Teen Poetry Coffeehouse

The library celebrated poetry and the winners of the Teen Poetry Contest at a Poetry Coffeehouse and Open Mic Night!  Congrats to our four winners (two are pictured here: Andrew and Marica, first place and runner up winners) and thanks to all who participated!

 

Our poetry contest winners celebrating with their families.

 Marica reading her poem "How a Hippo is a Cookie" and Andrew reading his award-winning "Dandelions."

 Marica and Andrew with Teen Librarian, Kate.

 ACCT was selling bracelets and cookies to raise money for the Japan relief effort through "Save the Children."  Great job ACCT and thanks for coming to hang out for a while!

Winner -- NLW Teen Poetry Contest

Dandelions

Rolled up cobwebs drifting everywhere

Drifting through deserts

Drifting through fields

Plains

Forests

Farms

Like a spirit looking for a home

Until at last

The wind dies down

Then . . . Slowly . . .

                                   slowly

                                                      falling

                                                                            to

                                                            the

                                  ground.

Finally at rest.

Written by Andrew K. Fong, age 11.

3 Runner Up -- NLW Teen Poetry Contest

Your FairyTale

You built yourself a fairytale

A world of castles and Dragons

You created your knight in shining armor

To fight with you through everything

You dreamed yourself some dragons

Tu guard and to protect you

You built yourself a tower

To watch over your kingdom like a hawk

You created yourself a pedestal

You were above everyone

You had your moment in the light

You had your time in power

You built yourself a FairyTale

But you didn't think of how to disassemble it

Your kingdom is crashing down on you

Your knight has turned against you

Your dragon is breathing fire over you

Your tower windows fogged up

The pedestal you built yourself is crumbling down

Your kingdom has fallen out from under you

If only you had built a way out.

Written by Danielle, age 14.

2 Runner Up -- NLW Teen Poetry Contest

How a Hippo is a Cookie

A hippo that dances on your tongue

Only sweeter

And lighter

And warm

A hippo that can melt in your mouth

Only smaller

And yummy 

And soft

A hippo that lifts you; makes you fly

Several seconds

Off the ground

'Til it's gone

A hippo is a warm cookie

Right from the oven

With a cold glass of milk

On a Sunday afternoon.

Written by Marica Lesznik, age 15.

1 Runner Up -- NLW Teen Poetry Contest

The Candle

Somewhere in the darkness

A lone candle burns.

It burns with its flame eternal,

Burning bright, so bright.

Its radiant light shines like a star,

A beacon of hope to all,

It fights the dark like a toy soldier, on and on

Fighting forever, never faltering.

The dark, it does not like the light.

It tries to wrap it with its wispy tendrils,

It tries to extinguish its flame,

Burning bright, so bright.

But no matter how hard the darkness tries,

It shall never succeed, no matter how it fights,

For the candle burns its radiant flame brightest in the night,

Burning bright, so bright.

Written by Michael, age 13.

National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of the annual National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest at Franklin Lakes Public Library!

Andrew Fong, sixth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, will receive First Place, awarded with a $50 American Express Gift Card, for his poem “Dandelion.”  Three runners’ up prizes will also be awarded each with a$25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card:  Michael Park, eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, for “The Candle”; Danielle Linz, also an eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, for “Your FairyTale”; and Marica Lesznick, sophomore at Ramapo High School, for the original poem, “How a Hippo is a Cookie.”

Contest winners will receive their prizes and be specially recognized at a Teen Poetry Coffeehouse and Open Mic Night at Franklin Lakes Library on Monday, April 25, 2011, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  All teens and families are invited to this event to share original and favorite pieces of writing.

The Teen Poetry Contest was part of the celebration of National Library Week 2011 and National Poetry Month.   At Franklin Lakes Public Library and area schools, teens were given a contest entry form and encouraged to create original poems or song lyrics.  We received over 25 poems and a Grand Prize winner plus three runners’ up were chosen by an array of local judges and library workers.  Entries were judged on creativity, originality, flow and polish, and overall impact.  Copies of the winning entries can be found on display in the library.  Thank you so much to all the teens who submitted entries for this contest!

Teen Writers

You're a writer?

Check out this blog post from Class of 2K11.  There's a lot of great stuff out there to help you get going, and to help you keep going. 

