How do you keep up with with your reading when there are so many new books every month?

Incorporating more reading into a busy schedule can feel challenging, but with a few tweaks to your daily routine, you can carve out more time for books without feeling overwhelmed. Here are some practical ideas to help you include more reading:

1. Set Specific Reading Goals

   - Daily Pages or Minutes: Set a target, such as reading 20 pages or 20 minutes a day. This can be manageable even with a busy schedule.

   - Reading Streaks: Use a habit tracker or an app like Goodreads to keep track of your reading. Sometimes just seeing your progress motivates you to keep going.

 

2. Incorporate Reading into Downtime

   - Waiting Periods: Whether you’re waiting for your parents to pick you up from school, waiting for a doctor's appointment or waiting for the bus, these moments add up and can be used to squeeze in a few pages.

   - Breaks at school: Use your lunch break or nutrition break to squeeze in some reading, either bring a book or audiobook and use that time to read.

3. Use Audiobooks

   - Audiobooks are a great way to consume books while doing other tasks. You can listen while walking home, waiting to be picked up or doing chores.

   - Platforms like Audible, Libby (with a library card), or even podcasts (WOW in the World) can be good sources of audio content.

4. Read Before Bed - my favorite!

   - Make reading a part of your bedtime routine. Even if it’s just 10 minutes, it can help wind down the day and encourage more consistent reading habits.

   - Try switching from screens to paper books, which can improve your sleep quality and make reading feel like a more natural transition to rest.

5. Start with Shorter Books or Stories

   - Choose shorter books or even short stories that you can finish in a shorter time frame. Shorter reading material can fit better into small gaps in your day.

   - Short-form content, like essays or articles, can also be great for quick reads and can build momentum to help you tackle longer books.

6. Join a Reading Challenge or Book Club

   - Challenges like the Goodreads Reading Challenge can provide a fun incentive to read more. Having a goal to reach encourages regular reading.

   - A book club can motivate you to read more regularly and interact with others about books, making the experience more social.

7. Combine Reading with Other Hobbies

   - If you enjoy activities like journaling, scrapbooking, or sketching, try reading books related to your interests in those areas to enhance your experience and motivation.

   - If you enjoy fitness, you might try listening to fitness-related audiobooks or podcasts to merge those interests.

8. Morning or Evening Routine

   - Adding 10-15 minutes of reading to your morning or evening routine can make a big difference over time.

   - Try reading first thing after waking up or right before starting school to set a positive tone for the day.

9. Create a Reading Nook

   - Make a comfortable space in your home for reading. A cozy corner with good lighting and a comfy chair can encourage you to read more often.

   - Make this space inviting by surrounding it with your current reading material or any books you're excited about.

    

10. Always Have a Book with You

   - Keep a book or e-reader in your bag or have an app like Kindle on your phone so you’re always prepared to read during moments of downtime.

   - If you're often on the go, digital options are handy and easy to access. Libby (you need a library card) is my favorite. 

11. Use a "Reading Break"

   - Designate a specific time during your day for reading. Treat it like an appointment—whether that’s a set time in the morning, lunch, or after school. Block it off in your schedule.

   - If possible, use reading as a form of self-care, a break from school, or a healthy distraction from stress.

12. Try Different Formats

   - If physical books feel hard to keep up with, consider digital versions (eBooks) or audiobooks. These are often more portable and flexible, allowing you to read on the go.

13. Read Multiple Books at Once

   - If you have a busy schedule, consider having a couple of books on the go, one for short, snatched moments (like during a commute) and one for when you have longer stretches of time.

   - Reading different genres or formats (e.g., fiction and non-fiction) can keep it interesting and ensure you’re always in the mood for something.

14. Social Media Detox

   - Consider cutting back on social media time or other digital distractions that often steal time away from reading.

   - Use that extra time to get lost in a book.

