Daniel Boone Regional Library

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list of recommended reading sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Sixteen young adult book clubs from libraries across the country are responsible for narrowing down a list of nominees for teens to vote on nationwide. Below is this year’s full list of Top Ten nominations.

I admit that I’m mostly satisfied with this year’s picks, though some might consider the list to be a little heavy on mythological romance like “Of Poseidon” by Anna Banks or “Underworld” by Meg Cabot. I love that this booklist gets published in late spring because it sets the tone for my entire season of summer reading. I loved Veronica Roth’s Insurgent” and I’m looking forward to reading “The Raven Boys” by Maggie Stiefvater and “Every Day” by David Levithan. Which titles will you be adding to your list of must-reads?

“Crewel” by Gennifer Albin
In a futuristic world, Spinsters are women with the power to weave everything into form, whether it be food, buildings, or peoples’ very lives. Adelice Lewys has this talent, and she is whisked away into a world of luxury and elegance because of it. Although it is often advertised at the perfect life, it is far from it as things are never how they seem.

“Of Poseidon” by Anna Banks
Emma has never really questioned her ability to communicate with fish, her strange violet eyes, or her awkwardness on land, but when her best friend, Chloe, dies in a shark attack and the attractive, mysterious Galen keeps showing up in her life, Emma soon learns that she belongs in a different world –- one that is underwater. In the meantime, Galen, the prince of the Syrena, must learn why Emma seems to not quite fit in with either the humans or the Syrena while battling the strong attraction he feels towards her. As the relationship between the two develops, they are faced with difficult decisions between duty and desire that could lead to a huge change of Syrena history.

“Underworld” by Meg Cabot
In the second book of the Abandon series, Pierce Oliviera has been — yet again — kidnapped by John Hayden, the ruler of the Underworld. However, this time she can’t escape, and when she gets a video on her phone predicting her cousin Alex’s death, Pierce panics and begs John for help. She will do anything if only he will help her cousin out, including staying with him forever in the Underworld. Check out our staff review of the first title in this series!

“Bitterblue” by Kristin Cashore
When her evil father, King Leck, dies, Bitterblue is made queen of a kingdom she knows nothing about. As she struggles to come to terms with both who she is and the legacy her father left on the city, Bitterblue tries to discover the secrets of her father’s crimes by walking the streets of her own city in disguise. Filled with struggle, suspense and surprises, will she be able to turn her kingdom into a better place?

“Poison Princess” by Kresley Cole
What really happens at the end of the world? Cannibals, Baggers, people try to sell you — and in this world, sixteen-year-old Evie is one of the few healthy teen girls. Evie sets out on a quest to find herself, all while things heat up between her and Jackson, the troubled bad boy from across the tracks. She knows life will get even worse as she comes to realize that she isn’t like other people. Luckily, or maybe unluckily for her, Jackson is the only one that can help her survive.

“Skinny” by Donna Cooner
Ever has always wanted to live in a fairy tale, but with 302 pounds weighing her down, it’s difficult to achieve. It’s even harder with Skinny, her own private critic, constantly belittling her. In this inspirational tale, Ever discovers the truth of learning how to overcome and accept the issues that plague her.

“Kill Me Softly” by Sarah Cross
After being raised her whole life by her fairy godmothers, Mirabelle runs away to the town where they said her parents died. But when she gets there, she starts to notice that it isn’t any ordinary town and that the teens who live there are fated to play out the Grimms’ fairy tales. So when Mira finds out that she, too, has a role to play, it’s only a matter of time before her story could lose its happy ending.

“Croak” by Gina Damico
Lexington “Lex” Bartleby is a juvenile delinquent who is sent to her uncle Mort’s after her latest stunt. Once there she discovers that she is a Grim Reaper. She was born to have the ability to take the souls from dead bodies and send them to the Afterlife. On the job, she feels the need for justice for the poor people who have died, but they aren’t allowed to do anything but transport the souls. As she deals with this struggle, her limits are tested as she discovers how far she will go to help the souls and herself.

“The Hunt” by Andrew Fukuda
For as long as he can remember, Gene’s father has always taught him how to keep a low profile so no one can notice that he’s different. He can’t run as fast, he can go outside in the daytime, and he doesn’t have a lust for blood. Gene is human, and each day is a battle to keep his secret locked away or be devoured by everyone around him. When he is chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hunt the last few remaining humans, he is thrust into the fight of his life and into the orbit of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible. Little does he know, however, she has a few secrets of her own.

“172 Hours on the Moon” by Johan Harstad
When NASA holds a world-wide contest for returning to the moon, no one — not even the three teenage participants — can fathom what is really in store for them up on the airless, empty gray mass. Or is it truly empty … ? Unbeknownst to them, what they find up there will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone on Earth.

“Seraphina” by Rachel Harman
Dragons and humans have finally achieved peace, and the anniversary celebration is fast approaching. For Seraphina Dombegh, who is half dragon and half human, life is about blending in. However, a series of events will place her in the path of the Prince Lucian, Captain of the Queen’s Guard, and a hunt for a killer determined to start a war.

“Wake” by Amanda Hocking
Three mysterious girls have just blown into town, and everyone has their eyes on them. Little does everyone know, they also have their eyes on the towns’ residences. Gemma in particular has caught their eyes, and they want her. Little does Gemma know, she’s about to be thrown into a situation she might not be able to get out of.

“Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
Tilt tells the story of three teenagers, all wondering about who they are and how they fit into the world. One struggles with a teen pregnancy, another deals with AIDS, while the last must overcome an abusive relationship. As things begin to change drastically, with them not in control, all they can do is hang on for the ride.

“Enchanted” by Alethea Kontis
Sunday loves to write stories; the only problem is that when she reads them aloud, they tend to come true. So when a frog claiming to be a cursed human comes along, he asks her to do two things: to read a few stories that won’t harm anyone and to kiss him. When you kiss an enchanted animal — or in this case, a frog — the enchanted will return to his true self. What Sunday doesn’t know is that if she kisses him, her life will change forever.

