Warm Up with Hot Cocoa Cones: Dec 21-22

Need a last minute gift?

Back by popular demand, Hot Cocoa Cones. Stop by the Teen Area and make a Hot Cocoa Cone. Give as a stocking stuffer or keep for yourself.

Program Times:

Wednesday, Dec. 21: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 22: 3-7 p.m.

This is a drop-in program, so registration is not necessary. However, as with all Teen programs, Hot Cocoa Cones is for teens grades 6-12 only. Why? all teen programs are geared toward & developed for this age group.

$$$ For College: December 8 @ 6:30 p.m.

Planing for college doesn't have to be stressful or confusing. To help prospective students in their quest for that degree, OPL is offering Dollars ($$$) For College this Thursday (December 8) @ 6:30 p.m. For this free program, college planning expert Sheryl Krasnow of College & Career Counseling Associates, Inc. will tell all there is to know about financial aid, grants, scholarships, and other $$$-related topics. She will answer all the questions you have--and probably bring up a few points you didn't even know about. With the price of a college education on the rise, this program is a must for both students and parents.

Space is limited, so registration is required. To sign up, call or visit the Teen area. Or register online through the library website.

Stargirl...continued

It has been a year since things in Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl ended badly for both Stargirl and Leo. Stargirl and her family have moved from Arizona to Pennsylvania, but she still thinks of the boy she left behind. The boy who broke her heart and caused her to question everything about herself.

Love, Stargirl is an uplifting contunuation of the story that, previously, ended on a very depressing note. In it, Stargirl begins the "world's longest letter" to her former boyfriend, Leo, in which she confesses just how much he hurt her. At first, all Stargirl can do is mope and empty the pebbles from her happy wagon. But slowly and surely over the course of the novel Stargirl's old quirky self begins to resurface. She makes new unique friends around her neighborhood, finds new goals that don't involve getting back together with Leo, and even discovers a possible new love interest with a neighborhood boy. Best of all, Stargirl learns she doesn't need Leo (or any boy) to have a happy and fulfilling life. Just the same, will she find the courage to mail her letter? And will there ever be an answer to the question she asks each day at sunrise?

Find out.

--AJL

Teen Classic Movie: December 3 @ Noon

"You'll shoot your eye out!" A now-familiar holiday catch phrase from an even more familiar holiday movie, A Christmas Story. Stop by the Teen Area on Saturday December 3 @ Noon and watch this classic (again).

Join Ralphie in his quest for his most-wanted Christmas present: A Red Rider BB Gun ("with a compass and a stock and this thing which tells time"). His requests are blocked at each turn by his parents, his teacher, and even Jolly Ol' St. Nick, each uttering the dreaded excuse of "You'll shoot your eye out." Will Ralphie's Christmas wish ever come true?

Also discover what happens when a neighborhood bully takes things too far! Find out what sort of triple dog dare causes the fire department (and the cops) to be called! Learn what happens when one gets soap poisoning!And discover how to celebrate Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant (in style)! And just what sort of atrocity is inside that crate marked "Fragile"?

Find out Saturday December 3 @ Noon.--AJL

Teen Book Reviews by Teens

The Summoning, Book 1.

The Dark Power Trilogy

by Kelley Armstrong

Chloe Saunders is a troubled teen, but not in the way most would think. She sees dead people all the time. Thinking herself to be crazy, she finds herself confined to Lyle House, a halfway house for troubled teens. Little did she know they were all like her.

Soon wierd things begin to happen. Friends disappear. This leads Chloe on a search to try and understand what's going on at Lyle House. With the help of two other inmates, Simon and Derek, Chloe begins to investigate the dark and mysterious past of Lyle House. Learning about a world she never knew existed, Chloe is drawn not only into her past, but her future as well. A future no one sees coming.

There is so much more to this story, but I don't want to ruin it for you. But trust me. It's worth the read! And don't forget to pick up the other two books in the trilogy: The Awakening (book 2) and The Reckoning (book 3). --Rachel Young, teen reviewer

The Fame Monster

Wonder Blake never felt she measured up to her uber talented older sister Lucky, who was on the way to becoming a pop star before she died. Wonder and her family are left to deal with the tragedy. What happens next is straight out of a made-for-TV movie: While singing along with the radio while mopping the floor of the local Dairy Queen, where she works, Wonder is discovered by a big-time talent scout. Before Wonder knows it, she is thrown into the life of a pop diva. At first it's fun, but the more she lives the life, the more she's sure it's not the life for her.

Pop Princess may appear to be light and fluffy. And parts of it are. But deeper down it's about discovering your own identity, your own dreams and goals, and making them happen--even though they may not be what everyone else thinks is best for you. A fun, thoughtful read. --AJL

Cause a Scene--This Sunday!

Whose Line is it Anyway? Yours! Stop in at the Teen Area this Sunday (November 19) and experience the fun and spontaneity of We Cause Scenes, OPL's new Teen-Run improv group. Try your hand at acting, play interactive games, and be prepared for the unexpected.

We Cause Scenes will be held 2-4 p.m. Sunday November 19. No registration necessary. Just stop in. Snacks will be served.