Read it! Review it!

Read a good book lately? Your librarians would love to hear about it, and so would other teens. Send your fiction or non-fiction book review to the Teen Librarian, and it could get posted here on the Library's teen Blog!



If you decide to send us a review, please include the following:

• Book's Title
• Author
• A brief summary of the plot (tell us what it was about, but don't give away any spoilers)
• Describe what you liked about the book and why you liked it.

Try a Great Book!

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry (YA BERRY)
When Lucinda Chapdelaine was five years old, her parents left for the royal ball, and never returned. Since that time Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude in her evil aunt’s jewelry store until the day when a mysterious visitor, a rare and beautiful piece of jewelry, and a handsome prince all enter her aunt’s shop setting in motion a series of events that will forever change Lucinda’s life. If you're looking for a great historical fantasy (with occasional nods to the Cinderella fairytale throughout), a spunky heroine and a well-developed plot, you will thoroughly enjoy this story.

Teen Tuesday at the Highlands Library

Last Tuesdays are teen days at the Highlands Library!

Does the start of school make you want to curl up and dye? Thinking about Halloween or just need some flair? Bring your white socks, shirts, scarves, and hairbands to the Highlands Library on September 29th @ 3 p.m. for tie dyeing. Plan on some pretty random colors, or leave your suggestions in the comments. While waiting for your masterpiece to soak, play Guitar Hero, Sing Star Pop Star, and other games and eat free snacks. Teen Tuesdays are always for middle and high schoolers only, so see you there!

Be a Rebel - Read a Challenged Book!

This week's Teen Advisory Board group had a very productive discussion about Banned Books Week (September 26 to October 3, 2009). Every year, the American Library Association compiles a top-ten list of the 10 most challenged books of the previous year. Books face challenges every day by individuals or groups who feel the contents are objectionable in some way. These individuals often request that the materials be removed from library collections, making them unavailable to everyone. Most of the books featured during Banned Books Week were not successfully banned from library shelves due to the efforts of librarians and library boards to maintain them in their collections.

Here is the list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2007 - 2008:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell - Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman - Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
3. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle - Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
4. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz - Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
5. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya - Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky - Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
7. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar - Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen - Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
9. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini - Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
10. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper - Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
    

During Banned Books Week, stop by the public library, and celebrate your freedom to read by picking out a challenged book.

We're on Facebook!

Renton Library has a Facebook page! If you're on Facebook, become a fan of the Renton library. You can find us by searching "Renton Public Library" within the Facebook page.

Check Out a Cool Trailer for the upcoming book "Hush, Hush"!

OK, for those of you who insist that books are boring, you might think differenly after watching this clip for Becca Fitzpatrick's debut YA novel, Hush, Hush coming out soon.

Click on the link at the left to check it out and enjoy....

The book is on order for the library so you can already place a hold on it in the library catalog.

Imagine! Create! Participate!

Young Writers' Group @ Renton Main Branch
If you enjoy expressing yourself through the written word, then this is the group for you!

The library's new Young Writers' Group is a great way to share your writing, learn some new creative writing techniques, and build your creative portfolio in a relaxed, supportive setting.

Our first meeting will will be at the Main Branch on Thursday, September 24th from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.

If you're interested, you can sign up at the Children’s Reference Desk or Information Desk, or E-mail the Librarian or call 425-430-6610.

Teen Summer Reading Winners Are Announced!

The drawing was held, and the Teen Summer Reading winners are in!

Grand Prize (4 GB Ipod Shuffle) - Kevin Malley, Grade 6

2 x $20.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Cards awarded to Ashley Wallace, Grade 6 and Marissa Madayag, Grade 9

Congratulations to the prize winners and to all those who finished the summer reading program this year!

Renton and Highlands Libraries would like to give a very special THANK YOU to Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes (900 S 3rd St # A, Renton, WA 98057, 425-235-1717) for their very generous sponsorship this summer. They gave a a free cupcake to every finisher of both the Children's and Teen Summer Reading programs making finishing extra sweet!