The summer of sweet, sweet reads

Hi everyone!

I must say, I was overwhelmed by the response to the poetry contest. We had over 200 entries! It was a difficult decision, but we finally chose the winners. Check them out in the "Happenings" section of this page.

As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, I must say I am really psyched up to start the summer reading program. There are some MAJOR books coming out this summer, and I encourage you to put your name on the waiting list as soon as they hit our catalog. They're not going to sit on the shelves, I can tell you that much.

Here are the Top 5 books to be released this summer that I'm most excited about:

5. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan: This is the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. How cool would it be if you, as a modern day person, discovered that you are the child of a Greek god? That's exactly what happened to Percy in the first book, The Lightning Thief. Unfortunately, being the son of a god also means that a lot of monsters and other gods are looking to wipe you off the planet. This book deals with the disappearance of the goddess Artemis. And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. This book's release date is tomorrow, May 1!

4. Love is a many trousered thing by Louise Rennison. Georgia Nicholson and her crazy diaries are back. So, apparently, is the Sex God, Robbie. Weren't Masimo and Dave the Laugh enough to worry about? Georgia and her adventures make me laugh and wish I were one of her mates. The new book comes out July 3.

3. Maximum Ride--Saving the world and other extreme sports by James Patterson. I love this series! It's a wild thrill ride as the bird kids are constantly pursued by the Erasers. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel have always worked together to defeat the forces working against them--but can they save the world when they are torn apart, living in hiding and captivity, halfway across the globe from one another? Reportedly, this is the last book in the series, so it will be great to find out why the experiments were conducted in the first place and the identity of the ultimate enemy. We'll find out on May 29.

2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. If you have yet to read Twilight and New Moon, run--don't walk--to the Library and pick up a copy. The saga of Bella and Edward is truly epic. Can a vampire and a human ever find true love and happiness with one another? In Eclipse, Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings, and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob -- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? Watch for it starting August 7.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. You knew this one was coming. Many of you have grown up with Harry and have come to love him and his friends. Although I was an adult when I first entered his world, Harry's stories spark my imagination and thrill me with the ultimate struggle between good and evil. Will Harry survive this last adventure? July 21, I can hardly wait.

What are some of the books for which you are waiting impatiently? Send me an email, and let me know and I may get copies for WPPL. lblue@wppl.org. Happy reading, and I'll see you at the Library.