Working on March Madness is one of my favorite projects we do here at the Logos. It’s a lot of work, but I (Rachel) enjoy it so much because it truly is a team effort. This year, we decided to focus on books that are housed within our Family Room. Then we separated it into different genres and had a classic (pre-2000s) and contemporary (post-2000) pick. For me, I enjoyed revisiting and thinking about some of the books that first helped impact me as a reader. For example, one of my categories was Historical Fiction, and I was able to choose Meet Felicity as my classic pick. Her series, set in Colonial Williamsburg, was one of the first series that I ever owned. I liked learning about a time and place that I didn’t know much about, and I enjoyed having a character that looked a little more like me.
I had a strong suspicion that one of our classic picks would win due to familiarity, and I was right. Our winner for March Book Madness 2024 is…..
The Sweet Sixteen saw 7 of our 8 classic picks advance. The only contemporary that moved on to the Elite Eight was Ghost by Jason Reynolds. In the Elite Eight, we had to go to an overtime round (2nd round of voting) between Meet Felicity (our Historical Fiction pick) and Farmer Boy (our Biography/Memoir pick). It remained close in overtime, but Farmer Boy came out on top to advance to the Final Four. Our championship round featured A Wrinkle in Time and Alice in Wonderland. Alice garnered over 60% of the vote to take the win.
Thanks again for following along and helping to select our champion. It’s always an exciting race as we see which book advances to the top of the shelf.
Happy Reading!
Rachel Bloomingburg’s reviews reflect her personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university.
Announcer: Get some final stretches in before we tune in to hear about our last two genres featured in March Book Madness 2024. We’ve had a great field of competitors so far, but it won’t be complete until we feature our Science Fiction and Fairy Tale Retelling genre selections. Micah and Amber will serve as our commentators for this final round. Micah is up first. Micah, since this is your first week with us, will you introduce yourself, tell us some about the sci-fi genre, and your classic pick?
Micah: Welcome back to March Book Madness, everyone! My name is Micah Rhodes, and I serve as the Cataloging Associate for the library. This means I take all the books we order or receive, put them in our digital catalog, and get them ready to go on the shelves. I’m also a huge fan of science fiction! This genre falls under the umbrella of speculative fiction, or imagined stories with elements that diverge from realism. Science fiction specifically imagines developments in science, technology, society, the environment, and other fields to create futuristic, fantastic, and sometimes eerily prophetic stories.
My classic pick for this genre is A Wrinkle in Time, the first book in Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet. The story is about a group of children who travel through time and space to rescue their father from a dark, malevolent force. They are aided by many strange and alien creatures along the way and learn about the ongoing cosmic struggle between good and evil. The novel’s themes reflect L’Engle’s Christian convictions, and some elements are more in the realm of science fantasy than fiction. It’s an incredible journey, a Newbery winner, and a thoughtful book for youngsters.
Announcer: Thank you for telling us more about this match-up. Can you tell us about your contemporary pick now and which of the two you think will win?
Micah: My pick for contemporary juvenile science fiction isFound, the first book in The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Like A Wrinkle in Time, this book and the rest of the series uses time travel as its core concept, but instead of leaving their own time to fight evil, the children in Found are from the past! Kidnapped by “time smugglers,” they must help each other correct events in the past to keep their present and future from collapsing.
I’m pretty sure A Wrinkle in Time is going to beat Found. While an enjoyable, time-hopping romp, The Missing is narrowly appealing to the older elementary/middle-grade reader, whereas A Wrinkle in Time has deeper themes that adult readers will appreciate, too. I think A Wrinkle in Time also has a lot more staying power, as could be inferred by its various accolades and popularity since its publication in 1962. What can I say? It’s a classic for a reason! I could be proven wrong if our audience happens to include a sizeable Haddix fan base, though.
Announcer: Thank you. I’m excited to see who advances to the Elite Eight. Now, it’s time for Amber to jump back in and tell us about our final genre: Fairy Tale Retelling. Amber, could you tell us about your genre and your classic pick?
Amber: This classic pick brings back fond childhood memories. Fairy Tale Retellings are what you would expect: authors take those classic Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales and add a twist. That twist could be adding humor, telling the story from a different perspective, or giving it a different ending. Today, we have one of each. My classic pick is The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, a true childhood favorite of mine. This picture book is by Jon Scieszka. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is set in the courtroom as the Big Bad Wolf tells his side of the story. Obviously, the Wolf says he is innocent and only needed to borrow a cup of sugar. The jury is still out on that one.
