Hennepin County Library - TeenLinks: News Flash

Why You Really Should Read The Hunger Games - News Flash for Apr 30, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:29:40 CDT

Hannah from Teens Online

Let me first start out by saying kids killing kids makes me sick to my stomach. It disgusts me and I have a hard time reading books that deal with such gore, like Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness. So to start off, I hated The Hunger Games before I even picked up the book.

My friends swore up ad down it wasn't like that. But I still didn't want to read it. I also am not a fan of books that receive large amounts of attention for teen girls (cough cough Twilight). I figured that The Hunger Games was just some new book for teen girls dealing with a strange subject (like vampires) that would quickly die down once someone realized that is badly written, has a terrible plotline, and contains no decent characters. Side note: Twilight really does suck, by the way. Bella literally gives up herself and her entire life for a guy! Not a great role model.

So, like said right off the bat I didn't like The Hunger Games. At all.

But then, it got more attention. Adults started reading it, a high-budget movie was being made, and most importantly: librarians began recommending it. Those three things, along with some healthy peer pressure from friends, drove me to buy the $6 paperback book from Costco. It sat on my shelf for weeks unread.

The movie opened and created more money than Twilight. Yay!

I then knew was time.

So on my ten-hour plane ride to Hawaii, I rea The Hunger Games. Crammed into a small plane chair, I put on my music and read.

I read and read and read until there was no more

And I liked it! So much that I went t the Costco in Maui to buy the second book Catching Fire.

Why did like The Hunger Games so much Because it was eloquently written -- something I noticed from the first couple of pages, the plotline was captivating and flowed in a correct manner, and Katniss is awesome.

She is one of the best role models in literature. Katniss is a fighter. She fights for food so that her family can live, she fights for her life and her family, and she fights for herself and what she believes in. Katniss is empathetic and cares deeply about others -- Prim, Rue, Peeta, Cinna, and more. She stands up to the Capitol because of her strong values in what is right and wrong. Out of the millions of books in the world, there are two characters I look up to: Atticus Finch (from To Kill a Mockingbird) and Katniss Everdeen.

If you are still distraught about kids killing kids, please understand that yes, it does happen, but not in the way you most likely imagine it. Rather than focusing on the violence and gore that occurs, the book's themes are about rebellion, politics, unrequited love, family, and bravery. It's a dystopia, like 1984, but (in my opinion) with a better plotline and characters. The novel flows so beautifully that you will be done with one novel and off to buy the next one before you know it. Suzanne Collins did a phenomenal job writin The Hunger Games and I am sad it took me this long to pick the series up. I highly encourage you to pick up this book ASAP!

And may the odds be ever in your favor.

Surviving Stress - News Flash for Apr 30, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:50:32 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Summer vacation isn't coming fast enough and you may feel like you're under a lot of pressure. Here's a quick look at A Teen's Guide to Surviving Stress, which helps you pinpoint what's stressing you out, how you can cope with it, and identifies the symptoms you may be experiencing.

You might be "stressed out" if you �

feel tired for no good reason
have headaches or an unexplained back pain
eat a lot more or a lot less than you usually do
have trouble sleeping
have more colds than usual
suddenly have flashes of anger or fight more with your family members and friends
let little things bother you
feel sad, moody, and lonely
have trouble thinking as clearly as you usually do

Remember you have people and resources you can turn to. Hang in there!

Minnesota Book Awards - News Flash for Apr 16, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:24:47 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Did you know we have a couple of local book awards here in Minnesota? You may be familiar with the Maud Hart Lovelace Award for the favorite children's and teens' books of the year, voted on by local students. We also have the Minnesota Book Awards for a variety of ages and genres, with these awards being decided on by a distinguished panel of judges.

The winner of this year's Division II (grades 6-8) Lovelace Award will be announced on April 25. In the meantime, check out the list of current nominees or the past winners for some great titles to read.

The Minnesota Book Awards just announced their winning titles on April 14. The Award for Young People's Literature went to the teen book With or Without You by Brian Farrey, which tells the story of gay best friends Evan and Davis and the dangers they face as they try to find a place to "fit in."

Check out Farrey's fellow nominee The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman for another great story, this time a wry, unexpected romance between Wes and the new girl in school, June.

What are some award-winning books you have read?

Fairy Changelings - News Flash for Apr 9, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:58:57 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

My lips were shaped into a perfect "o", opening and shutting in a fish-like manner, sucking in air as if through a straw. "What?" I gasped. A moment earlier, my mother had told me the most revolutionary statement in the entirety of my seven years. I was not a changeling. I was not a fairy creature placed in the cradle of the real Victoria, a replacement- something strange and big-eyed and not quite human. A daughter of Tatiana and Oberon, a spirit who spread her paradise to the peoples of the world, I was a joy to all who beheld me. Until that day, when everything changed, I was magical.

My first reaction was panic. I had been so used to being, well, fairy, that I had forgotten the possibility that I might not be. I was a human child who ate human-prepared lunch meat out of a human lunch box. I might be� normal� The thought for my little brain was too overwhelming. Did the Association's Windy no longer apply to me? That song, which my mother sang to me since my infancy, which heralded my ability to fix the world with my mere presence, my fairy wind, no longer applied to me. I was devastated.

My second reaction, however, was relief. I no longer had to worry about being taken back. I was normal; the fairies would not force me to come home with them, and I didn't have to worry about being taken away to a weird, grotesque, and malignant land full of hardships and magic, which my little mind doubted I could handle. So I was relieved that I was normal. That I could sit still and feel the summer breeze without worrying that it would blow me away.

Naturally, I was vacillating between being ecstatic and horribly crushed. Like the man from Plo's allegory, this was a lot of information for me to process. It wasn't everyday that someone told you that you were, in fact, actually human. I came to terms with it quickly, realizing that the likelihood of me being foreign was as impossible as Santa Claus, and that delusional fantasy of mine was just that, a fiction.

I never did return to that cave, though. After I was released to the dullness of the real world of English essays on Saint Patrick's Day and repeats of "Friends" on Nickelodeon, I realized how much I missed that imagined world of pixie princesses and glimmering fairy dust. "Let children live" is my philosophy and dogma, and I stick to it. I see no point of ruining the troughs of childhood with ugly truths; the time of pretend with my mother was probably the most beautiful of my life.

All in all, my epiphany was a sad one; something I would never want to share with another person. That day when I sat my mother's lap and she explained to me that I was truly not a changeling was a turning point in my life. I miss my unenlightened days, and I sometimes dream that Tatiana and Oberon are biding their time, waiting for the day to take me back to them, back to my real world Sometimes, I still walk the paths of faerie in my mind, and those stolen moments are the happiest in my life.

What to Expect Your Senior Year - News Flash for Apr 6, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:25:30 CDT

Jeff of Teens Online

From my experiences, I think senior year is both the hardest and easiest year of high school. After hearing illustrious and fantastical stories about senioritis, I have to say that I was quite disappointed when I first became a senior. That isn't to say that senioritis doesn't exist, but perhaps a bit of clarification on what to expect might be appreciated.

The first semester of senior year was miserable (at least for me). Classwork was bad enough, with tests to juggle and AP courses to manage, and on top of that, the threat of preparing and applying for colleges was a constant and looming presence. I remember once that I was working on a college essay when I complained to my mom, "senior slide is a complete lie!"

