TeenScene @ WPL

Are YOU Ready for School? Books about Living the High (School) Life

Posted on August 10th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: Books.

You probably hate school (but I hope you don’t). School is something that we all try to live through and hopefully you make it to the other side with some self esteem intact and the ability to count back change.

On the bright side, school is where your friends are and that is cool, right? But on the dark side, school is where your frenemies are. *shudders* Back on the bright side, school means tater tots for lunch. Yes! But it also means homework. *sigh*

Do you often wish your school life had more drama? It isn’t all that it is cracked up to be…just ask these books.

Frankie Stein was created in a laboratory, and when she enters Merston High School camouflaged as a "normie," all she wants is to fit in, but it takes the help of another new student who believes that everyone should be treated equally before Frankie even has a chance.

Sophomore Frankie starts dating senior Matthew Livingston, but when he refuses to talk about the all-male secret society that he and his friends belong to, Frankie infiltrates the society in order to enliven their mediocre pranks.

When fourteen-year-old Anthony "Ant" Jones from the ghetto of East Cleveland, Ohio, gets a scholarship to a prep school in Maine, he finds that he must change his image and adapt to a world that never fully accepts him, but when he goes home he discovers that he no longer truly belongs there either.

Brooklyn fourteen-year-old Kelsey Finkelstein embarks on her freshman year of high school in Manhattan with the intention of "rebranding" herself, but unfortunately everything she tries to do is a total disaster..

After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and three older brothers, Maggie enrolls in public high school, where interacting with her peers is complicated by the melancholy ghost that has followed her throughout her entire life.

When a virus deadly to adults infects their high school, brothers David and Will and the other students soon break into gangs that fight each other for survival and the hope of escaping their quarantine.

Still not sure you want to go back? Take a peek at popular author and Grand Pooh-bah Nerdfighter John Green‘s “An Open Letter to Students” and as they say in John’s hometown,”Don’t forget to be awesome!”

2 comments.

Beta Books: The latest reviews are in!

Posted on August 8th, 2012 by Becky.
Categories: Beta Books, Books, Events, Words & Writing.

The readers at Beta Books, our read-’em-before-they-are-published teen book club, have been super-busy this summer! Read on for their latest reviews. Curious? Get the scoop here, sign out a book from the Teen Center, and mark your calendar for the next meeting!

Reviewer: Emma D.

Title: October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard

Author: Leslea Newman

What did you think of the cover? It matched the story because it was the scene of the incident that happened.

What did you think of the book? I loved the format of it being in poems but hearing the feelings of inanimate objects. Yes, I would recommend it, but to someone who could handle it.

How would you rate this book? 4 stars – Awesome. I loved it and would give it to a friend.

Reviewer: sema3

Title: The High-Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate

Author: Scott Nash

What did you think of the cover? I think the cover reflected the story well. I don’t think the cover should be changed.

What did you think of the book? My favorite part was the part where the half destroyed ship flew along with gabriel flying in front of the ship. Another good part was when they were steeling weapons from the crows armory. I think I would recommend the book to a friend.

How would you rate this book? 5 stars – Unbelievable! I’d rather read this book than sleep!

Reviewer: edrictheninja

Title: The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid

Author: Robin Mellom

What did you think of the cover? it helped you imagine all of the characters appearances

What did you think of the book? i thought it was very entertaining and funny, i would reccomend it to a friend, and my favorite part was the end where he dumped orange soda on Coreys head and he ran into the girls restroom

How would you rate this book? 4 stars – Awesome. I loved it and would give it to a friend.

0 comments.

Mirror, Mirror: Wardrobe and Beauty Tips and Tricks

Posted on August 7th, 2012 by Becky.
Categories: Events, Fashion.

(Image by Flickr user Bram & Vera)

Calling all who love fashion! Do you know what clothes work for your body type? What colors look great with your skin tone? You’ll want to register for this event and mark your calendars!

What: Get tips and tricks and the latest trends from a personal shopper and make-up artist.

When: Monday, August 27, 7-8:30 pm

Where: Meeting Room A

How: Register here, or call 614-882-7277 ext. 5004

1 comment.

