Teen Craft Night

Now that the summer reading program is over, I've begun the planning of our school year programs! Teen Craft Night will start back up in September.  It will always be the FIRST THURSDAY of the month.

ALL materials are free, and I often have snacks, BUT in order for me to get enough supplies for everyone, I really need you to register.

You can do that online: http://mdypl.evanced.info/signup/eventcalendar.aspx

or email me

or come into the library--the teen section has a clipboard for sign ups.

Here are the next couple of months:

 

Book Review: Tempest

Started another new series---about TIME TRAVEL! Only this one is not your usual time travel story!

Tempest

by Julie Cross

When Jackson was in high school, he found out he could time travel--not a wide range of travel, but a few days or weeks, here and there, in the past.  Enough that his friend, Adam, is interested in testing his abilities and keeping a journal.  But when the Enemies of Time find out about Adam's ability, they confront him, shoot his girlfriend, and Jackson runs to 2007 to escape.

When Jackson finds out he is stuck in 2007, he finds there is a conspiracy to uncover, his girlfriend to woo again, and redemption at the hands of his dead twin sister.

This is a wacky tale! I mean that in the most complimentary way.  Some of the terms of the book are hokey, but this is a really great new twist on time travel. Jackson can't just time travel any-when he likes.  There are limits...and ways to hone his abilities to become stronger. While Jackson hopes to save his girlfriend both in 2007 and 2009, the book does not revolve around the love story.  There is also a strong friendship with Adam that Cross really unveils throughout the book.  There is Jackson's relationship with his father--a man he had started to think was heartless.  And there is Jackson's inner struggle with guilt about his sister's death.  This book has so many dimensions (not just the 4th dimension! Har Har!), but it is a deep book with a ton of layers.  Get it now!

The second in the series is:

Volunteens

I love my job--I love working with teens, chatting with teens, programming for teens, and buying materials I think teens would enjoy for the library.  That being said, I could NOT do my job without, not only the presence of, but the work of teenagers in this community.

For the past 2 years, I have organized 3rd Fridays at the library.  Each month, there is a theme and we have about 6-10 crafts for patrons to come in and do.  In order for this to work, I need teenagers to run each craft station.  Since I started this, I have had between 6-20 teenagers volunteer to help EVERY month.

Also, last school year, I started a program called "Book Buddies" where teenagers meet, once a week, with a younger child to read together to improve literacy.  I had 15 teenagers participate in this program ALL year.

I also have teens volunteer to page (put the books away).  They come in once a week for an hour and shelve all the books so patrons can find them easier.

Then there are the random programs I host, or kids' programs that need volunteers, and EVERY time, without fail, I have teens form rank, step up, and work their butts off to ensure all library programs go on without a hitch.

It is time to thank these teens--to REALLY thank them, not just give them a pat on the back after a program.  Last night, I hosted a Volunteen Banquet to thank these amazing teenagers that have put in their time and effort, over and over again to make sure everything runs smoothly.

We had a Disney theme, and we had a ton of the teens dress up in costumes!

Waiting for the doors to open!

 Our incredible chefs and servers!

SRP: The numbers are in!

Thank you, you amazing teens, for making this the best summer ever!  I know I challenged you to read 2,500 hours in order to get me to do something crazy...While we did not meet that goal, we still read more than 300 more hours than last year! We allowed Aquaman to breathe...

 

We read a whopping 2,106 hours! Last year, we only reached 1,800 and the year before that 780! Time and time again the teens blow me away...here are some stats from the time I started working as the Teen Librarian...

 2013

Total teens signed up:  87

Turned in at least one log: 47

Black Light Party: 13

Total Hours Read: 780

2014

Total teens signed up: 95

Turned in at least one log: 51

Black Light Party: 29
Total Hours Read: 1,800 hours 

2015
Total teens signed up: 112

Turned in at least one log: 68

Black Light Party: 28

Total Hours Read: 2,106

 

HOLY MOLY! Teens are awesome--I can't wait for next year!

Star Trek, then and now...

I found this beautiful picture on Pinterest showing all the actors from the new Star Trek movies alongside their 1960/70s counterparts!  It took me awhile to get into Star Trek, especially the original series, but if you think about cinematography from 50 years ago, you start to see just how incredible the show was to pull of such a futuristic world! Enjoy this!

Book Review: The Doubt Factory

New-ish book by Paolo Bacigalupi! All about conspiracy, government/FDA cover-ups, hidden agendas, and a group of teens determined to out them all!

The Doubt Factory

by Paolo Bacigalupi

Alix, the daughter of a wealthy PR businessman, learns that everything about her life and her father is a lie.  When a young man stalks Alix, she is pulled into the truth--the truth that the medical companies her father is trying to protect are the same companies using unsafe drugs on the public, killing them.  Moses, Alix's stalker, captures her and brings her to his hideout where she meets his friends in arms. 

When a public outing by the group fails, all the teens run into hiding, but Alix has been shown a crumb of truth, and her curiosity will get the best of her.  Poring over notes and her father's secret documents, Alix begins to realize the stories Moses told her may just be the absolute truth.

This is an incredible realistic fiction novel--one that could, scarily, happen right now.  There ARE medical companies that try to cover their butts. I'm not saying they are killing people, but there is a possibility of a Doubt Factory--get into the conspiracy theory!

Alix is a mildly annoying character that goes back and forth, but I suppose being a spoiled brat means that her character is exactly as she should be--just irritating! There is a bit of Stockholm Syndrome, though I'm sure that is not what the author intended...or is it?! Bacigalupi is SO good at opening your mind and making you really think about things--maybe there IS a conspiracy...maybe there IS Stockholm Syndrome, but with all of these things, he leaves it to the imagination of the reader.  I would highly suggest this book to all teens!

End of Summer Reading :-(

I know. I know what you're all thinking...

I am just as angry as you are...

Here are is a slideshow of the teens reaping the benefits of the summer reading program.  And stay tuned to events starting in August!