Volunteer/Community Service Opportunity

We will be having our annual Make a Gift: Soup & Cookie Mix Jars community service event on Friday, December 7th from 6:30-8PM.  The time spent putting the jars together qualifies for community service and the jars will be donated to the Matawan Food Pantry. Since the event is after hours, there is a permission and registration required.  You do not have to have been a past volunteer at the library to participate. If you have friends that would like to come that need community service hours, this would be a great opportunity! The event is open to students in grades 6-12 and is a lot of fun!.

Registration is available here:

http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=MATA


Permission slip is available here:

http://www.lmxac.org/mata/after_hours_perm_slip.pdf

Both permission slip and registration are required.  Permission slip must be handed in by 9PM on Wednesday, December 5th.

Teen Lock-In registration!

The fall teen lock-in is scheduled for Friday, October 18th from 6:30-10:30PM and is open to teens in grades 7-12.  Enjoy a night out at the library with games, crafts, pizza and more! 

Registration and a permission slip are required to attend.  Registration is available here. Permission slips must be handed in no later than 9PM on October 17th.  They are available in the teen place in the library and here.

For more information, please call 732-583-9100 or send an email to maplkids@lmxac.org.

Back to School Resources

As you head back to the classroom, check out these great resources the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library offers our teens for free with the use of a valid library card.

Need help with your homework?  

 

Try Tutor.com.

Get a professional online tutor whenever you need help.  You work one-to-one with your tutor in an online classroom on your specific homework problem until it's done.  This service is available 24/7.  Tutors can help you with any subject - math, science, English, or social studies.  Tutors will go through your homework problem step-by-step, as long as it takes, until it is complete.

Need help with your homework when you aren't at home? 

Tutor.com also offers a mobile app through iTunes:

        Tutor.com app

Need help developing your skills in a particular subject or preparing for a standardized test?

 

Try:

     Learning Express Library

     Universal Class

Need to find information about a current event or controversial topic for a debate, essay, group project, or research paper?

 

Try Points of View Reference Center.

We also have many great nonfiction print resources on argumentative topics. Just ask a reference librarian for assistance and we'll help you find what you need.

Need to find some articles or information for a school assignment?

Visit our Available Resources page to explore the many databases that can help you find a variety of information. Here you will find an alphabetical list of all the databases and these resources can be accessed 24/7! 


This blog post was written by Youth Services and Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

Book Review: Zoe Letting Go by Nora Price

Elise,

I don't know why I've been driven from the city to the country early in the morning, still wearing my pajamas, with enough clothes packed for six weeks.  Why have I arrived at a gloomy old mansion surrounded by a garden of withered, tangled roses and spotted with foreboding birch and ominous oak trees?  It looks like I suddenly jumped across the pond and ended up in England instead of New England!

Why am I being put in a treatment facility with 5 other girls?  I don't look like them.  I don't act like them.  And I certainly don't have anything wrong with me - like them. 

They tell me I'm here to recover.  From what? 

They took my phone, which is one of the reasons I am writing these letters.  

It's a mystery to me.  I'm sure there has been some big mistake.    

Why?  I don't know, but I'm going to find out - and then I'm going to prove them wrong.   

Zoe


Gain insight into the mind of a girl grappling with an issue that she doesn't even know she has with this slow-moving mystery.  Follow the haunting words in Zoe's letters to her best friend to unravel the enigma that is Twin Birch as she shines a light on a condition that affects thousands of teens across the country, making it the third most common chronic illness for adolescents.  If you liked Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson or Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher, you will probably enjoy this title. 

Check it out in our new books section in the Teen Place!

Recommended Grade Level: 6-12

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Pages: 279

This book review was written by Youth Services and Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

Book Review: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

When Jill’s father dies, her mother decides to adopt a baby from a pregnant teen whom she meets through an online website while they are still newly mourning.  Jill thinks it’s a bad idea and when Mandy comes to live with them in Colorado, Jill and her mother discover that certain details about the pregnancy were not told truthfully.  Jill is convinced that she needs to hire the intriguing R.J. Desai, a former high school classmate and Loss Prevention Associate for the bookstore where she works, to investigate and prove that Mandy is not trust-worthy.  Jill, who had become withdrawn from her friends after her father’s death, finds a new sense of purpose with this endeavor as well as a way to begin to connect to people who are still living again.  In the process, she becomes surprised by the turn of events and what she learns not only about Mandy, but also about herself. 

