Daniel Boone Regional Library

“Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring.
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!”

Do you remember this song from the movie “Mary Poppins”? It occurs right at the end of the film when the newly harmonized Banks family skips off to fly kites together with the throngs of other kite-flyers at a local park. As a kid it was a magical moment for me to see a whole flock of diamond-shaped paper kites bobbing about in the blue sky over London.

I mention this scene because I was reminded of it when I discovered that April is National Kite Month. I have to admit that when trolling the Internet for kite photos I found some pretty fantastical modern kites that make those Mary Poppins kites look rather dull, but since the movie depicts kites circa 1910, it’s okay.  They didn’t have brightly colored rip-stop nylon fabrics and aluminum and fiberglass rods to produce kites back then.

Early kites were fashioned from lightweight silk or paper fixed to flexible bamboo frames.  Although it isn’t known for certain, it is commonly believed that kites originated in China about 2,000 years ago and then spread west across Asia and into Europe. Kites were first used for military purposes, which included signaling and enemy observation. Later they aided in scientific research by raising meteorological instruments and cameras into the sky for data collection. Being our earliest form of aircraft (even if tethered to the earth by a line), they were instrumental in helping the Wright brothers design airplanes. Once airplanes assumed the military and scientific tool role that kites had held, kite-flying became largely a recreational activity.

How lucky for us that we can enjoy this whimsical pastime, which doubles as a visual art experience, since many contemporary kite designs are modern art sculptures. Yes, art that flies! Of course, you can purchase a kite or you can make your own if you’re feeling crafty and adventuresome. Here at DBRL we have books that instruct in kite-making, from the simple to the more complex. If you want to join others in this activity and live in the Columbia area, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring a Kite Flying Day on April 6.  Shake off any last vestiges of heavy winter from your psyche – head out into the warmer weather and let the April winds lift your spirits with along with your kite.

April 3: “Bully” 8:00 p.m. at  Wrench Auditorium, free. (via)
April 4: “El Vador”5:30 p.m. at Ragtag, free. (via)

Be sure to register online by Friday, April 5 if you plan to take the May 4 SAT exam. If you would like to know more about testing costs, locations, and resources to help you prepare, check out our SAT Test Prep guide. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog updates for regular email reminders of upcoming SAT and ACT registration deadlines!

Director Morgan Neville’s film “Twenty Feet From Stardom” was a hit at the True False Film Fest last month. Check out other documentaries he’s directed that are available at DBRL:

“Troubadours: The Rise of the Singer-songwriter” (2011)

This PBS American masters documentary recounts the beginning of the singer-songwriter movement in the 1960s and 1970s focusing on the collaboration between Carole King and James Taylor and their performances at the Troubadour club in West Hollywood, Calif.

“Search and Destroy: Iggy and the Stooges’ Raw Power” (2010)

Six fans were selected to film Iggy & the Stooges’ legendary September 3, 2010 reunion at the All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival. Experience the fans’ journey and joy as they witness a classic performance and meet their heroes face to face.

“Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story” (2007)

With rare performances, previously unreleased home movies and new recordings, this is the first comprehensive look at Stax Records, the greatest soul label of all time. Provides first-hand accounts from Isaac Hayes, Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Mavis Staples, and many more.

“Shakespeare Was A Big George Jones Fan” (2005)

“Cowboy” Jack Clement has written songs and produced albums for some of the biggest names in music: Johnny Cash, U2, Jerry Lee Lewis and Louis Armstrong. He’s also filmed endless home movies, collected in this documentary for the first time.

“Muddy Waters: Can’t be Satisfied” (2003)

Examines the life of bluesman Muddy Waters, who was born the son of a sharecropper in the Mississippi Delta, but later moved to Chicago and became a legendary performer who established the electric blues sound. Includes interviews as well as archival interviews and concert footage.

Editor’s note: This review was submitted by a library patron during the 2012 Adult Summer Reading program. We will continue to periodically share the best of these reviews throughout the year. Many thanks to all of those who participated!

