Ages 11-18
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #118
by muffy
A bestseller in Europe, Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key* opens in Paris, July 1942. Thinking she would be home in a few hours, ten year-old Sarah locks her younger brother in their secret hiding place as the police round up Jews for Stadium Vlodrome d'Hiver, en route to Auschwitz.
Sixty years later, American journalist Julia Jarmond is in Paris to investigate the round-up and stumbles onto a trail of family secrets that link her to Sarah.
Book groups all over the world have posted their discussion questions at the Sarah's Key blog site to share. The film rights have been sold to French producer Stéphane Marsil.
Tatiana de Rosnay writes for French ELLE. Since 1992, she has published eight novels in French. Sarah's Key is the first written in English.
This "shocking, profoundly moving, and morally challenging story" is highly recommended for book groups that have enjoyed Suite Française. For information on this time period, try Vichy France and the Jews.
* = Starred Reviews
Blog Post
Mid-summer Manga Overload!
by erin
If you're looking for yet another reason to visit our new Traverwood Branch look no further than the expanded graphic novel, comic and manga collections! I have it under good authority that teens looking for a great selection of NEW manga must visit Traverwood now! Currently none of Traverwood's materials are being used to fill the hold lists so there's a lot more great, new stuff sitting on the shelves than you may find at other locations. This will change at some point in the future so it's a limited-time luxury :) The Adult Graphic Novel collection is also filled with a lively selection of new graphic novels, and manga series. The kids' graphic novels are a hot commodity, but rest assured more are on the way! If you're looking for titles or series that you haven't seen in our collection be sure to submit a suggestion!
Blog Post
Beaded Necklaces
by Bertha
[cover_image]1553377753|b12676147[/cover_image]
Make a cool necklace using colorful beads, jute and a simple pattern.
They are simple enough that you'll be able to wear home what you make.
Come by Malletts this Wednesday, July 23, 4:00-6:00 pm.
Blog Post
Sancho's Scene: Community Events that Wander off the Path
by Sancho Panza
Sadly, this is Sancho’s last blog (he is going to graduate school to study quixotic literature and eating big lunches and taking afternoon naps). Happily, there’s a great event coming up at Motte and Bailey Booksellers on 4th Ave. in Kerrytown next Tuesday. M&B will be hosting Dr. Jackie LaRose of Eastern Michigan University’s Teacher Education Department to talk about great books for teens. Fodder for parents and teens alike! See you there!
Blog Post
He cooks, but does he read?
by muffy
You know who I am talking about, don't you? He's been sighted feasting at a picnic table at Zingerman's, rubbing shoulders with Michael Moore at the Traverse City Film Festival, and never without his signature orange crocs.
That's right - celebrity chef Mario Batali - that's who - who, bless his heart, has made Northern Michigan his summer home for many years, and had the good sense to marry a Michigan grad. On top of that, he READS!. Here is a list of Mario's Summer Reads. (Frankly, I am impressed!)
Speaking of the Michigan connection - you will also see a list of Ruth Reichl's Summer Reads, cookbooks she is cooking from, and her audio books of choice.
BTW - Madonna's movie, I Am Because We Are is a new documentary that she wrote, produced, and narrates. It will be shown as part of the fourth annual Traverse City Film Festival on August 2, at 8:00 p.m. at the State Theatre. Madonna will introduce the film (we'd been told).
Blog Post
6th Annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest
by Bertha
Celebrate Art Fair with this unique contest! Meet up in the Staff Parking lot of the Downtown Library, Friday, July 18, from 1:00-3:00pm. We'll provide the paint, supplies, canvases and easels and you create your masterpiece. Last year we had paintings of a John Lennon tribute, anime characters, everyday objects, and assorted knock-out designs. The top three winners will receive gift certificates for art supplies in the amounts of $75, $50 and $25. Inspiration can just happen on the spot or you can check out Stencil Graffiti or New Artist's Handbook ahead of time.
Click here to check out Teen artists from Denver or arty inspiration and other links here.
