Bad Kitty Meets the Baby by Nick Bruel Book Review

Bad Kitty is back! When we last left her, Uncle Murray was cat & dogsitting Kitty and the "beast" while her owners went away and promised to bring Kitty back a surprise. Her owners have returned with Kitty's surprise, but she isn't all that impressed. It's big, it's stinky and it drools! Kitty thinks it's another "beast" but the neighorhood cats are convinced it's another cat and decide to enter it into the Kitty Olympics. We all know this new "kitty" is actually a baby, but will Bad Kitty be able to accept this new member of the family? This hilariously funny book is perfect for children in grades 2 through 5.

Not familiar with Bad Kitty? Make sure to check out Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray.

What's going on today

2:00 p.m. Reception for Cumberland County Older Americans Art Exhibit (Community Event Room and Doris Tripp Room)

Oodles of audiobooks!

If you like to listen to your books, check out the display next to the bistro. At the end of audiobook month (June), the new audiobooks will be moved to the "New books" area.

What's going on today

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Reading Buddies Meet-n-Greet (Register – Children’s) To Register: (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

Tea with Meg Cabot at the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel

I had the most amazing time today having tea with Meg Cabot at the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel with two of my co-workers, Helen and Kelly, and my mom, Debbie. It was truly an opportunity of a lifetime. We met Meg outside the Palm Court and while we were waiting for our tea, had our pictures taken with Eloise.




Tea at the Palm Court was delicious. The menu included The Classic, The New Yorker, The Chocolate Tea and the Eloise Tea, plus your choice of tea. Check out their afternoon tea menu here! I decided on The Classic: Truffled Quail Egg Salad; Maine Lobster, Sturgeon Caviar; Roast Beef, Horseradish; Cucumber, Radish, Basil; Smoked Salmon, Endive. Simply to die for. Plus scones with lemon curd and clotted cream! Not to mention the desserts! THEN, we shared the Chocolate Tea which included chocolate fondue which included strawberries, poundcake, house-made marshmallows, pretzels and golden pineapple and MORE scones. It was delicious and we did not go home hungry!

There were no lulls in conversation during our tea. We talked about everything! Meg told us she was working on a new Heather Wells book, which I'm very excited about because Heather Wells is one of my favorite characters. Meg was very interested about the library and asked what a regular day was like. It was very casual and just felt like spending time with good friends.

Before we knew it, it was time to go home. But first we had to take a few more pictures and I had my own personal book signing. Meg graciously signed some books that I had brought with me and I was presented with a bag of books as well. It was very exciting.



Then one on one pictures before a final group picture.








I'm having trouble finding the words to describe this experience. I've already used amazing and opportunity of a life time, but Meg Cabot is amazing. She is one of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met. She was really interested in learning about us. She was so happy to be there-I think she had a smile on her face the entire time. I know I did. Before meeting someone, you have an idea of how that person is going to be. I knew Meg was funny-all you have to do is read her books and her blog. She appears to love what she does. When you meet her in person, it's refreshing to find that everything you believed is really true. Thank you so much Meg for this experience. I will never forget it.

What's going on today

1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Pokémon Club, ages 7-16 (Register – Children’s)
To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

More Favorite New Children's Books

Here are some more of the favorite new children's picture books that recently arrived at the library. Ask the Children's Librarian for the exact location of these new books.

I Spy With My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs
Children can look through the cut-out hole in the book and try to guess what animal is on the next page. Each animal gives children a hint to what is on the next page. This is a fun introduction to color. (JE Gib)

Froggy Goes to Hawaii by Jonathan London
Froggy is back for another adventure! This time he's going on vacation to Hawaii! While on vacation Froggy dances the hula, goes surfing with his dad and goes looking for sea turtles. But when Froggy is around, unexpected things sometimes happen. (JE Long)

Chamelia by Ethan Long
Most chameleons like to blend in, but Chamelia likes to stand out. Figuring out how to stand out can be difficult but Chamelia makes sure she is always ready. But sometimes things don't go as planned. Can Chamelia stand out but learn to share the spotlight too? (JE Lon)

Hopper and Wilson by Maria van Lieshout
Hopper and his little friend Wilson wonder what it's like at the end of the world. Wanting to find out, they set sail to see for themselves. A cute book about the importance of friendship. The illustrations add to the book's charm. (JE Van)

Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children by Lisa Wheeler & Sophie Blackall
Most children are familiar with Mother Goose and her nursery rhymes, but some children are even too bad for Mother Goose. Those children are sent to Mother Goose's sister's school for naughty children. After reading these fun rhymes, your misbehaving little ones may decide being bad isn't worth being sent to Spinster Goose's school! (JE Whe)

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Baby Time, ages 6-23 months (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

Vineland Public Schools Summer Reading for Honors and AP English High School Classes

Students entering Honors and AP English classes at Vineland High School in the fall have a separate summer reading assignment from the other high school students. Students entering these classes have received their books and assignments. Click here for the Honors English class assignment. For more information, particularly for the AP assignment, please contact Vineland High School or the student's English teacher.

Vineland Public Schools High School Summer Reading List

The following is a list of titles for Vineland High School students who will be taking College or Advanced College English classes in the fall. This list was compiled by Children’s Outreach Librarian Samantha Tai at the Vineland Public Library. All titles are available at the Vineland Public Library. Please note that students are not required to read a title from this list. They may pick any title that is deemed grade appropriate. These books can be located in the young adult fiction section by the author’s last name unless otherwise noted. Please see a librarian for the location of the following books or for other suggestions. Please note that some titles are not permitted. For a list of these titles and the assignment, click here.

