CFLoquence: News and Reviews from Your Library

Beach Reads

Happiness is lounging on the beach with a cool drink and a good book. Judging from the current weather, that kind of happiness won’t be coming soon enough. Luckily we have a large selection of books that will take you seaside even on the dreariest of days. Here are a few beach escapes to choose from:

If you’re craving romance and intrigue, let Nora Roberts take you to Whiskey Beach, her newest NY Times bestseller. In this novel, Boston lawyer Eli Landon flees from the scandal surrounding his estranged wife’s death to his grandmother’s house in Massachusetts.  There he falls for the eccentric and talented housekeeper Abra Walsh, who helps him reinvent himself. There’s mystery and pirate treasure in this latest novel by the popular Nora Roberts.

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian continues to circulate heavily among our patrons, almost a year after its release. Bohjalian intertwines two stories: Elizabeth Endicott’s experience as a medical volunteer to Armenian refugees during World War I and her granddaughter Laura’s discovery of old family secrets in contemporary New York.  Bohjalian explores love and loss in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide, a horrific event that the author’s own grandparents survived. This novel is available in print format and as an ebook on overdrive.northcountrylibraries.org.

Have we pushed the Bloody Jack Adventures on you yet? All of the cool kids (well, most of us) read them. This YA historical fiction series by L.A. Meyer features Jacky Faber, a heroine so unlike the demure girls in her 18^th century world. Jackie is clever, reckless, flawed and utterly captivating. She begins her adventures as a London street urchin disguising herself as a boy aboard the HMS Dolphin and becomes a legendary pirate/privateer. Throughout this series, she meets many historical figures, including Napoleon, the artist Goya and the fabled female pirate Ching Shih.  Jackie’s tales are also available in audio book format.

If you’re interested in catching up on some classics, pick up one of our vintage sea adventures. We have the Horatio Hornblower novels by C.S. Forester, Jules Verne’s 20, 000 Leagues Under the Sea, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Robert Louise Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

For our young readers and listeners, we have Lady Bug Girl at the Beach by David Soman, illustrated by Jacky Davis. Join Lulu and her beagle/BFF Bingo on their first trip to the ocean. Lulu learns to overcome her fears and experiences nature’s magic. The illustrations are absolutely adorable.

Stop by the CFL for many more titles. We’re happy to help you customize your summer reading list!

Children’s Events

            Just a few more weeks before the Summer Reading Program begins! “Dig Into Reading” with Miss Valerie, our Youth Services Specialist. Registration ends June 24^th. For more details, please visit www.cantonfreelibrary.org/pdf/srp_calendar.pdf.

Teen Events

Get your nerd on with our tabletop game “Settlers of Catan” on YA Wednesdays from 3-5pm! In a few weeks, Young Adult Specialist Krista takes teens “Beneath the Surface” for the Summer Reading Program. Will you find dragons, zombies and hobbits?

Adult Summer Reading Program Event

            The adult SRP theme is “Groundbreaking Reads.” Dig into the program with “Groundbreaking Seeds” on Monday, June 17th at 6pm. Bittersweet Farm will teach participants about homegrown herbs and guide them through the creation of their very own herb box. Registration is required. This program is free; however, donations to help cover the costs of materials are appreciated. For more info, contact Krista at 386-3712, ext. 3 or kbriggs@ncls.org.

Staff Suggestions

Miss Val’s Pick:  Thank You Bear by Greg Foley. “Pleased to find a small, empty box, Bear calls it ‘the greatest thing ever’ and decides to take it to his friend Mouse. Along the way, he meets Monkey, Owl, Fox, Elephant, Squirrel, and Rabbit, but no one really appreciates his find. Bear begins to doubt his earlier enthusiasm, but Mouse has the last say when he curls up inside the little box. ‘It is the greatest thing ever,’ he tells his friend. ‘Thank you, Bear." This clever author/ illustrator has a wonderful website. Visit it and be sure to check out the Message Maker! www.thankyoubear.com.”

Krista Recommends: Wither by Lauren DeSefano. “Focused on a totally different kind of survival, fans of dystopian fiction will love this story set in a genetically-manipulated and virus-ravaged future America."

For a list of our hours of service and additional resources, visit www.cantonfreelibrary.org and “like” us on Facebook. Happy reading!

@ Your Library (Feb. 4-9th)

CHILDREN’S CLASSES @ CFL
Toddler Storytime classes for children 18 to 35 months old are 30 minutes long and are held on Monday mornings, beginning at 10:30.  The next series of 4-week classes begins on March 4.  Call 386-3712, ext. 4 to register area little ones for upcoming sessions.  Openings are available, but space is limited.
Preschool Storytime class on Wednesday, February 6, is all about trains.  We'll share stories, movement activities and songs about traveling the rails, and at the craft tables, the children will make a "name train" craft!  Children ages 3-5 and a caregiver are invited to join us beginning at 10:30 am.  No registration is required for this drop-in class.
TEEN STUFF
YA Wednesdays
The teen group decides each Wednesday afternoon what activities are on for that day.  The fun begins at 3 pm and ends at 5 pm.  Open to all area teens.  Call Krista or email her atkbriggs@ncls.org.
LOVE YOUR LIBRARY DAY
On Thursday, February 14, the Board of Trustees will host its second annual Love Your Library Day from noon to 4 pm.  It is a time for the Board to thank the community for its support of the library in so many ways.  Punch and cookies will be served, and members of the Board will be on hand to welcome library patrons and supporters.  Please plan to stop in during the open house hours.
WILSON BICKFORD @ CFL
Older teens and adults are invited to come to the library on February 25, 2013 at 5 pm to take an oil painting class under the instruction of local artist Wilson Bickford.  A suggested donation of $40 per person will cover all supplies.  Please call or stop in to register; it's required!
THURSDAY THEATER IN FEBRUARY
On Thursday, February 28, CFL will show a movie aimed at an audience of adults in the morning and families in the afternoon.  The two showings are at 10 am and 3 pm.  Stay tuned for more details.  Although there is no admission charge, movie goers may choose to bring in a nonperishable food item or an article of winter clothing.  The library will donate the items received to local charities.  This new program will take place on the last Thursday of the month through the winter.
CONNIE’S COMMENT
“Requiem” by Frances Itani, the new novel by the author of the award-winning“Deafening,” deals with the lives of a Japanese Canadian family during and following WWII.  I was unaware that Canada, like the US, sent their Japanese Canadian citizens on the West Coast inland to internment camps where they lived in extreme hardship in the mountainous interior.  Bin, a child at the time, now fifty years older and a successful artist, travels across Canada to search for his biological father and come to terms with the past.  As in all her books, Miss Itani tells his story with passion and insight.  (Available at CFL)
TumbleBooks Go to www.cantonfreelibrary.org and click on the bouncing blue book.  Good news! There were 537 TumbleBooks uses in January! Sponsored by the Friends of CFL.

Adopt-a-Book Wish ListWith no increase in our materials budget for 2013, the library staff is hopeful that our community will continue to assist us in providing the newest titles and favorite authors for all to enjoy.  The latest list of new titles is on display at the Patron Services Desk.  Or take a look at the list of “forthcoming” books at the end of our website’s second page.  Thank you to patrons who have helped keep our new book collection current this past year.  You’ve made a significant difference!  All gifts are tax deductible and may be given anonymously.
McCarthy’s Restaurant Cookbooks
The McCarthy’s Restaurant cookbooks are available at the library at a cost of $14.00 each.  To reserve copies or for more information, please call Sara Ricalton at 386-3275.