To some extent, this is true. Do not expect to have copious amounts of free time to hang out with your friends every day during fall semester. In fact, fall semester is probably the worst semester you will ever have in high school.

That, however, changes completely when you submit your final college application. (This also coincides nicely with the end of fall semester.) At this point, you've pretty much passed through the most difficult part of high school. And with the inception of spring semester begins senioritis. While fall semester might be the worst semester you will have in high school, spring semester is the best. At this point, you will have copious amounts of free time, and you will be able to hang out with your friends every day. Spring semester is the time to truly enjoy your last moments of high school before you're off to college or elsewhere.

So, I guess the most important thing to remember about all that you hear about senioritis is this: what seniors are telling you is only half-true. For the first half of the year, you might be a bit dismayed if you believe that a senior slide starts in September. Wait until spring, though, and you're all set.

Books to Movies - News Flash for Mar 28, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:48:39 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Curious about what books have been made into movies? Check out our book list Books to Film. Want to know about books that have been optioned for film but the films have not been released yet? Here's a list.

The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Heist Society by Ally Carter
House of Night series by P.C. Cast
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
The Looking Glass Wars series by Frank Beddor
Maximum Ride by James Patterson
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Sometimes optioned books don't get made into films. Which stories do you really hope make it to the big screen?

Hunger Games - News Flash for Mar 22, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:58:14 CDT

Iman of Teens Online

Many readers have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the movie The Hunger Games. Many questions have already begun in the minds of fans everywhere about the quality of the movie. Will the movie be able to compare to the greatness of the book, or would a poor movie tarnish the books reputation and drive off future readers? Will the actors be able to capture the intense emotions and thought process of the characters? What about the moments of their past, or what Katniss imagines her family doing at various times?

Some could argue otherwise, but the movie may not be ruined, as some may have feared, because the book's author Suzanne Collins did contribute significantly during the creation of the script. Hopefully, this will minimize inaccuracies that annoy many book fans. However, some may argue that some changes in costume could ruin some main points of the book. Examples could be if Haymitch is too well dressed or how no one from the capital will have exotic colored skin or other extravagant features. This could be a downside because these looks could be considered an important factor in their character.

I implore you all to go out and see the movie with an open mind and have fun on the upcoming spring break.

Use this map to find other books like The Hunger Games.

Know Your Meme - News Flash for Mar 18, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:55:08 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Know what a meme is? According to Wikipedia, it is "1.An element of a culture or behavior that may be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, esp. imitation. 2.An image, video, etc. that is passed electronically from one Internet user to another" In other words, memes are the funny, strange things you just have to share.

One of my favorite websites is Know Your Meme, what I call an Internet rabbit hole (like the one Alice fell down in Alice in Wonderland), a time sink where you keep telling yourself "just one more link." You can learn surprising things, including how to dance. Check out Everyday I'm Shufflin' for a link to a lesson, as well as how and where shuffling has been cropping up on the Internet. What's your favorite meme?

Varsity Team Spring Break - News Flash for Mar 7, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:00:09 CDT

Sammi of Teens Online

For many spring varsity sports, coaches offer an "optional" spring break trip, oftentimes to a warm destination like Florida. Trips such as these are often seemingly optional, but in fact aren't. If one doesn't attend, a loss in playing time or "starter status" is a likely result. These seemingly optional trips are almost always mandatory, unless one doesn't mind the repercussions that go along with not attending.

Should these trips be mandatory? There are many benefits of going on spring break with a sports team. It offers players a chance to play outdoors, an opportunity often missed in cold climates (like Minnesota). By attending, players practice nearly every day. Missing a week of practice can lessen months of improvement and hard work, so this extra practice is extremely beneficial. It gives coaches a chance to see which players truly deserve starting spots on the team, and the improvement that each player needs. Traveling gives teams the opportunity to play better competition, or teams that they wouldn't otherwise be able to play in their home state.

Off of the field, spring break trips give players the opportunity to bond. It establishes connections off of the field, and allows teammates to truly get to know each other. A team that likes each other works together better, and makes games that much more enjoyable.

On the other hand, spring break trips can be extremely expensive. Some teams choose exotic out-of-country locations that can cost thousands of dollars. While fundraising helps to curb some of these costs, most often there is still a significant price when taking all costs into consideration. Many argue that players are buying their playing time by attending, that playing time should be determined on skill alone. Going on a trip also eliminates the chance of having a family vacation or spending time at home. On top of that, it may bias a coach to prefer a player who went on the trip over a player that didn't attend.

Spending more time with teammates can backfire; unhappy rooming situations can lead to unnecessary drama. Spending a week with someone you don't like can escalate previous tensions or cause problems that never would have arisen. Lastly, a straight week of playing a sport can leave players burnt out, and/or susceptible to illness and injury.

Spring break trips with varsity sports teams offer many pros and cons. There has been much debate on the topic, but the question still remains: are they worth it?

Explore Minnesota - News Flash for Mar 5, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:00:43 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Explore Minnesota, our Do Your Homework subject guide, to uncover information about our Cities, Data & Statistics, General resources, Geography & Maps, Government & Politics, History and Newspapers & Magazines.

One cool new resource: the Minnesota Historica Society is currently creating the Mnopedia, an encyclopedia devoted to all things Minnesota. Also check out Roadside America's Minnesota section to discover what World's Largest statues and other bizarre miscellany call the Land of 10,000 Lakes their home.

Curious about your community?Placeography is a wiki where people share stories and information about specific addresses and places, as well as neighborhoods and cities. Enjoy exploring the place you live!

ART - News Flash for Feb 24, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:12:57 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you like the Arts? Check out our Arts & Entertainment subject guide here on TeenLinks. Explore Movies, local Museums, Music, Teen Magazines & News, Television and local Theatre to find out what's happening now.

Want to create Art? Learn how to Express Yourself with these resources selected for TeenLinks that focus on Blogs, DIY & Crafts, Dance, Design, Film & Media, Music, Performance, Poetry, Visual Arts and Writing.

Do you like to experience Art, make it, or both?

Spring Fashion - News Flash for Feb 16, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT

Anna from Teens Onlines

Have you ever asked yourself what to wear? Do you ever worry your clothes are out of style? Don't you think it would be easier to read one simple article that tells you what to wear and when to wear it? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you're at the right place! Read on to find out the hottest spring fashions of 2012.

1. Expose midriffs
Please do not pull a Mary Kate & Ashley or Britney and wear belly shirts as soon as the temp hits 70. In fact, this style should be worn in a much more classy and tasteful way. Don't get too provocative, but have fun showing a moderate amount of skin.

2. 20's style/Art Dec
Imagine putting The Great Gatsby into a fashion style, and you've got yourself the new spring line. It's all about going back to the 20's and reinventing old favorites like the flapper dress and art deco. Try glitzing things up this season to go for a sexier look.

3. Sport Chic
For those sport fanatics out there it is finally your time to be in season. Well, kind of. Try mixing sporty with girly to stay on top of the trends this season. Sport anything from sexy track pants to floral hoodies to even a parachute strap dress!

4. Oceanic colors and shape
This season get ready to pull out your inner mermaid! The colors to wear are coral, ocean blue and all other oceanic colors. Fishy sequins, or sleek clam pearls -- whatever the style, make it oceanic. Try to find your Atlantis with this spring fashion.

