TECH TRENDS
 What's Ahead for Kids' Books on the iPad
Book publishers have some Harry Potter-like magic in store for books that will debut on Apple’s new iPad platform.
Live glossaries, audio and video notes users can create right in the text, taking live quizzes and having them scored in the book—all these details are expected to go live, according to Josh Koppel (pictured), chief creative officer and cofounder of ScrollMotion, which develops iPhone and ebook applications for book publishers. more » » »
NEWS
 Sugary Drinks Go Down the Drain at K–12 Schools
The fight against childhood obesity scored a new round as a recent report shows that high fat and sugary drinks have been dramatically cut in K–12 schools over the past six years.
An emphasis on more water, lower fat milk, and unsweetened juice has paid off—reducing the total number of calories students consumed from drinks in schools by 88 percent since the 2004-2005 school year, with an additional 95 percent drop in full-calorie sodas sent to schools since the guidelines from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation launched in 2006. more » » »
 Utah Senator Proposes Eliminating Senior Year of High School
Few high school seniors would turn down an opportunity to escape classes. But ending the 12th grade completely? That’s one idea of Utah State Senator Chris Buttars, who is hoping to give his state’s high school students the option of graduating public school early starting in the 2011 school year.
“I believe accelerated graduation from high school is the future,” says Buttars, who first proposed his idea earlier this year. “You’ll always have students who need the 12th grade. But we also have students who need to accelerate faster, and they should be allowed to.” more » » »
SLJ GOES TO THE MOVIES
 Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Early on, 12-year-old narrator Greg Heffley asks the question, “Who wants to see a movie about a kid stuck with morons?” Readers of Jeff Kinney’s popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series (Abrams/Amulet), that’s who.
The pint-sized Heffley is even more flawed in the film, with the script giving more shape to the free-form diary entries during the sixth grader’s first year of middle school and centering on his relentless quest for popularity and his friendship with the ever-cheerful, chubby redhead, Rowley (Robert Capron). more » » »
WATCH AND READ
 Vikings, Dragons, and a Whole Lot of Fun
How to Train Your Dragon (PG), a computer-animated family film loosely based on Cressida Cowell’s reader-pleasing book of the same title (Little, Brown, 2004), soars into theaters on March 26, 2010. This comedy/action/fantasy from DreamWorks Animation will be shown in traditional venues as well as 3-D and 3-D IMAX. Set in a mythical world of Vikings and dragons, the story centers around Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), a scrawny teenager who does not fit in with the other members of his tribe. To the great disappointment of his father, Viking chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), Hiccup would rather crack jokes and tinker with his inventions than engage in the venerable tradition of slaying the frightening beasts that frequently attack their island village. more » » »
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JOB OF THE WEEK
Director
Sheppard Memorial Library
Greenville, NC
Sheppard Memorial Library, located in Greenville, North Carolina, seeks an experienced, dynamic DIRECTOR to lead the city/county public library system when our current director retires in July 2010.
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I can’t mention all the great authors that will be there. You’ll just have to take my word for it. Registration for our second Day of Dialog is 
