Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma, were deeply in love and very supportive of each other, but their opinions often clashed. Emma was extremely religious, and Charles questioned God's very existence.

Resolutions

It's the time of year when people start making New Year's resolutions. Whether we share them or not, I know we all make them. Perhaps instead of making a promise to better ourselves, we can make a promise to better the world? Better yet, OUR immediate world that WE live in. Young Adult authors Kay Cassidy, Alyson Noel, Tera Lynn Childs and Becca Fitzpatrick have started a website and movement of "Living Your Five." So what is Living Your Five?

"Living Your Five is about making the world a better place, one person and one day at a time. It's about knowing what you care about and how you want to make a difference in your world."

Check out Kay, Alyson, Tera and Becca's Five. What would your Five be?

What Would Emma Do?

What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook

While juggling friendship issues, a love triangle-turned-square, and escalating mayhem in her small religious town, Emma realizes she has to stop trying to please everyone around her and figure out what she wants for herself.

Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI

Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI by Ryan Smithson

Ryan Smithson joined the Army Reserve when he was seventeen. Two years later, he was deployed to Iraq as an Army engineer. In this extraordinary and harrowing memoir, readers march along one GI's tour of duty. It will change the way you feel about what it means to be an American.

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the December 29, 2009 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

Player's Ruse by Hilari Bell







Captivate by Carrie Jones







Darklight by Lesley Livingston







Tangled by Carolyn Mackler







Heartless by Sara Shepard







My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent







DVDs:

Glee - Season 1, Vol. 1







Jennifer's Body







9







Paranormal Activity







Graphic Novels:

Fairy Tail, Vol. 9 by Hiro Mashima

What's On Tap?

Not much, still the holidays.

Monday, December 28:
Movie Mondays @ Orange Cove, 4-6pm

Tuesday, December 29:
Wii Gaming @ Fowler, 4-5:30pm

Wednesday, December 30:
Nothing scheduled

Thursday, December 31:
ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSURE

Friday, January 1, 2010:
LIBRARY CLOSED FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY

Reminder

Just a reminder that all Fresno libraries will be closed today and tomorrow and also on December 31st and January 1st. I can't believe 2009 is almost over! It's been a great year.

Happy Holidays from all of us at RWL!

Free eBook

My favorite four letter word is FREE! So I was thrilled to find out this morning that Maureen Johnson is giving away free digital copies of her book, Suite Scarlett to everyone! All you have to do is click here for the book. If you want to know why she is doing it, you can check out her blog. You can download the book any number of ways, so go get it so you are ready for the sequel, Scarlett Fever, when it comes out in February.

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the December 22, 2009 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain







Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore







Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey







True Love : Three Novels by Lurlene McDaniel







Wanderlust by Lucy Silag







CDs:

Stronger with Each Tear - Mary J. Blige






DVDs:

All About Steve







District 9







Extract







(500) Days of Summer







Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side

What's on Tap?

Very light week.

Monday, December 21:
Movie Mondays @ Orange Cove, 4-6pm

Tuesday, December 22:
Nothing scheduled

Wednesday, December 23:
Art Smart @ Mendota, 3-5pm

Thursday, December 24:
ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSURE

Friday, December 25:
LIBRARY CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

Best of 2009

I love this time of year because, in addition to copious amounts of cookies, we get to reflect back on the last 12 months and choose our favorite things. We're also subjected to everyone else's best of lists...did you think Read.Watch.Listen would be different? Ha! So, here it is--our favorites from 2009. Enjoy.

Books

• Gina: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - edge of your seat awesomeness
• Connie: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han & Beautiful by Amy Lyn Reed - two heart-wrenching stories about beauty and so much more
• Faythe: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - There were a lot of favorites this year, but since we are picking our favorites of 2009, I chose this one. Not just another vampire story. I just really loved it.
• Lisa: If I Stay by Gayle Forman- this is one of many not to be missed books from this year and I can't wait for the movie!!!!

Music

• Gina: Far by Regina Spektor - she's a jack of all instruments, plus she’s interesting and smart
• Connie: Give Up the Ghost by Brandi Carlile - I could listen to her voice all day (and often do)
• Faythe: (songs)



• “Little Pieces” from A New Tide by Gomez
• “My Love” from Ray Guns are Not Just the Future by The Bird and the Bee
• “Maybe” from Everybody by Ingrid Michaelson



• Lisa: I've been listening to so many podcasts these days that I can't even think of any new music so... my favorite podcast of late is This American Life.
  

Movies

• Gina: Fantastic Mr. Fox - stop animation has a place in my heart and so does Roald Dahl
• Connie: Up - Funny and touching. I'm also convinced that if I actually saw Precious that would be a favorite too.
• Faythe: Star Trek - I didn't see a lot of movies this year, but I loved this one.
• Lisa: New Moon - What kind of Team Jacob fan would I be if I didn't list this movie as my fave?

TV Shows

• Gina: Intervention on A&E - I will never, ever do drugs
• Connie: Glee and The Soup - because they both have great lines I can repeat over & over again to make myself giggle
• Faythe: Glee - I love the one liners! A close second is Family Guy (I have a twisted sense of humor)
• Lisa: my household has been left behind with the digital convertor mandate (we only get 1.5 channels) but I am a fan of Glee on Hulu.
  
