Teen Manga/Comic Book Art Contest

Attention teen artists! Teen Scene is having a manga/comic book art contest! Between Feb 1st and 22nd submit a drawing to the children's and youth department. It can be a rough draft conceptual drawing as the winner will be asked to recreate the drawing using paint or window makers on the windows in the teen department! 

 Submit your drawings to the children's department or email a copy to ltoutant@orilliapubliclibrary.ca. Please include your name, phone number, email, and grade on the back of the drawing or in the email. This contest is open to teens in grades 8-12.

Book Review: IRL: In Real Life by Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang

Book Review: IRL: In Real Life, Graphic Novel

Author: Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang

IRL, simply read, is a story of a young girl who gets hooked on gaming, meets people on the other side of the world and is exposed to a culture she never comprehended.  The graphic novel sets out to explore the multiple dynamics of online gaming on a global scale. From Gender inequality, social economics, bullying and employee rights, this novel attempts to open the conversation of such topics through a medium completely familiar to young adults today – online gaming.

While the novel is a great conversation starter for these topics, it fell short on character development and narrative depth.  It attempted to address too many issues in one short novel and instead left me feeling unsatisfied with the moral compass of it all.

The introduction by author Cory Doctorow was insightful and led me to trust that great thought and care had been taken to develop a unique endeavor for a YA graphic novel; while his intentions were commendable, the graphic novel did not level up to my expectations.

Teen Readers Advisory

Valerie

Orillia Public Library

Book Review: This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Earl

This Star Won’t Go Out starts with an honest forward by award-winning Author John Green who dedicated his book The Fault in our Stars to Esther.  Through Esther’s journals, the book chronicles the joys and sorrows seen through the eyes of Esther, aka Crazycrayon, as she struggles with facing thyroid cancer head on.  Through her journals, we become entrenched in her world of wonder and thankfulness.

Along with letters and updates from her parents, friends and family, the reader feels both apart of Esther’s world as well as an outsider given privy to her thoughts and feelings surrounding her battle.  I enjoyed being a part of Esther’s world of uncertainty.  The book is an excellent balance of Esther’s young yet mature thoughts and that of the outsiders looking in.  We know how the story ends, but you still feel like you have been on this journey of hope and love with Esther and her family.

One thing is very clear about this book – This is Esther Grace’s life adventure, it is her own story and not one created by talented authors within her friendship circles.  Once you start to read her story, you will understand she is a Star all her own.


Review by,
Valerie
YA Readers Advisor
Orillia Public Library

Extras:

Esther's YouTube Vlog

About Esther

 



Hi, I'm Valerie!

Greetings! From the new YA Reader’s Advisor!

I am super excited to be hanging out in the Teen Scene this new year and getting to know the brilliant youth that visit the green chairs!  As I am new to the Young Adult section, I have resolved to catch myself up on the “must-reads” of the YA world!  I have started my adventures with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins which was action packed and full of intense moments.  Next on my list is of course Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, but also The Fault in our Stars by John Green.  I am told this is the book that will define the YA generation of today!  I would love to hear from you!  Leave me your best YA picks in the comments below and let the adventures begin!  Come visit me at the Reader’s Advisory desk in the YA section on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings to have a chat and recommend a book!

Cheers,

Valerie