If I Stay by Gayle Forman is one of those well-executed stories that has stayed with me since reading it a few years ago. It is an achingly-sad yet touching and beautiful story full of music, love, and loss. Be warned...If you read this book, you will likely cry. Even this typically dry-eyed reader had a hard time holding back the tears during the last few pages (which was awkward considering that I was in the break room at work). But if you are up to the emotional challenge, I encourage you to take it. I'll try not to spoil it too much for you:

Mia is a Portland-area high school senior with a gift for classical cello, dreaming of making it into prestigious Julliard. She has a great relationship with her lovely family, made up of her cool punk rock parents and her little brother. The message that true passion for music transcends genres runs throughout the book, and this is what brings her together with her rocker musician boyfriend Adam, despite their superficial differences.

Unfortunately, it's about to get really, really sad. The book opens with a devastating car accident that leaves the other passengers dead and Mia critically injured in a coma, and the rest of the novel unfolds in out-of-sequence vignettes from Mia's life leading up to the accident. These scenes weave in and out with Mia's out-of-body experience watching her loved ones during the aftermath. Mia has suffered an unimaginable loss, but does she have the strength to stay and endure it? The characters are well-developed and lovable, which makes the emotional connection all the more strong and therefore painful. I absolutely adored her amazing family, and her boyfriend Adam is endearing to astronomical proportions. And yes, the whole post-trauma limbo "Should I stay or should I go?" thing has been done before, but this was done very well.

There's talk that this will be made into a movie, but no info yet about directors or casting now that actress Dakota Fanning has left the project. But guess what? There's a brand new sequel! Again, no spoilers, so I'll just tell you that it's called Where She Went (available now in the catalog), and it's about my dear book-crush Adam.

San José Public Library Invites Teens to Showcase Their Talent

Teens’ Creative Impulses Are Encouraged Through a Fun Activity

That Strengthens Self-Confidence and Poise

SAN JOSE, Calif.— Hey teens! Can you sing? Dance? Juggle? Tell some funny jokes? Show off your unique talent and maybe even win cash prizes by competing in the Teen Talent Show sponsored by San José Public Library.  

The activity will have two rounds: regional competitions and a final contest.  Regional competitions will be held on the following dates and locations:

Saturday, April 23, 2011

·         12:00 p.m.  – Berryessa Branch Library, 3355 Noble Ave., (408) 808-3050

·         2:00 p.m. – West Valley Branch Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., (408) 244-4747

·         2:00 p.m. – Santa Teresa Branch Library, 290 International Cir., (408) 808-3068

·         2:00 p.m. – Joyce Ellington Branch Library, 491 E . Empire St., (408) 808-3043

Saturday, April 30, 2011

·         2:00 p.m. - Cambrian Branch Library, 1780 Hillsdale Ave., (408) 808-3080

·         2:00 p.m. - Evergreen Branch Library, 2635 Aborn Rd., (408) 808-3060

Cash prizes of $50, $25 and $10 will be awarded to the top three winners at each of the branch competitions.  The top two winners from each location will be invited to continue on to the final contest on Saturday, May 21 to be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Community Room at the Almaden Branch Library and Community Center (6445 Camden Ave.). Winners of the final round will take home $250, $150 and $50 for first, second and third place, respectively. 

The competition is open to teens 12 to 18 years old and competing groups may include up to 10 performers. Routines should be indoor-friendly, about five minutes long and appropriate for a diverse audience of all ages. Contestants are expressly advised to avoid including obscene or offensive content. Performances will be judged using a 10-point scale on the following categories: stage presence, originality, audience response, and professionalism. The decision of the judges is final.

Registration packets will be available at all San José Public Library locations. Participants must submit their registration form at the one location where they want to compete. For more information, visit the contest web page at www.sjpl.org/TeenTalentShow or call (408) 808-2175. 

About San José Public Library

San José Public Library system (SJPL) is the largest public library system between San Francisco and Los Angeles, serving a culturally diverse population of approximately 1,023,000 in the nation’s 10th largest city.  SJPL is recognized across the country for its innovation and leadership in the field and is one of the busiest library systems nationwide, with an annual checkout rate of nearly 15 million items.

Witness by Karen Hesse is a chilling, beautifully written novel set in a small Vermont town.  Told from the point of view of 11 different characters and in free verse, this story relates actual events that occurred after the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan in 1924.  At the heart of the story are Leanora, a 12 year-old African American girl and Esther Hirsh, a 6 year-old Jewish girl whose families are victimized by the Klan.  From these two young girls to the town’s adult citizens, the author has created convincing and distinct voices for each of the 11 characters.  It is fascinating to read about the same events as they are told from these very different points of view and to see changes in attitudes slowly taking place.   

