Blog Post
World of Reading Shines with Kids' Reviews
by annevm
Ann Arbor kids are writing some amazing book reviews at World of Reading, an open collection of reviews written by children from around the world. Angell, Slauson and AADL are represented, and a big variety of titles are showing up, such as Into the Land of the Unicorns, by Bruce Coville. This very cool AADL site lets you search book reviews and browse reviews by hometown. Tip for teachers: E-mail support@aadl.org (list name, school, town, state, country) and list what books students will be reviewing this fall (if you know). The AADL staff can arrange for most reviews to show up right away! World of Reading was originally created by Mary Pat Timmons as a project for the Internet Public Library at the U-M School of Information.
Blog Post
Alice Turns 141 Today
by amy
On August 2, 1865, Lewis Carroll published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. AADL owns several versions, as well as sound recordings and film adaptations. The latter include Walt Disney's 1951 animated film, the subversie and haunting 1966 retelling by director Jonathan Miller, starring Michael Redgrave, Peter Sellers and John Gielgud, and Alice in Wonderland in Dance.
Blog Post
Beach Reads #5 (admittedly borrowed...)
by muffy
Billed as the British version of Oprah's Book Club, the vastly popular "Richard (Madeley) & Judy (Finnigan)" talk show has its very own RICHARD & JUDY'S SUMMER READ!.
The 2006 list is selected by Amanda Ross who is the joint managing director of Cactus TV, which produces the show, and was recently named the No. 1 most influential person in British publishing.
Instead of the authors or experts, a panel of celebrities is invited to discuss the books (only paperback titles are considered) on air. Richard & Judy are pleased that "The books are there to be read and enjoyed and talked about sensibly, not in the rarefied ways of a wine buff or a food critic, but in the way the rest of the world does".
Don't be surprised to find U.S. titles and some very familiar names, and what a great way to get to know new ones.
Blog Post
So Matt Groening, Stephen King and Amy Tan walk into a bar...
by emilyas
Did you know that Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, was in a rock band with the likes of Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Stephen King, Scott Turow, James McBride, Mitch Albom, Roy Blount, Jr., Matt Groening, Kathi Kamen Goldmark and Greg Iles? According to Dave Barry, "We play music as well as Metallica writes novels." Check out the Rock Bottom Remainders for photos of Amy Tan decked out in a leather body suit and bright wigs.
For more amusing insight into Amy Tan's life (such as her determination to learn how to ski despite several major injuries doing so) I highly recommend reading The Opposite of Fate.
Blog Post
A Mother and Daughter's Secret
by Sis
Secret Daughter by June Cross tells the emotional story of the bi-racial daughter of Norma, a white woman, and James "Stump" Cross, a well-known African-American comedian. Since the kinky hair and dark skin did not allow daughter June to "pass" as white, the mother made the choice to send June to live with an African-American family in Atlantic City. Thus began the secret as June shuttled between the two worlds of her "adoptive parents" and her show-biz mom, who later married actor Larry Storch. June was reunited with her dad shortly before his death and the secret was finally made public on a film documentary.
Blog Post
Into the Wild
by amy
Sean Penn is currently filming Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild (1996) about Chris McCandless' ill-fated Alaskan wilderness odyssey of 1992. Although the book is dramatic enough, it's unlikely Penn will spin off, as Krakauer does, into the intriguing stories of other fanatical adventurers--Everett Ruess, John Waterman, Gene Rosellini--who also ventured off into the wild full of ideals and hubris, never to return. Part cautionary tale, Krakauer also does his bit to counter those who would dismiss the bright, Tolstoy-quoting Jack London-loving McCandless as mere crackpot by setting him within the context of other intensely motivated nature lovers (John Muir, Henry David Thoreau) who also retreated from society into the seductive refuge of nature.
Blog Post
Staff Picks, Summer 2006
by muffy
You asked for it and here they are - staff picks from a few of our very well read folks. We asked them to suggest fiction titles and authors that are engaging and fun, nothing dark. Some are old favorites, a few are new stars. It's a long list. Be sure to click on "read more". Hope you'd enjoy them.
