Craft Closet Cleanout

Yesterday, 15 teens showed up for Craft Closet Cleanout!  This has become a regular event around here, where people get to make random leftover projects.  Some of the crafts are from recent events, but others are ancient history.  It's a lot of fun, and everyone goes home with something.  At this event people made:

• Painted bottle vases
• Jean leg autograph pillows (no-sew)
• Jean leg bolster pillows
• Robot keychains
• iPod cozies
• Stacked button earrings
• Denim dog toys
• Necktie belts
• Victorian valentines
• Soda tab bracelets

That's a lot of stuff!  If you missed it, there's another CCC coming up in the beginning of June.

Look what we made!

Blue Hair!

Last Thursday was blue hair day for me, thanks to everyone who participated in our Random-A-Thon fundraiser!  Because we raised over $1000, I got blue streaks in my hair.  OK, it's not completely crazy, but it was for me.  I have never dyed my hair any color before, let alone blue.  So, my friend Becca (who has years of wild hair dyeing behind her) went with me for moral support and picture-taking.  Here's the evidence:

Being goofy for the camera while arriving at American Mortals. 

 I actually had the rest of my hair dyed brown while lightening the area for the blue streaks. I figured I didn't need both blue and gray highlights!

 This is me thinking "What have I done!?" while getting ready to have the hair stripped a second time. I have never seen any shade of blonde hair on my head!

 Here is the stylist applying the blue dye.

 Waiting for the dye to process.

 Drying the hair.

Becca and me!

Finishing up the cut.

So, you can tell in that last picture that the blue dye didn't take so well.  They wanted to dye it again, but I had already been there for three hours and had to leave!  I promised to re-dye it myself, so they gave me a discount, which was really nice.  I added some blue Manic Panic dye last night, and it worked pretty well.  I'll have to take a few more pictures!

Series Book Discussion

Yesterday, five people showed up for our teen series book discussion.  The weather was dismal, so thanks to them for coming over!  We talked about all kinds of issues related to series books, and everyone had a lot of opinions.  One thing that kept coming up was disappointment with later volumes after really liking the beginning of a series.  The was true for trilogies (The Hunger Games) as well as longer series (Harry Potter).  But we all recommended some favorite series books, and several people checked out some new things to try.  Also, Owen was really glad to get his hands on the new Alex Rider book (Scorpia Rising) that just came out this week!

Looking for something new to read?  Here are some of our favorite series books:

• House of Night by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (recommended by Edythe)
• The Luxe by Anna Godbersen (recommended by Teferi and Gretchen)
• Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz (recommended by Owen)
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (recommended by Edythe)
• Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer (recommended by Judy and Gretchen)
• Mortal Instruments by Philip Pullman (recommended by Gretchen)
• Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan (recommended by Owen)

B&N Fundraiser Purchases

At lunchtime today, I went over to Barnes and Noble to spend our income from the library's bookfair fundraiser back in December.  We took our money in store credit rather than cash this year, and my share was $223!  I was able to replace some things that have been missing from our collection, as well as buy some new titles.  Thanks to everyone who shopped in the store and online back in December for helping us out! 

Look for these on the shelf in the next week or so:

• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (replacement copy)
• Ironside by Holly Black (replacement copy)
• Valiant by Holly Black (replacement copy)
• Forever by Judy Blume (replacement copy)
• Ambition by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Inner Circle by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Legacy by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Private by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Suspicion by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Vanished by Kate Brian (Private series)
• Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper (Hazelwood High trilogy; replacement copy)
• Money Hungry by Sharon G. Flake (replacement copy)
• The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake (additional copy)
• Boys R Us by Lisi Harrison (Clique series)
• Dial L for Loser by Lisi Harrison (Clique series)
• The Pretty Committee Strikes Back by Lisi Harrison (Clique series; replacement copy)
• These Books Are Made for Stalking by Lisi Harrison (Clique series)
• The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (replacement copy)
• Impulse by Ellen Hopkins (replacement copy)
• The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series; additional copy)
• The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series; additional copy)
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series; additional copy)
• The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series; additional copy)
• The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series; additional copy)
• Killer by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Wanted by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• Wicked by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars series)
• A Girl Like Me by Ni-Ni Simone (replacement copy)
• What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones (replacement copy)
• What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones (replacement copy)

Check Out the Newest

A few new books in the teen section for you:

FICTION

• A Time of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux
• Ominous by Kate Brian (Private series)
• The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P. C. Cast (House of Night series)
• Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
• Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman
• Afterlife by Claudia Gray (Evernight series)
• The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
• Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider series)
• Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely series)
• Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
• Upgrade U by Ni-Ni Simone
• Independence Hall by Roland Smith (IQ series)

NONFICTION

• Lost Boy, Lost Girl:  Escaping Civil War in Sudan by John Bul Dau and Martha Arual Akech
• Hungry:  A Young Model's Story of Appetite, Ambition, and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves by Crystal Renn

BLUE!!!!!

