Teens who would like to sign up to help with the book sale on October 15 & 16 should contact the Lee County Library at (919) 718-4665.

Read any good books lately? I’d like to recommend 13 reasons why by Jay Asher.

When Clay finds a mysterious package on his doorstep addressed to him, he’s puzzled that it contains a series of cassette tapes. Turns out, the tapes were recorded by Hannah, who committed suicide just weeks earlier. And Hannah says anyone who receives the tapes is part of the reason she killed herself. In one of the longest nights of his life, Clay listens to the tapes and finds out that he and some of his friends may not be who everyone thought they were. This is a real page turner with a lot to talk about. Don’t miss it! Let me know what you thought of it.

Once July hits and I can order some new books, I’ll add some titles here. Meanwhile, I’m open to suggestions for new materials–let me know what you like to read.

Meanwhile, don’t let your brains leak out during the summer months. Come in to the library starting June 14 and pick up a reading record. Just keep track of the time you spend reading. Win prizes for finishing your sheet and/or attend a pool party at O.T. Sloan on Monday, July 26. It’s all FREE! For more information, stop by or call the library at (919) 718-4665 x. 5483.

Remember, only a FEW tickets will be available so don’t wait til the last minute! Get yours today from teen advisory board members at Southern Lee or Lee Senior High, or come to the front desk at the Lee County Library. For more information, call (919) 718-4665 x 5483.

This event is open to any teen attending a Lee County, NC high school and in grades 9 to 12.

Get in on the ground floor: if you’d like to be involved in planning this dance or other events for area teens, join the Teen Advisory Board. Membership is open to any teen who attends a Lee County High School (or is home schooled in Lee County) and who is in grade 9 through 12.

Next Meeting: Monday, November 22@4:00 p.m.  Library conference room. Call (919) 718-4665 x. 5483 for more information.

There are plenty of great ones, including

Bucking the Sarge, by Christopher Paul Curtis

Luther’s mother is a major scam artist who doesn’t mind dumping on her son or the indigents she is supposed to be caring for. Sad and funny, with memorable characters.

Lock and Key, by Sarah Dessen

Ruby’s alcoholic mother abandons her, and she winds up living with a married sister whom Ruby thinks also turned her back on her. Will she fit in to her new, upscale environment? Does being rich make you happy? Are outward appearances always true?

Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson

An edgier “Little House on the Prairie”. . .Hattie is an orphan who nobody seems to want. When she inherits a homestead in Montana, she finds that her hitherto miserable life was nothing compared to the struggle she faces to hang on to her property. This may sound like a dull book, but Hattie’s battles with blizzards, wolves, and racists will keep you turning pages ’til the bitter end.

Brooklyn Bridge, by Karen Hesse

Joseph Michtom (rhymes with “victim“) should be happy–his family is no longer destitute since they’ve invented and begun manufacturing Teddy Bears. But life in turn-of-the-century Brooklyn is still plenty difficult for immigrants, and especially for those orphaned and abandoned children who live underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Find out how their tormented lives intersect with Joseph’s in this fast-reading novel.

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

What, you haven’t read it? What are you waiting for? This is a classic tale of a family’s struggle to survive during the Great Depression.

The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair

This classic about a poor immigrant’s struggle to make a living in the meat-packing plants and stockyards of Chicago was an early wake-up call about unfair and dangerous working conditions. Graphic descriptions of the conditions under which its foods were being produced outraged Americans, who hastened to enact legislation that ensured safer foods, but not better conditions for the workers producing them. The author claimed that he had aimed at people’s hearts, but instead hit them in the stomach.

I Am the Messenger, by M. Zusak

An Australian teen helps thwart a bank robbery and then begins to receive mysterious messages about people he is supposed to help. To get the full impact of this Australian tale, try listening to the book on CD.

Need more recommendations for good reads? Come in and chat with a librarian! Remember, we’ve got movies, magazines, and manga to keep you going through the holidays!

Oh, and there’s no admission fee. . .no need to pre-register. . .just show up! See you on the 20th!

Do you have what it takes to make it all the way to the gross out table? Participants will munch their way through a series of disgusting treats in an effort to win the coveted Cruddy Cup.

You can bring your friends! Form a team! The event is free but you MUST register to participate. Call today!

AND. . .don’t forget. . .November Coffee House at the Lee County Library

Next coffee house will take place on Thursday, November 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Come to perform or just hang out. Coffee house is for teens ages 14 to 18. There is no charge, refreshments are served, no need to register–just show up. For more information, call the library at (919) 774-6045.