Behind the 'Wimpy Kid' Phenomenon

....is the title of an excellent article by Tara Parker-Pope, in the New York Times.  Not, as you might expect,  in the Books section, but in the Health section, with thoughtful insights into why the books work as well as they do.
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And you can read it right here.

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There's a film coming too, on 1 April 2010 (no, I'm not kidding, that's the information on IMDB here).  Haven't yet found a trailer, but I'll post one when I do.

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Cheers

Ruth

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2009 and 2010 prom dresses at forks Washington high school

Get more hot twilight merchandise at OneStopShop Twilight Merchandise and New Moon Series

Podshoppingblog Hot Twilight Fashion

Promdressesrock Twilight Prom, Quinceanera Gowns and Dresses from Celebrity Wardrobe

Halloween cupcakes III

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You need to go and see the recipe to see its full glory - the cupcakes are marbled vanilla/red, to enhance the eyeball look!

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Another triumph of surreal foodie imagination from food blog Not Quite Nigella.  Boggle your mind with her amazing Hallowween party feast.

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Cheers

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Ruth

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PS.  I do wonder, in idle moments, if there are other teacher librarianship blogs covering such essential material as brain cupcakes and eyeball cupcakes.  But then the idle moment all too quickly passes, something else shiny catches my eye, and I toddle onward, amused, pursuing my own particular yellow brick road.

The happy life of teacher librarians: student amazed!

I've been doing a lesson on vampires for various English classes who are studying horror as a genre - the idea being to give them a bit of a tour through vampire folklore and the ways in which the idea of a vampire is found in many cultures and has been appropriated/manipulated in various ways through popular culture such as books, TV series, films etc.
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One student from yesterday's class was talking with me this morning, and took a moment to say, "You were awesome with the vampires thing yesterday, Miss."
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Isn't that lovely?  I thanked her.
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She added, thoughtfully and in a tone of slight surprise, "Actually, Miss, I didn't know you knew that much."
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Isn't that - um - .....
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Extremely funny!  Preserving my countenance, I thanked her again, and she pootled off cheerfully.
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The happy life of teacher librarians: yes, we do know some things!! (and kids remain, as ever, hilariously amusing).
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Cheers
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Ruth

100 Favourite Books of all Time (well, for some folks right now)

This is from a list compiled recently by Borders bookshops in Australia.  Angus & Robertson does one too, and a kids' one.

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I always kind of wonder about these sorts of lists.  The fact that Pride and Prejudice seems to be a reflex pick for so many, fabulous though it is.  The reality that recent exposure (eg. the film of My Sister's Keeper) influences lists - would books like this rate as well in a year, or even six months?

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Still, it's always interesting to see what's on the list.  Film or not, I love The Time Traveler's Wife, so I'm pleased at its rank.  

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Now how might such an idea by adapted to a school library? 

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Hmmmmmm.  Thinking..............

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Cheers

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Ruth

Bella Swan's Hot prom dresses

Get more hot twilight merchandise at OneStopShop Twilight Merchandise and New Moon Series

Podshoppingblog Hot Twilight Fashion

Promdressesrock Twilight Prom, Quinceanera Gowns and Dresses from Celebrity Wardrobe

Geccian goddess

Dark territory made light: republishing titles as e-books

Since the e-book format was not born/thought of/included in contracts when many many books were published (well, most, really) - it's not surprising that publishers are moving into this dark territory and looking  to make existing backlist titles available in this new format.  Read about one such publisher here.  According to Jane Friedman, "Electronic 'is going to be the centre of the universe'".  It's an interesting insight into current thinking and developments in the world of e-books - not just in the publishing model, but in the use of social media to publicise the e-books. 
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Cheers

Ruth
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PS I have not (yet) been offered a Kindle to review.  Just in case you wondered...!!
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The contess

The crypt, the life of the undead

Halloween cupcakes II

Vampire bat cupcakes, courtesy of Martha Stewart.  All details here.  She has lots of Halloween resources on the site, as you might expect.

