Brooklyn teens (and their librarians) talking about their favorite books, sharing original art and writing, and promoting cool free stuff to do!
Ten Horror & Thriller Reads for Halloween
Do you love a good scare or thrill? Below are ten books I recommend reading this Halloween! Belladonna / Adalyn Grace: Nineteen-year-old orphan Signa Farrow confronts Death--and her own deathly powers--when she investigates the mysterious murder of a relative at the Thorn Grove estate. Blackwater / Jeannette Aroyo (graphic novel): Tony Price is a popular high school track star and occasional delinquent aching for his dad's attention and approval. Eli Hirsch is a quiet boy with a chronic autoimmune disorder that has ravaged his health and social life. What happens when these…
October 2022 Teen Book Releases
Need some new book recommendations? Put a hold on these upcoming releases: After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis: Eighteen-year-old Roxie agrees to help her sister Skylar uncover her boyfriend's killer, but they discover that everyone in Whistler, Indiana, is hiding something and some ghost stories are best left untold. A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo: The summer of 2013 in the Bay is a momentous one for eighteen-year-old Aria Tang West, for the working-class queer community she finds herself in, and for her artist grandmother. The First to Die at the End by Adam…
Apply for an internship at Brooklyn Public Library!
Applications for two of Brooklyn Public Library's internships are now open: apply today! BookMatch Teen Learn the art of recommending books and offer a readers’ advisory service exclusive to teens. Along the way, meet new friends and make connections to careers in publishing, writing, libraries and more. Participants must be in grades 9-12 and will earn a stipend, volunteer hours and resume-boosting experience. Apply online here by October 5. Librarians of Tomorrow Librarians of Tomorrow is an innovative, hands-on internship program for 10th-12th grade students from diverse…
Book Review: The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson
The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson is a brilliant, beautifully written story with fantastical elements, strong characters, and a captivating plot. It is about Princess Anthia of Rhodaire. She is training to be a crow rider, a warrior of the sky, when the Illucian empire invades and kills all of the crows and Thia’s mother and mentor. Thia is thrown into a deep depression and she struggles to navigate her emotions and save her kingdom from Illucia at the same time. Josephson tackles the issue of mental health openly, which is another reason why this is one of the best fantasy books I’ve…
Top Shelf at Windsor Terrace
Hey friends, it's Noor and Maleha here. Noor, why don’t you start us off... At the Windsor Terrace Library the top shelf of the kid's fiction area was boring and a totally unreachable display for books. But we took that boring unreachable shelf and turned it into something that the kids would enjoy looking at. The idea came to our heads when we were looking for coloring pages for the kids to color in. Then an idea popped into Maleha’s brain that I didn’t know existed. DINOSAURS READING BOOKS!! Like those who don’t like dinosaurs? Maybe except for the asteroid that…
Banned Books to Borrow Now!
Banned Books Week is coming up -- September 18-24th. At the Brooklyn Public Library, we read banned and challenged books all year round! Some of my favorite books have been banned or challenged by libraries and schools throughout the country. Want to learn more? Join my monthly book club. In September, we're talking about Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. Below are five banned books I'd recommend to teens in a heartbeat: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender: Felix Love has never been in love--and, yes, he's painfully aware of the irony. He desperately…
Banned Books Week - Program Round Up
Karen, Coordinator of Young Adult Services
Banned Books Week: This Story Matters Tuesday, September 20 / 5:30pm Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby Street, New York, NY Censorship continues a record-breaking sweep across our nation in the form of book bans, removal of literacy materials from school libraries, and the limitation on educators’ speech in the classroom. Teachers, parents, and citizens often feel hopeless when seeking ways to combat censorship, but there are some novel approaches recently taken by libraries, associations, and educators that support a student’s right to read. Banned…
You Ask, We Answer Your Puberty and Sex Questions
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
Question: What are beginner tips for sex you'd give a young man? Which condom brand is the best? Thank you for being brave enough to ask such a sensitive question. Making the decision to have sex for the first time is a big decision, but it can be made less overwhelming with pre-planning. Don’t expect sex to be as it is in movies, books, or in pornography. Everyone responds physically and emotionally to sex differently. Secondly, the decision as to when to have sex is yours alone. Don’t let society, your family, your friends, or a romantic partner pressure you. Once you’re…
Check 'Em Out: Historical Fiction & Fantasy Picks
Fantasy Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer: When a stranger rides into town offering Jax and Callyn silver in exchange for holding secret messages for an anti-magic faction, the choice is obvious--even if it means they may be aiding in a plot to destroy their new king. It's a risk they're both willing to take. This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede: Alessa has a gift from the gods that’s supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, but instead it’s killing every suitor she touches, and with her island in danger and a powerful priest convincing her soldiers that her death is the island’s…
Safe Sex and Free Condoms
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
When used correctly, condoms are one of the most discreet and portable ways to protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy and sexuall transmitted diseases. Condoms are also a versatile form of protection that can be used during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Every gender can protect themselves with a product that has little to no side effects. For folks with latex allergies, condoms are also available in plastic or nitrile varieties. Cases of syphilis and gonorrhea have gone up since 2020 in New York City. The rates of syphilis went up by 30.7% among people reported as female (females…
July's New YA Releases to Check Out!
