Georgia Peach Awards

Do you love teen literature?

The annual Georgia Peach Awards recognize the best in teen and young adult literature. The awards are unique because the winner is picked by teens who vote for their favorite title. Unfortunately, voting is only open to Georgia teens (not adult fans), but there are still a lot of great titles on this list for both teens and adults to enjoy. Here are my favorites from the 2012-2013 nominees:

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Lennie has lost her older sister—the person she loved best, the person she admired, the person she wanted to be, the person in whose shadow she was always standing. In her grief, Lennie turns to her sister’s boyfriend, the only other person who seems to really understand what she’s going through. But when a new boy moves to town, Lennie finds herself torn between her past and her future. A beautiful novel intertwined with poetry and echoes of Wuthering Heights.

Stick by Andrew Smith
Stick has never fit in in at school because he is deformed and was born with only one ear. To make matters worse, Stick’s home life isn’t great—his parents are very strict and his father regularly beats Stick and his brother. However, things get even worse when Stick’s brother runs away from home to escape their father and find out who he really is.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Charlie and Vera have always been friends, but lately they’ve grown apart. Mostly it’s because Charlie has been hanging out with a new crowd, but also because Charlie died several months ago, and only Vera knows how and why. Now she’s being haunted by Charlie’s ghost and the secrets she won't admit to herself. A quirky and moving story of growing up and leaving the ghosts of your past behind.

Voting ends at midnight on Friday, March 15 for Georgia teens. Hurry and vote for your favorites before it's too late!

Cleo Slaughter
Program Manager

Staff Picks

If you were invisible, would your family notice?

I think a lot of mothers will be able to relate to Clover Hobart’s situation in Jeanne Ray’s charming novel, Calling Invisible Women. 

It turns out invisibility isn’t a unique problem. (It’s an overlooked epidemic.)  Clover discovers a support group for invisible women and challenges her new friends to take on bullies and bad guys wherever they find them. If you’re feeling overlooked this story will put a smile on your face even if no one notices. 

Another fascinating but much darker take on invisibility is found in Chuck Klosterman’s The Visible Man.    As an Austin social worker is drawn into the bizarre world of a man who claims to possess his own invisibility suit you may find yourself listening for the tell-tale sounds of an unseen visitor in your own home.

The Visible Man offers insights into obsession, perspective, the unrecognized power of observation and what really goes on behind closed doors.   This intriguing and creepy tale pays homage to the works of Franz Kafka, Philip K. Dick and H.G. Wells and is a story that readers susceptible to the powers of suggestion will be sure to remember for years to come.

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

The library is celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday all week long with special storytimes full of silly rhymes and classic Seuss stories.

Dr. Seuss has been a staple of children's literature since the 1930s. Characters like Horton, the Grinch, the Lorax, and of course, the Cat in the Hat, have a special place in many of our childhoods. Check out Dr. Seuss books at your library. You're never too young or too old to appreciate his special brand of humor and creativity.

For a special Dr. Seuss experience, check out this suggestion from a library staff member:
"Many high school graduates receive a copy of the Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh! The Places You'll Go as a graduation present. A fun and meaningful way to share this classic book is to purchase a copy for your child beginning in preschool and ask your child’s teacher to write a message in the book about their experience for each school year."

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss and thank you for sharing your world with readers of all ages!