Wellington City Libraries

Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui

Search options

Teen Blog

Reading, Wellington, and whatever else – teenblog@wcl.govt.nz

Month: January 2012

Wellington Youth Council

Do you want to share your views on the direction of Wellington? To get involved in the planning and development of Council services? Joining the Wellington City Youth Council can give you the chance to advise the Wellington City Council on issues that affect the city’s youth.

Keen? Members must be between 12-24 years of age, live inside Wellington City Council’s boundaries and be willing to come to meetings at WCC, 4.00-5.30pm every 2nd Wednesday. For more information and an online application form, look here. Applications must be submitted by Jan 31st.

You can also connect with the Youth Council on Facebook and share your ideas and views that way as well!

Reader Review: The Fault in our Stars

We all know the feeling of having very high expectations for something, and then being disappointed with an unfavourable outcome. It seemed quite likely that this would happen with The Fault in Our Stars. I’m a big fan of John Green (whether it be his books, video blogs, or general being), I’d had this book pre-ordered for six months, and I’d listened to the pre-released first and second chapters many times. But, even with my sky-high expectations, this novel exceeded them beyond what I could have imagined.

The Fault in Our Stars is amazing. The blurbs from authors on the back and reviews from critics say much the same thing: That TFiOS is both extremely funny, extremely sad, and extremely thought-provoking. This is so true. The transition between quotes and scenes that have you in stitches, tears, or pondering the meaning of life seem so unexpected, yet never misplaced, and keep the wonderful pacing I’ve always found Green’s books to have.

The two main characters, Hazel and Augustus, are both very witty and very intelligent cancer survivors. Even though their conversations are deliciously interesting and entertaining, it is continually stressed that suffering from cancer does not make them hold all knowledge and the secrets of the universe, a cliche that is far too embraced in the world of ‘cancer stories’. But even with the too-good-to-be-true aspects of their personalities many fictional characters possess, these characters also have flaws and shortcomings that make them real. I felt myself relating to them, even though the only thing I really have in common with Hazel is being a teenage girl.

A great way to sum up my thoughts and feelings on this book is said by Hazel herself:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all humans read the book.”

In short, I love this book insane amounts and everyone– teens and adults– should read it.

~ Lucy

[If you’ve read something good lately, then tell us about it! It’s easy! Plus we like hearing from you. Ed.]

YA Authors Rock Out

Hey, did you guys know that Young Adult authors Libba Bray, Natalie Standiford, Dan Ehrenhaft and Barnabas Miller are all in a band called Tiger Beat together? I didn’t! Not until this morning when I saw this video of them performing “YA Song” in the New York Public Library.

You can play “spot the literary references” with the lyrics as well. They throw in some Hunger Games and some Catcher In The Rye, what else can you pick out?

Great Read: Human.4

Human.4,  Mike Lancaster

Ever think you’re missing what’s going on between what’s said and what’s not? And what if you did wake up and find the world was a completely different and scary place? Those things that go bump in the night? This book isn’t going to help you with those fears. It’s probably going to make them worse.

This book starts with an introduction, apparently from some unknown point in the future explaining about reading and books. What follows is the transcription of some tapes that have been found that were recorded around our time by someone called Kyle Straker. Kyle was living a normal life in a small town, his parents had a few issues, and he was doing his best to get out of going to the annual talent show. All pretty average stuff really. But during the talent show, he volunteers to be hypnotised. And afterwards he finds that the entire world has changed. People don’t seem the same, phones and computers don’t work anymore. And with only a couple of other “normal” people, finding out what is going on is rather difficult. I thought I knew what was going on about halfway in, then it turned out to be something just slightly, but rather critically different. And that’s about all I can say without giving too much away!

Totally a fantastic book. Dystopia and very much a classic science fiction story going on as well (not too strong though, so don’t worry if you aren’t into serious sci fi!)

Recommended if you liked the Gone series (Michael Grant), creepy dystopia books like Unwind (Neal Shusterman) and Peeps (Scott Westerfeld) or science fiction books like The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson. Also thoroughly recommended if you liked The Matrix as that’s what I kept thinking of when I was reading it!

And if you got an eBook reader for Christmas or like reading on your computer then this is also available on Overdrive, under the title “0.4”.

Waiting on Wednesday

So much stuff to anticipate. This week: a couple of film companions:

The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion, Kate Egan. Find out all about the movie! Here’s what to expect: “The New York Times bestseller by Suzanne Collins is now a major motion picture – and this is your guide to all of the movie’s excitement, both in front of the camera and behind it. Go behind the scenes of the making of The Hunger Games with exclusive images and interviews. From the screenwriting process to the casting decisions to the elaborate sets and costumes to the actors’ performances and directors’ vision, this is the definitive companion to the breathtaking film.” (Amazon.com)

The Hunger Games Tribute Guide, Emily Seife. “Here is the ultimate guide to the twenty-four Tributes participating in Panem’s 74th annual Hunger Games. Follow the Tributes’ journey from the Reaping to the Games, with a look at all the highlights along the way–the Tribute Parade, the stations of the Training Center, the interviews, and more. Get exclusive information about the Tributes’ strengths and weaknesses, their weapons of choice, and their experience in the Capitol before entering the arena.” (Amazon.com)

And a couple of quirky love stories:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, Jennifer E Smith. Hadley is waiting to catch a plane from New York to London, to attend her father’s wedding to a woman she’s never met. Fortunately, and improbably, there’s actually someone interesting in the airport departure lounge: Oliver. Even more fortunately and improbably, it turns out they’re pretty much seated next to each other on the plane. Set over a breathless 24 hours. Jolly good.

The Fault in our Stars, John Green. Hazel has cancer, and she’s receiving treatment that is working, in that her tumour is shrinking but not disappearing. She’s lived a long time with the “terminal” tag, but when she meets Augustus at a cancer support group, her life takes a turn for the more interesting. “Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind” (Goodreads.com).

Here’s John Green reading the first chapter (there is also chapter two available for viewing here).

A little birdie told me that he signed the first 150,000 copies of the book: here’s one of his vlogs about this (thanks, birdie):

Waiting on Wednesday

It’s 2012! No, truly!

Here’s a couple of things we’re looking forward to getting.

Variant, Robison Wells. The author describes this as dystopian-ish. Other people have suggested that if you enjoyed Divergent by Veronica Roth and the Gone series by Michael Grant then this should be right up your alley. From Amazon.com:

“Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life. He was wrong. Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. Where breaking the rules equals death. But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.”

Fallen in Love, Lauren Kate (February). For lovers of the Fallen series, here’s a collection of four (longish) short stories set in the Middle Ages. They feature Luce and Daniel, but also fill you in on how other characters like Roland and Arriane got to be who they are.

Thanks Stephanie for the tips.

Incidentally also, Rapture, the final novel in the Fallen series, will be released in about June/July this year. We will let you know when it’s available for reserving.

Other things in the long range forecast for 2012 include (for example):

  • The Fault in Our Stars, John Green (early this year). John Green! Long time no see!
  • Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver (early this year). The sequel to Delirium.
  • A Million Suns, Beth Revis (early this year). The sequel to Across the Universe.
  • Fear, Michael Grant (May). The second to last in the Gone series.
  • – Insurgent, Veronica Roth (May/June). The sequel to Divergent (obvs.).
  • – City of Lost Souls, Cassandra Clare (June)
  • – The Rise of Nine, Pittacus Lore (August/September)

Plus some that will sneak up and surprise you. Must start a to-read list.