Hamster and Cheese

Hamster and Cheese by Colleen A.F. Venable
Youth Graphic Novels Lower Level- GUI

There is a sandwich thief at the pet shop. Everyday Mr. Venezi’s sandwich gets stolen. Everyone at the pet shop is a suspect. Hamsher, the Hamster (although he is labeled a Koala, all the pets are labeled wrong at the pet shop) hires Sasspants the Guinea Pig to solve the mystery. Detective Sasspants and Hamsher interview all the pets to determine who the sandwich thief is. This book is the first in a new graphic novel series written by Colleen A.F. Venable. Kids will the love the humor and antics of the animals in the shop. The full page graphics are nicely done as well. Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye is a great stepping stone for first time graphic novel readers. The next book titled And Then There Were Gnomes is due out in November of 2010.

Sainthood

Sainthood by Tegan & Sara
Cd Bins - Rock - T

One of the best concerts I have ever been to was one of Tegan and Sara's. There is an energy and emotion they have that most bands today lack. Their 2007 album, The Con, is what made me get into them, but their newest album, Sainthood, is just spectacular. It’s not as depressing and emotional as The Con; it really shows how they have grown. Tegan and Sara still sing about relationships and love, but their lyrics are a bit more abstract on this album. Sainthood also shows how they are in a good place in their lives right now. While working on and writing songs for The Con, both Tegan and Sara were going through some tough times; either trying to work through relationships or ending them. The awesome thing about Tegan and Sara is that they are one of the few groups these days who is continuously evolving and putting out a better record than the one before.

After listening to the album several times all the way through, I can say that there isn’t a bad song on here. I recommend not only checking out Sainthood, but also The Con and So Jealous; all of which are available at the library.

Here is the song Hell off their Sainthood album:




To get a taste of The Con album, here is the song Back in Your Head:

Daria: The Complete Series

Daria: The Complete Series by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn
DVD Collection - Main Level - TV DAR

Sarcastic, jaded, and disaffected youth rejoice, “Daria: The Complete Series” is now available in all it’s splendor. Well maybe not all it’s splendor considering music licensing issues have forced the creators to take out all that sweet 90’s music (I already miss “Gettin’ Jiggy With it”) and replace them with generic tracks. However, it’s a small price to pay to watch the trials and tribulations of Lawndale teenager Daria Morgendorffer as she suffers the unbearable idiocy of her peers, the ridiculous hypocrisy of her teachers, and the banal superficiality of her sister Quinn whose “shallowness is so thorough it’s almost like depth.”

Airing from 1997 to 2002 on MTV as a spin-off from Beavis and Butt-head, “Daria” was able to examine adolescent issues with more depth, heart, and humor than most live action teen dramas. While the animation isn’t ground-breaking, the writing and voice acting more than make up for any deficiencies it might have. In fact Daria might be one of the most quotable characters to appear on television. The great voice work stands out with regard to the members of Quinn’s fashion club and the brainless cheerleader Brittany. Although it would be a challenge for her character, Brittany would be just as hilarious reading the phone book.

So come back to a time when MTV actually played music videos, when there wasn’t just a plastering of self-absorbed, rich brats posturing in a so called “reality show,” when this now toxic waste dump of a television channel actually tried to produce interesting material. (Liquid Television, The Maxx, etc…) Come back to Daria.

Just Kids

Just Kids by Patti Smith
New Book Shelves-Upper Level - BIO SMITH

The year was 1967, the place, New York. Patti Smith had just left New Jersey to start a new life. She came to New York with nothing more than a small suitcase. By chance she happened to meet Robert Mapplethorpe. This was the beginning of a relationship and then a deep friendship that lasted twenty- two years until Robert’s death in 1989. Just Kids focuses mainly on Patti and Robert’s years spent together in New York before they were famous. The book depicts how they lived like starving artists while meeting famous ones; how they inspired each other which ultimately lead to Patti becoming a musician and Robert a photographer.

Patti Smith was a poet first and it is evident in this beautifully written and deeply moving autobiography. Anyone interested in learning more about Patti Smith, known by many as the Godmother of Punk and an important figure of the famous CBGB club, should read this book.

For those curious about listening to Patti Smith’s music, check out her first album, Horses (album cover by Robert Mapplethorpe).

Shop Class as Soulcraft

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
Adult Non-Fiction-Upper Level 331 C

This book is about the value of making and fixing things and the ability to work with one's hands. The author posits that the generation of thinkers, who were educated for the "knowledge revolution" don't know how to DO anything. They don't value hard, physical work or appreciate hand-made items. This is a great choice for people who like to work with their hands and who appreciate hard work!

