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.