Another librarian on Jeopardy!

This week a librarian was on Jeopardy! She had worked at the Baseball Hall of Fame library. I am sure she had some interesting questions during her tenure there. She said that once Jeopardy! had even called her at the library to verify some trivia information.

One of the questions on this week's show was "What is Field of Dreams"? Of course, she got it right. (I did, too).

Unfortunately she did not win.

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp

http://www.jeopardy.com/

Idiocracy

Last night I watched the movie "Idiocracy". It has some good lines about reading not being a "gay" thing to do. I especially liked the end speech about reading being worthwhile. Everyone should read! (Which probably means we shouldn't spend our time watching movies like "Idiocracy". Maybe just watch the last 5 minute for the speech. Come to think of it, we probably shouldn't have libraries spend our tax dollars on dumb films like this, either, but I checked it out, helping our circulation statistics).

Joe: "And there was a time in this country, a long time ago, when reading wasn't just for fags and neither was writing. People wrote books and movies, movies that had stories so you cared whose ass it was and why it was farting. And I believe that time can come again!"

http://www.jahozafat.com/Movies/Idiocracy.html

What's on My Desk April 2009

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier. YA Fantasy Fiction. DONE.
This is a silly, funny book for teen or tween girls about a teenager attending a sports school. Many people have "fairies" that grant them different kinds of luck. She wants to get rid of her luck fairy and get a better one.
The author is Australian and uses some Australian and teenage slang. She also makes up some words. Kudos to the editor who included a glossary and list of fairies in the back. It reminded me of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison in its use of language. See blog of December 2007.

Williwaw by Tom Bodett. YA Adventure Fiction.
I heard Tom Bodett on the radio before, but did not know he was an author. Two teens live by themselves in rural Alaska while their father is out fishing. Will they stay safe or get into trouble on the water?

My library put this in the children's section since the main characters are 12 and 13. I would have put it in the YA or adult section. This book is a good adventure for adults to read, especially if they are headed for an Alaskan vacation, but I would not recommend it to the average 4th-8th grader for two reasons:

1. The children are very disobedient. Their father tells them to take precautions that will stop them from getting KILLED out in the ocean or at home by bears, but they REPEATEDLY disobey and do really stupid LIFE-THREATENING things! I am not so sure that they completely regret their actions in the end and it is uncertain how much (if at all) they were punished for being so bone-headed and dumb. If in the end they were really, really sorry and changed their ways, it would be one thing, but we are not sure what happened after their big screw-up at the end.

2. There are a number of words that the average landlubber reader would not identify with and is is very "Alaska-y". A child living in Alaska would understand and a teacher may use it in class, but the average Ohio child would not. I am not sure what the difference is between a skiff and a dingy and most ten year olds would not know this sample of words: sauna, dingy, skiff, midships, cagey, buoy, etc.

The author does a good job at describing the beauty of Alaska, but it works better for the adult reader. An example:

"a popsicle-red morning sky"

Disney Handy Manny Tool for Sale Early Reader Level 1 by Susan Ring and Alan Batson. 1st grade reading level.

I like that it is clearly labelled what reading level we can expect. There are a number of rhyming lines and the pictures are bold. The plot was entertaining as Pat, the Hammer, falls asleep and gets sold at a yard sale. There is even Mr. Lopart doing what Mr. Lopart does best - windbag bragging, then messing up.

I don't expect much from books based on television characters, but this one is well written, unlike some of the Disney books I have read lately. The bottom line is that Disney books are not well regulated. Some are very well written and others are junk. You just don't know until you read one if it will be good or not. There are so many different licenses that Disney has granted that no one seems to do any quality control.

Bird by Rita Murphy. YA fiction. DONE.

Miranda blows into town one day - literally. She has a hard time keeping her feet on the ground and the wind keeps trying to take her away. I think this book was published because of the success of the "Series of Unfortunate Events" books. Bad things happen to her in a way that they do to those children. It isn't that good of a book - bland, but at least it is short (151 pages). There are too many stereotypes and plot points similar to other books. The cover art is better than the contents of the book.

Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton. Christian fiction. DONE.

If you are looking for a pleasant book featuring church ladies, look no further. This rather short book presents a picture of 5 ladies working on a church cookbook and their personal lives. I think you will recognize each of these ladies in your local church - the gossip, the do-gooder, etc. I did cry at one point.

