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Books on the Big Screen

Wed, 06/16/2010 - 08:08 | Ann McDuffie
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Along with summer’s sizzling heat comes a slew of blockbuster movies - the Twilight saga continues with "Eclipse," and "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" were also recently released. Before you cool off in dark, air-conditioned theaters, stop by the library and pick up or reserve a copy of the books.

These and many other popular movies were bestselling books before they hit the big screen: "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was inspired by a beloved picture book, as was "Where the Wild Things Are." "The Princess and the Frog" was partially based on E.D. Baker’s "The Frog Princess." And "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" came from well-known author Roald Dahl. Check out the latest list of Books on the Big Screen and read before you watch!

Enter the Book Review Contest!

Mon, 06/14/2010 - 21:40 | Adriana Puckett
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Calling all summer reading club members! Share what you are reading by entering our book review contest, and you may win some swanky library prizes. Reviews can be simple or in-depth. If you haven't joined the summer reading club yet (and you are a CRRL patron), you can sign up online here. We select a winner from each club age level - kids, teens, and adults - each week! If kids are too young to type their reviews, parents can type them in for them.

Kadir Nelson, Passionate Illustrator

Mon, 06/14/2010 - 00:00 | Stephanie Reed
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Listen and watch a video of Kadir Nelson and you will get to know one of the most wonderful children’s book illustrators of our time. The soft-spoken Nelson has accomplished, before the age of 30, many things. He has worked on a Stephen Spielberg film, Amistad, and won the Caldecott Honor Award for Illustration for Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led her People to Freedom, in 2007 and in 2008, won it again for Henry’s Freedom Box: a True Story from the Underground Railroad.

Born in Washington, D.C, Kadir began drawing at the age of 3 and at the age of 12 was apprenticed to his uncle, an artist and art instructor himself. Nelson won many contests and ultimately won a scholarship to and attended the Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York. He currently lives and works in San Diego, California.

Nelson has a passion for African Americans and their plight and has illustrated beautifully many books and has created many works of art for celebrities that have sought him out.

Time to Thank Your Teachers

Fri, 06/04/2010 - 06:28 | Virginia Johnson
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Before you finally finish your grade and head out for a summer of fun, there’s still one more thing to do. Your teachers have worked hard all year to get you ready for your future. So now it’s time to think about a little way to say thanks for all they do. Teachers are special people. They do not go into the job for the money they can make. The best teachers are there because they love to teach.

As the school year winds down into lazy summer days, take a little time to thank your teachers. Not everybody can afford to hand out gift certificates, so here are some thoughtful, inexpensive ways to let your teachers know you care.

Walter Farley's Black Stallion Still a Winner

Thu, 06/03/2010 - 08:05 | Virginia Johnson
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Walter Farley and an Arabian

“Alec heard a whistle—shrill, loud, clear, unlike anything he had ever heard before. He saw a mighty black horse rear on its hind legs, its forelegs striking out into the air. A white scarf was tied across its eyes. The crowd broke and ran.”

Walter Farley first imagined the Black Stallion, a wild creature of blazing speed and mysterious origins, when he was a teenager and high school track star in 1930s. He kept working on the story, sometimes turning parts of it into class assignments at college. After graduation, he began writing for a New York advertising agency, but he still kept working on his horse stories.

June Bugs!

Tue, 06/01/2010 - 10:02 | Virginia Johnson
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You see a bug with a cool green body skittering across a picnic table. It stops and seems to be staring at you.

The first thing out of your mouth is:
A. Eww! A bug!
Or
B. Oooh! A bug!
 
If you are the kind of kid who thinks bugs are cool, summertime was made for you. In summer, bugs are most active. You can learn a lot about bugs by capturing them and studying them for a while before letting them go.
 

The Louisiana Purchase

Mon, 05/03/2010 - 09:49 | Virginia Johnson
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Lewis and Clark

 In 1800, the land held by the new United States was small compared to what was called Louisiana. Louisiana was named for King Louis XIV. It was part of a large claimed area in the New World called New France. It stretched from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains to the Rocky Mountains.

New Service: "My Borrowing History"

Wed, 04/21/2010 - 14:28
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Did you read a really good book a few months ago, but can't remember what it was? Or maybe it was a DVD, audiobook, or magazine?

Now you can keep track of the items you borrow with "My Borrowing History," a new optional service from the CRRL.

How does it work? Easy!

April 13 is National Library Workers Day

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 16:26
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National Library Workers Day is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.  I bet there is someone at the CRRL that you'd like to recognize for helping you out.

Got a favorite storytime reader?  Submit a star for them!  Did someone at the library help you with a school project or teach you a new craft?  Submit a star for them!  Did a reference librarian help you find information you needed or write a book match for you?  Submit a star for them!

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers at the CRRL for making it part of a thriving community.

Free Databases During National Library Week

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 10:48 | Samantha Thomason
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Gale/Cengage Learning, the publisher of the following databases, is offering library visitors free access during National Library Week:

Career Transitions — a new electronic resource offering a comprehensive guide to career change

Global Issues in Context — this online resource offers global news and perspectives on issues and events of international importance

GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources) — a new electronic resource offering authoritative reference content on the environment, energy, economic development and natural resources

Grzimek’s Animal Life — an interactive, media-rich online resource, with information on more than 4,000 species

Archives Unbound — a vast new resource of topically-focused, cross-searchable digital collections of historical documents

Check them out and contact us if you would like to see any added to the CRRL database collection.