Teen Scene
September 2025

Calling all young poets, ages 11- 18 years old.
We will be celebrating United Against Hate Week by putting up 5 poems in front of Burlingame City Hall from October 19th-25th, 2025.
Deadline to submit your original poem is October 1st.
Submissions are online only, using this form:   http://bit.ly/4mohGU3
 
Craft Supplies Swap, Burlingame Main Library
Saturday September 6, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Bring your leftover craft supplies and pick up materials for new projects. All crafting supplies welcome. You might find items for fall decorating or Halloween costumes. If you have questions, email Cynthia at rider@plsinfo.org
If you cannot make this date, the next swap is on Oct 11 for just yarn, fabric, and sewing notions. 
 
Teen Poetry Workshop
Saturday, September 20, 2025, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM Lane Room
Join us for an afternoon of writing and discussing poetry with Burlingame-Hillsborough's Youth Poet Laureate, Ollie Ballard!
No Registration Required.
This program is funded by the Burlingame Library Foundation.
 
Make a Needle Felted Ghost with Pop Up Art School 
For Adults and Teens 13+
Spooky Season is officially here! Get cozy with a take-home kit and online video tutorial from Pop Up Art School! The kit includes everything you need to summon your ghostly friend, complete with a festive pumpkin. Learn the basics of needle-felting and meet your new BOO!
Kits will be ready at the Information Desk (Main Library) Starting Monday, September 22nd through Sunday, October 19th.
Instruction Video Available Thursday, October 2nd through Friday, October 31st*
* Ends 11:59PM , October 31st. 
Register now to reserve your kit! https://burlingame.libcal.com/calendar/programs/ghost
 
Mason Jar Makeover
September 26, 2025, 4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Craft a beautiful candle holder or pencil holder for your desk using mason jars and mod podge!
Supplies, snacks, and refreshments provided.
Registration required. Sign up at www.burlingame.org/library/events
 
The library is partnering with the San Jose Conservation Corp to offer free recycling in front of library on Saturday October 4 from 9AM-12PM. The organization will take old computers, screens, laptops, cellphones, printers, wires/cords, CDs & DVDs.  They CANNOT take large items like washers & dryers or refrigerators. Please email Cynthia at rider@plsinfo.org with any questions.
 
Sewing with Teacher Angi For ages 10-18
If you are interested in registering for an upcoming class, please complete this form for our sewing classes with Teacher Angi. 
:https://forms.gle/YntmmTR8NUC1aEBP8
Please complete this form as an expression of interest in registering for our sewing classes with Teacher Angi. 
This program is very popular. In order to be fair and equitable in the registration process we are moving to a rolling list so that more children and teenagers have a chance to participate. By adding your name to this form you will be notified in the order received when you are eligible for an upcoming class. 
When eligible, participants will be contacted in the order received and invited to register for an upcoming program. Please note: this class is for children and teenagers ages 10-18 only.
 
Recent Releases
Fateless
by Julie Kagawa

Forced to steal an ancient artifact, skilled thief Sparrow accidentally releases a mythical Deathless King bent on destruction. Though she and assassin Raithe make an unlikely team, they may be able to challenge their fates and stop the devastation. Read-alikes: Tahereh Mafi’s This Woven Kingdom; Katy Rose Pool’s There Will Come a Darkness.
Codebreaker
by Jay Martel

Mia usually spends her birthday solving puzzle-filled scavenger hunts designed by her father. This year, the stakes are sky high, because she must unravel the government conspiracy that has sent her father on the run. This suspenseful thriller will draw fans of code-cracking mysteries.
Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire
by Don Martin

The mountain town of Foxfire needs Verity’s help. She’s a witch-in-training, and a huckster named Earl has left the people of Foxfire on the brink of starvation. Fighting Earl requires Verity to confront the ancient magic of the mountains themselves. This cozy fantasy is infused with Appalachian folklore.
Very Dangerous Things
by Lauren Muñoz

Although the criminology-focused J. Everett High School always fakes crimes for its students to solve, this year’s game ends with an actual poisoning. Can top student Dulce set aside her grudge to clear her ex-best friend Sierra’s name? Read-alikes: Lauren Munoz’s Suddenly a Murder; Kara Thomas’ The Champions.
A Mastery of Monsters
by Liselle Sambury

August’s brother disappears, leaving her a note claiming monsters are real and leading her to the Learners’ Society. This secretive group will train August to prevent a shapeshifter from becoming permanently monstrous. Fans of dark academia and flawed characters will enjoy this intricately plotted fantasy.
Retro Reads
Check out these awesome books from the not-so-distant past.
 
The Atlas of Us
by Kristin Dwyer

Atlas, a high school dropout grieving the loss of her father, joins a program to repair trails in the Western Sierras. The new friendships she forges -- one of which may be turning romantic -- help her find her footing again. This authentic and banter-filled story portrays Atlas learning to live with loss.
A Place for Vanishing
by Ann Fraistat

Needing a fresh start after a mental health crisis, Libby and her family move to the crumbling mansion where her mother grew up. Infested with bugs and adorned with insect-shaped masks, the house’s sinister history begs to be uncovered. Read-alikes: Julia Lynn Rubin’s Primal Animals; Trang Thanh Tran’s She Is a Haunting.
This Day Changes Everything
by Edward Underhill

Hailing from different states, Abby and Leo arrive in New York to march with their bands in the Thanksgiving parade. After getting lost in Manhattan, they turn what could be a catastrophe into a scavenger hunt. This upbeat LBGTQIA+ romantic comedy will appeal to fans of “one fateful day” stories.
Under the Surface
by Diana Urban

On the first day of their school trip to Paris, Ruby and her friends head to an exclusive party in the Catacombs. There, they quickly realize someone is lurking, and he’s much scarier than the millions of bones underground. Read-alikes: Gabriella Lepore’s Bad Like Us; Keely Parrack’s Don’t Let In the Cold.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
Burlingame Public Library
480 Primrose Rd
Burlingame, California 94010
650-558-7400 x3

www.burlingame.org/library