Pasadena Public Library
review by John Chon, age 14 A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron A Dog’s Purpose was a step outside of my normal genre, and it felt like a breath of fresh air. The book is about a dog who is reborn again and again, remembering their past experiences and using them again […]
review by McKenna Blackshire, age 14 Caraval by Stephanie Garber Summary: Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where […]
review by John Chon, age 14 Max by Sarah Cohen-Scali Max is a brutally graphic tale from the point of view of a child, who spent his entire life under the Nazi regime. As a historical fiction novel, it does borrow concepts from reality, such as the breeding program executed under the […]
Our fourth annual teen book festival, Pasadena Loves YA, featured 17 authors, 4 panels, and a book blitz. We owe a gazillion thanks to everyone who helped with the event including all the participating authors who not only donated their time and expertise, but also took care of their own […]
review by Jacob Chon, age 14 Flight Risk by Jennifer Fenn Flight Risk is a fresh, new novel that breathes life into the YA genre. While most novels in young adult fiction are dystopian, sci-fi, romance stories featuring almost flawless characters, Flight Risk is based upon true events and is centered on a […]
Pasadena Public Library, Teen Advisory Board, 9/18/2017 Present: Jonathan H, Angel, Jonathan G, Enrique, Chris, Sophie, Mckenna, Genevieve, Sofia E, Penelope, Brittany, Kristina, Jane L, Keiaira, Liliana, Denisse, Lauren, Luke, Faith, Thomas Pre-meeting assignment: Your biography Focus of September’s meeting: Murder Mystery & upcoming programs Agenda […]
review by Alicia Zhang, age 13 Mirror in the Sky by Aditi Khorana In the novel Mirror in the Sky, Aditi Khorana spins a tale of friendship, family, love, and the struggles of high school. The plot is spurred by the discovery of a new planet, Terra Nova, which scientists believe represents alternate […]
review by Sylvie Bower, age 16 Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton Soldier Boy tells the stories of Samuel and Ricky, both a part of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, though their stories take place seventeen years apart. Ricky’s story is true, based off of the experiences of Ricky Richard Anywar, who was […]
review by Kira Toal, age 15 Pasadena by Sherri L. Smith Jude is on vacation on the East Coast when she receives a disturbing call that tells her that her best friend, Maggie Kim, was found dead in her swimming pool in her Pasadena home. From the moment Jude returns to her […]
review by Sylvie Bower, age 16 It’s Not Like It’s A Secret by Misa Sugiura It’s Not Like It’s A Secret is not the coming-out story that you would expect from its cover. (Yes, even I judge books on their covers.) Sana Kiyohara is a sixteen-year old Japanese-American living in the Midwest who […]