Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Snow Globe Family

The Snow Globe Family
by Jane O'Connor
5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Christi
 
Summary:
Two families--a large one that lives in a house and the other, a tiny one that lives in a snow globe, look forward to a big snowstorm.
Review:
I thought this was such a creative idea for a book! It’s a little something different that will get the kids imaginations working. I love that the author had the snow globe family wishing they could see it snow again and telling the story of long ago when someone had shook it and how much fun they’d had. How exciting this would be to give as a gift along with a snow globe. Highly recommended!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Sad Monsters

Sad Monsters

Author/Artist:  Frank Lesser
Rating:  5/5 stars
Reviewer:  Todd



Summary:
Monsters have it tough. Besides being deeply misunderstood, they suffer from very real problems: Mummies have body image issues, Godzilla is going through an existential crisis, and creatures from the black lagoon face discrimination from creatures from the white lagoon. At heart, these monsters are human; after all, you are what you eat. Quirkily illustrated, Sad Monsters hilariously documents the trials and tribulations of all the undead creatures monster-mad readers have grown to love, from vampires and werewolves, to chupacabras and sphinxes, and even claw-footed bathtubs.

Review:
For anyone with a macabre sense of humor this is a perfect find. This book has it all, from the werewolf whisperer to modern day witches have to watch what children they eat. It’s a wonderful read dealing with how these supernatural beasties would deal with real life problems if they were human. After all like the book says, you are what you eat.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Mine

Mine (Documentary film)

Written by Erin Essenmacher, Geralyn Pezanoski
4 stars
Reviewer: Nichole




At first, this movie appears to be a documentary about custody battles for dogs who were displaced during Hurricane Katrina.  And it is.  But that’s buried deeper in the film than I thought it would be.

First we learn a heartbreaking fact when people were evacuated before, during and after the storm hit, they were forced to leave their pets behind.  For many people, this was like having the government tell you to leave a family member behind, and in a highlighted case, an elderly woman stayed behind with her chocolate lab, refusing to leave him, and they both ended up on the roof of her house, water up to the eaves.  When the rescue helicopter came to help her, they had to pry her dog out of her arms and lift her away, screaming and crying for her dog Murphy the whole time, and Murphy was left on the roof.

Then we learn about the rescue efforts to save the animals left behind, because there was no precedent for this type of disaster and no organization in place to help the animals.  A sobering piece of information is shared that as rescuers go door to door, pounding, looking for survivors, dogs bark but other pets cannot call out for help.  So dogs got rescued more than any others.

And then, how do you reunite families who lost everything with the pets that were rescued, when these families didn’t even know their pets were rescued?  The truth was, reunions were few and far between.  There was no real system in place.  So, months go by, and through much digging and research and hard work, some families are able to locate their dogs.  But then the problems begin.  Who’s to blame for the fact that the shelters who took in the dogs waited 6 months for owners to claim their dogs, incurring huge expenses, and then finally had to adopt out the dogs?  And now these dogs have new homes, new families, and don’t want to give up their beloved pet.

I will say, before you discount this as a trip down Depression Lane, it’s not just an eye-opener of a movie, but a majority of the stories have happy endings, and even Murphy is reunited with his elderly owner a year later.  It will make you feel good.  It will make you love your dog a little bit more.  And it will comfort you to know that the disaster (on so many levels) that Katrina brought, has righted some wrongs in our evacuation system, and people are no longer forced to leave their pets behind.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Saige

Saige
by Jessie Haas
4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Deb


Summary:
Saige’s new school year is not starting as she hoped.  First, there’s no art class this year due to budget cuts, and her best friend, Tessa, is spending more time with another music camp friend.  Grandma Mimi suggests that Saige do something about not having art class, like have a ‘save the arts’ parade and fund-raiser on Mimi’s horse, Picasso.  Saige trains Picasso for the parade which helps her forget some of her troubles and along the way meets a new friend.
Then Mimi is injured, and Saige worries that she cannot get everything done in time for the parade and fund-raiser.  Persistence, hard work and friends all work together to help Saige.


