What's New on Comics Plus for September 2021

 Don't forget, Comics Plus has a great selection of manga, comics and graphic novels for every interest. Here are some of our new favorites:

Kitchen Princess by Natsumi Ando: Fans of Ouran Host Club and Fruits Basket will love this magical kitchen tale. Najika's has two great passions: cooking, and finding the mysterious boy who stole her heart as a child. Her only clue to finding his identity is a spoon he left behind years ago. Now, the spoon has led Ajika to an elite school where each student has a special talent, and where two boys Sora and Daichi are prime candidates for her long lost love. 

Let's Dance a Waltz by Natsumi Ando: Hime is a plain, shy girl who feels she will never live up to her name (Hime means "princess" in Japanese). Content to live a quiet life on the side lines, everything changes the day Hime tries taking a dance class and discovers that one of the coolest boys in school is secretly a ballroom dance instructor who wants to keep his love of dance a secret, because he wants to maintain a cool image at school. 

UQ Holder! by Ken Akamatsu: Set in the world of Negima! this new series follows the grandson of Negi Springfield, a boy wizard named Touta, who dreams of leaving his quiet little town for adventures in the big city, but before he can do that, he has to get past his teacher and guardian Evangeline, who just happens to be an immortal vampire. 

What's New on Hoopla in September 2021?

 There's so much great new stuff on Hoopla Digital this month! Here are some of our top picks!

Call Me Athena: Girl From Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith: Athena's life is not an easy one. Even though she was born in the USA, her parents are newly arrived immigrants from France and Greece, who struggle to provide for Athena and her siblings in a tiny apartment in Michigan. Plus, it's the 1930's, right in the middle of the Great Depression, so everything is scarce, making Athena wonder why in the world her parents ever came to the USA, and whether her family really has any kind of future in their new country.

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaefer: Nita wants to make one thing perfectly clear: she is NOT a murderer. She has never killed any of the magical creatures whose body parts she sells on the black market. No, the murderer is her mom, who does all the hunting. Nita just does what she has to to survive... until the day her mom brings home a living being. When Nita refuses to kill the helpless creature, she learns dark truths about the world around her, and ends up fighting for her freedom and her life, when she finds herself in the place of her former victims: for sale on the black market.

You Owe Me a Murder by Eileen Cook: Kim has just learned to very valuable lessons: be VERY careful what you say to people when your heart is broken, and never trust a random stranger you just met on a plane. When Kim meets Nikki on a flight to London (the same flight which contains her ex and his new love) and jokes about wishing her boyfriend was dead, she means it as a totally harmless statement. But then her ex turns up dead, and Nikki, who feels she did Kim a favor by doing the deed, wants Kim to murder someone in return. 

What's New On Overdrive in September 2021?

Here are some of our favorite new items that have just been added to Overdrive for digital checkout:

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide: Devon and Chiamaka have everything anyone could ever ask for. They're the ultra-smart students at an elite private school where they are have just been made Prefects and are each top contenders for valedictorian. But just as they start to think their Senior year couldn't be more perfect, a mysterious person using the name "Aces" starts sending out mass texts, revealing Devon and Chiamaka's darkest secrets, and threatening to completely destroy everything they've worked for. 

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig: Ellerie lives in a small town, tucked in between several mountains where nothing much ever happens... or at least, nothing happens since the time long ago when her ancestors fought off the demons that used to live in the woods surrounding the village. But one harsh winter, strange things begin to happen. Alone, lacking supplies, and desperate, Ellerie and her village might have to face the possibility that the demons might be back... with a vengeance.

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp: Despite the objections of her strict, traditional Mexican-American parents, Penelope has dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and someday opening up her own bakery near her dad's restaurant. Xander is the cute new boy who works at said restaurant, who is trying to build a relationship with his grandfather while searching for his long-lost father. Both Penelope and Zander have secrets, though, and when those start to get out, their futures and the future of their budding romance might be in serious trouble. 

3D Modeling For Teens Is Back!

 You asked for it, so we delivered. One of our most requested programs, 3D Modeling for teens will be back next Wednesday, September 15th at Main Library.

