Iron Man 3 (PG-13) is a Walt Disney Studio adaptation of Marvel's Iron Man: Extremis by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov. It pits brash but brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

For limited release is What Maisie Knew (R). With newcomer Onata Aprile in the title role, Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård star this family drama, a contemporary re-imagining of the novel by Henry James. It's the story of a captivating little girl's struggle for grace in the midst of her parents' bitter custody battle, navigating the turmoil with a six-year-old's innocence, charm and generosity of spirit.

Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby (PG-13), would-be writer Nick Carraway leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922. In this era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan, and is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich.

Released just in time for summer vacation is the animated Epic (PG), based on The Leaf Man by William Joyce. It tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world…and ours.

Today is Endangered Species Day, so let's raise some awareness about the plight of Earth's endangered animals! We only have one earth and we all have to share it, humans and non-humans alike. Check out these books to learn more about how we can all help out.

Hope for Animals and Their World and Wildlife Heroes are two books about people around the globe who have worked hard (and are still working hard!) to bring back many different species from the brink of extinction. The Atlas of Endangered Species gives good information about all the endangered species from diverse ecosystems like forests, mangroves, and coral reefs. While many people know the plight of the polar bear, the panda, and the elephant, there are species of animals fighting for survival in our very own backyard. Can We Save Them? is a look at the endangered species of North America.

Are you ready to rethink long-standing parenting practices? Author Heather Shumaker has defined 29 "renegade rules" for parenting young children, drawing on her own experience raising two young children as well as the work of child psychologists, educators, and neuroscientists.

Heather Shumaker is the author of It’s OK Not to Share…And Other Renegade Rules for Raising Competent and Compassionate Kids, which was named a Best Parenting Book of 2012 by Parents magazine, and is a northern Michigan bestseller. Salon.com called it "an insightful, sensible and compassionate book full of downright revolutionary ideas."

She is a speaker, journalist, blogger and advocate for free play and no homework for young children. She’s been featured on Fox & Friends TV, Huffington Post, New York Post, Parenting, Parents.com, USA Weekend, Wisconsin Public Radio and other media.

Join us at the Pittsfield Branch at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 21 for Heather Shumaker's talk, and be prepared to change your mind! This event includes a book signing, and copies of It’s OK Not to Share…And Other Renegade Rules for Raising Competent and Compassionate Kids will be available for purchase.

First Position is a documentary about determination and drive. This film follows six young competitors in the very prestigious Youth America Grand Prix. You will sit on the edge of your seat as you watch these dancers pour their heart and soul into ballet. Their passion for the art is evident in their diligence as well as their final dances. For some the competition is about being able to make a career out of dancing and for others it is a way to ensure a good future, but for all of them the competitions represents a chance to have their passion for ballet affirmed and prove that their hard work was worth it.

Even though the young dancers come from very different backgrounds and their ages vary, all of them have families that support their desire to dance. Almost always this means making financial sacrifices and dedicating large amounts of time to driving the dancers to practice. In a few instances the families relocate in order to be closer to a prestigious trainer. One thing that becomes evident is that ballet is not just a hobby for these young people and their families, it is a lifestyle.

This documentary is beautiful and uplifting. I was amazed at the intensity the dancers had and at times cringed at the things they would put their bodies through in order to preform better. One of the nice aspects of the film was that none of the parents seemed too crazy. They did not push their kids to do something they did not want to do but rather worked to support the dreams that their kids already had. The one family that I thought might head in the crazy direction, in the end proved me wrong, allowing their child to quit ballet while his sibling continued on. His mother did cry, but she did not (at least on camera) beg him to continue dancing.

If you like watching ballet you should click here to see what other videos and other materials we have on this beautiful dance. Or perhaps you just like documentaries about people putting their heart and soul into something. If that is you, you’ll want to check out Kings of Pastry.

Dr. Joyce Brothers, whose soft voice, clear explanations, and preference for pastels calmed generations of anxious, questioning Americans, has died.

In 1955, Dr. Brothers was a wife and new mother. Her doctor husband was paid $50 a month as a resident. Looking for a way to pay the bills, Dr. Brothers studied the popular game show The $64,000 Question and realized that the most popular contestants were the ones with the most improbable interests. At 5', with delicate features, Brothers, who had a PhD from Columbia and a near-photographic memory, became a self-taught expert on boxing before becoming a contestant. The result of her astute analysis and hard-charging studying was that, after riveting weeks on the show, she became the first woman to win the big prize.

