Here's What Happened at December's T.A.B. (Teen Advisory Board) Meeting

T.A.B. members helped Denise J. the Teen Librarian select some possible prizes for the upcoming "Teen Winter Reading Club."  We searched through catalogs like "Oriental Trading" and "Rhode Island Novelty" to see what fun knick-knacks we could find.

Don't forget!  Sign-up for the "Teen Winter Reading Club" will begin on Monday, January 11th.  That's when teens in grades 6 & up can pick up their "bingo boards" to start participating.  Teens can start picking out their prizes that they earn on Monday, January 25th.  : )

Here's What Happened at November's T.A.B. (Teen Advisory Board) Meeting

Hey Teens,

Can you believe that our annual "Winter Reading Club" will be starting in just a few months?!?  Where has the time gone?  Anyway, T.A.B. members and I discussed what the format should be for keeping track of what you're reading or doing when you participate in the club.  Should we continue to use the "Bingo Boards," or should we use a "Point System" which we've used for the Teen Summer Reading Clubs in years past?

Well, I'll have to do some "tweaking" of course.  But the decision has been made:  "Bingo Boards."  For those teens who loved following the "Point System," fear not!  I will be incorporating this system into your bingo boards, so you'll have the best of both worlds! 

(Did that sound too much like Hannah Montana)?

Anyway, the "Teen Winter Reading Club" will begin on Monday, January 25th through Friday, March 12th for teens in grades 6 - 12.  Teens can sign-up beginning Monday, January 11th.  So if you like to read, participate in fun teen activities here at the library, and earn fun prizes along the way, then you really should join.

A big thank you goes out to all of my T.A.B. members for their input.  What would I do without you guys?

Denise J.

Teen Librarian

"Teen Read Week" Book Reviews

This year to help celebrate "Teen Read Week" which was October 18 - October 24, teens were asked to submit book reviews for a chance to win a great book to keep!

Here's what teens had to say......

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by N.V.

Of Mice and Men was a book about two men, Lennie & George. Lennie has a problem and George tries to take care of him. After the incident in Weed, "George and Lennie are forced to move to Soledad (California). As they go along, they learn about racism and loneliness. I liked this book because it taught me about the 1930's, and the story of the two people.


Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by L. F.

Of Mice and Men was a book about two men named George and Lennie.  They work on a farm and have a huge adventure!


Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by Y. C.

In Of Mice and Men, there are two characters named George & Lennie.  Lennie has a mental disability and George has to watch over Lennie.  I really liked this book because I learned how people were treated in the 1930's.


Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by A. R.

Of Mice and Men is a good book with a great plot.  It uses sensory experiences along with foreshadowing, metaphors, similies, and symbolism.  This book was nice to read.


Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reviewed by A. R. (different reviewer from above)

It was a really good book about American society in general.  The ending is great for many reasons.


The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by M. G.

I thought the book was the best book that I have ever read.  I LOVED it.  It was about a boy who has Poseidon as his father, and has to fight the old powers that were beaten by the Gods a long time ago, the Titans.  The Lightning Thief is one of my favorite books...EVER!


The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by A. D.

Percy Jackson is about to be expelled from this school.  Not the best kid ever.  However, he has seen some unique and interesting things.  He comes to know he has an interesting life story.  What will he do?


The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by T. C.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief is about a boy named Percy Jackson who goes to school.  There's one wicked twist though.  One of his parents is a God or Goddess.  He meets up with others that are like him and they go on an adventure to get Zeus' lightning bolt back.


The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by A. F.

Rick Riordan makes Percy Jackson embark on a journey of mystifying adventures.  Will Percy Jackson defeat the terrible monsters?


Max by James Patterson

Reviewed by A. R.

THE BEST BOOK EVER!  Such a good book.  Probably my all-time favorite.


Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
(Book 2 in the series) by Darren Shan

Reviewed by S. F.

It was a terrifying book that was frightening and interesting.  It has info. and stories about vampires.


Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Reviewed by B. S.

Good book, good plot.  You'd like it if you're into fantasy.  It has great detail, and it's interesting and suspenseful.


The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

Reviewed by M. N.

A very interesting "Sci-Fi" story.  There's creatures seen and unseen all over.  I highly recommend it to "Sci-Fi" lovers.


Blue Bloods by Melissa De la Cruz

Reviewed by N. S.

A great book about vampires living in the upper East Side of NYC.  A group of teenage vampires face a deadly secret from the past.  A wonderful, heart thrilling book.


The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 
by Sherman Alexie

Reviewed by M. L.

A VERY GOOD BOOK "****"


The Giver by Lois Lowry

Reviewed by N. V.

I think The Giver is probably the best book you'll read in school.  It takes place in the future, where everything is the same.  When the main character Jonas becomes the Receiver, he finds out things he never knew about his community.


City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Reviewed M. G.

Have you ever thought of a city underground?  Well, in City of Ember you can get a great image of it.  In this book there are characters that are unpredictable, and their names are Doon and Lina.


