ALA Midwinter

So, I had the most amazing trip this past weekend. I got to go to the 2nd biggest library conference in Chicago.  We DID get a lot of snow on Sunday, but it was more than worth it! check out the pics!

 

This is Tom Angleberger, the author of the Origami Yoda series.  I was able to call my 9 year old nephew who LOVES this series and he got to talk to his favorite author! I also bought Emperor Pickletine and had it signed.

 Jason Segel, TV and movie star (How I Met Your Mother) wrote a book, Nightmares (which we now have at the library) and came to talk about the book, acting, and the importance of libraries! Check out his interview here:

 This is my first day catch--SO many free books, posters, and bookmarks!

 I ate some delicious foods at the Grand Luxe Cafe

 Some views from my hotel room!

 Librarians unite! The Exhibit Hall!

 My room view at night

This was the major highlight of my trip! LEVAR BURTON! The star of Reading Rainbow! He wrote a new book, Rhino Swallows a Storm and it is AMAZING!

ARCs

Some of you know what ARC stands for when I throw the term out there, but not all.  ARC stands for "Advanced Reading Copy."  These are free books I get that are unpublished and need to go through editing last time.  So, I saw a bunch at ALA, but could only get some.  Below are pictures of upcoming books.  Comment on the blog and let me know which ones look good!

A Librarian's Worst Nightmare

I found the following pictures online...How sad! NEVER let this happen! NEVER! Can you imagine all the worlds, dreams, adventures, and love stories that will never be experienced again!?

TAB Teens!

Well, last week, I met with my teens to discuss some Young Adult stuff. We talked a LOT about the Summer Reading Program dealing with heroes/superheroes/villains, etc.  I am SUPER excited about it! We will be reviving the Black Light Party with some new, incredible activities in the dark!

Here are the teens and some of the questions I made them answer for the blog :D :

Kaeley:

What is your favorite book?: anything by Tamora Pierce
What has been your favorite library program?: Black Light Party 2014
What are you reading now?: No Country For Old Men
What was your favorite book as a kid?: Harry Potter

Hannah:

What is your favorite book?: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
What has been your favorite library program?: Lock-In
What are you reading now?: Oedipus the King
What was your favorite book as a kid?: City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Elisa:

What is your favorite book?: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
What has been your favorite library program?: volunteering for 3rd Fridays
What are you reading now?: Bomb
What was your favorite book as a kid?: Harry Potter

Eva:

What is your favorite book?: The Host by Stephanie Meyer
What has been your favorite library program?: Black Light Party 2014
What are you reading now?: The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
What was your favorite book as a kid?: The Tawny Scrawny Lion

Book Review: My First Manga

Alright, I decided to read Manga for the first time.  I chose this one because I played the video game on my Super Nintendo growing up...

Goodreads summary: 
In a small village in Hyrule, there lives a boy called Link who has the mark of the Triforce on his left hand. It is a mark of destiny that once again leads Link on a fantastic adventure! Transported to the land of Holodrum, Link meets Din, the Oracle of Seasons. But a plot to steal the seasons from Holodrum unfolds and Link must battle the evil General Onox to save Holodrum and his friends from a terrible fate!
This review may not be entirely objective...

I liked the idea of this story, the graphics, and the connection to a beloved video game character.  But the infatuation stops there.  I'm sorry guys, but Manga isn't my style.  I know the order to read the pictures, but they don't always follow that order.  There is so much going on in the pictures of the fighting scenes, it gives me a headache, and I don't know what is going on.

Not to mention, the storyline is spotty at best.  The IDEA of the story is great, it's the writing that doesn't explain what is happening.  Link gets transported all over, but we don't really know how or why, then he is back where he started, and a lot of this seems to happen simply to make the characters where they need to be when they need to be--not because the story flows together.

I apologize to Manga fans.  I do like the behind-the-scene story of Link, but I don't know that I will ever be a reader of Manga.

TRUTH

 I love finding cool memes and photos online. I recently found the following. TOO TRUE!

 Kindles, Nooks, iPads, etc. are great, but they lose power.  There is NOTHING better than a book.  Books will NEVER die, never go away.  LeVar Burton tells us that reading print, real books, is a step towards literacy and creating readers.  In the future where there may be ONLY digital books, those who have read a true printed book will understand the value of the written word and those books will be priceless!

.....You have NO idea ;)

Craft?

Once again, I was looking at Sidney's Pinterest, and I found these...

Would you guys be interested in doing this for a craft night? Would you wear them?  If not, I will just make one for myself!