Mia's Favorite Book of 2008

I am sitting down to write this recommendation, still a little speechless after finishing Tender Morsels. I know for sure that it was my favorite thing I read in 2008, and that it is a book that will stick with me for years to come...but it isn't an easy thing to read. Liga survives the first fifty pages of the book so I had to, as well, but her story was heartbreaking and filled with abuse and sorrow. Because of this survival and heartbreak, she is granted a magical intervention and finds herself living in a paralell world where everything is gentle, good, and pure. In this environment she raises her two daughters, an interesting twist on the Snow White and Rose Red fairytale. But the three women's world begins to unravel as the barriers between their home and reality start to break down. Bear-men begin to appear, some to befriend the women, and others to lure them away. This is a story that will leave you shocked but hopeful. I found myself as absorbed in Liga's world as if I, too, lived there. In Australia, where author Margo Lannagan lives, it was marketed as an adult book. But its question about good, truth, and finding your place in the world are relevant for insightful and mature teens as well as adults. I think everyone should read this book. I think it should win heaps of prizes for its language as well as its characters and themes. I think if you are looking to escape from a dreary winter day into a gripping (if disturbing at times) book, this is the one.

Mia Says To Read This Now

Every now and then I read a book so powerful I want to recommend it to everyone, teens and adults, cousins and college professors. The Knife of Never Letting Go is one of those. It is a story of a futuristic world in which a new planet has been settled, but all the women wiped out by a mysterious virus. The men were also afflicted by a virus that opened their minds so that they can hear each other’s thoughts. Not in a cool telepathy way, in an overwhelming buzz of memories and dreams and hopes and fears and daily drudgery; it is Noise. Everything in the life of Todd Hewitt changes when he one day discovers a thing so unheard of, so feared, that it sends his world into chaos—a pocket of silence in the swamp near his village. What is causing the silence, and why is it so dangerous? Discovering the answer to these questions sends Todd fleeing for his life, leaving behind everything he has ever known, with only his dog of questionable intelligence, Manchee, as a companion. This is an action-packed thriller of flight and refuge, suspense and mystery as Todd begins to unravel truths that have been kept hidden from him his whole life. Not only is it a fast-paced adventure, it is also a thought-provoking work of philosophy that raises big questions that beg to be discussed. It is a story of survival, but it is also one of the most compelling romances I have ever read. I would recommend to fans of everything from Artemis Fowl to Twilight. Please, please, please go read this book and then come talk with me about it!

P.S. It is also noteworthy that this book reveals itself to only be the first installment in the story, with a GIANT CLIFFHANGER ENDING.

I hope someone reads this blog: and other six-word works of literary genius

It may just be literary folklore, but the tale remains that someone once challenged Ernest Hemingway to write a story in only six words. He came back with "For sale:baby shoes, never worn" and some claim that he called it his best work. The fine folks at SMITH Magazine decided to take the idea one step further, and asked people to submit six-word memoirs. How would you, how COULD you, sum up your life in only six words? The results are surprising, funny, poignant, and yes, short. Many are compiled in this fine volume, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. You can also submit your own or read others added daily to the website www.sixwordmemoir.com. Ever have extra time at the library waiting to get on a computer? This book is the perfect way to spend it, and may even inspire you to write your own six word memoir.

Spooky Stories

As established in my former post about Coraline, clearly I am a big wimp when it comes to scary stories. When I was little and my brother and I would suggest that our house might be haunted, our mother's response was "Our house isn't that old, and we knew the people who lived here before us." This logic was enough to calm my wildly over-imaginitive childhood fears. All of this went out the window, though, when I moved to Scotland in college. Of course, I was much older and should have been wiser (and braver) but the thing about Scotland is that it's a really really really old place. And I didn't know the people who lived there before me. In fact, the city I lived in, Edinburgh, has a reputation for being one of the most haunted cities in the world, and with good reason: Lots of gruesome stuff happened there. Among the legendary creepy true stories of the city are the tales of graverobbers who would supply the surgeons at the medical college with bodies for anatomy study in the early 1800s. Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan explores not only the true history behind these legends, but also raises questions about medical ethics, and shines a light on the plight of the poor people of Edinburgh in the 19th century. I loved reading this book because it was set among streets that are still there today, that I had walked on-- and in the instances when my imagination spooked me out, had run away from. If you are looking for a blend of true history and horror leading up to Halloween, look no further than Fleshmarket.

