Saturday, April 28, 2012

Survival Tales

The World of the Hunger Games
Movie Companion (Book)
Hunger Games Readalikes
If you have read your way through Suzanne Collins' mega-hit trilogy, seen the big screen film, and listened to the movie soundtrack, you might be asking yourself "What's next?"

Here's a short list of reading suggestions recently offered over the front desk.  All are futuristic novels about survival in a too-harsh world.  Read 'em with your kids...

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Also try the prequel, Fire.

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner
In order: The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure.

Trash by Andy Mulligan
A 2013 Teen Nutmeg Book Nominee.

Books of Ember Series by Jeanne DuPrau
In order : City of Ember (also a movie), The People of SparksThe Prophet of Yonwood, The Diamond of Darkhold.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
The sequel is Sapphique; the author also writes the Relic Master series.

Nation by Terry Pratchett
A stellar young adult book about the aftermath of a tsunami, from an adult fiction favorite.

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
If there is a sequel or a book-to-film on the way, Farmer isn't saying.

Dark Life and Rip Tide by Kat Falls
Find conflict and adventure in an underwater world that isn't always pretty.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
A Teen Nutmeg Book Nominee and dah, dah, dah... the 2011 winner!

Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness
In order : The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer, Monsters of Men.

Little Books for Little People

Board Books
Board books are generally recommended for infants and toddlers.  These hunky-chunky books offer an easy way to introduce your kiddo to books and as they grow, explore concepts such as shapes, colors, sizes, and numbers.  Familiar settings, simple rhymes, likable characters, and predictable settings also make for a great board book experience.  It sure doesn't hurt that the thick pages are easy to handle, play with, and turn!

Here's a quick listing of latest board books plus a few of our favorites :

Big Little and Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli
The Five Friends (series) by Orianne Lallemand
Little Pim Animals and Little Pim Numbers by Julia Pimsleur Levine
Hamsters Holding Hands by Kass Reich
Daddies and Their Babies by Guido Van Genechten
My Birdie Puzzle Book and My Bunny Puzzle Book
Babar and His Family and B is for Babar
Hippopposites by Janik Coat
Lllama Llama Hoppity-Hop and Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom by Anna Dewdney
Seymour Chwast Says Get Dressed! by Seymour Chwast
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Meserve Kunhardt
Baby Faces by Margaret Miller

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Explore the U.S.A. : A to Z

Your State Report
If you are a grammar school kiddo learning about our glorious country, stop by the library and check out series books about America's states. These plus other print resources are sure to be helpful as you explore the history, life, and times of the fabulous 50.

When you explore online, use your local library card to visit AtoZ the USA, a go-to database filled with cool, credible, and creatively presented information.

The database offers students need-to-know information about U.S. states and territories but adults will also enjoy the information about places to visit, history, recipes, museums, statistics, photos, maps, postcards, and much more.

You may access the database at the library or from any Internet PC. For external access, go to the AtoZ homepage, enter your library card number in the box labeled "library card", and start exploring.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

I Listen to Audio Books

OneClickdigital : The "i's" Have It
If you are an audio book and i-device fan, please do download a free app and use it to deliver e-audio book content to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch!

Listening On the Go
To download e-audio books, you'll need to login to OneClickdigital (if you already have an account) or use your local library card's barcode number to create an account. All titles are PC and Mac compatible.  If you are using a mobile i-device; grab the app from the iTunes store.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Accentuate the Positive


Information and Inspiration
If you're looking for a good read with a positive message, here's a short list including titles about many different subjects, written from a wide-range of perspectives.

Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielson
The author and her husband survived a plane crash in 2008; both were severely burned.  The author was not expected to survive but did.  Find hope, faith, and wisdom here.  

Enjoy empowering stories about love lost, found, and found at last, brought to you by the oral history project folks at Story Corps

What's normal and whose foot is the yardstick?

You're more laid back, eh? The author explores the differences between extrovert and introvert personality types and the benefits of inviting both types to a decision-making table that's round.

King Peggy by Peggielene Bartels
In 2008, Bartels inherited her uncle's post as king of Otuam, a town of nearly 7000 residents, located on Ghana's coast.

Abundance : The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler
Can we leverage current and emerging technology to solve world problems? Good 'big think' question asked and answered by the authors. 

Meet Jack : a youngster Australian shepherd and champion, too, who doesn't always do what's expected. Even if you don't own a show dog, the back story of Jack being Jack will appeal to any dog lover.  

Bright Side Up by Amy Spencer
A light read about how to hit the reset button when you're feeling cynical or blue. One of "O Magazine's" books to watch for, February 2012.

Some Assembly Required by Ann Lamott
Novelist Lamott, herself a single mother, recounts her journey as a fifty-something grandmother to her son Sam's first son, Jax.  Find hope, faith, and wisdom here.

The Magic by Rhonda Byrne
The latest prescription from the author of The Secret (2006) and The Power (2010).

Sunday, April 08, 2012

'TR' Makes a Stop in East Hampton

Photo with the 'President'
On Saturday, April 7, the library hosted a one-man-show featuring Ted Zalewski, who delivered a remarkable performance as our country's legendary 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt.  The actor gave life to many of TR's accomplishments as a reformer, conservationist, and internationalist; balanced with a glimpse at the lighter side of Roosevelt's personality, family, and sense of humor.