In this program, Elia will be teaching a limited number of teens how to create the types of files needed to run code on the library's 3D printers. Participants will get to take home a 3D print of their creations (just remember that 3D printing takes time, so you'll have to collect your print a few days after the program). The program is completely free, but only open to teens ages 13-18, and in order to participate, you do need an email address. See you there!

It's Library Card Sign-Up Month

 Did you know that every September, libraries around the country celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month? This year's theme is #100blackgirlbooks featuring special program chair Marley Dias. 

To celebrate the month, we recommend you sign up for a library card if you don't already have one, and if you have one, use it to try and hit bingo on this special Bingo Challenge from the American Library Association!

What is Comics Plus?

 Did you know we offer a new service where you can access hundreds of comics, graphic novels and manga that you can read on your computer or web-enabled device? It's called Comics Plus and all you need to access it is a valid library card number. 

To access Comics Plus all you have to do is go to our website, YumaLibrary.org and click on the link for "ebooks and media" and scroll down to "Comics Plus." Then, select the link, enter your library card and PIN numbers and start exploring all the available titles! You can add as many titles as you want to your shelves and read all day long! So what are you waiting for? Go read! NOW!

What's New on Overdirve for August 2021

 Here are some of our favorite titles that have just been added to Overdive for you to check out and read on your favorite device:

Blackout by Various Authors: If you don't have the time to commit to an entire book or series may we suggest this? Six amazing authors present a series of short stories that are all connected by a single unifying thread: they all take place during a blackout in New York City in the middle of a heat wave. The stories tell the tales of a pair of angry exes, long-time besties, perfect strangers and more, told by authors like Dhonielle Clayton (The Belles) and Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give).

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalo: A new series from the author of Stalking Jack the Ripper promises a whole new kind of chills. Emilia and Vittoria are twins and secret witches, living in secret in Sicilian society and working normal jobs at their family's restaurant... that is until the night Emila finds Vittoria brutally murdered and mutilated. Her grief leads her on a quest for vengeance at any cost, even if it means using the darkest of magic. Magic that is completely forbidden, and threatens to unleash hell itself upon the earth. 

Love and Other Natural Disasters by Misa Sugiura: Nozomi was sure this was going to be the summer she would get a girlfriend. She was NOT expecting this would be the summer she would be suckered into a fake relationship to make her actual crush's ex jealous. But that's ok, because Nozomi has a plan! She is going to turn her fake romance into a real thing by making Willow see she really is the perfect girl for her and turn fauxmance into romance or else!

What's New on Hoopla for August 2021

We have some great new titles for you to enjoy on Hoopla Digital this month! Here are some of our favorites:

Cloakers by Alexandra Lapointe: Crystia is a Cloaker: an elite member of a secret society of shape shifters tasked with maintaining order in society. The problem is, Crystia never wanted the job. She was one of dozens  kids stolen from her family at a young age by the Black Coats, and genetically modified into becoming what she now is. Now she wants out, and she and the other Cloakers will do anything it takes to make it to freedom and reunite with their families.

How to Break an Evil Curse by Laura Morrison: The first book in the new Chronicles of Fritillary series shows us why it's a really bad idea to fight with your BFF... especially if your BFF happens to be an evil wizard. The king of Fritillary learns this the hard way when his former bestie curses his firstborn daughter to die if she is ever touched by the sunlight. Of course the king decides the only way to keep Princess Juliana safe is to lock her in a dungeon... but never count a girl with a serving spoon down because after 8 years of digging a VERY big hole the princess is FINALLY free and she is off to see the world... and free herself from her curse!

Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin: Mara did not mean to start a revolution when she tried out for the boys football team. She just wanted to get back on a team after getting kicked out of girl's basketball for fighting. It's not her fault she's really good at it, and it's not her fault four other girls joined the team, and it's DEFINITELY not her fault those four actually DO suck, but now the team, including her own brother blame her for "ruining" the team. If Mara has any hope of impressing the coach, and her crush Valentina (who just happens to be one of the 4 other girls on the team) it's up to her to whip these girls into shape and turn this team around!

