Freakboy?

 
Who hasn’t felt a little (or even a lot) uncomfortable in their skin at times? For Brendan in Freakboy things are even more complex.

Brendan has a girlfriend he loves, is a decent wrestler, and has a best buddy he games with. Brendan also feels odd in his male body, enjoys wearing a women’s bra, and fantasizes about having curves and long silky hair. Then again, sometimes, he doesn’t totally hate being a guy.

What do these feelings make him, he wonders. Weird?  A lesbian? A “freakboy?”  Or, as he learns from Angel, a transgender woman who becomes a friend, is he “gender fluid?”

There aren’t easy answers or resolutions in Kristin Elizabeth Clark’s novel, but there is an honest and compelling struggle that is heartwrenching at times and entirely human. There’s also three amazing central characters: Angel (with her own past struggles/demons); Vanessa (Brendan’s loving and uber understanding girlfriend) and Brendan himself. The novel is written in verse, so even though it looks h-u-g-e, it’s a pretty fast read.

I really like what the author herself said about the book:

“There are as many expressions of gender identity as there are individuals…I would never in a million years attempt to tell the transgender story. All I can do is tell a transgender story and cross my fingers that people will be interested…”

I definitely was.

There are more teen novels with transgender stories/characters:

I am J – Cris Beam

Luna – Julie Ann Peters

Parrotfish – Ellen Wittlinger

Check out the library‘s LGBTQ Teen Reads booklist for more reading suggestions.

Young Voices Writing & Arts Festival - March Break

Excellent workshops with artists and writers!  Young Voices Writing & Arts Festival - March Break

• Free. Teens aged 12-19.  In library branches across Toronto. 
• Check out all of the events listings on Facebook, too.

 

Colours You Could Eat: Toronto Mixed-Media

Artist Michael Brown leads a two-hour workshop with every sharpie colour imaginable. Drawing on post-its, junk mail and a range of artist papers, participants will walk away with a variety of creations.

Sat., March 8, 2 pm

Agincourt

 

 

 

 

Fresh Paint: A Graffiti Art Workshop

From cave paintings to million-dollar canvasses – discover the history of modern graffiti art and learn how to create your own. Artists Max Sawka and Kyle Howard show you how graffiti can lead to your dream job.

Tues., March 11, 4 pm
Downsview

 

 

 

 

Wild Words: Writing Poetry, Fiction and Beyond

In this lively workshop hosted by author Gary Barwin, young writers will explore a wide range of approaches to writing and the surprising places where writers can find ideas and inspiration.

Wed., March 12, 6 pm
Danforth/Coxwell

 

 

 

 

Write with Improv
Get inspired to write your next piece for Young Voices using comedy! Danz will guide you through improv exercises geared to generate ideas for writing poems, short stories, characters and more.

Thurs., March 13, 12 pm
Eatonville

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Urban Fantasy: Find Magic in Your Neighbourhood

Using the library as a jumping-off point, Leah Bobet, author of Above, will teach young writers how to explore, re-imagine, and discover the magic in everyday places and things.

Thurs., March 13, 2 pm
Cedarbrae

 

 

 

 

Picture Books for Grownups, Horoscopes and More

Author, actor and journalist Ryan Kerr shows you the writerly ropes, drawing from his experience as a maker of picture books for mature people, writing horoscopes for magazines, and as an actor in the web series Gay Nerds.

Thurs., March 13, 4:30 pm
North York Central Library

 

 

 

 

Make Your Own Short Comic Book Story

Writer and illustrator Evan Munday will guide participants through the thrilling process of writing and illustrating their own short comic books.

Fri., March 14, 2 pm
Northern District

 

 

 

 

 

GET PUBLISHED!

Young Voices is Toronto Public Library's annual magazine of teen writing and visual art. We're taking submissions for art, photographs, stories, poems, rants, reviews and other writing by Toronto teens
12 to 19 years old.

SUBMIT NOW

• Submit your work online at Young Voices Magazine

• Or pick up a submission form at any Toronto Public Library branch

• Deadline for Young Voices 2014: April 5, 2014

• Works submitted after this deadline will be considered for Young Voices 2015

 

The Young Voices program is supported through the generosity of
the Daniels brothers in honour of their mother,
Norine Rose, through the Toronto Public Library Foundation.

Digital Innovation Programs for Teens during March Break

Get busy this March Break!  The fantastic new Digital Innovation Hub at Toronto Reference Library is offering free (as always) workshops just for teens with the new equipment.

