Quick Links

Search Teens


Follow us on Instagram: @dbrlteen

TeenTober Reviews: A Bit of Romance to Start Things Off

Posted on Friday, October 8, 2021 by Stellan Harris

TeenTober Logo

Welcome to the first of our TeenTober review posts dear readers! For those of you not in the know, we’re going to be showcasing some of the titles and reviews we got from the teens who participated in the DBRL Teen Summer Reading Program. Our reviews this week focus on some of our reviewers who chose books of the more romantic variety, something that was far from rare in the reviews we received. What can we say, some of you just love a good romance! 

Our first review comes from Isabella, who gave a 5-star review for “My Lady Jane” by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. A period romance, with a bit of fantasy thrown in for color, Isabella described the book as “Mystical, Romantic, and Historic” and enjoyed the novel due to a love of “twisted fairytales and a good love tale.” Isabella does warn that there is some questionable language, but that you should definitely check this bok out if “you like history flips with a pinch of magic, and if you love a good love story.” If that sounds like you, then give “My Lady Jane” a look!

Our next review comes to us from a reviewer who wished to remain anonymous, but one who gave a 5-star review to “Anna K: A Love Story” by Jenny Lee. A modern retelling of the Russian literary classic “Anna Karenina”, this novel is, as Grace puts it, “all about love, and who we are as people. While we may present a certain image to the public, there’s always something going on behind the scenes. This book follows the romances of multiple people, and how all their lives are tied together.” Sounds like quite the book! If you’re looking for a book that is “hopeful, a tear jerker, broken yet beautiful” and ready for a book that will, according to Grace, “give you all the feels,” give “Anna K: A Love Story” a shot!

Finally, our last 5-star review from Olivia takes us from the Manhattan skyline to the winding streets of Tuscany in “Love and Gelato” by Jenna Evans Welch. The novel focuses on Lina’s trip to Tuscany, as a last wish from her mother, as she seeks to reunite with her estranged father. Yet, as she discovers a diary kept by her mother when she lived in Italy, the trip becomes something much more for Lina. Jasmine picked up the book after “a friend suggested this book to read and it’s one of the best books I’ve read. It has a great plot and you just can’t put the book down.” So maybe pick up “Love and Gelato” for a book that is, according to Jasmine, “full of love, romance, and mystery” to start your TeenTober off right!

 

And that’s going to conclude our featured reviews for this first week of TeenTober! Come back next week for another batch of reviews from the teens in our Summer Reading program, and keep your eyes peeled for more TeenTober programs and posts.

Best Friend Guided Painting

Posted on Thursday, July 1, 2021 by Megan

Image: Two paintings connected by a rainbow. Painting on the left has a slothicorn on a cloud and painting on the right is a unicorn on a cloud. Text: ages 10+ Best Friend Guided Painting Sloth or Unicorn

My best friend and I love to paint so we decided to make a friendship painting together! We combined our favorite things–rainbows, slothicorns and unicorns and made a beautiful painting! Grab your best pal and paint along with us on our YouTube channel.

Here is what you’ll need to get started. This is the exact list of what we used, but you can deviate from the list and make it your own!

  • Canvas. We used a 4×4 canvas.
  • Acrylic paint. We used the following colors and mixed them to make other colors:
    • White
    • Blue
    • Black
    • Red
    • Yellow
    • Purple
    • Green
    • Orange
  • Brush. We used a small flat brush for the background and sometimes a Sharpie for the details.
  • Water cup and towel. You will want to rinse and squeeze your brush between each color.
  • Paper plate. We used a paper plate to mix my colors.

Optional supplies.

  • Hair dryer. You can use a hair dryer to make your dry time a little faster.
  • Apron or drop cloth. We used acrylic paint which is sometimes difficult to get out of fabric, so if you are a messy painter you may want to cover up anything you don’t intend to paint.
  • Snacks. Each painting will take you about 30 minutes to complete if you use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process. Creativity takes a lot of brainpower, so you’ll want to have some sparkling water handy to stay hydrated and maybe snack nearby. Make sure to wash your hands before you eat!

We would love to see your finished artwork. Snap a pic and send it to us at kids@dbrl.org.

Image of Megan and Kristy holding painting of slothicorn and unicorn.