Announcer: Fascinating. I’ve always been a fan of fairy tales and like seeing the different versions. Can you tell us some about your contemporary selection, plus who you think will advance to the next round?
Amber: My contemporary pick is The Little Mermaidby Jerry Pinkney. In this retelling, the little mermaid, Melody, trades her voice for legs and the chance to make a friend. This little mermaid doesn’t need a prince to save her.
This is a tough match-up. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is one people have been enjoying for over 25 years (well at least I have). It is funny and keeps the same story from a different perspective. On the other side, we have The Little Mermaid by a favorite author, Jerry Pinkney. The illustrations are beautiful, and Pinkney stays true to the tale while adding his own spin and giving Melody the strength to help her family. Pinkney takes the prince out, but the story is still sweet. I think The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs may win out because it has been around longer.
Announcer: That’s it, folks. 8 genres and 16 books. Which one will prevail to reach the top of the shelf? Only time (and your votes) will tell. Our voting will take place via the library’s Instagram, but we’ll also have paper brackets available in the library to fill out beginning February 22nd. Brackets will be due Friday, March 8th before our students leave for Spring Break. The one with the most points will win a prize. Voting will start taking place on Monday, March 18th, and those advancing to the Elite Eight will be announced on Tuesday, March 19th. This pattern will continue until the Championship round the week of April 8th. We hope you will follow along, share, and vote to help us decide this year’s champion.
Announcer: We’ve made it to the halfway point of March Book Madness 2024. As a quick recap, we’ve been introduced to our selections for Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Biography/Memoir genres so far. Now it’s time to gear up for our next two genres. Darius and Rachel will be commentating again this week. Darius, why don’t you start us off with telling us more about the fantasy genre, as well as a little bit about your classic pick?
Darius: Sure! Fantasy is a genre that includes storytelling set within a fictional universe that has “fantastical”—even magical—elements. Typically, these books draw upon mythological and folkloric elements for their worldbuilding.
My classic pick for this portion of the bracket is one that I think a lot of our readers will be familiar with: Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll! In this classic story, a little girl falls down a rabbit hole, only to meet a series of bizarre and exciting characters.
Announcer: One that many will be familiar with—thanks to it also having been made into a movie. I wonder if this will help when voting begins. Could you tell us about your contemporary pick now?
Darius: The contemporary book for March Book Madness 2024 is On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, the first book in The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson!
Announcer: I’ve never read this book, but I have seen it checked out several times. This could make it hard to beat. Which one do you think will advance?
Darius: It’ll be close, I think. The Wingfeather Saga is just old enough to be considered a modern classic by many, and I think many Union students may have grown up with it. On top of that, Andrew Peterson’s work broadly is much admired by people in our community. This prediction might come back to bite me, but for those reasons, I’m predicting that On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness will be the book that advances to the Elite Eight!
Announcer: Thank you, Darius. Now Rachel will introduce her next genre and her classic pick.
Rachel: Hello, again. I’m glad to be back with you and be able to feature our next genre. The sports genre simply means that a particular sport will be an important aspect of our main character’s life. I enjoy watching a variety of sports, but I’m glad that for my genre selections, I get to introduce you to some characters that have an interest in a sport that I don’t know as much about. Both of our main characters have an interest in running, and they both use it to help them overcome some of the difficulties in their lives.
My classic pick is Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, a Newbery Medal Winner from 1991. Maniac was born as Jeffery Lionel Magee, and his story is one where you’re reminded that legends aren’t born: they’re made. His parents die when he’s young, and he goes to live with an aunt and uncle that can never agree. One day, he’s had enough and ends up running away. He meets many interesting characters and ends up being a link between those living in the West End and East End of town. A book that helps to tackle prejudice and the desire to find a place of belonging.
Announcer: Sounds like a great choice. What is your contemporary pick?