Abandon by Meg Cabot
A near-death experience, a horrible incident at school, and a move from Connecticut to Florida have turned 17-year-old Pierce's life upside-down, but when she needs him most John Hayden is always there, helping but reminding her of her visit to the Underworld.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, The by Sherman Alexie
Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Abundance of Katherines, An by John Green
Having been dumped for the 19th time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Airhead by Meg Cabot
Sixteen-year-old Emerson Watts, an advanced placement student with a disdain for fashion, is the recipient of a "whole body transplant" and finds herself transformed into one of the world's most famous teen supermodels. If you like Airhead, read the other two books in the series, Being Nikki and Runaway.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Along for The Ride by Sarah Dessen
When Auden impulsively goes to stay with her father, stepmother, and new baby sister the summer before she starts college, all the trauma of her parents' divorce is revived, even as she is making new friends and having new experiences such as learning to ride a bike and dating.
Also by Sarah Dessen: What Happened to Goodbye, Lock and Key, Just Listen, That Summer (also available in paperback (YAP) & audio AUD CD YA FIC Dessen) and This Lullaby
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
This graphic novel alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. (YA GN American)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
When a plane crash strands 13 teen beauty contestants on a mysterious island, they struggle to survive, to get along with one another, to combat the island's other diabolical occupants, and to learn their dance numbers in case they are rescued in time for the competition.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A terminally ill teenaged girl makes and carries out a list of things to do before she dies. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Downham)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
After she dies in a car crash, teenage Samantha relives the day of her death over and over again until, on the seventh day, she finally discovers a way to save herself.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
In 1941, 15-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil.
Reading Level: 9th grade and up

Bliss by Lauren Myracle
Having grown up in a California commune, Bliss sees her aloof grandmother's Atlanta world as a foreign country, but she is determined to be nice as a freshman at an elite high school, which makes her the perfect target for Sandy, a girl obsessed with the occult.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Book Thief, The by Markus Zusak
Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel, a young German girl, whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Zusak)
Grade Level: 10th-12th grade

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Sent to counseling for hitting his girlfriend, Caitlin, and ordered to keep a journal, 16-year-old Nick recounts his relationship with Caitlin, examines his controlling behavior and anger, and describes living with his abusive father. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Flinn)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
While studying the Harlem Renaissance, students at a Bronx high school read aloud poems they've written, revealing their innermost thoughts and fears to their formerly clueless classmates.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
In 2036 New Jersey, when girls are expected to become fanatically religious wives and mothers or high-priced Surrogettes for couples made infertile by a widespread virus, 16-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony find in one another the courage to believe they have choices.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

By the Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
High school student Daelyn Rice, who has been bullied throughout her school career and has more than once attempted suicide, again makes plans to kill herself in spite of the persistent attempts of an unusual boy to draw her out.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Cardturner, The by Louis Sachar
When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost his vision, asks 17-year-old Alton to be a cardturner for him, Alton has no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Sachar)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
An account of Charles Darwin's life and evolutionary theory, this biography examines how his personal life affected his work and vice versa because of his wife's strong religious beliefs. (YA B Darwin and (also available on audio AUD CD YA B Darwin)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, 16-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her. Continue reading about D.J. and her adventures in The Off Season and Front and Center. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Murdock)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until 95 days before her 18th birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Oliver)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The by E. Lockhart
Sophomore Frankie starts dating senior Matthew Livingston, but when he refuses to talk about the all-male secret society that he and his friends belong to, Frankie infiltrates the society in order to enliven their mediocre pranks.
Grade Level: 9th-10th grade

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Now on the cusp of manhood, Finnikin, who was a child when the royal family of Lumatere was brutally murdered and their throne was taken over by a usurper, reluctantly joins forces with an enigmatic young novice and fellow exile, who claims that her dark dreams will lead them to a surviving royal child and a way to regain the throne of Lumatere. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Marchetta)
Also by Melina Marchetta: Jellicoe Road and Saving Francesca
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Forest of Hands and Teeth, The by Carrie Ryan
Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the Unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead. If you enjoy this zombie tale, be sure to read the other two books in the trilogy, The Dead- Tossed Waves and The Dark and Hollow Places. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Ryan)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Cameron Smith, a disaffected 16-year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob's (a.k.a. “mad cow”) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Bray)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Cashore)
Also by Kristin Cashore: Fire (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Cashore)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Great and Terrible Beauty, A by Libba Bray
After the suspicious death of her mother in 1895, 16-year-old Gemma returns to England, after many years in India, to attend a finishing school where she becomes aware of her magical powers and ability to see into the spirit world. Continue this trilogy with Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Bray)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Sixteen-year-old Valerie, whose boyfriend Nick committed a school shooting at the end of their junior year, struggles to cope with integrating herself back into high school life, unsure herself whether she was a hero or a villain.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Harmless by Dana Reinhardt
When Anna, Emma, and Mariah concoct a story about why they are late getting home one Friday night, their lie has unimaginable consequences for the girls, their families, and the community. (YAP and audio AUD CD YA FIC Reinhardt)
Also by Dana Reinhardt: A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (YAP (AUD CD YA FIC Reinhardt) and How to Build a House (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Reinhardt)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Heist Society by Ally Carter
A group of teenagers uses their combined talents to re-steal several priceless paintings and save 15-year-old Kat Bishop's father, himself an international art thief, from a vengeful collector.
Also by Ally Carter: The Gallagher Girls series
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
When 13-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it.
Grade Level: 9th-10th grade

House of Stairs by William Sleator
Five sixteen-year-old orphans are involuntarily placed in a house of endless stairs where they must learn to deal with each others’ different personalities, lack of privacy and their utter helplessness.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Hunger Games, The by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the 12 districts against one another, 16-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Collins)
Also by Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Collins) and Mockingjay
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
After capturing a bank robber, 19-year-old cab driver Ed Kennedy begins receiving mysterious messages that direct him to addresses where people need help, and he begins getting over his lifelong feeling of worthlessness. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Zusak)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
While in a coma following an automobile accident that killed her parents and younger brother, 17-year-old Mia, a gifted cellist, weighs whether to live with her grief or join her family in death. For the continuation of this story, read Where She Went. (If I Stay is also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Forman)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

In the Name of God by Paula Jolin
Seventeen year-old Nadia is an excellent student, daughter and sister, and above all wants to be the best Muslim she can be. But she's conflicted about her Westernized peers, the economic, social and political struggles of her country, and the war raging in Iraq.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Knife of Never Letting Go, The by Patrick Ness
Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, young Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony's true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World. Read the other two books in this exciting trilogy: The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men.
Grade Level: 10th-12th grade

