Another Big Winner from Jon Klassen

Fri, 02/15/2013 - 8:59am by annevm

This is Not My Hat is a clever, gorgeous picture book, a 2013 Caldecott Medal book, and a must-read for anyone connected with children in preschool through first grade and beyond. Jon Klassen repeats the theme from his 2011 bestseller I Want My Hat Back and adds a smart twist. The story opens with the memorable lines "This hat is not mine. I just stole it," spoken by a brave little fish who has lifted a blue bowler hat from a big sleeping fish. Little fish swims quietly to a hiding place, not knowing -- but we know -- that the big fish is chasing him. When the two fish vanish into seaweed, the words stop, and big fish reemerges with the blue hat on his head. The story is simple and works beautifully.

A six-year-old Amazon reviewer echoes what many people, young and older, are saying about this gem of a book: "I liked the story and I liked the big fish. The bubbles create movement. The little fish was bad and the big fish was just a big fish. You don't steal from a big fish."

Teen Stuff: Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Wed, 02/13/2013 - 2:16pm by manz

I’ve declared 2013 the year of reading, and I’ve been on a mad tear reading a lot of young adult fiction, and so far Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by poet Benjamin Alire Sáenz, has been my favorite. It is beautifully written, is magically captivating, and I read it in a day.

In January the book won several awards at the Youth Media Awards including a coveted Printz Honor Award, the Stonewall Award, and the Belpré Award.

15 year old Angel Aristotle Mendoza (Ari) is practically an only child with two older sisters and a ghost of a brother who has been in prison for as long as Ari can remember. It’s hard for Ari growing up in a quiet house with so much unspoken regarding his brother and his dad’s past in Vietnam. He has no friends until one day at the community pool he meets a kid named Dante Quintana when he offers to teach Ari how to swim. The boys spend forever laughing when they realize their names are Dante and Aristotle and an immediate bond is formed, just in time for summer.

While they form a strong friendship, Dante's family life is very different from Ari’s. His father is a professor and he and Dante are forever reading and discussing books. It’s not long before Ari gets in on the action as well. The self-assured Dante talks in his unusual way and draws, Ari is an angry sort of quiet and listens, and the boys read and swim and have summer teen adventures, until one day tragedy strikes. What will happen to their friendship as their lives begin to change? It’s a touching, coming of age story about friendship and loyalty, figuring out who you are, discovering family secrets, dealing with tragedy, and just trying to get by in this Universe.

Let's Read Math -- "The King's Commissioners"

Sat, 02/09/2013 - 7:19pm by Caser

Saturday, February 9 | 10 - 11:30 am | 1 - 2:30 pm | Malletts Creek | Grades 1 - 3

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) presents a classic story followed by a related math session with hands-on activities and a variety of materials. This event is for Grades 1 - 3 accompanied by an adult. You're welcome to come to either the morning session from 10 - 11:30 am or to the afternoon session from 1:00 - 2:30 pm. There is no registration for this event.

"The King's Commissioners," by Aileen Friedman, is a story about a king with so many commissioners, he needs to get organized and count them! Math activities include using the hundreds chart, puzzles, sequencing and counting, and skip counting.

Also, check out these books on counting at the AADL.

National Day of Courage on February 4th honors Rosa Parks' 100th Birthday

Sat, 02/02/2013 - 10:59am by Grace22

On Feb. 4, The Henry Ford will celebrate what would have been Rosa Parks’ 100th birthday with a National Day of Courage.

In 2001 The Henry Ford became the home to Montgomery, Ala., bus No. 2857, the very bus that Mrs. Parks refused to give up her seat on. The bus has become a symbol for courage and strength as many believe Mrs. Parks’ actions that day sparked the American Civil Rights Movement.

The day-long celebration taking place inside Henry Ford Museum will feature nationally-recognized speakers, live music, and dramatic presentations. Current scheduled speakers include American social activist and leader in the Civil Rights Movement Julian Bond, contributing Newsweek editor Eleanor Clift, Rosa Parks biographers Jeanne Theoharis and Douglas Brinkley and Wayne State University Assistant Professor Danielle McGuire. A live stream of the day’s events will be available to watch online on the National Day of Courage website.

You'll find a list of books and DVDs about Rosa Parks here.

On This Day in History--January 31st: Congress passed the 13th Amendment in 1865, for the abolition of slavery

Thu, 01/31/2013 - 10:06am by nicole

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude, was finally passed through Congress on January 31, 1865. Throughout the 1860’s the number of proposals for legislation that abolished slavery began to grow, until finally the Senate Judiciary Committee combined three proposals made by Senator John B. Henderson of Missouri, Representative James Mitchell Ashley of Ohio, and Representative James F. Wilson of Iowa, and introduced the resulting amendment proposal to the Senate.

