November 11 is Veteran’s Day, a day to celebrate our American veterans: their patriotism, their willingness to serve, and the sacrifices they’ve made. We’ve put together a list meaningful books to read with kids for Veteran’s Day and beyond!
What is Veterans Day?by Elaine Landau. An introduction to Veterans Day with an easy activity.
The Wall by Eve Bunting. A boy and his father come from far away to visit the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington and find the name of the boy’s grandfather, who was killed in the conflict.
Brave Like Meby Barbara Kerley. Describes the experiences of a boy and girl who struggle with worries and fears while their parents serve their country during wartime.
Nubs : The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, Mary Nethery. The true story of a mutt named Nubs, who was befriended by a marine on duty at the Iraqi border and became so devoted to the marine that he followed him on foot to his next post more than seventy miles away.
Tucky Jo and Little Heart by Patricia Polacco. A young soldier in World War II meets a sweet young girl in the Philippines who helps him remember what he is fighting for as he helps her and others of her village, and many years later she returns his kindness.
Henry and the Cannons by Don Brown. The true story of bookseller Henry Knox’s heroic contributions during the Revolutionary War, describing how he dragged fifty-nine cannons to Boston across 225 miles filled with danger and hardship.
Gabe : The Dog Who Sniffs Out Dangerby Thea Feldman. Gabe is a real dog who works with the United States military. He has an important job: he uses his sense of smell to find weapons before they hurt anyone. Read his story to find out more about Gabe and what makes him a hero dog.
Sky High : The True Story of Maggie Geeby Marissa Moss. Tells the story of Maggie Gee, from her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area to becoming one of only two Chinese American Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) to serve during World War II, with powerful illustrations depicting the pilot’s bravery.
Nugget on the Flight Deck by Patricia Newman. Aboard an aircraft carrier, a lieutenant introduces a new aviator to the “lingo” and layout before taking him on a practice dogfight.
America : A Patriotic Primer by Lynne Cheney. Filled with historical quotations and lively illustrations, this alphabet book doubles as an introduction to American history, paying tribute to American diversity, faith, and determination.
Do you like certain types of books – stories about dogs, or maybe vacations in Italy? Perhaps you like adventure stories, or space opera, or a good forensic mystery, but don’t know what to read next. Do you like binge-reading a good series?
Have you noticed the case of bound books in the middle of the lobby?
Take a closer look at our Book Bundles.
Book bundles are three books of a common theme bound together, so you can binge-read on a topic you enjoy. It might be outdoors, kidnappings, or WWII stories. It could be autism, award winners, westerns, Book Club Favorites, art heists, robots, or gothic horror. There’s always something new on the shelf, so check it frequently. Intrigued by a category? Check out the bundle and explore!
But not all of the titles seem interesting to me – what if I only want to check out one or two?
You can check out one or all three, whatever you’d like. Just return the unwanted ones to the desk and we’ll find them new partners.
Don’t see anything to your liking? Prefer existentialist graphic novels? Right now you’re only reading novels that have cats in them? Trying to catch up on real-life medical stories? Let us know! We’d be happy to take requests!
There’s nothing like finding a good book, and it’s even better when you find three new favorites at once. A whole new world of reading adventures awaits!
The Friends of Cheshire Library Used Book Sale is BACK! After a 2 year hiatus due to Covid, our most awesome used book sale is scheduled for November 18-21, mark your calendars! Of course there’s a ton of other stuff going on in November, too, take a look:
November Teen Volunteering Challenges
All month long
Earn community service hours by submitting a photo, video, or other content that may be added to CPL’s social media pages! Each submission will be awarded 2 community service hours. November’s challenges include:
Art: It’s the month of Slowvember! Slowvember is about quality and getting something you really like. During this challenge, work on one image and make it as good as you can.
Writing: Write a conversation that would take place at someone’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Food: November 1st is National Cook For Your Pets Day- so take this month to cook a delicious meal or snack for your pets!!
Reading: If you have a family gathering this month, add something to your pre-dinner ritual: ask each person to name a book they’re thankful for, then read one that appeals to you.
More Reading: November is Picture Book Month- to celebrate, read a picture book you’ve never read before.
Even More Reading: Celebrate National Native American Heritage Month by reading a book about Native American history or experience.
