No need to hack his texts…yet.

My son now has a record.  Not unlike Cool Hand Luke, he recently spent a few hours pulling weeds in the middle school courtyard while others watched a movie in the gym.  A repeat offender, his rap sheet boasts multiple gum chewing incidents and one broken cafeteria broom.  Not unlike his father who once set off a bottle rocket in an empty school hallway, my honor roll son just can’t seem to consistently tow the line.  Repeatedly praised for his polite manner, good grades and generous spirit, I’ve tended to minimize his detentions as they seem to present harm only to the bottom of someone’s shoe.  But should I?  After reading these recent thrillers, paranoia becomes an option.

Defending Jacob by William Landay
A 14-year-old boy is accused of murdering a classmate.  The original district attorney assigned to the case, his father must now sit on the other side of the bench, helping to defend his son.  When questions involving heredity come to light, the boy’s mother comes to her own conclusions.  The ending made me gasp and grapple with choices I hope never have to be made.

The Good Father by Noah Hawley
Paul thinks nothing of his son dropping out of college to “see the country” until the Secret Service knocks on his door.  His gentle, Greenpeace-loving son has assassinated a leading presidential candidate.  Re-married with young children, Paul must come to terms with his part in his first son’s choices.

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton
Comatose after saving her daughter Jenny from a devastating fire, Grace searches for the arsonist, her daughter’s potential killer, in overheard conversations and out-of-body experiences.  Her son is accused of the crime, and Grace must learn more about the hidden lives of her daughter and family and friends in order to rest in peace.  In the style of “The Lovely Bones”, but with a twist.

We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver
When her son kills seven in a school massacre, Eva attempts to apportion blame.  Was Kevin born a killer or was her inability to love a “difficult child” the deciding factor?

Given that my son once carried a stray dog around three local developments looking for its owner, I highly doubt I need to reserve him a place in maximum security at this point.  But, I should probably notify the school that pulling weeds on a beautiful sunny day rather than watching Ice Age in the stuffy gym was not much of a deterrent to the mid-day need of a sugary snack.  Not, that is, until he had to pull them again from the flower beds at home.  Now that’s what I call “character building.”

What reads or movies have scared you into being a better parent?

Several years ago, I remember watching a commercial for the newest Apple product. They called it the “iPad” and it seemed so new and mysterious.  I’ll admit that I’m one of those people who are intrigued by technology and always crave the latest and greatest gadgets, but I usually don’t buy them.  But that Christmas, my husband gave me an iPad, and I’ve been totally hooked ever since. In fact, it seems that my iPad is within reach at any given moment!

Looking for new apps is always fun, so I was so excited to learn that the company that created our library catalog has developed an app called BookMyne – and it links to the Cecil County Public Library catalog.  With a few clicks, I can see my account info, place holds and renew my materials, all from my iPad. I can even set my account to remind me when my books are due! And this app isn’t just for iPads – it’s also available for use on iPhones and Droid tablets and phones.

I like to see what my friends are reading, and this app allows me to connect to my Good Reads account, and even suggests reading materials based on what’s being checked out and various award-winning books.   The app comes with an instruction guide that gives some basic info on navigation, but if you’re like me, you like to learn the features just by playing with it and tapping around.

Imagine: you’re out and about running errands, get a reminder that your books are due, and you don’t have time to get to the library. Just open up BookMyne and renew your materials! It’s that easy.

A final note to my fellow iPad, smart phone, and gadget users; if you haven’t tried the OverDrive Media Console app, check it out, too.   It’s another great resource to download eBooks and audiobooks from our library, all free, at the tap of the finger.

Happy reading and happy gadgeting!