Upcoming Teen Events

TAG – The Teen Advisory Group will meet on Thursday, Jan 8th and February 5th from 7:00-8:00pm.

Loco for Cocoa III – On Tuesday, February 10th from 7:00 – 8:00 we’ll indulge in chocolate fondue, games, trivia and more. Registration required.

MA-PA – The Manga Anime fans of the Pascack Area will meet on Feb 12th from 7:00-8:00 at the Montvale Library.

Games Plugged and Unplugged – Stuck at home for the break? Stop in on Wednesday, February 18th from 2:00-4:00 to play the Wii or a board game!

Chat & Chew – The high school book club will meet on Thursday, Jan 22 from 6:30-7:30 to discuss Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan and Thursday, February 26th from 6:00-7:00 (note time change) to discuss Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Books are available at the library about one month before each meeting.

All events are open to teens in grades 7-12. If you have any questions contact Laura Leonard.

Laura's Picks of the Year

BEST BOOKS

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collind
2. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
3. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
   

BEST AUDIO BOOKS

1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This is a great story in any form, but it is perfectly suited for audio.
2. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah - A memoir read by the author - horrific and amazing.
   FYI-I am a huge fan of listening to books! I listen to as many as I "read". Mostly they are teen titles, but I will make exceptions from time to time.

BEST ALBUM
Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2009

1. This Full House by Virginia Wollf
2. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Check out my books on Goodreads

Rockin' Display of Rockin' Teen Reads

A display of music related book to rock your world! Here's a list of recommended teen titles. Thanks to Elysia for helping create this.

TAG fundraiser

The TAG held a bake sale over the three days in order to raise money for the All Wrapped Up holiday program. In addition to money raised from the sale many TAG members and some library staff members also donated money. We were able to purchase Christmas gifts for a 17 year-old boy living in Bergen County.

Special thanks to Angela & Jenny for baking and selling; Lauren, Roger, Hilary, and Jacqi for selling; a patron from Woodcliff Lake for bringing delicious baked goods; and staff member Judy Jerome for dropping off the gifts.

Happy holidays to you! If you are in grades 7-12 and interested in joining the Teen Advisory Group contact Laura.

TAG Party & fundraiser

A TAG (Teen Advisory Group) meeting will be held on Thursday, December 4th at a special time -- 6:30-8:00pm. We will be having our holiday party and fundraising as part of the All Wrapped Up holiday program. Please RSVP to Laura.

TAG meeting, MA-PA, Chat & Chew

TAG Meeting - December 4th from 6:30-7:00

This will be a holiday party & fundraising meeting. There will be pizza, dessert, games, crafts, a grab bag, and planning for the bake sale. Grab bag participation is optional. If you put a gift in, you can take one out. Remember to buy something gender neutral with a min cost of $10, max of $15. We will also collect money and plan a bake sale to raise money to purchase holiday gifts for a teen in need. Please RSVP so I can get enough food.

Coming later in the month: MA-PA meeting on Dec 11th, Chat & Chew Book discussion on the 15th or 16th, and events during the holiday break.

Questions, ask Laura.

Vote for GSTBA

You may not be old enough to vote in the presidential election, but YOU CAN VOTE for the Garden State Teen Book Awards. Vote for the book or books that you think are the best. You can vote in any of the three categories as long as you have read the books.

A Few New Games

Did you know that you can borrow videogames from the library for free? That's right. Just like DVDs, our videogames go out for one week at no charge -- they are $1 per day if they're late, so return them on time. Here's a list of what we just bought:

De Blob (Wii)

My Sims (Wii)

NHL 2K9 (Wii)

Wii Music (Wii)

Madden 09 (XBOX 360)

NBA Live 09 (XBOX 360)

Sneak King (XBOX 360)

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground (XBOX 360)

FIFA 09 (PS2)

Sega Superstar Tennis (PS2)

If you have suggestions for new ganes (rated E or T) let Laura know.

Teen Movie Fright Night

The votes have been counted...
The Nightmare Before Christmas will be shown on Thursday, Oct 30th at 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Teens in grades 7-12 are welcome. If you have questions, ask Laura.

For those of you interested here's the vote tally:
15 - The Nigthmare Before Christmas
12 - Poltergeist
12 - King Kong (original 1933 version)
3 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 version)
2 - Ghostbusters

I am a bit surprised that the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man got so little love!

Teen Read Week

October 12-18 is Teen Read Week, so stop what you are doing and read for the fun of it!

This year's theme is Books with Bite. Check out the list of books I created and those posted by the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association). Happy Reading!

Vote NOW - Teens Top Ten
During Teen Read Week you can vote for your favorite books from a list. So, join others from across the country and make your opinion known.

Teen events

On Thursday, October 9th from 7-8 the MA-PA Club will host it's annual Cosplay event.

Hillsdale teens are encouraged to read for the fun from October 12-18 in honor of Teen Read Week. The Hillsdale Public Library will offer raffles, trivia, and prizes. If you need something to read, check out our booklists at: http://hillsdalelibraryteens.pbwiki.com/

On Thursday, October 23rd from 6:30-7:30 our high school book club will get together to discuss The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks and eat pizza. Copies of the book are available at the library. In November we’ll read King Dork by Frank Portman.

Hillsdale teens (grades 7-12) are invited to a Movie Fright Night on Thursday, October 30th from 6:30-8:30pm. We’ve picked the theme, but you can stop by the library anytime in October to vote on the movie.

