & save herself? Raw & emotional.
	Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan Meet gifted photographer Blake. Discovers secret about classmate. Amazing inner “guy” monologue mimics real guy thoughts. Talented author.
	Prom & Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg Funny take on classic Pride & Prejudice. Complete with lies, betrayal, romance, wrong assumptions, Bennett & Darcy. This one has prom twist.
	Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater (and Linger and the forthcoming Forever) Highly recommended for those Twilight "Team Jacob" fans. Werewolves, love, adventure. Characters to love and love less. Trilogy.
	Split, by Shanti Avasthi Domestic violence. Older brother left. Younger brother stuck. Beautifully written, great character development, heartbreaking situation.

For more teen book recommendations, visit the Youth Services Desk or try searching our Novelist database.


Posted by ws. It's been wonderful blogging for Youth Services for the last year. I accepted a new position at another library, so this is my last post. Look for future posts by the talented Youth Services staff!

Following the Trail of The Call of the Wild from Santa Clara to Alaska

The Big Read's keynote address will be held Tuesday, March 22, 2011, from 6:00 - 7:45 p.m. in the Redwood Room of Central Park Library. Dr. Daniel Dyer, Jack London scholar and author, will give a lecture and slide show presentation on the path traveled by the dog Buck and London's links to the places in the novel.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, from 6:00 - 7:45 p.m. at Mission Library Family Reading Center, Dyer will discuss London's youth, his ties to the Bay Area, his time in Alaska and his career.

Join us for either or both events. Get more information and sign up when you are in the library or call (408) 615-2900.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.

posted by mb for mh

Kids Can Quilt

This quilt is in the Children's picture book area. Created by SCCL's own Ellin Klor, Mary Boyle, and Angie Vincente. See the blog post for more details.

Did you know that National Quilting Day is today (the 3rd Saturday in March)? It's a day created by the National Quilting Association to highlight the craft of quilting, or joining together two or more layers of material to make a thicker padded material. [source]

Detail from library quilt mentioned above

Quilting is a chance to use your imagination. You could make a quilt from clothes that are too small or ones that you don't wear anymore. You can pick whatever colors you want. Most often, you'll work from a pattern. Traditional quilts are sewn with needles and thread, and we have a collection of books with basic designs for kids old enough to work with needles. There's even one especially for teens and tweens. Have a look:

Kids Can Quilt: Fun and Easy Projects for Your Small Quilter by Dorothy Stapleton

Kids' Easy Quilting Projects by Terri Thibault

The Quilting Bee by Gail Gibbons

Teens & Tweens: Quilting Fun with Family & Friends by Anita Shackelford

Traditional Quilts for Kids to Make by Barbara J. Eikmeier 

Ask at the Youth Services Desk if you'd like more information about quilting and quilting resources!

Posted by ws.

Quilting Resources

Today's free computer class at Central Park Library features dozens of links to websites of interest to quilters. If you are looking for books or videos from the library, hands on classes, sources for fabric, a community of quilters to join just try some of these:




746.46 P82 Sew and Go Totes: 9 Quilted Projects 2009
746.46 F24 Kaffe Fassett's Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts 2010
746.46 W31 Fusing fun! fast, fearless art quilts by Laura Wasilowski 2005
DVD746.46 P37 Machine Applique for the Terrified Quilter 2008



Find classes at local Adult Education centers, retreat centers and stores.
Santa Clara Adult Education (408) 423-3500
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Adult Education (650) 940-1333
Empty Spools Seminars Five 5-day quiltmaking workshops taught annually by national experts at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California.



The Granary and Eddie's Quilting Bee in Sunnyvale
Prairie Queens Quilt Shop and Quilter's Nest in San Jose
Natural Expressions in Los Gatos



Santa Clara Valley Quilting Association and Peninsula Quilting Guild have large meetings and small groups to join. Read the latest SCVQA newsletter here.