Writers on child development are fond of pointing out that children are born scientists – experimenting with the empirical world from the moment of birth on. But what if children are also born theologians? Justin Barrett, PhD, presents the results of recent research in his well-organized, well-referenced book, “Born Believers: The Science of Children’s Religious Belief.” He makes a convincing case that young children are cognitively predisposed to see agency and purpose in the world and that these two beliefs naturally unfold into a belief in supernatural beings (e.g., God or gods). This provides the skeleton that subsequently gets fleshed out with formal religious belief (some of which runs counter to the natural theology to which children’s minds are predisposed – the idea that God is outside time and space, for example, seems to be a hard one for children to grasp.  Adults, too, for that matter).  

He argues that a sense of the numinous is a natural capacity in human children, just as language is a natural ability, but one that requires rich exposure during a window in development in order to develop naturally. Accordingly, he gives advice about how to nurture the religious development of children in early childhood. Just to balance things out, he gives advice on how to nurture the development of an atheist tot as well, should that be the parents’ desire. These sections of the book are not as well-grounded in the empirical data, and occasionally I disagreed with his recommendations.  Still, this book made me think throughout, and I gained new insights at several points along the way.

Three words or phrases that describe this book: Thought-provoking, persuasive, research-based

You might want to pick this book up if: you have an interest in theology and/or child development.

-Elizabeth K.

Three months of reading and preparation have led to this moment: the announcement of our teen book tournament finalists! Thank you to all the students who have shared their favorites with us. So far, we’ve collected over 180 ballots from dozens of area teens. With each round teens have voted, their name has been entered into a drawing for a free Barnes & Noble gift card, or an autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu! Prize winners will be announced on  next Wednesday, April 3 when we announce our tournament champion. 

March Madness Teen Book Tournament Finalists

1. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
2. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite title by Monday, April 1 at 5 p.m. You may vote online at teens.dbrl.org or pick up a paper ballot at one of our three branch locations. 

We recently added “Girl Model” to the DBRL collection. The film is playing this week on the PBS series POV and currently has a rating of 93% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, who also directed “Mardi Gras: Made in China“ and “Kamp Katrina,” showed the film on the MU campus in February of 2012. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

Follows an American modeling scout as she seeks new talent in Siberia and attempts to find work for 13-year-old Nadya Vall in Tokyo’s modeling industry, which favors young girls.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

80 years ago this March, the original 1933 film “King Kong” debuted at Radio City in New York. I’ve recently had the pleasure of checking out and listening to the audiobook “Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong” by Joe Devito and Brad Strickland, an expansion of Cooper’s original story. This audiobook is different from many others in that each character is voiced by a different actor. Instead of hearing a single reader throughout the adventure, you have a soft, gentle voice of a woman speaking Ann Darrow’s lines (and screaming them) and a rough, no-nonsense sailor as Jack Driscoll. There’s even music and sound added for effect! Listening to this audiobook is like experiencing an old-fashioned radio drama.

And man! Talk about a story! There have been not one, not two, but three movies based on this fantastic adventure tale, retold through the lens of the times. From the original by Merian C. Cooper himself in 1933 to Peter Jackson’s period piece in 2005, each retelling has everything from love and terror to, finally, destruction.

Here are a few things you might not know about King Kong. Kong is often depicted as a huge gorilla, but in the original story (as adapted by authors Joe Devito and Brad Strickland in this audiobook), Kong is really a primal giant! He is described as something beyond beast but before man and just as vulnerable to beauty as any creature. The descriptions in the book lend themselves to paint Kong as something of a missing link between man and ape, which is probably why the movie producers took the particular liberties that they did. Also, Kong can be read as a metaphor for slavery. White men come to a remote island, capture Kong and bring him to America chained at the bottom of the boat.

Celebrate Kong’s anniversary yourself by listening to the audiobook or learning more about Kong’s creator Merian C. Cooper in the biography “Living Dangerously,” by Mark Cotta Vaz.

80 years ago this March, the original 1933 film “King Kong” debuted at Radio City in New York. I’ve recently had the pleasure of checking out and listening to the audiobook “Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong” by Joe Devito and Brad Strickland, an expansion of Cooper’s original story. This audiobook is different from many others in that each character is voiced by a different actor. Instead of hearing a single reader throughout the adventure, you have a soft, gentle voice of a woman speaking Ann Darrow’s lines (and screaming them) and a rough, no-nonsense sailor as Jack Driscoll. There’s even music and sound added for effect! Listening to this audiobook is like experiencing an old-fashioned radio drama.

