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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Troll Hunters!

Our very own Michael Dahl has truly outdone himself this time. His epic fantasy tale involving trolls, teens, and the stars isn’t set to run wild until August 1st, but I thought I’d give our blog’s readers a sneak peek at what’s to come.

First off, we’ve already received a handful of glowing reviews, including this testimonial from School Library JournalKirkus Reviews cited the story's “Compulsive plot, non-stop action … fast-moving narrative [with] lots of suspense ... A page-turner.”

Another review compared the book to a younger version of the His Dark Materials series of books by Phillip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Amber Spyglass, etc.). Good company, to say the least.

Last but definitely not least, nearly every review thus far has mentioned the amazing illustrations done by Ben Kovar. But don’t take my word for it, or theirs—judge for yourselves.




Make sure to mark August 1st on your calendars! In the meantime, keep your eyes on the skies!
Sean Tulien, Editor

Friday, June 8, 2012

Foodie Friday: Three Cheers for Food!

Welcome back to our second edition of Foodie Friday. A few months ago, I came across an article with recipes that were inspired by The Hunger Games, and I thought it was awesome. I could picture myself on my patio eating the goat cheese appetizer while reading about Prim and her pet. The idea combining two of my favorite things — food and books — was absolute brilliance. And I thought it would be figure out my own combinations.

The latest editions to our Team Cheer series will be coming out this summer — with a whole new look for the cover! Focused on the lives of four cheerleaders, the books often give glimpses of the girls favorite foods — both that rich in nutrition and that rich in sugar! So to celebrate the set, the cheerleaders, and of course, food, here are a few recipes inspired by the new books.


Faith is heading to her first school dance, and she better not forget to eat something before she goes! Here is a light, but filling sandwich, perfect for a quick bit before she goes.

Faith's Chicken Pita Sandwich
(serves one)

1 whole wheat pita bread
1-2 T plain Greek yogurt
3 oz. sliced cooked chicken breast
5 cucumber slices
2 tomato slices
5 banana pepper slices
1-2 T feta cheese crumbles

Spread 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt on the pita bread. Top with chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, banana peppers, and feta cheese. If you would like, add another tablespoon of yogurt on top.


Lissa injures her tailbone and is stuck in bed for a few days. Her mom feeds her chicken noodle soup, but since Lissa really likes her food spicy, these poppers might be the faster way to recovery.

Lissa's Pepper Poppers
(Serves 4 to 6)

4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 large jalapenos, halved and seeded
4 strips of bacon, cut in thirds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Fill each jalapeno half with about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Wrap a piece of bacon around each pepper and secure with a tooth pick. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the bacon is browned.


Sweet-toothed Gaby is feeling down about budget problems that are threatening to cut the cheer program at Greenview. Maybe one of her famous smoothies would cheer her up!

Gaby's Famous Smoothie (some would call it a shake)
(Serves 1-2)

1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
1 cup crumbled chocolate chip cookies
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 chocolate chip cookie

Blend the ice cream, milk, crumbled cookies and chocolate chips. Pour into a glass and top with cookie.


Brooke is facing a huge decision: Does she head off to a new private high school or follow her friends to Greenview High? The best way to make any decision is with a full belly! Brooke's family specializes in Italian dishes like this one.

Brooke's Stuffed Shells
(Serves approximately 8)

20-30 large pasta shells
1 can spaghetti sauce
16 oz. cottage cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 T. parsley flakes
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shells according to package. Empty sauce into large 9 x 13 pan. Combine all the cheeses, the eggs, and parsley in a large boal. Once shells are cooked, stuff them wiht the cheese mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Wednesday Comix!

Get ready, folks... For all you fanboys, fangirls, and fanfortysomethings out there, Wednesday is our new Friday. Starting today, and continuing throughout this blockbuster of a summer, Library Bound is going mid-week GEEK!! That’s right. As comic book characters (like the Avengers, the Dark Knight, and Spider-Man) break box-office records, we’ll break down our own season of superheroes!

Including...
Event updates (San Diego Comic Con!)
Sneak previews
Creator interviews
Insider insight
Featured reviews

And, of course, CAPSTONE COMIX!! First up... A Quick Comic featuring the Incredible Rockhead, the stone-faced hero of our newest 128-page graphic novel, The Incredible Rockhead: Rock, Paper, Scissorlegz! 





More on everything in the weeks to come, but for now...TGIW!


Donnie Lemke, Managing Editor

Monday, June 4, 2012

This summer, dream big and read!


Summer is a magical time when you’re a kid. I have fond memories of riding my bike to the pool each day, swimming for two hours, then stopping at the library to choose a book or two. The rest of the day was spent reading, so that I could do it all again the next day. The library summer reading program was the best: I earned prizes for something I loved to do.

This year the Collaborative Summer Library Program has selected the theme of Dream Big: Read! for its public-library members. The CSLP website has a bibliography of books that fit this theme of dreaming, sleeping, and things that happen in the night. Be sure to check it out. But in the meantime, here are a few Capstone titles that fill the bill.

For the young listener and beginning reader:

Nap Time for Kitty by Michael Dahl












The Scary Night by Anastasia Suen












The Noisy Night by Gwendolyn Hooks
























For early readers:

Katie Goes Camping by Fran Manushkin

















A Nervous Night by Fran Manushkin












The Kylie Jean series by Marci Peschke ~ no one dreams bigger than Kylie Jean!












For graphic novel lovers:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a graphic retelling of William Shakespeare's play













For those who want a little fright in their night:

The Midnight Witches by Roberto Pavanello













Full Moon Horror by Jason Strange













Skyfall: Volume 1 of Troll Hunters by Michael Dahl



Friday, June 1, 2012

Happy National Doughnut Day!

There is only one thing people in our office love more than books, and that is doughnuts. Although we certainly never need an excuse to go buy doughnuts, especially on a Friday, it's definitely nice to have one. Luckily, today is National Doughnut Day! There's literally no better excuse than that. And while we weren't able to find any free doughnut giveaways near our office, my fellow editor Beth and I did manage pick out this deliciously impressive selection at a nearby bakery. We actually had two of these full boxes when we first returned, but doughnuts move fast around this place. 


It's obviously no secret that our office revolves largely around food (particularly of the Dairy-Queen variety), so in that spirit, we'll be starting a new tradition on the SAB blog: Foodie Fridays! Sadly, we can't have National Doughnut Day every Friday (trust me, I've looked into it), but I can promise a new, exciting, food-related post to look forward to next Friday. Is your mouth watering already? Have a doughnut to tide you over.