15 School Days Left (not including weekends)

With summer vacation just around the corner (15 school days not including weekends, not that anyone is counting...) it's time to start making a plan for what you want to do this summer.  Below is a list of things to start keeping in mind:

- Get a jump start on your summer reading list!  BF and GW students expected to read a minimum of 3 books this summer.  Click here to access the Literary Lineup from the schools.  You can also check out our Book Reviews section to see what other Ridgewood Teens are reading (and please consider submitting a review, it's been a while since we've had some reviews).

- Spend some time volunteering!  Orientation sessions are in June (click here and scroll down to the June calendar).

- Come check out our ever-growing video collection!  We have new X-BOX 360 games like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Rayman: Origins.  We also have new games for the Wii like Zelda: Skyward Sword and Transformers: Cybertron Adventures.  To see our entire collection, you'll have to come here!

-Hang out in our YA room!  We have two MAC computers, a sitting around for discussions and reading, and a great browsing collection of books in many different genres (sci/fan, chick fic, historical fiction, regular fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, and more)!

There are just a few of the MANY things you can do at the Ridgewood Library this summer.  Keep an eye out for our upcoming summer schedule which will give you more information about summer book clubs and other exciting activities!

What are other things that you can do this summer at the Ridgewood Library?  Comment below!

Posted by Brenna Bohny, Library Assistant

Take Our Survey

Click here to give input about teen summer programming.  THANK YOU

Featured Book- Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox

The TRU* Grades 7-9 book group selection for May was Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox.  We enjoyed the book so much that we wanted to share some thoughts and insights with the teen blog readers:

Two of our Ridgewood teens had this to say about the book:

"When I first got it I thought I would hate it because I usually read fiction and not biographies but I really enjoyed reading about the people she met, the experiences she had."

"I really thought I would enjoy this book because I really like sports books and biographies. This book turned out to be better then I had imagined."

What I enjoyed about this book is the fact that it read like a novel.  Lynne’s descriptions of what she saw and what she experienced really made the book come alive for me.  I actually felt cold while reading the parts about swimming the Bering Strait and swimming to Antarctica. But I challenge you to read this book and draw your own conclusions about it.  Keep reading below to learn more!

This book tells the story of Lynne Cox, a long-distance, open water swimmer.  The book starts with Lynne's childhood and discusses the experiences and events that led to her future quests to take on swims that were extremely difficult, had never been done before, or both!  From there the book details a number of Lynne's most notable swims.  Some of these swims include:

• Breaking the English Channel swim records (both the female and the male records) as a teenager and then doing it all over again the following year when her record is broken
• Swimming the Bering Strait from Little Diomede Island (a US island) to Big Diomede Island (a Russian island) during the Cold War and being caught in the middle of spy games between both countries leading up to the swim (being followed, having her phone tapped, etc)
• Participating in an invitational swim in the Nile River (be prepared to be grossed out by some experiences with that one)
• And of course as the title suggests, swimming a mile from a boat to Antarctica

Interview Video
In the book Lynne discusses how she had news crews following her on some of the swims.  This segment from 60 Minutes II (60 Minutes spin-off that ran from 1999-2005) is mentioned in the book and gives you a wonderful visual idea of what Lynne's swims are like.


Map of Lynne's Swims
GoogleMaps List of Swims- This map came from Lynne's website and shows a number of her notable swims over the course of the past forty years.  Click each location to get more information about the swim.


Ten Grossest Parts of Open Water Swimming
Lynne's swims aren't always as beautiful and clean as the Antarctica swim in the video above (read the book to see what Lynne has to say about the gross parts about open-water swimming).  Read this article about the ten grossest parts of open water swimming to get a sense of what can sometimes be encountered in the water.

Have you read this book and want to write a review about it?  Click here to write a review about this book (or any other book) for our Teen Blog Book Review section! :-)

Please join us in the future for more TRU* book group discussions.  Check out the upcoming dates in the right side-bar on this page and click the registration link there to sign up!

Posted by Brenna Bohny, Library Assistant

Spotlight on April, May and June Events

The Ridgewood Public Library has some exciting events for Young Adults coming up in April, May, and June.  Please be sure to check them out! 

The events featured below are just a few of the many coming up.  Click here for a complete list of upcoming events from our spring flyer!

All events except for Homework Help require registration.  Click here to register!

Mario Kart Wii Tournament
Grades 6-8
Thursday, April 19 @ 4:00-5:300pm

Choose your favorite Mario character and vehicle and race to the finish line, avoiding obstacles and taking out opponents along the way.  Hosted by our Teen Advisory Group volunteers.

Space is limited- Registration required

5th Annual Teen Photo Contest
Entry Deadline: Wednesday, May 16th
Theme: "Ridgewood Through MY Eyes" Click here for flyer.
How to Enter: E-mail photo as a jpeg file to photocontest@ridgewoodlibrary.org
Prizes: Separate cash prizes will be awarded for Middle and High School enteries
Awards Reception: Monday, June 4, 7:00pm

Free After-School Homework Help
Grades 4-9
Mondays & Wednesday @ 3:30-5:00pm

Free assistance provided on a drop-in basis, first-come first-served, by members of the RHS National Honor Society, Project Interact service club and Latin Club. Sign-in with Ridgewood Library card required.

TRU* Book Discussion
Grades 7-9
May 13 @ 7:00pm: Swimming to Antartcia by Lynn CoxCopies of books are available at the Circulation Desk. Book discussion and refreshments.




What events do you have the most interest in?  What events would you like to see?  Comment below and let us know!

Posted by Brenna Bohny, Library Assistant

Hunger Games Movie- March 23, 2012

The Hunger Games movie comes out this Friday, March 23rd!

There are four things you should do before seeing the movie. 

1)  If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out the trailer by clicking on the official movie website below.  This website also has a countdown until the big event (1 day, 6 hours, 7 minutes as of the typing of this blog post), information about the cast & crew, and other wonderful goodies to check out!

http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/

2) Participate in our Hunger Games book poll below!

Did you read the book before seeing the movie?

Yes, in fact I read the whole trilogy.Yes, I read just the first book, "The Hunger Games."No, but I plan to read the book after I see the movie.No, I don't plan to read the book.

pollcode.com free polls

3) Review any of the books in The Hunger Games trilogy (or any book for that matter) for our Teen Blog Book Review page by clicking here.



Book #1



Book #2





 

Book #3

 

4) Hit comment below to share your thoughts on the movie, but please don't give away anything that would ruin someone else's viewing experience.

Enjoy the movie (and the book), and may the odds be ever in your favor! :-)

Posted by Brenna Bohny, Library Assistant