In November we’ll be sponsoring a Lego Building event for Hillsdale residents age 5-99, TAG meeting, MA-PA meeting, and teen game events.

If you have questions about any of the teen programs please contact Laura Leonard at leonard@bccls.org, (201)358-5072, or stop by the library!

Halloween display thanks to TAG members

There is a new display in the Teen area thanks to some of the hard working members of the Teen Advisory Group! In keeping with the season and this year's Teen Read Week theme, "Books with Bite" there are many vampire books, as well as other creepy tales. If blood and gore is not your cup of tea, check out our other booklists for teens or ask Laura for some suggestions.

TAG meeting - special time

The TAG (teen advisory group) meeting scheduled for this Thursday will be frm 4:00-5:00pm. If you can't make it, you can stop by Friday, Oct 3 from 3:00-4:30pm. Questions or suggestions regarding the teen collection and events can be sent to Laura.

Picks for high school readers

This week I was fortunate enough to be invited into two sophomore English classes to talk about, you guessed it -- books! This was exciting to me for two reasons. First, there are so many great books published for older teen readers which are being overlooked. The quality and quantity of writing for ages 14-18 has increased tremendously in the last two decades. Second, I myself was not an avid reader in high school. I think the reason is because I was not given books that spoke to me. I hope that I can help students find a book that will resonate with them and get them into the habit of reading. Below is a list of some of the books I spoke about and a display of others I think might interest even the non-book lovers out there.

 LOOKING FOR ALASKA BY JOHN GREEN
 ELSEWHERE BY GABRIELLE ZEVIN
 10 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I DIE BY DANIELLE EHRENHAFT
 DOUBLE HELIX BY NANCY WERLIN
 THE HITCHIKKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY BY DOUGLAS ADAMS
 MY SISTER’S KEEPER BY JODI PICOULT
 ENDER'S GAME BY ORSON SCOTT CARD
 CANDY BY KEVIN BROOKS
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FACE BY LUCY GREALY
 THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME BY MARK HADDON
 I AM THE MESSENGER BY MARKUS ZUSAK
 NICK & NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST BY RACHEL COHN AND DAVID LEVITHAN
 RATS SAW GOD BY ROB THOMAS
 FEED BY MT ANDERSON
 BALL DON’T LIE BY MATT DE LA PENA
 BEFORE I DIE BY JENNY DOWNHAM
 NO LIMIT BY PETE HAUTMAN
 JUST LISTEN BY SARAH DESSEN
 THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX BY MARY E PEARSON
 THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDUA BANKS BY E LOCKHART
 THE BOY NEXT DOOR BY MEG CABOT
 SO YESTERDAY BY SCOTT WESTERFELD
 TWISTED BY LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON
 STUCK IN NEUTRAL BY TERRY TRUEMAN
 THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN BY SHERMIE ALEXIE
 SABRIEL BY GARTH NIX

If you would like suggestions for teen readers please ask Laura.

Summer Reading Club Prizes

Summer is almost over and that means, TIME FOR PRIZES! Everyone who participated in the teen summer reading club should have received an invitation to the party, a list of prizes, and a bid form. Check out photos of the prizes. All books must be recorded by August 25th. Please return your log AND bid form no later than August 31st. Contact Laura if you have any questions.

Books that teens will sink their teeth into

If you are a fan of vampire books this is your summer! We just got 5 new books: Marked & Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast(the first two books in the House of Night series); Evernight by Claudia Gray; Night Road by A. M. Jenkins (award winning author of Repossessed); and a comic called Life Sucks by Jessica Abel.

For a complete list of vampire novels and other supernatural reads check out this booklist: http://hillsdalelibraryteens.pbwiki.com/VampirePlus

If you read the Twilight saga you might want to sign-up for the Breaking Dawn party on August 14th.

Read, Club, Win -- Register NOW!

From June 23rd-August 25th Hillsdale teens (grades 7-12) can read or listen to any books, magazines, or comics – just read!

Record the number of pages you read in your log, pages = points. Use your points to bid on prizes at the end of the summer! Earn bonus points by coming to events and posting reviews.

There are tons of events planned including: book discussions, movie nights, game events, mystery events, craft programs, and podcasting. Take a look at the flyer for all the details.

2008FlyerBW.pub

What to Read? Ideas for teens.

So, you've finished your required reading or you just don't want to start it. Well then, what should you read? Check out some booklists and other sites I like to check out for book ideas. If you're still not sure what to read you can take a look at my list of books on goodreads.com I am trying to add a few reviews every week.


If you want more suggestions, email Laura.

Feels like summer

Hot, hot, hot!!! Summer doesn't officially begin for a few weeks, but the thermometer tells a different story.

So, it seems like a good time to tell you that the Teen Summer Reading Club will being on June 23rd. Read, record, win! Hillsdale teens entering grades 7-12 can register for the summer reading club. Read or listen to any books, magazines, or comics – just read! Record the number of pages you read to earn points. Use your points to bid on prizes at the end of the summer. Bonus points are awarded for attending events and posting reviews.

There will be multiple events for teens each week beginning in July. Come watch a movie, make a duct-tape wallet, rock out with Guitar Hero, solve a mystery, celebrate the release of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer, or join a book discussion.

Talk It Up, the book discussion for 7-8th graders, makes its return this summer. We will meet every other week to play games, eat snacks, and talk about books. Books from the George White required reading list will be featured.

