by Stone Marshall | Apr 7, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
Under the brick-roofed gazebo on the far end of the park sits a wooden box of books, which Vinita Kamat set up on March 29. “A friend of mine in the US introduced me to the concept of Little Free Library, which started in Husdon, Wisconsin, in 2009. The idea is to set up a library in a public space, which makes it accessible to all. The policy is to take a book, return a book,” says the French teacher, who also helps run Mcubed Library across the street.
Her daughter, Surabhi, opens the library and we browse the books together. The top rack, she tells me is dedicated to the adult’s section. I spot Kiran Desai’s Inheritance of Loss, The Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda and even John Irving’s The Hotel New Hampshire. The children’s section on the bottom shelf is replete with The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Little Prince, Stories for Boys and even the Harry Potter series.
The Little Free Library by Vinita Kamat
As we chat, I spot an unabridged version of Pinocchio and even Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. “I notice that people have dropped by and exchanged books,” Kamat smiles triumphantly, explaining that she has even placed a notebook for people to leave their requests behind.
“It is a great initiative as many people are looking beyond spending time with the small and large screen. Reading is important for one’s imagination. It helps build a relationship with the power of words,” says Kamat who calls it a ‘virtual exchange of a real kind’. “While returning a book, the reader must leave a note for the next person,” says Kamat who leaves us to browse, as she has a flight to catch.
I chat with Vinita Ramchandani, editor of a publishing house and a resident of Carter Road, who has dropped by with her children. She begins to stick Little Free Library stickers on each of the books. “I have volunteered to be ‘steward’, and visit once a day to dust the library and ensure it is not misused,” she says.
Just then, Bandra ALM member Marie Paul walks in with a tumbler of compost for the saplings of pumpkin, chillies and tomatoes that she has planted in the garden. She points out to a mulberry tree and invites the children to pluck some ands taste. “We want this park to be a place for children to play and be close to nature. The library will be a great way to attract more people to sit in the shade and read, too,” says Paul.
As I get up to leave, a line by Garrison Keiller painted on the little library catches my eye: A book is a gift you can open again and again.
I couldn’t agree more.
MumbaiâÃÂÃÂs first
Daughter of Rohit and Manasi Joshi Roy, Kiara, set up Mumbai’s first Little Free Library (LFL), on March 19. You can find the 12-and-a-half-year-old’s setup on Juhu-Versova Link Road at the entrance of her building Tahiti near Rajiv Gandhi College. “Once you register with LFL, they give your library a charter number and you become a ‘steward’ or caretaker of that library,” says the Class 7 student.
Manasi, Kiara and Rohit Roy at the launch of their little free library at Juhu-Versova Link Road
While she has taken charge of the upkeep of the children’s collection, her mother mans the adult section, which has an eclectic collection of books by John Grisham, Ayan Rand, Ruskin Bond and Khalid Hosseini. “We have three ranges in children’s books — baby books, titles for five-10 year olds and fiction for teenagers, which include authors such as Enid Blyton, Jacqueline Wilson and Meg Cabot,” adds Manasi.
Impressed by the initiative, the local MLA has even promised to set up a few more in the constituency. “A bank has showed interest in setting up libraries outside their branches and we also got a call from someone in Indore who wanted to start one,” she adds. “Not many people read today, and prefer watching television or play on their phones. This is an attempt to make people pick up a book,” says Kiara.
– See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/guardian-of-the-bookworms/16116164#sthash.EERvCt3C.dpuf
by Stone Marshall | Apr 7, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
Good news for fans of quality children’s fiction: a tenth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is slated to hit bookstores on November 3.
Author Jeff Kinney’s charming series follows Greg, a “wimpy kid,” as he deals with the everyday stresses of childhood and life. The new book will apparently focus on a field trip to a local farm. The conflict will stem from, among other things, the generation gap between the children and their chaperones.
There’s no word yet on the title of the new book – Kinney’s publisher, Amulet, has only released a teaser poster so far. Check it out below:
Kinney has had incredible success with the series so far. The first tale in the series was originally published online, but it was quickly repackaged as a book and went spawned a full series. Wimpy Kid books have sold more than 115 copies, and Kinney has reached number 1 on USA Today’s Best-Selling Books list with seven of the nine volumes released so far. Here at The Reading Room, we put the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series on our “10 Great Series for Pre-Teens (9-12)” Bookshelf.
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by Stone Marshall | Apr 6, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
A pair of subtle but significant changes to how Universal Studios Hollywood issues annual passes may signal just when the movie theme park plans to open the highly anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2016.
In recent days, Universal has quietly announced that new and renewed annual passes will be good only through March 18, 2016, and that the most expensive passes will no longer offer a parking option – meaning annual passholders must pay to park every time they visit.
Universal officials say they have not yet announced an official opening date for Wizarding World and note that the new season passes culminate at the close of its current 50th anniversary celebration.
Industry watchers have been waiting to see when Universal would drop its Buy a Day, Get a Year promotional offer in advance of Wizarding World’s debut. With Easter 2016 falling on March 27, many theme park observers have circled the week of March 21-25 on their calendars for the grand opening of Wizarding World in California.
Meanwhile, work continues on Wizarding World at a steady rate with many of the asymmetrical rooftops and tilting chimneys visible beyond the construction walls that dominate the theme park’s upper lot. The new land is expected to feature shops and restaurants made famous by the movie series as well as two attractions, the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey dark ride and the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster.
10 questions about Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood
10 questions about Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood
In anticipation of the crowds expected to descend on Wizarding World, Universal is also building two new parking structures to handle the additional traffic.