• Learn digital video editing and how to use a green screen
• Get fancy with the new 3-D printers
• Learn to mix and match beats-per-minute in the DJing workshop

Here are the details as originally written by the terrific Greg Astill on Digital Design & Technology blog.

Reserve your spot in the workshops ASAP, they are filling up quickly!

 

This upcoming March Break, the Digital Innovation Hub is proud to offer three new sessions for teens.  Come down and learn more about Video Production and Editing, along with 3D Design and Printing and Audio mixing and DJing.

All programs are for Teens aged 13 to 19. This event is free, but space is limited. Online registration is required (see individual links below for more information and to order your tickets).

March Break: Video 101 for Teens
Tuesday, March 11th
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Digital Innovation Hub staff show teens how to use a video camera and green screen to create video footage of themselves at fun and far out places, like a warm tropical beach or outer space. Teens also learn the basics of video editing.

March Break: 3D Printing 101 for Teens
Wednesday, March 12th
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Digital Innovation Hub staff give teens an overview of different 3D design software and about Thingiverse, a website where they can download already-designed 3D objects to print.

Teens also learn how to use the Hub's 3D printer- including:
* How to prepare a 3D design file for print
* How to use the equipment properly and safely
* Reviewing the rules and guidelines to using the 3D printer

March Break: DJ-ing 101 for Teens
Thursday, March 13th
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Digital Innovation Hub staff show teens the basics of DJ-ing. Teens also get to try mixing beats using the iDJ Pro mixing console.

For more information, please call 416-393-7007.

See you then,
Greg

Book of the Week: Grasshopper Jungle

 

 

 

Unstoppable soldiers are taking over small town Iowa. They probably are not the kind of unstoppable soldiers you have in mind. These powerhouses are giant grasshoppers over 6 feet tall that are virtually indestructible.

The unstoppable soldiers are only interested in doing two things.

I'll spare you any details about the two things that they like to do. You can use your imagination or get your hands on a copy of Grasshopper Jungle to find out. This is the latest offering from award winning author Andrew Smith. The florescent green, buggy cover of this novel first caught my eye. Simple, but definitely striking.

Warning- I am pretty sure that this book is unlike anything you've ever read before. Unless, of course you can remember reading a coming of age story that features adventure, a nontraditional love triangle, laugh-out-loud humour, oh...all happening alongside a human sized bug invasion. This book has it all.

In Grasshopper Jungle, the story of Austin Szerba's Polish ancestors is interwoven with his seemingly mundane adolescence. I loved that Austin's character was a refreshingly authentic teenage boy, complete with raging hormones, angst and body odor. Austin's home town of Ealing, Iowa is thought to be a sleepy town, where nothing happens. Things change quickly as Ealing's secret past reveals itself to Austin and his friends Robbie and Shann (both of which he is in love with, by the way).

Austin eventually describes his history as having included, " babies with two heads, insects as big as refrigerators, God, the devil, limbless warriors, rocket ships, sex, diving bells, theft, wars, monsters, internal combustion engines, love, cigarettes, joy, bomb shelters, pizza and cruelty. " Told ya this book had it all.

Grasshopper Jungle is funny, touching, gross, and odd all at once...and I just could not put it down. It really is one of those books that you really do just have to read for yourself. Toronto Public Library has Grasshopper Jungle as both a book or an e-book if you want to give it a read!

March Break Comedy Improv Workshop

Q & A with Marissa Meyer

With the recent publication of Cress, the third book in the Lunar Chronicles, we are looking forward to spending some time with author Marissa Meyer.

As already mentioned here, Marissa will be appearing at the North York Central Library on Monday, February 24th at 2 p.m.  

Raincoast Books kindly coordinated a Q&A with Marissa.  Read on to find out what Marissa's connection to Sailor Moon is, what she's working on next, and which, if any, lunar power, she would like to have.

 

1. Who is your favourite love interest from the Lunar Chronicles?

This is the meanest question ever!! I truly do love all of them, for very different reasons. But for me, the one that’s the most fun to write has to be Captain Thorne. He has a tendency to say and do hilarious things whenever he’s around, and I never quite know what’s going to happen next. It’s nice having a character that I can just let do his own thing, and trust that it will be awesome.

