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** The opinions posted on this blog are that of the author, Yukari Matsuyama, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official position of Robinson Elementary School or the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. |
posted Nov 15, 2009 11:08 PM by yukari matsuyama
It always warms my heart when I hear stories of long-overdue books being returned to the library. It's nice to know that, even though the patron neglected to return the book on the day it was due, the patron feels an obligation and responsibility to the library to return it. The most recent involves two Audubon Society books that were returned to an Arizona high school library 51 years late! Apparently, the patron accidentally packed up the books during a move and they never got returned. This patron, bless his heart, sent the books back with a $1,000 check to cover any overdue fines. The librarian plans to reshelve the two books and purchase new books with the check. Read more about the story here. At the Robinson Library there are no fines for overdue books. So, if you come across any library books that are overdue, don't worry about a fine or getting in trouble -- please return the books so that other students may enjoy them. Like I always say, I don't care how late the books are as long as they come back! And, since we're on the subject: notices will be sent home this week as a reminder in case you have books that are more than a week overdue. |
posted Oct 23, 2009 4:02 PM by yukari matsuyama
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updated Nov 17, 2009 1:06 PM
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I love physically holding a book in my hand, the feel of turning the pages, the colorful cover illustrations, and seeing books lined up on my shelves. That said, I'm also very attached to my laptop and can't live without internet access. So what's a semi-techie librarian to do?  That's where eBooks and digital reading devices like the amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, or the new Barnes & Noble nook come in. Despite the initial investment in the hardware (more than $250) they are convenient and portable, and the ebooks themselves cost less than a physical book. An ebook generally costs $10 to $20 less than its physical hardcover equivalent. At that rate, you could make up for the cost of the reader after buying 20 books or so. And I can see how having such a small device would be very handy while traveling; instead of lugging around heavy travel guidebooks and leisure reading books, you only have to carry one item that weighs about as much as a paperback book.
I have yet to get a stand-alone electronic reading device, but I'm not entirely closed to the idea. In fact, I have the Barnes & Noble eReader for my iPhone so I can read on the go if I have a few minutes of free time. So far I've only downloaded books in the public domain (i.e., free classics) but that may change in the future if I have good experiences with this "trial period."
 Authors and publishers are also providing free book content online. Daniel Pinkwater posted his entire novel, The Yggyssey, on his website. (Pinkwater's The Neddiad was also free online for awhile, but has since been removed.) He's even posting his newest book, Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl, online in installments every Monday before the book is even published! You can watch one of my favorite books this year, The Graveyard Book, being read aloud by author Neil Gaiman at his website. Chronicle Books, publisher of the popular Ivy + Bean series, makes excerpts from the books available at Scribd.com (free registration required).
Another trend among publishers and authors is the book trailer, a video promoting a book just like a movie trailer. You can find them all over YouTube and at author and publisher websites. Author Michael Buckley talks about his series The Sisters Grimm on a trailer through his publisher; click here to see it on YouTube. Along the same lines, some books are online as videos/digital stories. For example, Peter H. Reynolds's Rose's Garden is available as an online storybook.
Booksellers are also getting in on the game. When you download the eReader from Barnes & Noble (at no charge) you also get several books for free, including Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (one of my childhood favorites). B&N's website had a limited-time free .pdf download of Beacon Street Girls, Book 1: Worst Enemies / Best Friends during the summer. Lucky for you, I downloaded it and you can read it by clicking on the Attachments section below. And if you have a computer or laptop, you don't even need to get one of the digital readers: amazon has a Kindle reader app and B&N has the eReader, both for your computer, BlackBerry, or iPhone. Better yet, get a LA County Library card and borrow ebooks for free! |
posted Oct 20, 2009 11:25 AM by yukari matsuyama
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updated Oct 23, 2009 3:20 PM
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There's no doubt the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is extremely popular, not only at Robinson, but around the country (even the world). Kids covet them, devour them, laugh at them, and truly enjoy them. There's something about the books that attracts reluctant readers and advanced readers alike. But it's also true that I get questions from parents asking if they are "good" or "appropriate." Fine literature they are not, but there's something to be said for a book that gets a lot of kids reading. Regardless of your value system or your parenting philosophy, isn't it worth remembering what it was like to be a kid, or to have a book that really drew you into reading? There's a recent New York Times article about the moral aspect of the books. What can kids -- and parents -- take away from these books? The only thing I can say was said perfectly by mom and children's book blogger, Tanya Turek, during a NPR interview about the books: "I don't think there's any reason to take a book out of a kid's hand if you, as the parent, are going to be involved and be the moral voice outside of the text." Links
- the official Wimpy Kid website
- an excerpt from _Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days_
- a short video clip of Jeff Kinney talking about some of his favorite books, including _Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing_ by Judy Blume (PB BLU) and _The Invention of Hugo Cabret_ by Brian Selznick (FIC SEL). And some of Greg's picks.