Sayonara 2012 SRP!

Posted on July 29th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

You only have today and tomorrow to finish logging your hours and collecting your prizes! If you haven’t finished the program yet, get busy! After tomorrow we’ll bid adieu to the Summer Reading Program until next year!

2 comments.

Less than TWO Weeks Remain for Summer Reading 2012!

Posted on July 18th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

With less than 2 Weeks to go in this Summer’s Who Will Own the Night contest, Unicorns are still leading the pack with over 3,000 Hours read! All told, Westerville teens have logged 8,863 hours this Summer! So give yourself a pat on the back or a…ahem…a hoof on the back. Whatever.

If you haven’t finished the program yet there is still time, but hurry—Summer Reading ends promptly after July 30—that is the absolute last day to log or collect prizes.

So what are you waiting for? Crack open that book.

0 comments.

Everyone’s Beautiful: Westerville teens tackle bullying with love

Posted on July 13th, 2012 by Becky.
Categories: Technology, Web sites to watch, Words & Writing.

Many of you saw local teen Cole interviewed last night on NBC4 (in the library, even!) about the Facebook group he founded, Everyone’s Beautiful. This group has grown virally to over 11,000 members worldwide in just a couple short weeks! It provides a forum for teens to share their stories and, most importantly, be in contact with a huge support group of both friends and strangers who provide positive messages and words of encouragement. Curious? Join the group on FB and you’ll stay up-to-date on the latest events, outreach, and developments as the movement continues to grow. And when you’re not online, don’t forget what your friendly neighborhood librarian always says about tough topics: there’s a book for that.

1 comment.

Someone you know wrote that: Getting published on Teen Ink

Posted on July 11th, 2012 by Becky.
Categories: Words & Writing.

Greetings, fair readers! Did you know that one of our own teen library patrons and volunteers, Lily, has been published on the Teen Ink web site? TWICE?!? Teen Ink publishes a magazine, web site, and books — all written by teens. Read on for the links to Lily’s stories and what she says about them:

It’s Really Not Funny

I’ve been wanting to write a “plague fiction” story for some time now, and my novel-in-short-stories-in-progress provided me with a perfect opportunity. This piece is set on the planet Theta Prime, on which a colony of humans has recently been established. They have no way to leave or communicate with Earth, and the colonial outposts are scattered widely across the planet. With isolation, overcrowding, and stress comes disease.

Long Fingers (an Editors’ Choice award winner!)

In conversation with my mom, I expressed a frustration with the lack of short-fingered geniuses in literature. She suggested that I write a story about one. This is what came out instead.

Congratulations, Lily!

Want to become a published writer yourself? Use the library to check out the Teen Ink magazine, submission guidelines on web sites like Teen Ink and Figment, or some books on writing! Go forth and get published!

0 comments.

Dear TeenScene: 3rd Edition

Posted on July 10th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

Happy Tuesday readers and welcome to another edition of Dear TeenScene–your weekly blog post about all things Own the Night! We have three weeks left in our 2012 Summer Reading Program and I am happy to report that all participants have been reading their horns off…or..ugh..their arms off …uh..that’s not right..ugh they have been reading LOTS!

A combined 7,311 hours of reading from all teams makes this year’s program a RAGING success! But you still have questions–it’s cool. On to the letters…

Dear TeenScene,
I need your advice.  I’m a vampire.  *Technically* I’m 15 years old but really, I’ve been 15 for a very long time.  Should I sign up for the teen summer reading program or the one for adults? Also, do I get credit for pints of blood sucked?

Thanks,
Thirsting for Blood with no Time to Read and Eternally Conflicted

Dear TfBwnTtRaEC,
Wow that name is a mouth full, eh? Couldn’t you just go by Bob? Bob is a nice name! I know lots of Bobs and they are all pretty cool…well except for that guy I went to High School with who used to lick the lockers between classes. *shudders* Anyhooo…ugh sorry, if you are 15 for eternity you are reading with the teens for eternity too…but I think that is pretty cool! The adult program isn’t giving away cool, free books and they aren’t having a magical black light glow party either…so, like, be thankful. And MAYBE if you spent less time sucking blood and more time reading books your team wouldn’t be dead last. Just sayin. (Get it? Dead last…see what I did there? I slay me…HA-I did it again!)