More details will be posted soon. Questions, let me know.

Grease, books, trivia, oh my!

Spring break is officially over and I want to thank all of you who came to our programs. Singing along and hand jiving, talking about Skin, and trying out games was lots of fun. In addition to playing Wits & Wagers we played Mystify (which was dominated by the Simpsons - Zara and Ryan, not Bart & Lisa) and Last Word.

In May there will be a MA-PA meeting and a book club meeting. There will be a few activities in June and come July there will be lots going on! Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for activities.

It's all about the books

Do you have trouble keeping track of what you have read or what you want to read? I did, but now I make use of http://www.goodreads.com/ for tracking and sharing info with friends. We've even set up a "group" for the high school book club so that people who can't make it to the meetings can still comment on the book.

Currently, mine is mostly a list, but with the help of a volunteer (yeah for Elysia) more reviews will be added soon. Feel free to check out my profile and consider setting one up for yourself. Be warned, it can become an addiction!

Also, I am in the process of updating our booklists. If you need some ideas about what to read, take a look here.

Yum, smoothies!

Over 20 teens came to the library for an indoor beach party. They made delicious smoothies, created sand art, hula hooped (congrats to Angela, the hoop champion), and played some "mini" golf (kudos to Dan).

Wii've got game

Over 15 teens stopped by to show off their Wii tennis skills. We also saw some excellent bowling. Finally, a Super Smash Brothers tourney allowed people to show their skills. We had time to play a few times, so there were multiple champions, but I think Brad can claim the title of "Over All Champ" -- at least for now!

While waiting for a turn with the Wii, people also played hangman. There were some seriously tough words (thanks to Jesse) -- diatribe, facetious, spurious, chemoheterotroph, and polemical. Then, Zara threw in the word that did not contain a traditional vowel, "rhythm".

Hopefully, we'll see more people at the other events this week!

Spring Break for Teens

Are your friends going to be away during break? Feeling jealous that you won’t beon a beach somewhere? Well, there's plenty planned for teens at The HillsdalePublic Library.

Wii’ve got games - Mon, April 21st from 1:00-4:00
We’ll start off with some tennis and then move onto Super Smash Brothers.

Beach Party - Tues, April 22nd from 7:00-8:30
Enjoy smoothies, sand art, and sounds of the sea.

Grease Movie Sing-along - Wed, April 23rd from 3:30-5:30
Sing loud, sing proud! Enjoy the movie, popcorn, and the joy of making fun of thosewho can’t carry a tune!

Chat & Chew: Book Club - Thurs, April 24th from 6:30-7:30
We will be talking about Skin by Adrienne Vrettos. Copies of the books can bepicked up at the library one month before each meeting. RSVP so we how much pizzato order.

Teen Trivia & other Board Games - Fri, April 25th from 2:30-4:30
We’ll play Wits & Wagers and other board games like Pictionary, Anagram, Clue, orwhatever you want to bring.

And just after the break --
Teen Poetry Night - Monday, April 28th 7:00-8:30
You are invited to share your writing or that of a favorite poet at an open micnight. Refreshments will be served.

TAG, you're it!

There will be a TAG (teen advisory group) meeting thursday, April 3rd from 7-8pm. We will be finalizing programs to be held during spring break and in May. We'll also discuss fundraising ideas. If you have questions, email Laura.

Teen Events - Late Feb & March

We had fun during the break playing Guitar Hero, Wii tennis, and Wits & Wagers. Here's the list of events coming up:

TAG: Teen Advisory Group
Thurs, March 6th and April 3rd from 7 - 8

We’ll be focusing on creating new t-shirts, unique bookmarks, and videos to promote the library. The snacks are on us!

MA-PA: Manga Anime : Fans of the Pascack Area
Thurs, March 13th from 7:00-8:00 at the Hillsdale Public Library

Chat & Chew: High School Book Club
Thurs, March 27th & April 24th from 6:30-7:30

We will be talking about Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins in March and Skin by Adrienne Vrettos in April. Copies of the books can be picked up at the library one month before each meeting. RSVP so I know how much pizza to order.

Other upcoming events:
Grease Movie sing-along, Teen Poetry Night, Wii Sports

New year, new programs for teens

It's a new year and we've got lots planned. Here's what's coming up:

MA-PA: Manga Anime fans of the Pascack Area
Thurs, Jan 10th from 7:00-8:00 at the Montvale Library
Watch Deathnote and talk to other manga fans.

TV Discussion Group: Reality Shows
Wed, Jan 23rd from 3:30 - 5:30
Come talk about your favorite reality show— who you love & who you hate. You may even face a challenge or two!

Chat & Chew: High School Book Club
Thurs, Jan 24th from 6:30-7:30
A book discussion you can sink your teeth into! We'll talk about Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, as well as discussing casting and other issues surrounding the movie. There may also be time for some games and selecting future titles for the book club. RSVP so I know how much pizza to order.

TAG: Teen Advisory Group
Thurs, Feb 7th from 7:00 - 8:00
Create a new display, and work on designing a Tag t-shirt. Suggest books, movies, and CDs that the library should buy. The snacks are on us!

Loco for Cocoa
Mon, Feb 11th from 7:00-8:30
Celebrate Valentine's Day a bit early. We'll have a chocolate fountain and a candy taste-test. You can also create duct tape roses, and break-up poems.