Last Summer of the Death Warriors, The by Francisco X. Stork
Seventeen-year-old Pancho is bent on avenging the senseless death of his sister, but after he meets D.Q., who is dying of cancer, and Marisol, one of D.Q.'s caregivers, both boys find their lives changed by their interactions. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Stork)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Compulsive liar Micah promises to tell the truth after revealing that her boyfriend has been murdered.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
After being abducted when she was ten and abused for five years by her kidnapper, Ray, Alice's only hope of freedom is in death, but her only way to achieve such an escape is to help Ray find the next girl for his collection.
Also by Elizabeth Scott: Love You Hate You Miss You and The Unwritten Rule
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Marcelo Sandoval, a 17-year-old boy on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum, faces new challenges, including romance and injustice, when he goes to work for his father in the mailroom of a corporate law firm. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Stork)
Grade Level: 10th-11th grade

Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan
Follow the life story of an exuberant Labrador retriever who gets into perpetual trouble and experiences a range of inspiring adventures, from shutting down an entire beach to guarding a 17-year-old neighbor after a stabbing attack. If you read the book, make sure you check out the movie too! (636.752 Gro and AUD CD 636.752 Gro; DVD 5971)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Matched by Allyson Condie
All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, whom to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn't be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky's face show up on her match disk as well?
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Mockingbirds, The by Daisy Whitney
When Alex, a junior at an elite preparatory school, realizes that she may have been the victim of date rape, she confides in her roommates and sister who convince her to seek help from a secret society, the Mockingbirds.
Grade Level: 9th grad and up

Monstrumologist, The by Richard Yancey
In 1888, 12-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi. For more adventures with Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop, make sure to check out The Curse of the Wendigo.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger
Three teenagers in Boston narrate their experiences of a year of new friendships, first loves, and coming into their own: T.C., who is trying to get Alejandra to fall in love with him; Alejandra, who is playing hard to get and is busy trying to sashay out from under the responsibilities of being a diplomat’s daughter; and T.C.’s best friend Augie, who is gay and in love and everyone knows it but him.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
High school student Nick O'Leary, member of a rock band, meets college-bound Norah Silverberg and asks her to be his girlfriend for five minutes in order to avoid his ex-sweetheart. Make sure to watch the movie if you read the book. (DVD 5750)
Grade Level: 10th-12th grade

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence and Teenagers on Death Row by Susan Kuklin
Explores life behind bars for teenage prisoners who have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution on death row, discussing the effects of their past actions on themselves and others, and their personal views on the death penalty itself. (YA 364.66 Kuk)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Num8ers by Rachel Ward
Fifteen-year-old Jem knows when she looks at someone the exact date they will die, so she avoids relationships and tries to keep out of the way, but when she meets a boy named Spider and they plan a day out together, they become more involved than either of them had planned.
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
As the tragedy of a missing girl enfolds in her small town, 15-year-old Samara, who feels emotionally abandoned by her parents, begins to question her faith. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Zarr)
Also by Sara Zarr: Sweethearts and Story of a Girl (both also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Zarr)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Paper Towns by John Green
One month before graduating from his Central Florida high school, Quentin "Q" Jacobsen basks in the predictable boringness of his life until the beautiful and exciting Margo Roth Spiegelman, Q's neighbor and classmate, takes him on a midnight adventure and then mysteriously disappears.
Grade Level: 10th-12th grade

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle
Fifteen-year-old Carly's summer volunteer experience feels more real to her than her life of privilege in Atlanta ever did, but her younger sister starts high school pretending to be what she is not, and both find their relationships suffering.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
A mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennett is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. (FIC Grahame-Smith)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
After graduating from college, Lizzie Nichols sets off to England for the summer to visit her boyfriend Andrew, whom she hardly knows. When Lizzie realizes that Andrew isn’t the man she imagined, she sets off for France, where her best friend, Shari, is working at a chateau in wine country. On the way, she meets Luke, a French American, whose father owns the chateau and would be so easy to fall in love with if he wasn’t already taken. (FIC Cabot)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
As a Chicano boy living in the unglamorous town of Hollywood, New Mexico, and a member of the graduating class of 1969, Sammy Santos faces the challenges of "gringo" racism, unpopular dress codes, the Vietnam War, barrio violence, and poverty. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Sáenz)
Grade Level: 11th-12th

Shadowland (Book one of the Mediator series) by Meg Cabot
Sixteen-year-old Suze Simon can mediate between the living and the dead, and she hopes her move to California will be a fresh start, but a hot ghost named Jesse haunts her bedroom and another ghost is bent on vengeance at school. (YAP)
Grade Level: 9th-10th grade

Shine by Lauren Myracle
When her best friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, 16-year-old Cat sets out to discover the culprits in her small North Carolina town.
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity. Continue the series with Linger.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Skin I’m In, The by Sharon Flake
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she looks like.
Grade Level: 9th-10th grade

Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
This is the true story of children’s book illustrator, David Small, told in graphic novel format. At the age of 14, he wakes up voiceless after a supposedly simple operation. He overhears his parents talking and learns he had cancer and had to have his vocal cords removed. Small became a very angry young man at odds with his parents, especially his mother. At age 16, he makes the risky decision of running away and pursuing his dream of becoming an artist. (B Small)
Grade Level: 10th-12h grade

Taken by Edward Bloor
In 2036, kidnapping rich children has become an industry, but when 13-year-old Charity Meyers is taken and held for ransom, she soon discovers that this particular kidnapping is not what it seems.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
A young woman who has endured unspeakable cruelties is magically granted a safe haven apart from the real world and allowed to raise her two daughters in this alternate reality, until the barrier between her world and the real one begins to break down.
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Things I Know About Love by Kate LeVann
Seventeen-year-old Livia Stowe travels from England to Princeton, New Jersey, to visit her brother who is studying there and to celebrate her recovery from a year-long struggle with leukemia. While she is there, she writes a blog about her experiences, which include falling in love.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing 13 cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death. (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Time Traveler’s Wife, The by Audrey Niffenegger
This is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Make sure you watch the movie if you decide to read the book. (FIC Niffenegger and DVD 7102 & 7103)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
When 17-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human. If you read the book, make sure you watch the movie! (also available on audio AUD CD YA FIC Meyer; DVD 5940 & 5961)
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Just before their 16th birthdays, when they will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally's best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Wake by Lisa McMann
Ever since she was eight years old, high school student Janie Hannagan has been uncontrollably drawn into other people's dreams, but it is not until she befriends an elderly nursing home patient and becomes involved with an enigmatic fellow student that she discovers her true power. Read the two other books in the series, Fade and Gone.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

