20s Night!

Tonight, 17 people came to the Teen Advisory Board's 20s Night event. Everyone seemed to have a good time. We started out with a crossword puzzle of famous people from the 1920s because crosswords were actually a big fad of that decade. Later, I showed everyone some basic moves of the Charleston, which was funny. We had a goldfish eating contest with crackers, not the real thing as they actually did in the 20s! We watched media clips about the stock market crash and the St. Valentine's Day massacre, both of which happened in 1929. Kara also brought in a silent movie to share as well, which was amazing. Some people didn't even know there had been movies without sound! Our snacks for the evening were Good Humor ice cream bars, fruit-flavored Lifesavers, Butterfingers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Baby Ruths, all of which were introduced in the 20s. We made Shirley Temples with 7up, which was also first available in that decade. Since Kara and I were the only people who dressed up, she automatically won the costume contest! Other contest winners included Anas, Arig, and Jasmine. They all got Mike and Ikes and a chocolate bar. I don't know what decade the TAB will do next, but this was a good one!

It's hard to aim the goldfish when you're laughing!

Costumes (My stretch velvet dress actually stretched over my baby bump!)

Our flapper pose

Learning the Charleston

Adding a kick!

All that Jazz

Here are some great websites to help you find out more about the 1920s, whether you attend our event or not! Thanks to Kara and Shelby for their assistance in locating the sites.

Flapper Fashion
Find out how to get the complete flapper look.

Mind Your Manners
This is a cool interactive game to test your knowledge of how to behave in 1920s society.

Slang
Discover if you're the bee's knees or just all wet! And if this page doesn't have enough slang for you, here's another one.

Food
Many popular national brands started in the 20s, including Kool-Aid, Gerber's baby food, and Velveeta cheese!

Dancing the Charleston
The video quality is not great, but the teen in this YouTube video teaches the solo Charleston very nicely. And the guy who posted a response video has some cool moves too, and does it in amazing pants!

Music
Stream music of the era over your computer thanks to the 1920's Radio Network.

The Roaring 20s
This comprehensive website covers all aspects of the 20s, including science, entertainment, and world news.

1920s: Roar or Yawn?
What was it really like to live during this era?

Newest of the New

Here are some books that were just processed today!

• Princess in Pink by Meg Cabot
• Miki Falls: Winter by Mark Crilley (graphic novel)
• Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
• The Lost Queen (The Faerie Path #2) by Frewin Jones
• Dance with a Vampire (Vampire Kisses #4) by Ellen Schreiber
• The Interns: Fashionistas by Chloe Walsh
• Frenemies by Alexa Young

Bake Sale Report

This afternoon, the Teen Advisory Board held a bake sale to try to capitalize on the high voter turnout expected for the PA Primary. And...it worked! We made about $90, and we probably could have made more if we had more stuff to sell. Thanks to Kaitlyn B., Caitlin C., Meg, Amy, me, and Becky (a reference librarian) for baking lots of yummy stuff. And thanks to Alexa, Arwa, Amy, Katie B., Meg, Steph O., Kaitlyn B, and Caitlin C. for helping to sell things this afternoon. It was a great success!

Book Review: Up All Night

Up All Night by by Peter Abrahams, Libba Bray, David Levithan, Patricia Mccormick, Sarah Weeks, Gene Yang (short stories)
Review by Meg

This collection of six short stories shows just how much can happen in the space between sunset and sunrise. You can come to terms with your father's homosexuality, or with his death. You can learn how to drive, and how to drive off a threatening stepfather. You can write a story or care for a sick mouse or learn to deal with disappointment. You can discover who you really are and how you really feel. There really is a lot you can do in one night, and these stories explore it all, from the ordinariness of English homework to the exratordinary tale of a beloved father's ghost. My favorite by far was Libba Bray's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore, a story of a teenager learning to cope with the fact that her father is gay. David Levithan's contribution was also very good. Others I didn't like so much, particularly one written in the form of a comic, but on the whole, this was an excellent collection of stories by some of the best young adult authors around.

Middle School Book Group

Last Friday, 10 members of the middle school book group met to discuss Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Unfortunately, most of the members were not big fans of the book. This was partially because of the length, but also because they felt the plot didn't hold their attention. Even I felt like the book dragged in places. This is one case where the movie (coming in 2009) might be better than the book! We did have a good time talking about which characters we would and would not want to read out of books, though!

Next month, we will be reading The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn. I will call you when the books come in.

Book Review: Audrey, Wait!

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Review by Kaitlin B.

Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.

