Monday, January 30, 2012

Award-Winning Books for Teens

On Monday, January 23 the American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2012 Alex Awards. The Alex Awards “are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.” The ten winning books are:

Big Girl Small   In Zanesville The Lover's Dictionary The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens The Night Circus Ready Player One Robopocalypse Salvage the Bones: A Novel The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt (PagePerfect NOOK Book) The Talk-Funny Girl


“The 2012 Alex Awards will take readers from rural New Hampshire to the robot apocalypse to Katrina-ravaged Mississippi to a magical circus. The Alex Award winners are as diverse and eclectic as the teens who will read them,” said Karen Keys, chair of the 2012 Alex Awards Committee.”

Friday, January 27, 2012

Writing Fiction

Writing a book doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, perseverance, and usually some good editing. As a reader, the writing process seems like a magical process. But real writers will tell you that it takes a lot of work. Here are some books to peruse on the writing process.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King : I have heard several writers say they re-read this title every year to gain some insight into the process.

Practical Tips for Writing Popular Fiction by Robyn Carr: This title focuses on genre fiction.

The Art and Craft of Writing Historical Fiction by James Alexander Thom : For those folks interested in writing historical fiction.

There are magazines available for checking out such as Writer's Digest, Writer, Poets and Writers. And take a peek at magazines we own, that are about specific genre writers and books - Romantic Times Book Reviews, Mystery Scene, Locus, and Historical Novels Review.

And there are always writer conferences to go to. Love Is Murder is the Chicagoland area's writer and fan conference for mystery and romantic suspense. And this year's conference is next weekend, Feb 3-5th. Look at their website http://www.loveismurder.net/ for more details.

And write on. And maybe someday we will have your book in the library.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Gung Hei Fat Choi!

The Chinese New Year Dragon 4710 began yesterday!

Celebrate by reading some of these novels with "Dragon" in the title:

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
New threats emerge to endanger the future of the Seven Kingdoms, as Daenerys Targaryen fights off a multitude of enemies, while Jon Snow faces his foes both in the Watch and beyond the great Wall of ice and stone.
Fifth book in the Song of Fire and Ice series

Dragon by Clive Cussler
Adventurer Dirk Pitt matches wits with a group of Japanese nationalist extremists out to establish a new empire as he races against time to recover an atomic bomb lost in the Pacific aboard a B-29 during World War II.

Harrowing the Dragon by Patricia McKillip
Spanning a quarter of a century, an anthology of previously uncollected short fiction explores a world of magic in such works as "The Harrowing of the Dragon of Hoarsbreath," "A Matter of Music," and "The Fellowship of the Dragon.".

Dragon's Fire by Anne McCaffrey
When a mine containing firestone, the mineral that gives the dragons of Pern their ability to breathe fire, explodes, killing the miners trapped there, young Cristov volunteers to take over the dangerous task of retrieving the explosive rock for the dragons.
Part of the Dragonriders of Pern series

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander investigate the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, which took place forty years ago.
First in the Millennium Trilogy

Dragon Fire by William S. Cohen
Upon the assassination of the Secretary of Defense, former senator and Vietnam POW Michael Patrick Santini is called upon by his President to fill the vacancy. Once there, he discovers that the United States is under attack by a silent, sinister force, someone determined to alienate our allies and undermine our position as a global superpower. But America is hours away from going to war--with the wrong enemy. Rejecting direct orders from the president, Santini races across the world in a desperate attempt to prevent a catastrophic global war

Friday, January 20, 2012

If Once is Not Enough

Then you are in luck! Much like Groundhog Day over and over again), there are countless of movie remakes - either with the same or similar titles, made for TV and onto the big screen. Have you seen the different versions? Which did you like better, the original or the remake? Here are a few titles that are available at the library:

The Mummy:
(1932) Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Bramwell Fletcher, Arthur Byron,Edward Van Sloan.
(1999) Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Hyde, Kevin J. O'Connor.

All The King’s Men:
(1949) Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Joanne Dru, John Derek, Mercedes McCambridge.
(2006) Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet

Journey to the Center of the Earth:
(1959) Pat Boone, James Mason, Arlene Dahl
(2008) Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem

Ocean's Eleven:
(1960) Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, Angie Dickinson.
(2001) George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Eddie Jemison, Bernie Mac, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Julia Roberts.

True Grit:
(1969) John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Jeremy Slate, Robert Duvall, Strother Martin
(2011) Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper, Hailee Steinfeld

Clash of the Titans:
(1981) Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress, Claire Bloom, Siân Phillips, Flora Robson, Laurence Olivier.
(2010) Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Alexa Davalos, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson.

Hairspray:
(1988) Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, Jerry Stiller, Ric Ocasek, Pia Zadora.
(2007) Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney.

Poseidon Adventure/ Poseidon:
(1998) Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin.
(2006) Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Jacinda Barrett, Emmy Rossum, Mike Vogel, Mía Maestro.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

New Audiobooks at the Glenview Public Library

Be sure to check out the following new
audiobooks that have recently become
available at the Glenview Public Library.
You can reserve these titles through our
online catalog by clicking on the titles
below or by calling the Audiovisual Desk
at 847-729-7500 ext. 2602.