Extra Credit: Change your life forever by learning a new language- check out Mango Languages on our website, and send us a screenshot of what you are working on… ganbatte!!
If you participate in the challenges, earn community service credit by submitting your creations so we can share them on our social media pages.
Book Buzz Teen Book Club: We Were Liars
All month long
This month we are going to read We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Books will be provided and are yours to keep! To pick up your Book Buzz book, starting on November 1st, you must register for this event. Then you can come into the library and pick up your book at the Children’s Desk. Join us here (our Google Classroom page) to share and hear our different points of view about the book! This book discussion group will be available all month -and beyond- and you can interact with us and post your thoughts any time that’s convenient for you.
Meditative Mondays
Mondays from 2:00 – 3:00pm
Learn to master your thoughts, be in control of your mental & emotional well-being, and discover a world you never thought possible. This 7 session class will be teaching you various meditation techniques along with topics of awareness for inner transformation. Dress comfortably and enjoy the experience! Please register in advance to receive a link to the presentation an hour before the start time.
Storytime @ Bartlem Park
Tuesdays, November 2 and 9, 2021, 10:00 – 10:30am
Enjoy an outdoor storytime at Bartlem Park full of books, music, and movement! Space is limited and registration is required to attend. Please register once per family. Registration begins 48 hours prior to each class. This program is subject to cancellation due to uncooperative weather. Please check your email for the cancellation notice.
Cheshire Art League Program on Painterly Composition
Wednesday, November 3, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Join nationally recognized artist and fine art photographer, Mark Battista, for a presentation on painterly composition for photographers and artists. Please register in advance for this Zoom program. All registrants will receive the emailed Zoom link at 5:30pm on November 3.
Light Pollution: What it is and why it matters
Thursday, November 4, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Join dark sky advocate Leo Smith (International Dark Skies (IDS) Northeast Regional Director and Chair of the Connecticut Chapter) for an overview of the adverse effects of light pollution on people, animals and plants, together with a review of Connecticut laws and regulations and best practices individuals can use to reduce light pollution. Registration is required. We are planning to hold this program in-person but will switch to Zoom if circumstances warrant. If that is the case, a link will be sent out to registrants prior to the program.
The Magic of Resilience with Joyce Saltman
Friday, November 5, 2021, 3:00 – 4:30pm
Back by popular demand join us as Joyce Saltman will make us laugh and learn with her informational presentation. Join us as Joyce offers a blueprint (based on extensive research and close to 100 interviews of resilient folks of all ages) for achieving good health and joy in the years to come. Please register online. We are planning to hold this program in person, but will switch to Zoom or reschedule if the situation changes.
The Natural and Cultural History of Cheshire Through an Ecological Lens
Saturday, November 6, 2021, 2:00 – 3:30pm
How did geology shape Cheshire’s development and history? Laurie Sanders, who grew up in Cheshire and was the town’s first environmental planner, will delve into the connection between people and the environment and how one affects the other. Join us for a fascinating overview of how Cheshire became the community it is today! Please register online. We are planning to hold this program in person, but will switch to Zoom or reschedule if the situation changes.
Art @ The Library – Urban Sketching
Monday, November 8, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Enjoy 90 minutes of sketching in real time a favorite subject of urban sketchers- their tools of the trade: pencils, pens, brushes! Urban sketching is about filling a sketchbook with sketches of people, places and events but it is good to start small and hone your drawing skills by sketching everyday objects. All levels welcome to this workshop, all materials provided. Come and have fun.Registration required.
Drop-In Tech Help
Monday November 8, 7:00 – 8:15pm
Tuesday November 23, 2:00 – 3:30pm
Drop-in Tech Help is back! Do you have questions about your laptop, smartphone, or iPad? Do you need help navigating the internet or downloading an ebook? Let us help! NOTE: Please be sure your device is charged beforehand. Tech help is available on a first come first served basis. Tech help may be limited to 15 minutes per person.
Chinese for Families
Tuesdays, November 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 4:00 – 5:00pm
(classes will continue in December and January)
We are so excited to partner with NeuLingo, a live, engaging online Chinese program to offer free Chinese language and culture classes for children! Join us to go on a virtual tour of the most charming cities in China, learn and experience the traditions and stories behind Chinese festivals, pick up a few Chinese words, and practice them with other children through meaningful social interactions! Best for ages 5-12, register once per family to attend all 10 classes.
