Create your own Summer Learning Challenge this year!

All of the activities listed below have been created to help teens learn, create and share. Earn a point towards your Summer Learning Challenge for each activity you complete. 

Alba Series. Book 1, Lost
Alba Series. Book 2, The Plan
Staff Picks

Level 1 Decodable Chapter Books: Alba Series

  • Emily J.
  • Tuesday, May 16
This 12-book series follows the adventures of the feisty and determined Anna. She uses her super-sleuthing and problem-solving skills to battle the mighty superbugs who threaten to destroy her father’s scientific work.
The Clam
Crabs!
Staff Picks

Level 1 Decodable Chapter Books: Magic Belt Series

  • Emily J.
  • Tuesday, May 16
Looking for action and adventure? The Magic Belt series follows Zak’s quest to save his grandfather’s life. He sets out on a magical quest to collect hidden gems that will unlock the cure for grandfather illness. Zak races against time as he hurdles through obstacle after obstacle.
Attack at Nightfall
A Cry in the Dark
Staff Picks

Decodable Chapter Books: Talisman Series

  • Emily J.
  • Tuesday, May 16
The night before his 14th birthday, Zak has a strange dream. A mysterious lady appears before him bearing an important message: "The Dark Master is creating a new talisman, even more powerful than the first. All of mankind is at risk. You must resume your quest and stop him!" she tells him. Together with Mim and a skinny, old mule, Zak sets off to Volcano Island to confront the Dark Master. Will he be able to reach him before it is too late? Will he be able to save humanity?
Chasing Henry
Cobweb the Cat
Staff Picks

Decodable Readers: All About Reading

  • Emily J.
  • Friday, May 12
All About Reading are designed for students in the first stages of reading. New readers feel empowered because they can sound-out unfamiliar words without guessing and steadily build their reading skills. These books are completely “decodable” meaning that they use simple words and only short vowel sounds as the first stepping stones into reading.
Chase the Wind.
Lost in the Dunes.
Staff Picks

Decodable Readers: High Noon Sound-Out Chapter Books Level 3 & 4

  • Emily J.
  • Thursday, May 11
High Noon Chapter Books are designed for new readers who are ready to dive into chapter books. These stories are completely “decodable” meaning they use simple words and short vowel sounds as the first stepping stones into reading. Levels 3 & 4 build foundational reading skills that will prepare a reader for more challenging concepts in levels 5 & 6.
Cole and Finn
Get the Vet
Staff Picks

Decodable Readers: High Noon Sound-Out Chapter Books for New Readers

  • Emily J.
  • Thursday, May 11
High Noon Chapter Books are designed for new readers who are ready to dive into chapter books. These stories are completely “decodable” meaning they use simple words and short vowel sounds as the first stepping stones into reading. Levels 1 & 2 build foundational reading skills that will prepare a reader for more challenging concepts in levels 3 & 4.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Kids in Print 2023

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, April 26
Congratulations to the illustrators and writers featured in this year's edition of Kids in Print!
Blog
Richland Library Main

What's your resolution?

  • Adele C.
  • Saturday, December 31
No matter what your resolutions are for the new year, we hope that the library can play a part in helping you achieve your goals.
Samira Surfs
The Maps of Memory
Staff Picks

Great Books for Ages 11, 12, 13 | 2022

  • Richland Library
  • Wednesday, May 11
Middle school readers are still figuring out the world while trying to figure out themselves. They may look for books that reflect their experience or give them a window or sliding glass
Blog
Richland Library Main

Peppermint Catapults

  • Richland Library
  • Saturday, December 18
Launch yourself into the holiday spirit by learning how to create a peppermint catapult.
Blog
Richland Library Main

A-maize-ing Corn Husk Dolls

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, November 29
A perfect Fall activity to spice up your holiday; the art of corn husk doll making is steeped in tradition and fun for the whole family.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Dear Martin

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23
Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books. This conversation focuses on the New York Times bestselling YA novel, Dear Martin by Nic Stone.
Blog
Richland Library North Main

