Featured YA: Savannah M.

Meet Savannah M!  Savannah has been volunteering with us since 2016.

Age: 13 1/2
Grade: 8
School: Northridge Middle School
What are you reading?: Faded Denim by Melody Carlson
(Current) Favorite Book: Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca
Favorite Movie or TV Show: She's the Man 
Favorite Band/Musical Group: Ariana Grande
Favorite Color: Light Blue
Something Interesting: I am adopted.

Featured YA: Alexis F.

Meet Alexis F.! She is a member of the Northridge High School Art Club.

Age: 16
Grade: 11
School: Northridge High School
What are you reading?: The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
(Current) Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Favorite Movie or TV Show: The Originals 
Favorite Band/Musical Group: Juaves (Spanish Music)
Favorite Color: Crimson Red
Something Interesting: I was part of a military class in middle school in Texas.


Stay tuned for our next YA of the Week!

YA Book Review: Bitter Rose

Hello! Here is a YA book review by Savannah M., ages 13 1/2:

Book Title: Bitter Rose 
Book Author: Melody Carlson
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

"I liked Butter Rose because it has a lot of things that go on in the book that most teenagers experience. It shows how families can be and how relationships can be. I recommend this book to anyone who likes drama-ish and exciting books.

Featured YA: Connor R.

Meet Connor R.!  Connor has been volunteering with us since 2017.

Age: 13
Grade: 8
School: Northridge Middle School
What are you reading?: Independent Study 
(Current) Favorite Book: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Favorite Movie or TV Show: The Bee Movie
Favorite Band/Musical Group: Twenty-one Pilots
Favorite Color: Blue
Something Interesting: I volunteer at the 4-H Fair.

Stay tuned for our next YA of the Week!

Featured YA: Emma T.

Meet Emma T.! She has volunteered at the Middlebury Community Public Library since 2016, and is also a part of our Teen Advisory Board.

Age: 12
Grade: 7th
School: Northridge Middle School
What are you reading?: Life Animated 
(Current) Favorite Book: Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
Favorite Movie or TV Show: Jessie 
Favorite Band/Musical Group: Justin Timberlake
Favorite Color: Purple
Something Interesting: I have lived with my grandparents since I was 4.

Stay tuned for our next YA of the Week!

Featured YA: Nikki F.

Hi!

I want to feature our amazing YAs from our community, and am so lucky to work with these wonderful tweens and teens. I gave each person a YA of the Week Questionnaire, and snapped a photo.  I am going to try to feature one a week, but young people are really busy and hard to track down, so it may be one every other week...

Anyhow, meet Nikki F.! She has volunteered at the Middlebury Community Public Library since 2016, and is also a part of our Teen Advisory Board.

Age: 16
Grade: 10th
School: Northridge High School
What are you reading?: Sherlock Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
(Current) Favorite Book: Legend by Marie Lu
Favorite Movie or TV Show: Criminal Minds
Favorite Band/Musical Group: Twenty-one Pilots
Favorite Color: Blue
Something Interesting: I got a new puppy!

Stay tuned for our next YA of the Week!

YA Book Review: The Twilight Series and Breaking Dawn, Part One

Hello! It's that time of year to feature vampires and werewolves.
Here are YA book reviews by Savannah, age 13 1/2:

Book Title: Twilight
Book Author: Stephenie Meyer
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

"In the book Twilight, many things happen. I love the whole series, meaning the books and movies. Personally, I like Breaking Dawn better just because there's more that goes on in the book, but I really do like Twilight. Bella is a pretty great person and she has a friend named Jacob (werewolf), and Edward (vampire), her love. I recommend reading not only this book, but the whole series, because once you get done reading one book, you just want to keep reading. Interesting things happen in all the books. They each have their own twist of some sort either at the end, middle, or beginning. I fell in love with all of these books and every little detail about it."

