Karen's Blog

Who's That Girl?

2010-08-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

I know all you dedicated readers of Michelle's Blog were probably shocked to see it become Karen's Blog seemingly over night. Or maybe you didn't notice the name change at all, and now you're looking at the title wondering to yourself, "When did that change??" Don't worry. It hasn't been that long.

This is Me

In any case, I'm Karen, and I'm the new young adult librarian. So if you're in the library and see a new face behind the desk, it's probably me, and you should definitely stop by and introduce yourself. I probably (definitely) won't remember your name the first time, but that just means you'll have to come talk to me again!

Here are some things I would LOVE to talk about with you:

Books--I want to know what you are reading, what you have already read, what you want to read, and what you need to read. I am also always willing to give recommendations and receive recommendations.
Gardening--Specifically my inability to grow anything and how I desperately need people to help me with the Green Teens garden that I inherited from Michelle.
Board games--I'm not going to lie: I love to brag about my Boggle skills. But I also want to hear what games you like to play. (I'm having a board game night on Monday, September 13th at 7:00 pm. You do not want to miss this. I assure you that everyone will be talking about it the next day, and you will feel horribly left out if you don't come!)
Crafts--I will be having a Crafternoon once a month, and I would love to hear all your crafty ideas.
Music--I like to think I'm cool, and I try to stay up to date on current music. (However, I am secretly terrified that I am not cool because I have been known to still use a Discman made in the 90's.) But anyway, come talk to me about music!
You--Tell me about yourself. I want to get to know as many people as possible in the community!

I can't wait to meet all of you!

p.s. All upcoming events are posted on the library website, and I will try to post them on here and the Highland Park Library Teens Facebook page. (That means you can't say you didn't know about a program.)

Last one...

2010-08-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

Really, you think I will never blog again? I do like writing these and even though I'm not sure anyone reads my posts they do me good, so I will probably start a personal blog to chronicle my new adventures. I'll find a new way to keep you all posted on my new life, no worries.

So, what to say instead of good-bye?

How about...I'll be back? I am saying it with that Arnold Schwarzenegger accent, did you hear it?

I'll be back.

That's a nice positive note to leave on, don't you think? For my own sake, I need to come back, I will miss you all too much. And, of course, my Danielley is here. Which reminds me, I have all of your contact info so when Danielle calls me and needs something I will be counting on y'all to help me out!

I will be in NJ once a month to visit and will definitely stop in and see you. So, go to the library every day and wait for me. Read a book while you are waiting and then tell me why I should read it, too. I will be reading in anticipation of our meeting and will email you if I come across something special you might like.

It's a plan, a good plan. And if something gets in the way of our plan, we will make a new plan. It would be too sad to think I will never see you again. You have all been such a wonderful part of my life. Sigh. However, as sad as I am to leave, I am very excited about the new opportunities that wait for me in my new home. And, of course, my boys are there and I miss them very much.

I have been looking through old photos, what a joy! We did have a good time together, didn't we? Project Linus, crafternoons, knitting, yu-gi-oh, anime, improv, Expresso, chess club, Book Buddies, film club, the garden, the beautiful and useful garden, just to name a few. Remember when we tried to learn Japanese? I did not get far, but you did! We had a lot of laughs.

I will miss seeing your smiling faces coming through those front doors. When I think of those doors I think "zombie" and "old lady wiping her feet". The horror! My film club boys will know what that means and I hope you are smiling, I am! I promise I am making a film for your next film festival. It is one of my many fall projects. Also on the list - kayaking, reading, hiking, taking a writing class, maybe even a Master Gardening class. Oh, and job hunting. Mmmmmmm, that might be the most difficult task so I will save it for last :)

So keep it going folks. You're definitely on to something good here. I leave you in very good hands with Karen Mitchell, new Teen Librarian. I picked a good one for you so be supportive, I know you will be and don't feel bad when you love her, too.
If you can't have me, I'm happy you have the next best thing ;) The next voice you hear will be hers..

Maine's nickname is "Vacationland", so when you are planning your vacation think Maine and look me up. Look on the map, we are in Bangor (pronounced Bangore not Banger). Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, are all nearby. You must visit.
Check it out on the map:

My email remains the same, mreasso@yahoo.com
I will be happy to write you letters of recommendation or be a reference as you go out into the job market and off to colleges. I know you will all be successful and I look forward to following your progress. Stay in touch.

Until we meet again, my dear friends. And if fate never brings us together again, I will be grateful for the memories and wishing you all the best! xo

Much love,

Michelle

Ayeh, It's Official ....

2010-07-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

My last day at Highland Park Public Library will be Friday August 13th.
:(

So, we have three weeks to make a few more memories!

Wednesday, July 28, 3 pm - Film Club Meeting
We will attempt to make another collaborative film like "If Only They Could Talk"

Thursday, July 29 3:30 Book Buddies
Last regular session. We will read for 40 minutes with our little buddies and then make "bookworms". They are really cool. See...

August 5th is our celebration party. We will make CD photo frames for pictures of ourselves with our book buddies. Ice Cream, too! Your families are invited to attend.

July 30th is our last Chess Club session. We will have medals for our tournament winners and of course, chocolate chess pieces for all!

August 9th is our end of Summer Reading Party!
Come see who wins a copy of Mockingjay - and there will be free books for everyone!
Games, food and prizes will be plentiful! Please come out to have some fun and give me a goodbye hug. I love you all and will miss you. My final blog will be a thank you - and I'm not ready yet!

Hope to see you in the next few weeks.

Michelle

Reading is cooool...

2010-07-07T16:24:00.001-07:00

Wow, online summer reading is out of control! I love it. You have logged 159 books already and we are only one week into our summer reading. Don't you just love summer reading! Lazy days, or if not lazy, at least a few hours to yourself to treat yourself to a story. Who have you met? For me, Calpurnia is my new bff, perfect for a hot summer. It even feels like Texas.

If you have not already signed up, you can start anytime. The earlier you get started the more prizes you can win.

Create an account here and then start telling me what you've been reading. I have already given away lots of free books, silly bandz, tattoos and even free pizza!
What are you waiting for?

https://nj.evanced.info/hpplnj/sr/homepage.asp?PreviewMode=

Not very original, but I am reading Red Pyramid and loving it. What should I read next? I will be reading your summer reading reviews to choose my next one, so write one that makes we want to choose yours :)

Going to the pool now (with my book)....mrsr

Getting Ready for Summer....

2010-05-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Something new this year:

You will be able to log your books online and earn prizes. So, even if you go out of town, when you get back you can claim your rewards and be eligible for our grand prize. Whatever it is?! More information soon.

If you are on facebook:

Please find us and friend us so I can keep you posted about events.
Highland Park Public Library - Teens

We have some great events planned for summer:

Summer Reading Kick-off Beach Party
Friday June 18, 3 pm
Games, prizes, food! And, get your summer reading packet and instructions on how to play along.

Retro Game Day:
Yo-yo's, jump rope, pick up stix, jacks....come out and play with us!
Friday July 9 at 3 pm

Chess Club - Fridays in July 1 - 3 pm

Book Buddies - Thursday afternoons 3:30 - 4:30
Come read and do a craft with a young child. Very fun and there is cake and ice cream at the end :)

Teens Teach Technology
Dates to be determined
Teens work one on one with an adult to help them learn how to use the internet!
Very rewarding and much needed. See me if you are interested.

Movie and games nights and more!

Be there. I will be.

Peace,

Michelle

Garden State Teen Book Award Winners!

2010-04-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Your voices were heard! Teens all over NJ voted in the latest Garden State Teen Book Awards contest. You have good taste, I love all of these. Congratulations to the winning authors and thanks to all who voted. Jay Asher will be speaking at a Librarian's conference at the Jersey shore this week. Lucky Librarians.

Fiction Grades 6-8
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Selznick

Fiction Grades 9-12
Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher

Nonfiction Grades 6-12
Houdini the Handcuff King by Lutes

You can find the winners and runners up on our GSTBA book display in our Young Adult room.Look for 2011's nominees to be announced later in April.

The Garden State Teen Book Award nominees are chosen by librarians (including me) from all over New Jersey based on their literary excellence as well as their popularity with teens. Winners are chosen through ballot by the teens of New Jersey. (including you!)

Enjoy,

Michelle

Photo Album Updates

2010-04-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Finally posted photos in our Gallery from the past few months.

Check out what we've been up to!

http://www.hpplnj.org/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=19

Enjoy the beautiful weather.

Michelle

Switch!

2010-04-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Film Club will be April 19th at 7 pm with Dr Knoll

Green Teens will meet April 12th at 7 pm on children's room to get ready for Earth Day.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

See you on the 12th for Earth Day prep.

Peas,

Michelle

Play with Clay and Other Upcoming Events!

2010-03-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

These are some of the things I made using Sculpey clay. Join me Monday, and you can make these things, too. Or bring your own idea. I'll have a few more by Monday, I'm sure. I'm working on a turtle.
So, join us for our popular Crafternoon. 3 - 4 pm. We'll have cookies and hot chocolate, talk, and listen to some music while we play with clay.

What else is going on, you ask?
Green Teens and School Garden Corps Training Tuesdays 4 - 6 pm
Training by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Intern, Ms. Bakucz
March 23 at Greenhouse on Cook College
March 30 at Rutgers Cooperative Extension 42 Riva Ave, No Brunswick
April 6 at RCE 42 Riva Ave, North Brunswick
Film Club with Dr Knoll Monday April 12 at 7 pm
He will talk to us about comedy and show some clips of Buster Keaton, the Marx Brothers, "Some Like It Hot","Ghostbusters" and "The Producers". We'll have Q and A afterwards.
Green Teens, Monday April 19 at 7 pm.
Getting ready for Earth Day event. We'll make a display and get our activity ready. Green snacks.
Earth Day Event for all. Thursday April 22 at 6pm at the High School
Activities, demonstrations, and education all about food and agriculture.
Tour the School Gardens Project. Help at our table or just stop by.
Sponsored by Sustainable Highland Park.

Film Club - Learn how to make a documentary! Monday May 3 7 pm
Rutgers film student, Stephen Beeston, will be here to tell us what's involved in doing it well. He has a lot of experience and wants to help us do a good job when make a documentary of the School Gardens Project this spring and summer! Join us. He will help us all along the way.
Expresso Meetings will be held in May to get ready for June publishing.

I get to do all of it and you can, too! Join us for something.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Michelle

Year End Gratitude

2009-12-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melodie Beattie

I love this quote. Maybe I don't even need to say any more...but I will!

I can't pass up the opportunity to thank those who have taught us, entertained us and supported us:

Gary Leslie, Sam Shiffman, Alex Prister and our teen film makers for their hard work and dedication to bringing their stories to the screen and the web. We had a successful festival in '09 and are excited about what new skills we can show off at the 2010 festival.

Our Green Teens who did super job at the Earth Day festival. We even made it to Channel 12 news! We made necklaces and wallets out of recycled materials. Big hit with the kids who attended he fair.

Sustainable Highland Park for making the Earth Day festival a reality. There was a a great turnout and we are already thinking of something fun and creative for Earth Day 2010. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Edible Gardens Organization for helping our Green Teens get started on our first garden. We made a raised bed out of recycled materials, filled it with organic soil and used the square foot method of gardening to grow tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, herbs and some flowers. It was beautiful - and useful. We brought some produce to the HP food pantry and made gazpacho to give out as well. It was a delicious and humbling experience. We will do more of this next year. Keep your eye out for more info.

Our Expresso writers produced another wonderful issue of our teen magazine. We were able to publish some beautiful poetry and writing from our local teens. Hoping to have more for 2010's spring/summer issue. I already have some great submissions so I know it will be worth waiting for!

Our Book Buddies! Our teens did an outstanding job this summer reading and doing crafts with their little buddies. Miss Fran and I were so proud of all of them.
We got a lot of positive feedback from the kids and parents. You are all wonderful to spend you spare time helping kids improve their reading skills, gain confidence and just to enjoy reading! Did I mention we were so proud of you?!

We have a lot of people to thank for our summer programs:

Bill Crosbie - video gaming - huge hit with the kids and very informative.
Allison Wiesel - paper making - messy and creative, right up our alley.
Alex Prister - Film maker extraordinaire shared his film making tips and showed us the film he is working on. We are excited to be his groupies!
Jill Caporlingua - artist and teacher who inspired us to make our beautiful word wall hanging in our YA room.
Jack Yang - chess master and teacher. The kids love playing with and against him. He has made us better players!

