It's About Growing Up

I came across the cutest Beverly Cleary interview:   

Beverly Cleary: What She Wants You to Know About Her

Happy Friday!

The Baby-Sitters Club

A little slow on current book news, a friend just informed me that The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin has been re-released. Apparently, this announcement was made way back in January of this year, but I completely missed it!

The re-release was kicked off by the publication of The Summer Before, the prequel to the series.  The prequel was written by Ann M. Martin herself and details what Kristy, Claudia, and Mary Ann were up to before they started the infamous club. 

As a member of the Babysitters Club generation, I am very excited that this series is coming back into publication.  While the technology will be updated, the stories that emphasize friendship, family, and work ethic will be the same.  In the modern world that we live in today, a relatively scandal-free series is exactly what young girls should be reading.  As my mother used to say, "You are only (insert age) once.  Enjoy it."  When young girls are encouraged to grow-up too quickly, they miss a vital piece of their childhood that can never be reclaimed.  Although I am (overall) glad that my tween years have concluded, I am excited to read the prequel and re-visit that time where life was so much simpler. 

Check out the book and let me know what you think.  Personally, this information has me reminiscing about the great excitement I felt each time I would go to the library or bookstore knowing that I would be coming home with the newest book in the series.  The memories really do last a lifetime.


P.S.  If you liked this post, you should check out the BSC Headquarters blog I added to the blog list today.  

The Cast of THE HELP

 Just for fun . . .

According to People Magazine, the casting of the screen adaptation of The Help is nearly complete.  People reports that Viola Davis will be playing Aibileen and Octavia Spencer will be playing her best friend, Minny.  The casting that this Book Keeper is super excited about: Allison Janney as Charlotte Phelan (Skeeter's mother).  I am personally in love with the idea of Allison Janney bringing Charlotte to life on the big-screen.  PERFECT casting in my mind.  I am also excited about Emma Stone as Skeeter and Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly.  Both Stone and Howard have great potential to bring these beloved characters to life, but I have to agree with the masses that I see Claire Danes as the perfect Skeeter. 

Two roles that are not filled:  Celia and Elizabeth.  Let me know who you think should play these characters!  I am thinking Scarlett Johansson for Celia and Kristen Bell or Michelle Williams as Elizabeth.

Beverages & Books

A recent request by a fellow book club member got me thinking about how certain beverages are tied so closely to performing certain activities.  The book for July is A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick.  The request was to discuss the book over wine.  Apparently, the book becomes quite provocative in the later chapters (I will let you know after I have finished it).  Going back to the topic of beverages, I realized how many activities I link directly to what is inside of my cup.  There are common associations like water & exercise and hot chocolate & ice skating.  But then again, I have, what I would consider, uncommon associations.  I think of nothing else but a skinny flat white each time I walk the dog through the park.  Just stepping inside the front door of my mother's home creates a thirst for a big glass of ice cold milk.  And, bringing this discussion back to books, when I am reading a good book, my taste buds yearn for a big mug of hot tea, no matter what the thermometer reads.

Two Questions:  What beverage do you associate with reading a good book?  Any uncommon beverage associations?

The Help

"In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another." kathrynstockett.com

During our book club discussion of The Help, one woman posed the question, "do you think you would have abided by these unspoken rules if you grew up during the 1960s?" Of course, growing up in a different time period would present extremely different opportunities and experiences for a child. If I grew up during the 1960s rather than the 1990s, I would not be "me."

That being said, I immediately thought of a related question: Are there lines that we abide by TODAY that we would be ashamed to admit?

I highly recommend this book. And I think you will recommend it to others, too. According to Ms. Stockett's website, the book will soon be a major motion picture. So read the book NOW to ensure that you are ready to scrutinize Dreamworks' film adaptation. Click on the link above for a synopsis.

SHREK!!!

Here in the Library Under the 'L', Shrek is something BIG. Shrek: The Musical is currently playing at The Cadillac Palace Theatre and the final film installation, Shrek Forever After, is in cinemas. Everywhere you turn it is SHREK! I was completely surprised to discover that Shrek was first a BOOK! How did I not know this fact? Did you???


In case you are interested, here is a biography for William Steig.