Rick Riordan's wildly popular series for young readers makes the leap to the big screen on February 12 with the premiere of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Adapted from the first book in the series, the film is directed by Chris Columbus (who brought the first two Harry Potter books to the screen) and stars Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, a high school student who discovers that the Greek gods of Olympus are alive -- and that one of the gods is his father! Since the publication of the first Percy Jackson book in 2005, Riordan has followed it with four others in the series, all bestsellers. Perfect for readers 10 and up, Riordan's books are packed with adventure, hilarious escapades and generous references to classical mythology.
Remembering Dr. King's dream
This month, take the opportunity to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with two recent books about his life and work. In Through It All: Reflections on My Life, My Family, and My Faith, Christine King Farris shares her memories of her brother Martin as a small boy and as the leader he would become, and writes eloquently about their shared belief in the power of education. And if you'd rather hear from Dr. King himself, you can rediscover his most famous speech by picking up King's Dream by Eric Sundquist, which eloquently explores both the content and the context of the "I Have a Dream" speech.
February is the month for love
Whether you believe that St. Valentine was a priest who flouted the word of Claudius II and performed marriage ceremonies for the men in his army, or that he was perhaps an imprisoned man who sent love letters to his jailor's daughter, let love sweep you away on February 14, Valentine's Day. Don't worry if you need a little help finding your special someone, there are plenty of books at the library to help you find true love. New and worth consideration is Meeting Your Half-Orange: An Utterly Upbeat Guide to Using Dating Optimism to Find Your Perfect Match--filled with juicy details and ideas to help you find your other half so you can celebrate love every day!
Lightning strikes