Dr Robert Knoll - helped our HS students prepare their college essays. He is a gem and an asset to the community. He also came out and spoke to our film club. We hope to have him back often!

Teachers Dara Botvinick, Sara Dea and Colin Hogan for making the HP library a destination for their 6th grade classes. I have enjoyed helping them with their book selections, research projects and introducing them to the artists on display in the meeting room. In turn they have been encouraging students to share their writing for our Expresso issue. We are grateful for teachers like them who help kids make the connection to their public library. It is win-win.

Tian Weishaus, Iren Chan Marx and Anne Barron of Sustainable Highland Park for the workshop they did on "Stuff". They showed us the movie, The Story of Stuff and led a lively and eye-opening discussion. We hope to have more workshops like this and get more teens involved with local sustainability projects. Join us.

Roberta Kressel and Judy Wagner for the composting workshop. They are local Master Gardeners who shared their expertise and got us excited to start our own compost heap at the library. I did not quite manage to pull it off, but I have one at home I'll share!

Most importantly we must thank our Friends of the Library who paid any and all expenses including refreshments, t-shirts, art supplies etc. We could do nothing without them.

So, thank you Friends! If you'd like to be a Friend of the HP library visit the library homepage for a link to the membership form.
You can never have enough Friends.

And of course, all the teens who participated in our programs. You are the life behind all of it.
You are interested and interesting. You are funny and fun to be around. You are kind to one another and to the staff and myself. You make my job a pleasure.
I am grateful for all of you.

Now time to plan 2010.
I can't wait to see what we will be grateful for in the new year.

Best wishes,

Michelle

Heard a Good Book Lately?

2009-11-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

Come check it out, we have many new books on CD!

Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Lightning Thief - the whole series!

Try it, you might like it.

I'll let you know how I do with listening to Lightning Thief on CD.

Cheers,

Michelle

Hunger Games Party!

2009-10-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Not only did we survive, we prevailed! It was a huge success judging by the
turnout and the feedback!

Enjoy some pictures....

Let the Games Begin

Our Weapons and Chokers

The Cake!

A District Tribute and her people....

Anyone who wants details about what we did can email me but basically
after sifting through lots of good ideas for our fellow librarians and
teens the highlights were:

Party began with lights off, creepy music, spotlight on me and the announcing of the rules. We were off to a good start!

The homemade bows and arrows were the biggest hit and we had a ball making them (ahead of time). Very quick and easy with wire cutters, pliers, coat hangers, rubber bands, q-tips and coffee straws - nothing bought.

Chokers a close second: Magnets ordered from Zazzle.com
on a pantyhose and a washer "choker" The Catching Fire magnets were more popular than Hungry? Better color. The kids made these at the end of the event.

Wish I had thought to put Rue in the centerpiece of the cake which was decorated with flowers. That was a last minute purchase - it was going to be brownies but I took what Costco had. Delicious and inexpensive.

Kids worked in district teams to decorate a banner and select a tribute to represent them. They dressed their tribute in cotumes that they made for them. Correctly answered trivia questions earned them a trip to the Cornucopia for "supplies" for battle or their costume. They all really did a good job and were quite creative. They all had basic supplies to work with. Face painting was obviously part of it as you can see from this young girl....she loved it!
Then each district was interviewed and judged. Winners got to go first in archery.

They could have done archery all day! Fortunately, we all came back to civilization with cake and the choker activity.

Very, very fun.

We are thinking of doing a Lightning Thief party for the Summer Reading theme - Poseidon etc...that might be a good workshop idea??

Our biggest problem - be prepared to have a lot of kids!!

Thanks to all who helped us with ideas!!
Big thanks to Lauren our part-time librarian who was invaluable when it came to ideas - especially decorating - she had the idea of putting cameras around on tripods so it looked like they were being filmed. And she had our banner idea, and found and made up the trivia questions. Not to mention that her and Fran were top-notch Peacemakers all afternoon!

Michelle and Fran

Banned Books Week

2009-09-28T15:15:00.001-07:00

This week is Banned Books Week. What does that mean?

It means celebrate your freedom to read by picking up a book that has been challenged or banned from a public or school library. I think you will be surprised at what's on the list of books that someone wanted to forbid you to read. Copy and paste this link to see a list of banned or challenged classics:

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned/index.cfm

I am not suggesting that you should read books that offend you. I am suggesting that you should not be prohibited from reading books that offend others. (Unless it's your mom or dad - I will assume they have good reason for suggesting a book is inappropriate for you)

Censor for yourself. I often skip passages that make me uncomfortable for one reason or another. If someone told me I couldn't read something it might make it even more desirable. Imagine that and consider this quote from The Tragedy of Puddin'head Wilson by Mark Twain:

"Adam was but human--this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent."

Think on that one for a bit...and discuss it at the dinner table or in the lunchroom tomorrow.

Or:
Check out this puppet video put out by The Office of Intellectual Freedom for another explanation of Banned Books Week.

http://bannedbooksweek.org/bbw%20videos.htm

Enjoy your freedom to read any book you like this week (and always!)

Peace,

Michelle

The Ask and the Answer!

2009-09-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's in! The sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go

The Ask and the Answer

Check out the author's online diary to find out more about him and his books.
I think he's cool.

http://www.patrickness.com/

I am going to do what he says and head out into the sunshine to read...told you he was cool.

Enjoy! mr

Welcome Back!

2009-09-04T11:56:00.001-07:00

I hope you all enjoyed your summer vacation. I did!
Check out my previous blog entry for the books I loved this summer.
Be sure and stop in and tell me what you loved.

We have some fun events planned for fall and, of course, are here to help you with your school needs.
Make sure you can find your library card or come in and get a new one.

Join our Film or Green Teens Clubs and attend some informative workshops on film making and composting. Guess which workshop for which club...

Attend the College Essay Writing Workshop on Oct. 5 with Dr. Knoll, beloved HP teacher!
Everyone will leave with an outline and rough draft. Don't miss this opportunity to get some help and alleviate some of the stress associated with the process of applying to colleges.

Hunger Games party - October 28th! Join us for some fun competition and snacks. If you have suggestions for the party see me. No real bows and arrows...sorry, but I do see how that could be fun. Maybe darts. Magnetic darts.

Origami in November.

Check our calendar for date and times and please register so we know to expect you.

I look forward to seeing you soon...stop in and say hi. Admire the garden on your way in. We had fun with it this summer. The tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs made a delicious gazpacho! Pumpkin patch coming in the fall. We can have a Great Pumpkin party...there is no end to the good ideas.

See ya,

Michelle

What I Read and How I Loved It...

2009-08-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

I read some GREAT books this summer....

I do some of my best reading at the beach, the pool, my yard, my porch and spent a lot of time on each this summer. I am molto fortunato!

Here's what I loved. I'm keeping each review to about 3 key words. If I spend too much time thinking about the review I won't get this done. Look on our teen page for a link to these books in our catalog and a longer descrition. You're going to want to read them yourself. Find one you like and come talk to me about it! Keep in mind some will be appropriate for middle school, some HS and some for adults, like Mister Pip. All are appropriate for adults who remember what it was like to be a teen.
In the order that I remembered them...

"What I Saw and How I Lied" by Judy Blundell
Glamour, mystery, and the little lies we tell ourselves....and that cover!

"Life as We Knew It" and the "Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Disaster, destruction, survival. LAWKI is a girls perspective of the event, D&G, a boys.

"Every Soul a Star" by Wendy Mass
Just to show you I don't only love death and destruction -
3 kids, one solar eclipse. My favorite book this summer and I WILL be going to a campsite to enjoy the next total solar eclipse in 2017. Click the link below to see the path - I will be on that path. She is a wonderful author. Thoughtful, funny and does her research.
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html

"Living Dead Girl" by Elizabeth Scott
Dark, like its title...and sad.

"Baby" by Joseph Monninger
Foster care, friendship, dog sled racing (which was fascinating). I love when I learn about something new.

"Mister Pip" by Lloyd Jones
A special teacher. If you liked To Kill a Mockingbird you will love this one.

"If the Witnes Lied" by Caroline Cooney
What happens when people believe the adult just because...

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
He is a great story teller. Don't be put off by the beginning. You will love some of the folks who "live" in this graveyard. Promise.

"Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta
Unfolds beautifully...stick with it. Will re-read one day because it's worth it.

"Hunger Games" - re-read to get ready for its sequel due out Sept 1 - put a copy on hold for yourself! Sequel - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins. Keep an eye out for our HG party!

"Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness
Noise, chaos, boy, dog, girl. Set in the future it is dark, intense and still manages to be sweet....Loved it!
Book 1 of a trilogy, Chaos Walking. Good title for the series. Hated the cliff hanger ending but the good news is Book 2 will be out in the next week. I'm first in line for it!

"Mice Templar - The Prophecy"
Rats, swords, justice....still working on this one but I loved the forewords by the author and illustrator. Just big boys who still love swords and believe in goodness...and why can't rats be the good guys? A graphic novel.
Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
For fans of Sherman Alexie. He is one of my favorites, but I preferred Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

"Cry, the Beloved Country" by Alan Patton.
Was prepared to dislike it just because, but I am enjoying it. I understand the feeling of loss...and appreciate the dignity. I'm not very far into it, but I predict I might cry...

"How to Read Literature Like a Professor" by Thomas C. Foster
Entertaining, informative. Rain is never just rain...or maybe it is.

On my nightstand -
Swallow Me Whole - graphic novel - love the cover.
Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt
Peace, Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle (of ttfn and ttyl fame)
Geektastic:Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black
Gone by Michael Grant

Stop by and pick up one of these titles or tell me about one I should not miss!
What should I pick next for my nightstand?

Enjoy...michelle

Summer Reading Winds Down!

2009-08-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Last of our summer events....

Harvest Celebration Tonight, Monday the 17th at 7 pm. Food from our gardens!

Origami Box Making, Thursday the 20th at 1 pm.

Then, I'll take a deep breath and start posting some photos of our summer fun and gearing up for school. We'll be ready when it comes around. Speaking of...

Stop in for your summer reading books. We have a few copies of each title but they are going fast. You won't know until you come in and ask or visit our catalog. Put a hold on a summer reading book and we'll try our best to get you a copy.

http://hpplnj.kohalibrary.com/

Don't forget your one choice book as well. If you want your first choice hurry in.

Look for us on facebook. Highland Park Public Library - Teens. No one reads this blog but my brother and our friend Leora so fb is one more way for me to reach you ;)

If you do check this for info about our programs let me know...I'm feeling unread ;)

Peace,

Michelle

Coming Up....

2009-07-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Chess, Wed July 29 at 3 pm - all levels welcome!

Paper-Making, Monday Aug 3 at 7 pm. Wear something you can get messy in.
Bring your summer reading logs to earn raffle tickets!

Film editing, Monday, Tues, Wed Aug 3 - 5, 1 - 3 pm
Bring a laptop if you have one and all of your work to date!

Please register online or via email to mreasso@hpplnj.org

Hope to see you!

Michelle

Thank you's! Alex Prister and Jack Yang

2009-07-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

We had 2 more great programs this week.

Film Making
Alex Prister, recent Rutgers graduate, shared his film making experiences with us.

We saw his award winning video and are glad he is helping us out. We loved it and can't wait to say we knew him when he was just starting out as a film maker! He is very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and he is looking forward to seeing what we bring back in August. He will help us edit and get ready for our film festival, so please take advantage of those August workshops!

Highlights:
The importance of planning
Write a script
Storyboard - know what shots you want to take
Shoot a scene at least twice

Keeping it simple and short is a good rule when you are first starting out.

Lighting is very important.
Sound is also important - he suggested you use a microphone for dialogue. It helps block out background noise.

You can't change the audio or the lighting once you are done filming so it's
important to get it as right the first time as you can.

Hold the camera steady. Use a tripod if necessary.

Those are just a few tips he shared.

Join us August 3, 4 and 5 for editing. Bring a laptop if you have one.
Sign up online or in the library. Or email me. I'll be happy to discuss your film
and help you get ready for Alex's next visit.

