At the suggestion of co-worker and co-blogger Miko, I checked out Spirited Away from the library and watched it over the weekend. It is a FANTASTIC film and I highly recommend it for children and adults. We have several copies in the children's department, call number J-DVD Movies SPI. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the story centers around ten-year-old Chihiro and her journey into a strange, parallel spirit world.


In case you missed it, Beverly Cleary turned 94 this month! Cleary is the celebrated author of the Ramona Quimby books amongst other childhood favorites. I loved her books when I was younger and plan to celebrate by re-reading a few.

A-Kon 21

For all of you anime, comic book, and Japanese lovers out there, there is an anime convention coming up on June 4-6 in Dallas, Texas. A-Kon is the oldest anime conventions in the U.S. and, I believe, it is the fourth biggest as well.

There will be several special guests attending such as British writer Helen McCarthy, voice actress Stephanie Young, president, co-founder, and creative director of Blue Logic David L. Brehm, actor and stuntman Jim O'Rear, and many others. Also featured at the event are musical guests Abney Park, Inugami Circus-dan, and SEIKIMA-II. There are plenty of events to take apart of at A-Kon such as the Artist Alley, guest panels, concerts, Art Show, Komik Market, Dealer's Room, contests, and several other attractions.

For more information, check out the official site.

Through the looking glass

If any of you saw the recent adaptation of Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton then you've already had a glimpse into the strange, inventive mind of its creator, Lewis Carroll. Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was an author, photographer and mathematician. (Someone must have told him not to quit his day job.) The library has several of Lewis Carroll's works and some spin-offs including:

The complete Alice and The Hunting of the Snark, illustrated by Ralph Steadman, call number: 820.81 C319c

The Alice in Wonderland cookbook by John Fisher, call number 641.5 F534a

Dreaming in pictures : the photography of Lewis Carroll by Douglas R. Nickel, call number 779.092 N632d.

And now, for your reading pleasure, I'm posting the poem Jabberwock (which is in the public domain), taken from Alice's second adventure, Through the looking glass.:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought--
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock!
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Carroll, Lewis. "Jabberwocky." Columbia Granger's World of Poetry Online. 2010. Columbia University Press. 22 Apr. 2010. http://www.columbiagrangers.org Available through the Rosenberg Library's e-library portal.

College prep and entrance exams

If you're interested in preparing for an AP Exam, the PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP, ETC., you should check out the Learning Express Library through the library's website. It's a database that the library subscribes to so that YOU can use it for free! From the e-library page, scroll down to Education then click on Learning Express. You'll be prompted to enter the really long number that's under the barcode on your library card then you can set up your own account. The benefit of having an account is that you can start a practice test then come back to it later if you don't finish. The database has helpful information about job searching and resumes too.

Sandman

I just finished reading volume 3 of The Sandman: Dream Country and am looking forward to reading the rest of this amazing series. I realize I'm only like ten years behind the curve on this one, which is not bad in my book. Most of the stories center around Dream, a.k.a. Morpheus, a.k.a. the Lord of Dreams (I think I'll start asking people to call me Morpheus) and take place in the real world and the Dreaming. Some of the plot lines feel like dreams that you may have had but forgot about...like you're being reminded of something you already knew a long time ago in another world. So far, they've all been pretty engaging, some have been creepy, disturbing or weird and some have had pretty funny moments in them. If you haven't already checked out this acclaimed series, you should definitely look into it even if you don't think you like comics or graphic novels. Don't bother looking for volume 4 though...I've got it right now. :)

For those of you who are interested in writing comics, there is a great section at the end of volume 3 that shows one of Neil Gaiman's scripts for the Sandman. And if you want to read some other works by Neil Gaiman the library has:

Creatures of the Night, call no: YAF Gaiman
Anansi Boys, call no: YAF Gaiman
The tragical comedy or comical tragedy of Mr. Punch, call no: YAF Gaiman
M is for Magic, call no: YAF Gaiman

in the YA Fiction section on the mezzanine. Some of his other books are in the Kids section (such as Coraline and the Graveyard Book--both VERY good) and some in with adult fiction.

So what are you guys reading? Can anyone suggest something for me to check out after I finish up this series???

Signed, Morpheus