Story Tags

Illuminae

The Final Frontier

Teen Sci-Fi Set in Space

Looking for some thrilling, fast-paced science fiction that will leave you on the edge of your seat? Look no further than these six young adult novels, which are also great crossover reads for adults. 

art

Five Books That Got Me Interested in Reading

Reading used to be a chore for me. I used to cringe every time I had English/Literature class through my elementary/middle school years. I sat in the back and rarely raised my hand. I had done the reading required for that day. I had pretty good "reading comprehension" skills even though I didn't know it was even called that at that age. That wasn't the problem. I just was never interested in the books they had us reading at that time.

A black man wearing a black superhero suit

Book Recommendations for Fans of Quirky Recent TV

Many would argue that there’s never been a better variety of storytelling available on TV. With a wider variety of platforms, shows can flourish without having to appeal to absolutely everyone. And it can be great, as a fan, to discover that someone else loves a show that’s more of a niche than a giant watercooler hit.  So, as a reader who also loves good TV, here are some quirky recommendations based on my favorite recent, or in some cases recently cancelled, TV shows.

Saving Red

Books In Verse

YA Titles With Impact Using Fewer Words

Using different styles of writing can be a great tool for authors who want to mix up the young adult reading scene. In the titles below, each author uses the in verse writing style that delivers less words to arrive at deep emotion, character flaws and pivotal plot points. A reader could interpret this writing style as similar to poetry or symbolic to user interpretation. Do you agree?  

Bitter in the Mouth

Worlds Where Senses Mix, Part Two

Explorations of Synesthesia in Adult and Teen Fiction

The last few decades have seen a resurgence of interest in synesthesia, the neurological condition in which a stimulus of one sense involuntarily evokes another sense (such as hearing colors or tasting words). Not only has synesthesia become a well-developed area of research within neuroscience, but many new works of literature, along with new attention on certain older works, have broadened awareness of this fascinating phenomenon.

Cracker!

DC Reads for Children and Teens

Starting a conversation about war, refugees, and immigrants

May is here, and that means DC Reads has begun. Throughout the month of May, our One City-One Book program encourages D.C. residents to read, discuss and connect around one book. This year's title is The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winner and newly appointed member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

Sample image from teen author website. Click photo for this book in the catalog.

Parklands-Turner YA Read Feed Book Club

Call for Submissions of Teen Book Review Teasers

Teens: Have you recently read a really great book? Do you have a favorite book that you'd like to recommend to other teens?   Do you want to earn additional community service hours? Accomplish all of these each time you write a book review that gets published on the Parklands-Turner Library page.  Submit your one-page review to Young Adult and Teen Specialist Auset Whaley.

The Lake

Read Around the World: Japan

Japanese literature that isn't by Haruki Murakami

Expand your literary horizons by reading literature from other countries. Haruki Murakami is one of the most well-known authors in Japanese literature. Yet he is only one of many modern Japanese writers whose works are accessible in translation. A wide variety of genres and styles are represented in the selections below (all of which can be accessed through DC Public Library's stellar and diverse collection). Young Readers (Pre-K to 3rd Grade)

The Here and Now

Moving Through Time and Space

Young Adult Fiction With Time and Inter-Dimensional Travel

Some of the most thrilling books involve characters operating in multiple time periods to accomplish a personal goal or rectify a dire circumstance. Whether going backward in history, or forward in time, stories that use this literary device become exciting with each layer of anticipation. The following titles feature teens traveling through time or other dimensions to initiate a chain of compelling events. 

StrangerintheWoods

Solitude

A Life Apart From The World

Everyone, at some point or another, seeks out some alone time—to get away from the noise, to escape the pressures and stress of everyday life. Solitude has a healing quality that renews, strengthens and fortifies. There are some people that choose a life of solitude for any number of reasons and others that find themselves alone through no choice of their own. The following are some recent and classic accounts of the solitary life.

Pages