Favourite Reads of 2008 - The Librarian's Pick Part Four. . .

Back to Calgary we go. Today's list comes from Sarah Jones, the Customer Services Manager at the Central Branch of Calgary Public Library.

My top ten reads for 2008:

Exit Music by Ian Rankin
I don’t know what I’m going to do without Rebus, but I did enjoy this final installment in the series. When I end up in Scotland – my first stop will be at the Oxford Bar to honour this character who feels like a slightly flawed old friend.

Still Life by Louise Penny
A cozy mystery set in a small town that I didn’t want to leave – so I immediately put the other two books on hold.

Contrary Infatuations by Dymphny Dronyk
One of the annual Quartet launch by Frontenac House, a book of poetry that evokes the plains of Alberta where farmers and oil companies face off over land.

The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
A wonderful collection of 40 vignettes of people who are changed by the freezing of the Thames over the centuries.

The Outlander by Gil Adamson
Set in the early 1900’s, a young woman flees through the mountains and the forest, and ends up in the town of Frank, right before the slide. Great!

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
The queen becomes obsessed with reading and doesn’t want to do anything else. My favourite part is when she tours Canada and her books get lost, only to become a display in the library in Calgary! Very funny.

The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
The zaniness of this road trip really resonated with me, and I loved Thebes, the precocious young girl who is trying to keep it all together.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
I love anything set in Scotland, particularly if it includes a bit of history. I couldn’t
put this book down.

Turtle Valley by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
Set in the Okanagan during the summer when forest fires threatened, I loved the way the fire moved the story along and almost became another character in the novel.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrow
I love letters, and the people in these make the story – they seem like your next door neighbours, both wonderful and slightly nutty.

I’m the Customer Service Manager of the 4th Floor of the Central Library at Calgary Public Library. The 4th Floor holds Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, History, Literature, Travel, Local History, and Genealogy – so I’ve got the best of the library (in my humble opinion…) I’m a passionate reader and my favourite place to read is in my big leather chair, with my cat on my lap and a glass of wine beside me. Here’s hoping you can spend time this holiday season doing the same - Sarah Jones.

Nobel Lecture available online. . .

J.M.G. Le Clézio gave his Nobel Lecture over the weekend and you can read it in full here (thanks to the Literary Saloon for the link). It's well worth printing out, reading it in full, and passing it on to hungry readers everywhere. Le Clézio extols the virtues and the absolute need for reading, and calls upon readers - and publishers in particular - to keep global culture alive by publishing literature in translation and making it as accessible and as affordable to as many people as they can. Of course libraries play an enormous role in this.

Le Clézio's work is slowly being made available in English. This week, Simon and Schuster will be re-issuing his 1964 novel The Interrogration.

The Best Translated Fiction of 2008. . .

The long-list for the Best Translated Book of 2008 has just been announced. The judges are not only looking for the best translation but also the best translated book, so this is a great recommended reading list if you are looking to branch out and tackle some international literature. Make it your new year's resolution! The full list of nominees is here and it's a terrific one. I'm thrilled to see Victor Serge's Unforgiving Years and Stefan Zweig's The Post-Office Girl on the list as both were Dewey favourites of mine this year. A shortlist of 10 titles will be announced on January 27th and the winner on February 19th.

Posy Simmonds drew a winner. . .

Hooray! Posy Simmonds has won France's prestigous Le Grand Prix 2009 for her graphic novel Tamara Drewe. You can read about in French here. The graphic novel or bande dessinée has always been huge in France so this is a terrific honour - she was picked as the winner out of 3,500 entries. The book is a loose retelling of Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd with lots of fun literary jokes thrown in. Suitable for young adults as well, although there is some sex. You can read my review here.

Favourite Reads of 2008 - A Library Wholesaler's Picks Part Two. . .

Today's lists come from Ron Stadnik, the adult Collection Development Specialist at Library Bound Inc. An avid reader, he was unable to narrow the choice down to just 10 (believe me, we all understand, Ron) and so here is his list of top 10 fiction reads and top 10 non-fiction reads of 2008.

Ron Stadnik's Picks:
These are all books that I raved and ranted and pleaded with others to read, books that in some way shook or tore the fabric of time itself for me, transporting me through time and space to other places past and present. All of the non-fiction books transcend their subject matter, which is to say that you needn't climb mountains, listen to country music, be a runner, surf or have an interest in the Dominican Republic or read "spiritual" books to enjoy them.

