Jump for Joy!

Remember how much fun it was to jump rope on the playground? Remember all those wonderful rhymes?

Get out that rope and take a turn – it’s great exercise (and it’s FUN!) Need a little refresher? Visit Youth Services for traditional (and new) jump rope jingles:

• The Jump Rope Book J 796.2 VECCH
• Red Hot Peppers: The Skookum Book of Jump Rope Games, Rhymes, and Fancy Footwork J 796.2 BOARD
• Miss Mary Mack and Other Children's Street Rhymes Easy J 796.1 COLE
• Anna Banana : 101 Jump-Rope Rhymes J 796.2 COLE
• Jump! : The New Jump Rope Book J 796.2 KALBF

Our Picks!: New Music CDs for Kids

Check out our brand-new Youth Services' Our Picks! list for September 2007-- it features some of Perrot's newest music CDs for kids (that won't make adults tear their hair out!). You can view the full list-- which includes Dan Zanes, Bill Harley, and more-- here.

Don't forget that our kids' CDs are now located downstairs in the adult media room.

Love a Good Mystery?

Mystery Bestsellers in July: The IMBA List

The following are the July bestsellers at Independent Mystery Booksellers Association member stores. Click on each linked title below to put in a request for it, or stop by the New Fiction section by the Adult Circulation Desk.

1. Her Royal Spyness, by Rhys Bowen
2. The Tin Roof Blowdown, by James Lee Burke, tied with The Secret Servant, by Daniel Silva
4. Killer Weekend, by Ridley Pearson
5. The Judas Strain, by James Rollins
6. Thursday Next: First Among Sequels, by Jasper Fforde, tied with Lean Mean Thirteen, by Janet Evanovich
8. A Welcome Grave, by Michael Koryta
9. Silence, by Thomas Perry
10. A Fatal Grace, by Louise Penny

Guides for Book Groups

We currently have a display up in the Rand Room that features books that are helpful guides for book groups. They help book groups to choose the right kind of books, and offer tips on leading discussions.

• The Book Group Book: A Thoughtful Guide to Forming and Enjoying a Stimulating Book Discussion Group, edited by Ellen Slezak
• Good Books Lately: The One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers, by Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens
• How to Read a Novel: A User’s Guide, by John Sutherland

In addition to these study guides are several titles that have been proven “winners” with book groups over the years. Come take a look!

Another Passport Sign-up Day at Perrot

The Old Greenwich Post Office is sponsoring another U.S. Passport Day at Perrot on Saturday, September 22nd 2007, from 9:30 A.M. to 3 P.M.

File the paperwork to get your U.S. Passport. Photo services will also be available at the event, for $15. Bring your checkbook (Passport Fees are $82 for children under 16, and $97 for Adults), and your identification (you will need a previous passport or your birth certificate, as well as a photo ID).

If you'd like more information about Passport Day at Perrot, please call the Old Greenwich Post Office at 203-637-1405.

Remember, according to new passport regulations, you must now show your passport upon your return from Canada, Mexico, or the Carribean. You can read more about these new requirements here. For other general information about obtaining a U.S. Passport, visit the U.S. Department of State's Passport Page.

Dean Devastates: Are You Prepared for a Storm?

Don’t be caught unawares– hurricane season is upon us! Learn the difference between a watch and a warning, get lists of necessary supplies, and keep up with the progress of impending weather fronts. Visit the following websites for preparedness information and instruction:

• American Red Cross Hurricane Response
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hurricane Preparedness Tips
• State of Connecticut Hurricane Preparedness for Individuals and Families
• Town of Greenwich Ready Guide

What’s For Lunch?

Time to pack the lunches! If your brown bag offerings seem just a little dull, why not visit our cookery collections for a new idea or two? Think outside the sandwich box! A little protein can go a long way in helping a young student remain alert in the afternoon hours, and a hydrated child is a happy child!

Here are just a few titles – check ‘em out!

• The Brown Bag Lunch Cookbook, by Miriam Jacobs (641.534 JACOB)
• The Vegetarian Lunchbasket: Over 225 Easy, Lowfat, Nutritious Recipes for the Quality-conscious Family on the Go, by Linda Haynes (641.5636 HAYNE)
• After-School Cooking (J 641.5 BETTE)

If It's Broken...