On the other hand, Mandy is trying to find salvation for her baby with a family who will not only want, but love and care for her – something her own mother was unable to give her.  However, this outcome would leave Mandy alone in the world without a familial bond.  As Mandy’s feelings for her unborn child grow, she not only questions if this is the best decision for her baby, but also who will save her or if she can save herself. 

Told through alternating chapters of narrating voices by the two teen girls, different perspectives emerge about the whole heart-wrenching situation.  This is the endearing story about the power of love, the struggle to define family, and how to survive loss.

Recommended Grade Level: 6-12

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Pages: 352

This book review was written by Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

Teen Lock-In

Our first summer teen lock-in will be Friday, June 29th, 6:30-10:30PM for teens entering grades 7-12.  There will be a marshmallow challenge, pizza, snacks, gaming, a candy sushi competition and crafts. Registration and a permission slips must be submitted by 9PM on Wednesday, June 27th.   Registration is available on our website and permission slips are available in the Children's room, in the Teen Place or online here: http://www.lmxac.org/mata/lockInPermSlip.pdf .

Also, don't forget to sign up for our summer reading club to be entered into weekly raffles. Stop by the front desk to sign up today!

An Evening of Art Appreciation in the Teen Place

Intricate pencil drawings, pen & ink portraits, vibrant pastel images and soothing landscapes are currently on view in the Teen Place here at the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library until the end of August.

On May 22, 2012, the Library held its first Annual Matawan Aberdeen Middle School Art Show.  The Teen Place was filled with art students, parents, siblings and friends for an Evening of Art and refreshments.

Mr. Rod Stevens, MAMS Art Teacher, honored each of his Art Club Students with a Certificate of Appreciation for their hard work and commitment to their art.

Hats off to Mr.Stevens for encouraging and inspiring his students...many thanks to the Friends of the Library for the refreshments!

And a - BIG Thank You - to all the students who participated in this event – and for sharing their work with us.

Take some time this summer to stop at the library and view the work of the Middle School’s talented young artists - a wonderful mix of art styles are being featured – and will be on view until the end of August. 

This blog post was written by Library Assistant, Ruby Thompson.

eBook Review - The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Katerina Alexandrovna, the young Duchess of Oldenburg, otherwise know by her nickname "Katiya," spends her time like any ordinary teenager in her aristocratic position in late nineteenth century Russia would - attending the Smolny Institute for girls, dancing at balls, and waiting to become betrothed.  However, her own dreams conflict with women's roles in Russia under the rule of the tsar.  Katiya longs to pursue a career in medicine, which is not much of a secret to anyone who knows her; however, she does conceal a darker secret that she discovered as a young child: she is a powerful necromancer with the ability to raise the dead.  She has tried to keep this hidden from everyone, including her family, but when others learn of her gift, they want to harness it and use it to to their own evil advantage.  This is a story about Russia, based in well-researched history, that spins a tale of magical powers, light and dark faerie courts, and legends of blood drinkers...who may continue to exist beyond one's imagination after all. 

Check out this book in eLibraryNJ. (Available in Kindle and Adobe EPUB formats)

Recommended Grade Level: 5-12

Genres: Historical Fantasy Fiction

Pages: 400

Series: The Katerina Trilogy

This book review was written by Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

MAMS Art Show @ the Library!

The Teen Place here at the library will look a little different in May!

Gracing the walls of the Teen Place will be selected art pieces by the talented students of the Matawan Aberdeen Middle School.

On the evening of May 22, 2012 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm the Library will host a reception to showcase the artwork to the public. 

Mr. Stevens, MAMS Art Teacher, will honor each of the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade students for their hard work as we showcase their art.

Please join us for an evening of art and light refreshments as we congratulate these young students for their dedication and commitment to their craft.

The artwork will be on display from May 22^nd through August 2012.

This blog post was written by Library Assistant, Ruby Thompson.

Candy Sushi Competition

Looking for something fun to do this coming weekend! We're having a Candy Sushi Competition for students in grades 6-12 @ 1PM. There will be mandatory ingredients but you can use your own creativity to design something fun & yummy, too! To register for this program, send an email to maplkids@lmxac.org or register online @ www.matawanaberdeenlibrary.com.

