Last Pokemon of the Week 2016

Hello!

I'm still out catching wild Pokemon, and now Starbucks is a Pokestop! So,  Pokemon GO players can get coffee and catch Pokemon. Well played, Starbucks. I also wanted to share with you our last Pokemon of the Week 2016: Jigglypuff.  This cute and popular pocket monster is considered a fairy Pokemon, and I caught one the other day.

(Image courtesy of Google.com)

Stay tuned for more featured Pokemon in 2017!

Holiday TAB

Hello--

What a fun holiday TAB gathering we had yesterday afternoon! Nine teens and four adults participated and visited. We had refreshments (food is a priority), icebreakers, a game, and
discussion over programs and YA books that I need to purchase for our collection. There were also book giveaways for everyone. It was so much fun!

My heart is happy. I am inspired and am looking forward to spending 2017 (and beyond) here at MCPL working with teens and the community.

Have a great holiday! 

Happy Tuesday, Pokemon of the Week, and Pokemon GO Updates

Hi! Happy Tuesday!

I hope you are staying warm on this snowy day--winter weather has finally caught up with us.
If you are a Pokemon GO player, I hope this information will make your day!
First, the screen (when you first open up the app) has a holiday theme. These little touches keep the game current and interesting!

(Photo courtesy of mirror.co.uk.com)

Second, today's featured Pokemon is Pikachu. I know Pikachu has been mentioned in the past, but there's an added bonus--Pikachu has a santa hat. I've seen the pocket monster nearby on the lower right hand side of the screen, but I haven't had the opportunity to catch it yet.

Finally, I read that there will be other holiday Pokemon to locate, especially ice Pokemon. This event will occur from December 12-December 29. Have fun!

(Photo courtesy of pocket-lint.com)

Friday Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Hi!


I'm planning for Monday's Northridge Middle School Book Club with Teri Schmidt! The book that we will be showcasing this month for Book Club is The Selection by Kiera Cass. This is the first book of The Selection Series. This book is also one of the Young Hoosier Book Award (YHBA) nominees.

Image Courtesy of nonreads.com

This story is about a young woman, America Singer, who is being forced to enter a competition called The Selection. The best way to describe this book is The Bachelorette meets The Hunger Games with less violence. I highly recommend this book; in fact, I am currently reading the second book in the series entitled The Elite.

Friday Book Review: Warriors by Erin Hunter

Hi!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! In-between leftovers and holiday shopping, feel free to read another good book review by Nikki, who is one of our staff reviewers! Here is her review:

"First of all, there are 32 Main books (and counting) so you can read from the beginning or start on any book in the middle of the series. I highly recommend reading the whole series.  The books also come with super edition bonus stories and journeys that covers the past lives and happens between the arcs.

There are bonus guidebooks and manga adventures! There is so much consistency, detail, lore, and love put into this series. Once you are hooked, there's no turning back!

I personally have grown up, known, and loved some of the characters almost to the point where I would call them my friends. I have lived through battles, death, disaster, and life with these characters as you may after reading this series!"


Here is also a website to learn more about the Warriors universe: http://www.warriorcats.com/meet-the-warriors

Book Review Wednesday: 100 Days

Hello! Here is a YA novel that I stayed up too late last night to finish. It's a good one, and be sure to have tissues handy. 

In her book, Nicole McInnes spins a tale of three high-school sophomores: Agnes, Moira, and Boone.  To her credit, she warns the readers that Agnes has Progeria, which is a progressive disease that causes sufferers to age quickly, and that she has 100 Days to live.  The story of their lives takes place in those 100 Days, and all three characters have problems to overcome.

McInnes also provides information about Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome: progeriaresearch.org. 

Pokemon of the Week: Pidgey

Hi!

I can't believe Thanksgiving is this week! We've had some exciting events recently with an Indiana Library Federation conference, Mini-Golf @ the Library, and Book Club at Northridge Middle School, so I'm playing catch-up here.

Yes, I am perhaps one of the last diehards still excited about catching Pokemon and visiting Pokestops in search of free Pokeballs. The highest level one can reach is Level 40. I'm holding strong at Level 24.

