Sad news to report:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/28/us/AP-US-Obit-Salinger.html?_r=1

JD Salinger is dead. If you have not yet read his work, speed your way to the Wyckoff Library and check out some of his wonderful fiction.

It may change your life, or it may just change your vocabulary, as it most certainly changed mine for at least a year after reading his work.

Did somebody say 'suspense'? IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE.

IF YOU HAVE READ IT, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT IT!

Yes, it's Book Discussion time again, January 28th 2010 in the Monroe Room from 6:00 - 7:00 PM.

Feel free to expect refreshments, as usual.

Well, DID somebody say 'suspense'?

IT'S A NEW YEAR, 2K10, SO GET READY TO RUMBLE!

So . . .I hosted a fantastic Teen Writers Group last night and we happy five who were in attendance were delighted with some really cool literary output, to name a few, a fabulous new play and a great piece of prose, and each delivered interesting characters and told intriguing stories.

For those of you not in attendance last night and wishing you had been, please be aware that our next meeting will be held on Thursday, the 4th of February 2010 in the Monroe Room of the Library from 6:00 to 7:30. (Of course, those that had been in attendance are encouraged to attend again, too!)

The Teen Writers Group of the Wyckoff Library typically meets on the first Thursday evening of every month during the school year.

HAPPY HAPPY! SEEYA NEXT YEAR!

DON'T FORGET WRITING ON THE

7TH OF JANUARY (6:00 - 7:30 pm)!!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that. . . *

anyone reading a Jane Austen novel is changed for ever!

Today is Jane's birthday. If you have not yet graced your life with her fiction, maybe today is the day to promise yourself that kind of joy, for reading her novels is a joy for sure.

www.jasna.org

*if you do not recognize this seven word string, you have not yet read the first line of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!

Hey, it's Tamora Pierce's birthday. Read all about her on her website, and then go to the Wyckoff Library and check out one of her great books! Talk about 'girl power'! She's got it all in her fantasy novels.

www.tamorapierce.com

It's Emily's birthday!

Celebrate!

Write a poem!

Read a poem!

Read one of her poems!

Or you may just read about her: http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/

On this day in 1972, the above picture was taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, and for the first time the earth, the Big Blue Marble, as the astronauts called her, was photographed in space in all its magnificence.

Enjoy her, respect her, protect her, and love her!

TURKEY DAY . . .TOFURKEY DAY . . .EAT 'TIL YA DROP DAY . . .WHATEVER IT IS TO YOU, HAVE A GOOD TIME AND DON'T SKIP ON DESSERT NO MATTER HOW FULL YOU ARE!

(. . .just be grateful the turkey you ate was not a farmyard pet!)

NEW MOON!!

Who saw it and whadya think of it?

Submit your review and I'll post it here!

I will edit, so don't get too sassy!

Pssst: Some of us haven't seen it, so don't give away any secrets!!

Hey, it's dragon-boy's birthday!

http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm

Expecting to see many of you tonight at the Teen Writing Group at 6:00 in the Monroe Room.
I'm toying with the idea of New York Yankee haiku . . .just toying with the idea at present.

THE YANKEES ARE BACK ON TOP, WHERE THEY BELONG!

YIPEEEE!

AND A GREAT AND NOBLE WIN IT WAS!

THANKS, HIDEKI, FOR YOUR MVP-ISHNESS!

THANKS TO THE YANKS FOR GIVING US SO MUCH EXCITEMENT THIS YEAR!

OKAY, SO IT'S NOT 'WIN-OR-GO-HOME' YET, BUT TONIGHT IS A CRITICAL GAME FOR THE BRONX BOMBERS !

ROOT ROOT ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM!!!

Things to look forward to (now that the party is over (but is the party really over?)):

TEEN WRITING GROUP: Thursday 11/5 6:00 - 7:30 PM

BOOK DISCUSSION (THE LAST KNIGHT): Thursday 11/19 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Both will be held in the Monroe Room and both will offer refreshments (when do I not offer refreshments!).

As they used to say (well before my time, in truth),

"BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!"

Get ready, party pics are comin'!

GO YANKEES!

NOW. . . ON TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!

If you weren't there, well , what can I say? You missed a great party! Clearly, Wyckoff teens know how to party down, and let's just say that I haven't enjoyed "Musical Chairs" as much as I did tonight (even remembering my early childood!). You guys rocked the house, that was beyond true!



