Book Buzz

College Admissions Essay Workshop

2011-10-10T12:27:00.001-07:00

College bound teens are invited to attend our College Admissions Essay Workshop this Thursday, October 13 at 7:00 pm. Dr. Beth Dennard of Bright Futures Consulting will lead the workshop and guide you through writing a successful admissions essay. Bring samples of any admissions essays you have been working on for some one on one guidance. To register, please call (281) 554-1102, or e-mail Lindsay.Faust@leaguecitylibrary.org

Mini LANDFILL Science Experiment!

2011-06-27T07:36:00.001-07:00

Here is Ava T. holding her mini landfill!
She reports that the paper has already dissappeared, but the plastic is still there.

Mini Land

2011-06-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

Join the Book Discussion Club!

2011-05-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

READ CLUBS START JUNE 4!!

2011-05-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

You can print out your reading log from the Library's website starting June 4. It's easy-breezy!

Or you can pick up a log at the library, also starting June 4.

SOMETHING NEW FOR KIDS IN GRADES 1 - 5:
Win a trophy for your school this summer. Whichever school has the most kids that finish all four reading logs will win a trophy. We are giving away a huge stuffed white tiger in a drawing to one of the children from the winning school.

GREAT PRIZES! GREAT PROGRAMS! All at Helen Hall!!

World Domination for Dummies

2011-04-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

Our Teen Advisory Board has worked hard all school year on a film. It premiered at our last meeting of the school year last night. Check out what they've been up to!

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

2011-03-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard the news, it was announced last week that the fourth book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini will be released on November 8th, 2011. The cover art is pictured on the left. The Press Release quotes Christopher Paolini saying, "The burning questions asked by fans around the world will finally be answered in this last installment, all will be revealed."

Catch up on the series, Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr are all available at Helen Hall Library in the Teen Science Fiction section.

New in Teen Fiction

2011-03-22T15:27:00.001-07:00

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Sixteen year old Cheyenne is blind and sick with pneumonia. While sleeping in the back of the car waiting for her step mom to pick up a prescription, the car she is sleeping in is stolen. Before Cheyenne knows what is happening the car is being driven off, but the thief is unaware that she is in the back. This is a sticky situation for any sixteen year old, but especially a blind one.

One of the oldest knitted artifacts is a sock!

2011-01-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

Knitting dates back to 11th century Egypt!

Children in upper elementary grades can get started in this ancient craft.

A series of three free knitting classes starts at the library on Monday, January 24 from 6 - 7 pm. Register now by calling for details at 281-554-1115 or emailing patti.conrad@leaguecitylibrary.org

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

2010-11-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (YA-SF LORE bk.1)

John may seem like an ordinary teenager to those who do not know him. However, John is anything but ordinary. John is from the planet Lorien and is seeking solace on Earth because his planet has been destroyed by the Mogadorians who are trying to destroy his race. Three like him have been killed, John is number four.

Even if you normally do not enjoy science fiction, you will probably enjoy this fast paced young adult book. Be sure to read it before the release of the movie in February. The movie is produced by Steven Spielberg and stars Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant and Dianna Agron.

If you came to the library for Earth (The Book), You might like these, too!

2010-11-08T12:26:00.002-08:00

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
by Jon Stewart, John Oliver (Contributor)
818.5407 S849a 2004

Assassination Vacation
by Sarah Vowell
973.099 V974a 2005

Devil in the Details
by Jennifer Traig
362.196852270092 T766tr 2006

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
by David Sedaris
818.54 S447d 2004

I Am America (and so can you!)
by Stephen Colbert
818.607 I111 2007

Naked
by David Sedaris
818.5402 S447n

Lies : (and the lying liars who tell them) : a fair and balanced look at the Right
By Al Franken
LT 320.52 F829L

The Partly Cloudy Patriot
by Sarah Vowell
973 V974p

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
by David Sedaris
ON-ORDER

Washington schlepped here: walking in the nation's capital
by Christopher Buckley
917.530442 B924w 2003

When You Are Engulfed in Flames
by David Sedaris
814.54 S447w 2008

Who let the dogs in? : incredible political animals I have known
By Molly Ivins
973.9290207 I958w 2004

The Wordy Shipmates
by Sarah Vowell
LT 974.0882859 V974w 2009

This Season’s Political Bestsellers: What to read while you wait for your copy

2010-11-08T12:26:00.001-08:00

American theocracy: the peril and politics of radical religion, oil, and borrowed money in the 21st century, by Kebin P. Phillips
973.931 P558a 2006

An Hour Before Daylight: Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood, by Jimmy Carter
973.926092 C323ca 2001

Arguing with Idiots, by Glenn Beck
320.973 B393a 2009

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity, by Bill O'Reilly
070.92 O667or 2008

Boots on the Ground, by Stephen A. Carpenter
956.70443 Z788b

The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama, by David Remnick
973.932092 O121re 2010

Bush at War, by Bob Woodward
973.931092 B978wo

Churchill's grand alliance: the Anglo-American special relationship, 1940-57, by John Charmley
327.41073 C482c 1995

The Commanders, by Bob Woodward
973.928 W899c 1991

Condoleezza Rice: an American life: a biography, by Elisabeth Bumiller
355.033073092 R495bu 2009

The Conscience of a Liberal, by Paul Krugman
328.73 W456c

Courage and Consequence, by Karl Rove
973.929092 R873ro 2010

Culture of Corruption, by Michelle Malkin
973.932 M251c 2009

Culture Warrior, by Bill O'Reilly
306.0973 O667c 2006

The gentleman from New York: Daniel Patrick Moynihan: a biography, by Godfrey Hodgson
973.92092 M938ho 2000

Disinformation: 22 media myths that undermine the War on Terror, by Richard Miniter
070.449973931 M665d 2005

Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama
973.04 O121d 2004

how the wealthiest Americans enrich themselves at government expense (and stick you with the bill), by David Cay Johnston
338.97302 J721f 2007

Freefall, by Joseph E. Stiglitz
330.973 S855f 2010

Glenn Beck's Common Sense, by Glenn Beck
973.3 B393g 2009

The good fight: declare your independence & close the democracy gap, by Ralph Nader
323.042 N135g 2004

Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue, by Charles P. Pierce
973.9 P615i 2009

I'll Be Short: Essentials for a Decent World, by Robert B. Reich
320.973 R347i

Jimmy Carter: the man & the myth, by Victor Lasky
973.926092 C323La

Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President, by Jimmy Carter
973.926092 C323ca 1982

Kill Bin Laden, by Dalton Fury
958.1047 F992k 2008

Letters to a Young Conservative, by Dinesh D'Souza
320.52 D811L

Locked in the Cabinet, by Robert B. Reich
354.9 R347L

The No Spin Zone, by Bill O'Reilly
973.92 O667n

The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets forged a new Afghanistan, by Eric Blehm
958.1047 B646o 2010

Original Intent, by David Barton
342.730852 B293o 2010

Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, by Jimmy Carter
956.04 C323p 2006

Pigs at the Trough, by Arianna Huffington
364.168 H889p

Plan of Attack, by Bob Woodward
973.931 W899p 2004

Reason: Why Liberals Will Win the Battle for America, by Robert B. Reich
320.513 R347r 2004

The return of depression economics and the crisis of 2008, by Paul R Krugman
330.9 K943r 2009

Ronald Reagan, by Dinesh D'Souza
973.927092 R287dr

Rules for Radicals, by Saul Alinsky
303.484 A411r 1989

State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III by Bob Woodward
973.931 W899s 2006

Supercapitalism, by Robert B. Reich
320.97301 R347s 2007

Texas justice bought and paid for, by Mona Sizer
364.1523 S625t

13 bankers : the Wall Street takeover and the next financial meltdown, by Simon Johnson
332.10973 J661t 2010

Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981-1987 by Bob Woodward
327.12 W899v

The Virtues of Aging, by Jimmy Carter
305.26 C323v

The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006, by Bob Woodward
973.931 W899w 2008

What's So Great about America, by Dinesh D'Souza
973 D811w

What's So Great about Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza
230 D811w 2007

Why Intelligence Fails: Lessons from the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq War, by Robert Jervis
955.053 J57w 2010

Almost Always Available @ your library

2010-11-08T12:23:00.001-08:00

Helen Hall Library owns four or more copies of each of the following titles:

1st to die: a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

2nd chance: a novel / by James Patterson with Andrew
F PATTERSON

3rd degree: a novel / by James Patterson and with
F PATTERSON

Title: The 5th horseman: a novel / by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.
F PATTERSON

The 6th target: a novel / by James Patterson and
Maxine Paetro.
F PATTERSON

The 7 habits of highly effective teens: the ultimate teenage survival guide / Sean Covey.
158.083 C873t

7th heaven / James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.
F PATTERSON

The 8th confession / James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.
F PATTERSON

The 9 steps to financial freedom / Suze Orman.
332.024 O73n

90 minutes in heaven: a true story of death & life / Don Piper with Cecil Murphey.
231.73 P665n 2004

206 bones / Kathy Reichs.
M REICHS

365: no repeats : a year of deliciously different dinners / Rachael Ray.
641.555 R263tn 2005

"A" is for alibi: a Kinsey Millhone mystery / by Sue Grafton.
M GRAFTON

The adventures of Huckleberry Finn / Mark
F TWAIN

The adventures of Tom Sawyer / Mark
F TWAIN

The age of innocence / Edith Wharton
F WHARTON

Alex Cross's trial / by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo.
F PATTERSON

All around the town / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

All quiet on the Western front / Erich Maria Remarque
F REMARQUE

All that glitters / V.C. Andrews.
F ANDREWS

All through the night / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

Amazing grace / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Angels & demons / Dan Brown.
F BROWN

Animal Farm / George Orwell
F ORWELL

Animal, vegetable, miracle : a year of food life / Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver ; original drawings by Richard A. Houser.
641.3 K554a 2007

Anne Frank : diary of a young girl / translated from the Dutch by B.M. Mooyaart ; with an introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt.
940.5318092 F828fr 1993
940.5349 F828d

Apollyon : the Destroyer is unleashed / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The appeal / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Appointment in Samarra : a novel / John O'Hara
F O'HARA

Are you there alone? : the unspeakable crime of Andrea Yates / Suzanne O'Malley.
364.1523 O543a

Armageddon : the cosmic battle of the ages / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

As I lay dying : the corrected text / William Faulkner.
F FAULKNER

The associate / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

At first sight / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Bad moon rising / Sherrilyn Kenyon.
F KENYON

Bag of bones / Stephen King.
F KING

The Baltic : a new history of the region and its people / Alan Palmer.
948.5 P173b 2006

Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie ; translated from the French by Ina Rilke.
F DAI

Band of brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest / Stephen Ambrose.
940.5421 A496b

Barron's how to prepare for the ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery / compiled by the editorial department of Barron's Educational Series
355 H847h6
355.0076 B2775 2006

The battle of the Labyrinth / Rick Riordan.
J-F RIORDAN bk.; YA-F RIORDAN bk.4

Beach road : a novel / by James Patterson, Peter de
F PATTERSON

Before I say goodbye / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

Beloved / by Toni Morrison.
F MORRISON

A bend in the road / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Beowulf / a new translation with an introduction by Burton Raffel.
829.3 B481bo

The betrayal / R.L. Stine.
YA-F STINE no.1

Beyond reach / Karin Slaughter.
M SLAUGHTER

Big girl : a novel / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Black Hills / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Black house : a novel / Stephen King, Peter Straub.
F KING

Black rose / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Blackwood farm / The Vampire Chronicles Anne Rice.
F RICE

Blink : the power of thinking without thinking / Malcolm Gladwell
153.44 G543b 2007

Blood brothers / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Blood game / Iris Johansen.
F JOHANSEN

Blood on the river : James Town 1607 / Elisa Carbone.
YA-F CARBONE

The bone collector / Jeffery Deaver.
F DEAVER
YA-F DEAVER

The bonesetter's daughter / Amy Tan.
F TAN

Book of the dead / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

The brass verdict : a novel / Michael Connelly.
M CONNELLY

Brave new world.
F HUXLEY

Breakfast in bed / Sandra Brown.
F BROWN

Breaking dawn / Stephenie Meyer.
F MEYER
YA-F MEYER

Breaking point / Suzy Spencer.
364.1523 S745b

Breathless : a novel / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

The brethren / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Brian's winter / Gary Paulsen.
YA-F PAULSEN

Brisingr, or, The seven promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular / Christopher Paolini.
YA-SF PAOLINI bk.3

The broken window : a Lincoln Rhyme novel / Jeffery Deaver.
F DEAVER

The broker / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Buhle / Logan Nathan.
F NATHAN

Bull rider / Suzanne Morgan Williams.
YA-F WILLIAMS

Burn : a novel / Linda Howard.
F HOWARD

Burned : a house of night novel / P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.
YA-F CAST bk.7

By the light of the moon / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Title: The Calvin and Hobbes tenth anniversary book / by Bill Watterson.
741.5 W346c 1995

Can't wait to get to heaven : a novel / Fannie Flagg.
F FLAGG

The Canterbury tales / Geoffrey Chaucer ;
821.1 C496c

Carnal innocence / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Carolina moon / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Cat & mouse : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

The catcher in the rye.
F SALINGER
YA-F SALINGER

Catching fire / Suzanne Collins.
YA-F COLLINS bk.2

Catering to nobody / Diane Mott Davidson.
M DAVIDSON

Cause of death / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

Cell : a novel / Stephen King.
F KING

Certain prey / John Sandford.
F SANDFORD

Change of heart : a novel / Jodi Picoult.
F PICOULT

Cheaper by the dozen / Frank B Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilberth Carey.
658.540922 G466c

Chelsea Chelsea bang bang / Chelsea Handler.
814.6 H2368b 2010

A child called "it" : one child's courage to survive / Dave Pelzer.
362.7609 P393c
362.76092 P393pe 1997

The choice / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

A Christmas carol / by Charles Dickens ; illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
F DICKENS

The Christmas list / Richard Paul Evans.
F EVANS

Common sense / Thomas
973.3 P147c

Cross / James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Cross country : a novel / James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

The crucible : a play in four acts / Arthur
812 M64cr
812.52 M647c

Cry, the beloved country / by Alan Paton.
F PATON

The crystal cave / Mary Stewart.
F STEWART
YA-F STEWART

The Da Vinci code : a novel / Dan Brown.
F BROWN
Daddy's little girl / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

Dandelion wine : a novel / Ray Bradbury.
SF BRADBURY

Dark horse / Tami Hoag.
F HOAG

Dark water rising / Marian Hale.
YA-F HALE

Daughter of fortune : a novel / Isabel Allende ; translated from the Spanish by Margaret Sayers Peden.
F ALLENDE

David Copperfield / Charles Dickens.
F DICKENS

Days of gold / Jude Deveraux.
F DEVERAUX

Dead and gone / Charlaine Harris.
M HARRIS

Dead until dark / Charlaine Harris.
M HARRIS

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein. Book three, Dead and alive
F KOONTZ bk.3

Dear John / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Dear senator : a memoir by the daughter of Strom Thurmond / Essie Mae Washington-Williams and William Stadiem.
973.9092 W319wa 2005

Death of a salesman; certain private conversations in two acts and a requiem. / Arthur Miller
812 M647d
812.52 M647d

Debt of honor / Tom Clancy.
F CLANCY

Deception : an Alex Delaware novel / Jonathan Kellerman.
M KELLERMAN

The deed of Paksenarrion / Elizabeth Moon.
SF MOON

Deeper than the dead / by Tami Hoag.
F HOAG

The Demon King / Cinda Williams Chima.
YA-F CHIMA

Desecration: Antichrist takes the throne / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

Desperation / Stephen King.
F KING

The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America / Erik Larson.
364.15230977311 L334d 2004

Devil's corner / Lisa Scottoline.
F SCOTTOLINE

The devil's punchbowl / Greg Iles.
F ILES

The diary of a young girl : the definitive edition / Anne Frank
940.5318092 F828fr 1995

Dispatches from the edge : a memoir of war, disasters, and survival / Anderson Cooper.
070.92 C776co 2006

