SPECTACULAR POSSIBILITIES

I took a trip up to the Bay Area last weekend. It’s a 5.5 hour drive (without traffic) from LA, and I settled into the driver’s seat, automatically reaching for a familiar audiobook: Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt, read by Lincoln Hoppe. It’s a trip I’ve made several times and a story I’ve listened to several times more since its publication in 2011, yet it has never failed to elicit the same depth of emotion each time. It draws me back to a place I’d never visited and a time I’d never experienced: a small town in upstate New York in 1968, the peak of the Vietnam War era.

Fourteen year old Doug Swieteck is starting eighth grade in a new school in a new town, where his father has just secured a new job after being fired for a poor attitude and a questionable work ethic. The Dump, his family’s latest residence, is small and dingy. His father is spiteful. His older brother is a menace. His gentle mother rarely smiles anymore. And Doug can’t think of a single good thing about the stupid town they've just moved to.

You can easily envision the trajectory for a kid like that: he’ll grow up to be a bully, a thief, a liar, a victim and a victimizer. And everyone else in town thinks so too-- including Doug himself.

Until he finds unexpected solace in a public library and purpose in a rare copy of John James Audubon's Birds of America. There’s something mesmerizing about the paintings in Audubon’s book, even for Doug, who would be the first to tell you he’s no artist. Soon he’s drawn into the stories he sees in each carefully crafted bird, which become the metaphor by which he interprets his world. His spirit soars and dives throughout the novel as he faces a deluge of circumstances that test his resolve to sketch a different future for himself.

Another librarian (whose name I unfortunately cannot recall) wrote in her review of the book that it had broken her heart and put it back together a thousand times. I can certainly relate to that feeling. There’s a lot to mull over here: the tangible and intangible effects of the war on returned veterans and their families, the dichotomy of wealth and poverty, the cyclical nature of abuse, and the problematic prejudices of adults. At the same time there’s the thrilling freedom of art, the unexpected kindness of others, the gentle glow of first love, the healing found in offering compassion even when it seems undeserved, and a long lingering note of Possibility. It’s a tale of resilience and redemption.

I highly recommend listening to the audio version of book (which still counts as reading, in case you’re wondering!) Lincoln Hoppe’s reading of Okay for Now received an American Library Association Odyssey Honor in 2012 as one of the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States.

A truly rewarding read for grades 6 and up.

A LIBRARY ADVENTURE TO REMEMBER

Luigi Lemoncello is an ink drinker!  He's loved everything about books and libraries for his whole life.  When he grows up to become a successful entrepreneur, he decides to give back to his community and builds a state of the art public library.  Before its grand opening, twelve students from the local elementary school are selected to take part in a library sleepover.  As part of their stay, they participate in a number of strategy games.  But when a grand prize is announced, they are each faced with the decision to try to win the grand prize individually or win as a team. 

With so many twists and turns, Chris Grabenstein's book is a wondrous read filled with so many treasures and unforgettable characters.  What would you do if you had to Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library? 

If you plan to check out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory then do take this along too.  You won't regret it!!  Also, our very own Central Library is undergoing a renovation.  There are still many adventurous things happening in the Children's Room and at our Branch locations. Pick up a Family Events brochure or click on the link glendalepubliclibrary.org for events.

WORDS ARE WAITING TO BE READ---NEW IDEAS TO FILL MY HEAD

Young Hippo is very excited to visit the library with her father.  She explores the different subject books in hopes of finding great books for herself.  As she discovers the different sections, her imagination takes her into each story. 

Books for Me! by Sue Fliess, gives children an understanding of the different kinds of books that are available at the library with many references to classic children’s literature.  Illustrator, Mike Laughead's  wonderful artwork brings the book titles to life in each page.  The amazing illustrations and rhyming words in this book emphasize the joy of reading and libraries.  A must-read for all children!

ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY

Kyle has won an essay contest and will be participating in the exciting game, "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library."  The twelve students participating in the game are locked inside the new library and have 24 hours to find their way to a hidden exit in the library.  The winner of the game will become the game creator, Luigi Lemoncello’s spokesperson for all his gaming products and more.  Kyle is very excited about this opportunity.  He and his family have been playing Mr. Lemoncello’s games for years and now he gets to be a part of this big event!  The game gives Kyle and the other participants an opportunity to learn more about each other and about Mr. Lemoncello’s and his connection to their town.  Who will win the game?  Who will win this exciting and once-in-a-lifetime game? Read and you shall find out.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein has a lot of reference to children’s material and the gaming element; it is a great page-turner for students in grades 4-6.

