DPL Teens

If you’re looking for a great read check out After Tupac & D Foster written by Jacqueline Woodson.  Woodson, a winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults, is a really fantastic writer.  I was impressed by how quickly she draws the reader into the story through her keen use of dialogue.  The book is only about 150 pages, yet, the characters are so solid and vividly intriguing that it becomes almost like a privilege to be able to peer into their world, albeit briefly.  

This tale highlights a magical time when two best friends momentarily acquire a third.  D Foster is the mysteriously captivating girl who plops herself into their lives just as quickly as she leaves it.  D, currently in foster care, has been through a lot in her short life but doesn’t talk too much about it, even to her best friends.  All three are true fans of Tupac Shakur and his music.  This reminiscent childhood story threads around his celebrity, beginning around the time he was first shot and carrying through to the time of his murder.  The girls, who are on the verge of becoming teenagers, share a special connection to the ideas and emotions found in his songs, as well as the details of his life story.  They feel passionately that they know where he’s coming from and how he must feel because they, too, lead lives in an environment much like the one he grew up in.

DPL’s Anime Club starts back up this Tuesday night, Sept. 2nd, at the Fairmount St. location.  The fun runs from 5:30-7:30.  Anime Club is back by popular demand and with a few new features.  Teens are invited to view anime films and television series, discuss graphic novels, participate in cosplay activities, keep informed of the latest drawing workshops and contests, write reviews, select items for the library’s collection, and explore various other aspects of Japanese language and culture.  Join us!

Next week marks the return of our regular teen programs.  Wahoo!!!  The ever popular Get Your Game On starts back up on Wednesday, September 3rd.  If you haven’t been to DPL’s most well attended teen program, you should definitely come check it out!  Every Wednesday, from 3-5 at the Fairmount St. location, teens gather to play their favorite vidoegames, act as selection advisors for the library’s videogame collection, meet new people, and simply hang out and have a good time. 

We usually play games like Guitar Hero III, Dance Dance Revolution, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Blazing Angels.  However, since our last gathering in May, DPL has acquired new games like Rock Band and MarioKart…so let the superfun free play begin!  Grab your friends and tell your parents you’re headed to the library.  How can they argue with that, right?!? 

Furthermore, we also have a few great monthly magazines in our Young Adult collection for videogame enthusiasts.  Game Informer is one of the more popular gaming magazines and keeps players up to date on the latest consoles, games, and strategies.  Nintendo Power, a classic publication which started in 1988, has changed a lot over the years in attempt to keep up with the trends of videogame consumers.  It’s still a great resource for finding out the latest gaming tips and tricks.  Electronic Gaming Monthly mainly focuses on consoles, but it does review and rate the latest in videogame releases, too. 

One important detail to keep in mind when checking out magazines from DPL is that, unlike books, they have a loan period of just one week.  Also, the loan period for videogames has recently changed to 1 week, as well.  Place your reserves today!

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl is such a fun, quick read that I’d recommend it to just about anyone in 8th grade or higher.  It’s especially good for teen boys that don’t like to read much, or girls who are interested in a teenage male’s point of view.  Fans of graphic novels and comics will dig it, too, as it’s full of references to popular graphic novels, comic books, and their famed creators.  Having said that, it also seems that readers who are new to the world of graphic novels and comics, or even slightly curious about them, would enjoy this story and find the world of Fanboy and Goth Girl highly entertaining.  Lyga, a comic lover himself, is a great writer and fills the book with short, entertaining chapters sure to hold the reader’s attention.

The main character is a cunningly smart 15 yr. old who attends a typical high school where he is often overlooked and just can’t seem to fit in anywhere.  He despises the jocks, yet his best friend, Cal, is one.  This particular dynamic thread proves itself to be one of the most interesting relationships in the story.  Then there’s Goth Girl.  Ah, Goth Girl.  She’s fearless, predictably unpredictable, and in many ways just what Fanboy needed in his life.  The two of them together-often hilarious, sometimes dark, essentially realistic-are quite the pair and it’s a treat to witness their adventures.  

Aside from the high school bubble, Fanboy lives with his Mom (who’s preggers) and his step-dad (more commonly referred to as the step-fascist) and has been secretly pouring his heart and soul into the creation of his own graphic novel he calls Schemata.  He’s a diehard fan of classic comics and graphic novels and has hatched a semi-secret plan to present his work to his favorite creator at the upcoming Comic Book Convention.  He figures it’s his best shot at publication, fame, and fortune.  Check it out for yourself to see what actually happens! 

I thought it would be nice to order a few titles for the YA collection that might inspire artwork for the upcoming manga contest.  In browsing the selection on Amazon.com, I came across a few good titles that, to my surprise, are already part of DPL’s collection.  Take a look at these selections, complete with product descriptions from Amazon.  As always, feel free to place a hold on the item by clicking on the link which takes you straight to the catalog record.  Happy drawing!

Making Comics by Scott McCloud–Designed as a craftsperson’s overview of the drawing and storytelling decisions and possibilities available to comics artists, covering everything from facial expressions and page layout to the choice of tools and story construction, Making Comics, like its predecessors, is also an eye-opening trip behind the scenes of art-making, fascinating for anyone reading comics as well as those making them.