Rachel: My contemporary pick is Ghost by Jason Reynolds. Castle Cranshaw, who refers to himself as Ghost, has a loving mother, but his father is in jail due to an attempted murder. His mom does the best she can, but Ghost is often on the brunt of bullying, and he acts out against his bullies, which gets him in a lot of trouble. One day, he stumbles upon a track team practice, and the rest is history. Ghost is constantly working to prove himself and learns important lessons along the way. He is a character that you want to see win.
Announcer: I like that both focus on running and remind us how it can help us more than just physically. Which one do you think will pull ahead and advance to the elite eight?
Rachel: This is another tough one for me because they both had strong elements, and they both made me think. However, I think Ghost will cross the finish line first.
Announcer: That’s it for our third set of first-round picks. Join us next week to learn about our last two genres. Things are heating up!
Announcer: We are ready for Week 2 of March Book Madness 2024. You were introduced to our Mystery and Realistic Fiction genres last week, but now it’s time to move in a different direction. Rachel and Darius will be presenting their selections for Historical Fiction and Biography/Memoir. Rachel is up first with Historical Fiction. Rachel, can you introduce yourself, tell us some about your genre, and give the readers some information about your classic pick?
Rachel: Hi. Yes, I’m Rachel, the Circulation Manager of the Logos, and I’m excited to help introduce this next genre. Historical Fiction is a genre that I read a lot, and simply put, it is a fictional story based during a specific time period or event that took place in the past. While reading, you must be careful not to mix fact with fiction, though.
Without further ado, my classic pick is Meet Felicity by Valerie Tripp. It is the first book in the American Girl series based in Colonial Williamsburg and is set around the time of the Revolutionary War. Felicity is nine years old. In this book, she falls in love with a beautiful horse named Penny and seeks to save her from her cruel owner. The series continues with five more books, and you will see Felicity learn to manage some difficult choices as she grows up. This is a series that I owned growing up, and I even had the doll to go along with it. Felicity having a similar hair color to mine has always been something I’ve loved about her.
Announcer: American Girls are a true classic in my eyes. I love that we have so many of the originals in our collection. What is your contemporary pick?
Rachel: My contemporary pick is a book that I often recommend, and it is The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Ada, a young girl with a twisted foot, lives in London during World War II. Her mother has often verbally abused her and doesn’t see her worth. When the opportunity arises for the children to be taken to safety in the countryside, Ada’s mother only wants to send her younger brother, Jamie, because she doesn’t think anyone would want to take her with her disability. Ada sneaks away with Jamie, and they end up being placed with a woman named Susan Smith. The story that follows is one that you don’t want to miss.
Announcer: I like that both selections are based around different wars. Which of the two do you think will advance?
Rachel: This is a tough one for me because I love them both. However, I think Meet Felicity being part of a series will help it to advance.
Announcer: Thank you, Rachel. We’ll move now to Darius with the Biography/Memoir genre. Darius, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell us some about your genre, as well as your classic pick?
Darius: I’m Darius, the Evening Circulation Supervisor here at the Union University Library. I’m excited to have the chance to comment on my third March Book Madness! The genre I get to introduce to you today is Biography/Memoir: simply put, these are stories from a person’s life. A biography (or self-written autobiography) aims to tell the story of a person’s life, while memoirs are specific memories from maybe only a portion of a person’s life. Biographies and memoirs are similar enough that we’ve combined them into one category for our purposes.
The classic pick for this category is Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House series. This book is a bit of an outlier in the author’s work, since it’s not about herself, but instead the boy who would become her husband: Almanzo Wilder. I remember my dad reading this one out loud to me when I was probably about the same age as the main character!
Announcer: Sounds like a great pick. What is your contemporary selection? Could you tell us about it and your predicted winner?
Darius: The Biography/Memoir contemporary pick is What to do about Alice? by Barbara Kerley and Ed Fotheringham. This book is a Sibert Honor Book and tells the exciting story of Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice. We featured it in a What to Read Wednesday last year!
Even though it’s a great one, I think Farmer Boy is more likely to advance into the Elite Eight this year. I think there are probably many readers who, like me, grew up with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s work.
Announcer: We’ll see if either of these predictions hold true when our voting begins in March. Tune in next week for Round 3!
Announcer: To the esteemed readers of the Logos Library blog, we are proud to present this next installment of March Book Madness. Are you ready? We’ve decided to take things back to a simpler time, and all the books you’ll see here will be found in the Family Room. For each genre, we will have a classic (pre-2000s) and contemporary (post-2000) pick. While thinking of some of these books as classics makes library team members feel a tad old, we hope to provide them with worthy up-and-coming competition.
