Plymouth Staff Choices

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess published by Nintendo of America
Video Games -Main Level

For those of you who might not know, The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular series of games in history. For us old timers who remember, Zelda dates back to 1987 when it first debuted as a top down 2-D game for the Nintendo Entertainment Center. Since then the game has gone through many changes, yet it always retains many of the same elements that make it a classic. This entry in the series is no different, and may be one of the best so far.

Those familiar with the series will recognize the green garbed hero Link, and his nemesis Ganon. As is the standard you start out as a simple boy who is thrown into an extraordinary adventure. As you progress in the game you’ll work your way through simple tasks such as herding goats with your trusty horse Epona, exploring the vast world of Hyrule, and conquering an array of enemies in the games many dungeons. With each task accomplished you’ll gain additional abilities and weapons.

This may all seem like old news to those who are familiar with the series, but what makes the game stand out is the use of the Wii remote. By swinging the remote you can slash your sword, as well as use it to aim at opponents when using your bow and arrow. Many of the puzzles also take advantage of the controller’s intuitive design. While the controls are a bit more advanced then some of the other Wii games, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of. All in all Twilight Princess is a great game that translates well onto Nintendo’s new platform. Also, if you're interested in video games don't forget to check the teen zone calendar for our gaming days at http://plymouthlibrary.org/ya.htm

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Teen Graphic Novels- Main Level- A

“Class, I’d like us all to give a warm welcome to your new classmate Jing Jang!”
-“Jin Wang.”
“He and his family recently moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”
-“San Francisco.”

Yang’s beautifully colored graphic novel weaves three stories together into one statement about life as a “human transformer.” He begins in the forest with a discontented monkey learning invulnerability through kung-fu—a retelling of the Chinese folk tale “The Monkey King.” Then it shifts over to young Jin Wang being introduced to his new classmates. Jin doesn’t eat dogs, and he can speak English. So why do the other guys treat him like an “FOB” (fresh off the boat)? Yang’s third story is the saga of Danny, a popular high school student who is humiliated on a yearly basis when his cousin, an embodiment of stereotypes, comes to visit from China.

American Born Chinese is the winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award for excellent young adult literature, but adults will enjoy the drawings and stories as well. If you’ve never read a graphic novel before, this is a great one to start with.

To see other Printz Award winners, check out
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/previouswinners/winners.htm

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman Comic geeks, take note! This no-pictures novel puts a realistic spin on the world of superheroes and supervillains. Our antihero is Dr. Invincible, pondering on what separates villains from heroes, remembering key superheroes as they all attended the same high school for the gifted, and plotting again to take over the world. Our heroine is Fatale, a cyborg with only shadowy memories of her former, fully human life. She’s the newest member of veteran superhero team the Champions. As she never feels that she quite fits in, she watches the other team members closely, giving us as readers insight into them. The reflections fit in between showdowns in a book whose characters, setting, and plot are all compelling.

You in Reverse by Built to Spill
Cd bins - Rock B

Built to Spill is one of the few bands out there that can put out consistently great rock albums without posturing, without gimmicks, and still make it seem effortless. The band is known for Doug Martsch’s guitar style that shares similarities with Neil Young, yet provides enough distinction to be an unsung influence for bands like Modest Mouse. However, Doug Martsch’s seemingly passive voice continues to speak loads more than any screeching the latter band may provide. "You in Reverse" is arguably the best release yet, containing soaring guitars that meander just long enough to make the melody rewarding when everything comes together. Martsch also makes good use of the slide guitar which was featured prominently in his solo album (another great album by the way.)
Those familiar with Built to Spill may not find it as adventurous as their previous efforts like "Perfect From Now On", but there is something to be said about a more polished, cleanly produced iteration of the band. Stand-out tracks include the epic opening song "Goin’ against your Mind", as well as "Conventional Wisdom," which feels as though it was lifted right from a Dinosaur Jr. album. However, this is an album where every song has something to offer and where repeated listens only strengthen the experience.

