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THE LIBRARY PAGE
THE LATEST NEWS FROM AND ABOUT THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
WWW.PRINCEWILLIAMTIMES.COM
Prince William Times | June 1, 2023
Prince William libraries add foreign-language films By Kirk Johnson and Rebekah Leitner-Marshall Contributing Writers
Prince William Public Libraries has been building a more robust and comprehensive world languages collection for books and magazines. We have worked with census data and demographic information provided by Prince William County Public Schools to identify some of the more commonly spoken languages other than English and Spanish in the county. We continue learning more about our diverse community and finding new vendors for this expanding collection. In conjunction with that project, we have been working to create a distinct World Languages DVD collection. Approximately 50 new DVD titles have been purchased to add to the 135 titles we currently have in languages other than English. Over 15 languages are represented, including German, Danish, French, Cantonese, Japanese, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Dzongkha, Korean, Russian, Swahili, Hindi, Norwegian and Arabic. Many are award-nominated or award-winning titles, and selections have been made for both adult and juvenile audiences. Some noteworthy titles include: • “Theeb,” which was the first ever Jordanian
Left: “Theeb,” a Jordanian film. Center: “All Quiet on the Western Front” won a 2022 Academy Award. Right: “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom,” is from Bhutan. film nominated for an Academy Award. • “All Quiet on the Western Front”: The 2022 Best International Feature Film Academy Award winner. • “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom,” which was the first movie from Bhutan to be nominated for an Academy Award. Search the Online Catalog at pwcva.gov/library to see available titles and place holds. Some ti-
tles are available through our Digital Library on hoopla Digital and Kanopy, while others are being added to our physical collection as DVDs. If you have a title you’d like to see added to our collection, submit the “Suggest a Title” form on the website. Kirk Johnson and Rebekah Leitner-Marshall work in Prince William Public Libraries’ materials services division.
From treehouse adventures to fantasy, historical fiction For every kid who ever had a tree- into a Disney movie directed by Ben “Wanteds,” their bond will be tested. PW Libraries add more house, many more dreamed of hav- Affleck. Another recent YA series from ing one. Author Andy Griffiths and Juvenile readers who like graphic Rick Riordan—author of the “Percy copies of popular Terry Denton created two novels have many series options as Jackson & the Olympians” series— fiction series books Illustrator boys—creatively named “Andy” well. A great historical fiction se- is “Heroes of Olympus,” a sequel By Kirk Johnson
Contributing Writers
Series fiction doesn’t always get the respect that “serious” fiction does. Still, quite often, a good series succeeds with readers because the author has a knack for creating an engaging fictional universe that readers enjoy returning to again and again. A great fiction series can also draw readers in with relatable or intriguing characters or a great premise supporting multiple storylines. If you know a school-aged reader who might want to dive into a good series, we added more copies of multiple titles in several popular fiction series for both juvenile and young adult readers.
and “Terry”—who live that fantasy on overdrive. Beginning with “The 13-Story Treehouse: Monkey Mayhem!,” the “Treehouse Series” follows the two lucky treehouse denizens through future titles, each with a progressively taller (and presumably even more awesome) treehouse in the title. Another great read for juvenile fiction readers is the fantasy series “Keeper of the Lost Cities,” by Shannon Messenger. The series follows Sophie Foster, a precocious, mind-reading 12-year-old girl who discovers that she is actually an elf. She returns to the “Lost Cities,” where she came from, to assist in an ongoing war against her people’s enemies. The series is being turned
ries for younger readers is “Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.” Heavy on military history, this is a great option for an aspiring history buff in your life. There are also many great young adult series for older teens. Lisa McMann’s “The Unwanteds” series is a dystopian fantasy series that may appeal to readers who enjoyed “The Hunger Games.” The series is set in a dysfunctional future where 13-year-olds are separated into three categories; the “Unwanteds” are sent off to what they believe will be their deaths, but instead is a secret place where artistically inclined youths are encouraged to develop their talents. But when twins are separated between the “Unwanteds” and the
to the first series. Also drawing on Greek mythology, this series picks up where the Percy Jackson story left off. Continuing the Percy Jackson story while introducing more characters drawn from Greek mythology, Riordan shifts to third-person narration and follows the perspective of different characters. Fans of the Percy Jackson series will want to catch up with their favorite characters. There are many other enjoyable, readable series for readers of all ages at your local library. Come by and browse our shelves for one that interests you. Kirk Johnson is a manager in the Prince William Public Libraries material services division.
