Hot Pick from TAB - Soul Calibur IV

Platform: Xbox 360
ESRB Rating: T (teen)

This is an impressive fighting game. The graphics are great and the combat is very deep. One could spend quite some time in practice mode discovering moves for their favorite character. Online play is fun for testing your skill level & learning how to improve your skills. Another great thing about the game is its deep character creator. If you have enough imagination, you’re able to create anyone & anything you desire to fight with. The Star Wars characters seem like cheap characters to play as, since they have overpowered Force moves (Yoda can’t be grabbed by competitors but can grab them), & the story mode is only 5 minutes long, although it’s not the main attraction of the game. Despite these minor flaws, the game is still one of the most polished fighters I have ever played. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

reviewed by TAB member Tom R.

find this video game in eCatalog

Madapple

By Christina Meldrum

(YA F Meld)
Format: CD book narrated by Kirsten Potter

11 hours, 2008, Fantasy

Aslaug, who has been raised in isolation by her disturbed mother, knows all about the natural world of plants and herbs but nothing about the world of people and cities and living in society. When her mother dies, Aslaug is forced into the “real” world and put on trial for the murders of her aunt and cousin. With themes of abuse, paganism, and madness, this tale is for mature readers who are looking for a challenge. (Grades 9 & up)

reviewed by Teen Librarian Liz B.

find this book in eCatalog

Hot Pick from TAB - Finding Neverland

Directed by: Marc Forster
(DVD General Find)

2005, Realistic, Rated PG

Playwright James M. Barrie (played by Johnny Depp) is on his morning trip to the park when he meets 4 boys and their widowed mother. His latest play is a failure, his wife is growing distant, and he welcomes the chance to escape by playing with boys who share his big imagination. Their adventures take them from pirate ships to king’s courts to Wild West towns. But the real world intrudes on their adventures, and James Barrie is caught in the clash between big problems and big imagination. A heart-warming tale about the man who wrote Peter Pan and the boys who inspired him, this movie is well-worth the watch.

reviewed by TAB member Teri G.

find this movie in eCatalog

The Heartbreakers

By Pamela Wells

(YA F Well)
Format: CD Book narrated by Stina Nielsen

8 hours 2008 Chick Lit

Love is great, but breaking up sucks! That’s the opinion of Sidney, Raven, and Kelly, whose boyfriends all broke up with them on the same day. A fourth friend, Alexia decides to write the break up code, a list of 29 rules designed to help her friends survive the break ups. But can the girls follow the code, and what happens when the rules are broken? Narrator Stina Nielsen lends an authentic voice to this teen novel. (Grades 8 & up)

reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

find this book in e Catalog

Fairest

By Gail Carson Levine

(YA F Levi)

Format: playaway narrated by Sarah Naughton

8 hours 2007 Fairy Tale

Mix together a palace full of secrets, a wicked queen, a charming prince, and a magic mirror for a fairy tale where dialogue and singing blend together in Aza’s story. Possessing a splendid voice, but called an ogress by villagers, she dreams of becoming a beautiful lady. Caught in a web of secrets, Aza receives shocking news from her adoptive mother. Her love for the prince and king colors her decisions for choosing what is right. (Grades 6 & up)

reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

find this book in eCatalog

Hot Pick From TAB - Scream

Artist: Tokio Hotel
(MR TOKI SCR T 27)

2008 Punk-Pop

Scream is the first album released in America by Tokio Hotel, a German pop-rock band. Although they have released multiple albums in German, this is their first album released in English. Tokio Hotel is extremely popular in Europe, and they have caused mass hysteria equal to that of the Jonas Brothers here in the US. Scream is an exceptional album with catchy lyrics and a rock edge. My favorite track is “Don’t Jump.” It is a very moving song, and you can’t help but stop and just really listen to the words. Part of Tokio Hotel’s claim to fame is their unique individuality. Not only does the band have an image different than that of any other in the music industry, but also a sound that will have you replaying their CD over and over again. I highly recommend this CD and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

reviewed by TAB member Rachel K.

find this CD in eCatalog