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Cheers

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Ruth

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who plans to download, fix up and post our Halloween decor (short on gore, and with a few special details that are just for fun) pictures any day now...

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Where the wild things are: fonts

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If you're after the title font from Where the Wild Things Are - book or film - then here's a source: Scrapnfonts have a bundle for sale including both and a couple of other ones (see .

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I have other blog entries about WTWTA (which doesn't open in Oz till December, although it's October in the US, sigh) if you're after trailers etc.  Just use the search box, top left of the blog.

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Cheers

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Ruth

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Unwanted Attention from Female Fans for Taylor Lautner: Best Male Fresh Face

The 17-year-old martial arts expert featured in a much smaller role in Twilight, but has beefed up for the sequel and may about to eclipse Robert Pattinson in the teen heartthrob stakes.

The 'Twilight: New Moon' star - who was named Best Male Fresh Face at the recent Teen Choice Awards - tried desperately to avert his eyes when the woman began stripping off so he could autograph her underwear.

Taylor, 17, told Fox News: "I had this 40-year-old woman trying to find a way to take her panties off for me to sign them. They had my name imprinted on them. So that was kind of strange. But you can't expect anything from these 'Twilight' fans."

Get more hot twilight merchandise at OneStopShop Twilight Merchandise and New Moon Series

Podshoppingblog Hot Twilight Fashion

Promdressesrock Twilight Prom, Quinceanera Gowns and Dresses from Celebrity Wardrobe

Are Your Halloween Costumes Hot Enough? Find Out What's Hot on the Shelves

 

 

Are Your Halloween Costumes Hot Enough?  Find Out What's Hot on the Shelves

 

 

What do boys find hot this Halloween season?  How about what s find y and hot?  According to various sources, vampires, Disney characters, tabloid celebs and head-turners such as Amy Winehouse and stars such as Michael Jackson are very hot. 

 

I have been to various Spirit Halloween shops in many cities.  I have been able to take a look at the shelves.  I have been able to see the rush of customers buying up anything related to Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Sarah Palin, Britney Spears, Bernie Madoff and Kate Gosselin.  Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson who died this year remain hot.  At least their costumes are. 

 

With the success of the Twilight Saga, princesses and witches are very popular too.  Off course, boys will go toward the action movies characters such as Power Rangers, Superman, Star Wars, Batman and other favorites.  Among costumes, vampires, clowns and pirates remain the top choices. 

 

Many mothers will go out and spend on their daughters.  They will find Sleeping Beauty and Snow White costumes.  They will dress their infants in Tinker Bell, lady bug, blossom/flower, Elvis and Pebbles outfits. 

 

As far as s are concerned, they will wear the Tiana Deluxe Costume which is a replica of what Princess Tiana wears in the upcoming movie " The Princess and The Frog."  Keep in mind that Disney will usher its first black princess.  Some s will go for Minnie Mouse, Toy Story, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Mulan and Pocahontas outfits.

 

Boys will always be boys.  They tend to gravitate towards the heroes of blockbuster movies such as Transformers, G.I. Joe costumes.  Among other hot costumes, you will find the Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 costumes.  SpongeBob SquarePants, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Batman, Star Wars, Star Trek, Wicked Jester and Scary Mummy are very popular too.

Skerricks in the world: the maths teachers love us!

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It's always kinda fun to see the referrals to this blog - how people are finding it.  The major answer is often googling.  A recent mention from a maths blog, however, was a lovely coup (maths teachers not always being the most frequent users of libraries).  Mathsclass.net has an entry about 'DERing with Year 9' (great verb - to der!) which mentions my seven things to try week 1 list from this blog entry.  Thank you linesmen, thank you ballboys!  Not only does the Mathclass.net blog entry have other useful web links, it's one I'll be able to share with our teachers - not just the maths ones.  One of the useful things about referrals is the chance to find out about great new online resources.
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Cheers

Ruth
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PS. I've just written a piece for SLAV on the seven things list - it will be out in their journal early next month.  It seems to be a useful list that's finding a bunch of friends, which is great.
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Holiday Shopping: Edward Takes Bella to Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC: Ah, The Shoes and Handbags!