p.s. Edinburgh today is a very lovely city with lots of tea and nice people-- if this book makes you curious come talk to me more about living there!

Girl Power from Across the Pond- New Young Adult Books

Ivy by Julie Hearn
Ivy has lived her whole life in the slums of Victorian London, neglected and unloved. Yet something about Ivy compels people. It’s not just her strange beauty and bright red hair, but something deeper. Suddenly, Ivy finds herself caught up in the world of the Pre-Raphaelite artists as one of their models. Will this be Ivy’s new place in the world, or will her addiction to laudanum and secrets from her past rise up to destroy her?


Clubbing by Andi Watson Art by Josh Howard
Have you ever felt like you were stranded in the middle of nowhere? Maybe because you got a little bit arrested and your parents are sending you to live with you grandparents in the English countryside? Such is the plight of Charlotte, who finds herself transplanted from the London goth club scene to the scenic lake district, working at the golf resort owned by her grandparents and trying not to die of boredom. But she’s not the only one close to death. Suddenly Carlotte finds herself unraveling the mystery of a local suicide…or was it murder? Part of the joy of this graphic novel is the artwork, the other part is the British slang language it is written in. So don’t make me natter in your lug holes any longer- bog off to the local library and check it out!

Are you braver than a librarian?

Hello Intrepid Readers of West Springfield Library!

In honor of darkening days, crisp nights that make you feel like going to bed early and reading, and yes, Halloween, I would like to make a confession and issue a challenge. First comes the confession: I, Mia Cabana, a grown-up who does all sorts of relatively scary things like flying in airplanes, scooping gunk out of the sink drain with my bare hands, and living in Brooklyn, have been too scared to finish reading a children's book. Not just any children's book, though. A REALLY CREEPY one. I am talking about Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Now, this story isn't scary in a blood and guts kind of way, but it is eerie. It is weird. And my over-active imagination got the better of me so that I just had to put it down and stop reading. To this day, I have still never finished the story of Coraline, her secret passage, and those oh-so-shiver-inducing characters with the black button eyes.

SO! I put forth the challenge! What is Halloween about if not proving how you laugh in the face of fright? I invite you all to laugh... at me. Read Coraline. If you really want to impress me, read it in a strange place like a haunted closet or under your bed with a flashlight. Then come tell me how awesome it is, and maybe maybe Maybe I will be brave enough to finally finish reading it myself.

p.s. It has also just been published as a graphic novel. I can't decide if the pictures will make it more scary, or if what I am imagining in my head is more scary than any picture could be...I felt this way about the Dementors in the Harry Potter books/ movies, too.

New Young Adult Fiction-- August Edition

"But Mia," you are all saying, "August is over!" I know, I know. I was a little behind with my reading and my posting this month in the wake of our summer reading program ending and getting ready for all of our Fall storytimes. But that is not to say we haven't gotten some great new titles in, hopefully while many of you had a chance to read them before homework takes over your lives. Here are reviews of a few, and a few more that I had really good intentions of getting to, but in the interest of getting this post up before Thanksgiving, I'm including them as suggestions rather than personal reccomendations reviewed by moi.


Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
So, there probably isn’t much that needs to be said about the final book in the Twilight Saga. For one thing, if I say too much and spoil the ending for everyone you’ll probably come after me like the Volturi on a justice mission. For another, many of you probably went and got it the instant it came out and read it feverishly all in one night. I certainly couldn’t put down Breaking Dawn; Meyers creates as many questions as she answers, but also gives the readers all the romance, suspense, and Cullen-adoration we have come to expect. A satisfying ending to the epic romantic vampire love story.

