November 2026 Teen Newsletter | |
Hello November!
Written by William Guo
Hello, November! As the final month of orange leaves and earthy autumn air, November marks an important transition from fall to winter. While it may be disheartening to watch the vibrant colors fade and the days grow shorter, November reminds us to embrace change and appreciate the little things we often take for granted.
From Thanksgiving football games to Black Friday, we’ve entered a busy time of year full with traditions that define American culture. Most importantly, November invites us to celebrate our community and reflect on the importance of gratitude, with holidays such as Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and as Native American Heritage Month.
This month is especially important for our government, as citizens will head to the ballot boxes on Election Day to elect over 500 US Representatives, Senators, and Governors to lead our country. If you know anyone who is eligible to vote, encourage them to do so—every vote counts, and making your voice heard is an important part of our democratic system!
From all of us at the Boyden Library, we wish you a reflective and warm November!
| | Darren Yong: Magician & Mentalist | | Felted Sloth Pencil Topper with Pop Up Art School | | Crafty Teens: Edible Sand Art | | Mirror Tree Project with Miss Mehta | |
Manga Book Club for Teens
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
Monday, November 2
4:00-5:00
Teen Studio, 1st Floor
Snacks Provided!
Bring your favorite Mangas to talk about!
| | |
November Teen Take & Make: Button Snowflake Ornament
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
November 9-14
Pick up at Ground Floor Circulation
Sponsored by The Friends of Boyden Library
| | |
Love For Our Elders
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
Tuesday, November 10
Teen Studio, First Floor
Earn volunteer credit
Sponsored by The Friends of Boyden Library
| | |
Book Signing with Xian Fernando
Ages 8+
Thursday, November 12
5:00-6:00
Teen Studio, 1st Floor
| | |
Crafty Teens: Pumpkin Diorama
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
Monday, November 16
4:00-5:00
Teen Studio, 1st Floor
| | |
Mindful Doodling with Cara Bean
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
Thursday, November 19
4:00-5:00
Boyden Community Room
Sponsored by The Friends of Boyden Library
| | |
Wooden Keychain Art with Dimple Shah
Grades 7-12 or Ages 11-18
Tuesday, NOvember 24
5:30-7:00
Teen Studio, 1st Floor
Sponsored by The Friends of Boyden Library
| | |
New Teen Programming Space!
We now have a designated space just for Teen Programs!!
Look for Teen Studio, 1st Floor on the Calendar
| |
By Markus Zusak
Review written by Bailey Hall
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a historical fiction novel set in Nazi Germany during World War II. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family after her brother dies and her mother can no longer care for her. At first, Liesel struggles to adjust to her new home, but she slowly grows close to her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann.
Liesel discovers a love for reading after stealing her first book at her brother's funeral, even though she could not read very well at the time. With Hans's help, she learns to read and begins to understand how powerful words can be. As she grows older, Liesel steals more books, shares stories with her neighbors, and finds comfort in rading during a time when the world around her becomes increasingly dangerous.
Life becomes even more complicated when Liesel's foster family decides to hide Max, a Jewish man, in their basement to protect him from Nazi Persecution. Liesel and Max develop a close friendship, sharing stories and supporting each other through difficult times. Meanwhile, the war brings fear, loss, and uncertainty to their community. Through these experiences, Liesel learns about kindess, courage, and the importance of standing up for other, even when doing so comes with risks.
One of the most interesting aspects of The Book Thief is its narrator. Death. This unusual perspective makes the story different from many other historical novels and encourages readers to think about life and humanity in new ways. The book also explores how words can be used both to spread hatred and bring people together.
Although the novel deals with serious topics, including war, prejudice, and loss, it also highlights the importance of friendship, family, and hope. Liesel's relationships with the people around her make the story especially meaningful, and her love of books shows how reading can provide comfort during difficult times.
| | |
Written by Zoe Guo
Calling all readers! If you’re interested in buying books but don’t know where to start, check out Boyden Library’s upcoming Friends Book Sale at 2 Baker Street! Stocked with new to lightly-used books of every genre and for every age, it’s almost certain to be hiding your next favorite read. Plus, at a sale of $10 per bag, you can splurge on your favorite series at a much cheaper cost. Not interested in books? You can still swing by to check out music CDs and movie DVDs that will be sold at the same location and the same time!