2. What does a day in your life look like? Tell us about your writing process.

No day seems to be quite the same as any other day, as it’s completely dependent on what sort of promotion/marketing tasks are happening, or whether or not I’m traveling or giving school visits, or having a book signing, and of course where I am in the writing process – whether I’m currently drafting a new book, or working through copyedits, etc. An IDEAL day would be: wake up, have coffee, check emails, spend an hour or so connecting on social networks and tackling promotion tasks, then write/revise/edit until the early afternoon, go to the gym, come home and eat dinner and read a great book.

3. How did you discover fanfiction and how has it impacted your writing career?

My best friend introduced me to the anime Sailor Moon when we were fourteen, and I completely fell in love – but I was never happy with how the two main characters fell in love in the show, so I started writing my own stories, showing my version of events. Then that same best friend showed me this web site, “A Sailor Moon Romance,” full of fanfiction! I had no idea that other people were doing the same thing I was, and discovering that community was huge. Being able to share my stories and get good feedback and encouragement was priceless for me as an aspiring writer. I do think that I still would have gone on to be a published writer someday, but I know that being involved in the fanfiction community gave me the confidence to pursue it sooner and with more determination than I think I otherwise would have had.

 4. Can you give us any sort of sneak peek into your newest project, Heartless?

“Heartless” is a prequel to Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” telling the story of The Queen of Hearts – how she became the queen… and also a tyrant. I think it’s going to be a very quirky, whimsical book (it is Wonderland, after all!), and I plan on making use of a lot of our favorite characters from Alice. Mad tea party, anyone?

5. If you had lunar powers, would you use them or hide them? And what would you use them for?

I DO NOT want Lunar powers, because I don’t think I would be able to resist the temptation of using them. I play with this theme a lot in the later books – when is it okay to manipulate someone? Is it EVER okay? What if that person says it’s okay? – It gets very complicated. But once you start controlling the people around you, your relationships lose all authenticity. It would get very messy, very fast.

Two all new! improved! machine-washable! Young Voices stories from the eWriter residency: romping with joy in the bookish dark

Last fall, at the end of my residency as eWriter in Residence "here" at TPL, I invited any participants who had received feedback to resubmit their revised work (Poetry 2.0? iFiction 5c?) and I'd feature it here on the TPL Teens blog.

Three writers responded. One writer, Edmee, submitted her revised poem but had to withdraw it because it was accepted for publication this year in a literary journal, The Hart House Review. That's fantastic news. I mean, about the publication. It's too bad we couldn't publish it here. It's ok. We're not hurt. Our feelings are ok. [Sobs quietly into his keyboard, big salty tears hit the s   pacebar.] But really, that's great. There's nothing more exciting than getting your writing out into the world.

BUT!!! Two brave and mighty souls, Layla Halabi and William M. do have BRAND NEW versions of their work for me to post...and post I shall.

I'm posting the pieces as PDF files to preserve the layout and typeface. You can click on the files and they should open. If not click on them again. Click on them a thousand times. If this doesn't work, consider that maybe you are clicking on your cat. Move to your phone or computer. Click again. Drat. I'm clicking on my little brother. Ok. Now I'm at my computer. <Click> But, really, the files should open without problem.

Download Dancing Sucks-2 by William M.

A story about the end of democracy at a high school, forced dancing, and the horse trot.

Download The Storm Part 1-4 by Layla Halabi

Chapter One of a longer fantasy novel featuring Stormwind Tower, The Nightsinger, magic, and a surprising and dynamic relationship between two characters, Huxley and Lorena.

*

I thank Layla, William, and Edmee for resubmitting their work and am grateful that I can post some of it here. 

Thanks to everyone for participating in the residency—as writers and readers and as helpful library-people. I'm delighted to have been able to be part of this residencey and to have had to opportunity to have read and discussed writing with all of you. 

I wish you all the best for your future writing and reading. And, as the Mark Strand poem below says, I hope you all have the chance to 'romp with joy in the bookish dark'!

Gary

(P.S. As far as I've seen, the TPL librarians don't have eyes like the ones mentioned in the poem...)

Eating Poetry  Mark Strand Ink runs from the corners of my mouth. There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry. The librarian does not believe what she sees. Her eyes are sad and she walks with her hands in her dress. The poems are gone. The light is dim. The dogs are on the basement stairs and coming up. Their eyeballs roll, their blond legs burn like brush. The poor librarian begins to stamp her feet and weep. She does not understand. When I get on my knees and lick her hand, she screams. I am a new man, I snarl at her and bark, I romp with joy in the bookish dark.