Meet me in the middle by Alex Light Eden had her best friend Katie-she didn't need anyone else. But then there was Truman. Katie's older brother, the artist. The recluse. The boy with an innocent smile but dangerous eyes. Eden had never really known Truman-not until the night of Katie's accident. With Katie in the hospital and Truman fleeing from his grief without a word, Eden is left alone to grapple with her pain. But when Truman returns to the city, can Eden let him back into her life knowing that their first kiss is what tore their world apart? These twisted bonds by Lexi Ryan Brie…
Video Games in Books
Do you love playing video games? Here are five books to read about teens who play too! Don't Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd: By day, Emilia is a field hockey star with a popular boyfriend and a mother obsessed with her academic future. By night, she's kicking virtual butt as the only female member of a highly competitive eSports team. Emilia has mastered the art of keeping her two worlds thriving, which hinges on them staying completely separate. When a major eSports tournament comes to her city, Emilia is determined to prove herself to the male-dominated gaming community. Her…
July is Disability Pride Month
Did you know 13.2% of Americans had some kind of physical or mental disability in 2019? Since the passing of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) in 1990, Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July. The Americans with Disabilities Act helps protect the rights of people with disabilities in five important areas: employment state and local government facilities and services public accommodations telecommunications transportation. Unfortunately, many people with disabilities still face discrimination and stigma. In light of this reality, it is even more…
Banned: A Poem
This poem was submitted by Libby S., a teen living in Alabama. Banned. Banned. Your book is taken away from those who need it. Banned. Your story is no longer heard. Banned. Your voice is silenced by those who don’t want you to speak. Banned. You can no longer share with the world the experiences you’ve had. Banned. You can no longer help those with your writing. Banned. You can no longer provide a new opinion to a story. Banned. You can just sit and watch as people go about their day, no longer able to read your book. You know that there are people out there that need your book. You…
Check Out BKLYNthology + YA Booklist Created by BKLYNthology Writers
Teens ages 13-18 participated in any genre of their choice, and those who have submitted a story that satisfies all the requirements were featured in BKLYNthology. There have been few to no edits done to the following stories to ensure that they would be true to what the writers wanted to express. Check out BKLYNthology and the YA booklist BKLYNthology writers curated! Printed copies of this anthology will be available at the New Utrecht branch at the front desk on the second floor. BKLYNthology: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19y3dmsUQrjzSQiD1VtaKcOHIEioq4-…
New Book Releases in June!
Happy Summer, y'all! Here are eight new releases to check out this month!
Let's Celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day!
