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…
Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Ahoy, Mateys! National Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19. Celebrate all things pirate with these fun picture books. Pirate Pete by Kim KennedyAs Pirate Pete and his trusty…
Health on the Shelf: National Preparedness Month
When I was 13, I was at a softball game in late May playing out in left field. Suddenly, the game stopped and everyone looked towards the sky. Across the…
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…
Back to School!
Hello School! by Priscilla BurrisChildren have fun at school experiencing familiar classroom activities for the first time. The School Book by Todd ParrTodd Parr introduces readers to all the things…
Cool Schools!
Mermaid School by JoAnne WetzelMolly enjoys her first day at Mermaid School, where she makes new friends, learns new things, and hears a story about children with no tails. Tool…
Health on the Shelf: Start with your Heart
If you are looking for ways to become healthier, you can always start with your heart. Don't wait until January to make New Year's resolutions, or February when hearts are…
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…
STEAM Week: Birding
My three-year-old niece calls them "chirpers." When she sees one bouncing about the yard, she insists on trying to get closer by lowering her voice and walking on tip toe.…
STEAM WEEK: Bread Pets
“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”American Chef James Beard (1903-1985) What's is a Bread Pet? You've heard of…
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…
Growing Up in the 80s
Fire up the DeLorean. Here are two titles that you might enjoy with a side of nostalgia. I will confess that Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe pulled me in…
Health on the Shelf: Epi-genetically Speaking
I always thought that your genes were sort of like your fingerprint -- you get what you get, and you cannot change it. While this may be basically true, the…
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.…
Sharing Secrets with PostSecret
Psst! I have a secret to tell you...I love reading the secrets of strangers. If that sounds weird to you, then I bet you've never heard of PostSecret before. PostSecret…
Unlikeable Characters (That We Secretly Love)
There are two types of unlikeable characters in books. The first is the kind that you genuinely don't like-- the kind that leave you gnashing your teeth, tearing out your…
A Summer at Sea: My Three-Month Reading List
Now that summer is upon us, it's time to start thinking about summer reading. This is the time of year when I get the most reading done. I'm not necessarily…
Lesser Known Works by Classic Authors
I'm always on the hunt for a new classic. And of course what I mean by that is a classic that I've not heard of before (or at least one…
A Whale of a Book: Reading Moby-Dick
When I was in college, I met up with a friend and her cousin for coffee, and while we enjoyed our lattes, he waxed lyrical about how Moby-Dick was the…