Peter Pan!

The Irvington Book Club convinced me that we had to read Peter and the Starcatchers for our last meeting until after the summer. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it, but they were right. It is a great book. Lots of adventure, a quick pace and a tale that is fascinating for both children and adults. Dave Barry and Riddley Pearson have written a rollicking prequel to the original Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Peter and the Starcatchers opens with Peter and his friends from the orphanage boarding a dark, dirty, creepy ship. On board the ship, a beautiful,well-off girl and her nanny. In the cargo hole , a mysterious trunk. What is in the trunk? Why is the beautiful girl’s father on a different ship? And what does the pirate, Captain Black Stash hope to steal? Reserve a copy today!

If one book isn’t enough, Barry and Pearson have written two other books in the Starcatcher series:  Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon . Plus they have started a series of Neverland adventures featuring characters other than Peter Pan. The first two are Cave ot the Dark Wind and Escape From the Carnival.  Still not  enough Peter Pan and Neverland ?  There is also a sequel to the original  Peter Pan  called Peter Pan  in Scarlet by Geraldine Mccaughrean.   All of these book are available in audio formats and would be entertaining on a long car ride. And for a last note, it looks like Peter and the Starcatcher could become a movie in 2009, according to IMDB.

Review: Fruits Basket #1

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya is my all-time favorite manga series. It is an excellent example of a Shoujo series (comics marketed towards females) and it is rated T (age 13+.) Tohru Honda is a high school girl with a serious case of optimism. This is actually quite a good thing, as it gets her through all of the trials she encounters. Well, her extreme friendliness helps, too. After her mother dies and she is left on her own, Tohru encounters the mysterious Sohma family who have a strange connection with the Chinese zodiac. The Sohmas offer Tohru a place to stay in exchange for household chores (which they are terrible at, and she is really good at.) How exactly are their fates intertwined? Only time will tell, but there seems to be a romantic triangle developing already in book one.

The quality and style of art can vary from manga artist to manga artist. Natsuki Takaya’s art is just the kind that I love to see. It can go from being incredibly detailed in one panel to much simpler for fight scenes, and it still looks great. The storyline is already full of magic, mystery, and a bit of romance here in book one. I have read most of the series before, but having just re-read book 1, I’m thinking that I should go back and read the rest. In case you are interested, this very popular series has also been made into an anime. I’ve seen several episodes of that anime, and I really enjoyed it. One of these days, I’ll actually get around to buying the whole thing.

So, have you read Fruits Basket? Do you like it as much as I do?

Haven’t read this manga? Why not place a hold on a copy?

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More Books Headed for the Big Screen

A couple of classics are headed for the big screen.

A new film version of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is currently in pre-production. Julia Stiles is listed at the actress who will be playing Esther Greenwood.

Jack Kerouac’s On the Road is also headed for the big screen. This is the first film adaptation of his cult book. It is theoretically due in theaters in 2009. No word on possible casting for this one yet.

Do you have any news of upcoming books being made into films? Please comment and let me know.

13 Cult Books That Have Been Filmed

Thursday Thirteen #18

Recently, I encountered a list of “50 Best Cult Books” in an article from The Telegraph (see the bottom of this post for the link) and I got to thinking. Choosing that list must have been very difficult, as that isn’t the sort of thing that many folks can agree about. I have to say that they did do a very good job, though. Being as I was the one reading the list, my next thought was inevitably the desire to discover which of the “Cult Books” had managed to make the transition to the big screen.

(By the way, the Telegraph defines “Cult Books” this way - “What is a cult book? We tried and failed to arrive at a definition: books often found in the pockets of murderers; books that you take very seriously when you are 17; books whose readers can be identified to all with the formula “(author) whacko”; books our children just won’t get…”)

So, I did. And that is this week’s Thursday Thirteen topic. Which “Cult Books” do you think should make the transition to the big screen? Don’t worry. Jack Kerouac’s On the Road has recently been announced with a theoretical 2009 release. It’ll be interesting to see how that one turns out.

13 Cult Books That You Can Read and Watch:
1. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969) - Slaughterhouse-Five (1972). You’d imagine that this book would have been filmed more than once, but the IMDB only has one listing. Vonnegut currently has two other books that are being made into films.

2. A Rebours by Joris-Karl Huysmans (1884) - Ventriloquio (1970) was an “experimental” seventeen minute film shot in Italy. I wonder what Huysmans would have thought of that, and if it was as plotless as the novel.

