Light Years — Teen Review

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review by Ashley Z, age 13 Light Years by Kass Morgan     The book Light Years is told from the perspectives of Vesper, Cormak, Arran, and Orelia, all from different planets in the solar system. They are all accepted in to the Quatra Fleet Academy, the most prestigious school in the entire solar system, and […]

Devils Unto Dust — Teen Review

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review by Jacob Chon, age 16 Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist     Devils Unto Dust is a zombie novel set in a post-Civil War era. Willie is just a girl trying to survive in the harsh, Midwestern desert. She lives in constant fear of the shakes—zombies who have lost every shred of […]

Teen Advisory Board — December 2018

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Pasadena Public Library – Teen Advisory Board, 12/17/18   Present:  Aminda, Carolyn, Chris, Emilie, John, Jonathan, Lauren, Liam, Mckenna, Naomi, Sophie, Taleen   Focus of December meeting: winter event, spring event Assignment: holiday meeting   Agenda   Debrief YA Book Club Youth Network meeting Writing meetups Teen zine   Discuss […]

Now Is Everything — Teen Review

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review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Now Is Everything by Amy Giles     Now Is Everything by Amy Giles is an emotional and compelling novel. The story of Hadley McCauley’s senior year is told in alternating then and now chapters. The protagonist of this story, Hadley, comes from a wealthy and seemingly-perfect family, […]

The Dangerous Art of Blending In — Teen Review

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review by John Chon, age 16 The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis     The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis is a somewhat true story of a teenager growing up, trying to blend in. Evan Panos is a Greek Christian, with a mother who is very strict and traditionalist. […]

Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult — Teen Review

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review by Nina Dinan, age 15      Before I Had the Words is the memoir of Skylar Kergil, an artist, activist, and YouTuber who is a transgender man. This book details the struggles he faced, both with his identity and later with his transition, as a young adult in a […]

Dress Codes for Small Towns — Teen Review

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review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens     Courtney Stevens narrates a thrilling story in the novel Dress Codes for Small Towns. It takes place in the small town of Otters Holt from the perspective of a young girl named Billie McCaffrey (and occasionally from Davey). The […]

Young Readers League Art Contest 2018: Age 12-14

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Age 12-14 Category First Place Camille Echeverri Age 14, California School of the Arts Untitled Pen, ink, watercolor; 9 x 12 inches Beautiful. Great composition and details, color and control, use of the various mediums. It’s clean, imaginative, interesting, creative, and humorous. The traveler is ready for a new journey […]

“A New Beginning” by Isaac Rishwain

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Young Readers League 2018 Writing Contest 1st place Category 2 (ages 12-14)   Isaac Rishwain Age 12 (Grade 7), Blair Middle School “A New Beginning”   Gabriel reminiscences about his hometown as he leaves for a new life in the U.S. In a land, promised to bring something magnificent, beyond […]

The Final Six — Teen Review

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review by Jacob Chon, age 16 The Final Six by Alexandra Monir     Naomi, an Iranian-American high schooler, and Leo, an Italian orphan, have barely anything in common. Although both experience the firsthand tragedies of climate change, they live on opposite sides of the globe. That is, until they are selected into an elite […]