What Do Your Kids Want To Be?

Ask any young child what they want to be and you could get a variety of answers. Some want to be doctors or nurses, others want to be firefighters or police officers. Some answer with more entertaining answers like ‘rich’ or ‘a giraffe’. (Yes, I have heard that answer.)

CAREERMost kids have big dreams. It is important that we encourage them to explore the wide variety of options available. A great way to foster those dreams, and how important school and responsibility are to achieve them, is to help them learn about the actual careers. My daughter is set on becoming a wild animal veterinarian, and my son is determined to either hunt monsters or write books and graphic novels. In both cases I get to focus that interest in reading certain books, and the importance of certain subjects and willingness to dive in to the subjects that interest them most. I also get to teach them about related careers, and what paths their interests might take them.

I always wanted to be an astronaut or archaeologist, but I learned early on that I was much better with words and thinking about the big things rather than doing the math, engineering, and physical labor necessary for either. It was not long before I decided that books and the written word was a much better focus for my energieCAREER2s and aptitudes.

Here are some great resources for researching different careers, and the education paths and experience that can help your kids test if they are really interested and if the interest will last. These resources can also be used to encourage studying particular subjects or give some career ideas for those that enjoy one subject over others.

Dinosaur Scientist: Careers Digging up the Past by Thom Holmes
Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Technology: Roller Coaster Designer, Space Robotics Engineer, and Moreby Linda LeBoutillier
Talking with Adventurers: Conversations with Christina M. Allen, Robert Ballard, Michael L. Blakey, Ann Bowles, David Doubilet, Jane Goodall, Dereck & Beverly Joubert, Michael Novacek, Johan Reinhard, Rick C. West and Juris Zarins compiled and edited by Pam Cummings and Linda Cummings
Have you Seen this Face?: the Work of Forensic Artists by Danielle Denega
Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Science: Food Taster, Human Lie Detector, and More by Jennifer Wendinger
Dusted and Busted!: the Science of Fingerprinting by D.B. Beres
Unusual and Awesome Jobs in Sports: Pro Team Mascot, Pit Crew Member, and Moreby Jeremy Johnson
Scuba Divers: Life Under Water by John Giacobello
Unusual and Awesome Jobs in Math: Stunt Coordinator, Cryptologist, and More by Lisa M. Bolt Simons

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CAREER10For the youngest readers I would recommend the easy nonfiction series’ by Patricia Hubbell or Heather Adamson. Here are some of those titles; Police: Hurrying! Helping! Saving!, Teacher!: Sharing, Helping, Caring, Firefighters!: Speeding! Spraying! Saving!, Check it Out!: Reading, Finding, HelpingA Day in the Life of a Police Officer, A Day in the Life of a Firefighter, A Day in the Life of a Construction Worker.

CAREER12There are even more resources for the older readers and young adults, including; Cool Careers Without College for Animal Lovers by Chris Hayhurst, Exploring Careers: a Young Person’s Guide to 1,000 Jobs from the editors at JIST, The Teen Vogue Handbook: an Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion, Careers for Environmental Types & Others Who Respect the Earth by Michael Fasulo and Jane Kinney, College Majors and Careers: a Resource Guide for Effective Life Planning by Paul Phifer, and Great Careers in 2 Years: the Associate Degree Option: High-Skill and High-Wage Jobs Available Through Two-Year Programs by Paul Phifer.

June is National Rose Month

rose

Roses have a long and colorful history. They have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics. The rose is, according to fossil evidence, 35 million years old. In nature, the genus Rosa has some 150 species spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico and including northern Africa.

November 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem.  Americans have communicated their feelings through roses for years.

rose redRose Color Meanings:

 

Red:  love, beauty, courage, respect

Yellow:  joy, gladness, friendship

Red and yellow:  jovial, happy

Yellow with red tips:  falling in love

White:  purity, innocence

Pink:  appreciation, thank you, admiration

Orange:  desire, enthusiasm

Peach:  appreciation, sincerity, gratitude, closing the deal

Lavender:  love at first sight

Coral: desire

2 rosesRoses by the Number:

 

A single rose of any color:  utmost devotion

Two roses entwined:  ‘marry me’

Six roses:  a need to be loved or cherished

Eleven roses:  receipient is truly and deeply loved

Thirteen roses:  secret admirer

Roses make an appearance in many books.  To connect to our catalog for all things roses, click here.  Below are a few fiction books referencing roses.

winter rosesWinter Roses – Diana Palmer – Ranch owner Stuart York is at the mercy of Ivy Conley, his younger sister’s best friend, when she, upon returning home, is determined to prove that she is no longer a little girl, but a woman who wants him more than anything.

chalice of rosesChalice of Roses – Jo Beverley – Four novellas about quests for the Holy Grail, including a woman who must use it to bring peace to England and a Regency lady who must protect it from Napoleon’s spies.