If you enjoy the powerful format of the novel told in poems, you’re in luck because there are many other excellent poem-novels out there. Here are just a few of them:

• All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg. Matt, a Vietnamese boy, is adopted by a loving  American family but experiences a very difficult time in his new home at first. With the cooperation of the school baseball coach and a disabled veteran, Matt begins the process of healing from the pain of his past.

• Kissing Annabel by Stephen Herrick. Sixteen-year-old Jack is an aspiring poet who falls in love with Annabel. Their intense connection soothes Jack’s grief over the loss of his mother seven years earlier.

• Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff.  LaVaughn, a fourteen-year-old determined to earn enough money to go to college, accepts the job of baby-sitting two small children.  LaVaughn soon discovers that the seventeen-year-old single mother needs as much help and nurturing as her two neglected children.  As they help each other out, they  become something like a family.

• Stop Pretending:  What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones. Based on the author's own experiences, this intense and brutally honest novel tells the story of an older sister’s mental breakdown and hospitalization and a younger sister who is left behind to cope with a family torn apart by grief, and friends who turn their backs on her.

• Who Killed Mr. Chippendale: A Mystery in Poems by Mel Glenn.  This novel is told from the viewpoint of more than 50 characters, including students, school faculty, police detectives, reporters, drug dealers, neighbors and others.  The poems explore the aftermath of the murder of a high school teacher, Robert Chippendale.

And if you liked these poem-novels, here are even more titles.

These days it's easy to see what your favorite author is doing - besides hopefully working on the next great book. John Green is a great example:

• You can see videos and get all kinds of information on his website
• You can read quotes on goodreads
• Or just follow him on twitter or facebook

And while you are waiting for his next book: listen to his latest book Will Grayson, Will Grayson as an audiobook!

If you're 12-18 years old and like to take photos or are just beginning here is a contest just right for you! We're inviting teens to show us why they love the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library by taking a photo showing why this library is special to them! You can print out this entry form and return it to the Children's Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library by April 30. There will be cool prizes so don't miss this chance to be a winner. The library has many books on basic photography to get you started or give you ideas. Be creative and take a chance!

Show off your unique talent and win prizes, too!

Do you sing, love to dance, do stand-up comedy or have a unique talent??? Compete in our first round of Teen Talent Show competitions to win prizes and a spot at our final talent show event on Saturday, May 21st at the Almaden Branch Library. 

Visit a participating library to sign-up!

Registration packets will be available at all San José Public Library locations. Participants must submit their registration form at the one location where they want to compete.

Check out pictures of past Teen Talent Show Competitions

Regional Competitions: Prizes 1st place $50, 2nd place $25, 3rd $10 

Saturday, April 23

Berryessa Branch Library @ Noon

Joyce Ellington Branch Library @ 2 pm

Santa Teresa Branch Library @ 2 pm

West Valley Branch Library @ 2 pm

Saturday , April 30

Cambrian Branch Library @ 2 pm

Evergreen Branch Library @ 2 pm

Final Competition:   Prizes 1st place $250, 2nd place $150, 3rd place $50   

Saturday, May 21 from 3-5 p.m.

Join us for the grand finale of Teen Talent Show 2011 at the Almaden Branch Library.

The first and second place winners from our local contests will compete for the honor of becoming the San José Teen Talent 2011.  Come early and bring your family and friends to cheer on your favorite talent!

Here is a list of the finalists:

• Sandra Henschke, age 18, singer
• CA Lights Knight (musicians): Preston Yeung, age 15 -Stephanie Wu, age 15 -Ying-Tsung (Mike) Liu, age 16
• Oscar Cruz, age 16, dancer
• Cameo Walker, age 17, singer
• Nicole Adams, age 17, rap artist
• Paul Arellano, age 15, graphic novel story teller
• Daniel Vo, age  12 , card tricks
• Mitchell Lujan, age 17,  singer/guitarist/songwriter
• Aline Hoang & Alison Tran: violinists (both age 13)
• Saee Bhide , age 16,   singer/guitarist/songwriter
• Saba Gebremedhin, age 14, singer

Thank you to all the talented teens that participated in this year's talent show!

The 2011 Teen Talent Show winners are ....

• First place: Saee Bhide, singer/guitarist/songwriter
• Second place: Sandra Henschke, singer
• Third place: Mitchell Lujan, singer/guitarist/songwriter

Congratulations to the winners!!