Clutter and Organization
Paul Birkhead
July 29, 2007
Admitting you have a problem – isn’t that considered the first step in rehabilitation? Well, I must be on my way to recovery then, because I admit that I’m a clutterholic. I have a bad habit of keeping things that should be thrown out or given away. Why do I do it? I’m sure I can blame it on genetics (thanks Grams) or on circumstances (house downsizing), but mostly I can’t stand the thought of getting rid of something that I might need later. Throw disorganization in the mix and you have the recipe for chaos.
I must not be the only one struggling with clutter control and organization, because Rowan Public Library has dozens of books about the subject. There’s possibly no better place to start the recovery process than at the library. Almost as if to set an example, all the books on organization are waiting, lined up on the shelves in perfect order.
One title that jumped out at me right away was, It’s All Too Much, by Peter Walsh. Clutter busting is nothing new to Mr. Walsh, as he is the host of TLC’s popular show, Clean Sweep. Followers of the program swear by Mr. Walsh’s methods of removing clutter from the home and he shares the same secrets in this book. Not sure you even have a problem? Take the clutter quiz and find out. I took it and trust me, it wasn’t pretty.
Although written for a younger crowd, Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens, had some good tips that we all can learn from. Written by Julie and Jessi Morgenstern, a mother and daughter team, the book shows teenagers how to organize everything in their lives, from their backpack to their entire room. Glowing reviews from both parents and teens make this a must-read, especially if there is a teenager living in your house.
Christopher Lowell’s Seven Layers of Organization is good to read once you are determined to get organized. Written by Christopher Lowell, Discovery Network star and designer extraordinaire, this book outlines a plan for organization in seven simple steps, or layers. The last section features room makeovers with plenty of stunning photographs.
Storage Solutions, not only tells you how to get organized, it shows you the tools you’ll need to get organized. And I don’t mean tools, as in ideas. This book demonstrates how to actually build the cabinets, shelves and cases that you need to store the belongings you decided to keep.
If you can’t open your closet without getting a sickening feeling, don’t fret. If you’re tired of the things you own owning you, don’t give up hope. Rowan Public Library has the books you need to eliminate clutter from your life and get organized.

Action, Adventure, Mystery and Mayhem
Sara Grajek
July 13, 2007
Summer is the time for blockbuster movies, action, adventure, and…reading? Of course! Rowan Public Library has plenty of books to keep even the most fidgety on the edge of their seats. Pirates are popular these days and we have no shortage of books to indulge that interest. What about superheroes? No problem. Don’t forget about martial arts and mystery books. They are sure to catch young readers’ attention and hold it until the very last page.
If you’ve got a pirate fanatic, try Peter and the Starcatchers, and the sequel, Peter and the Shadow Thieves. Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, they offer their own version of what might have happened before Peter Pan’s original adventure. Full of wild creatures such as flying crocodiles, biting mermaids, pirates, and of course the orphans led by Peter, these books are sure to intrigue all true pirates. A sequel to the classic J. M. Barrie tale is Peter Pan in Scarlet, by Geraldine McCaughrean. The author won a contest held in Britain by the estate of J. M. Barrie. She was awarded the rights to pen the approved sequel to Peter Pan. Years after Barrie’s tale ended, Neverland is in need of help and Wendy and the Lost Boys, who are now grown-ups, return to make things better.
Are you in need of a superhero to rescue you from a boring summer? Call on Ordinary Boy! In a town where everyone is a superhero and they all have a special power, Ordinary Boy stands out for his lack of one. In The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy: The Hero Revealed by William Boniface, Ordinary Boy fights evil villains such as The Amazing Indestruco and Professor Brain-Drain. Fans of Captain Underpants, will want to read this book as well as its sequel, The Return of Meteor Boy?.
Martial arts fans will enjoy the Five Ancestors series by Jeff Stone. Five orphans in 17th century China are raised and trained as martial arts masters and each one is specially trained with the traits of an animal. Their story is related in each of the five books: Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Crane, and the yet to be released Eagle. In the first of the series, Tiger must reclaim scrolls outlining ancient training methods, which have been stolen from his home. The books have been described as graphic novels without pictures, and will appeal to those who like video games or anime. They are recommended for middle grade readers because of the fighting and content.
For an adventure story centered around a girl spy, check out Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller. One ordinary day, Ananka, who lives in New York City, wakes up to find a large hole outside her apartment. No one seems to pay much attention to the hole, even when a monkey or a troll of some sort crawls out. Ananka soon discovers that inside the hole is another city, just as large as New York, if not even larger. What exactly is under there? What does she do? You’ll have to read the book to find out. If you need more girl adventure, there is always the new and updated Nancy Drew: Girl Detective series, new at the library and just in time for the movie. Whether you are in the mood for pirates, superheroes, or a mystery, one thing is for sure – summer isn’t for sitting around and Rowan Public Library has got you covered.