I am a junior high student who volunteers at my local public library. Junior Librarian is the space where I will be keeping notes on my reading and my experiences at the library. I like playing baseball, reading and visiting libraries. During the summer of 2006, I visited all 42 libraries in my county's system. Though I currently only volunteer, I would like, someday, to be a librarian.

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Friday, May 23, 2008
The Kingdom Keepers


In The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson, Finn Whitman and four other Orlando teens become interactive hosts at the Magic Kingdom. They fall asleep after they get the job and find themselves in the park as their holograms. An Imagineer named Wayne tells Finn that he and the other DHIs (Disney Hologram Interactive) must stop a group of evil beings called Overtakers from taking over the park. Wayne had an important job for them to do.
“There’s a fable, a story, a puzzle of sorts that was left in case of a problem like this. It’s called the Stonecutter’s Quill.”
They must solve the Stonecutter’s Quill and stop the Overtakers before it is too late. I first found this book at my local library, when I was searching for Disney books to read before my Disney World vacation.

The thing I liked most about The Kingdom Keepers was that it never slowed down. From the beginning to final page, it was hard for me to put it down.
The thing I liked least is that it ends with a cliffhanger. What happens to the characters after this book? Will their DHIs continue to appear in the park at night? Are there Overtakers more powerful than Maleficent?

My favorite of the five DHIs is Philby. Before searching through the rides in Kingdom Keepers, he discovers everything he can about that ride, the location of the security cameras, the alarm systems, the ride length, and even miscellaneous facts.
“Philby was the kind of smart that made other school kids ask him to do their homework. By now he would have done as much Internet research as possible.”


I would recommend this book to anyone who ever wondered what happened after the lights went out at the Disney parks.

  posted at 6:39 AM
  0 comments



Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Realityland

Recently David Koenig published a new book, Realityland: True-Life Adventures in Walt Disney World. I have read other books by the same author, so I knew that this one would be interesting. Realityland tells the history of Walt Disney World, from Walt Disney himself buying miles of swampland in Southern Florida, to the problems Disney has keeping the parks running smoothly, and to the creation of Epcot, MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

One of my favorite parts about Realityland is all of the history about the park. David Koenig was able to include all of it without turning the book into textbook format. The thing I liked least about this book is that I had expected more obscure facts about Disney World and a little less history.

One of my favorite excerpts from the book involves a cast member who created a Disney manual. It included things the cast members say, and their unofficial translations. These are two of my favorites.

These 3-D glasses will impair your normal vision.

They look goofy if you wear them outside, and we get in trouble if anyone sees you with them.

The nearest restrooms are right there.

See that big sign right in front of your face that says RESTROOMS in bold letters? It’s right under that.


I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to learn a little more about the history of Disney World.

  posted at 4:47 AM
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American Library Association
Library of Congress
America's Library
Awesome Library
Internet Public Library
Public Libraries
The Big 6
Merriam-Webster
World Book

The Kingdom Keepers
Realityland

May 2008