“Grave Mercy” by Robin LaFevers
Ismae is the daughter of the God of Death. After a near escape to a convent from her arranged marriage, Ismae is trained in the arts of a handmaiden of Death: assassination. Sent to the household of a possible traitor, Gavriel, Ismae begins to see glimpses of faults within her convent and honor in the man she is sent to spy on. Despite any feelings or doubts, she knows her first duty is to Death, but she has to wonder: what will her duty cost her and the man she is coming to love?

“Butter” by Erin Jade Lange
Butter is a morbidly obese teenager who is sick of being invisible but who doesn’t really want to make a splash either. One day, he’s finally pushed over the edge, and he posts a blog about his last meal, the one that he plans will kill him. This blog post brings him instant popularity, making Butter happy for once in his life. But Butter knows that his life is still far from perfect, and he must struggle with himself to determine who he will be and what course his life will take.

“Monument 14” Emmy Laybourne
Monument 14 is a book filled with terror, fear, and love, all inside a supermarket where fourteen kids are trapped . They are unable to leave as a monster hailstorm has hit, leading to variety of other disasters like a chemical weapon spill. Now they must find a way to escape their town, Monument, and get to safety in Alaska.

“Every Day” by David Levithan
A wakes up in a different body every day. It has always been that way for A, and A has rules to live by, like not getting too involved in the person’s life. Then A meets Rhiannon, the girlfriend of Justin, the boy whose body A is inhabiting. Suddenly, none of the rules apply because A is falling for Rhiannon and she won’t leave A’s mind even after A has left Justin’s body…

“Son” by Lois Lowry
In this new branch of the dystopian story started by “The Giver“, we follow the life of Claire, a birthmother in Jonas’s community. When Claire gives birth and her baby is taken from her, we see the first signs of emotion from someone besides Jonas in the community. In this riveting tale about the strength of a mother’s love, you’ll be whisked through an epic adventure of good vs. evil that explores the concepts of freedom, love, and sacrifice.

“I Hunt Killers” by Barry Lyga
Jazz is the son of an infamous serial killer and has witnessed crime scenes from the killer’s point of view. So when a body is discovered, Jazz wants to use the skills he knows to help find the killer. However, he’s not just trying to prove to other people that he’s not like his father; he’s also trying to prove it to himself despite what he already knows.

“Pushing the Limits” by Katie McGarry
Echo is a high school girl with “freaky” scars on her arms and no memory of how it happened. Noah is the high school stoner who uses girls and has no future. Over the course of their senior year, their lives will intersect in a way they never could have imagined, going through a journey that will prove to themselves and each other that they are more than what their reputations demand.

“The False Prince” by Jennifer Nielsen
In a faraway land, civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom’s divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him on the throne. Four orphans are forced to compete for the role, including a defiant and clever boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. His rivals have their own agendas as well, so Sage must trust no one and keep his thoughts hidden. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of lies unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that may very well prove more dangerous than all the lies taken together.

“Between the Lines” by Jodi Picoult
Delilah is a lonely, straight-A, freshman student who is shunned by nearly everyone at her school except for her punk best friend, Jules. Her mother pushes her to get out more by making her join the swim team even though she always gets last place. Her father left her for another family and never visits. So it’s no wonder she would rather spend her days reading. She finds a fairy tale that she can’t stop reading and falls in the love with the prince of the story. Too bad he’s not real … or is he?

“Falling Kingdoms” by Morgan Rhodes
War is brewing and unrest is widespread. The breaking point is a single incident in the dying nation of Paelsia. While three kingdoms battle for power, four young people find themselves greatly affected by it as they experience things like betrayal and war.

“Insurgent” by Veronica Roth
In the sequel to “Divergent“, Tris Prior is safe at the Amity compounds with her fellow survivors. With the whole city at war with itself and Jeannine looking for all the Divergent, Tris must learn to embrace her own divergence and understand it, though it might prove a dangerous task.

“Immortal City” by Scott Speer
The Immortal City: where guardian angels only protect the richest people and it’s the hottest, trendiest thing to be an angel. Maddy doesn’t quite understand what all the hype on angels is about, but when the most desired angel, Jacks, asks her for help, she finds out more about angels than she ever expected possible. Soon after, they immediately fall in love. But when someone threatens this love, what will they do about it?

“The Raven Boys” by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys is a thrilling adventure that captures you and takes you down the supernatural path with a daring girl named Blue, four complicated guys, and one life-altering quest and mystery of finding the Glendower King. Check out our staff review of this title!

“Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein
Verity is held captive by the Gestapo in 1943. She is told to reveal the secrets of the pilot who brought her to France or face the brutal consequences. As she does this, she weaves a story of an unlikely friendship and the bonds formed by it. Their tales intertwined form a suspenseful, breathtaking narrative of espionage — hope — horror — and friendship that spans untold secrets!

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list of recommended reading sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Sixteen young adult book clubs from libraries across the country are responsible for narrowing down a list of nominees for teens to vote on nationwide. Below is this year’s full list of Top Ten nominations.

I admit that I’m mostly satisfied with this year’s picks, though some might consider the list to be a little heavy on mythological romance like “Of Poseidon” by Anna Banks or “Underworld” by Meg Cabot. I love that this booklist gets published in late spring because it sets the tone for my entire season of summer reading. I loved Veronica Roth’s Insurgent” and I’m looking forward to reading “The Raven Boys” by Maggie Stiefvater and “Every Day” by David Levithan. Which titles will you be adding to your list of must-reads?

“Crewel” by Gennifer Albin
In a futuristic world, Spinsters are women with the power to weave everything into form, whether it be food, buildings, or peoples’ very lives. Adelice Lewys has this talent, and she is whisked away into a world of luxury and elegance because of it. Although it is often advertised at the perfect life, it is far from it as things are never how they seem.

