Columbia Public Library – Day
Megan, Youth Services Librarian, sits down at her computer to write the first teen blog for 2026.
MEGAN
It’s the new year, which means there are more new books to read! I should look and see what new young adult books are coming out in the next six months. And I’m between books right now, so I could use some inspiration for my TBR list.
NARRATOR
Megan was not between books right now. She actually has several books checked out at the moment, and none of them are young adult novels.
MEGAN
Hey, wait a minute. Those were books I checked out in 2025. Those don’t count towards my TBR. The clock resets on January first, right?
NARRATOR
Whatever you say. But you still have a lot of books you need to read. Didn’t you just tell someone you haven’t read “The Hunger Games,” and wasn’t “Sunrise on the Reaping” one of the most read teen books in 2025? How can you 1. Call yourself a Youth Service Librarian while not reading one of the best-selling teen series of all time? 2. Don’t you think you should read the classics before you start adding books to your TBR list?
MEGAN
Shhh. You weren’t supposed to out me like that! Ok and maybe I should read “The Hunger Games,” and maybe you should mind your own business. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, new young adult books coming to a library near you in 2026. Here are the ones I’m looking forward to the most. Continue reading “New Year, New Books”
Young Adult books aren’t just for teens! In fact, many of our staff regularly read YA so we asked them what their favorites were this year. We asked them to describe their favorite books in three words and to rate them on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. Check out some of their picks below or you can check the full list in our online catalog – Staff YA Faves 2025! Continue reading “Staff YA Picks of 2025”
In the modern Western world, we associate ghost stories with Halloween, but the tradition is much older. When the nights are long and cold, and the dark feels more dangerous, it makes sense for thoughts to turn to unsettling things. Many Christmas traditions are connected to the Winter Solstice celebration and the festival of Yule. The darkest days of the year are seen by many as a time when the dead has the strongest influence over the living, and many cultures have traditions to ward against the monsters of winter.
Let’s continue the tradition of scary stories around the solstice and not shy away from darker thoughts and the things lurking in the night. Cozy up with a book and remember the promise that we can start over, even if we are all a little haunted. Continue reading “A Very Scary Christmas”
Many mwahaha tidings of toned-down terror to all of my fellow whimsigoths, baby bats and self-proclaimed scaredy cats! While society at large might be turning the calendar page on spooky season this upcoming weekend, we true believers know it is always Halloween in our souls. 🦇🎃❣️ Which means it is (always) time for another installment of Spooky, Not Scary — a watch-list designed with the gentlest ghosties in mind. 👻🫶🏼
For those just joining in, I give you the following titles that are avowedly Spooky, Not Scary™. Each title is rated on a scale of 0-5 smashed pumpkins. The more smashed pumpkins (which I’ve metaphorically dropped out of terror), the closer the tv show/movie/video is to being truly frightening.
Note: no gourds were harmed in the making of this list, though some may have been consumed, especially if transformed via kitchen witchery into a baked good evil. 😈✨🍞🍪
You can access the full list of this year’s picks at this link (as well as volume one at this link; volume two a.k.a. boo! at this link; and volume threeeeeeek! at this link); what follows are some of my not-so-fearsome favs with minimal spoilers.
Continue reading “Spooky, Not Scary™ Watch-list: Volume Oh, the Fourror! 👹”
The nights are getting long and dark and we are well into Spooky Season. There is no better way to spend a creepy evening than safe inside with a spine-chilling story. And we have a fresh harvest of scary books to offer!
Continue reading “Scare Up a Good Book”
Happy Banned Books Week! 🎉 Banned Book Week takes place from October 5-11 this year, but of course, any day is a good day to read a banned book. October 11 is also Let Freedom Read Day, and you can take action by 📖 checking out a banned book from the library, ✍🏽writing a letter to your favorite banned author, or 🗳️registering to vote! Continue reading “Teen Reader Reviews: Banned Books 🚫📖”
It’s fall, y’all! And if you’re looking for something to get you in the spirit of the season, check out one of these titles!
Is there anything more autumnal than a pumpkin patch? That is the setting of Rainbow Rowell’s “Pumpkinheads.” Every fall, Deja and Josiah work together at the local pumpkin patch, but this is their senior year and their last fall as “seasonal best friends.” Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling sad about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. What if instead of moping they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! Try all of the things they never have! A sweet and hilarious story about discovering what it means to leave behind a place — and a person — with no regrets. Continue reading “It’s Fall, Y’all!”
Our teens had a Suzanne Collins Summer! Despite the fact that the first “Hunger Games” book debuted nearly 20 years ago (if you are a parent, teacher, or geriatric millennial, it will turn 20 in 2028), we still had several summer reading reviews for her books! It’s always bittersweet when summer reading is over, but it means we get to start sharing your book reviews, and we’ll share more throughout the school year!
Continue reading “Teen Reader Reviews: Suzanne Collins Edition”
Happy Pride!
If you’re looking for a new, queer read, I’ve got a list for you, no matter which flag you fly!
Night of the Living Queers
A collection of 13 horror stories all written by queer authors about the Halloween night that changed their lives forever. Continue reading “(Still) Reading With Pride”
Happy Juneteenth everyone! This holiday, only recognized widely within the last few years, was established to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans and as a day to celebrate the influence and contributions that Black Americans have made to the culture and history of the United States. The list of Black people who have had an impact on this country is far, far too long to list, but the influence of many of these figures is felt even to this very day. In times like these, it is especially important, when racism and violence against the Black community, both individual and institutional, is on the rise, that we can take a day to honor both all that we have achieved and all the struggles that have been overcome on the way here. With that in mind, we have put together a book list with a variety of titles written by Black authors, with Black characters, that celebrate Black history, and joy!
You can find our book list at the link here. No matter what draws your eye, we hope that you have a wonderful Juneteenth! As a reminder, all of our locations will be closed on June 19th.
