Night of the Living Trekkies

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. As a child, the opportunity to don an alter ego, gorge on candy, and stay up late in pursuit of said candy always made me ecstatically happy. And as an adult, truth be told, not much has changed. Every year I get giddy picking out a costume, eating enough candy-corn to swear it off (conveniently eleven months seems to be just the right amount of time to forget this resolution), and defiantly staying up later then I ought to to celebrate ghouls, ghosts, and all that this holiday has come to mean in our culture. So, in an effort to stoke this flame I ventured to our Sci-Fi section and grabbed "Night of the Living Trekkies" by Kevin Anderson and Sam Stall.

Brought to you by the same publishing geniuses that rewrote the classics "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice" into far more entertaining if less educational works entitled "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" and "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", "Night of the Living Trekkies" ranks high on the entertainment scale.

Set at a Star Trek convention in a hotel in Houston, the authors do indeed attempt to add substance to the narrative by creating out of Jim Pike, their main character, a disillusioned Afghanistan veteran struggling with civilian life. Don't let the veneer fool you though. When a strange virus starts turning both the Trek fans and the residents of Houston into the walking dead, Jim's combat experience comes tremendously in handy as he leads a small band of the non-stricken in an escape attempt.

I won't spoil the ending for you but I will deliver a spoiler. "Night of the Living Trekkies" is a hilarious romp that draws deeply on zombie, horror, and Star Trek cliches and references. Thus, if Vulcans, clumsy cannibalism, and completely predictable but still wonderfully monstrous plot turns aren't your thing, read no further. But if you are looking to simultaneously giggle and gag or simply want to get in the mood for the upcoming holiday of horrors, I strongly recommend beaming this book off the shelf.

Chickadees At Night

At this point I am merely joining the chorus, the chickadee chorus that is.

Having heard its praises sung, or rather chirped high and low, I decided that it was well past time to take a good long look at local author Bill O. Smith's picture book "Chickadee's At Night" and let me tell you, I was more than rewarded. 

Following an initial posing of the deeply vexing question of what those cheeky chickadees do at night, Smith presents a lyricial and laughable series of rhyming follow up questions that take readers to all sorts of wonderous places and on all sorts of witty adventures. From a trip to the moon, to a hop, to a bed of birds snuggled eight deep. Smith's prose shrinks, grows, spins, and sings and most of all, pleases. 

Yet it is Charles R. Murphy's gorgeous and whimsical watercolor illustrations that truly bring this tale to life. Although every page could easily present a favorite, I was won over simply gazing at the cover depicting a brash bird with its mouth slightly agape and feathers streaming in the breeze as it rides a flying squirrel past the full moon.

"Chickadees at Night" really is one of those rare and fantastic picture books that manages to be fun, clever, and beautiful while prompting imagination, questions, and learning. And as the book itself states, "if you love beauty, the natural world, tickled tummies and family snuggles then this book is certainly for you."

South of Superior

 

Just recently, when the lovely smell of rain finally retuned and the nights began to require a heavier blanket, I started to recognize the Michigan of my childhood. The previous sun soaked, nearly bone dry, 12 weeks were glorious mind you, and I enjoyed every beach bathing, dive off the dock, thank whatever higher power you believe in moment of it, but it sure didn’t remind me of the Michigan I remembered. 

The turn in weather and tree color though, brought forth a nostalgia and love of this great state that led me to grab a book off of the 2012 Michigan Notable Books list created by the Library of Michigan.

Ellen Airgood’s debut novel “South of Superior,” introduces us to engaged thirty something Madeline Stone. Madeline promptly decides to leave her unsatisfying Chicago life behind to both care for an elderly family friend and seek out the story of her difficult past on the bleak but beautiful shores of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Of course, life in the gritty small town presents a wealth of challenges including the daily struggles of a community where the past, present, and future do not always come together smoothly and where a car accident or fire can shape the entirety of the town. True to small town life, these challenges are though, well balanced by community, kindness, and compassion. 

And indeed, it is Airgood's vivid and emotional portrayal of the individuals that exist within just such a tough love community that is the driving force behind her tale. Drawn from interviews of actual residents of Grand Marais where she runs a diner with her husband, Airgood's debut may be unsophisticated, but what it has to teach, surely isn't.

A Boy and A Bear in a Boat

Occasionally, a book's title says it all. And this is one of those occasions. Indeed, the entirety of this children's chapter book, suited well for ages 7-12, follows the travails of, yes, a boy and a bear in a boat.

Written by Dave Shelton, the tale begins with the boy procuring the services of a bear and his rowboat in an attempt to reach the "other side." The boy is initially equipped with a suitcase as well as a lack of patience and imagination. The bear on the other hand, has an abundance of patience, a trifle less imagination, and additionally, a ukulele and a comic book. 

Despite assurances that this trip to the other side will only take a short while, "unforeseeable anomalies"occur such as encounters with "turbulent stormy seas! a terrifying sea monster! and the rank remains of The Very Last Sandwich." 

Truth be told, these anomalies make up insignificant portions of the plot. But it is not the plot that makes this book worth reading. Instead, rather than action, it is the book's call to the reader's imagination that makes it a delight.

The slightly scary portrayal of being lost at sea is perfectly juxtaposed with the surreal, whimsical, and ridiculous. Add to the stories charms some fantastic yet understated illustrations and the end result is a well written, highly enjoyable touch of drama paired with a generous helping of humor, growth, and friendship. 

The Plunge

And so it begins. Having undertaken a new job in a new place, the time is ripe to embark upon a new adventure. I have for years, wanted to write about the books I have read but simply never worked up the courage to do so. That changes today.

My goal then, is to regularly post short reviews of something that I have checked out and read from the library. But I warn you dear readers, (future readers that is,) I am both an amateur and an omnivore.

What you read here neither represents the institution I work for nor any institution, anyone, or indeed anything other than my own opinions. 

Additionally, I like to read a bit of everything. Having worked as a children's and teen librarian, I frequently delve into reading fit for both. Being a lover of comics and cartoons, I also enjoy graphic novels. Having received not one but two English degrees, I like my stuffy, highfalutin fiction. Being curious about almost everything, I can't resist nonfiction. And being a human being, I like to be entertained by mysteries, westerns, romance, and any and everything that is well paced.  So please, join me on my journey through one library's collection.