Games: Plugged and Unplugged
Wed, Feb 20th from 2:00—4:00
Who will hold the highest score?? Come see how you measure up against other teens. videogames & board games. We've got various videogames to play on the big screen (DDR, Guitar Hero, Wii sports) and board games to play.

Teen Trivia Night featuring Wits & Wagers
Thurs, Feb 21st from 7:00—8:30
We'll be playing Wits and Wagers a game described as, "A trivia game for people who don't know stuff". You'll have the chance to answer trivia, bet on answers, and possibly win a prize. Play on your own or as part of a team.

Other events to look forward to:
Movie sing-along, poetry café, food fiesta…

Wrap it up!

It's the giving, not the receiving that is suppossed to be important. I love to give gifts, but I also love to wrap them! I think that the presentation is important, unlike my husband who often distributes gifts in the plastic bags from the store. If you are in grades 7-12 and feel like I do, come down on Thursday from 7:00-8:30 and create handmade wrapping paper, gift boxes, & cards. They can be holiday themed or for any other special occassion. Please let me know if you can make it.

Teen Events through the end of the year

I hope that you can make some time during the busy holiday season for these upcoming teen events:

Nov 29th - Chat & Chew: High School Book Club from 6:30-7:30
Dec 6th - Teen Advisory Group from 7:00-8:00
Dec 13th - Wrap it Up! Holiday Crafts from 7:00 - 8:30. Create homemade wrapping paper, cards, and gift boxes that will make your presents extra special. You must register for this program.
Dec 27th - Chat & Chew: High School Book Club from 6:30 - 7:00
Dec 27th - Games: Plugged and Unplugged from 7:00 - 8:30
Dec 28th from 1:30-3:00. Play Guitar Hero on the big screen, as well as board games, and cards.

Fore information about these programs email Laura Leonard or call (201)358-5072. Teens in grades 7-12 are welcome.

Happy Teen Read Week

Happy Teen Read Week! This year's theme is LOL and there are plenty of amusing ways to celebrate. You can:

1. Check out the display of funny books in the Teen section or just read something!! It can be a book, a magazine, a graphic novel, fan fiction online, whatever.
2. Write down your favorite joke and drop it in the raffle jar for a chance to win a prize.
3. Come down for our Teen Movie Night on Thursday, October 18th at 6:30. We'll be showing a Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell movie.
4. Vote for Teen Top Ten books at www.ala.org/teenstopten
5. Select the theme for next year's Teen Read Week at www.ala.org/teenread
6. Take a reading interest survey at http://www.smartgirl.org/surveys/7279495.html

Wii've got game

We have added a few Wii games to our videogame collection. The library now has a selection of games for the Wii, PS2, XBox, Xbox360, and GameCube that can be checked out for a week at a time. In addition to those we have purchased we have received some generous donations.

October Events for Teens

TAG: Teen Advisory Group - October 4th from 7:00 - 8:00
It's time to get messy -- we'll be painting the ceiling tiles for the Teen Area. Wear appropriate clothes. We’ll also set-up the Halloween display -- spooky!
Upcoming meetings: November 1 and December 6

MA-PA: Manga Anime fans of the Pascack Area
October11th from 7:00-8:00 in Montvale
It's that time of year again - COSPLAY!! Dress as your favorite character from manga or anime. George will dish out some monstrously hard trivia too.
Upcoming meetings: November 8

Chat & Chew: High School Book Club
October 25th from 6:30 - 7:30
This month we will be discussing, I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. After performing an act of heroism Ed begins receiving mysterious messages. Pick-up a copy of the book to find out what it’s all about. Oh yeah, the pizza is on us!
Upcoming meetings: November 29 and December 28

Teen Read Week - October 14th-20th
This year’s TRW theme is LOL. Stop in the library for contests, raffles, and book recommendations.

Teen Movie Night: They Used to Be on SNL
October 18th from 6:30-8:30
Join us for a movie featuring a former SNL cast member. It’s sure to make you LOL!

If you have questions contact Laura.

Teen Events

The following are definite, but there might be a few more teen events added in October.

Games: Plugged and Unplugged - September 26th from 3:30-5:30
How are your Guitar Hero chops? Up for a hand of Egyptian Ratscrew or Rummy? Ready to get your hands dirty playing Cluzzle? Come down for videogames, board games, and cards.

Chat & Chew: High School Book Club - September 27th from 6:30-7:30
Let's talk about what we read over the summer and decide what titles the group should read this year. Oh yeah, the pizza is on us!

TAG: Teen Advisory Group - October 4th from 7:00-8:00
It's time to get messy -- we'll be painting the ceiling tiles for the Teen Area. Wear appropriate clothes.

MA-PA: Manga Anime fans of the Pascack Area - Oct. 11th from 7:00-8:00 in Montvale It's that time of year again - COSPLAY!! Dress as your favorite character from manga or anime. Also, George will hit you with some monstrously hard trivia too.

Drop me a line if you've got questions.

Gift cards, IPod cases, and bags, oh my!

The Teen Summer Reading Program has wrapped up. The last day to record pages was Friday, August 24th. All particpants will receive an invitation to the wrap-up party, a list of prizes, and a bid form. To see pictures of the prizes, click here! The url on the bid form is wrong, sorry!

Games rescheduled

The Games Plugged and Unplugged program has been rescheduled. It will be held on Wednesday, August 8th from 3:30-5:30pm. Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to play video games on the big screen, as well as playing cards and board games. Hope to see you there!