 

rosesRoses – Leila Meacham – Having not married in spite of their true feelings, cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick struggle with deceit, secrets and tragedies that challenge their children and grandchildren in their small east Texas community.

for the rosesFor The Roses – Julie Garwood – Discovered abandoned as a baby in a New York City alley and raised by the Clayborne brothers, four urchin boys, Mary Rose Clayborne remains fiercely loyal to her misfit family until an English lord reveals a shocking secret that sends her into a confrontation with her past.

coming up rosesComing Up Roses – Catherine Anderson – Widow Kate Blakely, who is wary of love after her failed first marriage, nonetheless falls for her new neighbor, Zachariah McGovern, after he rescues her four-year-old daughter, Miranda, from a well.

bed of rosesBed of Roses – Nora Roberts – Florist Emma Grant despairs of ever finding Mr. Right, until she develops feelings for Jack Cooke, an architect who works closely with her and her colleagues at Vows wedding planning.

summer of rosesSummer of Roses – Luanne Rice – Lily Malone is forced to confront the events and relationships of the past as she deals with the man who has separated her from everything she has ever loved, but who could hold the key to her young daughter Rose’s future.

good year for rosesA Good Year for the Roses – Gil McNeil – Recently divorced and struggling to support her three boys, Molly is stunned when she inherits her aunt’s manor house, a house that includes her eccentric old uncle, an ailing bed-and-breakfast, and a beautiful rose garden.

roses are redRoses Are Red – James Patterson – Facing a particularly vicious breed of killer in his latest investigation, Alex Cross finds his family targeted by the vengeful Mastermind, a situation that is complicated by tension in his relationship with his girlfriend Christine and his daughter Jannie’s unexplained seizures.

the care and handlingThe Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns – Margaret Dilloway – Enduring a strict schedule that balances her teaching job with the hospital regimen required by her kidney disease, Gal Garner devotes her spare hours to cultivating a new rose variation before her world is upended by the arrival of her teenage niece.

 

If you’re interested in the growing and care of roses, we have a great selection of nonfiction books under 635.9337.

roses a celebrationRoses: a celebrationA unique book on roses gathers together the wisdom of thirty-two well-known rose gardeners, including Rosie Atkins, David Austin, Thomas Christopher, Ken Druse, Joe Eck, Allen Lacy, Anthony Noel, Michale Pollan, David Wheeler, Christopher Lloyd, Anne Raver, and Graham Stuart Thomas, among others.

roses without chemicalsRoses Without ChemicalsA former curator at the New York Botanical Garden describes 150 different varieties of roses that can be grown without the use of pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers and provides information on planting, pruning and caring for these gorgeous blooms.

everyday rosesEveryday RosesA guide to growing roses dispels common myths, offers advice on selecting the right roses for one’s landscape, provides information on disease and chemical-free pest control, and includes suggestions for garden design and maintenance.

 

designing with rosesDesigning With RosesExplores the versatility of roses and offers advice on planting, feeding, and pruning.

 

coffeeCoffee For RosesAccompanied by full color photographs, a garden expert reveals the truth behind 71 common garden practices, in this delightful combination of practical advice and gardening history.

complete guide to rosesComplete Guide to RosesAn innovative, lavishly illustrated series of authoritative gardening books from the experts at Miracle-Gro takes the mystery out of horticulture for home gardeners of all skill levels with essential information on plant selection, cultivation, garden maintenance, pest control, soil preparation, climate, landscape design, and more.

How to Keep Summer Reading From Being a War

Summer, and in turn the dreaded summer reading list, is on the way. Even the most eager readers are rarely thrilled to be told what to read, and this seems to be especially true in the summer months. Kids are thinking about the fun they want to have over summer vacation, rather than checking off a to-read list.summer-reading-topMost schools offer suggested reading lists; usually vague offerings mentioning award winners, well known writers, and some nonfiction. Other schools require a certain number of books, a list of genres or subjects that need to be read, or particular books that need to be read. The more general the requirements the more likely parents and librarians are to keep everyone reading and enjoying it. However, sometimes trudging through a book that is not something your kids would pick on their own is necessary. I have some tips and tools to help make the  process more enjoyable for everyone.

