Book Display Ideas: September

Fall is just around the corner. Halloween stuff is popping up in stores. School is starting or has started for most students. Here in New England the leaves will start changing and the reds, yellows, and oranges will be magical. It's time for some new book display ideas...as always, the display pictures are from Pinterest unless otherwise stated. 

September is Back to School:

Book Lists: School Books, Boarding School Books

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/350577152226402416/

September 6th is Read a Book Day

Book Lists: Books with books mentioned 

Try with Library Staff or Make Interactive 

September 10th is Sewing Machine Day

Book Lists: Fashionista Fiction - an older list.

Display Idea: Book Dress

Ouachita Parish Public Library 

September 12th is National Video Game Day

Book Lists: A little older, but still valid list

Display Idea: (But with books)

Bookmans Phoenix Video Game Display

September 13th is National Fortune Cookie Day

Display Idea: Cootie Catcher with genres and authors listed

Book Lists: Make it a variety of new and old books

For Kids:

September 9th is Teddy Bear Day

Book Ideas: Books with Teddy Bears

Winnie the Pooh, Paddington, Corduroy... 

September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day

Display Idea: Turn your Circulation Desk into a Pirate Ship 

Book Ideas: Pirate Books

I'm using this photo for inspiration this year.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/371547037992161927/

September 22nd is Elephant Appreciation Day

Book Ideas:Elephant Books

If these don't work for you, check out my Pinterest board filled with awesome libraries and their displays

Top Ten Tuesday: Required Reading for High School Students

This week's topic is school related and our choice. I chose Required Reading for High School Students. I hear a lot about books taught in high school that probably should be taught in college instead. I hear about teachers analyzing books to death making students not like reading even if they did like that book. As a public librarian, my job is to hand out books for fun reading, but who says these books can't be used to teach? So hear are the books I think all high school students should read.

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

Nonfiction 

Tween Tuesday Review: Genie in a Bottle

 * Book 9 in the Whatever After series *

Abby and Jonah fall into Aladdin after trying to help Maryrose, the mirror fairy. Once inside the new fairy tale, of course things get mixed up.

Abby and Jonah become the ones to search for the lamp instead of Aladdin. Abby doesn't think this plan is terrible because she can use the genie to free Maryrose.

Unfortunately her wish isn't clear and the genie frees himself. instead. Now Abby must deal with a novice genie who can't always grant her wish. Abby gets three wishes a day, but when the wishes go haywire, it's hard figuring out how Aladdin can win over the Princess's father.

My Thoughts: I really enjoy these books. I like how things go wrong, but Abby and Jonah try to fix it. Even though the fairy tales don't turn out exactly like the books, everything seems to work out in the end. I like how they tried to help Maryrose. I liked their interaction with the genie. I really enjoyed Aladdin and his mother and how sweet they were to Abby and Jonah even though they didn't have a surplus of food or really anything. Another fun addition to the series.

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for all Children's Departments.

We have the whole set at my library, and most of the summer, all the books were checked out.

Book 10: Sugar and Spice coming November 29th

Upcoming Review: Last Man Out

Tommy loves football. He lives for it both on and off the field. During one of the most important games of the season, he hears the fire whistle. He knows his dad's out there battling the flames.

It isn't until afterwards that he learns the truth - his father didn't make it out. He always said be the first man in and the last man out, but not this time.

Now Tommy, his sister, and his mother must learn to live without him. Tommy becomes angry at the world and a little reckless. His sister Em quits the soccer team and shuts out the world. And their mom just tries to keep everyone together.

My Thoughts: I really liked this book. It made me tear up twice in the first few pages and it certainly tugged at my heartstrings a few more times. I liked the football moments. I liked learning more about Tommy's dad. He had great philosophies. I liked the moments between Tommy and his sister - how he tried to coax her out of her shell after the death of their father. 

The one problem I had was Tommy's age. The back cover of the ARC didn't mention Tommy's age and it wasn't until page 170 that it was mentioned. From the rest of the book, I thought he was older at least 14 if not 16 from the way he acted.  It changed the perspective of the book for me. 

Cover Thoughts: Great - Love the placement of the two helmets
Source: Book sent for review
Release Date: September 13th
Library Recommendation: Perfect for tween library collection - both school and public libraries. 

Mysterious Saturday Review: Caught Bread Handed

 * Book 4 in the Bakeshop Mystery Series * 

Drama comes to Ashland - in the form of Jules's husband and in a new restaurant. Jules isn't sure what to do about her relationship. Should she forgive Carlos? Should they be reunited? She loves seeing him in her hometown, but is that enough?

The new restaurant in town is making everyone miserable. A fast food joint shouldn't be part of the community, especially without blending into the Shakespeare theme. When the owner is found dead - suspicions arise on the angry business owners.

Jules walked in after the murder. With so many people angry at the victim, it's going to hard looking for just one person who committed the crime.  

My  Thoughts: I really love this series - I love the town, the people, and the bakeshop. I love how Jules is torn between Carlos and the town and what direction her life will take. I love the new ideas for the bakeshop, especially for the chocolate festival (which means I can't wait to read the next book). With all the food describe, this book makes my mouth water. I admit that I enjoyed learning more about Carlos. I'm starting to warm up to him a bit more. A fantastic addition to the series.