“Of Poseidon” by Anna Banks
Emma has never really questioned her ability to communicate with fish, her strange violet eyes, or her awkwardness on land, but when her best friend, Chloe, dies in a shark attack and the attractive, mysterious Galen keeps showing up in her life, Emma soon learns that she belongs in a different world –- one that is underwater. In the meantime, Galen, the prince of the Syrena, must learn why Emma seems to not quite fit in with either the humans or the Syrena while battling the strong attraction he feels towards her. As the relationship between the two develops, they are faced with difficult decisions between duty and desire that could lead to a huge change of Syrena history.

“Underworld” by Meg Cabot
In the second book of the Abandon series, Pierce Oliviera has been — yet again — kidnapped by John Hayden, the ruler of the Underworld. However, this time she can’t escape, and when she gets a video on her phone predicting her cousin Alex’s death, Pierce panics and begs John for help. She will do anything if only he will help her cousin out, including staying with him forever in the Underworld. Check out our staff review of the first title in this series!

“Bitterblue” by Kristin Cashore
When her evil father, King Leck, dies, Bitterblue is made queen of a kingdom she knows nothing about. As she struggles to come to terms with both who she is and the legacy her father left on the city, Bitterblue tries to discover the secrets of her father’s crimes by walking the streets of her own city in disguise. Filled with struggle, suspense and surprises, will she be able to turn her kingdom into a better place?

“Poison Princess” by Kresley Cole
What really happens at the end of the world? Cannibals, Baggers, people try to sell you — and in this world, sixteen-year-old Evie is one of the few healthy teen girls. Evie sets out on a quest to find herself, all while things heat up between her and Jackson, the troubled bad boy from across the tracks. She knows life will get even worse as she comes to realize that she isn’t like other people. Luckily, or maybe unluckily for her, Jackson is the only one that can help her survive.

“Skinny” by Donna Cooner
Ever has always wanted to live in a fairy tale, but with 302 pounds weighing her down, it’s difficult to achieve. It’s even harder with Skinny, her own private critic, constantly belittling her. In this inspirational tale, Ever discovers the truth of learning how to overcome and accept the issues that plague her.

“Kill Me Softly” by Sarah Cross
After being raised her whole life by her fairy godmothers, Mirabelle runs away to the town where they said her parents died. But when she gets there, she starts to notice that it isn’t any ordinary town and that the teens who live there are fated to play out the Grimms’ fairy tales. So when Mira finds out that she, too, has a role to play, it’s only a matter of time before her story could lose its happy ending.

“Croak” by Gina Damico
Lexington “Lex” Bartleby is a juvenile delinquent who is sent to her uncle Mort’s after her latest stunt. Once there she discovers that she is a Grim Reaper. She was born to have the ability to take the souls from dead bodies and send them to the Afterlife. On the job, she feels the need for justice for the poor people who have died, but they aren’t allowed to do anything but transport the souls. As she deals with this struggle, her limits are tested as she discovers how far she will go to help the souls and herself.

“The Hunt” by Andrew Fukuda
For as long as he can remember, Gene’s father has always taught him how to keep a low profile so no one can notice that he’s different. He can’t run as fast, he can go outside in the daytime, and he doesn’t have a lust for blood. Gene is human, and each day is a battle to keep his secret locked away or be devoured by everyone around him. When he is chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hunt the last few remaining humans, he is thrust into the fight of his life and into the orbit of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible. Little does he know, however, she has a few secrets of her own.

“172 Hours on the Moon” by Johan Harstad
When NASA holds a world-wide contest for returning to the moon, no one — not even the three teenage participants — can fathom what is really in store for them up on the airless, empty gray mass. Or is it truly empty … ? Unbeknownst to them, what they find up there will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone on Earth.

“Seraphina” by Rachel Harman
Dragons and humans have finally achieved peace, and the anniversary celebration is fast approaching. For Seraphina Dombegh, who is half dragon and half human, life is about blending in. However, a series of events will place her in the path of the Prince Lucian, Captain of the Queen’s Guard, and a hunt for a killer determined to start a war.

“Wake” by Amanda Hocking
Three mysterious girls have just blown into town, and everyone has their eyes on them. Little does everyone know, they also have their eyes on the towns’ residences. Gemma in particular has caught their eyes, and they want her. Little does Gemma know, she’s about to be thrown into a situation she might not be able to get out of.

“Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
Tilt tells the story of three teenagers, all wondering about who they are and how they fit into the world. One struggles with a teen pregnancy, another deals with AIDS, while the last must overcome an abusive relationship. As things begin to change drastically, with them not in control, all they can do is hang on for the ride.

“Enchanted” by Alethea Kontis
Sunday loves to write stories; the only problem is that when she reads them aloud, they tend to come true. So when a frog claiming to be a cursed human comes along, he asks her to do two things: to read a few stories that won’t harm anyone and to kiss him. When you kiss an enchanted animal — or in this case, a frog — the enchanted will return to his true self. What Sunday doesn’t know is that if she kisses him, her life will change forever.

“Grave Mercy” by Robin LaFevers
Ismae is the daughter of the God of Death. After a near escape to a convent from her arranged marriage, Ismae is trained in the arts of a handmaiden of Death: assassination. Sent to the household of a possible traitor, Gavriel, Ismae begins to see glimpses of faults within her convent and honor in the man she is sent to spy on. Despite any feelings or doubts, she knows her first duty is to Death, but she has to wonder: what will her duty cost her and the man she is coming to love?

“Butter” by Erin Jade Lange
Butter is a morbidly obese teenager who is sick of being invisible but who doesn’t really want to make a splash either. One day, he’s finally pushed over the edge, and he posts a blog about his last meal, the one that he plans will kill him. This blog post brings him instant popularity, making Butter happy for once in his life. But Butter knows that his life is still far from perfect, and he must struggle with himself to determine who he will be and what course his life will take.