Woolvs in the Sitee by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas.
Enlightened people know that picture books aren’t just for 5-year-olds. In fact, I would never let a little kid read the haunting, dark, beautiful book Woolvs in the Sitee. Ben is hiding in the basement from the woolvs—the only person he sees is his upstairs neighbor Missus Radinski. She doesn’t believe Ben about the woolvs—“She thinks I’m, torking abowt those luvlee wyld creechis, running in the woods. That’s not wot I meens.” Will Missus Radinski believe Ben before it’s too late? With pictures reminiscent of Jean-Michele Basquiat (artist of the streets and illustrator of his own nightmares) that compliment the oddly poetic text, Woolvs in the Sitee is a short but powerful read.

Crazy Diamond by David Chotjewitz
German pop star Mira M. is found at the height of her success floating face down in the Hamburg aquarium. Was it suicide? Murder? Mira’s story is legendary already—smuggled into Germany from Yugoslavia in a Marshall Amp case by her uncle, befriended by a group of refugees from Ghana, with one fateful song she instantly rises to international fame. But this same fame might be what brings about her downfall, as events are unraveled through the voices of her friends , rivals, and her own restless ghost. A compelling window into a European punk-rock scene, this book asks what the price of fame really is.

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante
For Agnes and Honey, two things in their lives gave always been constant: they have always been best friends, and they have never known a world beyond Mount Blessing, the commune where they have spent the first 13 years of their lives. But ever since turning 12, when Agnes was presented with a copy of The Saints Way and Honey wasn’t, they have begun to grow apart. When a surprise visit from Agnes’ grandmother brings many shocking truths to light, the girls must make big decisions and face questions of right and wrong, truth and justice. Told in alternating chapters by Agnes and Honey, their two unique voices and perspectives make this book as readable as it is thought-provoking.

I've heard great things about Little Brother by Cory Doctorow...can someone else please read it and tell me how awesome it is so that I will have no choice but to go home and stay up all night devouring it? Same goes for The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt... But for now I better get working on September's next crop of fabulous new stuff.

Really Really BIG and EXCITING news

After much nomination, deliberation, and democratization (uh, by which we mean voting) the new teen space at West Springfield Library has been named. At Last! Something that rolls off the tongue with more sass than "Teen Space" a name worthy of the awesome teens we have in West Springfield... Just Tell Us Already! Okay: you voted and the new name is, The Dragon's Lair. I suggest that we officially name it The Dragon's Lair Teen Lounge so that we can call it the D.L.T.L. for short. We at the library are so excited to start planning how to decorate and make the most of this space, and we will be continuing to look for your input. If you are a young adult and have an idea, let us know! See you soon at the library.

Hi all, We're working on getting out some selections to you from our August purchases. It's taken a while to get some new things in this month so we're a bit behind the eight ball. Sorry 'bout that. We've got a few items highlighted with more to come. We've been perfecting our fall programming schedule which you should see published in the papers and in the form of flyers soon. Also, don't forget to sign up on our email mailing list so we can send information on upcoming programs right to your mailbox.

YA Graphic Novels August 2008

As the World Burns by Derrick Jensen and Stephanie McMillan
So it’s no secret that global warming is a bad thing, but what to do about it? Think that saving the earth is just for tree-hugging hippies? Well, maybe As the World Burns will be more your speed. It’s an irreverent look at the many factors that contribute to earth’s perilous situation, and what humans can do about it, told through the eyes (eye) of two snappy little girls, robot machines from space with government permission to eat the planet, and a one-eyed bunny on a crusade to liberate his fellow animal test-subjects from a corporate laboratory. And it’s a graphic novel with a pretty fantastic earth vs. robot battle at the end!



