Ready, set, WRITE!

Tomorrow is the start of National Novel Writing Month - or NaNoWriMo. Thousands of people around the country - and quite a few in Missoula - will start writing a novel with the aim of completing it by the end of November. That's right, they will attempt to write a 175-page (50,000 word) novel in 30 days. Whew!

Looking to get in on the fun? You can register for NaNoWriMo on their website. Then it's just a matter of plugging away at that keyboard. But you don't have to do it alone - Missoula Public Library is hosting NaNoWriMo Write-Ins every Sunday 2-4 p.m. in our large meeting room on the lower level. Join your fellow writers for some inspiration, socialization, and probably a bit of perspiration.

No matter how far you get in the project, it's the thoughts that count. Share yours. The library will have a Writers Open Mic Dec. 2 - after all you Wrimos have gotten some sleep - so you can share a piece of your writing.

So what are you waiting for? Oh, right, it doesn't start until tomorrow...

Scary Librarians!

ANOTHER "SCARY" LIBRARIAN!!!

AND, can you guess who this scary librarian is? He used to scare us here, now he's scaring the Corn State!!

ANOTHER "SCARY" LIBRARIAN:

SCARY is correct ~ for this bunch!!

Spooky Reads featuring two famous characters...

Peter Ackroyd's The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein (ACKROYD)

When two nineteenth-century Oxford students--Victor Frankenstein, a serious researcher, and the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley--form an unlikely friendship, the result is a tour de force that could only come from one of the world's most accomplished and prolific authors.

Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt's Dracula the Un-Dead (STOKER)
At last!!--the sequel to Bram Stoker's classic novel Dracula, written by his direct descendant and a Dracula historian.

Bram Stoker's Dracula is the prototypical horror novel, an inspiration for the world's fascination with vampires.
Dracula The Un-Dead is a bone-chilling sequel based on Bram Stoker's own handwritten notes for characters and plot threads excised from the original edition. Dracula The Un-Dead begins in 1912, twenty-five years after Dracula 'crumbled into dust.'
'Energetically paced and packed with outrageously entertaining action, this supernatural thriller is a well-needed shot of fresh blood for the Dracula mythos.'
--Publisher's Weekly

'The authors (Stoker is a descendant of Bram, and Holt is a noted Dracula historian)skillfully explore the nature of evil while weaving together several complex plotlines throughout this mesmerizing story. Readers who enjoy dark fantasy with fast-paced action will plow through this book, not wanting to stop.'
--Library Journal

Halloween is nearly here!

Halloween is only two days away, and if you're anything like me, you're still scrambling at the last minute to try finishing up costumes, party details, etc. If you're not, I congratulate you on being better organized than I am. Lucky you.

It's at about this time every year that I find myself scrounging for whatever is left here at Missoula Public Library in the way of books on spooky treats, decorations, and of course costume-making. As of the time of the writing of this post, there are still quite a few intriguing titles waiting on the shelf for the organizationally-challenged such as myself to check them out. Here are just a few for you to peruse. So if you're still struggling to make it all come together by Saturday night, head over to the library and find some help in the stacks. I promise I won't check them all out myself, ok? Happy Haunting!

Word Woman

Welcome to another wild and woolly episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! A mind is a terrible thing to waste, so keep yours in good working order by engaging in mental exercises such as crossword puzzles, cryptoquotes and sudoku. Or, expand your vocabulary by learning new words -- like the Word of the Week:

Discerp: [dis-surp] to tear something to shreds, to tear something apart, to separate. From a Latin word meaning 'pluck'. -- "More Weird and Wonderful Words", Erin McKean, Ed., Oxford University Press, 2003.

Example: Bob was left with no question in his mind as to his boss' opinion of his report as he watched her voraciously discerp it right under his very nose.

While you're waiting for movies

So the new Feature Films dispensing machine is still waiting for its Grand Opening. Just remember how much other media we have to enjoy and help yourself make the wait a little less frustrating. We have some great nonfiction movies available to check out. We have books on tape and books on CD. We have music on CD. And we have Children's Movies--many of which you might be surprised how much you would enjoy them. So branch out, try something new, and make the long wait easier.

