What to Read now that Burbank READS "Rocket Boys" is over.

Now that Burbank READS “Rocket Boys” is over, I bet that you are worried about what to read next? Don't worry, you'll find plenty of ideas on the library's iBistro catalog.

Under Burbank READS we have the following special book lists related to "Rocket Boys" for your reading pleasure.

Men and Women of Space Exploration – features a selection of biographies about the men and women [and much more] of space exploration.

More Books by Homer Hickam Jr. – Loved “Rocket Boys”, well here are the other fiction and nonfiction books that the library owns by Homer Hickam Jr.

Fiction of the 50's – a selection of some of the best known, most popular and enduring classic fiction books written in the 1950's.

All About the 1950’s – Want to know more about the 1950s? This is the list for you, history, food, décor, music, photographs, cars and more can be found on this list. All with a 1950s twist!

Many more recommended book lists for children, teens and adults can be found under the Have you Read? link on your iBistro catalog.

Happy Reading!

Rocket Boys Grand Finale - Recap

Good afternoon,

Well, we brought Burbank READS 2008 to a conclusion on Saturday with the finale, a ‘50s concert featuring Ronny & the Classics at the Northwest Branch Library in the morning and a showing of In the Shadow of the Moon at Buena Vista Branch Library in the afternoon. Although the weather was a bit chilly and grey, those who attended our round of events [Hi Jan] were very appreciative of all our efforts...and you should have seen the selected members of the crowd doing the "Hand Jive" with the band...oh for a photo of that!

We thank everyone who participated in Burbank READS "Rocket Boys" through reading the book and attending the programs. We hope you had fun and we look forward to seeing you at the library and at the next edition of Burbank READS....hhmm, what book should we read next?

Please drop us a line and let us know....

The Mars Rovers

OK, so this isn't officially tied into our Rocket Boys programming, however the library's exploration of outer space continues with our May

Family Night @ the Library(A Series of FREE Cultural Events sponsored in whole or in part by the Friends of the Burbank Public Library)

which will be featuring a program entitled:

The Mars Rover: Robot Explorers on Our Neighbor Planet

Come hear Dr. Kim Gostelow, a software engineer at JPL whose programs flew on the Mars rovers. With pictures and video to accompany, he will talk about what it takes to build and send these travelers to Mars, how they work, and what they show us about our neighbor planet.

Thursday, May 8 7:00 PM ------ Thursday, May 22 7:00 PM
Burbank Central Library --- ---- Buena Vista Branch Library
110 N. Glenoaks Blvd. ---------- 300 N. Buena Vista St.
818-238-5610 ------------------- 818-238-5630

JPL Open House....May 3rd and 4th.

Now that Burbank has read Homer Hickam Jr.'s Rocket Boys, how about paying a visit to the real life rocket boys of Pasadena, namely the 2008 JPL Open House which will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th, 2008, 9am-5pm both days.

Click here to visit the JPL site and get all the information you need.

Talk about perfect timing!

Rocket Boys related reading...The Mercury 13

One of the pleasures in putting together a recommended reading list, is finding a book that makes you go "I didn't know that!", well this year, in support of Rocket Boys, and the book list Space Exploration (the men, the women and more) yielded such a book that qualifies in The Mercury 13 : The untold story of 13 American women and the dream of space flight.

Martha Ackmann's book covers the story of 13 women pilots who went through much of the same basic training that the original male astronauts underwent. Overcoming bias and lacking flying opportunities due to their gender, the Mercury 13 while proving their mettle, never were allowed a chance to continue on and become astronauts. This is a highly readable, interesting look at the beginnings of our space program and an unflattering reminder that gender bias was a much larger factor in everyday life not so long ago. Brisk, brief and compellingly written, The Mercury 13, sheds enlightenment on an aspect of our history that should be remembered and also serves as a reminder that a wonderful book on history can be readable, informative and not break your coffee table!

Everyone has heard of the Mercury 7, now is the time to read and learn about the Mercury 13, trust me, these ladies too had "The Right Stuff"!

A double shot of YA Rocket Boys event recaps.

The High School Book Club met on 4/10 at Buena Vista to discuss Rocket Boys by Homer J. Hickam as part of our Burbank Reads celebration. The teens enjoyed eating Moonpies and posing for this picture. Many of them also enjoyed watching October Sky (the film) on their own. We also read Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz and The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Our next meeting (last one for the school year) is on 5/15 at Buena Vista 6:30 pm. We will be reading Sabriel by Garth Nix and Alanna by Tamora Pierce.