Read, Record, and Win

The Teen Summer Reading Program has begun! Information about the summer reading club and special events for teens can be viewed here, http://hillsdale.bccls.org/TeenSummerReading2007.pdf Stop in the library anytime to get your folder and log so that you can start recording what you are reading. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hey teens, summer is just around the corner!

The Teen Summer Reading Club will start in less than a month. It is open to Hillsdale residents entering grades 7-12 in September. Read whatever you want in order to earn points. At the end of the summer you will use your points to bid on prizes -- everything form gift cards to ipod cases to yoga mats. Stop in anytime after June 21st to pick-up a folder and start reading! Here are all the details.

We'll also be having a number of special events including a Murder Mystery Night and a Harry Potter Party and Sleepover. The party is open to kids in grades 4-12, but the sleepover is for teens ONLY and will be from midnight until 7:00 am. Print out a flyer and permission slip and return it to the library ASAP.

Chat & Chew

Thursday, May 24 will be our last Chat & Chew meeting until September. We'll meet from 7:00-8:00pm

Rather than discussing a particular book we will each recommend 3 great books to read over the summer. Please be prepared to say a few things about your 3 books - kind of like a book trailer or commercial. We'll also play book charades - acting things out so that the other group members can try to guess the book. We'll celebrate the year with pizza and sundaes! Let me know if you can come so I don't get too much or too little food.

Coming Soon - series & sequels for teens

If you are a fan of a certain series or are dying for the sequel of your favorite book to be released, here are some books to look forward to:

• Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz - May 1
• The Pilgrims of Rayne: Pendragon by D.J. MacHale - May 8
• Unforgettable: An It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar - June 1
• What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones - June 5
• Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - July 21
  Pre-order your copy from the library and/or sign-up for the party!
• Love Is a Many Trousered Thing by Louise Rennison - July 1
• Sealed with a Diss: A Clique Novel by Lisi Harrison - July 2
• Naruto, vol 15 by Masashi Kishimoto - July 3
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - August 7
• The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray - December 26
  
  Sadly, there is no release date or even a title for the third book in the Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini. I'll keep you posted. Check out this great source of information for books in series.
  
  You can reserve theses books using the library catalog, or if they are not in the catalog yet then email me your library card number and I'll put you on the reserve list.

May Events for Teens

Chat & Chew: HS Book Club
Thurs, April 26 & Thurs, May 24 from 6:30—7:30pm
Chat about books and eat pizza. In April we’ll be discussing novels in verse and poetry. May will be all about great summer reads.

TAG: Teen Advisory Group
Thurs, May 3 from 7:00—8:00pm
Get everything ready for summer & paint the ceiling!

MA-PA: Manga & Anime fans of the Pascack Area
Thurs, May 10 from 7:00—8:00pm
This month we’ll meet at the Montvale Library

COMING SOON: The Summer Reading Club begins June 21st!

Email Laura if you have questions.

Make history by taking pictures!

Today's everyday moments are tomorrow's history. Help us create a record of what life is like in Hillsdale in 2007 for the A Day in Hillsdale Photo Book Project. Take pictures of what you and your friends do/wear/use(computers, ipods) on a typical day. We'd also like pictures of places around town where you go. Pictures must be taken between April 15-22 in Hillsdale. Click here for more details and for the release forms, http://hillsdale.bccls.org/OneDay.html Email digital photos to David Franz or drop off prints at the library.

TAG meeting rescheduled

It looks like most TAG members are away or busy enjoying the week off of school, so I am rescheduling the meeting. Instead of meeting on April 5th, we will meet on April 12th from 7-8.

April Events

TAG - April 5th from 7:00 - 8:00

The summer reading program will be our main focus. You get to decide what programs we'll schedule for the summer and help prepare the summer reading packets. It's also time to set-up a poetry display.

Chat & Chew - April 26th from 6:30-7:30

April is national poetry month so we'll be reading books written in verse and an poetry anthology. I need to order a few more copies, so let me know which you are interested in. You can read any or all of these: Splintering by Eireann Corrigan; Impulse by Ellen Hopkins; Stop Pretending by Sonya Sones; or I Just Hope It's Lethal: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy collected by Liz Rosenberg and Deena November.

Take a page from Michelle's book and keep some post-it's handy. I'd like to post favorite passages and quotes in the Teen Area. Feel free to email them to me before the meeting on or bring them to the meeting.

For more poetry titles check out this brochure.

March Madness

The brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament have been announced and the start of the NBA playoffs isn't that far off. My fantasy basketball team has made it to the playoffs, yeah! Unfortunately, I play my husband in the first round. Needless to say, basketball is on my mind. If you want to indulge in some b-ball books, check out this list for teens.

Chocolate

When I think of Valentine's Day and Easter I think about chocolate! To celebrate this wonderful treat we had our second annual Teen Chocolate Fest (see pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillsdalelibraryteens/). Throughout the month, teens who stoped in could complete a survey/raffle and vote on the best type of chocolate. The results are in: Dark Chocolate - 13 votes, Milk Chocolate - 25 votes, White Chocolate - 2 votes. If you want to test your knowledge of candy bars try this fun quiz, http://www.thinkingfountain.org/

TAG - You're It, again!

There is a TAG meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 1st from 7-8. Time to switch displays, decorate bulletin boards, update booklists, and label books in series.

