Young Adult Book Club Picks

Every month there are more and more fantastic young adult books available. There also seem to be more book clubs starting every month. So, lets combine the two. Young adult book clubs can be made up of the supposed target for these books, adults that just love the books, or a combination of the two. A parent/child book club is a great way to start a valuable dialogue, and book clubs for just young adults can keep the love of reading going while adding a possibility of inciting friends of avid readers to join inYABCTREE. Any way you look at it, a book club can be a wonderful thing, as long as the group can decide on the books they want to read and discuss. No matter the demographic of a book club, this is often the hardest part.

So, if you are trying to start a young adult book club, or looking to add some books to your list of possible reads, I have some suggestions for you.

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
YABCBOYKirsten and Walk, seventh-graders at an elite private school, alternate telling how race, wealth, weight, and other issues shape their relationships as they and other misfits stand up to a mean but influential classmate, even as they are uncovering a long-kept secret about themselves.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Bored and lonely after his family moves from Berlin to a place called “Out-With” in 1942, Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence.YABCJ

I Am J by Cris Beam
J, who feels like a boy mistakenly born as a girl, runs away from his best friend who has rejected him and the parents he thinks do not understand him when he finally decides that it is time to be who he really is.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in fragile bodies, competitors in a yabcwinterdeadly contest to see who can be the thinnest. But then Cassie suffers the ultimate loss-her life-and Lia is left behind, haunted by her friend’s memory and racked with guilt for not being able to help save her. In her most powerfully moving novel sinceSpeak, award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s struggle, her painful path to recovery, and her desperate attempts to hold on to the most important thing of all: hope.

A Monster Calls by Siobhan Dowd and Patrick Ness
YABCMONSTERThirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill, but an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.

Other highly recommend books for young adult book clubs, serious discussion, or simply enjoying include: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Sold by Patricia McCormick, Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers, Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, London Calling by Edward Bloor, Out of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys, Here, There Be Dragons yabcgraveby James A. Owen, The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston, Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac, Just In Case by Meg Rosoff, The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas,Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Raven Summer by David Almond, Before I Die by Jenny Downham, Once Was Lost  by Sara Zarr, The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan, The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray,or Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

10 Books We’re Looking Forward to in June

Is it really June already? There are some terrific books coming to our shelves in June that have “hammock time” written all over them.

Every month, librarians from around the country pick the top ten new books they’d most like to share with readers. The results are published on LibraryReads.org. One of the goals of LibraryReads is to highlight the important role public libraries play in building buzz for new books and new authors. Click through to read more about what new and upcoming books librarians consider buzzworthy this month. The top ten titles for June are:

  1. Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
  2. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
  3. The Book of Speculation by Erica Swyler
  4. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
  5. The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
  6. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
  7. The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand
  8. The Precipice by Paul Doiron
  9. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
  10. Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson

National Trails Day – June 6, 2015

hiking

June 6th is American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day, the country’s largest celebration of trails.  It’s the perfect time to take advantage of the wonderful hiking opportunities Cheshire has to offer.  The Cheshire Library has a display located on the main and lower levels with trail maps for the various hiking areas in Cheshire.  Come on it, grab a map or two and enjoy some great scenery!  The Cheshire Land Trust will have a two-hour exploration of the Old Farms Reserve and DeDominicis Property on Saturday from 9-11.  They will be meeting at 9:00 am at Old Farms Preserve on Old Farms Road.  For other activities throughout the state, check the Connecticut Woodlands website here.


Hiking Areas:

Boulder Knoll Property – Boulder Road

Casertano Property – Marian Road

Cheshire Park Property – Country Club Road

DeMinicis Property – Old Lane Road

Dime Savings Property – Bordering I-84 and Route 322

Farmington Canal Linear Trail – Cornwall Avenue, North Brooksvale Road, Mount Sanford Road

Mixville Hills Property – Waterbury Road

Quinnipiac Park River Walk – Cheshire Street

Roaring Brook Property – Roaring Brook Drive

Ten Mile Lowlands Property –  Dundee Drive

Discover other hiking areas in and around Connecticut by checking out a book from the library’s collection located downstairs in the Reference area under 917.6.

Hiking the Pioneer Valley

Best Hikes With Kids

50 Hikes In Connecticut

Hikes In Southern New England

AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Connecticut

Short Nature Walks in Connecticut

Slow Cookers in the Summer

I got my first slow cooker in December and it was love at first stew. All through the winter my family dined on soups and stews, chickens and roasts. But then summer approached and I thought, time to turn to my old friend the barbeque. Slow cookers are for the cooler months, right?

Wrong.

The library director told me she was planning a June display on slow cookers because slow cookers are great in the summer. No overly warm kitchen. No broiling in front of a grill. Simple. Slow. Cool.

Year roundNew though I am to the slow cooker universe, I immediately grasped the possibilities. And the cookbooks. I went straight to the library shelves and discovered great recipes like braised pork shoulder with soft tacos and watermelon-tomato salsa and spicy veggie chili with summer squash and jalapenos from Year Round Slow Cooker by Dina Cheney. My mouth watered for easy cheesy sloppy joes, open-faced pizza sandwiches, and risotto primavera with chicken Jacket.aspxfrom Year-Round Slow Cooker Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens.

Looks like my slow cooker and I won’t be apart this summer after all.