Watch this space for some cool pics, and then you can either remember what you experienced or see what you missed!

This is Babs, all tuckered out from a night of partying with Wyckoff teens! (And . . .I have to be a Librarian tomorrow, too!)

Wow, the jury is in and the verdict is final! Hilari Bell beat out Stephenie Meyer by a mile and a half, literarily speaking that is!



In tonight's book discussion of JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE, the book by Ms. Bell was judged (and fairly, I might add most gently to all TWILIGHT fans out there!) to have far more merit, both in content and conceit, than the hallowed Meyer fiction.



If you haven't read this novel yet, get a copy and check out our jury's findings. Frankly, both the hero and the heroine of JESSICA'S GUIDE are far superior to the much vaunted Edward and Bella. There was a 'realness' to them that is soooo missing in the TWILIGHT series (all of which I read and loved, by the way).



I am open to all comment on this topic, but don't get too snippy about it until you've read the competition. I'm telling you, you will like it, and if you don't, well you missed your chance to hate it verbally at tonight's book discussion.



Read on, oh teens of Wyckoff (and anyone else who may be reading this post)!

So here's my current effort to keep all my blogging fans up-to date on what's happening at the library!

First of all, I was away last week visiting Williamsburg, VA, and if you have not been there yet, mention it casually to your parents. It is a fabulous place to visit, AND learn about American History. You can't help but absorb Colonial history and the American Revolution just by walking along the lovely byways and paths. It's a sort of 'living history' kind of place with many folks dressed and acting their parts, quite well, in fact. We saw lots of great playacting, music, and just good stuff in general.


Feel free to ask me more when we meet again. Mayhap I shall post pics on this particular blog, too, once my pics are secure in Photoshop-Land!



But as I began, what's new for teens at the Library? Funny you should ask!



This coming Tuesday, one week from today, on the 20th of October from 6:00 to 7:00 PM I shall be discussing a great book with teens, JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE, a darkly funny vampire novel that I think is head and shoulders above Ms Meyer's work (need I say which that is?), from a purely literary standpoint. I still have books if you want to do a quick read of this eminently readable book!



Secondly, it's PA-A-A-ARTY TIME! Yes, on Thursday the 22th of October I will be hosting a party to celebrate Teen Read Week, and to recall the great summer teens enjoyed here at the Wyckoff Library! That is from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Monroe Room and there will be games, music, laughter, fun, and food (of course!). Caveat: Only those signed up in advance will be admitted!!!!



Contact me with any questions you may have about any of the above, either via a post here, an e-mail there (wyckya@bccls.org) or a simple ringy-ding-ding on the phone (201-891-4866).

Wyckoff Teen Writers WRITE ON!!

As last night's first Teen Writers Group meeting evidenced, the teen writers of Wyckoff are back and better than ever (IMHO)!!

So yesterday I was composing a post, outlining what was on my agenda for Wyckoff teens ongoingly. I was trying to do this at a very busy Reference Desk, and that comes under the heading of "ain't gonna happen!". The upshot is I did not post yesterday (INSTEAD I AM POSTING IT TODAY!), but I did go home last night, checked my own e-mail and discovered that one of you anonymous folks had left me a message, attached to my last blog entry.



Ya know, if you're going to maintain a blog, MAINTAIN IT! That was an order to myself, as I have been verrrrry remiss for the past many weeks in updating this weblog (for that is what 'blog' actually stands for, dontcha know).



The message left to me yesterday was a query: When is writing????? :)
The answer to that message is: OCTOBER 1ST, THURSDAY, FROM 6:00 - 7:30 PM.

'nuff said!

Okay, the blog is BACK (after a brief hiatus (SAT word...look it up!))!

I have not been idle these past several weeks. In fact, I'm planning a great season for Wyckoff teens. So far, here's where we stand:

10/1/2009 Thursday 6:00 - 7:30 WYCKOFF TEEN WRITERS GROUP MEETS, Monroe Room, for Wyckoff teens from 12-16. Bring a recent piece of writing (or, if small, a couple of pieces will do, too). Be prepared to read them aloud to your peers--it's a WRITERS GROUP after all.

10/20/2009 Tuesday 6:00 - 7:00 PM, BOOK DISCUSSION! This month we will be celebrating TEEN READ WEEK by reading and discussion JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARKSIDE by Cheaney. Books are available NOW! If you haven't guessed yet, it's a vampire novel, and it most certainly is as entertaining as TWILIGHT, if I may dare say that.

