Looking for Alaska - Vote For Me!
When Miles, an introspective 16-year-old, goes away to an Alabama boarding school, he is looking for “a Great Perhaps.” He finds great friend, great pranks and even a great love, but is haunted by the search for answers after an unexpected tragedy.

Ball Don’t Lie -- Vote For Me!
Sticky is an orphan, has OCD, and is one of the best street basketball players in Venice Beach. As the end of high school approaches, he must make some tough decisions about his future, his girlfriend, and his compulsive shoplifting habit.

If March madness hasn’t given you enough basketball, give this book a look. I loved not only the action stuff at the Lincoln Rec Center but Sticky’s relationship with the guys he plays with who are more family to him than his own.

Boy Proof -- Vote For Me!
Victoria’s life revolves around movies, from the cloak she wears to her shaved head to her nickname, Egg, after the heroine in her favorite sci-fi movie. But a new boy, Max sees past all that, and Egg has a hard time staying wrapped in her shell.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow -- Vote For Me!
Elizabeth Vetter was eight when she turned her parents in for criticizing Adolph Hitler. Hans Scholl rose quickly through the ranks of Hitler Youth but soon rebelled—he was caught and beheaded. Read the chilling stories of Elizabeth, Hans and other German youth who grew up in Hitler’s shadow.

This book is the only nonfiction book on the list, but reads like fiction. I found the dramatic stories combined with sharp black and white photos to be quite compelling. If this book is your choice for the best of 2005, vote for it by using the green ballot available at the library and put it in the box posted in the teen area, or give it to the librarian, or e-mail your choice to davise@aadl.org.

Help choose the best teen book published in 2005. Select from the list of Thumbs Up Award nominees for best teen literature. I’ll highlight each of the titles on AXIS(to read about more titles, click "teens" tag) over the next two weeks. (You can also find them online or in green brochures in all the branch libraries.)

Read all the books (or as many as you want) then select the ONE you think is best. Vote for your choice by using the green ballot available at the library and put it in the box posted in the teen area, or give it to the librarian,
or e-mail your choice to davise@aadl.org.

UPDATE: Look, its harmless cute cookies, not the President looking weird.. heh..
With deadlines coming for scheduling summer programs, we need to know what your preferences for program times are As Soon As Possible!

We don't want you to miss out on great programs because you play sports on weekends, or evenings are bad because your work at Washtenaw Dairy. Would weekday afternoons be the best? Please let us know!

AADL-GT: Ann Arbor District Library Game Tournaments

OK, so the new branch is open and running well, it's time to get back to AADL-GT! We've got some very cool and very different events coming up in April. First, on Friday, April 14th, the first day of Spring Break, we've got the first ever AADL-GT Retro Octathalon, an olympic-style event featuring 8 vintage (pre-1990) games, and some great prizes for the best overall players. Then, on April 23rd, we'll be having a panel discussion on the State of Gaming, where we will engage in a definitely spirited and possibly civil conversation about where games are now, and where they are going, especially as we teeter on the precipice of the next generation. However, we need to flesh out some details for both of these events, so read on and add your comments.

Word is out that martial arts superstar Bruce Lee will be the subject of a new Broadway musical featuring music by David Bowie. Director Matthew Warchus (who is currently about to unveil The Lord of the Rings musical) is also attached to the project. To prepare yourself for this side-splitting East Side Story, check out Enter the Dragon or The Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection recently added to the aadl collection.

Also in the works is a musical version of the hit martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Tohru Freaking Out. Nuff said.

Read Fruits Basket books 10, 11 and 12, then come to the Animanga Club and meet other Furuba fans!

Tuesday April 4th, 7pm at Malletts Creek

New UPDATE: Book 13 is now out, and I have a copy for you.. ^_^
We will be having Japanese treats (and brownies) and we'll show a surprise episode of Fruits Basket.
BIG QUESTION: What days of the week/times are best for Animanga Club during the Summer Months?? Please let me know ASAP.

What new horror is this?!

There is a weekly program at the Neutal Zone to practice your DDR skills for the next AADL tournament. I've just been extremely slow in posting about it. Bad Librarian!

DDR@NZ
Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00pm at Neutral Zone - 637 S. Main - Ann Arbor, MI, 48104

Next DDR & Karaoke Revolution tournament: Saturday, April 15
12-3pm DDR, 3-5pm Karaoke
Prizes for each competition: $40, $30, $20