FDL Reads: The Cousins

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Reviewed by:  Katie G, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Mystery / thriller

Suggested Age: Young Adult

What is this book about?   Twenty four years ago millionaire resort owner Mildred Story sent a letter to her four adult children. It read five simple words – “You know what you did.” After years of insisting they had no idea why they were disowned and disinherited by their mother, three letters arrives in the mail. The letters are addressed to Mildred’s grandchildren. Milly, Aubrey and Jonah are offered jobs at the lavish resort on Gull Cove Island that their grandmother owns. She claims she wants to get to know them and make up for lost time. Having never met their grandmother, and only having met each other once as children, all three grandchildren are less than thrilled at the offer. However, their parents insist they go for the summer and attempt to get back in Mildred’s good graces. Shortly after arriving it is clear to Milly, Aubrey and Jonah that something is awry, and the three are determined to find out what really happened on the island twenty four years prior. However, they soon realize that some things are better left in the past.

My Review:  I could not put this book down. From start to finish there were so many twists and turns that I was left guessing up until the last page. The story is told from the perspective of all three grandchildren in first person, alternating each chapter. This format made it easy to become emotionally invested in Milly, Aubrey and Jonah’s lives and better understand their frame of mind and thought process throughout the story. One thing I loved about this book was that I felt there weren’t any loose ends or unanswered questions once the story was complete. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Exciting, Shocking, and Scandalous

Give This a Try if You Like… One of us is Lying  by Karen M McManus,  A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson,  We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Rating: 5/5 stars

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2021-06-11T17:24:29-05:00June 3rd, 2021|

FDL Reads: Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine?

Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine?: The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics by Mark Todd & Esther Pearl Watson

Reviewer: Cindy, Youth Services Assistant

Genre: Nonfiction

Suggested Age: Teens, Adults

What is this book about?  This book tells you pretty much everything you need to know to start making your own zines or mini comics.  It starts off by explaining some of the many reasons people create and read zines and includes a brief history of zine culture and how it changed with various technological advances, most notably the copy machine.  The bulk of Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? goes into the nitty gritty details of how to make a zine.  There are several diagrams showing how to fold and cut paper in different ways and instructions for manipulating copiers to do what you want.  If you’ve ever thought about making a zine or comic but didn’t know where to start, this book is exactly what you need.

My Review: This book is essentially a collection of zines that talk about making zines.  I was already a little familiar with the concept of zines, but this taught me a lot of new methods for physically making them.  Printing and binding your own work can be as simple or as complicated a process as you want it to be, and there are really no limits on what sort of content you create.  The authors really emphasize the fact that no matter how weird or boring you might think your ideas are, the act of creating something on your own or with friends can be fun even if no one else ever reads it or gives you money for it.  Pretty much the whole point of zines is creative expression.

I only have two slightly negative things to say about this book.  One is that some of the pages are hard to read because they are handwritten and have a textured background.  That’s pretty common with zines, though.  The other is that the printer hacks they talk about probably wouldn’t work on many of the machines available these days.  Most copy machines and printers work differently now than they did back in 2006 when this book was written, and it’s even easier for anyone to make art on a computer or tablet for free than it was a few years ago.  All of the old-school methods they talk about in this book are definitely still useful, but it would be interesting to see an updated version that looks at some of the ways you can start making a zine online or on an app before printing it out.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Three Words That Describe This Book: practical, informative, artistic

Give This a Try if You Like… journaling, making your own comics, the Riot Grrrl movement

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2021-06-11T17:26:41-05:00May 26th, 2021|

#FDL Film Review: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist

Genre: Biography

Rating: PG

What is the movie about?  Some of the names and events have been changed, but this movie is based on a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and a magazine writer. In 1998, Lloyd Vogel, a writer for Vogue magazine, was given an assignment to profile television personality Fred Rogers, also known as “Mister Rogers.” Up until this point, Lloyd’s writing and his personal life have been filled with bitterness, cynicism, and mistrust. While Lloyd shadows Mister Rogers, we get to see many aspects of their lives, both public and private. Meeting Mister Rogers, a truly genuine person who is wholly caring and honest, forces Lloyd to reexamine his preconceived notions, his feelings, and his life.