... Let us fix it!

Did that DVD you just returned freeze up? Was a CD scratched? Did a novel have someone's notes handwritten in the margins? Please let us know! That way we can take care of the problem, and the item can be repaired or replaced for the next patron to enjoy.

Thanks!

Stephenie Meyer and Eclipse

There's been a lot of buzz recently about Young Adult author Stephenie Meyer's latest book, Eclipse. The book is the third in her series about characters Bella (a popular teen), her boyfriend, Edward (a bloodthirsty vampire) and her best friend, Jacob (a werewolf). The first two books were Twilight (which made it onto the Young Critics' Club List of Favorite Books of '05-'06) and New Moon. Eclipse just took over the top spot on the New York Times Best Seller list. Since Eclipse knocked Harry Potter off the #1 spot, there's talk that Meyer could be the next (you guessed it) J.K. Rowling.

"Will New Bestseller 'Eclipse' Harry Potter?" ABCNews.com

Review of Eclipse at the New York Times

Stephenie Meyer on Good Morning America (at YouTube)

Stephenie Meyer talks about Eclipse and her other books (at YouTube)

Stephenie Meyer's Website

Read the first chapter of Eclipse online

Summer’s slipping away!

Summer’s slipping away! Have you. . .

• Built a sandcastle ?
• Collected fireflies ?
• Tossed a Frisbee ?

If you think you’ve done it all, visit our J 790 section for a great selection of books on games of all sorts, for all seasons, including The Sierra Club Summer Book, which is jam-packed with ideas to make these precious summer days extra-special! --Kathy K.

J2LYK

J2LYK, if computer shorthand is Geek– uh-- Greek to you, you may get a kick out of visiting http://www.netlingo.com/, which has a dictionary of more than 5,ooo terms, updated daily. IMHO, it’s a GR8 site to see! --Kathy K.

Leave No Child Inside

"One beautiful evening as I was walking my dog, I could see the glow of TV sets in every window. I thought, ‘Why isn’t everybody out here?’" Woman's Day magazine has an article in the current (Sept 12th) issue entitled "Leave No Child Inside". This year, a national Take a Child Outside Week is scheduled for September 24th-30th. Additional information is available at http://www.naturalsciences.org

What a great cue to remind YOU that Perrot offers 3 Connecticut State Park Passes for circulation! These passes give you free admission to state parks and historic sites in Connecticut. They may be borrowed for one week and are available at both the Adult and Youth Services Desk.

Now stop reading this and get outside!

--Kathy K.

Remembering Brooke Astor, 1902-2007

Philanthropist and New York City socialite Brooke Astor passed away Monday at age 105. The New York Times called her the city's "unofficial first lady." Her self-chosen epitaph will read: "I had a wonderful life." Read the full New York Times obituary here.

Check out this new biography of Brooke Astor: The Last Mrs. Astor: A New York Story, by Frances Kiernan. The author, who knew Mrs. Astor personally, gives us a portrait of a charming and strong willed woman, whose court battles have led to lurid headlines, but whose hands-on generosity endeared her to many. You can also read Ms. Astor's childhood recollections in her book, Patchwork Child: Early Memories. In addition, Astor was the author of several novels, including The Last Blossom on the Plum Tree, and The Bluebird Is at Home.

Newest Playaways in Youth Services

Newest Playaways in Youth Services:

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
Read by Amanda Root. One of the greatest love stories ever written, Jane Eyre is the tale of a young woman entangled with the powerful Mr. Rochester. What lurks in the attic at Thornfield, the ancestral home of the surly Mr. Rochester? Will the governess Jane Eyre discover his secret and having discovered it, live to regret that knowledge?

Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale
Read by Laura Credidio and The Full Cast Family. While attending a strict academy for potential princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected talents and connections to her homeland. A Newbery Honor Book.

The Saturdays, by Elizabeth Enright
Read by Pamela Dillman. Four New York City siblings decide to pool their resources so that each can do a special thing on the Saturday that is his turn to receive the combined allowance.


Playaways require one AAA battery for use (included when you check them out). Use your own headphones, or purchase a pair of earbuds at the Youth Services Desk for $1.

You've Seen the Movie... Now Read the Book!

We have a new display in the Rand Room: “You’ve seen the movie….now read the book!”
It includes many of the titles of recent and some not-so-recent movies.