Words, Wonderful Words - News Flash for Feb 10, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:10:31 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

I am reading Zone One, a novel by Colson Whitehead right now. My mother read it before me and as she handed it to me she gave me this warning: "Make sure you have the good Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary right next to you, or your laptop ready to hop on to Dictionary.com." I was surprised because my mother rarely comes across a word in her reading that she doesn't know.

I'm loving Zone One, but considering it's only 259 pages long, it's taking me awhile to read. This is no complaint; I'm a fast reader, but every sentence in this book is so artful and complex that you need to take it slowly. And as far as being a vocabulary booster, I don't know if I've read a book that's required so many look-ups.

I love words. The more extraordinary, the better. I try to use unusual words I know in conversation, but I often say them incorrectly because I've only ever read them, not heard them spoken! That doesn't stop me from trying, however. There are a lot better choices than saying "awesome" for the billionth time.

There was an article recently in the Star Tribune about "forgotten words." There were some new words on their list for me, and I'm dying for the opportunity to somehow use "Sisyphean" and "transmogrify" in conversation soon. Maybe "Figuring out what meat this is at lunch today is a Sisyphean endeavor." Or "Wouldn't it be great if this AP English essay project transmogrified into an assignment to watch "New Girl?"

Anyway, back to Colson Whitehead and Zone One. Here are just some of the new words the erudite and, frankly, pulchritudinous Mr. Whitehead has taught me:

grue: to shudder
etiolated: weakened or sickly
flaneur: loafer, idler
anodyne: relieving pain
pullulating: to breed or produce rapidly
ichor: an acrid, watery discharge (Ugh, gross. I mean, ugh, odious/loathsome)

Why don't you see if you can work any of those into the family dinner conversation tonight?

Making Goals - News Flash for Feb 2, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:09:12 CDT

Laura of Teens Online

It happens to all of us. Life, that is. Homework deadlines, tests, sports, and home obligations get in the way of things we'd rather be doing. And I think I'm not the only one when I admit that when I do have free time, I'm just too fried to do anything enriching. To be honest, between the threat of winter weather and school, I mostly watch TV when I can. I snack on junk food. I sleep. Sound familiar? It may seem that the winter, school's-only-halfway-over rut can eat away your life. But there are little things you can do to make these next few months stress free, healthy, and fun.

I found these last few weeks that making goals helps a lot. Little resolutions here and there make me feel like I'm working towards something. This week I have resolved to not spend money on things I don't need (this includes junk food!) until spring break. I write down all my homework and distribute it between the evenings and even the mornings before school. I've told myself that I'm going to talk to somebody new every week. Watch only one episode of How I Met Your Mother before I go to bed. Try to read a new book every week. It may seem like I'm removing all of the little joys from life (TV, snacks) but I've found that it helps. When I plan for it, doing my homework is more efficient. I feel stronger and more awake for my sports when I eat better. By spring break I'm going to have a nice little pocket of money to go to that extra movie or buy a thing or two. I learn fun little pieces of information when I read. I've made room for fun; seeing my friends, reading a book, relaxing.

Realizing what slows me don and making goals to feel better has made the stress of second semester and the last few Nordic meets of the season go away. I'm excited! These last few winter months (and then these last few school months) are going to be tough. But I feel ready to tackle them and not let them suck the life out of me. So I implore you to realize what you need to do and get on that, so that you can have a little fun. Try something new. Go to a museum, try a new sport, write a story. Make time for yourself by making goals for yourself. Don't sit around at home waiting for the snow to melt. Who knows? Maybe you'll even enjoy it.

Special Collections at the Library - News Flash for Jan 25, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:32:24 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you know what Special Collections are? They are valuable and unique repositories of rare books, archives, and collected manuscripts that may be of particular use in the study of history, science and culture. Hennepin County Library houses a number of special collections, some of which can only be accessed by going to the Minneapolis Central Library in downtown Minneapolis.

The Library is hard at work digitizing some of these collections and hosting them online. You can explore The Minneapolis Historic Photo Collection, the Posters of World War II, the Seth Eastman Sketchbook, the Minneapolis City Directory Collection 1859-1891, the Minneapolis High School Yearbook Collection 1890-1922, the Oral History Interviews, and many historic newspapers. You can access these digital collections 24/7!

The Right Tool for the Fun Job - News Flash for Jan 24, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:59:29 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Explore the Internet & Technology on TeenLinks. Learn about Blogs, Gadgets, Mashup Tools, Social Media, Web Page Design, Web Safety, and Web Searching.

TeenLinks also has technology tools in Express Yourself, the category that lets you explore your creative, artisitic and crafty side. You'll find info on Blogs, DIY & Crafts, Dance, Design, Film & Media, Music, Performance, Poetry, Visual Arts and Writing.

Three Day Weekend - News Flash for Jan 11, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:49:23 CDT

Anna of Teens Online

The time between winter and spring break seems laboriously long. It's filled with dry, cold weeks, each one feeling longer than the last. Teachers turn into adults who obviously don't remember anything about being a teenager, and homework turns into your new social life.

It's times like these when you can thank those who wanted to honor Martin Luther King Jr. for somehow convincing all schools to give students a three day weekend. There are only so many of these wonderful weekends to go around, so don't waste your time "sleeping in" this year. (We all know the real reason you're so tired. You stayed up watching reruns on Netflix.) Try crossing off a few of these ideas to help spice up your weekend!

Go to a pool! Indoor that is, of course. 't�s the dead of winter, your body has probably forgotten what pool water even feels like, do it a favor by reminding it.
Challenge your friends to a pick-up hockey game. Grab your skates, some old hockey sticks, and make bets on who you think the best player will be. (Or the worst.)
Support your school! See if there are any basketball, gymnastics or hockey games happening over the weekend. Not only will you motivate your classmates to play harder, but sports games are huge social events as well.
Host a sleepover (yes, boys can do this too). Pop popcorn, watch movies, share crushes: have a stereotypical slumber party. If you're feeling up to it, break out the Ouija board or challenge your friends to a game of truth-or-dare.
Read The Hunger Games series before the movie comes out. If you haven't done this already, shame on you. How will you remember if you are Team Peeta or Team Gale?!
Actually celebrate the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. You cavolunteer at Arc's Value Village to honor his life, or donate coats to the Burlington Coat Factory. Both are a part of the MLK Day of Service 2012.
Gathr some friends and hit up Powderhorn Park (821 E 35th St Minneapolis). There will be hip hop, salsa dancing and authentic soul foods all to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.

Quit complaining about school (though believe me, I do it too), log-off your computer, and make the most out of your break, no matter how short it may be.

Anime Clubs - News Flash for Jan 5, 2012

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:27:01 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you enjoy anime and manga, Japanese animation and graphic novels? The Library has some great Anime & Manga materials and events. Find out more about our Anime Clubs in this video.

Hennepin County Library Anime Club from hclib on Vimeo.

Winter Getting You Down? - News Flash for Dec 27, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:03:16 CDT

Sammi of Teens Online

With snow just around the corner, it may seem like there's never anything to do. If winter blues are getting you down, try these helpful ideas to say occupied during the oncoming cold and snowy months!