Divine justice / David Baldacci.
F BALDACCI

Donut days / Lara Zielin.
YA-F ZIELIN

Double cross : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Double take / Catherine Coulter.
F COULTER

The dragonbone chair / Tad Williams.
SF WILLIAMS

The dream-hunter / Sherrilyn Kenyon.
F KENYON

Drums of autumn / Diana Gabaldon.
F GABALDON

Duma Key / by Stephen King.
F KING

Dust to dust / Tami Hoag.
F HOAG

Eat, pray, love : one woman's search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia / Elizabeth Gilbert.
910.4092 G464gi 2007

Eating for life / Bill Phillips.
613.2 P558e 2003

Eldest / Christopher Paolini.
YA-SF PAOLINI

The elegance of the hedgehog / Muriel Barbery ;
F BARBERY

Ella Minnow Pea : a novel in letters / Mark Dunn.
YA-F DUNN

Ellen Foster / Kaye Gibbons.
F GIBBONS

The energy bus : 10 rules to fuel your life, work, and team with positive energy / Jon Gordon.
650.1 G662e 2007

Ethan Frome / by Edith
F WHARTON

Everything's eventual: 14 dark tales / Stephen King.
F KING

Evidence : an Alex Delaware novel / Jonathan Kellerman.
M KELLERMAN

The evolution of Calpurnia Tate / Jacqueline Kelly.
YA-F KELLY

Extreme measures : a thriller / Vince Flynn.
F FLYNN

Extremely loud & incredibly close / Jonathan Safran Foer.
F FOER

Fallen / Lauren Kate.
YA-F KATE

Fantasy in death / J.D. Robb.
M ROBB

A farewell to arms / Ernest Hemingway.
F HEMINGWAY

Fear nothing / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Fearless fourteen / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

The fellowship of the ring : being the first part of The lord of the rings / by J.R.R. Tolkien.
F TOLKIEN
YA-F TOLKIEN

Finger lickin' fifteen / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Fired up / Jayne Ann Krentz.
F KRENTZ

The fires of Merlin / T.A. Barron.
YA-F BARRON

First family / David Baldacci.
F BALDACCI

The first rule : a Joe Pike novel / Robert Crais.
M CRAIS

Five Germanys I have known / Fritz Stern.
943.087092 S839st 2006

The five people you meet in heaven / Mitch Albom.
F ALBOM

Fixing broken windows : restoring order and reducing crime in our communities / George L. Kelling, Catherine M. Coles
364.4 K294f 1997

Flowers in the attic / V. C. Andrews.
F ANDREWS

For one more day / Mitch Albom.
F ALBOM

For whom the bell tolls / Ernest Hemingway.
F HEMINGWAY

Ford County : stories / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Foreign body / Robin Cook.
F COOK

Foul play / Janet Evanovich.
F EVANOVICH

Founding brothers : the revolutionary generation / Joseph J. Ellis.
973.40922 E471f 2002

The fountainhead / with special introduction by the author and an afterword by Leonard Peikoff.
F RAND

Four blind mice : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Four to score / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Freakonomics : a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything / Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.
330 L666f 2005

Fresh disasters / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

Friday night lights : a town, a team, and a dream / H.G. Bissinger.
796.33262 B623f

The frog princess / E.D. Baker.
YA-F BAKER

From the corner of his eye / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

The front / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

Full house / Janet Evanovich.
F EVANOVICH

Full speed / Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes.
F EVANOVICH

Full tilt : a novel / Neal Shusterman.
YA-F SHUSTERMAN

Gabriel's angel / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

The gate house / Nelson DeMille.
F DeMILLE

The gathering storm / Robert Jordan and Brandon
SF JORDAN bk.12

The ghost / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Gideon the cutpurse : being the first part of the Gideon trilogy / Linda Buckley-Archer.
YA-F BUCKLEY-ARCHER bk.1

The girl who loved Tom Gordon / Stephen King.
F KING

The girl who played with fire / Stieg
F LARSSON

The girl with the dragon tattoo / Stieg Larsson ;
F LARSSON

Girlfriend material / Melissa Kantor.
YA-F KANTOR

Glorious appearing : the end of days / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The Glory Field / Walter Dean Myers.
YA-F MYERS

Go ask Alice / Author anonymous.
F GO ASK ALICE
YA-F GO ASK ALICE

Gone tomorrow : a Reacher novel / Lee Child.
F CHILD

The good guy / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

A good woman / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Gossamer / Lois Lowry.
YA-F LOWRY

Grace / Richard Paul Evans.
F EVANS

Graceling / Kristin Cashore.
YA-F CASHORE

Grass roots / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

Great expectations / Charles Dickens
F DICKENS

The great Gatsby / F. Scott Fitzgerald.
F FITZGERALD

The greatest knight : the unsung story of the queen's champion / Elizabeth Chadwick.
F CHADWICK

Guilty pleasures / Laurell K. Hamilton.
F HAMILTON

Gulliver's travels / by Jonathan Swift
F SWIFT
YA-F SWIFT

Handle with care : a novel / Jodi Picoult.
F PICOULT

Hannibal / Thomas Harris.
F HARRIS

Hard eight / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

The hard way : a Jack Reacher novel / Lee Child.
F CHILD

Hardball : how politics is played--told by one who knows the game / Chris Matthews.
324.7 M438h 2004

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / by J.K. Rowling
F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Harry Potter and the deathly hallows / J. K. Rowling
F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Harry Potter and the goblet of fire / by J.K. Rowling
F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Harry Potter and the half-blood prince / J. K. Rowling
F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / J. K. Rowling F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone / by J.K. Rowling
F ROWLING
J-F ROWLING
YA-F ROWLING

Heart of darkness ; and The secret sharer / Joseph
F CONRAD

Hearts in Atlantis / Stephen King.
F KING

Heat wave / Richard Castle.
M CASTLE

The help / Kathryn Stockett.
F STOCKETT

Hide and seek / Fern Michaels.
F MICHAELS

High noon / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

The historian : a novel / Elizabeth Kostova.
F KOSTOVA

History : a very short introduction / John H. Arnold.
901 A752h 2000

Honeymoon : a novel / by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.
F PATTERSON

The honor of spies / W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV.
F GRIFFIN

Honor thyself / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Hope diamond : the legendary history of a cursed gem / Richard Kurin.
736.2309 K968h 2006

The host : a novel / Stephenie Meyer.
F MEYER

Hot six / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Hothouse orchid / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

The hound of the Baskervilles / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
M DOYLE

The house of the scorpion / Nancy Farmer.
YA-SF FARMER

The house on Hope Street / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

How to read literature like a professor : a lively and entertaining guide to reading between the lines / Thomas C. Foster.
808 F754h 2003
The hunchback of Notre-Dame / Victor Hugo.
F HUGO

The hunger games / Suzanne Collins.
YA-F COLLINS

The hunt for the seventh / Christine Morton-Shaw.
YA-F MORTON-SHAW

The husband / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

I, Alex Cross : a novel / James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

I feel bad about my neck : and other thoughts on being a woman / Nora Ephron.
814.54 E63i 2006

I heard that song before / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

I know why the caged bird sings / Maya Angelou.
92 A584a
818.5409 A584i

Ice : a novel / Linda Howard.
F HOWARD

Ike : stories of the storm / a commemorative publication of the Galveston County Daily News ; Michael A. Smitth, project editor ; Jennifer Reynolds, photo editor ; Kevin M. cox, photographer.
976.4139 I261 2008

In the shadow of the Alamo / Sherry Garland.
YA-F GARLAND

The indwelling : the beast takes possession / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The Inferno of Dante : a new verse translation / by Robert Pinsky ; with notes by Nicole Pinsky ; foreword by John Freccero.
851 D192i

The innocent man : murder and injustice in a small town / John Grisham.
345.76602523 G869i 2006

Insomnia / Stephen King.
F KING

Intensity : a novel / by Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Interview with the vampire : a novel / by Anne Rice.
F RICE

Into the wild / Jon Krakauer.
917.98045 K893i 1997

Isaac's storm : a man, a time, and the deadliest hurricane in history / Erik Larson.
976.4139 L334i

Isle of Dogs / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

It's a dog's life, Snoopy / by Charles M. Schulz.
741.5 S388i
J 741.5 SCH

Jane Eyre / Charlotte Bronte.
F BRONTE

Jane Eyre / Charlotte
F BRONTE
YA-F BRONTE

Journey / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Journey through the mind and body / by the editors of Time-Life Books.
158 J86j

The Joy Luck Club / Amy Tan.
F TAN

Judge & jury / James Patterson and Andrew Gross.
F PATTERSON

Julie and Julia : my year of cooking dangerously / Julie Powell.
641.5092 P882po 2009

The jungle / Upton Sinclair
F SINCLAIR

Jurassic Park : a novel / by Michael Crichton.
F CRICHTON

Just Ella / Margaret Peterson Haddix.
YA-F HADDIX

Just take my heart / Mary Higgins Clark.
M CLARK

Killer Pizza : a novel / by Greg Taylor.
YA-F TAYLOR

Kindred in death / J. D. Robb.
M ROBB

The king of torts / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Kisser / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

The kitchen boy / Robert Alexander.
F ALEXANDER

The kitchen god's wife / Amy Tan.
F TAN

The kite runner / Khaled Hosseini.
F HOSSEINI
YA-F HOSSEINI

Knockout / Catherine Coulter.
F COULTER

The lake house : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

The last book in the universe / Rodman Philbrick.
YA-SF PHILBRICK

The last lecture / Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow.
004.092 P334pa 2008

Last night in Twisted River : a novel / John Irving.
F IRVING

The last song / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Lasting valor / Vernon J. Baker with Ken Olsen ; foreword by Colin L. Powell.
940.53092 B167ba 1999

The law of nines / Terry Goodkind.
Publication info: New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2009.
F GOODKIND

Lean mean thirteen / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Left behind : a novel of the earth's last days / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

A lesson before dying / Ernest J. Gaines.
F GAINES

Life as we knew it / Susan Beth Pfeffer.
YA-F PFEFFER

Life expectancy / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Life strategies for teens / Jay McGraw.
158.0835 M478L

Lifeguard : a novel / by James Patterson and Andrew Gross.
F PATTERSON

Lightning / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

The lightning thief / Rick Riordan.
J-F RIORDAN
YA-F RIORDAN

The lilies of the field / William E. Barrett.
F BARRETT

Lisey's story : a novel / Stephen King.
F KING

Loitering with intent / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

London bridges : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Long lost / Harlan Coben.
M COBEN

The long road home / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Look again / Lisa Scottoline.
F SCOTTOLINE

Lord of the flies / William Golding
F GOLDING

The lost boy : a foster child's search for the love of a family / Dave Pelzer.
362.7609 P393L
362.76092 P393pe 1997a

The lost symbol : a novel / Dan Brown.
F BROWN

The lost world : a novel / by Michael Crichton.
F CRICHTON

Love in the time of cholera / Gabriel Garcia Marquez
F GARCIA MARQUEZ

The lovely bones : a novel / Alice Sebold.
F SEBOLD

The lucky one / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Madame Bovary / Gustave Flaubert.
F FLAUBERT

Main Street / Sinclair Lewis.
F LEWIS

The mark : the beast rules the world / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The Martian chronicles / Ray Bradbury.
SF BRADBURY

Mary, Mary : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Matters of the heart / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

The maze runner / James Dashner.
YA-SF DASHNER

Memnoch the Devil / Anne Rice.
F RICE

Memoirs of a geisha : a novel / by Arthur Golden.
F GOLDEN

The memory prescription : Dr. Gary Small's 14-day plan to keep your brain and body young / Gary Small
153.12 S635m 2004

Men are from Mars, women are from Venus: a practical guide for improving communication and getting what you want in your relationships / John Gray.
646.78 G779m

Merrick : a novel / by Anne Rice.
F RICE

Message in a bottle / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Metro girl / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

A million little pieces / James Frey.
362.29092 F893fr 2004

Miracles on the water : the heroic survivors of a World War II U-boat attack / Tom Nagorski.
940.54293 N152m 2006

The mirror of Merlin / by T.A. Barron.
YA-F BARRON

Les miserables / by Victor Hugo
F HUGO

Mockingjay / Suzanne Collins.
YA-F COLLINS bk.3

Motor mouth / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

My name is Asher Lev / Chaim Potok.
F POTOK

My thirteenth winter : a memoir / Samantha Abeel.
362.196858890092 A138ab 2004

Mythology : timeless tales of gods and heroes / Edith Hamilton.
292.13 H217m

Naked prey / John Sandford.
F SANDFORD

Natural cures "they" don't want you to know about / Kevin Trudeau.
615.535 T866n 2004

The neighbor / Lisa Gardner.
F GARDNER

A new earth : awakening to your life's purpose / Eckhart Tolle.
204.4 T651n 2005

New ideas from dead economists : an introduction to modern economic thought / Todd G. Buchholz
330.0922 B919n 2007

New moon / Stephenie Meyer.
F MEYER

Nickel and dimed : on (not) getting by in America /Barbara Ehrenreich.
305.569 E334n 2001

Night / Elie Wiesel
940.5318092 W6519wi 2006

Nights in Rodanthe / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

Nighttime is my time / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

Nine dragons : a novel / Michael Connelly.
M CONNELLY

Nineteen minutes : a novel / Jodi Picoult.
F PICOULT

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency / Alexander McCall Smith.
M McCALL SMITH

No place like home / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

North of beautiful / by Justina Chen Headley.
YA-F HEADLEY

Not my daughter / by Barbara Delinsky.
F DELINSKY

O, pioneers! / Willa Cather
F CATHER

Odd hours / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Odd Thomas / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

The odyssey : the story of Odysseus / Homer
883 H766o

Of love and other demons / Gabriel Garcia Marquez
F GARCIA MARQUEZ

Of mice and men / John Steinbeck.
F STEINBECK

The old man and the sea / Ernest Hemingway
F HEMINGWAY
YA-F HEMINGWAY

Oliver Twist / by Charles Dickens
F DICKENS

Once upon a Marigold / Jean Ferris.
YA-F FERRIS

One day at a time / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

One flew over the cuckoo's nest / Ken Kesey.
F KESEY

One for the money / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Orchid Beach : a novel / Stuart Woods.
F WOODS

Outlander / Diana Gabaldon.
F GABALDON

Outliers : the story of success / Malcolm Gladwell.
302 G543o 2008

"P" is for peril / Sue Grafton.
M GRAFTON

A painted house : a novel / by John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Pandora : new tales of the vampires / Anne Rice.
F RICE

Pandora's daughter / Iris Johansen.
F JOHANSEN

The partner / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Pastwatch : the redemption of Christopher Columbus / Orson Scott Card.
SF CARD

The perfect Christmas / Debbie Macomber.
F MACOMBER

Pilates for every body : strengthen, lengthen, and tone with this complete 3-week body makeover / Denise Austin.
613.71 A935p

Pirate latitudes : a novel / Michael Crichton.
F CRICHTON

Playing for pizza / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Plum lovin' / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Plum spooky / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Point of origin / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

The poisonwood Bible : a novel / Barbara Kingsolver.
F KINGSOLVER

Pop / Gordon Korman.
YA-F KORMAN

Pop! goes the weasel : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

A popular history of France from the earliest times / by M. Guizot
944 G969p

Portrait of a killer : Jack the Ripper-- case closed / Patricia Cornwell.
364.1523 C821p

the research paper / by Phillips G. Davies and Samuel J. Rogal.
808.02 D255p

Prey : novel / Michael Crichton.
F CRICHTON

Pride and Prejudice / Jane Austen
F AUSTEN

The prime of Miss Jean Brodie / Muriel Spark.
F SPARK

The prince and the pauper / by Mark Twain.
F TWAIN

Prophecy of the sisters / Michelle Zink.
YA-F ZINK

Pursuit of honor : a novel / Vince Flynn.
F FLYNN

The quickie : a novel / by James Patterson
F PATTERSON

Quicksand / Iris Johansen.
F JOHANSEN

Rainbow Six / Tom Clancy.
F CLANCY

The rainmaker / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Rainwater / Sandra Brown.
F BROWN

A raisin in the sun / Lorraine Hansberry
812.54 H249r

The ranch / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Ransom / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