Take a closer look at the quilt shown above when you visit the Children's Picture Book area of Central Park Library.

posted by mb

Women in History

March is Women's History Month. Remember that last year, we did a little Women's History Month quiz? We're back for round 2!

The month-long celebration is brought to you by The National Women's History Project. This year's theme is "Our History is Our Strength," because "learning about women’s tenacity, courage, and creativity throughout the centuries is a tremendous source of strength." [source]

Test your knowledge of famous women throughout history. Answers are at the bottom of this blog post.

1. Gloria Steinem is known for _____________.

1. being the nationally recognized leader of the Women's Liberation Movement in the early 1960s-late 1970s
2. co-founding Ms. magazine
3. co-founding Women's Media Center, an organization that "works to ensure women are powerfully and visibly represented in the media"
4. All of the above
5. None of the above
   

2. Toni Morrison has NOT done which of the following:

1. won a Nobel Prize in Literature
2. written and sung a song
3. won a Pulitzer Prize
4. taught English at the State University of New York
5. written a novel that also became a movie and an opera
6. All of the above
7. None of the above

3. Who was Susan B. Anthony?

1. a tutor who taught Helen Keller how to read braille.
2. a scientist who won a Nobel Prize
3. an American civil rights leader who fought for women's right to vote in the 1800s. For her work, she was memorialized on a one dollar coin called a Susan B. Anthony dollar.
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

4. Which of the following is true about Laura Bush?

1. she is married to George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States of America
2. has a master's degree in Library Science and was a librarian
3. she partnered with the Library of Congress to launch the National Book Festival
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

5. Sally Ride was the first American woman to _____________.

1. receive a medical degree
2. travel into space
3. become U.S. Secretary of State
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

Visit the Youth Services section of the library to find biographies about these and other famous women in history.

• Gloria Steinem
• Toni Morrison
• Susan B. Anthony
• Laura Bush
• Sally Ride
  

Try these other resources, too:

• Biography Collection Complete
• Women's History Month Features on Infoplease.com
• List of Women Biographies on Gale
  

Don't forget that the Youth Services Librarians are available to help. Just stop by the Youth Services desk on the first floor!


Answers: 1. d; 2. b; 3. c; 4. d; 5. b

Posted by ws with fact help from Wikipedia.org. All images from Wikipedia.org.

Learn More About Jack London

Santa Clara's BIG READ, Jack London's The Call of the Wild, begins with an event at Mission College Quad from 11:00 - 2:00 on Wednesday, March 16. Get a free copy of the book and read it. Read more about all the BIG READ events here.

To learn more about author, Jack London, look for these recommended biographies:

Jack London: a biography by Daniel Dyer Juv 921 L847

Big Read Keynote Speaker, Dr. Daniel Dyer, has written a very accessible and readable biography for young adults and older readers. The book includes many photos and an index. Dr. Dyer's talk and slide show at Mission Library on March 23 is based on the research he did for his book.

Jack London's Women by Clarice Stasz 813.52 L84

Sonoma State University Professor Stasz, who had access to London family papers, wrote this fascinating book which includes the story of his relationship with Mabel Applegarth of Santa Clara. She lived near College Park Station and is buried in Mission City Memorial Park, Santa Clara's city-owned cemetery.

Irving Stone's Jack London, his life, Sailor on horseback ( a biography) and twenty-eight selected Jack London stories 921 L847

When it was published in 1938, this book was a highly acclaimed bestselling book. Some consider it one of the best written Jack London biographies.

Jack London, photographer by Jeanne Campbell Reesman, Sara S. Hodson & Philip Adam 770.92 R32

A beautiful coffee table style book showcasing Jack London's talents as a world traveled photojournalist.

Wolf: the Lives of Jack London by James L. Haley 813.52 L84

A vivid portrait of his life, this book provides great insight into Jack London's psyche. Some of its reviewers say this book surpasses Irving Stone's acclaimed 1938 biography.