William Kunstler : Disturbing the Universe

William Kunstler : Disturbing the Universe
Dvd Collection-Main Level - DOCUMENT WIL

The first time I heard the name “Bill Kunstler” was while watching The Big Lebowski, as the Dude was thinking of a lawyer to defend him. I read up on him, learning that he was an important civil rights lawyer but didn’t think much about him again until I saw this recently released documentary on him.

Created by Bill Kunstler’s daughters, Sarah and Emily, William Kunstler : Disturbing the Universe is a very complete portrait of Bill Kunstler, for good and for bad. This film shows his modest suburban beginnings and his activation and radicalization with the Freedom Riders and the Chicago Conspiracy trial. While covering other highlights of his career, it also documents his downfall, from a public perception standpoint.

Through interviews with family, defendants, and colleagues, as well as audio and video footage of Kunstler himself, we get a well rounded view at this complex, passionate man. Bill Kunstler felt that anyone, no matter how outrageous or unpopular, deserved a great defense and that simply because the status quo was enshrined in legality, this did not mean that it was just.


Check out the trailer to try before you borrow!
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Wilson

Wilson by Daniel Clowes
Adult Graphic Novels-Main Level - WIL

Wilson by Daniel Clowes

It has been ten years since Daniel Clowes has released David Boring, his last full length graphic novel, so there was much anticipation surrounding Clowes’ new work. Also, this is his first original graphic novel; the first not to be serialized in his comic periodical, Eight Ball.

While Clowes’ previous graphic novels had been divided into serialized chapters, this work consists of over 70 standalone full page stories, rendered in different le. All these stories are connected, though, and follow the overall narrative, yet have their own punch line at the bottom of the page. The story follows a middle aged man named Wilson, who has very little connection to his family, no friends, and a complexly optimistic, yet misanthropist view towards society.

While Wilson does eventually manage to connect to family members, in dramatic and disastrous ways, the main story here is that of Wilson’s growth as a person. While Wilson does not truly lose his entire misanthropic outlook, he does grow to appreciate aspects of humanity in his own way.

Stepfather

The Stepfather
DVD Collection - Main Level - SciFi Horror STE

Jerry Blake (played by Terry O'Quinn, the well-known "John Locke" from Lost) believes in the American dream: family, picket fence, family dog, and perfect children. So much so, in fact, that he will do anything to get it. The movie starts out after Jerry murders his family, cleaning himself up and altering his appearance. Apparently things didn't turn out to be so perfect with that family! He moves on to another town, where he marries a widow who has a teenage daughter. Everything is perfect there for a while, but then the teenage daughter starts getting into trouble at school. Jerry's previous wife's brother is looking for him, and a newspaper article surfaces. Stephanie, the teenage daughter, puts two and two together and has a suspicious feeling that the missing murderous husband is her new stepfather. As Jerry's cover spirals out of control, he has to kill more people to keep his cover. He plots his next move: find a new family in a new city and dispose of his current one. Is he successful? Is he caught? Watch the movie to find out!



This movie was re-made last year starring Dylan Walsh (who played Sean on Nip/Tuck) and Penn Badgley (from Gossip Girl). It is also available at the library.
The Stepfather
New DVD Shelves - Main Level - SciFi Horror STE

Caught

Caught by Harlan Coben
Adult New Book Display-Main Level – MYSTERY COBEN

Hayley McWaid is a 17 year old all American girl next door. She is captain of her Lacrosse team and excited to head to college in the fall. One morning Haley just disappeared, her bed was empty when her mother came to wake her up. The trail was stone cold for 3 months so friends and family feared the worst.

Dan Mercer is a social worker who teens have come to trust. The community was shocked when he was busted in an undercover pedophile sting operation. Dan hired a lawyer and took off for parts unknown. Wendy Tynes is the investigative reporter who outs Dan as a pedophile. Little did she know that the story of Dan Mercer is very complicated and contains many important figures in the community. Wendy is determined to reveal the whole truth of Dan Mercer, is he really the pedophile everyone thinks? Did Dan have something to do with Hayley’s sudden disappearance three months ago? The answers will shock you. Just like Harlan Coben’s other novels, you will keep guessing until the end.