Fortunately, Niantic is making efforts to keep "Pokenerds" like us engaged in the game. There was a Halloween Pokemon theme where players caught scary Pokemon and received more XP and Stardust for catching them. I found out that Niantic is having a 'Pokemon Go' Thanksgiving event. It will be similar to Halloween with more XP and Stardust awarded to players between November 23-November 30.  Here is the link to the website if you would like to read more:

 http://heavy.com/games/2016/11/pokemon-go-thanksgiving-event-special-week-start-end-announcement-announced-by-niantic-double-xp-stardust/


Oh, yes--I almost forgot--the Pokemon of the Week is Pidgey. (It is the closest Pokemon to a turkey that I could find.)  Pidgey is a nostalgic if not one of the most common Pokemon in the game. As you can see, Pidgey is small, and uses aerial ace and tackle to fight other Pokemon. Eventually, Pidgey evolves into Pigeotto and Pidgeot.

(Image Courtesy of Pokego.org)

Have a great week!

Book Review Friday: Poem Runs: Baseball Poems and Paintings

Hello!

I visited the Boys & Girls Club of Middlebury today, and in honor of the Cubs winning the World  Series, I read a baseball poetry book to them.

I love Douglas Florian, and his poems are perfect! The kids wanted me to read them again. This book is available to check out at MCPL, and would also make a great holiday gift for the baseball fan in your life. ;)

Happy November, Pokemon GO Changes and Pokemon of the Week: Gastly

Hello! Happy November!

If you played Pokemon GO since last Wednesday, you may have noticed a few changes on the game. When I opened up the application, I noted this screen.

(Source: Forbes.com)

In addition, there were extra scary Halloween-type of Pokemon such as Gastly, Gengar, Haunter, and Meowth. It would only make sense that Gastly is the Pokemon of the week, since I caught many Gastly Pokemon since last week.

Also, there was additional candy scored for catching Pokemon GO characters like Gastly. As a result of the Halloween-style Pokemon GO, Forbes.com states that "analytics firm Sensor Tower is reporting a huge 133% increase in revenue from the event, tracked over at least the first five days."

I think we will be seeing more (and welcome) changes to keep Pokemon GO exciting and interesting!

Book Reviews: Teens' Top Ten

Hi!

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) recently released The Teens' Top Ten Books this October. I was happy to see that we have four of the top ten here at MCPL!  (I am in the process of ordering the other six titles.)

Here are the titles available at MCPL:

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven 

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
The Novice by Taran Matharu
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo










Here is a link to the other titles: ww.ala.org/yalsa/teenstopten

Pokemon of the Week: Zubat and Golbat

Hello!
Despite the fact that Pokemon GO has decreased in popularity, I'm still having fun and playing! Currently, my trainer is at Level 23.

The Pokemon of the week is Zubat.  I've captured many of these elusive Pokemon. They are quick and difficult to catch. You can evolve Zubat into more powerful Pokemon named Golbat.

Zubat (Photo courtesy of Pokemon.com)

Golbat (Photo courtesy of Pokemon.com)

 

Winners of The Raffle Drawings for Teen Read Week 2016

I can't believe Teen Read Week 2016 is over!
It was a good week, weather-wise.
Here are our teen winners of the raffle drawings:

Jusiah Dick and Katelynn Noble

Braydyn Wieigos

Josaelin Weam

Abigail Checkley

Special thanks to 41 Degrees North Restaurant and Bar for their generous $25 donation!

Poetic Friday Book Review: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1)

Hi!

This poetic book review is written by Nikki Diamond, Staff member at MCPL! (She used a poetic device known as listing.)

Title: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1)
Author: Cinda Williams Chima

It is unique.

It has magic, mystery, and super spicy romance,
it is by far my favorite YA series.

It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time,
you fall in love with the characters,
and get to know them as if they live next door.

It is beautifully written and doesn't get old,
you can read it a hundred times and still find new things,
there isn't anything I dislike about this series-
it is the perfect genre, length, and story.

Pokemon of the Week: Venonat

Hi!
Happy Teen Read Week!


The Pokémon of the week is Venonat. This Pokémon is fairly common, and shows up fairly often. It is also fairly easy to catch.  Eventually, the Venonat will evolve into a lovely Venomoth. 

Teen Read Week Activities

Hi!

Teen Read Week is upon us! Here are the activities planned for next week!

