April 30, 2007

The summer of sweet, sweet reads

Hi everyone!

I must say, I was overwhelmed by the response to the poetry contest. We had over 200 entries! It was a difficult decision, but we finally chose the winners. Check them out in the "Happenings" section of this page.

As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, I must say I am really psyched up to start the summer reading program. There are some MAJOR books coming out this summer, and I encourage you to put your name on the waiting list as soon as they hit our catalog. They're not going to sit on the shelves, I can tell you that much.

Here are the Top 5 books to be released this summer that I'm most excited about:

5. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan: This is the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. How cool would it be if you, as a modern day person, discovered that you are the child of a Greek god? That's exactly what happened to Percy in the first book, The Lightning Thief. Unfortunately, being the son of a god also means that a lot of monsters and other gods are looking to wipe you off the planet. This book deals with the disappearance of the goddess Artemis. And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. This book's release date is tomorrow, May 1!

4. Love is a many trousered thing by Louise Rennison. Georgia Nicholson and her crazy diaries are back. So, apparently, is the Sex God, Robbie. Weren't Masimo and Dave the Laugh enough to worry about? Georgia and her adventures make me laugh and wish I were one of her mates. The new book comes out July 3.

3. Maximum Ride--Saving the world and other extreme sports by James Patterson. I love this series! It's a wild thrill ride as the bird kids are constantly pursued by the Erasers. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel have always worked together to defeat the forces working against them--but can they save the world when they are torn apart, living in hiding and captivity, halfway across the globe from one another? Reportedly, this is the last book in the series, so it will be great to find out why the experiments were conducted in the first place and the identity of the ultimate enemy. We'll find out on May 29.

2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. If you have yet to read Twilight and New Moon, run--don't walk--to the Library and pick up a copy. The saga of Bella and Edward is truly epic. Can a vampire and a human ever find true love and happiness with one another? In Eclipse, Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings, and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob -- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? Watch for it starting August 7.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. You knew this one was coming. Many of you have grown up with Harry and have come to love him and his friends. Although I was an adult when I first entered his world, Harry's stories spark my imagination and thrill me with the ultimate struggle between good and evil. Will Harry survive this last adventure? July 21, I can hardly wait.

What are some of the books for which you are waiting impatiently? Send me an email, and let me know and I may get copies for WPPL. lblue@wppl.org. Happy reading, and I'll see you at the Library.

April 9, 2007

Harry Potter Alert!

I wanted to give you a gift to those of you who read this blog and are Harry Potter fans. The last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was added to our catalog today. As I'm typing this, there is nobody in the reserve list. If you want to be one of the first to check out the book when it arrives on July 21, go to our catalog now and reserve your copy. Make sure you have your library card number handy!

Also, there are just 8 days left to get your poems in for the "Well Versed" poetry contest. The deadline is Tuesday, April 17. First prize is a $50 iTunes gift card; second prize, a $25 iTunes gift card and third prize 2 movie passes. All winners will be announced at the Coffee Bean Cafe Open Mic Night on Tuesday, April 24. For all the info, click here.

Happy writing, and I'll see you at the Library.

April 4, 2007

Summer is on its way...

Morning, all. I'm just back from a much-needed vacation in Ireland. It was lovely, and we had a great time. But now I'm back at work and gearing up for what promises to be a spectacular summer at the Winter Park Public Library.

We've organized our schedule for teen programs, and I wanted to give you a sneak preview of what's in store...

At the kick-off party on Saturday, June 2 (10-12), we'll have a Free Throw Shoot-Out competition, a rock wall and free goodies to all who register for the Summer Reading Program.

Other summer programs include

 A Harry Potter party to celebrate the last book and the 5th movie. You could win a free copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!
 Thursday nights are movie nights. Those who attend will vote on the movie they see. And yes, we’ll have nosh on hand.
 Monday nights are “Bored Game” nights. We’ll have special tournaments to find out who reigns supreme in Monopoly, checkers and other games we all know and love.
 Back by popular demand, Marble Magnets and make your own Soaps/Lotions/Bath Salts. We had so much fun making these during Teen Read Week that we are going to do it again this summer.
Henna Tattoos and a Taste of India. Mychele is back with some cool tattoo designs and you’ll get to munch on yum Indian food.
 You decide on the best pizza in Winter Park at the Pizza Taste-Off.
 Nancy is back to teach us more relaxing Yoga Basics as well as some nifty Tae Kwon Do moves.

And, get this, the grand prizes for the summer are a Wii Game Console and an iPod Video! You can register to win these prizes by turning in your reading log at the end of the summer. Also, for each program you attend, you get another entry into the drawing. That's up to 23 chances to win.

Keep watching the WPPL Teen's Page for more information on the Summer Reading Program, or drop by and visit me and I'll give you the lowdown. Also, don't forget, the deadline for the Poetry Contest is April 17. Good luck, and I'll see you at the Library.