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
Period. Cycle. Monthly. Aunt Flow. Special visitor. Shark Week. Everyone who sheds their uterine lining has a special name for that time of the month. For some menstruators, getting a period is no big deal. It’s just another few days out of the month, but it’s a big deal for others. Some folks get periods with debilitating pain. For some trans men, it’s a painful reminder that their body and gender don’t align. And, for some people, it means having to stay home from work or school because they cannot afford menstrual hygiene products like maxi pads, tampons, or menstrual…
BKLYNthology
Do you want to get a short story published? Up to twenty submissions will be selected and included in an anthology that will be published by an internship project through the New Utrecht branch. $50, $25, and $15 gift cards will be rewarded to the top three selections respectively. All interested participants should register for the virtual information session on May 23 from 4:30-5:30 PM. There will also be an optional (but highly encouraged) Office Hours session which you can sign up for on May 26 from 5:00-6:00 PM. I will be briefly reviewing and providing…
Intentional and Mindful Planning
Four years ago when I was a baby Librarian, I started Bullet Journaling. I started for two reasons: to keep track of all the details that came with my new grown up job and student loan debt. One day a month I would set aside time to set up my bullet journal for the new month, creating trackers and calendars to help me organize my goals and commitments for the month. Google says journaling helps with anxiety, envoking mindfulness and helps ground the writer in the present: something that my Type A self needed. As someone who is a "PLANNER" I often find myself worrying about all the…
Books Unbanned: One teen's response
Teens around the country have been sending messages to our Intellectual Freedom Teen Council requesting a free, out-of-state ecard to access books that may be banned or challenged in their state. K. Pointer submitted this one last week. Find out more about Books Unbanned here. For me, the freedom to read is crucial. Reading has always been a way for me to explore and experience the world. I have learned so much about myself and the human experience through books. The fact that book banning is still present today honestly makes me sick. Through many challenged books I have…
Announcing the 2022 Teen Writing Contest & Ned Vizzini Prize Winners
Karen, Coordinator of Young Adult Services
We received hundreds of submissions, and the Teen Writing Contest Committee is pleased to announce the following prizes, honors, and selections for the 2022 Teen Writing Contest & Ned Vizzini Teen Writing Prize. Congrats to our winners and many thanks to our staff readers and judges. Poetry Middle School First Place: Pigeons by Maya Cohen Second Place: Where I’m From by Lilla Burke Honorable Mention: On Riding the Subway by Oren Milgrom-Dorfman Honorable Mention: The World of My Mind by Hannah Powell Honorable Mention: Broadway…
Five May Book Releases to Look Out For!
Need more book recommendations? Here are five upcoming releases in May. Put them on hold ASAP! I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston: "After seventeen-year-olds Chole and Shara, Chole's rival for valedictorian, kiss, Shara vanishes leaving Chole and two boys, who are also enamored with Shara, to follow the trail of clues she left behind, but during the search, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to Shara and her small Alabama town than she thought." Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater: "A retelling of Brave, this book tells Merida’s story and her longing for adventure and…
Paid Opportunities and More for Teens
Here are a few internship and training opportunities for teens! The Guggenheim: Art Detectives Spend some time at the Guggenheim Museum this summer! Art Detectives is a FREE program for NYC high school students that are interested in the arts and sciences! During the month of July, this summer program is a unique opportunity to study with a variety of museum conservators and scientists working in the fields of art conservation and cultural heritage science. MetroCards cards and snacks will be provided for the in-person meetings. Upon successful completion of the program…
Book Recommendations for Poetry Month!
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo A novel about finding your voice, and for the main character, Xiomara Batista, the way to do that is through poetry. She keeps a notebook under her bed, full of words that she can’t say – especially to her mother. But then Xiomara is invited to join the slam poetry club at school and has to decide if she’s going to stay silent or not. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta It is the story of Michael, a black, gay teen, who discovers the Drag Society at university and finds himself on the stage, finally free to be precisely whom he was always meant to be. Atta…
Seasons
Enjoy this seasonal poem by seventh grader Christopher Thayer. Seasons by Christopher Thayer When the flakes as white as paper drizzle lightly on my palm, I wonder to myself when Summer will come. When I watch my breath float in the air, I wonder to myself when Summer will come. Just a few more months, I say to myself. When the new flowers in the yard start to bloom, I wonder to myself when Fall will come. When the bees fly from flower to flower, I wonder to myself when Fall will come. Just a few more months I say to myself. When I look at the windows splattered with rain, I wonder…
Destigmatizing Periods: An Intergenerational Conversation
Asha K.| Cycle Alliance Intern
When my aunt, Desiree, was 11 years old when she first got her cycle. At that time, she thought menstrual cycles were disgusting. Seeing her older sister get her period was also uncomfortable to her, because she did not want to experience the same cramps, pain, blood, and messiness that she saw her sister going through. My aunt’s mother told her that menstruation was part of becoming a woman, and that she would eventually get it some time in her life. She never received a full conversation about menstrual cycles from her mom, and was left to figure it out on her own. Desiree wishes she…
Tears at Sunset: A Poetry Portfolio
After The Tragedy Orange flowers, yellow leaves, green grass, blue water, and a deep, crimson red sky. Damp soil clung to the bottom of my combat boots, dragging me down to earth with every step I took. Heavier and heavier. An old oak tree stood sturdy, not yielding to strong winds, desperate to cling to the Earth. I extended a long, scarred arm to the bare oak tree’s bark. My callused, rough hands gingerly traced an odd circle again. And again. The color faded, not as dark or as rough as the rest of the russet oak tree, but dark like my morning bitter, black coffee I love to drink. I…
Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2022!
