Some of my favorite films and television have been stop-motion animated works of art; I adored Gumby’s clay-splashing antics as a child - which often inspired me to do PlayDoh experiments of my own, probably prompting a move to a house that didn’t have carpeting - and Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas is in constant rotation in my DVD player October through December. No matter how many times I watch these films, I’m always rapt with wonderment: How do they do that? I can’t even make a stick figure flip book, and these worlds of normally inanimate objects come to life with nuance and emotion!
For those who have similar interest in animation of all kinds, Jason Love will be presenting an Animation Workshop on Monday, December 21 at the Lakeview Branch from 2 - 4:30 pm. Space is limited to 20 teens, so reserve your spot for this hands-on exploration of animation styles: pixilation, claymation, hand drawing and cut-out. Participants will also learn editing techniques with free software!
Think of the possibilities! You could be the next big thing in animation, with screaming, fainting fans like the Lego Beatles have…
Four teens who read above and beyond won college scholarships from EdVest through a partnership with KnowHow2Go Wisconsin as part of the ending of this year’s Summer Library Program. Scholarship winners are: Kelsey Anderson, Leigh Gregory, Ethan White, and Jele Magdalina. View pictures of the winners on our Flickr photostream, or read a full press release on the City of Madison website.
You can win a scholarship, too! Wisconsin teens in grades 7-10 can create a video by December 21 that dramatizes one of the KnowHow2GO Four Steps to college to win a grand prize of a $1000 EdVest College Savings Account or win a 2nd and 3rd prize of a $500 EdVest College Savings Account.
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It was a “bloody” good time at two Twilight-themed costume parties celebrating the upcoming November release of the “New Moon” movie. Teens joined other vampire fans for movie clips, trivia, food, and more. Winner sof “Best Costume” took home 4 tickets for the upcoming release of “New Moon,” and the “Twilight Trivia Stars” received a full set of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books!
Funding for Twilight costume parties was provided by the Friends of the Meadowridge Branch Library and the Friends of the Pinney Branch Library.
Tonight, Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m., young writers are invited to bring their poetry to the Alicia Ashman Library for an evening of reading, writing, and fun at a “Bad Poetry Nite.” Register online or call 824-1780 to reserve a spot onstage.
Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. Teen Read Week will be celebrated at thousands of public and school libraries, classrooms, and bookstores across the country. Although teens realize the importance of reading, they have a huge menu of activities to choose from when deciding how to spend their free time, and reading often gets lost in the shuffle. Teen Read Week serves as a weeklong reminder to teens that reading for pleasure is fun, free, and can be done anywhere.
This year, teens are encouraged to experience something out of this world, expand their horizons, and Read Beyond Reality for Teen Read Week 2009, occurring October 18 - 24 at the Madison Public Library. The Library has scheduled a number of programs for teens in grades 6 through 12 to help celebrate teen literacy, including costume parties, a poetry slam, and more. The festivities start early with a screening of the popular film “Twilight” on Friday, October 16 at 3:30 p.m. at the Lakeview Library. Pizza will be served. Space is limited; register online or by calling 246-4547. A permission form signed by a parent or guardian is required for entry to this PG-13 film.
It will be a “bloody” good time at two Twilight-themed costume parties celebrating the upcoming November release of the “New Moon” movie. Join other vampire fans for movie clips, trivia, food, and more. Dress as your favorite characters and be sure to brush up on Twilight facts: the winner of “Best Costume” will take home 4 tickets for the upcoming release of “New Moon,” and the “Twilight Trivia Star” will receive a full set of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books! Register in advance to save your spot at one of these parties:
Funding for these events is provided by the Friends of the Meadowridge Branch Library and the Friends of the Pinney Branch Library.
Bring your friends to the Hawthorne Library on Tuesday, October 20 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. for a Guitar Hero free-play. We’ll provide pizza and soda to keep you energized for playing, singing, and rocking to your favorite songs.
On Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m., young writers are invited to bring their poetry to the Alicia Ashman Library for an evening of reading, writing, and fun at a “Bad Poetry Nite.” Register online or call 824-1780 to reserve a spot onstage.
Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. Teen Read Week will be celebrated at thousands of public and school libraries, classrooms, and bookstores across the country. Although teens realize the importance of reading, they have a huge menu of activities to choose from when deciding how to spend their free time, and reading often gets lost in the shuffle. Teen Read Week serves as a weeklong reminder to teens that reading for pleasure is fun, free, and can be done anywhere.
You can find these books at your public library. Madison Public Library copies will be proudly wearing their Favoreads and Teen Choice medals. Congratulations and thanks for voting!! See past Favoreads and Teen’s Choice winners.
Wednesday, September 30 was Higher Education Day in Wisconsin, highlighting the importance of young people planning for their educational futures, and providing access to resources about educational options and financial aid. Middle schoolers and teens have the chance to add to their college savings with an essay contest, open to 4th, 5th and 6th graders in Wisconsin, and a video contest, open to 7th through 10th graders in Wisconsin. Both offer the opportunity to win College Savings Accounts from EdVest.
Author Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty and The Sweet Far Thing) has a new book coming out this month. Going Bovine is coming to your neighborhood library soon. Have a look at Libba’s You Tube interview about this book.
All the votes are in and here are this year’s winners.
1st Place: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal, by Jeff Kinney
2nd Place: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, by James Patterson
3rd Place: Notes from the Midnight Driver, by Jordan Sonnenblick
You can find these books at your public library. Madison Public Library copies will be proudly wearing their Teen Choice medals. Congratulations and thanks for voting!! If you have suggestions for future Teen’s Choice Review books please comment on this blog or on the Teen’s Choice blog.
Suggestions so far are
Naruto by Nasashi Kishimoto; The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer; The Teashop Girls by Laura Schaefer; The Rocket Boys by Homer Hickham; Twilight by Stephenie Meyer; Bloodsong by Melvin Burgess; Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan; Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling; Brsinger by Christopher Paolini; The Book Theif by Markus Zusak; The Wanderer by Sharon Creech; The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong; The Last Olympians by Rick Riordan. Suggested books which have already won the Teen’s Choice medal are: The Lightning Thief; House of the Scorpion; Eragon. See all of the past Teen’s Choice Award winners.
Get ready for digital downloads! On Thursday, July 2, the Madison Public Library will be hosting the Digital Bookmobile, an immersive download experience inside a 74-foot, high-tech trailer, at the Lakeview Branch Library. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., readers of all ages are invited to engage in digital downloading through interactive demonstrations and to experience Madison Public Library’s audiobook and video download service at this free event. We’ll also be serving free beverages, having a special preschool storytime at 1:30 p.m., and participants will have the chance to win one of two Creative MuVo MP3 players!
The Digital Bookmobile is housed inside an 18-wheel tractor trailer. This 74-foot community outreach vehicle is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, all of which help visitors explore the library’s download service and sample audiobooks, music, and video.
Take advantage of the download service 24/7 from the library’s website. From there, you can browse the growing collection of bestselling, new release, and classic titles, and check out a digital title with a valid library card. Once downladed, digital titles can be enjoyed on a computer or transferred to iPods, MP3 players and other mobile devices. Many audio titles can also be burned to audio CD.
Check out photos from the Digital Bookmobile’s stops across the country on Flickr. The Digital Bookmobile is operated by OverDrive, Inc., a subscription database of audiobooks and videos. Love audiobooks? Sign up for our Audiobook e-newsletter and get updates on all the newest and hottest titles available from Madison Public Library!
The votes for the 2009 
Wednesday, September 30 was 
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