Cindy Crushes Programming: Fandoms My Teens are Currently Talking About

Being a Teen Librarian can make you feel like you have to stay current and on trend. Sometimes it is true and sometimes it is not. A lot of times you will plan something for teens and by the time it comes around you have the program out the teens are over it and now the trend has moved on to tweens. It happens. I am listening to my group of teens to see what they are interested in. And now, I have a teen niece who can help me as well. Here’s a look at some of the fandoms my tweens and teens are currently excited about with some program ideas ties in.

Wings of Fire

While this is more of a tween title we are seeing teens who are coming into our department that love this series. My niece loves this series. Dragons are popular in our area. I have talked to the Children’s Librarians and decided we can do a tween and young teen program about Wings of Fire. I am thinking about having them make their own wings and have them race. 

Cottagecore Atheistic

According to wikipedia cottagecore is “Mushrooms are popular with my teens. I enjoy cottagecore which according to Wikipedia “Cottagecore is a fashion aesthetic popularized by teenagers and young adults celebrating an idealized rural life. Traditionally based on a rural English and European life, it was developed throughout the 2010s and was first named cottagecore on Tumblr in 2018. The aesthetic centers on traditional rural clothing, interior design, and crafts such as drawing, baking, and pottery, and is related to similar aesthetic movements such as grandmacore, farmcore, goblincore, and fairycore.” I am looking at mushroom crafts and learning how to press flowers. My teens are all about mushroom crafts.

Me in my Cottagecore room in Animal Crossing

See also: https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2020/09/28/what-do-teens-mean-when-they-talk-about-an-aesthetic/

Hunger Games

The Hunger Games are going to have a moment again because of the new movie coming out Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. My Co-worker Faith Healy had planned to make your own Mockingjay pin using  foam and goldpaint when the book came out but Covid happened and we were closed. We hope to do this when the new movie comes out in 2023. But there is more buzz since they are showing content about the movie now.

See also: https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2011/07/19/feed-their-hunger-for-the-hunger-games/

Percy Jackson

The TV show buzz us big. Teens are so excited for the show to come out on Disney+ but they are also excited for the new book that will star Nico Di Angelo and Will Solace which is going to be written by Rick Ridordan and Mark Osiro. Nico Di Angelo has been a fan favorite character throughout the Heroes of Olympus and Trails of Apollo books. Teenagers are ready to see more from the son of Hades.

Here are are some of my niece’s pictures she drew in our Percy Jackson after hours program.

See also: https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2022/07/06/cindy-crushes-programming-percy-jackson-after-hours/

TikTok

Knowing about trends on TikTok has been so useful. For one, I find a ton of great craft ideas there. I also find out what books are super popular so I order more. I talk about fandom on TikTok with the teens. I can talk about the things that my teens are seeing and we can build a bridge. I also recommend doing displays based on popular Tiktok themes. 

Filed under: Cindy Crushes Programming