- video interview with Jeff Kinney
- a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what it's like to be on the Dog Days book tour, written by a friend of Jeff Kinney's. (Judging from the date and location, I'm guessing this is from the El Cerrito, CA appearance.)
- Read (or listen to) a short interview with the author, Jeff Kinney, who also answers some questions from rabid fans (i.e., kids!).
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posted Aug 19, 2009 9:07 PM by yukari matsuyama
 I forgot that the movie version of Fantastic Mr. Fox (by Roald Dahl) is coming out on November 13. I happened upon the trailer while browsing through some blogs today and it reminded me that many of Dahl's books have been made into movies ::
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- The BFG (1989)
- The Witches (1990)
- James and the Giant Peach (1996)
- Matilda (1996)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
- and possibly The Witches (2011) and The Twits (2012)
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posted Jul 31, 2009 1:40 PM by yukari matsuyama
School Library Journal (via Twitter) linked me to this article in the New Yorker about a Facebook group advocating for a library-themed ice cream flavor. What a great idea! What could be better than books and ice cream (two of my most favorite things in the world!)?
I'm not very clever when it comes to wordplay and puns but maybe you can come up with some fun and tasty ideas. SLJ suggested two kids' book flavors: "Little House on the Pralines" and "The Phantom Toblerone". |
posted Jul 23, 2009 10:39 AM by yukari matsuyama
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updated Sep 8, 2009 9:22 AM
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 Are you eagerly awaiting the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be released on October 12? The big day is still more than two months away but you don't have to wonder about the title or the cover any longer! Book 4 is called Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and it's about the Heffley summer vacation. But the big news is that the Wimpy Kid Ice Cream Truck Summer Reading Tour starts in August! According to Abrams Books, "... the truck will deliver free ice cream to fans as it traverses the country. The tour will include a social media tie-in chronicling fan enthusiasm in each city, and offer Q&A broadcasts with Jeff Kinney at random stops along the route." The ice cream truck will be in Southern California on August 6 and 7:
- August 6: Pasadena Public Library, Hastings Library, 4-6pm
- August 7: Los Angeles County Library, Carson Branch, 10am-12pm (151 East Carson Street, Carson 90745)
- August 7: Los Angeles County Library, Norwalk Branch, 2pm-4pm (12350 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, 90650)
I'll be at the Norwalk stop on August 7 with my son. Be there or be wimpy!
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posted Jul 19, 2009 1:36 PM by yukari matsuyama
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updated Aug 19, 2009 9:11 PM
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“Whatever the costs of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.” – Walter Cronkite |
posted May 15, 2009 10:18 AM by yukari matsuyama
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updated Jul 19, 2009 1:46 PM
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 Author D.J. MacHale lives right here in our community and is a helper in the Grand View library -- lucky Mrs. Snively! His lovely wife has offered to bring us autographed copies of the Pendragon series books we don't have in our library. Yay! Thank you! |
posted May 11, 2009 11:40 AM by yukari matsuyama
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updated May 11, 2009 2:47 PM
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posted May 4, 2009 10:42 AM by yukari matsuyama
 PRIMARY: Stanley's Wild Ride by Linda Bailey PICTURE BOOK FOR OLDER READERS: Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman
INTERMEDIATE: Sheep by Valerie Hobbs
MIDDLE SCHOOL: Heat by Mike Lupica |
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