Audrey, Wait! is an amazing book! I absolutely loved it. The characters are funny and sarcastic. Some are kind of nerdy, while others are wilder. When you throw them together like Robin Benway did, add some paparazi, and mega-hit song, and (of course) an attention-seeking, boyfriend-stealing popular girl, you're in for a hilarious ride. Audrey, Wait! has everything. There are awesome characters, ironic musical quotes, and even a little romance thrown in for those mushy romantics out there. Once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down! I assure you that you will love it.

Book Review: Lock and Key

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
Reviews by Amy, Alexa, and Gretchen

Click on the cover to see which libraries own it.

AMY SAYS: Lock and Key begins with Ruby Cooper as she is moving into her sister's house after her mother abandons her. The story is an easy read and does not disappoint if you are expecting the sort of books Sarah Dessen writes. I am a huge fan of Sarah Dessen and I have thoroughly enjoyed every book she has written. The theme of this story is family. You can't choose them, and sometimes you can't stand them, but they are your family. You don't need to be connected by blood; they can be friends or neighbors. I think Sarah has done it again. She somehow always mangages to write books that you need to read with a box of tissues next to you, and somehow that's not a bad thing. This book will make you cry, it will make you laugh, and, most of all, it will make you think.

ALEXA SAYS: Lock and Key is a twisted story of many unforgettable backgrounds. There's Ruby, who's been abandoned by her mother just months before her 18th birthday. The last thing Ruby wants it to be taken under the care of her sister, Cora, and Cora's husband, Jamie. For all Ruby knows, Cora forgot about her early in her college career and only made contact with her every once in a while. But their mother has been keeping something from Ruby, something that will hurt Ruby beyond all measures. Then there is Nate, the golden-boy-next-door, who is keeping something from Ruby, too. Nate's father has a very serious anger issue whose results tend to show up on Nate's body. Through their problems, Nate and Ruby connect and support each other in a unique way that will bring you to your knees. Lock and Key is a story of responsibility, opening up, and finding yourself. I've never read anything so emotionally touching. Dessen has yet to disappoint. To say that this is a sufficient review is a bit of a stretch, but that is simply because I am speechless. Lock and Key is indescribable, to say the least!

GRETCHEN SAYS: Sarah Dessen's newest book is a story of possiblities. After 17-year-old Ruby's mother leaves her, Ruby tries to make it on her own. Discovered just a few months before her 18th birthday, Ruby is sent to live with her older sister who has been out of contact for almost 10 years. This new family, a house in a wealthy neighborhood, and an exclusive private school give Ruby stability, but leave her feeling off-kilter. Does she have anything in common with these people? Although the school assignment on the meaning of family drives the point home a little obviously, sometimes the best families are the ones we make ourselves. This is a quick and enjoyable read, and you will be drawn into Ruby's story as she struggles to find a new place for herself. And, yes, like most Sarah Dessen books, it made me cry.

Awards Assembly

Even grown-ups get awards sometimes, and today it was my turn! I am now officially the Delaware County Outstanding Library Employee for 2008. Many of the Sellers librarians and board members went down to the Crozer Library in Chester this morning for the yearly Legislative Breakfast. It is basically a meeting highlighting the excellence of libraries, as well as a time for various presentations.

I won the award because of my work here at the library, as well as general professional contributions like conference presentations and magazine articles. So, I have you all to thank for helping me be so successful...I couldn't do my job without actual library teens!! Also winning an award this morning was Vicky Town. As a live-long lover of libraries, she was recognized for her public library programs and her other work in the community. It was great to be at the same cermony. My husband Jason was able to be there as well, and he took pictures.

Getting the award from David (the county library director)

The four award winners

Staff, board members, and friends of UD Libraries

Book Review: My Most Excellent Year

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger
Review by Koumudi

Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.

The most impressive thing about this book was they way that it was put together. It's a series of emails, instant messages, old style narration, and various other things. The book is a good example of a contemporary novel. It's very sweet and you learn to care for the characters, even though sometimes you want to scream at them. The book's less than perfect grammar annoyed me, but sadly that is the reality of most instant messages and emails. Overall the book was amusing and a good read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary novels.

Mean Girls Movie Night

Last Friday, 20 people showed up to watch Mean Girls. Even though most of us had seen it before, it was fun to watch it with everyone. We ate chips and candy, lounged on pillows, and laughed a lot! We will definitely do a bunch of movie events this summer.

How to Be Bad

E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle have written a book together! It is called How to Be Bad, and it will be released on May 6. Meanwhile, go read an interview of the three of them about the process of writing the book!