Happy New Year!

Yesterday was the first day of the new year! If you, like many other people, are ready to make some new year's resolutions, we've got you set with all the books you need to help you improve yourself in 2014. Here are some ideas:

Get more exercise:

Yoga by Elizabeth Silas and Diane Goodney

The Girls' Yoga Book: Stretch Your Body, Open Your Mind & Have Fun! by Michaela Caldwell

365 Activities for Fitness, Food, and Fun for the Whole Family: Super Sports, Great Games, Exciting Experiments, and Nutrition Nuggets by Julia E. Sweet

Exercise and Rest by Sharon Dalgleish

Keeping Fit by Emily K. Green

Fitness For Young People by Simon Frost

Go green:

Waste and Recycling by Sally Hewitt

Recycling by Neil Morri

Max Goes to the Recycling Center by Adria F. Klein

The EARTH Book by Todd Parr

Recycle This Book: 100 Top Children's Book Authors Tell You How to Go Green edited by Dan Gutman

Gabby and Grandma Go Green by Monica Wellington

 Get better grades:

Get Organized Without Losing It by Janet S. Fox

Make the Grade: Everything You Need to Study Better, Stress Less, and Succeed in School by Lesley Schwartz Martin

Super Study Skills: The Ultimate Guide to Tests and Studying by Laurie Rozakis

Beat Stress!: The Exam Handbook by Anita Naik

Dr. Gruber's Essential Guide to Test Taking for Kids. Grades 6, 7, 8, 9 by Gary R. Gruber

Test Smart!: Ready-to-Use Test-Taking Strategies and Activities for Grades 5-12 by Gary W. Abbamont and Antoinette Brescher

Eat healthier:

Healthy Snacks by Mari C. Schuh

Healthy Eating by Emily K. Green

The Food Pyramid by Christine Taylor-Butler

The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls by Valorie Lee Schaefer

The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active, & Feeling Great for Monsters & Kids! by Edward Miller

Yummy!: Good Food Makes Me Strong by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly

Read more (with some of our most-asked-for books):

Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-so-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce

Goosebumps Books by R.L. Stine

The Adventures of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Novel by Dav Pilkey

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

New Year Traditions

This morning, The Today Show posted an article on their website featuring New Year traditions around the world.

Did you know that in Scheveningen, Netherlands, on Jan. 1, brave Dutch swimmers head into the icy North Sea? Bernarr Macfadden, who founded the Coney Island Polar Bear Club in 1903, believed that "a dip in the ocean during the winter can be a boon to one's stamina, virility and immunity."

People in Urnaesch, Switzerland, celebrate with "Silvesterchlaus" (New Years Claus) people equipped with branches of pine trees and cow bells who walk toward a farm house in to offer their best wishes for the new year. After they sing and dance the Silvesterchlaeuse receive food, hot drinks, or money. It is believed that a visit by the Silvesterchlaeuse helps drive away evil spirits.

What do you do to ring in the new year?

It's popular to make New Year's Resolutions, to try to (resolve to!) improve something you've always wanted to improve about yourself. What are your new year's resolutions for 2013? Whatever they are, we've got the books to help you out:

Get more exercise:

CosmoGIRL! Total Body Workout: Fun Moves to Look and Feel Your Best from the editors of CosmoGIRL!

Toning for Teens: The 20-Minute Workout that Makes You Look Good and Feel Great! by Joyce L. Vedral

Yoga for Teens: How to Improve Your Fitness, Confidence, Appearance, and Health-- and Have Fun Doing It by Thia Luby

101 Ways to Get in Shape by Charlotte Guillain

Take better care of the Earth:

Recycle: Green Science Projects for a Sustainable Planet by Robert Gardner

Recycle This Book: 100 Top Children's Book Authors Tell You How to Go Green edited by Dan Gutman

Make It!: Don't Throw It Away- Create Something Amazing! by Jane Bull

365 Ways to Live Green for Kids: Saving the Enviornment at Home, School, or at Play--Every Day! by Sheri Amsel

Recycling: Learning the Four R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover by Martin J. Gutnik

Get better grades:

Study Smart, Study Less: Earn Better Grades and Higher Test Scores, Learn Study Habits That Get Fast Results, and Discover Your Study Persona by Anne Crossma

How to be School Smart: Super Study Skills by Elizabeth James and Carol Barkin

School Power: Study Skill Strategies for Succeeding in School by Jeanne Shay Schumm

Study Smart: Hands-On, Nuts-and-Bolts Techniques for Earning Higher Grades by Theodore Silver

Eat healthier: 

The Scoop on What To Eat: What You Should Know About Diet and Nutrition by Kathlyn Gay

Too Fat? Too Thin?: The Healthy Eating Handbook by Melissa Sayer

The Mayo Clinic Kids' Cookbook: 50 Favorite Recipes for Fun and Healthy Eating

Body Fuel: A Guide to Good Nutrition by Donna Shryer

Food for Feeling Healthy by Carol Ballard

Are resolutions part of your New Year traditions?