Yours,
Mickie the Librarian

Dear TeenScene,
Since I’m a unicorn, i can zip through books like a hurricane (cus I”m magic and all). So I read all the books in the library. (Some of them were really, really weird). Anyway, I really need some new interesting books. Can you recommend some awesome books that by any chance I did not read. Thx a lot!!  P.S. Can you tell Bella to leave me alone, she keeps bugging me about that cute sparkly boy she met at the teen place at the library. Thx!!

Yours,
Speedy Gonzales…the Unicorn

Dear Speedy,
Yes, yes, yes–we get it! You are an awesome unicorn! I’m sure everything you do is amazingly magical! We’re really happy for you! If you have read all the books (even the unabridged encyclopedia? Really? What about the phone books–did ya read those?) Why not try some magazines? We subscribed to everything from Sports Illustrated to Seventeen and even Unicorn Skin Care Monthly! (Ok, no we don’t actually subscribe to that last one–but I would read it!).  Also, spending time reading magazines totally counts toward SRP prizes! Oh and yeah…I called security about Bella. Sorry ’bout that.

Yours,
Mickie the Librarian

Dear TeenScene,

BRAINSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOURS!
Zombies

Dear…uh…you…I get it…ha–brains…mine…heh….heh…my brains…yeah…that’s funny…uh…

*tosses three packs of cookies at Zombies and runs*

Gotta run!! Till next time SRP fans this is Mickie signing out–reminding you to keep reading and Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!

0 comments.

Book Trailer Awesomeness: The Maze Runner

Posted on July 7th, 2012 by Becky.
Categories: Books, Movies.

It’s been a while since we posted any book trailers, and this one is so CREEPTASTIC that I had to share it.

I know, right?! Reserve it! This was done by a fourth-year cinematography major at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and it was a finalist in the Kirkus 2009 Book Video Awards. That’s right — you could totally make one of these for your favorite book. If you already have a fantasy cast list, use clips, look-alikes, and a soundtrack to make it come to life, then post it online for the world to admire (and YouTube commenters to be fooled into thinking it’s an actual movie!).

0 comments.

Zombies Close the Gap; Unicorns Still Lead the Herd: Own the Night Updates

Posted on June 30th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

At the mid-point of our Summer Reading Contest, Unicorns still lead the way with almost 1800 hours logged and Humans are not far behind with 1607! The Vampires are showing that they MEAN business as they creep up behind Zombies in their bid to leave 4th place! It has been an exciting race so far, but it isn’t over yet! We still have four more weeks of Own the Night fun and it is still anybody’s game, folks!

Need something good to sink your teeth into Team Vampire?

When their parents announce they are taking in a fellow student for a month, 16-year-old twins Kyle and Judy sit up and take notice. Kyle has just come out of the closet to his family and fears he'll never know what it is like to date a guy. Judy is pretending to be born-again to attract a boy who heads a Bible study group. And Garret Johnson is new in town-- a mysterious loner who claims to be a vampire. Both twins are intrigued.

Is your Summer just stumbling along, groping for a good read? Try this, Team Zombie:

In 1867 Texas, Jett, a girl passing as a boy while seeking her long-lost twin brother, joins forces with Honoraria Gibbons, an inventor, and White Fox, a young Army scout, to investigate a zombie army that is terrorizing the West.

Team Human: Sick of all the hype surrounding the creatures of nocturnal persuasion? Time to get real:

Teenaged Amy, a cryogenically frozen passenger on the spaceship Godspeed, wakes up to discover that someone may have tried to murder her.

0 comments.

Teen Crafting–Today!

Posted on June 26th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

Join us today from 3-4pm when we’ll be making origami-style dream diaries and talking about what dreams actually may mean…like that one where I show up to school in my underwear–YIKES!

0 comments.