Our first round will feature Mystery and Realistic Fiction. Sarah and Amber will serve as your commentators. Sarah, why don’t you introduce yourself, tell us some about the mystery genre, and about your classic pick?
Sarah: Hi, friends! I’m Sarah Blevins, Circulation Associate here at the library. I’m very excited to be back as a commentator for March Book Madness. This year, I’m introducing the mystery genre. Mystery is a genre where an event—usually a crime—happens under strange circumstances. After a series of twists and turns, the heroes piece together clues and figure out exactly what happened.
Our classic pick is The Secret of the Caves, a Hardy Boys mystery published in 1965. In this installment, amateur detectives Frank and Joe Hardy search for a missing professor, who was last seen investigating a system of caves by the sea.
Announcer: Thank you. Will the clues you provided mean that you have a front runner? Only time will tell. Could you now tell the readers about your contemporary pick?
Sarah: Absolutely! Our contemporary pick is The Case of the Missing Marquess, the first book in the Enola Holmes series of mysteries. The book follows Enola, the younger sister to literature’s most famous detective: Sherlock Holmes. When her mother suddenly vanishes, Enola hopes to find her in London. However, she instead becomes caught up in the kidnapping of a young marquess.
Announcer: Mystery isn’t a genre that I read often, so I’m unsure how this one will pan out. Which selection do you think will advance?
Sarah: Ooh that’s a tough one! I feel like Enola Holmes has the edge with ingenuity. It’s a fresh story with both new and classic characters. However, I know plenty of people who read at least one Hardy Boys book growing up, and I know they’re still beloved by many. So, that’s the one I see advancing to the next round.
Announcer: Thank you. We’ll see if you’re right. Next up, we have Amber to tell us about her selections for Realistic Fiction. Amber, would you introduce yourself, tell us some about this genre, and about your classic pick?
Amber: Howdy, I’m Amber, Union’s Instruction Librarian. I am one of those library team members who is feeling a tad old with this year’s classics vs. contemporary matchups. Realistic fiction is a popular genre where the settings, characters, and plots remind you of events that could happen in real life. You won’t find any magic or fantasy in these books, but you might relate to some of the characters’ thoughts, feelings, or experiences. This classic pick is one that brought back childhood memories of competing in The Battle of the Books. Our classic pick is How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell. This book is pretty much as cringe-worthy as it sounds. Basically, Alan bets his friend, Billy, that he can’t eat 15 worms in 15 days. Billy finds a variety of different ways to get these big night crawlers down, while Alan does everything he can to stop Billy from winning. This ridiculous novel showcases friendship and childhood shenanigans.
Announcer: I feel like this will be a unique genre because the picks could make us think of events that have occurred in our lives. What is your contemporary pick?
Amber: Our contemporary pick is a 2017 novel by Erin Entrada Kelly titled Hello, Universe. I think this will be a good matchup because both books look at friendship. Hello Universe represents our current literary world better and may represent the world in general better. Hello, Universe is told in the alternating perspectives of four middle schoolers. Virgil is too shy, at least that’s what his parents say, but his grandmother and guinea pig are supportive. Valencia is deaf and looking for friends. Kaori is a self-proclaimed psychic trying to start a business. Chet is a bully who also wants to make the basketball team. Hello, Universe follows the kids and shows how their lives intertwine. This is a great book because you can really see each child’s thoughts and how they may not be as different as they think.
Announcer: Both of these sound like great choices. Which do you think will advance?
Amber: Hmm…this is a hard choice. I think both books are great, and I secretly hope the classic books win because they are the books I read as a child. But in this case, I think Hello, Universe might win out because it does a better job of representing diversity and the realness of life.
Announcer: It sounds like we’ll be in for some good matchups in this first round. Join us next week to meet our next two genres.
March Book (& Movie) Madness 2023 has come to an end. We used a similar format to last year, but we changed up some of the genres and chose books that had movie adaptations. For me (Rachel), I was unaware that both The Godfather and Jurassic Park originated as books. I also enjoyed learning more about Murder on the Orient Express and have added it to my TBR list. Another change we made for this year was that we had paper versions of our brackets where students were able to fill them out ahead of time and were awarded points for each correct guess. The two students with the most points were given gift cards.