10/22/2009 Thursday 6:00 - 8:00 PM, PARTY!! This is a party in celebration of our Summer 2009 activities, as well as Teen Read Week. Lots of entertainment, lots of fun, lots of food! Plus, prizes for all!

Keep checking this spot, and never hesitate to contact me at the library, via e-mail (wyckya@bccls.org) or at this very blogspot!

We are midway through the summer of teen programs.

Yesterday was the third of the TALK IT UP/SPEAK OUT book discussions, and we all had a great time! The coolness, though, was when the lights went out as we were in the middle of the TALK IT UP discussion of SHAKESPEARE'S SECRET.

An unexpected blackout in the Library!!

(Of course, when is a blackout ever really expected anyway!) We all left the Monroe Room and wended our way about to the front of the Library to find that the lights had come on...so we just continued our discussion and the mass consumption of chocolate!

http://simply-simpy.com/wp-content/themes/simply/images/lb_images/blackout1.gif

Yes, it's BASTILLE DAY!

TODAY IS THE BIRTHDAY OF HAROLD BLOOM!

You may not know him yet, but if you ever chance to require literary criticism of any sort, you will doubtless encounter his work. We have many books, edited by Mr. Bloom, sitting pretty on the Library shelves awaiting your introduction. A great writer himself who has written criticism of his own work as well, Bloom's collection of critical reviews of literature and authors is legend!

"In the finest critics, one hears the full cry of the human. They tell one why it matters to read."

Yeah, I know, I haven't blogged in a good long while, but it's not for lack of intent. Nay, intent was certain, it's just that late June was way bizzy for me, including a wonderful family wedding (mayhap you will see pics, whenever!), and now I am in the Adirondacks on a long-awaited and well-earned vacation.

Sitting on the porch overlooking a lovely lake and gazing at Pharoah Mountain in the misty distance...yes, a vacation is just what I needed. (A rainy day in the Adirondacks is way better than a sunny day in NJ anytime!)

But I shall return, and next week I will see many of you at Book Discussion on Thursday, and maybe even at Literary Magazine on Tuesday! (Check my summer schedule at wyckoff-nj.com, if you please,)

Today is the anniversary of the steamboat disaster of 1904, featured in this historical fiction novel, THE UNRESOLVED by T. K. Welsh, which relates the tale of the tragedy that took the lives of more than 1,000 people who died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River.

It is told from the point of view of a girl who died in that fire. . .after her death. . .yes, she is a ghost!

At present, our copy is checked out, but feel free to ask at the Ref Desk for this book and we will attempt to get one asap-ishly for you!

If this little girl had been allowed to live out her life, she would now be 80 years old, and full of the wisdom that comes with such an age.

Instead, her life ended before she had any opportunity to show what she could have become.

Instead, we are left only with remembrances, such as this joyous photo taken in an innocent age, at an innocent age.

And her diary, her beloved Kitty.

Her memory is alive and she is honored each time someone reads her diary, into which she poured the wisdom she had accrued in a life cut short so cruelly.

Today, we celebrate the birthday of

ANNE FRANK.

GET READY FOR SUMMER!!
Our theme this year for Wyckoff teens is
EXPRESS YOURSELF
@ YOUR LIBRARY,
and our summer-long reading program with incentives will again be offered.
The Library will also be hosting book discussion groups:

TALK IT UP! for those entering 7th through 9th grade, and

SPEAK OUT! for those entering 10th through 12th grade.

Six books chosen by Barbara the Teen Librarian will be discussed

every Thursday evening for six weeks, from
July 17 through August 20,
6:00 to 7:00 PM and 7:30 to 8:30 PM.

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!

And we will be offering a number of other great arts programs

to get Wyckoff teens creative in a way cool way!
Check out the Library Summer Teen Schedule

and contact Barbara at the Library if you have questions

about these summer activities…
@The Library

Last night the Wyckoff Teen Writers Group met, maybe for the last time this season (but we shall see...).

Those who attended were Jen D, Jen K, Amy, Sally, Kaitlyn (the extreme softball player), and a new member of our group, Kevin (and we hope he returns to us when next we meet!).

Need I mention candy was consumed? Need I mention great writing was done, and more great writing was read aloud to the amazement and amusement of all present? Need I mention that if you weren't there, you should have been and you were missed? Well, all of the above is TRUE!

Keep watching this space for more news of more new to come for Wyckoff teens!