summerread3My first suggestion is to start increasing the pleasure reading now and try to get a firmer grasp of which books will keep your readers happy over the summer. Check with the kids about how much they liked a certain book, or if they like a particular author or genre more than others and why. If there is an obsession in the house, Disney movies, superheroes, Minecraft, horses, Star Wars, or whatever, then start with books on those topics to spark interest. Perhaps a star or sticker chart to help figure out the pattern of what they enjoyed most will help your selections of reading materials hit the mark even more often. I need to start this myself, because even though my two children request certain books and proclaim that they love them, rarely do I see them actually reading the books in question.

summereadIt would also be a good idea to get a routine in place. Whether the whole family troops to the library together (one day a week, once a month, or what ever works for you), you bring a selection of materials home, or you browse the e-book offerings from home, it would be great to get a dependable routine in play. My children know that every Monday I bring whatever books they are done with or did not want to read back to the library and bring home a new batch of books and movies. I try to bring home a few fun or silly books that I know will capture their attention. However, I also bring home a few nonfiction books and books that I think they would enjoy while stretching their reading skills a little. I still strike out with some of my picks, but the regularity and wide variety of reading choices help to keep them reading.

SUMMERREADGOVIt is very important that you don’t make reading a chore. I know there is pressure to get the reading done in a timely manner. I also know that you won’t like everything your child might want to read. However, putting pressure on anyone to do something is more likely to cause push back rather than happy reading. So lets keep reading fun. Join the library’s Summer Reading program so your kids have fun goals to reach and some rewards for their efforts. If there are particular reading requirements that need to be met, particularly if it includes books they aren’t looking forward to reading, alternate those with their favorites or light, silly reads. Don’t be afraid of letting them enjoy something a little easier than their current reading level, such as graphic novels, magazines, audio books, or a repeat read.

My final suggestion is to model the behavior you want to see in your children. In other words, if you want your children to see reading as something fun, valuable, and worth doing regularly then they need to see you treating reading the same way. This doesn’t mean that you need to start assigning yourself classic or acclaimed books to read. I suggest that parents do exactly what I suggest they let their children do. Read what interests you, what makes you happy. Whether that is enjoying graphic novels from Hoopla, magazines from Zinio, the newspaper, the latest New York Times best seller, the same books your children are reading, or something completely different, it really doesn’t matter. If your children see that you put some time into reading and get something out of it, they are going to be more willing to keep reading as well.summerread2

Books that Defy Genre Labels and Description

Part of my job in labeling and cataloging books includes deciding if it needs a genre label and which one(s). Some books are easy. With some books I know right away that it needs a mystery, fantasy, or science fiction sticker. Particularly if the publisher is nice enough to include that information in a subtitle or in the book description. Sometimes it takes a little more research, but the author or publisher often include the intended genre pretty clearly somewhere, if you know where to look. However, there are some books that are simply beyond categorizing. Sometimes this is because the book covers so much ground very well, sometimes it is because it simply defies description, and sometimes it is because it crosses so many genre lines that there is not enough room to defygenre1include all the relevant genre stickers.

Here are a few examples of fascinating reads that defy simple genre classifications:

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Interweaves six narratives spanning the period between 1984 and the 2030s to chronicle a secret war between a cult of soul-decanters and a small group of vigilantes who would take them down. By the award-winning author of Cloud Atlas.defygenre2

Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott
A century-old classic of British letters that charmed and fascinated generations of readers with its witty satire of Victorian society and its unique insights, by analogy, into the fourth dimension.

Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami; translated by Alfred Birnbaumdefygenre3
Tracking one man’s descent into the Kafkaesque underworld of contemporary Tokyo, Murakami unites East and West, tragedy and farce, compassion and detachment, slang and philosophy.

2666 by Roberto Bolaño; translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer
An American sportswriter, an elusive German novelist, and a teenage student interact in an urban community on the U.S.-Mexico border where hundreds of young factory defygenres4workers have disappeared.

The Incarnations by Susan Barker
Receiving mysterious letters from someone claiming to be his soulmate, a Beijing taxi driver learns about their shared relationships in numerous past lives before becoming increasingly certain that someone is watching him.

defygenrebtmMore suggestions for indescribably interesting reads include: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, Valis by Philip K. Dick, Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Here, There be Dragons by James A. Owen, Frost in May by Antonia White, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino,Gun, With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethe,Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke,The Marvels by Brian Selznick, In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters, and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Have you ever read a book that left you changed but still somehow wondering what exactly it was that you just read? What is your favorite book that left you speechless when it came down to recommending it or describing it to someone else?