Mark your calendars! The Friends of the Cheshire Public Library 2021 Fall Book Sale is scheduled for:
Wednesday November 17, 5-8pm(preview night for members of the Friends only, memberships are available at the door)
Thursday November 18, 9am-8pm
Friday November 19, 9am-4:30pm
Saturday November 20, 9am-4:30pm
Sunday November 21, Noon-3pm(Bag of Books sale!)
Attendees must comply with CPL’s health precautions.
Cat Tales Writers Group
Thursday, November 18, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Join us virtually for an open writing group that can help answer your questions on writing, editing, grammar, and publishing. Read a selection of your work to the group for general constructive feedback, or discuss a book you’ve read that might help someone else. Join us once, join us every month! Please register online.
Trivia Night
Thursday, November 18, 2021, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Come by yourself or bring your friends. Test your knowledge from general categories, including pop culture, current events, history, music, and of course literature! It’s all For Pride, Not Prize. Registration required for this adult program, a link to the program will be sent a hour before.
Books Over Coffee: If the Creek Don’t Rise
Wednesday, November 24, 2021, 12:00 – 1:30pm
Want to engage in great discussions about books? Meet new people? Join us for an adult monthly book club program called Books Over Coffee. We will meet in person in the library Loft! This month’s book is If the Creek Don’t Riseby Leah Weiss. Please register online.
Teens: did you know that you can earn community service credit for writing a book review and submitting it to us? Today, we’ll hear from a teen who did just that. Find out more about how to earn community service hours from home at cheshirelibrary.org/teens/.
I really enjoyed Darius the Great Is Not Okay and feel like it’s a must-read for teens. The main character of this novel is Darius Kellner, a white-washed Persian living in the United States who is diagnosed with depression. He feels disconnected from his relatives in Iran, and doesn’t even get along well with his own father. His father, Stephen Kellner, is always disappointed in Darius and wishes Darius could be more normal instead of an overweight loner with funky hair. Darius gets teased at school and only finds peace at the tea shop he works in, the Tea Haven at the Shoppes at Fairview Court. Darius and his family then finds out that Darius’s grandfather, Babou, has a brain tumor and would die soon so Darius’s mother plans a family trip to Iran. It’s Darius’s first trip to Iran so he’s excited but is also worried. Darius knows barely anything about his Persian culture and heritage and doesn’t know if any of his family will like him, especially since Darius doesn’t even know the language of Farsi. However, when Darius gets to Iran, his life changes. He quickly makes friends with a neighborhood boy named Sohrab and Darius discovers more about the Persian culture. Darius’s relationship with his father also becomes tighter and they enjoy each other more. One thing is for sure- Darius is a different person by the time he returns to America. He is no longer lazy, lonely, or as teased as before. I loved this book because I share a lot in common with Darius Kellner. My grandparents and extended family live in India whereas I live on a whole different continent. Also, I only see my grandparents through awkward Skype calls and it’s tough to communicate with them because I don’t know Urdu which is the language that they speak. Adib Khorram did a wonderful job writing this empathetic novel that many teens including myself can relate to and love.
Normally I hate science fiction books. They are usually about aliens, robots, or people trying to take over the world. Most of the stuff in science fiction books are too complicated for readers to understand and visualize in their minds and science fiction books are usually boring. However, Divergent is the only science fiction book that I have ever fully read and loved. Most science fiction books go overboard on crazy futuristic ideas, but Divergent keeps it real. The Utopian land that the citizens live on is divided into 5 difference groups, which are called factions. The 5 factions are Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, and Amity. Each of the 5 factions prioritizes a special aspect. Abnegation prioritizes selflessness, Dauntless prioritizes bravery, Erudite prioritizes brilliance, Candor prioritizes honesty, and Amity prioritizes tranquility. The main character of the book is Beatrice “Tris” Prior. Beatrice was born into Abnegation and loved her parents and her brother. When everyone is 16 years old, the students are required to take the Aptitude Test, which helps the students discover which faction they should join. Beatrice takes the test and receives a horrid result. Her results revealed that she was Divergent, meaning she doesn’t really fit with one faction but rather a mix of all of them. Beatrice doesn’t understand why being Divergent is so bad or different, but no one explains that to her. On the Choosing Day, where each 16 year old chooses which faction they want to join for the rest of their lives, her selfless brother chooses to join Erudite. Beatrice knew she wasn’t as selfless as her brother so she thought that if he didn’t fit in Abnegation, then she didn’t either. So at the last second, Beatrice chooses to join Dauntless. In Beatrice’s training she has to work hard and do cruel things such as fight her peers for fun and learn to shoot guns. Although the pain is overwhelming, it makes her stronger. Beatrice soon finds out that Erudite is making plans with Dauntless leaders to declare war on her old faction, Abnegation. Veronica Roth did a wonderful job with the plot of Divergent and keeps the readers hooked with plot twists after plot twist.
