TeenDirect

Greetings!
Here comes summer! As you put the finishing touches on your summer reading plans, hope that you will have a little time to take a breath and relax before all the work of summer in the library begins. Hope you find time for something you enjoy.
Best,

Barbara

Ready? Set. Go!

The Battle of the Books season has officially opened. Titles may be released to the public, schools may be notified, teens may begin reading and signing up.
The Battle Website contains a listing of the book titles for this year, as well as rules and other pertinent information.

This year brings additional changes to Battle of the Books. Brian Schwartz will begin assuming the duties of Battle Coordinator. Brian brings his experience as coach of the 2008 Patchogue-Medford Library's winning team, as well as chair of Advanced Battle of the Books. He will bring new energy and perspective to this popular annual summer reading event.
Best Wishes to Brian and Good Luck to all teams!

Teen Art Show

Mastics-Moriches Shirley Community Library's Camera Club and Illustrator's Workshop presented their semi-annual art show. Tom Casper organizes and directs both of these popular programs. He mounts the paintings, drawings, and photographs for an evening event where community members can view these teen creations. Please take the time to view this art. It is fantastic!.

All's Fair in Love and War

Suzanne Collins second volume in The Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire is

literally doing just that. The buzz on this title is growing and shows no sings of stopping. Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch find themselves drawn into the public once again. The action is even more intense and suspenseful than in the first volume (Can that be possible? Yes!) as they face terrors, fateful turns of events, and philosophical questions that kept me glued to the book, hungering for more.
I met Melissa, from Patchogue-Medford at a BOCES event and found that she skipped lunch to go out in the foyer to finish reading The Hunger Games I predict she will be skipping breakfast and dinner to find out what happens in the second volume. One word of warning: the ending will leave you wanting more!
I was able to snag a few sample CDs of Catching Fire. If you would like a tantalizing earful, let me know and I will send one your way while supplies last.

Back Home touched my heart. Rachel's father returns from Iraq with a prosthetic arm and leg, but even more devastating is the traumatic brain injury. The father she knew is gone. In his place sits a man in a wheelchair. As Rachel and her family cope with this painful situation, readers begin to understand the deep wounds of war that impact families everywhere. Pulitzer Prize winner Julia Keller has written a powerful first person account that is well worth reading.

Just for fun, try Troy High. This quick engaging read by Shana Norris recasts the

story of the Trojan War and Helen of Troy as modern high school drama. The football field serves as the stage for a rivalry between two competing school teams: the Trojans and the Spartans. Things get personal when the beautiful Elena transfers to Troy, dumps her Spartan jock for Troy football star Perry. Cassandra narrates the saga, which closely parallels Homer's classic. Both high school homecoming and the Iliad will never be the same.

Please consult the SCLS Professional Collection for a complete listing of all titles available for examination. Online reviews by Suffolk librarians also available at Paperback Preview.

Everyone has a story. Can you tell yours in six words?

Six Word Memoirs

Smith Magazine has come up with a great concept: the six word memoir. What a great way to "Express Yourself." View a selection of famous, and not-so-famous memoirs on YouTube or check out I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure.
Here's one of my many favorites:

I live bigger than your labels