“Monument 14” Emmy Laybourne
Monument 14 is a book filled with terror, fear, and love, all inside a supermarket where fourteen kids are trapped . They are unable to leave as a monster hailstorm has hit, leading to variety of other disasters like a chemical weapon spill. Now they must find a way to escape their town, Monument, and get to safety in Alaska.

“Every Day” by David Levithan
A wakes up in a different body every day. It has always been that way for A, and A has rules to live by, like not getting too involved in the person’s life. Then A meets Rhiannon, the girlfriend of Justin, the boy whose body A is inhabiting. Suddenly, none of the rules apply because A is falling for Rhiannon and she won’t leave A’s mind even after A has left Justin’s body…

“Son” by Lois Lowry
In this new branch of the dystopian story started by “The Giver“, we follow the life of Claire, a birthmother in Jonas’s community. When Claire gives birth and her baby is taken from her, we see the first signs of emotion from someone besides Jonas in the community. In this riveting tale about the strength of a mother’s love, you’ll be whisked through an epic adventure of good vs. evil that explores the concepts of freedom, love, and sacrifice.

“I Hunt Killers” by Barry Lyga
Jazz is the son of an infamous serial killer and has witnessed crime scenes from the killer’s point of view. So when a body is discovered, Jazz wants to use the skills he knows to help find the killer. However, he’s not just trying to prove to other people that he’s not like his father; he’s also trying to prove it to himself despite what he already knows.

“Pushing the Limits” by Katie McGarry
Echo is a high school girl with “freaky” scars on her arms and no memory of how it happened. Noah is the high school stoner who uses girls and has no future. Over the course of their senior year, their lives will intersect in a way they never could have imagined, going through a journey that will prove to themselves and each other that they are more than what their reputations demand.

“The False Prince” by Jennifer Nielsen
In a faraway land, civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom’s divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him on the throne. Four orphans are forced to compete for the role, including a defiant and clever boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. His rivals have their own agendas as well, so Sage must trust no one and keep his thoughts hidden. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of lies unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that may very well prove more dangerous than all the lies taken together.

“Between the Lines” by Jodi Picoult
Delilah is a lonely, straight-A, freshman student who is shunned by nearly everyone at her school except for her punk best friend, Jules. Her mother pushes her to get out more by making her join the swim team even though she always gets last place. Her father left her for another family and never visits. So it’s no wonder she would rather spend her days reading. She finds a fairy tale that she can’t stop reading and falls in the love with the prince of the story. Too bad he’s not real … or is he?

“Falling Kingdoms” by Morgan Rhodes
War is brewing and unrest is widespread. The breaking point is a single incident in the dying nation of Paelsia. While three kingdoms battle for power, four young people find themselves greatly affected by it as they experience things like betrayal and war.

“Insurgent” by Veronica Roth
In the sequel to “Divergent“, Tris Prior is safe at the Amity compounds with her fellow survivors. With the whole city at war with itself and Jeannine looking for all the Divergent, Tris must learn to embrace her own divergence and understand it, though it might prove a dangerous task.

“Immortal City” by Scott Speer
The Immortal City: where guardian angels only protect the richest people and it’s the hottest, trendiest thing to be an angel. Maddy doesn’t quite understand what all the hype on angels is about, but when the most desired angel, Jacks, asks her for help, she finds out more about angels than she ever expected possible. Soon after, they immediately fall in love. But when someone threatens this love, what will they do about it?

“The Raven Boys” by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys is a thrilling adventure that captures you and takes you down the supernatural path with a daring girl named Blue, four complicated guys, and one life-altering quest and mystery of finding the Glendower King. Check out our staff review of this title!

“Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein
Verity is held captive by the Gestapo in 1943. She is told to reveal the secrets of the pilot who brought her to France or face the brutal consequences. As she does this, she weaves a story of an unlikely friendship and the bonds formed by it. Their tales intertwined form a suspenseful, breathtaking narrative of espionage — hope — horror — and friendship that spans untold secrets!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 • 6:30 p.m.
Columbia Public Library, Friends Room

“Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars” (78 min.) follows a reggae band born in the camps of West Africa, representing a real-life story of survival and hope. The six-member musical group came together in Guinea after civil war forced them from their native Sierra Leone. Traumatized by physical injuries and the brutal loss of family and community, they fight back with the only means they have-music. The result is a tableau of tragedy transformed by the band’s inspiring determination to sing and be heard. This documentary by Banker White and Zach Niles is shown in collaboration with POV, PBS’ award-winning nonfiction film series. The film showed at the True/False Film Fest in 2006.

Thanks to everyone who came to the “Buck” showing at the Columbia Public Library. Here are some questions about the film that you can respond to in the comments section of this blog post:

1. What quality do you like most about Buck?
2. How do you think Buck’s childhood had an effect on his horse training?
3. Do you think differently about animals after watching this film?

Microsoft has announced (again) that its support for the Windows XP operating system will end in April of 2014. Windows 8, Microsoft’s latest and greatest, lends a very new look to your PC or laptop. It functions differently than previous versions of Windows, with a “start screen” appearing on start-up instead of your desktop. This screen displays tiles representing different applications and providing dynamic information instead of static icons, and that familiar start button is nowhere to be found. Also, a lot of Windows 8′s functionality is made for touch screens, with the ability to swipe across the display to see other applications or functions, to reveal hidden icons, etc.

If you are thinking about upgrading to Windows 8, or you already have Windows 8 and want to learn more about how it works, the library has some great options for learning the ins and outs of this new operating system.