Walls by L.M. Elliot: 1960 is was not an easy year for the city of Berlin. It was politically divided, and in about a year it would be literally divided by a huge wall that would separate the city into Democracy and Communism. This division is already becoming apparent in Drew's own family, since he lives in West Berlin in an Army family, while his cousin Matthias is in East Berlin, dodging the secret police and smuggling outlawed rock music, which if he is caught with, could get him sent to a work-camp for hard labor and "re-education."

Yes, the Teen Room IS Open!

 In case you had not heard, we are letting people hang out in the teen rooms at all our libraries again, but the rules remain basically the same as they were before the pandemic: in order to hang out in the teen room, you have to be at least 13 years old, and no older than 18 (if you have turned 18 we might let you hang out for one more semester of school or the summer after high school, as long as you don't break the rules, but that's up to the teen staff). 

Also, you should know, a few things have changed from before the pandemic so here is what you need to know:

We are not showing movies at all right now at any of the teen rooms. This has to do with licenses and how we are doing programming, and a bunch of technical stuff... but the main point is, no movies. 

There is currently no video gaming on our systems though video game programs might resume at some branches in the future, so check your branch for their individual calendars. 

The libraries will no longer allow teens to bring in their own video games from home to play on library TVs, but you can bring hand-helds like a Switch to play on your own. 

Also, we do not issue guest passes for computers to anyone under age 18, and we will not make exceptions for anyone under 18 who does not have a library card, so if you do not have a library card, you will not be able to get on a computer, even "just for 5 minutes" even if you beg a ton. Sorry, this is the law and we have to comply. 

Other than this, we do want to see you back in the teen rooms soon so stop in and say hi to the staff! There are a lot of new faces at all the libraries and they're all looking forward to meting all of you!

Summer Reading Starts This Weekend!

 It's that time of year again! The library district's annual Summer Reading program kicks off this Saturday, May 29th and runs through July 10th! This year we are trying a few different things with the program. First of all, we will be reading for a time goal instead of for a set number of books. 

All teens have to do to finish the program is read 20 minutes a day for a total of 840 minutes. If you do that you will be entered into the end of summer drawing for the grand prize!

In order to participate, you have two options this year: you can sign up in person at your closest library or you can download the Read Squared app to your Android or Apple device and track everything there. It's up to you how you want to participate. 

Don't forget to sign up starting the 29th of May!

What's New on Hoopla

 This month all Hoopla Digital users can get up to 15 checkouts! Here are some books we think you will enjoy!

The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) by Alyssa Sheinmel: Moira can't help that she's considered "troubled." You'd be pretty troubled too if your best friend had just died. But Moira's parents don't seem to understand that's why she has been "acting out" lately, so they ship her off to a special all-girl's school somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Maine. Little do they know, the school is just down the road from a school for troubled boys which seems to Moira could be all kinds of fun... until weird stuff starts happening. Weird stuff that might be caused by the creepy doctors who run both schools. 

The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle: Luke never asked to be pulled into the middle of a murder investigation, but that's exactly what happens when Mr. Heckler, a professor at Luke's elite boarding school is killed. What's worse, the police think the killer is Oscar, Luke's room mate and best friend. Luke knows Oscar would never do such a thing, and sets out to clear his friend's name.. and maybe earn the attention of the hot new girl he's been dying to spend time with.

The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto: Logan calls himself a romantic. Everyone else calls him a stalker, especially Delilah, who is the object of his obsession. Logan wants to know everything about Delilah, and will stop at nothing to know her better, including watching her on a secret camera he has installed and following her every move on social media. Then one day, Logan sees Delilah doing something terrible. Something he believes he can use to make Delilah love him.. or else. 

Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul: Jack has two goals before leaving for college: patch things up with the brother he once loved, and finally, FINALLY deal with the aftermath of their dad's death. Hallie is just trying to get to Oregon after receiving some really bad news about one of her closest friends. When the two former classmates who barely know each other end up on the same rideshare to the bus stop, neither one of them expected it to be the start of the most epic adventure of their lives. 

New Manga at the Library

 Here's a sampling of some of the newer titles available at the library. Come in and check them out today!

