Teens
Chess Teen Titans Tuesday
Written by Alex Hylton on 09/20/2010
Got a Question? Text AskDL to 66746
Written by hmartyn on 09/15/2010
With our new Text a Librarian service, you can turn any phone into a "smart" phone with the touch of a keypad.
Text AskDL to 66746 and then text us your questions. Our librarians are here to help!
Standard texting rates apply.
We Love Wednesdays
Written by EricaG on 09/15/2010
We love Wednesdays and especially today!
Since Mockingjay has been out now for three weeks I'm hoping all of you The Hunger Games fans have had a chance to sink your teeth into the newest book in the series, Mockingjay. However, if your one of the 58 people on hold for the book rest assured more are on the way.
Come to the Teen Lounge today at 3:00 p.m. for a little Mockingjay trivia and win an awesome Mockingjay tattoo like mine! I've also got a ton of bookmarks and snacks to supply you with.
For Teens: The Last Song Movie Screening
Written by hmartyn on 09/12/2010
On Wednesday, September 15 at 6 p.m. stop by the Teen Lounge to watch "The Last Song".
It's based on a Nicholas Sparks novel ("Dear John" and "The Notebook" are also his movies) and it stars Miley Cyrus and Greg Kinnear. It's the story of an angry and alienated seventeen year old, Ronnie Miller, who is forced to spend the summer with her estranged father, in the small Georgia beach town where he lives. Along the way, Ronnie finds salvation, friendship, second chances, and first love...
The movie is rated PG-13.
Vote on the Best Books of the Year!
Written by hmartyn on 09/11/2010The Teens Top Ten books of the year, picked by YOU! Every year YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) publishes a list of the Top Ten Books voted on by teens-- go their website to vote on which you think are the best. This year's nominees include Catching Fire, Leviathan, Shiver, The Roar, Heist Society and I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President....
The Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan
Written by hmartyn on 09/08/2010
Everyone occasionally has the passing thought that their parents may be evil, but these kids know it for sure. Every year since forever, their parents have gotten together a few times a year to plan a big charity event. During these meetings, the kids are banished to a playroom—until this year. This year Alex has found a series of secret passages in his house, and he leads the other five kids down them, to spy on their parents. What they see seems impossible, but the knowledge that their parents are really, truly, murderously evil sends them on the run, with nothing but themselves to rely on.
Runaways is a really excellent storyline by Brian K. Vaughan (he wrote The Pride of Baghdad, and seasons 3-5 of LOST.) Unlike in most superhero comics, these kids sort of think costumes and code-names are lame, and their rallying cry is “try not to die.” It’s a great series, with a ton of great girl heroes and some pretty great guy heroes, and a genetically engineered dinosaur from the 87th Century, so it’s pure awesome from that standpoint.
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Written by hmartyn on 09/01/2010
Well, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is short: it’s a novella that gives background information on what was going on in Seattle during the events in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. On its own, it’s not a well-rounded enough story to sustain interest, but if you’ve read The Twilight Saga, and watched Eclipse the movie, you will enjoy reading about Bree. Her story is that she is a homeless and starving when a guy offers her a free meal. When he is done with her, she is a vampire living in a coven where the only ways to stay alive are to be the strongest fighter, or to hide. Bree, it turns out, is great at hiding, and much smarter than a lot of other newborns.
The best characters in this story are Bree, and a guy named Freaky Fred, who has the weirdest power. It’s also interesting to see how the newborns operate, and how they are controlled. Finally—for fans of the series—Bree’s story shows us that, in Eclipse, there was more going on in the scene in the clearing than Bella knew. If you can’t get enough of the Twilight Saga, check out The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.
We Love Wednesdays!
Written by EricaG on 09/01/2010
We Love Wednesdays starts today, September 1st and to be sure we kick it off right we will need to do a little redecorating. Come to the Teen Lounge today at 3:00 p.m. to re-decorate the Teen Lounge windows. Show off your artistic abilities or just plain shout outs to your friends! Either way, we need you to help keep this place looking cool.
Darien Library TAB is back!
Written by EricaG on 08/26/2010
The first meeting of Darien Library's TAB (Teen Advisory Board) is Thursday, September 23rd at 4 pm in the teen lounge. If you would like to join TAB, email me! We already have lots of people signed up, and it's going to be a lot of fun. One of the major privileges of TAB is deciding what will be written on thewalls of the teen lounge! You will also be planning events and helping me decide what books to buy.
What does TAB do?
When and where does TAB met?
Who can join?
If you would like to join the Teen Advisory Board, either leave a comment on this post or email me (the teen librarian) at eleone@darienlibrary.org
Tales of the Madman Underground: A Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes
Written by hmartyn on 08/25/2010
Karl Shoemaker has a plan: Operation Be Normal. It starts with avoiding his best friend, and ends with getting through the semester without getting put in therapy. Karl has been in mandatory group therapy (called the madman underground) with the same kids since forever, and he is sick of it: the same stories, the same problems, year after year. The problem is that with five jobs, an erratic, alcoholic mother, more pet cats than he can count, and a reputation for being a “psycho,” it’s going to be difficult for Karl to have a normal year. When he is offered what amounts to a "get out of jail free" card for therapy, his fellow madmen think he's turned on them. After everything they have shared, it is considered to be a first rate betrayal, and one even Karl is not sure he should commit.
Tales of the Madman Underground is one of the best books I’ve read recently. Karl is a great character: funny, sweet, and full of rage. This is a story about friendship and family, and the relationships that form when adults can’t be trusted. Karl and his friends have very difficult lives—it’s not unusual for them to find themselves sleeping in cars or sneaking into basements because their homes are not safe. Sometimes the madmen make hard choices or bad choices, but they are there for each other. They stand up and help each other make the best of what are sometimes horrible life situations. That is the root of Karl’s dilemma: does grabbing hold of normalcy mean abandoning his friends and his only support system?
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