Crossing Ebenezer Creek — Teen Review

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review by Sylvie Bower, age 16 Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Bolden     Crossing Ebenezer Creek is the story of those who aren’t usually heard of from General Sherman’s March during the Civil War — former slaves who join up with the march to protect themselves. It is the story of Mariah, a recently […]

Teen Advisory Board — October 2017

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Pasadena Public Library, Teen Advisory Board, 10/16/2017 Present: Brittany, Chris, Denisse, Enrique, Genevieve, Jane L, John, Jonathan G, Liliana, Luke, Mckenna, Penelope, Sofia, Sophie, Trisha Pre-meeting assignment: (1) Write down three questions you had (or still have) when you first started volunteering here, or when you started on TAB. (2) […]

A Dog’s Purpose — Teen Review

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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 […]

YA Book Club — Caraval

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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 […]

Max — Teen Review

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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 […]

Pasadena Loves YA 2017

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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 […]

Flight Risk — Teen Review

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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 […]

Teen Advisory Board — September 2017

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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 […]

Mirror in the Sky — Teen Review

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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 […]

Soldier Boy — Teen Review

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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 […]