New Program!!!
After School Video Gaming for Middle Schoolers!

Come and join us after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and play Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers, Madden and more! Look for us upstairs in the Fletcher or Pickering rooms from 3:30-5:00 December 10th, 15th, 21st and 22nd! Contact Kaelyn with any questions or concerns: kaelyn.murray@ci.burlington.vt.us

Teen Video Gaming on Sunday, December 2oth!

Meet in the Community Room (basement) 1:00-4:00 p.m. for Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Mario Kart and more! We will also be gaming on Sunday, January 10th and Sunday, January 24th. Contact Kaelyn with any questions or concerns: kaelyn.murray@ci.burlington.vt.us

The 19th Annual Books for Children Gift Campaign
November 16 to December 13, 2009

The Fletcher Free Library invites you to share the joy of reading with Burlington preschoolers this Holiday Season!

Gifts of new picture books can be purchased at a 20% discount at Crow Bookshop on upper Church Street and Hopkins Bookshop in St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral on Cherry Street.

The library staff will distribute the books through local community centers.

For more information please call the library Youth Desk: 865-7216.

"Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater

Vampires are all the rage, right now, and don't get me wrong, they're very cool, but I have always had a fascination with werewolves. Not the horror-movie wolf-human hybrid monsters, but real humans who transform into real wolves.

The idea of running furred on four feet through the beautiful wild woods, exploring a richly scented world with a highly sensitive nose, and surrounded by a loving family of pack-mates strongly appeals to me. And the idea of having a choice between this and a humdrum human life is exciting, so I couldn't wait to crack open "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater.

Wow! I got all the above and so much more!

Her writing is magical and poetic with being precious, and her descriptions of wolf life are very realistic. Her plotting is suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the very end.

And the romance, ohhh, the Romance (with a capital 'R')!
This is the most unabashedly romantic book I have read in a long, long time. I wept several times for Grace and Sam, for their joy in each other and their tragedy.

This is a very entertaining and satisfying book. Read it!

Review by Christine Demarais, Youth Services Assistant

November Teen Programs

TAB (Teen Advisory Board) Meeting, Mondays, November 2, 16 & 30, 4:00 p.m. High schoolers: be a part of the process! Help decide what goes into the Young Adult (Teen) collection, and what activities we will have for teens. This could count toward your community service graduation requirement. Please call Rebecca Goldberg for more information or to sign up: 865-7216.

Teens Read! Wednesdays, November 4, 18 & 25, 5:00-5:45 p.m. Participate in a book group for middle schoolers and get started reading. Free. 6th-8th grade students welcome. Please call the Youth Desk to find out what book is currently being discussed and to preregister: 865-7216.


Celebrate National Gaming Day @ Your Library. Saturday, November 14th, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Join yeens from around the U.S. as you try your hand at Guitar Hero, Wii, Rock Band and a variety of PS2 games. Free. Middle and high school students welcome! No preregistration needed.

Part Guilty Pleasure, Part Girl Power: A Review of E. Lockhart's Latest

The heroine of E. Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (2008) is returning to prep school for her sophomore year, and it’s fair to say that she’s blossomed (more physically than emotionally) over the summer. Older boys who barely noticed her when she was just “Zada’s little sister” suddenly pay attention. Frankie’s longtime crush, senior Matthew Livingston, returns her affections at last, and she is thrilled to be included in his social circle.

But after Frankie discovers that Matthew is a high-ranking member of an exclusive all-male secret society (a fact he refuses to discuss with her), she comes up with a plan to prove her worth to this old boys' club: infiltrate the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, and captain their series of pranks on the campus of Alabaster Preparatory Academy.

Fans of Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl and spin-off The It Girl book series will enjoy The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, but E. Lockhart's skilled examination of her characters' struggles will also satisfy readers who are looking for a more substantial story. Frankie's clever manipulation of the boys' pranks is entertaining to follow, and her research into so called "interventionist art" is particularly interesting. Readers who imagined themselves as Kay Thompson's Eloise years ago might picture themselves in Frankie's shoes today.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is recommended for readers in Grade 7 and up.


Megan Estey
Youth Services
Fletcher Free Library

Video Game Tournaments

Congratulations to Nick...our 2nd time tournament champion. Nick left for home with a coupon for a free pizza, courtesy of Leonardo's! Our next video game tournament will be held on Saturday, August 1st, from 11 AM - 3PM! We'll look forward to seeing you there!
-Trish

The Next Book Club Meeting

The next meeting of the teen book club is July 6th from 3PM-4PM in the Pickering Room! See you there with free snacks, soda, and fun!

Video Game Tournament

Just a reminder to everyone that the video game tournament which was scheduled for Saturday, June 27th (tomorrow) from 11AM-3PM has been rescheduled to Saturday, July 11th from 11AM-3PM. Thanks guys!

New Teen Literacy Coordinator!

Hi everyone! I' hope that you're all as excited as I am about this summer! The new person behind our teen events is Will Sedlack. He will be running the Video Game Tournaments and the Teen Book Club this summer. All other teen programming will be on hold until the start of the school year.

The next video game tournament will be on Saturday, July 11th from 11 AM-3 PM in the Community Room at the library.

The teen book club meetings will occur on Mondays from 3-4 PM on the following dates: June 22nd, July 6th, and July 20th.

