The Endangered Species Act of 1973

38 years ago today, President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This act provides for the conservation of ecosystems that are necessary for the survival of threatened/endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants.

Find out the endangered species in your state by clicking here.

Or check out a book to learn more about endangered species. Here are a few options that you can reserve right now:

Endangered Species by Sean Sheehan

Endangered Species by Cynthia A. Bily

Endangered Species : Protecting Biodiversity

Endangered Animals of Antarctica and the Arctic by Marie Allgor

Animals on the Edge : Science Races to Save Species Threatened With Extinction by Sandy Pobst

Almost Gone : The World's Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins

Amphibians In Danger : A Worldwide Warning by Ron Fridell

A Most Dangerous Journey : The Life of an African Elephant by Roger A. Caras

Face to Face With Elephants by Beverly and Dereck Joubert

Bengal Tiger : In Danger of Extinction! by Richard Spilsbury

Chimpanzee Rescue : Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife by Patricia Bow

Top 50 Reasons To Care About Giant Pandas : Animals in Peril by Mary Firestone

Sea Otter Rescue : The Aftermath Of An Oil Spill by Roland Smith

Great White Shark : In Danger of Extinction! by Richard Spilsbury

Biodiversity edited by Louise I. Gerdes

Happy Birthday, Avi!

Happy Birthday, Avi!

Avi (who's name is really Edward Irving Wortis) was born on December 23, 1937, making him 74-years-old today. Avi was born in New York City and grew up in Brooklyn with parents and his twin sister, Emily. He's written more than 70 books for children and young adults and has won both Newbery Honor awards and a Newbery Medal.

To learn more about Avi, check out his homepage.

Or reserve a copy of one of his books below:

Nothing But The Truth

Something Upstairs : A Tale of Ghosts

The Barn

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Iron Thunder : The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac : A Civil War Novel

The Good Dog

Or take a look in our OPAC for more books by Avi!

Mo Willems Holiday Gifts

With Hanukkah starting last night and Christmas just 4 days away, Mo Willems has given us a few fun, printable gifts for everyone on his blog!

There's a Pigeon bookplate (just click to enlarge, print, fill out, and enjoy!) and the Holiday Knuffle Bunny Desk Bunny (with detailed instructions included). So cute!

To get your Mo Willems gifts, click here.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

The 2012 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has selected five books as finalists for the 2012 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, which honors the best nonfiction books written for young adults between Nov. 1, 2010 and Oct. 31, 2011. This is the 3rd year YALSA will be giving this award and it will be named at the Youth Media Awards on January 23rd of this year.

The 2012 finalists are:

Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom and Science written by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos

Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition written by Karen Blumenthal

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) written by Sue Macy

Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein written by Susan Goldman Rubin

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery written by Steve Sheinkin

Be sure to check out one or more of the awesome novels. Or read more about the finalists here!

You can also check out the 2010 and 2011 winners.

Holiday Gift Guide: Young Adult and Middle Grade Books

The New York Times has released several 2011 holiday gift guides. Among them is Notable Children’s Books of 2011, which is broken down into Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books.

Here are a few of the highlights:

Between Shades of Gray. By Ruta Sepetys.
This haunting novel exposes the horrors of Stalin from the perspective of a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl, evacuated to a camp in Siberia. A “superlative first novel,” Linda Sue Park wrote in the Book Review.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone. By Laini Taylor.
“A breath-catching romantic fantasy about destiny, hope and the search for one’s true self,” according to our reviewer, Chelsey Philpot, this high-speed adventure involves love between angel and demon.

Level Up. By Gene Luen Yang. Illustrated by Thien Pham.
Smart, hilarious and affecting, this graphic novel tells the story of an aspiring gastroenterologist and video game enthusiast struggling between realizing his father’s dreams and understanding his own ambitions.

Okay For Now. By Gary D. Schmidt.
The lead from “The Wednesday Wars” returns in this tragicomic story about a struggling middle grader. Our reviewer, Richard Peck, read this book “about the healing power of art and about a boy’s intellectual awakening” through “misting eyes.”

