I just read about a new “face” for Singshot.com - the former karaoke/audio reading website - on the YALSA blog. Here’s what Beth Gallaway had to say:

“I’m not clear if the site was originally owned by Maxis’ EA Games, with intent to launch another Sims Expansion pack, but I don’t care if it was a bait & switch, because the tools are really cool, like Movie Mashups - you can make your own machinima music videos with clips and stills from the Sims. You can create an avatar of yourself that looks like a Sims character. Plus, they added 100 new songs at the beginning of month, and this may become a regular thing: over 80 new titles were added at the end of September, with hits from current pop artists like Teddy Gieger, Nickleback and Fallout Boy, plus a nice mix of country, R&B, and Christian artists as well …”

Wouldn’t that be a fun teen program? Hook up the PC to a projector, plug in a couple mikes, and you’re ready! Or have kids create recordings of poetry, comedy routines, or stories - lots of possibilities!

31 top authors for teens will participate in online chats that are open to teens anywhere with an Internet connection this month. All the chats are at 8 pm Eastern, and some of the authors include Brent Hartinger, Stephanie Meyer, Holly Black, Ann Brashares and Meg Cabot. The full schedule, downloadable posters and bookmarks, plus directions to join the chats, are all posted on the Readergirlz website.

 Anastasia Goodstein, author of the book pictured here, and of the Ypulse.com blog, will be touring Massachusetts in early October as part of her national book tour. She will be appearing at the libraries listed below. If you get the chance to hear her speak, go! She’s one of the top experts on this topic and it’s awesome that she will be in our state!

Contact the host library to be sure of the time/date before you go. The program at Marlborough Public Library is through the Central Region - you can register at http://www.cmrls.org/. Hope you can make it to see her!

Tuesday, October 2, time tba Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown, MA

Wednesday, October 3, 4 p.m. Manchester-By-The-Sea Public Library, Manchester, MA

Wednesday, October 3, 7:00 p.m. Peabody Institute Library

Thursday, October 4, 3 p.m. Wareham Free Library, Wareham, MA

Thursday, October 4, 8 p.m. Strugis Charter Public School, Hyannis, MA

Friday, October 5, 6:30 p.m. Westport Free Public Library, Westport, MA

Tuesday, October 9, 6:30 p.m. Faneuil Branch Library, Brighton, MA

Wednesday, October 10, 10 a.m. Metrowest MA Regional Library System, Waltham, MA

Wednesday, October 10, 7 p.m. Chickering Elementary School & Dover Schools, Dover, MA

Thursday, October 11, 10 a.m. Marlborough Public Library, Marlborough, MA

Thursday, October 11, 7 p.m. Sargent Memorial Library, Boxborough, MA

Ever since the end of last year’s Pimp My Bookcart contest, people have been telling Unshelved how they plan to customize, trick out, augment, or otherwise “pimp out” their bookcarts for 2007. They are more than happy to announce the contest is now officially open, this time sponsored by Highsmith!

The deadline to submit photos for the contest is October 31, 2007 so grab a book cart, find some teens, and get ready to win! See the Unshelved contest website for more info!

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is celebrating its first ever Support Teen Literature Day on April 19, as part of ALA’s National Library Week celebration.

Support Teen Literature Day will include an event in Chicago with authors and the band The High Strung, who made an appearance in Groton last summer. The event also will be the official launch of YALSA’s 2007 Teen Read Week initiative, which will be celebrated October 14-20, 2007, with the theme “LOL @ your library.” The humor theme is meant to encourage teens nationwide to make time to read something light and entertaining just for the fun of it. 

Librarians all across the country are encouraged to participate in Support Teen Literature Day by hosting events in their library on that day. The purpose of this new celebration is to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today’s teens.