Cool pizza box invention

One of the coolest things I've seen! People who invent things are awesome, but people who re-invent things are even better! It only takes one person to say, "I think that there's a better way to do this..." and then presto, you've got this:



How cool is that!

Recent Teen Programs

We've been doing a lot of fun programs lately for teens! Some of the highlights have included:

Gifts for Mom and Dad- we decorated plastic ornaments, filled them with iced tea mix and hung them on decorated wooden peg boards.

April Showers Bring May Flowers- we made our own paper in fun shapes and textures using recycled bits of paper... even adding wildflower seeds to some so when they are buried, they will grow beautiful flowers.

And Social Networking for Teens- we learned the ins and outs of Myspace and Facebook while learning how to use these sites safely.


There are more programs still to come this Spring season: Comic Book Day, Mother/Teen Jewelry Making, Spring Teen Scrapbooking, Green Teens, Father/Teen Chili-Making. Check out our website program listing for all the details!

Teen Book Review: Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Reviewed by Ashley, Gr. 8

Deanna Lambert was caught in the backseat of Tommy Webb's car by her father when she was thirteen. Since then her life has been a living hell. Her own family has shimmied away from public appearances afraid of being the talk of the town and her own father has not looked her in the eye and talked to her in almost 5 years. Deanna slowly tries to put her past behind her and ends up getting a job at the local pizza place. With her new boss Michael she learns not to let other people judge her and she learns to slowly forget and let go. But soon her family runs into major problems. Her academic life is at stake and on top of all of that, Tommy begins to work at her job. Deanna's life was miserable and it was slowly starting to get better. But will it all topple down because of Tommy, or will she be able to overcome her past???? This book was really good. It was funny and interesting and really enjoyable to read. I would recommend it to any girl who is in high-school.

Teen Book Review: Stop me if you've heard this before by David Yoo

Stop me if you’ve Heard This Before by David Yoo
Reviewed by Ashley, Gr. 8

Albert Kim believes that he is living the normal life of an Asian. Study hard in school, stay out of trouble, be a good, smart and educated kid. Albert is doing all of this, but on top of that he has no life. Literally. Since starting Bern High-School after numerous moves in his life Albert has decided to become anti-social. And he is fine living his life like this and his parents don't notice a thing as long as his grades stay up. Then over the summer his parents force Albert to get a job. So Albert decides to work at a hotel under a man named Gino. Gino assigns Albert to work with Mia. Mia is a popular, smart girl at school who Albert would never imagine having to talk to let alone be locked up in a hotel room with her everyday moving and cleaning furniture. But soon Albert learns to get along with her and they find each other happy and in love when the summer comes to an end. But there's one problem. School is about to start and Albert is afraid that Mia will forget their amazing summer and he's wrong. Mia likes Albert and keeps him but Mia's long time ex-boyfriend Ryan Stackhouse- The House doesn't like it. He wants Albert out of the relationship so he can try and get back with Mia. This story is a twisted love story told through the eyes of one boy who went from years of anti-socialism to one school year of being the most talked about kid yet. This book is fabulous, entertaining and funny. I think that almost anyone in middle school or high-school, girl or boy would enjoy it and I would highly recommend it.

Book trailer: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Part fantasy, part mystery, part romance, part modern-day fairy tale- Impossible by Nancy Werlin is definitely a page turner. Check out the book trailer below:

Culinary delight

Next time you're hungry and bored, try inserting dry spaghetti into hot dogs and then boil it. Is this just gross or is it pure genius? Only you can decide!

Teen Book Review: Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones and Remembering Raquel by Vivian Vande Velde

Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones
Reviewed by Nicole, Gr. 7

I just read the book Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones. It is about a girl named Lise LaMer. She lived with her mom and brother [who didn't even talk]. When her mom gets into a bad car crash, they move to an old house on Fiddle Island in Maine so she could rest. Lise has never seen the ocean, so she is very nervous. I would definitely recommend this book to find out what happens.

Remembering Raquel by Vivian Vande Velde
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 7

This book was a very interesting book. It showed what people might think about a person that they sort of knew if they died. This girl named Raquel dies in a car accident, and her friend, classmates, bystanders and family all show what they think about her and her death. I thought that this book is good to make you think about how you might be remembered if you died at a moment’s notice.

Teen Book Review: Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson and Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Reviewed by Rachel, Gr. 7

This book is amazing. It takes you on a thrill ride. The book takes you on a trip back to Philadelphia. The Yellow Fever has broken out and people are dying. Mattie has to face this epidemic outbreak and must fight to stay alive. Mattie must show courage, and use her strength and endurance to fight this war!

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Reviewed by Rachel, Gr. 7

Schuler Van Allen and a bunch of other people are the last remaining Blue Bloods. They were sent from heaven to protect their secret of being vampires and get rid of the Silver Bloods. Attacks are happening, and Schuler finds out that she is a Blue Blood that is half human. She must go through the transformation, and must take caution of the Silver Bloods. Also, everyone one in the Council, won't believe her when she says that the Silver Bloods are back because they were gone for so long.

Happy Earth Day!

In celebration of Earth Day, here are two videos that show, through music and self-expression, that this world we live in is indeed a tiny place. We're all connected to one another no matter how far apart we live. And we all share this one planet, so it's in our best interest to make it work.

So for Earth Day, let's remember the traditional phrase "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" and add to it "Reconnect."

