Library Mistress's Virtual Library

Come down and dance, little book!

2012-01-10T13:48:00.002-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhRT-PM7vpA&feature=youtu.be

Congratulations, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline!

2012-01-03T14:15:00.003-05:00

http://www.readyplayerone.com/post/15247107897/ready-player-one-tops-several-best-books-of-2011-lists?ref=nf

- #1 on Amazon’s list of the Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2011

-#1 on Wired’s Best of 2011 list

-#1 on Barnes & Noble’s list of the Best Science Fiction Novels of 2011

-#1 on Hudson Booksellers list of the Best Fiction of 2011

-#2 Science Fiction Novel of the Year on Goodreads

-#6 on io9’s list of the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2011

-#9 on Entertainment Weekly’s Best Novels of 2011

-#10 on Apple’s Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Books of the Year

-Library Journal selected RPO as one of their Librarian’s Best Books of 2011

-The Onion A.V. Club selected RPO as one of “The Best Books We Read in 2011”

-Ready Player One is Audible’s Highest Rated Audio Book of the Year

-Author Ernest Cline ranked #29 on USA Today’s Top 100 People of 2011 List

Going Underground

2011-12-19T10:30:00.013-05:00

Going Underground
by
Susan Vaught
young adult contemporary fiction

I might not be the most up to date on what teenagers are up to these days, but Susan Vaught is. I would not have even thought of the plot of this story. A 14 year old and his 13 year old girlfriend are understandably curious about sex. They engage in some petting and they take photographs of themselves naked. They then send the pictures over their cellular telephones to each other - sexting.
Because of a wrinkle in a state law, even though the children are close in age, the boy is charged with rape, and producing and distributing child pornography. He will also be labelled a sex offender for the rest of his life. He is not allowed to socialize with children and a number of other restrictions. Everything about his future seems to be restricted. The only adult that even gives him a chance is a drunken cemetery keeper!
The book certainly brings up a number of ethical questions about the way that well meaning representatives may pass laws that don't work out the way they intended.
I would not feel comfortable recommending this book to a 13 year old, but others might. I recommend that this book be on a college reading list for an ethics or law class. It also could be the subject of an adult book discussion or for a reading circle for parents of teenagers, especially if those parents, like I, have never given the idea of sexting a thought.

The Public Library Manifesto: Why Libraries Matter, and How We Can Save Them by David Morris

2011-12-16T09:40:00.001-05:00

The Public Library Manifesto: Why Libraries Matter, and How We Can Save Them by David Morris

Time in Between (Tiempo entro Conturas)

2011-12-15T16:05:00.011-05:00

Time in Between
Tiempo entro Conturas)
by
Maria Duenas
translated by
Daniel Hahn
adult historical fiction

This book came to our library as an uncorrected proof, so I didn't know what to expect, except that it is a hefty 615 pages and has an interesting cover.
All I knew about the Spanish Civil War before reading this book is that it was some time between WWI and WWII and Ernest Hemingway was somehow involved in it or wrote about it.
This novel follows a poor/middle class working girl who is a seamstress like her mother before her. She does not know her father and when the Spanish Civil War breaks out, high fashion is not on anyone's top priority list. The mother and daughter are out of work and out of money. The mother finally contacts the daughter's father who is able to give them enough money for them to start anew in a fresh place. Sira, the daughter, is young and impressionable. She follows a man to Morocco where he bilks her out of all of her money, leaving her pregnant and bound for debtor's prison. As the novel progresses, Sira matures and encounters a number of historical figures in North Africa, Spain, and Portugal. There is romance, exotic places, intrigue, drama, times of poverty and times of plenty and looming above it all - war.
Of course, we are reminded of Casablanca. As a Star Wars fan, I am also reminded that George Lucas has often taken characters and place names from Jewish and African mythology and history. This novel is set in part in Tetouan, Morocco. Doesn't that sound a lot like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine?
I enjoyed this novel very much. Now I want to travel to Spain and Morocco!
If you like this novel, you can read next "Dreamers of the Day" by Mary Doria Russell.

Maze

2011-12-15T14:50:00.007-05:00

Maze
by
Will Hobbs
book on compact disc
Narrated by Ed Sala
children/young adult adventure fiction

An orphaned boy has troubles with foster parents and the group homes he has been in. He runs away from a detention facility and ends up in the middle of a desert area in the western U. S. There he befriends a biologist who is monitoring and nursing some California condors that have been released into the wild. An unlikely friendship forms. Of course, there have to be some bad guys, so there are two arms smugglers who want to use this desert wasteland as their storage facility and don't want any pesky kids or condors to ruin it for them. There is also some hanggliding.
Overall, it is a good adventure story. Ed Sala's voice lends mature, full narration.

Fortune's Fool

2011-12-12T18:17:00.013-05:00

Fortune's Fool
by
Mercedes Lackey
adult fantasy fiction
http://www.mercedeslackey.com/biblio_series.html
Book 3 in the 500 Kingdoms Series
read on my Kobo E-book reader

Oops. I didn't know I was skipping from book 1 to book 3 in a series, but in this case it worked out okay. The books are set in the same fantasy realm, but do not feature the same main characters. I think I only encountered one "spoiler" bit of information that must have happened in book 2.
This series that is based on twists in fairy tales features the Little Mermaid and a Seventh Son who fall in love. The conflict is not with their parents objecting or anything, but in their professions. The mermaid is a spy and in the Sea King's secret service. The Seventh Son of a (land) king is a rover who with his music pushes magical blessing on his father's kingdom. The mermaid and the prince must team up along with a variety of other Champions (dragons, an underground Queen, etc.) to rid the land of a maiden-stealing djinn (genie). How is that for a fantasy quest! Now all we need is some unicorns. Yes, there are unicorns!
Lackey's series is fun and a quick read for teens and adults. If you love Oz and/or Xanth, then you will aslo fall in love with the 500 Kingdoms.

Joke

2011-11-30T16:22:00.001-05:00

Where do books eat dinner?

At the table of contents.

Don't Blame the Devil!

2011-11-29T17:31:00.008-05:00

Don't Blame the Devil!
by
Pat G’Orge-Walker
Lizan Mitchell, narrator
audiobook
adult humorous fictionhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
African American fiction
Christian fiction
romance

Hold on to your wig! You are in for a wild ride when Delilah DuPree comes your way! This sassy 60 something year old can be mistaken for Lena Horne in her looks and singing, but heaven help us when Delilah loses her temper. Through a series of bad choices Delilah is without a car and without a family. She encounters her ex-husband, her son, and her granddaughter through chance or is it God's providence?
Either way, they are wise to her devilish ways and cautious. Will Delilah have a happy ending or be cast off as a sinner? This audiobook is hilarious and earthy in its treatment of the modern Christian African American church and the narrator does a whiz-bang job of giving each character his or her own voice.

Quote from Dusty and Lefty

2011-11-29T17:22:00.007-05:00

“Librarians, Dusty, possess a vast store of politeness. These are people who get asked regularly the dumbest questions on God's green earth. These people tolerate every kind of crank and eccentric and mouth breather there is.”
― Garrison Keillor, Dusty and Lefty, The Lives of Cowboys

Dusty and Lefty, The Lives of Cowboys
by
Garrison Keillor
audiobook
adult fiction

Keillor does what he does best - blend homespun humor and tidbits of wisdom in telling American tales. The subjects of this collection of stories are two modern day cowboys - Dusty and Lefty - and their adventures with townfolk and other nuisances. For librarians, track number 6 is a "must listen" as Dusty and Lefty go undercover as librarians at the New York Public Library. Keillor uses positive and negative stereotypes to his humorous advantage.

Canada in Colours

2011-11-29T17:02:00.007-05:00

Canada in Colours
by
Per-Henrik Gurth
board book, children's prose, ages 0-3

Happy cartoon animals and pretty landscapes show the colors of our neighbor to the north. Of course, these are Canadian animals - moose, bear, beaver, etc. It shows places like the prairies and the St. Lawrence and Prince Edward Islands.
For the places I had visited it was a nice reminder and for those I have not yet visited, it served as an inspiration to plan a trip. Hail, Canada! May your beauty last forever!
It seems that this book could be re-issued as a coloring book as well since the images are simple.

Three Cups of Deceit

2011-11-29T16:37:00.010-05:00

Three Cups of Deceit
by
Jon Krakauer
adult nonfiction

Krakauer is one of my favorite adventure authors (up there with Will Hobbs, Gary Paulsen and Jack London). When I read "Three Cups of Tea" I thought of his writing. In this slim book (75 pages) Krakauer refutes the claims by Greg Mortenson that he was saved from death by Sherpas, that he build a number of schools, and more.
Although Krakauer acknowledges that Mortenson did some of the things he said, through interviews with the same people that Mortenon quoted and through investigative reporting, Krakauer tells (in the words of Paul Harvey) "the rest of the story".
Mortenson exaggerated or completely fabricated events to make his adventures sound more courageous and newsworthy. He also used money from his non-profit organization in ways that could be criticized by his donors. He ran (and continues to run) the Central Asian Institute as an erratic dictator. Maybe he has spent too much time around leaders who act badly.
That being said, both Mortenson and Krakauer write compelling works. We may have to re-classify Mortenson's as fiction, rather than nonfiction.