PS: Picture above represents no one in the Teen Writing Group . . .yet!

Another birthday !!

Name:
Walt Whitman
Birth Date:
May 31, 1819
Death Date:
March 26, 1892
Place of Birth:
West Hills, New York, United States
Place of Death:
Camden, New Jersey, United States

Read the and tell me Mr. Whitman was not years and years ahead of his time. Then read his biography sometime and learn the coolness of this poet! (btw, you may ask a librarian for such a biography, if you wish! I happen to know one!)

Song of Myself (excerpt)by (the birthday boy) Walt Whitman

This is the meal equally set, this the meat for natural hunger,It is for the wicked just the same as the righteous, I make appointments with all,I will not have a single person slighted or left away,The kept-woman, sponger, thief, are hereby invited,The heavy-lipp'd slave is invited, the venerealee is invited;There shall be no difference between them and the rest.
This is the press of a bashful hand, this the float and odor of hair,
This the touch of my lips to yours, this the murmur of yearning,This the far-off depth and height reflecting my own face,This the thoughtful merge of myself, and the outlet again.Do you guess I have some intricate purpose?Well I have, for the Fourth-month showers have, and the mica on the side of a rock has.
Do you take it I would astonish?Does the daylight astonish? does the early redstart twittering through the woods?Do I astonish more than they?
This hour I tell things in confidence,I might not tell everybody, but I will tell you.
20
Who goes there? hankering, gross, mystical, nude;How is it I extract strength from the beef I eat?
What is a man anyhow? what am I? what are you?
All I mark as my own you shall offset it with your own,Else it were time lost listening to me.
I do not snivel that snivel the world over,That months are vacuums and the ground but wallow and filth.
Whimpering and truckling fold with powders for invalids, conformity goes to the fourth-remov'd,I wear my hat as I please indoors or out.
Why should I pray? why should I venerate and be ceremonious?
Having pried through the strata, analyzed to a hair, counsel'd with doctors and calculated close,I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones.
...
I exist as I am, that is enough,If no other in the world be aware I sit content,And if each and all be aware I sit content.
One world is aware and by far the largest to me, and that is myself,And whether I come to my own to-day or in ten thousand or ten million years,I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait.
Excerpts from "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman. Public domain.

Today is Robert Zimmerman's birthday. He is turning 68 years old on this day, the 24th of May 2009, and his life has been very meaningful to many people in the entire world.

Robert Zimmerman is his birth name.

Can you tell me by what name does the world know him?

(I give no point for this, nor do give hints!)

So, as it says on one of my lovely display boards, done by

our ever able and talented teen volunteers,

SUMMER APPROACHES ON HORSEBACK . . .

as indeed it does.

The theme for teens this summer is:

Express Yourself @ Your Library

so creativity of all sorts will be the order of the season!

Get ready for summer programs I will be offering, such as the very popular Summer Reading program (read as you wish, count your pages, and win prizes!!), the also very popular TALK IT UP (for grades 7-9) and (not as popular, but equally fun) SPEAK OUT (for grades 10-12), wherein we read a (great) book every week and discuss the following week, for six weeks in a row!

Additionally, in the spirit of CREATIVITY, we will be offering a wonderful art class, printmaking with the artist Sharon Gross. Also, another artist you may recall, the origamist Linda Bogan will be returning for some cool paper foldings.

A few other things are lurking (but only in my brain at present!).

Continue to watch this space,

and the library, to0, for the good stuff we'll be offering Wyckoff teens this summer. . .

at the Library!

CELEBRATE 'ODD DAY' TODAY,

AN ODDity NOT TO BE SEEN AGAIN FOR

A GOOD LONG WHILE!

http://www.oddday.net/

It's AUDREY HEPBURN's Birthday!

Check out her cool site!




http://www.audreyhepburn.com/

Okay, who's up for this? In honor of Master Will's Birthday, I'm starting a sonnet, in the Shakespearean fashion, and I will write the first line of this fourteen line sonnet.

Now the rules of the sonnet are thus:

Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, with each letter representing a rhyme, so in each stanza, every other line rhymes.

Meter: As you may know, it is ALWAYS iambic pentameter. Here's first line from one of his sonnets: "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes." Think of the 'red' words as being the ones emphasized.

Content: Usually love, this time its love of William Shakespeare's work.

Now, here's the first line:

WHEN OFT I READ WILL SHAKESPEARE'S WONDROUS WORK

Okay, now you guys send me your ideas for the next line, I'll pick the best, and we'll go line by line from there in this blog.