Here is one amusing quote:

"I've never been to his house, but I can pretty much guess that it's a tractor magazine that sits by his toilet and that he uses the same coffee cup every day".

Here's another:

"Everybody seems concerned that I work too much and that I appear tired all the time or that I have no hobby or leisure activity. Mrs. Newgarden even brought me books on flower arranging the other day. Could it be that I appear so unhealthy that I need a book on flower arranging"?

Strawberry Shortcake Dance with Me by Megan Bryant. Kindergarten or first grade. DONE.

When Strawberry Shortcake and her friend Ginger both want to do the ballet solo in the dance show, they decide to do a duet instead so they do not have to compete against each other.

It is sweet, as you would expect from American Greetings. They have clearly labelled the reading level as "All Aboard Reading, Level 1" on the cover, so you know who the target audience is.

What's on My Desk March 2009

Echorium Sequence: Song Quest by Katherine Roberts. YA Fantasy Fiction. DONE.
This fast-paced YA fantasy book delivers with an original plot, but elements that we all recognize in a fantasy book - a team effort to achieve a goal, young people discovering their talents, and good conquering evil.

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. Adult Fiction. DONE.
Some people said to recommend this to readers who liked the DaVinci Code, but I haven't read the DaVinci Code, so I don't know about this. I guess that both deal with a mystery that lasts through generations. A book conservator is asked to analyse a rare illuminated Jewish sacred book.

Here is a library quote (The whole book has stuff about books and archives, but not so much libraries per se).:
From that discussion we moved on to museum politics in general and from there to spicier shop talk: sex in the stacks, a.k.a. the love lives of librarians. And that pretty much was the whole conversation for the rest of the evening.

My Big Girl Potty by Joanna Cole and Maxie Chambliss. Children's Nonfiction, ages 2-4.
The title pretty much tells you what it is about. This is straightforward.

Twenty-Six Princessses by Dave Horowitz Children's Fiction, preschool. DONE.

The author leads us through the alphabet with 26 girls with names starting with A-Z. It is goofy. It is lighthearted. The princesses are playful and misbehaving.

It Could Still Be a Robot by Allen Fowler. Children's nonfiction. Grades 1-3. DONE.

I am not certain why the author was cryptic in his title. This is a well-written book that explains how robots are used today (industry, surgery, space, etc.) with some guesses about how they will be used in the future. I read this to a 5 year old who was wondering if robots would attack her house at night. I explained that there were war plane robots, but I doubted that any would attack Ohio in the near future. The author has included pictures of some famous robots such as Data from Star Trek and the Mars Rover. I checked out a few other robot books and a video from the library but they were not as well written, had lame illustrations, and were not age appropriate for a 5 year old.

Jeanie Welch on Jeopardy!

Let's hear it for the retired librarian from the University of North Carolina who did so well on Jeopardy! this week.
I wonder how old she is? She only looked to be about 50. I wonder if she retired as soon as she could with the NC state PERS system.
http://www.jeopardy.com/

Nuns versus Librarians

Maybe you have heard of the nuns versus librarians spelling bee.

http://www.librarian.net/tag/literacy/

Today a library patron told me I looked like a nun (FYI: I was wearing a blue J. C. Penney's dress, Kmart sneakers, and my hair in a bun, but not wearing a crucifix or veil. I was also wearing my wedding ring).

I replied that I did have a nun in my family (the truth).

http://www.vincentiansrspgh.org/

What's on My Desk February 2009

Book of Happy Endings by Elise Valmorbida. Adult nonfiction. DONE.
I checked this one out because of the title. I thought I needed to read a happy book - not a murder, rape, etc. book.

I recommend this book. If it has been a while since you have read a Chicken Soup for the Soul kind of book, then it is time to pick this one up. The author has interviewed a large number of people and asked them to tell of their romantic happy ending. These are realistic romantic endings, where one dies of old age and the other carries on, or they are parted by war, then years later reunite, etc.

She has added some photographs which don't seem to have anything to do with the book, except that maybe they are sort of romantic.

The author says she is an Italian who grew up in Australia and lives in London. Her stories are from all over the world. I think I caught some inaccuracies in regional spelling and speech, such as the American writing Mr Jones instead of Mr. Jones (with the period), and saying she retired to bed (what American talks like this? I think the British do, though) but these are forgivable.

This is a clean book that can be shared with a teenage daughter or elderly relative. There is one story of homosexual love (just to warn you) and not every couple marry, but, again, this is not meant to be a Christian book but a contemporary love book.