Skim words by Mariko Tamaki drawings by Jillian Tamaki
Kim is 16, an aspiring Wiccan witch, and an outsider at her private school in Canada. Then popular girl Katie Matthews gets dumped by her boyfriend and he commits suicide, sending the whole school into mourning overdrive. The guidance counselors provide lectures on the cycle of grief. The popular girls start a club called “Girls Celebrate Life.” And Kim possibly begins to fall in love…which only makes everything worse. Beautiful artwork and a subtly funny and real storyline bring this graphic novel to life.





In The Small by Michael Hague
On a normal day in September, the earth is bathed in a mysterious blue light. It only lasts a few moments, and then it subsides. Nothing seems to have been affected, except one species: humans are now less than 6 inches tall. They have become as insignificant as all of the advances of civilization, rendered instantly obsolete by unmanageable size. Some people quickly find themselves prey, others give up the will to live, but a few band together and struggle to survive. This graphic novel’s comic book panels make for a quick read but is no less thought-provoking. Read it and contemplate why size does matter.



The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam By Ann Marie Flemming
The thing that makes this graphic novel so nifty, so intriguing, so above-average, is its many layers. It is a story about Long Tack Sam, a forgotten magician and hero of vaudeville theater. It is also the story of his great-granddaughter tracking clues and family members and piecing together his story, her family history, in an epic tale that spans the globe. And the artwork is just as layered. There are drawings, there are original photos, posters, letters, and a running timeline of other historical events occurring in the world alongside Sam’s own story. This is a beautiful and readable way to investigate the past, and may even inspire you to put together your own family story in a creative way.

JUVENILE CD'S

With songs from movies like, "Freaky Friday," "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" and "Princess Diaries 2," this CD can't miss with teen and preteen girls. Songs include:

Can't help falling in love / A*Teens -- Ultimate / Lindsay Lohan -- Together we can / Cheetah Girls -- Our lips are sealed / Hilary & Haylie Duff -- Superstition / Raven-Symoné -- Reach / Caleigh Peters -- Drama queen (that girl) / Lindsay Lohan -- Go figure / Everlife -- Rush / Aly & A.J. -- Anytime you need a friend / Beu Sisters -- This is my time / Raven-Symoné -- I fly / Hayden Panettiere -- Let's bounce / Christy Carlson Romano -- Reflection / Christina Aguilera -- Miracles happen / Myra.

The hottest thing in kids' music returns! The Laurie Berkner Band's catchy tunes and joyful lyrics not only earned them a regular role on Jack's Big Music Show on NOGGIN, but also numerous awards, rave reviews and a following of preschoolers and parents nationwide. Now the band "blasts off" with their first studio album in over six years with Rocketship Run, a collection of 20 new songs that's the highly anticipated follow-up to her best-selling, chart-topping DVD from 2006 We Are...The Laurie Berkner Band.

Celtic Dreamland by Putumayo World Music is full of beautiful and lyrical songs for bedtime or relaxation from the rich traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and eastern Canada.

Putumayo Kids is committed to introducing children to other cultures through fun, upbeat world and folk music. These CD's feature songs with child-friendly lyrics and liner notes that educate and inspire cultural curiosity. Enchanting and calming African songs for relaxation and sweet dreams. Ideal for relaxation and yoga as well as putting kids to sleep at night. Features well-known artists and some new discoveries.

Reviewers have been raving about the Wall.E soundtrack. We'll see if the score gets a nod at the Academy Award ceremony next year....If your kids loved the movie then they're sure to love the CD.

JUVENILE DVD'S

The ultimate cat and mouse chase travels around the world at a frantic pace in this 72-minute compilation of 10 Tom and Jerry cartoons. Whether on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii, in France during the era of the guillotine, or at a ranch deep in Texas, Tom the cat can be counted upon to pursue, and be outsmarted by, Jerry the mouse. Slapstick comedy reins as Tom and Jerry are repeatedly shot full of holes, conked over the head with frying pans, and even venture into flamenco guitar playing and dancing.

