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Welcome to the second week of our blog series, “Chatting One Book”! Have you made it to any of our great One Book programs yet? Events are taking place throughout the city, so click here to find one for you!

In the second section of the novel, “First Night,” Julie Otsuka describes the first nights that the newly arrived Japanese women spent with their new husbands. It’s a short and powerful chapter that captures the excitement, bewilderment, and at-times disillusionment that these women had upon meeting the men to whom they were betrothed. Throughout the book, the author uses italics to differentiate an individual’s thoughts or speech from the group voice, and I thought the way she employed this technique in “First Night” was particularly impactful, as it underscored the unique and wildly diverse experiences that these women had with their new husbands—some more in love than ever, some eager to escape.

What did you take away from “First Night”? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: One Book 2013, One Book One Philadelphia

Overdrive Read In Action
Overdrive Read In Action

Overdrive released their revamped website about two weeks ago and we've already heard from many of our readers. New features, such as the improved download button (no more accidentally checking out the wrong format!), are already getting positive reviews. Though one feature we have not talked much about yet is Overdrive Read. 

Overdrive Read is a browser-based reader. You can read your EPUB ebooks on your computer, laptop, tablet, phone, or any almost any device with a modern web browser. No downloading, no apps, no software required.  Here is Overdrive's own list of the Top 8 features (Top 8? really?) in Overdrive Read.

  • With OverDrive Read, you don’t need to worry about Adobe IDs or Adobe Digital Editions. There’s no software to download or apps to install. Just “See Book—Read Book” in  your browser.
  • You can sync to “furthest page read” between devices. You can start reading in Chrome on your desktop computer, pick up where you left off in Safari on your iPad, and then again in your Android phone’s default browser. Just navigate to your Bookshelf on your library’s website to resume where you left off.
  • You can customize the font, font size, justification, line spacing, and even the theme.
  • Use bookmarks or the unique “thumb placeholder” feature to save your place.
  • Looking for a specific passage? With full-book searchability, you’ll have no trouble locating that elusive quote.
  • For assistance getting started with OverDrive Read, check out this Help article.
  • We recommend using HTML5 browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 10, and Safari. These browsers are best for use with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
  • If you’re using older versions of Internet Explorer, you may be prompted to install the ‘Chrome Frame plug-in’ when you click on an eBook to read for the first time. The plug-in is free, and only takes moments to install.

The American Library Association webcast just concluded and the winners are . . .

Caldecott Award

Winner:               This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen        

 

Honor Books:     Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Peter Brown

                                Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Jon Klassen

                                Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

                                One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo; pictures by David Small

                                Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

                               

Newbery Award

Winner:               The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate      

 

Honor Books:       Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

                                Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

                                Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Congrats to our librarians who also chose Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen.

This Is Not My Hat
This Is Not My Hat
The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Ivan

The  American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens.  According to their  website, "2013 marks the 75th anniversary of the Randolph Caldecott Medal, which honors the illustrator of the year's most distinguished American picture book for children. For generations Caldecott selections have fostered a love for reading among children and guide educators, parents and librarians in selecting the best of the best in children’s picture books.

Presented every year since 1938, the medal is named for Randolph Caldecott, a 19th-century English illustrator known for the action, vitality and humor of his picture books. No other literary prize for children’s picture books has the economic significance as the Caldecott Medal. Receiving a Caldecott Medal practically guarantees that the winning title will remain in print and on library and bookstore shelves for decades to come."

A team of librarians at the Free Library of Philadelphia held Mock Caldecott voting. 

3rd Place: Baby Bear Sees Blue, written and illustrated by Ashley Wolff.

2nd Place: Extra Yarn, written by Mac Barnett  and illustated by Jon Klassen

And in a convincing win…

1st Place: Little Dog Lost, written and illustrated by the Free Library's own Mônica Carnesi. 

Our staff may be proud of Mônica's accomplishment but the book has already won acclaim. (Litte Dog Lost Finds a Home with the Best Books of 2012!)

The 2013 announcements will take place at 8 a.m. PT on Jan. 28, from the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Follow Results in Real-Time
The ALA will offer a free live webcast of the award announcements. Those that are not able to join the webcast can still follow results in real-time by logging on to the ALA Youth Media Awards Facebook page, or via Twitter by following hashtag #ALAyma.

We will update here too! Stay Tuned!

Baby Sees Blue
Baby Sees Blue
Extra Yarn
Extra Yarn
Little Dog Lost
Little Dog Lost

The following, I’m sure, comes as no surprise to any Philadelphia resident: it’s freezing outside. I know we’ve escaped a huge chunk of winter with milder weather, but that doesn’t mean I like the fact that I can’t feel my toes after my morning commute. For the next week or so, I plan on spending all of my free time staying inside and huddling under blankets.

If you have similar plans, but you also want some entertainment outside of endless House Hunters re-runs, the Library’s got you covered. Of course there are plenty of ebooks and audiobooks to download from the comfort of your own home, but I’d like to shed a little light on some of my favorite digital activities on freelibrary.org (and I promise you won’t have to leave your blanket fort to use them).

Digital Collections
I could spend afternoons browsing our digital collections and online exhibitions and still not discover every hidden gem. From vintage film stills in the Theatre Collection to Rembrandt etchings in the Fine Arts Collection and everything in between, there’s plenty to be amazed by. And don’t miss our online exhibition on 200 years of Pride and Prejudice!

Online Databases
There are dozens and dozens of online databases on freelibrary.org that cover every topic imaginable. Do you want to learn a new language? Are you researching best small business practices? Are you trying to keep your kids from going stir crazy during this deep freeze? Well, there’s a database for all of that and more. Check ‘em out here.

Author Podcasts
There are more than 1,000 Author Events podcasts available on freelibrary.org and you can listen to them all for free! That’ll certainly keep you busy until the warmer weather makes an appearance!

A winter image from our digital collections
A winter image from our digital collections