Native American Heritage Month

  • Zsuzsanna C.
  • Monday, November 07
There are 9.7 million Native Americans belonging to 562 federally recognized nations or tribes that live in the US, each with a unique history.
Blog
Richland Library Eastover

Texting via Haikus

  • Kimberly Jones
  • Tuesday, July 13
Let's explore Kwame Alexander's usage of Haikus to depict text messages in the novel in verse The Crossover.
Blog
Richland Library Main

A Soft Lesson to Learn: Teaching Soft Skills

  • Bland L.
  • Wednesday, June 30
As employers continue to lament the soft-skills deficiencies they see in new hires, more attention is being paid to making these skills part of the educational curriculum.
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

Garden to Table: Summer Solstice Recipes

  • Caroline B.
  • Tuesday, July 20
Summer has arrived! Join us as we use common produce that can be found in WLTX’s Gandy’s Garden, and in any supermarket or your own garden. We created some easy, flavorful dishes in our Northeast Teaching Kitchen using ingredients that signal summer is here! We hope you have fun making these dishes at home!
This is Your Mind on Plants
A Closer Look at Plant Classifications, Parts, and Uses
Staff Picks

Get Outdoors: Learn More About Plants

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, June 11
Time to get outside and go on an adventure! Here are a list of books to help you explore your surroundings. Learn more about plants and even go on a foraging trip!
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

¡Que Rico!: Stuffed Honduran Pastelitos

  • Elisa D.
  • Friday, May 28
Bring the rich flavors of our community to life in your kitchen! Try our Stuffed Honduran Pastelitos—inspired by a recipe from one of our ¡Que Rico!: Community Cookbook contributors, Karin Cantarero.
Watch over Me
The Education of Ivy Blake
Staff Picks

YA and Middle Grade Reads to Celebrate National Foster Care Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Monday, May 17
National Foster Care Month has been observed during the Month of May in the United States since 1988 when President Ronald Reagan recognized May as a month to show appreciation and gratitude to foster parents across the nation. The purpose of National Foster Care Month continues to evolve based on the needs of the time. For example, in 2019, the theme for National Foster Care Month was "Foster Care as a Support to Families, not a Substitute for Parents."
Aquaman
Battlestar Galactica. Season One
Staff Picks

Art Representing Asian American, Pacific Islanders

  • Helene F.
  • Monday, May 10
Graphic novels and manga, with the aid of movies and anime, have been great ways to bring cultures together. Here is a list of some of my favorite titles with AAPI characters and artists. Looking for more? Check out our personalized recommendations here or call us at 799-9084.
Akira.
Cowboy Bebop
Staff Picks

Where to Start Your Anime Journey

  • Bryan B.
  • Saturday, May 01
Anime can be an overwhelming medium, especially for someone new. This collection of anime movies are a great starting point to begin your exploration of the medium. Works range from family friendly works by Hayao Miyazaki to the deep and psychological works of the late Satoshi Kon. Whichever you choose, you're bound to find a new world in anime.
The Killing Floor.
10,000 Black Men Named George.
Staff Picks

Movies for Workers' Day

  • Keith B.
  • Thursday, April 29
The first day of May has been celebrated as International Workers' Day since 1889 when labor activists were demonstrating and organizing for the eight-hour-day. The following list is made up of dramatic features, documentaries, and educational series on the labor movement, unionizing, leftist political activism, economic inequality, and working conditions. Mostly focused on American culture and history, it nontheless includes films set around the globe, helping to illustrate the shared struggles of workers everywhere.
The Gilded Wolves
Children of Blood and Bone
Staff Picks

For Fans of Shadow and Bone

  • Alison B.
  • Wednesday, April 28
Binge watched your way through Netflix's new number one show Shadow and Bone yet? You can of course pick up Grishaverse creator Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone trilogy or Six of Crows duology to finish the tale.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Day of Silence: My Silence, My Story

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, April 23
The Day of Silence is an annual student-led demonstration meant to raise awareness of bullying and harassment directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students.
Thyme of Death
Garden Spells
Staff Picks

