Movies based on books:

December 9th

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Based on: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John LeCarre

December 16th
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Loosely based on: “The Final Problem”, one of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featured in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

 

December 21st

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (English language version)

Based on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

December 23rd

The Adventures of TinTin: The Secret of the Unicorn

Based on The Secret of the Unicorn by Herge

War Horse

Based on War Horse by Michael Morpugo

We Bought A Zoo

Based on: We Bought a Zoo: A Memoir by Benjamin Mee

January 20th

 

Coriolanus

ased on: Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Based on: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

January 27th

One for the Money

Based on: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Based on: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Be sure to check IMDB and local theater listings for updated release dates on all of these titles. 

Meet Miss Flavia de Luce

I have not been a big reader of mysteries but Miss Flavia de Luce has completely won me over.  This 11-year-old crime solver stole my heart with her charm, wit, and passion for poisons.  I can not forget her penchant for telling fibs and oh, the cheek!

If you have not met Flavia yet, I suggest you do at once. The first four books are The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, The Weed that Strings The Hangman's Bag, A Red Herring Without Mustard, and I Am Half-sick of Shadows.  I look forward to many more.

You do not have to read the books in order and I suggest, to enjoy them even more, that you listen to them as the reader does a superb job.  The first three are available through Woodlands Downloadable Library.  The fourth will be available soon.

Titles that I am currently reading

Now that I have made a "plug" for library cards, I thought that I would share with you the books that I am currently reading. Yes, that is right, "books". I usually have two or three books that I read at one time.

The first book is "Arc of Justice" by Kevin Boyle. The book takes place during the 1920's when the jazz age was popular in Detroit. Negroes were not welcomed in some areas and the KKK often caused tension and violence. Ossian Sweet was a Negroe doctor who made his way from the ghetto to an all-white neighborhood. One day a mob gathered outside his house and shots rang out. Sweet, or one of his defenders had killed one of the whites that was threatening their lives and home. This event began a murder trial for Sweet which documents the the violence in America in the 1920's. I won't give away the ending of the book as this book has been chosen as the 2011-2012 Great Michigan Read by the Michigan Humanities Council.

Look for a book discussion at Hillsdale Community Library the week of November 14th. We will have multiple copies available for checkout the week of October 10th.

The second book that I am reading is "Jeannie Out of the Bottle" by Barbara Eden. Ms. Eden starred in the sitcom "I Dream Of Jeannie" and she shares the story of her career as well as her personal life in this book. I would definitely recommend the book to those who watched the show, shall we say...a few years ago!

What is the value of your library card?

Recently, I was in a conversation with another librarian and the topic was the value of a library card. Do you realize what a "bargain" a library card is?

A library card is available to you at no cost if you live within our service area. If you do not live within our service area, a library card from Hillsdale Community Library is $35 per year. Yes, that does seem like a huge expense but if you do the math, this averages to 0.095 cents per day!
Quite a bargain if you ask me!

What "value" does your library card give you? The "value" that the library card gives you is the ability to check out books, magazines, audio books, videos, and other materials that may not be readily available to you. If we do not have the item that you are looking for, we may be able to interloan it from another library through MeL (Michigan eLibrary Catalog). You can also use the computers at the library or, if you prefer, bring in your laptop to use.

I have always loved libraries. I used to get "kicked out" of the library on Saturdays when I was a teen. I was not being disruptive, it was time for the library to close and I had lost track of time by taking a book off the shelf and reading it right there at the library.

I invite you to discover the value of your library card. If you do not have a card with us, please stop in the library and sign up to receive a card.

Book/Movie News

JULY 25TH, 2011

DAVIS ENTERTAINMENT AND LOLA VFX TEAM TO PRODUCE SCOTT WESTERFELD’S NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING FUTURISTIC TRILOGY. “UGLIES” BEING PREPARED AS FIRST OF THE PLANNED LIVE ACTION FEATURES.


Project Signals Premier Visual Effects Company Move Into Film Production
 
LOS ANGELES (JULY 24, 2011) – Producer John Davis and the founders of Lola Visual Effects (Lola VFX) will team to finance, develop and produce a theatrical, live action feature based on Scott Westerfeld’s New York Times best-selling “Uglies,” the first of his futuristic trilogy first published in 2005.
 
