reads4teens.org

Author: Simone Elkeles
Bibliographic Information: Published 2009, 360 pages
Genre/Subject: Romance
Call number: HS, HS PBK

Alex Fuentes, a bad boy gang banger is forced to partner up for his senior chemistry project with little miss perfect. and the captain of the cheerleading squad, Brittany Ellis. Soon enough these sterotypes people begin to show their true colors, shedding the mask they were born with for so long.

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Honto ni, tanoshikatta ne!  We truly had a wonderful time at the Carmel Clay Public Library's 11th Annual All-Day Anime Fest, didn't we!  (Please forgive my rusty Japanese.)

In between viewing selections of new and favorite anime (Japanese animation movies and TV shows) in the library's Program Room, there was an Iron Chef competition.  18 teens created their own versions of candy sushi and/or beverage inventions.  Here are some examples:

Several teens also filled out a survey that library staff members Jennifer and Jamie had prepared.  Here are some of the results:

Favorite anime of all time:

* To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
* Dragonball Z
* Whisper of the Heart
* Case Closed
* Miyazaki works
* Naruto
* Twelve Kingdoms
* Hetalia
* Hellsing
* FMA (Full Metal Alchemist)
* Deathnote
* Ranma 1/2
* Pandora Hearts
* Tsubasa
* Mermaid Melody

Favorite anime of what we watched:

* Case Closed (5 people)
* Ghost Hunt (4 people)
* Tsubasa (4 people)
* Ghost in the Shell
* XXX Holic

Anime teens would like to see:

* Fruit Basket
* Black Butler
* Ranma 1/2
* Ouran High School Host Club
* Shoujo anime
* Sword of the Stranger
* Claymore
* Baccano!
* Monster
* Cowboy Bebop
* Slam Dunk
* Yugi Yu
* Kiki's Delivery Service
* Dragonball Z

Jennifer wrote to all of the anime distributors for permission to screen the anime we watched.  She also prepared summaries for people who hadn't seen the earlier episodes of the shows we watched.  Thanks, Jennifer!  And thanks, anime distributors, for giving us permission!

All ingredients and other supplies - including a pizza lunch and some manga (Japanese comic books) for door prizes were provided by the Friends of the Carmel Clay Public Library.  Thank you, Friends!

Another library staff member, Page, did a lot of the shopping for this event.  Thanks, Page!

Arigatoh gozaimashita (thank you very much), everyone who showed up and made this day so fun and satisfying!

Hope

P.S. - All photos above were taken by me on my trusty iPhone.

Author: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Bibliographic Information: Published 2004, 188 pages
Genre/Subject: Graphic Novels
Call number: HS 741.5

This is about Scott Pilgrim, a 23-year-old from Toronto, who falls in love with a girl named Ramona, but cannot date her until he defeats her 7 evil ex-boyfriends.

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Author: Stephanie Tolan
Bibliographic Information: Published 2006, 197 pages
Genre/Subject: General Fiction
Call number: J, J PBK

Charley is recovering from the accident that shattered her leg. While also coping with the losss of her mother, Charley meets a wild dog, whom she names Coyote. Charley has to follow coyote into the woods, and also deal with memories of her mother.

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A couple weeks ago it was DIY Monday here in the Young Adult Services department of the Carmel Clay Public Library in central Indiana, United States of America, planet Earth.  Jamie was ready to teach a few people how to make duct tape book bags. 

(That is her sample, at left.)

Actually, she was ready to teach a lot of people.

Which was good, because a LOT of people (23, to be exact) arrived in the YA lounge on that afternoon.

They spilled out on to the carpet in front of the YA desk, past the edges of this photo:

Each person received his or her own sheet of instructions and his or her own roll of duct tape, courtesy of the Friends of the Carmel Clay Public Library.  Everyone shared scissors.  Jamie went around from little group to little group, first demonstrating how to begin, later passing a bowl of candy (also courtesy of the Friends.)

A few teens allowed me to take photos of them with their finished book bags.  There was a wonderful variety.  I loved seeing the evidence of everyone's creativity!  See for yourself and note the various embellishments and other design choices:

Here is Madeleine's...

...and Brad's...

...and Melissa's and Allison's...

...and Maria's...

...and Connor's...

...and Sarah's...

... and Elizabeth's...

...and the back of Cassy's...

and the front of Cassy's...

...and Max's, which included several clever side pockets:

Christian decided to forgo the book bag design all together and create a Cat-in-the-Hat hat instead.  He was fairly satisfied with it at first...

...but the addition of some small blue stars, deftly placed, added just the right finishing touch:

(Christian gave me several poses from which to choose for this blog post.  Thanks, Christian!)

Some people did not want to have their photos taken and that was okay, too.

Jamie will repeat this DIY: Duct Tape Book Bags program for people going into grades 6-12 in the YA Lounge on Monday, July 12 from 1:30-2:30pm.  All supplies are provided by the Friends of the Carmel Clay Public Library and registration is NOT required, so if you are in the neighborhood then, why don't you stop by?

Hope