And.....

TALES OF THE PARANORMAL with James Underdown from Center for Inquiry West, Hollywood – We had 95 attend our Burbank Reads YA show at Buena Vista on 4/16. Everyone had a lot of fun debating with Mr Underdown about aliens, crop circles, and UFOs. We had quite a lot of adults attend and the kids asked really interesting questions. A good time was had by all!

Thanks to Melissa and Katherine for the recaps and the photos!

Rocket Boys - The Musical!

The story of Rocket Boys continues!
Believe it or not – the book is now being turned into a Broadway Musical.

Rocket Boys, a musical based on the NY Times #1 bestseller by NASA engineer Homer Hickam (also immortalized in the hit film, October Sky), has received a huge and overwhelmingly positive reaction from the musical theatre community since its initial stages.
Read all about it - here is a link to the website:

http://www.rocketboysthemusical.com/index.html

Retired Astronaut Vance Brand - Recap.

Good Afternoon,

Well, it was quite a Saturday when the astronaut came to call! Buena Vista’s meeting room was filled to the brim with some 196 people for the fascinating visit with Vance Brand.

One highlight was finding out that a husband/wife pair of fans flew all the way down from San Francisco to attend the event and meet Vance Brand! Now that is impressive.

We’ve got some of the photos online at http://www.burbankreads08.shutterfly.com/action/ There was a long line of people waiting to get a picture taken with a real-live astronaut including this young astronaut-in-training!

Patrons were most appreciative of this wonderful program, and of course, Mr. Brand came across as the gentleman that he is. I think everyone felt like they had a moment with hero.

Burbank READS & Rocks - the Grand Finale!!!

Five days from today...

Burbank Public Library Presents

Burbank READS & Rocks

Join us for the 2008 Burbank READS Finale with a Rock 'n Roll concert featuring

Ronnie & the Classics

This versatile quintet puts on a rockin' boppin' 50's & 60's rock and roll show. With their flashy cool attire, hot moves and multi harmony vocals, they reproduce retro oldies music the way it was meant to be delivered: High energy, high visibility and lots of heart! They feature such rock relics as Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes," Eddie Cochrane's "Summertime Blues" and Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill". The members of RONNY & THE CLASSICS incorporate fantastic impressions, crazy stage antics and the big sound of the rockin oldies to make this a show to remember.

Bring a picnic lunch, a blanket or lawn chair for a rockin' good time!

Saturday, April 19, 2008
11:30 AM
Northwest Branch Library
3323 W. Victory Blvd.
818-238-5640

"Rocket Boys" Souvenirs

If you are headed out to our meet retired astronaut, Vance Brand program at 2 PM at Buena Vista today, don't forget your checkbook and stop by our for sale table because whether you call it...

Souvenirs, swag, bling, booty, goodies, gifts, trinkets, remembrances, plunder, mementos, collectibles or stuff...no matter what you call them you'll find the above items for sale at all Rocket Boys events [except film and Children's programs]. Do your shopping early. Proceeds from sales go to the Friends of the Burbank Public Library and will help fund next year's Burbank READS program.

• Rocket Pins $2


• Souvenir Bookmarks $3


• Water Bottles $4


• "October Sky" aka "Rocket Boys" Paperback Books $5

"Mad Science" Family Day at the Northwest Branch Library

The Burbank Public Library Presents

A Special Family Day at the Library

Mad Science and "Gas Works"

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Northwest Branch Library

3323 N. Victory Blvd.

818-238-5640

• Explore the mysterious world of gasses!


• Watch what happens when chemicals react!


• See "water bottle rockets" launched with air pressure alone, followed by "fire-powered" rockets, which travel 200 feet into the sky!

A word of note, these programs are being held outdoors, so dress warmly if the weather is cool!

This is a repeat of the April 3 program held at the Buena Vista Branch Library.

Tales of Paranormal Investigation - a Young Adult Program

Burbank Public Library Young Adult Services Presents...



Tales of Paranormal Investigation with James Underdown, Executive Director of Center for Inquiry West

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:00 PM
Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.
818-238-5620

UFOs, Aliens, Crop Circles...are they for real? YES OR NO?

