New Local Author to Visit New Hope

Organic Literature - The Intelligencer: Bucks County

Abington author and social worker, Wendy Tyson, will be appearing at My My in New Hope on October 19th from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Wendy's first book, Killer Image, involves an image consultant who also has a background in psychology.  That background becomes very important when she is hired to give fashion advice to a girl who has much deeper and troubling issues than fashion.

Wendy told The Intelligencer that among the darkness of the subject, there is also "hope and light".  "No one is pure good, and no one is pure evil. Sometimes we allow our experiences to push in one direction or another".

I'm looking forward to adding this book to our library collection!

Books Everyone Should Read

Based on numerous book awards, polls and reader surveys, the above wordle shows which books get the most votes. This information is thanks to David McCandless of Information is Beautiful. See the complete data here.

Google Books adds Features to Library

In Google Books, you can now create bookshelves similar to personal online libraries such as Shelfari, GoodReads and LibraryThing.

"You can create a personalized library on Google Books which allows you to organize, review, rate, and search a customized selection of books. These collections live online, and are accessible anywhere you can log in to your Google account. Bookshelves that are set to 'public' (with the icon showing two people) are publicly visible to friends who know the URL of your collection, so once you've built a collection, you can share it with them by sending them a link to your library in Google Books."

What's the next step for GoogleBooks? How about creating code to embed these bookshelves on our blogs and websites?

Book Review: Liar

Though Micah is a self-proclaimed liar, she begins the book with a promise: "I will tell you my story and I will tell it straight. No lies, no omissions. That's my promise. This time I truly mean it." Or does she? Throughout the novel, readers are taken on such a roller-coaster of self-admitted lies that nothing can be believed or taken for granted. Was she born a girl, a boy...or something completely different? What kind of relationship did she really have with Zach, a fellow high school student who was murdered? What does she know about the murder...was she involved? The ambiguous ending will leave readers intrigued with an urge to discuss the novel with others.

Larbalestier, Justine. Liar. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009. 978-1-59990-305-7. 376p.

Google Books

You probably are familiar with Google Books, but perhaps don't know about all of the terrific tools which Google continues to add.

Did you know:

• When you perform a general Google search, you can click on "Show options" and you will be given an option to see all the Google Books search results.
• Many Google Books are available in FULL PREVIEW which means you can look through the entire book, page by page, or by selecting pages from the Table of Contents.
• You can search for words or terms throughout a Google Book and it will take you to the page with that keyword.
• In the Preview section, you can embed the book into your website.

You or your students can submit a book review into Google Books for others to see.

In the Overview section, Google Books provides a Wordle which shows the most commonly used words and phrases in the book.

• If any geographical places are mentioned in a book, pinpoints are shown on a Google map with reference to where in the book the place is mentioned.

• You can see where there are references to the book from both Google Books and from Google Scholar.
• Books which are available to preview can be added to your own library - your library can be shared, searched or followed with an RSS feed.
• Hyperlinked subjects of books allow you to find similar books to the one you are viewing.

For complete information on Google Book searches, check out Lucy Gray's presentation which she shared at the Google Teacher Academy in Washington D.C.

Without a doubt, Google Books is something which will continue to be developed, as well as debated. Just today, MSNBC reported that Google was being sued in Paris for copyright violation. Here in the United States, a fairness hearing is scheduled for February 18 for an amended settlement to a lawsuit from the Author's Guild and publishers.

Book Review: Have a Little Faith

When Mitch Albom’s Rabbi asks him to write his eulogy, he feels both humbled and uneasy about honoring a “man of God” who has touched and inspired so many people. Although Albom has known “the Reb” since he was a child, he wants to be sure he captures the true character of the Rabbi, Albert Lewis. Thus begins the treasured relationship which Albom has with Rabbi Lewis for eight years. As he interviews and spends time with him, Albom realizes that the Rabbi is an incredibly giving and forgiving person who has a tremendous amount of love for people and life. Paralleling his visits with Rabbi Lewis, Albom befriends Henry Convington, a Detroit pastor who is a former drug addict and criminal. As Albom witnesses Convington’s unselfishness and devotion to helping the homeless and needy, Albom clearly sees that faith can be found in all religions. This is a wonderfully inspiring true story which stresses the importance of community and of the power of tolerance.

Mitch Albom speaks with Katie Couric about "Have a Little Faith":

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Read the World

Thanks to funding from the NHS Education Fund, author Allan Stratton will be visiting our high school and community to discuss his book, Chanda’s Secrets, on October 27. The book, which is set in Sub-Saharan Africa, will be read this fall in ninth-grade English classes and the region will be studied in World Cultures classes. As a derivative of this event, the high school library has partnered with the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the NHS Education Fund to create a community reading program called Read the World. Read the World provides a list of book suggestions as well as various community presentations offered in October which explore African cultures.

For a list of books, events and further resources, please visit nhsreadtheworld.wikispaces.com

Hot off the Press: PSLA Top Forty Reviews

The Top Forty Pennsylvania School Library Association 2009 book reviews are now online! Want to know what books should be on your "TO READ" list this summer? This is a great place to start. In fact, the two books which I am presently reading: Paper Towns by John Green and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins caught my attention because of my colleagues intriguing reviews.