Irish Folk Tales for Children & The Patchwork Quilt

2011-11-23T16:26:00.008-05:00

Irish Folk Tales for Children
by
Sharon Kennedy
and
The Patchwork Quilt
by Sharon Kennedy
audiobooks for children of all ages

Both of these books on CD would be great for listening to in the car with family members of all ages. Sharon narrates a tale and there is music in the background during the time in between stories and for some special effects during the stories. The stories themselves are somewhat familiar, but this author has her own flair. I enjoyed the Irish tales more than the world stories on "The Patchwork Quilt". (After all, her name is KENNEDY and she does mention that her ancestors were Irish).
Ironically, it is "The Patchwork Quilt", not the "Irish Folk Tales" that was nominated for a Grammy award. Everyone is entitle to his or her own opinion. Mine is at odds with the committee.
With all of the stories I certainly didn't want to turn them off mid-story and had to listen to them in their entirety. Each story is 2 - 22 minutes long.
I have not spoken with anyone who has listened to this artist live, but based on the CD's I would hire her for my library program. She is out of Massachusetts.
http://sharonkennedy.com/

New Library in Florida School

2011-11-21T08:47:00.002-05:00

http://www.nbcmiami.com/video/#!/news/local/New-Library-Unveiled/133270328

Muggles 1, Magic 0

2011-11-12T11:19:00.006-05:00

“Harry Potter, he sends a message on Owl Mail while us poor old muggles have to make do with instantaneous emails and texting. Oh, if only we could be like you Harry Potter, with your four day owl delivery!”
― Craig Ferguson

Princess and the Swineheard

2011-11-09T16:03:00.005-05:00

Princess and the Swineheard
by
Hans Christian Andersen
Illustrated by Palle Bregnhoi
Children's fiction, ages 5-9.

Somewhere I saw a reference to this H. C. Andersen tale and I did not recall this story, so I checked out the one version that our library had in storage (copyright 1971).
The illustrations are woodcuts. The text is awkwardly translated, making it tricky for my 7 year old "test reader" to read out loud. At one point, some court ladies speak in French, which, again, was confusing for the 7 year old.
Here is the plot: A stuck up princess refuses the extravagant gifts of a suitor prince, so he disguises himself as a pig tender and sets about to charm her. She proves herself to be, indeed, snobby.
The tale is amusing as the pig boy gets the princess to kiss him, but I would recommend a differently translated and illustrated version.

Name that Mascot!

2011-10-25T15:48:00.002-04:00

http://library.ohio.gov/marketing/Newsletters/TheNews/2011/October/LibraryMascots

Can you name any of these Ohio library mascots?

I only got one right.

To the ends of the earth...

2011-10-17T09:31:00.002-04:00

We may sit in our library and yet be in all the corners of the earth.
John Lubbock

Deus ex machina

2011-10-13T17:54:00.006-04:00

Deus ex machina

I just like this phrase. I will tease you with this phrase. At one point in the book "Ready Player One" this comes into play. I recently listened to the book on CD version of this with Wil Weaton as the narrator. He does a pretty good job, but I would have preferred a full cast recording with sound effects by the BBC Radio. Did you read that BBC? Get on that.

I was also thinking about the Percy Jackson series and how the gods sometimes tweak the outcome of events.

Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 3)

2011-10-13T17:19:00.023-04:00

Titan's Curse
Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 3
by
Rick Riordan
children's fantasy fiction, ages 9-13

In the third book of the Percy Jackson tales new characters are introduced and others are out of the picture. I would say that they died, but in a fantasy series that features Hades and the Underworld, who can say that they are dead for real? Let's just say some characters "exeunt". There are some hints of future and past romances. Hard decisions are made about being on the side of the Olympic gods or on the side of Kronos who is gaining power. Obviously these actions are leading up to a dramatic finish in the last two books in the series - "Battle of the Labyrinth" and "The Last Olympian".

There are a bunch of gorgeous but deadly maidens who follow Artemis on the neverending hunt to extinguish monsters. I don't think there is anything wrong with using the word "huntresses", but the author calls them hunters. I think huntresses sounds better and is more accurate. Apollo delights in harassing them and his sister (Artemis) as brothers often do. It seems like the Artemis girls could have their own spin-off series.

This is a good read, but is obviously a "middle of the series" book. It would be confusing to read it without reading the other books in order.

http://percyjacksonbooks.com/

Sea of Monsters

2011-09-23T17:13:00.004-04:00

Sea of Monsters: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Two
by
Rick Riordan
children's fantasy fiction, ages 9-14

This book follows up on the first book and the series is best read in order. Percy is a seventh grader with a few more problems than the average tween. Once again he is stuck in the middle of the bickering Greek gods' constant games with each other and with mortals.
Percy sticks with his friends from the first book and is challenged to see the good in some new friends (or are they enemies?) such as a cyclops. Riordan throws in a whole lot of action courtesy of Ares and the other gods and introduces some surprising anachronisms - how about enlisting some dead Confederate sailors in a quest? Why not?

I have already checked out the next book in the series ("The Titan's Curse") and a book of short stories about Percy Jackson ("The Demigod Files"). I am assuming that the second movie is somewhere in the works.

After I read what I have checked out, I might try a book from a different series by the same author just for a change-up.

Ten Tiny Babies

2011-09-23T16:47:00.011-04:00

Ten Tiny Babies
by
Karen Katz
board book
children's fiction, ages 1-4

This book helps children learn to count to 10 by introducing a cast of 10 adorable tots one by one. I was a bit confused by the book at first because some of the words are big and some are little and over to the side. I skipped a few of the words and the book didn't make sense, then I realized my mistake.
In this case, though, do not judge the book on my opinion. There is a certain 2 1/2 year old that LOVES this book and asks for it all the time. When someone is not reading it to him he stares at the pictures. I think I will have to buy him his own copy. He adores these cherubic tykes and the caregivers who are pictured on the last page of the book and although the book does not say it, the boy always adds "Mommy and Daddy" to the words at the end of the book.
The happy children are dressed in playful colors and patterns and represent a rainbow of ethnic groups. I don't know if they are orphans in an orphanage or kids at a daycare center or an adopted family or what, but they all go to bed in the end in beds all lined up in a row like Disney's Seven Dwarfs.
I think I have read this book at least 20 times in the six weeks or so that I have had it checked out, so it has started to grow on me. It does have a pleasant rhyming scheme once it is read correctly.
It looks like Karen Katz has written quite a few books, so I will see if I can interest my patron in "Ten Tiny Tickles" by the same author as a change-up.
I thought it was somewhat presumptuous to label this book as "a classic board book", but now that I have read it a number of times, they are right. It does have the makings of a classic even though the book is only 3 years old.

Perfect Pony

2011-09-23T16:37:00.004-04:00

Perfect Pony
by
Dandi Daley Mackall and Claudia Wolf
ages 5-7.

This is one in a series of books about horses and ponies meant for K-3 readers. The cover says "I Can Read! Reading with Help 2". After I read it, I checked our library's catalog and there is a book that is set before it about a horse named "Bob", but this story stands alone fine.
Dave gets a pony, Lily, for his birthday. Although Jen already has a horse, Bob, she is jealous. She soon realizes that both of them are happy with their mounts and there is no reason to be jealous.
This is a pleasant book with pleasing pictures and a moral about jealousy. It is published by Zonderkidz and it should appeal to Christian and non-Christian families and there are always those readers who can't get enough horse stories.
Maybe they should have chosen a more specific title like "Lily, the Perfect Pony" because I see more than one book with this title in my library's catalog.

Ready Player One

2011-09-23T14:02:00.033-04:00

Ready Player One
by
Ernest Cline
adult or young adult science fiction

I received this book as an uncorrected proof after it had already been read by a few other librarians. I passed it on to a male who was born in Ohio in October, 1972.
I don't know where to start describing this book. I love, love, loved this book! After I read it, I checked out the book on CD to experience it once more with Wil Wheaton of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame as my audioguide. It is the perfect homage to a geeky childhood spent on playing an Atari 2600, programming a TRS-80, listening to MTV, watching sci fi movies, mastering D & D, and reading comic books circa 1977 - 1992. Nerds unite!
I will steal a quote from www.goodreads.com - "WOOT, WOOT and UBER WOOT".
I have to admit that this book probably has a limited target audience. The target reader of this book is a middle class male born in Middletown, Ohio in October 1972 as the book character James Halliday was. Readers who were born before 1962 or after 1982 or who were popular in high school will probably not get into this book.
Here is the plot: James Halliday, and some others, have created an escapist cyberreality entitled "The Oasis". Reality stinks since all of those nuclear bombs, economic crashes, environmental disasters, etc. happened before 2044. Nobody wants to be in the real world, so just about everyone hangs out online in "The Oasis". Halliday is old and eventually dies. In a Willy Wonka-type move, he wills his vast fortune, and control of his cyberworld to the most worthy heir - that is, the one who will love his 1980s nerdy life as much as he did.
Enter Wade, a.k.a. "Parzival", an empoverished 18 year old orphan who knows that "knowledge is power". Wade has spent the last 5 years of his life preparing for possibility that he might win Halliday's contest and his vast fortune. Will this underdog have his day or will it be "game over, man" for his dreams?
It is a fun book replete with American popular culture references.
Many people are wondering how soon it will be when it will be made into a movie. The author was also the writer of the movie "Fanboys" about a group of Star Wars fanatics on a quest so it is reasonable to believe that this might happen.
--------
A bonus for Ohio readers is that Halliday is from Middletown, and the tech center of the world by 2044 is Columbus, Ohio where the players converge at one point in the book. Author Ernest Cline grew up in Ashland, Ohio.