Got homework? We can help!

There are many books and online databases that can SAVE YOU TIME when your working on school assignments. Please ask! We often have books set aside and/or helpful websites for you to check. Let whoever you speak to know that you are working on a project. Here's one example of what we can give you to get you started:

African Countries: 8th grade, George White

BOOKS
Adult Reference
CultureGrams: The Nations Around Us - REF 910 CUL

Circulating books
Look through 960-970 in the nonfiction area and the Children's Room. Additional books are on order.

DATABASES
These can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection. Go to: http://hillsdale.bccls.org/ You will need a library card.

Ebsco: Student Research Center
Information, photos, and maps gathered from encyclopedias, newspapers, and magazines are included. Note: You may want to de-select some of the boxes under “Include When Searching” before you enter your country in the search box. Also, there may be multiple entries from one source (ex. CIA World Factbook). Check the date to get the most current information.

Facts on File: Modern History Online
Full-text access to many great reference books. Note: There may be entries from multiple volumes of the same set (ex. Encyclopedia of African History and Culture: Independent Africa). Check the dates to get the relevant information.

WEBSITES
Librarian's Index to the Internet
A searchable database of webpages that have been evaluated and reviewed by librarians. Enter your country in the search box and get links to reliable sources.

Chat & Chew

On Thursday, Feb 22nd from 6:30-7:30 we'll be having our Chat & Chew High School Book Discussion. We decided to read a variety of romances, so come on down and chat about: Just Listen, Companions of the Night, Blood and Chocolate, Hard Love, or The Princess Bride. We'll also be eating pizza and picking a book or books for next month. Hope to see you there!

Teen events in Feb

TAG: Thursday, February 1st from 7:00-8:00pm
The Teen Advisory Group will meet to create some surveys, put up a new display, prepare books for an upcoming craft, and label books in series.

Teen Chocolate Festival
Indulge in chocolate!! There will be a chocolate fountain, chocolate fondue, and chocolate themed games. Date TBA, call or email to register.

Games, Games, Games: Tuesday, February 20th from 2:00 - 3:30 pm
There's no school, but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to do! Come on down and play video games on the big screen, card games, and board games. There will be games to pick from or you can bring some from home.

Chat & Chew: Thursday, February 22nd from 6:30-7:30pm
High School students are invited to meet, eat, and chat. There are five books to pick from: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause, TheUnlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Loiuse Plummer, Companions of the Night by VivianVande Velde or Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger. Copies are available at the Circulation Desk. Please let Laura know if you are coming so there will be enough pizza, yum!

Chat & Chew (formerly PV by the Book)

On Thursday December 28th from 7-8pm high school students are invited to eat some pizza and talk about books. We'll be discussing and recommending our favorite books of 2006.

Teen events in Dec

TAG - Thurs Dec 7 from 6:30—7:00 **
Teen Advisory Group members will help set-up for the Gifts for Giving program. ** Note: Time change.

Gifts for Giving - Thurs Dec 7 from 7:00—8:30
Create homemade gifts to give to family or friends this holiday season. There will be a $3.00 fee for supplies. REGISTRATION is required.

MA-PA - Thurs Dec 14 at Hillsdale from 6:30—8:30
We'll be watching a full-lenght movie at our final meeting of 2006. There will be popcorn!

Games, games, games - Wed Dec 27 2:00—3:30
Stop in to play video games, card games, and board games. We'll have a variety of games for you to choose from or you can bring your own!

PV by the Book - Thurs Dec 28 from 7:00—8:00
A casual book discussion group for high school students. There are copies of the month’s book selection at the library. Stop in anytime to pick-up a copy.

More manga

The library's manga collection is continuing to grow!! I have bought a few new titles (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, School Rumble) and we continue to get the new volumes in existing series (Bleach, Deathnote, Fullmetal Alchemest, Naruto).

Also, I want to thank the teens who have been donating books. We recently received the following donations:

Beyblade - vol 1 & 2
Dramacon - vol 1 & 2
Dr. Slump - vol 1, 2, 3
Inu Yasha - vol 1 & 2
Orphen - vol 1, 2, 3, 4
Rurouni Kenshin - vol 1
Shaman King - vol 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Whistle - vol 1

Games, games, games for teens

You've got no school on Friday and we've got games. Stop by anytime from 3:00 - 4:30 to play video games on our big screen, board games, or card games. They'll be plenty of games on hand, or you can bring your own. Teens in grades 7-12 are welcome. Oh yeah, they'll be food too!

Teen Events for November

TAG
Thurs Nov 2 from 7:00—8:00
Are you bored? Do you have nothing to do on Thursday nights? Do you want to make decisions for the library and eat snacks? We meet on the first Thursday of each month.

TeenTechTutors
Mon Nov 6 at 5:00–5:30 or Tues Nov 7 at 4:00-4:30
Orientation for volunteer tutors. We will discuss what is expected of tutors and work on scheduling appointments with the adult students.

MA-PA
Thurs Nov 9 at the Montvale Public Library from 6:30—8:00
This month manga maniacs and anime addicts will get together to make some Asian inspired crafts. Check out pictures from last months COSPLAY.

Games, Games, Games
Fri Nov 10 from 3:00-4:30
Stop in to play video games, card games, and board games. We'll have a variety of games or you can bring your own!

