Blog Post
It's Blind Date with a Book season!
by eapearce
Stop by any of the AADL locations for a sweet February surprise! Adults and teens will find Blind Date with a Book displays, where one can hopefully find the mysterious book of their dreams! Books (and movies!) wrapped in butcher paper have a short description of what the material inside contains… but you’ll have to check out the item and take it home to unwrap to find out if it’s really meant for you!
Kids aren’t left out either! There are Surprise Book displays at every location too, where kids will find mystery books and movies wrapped up with only hints written on them to imply what’s inside. These displays will be up for the entire month of February, so don’t miss your chance to find your match.
Blog Post
This Bridge Will Not Be Gray
by manz
With story by Dave Eggers and art by Tucker Nichols, This Bridge Will Not Be Gray is a mild history of the building of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, offering up facts about the construction of the bridge and the big debate about what color to paint it. Most involved figured the bridge would be gray. Gray was serious. Gray was safe. If that was the case, then how did it end up painted International Orange? This book answers that question in a delightful way.
The book backs the idea that standing up for yourself and your ideas is worth something! Even if the idea is bold and courageous and unusual and even strange.
Published by McSweeney’s it has that bit of wit you know and love, as well as whimsical and colorful paper cut-outs as design. Eggers is known for his books for adults, such as Pulitzer finalist A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and is the founder McSweeney’s and co-founder 826 Valencia (which lead to 826michigan!).
Blog Post
Alan Rickman's Legacy
by mansii
London born British actor and director Alan Rickman died of cancer today, January 14, at age 69. His prolific and versatile acting career of almost forty years spanned stage productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late 70s and early 80s, and Broadway productions as late as 2001, for which he was nominated for the Tony award. In film he was perhaps most beloved for his role as Professor Severus Snape in all eight Harry Potter adaptions. In 1997 he won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance in Rasputin ('96). His deep, hypnotic voice has been his un-asked for trade mark, and despite his late start as an actor at age 26, his master-hood of the craft places his legacy among the giants of film.
Three of my personal favorites from his film career are:
Sense and Sensibility ('95). This adaption of Jane Austin's classic 19th century novel about two sisters (actresses Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet), opposite in character, who learn from each others failures and triumphs in matters of the heart. Rickman plays Colonel Brandon, whose patience and trueness of heart triumphs over his better-looking but false rival in love.
Love Actually ('03). This British film with a host of beloved actors (Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Kierra Knightley, Liam Neeson) charts the interwoven stories of eight couples, who must through different journies learn from their mistakes, forgive, and decide what matters. Rickman plays father and husband, Harry; a business executive who is tempted with infidelity.
Alice in Wonderland ('10). Tim Burton's adaptation of Lewis Carroll's famous children's story, where fantasy and adventure blend in a magical world of talking rabbits, live chess pieces, a vicious queen, a mad hatter, and an enigmatic and enlightened caterpillar (Rickman as the voice).
Rediscover your favorite Alan Rickman films, or be surprised by what you didn't know he played in through this list of his filmography.
Blog Post
Caldecott and Newbery Youth Book Awards Announced!
by erin
Every year librarians, book lovers, publishers and book sellers look forward to the youth and teen book awards announced at the annual American Library Association conference. This year the awards were announced from Boston in a room filled with hundreds of insanely excited librarians - who gasp, groan and scream throughout the entire ceremony. The two oldest awards, and the most widely known are the Newbery and Caldecott awards.
The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Awarded annually since 1938 by the Association for Library Service to Children to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
The 2016 Caldecott winner is Finding Winnie, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, written by Lindsay Mattick. Finding Winnie is an incredible account of the friendship and love shared between a soldier and the real bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Blackall beautifully interprets this multi-dimensional family story through her distinctive Chinese ink and watercolor art, capturing intimate and historical details perfect for a child’s eye.
