Saturday, December 11, 2010

Recent returns

Glass by Ellen Hopkins - sequel to the novel Crank, this hard-hitting story follows Kristina as she struggles to overcome her addiction and raise her newborn baby. But managing both proves impossible, and things are soon worse than ever. Told in verse, this is a very powerful, sad, but possibly hopeful story of abuse, loss, and love. Book; 3 copies have circed 78 times.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - The novel that the movie was based on, this tells the adventures of young Coraline after her family moves to a new flat in an old house out in the country. She finds a mysterious locked door, meets peculiar neighbors, and befriends a very unusual cat. And then things get very very odd indeed, and Coraline must defeat a nightmarish evil to save her family. Book; 2 copies, 11 circs. Graphic Novel; 34 circs; Sound Recording; 7 circs; Movie; 274 (the book is much better!)...

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade - Book one of the series by the same name - audiobook read by Jayne Entwistle - Modo's life begins in freak show, until he is rescued by the mysterious Mr. Socrates and raised to be a secret agent for the Permanent Association. His first investigation is into the disappearance of street children in London, where he soon discovers a villainous plot against the government. This high action steampunk thriller involves shape-changers, mad scientists, revolution, and other exciting mysteries. Sound Recording; 4 circs. Book, 1 circ.

Breathless by Jessica Warman - Katie's whole life is uprooted when she is sent to boarding school to get her away from the trouble caused by her brother's growing mental illness. But she tells all the other teens that her brother has died, instead. And when her lies catch up with her, Katie will find out who her true friends are. A school story with real meat - you'll love Katie, her room-mate Mazzie, her maybe boyfriend Drew, and her worst enemy, beautiful Estelle. They're all very believable, and so is what happens. Book; 11 circs.

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: the Power of Negative Thinking, vols 1 and 2 by Koji Kumeta - this OLDER TEEN manga is about a melancholy high school teacher in Japan. In volume 1 we meet Nozomu and his students, each odder than the last, and learn how they deal with life. In volume 2 Nozomu's family have decided it is time he marry; will he manage not to commit suicide and avoid marriage at the same time? This series is very funny in a satirical, twisted kind of way. Vol 1; 16 circs. Vol 2; 2 circs.

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