Teens Only | Twilight, Twilight

So I just heard that the second part of Breaking Dawn is now showing in theaters. LOL! No, I do not live under a rock. Just wanted to see if you're paying attention.

Not a day goes by at the library when we're not asked for one or a few of Stephenie Meyer's vampire/fantasy/romance novels. Just to refresh your memory, here they are in order:

Twilight: When 17-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

New Moon: When the Cullens, including her beloved Edward, leave Forks rather than risk revealing that they are vampires, it is almost too much for 18-year-old Bella to bear, but she finds solace in her friend Jacob until he is drawn into a "cult" and changes in terrible ways.

Eclipse: Bella must choose between her friendship with Jacob, a werewolf, and her relationship with Edward, a vampire, but when Seattle is ravaged by a mysterious string of killings, the three of them need to decide whether their personal lives are more important than the well-being of an entire city. 

Breaking Dawn: In the fourth and final book vampire Twilight Saga, questions will be answered and the fate of Bella and Edward will be revealed. 

Twilight Cloud created at www.taxgedo.com

So let me ask you this: How well do you really know your Twilight books? Try these trivia questions (thank you seventeen.com)! Answers next Saturday. Good luck!

1. How old is Carlisle?

2. What do the Cullens have in their house that surprises Bella?

3. Who is the leader of the visiting coven?

4. How old is Jacob when he meets Bella on the beach?

5. What is the name of the 2010 book by Stephenie Meyer about a character introduced in Eclipse?

Be well! Read often!

  

Books On Film | Nancy Drew

Here's a mystery for you! Who is Carolyn Keene?

Everyone has probably heard of the amateur detective Nancy Drew. The series has been in publication (off and on) since 1930. However, while the books list the author as Carolyn Keene in reality there is and never has been such a person! Since the creation of the series, the books have been written by different freelance writers using the same pseudonym. The brainchild behind Nancy Drew was actually writer/publisher Edward Stratemeyer, who had previously used the same technique to launch The Hardy Boys series in 1927.

The original Nancy Drew (1930-2003) has a total of 175 books to it's name. Nancy Drew, Girl Detective (2004- ) was created as it's replacement and still going strong today.  There have also been several teen-oriented Nancy Drew series, including The Nancy Drew Files #1-124 (1986-1997) and Nancy Drew on Campus #1-25 (1995-1998).  Of course, there were also series aimed at younger kids. The Nancy Drew Notebooks #1-69 (1994-2005) and it's replacement series Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (2006- ) feature a pre-teen Nancy Drew and crew solving mysteries.

 

Nancy Drew has also made several big and small screen appearances since it's launch. Warner Brothers made four Nancy Drew movies starring Bonita Granville in the 1930s, and one movie, Nancy Drew (2007), starring Emma Roberts in the 2000s. There was also a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys television show in the 1970s and a television movie in 2002, both on ABC.

Some would assume that the kids these days only gravitate towards the newer version of Nancy Drew, but we've found that the kids enjoy them all. If your child likes mysteries then check out Miss Nancy Drew!

[Publishing Info Source: series-books.com - Nancy Drew / wikipedia.org - Nancy Drew]
[Covers Courtesy Of: Librarything]

The Wanderlust Librarian | Couch Surfing After a Big Meal

It's Thanksgiving Day and there is no better way to rest off all of that delicious food by settling down into your favorite chair and reading a good book. I've already traveled to my holiday destination, so it's time for me to engage 2nd favorite post-meal activity : reading and (possibly) sleeping while reading.

There are places that, in theory, would be amazing to go to but due to various limitations (money, time or physical prowess), are better to visit in a book. I have a handful of favorite "Dangerous Reads" that fill my need for adventure without leaving the safety of my couch.

Into Thin Air by John Krakauer chronicles the author's quest to climb Mount Everest. This book isn't without some deaths, danger and amazing peril. While reading, I continued to look at the pictures of the of the camp and other team members to remind myself of who I was reading about or what the terrain was like.  To be honest, I felt quite guilty reading this under some warm covers with hot cocoa nearby.

Relax on your comfortable chair and read a book about a woman who travels to discover her true self. I'm proud to say that I read Eat, Pray, Love before it had been Oprah Suggested. The cover in the bookstore intrigued me. I don't see many mainstream books that refer to Indonesia.  Am I interested in doing this? Yes yes and YES! Do I have the money or the time right now? No. No.. and *cry* no. I've been only to Bali (Gilbert's last stop in the book) and it is everything she describes it to be.  

Fun Fact: My dad's niece plays the main Balinese woman (Nyomo) in the movie version with Julia Roberts!

Even though I enjoy traveling, I am always thankful to be home with my family. There is no better place to be after having exciting adventures. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving, loyal readers! 

Adventure is out there...but there's no place like home!

Book Bucket List | Gone Girl

On my own Book Bucket List, I do have quite a few classics and well known books.  However, it also has a TON of new books on it too.  One of the hottest books right now is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.  I have seen this book everywhere. (Though working at a library, this should probably be expected with hot new books.)  When a friend of mine started raving about it, I finally decided to pay attention to all of the hype.

Gillian Flynn is known for being one of the best suspense writers around, and Gone Girl is said to be one of her best books.  When Nick and Amy Dunne are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy suddenly goes missing and Nick is a suspect in her disappearance.  This is not your typical "wife goes missing and it's the husband" story.  Flynn's storytelling is very sharp, leaving the reader eager to move on to find out what happens next after each chapter ends.  She also shows deep psychological acumen, which really give a lot of realism and depth to her characters.  There are so many twists and turns, it was hard to put down.  The second half of the book really turned away from "the husband did it" theme and really puts Gone Girl into a class of it's own.

