Why We Liked (or Didn’t Like) Why We Broke Up

Joseph: Okay, CLPTeensburgh readers, this is Joseph from the Main-Teen Department… Morgan: And Morgan, also from Main-Teen. Joseph: We’re here to talk about the book “Why We Broke Up,” a Printz honor book and one that was named to a number of best of 2011 lists. Morgan, can you start us off with a brief [...]

Waiting for Liberty: Women’s History Month!

Many of my favorite non-fiction books are shelved in children’s non-fiction.  Writing for a younger audience seems to attract authors who are great at researching, understand the value of historical photos and illustrations, and have mastered the art of focusing their narrative.  Lately I’ve been reading about some new and old books that are conveniently [...]

LOL JK: Practical Jokesters in Fiction & Real Life

The greatest practical joke I ever played at school wasn’t really so great. One fall, in seventh grade, I went to school wearing a wig and a new outfit. “Hey, I’m, uh, a new student,” I told everyone. Luckily, I had enough imagination to create a new name and back story. I had moved from [...]

Exit Through The Comment Section: A Banksy Post

Last weekend, I saw the film Exit Through the Gift Shop, a cinematic sleight of hand that at first seems to be about the saucy, enigmatic street artist Banksy before it substitutes him for the character Thierry Guetta (aka Mr. Brainwash). The movie’s gracious winking and good humor seems to belie its sarcastic faux-documentary style [...]

Ripped from the Headlines

I don’t watch much tv, but when I do it’s usually Law & Order: SVU (or any other version of Law & Order). But while Stabler and Benson have a badge and a team of forensic scientists to crack the case, all a teen can do is use their wits. Luckily, books are a safe [...]

Murder, Thievery and Other Dastardly Deeds

Every day when I open the newspaper (or the newspaper’s website, as the case may be) I’m assaulted by stories of crime — abuse, murder, burglary.  After my car was broken into a couple of months ago, those stories really began to hit home, and I now read the newspaper more often and with greater [...]

What’s on your “to read” list?

It’s been a busy summer and I just looked at the calendar and realized we are already a few days into August.   Like many things on my “to do” list, I have not made much progress on my “to read” list and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. It seems like I have stacks [...]

Take Home One of Our Tragically Overlooked Graphic Series! (A-M Edition)

One of the saddest things for a librarian to see is an awesome title languishing on the shelf. They might have a great cover, an awesome story, or great writing, but we see them begging day after day for somebody to check them out. This happens often in our Teen Graphic Series section, where it’s [...]

Reads for a “Dark Knight”

If you’re like me, you’ve already seen Chris Nolan’s masterful The Dark Knight. And if you’re anything like me, you need more Batman. And more Batman. And even more Batman until you’ve stopped sleeping, started talking in a low-pitched, gravelly voice, and committed yourself to being a hero of the shadows. Well, rest assured, teens, [...]

CLPTeens Congratulates the Pittsburgh Penguins!

Though the ice has cleared and our beloved Pittsburgh Penguins are without a Stanley Cup, we’d like to send a warm thanks for an exhilarating season. Teens and librarians alike admired the Pens for showcasing skill, determination, and the power of youth. In honor of the greatest show on ice, Connie put together a zamboni [...]