Is the Book Always Better Than the Movie?

Last week we had some great movie suggestions (click here to read.)  If you are looking for a movie to watch this weekend --start there!


Add your favorite Book Inspired Movies.  And tell us about those movies that were not as good as the book (I think we all know one of those!)  Post in the comments below.

Yesterday we had some interesting thoughts on reading, book love and technology --read the great quotes.  A couple of readers requested more information on what's happening with the publishing industry, I will share what I learn on Library Days (Thursdays.)  And thanks for the Steve Jobs contact information, we'll invite him :)

The Teacher (we'll introduce you to her soon) aka jolynnbarrett suggested a "book finding quest" at The Bedtime Story Challenge --her favorite bedtime story Clotilde by Jack Kent is not in print anymore and not readily available. I will be on the lookout at library booksales for a copy!  Victoria shared their new tradition of story-telling.  Stop by and add your own favorite bedtime story.

The Poll closes today, vote if you haven't already.  We are working on the next poll... we'll share it soon!

Have a great weekend --for Pizza Movie Night we are torn between The Young Victoria (we are reading We Two by Gillian Gill), A Midsummer Night's Dream (again!) and Anne of Green Gables.  What are you watching?  

Exciting news, we'll be in the next edition of the Northern Express --watch for us on May 3rd!

Happy Weekend!

Do you REALLY read? ;)

Tracey, one of our lovely Regular Contributors, sent us Publish or Parish by Ken Auletta (author of Googled: The End of the World As We Know It) --the second most popular story on The New Yorker's Website yesterday.  I (the Mom) got in a huff over one of Steven Job's (of Apple fame) quotes from the article: 

Jobs, who two years ago said that the book business was unsalvageable. “It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore,” he said. “Forty per cent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year.”  

While I don't pretend to understand what is happening in the publishing industry, I have been following the story.  So tell me Mr. Jobs, what are the other 60% reading... 2 books, 10 books, 30 books, 100 books?  A statistic like that just doesn't prove that "people don't read anymore."  In fact there is good news:  people are returning to their libraries (read the report from the American Libraries Association) and they are returning --for books, that's right to read.   And more is available to everyone, online, through libraries --we can ALL afford to go to the library (read all about it here.)

If you don't feel like reading the entire New Yorker story but want an e-book/iPad/Kindle 101, listen to Tuesday's Fresh Air, Teri Gross interviewed Ken Auletta.  Personally, I feel enlightened.  

Henceforth, I will clutch more closely my precious books, like Auletta admits he does, as well...

"I have a Kindle. I'm waiting to buy the iPad... But I prefer to read a book in hardcover. I can mark it, and it's on my bookshelf and I can refer to more easily."

In support of Libraries, Books for Walls Project encourages you to donate used books, become a friend of your local library and/or hug a librarian (or at least thank them)... simple things that are guaranteed to make the world better.  Find your local library at www.worldcat.org.

P.S.  We are working on getting Steve Job's email address to invite him to BFWP's --to show him that not only do people read, people LOVE to read!

P.P.S  Don't forget to take the Bedtime Story Challenge

Bedtime Story Challenge

The full title to this challenge is actually "I Can't Fall Asleep, Read Me a Bedtime Story Challenge."

There is an art to the Bedtime Story.  If you are a parent reading to your kids you may have to read this book dozens of times (maybe hundreds) so you need to be able to stand reading it over and over and over and over and over.  If you are reading aloud to an adult this book needs to keep both of your attention long enough to get really sleepy and the reader cannot be bored because the reader cannot, under any circumstances, fall asleep first (kids poke you and it's dangerous to fall asleep under a big book --yes, I know this from experience --The Unabridged Sherlock Holmes Collection hurts.)

Tell us your favorite stories to read aloud.  Tell us the stories that are better when you are listening to them.  Go one step further --grab someone and read to them-- and tell us how it goes.  We look forward to reading your comments --and adding to our book lists!

Please use the following format for your comment:

Title of Book, Author, and your thoughts on the book.

Face to Face w/ Erin Crowell

Yesterday we had a visit with Erin from the Northern Express, she interviewed us for the issue coming out May 3rd.  The Big and Little Sister are getting very good at interviews.

Our Face to Face was a quick one, but we learned a few things about Erin:

• The Dog loves her and didn't want to leave her alone --thankfully though we learned that she is a dog lover.
• She has a great smile.
• We like the way she asks questions.
• She like all the writing on our walls.
• The Little Sister and Big Sister agree that she is the fastest writer they have even witnessed, "she can write faster than we can talk."
• She plays basketball.
• Her favorite book is The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
• We cannot wait to read the article and more of her work.
• We all think its pretty cool that she works full time for such a great paper --we read it every week.
• Erin is welcome back anytime for another tea party!

If you are interested in Yann Martel's latest book Beatrice and Virgil --you may want to take the time to read the New York Time Book Review.  Beatrice and Virgil is not on any of our lists at the moment, haven't gotten one good word --if you've read it, let us know what you think!

What's Happening!

