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Ironically, I Can't Spell Dyslexia

2/26/2021

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By Claire, Anderson-Foothill Branch
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Click on the book to check the library catalog for copies.
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Citations:
Dyslexia. (2017, July 22). Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353552#:~:text=Dyslexia%20is%20a%20learning%20disorder,the%20brain%20that%20process%20language. 

Danaadmin. (2020, December 15). Searching for effective interventions in dyslexia. Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://dana.org/article/searching-for-effective-interventions-in-dyslexia/ 
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Dyslexia's emotional impact. (2020, August 20). Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://www.lexercise.com/blog/dyslexia-effects 

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February = Romance?

2/22/2021

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by Christine, Chapman Branch
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Happy February! I recently had a conversation with a friend and the topic of romance as a genre came up. It isn’t my favorite genre and she pointed out that romance and relationships are just part of life and show up in books of all genres, not only as its own genre. I have been thinking about that, and some of my favorite books do indeed have a relationship as part of the story, and I thought we need a post about that for February! So even though this post is going live a bit after Valentine's Day I wanted to share a few books that have some romance in them. Some of these books come from fantasy, dystopian, or mystery genres while a few are more from the category of real life or even romance. And just like in real life, the relationships in these books can be complicated, messy, and even sweet. What are some of your favorite books about relationships? Share in the comments!

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 

​This is an exciting series set in a world inspired by Ancient Rome. Laia’s family is just struggling to survive, and not be noticed by the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, she risks everything to save him and agrees to become a slave at the Empire’s military academy, where she is a spy for a group of rebels. There she meets Elias, the school’s best soldier, someone who secretly wishes to be free of his role as soldier for the Martial Empire. Elias and Laia begin to realize that even though they come from opposing parts of the Empire, if they work together they might change their world.
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Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Stevie Bell is a true crime aficionado who has just been accepted to Ellingham Academy, a private school for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. When the school  first opened, the wife and daughter of Albert Ellingham, the school’s founder, were kidnapped. Apparently, the only clue was a strange riddle signed by someone calling themselves Truly Devious. The crime was never solved and Stevie is determined to solve it during her time at Ellingham. But as the school year starts and she begins her investigation, someone turns up murdered and she is left to wonder if Truly Devious has returned to Ellingham.

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When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Dimple Shah has just graduated from high school and is looking forward to the summer when she will have the opportunity to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers. It will be just the break she needs, to escape from her Mamma’s insistence that Dimple meet the “Ideal Indian Husband” and focus on her own goals she has for her future.

Rishi Patel, on the other hand, is a hopeless romantic, and unlike Dimple he is not opposed to the idea of arranged marriages. When his parents tell him that his future wife is attending the same summer program he is attending, and that he needs to try to “woo her”, he agrees to the plan. 
When Dimple and Rishi finally meet, they seem like complete opposites, but it turns out sometimes love has other plans.
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Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian

Meade Creamery is the popular ice cream stand in Sand Lake. It was founded by Molly Meade and continues to be owned and managed exclusively by local girls. Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked there for the past three summers and this summer Amelia will have the opportunity to be “Head Girl” at the stand. But even before Amelia’s first day, Molly passes away and the future of the stand is in question. But then, Molly’s grandnephew Grady shows up and asks Amelia to stay and help run the business. The problem is that it seems he has some changes planned for Meade Creamery.

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Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

Every autumn, Deja and Josiah work together at the best pumpkin patch in the world, and they have become best friends. Then when Halloween arrives and the patch closes, they say goodbye until next September when they come back to work at the patch. This year is different though, because they are finally seniors and know that this is their last season and last Halloween working together. And on this Halloween, Josiah is feeling a bit sad about the whole thing. But Deja has a plan: they are going to spend their last night  eating all the treats and seeing all the sights at the pumpkin patch together, one last time. And maybe Josiah will finally figure out what his heart has known all along...

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Release by Patrick Ness

Adam Thorn’s life is complicated, and the only good things in his life that are keeping him together are his best friend Angela (who always has his back) and his boyfriend (maybe) Linus. The knowledge that in one year, after graduation, he can finally move out on his own also helps. Adam’s life is complicated by his extremely religious parents who can’t know about Linus, his boss, and the love he still can’t stop feeling for his ex, Enzo. At least he has the party with his friends tonight to look forward to, if he can just get through this day. Adam’s day begins normally enough, running errands for his mom, but by the end of the day Adam will have to come to terms with who he is especially in relation to his family and their world view, his feelings for Linus and Enzo, and what to do about his boss’s unwanted attention. It’s a lot to come crashing in at once, but maybe if he can just let go and move forward, he might finally feel free from everything that is weighing him down. 

*Note: This novel includes some steamy romantic situations.

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4 Socially Distant Dates

2/19/2021

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by Lexi, Day-Riverside Branch
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Have a crush? Want to hang out while maintaining your (and their) safety? Here are 4 socially distant dates to try out.
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Picnic in the Park

You’ll need a big blanket, your own individual lunches and your masks. Sitting on a picnic blanket, while still 6 feet apart, will give you ample room to gaze at each other and learn a little more about who you’re pining after. If you’d like to add some extra fun, bringing walkie talkies always leads to goofy (yet charming) games of hide, seek, giggle and flirt.

