Books with Beat – The Half-Life of Planets

October 17-23 is Teen Read Week, and this year’s theme is Books with Beat. One of the newest items in our collection is currently being read by our Teen Services librarian. She swears it will be available to everyone else by Saturday (sixty pages to go!).

Books with Beat: Dance to the Beat of Your Own Drummer: The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

Miss Kate has been reading The Half-Life of Planets this week, and the reason it’s taking her so long – she doesn’t want it to end. Liana and Hank, who tell the story in alternating chapters, are two high school students who have never met each other – until this summer. Liana Planet is into kissing, planetary sciences (she’s researching why stars twinkle) … and is giving up kissing ANYONE this summer. Hank is beyond obsessed with music – you mention a song, or hum a bar, and he can give you the entire history of the band. After a chance meeting in the women’s bathroom (a hysterically funny scene, if I may add), Liana and Hank fall into an interesting friendship. The story is sweet, the musical references are awesome, and it’s great to read about two people who dance to their own orchestras.
The Half-Life of Planets is available in hardcover in our YA section.