We Were Here by Matt de la Peña
Haunted by the event that sentences him to time in a group home, Miguel breaks out with two unlikely companions, and together they begin their journey down the California coast, hoping to get to Mexico and a new life.
Also by Matt de la Peña: I Will Save You and Mexican Whiteboy
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
In 1947, with her jovial stepfather Joe back from the war and family life returning to normal, teenage Evie, smitten by the handsome young ex-GI who seems to have a secret hold on Joe, finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies whose devastating outcome changes her life and that of her family forever.
Grade Level: 9th grade and up

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
When two teens, one gay and one straight, meet accidentally and discover that they share the same name, their lives become intertwined as one begins dating the other's best friend, who produces a play revealing his relationship with them both.
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
An account of the decade-long conflict between humankind and hordes of the predatory undead is told from the perspective of dozens of survivors who describe in their own words the epic human battle for survival. (FIC Brooks)
Grade Level: 11th-12th grade

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
Are you on Team Zombie or Team Unicorn? This anthology provides strong arguments for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the side of zombies. (YA FIC 808.831 Zom)
Grade Level: 10th-12th grade

DVD series added

Based on your votes, we've added the entire series of The West Wing to our collection!

What's going on today

5:30 p.m. Library Board of Trustees meeting (Community Event Room)

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Book Discussion, ages 9 & up (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Preschool Story Time, ages 3-5 (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Adult Book Club discusses Olive Kitteridge (Register – Reference)
Anyone who has read the book is welcomed to attend the discussion.

New Childrens Books at the Vineland Public Library

We've got lots of new children's books. Here are some of my favorite new picture books that arrived yesterday.

Spot It! by Delphine Chedru
Fans of the I Spy series will enjoy Spot It! Look for different animals on each double page spread. It might be a baby chick, a fox, a peacock or an owl. Can you find them all?
(JE Che)

Tía Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina
Tía Isa wants a car to taker herself and her niece to the beach. A shiny green car that's the same color as the ocean. But money is tight-they're also saving money to send to family members who live far away. But Tía Isa's niece wants her aunt to have her car, so helps earn money in little ways. And finally, they have enough money to buy the perfect car to take them to the beach. (JE Med)

How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson
A young boy explains to Mama Slug the best way to teach her little slug how to read. Just follow his simple rules! This can also apply to human parents and their little ones. (JE Pea)

Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Sattler
Fergus and his little brother love the beach! They find great treasures that have been brought in by the waves. But they never go in the water because Fergus knows that there's more than treasure in the water: there is also lurking, murky ickiness. So what do they do when the waves bring in a surfboard that nobody wants? (JE Sat)

Splish, Splash, Splat! by Rob Scotton
My favorite cat Splat returns in a new picture book. Splat is not looking forward to his playdate with Spike because he knows that Spike will eat all his candy fish and play with his toys until they break. Things can't get any worse, until Splat learns that he has his first swimming lesson today. If there is anything worse than a playdate with Spike, it is water. Water is horrible, scary and wet! But Splat soon learns that he and Spike have more in common than he thought. And maybe water isn't as bad as he thought.
(JE Sco)

See the Children's Librarian for the exact locations of these books.

Airhead by Meg Cabot Book Review

Unfortunately I haven't been able to read as many Meg Cabot books as I would like to before meeting her this upcoming Sunday, but I did finish the first book in the Airhead trilogy. Emerson Watts is a junior at Tribeca Alternative High School (TAHS) who likes play videogames and make fun of the Walking Dead, or popular students at TAHS, with her best friend Christopher. She could be no different from her younger sister Frida, who wants to be part of the popular crowd and is trying out for cheerleading despite Em's discouragement. After a freak accident occurs at the opening of the new Stark Megastore, Em wakes up to find that her brain has been implanted into supermodel Nikki Howard's body. Life will never be the same for Em who soon learns that it isn't easy being popular or a supermodel. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the trilogy, Being Nikki but in the meantime I'm trying to finish Cabot's Insatiable before tea on Sunday.

Vineland Public Schools 8th Grade Summer Reading List

The following is list of suggested titles for 8th graders. This list was compiled by Children’s Outreach Librarian Samantha Tai at the Vineland Public Library. All titles are available at the Vineland Public Library. Please note that students are not required to read a title from this list. They may pick any title that is deemed grade appropriate. Please see a librarian for the location of the following books or for more suggested titles. To see the actual assignment click here.

As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins
A teenage boy encounters one comedic calamity after another when his train strands him in the middle of nowhere, and everything comes down to luck. (YA FIC Perkins)
Also by Lynne Rae Perkins: All Alone in the Universe (J FIC Perkins & J AUD CD FIC Perkins) and Criss Cross (J FIC Perkins)

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Now on the cusp of manhood, Finnikin, who was a child when the royal family of Lumatere was brutally murdered and their throne was taken over by a usurper, reluctantly joins forces with an enigmatic young novice and fellow exile, who claims that her dark dreams will lead them to a surviving royal child and a way to regain the throne of Lumatere. (YA FIC Marchetta & AUD CD YA FIC Marchetta)

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
When 13-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time. (J FIC Haddix)

Framed! by Malcolm Rose
Sixteen-year-old Luke Harding is the youngest person ever to qualify for the position of forensic investigator, and he is about to get his first real case. A young student has been mysteriously shot and killed by an arrow. The boy’s murder is quickly followed by two more grisly deaths and all clues lead back to Luke himself. (J FIC Rose)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king. (YA FIC Cashore & AUD CD YA FIC Cashore)
Also by Kristin Cashore: Fire (YA FIC Cashare)