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Online Gaming

What better way is there to get to know someone than discovering their gaming habits? Whether it’s working together (in your own homes) in co-op games or spying on each other in versus games, you’ll definitely get some of that interaction you’ve been waiting for. After all, if you can learn to tell if your SO is SUS, you'll end up knowing them pretty well.

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Distant Dance

Make a collaborative playlist to listen to at the same time. Get together, throw your headphones on and try to guess what made your beau add each song to the list. You can dance in parking lots or lay on the grass (6 feet apart) and pretend you’re doing the most romantic thing of all, sharing headphones.

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Virtual Escape Room

    Want to see how good of a couple you and your crush would make? Doing a Virtual Escape Room is an excellent way to see whether or not you make good teammates. These web-based escape rooms are conducted via Zoom and will definitely provide a dreamy opportunity to both work together and show off your smarts. Most of them cost a little money, but here is a free Minecraft Escape Room, Hogwarts Escape Room and even a romantic Romeo & Juliet Escape Room.

So go forth and get to know your crush! Remember to follow health department guidelines, wear masks and stay safe! (You can expose yourself to COVID through kissing, you know).

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Celebrate Yourself!

2/12/2021

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by Becca, Main Library
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With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s important to remember to love and celebrate yourself first!

Check out these books to get some inspiration for ways to boost your self-love and acceptance.
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Stick up for yourself!, Gershen Kaufman
158.1 Kaufman

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Every Last Word, Tamara Ireland Stone
TEEN Stone

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Zen Teen: 40 ways to stay calm when life gets stressful, Tanya Richardson
155.519 Richards

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Smile, Raina Telgemeier
j GRAPHIC NOVEL Smile


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The body is not an apology: the power of radical self-love, Sonya Renee Taylor
158.1 Taylor

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How to be Brave, E. Katherine Kottaras
TEEN Kottaras

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Some Assembly Required: the not-so-secret life of a transgender teen, Arin Andrews
306.768 Andrews

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One Habit to Boost Your SAT & ACT Scores

2/8/2021

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by Anagha, Day-Riverside Teen Squad
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Every high school student knows the importance of a high ACT/SAT score, but one of the most underrated strategies to improve your ACT/SAT scores is reading. According to the US News, well-read students tend to score higher on the SAT because almost every section tests vocabulary and reading comprehension. The College Board and ACT both highly recommend extensive reading from a variety of genres as a valuable way to prepare for these tests. 

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​In order to score in the 90th percentile or higher on the ACT/SAT, many standardized test prep experts say that there is no substitute for being an avid reader. Reading complex words is more effective and interesting compared to memorizing a list of vocabulary terms and phrases. Also, reading nonfiction books can make you familiar with complex, technical passages that you will see on the reading sections of the ACT/SAT and the ACT science section. For the English sections, being an avid reader will help you spot when something doesn’t “look right.” Reading can even help students improve their math sections because teens will be able to decipher complex phrases, even if they don’t fully understand the math concept. The ACT science section measures scientific reasoning, and one good way to prepare for this is to read science magazines such as Scientific American or Science Daily.


​Studies have shown that teens who read for 30 minutes a day are much more likely to receive a 30+ on the ACT and a 1400+ on the SAT. Even spending 15 minutes a day can be the difference between a mediocre test score and an exceptional test score. 
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​But how do you implement this in your own life? The best way to study for the reading section would be to actively read. What does that mean? Actively reading means to read a passage and take time to understand what you read. This could involve writing a brief summary of what you read and writing down any complicated vocab words. If you are reading a science magazine, take time to look at the nuances of each study and understand it. If you get in the daily habit of reading and responding to sophisticated non-fiction, you won’t just boost your SAT/ACT score, you’ll get to learn a lot, too.

To get instant access to thousands of books, magazines, and more, download the Overdrive or Libby app today. You can enter "Salt Lake City Public Library" and your library card number to get access to tons of fun and educational content. If you don't have a library card yet, or lost your card number, please call 801-524-8200, or you can apply for a Basic Card here. You can also access the City Library's ebook collection through the Sora app.

For more help with studying for the ACT, visit our Events page to learn about our free, virtual ACT Study Sessions, led by volunteer students from the University of Utah. 

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Teen Book Club Event! - The Hate U Give

2/5/2021

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by Kamryn, Sweet Teen Squad
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​As you might know February is Black History Month, and I wanted to celebrate it by reading and discussing one of my favorite books! It's called The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This book is amazing, and it is honestly one of my favorites so I hope you enjoy it too!
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About the Book
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
-Synopsis from the publisher


 
Here are some questions we will be discussing:
 
1.In the first chapter, Khalil and Starr listen to Tupac in the car. Khalil explains what Tupac said “Thug Life” meant. Discuss what this acronym means and how it shows up throughout the book. How else does the author use hip-hop as a motif?
 
2.Throughout the novel, Starr refers to police officer Brian Cruise as One-Fifteen, which is his badge number. Why do you think she does this? Does her attitude toward police officers change over the course of the book? How does her uncle play into this change?
 
 
The book can be found on the library website as a book, an audiobook, or on Overdrive or Libby.

The book club will be held Saturday, February 13th at 2:00 pm. This event will be online:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/98103476634?pwd=TkRIbjlETURnR3dXNElDM3lKUG8wUT09

Please email mgonsalves-vorwald@slcpl.org with any questions!

​For more amazing books by Black authors see this list. 


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