Cheshire Library

On Our Shelves: New Children’s Non-Fiction

/ Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

There have been some very interesting additions to our children’s non fiction section in the last few months; from cookbooks to get children more involved in the kitchen to interesting guides to specific areas of science. Here are some of the most intriguing titles that have been added to our children’s non fiction section in recent days.

Extreme Biology, created by Basher and written by Dan Green
This is one of a fantastic new series of non fiction books. This particular title features several bio-buddies who explain a complex area of science, taking your biological knowledge to a whole new level. For more books in the series look here.

Forensics: Uncover the Science and Technology of Crime Scene Investigation by Carla Mooney, illustrated by Samuel Caraugh
Presents an overview of forensic science and crime scene investigation, featuring projects in the areas of documenting a crime scene, identifying fingerprints, analyzing blood spatter, and extracting DNA.

Grandpa’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Cookbook written by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett.  Kids can learn how to make the food that fell from the sky in Cloudy with a chance of meatballs.

Whales and Dolphins by Anita Ganeri, illustrations by Peter Bull Art Studio
Describes the characteristics and behavior of dolphins and whales; looks at how they eat, live in groups, and raise their young; and explains why some species are now endangered.

ART2-D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling by Tom Angleberger
To doodle like a Jedi you must learn! With this companion to the blockbuster bestselling Origami Yoda series, beloved author Tom Angleberger—with the help of the kids from McQuarrie Middle School—presents young Padawans with dozens of activities from the Star Wars universe.

Make a Movie! byJim Pipe
Making a film is creative, rewarding… and easier than you think. Why not give it a go? This book gives you all the advice and encouragement you need to take your first steps in the world of cinema.

You might want to take a look at; Robots by Chris Oxlade, Dinosaurs; The Bare Bones written by Dan Green, Jimmy the Joey : the True story of an Amazing Koala Rescue by Deborah Lee Rose and Susan Kelly, Magic Tricks from the Tree House: an Activity Companion to Magic Tree House #50: Hurry up, Houdini! by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce or, Elie Wiesel : Holocaust Survivor and Messenger for Humanity by Diane Dakers.

Jenn Reads: Main Street

/ Jenn / Leave a comment

I am continually awed by the power of classics, a genre so often scoffed by those who think classics have no importance or relevance in our contemporary lives.

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

How wrong they are.

Our September pick for the Cheshire Cats Classics Club was Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, not to be confused by Upton Sinclair, who wrote The Jungle. Main Street is the story of Carol Kennicott, a city girl who dreams of making over a small town. She has high ideals, lofty thoughts, and big hopes.

She marries Will Kennicott, a small town doctor and they move to the Midwest town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota (based on Lewis’ hometown of Sauk Center). When Carol first see Gopher Prairie, she is horrified- it’s so small town, ugly, and provincial. She immediately hates her new home.

Main Street is essentially the story of Carol and her foibles, misdoings, and failed attempts at making Gopher Prairie more modern and less offensive, in her opinion. But more than that, it is the story of one young woman and her attempts at fitting in, a task she never accomplishes. In her efforts to modernize and bring culture to Gopher Prairie, Carol offends, bulldozes, and in general doesn’t understand the ways of the town.

There is a lot to Main Street, many characters and stories, all of which are rich and full. You know these people, because these people are in your town, your city, your village. Yes, Lewis does stereotype and characterize, but stereotypes so often have truth behind them.

Lewis writes in a contemporary voice, witty, and satirical in a way that is meant to hit you at your core. Which in Gopher Prairie are you? Are you Vida? The Red Swed? Mrs. Bogart? Lewis attacks the “perfect” small town lifestyle that people told still hold dear. The ideal that everything is SO much better in suburbia, nothing bad ever happens, and everyone just loves one another. Oh, how wrong we are to still believe this falsity. Lewis cleverly attacks gender roles, government and bureaucracy, religion, friendship, marriage, and the bonds that tie us together.

Lewis made me laugh, made me rage, made me think, and came pretty darn close to making me cry, when several main characters die (small spoiler alert!).
I haven’t been touched, angered, or thought so much by a book in a while. Highly recommend.

Rating: 5 stars (and you know how stingy I am with my 5 stars!)