Last Week's Highlights and What's Coming Up This Week at the Books for Walls Project:

• This weekend the Mom and the Big Sister did a lot of work on the site.  We found new ways of posting, sharing and worked on our video (whoops there was edit --the Big Sister was frustrated that we cannot just upload an edited version to Youtube in place of the old version, but we realized that's a pretty important Youtube feature, so that folks cannot misrepresent videos.)  Check out the latest edit of our video.

• Last week the Big Sister offered Share Thy Shakespeare Challenge, we learned so much from our readers --wow, you all love Shakespeare too, enjoy reading the comments and add your own!  We watched the Shuttle Discovery land and learned that the pilot's school librarian helped him get started on his journey to the International Space Station.  Thursday we explained our plan to follow Garrett Reisman on the latest Space Shuttle Mission to learn about books and reading in space.  Friday we announced Book to Movie, which was fun for two reasons: one we just love movies and two we had a ball making our own little BFW's marquee!   

• Thanks to ALL who shared their books and stories.  Read all of the new comments and add your own!  Remember you can take challenges more than once!  

Book Shelf

First Line/Last Line

Childhood in a Book

Haiku Your Book

Share Thy Shakespeare Challenge

Yourstory

Library Love Stories

• Welcome Costa Rica and China.   Country Count: 22, State Count: 31.  Check out Covering the Globe.

• Coming Wednesday our newest Challenge, this week from the Dad.
• While we said we would announce the answer to the Haiku Riddle today. We just voted at breakfast and decided to leave it open, why not?  If you are dying to know the answer, email us an we will tell you!
• Only 4 days left to vote in the poll --cast your vote!

• Announcing: in the next couple of weeks we'll be introducing you to some of our newest Regular Contributors --we'll post their Bio's soon! I bet by now you  may recognize some of our regulars!

Just for Fun... from The Big Sister

Remember a while back we offered readers cookie for typos?

One of our readers gets a cookie!  

For fun we decided to put the old video up with the new video and challenge you to find the difference... just for fun.  

Send me an email if you figure it out!

The Librarian and the Astronaut

On Tuesday, the Space Shuttle Discovery landed; which is a lovely thing to watch whether it was the first time or the 30th.  While learning all about the current mission we found this wonderful story.  We're calling it "The Librarian and The Astronaut!"

Watch the following clip (at about 4:02) you'll hear pilot Jim Dutton explain who helped him to launch his dreams of becoming an astronaut.  Also in the clip are Commander Alan Poindexter, Specialists Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Stephanie Wilson!

Since Jim Dutton talked about having dreams and goals, we will too!  Introducing... Astronaut Inspired Books for Walls Project Goals:  

• One:   we have a question or two about books and reading up there in space and we'd like to ask an astronaut in person (or via email.)
• Two:   an astronaut from the International Space Station to take a challenge while orbiting our lovely planet.

To work toward our goals we'll be following Garrett Reisman and the crew of the Atlantis on their next Mission STS-132 set to launch in May.  Know any astronauts or followers of the Space Station?  Share the Books for Walls Project with them.  And help us reach our goal!!

We'll update you as we learn more!  For More Inspiration:  

• NASA's website
  
  
• "New Eye on the Sun" (WOW) Click here
  
  
• Main Space Shuttle Mission Page
  
  
• NASA's Video Library Click here (watch the latest landing and interviews with the astronauts!)
  
  
• The International Space Station has so much to learn
  
  

Don't forget to Share Thy Shakespeare!

Riddle? Haiku? A Clue?

These Haiku are just too good, we had to post them again:

jolynbarrett said...

White whale in my depths,

are you really salvation?

or my undoing...

John Daniels said...

Pray, who is the prey?

Ahab sees him in all seas;

He seizes Ahab!

To solve the riddle or add your own haiku or clue: click here. Take the The Haiku Your Book Challenge, click here.

What's Happening!

On Mondays we'll look at last week's highlights and what's coming up this week at the Books for Walls Project:

• This weekend the Haiku Your Book Challenge lead us to a new topic:  Challenges from Readers: the Haiku Riddle (from "jolynbarrett") was answered (by John Daniels) with MORE Haiku --check your memory and see if you know the answer to the riddle (click here) --the four of us discussed and figured out the book, but we'll wait a couple of days to post the answer.

• Last week was pretty exciting -- with meeting Linda Stephan and then the radio interview, click to listen.  We spent time at our little library and found them very happy with the project.  The Haiku Your Book Challenge was a huge success --there are some fantastic poems, don't forget to add yours!   Thanks to ALL who shared their books and stories.  The Little Sister was very happy with all of the Childhood in a Book comments, too.  Thanks to all of you our "must read" book lists are growing and we have loads of inspiration for the future of the project.

• Read all of the new comments and add your own!  Remember you can take challenges more than once!  The following are links... click and comment away.

First Line/Last Line Challenge
Bookshelf Challenge
Childhood in a Book Challenge
Haiku Your Book Challenge

Yourstory
Library Love Stories

• Welcome Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia and Austria.   Country Count: 20, State Count: 30.  Check out Covering the Globe to watch the "dots" grow!

• Coming Wednesday from the Big Sister:   "The Share Thy Shakespeare Challenge" 

• Announcing: our new topic Book to Movie --stop by Friday to see what its all about!