April is over (along with vacation, sadly) and May is finally here! This month I will highlight some new technological materials in addition to new books. Come to the library and check out something new!
AV
Wireless Keyboard
A wireless keyboard is exactly the same as a normal computer keyboard except for one major difference: Wireless keyboards transfer typing data to the computer via infrared beams. A beam of information is sent from the keyboard, as you type, to a receiver, which is plugged into the computer. This allows for a cordless experience, which eliminates the potential for another tangled cord behind your computer. ~wisegeek.com
Belkin Rockstar Splitter (all iPods, iPhones, and iPads)
Connect up to five headphones and your iPod—then start sharing or adding another iPod to mix songs and listen together. Five jacks for attaching headphones or an iPod. One hard-wired connection for your MP3 player. Mixing and fade-ins controlled by each player's standard controls. Also works with all MP3 and portable DVD players. ~apple.com
iPad Camera Connection Kit
The iPad Camera Connection Kit gives you two ways to import photos and videos from a digital camera: using your camera’s USB cable or directly from an SD card. iPad and the Camera Connection Kit support standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW, along with SD and HD video formats, including H.264 and MPEG-4. ~apple.com
Books
The Secret Lives of Princesses by Philippe Lechermeier and Rebecca Dautremer (Grades 2-6)
One thing is certain: these ain't no Disney princesses! Au contraire,
this French import features about 30 royals who are quirky to a fault.
There's Princess Hot-Head, a study in fiery red, who “prefers
brandishing a sword to practicing the piano.” And Princess Molly Coddle,
cousin to the fussy girl of “Princess and the Pea” fame, who “never
hesitates to demand the impossible.” A detailed, imaginative guide—more
akin to titles like Wizardology (2005)—this novelty book also features
pages devoted to elaborate, witty commentary on proper cradle etiquette;
each character's coat of arms; and various palace types. Dautremer's
illustrations are perfectly attuned to the mood of each princess' prose
portrait, by turns sophisticated and witty and full of odd angles and
bizarre details. Princess Do-Re-Mi has the body type of a curvy violin;
Princess Oblivia (“She forgets everything”) wears a hat full of holes
that leaves blow through. A book to pore over. ~Karen Cruze, Booklist
Time to Sleep Sheep the Sheep! by Mo Willems (Grades PreK-2)
A progressively dark and soothing nighttime blue backs up Willems’
cartoon critters in this get-ready-for-bed picture book starring Cat
the Cat, with cameos by among others, Pig the Pig, Giraffe the Giraffe,
Crab the Crab, etc. Cat tells each of the animals, who are engaged in
various nighttime pursuits (reading a book, washing up, brushing teeth,
going potty), that it’s time to sleep. A perfectly well-timed joke
arrives courtesy of the pop-eyed owl one assumes to be Owl the Owl. He
definitely isn’t ready for bed, but his arrival caps off this
smiles-all-around, understated tour of pre-bedtime activities. ~Ian Chipman, Booklist
The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons (Book 6) (Grades 5-6)
The Last Apprentice series continues to be one of the best written of
the last several years. Here, in the sixth entry, Tom, the Spook’s
apprentice, must face up to several things he’d rather not: his friend
Alice being the daughter of the Devil, his mother returning to her feral
roots, and the notion that sometimes you must form alliances with
enemies. As in previous books, the writing is direct, and the plotting
and characters, most not of the human variety, are smart and believable.
Naturally, fans of the series are the best audience, but this is
accessible even to those just jumping in. ~Ilene Cooper
I Survived Series (5 titles) by Laren Tarshis (Grades 3-6)
I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
I Survived the San Fransisco Earthquake, 1906
I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1914
History's most terrifying moments are brought vividly to life in this
exciting historical fiction series.
Nonstop action, occasional illustrations, and relate-able characters.
Each title includes two pages of nonfiction extras and will inspire kids
to find out more about the disasters and the history of the times. ~Amazon