Chess
Join us for the next 3 Wednesdays! 3 - 4:30 pm. All skill levels welcome.
Jack spends the first 15 minutes giving tips and tactical advice and then you can test out your new skills on one another - and Jack!

Thank you's! Bill Crosbie and Jill Caporlingua

2009-07-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Video Gaming

We had a large group of very interested teens for Bill's talk on Video Gaming!
Bill was terrific and we could have kept him here all night, I'm sure.
Based on the immense interest next year maybe a workshop where we create our own!
In the meantime, do what Bill said - play games, analyze them - think of ways they could be improved. Be a student of life. Be interested in history, art, literature, sports, culture - the more things you know the more you bring to your imagination!
I'm pretty sure he said READ!!! I know where you can get some books, cheap...free if you return them on time.

Art Wall with Jill Caporlingua

A very talented and inspired group of teens used markers, oil pastels, crayons and paint to create 2 masterpieces that are hanging in our Young Adult room.

Jill gave us an interesting background on how graffiti came to be respected in fine art circles. Picasso, George Braques, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana and Twist (Barry McGee) all influenced the art of graffiti. It was educational and fun to work on a group project! Come see what we created with words and symbols inspire us - visit the YA room.

Will post photos I promise!

Film Making and Chess this week.

www.hpplnj.org/teens for more info.

Cheers!
Michelle

Improv Class - Thank you George Street Playhouse

2009-07-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with Ms. Christa from George Street!
Thank you for a fun evening.
Check out their other classes here
http://www.georgestplayhouse.org/

See our photo gallery for more photos.
http://www.hpplnj.org/gallery

Next up:

Creating Video Games Monday July 13th 7 pm
Led by local professor Bill Crosbie

Graffiti Art Wall - Wednesday July 15th 3 pm
Led by local artist and teacher Jill Caporlingua from Gallery Chaos

Hope to see you there

Michelle

Summer Reading Begins!

2009-06-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sign up online or in the library

Teen Summer Reading
Log hours read and written to be eligible for prizes
Come into receive your packet which includes
a journal and the rules

Teen Summer Workshops:
Improv
Creating Video Games
Film Making
Paper Making
Chess Club
Art Wall

See Calendar for dates
We appreciate sign-ups so we can plan but you are always welcome to attend.

See me if you have any questions.

I hope to see many of you over the summer.

Be safe and remember to bring a book with you wherever you go!

Next post will be book recommendations.

Come pick up your copy of Expresso Summer 2009!

Michelle

A picture is worth a thousand words...

2009-05-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Planting Day, Wednesday May 27 3 pm!

2009-05-26T09:48:00.001-07:00

We built the bed!

Join us for planting.
Bring some plants to donate if you have them.
Still in need of some herbs and maybe one tomato plant

We already have promised or in hand:
watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, zucchini, one tomato plant, some peppers, lavender, lemon basil, lettuce and chard

I was INSPIRED to build one in my own yard over the weekend

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It was great fun and hopefully will prove very rewarding!

We will be reading to our garden this summer. Perhaps we will even be INSPIRED to write it some poetry ;)

my garden
inspires me
to grow
~ michelle r

Edible Garden Project!

2009-05-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

Green Teens - join us Friday, May 22 at 3 pm

We will walk from the library down to the Oriti's house to build a raised bed
for our vegetable garden. Wear something appropriate and bring a hammer, gloves and you green thumb if you can.

We'll discuss the square foot gardening method we will be using.

check it out here:

www.squarefootgardening.com

We'll come back to the library and at 4 for a concert if you can stay....
Melissa Lisbao, who will be performing at Carnegie Hall in June, will play the violin for the community. She will be performing three Celtic fiddle pieces, Bach’s Sonata in G-Minor, and, Wieniawski’s Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Opus 22

We will have refreshments at the library.

Planting next Wednesday the 27th at 3 pm!

See you there.

Michelle

With a little help from our Friends...

2009-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

We are generously funded....every cookie, prize, t-shirt and event is compliments of our Friends of the Library. Please support them by donating or purchasing (or both) at the:

Friends of the Library Book Sale - accepting book donations all week. Sale is Sat/Sun, the 16 and 17th Bring your good books to the meeting room. The earlier in the week, the better. We also need volunteers to sort so feel free to stay awhile if you can. Then come back and buy over the weekend.

HP5K - Honoring Riki Jacobs, local aids activist, mom and good neighbor. Race begins Sunday at 9 am. Still time to register. www.therunningcompany.net/hp5k or stop by the Main Street office with your check for $25 and fill out an application. Pick up your t-shirt/number and goody bag at the 421 Raritan between 12 - 2 on Sat or the morning of the race 7:30 in Bank of America lot. Good luck to all.

Planting Day on Raritan Ave Saturday May 16th for more info www.mainstreethp.org

GREEN TEENS Take on....
An Edible Gardens Project at the Library - Friday, May 22 join us in building 2 raised beds that will be used to plant some edibles - tomatoes, herbs, radishes etc. For more info and how to find out how you can make your own edible garden http://www.ediblegardensproject.org/

We have a busy summer lined up - check back for info.

Expresso submissions welcome - please send us your poetry, short stories, art, cartoons etc.
expresso@hpplnj.org

Grazie,

Michelle

Free Comic Book Day!

2009-05-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Join me this Sunday afternoon when Fallout Shelter from New Brunswick comes to give away free comic books. All comics will be appropriate for all ages.

They will be here from 1 - 3 - maybe longer if you want them to....
Fallout Shelter will also be bringing some card games and Role Playing Games

Fallout Shelter is located at
27 Bayard St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 354-4520

If you can't make it Sunday please go pay them a visit.

Tell your friends!

See you there,

Michelle

Green Teens Earth Day Extravaganza!

2009-04-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Some of our Green Teens at Sustainable Highland Park's Earth Day Extravaganza:

It was a huge success! The room was packed with exhibitors and active participants. NJN news was there all evening covering the event all evening and we were interviewed - live at 5:15! Yikes...scary but we did very well. I am trying to figure out how to get it taped off my DVR so you can see it. Will let you know if I am successful.

Thanks so much to all the teens who came out to help make wallets and necklaces with the little ones. You were awesome! I think our table was a big hit. Over 100 kids left with one of our crafts!

Congratulations to The Sustainable Highland Park members who put this together. Visit them at http://www.greenhp.org/

Here are some

of our happy creators showing off their work!

See more here: http://www.hpplnj.org/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=19&g2_page=2&g2_navId=xd038e52c

Be a Green Teen this summer when we do some conatiner gardening here at the library. We'll eat our work at an end of summer feast! Look for info on our website - coming soon!

Cheers,

Michelle

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Join the Green Teens at
Sustainable Highland Park's
Earth Day Extravaganza

Tonight, April 22
6 - 9 pm in the High School Cafeteria

Games, crafts, films, workshops

Will post photos of the event tomorrow!

Hope to see you there!

Michelle

Meet me - Monday April 20th 7 pm

2009-04-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Meeting Monday night April 20th!
7 pm
Food will be served.

Anyone who has an interest in helping with

Expresso
Green Teens - Earth Day!
Film Club
Highland Park 5K Race
Book Sale/Swap
Free Comic Book/Retro Game Day
Summer Reading Art Workshops
Book Buddies
Book Discussion/Parties/Author Talks
Anything

....be there, please.

Happy Holidays to those celebrating!
Enjoy your traditions
I'll be making pizzelles and la fiadone

Michelle

What's Happening?

2009-04-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaack and planning teen events for spring and summer!

Here's what's scheduled so far:

April 22
Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day Extravaganza!
Wed, April 22 at 6 pm
Community Room HPHS

I will have a table set up where will we do a children's craft.
I need teen volunteers! Call, email or stop by and see me if you can help.
We will be making pocketbooks and wallets out of old playing cards. Very cute and oh so practical! Who couldn't use on old/new purse or wallet?!
We will meet one afternoon to make some samples....see me.

May 2
Free Comic Books and Retro Game Day
2 pm

I challenge you to a jump rope contest. How many jumps can YOU do?
Beware, I have been practicing. And I can do one trick ;) Worth stopping by to see - maybe.
We will also have yo-yos, slinkies, kazoos, jacks and other retro toys to play with.
And Fallout Shelter from New Brunswick will be giving away FREE Comic Books
Raffle prizes and maybe some Bugles - remember those?

May 17th
Sunday 8 am
First Annual Highland Park 5k!!!!!
Honoring Riki Jacobs

We need runners, volunteers and spectators!

To register - visit here:
http://www.therunningcompany.net/hp5k/

To volunteer contact me and I will put you in touch with the volunteer coordinator.!

Library Book Sale and Swap
May 16/17th
Book sale is Sat and Sunday at the library during library hours.

Teen Book swap will take place at the Street Fair on the 17th.
Starting at Noon. Bring some books to trade. More details later.

Expresso
Teen Magazine
Wednesday afternoons in May
3 pm
May 6, 13, 20, 27

We need writers, artists and editors!
See me or show up at a meeting
I'll remind you
Issue needs to be out in June before end of school

Ciao a tutti!

Michelle

March Madness

2009-03-05T10:48:00.000-08:00

Lots of good stuff in March - including my birthday!! Lucky you (and lucky me!), I won't be in town for it. But, I will be in town for...

Get On Your Feet
Improv Class, Sunday March 8th at 2 pm - Ages 13 and up
George Street Playhouse will be here to lead us through a class that will bring out your inner "Whose Line is it Anyway?". A very fun afternoon, I promise.

This event is part of Family Week at the Theatre, a program of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, co-sponsored by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Discover Jersey Arts

http://www.hpplnj.org
732 572-2750

Teen Advisory Group Meeting, Monday, March 9th 7 pm
All are welcome. Provide input and help plan programs for Highland Park's teens.
Also give input on which books and other materials you think teens would be interested in.
Help...it's fun and we always have refreshments and nice participants.
Community service hours can be earned.

Topics to discuss:
Earth Day
Summer Reading - art theme
Book Swap
Volunteer Opportunities
Coraline/Neil Gaiman Party?
What else?

Inkheart Party, Monday March 16th, 7 pm
All things Inky. Games, Prizes, refreshments.
Sign up online, call or just show up.
http://www.hpplnj.org/teens
732 572-2750

Earth Day, April 22, 6 - 9 pm HS Cafeteria
Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day 2009 Extravaganza!

We will be participating in the first annual Sustainable Highland Park Earth Day Extravaganza.
We will be joined by other local businesses and community groups that embody the five goals of the Highland Park Green Plan: Healthy People, Healthy Environment, Strong Community, Convenient Transportation and Fairness & Equity. We need to identify one or more sustainable goals we want to showcase to the community at our Earth Day event.

More info to follow after our Teen Advisory Meeting on March 16th

Expresso, Teen Magazine
Look for info after the 16th of March. We will be publishing a May/June issue.

Good stuff...be at something.

Peace, Michelle

2nd Annual Teen Film Festival!

2009-01-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars!
The Highland Park Teen Film Festival
will take place in two weeks!

February 8th at 2 pm.

Come see what local teens have created for your entertainment. Local teens have been filming around town and you'll see local talent featured in the films! We also have some top-notch entries from Rutgers Prep and Rutgers University students.

A Q & A with the film makers will follow each feature. Don't miss the opportunity to provide encouragement and constructive criticism to these budding artists. They look forward to your feedback.

We hope to see you there.

In the meantime, we will be hard at work finishing up. Yes, we can!

Michelle

Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Now I must see the movie to see what they invented from 20 pages of a short story by Fitzgerald.

Someone else please read it. We have it in a collection of short stories.
Stop by to talk to me about i t- but give me a chance to see the movie. Is living life backwards better or worse? How does your perspective influence your answer?

I am fascinated by books to movies right now.
Slumdog Millionaire is based on a book called Q&A. Also, out now Revolutionary Road, The Reader...read the book first and then see the movie. I could never do it the other way around.

Speaking of books to movies we will have some more books to movie themed parties.
The Twilight party was so fun we decided to keep it going with Tale of Desperaux and Inkheart.
Look for more info - both will be in March so get reading and see the movies if you get a chance.
All ages welcome.

Cheers,

Michelle

Teen Film Festival Fast Approaching! And books...

2009-01-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday, Feb 8th at 2 pm!

