Favorite Picturebooks About Libraries and Librarians

October 17, 2013July 16, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Is there any wonder that those of us that love libraries also love books about librarians and libraries? There are a number of wonderful picturebooks that can show children to true magic of a library, how to unlock its joys, and how to behave there. These books can remind adults and introduce young children to the many reasons why our libraries, regardless of the form they take, are such special places.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies.
Bored with another normal, inky evening, bats discover an open library window and fly in to enjoy the photocopier, water fountain, and especially the books and stories found there.

The Library Pages by Carlene Morton, illustrations by Valeria Docampo.
Mrs. Heath is horrified when she sees the changes the students have made while she is on maternity leave and wonders if her wonderful library will ever be the same.

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk.
Sam, a shy but creative mouse who lives in a library, decides to write and illustrate his own stories which he places on the shelves with the other library books but when children find the tales, they all want to meet the author. If you find this book particularly fun, there are a series of books that chronicle Sam’s library adventures.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq by Jeanette Winter.
In spite of looming war, librarian Alia Muhammed Baker was able to save the books from the library of Basra by moving them to safety. Simple forms and deep colors in a naïve style evoke the war without being explicit. The bravery and action of one person celebrates both everyday heroism and books as a unifying force.

Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora, Illustrated by Raúl Colón.
While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library.

If those are already favorites in your house, or they are all currently checked out, then here are some more books to help keep you turning pages; No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou written by Rhonda Gowler Greene, That Book Woman written by Heather Henson, Library Lion written by Michelle Knudsen, Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, Stella Louella’s Runaway Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst. and There’s a Dragon in the Library by Dianne de Las Casas. Did I leave out a great picturebook about libraries or librarians?

Sharon Reads: Splintered by A.G. Howard

October 12, 2013July 16, 2014 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Splintered

Splintered by A.G. Howard is a young adult novel that blends a girl’s search for herself, redemption for her mother, and the Alice in Wonderland story. Alyssa Gardner is said to share a curse of madness with her mother. This is because they are descendants of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The curse has put her mother in a psychiatric facility with declining health, and Alyssa now shares some of the symptoms. Alyssa comes to believe that Wonderland is real, and that she must fix her ancestor’s mistakes in order to free herself and her mother from the curse. Alyssa will face betrayal, tests of affection and memory, and her own belief in herself as she works to save her mother. Will she find love as she searches for the truth, or will she get lost in the dark and twisted world she only knows from childhood dreams.

Splintered is much more than a retelling of Lewis Carroll’s stories about Wonderland. It is an emotionally deep look at a girl lost in her efforts to turn away from a part of herself she wants to ignore. Alyssa has channeled all that she wants to ignore about herself into her art and skating, to things that her best friend, Jeb, and her father understand and support. She worries for her mother, and that she will end up just like her. Even teens with parents that seem perfectly normal to outsiders often have these fears. The family curse, and Alyssa’s discovery of its root origin, and he efforts to free her family are tightly woven with a mentor from Alyssa’s childhood dreams. Jeb’s accidental journey to join Alyssa could be a blessing or a curse, cementing their friendship to something more or destroying them both. Morpheus could be her greatest ally, a treacherous foe, out for only himself, or possibly all of the above. The journey through a Wonderland we might recognize from Carroll’s tales, is twisted and darker than expected, as are the characters we met. The character development and the story itself are fast paced, often take unexpected turns, and were perfectly explored.

I highly recommend Splintered to readers that want something that shakes up the preconceived notions we have about classic stories, and the worlds they involve. Readers that enjoy deep looks at the emotional state and development of characters facing huge problems on top of the normal stresses of school, social life, and family will also find great value in this book. The world of Wonderland is not rehashed, rather it goes beyond anything that readers might expect, as do the characters that enter its borders. the sequel, Unhinged, is scheduled for release in January of 2014. I gave this book a full 5 stars on Goodreads.

This review was previously published on Sharon the Librarian.

USA Today Picks This Fall’s Coolest Books

October 8, 2013June 30, 2014 / Louise / Leave a comment

USA TODAY’s Jocelyn McClurg and Bob Minzesheimer share their picks for 30 of the coolest titles for fall.

September Releases:

Never Go Back by Lee Child
W Is for Wasted by Sue Grafton
Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Wilson by A. Scott Berg
Who Asked You? by Terry McMillan
Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt
Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon
Local Souls by Allan Gurganus
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Killing Jesus: A History by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

October Releases:

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House by Robert Dallek
The House of Hades: Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Solo: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
Identical by Scott Turow
We Are Water by Wally Lamb
Sycamore Row by John Grisham
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Most of Nora Ephron by Nora Ephron
The Death of Santini by Pat Conroy

November Releases:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney
Double Down: Game Change 2012 by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann
The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin

On Our Shelves: New Children’s Fiction

October 6, 2013October 23, 2013 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Looking for some newly released fiction to peruse? Here are some of the newest additions to our children’s fiction collection that just might catch your fancy.

Zero tolerance by Claudia Mills
Seventh-grade honor student Sierra Shepard faces expulsion after accidentally bringing a paring knife to school, violating the school’s zero-tolerance policy.

The True Blue Scouts of Sugarman Swamp by Kathi Appelt
Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother Swamp Scouts Bingo and J’miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch.

Mister Max: the Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt
When Max’s parents leave the country without him, he must rely on his wits to get by, and before long he is running his own–rather unusual–business.

The Truth of Me: About a Boy, His Grandmother, and a Very Good Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
Robbie and his dog, Ellie, spend the summer at his grandmother Maddy’s house, where Robbie learns many things about his emotionally distant parents and himself.

Salt: a Story of Friendship in a Time of War by Helen Frost
Twelve-year-olds Anikwa, of the Miami village of Kekionga, and James, of the trading post outside Fort Wayne, find their friendship threatened by the rising fear and tension brought by the War of 1812.

Still want more? Well here are a few more to help fill your library bag; Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi, Ghoulfriends Just Want to Have Fun by Gitty Daneshvari, My Homework Ate My Homework by Patrick Jennings, Gone Fishing: a Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissingerl, The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos, and Write This Book: a Do-it-Yourself Mystery by Pseudonymous Bosch.

Author Tom Clancy Dead at Age 66

October 2, 2013June 5, 2014 / Linda / Leave a comment

Tom Clancy

Prolific writer Tom Clancy died Tuesday night, Oct 1st, at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The cause of death has not been released.

He was best known for his technically detailed espionage and military thrillers. Several were made into movies including The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. The first Net Force book was made into a television movie and the first Op-Center book was made into a mini-series.

He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1947. He attended Loyola College as a physics major, but switched to English in his sophomore year. Before becoming an author, he ran an independent insurance agency.

In 1979, he began writing Patriot Games where his hero CIA agent Jack Ryan was introduced. In 1982, he set aside that book and started The Hunt for Red October which was based on a real incident in November 1979 about a Soviet missile frigate attempting to defect.

Seventeen of his novels have appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list. Besides his stand-alone novels, he has written several series available in paperback format. They are: Op-Center, Net Force, Net Force Explorers, Power Plays, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and EndWar.

He was a part owner of a baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, author of several non-fiction books, developed three board games, and co-founded the video game developer Red Storm Entertainment. He is one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first printing (other two – J.K. Rowling and John Grisham).