I Gave You My Heart, but You Sold It Online by Dixie Cash
Adult New Fiction Display - CASH

Dixie Cash is a pseudonym for two sisters who write books that combine humor, romance, and a little light detective work. Fans of Janet Evanovich, Fannie Flag, and the Sweet Potato Queens will want to check out their most recent title: I Gave You My Heart, but You Sold It Online. The two earlier books in this series also have titles that could have been country-western songs: Since You’re Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash and My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great. The stories revolve around the adventures of two big-hearted, West Texas gals who run a combination hair salon and detective agency. It’s impossible to summarize the plot, which has more twists and turns than a tornado. Suffice it to say that the story gets hotter than a jalapeno when the gals get involved with a two-timing rodeo star, a sex-crazed octogenarian, and a gender-confused Las Vegas showgirl. Throw into the mix some online dating, identity theft, and stalking-on-a-budget and you've got one spicy salsa of a story. So find a shady spot, put some Margarita mix in the blender, and enjoy.

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts by Spike Lee
DVD Collection - Main Level - W

More than an account of Katrina, When the Levees Broke follows the New Orleans survivors through their harrowing journeys before and after the storm. In four one-hour segments, the viewer travels with the survivors through the storm, the lull after the storm, the levee failure, the floods, and the clean-up. Spike Lee interviewed survivors at several points, so we experience their initial shock as they view the devastation, their grief at what was lost, and finally, the process of gathering strength and their resolution to rebuild. More than 100 people tell their stories - working people, musicians, actors, journalists, government officials, ministers, academics, and engineers. Some stayed and some evacuated, some lost loved ones and others escaped with their families. In addition to the unforgettable stories of the survivors, the filmmakers also interviewed experts and government officials searching for answers. Why weren’t the levees strong enough? Why was the rescue operation so slow to get started? Why is rebuilding taking so long? The definitive explanations remain elusive, but Spike Lee discovers many facts that will challenge the viewers’ ideas of what happened and why.

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen
Youth Fiction Shelves – Lower Level - Sorensen

Ten year old Marly is very aware of her family’s troubles. Her father is depressed and seems angry much of the time ever since he got back from the war. Set in the era after World War II, Miracles on Maple Hill is a touching and sweet story of a family who begins to heal in a magical place called Maple Hill. Maple Hill is in the countryside of Pennsylvania and is surrounded by many hills, trees, and wildlife. After living in Pittsburgh for many years, the family moves to Maple Hill. Slowly they begin to enjoy many “miracles” in their new home. They learn to enjoy the sweet and simple pleasures of gardening, farming, and sugaring for maple syrup. Watching animals come close to their surroundings and spending more time together begins to heal this family as they make amazingly loyal friends such as the Chris family and Harry the hermit. Marly and her older brother Joe learn how to live off of the land and spend some hilarious adventures together. Their parents grow closer as they realize how healing nature can be to the spirit, mind, and soul. Speckled with lovely illustrations by Beth and Joe Krush, this novel is so wonderfully captivating for young readers interested in chapter books set in a past era. However, this novel transcends age and will appeal to many adults as well because its messages of hope, healing, and goodness are universal to all human beings. The winner of the 1957 Newbery Medal, Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen is a can’t miss read that will warm your heart!

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg
Youth Fiction- Lower Level- Konigsburg
Teen Zone Fiction- Main Level- Konigsburg
CD Book- Lower Level

Margaret Rose Kane’s summer at Camp Talequa is not going as planned. She had hoped to stay with her two great-uncles during her parents’ trip to Peru, and she finds that camp is a difficult place to express her freewill and individuality. Eventually Uncle Alex and his dog Tartufo arrive to rescue her and bring her back to 19 Schuyler Place, familiar and beloved to her with its looming clock towers in the backyard. The uncles have spent decades constructing the sculptures from bits and fragments of whatever they can find, and have decorated them with paint and shining, smooth pieces of glass. Margaret adores them.

