Book Review: "Shadowland"

Shadowland (The Mediator #1)

by Meg Cabot

Goodreads Summary: Suze is a mediator-a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations. But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind, and Suze happens to be in the way.

Review: Even though Meg Cabot is a big author, this was actually the first book I've read by her, and I was pleasantly surprised.  The premise isn't very original, but I liked what she did with the characters and the direction of the series.  Suze is your typical sassy heroine and I enjoyed reading about her adventures.  While I wish there was more character development, it was still a fun and fast read, and I'm glad I finally gave it a chance.

Rating: 3/5

Additional Notes: To be honest, I would never in a million years have picked this off the shelf at the library.  I actually found this book while trying to find something to read off of Overdrive for my Kindle.  And in the process, I found a new series that I think I'm going to really enjoy reading!  This was the first new book that I read on my Kindle, so I have a few thoughts about reading on a Kindle now.

The biggest disadvantage of a Kindle vs. a print book is that I tend to read fast and skim details, and so when the time comes that I need to recall a detail, I found it a lot harder to find that detail.  With a physical book, I could go through easily to find the page I'm looking for, but it's much harder to do so with a Kindle.  The biggest advantage, however, was the fact that Kindle stops me from flipping ahead.  It's a really bad habit of mine, especially since I spend more time reading ahead than I do reading the actual book.  It seems like I'll be finishing books faster now that I've stopped reading ahead (which means being able to read more books!).

Would YOU check this book out?

 Check out what I found in my library (click the picture to enlarge it)!  True story folks, I found this book still circulating in the stacks a couple of weeks ago.  Not only does the cover make me want to giggle every time I look at it (yes, yes, I'm judging a book based on its cover, but seriously...would YOU want to check this book out?), this book was published in 1985!  It's as old as I am!

For more hilarious, outdated library books, check out Awful Library Books.  And for anyone who is wondering, yes, I weeded that book out of our collection.

Kindle!

Santa (or, rather, my husband) bought me a Kindle for Christmas! 

I'm what you call a "late adopter" when it came to e-readers.  I thought they were silly and there was no need for them; I mean, c'mon, what is better than having an actual book in your hand?  And then you add in the fact that I work in a library.  Why would I want to buy books when I can borrow them for free?  E-readers were pricey, the selection from Overdrive (the digital public library) wasn't great, and you couldn't download books onto the Kindle.  But then, long story short, Amazon lowered their Kindle price, allowed Overdrive books to be downloaded to the Kindle earlier this year, and I re-discovered NetGalley, a website that allows me, as a librarian, to request digital galleys of upcoming books.  After intense debating, I finally decided that I do want an e-reader, and my husband happily obliged! 

I played with it a bit yesterday, and it is extremely easy to download books from Overdrive - I think it's even easier than downloading books onto your computer or any other e-reader (except for maybe the iPad).  I was very impressed!  If you have a Kindle and your library has Overdrive, you should check it out.  Well, I should say that if you have any e-reader, you should check it out - it's easy for the Kindle, but it's not that much harder for the other devices.  The selection has also gotten much better recently, and even though you might have to wait a bit for popular books, it's no different from getting them from your library.

For those of you who might still be reluctant, I also realized yesterday that just because I have a Kindle now doesn't mean it has to replace printed books.  I'll still check out library books and buy books that I love.  The Kindle just makes it easier to borrow books that I might not otherwise check out, or get titles that have a huge waiting list or aren't available in print in the library.  It's also extremely convenient, and if you're like me and like to read ahead in books (bad habit!  I know!), the Kindle prevents that.  I'm extremely happy with the present!

Craft Idea: Recycled Card Ornaments

 
Brought to you by Martha Stewart crafts!  Here's the link to the instructions.  I've only done the globe ornament (pictured in the upper left), but all the ornaments seem like easy and fun projects you can do with old Christmas cards.  Or you could let the kids decorate a blank piece of cardstock and use that for the decorations.  Either way, lots of fun!

Book Review: "True...(sort of)"

True...(sort of)

by Katherine Hannigan

Goodreads Summary: True: Delly Pattison likes surpresents (presents that are a surprise). The day the Boyds come to town, Delly's sure a special surpresent is on its way. But lately, everything that she thinks will be good and fun turns into trouble. She's never needed a surpresent more than now.

True: Brud Kinney wants to play basketball like nothing anybody's ever seen. When the Boyds arrive, though, Brud meets someone who plays like nothing he's ever seen.

True: Ferris Boyd isn't like anyone Delly or Brud have ever met. Ferris is a real mysturiosity (an extremely curious mystery).