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Adult fiction. DONE.
Another thumbs up for a good title. This isn't one of those ambiguous Ghost or Cars - type titles.

The author uses a series of (fictional) letters to relate how residents of occupied Guernsey island lived during World War II. It is at times comedic and romantic, but not heavy on the romance. I don't even think the romantic characters ever kiss.

In our book discussion we discussed that some of the story line doesn't go anywhere. We suspect that this is because the author died while writing it and it was finished by her niece.

Maybe there will be a sequel where we find out more about the memorable characters that were created in this book.

I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole and Maxie Chambliss.

Welcome to Your World, Baby by Brooke Shields and Cori Doerrfeld.

DONE.

Children's fiction ages 3-6.

Both of these books are about the positive changes that come when a baby is added to a family that already has one girl. They tell the big sister that she can help by doing things like entertaining the baby and teaching the baby the ABC's and 123's.

When You Were Inside Mommy by Joanna Cole and Maxie Chambliss. Children's Nonfiction, ages 3-6. DONE.

This is a straightforward book about pregnancy and birth. They use the word "womb" but not vagina, which will probably lead children to still wonder how the baby gets out unless they are somehow otherwise informed.

Love the Baby by Steven Layne and Ard Hoyt. Children's Fiction, ages 3-5.
Everyone tells the bunny to "love the baby" but the bunny has to make up his own mind whether to love the baby or not. It is kind of presumptuous to TELL somebody to love another. I wouldn't think that a parent who thought this out would do this to his or her child, but some probably do.

Disney the Little Mermaid Ariel's Beginning. Children's Fiction, ages 5-7.

This is an okay book, but it makes more sense if you have seen the movie. DONE.

Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing! by Patricia Hubbell, Megan Halsey, and Sean Addy Children's Fiction, ages 4-6. DONE.

Classic advertising images and stereotypical thoughts about trains blend together in these collage pages about different kinds of trains through the years.

Blue's Sniffly Day. Children's Fiction ages 3-5.

Blue from Blue's Clues has a cold and her friends make her soup and a get well card. Cute.

Disney Pixar Wall-E Smash Trash! Children's Fiction ages 4-6.

The lettering and words are very simple, making this a good read-on-your-own book for a young reader.

Cross country : fifteen years and ninety thousand miles on the roads and interstates of America with Lewis and Clark, a lot of bad motels, a moving van, Emily Post, Jack Kerouac, my wife, my mother-in law, two kids, and enough coffee to kill an elephant by Robert Sullivan. Adult nonfiction. DID NOT FINISH. I read until about page 50.

The author drones on about how his family is like Lewis and Clark and how they are NOT like Lewis and Clark, but does not make it very interesting. I get the impression I wouldn't want to be stuck in the car with him for miles on end. Read Bill Bryson or Tom Bodett instead. Even better, listen to their books on tape.

Librarians and Girl Scouts

Is there an intrinsic link between library staff and Girl Scouts? In the large library where I work, I think about one out of every 10 or so employees is pushing the Girl Scout cookies this month. It seems like the Boy Scout popcorn sales were only about 1 in every 20-25 employees.

My former library director was also a Girl Scout leader and mother of Girl Scouts.

What a wholesome image - librarians and Girl Scouts!

I wonder what percentage of female librarians were Girl Scouts and what percentage of male librarians were Boy Scouts?

I know that in many towns, like Rock Creek, Ohio, the library and Boy or Girl Scout buildings are right next to each other or the Scouts meet at the library.

http://www.girlscouts.org/

http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_326004941.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/02/04/girl.scout.cookie.ethics/index.html

p.s. The library mistress was not a Girl Scout, but she certainly respects and admires them.

Boys of Steel: The Pride of Glenville

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman and Ross MacDonald. Children's Nonfiction, 3rd grade to adult (more like a graphic novel).

What nerdy kid doesn't dream of being strong, good-looking, invincible, and good with the girls? Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were no different. These two boys from the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland created Superman 70 years ago. And he is still going strong.

This book has excellent retro graphics as are appropriate and the text puts the reader in the shoes of these hopeful youngsters who are marketing their Superman product.

If you have a budding artist or writer in your family, this would be a good gift book.