You're a writer and you're looking for some things to DO this month?

Franklin Lakes Library is hosting a Teen Poetry Coffeehouse and Open Mic Night.  All teens are welcome to bring some favorite or original poetry to read aloud, or just bring your friends and family and hang out with a cup of tea and some snacks.  We'll be honoring the winners of the Teen Poetry Contest at that time, too! (Winners will be announced here on this blog tomorrow!)

Plus, there's a five-week Teen Writers Group on Thursday afternoons at the library beginning on April 28.  (You can register online or shoot me an email: kate_thelibrarian [at] yahoo [dot] com.)

Just contact me for more info, or find the programs listed on the library's Calendar of Events!

Writing Contest for YA Authors!

Wattpad Presents: The Gatekeepers Discovery Writing Awards

The Gatekeepers Post is hosting a contest for YA authors on Wattpad.com!

Here’s How It Works!

Round 1: Post the first 50 pages of your YA novel onto Wattpad by March 30th. The top 100 entries with the most votes by March 30th will be read by The Gatekeepers Post Staff. The story cannot have been started on Wattpad before February 1st, 2011.

Round 2: Those writers selected by The Gatekeepers Post staff from Round 1 will be invited to post the next 50 pages of their novel onto Wattpad by April 30th. Top editors and agents (check out the list below!), will read and select the nominees for Round 3.

Round 3: The nominees selected in Round 2 will be invited to post the remainder of their work onto Wattpad by May 30th. A winner will be announced on June 25th.

Prize: $500 cash prize to the grand prize winner!

Rules:

To be considered for the contest, please tag your story: Gatekeeper.

Must be at least 13 years of age to enter and a member of Wattpad. The story cannot have been previously shared on Wattpad before February 1st, 2011. The most popular stories will be determined from an entry’s most popular chapter. Stories cannot be rated higher than PG-13.

Judges Include:

Barbara Lalicki (SVP and Editorial Director at HarperCollins Childrens)

Sara Megibow (Literary Agent, Nelson Agency)

Selena James (Executive Editor, Dafina Books)

Anica Rissi (Executive Editor · Simon Pulse)

Sarah Shumway (Senior Editor Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins)

Caryn Wiseman (Literary Agent, Andrea Brown Literary)

Jean Feiwel (Senior VP and Director, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

Jennifer Klonsky (Editorial Director, Simon Pulse)

Claudia Gabel (Senior Editor at Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins)

Jenny Bent (Literary Agent, The Bent Agency)

Evette Porter (Editor, Kimani Tru / Harlequin)

Ann Behar - (Literary Agent, Scovil Galen Literary)

Brenda Bowen (Literary Agent, Sanford J. Greenburger)

Jen Rofe (Literary Agent, Andrea Brown)

Stephen Fraser (Literary Agent, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency)

Andrew Karre (Editorial Director, Carolrhoda Books)

Suzie Townsend (Literary Agent, FinePrint Literary Management)

Jessica Sinsheimer (Literary Agent, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency)

Alyssa Eisner Henkin (Literary Agent,Trident Media Group)

Andrea Somberg (Literary Agent, Harvey Klinger Inc.)

Stephen Barbara (Literary Agent,Foundry Literary + Media)

Tamar Rydzinski (Literary Agent, Laura Dail Literary Agency)

Irene Kraas (Literary Agent, Kraas Literary Agency)

Sara Crowe (Literary Agent, Harvey Klinger Inc.)

Elana Roth (Literary Agent,Johnson Literary)

Mary Kole (Literary Agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency)

Jamie Weiss Chilton (Literary Agent, Andrea Brown Literary)

Amy Tipton (Literary Agent, Signature Literary)

Kevan Lyon (Literary Agent, Marshal Lyon Literary)

Leticia Gomez (Literary Agent, Savvy Literary)

Laurie McLean (Literary Agent, Agents Savant)

Jodie Rhodes (Literary Agent, Jodie Rhodes Literary)

Sarah Barley (Associate Editor, HarperCollins Children's)

Kendra Levin (Associate Editor, Viking Books)

Christina Hogrebe (Literary Agent, Janet Rotrosen Agency)

Nancy Mercado (Executive Editor, Roaring Brook Press)

Brendan Deneen (Editor, Thomas Dunne Books)

Congrats to our Summer Reading Creative Writing Contest winner!