James Underdown will share real-life cases and tales of the paranormal. Help Mr. Underdown debunk myths, debate, and share your stories!

Everyone is welcome!

Mr. Underdown is an international spokesperson for the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), and has appeared on many television shows including History's Mysteries, Oprah, Hannity and Colmes, Penn and Teller's Proof Positive, as well as scores of radio shows.

Hello Burbank...How are we doing?

Burbank READS is well underway, people are reading "Rocket Boys" and the various programs are being held...so the question to you is how are we doing?

Did we pick a good book?

Are the programs of interest?

Do you like this site for Burbank READS information?

We'd love to hear from you so post a comment here [use the comment link below] or fill out a comment card at one of the programs or write us a letter! The library and the Burbank READS committee would love to hear what you have to say and if you happen to know of a good book for next year.....

One Book, One Community: 2008

Rocket Boys has been picked by hundreds of cities as the annual community book to read.

In addition to Burbank, here are some other cities reading Rocket Boys in 2008.Check out their events and say hello from Burbank.

Auburn Reads Together - MA
Boulder: One Book, One Boulder - CO
Craven-Pamlico-Carteret Regional Library System: Our Region Reads - NC
Paducah: One Book, One Campus, One Community - KY
Siouxland: One Book, One Siouxland - Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota

Any other cities reading Rocket Boys this year ?

Documentary Film Screening - "Spiritual Earth" & "Magnificent Obsession"

Burbank Public Library Presents

Monday, April 14, 2008
7:00 PM
Burbank Central Library
110 N. Glenoaks Blvd.
818-238-5600

An Out-of-This-World Documentary Series

Spiritual Earth -- Experience a view of earth as only an astronaut can. This footage, shot fromNASA missions, shows the Earth in all its beauty. Not only will you see the grandeur of the sea and land but also tiny blinking lights from the towns of its human inhabitants. A Dolby soundtrack and actual NASA transmissions from space accompany these remarkable pictures.

Runtime is 30 minutes.

Magnificent Desolation -- Only 12 have walked on the Moon. You're next! Presented and narrated by Tom Hanks, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon is an IMAX documentary film that transports the viewer to the lunar surface, where they can walk alongside the 12 extraordinary astronauts who have been there, experiencing what they saw, heard, and felt.

Runtime is 40 minutes.

Meet Retired Astronaut Vance Brand!

Can you imagine a better way to celebrate reading "Rocket Boys" than by having a program featuring an actual astronaut? We sure couldn't, so the Burbank Public Library proudly presents "The Right Stuff" a visit with retired astronaut Vance Brand!

Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 PM

Buena Vista Branch Library

300 N. Buena Vista St.

818-238-5620

• Before Vance Brand became an astronaut in 1966, he was a pilot for the Marines and Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.
  
• Brand was part of the first internation mission, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975). Soviet and American astronauts met in space after an Apollo craft docked with a Soyuz craft.
  
• He was the commander of the first operational flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia (1982). In 1984, Brand commanded Mission 41-B on the Space Shuttle Challenger in which two satellites were deployed.
  
• Brand's last flight into space occurred in 1990 again on the Columbia. During this mission, the crew operated several telescopes for deep-space research.

Please see the following links for additional biographical information about our guest speaker

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/brand.html

http://www.astronautscholarship.org/brand.html

"Rocket Boys" Recommended Reading.

Already read “Rocket Boys”? Need something to read next, well we have prepared some special Burbank READS book lists for your reading pleasure.

Men and Women of Space Exploration – features a selection of biographies [and more] about the men and women of space exploration.

More Books by Homer Hickam Jr. – Loved “Rocket Boys”, well here are the other fiction and nonfiction books that the library owns by Homer Hickam Jr.

Fiction of the 50's – a selection of some of the best known, most popular and enduring classic fiction books written in the 1950's.

All About the 1950’s – Want to know more about the 1950's? This is the list for you, history, food, décor, music, photographs, cars and more can be found on this list. All with a 1950's twist!

All of these book lists can be found under the Burbank READS link on your iBistro catalog.

Burbank READS & Rocks! - The Grand Finale.

Have you made your plans yet???

