Home › Readers Review: “Dress Coded,” and “And Then She Was Gone”

Readers Review: “Dress Coded,” and “And Then She Was Gone”

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Welcome to a new review series featuring book reviews written by teens, for teens! Each season, our reviewers will share their thoughts, critiques, and recommendations based on what they’ve read.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ScRnLtRaL.jpgDress Coded by Carrie Firestone

In a school (FMS), the main character, Molly Frost, is fed up that girls keep getting dress coded for wearing tank tops or shorts below their fingertips. So she creates a podcast that turns into a protest for girls’ rights. Carrie Firestone was able to give Dress Coded the most interesting plot twists and gossip in the story. Every time I turned a page, another new or interesting thing with a character would pop up and tangle with the plot. One thing I didn’t like about the story, though, was some of the family drama. Teens are definitely able to read this stuff but some of it was dark and depressing, and almost a bit extreme. Overall, the book was highly enjoyable and fun to read, and I completely recommend!

Submitted by Athena Karambelas

And Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81vEPNG2ibL.jpg

And Then She Was Gone is an engaging mystery that will hook any reader very early on. Laurel is a middle aged woman whose daughter, Ellie, disappeared ten years ago. She believes her life is over until she meets a newfound lover. However, his many connections to Ellie’s disappearance can’t possibly all be a coincidence and Laurel finds herself beginning to wonder what really happened to her daughter and if her new boyfriend has anything to do with it. Lisa Jewell’s And Then She Was Gone is a great read for anyone looking for a story that will captivate them quickly. However, this book can be easily predicted towards the end which can take away from the suspense.

Submitted by F. Gabre

Want to share your book opinions as a reviewer? Email the YA Librarian at abigail.hsu@mmt.mainlib.org.

Book Playlist: This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole

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From NOVL:

“This duology is everything and more, so of course I had to make a playlist to celebrate this epic finale. Listen now if you need convincing, listen while reading for the vibes, listen afterward to revisit the emotions, but whatever you do, read So Let Them Burn and This Ends in Embers. You won’t regret it. This fiery saga will burn its way right into your heart.”

Update regarding recent flood in the Library.

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Anyone who tried visiting the History Center in late January noticed we were closed following a significant leak that occurred on January 22nd and impacted several floors of the Library. Fortunately, our librarians and archivists acted quickly to move the historical collections out of harm’s way and evaluate nearby materials for water damage while first responders dealt with the emergency upstairs. Library staff assisted Department Head James Lewis, Digital Librarian Chris Larlee, and Library Assistant Cynthia Muszala to vacate the affected storage room.

Storage room where a major leak formed above a group of bound newspapers, glass plate negatives, and rare books. Photo taken after collections directly at risk were moved from harms way and flood water removed.

Of the thousands of rare books, photographs, and maps that were at risk, damage was limited to a few dozen items which are now offsite for conservation. The Library remained closed for several days as disaster recovery professionals dried flooded areas of the building, and History staff were onsite through the weekend checking for damage, stabilizing affected items, and assisting other departments of the Library with their cleanup efforts. Archivist Jeffrey Moy led the disaster response team over the following three weeks while coordinating with recovery workers to ensure storage areas were repaired, as well as overseeing conservation efforts.

Archivist Jeffrey Moy and Assistant Archivist Katelyn Leffler worked to stabilize water-damaged materials before the collection recovery company arrived.

As the main building reopened and resumed operations a week later, History Center staff continued performing collection recovery work while contactors completed repairs to our storage areas. Unfortunately for our visitors, the only available space to temporarily keep the displaced materials was the reading room where they occupied every flat surface including rolling book carts.

Rare books and fragile glass plate negatives temporarily kept in reading room during repairs.

Department Head James Lewis responded to questions from researchers eager to resume their work and coordinated day to day logistics. Library Assistant Leigh Whitworth conducted the time-consuming task of checking each book as Assistant Archivist Katelyn Leffler inspected the condition of the glass plates. Digital Librarian Chris Larlee provided crucial collections management support throughout the recovery effort.

Records, books, and bound historic newspapers occupied our reference tables and book carts for two weeks.

