BeastNYC in the Subway

Beastly by Alex Flinn
Why did I read it?
There is a buzz around this book right now because of the movie that just came out. But, I actually started going for Cloaked which is another modern fairy tale that Alex Flinn just finished. I wasn't quite sure which fairy tale Cloaked was based on, so I figured I'd enjoy it more than Beauty and the Beast which I've heard a million times. But, I was wrong. Beastly was awesome!
What happened?
Kyle Kingsbury has it all. He has a gorgeous girlfriend, as much money as he could possibly need, and a famous father. Born into all this awesomeness, Kyle doesn't even notice all the people that he hurts with his selfishness. That is, until he ticks off a witch and gets turned into beast. Thats right! An honest-to-goodness beast, complete with a permanent fur coat, fangs, and razor-sharp claws. Kendra, the witch, gives Kyle two years to find someone who he can truly love, and can truly love him in return. Exiled to a modern castle by his father (who is interested more in appearances than his son), Kyle looses hope of a normal life. Until a thief stumbles into his greenhouse and gives Kyle a chance with his daughter!
What did I like or not like?
Even though this is "a tale as old as time" this modern retelling is really good! Alex does a great job keeping all the plot elements there while still giving them a fresh perspective. I think the theme of loving someone for who they are instead of how they look still strikes true and I enjoyed every minute of it.
P.S. I just watched the movie last night and really enjoyed that too. But, it has very little to do with the book. Its kind of like a modern retelling of a modern retelling lol.

Novelist Plus!

Jambo (Hello in Swahili. Can you tell our Summer Reading theme is multi-cultural?)
In addition to cool websites that I use for fun, I figure I'll also use Techno Tuesdays to let you guys know about cool databases that the library makes available, free of charge. One database I use a lot is Novelist Plus. Novelist includes recommended reads, author read-alikes, book discussion guides, book lists, award winners, 150,000 fiction titles, and 50,000 nonfiction titles. If someone asks for a book that I'm not quite familiar with, I often turn to Novelist because its search feature is very innovative. Another time I use it is when someone wants a book on a certain topic or subject. Novelist finds books on a specific topic very easily, and then I can search for it in our local catalog.
Another cool feature that I haven't used quite as much as I want to is the author read-alikes and recommended reads. I like it when someone does the dirty work for me hehe. In all seriousness though, having a database that has so many titles categorized and easy to find makes selecting a good book that much easier.
If you go to the Online Research Room on our page, you'll find a link to Novelist Plus. It requires a user ID and password to use, so contact me if you'd like to get in. Its super cool :)
http://ksalibraries.org/researchroom/room.htm

Rock the Stacks!

A Criminal Mastermind Full of Bad Luck

A Book Blurt on Calamity Jack, written by Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrated by Nathan Hale.

Why did I read it?

I try to diversify Book Blurt by reading graphic novels, fantasy, sci-fi, chick flicks, and realistic fiction. A graphic novel that is getting a lot of attention right now is Rapunzel’s Revenge, and this is a graphic novel written by the same people (and this one was on the shelf at my library hehe).

What happened?

Jack considers himself a criminal mastermind, with too much bad luck. He does some small gigs and makes a little bit of money, but each one has unexpected side effects. Just before Jack walks away from criminality for good, his mother is threatened by Blunderboar, a literal giant of a crime boss. Trying to help his mom out, Jack plans on stealing from Blunderboar, but once again the unexpected side effects show up again, and Jack is running for his life. Away from his home, Jack runs into Rapunzel (which I think might have something to do with Rapunzel’s Revenge), and he decides to return home. While Jack was away, Blunderboar has taken control of the entire city, and giant ants demolish buildings and kill citizens. Jack and Rapunzel try to find a way to save the city, and Jack’s mom from the fist of Blunderboar.

What did I like or not like?

This retelling of Jack and the beanstalk is a lot of fun, and very imaginative. The illustrations are fantastic, and the make-believe world of giants, pixies, and jabberwoks is brought to life beautifully. Throw in a criminal mastermind who can’t quite decide if he wants to be a criminal, and you have an entertaining book to read.

Editing a Movie?

Hey everybody!

So here we are on our first Techno Tuesday. Basically, on Tuesdays I'm going to share some cool technology and resources that I use and have found out about. I figured I'd start with some movie making software because I make a lot of movies :)
Personally, I'm used Jaycut and Windows Movie Maker the most.
Jaycut- I first heard about Jaycut from ICfL's Teens and Technology 2011. Jaycut is a great online editing application that has a lot of transitions, green screen capability, the fun of drawing on videos, and is absolutely free. But, Jaycut is FREE and ONLINE. Therefore, there aren't as many features as other things, and unless you have great bandwidth, you could be waiting for a very long time to finish even a simple movie project. The website is: http://jaycut.com.
Windows Movie Maker-I'm a Windows fella, and the latest version of WMM is very easy to use, and has some very cool transitions and special effects. But, the problem is that it is almost too easy! The editor can be annoying for someone who wants more control of each individual clip. But, it is a great program for Windows users. If it didn't come pre-loaded on your computer, you can get the software here: http://explore.live.com/windows-live-movie-maker?os=other&wa=wsignin1.0
Others- I'm found another blog post that has great info on 3 other free editing softwares I wasn't aware of. Check it out here: http://www.desktop-video-guide.com/top-5-free-video-editing-software-review.html

Thanks for reading :)

Direct from Boise (a little late)

Next-Gen 2.0

Warrior or Tattoo?

Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn, the first book in the Dragonback series.

Why did I read it?

I’ve signed up for a listserv from YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), where librarians and educators discuss books and ask questions. Recently, the Dragonback series showed up on the radar, and I remembered seeing the books as I shelved as a page, and as I keep the YA section looking spiffy.

What happened?

Just before the book opens, Jack Morgan, nephew of a thief, did a smuggling gig that went south; one of the containers had something in it when he took off, but was completely empty when he landed. Obviously, the people he was delivering to weren’t too happy about that. Hiding on a deserted planet, Jack witnesses a huge space battle ending in a damaged cruiser smashing into the planet below. When he goes to check out the wreckage, he is amazed to find a symbiotic alien, Draycos, who needs him as a host to survive. Draycos exists in a three-dimensional form, but can become two-dimensional when needed; basically becoming a living tattoo, that can then spring into a powerful warrior lizard. The damaged ship was the first in a refugee fleet. Draycos and Jack have to team up to clear Jack’s name and figure out how to warn Draycos’s people of the terrible enemy that was somehow aware that they were coming.

What did I like or not like?

I really enjoyed the idea of an alien that is very powerful and can become two-dimensional, but needs a fourteen year old kid to survive. The difference in ethics between a warrior and a kid raised as a thief also raises some interesting questions.