Book Title: Breaking Dawn 
Book Author: Stephenie Meyer
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

"In the first book (amazing book), a girl named Bella falls for Edward. So, after the second book (New Moon) and the third book (Eclipse), comes Breaking Dawn.  This is where Bella marries Edward. There is a baby on the way--can they save Bella and the baby? Read this book to find out. I recommend reading them all in order and then watch all the movies. They are great as well."

All of these books are available at the MCPL library!

YA Book Review: Textrovert by Lindsey Summers

Happy Wednesday!
Here is a YA book review by Savannah, age 13 1/2:

Book Title: Textrovert
Book Author: Lindsey Summers
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

"I am such a fan of this book! It proves that people may not always be who you think, and that people can change. This book is a romantic, funny, exciting book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys funny, romantic, and nail-biting books."

This book is available in the YA section to check out!















Book Title: Faded Denim
Book Author: Melody Carlson
Star Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars

"Faded denim was a really great book! I enjoyed all of the details that it included. This book is mostly about a young woman (Emily) around 17-18 years old who compares herself to her best friend Leah. Emily and Leah have been friends for a long time. Emily compares herself to Leah about her weight and looks. I think people who enjoy books that more like reality would like this. This book also shows that no matter what, you are perfect just the way you are! And YOU are!"

Book Review: Faded Dream by Melody Carlson

Happy Tuesday! Rainy days are great days to read.
Here is a YA book review by Savannah, age 13 1/2:

Book Title: Faded Denim
Book Author: Melody Carlson
Star Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars

"Faded denim was a really great book! I enjoyed all of the details that it included. This book is mostly about a young woman (Emily) around 17-18 years old who compares herself to her best friend Leah. Emily and Leah have been friends for a long time. Emily compares herself to Leah about her weight and looks. I think people who enjoy books that more like reality would like this. This book also shows that no matter what, you are perfect just the way you are! And YOU are!" 

Book Club at NMS-- Terror at Bottle Creek

On Monday, September 11, Mrs. Schmidt and I co-hosted the first book club of the year at the Middle School. The title was Terror at Bottle Creek by Watt Key. The story takes place in Alabama, and the protagonist is a thirteen-year-old named Cort. Cort is caught alone in a hurricane with two other people (kids). The story reminds me of a modern-day Hatchet, the book by Gary Paulsen about a young man (Brian) who survives a crash. Our book selection was timely because of the recent hurricanes. We chose the books earlier this summer--we did not know that this read would be so relevant. I dedicate this blog post to all affected by the recent hurricanes. Here are some of the photos from Book Club. Special thanks to Mrs. Schmidt for all of the food and prize preparation!

Gen Con 50 and Dungeons & Dragons Club at our Library!

Hello-- I had the opportunity (7th time) to attend Gen Con 50 with my husband, Steve. It was quite crowded, as all four days of the convention completely sold out! There were over 60,000 people who attended this con in Indianapolis, and we were only able to book a hotel room about 14 miles away. But, we were grateful to attend and to have hotel accommodations. On Wednesday, I attended the trade day conference, which was designed for bookstore owners, librarians, publishers, and teachers. I attended four sessions and will be bringing back some great information and places that donate games to libraries!

This Saturday, September 2, we will be starting our Fall 2017 Dungeons & Dragons campaign here at the library. This club is designated for ages 12 and up, and we have both beginners and experts participating in the game. We will start right at 10:30 a.m., take a break around noon, and start right back up until 1:30 p.m. (or so...) There will be at least 3 Game Masters, so there will be lots of player participation needed. Please sign up ahead of time (call, email us, stop in, or register on our events website), so we know how many people will be in each group.

STEAM and Jim McClain on Thursday, August 17 @ 4:30 p.m.

Hello! On Thursday, Jim McClain, author, educator, and illustrator of Solution Squad, will be presenting here at the Middlebury Community Library from 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. The topic will be on creating superheroes and villains using math and science concepts. We have the space and Jim has the supplies--all you need is your creativity! Please register online or call us at 574-825-5601! It is going to be a great program!