We are reading Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher. Here is a description:

On a school trip to the Natural History Museum in London, a 12-year-old loner named George is banished for something he didn't do. Angry, he lashes out and breaks off a dragon's head carved onto the wall of the museum. Next thing he knows, a pterodactyl carving comes to life and begins to chase him. From Gunner, a walking, talking statue, George learns that he has entered another layer of reality, and that his arrival has started a new war between good spits (statues that are imbued with a soullike essence by their inspired makers) and evil taints (soulless carvings). With the advice of various spits, and the companionship of a girl named Edie, George seeks answers from two Sphinx statues, whose enigmatic clues lead the pair into a terrifying adventure. Creatively building on the plentiful gargoyles and other creepy stonework of its urban setting, this lengthy novel, the first in a planned trilogy, will draw capable readers for its suspenseful chase scenes, scary creatures, and highly original premise.

Teen Video Game Tournaments

Hey guys! I have had so much fun gaming with you all on these past few Saturdays! As another reminder...the Video Game Tournaments are being postponed until our new Teen Literacy Coordinator starts in June. Keep checking for more news and a date for the next tournament!

Teen Writing Club

Do you want a chance to say what you want to say and write whatever you want? Then writing club is for you! This is open to anyone in Middle School to High School. The next meeting will be on April 6th from 3-4 PM in the Pickering Room. All materials will be provided and there will be free snacks and drinks. Contact Trisha at trisha.irving@yahoo.com or call the Youth Desk at 802-865-7216.

Board Game Day!

For those of you who want to try your hand at Apples to Apples, Monopoly, Scrabble, Catch Phrase, or Cranium...this is the teen event for you! On Monday, April 20th from 3-4 PM in the Pickering Room, come play some board games with your friends for an hour! The event is free and includes free snacks and drinks. If you'd like to bring your own games to play, that's okay too! (But we do have some games here at the library) No preregistration required! Contact Trish at trisha.irving@yahoo.com or call the Youth Desk at 802-865-7216 for more information!

Teen Book Club!

Love to read? Want to talk about what you read? Join our Middle School Teen Book Club! Our meetings for the month of April are on Mondays, April 13th & 27th from 3-4 PM in the Pickering Room at the Fletcher Free Library. There will always be free snacks and soda, so stop by! We are currently reading the 'Fablehaven' series and we are on the newly released addition, Book 4! You can read these books in any order so it's never too late to join! Contact Trish at trisha.irving@yahoo.com for more information!

Video Game Tournament

Our last Video Game Tournament here at the Library was so successful that we are holding another! It's taking place on Saturday, April 4th, from 2-5 PM. As usual, everything is free and preregistration is not required. Just show up and use the games for a few hours! There will be free food and a $10 gift certificate to FYE to the player with the most points at the end. Anyone in grades 6-12 may participate!

Teen Advisory Board: TAB

Calling all teens! Are you in highschool and in dire need of community service hours? Come to Fletcher Free Library and earn your hours in a fun and relaxing way! TAB is a group of highschool students who meet to discuss changes in the library while doing crafts and making posters to promote teen events! It's easy and painless and we meet every other Wednesday for an hour! Contact Trish at trisha.irving@yahoo.com for more information or call the Youth Desk at FFL at 802-865-7216.

PS: We're also looking for 'shelvers' and Summer Reading help for the summer! If this is "more down your alley," contact Trish.

Teen Writing Club Interest Meeting

Would you like an opportunity to say what you want to say? Write with your friends and create your own stories, songs, plays, poems, etc! Write about whatever you'd like and share only if you want to! (Your works could even get published!) We will be meeting in the Pickering Room on Friday, March 27th, from 3-4 PM. Contact Trish for more information!

"Bracelets, Beads, and Braids"

Come relax and celebrate Young Art Month by making some art of your own! On Monday, March 23rd from 3-4:30 PM in the Pickering Room join Trish as we learn fun ways to make bracelets or necklaces out of hemp and string using different patterns and beads. All materials will be provided. Grades 4-12. Contact Trish for more information!

Video Game Tournament and Free-Play

On Saturday, March 21st from 2-6 PM in the Community Room, come enjoy an afternoon of free video gaming in both tournament and free-play set-up! Enjoy the Wii, Rockband, Guitar Hero, DDR, Supersmash Brothers, etc..Free pizza and snacks will be provided. No pre-registration required. Grades 4-12. For more information, contact Trish at trisha.irving@yahoo.com

Middle School Book Club

Join us as we read Fablehaven Book 1 this month! New and old members are welcome to attend our next meeting on Monday, March 16th from 3:00-4:00 PM in the Pickering Room! Snacks and soda will be provided.

Teen Advisory Board

The Teen Advisory Board is active again, starting with our first official meeting on Wednesday, February 18th, from 7-8 PM in the Teen Area of the library. New and old members are welcome! Come to discuss how we can improve the teen section of the library, learn about teen programing, and earn community service hours! Free snacks will be provided.

Teen Book Club

We had our first meeting of the Fletcher Free Teen Book Club on Monday, February 9th! We have decided to read the Fablehaven series and therefore our book for this month is Fablehaven, Book One. For a brief synopsis of the book, check out this site:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44652.Fablehaven

We are still looking for new members and would love to have you join us! Don't worry about not having the book, I have extra copies! Simply come to our next meeting which will be Monday, February 23rd, from 3-4 PM in the Pickering Room. Free snacks will be provided.

Teen Programs are Starting Again!!

We have a new Teen Literacy Coordinator named Trish who is an intern from UVM! She is in the process of getting the Teen Book Club, the Teen Advisory Board, as well as the gaming tournaments started up again. If you have any interest in joining the Teen Book Club, there will be a meeting on Monday, February 9th from 3-4PM in the Pickering Room at the Library. Old and new members are welcome! There will be snacks, soda, etc.

Keep checking back for information on the first Teen Advisory Board meeting and when the gaming tournaments will begin!