Cells at Work! by Akane Shimizu. (Rated "Teen" for violence and blood): Great manga to learn about how your cells run your body! It’s a blood-pumping job! From strep throat, to hay fever, to influenza, the world is dangerous place for a red blood cell trying to get her oxygen deliveries finished! Fortunately, she’s not alone…she’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out, especially the white blood cell who seems to be always showing up when she gets into trouble with germs. Other cells, like the buff and brash killer T cells, the nerdy neuron, to the cute little platelets (the tiniest cells in the human body)  has a job they have to do to keep your body running and healthy. Based on the hit anime of the same name, you will enjoy and be educated in a fun way about your human body.

Fly Me to the Moon by Kenjiro Hata. (Rated Older Teen for fan service, sexual situations & conversations, romance drama & mild languag). Based off the hit anime, Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You. Whether he likes it or not, Nasa Yuzaki has felt connected to outer space ever since his parents named him. He is an overachiever and wants to outperform the space program one day, which is his ultimate goal. But his goal veers off course when he meets mysterious girl with strange powers called, Tsukasa. Is she an alien or a moon goddess? Either way, she insists on marrying Nasa and becoming his wife! Nasa will have plenty of chances to find our who she really is since they will be living together. Find out how married life treats these two strangers in this cute new series.

Those Not-So-Sweet Boys by Yoko Nogiri. (Rated "Teen" for teen drama, romance and mild language). From the author of the popular series, Not Your Wolf-Boy & Love in Focus, comes a new romance that fans will enjoy. High schooler, Midori drops her wallet on her first day of high school and cute classmate Ichijo finds it. When he gives back to her, she does not get a chance to thank him as he walks away. Ichijo is part of a tight-knit trio, and Midori finds out that they were suspended from class and have never bothered to come back school after the suspension has been lifted. So, when the chairman of the school board finds out she is working part-time to help her mom out of debt, he tells her it is against school rules, and she could be expelled and lose her scholarship. However, if she gets Ichijo and his friends to come back to school, he will find her a new, school-approved job. It should be a piece of cake, right? Turns out to be a harder task than what she thinks since these not so nice boys could care less! Will Midori succeed and is there a chance that love may blossom?

The Witch and the Beast by Kousuke Satake. (Rated "Older Teen" for violence, blood, witchcraft, mild language, nudity and dark fantasy elements). In this dark fantasy series, meet Ashaf, a soft-spoken and cool headed man who is carrying a mysterious coffin and has an entourage of black crows. His partner, Guideau, is a feral, violent girl with long fangs, eyes of a beast, a hot-headed temper and has quite an appetite. She also carries a secret and is out for revenge on a witch. The ominous pair set travel to a town to defeat a tattooed witch who has put a curse on the townsfolk to convince them she is a hero and make them worship her like a God. But Ashaf and Guidaeu know she is trouble, they live by one creed: “wherever a witch goes, only curses and disasters follow.” This is a dark, mysterious and fairytale-like series, set in world of magic and monsters where the people will do anything to destroy witches. For fans, of Noragami and Clamp’s xxxHolic, this one will sure give you a thrill ride while reading!

What's New in Graphic Novels

 The newest member of the YCLD teen department team, Genesis, tells us what is new for checkout in the world of graphic novels. 

Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot: For fans of DC Comics and anything Gotham City, this origin story is for you! Dinah Lance, a 13-year old middle schooler who's in a rock band with her two best friends spends most of her time practicing to win the upcoming school Battle of the Bands. When she's not rehearsing, she dreams of joining the Gotham City Junior Police Academy so she can make a real difference and solve crimes just like her detective father. But when a dangerous shadow figure begins threatening her friends and family, Dinah has to learn about her mother's secret past and newfound abilities.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote: Fans of Bloom and Spinning will love this queer coming-of-age graphic novel adaptation of Gabby Rivera's best-selling novel. Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving her hometown of the Bronx and heading to Portland, Oregon for a summer internship. But, just before leaving, Juliet comes out to her family, causing a tear in her relationship with her mom. Wondering if her mom will ever speak to her again, Juliet arrives in Portland to meet with Harlowe Brisbane, both her favorite feminist author and the person she'll be interning with. In this new city, Juliet learns what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian, and out, even when the rest of the world doesn't understand.