A MAMMOTH IN THE LIBRARY

A child asks his librarian, Ms. Reeder, if he can bring Woolly the mammoth to the library. Woolly can help with so many things at the library if only he would not create a chaos. For instance, Woolly could help with the shelving if he would not get stuck between the shelves causing a big mess, throwing all the books on the floor, or if he could make less noise when he walks. When Mayor Pinchpenny comes with overdue books and refuse to pay all fines, Woolly would grab him by his legs and turn him  upside down and shake him until all the coins come out of his pocket.

This hilarious story is full of funny illustrations. Children will not only enjoy Woolly, but also learn rules and practices of a library such as how to acquire a library card, how to behave in the library, and how important the library is to its community. For Ages 5-8. Can I Bring Woolly to the Library, Ms. Reeder? is written by Lois G. Grambling and is illustrated by Judy Love.

GHOSTS ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK

If your mom or dad suddenly died, do you think you would be able to see their ghost? Jay thinks he's seen his Dad's ghost, and is now a dedicated paranormal scientist. Well, as much as one can be when they are still in middle school. But he and his friends team up to form a paranormal detective agency. Their first job: find a missing artifact that will allow them to control the spirit world. Will this help Jay be able to talk to his Dad?

THE SEARCH FOR THE DOMINION GLASS by Justin Heimberg is the first book in the "Ghosts of Rockville" series that may reveal more than anyone knows about paranormal activity. Plus, it includes a special decoder glass to reveal many secret mysteries! For grades 5 and up.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!!

City Managers across California recently launched an aggressive petition drive and advertising campaign to tell California Legislators and the Governor to listen to the will of the voters and reject budget proposals that would steal local redevelopment funds.

In just three days, more than 3,000 Californians have signed our petition urging Sacramento politicians to listen to the voters. Legislators have taken notice and a budget vote that had been scheduled for today was delayed.

We're making great progress, but we need to do more!

Please help us reach our goal of 5,000 signatures by Friday by signing the petition at http://www.myvotecountsca.org/ and encouraging all of your contacts to do the same.

Please tell as many Californians as you can.


Sign the petition NOW!



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SPIES IN THE LIBRARY

Steve loves the Bailey Brothers stories, detectives extraordinaire, and has read all their books. He studied everything there is to know about being a detective and hopes to become one just like them. His hopes are realized when he is mistaken a "bad guy" while doing research for a homework assignment at the library! Now he must figure out who the real spy selling government secrets is in order to save himself. Who knew that the library could be such a dangerous place and that librarians are really secret agents?

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity: A Brixton Brothers Series by Mac Barnett is for readers in 4th through 6th grade looking for some action.

ARE YOU A MYSTERY AND PUZZLE FREAK?

Winston is a puzzle freak and the king of puzzles. thought he was being such a sensitive brother by getting Katie a wooden box for her birthday, but instead he got a lot of grief from his family because everyone couldn't figure out the words on the sticks left inside a secret compartment. The two decide to team up with other treasure seekers when they realized that the puzzle might lead to a million dollar treasure left by the librarian's father when he passed away. A fantastic scavenger hunt for those of you who like to watch "The Greatest Race". The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

A puzzling call sets Winston and his two friends off on another whirlwind adventure looking for clues and cracking codes so their school can win the big prize, $50,000! Can they beat the other schools and find the person who is cheating? the second installment is full of the same fun and excitement. The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin

LIBRARIES ON THE GO

Have you ever wondered what life would be like without the Glendale Public Library? What about life without any books at all?! In her book, , Margriet Ruurs gives us a very interesting look at some traveling libraries that make books available for communites around the world. Some of these communities are so remote is that the books have to go to them. Here in Glendale, we have our own traveling library, the bookmobile! But in other places, people use bikes, boats, and buses to transport books. Sometimes, even camels or donkeys travel carrying large bundles of books. Read this book to find out more about these special mobile libraries.

This book is best for readers in grades 4 through 8 and is a true story so if you need to do a book report on a non-fiction book, this one is for you!