Seriously, Norman! Written and illustrated by Chris Raschka.
This humorous first novel by picture book author Raschka describes life from the perspective of a less than stellar student. “Reading it is a visual, loopy, absurdist experience,” Meg Wolitzer, our reviewer, said.

Wonderstruck. Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick.
Telling the story of a boy who searches for his father in New York and the tale of a deaf girl in 1920s Hoboken, Selznick weaves the two into a seamless story that “teaches a respect for the past and for the power of memory to make minds,” Adam Gopnik wrote in these pages.

For the complete list of notable books, click here.

Happy Birthday Kevin Henkes!

Happy Birthday, Kevin Henkes! The successful children's book author and illustrator turns 51 today!

Kevin Henkes is one of five children and says that many of his storylines are inspired by his family and the neighborhood where he grew up in Racine, Wisconsin.

His first book, All Alone, was published in 1981. Since then, more than 30 books followed, including Chrysanthemum, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Olive's Ocean (which one a 2004 Newbery Honor) and Kitten's First Full Moon (which won the 2005 Caldecott Medal).

Hunger Games Trailer

The Hunger Games trailer is up! Check it out below:



What do you think? I'm surprisingly impressed.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Tomorrow is a big day for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans!

It marks the release of the 6th Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, Cabin Fever, where "Greg is the prime suspect when school property has been damaged, but he is innocent. When a surprise blizzard hits, he finds himself trapped home with his family."

Put a copy of the book on hold, by clicking here.

If you're interested in talking with other fans and the awesome author of the books, Jeff Kinney, join the webcast at 10am, broadcasting from the Bank Street College of Education in New York.

Click here to register!

Happy Cabin Fever Day!

Picture Book Month

Did you know that November is picture book month? What an easy holiday to celebrate. No matter how old you are, you can always enjoy a good picture book.

Here are a bunch of recommendations (for all age groups) to get you started:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems

Smitten by David Gordon

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

The Robot and the Bluebird by David Lucas

The Jolly Postman, or, Other People's Letters by Janet and Allen Ahlberg

Snook Alone by Marilyn Nelson

Silent Movie by Avi

Hi, Pizza Man! by Virginia Walter

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolan

Valentine Friends by Ann Schweninger

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg

Charlie Chick by Nick Denchfield

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak


Be sure to take a look at picurebookmonth.com to find out more information on why picture books are so important for everybody! And become a Picture Book Month Ambassador for 2011!

NaNoWriMo '11

Happy November and Happy National Novel Writing Month. Yep, that's right. It's NaNoWriMo again: time to trade in hours of watching and nights out for the joy of writing a 50,000-word novel in one month.

For those of you who not in the know, National Novel Writing Month runs from November 1st-30th, and is a self-proclaimed "fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing" and "thirty days and thirty nights of literary abandon!"

NaNoWriMo encourages quantity, not quality, so don't stop, don't think, just write. Use the opportunity to be free, write what you feel like writing, and see where the journey takes you! And take comfort in knowing that we're all producing mediocrity together.

Despite the fact that we aren't expected to create a work of quality, sometimes luck will have its way and, with enough editing, a NaNoWriMo novel can turn out to be a real masterpiece! Some even become popular, published books. Don't believe it's possible? The following books all started out as NaNoWriMo projects:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (a 2007 Alex Award winner)

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen (among YALSA’s 2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and 2009 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults)

Livvie Owen Lived Here by Sarah Dooley

Running for My Life by Ann Gonzalez

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

So, will yours be next?

This is year is my sixth year embarking on the challenging and really kind of silly journey and I'd love for you all to join me! Knowing that you just wrote a whole novel, no matter how terrible, is an AWESOME feeling... and it's only 29 days away!

Want to sign up? Check out the Official National Novel Writing Website for more information.

And be sure to read Figment's NaNoWriMo Approacheth Survival Tips for some genuinely good advice on handling this frenzied month.

Happy writing, everybody!

Alternate Uses for Halloween Candy!

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo, it's Halloween! The one day a year where anything goes, crazy outfits, candy for dinner, and ringing the doorbells of strangers.

