Teens Top Ten Nominations - The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

This week's book is The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness!

Dangerous secrets can even be hidden in a world where all men and animals hear each others' thoughts. Becasue all women died shortly after he was born, Todd Hewitt is the last boy left in his town. When he learns a dangerous secret, he runs for his life with his dog and finds something even more suprising: a girl!

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Chased by a madman preacher and possibly the rest of his townsfolk as well, young Todd Hewitt flees his settlement on a planet where war with the natives has killed all the women and infected the men with a germ that broadcasts their thoughts aloud for all to hear. This cacophanous thought-cloud is known as Noise and is rendered with startling effectiveness on the page. The first of many secrets is revealed when Todd discovers an unsettling hole in the Noise, and quickly realizes that he lives in a much different world than the one he thought he did. Some of the central conceits of the drama can be hard to swallow, but the pure inventiveness and excitement of the telling more than make up for it. Narrated in a sort of pidgin English with crack dramatic and comic timing by Todd and featuring one of the finest talking-dog characters anywhere, this troubling, unforgettable opener to the Chaos Walking trilogy is a penetrating look at the ways in which we reveal ourselves to one another, and what it takes to be a man in a society gone horribly wrong. The cliffhanger ending is as effective as a shot to the gut. Grades 8-12. --Ian Chipman




Check back next week for information about the next book on the 2009 Teens' Top Ten Nominations list!

Teens Top Ten Nominations - Bloodline by Katy Moran

This week's book is Bloodline by Katy Moran!


In the brutal world of Dark Age Britian, Essa fights for his life, his identity, and the lives of those he loves. Paolini and Tolkien fans will be drawn in.




From School Library Journal (Taken from Amazon)
Starred Review. Grade 7–10—Essa has traveled the lands of seventh-century Britain with his father, Cai, for many years without incident. In a Wolf Folk settlement, he wakes to find that his father has left without any explanation. Feeling angry and alone, he slowly comes to appreciate the people of the village, but never forgets his father's betrayal. Eventually Essa becomes sworn to a king and is sent out on a small errand. He gets himself deeper and deeper into tribal disputes and finds that the errand has become a full-blown adventure across kingdoms, with Essa taking matters into his own hands to try to influence the outcome of a potential tribal war. Well written and deeply researched, Bloodline moves along at a steady pace with enough intrigue and mystery to keep readers turning pages. It is a wonderful story of emotional and physical discovery that reads with "you are there" immediacy. The historical details are effortlessly woven throughout as the plot develops into a complete picture of the times. A map and an outline of the characters are included. This novel would make an excellent companion to a study of the Early Middle Ages and/or British and European history.—Dylan Thomarie, Johnstown High School, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.




Check back next week for information about the next book on the 2009 Teens' Top Ten Nominations list!

Imagine your world in 2059 and win a new laptop!

You could win a new laptop, other prizes, and a chance to appear on a national television show!

It's all a part of National Inventors Month!

Throughout August, Inventors Digest magazine is accepting essays from young innovators ages 12-17. Essays must tell, in 500 words or less, what technology, tool, product, or service will shape our lives in 2059 and why.

This is a great way to gear up for this year's Teen Read Week. Teen Read Week happens in October, and this year's theme will be "Read Beyond Reality"!

Prizes include:

*Your essay published in Inventors Digest
*A year's subscription to the magazine
*Possible appearance on the Emmy award-winning PBS series "Everyday Edisons"
*A killer T-shirt
*Brainteaser games
*A brand new laptop
*And more!

For official contest forms and rules, visit www.inventorsdigest.com

During the teen summer reading program, several teens chose a painting to write a poem or short story about. The poem below was written during this program.


Treetop Wings
by Callie Tucker


Dead branches sway against the window sill,
a winged maiden watching through closed eyes
sounds of flowing water came loudly from the mill,
Signs of tell-tale rain come from dark skies.

Feathered wings unfurling from her shoulder blades,
a dark septure perched in front of her
an emotionless face that never fades,
lifetime of memories passes in a blur.

Artwork used with permission of artist, Amy Brown.

The Spirit of Life - Poetry by Rhea Bumpass

During the teen summer reading program, several teens chose a painting to write a poem or short story about. The poem below was written during this program.


The Spirit of Life
by Rhea Bumpass

Young musician, play your beautiful song.
Your flowing melody makes nature grow strong.
The breath of life your song does bring,
to every tree, shrub, and flower of the Spring.
Young musician, play on, play on!
For without your song,
the love of life will dim and be gone.




















Artwork used with permission of artist, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.

Old Silou Ray - Poetry by Joshua

During the teen summer reading program, several teens chose a painting to write a poem or short story about. The poem below was written during this program.


Old Silou Ray
by Joshua Crochet

To stand guard, all night and day,
Twas the job assigned to old Silou Ray.

A deal from a man of mystical ways,
let old Silou Ray never run out of days.

As long as the fountain was guarded from whomever,
Old Silou Ray would live forever.

The man gave one rule that had to be met,
"Don't drink from the fountain, or you will regret."

After years passed his curiosity grew;
The secret of the fountain, he never knew.

Going mad to the point where he couldn't think,
Silou knelt down and took a long drink.

His spear and shield fell onto the floor,
for old Silou Ray was forever seen no more.


Artwork used with permission of artist, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.

Fast Food Nation - Review by Rhea

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

An eye-opening book!

This book reveals all the evil truths about the fast food industry. Fast food has become a regular part of our lives, but what effects does it have? This book reveals the corruption in the meat industry, injustice in farm pay, and the poor conditions of working in a fast food chain. The book goes back in history to when food laws were first enforced and when slaughter houses were the best places to work. It also covers the mad cow and ecoli scare. After reading this book, you will never be able to look at fast food the same way again.

Review by Rhea