We are in high gear; filming, editing, rounding up other submissions, creating the t-shirts, programs....lots to do! We want it to be good and we hope you come out to see what some of our local teens have been able to do with a camera and in most cases, a little help from their friends.

And...reading lots of good books in the meantime. This is my most recent list of books consumed....would recommend them all...Check them out in our catalog. What are you reading?

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

This is What I did by Ann Ellis

Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Someday this Pain Will be Useful to You by Peter Cameron

Paper Towns by John Green

Book of A Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

The Luxe and Rumors by Godbersen

On the Pile...

Hunger Games by Collins
Madapple by Meldrum
Absolute Brightness by Lecesne
Tomorrow by Graham Swift (adult)
Space Between Us (adult)
Graceling by Cashore
Inkdeath by Funke
Let it Snow - 3 holiday romances by Green, Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Also - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It's only 24 pages long. I'll return it tomorrow - must read before subjecting myself to Brad Pitt as man-baby....not sure I'm ready. Love the idea of living life backwards! Silly me, I thought it was my idea. Great minds....

Aloha!!

2008, If I had to sum it up...Bittersweet

2009-01-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

I have a deeper understanding of the meaning. If you do not, look it up. It's a good word to know. Sort of a one word oxymoron. Now you can look that up also ;)

Let's hope 2009 is just plain sweet. I've got plans to make sure of it. This helps, I think.

We'll start with our Teen Film Festival in February. Festival will be Feb 11th at 2 pm. Be there to see what we've created. Next year it will take place in the summer- the weather is working against us.
We will meet Monday evening Jan 5 and 12th. Filming Sunday the 11th at 1:30 at library.

Our next most important event will be a Teen Advisory Club Meeting - all of you interested in books, programs, fund raising and socializing - be there. Send me an email if you are reading this and not already on my list and getting updates from me. I'll let you know when it will be. Probably after school one day.

Just for fun...
What did you resolve to do in the new year?
Drink more water? Read more books? Eat more fruit? Save more money/spend less money? Be nicer? Which reminds me of my favorite quote from 2008. I think it will be very relevant for 2009....take it to heart. It won't cost you a penny, so I predict a great return on your investment.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Peace,

Michelle

What do you do at a Twilight Party?

2008-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Do what I did - ask Jacqueline- she had the best ideas! Thanks JF!
Fran and Charlie were great partners in "party"...many thanks to both of you.

5o of you Twi-hards showed up! Thank YOU!

And - A special to The Friends who sponsored the party for us. You gotta love our Friends!

We decorated the room

We made chocolate chess pieces, vampire bites, werewolf nibbles and Bella's Punch

The pins were a huge hit
My fav:
"Sorry I only date boys who sparkle"

Check out the other pins available at www. zazzle.com

We played the Twilight:Person, place or thing game

Am I edible?

Am I human?

Am I a mushroom ravioli?
Yesssss......!

We added some sparkle
- and some fangs

We "bob"bed for apples

and he shares the secret-
Go for the stem!

We couldn't stump anyone with trivia questions - Team Alice won on the car race tie breaker.
No pictures of the car races?
Picture....matchbox car - propelled by blowing through a straw! Hilarious...you had to be there

Everyone got a pin and some lucky Twi-hards won prizes!

And...had lots of very lively discussions:

Edward or Jacob? It's Jacob for me, but Edward's made some inroads since the movie. No dog pun intended

Which character would you be?

What if you could be a new character? What would be your backstory - where and when did you live - how did you "die"?

And who knows what conversations went on without me?!!

It was great fun and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

Look for more photos in our online photo gallery
http://www.hpplnj.org/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2025

~Alice

It's Twilight Time!

2008-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

A little game to get you in the mood....party Monday Dec 8th at 7 pm
Come dressed up - or we'll add some sparkle for you!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

I'm an ESME

You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great

importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be

sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and

appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

I love me!
Who are you?

Thanks Giving

2008-11-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Points to ponder...

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

~ H. U. Westermayer

~ Melodie Beattie

On a lighter note - some books to enjoy over the break...I am reading them for the next Garden State Book Awards list (6th - 8th grade fiction) If you read any, please pass along your feedback.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
A re-telling of a little known Grimms fairy tale. Dashti, the mucker maid and her lady are sentenced to 7 years in a tower because her lady refuses to marry the evil Lord. Dashti eventually leads Lady Saran to the land of her true love, where the 2 work as kitchen maids until they can figure out how to reveal themselves. Better than Twilight ;) !

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
Thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod really hates junior high. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: He’s being hunted by a vampire killer.

Beastly by Alex Flinn
A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form. I love the "chat room" bits. Good humor throughout.

Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones.

Miss Spitifre: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller
A fictional account based on fact. At age twenty-one, partially-blind, lonely but spirited Annie Sullivan travels from Massachusetts to Alabama to try and teach six-year-old Helen Keller, deaf and blind since age two, self-discipline and communication skills. Includes historical notes and timeline. Loved this one- a must read for Helen Keller fans like me.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and Holling learns much of value about the world he lives in. Next on my list - can't wait!!

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust

Your vote is important!

2008-10-27T12:31:00.001-07:00

Too young for the Presidential election but juuuust right for the

Garden State Teen Book Awards!

Choose your favorite titles in 3 categories, 6-8th grade fiction, High School fiction and Non-fiction

Pick up a ballot in the Young Adult room of the library and give it to Mrs Reasso at the Reference Desk.

Students can also vote online at
http://www.bccls.org/teens/gstba/2009 .

To download and print the ballot, go to:
http://www.njla.org/honorsawards/ .

Please vote for as many titles as you like. The winning author will be invited to speak at an awards luncheon in the spring. Maybe we can even get a teen author talk - depends on who wins - tell us who you would like it to be!

Please put your name and number on the ballot - Some voters will win free books!

Good Luck and thanks for exercising your right to vote.

Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good: 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

HP Meadows Project - Green Teens/Film Club

2008-10-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

Partnerships - that's what we need for the Green Teens HP Meadows Project to succeed. I'd love to see us accomplish this but we need help and I think we can find it here in Highland Park.

What is our HP Meadows Project?
The HP environmental Commission is working on restoring a wooded area of HP. The area used to be a dump and has been left to fend for itself. It is full of non-native invasive plants and overgrown weeds etc. It is called HP Meadows and is located at the bottom of South 5th Avenue near DPW. You can see they have already cleared some trails and are busy working thru the nice weather to get as far as they can before the cold weather sets in.

Green Teens would like to take on a piece of that restoration project. We have identified a plot of land that we are going to clear of non-native invasive plants and re-plant with natural landscaping that will be attractive and useful to butterflies and other wildlife. It's a great way to make an impact in our own community. Along the way we will learn about project planning, native and non-native plants, soil composition, irrigation and who knows what else - I'll be sure and tell you about it along the way!

It is very much a hands on activity and we are going to need more adults who can supervise off-site activities and bring more kids into the fold.

Think about other youth groups or organizations you know about that might like to work on an environmental project with us - do you know any boy scout troops, girl scouts, 4-H clubs? Groups that might be interested in partnering with us. Perhaps even our own rec dept. Think....I'll start making some calls.

I suggest we work on getting this support and doing our research over the fall/winter and be ready to do hands on work in the spring.

We would like to present our Project Plan to the HP Environmental Commission. Good idea, right? I'll help, I promise.

Let's meet this Monday Oct 20 at 3 pm to discuss our plan of action. Please be there if you are a Green Teen.
-------------------------------------------------------
Film Club

I am also busy working with some other teens on our film festival - making films and trying to get the word out to YOU to make your own film and submit it. Mtg for them Monday night 7 pm
Applications will be on our teen web page or stop by the library and pick one up.

Come to Film Club Mtg ready to break into groups and storyboard and brainstorm ideas. We need to filming by early November. Storyboarding comes first.

Bring cameras and laptops if you have them - the more equipment the more we can accomplish.

Cheers, Michelle

How did that happen?

2008-10-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

October already...seriously?

I hope you're in a routine already - I'm not. Yikes. Must work on this. Tomorrow...

A few updates to our activities.

Green Teens - on hold - it's a huge commitment I'm not sure we can take on right now.
I'll keep you posted.

We can do other green activities without the hands on project at the Meadows - for now.

Film Club

Very actively working on promos for our festival to be held on January 11, 2009!
We have made 2 commercials and are working on 2 others! We have lots of new faces and it's very fun. We are learning how to work with cameras and software for editing. We have a few film ideas and always need actors, writers and funny people in general. Look for us on Youtube - "HP Library Teens" and on Local cable Ch 15 HPTV

Book Club

Maximum Ride - The Angel Experiment
Monday, Nov 17 at 7 pm
A fun book - action, light sci-fi and humor! A good read for all. Really. And if you like it, there are 3 more in the series. Pick up a copy at the desk.

Twilight Party!
Dec 8 at 7 pm

Everything Edward and Bella - and Jacob - because I love him the most.What is Bella thinking? Join us for a night of games, chat and fun - and food. We're cookievores, not to worry.

I'll be looking forward to seeing you whenever. ;)

Michelle

Eat Your Wheaties...

2008-09-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

We have a lot on our plates. Or maybe you shouldn't eat too many wheaties if we have so much on our plates. I'll let you decide.

Teen Film Festival in January
Next Mtg is Oct 6th at 7 pm - 8:30 pm
What will we do?
Shoot and edit promos for our festival - this way we can all practice together
Promos will go on Youtube and HPTV, cable Channel 15
Work on our group film - Highland Park Zombie...the horror?!
Help other film makers with storyline, shooting, acting
Fundraise - we need software, money for t-shirts, and potentially a camera and laptop?!
Work on flyers, ads etc to promote our event.
Bring a digital camera and/or laptop if you have one. We have some equipment to share.

Green Teens Environmental Project at Meadows Trail
Meet Sunday, Sept 14 meet at 1:45 at the library or at Meadow Trails (bottom of south 5th)
at 2.
We will be selecting our plot of land for our restoration project and go on a guided Bird walk, Free! Don't miss it. Wear long pants and closed toed shoes.
Meet Monday, Sept 15th at 7 pm at the library to begin working on our Project Plan

Teen Advisory Group
Wednesday Oct 1, 4 pm
Help plan activities (fund-raising, community service, teen magazine, book club, chess, game days etc) and suggest books for purchase. Very fun. Always food and a lot of laughs. And, we get stuff done.

Hope to see you there.

Email me if you have any other ideas, suggestions, comments
mreasso@hpplnj.org

I'm baaaaaack!

2008-08-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

I missed you all very much and am happy to be back to a job that I love!

I fully expected to be off on another venture, but some unexpected family issues and the lack of other opportunities kept me in the market for a job. So, here I am, and I am happy to see - so are you!

We have a lot of fun programs planned including our film festival, Expresso, and a new activity called "Green Teens". I'd like to find some way to devote different web pages to each of these activities so you can follow the progress of each, including photos, upcoming events and articles written by you(?) about what we have been doing.

Our first event will be a Teen Advisory Group Meeting so we can plan the things that you are most interested in.

Look for more news and emails in the next few weeks.

If you would like to receive weekly emails from me, please send me an email at mreasso@hpplnj.org

Hope to see you in the library!

Michelle

June Already!

2008-06-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Amazing. I've said that a lot in the last 8 weeks.

My dad has been quite ill since mid-April. The 14th to be exact. Anyway, it has been a roller-coaster ride, with some serious dips. My poor dad has a long road to recovery but we have a lot of folks making sure he stays on it. No worries.

So, summer's here! Along with spending days with dad recuperating, I hope to read, spend time at the beach with friends and family and look for a school librarian job for the fall. I may have to take a course or 2 to get certified - waiting on Dept of Ed to let me know what I have to do.

That's it. An update and hopes that you are looking forward to a change in pace (slower) and that you will make the most of it!

Congratulations to all you graduates. On to your next adventure. Very exciting!

Best, Michelle

Thank you

2008-04-16T06:07:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all of you who came to the party or stopped by. It was so nice to celebrate with all of you. You failed miserably as individuals on the trivia quiz, but as a group you scored a 100! As it should be...each of you participated with me at the library in a different way. You were my book buddies, writers, readers, cartoonists, knitters, artists, and even film makers! All of you were unique friends. Thank you. It was great fun. To the embarrassment of my children, I really enjoy running into you around town, so keep your eye out for me and say hello! Be good. Michelle

Check out more photos at www.hpplnj.org/teens Click on photo gallery

Improv!