But what about tomorrow? And what about all that leftover candy? Here are 10 fun ideas you might want to consider when the novelty of just eating it has worn off (or made you a little nauseated):

1. Make one of the awesome ornaments seen here. All you need is some colorful hard candy, some cookie cutters, an oven, and a little creativity.

2. Make a mosaic with it! Use sturdy cardboard as your base, cover it with colorful construction paper, then glue on candies (go for the colorful ones!). When you're done, cover it with spray shellac to prevent the candy from getting buggy or rotting.

3. CandyExperiments.com is awesome! Check out some of their fun experiment ideas and donate your candy to an afternoon of science fun.

4. Make Apple Candy Bar Salad or one of the other delicious-sounding recipes on this Squidoo page.

5. Save it to make miniature (and edible) cornucopia for Thanksgiving this year by filling sugar cones with a mix of candy corn, M&Ms, Runts, etc.

6. Chop up the chocolate bars and freeze the shavings so you have a year-round ice cream topping on hand.

7. Operation Gratitude (which sends care packages to US troops overseas) is looking for candy to send to Iraq! This is a copy of their current wishlist, and as you can see, Halloween candy is on it! Scroll down their list for information on donations and shipping. Or see if a dentist near you is participating in Operation Buyback.

8. Try making this candy corn fudge. It's easy and looks delicious.

9. Save some pristine candy to attach to wrapped gifts. All presents are more exciting to open when there are a couple of fun-size candy bars taped to the ribbon.

10. Make your own blizzard in the blender! Try crumbling your Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or all three and placing them in a blender with vanilla ice cream to create a homemade blizzard or flurry.

And of course, there's always the chance that you might just wind up eating it.

Happy Halloween! Be safe trick-or-treating!

Halloween Reads

Halloween is less than a eeek away, making today the PERFECT day to pick up a spooky and satisfying teen read.

If you like being spooked, here are 10 book ideas to get you started:

1. Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

2. Frankenstein: The Graphic Novel by Mary Shelley

3. iDrakula by Bekka Black

4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

5. Ghosts in Amityville: The Haunted House by Michael Marts

6. The Babysitter by R. L. Stine

7. Afterlife by Claudia Gray

8. Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

9. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

10. A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! MWAHAHAHAHA (that's my evil laugh).

Teen Read Week 2011

Teen Read Week officially starts on Saturday! It runs October 16th through 22nd, and this year's theme is "Picture It @ Your Library", encouraging you to read graphic novels and other creative or illustrated books just for the fun of it!

Teen Read Week started in 1998. Libraries across the world celebrate by encouraging teens to read for pleasure and (by using their library) to read for free.

It's important to celebrate Teen Read Week because, even though there are lots of other really great entertainment options out there, reading for fun is free, entertaining, and proven to help improve test scores.

Visit the library for a few awesome graphic novels, or put one or two of these great ones on hold:

The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim

Maus I : A Survivor's Tale : My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

Miki Falls: Book 1, Spring by Mark Crilley

Mail Order Ninja: Vol. 1 by Joshua Elder

Kitchen Princess 1 art by Natsumi Ando, story by Miyuki Kobayashi, translated by Satsuki Yamashito, adapted by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life. Vol. 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Jellaby by Kean Soo

Dramacon Vol. 1-3 by Svetlana Chmakova

Enjoy reading for the fun of it!

R. L. Stine's Birthday

Happy Birthday, R. L. Stine!

Today, the famous author of Goosebumps and Fear Street turns 68-years-old.

Did you know that before R.L Stine wrote horror novels he wrote humor novels? He went by the name Jovial Bob Stine and his first novel, How To Be Funny: An Extremely Silly Guidebook, came out in 1982! You can click here to reserve a copy and see what it's all about.

Then, in 1986, R. L. Stine released his first horror novel, Blind Date, and that's what started everything. His first Fear Street book, The New Girl, came out three years after that, and Goosebumps started with Welcome To Dead House in 1992.

By now, R. L. Stine is the author of hundreds of creepy, scary, twisted books for children. Celebrate his birthday today, and read one of them!

To view all of his works, click here. Or visit his official website, rlstine.com.

Happy Birthday!

Banned Books Week 2011

Tomorrow starts Banned Books Week, an annual event held the last week of September that celebrates the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Banned Books Week draws attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting books that have been targets of bannings, or attempted bannings.