Albert's Picks:
The British mystery series by Deborah Crombie.
At Weddings and Wakes by Alice McDermott.
Revenge of the Middle-age Woman by Elizabeth Buchan.
The Young Wan by Brendan O'Carroll.
Saying Grace by Beth Gutcheon.
A Big Storm Knocked it Over by Laurie Colwin.
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman.
The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.
From a very shy librarian:
Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie.
Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married by Marian Keyes.
Bubbles Unbound by Sarah Strohmeyer.
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn.
Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews.
Amy's picks:
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant.
The Minotaur by Barbara Vine.
From Sernabad:
Knitting: A Novel by Anne Barlett.
Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer
My Latest Grievance by Elinor Lipman.
Maybe a Miracle by Brian Strause.
From Mazie:
Dead Hollywood Moms Society by Lindsay Maracotta. Funny mystery.
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell. Rousing historical action/adventure.
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman. A favorite romantic story with social commentary.
The Camomile Lawn by Mary Welsey. A tart romantic family story from this older British author.
The Way I Found Her by Rose Tremain. A delicious coming of age novel.
Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman. My favorite of her offbeat romantic fantasies.
And finally, if you like Bridget Jones, try:
Marsha Moyer's The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch.
Patricia Scanlan's Francesca's Party.
Suzanne Finnamore's Otherwise Engaged.
Christina Bartolomeo's Cupid and Diana.
India Knight's My Life on a Plate.
Jenny Colgan's Talking to Addison.
Blog Post
Teens Trapped - in your e-mail
by Eartoground
Summertime encourages lighter reading, and for some teens, Underworld by Catherine MacPhail may be a good choice. Sign up at DearReader.com to get excerpts by e-mail - or check out the book from the library. The story is intriguing: Zesh, Liam, Fiona, Angie, and Axel hate each other at school, but when they are trapped together by a rock slide, well, changes happen. MacPhail is a prize-winning author who lives in Scotland. When her book came out last year, it received mixed reviews. School Library Journal noted "melodramatic tone," "stereotypical characters," even "cheeseville," but Booklist commented, "Reminiscent of reality TV, this page-turner will draw eager readers."
Blog Post
Charles de Lint's latest tales from Newford
by emilyas
Charles de Lint's latest novel, Widdershins, was released last month and has received many positive reviews, including a starred review from Booklist. This novel continues the story of Jilly Coppercorn from de Lint's 2002 novel, The Onion Girl. In Widdershins, Jilly continues to recover from the car crash that left her crippled. She also struggles to come to terms with the inside of her own mind which still has not healed from deep childhood traumas. The story takes place as conflicts between the fairies and the native spirits threaten to a bring a war upon the world. De Lint encourages the reader to consider the environmental impact of humans and to analyze the relationships between both men and nations.
I recommend reading The Onion Girl first, in order to understand the complete history of this story. If you have never read a de Lint novel before, I also recommend giving any of his other books a try, such as Tapping the dream tree, Spiritwalk, Forests of the Heart or any of the Newford series.
Blog Post
Do you like trivia? Want to impress your friends with new facts?
by emilyas
Well check out the many interesting fact books that the New York Public Library has published! To start off we have the fascinating series of New York Public Library answer books for kids. This series includes books such as The New York Public Library amazing African American history : a book of answers for kids and also Amazing women in American history : a book of answers for kids. Other books in the series provide answers about Space, Hispanic American History, Native American History, and Mythology.
Are you an adult? Do not be dismayed! This wisdom isn't only available for kids. The New York Public Library also published interesting materials for adults, such as The New York Public Library book of twentieth-century American quotations and The New York Public Library literature companion.
My absolute favorite of these books, (especially if you are someone who likes to be prepared for the next game of Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy), has to be The book of answers : the New York Public Library Telephone Reference Service's most unusual and entertaining questions. And take a look at the recent New York Times article about the librarians who answer these telephone reference questions!
So take a look at these exciting books and impress your friends and colleagues with interesting facts you learned from the New York Public Library, without ever having to leave Ann Arbor!