2008-03-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of our small but very talented teen? group.

Unfortunately, I picked a bad night...the play rehearsal was that evening and it was a religious holiday...my mistake. Sometimes these things happen when you plan a date far in advance. However, because you couldn't make it I got to jump in. You would have loved it - I did! Louis Wells, our instructor, was super and teaches at the George Street Playhouse. His GSP classes are listed below.

Teenprov - Improv Intensive… Back by popular demand!
Ages 13-17/ Saturday, April 12, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

Improv Workout (Adult)
4 classes, Mondays, April 28, May 5, 12 & 19, 6:45 – 8:45 pm.

Adult One-Day Improv
Saturday, June 7, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Check out all the classes at GSP at this link ttp://www.georgestplayhouse.org/education/theatre_classes.php

Thank you to the Nj Theatre Alliance and NJ State Library for awarding us these workshops.

This was the middle school group - check out all the photos at our teen photo gallery - www.hpplnj.org/teens

Don't forget to check out the video that made it all possible - thanks, Jiali and Rose ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW7T5AiGDNQ

Keep smiling!

Michelle

So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu,

2008-03-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.

Well, it has to be done -
So, we will choose to celebrate all the fun we had while it lasted!

Party - be there if you can.....

Wednesday, March 26th at 3:30 we will get together for some snacks, some laughs, and a few hugs - no tears. If you can't make it Wednesday I will also be here on Sunday the 30th - my real last day. Stop in to say until we meet again?!

I live in town so you're sure to see my walking my dog, riding my bike or in Stop 'N Shop!

And, I'll definitely be stopping back in at the library. I'll make sure and borrow all my books after school.

If I get to it, I'll try and make up a game to play - any suggestions?
Maybe just charades or pictionary - those are my favorites. And, of course, this party will be all about me - and you! I'll bring a book for all of you to sign, how's that? And we'll take lots of photos.

Much love to all of you for being such a wonderful part of my life. It was a joy to work here with all of you. You made me laugh, think, smile and laugh some more! And I ate a lot more cheez doodles than I should have! Shame on you.

Wishing you all the best and I will look forward to hearing from you now and then.
Tell me what you're reading!

See you at the party....

Peace,

Michelle

It's Official

2008-03-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, the board decided Monday evening that I will be laid off effective March 31. Thank you all for your kind words and support. If you have to get run out of town it's nice to know you will be missed. Not sure what is next for me, but I'll keep you informed. For sure, we'll have a party before I go! I'll let you know when.

Lucy Paras will be taking over the responsibilities of Teen Librarian. I will be working with her all month to ensure a smooth transition and you will see both of us at all of the March events listed below. She is looking forward to working with all of you. I feel good about leaving you in good hands. However, I feel sad about leaving you at all... :(

Let's make the last month a good one!
I hope you have been reading your Sue Grafton books in prep for next week's discussion!

Monday, March 10th , 7 - 8 pm
Teen Book Club
Any Sue Grafton Mystery, “A” is for Alibi, etc.
We will compare them to other mysteries, old and new. Refreshments served.

Sunday, March 16th, 2 -3 pm
Ready, Set, Improv
Grades 6 – 8
Join us for this introductory improv comedy experience. The class will be fast paced, fun, and a great way to learn how to think on your feet. It is perfect for all skill levels.
Taught by local artist and teacher, Louis Wells, for George Street Playhouse.

Monday, March 17th , 7 - 8 pm
Poetry Workshop
Local poet, Maxine Sussman, will lead us through a creative and productive class.
The poems will be read in April during an open mic night.

Thursday, March 20th, 6 - 8 pm
Teenprov
High School students only
Leave your inhibitions behind and hop on board for improv. This intense class will introduce students to varying styles of improve, ranging from theater games to comedy sports. Taught by local artist and teacher, Louis Wells, for George Street Playhouse.

Tuesday, March 25th, 3 – 4:30 pm
Battle of the Books Competition
6th Grade
Watch 6th graders battle for book-bragging rights! Each team of 6th graders reads 12 – 15 books and gets a chance to impress us with what they know. This is practice for the April competition against TJ Middle School in Edison . Come out and support your favorite booklete!

Thursday, March 27th, 3 – 4:30 pm
Battle of the Books Competition
7th/8th Grade
Watch 7/8th graders battle for book-bragging rights!
Each team reads 12 – 15 books and gets a chance to impress us with what they know.
This is practice for the April competition against TJ Middle School in Edison .
Come out and support your favorite booklete!

Cheers,

Michelle

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

2008-02-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

Feel free to sing along....whistle if you can ~

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

Words and music by Eric Idle
From Monty Python

Not to worry - I tin whistle.

;-)

New Photo and Upcoming Events

2008-01-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

So, can you identify any of the books in my new photo? How about the one I am reading? E-mail me if you have a guess. You could win something.

Upcoming Events!

Teen Film Festival
Still accepting, but hurry. Festival is on Sunday, Jan 27 at 1 pm
Deadline for submission is January 7th.

Crochet Buddies
Looking for teens and children to get together and crochet. Teens will teach. Make scarves, hats, toys - they know how and can show us! Bring your own yarn if you can. We have hooks. Teens and kids need to register 732 572-2750 Cookies, hot chocolate served.
Wednesdays starting Jan 16th. 3 pm

Game Days
Fridays at 3 pm. Guitar Hero! Monopoly, scrabble, chess and more... check the calendar for dates www.hpplnj.org/teens

Zine
Help do the artwork for our next issue. Also need typists and editors. Tuesdays after school. Jan 8th, 15 and 22nd. 3 - 4:30. Just show up.

Be at something.....

Michelle

An Attitude of Gratitude

2007-12-19T09:38:00.001-08:00

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
~ Albert Schweitzer

We accomplished a lot in 2007. How did that happen? Hmmm, well, we happen to be very lucky that we live in a community full of talented and generous individuals. We are very fortunate that many people in our own community came out to the library to share their time and their skills with us.

So, as we wrap up 2007, let's offer some gratitude to those who have helped to light the flame within us all.

Harriet Gordon taught us how to knit and inspired us with her beautiful creations.

Pria "starheart" Campanelli led us through a spiritual evening of yoga and meditation.

Jack Yang helped us improve our chess skills and we enjoyed challenging him and one another!

Tina Weishaus shared her Global Warming presentation with us. An Inconvenient Truth, indeed.

Maxine Sussman shared her beautiful rock collection and inspired us to write poetry that we published in our teen magazine, Expresso.

Laura Callahan and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office presented a fascinating program all about crime scene investigation to kick off our summer reading program.

Sergeant Gary Panichella kicked off our book buddies program by reading to us. I heard he is in one of our teen films as well.

Rick Black taught us how to write haiku and showed us how to make our very own haiku
booklets illustrated with handmade stencils.

Pat Huneke, and her therapy dog, Phoenix, came in so our book buddies could read to Phoenix. Phoenix was a very good listener and Pat was terrific for sharing her time and her
story of working with a therapy dog.

Jennifer Williams ran some super programs for us including the very popular Harry Potter party! Welcome back, Jennifer, we missed you.

Leora Wenger shared her talents with us by showing us how to design our own websites using CSS. You can see them if you visit the teen page of our website www.hpplnj.org/teens

Marc Mappen, entertained us with fascinating stories of Weird NJ!

Dara Botvinick and Tim Harrison have been bringing the 6th graders over to foster a love of reading and make sure the kids know that they are most welcome here at the public library. They have also used the art displays here as writing prompts. We'll be sharing some of those stories with you in Expresso. Awesome teachers, HP is lucky to have them both.

Along those same lines, awesomeness included, Nicole Marionni brought her poetry class over to do some research. She also brought the required summer reading books over to the library so we could make sure you all got your copies and so that I could have an opportunity to help you find your optional titles. I hope to see more of you next summer....

Gary Leslie, of HPTV, and Sam Shiffman are helping us make films for our teen film festival. They have been an extremely valuable resource to us and very generous with their time. Check out our commercials on HPTV!

Our library board, our director, Jane Stanley, and all of the staff here are very supportive of all that we do, for that we are very grateful. Jeanne, Fran, Lucy, Val, Lisa, Renee, Udeshi, Maria and all of our part-timers and pages - thank you for all that you do to make the Highland Park Public Library a wonderful place to be!

The Friends of the Library who fund our programs. We couldn't do any of it without them.

Lastly, a big thank you to my favorite sparks - the teens who have worked with me to plan and promote programs, to those who participated and helped make our events successful and well-attended, and to those of you who just visit to do homework or select books - it is always my pleasure to see you. I count you all among my many blessings.

I look forward to a new year full of reading, writing, playing and whatever else we decide to do - with you.

Be happy, healthy, safe and always, always grateful.

Michelle

Project Linus NJ - Monday night Dec 17th at 7 pm

2007-12-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Aaah, it's that time of the year again! The teens at our library love this project. I don't think they will mind if I speak for them by saying that we like it for multiple reasons.

Everyone can participate in the project - no sewing skills required. We love an all-inclusive!

We get a chance to socialize (and eat) while we are working

The finished blankets are absolutely adorable!

And the best part....
The blankets go to children in need

For more information on the project and to see how you can get involved visit www.blankiedepo.org

See more photos at our photo gallery www.hpplnj.org/teens

Michelle

What I've Read Lately....How about you?

2007-11-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Some of these titles are new and some were just new to me...

Beastly by Alex Flinn
Loved this modern day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. It takes place in NYC. The chat room bits are my favorite. Check it out - literally!

Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
A comical fairy tale with some quirky characters. Nice artwork as well!

Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages
Loved reading about this time period. It is set in the 1940's and is about about Dewey (not of the decimal system) who lives with her father in Los Alomos, New Mexico. Officially, Los Alomos does not even exist, although it is buzzing with scientists and mathematicians from all over the world who are working on "the gadget". Can you guess what that might be? A glimpse into what the world was like before the invention of "the gadget".

Echo by Kate Morgentoth
Justin's life has unraveled since the death of his brother. On the anniversary of his brother's death things start to really fall apart. He seems to be reliving the same day over and over again. Each time it is slightly different - what's real and what isn't? Just like you are, Justin is trying to figure that out.

Flight by Sherman Alexie
Just "Call me Zits", says the main character. He has inherited his mom's green eyes and his dad's acne, which neither of them are around to see. He has been in and out of foster care since the age of 10. See where this is going? Yes, not good. He goes on a shooting spree and finds himself travelling back in time, inhabiting various people's bodies whose lives will help to shed some light on his own.
It's a bit violent, so not for everyone, but if you do read it, stop by to chat with me about it.

Just started The Golden Compass by Pullman. Gotta read it before the movie comes out!

Your Halloween Treat - New Books!

2007-10-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's true...the only thing better than being able to order books is to open the box
and get them ready for you! So stop by to see what came in...

Here a few titles to whet your appetite:

Click One novel by 10 authors
Stories within a story, written as separate chapters by ten juvenile authors including Linda Sue Park, Eoin Colfer, and Tim Wynne-Jones, reveal the adventurous life and legacy of George "Gee" Keane, a photojournalist and world traveler.

Does my Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Despite her parents' gentle warnings that she may be ostracized, Amal decides it's time to be true to herself and her faith and to wear her head scarf, or hijab, full-time. Can she handle the taunting? Could you? Think about that as you read about what Amal has to deal with. You will love her for her humor, intelligence and her courage!

Leap of Faith by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Forced to attend a Catholic middle school because of her conduct, Abigail discovers a talent for theater and develops a true religious faith.

Sure Fire by Jack Higgins
A popular author of best-selling adult novels, Jack Higgins has written a thriller for teens. I'm currently enjoying this one! The plot: Resentful of having to go and live with their estranged father after the death of their mother, fifteen-year-old twins, Rich and Jade, soon find they have more complicated problems when their father is kidnapped and their attempts to rescue him involve them in a dangerous international plot to control the world's oil.

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
For those of you who are very busy, but want to enjoy a quick read, I bring you a collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman. As he says in his forward, "Short stories are tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams. They are journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and still be back in time for dinner". How can you not love a man who says stuff like that?!

On that note...I'm off to another world. Dinner is 10 minutes so it's Neil Gaiman for me tonight ;)

Hope to see you in the stacks.