Four books were chosen as Caldecott Honor titles:
Waiting, illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes. Waiting delivers an intimate story of five figurines, each anticipating the wonder of everyday moments. Using rich brown lines and a soft pastel palette, Henkes invites young readers to slow down and explore a range of emotions in a world on a windowsill.
Voice of Freedom, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford. In this biography in verse, Ekua Holmes’ illustrations provide children with an intensely visual encounter with Civil Rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer. The repetition of colors and motifs within the richly layered collage create complex images that capture Hamer’s power and bravery.
Last Stop on Market Street, illustrated by Christian Robinson and written by Matt de la Peña. Readers are transported, along with a young boy and his grandmother, on a journey through the city. Robinson’s illustrations, a colorful mix of acrylic paint and collage, feel both vintage and fresh. The diversity, vibrancy, and beauty of the urban setting are celebrated as CJ and Nana share meaningful moments together.
The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery">John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
The 2016 Newbery Medal Winner is Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. CJ’s journey with his Nana is not just a simple bus ride; it is a multi-sensory experience through which he discovers that beautiful music, nature and people surround him. CJ’s questions are familiar, and Nana answers him with gentle wisdom. Right up until their arrival at the last stop on Market Street, Nana guides CJ to become “a better witness for what’s beautiful.”
Three books were chosen as Newbery Honor titles:
The War that Saved my Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Bradley’s powerful plot, remarkably drawn characters and sparse language are outstanding components of this novel about courage, community and conviction.
Roller Girl, written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson. Astrid falls in love with roller derby and learns how to be tougher, stronger and fearless. Jamieson perfectly captures the highs and lows of growing up in this dynamic graphic novel.
Echo, by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This original fairytale intertwines with historical fiction to explore music and its power to save, heal and set free.
Blog Post
Winter Lore from the Land of Fire and Ice
by mansii
This winter, the land of fire and ice, of polar bears and northern lights, of the chilling north wind, and of snow-nestled mountains has whispered magic into my soul. Tales from the Old North, the lands of Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, are my new love.
These tales are important. In them, the wind, the birds, the sea, the trees—nothing is just as you see it, but pulsing with promise and hope and vitality. Perhaps birds do not really talk, and the wind cannot blow you to other lands, but it is good to be reminded that there is more to the world around us than what we see, and the beauty of winter is a gift.
Along with fairy stories in general, Scandinavian tales are also important because they reveal the starkness of good and evil. It is true that the world is often nuanced and choices straddle grey. It is also true that good does not always get rewarded, nor does evil always meet its just end. But sometimes, before we can untangle the obscured, we need to take a step back and remind ourselves of where the lines are clear. In this wholesome and refreshing way, Scandinavian tales tell of trolls, giants, and evil men, and the heroes/ines who through courage and kindness (and a little bit of smarts!) beat them!
With this criteria in mind, here are three of my favorite newly discovered tales. One is never too old for a good story.
East O’ the Sun & West O’ the Moon
This magical world opens with a brave young girl who follows a mysterious polar bear to his enchanted castle. When her misstep traps the bear under an evil troll’s curse, she travels over years of time by foot, by wind, and by steed to free him. A tender story, it goes past the fairy-tale love at first sight to show the maturity that patience and endurance bring. In a culture that uses hardship as an excuse to skip out, East O’ the Sun & West O’ the Moon contrasts with a heroine who endures much, fighting for the preservation of a union that is dear to her. This melodic tale, easily the most told and retold of Norwegian lore, echoes themes from the Greek myth Eros and Psyche, and may bring to mind C.S. Lewis’s Narnia and George MacDonald’s At the Back of the North Wind . Asbjornsen and Moe authored the first written version of this tale, among many others, in the Norwegian tongue. Translations of the text do not vary much, but I chose this version for the wintry warmth of P.J. Lynch’s illustrations.
