Archives for Homepage Teens

Great Podcasts for Teens 2

Great Podcasts for Teens 2

Continuing our new series on Great Podcasts, here are some recommendations of Great Podcasts for Teens from YS Librarian, Erik! Most of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. All of our Great Podcasts recommendations, including those for Kids, Teens, and Parents and Caregivers, can be found here. If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Science: RadioLab RadioLab makes science fun. The team of Jad Abumrad, Lulu Miller, and Latif Nasser take a light hearted approach to
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September 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Great Podcasts, Great Podcasts for teens, podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

STEAMy Summer Programs: A Look Back

STEAMy Summer Programs: A Look Back

Another summer of STEAM programs has finished. This was a challenging and rewarding summer like no other. In addition to increasing the length by two weeks, we also hired several more people to run programs. Among those hired were several high school students: members of the Techno Chix; a robotics club from the Girl Scouts; Mustafa Ajmal, a high school student in Oak Ridge High School, CA; and Shakira Cherimond, a graduating Senior from Ossining High School who will be attending Purchase College in the fall. By hiring multiple presenters this summer we were able to offer a wide variety
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September 15, 2021 2:03 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM Camps, STEAM learning, STEM, Summer of Making, The Edge, Verisk Analytics, and White Plains Library Foundation.

Teen Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Teen Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Title: A Very Large Expanse of Sea Author: Tahereh Mafi Publisher: Harper Collins Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby The romance novel A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is about a high school sophomore named Shirin who‘s had a tough life growing up dealing with bullying. Shirin’s tired and annoyed of people stereotyping her; based on her religion, what she wears, and who she is. Since Shirin is used to receiving so much disrespect and physical violence, she builds up a strong personality. A strong personality where if someone makes a joke about her, she’ll
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September 13, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, reading, Tahereh Mafi, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

What You Need to Know About… Marvel’s Eternals

What You Need to Know About… Marvel’s Eternals

Disney is adding the Eternals into the MCU this November, but who are they? At first glance the Eternals look like souped up X-People (that’s right, I said “people” to fight our patriarchal society, deal with it), who have been around a really long time. The Eternals were created by Jack Kirby in the 70’s. Jack Kirby gave us Captain America back in the 40’s, was one of the principal authors of Marvel’s silver age, and brought X-Men (fine, I said it but only because that is the title, hence the italics). The Eternals were then brought back by Neil
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August 31, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: comic books, graphic novels, Marvel, staff picks, staff recommendations, the Eternals, and What You Need to Know About.

Teen Book Review: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Teen Book Review: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Title: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie Author: Jordan Sonnenblick Publisher: Scholastic Library Catalog / OverDrive & Libby Jordan Sonnenblick’s realistic fiction novel Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is about a thirteen year old boy named Steven and his five year old little brother Jeffrey. Jeffrey’s diagnosed with leukemia and Steven wants to keep that silent because he also needs to focus on school, tries to catch up with his extra activities, and has a crush on someone. While Jeffrey is not well, Steven can’t pay attention to his studies because he’s worried of his brother and doesn’t want anything worse
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August 30, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Jordan Sonnenblick, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Fall STEM Programs for Kids & Teens

Fall STEM Programs for Kids & Teens

Minecraft for Teens In this session, youth are invited to play Minecraft together online in a safe, learning environment. Activities will include working together to survive in a randomly generated world and/or building things collectively in creative mode. All are welcome to partake in some fun with library friends and Digital Media Specialist Austin Olney. Participants must own Minecraft (non-java) on either Windows 10, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, or Oculus Rift to join a private server. Email aolney@whiteplainslibrary.org for questions and help. 9/7/2021 Tuesday 4:00-4:45 p.m. 10/5/2021 Tuesday 4:00-4:45 p.m. Fortnite with Friends Ready for some
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August 26, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: digital technology, STEAM learning, STEM learning, STEM programs for kids, STEM programs for teens, and technology.