Check out this map of the USA to see where some popular titles were banned. It's EVERYWHERE.

Take a look at some popular banned books below. You might be surprised to find some of your favorites listed! Imagine if you never got the chance to read them?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Ttyl by Lauren Myracle

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Celebrate Banned Books Week from September 24th through October 1st by reading a banned book! For more banned book ideas, try clicking one of the PDFs below:

Books banned in 2011

Books banned in 2010

Books banned in 2009

Peeta Vs Gale

If you're a Hunger Games fan, you have to read this funny (yet, thought-provoking) post on the Figment Blog... presenting:

Peeta Versus Gale!

The two are pitted up head-to-head in the categories: Chemistry, Grand Gestures, Better Meal-Maker, Battle Royal, and Better Babysitter. Click here to read the post and find out who is the overall winner, the overall better choice for Katniss!

"They’ve vied for Katniss’s heart and divided loyal fans into brutal, warring factions. We’re here to settle the score between these two Hunger Games hunks. And our choice is definitive."

And if you haven't read any of the Hunger Games series yet, click here to put book 1 (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins on hold!

Talk Like A Pirate Day

Arrrr you ready for Talk Like a Pirate Day this year? It's September 19.

This year Talk Like a Pirate Day falls on a Monday, which is GREAT news because you have the whole weekend to brush up on your pirate speak! Luckily, Mango Languages has you covered. Just type in your library barcode and password, and you'll be able to start learning Pirate immediately and for free (or almost any other language, for that matter: Dari? French? German? Hebrew? Thai?).

Talk Like a Pirate Day began on June 6, 1995 by two guys named John Baur and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket). They were playing racquetball and, for some reason, started talking to each other in pirate slang. By the time they had finished their game, they were in full-out pirate lingo and it was then that they decided that "what the world really needed was a new national holiday, Talk Like A Pirate Day." Once it was deemed September 19th, it was celebrated privately for several years by its inventors. That is, until 2002, when John Baur just so happened to come across columnist Dave Barry's e-mail address. Surprisingly, Dave Barry thought it was a great idea and became convinced of the holiday's potential. And that's when he wrote his Miami Herald article.

Looking for some good books on pirates? Try these:

Piratepedia by Alisha Niehaus
Throughout this book, we make 27 stops around the world, learning all kinds of interesting facts about pirates, complete with pictures of artifacts, maps, and even movie photos. This book covers everything. There’s even an interactive pirate map game tucked into a secret back pocket!

Real Pirates by Clare Hibbert
In this collection of over 20 true pirate stories, we look at tales and facts from the Caribbean, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as a quick look at some other useful pirate facts.

Everything I Know About Pirates by Tom Lichtenheld
Want a humorous take on everything from tying pirate knots, to creating your own pirate name? This book covers educated guesses about pirate facts!

The Golden Age of Pirates by Bob Temple
“You live in a time of discovery, adventure, and travel.” You are living life at sea, and it’s dangerous, yet rewarding. There are lots of important decisions and, in this book, you get to make them. Choose your own adventure in this action-packed pirate story!

And for more official information on the fun holiday, check out the official Talk Like a Pirate Day Website.

Arr me hearty, a fine gentleman o' fortune be ye!
(Translation: Great my friend! You're a fine pirate!)

I learned that one on Mango Languages!

Amazing Audiobooks

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) recently announced their list of "Amazing Audiobooks Nominations." This is exciting for me because I LOVE AUDIOBOOKS. With my busy schedule, it's hard to find a lot of time to read actual books (without falling asleep three pages in), but I don't have to miss out! I can listen to audiobooks during my commute every day and still get through books regularly!

If you're new to the world of audiobooks, welcome! Audiobooks can:
1. Make a long car trip seem shorter.
2. Be a great conversation starter if you're travelling with others.
3. Help you appreciate good books that you might not have picked up otherwise.

For the complete list of amazing audiobook nominations, click here!

A few of my favorite audiobooks are:

Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale, 7 discs.

