Teen books made into movies:

Nick & Norah's infinite playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

The princess diaries by Meg Cabot

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

It's often said that people fear public speaking more than death. While that's not exactly true, talking is front of people is a major fear — one you can conquer!

Places to Speak

• Canton Communicators Toastmasters club — Toastmasters is a great way to hone your speaking
• Speech classes at Wayne County Community College
• Spotlight Players — acting at the Village Theater

Other places often welcome speakers, such as conferences, meetup groups, places of worship, and even the library!

Books on Speaking

Speaking your way to success by Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts

Public speaking success in 20 minutes a day

Time machines provide a fun learning experience, a unique business opportunity, and a contrived way to manipulate your plot arc. Watch out, though — depending on the make and model you choose for your temporal vehicle, they can often be expensive to build and difficult to maintain. See below for several types of time machine, along with assembly instructions when available.

Hot Tub

The mechanism for how a hot tub can become a time machine isn't well-explained. However, if you acquire a hot tub and the chronological mechanism never works, at least you have a hot tub, right? For further instructions view:

Beginning June 23rd and every other Saturday ending August 18th, teens going into grades 7-12 can hone their creative writing skills. This five-week course (you must attend all weeks) will be taught by Linda Weatherford Papa, Instructional Designer at The University of Detroit Mercy.

Origami for everyone: beginner, intermediate, advanced by Didier Boursin

Origami zoo: 25 fun paper animal creations by Paul Jackson and Miri Golan; illustrations by Paul Jackson; photographs by Avi Valdman

The new encyclopedia of origami and papercraft techniques by Ayako Brodek; edited by Claire Waite Brown

In love with paper crafts by [editor-in-chief, Jennifer Schaerer]

The complete book of home crafts: projects for adventurous beginners by edited by Carine Tracanelli

Fun family crafts by Kelly Doust

Connect Your Summer is back and better than ever, and with it are 12 new badges. Click on the badges below to see the reading, program, and activity recommendations from our staff experts for how to earn each badge. Once you've completed an experience, claim the badge online for a chance at some great prizes:

Find out what life was like growing up in bygone days:

Big Russ and me: father and son: lessons of life by Tim Russert — South Buffalo, N.Y. in the 1950s

Defending Baltimore against enemy attack: a boyhood year during World War II by Charles Osgood — Baltimore in the 1940s

A girl named Zippy: growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel — Mooreland, Indiana in the 1960s

Take a walk back in history to the New York City of the 1870s, '80s and '90s where you will encounter the Astors and Vanderbilts, Diamond Jim Brady, Boss Tweed, Stanford White, and Teddy Roosevelt:

American passage: the history of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato

The architect of desire: beauty and danger in the Stanford White family by Suzannah Lessard

The blizzard of '88 by Mary Cable

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812. It was on June 18, 1812 that the United States declared war on Great Britain, and although it is arguably one of America's least remembered wars, it was during this time that many legendary battles were fought, heroes made, and memorable events occurred. It was during this war that the British burned the White House and First Lady Dolley Madison helped to save several valuable items — such as George Washington's portrait and original drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It was during this war that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner at Fort McHenry.

What if the Allied invasion of Europe on D-Day had failed? The Mayflower had not sailed? The Mongols had succeeded in conquering Europe? JFK hadn't been assassinated? Napoleon had invaded North America? The South had won the Civil War? Go back in time and reimagine history as it might have been with the following fascinating titles:

Almost America: from the colonists to Clinton: a 'what if' history of the U.S. by Steve Tally

Almost history: close calls, plan B's, and twists of fate in American history by Roger Bruns

Jump into the Wayback Machine and be there when history was being made!

Days of destiny: crossroads in American history: America's greatest historians examine thirty-one uncelebrated days that changed the course of history by general editors, James M. McPherson, Alan Brinkley; editor, David Rubel

Eyewitness to America: 500 years of America in the words of those who saw it happen by edited by David Colbert

Back to the future [videodisc]: the complete trilogy by Universal and Amblin Entertainment — StarringMichael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd. Marty McFly is transported back to 1955 where he must bring his parents together so that he will exist when he gets back to his own time.

Travel back through America's history and learn more about America's 44 presidents and their families:

America's first families: an inside view of 200 years of private life in the White House by Carl Sferrazza Anthony

Dear First Lady: letters to the White House by [compiled and edited] by Dwight Young and Margaret Johnson; foreword by Helen Thomas

First fathers: the men who inspired our Presidents by Harold I. Gullan

Travel back in time and learn about some of the most memorable days in world history:

America's jubilee by Andrew Burstein — July 4, 1826

D-Day, June 6, 1944: the climactic battle of World War II by Stephen E. Ambrose — June 6, 1944

The day Kennedy was shot by Jim Bishop — November 22, 1963

Many new books have been written to help spark creativity.

All the daring of the soldier: women of the Civil War armies by Elizabeth D. Leonard

Civil War wives: the lives and times of Angelina Grimke Weld, Varina Howell Davis, and Julia Dent Grant by Carol Berkin

Daughters of the Union: northern women fight the Civil War by Nina Silber

Lost on planet China: the strange and true story of one man's attempt to understand the world's most mystifying nation, or how he became comfortable eating live squid by J. Maarten Troost

Into the wild by Jon Krakauer

Sea of glory [Large print]: America's voyage of discovery: the U.S.

The Liberty book of home sewing by text by Lucina Ganderston ; photography by Kristin Perers ; illustrations by Richard Merritt

Sewing in a straight line: quick & crafty projects you can make by simply sewing straight by Brett Bara

Bags in bloom: create 20 unique flower purses with simple embroidery stitches and easy-to-sew patterns by Susan Cariello