Be sure to take a look at the rest of the Today Show's photo set on New Year Traditions around the world to see what people in other countries do to ring in their year!

Happy New Year!

It's 2012! If you're like a lot of people out there, it's time for you to make a resolution to work on something you've always wanted to improve. No matter what your new year's resolution is, we've got the books to help you get started!

Get more exercise:
Yoga For Teens : How To Improve Your Fitness, Confidence, Appearance, and Health-- And Have Fun Doing It by Thia Luby

Yoga Step-By-Step by Michael Spilling and Liz Lark

Toning For Teens : The 20-Minute Workout That Makes You Look Good and Feel Great! by Joyce L. Vedral

Beyond The Blues : A Workbook to Help Teens Overcome Depression by Lisa M. Schab

Fitness Information for Teens : Health Tips About Exercise, Physical Well-Being, and Health Maintenance Including Facts About Conditioning, Stretching, Strength Training, Body Shape and Body Image, Sports Nutrition, and Specific Activities For Athletes and Non-Athletes by Lisa Bakewell

Recycle more:
The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts

Recycle This Book : 100 Top Children's Book Authors Tell You How To Go Green edited by Dan Gutman

Recycle : Green Science Projects For A Sustainable Planet by Robert Gardner

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : An Easy Household Guide by Nicky Scott

Recycle! : Make Your Own Eco-Friendly And Creative Designs : Over 60 Projects For Your Home and Garden by Moira and Nicholas Hankinson

Study harder:
How To Remember Everything : Memory Shortcuts To Help You Study Smarter. Grades 9-12 by Russell Kahn, with Tom Meltzer

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Study Skills by Randall S. Hansen and Katharine Hansen

Super Study Skills : The Ultimate Guide To Tests and Studying by Laurie Rozakis

The Secrets of Taking Any Test by Judith N. Meyers

Study Smart : Hands-On, Nuts-And-Bolts Techniques for Earning Higher Grades by Theodore Silver

Learn a new skill:
Crochet Basics : All You Need To Know To Get Hooked on Crochet by Jan Eaton

The Only Basic Guitar Instruction Book You'll Ever Need : Learn To Play, From Tuning Up To Strumming Your First Chords by Jack Wilkins and Peter Rubie

The Piano : An Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide by Frank Cappelli

Basic Cooking : All You Need To Cook Well Quickly by Jennifer Newens

Pathways In Juggling : Learn How To Juggle With Balls, Clubs, Devil Sticks, Diablos, and Beyond by Robert Irving and Mike Martins

Read more (Here are a few of my favorites that you might not be familiar with):
Every Little Thing In the World by Nina de Gramont

Paper Towns by John Green

The Eternal Smile : Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Or come in to the library to find a book to help you with whatever you want to do or improve!

Have a fantastic year!

New Year's Resolutions

Happy 2011! It's a new year and a time to make a change, to try to improve something you've always wanted to improve. What are your new year's resolutions for 2011? Whatever they are, we've got the books to help you out!

Get Better Grades:
Painless study techniques by Michael Greenberg

10 secrets to acing any high school test by Lee Brainerd and Ricki Winegardner

Study smart: hands-on, nuts-and-bolts techniques for earning higher grades by Theodore Silver


Go Green:
Generation green: the ultimate teen guide to living an eco-friendly life by Linda Sivertsen and Tosh Sivertsen.

Make it!: don't throw it away - create something amazing! by Jane Bull

50 simple things kids can do to recycle by the Earth Works Group


Reduce Stress:
Stress 101: an overview for teens by Margaret O. Hyde

Breathe: yoga for teens by Mary Kaye Chryssicas

Yoga for Teens: How to Improve Your Fitness, Confidence, Appearance, and Health-And Have Fun Doing It! by Thia Luby



Eat Healthier:
Food for feeling healthy by Carol Ballard

Eat fresh food: awesome recipes for teen chefs: more than 80 recipes! by Rozanne Gold and her all-star team

Body fuel: a guide to good nutrition by Donna Shryer




Or come in to the library to find a book to help you with whatever you want to do or improve! Happy New Year!