Shonen - Give It a Try!

Okay, for manga readers, this posting will not say anything you don't already know. If you are NOT a manga reader, please read on, and give it a thought!

As I said before, I am taking a graphic novel/manga class, so I have been reading many new and different things. Shonen is manga that is written with boys as the intended audience, but it is definitely not just for boys. Two titles that I found especially interesting were Death Note and Bleach.
Death Note, by Tsugumi Ohba (searchable under the name 'Oba' for some reason), tells the story of super smart - and super bored - student Light Yagami who finds a notebook that has been dropped by an equally bored Shinigami death god. Anyone who possesses the notebook has the power to kill people by writing their names in the notebook, and Light decides he can make the world a better place by killing people who 'deserve' to die. Obviously, this leads him down a complicated road, one that the death god, Ryuk, finds highly entertaining, as he follows Light everywhere he goes, questioning Light's actions and motives. Authorities begin to see a pattern, and realize that someone is responsible for the deaths. They become a danger that Light feels he must eliminate, but does this cross a line? Do the people seeking him deserve to die - including Light's own father, an official with the National Police Agency?
Death Note is a 12 volume series that promises lots of suspense, raises many moral questions, and showcases some lovely artwork by Takeshi Obata.

Queen of the Road

The full title of Doreen Orion’s new lighthearted memoir is Queen of the Road: the true tale of 47 States, 22,000 miles, 200 shoes, 2 cats, 1 poodle, a husband, and a bus with a will of its own—which pretty well describes the premise for the tale of her and her husbands’ year-long road trip adventure. Coloradoans may call Orion a “local author”, as she and her husband have lived in Boulder, CO for over ten years, but she originally hails from Long Island, and is a self-proclaimed “Princess of the Island of Long.” Doreen is naturally indoors-y, not adventure-inclined, and a designer wear and shopping fanatic. Her husband frequently turns into his alter-ego, affectionately coined “Project Nerd”, who tackles all things around the house, mechanical or otherwise, and delights in doing so. While they have their differences, they are both boarded psychiatrists, which has provided Tim with the skill, Doreen has no doubt, to convince her to take on the crazy year-long road-trip bus adventure. The book’s gentle humor makes it a quick and very enjoyable read. They spend the year traveling the country, visiting friends, family and attractions alike, and learn more than they thought they could about each other, their values, and how they really want to spend their time. From having Elvis renew their wedding vows on their bus in Vegas, to staying at a Nudist RV park, it’s a joy to feel like you’ve been along on their relaxing, fun and meaningful-at-the-same-time trip. Pick it up today if you want a laugh! Find it at the library, or visit the author’s website here.

The Dreaming

I have been taking a graphic novel/manga/anime class this month, so all you blog readers out there may be seeing a trend in blog postings in the near future. I have learned about some really amazing books out there, and one of my favorites is a manga-style series called The Dreaming by Australian writer/artist Queenie Chan. It's a beautifully drawn, three-part mystery/suspense series, but so far I have only read part one, so that is the one I will talk about.
The story begins as twin teens Amber and Jeanie are arriving at their new boarding school out in the Australian bush. Their aunt is headmistress there, but must leave that day on personal business for three months. She leaves the girls with a warning not to let anyone know they are twins, otherwise Vice-Principal Skeener, a creepy, mean old lady who looks to be about 100 years old, will kick them out. Besides that, Amber, the more sensitive twin, has the feeling that they are being watched. All Very Mysterious!
Their first night there, Jeanie and Amber begin having an identical, recurring dream in which they are out in the Bush at night in Victorian clothing, surrounded by other girls, with blood dripping from the trees. Could this have anything to do with the girls who have gone missing in the Bush over the years, never to be seen again? When one of their own classmates goes missing, Jeanie joins the other girls in a search party that heads out into the Bush, and makes a terrible discovery...or is it just a terrible vision? Continued in part two...darn it!

