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AXIS: Info for Teens 12-18.

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #8: Christian McKay Heidicker!

by BugsAndSlugs

The eighth judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest and author of the 2016 debut novel Cure for the Common Universe is Christian McKay Heidicker. In this novel recommended for teen gamers and readers of Jesse Andrews and John Green, high school senior Jaxon is sent to rehab for his video game addiction on the eve of his first real date. Jaxon must earn enough points to graduate from the program in 4 days to preserve his date with Serena, or else be forced to recognize that his inability to connect with people can’t be blamed on video games, after all.

Learn more about Christian McKay Heidicker on his website and stay tuned for more information about “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #6: Paula Garner!

by BugsAndSlugs

The sixth judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest is Paula Garner. In Paula’s debut YA novel, Phantom Limbs, readers are introduced to Otis, a 16 year old introverted swimmer dealing with loss and the pressure of competitive sport. Otis must come to terms with the tragedy in his past in order to move forward and tackle the new dreams he has for his future. Phantom Limbs is a 2017 Illinois Reads Selection for grades 9-12!

Paula Garner's next novel, scheduled for publication in Spring 2018, Relative Strangers, follows a teen who just discovered she spent part of her youth in foster care. She is determined to find the family who cared for her, but the romantic feelings she develops for her foster brother threaten her new found happiness.

Paula Garner spends most of her time writing, reading, or making good things to eat. Currently, she lives in the Chicago area with her family and a very bad cat. To learn more about Paula check out her website and stay tuned for more information about “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #5: Katherine Arden!

by BugsAndSlugs

The fifth judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest is Katherine Arden, the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. In this story of 14th century Russia, Arden’s heroine, Vasya, is a willful child who can speak to wood sprites and household spirits. Her ability is tolerated until her father marries a pious woman who detests the pagan beliefs of Vasya's people, and as the villagers turn from their old ways, the spirits that kept them safe begin to fade. Vasya soon finds she may be alone in her ability to save her family, her village, and perhaps the world.

Check out Katherine Arden’s website to learn more about her adventures in Moscow, picking macadamia nuts in Maui and the roundabout way in which she became a published author. And don’t worry, if you love The Bear the and Nightingale, it’s the first installment in a trilogy!

Stay tuned for more information about “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #4: Mike Grosso!

by BugsAndSlugs

The fourth judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest is Mike Grosso, a 4th grade teacher, musician, and author of I am Drums. In this debut novel, sixth grader Sam will do anything to play the drums, especially when she finds out her school’s music program will be cut next year. “This is a worthy and entertaining read about how talent develops and what the potential consequences of pursuing it are: drumroll, please, for a fine homage to spirited single-mindedness.” (Kirkus)

Mike Grosso’s advice for young writers: “Read a lot. Write a lot. Pay attention to other people, even the ones you don't like. Try new things. Figure out what you have to say that nobody else has said. Restate what other people have said in your own unique way. Give yourself opportunities to fail. Remember that failing is just a step on the road to success. Eat cookies. Lots of cookies.”

Learn more about Mike Grosso the author/musician on his website and stay tuned for more information about “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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Logan

by PizzaPuppy

Logan opened in theaters on March 3rd to rave reviews and is looking to reshape the superhero movie as we currently know it. Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine/Logan in his 9th appearance in the role spanning 12 years-- this marks his last appearance as Logan. The film takes inspiration from both the revisited Old Man Logan and the original Old Man Logan (available through MelCat), as well as Death of Wolverine. Whether you've seen it yet or not, the library has plenty of materials to quench your thirst for Wolverine.

Revisit Jackman's previous work as Wolverine with the first and second movies in the Wolverine trilogy: X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Wolverine. You can also revisit Wolverine as part of the X-Men, in movies such as X-Men, X-Men United: X2, X3:The Last Stand, X-Men First Class, X-Men Days of Future Past and X-Men Apocalypse. It's not an X-Men movie, but also take a look at Shane, which features heavily in Logan and shares similar thematic elements.

Looking for more comic book fun? Give Wolverine, Wolverine: Origins & Endings, or Weapon X a try. Review Wolverine's past with Wolverine Omnibus Vol 1, or watch him face off with his former friends in Wolverine vs. the X-Men.

Kids can also get in on the fun with Readers such as This is Wolveridne, Marvel Superhero Squad: Adventure Collection. They can look up key facts about their favorite heroes with Meet the Marvel Super Heroes, and read comics like Mini Marvels. Wolverine even features as one of the superheroes in the The Super Hero Squad Show series.