True: Katherine Hannigan's first novel since her acclaimed Ida B is a compelling look at the ways friendships and truths are discovered.

It's all true ( . . . sort of).

Review: This was an absolutely delightful book that I thought dealt very well with mature issues for kids. A fast, easy read that was also very touching, it showed the redemptive nature of friendships.  I've been seeing this book on many mock Newbery lists, and it certainly has a chance at getting either the Newbery or Newbery Honor award.  However, the only gripe I have about the book is that there was not enough adult interaction, which it needed (unfortunately, I can't say too much without spoiling anything).  But this is definitely worth your time.  You'll fall in love with mischievous Delly and her Dellyictionary (a dictionary of words invented by Delly)!

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: "The Next Always"

The Next Always (Inn Boonsboro #1)

by Nora Roberts

Goodreads Summary:  The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen.

Review: I have always been a sucker for romances, and really, no one does romances better than Nora Roberts.  In my opinion, her best books are the ones about the relationships and strong bonds that tie family and friends together.  While all her books highlight those connections, the ones that make it a focus have always been my favorite, and so I was very excited to see her doing the same with her new series.

However, it's not without its flaws.  Like with many of Roberts' books, it suffered from the same mold of characters that you see in almost every book of hers.  The villain was the usual you-love-to-hate-him type, and the main characters were kind of bland.  I was also surprised to see that the mother of the main trio of brothers had a smaller role than I thought she would.  On the plus side, you can tell that Roberts has meticulously researched the work it takes for a contractors to rebuild an old house.  I, for one, really enjoy the little details that highlight the careers that are the focus in her books.

Reading over my review, it sounds like I didn't particularly care for it, but that's not really true.  With a Nora Roberts book, you always know what you're getting.  It's reliable in a way that, even though it's not very exciting, it's familiar, and therefore enjoyable.  Throw in a couple of cold, rainy days, hot cocoa/cider, and a blanket, I was happy as a clam while reading this book. 

Rating: 3/5 - while kind of boring and reuses old character types, I still had fun reading it.

Craft Idea: Make Your Own Gift Bows

Here's the DIY gift bow project I promised in my last post.  Like the bag craft, it's easy, cheap, and you can use it for gifting purposes!

Here's the link to the tutorial.  The original craft uses recycled yellow pages, which gives it a pretty cool look, but I've made them with magazine pages before.  I'm sure you could also make it with any paper, as long as it is not too heavy.  Happy crafting!

Craft Idea: Make Your Own Gift Bag

Looking for something to entertain the kids?  This is easy and cheap, AND you can use it for gift wrapping purposes this season! 

Make your own gift bag!  Here's the tutorial that will show you step by step how to make this bag.  The best part about this is how easy it is to customize your bag.  The tutorial uses newspapers, but you can really use almost anything as long as it is large enough (butcher paper, wrapping paper, etc.).  Also, you can experiment with different sizes by changing the measurements quite easily.

In the next day or two, I'm going to post another tutorial that shows you how to make your own bows, which should complement this craft pretty well.

Book Review: "The Gray Wolf Throne"

The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3)

 by Cinda Williams Chima

Goodreads Summary: Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana ’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells...(more).

Review:  This is the third book in the Seven Realm series, which will have a total of four books.  It picks up about a month after the second book ends, and is truly a well written, epic fantasy adventure, similar to such books as Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. Even though it is categorized as teen fiction, it doesn't make it any less rewarding to read (each of the three books so far are 500+ pages long!).  The book moves fairly slowly like the first two books, but I felt that many of the flaws that I found previously were not an issue in this book.  As with the previous books, this one was rich in character and plot development.  The main two protagonists, Raisa and Han, are worth rooting for, and the rest of the characters are intriguing and complex.  Once again, I enjoyed how Chima has blurred the lines between good and evil in the characters.  Each character has their own agenda, whether or not they're on the same side.  The political intrigue played more of a prominent role in this book than the last two, and while I usually don't enjoy such books, Chima did a wonderful job in balancing it with action and romance so that the reader doesn't get bored. I am very much looking forward to the next, and last, book of the series, which doesn't come out until fall 2012. 

Rating: 4/5

Storytime Book: "Llama Llama Holiday Drama"

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

by Anna Dewdney

Goodreads Summary: If there's one thing Llama Llama doesn't like, it's waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree . . . but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can't wait any more! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that "Gifts are nice, but there's another: The true gift is, we have each other."