Michelle

I am thankful for laughter.....

2007-10-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose."
~ Woody Allen

Celebrate laughter during Teen Read Week, Oct 14 - 20th

This year's theme is Laugh Out Loud @Your Library

Miss Fran and I will be at Autumn in the Park, Thursday night with a Laugh Out Loud Trivia Game. Please stop by and play - you could win a free doughnut from Dunkin! We will be outside of Saiff Drugs.

Also, vote for your favorite teen read at the American Library Associations website
Teens Top Ten - see the nominated titles and vote for your favorite!

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/teenstopten.cfm

Last year's top ten:

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
3. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
5. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
6. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
7. Poison by Chris Wooding
8. Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart
9. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
10. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

And, mark your calendars - Oct 29th at 7 pm we'll have film making workshop!

Also, submit any short stories, poetry, book reviews, games etc. to me via expresso@hpplnj.org

Expresso may come out before Christmas - and we may sell copies- thoughts?

E-mail me, mreasso@hpplnj.org

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

2007-09-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

September 29 - October 6 is official Banned Books Week!

What is a banned book? It's a book that has been removed from a public or school library or classroom because someone or some organization believes that the content is inappropriate.

The message that Banned Books week hopes to get out is that
Free People Read Freely.
That's not to say that all books are appropriate for all people, just that you (or your parents) should have the freedom to choose for yourself what is appropriate.

Banned Books week is about protecting your freedom of choice.

Please take a few moments to reflect on that message and to also consider the quote by Voltaire at the top of my blog.

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

For more information check out ALA's website www.ala.org/bbooks
Take a look at some of the most challenged books in recent years. Do they offend you? Why or why not? Why might someone else be offended?

Talk about it tonight at your dinner table.

Peace.

Whew...Summer Wrap-up and what's next? Film Fest

2007-09-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

We did it! Along with lots of other events - we read almost 500 hours this summer - and that's not counting those of you who didn't share. Congratulations, I'm proud of all of you! Even those of you who read secretly...
We also some fun with Monday night activities; the murder mystery (remember the tape outline of the dead you-know-who?!), The Birds (still creepy after all these years!), altered books, Sherlock Holmes, game night, Crime Scene Investigation, and Karaoke (appreantly more fun for those of singing than those in the audience. You know how I know? You asked us to please stop! It was fun while it lasted...)

Book Buddies was a HUGE success with an average of 50 of you reading together each Thursday afternoon. That's awesome! The little buddies adored you and they read and chatted with you about a LOT of books. You should very proud of your work. I am. I know some of you have run into your book buddies around town - did you do the secret handshake?! Okay, okay...we'll re-think that idea for next year ;)

As far as our other events, I have to admit my favorite event was the haiku book-making workshop with Rick Black. I don't know what was more fun, the nature walk, the writing, or the stenciling. If you haven't stopped by to see our handmade books, please do. You are sure to be impressed and will want to make your own.

A close second was the webmaster workshop led by Leora Wenger. The web pages that were created will be linked to our teen page shortly. It was so nice to see it all come together for those of you who were new to HTML! Again, proud of all your work. Good job. We hope to have Leora back to run some other tech workshops for you. Let me know what you'd be interested in learning.

DEAR time was a bit of a bust - what? it's not cool to come hang out at the library and read?! I should have known better. Anyway, I had a couple of afternoons of quiet reading with a few of you. What's not to like about that?

On the other hand, Chess was a success! We met some new players and will be having tournaments throughout the year. Thank you to Jack Yang for running the summer program and congratulations to our winners

Look for photos of all of these events in our NEW photo gallery. Get it to it from the Teen home page.

Upcoming projects include a Teen Film Festival. We'll be showing films made by you. Can you do that? I'm impressed and would love to see your work. So, share your talents with us...get used to showing your work and get some valuable feedback from an audience who supports you! Want to get involved in planning and promoting the event? First assignment - tell your friends. Second assignment - start writing your scripts. E-mail me at mreasso@hpplnj.org if you want to get more involved than that. From our teen web page click on the Film Festival logo to get entry forms and guidelines.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather! Hope to see you soon.

Michelle

Haiku - for you

2007-08-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

writing a haiku
in the library's back room --
purple mint flowers

~ Rick Black

This is the haiku that Rick wrote about our workshop. Nice, n'est-ce pas?
Like he told us, haiku is just 3 short lines and may conjure up a time and a place. What a nice way to keep a memory!
I am haiku-ing (probably not a real word) everything! Remember, this is my favorite part, it does not need to have certain number of syllables per line!

Here are some websites Rick thought we might enjoy. Check them out and continue to write - it's really fun! Please share any you write that you especially love and we will print them in Expresso.

http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/articles/haiku.htm
http://spice.stanford.edu/digests/Japan/haiku.html
http://haikuguy.com/issa/abouthaiku.html
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/Haiku.html

Enjoy the last days of summer vacation...and stop by for your summer reading books if you haven't already!

Michelle

Midsummer News

2007-08-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Happy August!

I just wanted to keep you posted on what we've been up to this summer - and what there is still time for!
Our book buddies program is in full swing. We have over 50 "buddies" here on Thursday afternoons. The little ones have been reading to our teens (and vice versa) and all have been doing a super job. Miss Fran and I are so pleased with all of our buddies! The little ones just ADORE you teens. We love to see them light up when they see you. Good job! Next year you should think about joining us. Aside from the adoration, did I mention we have cookies and pretzels after every session?

We just finished the coolest workshop on writing haiku and bookmaking. Local poet and book artist Rick Black, helped us write haiku and showed us how to make our own beautiful books. They are on display in the library by the reference desk. Please come by and admire our work. We are rightfully very proud! We are lifelong Rick Black fans and we hope he comes back again to work with us.

Also, we still have several nights of summer reading left. Monday nights a t 7 pm. Stop by and tell us what you're reading and to socialize. See me for details or just show up on a Monday night. This Monday, the 6th, is game night, the next is movie night and the last night, August 20th, we party with guitar hero and karaoke! Prizes for everyone!

We still have a whole lot of summer left..don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Let the Summer Reading Begin!

2007-07-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hi, all,

Join us Monday Night at 7 pm for our kick-off of our summer reading program!
At 7 I will collect your reading logs and dole out your raffle tickets.
You will get an extra raffle ticket for showing me your library card. How else can you check out some of the new books we have just in - just for you.

At 7:30....
We will host a Crime Scene Investigation program, thanks to Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and our friend, Bruce Kaplan. Come see what it takes to break down a crime scene and how science is used to solve mysteries. Solve a crime yourself while you're here!

We will pull raffle tickets for prizes at the end of the evening (8:45)
YNK what you might win!

Don't forget to look for photos of Fran Lee and I "around town". Each week they will be in a new location. When you spot us come in and fill out a raffle ticket and tell us where you saw us. Prizes each week!
They are out there as I write this.....Why did I agree to this? Whose idea was this, Sophia?!

Happy reading! I just finished 13 Little BLue Envelopes - those fans of Sisterhood books will love this one. Her latest Girl at Sea is just out as well. Get your name on the request list for it - it's been out since it came in! I am now in the middle of Maximum Ride. To my delight - I'm enjoying it! I think the Erasers are pretty cool and I keep forgetting Max is a girl...what does that say? The third in the series is out (literally - checked out) but we have several copies.

Need some suggestions? No better way than to come to our meetings and see what your friends are reading. I'm going to start a Recommended Reads book to keep in the YA room. Who wants to help? Stop by and share some of your favorites.

DEAR Time is Tuesdays at 3 pm. Drop Everything And Read
is very cool. We have air-conditioning. ;) Bring a beach towel and come hangout in our sunny meeting room and read for a few peaceful hours. I had a nice group that met with me last week. Hope to see more of you next Tuesday. Bring a friend. It is another great place to get some reading suggestions. I'll share my favorites.

I hope to see you Monday night!

Michelle

Also, thanks to all you Book Buddies. We are off to a great start. You did a SUPER job! Muchos Gracias from the whole staff at the library. You make us proud.
Not to worry, we are proud of the rest of you too. ;)

Meet me at the Library this summer!

2007-05-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Are you going to around this summer? I am, and I'll be right here at the library.

Monday nights at 7 pm I hope to see you at our YNK summer reading nights! You Never Know what we'll be doing. Check the calendar to see the events we have planned...movie nights, a murder mystery party, games, even Guitar Hero! Sign up for Summer Reading at the front desk and get a packet of info so you know what we're doing or just show up a t a meeting and we'll sign you up then. We start July 9th with an evening of CSI! It will be a crime if you don't show up....groan...actually I just promise it will be better than that joke.

Or - be a Book Buddy! Let a child show off his/her reading skills to you this summer. Thursday afternoons at 1 pm we'll be meeting our book buddies and reading, drawing and preparing an aesop's fable skit to perform with our buddies at the celebration party in August. You'll get a t-shirt, ice cream, and a new buddy. You can never have enough buddies...and these are small and don't take up much space on the couch. Get an application off the website or stop in and see me.

What else will we be doing? Check the calendar for specific dates and times, but basically....

Remember DEAR time, Drop Everything and Read?! It's back in fashion here at the library. Tuesday afternoons in July at 3 pm. Bring a beach towel and curl up on the floor with a good book or magazine! Join us when you can.

Chess Club returns! Tuesday afternoons in August. Led by Jack Yang, our local champ who will help us improve and let us test our new skills on him!

Haiku/Book making. 2 mornings. One will be spent on a nature walk and then we'll write haiku. The next day we will making our own little books with our haiku and some artwork. Rick Black will teach us how to do it all!

And finally, our
Webmaster Workshop, the last week in August. Sign up early, we have limited space. Leora Wenger, local web designer will lead the class. Learn about good web design and how to write HTML and use CSS. You will be creating your own new teen pages for the library's website.

It doesn't look like I'll be getting to the beach much, so if you want to see me you'll have to stop by the library. I'll be at the beach after you go back to school :)

See you!

So....about Yesterday

2007-05-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday we had an enthusiastic group of you who came out to talk about Scott Westerfeld's One Book NJ teen book, So Yesterday. Some of you came with your signed copies from "you know when" we heard him speak in Elizabeth. This added some extra excitement - it was almost like he was here with us! Almost. There was no pizza.

We missed those of you who had other commitments - like being honored at your school for your awesome accomplishments. Congratulations! We are proud of you. Why did the rest of you miss? Huh?

I will share some of the highlights here and attempt to post the Powerpoint "Identify that logo" quiz that we played. See if you can do as well as we did. I made up the quiz (with help, of course) and even I missed one!

Some questions we asked each other....

Who decides what is cool? Is it really the Innovators? Who helps them spread the word? The media? Big corporations? What sells cool?

What is planned obsolescence of a product? This was fascinating to me. At first you think - who would want their product to become obsolete?
The answer - anyone who wants to sell you a new and improved product to replace the one you have. Think about some of those. I bet you can think of at least 3.

What is total MOR? Hunter listens to it. We had to look it up. Tell us what you think. If you need a hint it's okay to use www.urbandictionary.com on this one.

What is the MBWF? Scott refers to The Mod Squad. Do you even know who they are? I do. Love them. I had Michael Cole's photo hanging on my wall. I cut it out of Tiger Beat :) Ask your dad who they were - see if he remembers Julie. What are some modern examples of MBWF? We thought of a few.

After when and before when are you not "supposed to" wear white pants? If you never heard that one, ask your mom. She'll know but she may break the rule anyway. If she does, is she an Innovator?

I thought the SHIFT movement was a riot. What was it? One of my favorite lines...."Agnostic? You mean you're not sure if capital letters exist?

On page 201 - what game is he referring to?

What works for you in an ad? Humor? A short story?

What doesn't work for you in an ad? What was the one you mentioned? Apply directly to forehead? Was that it? It was annoying - we saw it on Youtube. First to tell me gets a prize.

Your favorite ad?

In fashion, what is trendy now? How about 10 years ago? What fashions have come back into style?

Rebeccca hates those jingles that pop into your head when you least expect - or want - them to. Know what she means? I bet one popped into your head right now. Ha!
Can you finish this one - I am stuck on band-aids...
Do you know the Highland Park trivia on that jingle?

How popular is your name? Go the Social Security Administration website to see the most common names by decade. We had a lot of fun with this.
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

Did you notice how many shots he took at NJ? Hmph.

