New pictures of flood damage

The flood of 2009 (ok it was just in my library) continues to take it's toll. Last night a crew went in and took the books off the stacks. When the stacks were turned over, they were still wet!! It's been 16 days since the pipe burst!! It looks like 4 of the stacks need to be replaced.

Hippie Chick by Joseph Monninger

I met Joseph Monninger at a conference a couple of years ago. He was awaiting the publication of his first YA novel and he gave me an advance copy. I loved it. And I was glad that he had decided to start writing for YAs as he had interesting stories to tell. And now he has published his second YA novel. HIPPIE CHICK took me by surprise since the title had me thinking that it was probably a novel taking place in the 1960s. It's not. But it does feature manatees which I love. It is a story of survival against the odds. And it is another great novel for teens. Joe, keep writing so we can keep enjoying the ride.

Monninger, Joseph.
HIPPIE CHICK
Asheville, NC : Front Street, 2008
IL YA
ISBN 1590785983
Lolly loves sailing and decides to head out on a late afternoon sail all on her own. She leaves a note for her mother sets out for a peaceful sail. It is as wonderful as she had hoped until the accident happens. The boat capsizes and Lolly is injured and in the water alone with no one to help her. She tries not to panic but as time goes by, she worries that she might not make it out of this situation. She can't get on the boat so must stay in the water as the sun goes down. And now there is a bump against her leg! Is it a shark? Will it hurt much when it clamps down on her leg? It turns out that it is a manatee that is pushing her. Will it save her? Is it even aware of her?

Podcast: http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/monninger_hippie.mp3

Olivia to come to TV

I've been dealing with the flooding in the library for the past couple of days. We are waiting on the insurance people before we can do much more. It looks as if some of the bookcases will need to be replaces as they are starting to warp. And the heat hasn't been on since the pipe burst. It is getting mighty cold in there. Today is a snow day so I can't stay home and be warm!

One of my favorite picture book characters is getting her own tv show. Starting January 26th, Olivia by Ian Falconer comes to the small screen on Nickelodeon. Better yet, it will air on Nickelodeon on Demand. How cool is that! I love Olivia and can't wait!

Today's podcast is for a new Nancy Drew book. I read the Nancy Drew books as a child and it is fun to see them make a comeback. This new series is geared to the younger set. Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew is written for kids in grades K-3. In Wedding Day Disaster, a wedding cake is destroyed and Nancy sets off to figure out the mystery!

Keene, Carolyn. WEDDING DAY DISASTER
Nancy is so excited. She is going to be the flower girl at her cousin's wedding. She has a beautiful dress to wear and she can't wait for the fun to begin. But, if you know NancyDrew, you know that she will stumble on a mystery even during a wedding. When the wedding cake is revealed, there is a piece missing! Who would ruin the beautiful cake?

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/keene_wedding.mp3

Pipe burst in library

Two days before we go back from holiday break and I get a phone call. "Can you come over to the library? There's a problem here." A pipe burst and there was a flood. By the time they called me, most of the water was extracted from my new carpet. The one it took me 10 years to get:-( Fortunately, not too much damage. The biggest problem will be to get the shelves out so the carpet can be dried and treated. Happy New Year.

2008 backlog

2008 backlog
Originally uploaded by booktalker

This is the time of year where we all think about how our lives might change in the new year. Some make resolutions. Some start new projects. Some finish old. I decided to join a group of educators who are committing to taking one photo a day for the next 365 days and sharing them with the group. This is my first photo. I was going to take a picture of my grandsons, the snow, or some other nice view. Instead I decided to combine my resolution for the new year with the first photo. This is just one of my piles of books that is waiting for me to read. My plan it to weed these down or at least sort them so I can find books. I need to give some of these away too. I can only keep so many.

School starts up again on Monday and then by the middle of the month, life starts getting crazy busy again. So, this weekend I will be doing my best to make a dent in this stack. And hoping the UPS man doesn't show up with more!!

A new year and a new Cybils List

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2009 is the best one ever. I know I was certainly happy to leave 2008 behind. Too many bad things going on both personally and with the world. Things have to start looking up!

The Cybils short lists were announced today. Now that is a bright spot! The Cybils are nominated by bloggers and chosen for their kid appeal. With all the controversy swirling around the Newbery, it is great to have an award that is specifically looking for books that appeal to kids. For more information on the award, go to: http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/

I have read many of these but there are a lot I have yet to get to. They will definitely be movimng to the top of the pile!