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The Shining (1977) The haunted Overlook Hotel houses a family that, over one long winter, slowly goes insane together. This book is scary enough, but reread it & imagine Jack Nicholson as "Jack". Double-Scary!

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Pet Semetary (1982) This novel about a backwoods burial ground that resurrects the dead—though not unchanged—starts creepy and gets creepier with every page, arriving at King's most disturbing final sentence. Remember?

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Cujo (1981)
This IS scary! King does remind us at the end that none of what happens was the poor St. Bernard's fault.

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Misery (1987)
This one's about a best-selling author who barely survives a car crash only to find himself being nursed in the home of his deranged "number-one fan." With fans like her...

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Cell (2006)
An electronic tone turns everybody who hears it into mindless, rampaging killers. Nightmarish, for sure!

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The Stand (1990)

Is this really that scary? It's long, that's for sure.

Gerald's Game (1992)
Only Stephen King could write this!

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Carrie (1974)


A shy, friendless teen who suddenly finds herself invited to the prom. Too bad it's part of a plot to humiliate her. Too bad that she has powerful telekinetic powers and happens to be one cruel prank away from a total freak-out. This is the one that first got King all the attention.



Are these

enough for you? Do you know of any others that would keep us up at night? Let us know in the comments below.

Monster Mayhem & Madness

'Tis the Season for all things ghoulish and horrorific! MPL is getting in the Halloween spirit by offering a Blank vs. Blank Monster Match Up AND a Monster Movie Mash Up for Teens.

Vote (if you dare) in a new edition of Blank vs. Blank. You can choose between Frankenstein's Monster or The Wolf Man by the following methods:

• Add a comment to this blog post
• Tweet a reply on MPL's Twitter account
  
• Vote via MPL's Facebook page
  

The monster receiving the most votes will be the subject of my next blog. You have until this Saturday, Oct. 31st to make your preference known.

This Saturday, Oct. 31st is also the date for the Monster Movie Mash Up. Teens are invited to drop by the Young Adult department 2-5 pm for a mix of monster movies clips, zombie games, and scary treats. A makeup artist will even be on standby to assist with Halloween makeup. Fake blood anyone? Contact the YA department for further details, 721-BOOK (2665).

Montana Festival of the Book

Hey all you book lovers out there - you won't want to miss the Montana Festival of the Book with author readings, writing workshops, book discussions, and more. The Festival is a project sponsored by Humanities Montana. Get a complete schedule online, and make sure to come by the library for the programs we're offering here (they're all free!):

Altered Books. Create an art object from old books on Friday, Oct. 23, at 2:30 p.m. For ages 13 and older.

Invent Your Own Action Figure. If you were an action figure, who or what would you be? For children, teachers, teens, and paper doll enthusiasts of all ages on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m.

One Book Montana community discussion. A discussion of "The Surrounded," this year's One Book Montana title, with Dorothea Susag on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m.

Kids' Writing Workshop. Some day you may be an author featured at the Festival - practice now. Creative writing exercises for grades 4-6. Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2:30 p.m.

Word Woman

Welcome to another mind-altering episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! While you're out enjoying these last gorgeous days of autumn, maybe by taking a walk or raking leaves, don't forget to do a little maintenance on your mind as well. Here's the Word of the Week to get you started:

Trope:

Pronunciation: \ˈtrōp\

Function: noun

Etymology: Latin tropus, from Greek tropos turn, way, manner, style, trope, from trepein to turn

Date: 1533

1 a : a word or expression used in a figurative sense : figure of speech b : a common or overused theme or device : cliché s>
2 : a phrase or verse added as an embellishment or interpolation to the sung parts of the Mass in the Middle Ages.

-- "trope." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

Merriam-Webster Online. 22 October 2009

Example: The trope of the bumbling but lovable fool is a staple of TV sitcoms. Gilligan of "Gillian's Island" is a prime example of this type of character.

Want to find out more about tropes? Here's a website that gives me something new to laugh at every time I read it. The example on this link is one of my favorites: The Big Red Button!

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigRedButton

Or, check out their main page and scroll down for more amusing options:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

Happy browsing!