Plainsong

2011-09-23T12:48:00.026-04:00

Plainsong
by
Kent Haruf
adult fiction

I saw a list of books that Barack Obama has read since becoming President. Most of them were about history or economics, but then I saw this fiction book among the nonfiction books. I remembered that this book had been considered for our library's "One Community One Book" book as well, so it must have some kind of universal appeal. When I checked it out I also saw that it was a National Book Award finalist.
Those are impressive credentials, so I had high hopes for this book. It is a well written book, but in a quiet way. There are no car crashes or terrorists or murders, although there are some nasty school bullies.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/08/13/obama-reading-the-complete-list-of-his-favorite-books.html
The exact time period of when this is set is not mentioned, but it is probably in the 1970's or 1980's in rural Colorado. A few stories of people in the same small town overlap. There is the teacher whose wife is having a breakdown and is left with his two sons. There is another teacher who is trying to help a young, pregnant teenager. There are also the elderly bachelor brothers who I could not help but thinking of as, in the words of Garrison Keillor, "Norwegian bachelor farmers, so you know they're not only good for you, but also pure, mostly".
They are all trying to get through life as well as they can with the twists and turns that life sends them. They are everyday people in an average American town. You get the idea that they would all be pretty good neighbors to have. That is why the book is entitled "Plainsong". It is just another typical day in late 20th century America. If this book is overlooked in 2011, it might be worth re-reading in 2061 to see how America has changed or is the same.
Already, from the time period in which it is set to today, we can see that unwed mothers are more frequent, divorce is more commonplace, and telephone booths have gone the way of the telegraph.
One thing about the book that struck me right away is that, for some reason, the author has decided not to place any dialog in quotation marks. Why? Probably to keep the flow of the book going. As I said, it is a quiet book that flows like a tide going in and out. Each ebb and flow is the same, but not really. Each time it is slightly different. That's how life in America goes - new people, same old stories.
If I were a teacher I might have students "compare and contrast" this book and its setting and characters to "Our Town" or "Spoon River Anthology" or Keillor's "Lake Wobegon" world.
This book will probably appeal most to a middle-aged or older audience with more female than male readers, although the author is male and the number of male and female characters are fairly well balanced.

Public Service Announcement

2011-09-21T12:58:00.003-04:00

This Public Service Announcement is brought to you by Random House.
DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO ONE MORE BOOK! STOP THE KILLING!

Stolen Life: A Memoir

2011-09-14T17:28:00.015-04:00

Stolen Life: A Memoir
by
Jaycee Dugard
adult autobiography

Jaycee was kidnapped by two strangers when she was 11 years old. Eighteen years later probation officers finally became suspicious enough of her captures to get her back home to her mother. Jaycee, now 30 years old, tells her own story. While she was held in a couple's back yard in two buildings she was tied up and raped for years and years as well as subjected to the husband's skewed view of the world. During that time she gave birth to two daughters who were also kept captive at times and allowed in the main house at times. They did not go to school except for occasionally working on worksheets which Jaycee was eventually allowed to download from the internet under the supervision of her kidnappers.
The book is simply written. Keep in mind that Jaycee only went to school until fifth grade. During much of her life in captivity she did have access to an occasional book, but much of her education was from watching television. She plainly states some of the horrors that were done to her and occasionally reflects on how they have affected her. Some questions are left unanswered as this is told from the victim's viewpoint. There are many things she did not know and may never know. She does not say how many years in prison her capturers received or a number of other facts that a reporter may included. I suppose that readers can turn to People magazine and other news venues for that information. There is definitely room for a sequel or another book written by a reporter telling the same story from different views - like the view of her mother or the police officers or the kidnappers. I see that my library also owns "Lost and Found" by John Glatt about this same case.
I read this book in a very short time. I can see that this will probably make its way to being on psychology and sociology reading lists as well as its current New York Times bestseller status.

Better than a Smart phone

2011-09-14T17:27:00.000-04:00

Super - stache!

2011-09-14T17:23:00.004-04:00

http://ifanboy.com/articles/top-5-dc-relaunch-books-that-could-have-used-mustaches/

Is it sacrilege to put a mustache on Superman? You decide.

Free the Books!

2011-09-14T17:08:00.008-04:00

http://www.utne.com/The-Sweet-Pursuit/Little-Free-Libraries-Are-Coming-To-Town.aspx
This is similar to what our library is doing, but more charming. If you have books sitting around - free them up to give to someone else by posting it in a public place. I have seen groups do this (inside), but the "birdhouse" shaped mailbox/bookbox idea (for outdoor use)is new to me.

http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/index.html

You may notice that many of these boxes are surrounded by snow. It did start in Wisconsin and Minnesota after all!

Wells Memorial Library needs your help!

2011-09-01T15:02:00.005-04:00

http://www.katemessner.com/after-irene-a-small-town-adirondack-library-needs-your-help/

Wells Memorial Library in New York was devastated by Hurricane Irene. Here is how you can help.

2011-08-26T10:16:00.003-04:00

Sit in a room and read—and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time.”—Joseph Campbell

(Thank you to Debra Eisert for this quote).

Lightning Thief

2011-08-19T16:21:00.010-04:00

Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 1
by
Rick Riordan
Children's Fiction, ages 9-13

I was not familiar with the Percy Jackson books when I went to see this movie in the theatre. I enjoyed the film then decided to read this book. I had seen it on a list of "If you have read Harry Potter books, then read..." books.
Twelve year old Percy Jackson knows that something is different about him. Sometimes things happen that don't make sense. Like Harrhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gify Potter, an event causes him to leave home and find a new residence with others of his kind. In this case, Percy is not a wizard but a demigod. He is the son of Poseidon. There are other "half bloods" like him at the demigod training camp.

From there he and his demigod friends have adventures. In this first book Percy and his friends must find out who stole Zeus' lightning bolt and make amends to stop the Greek gods from waging a war. A good blend of ancient Greek mythology and modern storytelling make this book highly readable for children, teens, and adults.

I look forward to the next book in the series - the Sea of Monsters.

http://www.rickriordan.com/home.aspx

Midnight Palace

2011-08-19T16:18:00.008-04:00

Midnight Palace
Palacio de la Medianoche
by
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, translated by Lucia Graves
Young Adult Horror fiction

This author has had books on the New York Times bestseller list and has one a number of awards, but I found this book to be somewhat disjointed and at least a little confusing. Maybe this is because of the translation, but my guess is that this is not the author's finest work, either.
In 1916 Calcutta, a pair of twins are separated at birth to keep them safe from their father's foe who seeks to murder them. The boy is raised in an orphanage. The girl is raised by their grandmother on the run throughout India. Fast forward to 1932 when circumstances reunite the twins.
The menace still exists and starts to stalk the 16 year olds and the grandmother. As the tale progresses we find out about their father and his brilliant scientific mind and a tragedy that lead to the death of 365 orphans back in 1916. Through a curse, the ghost of their father's foe continues to incinerate parts of Calcutta as he exacts revenge on the family. The author points out that Calcutta is named for Kali, the black one, the goddess of destruction.
Some parts of this book were quite interesting, but it lacked in overall appeal.

Just a Guy

2011-08-19T16:15:00.014-04:00

Just a Guy, Notes from a Blue Collar Life
by
Bill Engvall and Alan Eisenstock
narrated by Bill Engvall
adult audiobook

I was browsing the audiobook shelves when I came across this disc set. I had heard of the Blue Collar comedy tour, but only recognized Larry the Cable Guy as one of them. It turns out that this comic has been performing for more than 20 years and I have even seen a movie with him in it - Delta Farce.
This 5 disc set tells about Engvall's youth and early years of performing as a disc jockey, comedy host, then as a stand up comic. I did not find him to be uproariously funny, but I did find him to be a really good storyteller. I enjoyed hearing about his childhood antics, his wild college years, etc. I especially liked the parts about baseball. His love of the game comes through in the narration.
As he points out, he had a fairly normal childhood, so he paints a portrait of life of an American boy in the 1960's and a young man in the 1970's.
Some of the stories take a serious turn. He tells about how his wife almost died with a miscarriage. He plays this scene with the seriousness it deserves.
I would compare him to Garrison Keillor. He has some great all American stories to tell and relates them in such a way that the audience hangs on his words. I will listen to some more of his audiobooks when I get a chance.