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots written and illustrated by Sharon Lovejoy
Gardening Collection – Upper Level – 635.083 L

I know summer is in full swing, but I confess that I haven’t gotten my garden in yet. Get inspired yourself if you’re in a similar situation, or save some ideas for next year if you’re already caught up. This is a book so lovingly written and illustrated that I found myself wanting to try everything suggested. Lovejoy gardened with her own child as he was growing up, and also opened a public children’s garden which has operated for a very long time now. She starts with 20 favorite plants for children, and goes on to garden plans, including the best pizza garden plan I’ve seen (calendula or marigold planted throughout to look like cheese and fend off predators! Plus a slice cut out for path for weeding access.), a fragrant moon garden, a sunflower house, a butterfly garden, a garden of giants, tiny water garden, window boxes, a maze, and more. Each garden comes with a plan, list of materials, instructions for planting and maintenance, and a two-page spread of what to do and look for on your daily walk through the garden. I have seen several of the garden types she talks about in other books, but hers seem to have the extra details that bring a garden up to extraordinary. She’s writing from California (though I see from her website that she now lives in Maine), so her instructions will say things like “sow seeds when temperatures remain above 70”, which would be August for us, even though I know those plants can grow here. Lovejoy wrote and assured me, though, that these plans were tested in Maine as well. This is a book both (mostly) practical and beautiful in its own right, the one of all of these that I’d be most likely to want on my own shelf rather than fetching it from the library as needed. Try also her book Sunflower Houses, which is less garden plans and more child-friendly plants to put in the garden and fun things to do with them.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Youth Fiction - Lower Level - ATWATER

Can you imagine owning a penguin as a pet? The Popper Family in Mr. Popper's Penguins get to own 12 of these unique birds!

Mr. Popper is a painter who works many hours during the warmer seasons. Once cool temperatures hit, Mr. Popper spends most of his time studying about the North and South Poles which he finds fascinating. He specifically enjoys learning about penguins and writes a letter to Admiral Drake who is on an expedition in the South Pole.

One day, a big box arrives at the Popper address on 432 Proudfoot Avenue. Mr. Popper opens the box and much to his surprise, there is a shiny black penguin staring right back at him! Mr. Popper names him Captain Hook. At first Captain Hook seems happy with his new home, but as time passes it becomes obvious that Captain Hook is lonely. Thus, the Poppers decide to adopt a female penguin named Greta, and before long Captain Hook and Greta have 10 little penguins! What do you do with penguins that are used to living in freezing cold temperatures and cost quite a bit of money? Find out in the hilarious and delightful tale, Mr. Popper's Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater.

Steamed

Steamed by Katie MacAlister
Adult New Books - Upper Level - MACALISTER

Jack is a computer-ish engineer in the modern era, at work a bit tired from going to a concert by the steampunk* band Airship Pirates the night before. His sister Hallie drops by to inform him that she’s auctioned off a date with him and manages to do something very bad with the materials in his lab. Shortly thereafter, Captain Octavia Pye is quite shocked when her first mate reports two apparently unconscious people in the hold of her airship. Naturally, there is instant attraction between Jack and Captain Pye. There is shock on her part and on that of her crew that he is wearing a shirt that proclaims him to be a pirate. There is disappointment on the part of Jack that, despite the beautifully tailored uniform, Captain Pye insists on wearing her corset underneath her blouse. There are a good number of explosions, chases and escapes relating to Octavia’s secret involvement in an organization trying to overthrow the Empire, all of which is somewhat trying to Jack’s Quaker beliefs. The point of view alternates between Jack and Octavia, Jack speaking in rather foul-mouthed modern vernacular and Octavia in formal Victorian-era language. This is a humorous and light, yet steamy romance, suitable for fans of steam of both the romantic and, um, punk variety.

*I confess to being a bit puzzled as to why the “punk” in steampunk – but for fans of the genre looking for less in the passion department, I recommend Kenneth Oppel’s Airborn and Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series, both appropriate for older elementary and up.

The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes

The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes by Rod Townley
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – TOWNLEY

In the front window of the shoemaker’s shop in the village of Aplanap sat the most wonderful looking shoe. Not a pair of shoes, just one shoe. The shoe was glorious, made up of different blue gems. Everyone longed to have that shoe since it was so beautiful but Grel the shoemaker refused to sell the shoe. Grel made the shoe when a gentleman came into the shop with a bag full of blue gems and special ordered the single shoe. The man said that he would come back for the shoe. Grel reluctantly made the shoe, he was nervous because the dimensions that he was given to work with was nothing like he has ever made before. The man specifically requested that every blue gem that Grel was given would be used. Grel did what he was told and once the shoe was done he set it aside for when the man came to pick it up.