Adapted from the Scholastic Book Series, Dear America, The Royal Diaries focuses on the Diaries of three real princesses. Each story is an accurate depiction about what life would have been like in the era covered by each story and as seen through the eyes of teenage girls. The Royal Diaries mixes the magic of storytelling with historical events to bring t hese unique girls to life. The Royal Diaries series includes the following three episodes: - Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C - Isabel: Jewel of Castilla, Spain, 1466 - Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544.

Everybody’s favorite—THE WIGGLES—their newest video will make you want to get up and wiggle! Parents too! You Make Me Feel Like Dancing includes 20 new songs and features special guest Leo Sayers.

Well-made National Geographic video makes you feel like your right there with these amazing prehistoric creatures. If your kids (or you) love dinosaurs, then you’ll love going back in time with this DVD.

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG!

Thank you for visiting our new blog. Mia and I will be listing a few items from different areas of the youthroom collection that are recent additions. Our goal is to give you a monthly update of some of our new materials, "hot off the presses," so to speak. We'll archive past months so you can look back at some of the new things we've received. Please feel free to comment on any book or video that you've had a chance to view. Let us and everyone else know if you liked it or even if you didn't. Please keep your posts appropriate for the audience and stay on topic.

YA DVD'S

At Mr. Rad's Warehouse, the best hip-hop crews in Los Angeles compete for money and respect. But a crew from the suburbs moves in and crashes the party, stealing their dancers, and their moves.









Old school meets the cool with the hottest new moves in urban dance, starting with a warmup and three dance routines taught step-by-step.









A young woman of the 16th century stands up to her scheming stepmother and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her, including the crown prince of France.








Seasons 1 - 4. Follows the antics and adventures of six high school friends.

JUVENILE NON-FICTION DVD'S

We've received some new titles in this award-winning, kid friendly series.


Explores the world's oceans and is the definitive exploration of the marine world, chronicling the mysteries the deep. Discusses concepts such as evolution, the food chain, survival of the fittest, and the future of that omnipresent non-sea creature known as Man.




Friends Jack and Skye learn to deal with fears, ranging from spiders and heights to taking tests and not fitting in with other people





Students K - 4 can practice thier math skills with this wonderful series by one of our favorite non-fiction video production companies, Schlessinger Media. Titles include "Decimals and Percents," "Multiplication," "Division" and "Fractions."




An adorable video featuring the cutest canines around, as well as an audio CD full of dog-themed ditties. With the help of this title, kids can learn how to take care of man's best friend as they become Certified Puppytown Wranglers.

JUVENILE DVD'S

This adventure, set in a fantastical Asian-influenced world, follows the story of Aang, a reluctant hero who must restore balance in his war-torn world. The story arc moves forward with each book of chapters.

Ash is one Pokémon down in the Victory Tournament of the Hoenn League! Will he make it into the final four?

Review from Entertainment Weekly:

In Word World, set in a lush landscape filled with funny barnyard animals, the messages are clearer: because each animal is graphically spelled out, kids can watch as the letters P-I-G form that porcine creature. Even the scenery gets in on the act- a barn, a tree, a splash in the lake. When animals take time to build a word (always a moment of great expectation and jubilation), you can actually witness the little wheels working in the viewers' heads. After just one viewing, a 4-year-old who's always struggled with her letters volunteered to spell a new word: B-O-X. Presents don't get any better than that.

Mickey and his pals are planning the best springtime party ever - and you're invited! But the festivities are put on hold when Mickey's magical clubhouse mysteriously breaks into pieces and disappears with Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Daisy inside!

YA GRAPHIC NOVELS

The Arrival by Shaun Tan
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this amazing book is worth billions. Gorgeous pictures illustrate the universal story of a man leaving behind his family to make a better life in a new and strange world. Meeting friends and other immigrants along the way, we learn about struggle and triumph. When his family joins him, the new world truly becomes home. Told solely through images, this book allows you to write your own story into it. A remarkable book destined to become a classic. Go read it. Now. Seriously.


