Westport Public Library TEEN Blog

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

2009-11-07T15:39:54Z

Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 and is the longest running children's program on television in the US. In honor of the show's 40th anniversary, Tuesday's episode (the season premier) will feature a visit to the White House vegetable garden with First Lady Michelle Obama. I grew up watching Sesame Street and have collected some library-themed moments below. Here is Oscar the Grouch paying a grouchy visit to the library: Here, Grover attempts to talk about how much he likes the library, but is continually shushed by a crabby librarian. This is totally not the environment of the WPL: And just for fun, here are Bert and Ernie performing a gangster rap song (obviously re-edited by somebody on YouTube...):

Weezer Snuggie

2009-11-03T20:26:44Z

I am loving this. I'm a Slanket owner myself, but everybody knows that the Snuggie has the better (and cheesier) ads. Weezer has been around since I was a teenager and has always been known for making unique and funny videos. Does anybody else remember their amazing "Buddy Holly" video? Fun fact: that video was directed by Spike Jonze, who directed the new movie adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. Anyway, at first I thought the commercial was a joke, but if you visit their website, you can actually purchase your very own Weezer Snuggie. There is even a deluxe "Safari" Snuggie that comes in a zebra print. They have really taken the joke to a (comfy) new level. * Edit: The record company seems to have taken the link to the YouTube video down for some reason. I have posted a new one above, but who knows if this one will be taken down as well! If for some reason, the above video fails, try searching YouTube for "Weezer Snuggie," and maybe you'll find another link?

Happy Teen Read Week!

2009-10-20T21:36:29Z

Happy Teen Read Week! The purpose of Teen Read Week is to encourage teens to read for the fun of it. Not so easy to do in October when you're in the midst of a semester, right? Let me tell you, it doesn't get much easier trying to fit in time to read when you're an adult with a busy job. Most days, I'd rather watch TV or play games on my cell phone, but I try to set aside particular times that are just for reading. For example, I read a book every day on my lunch break. I also read before bed every night and I always read when I'm on the train. I actually know some librarians who don't own televisions and who usually manage to read several books a week. This is great, but then how would I keep up on Gossip Girl or 90210? Does anyone out there in the blogosphere have any tips for how to fit in "reading for fun" into "real life?"

Sweet Valley High

2009-09-24T20:56:45Z

One of my favorite series from my youth is back! Diablo Cody, the screenwriter behind the teen films Juno and the recent slasher film Jennifer's Body has been hired to adapt Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High series for the big screen. The series began being published in the early 80's and contained 152 books, a tv series, and even a board game (which I, ahem, still have). Cody says that the film will be set in the 1980's, just like the original novels, claiming that she "[doesn't] feel like brokering some deal with T-Mobile to give Enid a Sidekick." Given that EVERY teen show/movie these days seems to be centered around technology, I'm interested in seeing a throw-back in which girls can't take camera-phone pics of each other's every move and can't communicate by constant texting. I think that people used to pass notes to each other...? :)

Level 26

2009-09-18T20:10:08Z

I stumbled upon this book while I was walking around the library today and while it isn't officially a "teen" book, I thought it was still worth drawing attention to. Level 26: Dark Origins is written by the creator and executive producer of the show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. What is particularly cool about it is that it is an interactive digi-novel. Although you can read the book as a traditional thriller, about every 20 pages, there are web links to videos on the book's website that bring the characters to life and extend the story. I haven't seen an interactive book like this since I was a kid and was obsessed with Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Notable Nonfiction

