A Universe of Stories

Bremen Public Library's Summer Reading Program blasts off this Saturday to the theme of A Universe of Stories. Grades 6 thru 12 can earn one entry into the prize drawing for every book read between June 1st and July 20th!

Gift baskets will be awarded to 5 lucky participants on July 22nd.

In addition, there will be 7 weeks of FREE programming with numerous GIVEAWAYS!

Fluid Painting - Tuesday, June 4th, 1:00 to 2:00

It's messy. It's artsy. It's fun. It's fluid painting (also known as pour painting) and open to middle and high school students. Artist Susie Schaetzle of Create-UR-Canvas will provide materials and instruction.

Registration is required and limited to the first 20 to register.

Photography Challenge - Tuesday, June 11th, 1:00 to 2:00

Grab your favorite picture-taking device and venture out on this field trip. Individuals will be issued a literary title and challenged to snap a photo to capture its meaning. This program is designed for students in middle and high school, but all ages are welcome.

Entries will be featured on our social media pages and three photographers will have the opportunity to win a special prize!

Nintendo Gaming - Tuesday, June 18th, 1:00 to 2:30

Show off your skills and get ready for some friendly competition as we gather for Nintendo Gaming! Nintendo of America representative Nathan Hilbert will be joining us to help demonstrate the latest and most popular games.

Prize giveaways for those in attendance!

Adventures in Clue - Tuesday, June 25th, 1:00 to 2:30

If you enjoy the board game Clue, you'll love it with a twist. Editions such as The Big Bang Theory, Scooby-Doo, and Harry Potter will all be on hand! Join us for this time of competitive fun. This program is designed for students in middle school and high school, but all ages are welcome.

Participants who dress up as one of the original Clue characters (Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green) will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Clue game of their own!

Brick Club: The Lego Movie 2 - Tuesday, July 2nd, 1:00 to 2:30

Get ready for more building adventures in this extra-special LEGO Movie 2 themed Brick Club! Inspired by the film, these sets will send you on an epic journey to go where no brick has gone before. We'll be featuring Queen Watevra's Build Whatever Box, Emmet and Lucy's Escape Buggy, and the Pop-Up Party Bus. Young adults, children and families are encouraged to participate in this time of creativity and imagination.

Nintendo Gaming - Tuesday, July 9th, 1:00 to 2:30

Show off your skills and get ready for some friendly competition as we gather for Nintendo Gaming! Nintendo of America representative Nathan Hilbert will be joining us to help demonstrate the latest and most popular games.

Prize giveaways for those in attendance!

A Conversation with Author Tracy Korn - Tuesday, July 16th, 1:00 to 2:00

Everyone is invited to meet Tracy Korn, young adult author and veteran English teacher. She will discuss her science fiction series, The Elements, a four-book saga about transcending, facing fears, and of becoming who you're meant to be...all starting on the the ocean floor! Korn will give book talks, teach a writing workshop and conduct a cosplay contest. The hour will conclude with a time for Q & A and book signing.

Come dressed as a character from one of her books and you could win one of three prize packages! The grand prize is a set of hardcover book and a professional photo session. The photo will be featured on Korn's social media and in her newsletter. Second place is a set of paperbacks and third place a set of ebooks of the individual's choice.

Recently Added to the YA Bookshelf

Taking a look at some of the most recent additions gracing the shelves of our YA department:

Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz

A universe-expanding collection of new and previously published Alex Rider short adventures finds the elite teen spy navigating explosive threats while infiltrating a terrorist hideout in Afghanistan and preventing an assassination attempt at a Christmas resort. 

"Once again amid races, chases, hails of bullets, and increasingly spectacular explosions, the teenage James Bond pulls off one awesome feat of derring-do after another." -- Booklist

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman

Relegated by a misguided act of heroism to a squad comprised of his school's hopeless misfits, a cadet in a 24th century space academy rescues a centuries-hibernating girl only to be swept up in a war millions of years in the making.

"This intergalactic space opera has it all: action, thrills, suspense, laughs, and all the feels." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Teen mother Emoni Santiago struggles with challenges of finishing high school and her dream of working as a chef.