The Make Waves Creative Writing Contest challenge was to submit an original piece of writing that somehow, someway tied into the overall theme of water or the Teen Summer Reading Program slogan "Make Waves." Margaux was chosen as the library's winner. Congrats Margaux!


As I sit on the Hilton Head Island beach in South Carolina, I stare out into the ocean and look as far as I can see. It goes on for miles and miles, but all I see are waves crashing onto the smooth sand.

The rough waves break onto the surface. But once the impact is over, the ocean releases the salty water and it gently glides across the shore. The sea quickly pulls the water back in as if nothing happened. I continue to gaze at the shoreline and this action continues to happen. Each wave rocks back and forth from the massive waters to the soggy grounds.

The waves sound like airplanes flying by on a clear day. It also sounds like leaves rustling against one another in a heavy wind. The noise makes for a soothing crash that can put me to sleep instantly.

3rd Annual NLW Teen Poetry Contest

Congratulations to the winners of the third annual National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest at Franklin Lakes Public Library!


Sasha, a sophomore at Indian Hills High School, received First Prize of a $50 American Express Gift Card.
Ariana, an eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, received Second Prize of a $25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.
Margaux, a sophomore at Saddle River Day School, received Third Prize of a $25.00 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

In addition, two honorable mentions were Connor, eighth grader at Franklin Avenue Middle School, and Sonalika, Junior at Ramapo High School.

The Teen Poetry Contest was part of the celebration of National Library Week 2010 and National Poetry Month. At Franklin Lakes Public Library and area schools, teens were given a contest entry form and encouraged to create original poems or song lyrics. We received 25 awesome poems and three winners were chosen by an array of local judges in addition to recognition of two honorable mention submissions. Second and Third Place prizes were generously provided by Access Self Storage in Franklin Lakes.

NLW Teen Poetry Contest -- First Place!

Thank you to 25 young writers for submitting entries to the Third Annual National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest at Franklin Lakes Library! And the winners are . . .

History

It's been a long time
Since the old man lifted his eyes
His gaze has been shifted to the city's demise.
His name has been stripped of value and lore.
Despite the lives they have cost once before,
His words have been muted by the frenzy of war.
His face is a parchment of creases of time
His palms have a vision, patterned by line.
It is not he who is blind, reader, it's you,
Unable to tell the false from the true.
The man can predict the motion of skies,
You are defenseless in History's eyes.

written by Sasha, age 15, Indian Hills High School

NLW Teen Poetry Contest -- Second Place!

Full

The emptiness that surrounds,

It fills me up

with nothing

where something once was.

What do you do

when you are plunged into darkness?

Watching the last sliver of light

escape beyond our grasp?

The emptiness takes over.

How can I bear it

until the door opens

and the light returns?

I cannot.

I will not!

The waiting... the anticipation

battles with the raging emptiness

It is the emptiness that surrounds,

that fills me up

with nothing

where something once was.

written by Ariana, age 13, Franklin Avenue Middle School

NLW Teen Poetry Contest -- Third Place!

Winter Tree

The bare trees hold themselves up straight

But occasionally shiver in the cold.

They sway back and forth

As the breeze tickles their exposed arms.

They shake like a dog that is soaking wet

That just escaped from falling in the pool.

They stand in one place reaching for the sun,

Anticipating grabbing some warmth.

The wind sounds like a flat music note

Swiveling and scurrying between each branch

The powerful whisper vibrates along the trees

Sending them in utter shock to move.

The branches are so fragile and flimsy

That they could easily break off with one snap.

With branches as delicate as a baby birds' wings,

They want to be secure and steady.

The trunk is the heart and soul of the tree

That spreads life into each branch.

Each branch attributes a quality to support the tree

Through every season during the year.

A single tree cannot survive on its' own,

For it needs every other tree in order to live.

With a single breath, and a single sway,

It can keep a whole forest alive.

written by Margaux, age 15, Saddle River Day School

Teen Poetry Contest!

The deadline for the 2010 National Library Week Teen Poetry Contest is this Monday, April 5!
Print an entry form & submit yours to kate_thelibrarian@yahoo.com!