Activities and Crafts at MCPL 
October 9-15, 2016 
(Ages 12-18)

Monday, October 10

Visit us at the Library, pick up a Teen Read Week Bookmark, and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Tuesday, October 11

Create a poem and/or a poetry bat for our Blackout Poetry Wall and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Wednesday, October 12

Word Find Wednesday! Complete the Word Find and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Thursday, October 13

Scavenger Hunt! Complete the scavenger hunt and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Friday, October 14

Write a quick review to publish on the MCPL blog, and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Question: Which book would you save from a fire, and why?

Saturday, October 15

Social media Saturday! Visit us at the Library, have your picture taken with your favorite book on Instagram, and put your name in a drawing for prizes!

Check out our Teen Page: http://www.mdy.lib.in.us/TeenSite/TeenIndex.php

Follow us on Facebook: https://www,facebook.com/MiddleburyCommunityPublicLibrary

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleburyteenspace1

Friday Book Review

Happy Friday!

Today's book review is the book that Mrs. Schmidt and I will be presenting at book club at the Northridge Middle School next Monday.

The book is entitled Tabula Rasa, and this exciting read is Kristen Lippert-Martin's debut YA thriller. If you like dystopian novels (think Hunger Games), this is a good read. 

The story begins with Sarah, a sixteen-year-old protagonist, sitting in a hospital in a gown, strapped to a chair. She has bolts drilled in her head in the doctor's attempt to erase her memories.

If you want to know more, you have to read the book! ;)

Poetry as Memoir Program and Book Reviews

Shari Wagner, Poet Laureate of Indiana, is affiliated with the Indiana Writer's Center (Indianapolis). She presented a workshop on poetry as memoir. The participants needed to bring an object that was passed down to them from a deceased relative or friend.

Here are some of the main points that I took from the workshop:

 Book Recommendations and Using Imagery in Poetry 
 Book Recommendation: The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.

 When writing a poem, paint with words. Most poetry is in free verse.

 Use similes and metaphor in poems.

  End your poem with an image. End your poem with a new perspective.

 Write your poem as if it were a mystery.

 Don’t be sentimental in poems. Don’t write as if the person is reading over your shoulder.

 Images instead of sentiment can be used in poetry.

  Use details that appeal to the senses. Use details of the giver of the gift.

 We read “The Box of Beads” by Jane Kenyon, “Flow Blue China” by Ted Kooser, and “Buckeye” by Shari Wagner. 

List Poem

·        We read “What I Learned from my Mother” by Julia Kasdorf

·        Variation… I learned to…

·         Verbs are important

·        Writing exercise—list to learn from a person.

·        Shari defined persona poems—speaking in another voice

·        Shari mentioned to set time to write every day around the same time. Even 10-15 minutes.

·        Weave a thread to follow.

·        Use past or present tense.

·        Use perspective and mystery in writing.

The beginning and the ending of poems are important.

 In addition, Shari has a couple of poetry books that we have in our collection at MCPL.

·

·    

Pokemon of the Week: Rattata

Hello!
I hope you enjoyed a nice weekend!

The Pokemon GO of the week is Rattata. This purple rodent-like creature is a common Pokemon that appears in Level 1, and also tends to make an entrance when I use Incense. (Like a Lure, Incense is used to attract more Pokemon.)  Rattata evolves into a higher Pokemon called Raticate.

Another feature I noticed on the Pokemon GO game is that if you scroll down to the Pokemon that you captured, the city, state, country, and date will show under the Pokemon.

Middlebury, Indiana, United States

10/3/2016 

 Have a good week and Happy Pokemon catching! 

Teen Craft Night Tonight!

Hi!
We are having crafts, games, and Pokemon GO tonight here at the Middlebury Community Public Library at 4:30 p.m.. There will be a giveaway basket and snacks! Hope to see you then!

Pokemon of the Week: Eevee

Hello!

This week's featured Pokemon is Eevee.


Not only is Eevee a cute and furry Pokemon, but Eevee can evolve into three different types of Pokemon: Flareon (Fire),Jolteon (Electric), or Vaporeon (Water).

I conducted a little research, and according to rankedboost.com, if you give your Eevee a nickname before evolving it, you can specify the type of evolved Pokemon that you wish. Here are the nicknames:

Pyro=Flareon

Rainer=Vaporeon

Sparky=Jolteon

(Image courtesy of brobible.com) 

Also, a young adult from the Boys & Girls Club showed me a new feature on Friday. Did you know that you can now add a buddy with your trainer?

Just select your trainer's icon on the left-hand side of the screen, then press the button on the right-hand side of the screen. In-between Journal and Customize is Buddy. Select your buddy.

