Awesome Mystery Books and Programs with On The Same Page!

Starting at the end of next week, Forsyth County Public Library is starting their "On the Same Page" program. It's a month and a half of reading and programs all focused on one book. This year, we're reading The Maltese Falcon. We're part of the fun down here in Teen Central, so we're doing a ton of cool mystery programs, like the owl one I talked about a couple posts back and the two minute mystery program later in September. We're even going to have a cool YA mystery author come and visit in October. For more info on this great program, check out Programs for Teens page on the On the Same Page Blog. Haven't read a good mystery lately? Then, check out this list of great YA mysteries! We've got them all at your public library!

Behind the Curtain: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams. Sherlock Holmes fan and eighth grader Ingrid Levin-Hill is kidnapped while investigating a steroid ring in which her brother seems to be involved. Will she find her kidnapper?

Heist Society by Ally Carter. A group of teenagers uses their combined talents to re-steal several priceless paintings and save Kat Bishop’s father, an international art thief, from a vengeful man.

Change Up: Mystery at the World Series by John Feinstein. While covering baseball’s World Series, teenage sports reporters Stevie and Susan Carol investigate a rookie pitcher whose evasive answers reveal more than a few contradictions in his life story.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

Bad Kitty by Michelle Jaffe. While vacationing with her family in Las Vegas, Jasmine stumbles upon a murder mystery that she attempts to solve with the help of her friends.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Katherine Jenks. Fifteen-year-old vampire Nina has been stuck for fifty-one years in a boring support group for vampires. Nothing exciting has ever happened to them–until one of them is murdered and the others must try to solve the crime.

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kristin Miller. Life becomes more interesting for Ananka, when she discovers an underground room in the park across from her New York City apartment and meets a mysterious girl called Kiki Strike who claims that she, too, wants to explore the subterranean world.

Black Taxi by James Moloney. When Rosie agrees to take care of her grandfather’s car while he is in jail, she gets more than she bargained for, including being thrust into the middle of a jewel heist and being attracted to a dangerous boy.

Finding Lubchenko by Michael Simmons. When his father is framed for murder and bioterrorism, high-school junior Evan, using clues from a stolen laptop, travels from Seattle to Paris with two friends to find the real culprit.

The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer. While Enola Holmes endeavors to save her friend Lady Cecily Alistair from an unwelcome arranged marriage, she meets with some assistance from her older brother, Sherlock.

So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld. Hunter Braque, a New York City teenager who is paid by corporations to spot what is “cool,” combines his analytical skills with girlfriend Jen’s creative talents to find a missing person and thwart a conspiracy directed at the heart of consumer culture.

Want to Read Books Before They Hit Stores?

Are you a devoted reader of teen fiction? Do you love to get books as soon as they hit the shelves? Well, do I have a deal for you. Occasionally, publishers will send me books before they're published and that is super awesome. I *love* reading these...usually. But, sometimes, a book just isn't in any of the genres I read, I'm overwhelmed with other books, or I just want a teen second opinion before I buy a bunch of copies. So, what I'm offering to readers of this blog is an opportunity to get a crack at these books. All you need to do is write me and tell me the kind of books you read. You do have to be able to physically get to a FCPL library to pick up and return the selections I send you. Then, when you're selected to review a book, just give me a short (3-5 sentence) review and tell me if you think I should purchase it or not. If I really like your review, then I'll add it to this blog (with your permission, of course) when we have the book available for checkout. You can leave a comment below to sign up or email me at forsythlibraryteen@gmail.com.

1 Missing Bird!

This afternoon Teen Central's beloved wooden owl went missing! Of course, we already have an idea where she might have gone, but we need your help to solve the mystery. Was it the shady author who's been trying to write his novel outside of Teen Central? The bubbly library volunteer? The bird watching, bird loving librarian? A couple of teens pulling a prank? Or, maybe it was that sleazy art dealer who's been giving the statue the eye. So, if you think you can help close the case show up in Teen Central on September 10th at 4 pm. The detective who figures out who took our precious statue will get a reward!

Want to Be an Editor?

I recieved a very interesting email this morning from an author who's inviting teens to comment and edit on the first book she ever wrote in its raw, unedited form straight from the journal's of her fourteen year old self. Then, as a group the book is going to be rewritten one chapter at a time in hopes that the finished product is fit to publish. Check out her post about it here or to check out the story and its process here. It will definately be something interesting to watch. How about you? Do any of you have notebooks full of novels waiting to see the light of day?

Cage Match!

I just have to share this with everyone who loves YA books. There are some lovely bloggers who have put together a YA Fantasy Showdown and it is awesome. Imagine thirty-two of your favorite characters pairing up in fights to the death. The worst one, in my opinion, is that they've got Katniss and Tally Youngblood paired up against each other in the first round. Who to choose? I picked...


Nope. Not going to tell.


Go vote for your favorite characters here.

Next Month's Online Book Club Selection...

Next month we're featuring a book by a local author in our Online Book Club. We'll be reading Bonnie Doerr's Island Sting. It's an environmental mystery set in the Florida Keys. If you liked Carl Hiassan's Hoot or Flush, you should definately pick this one up! To make this even cooler, Bonnie Doerr will be coming to Teen Central as part of our On the Same Page programming to discuss her book and writing in general once we're done talking about it on here on October 5th at 4 pm. Start reading!

Online Book Club #3

I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President by Josh Lieb (in about 100 words)

From the outside Oliver Watson seems to be a (below) average 8th grader from Omaha, Nebraska. In reality, he is an evil supergenius whose aspirations include taking over the world. However, for now, he’s going to settle for being 8th grade class president just to make his father feel utterly stupid. You wouldn’t think that becoming class president would be all that difficult for the fourth richest person in the world, but you might just be wrong. Even with a legion of henchman, near uncountable amounts of wealth, and more intelligence that a NASA physicist class presidency might still be out of Oliver’s reach.

Now it's your turn to read and respond.

Week #1 Question
1. If you had Oliver's resources, what would you do first?

2. Do you think Oliver is really evil?

3. Did you want him to win in the end? Yes or no. Why?

4. Speaking of endings, what did you think about the change in the author's tone at the end of the book? Did you think he was staying true to his character or was he just trying to get a message across?