This year has seen several new films based or inspired on historical figures and events. Lincoln, Hitchcock, On the Road, Argo, and Hyde Park on Hudson are all either in theatres now — or soon will be. If you want to be an educated viewer try one of the titles below:

Team of rivals: the political genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Rise to greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's most perilous year by David Von Drehle

The month of December is filled with many different holiday celebrations — Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are just some of the special observances this month. Learn more about all these holidays through the many resources at the Canton Public Library. This Special Collection can help get you started!

General

The American book of days by Christianson, Stephen G — A day-by-day record of American history from January 1 through December 31. For each of the 366 days of the year (including February 29), several substantial essays explore significant events of military, scientific, ethnic, or cultural significance.

The book of the year : a brief history of our seasonal holidays by Anthony F. Aveni — Discusses the origins and modern development of our holidays and provides an entertainng glimpse into their evolution.

Who made the first Nativity scene? What is the symbolic meaning of the candy cane, the holly leaf or the Christmas tree? How did the legend of Santa Claus begin and why is kissing associated with mistletoe? Answers to these questions and the origins of other traditions can be found at this page about Christmas Legends.

To check out information on Christmas customs, crafts, recipes, movies, music, stories, legends, and more, check out these sources in the library to enhance your enjoyment of this holiday season.

Join us on Friday December 28, for an all-day family movie extravaganza starting at 10:00 AM with a film for our youngest patrons and gradually getting more sophisticated, until the 3:00 PM showing of Snow White and the Huntsman.

• 10:00 AM — Ruby and Max: Every Bunny Loves Winter and Little Bear's Winter Games (G)
• 12:00 PM — Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (PG)
• 3:00 PM — Snow White and the Huntsman (PG-13)

You may bring pillows, snacks, even your own comfy lawn chairs if you like.

Thanksgiving Day kicks off a month of celebrations. May we suggest a movie, tips from Martha Stewart on Thanksgiving prepartions, a history, music to sooth, and a story about family.

Planes, trains and automobiles [videodisc] by Paramount Pictures

Martha's classic Thanksgiving [videodisc] by [presented by] Marth Stewart Living Omnimedia

Mayflower: a story of courage, community, and war by Nathaniel Philbrick

Read the book? See the movie. Throughout the month of November, Turner Classic Movies is featuring film adaptations of well-known novels. The films run 24 hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. A variety of themes are featured including Southern Novels, Adventure, American Literature, Westerns, Science Fiction and more. Stories for Children and Young Adults will be shown all day on Thanksgiving Day.

Election themed entertainment to help you set the mood for November 6, 2012.

Election

Ides of March

The Manchurian candidate

State of the union

Milk

Napoleon Dynamite

Japan Airlines just unveiled a stunning new Boeing 787 the other day. It's decorated by Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki and seven other winners of a chidlren's art contest. As part of the project, Japan Airlines will be screening some Miyazaki movies during flights. Check out some of our Studio Ghibli movies, on or off the ground.

The votes have been tallied, the results are in and the winner is…

To Kill a Mockingbird, with 41% of the vote!

Our runner up is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which we will be showing at our Harry Potter Costume Party in October. So join us this Monday, October 1st at 6:30 to celebrate our freedom to read (and watch) great stories during our Banned Books Week Movie Celebration!

Here's some great news.  The entire Magic School Bus TV series has finally been rereleased on DVD.  We've made it easier to find by shelving it in the JDVD section.  Each disc has multiple episodes on it. With eight discs in the series there are lots of adventures to be had with Ms. Frizzle and her class.

In celebration Banned Books Week and our freedom to read, the Library will be showing a special movie Monday, October 1 at 7:00 PM. The movie will be determined in a readers' poll running until Friday, 9/21. What's your favorite banned book adaptation?

Classical music speaks both to the mind and to the heart, giving us something to think about as well as to experience.

—William J. Clinton, President of the United States, 1993-2001

Celebrate opening night at one of the many concerts offered throughout the month of September.

• Detroit Metropolitan Youth Symphony
• Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
• Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• Michigan Philharmonic
• Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra

The painting, featured above, is Attributes of Music by Anne Vallayer-Coster (1770)

Look for these films based on popular books in your local theater in the coming months:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte — Starring Kaya Scodelario, James Howson. Release date: October 2012

Les misérables by Victor Hugo — Starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe. Release date: December 2012

Lay the favorite: a memoir of gambling by Beth Raymer — Starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Release date: October 2012

Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Diamond Jubilee this year, China is becoming a world power, and Andy Farrell creates his list of the greatest ever golfers.

The 100 greatest ever golfers by Andy Farrell

Walt Disney: a biography by Louise Krasniewicz

Monarchy. The complete series. Disc 1 [videodisc] by a production of Thirteen/WNET New York in association with Channel Four Television and Granada Video

Actor Andrew Samuel 'Andy' Griffith (June 1, 1926-July 3, 2012) died today at his Dare County, North Carolina home. Most fans will remember him as television icon, Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show or lawyer Ben Matlock in Matlock. Before television, though, there were screen performances such as his chilling performance in A Face in the Crowd as malevolent drifter 'Lonesome' Rhodes, a country singer who rises to fame as a television performer/singer. In 1997, Griffith won a Grammy for Best Southern Country, Bluegrass and Gospel Album, and in 2007 was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Around the world in 80 days [videodisc] by a Harmony Gold & ReteEuropa production ; in association with Valente/ Baerwald

The big clock [videodisc] by a Paramount picture

The clock [videodisc] by a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture

Clockwatchers [videodisc] by Goldcrest Films International