Timothy and the Strong Pajamas

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level - SCH

There is a stage in the preschool years when many children become obsessed with superheroes. What three or four-year-old doesn’t long for the power to fly and to beat bad guys ten times his or her size? Yet good books for this age on the topic are surprisingly difficult to find. Poorly written easy reader books based on big budget films inappropriate for the age abound, as do picture books of similar quality but much denser text-per-page levels. Even using my librarian-fu on the catalog has had very limited success. I have seen a few good books (and alas, not written them down!), but here is a good recent entry:

Timothy Smallbeast, a young boy of indeterminate species, is not a superhero. But he really wishes he was! When his mother fixes his favorite pajamas, he finds that they make him superstrong. He promptly goes out and saves scads of people with his new powers, before disaster strikes and he finds that his powers have deserted him in his hour of need. This is a book aimed squarely at kids rather than all ages. However, for parents who want a good story for their superhero-loving young fry, one that won’t instill in their offspring a desire to see R-rated movies, one that they can read several times in a row without getting sick of, Timothy and the Strong Pajamas fits the bill just perfectly.

Darkborn

Darkborn by Alison Sinclair
Adult New Book Display – Main Level – SCI FIC SINCLAIR

In the city of Minhorne, Lightborn and Darkborn have always lived side by side, despite the fact that light is fatal to Darkborn and vice versa. Dr. Balthasar Hearne, Darkborn, gets a knock on his door just as the sunrise bell is ringing, and obeying ancient laws of hospitality, opens it. It’s his estranged younger brother’s former lover, now betrothed to a high society lord. Before next day comes, she has given birth to twins whose father, she impossibly claims, came to her in the day. Yet the unwanted twins appear to be sighted, impossible for Darkborn. Bal’s sister, the attending midwife, takes them to safety. That night, Bal is attacked and beaten by ruffians demanding the twins. He is saved by his Lightborn neighbor, but as they flee, they find his wife, Telmaine, and two daughters returning home from a society visit, unexpectedly accompanied by Baron Ishmael di Studier. The ruffians snatch the older girl on their way out. Despite his title, Ishmael is disreputable, a known mage who uses his powers to hunt the Shadowdwellers on the borders – important, but hardly proper for a baron. And only the Lightborn consider magic use truly acceptable. Lady Telmaine herself has magic, which she has concealed even from her husband her whole life and never learned to use. But now, with the plot rapidly thickening and both her husband and daughters’ lives in danger, she may need to risk her position in society.

This novel was well put together. It has an interesting premise and a taut plot without overwhelming with too many characters or details of the world. The characters were sympathetic. The kidnapped child fell just under my low threshold for child or parental suffering (I won’t read books, thriller or thoughtful, that center on a child’s death), and the thriller-aspect just the right pace to tempt me to stay up a few minutes late without keeping me up all night. The only downside is that (common for fantasy) it’s the first of a trilogy, the next volume due out next year, and the mystery behind the mystery isn’t solved this book.

Jules and Jim

Jules and Jim by Francois Truffaut
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - JUL

Next to Jean Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” Francois Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim” could be considered one of the most influential films of the French New Wave movement. The story revolves around two writers Jules and Jim who after giving up on “professionals” in their search for love, find themselves both enamored with the free spirited Catherine. The film follows the two inseparable men through their whimsical youth, and into the First World War where they fight on opposing sides. The two are reunited after the war but neither can shake their love for the uncontrollable Catherine. While the romance the men share with Catherine runs hot and cold and ultimately ends in tragedy, the true love story is the relationship between Jules and Jim.

Although the tale is a great one rife with thematic messages about friendship, love, and lost innocence, one can not overlook Truffaut’s influence with regard to style. Take a look at the Wes Anderson film “The Royal Tennenbaums” and the beginning of “Jules and Jim” and you’ll see striking similarities in the presentation. Anderson himself even quotes Truffaut in “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” when the title character says “not this one Klaus,” just as Jules says “not this one Jim,” with regard to not sharing Catherine. Of course Wes Anderson isn’t the only filmmaker to be influenced by Truffaut. His reach extends to the likes of Spielberg, Scorsese, Paul Mazursky, and Blake Edwards. Take a look at any of his films from “The 400 Blows” to “The Last Metro” and you’ll see why.

Also by Truffaut:

The Last Metro
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - LAS

Shoot the Piano Player
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - SHO

The Story of Adele H.
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - STO

The 400 Blows
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - FOU

Day for Night
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - DAY

Related Material:

Breathless by Jean Luc Godard
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - BRE

Francois Truffaut
Adult Video Biography - Upper Level - BIO TRUFFAUT

Truffaut by Truffaut by Dominique Rabourdin
Adult Biography - Upper Level - O'SIZE/BIO TRUFFAUT

Moving Day

Moving Day by Meg Cabot
Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - CABOT

Nine year old Allie Finkle is happy with her life in a nice predictable suburb and steady, yet slightly boring, friends. Thus, when her parents inform her that they plan to move to another part of town into an old fixer-upper, Allie is not pleased. First, she’ll have to change schools. Second, she won’t get to hang out with her best friend, Mary Kay Shiner, very much anymore. Finally, and most importantly, the Finkle’s new home is haunted! All of these reasons plus more make Allie certain that “moving day” should never happen.

Moving Day, the first book in Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls series by Meg Cabot, is truly an interesting and funny book. Allie will stop at nothing to prevent her family from moving into the run-down home that her parents so desperately love. After seeing a scary movie with her “fun” Uncle Jay, Allie is convinced that a “zombie hand” lives in the Finkle’s new attic. In her eyes, she has to protect her family from a terrible fate. In the meantime, Allie gets into a bad fight with her best friend Mary Kay and soon faces the wrath of Mary Kay and Mary Kay’s new best friend Brittany Hauser.

Hmmm . . . maybe moving won’t be so bad after all?

Read by Tara Sands, the audio book version of this novel is truly delightful! Tara has a wonderful way of making Allie and all of her pluckiness come to life. This is a winning series because it is relatable and very humorous. The other books in the series are: The New Girl and Best Friends and Drama Queens.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Youth New Dvds-Lower Level – B


This is a great new youth movie that the library has available. Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is an over-pampered spoiled Chihuahua. She indulges in weekly manicures and pedicures, has a personal shopper and wears a custom made Harry Winston diamond collar. Chloe hangs out with her other pampered dog friends by the pool. Papi (voiced by George Lopez) the landscaper’s Chihuahua is in love with Chloe and would do anything for her but Chloe will not give him the time of day.

Chloe is left in the care of Rachel (played by Piper Perabo), her owner's irresponsible niece. Rachel heads to Mexico with her girlfriends and is forced to take along Chloe. Not wanting to be left out of the fun Chloe escapes the room and while trying to find Rachel is captured and is taken to a dog fighting ring. The hunt is then on when Rachel finds Chloe missing. She even gets more help when the Landscaper and his dog Papi find out Chloe is missing. Papi will do anything to save Chloe. Chloe has some fun and scary adventures as she tries to find her way back to Beverly Hills.