My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Reviewed by a Really Cool Teen!

My Sister's Keeper is a tantalizing book about a girl who has cancer, and her sister who was born to save her.  This book gives its readers a sense of hope, bringing us into the lives of a family dealing with tragedy.


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by A. R.

It was good.  I think the relationship between Bella and Edward was kind of rushed though.


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by A. F.

In this book Bella meets a family of vampires, and falls for one named Edward.  This book was also about intense romance and the fear of being devoured by other vampires.  It left me wanting more.


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by S. W.

Twilight was an intense romance novel.  Bella goes to live with her dad in Washington State.  It ends up to be a crazy, fall in love, near death experience that left me wanting more.


New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by M. M.

New Moon is another brilliantly written book.


Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewed by G. K.

I LOVE BREAKING DAWN!


Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

Reviewed by M. G.

Greg is back with a new book and hilarious new life.  Greg has a new member of the family and it's a dog.


Night by Elie Wiesel

Reviewed by C. V.

This book is scary because it's true and it's depressing.


Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Reviewed by M. G.

I thought the book was pretty dull.  I couldn't get into it.  It was two part dialogue, and I thought it was boring.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Reviewed by A. P.

I really like this book because I really like how the author reveals the truth to things.  I think this one is the best out of the seven of them.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Reviewed by J. C.

An awesome book to read if you like magic.  So read the book!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Reviewed by J. C. (different reviewer from above)

This book is a very good book with wizards, werewolves, and everything in between.  Many kids like it, and I know I do!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Reviewed by H. G.

An amazing book!  A thrilling ending to a classic series.  Many darkened characters get caught in the spotlight.  Repeat: AMAZING!!!


The 39 Clues series by various authors

Reviewed by B. M.

Great series!!!

October's Teen Advisory Board (T.A.B.) Meeting

Here's what happened at today's meeting:

T.A.B. members helped Denise J. make bingo boards for the following day's "Halloween Bingo" program.

That's the scoop!

"Teen Advisory Board" (TAB) Meeting -- Here's What Happened....

For those of you who would have liked to attend today's meeting but couldn't, fear not, here's your update.  Remember, you can still join the group for our monthly meetings, feel free to e-mail me or stop by and tell me your ideas.  Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 13th at 3:15 PM.


Here's what we discussed in a nutshell...

• Welcome & Introductions (It's nice to know each other's names afterall, isn't it?).
• E-mail Exchange (Helps for when I have to remind people about meetings).
• We went over what the TAB group is and does exactly.
• We talked about the Mahwah Library's Webpage, the "Teen Page" and this blog.
• We talked about the group volunteering to help me with the dreaded "DBL" or "Dusty Book List."  The "DBL" has the teen books on it which haven't circulated in at least 3 or more years.  The group would help me by going through the list, pulling these books off the shelf and bringing them to me.  Then it's my job to decide whether to keep them in the collection or not.  Believe it or not, I actually do end up keeping many because they may be "classics" that are out-of-print, or books that may be used in the library a lot, but they just haven't circulated.  Or I may keep the title, but replace the actual book because it's in bad condition or the cover is outdated.  It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. Now do you understand why I'm calling in my recruits?
• We discussed their ideas for possible, future teen programs.  (The group had really fantastic ideas).  Here's some of them... Making Solar Fans; A Knitting Club; Making Their Own Pinatas; Collecting and Donating Items to Different Charities; Making a Book; Making a Board Game; Jewelry Making, and Making Bookmarks.  GREAT ideas, huh!?!?!?
• We discussed our recent "Teen Summer Reading Club" and the upcoming "Winter Reading Club" which will begin in JANUARY 2010.  Overall, the teens who participated really liked the "Bingo Board" format that was used.  Some past participants who were used to my "Point System" (1 Page = 1 Point) mentioned that they liked this summer's format, but they really missed the "Point System."  Taking this into consideration, I plan to use a "bingo board" format for the "Winter Reading Club" but I'll change some of the squares so teens will be able to count "Pages" as well.  As always, teens will be able to earn cool, fun prizes. :  )
• We spent a good part of the meeting discussing the possibility of having "Yoga" classes here at the library, just for teens.  I handed out surveys to teens who might be interested, but don't forget to check out the posting called "Yoga Anyone???" because you can print out a copy of the survey right at home.  The teens also had a great idea about possibly using the "Wii Fit" system to have fun practicing Yoga as well.  If it seems that it might be impossible to have an instructor come, then this might be a really great "Plan B" don't you think?!?!?  I didn't even think about that.  WOW, it's great to have such an awesome TAB group!

GREAT meeting everyone!!!  And thanks for your input.


Denise J.
Young Adult Librarian

Yoga Anyone????

Hey Teens,

A lot of you have been talking to me about the possibility of having Yoga classes here at the library just for you. If you'd be interested, please fill out the survey in the link below and return it to me as soon as possible.  Make sure you have a parent or guardian sign it because they'll need to answer some specific questions as well.