Review:
American Girl’s new character, Saige Copeland, is a likable girl who rides horses, paints and enjoys her close friends.  This character is set in today’s New Mexico and readers learn about New Mexico and its southwest culture.  A good read for anyone who enjoys animals and likes to be busy painting, riding horses and having fun with her friends and family.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Author: Robin Sloan
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Lydia


From the glow-in-the-dark front cover to the strange chapter headings to the countless digressions about fonts, book making, and computer coding, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is a rare find, indeed. 

The story itself is a challenge to describe, as it falls somewhere between an academic text, a treatise on 21st century technology, and a postmodern thriller mystery. Let’s just say that hidden doors, secret organizations, and lots of dusty, obscure, books filled with strange symbols abound. 

The novel explores the “death of the book” age that we are living in, and pokes fun at the prevalence of technology. This is not your old-school thriller and mystery book; rather, Sloan’s characters solve much of the story using their own smart phones, tablets, e-readers, and technical expertise. 

The characters are likeable and believable, there is humor and wit, and all in all, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a cute, light read which still packs a heavy punch. Whether in hardcover or on your Kindle or Nook, be sure to read this story immediately.

Friday, January 18, 2013

King Corn (Documentary Film)

King Corn (Documentary film)

Written by Aaron Woolf, Ian Cheney, Curtis Ellis and Jeffrey Miller 
4.5 stars
Reviewer: Nichole


What would you do if a scientist plucked a hair out of your head, ran some tests on it and revealed to you that you were comprised of 43% corn?  Well, first you wonder how that’s possible, and if you’re Ian and Curt, you set out on an year-long quest to understand it better.

First: rent an acre of farmland in Iowa (a town where they both coincidentally have family connections).  Second: grow corn in the usual way.  Third: follow it from seed to product to figure out what corn becomes.  And what do they learn?  Corn is everywhere!

There are a handful of ironically funny moments.  At one point in the film, they challenge themselves to find a product in a convenience store that does not have a corn derived product in it, and they cannot find a single thing.  Even beer posters hang on the windows advertising they are made with corn!  After being denied entrance into a high fructose corn syrup factory due to safety issues for the delicate process of creation (ahem!), they decide to make some of their own in one of the more humorous moments of the film, and though it’s sweet, it’s promptly spit out.  In another they actually try to eat their own Iowa corn and disgustedly throw it into the field.  It’s not intended for consumption like this.  It is grown entirely to be processed into other things.  This is what they have learned most corn is grown for.

These college students start out eagerly planting their corn, proud of what they are creating and participating in, and by the end of the film they are asking the farmer whose land they have rented why he would grow food he cannot eat, since most of the corn grown is at a financial loss (if not for governmental subsidies and the Farm Bill) and not for human consumption.  He laughs.  There is no real answer -- it’s just the direction this country is going.

While Ian and Curt don’t have a solution to the problem, as they have spent their entire research time eating foods chock full of corn byproducts, they find a way to make personal peace with what they learn, and it will make you smile.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Changes to Posting Schedule

Due to a shortage of YA reviews, Fridays will now be grab bag review day.  You may see Adult books, Childrens books, YA, or AV. 

Also be sure to email us at roundlakeareapubliclibrary@gmail.com if you have a review you'd like to share! 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Hidden Talents

Hidden Talents
by David Lubar
4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Denise


Summary:
Hidden Talents is about 13-year-old Martin who has been put in a school for misbehaved kids. He seems to be mouthing off to just about everyone, especially his teachers, and has trouble keeping his insulting thoughts to himself. Despite this rude yet sometimes humorous characteristic, Martin manages to make friends with a group of boys and starts noticing that something is different about each of his friends, something mystical.

Review:
Hidden Talents is a book that will encourage and spark curiosity in your child to read further. Bullying, making friends, and the supernatural are just some of the themes that Lubar presents in a relatable school environment.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

The Day-Glo Brothers

The Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton
5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Sue


Summary:
This wonderful biography of Bob and Joe Switzer and their experimentation of fluorescent paint and ultraviolet light is a fun depiction of an invention that you don’t even think about, and just take for granted.  Who could imagine inventing new colors?  With great illustrations, it is the story of how florescent paint was discovered, and how it became useful during World War II, for safety, advertising, and many other creative things. 

Review:
Simple gray, black, and white illustrations are the perfect backdrop for showing how the new Day-Glo colors can brighten up the world.  Make sure that you read the sections at the end of the book.  There are some interesting facts and information included here!