Go to a local coffee shop: Cafes are a great place to hang out. Not only are they delightfully warm, but local bands and artists often congregate to broadcast their work and share ideas. Your local coffee shop can be both calming and exciting!
Go out to eat: Getting food doesn't necessarily mean spending an outrageous amount of money. Going to a local burger joint can be loads more fun than dining at a 5 star restaurant. However, if you're feeling more adventurous, trying new restaurants can be pretty fun.
Sledding: Sledding is honestly one of my favorite activities. All ages can participate, it's exhilarating, and it's free! All you need are some sleds, winter gear, and daring friends. Afterwards, you could always have some hot chocolate and relax(:

Otherwise, skiing/snowboarding, the mall, Dinkytown, a play, movie night, etc. are always good ideas. Hopefully this helps beating the boredom of winter!

A Very Terry Christmas - News Flash for Dec 22, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:22:32 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Are you familiar with the Minnesota-born animator and filmmamker Terry Gilliam? He's best known for his work with Monty Python and films like Brazil and 12 Monkeys. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I think you will enjoy his animated Christmas Card from 1968, showing his irreverant humor and sly wit.

What do you think of his work? What do you think are some of the best animated shows about Christmas?

Recycle Your Holidays - News Flash for Dec 15, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:50:15 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

" Recycle Your Holidays is a one-of-a-kind statewide holiday light recycling program in Minnesota. Residents can drop-off their unwanted light strands at one of our 400+ participating locations during the holiday season starting November 15 and running through the end of January each year.

I think This program employs over 200 individuals with developmental disabilities at vocational centers throughout the state of Minnesota. Every bulb of the light strand is dismantled by vocational center clients and then properly recycled in Minnesota." ~from the website

You may also properly dispose of your Christmas tree and find resources to donate old electronics through Hennepin County's Recycling Program/

College Applications & Post-College Applications - News Flash for Dec 9, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:04:27 CDT

Jeff of Teens Online

Today, two of my friends were ecstatic to learn that they had been accepted to Cornell University in New York. Others, including myself, anxiously await the 15th, when many other early action/decision admissions decisions are released.

The first half of 12th grade is an extremely stressful time period of any senior's life. For many of us, our senior coursework is quite challenging; yet, coursework doesn't seem that laborious when college applications outweigh any assignment in priority. After all, the college that you end up in will permanently affect at least 4 years of your life. It's somewhat hard to digest. Applicants are required to condense their accomplishments and their personality into a couple of sheets of paper containing descriptions of their high school activities and a few samples of their writing. And preemptive senior slide makes everything just a bit harder.

As a senior, I can say that college applications are certainly self-evaluative. By writing those college essays, I had to consider what I valued as a person: what experiences did I enjoy? Who are my role models? Why do I pursue certain activities? While completing all these apps is certainly stressful, I think I've been able to understand myself better.

That said, I can't wait until post-January, when all college applications are finished and I won't have to worry about writing essays or describing extracurricular activities. In fact, my friends and I have begun compiling a list of post-January plans, which include eating copious amounts of instant ramen, playing StarCraft, and hitting up Lifetime.

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's still December and I've yet to start drafting an explanation of how Plato is related to Play-Doh or a letter to my future roommate. Back to work.

Being Generation Z - News Flash for Nov 29, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:32:12 CDT

Sammi of Teens Online

I have been frequently thinking about a question a family friend asked my parents during Thanksgiving dinner, "Would you rather have grown up when we were kids in the 60s or would you grow up now?" The answer seems obvious. Now we have computers, cell phones, peace, and prosperity. But what does it mean to grow up in a time like ours?

Think of a typical day in the life of a modern teen. We wake up, go to school, possibly work, do 7 hours of homework, and go to bed at 2 am. And on the weekends? Sleep, watch a movie, go on Facebook, and text. We live in a digital age, an age of competition. Kids are no longer able to be kids. Do we live in the better age? Or perhaps was a time of revolution, a time of drive-in movies and simplicity and talking face to face to friends truly the better way? It is something to wonder about.

Thanksgiving Tips - News Flash for Nov 23, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:29:51 CDT

Anna from Teens Online

Finally. It's Thanksgiving break. This means watching the parade, stuffing your mouth with way too much food, and spending a few extra days with the fam. As a junior in high school I get the entire week off. I should probably be spending my time doing homework, but I'd much rather be focusing in on one of the best holidays of the year. I mean, who doesn't love eating their weight in food in one night?

I know that I lucked out by getting the entire week off, so for those unfortunate kids that only get a few days off, I'm going to help you get the most out of your time.

Thanksgiving Cards
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks (ironic?). It's the time to talk to your grandpa that can't make it to dinner, or your cousin that lives in another state. Just send a few cute Thanksgiving e-cards out to your closest friends and family to let them know they're still on your mind.

Thanksgiving Comics
Who doesn't love a good laugh? Especially when it's about turkeys. These Thanksgiving Comics are not only funny, but they are Thanksgiving themed. Nothing could be better. Gather the family around and share a laugh!

Thanksgiving Games
Now, whether you want to admit it or not, we all still love playing computer games. And, to stick with the Thanksgiving theme, I found some awesome Thanksgiving games. If you're too embarrassed to play on your own, grab a little sister or brother (preferably your own) to play with you. You actually might have fun while bonding with your family. Crazy, I know.

As much as I love doing all of that, my favorite part is helping my parents cook. So lend a hand this year, grab an apron, and be your Dad's sous chef (look it up).

Most importantly, have fun while being with your family. Show them how much you love them! And tell your mom you are thankful for her (she will really like hearing that!!)

The College Search - News Flash for Nov 17, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:05:59 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

Because I'm a junior this school year and my sister Elizabeth is a senior, my family's focus has been zeroed in on researching colleges both last year and this year coming up. Last spring break, my mother, sister and I took a road trip to look at colleges for Elizabeth to potentially attend, and we'll be doing the same thing for me in April. If you're at this stage too, then you probably already know there are lots of information resources and guides out there to help you in this selection process. Over and over again, you'll hear or read about important factors to consider: school size, cost, student/faculty ratio, class size, majors/minors/programs, sports you participate in, etc., etc. You'll talk to your family about living away or at home, distance, the college's reputation. You'll be urged to visit campuses to get a "feel" for the school. You'll meet with admissions counselors, and look at gorgeous photos in fat, glossy college brochures.

I was lucky to get an early start on this process because of my older sister. And I've learned a valuable lesson I can share.

Last fall we visited a college a couple of hours away from our home. Elizabeth was very interested in the school, but during our tour she asked to see the pool and was told there wasn't one on campus. Elizabeth is not a swim team member, but she's a swim instructor and a life guard, and she swims for fitness. After the visit, she talked to the counselor at our high school's Career Resource Center (shout-out to the amazing Ms. M!) and said she felt kind of frivolous for being disappointed in a school just because she wouldn't be able to swim laps. And Ms. M told both of us that there's nothing too shallow to consider when researching a school to attend, that there are so many excellent college choices out there that you should be able to find options that accommodate everything on your wish list -- from your intended major to swimming pools.

So, as you search, don't be ashamed of the "little" things that might matter a lot, like:

Food--You better like it, you'll be eating there for 4 years!
Sports--I have a friend who's a hockey freak. He wouldn't play on a college's team himself, but he has his heart set on going to a school where he can hang out at the rink and cheer on his school's team.
Closets--I have a huge wardrobe. 'Nuff said.
The Arts--I won't be a theatre major but I like to perform. Also, I'd really like to be involved in a radio station. Find out if the school you're looking at has the type of opportunities you're interested in.
Setting--Do you want to look out your window and see rolling lawns, thick-set woods, or city streets?