Martian Ghost Centaur by Mat Heagerty and Steph Mided: The Town of Southborough was once a major tourist destination that was said to be the home of the famous sasquatch after multiple sightings of the cryptid over the years. But once sightings of the Sasquatch came to a halt, so did the town's tourism, and with that came financial difficulties for the town and its residents. A tech company by the name of Start-up.com, a start-up that helps people start their own start-ups, decides to take advantage of Southborough's monetary situation and begins buying up various places throughout town to construct a headquarters, in turn pushing out all the local townspeople. Fortunately, Louie O'Connor and her best friend Felix decide they're going to do whatever it takes to drive back tourism while also protecting everything that makes their hometown special. Even if that means creating an elaborate hoax to drive out the Start-up.com takeover.

What if We Were... by Axelle Lenoir: Nathalie and Marie are 17 year old best friends since elementary school who battle boredom by using their imaginations to play a game they invented called "What if We Were...?" The rules are simple: one player names a topic, such as "Vikings" or "vampire slayers," then both players imagine what life would be like as that subject. Easy enough to play, but hard to master. After all these years, Nathalie and Marie are experts as they have mastered how to think outside the box and creatively surprise each other. But what if a new player decided to join the game? And what if she was really hot? Find out if Nathalie and Marie survive the next round without heartbreak in this graphic novel that proves there's nothing better than using your imagination.

What's New On Hoopla

 Here are some great new teen titles we've recently added to Hoopla Digital you should definitely check out!

The Castle School (For Troubled Girls) by Alyssa B. Sheinmel: Ok, so Moira gets that she has kind of always been a troublemaker. And she KNOWS that she has gotten way worse since her best friend Nathan died. But that still doesn't mean she has to be happy or even accepting of  her parents decision to send her away to a creepy boarding school in the middle of he woods! She's not interested in being there, or making new friends or in her counseling sessions. But she IS kind of interesting in exploring the nearby all-boys boarding school late at night with her room mate... that is, until things start to get weird, and really, really creepy. 

Grace Unto Death by J. D. Winter: Dying sucks. Being only sort-of dead is even worse. Grace never set out to become a Necrowight. She was just out jogging, trying to get a little exercise and get away from her jerk stepdad. It was totally not her fault she ran into UNBELIEVABLY good looking Sebastian (swoon!) who just happened to be undead and just happened to have turned her into whatever the heck she was now. And what exactly IS she now? Is she dead? Undead? Only mostly dead? What is a teenage ghoul to do.

Hotel Black by Ken G. Jones: Edmund, Greg and Mary are glad to be heading off to Wales for a nice little vacation with their parents at Hotel Black... until they actually get there. Constantly surrounded by mist, the hotel has a deeply creepy air to it. Then there's the squeaking rats and the nightly nightmares they all seem to be having. Plus the weird portraits hanging everywhere of the same man... who always looks different somehow. What is going on at this hotel and will Edmund, Greg and Mary even make it out alive if they are brave enough to try to find out?

The Salt in Our Blood by Ava Morgyn: When Cat' beloved grandmother dies, Mary has no choice but to move to New Orleans to live with the mother, Mary, who abandoned her as a child. There, Cat finds a mysterious picture of her mother cradling a child who is most definitely not Cat. As Cat begins to uncover twisted family secrets, she begins to realize that her mother has issues that run much deeper that she ever suspected, and even worse, Cat begins to have haunting dreams in which strange apparitions seem to be trying to tell her something important about her own life and future as well as her mysterious past. 

What's New on Overdrive!

 There is so much new on Overdrive this month, we don't even know where to begin! New series are beginning, old series are ending, and authors we love are releasing LOOOOONG awaited new titles! Here are four that we are sure you are going to love this April!

The Cousins by Karen McManus: The author of One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next is back with a brand new stand-alone novel to keep you on the edge of your seat. Milly, Jonah and Aubrey Story are cousins who come from one of the richest families in New England, but they have never met their grandparents. That's because one day, for reasons no one has ever explained each of their parents got a letter from the cousins grandmother saying she never wanted to speak to any member of the family again. Then, just as mysteriously, decades later, the three cousins get another letter, inviting them to come work for their secretive grandmother at the family's upscale resort on their private island. The cousins don't want to go, but their parents, hoping to get back into the will, force them to, with terrifying consequences. 