Hauntingly Absorbing: Wallander

When a movie is made from a book, I prefer to read the book first, because seeing the movie first makes it harder for me to form my own images in my mind when I later read the book. Recently, however, I was working on a crochet project and wanted something to watch while I worked, so I picked up the Inspector Wallander DVD (since I'm the one who requested it, I thought I should watch it). This is a BBC series based on a highly acclaimed mystery series by Swedish author Henning Mankell.
Kenneth Brannagh creates a fantastic portrayal of the rather depressed, insecure Inspector Kurt Wallander, leaving this viewer to think he is on the verge of becoming completely unglued numerous times. In spite of his very physical presence (slightly overweight, sleep-deprived, unshaven, sometimes unwashed), he often seems like a fragile piece of glass, and the wrong vibration might shatter him.
The landscape is as much a character as Wallander, with its spare, haunting beauty. I have never been to Sweden, but I can certainly imagine it looking like this: often foggy and overcast, the quality of light like a perpetual twilight; sparse forests of spindly trees, struggling to thrive so near the Arctic Circle; and the grey ocean, washing up on the grey sand, a grey sky in the background.
I certainly hope the BBC is planning to make more episodes of this series, and in the meantime, I need to get started on the books. The first in the series is Faceless Killers, and the series order can be found here.
If you are interested in reading a full review, here is a link to the New York Times review of the series.

Browse What's New--Virtually

A lot of people love coming to the library and browsing a few prime spots--the new books, movies, and audio books. These areas display whats new at the library within the past 6 months, and are often the place you'll find the most recent bestsellers. Did you also know there's a way you can browse what's new in our collections from home? Here's how. Start at our homepage and from the Books and More menu, select "Search Catalog". Under "Find Information" on the bottom of your screen, you can choose "New DVDs", "New Audiobooks", or "New Fiction." See the New Fiction list here, as an example. This list is updated as items come in. You can place holds on these items just as you would from the catalog. (Click on the item's title, and look for the blue "Request" checkmark icon at the top of your screen, then enter your information.) This is a great option if you don't have anything in particular in mind and just want to see whats new on library shelves. All browsers know it's a great way to discover new favorites!

Get Crafty!

There’s something about fall—maybe it’s the pumpkin carving, or the apple pies we’re inspired to start baking, or the new chill in the air that keeps one inside—that turns the mind to crafts. Whether you quilt, knit, paint, scrapbook, make soaps or candles, collage, weave, bake, plant, or something else entirely, we have a book for you. Not only do crafts stimulate the creative side of your brain and provide a fun way to spend an afternoon, but the holiday season is fast approaching. Why not use your talents and skills to create inventive home decorations, or celebrate by making beautiful homemade gifts? Of course, you might also be able to save a little money while you’re at it, a happy if not intentional benefit. Plus, it’s easy to involve the kids, too—make craft time family time! But even long-time crafters need some new inspiration occasionally. Searching our library catalog for the subject “handicraft” will give you literally hundreds of hits—see the selections here, or pick up one of these for some general ideas.

The Michael’s Book of Arts & Crafts edited by Dawn Cusick & Megan Kirby—745.5 M621

Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration by Martha Stewart—745.5 M377

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano—745.5 M765

Looking for gift ideas in particular? Try one of these:

Country Gifts: Enchanting Ideas to Make and to Give edited by Fiona Eaton—745.5 C855

Edible Gifts: Irresistible Treats to Give From the Pantry edited by Fiona Eaton—641.5 E23

Knitted Gifts: Irresistible Projects to Make and Give by Ann Budd—New 746.432043 B927


Or, search our catalog with your favorite craft as a keyword.

Lastly, if you’re getting a head start on your holiday decorations, see our endless holiday home decorating idea books here.

Happy crafting!

Celebrate Banned Books Week! September 26 - October 3

The American Library Association has celebrated the last week in September as Banned Books Week since 1982. This year, it officially kicks off on September 26^th. Why celebrate Banned Books? The ALA states that the event “reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.” Many may think that banning or challenging books is a thing of the past, but books continue to be challenged to this day. The American Library Association has always been an opponent of censorship and an advocate, if not leader, of intellectual freedom. To see more about why and how books are challenged or banned, click here. A lot of people may also think that if a book is challenged, it must be wildly offensive, hateful, or graphic in some nature. You might be surprised to learn that many classics, most of which are high school or college required reading, repeatedly make the list. These include William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, and J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, just to name a few. If you want to see what other top 100 novels of the 20^th Century make the list, and the reasoning behind the challenges, click here. You can also view a list of the top ten most challenged per year—to see 2008’s click here. From this screen, you can choose other years from the menu on the left, or view by decade.

Does all of this leave you feeling mighty daring? Go ahead and pick up something "dangerous" to read at your library and cherish your freedom to read it.