Hunger Games, The by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the 12 districts against one another, 16-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place. (YA FIC Collins & AUD CD YA Collins)
If you enjoy The Hunger Games, make sure you read the other books in the trilogy: Catching Fire (YA FIC Collins & AUD CD YA Collins) and Mockingjay . (YA FIC Collins)
Also by Suzanne Collins: The Underland Chronicles (J FIC Collins & J AUD CD FIC Collins)

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it’s really a school for spies. Try the other books in the Gallagher Girls series too. (YA FIC Carter)

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Through journal entries, 16-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. (YA FIC Pfeffer & AUD CD YA FIC Pfeffer)
Also by Susan Beth Pfeffer: The Dead and the Gone and This World We Live In (Same as above)

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt
In 1911, Turner Buckminster hates his new home of Phippsburg, Maine, but things improve when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl from a poor, nearby island community founded by former slaves that the town fathers--and Turner's--want to change into a tourist spot. (J FIC Schmidt & J AUD CD FIC Schmidt)

Lost Conspiracy, The by Frances Hardinge
Two young sisters who live on a beautiful island soon become caught in a deadly web of deceit. Neither girl is exactly what she pretends to be. When they are drawn into a sinister conspiracy, one discovers that the only thing more dangerous than the secret she hides is the truth she must uncover. (YA FIC Hardinge)

Monstrumologist, The by Richard Yancey
In 1888, 12-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi. For further adventures about Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop, check out the sequel The Curse of the Wendigo. (YA FIC Yancey)

My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald
When the family's drugstore is failing, seventh-grader Lucy uses her problem-solving talents to come up with a solution that might resuscitate the business, along with helping the environment. (YA FIC Greenwald)

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle
Fifteen-year-old Carly's summer volunteer experience feels more real to her than her life of privilege in Atlanta ever did, but her younger sister starts high school pretending to be what she is not, and both find their relationships suffering. (YA FIC Myracle)

Peeled by Joan Bauer
In an upstate New York farming community, high school reporter Hildy Biddle investigates a series of strange occurrences at a house rumored to be haunted. (YA FIC Bauer & AUD CD YA FIC Bauer)

Rag and Bone Shop, The by Robert Cormier
Trent, an ace interrogator from Vermont, works to procure a confession from an introverted 12-year-old accused of murdering his seven-year-old friend in Monument, Massachusetts. (YA FIC Cormier)
Also by Robert Cormier: The Chocolate War (YA FIC Cormier, YAP C & AUD CD YA FIC Cormier) There is also a move based on the book The Chocolate War-we have two copies: DVD 5028 & DVD 5036

Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay
After learning that she was adopted, thirteen-year-old Saffron's relationship with her eccentric, artistic family changes, until they help her go back to Italy, where she was born, to find a special memento of her past. (J FIC McKay & J AUD CD FIC McKay)

They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
“Boys, let us get up a club.” With those words, six restless young men raided the linens at a friend’s mansion, pulled pillowcases over their heads, hopped on horses, and cavorted through the streets of Pulaski, Tennessee. The six friends named their club the Ku Klux Klan, and, all too quickly, their club grew into the self-proclaimed Invisible Empire with secret dens spread across the South. Includes personal accounts from oral histories, congressional documents and diaries. (YA 322.42 Bar)

Trash by Andy Mulligan
Fourteen-year-olds Raphael and Gardo team up with a younger boy, Rat, to figure out the mysteries surrounding a bag Raphael finds during their daily life of sorting through trash in a third-world country's dump. (YA FIC Mulligan)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Fifteen-year-old Laurel has always known she was different from other teenagers, but she's about to learn just how different she is. She doesn't eat the food that most of her teen peers eat—she's a vegan, sticking to salads and peaches and other fruit. When she grows a flower blossom that look like wings on her back, she begins to investigate her past and learns some extraordinary things about herself. Continue the trilogy with Spells and Illusions. (YA FIC Pike)

Audiobooks

June is audiobook month! We have just purchased some audiobooks, and there are more to come. The new titles will be placed on the display shelves near the bistro...Chasing fire, by Nora Roberts - Look great, feel great, by Joyce Meyer - The sixth man, by David Baldacci - The Judas gate, by Jack Higgins - The fifth witness, by Michael Connelly - The land of painted caves, by Jean M. Auel.

Vineland Public Schools 7th Grade Summer Reading List

The following is list of suggested summer reading titles for 7th graders. This list was compiled by Children’s Outreach Librarian Samantha Tai at the Vineland Public Library. All titles are available at the Vineland Public Library. Please note that students are not required to read a title from this list. They may pick any title that is deemed grade appropriate. Please see a librarian for the location of the following books or for other suggestions. To see the actual assignment, click here.

90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis
When unrest hits the streets of Havana, Cuba, Julian's parents must make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two brothers away to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation. But when the boys get to Miami, they are thrust into a world where bullies seem to run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves. (J FIC Flores-Galbis)

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko
In the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, Moose Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose. (YA FIC Choldenko & AUD CD YA FIC Choldenko)

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
After learning their grandmother’s inn is haunted, Travis and Corey decide to do some “haunting” of their own. Before long, their supernatural pranks have tourists flocking to the inn. They soon learn that they aren’t the only “ghosts” at the inn. Their pranks have awoken the local ghosts who refuse to “rest in peace.” (J FIC Hahn)

City of Ember, The by Jeanne DuPrau
The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever. If you read this book, make sure you also watch the movie based on the book. (J FIC DuPrau & J AUD CD FIC DuPrau)
Also by Jeanne DuPrau: The People of Sparks; The Prophet of Yonwood; and The Diamond of Darkhold (Same as above)

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Nine months before Rosa Parks triggered the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin let herself be arrested and dragged off the bus for the same reason. Colvin played a central role in the city’s civil rights drama, but her story has been largely lost to history. (YA B Colvin)

Countdown by Deborah Wiles
The fearful events of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis are witnessed by 11-year-old Franny, who finds her life and perspectives changing throughout the course of a week that is also marked by difficult family issues. (YA FIC Wiles)

Faith, Hope and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Ivy June Mosley and Catherine Combs participate in a school exchange program where each girl spends two weeks in the other's home and school. Ivy June, who lives in the mountains of Kentucky where most of the residents have no phone service or bathrooms and many of the men work in the coal mines, spends two weeks in Lexington at Catherine Comb's middle class house and goes to her private girls’ school. The two overcome many stereotypes and become very good friends. (J FIC Naylor & J AUD CD FIC Naylor)

Honus and Me by Dan Gutman
When Joe Stoshack gets a job cleaning old Miss Young's attic, he's not too happy about it. The place is filled with tons of worthless trash, and he's only getting paid $5 for hauling it out. Suddenly Joe finds a little piece of cardboard. He's holding the world's most valuable baseball card. Joe is rich–really rich–but it's more than that. Suddenly, Joe is face-to-face with the player on the card. He’s able to travel through time with one of the greatest ballplayers who ever lived. If you have a favorite baseball player, try one of Dan Gutman’s other Baseball Card Adventure books: Jim & Me; Satch & Me; Abner & Me; Shoeless Joe & Me; Mickey & Me; Babe & Me; or Jackie & Me (J FIC Gutman)

Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
Meet 14-year-old Maximum Ride, or Max for short , and the rest of her flock, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel in book one, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Max and her flock are just like ordinary kids, only they have wings and can fly. After the mutant Erasers abduct Angel, the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose. (YA FIC Patterson)

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression. (J FIC Hesse, JPB H & J AUD CD FIC Hesse)

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
Jacob and Will Reckless have looked out for each other ever since their father disappeared, but when Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring world populated by witches, giants, and ogres, he keeps it to himself until Will follows him one day, with dire consequences. (J FIC Funke & J AUD CD FIC Funke)

Red Pyramid, The by Rick Riordan
Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane accidentally unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes the doctor to oblivion and forces his two children to embark on a dangerous journey to save him. (J FIC Riordan)

Ruins of Gorlan, The by John Flanagan
When 15-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. This is the first book in the Ranger’s Apprentice series. (J FIC Flanagan)

Schwa Was Here, The by Neal Shusterman
A Brooklyn eighth-grader nicknamed Antsy befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone. (J FIC Shusterman & A AUD CD FIC Shusterman)
Also by Neal Shusterman: Antsy Does Time (YA FIC Shusterman & AUD CD YA FIC Shusterman)

Search for the Shadowman by Joan Lowery Nixon
Twelve-year-old Andy Thomas isn’t thrilled with his teacher’s assignment to explore family history. But when he starts asking questions about his ancestors, he’s surprised to discover a black sheep named Cody Joe Bonner. No one wants to discuss what happened in his family’s past, but Andy is determined to continue his investigation. Will his investigation hurt those he loves or help them realize it’s never to late to seek justice? (JPB N)

Throne of Fire, The by Rick Riordan
In the sequel to The Red Pyramid, Carter Kane and his sister must prevent the chaos snake Apophis from breaking free in a few days' time or the world will come to an end. To have any chance of battling these Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. (J FIC Riordan)

Adult Summer Reading Program

This is the first year we'll be doing an Adult Summer Reading Giveaway!

A chance to win a prize doing something you love! The joy of reading was never more rewarding. It doesn’t matter what you read, just that you review a book.

From Tuesday June 21, 2011—Tuesday September 6, 2011 simply fill out one of our raffle entries and hand it in to either the front desk or the Information Desk for entry.

There is no registration, just fill out the yellow review form and return it. It's as simple as that for a chance to win a variety of fiction and non-fiction books, gifts cards to Rita's Water Ice, Friendly's and other Vineland stores!

A grand prize drawing will be held from all eligible entries received—the more you read, the more chances you have of winning! So pull out that library card and enjoy!

The Summer Reading Giveaway is sponsored by the Friends of the Vineland Public Library. This program is limited to adults 18 and over who complete all required lines of the entry form. Once you win one weekly drawing you can’t win any more, but the more entries you have for the grand prize the better your chances!

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Toddler Time, age 2 (Register – Children’s)

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Harry Potter Game Night, ages 9 and up (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz Book Review

You've probably heard the tale of Hansel and Gretel. But have you ever wonder what happened to Hansel and Gretel after they escaped the witch's gingerbread house? A Tale Dark and Grimm is that story. But beware, this book isn't for the faint of heart! There's blood, dragons, warlocks, and many other scary things.

If you've enjoyed Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, you'll love this book. Recommended for grades 4th through 7th but older teens will also like it.

Vineland Public Schools 6th Grade Summer Reading List

The following is list of suggested summer reading titles for 6th graders. This list was compiled by Children’s Outreach Librarian Samantha Tai at the Vineland Public Library. All titles are available at the Vineland Public Library. Please note that students are not required to read a title from this list. They may pick any title that is deemed grade appropriate. Please see a librarian for the location of the following books or for other suggestions. To see the actual assignment, click here.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared To Dream by Tanya Lee Stone
The fight for women to become part of the space program began in the 1960s. Thirteen women fought to be admitted into the space program and were not allowed in even though they passed all the tests, many times surpassing the men who were given the same tests. Despite the prejudice and adversity that these women met, they persevered. They never made it to space, but because of their efforts and fights women are allowed in the space program today. (J 920 Sto)

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
In a future where the Population Police enforces the law limiting a family to only two children, 12-year-old Luke has lived his entire life in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until he becomes convinced that maybe the government is wrong. (JPB & J FIC Haddix)

Emerald Atlas, The by John Stephens
Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the 10 years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy. (J FIC Stephens & J AUD CD FIC Stephens)

Faraway Island, A by Annika Thor
During World War II, two sisters are sent from Vienna to live with foster parents in Sweden until their parents can arrange to get visas so that they can all go to the United States together. They are supposed to be placed in the same home, but unfortunately are separated. Nellie, being the younger sister, has a much easier time adjusting to living in a new country. In addition to having a difficult time in school, Stephie has a very strict foster mother. As time goes by, Stephie realizes that she may be staying in Sweden much longer than the six months her father promised. (J FIC Thor)