The filmmakers have also acquired Westerfeld’s PRETTIES and SPECIALS, the remaining trilogy installments published by Simon Pulse, a Simon & Schuster company, with total sales of over 3 million copies. Jacob Forman (“All The Boys Love Mandy Lane”) will write the screenplay.
 
UGLIES will be produced by John Davis (“Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “I, Robot”) and Jordan Davis (“Jump In”), along with Colin and Greg Strause via their Hydraulx Entertainment banner. Lola’s Edson Williams and Thomas Nittmann will executive produce along with Adam Schroeder
 
Lola is the groundbreaking visual effects company paving the way for an entirely new level of story-telling, most recently transforming Chris Evans into the 90-pound weakling Steve Rogers for CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. The company was founded by Colin and Greg Strause, Edson Williams, and Thomas Nittmann.

Set in an Orwellian future in which teens undergo surgery on their sixteenth birthdays to become supermodel “pretty,” UGLIES is the story of Tally Youngblood, one such “ugly” teen who is forced by authorities to forgo her transformation until she infiltrates The Smoke, a community of rebels who choose to retain their appearance and live outside of normal society. Tally soon discovers appearance isn’t everything and her world is not all that it seems.
 
“’UGLIES’ is a smart, youthful, and edgy trilogy peopled by sophisticated characters who have to navigate through a dangerous but fascinating world,” stated John Davis. “We are at this time in the development of cinema magic where we have the proper technology to fully realize Scott’s vision for the screen.”
 
In addition to CAPTAIN AMERICA, Lola is the company behind Brad Pitt’s youthification in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON and flawless twining of Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  With this technology and expertise, Lola will handle the dramatic transformation of characters into the “pretty” versions of themselves while Hydraulx will create the futuristic world of UGLIES, an exquisite yet eerie dystopian future.
 
Stated Greg Strause: “With UGLIES, Scott created a visually stunning world that capitalizes on the strengths of both Lola and Hydraulx.  Our partnership demonstrates the expanding possibilities of enhancing creative storytelling with innovative visual effects.”
 
In other book/movie news, The movie based on Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" is set to be released in 2012 and the movie based on Catherine Fisher's "Incarceron" will be released in 2013 and we can not forget The Help, based on Katheryn Stockett's book, comes out August 10th 2011.  

Better than your 9th Grade World History Class

Fall of Giants is an engaging look at World War I through the lives of  five interrelated families.  Seeing WWI through the eyes of Americans, Germans, Russians, the English, and Welsh makes it much more real than the history books.  

Unfortunately, the horrors of our past often turn into stories that have no affect on our current lives.  As George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”   — Life of Reason, Reason in Common Sense, Scribner's, 1905, p. 284.  This historically accurate novel helps ensure that we do not do just that. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Torn between loyalty and love this WWII story about two 12-year-olds is a must read!  Available at the library or via Woodland’s Downloadable Library.   Inspired by true events.

Who Isn't Afraid of Sharks??!?

I have a friend, Kristen Tracy, who writes books for teens. I've enjoyed all of her titles so far, but this summer, she's coming out with the best one yet! Sharks and Boys is the story of . . . well . . . sharks and boys. When Enid decides to follow her recently-ex boyfriend to see if he's going on a date with another girl, she certainly doesn't expect to wind up stranded at sea on a rubber raft with her twin brother, her ex and his twin, and two other sets of twin brothers. And she certainly didn't think that they would be fighting injury, thirst, sunburn, and bloodthirsty sharks! Sharks and Boys has everything you would want in a good summer read . . . scary predators, handsome boys, and a cinematic style that allows you to see all the action in your head. I, literally, could not put this book down, and stayed up way past my bedtime so that I could see what happened to the stranded teens. Keep an eye out for this one!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

How do you stay true to yourself when you do not even know who you are? That is what Frankie Landau-Banks tries to figure out as she navigates from an unknown duckling to a sought-after swan in this funny, feminist tale.

With a title like this how can you resist? HCL has it in playaway format which I enjoyed but you can always interlibrary loan it if you would rather read it.