PV by the Book
Thurs Nov 30 from 7:00—8:00
A casual book discussion group for high school students. In November we'll be discussing, Blood Secret by Kathryn Lasky. There are copies of the book at the library. Stop in anytime to pick-up a copy.

What's your Celebrity IQ?

Teens are invited to test their knowledge of celebrity faces. Come in and try to match photos with the names of famous celebs. Completed forms will be entered into a raffle.

Also in October: Cosplay; movie showing (Pride & Prejudice); fan-fiction fest; and a review writing contest. If you have any questions, ask Laura.

Events for Teens in October

TAG (Teen Advisory Group)—Thursday, Oct 5th from 7—8
Help make the library a place where you and your friends want to come. Help pick books, movies, music, and plan programs.

MA-PA—Thursday, Oct 12th from 6:30—8:00
Meeting at the Hillsdale Library. It's a little early for Halloween, but who cares!?! Let's dress-up! It's a Cosplay meeting—come dressed as your favorite manga or anime character.

Teen Read Week—October 15-21

Read, Write, Win!—October 15-21
Stop in to write a review for any book that you have read since school started. For each review you complete, you will be entered into a raffle drawing.

Book into Movie—Tuesday, October 17th from 6:45-8:45
What's better, the book or the movie? You decide! Come watch Pride & Prejudice, eat some popcorn, and stay for a book discussion if you want.

Fan-fiction Fest—Friday, October 20th from 3:30—4:30
Come share your favorite fan-fiction sites with others. You can also read each other’s writing.

PV by the Book—Thursday, Oct 26th from 7 - 8
Time to talk books. Pick-up a copy of As Simple as Snow at the main desk anytime. New members are always welcome!

Unmask the celebrity—October 9th—Oct 31st
Stop by the teen area and see if you can recognize celebrity faces covered with masks. Completed forms will be entered into a raffle drawing.

The library is starting a Teen Tech Tutor program that will match adults needing assistance with basic computer skills and teens needing to do some volunteer service hours. Prospective teen tutors and adult students should contact the library for an application to participate in the new program. All teaching will be conducted at the library. This is a teen volunteer opportunity!

Questions?? Email Laura!

High School Book Discussion

It's time once again for PV by the Book to start meeting! This is a casual book discussion group for high school students. We'll be meeting Thursday, September 28th from 7:00 - 8:00 pm.

We'll take some time to talk about what we read over the summer; decide between As Simple as Snow and Donorboy as our October selection; and get a list of other books to consider for the year. If you can't make it on the 28th, but want to read the book for October just let me know and I'll put a copy aside for you. I hope you can make it! As usual, there will be snacks.

Let me know if you have any quesitons. 

PV by the Book

PV by the Book, a book club for high school students will have it's first meeting of the year on Thursday, September 28th from 7:00 - 8:00.

We will take some time to talk about what we read over the summer, decide between As Simple as Snow and Donorboy to read for October, and get a list of other books to consider for the year. If you can't make it but want to read the book for October, let me know and I'll put a copy aside for you.

I hope you can make it! As usual, there will be snacks. 

Finding a great book just got easier

As a teen I was not a huge reader, so it would have been very hard for me to walk into a library or bookstore and pick out a book to read for school. For those of you who need to select an independent reading book for school I'd like to recommend some books for you to consider and let you know about some websites that you can go to to get more ideas. Feel free to stop in and see me anytime or send me an email, I'll be glad to help you find something!

Laura's picks
Catalyst - Laurie Halse Anderson
Feed - MT Anderson
Candy - Kevin Brooks
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card **
The Perks of Being a Wallfower - Stephen Chbosky
Ball Don't Lie - Matt de la Pena
Just Listen - Sarah Dessen
Looking for Alaska - John Green
Godless - Pete Hautman
Raiders Night - Robert Lipsyte
Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden
Acceleration - Graham McNamee
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
Maximum Ride - James Patterson **
King Dork - Frank Portman
Double Helix - Nancy Werlin
So Yesterday - Scott Westerfeld
Hard Love - Ellen Wittlinger
Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

ADULT FICTION
High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

NON-FICTION & BIOGRAPHIES
Katie.com: My Story - 362.7 Tarbox
Hidden Evidence: Forty True Crimes and How Forensic Science Helped Solve Them - 636.25 OWE
Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year - Teen 372.11 COD
Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence - 597.3 CAP
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - 611 ROA
Me Talk Pretty One Day - 814.54 SED
Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis - TEEN AREA 951.05 JIA
Autobiography of a Face - TEEN AREA BIO GREALY

** copies in Teen & Adult Fiction.

WEBSITES

My Top Five
TeensPoint - Hundreds of reviews by teens for teens and lots of cool booklists. The only drawback is that it can be slow to load - be patient, it's worth it!

Reading Rants - Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists - One of my favorite sites for booklists. Are you in the mood for vampire books? Check out the Fanging Around list. In the mood for non-fiction? Take a look at the Reality Bytes list.

Teen Reads - A great resource for current releases. Also, interestting articles and author reviews.

ALA Booklists and Awards - Lists for books that have been given awards by the American Library Association. The BBYA (Best Books for Young Adults) list is a great resource. The list tends to be long, so if you're in a hurry just check the top ten lists from the past few years. The Michael L. Printz award is given to books of outstanding literary merit.

GNOOKS - Although some of my favorite authors are not yet included and a few recommendations have been off, the concept of this site is so cool I can't help but recommend it! Enter an author you like and get a visual map of other authors you may like.

