Teensburgh Bloggers

Teen bloggers:

Caroline – I am a 16-year-old from Point Breeze and a junior in high school. Along with reading and listening/singing along to music, my hobbies include journaling, chemistry, and fencing.


Hey! I’m Goda, a high school junior who loves photography and, of course, reading. I also enjoy acoustic music, and I hope my insights help you find your next favorite book!


My name is Jayne. I’m fourteen. I go to CAPA for Visual Arts, but I love to write so much more. Creative writing has been apart of my life for so long now; I feel lost without it. I’m obsessed with everything British, Beatles, Tim Burton movies, and Harry Potter. Oh and cats! I hope you love what I review and I hope you comment and tell me what I could do better. Anyway, thanks for reading!


My name is Jenna. I go to a high school where I’m part of the marching band and the cheerleading squad. I’m pretty busy, but I always find time to read. I’m also very creative and I like doing little crafts out of random things I find.


My name is Joshua, I attend Obama 6-12 where I will be a sophmore this year. Me and my afro greatly enjoy playing magicthegathering, reading, playing soccer, fencing, doing my school’s musical and hanging out with my friends. I know how to speak some Spanish (Hola hermosa, come estas?), can pretend to speak some Swedish (jog ticker om du), am learning some American Sign Language (…), and am hoping to learn some Thai.

My name’s Leo. I’m a tenth grader at Pittsburgh Obama Academy 6-12 (Also known as IB High and formerly Schenley). I’m a genderqueer lesbian mentally ill writer. I’ll be reviewing books, with occasional graphic novels and music — I mostly read fantasy and horror, and listen to various forms of rock.


Hi! My name is Lucy and I’m in middle school at Winchester Thurston School. Besides reading I like to play tennis, dance, and draw. I love cats, I’m very creative and do a lot of crafts with my hands. I am an avid reader and read about 20-100 pages a day. If you like what I read, you probably like Harry Potter.


Maddy – I’m a 13 year old girl heading to Taylor Allderdice High School in the Fall, and I’m Pittsburgh born and raised. Writing has been a huge interest of mine since I was 6 years old. I’m just an enthusiastic teenager with lots of free time on her hands and a passion for literature, romantic poems, and indie music. I tend to read and write excessively and play the guitar and piano amateurishly. When I want to, I can read a book in a day and I can’t put it down.

Tawnya – Hi, I’m sixteen and currently attending cyber school as a sophomore for the first time. I like to try new things and express myself in creative ways. Writing is something I’ve always loved to do in school, and i adore reading, so this volunteer opportunity was a calling for me. It’s great to meet new people, and I’m glad to share a little bit about myself. I’ll be giving you the most honest reviews I can, and i hope you can trust my opinion. My friends tend to call me a bookworm, but you can call me Tawnya


My name is Isaiah. I’m gonna be reviewing all kinds of books, comics, manga , and CDs. I go to CAPA for theatre, and I guess that’s okay. I do a lot of music stuff outside of school. I play bass and do some rapping too. I rap with a group sometimes, others I’ll just use beats, which is always cool too. If you’re interested in any of that you can go here to check out show dates and stuff. That’s about it. Also, I’m always up for any review recommendations, so if there’s anything you want me to review, just let me know and I’ll check it out.

Librarians:

Abby Harwood is a Librarian in the Teen Department at CLP Main. Her love of crafting and silly, novelty books come in handy as one of the planners of CLP Main’s weekly Art Club and the librarian in charge of ordering for Main’s Teen non-fiction books. In her spare time, she enjoys reading horror manga, playing pinball, eating cheese, and thrift store shopping.


Brooke Askew is the Children and Teen Specialist for the South Side Branch of Carnegie Libraries. On top of listening to lots of YA audio books in the car, she enjoys, plotting, planning, knitting, gardening, quilting, cooking, baking, and learning guitar. Wedged in between hobbies, side projects and plans to make all the things she also helps run a small business and spends time relaxing with a variety of pets and people.