Blog Post
John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2007
by muffy
The Campbell Award (and a list of previous winners) named In War Times by Kathleen Ann Goonan the Best Science Fiction Novel of 2007. The award was created to honor the late editor of Astounding Science Fiction magazine (now called Analog). Many writers and scholars call Campbell, who edited the magazine from 1937 until his death in 1971, the father of modern science fiction.
You might remember back in January 2008, In War Times was picked as the best 2007 SF novel by the American Library Association's Reading List Council Genre Fiction Awards. For a list of the major literary award winners, check out our new service : BookLetters.
Blog Post
ZOMG TEH GT IS BACK!!1!
by eli
WOW. The offseason is finally over. The doors to that temple of videogame prowess that is the Downtown Library Multipurpose Room are about to swing open for AADL-GT Season FIVE! Lots of big changes await this year, some right around the corner and some down the road, but here's the entire season schedule and some info about this weekend's tournaments, featuring Guitar Hero, DDR, Rock Band, Super Smash and Kart! First we've got our first ever Revolution Hero tournament, with simultaneous DDR and Guitar Hero tournaments for all ages, this Friday Night from 6-8:30 pm. Then, this Saturday welcomes the return of the SmashKart Championship Series for grades 6-12 to our annual Preseason event. Recruit for clans, test out rulesets; and Graduated Seniors get one more shot at glory. Then, Sunday sees our first ever Rock Band Tournament for 4-player teams of all ages. Then, Monday sees the next round of the racous battlefest Pokémondays from 1-5pm, all at the Downtown Library. Check it out! And read on for full details.
Welcome back GT faithful! It's been a long, quiet off-season, but I think once we get this highly transitional season off the ground, it will be a brave new era in the ongoing saga of the aadl-gt tournament series. But first, we have no Wiis. Yes, our vendor has not yet delivered the shipment of 8 shiny new Wiis, so we've still got just 1 wii. There are two ways to handle this. First, if any of you guys would like to bring your wii and brawl and kart (we have controllers) we could conceivably pull together the hardware at the last minute. That's up to you; let me know here if you think you'd like to bring your wii and we'll see what we can do! Or, we could have a farewell to Melee and double dash, with finals in Brawl and Kart, and see what happens. Either way, we've got all four events lined up but no clan play... and remember that this is the last tournament for which graduated seniors are eligible. A farewell, as it were.
So, here's the full season schedule. Stay tuned for some big changes to your aadl-gt online experience coming soon.... unless you want a sneak preview
Season Weekends
July 11-13
August 9-11
September 19-21
October 17-19
November 28-30
December 19-21
Each Weekend has the same three events:
Fridays 6-8:30 Revolution Hero for All Ages
Saturday 12-5, Smashkart Championship Series for Grades 6-12
Sunday 1-4, Public Library Pokémon League for Grades K and up (except for July 13)
We'll also have the return of the AADL-GT Grudge Buffet and other cool stuff along the way.... See you this weekend!
Blog Post
Dishing the dirt on “Derby Girl”
by K.C.
We’ll be hearing more about the making of the film “Whip It” by Drew Barrymore since some of the scenes will be shot in Washtenaw county. Juno’s Ellen Page is slated to star as Bliss, a blue haired, indie-rock loving misfit who escapes from her beauty pageant-addicted mother to the wacky world of roller derby.
Read an interview with screenwriter/author Shauna Cross as she tells how her first book, Derby Girl, was chosen to be turned into a movie. Shauna knows what she’s talking about; she’s a member of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls, skating under the moniker of Maggie Mayhem.
Blog Post
The state of Michigan agriculture
by Maxine
Acclaimed local author and English professor at Eastern Michigan University, Janet Kauffman has written a new book titled Trespassing: Dirt Stories & Field Notes. Kauffman grew up on a farm and now lives and works on one. As witness to the demise of the family farm by industrial agriculture, she knows what she's writing about. A combination of short stories and essays, the book, in writer Keith Taylor's words, is "a new form of literature and advocacy...The result is eloquent rage and despair, always tempered by a deep love for her southern Michigan landscape and even by the tenuous possibility of hope."
Hear Ms. Kauffman read from her work this Wednesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. at Shaman Drum Bookshop.