Life Sucks by Jessica Abel, Warren Pleece, and Gabe Soria
When you’re a teenage vampire working a dead-end job as the nocturnal clerk in a convenience store, life sucks. In more ways than one. And you’re stuck there forever. Because you’re the un-dead. And you don’t even have a girlfriend. And you miss being a vegetarian. And then to top it all off, you fall in love with a mortal goth girl. Twilight’s sarcastic cousin.






The Wall by Peter Sis
Growing up in Czechoslovakia, Peter Sis draws what he is told to draw. Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, an “iron curtain” divides the world. Told through diary entries, his original artwork, and his trademark art style that simplifies big themes, Sis takes you behind the iron curtain to a time in recent history which is still being illuminated.








Castle Waiting by Linda Medley
Ah, fair maidens, who says comics are just for boys? This quirky graphic novel tells the story Sleeping Beauty, but if that story mated with The Princess Bride and Shrek. Hilarious. I mean, what’s funnier than a bald evil witch? When the curse finally lifts, the castle becomes a refuge for people in need, and then the real fun begins.

YA FICTION

Little Big by John Crowley

This is a story that unfolds across four generations and countless boundaries in an old house called Edgewood, where a young man named Smoky Barnable comes to fulfill his destiny and marry Daily Alice Drinkawater. However, their destinies are entwined with the faeries who also live on the border of Edgewood, and as the worlds combine and collide, an epic Tale is told. If you liked the Artemis Fowl series but are ready for a more challenging read, this epic book is for you. Powerful and beautifully written.




The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Fan of the Gossip Girl series? Have a taste history, ball gowns, and mystery? The Luxe is the book for you. Set at the turn of the century (by which we mean 1899) this story unravels the events leading up to the suspicious death of Elizabeth Holland, a young and beautiful society woman recently drowned in the Hudson river. Betrayal, secrets, yearning across the great class divide between high society and low: everything you love, cinched into a corset and high button boots make this a fun summer page-turner.




Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

If modern Manhattan is more your style, check out Suite Scarlett, the story of a small family-run hotel in the heart of the city…it should be a tourist destination that lives up to its Jazz-Age decoration, but the hotel and family have fallen on hard times. For Scarlett’s 15th birthday her family gives her the Empire Suite, and its eccentric inhabitant. Can former leading lady and constant diva Mrs. Amberson help reverse the family’s fortune? Can Scarlett keep up with Mrs. A., help her brother’s acting career take off, deal with her rebellious younger sister, and manage to fall in love all in a single summer? By the author of The Keys to the Golden Firebird and 13 Little Blue Envelopes.


Tunnels by Riderick Gordon and Brian Williams

Will Burrows doesn’t fit in with the rest of his family. But when his father disappears, Will embarks on an amazing adventure to find him using their shared passion for archeology as his guide. What Will discovers is an unbelievable and highly dangerous society that time forgot, trapped under ground. Will he be able to free his father? This dark book and suspenseful book with have you on the edge of your seat.


Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonneblick

San Lee has moved so many times by eighth grade that when he gets to his newest school he decides he’s not going to bother to make friends. Then in a fateful World Zen class San answers a few too many questions, and suddenly everyone thinks he’s a Zen Master! But will everyone, including the girl San has a crush on, eventually figure out he’s a fake? And will San ever be Zen enough to forgive his father?

JUVENILE FICTION

In October, 1942, seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hübener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls his past life and how he came to dedicate himself to bring the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people.









In the 1970s, a girl comes of age struggling with the loss of two father figures in her life.










Daring adventurer-archaeologist Indiana Jones returns in an all new, action-packed saga, in the novelization of the fourth, long-anticipated Indiana Jones movie.










As Hollypaw, Lionpaw and Jaypaw, grandchildren of the legendary Firestar, continue their training to be warrior cats, each is haunted by a different internal struggle that could lead to trouble for all Clans.