Lump of Coal

2011-08-19T16:13:00.006-04:00

Lump of Coal
by
Lemony Snicket and Brett Helquist
children's fiction, ages 8-11
or a short story for adult reading

This silly, very short Christmas book would be good to read out loud at a secular Christmas party - especially if everyone was at least a little tipsy. In typically sarcastic fashion Lemony Snicket spins a yarn.
The main character is a lump of coal who (like Thomas the Tank Engine) wants to be useful. He imagines being part of a barbecue or being used to make charcoal artwork. Can Santa Claus grant his wish? The plot takes some tangents and in the end, the coal and everyone else has a Merry Christmas.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

2011-08-10T17:22:00.008-04:00

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by
Maya Angelou
adult autobiography

I had seen this book on a number of "must read" lists for years, but did not get around to reading it until just now. Marguerite Johnson and her brother are shuffled from their mother's house to their father's house to grandma's house and back a number of times while Marguerite and Bailey are growing up in the 1930's. Overall their childhood is poor and the Black folks keep away from White people. This book is an important look at how things were in America and how they are different today.

There are some not-so-nice scenes in this book which have landed it on the Banned Book list ever since it was published 40 years ago. Since it is an autobiography, these plot points are essential to the book.

Disclaimer

2011-08-10T10:20:00.006-04:00

I would like to know what conversation prompted this disclaimer in the front of a book in our library:

"This Book is manufactured in compliance with no known regulations, from materials which happened to be at hand; printed - in some cases not too well - from hand and machine-set types by letter-press and offset".

From the book "Stout and Allied Families" 2nd ed. by Herald F. Stout.

Caillou: A Special Guest

2011-08-08T15:43:00.006-04:00

Caillou: A Special Guest
by
Joceline Sanschagrin and Pierre Brignaud
board book
ages 3-5

Caillou is the 4 year old star of a PBS cartoon. In this adaptation, Uncle Felix comes to visit Caillou and his family. At first Caillou is scared of this new man, then he is jealous of the attention his Uncle receives, lastly, Caillou has come to like Uncle Felix as he spends time with him.

This gentle show and book series might help to prepare children for similar experiences in their young lives.

Other board books in this series are:
Bath Time
The Doctor
Where Is Teddy?
It's Mine! and
A Day at the Farm

Biblioburro

2011-08-08T15:28:00.006-04:00

Biblioburro: a True Story from Columbia
by
Jeanette Winter
children's nonfiction
ages 3-7

Luis Soriano is a teacher in Columbia with a love of books and reading. He is inspired one day to use his burros to start a book delivery service. It is not easy for Mr. Soriano or his students or patrons. Many years of war have left behind burned bridges, dangerous paths, and illiteracy, but he will not be deterred from his mission.

Best wishes, Mr. Soriano!

Before I read this book I saw the documentary on Public Television's "POV". This man is inspiring, but also a little nuts to take the risks he does to deliver books. God Bless you and keep you safe, Senor Soriano!

All the Way to America

2011-08-08T10:46:00.005-04:00

All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel
by
Dan Yaccarino
children's nonfiction, ages 5-7

The author lovingly tells and illustrates the story of how his ancestors immigrated from Sorrento, Italy to New York City and how, through hard work and determination, his family achieved the American Dream.
I am adding this book to my bibliography of read-aloud stories about genealogy and oral history.

2011-08-04T13:32:00.002-04:00

“To love to read is to exchange hours of ennui for hours of delight.”—Charles de Montesquieu

Rhapsody: Child of Blood

2011-07-27T14:27:00.010-04:00

Rhapsody: Child of Blood
by
Elizabeth Haydon
adult fantasy fiction

I have read and enjoyed Elizabeth Haydon's later works about Ven Polypheme, the teenage dwarf, a series of books in our children's section so I was curious what would be the same and what would be different about her longer, earlier work for adults.
For one thing, this adult book is a hefty 479 pages long with maps and no interior pictures. It is more violent and includes sexual images which move it into the adult reader range. What is the same is the fantasy realm she has created, rich with elves, dwarves, ogres, humans, half breeds of these species, ghosts, demons, kings, queens, dragons, and more.
There are three main characters in this book - a half human half elf young woman, a half ogre half something-else warrior, and a half ogre half something-else assassin. These three are thrown together by fate and survive multiple attacks while building a friendship. Rhapsody was a runaway who was ill used and took to prostitution before becoming an apprentice singer. Grunthor is a hulk of a being, a splendid warrior with a heart of gold. Achmed is hard to get to know, a slim, taciturn killer for hire.
There is lots of adventure, some romance, and a whole lot of sword fights as our heroes fight off injustice and evil.
Here is a passage showing the kind of things the bad guys do:
"they [the good guys] were knocked off their feet by another explosion of dark fire that set the countless bookshelves aflame".
Here is the heroine's response:
"Rhapsody closed her eyes, and calmed her spirit. She concentrated on the fire. 'Be at peace,' she said. At once the flames responded, the bonfire fed by the books and scrolls died down to flickering embers".
OBVIOUSLY the one who saves the books is on the good side!

This is number one of a trilogy, so I will have to set aside two more weekends for books 2 and 3 in the series while I continue to wait for the latest Ven Polypheme book to be released.
2. Prophecy: Child of Earth
3. Destiny: Child of Sky

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

2011-07-27T14:16:00.004-04:00

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village
by
Laura Amy Schlitz and a full cast of narrators
children/young adult fiction
audiobook on compact disc

An English village in the middle ages is the setting of this series of vignettes. In the introduction the author explains that she wanted to be able to get across the feel of the time to her students who might not be too fond of history class. Each monologue is a voice from the village. In between the sets are musical interludes and explanations. The book won the Newbery Medal but my guess is that is it even better as an audiobook.
The text, the voices, and the music all come together to form an excellent listening experience. I highly recommend this for middle school, high school, college, and public library collections. I hope that many teachers will discover this teaching tool.

James Herriot's Cat Stories

2011-07-27T14:00:00.003-04:00

James Herriot's Cat Stories
read by
Christopher Timothy
book on cassette.

The plot:
Veterinarian James Herriot tells about some of the cats he encountered in his practice in rural England from the late 1930's to the 1960's. His world is warm and affectionate. His love of animals, and cats in particular, comes shining through. This is an audiobook to share with the whole family and I put it on my list of audiobooks to take along on a family car trip. (See my previous blog posting).

Timothy starred in the BBC television series "All Creatures Great and Small" based on James Herriot's books, so who better to perform this book on tape? He really nails the accents, the emotions, etc. of the people of the Yorkshire area who loved cats.

I listened to this as a book on cassette. I hope that it continues to be available to library patrons as a CD and electronic audiobook and I recommend this audiobook for all public libraries.

Hamilton Co. libraries face cuts, closings amid budget shortfall

2011-07-27T13:54:00.002-04:00

Hamilton Co. libraries face cuts, closings amid budget shortfall
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110726/NEWS01/107270332

Go the F**k to Sleep

2011-07-27T13:24:00.005-04:00

Go the F**k to Sleep
by
Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortes
adult fiction

This book hit the New York Times Advice Bestseller list. I am not so sure that it is an advice book, however. This book masquerades as a children's book, but woe unto any cataloger that accidentally places this in the children's section! (My library put it under Dewey # 818).
The plot is such: A father is trying to get his toddler to go to bed by reading a soothing bedtime story. We do not hear the child's arguments, but we hear the father's increasingly frustrated response to the child NOT going to sleep. The father tries and tries to get the child to sleep, but it doesn't take long before he starts cursing.
This would be a good gift book for a long time bachelor who finally settled down and became a dad or any other sleep deprived new parent with a gritty sense of humor.
Many parents will TOTALLY relate to the Dad who tries to be loving and patient, but is losing his cool.
The illustrations are quite good and show a number of representative children in pajamas who are NOT sleeping.
An interesting aside to this review is that you can hear a number of celebrities read this book on YouTube. Some of them are NOT the real celebrities, but people pretending to be the celebrities. As far as I can tell, these celebrity readings are real: Samuel L. Jackson and Werner Herzog.
Then I went off on a "Werner Herzog YouTube" sidetrack and found some funny renditions of a number of classic children's books by a Werner Herzog impersonator. They were quite funny. If it hasn't been taken down, listen to "Mike Mulligan" by (imposter) Werner Herzog.
Then if you want to have some real fun with other YouTube children's classic book parodies, try the Thomas the Tank Engine/Transformers mashup video and the sequel where Thomas and Friends come together as Voltron.

Blue Hat, Green Hat

2011-07-16T16:11:00.002-04:00

Blue Hat, Green Hat
by
Sandra Boynton
board book
ages 0-3

Sandra Boynton's comic art of animals teaches children about colors and names of articles of clothing while hamming it up. Various animals model different colors of clothing and the turkey shows us how NOT to wear our clothes - like socks on the hands and coats on backwards.

This is one of the most entertaining Boynton books I have read and one of the simplest. There are not very many words but the book is effective without them.

By the third time my audience encountered this book they knew what was going to happen next and enjoyed shouting it out.

I recommend this book for public libraries and bookmobiles that serve the youngest readers.

Color-by-Penguins

2011-07-15T15:49:00.006-04:00

Color-by-Penguins
by
Ed Heck
board book
ages 0-3

This cartoon book features two penguins who are painting with different colors on each page spread. One penguin is lazy and silly and one penguin is diligent. The two reminded me of Goofus and Gallant in Highlights magazine. Gallant always does stuff right and Goofus always takes a shortcut or does the wrong thing.
http://www.highlightskids.com/default.asp
The last page features a pleasant surprise. Based on this humorous (and educational - it teaches colors) book I will read more Ed Heck books.
I recommend this book, and others by this author, for all public libraries.