If you learn best through an actual course, Universal Class has recently added a course on Windows 8. This learning tool is accessible through the library’s website, is free with your library card, and offers more than 500 online continuing education courses taught by real instructors with remote, 24/7 access. The Windows 8 course, which you’ll find under the computer training category, features an in-depth tour of the operating system and how-to instructions so you can learn to navigate the seemingly complicated interface, locate the files and folders you need and more.

Of course, we also have books!

• The popular Teach Yourself Visually series of computer books has a simple-to-follow Windows 8 guide.
• If you are a fan of the For Dummies books, we have several of those as well.
• “But I have a tablet!” you protest. Not to worry. “Windows 8 for Tablets” has you covered.

Love (or hate) Windows 8? Let our readers know what helped you become more comfortable with the new interface in the comments.

Earlier this spring we asked area young adults to help us prepare for Summer Reading by designing an original bookmark based on the teen theme, “Beneath the Surface.” Using colored pencils and a great deal of imagination, this year’s teen winners artfully presented their interpretation of what this meant to them. Congratulations goes to Garett Ballard, Hayden Ballard and Victoria Salerno! You can pick up your own copies of these bookmarks at any of our three branch locations or bookmobile stops.

We recently added “The Story Of Film: An Odyssey” to the DBRL collection. The DVD set that includes 15 hour long episodes currently has a rating of 93% from audiences at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

The story of film: an odyssey, written and directed by award-winning film-maker Mark Cousins, is the story of international cinema told through the history of cinematic innovation. Five years in the making, The Story of Film: An Odyssey covers six continents and 12 decades, showing how film-makers are influenced both by the historical events of their times, and by each other. It provides worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made; an epic tale that starts in nickelodeons and ends as a multi-billion dollar globalised digital industry. Described as a ‘love letter’ to the movies, Cousins visits the key sites in the history of cinemal from Hollywood to Mumbai; from Hitchcock’s London to the village where Pather Panchali was shot, and features interviews with legendary filmmakers and actors including Stanley Donen, Kyoko Kagawa, Gus van Sant, Lars Von Trier, Claire Denis, Bernardo Bertolucci, Robert Towne, Jane Campion and Claudia Cardinale.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

The 2013 One Read book is “The Ruins of Us” by local author Keija Parssinen! Each year as part of this community-wide reading program, the public helps choose a single book that we then invite everyone to read. Pick up your copy today, and join us in September to explore the novel’s themes through discussions, art, film, presentations and more. Sign up to let the library know you are reading “The Ruins of Us,” and you will be entered into a drawing for a free autographed copy of the book.

To learn more about this gripping and well-crafted novel, visit www.oneread.org.

The 2013 One Read book is “The Ruins of Us” by local author Keija Parssinen! Each year as part of this community-wide reading program, the public helps choose a single book that we then invite everyone to read. Pick up your copy today, and join us in September to explore the novel’s themes through discussions, art, film, presentations and more. Sign up to let the library know you are reading “The Ruins of Us,” and you will be entered into a drawing for a free autographed copy of the book.

To learn more about this gripping and well-crafted novel, visit www.oneread.org.

About the Book

“The Ruins of Us” is a fast-paced work of contemporary fiction that explores the terrain of family relationships complicated by cultural conflict.

After more than 20 years of marriage to wealthy Saudi Abdullah al-Baylani, Rosalie, an American expatriate, discovers that her husband has taken a Palestinian second wife, which makes her contemplate escaping both the marriage and the country she has grown to love. Leaving will not be easy, however, given the country’s restrictions on women and the needs of her teenage children – a headstrong daughter becoming increasingly westernized and a son succumbing to radicalism.

The book’s publisher describes “The Ruins of Us” as  “a timely story about intolerance, family and the injustices we endure for love.”

About the Author

Keija Parssinen was born in Saudi Arabia and lived there for 12 years as a third-generation expatriate. She earned a degree in English literature from Princeton University and received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she held a Truman Capote Fellowship and a Teaching-Writing Fellowship. “The Ruins of Us” is her first novel. Parssinen lives in Columbia, Missouri, where she is the Director of the Quarry Heights Writers’ Workshop, a community for Columbia’s creative writers.

Biographical information from www.keijaparssinen.com and www.harpercollins.com

 

More information:

• Author’s Website
• Publisher’s Page
• Publisher’s Reading Group Guide
• The Guardian Review
• Publisher’s Weekly Review
• Author Interview With The Missouri Review

• Books & Authors Database
• Google Books
• Goodreads
• LibraryThing
• Shelfari

Each winter, the public submits suggestions for next year’s One Read book. In January, a panel of community members reviews the suggestions, narrowing that list down to 10 titles, and then chooses two or three books to present for a public vote.

 

Final 10 Selections

• Arcadia
  Lauren Groff
• The Call (Runner-up)
  Yannick Murphy
• The Cat’s Table
  Michael Ondaatje
• Gone Girl
  Gillian Flynn
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
  Susan Cain

• The Ruins of Us (Winner)
  Keija Parssinen
• State of Wonder
  Ann Patchett
• Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
  Cheryl Strayed
• The World Without Us
  Alan Weisman
• The Yellow Birds
  Kevin Powers