Herbal Medicine fiction

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, April 23
As we cultivate our gardens and spruce up the place, why not entertain yourself with some herbal medicinal reads? Fiction, of course! Let's take a break from the dust, dirt, and heat. Time to grab a glass of ice cold lemonade, tea, or infused water and add just a hint of herbal fun to the mix.
The Factory
Atlas Shrugged. Part 1.
Staff Picks

Are There Limits to Human Creativity? (Philosophical fiction)

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, April 21
A list of 30 top philosophical reads--included with these selections are various formats (eAudio, eBook, Blu-Ray or DVD, & Standard or Large print). Enjoy your journey with these philosophical fiction novels that will make you think and analyze the conditions and nature of humans, and maybe gain a different perspective. Some of these titles have been made into motion pictures or turned into TV shows. Feel free to decide if there are limits to human creativity...
Does My Head Look Big in This?
First Comes Marriage
Staff Picks

Biographies and Novels that Explore the Arab American Experience

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Tuesday, April 13
Let’s take the time to celebrate the history, contributions, and culture of the diverse population of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have roots in 22 countries located in the Middle East and North African regions and within all those countries, there are various languages, religions, traditions that are now part of the American story. Explore their stories though verse, memories, and more.
Blog
Richland Library Sandhills

Five Trailblazing Women of Richland County

  • Brittany S.
    Alex B.
  • Tuesday, April 27
Let's look at five amazing women leaders who not only have made a positive impact all across Richland County, but have broken down barriers while they were at it.
Anansi the Spider
Folk Tales & Fables of Asia & Australia
Staff Picks

Good Folk Tales and Fairy Tales for Storytelling

  • Rebecca T.
  • Friday, April 09
In their well-respected book, Storytelling: Art and Technique, Ellin Greene and Augusta Baker tell us: "A good story for telling is one that has something to say and that says it in the best possible way." Check out some of these books to learn more about the traditional art of storytelling and to find folk tales and fairy tales that have something to say and are written in the best possible way!
The Pros of Cons
Beauty Queens
Staff Picks

Teen Books to Make You Laugh

  • Alison B.
  • Saturday, April 03
Looking for laughs in your reading selection? Try some of these humorous teen titles from an alien-hunting cheerleader (Flying by Carrie Jones) to a convention center mismatched with a percussion competition, fandom con, & taxidermy championship (The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry) that'll have you chuckling and smiling throughout.
Artemis
Reynard the Fox
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2021 - Antihero's and Villains as the protagonist

  • Mahogany S.
  • Thursday, April 01
Do you believe there's always an "other" side to each story? Well here they are. Read some titles that talk about the perspective of the villain or an antihero. Some are tricksters and some are downright murderers. All are darkly enjoyable. Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
Blog
Richland Library Southeast

Mini-Retreat: Play Birdsong Hero

  • Amy A.
  • Sunday, March 28
Wish you could identify birds by their songs? Try this simple game and turn "someday" into "today" for your bird watching bucket-list daydreams.
Watch Us Rise
With the Fire on High
Staff Picks

Women's History Month: Realistic Teen Fiction

  • Alison B.
  • Monday, March 22
Women are strong, creative, hardworking, innovative, inspiring, and so much more. The women that go down in history and those that impact lives and communities around us were young teen girls at one point. Explore what it's like living as a young lady, the highs and lows as well as the joys and difficulties, in these contemporary teen fiction books.
Flesh & Blood So Cheap
The Nazi Hunters
Staff Picks

Page-Turning Nonfiction for Teens

  • Jennifer N.
  • Saturday, March 13
Who doesn’t love a great true story? These nonfiction titles will transport you to different time and place, leaving you racing toward the end of the book to see how it all turns out while devouring every detail. Scale a mountain (No Summit Out of Sight), survive the wild (Marooned in the Arctic), win the game (Attucks!; Games of Deception), or dig into history’s gruesome side (The Borden Murders; Flesh & Blood So Cheap; The Family Romanov) in these fast-paced reads.
45-love
55 Dynamic Agility & Conditioning Drills for Tennis
Staff Picks

Swing into Tennis (Game, Set, Match)