The Desolations of Devil's Acre by Ransom Riggs (Book 6 in the Miss Peregrine's Series): After 10 years and 6 books, we have reached the end. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children reaches its conclusion with this final volume. Jacob and Noor are back in Florida, at Jacob's grandad's house and Caul is building an army. The apocalypse is coming, marked by storms made of ashes, bones and blood, and only the peculiars can stop it.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna: Fans of Ninth House and Wings of Ebony are going to want to pick this one up for sure! Deka has always been an outcast in her village because of her strange power: she is unnaturally intuitive. Now, as she turns 16 and readies for her tribe's blood ceremony she prays with all her might that her blood will be normal and red, and not cursed and gold, which will mean she is cursed and must suffer a terrible fate. Of course, her blood runs gold. Deka is terrified until a strange woman arrives to tell her that he blood is not actually a curse but a gift. It marks her as a warrior. A gilded one. A protector, and one of the few who can save her country from doom.

The Project by Courtney Summers: Fans of Sadie can rejoice! Courtney Summers has finally released her long awaited follow-up! As a child, Lo lost her parents to a terrible car crash that almost ended her own life. Then, as a teenager, she lost the only family she had left: her sister Bea joined the mysterious "Project," a supposed Christian charity organization that Lo is 100% convinced is a cult. When a young man who was once a member dies by throwing himself in front of a train, Lo knows she has to do anything she can to expose the Project and saver her sister before it's too late. 

All of these great Young Adult books and more are available on Overdrive now with your Yuma County Library District Library card! Check them out now! And remember, we are open with a current limit of 30 minutes in the building.

Retro Cassette Tape Wallets

 Hi Teens! This is Nikki taking over today’s blog with another fun craft that you can do at home! They make a cute gift or you can make one to keep for yourself! This craft is also budget friendly and you might even have some of the materials lying around your house.  Yay Recycling! I love recycling things that can be made into something else! So let’s get started!

Materials you will need:

 1) Cassette tape (Your parents or grandparents might have one that they do not want any more so ask for permission if you can recycle it! If you do not have one, you can buy one online if search the internet, or search local thrift stores).

2) Screwdriver to take apart the cassette tape. You will only be using the outer part of the cassette tape, we will be taking the inside stuff out.

3) Paint (optional) If you do not like the color of your cassette tape you can use paint to change the color! You can even paint it to look like the mix tape from Guardians of the Galaxy.

4) One zipper in the color you desire. It will need to fit around the tape, so make sure to measure.

5) One piece of felt in the desired color (you can match it to the zipper if you like) or you can use scrap fabric or a pair of old jeans!

6) A pen or fabric chalk to mark the felt

7) Hot glue and glue sticks

8) Scissors

How to make it:

Step 1: Take your screwdriver and unscrew all the screws holding the cassette tape to open it up. Throw out the all of the insides of the tape.

Step 2: It’s painting time!! Paint the outside of your cassette tape any color you like and let it dry. You might have to do more than one coat to cover the entire thing well.

Step 3: After your paint has dried completely, measure the felt or fabric for the inside, this will be your lining of the wallet. To do this, take both of your tapes and place them on top of each other lined up like in the picture below. Then trace with marker or pen the outside so you have rectangle shape and cut it.

Step 4: Now it is time to start gluing, so fire up your hot glue gun. Start by having the front of the cassette tape facing to the outside to the left. Now start dabbing hot glue little by little on the side of the cassette tape while adhering the fabric part of the zipper (do not unzip just yet leave it close). Make sure to not get glue on the zipper part or else you will not be open it for the next step.

Step 5: Unzip the zipper and glue the other half of the cassette the same way you did the first one, by gluing the zipper on the side. Make sure to test if the zipper can open and close.

Step 6: Glue the felt or fabric inside the cassette’s one side at a side. Just place some glue lines on the inside of the cassette tape little by little, then fold it and do the other side. Then, if you want to cover the bottom just add a piece a felt so you don’t see any glue. And you’re done!