And more stuff like that. You know what matters to you. I know I might have to compromise somewhere along the line, but I'm taking Ms. M's advice and looking for that college with 1,000 to 5,000 students, small classes, a pre-law program, a hipster college radio station, a thriving play/musical program that allows non-majors to participate, and dorm rooms with ginormous closets. Also, a full scholarship would be nice�

Planet Money Podcasts - News Flash for Nov 17, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:54:19 CDT

Eugeniu of Teens Online

I've been listening to podcasts for a long time--usually playing them on my iPhone--and one of my long time favorites is Planet Money. It's a twice-weekly podcast produced by NPR that delves into many different and diverse topics that include just about anything related to economics. But Planet Money is nothing like a normal money-related podcast. A year ago, I might have thought of an economics podcast as being some show where you'd hear endless discussion about what the federal interest rate change means for the growth rate of the economy or what effect the current growth rate of the world economy could have on the world.

I still believe that to some extent, but as a Planet Money listener, I also know that it doesn't have to be boring. Unlike many other books, shows, and podcasts about economics, Planet Money manages to turn seemingly boring issues into fascinating and entertaining stories.

Take a recent episode for example, "The Patent Wars," which talks about how the patent system has broken down in the software business. In this episode, the Planet Money team finds that some software and internet patents that are issued are really so broad that their holders can profit from them just by suing small companies that can't afford to go to court and end up settling. Planet Money focused on one company named Oasis Research that claimed to be a company that comes up with new ideas. The only other information they could find on the company was its address in Texas. So they actually decided to pay a visit. Surprisingly, they find that the address only pointed to an empty office in a building permanently full of empty offices, forcing them to conclude that the company is one of many that exists solely to sue other companies over patent infringement.

Prior to this episode, I wouldn't have thought that a podcast about patents in software could in general actually be very interesting. But that's something that Planet Money does consistently well, whether it's a story about how well the Austro-Hungarian currency split of 1918 went, what the worst case scenario could be for the current European debt crisis, or even the sudden popularity of the virtual currency Bitcoin. Whatever the story is, I can expect a captivating podcast from Planet Money, and I'm sure you will too. If you'd like to find and subscribe to Planet Money episodes, you can do so through iTunes, as well as on their website.

The Stress of Being a High School Senior - News Flash for Nov 4, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:09:49 CDT

Hannah from Teens Online

College applications, AP classes, extracurriculars, work, and more. Being a senior is way different than I expected it to be.

If you've ever seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off then yo've pretty much seen how I thought my senior year would go. Skipping school, chilling with friends, and no worries was what I had planned on.

Oh boy was I wrong�for those of you who are juniors and think you're stressed, wait until next year. Junior year may be more difficult in terms of classes and homework load, but senior year comes with a more serious issue: college.

There's so much work being put into one application: the essay(s), recommendations, transcript, resume, me sheet, ACT/SAT scores, the expensive fee, and of course the actual application. I recommend using the common app. It's a lifesaver.

And besides the enormous stress of applying and choosing a college, seniors have everything else on their plates. We are supposed to work to pay for college. We need to keep up our grades while taking college-level classes to get into colleges. We are generally the head of extracurriculars or sports after being in them for 4 years; and we are supposed to be having the "best year of our lives" by being at every school and social event.

So this rant just goes to show you that senior year is not the time you will catch up on all your favorite TV shows and hang out with your friends everyday. It is so much fun, but a lot of work. Advice: get a head start.

Good without Evil? - News Flash for Oct 27, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:49:09 CDT

Paimon of Teens Online

In my Shakespeare class at school (we were studying the play "Much Ado about Nothing," a comedy of finding love), we had a specialized kind of "discussion." In this exercise, each person wrote down a question and passed that question to their left (clockwise around the circle). The subsequent person would answer the question and write a related question. My initial question was 'why do we see the word "hate" so frequently in a comedy about love?' This question had been burning inside me for quite a long time. In my head it was the same kind of question as 'can good exist if evil does not.'

In fact, this very question can relate to all the sorts of opposite questions that a person can have. Whether it be, can we know cold if we do not know hot? Can we know light if we have never seen darkness? And so on and so on. Some might argue that yes, in some instances we can know the one without the other. For example, we knew gravity before we knew weightlessness. While there do exist many good examples, I personally believe that on the general case, we cannot truly know something until we have found the opposite. It is more of a need of comparison. In this comparison we can identify what makes that emotion, sensation, visual effect, or what ever else, unique and worth remembering and experiencing.

Thanks for listening to my opinion, now please, share yours with me. I have always had this question and it would mean a lot if we could really get a discussion here. It's kind of a broad topic but anything helps!

Experiencing Films in the Twin Cities - News Flash for Oct 19, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:10:47 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you like movies? You can find a wide variety of films and television shows in our library collection by searching our catalog by format By clicking next to Just DVDs and using the dropdown menu to Subject keyword search for "drama" will bring up more than 11,000 titles. You can also search by comedy, romance, etc. It's a great way to explore film from your home.

The Twin Cities also has a great film community with lots of interesting venues to watch films with other movie fans. The Film Society of Minneapolis/St. Paul shows films all year, but their International Film Festival in April/May is a truly extraordinary event. You may also want to try the Mpls Underground Film Festival to explore indie films.

Interested in making movies yourself? Check out the 48 Hour Film Project where teams of filmmakers compete against each other to make the best film in 48 hours, with all films being shown at the Riverview to showcase them. The IFP Minnesota Center for Media Arts will teach you how to be a filmmaker if you want to make a serious investment. Whether you want to make films or just watch them, movies are a big part of our community here!

Teens' Top Ten Winners! - News Flash for Oct 11, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:54:08 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Find out which titles are the Teens' Top Ten books of 2011! Will Zombies vs Unicorns pwn I Am Number Four? Will steampunk novels Behometh and Clockwork Angel steam roll each other? Will the werewolves in Nightshade beat the vampires in Blessed ?

Spotify - News Flash for Oct 5, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:39:52 CDT

Jeff of Teens Online

Hello, readers, You may have seen some of your friends use an app called "Spotify" through Facebook. I noticed it, and after learning a bit more about its features, I decided to check it out.

Spotify is a music playlist application that allows users to create, listen to, and share playlists using music stored on their own computers, songs from Spotify's online servers, or a combination of both. Users can connect to Spotify through their Facebook accounts, and through Spotify's Facebook integration system, they are able to not only share playlists that they've created with their friends, but also see what kind of playlists and music their friends on Facebook have created. Of course, to use this sharing feature, your friends also have to be on Spotify.

Spotify is free to use but also offers a premium service which allows users to listen to Spotify database music offline, use the program without advertisements, and stream higher quality tunes for a monthly fee. And since Spotify integrates with your local music folders and iTunes music, you can use the Spotify interface to directly make playlists without ever having to open any other application. Since I wasn't feeling up to purchasing the service, I'm sticking to the free version.

The visual interface is nice, with easy-to-navigate controls and a powerful music database; their search function is slightly lacking. As of now, users can only search for song titles or artists. I expect this to change soon, with an "advanced search" feature rolling out. What really amazes me, though, is Spotify's ability to let you see your friends' playlists and what your friends are listening to. I actually discovered several new artists via Spotify (The Kooks and Washed Out, for example), and I browse friends' playlists periodically to see what's catchy. By default, Facebook publishes the songs you've listened to on Spotify, which shouldn't really be much of an issue, but can be bothersome sometimes. You can easily turn that feature off in Spotify's options.