Goose Girl, The by Shannon Hale
On her way to marry a prince she's never met, Princess Anidori is betrayed by her guards and her lady-in-waiting and must become a goose girl, a forest worker who gathers the royal geese, to survive until she can reveal her true identity and reclaim the crown that is rightfully hers. (YA FIC Hale)

Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
Using free-verse form, Sharon Creech tells the story of 12-year-old Annie who ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and her best friend (and running partner) becomes distant. (J FIC Creech & J AUD CD FIC Creech)

Maze Runner, The by James Dashner
Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape. (YA FIC Dashner & AUD CD YA FIC Dashner)

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California to spend a month with the mother they barely know, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp. (J FIC Williams-Garcia)

Operation Redwood by Susannah T. French
Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle and learns his uncle's company plans to cut down some of the oldest and last California redwood trees. It's up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to stop them. (J FIC French)

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. She's the smartest kid in her whole school but no one knows it. Melody has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak. Her teachers and doctors consider her incapable of learning until a technological device allows her to speak for the first time. (J FIC Draper)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Beginning with the first book, The Lightning Thief, 12-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and a god. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods. If you read The Lightning Thief, make sure to watch the movie based on the book! (YA FIC Riordan & AUD CD YA FIC Riordan)

Ring of Fire: Century Quartet Book 1 by Pierdomenico Baccalario
Four seemingly unrelated children are brought together in a Rome hotel where they discover that they are destined to become involved in a deep and ancient mystery involving a briefcase full of artifacts that exposes them to great danger. (J FIC Baccalario & J AUD CD FIC Baccalario)

Scat by Carl Hiaasen
Nick and his friend Marta decide to investigate when a mysterious fire starts near a Florida wildlife preserve and an unpopular teacher goes missing. (J FIC Hiaasen & J AUD CD FIC Hiaasen)

Scorch Trials, The by James Dashner
In the sequel to The Maze Runner, after surviving horrific conditions in the Maze, Thomas is entrapped, along with 19 other boys, in a scientific experiment designed to observe their responses and gather data believed to be essential for the survival of the human race. (YA FIC Dashner & AUD CD YA FIC Dashner)

Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach
Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring the unusual connection between a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school. (J FIC Broach)

Strange Case of Origami Yoda, The by Tom Angleberger
Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making an Origami Yoda. (J FIC Angleberger)

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm
In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, 11-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida. (J FIC Holm & J AUD CD FIC Holm)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a 12-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space. (J FIC Stead & J AUD CD FIC Stead)

World Without Heroes, A by Brandon Mull
Fourteen-year-old Jason Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel, who was also drawn there from our world, and a few rebels, to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard emperor, Maldor. This is the first book in the Beyonders series. (J FIC Mull)

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (audiobook version) Book Review

I have a very exciting opportunity next Sunday. I'm having tea at the Plaza Hotel with three friends and young adult author Meg Cabot. If you know anything about me, you know that Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors. In anticipation of meeting her, I've been reading as many books by her as I can before next Sunday.

While I have read The Princess Diaries (the first book in the 10 book series) before, I wanted to re-read the book again since so much of the series takes place at the Plaza Hotel. We have the audiobook at the library and I thought this would be a great way to reintroduce myself to the series. I was not disappointed.

Actress Anne Hatheway, who plays Princess Mia in the movie version of The Princess Diaries, does an excellent job narrating the book. She adds an extra dimension to the book, perfecting the voices of Mia's father and grandmother who both speak with a Genovian accent. She is definitely the perfect narrator for the book making the book laugh out loud funny.

Mia Thermopolis has lots going on in her life: she's the tallest girl in the freshman class at Albert Einstein High School, she's in love with the most popular boy in school who doesn't even know she's alive, she's flunking alegra and to make matters worse, her mom is dating her alegra teacher! Things can't get any worse. Or can they? When Mia's father drops in for an unexpected visit, he tells her he is the crown prince of Genovia, which makes her the Princess of Genovia! She has enough going on in her life, she doesn't need to be a princess too!

I especially love the mention of the Palm Court, which is where I'll be having tea with my friends and Meg Cabot and the description of the ladies room at the Plaza Hotel. I can't wait to experience it all first hand.

Get a Head Start on Summer Reading

Do you have a summer reading assignment for school? Not sure what to read? Visit the Vineland Public Library and ask one of the reference or children's librarians for some suggestions.

We have worked in collaboration with Vineland Public Schools to develop lists for students entering 6th, 7th and 8th grade as well as high school. For a list of titles and assignments, visit the Vineland Public Schools website here. Scroll about halfway down the page for links to the assignments according to grade. I'll also be posting the lists on this blog over the next few days.

Please note that while Vineland Public School students must read at least one book, it doesn't have to be a book from the list (unless otherwise indicated in the assignment). Students may pick any title that is deemed age appropriate.

Vineland Public School students in Kindergarten through 5th grade are also required to read at least one book but do not have to complete a written assignment. Please see Children's Department staff for recommended books.

Not a Vineland Public School student? Never fear! We have many book lists from other area schools on hand for your perusal. Or bring in your list of books from school and we'll help you find the titles that you need.

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Baby Time, ages 6-23 months (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

What's going on today

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Play Scrabble (Children's)

Join us for our bi-monthly competitive and yet fun Scrabble night! This week's games will be in the Children's event room upstairs, but everyone is welcome!

Library newsletter

Have you seen our newsletter yet? It opens in PDF so you'll need to download the free version of Adobe if you don't have that installed.

Vineland Library invites the community to visit

during the summer months. Cool off from the

summer heat — read a book or current magazine

— check out an audio book to listen to while

traveling to vacation spots — bring your family

to one of our many programs.

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Preschool Story Time, ages 3-5 (Register – Children’s)

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Teen Gaming Program, ages 13-18 (Register – Children’s)

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Book Discussion, ages 6 - 8 (Register – Children’s)

To Register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

What's going on today

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Toddler Time, age 2 (Register – Children’s)

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Father’s Day Craft, ages 10 & younger (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay book review

If you like historical fiction with an element of mystery, you'll enjoy Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay.