2009-08-12T20:34:18Z

We heard a rumor that some of you need to read a fiction and a non-fiction book for your middle school reading this summer. So, naturally I made a list. You can download the pdf here (Middle School non-fiction .pdf), or it is listed below: Notable Non-Fiction for Middle Schoolers
Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson: A historian tries to separate the man from the myth as he goes through hundreds of variants of the song “John Henry,” researches post-Civil War railway construction projects, and visits possible sites for the legendary contest between a man and a steam drill. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy: Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, this book re-creates the fear and panic of the deadly cholera outbreak in the city of Philadelphia and the social conditions that caused the disease to spread. Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti: Through the voices of the Irish people, the book tells the story of the devastating potato famine that would leave one million dead and would cause two million to emigrate to America. Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year by Esme Raji Codell: A funny, hip diary filled with one-liners and unadorned thoughts that speak volumes about the raw, emotional life of a first-year teacher in an inner-city school. Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston: A memoir from a Japanese American that vividly describes life inside of American internment camps and the humiliations suffered by the detainees. Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley: Bradley, the son of one of the six marines pictured in the famous Iwo Jima photograph, examines their experiences detailing the brutal battle on the island and the contrast between the sense of victory projected by the photograph and the event’s more ambiguous circumstances. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case by Chris Crowe: Presents a true account of the murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi, in 1955. The case helped to spark the civil rights movement when the men acquitted of the crime bragged in a magazine interview to having done it, causing uproar from blacks and whites alike. Knockout: a Photobiography of Boxer Joe Louis by George Sullivan: A biography in pictures of the African-American boxer Joe Louis and the adversity he faced in the 1920’s, when racism was still rampant in America. The Lincolns: a Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming: Though Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln’s backgrounds differed considerably, both were intellectuals who shared interests in literature and politics, as well as a great love for each other. The Power of One: Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine by Judith and Dennis Fradin: Born in a small town in rural Arkansas, Daisy Bates was a journalist and activist who became one of the foremost civil rights leaders in America. In 1957 she mentored the nine black students who were integrated into Central High School in Little Rock. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird by Phillip Hoose: Tells the story of the ivory-billed woodpecker’s extinction in the United States, describing the encounters between this species and humans, and discussing what these encounters have taught us about preserving endangered creatures. Shutting Out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York, 1880-1915 by Deborah Hopkinson: Photographs and text document the experiences of five individuals who came to live in the Lower East Side of New York City as children or young adults from Belarus, Italy, Lithuania, and Romania at the turn of the century. Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren: Simply told, this book tells the story of Holocaust survivor Jack Mandelbaum, who was separated from his family at age 12 and sent to the Blechhammer concentration camp. Documented by stirring photos from the archives of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman: In the mid-1930’s, Marian Anderson was a famed vocalist who had been applauded by European royalty and welcomed at the White House. But, because of her race, she was denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This is the story of her resulting involvement in the civil rights movement of the time. When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago: Santiago recalls her transition as an immigrant to the United States, discussing the language and cultural barriers that she and her family encountered in humorous and sometimes painful ways. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown in Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker: This book reports on the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in James Fort in Jamestown, Virginia, to understand the people who lived in the Chesapeake Bay area in the 1600s and 1700s.

Food Manga

2009-08-05T20:00:17Z

With all the hype surrounding this weekend's opening of the film Julie and Julia, there has been a renewed interest in cookbooks and food books at the library. However, I think I might have found one of the most unconventional ones of all. Oishinbo ("The Gourmet") is a long-running manga series in Japan which depicts the adventures of culinary critic Shirou Yamaoka and his wife Yuko Kurita. The best part? The book contains recipes, complete with step-by-step instructions and drawings, and also lessons on proper Japanese cooking and knife techniques. This is definitely not your average cookbook!

Skinny Books

2009-07-22T19:43:15Z

By now, it is probably that point in the summer where you are saying to yourself "Wasn't I supposed to read books for Summer Reading?" Have no fear, the Skinny Books list is here! I have compiled a list of short reads. You can download the list in a PDF here: H S Skinny reads.pdf