And man! Talk about a story! There have been not one, not two, but three movies based on this fantastic adventure tale, retold through the lens of the times. From the original by Merian C. Cooper himself in 1933 to Peter Jackson’s period piece in 2005, each retelling has everything from love and terror to, finally, destruction.

Here are a few things you might not know about King Kong. Kong is often depicted as a huge gorilla, but in the original story (as adapted by authors Joe Devito and Brad Strickland in this audiobook), Kong is really a primal giant! He is described as something beyond beast but before man and just as vulnerable to beauty as any creature. The descriptions in the book lend themselves to paint Kong as something of a missing link between man and ape, which is probably why the movie producers took the particular liberties that they did. Also, Kong can be read as a metaphor for slavery. White men come to a remote island, capture Kong and bring him to America chained at the bottom of the boat.

Celebrate Kong’s anniversary yourself by listening to the audiobook or learning more about Kong’s creator Merian C. Cooper in the biography “Living Dangerously,” by Mark Cotta Vaz.

The Gateway Readers Award honors a young adult book as selected by high school students, while the Truman Readers Award is chosen by junior high students. Even though these awards are administered by the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL), it is the responsibility of Missouri teens to choose the actual winner.  Based on circulation figures throughout our library system, DBRLTeen predicts that the following books will be recognized as this year’s top titles:

Predicted Gateway Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “Ship Breaker” by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Second Place: “Rot and Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry
• Third Place: “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver

Predicted Truman Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “The Grimm Legacy” by Polly Shulman
• Second Place: “Virals” by Kathy Reichs
• Third Place: “Girl, Stolen” by April Henry

The actual award winners will be announced at the MASL Spring Conference in mid-April.  Subscribe to our email updates to have the results delivered directly to your inbox!

The Gateway Readers Award honors a young adult book as selected by high school students, while the Truman Readers Award is chosen by junior high students. Even though these awards are administered by the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL), it is the responsibility of Missouri teens to choose the actual winner.  Based on circulation figures throughout our library system, DBRLTeen predicts that the following books will be recognized as this year’s top titles:

Predicted Gateway Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “Ship Breaker” by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Second Place: “Rot and Ruin” by Jonathan Maberry
• Third Place: “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver

Predicted Truman Readers Award winners:

• First Place: “The Grimm Legacy” by Polly Shulman
• Second Place: “Virals” by Kathy Reichs
• Third Place: “Girl, Stolen” by April Henry

The actual award winners will be announced at the MASL Spring Conference in mid-April.  Subscribe to our email updates to have the results delivered directly to your inbox!

The first time I learned about Earth Hour, I was in Portland, Oregon. My husband and I had had a nice evening stroll along the Willamette River and were returning to our hotel, tired but relaxed. Yet when the hotel appeared in our view, we immediately recognized that something was wrong. Seriously wrong. The multi-floor building was dark, and only the hotel lobby was illuminated.

“What’s going on?” I said. “Is this a power outage or a disaster-preparedness drill?”

“Probably the first,” my husband said. “All nearby hotels are dark, too!”

Concerned, we hurried to our hotel, but as we went through its revolving door and looked around, we immediately calmed down. The brightly lit lobby was decorated with colorful balloons. Several trays with sandwiches, soft drinks and cookies were placed here and there, and quite a few people sat around the tables, eating, talking and smiling, while a dozen kids gathered around the cookie tray.

“We’re observing Earth Hour,” a receptionist told us. “Would you like to join us?”

We did. We got some punch and my favorite chocolate chip cookies, and we joined a group sitting in the middle of the lobby. Everybody seemed friendly and talkative, the way people often are when they don’t have to hurry. They were from all over the country – some came for conferences or meetings, some for a visit, and some to tour the city and surrounding area. Nobody made them stay in the lobby, but instead of going to their rooms and turning on their TVs, these people chose to stay. And even though they didn’t talk about climate changes or negative effects we humans have on our planet, they showed their solidarity to the cause all the same.