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #3: Kristin Bartley Lenz!

by BugsAndSlugs

The third judge for this year's “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest is Kristin Bartley Lenz, a writer and social worker from Metro-Detroit whose debut novel, The Art of Holding On and Letting Go was a Junior Library Guild Fall Selection in 2016. Kristin fell in love with the mountains when she moved to Georgia and California. Now she’s back in Detroit where she plots wilderness escapes and manages the Michigan Chapter blog for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In The Art of Holding on and Letting Go, Cara, a competitive climber who feels most at home in the mountains, is sent to Detroit to live with her grandparents and attend public school when a tragedy separates her from her parents and the nomadic lifestyle she's always known. Cara's story is described as, "A hot pick for outdoorsy teens who like relatable characters, with a bit of romance, mystery, and a road trip."(School Library Journal) and "A compelling, unusual coming-of-age story.” (Kirkus)

Stay tuned for more information about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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FestiFools and AADL: Something New!

by manz

Our fellow robots, the time has come to change things up and we at AADL are retiring our robot suits for something new. We want to help keep things fresh for FestiFools fans! This year AADL is hosting multiple building workshops for ALL AGES to help us make two community puppets, and for you to make your own costumes or instruments for the big FestiFools event on Sunday, April 9.

This year we are bringing a big, bright, yellow sun puppet to join in whatever fun the official FestiFools organizers have planned for Ann Arbor! We’ll accompany our GIANT sun on Main Street with all of us decked out in our brightest sunniest YELLOW costumes as we march to fantastic beats. Onlookers will see so much YELLOW parading down Main Street! (Robots are always welcome at FestiFools, AADL just isn't hosting workshops to make them.)

We will have opportunities to papier–mâché, paint fabric, make a sunshiney costume with capes and masks, make a drum, and more. We are SO excited to have you join us in helping make FestiFools even more foolish and bright this year!

Festifools Workshop: Community Puppet Building Sunday, March 19 from 1:00-3:00
All ages will work together to help make a GIANT sun puppet that we’ll all march down Main St. at the BIG FestiFools event on Sunday, April 9! It will march alongside a mysterious surprise creature that you will help create in bits and pieces. While you won’t be making your own puppet at this workshop, you’ll have a chance to work together to be a part of something BIGGER that all will see.

FestiFools Workshop: Costume Making Sunday, March 26 from 1:00-3:00
Create your own costume to be worn while marching down Main St. at the BIG FestiFools event on Sunday, April 9! We are bringing a GIANT sun puppet to FestiFools and we need you to be the yellow rays to go with it. We’ll have supplies for capes, wings, hats, masks, and more – many golden yellow supplies to help make us into bright glowing orbs.

FestiFools Workshop: Make Instruments with Drummunity Sunday, April 2, 2017 from 1:00-2:00
Lori Fithian of Drummunity will help us make simple percussive instruments.
Meet back up with us on April 9 at the BIG FestiFools event ready to march along playing your instrument while wearing the most yellow sunshiny costume you can come up with. Picture a GIANT yellow sun with many marching alongside beaming with gold and playing music.

FestiFools Workshop: March with Drummunity Sunday, April 2 from 2:15-3:00
Lori Fithian of Drummunity will lead us in making the most of our unique musical instruments, getting us in the FestiFools spirit with a mini march.
Bring your own instrument or come to the instrument-making workshop right before this. Then meet back up with us on April 9 ready to march along in the BIG FestiFools event, playing your instrument while wearing the most foolish yellow costume you can come up with.

Meet Up and March Over to FestiFools! Sunday, April 9 at 3:30pm
Calling all fools! Meet us in the lobby in your most foolish costumes ready to march over to Main Street and join in the FestiFools fun from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. We library fools are all wearing yellow to surround the sun! So dress in yellow, dress in costume, be silly, and bring your instruments! Get ready to make some noise and spread some cheer in downtown Ann Arbor!

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Meet “It’s All Write!” 2017 Judge #2: Cori McCarthy!

by BugsAndSlugs

Cori McCarthy, our second Judge for the 2017 “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest is the author of the much-acclaimed YA novels Breaking Sky,You Were Here and The Color of Rain. Cori's fourth novel, Now A Major Motion Picture, will be released in April 2018.

Cori McCarthy currently lives in Michigan and spends most of her time playing guitar, reading poetry, raising her son, and running a teen writing group. Like many of her characters, she is a member of the LGBTQ community. Cori started writing when she was just 13 years old! Check out corimccarthy.com to learn all about this talented author, and stay tuned for more information about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Writing Contest 2017 Judges!

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Crafts

Dreamcatchers Craft Workshop

Wednesday April 12, 2017: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room
Grade 6 - Adult

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Crafts

Lanyard Earbuds

Wednesday July 12, 2017: 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room
Grade 6 - Adult