The Senate passed the amendment on April 8, 1864, by a vote of 38 to 6, but the House of Representatives took much longer to make a decision. Its passage was due in large part to President Lincoln, who made it part of his campaign platform for the 1864 presidential election. It was finally passed by the House on January 31, 1865, and then sent to the state legislatures to be ratified. On December 6th, when Georgia became the 27th of the then 36 states to ratify it, it was finally adopted into the constitution.

The 13th Amendment was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments to be adopted after the end of the American Civil War. The 14th Amendment gave African-Americans citizenship, equal rights, and equal protection, and the 15th Amendment gave them the right to vote. Follow the links to AADL’s collection for more about the Civil War and the 13th Amendment!

RELATED POSTS:
Civil War - Comrades in Arms

Happy Birthday, Mr. Darcy!

Tue, 01/29/2013 - 3:37pm by crazypockets

It was 200 years ago this month that Jane Austen published her second, and perhaps most beloved, novel: "Pride & Prejudice." The official publication date was January 28, 1813.

Austen wrote it between October 1796 and August 1797, but publishers at first declined to look at it. After she went back and revised her manuscript, originally titled "First Impressions," nearly fifteen years later between 1811 and 1812, it was finally accepted for publication. Although she never married, Jane Austen loved her books like they were her family and was so excited when "Pride & Prejudice" arrived, she wrote to her sister Cassandra, "I want to tell you that I have got my own darling child from London."

The first edition sold out quickly and has been popular the world over ever since. It has been translated into dozens of languages and adapted for both television and the big screen. It's been given modern twists in Hollywood movies and Bollywood, too. It even has its own popular web series and been adapted into graphic novels and zombie apocalypse stories.

And of course, there are the books. From the original to all the adaptations and continuations, it's clear something about that story of misunderstandings and seemingly impossible happy endings still has a grip on us. It's easy to wonder what Miss Austen would have thought of the stages her "child" has gone through and how the world still holds such love for its characters even now, 200 years later.

Looking for more ways to celebrate Jane Austen? The library has a large collection of her other books or other movie adaptations of her work!

2013 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

Mon, 01/28/2013 - 2:00pm by K.C.

Winners of the best nonfiction published for teens between November 1, 2011 – October 31, 2012 are:

2013 Winner
Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Recounts the scientific discoveries that enabled atom splitting, the military intelligence operations that occurred in rival countries, and the work of brilliant scientists hidden at Los Alamos.

2013 Finalists
Steve Jobs: The Man Who Though Different by Karen Blumenthal

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind With the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose

Titanic: Voices From the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson

2013 Printz Award winners

Mon, 01/28/2013 - 1:17pm by K.C.

The following Printz titles were announced at ALA Midwinter in Seattle:

2013 Printz Award Medal
In Darkness by Nick Lake
In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, fifteen-year-old Shorty, a poor gang member from the slums of Site Soleil, is trapped in the rubble of a ruined hospital, and as he grows weaker he has visions and memories of his life of violence, his lost twin sister, and of Toussaint L'Ouverture, who liberated Haiti from French rule in the 1804.

2013 Printz Honor books:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universie by Benjamin Saenz

Code Name Verity by Robin Sloan

Dodger by Terry Pratchett

White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna

Gertie' Hirsch, Creator Of The Popular Blog - 'Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing'

Sun, 01/27/2013 - 12:00pm by hillary dorwart

Sunday January 27, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Nationally-known sewing expert Gretchen "Gertie" Hirsch visits the Downtown Library! Gertie is a passionate home seamstress and the creator of Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing. She has been invited as a part of the AADL's launch of an art tools collection.

Gertie will cover some personal tidbits in her presentation (not found on her blog). We will learn how she learned to sew, the first piece of garment she was proud to show off, and her line of Butterick patterns. She will also touch on her new book: "Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing: A Modern Guide to Couture-Style Sewing Using Basic Vintage Techniques".

The event includes a book signing and books will be for sale. Come early as we expect a good crowd. Doors open at noon.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Let's Read Math -- "A Quarter From The Tooth Fairy"

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 11:30am by Caser

Saturday, January 26 | 10 - 11:30 am | 1 - 2:30 pm | Malletts Creek | Grades 1 - 3

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) presents a classic story followed by a related math session with hands-on activities and a variety of materials. This event is for Grades 1 - 3 accompanied by an adult. You're welcome to come to either the morning session from 10 - 11:30 am or the afternoon session from 1:00 - 2:30 pm. There is no registration for this event.

"A Quarter From The Tooth Fairy," by Caren Holtzman, is a story about a boy who buys things and then returns them. Each time he gets money back, he gets a different combination of coins totaling 25 cents. Learn about the value of different coins and adding money.

Also, check out these books on money and counting.