Other Suggested Titles

• Abe
  Richard Slotkin
• The Alchemist
  Coelho, Paulo
• The Barbarian Nurseries
  Hector Tober
• Battle Royale
  Koushun Takami
• Battleborn
  Claire Baye Watkins
• Before I Forget
  Leonard Pitts
• Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in A Mumbai Undercity
  Katherine Boo
• Being Dead Is No Excuse
  Gayden Metcalf
• The Black Count
  Tom Reiss
• Black Water Rising
  Attica Locke
• The Book of Jonas
  Stephen Dau
• The Book Thief
  Markus Zusak,
• The Boys of My Youth
  Jo Ann Beard
• Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
  Kristina McMorris
• Caleb’s Crossing
  Geraldine Brooks
• Calligraphy of the Witch
  Alicia Gaspar de Alba
• Cat of the Century
  Rita Mae Brown
• The Chaperone
  Laura Moriarity
• City of Thieves
  David Benioff
• Civil War in the Ozarks
  Phillip Steele
• Cleaning House: A Mom’s 12-month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement
  Kay Wills Wyma
• Cloud Atlas
  David Mitchell
• Cold Mountain
  Charles Frazier
• Complete Persepolis
  Marjane Satrapi
• Confessions of a Murder Suspect
  James Patterson
• Conquistadora
  Esmeralda Santiago
• Day After Night
  Anita Diamant
• Deadline Artists
  John P Avlon
• Deep and Dark and Dangerous
  Mary Dawning Haun
• Defending Jacob
  William Landay
• Destiny of the Republic
  Candice Millard
• Discovery of Witches
  Deborah Harkness
• A Dog’s Purpose
  W. Bruce Cameron
• The Doomsday Book
  Connie Willis
• The Dovekeepers
  Alice Hoffman
• Eat the Document
  Dana Spiotta
• Emergency : This Book Will save your Life
  Neil Strauss
• Enemy Women
  Paulette Jiles
• Evidence of Things Unseen
  Marianne Wiggins
• Fahrenheit 451
  Ray Bradbury
• The Fault In Our Stars
  John Green
• Fifty Shades of Grey
  E.L. James
• Freeman
  Leonard Pitts
• The Fresco
  Sheri Tepper
• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café
  Fannie Flagg
• The Gardener
  S.A. Bodeen
• Girl in Translation
  Jean Kwok
• The Glass Castle
  Jeanette Walls
• God’s Hotel
  Victoria Sweet
• A Good American
  Alex George
• Gotcha Gas–Debacle Near Roswell
  M.A. Banak & Wm. Weimer
• The Grace of Silence
  Michele Norris
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
  Mary Ann Shaffer
• Half the Sky
  Nicholas Kristof
• The Handmaid’s Tale
  Margaret Atwood
• The Heart and the Fist
  Eric Greitens
• Heart in the Right Place
  Carolyn Jourdan
• The Help
  Kathryn Stocket
• The History of Love
  Nicole Krauss
• Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
  Jamie Ford
• How to Read the Air
  Dinaw Mengestu
• I Am the Messenger
  Markus Zusak
• I, Fatty
  Jerry Stahl
• In the Service of the King
  Naomi Novik
• In the Shadow of the Banyan
  Vaddey Ratner
• The Invisibles
  Hugh Sheehey

• Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri
  Robert Dyer
• Juno’s Daughters
  Lise Saffran
• The Kite Runner
  Khaled Hossenini
• The Koran
• The Language of Flowers
  Vanessa Diffenbaugh
• The Last Kind Words
  Tom Piccirilli
• Light Between Oceans
  M.L. Stedman
• The Marriage Plot
  Jeffrey Eugenides
• May the Road Rise Up to Meet You
  Peter Troy
• Memoirs
  Pablo Neruda
• Mercury 13
  Martha Ackmann
• Middlesex
  Jeffrey Eugenides
• Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War
  Tony Horwitz
• Mrs. Robinson’s Disgrace
  Kate Summerscale
• Neicy
  Akasha Hull
• Never Say Die
  Susan Jacoby
• Neverwhere
  Neil Gaiman
• New Moon
  Stephenie Meyer
• Night Circus
  Erin Morgenstern
• Not so Dolce Vita: Reflections in a Read Convertible
  Julia Falkner-Tompkins
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma
  Michael Pollan
• The Other Wes Moore
  Wes Moore
• Paper Angels: A Novel
  Jimmy Wayne
• Paper Towns
  John Green
• The People of the Book
  Geraldine Brooks
• Perfect Chemistry
  Simone Elkes
• A Place in Time
  Wendell Berry
• The Poisonwood Bible
  Barbara Kingsolver
• Polio: an American Story
  David Oshinsky
• The Postmistress
  Sarah Blake
• A Prayer for Owen Meany
  John Irving
• The Presidents Club
  Nancy Gibbs & Michael Duffy
• Pulphead
  John Jeremiah Sullivan
• The Reading Promise
  Alice Ozma
• Ready Player One
  Ernest Cline
• The Road
  Cormac McCarthy
• Saints at the River
  Ron Rash
• Say You’re One of Them
  Uwem Akpan
• The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain
  Barbara Strauch
• Shame the Devil
  Debra Brenegan
• Silent Spring
  Rachel Carson
• Slant of Light
  Steve Wiegenstein
• The Snake Eaters
  Owen West
• The Snow Child
  Eowyn Ivey
• Start Something That Matters
  Blake Mycoskie
• Still Alice
  Lisa Genova
• Story of Charlotte’s Web: E. B. White’s Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic
  Michael Sims
• The Stranger (L’Etranger)
  Albert Camus
• The Street of a Thousand Blossoms
  Gail Tsukiyama
• Teen Titans
  Scott Lobdell
• Tell the Wolves I’m Home
  Carol Brunt
• Thorn
  Intisar Khanani
• The Tiger’s Wife
  Obreht, Téa
• Torch
  Cheryl Strayed
• Tropic of Cancer
  Henry Miller
• The Turtle Catcher
  Nicole Lea Helget
• Twilight
  Stephenie Meyer
• Unbroken
  Laura Hillenbrand
• Watchman’s Rattle
  Rebecca Costa
• What is the What?
  Dave Eggers
• When Women Were Birds
  Terry Tempest-Williams
• Why We Make Mistakes
  Joseph T. Hallinan
• Winter’s Tale
  Mark Helprin
• Year of Wonders
  Geraldine Brooks
• Zeitoun
  Dave Eggers

Hey, y’all! Spring has FINALLY arrived, and this is the perfect time of year for a Mid-Missouri day trip. Get out your light jacket and some good walking shoes and head to one of these outdoor destinations not far from our own backyard!