Bella on a Shopping Spree: The Shoes She Would Select To Match Her Passion Fashion

See more of her selections at AllManoloShoes.blogspot.com

Graphic Novels by Robert Venditti and Alternate Reality, Narrative and Storytelling

Alternate Reality: Is there a technology that allows people to fulfill that basic human need to be someone other than yourself? What would that world be like?

Telling Stories with pictures is the domain of Graphic Novels;

Titles of important comic books: Surrogates, Author Robert Venditti, Sin City, Watchman, Astro City: The Confessor.

Venditti wrote the comic book series "The Surrogates," a grimmy commentary on our times, a prequel was just released after the success of The Surrogates (Flesh & Bone). Another one is "The Homeland Directive" that is in the works.

Venditti's Borders-to-Hollywood story via comic book company, Top Shelf Productions, should be an inspiration to anyone hoping to break into comics. He worked his way up.

Where the wild things are - do the kids like it?

Bruce Handy, in an essay in the New York Times, Where the Wild Things Aren't, says, in his experience, no. 
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David Barnett, in a blog entry at the Guardian, has a different story - his son wanted a wolf suit like Max's, to wear to a school book event, and many pricked fingers later, his dad had sewn something that charmed his son (and, so he was told, Maurice Sendak). (Found this one via Alien Onion).
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I've read it to small children many times, and almost invariably it has caught them - you can feel their attention, and when you finish, they often as not say, AGAIN!  High school kids are happy to read it, very often again, and even if they don't remember it at first, they generally then do, and seem happy to revisit it.
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They're very personal things at times, aren't they, books?
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I have at home a copy of Daniel Eggers' novelisation of the script of the film of the picture book; and also the illustrated (abridged) movie storybook.  And I don't want to open either.  The film has opened in the US, but it's not opening here till early December, and I would prefer to come to its version fresh.
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Cheers

Ruth

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image source: www.bookdepository.com

Laughing skeleton

Laptops: 40TB and rising

ITnews has an interesting article on the NSW DET netbooks/laptops, including discussion on how the internet access and filtering works, and how the current 40TB/month of use is likely to rise...

Read more here.

Found via this blog.

Cheers

Ruth

PS. I remember once chuckling at someone who had rashly gone out and invested in a 10GB hard drive.  Madness, utter madness...what on earth would one do with so much storage?  Hmmmm.  This shows either my lack of vision, or my age.  Or possibly both.  I do apologise, now gifted with 20/20 hindsight.
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What is your favorite creepy book or movie?

Books that will get you scared

Halloween cupcakes I

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Sorry, should I have warned you about that?!

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The writer of food blog Not Quite Nigella has a mad imagination.  Find the recipe for these here.

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We're busy making bats (not food ones) - will show you the results soon.  We don't go gruesome like these cupcakes for the rest of our Halloween decorating, but I did find them hilariously horrid....

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Cheers

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Ruth

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List of all Scary Movies of all Times: The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Actvity and More

[Find the List of all Scary Movies of all time, New Movie Channel, All Prom Dresses Info, Top Movie Reviews & Oscar Nominated Movies, Top Quality Sweet Sixteen Dresses Info, Quincenera, Prom & Cocktail Formal Dresses, Podshoppingblog Autoblog: Ford Trucks, Toyota Trucks, Lexus, BMW Car Reviews, MovieReviews: Basic Instinct Risk Addiction, The Simpson Movie Video & Review, Go to Borat: Cultural Learnings...Movie Review, Batman Movie Review: Is it too Dark for Kids? ]

