TheNarniaForums is a discussion board for all things Narnia. It includes the movies and the books, as well as games, the TV series, fan art, fan fiction, and Christianity and the stories.
Month: December 2005
Runescape Boards
If you are a parent or a librarian who works with teens and preteens, then you have probably heard of Runescape, a multi-player role playing game that is available free online. Runescape Boards is a site that will be useful for players, because they can ask questions, get answers, and browse previous conversations for ideas on how to improve their game.
In My Heart
In My Heart by Molly Bang is close to my heart. I have a four-year-old son who is always worried about us being apart. I have told him for years that he is always in my heart. Then along came this picture book, and it really created a magical moment at first reading. Bang has created a colorful, joyous book that celebrates the fact that even when parents and children are apart they are still in each other’s hearts.
Recommend this to working parents or families with children heading off to preschool or daycare. It is a symbol that has worked well for us, and I know that it will ease other little folks’ fears.
Harry = Safety
British researchers have found that there is a side effect of the release of a new Harry Potter book: empty emergency rooms. Children visiting emergency rooms in Britain dropped by HALF on summer weekends when the books were released. The article has a nice sense of humor combined with the results, though I would quibble with their assumption that if kids read more they will be less active. I think that if kids read more they will watch less TV, and that is always a positive tradeoff.
Margaret Hodges
Margaret Hodges is dead at age 94. She is the author of books like St. George and the Dragon, winner of the Caldecott Medal. Fans of her writing can expect two more of her books to be published posthumously.
Let It Snow!
The Salisbury Post has an article from the Rowan Public Library with a group of recommended snow books to share with children. And the list is completely wonderful with some old favorites, some new surprises and my son’s favorite snow book in recent years, Martin MacGregor’s Snowman by Lisa Brodie Cook.
I Am Reading Books
Here are a pair of easy reader books from the I Am Reading series. Both will appeal to kids who like monsters, witches, and other semi-scary beasties.
Creepy Customers by Samantha Hay, illustrated by Sarah Warburton is the story of Steve who is forced to help out his dad in the pharmacy during the first day of his school vacation. He expects it to be dull, but then a parade of strange customers arrive. Kids will enjoy seeing who is coming into the shop next. This is a book that will get even kids who don’t enjoy reading started.
The Perfect Monster by Sally Grindley, illustrated by Erica-Jane Waters features Mungus Bigfoot, a monster who is the loudest, rudest, smelliest, and worst monster in his class. Because he is so good at being a monster, he is asked to help Emily Twinkletoes become more monsterlike. But Emily is more like a human child. She tries to be nice, worries about how others feel, and sings instead of growling. As Mungus starts to teach Emily, he realizes that it is nice to have a kind friend. But how are they going to have her become the perfect monster then? This is a light, sweet story where the monster theme will draw kids in.
The Bonemender
The Bonemender by Holly Bennett is a great read. It is the story of Gabrielle, the daughter of a king, who was born with a unique power of healing with her hands. No one has ever seen anything like it, but she trains with the local healer and uses her talent to heal those around her. Then two strange men arrive, one of them bearing an awful wound to his thigh. Gabrielle heals the man, and in the process learns that they are elves and gradually falls in love with one of them. But the elves come bearing terrible news of an invasion of their peaceful kingdom by dark forces. The elves and humans must join together to fight off this foe.
The story is a mix of romance, fantasy and war story. It is a fast read, told from both Gabrielle’s point of view and Feolan, the elf she loves. Give this to fantasy lovers as well as romance readers. It is a perfect stepping stone for teens who will enjoy paranormal romances.
Small Town Librarian
I have started yet another blog. As the director of a small town library for the last ten years, I have found my niche in libraries. I want to share my love of small libraries with others. So I have started Small Town Librarian. It only has a couple of posts so far, but I have plenty to share. Please feel free to share comments, experiences and more. Even those running big libraries may enjoy learning about their little siblings.
Even better, being an administrator at a little library has let me continue my love affair with children’s books and teen literature.
Waking Brain Cells 