GreenBeanTeenQueen

I've always enjoyed picture books, but taking on a job as a youth services manager where I now work with ages birth-18 means I get to read a lot more picture books! I've been reviewing them at work, but I decided it's time I started putting those reviews up on GreenBeanTeenQueen as well! Because you're never too old for picture books, right?:) Crabby Pants by Julie Gassman, illustrated by Richard Watson About the Book: A little kitten is very crabby and finds himself in the naughty chair. But then he thinks about his crabby pants problem and comes up with a way to solve it for good. Only his solution won't make anyone else very happy. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I picked this one up on the title alone. I was called crabby pants many times as a kid (and OK, even as an adult sometimes) and the cover with the crabby kitten just made me laugh. The story is as much for parents as it is for kids-both will get a kick out of the creative solution to the cr...

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens! Join the fun and add your link below. Rating: 5/5 Stars Genre: Historical Release Date: 9/13/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Two kids, two stories set fifty years apart. Ever since his mom died, Ben feels alone. He misses his mom and wonders if his father is out there somwhere and if he even knows about him. When he finds a clue to that could lead him to his past, Ben has to take the chance to follow it. Rose is home with her father, but she's lonely. She follows the career of a movie star and dreams of visiting New York. When a chance to escape arrives, Rose decides to take it. Fifty years apart, two young children will find themselves on journeys full of wonder. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Wonderstruck is an amazing book and a must read of 2011! I wasn't sure how Brian Selznick would be able to top The Invention of Hugo Cabr et, but somehow he man...

So if you watched the teaser of The Hunger Games movie, you may have noticed an interesting hashtag in the corner of the screen at the end that said "#whatsmydistrict" Well, of course I was intrigued. So checking it out on Twitter brought me to this Capitol website . Not much so far, but I believe it's a picture of the Capitol seal. And if you start to follow The Capitol PN on Twitter, you'll see some interesting (and even a bit creepy!) tweets! Asking everyone to report to the Capitol for the games? Scary but also cool! So what do you think is in store? Will you sign up? And what could the website be?

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars Genre: Science Fiction Release Date: 9/13/2011 Add to Goodreads Facebook Page About the Book: In a future where Earth is being destroyed, the hopes of finding a new planet to continue life is pinned on two ships-the Empyrean and the New Horizon. Waverly is the oldest girl on the Empyrean and wants a bit more to her life other than a proposal from Kieran, the oldest Empyrean boy. When the Empyrean is met up with their sister ship, New Horizon, the ship is abuzz with what the ship could want. Soon, the Empyrean is being mounted and all the girls are whisked away to a new life on the New Horizon. As the oldest, Waverly knows she must fight for their survival and rights. The New Horizon has never been able to successfully conceive children in deep space and they want the girls of the Empyrean to help them create a new generation. Meanwhile, on the Empyrean, the boys are looking for a way to survive and save their friends and family. Kieran tries t...

Get More: 2011 VMA , Music So-what do you think?

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 8/16/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Luis Fuentes has always been the brother who is expected to be good and not get into trouble. He has ambitions to become an astronaut and his life has been about sheltering him from the gang violence his brothers grew up so he can achieve his dreams. But Luis has a side that makes him want to take risks, and there's no greater risk than Nikki Cruz. Nikki Cruz has been hurt by guys in the past and she's not about to trust a guy like Luis-a guy she knows will only end up breaking her heart. Nikki has secrets that make her keep her guard up, but will Luis be able to break them down? When Luis discovers secrets about his family, he has a choice to make. Will Nikki be enough to save him from a dangerous life? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Oh, those Fuentes brothers-they are so hot, how can you not love them all??:) Chain Reaction is another exciting entry into the P...

Hey Hunger Games Fans! If you can't wait to see a preview of the Hunger Games movie , you're in luck. MTV will be debuting a first look at the film during the VMA awards, Sunday, August 28. So set your DVRs! If you miss it, don't worry-MTV will be adding the clip online so you can watch it over and over! I can't wait!! Who else will be tuning in?