It's What the Doctor Recommends!

2011-07-15T15:44:00.003-04:00

Doctors in Washington state prescribe regular library visits
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jul/13/doctors-prescribe-regular-library-visits/#ixzz1S5gED6wx

Spot's Hide and Seek

2011-07-12T16:41:00.010-04:00

Spot's Hide and Seek
by
Eric Hill
board book
ages 0-4

Spot is one cute puppy!

I have read other Spot books and they feature the same friends as this book does, but I did not know their names before.
Helen - the hippopotamus (or maybe she is a rhinoceros)
Steve - the monkey
Tom - the alligator

In this book, the other animals hide and Spot has to find them. A lot of giggling takes place.

Eric Hill has another winning book that I recommend for public libraries.

2011-07-11T08:48:00.003-04:00

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Sir Richard Steele

Dewey the Library Cat

2011-07-08T16:36:00.009-04:00

Dewey the Library Cat
by
Vicki Myron
juvenile nonfiction
audiobook read by Laura Hamilton
4 hours, 16 minutes

http://www.deweyreadmorebooks.com/

Dewey Readmore Books became one of the world's most famous cats as word spread from Spencer, Iowa around the world about this Working Cat. Dewey was the mascot and publicity department for a small town library for many years (1988-2006). He was affectionate, cute, patient, and everything you would want in a library cat (except for being a finicky eater). Like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" and "All Creatures Great and Small" this book has earned its place in the category of heartwarming books that can be enjoyed by children, young adults, and adults.

Way Back

2011-07-08T16:19:00.011-04:00

Way Back
DVD
with Ed Harris and Colin Farrell
based on the book
Long Walk
by
Slavomir Rawicz

This movie is loosely based on the true story of some prisoners who escape from a Stalinist gulag in Siberia and try to make their way to Mongolia. In their journey, they do not end up where they originally intended, but there is one whopper of a story in the telling of where they DO end up. I will try not to give too much of the story away. I am disappointed that there was a note at the very beginning of the credits dedicating the film to the real men who lived the story and in the dedication they give away a major plot point! What were they thinking? Why did they give it away?
So my recommendation is to NOT READ the words at the very beginning.
The warning at the beginning tells why this movie is classified as a PG-13 film. Even with the PG-13 rating I would recommend this movie to Boy and Girl Scouts, Y Guides, Boys Clubs, Girls Clubs, etc. because throughout the movie the men are surviving off the land and utilizing all kinds of survival skills. The landscapes are epic and this film left me wanting to know more about Asian geography and natural history - in particular, Asian geography circa 1940's.
If you liked "Into Thin Air" and if you like adventure/outdoorsy films, then this is a film for you.
The National Geographic is one of the parties involved in this film, so you have their endorsement as well.
I recommend this for most public libraries.

Ellis Island

2011-07-07T15:33:00.006-04:00

Ellis Island
by
Kate Kerrigan
adult historical fiction

I have read quite a few books about Irish immigrants coming to America to stay, but in this book the main character comes to America with the intention of making some money, then going back to Ireland or having her husband join her in America. It gets a little complicated when she realizes that her husband does not share her desire to leave Ireland and she does not want to come back to the backwards rural life of the Old World when there are things like Chanel #5 in New York! It is an interesting twist that gives this book a unique place among historical fiction.

Here is a "love of books" passage from when Ellie is traveling back to Ireland (in a better class of cabin than when she came).

"There was a small library next to the dining room and after breakfast each day I would borrow two dog-eared paperbacks to take back to my cabin and devour, sitting up in the hard bed until lunchtime. When I started to get cabin fever, I went up and read in the smoking lounge or took a walk around the deck, my book in hand. Thinking about what lay ahead of me,or what I had left behind, was a torture. So every waking hour I immersed myself in penny-dreadful crimes and romances, existing solely in the imagined world of girls in dramatic costumes falling hopelessly in love with vagabonds, or troubled men catching out clever criminals in hotel rooms. In this way, I was able to place my own concerns aside and curl myself up in the cocoon of somebody else's imagination".

Clue of the Dancing Puppet

2011-07-07T14:53:00.005-04:00

Clue of the Dancing Puppet
Nancy Drew Number 39
by
Carolyn Keene
children's fiction,
grades 2-5

I picked up a copy of a Nancy Drew book on an impulse at a thrift store. Out of nostalgia I decided to read one again. It was number 39 in the original series and all of the Nancy Drew favorites were in it - Ned, the boyfriend, George and Bess, best friends, Mr. Drew, the lawyer, and the housekeeper, Hannah.
In this book Nancy and the girls are staying with a summer theatre troop. Someone is trying to scare the cast and crew away with a dancing marionette and spooky telephone calls. Nancy and friends get conked on the head, rammed in Nancy's convertible, and more. It's a wonder Mr. Drew lets Nancy go on with the show!
I can't help but think that a dancing ballerina puppet is not very scary, but other parts of the book are - like the jewel thieves!

Outside Dog

2011-07-05T16:29:00.002-04:00

Outside Dog
by
Charlotte Pomerantz and Jennifer Plecas, read by Becca Lish
children's fiction, audiocassette

Marisol wants a dog. One day the opportunity presents itself. Grandfather is not happy. Slowly, however, the mutt wins his way into their hearts. The reader does a good job of capturing the "pleading child" sound. Many listeners will find it easy to identify with Marisol from their own experiences.

Some Spanish phrases are thrown in, as the main characters are Hispanic.

The word that came to mind when thinking of this book was "inveigle".

The dog inveigles himself into our hearts.
---
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inveigle

Definition of INVEIGLE
transitive verb
1: to win over by wiles : entice
2: to acquire by ingenuity or flattery : wangle
— in·vei·gle·ment \-gəl-mənt\ noun
— in·vei·gler \-g(ə-)lər\ noun
See inveigle defined for English-language learners »
See inveigle defined for kids »
Examples of INVEIGLE
She inveigled him to write the letter.
We inveigled the information from him.
---

Ruby Red

2011-07-05T16:06:00.009-04:00

Ruby Red (Rubinrot: Liebe geht durch alle Zeiten)
by
Kerstin Gier
translated from the German into English by Anthea Bell
young adult novel

Gwen comes from a well to do family with some eccentricities - one being that some members of the family can time travel and legend has it that one ancestor could read people's minds. Not much is expected of Gwen, since it is assumed that her cousin, Charlotte, has inherited the time travel gene. Wrong! It is really Gwen.
Now this 16 year old modern English teen must deal with the odd life that has been thrust upon her. Fortunately, there is a really cute fellow time traveler to show her the ropes - the dreamy 18 year old Gideon.
Fantasy meshes with lighthearted teen life as Gwen's existence changes from "hoping to be snogged" to "daring adventuress".
What a bummer than now the English reading audience must wait for a few years for the 2nd (Saphirblau/Sapphire Blue) and 3rd (Smaragdgrün/Emerald Green)titles to be translated from the German. Curses! Now I have to find another book to read until the next Ven Polypheme book comes out.

Surprise! Surprise!

2011-07-01T12:49:00.005-04:00

Surprise! Surprise!
by
Gyo Fujikawa
board book
ages 18 months - 4 years

Rabbit is a trickster and the other animals don't trust him. Animals are frolicking around one day and trying to decided what to do to entertain themselves. They decide to jump over a fence and see what is on the other side. Surprise! You have to read the story to find out what is on the other side of the fence.

Unfortunately, the ending is ruined because the publisher put a picture of the ending on the front cover. So much for the surprise. What were they thinking?

Overall I enjoyed the pictures of the animals more than the text. The scruffy dog was my favorite picture.

I can't help but read the title as if someone from Mayberry was saying it.

Family Storms

2011-06-30T14:14:00.006-04:00

Family Storms
by
V. C. Andrews
(ghostwriter, V. C. Andrews has been dead for some time now)
young adult/adult fiction

Family Storms by V. C. Andrews. V. C. Andrews has been dead for some time now, so this is ghostwritten. Sasha's life is at a low - she and her mother are homeless. It sinks lower when her mother is killed by a druggie driver. Her luck changes when she is taken in as a foster child, but rich families are not all they seem and the foster mother and sister both have sinister agendas...

I have not read any V. C. Andrews' books for a while. I was disappointed that this book was not as creepy as I had hoped. There was some secret/menacing stuff, but not as bad as the incest and other topics in previous works.

13 Things You Pay For That Your Library Has For Free

2011-06-28T14:14:00.003-04:00

http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0611/13-Things-You-Pay-For-That-Your-Library-Has-For-Free.aspx#axzz1QCfRxSmY

"Obtaining a library card is simple. Visit the library, fill out a card application, present identification and you have instant, free access to a world of information".