A couple of our book-to-movie choices:


Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg
This book centers on the discovery of a small boy who fell off a roof, and the woman who lived in the same building. Smilla investigates and tries to solve the mystery herself as she comes to believe that the boy was actually murdered. A literary mystery that was an international bestseller.






Evening, by Susan Minot
A mother and her daughters are bound together when she reveals the name of the one person she loved more than any other. This deathbed recollection changes their lives forever.






Be sure to check out our display downstairs for more selections. --The Reference Staff

Repair Work on the Youth Services Cupola

Contruction will be in progress to repair the cupola on the Youth Services Wing for the next week or so, weather permitting. We have set up caution tape and cones in the parking lot around the area of construction. Please use caution when navigating this area. Thanks!

DVD Diva: Offbeat Musicals

The term “musical” is defined as a stage, television or film production utilizing popular-style songs-- dialogue optional-- to either tell a story (book musicals) or showcase the talents of the writers and/or performers (revues). Read more about “Offbeat Musicals” here. Why not check out some of Perrot's offbeat musicals...


Hairspray (1988)
Tracy Turnblad, a teenager with huge hair, a big grin, and all the right moves becomes the queen of Baltimore's number one dance revue.
More at Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
A timid young clerk in a flower shop develops an unusual plant for his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the plant requires human blood to survive.
More at IMDb









The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
A mixture of fantastical rock opera and horror movie spoof. A couple of ordinary kids have car trouble one rainy night and knock on the door of a looming gothic mansion. They are stunned to learn that they have stumbled into an ongoing convention of kinky characters, hosted by Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a mad scientist from the planet Transsexual.
More at IMDb






Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2004)
A musical adaptation of the 1936 propaganda film. A straight-laced high school principal tries to steer people away from what he calls the "demon weed" by telling the frightful tale about the fate of two innocent teens who fall under the spell of drugs.

More at IMDb






Chicago (2002)
At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart both find themselves on Chicago's famed Murderess Row. They also share Billy Flynn, the town's slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends.
More at IMDb






Moulin Rouge! (2001)
A Bohemain poet in 1899 Paris falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets in this stylish musical, with music drawn from familiar 20th century sources.
More at IMDb

Children's Program Registration Is Going on Now!

Registration for Youth Services Fall Programs is going on now through Tuesday, September 4th, 2007. You may view the program schedule here.

• Our program registration is by lottery
• Obtain a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk
• Fill out ALL of the required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Address the reverse of the card to yourself
• Affix a first-class stamp (41¢)
• Leave the card at the Youth Services Desk
• Registration postcards/lottery results will be mailed back to you within a week of the close of registration

Questions? Please give us a call at 203-637-8802.

A Book Recommendation from the Young Critics' Club

A review of a forthcoming book from a Young Critics' Club Member. . .

Diamonds in the Shadow, by Caroline B. Cooney
"Diamonds in the Shadow is really amazing. The basic plot is really straightforward, yet I found myself getting really attached to the characters, and when their lives were threatened, I just couldn't put the book down. I had to keep reading until I finished it. Part of the reason this book is so good is because it's set in our world, there's no magic in it, nothing that could keep anything in it from becoming reality. I'd give it four stars!" --A.M.


Watch for this gripping adventure at the Library in September!

DVD Diva: A Tribute to Director Ingmar Bergman

Ingmar Bergman, Swedish stage and film director, passed away on Monday, July 31st, 2007. He had just turned 89. Mr. Bergman found despair, as well as comedy and hope, in his explorations of the human condition. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time. Learn more at Wikipedia, Internet Movie Database, or read his obituary at the New York Times.

Perrot has the following Bergman movies on DVD:

* Saraband
Johan and Marianne lost touch after their divorce. Years later Marianne looks up Johan and tries to get him out of isolation. Upon her arrival to his home, they spend several intense weeks together. Sequel to Scenes From A Marriage, and Bergman's last film.
More at Internet Movie Database (IMDb)


* Smiles of a Summer Night
Eight characters become four couples while vacationing at a country estate.
More at IMDb


* Cries and Whispers
Tells the story of three sisters, one of whom is dying of cancer, and their housekeeper. All four women are searching for spiritual peace in a world that seems to offer only disorder and despair.
More at IMDb