That was several years ago. These days, I don’t have to travel to Portland to learn about environmental initiatives. In 2010, The City of Columbia opened its own Office of Sustainability responsible for spearheading efforts in making our community environmentally friendly. There you can learn about the city’s initiatives and also about many things we all can do to make mid-Missouri greener. And if you’d like to educate yourself even further, come to your local library. We offer information on a wide variety of environmental issues: greenhouse effect, climatic changes, sustainable living, renewable energy and more.

Still, as much as we’d like you to read our books, on Sunday, March 23, please turn off your lights between 8:30 and 9:30 and go for a walk. Better yet, invite your friends to join you, too! And if you’d like to extend your efforts beyond one hour, you have many opportunities to do so, including recycling, participating in an Earth Day celebration on April 22, planting a tree (that you receive from one of the library’s Arbor Day programs) or talking to your kids about why that is important. In the end, whatever you decide to do, keep in mind a Native American Proverb:

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

March 25:  “Chasing Ice” 5:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Forum 8. (via)
March 25 & 28: “Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid” 7:00 p.m. on the 25th and 5:00 p.m. on the 28th at Forum 8. (via)

Spring Break is only days away and DBRLTeen has some suggestions for a fun-filled vacation. Whether you are flying to a sunny beach somewhere, road tripping with the family, or just chillin’ at home, there is plenty of time to reconnect with your favorite books and authors. Personally, I’m looking forward to spending my Spring Break lounging on the couch and reading “The Clockwork Princess” by Cassandra Clare. While away from school, you might consider…

• checking out some of the contending titles in our March Madness Teen Book Tournament. Submit your vote for a chance to win a Barnes & Noble gift card, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu!
• gathering your art supplies and designing an entry for the library’s Summer Reading Bookmark Contest.
• submitting a book review for publishing at teens.dbrl.org.
•  perusing some of our most popular booklists like “Books for Dudes” and “Teens’ Top Ten Winners.”
• downloading some of our most most popular teen titles as an eBook or audiobook for your iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Android, Nook, Kindle, or other mobile device.

We recently added “Photographic Memory” to the DBRL collection. The film currently has a rating of 94% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes and is the latest from director Ross McElwee who also directed the films “Sherman’s March“ and “Bright Leaves“. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

Filmmaker Ross McElwee finds himself in frequent conflict with his son, a young adult who seems addicted to and distracted by the virtual worlds of the internet. To understand his fractured love for his son, McElwee travels back to St. Quay-Portrieux for the first time in decades to retrace his own journey into adulthood. A meditation on the passing of time, the praxis of photography and film, and the digital versus analog divide.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

Several years ago, after a long flight to the West Coast, I arrived safely in Los Angeles while my luggage ended up in Canada. After that hot mess, I vowed to streamline the way I travel.

As you might expect, I no longer check my bags. This has forced me to prioritize and carefully plan before I ever start packing. The forethought spent while still at home usually saves me a great deal time and hassle in the long run. I’ve learned that you can save a lot of space simply by rolling your clothes instead of folding them. I also stockpile beauty samples; purchase clothes made from low-maintenance, wrinkle-free fabrics; and appreciate a comfortable, versatile pair of shoes.

Like most modern-day travelers, I also depend quite heavily on my mobile devices when flying the friendly skies. I use my iPhone to keep track of my travel itinerary and check-in for my flight. I use my iPad to store music, games and eBooks to avoid added weight in my carry-on. Below is my list of essential apps for all tech-savvy travelers.

TripIt – After creating a free account, you simply forward your airline itinerary and hotel confirmation to plans@tripit.com. Your reservations are then organized into an easy-to-read online document that can be emailed or accessed from your mobile device. Available for Apple, Android, Blackberry and Windows devices.

GateGuru – Locate the best food, shopping and service options within any airport. This app is wonderful if you have a long layover or delayed flight. Available for Apple, Android and Windows devices.

Yelp – Need to find the nearest pharmacy? Need a recommendation for a good local restaurant? Yelp uses your smartphone’s GPS feature to help you locate local businesses and other nearby resources. Available for Apple and Android devices.

DayOne – Quickly and easily enter your thoughts and photos in this elegant journal app. Best of all, any scandalous exploits can be kept secret with an optional passcode. Available for Apple devices only.