Find these books in the 2nd floor nonfiction collection or on display at the top of the stairs in Central Park Library.

posted by mb for mh

Teen Tech Week

Today kicks off YALSA's (Young Adult Library Services Association) Teen Tech Week, which runs from today through March 12th. Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teens, librarians, educators, parents, and other concerned adults that highlights non-print resources at the library.

Did you know the library has:

• Free Live Online Tutoring
• Research Databases
• Downloadable eBooks and Audiobooks
• Twitter and Facebook Accounts
• A Blog
• Music CDs, DVDs, Audiobooks
• Internet Classes
• Over 81 Public Internet Workstations

To celebrate, the Santa Clara City Library is sponsoring an Internet Scavenger Hunt, where you have a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Pick up the form at the Youth Services Desk or online, complete the 15 questions, and return it to the desk or email your answers to nchoi@santaclaraca.gov by March 12th. A winner will be chosen from a drawing of all qualified entries. Winners will be notified by email or phone. (To qualify for the drawing, scavenger hunts must be completed and have at least 10 answers correct.)

Healthy Choices for Healthy Kids

Did you know that March is officially National Nutrition Month? While it’s always appropriate to think about good nutrition, this seems like a great time to tackle some tips that will help your young child develop healthy eating habits so that he or she continues to grow into a healthy adult. Eating right helps him or her learn new words and skills, as well as fuel all of that youthful energy. Here’s what mypyramid.gov/preschoolers suggests:

• Your preschooler needs fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and protein every day, so that his growing body will have plenty of fuel.
• Set a good example. Let your child see you enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables at snack time. Eat together as a family as often as you can, so that your preschooler will learn that healthy meals are important for the whole family.
• Plan three healthy meals, plus one or two healthy snacks every day. Everything your child eats should be nutritious and healthful for his growing body.
• Let kids pick produce at the supermarket. When they’re more invested in their food, they will be more willing to eat it!
  

In addition, by visiting mypyramid.gov/preschoolers, you’ll be able to enter your child’s age, weight and level of physical activity. Then you will be able to view customized lists of menus and snacks that will provide your child with a healthy diet. Take a look at these examples:

For instance, a healthy breakfast for a three-year-old boy, who weighs 35 pounds and is physically active, would be the following:

• ½ cup cooked oatmeal
• ½ cup milk
• 1 scrambled egg

He should be consuming 1,400 calories per day, and everything he eats and drinks should contribute to his nutritional needs.

A two-year-old girl, who weighs 30 pounds and is also physically active, should be consuming 1,000 calories per day. A healthy dinner for her would be the following:

• 1 oz. serving of chicken breast
• ¼ cup mashed potatoes
• ¼ cup green peas
• ½ small whole wheat roll
• ½ cup milk

“On the Path to Good Health” is supported by Kaiser Permanente and the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.

Posted by ws

The Heart of the Valley Quilt Show Saturday and a Free Computer Class

A free computer class for quilters is coming to Central Park Library, Thursday, March 17 from 10:15-11:15 in the Technology Center. Learn about quilting resources in the library, on the internet and in our local community. Learn about great deals like $10 admission for the weekend at the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association's Heart of the Valley quilt show.

Join the local quilt community at the Santa Clara Convention Center Saturday, March 5 from 10-5 and Sunday, March 6, from 10-4.

Hundreds of quilts will be on exhibit. Look for special exhibits including small group challenges, and a special childrens' challenge as well as others. Demonstrations such as machine quilting, hand quilting, machine applique, hand applique, machine piecing, hand piecing, and easy binding application will be shown throughout the show.

Door prizes will be given throughout the weekend. Opportunity tickets will be available for the chance to win a quilt designed by Wedgewood quilters, a small quilt group. The quilt is composed of Santa Clara Valley landmarks in red work, handquilted by Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association members. More than twenty vendors will be selling sewing machines, fabric, embellishments, jewelry and other fun items.

posted by mb