The read-aloud handbook / Jim Trelease.
372.452 T788r 2001
372.452 T788r5
J 372.452 TRE

The red badge of courage : an episode of the American Civil War / Stephen Crane
F CRANE

Red Lily / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

The red pyramid / Rick Riordan.
YA-F RIORDAN no.1

The regulators / Richard Bachman.
F BACHMAN

Relentless : a novel / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Remember when / Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb.
F ROBERTS

Remember when / Judith McNaught.
F McNAUGHT

The remnant : on the brink of Armageddon / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The Return of the King / by J. R. R. Tolkien
F TOLKIEN

Rich dad, poor dad : what the rich teach their kids about money-- that the poor and middle class do not! / by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter.
332.024054 K628r

Riding the bus with my sister : a true life journey / Rachel Simon.
305.90824092 S594si 2003

River of doubt : Theodore Roosevelt's darkest journey / Candice Millard.
918.113045 M645r 2005

The roar / Emma Clayton.
YA-SF CLAYTON

Rogue / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Romeo and Juliet / William Shakespeare
822.33 U3ra 2004

Rose Madder / Stephen King.
F KING

Rough country / John Sandford.
M SANDFORD

Rumble fish / S.E. Hinton.
YA-F HINTON

Run for your life : a novel / by James Patterson
F PATTERSON

The runaway jury / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Running hot / Jayne Ann Krentz.
F KRENTZ

S is for silence / Sue Grafton.
M GRAFTON

Sabriel / Garth Nix.
SF NIX

Sacred sins / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Sail : a novel / by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.
F PATTERSON

Sam's letters to Jennifer : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

The scarecrow : a novel / Michael Connelly.
M CONNELLY

The Scarlet Letter / Nathaniel Hawthorne
F HAWTHORNE
YA-F HAWTHORNE

The Scarlet Pimpernel / Baroness Orczy
F ORCZY

Scarpetta / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

The Scarpetta factor / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

Seabiscuit : an American legend / Laura Hillenbrand.
798.4 H651s

The season / Sarah MacLean.
YA-F MACLEAN

Secret, silent screams / Joan Lowery Nixon.
YA-M NIXON

A separate peace / by John Knowles.
F KNOWLES

Seven up / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Shadow warriors : inside the Special Forces / Tom Clancy, with Carl Stiner and Tony Koltz
356.16 C587s

Shattered / Karen Robards.
F ROBARDS

The short second life of Bree Tanner : an Eclipse novella / Stephanie Meyer.
F MEYER
YA-F MEYER

Silas Marner / George Eliot.
F ELIOT

The silent sea : a novel of the Oregon Files / Clive Cussler ; with Jack Du Brul.
F CUSSLER

Silent thunder / Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
F JOHANSEN

Silver borne / Patricia Briggs.
SF BRIGGS

The sisterhood of the traveling pants / Ann Brashares.
YA-F BRASHARES

Sisters / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Sizzle : a novel / Julie Garwood.
F GARWOOD

Slob / Ellen Potter.
YA-F POTTER
Smash cut / Sandra Brown.
F BROWN

Smoke screen / Sandra Brown.
F BROWN

The snows of Kilimanjaro and other stories / Ernest Hemingway.
F HEMINGWAY

Song of Susannah / Stephen King
F KING

Soul harvest : the world takes sides / Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins.
F LaHAYE

The South Beach diet : the delicious, doctor-designed, foolproof plan for fast and healthy weight loss / Arthur Agatston.
613.25 A263s

South of Broad : a novel / Pat Conroy.
F CONROY

Southern lights : a novel / Danielle Steel.
F STEEL

Split image / Robert B. Parker.
M PARKER

Spoken from the Heart / Laura Bush
973.931092 B9787bu 2010

Spring collection / by Judith Krantz.
F KRANTZ

Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli.
YA-F SPINELLI

Still waters / Tami Hoag.
F HOAG

Stone cold / David Baldacci.
F BALDACCI

Stop pretending : what happened when my big sister went crazy / Sonya Sones.
YA-F SONES

The story of Edgar Sawtelle : a novel / David Wroblewski.
F WROBLEWSKI

The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde / Robertm Louis Stevenson
F STEVENSON

The stranger / Albert Camus
F CAMUS

The street lawyer / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Sudden prey / by John Sandford.
F SANDFORD

The summer tree / Guy Gavriel Kay.
SF KAY

The summons / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

The sun also rises / Ernest Hemingway.
F HEMINGWAY

Sundays at Tiffany's / James Patterson
F PATTERSON

Suzanne's diary for Nicholas : a novel / James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

The sweetheart of Prosper County / by Jill S. Alexander.
YA-F ALEXANDER

Swimsuit : a novel / by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro.
F PATTERSON

T is for trespass / Sue Grafton.
M GRAFTON

TailSpin / Catherine Coulter.
F COULTER

The tale of the body thief / Anne Rice.
F RICE

A tale of two cities / Charles Dickens.
F DICKENS

The teeth of the tiger / Tom Clancy.
F CLANCY

Ten big ones / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

The testament / John Grisham.
F GRISHAM

Texas ghost stories : fifty favorites for the telling / Tim Tingle, Doc Moore.
133.109764 T588t 2004

That old ace in the hole : a novel / Annie Proulx.
F PROULX

That was then, this is now / S. E. Hinton.
YA-F HINTON

Their eyes were watching God / Zora Neale Hurston
F HURSTON

This side of paradise, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
F FITZGERALD

A thousand splendid suns / Khaled Hosseini.
F HOSSEINI

Three fates / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Thunderstruck / Erik Larson.
364.1523 L334t 2006

Timeline / Michael Crichton.
F CRICHTON

To kill a mockingbird / by Harper Lee
F LEE
YA-F

A touch of dead : Sookie Stackhouse : the complete stories / Charlaine Harris.
M HARRIS

Trace / Patricia Cornwell.
M CORNWELL

Trial by fire / J.A. Jance.
M JANCE

Tribute / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

True blue / David Baldacci.
F BALDACCI

The turn of the screw : and other short novels / Henry James ; with a new introduction by Fred Kaplan.
F JAMES

Twelve sharp / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Twilight / Stephenie Meyer.
F MEYER

Two for the dough / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Two little girls in blue / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

The two towers : being the second part of The lord of the rings / by J.R.R. Tolkien.
F TOLKIEN
YA-F TOLKIEN

U is for undertow / Sue Grafton.
M GRAFTON

Uncle Tom's cabin, or, Life among the lowly / Harriet Beecher Stowe
F STOWE
J-F STOWE

Undead and unwed / Mary Janice Davidson.
F DAVIDSON
PBR DAVIDSON

Under the banner of heaven : a story of violent faith / Jon Krakauer.
289.33 K893u

Under the dome : a novel / Stephen King.
F KING

Uprising / Margaret Peterson Haddix.
YA-F HADDIX

The vampire Armand / by Anne Rice.
F RICE

The vampire Lestat / Anne Rice.
F RICE

The villa / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Violets are blue : a novel / by James Patterson.
F PATTERSON

Vision in white / Nora Roberts.
F ROBERTS

Visions of sugar plums / Janet Evanovich.
M EVANOVICH

Visits from the afterlife : the truth about hauntings, spirits, and reunions with lost loved ones / Sylvia Browne with Lindsay Harrison.
133.1 B882v

Vittorio, the vampire : new tales of the vampires / Anne Rice.
F RICE

A walk to remember / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

The war of the worlds / H. G. Wells.
SF WELLS

Watership Down / Richard Adams.
F ADAMS
YA-F ADAMS

The wedding / Nicholas Sparks.
F SPARKS

A weekend in September / by John Edward Weems.
976.4139 W397w 1980
976.483 W39w
R 976.483 W39w

We'll meet again / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

When the rivers run dry : water, the defining crisis of the twenty-first century / Fred Pearce.
333.91 P359w 2006

Where the red fern grows : the story of two dogs and a boy / Wilson Rawls
J-F RAWLS
YA-F RAWLS

Whispers / by Dean R. Koontz.
F KOONTZ

Whispers from the dead / Joan Lowery Nixon.
YA-M NIXON

The white queen / Philippa Gregory.
F GREGORY

Who moved my cheese? : an a-mazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life / Spencer Johnson
155.24 J661w

The whole truth / David Baldacci.
F BALDACCI

Wicked prey / John Sandford.
F SANDFORD

The widow of the south / Robert Hicks.
F HICKS

Wild orchids / Jude Deveraux.
F DEVERAUX

Wit and wisdom from Poor Richard's almanack / Benjamin Franklin ; introduction by Dave Barry.
818.102 F831p 2000

Without remorse / Tom Clancy.
F CLANCY

Wizard and glass / Stephen King
F KING

The wolf at the door / Jack Higgins.
F HIGGINS

Wolves of the Calla / Stephen King ; illustrations by Bernie Wrightson.
F KING

The world is flat : a brief history of the twenty-first century / Thomas L. Friedman.
303.4833 F911w 2006

Worst case : a novel / James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
F PATTERSON

Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now / Maya Angelou.
814.54 A584w

The wrecker / Clive Cussler and Justin Scott.
F CUSSLER

You belong to me / Mary Higgins Clark.
F CLARK

Your heart belongs to me / Dean Koontz.
F KOONTZ

You've been warned : a novel / by James Patterson and Howard Roughan.
F PATTERSON

Chick Lit Authors

2010-11-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ahern, Cecelia
Alan, Theresa
Andersen, Susan (pbr, LT)
Baratz-Logsted, Lauren
Bartlett, Gerry
Bartolomeo, Christina
Bird, Sarah
Block, Valerie
Brandt, Beverly
Browne, Hester
Buchan, Elizabaeth
Bushnell, Candace
Cabot, Meg
Caldwell, Laura
Carroll, Leslie Sara
Christensen,Kate
Ciresi, Rita
Colgan, Jenny
Cook, Claire
Crane, Caprice
Crusie, Jennifer
Curnyn, Lynda
Edwards, Johanna
Evans, Harriet
Fielding, Helen
Frankel, Valerie
Gaskell, Whitney
Gehrman, Jody
Gibson, Fiona
Gibson, Rachel
Giffin, Emily
Grazer, Gigi L.
Green, Jane
Hale, Shannon
Halliday, Gemma
Hanauer, Cathi
Haribison, Beth
Heller, Jane
Hitchcock, Jane S.
Holden, Wendy, 1965
Jewell, Lisa
Kelly, Cathy
Kargman,Jill
Kendrick, Beth
Keyes, Maria
King, Mia
Kinsella, Sophie
Kwitney, Alisa
Lipman, Elinor
Lissner, Caren
Litman, Viqui
Mansell, Jane
Margolis, Sue
Martin, Deidre
Matthews,Carole
Maxted, Anna
McLaughlin, Emma
Messina, Lynn
Michaels, Kasey
Mlynowksi, Sarah
Naylor, Clare
Orloff, Erica
Palmer, Liza
Papa, Ariella
Phillips, Carol
Powell, Julie
Schine, Cathleen
Senate, Melissa
Sigaloff, Jane
Snow, Carol
Templeton, Karen
Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa
Walker, Laura Jensen
Weiner, Jennifer
Weisberger, Lauren
Wells, Rebecca
Wells, Robin
Wickham, Madeleine
Zigman, Laura

Mystery Chick Lit Authors

2010-11-08T12:19:00.002-08:00

Anderson, Sheryl J.
Avocato, Lori
Ballard, Mignon Franklin
Barrett, Lorna
Barron, Stephanie
Bartholomew, Nancy
Bebris, Carrie
Blevins, Meredith
Bond, Stephanie
Bush, Nancy
Cabot, Meg
Caine, Leslie
Caldwell, Laura
Carl, Joanna
Childs, Laura
Clemens, Judy
Clement, Blaize
Cohen, Nancy J.
Colt, Jennifer
Colley, Barbara
Conant-Park, Jessica
Corwin, C.R.
Crawford, Isis
Daheim, Mary
Davidson, Mary Janice
Davis, Kyra
Donnelly, Deborah
Dunn, Carola
Eichler, Selma

Evanovich, Janet
Fairbanks, Nancy
Farmer, Jerrilyn
Ferris, Monica
Fiffer, Sharon
Fluke, Joanne
Frazer, Margaret
Grace, C.L.
Graves, Sarah
Green, Chloë
Greenwood, Kerry
Halliday, Gemma
Haines, Carolyn
Harris, Lynn
Holt, Hazel
Jaffariain, Sue
Johnson, Dolores
Jones, Merry Blo
Laurie, Victoria
Kandel, Susan
Kalian, Cady
Kelner, Toni P.
Kenner, Julie
King, Laurie
Konrath, J.A. (Joe)
Kozak, Harley
Lakin, Rita
Malliet, G. M.
Martin, Nancy

Martin, Rosemary
McBride, Susan
McCafferty, Barbara
McCall Smith, Alexander
McKevett, G. A.
Meier, Leslie
Michaels, Kasey
Mitchell, Michele
Murray, Lynne
Myers, Tamar
Ocean, T. Lynn
Olson, Karen E.
O’Shaughnessy, Perri
Pickard, Nancy
Ripley, Ann
Roberts, Gillian
Spencer-Fleming, Julia
Strohmeyer, Sarah
Sturman, Jennifer
Sweeney, Leann
Townley, Gemma
Viets, Elaine

Christian Romance Fiction Authors

2010-11-08T12:19:00.001-08:00

Aarsen, Carolyne
Baer, Judy
Bateman, TraceyVictoria
Clopton, Debra
Coulter, Brenda
Daley, Margaret
Davids, Patricia
Hannon, Irene
Hart, Jillian
James, Arlene
Kastner, Debra
Marr, Patt
Martin, Gail G.
Nunn, Mae
Perry, Marta
Reed, Terri
Richer, Lois
Sattler, Gail
Scofield, Ruth
Tronstad, Janet
Worth, Lenora

Christian Fiction Authors

2010-11-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Compiled by Joanne Turner, Assistant Reference Librarian

Aiken, Ginny
Alexander, Hannah
Austin, Lynn N.
Baart, Nicole
Bateman, Tracey
Bedford, Deborah
Bell, James Scott
Bergren, Lisa Tawn
Blackstock, Terri
Blackston, Ray
Blackwell, Lawana
Bly, Stephen A.
Brimsetter. Wanda E.
Bunn, T. Davis
Cannon, Julie
Chaikin, L. L.
Clark, Mindy Starns
Collins, Brandilyn
Copeland, Lori
Cote, Lyn
Crawford, Dianna
Dekker, Ted
Depree, Traci
Dickson, Athol
Downs, Tim (mystery)

Gansky, Alton (mystery))
Girzone, Joseph F.
Gray, Shelley Shepard
Gregory, David
Groot, Tracy
Gulley, Philip
Gunn, Robin Jones
Gutteridge, Rene
Hancock, Karen (science fiction)
Halter, Marek
Hatcher, Robin Lee
Hart, Beth Webb
Hart, Neesa
Heitzmann, Kristen
Henderson, Dee
Herman, Kathy
Hickman, Patricia
Higgs, Liz Curtis
Hinck, Sharon
Hoff, B. J.
Hunt, Angela E.
Jackson, Derek
Jackson, Neta
Jarrett, Norma L.
Jenkins, Jerry B.
John, Sally
Karon, Jan
Kelly, Leisha
Kingsbury, Karen
Kinkade, Thomas
Kirkpatrick, Jane
Klassen, Julie
Kraus, Jim
Lacy, Al
Lacy, Joanna
LaHaye, Tim
Leon, Bonnie
Lewis, Beverly
Ludd, Gerald
McCourtney, Lorena (mystery)
Morgan, Kathleen
Morris, Lynn
Morris, Gilbert
Morrisey, Tom
Moser, Nancy
Musser, Elizabeth
Myers, Bill
Oke, Janette
Palmer, Catherine
Parker, Gary E.