That national attention led to a multi-pronged media presence as a straight-shooting advice expert. She had several TV shows that bore her name, a call-in radio show, a column in Good Housekeeping magazine, and she enjoyed frequent guest appearances on television. She also authored several books, including the 1981 What Every Woman Should Know about Men.

Dr. Brothers, who was 85, died in Fort Lee, NY of respiratory failure.

If you’ve got a hankering for life on a ranch, then you might enjoy these audiobook tales.

For the youngest cowpokes, there’s Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa, a series of short friendship stories about a young cowgirl and her horse. It's a 2006 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award nominee. The series continues with Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Rain or Shine, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Horse in the House, and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Spring Babies.

Slightly older buckaroos may also enjoy the adventures of Hank the Cowdog, who acts as the Head of Security at his ranch. You can listen to Hank’s hilarious adventures in The Case of the Tender Cheeping Chickies, The Case of the Monkey Burglar, The Case of the Booby-Trapped Pickup, The Case of the Most Ancient Bone, The Case of the Blazing Sky and The Quest for the Great White Quail.

This week is Bike to Work Week, and this Friday May 17th is Bike to Work Day!

Celebrate with Ann Arbor by riding your bike to work and logging it in the commuter challenge. On your way home from work, stop in the library and check out a book about bicycle repair, building your own bicycle, staying safe while bicycling, the joy of bicycling, or a story about bikes to read to a child!

Ann Arbor's Get Downtown program also has a lot of helpful resources for the local biker, such as tips for commuting, maps of bicycle trails and places to park your bike.

For those of you who prefer to celebrate Bike to Work Week outside of downtown Ann Arbor, the library has plenty of books featuring maps of bike trails throughout southeast Michigan and Washtenaw county.

Get ready for some rootin’ tootin’ fun with Reed Gunther: The Bear Riding Cowboy, a “wild” west tale about a goofy bear-riding cowboy that usually means well but manages to make things worse. Lucky for him he is helped by his stalwart bear companion, Sterling, and by Starla, a no-nonsense fearless rancher. In this first installment Reed, Sterling, and Starla must prevent the onslaught of a whistle-stop tour of monsters from California all the way to New York City. To compound their trouble, a malicious circus owner tries to stop Reed so he can collect the monsters for his freak show.

The story is fun and energetic, propelling readers from one thrilling episode to the next. The art is expressive, giving everyone personality and sparkle. Though in some ways this is like watching old 50’s cowboy shows, you’ll not get bored. If this first volume appeals, don’t miss lassoing Reed Gunther: Monsters and Mustaches: Vol. 2.

The Downtown library has a shelf in the Youth Department known as the Parent Shelf. On this shelf you’ll find a variety of parent-child related books on a multitude of topics- including everything from ABCs to tantrums to potty training to home schooling. These books are available for checkout, and can be found in the catalog when searching “parent shelf,” if you’d like to have one sent to a branch of your choice.

One topic that might be of interest is child safety, both in the home and in the community. We’ve got books that cover everything from bike helmets to baby proofing to stranger danger. Check out such titles as:

SafeKids 101: Preparing kids to stay safe at home and in the community

Protecting the gift: keeping children and teenagers safe (and parents sane)

The safe child book: a commonsense approach to protecting children and teaching children to protect themselves

Join us Friday afternoons in May to learn geeky stuff.

Introduction to Linux and the Command Line -- Friday May 10: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Speak to your computer in a language it understands. Learn how to interact with a Linux machine from the command line, navigate the file system, create directories and edit files from the command line, write and invoke scripts, and automate basic tasks. Supplement the class with a Linux bible.

Introduction to Python -- Friday, May 17: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Gain introductory knowledge of Python, a general purpose, high-level programming language, by way of brief lectures about core elements of the language coupled with interactive exercises. Get the kids involved with Python for kids or Hello World!: computer programming.

Introduction to Web Applications -- Friday May 24: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Learn how to build applications using Google App Engine. Discusses the basics of web sites, web servers, and modern web applications. Following this discussion, we will learn how to build applications in Python using Google App Engine. By the end of the class, students will have built their first web application, and deployed it to Google's servers. Supplement the class with Essential app engine.

All classes take place in the third floor library training center downtown. Registration is not required. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to classes and handouts for more information.