My name is Colleen and I am the Teen Specialist at CLP-Woods Run. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and love living in the city. Prior to working for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, I was a high school librarian at Southern Huntington County School District. I have always loved both reading and working with students, so I consider my current position to be my dream job! Things I love include Dunkin Donuts, running, hanging out with friends, dancing, and jewelry.


Corey Wittig is Digital Learning Librarian for Teen Services. This means he works on bringing new and exciting technology programming to the library to benefit the teens of Pittsburgh. He also looks after the blog, CLP_Teens Twitter account, the CLP-Teens website, and the CLP-Teen Facebook page. He is fond of mopey British music, jangly guitars, stationery, and vintage scooters.


Jim Carney is a Children’s and Teen Librarian at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Sheraden. He does all the stereotype librarian things like wearing glasses, reading all the time, and wearing cardigan sweaters throughout the winter months. He loves Mexican food and likes to watch sports, especially the Bills and Sabres since he grew up in Buffalo.


Joseph Wilk is a Teen Specialist at The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main (in Oakland), where he orders CDs, graphic novels, graphic series and manga; coordinates community video programs; runs the anime club; and enjoys every minute of getting to dedicate himself to such an awesome group of Pittsburghers. In his spare time, he volunteers in the Teen Lounge of UPMC Children’s Hospital and the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, produces electronic dance music, deejays, tries to put his degree in poetry writing to use, cooks vegan food, and brainstorms new ways to get involved in the world–and drag others into it with him. Joseph also cuts his own hair, stemming from a traumatic incident he suffered as a middle schooler.


LeeAnn Anna is the Teen Services Coordinator for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh District Library Center. She thinks she has the best job in the world because she gets paid to know teens and Teen Librarians, plan teen programs for the whole city and district, and talk about teen books! Notice a running theme here? When she’s outside the library she digs reading (especially supernatural fiction), working on several altered art projects at once, watching Scrubs, playing video games and disc golf, nurturing her troll obsession, and singing to herself.


Maddie Siegel is the Teen Specialist for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Squirrel Hill, where she spends her time planning programs and talking to teens about books—which is the best part of her day. When not at the library, Maddie enjoys spending time with family, friends and her feline companion. She also enjoys traveling, trying out new cuisines, swimming and thinking about learning an instrument.


Maggie Craig is the Youth Services Librarian at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh- Carrick. Outside of library life, she loves food and travel, pop culture and hidden culture, people-watching, storytelling, rust belt folklore, and collecting fortune cookie wisdom.


Michael Balkenhol is the Teen Services Specialist at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Hazelwood. At the Library, he spends his time peddling books, technology and crafts to any child, tween or teen who will listen to him! When not at work, Michael likes to spend his time visiting friends and family, being allergic to things, listening to new music, laughing too loud, cooking then eating, practicing yoga, reading anything and watching way too much HBO. Here on the blog he shares his love of all things funny, enlightening, technological or just generally awesome!

Steve Banks is a Library Assistant at CLP-Lawrenceville who has used, is using, and always will use the library to indulge his interests, and he suggests everyone do the same. His include medieval history, genealogy, the Gaelic language, comic books and graphic novels…and the music of Jimi Hendrix. He has become a besotted fan of author Rick Riordan and recommends his books to every teen asking for something good to read.

Tessa Barber is Librarian and Teen Specialist at CLP-East Liberty. She has been known to use old encyclopedias to make bookshelves, but usually reads books instead of drilling holes into them. There’s a good chance that she would be collaging, knitting, or watching a horror movie if you showed up at her door. Usted puede practicar su español con ella–si Ud. tenga mucha paciencia. Tessa is also co-creator of Crunchings & Munchings a YA lit blog.

Occasional contributors:

Lily Xu is a former intern at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Main). With her days full of books, blogs, book blogs, and banana bread, she couldn’t be happier because happy is what happens when all your dreams come true. Lily also has a few other interests that her love of alliteration didn’t allow in the previous sentence (such as: rock climbing, arts and crafts, and Frisbee), but to her nothing is better than a good book unless it’s good company, and at the library, she gets both!