Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins
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Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 11/2/2009 12:50:00 PM
New Moon Rising
Twilighters are gearing up—and already buying tickets—for the next installment in this fantasy film series based on Stephenie Meyer’s exceedingly popular books (Little, Brown). The Twilight Saga: New Moon (PG-13), from Summit Entertainment, premieres in theaters on November 20, 2009. While many of the actors featured in Twilight (2008) return to reprise their roles, Chris Weitz replaces Catherine Hardwicke as director. The romance, drama, and danger continue in this Romeo and Juliet-style love story as mortal Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) yearns to grow closer to forever-17-year-old vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and become a part of his supernatural world. However, her dreams are shattered when Edward tells her that his clan has decided to leave Forks, Washington, to protect her from peril.
After discovering that Edward’s image appears to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy, the broken-hearted Bella is determined to flirt with danger. Meanwhile, her relationship with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a member of a mysterious Quileute tribe who also harbors a supernatural surprise, blossoms into more than friendship, and Bella’s iced-over heart begins to warm. Suspense builds and secrets are revealed as Bella encounters old and terrifying enemies, is saved from danger by a pack of impossibly large wolves, and heads for a volatile reunion with Edward. In addition to exploring the emotions and interpersonal relationships of these charismatic characters, this second chapter delves more deeply into the supernatural realm, spotlighting the shape-shifting werewolves of the La Push Reservation and traveling to Italy to introduce the Volturi, the ancient secret society that rules the vampire world.
Fans who just can’t wait for the release date can visit the movie’s official Web site for a taste of the action. A “Media” section includes trailers, a music video, and a lively behind-the-scenes look at Jacob’s werewolf pack complete with cast and crew interviews and a glimpse at the CGI effects. Antique-looking icons provide access to panoramic perspectives of three of the movie’s most important settings—the Cullen House, the La Push Reservation, and the Volturi Estate—with the characters dramatically frozen mid-scene (viewers click on icons to find out more about them). For those who want to surf the rising tide of Twilight mania, a “Community” section offers links to an array of popular related Web sites.
Book Tie-ins
You will, of course, want to make sure that you have numerous copies of all four of Meyer’s “Twilight Saga” novels in your collection: Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), and Breaking Dawn (2008, all Little, Brown). The publisher has also released two new editions of New Moon with irresistible movie tie-in covers. Clearly showcasing the actors in character, the images echo the warmed-up sepia tones of the film’s atmospheric cinematography and hint at the story’s eerie mystery and romantic conflict. The trade edition (which comes with a must-display poster) shows Jacob and Bella, his arms protectively encircling her, while a close-up of Edward’s face highlighted by a crescent moon looms in the background. The mass market volume also features the threesome, the characters’ poses provocatively revealing their strong emotional tension. While the original covers remain elegant and easily recognizable, these new images are certain to draw in movie viewers.
Looking for more books to satisfy the insatiable appetite of series fans? Movie aficionados will happily sink their teeth into The Twilight Saga: New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (Little, Brown), a handsome volume brimming with large, luscious full-color photos and intriguing insights from the cast and crew. As he did in Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion (Little, Brown, 2008), Mark Cotta Vaz again provides a thoughtful and thorough behind-the-scenes look at the movie-making experience. The text deftly details the challenges of remaining true to the aesthetic of the first film while offering a fresh interpretation in the sequel. Smoothly incorporating commentary from the creative crew, the narrative introduces various production elements—everything from costume and set design to filming techniques to CG and visual effects—while outlining director Chris Weitz’s artistic vision for the movie. The production’s commitment to remaining true to Meyer’s mythology and to the expectations of movie fans also comes across clearly. The spectacular photos and pull-out quotes from the cast will grab readers who can either browse through the profusely illustrated pages or devour the well-written text whole (Gr 6 Up).
Lois H. Gresh’s best-selling unauthorized guide to the series, The Twilight Companion (St. Martin’s, 2008), has been revised and updated. Written “from one Twilight fan to another,” the chatty first-person text muses about the books’ characters and events; highlights vampire- and werewolf-related folklore; tackles tricky scientific questions (e.g., How many people does a vampire need to drink to stay alive?); and contemplates issues such as vampire-human relationship challenges and the (not necessarily rosy) realities of immortality. Amusing multiple choice quizzes appear throughout, so readers can test their knowledge of the series, rate their suitability to the vampire lifestyle, or determine if Edward is their ultimate mate. Replete with the author’s personal opinions and humorous rambles, this entertaining, often irreverent book is fun to peruse. This 2009 edition has been updated to include coverage of the fourth "Twilight" book, gossip about the New Moon movie, and more (Gr 9 Up).