National Novel Writing Month for Young Novelists

National Novel Writing Month for Young Novelists

Have you heard about National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo? It’s a challenge that takes place each year in the month of November, where people work toward writing a book. This fall, we’re hosting a pre-planning writing series for young writers in grades 4 and up who may be interested in writing during NaNoWriMo. Each Thursday at 4:00 p.m., we’ll meet to discuss various elements that make up a novel, and work through the exercises in NaNoWriMo’s Young Novelist Workbook. By the end of the series, participants will have ideas for characters, setting, and plot ready to go, so they
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August 25, 2021 10:28 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: creative writing, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and youth writing workshop.

Fall Virtual Tabletop Games

Fall Virtual Tabletop Games

Need something fun to do after school? Then join librarians Ashley and Erik from the Trove and the Edge to play virtual tabletop games! This program is for children and teens in grades 4 and up. We’ll be meeting on September 20th, October 4th, and October 18th at 4:30 p.m. Some of the games we normally play include 6 nimmt!, 7 Wonders, Solo, Sushi Go!, Go Nuts for Donuts, and Yahtzee. We use the platform boardgamearena.com to play the games while we chat on Zoom. Kids and teens that haven’t attended the program before will need to create a free
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August 24, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: tabletop games, tabletop games for kids, and tabletop games for teens.

Teen Book Review: Kindred

Teen Book Review: Kindred

Title: Kindred Author: Octavia Butler Publisher: Beacon Press Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby In the book Kindred, Dana, an African American woman, is transported back in time to Maryland before the Civil War to save Rufus, a young white boy. In a series of journeys that defy time, Dana faces many life-threatening scenarios. This book is an excellent read for fans of history and suspense as Dana consistently puts her life on the line to help others. This book also contains mild violence to demonstrate the inhumane treatment of slaves during this period. Overall, this book is
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August 23, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, for teens by teens, Octavia Butler, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Projects on the Plaza: For Teens

Projects on the Plaza: For Teens

In September, the Library will hold two outdoor STEM programs for teens. The programs will be on the Library Plaza, underneath the tent, on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00-5:30 p.m. September 15: Ecosystem in a Bottle Participants will learn how to take an old soda bottle and transform it into a planter. September 29: Marshmallow Launchers Participants will create marshmallow launchers using household items like toilet paper rolls and rubberbands. All participants will be expected to follow social distancing guidelines and wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.
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August 23, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: events for teens, Library programs for teens, STEM programs for teens, teen events, and The Edge.

Dive into Diversity: YA Mysteries

Dive into Diversity: YA Mysteries

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month I've collected a list of YA mysteries. This month, I'm happy for another opportunity to talk about Slay by Brittney Morris. We discussed this exciting mystery at our last Project LIT book club for teens in the spring, and it was unanimously declared a favorite. The main character, Kiera Johnson,
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August 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, mysteries, staff picks, staff recommendations, teens, YA Fiction, ya mysteries, young adult books, and young adult fiction.

Summer Reading 2021

Summer Reading 2021

Summer Reading at the White Plains Public Library starts Monday, June 28 and will run through Friday, August 20! Due to the impact of COVID-19 on services, Summer Reading will be completely online this year via the READsquared platform, the READsquared website, or the READsquared app, available for iOS and Android. Find information on the great lineup of programs and events for kids, teens and families in July and August here. Get Started! Register and login to READsquared. Individual youth participants can register as themselves, or parents and caregivers can register all of their children at one time. This allows
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August 18, 2021 10:31 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children, families, Read Squared, summer reading, summer reading game, teens, The Edge, and The Trove.

Summer Programs for Kids & Teens

Summer Programs for Kids & Teens

Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library: 6/28 – 8/20 Summer Reading at the Library kicks off Monday, June 28 and runs through Friday, August 20. Reading activity will be logged online with READSquared. More information on Summer Reading at White Plains Public Library can be found here. Programs for Younger Kids Information on the Library’s storytimes, guest performers and special events for younger children and families can be found here. Programs for Kids in Grades K-6 Information on programs, activities and special events for kids in Grades K-6 can be found here. Programs for Teens in Grades 7-12 Information
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August 18, 2021 10:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book discussion, children's programs, dance, music, performing arts, STEAM, STEM, STEM Camp, summer 2021, summer programs, summer reading, teen programs, The Edge, and The Trove.

