• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

On the Shelf

Header Right

  • Library Home
  • My Account
  • How Do I?
  • Contact Us
  • Search MD Libraries

Header Right Social

FacebookInstagramYoutubeMeetupOn the Shelf Blog

Header Right Search

  • Read, Listen, Watch
    • Search the Catalog
    • eBooks and Audiobooks
    • Streaming Movies and Music
    • eMagazines
    • Search MD Libraries
    • Check Out a Hotspot
    • Check Out a Ukulele
    • Suggest a Title for Purchase
    • Recommended Reading
    • On the Shelf
    • Local Newspaper Archive
  • Library Services
    • Get a Library Card
    • Using Your Library Card
    • Computers and Printing
    • Meeting Rooms
    • Donate to the Library
    • Exam Proctoring
    • Notary Service
    • Tax Forms and Information
    • Tell Us Your Library Story
  • Research and Learn
    • All Online Resources
    • Genealogy and Local History
    • Language Learning
    • Lynda.com
    • Job Seeker’s Toolkit
    • Resources for Grant Seekers
    • Computer and Technology Instruction
    • Homework Help
    • Local Newspaper Archive
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Kids Events
    • Teen Events
    • Adult Events
    • Book Discussions
    • Computer and Technology Instruction
  • Kids
    • Kids Events
    • Homework Help
    • Recommended Reading
    • Tumble Book Library
    • Ready to Read
    • Resources for Parents and Educators
  • Teens
    • Teens at the Library
    • Teen Events
    • Homework Help
    • Recommended Reading
    • Resources for Parents and Educators
  • About Us
    • Locations and Hours
    • New Leonardtown Library
    • Library Policies
    • Library Administration
    • Board of Library Trustees
    • Strategic Plan
    • Donate to the Library
    • Jobs at the Library
    • Volunteer at the Library
    • Friends of the St. Mary’s County Library
    • St. Mary’s County Library Foundation
    • Community Partners

Recommended for Teens

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

February 12, 2021 by Carla Leave a Comment

Title: Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
Format: ebook and book
Who’s It For: Teens and Adults

Aunt Peg was dead. Ginny Blackstone hadn’t seen her aunt in a few years. Aunt Peg had spontaneously gone off on an adventure in Europe. However, Ginny received a bundle in the mail from her aunt containing thirteen blue envelopes. Aunt Peg had prearranged a trip for Ginny to Europe. Yet, Ginny had to follow her aunt’s rules as laid out in the first blue envelope. No phones, no emails. Aunt Peg provided a bank card, the funds for Ginny’s summer adventure.

In Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, Ginny followed her aunt’s itinerary as explained per envelope.  She could only progress on the next leg of her journey when she completed the assigned task of the previous one.  So, throughout the summer, Ginny met a host of people, including an eccentric artist, a kindly manager at Harrods, zealous tourists, and welcoming hostel travellers.  She experienced London, Paris, Italy, and Amsterdam.  Along the way, Gin met Keith, a budding actor and college student.  Lanky and quirky, Keith became interested in Ginny and her unusual quest.  By the end of the summer, they weren’t boyfriend/girlfriend but, as Keith said, “something in-between.”

In The Last Little Blue Envelope, Ginny returned to England.  Although her backpack with the letters had been stolen, a tall brooding young man named Oliver had recovered them.  Gin was reunited with Keith, and she met Oliver and a friendly young woman named Ellis.  They journeyed together to complete the quest of the thirteenth envelope.  On the way, Ginny discovered more about love, friendship, family, and herself.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted tale with a personal journey, this duet could be the ticket.

Find Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes here.

And The Last Little Blue Envelope is here.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens, Uncategorized Tagged With: Adventure, Europe, Romance

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

January 29, 2021 by Brittany Leave a Comment

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
Format: Audiobook
Who it’s for: Teens, Adults

“The Black Kids” by Christina Hammonds Reed is a beautifully written, heart wrenching coming-of-age story that covers so many heavy topics. Though it occurs in 1992, the topics and life lessons learned are just as relevant almost 30 years later. In “The Black Kids”, Reed explores the trauma of growing up Black and interacting in predominantly white circles. Reed tackles the concept of respectability politics surrounding the African American community.

The Black Kids, in my opinion, perfectly captures many aspects of high school life. Most of us have experienced the awkward transition from childhood to adulthood and how that transition affects our long-standing friendships. Teenagers put up with a lot more from people we’ve known a long time versus those we just met and that wears down on one’s existence. The growing pains that Ashley, her friends and family members experience throughout the book allows you to relate to at least one of the characters in this book. This was great read and kept me intrigued as to what will happen next.

Find it in the catalog.

Filed Under: New for Teens, Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: African American, Coming of age, High School

Hearts Beat Loud

January 4, 2021 by Tess Leave a Comment

Hearts Beat Loud
Format: Digital Movie, DVD, Blu-ray
Who it’s for: Adults, Teens

If you like feel-good movies, about fathers and daughters, with great soundtracks, well, I’ve got a film for you:

Hearts Beat Loud stars Nick Offerman as Frank, and Kiersey Clemons as his daughter Sam. Frank and Sam’s mother were musicians. She died when Sam was little, and Frank never re-married. He’s been running a record shop for 17 years, but things are going to have to change. Sam is heading across the country soon, to pursue her dream of studying to become a doctor, and the record shop won’t support her out-of-state pre-med tuition.

