Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Horror Review - Renfield: Slave of Dracula!

In the spirit of Halloween, this week we highlight a fantastic new twist on one of the seminal works of 19th century gothic horror - Dracula.

With Renfield, Barbara Hambly further explores the tormented story of Dracula's mad minion. Hambly shows the story through the maniac's eyes: his sick obsession with flies and spiders; his connection to the evil Count; the dreams that plague him in the night, and the terrible events that left him raving in the streets of London. Too, we see the man's deepest, most secret motivation - the loving wife and daughter whose whereabouts he must keep from his Master at all costs, even as he falls deeper under the monster's dark power, seeking to make it his own.

As with the original tale, the narrative is a mosaic of disparate pieces - an amalgam of third person prose, journal entries, letters and newspaper clippings. The story of Renfield takes place simultaneously with the events of Dracula, and even includes relevant excerpts from Stoker's novel. Yet Ms. Hambly still manages to create a story that is both original and suspensful: though we know the story of Dracula as deeply as any in the popular mythos, this tale is as terrifying as if it had never been told before. Each character is beholden to his own torment, and Barbara Hambly deftly draws us into their personal horror with a sense of helpless inevitability.

If you are looking for something to bring you into the spirit of the season, this is the book for you.

Monday, October 27, 2008

This Week at Watha T. Oct. 27 - Nov 2

Good morning neighbors!

This is the last week of our outdoor movie festival and the turnout has been fantastic! Please make sure to stop by and see the final show and tell us what you thought about the event. Also, November begins this Saturday and that means it's National Novel Writing Month! Stop by and join the

Monday, Oct. 27

3:30: Homework Help from Capitol Letters Writing Center

Tuesday, Oct. 28

10:00: Rock Along with Casey
4:00: Tech Tuesday: Digital Photography

Wednesday, Oct. 29

10:00: Storytime with Miss Tracy
6:00: Youth Chess Club
6:30: Non-Drive-In Movies: The Ring

Thursday, Oct. 30

9:45: Mother Goose on the Loose for infants and toddlers

Friday, Oct. 31

Halloween: Stop in before 5:30 and children and teens get a free book!

Saturday, Nov. 1

10:00: Preschool Breakfast Club
12:00: National Novel Writing Month Workshop
2:00: Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skulls

Sunday, Nov. 2

Daylight Savings Time ENDS. Fall back one hour.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Eats, Shoots & Leaves - review

For anyone who cringes every time they see a sign for 'fresh' fruit; for anyone terrified by the effect of txt msgng on the English language; for anyone still brave enough to (correctly) use the colon, semicolon and parenthesis - Eats, Shoots and Leaves is the book for you!

Fed up with illiterate grocery-store signs, movie titles and Gertrude Stein, Lynne Truss decided that it was time to make the case for proper punctuation. One by one, she takes us into the history of each mark, its uses (both modern and outmoded) and misuses. Peppered with examples which are often hysterical and sometimes horrifying, Ms. Truss points out the very real reasons why it is important to maintain a decent grasp of grammar.

In all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an equal love of language and laughter.

*It is also a perfect read for anyone about to take on the NaNoWriMo challenge.

Monday, October 20, 2008

This Week at Watha T. Oct 20 - 26

Good Morning Neighbors!

It's party time. Today is the one year anniversary of the opening of the Watha T. Daniel interim library. So stop by this evening and get a piece of cake and celebrate with us!

Monday, Oct. 20

3:30 - Homework Help from Capitol Letters Writing Center
5:00 - 1 year anniversary party

Tuesday, Oct. 21

10:00 - Rock Along with Casey
4:00 - Tech Tuesday: Email Basics

Wednesday, Oct. 22

10:00 - Story Time for 3-5 year olds
6:00 - Chess Club
6:30 - Non-Drive-In Movies: It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown & Corpse Bride
7:30 - Open Knitting

Thursday, Oct. 23

10:00 - Mother Goose on the Loose

Saturday, Oct. 25

10:00 - Preschool Breakfast Club
12:00 - Introduction to Tarot

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

WrestleMania Reading Challenge!


