Posts from the Young Adult department.
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) “A Very Large Expanse of Sea” tells the story of a teenage Muslim American girl dealing with racism and Islamophobia after 9/11. The story follows the protagonist, Shirin, and takes place in 2002. Shirin is tired of being stereotyped and is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She endures many comments … Read more
Go Set a Watchman sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Historical Fiction Review #1 * Star (A Waste of time) “Go Set a Watchman” is the sequel to the iconic novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Featuring many of the same characters from TKaM, this book follows Scout Finch, who is now grown up. It is set in the mid-1950s in Maycomb, Alabama. Jean Louise Finch returns home to Maycomb … Read more
Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan Adventure Fantasy Mystery Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This series follows the adventures of Will, an orphan who is chosen as an apprentice Ranger, one of the skilled archers, trackers, and warriors of the King of Araluen. Will strives to keep the Kingdom safe from intruders. This book is an exceptional start to a thrilling series with vivid imagery, compelling character development, and impressive storytelling. … Read more
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (vol. 1) by Mizuki Tsujimura Fantasy Manga Mystery * * * * Stars (Great!) Kokoro was horribly bullied by some girls at her previous school. The experience has left her exhausted, anxious, and afraid. Although she is transferred to another school, Kokoro still feels sick every time she thinks about attending classes. What if the girls return? What if they hurt her? While she’s home sick (again) she notices something … Read more
Remember Perler beads? We got a little nostalgic for our childhood and brought out these fun, fusable, plastic beads. You can make pretty much anything with them! Teens tried out some of our example patterns and came up with their own designs. Check out what we made below:
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Teen participants learned how to make soap the easy way using the melt and pour method. Here are some of their beautiful (and fragrant) creations!
Pie in the Sky by Remi Lai Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) An adjusting eleven-year-old boy, Jingwen struggles to get used to his new home in Australia and deal with his annoying little brother Yanghao. Still trying to deal with the loss of his dad, Jingwen finds a way to cope by baking cakes with his father, just like his father used to make with him. With a heartfelt … Read more
Iron Widow Iron Widow #1 by Xiran Jay Zhao Dystopian Fantasy LGBTQ+ Romance Science Fiction Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) 18-year-old Zetian’s sister has just been killed during one of the fights against the plague of aliens that lurk outside the Great Wall. Her sister, like many others, was a concubine to a male mech pilot and her consciousness was sacrificed for the sake of the male pilot. Zetian vows to seek … Read more