MPL Teens

Announcements

D&D Registration now open!

NEW TEEN PROGRAM: Tech Titans Robotics Club!

We are so excited to announce our new teen program. Our first meeting will take place on October 11, from 3-5 pm. No registration required, but spots are limited and first come first served. We hope to see you there!

Additional spot open for teen babysitting clinic

A registrant dropped out of Saturday’s teen babysitting clinic due to scheduling conflicts. If you would like to claim this spot, register here: https://forms.gle/6U6GZL6vHS5HPWYn9. Registration will be open until the spot has been claimed.

Marshall Public Library Teen Summer Reading raffle winners

Here are just a few of the winners of the teen summer reading raffle drawings. Keep on reading! We will see you next summer with more prizes for our teen readers!

Register for the Idaho Teen Reading Challenge TODAY!

Read 8 books between October 1st and April 30th and be entered to win a Kindle Paperwhite or one of two $50 Amazon gift cards!

This year, the ITRC is also hosting an art contest for teen badge designs. Information on the contest can be found on the poster shown.

Teen babysitting clinic UPDATE

The clinic has been extended 30 minutes to allow for a lunch break. If you registered for this clinic prior to today, please reach out to Gracie at 208.244.6861. We need information regarding the business cards we are printing for your teen, as well as food allergy information.

October Teen Creative Writing Guest Speaker

Indie & Traditional Publishing with Ashley N.Y. Sheesley

Ashley N. Y. Sheesley is a disabled author, scientist, animal lover, and a big fan of all things fantasy. In fact, she is only a scientist because she can’t figure out how to be a wizard in real life. When she’s not studying diseases or writing about dragons or werewolves, she loves to draw, paint, crochet, knit, spin wool, or venture out in the dead of night to Dark Sky zones and take photos of the stars. She lives with her husband and her small army of animals—a bearded dragon, two rabbits, and three cats. Her writing has been featured on Knee Brace Press Magazine and in Artifice & Access. Her debut YA contemporary fantasy Child of the Dragon is set to release early 2026 from Inked in Gray Press.

She is represented by Kaitlyn Katsoupis at Belcastro Agency

She can be found on Instagram and Bluesky @ashintheashes and Tumblr @chronicallydragons

Teen 50/50 Reading Challenge mistakenly only has 38 categories

In a stunning turn of events, it turns out the Young Adult librarian Gracie Marsden cannot count to 50. Teens participating in the 50/50 challenge are still encouraged to read 50 books in the 2025 year. The remaining 12 books will be free choice reads. Contact gracie.marsden@marshallpl.org for questions or to make fun of her for not being able to count to 50.

Teen Events & Clubs

What	When	Description	Registration Link
Teen Creative Writing	Weekly (every Thursday) 5-6 (Workshop) and 6-7 (Lab)	Get ready to unleash your imagination at our Creative Writing Club for an adventure in storytelling. In our first session of the month, dive deep into an intensive writing lesson where we’ll explore specific writing skills, from the intricacies of worldbuilding to crafting suspenseful narratives. It’s your chance to sharpen your writing prowess and add new tools to your literary toolbox. In the other sessions, it’s all about you! Bring your original pieces to share with the group for constructive feedback and encouragement. Whether you’re a budding novelist, poet, or short story enthusiast, our club offers a supportive space for honing your craft and connecting with fellow writers. Please email workshop pieces to gracie.marsden@marshallpl.org.	No registration required
Teen Night	Monthly No October activity due to teen babysitting clinic. New activities every month!	Join us for a free monthly event at the library for teens to meet other teens and have fun!	Register here
YRCA Book Club	Monthly 10/20 4pm & 5pm 12/6 3pm & 4pm	Thanks to the generous sponsorship from the Friends of the Marshall Public Library, we now have funds to host our monthly teen book club! The Young Readers Choice Awards is a voting system developed by the Board of the Pacific Northwest Library Association where teens vote on the best YA books. Nominations are released every year for an intermediate division (grades 7-9) and advanced division (graders 10-12). The YRCA is the only book award where teenagers get to choose the winner! How does it work? Every month, we will select one of the YRCA nominees to read. There will be one book for the intermediate division and one for the senior division. You may select the book the book that interests you, regardless of your age (so long as you are a teen). We will order the books and you will come pick it up at the library to take home and read. We then meet at the end of the month to discuss the book! You are welcome to join only on the months where there is a book that interests you. You are not required to participate every month if you do not want to. You are also welcome to use the books read for the book club in any other book reading challenges, such as 50/50 or the ITRC. WHat is the banquet? In April 2026, all participants of the YRCA book club are invited to celebrate all the books we’ve read and to cast votes on the book you believe ought to win the 2026 YRCA award.	Register here
Teen Trading Card Game Club (Magic: The Gathering & Pokemon)	Every month October 15, 6-8 pm	Join us in playing two of the most popular trading card games: Magic the Gathering or Pokemon! You may come and participate in one or both. All levels are welcome. The library has limited sets for teens to borrow at the club if needed. Ages 10 and up.	No registration required
Teen Dungeons & Dragons	Quarterly November 3	Join our D&D Club for Teens, where imagination meets adventure! Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, come together with fellow adventurers to explore epic worlds, craft unique characters, and embark on thrilling quests. This club is all about creativity, teamwork, and having fun in the fantastical realms of Dungeons & Dragons. Let the dice roll and the stories unfold!	Register here
Tech-Titans Robotics Club	Reoccuring; frequency TBD October 11, 3-5 pm	Calling all young innovators and creative minds! Dive into the world of robotics with hands-on activities and exciting projects. This is a teen-only program. Parents are welcome to watch but can't participate.	No registration required, limited spots are first come first served
Teen babysitting clinic	Annual October 4 10:30a - 2:30 pm	Our Teen Babysitting Clinic is designed for teens and preteens ages 10 and up who want to build confidence and learn valuable skills to become better babysitters. Participants will explore topics such as basic childcare, how to entertain children, emergency procedures, and more. At the end of the clinic, each teen will receive a certificate of participation from the Marshall Public Library. Please note: this is not an official certification, but a learning opportunity to help teens prepare for babysitting responsibilities.	Registration link

About the teen librarian

Gracie graduated with an undergraduate degree in the Humanities from BYU-Idaho, and a master’s degree in teaching from Idaho State University. A proud Taiwanese-American, Gracie is OBSESSED with cats, enjoys knitting/crocheting, and going on hikes. She has two little kids and three cats, whose names are Totoro, Chewie, and Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Gracie enjoys reading in various genres, but has an affinity for speculative fiction with a literary bent. Almost all of her favorite books have made her ugly cry at some point. She enjoys meeting new people and is always open to recommendations for new programs and activities for teens at the Marshall Public Library. Did she mention she is OBSESSED with cats?

Her favorite song on Taylor Swift’s TTPD album is “The Black Dog”. She may or may not regularly sing it in the shower while sobbing uncontrollably. Her celebrity crush is Viktor from Arcane.

She can be reached at gracie.marsden@marshallpl.org, or by saying “meow” three times in a mirror.