High School Skinny Books
Short Reads for Summer and Beyond

Animal Farm by George Orwell: Published in 1946, Orwell makes a commentary on Soviet Communism told through a fable of barnyard animals and a workers’ revolution gone wrong on a farm. (c. 1946, 155 pgs.) Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote: Holly Golightly is top-notch in style and her apartment vibrates with martini-soaked parties where she plays hostess to millionaires and gangsters alike. Yet Holly never loses sight of her ultimate goal: to find a real life place like Tiffany’s that makes her feel at home. (c. 1958, 179 pgs.) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon: Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor’s dog and uncovers secret information about his mother. (c. 2003, 226 pgs.) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton: Trapped in a loveless marriage, Ethan must choose between his invalid wife and the captivating cousin who comes to help manage the house. One unguarded moment and a single thoughtless act give rise to devastating consequences that will haunt Ethan for the remainder of his life. (c. 1911, 160 pgs.) Fraud: Essays by David Rakoff: A collection of essays from humorist and public radio contributor David Rakoff, ranging from stories of playing Freud in a department-store window at Christmastime, to searching for the Loch Ness monster, to attending a Buddhism seminar led by Steven Seagal. (c. 2002, 228 pgs.) Hiroshima by John Hersey: Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey recorded the stories of Hiroshima residents shortly after the explosion of the atomic bomb, giving first-hand accounts from the people who survived it. (c. 1946, 196 pgs.) Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris: A collection of humorous stories all related to holidays, including Sedaris’ famous story “The SantaLand Diaries,” about working as an elf at Macy’s during Christmas time. (c. 1997, 166 pgs.) I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley: Essays on adjusting to life in New York City as a single girl, including a hilarious essay on the shame of having a large My Little Pony collection and what to do about it.(c. 2008, 230 pgs.) Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield: In this short book, Sheffield, a staff writer for Rolling Stone, has written not only an extended love letter to his late wife Renee, but also to the indie rock of the 90’s. (c. 2007, 224 pgs.) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: A tragic story about the relationship between two ranch-hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. (c. 1937, 107 pgs.) The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway: Santiago is a Cuban fisherman who encounters a giant marlin in the Gulf Stream and the battle for his catch becomes one of survival against a band of marauding sharks. (c. 1952, 127 pgs.) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell: Humorous essays from Vowell’s appearances on NPR, ranging from the merits of presidential libraries, the misuse of Rosa Parks as a metaphor, and the “nerd” factor of the author’s involvement in a political e-mail group. (c. 2002, 197 pgs.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: This book is written as a series of letters from 15-yr-old Charlie to an unknown recipient as he struggles with issues of sexuality, family tensions, and the recent suicide of his best friend. (c. 1999, 213 pgs.) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: Novella about a London lawyer who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the misanthropic Edward Hyde. The work is known for its vivid portrayal of the psychopathology of a split personality. (c. 1886, 105 pgs.) The Stranger by Albert Camus: A young Algerian commits a murder, but it is his character that goes on trail in this classic existential novel. (c. 1943, 117 pgs.) Sula by Toni Morrison: Set in the early 1900’s in a small Ohio town, this book tells the story of two African-American friends, Sula and Nel, from their childhood through their adulthood and Sula’s death. (c. 1973, 174 pgs.) The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra: A book about the effects of repression on a pair of Kabul couples living in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. (c. 2004, 195 pgs.) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Hurston: In this classic work of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston follows the life of Pheoby through three different periods of her life, corresponding to her marriages to three different men. (c. 1937, 207 pgs.) Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom: A true story about Mitch Albom’s relationship with his dying, one-of-a-kind professor, Morrie Schwartz.(c. 1997, 192 pgs.)

The Moon Landing

2009-07-20T18:28:36Z

I thought that Slate Magazine did a great job of poking fun at what the moon landing might look like if it were covered by today's media. Enjoy!

Where's Bubbles?

2009-07-02T20:40:55Z

Amidst all the tragedy of Michael Jackson's death, I couldn't help but wonder "Whatever happened to Bubbles the Chimp?" For those of you who may be too young to remember, Bubbles was Michael Jackson's pet chimp in the 80's. He used to travel with him everywhere and they used to dress in matching outfits. There is a great Wikipedia entry devoted to him here. Apparently, he got too aggressive in his old age to be kept as a pet, so he was moved to an animal sanctuary, where Anderson Cooper tracked him down. I thought this was a great story.

High School Summer Reading

2009-06-22T19:00:23Z

Now that school is over, you can start focusing on summer reading. The staff and students at Staples High School have put together their summer reading list, but since it is so long, I have modified the list and added some of my own picks as well:

High School Summer Reads
Suggestions from The Westport Library and Staples High School Staff