So far, so good. I enjoy being able to listen to my friends' music playlists, and it's especially easy to make one of your own. I guess the only things bugging me right now are Spotify's relatively low stream bitrate quality, which shouldn't bother most people at all (I am somewhat of a self-proclaimed audiophile, so music at a bitrate of less than 192kbps bugs me). Of course, the premium version allows higher quality streams and offline access to music not stored on your hard drive. The verdict? Spotify is great for music and music sharing. If you'd like to listen to what your friends are listening to, you can download it for free. I found some new music; maybe you can too.

Author Interview: Heather Brewer - News Flash for Sep 28, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:37:32 CDT

Sammi of Teens Online

At first glance, it is easy to see that Heather Brewer is not your typical 38 year old; perhaps the neon-pink highlights give her away. Brewer is the author of the The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, starting with Eighth Grade Bites. They are about an adolescent vampire named Vlad who struggles with being bullied and unpopular. With each book in the series, the plots get darker and more sinister. Isolation, loneliness, and doubt are consistent throughout her books, but the beauty of Brewer is that each character is strong and persistent despite the obstacles that face them.

Brewer herself faced much bullying and loneliness during her adolescent years. She described about how difficult it was to grow up being unique in a small, blue-collar Michigan town of 814 people. "I was the least popular person there among kids and adults," she said. What saved her throughout those awful years? "The library is a bully kryptonite!" she exclaimed with a laugh. Brewer would read anything she could get her hands on. Since the age of 12, she knew that she wanted to be an author. After getting married and having two children, she decided to make her dream a reality. The first book she wrote was rejected 248 times; the second, 98 times. Her Vladimir Tod books have done much better, to say the least. Brewer's books have landed on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have been published worldwide. She claims her secret to success was the "Book-Writing Formula: butt + chair=writing!"

For Brewer, using writing as an outlet helped build her self-esteem and stay strong. Now, she hopes her writing can help provide teens with a chance to escape whatever is bothering them and to realize that they are not alone. "We put ripples in the world," she said. "I want mine to be positive."

First Kill, book number one in the series The Slayer Chronicles, is now out to the public. Brewer said to expect to get to know Joss better, as well as other favorite characters. The stories take place in the summers between the school year while Vlad Tod took place during the school year. Readers should know that the series will follow the darkening trend that Vlad Tod took on. And fans shouldn't be worried; Brewer is already working on the series following The Slayer Chronicles. Heather Brewer will be here to stay.

Autumn - News Flash for Sep 21, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:08:14 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

What's your favorite season? I love Autumn. Here are some of my favorite things about it.

Fall Color Reports: Seeing the leaves change, hearing them crunch beneath my feet and smelling the cool gray air
Minnesota apple orchards: I love to pick apples but I love drinking the fresh cider and eating baked apples even more
High school sports: Watching a football game in the stands, cheering on a cross country race, or following my favorite soccer team

What do you like about the Fall?

Emmys - News Flash for Sep 21, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:05:41 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you watch the Emmys? I missed them this year but I love to find out if my favorite shows got recognized with Awards. Here's who won this year.

Best Comedy Series: Modern Family
Best Drama Series: Mad Men
Best Miniseries or Movies: Downton Abbey
Best Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Best Reality - Competition Program: The Amazing Race
Best Actress Awards: Melissa McCarthy in Mike & Molly; Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife; and Kate Winslet in Mildred Pierce
Best Actor Awards: Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory; Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights; and Barry Pepper in The Kennedys

Do you agree? Who would you like to have seen won?

Sports - News Flash for Sep 9, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:49:11 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Did you know that TeenLinks has an entire section devoted to Sports? We link to websites and databases that talk about High School and College athletes, as well as National sports teams and even information about Recreational sports you may enjoy.

Speaking of recreational sports, did you know your local Minneapolis parks have baseball, basketball, softball, gymnastics, football, volleyball, hockey, and soccer leagues? You can also play golf and tennis, or race in track & field events. The Three Rivers Park District gives you opportunities to ski, camp, boat, swim, bike, fish, ride horses, do archery and more. There's plenty of opportunities to play, even if you don't join a school team.

Music Downloads - News Flash for Sep 8, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:08:30 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Did you know you can download music for free from the library? Freegal contains the Sony Music Entertainment Catalog and allows you to download 3 songs per week. You can get some free songs from iTunes if you click on the right hand column "Free on iTunes" link.

The music and literature blog Largehearted Boy gives you 10 free downloads a day, and the UK music blog NME links to free songs as well as keeps an index of other blogs that offer downloads. What sites do you like to visit for free music?

Labor Day - News Flash for Aug 29, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:59:34 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

I love Labor Day weekend. It's a time revel in the last days of summer, although I remember when I was still in school it also made me kinda sad because the hard work of my education was about to begin. I got curious about the history of Labor Day recently and decided to share what I learned. It's more than just a nicely timed long weekend.

First Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City
Labor Day was made a national holiday in 1894 after government forces killed workers participating in the Pullman Strike
By the 20th Century, all 50 U.S. states made Labor Day a state holiday
The holiday is intended to honor "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations"
Forms of celebration include parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events

How do you celebrate Labor Day?

Teens Top 10 - News Flash for Aug 18, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:09:00 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Teens across the country worked with librarians and publishers to review new books in 2010. They nominated their favorite titles and submitted them to all of the teens in the United States to vote on in Teens Top Ten.

Have you read any of these books? Come back to TeenLinks in mid-October so you can see if you favorite titles won!

Songs of Summer - News Flash for Aug 10, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:30:02 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

As the last few weeks of summer approach, I'd like to give you my personal playlist with new and old songs I can't get out of my head this summer.

1. Kid Cudi- Revofev (explicit): A mid-tempo anthem of 'revolution', which features Cudi's style of not quite hip hop or rock. Good luck getting this one out of your head.

2. Ida Maria- Oh My God: A fun girl-rock anthem that has nothing to do with religion. Especially fun to listen to loudly in the car riding on the highway with friends.

3. Noah and the Whale- 5 Years Time: A breezy beach tune that will have you humming along by the end. Makes me want to take out an ukulele, turn British, and learn how to whistle. Nice if you like Vampire Weekend.

4. Lady Gaga- Summerboy: A song literally made for a beach day, which lacks Gaga's normal autotune and shows off her surprisingly great voice talent. Perfect candy pop.

5. The Kooks- Princess of My Mind: One of my absolute favorite bands delivers a slower single, which shows a softer side to the band. British pop/rock at its best. Great if you like The Strokes.

6. The Black Keys- Tighten Up: A rock r&b song by the talented duo, features a hilarious music video. Doesn't scream summer, but it's perfect background music to a rainy day at home.

7. Gorillaz- Feel Good Inc.: A hip hop anthem that isn't about happiness at all. Not really comparable to any other songs. A really original techno/rap pairing.

8. Priscilla Ahn- Dream: One of my absolute favorite slow songs, which includes amazing harmonies and instrumentation. Perfect for listening to on a mellow Sunday night.

9. Weezer- If You're Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To): I love Weezer a lot, and this song is no exception to the rule. Upbeat music with a little more bitter message.

10. Arcade Fire- Wake Up: A very big song that is perfect for working out to, perfect in its epicness (yes, it's a word), I can't even describe my love for it.