See you in the stacks,
Jenn

Susan Reviews: The Last Ship

/ Susan O. / Leave a comment

Sting (born Gordon Sumner) is one of those hold-overs from the last golden age of music.  His career took off as lead singer for the band The Police, whose pop singles such as “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” scored gold even when re-released. Since the break-up of The Police in 1986, Sting has had his share of solo chart-topping success with power albums such as Dream of the Blue Turtles, but I’m not sure his latest endeavor, The Last Ship, will do as well.

Don’t get me wrong – the album is lovely and showcases Sting’s wide range of talents in a heavy northern accent we didn’t hear during his Police years.  The songs – his first after a ten-year writing hiatus while he dealt with the deaths of his parents – are soft, almost melancholy, exploring the closing of the shipyards in the town he’d grown up in.  It’s a long, long way from “Roxanne” or “King of Pain.” Instead, we’re left with an album that vacillates between traditional-sounding folk tunes (the haunting title track, “The Last Ship,” which never seems to want to leave your head) and soft Sunday-brunch jazz (“August wind”).  If there’s a bad side to the album, it’s that it lacks the wider scope of variety we’ve come to expect from Sting as he has explored various types of music, from pop to rock to jazz to symphony.

If you love soft music, or ballads, or folk music, you’ll enjoy this album, The tunes are haunting, the lyrics thoughtful, with a presence so strong you feel as if you’re walking the streets through an old British-Isles sea town.  If you’re looking for chart-climbing pop singles, go back to Fields of Gold.

Romance Author Jill Shalvis Talks “Alpha Males”

/ Linda / Leave a comment
Jill Shalvis

Jill Shalvis

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Jill Shalvis is the award winning author of over four dozen romance novels, including her sexy contemporary and award winning Lucky Harbor series.  Forever and a Day was one of Amazon’s Top Romances for 2012). She won a Rita for Simply Irresistible and is a 3-time National Readers Choice winner as well.  She also has one of the best author websites that includes her wonderfully entertaining and hilarious blog.  She posts everyday and it is well worth your time to check it out.

On October 16th, Ms. Shalvis was a guest contributor to the Huffington Post’s Book section with her list of her favorite “alpha males” in fiction.  Of course her number one alpha male is her husband, but her list includes some good picks.  How many do you agree with!

1.  Roarke – From JD Robb’s In Death series

2.  Jamie – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

3.  Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

4.  Hawk from Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley

5.  Wrath from Dark Lover by JR Ward

6.  Wolf from Mackenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard

7.  Piers Yelverton from When Beauty Tamed The Beast by Eloisa James

8.  Archangel Raphael from Nalini Singh’s “Angel” series

9.  Nick Allegrezza from Truly Madly Yours by Rachel GIbson

10.  Ranger from Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” series.

Favorite Picturebooks About Libraries and Librarians

/ Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Is there any wonder that those of us that love libraries also love books about librarians and libraries? There are a number of wonderful picturebooks that can show children to true magic of a library, how to unlock its joys, and how  to behave there. These books can remind adults and introduce young children to the many reasons why our libraries, regardless of the form they take, are such special places.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies.
Bored with another normal, inky evening, bats discover an open library window and fly in to enjoy the photocopier, water fountain, and especially the books and stories found there.

The Library Pages by Carlene Morton, illustrations by Valeria Docampo.
Mrs. Heath is horrified when she sees the changes the students have made while she is on maternity leave and wonders if her wonderful library will ever be the same.

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk.
Sam, a shy but creative mouse who lives in a library, decides to write and illustrate his own stories which he places on the shelves with the other library books but when children find the tales, they all want to meet the author. If you find this book particularly fun, there are a series of books that chronicle Sam’s library adventures.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq by Jeanette Winter.
In spite of looming war, librarian Alia Muhammed Baker was able to save the books from the library of Basra by moving them to safety. Simple forms and deep colors in a naïve style evoke the war without being explicit. The bravery and action of one person celebrates both everyday heroism and books as a unifying force.

Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora, Illustrated by Raúl Colón.
While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library.

If those are already favorites in your house, or they are all currently checked out, then here are some more books to help keep you turning pages; No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou written by Rhonda Gowler Greene, That Book Woman written by Heather Henson, Library Lion written by Michelle Knudsen, Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, Stella Louella’s Runaway Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst. and There’s a Dragon in the Library by Dianne de Las Casas. Did I leave out a great picturebook about libraries or librarians?