Big Fresno Fair

Are you going to the Big Fresno Fair? It is the social event of the season, right? If you are a thrill seeker and enjoy the rides, please remember that today is your last chance to get your wristband at $20 instead of $30. Just purchase it online here to get the savings.

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the September 30, 2008 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

Cricket Man by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

The Hand You're Dealt by Paul Volponi

Stop Me if You've Heard This One Before by David Yoo

CDs:

Joy to the World - Faith Hill

Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson

Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler

Paper Trail - T.I.

DVDs:

Bigger, Stronger, Faster*

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Iron Man

My Name is Earl - Season 3

Numbers - Season 4

Stargirl

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

"She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew."

Sigh. This quick-read is about an eccentric new student in an otherwise typical high school in Arizona. Stargirl carries a rat with her wherever she goes, sings "Happy Birthday" to kids at lunch while strumming her ukulele, decorates her desk with a table cloth and a flower in a vase, and performs random acts of kindness for people, whether she knows them or not. Here are my favorite parts of the book:

-Stargirl scours the newspapers for the fillers: hospital admissions, lost pets and death notices, and she sends strangers homemade cards to cheer them up.

-"Throughout the day, Stargirl had been dropping money. She was the Johnny Appleseed of loose change: a penny here, a nickel there. Tossed to the sidewalk, laid on a shelf or bench. Even quarters. . .
'Do you realize how much you must throw away in a year?' I said.
'Did you ever see a little kid's face when he spots a penny on a sidewalk?' she said."

-If Stargirl were the editor of the newspaper, "crime would be on page 10, ants and old men and painted doors on page 1."

-Stargirl's original name was Susan. But she changes it whenever it doesn't fit anymore. "I'm not my name," she says. "My name is something I wear, like a shirt. It gets worn, I outgrow it, I change it." (She had gone by Pocket Mouse, Mudpie, and Hullygully before Stargirl).

If you haven't already, you should get this book. (And don't be fooled by the title, guys, the protagonist is actually a boy named Leo.)

P.S. There's also a newish sequel out called Love, Stargirl.

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the September 23, 2008 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin

CDs:

Doll Domination by The Pussycat Dolls

DVDs:

Beaufort






Boston Legal - Season 4

Brothers and Sister - Season 2

CSI: NY - Season 4






Friday the 13th, The Series - Season 1

Leatherheads

Run Fat Boy, Run

Samantha Who? - Season 1

Sex and the City (Movie)

Two and a Half Men - Season 4

Unraveling

Unraveling by Michelle Baldini & Lynn Biederman

Life is tough for Amanda Himmelfarb--her nickname (Himmelfart) stinks, her mom (the Captain) just doesn't understand her, her sister Melody (aka Malady) is a brat, and when the cool guy at school begins to like her, it's for all the wrong reasons.

Like an updated version of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, this book tackles a girl's first period, her first sexual experiences and the awkwardness that goes along with adolescence. It was written by two librarians, which I find very cool but I'm a nerd so don't listen, and the poetry interspersed throughout the book was written by a real teen!

Reserve your copy today.

I Conquer Britain

I Conquer Britain by Dyan Sheldon

Cherokee Salamanca is from Brooklyn. She has a pet rooster, an eccentric artist mother, likes to dress Goth and is into meditation – and she’s going to England for the summer! Cherokee and British teen Sophie Pitt-Turnball exchange families for a few months, but no one will be quite the same after. This hilarious novel pokes fun at everything from culture clash to the English language (do they even speak English in Britain?!) This breezy novel is a quick read and a lot of fun. If you want to take a break from the 500 page masterpiece and just sit back and have a good time, this is the book for you.

Reserve it now.

Participate in Democracy & Earn Some Cash

According to the California Secretary of State you can register to vote as long as you will be 18 years old in time for the next election. Also, you must submit your voter registration form before October 20 in order to eligible to vote on November 4. That means that as long as your 18th Birthday is before November 4 you can go ahead and complete the voter registration form now! You can pick one up at your local library or print it out on your own. Either way, all it takes is a few minutes and a 42 cent stamp to become a registered voter.