Teens Online Volunteers needed! - News Flash for Aug 8, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:20:50 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Want to volunteer for the Library this school year? Join Teens Online, the advisory group for this website. You'll meet with teens from around the county once a month from September through May to help improve TeenLinks and to learn and explore technology. Deadline to apply is August 20.

Harry Potter: What Didn't Make It - News Flash for Jul 20, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:39:14 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

Although a fan of Daniel Radcliffe and the Harry Potter films, I was disappointed that some of most fun, intense, or scary scenes in the books were deleted. So, in honor of the newest film, I have compiled a list of such scenes. Enjoy!

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerr's Stone: The first and most faithful movie in the series; almost letter to letter to the book. Yet, there are some minor differences, including the exclusion of a scene involving a planned midnight duel: Harry and Ron vs Malfoy and crew, which Malfoy failed to show up to. Really, all in all, faithful to the book

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrts: Again, quite faithful to the book, but I was disappointed not to see the Deathday party, a birthday celebration of sorts for ghosts, which included an elusive club of headless ghosts that poor Nearly-Headless Nick was not privy to.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaba: One of my favorites of the movies, but not the books. A few scenes were missing, including some sad scenes involving Hagrid and Buckbeak, but most of the scenes left out were dreary ones involving squabbles between Ron and Hermione.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fir: Included probably my biggest disappointment, the exclusion of Winky, a new house-elf. Although the movie was probably one of the longest, Winky was one of the more dynamic characters in the series, a drunken elf who seems depressed about being fired. Through his help with Winky, Dobby is shown in a better light, and the end of the movie makes a lot more sense with her included. Badly done, Hollywood.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoeni: Left out many of the battle scenes in the book, including a major (and scary) assault on Ron involving strangling brains, and a really trippy and confusing battleground, which you really didn't get a sense of in the movie.

6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Princ: Left out the battle at Hogwarts (after Dumbledore's death) completely. Also leaves out quite a few scenes of flashbacks which reveal many personal things about Tom Riddle before he became Voldemort.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (1st and 2nd parts included): The first half of the movie was extremely faithful, leaving out only a few details including a radio broadcast team including Fred and George. The second part was also pretty faithful, but I felt it grazed over a few deaths more than it should. For instance, Fred's death happens off screen in the movie, while it is a significant emotional turn in the book.

Have Fun this Summer - News Flash for Jul 13, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:27:29 CDT

Hannah from Teens Online

Summer's about halfway over for most students now. Target has already put out school supplies and AP test results have arrived in the mail. Signs of returning to school are coming closer and closer so we must make the most of our time we have left! Maybe your getting a little bored during the day, or maybe your schedule is jam-packed, but we could all use a couple of fun ideas to do during the summer. These activities are relatively cheap and entertaining. Here's a list of things to do during the summer:

Go on a long bike ride around town and take a look at sights you normally don't notice.
Volunteer at a local pet shelter, nursing home, or even the library.
Go to the beach and lay out in the sand, splash around in the waves, and bring a picnic.
Go to a museum, you can even use the free passes from the library: the Museum Adventure Passes.
Make cupcakes, popsicles, a smoothie, or a fun summer treat and share it with your friends and family.
Pack up your camping gear and tent and set up camp in your own backyard.
Make a collage from your favorite magazines.
Grow a vegetable garden full of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some fruit too.
Decorate a t-shirt with puffy paint, markers, sequins, rhinestones, or tie-dye it.
Start a collection: stamps, coins, Beanie Babies, buttons, or anything you want.
Film a music video or a movie with all of your friends.
Have a water balloon or a water gun fight.
Even though school's out, this is the perfect time to visit a college: The University of Minnesota, St. Thomas, or a college in Iowa or Wisconsin.
Make a chalk mural on the sidewalk.
Climb a tree, and maybe make a tree house.
Apply for a job (if you're old enough).
Make a treasure hunt for your family or friends.
Have a family game night.
Watch an old movie. Ask your parents for suggestions!
Check a book out from your local library and lay outside while reading it.

Looking for a Job? - News Flash for Jul 12, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:05:39 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Hennepin County Library (HCL) is seeking energetic new instructors for our Teen Tech Squad. This is a part-time paid position for teens. Teen Tech Squad is an innovative teen leadership and technology program. HCL is looking for teens ages 16-18 to lead music and video production (MVStudio) workshops for teens in grades 6-12. MVStudio workshops encourage creative expression in music, video, writing, spoken word and visual arts. Apply online.

Minnesota Fringe Festival - News Flash for Jul 12, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:05:27 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you know about the Minnesota Fringe Festival? From August 4-14 you can find some amazing short performances in theater, comedy, and dance in combinations too numerous to count. Fringe theater has developed in many major cities as a way for creative people to share their work outside the established theater scene. One of the most famous Festivals in the world is the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland.

Many teens perform here in the Fringe and there's a lot of shows that may interest teens as well. Many of these shows have video trailers. You can vote for the best ones at the Fringey Awards website.

Here's some practical information on how to navigate the Fringe. One way to afford the shows is by volunteering. Each show you work gives you a free ticket. And the My Fringe tool is an amazing way to plot, plan and share your schedule for what you'd like to see in these two crazy weeks of fun.

Have any of you gone to a Fringe show? Are you interested in it?

A Perfect World - News Flash for Jun 20, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:20:47 CDT

Paimon of Teens Online

One night I was just wondering to myself what a perfect world would have in it. I know it is a stretch but I thought that if we at least know what a perfect world would be, then we would be able to move more and more towards it until we get as close as we can to it (because you know we can always get better).

So anyway, I asked a few people and got similar responses (no war, end of hunger, human rights, etc.). But then someone, my mom actually, said something so interesting that I thought that I might as well just talk about it for a little while. She said that a perfect world would have freedom from sadness and hate. At first I just thought that "great, I wonder why no one else has just stripped it down to something as simple as that." However, I began to think, "How could we fully eliminate sadness?" Hate I can understand, but I think that we could only break that down into a 'bad feeling' so to say. What is so interesting, is the question of where would we be without those things?

How could we know what happiness, love, loyalty, pride, and the rest of the human emotions really were if we did not have the opposites? The last generation to experience these negative emotions would see the flip in the newer generations' moods. They could see the happiness and positive emotions on everybody's faces but the newer generations would not be able to see that they were happy. Humans would become numb and lifeless (even though they would have been filled with the happiness).

What would this mean? It would mean that everything that we have ever progressed toward would come to a screeching halt. If every single person was not only satisfied, but happy with their situation, nothing would happen. No one would invent anything to make people's lives easier or better. Artists would be less inspired and create less abstract works. There would be no possible motivation to do anything. There would be no reason to fix or change anything if everybody is happy.

You see, we all need sadness; we need pain, suffering, 'bad feelings', and all the negative human emotions. You cannot know something without also knowing its opposite.

Well, thank you for taking the time to read my opinion, and feel free to tell me what you think about all of this. Here are some questions to get you started:

Category 1

What is the Perfect World?
What are some smaller steps to get there?

Category 2

Can we live and progress without negative feelings?
What would a world like that be like?