However, some of the neighbors do not. The towers are scheduled to be taken down in the name of property values, and the uncles are resigned to this fate. Can one twelve-year-old girl save three tall towers from destruction? Not alone- she’ll need all the help she can get. Check this out for an entertaining read on individuality and art from an award-winning author.

Jack Plank Tells Tales by Natalie Babbitt
Youth New Book Shelves - Lower Level - Babbitt

Long-time favorite Natalie Babbitt (Tuck Everlasting) returns with this delightful collection, sure to be a hit. Cutting the microphone, Jack Plank is a retired pirate, looking for a new career. Every day, he heads out with his landlady’s daughter to try to find a job. Every night, he returns unsuccessfully, but with a tale to tell of why that particular career could never work for him. He couldn’t possibly do work that involved crossing a bridge, for example, because of the experience that a shipmate had with something closely resembling a troll in Nova Scotia, and another shipmate had an experience that put him off wigs forever. Jack Plank does find a job in the end, of course, but by that time, all we want is more stories. The stories belong to that wonderful variety, which are entertaining for an adult without being too scary for the beginning chapter book reader.

Thwonk by Joan Bauer – Teen Zone Fiction – Main Level – Bauer
Teen Zone Paperbacks – Main Level - Bauer
A.J. McCreary is 17 years old and unlucky in love. She spends most of her days crushing on new boys, attending Benjamin Franklin High, hanging out with her best friend Trish, and pursuing her passion of photography. One night something strange occurs—her stuffed cupid, Jonathan, comes to life and offers her the chance to have one of a possible three wishes come true. A.J. chooses to have her major crush, Peter Terris, fall in love with her despite Jonathan’s ominous warnings about forcing love.

With a tiny “thwonk” from Jonathan’s arrow, Peter Terris’ heart is forever changed and propelled to love A.J. McCreary with the deepest of devotion. At first, A.J. is beyond thrilled with Peter’s undying love, and thoughtlessly ignores her past friends as she gets swept away by her new boyfriend. However, as time passes A.J. realizes that one should be careful what they wish for because the best kind of love is natural and real. She also learns that truth is more valuable than fake emotion because truth is real, and in order to achieve anything worthy in life, one has to experience truth.

Joan Bauer really captures the spirit of teenage angst and love in this novel. All of the characters are believable, and Thwonk is a story that will make you laugh, smile, and sympathize with A.J who could be anyone’s daughter, sister, or friend. Thwonk is a lot of fun to read especially when you imagine a tiny cupid assisting you through life’s ups and downs, and it is certain to bring smiles to those who thumb through its pages!

The Thief of Always by Clive Barker
Youth Fiction Shelves - Lower Level - BARKER

Harvey Swick is like any other ten-year-old boy stuck in the “great gray beast of February,” he’s bored out of his mind. With the wonders of the holiday season fading and the promise of the summer far away, slushy treks to school and piles of homework await Harvey. However, this all soon changes when a smooth talking man named Rictus flies through his window and tells Harvey of a magical place known as the Holiday House. Within this realm the seasons of the year span like hours, where one can enjoy a spring morning, a long summer day, the eerie twilight of Halloween, and a Christmas night where any gift you wish will be yours. With these possibilities too tantalizing to resist Harvey sets off to the Holiday House and for the first few days he almost forgets about his home completely. However, he soon realizes that there is a darkness hidden under the house's façade of wonder and getting back home might be harder than he thinks.

The Thief of Always is Clive Barkers first youth oriented novel and he succeeds in both capturing the voice and perspective of a child, while crafting a story that would intrigue a more mature reader. The cast of characters are both fascinating and frightening, and the world is one that most of us have probably imagined ourselves as kids. No matter what age you are, The Thief of Always will sweep you up in its spell and you may not want to leave the world yourself.