Hailing from Sweden, this folktale is rich with heartbreaking generosity and compassion. When a peasant girl is forced to wed a nefarious king he gives her an unparalleled pearl necklace and strictly warns her to never let it leave her neck lest she forfeit her life. When put in the position to protect her life or heal the needs of her people, she chooses one by one to unstring each pearl with tears of compassion, making her choice. When this puts her under the king’s wrath, even the birds come to her aid in response to her kindness. This story comes to us through three languages. Crafted from Swedish oral tradition to the written word by Danish author Helena Nyblom in the late 19th century, it was translated into Swedish by her native husband, and now retold in English by Jane Langton.
Brave warriors, loyal kinsmen, armor made of birch bark: these are the first famous skiers, the Berkebeiners. Here comes to us a historical Norwegian saga first recorded in 1264 and now crafted into narrative by Lise Lunge-Larsen. Reading this story makes you proud. Proud of those who through courage put aside personal safety and comfort to stand in the gap against evil, and inspired to live with courage. For the purpose of rescuing a newborn king from usurping Bagler raiders, this small band faces the odds of potential starvation and tyrannical weather, skiing across mountains that only a fool (or hero) would attempt, with the babe nestled in a sling for the ride.
For more wonderful tales such as Tatterhood and the Hobgoblins , and D'Aulaires' Book of Trolls , see the public list Scandinavian Folktales . This list contains collections for every age group.
Blog Post
NPR's Best Books of 2015
by eapearce
NPR recently released its Best Books of 2015 list, an in depth yearly endeavor where critics and NPR staff choose their favorite books of the year and compile them into a genre-spanning list of several hundred titles. I love that, along with the expected books on the list that are getting accolades from numerous publications and organizations, NPR’s list always contains more obscure titles that many readers likely missed over the course of the year.
You can view all of the titles from the list that we have available in our catalog here.
So what’s on this list of nearly 300 books? Here’s a preview:
In Speak, by Louisa Hall, a young Puritan woman travels to America with her unwanted husband, while in other time and place Alan Turing writes letters to his best friend’s mother and a Jewish refugee tries to reconnect with his distant wife. Elsewhere in time and space, a lonely young girl speaks with an intelligent software program and a formerly celebrated Silicon Valley entrepreneur is imprisoned for making illegal lifelike dolls. How does Hall tie all these characters together? As they all try somehow to communicate across gaps, Hall connects their stories, creating an amazing book that is a blend of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy.
V is for Vegetables offers more than 140 simple recipes for cooking vegetables in unique and unexpected ways at home. Author and chef Michael Anthony has cleverly divided the chapters of the book by vegetable, so if you ever find yourself staring at kohlrabi or tomatillos in the grocery store, curious about how one cooks such things, this is the book for you! And even expert cooks will be refreshed by Anthony’s new ideas for ways to use common vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, carrots and squash.
The Battle of Versailles tells of a little-known event that took place at the Palace of Versailles: as a fundraiser for the restoration of the palace, the world’s elite gathered in the grand theater there for a “fashion competition” of sorts: five American designers (including Oscar de la Renta and Anne Klein) faced off against five French designers considered to be the best designers in the world—Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy and others. The American clothes were expected to be a laughingstock but instead, the garments and the energy of the models who wore them wowed the crowd. By the end of the evening, American fashion in the world had transformed from a footnote to an enormous influence, not only on style itself but also on the way race, gender, sexuality and economics were treated in fashion in the years to come.
Blog Post
New wisdom from Stillwater the panda bear: Zen Socks
by eapearce
When the picture book Zen Shorts was published in 2005, my family and I immediately fell in love with the beautiful illustrations and the simple, yet infinitely wise lessons taught gently to three young siblings by Stillwater, the giant panda bear. When the three children are confronted with the daily tribulations that life so often presents to us, Stillwater turns these situations into learning opportunities about the importance of generosity, when to express frustration, and the boundaries of good and bad. Author John J. Muth continued enlightening us with Stillwater's wisdom in Zen Ties in 2008 and Zen Ghosts in 2010, and now I am thrilled that Stillwater is back in Zen Socks, published this year. In Zen Socks, siblings Leo and Molly are excited about their move to a new neighborhood, and are particularly excited about their new giant panda neighbor (Stillwater, of course)! As the three become friends, the kids learn about patience, sharing and compassion, prodded serenely along by Stillwater.