A Top List of SCARY Movies of All Times

Shaun of the Dead, 2004

Red Dragon, 2002

Audition, 1999

Braindead/Dead Alive, 1992

Men Behind the Sun, 1988

The Fly, 1986

Alien, 1979

Halloween, 1978

Carrie, 1976

Jaws, 1975

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, 1974

The Exorcist, 1973

Night of the Living Dead, 1968

Blood Feast, 1963

Black Sunday, 1960

Psycho, 1960

Peeping Tom, 1960

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956

Diabolique, 1955

Bambi, 1942

Freaks, 1932

Frankenstein, 1931

The Phantom of the Opera, 1925

Nosferatu, 1922

Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, 1896


Get more movie reviews at Podshoppingblog Movie Reviews

GIFSL: rearrange the furniture (encore edition) and Skerricks Live (well, sorta)

Hey, does that photo look vaguely familar?  You might have seen it here (GIFSL 11) - it's currently having an encore in issue 71 of the excellent Curriculum Corporation journal, Connections. 

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And if you don't go and follow that link and read issue 71, you are a great gaby (I've been rereading Georgette Heyer in the holidays and being reminded of some excellent historical colloquialisms) because there is some fine and brilliant reading there.

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Welcome back!  I hope you had a great holiday too.  Every holiday's a good holiday!

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Cheers

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Ruth

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PS if you're interested in a Live Version of GIFSL and other treats from here, I'm speaking about such things and more at an ASLA NSW one-day conference Planning for 2010, in very fine company (June Wall, Ian McLean, Terry Bruce and Sharon McGuinness).  Click on the link to find out more - the location is in Sydney, less than an hour from the CBD.

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Ugly Dress Buyers for the Halloween Season: What Was Taylor Momsen Thinking?

See the rest of the list at Videpinions

Twilight Eclipse Opening Scene on YouTube: Stephenie Meyer and Adorable Fans, Bella and Edward in the Meadow and Samuel Xavier aka Riley

Unfortunately, the video can only be seen on youtube as requested by Punkd Images Entertainment

Bella Swan's Passion for Shoes: The High Heel Shoes She Likes

Bella Could Have Been Any Of These Forks High School Cheerleaders

Southern Lehigh Spartan Football Cheerleaders Show Their Best Cheer Tricks

Forks Spartan Cheerleaders Involve Spectators in Cheer

The crowd is helping out in the Tenino Forks Football game

Dear Australian reader, Mr Bezos would like to sell you an Amazon Kindle

He would.  Cost (for Kindle and a leather cover) including shipping is just under $400 Australian (note: the exchange rate's in our favour at present at around 90c to the $1US).   Toddle over to http://www.amazon.com/ and see...

They've sorted international wireless, so if you're in area (check them thar coverage maps...) download time is likely to be under a minute, but books are $2 more than US Kindle owners pay. 
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What isn't immediately clear is whether publishing territory will come into play - ie. if the rights aren't available 'for this geographic area' - the trouble I've run into with Audible.com - is the book available to Australian Kindle owners?  Are we shopping from the same range as US Kindle owners?  There is a link to a country-specific page to address country-specific issues including content availability, but it doesn't outline content limitations beyond saying it offers over 280,000 books to Australia (and the main Kindle page offers US buyers over 350,000 books).  Me, I'd want to know which are the 70,000 unavailable to me here in Oz....
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But even so, it's a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting change to the e-book landscape here.  By far the cheapest specific e-book device I'm aware of here (the Dymocks Iliad at around $1000 looks very naff by comparison), and the largest range of books (caveat: still depends on which books...).
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And of course there are all the general limitations/differences in relation to a Kindle edition.  Can't be lent (unless you lend the device), sold/donated, for instance.  I'd rather lend out a $30 book than a $400 device in the library (even assuming there is a Kindle setup accommodating school library ownership/use).
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Ah, but is there a lazy $400 lying around Chez Skerricks, the modest palais this blog calls Emoh Ruo?  Hmmmmm. 
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Cheers
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Ruth
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PS Anyone want me to evaluate one?????  I'll write you a lovely report...
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October is Breast Cancer Month