And even if you aren't old enough to vote this November, as long as you'll be 16 years old by election day you can still particpate as a student precinct officer. This is a fun way to earn some money ($150 to be exact) and it will look great on college applictions too. Watch the video found here (link goes to The kNow website) for full details and then call the Fresno County Elections Department at 488-1620 to express interest in the Student Precinct Officer Program

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the September 16, 2008 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

How to (Un)Cage a Girl by Francesca Lia Block

Things That Are by Andrew Clements (September 18th)

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini (September 20th)

CDs:

Death Magnetic by Metallica

DVDs:

Avatar - Complete Book 3 Collection

88 Minutes

Chuck - Season 1






Criminal Minds - Season 3






Deception

Dirty Sexy Money - Season 1

Made of Honor

Private Practice - Season 1

Pushing Daisies - Season 1

Speed Racer

Torchwood - Season 2






Will and Grace - Season 8






Young@Heart

Greatest Manga Hits

Have you read every manga title available at your local library? What about every title on the ICv2's latest list of the Top 50 Manga Sellers? This listing includes all the best selling series. If there are any you haven't already read then all you need to do is place a request to have them delivered to your library branch. Not sure how to do the request? Follow these easy steps! And of course, if we don't have the title you what you want please Suggest a Purchase. (I know we say that all the time but some still don't know!!)

Reviews

We have some new reviews in from Cindy, gothiclolitamaiden, Voldemort's Bassist, and wolfie09. Do you agree with them? Think they are off base? Let them know! Or send in your own review.

If you review a book that is not in our catalog, send us a suggestion and we'll do our best!

Remember, some librarians will give you some volunteer hours in exchange for a review, you just gotta ask 'em!

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the September 9, 2008 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier (audiobook)

CDs:

Do You Know by Jessica Simpson

DVDs:

Baby Mama

CSI: Miami - Season 6





The Forbidden Kingdom

Grey's Anatomy - Season 4

In Treatment

Medium - Season 4





Smallville - Season 7

Wings - Season 7

Lockdown on School Violence

Do you think officers on your school's campus are unnecessary?

Do you wish there was a metal detector at your school's entrance?

Every student has an opinion on school violence and the local youth media outfit The kNow wants to hear what you have to say on the subject. The kNow is hosting a youth forum to discuss what local youth believe to be the best approach to making schools safe. This is your chance to voice your opinion with local decisionmakers.

The forum will take place on Monday, September 29 from 5:30 - 8:30 in the cafeteria at Computech Middle School. If you think this is an important topic and want to help make this program a success then be sure to tell your friends and print this flier out and post it in your local neighborhood. See you there!

Do Some Good

Volunteering is a great way to meet others who have similar interests. So what are some of your options locally? Follow the links below for information about volunteering at each specific organization.

• Animal Rescue of Fresno (ARF) -- Some of the jobs volunteers do include playing with the dogs, feeding the dogs and cleaning their kennels. Schedule is flexible but you must be at least 16.


• Central California SPCA (CCSPCA) -- From photographing animals to be listed on the web to sorting donated items in the Thrift Shop the local SPCA offer a wide variety of options.


• Fresno Chaffee Zoo -- The Zoo Adventures program uses teens between the ages of 14-17 to assist the education department with outreach to children. The program runs in spring, summer and fall.

So these are some animal-related options but there are other options as well -- from local politics to web design for a non-profit there are many different ways to help make a difference in your local community.

And of course how can I not insert a plug for the library here? If you are interested in joining a library teen council (the group who helps plan the awesome programs and choose the awesome books) call your nearest branch and ask them for details. If your branch doesn't already have a teen council ask them if you can help get one started. And if you want to volunteer to do other things like set-up for kids programs or organize the library shelves then follow the instructions here.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and do some good!!!

Shift

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Two friends go on a cross-country road trip, but only one returns.

The Opposite of Invisible

The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher

Alice and Jewel are best friends. But what will happen to their friendship when Alice starts dating popular Simon, who is most definitely the opposite of invisible?

Crush: Love Poems

Crush: Love Poems by Kwame Alexander

The title says it all.

Dragonhaven

Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley

Living on a dragon habitat and keeping those dragons a secret isn't always a piece of cake.

Cindy Ella

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

Think Cinderella meets Gossip Girl.

Game

Game by Walter Dean Myers

Drew must put his dreams of playing pro basketball ahead of his pride.

Baby Girl

Baby Girl by Lenora Adams

Pregnant, angry, and feeling alone, Sheree runs away from home.

Invisible Threads

Invisible Threads by Annie Dalton

One mother, one daughter. Read their stories at age 16 when one is pregnant and one looks for her birth mother.

TTYL

TTYL by Lauren Myracle

The friendship of three 15 year old girls, told entirely in instant messages. Don't miss the sequels ttfn and l8r g8r.

Model: a memoir