New York Times Best Seller

Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid

The summer after senior year is not going as eighteen-year-old Lu Charles expected. After her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her, Lu can't write a single word, despite the fact that her college scholarship is tied to her columnist job at hip online magazine Misnomer.

From the acclaimed author of Let's Get Lost and North of Happy

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Eighteen-year-old mystery-loving Birdie's new job at a historic Seattle hotel leads her and her coworker, Daniel, to a real mystery about a reclusive writer who resides there.

Author of the RITA-nominated Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series

How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

Here is what happens when your mother dies. It's the brightest day of summer and it's dark outside. It's dark in your house, dark in your room, and dark in your heart. You feel the darkness is going to split you apart. That's how it feels for Tiger. It's always been Tiger and her mother against the world. Then, on a day like any other, Tiger's mother dies. And now it's Tiger, alone. Here is how you learn to make friends with the dark.

"An honest and extremely harrowing read." -- BookPage, Starred Review

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare

Magnus Bane learns that a demon-worshiping cult, the Crimson Hand, is wreaking havoc across Europe, threatening more than just his romantic getaway with new boyfriend, Alec Lightwood.

New York Times Best Seller

The Fall of Crazy House by James Patterson

Eighteen-year-old twins Becca and Cassie, now trained fearless fighters, hold the key to defeating the despotic United regime and freeing the people of the former United States. At what cost, though?

"Action-packed fight scenes, flickers of romance, and Patterson's signature speedy chapters should satisfy teens who like their suspense served with a side of political revolt." -- Booklist

Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan

A girl named Nadya, who hears the whispers of the gods inside her head. A prince surrounded by desperate suitors and deadly assassins. A monster hidden behind pale, tortured eyes (and a smile that cuts like a knife). The paths of these three characters become entwined during a centuries-long war filled with sinners and saints, magic and mystery, and a star-crossed romance that threatens to tip the scales between dark and light forever.

"If you like your young adult fantasy full of ice, blood, and angst, Wicked Saints will sweep you up in its wintry embrace." -- NPR

Three Year Anniversary

Three years ago, in May of 2016, the YA Volunteer organization was created. As the, at the time, new Young Adult Librarian at BPL, this was a front-burner venture for the many goals I wanted to see accomplished. A partnership that would simultaneously benefit both the library as an institution, as well as the youth in our community. Through joining forces, resources and services could be strengthened, providing students real-world opportunities in a world of books and beyond.

Fast-forward to May 2019. 59 individuals have officially contributed over 1,000 hours to our magnificent establishment! It is with their assistance that Bremen Public Library is a destination point for many. Thank you, dear volunteers, for helping us to evolve, grow, and meet the needs of this good town.

Recently Added to the YA Bookshelf

Taking a look at some of the most recent additions gracing the shelves of our YA department:

Ignis by Tracy Korn

Defending everything they know could cost them everything they have. The rebels have been defeated thanks to the alleged treachery of one of their own. It won't be long before a manhunt ensues for Jazz's entire crew, and given what they know about Gaia's secret project they won't be prosecuted...they'll just disappear.

Book 4 in Korn's The Elements series.

Killing November by Adriana Mather

At the mysterious Academy Absconditi, a school that's completely off the grid, there's no electricity, no internet, and a brutal eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from knife-throwing and poisons to the art of deception. And the other students? All children of the world's most elite strategists, in training to become assassins, spies, and master manipulators.

"Anything is possible in this world of cloaks and daggers. A strong beginning that will leave readers hungry for more." -- Kirkus Reviews

The Queen's Resistance by Rebecca Ross

Brienna is a mistress of knowledge and is beginning to settle into her role as the daughter of the once disgraced lord, Davin MacQuinn. Though she'd just survived a revolution that will return a queen to the throne, she faces yet another challenge: acceptance by the MacQuinns. 

The captivating sequel to the Renaissance France-inspired epic fantasy The Queen's Rising. 

Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed.

"[R]omance, danger, and magic make for a winning combination that will keep readers glued to the pages long after bedtime." - School Library Journal

In Another Life by C. C. Hunter

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn't scar her, and she's had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents' marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her.