With storage room repairs completed in early February, staff returned collections as quickly and carefully as possible and reopened the reading room to a steady stream of researchers beginning February 11th. We appreciate everyone’s patience throughout the disaster recovery process and look forward to helping you explore history soon. For additional information on the History Center and its collections, as well as where to follow us on social media, please visit our About Us page.

Readers Review: “Six of Crows”, “Scythe”, and “Lying in the Deep”

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Welcome to a new review series featuring book reviews written by teens, for teens! Each season, our reviewers will share their thoughts, critiques, and recommendations based on what they’ve read.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91tK5sU9oOL.jpgSix of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam is a mischievous city filled with gangs, robbers, and shady businessmen, but the main character, Kaz Brekker, may be the most cunning of all. In Six of Crows, Brekker leads an unlikely gang of six to try and pull off the biggest heist Ketterdam has ever seen; if they succeed in their impossible journey, the gang will end up becoming some of the richest people in the whole city. With this novel, Bardugo creates an creepy, yet infectious world with complicated rivalries and shocking twists by using vivid, grimy imagery. She develops each character in such a way that the reader cannot help but root for them, despite their many human flaws.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172676i/28954189.jpg

In a future world, humanity has found a way to get rid of death, sickness, and sadness, which could only be described as a utopia. However, to help deal with overpopulation, scythes are instructed to be the only killers in the world. The book follows two teens’ journey to becoming the only people who can take another’s life, crushing any dreams of creating a perfect society. Shusterman creates one of the most well-developed worlds in any sci-fi book, taking time to set up a complex, yet easy to grasp dystopia. On the other hand, the novel takes a long time to set up the world and develop the characters, and only towards the end of the book and in future novels in the series does the plot truly begin to pick up.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91CGp2PShJL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpgLying in the Deep by Diana Urban

After the feeling of betrayal and heartbreak have taken over Jade’s life, she embarks on her Campus on Board journey, hoping that she will make new friends and forget about the old, all while learning and exploring 11 different countries in a span of 4 months. Jade’s plan is foiled, though, when her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend show up on the ship as well, hoping to enjoy their own journey together. To top it all off, after traveling to both London and Lisbon, Jade and her newfound friends realize they aren’t safe when their fellow CoB classmates start turning up dead. Now it is up to Jade to clear her name before the ship reaches the mainland, and before any more bodies turn up. This fast paced story line will have any reader on the edge of their seat, as the characters develop and the plot unfolds. Most of the story takes place in the span of about two days, and Diana Urban executed this perfectly, keeping the story engaging all throughout.

Want to share your book opinions as a reviewer? Email the YA Librarian at abigail.hsu@mmt.mainlib.org.

Acceso en línea al Star-Ledger

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A partir del 2 de febrero de 2025, el periódico The Star-Ledger dejará de publicarse en papel y va a ser un periódico exclusivamente en línea. Ofrecemos acceso a la edición digital del Star-Ledger desde cualquier lugar a través de NewsBank.

Haga clic en el botón para comenzar:

La colección Star-Ledger


Cuando acceda al Star-Ledger desde su casa, se le pedirá que ingrese el número de su tarjeta de biblioteca.

Se abrirá la página de la Colección Star-Ledger. (También puede encontrar la Colección Star-Ledger en nuestra página de Bases de datos de investigación.)

Una vez que esté en la página de la Colección Star-Ledger, haga clic en el enlace de la versión de imagen del periódico para abrir la edición digital completa.

Desde aquí, puedes ver los últimos 5 ediciónes recientes y también ver un archivo de ediciónes más antiguos.

Uno de nuestros bibliotecarios pueda ayudarle a obtener acceso.

The Star-Ledger Online Access

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As of February 2nd, 2025, The Star-Ledger newspaper will cease print publication and become an online-only newspaper. We offer access to the digital edition of the Star-Ledger from any location and device through NewsBank. Here’s how!

Click the button below to get started:

The Star-Ledger Collection


This will open up the Star-Ledger Collection homepage. You can also find The Star-Ledger Collection on our Research Databases page.

When you are accessing the Star-Ledger from home, you’ll be prompted to enter your Library Card Number.

Once you are on the Star-Ledger Collection page, click on the link for Image version of the newspaper to pull up the complete digital edition.

From here, you can view the past 5 days of recent issues, and view an archive of older issues as well.

Feel free to ask a librarian for any further assistance.

