a book club just for teens.

Between the Lines has moved to the Oil City High School!

If you like reading and wish you had someone to discuss your current books with, this is the group for you! Join us every other Thursday during the activity period (2:07-2:37 PM) in the OCHS library.

The actual reading will take place on your own time and at your own pace. Each week we’ll share our thoughts on what we’ve currently read (with no spoilers of course for those that aren’t caught up with us!) and our predictions/expectations for the rest of the story.

All selections are chosen by teens! You’ll also receive your very own copy of each book that we read to KEEP! 🙂

Hope to see you there! Email oclteen@oilregionlibraries.org with any further questions or speak to Mr. Sheatz.

CURRENT BOOK PICK

A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel

16-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters-she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe-but you would be wrong.

17-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting the slayer his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Teen Reading Lounge

What is TRL?

Built on the belief that encouraging youth to choose creative programs based on their own interests is crucial to adolescent development, PA Humanities created an award-winning, unconventional approach to book clubs that offers a safe space for ages 12 to 18. The humanities naturally push young people to ask questions and share ideas, which are vital activities to discovering who they are, who they want to be, and their role in their community. Participants work together to co-create the reading list and design projects that connect themes in their selections to tangible action in their communities. With support from trained facilitators, they learn to hear from different perspectives and apply the questions from the readings to the world around them. Teens are proud to report on stronger interpersonal, communication, literacy, and critical-thinking skills and increased confidence thanks to Teen Reading Lounge. Learn more at https://pahumanities.org/initiative/teen-reading-lounge/.

TRL 2025 CYCLE

2025’s theme was again selected by last year’s TRL participants. Voice & Vision aims to help teens foster confidence & empowerment through self-expression & personal advocacy by assisting them to develop leadership skills while encouraging them to speak up for themselves & others. The theme highlights the importance of self-expression as a tool for building self-confidence & creating personal growth. By allowing teens to authentically express their thoughts, feelings, & ideas—whether through art, speech, or other forms of communication—they can strengthen their sense of identity & purpose. As teens grow in confidence through self-expression, they are more likely to take on leadership roles & advocate for causes that matter to them. At the same time, this theme emphasizes the significance of personal advocacy, where young people learn to stand up for their own needs & rights. In the broader sense, it encourages teens to use their voice not just for personal growth but also to make a positive impact in their communities. This session of TRL is about creating young leaders who are not only confident in who they are but also empowered to create meaningful change in the world around them.

TRL teens set up during Applefest to raise money for a mental health organization of their choosing as part of their community engagement project for the 2023 TRL cycle at the Franklin Public Library.

Registration for the 2025 session of Teen Reading Lounge will open this Summer! This program is open to ages 12-18. All materials will be provided and there is no fee to participate! Please direct any questions to dgreen@oilregionlibraries.org.

More Programs

* LOFT is currently taking a break. Watch this page for updates about its status! *

A Reading Challenge for grades 7-12

Diversity Before University presents 7th - 12th grade students with an opportunity to read books written by authors representing a wide range of diverse and important topics. This challenge was designed to help students gain a wider perspective about individuals that may differ from themselves before finding their place in society as an adult. 

The reading list of eligible books can be found below.

Once you have completed 5 books and filled out our form with their summaries, an entry with your name and contact information will be added to our raffle for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

You may participate in this challenge each school year until the reading list is complete. You do not have to finish the entire reading list to participate. The more you read from the list, the more entries you will gain for our Amazon gift card. A winner will be selected at the end of every school year. 

reading list

  • The Wild Ones - Nafiza Azad
  • The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
  • We Are All So Good At Smiling - Amber McBride
  • Survive the Dome - Kosoko Jackson
  • Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi
  • Like Other Girls - Britta Lundin
  • Becoming Who We Are - Sammy Lisel
  • Surrender Your Sons - Adam Sass
  • Apple : Skin to the Core - Eric Gansworth
  • Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds
  • Six Crimson Cranes - Elizabeth Lim
  • Ab(solutely) Normal : Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes
  • Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask - Anton Treuer
  • From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry - Paula Yoo
  • We Are Not Free - Traci Chee
  • The Kindred - Alechia Dow
  • Burn Down Rise Up - Vincent Tirado
  • Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao
  • Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens - Tanya Boteju
  • Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley
  • You Should See Me in a Crown - Leah Johnson
  • Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas
  • The Sun and the Star - Rick Riordan
  • Hollow Fires - Samira Ahmed
  • Ordinary Hazards - Nikki Grimes
  • The Poet X - Elizabeth Acevedo
  • Poemhood: Our Black Revival: History, Folklore & the Black Experience: A Young Adult Poetry Anthology
  • Icarus - K. Ancrum
  • American Sign Language For Beginners - Rochelle Barlow
  • Fish in a Tree - Lynda Mullaly Hunt
  • When We Become Ours : a YA Adoptee Anthology
  • Full Disclosure - Camryn Garrett
  • Forgive Me Leonard Peacock - Matthew Quick
  • The Other Talk - Brendan Kiely
  •  

  • Girl in Pieces - Kathleen Glasgow
  • The Secrets We Keep - Cassie Gustafson
  • How to They/Them - Stuart Getty
  • The Asperkid's Secret Book of Social Rules - Jennifer O'Toole
  • Anything But Typical - Nora Baskin
  • How We Roll - Natasha Friend
  • Rosie Loves Jack - Mel Darbon
  • Demystifying Disability - Emily Ladau
  • The 57 Bus - Dashka Slater
  • Dear Justyce - Nic Stone
  • I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter - Erika Sanchez
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Saenz
  • Brown Boy Nowhere - S. Briones Lim
  • Mirror Girls - Kelly McWilliams
  • The Girl Beneath the Fire - Axie Oh
  • Hope Ablaze - Sarah Mughal Rana
  • A Snake Falls to Earth - Darcie Little Badger
  • Everything we never had - Randy Ribay
  • Once Upon a K-prom - Kat Cho
  • Skin of the Sea - Natasha Bowen
  • Rise: A Pop History of Asian America From the 90's to Now - Jeff Yang
  • Last Night at the Telegraph Club - Malindo Lo
  • I Wish You All the Best - Mason Deaver
  • The Meaning of Birds - Jaye Robin Brown
  • Juliet Takes a Breath - Gabby Rivera
  • Punching the Air - Ibi Anu Zoboi
  • Hell Followed With Us - Andrew Joseph White
  • Run - John Lewis
  • Stamped : Racism, Antiracism, and You - Jason Reynolds
  • Asking For It - Louise O'Neill
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
  • My Name is Jason. Mine Too - Jason Reynolds
  • Dancing at the Pity Party - Tyler Feder

All books listed are available through your library. We fit as many books on this list as possible, but of course there are more! If you feel a book should be added, make your case, and we will consider adding it!

WHAT IS THE VENANGO SPEAKS PODCAST?

The Venango Speaks Podcast is a show about people, places & things in Venango County, Pennsylvania. Incorporating discussions about recreation, business, volunteerism, revitalization, & community on the local level, the podcast aims to provide the surrounding area with engaging conversations featuring local youth, leaders & professionals.

The Venango Speaks Podcast was created by participants of the Leadership Venango Class of 2022. The class participants recorded the first 2 episodes of the show, then taught local teens how to record, edit & come up with topics for the continuation of the project. The podcast is now primarily conducted by teens in the local area.

If you are between the ages of 12-18 and are interested in having your voice heard while making a difference in your community, please join our podcast! We release one new episode a month about topics chosen by you and your peers.

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