Why I Need My Library

The American Library Association is sponsoring a contest asking you Why You Need Your Library.

If you are interested, you make a short (1-3 minute) video saying "Why I Need My Library"
and you could win $3,000 for your library and a $50 gift card for you.


Find out more about it here.

Calling All Book Club Members

Teenreads.com is having a contest especially for book clubs.

You can enter here for a chance to win enough copies of Sarah Zarr's Once Was Lost for our entire book club (plus a few new members).

Find Out More About the Book Here

Visit the Official Site Here

Help Us Bring E-Book to the Library

Please take a moment to fill out this quick survey and help us bring E-Books to the Booth & Dimock Memorial Library.

Have You Watched Any Good Movies Lately?

There are more and more YA books turning into movies and with the Hunger Games Film having just announced a release date in March 2012 and Beastly coming to theaters this March.

Below are just a few of the movie adaptations that have been made recently and a few that will be coming soon. Do you have a favorite or one that I missed?

Perks of Being a Wallflower...coming in November 2011

I Am Number Four...in theaters February 2011

Harry Potter...the first 6 films are already on DVD the final movie will be in theaters July 2011

Pride & Prejudice...on DVD

Water for Elephants...in theaters February 2011

Flipped...on DVD

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World...on DVD

Mortal Instruments...coming in 2012

The Chronicles of Narnia The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...in theaters now

Gulliver's Travels...in theaters now

Percy Jackson and the Olympians...on DVD

The Twilight Saga...the first three films on DVD

Stop by the Booth & Dimock Memorial Library to check out one of these books or movies.

Vote on which adaptation you liked better, the book or the movie on the big board by the Teen Services Desk.

Don't forget the Academy Awards are at the end of February.

Watch out for the voting for Movie Night on February 24th.

Reading with the Teen Librarian: "Countdown" & "Annexed"

Earlier this month I posted that I would be participating in the YA Historical Fiction Challenge.

So far, I have read two of my proposed 5 books:

Annexed by Sharon Dogar & Countdown by Deborah Wiles

 
My Reviews:

Countdown is told by an eleven year old girl (Franny), wise beyond her years living through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fear of Nuclear War and the rise of Communism. Her Dad is an active member of the Air Force, her uncle a war veteran with obvious post-traumatic stress syndrome, she has an older sister who is keeping secrets, a terrified younger brother and a mother who is trying to hold the family together. The President's announcement of the nuclear threat pushes into all aspects of lives of this family, and yet, the family is expected to continue their daily lives.


I have hear this book called as a Documentary-Novel and it certainly fits. Through Franny's eyes we see how the political climate is affecting her and her family; but, through the pages of photographs, news stories, quotes and song lyrics the reader sees what Franny and her family saw. Through these "extras" the reader is able to experience the 1960s and understand the actions of the characters.

There were parts of Franny's story that I would have like to see developed further, but overall I am very impressed by this book and recommended it to all fans of historical fiction or real-life dramas.

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Annexed is the story of Peter Van Pels the boy in the attic with Anne Frank. We follow Peter as he makes his way to the Annex and as he grows up with a limited number of people in his daily life. We learn how he is encourage to continue his studies while outside other Jews are being sent away and while he grapples with the hope that he one day will be free or the despair that one day he might not be. The annex was of course discovered, and Peter also brings the reader to Auschwitz.

Peter's story is very moving. The characters ultimate fate is already known, but that won't stop readers from routing for their escape and survival and from succumbing to their obvious depression. Above all, this book is a character study of what it must have been like to be locked away, uncertain of your future and those of your friends you left behind.

Have You Seen...the YA Non-Fiction Books?

Who says you can't enjoy reading a non-fiction book?

Try reading about Janis Joplin
or make one of Bakarell'a Cake Pops





There are many new Non-Fiction Books that just arrived. Find them under the Audio-Books at the front of the Teen Zone.

Look for older books interfiled with Adult Non-Fiction.

And of course, if you want a book on a particular subject...
Ask the Teen Librarian. She is happy to help.

Chess Club

This week we had a wonderful first meeting of the Chess Club with UCONN Chess Club Members Tom Hartmayer and Alex Fikiet.

We learned a few of the basics, including Castling and then Alex played against all of the Booth & Dimock Members present. We followed up with an hour of playing against ourselves.

The Booth & Dimock Chess Club will be meeting again on Friday, February 11th from 2:45pm-5:00pm.

Tom and Alex invited anyone who was interested to attend the UCONN Chess Club on Tuesdays at 7:30pm. You can find out more about the UCONN Chess Club here. Alex recommended ChessCube as a great place to play against others online.

Don't forget the Booth & Dimock Memorial Library has some excellent books on the history of Chess and how to play the game.

One of the chess facts learned is that Chess was often used in medieval literature to bring star-crossed lovers such as Lancelot and Guinevere together and was considered a crucial attribute of heroes such as King Arthur.---From the book The Art of Chess by Colleen Schafroth.