Sci Fi for Kids

I originally posted this on the St. Andrews Regional Library Children's blog in response to the yearly sci fi reading assignment at Ashley River School of the Arts Elementary but since it is technically a book review post, I am reposting it here, as well.

What is "science fiction"? Answer: fiction that contains some plot elements based on actual or imagined science. Examples of science fiction plot elements include space exploration, "mad science" using chemistry, "time travel" using machines (if time travel occurs through magical means then it is not "sci fi"), and sustaining life despite adverse conditions in the future or in unusual places like outerspace or underground without "magic". Dystopian, futuristic fictions of society gone awry also fall into the science fiction category because they often describe the societal impact of fictional government sponsored eugenics or communities surviving some sort of cataclysmic breakdown that may have resulted from overpopulation, disease, or war.

Most sci fi for younger readers is silly stuff like the Captain Underpants series by Dave Pilkey where two friends use a machine to hypnotize their principle to turn him into Captain Underpants. The darker, more intense sci fi novels are for older children, teens, and adults.

Sci Fi Series for Younger Kids (9 and under)
Franny K. Stein by Jim Benton
Horace Splattly: The Cupcaked Crusader by Lawrence David
The Zack Files by Dan Greenburg
Andrew Lost by J.C. Greenburg
Magic School Bus Chapter Books
Ricky Ricotta by Dave Pilkey

Sci fi Series for Older Kids (ages 9 to 12)
The Tripod Series by John Christopher
Butt Wars by Andy Griffiths
Star Wars: Junior Jedi Knights by Rebecca Moesta and Nancy Richardson
Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Jedi Quest, and The Last of the Jedi by Jude Watson
Danger Boy by Mark London Williams

Sci Fi Series for Young Adults (ages 10 and up)
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield

Science Fiction Novels for Older Children and Young Adults
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Giver by Lois Lowry
I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier
The House of the Scorpion and The Eye, The Ear, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

Classic Adult Sci Fi Novels
(author bios are from Biography Resource Center (a CCPL database)- click here for access instructions)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
War of the Worlds and The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Deliciously Clean Reads: A Great Book Review Blog!

Deliciously Clean Reads is a blog that reviews books that are free of sex and profanity for all ages including old favorites and new publications. If you are looking for some "family friendly reading", you might want to check this blog out!

http://cleanreads.blogspot.com/

People Are Strange: Mockumental Quirk

I am a big mockumentary fan from way, way back. I am not sure who started the trend but am guessing that Monty Python and the National Lampoon Radio hour, and later Saturday Night Live played a part. I am pretty sure that Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap is the first full length feature film mockumentary. It is pretty funny, but I love Christopher Guest's films, especially Best in Show, more.

I like shows about strange people in general. I have been hooked on The Office for some time now (the BBC version is also excellent ...with subtitles "ON") but due to the writer's strike and the release of last season's TV shows, I have fallen under the spell of Ugly Betty.

Why do I like this stuff? There are so many reasons; lack of an irritating laugh track is a big one. Excellent character development, witty intertwining plotlines, snappy dialog, and edgy humor are also biggies.

The HBO series, Flight of the Conchords, is my latest discovery. The plot revolves around Brett and Jemaine, two 20-something New Zealanders, who play in a band together and who are trying to make it in NYC. The deadpan humor, flat-accented New Zealand speech, and random segues into music videos of the duo singing oddly humourous songs about whatever is transpiring in the plot, with passerbys becoming backup singers and dancers, are part of this show's strange allure. This show might not be for everyone, but for me, it is just right.

Spare Us the Clutter

The word "clutter" is related to the word for "clot" according to Merriam Webster's online dictionary. As a verb it means "to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things". Clutter in my life is definitely a "clot" that blocks my "flow".

Some of the best help that I have found for dealing with clutter is the "Flylady", Marla Cilley. She has a book (Kitchen Sink Reflections), a website, and a Yahoo Group that sends its members regular email reminders.

The Flylady says that you can't organize clutter. Her prime directive is to get rid of the attitude of perfectionism. The Flylady's system includes a variety of strategies to get rid of the clutter and home-disorganization by tackling messes frequently in small doses ("baby steps") until they dissipate and by establishing routines to increase home efficiency and to make domestic management a reality, rather than an ongoing battle. The Flylady has solutions for putting out "hotspots" (small areas where stuff accumulates) as well as for for snuffing out full scale conflagrations (junk rooms and overflowing closets). Flylady is assisted by "Kelly", an early follower of her system. Together, they dispense tips and encouragement to "Flybabies" everywhere.

