It's Friday! Woo! And one of the best parts about Fridays (besides knowing that you have two days to relax) is that new movies come out. I, for one, have been seeing tons of movies this summer. There were pirates (read a review here and an interview with Geoffrey Rush here), wizards (read a review here and an interview with director David Yates here), and our favorite yellow family (read a review here and an interview with director David Silverman here). And don't forget a web-slinging superhero, a grouchy ogre, and a car that was more than meets the eye.

Wow, that's a lot of movies in one summer! So that's where all my paychecks disappeared to. Anyway, today a movie opens that I've been waiting for. It's The Nanny Diaries, based on the novel of the same name by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus. As I've mentioned before, I love chick lit. And I found this novel particularly fun, witty, and funny. The hilarious story of the mistreated nanny who must put up with all her employer's demands (such as dressing up as a Teletubby for Halloween) is chick lit at its finest. Which is why I'm a little nervous about the movie.

Last summer, The Devil Wears Prada, the movie based on the book by Lauren Weisberger, came out. It got great reviews, and Meryl Streep even earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the super-mean boss. And I liked the movie, I did. It's just that I liked the book better. There were entire scenes left out of the movie. Characters were completely changed. It just wasn't the same.

I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen with The Nanny Diaries. I don't want the picture in my mind to be tarnished. I don't want my appreciation of the story tainted.

Well, I'll probably go see it though. Because the book is always better than the movie anyway, right? Sure it is. So I might as well just enjoy the movie for what it is. I actually can't think of any movie that I liked better than the book--and I love movies! Can you think of any movies that you liked better than the book versions? I bet you can't!

Anyway, enjoy your weekend. Go see a movie or something. Or read the book.

The United States does not seem like a nation of readers, according to a recently released poll.

Just over 1,000 adults were interviewed by the Associated Press-Ipsos poll. One in four (or 25 percent) of those people said that they had not read ANY books last year. Not a Harry Potter. Not a Hemingway. Nada. The majority of people interviewed said they read up to five books last year. People who had read more than five or fewer than five were just about equal in the poll.

Religious or popular fiction books were the top choices of readers. Women also claimed to be bigger readers.

So what does this all mean for our nation? Can nonreaders learn the love of reading? Are they busy doing something else? What are the differences about readers and nonreaders? Does it come down to time, interest, or other distractions?

Has anyone gotten a nonreader to love a certain book? I gave my copy of The Poisonwood Bible to a  friend like that, hoping she would love it like I did. Never happened. I guess it's difficult to convince someone who's never been lost in a book to give it a try.

Should readers care about what nonreaders do with their time? Maybe. Some people worry that a lack of interest in reading will damage the publishing industry. I don't want this to mean there will be less of a selection for me and my reading allies.

Readers unite! (So what should we do now?)

Hey there, Wildcats. Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure that you've heard that High School Musical 2, the sequel to last year's enormously popular High School Musical came out last weekend. Did you catch up with Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and the rest of the gang?

Do I have a point, or am I just trying to make conversation? Well, you don't have to be so mean. But yes, I do have a point. Apparently Disney is pulling out all the stops to make sure you get all HSM2 all the time. They've even made it into a book!

Would you want to read this story? Or do you think this is a cheap marketing ploy? Usually, I enjoy anything that gets people reading. And I do love movies, and singing. And that Zac Efron is just so adorable! But still, when you combine all these elements, does it work?

What do you think? Do you want to read HSM2? When you see that "As seen in the movies" section at Barnes and Noble, do you continue walking? Or do books and movies combine to form the most awesome hybrid ever?

Apparently, there's no rest for the weary. 

That's right, kids. J. K. Rowling, who just finished the Harry Potter series, and who, in my opinion, should be relaxing on a tropical island (her own private one) and sipping fruity drinks with little umbrellas, is writing again.

All of you Potter-philes take note: I know you're hoping upon hope that Ms. Rowling is writing an eighth Potter book. Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but she's not. Harry is finished. (I'm talking about the book series. I don't know if Harry survived or not in The Deathly Hallows; I haven't had a chance to read it yet. But if I knew, I wouldn't tell you, so don't come back yelling to me about how I spoiled the ending.)

Rowling's new book is going to be a detective novel. And the really cool thing is that she's writing it in the same Scottish café she wrote the Potter books when she was a struggling writer. So now Rowling is officially the richest aspiring novelist out there. It's just like when Jerry Seinfeld goes to comedy clubs and does his stand-up routine. He certainly doesn't need the money, but he does it anyway. Well, good for them.

So, will you read J. K. Rowling's new book when it comes out, or has Rowling fever died? (Possibly like a certain wizard? Did Harry die? Wait ... no, don't tell me. I'm going to read it eventually.) If you were a billionaire, would you continue working? Will you please get me a fruity drink with an umbrella in it?

Editor's Note: It was just brought to our attention that the J. K. Rowling sighting was made up by an over-eager fan. I guess we'll just have to be happy with Harry. For now ...