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun and add your link below! Rating: 3.5/5 Stars Genre: Fantasy Release Date: 10/04/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Liesl lives in a small attic room where she was banished by her evil stepmother. Liesl didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her father who recently passed away. So when Liesl discovers a ghost named Po in her attic room, she hopes that Po can get a message to the other side for her father. Outside the attic room, an alchemist's apprentice is watching Liesl from the street. Will wishes he could be friends with the girl in the attic and his daydreaming causes him to make a mistake-he switches his box of the most powerful magic in the world with the box containing the ashes of Liesl's father. This sets off a string of events that lead Will, Liesl and Po on an extraordinary journey. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says...

Beautiful Creatures Review Beautiful Darkness Review http://beautifulcreaturesnovels.com/ Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia are the authors of the Beautiful Creatures series, which I've read and reviewed here at GreenBeanTeenQueen. The latest book, Beautiful Chaos , is coming in October! Can't wait until then? Check out Dream Dark , an e-book story. About Dream Dark: A Beautiful Creatures Story – Available August 2!This all-new original e-book story stars Link, who undergoes a heart-racing transformation after the climactic battle in Beautiful Darkness. Dream Dark also includes an exclusive sneak peek at the first five chapters of Beautiful Chaos, the third book in the bestselling Beautiful Creatures series. Kami and Margaret have always been great about reaching out to their fanbase and connecting with readers online and at book events. Recently, Big Honcho Media hosted an author chat and I was lucky enough to find out more about the lit fest they are ...

I was browsing through my feed reader the other day and came across two new book trailers that I thought were pretty cool: Both cool trailers, right? But both books were already on my radar and I've actually already read one of them, so they didn't make me discover something new. I've noticed that when I mention book trailers when talking with my non-librarian, non-blogger friends, they don't know what I'm talking about. They always seem surprised that book trailers are out there. It seems as though the people that know about book trailers are the people that avid readers (some of who are librarians) who are already involved in the book community online. I know some librarians use book trailers with their teens. We've posted them to our library teen blog and sometimes get a response. I've used book trailers when I've done school visits and used them as part of my booktalks. It seems that for book trailers to work, they have to have a hi...

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun and post your link below. Rating: 4.5/5 Stars Genre: Historical Fiction Release Date: 4/5/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: When Doug Swieteck's father moves his family to "stupid Marysville" Doug couldn't be more annoyed. His new town is boring and there's nothing to do. Doug finds himself on the library steps, exchanging sarcastic words with Lil Spicer, the daughter of the deli owner. Doug decides he'll show Lil he's smart after all and enters the library to find a book of John James Audubon's bird drawings. Doug is drawn to the birds and with the encouragement of the librarian, Mr. Powell, Doug begins to draw his own birds. When Doug learns that the drawings are being sold off to donors because the book is owned by the town, Doug decides to get the drawings back. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Look at any Mock Ne...

So my awesome friends, the ILOAS- Abby , Drea , Katie , Angie , and Kelly and I have decided to have a read-a-thon next weekend. Summer Reading Program is over, my work on my state book award committee is finished and I have a break before I start my next committee assignment and a reading marathon sounds wonderfull. So I'm looking to you, my fabulous blog friends and fellow readers for suggestions. What are the must reads I have to get my hands on during my reading break?

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens! Join the fun and leave your links below. Rating: 3.5/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 3/8/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Sophie can feel her friendship with best friend Maddie changing now that they're in seventh grade. Maddie is hanging out with popular girl Nia more and Sophie will do anything to keep things the same. So when she suggests posting their secret "Hot List" at the school, Sophie thinks their secret will keep them close. Instead, it propels the "Hot List" into the ultimate decision list for the middle school and now someone else is adding to the list. Not knowing what else to do, Sophie makes a bet with Nia that she can get anyone on the list. So Nia challenges Sophie to transform dorky, not cool Squid into a Hot Lister, or else embarrass herself in front of her crush. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: At it's co...

