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Teen SRC 2020 – Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes & Friendship by Irene Latham & Charles Waters

This book reflects serious topics like racism, rights and friendship. A lot of adult stuff. This book is written by 2 people with very different perspectives on life. They have reflected on their childhoods and how skin color doesn’t split people into groups. Just because you have a different skin color then someone else, doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. This book is great for middle school students and for anyone really. You don’t have to wear a specific type of shoes to “fit in”. Everyone is a person and should be treated like one no matter how different they look. This is a very deep story and great for middle school teaching.

And the winner is…

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Annual Teen Poetry Contest 2019!

Group 1
1st Place: For Humanity’s Shake by Inshal K.
2nd Place: To Reverse Hate by Noreen C.

Group 2:
1st Place: How Could You by Grace M.
2nd Place: A Red Rose by Tina T.

This year’s submissions were so great and it was really hard to choose just four poems. Thank you to everyone who submitted their poems this year and look for our Teen Poetry Contest next year in April 2020.

To read the winning poems, please click here.

RPL’s Annual Teen Poetry Contest 2019

We are doing our Annual Teen Poetry Contest again this year! We are always excited to celebrate Poetry Month and can’t wait to read all the teen submissions. Here are some of the details about the contest:

Submit your entry from April 1 – 30 at any Richmond Public Library branch, or via email to teenblog@yourlibrary.ca

Submission Guidelines:

  1. Age Categories:
    • Group 1: 12-15 years old
    • Group 2: 16-18 years old
  2. Any format of poem is acceptable.
  3. Length: No longer than one single-spaced typed page
  4. Must be an original work

Prizes:

Groups 1 & 2:

  1. 1st Place – $25 gift certificate to Richmond Centre
  2. 2nd Place – $10 gift certificate to Richmond Centre

Judging Criteria
Creativity, clarity, originality, and the literary merit or message of the poem

* RPL reserves the right to disqualify any offensive and/or inappropriate submission

Rules and Regulations for RPL’s Teen Poetry Contest 

Teen SRC 2018- Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott

Image result for paper hearts bookThis book is based on a true story that took place in World War II, during the Holocaust, about two girls named Fania and Zlatka, about the bond that help them hope for the best in the face of the worst.

For Fania’s birthday, Zletka makes something for her that could mean death if it was ever discovered. She makes an origami heart, containing the wishes for happiness and hopes of all of their friends for Fania to carry. This heart is one of the few items created in Auschwitz, and can be seen today at the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Center.

This was a very touching book about a beautiful friendship, found in a cruel, bitter, and unexpected place. These brave girls were able to still hope for a better future after everything they’ve been through, and should be looked up to.

 

Teen SRC 2018 – Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Loosely based on a true story, Crank, is a story about a quiet innocent, smart girl named Kristina. Everything is going well for her until she spends a summer with her drug addicted dad. There she tries drugs and falls in love with a boy. She unleashes this monster inside of her called Bree. When Kristina goes home, she changes friend groups and starts ditching class to do drugs. She soon completely looses control of her mind and makes bad decisions that ruin her life. This book is written in poetry.

I enjoyed this book very much. I picked it up not knowing what it would be about and I was pleasantly surprised. I began to fear for Kristina and would hope that she made the right decisions. The epilogue at the end of the novel, Fallout, was so well written and almost made me tear up. This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

 

RPL’s Teen Poetry Contest Closing Soon!

ONLY 1 WEEK LEFT TO SUBMIT YOUR POEMS!!!

Submit your entry from April 1 – 30 at any Richmond Public Library branch, or via email to teenblog@yourlibrary.ca

Submission Guidelines:

  • Age Categories:
    • Group 1: 13-15 years old
    • Group 2: 16-18 years old
  • Any format of poem is acceptable.
  • Length: No longer than one single-spaced typed page
  • Must be an original work

Prizes:

  • Groups 1 & 2:
    • 1st Place – $25 gift certificate to Richmond Centre
    • 2nd Place – $10 gift certificate to Richmond Centre

Judging Criteria:

  • Creativity, clarity, originality, and the literary merit or message of the poem

* RPL reserves the right to disqualify any offensive and/or inappropriate submission

 

Annual RPL Teen Poetry Contest

Submit your entry from April 1 – 30 at any Richmond Public Library branch, or via email to teenblog@yourlibrary.ca

Submission Guidelines:

  • Age Categories:
    • Group 1: 13-15 years old
    • Group 2: 16-18 years old
  • Any format of poem is acceptable.
  • Length: No longer than one single-spaced typed page
  • Must be an original work

Prizes:

  • Groups 1 & 2:
    • 1st Place – $25 gift certificate to Richmond Centre
    • 2nd Place – $10 gift certificate to Richmond Centre

Judging Criteria:

  • Creativity, clarity, originality, and the literary merit or message of the poem

* RPL reserves the right to disqualify any offensive and/or inappropriate submission

Rules and Regulations for RPL’s Teen Poetry Contest Read More

RPL’s Teen Poetry Contest Winners

Thank you for all the wonderful poems that were submitted for our RPL Teen Poetry Contest! We enjoyed reading each and every one! The winners are:

  • Group 1:

    1. The Rainbow Scarf by Samreen M.
    2. Placebos by Stephanie C.
    3. Death Plays the Guitar by Judy C.
  • Group 2:
    1. Equivalent but not Equal by Halle N.
    2. Standing Here, Fighting by Lauren K.
    3. The World Without Gravity by Salisa J.

Congratulations to all the winners!! Please read the winning poems HERE