books

Here it is! I went to a Breaking Dawn release party last night to pick up a book light, so I can read it late into the night! I'm so excited!!

In all of my excitement over Twilight and this weekend's release of Breaking Dawn, I have been slightly distracted from my previous literary obsession: Harry Potter!

Half-Blood Prince movie trailer

I got a super reminder of why I'm such a Potterhead yesterday when I watched the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which comes to theaters November 21, 2008. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it here. It is thrilling! I loved getting a glimpse of Tom Riddle as a young boy. Here's a bit of trivia for you: Apparently, the boy playing young Tom Riddle is the real-life nephew of Ralph Fiennes, who plays the grown-up dark lord Voldemort.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie! When I finish Breaking Dawn, I think I'll re-read Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows to get ready for the HBP movie!

Birthdays

Also, today, July 31, is JK Rowling's birthday, which she also shares with Harry Potter! Happy, Happy, Happy Birthdays! I raise my butterbeer to you! Cheers!

New Book by JK Rowling! (pre-order now; available December 4, 2008)

Hooray! JK Rowling's book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is a companion to the Harry Potter series. The book was referenced in the last volume of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It contains five original fairy tales, which have been compared to Aesop's fables and the stories of the Brothers Grimm.

The Collector's Edition (pictured) of Beedle has some sweet special features, such as extra illustrations, a reproduction of Rowling's handwritten introduction, metal and gemstone details on the cover, and extensive and insightful commentary and footnotes by Albus Dumbledore!

I can't resist stories with names like these:

• The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
• The Fountain of Fair Fortune
• The Warlock's Hairy Heart
• Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump
• The Tale of the Three Brothers

Any other Potterheads out there? Will you buy The Tales of Beedle the Bard? What do you think of the Half-Blood Prince trailer?

Penguin publishing sent me a leftover pre-publication copy of "Savvy," by Ingrid Law, and asked me to help get the word out about an upcoming summer reading program for kids. I had seen "Savvy" mentioned in Reader's Digest, as a "don't miss this" summer read. And since I'm between installments of "Twilight," and finished with "The Host," I was grateful for something else to read in the meantime! I'm only about halfway through, but I'm enjoying "Savvy," so far. It's definitely aimed at a younger audience (ages 9-12), and it's written in a folksy storytelling tone. Here's the quick summary:

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" — a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity... and now it's the eve of Mibs's big day. As if waiting weren't hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs's birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman's bus... only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up — and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

I don't know how the story ends, so I can't give anything away about the plot. The book is whimsical and easy to read, with a lilting and sometimes sing-song rhythm. The characters' superpowers will appeal to young readers, who will imagine and wish for their own savvies. In an effort to encourage young children to read, "Savvy" will be available as a free download (pdf file) free online read next week, from July 14-20. If you're looking for something to occupy the kids during the last "Mom, I'm bored" weeks of summer vacation, check it out! Get your free download of Savvy here, between July 14-20, 2008. EDIT: Apparently, the publisher changed the download to a free online version, due to the size of the pdf. If you don't like reading online, or won't be able to finish the book during the free week, you should try printing from within the online viewer/reader. Sorry about that.