New! Non-Fiction Writing Contest for Youth in Canada

The Writer's Trust of Canada, who run the established and esteemed Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction is launching a nonfiction writing contest for students. The Hilary Weston Writer's Trust Student Nonfiction Writing Contest is open to students aged 21 and younger, who are currently enrolled in grades 9 through 12 at a school in Canada.

Here are the Complete Contest_Guidelines and Contest Submission Form 

or visit writerstrust.com/students

Yes, there are great prizes. Free to enter, deadline is March 31st, 2014.

The new Hilary Weston Writer's Trust Student Nonfiction Writing Contest offers:

•  a grand prize of $2,500, plus $1,000 for the winner’s school
• publication of the winning work on Macleans.ca
• a trip to Toronto in fall 2014 to be recognized at the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for         Nonfiction gala presentation, and the chance to meet established authors and publishing industry professionals at a VIP reception
• an opportunity for students to have their writing evaluated by a jury of professional authors
• the chance to add a prestigious achievement to any resume or scholarship application
• Second Prize: $500; Third Prize: $250

Submissions must be in the form of literary nonfiction, between 1,000 and 2,000 words, and in English.

What do they mean by 'nonfiction'? What's included in that?

Literary nonfiction includes, but is not limited to, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, both social and political criticism, history, and biography. The winning work will demonstrate a distinctive voice, as well as a persuasive and compelling command of tone, narrative, style, and technique.

There is no fee to enter this contest; the deadline to submit is March 31, 2014. Be sure to include your completed contest submission form with your entry.

For complete contest details, please visit writerstrust.com/students

Books This Week: What Could Be

Books, as the posters say, can take you places.

Places that are or have been, places you may be familiar with or never, ever get to, and sometimes, places that might never be. Two new books I just read are - hopefully - places we will never find ourselves, but that can make for fascinating reading and get you thinking about the "what-if."

What if all the computers on earth suddenly stopped working one day? We live in a world largely run by computer, from our cars to our the power grid, so this wouldn't just mean no email, it would mean wide-scale disaster. Disaster so huge that the rules society lives by start to crumble, and the rules of survival start to become paramount. Like thie rule of three: A person can last 3 minutes without air, three days without water, 3 weeks without food. This rule is the source of the title for Eric Walters' new book about this scenario, The Rule of Three.

Walters lets things play out for a while in his book, and we get to see how things break down and how one group of people predict and react to this in uniquely successful ways, thanks to a highly-trained former spy who has seen some disasters in his day. What I liked most about this is how Walters puts his background as a psychologist to use, making the ways that people break down seem very believeable and giving some insight into what might happen in such an event. I found the same thing in his book about the day after 9/11, United We Stand. In fact, he is something of a specialist in disasters, having also written novels about 9/11 (We All Fall Down) and about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (Wave), so if you find those scenarios interesting, you might give those a try, too.

Another what-if: we have in vitro fertilization, so called "test-tube babies." So what if we just let them keep growing in the lab, and only woke them up when they were older? Say, teenagers?

Sophie's mom works for some kind of secret lab, and she always imagined her helping mankind with her work. So when she is lured to the off-limits island and finds that things are something else entirely and not even close to noble, she is shocked - and suddenly, not only facing questions abut her mom and herself, but also fighting for her life, along with the childhood friend who helped her get there.

Vitro is action-packed, full of twists and surprises, and based on a premise that throws open a lot of questions about creation, science, psychology, and free will. For a book that's bascially an action novel, it's nice to have a little something to think about, and these what-ifs? Might just stick with you for a few days, because there is some interesting ideas tucked among the escapes, changes of heart, and is-this-the-end moments. It reminds me a bit, in the setting and the raising of questions about science and ethics, of Virals, the first in Kathy Reichs' teen series. (Oh, and Vitro is also an ebook.)

Fear No Poetry. Poetry You Too Can Understand.

Do you often read a poem and think, what was that? or "Why can't they just say what they mean?!" True facts, poetry can be really cryptic and frustrating.  Fortunately, there is poetry that you too, (and myself) can understand.  

Katherena Vermette's award winning collection, North End Love Songs cuts into fragile, quiet, raw experiences - while being easily readable.  Her poems describe personal experiences and summon her surroundings of Winnipeg's North End. It won the most recent Governor General's Literary Award for poetry. 

If you've shied away from poetry because it's hard to 'get', crack open North End Love Songs and you'll be surprised, feeling invited into the poems.

Here's an insightful interview with Katherena and samples of her poems in the book.