MarioKart Game Day

Click on Image to see larger poster.

Registration is appreciated. Please stop by the library or e-mail or call the contact on the poster to register!

Super Smash Game Night

MPL will host a Super Smash Brothers Brawl for Teens (13-17) on May 6 from 4-6 p.m. Prizes and refreshments will be available!

Please pre-register at the library's Information Desk or by e-mailing your name, age, and phone number to jhill@manhattan.lib.ks.us.

Book Suggestion: Lessons From a Dead Girl

In Jo Knowles novel Lessons from a Dead Girl, fifth grade Leah and Laine become fast friends. Leah, who is popular, beautiful and very mature for her age, takes advantage of Leah's quiet and shy ways. Leah slowly convinces Laine to "experiment" in the closet, doing things that Laine feels unsure about and as they get older and into high school Leah becomes less and less sure that Leah has her best intrests in heart.


But when Leah dies in a tragic accident that Laine feels she may have played a part in, Laine is flooded with memories of her relationship with Leah and struggles to understand why Leah, who haunted her her entire life, continues to haunt her after death. In this tragic and moving novel, true friendships are tested as Laine learns the power that a secret can hold over someone and discovers the real meaning of forgiveness.

Movie Friday!

No School Movie Days begin again this Friday with the showing of the movie based on the book "The Invisible" by Mats Wahl.

Previews begin promptly at 2 p.m.

Popcorn and drinks served.

See you there!

Book Suggestion: Ethan, Suspended

Ethan Oppenheimer never thought much about his life in the suburbs of Pennsylvania until an incident and suspension at school led him to be sent away to his grandparents house in the inner city in Washington D.C. As the only white student in a predominantly African American and Hispanic school, all eyes are on Ethan. Dealing with his grandparents old fashioned ways, his parents divorce, a crush on a girl he can't understandand and trying to find friends in a place where he doesnt feel he belongs, Ethan begins to understand, and regret, the choices that he has made.

Ethan, Suspended in the mist of gang confrontations and digging up information about riots and civil rights, discovers that things that he has never cared too much about may hit closer to home than he had thought. Ethan learns family secrets and discovers that his suspension from school may not be the only reason he was sent to D.C. In this heart warming tale about a young boys transition from a world of PlayStation and junk food to a place where he must realize what truely counts in life, readers will cheer Ethan on and embrace the changes that he makes in this novel.

Book Suggestion: Spud

For John "Spud" Milton, life as a thirteen year old growing up in South Africa is anything but normal. Not only does he have to deal with the crazy antics of his semi-lunatic father who is scared South Africa is being taken over by communists, but also his senile grandmother who belives everyone has joined in on the plot to rob her of all of her belongs, namely her strawberry jam. To make matters worse, Spud is sent off to an all boys school and encounters some of the most lively (and strange) people that he has ever met.

Written in a journal format, Spud experiences the normalities, and quite a few of the abnormalities, of growing up in an all boys school. From late night swims to excentric quad-mates, Spud's adventures are never short of hilarious.

John van de Ruit really captured the trials and tribulations of a teenage boy in this outrageously funny, quick-witted, and at times, extremely moving first novel.

Watch for: Spud- The Madness Continues... (the sequel)

Book Suggestion: The Opposite of Invisible

When life gets tough, April talks to the "Dove Girl" poster above her bed for comfort. But when she asks the poster for a boyfriend, what she ends up getting is a whole mess of problems.

In Liz Gallagher's debut novel, "The Opposite of Invisible," April gets caught in a web between outsider, artistic best friend Jewel whom she has known forever as "just-a-friend", or ultra-hunk football player Simon Murphy who has taken a sudden interest in her. When both kiss her and ask her to the Halloween Dance in the same 24 hours, April must pick one relationship, even if it means ruining the other.

In this past paced novel filled with underground bands, hip coffee shops, first kisses (and more...) and the frenzy of being a fifteen year old girl who doesnt quite know who she is, April must learn that a place does exist between popular and invisible.

