Deep Thoughts - Macmillan Library

Top YA Picks for Winter 2011!

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Spring is just around the corner so here's one last look at some of our favorite YA Winter titles!

Miles from Ordinary
Carol Lynch Williams

It's the first day of summer and Lacey has a new job at the library. Her mom, who seems so much better these days, has a new job, too. But hope of a normal life is too much to ask for as memories of the past rush in and Lacey's day turns from a new beginning to a desperate scramble to stay afloat.

Born at Midnight
C. C. Hunter

Welcome to Shadow Falls: a camp for vampires, shapeshifters, witches, and Kylie Galen. Shadow Falls is a place for teens to learn skills that will help them harness their supernatural powers, but Kylie has enough trouble balancing the affections of Derek the half-fae and Lucas the werewolf.

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Commuters, Show Me Your Cover!

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Due to a series of minor, yet befuddling subway shenanigans this morning I was late to work (I swear, Talia! It's the subway's fault!).

After a few announcements (made by the guy who undoubtedly voice-acts for all the adults in Charlie Brown), my train ended up on a different line. While we all waited for the subway car to painstakingly connect with the alternate tracks, more than a few riders pulled out something to read. I already had my copy of THE QUANTUM THIEF on my lap and it was joined by the books of my fellow riders: LOLITA, JANE EYRE, something with a red/brown/texty cover, and a dog training manual.

If you're as curious about commuter reads as I am, you have to go check out Slice Magazine's CoverSpy blog. Their stealthy book spies eaveswatch the rails and report back on who is reading what and where. Go see!

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Come Talk Books on Twitter

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Ali Fisher

I can't imagine why, but I've heard rumors that some of you aren't on Twitter. And don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes; you're reading this post, therefore, you have Internet access and a few minutes to spare! Caught you.

I believe it's my duty to let you peculiar, non-twittering folks know that you're missing out on a lot of fun such as monthly galley chats with @EarlyWord (#ewgc), discussions with patrons about #FridayReads, and best of all, 140-character book recommendations from all the librarians you love!

Some of my favorite book tweets come from the one and only Nancy Pearl (@Nancy_Pearl). I've posted a few of her suggestions below so you can get a taste of just what you're missing:

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State of the Nation According to Books

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Justin Cartwright (OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY) created an excellent list of ten novels that he believes best encapsulate the state of affairs of their respective societies. His list, published in the Guardian, includes socially poignant literature from Charles Dickens, John Updike, Salman Rushdie (a personal favorite), as well as Tom Wolfe's THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, Marilynne Robinson's HOME, and Jonathan Franzen's FREEDOM.

Justin says, "When nations are undergoing some form of stress, be it financial or ethical or even military, state of the nation novels tend to be more numerous; they come in many guises, but they have one thing in particular, that they provide a commentary or a judgment on the times." [...]

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Today’s Craft Project: Paper Cup Telephones!

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Okay, Okay, enough with the nerdy stuff. I could use a project. Let's pick something fun and crafty to make out of a delightful book that we released back in June, HOMEMADE FUN by Rae Grant.

Rae Grant says, "Long ago, (yet still a recent memory for some), families celebrated the seasons and holidays, as well as the cycle of everyday life, in a homemade way... HOMEMADE FUN is a tribute to simple ideas for childhood fun."

Full disclosure: I'm horrible at this homemade business. I got a C in Home Ec and I forget to put the milk and butter in my mac n' cheese sometimes, but I go bonkers for crafts like the one above, Paper Cup Telephones! Click the link or the picture to enlarge the instructions.

Ali's Tip from Experience: when you're all done, the string cannot be loose or touching anything, otherwise physics gets grumpy and your words won't make it to the other cup.

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Scott Turow on the Value of Free Access to Knowledge

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Author and Authors Guild president Scott Turow is not sitting quietly by as libraries lose funding. Earlier this week, Turow published an article in the Huffington Post acknowledging that state and municipal governments continue to struggle with diminished budgets, but lamenting, "public libraries nationwide have been one of the biggest and least deserved losers in the process."

The article focuses on what Turow sees to be the major virtues of public libraries today:

"For Americans facing job losses, working to gain new skills and seeking assistance in an increasingly digital world, U.S. public libraries are first responders."

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Of Love, Zombies, and Time Travel

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Ali Fisher

It's Valentine's Day. Maybe that makes you swoon. Maybe it makes you gag. Maybe you took the day off work to sit by the mailbox. Well, forget "real life"! Today is the perfect day for a little escapist fiction. I advocate that tonight, just for a little while, you crawl in between the covers of a splendid and strange romance. I sure will be.

I spent the morning browsing Macmillan's shelves for a romantic adventure unlike anything I've known. I narrowed my options down to two books that feature extraordinary love stories that I just don't think I'll ever experience:

Option 1, THE MISTS OF TIME by Susan Squires.

I couldn't resist this lone title listed under the category Romance > Time Travel. That's right. Tonight I may just be going back in time to the days of King Arthur for a chance encounter with the blush/flush/giggle-worthy knight, Gawain.

Option 2, HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE edited by Lori Perkins.

This collection of undead romance stories seduced me with its indiscriminate and trans-mortality courtships: zombies crush on humans, humans fall for zombies, and zombies yearn for one another. Obsessive desire! Undying love! Sleepless torments! This is passion at its best. [...]

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With Great Books, Comes Great Responsibility…

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Can you scan barcodes faster than a speeding bullet? Leap tall bookshelves in a single bound? Well you might just be...

A Librarian Superhero!

We love seeing contests that reward amazing librarians. The sponsor, Gale/Cengage Learning, even promises to put the winning librarian superheros on a lunchbox! Is there any higher honor?

If you, or a librarian you know, should be nominated for this award, head over to the Are You a Librarian Superhero Facebook page and leave a post with their name, the name of their library, and what makes them a superhero in 250 words or less. Go! Full rules here.

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On Lovers and Twitterers

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Ali Fisher

In addition to Talia, DrunkHulk, and yours truly, all you Tweeple out there should be following loversdiction. Once a day, author David Levithan posts a romantic entry in the same format of his unconventional narrative, THE LOVER'S DICTIONARY.

Go forth and follow!

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