Last thought?
If, like Sophia, you object to being labeled - skip this question. Do not pass go, do not collect your $200. In fact, none of you should try to collect $200.
Think about the Cool Pyramid. Where are you? Remember you can be an innovator when it comes to fashion and a lagger when it comes to technology - or any combo.

Innovator
Trendsetter
Early Adopter
Lagger
How about the Jammers?

I hope you enjoyed this "post"-discussion. Please POST if you'd like to join in.

Next month - Private Peaceful. One of my favorites. Thomas is spending the night in a foxhole during WWI. Why would he possibly want the night to last forever? What does the morning bring? Read it and come out and discuss it with us. We're fun. Really. All are welcome.

Michelle

Vote - June Book Club Choice

2007-03-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Your first round of votes narrowed it down to these 12. Please just vote for one this time. h the most votes wins - duh, did I need to say that? Votes will be tallied by May 1st!
Vote by posting to the blog or sending me an e-mail by clicking on the envelope at the bottom of the post.
mreasso@hpplnj.org

Fade to Black by Alex Flinn
Alex Crusan is an HIV-positive teenager. So, when his family moves from Miami to Pinedale, Florida he is not exactly the most popular student. He has to deal with the whispers and taunts from students, especially Clinton Cole and his gang of jocks. So, one Monday morning when Alex goes to pick up coffee and donuts for his family he is violently attacked. Everyone suspects Clinton, especially when an eye-witness comes forward. But, did Clinton really do this? Is he really capable of this kind of violence? Each chapter alternates between the voices of Alex, Clinton and Daria, the eye-witness. As each narrator fills in the gaps of this story the reader starts to see the whole picture more clearly. Fade to Black explores issues of fear, prejudice and AIDs.

Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes
Fuentes uses Artemio Cruz to tell the tale of Revolutionary Mexico. A young idealist with a passion for social justice, Cruz becomes corrupted by power and money. We first meet him as a rich old man on his deathbed struggling with the inevitability of encroaching death. As the old man relives his life, we see the many facets of the individual, and we also come to view him as a symbol of Mexico. Cruz and the Mexican Revolution began as advocates for the rights of the common people, the working class and the peasants, only to be co-opted by the lures of luxury. This is a powerful literary tour-de-force by one of the modern masters of fiction; don't miss it.

Private Peaceful by Michel Murpurgo
At 15, Thomas Peaceful, like many other English soldiers in World War I, is too young to fight, but he lies about his age. Now at the front in France with his older brother Charlie he stands a lonely nighttime vigil for reasons that are not explained until the book's end, watching the minutes tick by and reflecting on his past. While readers see the events through Tommo's eyes, the author does not lose sight of the war's effects on the teen's friends and family. This thoughtful novel touches on themes of humanity and duty, and features brilliant characters whose personal decisions have earned them their very own badges of honor

Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
Thisunique retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" tale is told from the perspective of the Beast. Orasmyn is a prince of ancient Persia who accidentally angers a djinn and finds himself transformed into a lion. As he struggles to survive as a lion while maintaining his humanity, Orasmyn flees to France in a desperate attempt to find a maiden to love him and reverse the curse. He takes up residence in an abandoned castle, obsessively tending his rose garden in the hopes that the right woman will notice. Napoli's lyrical writing and imaginative storyline makes this a magical read.

Luna: A Novel by Julie Anne Peters.
Regan struggles to support her brother, Liam, in his decision to go public as a transsexual and to undergo a remarkable transition into his true self, Luna.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
Lyra overhears a murder being plotted and foils it, but is soon drawn into a web of intrigue that will expose shocking state secrets, force her into alliance with outcasts, and reveal the truth about her parents' identity and fate. Along the way she learns how to use a golden compass that gives figurative as well as literal directions. Just when Lyra things she's gotten to the bottom of the mystery, immense new complications develop. Author Philip Pullman sets the story in a world much like our own, but different in significant ways. Most interestingly, every person in this world has his or her own daemon - an animal spirit that can advise, comport, and befriend its human companion. Pullman's imaginative tale has only just begun.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

The Gospel According to Larry By Janet Tashjian
Josh Swensen is not your average 17-year-old. At the age of two, he was figuring out algebraic equations with colored magnetic numbers. He is a prodigy who only wants to make the world a better place. Josh's wish comes true when his virtual alter ego, Larry, becomes a huge media sensation. Larry has his own Web site where he posts sermons on anti-consumerism and has a large following of adults and teens. Meanwhile, Larry's identity is a mystery to everyone. While it seems as if the whole world is trying to figure out Larry's true identity, Josh feels trapped inside his own creation. What will happen to the world, and to Larry, if he is exposed?

Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas
Steve York is writing his life story to earn the make-up credit he needs to graduate from high school. He recounts many of his high school experiences including his adventures as a charter member of the iconoclastic Grace Order of Dadaists, his first ever romance with a girl nicknamed Dub, and his difficult relationship with his distant father, a former football star and famous astronaut who wants Steve to be more like him. In writing his story, Steve confronts past feelings of anger and resentment and learns that life's situations are not always black and white. Rob Thomas' writing is intelligent, irreverently funny, and truly evocative of the teenage spirit and voice. A must for any teen who swims outside the mainstream.

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
Because Shawn has cerebral palsy, he is unable to communicate, though he is a keen observer of the world around him. Most people see him as a "total retardate". But Shawn is really brilliant, bright and full of insight, though he is unable to control any of his muscles--his fingers, hands, even his eyelids. Amazingly, Shawn's sudden seizures don't bring him suffering, but moments of ecstatic release. How could anyone ever understand this, especially his father, who takes on a personal campaign that supports "ending the suffering" of kids like Shawn? This book will challenge your thoughts on what it really means to be alive.

Double Helix by Nancy Werlin
Eli Samuels' mother is dying of Huntington's Disease and he is aware that it might be in his own future. Yet his father seems certain Eli does not have the fateful genetic marker and maintains a secretive silence. An excellent science student, Eli is hired to work at the famed Dr. Quincy Wyatt's lab, foregoing college and defying his father. In some way, Wyatt is tied to Eli's parents and to their genetic mystery. Thus Nancy Werlin has set the stage for a suspenseful thriller whose seamless boundary between science and fiction keeps readers totally involved.

I Am the Messenger by Mark Zusak
Nineteen-year-old cabbie Ed Kennedy has little in life to be proud of: his dad died of alcoholism, and he and his mom have few prospects for success. He has little to do except share a run-down apartment with his faithful yet smelly dog, drive his taxi, and play cards and drink with his amiable yet similarly washed-up friends. Then, after he stops a bank robbery, Ed begins receiving anonymous messages marked in code on playing cards in the mail, and almost immediately his life begins to swerve off its beaten-down path. Usually the messages instruct him to be at a certain address at a certain time. So with nothing to lose, Ed embarks on a series of missions as random as a toss of dice: sometimes daredevil, sometimes heartwarmingly safe. You will enjoy trying to figure who the messages are from and what their motive might be.

All of these are good books, so I don't think we can go wrong in June! We'll use the "non-winners" for future meetings.
Now, VOTE! Click on the envelope below to send your vote by e-mail or the comments link to post here. Let me know if you have any problems.

Thank you!

We Saw (and spoke to!) Scott Westerfeld!

2007-03-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Are you jealous? You should be. We had a great time. And - all the teens got free signed copies of So Yesterday, thanks to the One Book NJ Committee. Scott was VERY cool if I do say so myself. Or should I say, MAD cool? Mad Cool, in what way, you might ask? Well, for me, cool is smart and funny and thoughtful. I thought he was all those things even before I saw him speak. I had already gotten that impression from reading his books. Peeps was my personal favorite, although I am looking forward to re-reading So Yesterday. So Yesterday, is the One Book New Jersey Teen Book this year. (I'll get back to Scott's visit, but first let me give you a little bit on One Book NJ).

Each year the One Book NJ Committee, along with young adult librarians from around the state, choose a book that is "a great read" and one that will spark some worthwhile discussion. This was "One Book" worthy on all counts. In So Yesterday, Westerfeld mixes mystery, pop culture and humor to explore the theme of consumerism. How do new trends become the new trend? It begs the question of you - would you be an Innovator, a Trendsetter, an Early Adopter, a Consumer or a Laggard? If you have a dictionary you could work out what they all mean, but why not read the book and meet some of the characters who fit the terms?! It's fast-paced, takes place in New York and "everyone" is reading it. Come on, be a Consumer on this one! We'll be discussing it at our May Teem Book club and I'll try to come up with some fun games and activities to go with the theme. Actually, I'll probably steal an idea or 2 from some Innovators...don't tell.

Back to Scott.... Rebecca, Adam, Natasha, Sophia and I took a road trip to Elizabeth Public Library. Here they are getting their free copies of So Yesterday signed by Scott Westerfeld. Sophia is writing an article about the trip for our magazine, Expresso, so I'll let you read more about the trip in our next issue. I will tell you that Scott read to us from So Yesterday and we got some inside scoop about the book he is currently working on, a fourth in his Uglies series! He also brought his wife with him, Justine Larbalestier. She is also an author and is writing the popular young adult trilogy, Magic or Madness. We have the first 2 books Magic or Madness and Magic Lessons and the third and final book, Magic's Child, will be released on March 24th. Come in and check them out!

Scott's advice to young writers is to read, read, read and practice, practice, practice your craft. He also said pay attention when someone is telling a story. We all have friends who can tell a really good story - what is it about it that works? How about those annoying friends who absolutely can't tell a good story - what doesn't work for them? Another thing he likes to do is when he gets halfway through a book - he thinks about how he would finish it, or considers different scenarios than the author chose. It's all about practicing your story telling. You can tell he enjoys what he does and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy what he does as well!

We will have other opportunities to see authors and I will keep you posted you can be sure. Who would you love to see? Let me know and I'll see what I can do!

(Scott Westerfield also has a blog. Click here to see it)

Did mention we had pizza?

2007-02-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

New Arrivals - February 26th!

A librarian's dream - new books! I have a larger batch coming in next week so if you don't see what you like today, check back then. You fantasy/adventure lovers should be happy with these titles. More titles next week including some new manga. Happy reading!

Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground. Autobiography by David Beckham
If you don't know who this is, you probably won't want the book - but if you do...you're gonna want it! I got 2 copies. Published in 2004, it includes his first season at Real Madrid and lots of photos, stats and info about how he got to where he is. Come get a copy before my husband does!

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (Fantasy/Supernatural)
From the inside flap...Five adventerous sisters...four dark creatures...three magical gifts...two forbidden lovers...one enchanted frog. Cross the threshold into the Wildwood, and enter a land of magic, daring, betrayal...and true love.

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson (Fantasy/Time travel)
From Booklist - "When J. J. Liddy is 15, his mother jokingly asks for a birthday present of more time. From an eccentric neighbor, J. J. learns to his astonishment that his mother's request may not be impossible to fill. Bravely venturing into an alternate fairy world, J. J. takes on a thrilling, epic quest in which he confronts dark family rumors and tries to repair a cosmic time leak between his world and "the land of eternal youth."

Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce (Fantasy)
The sub-title which says it all and then some - Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms and a Red Dog.

Tamar by Mal Peet (Spy Novel) Winner if the Carnegie Medal in 2005
In England in 1995, fifteen-year-old Tamar, grief-stricken by the puzzling death of her beloved grandfather, slowly begins to uncover the secrets of his life in the Dutch resistance during the last year of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, and the climactic events that forever cast a shadow on his life and that of his family.
Peet also wrote The Keeper, about a fictional world class goalkeeper from South America. Worth checking out if you are a soccer lover!

The Navigator by Eoin McNamee Fantasy and Adventure)
Owen has always been different, and not only because his father committed suicide, but he is not prepared for the knowledge that he has a mission to help the Wakeful--the custodians of time--to stop the Harsh from reversing the flow of time.

I should put the photos of the covers next to the titles, huh? I'll work on that....

2007-02-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's Been Awhile...What have we been doing?

Teaching chess for one thing....