Hap Barlo was a young boy that Grel took in to be his apprentice. Hap used to steal and beg and in the village of Aplanap if you were caught your punishment was banishment to the far side of the mountain Xexnax. Hap discovered the shoe and convinced Grel to put it on display in the front of his shop. By doing that the village thrived. Visitors came from all over to get a look at the magnificent blue shoe. Through a series of events Hap gets banished to the far side of Xexnax and the blue shoe was ruined. Hap told himself that being banished was a good thing because now he can rescue his father who was banished a long time ago. As a result of the blue shoe being destroyed the village of Aplanap fell on hard times and everyone blamed the poor shoemaker and his apprentice. Hap finds an unexpected visitor on the way to the far side of the mountain and together they have an adventure of lifetime. They uncover something dark and sinister while on the far side of the mountain and it is up to them to stop it.

Will Hap be successful in finding and freeing his father as well as saving the once thriving village of Aplanap? This book has everything and more right down to the blue ink on the page!

The Lost Hours

 Lost Hours by Karen White
Adult Paperbacks - Main Level - WHITE

Piper Mills was a world-class equestrian with Olympic hopes when tragedy struck. A near-fatal fall from her horse took her away from all she knew and loved and left her with a broken body and spirit. When her grandparents, who raised her from childhood, passed away, she found some clues to their lives that surprised her. She followed the clues - a charm necklace, a scrapbook, and a knitted baby sweater and blanket - to a horse ranch in Georgia named Asphodel. Undercover there, she meets a childhood friend of her grandmother's. Will she uncover the dark secret in her grandmother's past? Will she get over her fear of horses and move forward with her life? What a great book!

Wall and Piece

Wall and Piece
By Banksy
Currently on Order

Typically when one thinks of graffiti they think of gang tags, urban decay, and vandalism. While this axiom remains true for a great deal of the works that get plastered on train cars and alleyways, the works of Banksy have an altogether more complicated nature. Instead of simply tagging an area with a name, Banksy uses his stencils to produce social commentary. An example of this can be as crude as two policemen making out or as inspiring as a crack in the West Bank wall between Israel and Palestine displaying a beautiful beach on the other side.



While a good portion of Banksy’s work is by definition vandalism, it provokes a myriad of questions regarding the nature of art.

Is something only considered art when it is hung on the walls of a museum? How much power does an artistic piece lose when it becomes sanitized, mounted, and hung with a price tag? Art among other things is supposed to challenge those who view it and break the rules. Banksy himself tests this concept by creating his own variations of masterpieces and hanging them on such hallowed halls such as the Louvre, The Brooklyn Museum, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In an age where a person can’t walk down the street without being inundated by billboards telling you how to dress, what to buy, or how to act without asking for permission, it makes one wonder who the real vandals are. Ironically, with the continuing interest and popularity of Banksy his works are finding acceptance and some pieces are even being protected and “commissioned.” One wonders if this will end up being counterproductive with regard to his intentions. Regardless, “Wall and Piece” is a fascinating collection detailing Banksy’s philosophy and some of his most interesting work.

For more information on Banksy, and the street art culture keep an eye out for the film "Exit Through the Gift Shop"

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
Teen Zone New Fiction Main Level– COLLINS

The United States of America no longer exists; it has been devastated by war, fire, drought, and famine. Panem is the new country. Panem is separated into the Capitol and twelve districts. There used to be a 13th district but the people of the district rebelled and the Capitol erased them. Once a year to show how in control they are the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl (ages 12-17) to compete in the Hunger Games. There are 24 contestants and only one winner. In District 12 Katniss volunteers to take the place of her sister Prim and Peeta is chosen as the boy. Each moment of The Games is televised for everyone to watch. The winner of The Games gets a house to live in with all the amenities; running water hot and cold, and enough food and money every month to last a lifetime. Katniss and Peeta form a bond that can never be broken as they struggle and fight to win The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins pens a brilliant trilogy about strength, courage, and desire. If you are intrigued by book one, check out book two, Catching Fire and due out in Fall of 2010 is the conclusion, Mockingjay.



