Pasadena Public Library
Review by Jacob Chon, grade 9 The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau Summary: In a world after chemical bombing and total warfare has decimated the globe, Malencia Vale, daughter of an agricultural scientist, is chosen for the Testing, a government program that is made to find the next leaders of the […]
Review by Jacob Chon, grade 9 The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer Summary: For many years the Scholar nation has been controlled and abused by the Martial Empire. A young Scholar named Laia is forced to watch her grandparents killed and her brother jailed for drawing weapons. She flees […]
Book Club recap by Kara Eng, grade 12 The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye Summary: Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are the only enchanters in Russia, and when the Ottoman Empire […]
event recap by McKenna Blackshire, grade 8 Pasadena’s first National Coming Out Day Event was like a mini, more personal Pride Parade. The atmosphere was energizing and unique. Each booth offered a different form of support to the LGBTQ+ Community, and each speaker shared a different perspective, which ranged from […]
Ending the Silence – National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) By Alaina Joby , Grade 9 In honor of Mental Illness Awareness Week, the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) organized a presentation this October 8th to educate and spread awareness about people with mental health issues. Three volunteers from […]
by Alaina Joby, Grade 9 On October 15, 2016, the PCDA hosted an art exhibit that featured a variety of young artists’ masterpieces. The show focused on the five primary sensory organs and the ‘sixth sensory figure’ consisting of creativity and imagination. The event started with a short cultural program that […]
Review, author interview, & book club recap by Kara Eng, grade 12 Static by Eric Laster Static puts a twist on death. Instead of seeing dead people, Curtis Brooks talks to them, or at least just his brother. After his brother, Wilt, dies in a suspicious car accident, Curt starts receiving […]
Review and author interview by Haylie Koorn, grade 9 Underwater by Marisa Reichardt In the book Underwater by Marisa Reichardt, it shows that no matter what tragedy you go through, the way to recovery is forgiveness. Morgan Grant is not a normal teenager; she stays home all day eating grilled […]
In August, one of our teen reviewers got the chance to snag a Skype interview with Shannon Messenger, one of the authors who will be featured at our annual Pasadena Loves YA book festival on September 17. The two series under her name are the ongoing middle grade […]
by McKenna Blackshire, grade 8 The Mental Health Resource Center Reception began with two Teen Advisory Board members, Frissiel Juscamatia and Meep Gomez, talking to the audience about their own experiences and beliefs related to Mental Health. This was followed by representatives from several organizations, each specializing in mental health, […]