Guitar Hero Tournament!

MLK Art and Writing Contest

Show off your ART or WRITING abilities by entering the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Art and Writing Contest. Entries should incorporate this year's theme : "Messages to Dr. King: Reporting from 2008." Entries can be submitted at the Manhattan Public Library through January 13, 2008.
Winning entries will recieve gift certificates, recognition at the community MLK celebration, and publication through local media outlets.
To find out more, go here or connect from the library's home page (click on the MLK picture).

Chocolate Celebration!

“Nine out of 10 people like chocolate.

The tenth person always lies.”

John Q. Tullius

Come to Club T on Wednesday, December 19 to take part in a celebration of all things chocolate! Try some different kinds of chocolate, cover stuff in chocolate, make a chocolate creation.

The fun starts at 4 p.m. sharp - bring your sweet tooth and a friend.

Book Suggestion: Deadline by Chris Crutcher

What would you do if you knew you had less than a year to live? Who would you tell? What would you say? How would you change your life, your world?

These are issues that Ben Wolf deals with in Deadline by Chris Crutcher.

During a routine sports physical Ben finds out he has a terminal blood disease. At 18 Ben had never pictured himself past his teen years. Somehow he just knows this is what is supposed to happen. He figures he might as well take advantage of these last few months. Ben doesn't want is this time to be spent sick and puking or having people fuss over him. This will be a time to try things he hadn't before and do those things he had been to cowardly to do before - all without telling anyone. Not his parents, his brother, his coach - no one.

Living a lifetime of experiences in a single year is not going to be easy, but Ben is willing to try. He asks out his long-time crush, goes out for football for the first time, works as hard as possible to help his brother prepare to take on college, and befriends the town drunk.

Crutcher is never one to back off from tough issues, and Deadline is no exception. While the language and in-your-face attitude about the issues is toned down from his earlier works, this is another classic and compelling work. If you have never read Crutcher, Deadline is a great place to start.

TRW is here!

Teen Read Week is finally here!

There are several activities to take part in this week through the Manhattan Public Library! See below or go to the MPL Teen Scene webpage to see this week's schedule.

Also, don't forget to vote for the annual Teens' Top Ten
AND
Visit the Information Desk and get a free TRW gift.

See you this week @ the library and READ JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!!

OMG! TRW is LOL!

Teen Read Week (TRW) is less than 10 days away and the library is gearing up for a great experience for teens!

* Join us Tuesday at 7 p.m. for a visit from Kansas author Ally Carter; Wednesday at 4 p.m. for Club T with special guest Sally Bailey from KSU; and Friday at 2 p.m. for a movie presentation (Unaccompanied Minors and Evan Almighty currently lead the voting...)

* Take part in the annual Teens' Top Ten vote by clicking here to vote between Oct. 14 and 20.

* Visit the Information Desk and get a free TRW gift courtesy of the YA Department and the Manhattan Library Association.

Click on the graphic above for more detailed information about TRW at MPL.

You can also find out more information about Teen Read Week on the TRW wiki.

Upcoming Events...

Sept. 28 - Movie: "Timeline" 1 p.m., Rated PG-13

Oct. 14-20: Teen Read Week
Oct. 16 - Author visit from Ally Carter
Oct. 17 - Club T - Comedy and Performing
Oct. 19 - Movie: online vote (see poll at left) 2 p.m.

Get your Movie Vote on!

Vote now for our movie to show on Friday, Oct. 19! Use the poll to the left side of this page. Hurry, only a couple of weeks left!

Welcome to the MPL Teen Scene!

Hello! Welcome to the new Manhattan Public Library Teen Scene Blog!
This is a place to learn about happenings, items of intrest, new materials, and everything else Teen at MPL.

* Take part in our polls to the left side of the page
* Leave comments about events and books and other posts
* Send a note to the librarian to let us know what you want to see us blog about

Enjoy and have fun!