Thank you, Blue Hair, and Gen Con!

Hello! Thank you for checking out and reading 2,774 YA items in June and July 2017! The TAB (Teen Advisory Board) selected the color of blue I had colored this weekend. Since the dye is temporary, the color has already faded. But, I want you to know that you held up your part of the bargain, so I did as well. I'm so proud!

This week I will be heading to Gen Con in Indianapolis, and I will definitely share pics and updates with you! Have a great week!

Happy Wednesday, Back-to-School, and Rocks

Happy Wednesday! By the time you read this post, I hope you will have had a wonderful first day of class, or just a wonderful Wednesday in general. I was eating my lunch outside in the park next to our library, and noted a colorful painted rock on the sidewalk. I wondered if it was lost and belonged to someone. The inscription read "Be happy" on a brightly colored background. I then flipped over the rock, and noted the hashtag #elkhartcountyrocks. So, I googled "elkhartcounty rocks", and according to abc57.com,the rock is a part of a "Kindness Rocks" campaign started by Tarina Wills and now has around 700 participating!If you are interested in joining,look up "Kindness Rocks" on Facebook.

Solar Eclipse Happenings

Hi! You may have heard the buzz about the solar eclipse that is coming soon! To be exact, the solar eclipse will take place on Monday, August 21, 2017. Last night, here at the Middlebury Community Public Library, we learned all about eclipses with our featured guest speaker, Dr. Jerry Hinnefeld, physics professor at Indiana University South Bend. We had a blast with 57 in attendance!

We will have another event on Monday the 21st, as we will be showing a vintage(1979)science fiction movie @ 6:30 p.m. about black holes for ages 12 and up. Hope to see you there! For more information on the solar eclipse, be sure to check out NASA's webpage here.

Elkhart 4-H County Fair

Selfie at the Fair

It has been a great week to be at the fair! Libraries from Elkhart county, including Middlebury, were represented at the Library Booth.
I was there on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. and we had over 300 visitors say hello to us.  It was so much fun interacting and playing with the patrons. There's still time--the fair is also open tomorrow!

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

YA Book Review: Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare

Title: Cirque du Freak 

Author: Darren Shan

Star Rating: 5

"When I first saw this book series, I thought it was your average horror story with werewolves and vampires out to murder everyone. I wasn't even close. Considering that I never read anything related to the supernatural, I enjoyed it. Darren, the main character who tells the story, is intriguing because of the sacrifices he makes. (I don't want to spoil why and what happens referring to his sacrifice.) 

I also find it interesting that the main character and the author have the same exact name! In the beginning of the book, the main character tells us that everyone's names have been changed, including his. So, that leads me to question if Darren Shan is really Darren Shan?" -Regan S.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Pokemon GO Ash Hat Pikachu and Anniversary!

It took me several tries on two separate occasions to catch this wily pocket monster! Apparently, Ash Hat Pikachu will be visiting all month to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Pokemon GO.

Interestingly, Pokemon GO was launched to the masses on July 6, 2016, just a day after I started my new position here at the Middlebury Community Public Library as the Teen Services Librarian. I am currently a Level 30 trainer in the Pokemon GO game, and I now have a year of new library experiences.

There are some parallels to learning a new game and learning (or relearning) a new gig.  Both have been investments of sorts; both have been fun, both have been trying on occasion (as learning curves typically are), and both overall have been rewarding.

 I look forward to the next adventures in both Pokemon GO and here at the library. :)

Monday, July 10, 2017

Chopped Cooking Contest and West on Warren Tour

Hello!


We hosted the Chopped Cooking Contest on Thursday, June 8, from 2-4 p.m., and the winners of the contest were invited to tour one of the local restaurants in Middlebury. This year's restaurant tour was held at West on Warren, which opened up recently.

Chef Jared Heath and his staff welcomed us to the restaurant. Inside the venue is a beautifully decorated restaurant, art gallery, bar, and patio area.  Chef Jared was also kind enough to take photographs with us!