Last Altered Books in 2009

One more time!! In conjunction with the Festival of the Book celebrations in Missoula this week, we will have one more Altered Book Workshop (for 2009)--for teenagers and adults--this Friday, October 23, from 2:00 to 4:30 in the Large Meeting Room downstairs. We'll have snacks, music, lots of books ready to be discarded, tons of art supplies, and plenty of imaginative cohorts to create alongside of. Come on down and join us in another inspiring afternoon of creativity and good company.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

Where the Wild Things Are is one of ALA's most frequently challenged books. Published in 1967, the complaints against this tome have been numerous. Reasons for the challenges, you ask?

• Max is sent to bed without supper. Some people have found this to be unacceptably cruel.
• Max throws a tantrum. This sort of behavior should not be tolerated.
• It gives children nightmares.
• It has "subversive psychoanalytic overtones."

The book continues to be challenged in libraries across America to this day. Reading this CNN article about the newly-released movie leads us to believe that the controversiality of Sendak's story transcends medium.

So, Missoula: are the challenges justified? We're interested in hearing your thoughts about the book and the film!

Have You Tried Novelist?

Hey, have you tried out Novelist Plus yet? Novel-what? Novelist! It's a great online readers' advisory tool that you have free access to with your library card. Novelist offers all sorts of ways to discover new books-- you can browse recommended reads, find award winners, search author read-alikes,
or print book discussion guides.
You can even 'describe a plot' to help find a story to suite your mood.
Novelist Plus reviews books for adults, teens, and kids and also includes non-fiction. Try typing in a favorite author or title and see what recommendations appear.

Ready to give it try? Then log on to www.missoulapubliclibrary.org and click the E-Databases link -- scroll down until you find 'Novelist Plus' -- you'll need to input your library card number and then you're on your way to finding the next must-read book! Happy Hunting!

Have you used Novelist to find a terrific book?
If so, leave a post & tell us what you discovered.

Fall into Reading

What better time than now to pick up some thrilling new books to enjoy as our weather changes? From our Fiction and Non-Fiction POWER WALLS, I have selected the following new books as suggestions for your reading pleasure:

"The Devil's Tickets" by Gary Pomerantz (364.1523 POMERAN)- This author's Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Autumn was named a notable book of the year by the New York Times in 1996. This one is equally as colorful as it is a tale of husbands and wives, the "rules" and the 'Bridge Battle of the Century'. Set in 1929 in Kansas City, you'll be mesmerized by the cultural movements that took place during the Roaring 20s.

"The Love Pirate and the Bandit's Son" by Laura James (364.1523 JAMES) - From the front cover: "Murder, Sin, and Scandal in the Shadow of Jesse James". Need I say more? This is Ms. James' debut novel and I'm sure you'll agree that we'll want more! She is also a true crime blogger and the owner of Clews, one of the top true crime sites on the Internet.

"Embrace the Grim Reaper" by Judy Clemens (CLEMENS) - From what I understand, this is the beginning of a new series by this author. This was so gripping, I can't wait to follow the protagonist, Casey, in her next escape! Death won't take her, but won't leave her alone either. Check out this author's website for more: www.judyclemens.com

Did you read "Death of a Cozy Writer" by G.M.Malliet (MALLIET)? If you did, then you'll want to check out the next in the St. Just Mystery series, "Death and the Lit Chick". Nancy Pearl, author of "Book Lust" raves about this author's works as "a delightful homage to the great novels of Britain's Golden Age of Mysteries". Her next one in this series will be available 01/01/10, so you'll have plenty of time to get hooked.

And, for something completely different, yet compelling, try "The Death of a Pope" by Piers Paul Read (READ). I would suggest this to anyone who likes Dan Brown's bestsellers.

Do you have some great Fall Reads to share? Let us know in the comments below or fill out a Readers' Choice Recommendation card at our Accounts Desk and we'll feature your selections on our Power Walls.

p.s. yes, I have waited 10 days to post this, since the weatherman seemed to miss fall. :) It's here today and at least for tomorrow, so pick up your reading pleasures ~ We're open from 10-6 tomorrow and 1-5 on Sunday.

Have you seen us lately?

I love when someone comes into the library and says they haven't been here in ages. It's not that I'm happy they hadn't visited before, but I'm delighted they're back. The library isn't the same place they remember, in fact it has changed a lot in the past year alone. So much, that we want to show you around.

