Posts by Zachary Loeb

From drug addiction to suicide, from abuse to striving for perfection, Ellen Hopkins is not afraid of writing about the dangers that all too frequently affect the lives of today’s teenagers. Her thick novels, told using free-verse poetry, have seen Hopkins win awards, rise to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, and become one of the most popular authors of young-adult fiction. TeenLIVE is honored to be bringing Ellen Hopkins to Grand Central Library on Wednesday, September 28 at 4:30 p.m.

The sun is glistening off the glass of skyscrapers, New Yorkers dash from one air conditioned spot to another, and the sides of iced beverages sweat as much as those desperately sipping from those selfsame drinks. Whether you are heading to Coney Island, lounging in a precious spot of shade in the park, or hiding inside and enjoying the A/C, you are probably aware that summer has come to our fair city bringing with it a rise in temperature that feels anything but fair.

Before the authors even arrived, there was already a long line of excited fans outside of the community room at Mulberry Street Library. These young bibliophiles were gathered for a chance to hear from some of their favorite authors, who were participating in the Writing for Teens Today: Author Speak panel, part of this year’s BookExpo America (BEA) event lineup.

Summer officially begins today, but that didn't stop kids and teens from getting started on their summer reading early. This year's Summer Reading program kicked off in style at the Seward Park Library on June 9th. Shade trees provided some relief from the sun for the crowd that gathered for the launch, but the heat of the day could have just been a result of the excitement in the air.

Who are you?  Really, think about it for a minute. How do you define your identity? Does it have to do with your ethnicity? Your nationality? Your religion? What about the language you speak? Is it related to what you do? Your hobbies, interests, and ambitions? What about your physical features? Your gender, height, hair color? The question of what makes us us is one that people struggle with for their entire lives, and most people begin wrestling with that question from a young age.