Jack Yang, an 8th grader who is a local and state champion, ran a 4 week program that was very well-attended! We averaged 25 teens per session and all got to learn some new strategies and try out their new skills on one another and many got to "verse" Jack! All had fun and impressed me with their skill and sportsmanship. Good job to all and a huge thank you to Jack for running it for us.
The winners are shown below with their "teacher"

And knitting.....
Harriet Gordon, who is a local, retired and much loved math teacher led the 4 week program that was also very well-attended! We had all levels of knitters and many came just to help us out, which we all greatly appreciated! Thanks to those teens and adults who were there to help us cast-on and fix our mistakes(yes, we make mistakes...sometimes). A huge thank you to Harriet for giving up her spare time to not only teach us, but to make it look like it was something we could do! Many of you finished your projects and are working on a second. I was impressed by all. And, I actually think I might finish my scarf...although I'll need Anna to show how to get it off the needles!
No rush I'm only 2/3 of the way done. I'll post the final result, just don't look for it any time soon.

Next up - Anime Artist, Doug Baron is coming to show us how to draw some of our favorite characters and how to create our own on Feb 26th at 7:30. Please call to register so we can plan accordingly.

Yu-gi-oh this Friday, Feb 23rd at 3 pm. Bring your best deck and a smile.

Next Book Club is March 5th at 7 pm. We'll discuss the classic, Jonathan Livingston Seagull (ask your parents about it, I'll bet they read it years ago!) Bring some questions or favorite passages to discuss.
Bring suggestions for titles you would like us to read as a group. Be prepared to tell us a little about the book and why it might be a good one for discussion.
I'll send out a pre-list of my own suggestions beforehand.

Gotta run. My next blog will be about new book arrivals! Can't wait! I just love when a box of my book orders arrives! And, I've been reading quite a bit so look for my recommendations...coming soon to the HP teen blog nearest you. Let me know what you've been reading...post a comment!

2007-01-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

"Banned Books" Discussion...ooooohhh, sounds exciting doesn't it?

Well, it was! There were only seven of us, but, as usual, we had a LOT to say! It's a long post - so get a cup of tea and settle in. Write back to us if you want to share your own ideas about censorhsip or your favorite quote.

Quote of the evening by Joel, our favorite newcomer,
"This group opens our eyes to things other people close their eyes to".
We love Joel.

Each of us read a different book that has been banned or challenged in a library or a school. Just to clarify - a banned book is one that has been removed from a library (not ours!) or school because "someone" has deemed it offensive or inappropriate. There are organizations that track this kind of information, namely the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.
Here is a blurb from their website:
The Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries. You can vist them online at, http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/Default622.htm

Please also visit ALA's Banned Books week webpages for more info
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

Joel read To Kill a Mockingbird, which has been banned for racism and vulgarity.
Elias read Captain Underpants, banned for vulgarity and some parents have complained about the mispelled words.
Bobby read Fallen Angels, banned for foul language, violence and gore.
Simon read And Tango Makes Three, about two male penguins at the zoo, who fall in love and raise a baby penguin as their own. Banned for "guess what?" Turns out this is actually a true story.
Tami read Harry Potter which has been banned for witchcraft and wizardry.
Sophia only reads banned books - just kidding - but she is very well-read and could comment on all of the books the others had read. And..we were so happy to have her back!

We discussed each book and why or to whom it might be offensive. While we understood why each book might offend one or more persons, we agreed that one should never be able to say "no one" should read the book. A book about 2 gay males rasing a child obviously has a place on someone's bookshelf. It was a lively discussion about censorship and we asked the question, "Is it ever appropriate?". We think it has it's place. We agreed that parents are often good judges of what you may or may not read, especially when you are young. Perhaps they want to protect you from things you are not emotionally ready for or subjects that might frighten you. We decided this was okay - big of us, huh? We also said that sometimes we do our own self-censoring, the best kind. When YOU decide you don't want to read something. Maybe the whole book, or maybe you just want to skip over passages that make you uncomfortable. Some may ONLY want to read those uncomfortable passages :)

As part of our discussion, I had printed and cut out various quotes on censorship. Periodically we would select a quote to discuss and determine whether it was blog-worthy enough to share. Here are our favorites.

Sophia led the way with the following Emily Dickinson poem.
Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924.
Part One: Life
LXXXVII

FORBIDDEN fruit a flavor has
That lawful orchards mocks;
How luscious lies the pea within
The pod that Duty locks!

A good follow-up is this one

"To forbid anything is to make us have a mind for it" - Michel de Montaigne, Essays 1959

Elias pointed this one out to us -
"I am thankful for all the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech" - Nancie Carmody

We all really liked this one, too
"Adam was but human - this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent: then he would have eaten the serpent" - Mark Twain

Good reverse psychology!

"Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance" - Lyndon Baines Johnson
This one set Sophia off. She objected to the reference to books as weapons and would prefer a gentler word, but the rest of us thought it helped make the point.
It made us think (what a good thing!) Can you think of a better word than "weapon?"

Here are some others that we agreed we'd like to share....

"All of us can think of a book... that we hope none of our children or any other children have taken off the shelf. But if I have the right to remove that book from the shelf - that work I abhor - then you also have exactly the same right and so does everyone else. And then we have no books left on the shelf for any of us."
-- Katherine Paterson, American author of childrens books

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." - Noam Chomsky

"What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist." Salman Rushdie

And as we ended the evening, so I will end this post....

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?" - Juvenal

Until we meet again.

2007-01-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

Through the Looking Glasses

As you can see, I've got my 2007 goggles on and I'm ready to jump on in! I hope you'll join me. Glasses not required, but they do make it more fun!

I know I said I would do a year in review post, but I'll do that later - or not. What I will say is that I really did enjoy working here and spending time with all of you in 2006. So much so, that I'll be working full-time in 2007! AAGH! For you, it means I'll be here every day after school and Monday evenings until 9. It may also mean we actually get Expresso out on time (maybe, I said). For me, it means I do less around my house. You know what that means for my kids...

Anyway, if you were with us in 2006, you know how it went. If we missed you, well, we hope you'll join us in the new year. So, let's look forward and see what we have planned and think about what we might like to do. For starters, we will continue our teen book club, anime days and our magazine, Expresso. We will add chess, knitting, and yoga and meditation to our list of activities in January/February/March.

Please start thinking about other activities that might be of interest to you.

I'd like to create a wiki. Do you know what that is? Supposedly, it is easier than a blog to post to and have "chats". We could use it to have an online book discussion, either about one book or about the books you are each reading. You could provide suggestions to one another on good books, good movies, music, etc. Interest, no interest?

We could also highlight some social issue and plan programs around it. For instance, in January, local resident Tina Weishaus will come and speak to us about Global Warming. We could have a filmfest around that or any other issue that is important to you. Think about it. Perhaps you can start by sugggesting topics. Check out Patricia McCormick's new novel Sold for one idea. She also wrote Cut and My Brother's Keeper.

Technology...is there some technology you would like to learn? HTML, creating videos, working with photos, teaching one on one computer classes to seniors...you tell me. This would require some $ and planning, so if you're interested we have to start working on a plan.

Art? Writing? Poetry? We could have more workshops. Open Mic? Comedy and Improv again? Post, post, post, or...stop by and let me know what you think, or...send me an e-mail. mreasso@hpplnj.org

And, in general, I want to remind you that I am here to help you. Whether you are looking for a book, need help getting some information, or just want to say hello,
I would be happy look up from my desk and find you there.

I wish you all peace, love and laughter in your brand new year!

Tis the good reader that makes the good book;
a good head cannot read amiss:
in every book he finds passages which seem confidences
or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

2006-12-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

New Arrivals!
In no particular order...bad librarian. Actually, good librarian. I'm making you read all the way to the end to make sure you see them all.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, the author of Printz award-winning, Looking for Alaska. Colin has been getting dumped by girls named Katherine all his life. 19 of them to be exact. Will his Theorom of Underlying Katherine Predictability help him get the girl of his dreams?

Getting It by Alex Sanchez - Carlos wants a make-over in order to attract the object of his desire so enlists the help of Sal, the guy at school everyone thinks is gay. In return, Sal wants help starting a Gay-Straight Alliance group. Will Carlos be willing to help Sal?

Street Love by Walter Dean Myers the author of many books,including Monster. Here he writes about first love and how it can be totally wrong for you, yet feel so right. Told in verse.

What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles. Creepy. Cass gets buried alive. Need I say more? I'm taking it home tonight. You'll have to wait!

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor.
You get the idea from the title?

Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah
From the back cover...Should anyone insult you, tell yourself this: I am a child of destiny who will unite the east and west and change the world.
I love it already!

Wide Awake by David Levithan
The presidential election has just been decided. The next president, gay and jewish. Would you be willing to support that and if you wanted to, would you have the courage?

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
A lunar impact knocks the moon closer in orbit to the earth, drastically changing its climate. Miranda's life changes dramtically as she struggles to hold on to hope in a time when that is very difficult to do.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
From the cover...Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret.

The World of Eldaterra by P.RT. Moredun
The Dragon Conspiracy
Mystery, fantasy and adventure!

The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven
Charlie has fallen under The Scourge's dark spell and Jack and Esme must find their friend and save him from the streets of Hell. Can they stop the evil?

Empress of the World by Sara Ryan
What do do when you thought you were attracted to guys and all of the sudden you find yourself in love with your best girlfriend? It happens. Very well-written fictional account what that must be like.

The Insiders by J. Minter
I got a few more volumes in the series. The day to day world of popular guys. According to the book, it's hard not to love them!

Ronaldo a biography by James Mosley
The life to date of famous Brazilian football star, Ronaldo.

Also - a few more Darwin award books came in for your laughing pleasure.

Please post comments on what you read. Let us know what you think! Enjoy!

2006-12-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Holiday Hugs from Project Linus

I know you couldn't all make it this year to the Project Linus blanket making event, but I know you would have been if you could - and you remembered! It was a really nice evening with friends, warm fleece, hot chocolate and quiet conversations - and a little bit of dancing :). We saw some new faces which always makes me happy - and we made seven adorable blankets to be donated to Project Linus NJ.
Check your e-mail for the beautiful thank you note we got from them. You can see how many children and families benefit from your efforts. Give yourself a hug. We'll do it again some time soon. Let me know if you are interested.

Here are a few photos of our "blanketeers"! Thanks to all of you and to The Friends of the Library for donating the materials and the refreshments.

Next events - Yu-Gi-Oh, Thursday, Dec 7 at 3 pm
Crochet, Tuesday Dec. 12 at 3 pm
Zine deadline Thursday Dec 7th......printing on Friday!
We'll save any new stuff for next edition if you don't make it.

Check out our new website for more photos and info www.hpplnj.org

2006-11-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

To Catch a Peep

10 of you showed up, thank you! And, we had a special guest, Pauly, the "gangsta rat". Thanks, Anna for bringing him. I have a new appreciation and fondness for rats.

Now, about your "anathemas"....

What is an anthema? According to MSN encarta
a·nath·e·ma [ ə náthəmə ] (plural a·nath·e·mas) noun
Definition:
1. object of loathing: somebody or something that is greatly disliked or detested and is therefore shunned

We use anathemas to disable peeps so we can catch them. This is what we would need to catch all the peeps that came to the meeting:

Tina Fey dressed as Marilyn Monroe, juggling a soccer ball while singing the Russian national anthem and eating pizza. There will be a homework assignment about whales in her backpack. Did I mention "Marilyn" would be wearing a Nightwish t-shirt, having just come from one of their concerts?

And the the peeps we would catch.....

Sophia Weissman
Shimoen
Harry Greenburg
Henry Greenburg
Daniel Segal
Nicholas Baay
Elias Bull
Simon Davis
Rebecca George
Anna Fadeeva

Can you match them up with their anathemas? Have fun! What would we need to catch you?

2006-11-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Can you guess who my mom is? Hint: What? You need a hint? If so, scroll down to my first post.

2006-10-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know you're reading it, all the copies are out! So, please be here Monday night, October 30th at 7 pm for discussion.
It is a fascinating, says me, book about the world of parasites, rats and vampires, with just a tad of romance. How can you have a vampire story without a little creepy romance?

Come find out the answers to these important questions...Why aren't some snails able to enjoy their little snaily lives? Who's been laying their eggs in someone's left eye? What exactly are YOUR anathemas and does your mother know
about them?

We may have a special guest. I suggest garlic with your dinner. Just in case.

2006-10-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is not me. This my dog, but he is going to dress up like me for Halloween. I will return the favor. Photos to follow.