STABies,
The other thing we discussed at the STAB meeting was the upcoming Harry Potter Book launch party. I think we should call "Harry Potter and the STAB meeting". It will be at the Richmond Beach library July 21st .
The Harry Potter countdown is for the book and the party, though it doesn't technically mention the party:

Anyways, here are the notes. There are plenty of opportunities for you guys to volunteer and make your mark (creativily speaking, of course.) Let me or Aarene know if there is anything you would like to add or amend:

Those who would like to design a Harry Potter button for the HP party are encouraged to do it! Artistic skill is not a requirement; that is why God created Photoshop. I see no reason to stick with just one button if there are several cool designs submitted. Anybody who has a great idea for a button to promote the program ahead of time, please get it on paper and let me see it!

For the day of the party, we'd really like FOUR buttons, so that participants can be sorted into houses. The following artistic geniuses have agreed to apply their talents to design:
Krystina - Slitherin
Roxanna - Griffindor
Logan - Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw

Good ideas for activities are still being sought. So far, the ideas include:
face painting
costumes
hat making (also wand-making)
qwiddich (maybe out in the park?)
wizard chess (no fair clobbering the little kids with swords!)

Any ideas about snacks? The Friends of the Library will purchase pizza around 5pm, but what else should be available for snackage during the day? Pumpkin juice is a nice idea, but would anybody actually drink it? (bleh!)

The meeting room definitely needs to be decorated. Molly had some ideas about this. I'd love to see stars hung from the ceiling in the meeting room...and what else? Somebody please jump-start my brain...or better yet, show up here with a bunch of crepe paper and creativity. But tell me what you want to do so I can buy supplies!

Naming your STABcasts.

Mica, this weeks STABcaster, has chosen to review The Naming by Alison Croggon.

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The Naming is available from the King County Library System as is the sequel, The Riddle.

May STAB meeting wrap up.

We have some upcoming meetings in June:
June 5th, “Super” STABBBYA Meeting, 4pm-7pm (We need at least 15 people)
June 12th, STAB Meeting, 4pm-6pm
June 19th, Last STABBBYA meeting before ALA (Possibly with visitors), 4pm-6pm

STABcasts: Still need volunteers. Please let me know when you can come in and I'll try and set up a time.

Volunteer hours: Get them now (and later). I still need volunteers to help with all sorts of things. Let me know if you can in sometime and I'll make sure you have some stuff to do. I'm in this weekend (June 2 & 3) so if you are looking to get out of the sun, you know where to go.

Buttons and badgers: Holly, myself and the members of the BBYA committee would like you to design a button. Please get it to me by June 5th at the latest (our SuperSTABBBYA meeting!). Design elements should include the phrase "BBYA 2008" and possilby Committee Member. The badges should be circular in nature. You could incorporate the theme of Washington DC as well, as that is where conference will be held. You may also want to insert the YALSA logo / conference logo as well. Please no pictures of badgers.

An abundance of STABcasts.

Jennifer, our STABcaster this week, has chosen to review the 2007 Printz honor book An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. It also appears on the 2007 Best Books for Young Adults list.



An Abundance of Katherines is availabe on CD as well as in your traditinal codex format. As opposed to, like, a scroll.

John Green is also the author of the 2006 Printz Award winning book, Looking for Alaska, which we have on CD, EAdudio, in Spanish as well as a good old fashioned book.

Also, Unshelved highlighted An Abundance of Katherines on their Unshelved Book Club.

Fun fact about John Green: I've had the pleasure of dining with him and have also chatted with him on a number of occasions and he is a heck of a nice guy. I talked with him last year in New Orleans when he spoke a the Printz reception. He had a nasty case of the flu and could barely stand. But, due to his illness, no one would go near him so I had him to myself practically the whole night. He probably doesn't remember this interaction, but he promised me that his next book would be dedicated to me. At least, that is the way I remember it.

The Long Dark STABcast of the Soul.

Mica, our STABcaster this week, has chosen to review The long dark tea-time of the soul by Douglas Adams.



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Many of you may be familiar with Douglas Adams from his series of books The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

On a personal note, Douglas Adams is one of my favorite authors.

On a professional note, the fact that he is one of my favorite authors has nothing to do with the fact that I ran to my computer to post this review as soon as I got it.

Just in case you haven't been keeping up, this is our 7th STABcast. And, coincidentally, Just in case by Meg Rossoff is the book that this week's STABcaster, Jennifer, has chosen to review.



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Just in case is available from the King County Library System.

Fun fact: Meg Rossoff won the Printz award in 2005 for her book How we live now, which we have in Large Print, on CD, Tape and as EAudio to download.

Another fun fact: She also has a great picture book titled Meet the Wild Boars which discusses how difficult it can be to be friends to a pack of four wild boars named Hoarace, Boris, Doris and Morris.