You might have seen Ben, a 7th grader at Hadley Junior High, at the library, or you might have missed him, but keep your eyes on the chalkboard in The Middle, because he loves to write "Ben was here" whenever he visits. 

He likes to hang out at home playing Overwatch, or watching videos on YouTube. Ben's favorite YouTube web series is Good Mythical Morning, especially the "Will It" segment, where they combine different ingredients to often make disgusting combinations.

Ben prefers more traditional food; macaroni and cheese easily being his favorite. If he had to pick the best mac and cheese, it would have to be from Fire + Wine. He has visited this restaurant for more than one birthday. His last birthday, Ben tried something different and went to an escape room with some friends. He wasn't too happy about it because they lost due to a faulty lock. The staff couldn't even open it!

Ben had a few adventures last summer, including seeing a mom and baby moose in Montana. He was only 5 or 10 feet away! Even with his other experiences, Ben almost finished level three in our summer reading program last year, and hopes to do better this year. He loves to read fantasy because it doesn't follow the normal rules of life.

As for super powers, Ben thinks too many people automatically pick flying as their power of choice, and he thinks it's overrated. He would love to have the super power of telekinesis to change the clocks at school. So, if class suddenly gets shorter, it might be because of Ben!

Rubber Band Racers

Friday, January 12 | 4-5 pm

Build and customize a rubber band racecar. Discover what will make your car go faster, what weighs it down, and then race against your friends. For grades 6-8.  Reserve your spot.

1982: Mary is a lonely orphan at the Thornhill Institute for Children at the very moment that it is shutting its doors. When her few friends are all adopted or re-homed, she's left to face a volatile bully alone. Her revenge will have a lasting effect on the bully, on Mary, and on Thornhill itself.

2016: Ella has just moved to a new town where she knows no one. From her room on the top floor of her new home, she has a perfect view of the dilapidated, abandoned Thornhill Institute across the way, where she glimpses a girl in the window. Determined to befriend the girl, Ella resolves to unravel Thornhill's shadowy past. Check out Thornhill.

What 4-letter word can be written forward, backward, or upside down, and can still be read from left to right?

Tell the answer to a staff member at the youth reference desk to receive a delicious prize!

My name is Ella and I reviewed Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

This book is a story that has inspired and stuck with me from the second it began. Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon and the Inheritance series, is a unique and amazing writer. Each character makes you feel a new emotion of love, hate, sorrow, forgiveness, etc.

His writing is creative and engaging. The details of each character - their language, home, and attitude - all worked together to make this one of my favorite books. I guarantee you this book will be the flight of your life! I recommend it to anyone with a love for adventure and suspense.  Check out Eragon.