Blog Post
Audiobook for Kids: The Fourteenth Goldfish
by skcramer
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm offers a fresh, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful take on a classic science fiction premise: a potion to make you young again.
Sixth-grader Ellie’s life with her colorful drama-teacher mom is turned upside-down when her old-fashioned, opinionated grandfather moves in with them. The twist? Her grandfather is a scientist who has uncovered the secret to anti-aging and is now a thirteen-year-old boy! While trying to help her grandfather recover the anti-aging potion from his lab, Ellie finds new friends, develops a growing love for science and a greater understanding of her unconventional family.
I found the audiobook to be a particular treat, with a narrator who not only sounds like a middle-school girl but also delivers lines with such perfect comic timing that I found myself laughing out loud again and again.
Fans of The Water Castle or other science-centered books for girls will definitely want to check it out.
Blog Post
New Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album: Hypnotic Eye
by eapearce
Did you know that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers came out with their 13th studio album just a couple of months ago? Titled Hypnotic Eye, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. You may have heard some of the singles from the album on the radio over the past couple of months; “American Dream Plan B,” “Red River,” and “U Get Me High” have all had their share of time on the airwaves. Hypnotic Eye shows that age has far from deterred Tom Petty and his crew from making great music. The AADL just added the album to our collection, and you can join the hold list of eager fans waiting to give it a listen!
Of course, Hypnotic Eye isn’t the extent of our Tom Petty collection. We have nearly all of the other Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers albums, including 1994’s Wildflowers, 1979’s Damn the Torpedoes, 2006’s Highway Companion, and their 1993 Greatest Hits album. Interested in learning some Tom Petty music of your own? We have the sheet music and lyrics for his entire solo album, Full Moon Fever.
We also have the fascinating movie Runnin’ Down a Dream, which follows Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from their early beginnings in Gainesville through their 30th anniversary celebration. The DVD features lots of amazing footage and information from over three decades of the experiences of this wonderful band.
Blog Post
The Maze Runner
by BugsAndSlugs
The Maze Runner (2014) film began showing in theaters in September, but The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, has been thrilling readers since 2009. A post-apocalyptic science fiction book written for young adults, The Maze Runner will especially appeal to readers of dystopian literature like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
The Maze Runner audiobook, read by Mark Deakins, offers a captivating experience of Dashner’s novel. The narration is well-characterized and Deakins voice is clear and articulate. As the plot builds, Deakins' rendition of the characters brings their struggle to life, drawing his listeners further into the story.
The adventure begins with Thomas, a teenage boy who doesn’t remember anything about his life before the moment he arrives in The Glade. He quickly learns that, though he is welcomed by the other boys and The Glade is safe, the maze surrounding it is inhabited by dangerous creatures. Thomas is plagued by the thought that he has been sent to The Glade for a reason and is desperate to explore the maze in search of an exit. The Gladers have only one connection to the outside world: a lift, operated by The Creators, that offers supplies and a new boy every thirty days. The day after Thomas arrives, everyone is shocked when the lift delivers another member to their group. This time, it includes a message: “She’s the last one.”
The Glade community has survived with teamwork and commitment to their common goals - survival and escape. The appearance of Thomas and the girl changes everything, and Thomas must convince The Gladers to accept him before they can work together, and before time runs out.
If you've seen the movie or read the book, the AADL has the other audiobooks in The Maze Runner series, too! The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, and the prequel The Kill Order are all read by Mark Deakins and promise to be as exciting and engaging as book one. Still want more? Mark your calendar, because James Dasher has announced his plan to release another prequel to The Maze Runner, called The Fever Code, in 2016.
Blog Post
Radiolab Reads
by eapearce
Some of you may be familiar with the Peabody-award winning radio show/podcast Radiolab, which airs on nearly 450 stations across the United States. Here in Ann Arbor, you can hear it on Michigan Public Radio on Friday and Sunday evenings. I love Radiolab for the vast array of topics that they cover in a fun, informative manner. There is a ton to learn in every episode and short that they do, and hosts Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad interview fascinating, knowledgeable people, turning their information into incredibly compelling stories.
I recently discovered the invaluable resource Radiolab Reads, a “virtual bookshelf” that compiles all of the books mentioned in their episodes, with links to the Amazon page for each book. Even if you’re not familiar with the show, this site is an amazing compilation of books on every topic imaginable. Most of the books are non-fiction, and this site might be particularly appealing to reluctant non-fiction readers since you’re sure to find something that catches your eye!
If you tend to—literally—judge books by their cover (hey, it’s okay, we all do it sometimes!), Radiolab has a cool tumblr with the covers of each of the books mentioned on their Radiolab Reads page. You can sort by genre, and find the link to the books’ Amazon pages after clicking on a given cover.
Nearly all of the books discussed on these Radiolab pages can be borrowed from the AADL. You can search our catalog for any that you're interested in. For more information about Radiolab, visit their website, and find specifics about how to listen to the show here.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #482
by muffy
Winner of the 2010 Oe Prize, Japan's prestigious literary award, established to honor Kenzaburō Ōe; and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize - The Thief is the first novel by Fuminori Nakamura (in audio format) to be translated into English.
The nameless titular character is a deft Tokyo pickpocket, a loner who moves anonymously at the fringe of society. Through his mentor, he was drafted into an armed robbery by Kizaki, a vicious gangster. A simple job turned deadly when he learned that the old man they robbed was a prominent politician, and that he was brutally killed after the robbery. Meanwhile, his last tenuous connection to society is a desperate young boy forced into clumsy shoplifting by his addicted, prostitute mother. With nowhere left to run, the thief must barter his life with a labyrinthine test of his thieving prowess.