Thoughts:  Another adorable book in the Llama Llama series!  A great book for kids (and adults!) who can sometimes forget the true meaning of the holidays amidst all the hustle and bustle.  One of my favorite parts about this book is that it doesn't name "Christmas" specifically, and instead uses the word "holiday" so that it could be appropriate for anyone.  This book probably wouldn't work for baby storytime (a little bit too wordy), and but the rhyme and repetition makes it great for a toddler or preschool storytime.

Kirkus Reviews: Best Teen Books of 2011

Do you enjoy reading teen fiction?  Are you looking for something new to read?  Take a look at the best teen books as deemed by Kirkus Reviews.  I've put about eight more books on my to-read list after a coworker sent an email about the list!  If teen fiction isn't your fancy, there are also lists for best adult fiction and best children's books.  Happy reading!

Book Review: "Beauty and the Werewolf"

Beauty and the Werewolf

by Mercedes Lackey

 

Summary: The eldest daughter is often doomed in fairy tales. But Bella— Isabella Beauchamps, daughter of a wealthy merchant—vows to escape the usual pitfalls.  Anxious to avoid the Traditional path, Bella dons a red cloak and ventures into the forbidden forest to consult with "Granny," the local wisewoman.  But on the way home she's attacked by a wolf—who turns out to be a cursed nobleman! Secluded in his castle, Bella is torn between her family and this strange man who creates marvelous inventions and makes her laugh—when he isn't howling at the moon.  Breaking spells is never easy. But a determined beauty, a wizard (after all, he's only an occasional werewolf) and a little godmotherly interference might just be able to bring about a happy ending...

Review: I think if I hadn't read the first few books of Mercedes Lackey's Five Hundred Kingdom series, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. Unfortunately, for me, the latest installment in her series was quite disappointing. I'll start out with what I did like: the combination of the tales "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Beauty and the Beast", the reappearance of Godmother Elena (from the first book), and the plucky but slightly manipulative Bella. Here's what I didn't like: the fact that the villain was apparent from the beginning, yet supposedly neither Bella nor the Godmother was able to figure it out until the ending, the uninspired characterization of Sebastian (he was so dull!), and the lackluster romance that developed between Sebastian and Bella (it was probably the most boring romance that I've read in a while).  Overall, I felt that the book wasn't very exciting at all, and while Bella was spunky, she wasn't enough to make up for the rest of the book.

Rating: 2.5/5

Thanksgiving Day Songs

I found these too late to use for my storytime this year, but hopefully I'll remember them in time to use them next year!  Here are some fun songs for Thanksgiving that you can use in storytime or to just sing to your child:

Albuquerque Turkey

(to the tune of Clementine)

Albuquerque, he's my turkey

And he's feathered and he's fine

And he wobbles and he gobbles

And I'm awfully glad he's mine.

He's the best pet you could ever get

Better than a cat or dog

Albuquerque, he's my turkey

And I'm awfully glad of that.

Albuquerque, he's my turkey

He's so cozy in his bed

'Cuz for our Thanksgiving dinner

We had scrambled eggs instead!

I'm a Little Turkey

(to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot)

 

I'm a little turkey,

My name is Ted.

Here are my feathers,

Here is my head.

Gobble, gobble, gobble

Is what I say,

Quick! Run!  It's Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving Dinner

(to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Turkey dinner, turkey dinner

Gather 'round, gather 'round

Who will get the drumstick?

Yummy yummy drumstick,

All sit down, all sit down.

Cornbread muffins, chestnut stuffing,

Puddin' pie, one foot high,

All of us were thinner,

Until we came to dinner,

Me oh my! Me oh my!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Storytime Book: "Thanksgiving Cats"

Thanksgiving Cats

by Jean Marzollo

Summary: A family of cats celebrate Thanksgiving by growing lots of vegetables, raising turkeys, making pies, preparing a feast, giving thanks and enjoying the holiday meal.

Thoughts: I used this for my baby storytime yesterday because the book I had planned to use (Thank You, Thanksgiving) was checked out.  It was simple enough to use for the babies, but it was rather uninspiring.  The rhyming pattern didn't seem to flow very well, and it was hard to make the book exciting.  It worked well enough to use as a backup book, but I probably wouldn't use it again unless I had to.  

Craft Idea: Turkey Bookmarks

If you're looking for a last minute craft idea to keep the kids occupied while making dinner, try having them make a turkey page corner bookmark! It's relatively simple, cute, and serves as a bookmark for all their reading needs.

