Banned Books Week

Hi everyone! It's Eva here! I'm a new SLP this year, and I'm part of the blogging team. If you didn't know already, this past week was Banned Books Week. All around the world, many books are banned, like the Bible, John Green's Looking for Alaska, and even the one-and-only Harry Potter series! Just think about it--What would your life be like if you weren't allowed to read any of your favorite books?

Today I'm going to talk about one of the best books of all time (in my opinion, of course)--Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. This was not only one of my all-time childhood favorites, but I still read it for fun even to this day! After spending hours and hours reading about Absolutism in the 17th century for AP Euro, Where the Wild Things Are lets me let loose my imagination and relax my mind. But why, you may think, is this childish book banned in some places? Well, on the outside, the book may look very simple, talking about a little boy's crazy dreams and imaginations, but if you delve deeply into the book, there are a few controversial themes that pop up. First of all, the book talks about the somewhat naughty and mischievous behavior of little kids.  For example, when the main character, Max tells his mom "I'll eat you up!" some parents believed that this book would encourage what they call "bad" behavior in kids. The book is also somewhat gloomy, and the first time I read the book, I felt pretty depressed at the end. Max's family is a little messed up and disorganized, with his mom who calls him "a wild thing" and doesn't give him any dinner. The combination of his somewhat abusive household and his own dark emotions caused many parents to believe that this book would, simply put, frighten children, and expose them to the blunt truths of the world way too early. In other words, many parents believe that Where the Wild Things Are can scare their children and even turn them into bad kids.

Well, anyway, I've got good news, because Where the Wild Things Are is not banned in our library! I encourage you to find some time to read this book, because it will truly make your imagination run wild (hence the title). But, be careful-- don't let your imagination run too wild.

:)

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

Welcome back to school everybody!

This week's review is:

BEYONDERS: A World Without Heroes

Beyonders is a fantasy series written by Brandon Mull, a really great fantasy author who wrote the Fablehaven book series.
Jason Walker has often wished his life could be less predictable—until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank into a strange, imperiled world. Lyrian holds dangers and challenges unlike anyplace Jason has ever known. The people all live in fear of their malicious wizard emperor, Maldor. The brave resistors who once opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.
In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.
All in all, this series is an interesting read if you like fantasy! I rate this series 6/6 syllables of the word of power!
See you next time,
Evan

Welcome Back!

Hey All - it's Annie!

I'm in charge of the blog this year so expect posts from me and the rest of the blog team. The library is going to do some really cool things this year so stay posted and look for announcements. We're planning on 2 film festivals and just in general reaching out to the Berkeley community. Dewey is having a great time, he's just so cute. He's a bit timid so be careful when you approach him but otherwise he's a total sweetie.

That's all for now - stop by the library and check everything out

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

This week's book review is:

EPIC POSTER

Okay, so, if you know me, you know this is one of my favorite books ever. With amazing humor, in-depth development, and a roller coaster ride of a plot, this quick read will leave you part giggling, part amazed, and part wondering what the heck just happened, but in a good way! The series follows the adventures of Arthur Dent, a hapless Englishman, although the story also follows the adventure of other major characters: Ford Prefect, who named himself after the Ford Prefect car to blend in with what was assumed to be the dominant life form, automobiles, is an alien from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse and a researcher for the eponymous guidebook; Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ford's semi-cousin and the Galactic President; the depressed robot Marvin the Paranoid Android; and Trillian, formerly known as Tricia McMillan, a woman Arthur once met at a party in Islington and the only other human survivor of Earth's destruction.

This book is a great choice for any sci-fi or humor buffs who want a quick read that will entertain them for a while. I rate this book 42/42 Towels.

That's it for today! Evan signing out.

Why do I Read?

I was taught to read at a very young age, two or three. Some of my earliest memories are when my Dad would read Harry Potter before I went to bed and how my Mom would get tired of reading picture book after picture book so eventually she just grabbed a stack off my shelf and I read to myself. I remember reading on the bus on the way to kindergarten and how mesmerizing the Rudolph Library was when I was in first grade. I grew up reading and I've come to view certain books like Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, Peak by Roland Smith, and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan as old friends. Books never leave you; there is always a familiar story to pick up whenever you feel like it. Going to a bookstore and buying a brand new book is an amazing feeling and finding a new story at a library is thrilling. Throughout my life books have always been there for me. So the answer to the question “Why do I read?” I read to escape reality and to immerse myself in a world that is not mine, in problems that aren't mine, and adventures that become mine through reading. 

Announcing the Head SLPs for the 2013-2014 School Year!!

...and they are *drumroll please*:

Raichell Kim & Laurel Avery

(Head SLPs)

Caroline Leeflang, Kevin Cucchi, & the Library Blog's very own Annie Allred

(Assistant Head SLPs)


Congratulations, and may you thoroughly enjoy your next year in the library!


I will miss you, Berkeley! I will miss the Jean Ann Cone Library, Mrs. McLean, Mrs. Connors, Ms. Arcuri, all of our conversations, your friendly smiles, doing crosswords together, and your unrelenting support and enthusiasm for the SLP program!!

Thank you and I will miss all of you,

-Carly

The Alchemyst: The Secrects of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel - By Michael Scott

Hey Guys it’s Annie, I hope you all had a great spring break. I personally used my spring break to read and sleep. The one book I mainly read was The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. The Alchemyst is the first in a six book series about twins Sophie and Josh Newman. When Sophie and Josh started living and working in San Francisco while their parents were away for the summer they didn’t expect to be sucked into a world of magic and monsters but with the help of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle they might just make it through the life threatening adventures they have and maybe discover that they have magical powers of their own. I really enjoyed The Alchemyst, the story is told through different points of view throughout the story which helps to give an understanding to the world which this book is set. I also like how Scott took references from history and pop culture and mixed it into the Flamels and many of the other immortal characters histories. I’ve personally been looking for books that are series (who likes to have a story end?) and I really enjoy how Scott took the time in the first book to lay ground work for the rest, I look forward to the rest of the series. If you have any good books that you read over the summer leave a comment and the Blog Team will check them out J.