The tenderness with which the lessons are taught in these books, the hints of Japanese philosophy and the gorgeous illustrations make them wonderful for all ages. My mom has bought Zen Shorts for a holiday gift for kids AND adults for years now. Muth has really given us all a treat to add to our book collections with this series.
Blog Post
Crossover Graphic Novels- December edition special TV/Movie tie-in edition!
by gulickb
This month we're going to take a look at some of the great comics that have TV or movie tie-ins. Sometimes watching a show or a movie just isn't enough and you want more. Thankfully we live in a wonderful time where comic book companies have realizes this and provide us with sometimes hundreds of issues of our favorite movies and shows in comic form. So without further ado here are some great graphic novels that are wonderful for kids and adults alike!
With Star Wars Episode VII:The Force Awakens just a mere 10 days from release now is a great time to catch up on the Star Wars universes wonderful comics. From comics that are humourous (such as the Star Wars Jedi Academy series), to the continuation of the Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures, and even Manga style Empire Strikes Back. So while you count down the days until The Force Awakens why not read some excellent graphic novels.
The longest running animation in US history is The Simpsons and it's no surprise that they have been making Simpsons comics for quite a while now ( Bart even has his own series of comics if you can't get enough of his antics!). What is surprising is that the comics feel like the show and if you're familiar with the characters than it is entirely possible that you will read the comics in their voices! The comics keep the feel of the show without duplicating the actual episodes, so if you have seen all the episodes and still want more (or even if you haven't seen them all) then The Simpsons Comic is for you!!!
Teen Titans is a great show for fans of the DC comic world and their latest series "Teen Titans Go" is wonderful as well, but now in a move that turns your favorite comic book turned TV stars back into a comic you can read the first volume of the newly release Teen Titans Go comic. The artwork is identical to the cartoon and so if you need more Teen Titans in your life then Teen Titans Go Volume 1: Party Part! is just the comic for you!
Blog Post
Collect Away!
by evelyn
Cabinet of Curiosities: Collecting and Understanding the Wonders of the Natural World, by Gordon Grice, is a great new book that tackles collecting natural treasures. I was thrilled to find this book, because I have a large collection of bones, shells, feathers, and more. This book explains scientific classification and breaks down the chapters in the book using the Linnaeus classification system.
Each page of this book is filled with beautiful photographs and drawings that show off the specimens that you might find in the wild. The book gives clear instructions on how to find animals that are already dead, rather than killing live creatures. It also explains the laws for certain protected shells and species. Instructions are provided for cleaning, caring for, and displaying specimens of all kinds.
Cabinet of Curiosities is a great book for curious readers of all ages who want to learn how to find and display the treasures that the earth has to offer.
Blog Post
Nothin' like a good map book!
by eapearce
Yes! I love maps and geography, and a brand new United States map book has just arrived here at the library! Titled simply The Fifty States, this oversize book gives each state a double-page spread jam-packed with unique details about that state and a giant map of the state with interesting and memorable places marked. I love how author Gabrielle Balkan didn’t pick well-known facts or places to highlight, but instead chose more “off the beaten path” aspects of our country to point out. The key facts for each state—capital, statehood date, flower, bird, tree and motto aren’t left out, though: they’re nicely arranged in a colorful box on each page. Each spread also has a column of “memorable moments” from the state, and images of famous people from the state are scattered across the pages. I loved some of the places of note that Balkan chose for Michigan: along with the Mackinac Bridge and Sleeping Bear Dunes, the submarine museum in Muskegon, the Charlevoix mushroom houses, the frozen pier in St. Joseph and Tahquamenon (“Root Beer”) Falls are also on display.
This is a quirkily illustrated, yet beautiful book and offers an amazing amount of information; all ages will learn something by perusing it! What a great holiday gift for any child interested in maps and the U.S.A.!