"Mystery/crime aficionados with exacting literary standards, as well as fans of Miyuki Miyabe; Natsuo Kirino; and Keigo Higashino" will find much to like here.
Watch for the October release of Nakamura's next novel to reach these shores - Last Winter We Parted is a "creepy if elegantly-crafted" standalone. The narrator, a nameless writer, gets assigned to pen an exposé of Yudai Kiharazaka, a 35-year-old Tokyo art photographer awaiting execution for burning two models to death.
Blog Post
A Southern Charmer for Children
by skcramer
You’ve heard of Bigfoot, but have your heard of his cousin, the Sugar Man? Well, in Kathi Appelt’s The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, you can learn all about the illusive Sugar Man and the creatures who call his Texas swamp their home.
As the story opens, raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah have been charged with waking the Sugar Man if the swamp comes under danger. And of course, danger arrives right on schedule. But before it does, readers are treated to two richly interwoven stories – one about a pair of young raccoons trying to prove their merit as Swamp Scouts and another about a twelve-year-old boy trying to save his family’s restaurant after his grandfather’s death. Filled with fantastic turns-of-phrase, if you enjoy books with a strong Southern voice, then you’ll love this one. Plus, the audiobook is narrated by native Texan Lyle Lovett who adds a wonderful Southern charm to this story.
Blog Post
Now Available at AADL: Instant Streaming of 'The Michigan Beer Film' and Podcast of Ann Arbor Brewing History
by SaraP
Michigan craft beer has taken off in recent years, developing hoards of dedicated followers and providing some truly amazing beers to our local communities. In fact, the Michigan beer scene is experiencing rapid growth and what better way to explore this fascinating (and fun) local craft industry than with The Michigan Beer Film?! Produced by Rhino Media, a Kalamazoo based visual media production company with lots of talent, The Michigan Beer Film is a top-notch documentary about the beer that our great state is crafting and the people behind it.
AADL is proud to be partnering with Rhino Media to make this film available through instant stream directly from our catalog! Just click on this link or search the catalog, sign in to your library account (linked to your AADL library card), and – voila! – watch the movie. Watch it instantly online without worrying about setting up apps, or going through a third party. Easy!
And if that’s not enough, check out this podcast interview with local beer historian and author of “Ann Arbor Beer” David Bardallis. He discusses the history of brewing in Ann Arbor for a fresh and entertaining perspective on our town’s important role in the making of Michigan beer.
Blog Post
New CDs: Fleetwood Mac!
by eapearce
Fleetwood Mac fans will be happy about a recently added CD to the Ann Arbor District Library collection: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac. 17 different beloved Fleetwood Mac songs are covered by a variety of lesser known artists on this unique album and I really enjoyed hearing the twists that the different groups put on the classic songs. Some tracks sound nearly identical to the Fleetwood originals with only minor instrumental changes, while others sound like completely different tunes, barely recognizable as covers of the well-known originals. Tribute to Fleetwood Mac is definitely a must-hear for those who love the band (who, incidentally, are fully reunited and on tour this fall!).
AADL also recently added the Fleetwood Mac album Mirage to our collection, which the band released in 1982, after the 1979 Tusk. Although Mirage is not as well-known or loved as the unbeatable Rumors, it does have the wonderful tracks "Gypsy" and "Hold Me" on it and the whole album has a classic Fleetwood Mac feel.
Blog Post
Scary Murder Mystery – With Ghosts!
by skcramer
In the mood for something spooky this summer? Then give The Screaming Staircase by a try.
This unusual murder mystery is set in an alternative England where ghosts have grown more and more active in the last few decades and Psychic Detection Agencies like Lockwood & Co. employ talented young agents to track down and destroy the sources of these hauntings. When Lucy and her fellow Lockwood & Co. agents uncover an unsolved murder while searching for the source of a haunting, they decide to solve the mystery with the help of the victim’s locket…but someone is out to make sure they never solve this case.
Full of adventure and genuinely scary encounters with ghosts, this story may be written for children but it is not for the faint of heart. Recommended for fans of Alvin Schwartz’s scary stories or older readers who enjoyed Libba Bray’s The Diviners.
Audiobook fans may also wish to check out the audiobook of The Screaming Staircase, which was named one of ALA’s Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults 2014.
Blog Post
Summer Reading Lists
by muffy
Instead of the lists and lists that the NPR staff put together each year to launch your summer reading, this year they tried something utterly ingenious. They focused on literary travel - by train, plane, car, bike, boat, foot, city transit, horse, balloon, rocketship, time machine and even a giant peach. It is called Book Your Trip. Try it out.
Librarian Extraordinaire Nancy Pearl shared her favorites in Maps Out A Plan For Your Summer Reading.
LA Times Summer Books Preview 2014 has just about everything to tickle your reading fancy - from Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, SF & Fantasy, Biography & Memoir, Sports, Pop Culture, to Science and Lifestyle. There are lists for the young readers in your life.
Publishers Weekly's Best Summer Books.
Confounded by too many choices? Glamour Magazine has The 10 Best Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List.
Looking ahead, you could get a jump on the Fall movie tie-ins.
Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association offers lists of book titles to keep children engaged in reading all summer. BONUS : Each list is available to download for free in color and black and white. Bring them on your next trip to the library.