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MARCH 28, 2008
VHS, anyone?
I just happened to be straightening up the video rack and I came across two classics in our rotating video collection. Unfortunately, they're on VHS, but if you still have a player, you might want to check these out.
Hans Christian Anderson, starring that famous TV comic Danny Kaye, was one of my favorite childhood film experiences. I can still hear him singing "Thumbelina" and "Ugly Duckling," and dancing through the streets of Copenhagen! Then there's
Shane, one of my father's favorites. He was a big Alan Ladd fan. This ultimate Western can't be topped. And who can forget young Brandon de Wilde's performance? If you're looking for a good movie this weekend, try one of these.
Category: Cinema
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MARCH 19, 2008
Manga
Thanks to the generous donation of one of our young patrons, the library now has an extensive collection of the InuYasha series by the well-known anime artist and storyteller, Rumiko Takahashi. Takahashi is considered to be one of the world's most popular manga artists, and her series about Kagome, a modern Japanese schoolgirl and the half-demon, Inu-Yasha, has been going strong since 1996. Twenty-seven volumes of this series are now available at your library. These books are recommended for older teens. Thanks again to our patron!
Categories: New Materials,
Teen fiction
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MARCH 17, 2008
Live strong!
Thanks to a collaboration between the American Library Association and The Lance Armstrong Foundation, the library recently received two copies of a great reference resource. The comprehensive Surviorship Notebook was developed by the Foundation in order to insure that cancer survivors have access to the information they need. It includes things like a health journal, practical information about insurance, an organized plan for keeping your medical records, and chapters on the physical, emotional, and practical aspects of coping with the disease. In addition, there are many inspirational stories about ordinary individuals who are dealing with cancer on a daily basis. As Lance Armstrong has said, "Knowledge is power and attitude is everything." Keep this valuable resource in mind.
Categories: New Materials,
Non-fiction
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MARCH 11, 2008
Just finished rereading...
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. As a member of JASNA, the Jane Austen Society of North America, I have recently joined one of their reading groups. Members get together to discuss the work of Jane, as we like to call her. Most of us are such fanatic Janeites, that we read her six novels and various fragments over and over again. This particular book, the first of the novels to be published during her lifetime, is not looked on very kindly by many critics. In my own experience, however, I have found it well worth a second look and even a third, and I can honestly say my opinion about it has changed with each reading. If you don't feel quite up to facing the story of the Dashwood sisters in the language of the early nineteenth century, try the new dramatization being shown on Masterpiece on PBS, Sunday, March 30.
Categories: Classic Fiction,
Cinema
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MARCH 11, 2008
Meet Mo Willems
Who's Mo Willems, you ask? In the world of picture books, he's quite a celebrity. Willems began his writing career on Sesame Street, and won several Emmy Awards for his efforts. In libraries, he is best known for two series of easy picture books which have become great favorites with young readers. The Pigeon, a hot dog loving bird with lots of attitude, won Willems a Caldecott Honor for
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Then there's Knuffle Bunny, the favorite stuffed toy of young Trixie, a little girl living in New York City. The delightful drawings of Trixie and her family coupled with real photographs makes for an interesting and unusual approach in
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale and
Knuffle Bunny Too. Check out the work of Mo Willems at your library.
Categories: Fiction for kids,
Young Children
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MARCH 4, 2008
Dark Romance
One of the most popular genres among teens right now is vampire romance, and near the top of the heap lies Stephanie Meyer's
Twilight Saga. This includes three volumes to date,
Twilight, New Moon, and
Eclipse, with the fourth,
Breaking Dawn d
ue to arrive in August. This series tells the story of Bella, a 17 year-old who arrives in a new town, only to discover her true love, Edward, a pale, mysterious fellow student. But Edward has a secret life-he's a vampire, and not just any vampire. He and several others have formed a clan which has given up human prey, providing the possibility of a relationship between he and Bella. Meyer has been praised by critics and fans for her sensitive writing style and her unique twist to this type of novel. Recommended for teens ages 12 and up, this series also appeals to many adults. Check it out at your library.
Categories: Fiction for kids,
Current fiction,
New Materials
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