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for cozy sections at all public libraries.

My Favorite Performances by Child Actors a Guest Post from Lygia Day Peñaflor

From Little House to Fresh Off the Boat: My Favorite Performances by Child Actors

by Lygia Day Peñaflor

In Unscripted Joss Byrd, Joss’s manager tells her to watch the 1973 movie Paper Moon to study Tatum O’Neal’s Oscar-winning performance. This serves as the gold standard of acting for Joss, and the film provides her with comfort and courage during tough times. In addition to Paper Moon, here are my other favorite performances by child actors (in no particular order):

Mae Whitman as “Bernice Pruitt” in Hope Floats

Fred Savage and Danica McKellar as “Kevin &Winnie” in The Wonder Years

Hudson Yang as “Eddie Huang” in Fresh Off the Boat

Melissa Gilbert as “Laura Ingalls” in Little House on the Prairie

Sara Gilbert as “Darlene Conner” in Rosanne

Quvenzhané Wallis as “Hushpuppy” in Beasts of the Southern Wild

Abigail Breslin as “Olive Hoover” in Little Miss Sunshine

Ricky Schroder as “T.J.” in The Champ

River Phoenix as “Chris Chambers” in Stand by Me

Todd Bridges as “Solomon” in Little House on the Prairie

Ke Huy Quan as “Short Round” in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Corey Haim as “Lucas Bly” in Lucas

Oona Laurence as “Leila Hope” in Southpaw

Jacob Tremblay as “Jack” in Room

UNSCRIPTED JOSS BYRD by Lygia Day Peñaflor

On sale August 23, 2016

Roaring Brook Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this affecting debut novel, a child actor struggles to find herself on a film set where only one thing matters: getting the money shot.

Joss Byrd is America's most celebrated young actress, and her next project is a hot new Indie film helmed by a renowned, charismatic director. But on the set of The Locals, Joss's life is far from glamorous. Her mother is domineering and relentless, her dyslexia makes it difficult to keep up with the constantly changing script, the boy playing her older brother doesn't seem to reciprocate Joss's crush, and the film's gritty subject matter terrifies her. Yet none of these things appear to matter to Joss's agent, director, or even her mother. Joss is just a cash cow, and no one cares what she has to do for the perfect shot-as long as she gets it somehow.

Author Lygia Day Peñaflor's draws on her firsthand experience as a private academic teacher for young Hollywood stars in this affecting debut novel that explores the many demands made on young actors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lygia Day Peñaflor attended the Sarah Lawrence College Writers Seminar and received a scholarship to Southampton Writers Conference based on this manuscript. A graduate of Boston University and Columbia Teachers College, she is a private academic teacher for young Hollywood stars. Her students have included the young casts of Gossip Girl and Boardwalk Empire as well as Jay-Z's reboot of Annie. She lives on Long Island.

Review: Mother Daughter Book Camp

* Book 7 in the Mother Daughter Book Club Series *

The summer before college Emma, Jess, Megan, Becca, and Cassidy become counselors at Camp Lovejoy in the wilds of New Hampshire. Besides looking after their darlings, they each have an activity to teach.

To combat the homesickness of the younger girls, the five friends decide to hold a book club at camp - reading Understood Betsy. Of course camp wouldn't be the same without hijinks and a little mayhem. 

My Thoughts: I'm glad this series came back for one more final book because I adore these characters (dare I hope for a spin-off series next?).  I loved learning more about the five friends' plans for the future. I liked the younger girls adjusting to camp. I love how the five adjusted along with the younger girls as it was their first time too. I really loved this series and the ending was fantastic.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: A must have for libraries with the rest of the series

Harry Potter Book Tags

A little while ago, I was searching for something fun for the blog and I came across these tags. SO of course I had to participate! Kimberly made these awesome tags - check her post out here.  I'm going to try to limit them to books read this year. And here I go...

Grabby Hands on an Upcoming Release

Anything she writes, I will read.

Favorite series starter

So different and yet both so good.

Book that gave you the warm fuzzies

travel - banter - dogs- romance 

What's not to love?

Book that made you cry - hard

I cried about three times in the first 20 pages...but a really good book.

Heroine you'd want to protect you in real life

Jocelyn has the skills, but hopefully that would never happen because I lead a quiet life.

A Book you wish you could make EVERYONE read because it's just that good

Trust me, just read it!

Book series you wish Never ended

Loved both of these series and I understand why they ended, but I will miss them.

Book with an uplifting final message

A good heart is worth more than anything

An author who can always get you out of a reading slump

Meg Cabot books always make me happy

Swoon worthy hero - aka my new book boyfriend

Clark!

Book that made you forget the rest of the world because you HAD to keep reading

So many books are like this for me, but Defending Taylor was the latest, And all Miranda Kenneally books are like that for me.

Book that made you laugh out loud

Janet Evanovich always makes me laugh. 

Book world where you'd love to visit

I would love to visit with the Bridgertons 

Book with shocking twists and turns

This series always has me on the edge of my seat