2025 ALA Youth Media Awards

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American Library Association Youth Media Awards

On Monday, January 27, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24-27 in Phoenix..

A list of the 2025 award winners and honor selections from the Young Adult category follows:

Twenty-four Seconds from Now..., written by Jason Reynolds
Black Girl You Are Atlas, written by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Brownstone, written by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia
Bright Red Fruit, written by Safia Elhillo
Compound Fracture, written by Andrew Joseph White
The Deep Dark, written by Molly Knox Ostertag
Road Home, written by Rex Ogle
Chronically Dolores, written by Maya Van Wagenen
Light Enough to Float, written by Lauren Seal
On the Bright Side, written by Anna Sortino
Black Girl You Are Atlas, written by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes and narrated by Renée Watson
Dispatches from Parts Unknown, written by Bryan Bliss and narrated by Joy Nash
Girls Like Her, written by Melanie Sumrow and narrated by Melanie Sumrow and January LaVoy
Shut Up, This Is Serious, written by Carolina Ixta
Libertad, written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar;
Wild Dreamers, written by Margarita Engle
Canto Contigo, written by Jonny Garza Villa
Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix, written by Gabe Cole Novoa
Navigating with You, written by Jeremy Whitley, illustrated by Cassio Ribeiro
Time and Time Again, written by Chatham Greenfield
Not Like Other Girls, written by Meredith Adamo
Aisle Nine, written by Ian X. Cho
Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear, written by Robin Wasley
The Wilderness of Girls, written by Madeline Claire Franklin
Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire, written by Paula Yoo
A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer—and Beyond written by Elizabeth Rusch
Homebody, written by Theo Parish
Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away, written by Candy J. Cooper
The Unboxing of a Black Girl, written by Angela Shanté
Everything We Never Had, written by Randy Ribay
Lunar New Year Love Story, written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Dragonfruit, written by Makiia Lucier
Night Owls, written by A.R. Vishny
The Forbidden Book, written by Sacha Lamb
Trajectory, written by Cambria Gordon
Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability, by Melissa Blake
Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined, written by David F. Walker, illustrated by Marcus Kwame Anderson
Daughters of Shandong, by Eve J. Chung
Dead Cat Tail Assassins, by P. Djèlí Clark
How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel, by Kristen Perrin
I Feel Awful, Thanks, written and illustrated by Lara Pickle
I Was a Teenage Slasher, written by Stephen Graham Jones
The Witch of Colchis, by Rosie Hewlett
The Witchstone, by Henry H. Neff
Woman, Life, Freedom, created by Marjane Satrapi, translated by Una Dimitrijević

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award: Twenty-four Seconds from Now…, written by Jason Reynolds

  • King Author Honor Book: Black Girl You Are Atlas, written by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: Brownstone, written by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia

  • Printz Honor Books: Bright Red Fruit, written by Safia Elhillo; Compound Fracture, written by Andrew Joseph White; The Deep Dark, written by Molly Knox Ostertag; and Road Home, written by Rex Ogle

Schneider Young Adult Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience: Chronically Dolores, written by Maya Van Wagenen

  • Schneider Young Adult Honor Books: Light Enough to Float, written by Lauren Seal; and On the Bright Side, written by Anna Sortino

Odyssey Award for the best audiobooks produced for young adults: How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, written by Tony Keith Jr. and narrated by Tony Keith Jr.

  • Odyssey Honor Audiobooks: Black Girl You Are Atlas, written by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes and narrated by Renée Watson; Dispatches from Parts Unknown, written by Bryan Bliss and narrated by Joy Nash; and Girls Like Her, written by Melanie Sumrow and narrated by Melanie Sumrow and January LaVoy

Pura Belpré Awards honoring Latinx writers and illustrators whose young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience: Shut Up, This Is Serious, written by Carolina Ixta

  • Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books: Libertad, written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar; and Wild Dreamers, written by Margarita Engle

Stonewall Book Award given annually to English-language young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience: Canto Contigo, written by Jonny Garza Villa

  • Stonewall Honor Books: Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix, written by Gabe Cole Novoa; Navigating with You, written by Jeremy Whitley, illustrated by Cassio Ribeiro; Road Home, written by Rex Ogle; and Time and Time Again, written by Chatham Greenfield