My Review: I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It is a little quirky in its story-telling, like using miniatures reminiscent of those on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as setting transitions between scenes. The way Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers, you get a real sense that Fred Rogers was not like everyone else. His active listening skills and his insightful empathy are stunningly honest and a little creepy, to be honest.  However, comparing that to Lloyd Vogel’s guarded and irascible demeanor, it really shows how special Mister Rogers really was. It is easy for people to hold on to old hurts and lie to themselves, not really living honestly and in-the-moment. It was very unexpected to end up being so introspective at the end of a movie, but this one really got to me. And I enjoyed the walk down memory lane, too.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Clever, Nostalgic, Unconventional

Give This a Try if You Like…Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (documentary), Officer Clemmons: A Memoir by Francois Clemmons, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Neighborly Words of Wisdom from Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

2021-05-21T11:38:19-05:00May 21st, 2021|

FDL Reads: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Reviewed by:  Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

Genre:  Fantasy Romance

Suggested Age:  Adults, Teens

What is This Book About?:  In 1714 France, a young Adeline LaRue lives in a small town. She wishes to have a more exciting life than one destined for a typical young woman in the village.  One night, in desperation, she prays to a god to live rather than be trapped in an arranged marriage.  Her wish is granted; however, she is is cursed to live forever and immediately forgotten by everyone she meets.  The book goes back and forth in time.  We see Addie in the beginning, struggling to survive even after her own family didn’t remember her.  Then it flashes back to the present where Addie has adapted to her challenges, but is still saddened that she cannot keep lasting relationships.  But, one day, the status quo changes when Addie meets someone who has more in common with her than meets the eye.

My Review:   I picked up this book after it had been heavily praised on social media.  The beginning is slightly slow until the main plot kicks in at about halfway through the novel.  I really enjoyed Schwab’s poetic writing style and the plot twists she introduces towards the end of the novel are great.  I like historical fiction and this switches back and forth from that to a modern romance.  It is very tragic and painful, especially the chapters that cover Addie’s time in France.  Remember, she is quickly forgotten by everyone she meets.   If you enjoy genre blenders, you will like this novel as it has a little romance, fantasy, and historical fiction all in one.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Tragic, Romantic, Poetic

Give This a Try if You Like… The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger,  The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
by Lauren James, All the Lives We Ever Lived  by Katharine Smyth

Rating:  5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2021-06-03T19:22:37-05:00May 20th, 2021|

2021 Summer Reading Program: Reading Colors Your World!

Join us for the library’s 2021 Summer Reading Program – Reading Colors Your World! – June 1 to July 31.

We encourage readers of all ages to explore humanity, nature, culture, and science. Be creative, try new things, explore art, and find beauty in diversity. Expand your world this summer and READ!

Kids, teens, and adults can earn badges for reading materials from FDL and for attending library events — and earn prizes! Fun online and outdoor programs are scheduled throughout the summer for all ages, including outdoor Family Movie Nights, weekly online story times, and programs for exploring creativity, diversity, nature, science, and more! Aside from all the fun, summer reading is especially important for students to prevent the “summer slide” so they don’t fall behind when they return to school in August. Readers can register and track their progress online at fondulaclibrary.beanstack.org or on-the-go with the Beanstack app! Follow FDL on Facebook and Instagram for more updates and summer surprises!

Sign Up

Check Out

  • Borrow books, audiobooks, and magazines from Fondulac District Library, or download or stream eBooks and audiobooks from Axis 360, hoopla, Overdrive, and Tumblebooks. Search the online catalog and our digital collections at fondulaclibrary.org.
  • Whether it’s reading a graphic novel, listening to an audiobook, or reading an article, it counts! Materials must be borrowed and read within the program dates.

Earn Badges

  • Record your minutes in Beanstack or on your reading log.
  • Earn one badge for every 50 minutes (PreK – 2nd graders), 100 minutes (3rd – 8th graders), or 150 minutes (high schoolers and adults) of reading.
  • Earn one badge for attending any three Fondulac District Library programs. Register online for programs at fondulaclibrary.evanced.info/signup/calendar.
  • Earn 10 badges to complete the program.
  • Kids can collect their badges from the Youth Services desk.