(I selected Vaporeon, of course!)

Fortunately, you can walk with your buddy, and when you have walked 5 km, you are awarded candy! How cool is that? Happy Pokemon Catching!

Friday Book Reviews

Hello!

This review is written by Samantha Weaver, who is an adult volunteer and library student. She gave Stephen King's Skeleton Crew 4 out of 5 stars.

 "This is a collection of short stories, and each story brings chills down your spine and makes you wonder what terrors lay behind the next page. If you love reading stories that mystify and scare you, this book is for you. Many of these short stories were later adapted on the big screen (The Mist, for example)."    

The second review is written by E.T., age 11. She gave Sharon Creech's Ruby Holler 5 out of 5 stars. 

"It's confusing in the beginning, but it (the book) has excitement!" 

Both books are available for checkout at The Middlebury Community Public Library! If you are interested in submitting a book review of a book that teens may like to read, please send me an email: lori@mdy.lib.in.us.     

Pokemon of the Week: Bellsprout

Happy Monday!

Guess who appeared on my desk today! It's Bellsprout, the Pokemon of the Week! Bellsprout was challenging to catch today--it took four Pokeballs and one Razz Berry to catch.

Bellsprout is a grass/poison type of Pokemon, and eventually will evolve into a Pokemon called Weepinbell.

I discovered that after Level 20 (I am now Level 21), Pokemon are harder to catch.  You may also note that there have been recent updates.

One new feature is called Appraise, and it is listed between Favorites and Transfer. Basically, an icon comes up and appraises the Pokemon.

He will tell you if this is a strong Pokemon or a weak Pokemon. I believe this will be useful if you are interested in battling your Pokemon.

Next Thursday @ 4:30 p.m. we will be having crafts, games, and Pokemon GO! Hope you can join us.

Friday Book Review

Happy Friday!

This week's book review is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
I know the story of Jean Valjean very well.
I read the novel, viewed the play onstage, and watched the film.  (Remember that amazing Oscar-winning performance by Anne Hathaway?) 

However, I have not read this book in manga format before.  It is a good thing I know how the story ends, because I accidentally started reading the book from left to right!

Oops. 

Manga is the opposite. Not only am I supposed to read the pages from right to left, but also the comic panels are read right to left.I'm going to try this again.  We have many featured classics in graphic novel and manga formats here at MCPL!

Pokemon of the Week and Two Months with Pokemon GO!

Hello!

Each week, until I have caught them all, I would like to feature a Pokemon of the Week. This week's featured Pokemon is Psyduck. He (or she) is pretty cute. I like how geography affects the Pokemon that is seen, and I caught this one near the St. Joseph River in Mishawaka, IN.

It's been two months since the game Pokemon GO launched, and I notice that it is still going strong! It's been exactly two months--and two smartphones later--since I signed up my trainer and started hunting and catching virtual monsters.

I am a proud member of Team Instinct (that's the yellow team, if you haven't reached Level 5 yet), and on Level 20. I have only participated in the the Pokemon GO Gyms once, and my poor Pokemon was badly beaten. (I can't remember which Pokemon I used.) What team are you on? What level are you on?

Also, I have recently incubated and hatched a few Pokemon. Other than that, I am content with catching and evolving Pokemon. Have you hatched Pokemon? I would like to hear from you!

Friday Book Reviews

 Hello and Happy Friday!  On this blog, we will be featuring book reviews by staff and/or teens.
All of the books are available at MCPL or via InterLibrary Loan (ILL).

Here are a few Friday book reviews for you:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.
(Book review by Rachael K., 14) 

      I loved this book, due to the easy comprehension level of writing, but still in a very immersive style. The story was new, with very interesting characters that I loved to read about. The main character discovers a whole new world in which all readers can learn with him. Overall, it's definitely a book I think everyone should try to read.







Jinx by Sage Blackwood
(Book review by T.J., 14)

   I disliked this book. Although it had a neat story line, it lacked the "hook" to get me attached to this book. I am also aware of fellow readers who did not enjoy the book. The book is about a boy (Jinx) who gets lost in the forest and learns about magic. He goes on a quest to rescue an unlikely friend. I felt like this book was a punishment and I do not recommend this read unless you are a fan of fantasy and magic.