Parshall, Craig
Pella, Judith
Peretti, Frank E.
Peterson, Tracie
Raney, Deborah
Rice, Anne (2)
Angels Time
Christ the Lord
Rivers, Francine
Rushford, Patricia H.
Phillips, Michael
Samson, Lisa
Singer, Randy D.
Smith, Debra White
Snelling, Laurine
Thoene, Bodie
Thrasher, Travis
Turner, Jamie L.
Walker, Laura J.
Whitson, Stephaine
Wick, Lori
Woodsmall, Cindy
Wright, Jason
York, Lynn

Authors of Contemporary Black Fiction

2010-11-08T12:15:00.001-08:00

Compiled by Joanne Turner, Assistant Reference Librarian

Belll, Cassandra
Berry, Bertice
Black, Daniel
Bland, Eleanor
Billingsley, Reshonda
Bowen, Michele
Brown, Parry
Briscoe, Connie
Buckhanon, Kalisha
Bunkley, Anita
Butler, Tajuana
Cleage, Pearl
Cooper, J. California
Corbett, Nina
Day, Desiree
Dickey, Eric Jerome
Diggs, Anita
Dow, Candice
Files, Lolita
Ford, Aisha
Forster, Gwynne
George, Nelson
Gregory, Tamara
Griggs, Vanessa
Guillaume, Geri
Harris, E. Lynn
Holliday, Geneva
Jackson, Brenda
Jarrett, Norma L.
Joe, Yolanda
Johnson, Freddie
Johnson, R. M.
Johnson, Stephanie
Jones, Solomon
Keaton, Barbara
Lee, Darrien
Little, Benilde
Major, Marcus
Marshall, Bev
Mason,Felicia
Mason, J. D.
McGlothin, Victor
McMillan, Rosalyn
McMillan, Terry
McCollors, Tia
McCoy-Miller, Judith
Monroe, Mary
Morrison, Mary B.
Morrison, Toni
Nicholas, Denise
Mosley, Walter
Murray, Albert
Murray, Victoria
Parks, Electa
Parks, Suzan-Lori
Phillips, Debra
Phillips, Delores
Rawles, Nancy
Reid, Maryann
Rhodes, Jewell
Robinson, C. Kelly
Roby, Kimberla
Southgate, Martha
Thomas, Brenda
Thomas, Jacquelin
Turner, Nikki
Tyree, Omar
Warren, Tiffany
Weber, Carl
Wesley, Valerie
White, Kimberley
Wideman, John E.
Williams, Shelia J.
Williams, Tia
Wilson, Christopher P.
Zane

THE SULTAN’S SHADOW: ONE FAMILY’S ROLE AT THE CROSSROADS OF EAST AND WEST

2010-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

By Christiane Bird

Publisher Random House 2010
Price $ 28.00
Pages 329

ISBN 978-0-345-46940-3

Reviewed by R.T. Bush

Most people read non fiction with the hope of being better informed on a subject, or to learn something new. This book that I borrowed from the League City Library amply fulfilled those hopes.

The principle characters are Seyyed Said bin Sultan Al Busaid of Oman, his daughter Salme, and his son Seyyid Barghash. The men were strict Muslims and remained so, but Salme who eloped with a German trader and went live in Germany became a Christian. She was a tragic character who was treated badly in Hamburg by her husband’s relatives. After he died in an accident a kindly German Baroness befriended her; but she was swindled of her inheritance and had to earn a living for her self and her three children by teaching Arabic.

The Muslim religion for Omanis was Ibadhism. Ms Bird explains that this sect was tolerant of other religions, unlike sects such as the Wahabism of Saudi Arabia and the Sunni sect, who both tried to over throw the Ibadists. Ibadhism is still the religion of Oman today reinforcing the county’s isolation from the rest of Arabia and the rest of the Muslim world.

Omanis at one time ruled over Bandar Abbas in today’s Iran, Gwador in today’s Baluchistan, a province of Pakistan, and as far west in the Arabian Gulf as Bahrain. Their seafarers and traders on sailing vessels regularly sailed to and from East Africa, Pemba and Zanzibar, islands off the East African coast during the N. East and S. West monsoons. They established thriving settlements in those places. The Al Busaidi Sultans became wealthy through trading in African slaves, ivory and from the clove plantations on Zanzibar and Pemba. In Oman, where Muscat became their capital and main port, dates were their main crop. A large part of Oman is arid dessert, but Zanzibar and Pemba are fertile with lush vegetation. The Sultans built palaces and lived much of their lives there.

Princess Salme was born in Zanzibar in 1844 the daughter of Sultan Sayyed Sultan Al Busaid and a Circassian slave. She became homesick for the

island during her exile in Germany, but was denied permission to return by her brother who became Sultan after the death of their father. This was partly due to her conversion to Christianity.

Ms. Bird devotes a whole chapter to the Arab slave trade, and goes into details about the abolitionists including David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley. The African expeditions of explorers Richard Burton, John Speke, and Stanley who were all helped in Zanzibar by the Omanis are also covered in detail.

We learn of the cruelties suffered by the African slaves, sold by their chieftains in the interior and driven mercilessly to the coast. Many died before arriving in the slave markets of Zanzibar. Portuguese traders took some to Brazil but most went north to Arabia or Egypt, or worked on the labour intensive clove plantations in Zanzibar.

Of the abolitionists we learn that Livingstone was born in a tenement in Blantyre near Glasgow. He was a medical missionary and an ardent Christian. Stanley was born a Welshman named John Rowlands in 1841. At the age of 16 he went to the US changed is name to Henry Morton Stanley, and after fighting for the Confederate Army ended up in New York.

Although I had walked back and forth across Herald Square five days a week on my commute to work from the Pennsylvania Rail Road Station to the Rockefeller Center, and knew it was named after James Gordon Bennett’s once famous New York Herald newspaper, I did not know that Stanley had worked there.
In fact it was Bennett’s son who sent Stanley to Africa to find Livingstone.

Stanley was not a missionary; he was a brave explorer and found the source of the Nile on Lake Victoria. He tracked the river Lualaba into the Congo and went down that mighty river to the sea passing round the torrential falls named after him. Later he became King Leopold 11of Belgium’s envoy in the Congo. Ms Bird tells us that he was one of the least racist of the African explorers.

Cruelty and gender inequality were endemic world wide in the 17th and 18th centuries, and especially so in the Arab and African countries mentioned in this book, where tribal divisions were often extreme. Male sexual prowess or excesses were considered a matter of pride and having many wives and concubines was common among the rulers and the wealthy of the world, including the Omanis. King Henry VIII and Tiger Woods are saintly when compared with powerful and rich in this book.

Sexism was as prevalent then among Muslims as it is today in most religions, so the only Omani woman Ms Bird finds as a heroine, besides Princess

Salme, was a shadowy character, Bibi Mouza. To learn more about her you must read the book.

Pemba and Zanzibar became independent of Oman and now with the former Tanganyika form part of Tanzania. The coastal part of Tanzania and Kenya its neighbour to the north was also settled by Arabs who converted the local Africans known as Swahili to Mohammedanism. These coastal strips were a part of the Busaidi Sultan’s domains.

Today Mombassa in Kenya, and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania are major ports and cities.

A coup or rebellion in 1963 ended the British Protectorate that had been established over Zanzibar in 1890, and the island lost its independence to the mainland.

In Oman in another coup Sultan Qaboos al Busaidi, the 14th of this dynasty, replaced his tyrannical father in 1970 and brought Oman into the modern world with some help from the British army, the Iranians, the Jordanians, and the Shell Oil Co..

This book is a must read for understanding the seething unrest in Arabia and East Africa.

990 words R.T. Bush November, 7 2010

Thanksgiving Stories for Children

2010-11-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

PICTURE BOOKS

CALL # TITLE AUTHOR

E ACC Friendship’s First Thanksgiving (Accorsi)

E AND Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale (Anderson)

E AND Thank You, Sarah (Anderson)

E AND Turkey Pox (Anderson)

E ATW Thanksgiving Door (Atwell)

E AUC Beauty and the Beaks (Auch)

E BAL Sometimes It’s Turkey, Sometimes It’s Feathers (Balian)

E BAT Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey (Bateman)

E BER Berenstain Bears & the Prize Pumpkin (Berenstain)

E BIL Turkey Bowl (Bildner)

E BOE Firefighters’ Thanksgiving (Boelts)

E BRA Best Thanksgiving Day (Braybrooks)

E BRI Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit (Bridwell)

E BRO Arthur’s Thanksgiving (Brown)

E BRU Squanto’s Thanksgiving (Bruchac)

E BUN Turkey for Thanksgiving (Bunting)

E CAP Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit! (Capucilli)

E CAR Visit to Grandma’s (Carlson)

E COW Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey (Cowley)

E COX One Is a Feast for a Mouse (Cox)

E DEV Cranberry Thanksgiving (Devlin)

E FRI Thanksgiving Rules (Friedman)

E GAN Rotten Ralph’s Thanksgiving Wish (Gantos)

E GIB Thanksgiving Is... (Gibbons)

E HAR Three Young Pilgrims (Harness)

E HER Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story (Herman)

E JAC I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie (Jackson)

E JUL Duck for Turkey Day (Jules)

E KRO Thanksgiving Bowl (Kroll)

E LAK Fat Chance Thanksgiving (Lakin)

E LIS Blue’s Thanksgiving Feast (Lissy)

E MAY Run, Turkey, Run! (Mayr)

E MCC Outlaw Thanksgiving (McCully)

E PIL ‘Twas the Night before Thanksgiving (Pilkey)

E RAE Rivka’s First Thanksgiving (Rael)

E ROB Thanksgiving Mice! (Roberts)

E SCH Thanksgiving (Schuh)

E SHA One Terrific Thanksgiving (Sharmat)

E SIL Turkey Trouble (Silvano)

E SPI Perfect Thanksgiving (Spinelli)

E SPI Thanksgiving at the Tappletons (Spinelli)

E STA Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation (Stanley)

E STE Fried Feathers for Thanksgiving (Stevenson)

E STO Thanksgiving Treat (Stock)

E SUL Ankle Soup (Sullivan)

E TAL Disney’s Winnie the Pooh’s Thanksgiving (Talkington)

E TAN Tasty Thanksgiving Feast (Tanner)

E TRY Albert's Thanksgiving (Tryon)

E WAT Thanksgiving at Our House (Watson)

E WIL Dora’s Thanksgiving (Wilson)

What Alice Knew, by Paula Marantz Cohen

2010-10-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is one of our Historical Fiction Online Book Club selections, so if you have read it, you get 20 "Bake Sale Bucks"! The Online Book Club Bake Sale will be December 11 and Online Book Club points the only method of payment for all of those delicious home-baked treats!!!

Do ya'll remember when Patricia Cornwell wrote Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed? I remembered her writing it and reading enough of it to find out who she'd fingered, but all I could remember was that he'd been a painter. Apparently Ms. Cohen does not agree with Patricia Cornwell's conclusion!

I loved how she portayed the James siblings! But it didn't make Turn of the Screw (A Classics Online Book Club selection) any more interesting...

What did everybody else think? Each of your comments is worth 5 Bake Sale Bucks!

Cool Crafts for Grades K - 5!

2010-10-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

Crazy Thursday, October 28

4:30 - 5:15 pm

Grades K - 5!

Make a hand held vampire mask.

Free! No registration needed.

Art on a Cart for Preschoolers - Make a Mask!

2010-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Preschool Art...
Join us for a mask making session - Friday, Oct. 15.
Make a monster face!

Drop in anytime from 10:15 - 11:30 am.
All supplies furnished.

The Greatest Knight, by Elizabeth Chadwick

2010-10-07T09:54:00.001-07:00

This is one of our Historical Fiction Online Book Club selections, so if you have read it, you get 20 "Bake Sale Bucks"! The Online Book Club Bake Sale will be December 11 and Online Book Club points the only method of payment for all of those delicious home-baked treats!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and might very well read the second one, although it is said to have less action. William Marshal is a fascinating character, and from what I can tell by googling him, Ms. Chadwick has very high standards of historical accuracy for her books.

Something else I learned from googling: William Marshal was played by William hurt in the Ridley Scott Robin Hood movie (with Russell Crowe). Now I want to see that movie!

What did everybody else think? Each of your comments is worth 5 Bake Sale Bucks!

Teens, if you enjoyed reading The Ranger's Apprentice Series, try reading these books...

2010-10-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Teens, if you liked The Hunger Games Trilogy, try reading these books...

2010-10-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

2010-10-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

FANTASY FAVORITES

for children

AUTHOR/ TITLE /LOCATION

Abbot, Tony /Secrets of Droon J-F-ABBOT

Ardagh, Philip / Eddie Dickens Trilogy J-F-ARDAGH

Colfer, Eric / Artemis Fowl series J-F-COLFER

Collins, Suzanne / Underland Chronicles/Gregor J-F-COLLINS

Dahl, Roald / Matilda J-F-DAHL

DiCamillo, Kate / The Tale of Despereaux J-F-DiCAMILLO

DiTerlizzi, Simon / Spiderwick Chronicles J-F-DiTERLIZZI

Funke, Cornelia / Caroline Dragon Rider J-F-FUNKE

Ibbotson, Eva / The Secret of Platform 13 J-F-IBBOTSON

Jacques, Brian / Redwall series J-F-JACQUES

Levine, Gail /Carson Ella Enchanted J-F-LEVINE

Lewis, C.S. /Chronicles of Narnia J-F-LEWIS

Neff, Henry / The Hound of Rowan series J-F-NEFF

Nimmo, Jenny / Charlie Bone J-F-NIMMO

Riodan, Rick Percy / Jackson series J-F-RIORDAN

Rowling, J.K. / Harry Potter J-F-ROWLING

Snicket, Lemony / Series of Unfortunate Events J-F-SNICKET

Stewart, Paul / Edge Chronicles J-F-STEWART

Stewart, Trenton / Mysterious Benedict Society J –F-STEWART

Stroud, Jonathan / Bartimaeus Trilogy J-SF-STROUD

Tolkien, J.J.R. / The Hobbit J-F-TOLKIEN

Wrede, Patricia / Dealing with Dragons J-F-WREDE

Coming soon to Teen Fiction

2010-10-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

Jane by April Lindner

Jane Moore finds herself forced to drop out of Sarah Lawrence due to her inability to afford school after the unexpected death of her parents. Determined to find a job and save money to go back to school, Jane takes a job as a nanny for a famous rock star. Jane is a modern retelling of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. However, one does not need to have read, or enjoyed Jane Eyre to enjoy this fun new romance. Those who have read Jane Eyre will enjoy drawing parallels between the two stories.

Jane will be released on October 11, 2010.

The Bride's Farewell, by Meg Rosoff

2010-09-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

This was the first Meg Rosoff book i had read since How I Live Now. and I guess the subject matter/genre being so different had me setting my expectations really low for some reason. I see now that this was dumb! She won a Printz, after all!

I wanted it to be longer! What did other people think? (for every comment posted here, Online Book Club participants earn five points!)

Emily's Ghost, by Denise Giardina

2010-09-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

During the Online Book Club Kickoff Event this past Saturday, Emily's Ghost was the title I gave to anyone who asked what I recommended. I was so fascinated by imagining what Emily Bronte was like in real life, and saddened to realize how much was lost when Anne became responsible for her family's legacy. However, I now feel that I should do some research about Anne, to see if it is likely that she was really as prissy, petty, and sanctimonious as she's written here. What did other people think? (for every comment posted here, Online Book Club participants earn five points!)

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

2010-08-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

The third and final book in The Hunger Games Trilogy, Mockingjay was released last Tuesday. I cannot remember the last time I was so excited to get my hands on a book. If you are one of the many fans of The Hunger Games you may share the same excitement. For those of you who have not heard of, or read The Hunger Games I highly (stress on highly) recommend that you read it! The books are written for a young adult audience, but it is something adults won’t be able to put down either.

I don’t want to spoil Mockingjay for those who have not had the chance to read it yet, but I do want to say that odds are you will not be disappointed. I loved every page and was sad when I finished the book because it is the last of the trilogy.

The Hunger Games (the first novel) is set to be made into a movie sometime in the near future (possibly 2011). Lions gate acquired rights for the movie in 2009. The screenplay was written by Collins and is currently being polished by another screenwriter. Casting has not yet taken place.

Online Book Club- Historical Fiction

2010-08-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

This blog post is where participants in the Fall 2010 Online Book Club for Historical Fiction will introduce themselves (in the Comments). Posting your introduction from the library during the August 28 kickoff event (3-5 pm) earns you Bake Sale Bucks!