Kansas City Public Library Parking Garage

2011-06-22T20:27:00.004-04:00

This is so cool! I am REALLY covetous!
I found out about this parking garage on an episode of Jeopardy! that had a picture of the parking garage as a clue for Kansas City.
http://www.kclibrary.org/?q=community-bookshelf

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

2011-06-17T12:30:00.011-04:00

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by
Grace Lin
read by Janet Song
children's audio book on compact disc
Newbery Honor Winner for print version

Minli is the only daughter of a poor couple who work very hard to keep their family alive. They dream that one day their fortune will change. A peddler comes along promising that the goldfish that he sells can change their fortune. Minli, like Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk takes this chance.
With advice from the goldfish she runs away to seek her fortune. On her adventures she encounters a dragon, cheerful twins, a king in disguise, and many other amazing people and beings.
This tale has a classic feel to it and portrays wonderment like the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Many tales are told within the longer story, so it is logical to stop listening to the tale in between the tales. This might help with the shorter attention span of children.
I greatly enjoyed this story and wonder how much is classic Chinese mythology and how much is original to this author. Either way, it is a good listen.

Bluegrass @ the Library

2011-06-15T15:53:00.004-04:00

Rubber Knife Gang

http://www.therubberknifegang.com/Friday, June 17
Live @ The Library
7:00 pm
Boone County Public Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY, USA (MAP)
Tickets: Buy tickets
Price Info: FREE
http://www.bcpl.org/media/pdf/newsroom/live-at-the-library.pdf

Slippery

2011-06-15T11:55:00.002-04:00

Why did the library patron slip on the library floor?
.
.
.
.
.
.
He was in the NONFRICTION section!

Lightbulb

2011-06-15T11:53:00.002-04:00

How many librarians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
.
.
.
.
.
.
I don't know but I can find out!

Association of Christian Librarians

2011-06-15T11:49:00.002-04:00

Greetings from the 55th Annual Conference of the Association of Christian Librarians being held at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio!
http://www.acl.org/index.cfm/conference/

Words in the Dust

2011-06-13T16:17:00.007-04:00

Words in the Dust
by
Trent Reedy
YA fiction

Inspired by events that happened to the author when he was stationed in Afghanistan this book is contemporary and highly readable. Zulaikha is an Afghan girl with a birth defect - a cleft lip. This makes eating and talking difficult for her, but most importantly, it affects her marriageability. She is mocked by the village boys and her family is not so sure what her future will hold. The American soldiers notice her one day and come up with a plan to have the American doctors help her. Will her dreams of a normal life come true? Is it too much for a poor girl to dream?

The author ties in all kinds of facts about current life in Afghanistan and references to the past that made the country what it is today. Another theme that runs throughout is the role of women in society, the love of poetry that Afghans have traditionally held, the aftermath of war, the lack of literacy among the young people, and many more discussable topics.

It reminds me of "Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind" but more up to date.

The publisher has included a glossary, which was very helpful. There were many words that the author used that were rather foreign. There is also a discussion with the author, a bibliography of other books about Afghanistan, and a note about the poetry that is referenced in the book.

This book deserves to go on a number of reading lists - books for teenaged girls, books about current events, books about the role of women, books about world culture, etc.

It is touching that the author says that the best person to write this would be an Afghan woman, but the literacy rate among females in that part of Afghanistan is only about 1 %. Heartbreaking! The author is donating money to a charity that supports the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and there is also a link to a group that starts and runs schools for girls in central Asia.

Reading this book reminds me how grateful I need to be that I am an American woman instead of a poor, illiterate Afghani.

Take Archway cookies to your next book discussion

2011-06-08T14:35:00.005-04:00

http://www.archwaycookies.com/sharethegoodness/

Share the Goodness of reading with others. Help us donate 10,000 new books through First Book to children in need by purchasing Archway Cookies through July 9. Archway will donate $0.10 per package with a maximum of $23,500 in support of First Book.

We've all heard (and most likely experienced) that reading is core to a child's ability to succeed in school. Yet the majority of low-income families do not have a single book for their children, with price being the number one barrier to book ownership. Currently, more than 30 million U.S. children live in low-income households with many not having even one book of their own. You can help us ensure that every child can experience the joy of owning and reading a book.

Archway is partnering with First Book to donate 10,000 NEW books like the Cat in the Hat, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid to children who need them most.

You can help us reach our goal of providing 10,000 books to children in need with your purchase of Archway cookies from June 1 until July 15. Archway will donate $0.10 per package with a maximum of $23,500 in support of First Book.

First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and own new books. First Book works with existing literacy programs to distribute new books to needy children by providing them with first books. The organization was founded in 1992 and since then over 80 million books have been donated.

Can You Hear It?

2011-06-07T17:01:00.005-04:00

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Can You Hear It?
by William Lach
children's book plus music compact disc

We chose this book at random to listen to and read in the car. At first I was confused because there seemed to be a long blank leader segment before the music started. When it did start I expected to hear a narrator's voice and music to accompany classic artwork. Instead, it is only the music that corresponds to certain pages.
The book has an introduction to instruments in an orchestra and then shows artwork. Each of 12 pieces of art corresponds to a track number on the music disc. The book says things like "Can you hear the bumblebee? Can you see the bumblebee"? The "Flight of the Bumblebee" plays and the reader looks at the picture.
Once the seven year old in my car and I understood this, it was entertaining, but it took us a while to "get it".

I guess I don't recommend that libraries purchase this because other patrons may be confused as I was.

Night Bookmobile

2011-06-03T15:14:00.010-04:00

Night Bookmobile
by
Audrey Niffenegger
graphic novel

*For mature audiences*.

Follow Lexi in her creepy, haunting love affair with books and reading. The author says that this book was based upon some dreams she has had of books, reading, and bookmobiles.
As I read it, I was thinking "I would like THIS page to hang on my wall. No. How about THIS page! I could see a librarian decorating her cubicle or maybe her home bathroom walls with the pages of this book. It is a book for book lovers.

Here is the plot: Lexi loves books. She encounters the Night Bookmobile one night in her dreams (or maybe in reality). The bookmobile holds all of the books and papers and newspapers and magazines and school papers and cereal boxes that she has ever read. Oh, the delight of reading! Oh, the delight of remembering a good book!
I won't tell you more because I don't want to ruin the ending, but this book is a feast.

This is a good gift book and coffee table book for a librarian, teacher, English teacher, writer, etc.

Don't be surprised if your friends and family start calling you "Mr. Openshaw" in honor of the bookmobile librarian.

I hope I can get a sweatshirt or something with one of the pictures from the book on it.

Sand Castle Bash!

2011-06-02T14:52:00.006-04:00

Jon Scieszka's Sand Castle Bash! Counting from 1 to 10
by
Hunter McKown, David Shannon, Loren Long, and David Gordon.
board book.
ages 0-4.

This book features a supergroup of author/illustrators in a "git 'er done"! redneck sand castle building and SMASHING contest featuring Trucktown characters. Yee-haw! Boys and girls will love it (but maybe not Grandma)! Librarians might have to shush their excited readers. It is sandcastle building adventure, and best of all - knocking the castles down when done!

Fun! Fun! Fun!

I will have to rush to read the next adventure starting these active trucks.

Summer Touch and Feel

2011-06-02T14:49:00.003-04:00

Summer Touch and Feel
Bright Baby Touch and Feel
board book ages 0-3

This is a pretty little book of summery illustrations and photographs, but I found that there wasn't enough "touch and feel" for a book that is supposed to be "touch and feel".

Audiobooks and music for a family road trip

2011-06-01T16:12:00.040-04:00

Time for summer vacation and time in the car with the family. What should we check out of the library that will entertain the little guy and grandma as well for that long stretch on the Great Western Plains or rounding the Smokey Mountains? The teenager will probably protest whatever you choose, but here is an attempt to please everyone:

I will keep working on this list, so let me know what to add to it:
MUSIC

*Peter, Paul and Mommy, Too - this is the album with Puff the Magic Dragon on it

*Beach Boys - which album?

*Treasury of the West by Time Life Books. Happy Trails to You, My Friend! There are a lot of other Time Life compilations that most libraries own as well.

*We Are America's Children by Ella Jenkins

*Beatles - which album?

*John Denver - which album?

*Forrest Gump the Soundtrack - It includes On the Road Again with Willie Nelson.

*Woodie Guthrie singing This Land Is Your Land. This is available on many albums.

*Readers Digest Presents. They have a number of compilation albums of your public domain favorites. I like that they don't have whiney kids singing, but really good (unknown) artists.

*The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel Since 1970. How about some Western Swing music to keep your toes tapping!

*Stormy Weather sings Doo Wop and Lollipops: Doo Wop Classics for Kids

*Disney's the Little Mermaid by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Sorry, Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, you lose out to Ariel and Sebastian.

*Christmas sing-along car-i-oke [sound recording]. I know it isn't winter, but my library has only this one in the series. If your library doesn't have any "car-i-oke" sets, you might consider buying some for yourself. You can pass them along to another family later.

*The Johnny Cash Children's Album. Originally out in the 1970's, the CD has some extra cuts.

*Bernstein Conducts For Young People. I am not so sure this is available on CD, though.

*Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks : Revved up Road Tunes Inspired by Disney Pixar Cars. This includes a cover of "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash. The Cars soundtrack is a "must listen" as well, but I have heard it so many times I am going with this alternative.

*Beach Boys - which album, hmmm...

*Jan and Dean singing Little Old Lady From Pasadena and Dead Man's Curve. These are available on many compilation albums.

*Riverdance!

*Peace in the Valley by Elvis Presley

*Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. I bet your local library has at least one version of this. You can add Carnival of the Animals as well.

AUDIOBOOKS
*Some poetry - something by Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelusky. How about Where the Sidewalk Ends?

*Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow Right! - the old album with the Noah routine and such.

*Adventures in Odyssey by Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family may even send these for free. I think last time I checked it was send a "suggested donation".

*Chicken Soup for the ---Soul. Probably whatever title of this series is on the shelf should be good for the whole family.

*James Herriot's Favorite Dog Stories.

*Lux Radio Theatre Presents. Back in the days of radio they had movie stars present one hour versions of movies condensed for radio. There are some great ones in this series available to download.

*Think Ethnic by the Smothers Brothers. There is some English folk singing and jokes for the whole family.

*Car Talk: Doesn't Anyone Screen These Calls? : Calls about Animals and Cars.
Wait until you hear about the black widow!

*BBC full cast productions. If you have 3 or less people in the car and they are all over the age of about 12 then try out The Hobbit or some Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, The Odyssey, The Secret Garden, The Wizard of Oz, Dr. Who, or another in the series.

Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park or Lost World (for ages 10 +). Dinosaurs!

For more great albums see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Album_for_Children

Spot's Toys

2011-06-01T15:48:00.006-04:00

Spot's Toys
by
Eric Hill
board book
ages 0-4

Spot is a loveable, adorable, and playful puppy. He plays with his alligator and monkey friends until Mama dog tells him it is time for bed. These are books to cuddle up with and fall asleep on.

Spot books are good for vocabulary building.

These sturdy cardboard books would be a good set to give at a baby shower:
Spot's Snowy Day
Spot Loves His Friends
Spot Loves His Mommy
Spot's Toys

Libraries should also consider purchasing Spot DVD's for young viewers.

Beep Beep

2011-06-01T15:38:00.004-04:00

Beep Beep
by
Petr Horacek
board book
ages 18 months - 4 years

I don't understand why someone would want to publish a book that looks like a 3rd grader did the artwork. What is so great about so-so art? According to his bio this author/illustrator is a highly trained artist, but this book looks like a grade school art project. I don't have much to say about the words, either. They are kind of an afterthought. Don't bother with this book.
Obviously the publishers at Candlewick Press disagree with me, but to each his own.

http://www.petrhoracek.co.uk/

Vote Early and Often!

2011-06-01T14:52:00.002-04:00

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/ElectYourSticker.aspx?page=1634
Which sticker gets your vote, Ohio?

Boys Don't Read, Except When They Do

2011-06-01T13:49:00.008-04:00

Boys Don't Read, Except When They Do

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-london/boys-dont-read-except-whe_b_859449.html

Sea Turtles

2011-06-01T10:50:00.005-04:00

Sea Turtles
by
Martha E. H. Rustad
Gail Saunders-Smith, consulting editor
children's fiction, ages 2-6

This is a colorful, simple book about sea turtles. Wonderful photography and easy to read fonts make this a great choice for early nonfiction reading. You will want to dive in with the turtles!
There is a word list and index, word count, and early intervention level (5) listings. There is a glossary, bibliography, and recommended internet sites list.

Others in the set are:
Corals, Crabs, Dolphins, Octopuses, Parrotfish, Rays, Sea Anemones, Sea Horses, Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Seals, Sharks, and Whales. It is a good set to round out a children's nonfiction collection.

Wench: A Novel

2011-06-01T10:23:00.015-04:00

Wench: A Novel
by
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
adult historical fiction

What an unusual idea for a book! The author calls upon oral history tales about slave owners taking their Black mistresses on vacation to Xenia Springs, Ohio to create a haunting historical fiction work. I think that the author and just about every possible reader will find this to be a fascinating idea to examine in light of the times in which it takes place (1830's - 1850's).
What psychological grip did the slave owners have on these women that they did not try to escape? What would the consequences be if they did try to leave? What would interactions with Freedmen be? What would the white Ohioans think? There are so many ideas to explore.
I don't want to ruin the plot for you, but it is a good one. If you would like to read this on vacation, you will be thanking your lucky stars that you are living in the here and now instead of back then as a slave woman.
Throughout the whole book I kept thinking "This was OHIO! This wasn't Kentucky or Mississippi or some other place? OHIO"! Incredible.

I found myself examining the poster that is reproduced inside of the front. There is picture of Tawawa House courtesy of the Ohio Historical Society. I would like to see the original poster. Sorry about this poor image.

Washington Post article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/21/AR2011012102960.html

If your Ohio library does not already have some copies of this, encourage them to buy at least one. I would recommend it for a monthly book discussion.

Surrounded by Sea

2011-06-01T10:08:00.003-04:00

Surrounded by Sea: Life on a New England Fishing Island
by
Gail Gibbons
children's nonfiction

Gail Gibbons has written tons of nonfiction children's books and it is easy to see why she is so popular. Her words and illustrations are matter of fact and vivid. There is lots to see and learn about fishing, lobster catching, boating, and island life in this pleasant book. For children who are interested in learning to draw wildlife, people, or vehicles this would be a good example to emulate.

My Hippo Has the Hiccups

2011-06-01T09:29:00.007-04:00

My Hippo Has the Hiccups
by
Kenn Nesbitt and Ethan Long
children's poetry

book plus audio CD

I like goofy poetry and this book has it, but I tired of his poems after about 6 poems, however. They seem to not have quite the breadth and variety of other authors. I would probably like his work better as part of an anthology with other poets or maybe if there had been different guest readers on the CD.
The simple black and white cartoon drawings work well in the book.
It had a good layout with easy to read fonts and uncluttered pages.

Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy

2011-05-25T17:13:00.014-04:00

Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy
by
Lauren DeStefano
young adult/adult science fiction/romance

Sixteen year old Rhine lives in a society after a great catastrophe. Scientists had figured out how to engineer embryos to live long lives and be perfect human beings, but something went dreadfully wrong and now women only live to be 20 and men only live to be 25. In addition, the world's land has been wiped out except for the U.S.A.
Rhine is living a meager existence with her brother when she is kidnapped and forced to marry a rich architect. Will Rhine resign herself to a life of relative luxury, but with a lack of freedom or will she try to escape?
This story is well told and suspenseful, but the science behind it is definitely lacking. There is some kind of mention of a virus causing people to die, but this doesn't make sense. Is it genetic or a virus? Also, it doesn't make sense that the world except the U. S. A. would be underwater. Elevations of land vary greatly across the globe. As far as I know North America is not the highest continent above sea level.
If we suspend the science part, this is a good tragic romance, teen angst tale. I am waiting for the 2nd and 3rd books to come out since a lot of things are left unresolved at the end of book 1.
The cover and interior design are clever - alluding to genetic tables with the headers, footers, and chapter marks.
The title of the series isn't very appealing. Who came up with "Chemical Garden Trilogy"?

Crystal the Snow Fairy

2011-05-25T17:02:00.008-04:00

Crystal the Snow Fairy
Rainbow Magic
The Weather Fairies
by
Daisy Meadows and Georgie Ripper
children's fiction, about a 2nd grade reading level

This is the second series of books about the Rainbow Magic Fairies from Scholastic.
In this series Rachel and Kirsty, human girls, must help fairies get some magical feathers back from Jack Frost who is using the magic in the feathers to wreak havoc with the weather.
These are quick and easy reads for girls. Most readers will want to read the whole series, which reminds me to get on hold for the next one in this series - Abigail the Breeze Fairy. Public and school librarians should make sure to buy the whole series. They come as a boxed set, so this is not a problem.

Garden Spells

2011-05-20T14:22:00.016-04:00

Garden Spells
by
Sarah Addison Allen
Romance fiction

I read a glowing review of a different Sarah Addison Allen book, but I thought I would go back and read her first book to see what she had to offer.
This book features sisters who grew up in North Carolina. One embraced her family's home and traditions, while the other couldn't wait to "get out of Dodge". Now the prodigal sister has returned, running from her abusive spouse. The sisters both need to break out of their routines and learn to fully live again. One needs to settle down some and one needs to be shaken up some.
The book features some "light" mysticism/mythology about herb lore in a way reminiscent of Sharyn Crumb or Phyllis Whitney.
This is a nice, warm, comfortable book which would be excellent for summer reading - preferably while sitting on a bench in a shady herb garden under an apple tree.

Here are some other books that the author recommends:
http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/faq.html

Clifford's Class Trip

2011-05-20T14:08:00.003-04:00

Clifford's Class Trip
by
Norman Bridwell

Clifford the Big Red Dog and Emily Elizabeth and her class are taking a field trip to the aquarium and the outdoor science museum. The plot is the same as every other Clifford book: being a really, really big dog causes some trouble and being a really, really big dog offers some unconventional solutions to problems.

Oh, that Clifford! We all love him!

Girl in Translation

2011-05-20T14:03:00.004-04:00

Girl in Translation
by
Jean Kwok
YA or adult fiction
and the book on CD Narrated by Grayce Wey

Kim and her mother immigrate from Hong Kong some time before it reverts to Chinese control (probably 1965-1980). They are sponsored by her mother’s sister who sets them up in a horrible, condemned apartment and gets Kim’s mother a job in a clothing sweat shop in Chinatown, New York. The mother deals with very long work days and Kim has to help her mother at the factory and at home whenever she is not in school. Kim struggles with cultural assimilation and extreme poverty.
The most memorable character is the "evil aunt". Kim's aunt does the minimal amount to help Kim and her mother to save face and show family loyalty, but really she treats them like dirt.
The book on CD features a narrator with a strong Chinese accent. I guess this makes sense. In the printed version, the main character hears some words wrong and the author puts them down in italics as Kim heard them wrong.