Zeus: King of the Gods by George O'Connor
(Book review by Lori, staff)

   I liked this book. The author does a great job explaining the mythological story of Zeus using a conversational tone, and using the graphic novel format. The illustrations are striking, and the story is easy to understand. I like that the inside cover features a family tree of the Olympians. I recommend this book for anyone who likes reading graphic novels and enjoy Greek mythology.

Happy September and Library Card Sign-Up Month

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend--the weather was perfect.

I wanted to share with you that September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month.
I want to remind you that there are so many cool resources at your fingertips: books, computers, movies, music, programs, and...coffee!

So, if you don't have a library card, please stop by the library to sign up! We would love to see you! (If you already have a library card, we would also love to see you. )

Poetry as Memoir Workshop

Calling all poets!

Would you like to learn how to write a memoir poem? No experience necessary!

Shari Wagner, Indiana Poet Laureate, will be presenting a workshop here at MCPL on Tuesday, September 27, @ 6:30 p.m.

Wagner will lead you through writing a memoir poem through exercises designed to help you create a poem with an inheritance-- a gift you've received from a family member or ancestor.

The program is filling up, so if you are interested, please register on the event calendar homepage, call #825-5601, or stop by the front desk and say hello.

I'm signed up and looking forward to learning more about memoir poetry, and I hope to see you there!

Pokemon GO!: Pikachu Sighting!

I attempted to catch Pikachu on my lunch hour today! He's a tough opponent because he got away. I used two Pokeballs, a Razz Berry, and a Great Ball before he ran away.

What level are you on? Do you have a favorite Pokemon that you have tried to catch? I would love to hear from you! 

Ms. Marvel: No Normal

Hello,

I just checked out a copy of a cool graphic novel that also happens to be a Young Hoosier Book for September's book club at Northridge Middle School.

The title is Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona. You are welcome to place a hold on one of the copies at MCPL!

Fun Craft: Muse of Chance Collage

Part of what I do as the Teen Services Librarian is outreach. Once a week, usually on Fridays, I visit the Boys & Girls Club of Middlebury. We read a book and then do a craft. Although this craft is designed for a younger audience, people of all ages can (and do) enjoy this activity.

I found about this craft in a children's book. This project is called "The Muse of Chance" collage, and it was created by Hans Arp. (He was a famous artist.)  Basically, you take a piece of construction paper and set it down on the floor or a table. Then you take pieces of scrap paper and throw them on the paper. Wherever the scrap paper lands, you glue it on the construction paper. It is super easy and fun to do with kids (even the little ones) and kids at heart!

Here is my sample:












Don't forget to sign and date your work! Have fun! :)

Vote for Your Favorite 2016 Teens' Top Reads!

Hello!

Have you ever heard of the 2016 Teens' Top Ten? This program is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).
(Image source: http://www.dogobooks.com/voting/2016-teens-top-reads)

Basically, if you are ages 12-18, you can vote for your favorite teen book! The YALSA website notes that voting is currently open (August 15) until Teen Read Week (October 9-15, 2016).  During Teen Read Week, the top ten titles will be announced!

Here's the link again if you want to vote: 2016 Teens' Top Ten.

Pokemon GO! and TAB Meeting This Thursday

Hello!

We recently hosted our 1st Pokemon GO! programs here at the Middlebury Community Public Library (MCPL).  There were fifteen of us here chasing Pokemon in the meeting room and playing Pokemon GO trivia for prizes.  We may do another program this fall if people are still interested! Send me an email at Lori@mdy.lib.in.us if you are interested in another Pokemon GO program!

 

Also, we will be having our August Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meeting on Thursday, August 25, @ 4:30 p.m. There will be snacks, games (ice-breakers), and lively discussion on books, programs, and social networking here at MCPL! We hope you will join in the fun!

Hello, Introductions, and End-of-the-Summer Teen Party

 

Hello! Welcome to the Middlebury Community Public Library TeenSpace! My name is Lori, and I am the new Teen Services Librarian. It's great to meet you!  My start date was July 5.  I bring to you almost 15 years of prior public library experience and six years as a college instructor (English and speech).  I have experienced the last half of the Summer Reading Program, and it's been a lot of fun! Here is a picture of me biking the lovely Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

Tonight, from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., the teens, Mrs. Schmidt, and I will be celebrating the End of Summer Reading with games, refreshments, and a slide presentation of all the wonderful programs hosted this summer.  Here is a link to our website: Middlebury Community Public Library. Teens, you are welcome to join us!