Mother and the Last-Minute Request: A Fable

Today I took a phone call from an irate mother who was desperately looking for a book (Titanic: Coices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson).  Why exactly was this mother so angry?  It was hard to tell through the copious yelling, but it sounded like her son had waited until the last minute to tell her that he needed a book for school.

That was an interesting phone call.  As I'm looking in the catalog to be sure that the book is currently on the shelf and not checked out to a child who prepared for his assignment in advance, all I can hear are phrases like "This is so inconsiderate of you," and "You need to tell me about these things ahead of time, not when I'm trying to get ready for work."  There is very little in the world sadder than listening to a parent berate their child like this in public.  While the kid probably did deserve a good talking too, I truly wish that his mother had waited until after she was finished with the phone call.

Thank goodness we had the book in stock.  I hate to think of what would have happened if we hadn't been able to provide them with the book they needed.  I can only imagine the yelling that news would have spawned.

The moral of this story:  Do not scold your child harshly where strangers can year you.  It makes you look like the villain, not you child.

The second moral:  When on the phone with someone, please move the phone away from your mouth when attempting to have a side conversation with a third party.  Better yet, wait until the phone call is completed to speak to anyone else.  Failure to do so only leads to awkwardness.

Star Wars Origami

This is what I did at work not too long ago:

Apologies for the awkward shadows.

Star Wars origami!  From left to right:  Yoda, R2-D2, and Darth Vader.

I've been a bit busy lately planning a program in honor of the second annual Star Wars Reads Day, which will be taking place on Saturday, October 5.  This is a national event with programs taking place across the country.  If you are interested in finding a Star Wars Reads Day program near you, be sure to ask around at our local libraries, bookstores, and convention centers.

The program that I am planning for my library will feature some Star Wars crafts like the origami pictured above, a scavenger hunt, some trivia, and of course a big book display and plenty of space to read.  Watch this space for more info about the program after October 5!

Books to Be Excited About

A few weeks ago I found myself in a reading rut.  Nothing on the library's shelves excited me, and there was nothing new coming in that begged for me to take it home.

Fortunately, a recent shipment of new books and the arrival of a few holds has changed these circumstances.  I've gone from having nothing to read to being a tad overwhelmed by the good books.  Here are a few of the books I'm excited to try:

The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet by Tom Angleberger
In case you haven't heard, I'm a huge Origami Yoda fan.  I'm very excited about this fourth volume to the series, and I'm curious to see how the kids as McQuarrie Middle School handle the return of Dwight to their class, along with the school's newly-imposed curriculum designed to raise their test scores.  Can Origami Yoda save the day again?

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doeschter
It's Star Wars written in iambic pentameter, told in the style of one of Shakespeare's plays.  It's two of my favorite things rolled into one.  What's not to like?  I'm not exactly expecting brilliance out of this pastiche, but I am expecting to be entertained (and probably laugh lots and read especially clever/amusing passages out loud).

Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt
I don't often read books written for an adult audience.  Much of this has to do with that fact that I work with children and teenagers, so I get really caught up in the books that are written for them.  But every so often a book for adults will catch my eye.  I'm curious to see what this author has to say about D&D - its history, its cultural significance, and the nerd subculture it has spawned.  (For the curious:  Yes, I have played Dungeons & Dragons.  Yes, I enjoyed it.  No, I'm not a complete loser.)

The Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer
Several months ago it was announced that Farmer would be publishing a sequel to her multiple award-winning novel The House of the Scorpion, and I've been eagerly waiting on the edge of my seat for the book to be released.  That day is finally here!  It's been ten years since The House of the Scorpion was first published, but it remains one of my favorite books of all time and one that I regularly try to recommend to middle-school readers.  Sequels tend to make me anxious, but I'm still excited to see what Farmer has in store for Matt and his newly-inherited opium empire.

Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
I was pretty much awed by Jasper Fforde's last fantasy novel, The Last Dragonslayer.  I was so happy that Jennifer Strange would be returning for a sequel.  If you're a fantasy fan, and if you've enjoyed books by Neil Gaiman and/or Terry Pratchet, then I think that Jasper Fforde should be the next author you try.

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Elizabeth Kiem
In this teen novel, clairvoyance meets 1980s Soviet immigrants.  Intriguing, n'est-ce pas?  I love a combination of plot elements that you don't see every day.  Also, I'm kind of a fan of the cover art.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
First of all, the author's name is Rainbow.  Love it.  Second, this book sounds really good:  A girl tries to survive her first year of college after her best friend outgrows their shared love of a celebrity.  Thirdly, this book has gotten awesome reviews.  I probably should be reading another book by this same author that's gotten some early award buzz (Eleanor & Park), but this book just sounds a bit more fun.