Lookin’ good, KDL!  View 10 of the most popular exercise DVDs at KDL — click on the link to our Top Ten List!

The finalists in our inaugural Write Michigan short story contest have been selected; now it’s your turn to vote.

Vote for your favorite story at www.writemichigan.org. You may vote for up to one adult and one youth entry per week.

Grand prize winners will be announced on February 1, and an awards ceremony featuring Wade Rouse – bestselling (and hi-LAR-ious) West Michigan humorist and memoirist – will be held at the Grand Rapids Public Library on March 19.

All finalists’ stories will be included in a collection published by Schuler Books & Music.

It’s that time of year again when Oscar nominations are announced. While most of the nominations are no surprise, a few dark horses were in the mix.

My personal favorite is Beasts of the Southern Wild. A unique movie about a little girl and her father surviving Hurricane Katrina. A story about family, love, community and the environment.

Lincoln is an amazing movie; Daniel Day-Lewis does an tremendous job portraying such an iconic historical figure.

While I have not seen Life of Pi, I have read the book a few times and love the story.

There’s still time to request these DVDs and the books on which they are based before the awards ceremony airs on February 24!

You probably know by now that I love a good book cover!  Recently I saw this amazing cover for a book coming out in June, Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey.  This book is based on Edgar Allen Poe’s poem Annabel Lee.   “Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.”

Another water theme book I would recommend is The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan.  Rollrock Island is isolated and ruled by the sea.  The local witch can find the girl at the heart of the seal and bind her to the land and husband.  But the long-term effects on the inhabitants aren’t understood until much later after heartbreak and loss.  This book had the same timeless feel as The Scorpio Races, another island/water theme, so give if it try if you enjoyed Maggie Stiefvater’s book.

I love reading teen books. There are so many great authors writing in this genre. Enjoy this short list of my personal favorites from 2012.

In alphabetical order by author:

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson - A retelling of the classing Peter Pan story. Set in a faraway land on a forgotten island with remarkable characters and a compelling storyline.

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony – This story of a piano prodigy named Glory and her first love is told almost entirely through pictures. Supplemental material is available online.

The Diviners by Libba Bray – The first book in a mysterious new series introduces us to a cast of characters with special abilities. Set in the 1920s in New York City.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore – The end of a thrilling series that rivals The Hunger Games for action.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green – TIME magazine named this one the best book of 2012. It is the story of two teens trying to find normalcy in their lives while struggling with illness.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus – The creepiest book I read this year! This one is about a gravedigger and his son and all the gross things they find buried underground.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers – Another first in a series but this one is about female assassins, which seems to be an exciting new trend in teen literature.

My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt – Angel tells the story of how she became forced into prostitution after having a great childhood. Fans of Ellen Hopkins will love this book.

Need a concentrated study jam to finish that big project or prepare for a test? How about having the library all to yourselves, with pizza and pop? Bring your assignment, your study partner/s and your brain. Please bring your student ID. For teens grades 9–12. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Schedule:
Sunday, January 20, 5:00 PM – Cascade Township branch
Sunday, January 20, 5:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch
Sunday, February 24, 1:00 PM – Krause Memorial branch

If you’re a regular user of KDL’s eBooks and eAudiobooks, you may notice that our eBook website (http://ebooks.kdl.org) looks a little different today. OverDrive, our eBook service provider, has upgraded our site to their new “Next Generation experience.” Here are some highlights:

• Easier checkout process, with fewer clicks
• Read eBooks right in your web browser, with no need to download software or register a device
• Filter your search results to easily find what you need
• A fresh new design with larger book covers

Learn more about the eBook website changes by reading the FAQ page, or watch the demo video below:

Questions? Give us a call at 616-784-2007 or fill out the Support Request Form.

Happy Downloading!

Whether you’re a computer novice or looking to update your skills, KDL’s free computer classes and workshops for job seekers can help you learn something new! Registration begins today for our February classes:

• Computer Basics: Where’s My Stuff?
• Digital Photos: Online Photo Sharing, Saving and Ordering
• Gadgets: BYO eReader & Tablet Users Group
  (pre-registration not required)
• Hot Tech Topic: Get Appy with Your iPad
• (pre-registration not required)
• Internet: Blogs, Wikis, Social Networking & More
• Internet: Create Your Own Website or Blog
• Internet: Email Basics
• Internet: Facebook Basics
• Internet: Getting Started on Craigslist
• Internet: Internet Basics & More
• Internet: Online Genealogy Research I & II
• Internet: The 24/7 Library: Resources for Book Lovers
• Job Seekers: Career Transitions Workshops: Developing Your Personal Brand (pre-registration not required)
• Job Seekers: Career Transitions Workshops: Communicating Your Brand (pre-registration not required)
• Job Seekers: Career Transitions Workshops: Networking (pre-registration not required)
• Job Seekers: Career Transitions Workshops: LinkedIn Bookcamp (pre-registration not required if you bring your own laptop)
• Job Seekers: Career Transitions Workshops: Behavioral Interviewing & Effective Negotiating (pre-registration not required)
• Job Seekers: Job & Career Accelerator
• Microsoft Excel Basics I & II
• Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
• Microsoft Word Basics I, II & III
• Speak to a Geek (pre-registration not required)

For class descriptions and schedule, please see our brochure or search our events calendar.

Unless otherwise noted, pre-registration is required and will begin the month before the scheduled classes on the first Monday of each month for KDL cardholders and the second Monday for non-KDL cardholders (if space is still available):

• February classes: Registration begins Monday, January 7 for KDL cardholders
  (Monday, January 14 for non-KDL cardholders)

To register, please call 616-784-2007.

The Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch is offering a Teen Poetry Workshop every Thursday at 6:00 PM. Beginning January 10, local poetry group Through the 3rd Eye will host the workshops for young people in grades 6–12. The workshops will focus on giving participants time and space to develop and share their poetry. Members of the Through the 3rd Eye editorial board will be on hand each session to provide feedback, guidance, encouragement and inspiration. Participants will also have an opportunity to share their poetry with an audience (should they desire) in April, and to enter their works in the KDL Teen Poetry Contest! See you there!!!

Going on a road trip? Or just want to “zone out” in a crowd? If so, NPR’s Morning Edition on 12/31/12 interviewed Robin Whitten, editor and founder of AudioFile magazine. She gave a good list of selections based on the narrators she thinks are great (In my opinion, a book becomes even better with a good narrator.) Here’s her list of CD titles available to be interloaned by KDL cardholders:

Fiction:

 For the family road trip:
Toothiana by William Joyce from the Guardians of Childhood series, narrated by Gerard Doyle

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, narrated by Simon Vance

Nonfiction and Culture:

Arguably by Christopher Hitchens, narrated by Simon Prebble

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham, narrated by Edward Herrmann

Mystery and Suspense:

An American Spy by Olen Steinhauer, narrated by David Pittu

Now you have a perfect excuse to use those new Christmas headphones!