Dear TeenScene…Letters to the Editor, Volume 2

Posted on June 22nd, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

The response to our last round of Dear TeenScene letters was amazing! Keep your questions coming! Have an issue? Need a tissue? Got a gripe? Need to know the hype? Shoot me an e-mail at mstiers@westervillelibrary.org.

Here are this week’s letters…

Dear TeenScene,

I’m a fluffy unicorn! (SOOO FLUFFY!!) It really-really-really makes me happy to be a fluffy little unicorn! And I can’t believe that Unicorns are in the lead…well yes  I can because we are so wonderful, but you know what? I’m not golden, that’s a lie JK Rowling is perpetuating for her own gain. But, I digress.  The reason I’m writing to you is because I don’t have thumbs.  I know right? So would it be ok if someone reads to me and I count that time to get a prize?  I really-really-really love prizes! But, I don’t have thumbs. (You know, to turn pages with…)

Thanks for your consideration,
The super fluffy, but not really golden unicorn (without thumbs)

Dear SF,bnRGU(wt),

Wow…no thumbs. What a bummer, but that’s ok you still have those golden hooves–am I right? And lots of people don’t have thumbs and they are still super-duper! No kidding, like Scooby Doo and Garfield…no thumbs and all awesome! And you can TOTALLY have someone read to you and count those hours. Or you can come into a teen program or volunteer and count those hours toward a prize. No thumbs needed, n’kay?

Signed,
Mickie the Librarian

Dear TeenScene,

I’d love to get more books for the summer reading program, but they are so heavy my arm keeps falling off? Any suggestions on how to carry a lot of books?

Zeke the Zombie

Dear Zeke,
Here is what you do. Buy a Wiener dog minion and hitch it up to a tiny cart that you can carry your books in! Oh…wait…my phone is ringing…..Hello?….uh-huh…oh, no I didn’t realize….ok sure….bye! RIGHT! That was the Wiener Dog defamation league and apparently hitching them to carts is demeaning and frowned upon so strike that last suggestion. Ok, welllll how about you get yourself a book bag–do you still have shoulders?

Signed,
Mickie the Librarian

Dear TeenScene,

Please publish this letter–I’m team human and I was in the teen room the other day and there was this SUPER HAWT guy but I was too shy say anything so I just stood there awkwardly with my mouth open. He said hi and and I ran away…knocking the Seventeen magazines everywhere. I’m clumsy and clueless…he was handsome and sparkly…a real old soul and I just know I’ll die if I don’t meet him.

Signed,
I just met you and maybe this is crazy

Bella….stop writing in. I haven’t seen him and I don’t know where to find him.  Don’t you have a movie to promote? elsewhere? Far away from here? Geesh.

All right Who Will Own the Night fans…till next time! DFTBA! See you at the library!

2 comments.

Top FIVE Teen Reads about Unicorns

Posted on June 20th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

Despite strange dreams and her ailing father's firm belief in the family lore of a long-ago ancestor's connection to the mythical unicorn, fifteen-year-old New Yorker Elayne remains skeptical until, during a school visit to the unicorn tapestries in the Cloisters, she finds herself entering a tumultuous world where she must fulfill the legacy of her ancestors by taming the unicorn and bringing a tyrant to justice.

Recounts the quest of the last unicorn, who leaves the protection of the enchanted forest to search for her own kind, and who is joined by Schmedrick the Magician and Molly Grue in her search.

Jan, the prince of the unicorns, accompanies other initiate warriors on a pilgrimage to their lost ancestral home where they will view their destinies in the Mirror of the Moon.

After sixteen-year-old Astrid Llewelyn survives a vicious unicorn attack, she learns that she is a descendant of the most famous unicorn hunter of all time and she must travel to Rome, Italy, to train in the ancient arts in order to carry on her family legacy and save the world from the threat posed by the reemergence of lethal unicorns.

Twelve short stories by a variety of authors seek to answer the question of whether zombies are better than unicorns.

0 comments.

Eat the Unicorns’ Dust…Sparkly, Sparkly Dust: SRP Update–Unicorns Lead the Pack!

Posted on June 18th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

Zombies–look alive (sorry bad pun) and quit moaning so much, just get reading!