If you know anything about me, you know I don't read a lot of adult fiction. Most of my reading is comprised of juvenile and young adult fiction. But when I saw Russian Winter on the new book display, I had to read it. I'm guilty when it comes to judging a book by its cover. I know I shouldn't but I totally do. But the cover to Russian Winter just drew me in: the back of a woman with an amber necklace. Who was this woman? What was the significance of the necklace? Intriguing-I loved it. And I really enjoyed the book as well.

Russian Winter alternates between the present and the past with three main characters. Nina Revskaya, a famous ballerina who danced for the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia and later defected to the United States; Drew Brooks, an auction house representative and Grigori Solodin, a foreign language professor. When Nina decides to put her extensive jewelry collection up for auction, the three main characters' lives collide. Each character learns that life isn't always what it appears to be.

There's Still Time . . .

. . . to register for the Harry Potter Finale Party!

The Vineland Public Library invites children and teens (ages 8 to 18) to celebrate the upcoming release of the final movie in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at a Harry Potter Finale Party on Saturday, June 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Community Event Room. THAT'S TOMORROW!!!

Test your knowledge of Harry Potter with a trivia game, make a wand, enjoy wizard refreshments and win prizes!

Children ages 8 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The Harry Potter Finale Party is funded by the Friends of the Vineland Public Library.

For more information, or to register call the Vineland Public Library Children's Department at 856-794-4244 ext. 4244. Make sure to reserve your spot today!

What's going on today...

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Baby Time, ages 6-23 months (Register – Children’s) To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

Library Closed

The library will be closed today due to a mandatory furlough day. Please see us tomorrow, Friday June 10, 2011 from 10-5.

Have you voted?

Every month we're posting a poll for a TV show. It's located on the righthand side of this blog-you can't miss it! This month we have Friday Night Lights, NCIS, The West Wing, Supernatural, and Smallville.

Which one do you want to see here?

Friday Night Lights
	NCIS
	West Wing
	Supernatural
	Smallville

What's going on today...

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Preschool Story Time, ages 3-5 (Register – Children’s)

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Teen Reading Buddies Training, ages 13-18 (Register – Children’s)

To register call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

Are You Registered For Our Harry Potter Finale Party?

The Vineland Public Library invites children and teens, ages 8 to 18, to celebrate the upcoming release of the final movie in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at a Harry Potter Finale Party on Saturday June 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you aren't registered yet, make sure you register today!

Test your knowledge of Harry Potter with a trivia game, make a wand, enjoy wizard refreshments and win prizes!

Children ages 8 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the library.

The Harry Potter Finale Party is funded by The Friends of the Vineland Public Library.

What's going on today...

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Toddler Time, age 2 (Register – Children’s)
To register call: (856) 794-4244 ext. 4246

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. “The Good Old Days at the Steel Pier!” presented by Don French.

The Friends of Vineland Library invite the public to their annual meeting followed by a free program featuring “The Good Old Days at the Steel Pier” presented by Don French. The annual meeting takes place on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:00 p.m. with the program following at 6:30 p.m. in the library's Community Event Room located on the first floor of the library. Refreshments will be served.

Presenter Don French’s mother and aunt rode the Steel Pier Diving Horses. The Disney movie, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, was based on events in the life of French’s aunt Sonora Carver. Don’t miss a walk down memory lane as French shares video footage, photos and stories about the Steel Pier during the 1920s – 1940s.

The Friends of Vineland Library are an active group. They do fund-raising events throughout the year to supplement the library’s budget. The Friends provide many of the  library’s “wish list” items like additional copies of best sellers and programming for adults and children.

New Children's Books at the Vineland Public Library

The Vineland Public Library is always getting new books to add to our collection. Here are a few of my favorite new books that just arrived yesterday.




A Friend for Einstein: The Smallest Stallion by Charlie Cantrell & Dr. Rachel Wagner - This is the true story of Einstein, the smallest horse ever born. He is a mini-miniature stallion born to two miniature horses. He may be small but he loves to do what all horses do: gallop, hop, graze and trot. But the other horses are all too big for him to play with. He goes out to look for the perfect friend, but all the animals he meets just aren't right for him. Will he be destined to play alone? The photographs help complement this story and readers can't help but fall in love with Einstein, the mini-miniature horse. (JE Can)




Blackout by John Rocco - Have you ever been too busy to spend quality time with your family? That's the premise of this beautifully illustrated book about a young child who wants to play with her other family members but everyone is too busy. Until the lights go out. When the house gets too stifling hot, the family climbs the steps to the roof, where there are lots of lights on in the sky. And lots of people enjoying the darkness on the rooftops and on the streets below. Sometimes you need a blackout to help you remember to slow down and enjoy what you have. (JE Roc)

Press Here by Hervé Tullet - In this fun interactive book, the author asks the reader to press the yellow dot in the middle of the page. Turn the page and the reader gets a surprise with some more instructions. As the book progresses, fun things happen to the yellow dot. Whether it's pressing the yellow dot, tapping it five times or shaking the book, young readers will have lots of fun with this book. (JE Tul - this book is located in our ABC cube)

Check out more new books on our new book display. Ask the Children's Librarian for the exact location of these books.

The Lightning Thief: the Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti (book review)

Fans of the Percy Jackson series will enjoy the graphic novel based on the first book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Diehard fans of the series may be a little disappointed by some missing scenes from the original book, but overall this is a good portrayal of the book especially if you just can't get enough of Percy Jackson. Graphic novel fans will also enjoy this book and may even want to continue the series by reading the books. Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Father's Day Craft at the Vineland Public Library

Families with children ages 10 and younger are invited to the library for stories and a craft honoring Father’s Day on Tuesday, June 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Children’s Department at the Vineland Public Library.

Listen to stories about fathers and make a gift for Dad’s special day.

Registration is required for this free program, as space is limited. Craft supplies are funded by The Friends of the Vineland Public Library.

Children ages 8 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the library.

For more information, or to register call the Vineland Public Library's Children's Department at 856-794-4244 ext. 4246.