Thursday, February 28, 2013

Adult Book Discussion-Thursday 3/7

Join Elise Barack this coming Thursday, March 7 at 7:15 p.m. for a discussion of James Agee's classic novel, A Death in the Family.  We will meet in the Children's Programming Room.

A Death in the Family, received the Pulitzer Prize in 1958 when it was published posthumously. Agee’s protogee, Dwight MacDowell, was largely responsible for editing the incomplete, although nearly finished manuscript. Set in Knoxville, TN, the autobiographical novel focuses on the sudden death of a young father and it's impact on his grieving family.
 
James Agee was born on November 27, 1909.  He became a film critic for TIME magazine and The Nation in the 1940's. By the end of the decade, he had begun screenwriting, and went on to co-write the screenplays for The African Queen (1951) and The Night of the Hunter (1955). Agee died in New York City on May 16, 1955.
For more information on James Agee and A Death in the Family see these links:
Agee's Obituary in The New York Times
NoveList Plus - reviews
Modern American Literature - excerpts from contemporary reviews

More recently, A Death in the Family was re-edited by Michael Lofaro. He added 10 new chapters and arranged the story in chronological order.  Is it closer to the author's original intentions?  See a New York Times 2008 review of A Death in the Family: A Restoration of the Author’sText (University of Tennessee).


 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Presidents in Their Youth


Today on George Washington’s birthday, we feature this recent title:  

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Who Do you Love?

"Until one has Loved an Animal, a Part of One's Soul Remains Unawakened "        Anatole France


Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog                                                          John Grogan  636.7527  GRO

Marley & Me                                                                         Marley & Me
Marley and Me   M  DVD                           Marley and Me: The Puppy Years  M  DVD


Oogy: The Dog only a Family Could Love   Oogy's love for the Levins, and theirs for him, will touch the hearts of anyone who reads his story.   Larry Levin  636.7 LEV

The Good Good Pig: a Generous Soul who just Happened to be a Pig   Christopher Hogwood aka The Pig with his larger than life personality teaches a community lessons in self-acceptance, the meaning of family and the pleasures of the sweet green Earth.                               Sy Montgomery   636.4 MON

Alex and Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process    For thirty years Irene Pepperberg and her African Grey  parrot named Alex shared many adventures and formed a true bond of friendship.   636.6865  PEP
Alex & Me

Chosen by a Horse: a Memoir   by Susan Richards   636.RIC

        Chosen by A HorseChosen by A HorseChosen by A HorseChosen by A Horse
Chosen by a Horse: a memoir  Audiobook CD 636.1 RIC

Comet's TaleComet's Tale: How the Dog I Rescued Saved My Life  Steven D. Wolfe and Lynette Padwa.   An elegant abused racing Greyhound is rescued by Steve Wolf.  Or does the Greyhound rescue him?    636.7534  WOL

The Cat who Covered the World  The adventures of Henrietta and her foreign Correspondent.  For 17 years and thousands of miles Henrietta was an indispensable companion to the author Christopher Wren  and his family.  BIO WREN
The Cat Who Covered the World

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Digging for a King, Richard III (1452-1485)


On Monday when the University of Leicester announced that the body exhumed from under the Greyfriars parking lot was "beyond reasonable doubt" King Richard III, you might have asked yourself what you know about the king. Was he the villain portrayed by Shakespeare or was his wicked reputation a result of Tudor propaganda?  And was he responsible for the deaths of the two princes in the Tower of London?

If you want to do some more "digging" on the king, here are some links to help you, some to works within our catalog and others to websites.



     In Our Collection:                           
     Richard III Biographies                             
     Richard III in Literature and Fiction          
     The Princes in the Tower                     
                                                               
                                                                           On the Web:  
                                                                           The Richard III Society
                                                                           Univ. of Leicester's Rich. III Discovery
                                                                           Univ. of Leicester: Rich. III Myths and Legends
                                                                           Richard III Timeline




I




Friday, February 1, 2013

Classroom Read Alouds


Is it your turn to be the class “mystery reader”?  Or would you like to incorporate a picture book into a Sunday school lesson or art class?    When deciding which book or books you will read, keep in mind the following tips :]
     Find out how long you’re expected to read and if certain subjects are desired, such as character traits or an upcoming event.
     Choose books with large colorful illustrations, not overly detailed, and simply designed text.
     Practice reading the book aloud to catch any nuances of the text and to make sure it’s not damaged or in poor condition.
     Take along a water bottle and have a swallow before you begin!
 We have compiled a list of proven winners to read aloud to preschools and elementary grades.  Below are a few from the list:
Preschool - K

It’s a Tiger!   Kids will like pointing out part of the tiger and joining in with the exclamation of “It’s a tiger, run!”  as he is revealed on the following page.

K - Grade 3
Art class teachers will enjoy Mousterpiece 
Although the book is small, the illustrations are clear and provide a fun survey of 22  modern  American and European masters. 

Preschool - Grade 2
King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson   The ending provides a moral lesson in bullying and how to make friends. Illustrations are filled with energy that keeps the pages turning. 
K - Grade 4

Grade 1 - 4
Kiss Me, I’m Perfect  (and others). Robert  Munsch’s stories combine some outlandish humor with high energy: he put the LOUD in read aloud.

Books dealing with character development:

Preschool - Grade 2

 Stanley learns how to be responsible and deal with problems positively.

K - Grade 2
 Tell the Truth, B.B.Wolf :  School age children will delight in pointing out the wolf’s errors as he tells HIS version of huffing and puffing and blowing a house down.

PreK - Grade 2
Brave Charlotte 




    Raising Yoder's Barn  illustrates teamwork and tolerance for different cultures.
Grade 1-4 

Grade 2-4
Grade 2-4
2013 is the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Several recent picture books celebrate this momentous event and the contribution of slaves to our country’s well beingIn  Hope’s Gift, a slave child’s father runs away from their plantation to join the Union Army and hopefully speed up the end of the war. 
 Brick by Brick  commemorates in lyrical fashion  the contribution of slaves to the building of the White House.  The anonymous are given names, and the faceless limned with power and individuality.  The idea of building something from nothing as the wooded area is cleared and a new nation’s capital is built is echoed in the slaves who learn skills and eventually earn money to buy freedom.