By Sara Grajek
Rowan Public Library
In a year where the blockbuster book release is a vampire novel for teens, and there is no Harry Potter book in sight, what on earth are kids supposed to read?
All the great books by other talented authors of course.
We sometimes forget that before J.K. Rowling and Lemony Snicket there were other tried and true authors such as Judy Blume and Lois Lowry. These authors have won awards, had their books studied in classrooms across America, and yes, their books have even been made into movies.
With her book, “Number the Stars,” Lois Lowry wrote a Newbery award-winner about the Holocaust that is studied frequently in schools, then often read again and again at home. In her new book, “The Willoughbys,” she offers a lighter tale of four children under the care of a nanny. With large words that may challenge some readers and a bibliography of recommended reading, this new tale is hilarious and slightly old-fashioned in the style of Roald Dahl. Gail Carson Levine is best known for taking traditional fairy tales and re-inventing them. Her debut novel, “Ella Enchanted,” did just that with a retelling of Cinderella and won the Newbery honor. In the story, Ella is given the gift of obedience at birth from a fairy and this means having to obey every single command at all times ó “jump off a cliff,” or “eat!” At the royal ball, Ella steps out and finds her own way to break the spell. With her new book, “Fairest,” Levine has woven her literary spell once again and created a retelling of Snow White.
The mind behind the popular “Princess Diaries” for young adults has ventured into a younger age range with the “Allie Finkle” series. With nine “Princess Diaries” books to date and each one just as pink and popular as the first, Meg Cabot has proven she can write books that teen girls relate to. The “Allie Finkle” series looks to be more of the same, but for pre-teens.
In “Moving Day,” the first in the series, Allie has been convinced her life is going down the drain ever since her parents announced they were moving across town. Allie likes things she can depend on such as math and science because of their rules and predictability.
Moving across town and having to make new friends has none of that. So she decides to create a book of “rules for girls” such as “don’t stick a spatula down your best friend’s throat” or “don’t put your cat in a suitcase.” Surely these will help her make friends at her new school or maybe she’ll figure out how to get along just as she is.
Whoever your favorite author happens to be, check with Rowan Public Library to see if they have written anything new or ask a librarian if there is an author similar to one of your favorites. Since there are more than 30,000 books for teens and children published every year, it should be easy to find something you’ll like to read.
Computer classes: Headquarters ó Monday, 7 p.m., Introduction to Internet Safety; Sept. 11, 2:30 p.m., Introduction to Searching the World Wide Web; Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Creating Spreadsheets with Excel; Sept. 18, 2:30 p.m., Introduction to Windows; Sept. 22, 7 p.m., Creating Presentations with PowerPoint; Sept. 25, 2:30 p.m., Creating Web Pages Part 2.
South ó Tuesday, 11 a.m., Basic Windows; Sept. 22, 7 p.m., Digital Photography, Part 1.
Classes are free. Sessions are about 90 minutes long. Class size is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Children’s Program: Headquarters ó Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Stanback Room, storyteller Andy Offutt Irwin. He will also be at the ninth annual Stories by the Millstream Sept. 19.
September-November ó Weekly Story Time. Headquarters ó Tuesday, 10 a.m., Toddlers and Moms (18-24 months); 11 a.m., Toddlers and Moms (24-36 months); Wednesday, 11 a.m., Tiny Tots and Moms (infants-18 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Three through Five; 4 p.m., Noodlehead Story Times (4-8 years). South óMonday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool Time (3-5 years); 4 p.m., Noodlehead (4-8 years); Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Toddlers and Twos (18-35 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Baby Time (babies and toddlers); East ó Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool (2-5 years); 4 p.m., Noodlehead, (4-8 years); Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool (2-5 years); Thursday, 11 a.m. Baby Time (6 months-2 years).
Teen program: East ó Sept. 25, 5:30-7 p.m., Teens Locker Madness.Tuesday Movies in September ó Featuring leading ladies. All movies are rated G, PG or PG-13. Some movies inappropriate for younger audiences. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Free popcorn and lemonade. Tuesday, “Julia”; Sept. 16, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”; Sept. 23, “Suddenly Last Summer”; Sept. 30, “Stardust.”
Displays: Headquarters ó Hispanic Coalition by DAR; South ó Hispanic Heritage by Hispanic Coalition; East ó art by Colleen Walton.