Blog Post
PreK BITS - "F" is for Fabulous FEAST
by ryanikoglu
Ms. Rachel brought stories of fabulous food to Storytime this week.
Bear found the right ingredients to make his favorite recipe ... UGLY PIE by Lisa Wheeler.
“Five Plum Buns In A Bakery Shop” is a counting rhythm/rhyme that we clapped out together as the rhyme was called out.
GREGORY The TERRIBLE EATER ... his parents found a way to solve his picky-eater issues. Now all are happy.
For a Feast of more Favorite Food Fables try the following:
STREGA NONA: An Old Tale by Tomie DePaola.
WOODPECKER WANTS A WAFFLE by Steve Breen.
WHO PUT The COOKIES In The COOKIE JAR? by George Shannon.
ELLA TAKES The CAKE by Carmela D’Amico.
MORE PIES! by Robert Munsch.
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS by Adam Rubin.
Happy Feast Day!
Blog Post
Why Read Romance
by CeliaM
Let's be honest. Romance novels tend to get a bad rap. They get dissed and dismissed by people who don't read them. But try telling the readers who make up the billion dollar a year industry that romances aren't good and you'll have a lot of angry fans on your hands. In my experience romance readers are a loyal group, ready to defend their genre and their beloved authors.
Over the years numerous authors, bloggers, and industry professionals have stood up for the genre in pieces about who reads romance and why. One of my personal favorites is an article from historical romance author Sarah MacLean. She talks about the reactions she gets when she tells people what she writes:
"'When are you going to write a real book?'
Ah, Old Reliable. This one trots out at family gatherings, cocktail parties, reunions with old coworkers, drinks with other writers, playdates with other moms. It’s the most innocuous of the three, for sure—no one who asks it means to offend—but it’s loaded with insidious meaning.
These questions and their myriad brethren used to put me right on the defensive. I’d feel required to pontificate on the value of the genre, of its long history (Pride and Prejudice was a romance, didn’t you know?), of the value of books as entertainment, of the way romance builds literacy and community among readers, and the idea that the books are powerful feminist texts—written by, for and about women. In romance, after all, the heroine plays the role of the hero. And she wins. Always." (Sarah MacLean, 2016).
I read romance for all of these reasons and more. The plots, the characters, the sheer number of dukes in regency England and cowboys in Montana. I read them for the dialogue, the tropes, the humor (intended or not), the happily ever afters.
Stay tuned for more from the romance world. Favorites, classics, brand new picks, more!
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #621 Spotlight on Women's Fiction Debuts
by muffy
Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen. This LBD, darling of the season (picked no less by WWD) is 90-year-old Morris Siegel's swan song, capping a long career as the celebrated pattern-maker for the Max Hammer line. But before he can truly retire, his LBD will touch 9 women's lives in unexpected ways.
From a Bloomingdale’s salesgirl dumped for a socialite to a secretary secretly in love with her widowed boss. From a young model fresh from rural Alabama to the jaded private detective who might have a chance to restore her faith in true love. From an unemployed Brown grad faking a fabulous life on social media to a mean girl who would die for the dress. Their encounter with the dress will transform them in ways beyond their imagination.
"Rosen’s debut novel is rich in relationships, written with clarity and humor and surprise twists that bring the tale to a satisfying conclusion." (Kirkus Reviews). Charming and irresistible, Chick lit at its best.
Not Working is what Claire Flannery does, and not all that well. Lisa Owens' 20-something protagonist quits her job to find her passion, without a clear idea what that might be. While she navigates, observes, and comments on the emotions and minutiae of day to day life as only someone without the distractions of a regular routine can, she's trying the patience of everyone around her - from her brain-surgeon boyfriend Luke, to her mother who is no longer speaking to her (all Claire's fault).
As Claire begins an inevitable downward spiral, drowning her sorrows in gallons of wine, self-pity, and bad decisions, "Owens deploys a deft sense of humor to help us laugh at the incongruities of contemporary upper-middle-class crisis." (Kirkus Reviews)
Kat Lind, an American expatriate living in London is feeling particularly vulnerable, having just lost her mother, sent her young son Will to visit her in-laws; and missing her jet-set entrepreneur husband, Jonathan. When she notices the announcement of an exhibition by British artist Daniel Blake at a prestigious gallery, images of their time in Paris as students come flooding back. At the show, Kat is stunned to find paintings of a young Kat, including one entitled The Blue Bath that holds particular significance for both of them.