Any questions? Leave me a note. If you wish to see a copy of a sonnet, let me know that too!

http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/bill%20shakespeare.jpg

omg, it's another birthday!
Happy Birthday (and deathday, as he died on his b'day, too!), Sweet William!
Thanks for everything, gentle poet!

William Shakespeare Picture Gallery at Absolute Shakespeare

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,

CHARLOTTE BRONTE!

(and thanks ever so much for JANE EYRE!)

FOURTH AND FINAL CLUE:

Today is her birthday!

CLUE THE THIRD:

Along with her two writer sisters,

whose pseudonyms were Ellis Bell and Acton Bell,

these noble women crafted literature still esteemed today.

My second clue:

She wrote at least

one book

that should be

on everyone's

'life reading list'!

Can you guess this lovely lady's name?
(My first hint: her pseudonym was CURRER BELL!)

If you were not there last night to hear the latest written creations by Wyckoff teens, boy, did you miss something great! We heard fantastic poetry and prose, some that made us laugh, some that made us want to cry, and some that made us scratch our heads and wonder why. We also heard the first chapter of a book, a novel, in progress. How cool is that! Lucky for you, this happens monthly, the first Thursday of the month, in the Monroe Room from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. A good time is always had by all (I think, at least!)

April Fools!

Now that's out of the way, check out Google's April Fools Joke for 2009...it is a splendid thing (there's that word again!)...

http://cadiesingularity.blogspot.com/

GOOGLE is very well known for their April Fools jokes, and they do take them to great extremes...Regarding this one, we've all been pwn'd, I'm thinkin'!

Last night's book discussion of THE FALCONER'S KNOT went splendidly, and all my splendid teens had splendid things to say, too, as we snacked most splendidly on splendid snacks.

Was that splendid enough for you? I can make it more splendid, if you want.

Choose a splendid book for next discussion, and I will take it under splendid advisement.

Doesn't 'splendid' sound like a stupid word now?

It's St. Patrick's Day!

Just in case you were wondering who the heck he really was:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html

Mary Hoffman’s
THE FALCONER’S KNOT
TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION

Wyckoff teens aged 12–16 or thereabouts)
26 March 2009
7:00-8:00 pm
Monroe Room
Wyckoff Public Library

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!!
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AS ALWAYS!

RSVP: Barbara, YA Librarian
at 201-891-3866 or wyckya@bccls.org

PS: Okay, if anyone has tried to do the knot shown in the prior post, bring it with you to the book discussion, to the oohs and aahs of all present!! (me most especially...me and knots don't get along!!)

Here's a clue for our next book discussion book:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibXZSuJVLX8

THIS THURSDAY!

WE WRITE AGAIN!

WYCKOFF TEEN WRITING GROUP MEETS...

MONROE ROOM...

6:30 - 8:00 pm

Need I add, REFRESHMENTS WILL BE OFFERED!

Let's maintain the glow left by the illustrious (and lots of fun) Tui Sutherland!!

Let me know if you will or will not be coming, via the usual methods:

201-891-4866

or

wyckya@bccls.org

or

just respond (with your name) to this BLOG!!!

WOW! I am still flying from Tui Sutherland's visit to the Library! I don't think the Monroe Room felt so many good vibrations and general coolness, ever!

And for those of you who missed it, there will be pics posted on this spot, asap-ishly. BUT. . .ya missed it!

YES, YES, YES Tui Sutherland will definitely be in attendance this Thursday at 7:00 PM! Alert your parents: this may run later than our scheduled 8:00, in fact it maybe closer to 9:00 PM.

And for those of you who write creatively, don't forget to bring any of your writing (less than 10 pages, please, per Tui's request) to have her edit it for you!
C'mon...how cool is that!!

(Don't forget to bring your copy of the book I loaned to you, too!)

Check out TUI SUTHERLAND'S blog:

http://www.tuibooks.com/?q=blog/1

NEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASH

The author of SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS will be attending the book discussion of that book on Thursday, February 26th in the Monroe Room of the Wyckoff Library!

Contact Barbara at the Library (201-891-4866 or wyckya@bccls.org) to obtain a book, or further information about this cool news!

RSVP REQUIRED, AS USUAL!

NEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASHNEWSFLASH

NEW BOOK HAS BEEN CHOSEN!

