Staff Picks

If you are (or were) a teen who loves Broadway musicals, New York City, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, and funny novels, have I got a book for you! Better Nate Than Ever, written by former Broadway performer Tim Federle, is the story of Nate, a 13-year-old boy from a small town in Pennsylvania who runs away from home (with the help of a “borrowed” ATM card and a Greyhound bus) to New York, where he auditions for the role of Eliot in a brand new musical based on the movie E.T. 

Will he become a star?  You’ll have to read the book to find out, but I guarantee you’ll be rooting for him.

Stephen Kight
Assistant Director for Public Services

National Geographic Favorites

I grew up reading National Geographic magazines and watching their television specials.  One of my favorite memories was of Jane Goodall and her study of chimpanzees.  I loved animals, and still do, and wanted to work in the field studying them.  Jane Goodall was my heroine and I dreamed of being like her one day.  My dream didn’t quite come true but I did get to meet her and see her speak several times.  She is not only an advocate for animals these days, but is also Messenger of Peace for the United Nations.

I was thrilled to see with the National Geographic database that you can access all articles from the very beginning in 1888, including the maps.  There are six articles on Jane, so it appears I must have missed one or two.  The older articles dating back to 1880’s and the early 1900’s are so interesting.  Some of the early discoveries of Ancient Egypt are also among my favorites.  It is amazing to see how far we have come from the early days of exploration and science.  I used these articles for many school projects.

 Joan Dudzinski

Information Specialist

Teen Picks

To celebrate Teen Tech Week, March 10-17, we asked teens to tell us what they're reading. Here's what local library-loving teens had to say about their favorite genres:

Fantasy, fiction, here and there, different genres and topics everywhere!
My favorite genre is mystery, as much as I love romance and fantasy. I find mystery entertaining and suspenseful at the same time. This genre is captivating and keeps you at the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing at each turn. I absolutely love feeling the rush of adrenaline and trying to understand the secrets and lies throughout books. If you're anything like me you will love to get confused and try to understand what is going on. One minute you will think something and then the next you will think again. Mystery truly lives up the its name--it is a mystery something very hard to understand, sometimes something that leaves you hanging, not knowing what will happen next. I enjoy mystery because it gives me the rush in my life that I need, as well as making me believe I am in the character's situation. -Lauren

My favorite genre is fiction because in fiction you can get lost in the book, and when there is a cliffhanger you can imagine what will happen next. That is why I love fiction. -Nithya

My favorite genre of books is mystery. I like mystery because when you’re reading the book usually the first page of the book draws you in and makes you want to read more. The vivid language and the way the author describes what is going on gives you chills and really just intrigues you to want to read more. Mystery books are like hands that grab you and pull you in, they consume you, and cover you with extreme thrills. A lot of the parts in a mystery book will make you jump or shock you. -Alexis

Check out the library catalog to browse our wide selection of teen literature!