Part of the interior space at West on Warren.

The patio space! (It was too rainy to go outside.)

The menu!

Pictures of Elise, Sarah, and Chef Jared

I'm holding the menu!

Visiting West on Warren was a great way to start the week! Hope you have a terrific week! :)


Happy Independence Day and D&D Club

Hello!

I hope you enjoyed a fun and safe 4th of July yesterday! The library was closed, so staff enjoyed a day off with family and friends.

I have to share the good news about our Dungeons & Dragons Club and our event that was held on Saturday, July 1. We were also featured in Monday's The Elkhart Truth.  

Here is the link if you are interested in reading about it:  Middlebury Library Features Dungeons and Dragons

Meanwhile, here are some photos from the event. Enjoy!

Book Review: Unrivaled

Hello! 
Here is a young adult book review by Savannah, age 13:

Author: Alyson Noel
Title: Unrivaled
Star Rating: 4

The book Unrivaled is about a girl who wants to leave the beach days behind in order to get behind a reporter's desk. It is like Pretty Little Liars in a way with drama, romance, and threats. It's a very good book.

Pokemon GO: Fire and Ice and New Pokemons

Hello!

There has been a new Pokemon GO event happening called Fire and Ice for fire-and-ice pocket monsters and it just ended. Here are a few Pokemon that I have seen recently:

Stantler- Interestingly, I caught this Pokemon while we were driving through the forest. (I was a passenger.) Stantler is categorized as a "Big Horn" Pokemon and uses intimidation to battle its opponents.

Houndour-I caught this one in town. Houndour is a Dark and Fire Pokemon, and it is also a "Flash Fire" Pokemon. (Basically, don't use fire on this Pokemon-- it will make it stronger.)

Forretress-This is an unusual Pokemon. It is a bug and steel pocket monster, Unlike the Houndour, the Forretress does not like fire.

Image courtesy of pokemongo.wikiapedia.com

Exciting Events at MCPL!

Hello!

We are almost halfway through the Summer Reading Club, and we have had some fun! Here are the highlights of the summer so far:


Chopped Cooking Contest 

This was a well-attended event with over 30 people! We had four teams compete for the highest scores on a beverage, on a pasta salad, and on a dessert. We also had three professional judges--two local chefs and a nutritionist--rank the teams. Everyone did such a great job!

Egg Drop 

This was an event that Miss Beth set up with the Middlebury Fire Department. Participants of all ages (including teens) packed uncooked eggs in a container. Then, the fire fighters collected the packages and dropped the eggs from a ladder. About half of the eggs dropped (we had over 40 participate) did not break.  This was a fun event to watch, and thank goodness, the weather held out.

Garden Pots and Pet Rock Painting 

We had twenty artists participate in this event. Participants chose pots and rocks to paint. We had a great time and I am happy to report that no paint spilled on the floor!

Thank you for reading! I will post more fun pics from our events this summer. :)

Book Reviews

We are already in our third week of summer reading! If you are looking for something to read, here are a couple of book reviews:

Title: Witch & Wizard
Author: James Patterson
Star Rating: 5

"I enjoyed this book because I was able to understand the relationship between the two main characters as well as understand what it's like ti be different. The novel provided an exciting thrill and anticipation that has kept me wanting more."  -Mary Seddon, age 19









Title: Peter and the Starcatchers
Author: Dave Barry & Ridley Peterson
Star Rating: 5

"Plenty of action, and the character's actions create suspense and drama. This book is amazing and so are the sequels!" -Julia K., age 12

Black Light Party Pics!

Hi, 
The Summer Reading Club is underway.
We had ten people for the Black Light Party! We drew on white paper with highlighters, played  Glow-in-the-Dark Twister, enjoyed snacks, made glow-in-the-dark jewelry, and wore mustaches! (What is a party with out mustaches?)

Here are some photographs! Enjoy!