• The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coehlo: A magical story of a shepherd boy’s travels from his home in Spain across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with an alchemist. • Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David Sheff: An accompaniment to the book Tweak by Nic Sheff, this is the story of a son’s addiction to drugs and alcohol told through the perspective of his father, a journalist. • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett: A band of gun-wielding terrorists burst into an elegant party, taking all guests hostage. During the long siege, the terrorists and hostages form unexpected bonds. • Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston: Aron Ralston’s account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home. • Blink: The Power of Thinking About Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell: A staff writer for The New Yorker weighs the factors that determine good decision-making. • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Set in Nazi Germany, a girl steals books to give to neighbors during bombing raids and finds that books feed souls. • The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz: Oscar grows up in a Dominican neighborhood in New Jersey as an overweight, homely lover of sci-fi and fantasy. His time is consumed by reading and writing, but what he really wants is love. • A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines by Anthony Bourdain: The only thing celebrity chef and internationally bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?" Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail. • Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: Based on real-life events, an architect and a serial killer intersect during the building and opening of the great Chicago World’s Fair of 1892. • Franny and Zooey by J.D. Sallinger: Two interrelated stories about siblings in a family of geniuses. • The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls: Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. As her father succumbed to alcoholism and her mother became more detached, her home life became one of dysfunction and neglect. • The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb: Relocating to a family farm in Connecticut after surviving the Columbine school shootings, Caelum and Maureen discover a cache of family memorabilia dating back five generations, which reveals to Caelum unexpected truths about painful past events. • Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham: Grisham tells the actual story of Ron Williamson, a black minor league baseball player, who was sent to death row for murder and rape. • Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison: Ever since he was young, John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teen, his odd habits had earned him the label “social deviant.” However, it was not until he was 40 that he was diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperser’s syndrome. • Naked by David Sedaris: Sedaris has fashioned a hilarious memoir about his dysfunctional family and wonderfully offbeat life. • The Road by Cormac McCarthy: Profoundly moving story of a journey through a postapocalyptic future with no hope where a father and son struggle to survive. Soon to be a major motion picture. Written by the author of No Country For Old Men. • Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman: Klosterman takes the reader on a witty and highly entertaining tour through portions of pop culture not usually subjected to analysis and presents his thoughts on Saved by the Bell, Billy Joel, John Cusack movies, MTV's The Real World, and much more. • The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: Clare and Henry fall deeply in love, but Henry has a condition which periodically resets him in time (past or future). They desperately try to retain their complex relationship against unimaginable odds. Soon to be a major motion picture. • Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri: Eight short stories dealing with various male/female relationships in the context of Indian immigration to the U.S. • White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean: Hearing-imparied Sym is fascinated with the Antarctic and the men who explored it, so when her Uncle Victor whisks her away on a trip to the South Pole, she is excited, yet unprepared for the dangerous journey that this madman has planned. Winner of the 2008 Michael L. Printz Award. • The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell: Essayist and public radio regular Vowell traces America’s Puritan roots through the 1630 journey of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, interspersing her history lesson with her trademark humorous anecdotes, like a colonial history lesson via The Brady Bunch. • Year of Wonders: A Story of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks: The Bubonic Plague comes to a small village in 17th century England and the villagers must make a choice: do they flee the village in hopes of outrunning the disease, or do they stay? Do you have any summer reading suggestions of your own? Feel free to comment! Edit: A super-awesome PDF version can be found here:High School summer reads.pdf.

Gossip Girl and Clique

2009-06-16T15:09:25Z

Are you looking for great beach reads this summer? Have you enjoyed the Gossip Girl or Clique series, but are looking for new books? I have just made readalike lists for both series! You can pick up a copy in the Teen section at the library, or download them here:

Gossip Girls.pdf
Clique readalikes .pdf

If you're looking for any other book recommendations, be sure to stop by the Reference Desk anytime this summer!

School Lunches From Around the World

2009-06-08T18:37:21Z

Love it or hate it, everybody has eaten school lunch. But have you ever been curious about what school lunches are like in other places? Today I stumbled upon this website in which people have submitted photos of school lunches from around the world. Above, I have posted a picture of a school lunch from France, which has a cup of steamed mussels and a whole artichoke. Pretty fancy, huh? I like seeing the juxtaposition of the American meals, containing tater tots and chicken nuggets, next to the Asian meals, which contain tofu-based soups and whole fish, sitting right there on the trays. It is an interesting set of photos to scroll through.

Audiobooks for IPod!

2009-05-29T15:32:15Z

Great news! Those of us who use IPods can now take advantage of the Library's NetLibrary service! NetLibrary has added 700 titles that are IPod compatible, just in time for summer reading! The audiobook files last for three weeks- similar to the circulation on a library book- except that you can download them from the convenience of your home computer. All you need to register for a NetLibrary account is your library card number. You can get started by visiting here. If you have questions or problems, you can always contact the reference desk at 291-4840 or ref@westportlibrary.org.

8th Grade Summer Reading

2009-05-26T17:51:55Z

Well, I made it through booktalks and have the list to prove it. If you're looking for great summer reads, look no further than here. I've tried to make a list of book suggestions that are fun and appeal to a wide array of readers. Check it out!