Starting today, October 14, 2008, you can register for WrestleMania Reading Challenge
2008-2009! WrestleMania Reading Challenge is a reading program sponsored by YALSA, Young Adult Library Services Association, and WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, for tweens and teens. If you are a student, or know a student, in 5th-12th grade you can register to win two tickets to go to WWE WrestleMania 25 in Houston Texas.

First you register at Watha T.Daniel-Shaw Library and receive your reading log. Then you read ten books and/or magazines of your choosing. The books you read cannot be for a school assignment. After you have read the ten books turn in your reading log to receive a WrestleMania Reading Challenge mini-poster. You can also pick up the entry form for the Bookmark Contest. Design a bookmark illustrating "why reading is important"! All of the bookmarks need to be turned in by January 15th, 2009. The bookmarks are then judged. The three best bookmarks are then chosen and sent to Chicago to be judged with the other top bookmarks from across the country. The best 15 bookmarks are picked and those contestants are the ones going to WrestleMania 2009 on April 5th! For more information contact me, Tracy, the Children's Librarian here at Watha T. Daniel-Shaw Library or watch the WrestleMania Reading Challenge Video! Happy Reading!

Monday, October 13, 2008

This Week at Watha T. Oct. 13 - Oct. 20

Good Morning Neighbors!

Welcome to Teen Read Week. We've got loads of events happening, and if you didn't get the news last week, we're open today for Columbus Day service. Stop by and say hello.

Monday, Oct. 13

10:00 - America Story Time
12:00 - Picturing America: Images of Native Americans
3:00 - Teen Read Week: Godzilla: Final Wars

Tuesday, Oct. 14

10:00 - Rock Along with Casey
4:00 - Tech Tuesday: Blog Your Life

Wednesday, Oct. 15

10:00 - Story Time with Miss Tracy
6:00 - Youth Chess Club
6:30 - Non-Drive-In Movies: Little Shop of Horrors
7:00 - Adult Book Club: One in a Million by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Thursday, Oct. 16

9:45 - Mother Goose on the Loose for infants and toddlers
4:00 - Teen "Any Book" Book Club

Friday, Oct. 17

4:00 - Tales of Terror

Saturday, Oct. 18

10:00 - Preschool Breakfast Club

Sunday, Oct. 19

2:00 - So you want to write a novel?

Monday, Oct. 20

3:30 - Homework Help from Capitol Letters Writing Center
5:00 - One Year Anniversary Party

Monday, October 6, 2008

This Week at Watha T. Oct. 6-13

Good Morning Neighbors!

We've got a lot of stuff going on this week. In fact, there's so much stuff that this week's calendar is going to wrap around to next monday just to squeeze it all in.

Monday, Oct. 6

3:30 - Homework help from Capitol Letters Writing Center

Tuesday, Oct. 7

10:00 - Rock Along with Casey
4:00 - Tech Tuesday: PC Basics

Wednesday, Oct. 8

10:00 - Story Time for 3-5 year olds with Miss Tracy
6:00 - Chess Club
6:30 - Non-Drive-In Movies: Batman Begins
7:30 - Open Knitting

Thursday, Oct. 9

9:45 - Mother Goose on the Loose for Infants and Toddlers

Saturday, Oct. 11

10:00 - Preschool Breakfast Club

Sunday, Oct. 12

1:00 - Teen Read Week: Book Discussion of the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer

Monday, Oct. 13 - Columbus Day

Yes, we are open on Columbus Day

10:30 - America Story Time for 3-5 year olds
12:00 - Picturing America: Depictions of Native Americans
3:30 - Teen Read Week - Movie: Godzilla: Final Wars

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Henson Rocks!

Greetings, Goblins and Gelflings!

Inspired by the Jim Henson's Fantastic World exhibit which closes tomorrow at the Smithsonian International Gallery, we have decided to show three of Henson's best-known works: "The Muppet Movie", "Labyrinth" and "Dark Crystal".

The festivities will begin at 11:45 am, and last through most of the rest of the day, and snacks will be made available, so join us this afternoon for a celebration of the magical worlds of Jim Henson.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Non-Drive-In Movies: Grease

Hey Neighbors!

Don't forget, that tonight is the first of the WTD Non-Drive-In Movies series, and we're going to be showing Grease. We've got free popcorn, and plenty of chairs. So stop on by.

In the event of inclement weather we will watch the movie inside, but we really will do everything we can to set up the movie outside if we can.