Literary Playlist: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

It's time for another literary playlist! This time we're in love with Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower. (It's often on bestseller lists, so you know it's gotta be good.) Part of the charm of protagonist Charlie is his newfound obsession with music. His friends introduce him to great tunes, including songs by David Bowie, The Smiths, and Nirvana. If you want the perfect background music as you're reading Perks, hit play.

[NOTE: This is a playlist of songs the author mentioned in the book. MRL is not responsible for nor does it endorse the content of non-MRL websites. Users should use critical judgment in relying on information found in these websites and determine what information is appropriate to their needs.]

Random News!

Ready for a bunch of cool news and links? Here we go:

via ScreenRant.com

• In case you haven't already seen them, here are some amazing new pictures from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. How awesome does Cressida look? And Katniss looks completely different from Catching Fire, doesn't she?
• CNN made a list of 40 new YA books released this fall that you should read! The list includes Rick Yancey's The Infinite Sea (sequel to The 5th Wave), Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield (author of the Uglies series), and On A Clear Day by the late Walter Dean Myers.
  
  [Is there anything on the list that you want to read but we don't have? You can request a book purchase! Pick up a form at the Circulation Desk or in the Children's Section.]
• Are you excited for JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie? CinemaBlend came up with some possible spoilers and theories related to the characters. News also broke that Fantastic Beasts is going to be a trilogy! The three films are set to be released in 2016, 2018, and 2020. And HP director David Yates is back for Fantastic Beasts!
  
  [If you like this, be sure to see our post about Queen Jo's Fantastic Beasts Twitter hint! (Small spoiler alert for the link.)]
• In other JK Rowling news, she's planning on building Hagrid's hut on her property! Here are the plans and more information. I mean, come on--who wouldn't love a perfect replica of Hagrid's hut in their backyard?
• Want to read awesome YA book reviews? Check out Reading Rants! It includes reviews of awesome new books, book trailers, movie adaptation trailers, interviews, and more.
  
  [If you want to write a review for this blog, email it to ecorrea@mrlib.org]
• Do you need Halloween costume ideas? Check out these YA costume ideas from BuzzFeed, Teen.com, Read Breathe Relax, and Forever Young Adult.
• And finally, have you been looking forward to The Office writer BJ Novak's new children's book, The Book With No Pictures? Well, here's your chance to see him read it to an enthusiastic group of kids! It's definitely a use-your-imagination-and-a-silly-voice kind of book.

Bonus Post: Teen Read Week Giveaways!!!

Don't forget, guys: Saturday is the last day to enter our Teen Read Week drawing! All you have to do is check out a book--that's it! Write your name and age on your checkout receipt and drop it in the box at Circulation. After Saturday, we'll draw for winners. You could win a prize from one of these fantastic Downtown Harrisonburg businesses:

Blue Nile
Bella Luna
Benny Sorrentino's
Earth & Tea Cafe
Las Chamas
You Made It!
Larkin Arts
Glen's Fair Price Store
The Indian & American Cafe

Be sure to check out a book tomorrow or Saturday to enter!

Ages 11-17

Book Dominoes Video!!!!!!

Okay, no one's as excited about the book dominoes video as I am. But it's so cool! I love it! If you haven't seen it yet, here it is:

During one week of the 2014 Summer Reading Games, the Massanutten Regional Library circulated 1,189 young adult items and 10,857 items in the children's section. We asked our teen and tween volunteers to help show you what that looks like. They set up 1,189 books like dominoes...and then they knocked them over!

For more information about MRL and our services, visit our website!www.mrlib.org

BONUS Bonus Post: Teen Read Week!!!

I totally forgot to mention that we're having a kick-off party for Teen Read Week!!! The theme this year is "Turn Dreams Into Reality," and we're going all out! We're going to brighten up the library with banners and sidewalk chalk, decorate a cloud bookshelf, and eat pizza and cloud Jell-O!

We're having a fun night on Thursday, Oct. 16, too! The JMU Golden Key group is going to teach us how to make dreamcatchers, and we'll enjoy ice cream floats!

You guys will also get the first chance to enter in for one of our TRW drawing prizes! If you drop your check-out receipt in the box at Circulation, you'll be entered in a drawing for one of the amazing prizes! We have gift certificates and goodies from all over Downtown Harrisonburg. You could get a prize from:

Blue Nile
Bella Luna
Benny Sorrentino's
Earth & Tea Cafe
Las Chamas
You Made It!
Larkin Arts
Glen's Fair Price Store
The Indian & American Cafe

All you have to do is check out a book to enter! How amazing is that?!