Without further ado, I would like to present our winner…
Our closest match-up and biggest blowout both occurred in the Sweet 16. Jurassic Park (34) narrowly defeated Dune (26) in our Science Fiction category, while The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (55) easily defeated The Wizard of Oz (8) in our Children’s category. If we could label a book as a Cinderella in this year’s tournament, it would go to Frankenstein making it all the way to the Final Four. For those that filled our brackets ahead of time, most picked it to advance past Rebecca in the Sweet Sixteen, but no one thought it would win against the Science Fiction category (Jurassic Park/Dune) in the Elite Eight. It was an exciting race all the way to the end.
A huge thanks goes to all of those that voted on the library’s Instagram, filled out brackets, and followed along on the Read to the Final Four. Come back next year!
Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. A difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. Then, during the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!
Rachel: Welcome. I’m Rachel Bloomingburg, and I’ll be one of your commentators again this week, alongside Darius Mullin. I hope you’re ready because we’ve made it to the homestretch and will be introducing you to our final competitors for this year! Darius, could you tell us about our last two categories?
Darius: Sure! Our last two categories for March Book Madness 2023 are Mystery and Children’s literature! Mystery novels focus on some sort of puzzle, crime, or predicament that must be solved. The protagonist is often—but not always—a detective, such as Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin. Children’s literature is a broad category including, quite simply, books that are written with children as the intended primary audience. Children’s books often include accompanying illustrations and are sometimes quite enjoyable for adult audiences as well.
Rachel: They sound like vastly different categories. Would you tell us about our first entry in the Mystery genre?
Darius: The first Mystery entrant is, of course, Sherlock Holmes. There are a lot of different collections and adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, but for our purposes we’ve selected The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Guy Ritchie. Sherlock Holmes himself is a “consulting detective” whose skills of observation and deduction are almost fantastical. His companion is Dr. John Watson, who is the narrator of Doyle’s stories. Holmes has captured the imaginations of generations of readers by navigating numerous exciting cases and adventures; the 2009 film is not based on any particular Sherlock Holmes story.
Rachel: Great choice. I’m not as familiar with this genre; however, Sherlock Holmes is a classic that I believe most will have some knowledge about. Could you tell us about the second selection?
Darius: Our second Mystery story is Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and its 2017 movie adaptation directed by Kenneth Branagh. In this classic Hercule Poirot adventure, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by an unexpected snowdrift. The next day, one of the train’s passengers, a millionaire, is found stabbed to death in their locked cabin. Surely the murderer is still on board, but who is it? Read or watch to find out!
Rachel: Oh, wow! That sounds interesting. I may give this one a try. Who do you think will advance to the next round?
Darius: Well, these are two very strong competitors, with both the novel and movie versions of each giving us a good showing. Nonetheless, I suspect Sherlock Holmes will win out in the end, as few literary characters are more iconic. Rachel, how about we go ahead and move on to our last category, Children’s literature. Who’s up first?
Rachel: Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my! You will likely notice this line from The Wizard of Oz. The book written by L. Frank Baum with illustrations by Michael Hague, as well as the movie with the same title released in 1939, follows a young girl named Dorothy as she is transported in her home from Kansas to the land of Munchkins by way of a tornado. Her only hope is to return to her home, so the munchkins encourage her to follow the yellow brick road and make her way to the City of Emeralds and meet with the Great Wizard of Oz. As she begins her journey, she will meet a host of memorable characters including the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and The Cowardly Lion. You will later meet the Wicked Witch of the West. She is rather unhappy with Dorothy because the house she traveled in landed on top of the Wicked Witch of the East and killed her. Will Dorothy make her way back home with the help of her friends or will the Wicked Witch of the West succeed with her plan of revenge? Only time will tell.
Darius: Such a classic fantasy story! What is it facing in the sweet sixteen?
Rachel: The Chronicles of Narniais a beloved series. While there’s debate on which is the proper order to read it, the story it tells is what matters most. For our purposes today, we will focus on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Four siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—are sent from their home in London during the war to escape the air raids. Life is simpler in the country until the day that Lucy discovers a certain wardrobe. While it appears to be full of coats, as Lucy discovers, another world awaits her. A magical world trapped within an eternal winter and under the rule of the wicked White Witch. Lucy is a character that portrays goodness, and her arrival helps to spread the feeling of hope. Will she, along with Aslan and others on the side of good, be able to defeat the White Witch once and for all? You’ll have to read to find out.
