We are looking for teen volunteers for the following programs during February break.
*Please note there is limited registration for Candyland and Tech Buddies.
Month: January 2016
LEGO Mindstorm Coding Program
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -(January 18, 2016)
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968)
Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. King, a chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday and is always observed the third Monday in January.
Here is some literature about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.
A first-hand account of the author’s lifelong struggle for civil and human rights spans his youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., and the birth of the Nashville Student Movement.
Describes the apartheid South in Martin Luther King’s time, which in many ways was not very different from the early days of slavery, with descriptions of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the formation of civil rights groups, and mass movements against segregation.
Chronicles the life of the civil rights leader from his recovery from a knife attack, to the controversy in Birmingham, to the March on Washington.
Presents Martin Luther King, Jr.’s most important writings and speeches—carefully selected by educators across a variety of disciplines—in an accessible, user-friendly volume that includes 19 selections, with an introduction by the award-winning author who is also serving as the Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
New Teens Books for 2016
2016 is here, which means a year of exciting new book releases. These titles will be available this upcoming year at the library. Check out a few of these titles coming soon!
Release Date: January
Abducted by aliens periodically throughout his youth, Henry is informed by his erstwhile captors that they will end the world in 144 days unless he stops them by deciding that humanity is worth saving. By the author of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley.
Release Date: January
Minutes after the principal of Opportunity High School in Alabama finishes her speech welcoming the student body to a new semester, they discover that the auditorium doors will not open and someone starts shooting as four teens, each with a personal reason to fear the shooter, tell the tale from separate perspectives.
Release Date: February
Riders. A new fantasy adventure from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi.Now–bound, bloodied, and drugged–Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for–not to mention all of humankind–he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger
But will anyone believe him?
Release Date: February
A dark epic fantasy inspired by the tale of Snow White, from C. J. Redwine, the author of the Defiance series. Perfect for fans ofA Court of Thorns and Roses and Cinder.
Best YA books of 2015 part 2
Okay, more of the best from last year, in my humble opinion.
Walk on Earth a stranger by Rae Carson.
“Lee Westfall, a young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold, must flee her home to avoid people who would abuse her powers, so when her best friend Jefferson heads out across Gold Rush-era America to stake his claim, she disguises herself as a boy and sets out on her own dangerous journey.”
This was a page-turner for me. There is a little bit of magic in this otherwise very accurate historical fiction, which felt very original.
Edgewater by Courtney Sheinmel.
“Lorrie Hollander lives with her unstable aunt Gigi in a decrepit eyesore of a mansion called Edgewater, but when Charlie, the son of an esteemed senator, takes an interest in Lorrie she is ashamed of her lifestyle until she learns Charlie’s family is hiding something too, and that their secrets are inextricably tied.”
This book was pretty much the modern version of Grey Gardens (which, by the way, you need to watch if you haven’t. It’s this documentary about Jackie O’s crazy cousin and aunt who lived in a mansion in the Hamptons and let it fall into ruin. The outfits alone are divine.) So, yeah. Loved it.
More happy than not by Adam Silvera.
“After enduring his father’s suicide, his own suicide attempt, broken friendships, and more in the Bronx projects, Aaron Soto, sixteen, is already considering the Leteo Institute’s memory-alteration procedure when his new friendship with Thomas turns to unrequited love.”
It’s like the plot from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but for teens, and set in the Bronx. Ice mix or urban fiction and sci-fi.
All American boys by Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely.
“When sixteen-year-old Rashad is mistakenly accused of stealing, classmate Quinn witnesses his brutal beating at the hands of a police officer who happens to be the older brother of his best friend. Told through Rashad and Quinn’s alternating viewpoints.”
This is powerful, contemporary urban fiction by the most interesting young author to watch this year, Jason Reynolds. We met him in December and he is so inspiring in person, but his words jump off the page as well. Read this book if you want a realistic portrayal of both sides of the Black Lives Matter discussion.
The Awesome by Eva Darrows.
“Maggie Cunningham, who wants to enter in the family business of monster hunting, can’t get her license until she loses her virginity, but finding a normal boy proves to be more difficult than she thought.”
I know, sounds crazy, but got many starred reviews. The cover alone gets you an extra star. Also, and you can’t see this from the picture, but the edge of the book is black and looks so cool with that crazy neon cover. Okay, the book. It’s like a mother-daughter Ghostbusters, and yes, my pop-culture references are all dated here, but they are making an all-female reboot of Ghostbusters this year, so it’s still relevant. Great action, humor for days, and lol moments throughout, try it.