SEE THE ATTACHED FLYER AND PLEASE COME TO THE LIBRARY TO GET A COPY OF THIS COMPELLING READ (AT LEAST I THINK IT IS!).

Tui Sutherland’s
SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS

TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION
(Wyckoff teens aged 12–16 or thereabouts)
26 February 2009
7:00-8:00 pm
Monroe Room
Wyckoff Public Library
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AS ALWAYS!
RSVP: Barbara, YA Librarian at 201-891-3866 or wyckya@bccls.org

http://nicoleleeartistry.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/yippee_big.gif

So, regarding my last message, what that means is that February 5th will be the first WRITING GROUP of February.

Seeya there!

This is an important message for Wyckoff teens regarding a scheduling change!

As of February 1st, the Wyckoff Teen Writing Group will be meet on the 1st Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00PM, while Book Discussions will be held on the 4th Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:00PM. Both will be held in the Monroe Room unless otherwise notified.

This is due to popular demand!

Let me know your mind about this change!

Okay, if any of you have been wondering: nay, my auld acquaintances ha' nae been forgot* since last year, so I'm checking in with Wyckoff's teens with best wishes for an unforgettable 2009, as we all attempt to forget whatever we wish to forget about 2008 (or remember, if you are of that ilk!)

So.....start the New Year right by attending either the Teen Writing Group (1/20/09) or the Book Discussion (1/27/09--books available now!) and 'get on the good foot' ** for the New Year!!

*...just a little fractured Scots meaning 'I haven't forgotten my old friends,' a variation on the lyrics to AULD LANG SYNE, the universal New Years Eve celebratory song, played as 12:01 strikes and Babs' birthday goes away for another year (yay!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acxnmaVTlZA&eurl=http://www.webtvhub.com/auld-lang-syne-lyrics-video-sing-along-to-a-classic-new-years-eve-song/

**...as the estimable Mr. James Brown, King of Soul, as been known to sing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUat-0pTiAk

PS: Many thanks to Trevor for his great New Year graphic (no, I do not call myself "Trevor" these days!)

2009 approaches on horseback

at a full gallop!

Teens of Wyckoff, prepare yourself!

AND...we begin on Tuesday January 20 at 6:30-8:00 PM with the Wyckoff Teen Writing Group!

Following closely,

on Tuesday the 27th of January at 7:00-8:00 PM

is the first book discussion of the year.

If you have not yet met Frankie Landau-Banks, get ready!

THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS

by E. Lockhart will amaze, amuze, befuzzle and bedazzle you!

(And you guys who read

THE REDHEADED PRINCESS

thought Princess ELizabeth was

a conniving and clever teen!

Heck, she ain't got nothin' on Frankie!)

Elizabeth Tudor at 13 years of age! (soon to be the Queen)

Many thanks to the eight intrepid teen readers who discussed THE REDHEADED PRINCESS with me yesterday evening.

As usual, surprises abounded as everybody had their (very interesting) say about the young Queen-to-be Princess Elizabeth.

If you have not read this book, there is a copy on the YA shelves at the library right now! You will be as surprised as we were at the strange goings on in the life of this amazing princess. Hoohah!

Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays!

Seems that December abounds in great literary birthdays. *

Today is JANE AUSTEN'S birthday! Check out the following link. It is wonderfully cluttered with very cool information (and interesting fan fic (yes, Jane does have such fans, too!)) about this great lit-lady:

http://www.austen.com/

If you have not read any of Ms. Austen's work, maybe her birthday is the day to start.

*Did I mention my birthday happens to be in December, too (she added, shyly).

...And Emily is as fresh as ever! Check out this NYT article in today's paper:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/arts/music/11ligh.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

It's Emily Dickinson's Birthday! Celebrate by reading her poetry, reading about her (see link below), or writing your own poetry (or prose)!

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=1775

Exhilarated from tonight's Wyckoff Teen Writing Group! The group participants were, as are they always, in prime form, sharing their abundant creativity with us all. More laughter than anything, though, as is our wont. Not to mention the sweet stuff--yum!.

Heck, it's all sweet stuff, though, I be thinking!

It was particularly cool to hear everybody's version of a six-year old's letter to Santa Claus (my "7-minute creative burst" that starts each meeting), but I especially enjoyed everyone able to reach deep into the head of a six year old BOY! The young ladies present were not prepared for that surprise twist, but they did the job, and quite well.

If you weren't there, you should have been. If you were, see you all next month (date TBA!)!