Flylady (Marla Cilley's) book - Kitchen Sink Reflections

Flylady's web page - www.flylady.net
Flylady's Yahoo Group, Flylady Mentors page - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlyLadyMentors/
Wikipedia page on the Flylady
DIY Planner - Flylady Planner pages

Putting My Tags in One Basket

One of the biggest things I got out of my Tech Trek experience was getting into Del.icio.us and seeing ways that it would be useful as part of my job as a librarian. Tagging, the heart of using Del.icio.us, is, IMHO, one of the hottest things in the online marketing world. Barnes and Noble just sent me an email that they have up-graded their site to include tagging features. Photobucket has also added a tagging feature. I am now focusing my Del.icio.us efforts on my library branch del.icio.us, St. Andrews Library Information ( http://del.icio.us/standrewslibraryinformation ). I am trying to add all of the great CCPL websites of the week to it as well. It has been a really thought provoking experience, figuring out the most useful tag names, trying to be consistent in my tagging, making meaningful tag bundles, etc. The Tech Trek quest continues on!

Exposed and Undercover: Great Documentaries

I like documentaries. Some of my all time favorites are by British archaeologist and world class hand-talker, Michael Wood. He hooked me from the start in In Search of the Trojan War. I really loved In Search of Shakespeare but Legacy is still my all time favorite. The scene where he is quoting Gilgamesh in the commentary while the film of him sharing a fireside meal amid the ruins of Uruk with the Iraqi caretaker and his family is especially poignant.

Here is a list of some "classic" and/or award-winning documentaries and documentary makers as well as some of my personal favorites.

The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowski - Culture, History

Civilization by Sir Kenneth Clark - Art, History

Michael Moore, documentary maker of Sicko, Bowling for Columbine, etc

Ken Burns, documentary maker of The Civil War, Jazz, etc

Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel - Anthropology

Tupperware! - History, Business

Jesus Camp - Culture, Religion

Slavery and the Making of America - Culture, History

Who Killed the Electric Car? - Business, Environmental

Occupation, Dreamland - Culture, Military

Maxed Out - Culture, Business

Super Size Me - Culture, Health

Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Price - Culture, Business

Bittersweet: Funny Valentines and Heart Throbs

My all-time favorite romantic movies are:

Amelie (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain en francais - sorry I don't have an accent ague on my keyboard or a cedilla, either) - Audrey Tautou stars in this quirky, French, and fun movie. Paris and a gnome. It doesn't get any better than this.

Room With a View - Lucy (Helena Bonham Carter) decides between propriety (Daniel Day-Lewis) and passion (Julian Sands) in this Merchant Ivory masterpiece.

Runners up in no particular order

Truly, Madly, Deeply - Weepy, spooky, funny flick directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Alan Rickman and Juliette Stevens

Bram Stoker's Dracula - Lasting love: Gary Oldman is a way stylin' Vlad with the shades, the fog, and the bouffant in this Francis Ford Coppola pic. It's knife-lickin' good.

Blade Runner - Replicant love: real or artificial? Harrison Ford and Sean Young give mini-blinds maximum cache' in this Ridley Scott sci-fi classic.

Boomerang - Eddie Murphy finds that perfection ain't what its cracked up to be. Perfect comedy with lots of laughs and lots of big names (Halle Berry, David Alan Grier, Tisha Campbell, Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, and more) directed by Reginald Hudlin.

Out of Africa - Sidney Lumet's biographical tale of grand passion set against a backdrop of colonialism, natural resource exploitation, infidelity, and war with Meryl Streep in the leading role as writer, Isak Dinesan (Baroness Karen von Blixen). I've never been that attracted to Robert Redford but he is pretty hot in this movie.

Persuasion - Ciaran Hinds (Caesar in Rome, the HBO mini-series) is nautical hotness in this film version of Jane Austen's novel.

Urban Cowboy - Bud and Cissy (John Travolta and Deborah Winger): a juke joint lovestory for the ages.