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!