Please, Sir, I Want Some More: Oliver Twist Retellings
Oliver Twist is one of those classic novels that I always meant to read, but for some reason have not. The story of a young orphan who becomes mixed up…
Sailing on the Wine-Dark Sea: Odyssey Retellings
I minored in Classical Studies in college. This didn't exactly mean that I read classic books with a little "c" (although, I read a ton of those as an English…
Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On: The Tempest Retellings
I've read a fair share of Shakespeare in school, which means I've read Hamlet for at least three classes, and Romeo and Juliet for four. But, you can imagine my…
Author Spotlight: Jack London
Today is Jack London's birthday, so let's celebrate properly with a selection of this wonderful author's books! While London is probably best known for his cold climate tales, the author…
What I’m Reading: January 2022
It's the start of a new year, and already my resolution to only check out 5 books at a time has completely failed. If you're curious about some of the…
Author Spotlight: JRR Tolkien
Today is JRR Tolkien's 130th birthday! In addition to creating the magical world of Middle Earth, including all the fearsome and friendly creatures that inhabit it, Tolkien has created many…
Reading Challenge 2022
As the year draws to a close, it's time to start thinking about our goals for next year. Are you going to get active? Clean the house? Learn a new…
Noirvember Film Recommendations
Film Noir is a specific sub-genre of crime film that features cynical characters, femme fatales, the criminal underworld, an ominous atmosphere and utilizes shadowy photography complemented by foreboding music. It…
Writing Prompts for NaNoWriMo
November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and writers the world over and sweating nervously and pacing about, trying to come up with the perfect idea for a story or…
Favorite Folk and Fairy Tales
I love, love, love folk and fairy tales! These classic stories of good and evil, clever heroes and brave heroines have been entertaining people for centuries. Whether you hear them…
Three Spooky Mysteries for Halloween
Halloween is the perfect time to delve into a spooky mystery. These books are 100% mysteries, but have supernatural or horror elements to them to make them more than a…
Monster Books for Your Little Monsters
Halloween is almost upon us! And as we prepare for the spooky season, trick-or-treating, and the longer nights that come with this time of the year, it's important to remember…
The Creepy, Crazy World of Cults
What is it about cults that we find so fascinating? Perhaps it's that we're fascinated by the darker side of human nature. We want to hear all the grisly details,…
Five New Horror Novels for Halloween 2021
Looking for something scary to read? Then check out these five new horror novels. All of these chilling tales of terror, which range from unsettling to deeply horrifying were published…
31 Scary Short Stories for Halloween Month
I love a good scary short story! And even though I don't need an excuse to read them year-round, October (or, Halloween Month) is always a great opportunity to sit…
More Happiness Hints from Around the World
In a previous post, we looked at various approaches to happiness from around the world, including hygge, niksen, and kalsarikänni. But, we're not done yet! Today, we'll be exploring even…
Happiness Hints from Around the World
What is the secret of happiness? Everyone claims to have their own reasoning behind it, whether the secret is helping others, or exercising, or learning, or religion. But, today, we're…
Lost at Sea: Classic Tales of Shipwrecks and Survival
When I was a kid, the thought of being stranded on a desert island was kind of exciting. There would be jungles and caves to explore, maybe even buried treasure!…
STEAM Week: Whale, Whale, Whale!
Celebrate STEAM Week with us by taking a look at some of the coolest animals in the ocean: whales. Your library has a ton of interesting books on whales for…
You’ve Never Read Anything Like This!
Sometimes, you read a book that makes you sit back and go "whoa!". The story is excellent, of course, but it's the writing style that really captures your attention. You…
Even More Lesser Known Works by Classic Authors
If you liked The Scarlet Pimpernel, then try The Old Man in the Corner by Emmuska Orczy I've mentioned The Scarlet Pimpernel in a few of my previous posts (you can…
More Lesser Known Works by Classic Authors
There are some writers who are almost universally acknowledged as "classic". Arthur Conan Doyle, GK Chesterton Jane Austen, Mary Shelley...When you hear these names, you automatically associate them with the…
Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver: Readings on Treasure Island
Few tales of adventure quite compare to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic swashbuckling story, Treasure Island. I was introduced to Long John Silver, Jim Hawkins, and Billy Bones as a child,…
Classics Meets Comics with ComicsPlus
It should come as little surprise to all of you that I love the classics. But, I also know the struggles and roadblocks that readers often find concerning these texts.…