Teen Book Review: Want

Teen Book Review: Want

Title: Want Author: Cindy Pon Publisher: Simon and Schuster Library Catalog The novel Want takes place in a futuristic dystopian society where the rich are shielded from pollution while the poor suffer. The protagonist, Jason Zhou, is determined to change this by teaming up with his friends to infiltrate and destroy the corporation responsible for the pollution. Intertwining action, love, loss, and suspense, this book is an excellent read. Additionally, many comparisons can be drawn from this book to the current state of the world. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to teens who want to be engrossed in a fast-paced
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August 16, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, Cindy Pon, for teens by teens, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

Grab & Go Kit: Bookbinding

Grab & Go Kit: Bookbinding

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, August 16th in the Library lobby. For this month’s project, we’re doing something a little different. I wanted to highlight a video from creativebug, a new library resource that offers thousands of arts and crafts video tutorials. They have everything from simple drawing lessons
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August 16, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: arts and crafts, creativebug, Grab & Go kits, and teens.

Teen Book Review: With the Fire on High

Teen Book Review: With the Fire on High

Title: With the Fire on High Author: Elizabeth Acevedo Publisher: Quill Tree Books Library Catalog / Hoopla / OverDrive & Libby With the Fire on High is an empowering story of teen mom Emoni Santiago. She faces struggles unlike those of her peers but she finds comfort in cooking, which is her passion and gift. Emoni's dreams to graduate and one day become a chef seem impossible when having to juggle the daily struggles of being a teen mother. With help from her grandmother, her best friend Angelica, Malachi, a recent transfer student, her baby Emma, and cooking, Emoni finds
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August 9, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book review, books, Elizabeth Acevedo, for teens by teens, reading, teen book review, and teen volunteers.

What You Need to Know About… Monster

What You Need to Know About… Monster

Gone are the days when every middle school and high school summer reading list was full of titles by Walter Dean Myers. While at one time, Myers was the go-to author for diverse characters, because he was one of the only authors of diverse characters, we are now fortunate that the publishing industry has begun embracing diverse authors.  WIth this shift in the publishing industry, and public desire for diverse works, there is an increasing body of wonderful and important works by newer writers such as Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas. But this doesn’t mean that Myers' books are no longer poignant
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July 27, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: teen movies, teens, What You Need to Know About, and YA literature.

Dive into Diversity: YA Retellings

Dive into Diversity: YA Retellings

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. I was somehow able to wait until July before writing about one of my favorite types of fiction: retellings of fairy tales and classic stories. This month I read A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinley, a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. In this version, Alice stumbles into an awareness of Wonderland when
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July 22, 2021 10:56 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, fairy tales, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA Fiction.

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Wire Photo Holder

Grab & Go Craft Kits: Wire Photo Holder

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, July 19th in the Library lobby. For this month’s project, we’re making a decorative photo holder using a rock and some wire. The kit includes a smooth, flat rock, two feet of wire, some paint, a foam brush, and a couple of popsicle sticks.
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July 19, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: crafts for teens and Grab & Go kits.

Great Podcasts for Teens

Great Podcasts for Teens

Continuing our new series on Great Podcasts, here are some recommendations of Great Podcasts for Teens from YS Librarian, Erik! Most of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Books, Games & Comics Shonen Jump Podcast Listen to discussions on the latest releases, interviews, and background stories of you favorite Manga series. IFanboy This weekly podcast focuses on comic books, comic book publishing, and comic book creators. Josh Flanagan, Ron
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June 24, 2021 11:29 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Great Podcasts, Great Podcasts for teens, podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.