Monday, October 29, 2012
We've moved the teen blog!
The Urbana Free Library has a snazzy new website, and with it comes a new location for this blog.You can find all future posts from us at our new address: http://urbanafreelibrary.org/blog/teen-services-blog. Make sure to update your bookmarks and feeds in order to keep up with everything new and exciting at The Urbana Free Library!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Carver Young has lived in the same orphanage ever since he
was a baby. But now New York City
is shutting the orphanage down, selling the land to property developers to build
high-end apartments. With nowhere
to go, Carver decides to join the Pinkertons—the best detective agency in the
country. Using their resources
maybe he’ll be able to figure whom his parents actually were and where he comes
from.
Before he has a chance to leave the orphanage, Detective
Albert Hawking, the best detective working for the Pinkertons, adopts him. Under Detective Hawking, Carver learns
the rules of the trade: observation, deduction, and, sometimes, a little bit of
trickery. He settles into his new
life of becoming a detective until a new serial killer comes into town. Wealthy New Yorkers are dying in an
eerily similar fashion to the Jack the Ripper victims in London eight years
before.
Carver and Delia, his best friend from the orphanage, work
with the Pinkertons to catch the killer, but will they be able to before more
people are killed? And what
connection might Carver have to Jack the Ripper?
Ripper, by Stefan
Petrucha, is a fast-paced read through 1890s New York City. Filled with witty characters and
real-life gadgets, it is a good, spooky mystery just in time for Halloween.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
It's the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!!!
OH wait. That was a false alarm, it's not actually the Zombie Apocalypse... but zombies are coming to the library in TWO days for ZOMBIE PROM!!!! (October 26th from 7-9pm in the Lewis Auditorium. Enter at the Elm Street Emergency Exit!)
Zombie sightings are all over the library. Be prepared. They just might turn you into a zombie too...
Zombie sightings are all over the library. Be prepared. They just might turn you into a zombie too...
 |
| Zombies emerging from the ground!!! |
 |
| These zombies are losing limbs everywhere... |
 |
| They're headed for the library! |
 |
| Almost to the doors... |
 |
| They've invaded the 1st floor, but haven't reached the 2nd yet... |
 |
| The teen space has been compromised. Be forewarned. Those who enter may become... ZOMBIES! |
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Scary Story Contest Winners!
The votes are in, and here are the winners of the Teen Read Week Scary Short Story contest! Thanks to all who participated!
"Insanity" by Stormy
"Ha Ha! Ha Ha! You can't find me!" taunted a child's voice echoing off the walls of the long, dim hallway that I found myself walking down. It was dark, and I could barely make out anything but the strange, eerie shadows that seemed to move about. I stumbled forward, trying to make my way down when I almost tripped over something soft. Regaining my balance, I picked up the large, soft object and shifted it into better light.
It was an overstuffed, plush bunny with an eye tore out... and something dry but sticky was on its paws.
"Awe, that's not me, that's Billy Bunny!" She sounded disappointed. "One more strike and I win though!" She got giddy again. Billy Bunny... that sounded so familiar...
I found myself stumbling down the hall again, ducking into random rooms, searching frantically for this invisible girl. Room after room I found nothing but plaster falling from ceilings, padding falling from walls, and bars that looked like they were slowly rusting away.
But it was only when I saw a stray straight-jacket on the floor that I realized that I was in an old asylum.
I opened door after door frantically looking for the strange little girl in this long, never-ending ward.
Yet there was no one.
No one behind squeaky metal doors. No one behind shreds of falling debris. No one in old, rickety closets that scattered down the hall, or even trying to hide behind an overturned wheel chair.
"Awe! You're getting boring!" She sounded slightly annoyed. "Hurry! Come and find me!" Her voice sounded so close, yet at the same time there was no one around me.
I ducked into one final room. Shoving the heavy door open... to find a bathroom. Men's, according to the broken urinal on the wall.
There were two stalls. One with a broken door that looked as if it had been kicked down, the other perfectly fine. I moved aside the broken door, knowing that a small child could fit in the space between the toilet and the door. "Nope. One more chance."
I tried to push open the other stall door, realizing that it was a pull and not a push from the outside. It didn't matter, there was nothing there but a lonesome white ribbon. Such a pretty white ribbon...
"Dang it!" I screamed, turning around wanting to punch and kick something. I stomped up to the mirror on the wall. Flustered, I looked into the mirror, not wanting to carry on with the day.
And found a girl staring at me.
"Ha ha! You found me!" she said. But her lips didn't move. That's when I realized that she was me.
And I was back in the asylum I had once called home...
