Borrow My Heart by Kasie West Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 17 When Wren witnesses Asher being catfished by his online crush, she decides to pretend to be the girl he is waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Soon, she finds herself […]

Pasadena Public Library

Borrow My Heart by Kasie West Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 17 When Wren witnesses Asher being catfished by his online crush, she decides to pretend to be the girl he is waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Soon, she finds herself […]

Songlight by Moira Buffini Reviewed by Nadia Marie Rojas , age 17 Songlight by Moira Buffini is a dystopian, post-apocalyptic story set in a world where telepathic abilities, called “songlight,” are both a blessing and a curse. Those with songlight, known as “unhumans,” […]

This summer, girl scout Emily Hughes designed and hosted a Teddy Bear Sleepover at Jefferson Branch Library. The project included a teddy bear-sized t-shirt decorating program, a volunteer opportunity for teens, and a video showing all the mischief the stuffed animals got up to during their sleepover at the library. […]

Why Should Libraries Discuss Youth Mental Health? Teens come to the library for many reasons – to socialize, do homework, volunteer, or seek refuge. For public libraries, it’s estimated that twenty percent of teens who walk through the doors may be experiencing a mental disorder that, without treatment, could have […]

Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 16 The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore Este Logano enrolls in Radcliffe Prep, the nation’s third most haunted school, in order to learn more about her deceased father, who attended the school. When she encounters a ghost named Mateo, he frames her for stealing a […]

levelUP Youth Leadership Conference: Building a Just and Sustainable Future is made possible by community teens, youth group leaders, educators, parents, school staff, local organizations and supporters. This free conference aims to empower youth aged 12-18 by providing them with valuable inspiration and tools to contribute to climate justice and […]

Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 16 Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver Jude is a teenage cupid, meant to set other people’s love stories in motion and uphold the number one rule of not getting attached. However, when he’s tasked with going undercover at a high school and reconciling two best friends […]

Reviewed by Kaelin Lee, age 16 Shadowscent by P.M. Freestone Scent is everything in the Aramtesh Empire, where perfumes are coveted status symbols and scent keepers hold mythical power. 17-year-old Rakel is a skillful expert when it comes to fragrances, but it isn’t enough to save her dying father from the […]

Reviewed by Jasmine Sov, age 18 One True Loves by Elise Bryant Lenore Bennett is staring her future in the face. Though she’s committed to NYU, she’s still unsure of what she wants to major in—she could never tie herself to just one thing for the rest of her life, […]

Reviewed by Hailey Chen, age 16 Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi In the setting of Jerusalem 1192, Rahma al-Hud bravely follows her older sister, Zeena, into the war over the Holy Land–fighting for honor and their homeland. But when reinforcements from the enemy are sent in, all Rahma […]