Join Helen Hall Library's Online Book Clubs

2010-08-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 28, 2010 3-5 pm
Online Book Clubs
New! Read titles selected from six different genres and
participate online over four different networks.
Registration Kickoff
Mini Bake Sale* | Book and Log Pickup | Computer Help
Saturday, August 28, 2010 3-5 pm

Your opportunity to….
Learn about the online book clubs
Get first crack at the books
Get help with the various sites upon which the books will be discussed
Participate in Mini Bake Sale to practice for the FINALE*

*Points will earned for books read and discussion postings. These points will be the only valid currency at the Book Club Bake Sale on Dec. 11. The more you read, the more you FEED!

New in Teen Fiction

2010-08-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a fun book to enjoy during the last few weeks of summer I recommend Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs. Lily has been keeping a massive secret from all of her friends and classmates, she is a mermaid! Lily is just not any mermaid. She is the Princess of Thalassinia, a secret mermaid city. Lily’s mother was a terapid (human) making Lily half human and half mermaid. She has been spending time as a human and attending high school on shore to learning more about the human world. During her time on shore she has developed a massive crush on a hunk from the swim team. However, Lily quickly learns that relationships on shore can be just as complicated as those in the mermaid world. Forgive My Fins is a fast paced fun to read book that will likely have you asking when the sequel will be out.

By the Book, Helen Hall Library

2010-08-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

2010-07-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

Helen Hall Library Presents: Catch the Reading Express

Summer Reading Program facilitated by the Texas State Library

The summer reading program is a state-wide program that encourages children and teens to read or be read to by their parents. Prizes, certificates and other incentives are offered for the number of hours spent reading or being read to. Reading logs can be turned into the library for prizes any time the library is open. Helen Hall library cards are required for registration for reading clubs.

Growing Readers Club (babies to grade 2) is for listeners and beginning readers. Prizes are awarded after reading 20, 40, 60, and 80 books OR 5, 10, 15, or 20 hours.

Reading Club is for readers entering 3rd to 5th grades. Prizes are awarded after reading 10, 20, 30, and 40 hours.

For both of the above reading clubs, children will receive a reading certificate and a Super Readers Party invitation after completing the first log. Children may complete four logs for prizes. Each Monday there will be a raffle from all of the logs turned in the previous week for a special prize. The last day to turn in logs is Tuesday, August 3.

Teen Reading Club is for teens going into 6th grade and aged 11 to 18. Great prizes will be given at each level. Plus, there’s a party at the end of the summer for the select few who achieve the top level! The last day to turn in teen logs is Monday, August 2.

Coming Soon...

2010-06-17T10:04:00.001-07:00

Helen Hall Library prints a list of newly released titles so that library patrons can place a hold on these items. For the first time we would like to publish that list here on our blog. Now you can find out from home what's Coming Soon. The list is alphabetical by author's last name.

Robert Barnard
A Stranger in the Family: a novel of suspense
Diane Chamberlain
The Lies We Told
Catherine Coulter
Whiplash
Clive Cussler & Justin Scott
The Spy
Jeffery Deaver
The Burning Wire: a Lincoln Rhyme novel
Alan Furst
Spies of the Balkans
Lisa Gardner
Live to tell: a detective D.D. Warren novel
W. E. B. Griffin
The Vigilantes
Linda Howard
Veil of Night
Faye Kellerman
Hangman: A Decker/Lazarus novel
Douglas Kennedy
Leaving the World
Stephen King
Blockade Billy
Karen Kingsbury
Take Four
Eric Lustbader
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Objective
Stephenie Meyer
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner An Eclipse Novella
Christopher Reich
Rules of Betrayal
Harry Turtledove
West and East: the war that came early
David Weber
A Mighty Fortress

Spend the Summer with Sharon Flake!

2010-06-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

There is a great opportunity for 5-12th graders to win a school visit from author Sharon Flake. We have four of Ms. Flake's books in the teen area, and one in juvenile fiction. Be sure to stop by and pick up a book. Remember reading the books can also count towards hours for your summer reading logs.

Win a chance to have Sharon Flake visit your school!

Read any or all of Sharon Flake's books from June 1st - August 13th, 2010.

Write a 500 word essay about how one of Flake's novels, short stories, or poems has affected your life or changed the way you look at your community. This reading contest is open to students in grades 5-12 who live in the lower 48 states. All essays are due by Friday, August 13, 2010. Please email essays to flake.sharon@gmail.com

The winner will be announces on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

For further contest details, check out the contest page:

http://www.sharongflake.com/4u/contests/

Prizes Include:
1. First place winner will receive a free school visit from Ms. Flake.
2. Second place winner will receive an autograph copy of one of Ms. Flake's books and one set of books for their English, Language Arts or Reading classroom.
3. Third place winner will receive an autograph copy of one of Ms. Flake's books and will receive one signed collection of all Ms. Flake's books for the school library.

Bonnie's Favorite (this week)

2010-05-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

It must be time to eat because the books I picked for this week both have to do with fixing dinner. Badger's Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza is about a badger who is bored with his dinner plans and goes out to find something better with disastrous results. The Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza is about a wolf who decides that stew would be perfect, but it would be better if the chicken were fatter. He starts baking things to fatten her up with very surprising results. Both books can be found in the picture book section of the library with the call number E KAS.

What to do in an airport (or anywhere else).

2010-05-17T15:11:00.001-07:00

What do you do in an airport when you know there are going to be delays? You grab a book from your daughter's shelf. That is how I came to spend an afternoon reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It a mostly delightful book set in 1946 that is a series of letters between an author with residents of Guernsey Island. Through the correspondance, the author, Juliet, learns much about the German occupation of the British Channel Islands. She is so intrigued by the writers of the letters, she decides to write a book and visits the island with very surprising results. Although much of happened during the occupation was horrible, there were individuals whose humanity came through. - Once I got home, I had to finish the book before I could unpack.

Helen Hall Library has both the book (F SHAFFER), and the audio book (BCD F SHAFFER).

Book Sale!

2010-05-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more worthy of buzz than a book sale. The Friends of the Helen Hall Library will hold their book sale this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 13, 14 & 15). The details are as follows;

Membership Drive
Thursday, May 13: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Present your Friends membership card
or join the Friends group to shop early.

General Sale
Friday, May 14: 10:00am - 5:30pm
Saturday, May 15: 10:00am - 2:00pm

We are still accepting donations of good condition books and DVDs. Questions? Please call Liz Hopkins at 281-554-1106. We hope to see you at the sale!

Bonnie's Favorite (this week)

2010-05-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Another favorite book of mine is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. This is the perfect story to lull a child to sleep at night. Reading it is a night time ritual with my grandchildren, who now recite it when it is read to them. Although written in 1942, Good Night Moon is a timeless classic that is a must for every child to hear.

New in Teen Fiction

2010-04-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien

Gaia has been raised near Un-Lake Michigan (the now dried up Lake Michigan) in the shadows of the Enclave. The Enclave is a mysterious walled community that those from the outside are not permitted to enter. In exchange for food, water and other supplies those on the outside often serve the Enclave. Gaia is preparing to serve the Enclave as a midwife and attends numerous births with her mother while in training. Those on the outside know that they may have to give their child up at birth to become a member of the Enclave. Midwives are required to “advance” the first three deliveries they assist with each month to the Enclave where the children will lead a privilege life. Gaia has never questioned the system until her mother and father are taken to the Enclave for questioning. Now Gaia is left with questions about what is happening inside the Enclave and why her parents have been taken away. What will Gaia learn? Will she ever see her parents again? What happens to the babies once they are advanced to the Enclave?

Celebrate Earth Day in Style

2010-04-22T08:22:00.001-07:00

Earth Day turns 40 today. In celebration of the 40^th Earth Day stop by the library and check out some of the following great books to help you celebrate Earth Day in style!

Books for Adults

Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin by Terry Taylor (686.3 T238e 2009)

This book will walk you through making several different types of books by reusing materials in your recycling bin.

Trash to Treasure: The Year's Best Creative Crafts by Leisure Arts, Inc. (745.5 T775 1998)

Leisure Arts compiled a book of the best recycled crafts. Pick up this book to find a new use for old detergent boxes, wallpaper scraps and more.

Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials: Plus Tips & Resources for Earth-friendly Stitching by Betz White (646.4 W582s 2009)

White explores how to re-purpose old clothing in your closet or clothing from a thrift store to make great new stylish clothing.

Eco-Craft : Recycle-Recraft-Restyle by Susan Wasinger (745.5 W319e 2009)

Eco Craft is full of trendy crafts that can be made out of recycled and unwanted materials. Hold on to those baby food jars and six pack can holders because you may find yourself re-purposing them into something beautiful for your home.

Remake Restyle Reuse: Easy Ways to Transform Everyday Basics into Inspired Design by Sonia Lucano (747 L932r 2008)

Lucano provides over forty options for crafters to transform outdated items in their home into something contemporary. If you like contemporary design and have some outdated items in your home this is the book for you.

The Salvage Sisters’ guide to Finding Style in the Street and Inspiration in the Attic by Kathleen Hackett (745.5 H121s 2005)

Hackett provides examples of how to use items found out at the curb on trash day or items that have been stowed in the attic and are no longer being used. This book will appeal to any bargain hunter.

Books for Children

Earth-Friendly Crafts: Clever Ways to Reuse Everyday Items by Kathy Ross (J 745.5 ROS)

Kids can have loads of fun with recycled crafts too! Earth-Friendly Crafts provides step by step instructions for children to make their own crafts from everyday materials such as marker caps and neckties. It is written for children in third through sixth grade.

Easy Earth-Friendly Crafts in 5 Steps by Anna Llimós Plomer (J 745.5 LLI)

This is another book written for children. Each craft only has five steps, so the crafts are appropriate for children in kindergarten through third grade. Some of the projects included are making a penguin, spinning top and clock.

Recycled Crafts Box: Sock Puppets, Cardboard Castles, Bottle Bugs & 37 More Earth-Friendly Projects & Activities You Can Create by Laura C. Martin (J 363.72 MAR)

Children will enjoy following instructions to make their old sneakers into a beautiful blooming flower pot, or making beautiful paper jewelry. Parents will enjoy not going broke making crafts at home.

Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans: Craft Projects from Recycled Materials by Phyllis Fiarotta (J 745.58 FIA)

Use everyday materials like paper bags, boxes and cans to create something magnificent with children.

Teen Earth Day Craft

2010-04-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Stop by the Teen Department this afternoon between 3:30 and 5:30 to make a recycled magazine basket/bowl. All materials will be provided. This program is for teens in 6th through 12th grade.

Science - it's fun because it doesn't always work!

2010-04-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Join us after school for lots of different activities on Thursdays at 4:30! We do science experiments, play with puppets, and create arts and crafts.

Bonnie's Favorite (this week)

2010-04-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

I have a young granddaughter who is a drama queen, so the book, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, strikes an especially responsive cord. This is the story of a young llama whose mother has put him to bed and he starts to fret. He has a melt down, but mother soon comes to reassure him that he is loved and to remind him that sometimes mother is busy and can't respond immediately. This is the perfect book for a child who is a bit fearful at night or needs reassurance that mother is nearby when he/she goes to bed.

National Library Week

2010-04-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

This week is National Library Week. National Library Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of libraries and librarians. Tomorrow at the city council meeting Mayor Randall will read a proclamation declaring the week of April 11th - 17th National Library Week. In celebration of National Library Week be sure to stop by and check out a book or attend one of our many programs. Click here to access the library calendar of events.

If you would like to show additional support for Texas libraries take a few minutes to e-mail or write to local legislators telling them what you like about your library and why libraries are important to you. To find out where to send your e-mail or letter, visit the Texas Library Association website.

My pregnancy: making it through the pre-& post-natal section...

2010-04-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

My goal: to make it to D-Day (delivery), with as little pain and with as much knowledge as possible. And knowing that I will probably have to throw out all that learned knowledge to go with works best for us.

On December 21st I While looking through my planner, I realized something rather important was missing from my calendar.
And by December 22nd I was reading

What to Expect When Your Expecting
Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth.

January 2 2010 I had finished Belly Laughs and was up to my progression week in What to Expect.

We also picked up;

My Boys Can Swim!: The Official Guy’s Guide to Pregnancy
The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips and Advice for Dads-To-Be for my husband.

Kevin and I decided that while we did like the funny yet practical side of Belly Laughs and My Boys, What to Expect, and Expectant Father are a much more in depth, more medical, technical (to us both good and bad traits) these are the books that we can use as are pregnancy "bibles" throughout our pregnancy, and they really are just that to us! With these two books, What to Expect, and Expectant Father, as our go-to book for answers BEFORE we call the Dr. to speak with a nurse, and have them call us back (sometimes a 24-48 hour process).

I'll try and keep up with this blog as we progress to D-Day, and if I find any other helpful books or tips for the other mothers and fathers to-be surfing the pre- & post-natal section of any library or book store, i'll post em'. I'm hoping to have a intense summer reading list to add to the library's list with real thoughts on going through pregnancy from someone going through it now.

Another blog we are following together, hoping to get other book suggestions from this blog, with great advise for soon to be mom's (and dad's):
"i wish i had known that" for soon to be moms

If you have any questions or comments about this blog please feel free to contact Ceciilia Ralson, (281) 554-1110 or cecilia.martin@leaguecitylibrary.org

Teen Events

2010-04-05T08:21:00.001-07:00

This week there are two teen events happening at the library!

Be sure to stop by the library Wednesday (April 7th) night from7:30 to 8:30 for Teen Advisory Board. Teens in 6th through 12th grade are encouraged to join and provide valuable feedback about what kinds of programs, books, movies, etc. they want the library to have. Participation counts as service/volunteer hours for honor societies, school, church, or any other organization that requires hours.

Also, on Friday (April 9th) teens are invited to search the library after hours for lost treasure. Teens will follow a series of clues on a hunt for bags of treasure that includes a Half Price Books gift card! Be sure you're here before the library closes at 6:00 pm, the program will start at 6:00 pm in the theater. Teens can be picked up at 7:30 pm when the program ends.

If you have any questions about this week's programs please feel free to contact Lindsay Faust, Teen Librarian at (281) 554-1102 or lindsay.faust@leaguecitylibrary.org

Southern Vampire Mysteries

2010-04-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

I recently started reading the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlene Harris. Most of you probably know the series as True Blood. The popular HBO show True Blood is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries. Having faithfully watched True Blood since the first episode and loving every minute of it, I decided it was time to read the series because I often enjoy books more than their on screen adaptations. While I’m still excited for season three of True Blood, I also can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Both the books and the show have the same basic premise, but the books (at least the first two) tend to concentrate more on the character development of Sookie Stackhouse, the main character of both the books and television show. In the books characters that play a large part may not exist, or are mentioned a few times, but the reader will never experience anything from their point of view. Plots also are altered slightly, but this just makes the books more interesting if you’ve already watched the television show.

I would recommend that any True Blood fan read the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlene Harris. Readers will likely enjoy the further character development of Sookie and a few new twists to the televisions plots. This is the perfect time to start reading the series because we will be having a party to celebrate the release of the 10th book in the series. Get reading because there will be a chance to test your trivia knowledge as well as a chocolate cake contest and be sure to get your souvenir photo in front of our Merlotte’s background. The release party is on Sunday, May 23rd from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Bonnie's Favorites (This Week)

2010-04-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

OK, this posting I have more than one favorite of the week, because I couldn't choose. I love, love, love Sandra Boynton's board books! I have to admit this is partially because my grandchildren love them, and of course, I think they have great taste. I am torn between Moo, Baa, La La La! and Barnyard Dance, as my two personal favorites. Like most of Boynton's books, these have rhyme and rhythm with a little bit of silliness.

You can find the board books in Al the alligator or on the puzzle book shelf in Youth Services.

Bonnie's Favorite (this week)

2010-03-26T10:51:00.001-07:00

After looking over the list of my "classic" preschool books, I realized I have many favorites. Each week I will pick one to feature. This week's favorite is Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watts. I giggle every time I read it. Scaredy Squirrel is a squirrel who never leaves his nut tree because he's afraid of the unknown "out there." Then something unexpected happens that may just change his outlook. You must first read the fly page which warns the reader what he/she must do before reading the book. You will also want to read the other books in the series, Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Scaredy Squirrel at Night, and Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend. They can be found in the picture book "E" section of the library with the call number E WAT.

