Romeo + Juliet.  You may have read it for class, but you haven’t seen it like this.  Baz Lurhmann’s modernized take on the famous story of star-crossed lovers has Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, gun fights, music by Radiohead and The Cardigans, and Shakespeare’s original text.  So cool, come see it.   (There will be snacks!)

This movie is rated PG-13, so this event is for Teens 13+ only.

Sunday March 22, in the Teen Room at Darien Library, 2:00pm

 
Photo courtesy of flickr user Mandyseyfang.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

OMG Saturday is the day we’ve been waiting for!  The DVD! 

We’ll be watching it here in the community room (aka theatre, HUGE screen) at 2:00 on Saturday (21st).  There’s going to be snacks, drinks and did I mention the big screen with surround sound?

One thing though:  This movie is rated PG-13, so the event is for Teens 13+ only.

To get your Twilight fix before the big day, check this stuff out:

Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz

Twilight by S. Meyer

New Moon by S. Meyer (or the Audiobook)

Eclipse by S. Meyer (or the Audiobook)

Breaking Dawn by S. Meyer (or the Audiobook)

Stephenie Meyer's non-Twilight book The Host (or the Audiobook)

Lords of Dogtown directed by Catherine Hardwicke (PG-13)

 Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire & Order of the Phoenix for some Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory

Image courtesy of flickr user i_heart_him

On Wednesday, March 18, at 7 PM
Check out our altered book program, where we’ll be taking discarded books and customizing them using stamps, decoupage, paint, writing, ribbons, and more – the sky’s the limit! The books can become journals, scrapbooks, photo albums, or simply works of art to display. Registration is not required.

Here are some examples of altered books:

For more information on altered books, read the Wikipedia article or visit this website.

(From left to right, photos credited to flickr users minttint, Girla Obscura, and zephyrbunny)

Capricorn Anderson has never seen television, never handled money, never worn synthetic fibers or eaten pizza.  Raised by his hippy grandmother Rain, on a rural commune that has slowly dwindled to a population of two, Cap can drive, do Tai Chi, and grow fruits and vegetables.  When his grandmother falls and breaks her hip, homeschooled Cap is totally unprepared for life at Claverage (dubbed C-Average) Middle School. 

Clearly a freak, Cap quickly becomes the butt of practical jokes, especially the longstanding tradition of electing the biggest nerd as eighth grade president.  Cap, with his total inability to understand the modern world, makes an especially ripe target, since he believes everything his classmates tell him—whether it’s that bullfighting is a school sport, or that he must learn the names of everyone in school.   Cap’s adventure to fit in at his new school is hilarious, as are the reactions of his classmates and teachers as they try to figure out how to deal with his unique perspective on life and the eighth grade.  

Schooled is a quick read, and highly recommended for a laugh.

Come to the teen room this Thursday at 7 p.m. for this month's TAB meeting. On the agenda:

Throughout the course of Darien Library's One Book, One Community program, teens will be interviewing members of our community about their memories of and experiences in Darien. These video interviews will be hosted on our website and will become a rich, collective history of Darien. If you would like to participate, either as an interviewer or an interviewee, please contact Sarah Ludwig at sludwig@darienlibrary.org or (203) 669-5225.

Photo courtesy flickr user Brendan_Canty

This was one of those books you simply could not put down. It’s a story of a small town American-Norwegian teenager who doesn’t know what she’s good at. Her two best friends cast a big shadow for her to stand in. While working an early morning shift in her grandmother’s coffee shop she encounters someone sleeping in the alley behind her shop. She gives the stranger pastries and a coffee. He keeps coming back and claims he must reward her. You will fall in love with the down to earth thoughts of the main character, Katrina. It’s a book that leaves you fulfilled but curious, the perfect mix.

We're screening The Dark Knight for teens on Saturday, February 21 at 2 p.m. in the Community Room.

This event is for teens 13 and up. Free popcorn and soda will be provided!

On Wednesday, February 25 at 7 p.m., Rachel Cohn will be visiting Darien Library. Rachel is the author of You Know Where to Find Me, Pop Princess, Shrimp, and co-author of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. 

You Know Where to Find Me is an Oprah’s Book Club pick for teens and Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which she co-authored with David Levithan, was made into a feature film starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings.

A book signing will follow the presentation, which will be held in the Community Room.

The first 30 teens to arrive will get a free copy of You Know Where to Find Me, which comes out in paperback on February 24.
 

Juniors helping Seniors is a new volunteer opportunity for teens!

Can you:
Use a mouse? Search the internet? Check your email?

Then you can volunteer for Darien Library’s new Juniors helping Seniors program. Help teach computer skills while bolstering your college applications.
Juniors helping Seniors brings together tech savvy high school students and adults learning how to use a computer.
 

 Photo courtesy flickr user alexandre.heturiva