ITBA Book Reviews
Posted by amypelman on 05/20/13
 
 
Today's ITBA review comes from Mark M.  Read on as he describes a powerful and captivating book:
 
 
Carey and Jenessa don’t live like normal girls. Their mother keeps them hidden; hidden so well that they live in an old camper deep in the Obed Wild and Scenic River National Park. Carey’s mother insists they escaped from an abusive father and if they are ever seen, he may come take them away. But Carey is also hiding something. She is hiding a secret so powerful that it has kept Jenessa from speaking to anyone but Carey---a doctor called it “selective mutism.”  Carey, only fifteen, has spent most of her life caring for her younger sister because their mother is often absent due to struggles with mental disabilities and addiction. It is during one of their mother’s extended absences that life as they know it would change. Carey’s father shows up with a social worker to take the girls home to his family. We spend the rest of the story hearing Carey describe her struggle to fit into a new family, attempt to assimilate into public school, and learn the truth about her past.
 
I was captivated by the characters in this story. The things they had to do to survive are truly tragic and amazing. It is also quite interesting to see Carey experience modern teenage life for the first time. Her “back woods” way of viewing things and unique narration add humor to an often sad story. The author also does a great job of entwining themes of hope and love into the dark narrative. I highly recommend this coming of age story to readers that enjoy books about teens forced to overcome extraordinary life situations.
 
Name: Mark M.
Department: Info Services
Years at AHML: Almost 2 years
Favorite thing I do at work: Helping people! I love connecting people to the information they need. I learn something new every day!
Best place to read my book: On the patio with my iPod.
Why I like reading YA: The books are so unique. YA authors are not afraid to experiment and this makes it a very exciting genre.
 
 
Where in the World?
Posted by mkrueger on 05/17/13
Ready to test your Geography skills? Geoguessr is an extremelly fun, and addictive, game that makes use of Google Maps. You are placed in a random location and have to guide yourself around to find clues of your location. You make a guess using the world map and gain points based on how close you were to the exact location. My top score was 9643, give it a try!
 
Summer Reading Program 2013 - Make It: Read. Discover. Create.
Posted by pdantis on 05/16/13
 
Summer is right around the corner! You know what that means: it's almost time for the library summer reading program. As you can tell from the graphic above, this year's theme is Make It: Read. Discover. Create. This summer we have a ton of fun stuff planned. From opportunities to read and write reviews, to "maker" programs and the Volunteer Summer Squad, the Hub has it all! Check out the Mozilla Popcorn Maker video we made to promote the summer reading program below.
 
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