Do you think these are classics?

2010-03-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here is my very incomplete list of preschool books that are classics or destined to become classics, that has been compiled from a variety of sites, and, of course, reflects my biases and favorites. Some titles were published 60 or 70 years ago and some in the last few years. Let me know your or your children’s favorites!

E BRE The Mitten by Jan Brett
E BRI Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
E BRO Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
E CAN Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
E CAR The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
E CRO Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
E CRO Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
E DEP Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
E DEW Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
E EAS Are You My Mother? by Philip D. Eastman
E FAL Olivia by Ian Falconer
E FOX Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
E FRE Corduroy by Don Freeman
E HEN Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
E JOH Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
E KEA The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
E MAR Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr.
E MAR Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.
E MCB Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
E MCC Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
E NUM If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
E OCO Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor
ER PAR Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
E PFI The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
E PIP The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
E REY Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey
E ROH My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
E ROS Little Pea by Amy Krause Rosenthal
E SCH Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
E SEN Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
ER SEU The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
ER SEU Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
E SLO Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
E VIO Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
E WAT Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watts
E WIL Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
E WIL Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
E WIS The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise
E YOL How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen

Bonnie's Favorites

2010-03-18T14:35:00.001-07:00

I am often asked what my favorite children's books are. That depends on the week! Some titles make my list every time and Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin is one of these. When Farmer Brown goes on vacation, leaving his brother Bob in charge, Duck makes trouble by changing all the instructions to notes the animals like much better. I especially like the instructions for pizza (not the frozen kind) with the added note that the hens prefer anchovies.

Blogging Biographies

2010-03-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you read a biography or autobiography?

The question is; how to find a good one? Below you will find a few highly recommended biographies, either through reviews (New York Times, NPR, etc.) or …hmmmm….other blogs (librarian). You will find these titles and others in Helen Hall Library on a bookshelf next to the stairs and across from the music CD’s. If you need help finding more, ask a librarian. Please take a look and …. Have Fun Reading!

My American Journey by Colin Powell
Bad as I Wanna Be by Dennis Rodman
My Sergei: a love Story by Ekaterina Gordeeva
The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw
Eat, Pray, Love: one woman’s search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
In Espanol; Come, reza, ama: el viaje de una mujer pro Italia, India e Indonesia en busca del equilibrio entre cuerpo y espritu by Elizabeth Gilbert
Wild Swans: three daughters of China by Jung Chang
Escape by Carolyn Jessop
Persepolis by Marjane Strapi
The autobiography of Malcolm X
A long way gone: memoirs of a boy soldier by Ismael Beah
Tuesdays with Morrie: an old man a young man, and life’s greatest lesson by Mitch Albom
True Compass: a memoir by and about Edward Kennedy
Reading Lolita in Tehran: a memoir in books by Azar Nafisi

My Pick of the Week

2010-03-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

For younger readers: Where to Sleep by Kandy Radzinski
This is a simple rhyming book where a kitten is looking for the best place to sleep. The illustrations are clear and bright. This a perfect book for parent and child at bedtime.

Pajama Story Time

2010-03-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

Can't bring your preschoolers to our morning story times because they are in school or you work? We have a solution! Bring your children in their "jammies" to Pajama Story Time on Thursday nights from March 25th through May 6th at 6:30 pm in the Helen Hall Library Theater. Join Ms. Bonnie for a lively half hour of stories, songs, and finger plays!

Happy Birthday, Shadow Puppets

2010-03-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

Who knew shadow puppets were one of the oldest puppet art forms? They are believed to have originated in China about 2000 years ago.
Kids can make simple shadow puppets at HHL on Thursday, March 18 at 4:30!

Explore the Universe @ your library

2010-03-18T07:44:00.001-07:00

The American Library Association is offering a chance to win four prize packages for the Hubble 3D movie that opens March 19th. The contest is open to students in K-12. Please visit http://www.atyourlibrary.org/hubble to enter the contest. Answer the questions in the quiz, if you get all of the questions correct you will be entered to win the prizes. The contest runs through April 30th.

Prizes include:
Grand prize (1 winner): 25 IMAX® tickets, a telescope and a signed Hubble 3D poster
1st prize (1 winner): Family 4-pack of IMAX® tickets, a telescope and a signed Hubble 3D poster
2nd prize (2 winners): Family 4-pack of IMAX® tickets and a Hubble 3D poster
3rd prize (3 winners): Pair of IMAX® tickets and a Hubble 3D poster

New in Non-Fiction

2010-02-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk,
by Robyn Okrant

The title and description struck me, somehow, as not-so-serious; and the tone and the content supported that impression- but now that it's been 45 minutes since I finished it, I feel like this is a book almost every woman should read.

I know a lot of us read self-help books or watch shows that are supposed to motivate/inspire/uplift us- and much of the time we come away feeling like slackers. We get all this advice piled on us and it seems like- if we don't have a perfect life it is only because we are too lazy to take advantage of all the help these nice people have gone to so much trouble to offer us.

This book shows you what would happen if you really did follow every single piece of advice. After reading it, I bet you'll never beat yourself up again.

Local Author to speak at Helen Hall Library

2010-02-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

Readers in the greater Houston area have long enjoyed Cindy Price's column A Slice of Life, which explores the humor and irony found in everyday life. Cindy is also a naturalist, writing and photographing for the educational Urban Naturalist column. In all her writings, Cindy shares her zest for life.
Her first book, The Second Bailout, is a true World War II story. Her latest book, In My Humble Opinion, is a collection of her thoughtful essays that leave readers laughing or crying, and most certainly with a new way of looking at the ordinary things that surround us each day.
Proceeds from her books benefit local museums, animal welfare organizations, and nature centers. She and her husband live in League City.

Cindy Price will speak at the Friends Annual Meeting
Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00 PM
Helen Hall Library
100 West Walker St.
League City, TX
For more information contact Liz Hopkins 281-554-1106

Three Pines Mysteries by Louise Penny

2010-02-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

In a quaint village outside of Quebec that can only be found by rumbling around the countryside or because you know it is there, lives an assortment of eccentric locals who feel safe and removed from society’s ills. As murder is visited upon the unsuspecting villagers, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec comes to Three Pines to solve each case and ferret out whatever evil lurks among the villagers.

There are five titles in the Three Pines Mysteries by Louise Penny; Still Life, A Fatal Grace, The Cruelest Month, A Rule Against Murder and The Brutal Telling. Each book gets deeper into the mysteries of Three Pines and propels you to the next. This author's books have received starred reviews in Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal.

Make a Valentine's Day Card @ Your Library

2010-02-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

February 4 at 4:30 pm

Crazy Thursday!

Children in grades K-5 will design a special Valentine's Day card at our craft buffet using cardstock, sequins, feathers, foam, glitter and more.

February 5 from 10:00 to 11:00 am

Art on a Cart

Children ages 3 to 5 years will create art from the heart with Valentine's Day cards.

Holiday Open House Dec. 3rd

2009-12-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

Come celebrate the season at Helen Hall Library's Holiday Open House on Dec. 3rd from 5:00-6:30 pm. We will serve refreshments, and the Teen Advisory Board will have crafts for children to make. Santa arrives at 5 pm--remember to bring your camera!

Giving Thanks @ Your Library

2009-11-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

We asked children and teens what they were most thankful for at Helen Hall Library. Here are their responses:

· Story time—Max & Nijee, age 2
· Books—Holly, age 2
· All the space to run around—Liliana, age 2
· That everyone’s so nice, and there’s plenty of train books to read—Ian, age 2
· Movies—Kaylee, age 3
· Water fountain and the computers—Banks, age 3
· Dr. Seuss books and the toy cars—Nicholas, age 3
· Toys—Colton, age 3 ½
· Curious George night and the computers—Grant, age 4
· All the books—John, age 4
· Computers—Parker, age 4
· Food—Jaiden, age 4
· Thomas the Tank movies—Spencer, age 5
· Using the computer—Briana, age 5
· Books—Kayla & Esther, age 5
· Audio books—Skylar, age 6
· Bat books—Mia, age 6
· Books—Jack & Joe & Bryan, age 6
· DVDs, movies—Sharon & Steven, age 6
· Books and movies—Braden, age 6
· Computer—Sahand, age 6
· Librarians—Eunice, age 7
· Movies and all the stuff in the library—Elexa, age 7
· You have so much books that I like, and I love this library—Trinity, age 7
· Nice workers and good books—Zeke, age 7
· Books—Emily & Daisy, age 7
· Books, DVDs, and computer time—Blake, age 7
· I love the library, and I am thankful when I have the library to myself—Calista, age 7
· That people let them borrow books—Richard, age 7
· I like to read—Kevin, age 7
· The books and the computers and the library—Miguel, age 7
· Checking out Magic Tree House books—Jonas, age 8
· Books—Josemaria & Liam, age 8
· Computers —Seana, age 8
· Books and movies—Celeste, age 8
· Librarians—Ava, age 8
· Reading—Massiel, age 8
· Free books you can rent—Bianca, age 8
· Baseball books—Jake, age 8
· Movies and books—Daniel, age 8
· Webkinz Club—Molly, age 9
· Books—Belen, age 9
· Info.—Craig, age 9
· Computers and fiction books—Nate, age 9
· Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series—Alex, age 9
· Books and librarians—Tyler, age 9
· Computers—Seth, age 9
· Selection of books—Andrew, age 9
· Computers and funny books—Travis, age 9
· Secrets of Droon book series—Jason, age 9
· Comic books—Alessandra, age 9 ½
· Helpful librarians—Jordan, age 10
· Books—Alyson & Payton & Ian, age 10
· That there are many books to choose from—Katia, age 10
· Books and computers—Samantha, age 10
· Dairy of a Wimpy Kid book series—Kaden, age 10
· The library helps you learn and read, and it’s always grateful to have books—Stasia, age 10
· Everything—Andrew, age 10
· Books, magazines, movies, and CDs—Summer, age 11
· Computers and books—Kobey, age 10
· The selection of drawing books—Nathan, age 11
· Computers—Kaeden, age 11
· All the books and series—Lindsey, age 11
· Books and computers—Shelby, age 11
· Getting Garfield comics, Percy Jackson, summer reading programs—Ruthie, age 11
· The good books—Savanna, age 12
· Nice librarians—Virginia, age 12
· Books—Hannah & Itzue & Amanda, age 12
· A very big variety of books and the teen section that makes some books I like easier to find—Katrina, age 12
· Nice books and nice people—Roxanna, age 12
· Books, I love reading—Arista, age 12
· The books, movies, and that we have a beautiful library here in League City and the workers—Maegan, age 12
· The kind people who help me find the books I am looking for—Hayley, age 12
· The selection of sci-fi and anime books, thank you—Savannah, age 13
· Books and computers—Sterling, age 14
· Ability to use the Internet for research and projects—Jacqueline, age 14
· Graphic novels collection—Maggie, age 16

We would love to hear what you're thankful for also!

Trick or Treat @ Your Library

2009-10-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Bring your children to Helen Hall Library on October 31st between 10 am and 6 pm for some treats! Candy will be passed out in the youth section, the adult section, and at the check out desk. While you're here, check out a spooky book or DVD!

Countdown to Robert Jordan's new book

2009-10-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of the end! The first book in the three-volume final installment of The Wheel of Time comes out soon and Helen Hall is having a party in its honor on November 15!

Details:

Greet “The Gathering Storm”
Sunday, November 15, 2009
2:00-4:00 pm

A Celebration of the Beginning of the End of The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan- Test your trivia knowledge, sample Marin al'Vere’s honeycakes and Seanchan Kaf; then take souvenir photos in front of our Shadar Logoth background.

We hope to see all Robert Jordan fans there!

Results of Webkinz Library Contest

2009-10-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

Several members of the library's Webkinz Club entered my Design a Webkinz Library contest. Here are the results:

1st place: Megan, who will receive a bookworm super bed!

2nd place: Hannah

3rd place: Becky

The judges and I thought all the entries were fabulous! I always enjoy viewing libraries through the eyes of children. Congratulations--you are all winners!

Our next Webkinz Club meeting will be November 19 at 4:30 pm. Please bring (just one) of your favorite Webkinz or stuffed animals with you.

Fall Youth Programs begin September 8th

2009-09-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Helen Hall Library offers free programs for children of all ages this fall! If you're interested in toddler story time, preschool story time, pajama story time, elementary book parties, family events, the teen advisory board, or teen anime, then please check out our fall brochure for more details:

http://www.leaguecitylibrary.org/documents/2009%20Fall%20brochure%20text%20only.pdf

September is Library Card Sign Up month. The most valuable card in your wallet is a library card. It gives you free access to thousands of books, magazines, and movies. Library cards at Helen Hall are free to anyone who lives in Texas and has proof of residency.

2009-07-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Another Vampire Series*

2009-07-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

A League City author, Gerry Bartlett has written a vampire series that is sure to entertain! Gloriana St. Clair struggles with her weight, a centuries-old relationship with a Scottish vampire, and starting a new business in Austin Texas. Turned while between diets (aren't we all - between diets that is), Gloriana can never go back; she will always have curves, attract trouble like a magnet, and find herself attracted to men she shouldn't be. The first book is Real Vampires have Curves.

*Read more about this series and other vampire series on Novelist Plus on the Helen Hall Library website; www.leaguecitylibrary.org.

Sookie Stackhouse!

2009-06-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

from Wikipedia:
a fictional and main character in The Southern Vampire Mysteries, a series of nine books written by New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris that were first published in 2001. The series is a first-person account of Sookie's life as a barmaid and telepath in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The first book in the series, Dead Until Dark, won the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Mystery in 2001.

(This series was recommended to me by the CCHS librarian as a good after-Twilight selection)

Books in the series:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

Find them under "Harris" in our Mystery section, first floor.

Pope Joan, A Novel by Donna Woolfolk Cross

2009-06-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Suspend for a moment the belief that a woman could never be Pope and you will enjoy this “historical” fiction. The novel is filled with descriptions of the dark ages (A.D. 814) including war, plague, Vatican intrigue and politics, and the status of women.
Joan is born in a Frankland village to a Saxon mother and an English father. Joan is very bright and is taken under the wing of a Greek scholar. Ultimately, she takes the place of a younger brother at a Benedictine monastery when he is killed by Saxon invaders. She thrives in the learned environment dressed as a man and then moves to Rome where her wisdom and medical skills allow her to outshine her peers.
Although, “she leads a man's life, Joan dies a woman's death, losing her life in childbirth. In this colorful, richly imagined novel, Cross ably inspires a suspension of disbelief…” Publishers Weekly 2006.

You can read more about Pope Joan at the following websites:
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Story?id=1453197&page=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/pope.htm
http://wais.stanford.edu/Religion/religion_FirstFemalePope(110503).html
And in this book at Helen Hall Library:
The Myth of Pope Joan by Alain Boureau.

10 more days to submit your sestina!

2009-05-21T12:22:00.001-07:00

It's not too late to participate in the library-wide Patron and Staff Sestina Contest!

What's involved: write a sestina exploring the theme of change/rebirth/resurrection/tranformation/metamorphosis (for Spring!) and then post it in the comments section of this entry (you will need a Blogger account). The deadline for entries is Sunday, May 31, 2009, after which our fair and impartial judge will select winners- who will be notified via Blogger within one week. Prizes include Esteban's and Kolache Factory gift certificates!

Teen Program Report- Fungible Friday: Second Childhood Edition

2009-05-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

We ate chicken nuggets and way too much sugar

We played wii Mario Kart

We made noodle crafts

We wore our pj's and brought our plushie pals (that's Priscilla the Unicorn)

Library Patron and Staff Sestina Contest

2009-04-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

What's involved: write a sestina exploring the theme of change/rebirth/resurrection/tranformation/metamorphosis (for Spring!) and then post it in the comments section of this entry (you will need a Blogger account). The deadline for entries is Sunday, May 31, 2009, after which our fair and impartial judge will select winners- who will be notified via Blogger within one week. Prizes include Esteban's and Kolache Factory gift certificates!

I hear you thinking "Ok, sounds fun- but what the heck is a sestina?" Well, that is the fun part- it's only just about the most complicated poetry form in the English language....