Happy reading!

So this year's finalists are:

2008 Easy Reader Finalists

• Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time written by James Howe. Candlewick Press
• I Love My New Toy written by Mo Willems. Hyperion
• I Will Surprise My Friend! written by Mo Willems. Hyperion
• Maybelle Goes to Tea written by Katie Speck. Henry Holt
• Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig written by Kate Dicamillo. Candlewick Press

2008 Fantasy & Science Fiction Finalists

Elementary/Middle Grade:

• Cabinet of Wonders written by Marie Rutkoski. Macmillan
• Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman. HarperCollins
• Lamplighter written by D. M. Cornish. Penguin USA
• Magic Thief written by Sarah Prineas. HarperCollins
• Savvy written by Ingrid Law. Penguin USA

Young Adult:

• Airman written by Eoin Colfer. Hyperion
• Curse Dark as Gold written by Elizabeth C. Bunce. Scholastic
• Explosionist written by Jenny Davidson. HarperCollins
• Graceling written by Kristin Cashore. Harcourt
• Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins. Scholastic
• Wake written by Lisa McMann. Simon & Schuster

2008 Fiction Picture Book Finalists

• Abe Lincoln Crosses A Creek: A Tall Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend) written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix. Schwartz and Wade Books
• The Big Bad Bunny written by Franny Billingsley, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Atheneum
• Chester's Back written and illustrated by Melanie Watts. Kids Can Press, Ltd
• How to Heal a Broken Wing written and illustrated by Bob Graham. Candlewick Press
• Katie Loves the Kitttens written and illustrated by John Himmelman. Henry Holt
• The Sea Serpent and Me written by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Catia Chien. Houghton Mifflin
• Visitor for Bear written by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady Denton. Candlewick Press
• Wabi Sabi written by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young. Little, Brown

2008 Graphic Novels Finalists

Elementary/Middle Grade:

• Chiggers written and illustrated by Hope Larson. Aladdin
• Into the Volcano written and illustrated by Don Wood. Blue Sky Press
• Jellaby, vol. 1 written and illustrated by Kean Soo. Hyperion
• Rapunzel's Revenge written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury USA
• The Savage written by David Almond, illustrated by Dave McKean. Candlewick Press
• There's a Wolf at the Door: five classic tales written by Zoe Alley, illustrated by R.W. Alley. Roaring Brook

Young Adult:

• Emiko Superstar written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Steve Ralston. Minx
• Kin: Good Neighbors, book 1 written by Holly Black, illustrated by Ted Naifeh. GRAPHIX
• Life Sucks written by Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria, illustrated by Warren Pleese. First Second Books
• Skim written and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki. Groundwood Books
• Three Shadows written and illustrated by Cyril Pedrosa. First Second Books

2008 Middle Grade Fiction Finalists

• Alvin Ho written by Lenore Look. Schwartz and Wade Books
• Diamond Willow written by Helen Frost. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
• Every Soul a Star written by Wendy Mass. Little, Brown
• Shooting the Moon written by Frances O'Roark Dowell. Atheneum
• The London Eye Mystery written by Siobhan Dowd. David Fickling Books

2008 Non-Fiction Picture Book Finalists

• A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams written by Jen Bryant,illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Astronaut Handbook written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Duel! Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words written by Dennis Brindell Fradin, illustrated by Larry Day. Walker Books for Young Readers
• Fabulous Fishes written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale. Peachtree
• Nic Bishop Frogs written and illustrated by Nic Bishop. Scholastic Nonfiction
• Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray. Viking
• Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter. Harcourt

2008 Poetry Finalists

• America at War illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Simon & Schuster
• Honeybee written by Naomi Shihab Nye. HarperCollins
• Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures written by Julie Larios.illustrated by Julie Paschkis, Harcourt
• More than Friends: Poems from Him and Her written by Sara Holbrook and Allan Wolf. Boyds Mills Press
• On the Farm written by David Elliott and Holly Meade. Candlewick Press

2008 Young Adult Fiction Finalists

• Audrey, Wait! written by Robin Benway. Penguin USA
• Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The written by E Lockhart. Hyperion
• I know It's Over written by C. K. Kelly Martin. Random House Children's Books
• Jellicoe Road written by Melina Marchetta. HarperCollins
• Sweethearts written by Sara Zarr. Little, Brown
• Ten Cents a Dance written by Christine Fletcher. Bloomsbury USA
• Thaw written by Monica Roe. Boyds Mills Press