Others I Like

BCCLS Teen Page - Featured authors, booklists, and the GSTBA ballot online.

Good Reads for Teens - Use the drop down menu to view lists of books based on genre.

Read On - Recommended lists of great summer reads that I think are great picks for anytime of the year.

CPL Staff Recommendations - More booklists! Arranged by topic and genre.

Favorite Teenage Angst Books - Here you'll find book reviews grouped by categories such as: fitting in, diary-ish, and mixed-up families. The only drawback is that books have not been added in a couple of years.

Prizes, prizes, prizes

The prize list for the Teen Summer Reading program has been mailed out. If you want to see the pictures, go to: http://www.bccls.org/hillsdale/prizes06.htm It loads slowly, please be patient! Return your prize form and reading log to Laura no later than August 31st.

September Events for Teens

You may be thinking about going back to school, but don't forget about the library! There's plenty for teens to do in September. Here's the schedule:

New Moon Release Party : Monday, September 11th from 7:00 - 8:00
Fans of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer are invited to celebrate the release of New Moon, the second book in the series. You can purchase the book (for $12), reserve a library copy of the book, and/or attend the party. Pick up a flyer at the library or email Laura for more information.

Summer Reading Wrap-up Party: Tuesday, September 12th from 6:00 - 7:00
It's time to collect your prizes, eat some pizza, play DDR, and test your skill at Wits & Wagers. We'll also be talking about the best and worst reads of the summer. If you can't make it, please contact Laura so that you can collect your prizes at another time. Thanks to The Friends of the Hillsdale Library, Commerce Bank, Domino's Pizza, Friendly's, Mairead's, Ronnie's Hot Bagels, and Wendy's for their donations.

MA-PA Thursday, September 14th from 7:00 - 8:00 at the Montvale Library
We'll be watching some anime and talking manga. Costume ideas for October's CosPlay will also discussed.

PV by the Book Thursday, September 28th from 7:00 - 8:00
The book club for high school students kicks off it's second year. We'll be discussing what we read over the summer, voting on a book to read for October, and brainstorming titles to read during the year.

Anime Addicts

We have recently added a number of new anime titles. Here's a list of what we have, come check them out!

Angel Sanctuary
Chrono Crusade: Vol. 1: A Plague of Demons
Chrono Crusade: Vol. 2: Holy War
Cowboy Bebop: 1st Session
Cromartie High School: Vol. 1: Cromartian Rhapsody
DNAngel: Vol. 1: The Dawn of Dark
DNAngel:Vol. 2: Double Helix
Fruits Basket: Puddles of Memories
Fruits Basket: A Great Transformation?
Fruits Basket: What Becomes of Snow? Fruits Basket: The Clearing Sky
Fullmetal Alchemist: Vol. 1: The Curse
Full Metal Panic: FUMOFFU: Vol. 1: Full Metal Pandemonium
Full Metal Panic: FUMOFFU: Vol. 2: Full Metal Fracas
Gatchman: Vol. 1 Hare + Guu: Vol. 1 Hikaru No Go: The Go Master’s Descent
Howl’s Moving Castle
Inuyasha: Curse of the Dark Priestess
Inuyasha: Wicked Clutches
Kodocha: School Girl Super Star
Marmalade Boy: Ultimate Scrapbook, vol. 1
Naruto: Vol. 1
Naruto: Vol. 2: Dangerous Mission
Princess Mononoke
Samurai 7: Vol. 1
Samurai 7: Vol. 2
Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Heart of the Cards

August Events for Teens

This summer teens have created IPod cases, discussed books, baked pet treats, played games, watched movies, and had their handwriting analyzed -- and that was just in July. Here's what's planned for August:

Crafternoons
Tuesday August 8, August 22, from 3:30 - 4:30 PM

You make it, you take it. Projects listed in date order: Stick it to 'em: marble magnets and magnetic poetry http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/marblemagnets.html, Silly Sock Creatures http://www.stupidcreatures.com/gallery.html. Register for individual sessions.

Teen Book Club
Thursday August 10 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM *NOTE TIME CHANGE*

We will be watching the movie version of The Thief Lord and discussing how it compares to the book. Books are available now.

August 24, from 7:00–8:00 PM

At our final meeting of the summer we will be talking about Witch-hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials by Marc Aronson. Books can be picked up two weeks before the meeting.

Best of the 80s
Monday, August 14th from 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Your votes have been counted...we'll be watching Better Off Dead. It had twice the votes of the 2nd choice, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. We'll also listen to 80's music and answer trivia.

Last Day
Friday, August 25th

This is the last day to read and record. Please return your log, prize form, and RSVP for the party no later than August 31st.

This week for Teens

This week is packed with fun events for teens!

Tuesday, 3:30 - 5:30: Handwriting Analysis
This is your chance to have an expert analyze your handwriting and tell you about your personality, your strengths, and your weaknesses. Personally, I've always been curious to find out what my messy scrawl says about me!

Wednesday, 3:30 - 4:30: PV by the Book
We will be discussing Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. How much would you risk in order to be beautiful?

Thursday, 6:00 - 8:00: Movie
The MA-PA club will be hosting a viewing of the movie, Howl's Moving Castle

For a complete listing off all the teen events, click here.

Teen creations

Teens created handmade Ipod and cell phone pouches. Check out the pictures! This was the first of four Crafternoon programs. Check out a complete listing of all our teen programs.