Don't forget to click on the Pink Ribbon Day icon on the right and order pink ribbon products (eg. pink silicon wristbands) as fundraisers in the fight against breast cancer. When I ordered mine, they asked who had inspired me - it's scary to know so many people who have been affected by breast cancer. Some are survivors. Some are not. I'll have the wristbands to sell in the library when we get back from holidays. I hope you can do something too.
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For those outside Australia, the McGrath Foundation is a significant charity putting Breast Care Nurses into the front line around the country, to support those affected by breast cancer.  They have items for sale too, or you can make a donation (icon on the right takes you to their site).
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Cheers,
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Ruth.

New Moon Movie Screening at Nordstrom? fashion and jewelry collection inspired by New Moon which hits stores on October 15

Twilight fans have the amazing an opportunity to see New Moon BEFORE it hits theaters on November 20, thanks to the generous folks at Nordstrom, who have arranged an advanced screening of the highly anticipated movie on the evening of November 19. Nordstrom is launching an exclusive fashion and jewelry collection inspired by New Moon which hits stores on October 15. There is a purchase required, but isn’t it worth it to see Edward, Bella and Jacob on screen before everyone else? We think so.

Mea culpa...

A while ago I was culling, and came across a book in the fiction section which I never remember seeing before.

That would explain how it lasted so long.  It's very thin, too... (she says, making excuses).

I give you the last few paragraphs...

Julian looked down at her and there was an ardor that was close to worship in his eyes...

[hero's sister - why does she have to be part of the final scene??? - says] "As long as you make Julian happy, Robin, you are my friend.  That's all I want. [isn't it romantic, to be being Told by the hero's sister?  and excuse I, but why can't Robin be happy too???  Doesn't Julian have ANY responsibility for that??]

Robin said, her voice not quite steady, "It's all I want too, Steve."


Julian looked contentedly at his two women folk. [womenfolk?]

He dropped an arm about each of them and said tenderly, "And now let's go home, shall we?"


"Home!" Robin repeated in a tone that wrapped in the single word all the yearning and hope and eagerness with which she faced her new life as Mrs Julian Gilbert, of Hibiscus Cay in the Caribbean.

[MRS JULIAN GILBERT???]


Ye gods and little fishes.  It's culled.  Decidedly.  Last borrowed in 1987.  Oh, and published in 1962, in case you wondered.  And it was, originally, a donation (as one devoutly hopes, although one also devoutly wondered why it was accessioned At All).
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And while you're snorting at that one, it's a chance to slip in this gem to amuse you.  We don't have this one in the library (or at least, I haven't found it and severely doubt it is in the library collection.  I could always check the catalogue) but thanks to the blessings of the internet and blogs like Judge a Book by its Cover, (source of image below) all you need is a screen, and the ability to count, to enjoy this:

Hint: count the heroine's hands..... (The additionally amusing thing to know is that this book sold Extremely Well because of its notorious cover...!).

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Clearly, things are getting nutty around here.  Time for a holiday!  See you in a fortnight!

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Cheers

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Ruth

The happy life of teacher librarians: you know it's time for a holiday when...

Miss, have you got any Matty Evil books?


Not sure.  Is that MaTTy Evil, or MaDDy Evil [thinks: there's always a new series I haven't heard of...]


Just Mattyevil, Miss.

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[Aha! moment]  Medieval?  Middle Ages?

Yes, Miss

I establish that he's after stories, not nonfiction, and he totters happily off for the holidays with a pile of good looking prospects.

I sit down again at my desk, laugh at myself and KNOW it's time for a holiday!!!