It's official.  All of the Random-A-Thon money has been turned in, and we reached $1008!!!  (Nitha and Christine put us over the top this week.)  Thanks to everyone who participated:  John, Kevin, Le, Genni, Alyssa, Owen, Nikki, Kaitlyn, Judy, Christine, Elena, David, Christelle, Billy, Saranjeet, Laurel, Maranda, Nathaniel, Georgia, Matt, Anas, Arig, Emily, Colin, Teferi, Ross, Jasmine B., Katie, Jamie, Conor, Christa, and Nitha.  Congratulations to you for reaching the goal!

Our top fundraiser was Billy, who contributed $160!  Billy gets a prize basket with a $25 gift card to Borders, candy, and snacks from the Teen Advisory Board.  Runners-up are Nitha with $89 and Christine with $65.  Good job!

The winning hair color?  BLUE!

Here's how the votes broke down:
Blue:  24
Purple:  19
Rainbow: 10
Pink: 9
Burgundy: 7
Turquoise:  6
Greenish-Brown: 2
Traffic Cone Orange:  2
Pikachu Yellow: 1
Prussian Blue: 1
Green:  1
White with Black Stripes: 1
Don't Dye It: 1

Look for the new hair color sometime in the next week or so.  :)

Bird Nesting Craft

On Wednesday, nine teens made bird nesting bags for their yards at our first spring program.  This is a fun and easy idea that you could do at home, even if you missed the event. 

How to do it:
1.  Take a mesh bag (like you get onions or potatoes in), and fill it with colorful bits of yarn, string, shredded paper, and/or cotton.  (You can even add hair...birds love how soft it is.) 
2.  Tie it shut.  Pull some of the bits out of the holes so the birds can grasp it easily.
3.  Hang it up on a tree or fence near your house.  (A location near a bird feeder or bird house will help you get some business.)
3.  Watch them take it to build their nests, then look around the neighborhood later to see which birds you helped!

Books for Sarah Dessen Fans

Sarah Dessen's books have been flying off the shelves around here even more than usual!  So, I was inspired to create a cart of books that would appeal to her fans.  Sarah Dessen's books revolve around girls in upper high school dealing with common issues, and they usually have a bit of romance.  They're very easy to relate to; she is excellent at creating realistic characters.  (I'm not ashamed to admit that I have cried over a Sarah Dessen book more than once!)  Anyway, you can find the cart next to the teen series section.  It'will be there for the next two or three weeks, so check it out!

If you can't make it in, here are some suggestions:

AUTHORS

• Deb Caletti
• Susane Colasanti
• Maureen Johnson
• E. Lockhart

OTHER BOOKS

• If I Stay by Gayle Forman
• The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
• North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
• Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
• Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
• Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
• Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Recommendation: Nine Days a Queen

Nine Days a Queen:  The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey by Ann Rinaldi
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Kaitlyn
Should we keep it?  YES!!!!!
Why?  This book was amazing.  The characters were compelling, and the plot kept me hanging on to every word.  Anyone who enjoys historical fiction, the Tudor dynasty, English literature, or just a lot of drama will love this book.

This book was part of the Last Call book display in the teen section during November and December. Thanks to everyone who participated!

March Book Recommendations

If you are always looking for another good book to read, sign up for the Teen Scene email newsletter from NextReads! Every month, I get great suggestions delivered to my inbox from this free service provided by the Delaware County Library System. This month's list features a list of books to try if you like Alex Flinn's Beastly.  (You may have seen it in the movie theater this month, but you know the book is always better!)  There's also a list of new books from several genres, so there's something for everyone.  I really want to read Across the Universe by Beth Revis, which is a sci-fi suspense story that takes place on a long-term spaceship voyage.  I definitely recommend subscribing to Teen Scene to get new recommendations!

TTW Site of the Day: Wayback Machine

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, have fun with the Wayback Machine.  This is an internet archive that documents how websites have changed over the years.  Just put in your favorite link, then click on a year and a date to see what it looked like back then.  It's really funny to do with sites that have been around for a long time.  Try it for Google or Yahoo, or enter the website for a product like Pepsi or Coke.

TTW Site of the Day: Cubeecraft

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, I'm featuring Cubeecraft!  I guess papercrafts are sort of a low-tech choice for Teen Tech Week, but whatever, it's cool.  Download and fold lots of characters from popular TV shows and video games, including Conan O'Brien (with or without beard), Frylock, the Duck Hunt Dog, and a Stormtrooper.  There's something for everyone!

TTW Site of the Day: Science of Music

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, mess around with music and rhythm at the funky online exhibit Science of Music. My favorite activity is the Step Re-mix, where you can create your own composition by clicking and dragging step dance video clips!