The audience was all-age and included several local high school students, who experienced the show as a prelude to a U.S. History module on the Progressive Era.

Thank You
The library extends if deep thanks to the Durkin Family, pictured above with family friends and the always in-character Zalewski, for sponsoring the program and for extending this American history and cultural learning opportunity to our community.  The program was offered in honor and celebration of the life of Maria B. Durkin.    

Friday, April 06, 2012

All About Teddy

The Spirit Lives On
Author, actor, and historian Ted Zalewski will be performing his one-man show, Teddy Roosevelt : Mind, Body and Spirit at the EHPL on Saturday, April 7.  The library, by way of Mr. Zalewski's performance, hopes to share with the audience Roosevelt's values : family patriotism, conservation, and "the strenuous life", well led with honor and dignity.

Program Sponsor
The program is sponsored by the Durkin Family, in honor and in celebration of the life of Maria B. Durkin.  A reception with the 'President' will follow the program.

Learning More About TR
For those who would like to learn more about our 26th President, here's a quick list of great books you might like to consider adding to your reading list.

The Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt's detailed diary is essential reading.

Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
The third in a comprehensive series about TR, by a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning author.

Wilderness Warrior and The Big Burn
Award-winning authors Douglas Brinkley and Timothy Egan respectively, recount TR's view of our country's wilderness heritage and his influence in forwarding National Park and U.S. Forest Services.

Island of Vice by Richard Zacks
Roosevelt the reformer takes on the Tammany Hall political machine in the colorful world of New York, the 1890's version of 'sin city'.

River of Doubt by Candice Millard
Adventurer and armchair travel readers are sure to enjoy the thrilling story of Roosevelt's harrowing journey to the Amazon.

The War Lovers by Evan Thomas
An exploration of those who championed and opposed the Spanish-American War in the early years of America forging its place on a more global stage.

Honor In the Dust by Gregg R. Jones
The author examines a showdown in the Philippines and the controversies surrounding TR's role in initiating the war.

For Younger Readers
Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! by Mike Wimmer
The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barbara Rosenstock
Don't You Dare Shoot That Bear! by Robert Quackenbush
Theodore Roosevelt : Champion of the American Spirit by Betsy Harvey Kraft
You're on Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt! by Judith St. George

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

The Royals

'Game of Thrones'
2012 marks the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne.  As might be imagined, there are a number of latest, recent, and regarded books about the Queen specifically or royal history in general.

Here's a quick list of fascinating titles...

The Real Elizabeth by Andrew Marr
Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
The Queen Mother by William Shawcross
The King's Speech by Mark Logue
The Reluctant King by Sarah Bradford
She-Wolves : The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth by Helen Castor
Henry VIII : The King and His Court by Alison Weir
Six Wives by David Starkey
The Sisters Who Would be Queen by Leanda De Lisle
The Firm by Penny Junor
That Woman : The Life of Wallis Simpson by Anne Sebba
Behind the Palace Doors by Michael Farquhar

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Testing... Testing... Freading!

A New Look at eBooks
The East Hampton Public Library is now testing Freading -- an eBook service brought to the EHPL via Library Ideas, LLC.  The good news is unlike other available library eBook services, this one allows simultaneous users to use/read the same title, which means no waiting in line.

What's Included?
With Freading, you'll find eBooks from many publishers : independent, smaller,  but in all ways regarded.  Find stellar fiction and non-fiction titles, many of which you may have missed along way.

What You'll Need to Use the Service
To use our eBook service, you will first need a valid local library card : current (not expired) and with no fines over 10 bucks. Second, and in most cases, you will need an Adobe Digital Editions Account, easy and free to acquire.  Third, Freading is compatible with any of the following devices:
Starting to Read with Freading
Click here to start; click login and enter your EHPL library barcode and pin.

Every Monday morning, you'll be given 5 download tokens. Each e-book download uses between 1 and 4 tokens, depending on demand for the book. Unused tokens rollover to the next week but your total token count resets to 5 every four weeks.

Freading e-books check out for 2 weeks, at which point they can be renewed for another two weeks. Renewal of a popular title uses 1 download token; older titles renew without a token.

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Do the Bunny Hop... Hop! Hop! Hop!

Holiday Books for Little People
Spring is here and certainly the season to be hopping!  If you are looking for bunny books to share with your child (not to mention books featuring story twists about who helps the bunnies), we offer a quick list of fun reads, including contemporary and classic titles.  Short lists of Easter season films and tunes for kids, secular or religious, are also included. Your choice.

Picture Books
Ten Hungry Rabbits by Anita Lobel
Piggy Bunny by Rachel Vail
Mater and the Easter Buggy by Kirsten Larsen
The Bunny Who Found Easter by Charlotte Zolotow
Home for a Bunny or The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown
Humbug Rabbit by Lorna Balian
Little Bunny's Easter Surprise by Jeanne Modesitt
The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
Easter Sparkling Surprise by Elizabeth Spurr
Easter Bunny's Basket by Lily Karr

On DVD
Hop
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Max and Ruby : Easter with Max and Ruby
Veggie Tales: 'Twas the Night Before Easter
The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
The Animated Passion

Music CDs
Easter Tales : Easter Party Music
Sunday School Favorites; produced by John Alevizakis
Toddlers Sing Sunday School