Foremost Dairy Center
Located just 6.5 miles west of Columbia off old Highway 40 is the University of Missouri’s research and teaching dairy farm. You can arrange for a tour of the facility, which includes plenty of hands-on fun. You might see a baby calf, and you just might get to help milk its mama! You’ll also get to learn how the milk goes from the cows to the bottle factory to your dinner table. Visiting a working dairy farm is a great adventure for young and old alike. To arrange a tour, visit their  website.

Dairy Farm Lake No. 1
Located next to the Foremost Dairy Center is Dairy Farm Lake No. 1, owned and maintained by the University of Missouri. Take the family (or escape by yourself!) for a day of fishing, canoeing or bird watching. The lake is 15 acres and has boat access. Don’t forget to purchase a fishing license if you are going to fish. You can buy a permit online through the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website. The MDC also has a handy online tool for finding other public fishing areas in Missouri.

Warm Springs Ranch
How about heading just farther west and visiting those beautiful ponies before they become the full-grown Clydesdales you see at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis? Yes, these horses – over 100 of them – are born and trained right here in our own backyard. You can schedule a tour through the Warm Springs Ranch website or call them at 1-888-WS-CLYDE. (Note: there is a fee for touring the ranch.)

Get outdoors while the weather is nice. Then, if you are feeling inspired to learn and explore some more, check out our Travel subject guide, or come to the library and get some good books on dairy farms, fishing or horses. We also have Missouri travel guidebooks aplenty, so get day-trippin’!

Why I checked it out: This book was introduced to me through my wonderful book club.

Why I liked it: This book is one of those rare gems in which you want to be friends with all the characters (not just the three main characters, but also parents, school staff, etc.). The clever narration is delivered through school papers, e-mails, diary entries, instant messages and class notes. While I was skeptical of the format at first, I soon eagerly followed the three main characters journeys through high school. If you want an intelligent and fun read that covers a variety of seemingly unconnected topics such as love, identity, sign language, high school divas, baseball, Mary Poppins and more, then read this book.

Three words that describe this book: heartwarming, romantic, hilarious.

Similar books include: “Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto” by Eric Luper and “Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares” by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

May 22: “Buck” 6:30 p.m. at Columbia Public Library, free. (via)
May 22: ”Titicut Follies” 6:30 p.m. at Ragtag. (via)

We recently added “They Call It Myanmar” to the DBRL collection. The film currently has a rating of 100% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

Shot clandestinely over three years by best-selling novelist and filmmaker Robert H. Lieberman, this film with its stunning footage provides an astonishing and intimate look inside what has been one of the most isolated countries on the planet With an exclusive perspective provided by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, this film brings a human dimension to a country that remains a mystery to much of the world.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

My daughter and I learned how to bike in the summer of 1984. She was 7 and I was 32, so I learned first, and then I spent another month pushing her bike and catching her (and her bike) when she lost her balance. My quick biking progress made me sure of my athletic abilities, and despite the fact that I didn’t do any biking between that summer and the time I moved to Columbia in the summer of 1991, I began my new American life by buying a used bike and riding along the MKT trail.

I did a lot of walking, too: for one thing, I never drove a car in my hometown Moscow, Russia, so passing a driver’s exam with very little driving practice – and my broken English – was extremely difficult. Well, it would have been difficult had I actually attempted to listen to my examiner. Instead, I somehow persuaded him that it was not my English that mattered, but my driving ability, so if he just showed me which way to turn, I would be fine. Amazingly, he did just that, and I passed my driver exam on the first try (little did he know that even today I have problems distinguishing right from left ).

In any case, between biking and walking I got myself in pretty good shape, and I even began passing some people on the trail. I did so well that when I began dating my American husband-to-be, the very first time we biked together, I quickly left him behind in the dust. Not for long, mind you, just for five minutes or so. Still, those five minutes impressed him so much that he quickly decided to marry me, and we soon found ourselves biking together along Katy Trail.

I was already working at the library then, so I had a library copy of Brett Dufur’s “The Complete Katy Trail Guidebook,” and, for a while, we spent every weekend biking a different stretch of the trail – from Rocheport to Weldon Spring. This boosted my self-esteem even more, so when one summer we drove to Colorado, I talked my husband into taking our bikes with us and doing some mountain biking there. “How hard can that be?” I said to my husband when he raised objections. Well, I was right. It wasn’t hard. It was absolutely terrifying! Because during those three minutes I spent bouncing on rough mountain terrain before plunging to what could’ve been my imminent death, I felt like I was riding a wild mustang! (Not that I ever rode one, mind you, but it must be very similar, I’m sure of it!)

Anyway, after my mountain fiasco, we decided to stick to the Katy trail, especially to the part described in another of Brett Dufur’s books – “Exploring Missouri Wine Country.”
From Marthasville to Defiance, the Katy Trail runs very close to several Missouri wineries (not to mention Rocheport and Hermann!), so one can bike along the trail and stop for wine tasting, too .

Of course, wine tasting is not the main reason for bicycling. Many people choose to do it to get around town and even go to work – including some of my colleagues. In fact, during the time I’ve lived in Columbia, bicycling has been gaining popularity, and from what I hear, this has been happening in other U.S. towns, too, not to mention abroad. Have you ever been to Amsterdam? There more bikes there than cars, and when you cross the road, you must watch for bikes more attentively than for cars!

Going back to Columbia, the city’s 12th annual Bike, Walk and Wheel Week is upon us. So, let us join its challenge in becoming more active, less sedentary and more philosophical. After all,

“Life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
~ Albert Einstein

With the end of the school year fast approaching, I wanted to share all the ways the library helps you stay connected to the books and services you love most. All you need is an internet connection, an email address and a library card.

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/YourDBRL.