So remember several months ago when a gentlemen in Republic Missouri tried to ban Speak , Slaughterhouse Five , and Twenty Boy Summer from the school library? This banning hit home because I live very close to Republic and actually share a library system with Republic. Well, a couple of weeks ago (I know, I'm late in posting-forgive my busy Summer Reading Porgram self, OK?) the school decided to save Speak , but decided Slaughterhouse Five and Twenty Boy Summer were not appropriate. The worst part is that several of the board members didn't even show up to vote and only one that did show up had actually read the books. They also claimed they weren't basing it on "moral choices" but then had issues with the morals in the books (so it wasn't a moral choice then? I'm confused!) I'm happy to report though that people are still taking a stand. Currently there is a long waiting list at the library to read Twenty Boy Summer and Slaughterhouse Fiv...

Rating: 5/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 11/11/2010 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Piper has just taken on a challenge-get the band Dumb a paying gig in the next month and she can be their manager. Piper doesn't know much about rock music, let alone how get the five members of Dumb to actually play together as a band. The band is slowly falling apart, but Piper needs the job to pay so she can add to her college fund. It doesn't help that Piper herself has no idea if Dumb is any good. Everyone keeps wondering how a deaf girl can manage a rock band, but Piper is out to prove them wrong. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: First off, I have to apologize to Mr. John. I've had this book on my review shelf and it took me a long time to read it. I think part of me was afraid to pick it up because Antony John is a Missouri author and how horrible would it be to not like a local author? Well, I shouldn't have worried-I loved this book! I should have re...

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a webinar interview with debut author Sara Grant, author of a new dystopian YA novel called Dark Parties . About the Book: In a world shrouded in fear and lies, how can you shed light on the truth? Sixteen-year-old Neva lives in Homeland, an isolated country separated from the rest of the world by the Protectosphere. The government insists there’s nothing beyond its borders, but as Homeland’s resources dwindle, people, girls mainly, have started to go missing. If there’s no way out of the Protectosphere, where are they going? Suspecting the government is lying about everything, Neva and her friends stage a Dark Party in the hope of uncovering the truth and finding the freedom they dream about. So of course, with all that I was intrigued and I couldn't wait to chat with Sara! Since the book starts with a Dark Party (i.e. a party held completely in the dark with the attendees relying on other senses) I had to ask if Sara had ever ...

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens! Join the fun and add your link below. Rating: 3/5 Stars Genre: Historical (1950's) Release Date: 1/1/11 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Artie is the youngest and smallest cousin, which means he is always getting picked on. At one family gathering Artie can't take the bullying from his cousin Petey, so he bragged that he would get everyone firecrackers at the Chinese New Year's celebration. Now Artie has to come up with the money, but he knows he can count of his Uncle Chester to help him out. That is until Uncle Chester has a string of bad luck. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: The Star Maker is a short, simple book that would be great for a classroom read alound for young tweens. The setting is very vivid and the descriptions of San Francisco and Chinatown come to life in the story. I really enjoyed the authors notes at the end about traditional Chinese New Year's celebrat...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Graphic Novel/Contemporary Release Date: 6/7/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: After falling down a well, Anya discovers bones and a ghost to go along with them. Emily was murdered ninety years ago. When Anya is freed from the well, she discovers an unexpected souvenir. Emily says she wants to join Anya and have a second chance. Sounds good until Anya finds herself with a very pushy ghost with her own agenda. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: This is a wonderful graphic novel! Anya is dealing with a lot in high school which makes this a great layered story. She immigrated to America from Russia when she was young and has worked hard to blend in and become American. She's embarrassed by her family. She is often a loner and has one friend at school, and her mother is always telling her to befriend another boy from Russia at school, only he's the nerdy kid. She has a crush on popular basketball player Sean. So when a ghost shows up and offers to help Anya out...