My Sister's Keeper: The Movie

On June 26th, the movie version of My Sister's Keeper will be released in movies throughout the US. With good reason, this novel by award-winning author Jodi Picoult has been one of the most popular in our school library. Though it's been a few years since I read the book, I have to admit that the movie trailer doesn't quite match what I remember. And Picoult admits that the ending is not the same as in her novel, but she also adds "you're still going to like it" and that kleenex is necessary. I suppose we'll have to wait until June 26th to decide for ourselves.

PSLA Top Forty Cooks-up Some Good Reviews

I was so glad to be a part of another fun-filled night at this year's PSLA Top Forty presentation. Lead by our Top Chef, Joyce Valenza, we "stirred-up" the audience with some "tasty morsels" and "gourmet selections" of this year's best YA books. Look for our list , soon to be posted on the Top Forty website.

My own "favorite dishes" were Over and Under by Todd Tucker (simply superb!), The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti, Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris and Graceling by Kristn Cashore.

Xtranormal Fun

As the site claims, "if you can type you can make movies". Xtranormal is easy and fun!

Cultures Connecting Through One Book

Often people connect in the most unexpected and impromptu times and it's truly a beautiful thing. Even better is when two cultures find a connection when they're not even trying. But best of all (at least in the eyes of this librarian), is when the cultural connection is made possible through a book.

Back in the summer, I contacted author Allan Stratton about the possibility of visiting our school to discuss his book, Chanda's Secrets. I was struck by the story of this young girl's struggle to survive amongst the AIDS epidemic in her African village, and believed it could make a great impact on our students studying World Cultures. As I spoke to Allan on the phone to propose his visit, it became immediately apparent that he had many stories to tell which need to be heard. He is not only a prolific storyteller, but someone who cares about the real people of whom he writes. He shared with me his time spent in Africa and how touched he was with their human spirit.

Recently, Allan shared with me an email describing the impact that Chanda's Secrets had on one particular boy in Namibia. A young woman, Aly Martin, in the Peace Corps and teaching in Namibia gave the book to a troubled, orphaned boy and it made a very obvious impact on his life. The book spoke of the pain which this boy knew only too well. With the help of Allan and this woman's mother, Tracie, Aly and I are now corresponding about a collaborative effort between our students so that they may appreciate each other's culture. In the fall, as our students begin to read Chanda's Secrets, our school will be conducting a fundraiser for the many obvious needs of these Namibia students.

Indeed, books can make the greatest of impacts in people's lives. Thank you, Allan Stratton, for writing an important story. Thank you, Aly Martin, for making a difference in the real children about which Allan wrote. And thank you, Tracie Martin, for making sure the everyone hears these important stories - both fictional and real.

New Spring Books!

What's better than soaking in the spring sun with a good, new book? Come visit the library to see what new-releases may entice you. On March 25 before school, we will have them all on display along with some refreshments. Hope to see you there!

Click here for a sample of some good ones to whet your appetite.

New Books - No Cost

CBS recently reported that libraries are booming because of the free services offered in this struggling economy. People visit the library for the free Internet services and, of course, to borrow a good read at no cost. So, of course it seems ironic (and unfair!) that libraries are being targeted in cities and communities looking to cut spending.
That being said - please do take advantage of our wonderful high school collection. In fact, we just received a new shipment of books in to help you get through the winter blues. A sequel to Wicked, a new Wally Lamb book, and a variety of vampire reads are just a sampling of the gems. For the full list, click here. Or, better yet....stop by the library and see them on display!

"Three Cups of Tea" and the Value of Education

Today I finished reading “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and find myself amazingly inspired. It is a book which every American should read, most especially teachers. Mortenson, along with his comrades in Pakistan and Afghanistan appreciate the value of an education and the power it holds for change.
Recently, Gen. Petraeus reportedly sent Mortenson an email with three key-points which he gleaned from the book. The keypoints for me come from three Himalayan’s which were noted in the book:

• A quote from the Bhutan king – “true measure of a nation’s success is not gross national product but ‘gross national happiness’” pg. 120

• Speaking of his village, Haji Ali, the illiterate, elder leader of Korphe claimed “I’ll pay any price so they have the education they deserve”. Mortenson reflected , “Here was this illiterate man who’d hardly ever left his little village in the Karakoram. Yet he was the wisest man I’ve ever met.” Pg. 153

• Pakistani general, Bashir Baz – “The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business.” Pg. 310

The Host hits Bookstores

As of yesterday, Stephenie Meyer's new book, The Host, is available at bookstores. Although this is not the sequel to her Twilight series, I'm sure it will be equally popular with young adults. The plot is intriguing - an alien species invades the human population by inhabiting their bodies. For one girl, Melanie, this causes some major problems when her particular inhabitant starts falling for Melanie's boyfriend. A love triangle - but with two bodies!


Borders Media website offers an interview with Stephenie Meyer. She talks about this new book, her sequel to Twilight, Breaking Dawn, and the Twilight movie being released in December.

Dark is Rising

This certainly seems to be a big year for movies based on books! As our school anxiously and actively awaits the release of The Kite Runner in November and Into the Wild is presently out in theaters, Dark is Rising is on deck to be released this Friday. This is very timely since this book is on our Reading Olympics list this year!
Click here to listen to the NPR interview with the author, Susan Cooper.