Darius: Wow, two beloved stories going head-to-head here! And I have to weigh in on the debate—The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe comes first, at least the first time you read it. But you’re right, the important thing is to read them. Which of the two do you think is most likely to move on to the next round?
Rachel: These stories have similar elements, and I believe they both have a strong chance to advance. I think the popularity of The Chronicles of Narnia series will give it a slight edge. I’m excited to see who comes out on top!
Darius: Well, everyone, those are our last four entrants for March Madness 2023! Which of these do you think has the best chance of making it to the Final Four? Which of our sixteen competitors will take home the crown? Keep an eye on the library Instagram for voting in the days to come, and catch up on the first three entries of this series here.
Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. A difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. During the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!
Sarah: Welcome back to the 2023 March Book Madness! I’m Sarah Blevins, one of your commentators, joined by Amber Wessies. Amber, what genres do we have this week?
Amber: This week we are bringing to you the genres of Romance and Classics. Romance is pretty self-explanatory; these novels include a love story. This year, we have added a twist though. The two romance novels for this competition also deal with the heavy topic of death, specifically the death of the one you love. Our second genre is classics, these are books or novels considered to be great throughout the ages. They are lasting and often studied in school. You might have read them as a child and your parents might have as well.
Sarah: Two of my favorite genres! What do we have for Romance?
Amber: Our first romance novel is The Fault in Our Starsby John Green. The movie directed by Josh Boone stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as Hazel and Gus. Hazel and Gus are teenagers with cancer. Gus is in remission while Hazel’s thyroid cancer continues to progress. The two meet and fall in love in the typical fashion: bonding over a book and a make-a-wish trip to Holland. However, things change for the worse when Gus’ cancer returns. Grab your tissues for this one.
Sarah: Yes, that movie left me in a puddle of tears. What’s it up against?
Amber: The second novel is just as much of a tearjerker. We have Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. The movie of the same name was directed by Thea Sharrock and stars Emilia Clark and Sam Claflin. Louisa Clark has just lost her job and finds herself being hired as a caretaker for quadriplegic, Will. Will is set on committing suicide because his life cannot be what it was before his accident. Louisa is on a mission to change his mind in six months. Through their adventures and jokes, they fall in love. But is falling in love enough to change Will’s mind?
Sarah: That sounds like another great contender! This is sure to be one match you don’t want to miss! Who do you think will come out on top?
Amber: This is a tight race; I am not sure who will move to the next round. I think The Fault in Our Stars might have a slight advantage because it is a young adult novel as well. Sarah, why don’t you tell us about our two classic novels?
Sarah: First up, we have the 1847 classic, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë. The 2011 movie stars Mia Wasikowska as Jane and Michael Fassbender as the brooding Mr. Rochester. Jane Eyre follows the titular character through her school years, her work for the mysterious employer, their romance, and the aftermath that follows. Its popularity has certainly stood the test of time.
Amber: I remember enjoying this as one of the required high school readings. Who will be facing off against Jane Eyre?
Sarah: Next, we have Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Loosely based on the author’s own life, Little Women follows the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and their neighbor, Laurie, in 1860s New England. The sisters’ strong bonds are tested through the trials of growing up. The award-winning 2019 movie stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Florence Pugh as Amy, and Timothèe Chalamet as Laurie. It’s a story that’s been loved for ages.
Amber: This is one that I haven’t read or seen. I think I need to add it to my TBR list. Who do you think will win out?
Sarah: It’s going to be a close one for sure! I think the popularity of the recent Little Women adaptation might give it the edge, but we’ll certainly have to wait and see.
Amber: So true. Thanks for joining us this week. Don’t forget to stop by next week for the last two genres to round out our Sweet 16 bracket. Who will make it to the top of the shelf? Voting will be on the library’s Instagram page in the month of March. Stay tuned!
Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. A difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. Then, during the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!