I adapted the monster page corner bookmark from this blog.  It's the same idea, except instead of teeth, I added feathers and a triangle for the beak.  Here's a template from the blog that will allow you to make the body of the turkey (ignore the teeth and body insert if you want).  For the beak, I actually used one triangle from the monster teeth, and I drew my own template for the feathers.  I'm not sure if this is scaled to the right size, but here's my template that I adapted from the original to make the bookmarks.  I used this as a craft for an after school program at the library for older kids, and they had a blast making them.  I hope you do too!

 

Storytime Book: "Dogs"

Dogs

by Emily Gravett

Summary: Canines of every shape, size, and color are bounding through this irresistible book from renowned author and illustrator Emily Gravett! Can you choose one dog to love best of all? With delightfully playful pencil and watercolor illustrations, readers will long to bark along with the Chihuahua and tickle the Dalmatian’s tummy. The juxtaposition of large and small dogs will teach children about opposites, and the twist at the tail end will leave everyone laughing!

Thoughts: I might be a bit biased because I already loved Emily Gravett, but "Dogs" is a wonderfully, delightful book.  Not only are the pictures beautiful, but there is some great vocabulary in the book for babies and toddlers.  I tried this very simple story during my baby storytime last week, and it was a hit in both sessions (in fact, a mom asked to check it out because her daughter absolutely loves dogs!).  The book is probably too simple for older kids but it's perfect for the younger ones.

Storytime Book: "Thank You, Thanksgiving"

Thank You, Thanksgiving

by David Milgrim

Summary: In this exuberant Thanksgiving story, a little girl goes on a last-minute errand for her mother. Along the way, she thanks all the familiar things she loves: her warm boots, the song of the birds, the pretty clouds in the November sky. And when she gets home from her errand, her family thanks her for what she has brought.

Thoughts: This is a great book for baby/toddler storytime!  The text and pictures are both simple and cute, and convey the great message of giving thanks to everything and everyone during this time of year.  Very sweet and charming!

Book Review: "A Discovery of Witches"

A Discovery of Witches

by Deborah Harkness

Summary: Sometimes scholars should be more careful: Youthful researcher Diana Bishop briefly consults an medieval alchemical manuscript; then, after jotting down a few notes, sends it back to its prison in the stacks. Unfortunately for Diana, her quick dabbling has unleashed a long suppressed curse—and now only she can break the spell. Carefully researched, this debut novel will appeal to fans of historical novel infused with strong paranormal elements.

Review: I waited for three months on the library's waiting list before getting my hands on this book (and before that, I had been monitoring how long the waiting list was for at least six months to see if it would get shorter!).  Because of the wait, I had very high expectations for this book that unfortunately were not all met.  Ultimately, I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed it. I loved the interactions between Diana and Matthew; their romance was very intense and passionate, and the author was able to express that very well. The book is also very smart too, in that it doesn't try to dumb down any of the plot points. The side characters are also all very well described and written; Harkness was able to make them all unique from one another in a way that really brought them to l     I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed it. I loved the interactions between Diana and Matthew; their romance was very intense and passionate, and the author was able to express that very well. The book is also very smart too, in that it doesn't try to dumb down any of the plot points. The side characters are also all very well described and written; Harkness was able to make them all unique from one another in a way that really brought them to life.

On the other hand, however, there were some things about the book that I really did not like. The book really could have been trimmed down from 500 to 400, maybe even 300 pages. While I enjoyed all the details that brought the characters and the world to life, some details and parts of the book seemed extraneous. Also, there were too many plot lines that Harkness was trying to bring together in one book. It was a bit much for an introductory book in a trilogy. Like another reviewer mentioned, I felt that the book would have been much better if Harkness had an editor that helped trimmed off the excess descriptions and side stories.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. I just feel that it could have been better. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 3/5 

Hello, my name is Jennifer and I'm a librarian

Hello world!

So, first things first: who am I?  My name is Jennifer and I'm a Youth Services librarian in a fairly large library somewhere in the Southwest.  What do I do, you ask?  I answer questions in different areas of the library, such as the Youth room, Teen room, and the regular Information desk.  I do programs for kids of all ages, from the tiny ones to the teenagers.  Some of my other duties include maintaining and updating a Parenting collection at my branch to help parents of young children find books in all different topics for parenting.  Recently, I have also helped with an outreach program called Family Read Aloud Nights where we have been going to Title I schools in my area and promoting the services of the library.  It's a great program because not only do we get to share books with families, but we were able to get funds to give each child a free book.

Now, what's the purpose of this blog?  Well, I hope to review books that I read here as well as share good picture books for story times, ideas for programs, and my experiences as a budding librarian!