Book Notes

I attended the Tennessee Association of School Librarians’ conference last weekend in Franklin, Tennessee.  It was a very good conference.  Deborah Wiles who had visited out school in the spring of 2007 was there.  I attended two of her sessions, and she was delightful.  I also got to meet Marcia Thornton Jones, author of the Bailey School Kids and Ghostville Elementary.  I hope to secure her as our visiting author for the spring of 2009.  Also on hand was Mary Downing Hahn whose book The Old Willis Place won the 2007 Volunteer State Book Award for the intermediate grades.  Scholastic Books sponsored her appearance and provided free personally autographed copies of that book.

Listening to authors speak about the creative process of writing is always inspirational. What I find most interesting is that every author I’ve heard speak talks about how important it is to keep a private journal of thoughts and ideas.  Also, they write almost every day even if it is just to jot down an idea.  I’ve always known writing was hard work, but children don’t realize that.  These authors may struggle for years to bring a book to completion.  Even a picture book takes time to construct so that every word serves a purpose.  My admiration for their abilities only grows with each author I am privileged to meet.

I bought the book on the day it came out, but it took a few days before I began to read it. I knew once I finished the book, it would be over. I guess I didn’t want it to end. Well, I have finished the book and the audio tape. (If you have never heard Jim Dale read a Harry Potter book, you are missing a rare treat!) So the Harry Potter saga is over, but we still have two more movies to look forward to seeing.

Will the books become classics? I hope so, but only time will tell. One of the tests of a good book is whether you enjoy re-reading it. If that is the case, then Harry passes. Well, at least for me. I’m ready to start over with the first one!

Thanks to a local radio station, I got to see a sneak preview of the newest Harry Potter movie – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was awesome! I’m so glad I had read the book before seeing it. Of course, they had to leave so much out, but it was still very well done. Less than two weeks until the final book comes out. I can hardly wait!!!

Harry Potter fans (including me) can hardly wait for this July. The movie version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is due for release on July 13th. And on July 21st, the last installment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be published. Although I am anxious to get my hands on the final book of J. K. Rowling’s series, I am almost sad to see it end. However, the author is such a wonderful storyteller! I can’t wait to see what other fabulous stories she has to tell.

I hope you are reading some great books this summer. I am on the tenth book of a historical fiction series by English writer Winston Graham about the Poldark family. He wrote a total of twelve books in the series, so I will have two more to read after I complete this one. Tell us about some of the good books you are reading this summer.

Welcome to the Lakeland Library. I am looking forward to a great year! This year students will have the opportunity to share information about books and to recommend titles to other students through this discussion page.