Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Illinois Authors




I've just read two new books whose authors have ties to Illinois. In "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix, adopted Jonah and his best bud Chip receive mysterious envelopes in the mail. Opening them up, they find a plain white card that says "They are coming for you." Chip snoops around and finds out his parents have not been honest with him and that Chip was also adopted. Mix in a freaky black jet full of infants and you have an awesome tale of suspense and time travel. Haddix's tie to Illinois? She used to be a professor at a college near Danville in central Illinois. In Andrea Beatty's "Cicada Summer", silent Lily lives unnoticed in her small rural town during the Depression. Her brother has died and Lily has not spoken since that day, preferring to let the town folk think she is brain damaged. She "borrows" books from the school library and hides to read them. One day Tinny moves in with her aunt Fern and begins to torment Lily. But Lily has noticed Tinny stealing food and money from her aunt. What is Tinny up to? And who is the repairman who wears shiny city shoes in the country? This book of historical fiction comes to an exciting end and I know you'll all enjoy it! Did you know that the author, Andrea Beaty, lives in a suburb of Chicago? Wonder if it's Homewood? Here are a few other authors from Illinois that you might want to explore: Jim Aylesworth, Blue Balliett, Candace Fleming, Arthur Geisert, Michael Hays, Laurie Lawlor, Tom Lichtenheld, Kevin Luthardt, Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, Bob Raczka, Laura Ruby, Natasha Tarpley, and Amy Timberlake.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

New Graphic Novels
















Well, after all the excitement of summer reading sign-up day, I am glad to get back to checking in some new graphic novels. We have just received the second, third and fourth in the Yotsuba&! series. That charming Yotsuba tries her hand at art, has an experience with a water gun, takes to the street as Flower Cupid and masters rock-paper-scissors. We've also received the second and third of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels. In "The Truth About Stacey", Stacey moves to a new town, deals with her diabetes and finds three new friends. In "Mary Anne Saves the Day", Mary Anne has an atomic meltdown and loses her Baby-Sitters Club friends. Will Mary Anne find her way back to her friends? We hope so! Remember the Hardy Boys? They are now also available in graphic novels and we now own "Dude Ranch o' Death." Frank and Joe are sent to a "tough love" camp to find several missing teens and to figure out just what is going on at that camp. These graphic novels are all waiting in our new book section.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Summer Reading is almost here!

Wow! Only one more week until summer reading sign-up! Our theme this year is "Get in the Game, Read!" and we have some seriously cool programs lined up for our Home Run Wednesdays. To start us off, Anna Stange will sing songs about your favorite storybooks and encourage you to sing too. X-games medalist Matt Wilhelm will join us and provide thrilling moments with his BMX bike show. We'll have our famous family movie day and this year the theme of the movie will, of course, be sports. On Race Day, we will have real race cars in the parking lot and the drivers will be available to answer any questions you have about racing. By the way, for all you girls who dream of speed, our own Miss Sarah will be available to answer your questions about racing because she is a race car driver in her spare time! After all that excitement, come to the library the following Wednesday for an awesome board game bonanza. Gaming in the Great Outdoors follows with Tumblebus for our smaller readers and Climb On's climbing wall for the older readers.
There will be free tickets while they last for Library Night at the Windy City Thunderbolts. Don't forget us during Homewood Days, either, as we will be featuring the James Hart Step Dancers! Come learn some new moves! Last, but not least, is our pool party at Dolphin Lake for our readers who have earned 10 reading dollars. Questions? Call us at (708) 798-0121 x 222.