TeenScene @ WPL

Going on an adventure

Posted on September 1st, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books.

Hey everyone! I’m going on an adventure to Europe and won’t be posting for a couple weeks. Hooray for travel!! Have you ever been on any cool trips that you remember fondly, or do you have some places on your wish list? I don’t get to travel as much as I’d like to, but that is where the wonder of Armchair Travel comes in. What’s Armchair Travel, you ask? All you need is a comfy chair, preferably some snacks (though they are not entirely necessary), and, most importantly, some books to take you away!

Check out these exciting going-on-an-adventure titles:

The great call of China by Cynthea Liu - In the latest installment of the S.A.S.S. series (Students Across the Seven Seas), teen Cece travels to China to find out about her roots, her birth parents, and maybe a little romance.

13 little blue envelopes by Maureen Johnson - When seventeen-year-old Ginny receives a packet of mysterious envelopes from her favorite aunt, she leaves New Jersey to criss-cross Europe on a sort of scavenger hunt that transforms her life.

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman - While traveling to each corner of the country to build a whirligig in memory of the girl whose death he causes, sixteen-year-old Brian finds forgiveness and atonement.

Want more? Click here!

0 comments.

Speak Up for Your Library!

Posted on June 22nd, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Homework Help, Web sites to watch.

This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is all about expressing yourself. With the proposed cuts to library funding, now is the time to make your voice heard!

What does the library mean to you? A safe place to hang out after school? Somewhere you can go for help with your homework? Your only source for new books? The first place you could access the Internet?

Let your local legislators know how important the library is to you! Email Governor Strickland today, or contact the following state representatives to share your thoughts. You can make a difference!

Not sure what to write? Check out this sample letter.

Senator Bill Harris, President of the Senate
614-466-8086

Senator David Goodman, 3rd District
614-466-8064

Representative Kevin Bacon, 21st District
614-466-6030

Representative Marian Harris, 19th District
614-466-4847

Representative Nancy Garland, 20th District
614-644-6002

Representative Kris Jordan, 2nd District
614-644-6711

For more information on the budget proposal, please refer to this article from Library Journal, or the Save Ohio Libraries website.

2 comments.

Summer Reading 2009 is almost here!

Posted on May 26th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Events, Movies.

Check out our homemade video promo for the 2009 Summer Reading Program, made for you with love by the WPL Youth Librarians! Got a hankering to make your own? Be sure to pick up info on Kick-off Day, Thursday, June 11. You’ll have a chance to register for summer reading, get a sign-up prize, work on some cool activities (including appearing in your own “Boogie Heads” video) and find out about our “Starring You! Movie Maker” workshops and movie showing night. You won’t want to miss it! See you on June 11th!

1 comment.

Book Trailer - Gone by Michael Grant

Posted on May 25th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Movies.

Check out this creepy book trailer for the book Gone. What if one day, everyone over the age of 14 was just…gone?

Interested? Find it at the Library!

1 comment.

Check out Skeleton Creek

Posted on May 8th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books.

Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman

Ryan’s a writer, and even though something terrifying has happened and left him with a broken leg and no way to see his best friend, Sarah, he uses his journal to get the story out.

Includes links to online videos that help illustrate Sarah’s findings. (First in a series.)

What to read next: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

For more book suggestions, check out Becky’s book picks!

0 comments.

New Teen Comic Books/Manga

Posted on April 21st, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books.

Saint Tail. 2 / by Megumi Tachikawa ; [translator, Anita Sengupta].

2 comments.

Skeleton Creek

Posted on April 14th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Movies, Words & Writing.

I just finished reading Skeleton Creek, a new book with a creepy twist! Ryan is stuck in his room with a broken leg after a mysterious accident with his best friend Sarah. He fell when they were investigating a dredge, an old, abandoned machine in the woods of their hometown, Skeleton Creek. Now Ryan and Sarah have been forbidden by their parents to contact each other, but Sarah still manages to email Ryan some password-protected videos about what else she is discovering about the dredge. Ryan notes the passwords in his journal, and you, the reader, can go online to view Sarah’s videos. Be warned — some of them are quite spooky, and the ending will leave you hanging on desperately for the next book in the series!

Take a look at the book trailer:

0 comments.

Movie trailer - Where the Wild Things Are

Posted on April 9th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Movies, Web sites to watch.

Do you remember reading one of the most famous picture books, Where the Wild Things Are, when you were little? I do!! I’m super-excited to see this trailer for the upcoming live-action movie. I didn’t think it was possible to make a full-length movie from such a simple picture book, but this looks too cool to miss:

0 comments.

Library decides “No books needed”

Posted on April 1st, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Random Fun.

April 1, 2009

Today the Westerville Public Library decided to cease ordering and circulating books. “Ehhh…no one really reads them anyway,” said librarian Becky O’Neil. “People only ask me for movies, videogames, and computer help. We thought that this was the best way to address what people want.”

Of course, this decision raises the issue of what to do with the aisles and aisles of books currently housed in the library, as well as the many thousands of titles which, in spite of this current trend, seem to be checked out to people.