Frank and Sam have regular jam sessions, and one night they play a song Sam has written, about her budding summer romance, which Frank records, and uploads to Spotify on a whim. To their surprise, the song becomes a hit, and the opportunity to pursue a career in music opens up to Sam and Frank. Frank has fantasies of their daddy-daughter-duo sweeping the indie rock scene, while Sam is firm about going to school, despite developing strong feelings for her new love. What will they do?

I thought Hearts Beat Loud was really sweet, and just what I needed to escape the complicated world we find ourselves in, just for a few hours. Offerman and Clemons have great chemistry, and the movie also features entertaining performances from Toni Collette as Frank’s landlady, and Ted Danson as his bar-owning best friend. This intergenerational story may also be a good movie for parents to share with their older children (it’s rated PG-13). Put the DVD or Blu-ray on hold, or stream it via Hoopla today!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Blu-ray, Digital Movie, DVD, Family, Music

Warmer in the Winter

December 14, 2020 by Mary Anne Leave a Comment

Warmer In The Winter by Lindsey Stirling
Format:  Music
Who it’s for:  Everyone

I love Lindsey Stirling’s music, but I especially love her holiday album, Warmer in the Winter.  You will recognize a lot of old favorites like Carol of the Bells, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Jingle Bell Rock.  All songs are played in Lindsey’s signature violin style.  This is the perfect music to listen to while wrapping gifts, snuggling under a blanket, while reading a book, in the car or anywhere!

Some of us are struggling to read during this COVID-19 pandemic.  If you need an uplifting and pretty way to get into the holiday spirit, check out this holiday album on Hoopla. Happy Holidays!

Find it on hoopla digital.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Kids, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Holidays, Music, Violin

The Hate U Give

November 16, 2020 by Christine Leave a Comment

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Format: Book, eBook, Audiobook, eAudiobook.  Movie version available DVD or Blu-Ray
Who it’s for: Adults, Teens

Sixteen year old Starr is living a double life.  One Starr lives in a black, lower income neighborhood and feels like she doesn’t quite fit in.  The other Starr attends a private, mostly white school and feels like she can never quite be herself.
One night, Starr is riding in a car with her childhood friend Kahlil when they get stopped by police. After a short but tense exchange, Kahlil is fatally shot leaving Starr as the only witness.
A whirlwind of events send Starr’s two worlds crashing into each other so she is left with no choice but to find her voice and decide who her one true self is and what she stands for.

 

The audiobook was amazing and the movie was a very good adaptation of the book although they did have to condense some characters.  I read the book first and it helped to better understand some parts of the story that I might have missed otherwise.

Find it in the catalog

 

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Award Winner, Police, Racial Injustice

Hysteria

October 28, 2020 by Carla Leave a Comment

Title: Hysteria by Megan Miranda
Format: Book
Who’s It For? Adults and Young Adults

Mallory remembered that her boyfriend Brian was dead. Yet she didn’t remember that she had stabbed him. The police didn’t charge her with the crime. Brian, from his history, was probably the aggressor. If only she could remember. Meanwhile, Mallory took a sleeping pill at night.

To give her a fresh start, Mallory’s parents sent her to a private prep school: Monroe. At first, she was making friends, including Reid. Reid and Mallory’s fathers attended Monroe years ago. Yet, when her roommate moved out, Mallory figured that word of her past had spread. Mallory frequently heard a loud thumping noise at night. And when she woke, her shoulder was bloody and blistered. Was someone tormenting her? Or was Mallory losing touch with reality? She had to find some answers before it was too late.

If you enjoy a suspenseful tale with flawed characters, I highly recommend this author.  While Hysteria is my favorite Megan Miranda book, I would also suggest The Perfect Stranger and All the Missing Girls.

You can find Hysteria here.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults, Recommended for Teens Tagged With: Boarding Schools, Death, memory

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 16
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

On the Shelf Home

 

Welcome to On the Shelf! Find reviews and recommendations for books, movies, music, library resources, and more. All posts from the Kid’s Book Blog have been brought over to On the Shelf, so your old favorites are still here!

Subscribe so you don’t miss a post!

Recent Posts

  • Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism
  • It Is (Not) Perfect
  • Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
  • The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
  • Migrations

Categories

Tags

African American Animals Audiobook Award Winner Bears Bedtime Being Different Birds Book Bugs Cats Classic Clothes Colors Counting Dogs Emotions Family Fiction Food Foreign Culture Friendship Go Green History Holidays Humour Interactive Jobs Libraries or Books Mice Monsters Music New Baby Nonfiction On the Farm Picture Book Poetry Rhyming Romance School Seasons Things That Go Tough Stuff True Stories Weather

Archives

St. Mary's County Library

Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 – 5 p.m., Lexington Park only

Locations

Charlotte Hall Library
37600 New Market Rd., Charlotte Hall, MD
301-884-2211

Leonardtown Library
23250 Hollywood Rd., Leonardtown, MD
301-475-2846

Lexington Park Library
21677 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park, MD
301-863-8188

Quick Links

  • My Account
  • Search the Catalog
  • eBooks and Audiobooks
  • Streaming Movies and Music
  • Search MD Libraries
  • Online Resources
  • Events
  • Meeting Rooms
Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility
FacebookInstagramYoutubeMeetupOn the Shelf Blog