On Wednesday of this week, the Nobel Prize Awards Ceremonies will be held. Alfred Nobel, Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite who died on December 10, 1896, provided in his will that income from his $9 million estate should be used for annual prizes - to be awarded to people who are judged to have made the most valuable contributions to the good of humanity. The current value of each prize is about $200,000.

Thursday is the anniversary of the day in 1936 when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne of England in order to marry "the woman I love," twice divorced American Wallis Simpson. They were married on June 3, 1937, and became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

Friday is Poinsettia Day, a day to enjoy poinsettias and to honor Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the American diplomat who introduced the Central American plant which is named for him into the United States. December 12 is also Ding-a-Ling Day, a day to honor handbell ringers!

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. storytimes go back to basics with stories and activities about shapes. Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime features "Shoes in the Window," an Icelandic Christmas tale read by its author, Lisa Streeter Wenner!

If you're looking for a great stocking stuffer, look no more! The Friends of the Library are selling the Third Edition of the "Discover New Mexico" reading list. Compiled by Ethel Armstrong and Barbara Harris, the bibliography will help you discover New Mexico through books. You can pick up your copy at the circulation desk for just one dollar!

BOOK TALK

The library's Bob Kerwick provides this week's book reviews. Three books, three authors, one common theme: a schoolbus is hijacked, and the students are taken hostage. There are, of course, variations on the theme.

In Jeffery Deaver's book, "A Maiden's Grave," the hijackers are three escaped convicts, and the passengers are eight deaf schoolgirls and two deaf teachers. The convicts, all murderers who would not hesitate to kill again, take their hostages to an abandoned slaughterhouse, where they are soon surrounded by police and FBI agents. And so begins a tense, 12-hour standoff which could result in the deaths of many involved.

In "Under the Beetle's Cellar" by Marry Willis Walker, the hijackers are a cult of religious fanatics. The hostages are the bus driver and eleven young students. They are held underground at the group's highly fortified compound. After 46 days, the authorities begin to lose any hope of rescuing the hostages. A crime reporter gradually begins to take over the negotiations with the cult leader. Will she be more successful than the police?

In the newest book, "All Fall Down" by Zachary Alan Fox, we have another variation. This time there is only one hijacker. He boards a schoolbus dressed as a clown, tells the 27 physically and mentally handicapped children that he has a surprise for them, and immediately shoots one of them. This hijacker has studied police methods seems to know how the police will react to his every move and is an expert at spreading misinformation, planting phony evidence, and misleading clues.

All three books are well written. All of the authors are expert in generating suspense. Which one does the best job? Read all three and decide for yourself!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

"Money is a lot like manure. When it's in large piles benefiting nothing, it stinks." (unknown)

JUDY ARMSTRONG, ROSWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY, 624-7276