Anne Rinaldi’s
THE REDHEADED
PRINCESS

TEEN BOOK DISCUSSION
(Wyckoff teens aged 12–16 or thereabouts)
16 December 2008
7:00-8:00 pm
Monroe Room
Wyckoff Public Library
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AS ALWAYS!
RSVP: Barbara, YA Librarian at 201-891-3866 or wyckya@bccls.org

Okay, so PAY THE PIPER was not the hit of the evening (last night, that is!), and I will not deny that the word "hate" was uttered at least a few times with direct reference to that book!


Heck, I thought it was a fun read, but I'm a librarian after all. We trend toward the strange as a matter of course. Makes life more interesting.

Well, a new book has been chosen, but a date has not yet been established (watch this space!).

The book to be read next month is THE REDHEADED PRINCESS by Ann Rinaldi. Copies of the book will soon be available at the Library, so get yours soon

The book is from a genre chosen by the teens (okay, two in particular) who were present last evening. I will not cite them by name, unless they wish the publicity. Historical fiction, especially as written by Ann Rinaldi, is fascinating and compelling.

LEAF PRINTING AT THE LIBRARY!!

What a wonderful way to celebrate autumn's magnificence!

Fifteen very imaginative Wyckoff teens attended Sharon Gross's leaf printing workshop last evening, and each walked away with their own treasured keepsake, a clear reflection of their creativity, a lovely leaf decorated journal.

Sharon showed us all that there are no limits to the creative mind!

Week after next (11/18): BOOK DISCUSSION--PAY THE PIPER!

NEW BOOKS,

NEW BOOKS OF FICTION,

NEW BOOKS OF TEEN FICTION

HAVE ARRIVED AT THE LIBRARY WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

THEY WAIT FOR YOU!

...and as Obama was being elected president, the Wyckoff Teen Writer's Group was meeting in the Monroe Room, chocolate and etc. was eaten, the cat was decidedly out of the bag, roaming around the room, snarling, instruments of torture were discussed, and Katie should have barred the door.

Now, if you wish you knew what I was writing about just then, you should have been there.

Heck, you should have been there anyway!

Next month mayhap...(date to be announced!)

It's a new morning...
It's a new day....
We have a new president!

America has embraced wild and wonderful change with a grandly hopeful heart!

HEY! IT'S ELECTION DAY !!

and I know most of you won't be voting yet, BUT I hope you have been following this most historical election, one that will be long remembered, to be debated, written about, and discussed for many years, maybe even for the remainder of our lives, and beyond. Yes, we are experiencing history in the making, and it is at once thrilling and so very American!!

Tomorrow night, Election Night, 4 November 2008, the Wyckoff Teen writers WRITE AGAIN!!

At 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM in the Monroe Room of Wyckoff Library the Teen Writing Group will be regaling all with their creativity (always scary-fabulous!) while munching on food no one's parent would want them to eat, and sharing ideas and lunacy.

And consider this: when our meeting is over, our nation may have elected a new president!

Tonight, the Eve of All Hallow's Eve (aka Hallowe'en) we will be having a book discussion, as noted in the second post below. Those not in attendance will be missed, and you will miss a great time!

BUT, never fear! Another book discussion looms!

On 18 November 2008 at 7:00-8:00 PM in the Monroe Room we will be discussing a great book by Jane Yolen and (her rock musician son--how cool is that?!) Adam Stemple, PAY THE PIPER: A Rock and Roll Fairy Tale.

Copies are available RIGHT NOW in the library. Come and and secure one, read it, and be ready for lively discussion (and a lot of junk food) on 18 November.

Last night was our second TEEN WRITING GROUP meeting of the season. It went splendidly. If you were not there, you were totally missed. Four happy writers and one happy librarian enjoyed ourselves muchly, thank you very much!

So, for those of you who did not attend, feel free to contemplate the topic of my very famous "Seven Minute Creative Writing Burst" which starts each meeting. Consider the following:

You are in a Starbucks enjoying a mocha cappuchino (decaf, o'course) when you just happen to hear a snippet of conversation from a nearby patron. The rather abrasive tone spat out the following:

"I'll never forgive you for as long as I live!"

In a few sentences, write for seven minutes explaining why this person (male or female, your choice) made such a vicious declaration.

See what fun you missed? Also, the writing from the attendees was, as usual, fabulous. Case in point, Amy Na delighted everyone with a great haiku written in, hold on to your sombreros, Spanish!! How do you say five-seven-five in espanol?