Thanks,
Denise J.
Young Adult Librarian

http://mahwah.bccls.org/teensubpages/yogasurvey09.doc

"Teen Advisory Board" Meeting (T.A.B)

Are you interested in voicing your opinions about what teen programs you'd like to see the library have in the future? Do you like volunteering to help at the library? Are you interested in meeting and making new friends?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, then you should become a T.A.B. member. Past members have been responsible for a lot of great changes, and their ideas for teen programs have been fantastic! Remember, you opinion DOES count!!!

Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, September 15th at 3:15 PM (yes, there will be snacks). Denise J. the Young Adult Librarian will be posting each meeting's discussion or happenings on this blog each month. If you can't attend the monthly meetings but would still like your voice to be heard, please feel free to leave your comments on the blog, call or stop by and talk to Denise J., or e-mail her at: jukniewicz@bccls.org.

Our First Back-to-School Program

Teens had fun creating cool "Marble Magnets" on Wednesday, September 9th which they can use in their school lockers or at home.

Sorry if you missed it, but there will be plenty of cool activities to participate in during the fall. Please stop by the Young Adult Librarian's desk to ask for more information or to sign-up.

WELCOME BACK!!!

Hey teens,

Welcome back to school. I hope that you all have a truly wonderful and rewarding school year. As always, please DO NOT hesitate to come to me with all of your assignments. I will do my best to provide you with the library's resources or if necessary to request resources from other libraries as well, in order to help you. Also, please don't hesitate to ask either the other Librarians or me for help; that's what we're all here for.

Just so you know, I have a lot of really cool after school activities coming up this fall such as: the "Anime/Manga Club," a new "Gaming Club," "Miscellaneous Music Club," the "Scrabble Club," our "Teen Advisory Board" meetings, our monthly "Food for Thought" book discussion meetings (you can choose your own books to read and discuss), a "Bridge Club" where you can learn to play this fun card game with the help of instructor Susan Koster, as well as special crafts, raffles, "trivia weeks," a "Halloween Party" and other spooky programs in October. Just come to my desk to find out more information and to sign-up.

I'm looking forward to another fun and exciting school year!

Sincerely,
Denise Jukniewicz
Young Adult Librarian

A GREAT SUMMER!!!

F.Y.I.

92 teens worked really hard and did a fantastic job participating in this year's "Teen Summer Reading Club." Many teens participated in various cool and fun programs as well. For the first time, teens were asked to share their opinions about some of their favorite (or not so favorite) books that they'd been reading during the summer. 44 teens shared their awesome reviews by submitting them to be posted to our first ever "teen blog."

To read their thoughts, just click on the link below (you'll need to scroll to the bottom and then click on "Older Posts"). Maybe you'll find some great books you'll want to read as well!

Happy Reading!!!

Denise J.

http://www.mahwahlibraryteensummerfun.blogspot.com/

Update from Our "Teen Advisory Board" Meeting

Hey everyone,

May's meeting was yesterday and all of our members discussed the upcoming "summer reading club" and summer activities. I explained to everyone that change was in the air for this year's "summer reading club" and that teens would be filling in "bingo boards" and writing online reviews in order to earn raffle tickets to win some cool prizes. Also, the teens' "bingo boards" will then be used in a BIGGER prize raffle at the end of the summer.

All of the teens had really fabulous suggestions for prizes, and I truly appreciate all of their help. I always welcome new ideas, so please let me know what you're thinking. :)

F.Y.I. I'm also in the process of creating a blog specifically for all of the "teen" summer activities, which you can access by going back into the teen page and clicking on the "downstairs" activities icon, or you can go directly to the summer blog by clicking on the link below: http://www.mahwahlibraryteensummerfun.blogspot.com/.

All of the teen summer reading club information, as well as all of the teen summer activities will be posted very soon. So please check back.

Thanks,
Denise J.

"Teens for Troops" Event

The program started out with local U. S. Navy Veteran Hank Leonard sharing his incredible and inspirational story about how he served during the Korean War. Mr. Leonard even brought some memoribilia to share with the teens. He is seen here reading a special poem to some of the teens about what it is like when at war and how brave our service men and women truly are. Then the teens went to work making great cards.

Teens have through Sunday, May 10th to stop by and make a special card which will be sent to a special platoon of brave men and women who are serving their country overseas.

We all thank Mr. Leonard for his past service to our country, and to all of our Veterans and current service men and women for their courage and unyielding dedication to keeping us safe here at home. You are all in our hearts, always!

"Mahwah Student Film & Video Festival"

The event took place on Wednesday, April 15th at 6:30 PM. The three filmmakers, along with their families, friends, and everyone who was involved in the making of their short films, were invited that evening to introduce their films to the audience and to showcase their creativity. Thirty people attended the event that evening, and because of it was such a success, the Mahwah Public Library will more than likely make this an annual event.