Win Prizes

  • Participants receive prizes for earning 5 badges AND for completing the program by earning 10 badges.
  • If using a reading log, participants must present it to a librarian to redeem badges.
  • Participants who complete the program will also be entered into a prize drawing!
  • Prizes are available while supplies last. The last day to pick up prizes is August 14.

SRP 2021 Brochure and Reading Log

2021-08-03T15:33:33-05:00May 17th, 2021|

FDL Reads: The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Reviewed by: Becky Houghton, Reference Assistant

Genre: Mystery

Suggested Age: Adult

What is this book about? Jane, a young woman in her 20’s, has recently relocated to Birmingham, Alabama, and is working as a dogwalker for the wealthy residents of a gated community known as Thornfield Estates. She also supplements her income by “finding” and pawning just a few valuable trinkets abandoned carelessly by the residents. One day while walking the dogs, she is nearly run down by one of the residents, recently widowed Eddie Rochester, as he pulls his car out of his driveway. Eddie’s wife, Bea, died tragically in a boating accident along with her best friend, Blanche, who also lived in the neighborhood. Jane and Eddie quickly begin a relationship and fall in love, but Bea’s influence and death looms large between the two who each have suspicious pasts. Their lives, the circumstances of the boating accident, and Jane’s efforts to be accepted by the residents of Thornfield Estates as one of them make this reimaging of the classic Jane Eyre an interesting tale.

My Review: I enjoyed this book and Hawkins’ way of slowly revealing key elements of each character’s past life. The story is told by the characters themselves, giving the reader different perspectives on some of the key events. Hawkins is a good storyteller and knows how to create suspense for her readers. This is her first adult novel, having previously written primarily for young adults. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a gothic story that will keep them guessing even at the very end.

Three words that describe this book: Intriguing, Gothic, Unresolved

Give this a try if you like: The Woman In the Window by A. J. Finn or books by B. A Paris.

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2021-05-27T16:38:48-05:00May 13th, 2021|

Aspiring Student Journalists

As an aspiring journalist, you’re probably craving some inspirational reads! Here are three great titles on our YA shelves. You can either check them out in person or reserve them through FDL’s online catalog.

Looking to do journalism professionally? We’ve included some articles, academic links, and scholarship info as well!

A NewsHound’s Guide to Student Journalism by Katina Paron and Javier Güelfi (Non-Fiction)

Covering the basics of journalistic values and practice, this graphic textbook offers cub reporters a primer on the drama, adventure and ethical conundrums that make journalism rewarding and fun. Using ripped-from-the-headlines examples, the authors challenge students to engage with the big issues. – annotation from the publisher

Sources Say by Lori Goldstein (Fiction – Elections/High School Newspaper)

The newsroom is Cat’s home away from home, and now, as a high school senior, she is finally editor-in-chief of the school paper. Not that anyone reads it: Her earnest exposé of an unhealthy student culture don’t sit well with many. Her sister, Angeline, is a popular social media influencer who has worked hard to make her YouTube channel, “Ask an Angel,” a success, even though Cat dismisses the work and focus that go into being a vlogger. The upcoming student council election sees Angeline and her ex-boyfriend, Leo, running for class president in a very public battle. While Angeline starts by making campaign promises based on popular demands, she comes to realize there are real problems that need to be addressed. Meanwhile, Cat’s reporting skills and journalistic ethics will face their greatest challenge against the competition of social media and the danger of fake news. – adapted from jacket

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Smith (Fiction – Photojournalism/Native American Heritage)

When Louise Wolfe’s boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. She’d rather spend her senior year with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, an ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey. But ‘dating while Native’ can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s? – adapted from jacket

Articles

The Future of the News Industry, According to Student Journalists by Rainesford Stauffer (TeenVogue)

Student Journalists Are Fighting for Protection After Covering the Crises of 2020 by Raines Stauffer (TeenVogue)

How to Fact-Check Social Media Posts and Avoid Fake News Online by Cindy L. Otis (former CIA Analyst)

Five Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of “Fake News” by Cindy L. Otis (former CIA Analyst)

Journalism Media and Technology Trends and Predictions 2021 (Reuters Institute) by Nic Newman (former BBC journalist) 

How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media (2019) by Flamingo (commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford University)

Helpful Links

Code of Ethics – Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

Journalism Guidelines during COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) (University of Massachusetts)

