YA Releases I Am Loving!

This summer, a bunch of great teen books are being released!  Quite a few of them, I have on my To-Be-Read list.  And as the summer continues, that list keeps getting longer.  So, I thought I would share some of the great teen books that I am looking forward to this summer.

Swipe by Evan Angler (Everyone gets the Mark at age 13. But what happens to those who get the Mark and don't come back?)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (getting lots of buzz)

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (It’s about dragons, enough said.)

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid (teen recruited for World War III)

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

The Vindico by Wesley King (supervillains trying to recruit new members, sounds hilarious)

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier (Sick of vampires and werewolves? Then join Team Human!)

Bloody Chester by J.T. Perry (western)

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (Jane Austen’s Persuasion set in space)

Someday Dancer by Sarah Rubin (inspirational sports story)

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin (about tornado chasing)

I enjoy manga titles as well, and there are a couple that are coming out this year that look awesome.  One series is a new take on an old favorite, and was a very popular cartoon here in the U.S. for a while.   Sailor Moon is back with a new look, old friends and fresh storylines!

Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato

Pretty Guardian, Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi

Black Butler by Yana Toboso

August has some great new releases coming out as well.  I will definitely be adding my name to the request list for a couple of these titles!

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (new series that sounds really good)

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen (oceanic survival story)

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron (steampunk thriller)

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale (sequel to the Princess Academy)

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne (Earth experiencing a rash of disasters)

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore (3^rd book in the Lorien Legacies)

Olympic Fever

In a few short days, the long-awaited London Olympics begin.  Pageantry, athleticism, grit, determination, patriotism, pride, triumph, anguish, strength, skill, and grace will all be on display.  While you’re waiting, you may want to check out the London Olympic official website, http://www.london2012.com/ which has a boatload of interesting facts and photos.  Check out photos of the Olympic torch route, past castles and cathedrals, over mountains, across a rope bridge, through charming villages and down modern city streets, and past famous sites such as Stonehenge and the castle where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.  You can also see photos of giant 12x24 foot Olympic rings hung at iconic sites like Tyne Bridge and Cardiff Castle.  There are descriptions of the various sports, both the rules and the history.  For example, did you know that badminton was invented by British military officers in India?  Or that each shuttlecock contains 16 feathers, each plucked from the left wing of a goose? Or that shuttlecock speeds exceed 400 km per hour?  In addition, the site contains profiles of the athletes, the schedule of events, and eventually, the medal count.

You can boost your enjoyment of the Olympics with a few books, like  How to watch the Olympics:  the essential guide to the rules, statistics, heroes and zeroes of every sport by David Goldblatt or The Complete Book of the Olympics by David Wallechinsky. In the children’s collection, Great Moments in the Summer Olympics by Matt Christopher, tells the stories of exciting moments in past Olympics in the events of track & field, swimming, and gymnastics.

Watching the Olympics and seeing the sites in England may inspire you to visit.  An Easicat search for England—guidebooks reveals several, including Frommer’s, Fodor’s, Rick Steves’, and Best day trips from London.

You may not be able to visit England in person, but you can travel there through the pages of any of these fiction books, all set in modern London.  Click on the links to read the descriptions and to find the books or reserve them in Easicat.

The chemistry of tears by Peter Carey

Being Lara by Lola Jaye

Blue Monday by Nicci French

Capital by John Lanchester

The Fear by Charles Higson

The girl below by Zander

How it all began by Penelope Lively

One moment, one morning by Sarah Rayner

Happy reading….and GO USA!

 photo courtesy of Google images

Summer Reading

Hundreds of children, teens and adults have been participating in our Summer Reading Program.  The bookshelves in the children’s room are much emptier than usual, with picture books and series books almost flying off the shelves.  It’s fun for us librarians to watch the children choose their reading prize, or contemplate where to add their star to our solar system display.  Best of all, we’re happy to know that people are reading.  If you’ve been participating in the Weyenberg Library’s Summer Reading Program, be aware that the program ends Saturday, July 21, so it’s time to turn in your reading sheets! 

Good news for parents who want to encourage reading:   the reading can continue with two other reading programs.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has issued a reading challenge to children 10 and under to read 10 transportation-related books.  The children who read books with a bicycle, car, truck, bus, boat, train, airplane or walking in the story will be eligible for prizes.  For details, go to http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/reading.htm.  This program ends on August 31.

The end of summer doesn’t have to spell the end of reading, however.  The Wisconsin State Park System is teaming up with Wisconsin’s Read to Lead initiative to encourage kids and families to read books about nature each month of the year.  For details of this reading challenge, which continues through the end of December, visit www.wiparks.net and search for “read”.