Delirium

Love is a disease that finally has a cure the question is, would you really want to be cured? Lena Haloway thinks so. She knows firsthand what being uncured can do and she wants the safety and happiness that being cured can bring her. What she does not realize is the only way to know happiness is to know sadness as well.

Delirium is the first book in a trilogy by Lauren Oliver. If you enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies Series you will want to check this one out. We do not have it available at HCL yet but you can check it out through woodlands.lib.overdrive.com in WMA, PC, or iPod format.

One Wacky Family

I can admit that my family--nuclear and extended--can be a bit weird. This has been true my entire life, and I think it's added to my enjoyment of books about large families with strange habits. In that vein, I've slowly but surely been working my way through the Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews. These mysteries, beginning with Murder With Peacocks, feature a sarcastic female blacksmith who investigates murders while also dealing with the rest of her responsibilities. Meg's extended family is a hoot, and Andrews somehow manages to make them funny and eccentric while still being endearing. You'll have to interlibrary loan this series, but it's well worth it if you're looking for humorous mysteries.

Saving the World Will Change You

So I figured my first post should be about a series that has had an impact on my life as a reader. Have you guys ever read the 'Animorphs' series by K. A. Applegate? They were popular in the late 90s. I started reading them when I was in middle school. I bought the first one at a yard sale, fell in love, and then- lo and behold- the library had more! And we still do. :) This is a great series if you like teen sci-fi novels like Maximum Ride and Virals. The characters are original and believable and loveable, the plot twists and turns and keeps you interested, the dialoge is enjoyable and well-writtedn, and sometimes these books just make you laugh out loud. The library has most of the series, and you can always get the ones we don't have on interloan. Check them out! I'm very excited because Scholastic is publishing a reprint of this series. At least the first few, and then if they are well-received, the rest of the series as well. The reprints will be tweaked versions of the originals, with more updated pop-culture references and fixed loopholes or inconsistencies. (When you write a 50-some-odd book series, it's hard to be consistant, right?) I'm looking forward to reading these new versions of an old favorite, and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I always have.

You can find more information on the official Animorphs website here.

A View Behind the Curtain

The books of Agatha Christie are very popular in Hillsdale, although I've never known exactly why. Granted, they are suspenseful and well-written with lots of twists and turns. Christie was a master at her craft. But they were published so long ago, conventional library wisdom would dictate that they wouldn't get checked out much anymore. At any rate, patrons who enjoy Christie's mysteries will want to check out Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran. With material from Christie's 73 private notebooks, this book gives us a peek into the author's mind. It includes drawings and two previously unpublished Poirot stories.

Late to the Party

If you have children between the ages of 9 and 16, you probably already know all about the 39 Clues series. It consists of 11 books written by seven different wildly popular authors, and it has been a runaway hit. So, of course, I hadn't read any of them. Finally, guilt overtook me and I read Maze of Bones, the first in the series and I loved it! Full of quirky characters, cranky cats, explosions, and mysterious clues, this book has everything a kid could want. And, it's perfect for those adults who grew up loving Ellen Raskins The Westing Game, as it's quite similar in concept and feel. I've already checked out the second in the series, One False Note.

Speaking of Janet Evanovich . . .

Since my last post contained a suggestion of what to read while you're waiting for the next Janet Evanovich book, I figured it would be a good idea to let you know about the next Janet Evanovich book. Smokin' Seventeen, the eagerly awaited seventeenth book in Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, will be released on June 21st of this year. We've already got a waiting list started for the two copies we'll buy, so stop in and add your name to the list. This promises to be a good one, with Stephanie choosing between Ranger and Morelli (and dodging bad guys, as usual).

Free Skate!

Janet Evanovich is a very popular author, and patrons are always looking for read-alikes to her Stephanie Plum mysteries. Skating Around the Law by Joelle Charbonneau is a super-fun read that has the same spirit as Evanovich's books. One year after Rebecca's mother passes away and leaves her a small-town roller rink, Rebecca decides to sell it and leave her hometown behind forever. But when the town handyman is murdered in the rink all the buyers disappear, and Rebecca realizes she must solve the murder herself if she's ever going to make her escape. With a sizzling love interest, and eccentric grandparent, and a hat-wearing camel, there's a lot to like in this story. It may even inspire you to strap on a pair of skates and take a turn around our local roller rink!