While the Friends Book Sale is an exciting new event, the general act of book selling has been a well-established historical practice. In the past, knowledge in the form of books or scrolls was treated like a limited resource, and it required compensation to be obtained. Though E-Books and public libraries have expanded our ability to access free knowledge, many libraries or local organizations still hold book sales for reasons like funding library community events, covering the costs of buying new books, or simply in the hopes that an overlooked book gets the chance to be read. Stop by the Friends Book Sale from 11/5-11/7 to help support Boyden Library programs today!
| |
Look What You Did
by Kaitlin Reilly
Thriller
A page-turning debut thriller for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Megan Lally about a teen who must confront her own buried trauma to clear her friend's name of murder and expose the dark secrets of her small town.
"I know about Will...I know what he did that night"
After the tragic death of golden boy Will Ashford, everyone in town is in mourning. Or almost everyone. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie couldn't be more relieved. Because she knows Will's veneer of perfection hid something dark and dangerous. It was a truth she learned one night at the Ashford house and swore never to tell.
But her plan is threatened when she starts receiving texts from an unknown number. Someone knows the secret Mackenzie has tried so hard to hide--and they are determined to reveal it.
When Mackenzie's former best friend is found dead, she is convinced the anonymous texter is connected to her murder, and she will stop at nothing to find them. But doing so will mean confronting the trauma she's fought so hard to suppress and exposing the dark secrets her town has tried to keep buried--or risk being the next girl dead.
~Amazon
| | |
Corpse Creek: A Bleak Haven Novel
by Vincent Ralph
Horror
Welcome to Bleak Haven: The town you won't (or can't!) leave...
The next eerie novel in the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph's signature, terrifying style!
In 2008, Ethan's older brother drowned in Bleak Haven's cursed creek. While the coroner ruled out foul play. Ethan has always suspected that there's more to the story.
Four years later, 18-year-old Ethan chooses the anniversary of the tragedy to finally return to the creek, attempting to gain the closure that has always eluded him.
What starts as a healing process aided by his loyal friends turns sinister when something emerges from the shadows: a figure that looks unnervingly like Ethan's dead brother, begging for a sacrifice that could change everything.
As Ethan digs deeper into the creek's dark history, he discovers that someone did return when all seemed lost. Maybe they were the 'miracle' child the news reports painted them as. Or perhaps they only came back because someone took their place.
If that's true, Ethan really could bring his lost brother home. But how far is he willing to go...and at what cost?
~Amazon
| | |
Wicked Endeavors
by Kamilah Cole
Fantasy
This high-stakes romantasy follows a vengeful teen who cons her way into an elite society of tyrannical witches. but her warring feelings for two people-an enemy prince and a childhood friend-could ruin everything. Perfect for fans of The Shadows Between Us and Powerless.
Caya lived a charmed life under the protection of Coventry's royal family until the three witch Houses seized power and wiped them out.
Now eighteen, she's ready to take revenge. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Caya slips into the witches' glittering world under a new identity: Marisol Vinyet, a disarmingly beautiful aristocrat. As Marisol, she'll attend the annual Coronet, the witches' cutthroat social season designed to strengthen their power. Even the prince of neighboring Domingo--Tomas Castellan--will attend, just in time for "Marisol" to kill him.
After all, his family set the witches upon Coventry in the first place.
But Tomas is more charming than Caya anticipated. Worse the prince is protected by her estranged childhood friend, Bas Arroyo, who stirs up frustrating feelings that waver between attraction and hatred.
To destroy the witches from within, Caya will have to keep her identity hidden, her heart in check, and her mission front and center. Because even though she's made herself a weapon, she might be the one to bleed.
~Amazon
| | |
The Murder Hypothesis
by Sarah Wishart
Mystery
The gripping new YA thriller form the author of FOUR GOOD LIARS, and the perfect read for fans of a GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER.
How do you catch a murderer without knowing who the victim is?
Science-obsessed Grace's fresh start with her dad in Devon is derailed when the smart speaker in their new house comes alive at midnight and says: I'm going to murder you.
And after Grace begins to investigate, she uncovers four mysterious deaths--all supposedly accidents -- that are linked to the device.
But only Grace knows that one of those deaths was actually a murder -- and now she must identify both the victim and the killer, using the methodology of a chemistry experiment ... before she ends up dead herself.
~Amazon
| | |
Bite Me: A Graphic Novel
by Jennifer Dugan
A sapphic supernatural YA graphic novel featuring a vampire crushing on the girl hunting her, from the author of Some Girls Do and the illustrator of Wonder Woman: Warbringer.
Poe never imagined that during her senior year of high school she would be attacked by a pair of vampires and turned into one herself. And she never dreamed her longtime crush, Jolie -- who seemed to maybe actually like Poe back -- would turn out to be a slayer.
When Jolie drives a wooden stake into her chest, Poe's heart is broken at the betrayal. But somehow she survives the slaying, and when she awakens, it's unclear which is stronger inside her: the thirst for blood, or the thirst for revenge on Jolie.
Now the hunter has become the hunted. But, when the girls come face to face again, Jolie seems overjoyed that Poe is still alive. And beneath Poe's rage remains a burning passion of a different sort. Can a vampire and a slayer ever be more to each other than predator and prey?
~Amazon
| | |
Rebel: The Graphic Novel
by Marie Lu
Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. but never underestimate the Rebel in this electrifying graphic novel adaptation of the Legend series' grand finale.
Eden Wing is a brilliant student. He's about to graduate a year early from Ross University of the Sciences. But most people don't introduce Eden this way. Instead, they say, "This is Eden, Daniel Wing's younger brother."
Ten years ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. Day has since spent the past decade piecing togehter his memory of his time in the Republic, quietly hiding from the world -- even if it's meant giving up June, the love of his life.
When June suddenly steps back into Day's life, rekindling the flames of their romance, the pair team up to rescue Eden who's been drawn into Ross City's dark side. But like the rest of the world, they may have underestimated Eden -- what he's capable of, where his loyalties lie, and how hard he's willing to fight for what he believes.
Return to the world of Legend in this epic graphic novel adaptation of the pulse-pounding finale to the series, which brings to life the bestselling Rebel with full-color illustrations.
~Amazon
| | |
Disobey: Finding Freedom from your Eating Disorder
by Christina Tortolani, Renee D. Rienecke, & Melissa Freizinger
An indispensable guide for taking back your life from an eating disorder and reclaiming your health--respectful, inclusive, and relatable.
Encouragement. Support. Freedom. When you're struggling with an eating disorder, it can be hard to imagine that recovery is possible. Your eating disorder has probably disconnected you from your friends and family, given you so many rules to follow, and it's even taken over your thoughts and feelings. But it's not important to remember your ED is not your best friend. It doesn't want what's best for you. How can you say goodbye to your eating disorder and take back your life?
In Disobey, Doctors Christina Tortolani, Renee Rienecke, and Melissa Freizinger support you on your recovery journey and show you step-by-step how to find your freedom. Using science-backed tools, you'll learn how to push back against your eating disorder and reconnect with yourself again. Disobey also includes:
- Journal and art prompts to help you reflect on what you've learned
- Inspiring and reassuring stories from others who have struggled with similar challenges
- Engaging exercises so you can start practicing new behaviors and ways of thinking
Recovery is tough --- but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
~Amazon
| | |
Mini Amigurumi Bag Charms
by Natalie Nar
23 adorable animal charms to crochet, collect, and carry everywhere!
Personalize your bags, backpacks, hats, keys and more with your favorite amigurumi animals: choose from owls, rabbits and frogs to otters and seahorses!
This sweet little book includes illustrated stitch guides, all the necessary crochet techniques and clearly written patterns, making it beginner-friendly and pefect for on-the-go crochet!
-
Measuring in at just 2.5-3.25in (6-8cm) each and with just a few materials needed, these projects are great stash-busters!
-
Clear step-by-step illustrations and handy stitch and technique guides are included, making the patterns perfect for all abilities.
-
23 designs to choose from: from woodland favorites like owls, stags and rabbits to quirky characters such as sausage dogs, hamsters and axoltls, plus sea creatures like whales, octopuses and seahorses, all bursting with personality despite their small size.
These miniature amigurumi animals are perfect as bag charms, but can also become keyrings, desk mascots, gifts or lucky charms. Make just one as a thoughtful present or crochet and collect the entire set. This book is a translation of an original German edition.
~Amazon
| | | |
Here in Massachusetts, we love our Libraries. Massachusetts Libraries play a vital role in ensuring all residents have equal access to information. Libraries are meeting places, community centers, and resources for everyone. During our busy everyday lives, we don’t always get a chance to let our libraries know how much we care about them. Here, you'll find a showcase of images and videos, featuring all the things to love about local libraries. We’ll share your story with legislators to help demonstrate the importance of libraries.
| |
Rules for Teens at Boyden Library
Teens are asked to follow these rules while at the Boyden Library.
Unfortunately, this is due to high volumes of messes as well as caked on chocolate, drinks, and food found not only in the Teen Room, but other parts of the library.
Teens will also be asked to sign an Agreement of Use form which states the rules of the room and library. We reserve the right to ask teens to leave for the day if rules are not followed.
| |
Hours:
Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Boyden Library will be closed Wednesday, November 11 in observance of Veteran's Day.
| | | | | | |