Here are some books featuring bicycles to get you started on the DOT challenge:

Splat the cat and the duck with no quack by Rob Scotton  (picture book)

Andy Shane, hero at last by Jennifer Jacobson

The race across America by Geronimo Stilton

The case of the bicycle bandit by James Preller (Jigsaw Jones mystery)

The great bicycle race mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner (Boxcar children)

The bicycle thief by Franklin Dixon (Hardy Boys)

Crunch by Leslie Connor

Cycling champion by Jake Maddox

If you need help finding other transportation-related books, just ask the friendly staff at the Weyenberg library! We’re happy to help you find the perfect book.  Happy reading!

photo courtesy of Google images

Nora Ephron, 1941-2012

If you have never read anything by Nora Ephron then surely you must have at least watched some of the films she wrote as a screenwriter? Nora Ephron, the very talented journalist, essayist, screenwriter, and blogger, will always be remembered for the legacy of the brilliant material she has left us.  Nora Ephron died June 26^th.  She was 71 years old.

Nora Ephron was born May 19, 1941 in New York City.  She was the eldest child in a Jewish family of four daughters.  Her parents were both screenwriters.  The family moved to Beverly Hills, California when Nora was four years old. Just like Nora, all of her sisters, Delia Ephron , Amy Ephron and Hallie Ephron, became writers.

Nora’s early years found her working briefly as an intern in the White House during the Kennedy years.  Following this she became a reporter for the New York Post.  While working at the Post she started writing essays for New York magazine, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine.  Her essays were so well received she became a regular columnist for Esquire, making her one of America’s best known humorists. Additionally her essays were compiled in various publications as Wallflower at the orgy, Crazy salad and Scribble, scribble.

It was while Ephron was married to Carl Bernstein (best known as one of the Watergate journalists) that she helped him rewrite the script for the movie “All the president’s men.” While this script was not ultimately chosen, it opened a door to Ephron’s first screenwriting job.  This was the film “Silkwood”, a nuclear power drama.  She also wrote a screenplay adaptation for her novel Heartburn.  Her greatest writing success came for the movie “When Harry met Sally”, starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.  This success was quickly followed by the films “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve got mail.”

Following these films and others, Ephron turned to playwriting and essay writing.  Her book of essays I feel bad about my neck and other and reflections on being a woman became an instant New York Times bestseller.  Her essays can be described as humorous, honest and reflective with an emphasis on women, family, relationships and later on growing old.  Next, Ephron tackled a favorite topic, “food”, and adapted Julie Powell’s autobiographical book Julie and Julia into a comedy drama film starring her friend, Meryl Streep, as Julia Child.  This light film was box office success.

Ephron’s last book of humorous essays was entitled I remember nothing: and other reflectionsa  was a best seller.  Although Ephron never talked publicly about her illness she left a few hints in the book.  Ephron also regularly wrote a blog for the Huffington Post.

Ephron was married three times.  Her first marriage to writer Dan Greenburg ended in divorce.  She then married journalist Carl Bernstein.  That marriage also ended in divorce, but the marriage produced two sons, Jacob and Max.  Ephron was married a third time for more than 20 years to screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi when she died.

Nora Ephron died from complications from pneumonia.  She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2006.

If you enjoy Ephron’s witty style of writing you may also enjoy works from these other women writers.

Dorothy Parker

Erma Bombeck

Tina Fey

Sarah Silverman

Joan Rivers

Sloane Crosley

*Picture courtesy of EasiCat

Beach Reads

One of the best things about summer is that usually it gives one more time to read while on vacation or during the long summer nights.  These books invoke the feeling of going on vacation, or going to the beach on a hot summer day, or relaxing outside alongside your flower garden.  Here are some new titles about summer that you may enjoy!

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri

The Water Children by Anne Berry

Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson

The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall

Summerland by Elin Hillenbrand

Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery

Beach House Memories by Mary Alice Monroe

Summer Breeze by Nancy Thayer

Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax

Sea Change by Karen White

Summer is also a time for light, fun reads to read once, enjoy and maybe pass along to a friend or family member.  A book that won’t make you think too hard, and doesn’t cover a dense, tense topic.  Here are a few new titles that you may enjoy!

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook

Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill

By Starlight by Dorothy Garlock

When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

The Jane Austen Marriage Manuel by Kim Izzo

The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service by Beth Kendrick

The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March

Tuesday’s Child by Fern Michaels

The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts