Teens Blog : teens, high school

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:27:00 GMT

Junior year is drawing to a close when Valerie's boyfriend, Nick, comes to school one morning and begins to shoot people in the Commons. At the end of the shooting spree, six people are dead and many are wounded, including Valerie. Within hours the police have searched Nick and Valerie's homes and discovered a "Hate List" the two created. Many of the students targeted that morning were on this list. Valerie becomes a suspect in the investigation. Was she part of Nick's plan? Was it a double suicide that went wrong? Was Valerie really shot trying to stop Nick? All of these are questions the students, teachers, parents, community, and the nation are asking.

For Valerie, the list was a way to vent her frustrations with the bullying she endured day after day at school. She never meant anything by it, but she will be haunted by the list and by what Nick did that morning for the rest of her life. After being cleared by the police, Valerie spent summer vacation isolated from the outside world. Now that a new school year has begun, Valerie is going back to school to face her demons. HIGHLY recommended.

Similar reads: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Undone by Brooke Taylor

Teen Art Show @ Central's Teen Zone

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:15:00 GMT

Teen Art Show @ Central's Library Teen Zone

Monday, November 29 through Friday, December 17

Teens can turn in drawings and photographs at the PMC Information Desk between November 29 and December 17 for a chance to win the EVPL Teen Art Contest! The top three winners will be chosen the week before Christmas, and will receive a ribbon and prize. Art must be picked up by January 7, 2011.

Celebrate Teen Read Week Oct. 17-23

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:50:00 GMT

**The Teen Read Week Contest will end Sunday, October 31 at 5pm. Make sure you vote on the Teens' Top Ten in Central's Teen Zone.**

Books with Beat @ EVPL! October 17-23. Stop by the Teen Zone at Central Library during Teen Read Week and check out our Books with Beat! Pick up books and other materials about poetry, music, and more or listen to an audiobook. You can help pick the 2010 Teens’ Top Ten by voting at the display located in the Teen Zone. If you vote, you will be entered to win a Visa giftcard! Stop by today and find a page turner that you can read or listen to, just for the fun of it!

Fall YA reads

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:57:00 GMT

Being a teenager means having to deal with a lot of changes. Whether it is at home, in school, with friends, or a boyfriend/girlfriend, sometimes it is nice to come across a book that you can relate to and makes you feel like you're not alone in your problems. Recently, I have read three YA novels that would appeal to teens in that their main character is easy to relate to and you feel like you have talked to a best friend after finishing it.

Catherine Murdock published the conclusion to her trilogy focusing on DJ Schwenk in October. Front and Center was a satisfying ending to a character I have grown to love. We were first introduced to DJ in Dairy Queen, published in 2007. A high school sophomore, DJ is a phenomenal basketball player that does a lot of work on her family's farm. Over the summer, a family friend sends rival high school quarterback, Brian, over to work at the Schwenk farm. DJ begins to help Brian train for football season, and she finds herself liking the sport by the end of summer. When DJ decides to try-out for the team, the town is divided in support and resistance. DJ's story continues in The Off Season focusing on DJ adjusting to life after her brother is paralyzed in a football game. The story concludes in Front and Center, and I highly recommend your read the entire series.

Viola in Reel Life was published in September by adult author, Adriana Trigiani. Viola has grown up in Brooklyn with documentary filmmaker parents until sophomore year when her parents ship her off to boarding school...in South Bend, Indiana. Instead of adjusting to life with roommates and away from her family and friends, Viola hides behind her video camera. An opportunity to make a movie for a contest pushes Viola out from behind the camera and into the real world. Recommended.

Lastly, one of my favorite teen authors, Sara Zarr, was back last month with Once was Lost. Zarr did not let me down as she dove into Sam's life as a preacher's daughter. Sam's mom has been placed in rehab for alcoholism because she could not handle being a preacher's wife, but Sam is left to pick up the pieces. When a local girl goes missing, Sam's faith is tested even more as her tragedy and the kidnapped girl's begin to overlap. Highly recommended.

Happy Reading!

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:30:00 GMT

How would you feel if your life was defined by a mistake you made over three years ago? Especially when three years ago, you did not fully comprehend the consequences of what you were doing or realize how long that mistake would follow you. Deanna's father caught her in the backseat of seventeen-year-old Tommy's car when she was just thirteen. Three years later, Deanna's life is still be defined by that moment in time. Her father won't look her in the eyes, the kids at school call her names, and Deanna tries to pretend that it doesn't matter.

It does matter, however, and trying to be tough is taking its toll on Deanna. Her brother and his girlfriend are living in the basement with their baby, Deanna's mom is always tired from working so hard, her best friends are now dating, and Deanna's summer job forces her to work with Tommy. The only time Deanna can express how she really feels is through her writing, which we catch glimpses of throughout Sara Zarr's Story of a Girl

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:28:00 GMT

I was almost late coming back from my break yesterday to finish if I stay by Gayle Forman. The story stayed with me long after I returned it. Even when I went home last night, I was still thinking about this exceptional book.

Imagine if you had to choose between living the rest of your life without your family and joining them in death? Seventeen-year-old Mia last remembers driving down the road with her parents and little brother listening to the radio. Her head was rested against the window in the backseat as she sat back enjoying the sound of the music and her family's voices. In one short moment, Mia is now standing on the side of the road and sees her family's car smashed, her parents lying dead on the road, and paramedics rushing to save her and her younger brother. She wonders "Am I dead?" as she watches her body being rushed to the hospital.

Thus begins the toughest decision Mia will ever have to make. As she hovers over her body as it struggles to heal, Mia has to decide if she wants to wake up and join her grandparents, best friend, and boyfriend or if she wants to join her parents and brother wherever they are now. One-by-one Mia's friends and family come to her bedside. Some ask her to stay; others tell her that it is her decision. Mia watches as her grandpa sobs at her bedside and her boyfriend struggles with the nurse to be admitted to the ICU.

As I read through the pages of Mia's story and her decision to whether stay or to go, it made me wonder what in my life is worth living for. I highly recommend you check this book out.