The Reading of the Green

Don't be without your green on St. Patrick's Day!  Check out our display of books with green covers in the teen section.

    

TTW Site of the Day: Xtranormal

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, take a look at Xtranormal. You can make your own online movies without knowing a thing about animation. Unleash your sense of humor, or just rant and rave!

TTW Site of the Day: The Mint

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, learn how to manage your money at The Mint.  Whether you're just thinking about buying some new clothes or video games, looking for a summer job, or trying to figure out how to pay for college, money matters!  You may not have a lot of money, but it is still good to think about how you use it.

Nintendo Night

Last Friday, 24 teens showed up for Nintendo Night.  We hooked up my old NES and people spent some time playing the old Super Mario games.  Of course, everyone entered the one-on-one Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament, and I tried to mix up the brackets a little bit to make it more interesting.  We ended up with a three-way final, in which Morgan and Manus beat back reigning champion David J.  It was a dramatic finish to an intense tournament!  Morgan won a $25 gift card to Game Stop for his first-place finish, while Manus had to settle for the $10 second prize.

Something new for this event was our attempt at a Pokemon Stadium 2 tournament.  Since this was an old game, we didn't want people to have to use their own Pokemon.  So, the idea was that everyone would pick a team from stock Pokemon and then they would do two-on-two battles.  However, picking the teams took FOREVER and we didn't even get halfway through the bracket during Nintendo Night.  We'll be spending some time at Monday gaming club meetings to finish it up! 

Look for more gaming events on the spring schedule, including a Pokemon Black and White tournament, a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament, and another Nintendo Night.

TTW Site of the Day: Youthink!

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, take a look at Youthink! You are the present. You are inheriting the future. Use Youthink! to figure out what you can do to make your community and this world a better place.  Tell them what it's like to be a young person of your heritage, comment on any of the issues they cover, or post your comments on the Youthink! blog.

TTW Site of the Day: FreshBrain

March 6 to 12 is Teen Tech Week!

Today, check out FreshBrain.  Learn how to build the next big phone app or just make a funny music mashup.  FreshBrain is an amazing website for teens that gives you ideas for tech activities and projects, then teaches you how to use the tools to make them happen! 

iPod Party

Last Wednesday, 17 teens came by after school for our first-ever iPod event!  Actually, any mp3 player or phone was welcome, so no one was excluded.  About half the people who came didn't even bring any music; they just wanted to listen!  Everyone had the opportunity to play three songs of their choice over the speakers during the program, and we heard a variety of genres and decades of music. 

While listening, people did some playlist games and made some crafts.  The most popular playlist game involved putting the iPod on random, asking a question, pressing "next," and taking that song title as the answer.  It was way more fun than asking a magic eight ball...some of the answers were really hilarious!  We also made personalized iPod cozies out of felt and decorated them with ribbon and puffy paint.  (It was modified from this cute idea for a Toaster Pastry iPod Cozy.)  I also had out the duct tape, so a lot of random stuff got made.

This event was suggested by TAB member Laurel...I never would have thought of it myself!  Thanks to my husband for figuring out how to make his Zune speakers work with any mp3 player and to Teferi for testing it out before the program.  We'll definitely do it again sometime.  It was fun to hear everyone's music!

Playlist games

Some of the craft projects 

This was the most beautiful iPod cozy! 

Book-to-Movie News

So, a roundup of things that are going on with teen books that are being turned into movies:

The Hunger Games
It now has a release date:  March 23, 2012!  A casting director has been hired, but no actual casting has started.  However, check out this great online poll that includes both the major and minor characters!

City of Bones
The studio making this movie apparently really wants Alex Pettyfer to play Jace.  They will only greenlight the project if he takes the role!  (Read more.)

Harry Potter
OK, so the series has been around for a while, but check out this interesting article about the man who adapted all seven books into screenplays!

What's New

Visit the teen section to find these new books:

FICTION

• Stolen by Lucy Christopher
• The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake (replacement copy)
• Blank Confession by Pete Hautman
• Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
• Unwind by Neal Shusterman (replacement copy)

NONFICTION

• Something Under the Bed Is Drooling:  A Calvin and Hobbes Collection by Bill Watterson

GRAPHIC NOVELS

• Ouran High School Host Club, volume 1, by Bisco Hatori
• Hetalia: Axis Powers, volume 2, by Hidekaz Himaruya
• Yummy:  The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri

Recommendation: No Such Thing as the Real World

No Such Thing as the Real World:  Stories about Growing Up and Getting a Life
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Kaitlyn
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  The stories are very interesting.  They are both relevant and deep.  Also, the topics are easily relatable.

This book was part of the Last Call book display in the teen section during November and December. Thanks to everyone who participated!