If you loved Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I know I did), then you'll be happy to know that the next book in the Hunger Games trilogy will be out September 8. Catching Fire will pick up where Hunger Games left off with the third and final installment of this trilogy scheduled for a 2010 release.

If you haven't read Hunger Games, check out an excerpt here . I guarantee you'll want to read the rest!

Ever wonder how our new president honed his magical ability to write and speak so eloquently? It's just like our parents and teachers have always told us, you need to be a lifelong reader and lover of books. Check out this January 19th NYT article, From Books, New President Found Voice to see if you have read any of President Obama's favorite reads.

Watchmen is a graphic novel by Alan Moore. Former crime-fighters are drawn back into action by the murder of a former teammate, which turns out to be the leading edge of a much wider, more disturbing conspiracy. The movie of Watchmen is coming out March 6, 2009.

Congratulations to the 2009 Printz Award books (best YA books as chosen by the American Library Association), which were announced this morning.

And the winner is...(drum roll).... Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

The Printz Honor Books are:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Today is the Chinese or Lunar New Year. It marks the beginning of the year of the Cow or Ox. Be sure to wish everyone "gong xi fa cai" (pronounced: gung hay fat choy; meaning: congratulations and be prosperous). Check out the festivities in Chinatown in New York City and in Flushing, Queens. Since it is traditionally celebrated for 15 days, here are a couple of other fun ways to celebrate Chinese New Year:
Clean your house or your room (not so fun, but Mom and Dad will be happy).
Make some New Year's paintings to put on your front door to keep bad spirits away.
Adults give children candy or money in red envelopes (give only even numbers of candy or money)
Eat mandarin oranges, they are a symbol of wealth and good fortune.
Buy new clothing, shoes and get a hair-cut - they all symbolize a fresh start for the new year.
Buying books during the new year celebration is considered bad luck because the Chinese word for "book" is a homonym for the Chinese word for "lose." (So come to the library instead!)

The secret history of werewolves from Paris to New York.....The Passion! The passion is the change itself from man to werewolf.

After F. Scott Fitzgerald, Long Island's most famous author these days seems to be Nelson DeMille of Garden City. Other authors originally from LI include Jodi Picoult, Alice Hoffmann and Alice McDermot but they left the Island to live in other areas of the country. In case you missed the article on the author of the new novel, The Gate House, check out this NYT article to find out more about him.

Did you know that the first inauguration, George Washington’s, was held in New York City on April 30, 1789? Well, I'll be down in Washington DC for Barack Obama's. I'm hoping to see the parade and if I get some good pictures I'll post them up here in the weeks to come.
Nickelodeon is covering the inauguration for the first time, so look for their correspondents to reporting during commercial breaks from their regular programming.
I'm wondering what the new first daughters, Malia and Sasha will wear. Ever wonder what school is like for the second and fifth grader? Check out the website for their school, Sidwell Friends. Coming soon I'll post some of the books that were on the school's summer reading list in the past. See below for a picture of the Lower School's library.

2008 was a great year for YA books. So many great books came out that we are still trying to catch up! Here is a list of some of our favorites from '08 (in no particular order). Feel free to add more.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Paper Towns by John Green
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Suite Scarlet by Maureen Johnson
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Six Innings by James Preller
I Am Scout: A Biography of Harper Lee by Charles Shields
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger
A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Wolverine from the X-Men comics and the X-Men movies is coming to the big screen with his own movie.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is coming to the screen May 2009. Funny thing is Sabertooth appears to be shorter than Wolverine in this movie unlike the other movies and the comics......Oh Hollywood!

I facilitate the Monday Mysteries Book group here at the library and am always on the look-out for a crime/mystery book for our discussion. I think I found a couple of great mystery/crime titles for future selections from this website ~~The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sounds intriguing to me.

Join us for our next meeting at noon Monday, January 26 to discuss Pride and Prescience (a Mr. & Mrs. Darcy mystery) by Carrie Bebris.

Kids have been asking for this book since the summer and it's finally here: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney is out on January 13. What hijinks will Greg Heffley get into this time?! I can only wonder if the disgusting cheese is finally gone from the playground.
Check out this video of kids sharing their favorite parts of Diary of a Wimpy Kid made by a teacher in Canada. And you can meet Jeff Kinney at the Barnes and Noble store in Carle Place on January 13, wristbands will be handed out at 3 pm that day.

Happy Birthday TAG! The Rockville Centre Library's Teen Advisory Group (TAG) officially turns one year old today. WOOO HOOO! In the past year TAG has sponsored many successful events including movie nights, Plugged/Unplugged, and community service opportunities. The members of TAG are looking forward to another fun year of events! For more info about TAG talk to Miss Erin or Mrs. Ain.

Now that you've given everyone else a gift this holiday season, why not treat yourself to a little quiet time and read one of these Five Books To Give Yourself This Year.

I can't wait to get a hold of American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld as I've heard great things about it from quite a few patrons.

The final installment of the twilight war is out. The main character is the coolest anti-hero in Forgotten Realms. His name Erevis Cale. He is an assassin, chosen of the god of shadows and thieves, his mission is to stop the nefarious scheme of the goddess of darkness.

Just a reminder that Story Time Registration starts for Rockville Centre School District residents on Thursday, January 8. Check out the calendar link on our Kids' Page for more information.