The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson is the latest in a slew of teen books to be made into a movie.

"Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she's still recovering from the accident that caused it. Her parents show her movies of her life...is she really the same girl she sees on the screen? Little by little Jenna begins to remember. But along with memories come questions-questions no one wants to answer for her. What really happened after the accident?"

Check out the trailer

More about the book & here: http://www.theadorationofjennafox.com/

Did you miss the article in the New York Times last Friday titled, Volumes to Go Before You Die ? To cut to the chase, here is the list of the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die according to 105 English critics, editors and academics. Why not see how many you have read and get some ideas for your next read.

Here's hoping you have a nice long life with time to read every book on the list.

In the novel's cyberpunk and bleak world, human personalities can be stored digitally and downloaded into new bodies, called sleeves. Most people have stacks in their spinal columns that store their memories. If their body dies, their stack can be stored indefinitely.

The protagonist Takeshi Kovacs was an Envoy, a member of a military unit formed to cope with the challenge of interstellar warfare. Faster-than-light travel is only possible by transmitting a digitally stored consciousness across space into a new sleeve.

Now he is a mercenary digitally transfered to earth to solve the murder of a powerful businessman.

Did you know that there is a website that tracks specific dollar bills to see where they've been spent and what condition they're in. I had no idea such a thing existed until I got a dollar bill at the library that looked like this:

I went to Where'sGeorge.com and so far my dollar was first registered in Maryland and then I put in my tracking information. There is a list called George's Top 10 which shows the bills that have been tracked the most. One bill has been in Alaska, Canada and Hawaii -- it's more well traveled then I am! You can even continue to track your bill after you've spent it by registering on the website. I think I'll spend my dollar on coffee -- so look for it around Rockville Centre, and if you find it be sure to enter it on the website!
If you are going abroard be sure to check the links sections of Where'sGeorge.com and you can track euros, pounds and even rubles.

The Board of Trustees and staff of the Library wish to thank you for your continued support in approving the 2008/2009 Library budget. Congratulations to Trustee Bill Murray who has been re-elected to the Board of Trustees.

The coming year promises to be filled with new and exciting ideas, programs and offerings.

I have to tell you that I find out the most interesting information while talking with our patrons at the reference desk. Today, a woman came in to reserve The Lottery by Patricia Wood. When I asked her how she found out about that particular book she told me about this great article in the June issue of Real Simple magazine. Ten top-selling authors share their favorite lazy-summer-day reads. Check out what Augusten Burroughs, Jackie Collins, Nelson DeMille, Janet Evanovich, Elizabeth Gilbert, Philippa Gregory, Sophie Kinsella, James Patterson, Jodi Picoult and Danielle Steel recommend for 1-day reads, books for a long-weekend (this one!), books to savor all summer and books to dip into and out of.

Thanks Real Simple, you just made reading a bit easier for us this holiday weekend.

As the weather gets warmer and spring is in the air, there is nothing better then putting on a cute outfit and having a very civilized afternoon tea. It's a very special treat for any of the little girls in your life. So crack open a copy of Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk and then visit one of these delightful places. This is for all the girlie-girls out there -- so get out your frilly hats and stick out that pinky finger:
Lady Anne's Vintage Tea Room - Levittown - I haven't been here myself, but have heard it's very cute and affordable. Plus it's one of the few tea houses right here in Nassau County.
Polo Restaurant at the Garden City Hotel - On the pricier end of afternoons teas at $50, save this one for a very posh occasion.
American Girl Place - New York City - For $20, afternoon tea is probably one of the cheapest things you can do at the American Girl store/palace. And it comes with a real live harpist -- I thought I'd have to wait until heaven for that! The food, including Kit's garden party sandwiches and Samantha's fruit tartlets, is quite good.
Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel - New York City - You could say I saved the best for last. I recently went to the Carlyle for afternoon tea and it was wonderful. The service was incredibly gracious, the food was delicious and abundant and the live entertainment, Tina de Varon (who you might have seen in concert at the library), was enaging. The bill averages to about $40 a person and it is well worth it. Everything down to the napkins is emblazoned with that famous Ludwig Bemelmans character -- Madeline. And you can search out her image in the murals lining the bar's walls. If this is any indication of the Bemelmans Bar's elegance -- I spotted Vera Wang eating there. Here's a secret -- if your child's name is Madeline she eats for free!

Monday night is the Gossip Girl season finale on the CW. It can seem like a long summer without our favorite TV shows. In the meantime come in to the Library and check out the Gossip Girl books by Cecily von Ziegesar. The show is based on this series and they'll make a great beach read!

A colleague (thank you Amy) recently shared a website for anyone interested in Reader's Advisory. BookBrowse recommends the best recently published books and provides you with everything you need to decide which reads are right for you - so you can browse the best and ignore the rest!

FYI - You don't have to become a member to use a majority of this site.

Happy Reading!

Our Sunday Afternoon Concert Series concludes for the season on May 18 at 2 pm with chamber music provided by the East Bay Chamber Players featuring Paul Baer on piano, Hiroko Nakahura on the violin and Amy Camus on the cello. This extra-ordinarily talented trio will play works by Brahms and Beethoven. Make arrangements to attend this not-to-be-missed event.

The Electric Company is coming back to PBS in 2009. The original show ended in 1977 and featured famous faces like Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno. The new version will be a weekly series, unlike the old one which was daily. For those of you too young to remember (myself included) The Electric Company was a bit like Sesame Street for older kids -- stressing literacy, healthy eating and such in a fun, clever and hip show. Check out the recent New York Times article for more details.

The next meeting of the teen Mother Daughter Book Club will be Monday, May 19 @ 7:30. This time we'll be meeting up @ the RVC Starbucks to discuss The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Join us for a cup of coffee and a chat about this powerful book.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

The Mystery Writers of America announced the winners of the 2008 Edgar Awards last week. The winner for Best Novel was Down River by John Hart -- A black sheep's homecoming triggers violence, murder and much sensual heat.

To see a complete listing of all the winners, check out the MWA website.

Last week at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Carle Place, the winners of the 4th Annual Essay contest, sponsored by the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Nassau County Library Association, attended a reception honoring this year's winners. Once again, the Rockville Centre Library was well represented with 2 of the 6 winning essays written by RVC residents. Congratulations to Margaret (Meg) Schneider (13 to 17 age category) and Virginia Thorp (18+ category).

The winners each received a Barnes & Noble gift card for their essays answering the following question: "How has the Computer impacted your Freedom to Read?" The essays were read aloud by their authors before a very appreciative audience.

Way to go ladies!

I saw the Iron Movie friday night and it was great!!! Robert Downey Jr. was perfect for the role of Tony Stark. The special effects were done very well! Three cheers for the Iron Man Movie!!

We have a lot of new paperback series arriving at the library. Already out are books based on the Hannah Montana television series, but also coming soon are Camp Confidential, The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes and Rotten School. I'm most looking forward to reading The Day My Butt Went Psycho by Australian author Andy Griffiths -- with a title like that how could this book be bad?! This trilogy also includes Zombie Butts from Uranus! and Butt Wars! The Final Conflict. Andy also has a funny website about all his books that "delight, amuse and disgust the whole family."

For all you fans of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, get ready to see it at a theatre near you at the end of '08. Though it's not being released until December check out the behind the scenes clips @ MTV Overdrive: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1585900&vid=224215
Read up on the cast members and more: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1099212/

If you haven't read it yet - we've got copies here. The series continues with New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn (coming in August). We can't wait!