Here are the deets:

Teen Read Kick-off @ Main Library

10/11/2014

Get ready for Teen Read Week (October 12-17) by celebrating with a party! Snacks will be provided. Make awesome art and watch the video from the Book Domino event. You can even enter your name for prize drawings! This event is for ages 11-17.

Location:

Main Library-downtown Harrisonburg

A Night on Cloud 9 @ Main Library

10/16/2014

Celebrate Teen Read Week and "Turn Dreams Into Reality!" Teens, ages 11-17, come make a dreamcatcher and enjoy an ice cream float, provided by JMU Golden Key. Don't forget to drop your checkout receipt in the box at Circulation for a chance to win a prize! We have over $100 in prizes from awesome businesses in downtown Harrisonburg!

Location:

Main Library - downtown Harrisonburg

Bonus Post: J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts Update!!!

J.K. Rowling sent a strange post to the Twitterverse on Monday:

Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand won’t tolerate this nonsense.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 6, 2014

The Internet went into a frenzy, trying to solve the anagram. One possibility was:

Redditor says @jk_rowling's tweet is anagram for: "Harry returns! Won't say any details now. A week off. No comment". pic.twitter.com/PHATsEF7H4
— Eli Langer (@EliLanger) October 7, 2014

But the answer, confirmed by Queen Jo, is:

@jk_rowling Newt Scamander only meant to stay in New York for a few hours... #anagram
— Emily Strong (@EmyBemy2) October 7, 2014

.@EmyBemy2 YES!!!!!!!!!!!! People, we have a winner!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

Queen Jo gave a hint earlier:

#helpfulhint The solution is the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt's story. It isn't part of the script, but sets the scene.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 7, 2014

So now we know more about Newt Scamander and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! (To learn about about Newt and Fantastic Beasts, you can read the book Queen Jo wrote for Comic Relief. We have a copy in the library system! Check it out!)

Robot Librarians!!!

You guys, I just found my new best friends. They are short, they work in a library, and they happen to be robots. No, I'm not talking about the Nodes from the Doctor Who episode "Silence in the Library" (although I love those guys).

via the Tardis Wikia

I'm talking about actual robots! The Westport Library in Connecticut purchased two robots. They teach patrons to code, but they can also play soccer, practice tai chi, and pick themselves up when they fall!

Aren't they the cutest little things you've ever seen?! I want one to be the Johnny Five to my Ally Sheedy! (That was an 80's movie reference. It might be before your time, but that's okay. If you haven't seen Short Circuit and the somehow superior Short Circuit 2, watch them now!)

We also found a cool illustration and description of the Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago. Most of the library is underground, full of millions of books. You can request a book from the card catalog, and the bin the book is in will rise to the main level, allowing you to retrieve it! The librarians can also put them back with ease. They hardly ever misshelve or lose a book. How cool is that?!

That makes us wonder--in your dream library, what would a robot librarian do? Comment with your take!

"Can You Get Too Old For YA Novels?"

The Denver Post published an article called "More Adults Than Youths Are Reading Young Adult Fiction." If so many adults are reading YA, that makes us wonder why they're interested in books targeted toward a younger audience.

Here are some reasons we've compiled as to why adults are reading YA:

• Young adult author John Green wrote an article for Cosmopolitan--yeah, you read that right--about the YA phenomenon across age groups. Green contends that the YA genre is so appealing to other age groups because the books contain "unironic emotional honesty."
• Alyssa Rosenberg wrote in the Washington Post that some adults are "highly engaged readers, and are simply adding YA novels to other categories of books they read."
• Rosenberg also believes that even YA novels with unhappy endings prepare us for the blow better than adult novels.
• Others believe YA books are popular because it's a chance for adults to recapture their glory days.
• Another reason could be that YA books are more abundant, popular, and relatable today than before. Even though YA pioneers like Judy Blume, Madeleine L'Engle, and even Mark Twain did wonders for teen lit, the YA genre is booming now.
• A staff member here believes it's a form of escapism; adults like to forget their adult-ish problems and focus on a YA character.
• Some parents also like to read what their YA children are reading as a way of connecting to them. (Remember that episode of Parks and Rec about the dad who reads Twilight with his daughter?)
• In the comment section of this CNN article, one reader sums it up: "A good book is a good book regardless of its intended audience."

What do you think? If you're a young adult, why do you believe adults love the genre more than ever before? If you're an adult, why do you love to read YA books? Comment with your opinion!