“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is the most influential movie series I have ever seen. Given this fact, you cannot imagine how excited I was when “The Hobbit” movies were announced. My 12-year-old self was ecstatic. I wrote the date for the first one in my parent’s calendar and reminded them of it at least once a week. I remember practically vibrating with joy as I sat in the theater waiting for it to start. And boy was I disappointed. After the first movie, I was upset, but not terribly. “I’m sure it will only get better!” I remember thinking. “Nowhere to go but up!” After the second, I was distraught. “What did they do to one of my favorite books?” I said to myself, “The third one will be amazing. It has to be, after that.” Little did I know. By the third, I was mad. I felt oddly betrayed by just how bad the franchise ended up being. To this day, ten years, later, I absolutely despise “The Hobbit” movies. How could something that I was so ready to love become one of my most hated pieces of media? Read on to find out. Continue reading “Why I Hate The Hobbit Movies”
You are not too old to read a picture book. I know this because you are reading this blog post right now and therefore, presumably, still alive and not too old to read. And if you are a ghost, then it’s pretty wild that you can still access the internet and you’re using your afterlife to read the teen library blog, but if you can do that then you probably can and still should read a picture book. Because, just like their cousins graphic novels, picture books are capable of addressing any and every topic, and the format forces creators to communicate their ideas in the minimum amount of words and pictures. In great picture books, you can tell that every word and image is carefully considered and that there is nothing extraneous. Constraints produce great art, this is a fact, and I can prove it in six books. Continue reading “You Should Read a Picture Book”
We had 61 people compete in this year’s Cosplay Costume Contest and they were all wonderful and unique! After much deliberation, we have chosen this year’s winners. Thanks to our judges and all of our participants! Continue reading “2024 Cosplay Winners”
Did you know the Missouri River — also belovedly known as the Big Muddy, the Mighty Mo, and Mnišoše (“turbid water”) by the Dakota and Lakota — is the longest river on the North American continent?! This wide river of silt and sediment churns its way for over 2000 miles from western Montana down across and through six other states to merge with the Mississippi and on to the Gulf of Mexico, and its watershed drains around 1/6 (!!!) of the United States’ landmass over an area of 500,000 square miles. If you’re not a numbers person (🎶it’s me, hiiiiiii!🎶), here’s a visual representation of the breadth of the Missouri’s drainage basin, highlighted in light green below:
It will never not be astonishing to me that here in Mid-Missouri we are so close to such a robust and essential body of water and river-system, one that I believe deserves our reverence and respect. If you feel the same way, I encourage you to participate in Dear Body of Water, a communal interdisciplinary art project dreamed up from the scientifically poetic mind and experience of Gretchen E. Henderson. Continue reading “dear body of water: a poetic water-harvesting project 🌊”
Obviously, I am an avid lover of books. In fact, I love books so much that I am one of those people who thinks that the book is almost always better than the movie. Don’t get me wrong, I love adaptations; There are some that are incredibly well done. For instance, the new Percy Jackson series on Disney Plus is insanely good. They did a fantastic job capturing what made the books so magical for so many people. But generally, no matter how good I think a movie is, I still tend to think the book is better. There is just something about the medium of literature that cannot be outdone. This fact holds true for everything except one of my all-time favorite series: “The Lord of the Rings.” If I believe that books are better than movies nine out of ten times, why would I change my mind for arguably one of the most influential series of the 20th century? Read on to uncover the mystery. Continue reading “Why “The Lord of the Rings” Movies are Better Than the Books”
Happy Pride!
If you’re looking for a new, queer read, I’ve got a list for you in every color of the rainbow!
We Mostly Come Out at Night
An anthology of short stories ranging in genres from horror to romance; featuring classic and original monsters and creatures. Continue reading “Read the Rainbow”
If you’ve read any of my other blogs, you’d know that I am a lover of all things fantasy. I pretty much essentially only read fantasy. I play mostly fantasy video games. If I could dress in fantasy inspired clothing every day, I absolutely would. My love of fantasy started pretty young, but the one franchise that really solidified it for me was “The Lord of the Rings.”
I first saw the movies when I was about 12 years old. From that point on, I have consistently watched them at LEAST once a year. I genuinely believe that everyone should watch those movies, regardless of whether they’re into fantasy or not. Here’s my top 3 reasons why: Continue reading “Why Everyone Should Watch “The Lord of The Rings” Movies”
Getting rid of old books is hard, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! If you have old books lying around that are slightly damaged or maybe you got an updated edition – don’t throw them away. Turn them into art! We love repurposing old books here at the library and below we have listed all the supplies and instructions you need to turn your old books into a masterpiece. Continue reading “Book & Canvas Wall Art”
“I’m used to people liking me for… what I can do for them. Not for me.”
What’s the story?
“If You’ll Have Me” is a lighthearted look at the early stages of a new relationship and how two souls can become tangled up in each other. Momo is a small person. Not just in stature, but in presentation. She is often quiet when others are loud, avoids being the center of attention, and is shamelessly used by others for academic help and random chores. She’s a people pleaser and falls into the oft-used trope of ‘never been kissed’. PG is a large person. Outside of members of her own family, she towers over other characters. But just like Momo her physical presentation is linked to her personality. She’s known to sleep around, she’s a heartbreaker who doesn’t care what others think. She uses people to get what she wants. Continue reading “Book Review: If You’ll Have Me”
Still obsessing over “The Tortured Poets Department?” Don’t worry we are too! Not listening to it makes us so depressed we act like it’s our birthday every day. #IYKYK Last month we asked you about some of your Taylor Swift faves and you had OPINIONS! Here is a breakdown for you. Continue reading “The Votes Are In: This or That (Taylor’s Version)”