Manga Mania Fantasy Worlds by Christopher Hart–Manga fantasy is the swords-and-sorcery Japanese animation style featured in the most popular video role-playing games on the market. Best-selling author Christopher Hart’s latest tutorial reveals the secrets and techniques that go into building these worlds of wonder. An increasingly fashionable style among both digital and traditional animators, manga enjoys unrivaled popularity among the game players themselves, allowing them entry into fabled worlds of startling beauty, terror, and adventure. Manga Mania Fantasy Worlds throws down the gauntlet for people interested in creating these scenes for themselves. Artists will learn how to illustrate detailed backdrops and landscapes, rugged weaponry, and, of course, fearsome creatures-aliens, faeries, ogres, and much more. In the straightforward style that is his trademark, Christopher Hart teaches the basics and the intricacies of creating manga fantasy illustrations that practically jump off the page.

50 Fantasy Vehicles to Draw & Paint: Create Awe-Inspiring Crafts for Comics, Computer Games, and Graphic Novels by Keith Thompson–The great popularity of fantasy and science fiction themes in films, books, graphic novels, and computer games has created a continuing demand for artists who can conceptualize and draw convincing space ships of tomorrow, as well as other fantasy vehicles such as cars, tanks, and sea-going vessels of the future. In this book, artist and designer Keith Thompson presents a practical course for art students. He starts with advice on finding research and reference materials, and then advises on using them as inspiration before sketching out original ideas for finished illustrations. The book’s extensive main section presents a “mechanical workshop” of fantasy designs for students to copy and adapt to their own story needs and specifications. It gives attention to the techniques of drawing, shading, and coloring. The author analyzes each of the book’s fantasy vehicles in terms of how and why artists came to their final design, how well the vehicles fit into the story being told, and how they would move, sound, and perform. Clear instruction is supplemented with more than 400 vivid, step-by-step color illustrations of sample projects.

The Fantasy Illustrator’s Technique Book by Gary A. Lippincott–Here is a heavily illustrated, highly detailed instruction manual for art students seeking professional entry in the fantasy art field. The author guides students from conception of an art idea to publication of the finished work, emphasizing methods for creating magical, mythical, and monstrous characters who inhabit worlds of fantasy and wonder.  More than 350 color illustrations.

The wait for Twilight the movie, based on the best-selling book by Stephenie Meyer, has decreased by 3 weeks!!!  The release date for the highly anticipated film, originally scheduled to hit theaters on 12/12/08, has been bumped up.  Twilight is now slated to make its debut on Friday, November 21st.  Tell your friends and be sure to disregard the December date-which appears at the end of the trailer.  What great news for the millions of fans out there already bubbling with excitement.

Quad-Cities Libraries and the Figge Art Museum are organizing the first annual Teen Anime Fest and Manga Art Show.  This unique event will take place at the Figge on October 18th, from 12-4:30.

In preparation for the Manga Art Show, QC Public Libraries will be holding art contests.  Check with your local library to see if they’re participating.  Young artists, ages 12-18, are invited to submit their original artwork drawn in manga or comic book style. All different mediums -paint, pencil, graphic design, etc.- can be used.  Interested teen artists should submit their original artwork and completed entry forms to their local library.  Submissions will be accepted September 2nd –October 3rd, 2008.  Entries can also be emailed to scarlin@scottcountylibrary.org 

Only two entries per person will be accepted. Depending on the number of submissions, we may choose to display only one of each person’s works.  Entries will be on display in the Figge’s studios, from 12-4:30, the day of the Teen Anime Fest.  Artwork will be judged by a professional artist and prizes will be awarded to the winners.  Please turn in one entry form per each piece submitted.  There is no registration fee for the art contest.  Click on the following link for a printable version of the form: 

Manga Art Contest Entry Form

Please note: There is no need to frame your artwork.  Since it will only be on display for the afternoon, we will be pinning them up in a temporary fashion.  If you have concerns, it might be best to fix your art to a larger piece of paper that we can put the pins through. 

As previously mentioned, the Teen Anime Fest and Manga Art Show will take place on Saturday, October 18th, from 12-4:30 at the Figge Art Museum located in downtown Davenport.  The event is for teens only!  There will be a $5 admission fee at the door.  No registration is required.  A wide variety of activities are planned for the day, and participants will be able to move freely among them.  The line-up of events for the day is as follows:

2008 Teen Anime Fest Schedule of Events

12-2 (in Studio 3) Manga Art Show and Reception-w/snacks and refreshments

12-2 (in Studio 2) Cosplay Creating Station, DIY Face Painting, Anime Vendors

12-1 (in Studio 1) Comic/Graphic Novel Swap Station

1-1:40 (in Studio 1) Graphic Novel Workshop-w/local professional artist

1:45-2:00 (in auditorium) Cosplay Fashion Show

2:00-4:15 (in auditorium) screening of Spirited Away

4:15-4:30 (in auditorium) Art Contest and Cosplay Fashion Show Awards Ceremony

Mark your calendars now, as you won’t want to miss out on this event!  If you do plan to attend, be sure to bring items for the swap, a sketchbook for the graphic novel workshop, and don’t forget to dress in your cosplay gear.  For more information call Davenport Public Library at 563-326-7893, or contact cvogt@davenportlibrary.com   scarlin@scottcountylibrary.org or jgillette@bettendorf.org