  

Video Games

• Gina: New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii - I grew up on this stuff
• Connie: Beatles Rock Band or Wii Fit Plus (especially the yoga part)
• Faythe: Ghostbusters and Mini Ninjas both for the PS3
• Lisa: Bix on my iPhone - I had a serious addition to this game and had to quit cold turkey.

Websites

• Gina: http://goanimate.com/ - I can't draw, but I can animate!
• Connie: Etsy - awesome handmade stuff; it's like the world's biggest street fair
• Faythe: Crazy Days and Nights - my daily look at popular culture and gossip with snark!
• Lisa: Twitter - I am still addicted.

Technology

• Gina: iPhone - everything I need in one pocket
• Connie: iPhone - I have a serious addiction to the app store
• Faythe: iPhone - I finally caved in and got one this year. I don't know how I lived with out it.
• Lisa: Google Wave - I've played just enough to know this is gonna be BIG.

What we're most looking forward to in 2010

• Gina: Lost season 6, next Hunger Games, a better economy, Alice in Wonderland, Ramona and Beezus, Ape House by Sara Gruen, the Clash of the Titans remake, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Inception
• Connie: This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer, It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han, the next Hunger Games book, American Idol with Ellen DeGeneres judging, Sex & the City movie sequel
• Faythe: This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer, (I’d say Jekel Loves Hyde, but I already have it! Hee), Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green, Date Night and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1.
• Lisa: the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 and a new iPhone.

What are your best of choices for 2009?

Get Wild!

Have you Built Your Wild Self yet?  Create a new you by choosing your hair, eyes, ears and tail. Here's the one I made:

Aren't I cute? I've got Thomson's gazelle horns, spear-nosed bat ears, an Asian elephant trunk, giant tree frog arms, orb spider legs, and a ring-tailed lemur tail. Oh, and a headband.

What are you waiting for? Go get wild!

Give It A Ponder

A very, very serious message about a very, very serious subject.



(But seriously, tell an adult you trust if you are being cyberbullied by ANYONE. For more info go to stopcyberbullying.org.)

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the December 15, 2009 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet







The Boy in the Dress by David Williams







CDs:

The Element of Freedom - Alicia Keyes






Sex Therapy: The Session by Robin Thicke






DVDs:

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard







The Hangover







Inglourious Basterds







The Tudors - Season 3







Graphic Novels:

Moon Boy, Vol. 7 Youngyou Lee

What's on Tap?

Not much going on this week as the holidays approach.

Monday, December 14:
Homework Help @ Mendota, 3-6pm
Homework Help @ Woodward, 3:30-5pm
Study Hall @ Woodward, 3:30-5pm
Movie Mondays @ Orange Cove, 4-6pm


Tuesday, December 15:
Homework Help @ Mendota, 3-6pm

Wednesday, December 16:
Homework Help @ Mendota, 3-6pm
Gingerbread Houses @ Mendota, 3:30-5:30pm
Homework Help @ Woodward, 3:30-5pm
Study Hall @ Woodward, 3:30-5pm
Name that Tune @ Sunnyside, 6-8pm

Thursday, December 17:
Homework Help @ Mendota, 3-6pm
Connect with the Classics - The Good Earth @ Woodward, 7-8pm

Friday, December 18:
Wii Gaming @ Fowler, 4-5:30pm

Video Games: Tony Hawk Ride

Whoa! Check out a preview of the groundbreaking skateboard controller in the brand new Tony Hawk: Ride.

Fallen series

Fallen (series) by Lauren Kate

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Catch this series from the beginning:

1. Fallen
2. Torment
3. Passion
4. Rapture

Stories + Cool Characters = Awesome Cartoons!

GoAnimate is one of my fav new sites where anyone can create a cartoon. (Or, as it says on the site, "we make it easy for a chihuahua with its legs attached behind its back to use.")

Upload your own photos, sounds and music. Spice up a slideshow. Why not make a cartoon as a school project? Impress your friends and family!

(You need to sign up, but don't worry, it's free. And, there are tons of video tutorials to help get you started.)

Here's one I made: Library Card by grrb
.

What are you waiting for?! GoAnimate!

New Moon Spoof!

Another hilarious spoof by the NigaHiga Boys!

Join the Queue

Every Tuesday new books, CDs, and DVDs are released into the world. Instead of buying them, check them out at your library!

Here are some of the December 8, 2009 releases that the library has on order. Place your hold now to get it sooner!

Books:

Fallen by Lauren Kate







Winter's End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat







What If . . . All Your Dreams Came True by Liz Ruckdeschel and Sara James







I So Don't Do Spooky by Barrie Summy







CDs:

Graffiti - Chris Brown






Glee: The Music, Vol. 2







Malice N Wonderland by Snoop Dogg






This is War - 30 Seconds to Mars






Shock Value, Vol. 2 - Timbaland






DVDs:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince







Julie & Julia







Lost - Season 5







Public Enemies







World's Greatest Dad







Graphic Novels:

.hack//alcor by Amou Kanami







O-parts Hunter, Vol. 19 by Seishi Kishimoto







D.N.Angel, Vol. 13 by Yukiru Sugisaki







Inuyasha, Vol. 43 by Rumiko Takahashi







Gundam 00f Manga, Vol. 1 by Koichi Tokita