Vampires—can’t you sink your teeth into a good book?!

Humans–You have no excuse–you have not so rotten arms, eyeballs that mostly work (when they aren’t glued to the computer screen). So why aren’t you reading more!?

Are you going to let the unicorns win? Are you going to let the glitter get all over the library? Go on–get to reading, or come to a program or volunteer—just log those hours!

Here is the breakdown…as it stands today, 6/18/12

0 comments.

Dear TeenScene, SRP 2012 Letters to the Editor…

Posted on June 13th, 2012 by Mickie.
Categories: All posts.

Well, Summer Reading %2012 is well under way and everyone is settling into their respective teams, humans, zombies, vampires and unicorns. Ok…actually, not everyone is settling in so nicely. I have received enough letters to the editor that we here at the Westerville Public Library feel that it is necessary to create an advice column to answer questions, provide clarification and put some nasty rumors to rest.

Do you have questions or comments about our Own the Night program? E-mail me at mstiers@westervillelibrary.org and I’ll get you some answers…

Dear TeenScene,
I am trying to log more hours, but being a zombie, it kind of sucks that my eyeballs fell out a while ago.  Well, technically one got eaten by my best-pal-turned-zombie dog and the other one is in my pocket, just in case.  I still want to participate in the summer reading program though, is it ok if I listen to audiobooks instead of reading? You know, at least until I no longer have ears and stuff. Any suggestions?

Signed,
ZombieBob

Dear ZombieBob,
That must be frustrating for you! Audiobooks are just the ticket! Listening to books is a great way to log hours. You can listen to books on CD, e-books on your device or even check out a Playaway that comes equipped with earbuds and an extra battery! Just…uh…wipe the earbuds off before you return them…with disinfectant…n’kay?

Signed,
Librarian Mickie

Dear TeenScene,
Could someone remind Team Zombie to quit using body parts as book marks?  IT. IS. UBER.GROSS!

Thanks,
Shelley, Team Human

Dear Shelley,
Wow! Yeah..we try to protect our books so that lots of people get to use them before they wear out. We librarians find some pretty crazy things used as bookmarks–wish we found crisp five dollar bills!
I would suggest making a cool comic crafty book mark or using your checkout slip as a bookmark–it even reminds you when you need to bring your book back!

Signed,
Librarian Mickie

Dear TeenScene,
What I want to know is, why are you being so prejudiced against the lesser-known creatures? As a narwhal, I feel the need to speak up for myself and the other Unicorns of the Sea. We live in the ocean — the darkest depths! — and what is more “night-like” than the deepest ocean? If you would be willing to make the Narwhals honorary members of Team Unicorn, we’d be very appreciative, even if we can’t run and frolic in the fields and have stickers designed to look like us, with glitter and everything. (Glitter. Barf.) Or, if you can’t do that, can you at least recommend me some good books where characters deal with jealousy and envy? It’s, uh, for a friend.

Sincerely,
A Narwhal

Dear A Narwhal,
Hey, don’t get yourself down–everyone is beautiful in his or her own way and who needs glittery stickers!? Have you ever seen a glittery librarian sticker–no, probably not. That’s ok..I’m still a rockstar and glitter is hard to vaccum up after storytime anyway. It’s all good. SO for your…uh…friend…here are some awesome books that deal with jealousy.

Signed,
Librarian Mickie

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily receives special protections from the spiritual forces of Neverland, but then she meets her tribe's most dangerous enemy--Peter Pan--and falls in love with him.

Fifteen-year-old Tessa tries to be happy when her crush, Charlie, falls for her younger sister, Lulu, and it becomes easier after she begins a secret relationship with Jasper, a social outcast who lives next door to Tessa's best friend.

High school sophomore Ori Taylor, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter in a nameless rock band, has always been known as the easily-overlooked younger brother of Del, a high school sports star, but when Del suddenly returns home from college just as Ori is starting to gain some confidence in himself, Del expects everything to return to the way it used to be.

When one of their tightly-knit group mysteriously disappears, four high school girls find their friendship difficult to maintain when they begin receiving taunting messages from someone who seems to know everything about their past and present secrets.

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