We're offering 1-hour tours to help find your way around and feel comfy in your library. Even if you're a regular visitor, we're pretty sure you'll discover something new. Have you ever been in the back room where all the library secrets are kept? Now's your chance. Uncover the "life of a book" from selection to shelves, learn how to use the library from anywhere with our latest online services, and discover the programs and clubs that are right up your alley.

Choose one of three convenient tour dates:
Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.

If you're a member of a club or organization, bring your fellow members (we appreciate if you can give us a general head-count ahead of time by emailing Joyce). Or, drop in on your own.

Looking forward to seeing you, seeing us!

Word Woman

Welcome to another mind-bending installment of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Don't let your brain cells dry up and blow away like the autumn leaves, keep your mental juices flowing by expanding your vocabulary. Here's the Word of the Week to get you started:

Wet paint syndrome: The urge that possesses people to do the secret little things they do when they think others aren't looking or when their curiosity is aroused by a sign that is posted telling them not to do something. Inspired by the corridor you walk down for twenty years without touching the walls, until one day you smell fresh paint and the corridor has been roped off with signs that say DON'T TOUCH -- WET PAINT. An overwhelming urge comes over you to touch the wall. -- "Urban Dictionary", Aaron Peckham, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, Kansas City, 2005.

Example: In spite of the obvious folly of with his actions, George was overcome by wet paint syndrome and couldn't resist putting a toe in the water next to the giant warning sign reading "Danger: Man-Eating Piranha -- Do Not Dangle Feet or Hands in the Water!" Now he wears a size six shoe on his left foot and a size seven shoe on his right foot.

Young Adults at KBGA Radio

This Saturday, October 17, several writers from the MPL's YA Writers' Group will go live 8-9 pm on KBGA (student-run radio on the UM campus) and talk about their group, their writing, and their new CD, "A Taste of Dark," interspersed with excerpts from the CD itself. It should be a fun, entertaining evening. Tune into KBGA from 8 to 9 pm and get to know some of these remarkable young adults and their terrific imaginations. Amazing things are going on in your public library. Listen in and find out what they are.

Shelfari - Social Networking for Book Lovers

Based in Seattle, Shelfari.com introduces readers to a global community of book lovers and encourages them to share their literary inclinations and passions with peers, friends, and even make new book-loving friends. Shelfari is a gathering place for authors, aspiring authors, publishers, and readers, and has many tools and features to help these groups connect with each other in a fun and engaging way.
As we posted in an earlier blog, Missoula Public Library has created a Shelfari account based on our Staff Picks and your Readers' Choice selections. To join Shelfari, go to www.shelfari.com. To visit MPL's page, go to http://www.shelfari.com/o1514654367. And while you're there, "find and invite friends" and share with us, "What's on Your Shelf?"

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

http://www.shelfari.com/o1514654367

UM Homecoming Parade - Go Griz!!!

Good morning, sweet home Montana and welcome to the home of the Griz. The Missoula Public Library was out in force showing their support for the Griz with their bookmobile and their world-renowned book cart drill team headed up by Ms. Kara. We're not all about books and stuff, we're also about supporting the community. And although it was cold enough to, well I'll let you fill in the blanks, we were happy to be there to support the Griz.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Missoula Public Library celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, Oct. 8. Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual observation of the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America.

In the afternoon we learned how to decorate pinatas with Eileen Cummings of "Spanish Anyone?"

Then we turned down the lights and turned up the music for Latin Dance Night. Missoula's local Flamenco group Patio Andaluz gave a beautiful performance of a variety of flamenco dances.

Members of the Downtown Dance Collective demonstrated salsa moves so fast that we could not even catch them on camera! However, they did slow things down a bit to teach the audience basic salsa moves.

Everyone also enjoyed delectable tapas of Columbia, Mexico and Spain created by The Silk Road.

To see more great pictures of this event, visit us on Flickr.

King Tut

Do you have a hold on James Patterson’s The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King? I do, so I'm on the long list. Perhaps you've read it and your interest is piqued or you're like me and you want to read something similar while we wait. Here are some more titles on the Boy King:

Fiction:

The Egyptologist by Arthur Philips. Set in the 1920s, Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush risks his career and his reputation searching for the tomb of an ancient pharaoh.

The Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters, featuring art historian Vicky Bliss, contains a novel where Bliss sets off to find the missing mummy of King Tut.

Valley of the Kings: A Novel of Tutankhamun by Cecelia Holland. A fictional account of Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamen’s long-lost tomb.

Nonfiction:
Tutankhamun, the Untold Story by Hoving, Thomas

King Tut's final secrets [videorecording (DVD)] by National Geographic.

For information on the King Tut Exhibition, visit this web site: http://www.kingtut.org/home or watch this amazing video:







Do you have any other suggestions to keep us occupied while others read the ever-popular Patterson book? Let us know in the comment section below.

Word Woman

Welcome to another astonishing episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! It's chilly outside, so warm up those neural synapses with some mental exercises such as learning new words. Here's the Word of the Week to get you started:

Nemesis: Nemesis was the Greek goddess of justice or revenge, her name deriving from the Greek for vengeance; thus nemesis means anyone who avenges or punishes. Shakespeare used the term in Henry VI, Part I, but it is first recorded a few years earlier in 1576. -- "The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins", Robert Hendrickson, Checkmark Books, New York, 1997.

Example: After Ted stole cookies from Larry's desk at the office, Larry became his nemesis, gleefully finding some obscure corner of the staff lunchroom to hide Ted's lunch in every Friday.

Get your dancin' shoes on

We're in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, and what better way than to celebrate with pinatas, dancing and the tastes of Latin America, all in one fun-filled day? Join us this Thursday, Oct. 8 for...

Pinata Decorating: 3-5 p.m., Oct. 8, for ages 6-15. Eileen Cummings of Spanish Anyone will get us started. We'll keep the finished pinatas on display for the evenings festivities.

Latin Dance Night: 7 p.m., Oct. 8. Enjoy a performance from Missoula's own flameco group "Patio Andaluz" and then learn to salsa with the Downtown Dance Collective. Plus, sample delicious tapas with the flavors of Spain and Latin America from The Silk Road.

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month here.

Hispanic Heritage Day

Watch for Hispanic Heritage Day at the Library, Thursday Oct. 8. Pinata decorating will happen from 3-5 pm for children ages 6-15. Eileen Cummings from "Spanish Anyone" will facilitate. Children under 12 need an adult with them. Then that night, we have Latin Dance Night at 7 pm where you can watch Missoula's own famenco group "Patio Andaluz," then learn to salsa with the Downtown Dance Collective. While you're there sample some delicious Spanish and Latino tastes provided by The Silk Road. National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the strength and hard word of Hispanic Americans who have enriched our nation.

One Book Montana 2009

We've just launched a new resource for book lovers and Montana culture buffs: an interactive, literary “trail map” for D’Arcy McNickle’s 1936 novel The Surrounded. The Surrounded is this year’s One Book Montana selection, and we’ve “re-tooled” it for the digital age -- just in time for the Montana Festival of the Book and many One Book programs around the state. The project was made possible by the generous support of Humanities Montana, and the assistance of the D’Arcy McNickle Library at Salish Kootenai College.

Take a look: http://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/thesurrounded And let us know what you think!

You can check out a copy of The Surrounded at the library. And don't forget this month's library events celebrating One Book Montana:

Saturday October 17th, 11 am: The Surrounded book discussion at the Seeley Lake Branch, Seeley-Swan High School

Wednesday October 21st, 7 pm: The (mis) education of Archilde Leon: The Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools

Thursday October 22nd, 5:30 pm: The Surrounded book discussion at the Frenchtown High School Branch

Saturday October 24th, 1 pm: The Surrounded book discussion Large Meeting Room

And the Winner Is...

Couch Beat Futon
in Blank vs. Blank Battle

Many thanks to all those who voted!
Your participation helps drive what topics are featured on this blog.

The recent chilly weather makes a great excuse to curl up on the couch and read, read, read! If you're not using the couch as a comfortable reading perch, take care that you aren't becoming a couch potato! If you find that you or a loved one is susceptible to couch-potato-itis, the library is here to help! Get up and get to the nearest library (preferably Missoula Public Library!)