New Fiction Coming Soon! May/June 2016

new fiction

Want a little heads up on when your favorite author is publishing a new book?  Here are some of the new fiction hardcover books coming out in May and June.  Clicking on the title will bring you to our catalog where you can place a hold if you’d like.

MAY

aunt dimityAtherton, NancyAunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure Discovering a beautiful garnet bracelet belonging to Aunt Dimity, Lori learns the story of a doomed love affair from Dimity’s youth and is asked to return the bracelet to a long-ago suitor, an endeavor that is complicated by discovery that the bracelet could be part of a lost national treasure.

boar islandBarr, NevadaBoar Island – When her paraplegic friend’s adopted daughter attempts suicide in the face of cyber-bullying and stalking, National Park Service Ranger Anna Pigeon investigates the person behind the increasingly violent harassment, who follows the troubled teen when Anna tries to move her to a safe haven.

tall tailBrown, Rita MaeTall TailWhen a confidante to the former governor of Virginia dies under suspicious circumstances, Harry and her furry detective cohorts look for answers in the eighteenth century, where they discover a secret ancestry that originated in brutality and silence.

 

dominionConnolly, JohnDominion – Emerging from the mysterious Derith wormhole to discover that years have passed in their universe, Syl and Paul are confronted by an Illyri civil war, Earth’s occupation by Others and the dark plans of a new Sisterhood leader.

 

emperor's revengeCussler, CliveThe Emperor’s Revenge – Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon join forces with a former CIA colleague to track down a rogue hacker and a ruthless former Ukrainian naval officer who are behind a violent bank heist that occurred during the Monaco Grand Prix.

girl from summer hillDeveraux, Jude The Girl From Summer Hill – Clashing with a gorgeous Hollywood star who is playing Darcy in a local production of Pride & Prejudice, Casey, a chef who puts her career first and who believes the actor’s brother-in-law’s damning claims, finds herself becoming attracted to him in spite of herself.

haunted destinyGraham, HeatherHaunted Destiny – Assigned to investigate a mysterious serial killer who leaves his victims in churches with saint medallions on their necks, paranormal investigator Jackson Crow and New Orleans agent Jude McCoy team up with piano player Alexi on a haunted cruise ship when the ghost of a victim appears to them.

rock a bye bonesHaines, Carolyn Rock-a-bye BonesCoping with a broken heart and the attack on Scott Hampton’s blues club, Sarah Booth Delaney discovers a baby in a basket on her porch and bloody footsteps leading to her driveway, a situation that places her in the same danger as a troubled mother running for her life.

nightshiftHarris, Charlaine Night Shift – When weapons obtained from Midnight’s local pawn shop are used in a series of dramatic suicides at the main crossroads in town, the vampire Lemuel makes astonishing discoveries about why the community has attracted so many paranormal residents, who must work together to stop the violence.

troublemakerHoward, LindaTroublemaker – Sent to a remote location in a small West Virginian mountain town to lay low after almost being killed in an ambush, Morgan Yancy finds his attraction to part-time police chief and housemate Isabeau Maran adds an unexpected complication to his life.

marrying winterboneKleypas, LisaMarrying Winterborne – Achieving wealth and success through his savage ambitions, tycoon Rhys Winterborne resolves to marry shy, aristocratic Lady Helen Ravenel, who in spite of her gentle upbringing responds to Rhys’s seductions with her own unexpected passions.

blood flagMartini, Steve Blood Flag – Defending a client accused of mercy-killing her father, attorney Paul Madriani is drawn into a treacherous conspiracy involving the victim’s former unit from World War II and a feared Nazi relic. By the best-selling author of The Enemy Inside.

 

prayers the devilMccrumb, SharynPrayers the Devil Answers – Appointed to serve out her late husband’s term as sheriff of their Depression-era Tennessee mountain town, Ellie struggles to reconcile her responsibilities with societal expectations for women and forges unexpected ties with a condemned killer she is scheduled to execute.

15thPatterson, James15th Affair – When an alluring blonde with links to the CIA disappears from the scene of a brutal murder at a luxury hotel, detective Lindsay Boxer is forced to uncover difficult truths about her husband’s secret life.

 

miller's valleyQuindlen, Anna Miller’s Valley – Living in a 1960s farming community in eastern Pennsylvania, Mimi struggles with the family secrets she unearths.