3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963) - The Bell Jar (1979) was a film adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s autobiographical novel. Now, a new version of The Bell Jar is in pre-production and will feature Julia Stiles as the main character, Esther Greenwood. I wonder how different the two versions will be.

4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) - Surprise! I have actually seen Catch-22 (1970). Shame it doesn’t have a star studded cast or anything. Just look at all of those names on the cast list! Apparently, there was also a TV version made in 1973 with Richard Dreyfuss.

5. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (1993) - The Celestine Prophecy (2006) was not received with anything like the same acclaim as the book. The movie review site Rotten Tomatoes has it listed at “5%” out of a possible “100%.”

6. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965) - Okay. First there was Dune (1984) with Sting and Kyle MacLachlan (which I’ve seen.) Next came the SciFi Channel mini-series Dune (2000) (which we own, but I have not seen.) And now, Dune (2010) has been announced. I wonder how that one will turn out.

7. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979) - In the beginning Hitchhiker’s was a radio play. Next, it became a novel. Since then, it has become a mini-series: The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981), a video game: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1984), and a film: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005). Each version was a bit different from the last. By the way, Towel Day is May 25. Carry a towel and remember Douglas Adams, the hoopiest frood there ever was.

8. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (1943) - The Fountainhead (1949) is the only film version of this particular cult book by Ayn Rand. It should be noted that Rand wrote both the novel and the screenplay. Her other cult novel, Atlas Shrugged, is headed for the big screen fairly soonish. It is currently in pre-production.

9. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948 ) - Better known in some circles for writing The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Smith’s story of “non-happily ever after” has only been made into a film the once…so far: I Capture the Castle (2003).

10. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and Russell Munson (1970) - Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) is the only version of this book to appear on film so far. Perhaps it’s better that way. Who knows what a modern adaptation would look like?

11. The Magus by John Fowles (1966) - The author actually has a part as a Boat Captain in The Magus (1968 ). Apparently, he also wrote the screenplay.

12. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson (1971) - After years of wrangling, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998 ) finally made it to the big screen. Let’s just say that Johnny Depp is big with the method acting and leave it at that.

13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) - Lee’s classic book has actually been filmed twice. First, there was the Oscar award winning version with Gregory Peck - To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). According to the IMDB there was another version that not much information exists about - To Kill a Mockingbird (1997). I suppose that some folks just can’t leave perfection alone.

Sources:
* The Telegraph - 50 Best Cult Books
* The Internet Movie Database

Meet the Author - Anita Amirrezvani

Meet the Author - Anita Amirrezvani
Date: Tuesday May 20, 2008
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Fremont Main Library – Fukaya Room A, 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538 - 510-745-1401

***

“Everything about Iranian-born, former Northern California dance critic Anita Amirrezvani’s first novel is meticulously designed: its nine-year creation; its hypnotic cadence and considered approach to plot and characters inspired by Iranian tales and its immaculately researched historical detail, down to its unnamed narrator. It’s all crafted, as the author’s note indicates, “in tribute to the anonymous artisans of Iran.” Beginning with and framed by real and imagined Iranian and Islamic fairy tales, the novel’s form is itself homage to past raconteurs and storytelling traditions. Even before the main story is under way, it’s clear that “The Blood of Flowers” isn’t just any novel.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“At times, it seems “The Blood of Flowers” is too complex, what with themes ranging from carpet-weaving to age-old Iranian traditions to the oppression of women. Yet, like the most prized Persian rugs, it all fits together beautifully.” - Associated Press Review

“What an achievement. Iranian-born California journalist Anita Amirrezvani spent nine years working on her first novel, The Blood of Flowers, and the result is a passion-filled, exotic delight.” - USA Today

***

The Fremont Main Library is proud to present Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers. Please join us for this special event. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

France Virtually

Need a vacation, but can’t get away? If you’re like me, you feel like that a lot. Does anyone else browse travel and guide books, vacationing vicariously from the page, so to speak? If you’d like to see some of France without leaving your computer, check out the sites below. Don’t miss the Eiffel Tower site. You can get a panoramic view of Paris as it looks from the top of the tower. Very Cool.

Search for books and movies too from our catalog.

