Research and Valentines Day

As I was showing teachers how to use the Gale Databases today, I came across an article that was describing the origin of Valentine's Day.  I was amazed to learn that it may have stemmed from Geoffrey Chaucer "in his work The Parliament of Foules, ... 'For this was Seynt Valentyne's Day. When every foul cometh ther to choose his mate'" (Bowler). Isn't that language great?  Can you believe that is English?  The article went on to say that in the Middle Ages, St. Valentine's Day was celebrated by making proclamations of love or trying to figure out who one's true love is.  Do we still celebrate that way?

For those romantically minded this holiday, I wish to share with you some titles of books that may feed the lovebug! Stop by the library, and I will be glad to help you find any of these!

*	Beautiful Creatures Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
*	The Big Crunch Pete Hautman June is starting at her sixth school in four years when she meets Wes, who has just broken up with a girlfriend, and although they do not share an instant or intense connection, attraction turns to love and they wonder where it will lead.
*	Cyrano Geraldine McCaughrean Ashamed of his ugliness, long-nosed Cyrano de Bergerac, a brilliant seventeenth-century poet and expert swordsman in the French army, helps a rival woo and win Roxane, the beautiful cousin Cyrano loves in silence.
*	Fallen Lauren Kate Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.
*	Delirium Lauren Oliver Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Luce is sent to a Savannah, Georgia, reform school where she meets two intriguing boys and learns the truth about the strange shadows that have always haunted her.
*	Flavor of the Week Tucker Shaw Cyril, an overweight boy who is good friends with Rose but wishes he could be more, helps his best friend Nick woo her with culinary masterpieces which Cyril himself secretly creates. Includes recipes from the story.
*	Girlfriend Material Melissa Kantor Kate's hopes for a summer romance are dashed when her mother announces plans to stay with wealthy friends in Cape Cod as a ploy to make Kate's father jealous, but when Kate is introduced to Adam things begin to look brighter.

Bowler, Gerry. "Valentine's Day." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom     Pendergast. Vol. 5. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 16-17. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Student Review - Dairy Queen

Book Title: Dairy Queen

Book Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Reviewer: Maranda Mustaca

Why would you recommend this book? I would recommend this book because it really reaches out to all different types of readers. Like if you are a girl it has stuff about like boys and how much trouble you go through with the boyfriend situation. And for boys it has football and alot of hard work into training .So it’s good for many reader like people who like sports, mystery, fantasy sorta and many other. It interest all types of people and even if you can't relate to the book you can find things that are different and see if there are anything that relate to another character. It is one of those book that is really hard to put down. And to sum this up its good for all types of reader and there’s a little shock at the end but you have to get there to find out. HAPPY READING!

What did you like about the book? I liked that it was relatable to my life and the whole boy friend situation and problems along the way. And I could not put it down the book it was so good. I LIKED EVERY SINGLE PAGE IN THE BOOK!

What did you dislike about the book? I disliked some of the words but overall it was a really good book.

Final thoughts about the book? My final thoughts on the book is its great and you should read it. It is really hard to put down. I wouldn't change a thing at all.

Student Review - Avalon

Book Title: Avalon High

Book Author: Meg Cabot

Reviewer: Anjali Venna

Why would you recommend this book? This book is not a typical Meg Cabot book. Usually she writes about "girly" stuff. Boyfriends, Popular crowd,etc,etc. This really stunned me. I like suspense, action, and a little bit of romance. This book gave me all I want. It's about new girl, Elaine Harrison, who moves to Maryland. She starts at a new school called Avalon High home of the Excalibers. It's like any typical high school. There's Mr. Popular, Will . Little Miss. Perfect, Jennifer. And Mr. Popular's Wing-man, Lance. But no sooner than she arrives does she realize that if you look close enough, the place is like a modern day Camelot! So with parents who are professors, and a group called the Order of the Bear, could King Arthur be reborn? Or will the forces of evil get him? Elaine Harrison's life will never be the same. If that sparks something then you should read Avalon High.

What did you like about the book? This book gave me amazing facts about Camelot and King Arthur in an entertaining way. It also shows how to deal with high school as "The New Girl".It was also interesting to see how each character had things in common with the mythical characters of Camelot. Plus, I had to know how Arthur defeats Mordrad, or even who King Arthur was. It also had a love triangle and any book with a love triangle is worth reading in my opinion. Or was it a ... how do say it... a quadruple triangle?

What did you dislike about the book? This was a great book, although at certain points, the story seemed to drag and the author kept repeating what the main character was feeling over and over again.

Final thoughts about the book? Like I said earlier this was a great book and I recommend you read it. This also might get you interested in Medieval times, cause I know I did.