I generally don't read a lot of suspense and thrillers, but after being on my list for quite some time, I finally decided to read it.  I am so glad that I finally picked it up!  I will probably now go on to check out Flynns other novels Sharp Objects and Dark Places, which have both won awards and made best sellers lists.

Learning | Grateful for Word Nerds

I mentioned in a previous post that I love reading dictionaries.  It should come as no surprise that I consider myself a word nerd.  My best  friend, Roberta, recently reminded me of the time she gave me some lotion from the Dead Sea.   "The packaging was written in a galoompty different languages, and you mentioned that that was as much fun as the lotion."   

Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies

Of course, my best friend is also a word nerd. She made up the word "galoompty" while she was dreaming.  In her dream, she needed a term for an impossibly big number -- and her subconscious rewarded her with "tri-galoompty oompty." 

There's a customer named Marian, who knows I like big words -- we talk about interesting words in book titles.  Recently, she kindly brought me a printout of an email about a cool word: paraprosdokian. Paraprosdokians are figures of speech which have a surprise at the end.  For example, "I used to be indecisive; now I'm not so sure."  I understand the term comes from Greek terms for "against" and "expectation."

The Meaning of Everything

This holiday season, I'm thankful for books about words, like Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies: a Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names (I love the examples of foods named by mistake) and The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary. 

True word nerds know that the Oxford English Dictionary, or OED, is the definitive source on words in the English language.  There's a copy of the OED in the reference section of Cesar Chavez Central Library. (Sorry, word nerds, but we need to use it in the library. Since it is 20 volumes long, that may be a good thing--can you imagine trying to schlep that thing home, or fit it in the book drop?)

 

4 Kids | Turkey, Stuffing, Pie..& BOOKS!

So after the turkey has been carved and eaten, the pies have been sliced and smothered in whipped cream, and of course, after all the dishes have been washed, what in the world is there to do?

Well, let's see....

Hmmm....

I know! READ A BOOK! Pull everyone together (young and old) and share one of these great picture books. I promise it will be a wonderful end to your Thanksgiving Day!

This first book made me laugh out loud: The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman. After the narrator swaps his Dad for two goldfish, he and his little sister embark on quite an adventure to try and straighten things out. Please note, however: do not try this at home. Do not try to swap your Dad for goldfish. It's just not a good idea. 

This next book is a bunch of very funny, twisted fairy tales: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. In this book you'll find such titles as "Really Ugly Duckling," "Little Red Running Shorts," and one of my personal favorites, "The Princess and the Bowling Ball." This is another laugh-out-loud book. And if you like it as much as I think you will, look for other funny books by this author, such as The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.

Last but not least: E-Mergency! by Tom Lichtenheld and Ezra Fields-Meyer. This is the story of what happens when the most important letter in the alphabet gets a big owie. What's the most important letter in the alphabet, you ask? Let me give you a hint with this sentence from the book: "How aro you guys doing without your friond?" Do you know what letter is missing? And don't forget to check out the great illustrations. I think we'll all learn to appreciate this letter a whole lot more!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody....and Happy Reading!

Life & Style | Save My Skin

The lines on my forehead resemble the map of metro system in Paris.

I am skimming through this book "Secrets for ageless skin" by Dr. Adrienne Denese trying to unearth the secrets of skin youth in an afternoon. 


Steps to take before going to bed according to Dr. Denese:

Use a Cleanser with AHA (Alpha- Hydroxy Acid) or BHA (Beta- Hydroxy Acid) to clean your skin. (Simply washing your face with soap and water only works if you are in your early 20s)

Use a good Toner. Toner is the second step in cleansing the skin. Put a small amount on a cotton ball and wipe your face.

Exfoliate every night with 8%-10% Glycolic Acid Pads. The top layers of the skin is made of the dead cells, by exfoliating, you allow skin care products to work.

Use water soluble serums to feed your skin and to stimulate Collagen production. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity. Use serums that contain Carnosine, Resveratrol, Copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex. Water soluble serums fight the appearance of lines and wrinkles. (Water should be listed as the first ingredient).

Use lipid based serums such as Retinol,  Vitamin E , Omega3, or Linoleic Acid to build your skin Lipid barrier and and also to deliver Lipid based ingredients to your skin for Collagen production. 

Use a moisturizer with Ceramids to moisturize and to seal your skin.


During the day, she only recommends using a Lipid based Serum as a base and a day cream with SPF30 as a top coat.

Here are some dietary guidelines that she suggests for healthier skin.

• Start your morning with protein not carbohydrates. The goal is not to wake up the Insulin response.
• Try to stay on a low carb diet during the day.
• Stay away from coffee and tea. Choose decaf or herbal tea.
• Eat food with low Glycemic index such as Citrus fruits and leafy greens.
• Take your vitamin supplements at lunch time with a full meal.
• Eat more nuts and seeds.
• Avoid carbohydrates 3 hours before going to sleep.

To be honest, I don't know if am disciplined enough to do all of these steps.

But at least I know a bit more about skin care than before.

These are some library books on this topic:

Feed your face : younger, smoother skin and a beautiful body in 28 delicious days 

Heal your skin : the breakthrough plan for renewal 
   
Forever young


Signing off until next Monday- Panteha