A sestina (also, sextina, sestine, or sextain) is a highly structured poem consisting of six six-line stanzas followed by a tercet (called its envoy or tornada), for a total of thirty-nine lines. The same set of six words ends the lines of each of the six-line stanzas, but in a different order each time; if we number the first stanza's lines 123456, then the words ending the second stanza's lines appear in the order 615243, then 364125, then 532614, then 451362, and finally 246531. This organization is referred to as retrogradatio cruciata ("retrograde cross"). These six words then appear in the tercet as well, with the tercet's first line usually containing 1 and 2, its second 3 and 4, and its third 5 and 6 (but other versions exist, described below). English sestinas are usually written in iambic pentameter or another decasyllabic meter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sestina)

more information:
from the Academy of American Poets

Humorous sestinas from McSweeney's Internet Tendency

and finally, an example:

Sestina of the Tramp-Royal
by Rudyard Kipling
First published in The Seven Seas (1896).

Speakin' in general, I 'ave tried 'em all,
The 'appy roads that take you o'er the world.
Speakin' in general, I 'ave found them good
For such as cannot use one bed too long,
But must get 'ence, the same as I 'ave done,
An' go observin' matters till they die.

What do it matter where or 'ow we die,
So long as we've our 'ealth to watch it all —
The different ways that different things are done,
An' men an' women lovin' in this world —
Takin' our chances as they come along,
An' when they ain't, pretendin' they are good?

In cash or credit — no, it aren't no good;
You 'ave to 'ave the 'abit or you'd die,
Unless you lived your life but one day long,
Nor didn't prophesy nor fret at all,
But drew your tucker some'ow from the world,
An' never bothered what you might ha' done.

But, Gawd, what things are they I 'aven't done?
I've turned my 'and to most, an' turned it good,
In various situations round the world —
For 'im that doth not work must surely die;
But that's no reason man should labour all
'Is life on one same shift; life's none so long.

Therefore, from job to job I've moved along.
Pay couldn't 'old me when my time was done,
For something in my 'ead upset me all,
Till I 'ad dropped whatever 'twas for good,
An', out at sea, be'eld the dock-lights die,
An' met my mate — the wind that tramps the world!

It's like a book, I think, this bloomin' world,
Which you can read and care for just so long,
But presently you feel that you will die
Unless you get the page you're readin' done,
An' turn another — likely not so good;
But what you're after is to turn 'em all.

Gawd bless this world! Whatever she 'ath done —
Excep' when awful long — I've found it good.
So write, before I die, "'E liked it all!"

(This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was was published before January 1, 1923)

Home Affordable Modification Program

2009-04-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Many find it hard to believe, but before I was a librarian I worked in the mortgage business. Therefore, I have been following the housing crisis with some interest and have heard references to the President's plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure. However, references were all that I heard- I kept seeing "the program" mentioned on television and online, but no one gave details or even called it by its official name. I thought "I would find this pretty frustrating if I were one of the people this program was meant for," so I decided to do some Googling and see what I could pull together in terms of details.

For the basics, I found the original Treasury Department press release:
Home Affordable Modification Program Guidelines,
March 4, 2009

To find out if you are eligible, go here:
makinghomeaffordable.gov

For context I also read some articles in national newspapers, like The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times

And, finally and sadly, I learned that scammers are already coming out of the woodwork: information about that can be found here, and local scam reporting resources can be found here. I hope this helps!

National Library Week

2009-04-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Helen Hall Library is celebrating National Library Week, April 12 - 18. We have a whole slate of activities, including storytimes, Discovery Zone Science for elementary school aged children, a Basic E-Mail class for adults, and the "Pocket Puppeteer" on Friday morning. An additional special event is a reception on Thursday to honor the "Outstanding Ike Responders," the city employees who went above and beyond and the ones who served on the Ride Out Team. The library staff greatly appreciates these individuals and departments who kept us safe and informed during the storm and who quickly got essential city services up and running after the storm.

We invite you to participate in all the activities this week. Most of all, we want you to keep on visiting us and using all our services. We are here for you, and that is what National Library Week is all about!

Fun Library Facts

2009-04-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

I am going to periodically post interesting facts about the library on this blog. First up is the fact that in March 2009, the library checked out over 61,000 books, CDs, DVDs and other items. This is the first time in history that this many items were checked out in a non-summer month. We love breaking records like this at the library, and we hope it means that we are providing you with what you want from us!

ECCENTRIC WORDSMITH

2009-04-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Eccentric Wordsmith

If you fit the profile of a wordsmith, you enjoy challenges.
Maybe you play scrabble or work crosswords. There are three
nonfiction books about eccentric wordsmiths and the genius of
their lives. Loanlady is enthusiastic about recommending them
for a slow satisfying read. Rich vocabulary and absorbing.

THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN: A TALE OF MURDER, INSANITY,
AND THE MAKING OF THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY 1998
BY Simon Winchester 423 w759P Second Floor Nonfiction
THE MAN WHO MADE LISTS; LOVE, DEATH, MADNESS, AND THE
CREATION OF ROGET’S THESAURUS 2008 BY Joshua Kendall
413.092 R 732ke
THE MEANING OF EVERYTHING: THE STORY OF THE OXFORD ENGLISH
DICTIONARY
BY Simon Winchester 423.09 W759m

From Loanlady

Celebrate National Poetry Month

2009-04-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? Shower your mundane world with splashes of delight and joy through the language of poetry! Come on! Indulge yourself! What’s your mood?
For laughter, try The Old Dog Barks Backward or The Best of Ogden Nash by Ogden Nash; I’m too Young to be Seventy: and other Delusions by Judith Viorst
For fun, how about Poemcrazy: Freeing your Life with Words or Wham! It’s a Poetry Jam!
For inspiration, try the Persian poets Hafiz and Rumi: The Subject Tonight is Love or Rumi: Gardens of the Beloved
Come visit upstairs and sample original poems by local poets, too! Browse through the poetry section to find your favorite poet!
From The Poetry Lady

Books for the anime lover

2009-04-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

This post is based on the book talk I did for the teens during All-Day Anime a couple of weeks ago!

We have a big selection of manga graphic novels in the teen section, which are the basis for a large amount of popular anime series, but some people may not know that there are also anime shows based on books! Here are a few good ones that can all be found in the teen section.

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi
This book is the basis of the anime Moribito that ran on Cartoon Network. It's a story about a woman bodyguard named Balsa who has sworn to save lives to atone for lives she has taken in the past. She is an independent woman who does not like to get involved in the affairs of others, but she finds herself saving the life of a young prince while she is passing through a foreign city and ends up becoming his bodyguard. The prince is in trouble because he holds within his spirit an egg that will hatch into a water spirit that will revive the land from the drought it is suffering through. She must protect him from an evil creature that seeks to eat the egg (which would kill the prince as well) as well as the prince's own father.

The book is not set in Japan, but in an imaginary world that shares many traits with feudal Japan and China. Some of the settings might seem familiar to those of you who are fans of Inu-Yasha. There's a lot of action, as there are so many people out to get the prince. If you liked the anime, you should definitely check out the novel for the whole story! Also, it's the first book of a series, and the second one will be coming out in May and continues the adventures of Balsa.

Brave Story by Miyuki Miyabe
This book has not only been adapted into an anime movie, but you can also find the manga version over in the graphic novels section. But the original is the best! Wataru is a ten year old who is currently facing some problems at home. His parents' relationship is on rocky grounds, and finally they decide to get a divorce. His mother does not take this well and grows depressed to the point where she tries to commit suicide. Wataru wants to find a way to change events and alter his fate, and he finds it when he unexpectedly stumbles upon a parallel world called Vision.

In Vision, Wataru is a hero, known as a Traveler and respected by the inhabitants of the world, which includes beast people and dragons. His objective is to collect the five gemstones, and he is given a sword and armor in order to succeed. Once he has the gemstones, he can ascend the Tower of Destiny and ask the goddess of fate to change his fate. But he is not the only one who wants to change his fate, and he must face his rival Mitsuru, who has magic powers and will stop at aboslutely nothing to reach the Tower of Destiny first.

Anyone who likes fantasy RPGs should love this book, as the entire world of Vision is supposed to be an RPG made real for Wataru. He even undergoes a test to see if he will be a magic user or a sword user!

The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono
This book is similar to Brave Story in that the main character, a teenage girl named Youko, finds herself drawn into a different world. In her case, though, it is because she belonged to that world in the first place, having been blown into our world accidentally before she was born. She is carried into the other world by Keiki, a mysterious man who turns out to be a kirin who is searching for the next ruler of the kingdom of Kei (one of the titular Twelve Kingdoms). Unfortunately, when she lands in the world of the Twelve Kingdoms she is lost in the wilderness. Her bright red hair betrays her as an outsider, and she meets hostility from both humans and demons. However, Keiki gave her a sword that gives her fighting skills, and she develops a strong determination to survive until she is reunited with Keiki.

This book is the basis for the Twelve Kingdoms anime that was really popular a few years ago. It is an excellent book, full of action. Youko faces a lot of adversity on her way to becoming the Empress of Kei, not knowing who she can trust and who will betray her as well as being set upon on all sides by demons. She gets into a lot of trouble, but she also gains some close allies and friends, including an anthropomorphic rat named Rakshun. The world of the Twelve Kingdoms shares a lot of similarities with ancient China, though, like the world of Moribito, it is entirely fantasy. This book is also the first in a series, and if you enjoy it I recommend checking out the second, Sea of Wind as well as the third, The Vast Spread of the Seas, which just came out this month.

Mmmmm, yummy! HQN Paranormal Romances...

2009-04-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Helen Hall Library owns these titles in the HQN Paranormal Romance series:

Lord of Legends
Krinard, Susan.
He is Arion, King of the Unicorns. Powerful and seductive, he could possess any female he desires--until he is condemned to life as a human. Only the innocence of the enchanting Lady Mariah Donnington can release him from his curse.

Come the Night
Krinard, Susan.
The Great War has ended, and Gillian Maitland is to marry a werewolf of her father's choosing—ensuring the purity of their noble bloodline. Still, she can't forget Ross Kavanaugh, the American whose forbidden touch unleashed a passion she'd never known. And when Ross returns unexpectedly to England, he's no longer the man she remembers, but a hard-boiled ex-cop who harbors a dark secret.

Chasing Midnight
Krinard, Susan.
By day, Allie Chase lives among the artists and eccentrics of 1920's Greenwich Village, in search of adventure. By night, she haunts the city's back alleys and seedy speakeasies, driven by a more primal hunger.
Here, amid the glitz and unrestrained morals of jazz-age society, even a vampire can fall prey to the temptations of the flesh. One look into the golden eyes of the dashing Griffin Durant, and Allegra knows she's not dealing with just a man....

Dark Rival
Joyce, Brenda.
A Highland warrior sworn to protect innocence through the ages, Black Royce is a battle hardened soldier of the gods. Then he is sent to New York City to protect a healer from those who would use her powers for themselves.

My Favorite Earthling
Grant, Susan
Keira, warrior-queen of the galaxy, is as famous for her beauty as she is for avoiding marriage. But when an upstart little planet called Earth threatens her world with its fleet of spaceships, the fate of her people lies in her hands. She must bind herself to a barbarian from the rogue world...or face the destruction of her own!

Dark Seduction
Joyce, Brenda.
Malcolm of Dunroch has been chosen by the secret Brotherhood, a nameless society of pagan knights sworn to defend mankind. He is a novice to his extraordinary—and dangerous--powers. But he has already broken his vows--for an innocent woman’s death is on his hands. Malcolm is determined to fight his dark sexuality, denying himself all pleasure…until fate sends him another Innocent, the beautiful bookseller, Claire Camden.

Playing With Fire: Tales of an Extraordinary Girl
Showalter, Gena.
Average, ordinary Belle Jamison becomes the guinea pig for an experimental formula that allows her to control the elements, which should be cool but really isn't. Because sexy, cool government agent Rome Matthews has been ordered to hunt Belle down and neutralize her.

Preschool Picks

2009-04-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Are you bored with the books you are reading to your three to six-year-old? Do you and your child have a sense of humor and enjoy laughing together? Why not read some of these books:

E WIL Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
Pigeon begs, pleads, and wheedles to drive the bus.

E WIL Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems
Pigeon gives many reasons why he shouldn’t go to bed.

E CRO Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
Using a typewriter, the cows demand electric blankets or they will go on strike.

E CRO Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
Farmer Brown goes on vacation not realizing the animals have special plans while he is gone.

E STA Saving Sweetness by Diane Stanley
When little Sweetness runs away from Mrs. Sump, the mean woman who runs the orphanage, the kind hearted sheriff goes to rescue her from the dangerous Coyote Pete. The question is who is rescuing whom?

E STA Raising Sweetness by Diane Stanley
The kind sheriff has adopted eight orphans, but his ideas about housekeeping and cooking, such as spaghetti with peanut butter, lead Sweetness to find a wife for the sheriff.

F WAT Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watts
Scaredy Squirrel is a afraid to leave his tree, but something changes his outlook. (Be sure to read the fly leaf where it gives the reader a warning before reading the book.)

F WAT Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watts
Scaredy sets out to find the perfect friend, preferably one with no teeth, and who is germ-free and predictable.

Are You a Happy Camper?

2009-03-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

My friends and family were shocked when they heard that I loved camping! What? Just because I hate dirt, bugs, germs, heat, humidity, and mosquitoes? I solved most of those problems by camping in the winter, but for most people, camping season is just beginning. Check out some of the books Helen Hall has to offer about camping:

Camper’s Guide to U. S. National Parks (796.54 M831c vol. 1 & 2)
Camping for Dummies (796.54 H691c 2000)
Camping in Comfort: A Guide to Roughing It with Ease and Style (796.54 H237c 2007)
Eating Hearty in the Wilderness with Absolutely No Clean Up : A Backpacker's Guide to Good Food and "Leave No Trace Camping!" (641.578 K92e)
Let's Get Primitive: The Urban Girl's Guide to Camping (796.54082 M545L 2007)
Stressing and Unstressing in a Tent (796.54 B967s)
Texas Parks and Campgrounds (917.64068 M647t 2003)

Important News About Fungible Friday: Second Childhood Edition

2009-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Miss Jenny just ordered Mario Kart!!! So if you are lucky enough to be a teen mark your calendars for April 24, 6-8 pm. This is an after-hours event so you must be in the building before 6 pm!

New and Improved Teen Section

2009-03-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

This is what you used to see when you looked over at the Teen section from the children's play area...

...and this is what you see now! The Teen Advisory board designed these canvas panels...Thanks, TAB!

This is how our seating area used to look...

...and this is how it looks now!

This is our old broken couch...

...and these are our awesome new beanbag chairs! The Friends of the Helen Hall Library bought these for us...Thanks, friends!

Sports Books On Order

2009-03-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

I like cookies, so here goes! Bloggers are being rewarded with cookies....
We lady library book selectors often pass up the books that would appeal to a male audience. To remedy this ongoing problem, we have ordered some recently published sports books for Helen Hall. Look for these titles to arrive in April.

The 50 Greatest Plays in Pittsburgh Steelers Football History, by Steve Hickoff
A Biographical Dictionary of the Baseball Hall of Fame, by John C. Skipper
The College Football Book, by Sports Illustrated
Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback, by Ralph Vacchiano
Football's Greatest Stars, by Allan Maki
Game of My Life Texas: Memorable Stories of Longhorn Football, by Michael Pearle
How Football Explains America, by Sal Paolantonio
What it Means to be A Longhorn: Darrel Royal, Mack Brown and Many of Texas Greatest Players, by Bill Little
Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee, by Allen Barra

Signed:
Blue Ridge Rocker (as in Rocking Chair)

Any Dancing with the Stars fans out there?

2009-03-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

I admit it--I'm completely addicted to this show...AND to dancing!!