As their attraction rekindles and the portraits catch the attention of the public, threatening to reveal not only her identity but also some devastating turn of events, Kat must face life-altering decisions.
"Set in London and Paris, Mary Waters-Sayer's romantic debut novel is filled with lush settings, sensuous details, and poignant events. Readers will be wholly involved with Kat’s heartbreaking dilemma." (Booklist)
Blog Post
News of the World: an exquisite, morally challenging Western
by eapearce
News of the World, the brand new novel by Paulette Jiles, is a riveting, complex story of the Old West that features two unlikely characters. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels across North Texas reading the news to paying audiences hungry for news of the end of the war and the world in general. He enjoys his itinerant, solitary existence, and is torn when he’s offered $50 in Wichita Falls to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. The ten-year-old girl was kidnapped by a band of Kiowa raiders when she was just four years old. Although they killed the rest of her family, they spared the little girl and raised her as one of their own. Now, being torn away from the only “family” she remembers and having forgotten the English language entirely, Joanna presents a unique challenge to Captain Kidd. As the two embark on a 400-mile journey south to San Antonio, the two lonely survivors—both used to only themselves for company—gradually develop trust in one another. And when they reach San Antonio and realize that the “relatives” Joanna is to be delivered to are a cruel aunt and uncle who want nothing to do with her, both the Captain and the young girl have a terrible choice to make.
News of the World is a beautifully written story that asks readers tough moral questions and goes far beyond the scope of a typical Western. This is a great read even for those who do not typically read historical fiction.
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "G" is for Grandparents !
by ryanikoglu
“We are ThankFull for Grandparents!” was the Storytime theme @ Malletts Creek Branch this week.
HERE COMES GRANDMA is the story of all the transportation Grandma used to get to her Grandson … including sound effects for each mode.
“Walk, Walk, Walk Around The Block” was our activity song. We traveled in many modes as we sang.
You can find a recorded version of this song on the CD RISE And SHINE by Raffi and HONK HONK RATTLE RATTLE by Richele Bartkowiak.
In A FAR-FETCHED STORY … Grandma makes a “Story Quilt” out of the rags and stories the family brings home.
For more stories with GrandParents in them ... try these favorites:
The HELLO GOODBYE WINDOW … the window is at Grandpa and Grandma’s house.
TWO IS ENOUGH … to have family fun together.
GRANDPA’S GIRLS … love to visit his farm … and share memories.
HOW To TAKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER To The MUSEUM ... a guide book that can also relate to Grandfathers!
MR FRANK ... grandfather moves in with the family and he has a special talent!
The LINES ON NANA’S FACE … each set of wrinkles reminds a child of favorite things they have done together.
OUR GRANDPARENTS: A Global Album … a beautiful multi-cultural photo essay of grandparents with grandchildren around the world.
OR … choose stories from this PUBLIC LIST.
Blog Post
The Princess Diarist: Carrie Fisher rediscovers her diaries from the sets of the Star Wars films
by eapearce
In her new memoir The Princess Diarist pop culture icon Carrie Fisher revisits the wild days of filming the first Star Wars trilogy. Fisher, who, of course, plays Princess Leia in the movies (and is currently reprising her role in the latest trilogy), recently rediscovered her diaries from the time period when she was filming the original trilogy. She writes that she was astonished to see what her writing had preserved: not only the angst of her own early adulthood, but open and honest musings about the era, love poems she’d written while curled up on set, and intimate recollections of what happened behind the scenes of the blockbuster movies.
Beyond revisiting her younger years, Fisher also contemplates larger issues in The Princess Diarist. She writes about the joys and struggles of celebrity, her struggles with addiction, and the absurdity of being born to Hollywood royalty (she’s the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher). Star Wars fans will certainly enjoy the juicy details that Fisher shares about her life on set and her interactions with her costars (hint: she and Harrison Ford did more than “interact”), but even readers who aren’t fans of the movies or who aren’t as familiar with them will enjoy her insightful viewpoints on celebrity and pop culture as a whole.
Fisher is also the author of the memoirs Wishful Drinking and Shockaholic and of four novels, including Postcard From the Edge.
Blog Post
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!
by PizzaPuppy
Calling all Harry Potter fans! The newest movie in the popular series hits theaters this weekend!