Heads up, Wyckoff Teens! A new book has been selected for our next book discussion.

On 30 October 2008 at 7:00PM we will be discussing Peter Abraham's exciting (and totally cool! (not scary)) mystery DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE.

Get thee hence to the Wyckoff Library and retrieve a copy and start reading!

This week marks the beginning of our teen activities here at the Wyckoff Library. I was delighted to host not just one, but two such events.

On Tuesday, 23 September, I hosted the first Teen Writing Group meeting of the season, and five talented teens shared their prose and poetry creations.

On Thursday, we discussed a great book, THE DECLARATION, and I found out what the ten teens present thought about immortality, its upside and its decided downside. Who doesn't like dystopic fantasy? Makes reality look that much better, dontcha think?

Keep watching this space 'cause more is comin', you can bet on that!

Many may know that the book, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, won the Printz Award this year for the best Young Adult Fiction. (I loved the book, by the way, and it's in the Wyckoff YA Collection!)

Well, here is how author John Green (and his fiancee) looked when he got the news on his cell phone (actual pictures taken by his mother). (He's kinda cute, too!)

http://www.sparksflyup.com/weblog.php

Hey, Wyck YAs!

For all you graphic fans, this news is for you!

It's the birthday of comic book writer Stan Lee, (books by this author) born Stanley Martin Lieber in New York City (1922). He created The Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, Thor, Daredevil, and Dr. Strange. But his most successful character of all was The Amazing Spiderman, an awkward teenager named Peter Parker who develops superpowers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. He was the first superhero to be filled with self-doubt, the first superhero to struggle with whether he wanted to be a superhero. Stan Lee's boss hated the idea but the first issue featuring Spiderman sold every copy that was printed and Spiderman went on to become one of the most popular superheroes ever invented.

from The Writer's Almanac for Wednesday, December 28, 2005

It's time to . . .

FALL BACK !

and if you want to know why . . .

http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/

http://geography.about.com/cs/daylightsavings/a/dst.htm

o'course, the good thing is that extra hour of dreamtime, so slumber in on Sunday . . . . it's not late, it's early!!!

From:
The Writer's Almanac for Monday, October 24, 2005

"It's the birthday of the man who created Batman: Bob Kane, (books by this author) born in the Bronx (1916). He's one of the few boys in American history ever encouraged by his father to become a cartoonist. His father worked as an engraver for a newspaper, and he learned that cartoonists were being paid quite well. He knew his son had a talent for drawing, so he told young Bob to work on cartoons. By the time he was 16, Bob Kane was selling his work for $5 a page.

Batman is the alter-ego of multimillionaire Bruce Wayne and one of the few superheroes in the history of comic books who doesn't have any special powers."

(All you Batman freaks, and you know who you are, celebrate the day!!)

When you turn on your light tonight to read that book you just got from the Wyckoff Library, remember Mr. Thomas Edison who, on this day in the year 1879, invented the lightbulb! Yay!

It certainly makes reading under the covers at night a lot less dangerous, no?

Seeya!

THE TEEN LIBRARY COUNCIL IS BACK! ! !

And it's cooler than ever, as evidenced by Wednesday night's turnout!

Lots of good chat, great suggestions, and terrific food was enjoyed by the seven interested teens who attended, plus me, Barbara, the YA (as in yay!) Librarian!

I got some great ideas from the Teen Council, along with the ones I already had, so everybody watch this spot for further news from me about more fun to be had. . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . AT THE LIBRARY! ! !

I'm thinking about books to discuss (thanks to your suggestions which I've taken under advisement, as they say) and another meeting in two-three weeks, so check here, or the Wyckoff website for library news about what's happening for Young Adults.

I'm looking forward to a totally cool year! (hope you are too!)

Many thanks to the five intrepid mother-daughter couples that attended the year's first Wyckoff Mother-Daughter Book Discussion yesterday evening.

The book discussed, Sarah Dessen's "TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER," was fully dissected, inspected, and otherwise discussed at length, with all ten attendees gamely answering the questions posed by this humble librarian.

The discussion was lively, at the very least, and we all vow to do this again, and soon!

Further, this librarian discovered some hidden talents in those attendees, as all showed a fine ability to be fairly creditable casting directors.

For information about the career of a truly big Hollywood Casting Director--

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/interviews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2072058

Anyway, stay tuned for more YA excitement at the Wyckoff Public Library!