Amber: Hey everyone! Thank you for joining us in Week 2 of March Book (& Movie) Madness: 2023 edition. I’m Amber Wessies, and I’ll be highlighting our genres for the week along with Micah Rhodes. Rachel and Darius told you about our first two genres, Historical Fiction and Civil Rights, last week. And this week, we bring two totally different genres. Micah, can you tell us what they are?
Micah: Thanks, Amber! This week, we’ll be covering the brackets for Science Fiction and Gothic Horror, two of my personal favorites. While they are both speculative genres, Science Fiction often extrapolates real-world research and technology to propose futuristic scenarios, while Gothic Horror leans into haunting, supernatural themes that often look to bring dark elements of the past into the present. I really like the juxtaposition of these two genres, and they can actually overlap in fascinating ways, as we’ll see.
Amber: Science Fiction and Gothic Horror can definitely keep you on the edge of your seat or maybe just keep you up at night. Why don’t you tell us about the contenders in our Science Fiction Genre?
Micah: Our first competitor is a cornerstone of far-future sci-fi literature. Written by Frank Herbert in 1965, Dunehas proven to be influential in the decades since, most notably providing many inspirations to George Lucas’ Star Wars. Full of political scheming, novel technologies, religious quandaries, and quasi-magical power, Dune has always been upheld as foundational to modern sci-fi by avid readers. It’s seen a recent resurgence in the awareness of the general public with Denis Villeneuve’s new movie adaptation in 2021, which was a masterpiece in cinematography. I’m eagerly awaiting the release of Part 2 later this year.
Amber: Wow, I think I need to check it out. Now, which book will Dune battle against?
Micah:Dune’s rival is another juggernaut in both written and visual sci-fi media. Most of our audience will be familiar with the Jurassic Parkmovie franchise, but some may be surprised to learn that it too spawned from a literary source. Michael Crichton wrote two excellent novels, Jurassic Parkand The Lost World, that established the setting for the films. In fact, the success of the first film pressured Crichton into writing the sequel, something he did not ordinarily do with his novels. The plot for both film and book can be summarized by this witty exchange between characters Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Ellie Satler:
Malcolm: “God creates dinosaurs, God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Man, man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.”
Satler: “Dinosaurs eat man . . . Woman inherits the earth.”
Amber: Too funny, Jurassic Park is a great sci-fi choice. Which do you think will advance to the Elite 8 round?
Micah: This is a tough call. Dune brings a dedicated following from the literature crowd, and its new movie is gorgeous and dramatic if a little hard to follow for viewers who haven’t read the book (especially the ending). However, though the Jurassic Park books have less of a cult following, the movies have become such titans of popular culture that I think dinosaurs will win over spaceships this year.
Micah: Let’s move on to your category, Amber. What can you tell us about your contenders?
Amber: Well, Gothic Horror isn’t usually my go-to genre, but I think we are all familiar with Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein. There have been many movie adaptations of Frankenstein and the Union Library has three versions that you can check out. Although we all like to think the monster in the book was the man created using cadavers, that may not be the case. Dr. Frankenstein who created the monster might be more of a monster than we thought. I wonder what our voters will think? Frankenstein is one of the novels that embodied gothic fiction with its suspense, fear, and haunting from the past. Shelley’s work represents the gothic horror of the early 19th century.
Micah: It’s certainly a classic, and deeply embedded in the history of the genre. This is what I love about holding Science Fiction and Gothic Horror up for side-by-side examination: we can see how they overlap! There are elements of sci-fi in Frankenstein, as the doctor is using pseudo-scientific techniques to bring about the creation of his creature. Likewise, Jurassic Park has some similarities with gothic horror and especially Frankenstein, as scientists work to bring monsters to life which then wreak havoc on humans, leaving open the question of who is more monstrous: the creator or the created? Anyway, what’s the second contestant?
Amber: Our second book and movie duo comes from the 20th-century gothic horror period and another female author, Daphne du Maurier. Du Maurier’s book, Rebecca, has become the basis for several movie adaptations including a newer Netflix film and the Alfred Hitchcock version by the same name. Surprisingly disturbing and sad, Rebecca, tells the story of a poor girl who marries a rich widowed man with a haunting past. Although this gothic novel may be less familiar to many, Rebecca, still brings those chilling gothic elements from mystery, to love, and murder that makes these novels hard to put down. Can the new Mrs. de Winter and her husband move past the death of Rebecca?