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens: Not Like Other Girls, written by Meredith Adamo

  • Morris Award Finalists: Aisle Nine, written by Ian X. Cho; Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear, written by Robin Wasley; Shut Up, This Is Serious, written by Carolina Ixta; and The Wilderness of Girls, written by Madeline Claire Franklin

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992 – Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire, written by Paula Yoo

  • Finalists: A Greater Goal: The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer—and Beyond, written by Elizabeth Rusch; Homebody, written by Theo Parish; Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away, written by Candy J. Cooper; and The Unboxing of a Black Girl, written by Angela Shanté

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, which promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit:
Everything We Never Had, written by Randy Ribay

  • Youth Literature honor title: Lunar New Year Love Story, written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham; Dragonfruit, written by Makiia Lucier

The Sydney Taylor Book Award, presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience: Night Owls, written by A.R. Vishny

  • Young Adult Silver Medalists: The Forbidden Book, written by Sacha Lamb; and Trajectory, written by Cambria Gordon

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences: Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability, by Melissa Blake; Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined, written by David F. Walker, illustrated by Marcus Kwame Anderson; Daughters of Shandong, by Eve J. Chung; Dead Cat Tail Assassins, by P. Djèlí Clark; How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Novel, by Kristen Perrin; I Feel Awful, Thanks, written and illustrated by Lara Pickle; I Was a Teenage Slasher, written by Stephen Graham Jones; The Witch of Colchis, by Rosie Hewlett; The Witchstone, by Henry H. Neff; and Woman, Life, Freedom, created by Marjane Satrapi, translated by Una Dimitrijević

Coming Soon to Screens: “Children of Blood and Bone”

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From Kirkus Reviews:

“Thuso Mbedu will star in the upcoming film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s young adult fantasy novel Children of Blood and Bone, Variety reports.

Adeyemi’s novel, published in 2018 by Henry Holt, tells the story of Zélie, a 17-year-old girl in the kingdom of Orïsha who is determined to bring back magic to the land after a king does his best to eradicate it. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called the book—the first in a trilogy—“powerful, captivating, and raw” and “exceptional.”

The rest of the cast will include Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Viola Davis (Fences), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Idris Elba (The Wire), and Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel). Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King) will direct from a script that she co-wrote with Adeyemi.

Click here for the full article. To request Children of Blood and Bone and/or its sequel Children of Virtue and Vengeance from a library, click here.

Records from Morristown’s Community Theatre are open to researchers

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Constructed in 1937, the Community Theatre served as Morristown’s single-screen movie theater exclusively presenting first runs of films. It opened on December 23, 1937 with a screening of Nothing Sacred, starring Carole Lombard and Fredric March. The theater briefly showed live performances such as vaudeville shows in the 1940s, although the building primarily spent its first few decades as a thriving movie theater.

Photograph of the Community Theatre under construction.

While the theater did well in its early years, it experienced a decline of revenue and attendance during the 1970s amidst competition from television and newly emerging multiplexes. Amid these financial difficulties, the Community Theatre was sold by the Walter Reade Organization to Maurice Macabian in 1973 who also struggled to return the business to profitability as a movie house. In 1977 it reopened as The Morris Stage, a live performance venue that featured ballet performers, rock bands, and jazz musicians. Despite strong ticket sales, the theater eventually closed in 1987.

Customers line up to enter the Morris Stage at night, ca.1978.

1994 ushered in a new era with the assistance of hundred of volunteers who worked to restore the building’s interior, culminating in the Kirov Orchestra’s September performance while on an international tour. By 1995, the venue was reborn as a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting live musical, theatrical, and comedy shows. Major renovations followed and in 2007, the structure was renamed the Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts; shortened to the Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) in 2011. Notable performers have include Aretha Franklin, Liza Minelli, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, Kenny G., Judy Collins, and Tony Bennett.

The exterior of the Community Theatre as seen from South Street in 1983.

The materials in this collection include documents relating to its history as a movie theater, a large volume of records related to renovations in 1994 and 2001, behind-the-scenes work done by the performing arts center staff, and the performances held at the theater. Document types include programs, brochures, administrative papers, posters, audiovisual materials, and photographs. Those interested in viewing the records may consult the finding aid for a fuller description, and contact the History Center for an appointment.