Event Recap - Burbank Teens Consider Verdure

The Burbank Public Library High School Book Club selection for March tied into our “green” theme in a big way: We read The Family Tree, by Sheri S. Tepper. It’s a science fiction saga of present and future, incorporating many themes germane to a discussion about the impact of our actions on the earth and our legacy. (See previous post, “Teen Book Clubs Read Green,” from 3 March 2009 for a synopsis.) Although it was a difficult book for some to get through, due to the multiplicity of characters, times and places, we were all enthralled by the idea of trees and plants taking their survival into their own “hands” by deciding to limit how and where people are allowed to live, travel, and even add to the population! Likewise the transformation of thought about the potential of animals to occupy a niche in the world that goes beyond man’s companion, servant or dinner provoked some lively discussion.

The Middle School Book Club’s ecologically minded choice, The Secret Under My Skin, by Janet McNaughton, was a hit with three-quarters of the club and a miss with the rest, but received an overall rating higher than Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, which is praise indeed coming from the Edward-and-Bella-obsessed! The book’s fans particularly liked its narrative style: The story is told without omniscience by its protagonist, so that the reader learns everything along with Blay Raytee instead of having foreknowledge about any of the people or events of her story. They enjoyed a picture of the future that wasn’t either technology-obsessed or technology-deprived, and several of them absorbed from this book that the future is up to them and it is their obligation to study how to be of use.

Stayed tuned for photographs!

From Melissa E.

Teen Book Clubs reads Green.

In honor of the “green” theme for Burbank Reads in March, the Teen Book Clubs have each chosen a novel with an ecological bent.

The High School Book Club, which will meet on Tuesday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m., is reading The Family Tree, by acclaimed science fiction writer Sheri S. Tepper. Police officer Dora Henry must investigate the bizarre, seemingly unrelated murders of three geneticists. But she has some big distractions from her work that she must address, among them the fact that Nature seems to be taking over the neighborhood! Trees are springing up everywhere, blocking off the streets, kidnapping unwanted babies, and generally acting like they have both a brain and a plan. Meanwhile, from far in the future, an odd band of comrades follows an ancient prophecy into their past (which happens to be Dora’s present) to stop the extinction of their species. The story is hilarious at moments, but also earnest in its warnings about the need to take our ecological future seriously by acting on it today.

The Middle School Book Club, which will meet on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m., will read The Secret Under My Skin, by Janet McNaughton. In the year 2368, Blay Raytee is an orphan living in a state-run work camp, spending her days excavating usable items from a garbage dump. The government teaches the orphans that technology users are evil and the world is a dangerous place, and the children are afraid to go outside without protective clothing. Everything changes when Blay is chosen by a “bio-indicator” (a sort of canary in the mine who monitors environmental toxin levels for her community) to help with her studies. Blay discovers that much of what she has learned about science, technology and the world is a lie…including her own identity. The book celebrates the impact that one person can make, while postulating a believable future we would be wise to avoid.

Burbank Reads

Book Clubs and such
by Anna M.: Sep 7, 2008

There have been some interesting book club picks this month so I thought I would pass them along to you.

At Burbank Public Library, they are continuing the Big Read program where everyone in the city reads the same book. This month's choice is Jack London's "Call of the Wild." There will be programs throughout the month and it runs from September 27 to November 2.

I love the Big Read program because it does get to me to read books I never would have thought to pick up like "Marley & Me" by John Grogan. ~ w/ Anna M's. permission

Teen Bookclub to discuss "Rocket Boys"

The Teen Book Club will be meeting to discuss "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam, Jr.

The meeting will be held -

Thursday, April 10
6:30 PM
Storytime room
Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.

Psst...I hear that a special Rocket Boys related refreshment will be offered!