Happy Trans Day of Visiblity! Today is especially important in light of all the anti-trans legislation being passed in states across the nation. While there is much darkness and pain, there is also light, and joy and hope. I highly recommend checking out this short but powerful piece on Teen Vogue. It was put together by teens like you! As a transgender person, what brings me joy is seeing other trans youth and trans adults flourish, and being happy in their day-to-day life. It also beings me joy seeing parents supporting their transgender kids in all aspects of life…
The Contest
My name is Mia. I’m going to tell you about the day that changed my life forever. It was a normal school day. I was waving goodbye to my mom when I saw a bright neon orange sign on the school door. The sign said, ”Do you love to write? If so, enter our teenage writing contest. For more information and details, please visit our website www.teenagewritingcontest.org.” I screamed silently in my head. I love to write. Asking me that is like asking a dog if it likes peanut butter. I walked into school that day, and for the first time, could not wait until it ended. As soon as school was over, I…
Paid Opportunities and More for Teens
Here are a few internship and training opportunities for teens, plus BPL's own Teen Writing Contest! Brooklyn Public Library: Mapping Our Worlds Apply for this seven-week art workshop hosted by Brooklyn Public Library and Stingray Arts Collective. Learn how to map your community, your culture, and your future through collage art, creative writing, meditation, movement and more. Workshops begin in April 2022; apply online here to participate. Teens will receive a $100 stipend for participating in the program. Summer Youth Employment Program Summer Youth Employment…
St. Patrick's Day Book Bingo
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar: A YA romance set in Ireland with Sapphic and Bengali main characters.Hani and Ishu both want something from the other, and pretending to date may just get that done. All the Bad Apples by Moïra Fowley-doyle: When Deena's wild older sister Mandy goes missing, presumed dead, Deena refuses to believe it's true. Especially when letters start arriving--letters from Mandy--which proclaim that their family is not just stuck with bad luck or bad decisions but a curse, handed down to women from generation to generation. Mandy's gone…
Amelia’s Dream
My name is Amelia, and I ride horses. Now, typically women don't ride horses. They cook or clean. However, I burn everything I try to cook including water and I couldn't clean if my life depended on it. I always dreamed of riding horses and entering the yearly riding contest. I said to myself, why not teach myself how to ride, and enter. One night while everyone was asleep I snuck out into the barn and taught myself how to ride. As it turned out, I was great at it. One day I decided to ride during the day. Pa had gone hunting and was not supposed to be back till that night, and Ma was…
The Method I Like to Use for Songwriting
As a vocal student at LaGuardia High School, songwriting is one of the things I am grateful to be able to do. While I really have no idea if the songs I write would make it to the top 100’s list, I still have my own way of creating them. Songwriting is a process that can branch out in any direction possible. Maybe it will begin with the music, and then the lyrics. Maybe your song was originally just a title before you added any lyrics! You will eventually find your own way of making music, and to help you out: this is what I like to do. Additionally, songwriting advice isn’t just…
Paid Opportunities for Teens
Here are a few internship and training opportunities for teens, plus BPL's own Teen Writing Contest! Brooklyn Public Library: Teen Writing Contest and Ned Vizzini Writing Prize BPL's Teen Writing Contest is a chance for local teens to showcase their work in a supportive environment and to win the new Ned Vizzini Teen Writing Prize, an award to honor Ned and his literary legacy. If you're a teen writer from New York City, grades 6-12, you're invited to submit your poetry and prose to be judged by a panel of BPL's expert young adult librarians for creativity, style and voice. Submit your…
We Answered Your Sex Ed and Puberty Questions
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
Question: How can I masturbate beside using my hand? I'm nervous because I feel I’m starting to like masturbating too much, and I like putting things in my anus. I'm scared my mom might find out, please help. You have given us quite a doozy of a first question. Thank you! I applaud your bravery in reaching out. First things first: You. Are. Normal. There is nothing wrong with masturbation. It is a healthy activity that allows you to connect with your body and helps you learn what types of touches you enjoy. Liking it “too much” only becomes a problem if it interferes with your daily…
Black History Month: Portraits
Keely Jean-Baptiste, a Librarians of Tomorrow intern, created a fantastic Black History Month display at the Mill Basin Library last month. Keely selected the books, wrote and designed a booklist, and drew two portraits of John Lewis and Shirley Chisholm. Check out Keely's beautiful work here!