What's on My Desk January 2009

Veil of Gold by Kim Wilkins. Adult Fantasy Fiction. DONE.
Wilkins ties in traditional Russian folk lore with a contemporary story about people who are thrust into the magical Russian alternate world of old. She weaves historical figures like Rasputin and Anastasia and folk characters like Baba Yaga in with a modern film maker, a historian, and a Russian Canadian secretary. I found this to be very enjoyable and I was not familiar with any of the Russian folk lore except for Baba Yaga, so that was all original. There are two brief sex scenes, but they aren't particularly graphic and they make sense from the folk lore and plot point.

Once Upon a Time: A Treasury of Modern Fairy Tales edited by Lester Del Rey and Risa Kessler. Adult Fantasy Short Stories. DONE.
This is another pleasant escapist book. By modern they just mean recently written, not set in contemporary times. Here I am using the word Adult to mean written for adults. There is nothing pornographic here and it isn't particularly violent and is pretty much non-offensive. Teens and children older than 9 or so could also enjoy this book. Like other anthologies, say Legends edited by Robert Silverberg, this book may introduce readers to authors they would like to further read. This is a good marketing tactic by Del Rey.

Pawn by Steven James. Adult Fiction. DONE.

This book came recommended to me by a coworker. She said it was a crime/murder book, but had no sex and little or no profanity. It is also published by Revell Books, a Christian publisher.

Well...yes that is right but it was a VERY violent and disturbing book because it tells the story from the mind of the serial killer and the police officer trying to catch him. Now I understand that some people like this sort of thing, but I don't because I really don't want to ever think like a killer!

I was going to have some ladies read it for a book discussion, but now I am not.

I just finished reading it and it is way too gory to recommend for a Christian group to read. After the first few bloody pages I didn't want to read more, but I thought I had better, since I already had it listed for the book discussion. It is well written which is why it came recommended, and it is published by a Christian publisher (Revell, a division of Baker), but it is really violent and it tries to put you in the mind of the murderer. Baker's website says:
About Baker Books
Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. We publish titles for lay Christians on topics such as discipleship, spirituality, encouragement, relationships, marriage, parenting, and the intersection of Christianity and culture. We also publish books and ministry resources for pastors and church leaders, concentrating on topics such as preaching, worship, pastoral ministries, counseling, and leadership.
I don't know how this book would fit in to their criteria. There is a very brief discussion about God, but it is not emphasized.
Certainly, if you wish to read this book you can and I won't think any less of you, but personally I don't want to read more books like this because it leaves me feeling dirty. (Yes, we did read Kite Runner which had equally gory parts, and the Shack, which had a murder, so I know I am being somewhat hypocritical here).

Philippians 4:8 TNIV
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Personally, I don't really care what is in the mind of a murderer because I don't want to think that way, but, again, I certainly don't want to say that others can't read this book. Don't let me be accused of book banning, I just want to warn you this is not a Murder She Wrote kind of nice crime book.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. Adult Nonfiction.

Am I a glutton for punishment or what? I already said I don't like murder books and here I am reading another. There are two reasons for this:

1. Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints people are interesting to me and this is what it is about. After the April 2008 government seizure of the compound in Eldorado, Texas I thought I would like to know more about fundamentalist Mormons.

2. I think that Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild is one of the best books I have ever read and I wanted to read another of his books. I have read some of his short nonfiction in some magazines as well.

3. It isn't imagined horror, but real crime and Krakauer isn't into bloody details but motivation and understanding. So far it focuses on history and what they think, with just a brief mention of a double murder.

Thief Queen's Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon. Children's Fantasy Fiction.

I enjoyed the last Ven Polypheme book and so did my husband, so I was looking forward to reading this one.

DONE.

This is a great series with all the elements I look for in a fantasy book. My favorite fantasy books feature groups of characters sent on a quest. In this case, Ven is asked by the king to investigate the origin of a glowing stone. To do so, he sets off with his companions into the den of thieves.

The author even includes a discussion guide and information for teachers who want to include it in a curriculum.

Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. Adult Nonfiction/Memoir. DONE.

This is a nice book written for a nice audience by a nice person. It is pleasant and, at times, humorous, in a home way like James Herriot's books or Skipping Village (see previous blog on Skipping Village). There are no murders in this memoir (but one eccentric old lady dies of natural causes).

Although Haven grew up fairly poor and her parents were not so great parents, an optimism presides throughout the book. One could compare and contrast to The Glass Castle. Haven's dad is a drunk and a gambler and her mom is a depressed couch potato, but everything turns out okay in the end and Haven doesn't seem to mind too much with her spirit of curiosity prevailing.