Holes by Louis Sachar, read by Kerry Beyer, 4 discs.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, read by Marika Mashburn, 2 discs.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, read by Johnny Heller, 5 discs.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, read by Neil Gaiman, 7 discs.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, read by Julia Whelan, 6 discs.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, read by George Guidall, 6 discs.

Happy listening!

Read A Book Day

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.”

Today marks National "Read A Book Day." As you head back to school, why not start the year off with some fun reading before school work sets in too deep?

Need some ideas? Here are the last five books I read (and loved!):

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle

Every Little Thing In The World, by Nina de Gramont

Stolen, by Lucy Christopher

Silent To The Bone, by E.L. Konigsburg

If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

And check out HelloGiggles blog post on National Read A Book Day for a list of why reading a book rules.

Library Card Sign Up Month 2011

Can you believe it's already September! Not only is this the last official month of summer but it's also officially Library Card Sign-Up Month.

A library card can grant you access to tons of free materials and activities! For example:

1. Free computer and internet access every day (this especially comes in handy after a hurricane).
2. Hundreds of books, DVDs, CDs, and video games to take home and enjoy.
3. Classes all week long, like crafts, story times, lessons, workshops, family movies, game nights, and magic shows.
4. Help with your homework through the use of Live-brary, where you can get tutoring through BrainFuse and do research with our library-card-holder-only Online Resources.
5. TONS of free audiobooks and e-books to download onto your devices.

...And a whole slue of lovely librarians to help you with whatever you're looking for (like me, for example).

Stop into your library with some ID to get a card, and you'll have access to lots of cool and useful things for free. For more information, call or visit your library online!

Celebrity Home Libraries

To the left... Oprah's home library.

The Accredited Online Colleges blog has compiled photos of 20 beautiful celebrity libraries. Aside from Oprah, the list includes famous names like Rod Stewart, Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, Ralph Lauren, and Sting.

Now if only we could see inside the books!

Take a look and a swoon at these libraries of the rich and famous. Maybe you'll be motivated to create or modify your own (less elaborate and less expensive) home library.

First Hunger Games Trailer

If you lost power this weekend, chances are you missed the MTV Video Music Awards. In typical MTV Award Show Fashion, there was a pretty important movie trailer premier. Last night, we got our first glimpse at The Hunger Games movie!

Unfortunately, it was a little disappointing, all that anticipation to see Jennifer Lawrence run for a few seconds and the mockingjay logo rotate a few times. But never the less, take a look and get a feel for the much-anticipated Hunger Games movie:



And don't forget, if you still haven't read the book, there's plenty of time! Reserve a copy of The Hunger Games now.

Brian Selznick's newest book.

If you like The Invention of Hugo Cabret, there's exciting news! As you wait for the movie to come out on November 23rd, check out Brian Selznick's newest book, coming out one week from today!

Out September 13, Wonderstruck is done in the same form as the groundbreaking (and awesome) Invention of Hugo Cabret.

According to Scholastic, "Ben’s story, which takes place in 1977, is told in words; Rose’s story in 1927 is told in pictures. Ever since his mother died, Ben feels lost. At home with her father, Rose feels alone. When Ben finds a mysterious clue hidden in his mother’s room, and when a tempting opportunity presents itself to Rose, both children risk everything to find what's missing. Rich, complex, affecting and beautiful, Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary."

Shelf Awareness says, "Brian Selznick may have topped even his Caldecott Medal–winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret," and "Selznick does for New York in this book what he did for Paris in Hugo. He introduces the magic of the city and its untold secrets, its alleys and secret doorways." That's awesome!

I, for one, can't wait to get my hands on it next month. If you feel the same way, you can put a copy on reserve now by clicking here!

Catching Fire Movie, Already!

Already?! According to the Los Angeles Times, Lionsgate Entertainment announced on Monday morning that it will be releasing the "Catching Fire" movie, (next in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series) on November 22, 2013, about 20-months after the first Hunger Games movie is due out.

So if you're looking forward to the Hunger Games movie, here's a reason to be even more excited!

Reserve a copy of Catching Fire now, and if you haven't read The Hunger Games yet, there's still pleanty of time. The first movie doesn't come out until March 23, 2012.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Movie

Have you heard that Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower is being made into a movie?