Teen Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and A Midsummer Night's Dork by Carol Gorman

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

This book is an American classic tale of growing up and learning to accept the truth. Scout Finch and her brother Jem live in Maycomb Alabama which is a racist community against blacks. Their father Atticus is a well respected lawyer and since their mother died when Scout was two, the children have looked to their house-keeper Calpurnia as a motherly figure. When a black man Tom Robinson is accused of a capital offence to a white woman, Atticus is asked to defend him. As the children see the different aspects of the trials begin to come to life, they realize that the perfect little world that they lived in, is really hateful and cruel to an innocent man based on his skin-color. Scout and Jem grow and develop their maturity throughout the novel and begin to come of age as they realize what life really is like in someone else's shoes.

A Midsummer Night’s Dork by Carol Gorman

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

Now that Jerry Flack is 6th grade class president, he plans to come up with new and cool ideas for their class. Jerry believes that as class President he's "dorkdom" will disappear. In order to raise money, Jerry and his friends decide to host an Elizabethan Festival in recognition with the book they are reading in English Class-A Midsummer's Night Dream (Shakespeare). But Jerry is asked to take on a dare, a challenge to save an innocent life. But will he be willing to embarrass himself at the Festival that he planned, in front of everyone? Read this book to find out what happened!!!

Teen Book Review: The Taker by J Steele and Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Taker by J Steele

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

Carly Biels had the plan. Get a good score on the SAT, go to Princeton like everyone else in her family has already done, graduate and live a happy and good life. That was the plan until she flunked her SAT with a 1700-Princeton needs a 2200. Carly, panicking, received a text message from the Taker. The Taker promised to cheat on the essay and take the test for her, promising her a score at least 100 points from perfection. Carly decides to accept the offer, but finds herself being drawn away from her boyfriend Brad, cheating and lying to her friends, and getting to know her neighbor Ronald Gross a little bit better as a human and not a dork. But is all of this trouble really worth an SAT score. Only one way to find out-read the book!!!!

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

DJ hates her life. She had to quit the basketball team and all other sports and other activities to work 16 hours on the family farm. She does all of the farm work by herself because her dad broke his hip by not choosing to get an operation, her mother works 2 jobs to keep up with the mortgage and other bills, her two older brother walked out of her family and her youngest brother was too young to do anything. DJ hates that no one ever says thank-you for everything that she does, and DJ wants to walk out of her family just like her brothers, but she doesn't have the guts to do so. Then she meets a boy who need DJ's help with football. DJ begins to see a new side to her farmhand lifestyle....but will she be able to change her life just in time for the big game???

Teen Book Review: Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key and Dreamland

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

Imagine if the people who mattered to you most just got up and walked out of your life. How would you feel? Ruby feels terrible. Her father left her when she was a baby, her sister Cora left on her 9th birthday and now her booze-addicted mother has gotten up and left. After living 6 months alone with no legal guardians, Ruby a 17 year old child is forced to either go to foster care or live with her sister Cora who she has not seen in 10 years. Ruby goes to live with Cora and finds out that she is not who Ruby thought she would be. Cora and her husband Jaime are both loving respectful people and Ruby begins to live with them and go to private school and enjoy a life she never had. Then she meets Nate, the too-good-to-be-true boy next door. Ruby and Nate become friends and Ruby starts to suspect something about Nate. As Ruby tries to uncover the truth as to what Nate's dark secret is the truth about her true family is sought. This book takes you on a roller coaster of emotion and is really inspiring to read.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Reviewed by: Ashley, Gr. 8

Imagine if your life was perfect and then one day someone came and turned it all upside down? Caitlin is a happy girl with a loving family and super-duper friends. The summer has arrived and she is excited to spend it with the people who she loves. Then at a party she meets Rogerson Biscoe- the boy whose father was a top realtor seller, the boy who changed her life. Caitlin begins to spend all of her time with Rogerson and soon her family and her friends begin to see a drastic change in her. Rogerson became the one and only person who Caitlin could be around and he was the only person who could hurt her.

Teen Book Review: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Reviewed by Ashley, Gr. 8

Elsewhere is a phenomenal book. It is really funny, sad, and adventurous and has a great story line. In the novel, Liz Hall is a fifteen year old girl who has just died and gone to Elsewhere. Elsewhere is a place where people come after they die. There she meets her grandmother and many other people who have passed away. She finds out that in Elsewhere you age backwards from the day you died and once you are a baby again you get sent back to Earth as another baby. Liz hates Elsewhere at first, but soon she meets some other people there and begins to enjoy it. But things start to change and Liz is forced to make different choices that will not only affect her but someone else as well.

Teen Review: Better Than Yesterday by Robyn Schneider

Better Than Yesterday by Robyn Schneider

Reviewed by Ashley, Gr.8

This book is really good. It's about four friends who are all seniors in high-school. They've all had bad experiences in their private school and want to move on and forget about them. But one day their friend Blake disappears into New York City with no traces or clues to help find him. The other three Skylar, Charley and Marissa decide to risk their perfect transcripts to go and find their friend before he gets himself into too much trouble. But will they ever find him? Will they be too late to save him? Read to find out!!!

Two new teen book reviews

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 7

This book is great for a new perspective on life. If you think that you are the ugliest person in the world, read this book, and find out the wonders of the future world. This book takes place sometime in the future, but everyone after their 16th birthday becomes pretty forever.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Reviewed by Erika, Gr. 7

As Clary Fray goes out with her friend Simon to a normal club in New York City, some not so normal things happen. First, she witnesses a murder committed by three teenagers with tattoos covering them. The problem with these teenagers though, is that no one else can see them except Clary, and the body of the dead person has disappeared. Second, she then finds that her mother is missing after seeing these strange people. And, third, she must find out the truth about her heritage, and what her mother has been hiding from her for all of these years.