The Print Book is Far from Dead

Whatever the haunting glow of your iPhone screen might seem to indicate, physical book sales are on the rise. A medium naysayers have been predicting the death of for decades just can't seem to be beaten. Latest trends include adult coloring books, books by the latest crop of Youtube stars, and retellings and reissues of old(ish) favorites like Harry Potter and Twilight.  

(data from Nielsen BookScan, formatted by Atlas)

Looks like print books aren't going anywhere any time soon. The NSHAHS library is expecting a shipment of brand-new on-trend books to tide users over for the next few months so be on the lookout!

Oy! or ¿Yo?

Living where we do means we are familiar with not only our own culture (or cultures, since in our school there are so many) but about so many others- New York city and the surrounding areas make up the quintessential melting pot.

Artist Deborah Kass' latest sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park expresses is that with the shortest possible word: OY from some angles and YO from others.



If you're interested in learning more about Hispanic culture through some classic Latino teen literature, our library is a great place to start. Here are some of the books we carry:

• Nerdlandia (and others) by Gary Soto
• How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents (and others) by Julia Alvarez
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
• Life, After by Sarah Littman
• Flight and Other Stories by Jose Skinner
• 100 Years of Solitude AND Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Come in to the library and browse around- maybe you'll learn something!

Take the #Readukkah Challenge!

This holiday season, instead of stuffing your face with sufganiyot (or maybe WHILE stuffing your face with sufganiyot), enter the AJL Readukkah Challenge!

Read any Jewish book and post your review on any social media site with the hashtag #Readukkah between December 6th and December 14th and you'll be entered to win Firebrand by Aaron Barnhart, an upcoming YA novel about a Jewish freedom fighter during the Civil War.

Check out AJL's website for more information and to enter. And stop in to the NSHAHS library for a book recommendation once you've entered!

Veteran's Day 2015: Who are our veterans?

The United States Census Bureau has created a list of stats about the state of veterans in 2015. It's interesting to note things like how many female veterans there are and how that number has changed. It's hard to swallow some of the numbers about disabilities and income level. But all the more reason to get involved and find a way to help out our nation's heroes!

 Some ways you can help:

• Donate old clothing to the Paralyzed Veterans of America Foundation. It's tax deductible, helps you get organized, and they'll pick up the bags of clothing from your house! What could be simpler?
• Give through the US Veteran's Affairs Department- money will go to VA medical centers and hospitals. You can also use the same link to donate your time by volunteering at a VA medical facility in your area. 

Support our nation's veterans and have a happy Veteran's Day!

Women for Women

In May, HuffPo posted a list of 21 new(ish) books that all women should read. No surprise that Tina Fey AND Amy Poehler both made the list, along with Jhumpa Lahiri, Emma Donoghue, and Cheryl Strayed. 
Here's our own list of YA books by women that every teen girl should read before graduating high school: 

• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• The List by Siobhan Vivian
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents by Julia Alvarez
• A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

What do you think, women of NSHAHS? Any other must-reads to recommend for budding feminists? Which female authors do you love? 

(via HuffPo)

Top Ten Teen Books of 2015

How many have you read?

Best Place to Hunker Down in the Event of a Zombie Apocalypse? It's not where you think..

Skip the supermarket and head straight to your local college library 

What do you think? Would a library work? What are your best survival methods in the event of zombies? Comment below...

(via Bustle)                                                                                                                                         

Election 2016

Trying to decide which candidate you love (or love to hate)? GOP and Dem Debates got you down? Check out these political quizzes and get some help finding out where you stand:

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

www.isidewith.com/politicalquiz

Then comment below and let us know which way the political wind blows:

Google Hacks and Tips

It's not a secret that Google is usually your first stop online, whether it's sports scores, Kanye lyrics, or yes, even research for school. And if you're going to use Google, maybe you should make sure you're using it right. Below are some tips, hacks, and tricks to help you find what you want even if you aren't feeling lucky.  (via Mashable)