Katiem's blog

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a branch of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced the 2013 Youth Media Award winners.  The highlights are listed below.  See the full list here.  How many made the Hoover Public Library's best of lists?
Caldecott Medal
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Caldecott Honors
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, ilustrated by Jon Klassen
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small
Sleep Like a Tiger by Pamela Zagarenski

Newbery Medal
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Newbery Honors
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Prove you're ready for it by learning these fun facts:
#1 The average groundhog is 20 inches long and weighs 12-15 pounds.
#2 A baby groundhog is called a kit or a cub.
#3 A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed.
#4 The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
#5 Punxsutawney Phil first left his burrow on Gobbler's Knob on February 2, 1887.
#6 The Hoover Public Library is hosting a Groundhog Day party on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.   There will be a skit featuring the famous Punxsutawney Phil, followed by an animal shadow match game.  Party-goers will also make a Groundhog Day card and an official holiday top hat.  Groundhog punch will wet your whistle, and dirt cups will fill you up.  You no longer have to register for this event (ignore the PDF calendar).  Just follow the stars through the Kid Zone on Groundhog Day morning.

We had a nice turnout for our first Library Skills 101 class in September, so we're offering a repeat of the course on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.  Students will learn their way around the Hoover Public Library by embarking on a fun scavenger hunt.  There will also be a session on navigating the online catalog.  This class is geared for homeschoolers, grades 3-8.  There's no fee and no registration is required.  If you have any questions, contact our outreach librarian Katie Jane (that's me!) at 444-7839.

Konnichi wa!  The Teen Spot's Manga Club is meeting this Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.  Fans of Japanese culture will have the opportunity to discuss manga with other enthusiasts and enjoy a short anime film.  And for snacks . . . candy sushi!  You don't have to RSVP.  Just follow the stars to the Program Room.

Sometimes, we're so focused on the winners, we overlook the runners-up.  And that is a big mistake!  In fact, in the case of the Newbery and Printz Awards, the runners-up are often more popular than the medalists.  Don't believe me?  Check out these lists of our staff's favorite honor books and see for yourself.  Find even more great runners-up when the 2013 Newbery and Printz Honor books are announced on Monday, January 28, 2013.

The Caldecott Medal is awarded every year to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children.  It was founded in 1938 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2013.  The Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Assocation, commissioned 2008 medalist Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret) to design this commemorative logo, which includes characters from some of the past winning books:
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1942)
Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans (1954)
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1963)
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1964)
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon (1976)
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (1996)
For these and more, visit the Caldecott Award section in the Kid Zone.  On your way there, stop by the special Caldecott display along the starred hallway.  Vote for your favorite illustrated book of 2012.  If your pick wins the 2013 Caldecott Medal (announced on Monday, January 28, 2013), your name will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of that book. 
 

Sherlock Holmes, created by author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first appeared in 1887.  The fictional detective quickly became famous for his uncanny ability to draw conclusions from the smallest details.  Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson are just as popular today as when they debuted.  There are two television shows -- Sherlock (BBC) and Elementary (CBS) -- and a series of blockbuster movies starring Robert Downey, Jr.  There is also an exciting book series by Andrew Lane, and the newest release, Black Ice, comes out on Tuesday, January 22, 2013.  Once you're read all three Young Sherlock Holmes titles, you'll want to start another series inspired by the great detective.  This list will help you do just that.

We've made a resolution to read more books in 2013. How about you?

Are you a snack food connoisseur?  Do your study, gaming, and television sessions typically include some munchies?  Do you think you could differentiate between your favorite junk food and a cheap imitator?  Put your snacking skills to the test at the Teen Spot's Mystery Food Tasting on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.  And while you're at the library, pick up one of these books featuring teen foodies.

FICTION
A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Change Compestine

A love out of time.  A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Beth Revis's Across the Universe trilogy "just might make sci-fi cool again." (Booklist review)  The final book, Shades of Earth, comes out this Tuesday, January 15, 2013.  If you haven't yet discovered the drama aboard Godspeed, make sure you start at the beginning.  For more information, go to one of the following websites:
http://www.bethrevis.com/books/
This is the official author webpage.  It showcases reviews, book trailers, an author interview, and a fan art gallery.
http://acrosstheuniversebooks.com/