Chicago's Very Own: Local Teen Authors

The Now is the Time Project encourages teens to take a stand against violence, bullying and intolerance, and to be "upstanders" who make positive change in their communities. Teens ages 12-18 are invited to join Teen Volume in December to meet local authors, learn about their books and participate in conversations about what we can do to embrace difference, find commonalities and make a meaningful impact on our city!

Meet Chris Rylander, Author of The Fourth Stall Series

Chris Rylander will read from his humorous books about two boys, Mac and Vince, who establish an “office” in the fourth stall of the boys’ bathroom.

• Thursday, December 6, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  Roosevelt
• Wednesday, December 12, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Greater Grand Crossing
• Monday, December 17, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Daley, Richard M.-W Humboldt
• Wednesday, December 19, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  Dunning

Meet Authors T.M. Goeglein and M. Molly Backes

Celebrate tough teen girl protagonists with authors T.M. Goeglein (Cold Fury) and M. Molly Backes (The Princesses of Iowa). Cold Fury and The Princesses of Iowa are very different novels, but both feature teen girls discovering who they are despite their families and their past. Join these authors as they read from their novels, discuss making difficult choices and answer your questions.

• Tuesday, December 18, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Lozano
• Thursday, December 20, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
  Little Village

Meet Earl Sewell, Author of Back to Me – and Others!

Chicago-born Earl Sewell shares his passion for storytelling and his seven young adult novels, including the most recent, Back to Me. Join him for a discussion about the strong female characters n each of his books – and more.

• Wednesday, December 5, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  Avalon
• Tuesday, December 11, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Hall
• Wednesday, December 12, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Thurgood Marshall

Meet Authors Lisa Jenn Bigelow and James Klise

Here’s another chance to meet two dynamic Chicago authors at once! Meet Lisa Jenn Bigelow, author of Starting From Here, and James Klise, author of Love Drugged. The authors will read from their LGBTQ novels, talk about their inspirations and answer questions. This is a chance to discuss “difference” in general – from race, ethnicity and religion to gender and clothing – and how to both embrace and celebrate our diversity in Chicago.

• Thursday, December 13, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  Garfield Ridge
• Thursday, December 20, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Harold Washington Library Center
  YOUmedia
  (YOUmedia program is for teens in high school only)

Meet Nancy Grossman, Author of A World Away

Walk in the shoes of Eliza, a 16-year-old Amish girl on her Rumspringa. Eliza explores the modern world through a job as a nanny and, after discovering more about herself, her family and the world at large, must decide if she’s ready to return to the Amish community. Which would you choose?

• Wednesday, December 19, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  Budlong Woods

Teen Volume Citywide Programs For Teens By Teens are made possible with grant funding from the Chicago Public Library Foundation. All programs are for tweens and teens ages 12-18 unless otherwise noted.

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