Are you one of those people who have dreamed of gliding across the dance floor? And then you checked out the price of dance lessons and screamed, "Yikes!" If so, the library is the place for you! We have books, videos, and DVDs that can teach you how to ballroom dance, and we even have ballroom and big band music you can dance to! Here are just a few examples:

Books
Ballroom Dancing (793.33 M821b10)
Ballroom Dancing : The Romance, Rhythm, and Style (OVERS 793.33 R462b)

DVDs
Ballroom Dancing Basics (DVDE 793.33 B193 2004)
Ballroom Dancing. Intermediate (DVDE 793.33 B1932 2007)
Ballroom Dancing. Advanced (DVDE 793.33 B1931 2007)
Mad Hot Ballroom (DVDE 793.33 M1781 2005)
Strictly Ballroom (DVDE 793.33 S9176 2005)

Plus many others, including country dancing, party dancing, social dancing, latin dancing, and more!

2009-03-13T11:28:00.001-07:00

I bet you'd be suprised at how much of the Disney Radio current playlist is available at Helen Hall Library! Take a look:

Jonas Brothers: BB Good

Drew Seeley and Selena Gomez: New Classic

Paramore: Decode

Taylor Swift: White Horse

Zac Efron And Corbin Bleu: The Boys Are Back

Demi Lovato: La La Land

David Archuleta: A Little Too Not Over You

Jonas Brothers: Tonight

The Fray: You Found Me

Taylor Swift: Love Story

Zac Efron: Scream

Jesse McCartney: How Do You Sleep

Tiffany Giardina: No Average Angel

David Cook: Light On

A List of Titles Which Might, Appeal to STEAMPUNK Fans

2009-03-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

Foglio, Phil Girl Genius YAGN FOGLIO
Philip, Pullman (all titles) YA-F PULLMAN
Oppel, Kenneth Airborne and sequels YA-SF OPPEL
Reeve, Philip Hungry City Chronicles YA-SF REEVE
Gibson, William and Sterling, Bruce Difference Engine SF GIBSON
Stephenson, Neal Diamond Age SF STEPHENSON
Mieville, China (all titles) YA-F MIEVILLE
Aiken, Joan The Wolves Chronicles J-F AIKEN
Stevermer, Caroline College of Magics SF STEVERMER
Knox, Elizabeth Dreamhunter YA-F KNOX
Wrede, Patricia and Stevermer, Caroline Sorcery and Cecelia YA-F WREDEW
rede, Patricia and Stevermer, Caroline The Grand Tour YA-F WREDE
Novik, Naomi His Majesty's Dragon F NOVIK
Reeve, Philip Larklight J-SF REEVE
Richards, Justin The Death Collector YA-F RICHARDS
Verne, Jules 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea SF VERNE
Wooding, Chris Haunting Of Alaizabel YA-F WOODING
Beddor, Frank Looking Glass Wars YA-F BEDDOR

My Favorite Picture Books

2009-02-25T12:32:00.000-08:00

After 12 years of assisting in story times and paging through picture books, I've listened to and read many wonderful stories. Below is a list of some of my all time favorites (based on responses from children in story time, my love of the subject, or how loud I laughed when I read them):

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Viorst, Judith
Bark, George by Feiffer, Jules
Bear Snores On by Wilson, Karma
Big Bug Ball by Lillegard, Dee
Book! Book! Book! by Bruss, Deborah
Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Morris, Carla
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Jr., Bill Martin
Chester by Watt, Mélanie
Clap Your Hands by Cauley, Lorinda Bryan
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Cronin, Doreen
Clip-Clop by Smee, Nicola
Doghouse by Thomas, Jan
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Willems, Mo
Duck In The Truck by Alborough, Jez
Duck On A Bike by Shannon, David
Dumb Bunnies series by Pilkey, Dav
Five Little Ducks by Raffi
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Christelow, Eileen
Franklin in the Dark by Bourgeois, Paulette
Froggy Gets Dressed by London, Jonathan
From Head to Toe by Carle, Eric
Giraffes Can't Dance by Andreae, Giles
Girl and Her Gator by Bryan, Sean
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Lester, Helen
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Yolen, Jane
I Went Walking by Williams, Sue
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (and others in series) by Numeroff, Laura
I'm Not Cute! by Allen, Jonathan
I'm Still Here in the Bathtub: Brand New Silly Dilly Songs by Katz, Alan
I'm The Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Sherry, Kevin
Is Your Mama A Llama? by Guarino, Deborah
Librarian from the Black Lagoon by Thaler, Mike
Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Dewdney, Anna
My Lucky Day by Kasza, Keiko
No, David! by Shannon, David
Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by O'Malley, Kevin
Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds) by Kloske, Geoffrey
Pigeon Finds a Hotdog! by Willems, Mo
Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Willems, Mo
Punk Farm by Krosoczka, Jarrett J.
Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Shields, Carol Diggory
Saving Sweetness by Stanley, Diane
Scaredy Squirrel series by Watt, Melanie
Spider on the Floor by Raffi
Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Scieszka, Jon
Stupids series by Allard, Harry G.
Tacky the Penguin by Lester, Helen
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Taback, Simms
Too Many Frogs by Asher, Sandy
True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Scieszka, Jon
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Rosen, Michael
What Will Fat Cat Sit On? by Thomas, Jan
Wide-Mouthed Frog by Faulkner, Keith
Wolf's Chicken Stew by Kasza, Keiko
Wolf's Coming! by Kulka, Joe

A Bunch of New Chick Lit Series in Teen

2009-02-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

I love the Gossip Girls, Clique, Private, It Girl, and A-list series, so I was very excited to find, when i was browsing for new books to order back in December, that a lot more authors are coming out with similar series. I added ALL of them! What I like about these newer series is that they are much more diverse- there are several Christian-themed series and several African American-centered series (and two that are Christian AND African-American and one that is Christian AND Hispanic-American!). Check'em out (literally!)

(All titles listed below can be found in the Teen section of Helen Hall Library (call numer YA-F) alphabetized by author.)

Bard Academy Series by Lockwood, Cara
Vol. 1: Wuthering High
Miranda is shipped off to Bard Academy, a boarding school, to learn how to behave, but when she begins having nightmares and the other students' lives begin to mirror the tragic classics they're reading, Miranda begins to suspect the school is haunted by famous authors who committed suicide.

The Ashleys Series by De La Cruz, Melissa
Vol. 1: The Ashleys
Lauren Page, having changed her style from discount bargain clothes to couture fashions, decides to infiltrate the most popular group of girls at Miss Gamble's Preparatory School for Girls and get revenge for how they have treated her.

The Celebutantes Series by Pagliarulo, Antonio
Vol. 1: On the Avenue
When fabulously wealthy sixteen-year-old triplets Lexington, Park, and Madison Hamilton appear to be involved in the murder of a powerful magazine editor, they decide to do some investigating of their own before the police and paparazzi completely ruin their lives.

The Good Girlz Novels (Christian Fiction) by Billingsley, ReShonda Tate
Vol. 1: Nothing But Drama
Four girls from different backgrounds--one with a police record, one with a frightening secret, one with a tough exterior, and one from high society--meet at a church youth group and learn firsthand the value of honoring their parents.

Drama High Series by Divine, L.
Vol. 1: The Fight
Having broken up with her boyfriend and his player ways, sixteen-year-old Jayd is ready for a fresh start and a new school year at South Bay High, a.k.a. Drama High, but life is not that easy at her Los Angeles high school.

The Clique Summer Collection by Harrison, Lisi
(No particular series order) Sample description from volume: Massie
Back in Orlando for the summer, twelve-year-old Claire has difficulty connecting with her former best friends and decides to prove her loyalty by helping them prepare for the Kissimmee's teen beauty pageant, but when Massie shows up with aims to win the crown, Claire finds herself torn.

The Summer Boys Novels by Abbott, Hailey
Vol. 2: Next Summer
On vacation again together, three cousins share their family's beach house and find a whole new selection of boys-- and the problems that go along with dating them.

The Principles of Love Series by Franklin, Emily
Vol. 1: Love From London
Love Bukowski is living the life of her dreams in London, where she parties with the hottest rock stars, legendary royals, and all-time bad boys while attending the London Academy of Drama and Music with her best friend, Arabella, but when the life of her dreams takes a turn for the worse, Love must decide whether to follow her heart or her head.

Chalet Girls Series by Franklin, Emily
Vol. 1: Balancing Acts
Three teenaged girls try to prevent their secrets from interfering with their love lives and their goals as they work at Les Trois, an exclusive Alpine ski resort, over the winter.

The All About Us Novels (Christian Fiction) by Adina, Shelley
Vol. 1: Be Strong and Curvaceous
Carly, a Mexican American scholarship student at exclusive Spencer Academy in San Francisco, hides her status from her wealthy school friends until her new roommate, a Scottish aristocrat, is threatened by an angry young man and needs Carly's--and God's--help.

The Beta Gamma Pi Novels (Christian Fiction) by Moore, Stephanie Perry
Vol. 1: Work What You Got
Hayden, who starts her sophomore year at college, pledges to Beta Gamma Pi and participates in dangerous hazing events while dealing with challenges to her Christian faith and questioning her relationship with Creed, the campus hunk.

Just in time for Valentine's Day- books about Forbidden Love

2009-02-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Aidinoff, Elsie The garden YA-F AIDINOFF
Bennett, Cherie A heart divided YA-F BENNETT
Black, Holly Tithe YAF-BLACK
Blackman, Marjorie Naughts and Crosses YA-F BLACKMAN
Block, Francesca Lia Wasteland YA-F BLOCK
Clare, Cassandra City of Bones YA-F CLARE
Dole, Mayra Lazare Down to the Bone YA-F DOLE
Draper, Sharon Romiette and Julio YA-F DRAPER
Freyman-Weyr, Garret Stay With Me YA-F FREYMAN-WEYR
Gallagher, Liz Opposite of Invisible YA-F GALLAGHER
Glenn , Mel Foreign Exchange: a Mystery in Poems YA-F GLENN
Gray, Claudia Evernight YA-F GRAY
Green, John Paper Towns YA-F GREEN
Hurley, Tonya Ghostgirl YA-F HURLEY
Jenkins, A.M. Beating Heart YA-F JENKINS
Klause, Annette Curtis Blood and Chocolate YA-F KLAUSE
Koja, Kathe Kissing the Bee YA-F KOJA
Korman, Gordon Son of the Mob YA-F KORMAN
Lyga, Barry Boy Toy YA-F LYGA
McCarthy, Maureen Rose by Any Other Name YA-F MCCARTHY
Mead, Rachel Vampire Academy Series YA-F MEAD
Meyer, Stephenie Twilight series YA-F MEYER
Mori, Kaoru Emma series YAGN MORI
Newman, Leslea Jailbait YA-F NEWMAN
Rosoff, Meg How I Live Now YA-F ROSOFF
Ryan, Amy Kathleen Vibes YA-F RYAN
Shakespeare, William Romeo and Juliet 822.33 U3gi
Shmidt, Gary D. Trouble YA-F SCHMIDT
Strasser, Todd Boot Camp YA-F STRASSER
Vaught, Susan Big Fat Manifesto YA-F VAUGHT
Waite, Judy Forbidden YA-F WAITE
Weyn, Suzanne Reincarnation YA-F WEYN
Whitcomb, Laura A Certain Slant of Light YA-F WHITCOMB
Woodson, Jacqueline Behind You YA-F WOODSON
Woodson, Jacqueline If You Come Softly YA-F WOODSON
Zarr, Sara Sweethearts YA-F ZARR

If You Liked Erin Hunter’s Warriors Series….

2009-01-29T13:18:00.001-08:00

Adams, Richard. Watership Down F ADAMS
Shardis,
Plague Dogs
Traveller
Appelt, Kathi . The Underneath J-F APPELT
Avi. Poppy series, The good dog J-F AVI
Bakker, Robert. Raptor Red F BAKKER
Beagle, Peter S. The last unicorn SF BEAGLE
Bell, Clare. Ratha's creature (and series) YA-F BELL
Clement-Davies, David. Fire Bringer, The Sight YA-F CLEMENT-DAVIES
Graham, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows J-F GRAHAME
Hobbs, Valerie. Sheep J-F HOBBS
Hoeye, Michael. Time Stops for No Mouse J-F HOEYE
Jacques, Brian. Redwall J-F JACQUES
Jarvis, Robin. The Deptford Histories YA-F JARVIS
The Hagwood trilogy
Koertge, Ron. Strays YA-F KOERTGE
Koja, Kathe. Straydog YA-F KOJA
Lasky, Kathryn. Guardians of Ga'Hoole YA-F LASKY
Lowry, Lois. Stay: Keeper's story J-F LOWRY
Martin, Ann. A dog's life J-F MARTIN
Oppel, Kenneth. Silverwing J-F OPPEL
Orwell, George. Animal Farm F ORWELL
Paver, Michelle. Chronicles of Ancient Darkness YA-F PAVER
series
Pierce, Meredith Ann. Firebringer trilogy YA-F PIERCE
Said, S.F. Varjak Paw J-F SAID
The outlaw Varjak Paw
Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty J-F SEWELL
Stein, Garth. The art of racing in the rain F STEIN
Vaughan, Brian K. Pride of Baghdad YAGN VAUGHAN
Williams, Tad. Tailchaser's song YA-F WILLIAMS

Not New but Still Noteworthy

2008-12-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

I decided some time ago that I do not know my collection as well as I should and that I should remedy that by going through the whole thing and making sure that I'd read at least one book off each shelf (not very scientific, I know, but a good start). Here are three books that I read while we were closed for Christmas that I was sorry to see end (descriptions taken from our online catalog):

The Hollow Kingdom by Clare Dunkle
In nineteenth-century England, a powerful sorcerer and King of the Goblins chooses Kate, the elder of two orphan girls recently arrived at their ancestral home, Hallow Hill, to be his bride and queen.

The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn
In 1645 in England, the daughters of the town minister successfully accuse a local healer and her granddaughter of witchcraft to conceal an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, but years later during the 1692 Salem trials their lie has unexpected repercussions.

The Queen's Soprano by Carol Dines
Seventeen year-old Angelica Voglia lives in seventeenth-century Rome and has the voice of an angel, but because the pope forbids women to sing in public, she must escape to Queen Christina's palace to become a court singer.

What to Read While You Wait for Twilight!

2008-12-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

Miss Jenny recommends:
The House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith
The Den of Shadows series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

For guys who are not caught up in the Twilight phenomenon: A Couple of Not-Necessarily-New-but-New-to-Miss-Jenny-Teen-Series

2008-12-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

I read the first novels in each of these series recently and loved them! I get a lot of requests for recommendations of books that fans of such series as Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and The Ranger's Apprentice might like, and I think both of these series really fit that particular bill...

The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme, Book 1: The Floating Island, by Elizabeth Haydon

Charles Magnus Ven Polypheme—known as Ven—is the youngest son of a long line of famous shipwrights. He dreams not of building ships, but of sailing them to far-off lands where magic thrives. Ven gets his chance when he is chosen to direct the Inspection of his family’s latest ship—and sets sail on the journey of a lifetime.

Attacked by fire pirates, lost at sea and near death, Ven is rescued by a passing ship on its way to the Island of Serendair. Thankful to be alive, little does Ven know that the pirate attack—and his subsequent rescue—may not have been an accident. Shadowy figures are hunting for the famed Floating Island, the only source of the mystical Water of Life. They think Ven can lead them to this treasure and will stop at nothing to get it—even murder….

Monster Blood Tattoo, Book 1: Foundling, by D.M. Cornish

Set in the world of the Half-Continent-a land of tri-corner hats and flintlock pistols-the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy is a world of predatory monsters, chemical potions and surgically altered people. Foundling begins the journey of Rossamund, a boy with a girl's name, who is just about to begin a dangerous life in the service of the Emperor. What starts as a simple journey is threatened by encounters with monsters-and people, who may be worse. Learning who to trust and who to fear is neither easy nor without its perils, and Rossamund must choose his path carefully.

Complete with appendices, maps, illustrations, and a glossary, Monster Blood Tattoo grabs readers from the first sentence and immerses them in an entirely original fantasy world with its own language and lore.

Cane River by Lalita Tademy

2008-11-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

Cane River tells the story of four generations of women growing up in slavery and then as free people of color in Louisiana, living and working on the plantations of Creole planters, then subsequently on their own land. The author fictionalizes her family history creating a "painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling" portraying the "complex, unspoken bonds between slaves and slave owners" (http://www.lalitatademy.com/index.html).

A fast and easy read, this book is well worth your time.