I Love Reading Again Because of Graphic Novels
I've always enjoyed how colorful graphic novels were. Even if they weren't flashy, the graphics always helped add to the story. Graphic Novels are my favorite type of book. They let me easily dive into whatever world the author has envisioned, but schools make it hard to give students opportunities to read graphic novels. One year in middle school, my ELA teacher wanted us to read at least 30 minutes a day and write a paragraph summarizing and analyzing what we read. We were able to choose whichever book we wanted as long as we could write the paragraph every day. I remember many…
All About Writing!
Do you like to write? Enter this year's Teen Writing Contest anytime between March 1-31. Below are five books about teen writers to enjoy and inspire you! EMERGENCY CONTACT BY MARY H.K. CHOI: For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn't actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it's seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can't wait to leave behind. Sam's stuck.…
Paid Internships for Teens
Here are a few paid internship opportunities open for applications, plus a photo contest! Ladders for Leaders The Ladders for Leaders program offers outstanding high school and college students the opportunity to participate in paid 6-week summer internships with leading corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies in New York City. Ladders for Leaders is open to NYC students ages 16—21, enrolled in high school or college with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 80 (3.00) and prior work or volunteer experience. Apply here by February 20,…
A Bit of Romance!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Grab a YA romance novel so you can have a bit of romance during the holiday. Which of these have caught your eye?
Ten Graphic Picks for Black History Month
Afar by Leila Del Duca: In a post-industrial desert wasteland, fifteen-year-old Boetema develops the ability to astral project to other planets. On her own planet, with her parents gone, she and her thirteen-year-old brother, Inotu, must cross a dangerous desert to flee a cyborg bodyguard. Bingo Love by Tee Franklin: "When Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met at church bingo in 1963, it was love at first sight. Forced apart by their families and society, Hazel and Mari both married young men and had families. Decades later, now in their mid-'60s, Hazel and Mari reunite again at a…
Ask Us Your Sex & Puberty Questions
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
Nearly seven years ago, my supervisor gave me the okay to facilitate puberty and sex ed workshops for teens at my branch. I had not planned on becoming the “Sex Ed Librarian” when I started here 17-years ago, but here I am offering to help you answer some of your biggest sex and puberty questions. My kiddos were on the cusp of puberty and starting middle school nearly a decade ago. Since they have so much access to information at their fingertips, I didn’t want them to enter into a new social world with inaccurate information. Sure, they knew how babies were made, that people with…
Dive into Databases this Black History Month
Welcome to a new monthly blog installment that will highlight online databases for teens. This month I will be linking databases in honor of Black History Month. Black History Month is a yearly celebration of the achievements of African Americans that takes place in February and every year a theme is chosen. This year's is Black Health and Wellness. One of my favorite databases for the month is the African American Experience I love this database for several reasons. It is a great source for locating primary documents and peer reviewed articles related to the…
Digital Research Resources: Arturo Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
A former BookMatch Teen Intern at BPL, Elani is currently interning at Central Library's Youth Wing during her college’s field work term. I was fortunate to have manifested an interest in archives and history during the pandemic and less so due to the fact that many museums, archives, and historical centers had decided to close or limit their patrons. Even though some are still open to the public, as an out of state college student I don’t have the luxury to go out and visit them regularly. Digital archives are useful especially when you’re a student and/or aren’t currently…
Paid Opportunities for Teens
Here are some exciting paid opportunities coming up with applications due in the next few weeks. Questions? Feel free to email us at bklynfuture@bklynlibrary.org. Pratt Institute Data Labs Pratt Institute is looking for teens to participate in five exciting data labs! Participants will work with adults to co-design a data literacy library activity. Have fun while exploring hands-on work with data, alongside storytelling and creative production. Teens will receive a small stipend (gift card) for their participation. The labs are presented by Pratt Institute.…