Topics for discussion:
Plight of Chinese immigrants;
Plight of immigrants;
Sweat shops;
Poverty in America

Book Thief

2011-05-20T13:58:00.002-04:00

Book Thief
by
Markus Zusak
Young Adult/Adult Historical Fiction

I wasn't thrilled to read yet another World War II book (Yawn, aren't there enough of these already)? This was a pretty good book, however.
A girl is in a foster home in Nazi Germany. Her father is unknown and her mother has been accused of being a Communist. Times are tough with food shortages and poverty abounding. Liesel witnesses the deportation of Jews and experiences bombings on her village. She encounters a number of memorable characters as she grows up and becomes part of the Bund Deutscher Mädel, or League of German Girls. Along the way she and her friends take to stealing apples and other things we today take for granted, like books. There are some great book burning scenes, but I won't ruin them for you by telling you too much.
Highly reviewed by many, many sources. Winner of many awards.
It was hard to figure out this book at first and I almost gave up on it a number of times during the first 30 pages, but then it got less confusing. The unusual point of view of the book is first person from the view of a personification of Death. Death tells the story about how Liesel eludes him at many turns where others are taken into his grasp.

Every Man in this Village Is a Liar

2011-05-20T13:54:00.002-04:00

Every Man in this Village Is a Liar
by
Megan Stack
adult nonfiction
This book was written by a L. A. Times Middle East Correspondent telling about her experiences interviewing people and living in the Middle East for the last 10 years. This book is very timely and informative about how screwed up Middle Eastern politics is. It is hard to know who to trust and who is telling the truth to a female foreign correspondent. If we choose this book, we may have some strong opinions being expressed by the patrons about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a number of other places that are currently in the news: wars in Israel, Syria, Lebanon, the role of women in Saudia Arabia and other Muslim countries, etc. This acronym kept coming to mind: SNAFU.
Most of our readers will be familiar with some, but not all of the places she discusses. I didn't know all of the words she used. Sometimes she explained them (like "mujahideen") and sometimes she didn't. It really made me think about all the things that are going on over there and how our government and our troops are involved or not involved.
Very timely. Very relevant today. Should appeal to both men and women as it is a war book, but by a woman author.

Dry Grass of August

2011-05-20T13:50:00.006-04:00

Dry Grass of August
by
Anna Jean Mayhew
Young Adult or Adult Historical Fiction

Jubie is a Southern 13 year old in 1954. Her family travels through the South on summer vacation with their "girl" the "mammy", Mary. All kinds of awkward situations arise with segregated hotels, beaches, restaurants, gas stations, etc.
I think the publisher probably saw the popularity of "The Help" and tried to find a book that would appeal to the same population.
I was reading this and a 7 year old girl became fascinated with the cover: It has butterflies coming out of a jar. The cover drew her in and made her ask about it.
Not as substantial as similar books, but the ending gets pretty serious.
Overall it was a pretty good read for teen and adult females.

New Art from Old Books

2011-05-17T08:39:00.004-04:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7366166n

Atlanta artist Brian Dettmer creates memorable works of art by slicing, whittling and tearing into books. Mark Strassmann reports on Dettmer's vision for a vanishing form of art.

http://briandettmer.com/

Charles Dickens' Letter Opener

2011-05-16T13:21:00.003-04:00

Creepy! A cat paw letter opener!
http://www.salon.com/books/libraries_and_librarians/?story=%2Fbooks%2Flaura_miller%2F2011%2F05%2F11%2Fnypl_centennial

100% Polyester - the Action Fabric!

2011-05-16T13:18:00.003-04:00

100% Polyester - the Action Fabric! Out-o-sight!
Dayton Daily News 27 October 1972.

2011-05-16T13:14:00.002-04:00

How to explain Internet-era reading to someone from the analog past? Put lots of little books in a much bigger book.
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/designing-a-19th-century-kindle-an-e-reader-for-dickens/238884/

Chicken Soup with Rice

2011-04-30T14:05:00.007-04:00

Chicken Soup with Rice
by
Maurice Sendak
paperback plus book set to music by folk singer Carole King

I knew that Maurice Sendak wrote this book, but I had no idea that Carole King set the book to music! Apparently a kindergarten teacher I know already knew this because she has her students perform the song in class to learn the months of the year. She has a huge copy of this book - it is something like 2 foot tall by 18 inches wide. I used to have a tiny version of this book that was about 3 inches tall by 3 inches wide.
I don't think this is Sendak's greatest book, but I suppose it does work to teach the months. It is pretty much a poem about silly things that can happen during different months of the year.

Sports Research Center in Cleveland

2011-04-21T14:29:00.005-04:00

http://cpl.org/TheLibrary/News/NewsArticle/tabid/109/ArticleId/223/Cleveland-Public-Library-Opens-Areas-First-Sports-Research-Center-Hosts-Special-Pride-Passion-Exhibi.aspx

I'll have to visit this next time I am in Cleveland. Congratulations, Cleveland Public Library on your new collection and display area.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/04/cleveland_public_library_score.html

Masters of the Universe

2011-04-12T15:20:00.006-04:00

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/12/librarians.masters.of.universe/index.html

"Librarians are the secret masters of the universe. They control information. Never piss one off."

Shack

2011-04-06T12:10:00.019-04:00

The Shack
by William P. Young
read by Roger Mueller
audiobook 7 cd set

This book has a place in every public library, college library, and seminary library as well as in many church libraries (depending on their specific beliefs). This book has been out for a few years now, and it is still in fairly high demand so libraries may consider purchasing it in multiple formats or multiple copies. It is also the kind of book that friends pass around. It has been translated into at least 30 languages and many churches, seminaries, and other groups are reading it for discussions. It is rare that a book of such power and impact as this one comes out. Many critics have compared it to Pilgrim's Progress and Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
I read the book a few years ago, but at the recommendation of a patron I listened to the audiobook and Roger Mueller did a great job! It had been some time since I had read the book and his take on it really brought it to life again. At the end of the CD is an author's note stating that he hopes that it will become a movie some day so more people can experience "The Shack". He even states that he wrote the book in mind of having it be a screenplay and that some screen writers helped him in the editing.
I see that Amazon.com has a number of companion books, some supporting this book and others in opposition to the Gospel it preaches. If a librarian is trying to build a balanced collection these books may also be worth purchasing.
Here is the basic plot: A minister and his family are devastated when 6 year old Melissa is kidnapped and probably murdered while she is camping with her family. The father tries to come to some kind of understanding of why God would let this happen. The author refers to the depression that the father feels as "The Great Sadness". Years pass and the sadness does not go away. Little does Mack know that he is about to have an intense encounter with God in all three of God's manifestations - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His assumptions about God are blown away with surprising and shocking revelations about who God is and how little we perceive about His greatness.
This book is very modern and thought provoking. Beware! Some readers may object to the portrayal of God (which makes for an interesting book discussion). I have participated in public library book discussions for about 15 years. Last year, while discussing "The Shack" was the first time that I have had a patron state her objection to a book then walk out of the room.

Whose House Is This?

2011-03-29T13:44:00.005-04:00

Whose House Is This? A Look at Animal Homes - Webs, Nests, and Shells
by
Elizabeth Gregoire, Derrick Alderman and Denise Shea
Nonfiction children's picture book, ages 4-8
Part of the "Whose Is It? Science" series of books

This book teaches about different habitats for critters found around North America. Each odd page shows an animal's home then the flip side discusses the animal that lives in that sort of cave/nest/etc. The illustrations are cut paper and color drawings.
It includes instructions for making a craft piggy bank that looks like a house (a house for a human, that is), a glossary, bibliography, index, and website links. These are all aspects of a book that librarians like to see.
This would be a good book series for a campground or state park library or a classroom or school library.

Incarceron

2011-03-29T13:33:00.004-04:00

Incarceron
by
Catherine Fisher
YA/Adult fantasy/science fiction
Times (of London) Children's Book of the Year

This is a full length novel (442 pages) with adult themes (court life, marriage, criminology), so I am surprised to see that it won a children's book award. I suppose it could be enjoyed by 15-18 year olds as well as adults, but if I had not seen that it was in our library's YA section (with the unicorn sticker indicating fantasy) and that it had won a children's book award I would have assumed that the target audience was adults. There is some violence and gore in the book, but it is not overdone or gratuitous. It makes sense in describing the physical conditions under which people are living.
The premise is that society has had enough of the criminal element and the negative influence of technology. It is decreed that people will return to a less complicated, more primitive existence. They re-created a medieval/renaissance world (although everyone knows that people cheat all the time with hidden technology). They banish their criminals to a new land - Incarceron. But the criminals are to be treated kindly and given food and education in a utopian setting. Something goes wrong, however, and the computer program set up to run Incarceron instead punishes the inhabitants of its world and resources become more and more scarce.
The story is told through the eyes of the prison Warden's daughter who is soon to marry the Prince of the outside world. What will she find out about Incarceron and what can she do about it?