Download an eBook or audiobook.
Get the most popular teen titles on your iPod Touch, iPhone, Android, Nook, Kindle, or other device. Check out our Quick Start Guides or watch our online video tutorials to get started.

Submit a book rave or rant.
We love to hear about what teens are reading! Using this form, share your thoughts on the the books you love… and loathe. Select reviews will be highlighted on DBRLTeen.

Subscribe to our teen book eNewsletter.
Get a monthly email newsletter focusing on the most popular new releases in young adult fiction.

Join an online book club.
Each weekday you will receive successive five-minute selections from the beginning of a current teen book. By the end of the week, you’ll have read 2-3 chapters.

Register for our monthly teen program update.
Receive an email each month with a listing of our upcoming programs like writing workshops, book giveaways, art contests and teen gaming nights.

Sign up for DBRLTeen’s blog updates.
Get library program reminders, contest announcements, as well as book reviews and recommendations delivered directly to your inbox.

We recently added “Side by Side” to the DBRL collection. This film currently has a rating of 95% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes.  Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

Join Keanu Reeves on a tour of the past and the future of filmmaking in Side by side. Since the invention of cinema, the standard format for recording moving images has been film. Over the past two decades, a new form of digital filmmaking has emerged, creating a groundbreaking evolution in the medium. Reeves explores the development of cinema and the impact of digital filmmaking via in-depth interviews with Hollywood masters.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

Welcome to the first installment of THE GENTLEMAN RECOMMENDS. This series is intended to get people (especially gentlemen) excited about the books/authors/eating-contests I’m excited about. I’m an ideal person to represent and recommend things to gentlemen and I’ll prove it: in the last hour alone I’ve: 1) removed my trousers and draped them over a puddle so that a particularly well-coiffed golden retriever could avoid soiling her paws, 2) not sneezed into anyone’s face and 3) responded with the gentlemanly phrase “No, thank you” when asked to please put some pants on. Credentials established.

I can think of no better inaugural recommendation than pizza, but, after that, I think George Saunders is pretty spiffy. Not only is he a Great Writer, but reading everything about the fellow I could find convinced me he’s one of this world’s premier gentlemen. Mr. Saunders’ short stories have been sending readers raving since 1996 with the publication of “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” but this year the adoration has skyrocketed, beginning in January with a lengthy profile published in some magazine claiming that Saunders has written the best book you’ll read this year and culminating in May with a much briefer, if more prestigious, post from what may very well be the greatest blog in the world.

Readers love George Saunders because he slakes our thirst for stories in which sword-wielding tortilla chips decapitate the elderly or the corpse of a previously chaste aunt reanimates and advises her nephew that he should be showing more skin at his stripper-waiter job because that’s how you make the big bucks. But he isn’t loved just because he’s a master of  stories that make curmudgeons’ eyes roll when they hear a terribly reductive description of them. He does what great writers do: write with huge-hearted empathy and humor about toe-less barbers or theme park exhibits or dystopian-reality-show contestants or tortilla chips, and he does so in voices that describe their perspectives perfectly.

If you’re more in the mood for nonfiction, Saunders writes essays that will make you chuckle and maybe improve your person. His collection, The Braindead Megaphone, is hard to put down and full of beautifully rendered wisdom like the lines that close the profile linked above and which I will reprint here because they should be reprinted everywhere:

“Don’t be afraid to be confused. Try to remain permanently confused. Anything is possible. Stay open, forever, so open it hurts, and then open up some more, until the day you die, world without end, amen.”

So, after you read some George Saunders and try some pizza, I hope you’ll join the pants-loving cashier at my local gas store in attesting: I’m the perfect gentleman to recommend stuff, and, also, I smell nice.

Welcome to the first installment of THE GENTLEMAN RECOMMENDS. This series is intended to get people (especially gentlemen) excited about the books/authors/eating-contests I’m excited about. I’m an ideal person to represent and recommend things to gentlemen and I’ll prove it: in the last hour alone I’ve: 1) removed my trousers and draped them over a puddle so that a particularly well-coiffed golden retriever could avoid soiling her paws, 2) not sneezed into anyone’s face and 3) responded with the gentlemanly phrase “No, thank you” when asked to please put some pants on. Credentials established.

I can think of no better inaugural recommendation than pizza, but, after that, I think George Saunders is pretty spiffy. Not only is he a Great Writer, but reading everything about the fellow I could find convinced me he’s one of this world’s premier gentlemen. Mr. Saunders’ short stories have been sending readers raving since 1996 with the publication of “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” but this year the adoration has skyrocketed, beginning in January with a lengthy profile published in some magazine claiming that Saunders has written the best book you’ll read this year and culminating in May with a much briefer, if more prestigious, post from what may very well be the greatest blog in the world.

Readers love George Saunders because he slakes our thirst for stories in which sword-wielding tortilla chips decapitate the elderly or the corpse of a previously chaste aunt reanimates and advises her nephew that he should be showing more skin at his stripper-waiter job because that’s how you make the big bucks. But he isn’t loved just because he’s a master of  stories that make curmudgeons’ eyes roll when they hear a terribly reductive description of them. He does what great writers do: write with huge-hearted empathy and humor about toe-less barbers or theme park exhibits or dystopian-reality-show contestants or tortilla chips, and he does so in voices that describe their perspectives perfectly.

If you’re more in the mood for nonfiction, Saunders writes essays that will make you chuckle and maybe improve your person. His collection, The Braindead Megaphone, is hard to put down and full of beautifully rendered wisdom like the lines that close the profile linked above and which I will reprint here because they should be reprinted everywhere:

“Don’t be afraid to be confused. Try to remain permanently confused. Anything is possible. Stay open, forever, so open it hurts, and then open up some more, until the day you die, world without end, amen.”

So, after you read some George Saunders and try some pizza, I hope you’ll join the pants-loving cashier at my local gas store in attesting: I’m the perfect gentleman to recommend stuff, and, also, I smell nice.