Book Review: Betrayal by Lee Nichols

Emma Vaile returns in the second installment of the Haunting Emma trilogy.  Just when things heat up with Bennet, he's gone again - just like the rest of her family.  At this point, she should have abandonment issues, but there is little time to dwell on obstacles in her love life when her evil enemy is still out there.  As if she doesn't have enough to worry about already, her classmates continue to ostracize her for the consequences in her last battle with Neos.  None of them are privy to the happenings of ghosts all around them, so they do not know the true story.

Emma's training resumes when the Knell, a secret society of ghostkeepers, sends new members to join her team - including a British man who acts as a guardian in Bennet's absence.  This time, Emma has a new weapon to fight Neos - her doppleganger's dagger.  She receives a warning that he has sent a siren though she is not sure what that means - YET.  Will she be lured away from protecting herself and her friends?  And will one of them turn out to be a traitor?  Can she find a way to finally show her classmates what really happened the night of the dance? 

Discover how the author still has a few tricks up her sleeves to astonish the reader at the end.

Recommended Grade Level: 7-12

Genre: Paranormal Suspense

Series: Haunting Emma, Book #2

Pages: 288

This book review was written by Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

FREE PSAT Practice Test @ the library

On Saturday, May 12th @ 9:30 Kaplan will be here to proctor a free full-length PSAT giving students an opportunity of what to expect on test day. Students will receive a comprehensive analysis of their performance on the test within two weeks of the testing date.This program is for 9th & 10th graders. 

To register for this free program please visit us online, stop by the Children’s desk, call 732-583-9100 (ask for Children’s), or send an email to maplkids@lmxac.org.

Book Review - Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

In nineteenth century London, Agnes Wilkins, a seventeen-year-old debutante, is invited to the first social event of the season at wealthy Lord Showalter's estate. However, the night's festivities include the unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy where artifacts that are found lead to break-ins within the community and suspicions of a mummy's curse. Agnes sneaks around with a handsome, but aloof, museum assistant to discover the mystery behind the artifact she unwraps. Is there really a supernatural phenomenon at work? Or merely a human being who will stop at nothing to recapture the relic with a secret message inside? This book includes romance, espionage, and a hint of Egyptian mythology that will appeal to fans of Jane Austen as well as those who enjoy historical fiction and mysteries.

Recommended Grade Level: 6-12

Genre: Historical Mystery

Pages: 320

This book review was written by Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina.

Take our Survey!

We'd love to hear your thoughts about what types of programs teens would like to have at the library!

Take our survey!  You might just see some of your thoughts come to life in the next few months!

Book Review - The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Capaill uisce. The water horses. As beautiful as they are deadly, they emerge from the sea on the island of Thisby and once a year, in November, male jockeys ride them in the Scorpio Races – or attempt to ride them – if they live long enough to make it to the finish line. Riders include the reigning champion – Sean Kendrick and the unlikely hopeful – Kate (aka Puck) Connolly. Puck challenges preconceived notions that riders must be men when she registers for the race under her birth name. She further pushes the boundaries of tradition when she chooses to ride her own horse, Dove, instead of one of the capaill uisce. From the moment that Puck and Sean cross paths, there is a peculiar and unexpected attraction between these two very different people who eventually find that they have more in common than they think. Both are willing to fight for what they love, but at what cost if one (or both) lose?

Arising from the depths of Celtic mythology, Scorpio Races will appeal to those who aren’t in a rush to get to the finish lines of a book themselves, not for the number of pages, but for the slow pace that it takes to get there. Be forewarned: for a book about a horse race, the plot never reaches a gallop until the competition finally begins (and ends) in almost one chapter alone toward the conclusion of the story, but if you have the patience to see how the story slowly draws you in from the first to last page as it sets up the scene of the island, introduces the people who live there, and reveals how the history (and tragedy) of the past can bring two people together and slowly unfold something special between them, you will be rewarded with a story that will stay with you long after it ends.

There is no sequel and no plans for a series. This is a standalone novel. Because of the pattern of alternating narrating voices, each chapter is short and can be read fairly quickly. Descriptions of the island are balanced with plenty of dialogue, so don't be afraid to give it shot.

If you like it, let us know. If you don't like it, let us know too!

Recommended Grade Level: 7-12

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 416

This book review was written by Adult Services Librarian, Chryssi Gumina

Graphic Novels & Manga

Do you enjoy graphic novels and manga? They are sometimes more commonly referred to as comic books. We recently added many brand new titles to our graphic novel and manga collections.  Interested?  Stop by the Teen Place in the library and take a look at what we've got!