Sunday, October 16, 2016

FALL GIVEAWAY 2016

It's fall giveaway time again!

Our selection of Advance Reader copies (ARCs) is small this time around, but there's still plenty to be excited about! For example, anyone who loved last year's YA bestseller All the Bright Places will be clamoring for an early copy of Jennifer Niven's latest, Holding Up the Universe.


As always, the rules of entry are at the end of the post. Please note that all prizes must be picked up at a BCPL location within two months of notification, or the unclaimed ARCs will be returned to the stockpile for the next giveaway. The contest runs through the end of Wednesday, November 16th. No entries will be accepted after midnight.

So without further ado, here are our giveaways for Fall 2016:


And I Darken by Kiersten White
Conqueror's Saga #1
*ARC - Released June 2016 *
In this first book in a trilogy a girl child is born to Vlad Dracula, in Transylvania, in 1435--at first rejected by her father and always ignored by her mother, she will grow up to be Lada Dragwlya, a vicious and brutal princess, destined to rule and destroy her enemies.–NoveList

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
 *ARC - Released January 2016 *
When her university professor father is sent by the Gestapo to a concentration camp, seven-year-old Anna travels the Polish countryside with the mysterious Swallow Man during World War II.–NoveList

Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten
 *ARC - Released May 2016 *
When a scholarship girl and a wealthy classmate become friends, their bond is tested when a handsome young teacher separately influences the girls in order to further his less-than-admirable interests. –NoveList
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners #3
 *ARC - Released February 2016 *

David and the Reckoners must face the most powerful High Epic of all to find redemption for his closest friend, Prof. –NoveList

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
 
*ARC - Released April 2016 *
When her father dies, Tessa is pulled back to the small Pennsylvania town where her life came apart when her father was sent to prison, her mother went to pieces, and her beloved older sister ran away, and where her testimony and that of her now-estranged friend Callie sent a serial killer to death row--a serial killer who may be getting a new trial as long buried secrets come to light.  –NoveList

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
 *ARC - Released August 2016 *

As she struggles to recover and survive, seventeen-year-old homeless Charlotte "Charlie" Davis cuts herself to dull the pain of abandonment and abuse.–NoveList

Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
 *ARC - Released October 2016 *

"A boy with face blindness and a girl who struggles with weight fall in love" –NoveList

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
 *ARC - Released November 2015 *

Sent to America at age nine with nothing but an old guitar, Frankie Presto achieves success on the mid-twentieth-century music scene before becoming overburdened by his ability to affect people's futures through his music. –NoveList

Open a World of Possible edited by Lois Bridges
 *Trade Paperback *

In a series of essays and stories, celebrated literacy experts, language researchers, librarians, children’s authors, and poets share their own real stories about the joys and power of reading.


Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
*ARC - Released April 2016 *
Sixteen-year old Jessie, still grieving over her mother's death, must move from Chicago to "The Valley," with a new stepfamily but no new friends until an anonymous fellow student emails and offers to help her navigate the school's treacherous social waters–NoveList

A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison
 *ARC - Released May 2016 *

"Hannah and Sam are each searching for The One-- but over the summer, a series of hilarious misunderstandings prevent them from realizing that they're It for one another"- –NoveList


Rules of Entry

1. To enter the drawing, you must log in to the Rafflecopter Widget below with your e-mail address or Facebook account and click on "Leave a comment on this blog post."

Entry Task #1
 First, you must leave a comment at the bottom of this post stating which titles you would like to receive. To do so, you will need to click on the "Post a Comment" link below the Rafflecopter widget. If you do not leave a comment at the bottom of the post, I will not know which prize(s) to give you if you win the drawing. You may choose as many titles as you like; you are not guaranteed to win your top choices, but I do my best. 

Entry Task #2 Second, you must Answer the confirmation question and click on "ENTER" at the bottom of the widget only after you have posted your comment as described in Entry Task #1 . After completing the first widget task, you can also earn bonus entries by following the directions in the widget.


2.  All ARCs must be picked up at a Bullitt County Public Library location. Contest ends at the end of the day on Wednesday, November 16th.Winners will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on this blog no later than Tuesday, November 22nd. Winners will have up to two months from the time of notification to collect their prizes. If items have not been picked up at the end of this period or if I have not been contacted to request an alternative arrangement, unclaimed prizes will be retained for future giveaways.

Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

BCPL's Ultimate Teen Booklist

Let the Teen Read Week celebrations commence! Teen Read Week 2016 officially began this past Sunday and continues through Saturday, October 15th. As has become our tradition here at BCPL, our celebration features the latest updates to our Ultimate Teen Booklist. After making a ton of new additions last year, this year, we've made a point of cleaning house and removing titles that we no longer feel merit inclusion. This may be because we feel the book has become dated; because we think there there is a newer, very similar book that is even better; or because we've just lost our enthusiasm for a particular title.