Burbank Public Library Presents

Burbank READS & Rocks

Join us for the 2008 Burbank READS Finale with a Rock 'n Roll concert featuring

Ronnie & the Classics

This versatile quintet puts on a rockin' boppin' 50's & 60's rock and roll show. With their flashy cool attire, hot moves and multi harmony vocals, they reproduce retro oldies music the way it was meant to be delivered: High energy, high visibility and lots of heart! They feature such rock relics as Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes," Eddie Cochrane's "Summertime Blues" and Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill". The members of RONNY & THE CLASSICS incorporate fantastic impressions, crazy stage antics and the big sound of the rockin oldies to make this a show to remember.

Bring a picnic lunch, a blanket or lawn chair for a rockin' good time!

Saturday, April 19, 2008
11:30 AM
Northwest Branch Library
3323 W. Victory Blvd.
818-238-5640

Recap on "The Final Frontier".

Monday, March 31 program brought in several new faces to the library to hear Matt Ventamiglia'a slide show presentation, The Final Frontier!

We had a nice mix of people who were informed and entertained by an excellent presentation of how space exploration came to be and where it might be headed.

Some were space enthusiasts, and one gentleman had even worked on some of the shuttles.

Our total was 36, with a few extras peeking in from the hallway. Everyone enjoyed the evening, and stopped by to thank us.

We hope to see you at an upcoming Burbank READS event real soon!

Film Screening - Muppets From Space

Burbank Public Library Presents

Family Film Festival

Join us for a special Burbank READS movie tie-in.

Muppets From Space

The film that answers the immortal question: what species is Gonzo? Kermit the Frog's curly-nosed friend feels alone in the world. When his breakfast cereal starts spelling out questions and he hears voices, Gonzo is convinced he must be from outer space, and his alien brothers are coming to earth.

Run-time: 88 minutes; Rated G

Wednesday, April 9 @4:00 PM ......... Wednesday, April 16 @4:00 PM

Buena Vista Branch Library ................ Burbank Central Library

300 N. Buena Vista St. ......................... 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd.

818-238-5620 ...................................... 818-238-5610

Please note: Children under the age of 9 years must be accompanied by an adult

Teen Bookclub to discuss "Rocket Boys"

The Teen Book Club will be meeting to discuss "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam, Jr.

The meeting will be held -

Thursday, April 10
6:30 PM
Storytime room
Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.

Psst...I hear that a special Rocket Boys related refreshment will be offered!

Program Recap - 5...4...3...2..1...Write On!

Write On!

On Tuesday, March 25th, we had 23 present for our unique journal writing program for students in grades 4-6. Each child received a free blank journal, a pen and some Burbank Reads surprises. After a fun group writing game during which we created some humorous nonsensical stories and broke the ice, we rotated between four enjoyable activity stations. Kids had the chance to decorate their journals, create a word collage, fill out interesting surveys about themselves, and work on writing prompts that they picked out from a “jar ‘o ideas”. The end result was a bunch of happy, creative kids and an impressive start to some personal journals…oh, and a whole lot of glitter everywhere! No one wanted to leave…in fact, many stayed for some time after the program in order to continue working on their journals. On their way out the door, each student took home a special packet of writing ideas, and some checked out writing books that were put on display. Nearly all participants filled out interest cards for another writing program to be held at the library. (There are also requests from parents to hold a similar program for younger students.) In the words of one participant, “Do it again! It was fantastic. Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!” Umm, I guess that means that we should start planning for another creative writing event!

Write on or Right on indeed!

Thanks to Jennifer for the recap.

Film Screening - "For All Mankind"

Burbank Public Library Presents


An Out-of-This-World Documentary Series

For ALL Mankind


Please join us at the Buena Vista Branch Library on Thursday, April 10 at 7 PM for a screening of the documentary film “For All Mankind”.
Runtime is 80 minutes

--In July 1969, the space race ended when Apollo 11 fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." No one who witnessed the lunar landing will ever forget it. For All Mankind is the story of the 24 men who traveled to the Moon -- told in their words, in their voices, using the images of their experiences.


Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.
818-238-5620

Get Your "Rocket Boys" Souvenirs!

When you attend one of our Burbank READS events, look for this table and quite probably, you'll find Jody ready to sell you souvenirs! Keep her happy, and stock up on this year's Rocket Boys items, collect them all, they make great stocking stuffers!

Proceeds from sales go to the Friends of the Burbank Public Library and will help fund next year's Burbank READS program.

• Rocket Pins $2
  
• Souvenir Bookmarks $3
  
• Water Bottles $4
  
• "October Sky" aka "Rocket Boys" Paperback Books $5