DBRLTeen

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Jupiter, the King of the Planets, and the solar system’s largest storm, the Great Red Spot. We’ll talk about Jupiter and the spot, adding the latest news about yet another red spot, called Junior, discovered last spring. If the weather is clear, we’ll head outside to view Jupiter and the beautiful crescent moon through a telescope. The landing site of the first Apollo moon mission will easily be in view until about 9:30 p.m. Hosted by Val Germann and cosponsored by the Central Missouri Astronomical Association. Enter through the Gene Martin Secret Garden, west end of main parking lot.

Columbia
All Ages
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Meet in the Program Room, Children’s Area

First National Bank & Trust is sponsoring a photography exhibit for young photographers in two age categories – 12 and under, and 13 to 17.  Photographs will be exhibited at First National Bank, 801 E. Broadway in Columbia on September 27 and 28.  Teen photographers can submit a single photograph, which must be framed no larger than 16 x 20, with the frame fitted with wire for hanging.  Photos must be delivered to the bank on Saturday Sept. 20.  For more details and an entry form go to the First National Bank website.  The library also has copies of the entry form in the Children’s area.

Sam is a 16-year-old without much purpose in his life besides skateboarding. He talks to a poster of his hero Tony Hawk, and has practically memorized Hawk’s autobiography Tony Hawk : Professional Skateboarder. Suddenly and unexpectedly Sam finds himself with a girlfriend named Alicia, and soon and in the usual way finds out she has become pregnant. Unable to imagine himself as a father, Sam runs away from home to avoid dealing with the issue, throwing his cell phone into the ocean to avoid phone calls from Alicia. Eventually, though, Sam begins to find better ways to deal with the situation in which he and many teens find themselves.

Why read fiction? A well-written book allows us to empathize with characters in difficult situations, and maybe encourages us to be a little more empathetic with people in real life. A well-written book shows us that life is messy and complicated and seldom offers perfect solutions to problems, so that we can learn to be more forgiving of ourselves and others. A well-written book lets us cheer for characters taking slow clumsy faltering steps toward maturity, and encourages us to take the same steps ourselves.

This is a well-written book! Nick Hornby (author of About A Boy) has created a memorable character in Sam who will live on in your memory long after you finish reading.

Hear Nick Hornby read a short excerpt

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Download the first chapter from Nick Hornby’s website by clicking here.

The American Library Association has chosen Josh Hutcherson, star of Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, Bridge to Terabithia, Zathura, and many other movies, as the Spokesperson for Teen Read Week.  Read an interview with him here.  Josh will also be starring in the upcoming movie based on the Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan.

The moon is knocked out of orbit, causing disastrous problems (weather, tides, volcanoes, earthquakes) on the earth. The events are seen through the eyes of a teen named Miranda and her family. The focus of the book is on the emotional reactions of this family to the increasing problems they face finding food, heat for the winter, lack of medical care, etc., so the book is more slanted to human relationships rather than science fiction. What bugs me most about the book is that months after the disaster occurs, when no one is sure humanity will even survive, the author assumes people will still be willing to accept cash in exchange for dwindling supplies of gas, food, etc. I wish the author had considered the economic aspects of how people react to catastrophe. Anyway, if you’re interested in how you would react in a crisis and how your family would or wouldn’t hold together where your survival was at stake you might enjoy this book.

Susan Beth Pfeffer blogs here.