DIY Haunted Terrarium

Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2020 by Tess

Is your inner ethereal garden witch itching to grow something green and spoopy this fall? Have no fear, for spooky terrariums are here! Today I’m going to walk you through building your own terrarium to bring the green inside (since everything outside is going to ground for the season). The first thing you are going to need is an interesting container for your terrarium. Many craft stores will have fish bowls or glass jars that will work well, but I highly recommend checking out garage sales for unique old glass pieces for super cheap prices.  Continue reading “DIY Haunted Terrarium”

Books for the College Bound

Posted on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 by Brandy

Every five years, the Young Adult Library Services Association publishes its lists of “Outstanding Books for the College Bound.” These lists includes titles that span across five major subject areas: Arts and Humanities; History and Cultures; Literature and Languages; Science and Technology; and, Social Sciences. It is a combination of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and graphic novels. Titles were selected based on criteria including readability; racial and cultural diversity; and, balance of viewpoints.

These recommended books are primarily for high school students looking to strengthen their knowledge in preparation for college; however, they are also appropriate for any lifelong learner wishing to gain a deeper understanding of both classic and contemporary literature. Continue reading “Books for the College Bound”

Six-Word Memoirs: Teen Showcase

Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2020 by Brandy

Earlier this summer, we invited library patrons of all ages to tell us about themselves in just six words. We had an overwhelming response of nearly 115 submissions! You can view the full album of Six-Word Memoirs on the library’s Facebook page. In the meantime, here is a collection of memoirs from the 24 teens who participated in this online program. Continue reading “Six-Word Memoirs: Teen Showcase”

Practice for Your Driver’s License Exam

Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2020 by Brandy

Through our partnership with Driving-Tests.org, the Daniel Boone Regional Library can help you get your Missouri driver’s license. With this service, all library cardholders have online access to the Missouri driver’s manual and free practice exams.

You will need to log in using your DBRL library card number. Your PIN is your birthdate (MMDDYYYY). If you have questions or encounter difficulties logging in, please call (573) 443-3161 or 1-800-324-4806.

The Selector’s Selections: May 2020

Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2020 by Brianna

The following are just a small selection of the plethora of delightful books we have available digitally. If there’s a book you’d really love to read that we don’t have on OverDrive or Hoopla, use this form to let me know! Sometimes I can even purchase digital copies of books that are out of print in physical format. For example, I recently picked up these wonderful 1980s horror books! Seriously, if you like horror they are worth a read—there’s a haunted house populated by Dungeons & Dragons style monsters. It’s awesome. With no further ado, here are my selections for the merry month of May.

“Girls Save the World in This One” by Ash Parsons

Speaking of horror, this one gives off some major “Shaun of the Dead” vibes. June and her friends are thrilled to attend ZombieCon, a celebration of their favorite zombie apocalypse show. When the cosplayers start to get a little too into it, the girls quickly realize this zombie apocalypse is for real. The title may give away the ending, but readers will enjoy this fast-paced action comedy that pokes fun at horror tropes. Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: May 2020”

2020 Teens’ Top Ten Nominees

Posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 by Brandy

2020 Teens’ Top Ten Nominees (PDF)

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list of recommended reading sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Fifteen young adult book clubs from libraries across the country are responsible for determining this list of 25 nominees. Teens nationwide have nearly six months to read as many titles as possible before voting on their favorites in the fall. The ten finalists will be announced in October during Teen Read week.

Below is this year’s full list of nominees. The library offers print, eBook and audiobook editions of most titles. Continue reading “2020 Teens’ Top Ten Nominees”

The Selector’s Selections: April 2020

Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 by Brianna

I just want you all to know that the library is still buying books for you! I’m focusing on eBooks and downloadable audiobooks these days, and we have some really great options. The best part is that it’s easy to keep up with holds since there’s no processing time on these, so hopefully you won’t have to wait too long for anything. Anyway, here’s some books I’m excited about!

“The Fire Never Goes Out” by Noelle Stevenson

You guys. I love Noelle Stevenson, and have ever since her Pokeymans and Marvel days. When I saw that she had a memoir coming out I got very excited. Of course it’s illustrated, and I can’t wait to read it. Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: April 2020”