 

The library has a host of books on display in our lobby during June so you and your slow cooker can enjoy the summer together:

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What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in June

There’s lots going on at CPL in June: including our new hours and the start of summer reading! Take a look:

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 Just in time for summer – NEW HOURS!

Beginning June 1st, the library will be open 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM Monday – Thursday, and 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Friday and Saturday (Saturdays 9-1 in July & August).

 

Volunteer Vacations

Tuesday Jun 2, 2015,  6:30  –  7:30 PM

Don’t just take a vacation, immerse yourself in vacations that give back & make a difference! Join Sheryl Kayne, author of several books including Immersion Travel USA, awarded The Society of American Travel Writers Foundations award for Best Travel Guidebook, as she shares with you amazing trips all over the US. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

 

Is This Thing On? with Abby Stokes

Thursday Jun 4, 2015, 6:30  –  8:00 PM

The digital divide widens with the rapid pace of new innovations and gadgets. What is out there and how it might benefit you can be lost in all the tech talk. Should you buy a tablet or a computer? Stick with your PC or move onto an Apple? How do you maximize your searches and why on earth do people want to share on Facebook? Abby helps you understand what everyone is talking about and how to decide what might work best for you. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

 

Online Marketing: Email Campaigns, LinkedIn for Business, Social Media Time Savers

Tuesday Jun 9, 2015,  6:30  –  8:00 PM

This presentation will be a practical look at best practices, tips, and tools for marketing with email campaigns, LinkedIn, and social media. Attendees will come away from this 90 minute session with concrete “to-do” actions that will help them be more effective online marketers. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

 

Fab Film Saturday: Song of the Sea

Saturday Jun 20, 2015, 2:00  –  4:00 PM

From the writer and director of the Academy Award-nominated The Secret of Kells comes an enchanting fable about loss, magic and the love of family. Featuring the voices of Brendan Gleeson (Braveheart) and Fionnula Flanagan (The Others), The Song of the Sea is a “delightful piece of magical animation” (Mark Adams, Screen International)! Running Time 1 hour, 33 minutes.  Rated PG. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.  Feel free to bring your own snacks!

 

Summer Reading Signup

Monday Jun 22, 2015

Summer reading has never been easier! Keep up your reading log when you’re at home and when you’re on vacation. Don’t worry about losing your reading record—just print it out when you’re done! See the Kids Page of our website for details!

 

Plant Science

Monday Jun 22, 2015, 2 sessions, 2:00 and 3:15 PM

Explore the growth, reproduction, special features and uses of plants through fun hands-on activities with local naturalist Eric Nelson.  Please register online beginning June 1.

 

Toddler Dance Party

Thursday Jun 25, 2015, 2 sessions, 10:00 and 11:00 AM

Enjoy music and movement in this high energy program. Songs help children develop listening skills and pay attention to the rhythms and rhymes of spoken language.  Clapping along to rhythms helps children hear the syllables in words and helps them improve motor skills. The 10:00 session is for ages 1-2, the 11:00 session is for ages 2-3. Children must be accompanied by a care giver.  NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

 

Local Author Talk: America, Freedom and Enlightenment

Thursday Jun 25, 2015, 7:00  –  8:00 PM

Cheshire author John White discusses his new book, America, Freedom and Enlightenment: An Open Letter to Americans About Patriotism and Global Society. Join Mr. White and your fellow citizens for a lively discussion about the founding principles of our nation, where our country is today, and what it means to be an American. Please register online.

 

Bedtime Math’s Crazy 8s Club

Friday Jun 26, 2015, 10:00 AM

Crazy 8s is an over-the-top fun math club that helps kids appreciate the math that’s all around them! Each session focuses on a math topic with an engaging activity: like glow in the dark geometry, toliet paper olympics, bouncy dice explosion, and a zip line zoo. The activities are designed for kids entering kindergarten through grade 2. Crazy 8s is funded by the Bedtime Math Foundation, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to putting the fun and discovery back into learning math. This club runs for 8 weeks. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED,  but we will build on math skills week to week, so come to as many sessions as you can! Kids must be accompanied by a caregiver.

LEGO® Brunch at the Library

Saturday Jun 27, 2015, 11:00 AM

Enjoy donuts, coffee, juice and more in this special LEGO® storytime.  We will start with a short storytime focused around building. Kids will then have an opportunity to use their best creativity to design buildings, creatures, and more using LEGO® .  ALL AGES, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

 

Night Skies Planetarium

Monday Jun 29, 201, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Night Skies is a program featuring Mike Francis using Starlab, the inflatable planetarium dome and projector system.  A remarkably realistic night sky awaits groups of up to 30.  There is no need to worry about the weather, time of day or travel. The experience of entering the giant bubble fascinates.  The excitement of being able to identify that bright red star from last night’s sky or locating an elusive constellation sparks the imagination.

 

Family Drum Circle with Garden of Beats

Tuesday Jun 30, 2015, 10:00  –  10:45 AM

Join us as we create a lively “Garden of Beats” with drum circle leader Conga J.  With hand drums of every size and lots of shaky and percussion toys we introduce the world of rhythm to people of all ages. Drumming encourages creativity, community, individuality, working together, culture, self confidence, and coordination (to name a few). All ages, kids must be accompanied by a caregiver. Space is limited; register on our website beginning June 1.