What's Happening to Reading? - News Flash for Jun 20, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:17:53 CDT

Lewin from Teens Online

I was having a discussion with my friend the other day about my favorite book in the entire world, Pride and Prejudice (yes I know it's a romance), when it seemed we disagreed on some of the details. It finally dawned upon me that she was talking about the movie and not the book! I was surprised, but I guess I understood as Austen's not exactly a walk in the park, and at least my friend still saw Austen's themes. I have seen the movie and I thought it did a pretty good job of relating the book, especially the bumbling Mrs. Bennet. However my friend then told me that she didn't like reading and didn't even read Harry Potter! Now I was really concerned; if this was where we are headed I'm really afraid for our society.

Today more and more movies are based on books for a simple reason: money. Every movie is a multi-million dollar investment and companies are being wary of investing that much in an unproved storyline. However, famous books are basically guaranteed successes. Just look at Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, or Twilight. Hey, I said famous, not good. But now a lot of people aren't even reading these works. Rowling's and Tolkien's works are no longer being read, just seen. And movies rarely do justice to books, removing some key components and abridging some scenes to make them movie "worthy."

The most demeaning effect of making these books into movies is that it encourages people not to think. How can one make your own mind picture of the battle of Minas Tirith when it's plopped right in front of you on the screen? How can one imagine the straits of Harry, Ron, and Hermione when the director gives his vision on the screen? How can one picture Edward Cullen as hot? Only by reading them ourselves can we gain new insight on stories and create our own analysis of what happens. We shouldn't just be spoon fed the image that's in the director's head but rather create our own picture.

You might think of me as just a whiny guy insisting that we return to a time before TV and radios and get everywhere in our convenient horse and buggy. I'm not saying that. I loved Wright's Pride and Prejudice as it put a new spin on the way that I viewed the story. But that's just it; it should be a new spin on the way we view something, not the basis on which we create our original thoughts. How can any movie or play compare to Austen's original masterpiece? So there were two things that I did to my friend. No, I didn't make her read Austen; I felt that that would be a little harsh. But I did force her to read Harry Potter. There's nothing wrong with a good movie, but it can't compare to a good book.

Summer Reads - News Flash for Jun 16, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:28:01 CDT

Victoria of Teens Online

Summer is finally here, and the hours and hours of free time that comes with it! With the inventions of Kindles, Nooks, and iPads, it is easier than ever to curl up on the beach and read a good book. For older teen readers, however, finding a multitude of such books might be harder than expected. Most of us have read The Hunger Games and Twilight, and other knock-offs, along with the more grounded books of Sarah Dessen. Yet, the huge adult section next door is just that, huge. I've compiled a short list of adult/ late teen books more interesting for older teens. Please enjoy!

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (343 pages) An excellent book about a teenage girl living in an old castle with her quirky family in England during the Depression. Her life is forever changed by the arrival of two American boys next door. Plently of charm, love triangles, and fun; a summer must-read by the author of 101 Dalmatians.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (403 pages) A Victorian gothic taking place at an all-girl boarding school. Plagued with boredom, the school's finest, Gemma, Pippa, Felicity, and Ann discover some magical secrets when exploring the grounds of the school. Dark, complicated, romantic, and occasionally creepy, this book will keep you up until the small hours. The first in the trilogy.
Room by Emma Donoghue (321 pages) The book is told from 5-year-old Jack's perspective, and tells the story of a mother and son living in a 12x12 living space (smaller than a standard bedroom). Jo, Jack's mother, was captured as a young woman and trapped inside the room for approximately ten years before the book's beginning by a terrible man. Endearing, horrifying, and brilliantly written, it's a pitch perfect book about the 144 foot square room that is a boy's whole world.
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (415 pages) A brilliant fairytale retelling about gorgeous Sorcha and her seven brothers in pre-Christianized Ireland. A fantasy and love story, it's a sweeping epic that I don't want to give too much away about it. Be forewarned, however, there is a bit of mature content in the book, including a scene of abuse.
Looking for Alaska by John Green (221 pages) A coming of age teenage novel about Miles, an awkward teenage boy looking for happiness at a modern-day boarding school. There, he meets a zany cast of quirky characters including the beautiful and chain-smoking Alaska. Both funny and sad, this is teen fiction at its best.

Summer! - News Flash for Jun 10, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:17:52 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

School's out and a certain amount of freedom is at hand. What are you going to do this summer? Travel? Hang out with friends? Work at a part time job? Volunteer?

If you're looking for things to do, don't forget the library! Our BookaWocky Summer Program runs from June 12 through August 20. Write a book review online and enter a drawing for a free book. Attend anime and manga events, join a book club, enter a contest (we have a variety), or check out some fun books now that you have time to read for pleasure, not a grade.

Hope you have a great summer break!

Summer Festivals and Events - News Flash for Jun 1, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:19:09 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Summer in the Twin Cities has a lot to offer that's free to cheap to worth the investment. Want to try any of these?

Art Festivals

Stone Arch Festival of the Arts, June 18-19
Uptown Art Fair, August 5-7
Loring Park Art Festival, August 6-7
Powderhorn Art Fair, August 6-7

Music, Theater, Film

Twin Cities Improv Festival, June 23-26
Ten Second Film Festival, July 4
Basilica Block Party, July 8-9
Minnesota Fringe Festival, August 4-14
Music & Movies in the Parks, ending September 5

Other Events

Twin Cities Pride, June 25-26
Minneapolis Aquatennial, July 15-23
ArtCar and ArtBike Parade, July 23
Minnesota Renaissance Festival, August 20-October 2
Minnesota State Fair, August 25-September 5

Memorial Day - News Flash for May 25, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Wed, 25 May 2011 08:30:33 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Do you know the history of Memorial Day? It's intended to be a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to the United States and was established in 1868, just after the Civil War. Red poppies became a symbol associated with this day, inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields, written during World War I by John McCrae. Many people use this day to honor their dead loved ones by placing flowers on graves.

Memorial Day weekend has become a welcome break from work and school for many. What do you do over this weekend? Do you observe any of the traditions associated with it?

Download free music! - News Flash for May 19, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:04:02 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

You can download, check out and stream music through our library website. Freegal, i.e. Free and Legal, is a brand new choice you have and what's cool about it is that what you download you get to keep! Songs come from the Sony Music Entertainment Catalog.

You can also check out music to listen to for 3 weeks from Overdrive, where the songs come from the EMI Catalog. Streaming music means no downloads, just songs to listen to online, and you can access American Song (roots and pre-1960 pop music), Classical Music Library (classical but also folk, blues and more), and Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries (world and folk music). What do you want to listen to?

Want to act? - News Flash for May 16, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:27:40 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens Online

Every been curious about acting? Take a free Guthrie Workshop at a Hennepin County Library near you. Want to figure out how to Express Yourself in other ways? Check out links to information on Dance, Design, Film & Media, Music, Performance, Poetry, Visual Arts, Writing and more!

Summer Movies - News Flash for May 6, 2011

Hennepin County Librarians — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:04:45 CDT

Jody, mentor for Teens OnlineWhat movies are you anticipating the most this summer? Do you like comedies? Action? Superheroes? Will you feel sad and let down that this is the last time you'll go to a new Harry Potter movie?

Here's a few movies that I'm looking forward to. What do you think?

X-Men: First Class on June 3
Green Lantern on June 17
Transformers: Dark of the Moon on July 1
Horrible Bosses on July 8
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II on July 15
Captain America: the First Avenger on July 22
The Change-Up on August 5
Rise of the Planet of the Apes on August 5
The Help on August 12
Conan the Barbarian on August 19
The Debt on August 31