Fiction Picks:




The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
The Other by David Guterson
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The English Major by Jim Harrison
Cockroach by Rawi Hage
Life at these Speeds by Jeremy Jackson
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
Swan Peak by James Lee Burke
Paranoid Park by Blake Nelson (Young Adult)
King of Lies by John Hart

Non-fiction Picks:




Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
Into Thick Air by Jim Malusa
Dead Man in Paradise by J.B. MacKinnon
Fatal Tide by David Leach
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
Warrior Girls by Michael Sokolove
Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death and Country Music by Dana Jennings
Reluctant Genius by Charlotte Gray
On a Wave: a Surfer Boyhood by Thad Ziolkowski
High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an age of Greed by Michael Kodas


"The book guy" at Library Bound for 15 years, Ron Stadnik does Bestseller List selections, manages print ARPs, and can often be found harassing Dewey Divas for Advance Reading Copies.

Favourite Reads of 2008 - Librarians' Picks Part Three. . .

Just a hop, skip, jump (and a highway sign that says 99 km) away from London, Ontario, is the lovely town of Chatham. Which is where today's picks hail from. The staff at the Chatham-Kent Public Library system got together to nominate their favourites and this is their group effort:

Chatham-Kent Public Library 2008 Staff Picks:

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
An engrossing tale that delves into a specific part of Canada’s Black history.

Sarah’s Key by Tatania de Rosnay
An historical work set in Paris during the Second World War. Sarah’s Key tells two tales - one of Sarah’s ordeal as a French Jew and the other of Julia, a journalist, investigating the anniversary of Vel d’Hiv’. While researching this dark time in French history Julia discovers that there are family ties to Sarah and is compelled to dig deeper.

Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy
Every Last Cuckoo is the story of 75 year old Sarah Lucas after the death of her husband. Instead of closing herself off from the world (her first instinct), she opens herself and her home to a bunch of misfits.

The Shack by William Young
This is a sad story about a father struggling with grief after the loss of his 6 year old daughter.

What Happened Later by Ray Robertson
CKPL is particularly proud to recommend Ray’s latest book. He is a former Chatham native who still pops back to speak to local English classes and perform readings at his hometown library. This is an entertaining and fast paced story that chronicles a young man’s arrival into adulthood while exploring the last road trip of Jack Kerouac.

The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff
From the author of The Kommandant’s Girl comes the story of Marta Nederman. She has survived the Second World War but unfortunately after the death of her American boyfriend she finds herself pregnant. She then marries a British Diplomat and while Marta is comfortable and content in the marriage there is no real passion. All is going well until her past comes back to haunt her.

The Ha-Ha by Dave King
A debut novel that tells the story of Howard a Vietnam War veteran who is unable to speak due to a severe blow to his head. A thought-provoking work and a storyline that stays with the reader.

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
Need we say anything other than Giller choice!

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
A dark tale centering on a boy and his dogs, with a wilderness survival and a dash of mystery. It has been on MacLean’s Bestseller Fiction, Globe & Mail’s Bestseller Fiction as well as an Oprah Book Club choice.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The narrator of the story simultaneously repulsed, fascinated and amused. The book is compelling and romantic and the kind of story that really sticks with the reader.

Chatham-Kent Public Library is located in South Western Ontario. We are an 11 branch system open approximately 311 hours per week. Close to 15,000 books are checked out on a weekly basis throughout our system. Our staff are avid and varied readers always ready to recommend a good book to our patrons. Stop by anytime for a recommendation!! www.chatham-kent.ca/ckat

New York Times Notable Children's Books 2008

To add to Maylin's posting yesterday, the New York Times has also posted their picks for the top children's books of 2008. Of the eight books selected, four are Dewey Diva picks from either Fall or Spring!

• Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein (Little Brown)
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)
• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor)
• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox (Harcourt)

They also have announced their picks for Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008. There are three Dewey picks on the list:

• Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein (Little Brown)
• We are the Ship by Kadir Nelson (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion)
• The Little Yellow Leaf by (Harper Collins)

I'm in the process of reviewing my advance materials for Spring 2009, and I've already come across a few that I'm sure will be on many 'best of 2009' lists. Keep checking back- I'm going to post a Spring preview soon!

Attention Teachers & Percy Jackson Fans!

