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In 2001, I saw The Princess Diaries in the theater with my best friend and my mom. It was awesome! I left the theater really wanting a scooter…  Being the total geek that I am, I wasted no time in purchasing the book by Meg Cabot. (I probably even bought it the same day we saw the movie) To say I enjoyed the book would be an understatement. I loved it. I had to keep reading. I bought every Princess Diaries book that came out through my high school graduation. The rest I checked out from the library, because I was a broke college student, after all. And that’s what libraries are for.

The Princess Diaries  follows Mia through her high school career. She writes down anything that comes into her head and everything that happens to her. Frequently, she writes in bathrooms. She writes about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Princess Leia, Lifetime movies and her fellow royals. And, of course, she writes about her crushes, her friends, and her enemies. These are her diaries, after all, and in a diary, you don’t have a filter.

In college, I learned about “stream of consciousness” while reading The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, and since then it’s how I describe The Princess Diaries. It’s GOOD stream of consciousness. It still makes sense, but you learn how Mia thinks. And she thinks like a teenager. Worrying about homework, worrying about her mom dating her algebra teacher, worrying about her best friend’s brother and how good his neck smells.

It’s hilarious and unique. Just like Meg Cabot, who I got to meet in person three years ago.

Last month, I was elated to find a new Princess Diaries book, this time written for adults. 

Now, Mia’s all grown up. Recent drama has brought her back to writing in her diary to relieve stress. She writes the same way she always has: no filter, lots of pop culture references, a laugh on every page. Her friends and enemies from previous books are back, Grandmere is still around with her crazy dog and tattooed-on eyeliner, and readers will not be disappointed to find out who Mia is marrying.

Reading Royal Wedding was like catching up with an old friend I haven’t spoken to in a while. I had no idea how much I missed her, and even though I can’t find anything about a Volume 12, I’ll still cross my fingers that this still isn’t the last I’ll hear from my friend Mia.

– Liz Strauss, Teen Librarian

PS: Meg Cabot can write anything, and pretty much has. Aside from The Princess Diaries, she’s written a mystery series (Size 12 is Not Fat), several adult books including a paranormal romance (Insatiable) and even has a few children’s series (Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls). A new middle-grade spin-off of The Princess Diaries also began this year with From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess. Check out the Meg Cabot books available at the library!

You may have heard of authors attempting to write “The Great American Novel,” or TGAN.  My question is this: what exactly does that mean? I assume it refers to an author’s ability to capture the quintessential characteristics of the American story: capturing the American Dream; overcoming adversity; redemption; success.  If you ask many critics, The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitgzerald typically tops the list as the top candidate for TGAN. But not so fast…

Let me say that thirteen days ago I was playing basketball with our boys and I tore my Achilles tendon (wearing black, leather dress shoes no less).  Tomorrow I have surgery to repair the tear and Dr. Teater has estimated a few weeks off of work and months of recovery.  Let me say this is not an easy thing for me. I always have somewhere to go and I am involved in so much.  Perhaps this is God’s way of telling me to take it down a notch.  At any rate, I will have lots of time to discover TGAN.  Here is my list of candidates:

• The Great American Novel, by Philip Roth
• The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
• Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
• To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
• Winesburg, Ohio, by Sherwood Anderson
• Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
• The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara

Here is why these titles made my list.  Has it stood the test of time and does it capture the essence of what being an American is all bout?  Time will tell.  Let the reading begin!

-Jim Gill, Director

Summer is here and Dover Public Library is in full swing with our Summer Reading Program. This year we’re discovering what makes a HERO.

I was giving this some thought as I was riding on the lawn mower the other day.

We have heroes in our family, at our workplace, or church. We have heroes that we root for in our favorite book, too.

You might be someone’s hero. We never know who is looking at us, from a small child, teenager, or parent. You can use any moment in time to teach a lesson, reach out a helping hand, or be a listening ear.

Our Summer Reading Program is sharing about the many heroes we have in our community. From police, to fire persons, doctors and even librarians.

Liz, our Teen Librarian is a hero to me. She is always so helpful to me and others. She always has time to answer my crazy questions. She gives me great book suggestions. She is never too busy to help me. She even helps me with this blog thing.

Our Dover Public Library is full of heroes and led by one as well. Jim is a great Director. He keeps us on our toes, challenges us to try new things, and supports us to continue our education and develop our hobbies into new and engaging programs at the library.

We’re incredibly lucky to have such an amazing staff of helpful heroes. This summer, be a hero to someone in your life and help us prove that not all super heroes wear capes.

I AM ONLY ONE; BUT STILL I AM ONE
I CAN NOT DO EVERYTHING,
BUT STILL I CAN DO SOMETHING;
I WILL NOT REFUSE TO DO THE
SOMETHING I CAN DO
Helen Keller

Have a Super Summer!

-Denise, Adult Services