"Haunted House" by Jenny
There once lived a girl named Jessie who told everyone she was scared of nothing. Or was she?
One day her friends asked if she wanted to come to a Haunted House with them. These are the exact words she said. "Uhh... Uhh... Sure." So they all went to the haunted house.
But the guy who was running it said "Only three at a time." So Jessie's friends said "Let's go on in" but she said "I have to go to the bathroom." So three of her friends went inside, and when they came out they looked so scared.
Then it was Jessie's turn. She went with two of her other friends and sat on the chairs. The chairs took them in different places so each friend went in a different direction, and they were all alone. All of the sudden, Frankenstein jumped out of nowhere! Jessie screamed for the first time and then Frankenstein asked Jessie for her brain...
Frankenstein was getting closer and closer to Jessie but then he stepped on a button and fell onto the ground. Then a guy with a chainsaw came running after her and the chainsaw looked really really sharp! Jessie was screaming more than ever, then she turned right and the guy with the chainsaw went left. Then she saw an opening, and the ride was over.
She tried to look happy but she couldn't. When she got out she said "I am sorry I lied and told you I was scared of nothing." All of her friends said "It's okay."
From then on she never lied again.
"Insanity" by Stormy
"Ha Ha! Ha Ha! You can't find me!" taunted a child's voice echoing off the walls of the long, dim hallway that I found myself walking down. It was dark, and I could barely make out anything but the strange, eerie shadows that seemed to move about. I stumbled forward, trying to make my way down when I almost tripped over something soft. Regaining my balance, I picked up the large, soft object and shifted it into better light.
It was an overstuffed, plush bunny with an eye tore out... and something dry but sticky was on its paws.
"Awe, that's not me, that's Billy Bunny!" She sounded disappointed. "One more strike and I win though!" She got giddy again. Billy Bunny... that sounded so familiar...
I found myself stumbling down the hall again, ducking into random rooms, searching frantically for this invisible girl. Room after room I found nothing but plaster falling from ceilings, padding falling from walls, and bars that looked like they were slowly rusting away.
But it was only when I saw a stray straight-jacket on the floor that I realized that I was in an old asylum.
I opened door after door frantically looking for the strange little girl in this long, never-ending ward.
Yet there was no one.
No one behind squeaky metal doors. No one behind shreds of falling debris. No one in old, rickety closets that scattered down the hall, or even trying to hide behind an overturned wheel chair.
"Awe! You're getting boring!" She sounded slightly annoyed. "Hurry! Come and find me!" Her voice sounded so close, yet at the same time there was no one around me.
I ducked into one final room. Shoving the heavy door open... to find a bathroom. Men's, according to the broken urinal on the wall.
There were two stalls. One with a broken door that looked as if it had been kicked down, the other perfectly fine. I moved aside the broken door, knowing that a small child could fit in the space between the toilet and the door. "Nope. One more chance."
I tried to push open the other stall door, realizing that it was a pull and not a push from the outside. It didn't matter, there was nothing there but a lonesome white ribbon. Such a pretty white ribbon...
"Dang it!" I screamed, turning around wanting to punch and kick something. I stomped up to the mirror on the wall. Flustered, I looked into the mirror, not wanting to carry on with the day.
And found a girl staring at me.
"Ha ha! You found me!" she said. But her lips didn't move. That's when I realized that she was me.
And I was back in the asylum I had once called home...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Haunted House" by Jenny
There once lived a girl named Jessie who told everyone she was scared of nothing. Or was she?
One day her friends asked if she wanted to come to a Haunted House with them. These are the exact words she said. "Uhh... Uhh... Sure." So they all went to the haunted house.
But the guy who was running it said "Only three at a time." So Jessie's friends said "Let's go on in" but she said "I have to go to the bathroom." So three of her friends went inside, and when they came out they looked so scared.
Then it was Jessie's turn. She went with two of her other friends and sat on the chairs. The chairs took them in different places so each friend went in a different direction, and they were all alone. All of the sudden, Frankenstein jumped out of nowhere! Jessie screamed for the first time and then Frankenstein asked Jessie for her brain...
Frankenstein was getting closer and closer to Jessie but then he stepped on a button and fell onto the ground. Then a guy with a chainsaw came running after her and the chainsaw looked really really sharp! Jessie was screaming more than ever, then she turned right and the guy with the chainsaw went left. Then she saw an opening, and the ride was over.
She tried to look happy but she couldn't. When she got out she said "I am sorry I lied and told you I was scared of nothing." All of her friends said "It's okay."
From then on she never lied again.
Monday, October 15, 2012
TEEN READ WEEK!
TEEN READ WEEK is here!