Several library teens were surveyed for ideas about what to do with the books. Suggestions included “build a fort,” “coffee table,” “drink coaster,” “foot rest,” and, in cases of extreme desperation, “sled.”

Other teens described why they won’t miss the books. “i nly spk n txt,” one girl said. “idk wuts a bk?” Another said, “If it hasn’t been made into a movie or a TV show or an online game, it might as well be written on a stone tablet.” Yet another chimed in, “The problem with books is they don’t work with my ADD, so — hey look, a bunny!”

The teens wished to remain anonymous.

To give your opinion on this decision, please comment below, being sure to include the text “I didn’t double-check what day this was posted, and therefore I fear you may be serious.”

9 comments.

Invisibility cloak…now possible?

Posted on February 17th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Technology.

Whenever I read articles like Invisible Cloak Closer Than Ever to Reality, I usually think two thoughts: 1) I can’t believe the amazing advances of science, and 2) I can’t believe there are people whose *job* is to try to make something invisible. Where can I apply for that job?! Anyway, for those of you Harry Potter fans who thought Harry’s special cloak was a thing of fantasy, read on:

An invisibility cloak for visible light could be made within six months, say scientists from Duke University, who, in a new paper published today in Science, explain how to hide objects from a dramatically extended range of wave lengths. “I think that within six months it’s certainly viable [a cloak for visible light],” said David Smith, a professor at Duke University and author of the Science paper.

What do you think? Is there anything else in a supposed “fantasy” book or movie that you’ve seen become reality, or that you really hope will become possible?

0 comments.

High school student catches error on test

Posted on February 16th, 2009 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Events, Homework Help, Words & Writing.

Did you see this article about Geoffrey Stanford, the high schooler from Kansas who caught a mistake on his state writing test?

Stanford, a linebacker and International Baccalaureate student, alerted English teacher Jennifer Fry, who alerted the district test coordinator, who alerted state education officials, who were, as you might imagine, embarrassed.

Even though it was really just a spelling mistake (emission vs. omission), it changed the meaning of the word. Have you ever caught a mistake on a test before? Have you tried to convince a teacher that an answer might be wrong? If you saw a mistake, would you report it? (I def. would!)

Don’t forget, the library has a ton of books to help you study for tests, including the SAT, ACT, and GED. You can also look at our Online Collections and take practice tests with LearningExpress Library. Finally, check out our Events Calendar to sign up for an SAT or ACT Practice Test on March 22!

0 comments.

Jacket Whys

Posted on December 8th, 2008 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Art & Craftiness, Books.

Ms. Yingling left a comment on our post “Judge a book by its cover,” pointing out this really cool site: Jacket Whys.

Jacket Whys is a blog about Children’s and YA book covers, written by a librarian who is a former graphic designer. Take a look! What do you think about some of the patterns this blogger sees in book cover design?

Kissing?

Pockets?

Fantasy = circles?

0 comments.

Judge a book by its cover

Posted on October 30th, 2008 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Random Fun.

You’ve all been told “don’t judge a book by its cover,” meaning don’t assume you know what someone is like by how they look. But here at the library, well, we sometimes DO judge actual books by their cover design! Have you ever done this — picked up (or avoided) a book because of its cover? I have…a lot!

This site lets you look at different book covers and give them a star rating, then see if your rating matches the stars that the book has received from others on Amazon.com. See how many you get right — you may find out it *is* possible to judge a book by its cover!

Do you have any favorite or least-favorite cover designs? I love this one for Wildwood Dancing:

4 comments.

Poe video contest

Posted on October 27th, 2008 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Books, Gaming, Movies.

Just in time for Halloween, check this out: a Poe video contest! Scary-story master Edgar Allan Poe will turn 200 in January, and READ magazine is seeking video tributes from those age 18 and younger.

The deadline for this Weekly Reader exclusive video contest is November 21, 2008. Respond with your ghoulish video tribute. Videos should be under 5 minutes in length. Some images that might inspire you: ravens, floorboards, beating hearts, Baltimore, horror, Lenore, red death. 3-5 winners will receive publication of their Poe video tribute in READ magazine’s electronic issue, a monetary reward, and lots of Poe goodies!

Hmmm, 25 days to create a Poe-worthy video? Dare you to try it! Check out some Poe from the Library to get some inspiration!

0 comments.

TGIF Minute Mysteries

Posted on October 24th, 2008 by Becky.
Categories: All posts, Art & Craftiness, Books, Events, Minute Mysteries, Movies, Random Fun, Words & Writing.

After a looooong break (sorry about that!), the Friday Minute Mysteries are back!

A man walks into a bar and asks for a drink. The bartender pulls out a gun and points it at him. The man says, “Thank you,” and walks out.

What happened? Leave a comment with your theory!

(If you happen to be old enough to remember the last mystery I posted (yeah, it was a while back), the answer is: The room is the ballroom of a sunken ocean liner. The rays are manta rays. The man ran out of air while scuba diving in the shipwreck. al guessed it! Go, al!)

7 comments.

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