Justin The Librarian's Best of 2008 Awards

Justin the Librarian presents...


BEST OF 2008 AWARDS!

Ok...so here's the deal:

-You have to pick something that's in our Teen Zone at any of the libraries in Cape May County. It doesn't matter if the book/DVD/CD is old or new. Just as long as it's in our Teen Room and you got a chance to read/watch/listen to the item in 2008!

(since we don't have a lot of CD's and DVD's in the Teen Room, you can pick anything you saw or listened to this year)

-What are some of your favorite books/DVD's/CD's of 2008? Reply to this post and let us know!

-Anything else you want to see at the Cape May County Library Teen Zone in 2009? Include that in your reply and we'll get right on it...

And now...for Justin The Librarian's picks:

Books
Fiction: The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg


Non-Fiction: John Lennon: All I Want Is The Truth by Elizabeth Partridge



Audiobook
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Movie Review: Labyrinth

Are you now or have you ever been a fan of the Muppets, Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street, and or Star Wars? If so, then you must watch Labyrinth; it is the brainchild of Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and George Lucas. Labyrinth was theatrically released in 1986 by the Jim Henson Company and Lucasfilm Ltd. It is the story of fifteen year old girl named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) and her journey through a magical labyrinth. She has a mere thirteen hours to complete the maze and reach the Goblin City. If she fails, her baby brother will be turned into a goblin by Jareth the Goblin King. The challenge may seem simple enough, but Jareth does not play fair. He cheats Sarah out of time and uses his powers against her. Of course, I will not tell you how it ends, but I will say that Sarah meets several interesting characters. She befriends Hogel and Ludo. Hogel is a dwarf like creature who is torn between being her friend and helping Jareth sabotage Sarah. Ludo is a big hairy beast that wants to protect Sarah.

The story is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland; Sarah embarks on a journey and is faced with the most perplexing challenges and unusual creatures. Moreover, the film is somewhat similar to other movies from that era. It bears a striking resemblance to The Dark Crystal; which is not surprising since it was also co-directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. And much like The Never Ending Story, Labyrinth is full of lovable creatures and puppets. The special effects and puppetry done in the movie are most impressive. All of the work was done without the aid of computer-generated imagery (CGI). The movie also includes a killer soundtrack. All of the songs were originally written for the movie and performed by David Bowie, one of the coolest men alive.

If you like fantasy movies, want to see a young Jennifer Connelly, or love everything Bowie then you must come to the Cape May County Library to borrow Labyrinth. It is in the teen room for your viewing pleasure.

-Review by Lisa Marie, The Technology Librarian

Why thank you for your kind review Lisa Marie. I agree with you so much, that I'm going to highlight this as one of Justin's Picks. Woo hoo, etc!

Justin's Pick O' The Week

A girl name Jane moves to a new town where she becomes friends with four other girls named Jane. She's out of place in her new school and so are the other three unique Janes. The four of them bond and form a sort of renegade art group named The Plain Janes and set about to decorate the town. Some people like it, some people hate it...but nonetheless the whole town is talking about them.

I just loved the story and the characters. They were all so cool and likeable. What makes it even better is the art. All the panels in this graphic novel are wonderfully illustrated and packed with great detail.

Check it out....we've it at the library (click here for more)

Enjoy and have a great weekend.

-Justin The Librarian