A spring break opening for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Potterverse would be a break from tradition.
The original Wizarding World at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park opened in June 2010 to massive crowds with lines that stretched for 10 hours just to get into the new themed land. The Diagon Alley expansion of Wizarding World at Universal Studios Florida opened in July 2014 right around the same time that a replica of Hogsmeade debuted at Universal Studios Japan.
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by Stone Marshall | Apr 6, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
Earlier this week it was officially announced in a hilarious April Fools’ Day video that Deadpool will in fact be rated-R, and everyone was just completely thrilled. In case you missed it, make sure to check it out here! It’s one of those videos that you won’t want to miss because Deadpool smashes Mario Lopez over the head with a freakin’ chair and kills him.
The movie is currently shooting, and thanks to Just Jared (via: Imgur) we have a collection of photos from the set giving us our first look at Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson. As you can see, he’s sporting a pretty messed up looking face, which is appropriate for the character. The photos also give us out first look at Morena Baccarin in the film as Vanessa Carlysle, a.k.a. Copycat.
The movie is set to be released on February 12th, 2016.
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by Stone Marshall | Apr 4, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
There are a vast number of characters in the Harry Potter series that can qualify as heroes. I would say that almost every character – that wasn’t a Death Eater – had a moment of pure heroism in times of trouble.
Dumbledore and Snape certainly get a lot of praise for their dedication to Hogwarts (with good reason, of course), but we sometimes forget to highlight the heroism one of the most important and badass headmasters in Hogwarts history: Minerva McGonagall.
Imgur user by729464 recently posted a series of GIFs that illustrate just why Professor McGonagall should be everyone’s favorite teacher. I’ve taken the already awesome list and expanded upon it a bit.
So here’s just a handful of the many reasons that prove that Professor McGonagall was one of the most important characters in Harry Potter’s life:
1. She always told it like it was
Why beat around the bush? It was sheer dumb luck that the trio survived that troll!
2. And because she was so honest, she fit the leadership role perfectly
Because she was such an honest person, it was easy for her to earn the trust of her students and peers.
3. She was strict, but always looking out for the wellbeing of her students
Best Head of House at Hogwarts for sure. Who else looked out for their students like McGonagall?
4. And she wasn’t afraid to call them out
Weasley twins, that means you!
5. But she always showed compassion when it was needed
Even if it was towards someone that she isn’t particularly close to, she was basically a big softie on the inside.
6. She took care of Harry
Sure, Molly Weasley and Sirius definitely played their roles in Harry’s life. But when Harry was at Hogwarts (a majority of the year) McGonagall kept an eye out for Harry and his made sure that he felt safe and cared for. Basically Harry’s school mother.
7. And got him interested in Quidditch!
Quidditch, probably one of the most important things to Harry as he was growing up, might not have been introduced to him had McGonagall not spotted his potential during his first year.
8. She was the best dance instructor
Would Neville have had such a good time at the Yule Ball had it not been for McGonagall’s instruction?
9. She’s an Animagus
Not that that’s really indicative of her being a great person or anything, but it’s pretty damn cool. Plus, she was the head of the Transfiguration department, so it’s safe to say she was pretty brilliant.
10. She put herself in harms way to protect Hogwarts without a second thought
I think that the entire theater erupted into applause at this point during Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
11. She’s played by Maggie Smith
Let’s have a quick shoutout to the actress who brought Professor McGonagall from off the pages of our favorite books, Maggie Smith.
In 2007, Dame Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer, but continued to work through her chemotherapy and finish Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in 2008. And during the filming of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, she had shingles, but still managed to film the final installment of the series.
I couldn’t even imagine any other actor playing McGonagall. Not only is Maggie Smith an absolute gem of a woman, but in my mind she is Professor McGonagall.
12. In short, she’s a total badass.
Just some of her many accomplishments include being on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Gryffindor Head Girl, an employee for the Ministry of Magic, Head of the Transfiguration department, Headmistress of Hogwarts.
Brilliant Quiddich Player, Head Girl, Former Ministry of Magic employee, Animagus, Silent Caretaker of HP, Head of Transfiguration Dept at Hogwarts, Head of Gryffindor House, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Head Mistress of Hogwarts, dueled with the dark lord, & is truly the personification of badass.
Cheers to you, Professor McGonagall!
Which HP Professor is your favorite?
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by Stone Marshall | Apr 2, 2015 | Awesome Book News |
PanARMENIAN.Net – The first full trailer for HBO’s upcoming miniseries
“The Casual Vacancy” based on Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s book of the same name, has hit the Web — and Potter fans shouldn’t expect anything to be like Hogwarts, Variety reports.
The book and three-part miniseries follows a small town after a community leader dies without an obvious replacement for his seat on the committee. Plenty of drama follows, including town fights, murder and even a possible ghost.
Harry Potter fans should be pleased to see Michael Gambon in the trailer; he played Dumbledore in the magical series and serves in a central role in the HBO drama, but that’s where the similarities between Rowling’s works end. “The Casual Vacancy” was published in September 2012, marking first adult fiction novel after completing the six-book Harry Potter series.
“Cuckoo’s Calling,” another post-Potter novel of Rowling’s, will also hit the smallscreen, with the BBC announcing the TV adaptation in December. Rowling is also writing the screenplay for “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a feature adaptation of her book set in the Harry Potter universe (though without the typical characters) that Warner Bros. will release in 2016.
Parts one and two of “The Casual Vacancy” will air on HBO on April 29. Part three will air April 30.
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