Catching Fire
Teen Zone New Fiction Main Level– COLLINS


Release: Fall of 2010

Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen

Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen by Cari Best
Picture Book Shelves - Lower Level - BES

Sally Jean Sprockett loves to ride bikes from a very young age. At first, she is in a baby seat behind her mother. Soon she has her very own tricycle. Sally Jean loves to honk her horn and wave to people as she watches familiar springtime sights of caterpillars, birds, and lawn mowers. Eventually she nicknames herself “The Bicycle Queen” because she can “pop wheelies,” “touch the sky,” and fix her friends’ bicycles. It seems like Sally Jean will always be happy with her bike “Flash” until she turns 8 years old. Now she is too big for “Flash.” What is a girl to do?

Told in lilting rhyme with a repetitive text, Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen by Cari Best is the perfect story for young listeners. They will love to see that as Sally Jean changes, her bike "Flash" adjusts right along with her. The beautiful ink-and-watercolor illustrations by Christine Davenier match the delightful story perfectly. Further, the pictures convey just the right springtime freshness that makes this the perfect read for the next couple of months.

Rex Libris

Rex Libris: I, Librarian by James Turner
Adult Graphic Novels – Main Level - REX

Some libraries have gone soft, allowing talking, hanging out, even tolerating overdue books. Not at Middleton Public Library, where Rex Libris and Circe are in charge. Middleton may sound average, but it has rare books from all over the universe, and is situated on a convergence of ley lines that allows fictional characters to wander around the library from time to time. Hard-hitting sesquipedalian librarian Rex Libris is on the job, preventing evil samurai from destroying the library and journeying to outer space (assisted by his gun-happy chickadee) to retrieve overdue books from space emperors. I have read more than once that comic books use higher vocabulary than regular fiction, but this uses the highest proportion of erudite words I have ever seen in a non-scholarly text. It’s also highly self-aware, with editor’s notes from a fake editor at the beginning of each issue (several bound together in the book) and the occasional nonsensical intrusion from the editor, which Rex must take a break from the story to protest before the story can continue. The one downside is that the book has such dense and tiny text (was it shrunk down to fit the paperback?) that it took focus and holding the book up close to read. Still, this is good adventuring for book-lovers with a sense of humor.

After You

After You by Julie Buxbaum
Adult New Book Display-Main Level – BUXBAUM

The unthinkable happened; Lucy Stafford was murdered walking her eight year old daughter to school. Lucy and Sophie were walking along the tree lined streets of Knotting Hill in the morning on the way to school when a man came out of nowhere and brutally stabbed Lucy. Ellie Lerner and Lucy have been best friends since they were 4 years old. When Ellie heard what happened she dropped everything in Boston and took off for London to be with her goddaughter, Sophie and Lucy’s husband, Greg.

In the short time after the accident Sophie had stopped talking all together and Greg started working more and drinking, completely forgetting that he has a daughter at home who needed him. Ellie was there to try and pick up the pieces of their shattered life. Ellie is desperate to help Sophie in any way she can. Together Ellie and Sophie started reading The Secret Garden. As time went on and the two found comfort in the book things gradually got better for Sophie and worse for Ellie. As Ellie tried to pick up the pieces that Lucy left behind she learned terrible secrets about her. The longer Ellie stayed in London the more her marriage and life in Boston started falling apart to the point where it might be unfixable. Ellie learns that she needs to face the problems in her marriage as well as the betrayal that Lucy caused her husband and daughter. Through this heart wrenching journey Ellie learns a lot about herself and Lucy and has finally come to terms with what she wants.

Dignifying Science

Dignifying Science: Stories about Women Scientists by Jim Ottaviani et al
Teen Zone Nonfiction – Main Level – 500.82

Jim Ottaviani is a very nice local comic book writer and librarian who focuses on science titles. This one came out after a similar book featuring male scientists. I recently saw him at a panel discussion where he talked about all the research he does for his books, putting in days and years of reading to find the small true details that will bring the story to life. This book features stories about lesser-known women scientists who nonetheless made great contributions to science and technology. Each short story is both interesting and packs in a lot of information about its subject. Each is illustrated by a different female comic book artist – I recognized Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Lea Hernandez (Birds of Prey, Killer Princesses), and Linda Medley (Castle Waiting). Featured scientists include Hedy Lamarr, Lise Meitner, Rosalind Franklin, Barbara McClintock and Birute Galdikas, with prologue and epilogue featuring Marie Sklodovska Curie. These are stories of women passionate and enthusiastic about their fields, even as they are often encouraged to go into different fields, their contributions unrecognized while their male colleagues receive Nobel prizes. Copious end-notes include explanations, sources, and recommended books for further reading. This could be enjoyed by upper elementary children up through adults, though it’s shelved in teen here.