Do you have a favorite travel app or other travel-related resource to recommend? Let us know in the comments field below!

VOTE NOW through March 25 for the final two contending titles!

The competition is getting fierce in the March Madness Teen Book Tournament!  We’ve had some epic upsets and some crushing defeats. Even though “The Grimm Legacy” was knocked out in the second round, author Polly Shulman asked us to thank all her readers for their support. In an email she sent, Cassandra Clare seemed nervous about her book facing off against “Breaking Dawn“; however, “Clockwork Prince” defeated Stephenie Meyer’s book easily.  Literary goddess, Lois Lowry, even emailed to thank DBRLTeen for the good news of how well “The Giver” has been doing.   How will it all end up?  Stay tuned to teens.dbrl.org; and, as James Dashner encouraged on his Twitter feed, “Vote!”

March Madness Teen Book Tournament: Final 4

1. “Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins
2. “Maze Runner” by James Dashner
3. “Divergent” by Veronica Roth
4. “Clockwork Prince” by Cassandra Clare

How the March Madness Teen Book Tournament Works:

Through a series of votes, we are narrowing the library’s list of the 32 most popular teen books to one grand champion. By supporting your favorite book, you’ll also be entered to win prizes like a gift card to Barnes & Noble, or a free autographed copy of “Legend” by Marie Lu! Prize winners will be announced on April 3 when we announce our book tournament champion.

• Round 1: Voting complete for the Sweet 16.
• Round 2: Voting complete for the Elite 8.
• Round 3: Voting complete for the Final 4.
• Round 4: VOTE NOW through March 25 for the final two contending titles.
• Round 5: Vote March 26-April 1 for the book tournament champion.
• April 3: The champion is announced!

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite two contending titles by Monday, March 25 at 5 p.m. You may vote online at teens.dbrl.org or pick up a paper ballot at one of our three branch locations. Limit one ballot per person, per round.  Winners from this round of competition will be announced next Tuesday, March 26.

We recently added “The Rolling Stones: Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965” to the DBRL collection. The film played at Ragtag Cinema last November and currently has a rating of 100% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

Filmed in 1965 but never released, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the Rolling Stones’ tour in Ireland just after “(I can’t get no) Satisfaction” became a number one hit. Witness the band’s first professionally filmed performances, the riots their appearances created, travel through the Irish countryside by train, time spent in motel rooms during impromptu songwriting sessions, and more.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

Not all mystery-lovers want blood and gore, thank you very much. Some of us prefer to follow amateur detectives relying more on wits than weapons and look for books written in the style of Agatha Christie. An organization called Malice Domestic bestows Agatha Awards each year to the best mysteries published in the United States that contain no explicit sex or gratuitous violence. If you are looking for a good traditional mystery, each year’s list of nominations is a great place to start. Below are this year’s nominees for best novel. The 2012 winners will be announced at an awards banquet on May 4, 2013.

• “The Diva Digs up the Dirt” by Krista Davis
• “A Fatal Winter” by G.M. Malliet
• “The Buzzard Table” by Margaret Maron
• “The Beautiful Mystery” by Louise Penny
• “The Other Woman” by Hank Phillippi Ryan

See more nominations for Agatha Awards in a number of categories, as well as past winners, at Malice Domestic’s site.

Not all mystery-lovers want blood and gore, thank you very much. Some of us prefer to follow amateur detectives relying more on wits than weapons and look for books written in the style of Agatha Christie. An organization called Malice Domestic bestows Agatha Awards each year to the best mysteries published in the United States that contain no explicit sex or gratuitous violence. If you are looking for a good traditional mystery, each year’s list of nominations is a great place to start. Below are this year’s nominees for best novel. The 2012 winners will be announced at an awards banquet on May 4, 2013.

• “The Diva Digs up the Dirt” by Krista Davis
• “A Fatal Winter” by G.M. Malliet
• “The Buzzard Table” by Margaret Maron
• “The Beautiful Mystery” by Louise Penny
• “The Other Woman” by Hank Phillippi Ryan

See more nominations for Agatha Awards in a number of categories, as well as past winners, at Malice Domestic’s site.