Teen Services


YB&B Book Club

The mission of the YB&B book club is to foster personal growth and positive social interactions through literature, discussions, and social events. Learn more from the YB&B page.

Teen Zone

This special area on the library's second floor is only for teens. We've got tons of fiction, graphic novels, manga, and nonfiction for you to browse and check out. We also provide some supplies and seating in the area for teens to use. Newly added to the teen zone are a dry-erase table and magnetic poetry on displays. Don't forget to check out the new young adult fiction and nonfiction displays for new reads!

School Visit

If you'd like our librarian to visit, please email us.

Volunteering

Teens can volunteer to help on a weekly basis at the Library, as space allows. These volunteers will learn some basic procedures and tasks associated with the Library's day-to-day operations. We accept volunteers from ages 14 and up.

For teens ages 14 - 17, please download and complete the Teen Volunteer Application (PDF) and return it to the Library. If you wish to apply and you are 18 years or older, please fill out an Adult Volunteer Application. Adults will be asked to complete a Washington State Patrol background check, which will require a signature and a copy of your current identification. Both forms are also available at the main desk.

Teen Advisory Board

Starting in November, teens are invited to participate in the Teen Advisory Board (TAB). TAB advocates, pilots, advises, and plans events for teens. Teens who participate will be able to get volunteer hours for participation. Registration is required. These meetings will occur monthly on the third Saturday of the month in the Library Board room at 2:30 p.m. 

Teen Book Reviews

Puyallup Public Library offers volunteer hours for teens who read and review books from our collection.    

These reviews will be collected from our submission form and posted on the Teen Book Reviews page with your first name and grade. The reviews may also be posted on social media by library staff and used for in-house displays.

Guidelines

  • You must be signed up as a teen volunteer (ages 14 to 17).  
  • The book must have been published within the last two years and be in the print collection. 
  • YA fiction and non-fiction reviews are worth 3 hours of volunteer time. 
  • YA graphic novels and manga reviews are worth 1 hour of volunteer time. 
  • Reviews need to be between 150 and 350 words. 
  • No more than 2 book reviews per week.

How to Write a Book Review

You can follow the basic template found in the article  How to Write a Book Review by Joanna Cutrara

Write a few sentences describing what the book is about (plot, main characters, genre, etc.). Don’t give an entire synopsis. The review should be more like a teaser to make people interested. Don’t include any spoilers or give away the ending.  

Write a few sentences giving your opinion of the book. Describe what you liked and disliked and why. What thoughts or feelings did the book inspire? To whom would you recommend the book?

You can also comment on the cover and indicate if the book is part of a series in your review. 

Always be sure to rate the book.

Get Started

If you’re interested in submitting reviews for volunteer hours, please fill out our Teen Volunteer Application and put book reviews for the question about interests.

Teens who participate will be emailed by the YA/Adult Service Librarian with a link to the submission form. After submissions, the librarian will respond within ten days with confirmation and, if necessary, suggested edits for the review.