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, March 11
A list of Tennis related material has been compiled as you gear up for the courts. Lace up your shoes and tighten your strings, it's time to ace this year's season.
The Scapegracers
Undead Girl Gang
Staff Picks

Teen Witchy Reads for WandaVision Fans

  • Alison B.
  • Thursday, March 11
The latest hit from the Marvel Universe may have wrapped last week with the finale of WandaVision, but there are plenty of riveting reads of powerful witches and complex female characters to fill that void.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23
Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books. These discussions will build our capacity for talking about race and define our roles in fighting against both every day and systemic racism.
The Rock and the River
Saving Savannah
Staff Picks

Let's Talk Race: Historical Fiction List Inspired by Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, March 05
“But what some folks want you to be and what you is...well, sometimes they gonna be two different things. But you will always know who is in here. Got me? This is who you are.”--Karyn Parsons, How High the Moon Inspired by Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, these books shed light and humanize history by allowing readers to go beyond dates and facts to get to know the true story.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

#OwnVoices: Class Act

  • Taelor J.
  • Monday, August 07
New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, is now joined by Jerry Craft’s powerful Class Act.
Love from a to Z
Love from A to Z
Staff Picks

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Fiction Recommendations for YA Readers

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Wednesday, March 03
March has been recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month since 1987 when President Ronald Reagan issued a public proclamation urging Americans to provide individuals with developmental disabilities “The encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.” Developmental disabilities include disabilities such as cerebral palsy, autism, muscular dystrophy, down syndrome, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and affect a persons growth and/or cognition. The aim of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is to rai
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Read Woke Across America Week

  • Taelor J.
  • Friday, March 05
Let’s show out children a world where everyone does not look the same, worship the same, or even think the same—and that this is the beauty of the world. Let’s teach them that in spite of our differences, we’re more alike than different, and learning brings us closer together. Let’s join together and Read WOKE Across America!
Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Jason Reynolds

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, March 01
Jason Reynolds is an author and poet who grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Inspired by Queen Latifah and the other rappers he listened to in his youth, he began writing poetry at the age of 9. In January 2020, Jason Reynolds was named as the Library of Congress’s national ambassador for young people’s literature, a position designed to encourage young people to develop an interest in reading.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Stamped: Who Were They Really?

  • Taelor J.
  • Friday, March 05
The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. Racist ideas are woven into the fabric of this country, and the first step to building an antiracist America is acknowledging America's racist past and present.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Putting Research into Your Job Search

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, February 18
One of the problems facing first-time job seekers, or those contemplating a career change, is that they may have a general idea of the kind of work they’d like to do but lack detailed knowledge about what this work involves.
The 5 AM Club
Getting Things Done
Staff Picks

Stay Motivated and Win this Year!

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, February 17
A list of personal development books have been created to assist you on your journey to victory! 2020 is gone and over, but 2021 has 365 brand new ways for you to prove just how resilient you are. We already have a month in the hole, let's take advantage of the next few. You're only a decision away...
Tess of the Road
Damsel
Staff Picks

There's Always Room for Dragons in Teen Fiction

  • Alison B.
  • Tuesday, February 16
Fantasy stories are full of interesting magical creatures, but nothing holds a flame to the fire-breathing behemoths that are dragons. From treasure hoarders to city destroyers to faithful companions and more, check out the young adult books below for stories of fierce and fiery drakes.
Blog
Richland Library North Main

Stamped: This is Not a History Book

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Monday, February 15
"This is not a history book...." There's so much packed in that one profound statement that Jason Reynolds reiterates at the beginning of Stamped: Antriracism, Racism, and You by Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi.
I Want More Pizza
Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School?
Staff Picks

Budgeting and Money Saving Skills For Teens

  • Thomas M.
  • Friday, February 12
Financial skills are key to taking control of your destiny. Money you save today could make a lasting difference in the future. Budgeting for personal goals are great habits to build. Adults may not like to admit it, but many of them wish they could turn back time and read up about this! The books listed below offer good advice for saving and budgeting. There are many digital books on money management available for instant checkout over on Hoopla.