Hey, it's another birthday! (Well, truth be told, every day is somebody's, right?) But today we celebrate an author a lot of us have read a lot of, in many cases. In fact, we just discussed one recently in Book Discussion. IF THE WITNESS LIED was the most recent offering from the very prolific CAROLINE B. COONEY, so wish that lady a happy birthday today, at least in your thoughts.

Read more about her right here:

Teenreads.com -- Author Profile: Caroline B. Cooney

Now, I will hawk some great new books now sitting idly on my New Teen Fiction shelves.

First off, let me highly recommend a new work from the Printz award winning Australian author Melina Marchetta. FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK is an epic fantasy of ancient magic, feudal itnrigue, ropmance, and bloodshed that, according the book flap, will rivet you from the first page. Well-reviewed, this rocking fantasy will definitely meet the needs of a lot of fans of the genre, without doubt.

Second, Catherine Jinks (of EVIL GENIUS fame) has penned another teen fic, LIVING HELL, and this time she's crafted a sci-fi/fantasy/adventure featuring a seventeen year old boy who leads humanity in a fight for survival while machines that had formerly run their world turn upon them, treating all humans as parasites. It is as good as it sounds.

Finally, David Klass, author of YOU DON'T KNOW ME, has written STUCK ON EARTH, a sci-fic novel which offers that intriguing tale of a space alien sent to earth to judge whether the human race should be destroyed, who winds up inhabiting the body of a bullied fourteen-year-old boy. Wry and wickedly amusing as Klass can be, this is a worthy read.

And I would be remiss if I did not mention the next in the ever-so-very-popular CLIQUE series by Lisi Harrison. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STALKING. For personal reasons, I will not critique this book (as if you need me to anyway!).

On this day in 1948, the modern-day explorer Thor Heyerdahl arrived in Polynesia having sailed on this balsa wood raft, the Kon-Tiki, all the way across the Pacific from Peru in an effort to prove his point that prehistoric native people in South America could have settled in Polynesia, bringing their culture with them.

His book, KON-TIKI, tells his amazing story. Check it out sometime.

THE YANKEES ARE ON A ROLL!!

(a seeded whole grain roll, of course!)

Okay, yesterday e'en's discussion of THE LOOKING GLASS WARS was, if not exactly fully attended, fully enjoyed by all who did (at least it looked that way, imho).

I have not yet chosen next month's book, but you can bet it will be just as good (if not better, ideally better for any of you who did not enjoy Beddor's LOOKING GLASS.)

Anyway, keep checking this site, and the Library, to see what next month's (that'd be MAY 27th!) book discussion book will be. . .

. . .AND, for all of you in my TEEN WRITERS GROUP, we will meet on May the 6th, at 6:00 until 7:30. Sharpen your quill pens and start scratching out some fine creativity to share with your peers.

It's Will Shakespeare's birthday!

('nuff said)

Today is another important day for all you budding playwrights to remember. On this day in 1787 the first ever play written by an American was produced. Check out this website and honor Mr. Royall Tyler.

http://www.metropolitanplayhouse.org/contrastessay

On this day in 1802, William Wordsworth was walking home with his sister, Dorothy, and they saw a patch of daffodils that became the inspiration for one of his most famous poems. No one is sure when he wrote the poem, "I Wander'd Lonely as a Cloud", but it was published in 1807. Dorothy had written extensively in her journal that day, words that doubtless influenced his writing, but his wife, Mary, came up with two lines: "They flash upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude." William said they were the best lines in the poem.

Talk about true romance, eh?

Maybe that's why they call him one of the Romantics!

Check out the poem yourself:

http://www.bartleby.com/101/530.html

Barbara E. Weber
invites you
to attend
a fantastic opportunity
which could also be called
BOOK DISCUSSION!!

This event will take place
on the 22nd of April
6:00-7:00 PM
and the fantastic book we are reading is
THE LOOKING GLASS WARS!

THIS THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 2010 (aka April Fool's Day) IS OUR NEXT TEEN WRITING GROUP (and this is NOT an April Fool's Joke, trust me!)

6:00 - 7:30 PM in the Monroe Room of the Library.

BE THERE, AND BRING YOUR LATEST OPUS, PLEASE!

THE NEXT BOOK DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON THE 22ND OF APRIL 2010 AT 6:00 - 7:00 PM IN THE MONROE ROOM OF THE LIBRARY. BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW.

THE BOOK TO BE DISCUSSED IS:

(No, I am not jumping on the ALICE IN WONDERLAND movie bandwagon, it just looks that way!)

Today is the birthday of the great Irish playwright, Sean O'Casey who paraphrased Mr. Shakespeare in the following quote:

"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed."

http://www.irish-society.org/Hedgemaster%20Archives/sean_o'casey.htm

(you may have to copy and paste this link!!)

...AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/1406308870/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books

Chosen as one of the top 10 graphic novels for teens in 2009 by the Amerian Library Association!


PS: Yes, it's our next book discussion book...whaddya think about that?

Sometimes it's hard to recall their beauty as you are hoisting a shovelful of them, so here's a little reminder.
So, see you all next week (after a visit to my chiropractor!).

Laura Ingalls Wilder - Welcome

It's another birthday, and this time a most favorite author of many of you, I'm thinking!
Re-visit that LITTLE HOUSE we know so well . . .


Laura Ingalls Wilder - Welcome

Sad news to report:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/28/us/AP-US-Obit-Salinger.html?_r=1

JD Salinger is dead. If you have not yet read his work, speed your way to the Wyckoff Library and check out some of his wonderful fiction.

It may change your life, or it may just change your vocabulary, as it most certainly changed mine for at least a year after reading his work.

Did somebody say 'suspense'? IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE.

IF YOU HAVE READ IT, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT IT!

Yes, it's Book Discussion time again, January 28th 2010 in the Monroe Room from 6:00 - 7:00 PM.

Feel free to expect refreshments, as usual.

Well, DID somebody say 'suspense'?

IT'S A NEW YEAR, 2K10, SO GET READY TO RUMBLE!

So . . .I hosted a fantastic Teen Writers Group last night and we happy five who were in attendance were delighted with some really cool literary output, to name a few, a fabulous new play and a great piece of prose, and each delivered interesting characters and told intriguing stories.

For those of you not in attendance last night and wishing you had been, please be aware that our next meeting will be held on Thursday, the 4th of February 2010 in the Monroe Room of the Library from 6:00 to 7:30. (Of course, those that had been in attendance are encouraged to attend again, too!)

The Teen Writers Group of the Wyckoff Library typically meets on the first Thursday evening of every month during the school year.

HAPPY HAPPY! SEEYA NEXT YEAR!

DON'T FORGET WRITING ON THE

7TH OF JANUARY (6:00 - 7:30 pm)!!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that. . . *

anyone reading a Jane Austen novel is changed for ever!

Today is Jane's birthday. If you have not yet graced your life with her fiction, maybe today is the day to promise yourself that kind of joy, for reading her novels is a joy for sure.

www.jasna.org

*if you do not recognize this seven word string, you have not yet read the first line of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!