By experimenting with some of these ideas, you can find what works best for your schedule and lifestyle. The key is to make reading a consistent habit, even if it's just for a few minutes a day!

Researching about drugs and alcohol?

Books about drugs and alcohol, especially those that explore addiction, recovery, and the societal impact of substance abuse, can be powerful tools for raising awareness, offering insight, and providing support for those struggling with these issues. Here are some compelling books/ebooks that delve into various aspects of drugs and alcohol, which could be helpful for both education and personal growth:

            

            

         

Fiction Young Adult:

"Crank" by Ellen Hopkins

Written in verse, this novel tells the story of a teenage girl who becomes addicted to methamphetamine. It’s a powerful narrative about the choices, consequences, and emotional turmoil of addiction.

"Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins

Another book by Ellen Hopkins, this one is about three teens in a psychiatric hospital, all dealing with issues related to addiction, mental health, and self-destruction. It offers insight into the struggles of young people dealing with personal trauma and addiction.

Why Read These Books?

Books about drugs and alcohol can provide valuable lessons on prevention, understanding, and empathy for those affected by substance abuse. Whether through a compelling personal story, a scientific analysis, or a work of fiction, these books illuminate the complex realities of addiction and recovery. They can inspire those struggling with addiction, educate those unfamiliar with the subject, and offer hope to anyone seeking to understand or heal from the impact of substance abuse.

Is cheerleading for you?

Click HERE for the ebooks

Cheerleading doesn’t have to be solely a hobby. For passionate athletes, cheerleading can grow into a career. This book will introduce you to careers that are perfect for people who have a love of cheerleading. It explores jobs as coaches, judges, choreographers, and professional sports cheerleaders. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index.

Cheerleaders perform incredible routines, each packed with dozens of skills. It can take athletes years of practice to master these moves. This title introduces readers to some of these skills. It explores the many stunts, tumbling skills, jumps, and dance moves that cheerleaders use during their routines. It features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and more!

Cheerleading is a big commitment. Cheerleaders spend time exercising, practicing their routines, and performing. Specialized tools help them in each of these areas. This book will introduce you to some of the tools that cheerleaders use. You will learn about cheer uniforms, training equipment, and props. The book features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and more! 

All Star cheerleaders spend hours every week training to perform for a few short minutes. Their routines are carefully choreographed to earn a team as many points as possible. This title introduces readers to the exciting world of cheer competitions. It explores the history of competitive cheer, the process of preparing to compete, and what to expect on competition day. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index.

Cheerleading is a competitive activity, and cheerleaders often need to try out before earning a place on a team. This can be nerve-wracking, but with the right preparation, it can be a fun experience. Training can be hard, too, but the end result of a perfect routine is worth it. This title introduces readers to the world of cheerleading. It walks prospective cheerleaders through finding a squad, participating in tryouts, training with a team, and training independently. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index

The ERAS TOUR Encyclopedia

 

Check out the backstage pass to Taylor Swift's iconic The Eras Tour!

Includes a detailed exploration of each tour stop in North America, the stage design, costumes, and dancers, and an in-depth analysis of every song featured in her setlist. 

Don't miss out on this awesome tour through Taylor Swift's journey through the years.

Available at the library and as a multi-user ebook. 

Click on the HERE to access the ebook

 

Native American Authors and Stories

 #NotYourPrincess Voices of Native American Women 

-Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

The first thing I am is a person.

I am a woman. And I am part of a nation, 

the Indian nation. But people either 

relate to you as an Indian or a s woman. They relate to you 

as a category. A lot of people don't realize that 

I am not that different

from everyone else.

Winona LaDuke 

(Anishinaabe/Ojibwe) (pg.32)

Walking in two world by Wab Kinew

  In the real world, Bugz is a shy and self-conscious Indigenous teen who faces the stresses of teenage angst and life on the Rez. But in the virtual world, her alter ego is not just confident but dominant in a massively multiplayer video game universe.