Music and its forms have always been in a state of flux. While operas often dragged for hours, recording them, when the means became available, was a different problem. When temperamental wax cylinders gave way to 78 rpm shellac discs, you had 5 minutes of music before you ran out of groove and had to turn it over. Post-WWII, when brittle shellac gave way to more forgiving vinyl, record speed dropped to 33 rounds per minute, allowing up to 22 minutes per side on a 12” “long-playing” record (or LP, for short.). When the 45 rpm single – cheaper to produce, cheaper to purchase – became standard, music averaged 3-5 minutes a side.
If you wanted to get airplay on a radio, music had to be submitted on a 45, thus most popular songs were limited to around 3 minutes in length (Hence Billy Joel’s line from The Entertainer: “If you’re gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit, so they cut it down to 3:05”). Albums could play for as long as 20 minutes a song on each side. Jump up to CD, and you can now go to 100 minutes. Streaming? The only limit is your tolerance.
So what’s the long and short of it? What are the longest and shortest songs on the road to success? The 50’s and 60’s, with the advent of transistor radios to make music portable, saw an explosion of short catchy tunes, meaning more could be crammed onto the radio, which meant more airtime, more commercials, and thus more money all around. Elvis consistently comes in under two minutes (Let Me be Your Teddy Bear – 1:43, Are You Lonesome Tonight, 1:25) as do the early Beatles (From Me to You, 1:56, Please Please Me, 1:59), Summer Time Blues by Eddie Cochrane (1:58), and Hit the Road, Jack by Ray Charles (1:58).
Albums play around more – If you’ve got 18 minutes of music, but can squeeze one more short track in, you fill it. Styx’s legendary Paradise Theateralbum has 3 blink-and-they’re-over tracks (AD 1928, 1:07, State Street Sadie – a flash at 33 seconds, and AD 1958, 1:06). Pink Floyd, who loves to drag out a tune, logs in at 1:25 with Pigs on the Wing, a beautiful melody on theAnimals album. Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s legendary Welcome to the Pleasuredome album clocks in two blips – Snatch of Fury, at 36 seconds, and The World is my Oyster, which is 1:02, perhaps 45 seconds longer than the track needs to be.
But just how long can you carry a tune? Well, outside of perhaps an opera or symphony (Beethoven’s 9th is about 70 minutes long). AmericanPie takes up both sides of a 45 at 8 minutes 32 seconds, and Hey Jude clocks in at 7:11, perhaps the longest singles on 45s. But when you hit albums and their longer tracks, if you count all nine parts of Pink Floyd’s ethereal “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” from the album Wish You Were Here, it totals 26:01, the longest segment being over 13 minutes. You could add Rush’s 2112, at 20:33, Yes’s Close to the Edge at 18:30, or the legendary In a Gadda da Vida by Iron Butterfly at 17:05 – three songs that can carry you clear across the state. Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) made it to Number One on the Charts with a time of more than 12 minutes, so length does not affect popularity at all.
With the pandemic, streaming of music and even live concerts has increased in popularity. While the current trend is to make shorter songs for the attention-short listener, it will be interesting to see in the next five years or so if, freed from the limits of physical media, musicians will increase the length of their songs or not. Genres are losing their hold as streaming crosses boundaries (ie, Jimmy Buffett gets mixed with a lot of country), 24-bit audio capacity has lead to quieter music (less digital noise on soft tracks and streaming services even out loud tracks anyway), music labels are losing importance as musicians self-release songs, and songs are even breaking up their ages-old format and frequently starting with the chorus instead of a verse. We might cringe at the pace of the changes, but in the end, for the musicophile, it’s a wonderful time for variety and a widening range of music.
The Cheshire Library Blog 