Ethics Guideline for Student Media

Visual Ethics Guideline for Student Media

**Reporting Safely and Ethically (SPJ)

**Guide to Legal Rights in the U.S. (SPJ)

**Your safety is more important than the story – please be extra cautious when covering public speeches, protests, social unrest, and/or other events that may escalate and become dangerous. If you wish to be present, please contact event organizers and law enforcement before attending the event. They will help you strategize a safe way to observe and report the event. NEVER PARTICIPATE – it’s against professional journalistic practice! Also, never let your purpose for being there be in doubt – meaning, you should wear large, visible media credentials that clearly mark you as a member of the press – and NEVER GO ALONE.

Organizations

Journalism Education Association*** (In addition to scholarships, JEA has middle school & high school award opportunities!)

Society of Professional Journalists*

National Student Press Organization*

Quill & Scroll*

* scholarship opportunities for members

*** scholarship opportunities without membership

– Katie Smith, Reference Specialist

2021-05-06T13:03:29-05:00May 6th, 2021|

#FDL: Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  Read one of these books and learn about the many cultures and histories that make up the AAPI community.

.
White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
For fans of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Lilac Girls, the heartbreaking history of Korea is brought to life in this deeply moving and redemptive debut that follows two sisters separated by World War II.
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The dramatic real life stories of four young people caught up in the mass exodus of Shanghai in the wake of China’s 1949 Communist revolution—a precursor to the struggles faced by emigrants today.
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If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
A  debut novel set in contemporary Seoul, Korea, about four young women making their way in a world defined by impossible standards of beauty, after-hours room salons catering to wealthy men, ruthless social hierarchies, and K-pop mania.
.
How Much of These Hills Is Gold is a haunting adventure story, a sibling story, and the announcement of a new voice in literature. On a broad level, it explores race in an expanding country and the question of where immigrants are allowed to belong. But page by page, it’s about the memories that bind and divide families, and the yearning for home.
.
What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang
Maya Shanbhag Lang grew up idolizing her brilliant mother, an accomplished physician who immigrated to the United States from India and completed her residency all while raising her children and keeping a traditional Indian home. What We Carry is a memoir about mothers and daughters, lies and truths, receiving and giving care, and how we cannot grow up until we fully understand the people who raised us. It is an examination of the weight we shoulder as women and an exploration of how to finally set our burdens down.
-Annotations from the publishers

#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

2021-05-06T14:10:02-05:00May 5th, 2021|

Trending Fantasy Books

Check out a few of the most popular fantasy books right now. Place a hold through the links to our catalog.

A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses Series, Book 4) by Sarah J. Maas

Fantasy Romance

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it. The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other. Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

YA, Mythological Fantasy

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. They are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory after her family was murdered by a rival line. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man—now a god—responsible for their deaths. Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek her out: Castor, a childhood friend Lore believed to be dead, and Athena, one of the last of the original gods, now gravely wounded. The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to rejoin the hunt, binding her fate to Athena’s, will come at a deadly cost—and it may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash Series, Book 1) by Jennifer Armentrout

Paranormal Fantasy, Fantasy Romance

A Maiden…Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers. A Duty…The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Historical Fantasy

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientèle. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate, and not everyone will survive.

-Annotations from the publishers

#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

2021-04-28T16:04:38-05:00April 28th, 2021|

Star Wars Writing Contest Winners

Thank you to those who entered our first ever Star Wars Writing contest during Star Wars Week!

Congratulations to Owen F. for winning the teen category!

Prompt: You were chosen to write an episode of The Mandalorian. Write a little about what the plot would be.

Episode: A World of Beskar Part 1

In the seemingly still quietness of space, there was a star system of what looks roughly like 6 or 7 planets. There was an asteroid belt around the outer edge. Suddenly, a star ship appeared out of nowhere along with two smaller ships, these ships seem to be fighting.

“I can’t shake them off,” said the Madalorian.

The bigger ship tried to knock the smaller ones in the asteroid field. Even though the asteroids got close to the ships, they still managed to evade the asteroids.

“The space is too crowded, I have to go up,” he said.

The pilots saw this coming and shot at the left thruster, thankfully the shot missed and they resumed to target the back of the ship. The bigger ship dodged and ducked, but when he tried to fire back, they moved accordingly. Out of nowhere, the Slave 1 appeared and shot the two smaller ships to an oblivion.

