Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was near tears while giving evidence yesterday in the copyright case being heard in front of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, according to The Guardian newspaper. Warner Brothers and Rowling want to block publication of an unauthorized Harry Potter encyclopedia by Michigan-based RDR Books.

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Set in a medieval Mongolian-like era, Book of a Thousand Days features another in Shannon Hale's tradition of strong, intelligent and complex girl characters. Like Hale's other fantasies, Book of a Thousand Days is based on a fairy tale, this time the Brothers Grimm's little-known Maid Maleen.

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Don't miss CBC Newsworld's airing of the BBC documentary A Year in the Life of J.K. Rowling on Sunday, February 10th at 8:00 p.m. ET. I caught its first airing on Feb. 4th and it's well worth a look.

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The New York Times reports that renowned children's book author Jon Scieszka will become the United States' first national ambassador for young people's literature. He will "travel and speak to groups of children, parents and teachers to evangelize the need for reading," according to the Times.

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B.C. writer John Wilson is well known for his historical adventures for teens, including And in the Morning and Where Soldiers Lie. In his latest novel for teens, The Alchemist's Dream, Wilson fleshes out the stories of explorers Henry Hudson, Sir Thomas Smythe and his central character, Robert Bylot, all of whom were instrumental in the search for the Northwest Passage.

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Recently awarded the British Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, Finding Violet Park is the sensitive, lyrical story of a teen boy's discovery of the truth behind his father's disappearance, guided by a dead woman.

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Should she have said anything? Is it relevant at this point? Should we care? These and other questions are being debated amongst Harry Potter fans following recent comments by J.K. Rowling revealing she'd conceived her beloved Dumbledore character as gay.

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Both girls and boys will enjoy Canadian children's author Eric Walter's latest title, Safe As Houses, an exciting adventure story based on actual accounts of the worst storm in Ontario's history.

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Join us for Boo Brunch in the Prairie Ink Restaurant on Saturday, October 27th at 9:00 a.m. Spooky Halloween food, (only slightly) scary stories and a special Halloween craft. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $12.00 each by calling 538-1798.