Children’s Book/Movie Tie-In Alert!

Who Will Win the Race?

Children’s Book/Movie Tie-In Alert!
The House With A Clock In It’s Walls

September 21, 2018 is the release date for the movie version of author John Bellairs 1973 children’s book House With a Clock In It’s Walls.  The movie is a major production directed by horror film expert Eli Roth.  It will be starring Cate  Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, and Jack Black.

In House With a Clock In It’s Walls, Lewis (played by Owen Vaccaro in the film) goes to live with his mysterious uncle, Jonathan (Jack Black) who lives in a typically spooky mansion in Marshall, Michigan.  Yes, it is a real town, and there is a real mansion, called the Cronin House, in Marshall, Michigan.  It is here that Lewis meets his uncle’s equally weird neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett) and discovers their connections to the occult and the clock embedded in the walls of the house.  When Lewis, inadvertently, wakes the dead, the action takes off even as the ticking clock begins to speed up.  Who will win the race to stop the clock?

To add to the overall spookiness of the situation the illustrations in the book were done by Gothic illustrator extraordinaire, Edward Gorey.   Gorey wasn’t really that fond of doing the illustrations for books, thinking of them as drudge work and something he had to do to make a living.  However, there is no doubt that his illustrations added to the Gothic tension in the story that attracted young readers.

McLure Library has several Bellairs books in the collection.  If you go to the movie, or maybe you just want to reread a loved book, come on over and check one of them out.  House With a Clock In It’s Walls  (Or any of Bellairs other books.)

Calling Mr. Wednesday and Some of the Other Days of the Week

Don’t know who Mr. Wednesday is?  Mr. Thursday?  Ms. Friday.  Do you wonder who these people are, and why they are named for the days of the week?  (or is it the other way around?) Curious about Norse mythology?  Are your kids curious about Norse myths and legends.  McLure Library has some good reading available in those areas.

Starting with the basics, there are two beautiful books with general information and great pictures about the Norse Gods for young readers that will also appeal to adults.

Book Jacket

Book Jacket

McLure Education Library

BL860 .O82 1996

 

                                         BL860 .N25 2015

 

 

If that is not enough Norse, or maybe, it is to fact filled, McLure Library other fantastical take-offs on Norse mythology that might catch your fancy.

Nancy Farmer, a Newbery Honor award winning author, has a trilogy that is full of action, humor, and Norse mythology that will teach and entertain.

Book Jacket                     Book Jacket                  Book Jacket

PZ7.F23814 Se 2004                    PZ7.F23814 Lan 2007              PZ7.F23814 Is 2009

Alabama author Lou Anders has a series that make very good reads for middle grades.  McLure has all three titles in this ongoing series.

Book Jacket                     Book Jacket                  Book Jacket

PZ7.A518855 Fro 2014

Need a story that is part puzzle and part myth?  This one might be just the game.

Book Jacket       PZ7.1.S49 En 2015

 

 

 

Feel the Heat! – Cool Northern Mythology

Take-offs and mashups using mythology as a starting point for YA novels has been a recent trend that shows no signs of abating and the fantasy genre is quickly diversifying its mythology base.  More diverse myths are being brought to the attention of readers and movie goers everywhere and McLure has plenty of titles for you that will keep you in the know when it comes to these myths and legends.

Now that the Dog Days of Summer are over and we are all ready to cozy up with warm drinks and good books that are perfect for those long winter nights, why not cozy up with the imaginative series based on Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, and Middle Eastern myths that are in McLure library?

Middle Grade author, Rick Riordan made his name retelling the Perseus, Greek demi-god myths, in the Percy Jackson series.

That series has been followed by two other series;  The Kane Chronicles, based on Egyptian mythology, that consists of three titles,

Red Pyramid                                    Throne of Fire                            Serpent’s Shadow

Cover Image                        Cover Image                          Cover Image

School Library                           School Library                                School Library

PZ7.R4829 Re 2010             PZ7.R4829 Th 2011                  PZ7.R4829 Se 2012b

The novels were quickly followed by the graphic novel version of these titles.  Mclure has two of them with the third due to be published soon.

Red Pyramid:                                                               Throne of Fire:

The Graphic Novel                                                   The Graphic Novel

Cover Image                                                     Cover Image

Riordan has also done a series featuring those fiery gods of the North.  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, based on Norse mythology, that currently stands at two titles, with the third that was just published in October.

Sword of Summer                         Hammer of Thor

Cover Image                             Cover Image

PZ7.R4829 Sw 2015               PZ7.R4829 Ham 2016

The successful conversion of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods novel to the small screen world of TV is a modern retelling of Norse mythology for adults.  The UA libraries doesn’t have that particular novel, but McLure Library has Anansi Boy’s, the sequel to American GodsAnansi Boys is based in the myths of West Africa and the West Indies.  So if you like Orlando Jones as Mr. Nancy in American Gods, check him out in a starring role in his own book: Anansi Boys.  It was listed for the Alex Award (Adult books suitable for Young Adults) in 2006 and is at McLure in the School Library Collection.

Cover Image   PR6057.A319 A85 2005

McLure doesn’t have Neil Gaiman’s current best seller Norse Mythology, (that is at Gorgas library) but we have a beautifully illustrated version of both Egyptian and Norse Mythology done by well known YA and children’s author Donna Jo Napoli.  The amazing colored illustrations are accompanied by brief explanations of each of the major Egyptian and Norse Gods that make looking at these books a real pleasure for these long winter evenings.

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BL2441.3 .N356 2013                                        BL860 .N25 2015

All of these books are in the McLure Library School Library collection located in the basement of McLure Library.  If you would like to read any of these books call 348 – 6346 or 348-1508 and we will put it on hold for you.  Or you can come to McLure and see what other fantastic reading we have on our shelves.

Outlander Returns

By Amanda Alexander, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

outlander 2

Part two of the STARZ hit series Outlander, based on the book by Diana Gabaldon, is set to return to television on April 4.  If you haven’t been watching there is still time to catch up before the new episodes air.  If you are not a STARZ subscriber, you can now purchase the DVDs for season one, part one, which were released on March 3.  The Collector’s edition features both Blu-ray and DVD discs, as well as a collectible lenticular and a 32-page book with an introduction by Diana Gabaldon.  If you are not looking to purchase the DVD set they are also available for checkout at the Tuscaloosa Public Library. The series has already been renewed for a second season and the show’s creator has hinted that there will be surprises in store for even the most faithful fans of the series!  Until then, viewers can find trailers as well as a sneak peek at the opening scene of season one, part two on the show’s website as well as an inside look at the show’s costumes here.

 

 

 

Olive Kitteridge

By Amanda Alexander, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

1384962544_olive-kitteridge-cover_custom-9b4901d27c1705470e4aec052aec3d5ea79aa0fd-s6-c30 olive-kitteridge-poster

Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout’s best-selling collection of interlaced stories centered on a retired schoolteacher in Maine, has been made into an HBO miniseries that aired in early November.  Starring Frances McDormand as the titular character, the miniseries is broken into four parts- each representing a different stage of the novel-and remains true to Strout’s original work.  Over a time period of 25 years, the story focuses on Olive’s relationships with her husband, son, and fellow townspeople.  McDormand bought the rights to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and was responsible for bringing it to HBO.  If you are unfamiliar with Olive Kitteridge and are wanting to read it for the first time, or re-reading it, as you watch the miniseries, it is available for checkout at Gorgas Library.  The miniseries is available now for HBO subscribers through HBO Go anytime and OnDemand until December 30.