After visiting us and selecting a book to keep you company, consider taking a look at these couch-themed web sites:

www.uglycouchcontest.com/

www.couchsurfing.org/

www.photobasement.com/anti-couch-potato/

www.couchpotatotrivia.com/

Spooky Selections

Zombies, and vampires, and werewolves! Oh my! It's October and we have some spooky audiobooks for your next read from our digital media download site.

You can download these books from our website, missoulapubliclibrary.org and listen to them on your computer or audio device (The button you click is "download audiobooks" on our website)

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Darkfall by Dean Koontz
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stephenson
• The Sacred Book of the Werewolf by Victor Pelevin
  

If this is your first time trying our digital media, here is an easy Quick Start Guide and your Library staff is available to assist you, as well.

As you're perusing our audiobooks site, let us know in the comment section below if you find any other spooky titles you'd like to share with all of us!

Banned Books Week Review blunders

It's hard to believe, but even librarians can make mistakes. Here are some funny moments from the filming of our Banned Books Week video reviews. Hope you enjoye the reviews (and outtakes) as much as we enjoyed making them!

We thank you, the animals thank you

Aaron from Animeals came and picked up the food we collected during Food for Fido last week.

Thanks to everyone who gave pet food in lieu of cash for their overdue fines! Each of you made an animal's life a little bit better.

Meow.

Speaking of hungry pets, today my cat Jasper returned after a few days of solitary adventuring, during which we were very concerned about him back at the homefront. As we were scouring the neighborhood searching and calling for him, several people assured us that it was perfectly natural for some cats, especially male cats with alley cat ancestry, to wander off for several days. However, because this is the first time that Jasper has disappeared overnight, these reassurances did little to calm my anxiety about his whereabouts, and until he showed up this afternoon (looking, I might add, very pleased with himself), I had been furiously brainstorming ways to find him. I did find, on several wesites, some very helpful tips on how to prevent pets from being lost and/or on finding lost pets. And now, since the whole situation seems monumentally less dire now that Jasper is back, I've celebrated his return (and all the helpful tips related to lost pets that the web has to offer) by creating a found poem about finding lost pets.

What is a found poem, you might be wondering? A found poem is when a writer pieces together a poem using language that he or she finds from other sources. Those sources could include anything: lines from old thrift store postcards, signs along the highway, blurbs from books... It's a fun excercise, and I'd encourage anyone who's interested in writing to give it a try. (Just make sure you cite your sources if appropriate to avoid plagarism!)

Here's the found poem I came up with using lines taken from the website http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/index.php?nic=pet-travel-tips

Found Poem

Carry a box of your pet's favorite biscuits, chews, or other treats and rattle it loudly while calling your pet's name.

Your budget will determine how many flyers you can afford to post, but the more the better.

Use your flashlight for checking under houses and other dark spots. Also check storage sheds, garages, dumpsters, trash cans, and under cars. Don't forget to look in trees for a cat.

Be aware that dogs may be housed in the cat section and vice-versa.

A person calls you claiming to be a long-haul trucker. This person does not have your pet, he is only trying to take your money.

And, of course, as a Missoula Public Library patron, you have access to lots of wonderful books on pets. Here are some popular pet titles for readers of all ages:

Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein (Easy)

Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey (Easy)

The Warrior Series by Erin Hunter (J-YA)

Cat Call by Linda Newberry (J-YA)

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Fiction)

The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care Rev. ed. by C.J. Puotinen, (Non-fiction)

Word Woman

Welcome to another thrilling episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! With the nights growing colder and longer, now is a good time to get back into the reading habit. So pack up the backyard badminton set, pull out your favorite comforter and curl up with a nice, cozy book. Word Woman's book of choice, of course, would be the dictionary - but what are you reading right now? A new novel by your favorite fiction author? A mouth-watering cookbook? A DIY guide to making a great Halloween costume using only carpet remnants and duct tape? Post a comment and let us know! Now, here's the Word of the Week:

Anxious class: [noun] a social stratum primarily worried about its jobs and household economies. -- "Hatchet Jobs and Hardball: The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang", Grant Barrett, Ed., Oxford University Press, New York, 2004.

Example: The current economic downturn has swelled the numbers of the anxious class to truly staggering proportions.

Banned Books Week Review

Our final 1-minute review in honor of Banned Books Week. Remember Banned Books Week is almost over, but you can get these titles at the library anytime!