We'll be celebrating at the Downtown Library on Sunday, November 20th from 3:30-5 PM. Join us for a variety of Harry Potter-themed crafts and activities, including live owl presentations. Costumes are encouraged!
Obsessed with the new movie already? Satisfy your Fantastic Beasts craving with some of our brand new books. Learn about how the film was made with Inside the Magic: the Making of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. See the amazing concept art that helped shape the movie's aesthetic in Art of the Film, or maybe consult the movie's handbooks here and here. We even have the original screenplay for you to check out.
Looking for more Harry Potter fun? Catch up with the original series by reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Read about the artifacts, creatures and characters of the Harry Potter series in these specialty books. Or check out the beautiful illustrations in the newly released Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition.
Blog Post
Are We There Yet?
by manz
Long car rides can be downright boring. Especially for the kids in the backseat calling out “are we there yet?” The picture book, Are We There Yet? is by Caldecott medalist Dan Santat (The Adventures of Beekle) and is a funny look at one family’s road trip adventure. The beautiful illustrations set the backdrop for a looooong ride to Grandma’s house that's filled with imagination. The book has you turning it round and round, upside down and backwards to follow the adventure, in a way that won’t make you carsick. The moral of the story is, you never know where life may take you, so sit back and enjoy the ride.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #620 "There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk.” ~ Jean-Paul Sartre
by muffy
In the tradition of great novels set in a single day, The Heart of Henry Quantum * follows an unhappily married 40-something SF advertising executive on December 23rd, as he wanders the city in search of a last-minute Christmas gift for his wife, Margaret.
Actually, it is not his heart (not immediately anyway) that the readers have to contend with, it is his mind - one that wanders. During a constant monologue, we learn about his youthful ambition (PhD, Philosophy), his marriage to Margaret, things he sees during the day, ideas that had come to him by chance. But much like Henry’s ever-wandering mind, his quest takes him in different and unexpected directions, including running into Daisy, his former lover, who made it clear during their impromptu lunch that she has never gotten over Henry.
Lest we feel sorry for Margaret, a high-power real estate broker... while Henry is wondering if Daisy might be the one who got away, she is heading out of the city on her own errand of the heart. Then we hear from Daisy, and finally Henry again as night falls. It will be a day of reflection, new choices, and change for all involved.
"With quick, witty dialogue and an expertly crafted stream-of-consciousness style, The Heart of Henry Quantum is a highly entertaining read that will remind readers of the power of one day to change a life." (Booklist)
Writing for the first time as Pepper Harding, it is the pen name of a San Francisco writer currently living in Sonoma County. Highly recommended for book groups. Independent readers too, might find the thoughtful questions in the Reading Group Guide illuminating.
* = starred review
Blog Post
PreK Bits - "S" is for sumptuous SOUP
by ryanikoglu
Harvest is coming in. Weather is turning cold.
'Tis the season for SOUP!
Ms. Rachel brought sumptuous Soup tales to Storytime at Malletts Creek Branch Library this week.
We pulled and pulled … The TURNIP ... and made soup enough for All.
We chopped the vegetables in “Chop, Chop, Choppity Chop” Gari Stein's SING WITH ME - WINTER FUN and threw what’s left into the pot!
The REAL STORY Of STONE SOUP … is a Chinese folk tale of how to make soup from finding the right stones.
For more SOUP tales, try these favorites:
STONE SOUP WITH MATZOH BALLS: a Chelm tale of Passover … a Russian Jewish version of stone soup.
FOX TALE SOUP … so many ways to tell a tale!
SOUP DAY … a nice snowy day spent making soup … recipe included.
SOUP For ONE … a silly tale of imagined ownership.
DUCK SOUP … Duck. Soup. Silly! ... All good!
GAZPACHO For NACHO … it’s the only soup Nacho wants to eat.
CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE … a book of months with a song to sing, by Maurice Sendak. You can listen to the recording in this Book + CD Kit set.
THERE’S A GIRAFFE IN MY SOUP … uh-oh!
MARTHA SPEAKS … because she ate the alphabet soup …
For FUN in the KITCHEN (including SOUP), here are great cook books for children:
PRETEND SOUP And Other REAL RECIPES … Author from from Moosewood Cookbok fame.
COOL THANKSGIVING DINNER.
MAKE And EAT VEGETARIAN FOOD.
CHILDREN’S COOKBOOK … from Usborne Farmyard Tales.
MOMMY And ME START COOKING.
Or browse HERE for more more more ideas to make in the kitchen.