Forged by Fire

Recently, many teens have been asking for the book Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper. It has been a number of years since I read this gripping book and I wondered what spurred a new interest in the title. I soon found out that a local teacher had assigned the book as a summer reading assignment.

"If you don't sit your stinkin' useless butt back down..."
so begins the novel Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper


Gerald knows he must survive the abuse of his drug addicted mother; beatings, burnings and verbal abuse. Gerald knows he must survive so he can protect his sister from their mother's cruel boyfriend.

Have you read Forged by Fire? Post your review under "comments"

Dancing in September

Shake off the back to school blues with some fun at the library. Yes, I used the words "fun" and "library" in the same sentence. Check-out all these great events and of course be sure to enter the BANNED BOOKS WEEK CONTEST and be eligible to win a $50 Border's Books and Music gift card.

Upcoming Events:

Make a Wire Wrap Bracelet
Teen Tuesday at Excelsior branch:Make a bracelet using wire wrap techniques. All supplies provided. Accessorize your favorite school outfit with a unique bracelet and have all your friends wondering where you got it.
Tuesday September 5
4pm
@Excelsior library 4400 Mission ST
355-2868

Wee wonderful Teen Sewing Workshop
Make an adorable Pointy Kitty! needle and fabric project. Make this cute kitty and always have someone to talk to.
Wednesday September 6
6:30-8:30pm
Presidio Branch
3150 Sacramento ST
355-2801

Flexagons!
Flummox your families and friends, leave them wondering how you made this fantastic Flexagon from only one piece of paper. What is a Flexagon!? A book structure that opens to reveal hidden pages.
Wednesday September 13
3:30-5:30pm
Parkside Branch
355-5770

Altered Books: Making new books from used books
Take an old tired book and make something new! Use glue, paper, paint almost anything to create an Altered Book.
Thursday September 21 3:30pm-5:30pm
Richmond Branch
355-5643

Movies @ the Library
Free movies=Free fun. Told you we put the fun into libraries.
Friday September 22
3:30-5:30pm
Ortega Branch
355-5700
**Film buffs....have a film request? E-mail your requests to kolson@sfpl.org

Tag a T-shirt/ Airbrush art
Airbrush your personal tag or art on a t-shirt. Graffiti that legal! And best of all you keep the shirt. All materials and shirts provided.
Wednesday September 27
4-6pm
Ocean View Library
255-5615

Fun & Funky Book Binding
What can you make with an old flyswatter? Or the sweater you stole from your sister? Or what about that shoe whose mate you lost? MAKE A BOOK OUT OF IT. Learn to make a book from almost anything.
Friday September 29
3-5pm
Portola Branch
355-5660

Welcome Back, STAC
Sunset Teen Advisory Council (STAC) welcomes you to join other SF teens in helping the library. Meet for SNACKS the last Friday of the month. Choose books and plan events!
Friday September 29
4-5:30pm
email kolson@sfpl.org for details

+Did you know that many branches at SFPL have Teen Advisory Councils? Interested in hanging out with other like minded teens and helping the library at the same time. (oh, and there is usually food served)? Contact your local library or the Main Teen Center.

CHINATOWN ZINE
Fridays, September 8,15,22,29
3:30-5:30pm
Saturdays, September 9,16,23,30
1-3pm
Chinatown Branch
http://www.sfpl.org/sfplonline/teen/sfteenzine/english/index.html

Bluford Booklist

BLUFORD SERIES Booklist

What's it like to be the new kid at school? When does revenge on a bully go to far? What happens when you start to fear your boyfriend? The Bluford Series takes place at Bluford High. Follow the lives of students as they deal with these problems and more; the return of an absent father, troubled home life and daily trials that make high school well...high school. Check out all the titles in the series. AND tell us what you think. POST YOUR REVIEWS.

Lost and Found

A Matter of Trust

Secrets in the Shadows

Someone to Love Me

The Bully

The Gun

Until We Meet Again

Blood is Thicker

Brothers in Arms

Summer of Secrets

The Fallen

Shattered

Search for Safety

At SFPL we are always on the lookout for new series. Have a suggestion? Let us know!

15 Minutes of Fame

"In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes"
-Andy Warhol

Our very own Main Teen Librarian, Betsy Levine, just had 15 minutes of fame! Catch the whole interview with FogFiles own Peter Finch.

http://24.104.40.88/kfog/Fogfileslibraryrocks.mp3

If you get a chance, be sure to visit the Main Library Teen Center. Also, keep an eye out for exciting programs for teens at the Main.

Play that again Sam!

What can be more relaxing than an afternoon concert? Perhaps a free afternoon concert by the Greater Gwent Youth Wind Symphonia at the Main Library Koret Auditorium. Bassoon (perhaps my favorite instrument)

GREATER GWENT YOUTH WIND SYMPHONIA
all the way from Wales, United Kingdom
August 19th at 2pm
Main Library Koret Auditorium

GRAFFITI VS. STREET ART

That tag on the side of a building; is it vandalism or art? When does graffiti cross from art to vandalism?

Our library is located in a major city and so every day on my way to work I see countless expressions of street art. Huge murals painted in the middle of the night stretch out with bright colors and bold words. But then arriving at work I am confronted with another side of graffiti, Tags. Sprayed across the side of the library are gang tags and when I look down the street all the buildings bear this scar. When does graffiti cross the line? When does graffiti change from street art to vadalism?


GRAFFITI WORLD: Street Art From Five Continents

The Art of Getting Over : Graffiti at the Millennium



GRAFFITO by Michael Walsh

HOW TO DRAW HIP-HOP
by Damion Scott


AutoGraf: New York City's Graffiti Writers
by Peter Sutherland

And coming soon to a library near you.........but don't wait! Put them on HOLD now!

Freight Train Graffiti
by Roger Gastman


Best Of Style File: The Finest of the First 10 Issues

Street Art The Spray Files
by Louis Bou


Blackbook Sessions
by Jorn Stiller


UPCOMING STREET ART EVENTS.......at YOUR library

TAG -a- T-SHIRT

Airbrush a t-shirt with your own tag. All supplies provided, including a shirt.

Ocean View Branch
Wednesday, September 27th at 4pm
345 Randolph St
355-5615

Excelsior Branch
Teen Tuesday, October 10th at 4pm
4400 Mission ST
355-2868