 "We don't want to create two worlds, but walk together in one  world -relating to each other as having our own uniqueness that we mutually respect." -Senator Murray Sinclair

Braiding Sweetgrass Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

I could hand you a braid of sweetgrass as thick and shining as the braid that hung down my grandmother's bak. But it is not mine to give, nor yours to take. Wiingaashk belongs to herself. I offer, in her place, a braid of stories meant to heal our relationship with the world. - Robin Wall Kimmerer

Native American Code Talkers by M. M. Eboch

The Navajo code talkers were the United States' secret weapon. To make sure Japanese forces did not figure out their battle plans, US forces communicated using code.

Impossible? At first they could hardly believe this complex assignment. The same government that had forbidden them to speak their native language in school now depended on it for national security.

The Girl Who Lived with the Bears by Barbara Goldin

The story of the girl who insulated the bears and was taken to live with them is one of the most popular stories of the native peoples of what is now British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska. Over the years it has been told in varying versions by the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Tagish, Tutchone, and Ahtna peoples.

"The girl stood there, confused and growing angry. Handsome or not, she thought, he shouldn't keep a chief's daughter waiting." - The Girl Who Lived with the Bears

I Fight No More - Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself — and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty. -Chief Joseph 

Last Minute Scary Reading!

What's Halloween without some scary stories, right? Stop by the library to choose one or two of our most scariest, horrific stories on the shelves!  Here are some ideas:

Check out our Xtreme  Horror Lab Collection!

How about some appetizers chill with your friends?

Gross Morning Meals Do you dream of  starting your day with an oozing bowl of brains for breakfast? Have you ever wished for a side of slimy eyeballs alongside your cereal and toast? Revolting recipes may seem supergross. But they can actually be totally tasty!

   

Filipino American History Month

 I know we are have way into the month, but I still want to write a bit about Filipino American History Month. Especially, I'd like to showcase an awesome author you all might know from the Disney Show The Descendants. Yes, Melissa de la Cruz is the author of the novel The Isle of the Lost, which is a prequel to the Disney show. In any case, here's a little bit of Filipino American History, including a link to the FAHM page. Filipino American History Month (FAHM) commemorates the first Filipinos to arrive in the continental United States at what is now Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587.  In 1992, the Filipino American National Historical Society introduced FAHM, and in 2009 U.S. Congress officially recognized October as FAHM in the U.S.

More about Melissa de la Cruz - straight from her page.

Melissa de la Cruz is the #1 New York Times, #1 Publisher’s Weekly and #1 IndieBound bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages. Many of her more than fifty books have also topped USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists and been published in over twenty countries.

De la Cruz is also known for the Blue Bloods series (with three million copies in print), and the Witches of East End series. Her recent book releases include New York Times bestsellers The Queen’s Assassin and the Alex & Eliza series, as well as the graphic novel Gotham High and The Birthday Girl.   Her next release is her upcoming middle grade series launch, Never After, publishing December 2020.

Melissa de la Cruz is the co-director of YALLFEST (Charleston, SC) and the co-founder of YALLWEST (Santa Monica, CA), the two largest and most vibrant young adult book festivals in the country, attracting more than 30,000 readers every year.

Melissa de la Cruz grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. At Columbia University, she majored in art history and English. She lives in West Hollywood with her husband and daughter.

Some of her books:

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

It feels like there’s no ground beneath me, like everything I’ve ever done has been a lie. Like I’m breaking apart, shattering. Who am I? Where do I belong?

Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.  And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.

One of them was driving.
One of them was high.
One of them screamed.
And one of them died.

When fifteen-year-old Chris Moore is tragically killed in a car crash, Argyle Prep is full of questions. Who was at the wheel? And more importantly, who was at fault?

Was it just a night out that went very wrong? And is it just a coincidence they were all part of Argyle’s esteemed honor roll, the Headmaster’s List? In a place ruled by pedigree and privilege, the answers can only come at a deadly price.