Teen Blog

Detective fiction is such an integral part of the current literary landscape that many people have difficulty remembering all its subgenres, popular works, and notable authors. This series explores the history of detective fiction, the authors who were a major influence on its development, and books and films in its major subgenres.
Join CRRL volunteeer John Gaines for a study in sleuthing.

If you're an aspiring writer or a lover of teen fantasies, you'll want to put the date, December 21st on your calendar. Local author, Maggie Stiefvater, will be visiting the Salem Church Library to talk about books and writing. Teens and adults are invited to drop in during our regular Lit Bistro time, 3:30-5:00. Ms. Stiefvater will be joining us from 4:00-5:00. Ms. Stiefvater is the author of two fantasy series. One of her books, Shiver, has been on the New York Times bestseller list.

Today's libraries are not just for books, computers and magazines – the Salem Church library now has its own geocache!  In geocaching, participants obtain the location of a geocache from a geocaching Web site www.geocaching.com, use a GPS to arrive in the area of the cache, and then follow clues or simply hunt for the cache.   There are over 1000 caches waiting to be found within a 25 mile radius of the Fredericksburg area!  

Check out this recent PBS NewsHour interview with Sherman Alexie, author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and War Dances.

Visit the PBS NewsHour web site to watch more videos of Sherman and to listen to him read several of his poems.

Ghost stories abound in our area. From a lovelorn lass at a colonial mansion to a Virginia patriot fallen on hard times to soldiers for whom the battle goes on, our region is rife with spirits of all sorts. This fall, take time for a tour of the Ghosts of Fredericksburg.

Rather than being based on an ancient legend, religious concept, or historical figure, the Creature's origin is solely literary in nature, being confined to one book. Despite this, public perception of him has changed greatly since the publication of the original novel, leading to wildly divergent styles and plotlines in various film adaptations.

The Young Adult Library Services Association has just announced this year's Teens' Top Ten. Over 11,000 teens voted online for their favorites from August 24 through September 18. And the winners are ...

1. Paper Towns by John Green
2. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
5. Identical by Ellen Hopkins
6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
7. Wake by Lisa McMann
8. Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast
9. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
10. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Teen Read Week is all about reading for fun, so take a break from homework by checking out one of these great books.

The image of a cursed soul doomed to become a werewolf at the rising of a full moon is one of the most iconic concepts in horror. Unlike Dracula or the Mummy, the notion of a “wolf man” or “werewolf” was not cemented by one single actor, author, book, or horror series. It is instead a truly ancient concept dating back to the pre-literate sagas and legends told by Europeans centuries ago.

Do you love Japanese anime? Join the club! Anime enthusiasts meet at the Salem Church Library every month on the 1st Monday, 6:30-8:00PM at the Salem Church Library. Watch anime episodes, show off your anime-inspired artwork, cosplay your favorite characters, win door prizes and hang out with lots of like-minded fans. See you there!

"It comes to life!"
Wrapped in the mysteries of the ages, mummies have inspired stories of romance and suspense both in the pages of books and on the big screen. In this installment of a continuing series on famous movie monsters, John Gaines traces their evolution from honored kings to shambling horrors.