March- book of the month

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

By: Jonathan Safran Foer

  "Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close," takes readers back to the rubble of ground zero.

 

Oskar Schell is a nine year old boy who has been left depressed and traumatized. His father died in the September 11 attacks, leaving behind a mysterious key in an envelope with the word "Black" on it. So with the loyalty and passion that only a kid can muster, he begins to explore New York in search of that lock.

As Oskar explores Manhatten, Foer also reaches throughout history to other horrific attacks that shattered people's lives, including his traumatized grandparents. Though the book is sprinkled with letters and stories from before Oskar's time, the boy's quest is the center of the book. When he finally finds where the key belongs, he will find out a little something about human nature as well...

 

 

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" proves that Jonathan Safran Foer was no one-hit wonder. His enchanting second book tackles a great tragedy with warmth, depth and sensitivity. Outstanding ~E. A Solinas

 

 

February Movie- Real Steel

Real Steel is one of the very few movies I've seen recently where the audience in the movie theater actually broke into applause in various scenes. This movie is about a tale of underdogs a boy and his father and a discarded robot that saves the boys life and they end up going against the odds, it really does get you pumped up to a high level. I got a bigger kick out of this movie than I have from any other movie this year. It really is that much fun to watch.  I hope you take the time to go watch this wonderfully made movie.

January's Movie of the month

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Comedy/Family

Stars: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino and Angela Lansbury

As a kid Tommy Popper always looked forward to the moment when he could stand on his tiptoes and reach his ham radio in his bedroom so he could talk to his world-traveling father.  30 years later……… working nine to five Tommy is a highly successful real estate developer in Manhattan. He is divorced and has two children he sees bi-weekly.  One morning Tommy receives a final gift from his father. It was a souvenir from Antarctica and arrives in a big crate at his front door.  Inside the wooden box nestled against ice packs. It’s a two foot tall penguin with bright orange feet. Popper first assumes it’s a toy penguin r a stuffed bird from the taxidermist. But popper finds out it’s a real live penguin that scampers a crossed Popper’s floor and emits aloud honks.  Eager to get rid of the wild creature he calls every state and city agency imaginable but no one is willing to take the pet penguin.  As a result he calls Antarctica to try and ship back the bird but instead he gets an arrival of five more penguins at Popper’s door.  Eventually Popper gets acquainted with and really attached to his wild friends. Poppers life quickly becomes a mess. His New York apartment turns into a snowy winter wonderland and he deal he’s long been working for is derailed and he almost lands in jail! But thanks to his new charges, Popper comes to understand the importance of family - human and otherwise.

Comedy/Family

January books-Make your New Years resolution to read more books!

Sci-Fi Adventure book:

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

1963 Newbery Medal winner and a well loved classical book, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time is sophisticated in concept yet warm in tone, with mystery and love coursing through its pages. One dark and stormy night Meg Murray and her little brother Charles Wallace are having a midnight snack when their mother comes down to a knock on the door, a unearthly stranger appears at their door and claims to have been blown off course. He goes on telling them that there is such thing as a "Tesseract" which is also called a "wrinkle in time" Meg's father has been experimenting with time-travel and then he suddenly disappeared. Do you think Charles Wallace, Meg, and their friend Calvin will outwit the forces of evil in search for their father in space? For those people who are into the Harry Potter books by J.K Rowling, A Wrinkle in Time is like the Potter books. Both books show boys and girls in a magical or fantasy setting. It is unlike the Potter books because it does not focus on wizardry as a craft. Instead it presents the universe as full of wonder, and united by a titanic struggle of Good against Evil. Like the Potter books, there are sequels to Wrinkle in Time, and the story of the Murray kids continues. This is hands-down one of my favorite books, I hope you take the time to read it and the sequels;A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time.

"A coming of age fantasy story that sympathizes with typical teen girl awkwardness and insecurity, highlighting courage, resourcefulness and the importance of family ties as key to overcoming them."--Carol Platt Liebau, author, in the New York Post