Woodlands Download Library

I do not have much time to read anything but textbooks and research articles these days but I am making up for that by utilizing our eBook library. For those of you who are not aware, HCL has subscribed to Woodlands Downloadable Library powered by OverDrive. I check out Audiobooks that I can listen to while running errands, cleaning the house, or driving to work.

The following is a list of recent titles I have listened to:

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, a YA fictional story about the Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, which I had already read but I liked it so much I wanted to listen to it.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen, a YA fictional story about surviving a nuclear attack, only to learn nothing is as it seems.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier, a totally doos (pronounced duce) story about, you guessed it, a girl trying to ditch her fairy. This is a must-listen- to story as reading it yourself will not do the pronunciations and accents justice.

Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, if you like books about werewolves you will be interested in this YA love story.

The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, a YA story of love, loss, and being strong enough to survive it all.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, this year’s Big Read selection that is wonderfully cast with four southern voices. Octavia Spencer is the voice for Minny, she is also playing her in the film version that is set to release this summer.

Look at all the books I would have missed out on had it not been for our Audiobooks available from Woodlands Downloadable Library. Check it out for yourself at http://woodlands.lib.overdrive.com.

Specialty Gardens

Many people farm or even have gardens, supplying themselves with tasty fruits and vegetables all summer long. However, from time to time one might get a hankering to branch out and grow something a little bit wacky, and that's where these new books come in. Growing Tasty Tropical Plants by Laurelynn and Byron Martin explains how to grow everything from lemons to olives inside your home. What a great way to provide color, fragrance, and tasty foods to your life!

Microgreens:How to Grow Nature's Own Superfood by Fionna Hill will tell you how to grow nutritious microgreens in your home. Similar to sprouts but stronger in flavor and grown in soil, microgreens could well be the food of the future.

Which Team Are YOU On?

If you keep up with teen books at all, you've probably at least heard murmurings about Zombies vs Unicorns, a short story collection edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. These two ladies are HUGE in teen lit, particularly fantasy, and they've managed to pull together a great group of authors. The book is playfully arranged, too, with zombie and unicorn pictures in the corners of the pages so you can tell which camp the story falls into, and smack-talking introductions from the editors. It's clear that Black and Larbalestier want you to choose a team, although I thought I was going to like each side. As it turns out, though, I'm Team Zombie. Who knew??!?!??

Just a Lovely Book

I had read several good reviews of The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine, which is why I decided to check it out. This was kind of a leap of faith for me, as I'd not been a big fan of Schine in the past. Imagine my surprise when I found this to be one of the best books I've read in months! This quiet tale of three women, their lives in disarray, who move to a dingy guest cottage in Westport doesn't have a lot of splashy, quirky, larger-than-life events. What it does have is good characters, realistic emotions, and a simple beauty that allows me to recommend it highly.

Historical Fiction

I have often heard it said that history is boring.

When a friend asked me what I would recommend that she read, I gave her a list of the books I have been reading and realized there was a lot of historical fiction. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay , If I Should Die Before I Wake by Han Nolan and, of course, Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. In all these books, I learned many things I never knew before in a way that was far from boring.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly was another one of those eye-opening, historical fiction, non-boring books. It is a well-written, well-researched book about the very different lives of two teenagers. Andi is a modern-day teenager trying to deal with her falling-apart family with the help of anti-depressants and music; while Alex is an eighteenth-century teenager trying to deal with her falling-apart country with the help of Shakespeare and fireworks.

With music and danger, princes and death, both worlds collide in a unique time-travel twist and both girls realize, “it is love, not death, that undoes us”. Nevertheless, in the end it is worth it.

Tasty Treats for Cold Winter Evenings

I don't know about you, but there's something about a cold, blustery day that makes me want to hunker down with an afghan, a mug of cocoa, and a freshly-baked cookie. To help us along in this quest, HCL has a fine collection of cookbooks, including the new Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion and Craving by Krystina Castella. Just the cover alone is enough to make me want to pull out the mixing bowls and cookie sheets!