The Disney Book Group is hosting a very cool contest for schools leading up to the publication of the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Last Olympian (releasing May 5th, 2009). The Percy Jackson Mythology Bee is open to schools across North America (excluding Quebec, sorry). It works like a spelling bee, but instead of testing vocabulary, kids (ages 10-15) are quizzed on their knowledge of Greek Mythology. It is not a requirement that students read the books before entering the Mythology Bee as many of the questions are not referenced in the series.

Here's how it works. Students compete against each other in a series of written and oral tests. A winner is selected by the school principal based on test results, and receives a medal and winner's certificate. The principal then submits the winning student's name to Disney Books to be entered in the Sweepstakes. The prizes for the sweepstakes are fantastic- the Grand Prize is a trip for four to Greece with author Rick Riordan, first prize is a trip for four to Camp Half-Blood in Austin, Texas, and there are fifteen second prizes consisting of an autographed set of all five books in the series!

The names of all Mythology Bee winners must be submitted (postmarked) by April 27th 2009 and received by Disney Hyperion Books in New York by May 4th. Full contest rules and instructions are included in the kit, along with the questions (and answer keys) for each stage of the bee. Also included are the medal for the winner, certificates for the winner and two runner-ups, and buttons for the remaining contestants.

Does this sound like something your students would enjoy? Order a kit for your classroom! In Canada, schools can request kits by e-mailing me at rosalyn.steele@hbfenn.com. Requests or questions from teachers in the U.S. should be directed to: childrens.marketing@disney.com

Dewey and Beyond! Pets in Libraries

I've been talking a lot about the book Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World this season. It's the Marley & Me for cat lovers!

I've had a great deal of interest in the book, so there are obviously many people out there who love true stories about animals and how they can change lives. If you are one of those people, you might want to check out an article written for a School Library Journal 'Extra Helping' newsletter about pets in school libraries- check it out here.

New York Times Picks Their Ten Best Books for 2008. . .

The New York Times has just announced its Ten Best Books for 2008 - I always hope that I've read at least one book on this annual list. This year (hooray) I've read three (with one already on the bedside table awaiting the holidays). Two of them were my own Dewey picks and the other made my Top Ten List as well. I'm quite proud of my company which (in Canada) publishes or distributes eight out of the ten books. In the U.S. they publish nine out of the ten which is quite an extraordinary achievement for a single year. We're usually pretty happy if we get one book on this list.

Here's the list:

Fiction:

Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser

A Mercy by Toni Morrison

Netherland by Joseph O'Neill

2666 by Roberto Bolano

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Nonfiction:

The Dark Side by Jane Mayer

The Forever War by Dexter Filkins

Nothing to Be Frightened Of by Julian Barnes

This Republic of Suffering by Drew Gilpin Faust

The World Is What It Is by Patrick French

A New Library Lending Experience - the Living Book?

Here's an interesting article from The Guardian. A couple of British libraries are experimenting with lending out a "living book" for an hour - an actual person that would talk to patrons about their own personal experiences. In the examples they cite, a blind woman talks about how she performs her daily tasks, a female vicar answers questions about sexual abstention, or a Muslim woman provides information about her religion. You can read about it here. No details on what the late fines would be.

Favourite Reads of 2008 - Librarian's Picks Part Two. . .

Off to London, Ontario today with two more quirky lists from librarians with the London Public Library. Cheryl Dinsdale is the fiction selector and David McCord keeps the shelves stocked with non-fiction. Here's what they enjoyed reading this year.

Cheryl Dinsdale's list:

The Box of Delights by John Masefield
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The House At Riverton by Kate Morton
The House on Fortune Street by Margot Livesey
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue
The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson
The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill
What Was Lost by Catherine O’Flynn
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

Cheryl Dinsdale is the fiction selection librarian at London Public Library. When not frantically reading ARCs, she spends her spare time attempting to play golf and dreaming of vacations in Hawaii.

David McCord's List:

1. Atonement by Ian McEwan
2. A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

3. Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth by Margaret Atwood

4. Over and Over: A Catalog of Hand-Drawn Patterns by Michael Perry

5. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

6. The Endless City by Ricky Burdett and Deyan Sudjic

7. Gustav Klimt: The Ronald S. Lauer and Serge Sabarsky Collections by Renee Price

8. The Faces of World War I: The Great War in Words and Pictures by Ian Hislop and Max Arthur

9. The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

10. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

David McCord is a librarian who selects Adult Nonfiction for London Public Library and is interested in music, film and learning to play piano, particularly impossible pieces by late Romantic composers.