That's not to say we don't have a few new titles we are excited to add! We've evaluated over 40 books for possible inclusion this season, and that's not even counting the books we read before our committee season began. But to keep the list from getting too out of control, we've made extra efforts to be super selective this year while keeping our eye out for awesome books we've overlooked in the past as well as recent favorites we believe have the power to endure. We've also worked to round out our current list with a few more nonfiction titles.


So without further ado, here are the latest additions to our Ultimate Teen Booklist:


The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkawamba (2009)
This is the highly readable story of a young Malawian teenager who, unable to afford the tuition to attend school, taught himself the principles of physics and electricity from books borrowed from the local elementary school—and then used that knowledge to build a windmill that provided his family with light, heat, and running water. Yet this book is about much more than building a windmill. It contains elements of magic as Kamkwamba relates the folklore and superstitions of his culture, and it touches on many of the troubles in modern Africa without becoming overwhelming or preachy. It’s about inspiring a community and making a difference. Kamkwamba’s story is one of ingenuity, perseverance, and hope, and the easy, conversational style of this book makes the life in a poor African farm family seem both relatable and fascinating. A young reader edition is also available, but most teens should be comfortable with the original version. Middle School/High School.

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz (2015)
Joan Skraggs is tired of being undervalued by her father and brothers for the backbreaking work she puts in day after day. Life is hard on a 1911 Pennsylvania farm, and 14-year-old Joan’s only respite is found in the books she loves. Then Joan decides she’s finally had enough of being unappreciated, unpaid labor and decides to get a post in the city as a hired girl. Under a fake name and lying about her age, Joan lucks into a position in the home of a wealthy Jewish family. Everything in her new world is foreign and utterly fascinating, and Joan soon finds herself making mistake after mistake—from setting her hair on fire to crushing on one of her employers’ sons—even as she grows from a naïve country girl to a capable young woman. Told through a series of diary entries, this is a warm and thought-provoking story, laced with humor. Joan’s voice is fresh and hilariously candid, sure to appeal to readers who’ve enjoyed characters like Anne Shirley, Jo March, or Jane Eyre. Middle School (mature)/High School.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (2005)
Rather than focusing on Hitler himself, this well-rounded history considers the children and teens who pledged their loyalty to Hitler and their motivations for doing so. While some of the youths became disillusioned by Hitler's ideals as they grew older, others remained steadfastly obedient to their Führer, often despite familial disapproval or their own consciences. Through the stories of twelve Hitler Youth members, Bartoletti  provides a terrifying picture of how Hitler was able to gain such unchecked power and blind devotion while offering a fascinating look at the young people who grew up during his reign. Middle School/High School.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (2005)
After enduring five years of terror and abuse, Alice believes her only escape from her captor is death. And now that she is fifteen, Alice half hopes that Ray will finally take that final step and kill her. But Ray has another idea: he wants Alice to help him select and train his next victim. With spare, lyrical prose, Scott weaves an intensely disturbing tale that promises no safe or easy answers. High School (mature).

Positive: A Memoir by Paige Rawls with Ali Benjamin (2014)
Paige was in sixth grade when she learned that she had HIV. Although she was born HIV positive, it didn’t really affect her life in ways she was aware of until she told a friend about her diagnosis and rumors began to spread. From that point, Paige became the target of relentless bullying. This is the inspiring and revelatory story of how she coped with the bullying and the challenges of living with HIV into adulthood. Middle School /High School.

Raven Cycle (series) by Maggie Stiefvater (2012–2016)
Blue is an outsider. She comes from a family of clairvoyants but has no psychic abilities herself; instead, her presence acts as an amplifier for others' gifts. Like most of the Henrietta locals, Blue wants nothing to do with the stuck-up Raven Boys of Aglionby Academy, but then she meets Gansey, whose fate seems tied to Blue and a deadly curse. Despite her better judgment and fear of the curse, Blue joins Gansey and his group of boys’ school misfits in their quest to unravel a mystical mystery involving an ancient Welsh king. Mystery, heartbreak, friendship, betrayal, and moral dilemmas emerge in the first book only to intensify further as the series continues. Lush, descriptive prose; complex characters; and a multi-layered, imaginative plot create a leisurely-paced but riveting series that succeeds in seamlessly combining magic with contemporary social issues. High School.

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki (2014)
Bittersweet and brilliantly paced, this coming-of-age graphic novel centers on a young teen's summer vacation, during which she finds herself drawn to an older boy and depressed by the strain in her parents' marriage. Mariko Tamaki's illustrations wonderfully convey Rose's frustrations, anxiety, and heartbreaks, and the images are full of life and movement. Middle School (mature)/High School.






Updated:
Giver Quartet (series) by Lois Lowry (1993–2012)
The Giver has been included on our list since the beginning, but now we feel it is time to round out the story of Jonas and the Community by including the full series. We've added Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son to the list!
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