Cave of Lascaux

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe

the Chateau de Versailles

Musée d’Orsay

Louvre

Cathedrale Notre Dame

Tour Montparnasse

At Last…The Twilight Teaser Trailer

In the unlikely event that you haven’t heard the news, the wildly popular teen vampire novel Twilight by Stephanie Meyer is making the transition to the big screen. It is due in theaters on 12 December 2008, and the first teaser trailer is now available.

So, enjoy.

Read-To-Me Storytime

Read-To-Me is a weekly drop-in storytime at Centerville Library. Every Thursday afternoon between 3:30 and 4:30, two sets of teen volunteers will be in the Children’s Area reading stories. Children ages 2-6 and their families are welcome to join us and stay as long as you want. Ask those who have been coming every week, listening to teen volunteers reading stories is totally a fun experience! Here is one for you:

Want to hear more stories? Just click on the title!  Be sure to check back this post often as new titles will be added in the future.

Where is Spot? / by Eric Hill

McGillycuddy Could! / by Pamela Duncan Edwards

What Makes a Rainbow? / by Betty Ann Schwartz

WHAT?! Cried Granny / by Kate Lum

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs / by Jon Scieszka

Face-To-Face Safari / by Sally Hewitt

Best Friends / by Charlotte Labaronne

Are you grumpy, Santa? / by Gregg & Evan Spiridellis

Books to Film Update: May

Here is the May update on the current status of the “books to film” projects that have been mentioned on this blog to this point. I will try to do this once a month in order to follow each film until it reaches DVD. Please remember that release dates are subject to change, and that sometimes “Announced” films never get made. Not too much has changed this time around, but it’s always good to see what is getting closer.

If you have any news about an upcoming book to film adaptation, please comment and let us know.

The current “books to film” list:

1776: In development with a release date sometime in 2009.

Alice in Wonderland: This Tim Burton film is in pre-production with a release date sometime in 2010.

Angels & Demons: In pre-production and due in US theaters on 15 May 2009.

Atlas Shrugged: In Pre-Production with a theoretical release date in 2008. (I have a feeling that this will change soon.)

The Boggart: In development. US theatrical release sometime in 2009.

Born to Rock: Announced with a release date sometime in 2009.

The Butterfly Tattoo: Completed with a release date sometime in 2008.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: Due in US theaters on 16 May 2008. Looks exciting!

The City of Ember: In post-production. Due in US theaters on 10 October 2008.

The Cry of the Icemark: In development. Theoretical release date sometime in 2008.

Deal Breaker: Announced with a release date sometime in 2008. (Chances are this date will change.)

Dean Spanley: In Post-Production with a UK release date sometime in 2008.

The Doubtful Guest: In development. US theatrical release sometime in 2009.

Dune: Announced with a theoretical release date in 2010.

Fahrenheit 451: Announced with a release date in 2010 sometime.

The Giver: Announced with a 2011 release date.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Currently filming with a US release date of 21 November 2008.

The Hobbit: In Pre-production with a theoretical release date sometime in 2010. (There are rumors that this will be two films, so this information may change in the future.)

Horton Hears a Who: Currently in theaters. No word on the DVD as of yet.

Inkheart: Due in US theaters on 30 January 2009.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (3D): Due in US theaters on 11 July 2008.

Jumper: DVD release due on 10 June 2008.

The Lovely Bones: In post production. Due in US theaters in 2009. The release date for the US has changed. I’ll update when we get more specifics.

Monster Blood Tattoo: In Development. US theatrical release sometime in 2010.

Neuromancer: In Pre-Production with a release date in 2009 sometime.

Nim’s Island: Currently in theaters.

The Other Boleyn Girl: Due on DVD on June 10, 2008.

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief: In development. US theatrical release sometime in 2009.

Race to Witch Mountain: Filming and due in US theaters on 13 March 2009. (Sounds less like the book all the time.)

Shantaram: In pre-production and due in US theaters sometime in 2009.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: Completed. Due in US Theaters on 8 August 2008

A Spell for Chameleon: In development with a theoretical release date of 2008.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: Arrives on DVD 24 June 2008.

Stargirl: Announced with a theoretical release date in 2008.

The Subtle Knife: Announced with a theoretical release date sometime in 2009.

The Tale of Despereaux: In post-production. Due in US theaters on 19 December 2008.

Teen Idol: Announced with a theoretical release date sometime in 2008.

Tintin: In Pre-production. US theatrical release sometime in 2009. (Check out the writing and directing staff on this one.)

Twilight: Filming and due in US theaters on 12 December 2008.