Micah: Hmm, intriguing. I’ll have to give Rebecca a read or a watch, or both! Which book-movie do you think will triumph?
Amber: I think Frankenstein may win out since so many people read it in high school. But I wouldn’t count out Rebecca with its new movie.
Micah: Well, we’ll see if either of our predictions are correct in just a few weeks. Remember, readers, YOU will be the ones determining this year’s winners of March Book (& Movie) Madness! Want to represent your favorite page-to-screen adaptations? Vote for your favorites on Instagram next month, then see which advances. We’ll be back with our next competitor introductions after these messages…
Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. One difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. During the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!
Rachel: Welcome! Thank you for joining us for March Book (& Movie) Madness: 2023 edition. I’m Rachel Bloomingburg, and I’ll be one of your commentators for this week, alongside Darius Mullin. Our goal is to introduce you to the first two of eight genres that will be featured this year. Darius, could you tell us about the two genres to be featured this week?
Darius: Our first two categories are Historical Fiction and Civil Rights! The Historical Fiction genre is typically set in a real time and place, even if the specific characters and events of the story aren’t strictly historical. Our Civil Rights category is a more specific subset of historical fiction that includes stories centered around American citizens’ efforts to attain social and political equality.
Rachel: Both categories are great to help us better understand our past and appreciate strides that have been made for present and future generations. What is our first participant in the Historical Fiction genre?
Darius: Our first Historical Fiction candidate is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, alongside the 1962 movie of the same name directed by Robert Mulligan. Set during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows Scout Finch and her family’s experiences in smalltown Alabama. The plot culminates with Scout’s father, lawyer Atticus Finch, defending a black man against a false rape accusation.
Rachel: Yes. I remember this story. What’s our second choice in this genre?
Darius: Next up is The Godfather by Mario Puzo and its movie adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The plot tells the tale of the fictional Corleone family, an Italian mafia family based in New York City. Set shortly after World War II, the novel/movie initially follows Don Vito Corleone, the head of the family as he runs the family business. But an emergency thrusts Vito’s son Michael—who is introduced as a family misfit, uninvolved in the Corleone business—into the spotlight as main character and mafia leader. Both the book and movie versions of The Godfather are highly acclaimed, present fascinating characters, and are full of violence and intrigue.
Rachel: I don’t know much about The Godfather, but I usually like stories based around the World War II time period. Which of these two do you think will advance to the elite eight?
Darius: It’s hard to say, since both options are American classics. If I had to guess, I think To Kill a Mockingbird might have a slight edge on the competition, since a lot of people have probably read it in high school. How about you introduce us to our contestants in the next category, Civil Rights?
Rachel: Happy to. Our first choice is Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. The book written by Margot Lee Shetterly, as well as the film adaptation directed by Theodore Melfi and shortened to the title Hidden Figures, focuses on a core group of dedicated female mathematicians (nicknamed “human computers”) that are called into service during a labor shortage of World War II. Their work helped give Americans a victory they desperately needed with regards to the space race. Math and science tend to be a male-dominated field, so I appreciate that this shows women making an impact in the field.
Darius: That’s awesome! I’ve seen that movie; it’s a great story! Could you share the second option in this category?
Rachel: Yes. Our second selection is likely more well-known when thinking of the Civil Rights genre. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, and the 2020 film adaptation starring Michael B. Jordan help to show the disparity and often unfair treatment of those with limited resources, which could lead to individuals being wrongly condemned. The book covers several cases that Bryan worked on, as well as learning what led him to get into the field. The movie focuses on the case of Walter McMillian, a black man that was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a young, white woman that he didn’t commit. I really appreciated reading the book because it reminded me that while Walter’s case was the most well-known, Bryan’s work made an impact in multiple cases. Knowing that it’s an autobiography helps to give it an even greater personal nature.
Darius: I remember being very impacted when I read that book. Sounds like two really good duos in this part of the bracket! Any ideas as to which will come out on top?
Rachel: It will be tough because both are powerful and important stories, but I think Just Mercy will come out as the winner.
Darius: Well, folks, that’s all for today! Which of the first four entrants has the best chance of making it to the Final Four this year? Keep an eye on the library Instagram for voting next month, and stay tuned for the introduction of the other twelve contestants in the weeks to come!
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