Cheers

Ruth

New Moon Movie Stars Converse: Pattinson, 23, Stewart, 19, and Lautner, 17,

The ''Twilight'' series may have changed the lives of fans worldwide, but perhaps no one has been more affected by its success than the three stars of the film: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner.

All became overnight sensations when they were introduced to the novel's millions of fans as the faces of Edward, Bella and Jacob -- the three high-school students with mystical secrets at the center of the story. Edward is a vampire, Jacob is a werewolf and Bella is the ordinary teenage girl loved by both of them.

Pattinson, 23, Stewart, 19, and Lautner, 17, went from bit parts to big stars with the first ''Twilight'' film. As they prepare for the release Friday of the anticipated sequel, ''New Moon,'' the young cast reflected on the ups and downs of newfound fame.

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Q: What is the best thing to come out of the ''Twilight'' mania for you?

Stewart: It's the same satisfaction that I get from any other movie, it's just that so many more people are paying attention. I always say I make movies for the life experience -- literally, you steal from the characters you play -- and to know that that's actually affecting 100 million not only little girls, but really spans the ages of people, it just feels good. It's so different from anything I've ever experienced, so that's definitely the best thing.

Pattinson: Presenting at the Oscars and stuff, it's just kind of so surreal. But there's little things, like recently I've been working on the ''Remember Me'' trailer and I had very little time to organize it, but the control you're given because of ''Twilight's'' success is kind of incredible. It is an amazing feeling.

Lautner: It's traveling the world in general and seeing this kind of fan support worldwide. We go to Sao Paolo, Brazil, and then we go to Mexico City, we go all over the world and we have fans there with the same amount of passion everywhere we go. It's just amazing to know we have that kind of fan support behind us.

Q: What's one thing you miss from your pre-''Twilight'' life?

Stewart: I like being outside. I like to take walks and I could totally take walks -- it's not the fans, the fans are great, they would let me walk. It's the other people, you know what I mean. It's the other people.

Pattinson: I loved driving around L.A. I know not a lot of people say that, but if you don't have to get anywhere, L.A. is the best place to drive 'round in. I used to have this little car, a convertible ... and I really do miss doing that, as the sun is going down, driving over the mountains. It's a great thing and I kind of do miss that a little bit. It's not really the same thing when you've got 10 cars following you.

Lautner: Malls and movie theaters, or me at them. You have to make adjustments but you can't let it get to you.

Q: What has been your most memorable fan encounter?

Stewart: There were two girls that wound up in Italy as extras. I had met them previously in Vancouver but they were from Minnesota, so lots of traveling and strange coincidence that they happen to have been placed right next to my mark.

Lautner: There are so many. The Brazilian fans were very passionate. We were greeted by them at the airport. Apparently there were barricades but I didn't see them. It was an interesting walk from the airport doors to our car.

Q: How is ''New Moon'' different from ''Twilight''?

Stewart: It's very much rooted in the story. The reason ''Twilight'' felt sort of kinetic, like the energy was sort of hard to grasp ... was because the whole story was about not being able to grasp that energy but going after it with full force and not caring about the consequences. That sort of infiltrates ''New Moon'' because she's been told that she was absolutely wrong, so now it's a more mature, considerate approach to the same ideas. Tonally, ''New Moon'' is different in that it also becomes more dangerous, it becomes more real. She finally opens her eyes and she's like, ''Oh, I've woken up in Wonderland. It's really scary. It's actually scarier than I thought it was going to be'' because there are werewolves and all the bad vampires want to kill her and all of that, so tonally it could not be more different.

Lautner: It takes everything Bella and Edward created in ''Twilight'' and destroys it at the beginning when he leaves, and it has to rebuild it, or Jacob has to rebuild Bella and then it's kind of destroyed at the end again. It's an emotional roller coaster.

Comic-Con Revealed Twilight and New Moon Products, Posters and more

If you want to see more of the products, head to www.twifans.com!