“You’re lucky that I arrived just in time, those pilots would have blown you to ashes,” said Boba Fett. ” There aren’t many pilots that are capable of that much skill.”

“I know, that’s what scares me.”

The two ships flew to the planet Gondoria. As they looked around the place that they landed, they noticed one thing, the blue liquid that they thought was water wasn’t water, but pure, hot molten metal. This surprised them as the appearance of lava was normally red or orange, but not blue.

“How in the world is this place hot enough for lava to turn blue?” asked Boba Fett.

“I don’t know, but I feel that we should get to what we came for” said the Mandalorian.

Far away, planets away, there was a squad of troops negotiating with a dealer on selling beskar, an almost indestructible metal.

“What do you mean there isn’t enough beskar to satisfy my bargain, it is perfectly reasonable to ask for that amount!”

He slammed his fist on the table that made a large dent in the polished surface, this fist belonged to the smallest of the bunch, yet he had the voice and anger of a dark leader, a tyrant.

“I’m sorry to tell you but beskar doesn’t appear out of thin air, it takes months, if not years to make, and a bunch of buyers have been coming in and out and have been draining our supply.” This seller’s voice was calm, and cool, without the slightest trace of anger behind it. The calm, soothing attitude only made the leader more furious with this matter.

“Is there at least a way to make it,” he said in a stern, cold voice, the effort of fighting his anger showed through him like synthetic glass, the anger and rage was astounding for how hard he tried to control himself.

“No, there’s not, I’m afraid-,” but this sentence was interrupted due to the fact that he was pulled right from the seat of his desk, as if the gravity from the masked leaders hand had intensified one million times more than normal, the room around him stared at him, with terror plastered on all of their faces, except for the squad, even if they had no masks covering their faces.

“There is a planet that is almost right next to us, there is some beskar there and you can satisfy your deal and far beyond that, more than you will ever need.”  The person’s voice was filled with fear but it gave the leader what he wanted.

“Now, unhand me, you got what you wanted did you not?” His voice was filled with the slightest bit of hope, but his hope vanished immediately after he said this.

“Release you?” The voice of tyranny became a voice of mockery, he laughed.

“You’re going to go walking back, after what you said to me, no, you’re no use, and I don’t want you to be giving this information to anyone else.” The seller’s face became fearful once again.

“That is a two in one for me, good bye, glad that we could come up with an agreement that satisfies both our needs.” With this, he snapped the seller’s neck in half and threw his body across the room, his body landed with a crash and broke about one hundred desks in a row.

To be continued…

Congratulations to Rachael Steinbron for winning the adult category!

Prompt: If you had to live on one of the Star Wars locations, what one would you choose? Why?

Alderaan: A Rebel’s Top Pick

Given all the worlds and scenes of the Star Wars saga, any true supporter of the rebels with a love for history would choose to live on Alderaan. Before The Disaster, the planet was a beautiful, earth-like place with a population of caring, intelligent people who valued education, democracy, and pacifism. It would have been a much more comfortable place than any sand or ice world. The architecture was also breathtaking, designed to showcase the beauty of the natural environment. Some may argue that a forest home like Endor would be equally as pleasant, but on Alderaan you would not only find fewer furry creatures with lice, but also more sophisticated technology and comforts, along with access to some of the Resistances most famous history and heroes.

The historic and cultural impact Alderaan had on the Rebellion is unmatched. General Leia Organa’s own mother once ruled as Queen but was also accessible as the minister of education, who taught about the culture and history of the world. Sitting in on one of her classes would be any Rebel’s dream! One of the founding members of the Galactic Republic, Alderaan was not only home to the Organa family, it also played a huge part in starting the Clone Wars, providing mutations to the Rebellion, and ultimately defeating the Empire.

Sure, the breathtaking planet was ultimately destroyed, but the knowledge the surviving Alderaanians possess is priceless. Not only would you be able to share the cultural and historic facts from your world to ensure the planet’s legacy, but bringing any date to the resulting asteroid field and sharing your story would ensure you would never have to drink your Juma Juice alone, if you know what I mean.

2021-08-03T10:26:54-05:00April 16th, 2021|
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