Summer Reading Club 2011 has ended.

Congratulations to our prize winners. Thank you all for participating in Rosenberg Library's 2011 Teen Summer Reading program. Keep an eye out for fall, winter, and spring activities. Until then, enjoy the last few remaining days off from school.

Teen Summer Reading end date 8/12/2011

Just a reminder to all registered participants, 2011 Teen Summer Reading club will end midnight on August 12th. All titles will need to be logged before the deadline to be eligible for the drawing. Remember, to be eligible for the drawing, teen readers must log 25 titles on the Teen Summer Reading website. Drawing winners will be contacted the following week to pick up their prize. The system will not allow you to log all of your titles at once, so do not wait till the last minute. If you have any questions, contact Gavin at 409-763-8854

Review: Mars

Kira Aso is a quiet girl who keeps to herself and indulges herself in art. Rei Kashino is a good looking rebel who lives life on the edge by racing motorcycles. When passing by at a park, Rei is immediately intrigued by Kira's drawing and from that day forward their adventure begins.

Mars is a bit of a cliched shoujo "opposites attract" story, but it's loaded with drama...layers upon layers upon layers of drama. I love a little tragedy/darkness when it comes to these shoujo romances, but the storyline was just overloaded with it. Nonetheless, the mysterious past of both Kira and Rei keep you interested in reading more and learning why they function the way they do. It's an older series in our collection, but it's worth taking the time to read. There's also a Taiwanese drama (Asian term for soap opera) based on the manga. If you're interested in learning about Rei and Tatsuya's friendship, pick up the bonus volume, Mars: A Horse With No Name. It offers a chapter explaining the genesis of their friendship as well as two other short bittersweet stories.

Oni-Con in Galveston

As mentioned before in my A-Kon 22 overview, the Houston based anime convention, Oni-Con, will be hosted on Galveston island this year. It will be held on October 28-30 at the Galveston Island Convention Center located on the Seawall. Pre-registration is still open and I suggest you take advantage of that, otherwise you have to pay the higher door entry fee.

If you've attended Oni-Con before, not much has changed other than the location. They will be hosting various events that cover all sorts of interests such as comic books, steampunk, lolita, Japanese pop and rock, and, of course, anime. They are still building onto their guest list, but currently in the line-up we have voice actors Greg Ayres and Chris Ayres and musical acts Otokage and The Earthbound Papas (formerly known as The Black Mages). This is just a small sample of amazing guests that will be attending. For more information on this event, feel free to check out their official site and keep checking back for updates.

Lastly, a local Galveston band that perform anime covers is looking for your support on performing at Oni-Con this year as well as any Texas anime convention. Please check out the Rising Sun and request them for Oni-Con 2011!

Review: Otomen

Otomen: a male who has feminine hobbies, skills, or way of thinking.

Asuka is a masculine character in the public eye. He's nationally known in the martial arts world, smart, and pretty much good at everything he puts his mind too, but behind closed doors he secretly enjoys shoujo manga, cute plushies, and baking. With such feminine interest, he not only has to hide it from his peers and friends, but his mother who forbids him from such interests after his father showed interest in feminine things and became a transvestite. What makes this story interesting is Asuka's feelings for the non-girly Ryo that he falls for. His friend Junto serves as the catalyst and has a secret of his own.

Otomen is a new series that has been released in the U.S. and it's geared toward female readers, but, honestly, anyone can read shoujo manga whether they're male or female. I've only had the opportunity to read the first volume, but it is easily enjoyable and entertaining. It has humorous moments, likable characters, and an interesting storyline that'll keep you wanting more, especially with Junto's little secret. If you enjoy it enough, feel free to request the newest volumes with our young adult librarian Gavin Sheaffer.

Books to film event, August 4th @ 2:30pm

Title: Oliver Twist
Rating: PG-13
Showtime: 8/4 @ 2:30pm
Location: McCullough Room (2nd floor)

Description: The film’s hero, Oliver Twist, is forced to live in a workhouse lorded over by the awful Mr. Bumble, who cheats the boys of their meager
rations. Desperate yet determined, Oliver makes his escape to the streets of London. Oliver's rescue by the kindly Mr. Brownlow is only the beginning of a
series of adventures that lead him to the promise of a better life. Adapted from the Charles Dickens work of the same name. Total runtime is 130 minutes.