Blog Post
To the Moon!
by anned
NASA plans to return to the moon by 2020 and hopes to build a moon base by 2024. While you are waiting for the Ares I & V to launch, take a look back at other trips to the moon: Project Apollo and Méliès.
From the Earth to the Moon a superbly done HBO series, produced by Tom Hanks, and based on the book A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin, takes you through the entire Apollo program.
Moon Shot: the inside story of America's race to the moon by astronauts Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton.
First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen.
Méliès the magician contains the 1902 "La Voyage dans la lune" along with other films by Méliès.
Blog Post
Another Children's Book Award - Historical Fiction
by kidlit
The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages is the recipient of the 2007 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The prize was established by the late author of Island of the Blue Dolphins to honor the best work of historical fiction in a given year.
The Green Glass Sea is the story of the group of children that accompanied their parents to Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1943. These were the children of America's best and brightest scientists. They knew their parents were working on a Big Project but they did not know what it was. After the experimental detonation of the atomic bomb in the desert, the children were taken out there to see the aftermath. The heat of the bomb turned the desert sand into the glass sea of the title.
I have a strong suspicion that there will be a sequel to this book. By the end of the story one of the mothers, a scientist, is starting to question what they have done and what should happen with The Project in the future.
Another children's fiction title about this same event is Where the Ground Meets the Sky by Jacqueline Davies.
For some really interesting history lessons, go the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction website and work your way through all the winning titles since 1984.
Blog Post
"There's gold in them thar hills!"
by Maxine
On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall noticed some flakes of gold in the American River while building a sawmill. That discovery started what became known as the California Gold Rush, the frenzied migrations of thousands to California to strike it rich. At that time, California was still technically part of Mexico. Only a week later, The United States purchased land that later became California and other southwestern states for only $15 million. If Mexico had only knwn.
The Gold Rush caused an increase in California's population from 2,700 to 200,000 in two years. Few people actually became wealthy from panning gold but revenue increased enough to help expand the American West.
One person who did become wealthy was Levi Strauss, an immigrant from Bavaria who was a traveling merchant specializing in trousers made from sailcloth held together with copper rivets. These, of course, were the precursors of modern jeans.
Blog Post
2007 Caldecott and Newbery Awards Announced
by kidlit
The highest awards in the field of children's literature were announced in Seattle this morning at the midwinter conference of the American Library Association.
The Caldecott Award, a prize for illustration, was given to David Wiesner for the picture book Flotsam. This is the third Caldecott for Mr. Wiesner. He won his first award in 1992 for Tuesday and his second in 2002 for The Three Pigs.
Caldecott honor books are Gone Wild by David McLimans and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Newbery Medal, for the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" goes to Susan Patron for her book The Higher Power of Lucky.
Honor books are Penny from Heaven by Jennifer Holm, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson and Rules by Cynthia Lord.
For a complete list of all the award winners announced by the American Library Association, go to this site.
Blog Post
Number of Cancer Deaths Drops For a Second Year
by emilyas
For the second year in a row, the number of deaths from cancer has dropped, according to articles on NPR and The New York Times (sign-in required). According to statistics prepared for the Cancer Journal for Clinicians (published by the American Cancer Society), the number of cancer deaths from 2003 to 2004 reduced by about 3,000. For more information on the study and details about the results refer to the published results available here.
Blog Post
Encouraging Good Health for Teens Through Sleep
by emilyas
It's a common problem amongst teens (and college students): Staying up late to study, read or chat online with friends and then falling asleep or being inattentive during the school day. NPR has several recommendations for helping teens overcome sleep problems in this article. You can also check out several of the books they recommended which are available here at the library:
A woman's guide to sleep : guaranteed solutions for a good night's rest
Sleeping Through The Night : How Infants, Toddlers, And Their Parents Can Get A Good Night's Sleep
Blog Post
Top Dog (American Kennel Club Lists the Most Popular Dogs in the U. S. for 2006)
by Van
The AKC lists the top 155 breeds with this year's rank and last year's rank.
The top ten, with some reshuffling, are the same as last year.
Yorkshire Terriers moved up to two from three.
Golden Retrievers dropped two spots to four.
The most movement was by the Tibetan Mastiff who moved up 104 spots from 155 to 51.
The top ten are:
1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd Dog
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Dachshund
7. Boxer
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Miniature Schnauzer
Blog Post
World Rhythms
by StoryLaura
Check out some of the shakers, sliders and traditional noise makers, from around the world, in the small glass case in the Youth Department at the Downtown Library. The AADL Storytellers like to shake it up with these rhythm instruments once in a while. If you get inspired and catch the beat you can grab a pot and spoon and join in the fun with Tanka Tanka Skunk! by Steve Webb.
Blog Post
Harry Potter #7
by Bertha
The title for book #7 will be, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Just in case you hadn't heard. No publication date has been set, so there's plenty of time to speculate the meaning of this title, and re-read the previous six. By the way, the film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is due for release July 2007. http://www.jkrowling.com/
Blog Post
Amazon.com’s Teen Top Sellers
by jillean
It is quite a diverse list this week. SAT test preparation…check! Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance books…check! By the way, what did you think of Eragon the movie? Also, we’ve got more tales from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and wonderful classics like Things Fall Apart and 1984. Oh, and I would say more about Fast Food Nation but my pizza just arrived. Good luck with classes!
Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2) by Christopher Paolini
The Elements of Style by William Strunk
The Official SAT Study Guide
Things Fall Apart: A Novel by Chinua Achebe
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
How to Go to College Almost for Free by Ben Kaplan
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
1984 by George Orwell