It's due to come out some time next year and will star Logan Lerman as Charlie, Emma Watson as Sam, Ezra Miller as Patrick, and Paul Rudd as Bill.

If you haven't read the popular storyl, it's told through letters, written by Charlie, reveling the story of his freshman year in high school as he copes with tragedy, confusion, love, loss, and coming-of-age trials.

To read the book, reserve a copy here. (This book is best for grades 9 and up.)

Hugo Trailer

In the wake of the release of the final Harry Potter movie, there is some exciting news for Hugo Cabret fans (like me)! The first official trailer for Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," based on Brian Selznick’s award winning book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" has been released!

Take a look! It's beautiful.



This is Martin Scorsese's first 3D film as well as his first family-oriented film. "Hugo" is the story of an orphan boy who lives a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station in the 1930's. When he meets his friend, Isabelle, the two get wrapped up in a mystery involving a mean toy shop owner, Hugo's late father, and an automaton.

For more on the Hugo cast, see IMDB.

If you haven't read Brian Selznick’s 2008 Caldecott winner (and one of my personal favorite books), "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," you can reserve a copy here.

Warriors App

If you're a Warriors fan, today is an exciting day! You can now get the brand new Warriors app for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch from the iTunes store!

This app is a Warriors reference guide, which, according to iTunes, allows you to:

• Browse over 100 entries chock-full of exclusive facts about the cats and Clans

• Explore pinch-and-zoom maps that feature historic Warriors territories

• Read brand-new short stories from Erin Hunter and an excerpt from Warriors #1: Into the Wild

• Keep track of which Warriors books you’ve read on your bookshelf, and download the ones you haven’t

• Prove you’re the ultimate Warriors Fan with the Warriors Trivia Game – beat your own best time or play against your friends

• Stay on top of major Warriors milestones with the interactive timeline

• Watch Erin Hunter’s special message—just for you!

To visit the official Warriors website, click here.

The Giver to be a movie

Exciting book-to-movie news. It has been announced that of my favorite novels, Lois Lowry's The Giver, is going to be turned into a movie.

According to Variety, Jeff Bridges had been developing a feature version of the popular book for nearly a decade and it is now finally due to be out in 2013.

If you haven't read the book yet, it's a classic for children, teens, and adults. It follows 12-year-old Jonas, who lives in a futuristic society where all memory of human history (and suffering) has been erased. When, on is birthday, he learns that he has been designated to take on the role of the Giver, the one who will retrieve all of human memories, he learn that blocking all pain and suffering comes at a high cost.

To reserve a copy of the 1994 Newbery winner, click here.

Pottermore Announcement

J.K. Rowling made an exciting announcement in London this morning. Starting in October, her seven Harry Potter novels will be sold as e-books through a new website called "Pottermore."

Pottermore is more than just a website for which to buy ebooks. It's going to be an interactive site, promising to "immerse users in her world of wizards, combining elements of computer games, social networking and an online store." J.K. Rowling also has written 18,000 words of new Potter material! (Source: Today Books)

The Pottermore page appeared online a few weeks ago with nothing but the words "Coming soon..." on it. It has been the subject of intense speculation since.

According to Today Books, "the project unveiled in London lets Potter fans delve into the world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Sections let users shop for wands in Diagon Alley, travel to Hogwarts from the imaginary Platform 9 3/4 at London's King's Cross train station and be sorted into Hogwarts school houses by the perceptive Sorting Hat. Along the way are wand fights, games and new information about characters beloved around the world, including Harry's reviled relatives, the Dursleys."

You can also follow Pottermore on Twitter for all the latest info!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid News

Exciting news for Greg Heffly fans!

The sixth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is due out November 15th, in less than five months! It's called "Cabin Fever" and, like the title implies, it's about being stuck inside during a huge blizzard.

Six summer “Snowball in July” events will be announced soon as well, which should get everyone even more excited about the release of Book 6. They will feature a giant Wimpy Kid snow globe (cool!), treats (yum!), and special book previews (exciting!).

In other Diary of a Wimpy Kid news, the second movie, Rodrick Rules will be released on DVD next Tuesday, June 21. To put a copy on reserve, click here!