New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow Falls series.

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

Robin of Locksley is dead. Maid Marian doesn't know how she'll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff's right hand, wishes to step into Robin's shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian's fiancé. Who is there to stop them?

"Spooner creates a detailed world populated by complex characters...An elegant, classic, and vivid fairy tale." --Kirkus Reviews

Internment by Samira Ahmed

A terrifying futuristic United States where Muslim-Americans are forced into internment camps, and seventeen-year-old Layla Amin must lead a revolution against complicit silence.

"By the end of the first two pages of this title the reader will be breathless with the anticipation and excitement of what's to come." -- School Library Connection, starred review

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he's falling - hard. Soon she's meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. But then Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate's death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate's there again. 

"[R]eynolds creates an enormously likable character who is doing the best he can and then some...the book's blend of humor and heartbreak wins out." -- Publisher's Weekly

Brianna's Recommended Reads

8th grader Brianna suggests the following books...

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

Jack, 12, tells the gripping story of Joseph, 14, who joins his family as a foster child. Damaged in prison, Joseph wants nothing more than to find his baby daughter, Jupiter, whom he has never seen. When Joseph has begun to believe he'll have a future, he is confronted by demons from his past that force a tragic sacrifice.

"It talks about two young kids falling in love. Then it is taken away from them, before starting up again. I like how they don't care what happens has long as they are together."

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

"A girl is basically a nobody that has no friends. Then she moves and falls in love. I really like how it's a vampire and a human falling in love. It's like a story that never ends."

I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier

An innocent young boy recounts a suspenseful tale of government corruption and espionage. Through his doctor's questions, Adam struggles out of a world of medicated oblivion and begins a desperate bicycle journey in search of a truth that will destroy him.

"A boy and his family were hiding our from people who were trying to kill him. It was mostly because of his dad. They had to change their names. Then the boy was put into a hospital, where he keeps having flashbacks. It's like a movie in your head while you are reading."

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher

Five teens who were party responsible for a death a year earlier are lured by the promise of a $50,000 prize to an isolated mansion by someone bent on rage.

"This is the kind of book that has you excited to read on to the next chapter and wishing there was more than one book. It's more like a real story that could have happened. Spirits are involved and it has real life situations in it."

National Library Week

National Library Week (April 7-13) is a time to commemorate the contributions of our nation’s libraries, acknowledge and honor diligent staff, and to promote library support. Whether it be providing free access to books, vibrant programming, centers for community and culture, social interaction, hubs of business and research, libraries offer opportunities to meet the needs and wants for audiences aplenty. The National Library Week 2019 observation will mark the 61st anniversary of the first event, launched in 1958.

According to the American Library Association, “In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions, and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee’s goals were ambitious. They ranged from encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time to improving incomes and health and developing strong and happy family life.”

By 1957, plans were devised for National Library Week based on the belief that once individuals were motivated to read, they would in turn devote energies toward library usage. In 1958, the first National Library Week was observed, with the theme ‘Wake Up and Read!’

This year’s designation is ‘Libraries = Strong Communities’ and Bremen Public Library will again be bustling with activity. No doubt you recall the festivities in 2018, when Elephant and Piggie could be spotted making their way around town. More good times are in store this go-round, faithful storybook followers, as Clifford and Emily Elizabeth are set to entertain and delight.

Have you visited your library lately?

Getting to Know...Brianna

Introducing another valuable member of our YA Volunteer Team, Brianna Justice! A 13-year-old 8th grader, Brianna has accumulated 9.75 hours since February.

FAVORITE BOOK GENRE: Romance

SOMEONE I LOOK UP TO: My sister Boston

FAVORITE TELEVISION SHOWS: Star, Empire

A TOPIC THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT FOR AN HOUR: Twilight

MY HAPPY PLACE: The library

SPIRIT ANIMAL: Cats

SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT MYSELF: I like to be around people

FUTURE PLANS: Neurosurgeon

FAVORITE QUOTE: "If looks could kill."