Saturday, June 22 | 11:00 a.m.-Noon | Downtown Library – Multipurpose Room

Special guests at Kids Read Comics (KRC) are Ben Hatke, creator of fan-favorite Zita of Zita the Spacegirl, and 10-year-old cartoonist Angelica Hatke! And this is your chance to make comics with them!

Ben will be leading our annual kickoff event Saturday, June 22, at 11 am. During this interactive talk Ben will walk through his process of making comics and share how to create characters readers care about, worlds that readers believe in, and dangers that set readers on the edge of their seats!

Then he and Angelica will lead two workshops over the course of the weekend where he’ll share the 3 secrets to making great comics! These sessions will start with an interactive talk, after which Ben will work with you to create a short comics story of your own.

The sessions will run Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm in the Multi-Purpose room at the Downtown Library.

Veronica Roth currently has all three titles from her Divergent series on Amazon's list of bestselling teen books. The first book, Divergent, is at #4 for Kindle and #14 in paperback. Insurgent for Kindle is #7. The third book in this hot series, Allegiant, is #18. Another book on the list that caught my eye is Looking for Alaska by superstar author John Green, currently #25 in paperback and #32 for Kindle. This book is on my summer reading list because I loved Green's The Fault in Our Stars. If you'd like to browse Amazon's full list of teen bestsellers, it's right here.

Inspired by comics such as Mark Waid's Superman: Birthright, Man of Steel tells the story of Clark Kent's transformation from lonesome farmboy to greatest hero the world has ever known. A survivor of the distant alien planet of Krypton, Clark struggles to determine his purpose in life on Earth. Knowing his tremendous power may inspire fear in others, he keeps to himself, a secret guardian angel. But with famed reporter Lois Lane on his trail, and the murderous kryptonian General Zod seeking vengeance, Clark must choose whether to claim his birthright and step into the light as Earth's protector.

With 75 years of history behind him, Superman has a mighty presence at the library and AADL can help you go up, up, and away! Having seen the beginning, why not check out the end? Find out the answer to the question "What would Superman do if he knew he was dying?" in the Eisner award-winning graphic novel from Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly, All-star Superman. Or read all about how the hero has developed and influenced the world in journalist Larry Tye's Superman: The High Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero. You can even discover how the superhero helped thwart real-life villains.

6:30-8:30 PM | Saturday, June 22 | Neutral Zone

The Kids Read Comics event will sponsor a free teen Cosplay party and concert at the Neutral Zone featuring the best comics band on the planet, the O>Matics. Choose your character, transform yourself, and get ready to rock!

Named a most anticipated book for Summer 2013 by The Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls* * * * by Anton DiSclafani is a lush, sexy, evocative debut novel of family secrets and girls-school rituals, set in the 1930s, and it does not disappoint (and easily one of the best books I've read this year).

15 year-old Thea Atwell is sent to the Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, an exclusive equestrienne boarding school for Southern debutantes, high in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The part that she played in the event that shattered her family and her privileged world is never clear though her guilt is palpable. Having been home schooled on the family's Florida citrus plantation, navigating the school's complex social order based on wealth, beauty and friendships is both exhilarating and challenging. Beautiful, observant, and a good rider, Thea soon finds a new sense of power which eventually proves her undoing.

The narrative weaves provocatively between home and school, past and present as the author gradually unfurls the shocking story behind Thea's expulsion from her family and the irreparable damages done. But it is too late for the reader to abandon Thea, for we are so engaged with this young woman who "wanted too much, wanted badly and inappropriately. And back then all that want was a dangerous thing".

"Part scandalous love story, part heartbreaking family drama, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is an immersive, transporting page-turner - a vivid, propulsive novel about sex, love, family, money, class, home, and horses, all set against the ominous threat of the Depression, and the major debut of an important new writer."

"An unusually accomplished and nuanced coming-of-age drama".

Fearless and willful, Thea will bring to mind Briony Tallis in Atonement by Ian McEwan. An Emory grad (MFA Washington University in St. Louis where she now teaches), and a seasoned rider, Anton DiSclafani grew up in Northern Florida. Yonahlossee will appeal to fans of Curtis Sittenfeld and Lauren Groff.

* * * * = starred reviews

All paths of Lucy Knisley’s life lead through the kitchen in search of a good meal in the mouthwatering memoir Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. Along the way she offers reflections on cooking, eating, and living along with some delectable recipes for dishes like marinated lamb, mom’s pesto, the best chocolate chip cookies, and more.

Lucy was destined to make food the center of her being. Her mother is a chef and her father a gourmet. Her tales from childhood to adult years delight the senses from creating carbonara to making mushrooms (mom’s way).

The art is bright and fun. Lucy’s recipe presentations are visual delights and easy to follow providing as in the case of Huevos Rancheros that shows an exploded view of all the delectable layers. This is not a book so much to be read as to be devoured.

As technology quickly changes & expands, many parents are either unaware of the dangers or have trouble keeping up with them. Consider enrolling your teen or tween in this free week of Washtenaw Area Council for Children's Cyber Safety Initiative Camp. This program is geared toward tweens & teens entering 6-9th grades. Participants will take part in group discussions, games, activities and will receive snacks and a T-shirt.

Some of the issues they'll address to help parents in the digital age include social networking, gaming, texting & other forms of messaging, cyberbullying, reducing vulnerability to predators and child exploitation, and how to discuss and create a climate for positive online ethics. There are two sessions. The first will be held at the WISD from June 24-28. The second session is at the WACC office July 8-12, 3075 W. Clark Road,Suite 110. Both sessions are from 9:30-11:30 AM. To register click here here or contact WACC: 734-434-4215 or via email at cybersafety@washtenawchildren.org.

teens using drugs

The "Teens Using Drugs: What To Know and What To Do" series will be presented again on Tuesday, June 4th (part 1, "What To Know") and the following Tuesday, June 11th (part 2, "What To Do"). This on-going & free series will be presented by by Dawn Farm and Growth Works therapists. This two-part of series of Dawn Farm takes place at SJMH's Education Center. The series is co-sponsored by Dawn Farm, the Livingston/Washtenaw Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Act Consortium and SJMH Greenbrook Recovery Center. This is the last "Teens Using Drugs" series until October, 2013.