“Self Portrait” by Katie McDowell (18), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts "An Old Man in Military Costume" by Simone Wuttke (18), Dartmouth College (recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate) "This oil on canvas painting is inspired by Rembrandt's 'An Old...
I have sat with anger ingrained in my ribs night after night. I know the five stages of grief. Why am I so stuck on anger? Denial was the first one. It hit when I stood in front of my fridge all alone in my house with my knees wobbling, staring at the screen on my...
Partner Yoga Poses by Laurie Azzano of Lolo’s Youth StudioYaaaas, finally! Hello, summer! Inhale deadlines. Exhale freedom. If you’re like most, summer represents one big sigh of relief. No more early morning alarm clocks, homework, tests, school drama, or crazy,...
Makes 20-24 brownies (depending on how big you slice them) BAKE TIME: 30 minutesIngredients 6 eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 1 1/2 cups baking cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons...
If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or any form of mental distress, reach out to someone right away who can be there for you. Professional help is always an option when your psychological well-being is at risk. There is zero shame in...
Teen-Friendly NOLA ClinicsClinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or...
Have you ever wondered how you can apply astrology to your everyday life but don’t know where to start? Astrology can be very complex and sometimes overwhelming to interpret, so I have compiled a quick guide to help you consciously incorporate daily practices to...
Did you know clothing isn’t biodegradable?That means it doesn’t decompose once it’s dumped in the trash—it just sits in a landfill and creates nasty greenhouse gases in our environment. “We have to think longer and harder about the clothing we wear, where it came...
New Orleanians love their glitter, and, more than ever, we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our lives. Addie Ellis of the local biodegradable glitter company Glitter Nymph shared with us how to make shimmery oil that is good for your skin and nature. Since you...
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea What it’s about: Laure will do anything to prove a Black girl can be a star in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, even make a deal with a primordial power she finds in a pulsating river of blood in the...
Are you looking for inspiring ways to volunteer in the local community while fulfilling your school’s service hour requirements? We’ve talked to some great organizations in the area that rely on volunteers to help their wonderful programs run. Learn more about each...
Imagine that you just found out you are pregnant. For some young people, this may be exciting news; for others, it is not. Questions swirl: How can I take care of a baby and finish school? How can I afford to be a parent if I don’t finish school? How will my parents...
Lucy Scholz is my “shero” because she ran 300 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of The Speed Project. That’s roughly like running to Houston, Texas, or Seaside, Florida, from New Orleans! Not only did she win the 2023 competition and...
Careers in Skilled Trades With the cost of college continuing to rise, skilled trade careers are a great alternative pathway to stable, well-paying work and upward social mobility. Many trade workers provide essential services and help build and maintain important...
by Becky Albertalli & Aisha Saeed
What it’s about: Despite not being old enough to vote, Jamie and Maya have both been volunteered to do door-to-door canvassing together on a campaign for a progressive state senate candidate. Jamie is happy to work on the campaign, but talking to strangers is the shy boy’s idea of torture. Maya was already having the worst Ramadan ever as her college-bound best friend has gotten too busy for her, and her parents are separating. But as the polls start getting closer, so do Jamie and Maya, and they find that local activism isn’t the worst way to spend their time.
Why read it? It’s a sweet and realistic romance that explores cultural differences and the power of love as well as the transformative power of community activism. And it’s written by co-authors who are both amassing larger and larger fanbases with each book released.
by Karen M. McManus
What it’s about: In McManus’s first novel, One of Us Is Lying, it was a gossip app that caused the problems. Now it’s an anonymously texted game of truth or dare. If you don’t respond or choose truth, a secret of yours is revealed to the whole school. Pretty soon everyone who is tagged to play learns to choose dare. But the dares get increasingly dangerous, even deadly, and Maeve, Phoebe, and Knox find themselves in the center of a new mystery.
Why read it? One of Us Is Lying was an unputdownable thriller, and this sequel, which stars some of the secondary characters from the first book, more than lives up to the hype.
by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
What it’s about: A remix ofIbram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning book Stamped from the Beginning, this book explores the history of racist ideas in America, specifically antiblackness, from their roots in Europe until today. And it explains both the endurance of these ideas and their capacity for being discredited and replaced with antiracist ones.
Why read it? Because it’s not your typical history book. It’s about race and the here and now and it helps us to better understand why we are where we are. Stamped shines a light on the insidious forms that racist ideas can take and shows how we can identify and stamp out those ideas in our daily lives.
by Adam Silvera
What it’s about: In an alternate New York City, twin brothers Emil and Brighton are caught up in a war between magically imbued factions. There are Spell Walkers, who manifest their celestial powers, and Blood Casters, who steal their magic from others. Brighton is a vlogger and Spell Walker fan who wishes he could join the fray, but it is Emil, who’d rather be left out of the violence, that manifests phoenix fire on their 18th birthday. Bonds of loyalty and brotherhood are tested, and no one will make it out completely unscathed.
Why read it? This is a book that has it all: magic, romance, heartbreak, superpowers, action, mythology, adventure, queer representation, and internet celebrities.
by Lorence Alison
What it’s about: Solstice Festival is going to be the music festival of the century. It’s taking place on a lush Caribbean island and the tickets cost $10,000 a piece. Adri could never afford one, but when she is gifted a ticket from a rich friend, she decides to go even though her parents said she wasn’t allowed. Only when the ultra-privileged festival goers arrive, nothing is as promised. There’s no cell reception, hardly any food, and just when things seem like they can’t get any worse, the first dead body washes up on the beach.
Why read it? It’s a quick and fun read, and the most ridiculous parts of the setup are real as the story is a send-up of 2017’s disastrous Fyre Festival. Only the author has added a bit of mystery that imagines what would have happened if even more had gone wrong.
These recommendations were provided by Kacy Helwick, Youth Collection Development Librarian at the New Orleans Public Library.
The New Orleans Public Library is no longer charging late fines for youth materials. Even though library fines for books, CDs, and DVDs are only $.20 per day, that relatively small amount can quickly add up over time, especially for teens who can’t always control when they can get to a library to return materials. By eliminating fines for youth materials, an economic barrier is removed that too often keeps people away from using all that the library has to offer.
The elimination of library fines for youth materials does not remove all responsibility from the library user. Materials that are damaged or are not returned within 90 days will be charged the amount of the item(s) plus a $5.00 processing fee.
Teens that already have late fines should talk to a librarian and discuss opportunities to work fines off by completing and submitting book reviews or by paying them over time.
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