Fiction
The Angel Esmeralda by Don DeLillo
Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag
The Devil’s Elixir by Raymond Khoury
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The Next Always by Nora Roberts
The Innocent by Taylor Stevens

Nonfiction
Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy by Bill Clinton
Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabriel D. Giffords
How I Got This Way by Regis Philbin

Friday, January 13, 2012

Which is better, the book or the movie?

Many readers are probably already aware that the movie The Hunger Games, based on the book by Suzanne Collins, will open in March of 2012. Note: The second title in the series, Catching Fire, is scheduled to open in 2013.

For those who prefer to read a book before seeing the movie or television version (to determine whether or not it was cast and filmed correctly!) here are a few other books to read in order to be ready for their screen versions:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer: A young boy searches New York for the lock that matches a mysterious key that his father, who died in the 9/11 attack, had left hidden in his belongings.

One for the Money - Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum will be played by Katherine Heigl in the movie of the first mystery in the series.

The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen: HBO will produce a pilot, which Franzen will co-write, for a series based on this book. Ewan McGregor will star in the role of Chip, the middle son.

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (currently filming): This classic is being turned into a movie and a BBC miniseries that will be on Masterpiece Theater. Both versions have given the story a new ending, causing much controversy. Did they ruin it?  Read the book first and you can decide!

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy: Shooting has begun, with film stars Keira Knightly and Jude Law. It is directed by Joe Wright (who also directed Atonement and Pride and Prejudice).

On the Road - Jack Kerouac: In this classic book of the Beat Generation, Kerouac writes in his improvisational, stream-of-consciousness style in the early 1950s, becoming the voice of a new generation. He typed the book in three weeks on a single long scroll of paper. (The movie stars Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, and Viggo Mortensen.)  

Big Sur - Jack Kerouac: The book tells the story of Kerouac’s alcoholism and breakdown on the heels of his sudden fame, and his retreat to a cabin in Big Sur; the movie is in production and expected out sometime in 2012.

Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie: (Directed by Deepa Mehta, famous for her Elements Trilogy: Fire, Earth and Water.) The film version of Rushdie’s historical novel about India’s independence from British colonialism is expected in October of 2012. The book won a Booker Prize, and a Best of the Booker prize.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Winter Escape

If you dream of warm sandy beaches during winter but can't get away, why not let a book take you there? From Havana to Hawaii, here are a few sunny and funny reads that might go well with an umbrella drink.


Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
Chaz Perron pushes his wife overboard from a cruise liner. Unlucky for Chaz, Joey survives clutching a bale of Jamaican pot. Rescued by a former police officer, she decides not to report him and plots her revenge by haunting and taunting him by playing dead.

Cadillac Beach by Tim Dorsey
On the trail of a stolen stash of gems, Serge Storms and Lenny, his spacey marijuana-addicted sidekick, are back again in this screwball and slapstick crime-spree novel.

Havana Heat by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera
Miami private-eye Lupe Solano is sought after by two clients with ties to Cuba. One who wants to retrieve a priceless tapestry, hidden in her family's Havana home, and an art dealer with somewhat dubious ethics. Not sure whether to take either case, gutsy Lupe heads to Havana for what turns out to be a very suspenseful finale.

Swimsuit by James Patterson
A beautiful supermodel on a photo shoot in Hawaii disappears. LA Times reporter Ben Hawkins hopes to help the victim and get an idea for his next bestseller. He gets a shocking visit that forces him to take a hard-to-resist deal with the devil.

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
With her divorce approaching and her quilting shop going out of business, Bonnie gets a chance to escape when an old friend invites her to Hawaii to help launch a new quilter's retreat at a charming bed and breakfast.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Forthcoming fiction for February

Here are some titles coming out this February. You can reserve these by going to our Online Catalog, Bibliocommons or by calling the Reader Services Desk at 847-729-7500 x7600!

Into the Darkness by V.C. Andrews
Death of a Kingfisher by M.C. Beaton
Guns in the Gallery by Simon Brett
Ragnarok: the End of the Gods by A.S. Byatt
Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini
No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie
Yours, Mine and Ours by MaryJanice Davidson
Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke
Kill Shot: an American Assassin Thriller by Vince Flynn
Catch Me by Lisa Gardner
Deader Homes and Gardens: a Claire Malloy Mystery by Joan Hess
Left for Dead by J.A. Jance
Victims: an Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
World Divided by Mercedes Lackey
Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
Oath of Office by Michael Palmer
Private Games by James Patterson
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice
Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb
Before the Poison by Peter Robinson
Restless in the Grace by Dana Stabenow

Friday, January 6, 2012

Board Games in the Teen Scene!

Attention high school teens! Looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Want to take a break from your studies for a short time? Board games are great stress relievers!

We have a wonderful assortment of board games for use in the Teen Scene: Apples to Apples, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Boggle, Chess/Checkers, Cranium, Deck of Cards, In A Pickle: The What's in a Word Game, Jenga, Monopoly, Scattergories, Uno. Teens may use any of the games with a valid library card or student ID, which will be held at the Reader Services Desk. There are games that can be used as a single, and others that are great group games. Bring a crowd and host an afternoon of Monopoly or enjoy your own tournament-style card game.

Games can be used during Library hours, up to 30 minutes before closing. All board games are for use in the Teen Scene only, by high school teens.

Any questions or game purchase suggestions, please contact Nicole M. Mills, Young Adult Librarian, at 847-729-7500 x2613 or email Nicole .