by Stephanie C, Main Library As 2020 comes to a close I've been trying to focus on all of the good things that came out of this year. We've all had to pivot in unexpected ways and it hasn't been easy, but we've made it! One thing that is always a bright spot for us librarians, and many of you, are the books we read that made a special impact. Maybe you read something that completely opened your eyes to a new idea, or that made you laugh until your sides hurt. Maybe you cried a little (or a lot) because that one book just shook you to your core, or made you feel seen. I hope you've had some incredible reading experiences this year. If you're still looking for that special book, take a look at this list of our staff favorites. You may have seen some of them mentioned here on the blog earlier this year. We just can't stop talking about these amazing reads.
What books did you love this year? Comment below to share your favorites.
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by McKelle, Day-Riverside Branch Reading seems at first glance to be the perfect socially-distant activity. We use reading not just as a means to educate ourselves, or to “explore other worlds” and suchlike, but to literally keep our distance from others. And though curling up in a corner with a book seems like an obvious, natural act, reading alone and in silence is a relatively recent phenomenon. Back in the day, reading was more commonly done aloud and in groups. Sometimes the best way to enjoy books is with other people, especially if it’s something you’re passionate about. If you’re a person who likes to share your love of reading with others, here are some resources to help you connect with the book community online! Goodreads (both an app and a website) is the world’s largest community for reviewing and recommending books. 90 million people around the world use Goodreads to find new books, track their reading, and attempt to meet people with similar tastes. For almost 15 years, it has been the dominant platform for readers to rate books and find recommendations. You can chat with people on forums, comment on reviews, and even join book challenges and book clubs, all from the comfort of your own reading nook. Social media is a great way to connect to the book community and share your love of reading. The three most commonly used platforms are YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok: BookTube, Bookstagram, and BookTok, respectively. If you love talking about books more than writing about them, maybe starting a BookTube channel is for you. If you have a great eye for aesthetics and great covers, maybe you can connect with readers through Bookstagram posts. Or maybe you’re good at relating books to trends and BookTok would be a source of laughs and fun for you and other readers. Check out these review videos that our SLCPL Teen Librarians have made! Online book events are often free (if you don’t want to purchase the book) and let you hang out with some of your favorite authors virtually. Many book festivals, like YALLWEST/YALLFEST, post their panels on YouTube for free to watch. Additionally, your favorite local bookstore might have events for you to attend as well. Check out these happenings going on in SLC! But the best thing about virtual book events, is that you can attend any of them around the world. The best way is to look up your favorite authors online and see if they’ve listed any events you can tune in for. Finally, if talking books with strangers doesn’t sound like fun to you, why not start a virtual book club with you and your friends? Platforms like Google Meet, Discord, Zoom, and Skype make it easy to have online discussions with friends from the comfort of your own home. You can tailor your book club to be exactly what you want and cheer each other on as you read. You can also join one of our existing tween and teen book clubs. To find them, check out our events page. Whether you are part of a book community or reading alone, books are a great way to let you escape from the stress of the year and find joy. by Meagan, Sweet Branch Running out of books to read? Did you miss the Lit Loot application but still want some books recommended to you? Sweet Branch Teen Squad member Morgan has you covered! Here’s Morgan to talk about her project: I wanted to do this project because I think it is fun to get book recommendations for other people. Everyone sees books differently so it's nice to get someone else’s perspective. I also love giving recommendations to people, so that’s why I chose to do this project. Hearing people’s feedback on books I have recommended is so much fun. In order to get a book recommendation from a teen you need to fill out this form (this project has ended). You will have to answer a few questions like who your favorite authors are and what you don’t like in a book. We will look at what you like and place a hold on a book we think you would enjoy. You can fill out the form as many times as you would like, and we would love it if you have filled out the form before to give us feedback on how you liked the book we recommended for you! by Yoli, Marmalade Branch If you haven't heard yet about our newest book club, now's your chance! The Tween LGBTQ+ Book Club meets virtually, hosted by librarians from Sweet Branch and Marmalade Branch libraries. This book club is an inclusive, safe, monthly hangout for LGBTQ+ youth and allies. The club meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:30pm. Tweens and Teens are welcome. Our next meeting is December 15. Join us here. We know what you are thinking. “I’m already tired of Zoom school, I’m not really sure I want to read more books.” Well, we totally understand that! That’s why we have put together a care package (you can request here) that includes a craft and treat, plus a copy of the book or graphic novel you will get to keep! (while supplies last). We hope to spread some light and cheer during these difficult pandemic times. We think there will be some great conversations sparked by the contents of the care package. A conversation might go something like this: Person 1: Okay, so what did you think about the Box of Boogers (candy)? What are these librarians thinking! Person 2: Uh...I was skeptical at first, but sour candy is my jam, so I ate them. Not bad. What did you make with your perler beads? Person 1: I made Garnet from Steven Universe. Person 2: I made Peridot! Person 3: I made a rainbow and made it into a pin! Person 2: Eek! Show me! Oh cool! What did you do with your string of lights? Person 1: I wrapped them inside a mason jar. Person 3: Okay, if you were a tea dragon, what kind of tea dragon would you be? Person 2: Definitely a peppermint Tea Dragon, since peppermint is my favorite tea. Person 3: I like this Hibiscus because it is chonk. Super cuuuuute! Person 1: Okay, what did you notice about the LGBTQ representation in this book? Person 2: There was soooo much representation. Let’s discuss. At its heart, this club is about promoting reading, and affirming LGBTQ+ identities. I know that reading books about characters that I personally identify with has been such a positive experience for me, and I also enjoy reading books about people who are different from me. I love that The City Library has such a good selection of books written by LGBTQ+ authors. We built this reading list for the club and it will be updated constantly. I hope to see you at the next club meeting! Thanks for reading! by Becca, Main Library With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s an important time to learn more about the indigenous people of the United States, understand what exactly we are celebrating during this holiday (did you know some Native Americans refer to Thanksgiving as a Day of Mourning?), and challenge some of our long-held beliefs about the history of the United States. Here are some simple ways you can celebrate Native American Heritage Month this year and learn more about the indigenous people of the United States:
Share with us in the comments what you plan to do to celebrate Native American Heritage Month this year. Did you learn anything new from the resources above? We’d love to hear from you! by Lexi, Day-Riverside Branch Every October I want to spend way too much money on Halloween decorations, especially on window clings! They are such an excellent way to communicate a commitment to spookiness to the outside world! This year I decided to make my own! It was very cheap and made a good, fun mess of my kitchen. Watch this video for a quick tutorial on how to make your own bloody handprint clings! If bloody handprints seem too gory, you can also make spooky green alien hands! Cada octubre quiero gastar demasiado dinero en decoraciones de Halloween, ¡especialmente en adornos para ventanas! ¡Son una manera excelente de comunicar al mundo exterior mi dedicación al terror! ¡Este año decidí crear unas en casa ! Era barato e hizo un grande y divertido desastre en mi cocina. ¡Mire este video para obtener un tutorial rápido sobre cómo hacer sus propias huellas de manos sangrientas! Si las huellas de manos ensangrentadas parecen demasiado espantoso, ¡también puedes hacer unas manos alienígenas verdes espeluznantes! If you’d like a book to read while you’re waiting for your handprints to dry, check out these 5 horror novels by diverse authors. They will make your toes curl!
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AuthorsBlog posts are written by our Teen Librarians and, in some cases, teens like you. Visit your About page to learn more about our Teen Librarians. Archives
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