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!