The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez created a firestorm for the author when it was revealed that she had faked a pregnancy for her senior project.  The book is an inspiring read about a teen who sought a way to give voice to a group of people who are often looked down upon by peers, teachers, and their families.

Teens are taught by adults that teen pregnancy should be frowned upon.  Gaby has grown up in an economically-disadvantaged household where all of her immediate family have been teen parents.  Gaby has seen first-hand how difficult it is to raise children as a teen through her mother and seven siblings.  However, she also wonders if the very stereotypes about teens who become parents perpetuates the problem from generation to generation.

Gaby comes up with an innovative solution to this problem.  She decides to fake a pregnancy to see how her family, friends, and teachers treat her, after they find out she is pregnant.  Once she is done with the project, she will reveal the stereotypes she has seen and hopefully help teens who become pregnant. 

As an honor student, she has been viewed as the hope for her family.  However, there have been naysayers who say she will probably end up a teen mom as well.  What happens when Gaby supposedly becomes pregnant?  How will her friends and teachers react?  How will her family react when they think that their one hope for future salvation is dashed?

Congratulations to the winners! - Check out their Work!

Children up to age 6

1st place: Joaquin Albornoz, age 5, “Joaquin’s Birthday Party”

Honorable Mention: Kapil Kumar age 5 1/2 , “Sharing and Friendship”

Children ages 7-12

1st place: Nathan Koketsu, age 11, “Adventure in the Open Sea”

2nd place: Madurya Suresh, age 9, “The Search for the Sun”

3rd place: Laura Shieh, age 12, “Silver Dandelion”

Honorable Mention:  Audrey Chiang, age 8, “The Firefly and her Glow”

Teens

1st place: Apanuba Mahmood, age 14, “Flaming Resolve! – Fleeting Demon Encounter”

2nd place: Huyen Nguyen (Chibi Teresa), age 15, “Phantom Dream Hunter: The Prologue”

3rd place: Sienna Gonzales, age 14, “Colored Pencils”

Honorable Mention: Thu Nguyen, age 14,  “Terra”

Adults

1st place: Queena Xu, “Butterfly Wish”

2nd place: Christine Bainbridge, “A Dream”

3rd place: Eric Elemen, “Super Busy Dad”

Honorable Mention: Darren Tat, “Death Match”

For more photos, please vist the San Jose Public Library Flickr site.

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If you have a talent for creating comic/manga style illustrated short stories, you are invited to enter San José Public Library’s Graphic Novel Making Contest for all ages as part of our Summer Reading Celebration, 2012. This contest is sponsored by San José Public Library, Hijinx Comics, San José Museum of Art and TRY Japan Culture Group.

Here’s how to enter …

• Create your own comic book with a maximum length of 8 pages, including the cover page.
• Use letter-size paper (8.5 x 11) with black-and-white drawings and text on one side only.
• Each submission must be the creative and original work of a single individual—the author/illustrator.
• The contest is limited to amateur authors/ illustrators only.
• Computer generated images are acceptable as long as they are your original work (no clip art)
• Consider submitting a photocopy that is an accurate reflection of the original (as submissions are non-returnable).
• San José Public Library reserves the right to reproduce your work. You can reuse all your work after the contest.
• Be sure to print and complete the creative works release form. Include your Name, Age, Contact Information and Signature.
• Entries can be submitted to any San José Public Library location no later than 8p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2012.  There is a limit of one entry per contestant.

Entries will be judged on content and illustrations by a panel of library staff and comic industry professionals. All cash prizes will be awarded as gift cards. 

• Children (up to age 6): first place will receive Art Supplies
• Children (7-12):  first place $40, second place $20
• Teens (ages 13-17):  first place $100; second place $70; third place $50
• Adults (age 18 and above):  first place $100; second place $70; third place $50

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at a reception to be held at the Berryessa Branch Library on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m.in the Community Room. 

Check out the award winning entries from 2011 and 2010. We're discussing last year's winners and other graphic novels in the Online Book Club during June and July.      

Learn how to make your own comic book, graphic novel or manga!  Oliver Chin will be teaching this free workshop for teens at some San José Public Library branches.

San José Public Library staff members are ineligible to participate.

San José Public Library reserves the right to refuse submissions that are not appropriate for a general audience. This contest is open to all California residents.

On Tuesday, April 17, the Almaden Valley Community Association (AVCA) will be hosting a Candidates Forum featuring people who are running for the City of San Jose's District 10 Council Seat.

The Forum will take place in Holy Spirit Church's Parish Hall, 1200 Redmond Avenue, San Jose 95120 and will run from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

According to the AVCA website, "The format of the forum will be audience-driven.  Each candidate will be provided two minutes for opening remarks, followed by questions submitted on index cards by the audience.  The moderator will summarize the questions, and each candidate will be allowed up to two minutes to respond.  No questions will be directed to individual candidates.  Candidates will be invited to provide a one-minute wrap-up at the end of the meeting."

The six candidates running for the seat are expected to be at the Forum.

The election for City Council District 10 as well as Districts 2, 4, 6, and 8 will take place on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Register by May 21 to vote on June 5. Call 1-800-345-VOTE for questions about voting or to determine your voter registration status. For more information, see smartvoter.org/ca/state/#register.

Barry’s The Great Influenza is a history of the 1918 flu epidemic. However, the book is of interest not just as history, but as an education in the science of medicine and the nature of disease. Largely forgotten today, in its era the epidemic was as much of a crisis as the first world war that was being fought at the same time. Barry’s narrative moves along at a brisk pace as he explains how wartime preparation and troop movements altered the progress of the epidemic at the same time that the epidemic forced changes in the conduct of the war. Rural areas far from the fighting, both in the US and elsewhere, also suffered from the ravages of the disease despite never hearing a shot fired in anger. But while the public has largely forgotten, medicine has not forgotten the 1918 epidemic, as in the intervening decades researchers have continued to study samples collected during the plague years, advancing the science of epidemiology against the possibility of future plagues. And Barry seamlessly integrates these modern discoveries into the historical record, creating a rather interesting detective story which traces the origin, spread, and decline of the disease. In an era when world-wide epidemic scares are a feature of the evening news, Barry’s tale of one of the first pandemics is useful as well as entertaining reading.