Get the Scoop on the Stars
These chatty (unauthorized) bios of the movie’s featured cast members will be hot items in your library. Adorned with colorful fan-zine-style covers, Price Stern Sloan’s “Get the Scoop” titles are sure to lure in Twilighters. Written by Josi Dashman, Supernatural Girls focuses on the saga’s leading ladies (Kristen Stewart, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Anna Kendrick, and Christian Serratos) while Ronny Bloom’s Supernatural Boys highlights the male stars (Robert Pattinson, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, and Taylor Lautner). Conveyed in a breezy tone with lots of credited quotes from (mostly) online magazines, these vivacious volumes provide bios of each actor, trace the development of their movie careers, highlight offstage interests and pursuits, discuss their experiences with the "Twilight" phenomenon, and mention future projects. Lexi Ryals’s Taylor Lautner, presented in a similarly informal writing style, zooms in on the actor with a bit more detail. All of the books contain insets of full-color photos and end with fun facts, quizzes, and online resources. Fans will eat them up. (Gr 4-8)
In Robert Pattinson: Eternally Yours (HarperEntertainment, 2008), Isabelle Adams answers the question, “How did a shy guy from a quiet London suburb end up as part of not one but two worldwide phenomena by the age of twenty-two?” The upbeat text traces the actor’s early stage career, movie roles (including Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), and the filming of Twilight while also touching upon his personality and other interests. The book includes eight pages of full-color photos and ends with fast facts and online resources. Jo Hurley’s Kristen Stewart: Bella of the Ball! (Scholastic, 2008) provides a similarly in-depth treatment of the actress, tracing her burgeoning movie career step by step. Featuring quotes from magazines and newspapers, the lively text is supplemented by boxed “Behind-behind-the-Scenes Secrets” and lists of fun facts. No photos are included, though the volume comes with a removable fold-out poster (Gr 5–9).
Finally, readers who prefer a less text-heavy approach will enjoy two fan-zine-style bios written by Mel Williams, Robert Pattinson: Fated for Fame and Taylor Lautner: Overnight Sizzlin’ Sensation (both Simon Pulse, 2009). Whether they root for Team Edward or Team Jacob, Twilighters will enthusiastically flip through the glossy pages of these fast-reading books, which combine brief text with numerous full-color photos and attractive layouts. A chatty narrative tone, pull-out quotes, fast facts, “Quick Quizzes,” and a page about each actor’s love life add to the fan appeal (Gr 5–9).
Pub Info
MEYER, Stephenie. New Moon: Media Tie-in Edition. Little, Brown. 2009. pap. $10.99. ISBN 978-0-316-07563-3; Mass market pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-316-07565-7.
VAZ, Mark Cotta. The Twilight Saga: New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Little, Brown. 2009. pap. $18.99. ISBN 978-0-316-07580-0.
GRESH, Lois H. The Twilight Companion: Completely Updated: The Unauthorized Guide to the Series. St. Martin’s. Nov. 2009. pap. $12.99. ISBN 978-0-312-59450-3.
DASHMAN, Josi. Get the Scoop: Supernatural Girls. Price Stern Sloan. 2009. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-9953-6.
BLOOM, Ronny. Get the Scoop: Supernatural Boys. Price Stern Sloan. 2009. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-9967-3.
RYALS, Lexi. Get the Scoop: Taylor Lautner. Price Stern Sloan. 2009. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-8968-1.
ADAMS, Isabelle. Robert Pattinson: Eternally Yours. HarperEntertainment. 2008. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-06-176553-7.
HURLEY, Jo. Kristen Stewart: Bella of the Ball! Scholastic. 2008. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-545-14110-9.
WILLIAMS, Mel. Robert Pattinson: Fated for Fame. Simon Pulse. 2009. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8997-4.
_____. Taylor Lautner: Overnight Sizzlin’ Sensation. Simon Pulse. 2009. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0368-0.