 

everybody's foolRusso, Richard Everybody’s Fool – Returns to the setting of “Nobody’s Fool” to find Sully confronting a daunting health prognosis, which he hides from his loved ones, including his longtime mistress, an increasingly distant best friend, and an obsessive chief of police.

the apartmentSteel, DanielleThe Apartment – Four friends sharing a beautiful loft apartment in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen revel in the glamour of city life before new relationships, job opportunities, and surprising circumstances test the strength of their bond.

 

the island houseThayer, NancyThe Island House – Having spent every summer of her adult life in Nantucket, Kansas City university professor Courtney finds herself caught between two lifestyles and two men before settling into the glamorous life she associates with the seaside and questioning her choice in the face of an unexpected turn.

JUNE

charmersAdler, ElizabethThe Charmers – Inheriting a family villa in the South of France after her aunt’s sudden and mysterious death, Mirabella has a close call with a motorcycle on her way to her new home and realizes that she is being targeted by dangerous people from her aunt’s past.

 

cavedonBradford, Barbara TaylorThe Cavendon Luck Picks up nine years after the events of Cavendon Women, in an epic tale that finds Cecily and Miles drawing on the collective strength of the whole family to protect Cavendon Hall and its clan from the challenges of World War II.

 

melody of murderCameron, StellaMelody of Murder – The arrival of a talented, ambitious and unusual new family leads to mayhem and murder in the peaceful Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir.

 

liberty'sCoonts, StephenLiberty’s Last StandIn the wake of an assassination attempt by a decorated sniper on the eve of a presidential election, Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini risk everything to uncover a massive conspiracy while helping a new resistance movement rise up against a new enemy.

pursuitEvanovich, JanetThe Pursuit – After rookie lawyer Jessica Monaghan meets with the First Lady, the VIP is killed in a car accident in which Jessica manages to survive. When she suspects the accident was something else and she becomes the next target, she and experienced FBI agent Mark Ryan team up to uncover the plot behind the First Lady’s murder.

guilty mindsFinder, JosephGuilty Minds – Summoned to investigate potentially explosive charges of corruption levied by a gossip website against the chief justice of the Supreme Court, private intelligence operative Nick Heller is given 48 hours to prove that the story is baseless.

 

first comes loveGiffin, Emily  – First Comes LoveWhile Meredith becomes increasingly unsure about the strength of her bond with her seemingly perfect husband and daughter, her once-happily single sister, Josie, frantically dates and considers her options in her desperation to have a baby.

here's to usHilderbrand, Elin Here’s To Us Gathering at a ramshackle Nantucket cottage, a late celebrity chef’s wives and children confront the sources of their bitter rivalries and slowly let go of resentments as they remember positive times and share long-held secrets.

 

born of legendKenyon, SherrilynBorn of Legend – Rescuing a teen boy from a violent mob, a fugitive royal becomes an unlikely ally to the boy’s mother, a rare Andarion Fyreblood whose people are being hunted to extinction by assassins from The League.

 

end of watchKing, StephenEnd of Watch – A conclusion to the best-selling trilogy that also includes the Edgar Award-winningMr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers finds mental patient Brady Hartsfield manifesting powers to commit deadly acts without leaving his hospital room, while retired detective Bill Hodges and his partner investigate a suicide with ties to the Mercedes Massacre.

daredevil snaredLaurens, StephanieThe Daredevil Snared – Hoping to prove himself by taking up his brothers’ covert mission in Freetown and protecting escaped captives in the jungle, hedonistic youngest son Caleb Frobisher falls in love with captive governess Katherine Fortescue, who is being targeted by a sadistic mercenary.

 

tea with jamMyers, Tamar Tea with Jam and Dread – While trying to welcome British royalty to her PennDutch inn and acquaint them with traditional American culture, Magdalena Yoder embarrassingly discovers a mummified corpse in the elevator shaft.

 

defenderPalmer, DianaDefender – Investigating a stalking case involving a Texas millionaire’s daughter-turned-assistant district attorney whose heart he broke three years earlier, FBI agent Paul Fiore struggles to regain her trust after discovering the truth about her nightmarish youth and the damage he caused by leaving her. 

vinegarTyler, Anne Vinegar Girl – A modern retelling of The Taming of the Shrew follows the experiences of a preschool teacher who alienates others by speaking her mind and who manages her family’s home before she is expected by her eccentric father to marry his assistant to prevent the young man’s deportation.

dishonorable Woods, Stuart Dishonorable Intentions – A latest adventure by the Edgar Award-winning author of Chiefs finds New York City cop-turned-rainmaker for a top Manhattan law firm Stone Barrington and his associates confronting a new threat that tests the limits of their collective skills.