Be sure to stop by the information desk today through Wednesday, October 17th, to vote on your favorite scary stories!
Then, join us Thursday, October 18th, from 4-5pm in the Lewis Auditorium (ground floor), to find out the winners of the Teen Read Week Scary Short Story contest! Each winner will have their story posted to the teen blog, and will receive a $10 gift certificate to a local business of their choice.
Storyteller Kathe Brinkmann will entertain us with 30 minutes of ghost stories--plan to be frightened!
Kathe Brinkmann has been a featured storyteller at the Spurlock Museum Halloween Ghost Stories concerts for the past three years. Her creepy stories cause audiences to gasp!
Friday, October 5, 2012
October at The Urbana Free Library!
We love Fall here at the library, and to celebrate the season we have tons of programs for teens during October!
Today (10/5) at 4pm we have the Manga club meeting in the Lewis auditorium. This month we will be making Chinese paper lunchboxes, playing board games (munchkin, GO, and others), drawing, and eating Udon noodles! You don't have to be a member to join us- as long as you're a teen you're welcome to drop in and check it out.For more info visit The Urbana Otaku Manga Club Facebook page
Saturday (10/13)- Video game day! Join us from 2-4:30 in the Lewis Auditorium for an arcade style video game experience. We have wii, PS2, N64, GameCube, and Xbox games and consoles. We also have tons of games new and old including Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Mario Super Smash Brothers Brawl!
October 14th-17th is the American Library Associations Teen Read Week. Here at The Urbana Free Library we'll be celebrating with a Scary Story Contest!
The Rules:
-All content must be original (written by you)
-Story should not exceed 3 pages single-spaced, but can be as short as you like!
-Any format or combination of formats allowed—i.e., text + pictures, just text, just pictures, sound recording, video, etc.
-Keep it clean!! Nothing vulgar, too violent, or full of profanities.
-Most important of all, have fun with it!
Turn in your scary short story to the information desk on the 1st floor by October 13th.
Vote on your favorite short story during Teen Read Week, October 14th-17th, and come to the announcement party on the 18th to find out the winner(s)! Each winner will have their story posted to the teen blog, and will receive a $10 gift certificate to a local business of their choice.Also at the announcement party: a half hour of scary stories told by expert storyteller Kathe Brinkmann!
10/22- Art Day will celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Library will provide sugar skulls for you to decorate and display in the library! For more info on Dia de los Muertos check out this link.
Finally, don't forget that the library will be hosting the 1st annual Zombie Prom October 26th from 7-9 pm!
We’ll have punch, snacks, a photo booth, and music by DJ Belly. It will be just like a regular prom--but everything will be Zombified! Show up in Zombie costume and we will help with makeup. Start planning your costume now!
Today (10/5) at 4pm we have the Manga club meeting in the Lewis auditorium. This month we will be making Chinese paper lunchboxes, playing board games (munchkin, GO, and others), drawing, and eating Udon noodles! You don't have to be a member to join us- as long as you're a teen you're welcome to drop in and check it out.For more info visit The Urbana Otaku Manga Club Facebook pageSaturday (10/13)- Video game day! Join us from 2-4:30 in the Lewis Auditorium for an arcade style video game experience. We have wii, PS2, N64, GameCube, and Xbox games and consoles. We also have tons of games new and old including Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Mario Super Smash Brothers Brawl!
October 14th-17th is the American Library Associations Teen Read Week. Here at The Urbana Free Library we'll be celebrating with a Scary Story Contest!
The Rules:
-All content must be original (written by you)
-Story should not exceed 3 pages single-spaced, but can be as short as you like!
-Any format or combination of formats allowed—i.e., text + pictures, just text, just pictures, sound recording, video, etc.
-Keep it clean!! Nothing vulgar, too violent, or full of profanities.
-Most important of all, have fun with it!
Turn in your scary short story to the information desk on the 1st floor by October 13th.
Vote on your favorite short story during Teen Read Week, October 14th-17th, and come to the announcement party on the 18th to find out the winner(s)! Each winner will have their story posted to the teen blog, and will receive a $10 gift certificate to a local business of their choice.Also at the announcement party: a half hour of scary stories told by expert storyteller Kathe Brinkmann!
10/22- Art Day will celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Library will provide sugar skulls for you to decorate and display in the library! For more info on Dia de los Muertos check out this link.
Finally, don't forget that the library will be hosting the 1st annual Zombie Prom October 26th from 7-9 pm!
We’ll have punch, snacks, a photo booth, and music by DJ Belly. It will be just like a regular prom--but everything will be Zombified! Show up in Zombie costume and we will help with makeup. Start planning your costume now!
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