The library welcomes our new patron! lol

A few weeks ago I mentioned a few apps available for iPads and iPhones and now Kirkus Reviews has a new section on iPad reads for kids. We're such trendstters here at Rockville Centre Public Library! One of the first five iPad book apps they reviewed was Popout! The Tale of Peter Rabbit which I already mentioned. Here are the other four they gave starred reviews and a little of what Kirkus had to say:
Alice for the iPad - "a powerful demonstration of the iPad's storytelling potential."
Bartleby's Book of Buttons Volume 1: The Far Away Island - "remarkably different in look, tone and structure from most story apps, a true original."
Green Eggs and Ham - "tap-to-speak words are playfully read and are optional, as are sound effects."
Teddy's Day - "it rewards patient readers while still providing a cozy tale for those who want to speed through."

I just finished a wonderful historical fiction novel called Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez about four slave women/mistresses who accompany their masters to a resort in the free state of Ohio in the mid-1850s - imagine The Help goes on vacation.

Other titles I can recommend in the genre include The Kitchen House, Someone Knows My Name (loved) and the just released Clara and Mr. Tiffany.

If you're a fan of historical fiction and always on the look-out for reading suggestions, I discovered a blog called Historical Tapestry written by a group of readers who love historical fiction set in all eras. They have a fun reading challenge you can participate in to rate your reading level from Severe Bookaholism to Out of My Comfort Zone.

Hope you find a gem or two in this interesting blog.

The Notable Books Council of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, has announced its selections for the 2011 Notable Books List.

Since 1944, the goal of the Notable Books Council has been to make available to the nation's readers a list of about 25 very good, very readable and at times very important fiction, nonfiction and poetry books for the adult reader.

The 2011 winners in the fiction category are:

Nashville Chrome by Rick Bass
This lovely and unsettling account of pop trio The Browns reels you in as though the concept of rags to riches were brand new.

Room by Emma Donoghue
Five-year-old Jack vividly narrates the story of his life confined in a room with his mother in this unsettling exploration of resilience and hope.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
A'70s punk band becomes the touchstone for a motley crew who spin their interconnected stories over time and distance.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
Two men - one black, one white - must confront the secrets surrounding their childhood friendship following the disappearance of two girls in rural Mississippi.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
This incisive portrait of the fractured Berglund brood captures the zeitgeist of contemporary America.

Next by James Hynes
Welcome to the worst day of Kevin Quinn's life as he battles the anxieties of the modern world in steamy Austin, Texas.

The Surrendered by Chang Rae Lee
The complex entangled lives of three people forever scarred by the Korean War are sympathetically portrayed in gorgeous prose.

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
An ambitious and idealistic American Marine faces the horror, heroism, futility, and pragmatism of war in this visceral portrayal of life in-country.

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
A young clerk attempts to establish himself in the artificial and intense world of Dejima, the Dutch trading colony in 1800s Japan.

Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
Filled warmth and humor, this coming-of-age novel set in a Dublin boys schools is a sprawling homage to adolescence, string theory, donuts, and unrequited love.

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
The adrenaline high that danger offers infects photojournalist Helen Adams as she documents the war in Vietnam.

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
In this big-hearted novel, Golden Richards and his clan navigate their chaotic lives as each clamors to be noticed.

Stay tuned for the Non-Fiction picks later this month ...

So fellow monsters...i am going to check out this urban fantasy and hopes it has bite!

Once again, it's my turn to chose the next book for my personal book club and, even though I'm a librarian, the pressure is on to find a great read. I have to say that my suggestions are usually well received but I'll admit to choosing a clinker or two in my ten year tenure with the group.

As I'm always on the look-out for books that have both appeal and substance, I thought I'd share this list of book club picks from Lynn Neary of NPR. Based on her suggestions, my group is going to read Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez in February.

Hope this helps with your next selection.

Today the winners of the Caldecott and Newbery Awards were announced at the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference. Here are the winners of those prestigious awards:
John Newbery Medal Winner:
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Honor Books:
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Honor Books:
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave illustrated by Bryan Collier
Interrupting Chicken illustrated by David Ezra Stein

And a sampling of some of the winners of a slew of other awards:

Robert F. Sibert (nonfiction/informational books)
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery

Coretta Scott King (communicate the African American experience)
One Crazy Summer and Dave the Potter

Michael L. Printz (teen books)
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Theodor Seuss Geisel (beginning readers)
Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile

For a complete list visit the ALA website, and get an explanation of what each award highlights.

take it from me...the game is for lovers of Starcraft!

the saga between Raynor and Kerrigan (Queen of Blades) continues...

The New York Times, NPR, Oprah, etc. have their 'best of'
book lists for 2010 and we do too. The following were our favorite reads last year:

Amy, Adult Librarian - Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
Connie, Circulation Clerk - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Maureen, Library Director - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Ellen, Adult Librarian - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell
Jen, Children's Librarian - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
MIchelle, Circulation Clerk - To the End of the Land by David Grossman
Alene, Adult Librarian - Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Liz, Librarian Trainee - The Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire & The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) by Stieg Larsson
Eileen, Adult Librarian - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Roe, Circulation Clerk - The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer
Tricia, Adult Librarian - The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen
Ellen B., Head of Adult Reference - Body Surfing by Anita Shreve
Marlene, Circulation Clerk - We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Terry, Head of Youth Services - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Kathy, Sr. Account Clerk - The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
Camille, Circulation Clerk - Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
Mike, Adult Librarian - Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
Jean, Circulation Clerk - Ten Green Bottles by Vivian Jeanette Kaplan
Erin, YA./Children's Librarian - Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
Ruth, Principal Library Clerk - The Confession by John Grisham

Have you ever read Christoph Niemann's column in the New York Times, Abstract City? If not, I'm about to introduce you to a little gem that can charm both kids and adults. I first discovered Niemann when a friend sent a link to his column "I LEGO NY." And now I check back in regularly to see what new topic he has covered in his distinctly whimsical and funny way. He has also written a great children's book called Subway that came out in 2010.

Check out this picture from a recent column about the "goblins" that continually sabotage our attempts at keeping a clean home.

Ever wonder how a book cover comes to be? Check out artist Hugh D'Andrade as he explains the evolution of the cover to A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. And while you're at it, check out Adam's website too. He's funny and a second grade teacher from Brooklyn who really seems to get kids.