Attention Book Groups

Hattie Big Sky, a historical fiction book for young adults is available as a Book Group To Go bag for your book group. After inheriting her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself. Despite many hardships, Hattie forges ahead, sharing her adventures with her friends--especially Charlie, fighting in France--through letters and articles for her hometown paper.

Her backbreaking quest for a home is lightened by her neighbors, the Muellers. But she feels threatened by pressure to be a "Loyal" American, forbidding friendships with folks of German descent. Despite everything, Hattie's determined to stay until a tragedy causes her to discover the true meaning of home.  

Time to Read Aloud!

Need any more convincing about reading out loud to your kids?  Take a look at this....

I copied this from Nancy Ann's Blog, and she's got the right idea!  I, for one, am headed home to construct some bookshelves in my son's bathroom.

Happy Reading, y'all--remember to share it!

Homes Wins for Women's Fiction

Now that we're no longer scratching our heads, wondering about the significance of the color Orange in literary prizes (hooray for international snafus that result in award names making much more sense), the Women's Prize for Fiction was announced this week, going to A.M. Homes for her novel, May We Be Forgiven.

This is the story of Harold Silver who stands in awe of his younger brother George's life of flashy success: the major career, the beautiful home in the suburbs, the enviable wife and children--a man who seems to have it all.  Harry, a Nixon scholar and historian, lives a low-key life until George commits an act of violence so monstrous that both brothers seek absolution.
While I haven't read this one, I suspect it must be awesome because the competition on the shortlist for the prize was fierce, including Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies, which has already won roughly every other literary prize known to mankind this year. Regardless, if you're looking for some summer reading suggestions, the longlist should keep you busy through most of your summer vacation.
Happy Reading!

Keep ‘em Reading!

Do you have a child who hasn’t discovered how much fun it can be to read a good book?  Do they find reading a chore?  We have a a few programs designed to help them through the summer and keep them reading!  Both programs require preregistration.

Reading Buddies is a program where a young reader is paired with an older reading buddy (teen or adult) and they read and share books together once a week at the library.   

Growing Bookworms is a program designed to reinforce math and phonics skills for children going into 1st and 2nd grades.  We will read stories together and have fun with games and puzzles to review some basic skills.

Find out more and sign up on our website here, call the children’s department at 616-355-3736, or stop by and we would be happy to help you in person.

Note: We are still looking for a few more older reading partners for the Reading Buddies program.  Sign up here!

Attention Book Groups

Maeve Binchy’s last book before her death in July of 2012 is A Week in Winter.  This story follows the efforts of a woman who turns a coastal Ireland mansion into a holiday resort and receives an assortment of first guests who throughout the course of a week share laughter and the heartache of respective challenges.  (Description from Novelist) 

It is available as a Book Group to Go Bag and can now be reserved online.   To reserve Book Group to Go bags  go to our homepage www.herrickdl.org and choose the Books link under the Resources tab.  Scroll down to the Reserve a Book Group To Go Bag button and follow the directions.  Questions?  Give us a call at 355-3720.  Happy Reading!

Get a Jump on Summer Reading!

Beginning Saturday, June 1, you can sign up and print out the reading charts right on our website!  This is a first for us!  We don’t officially start the programs until June 10 but children and teens will be able to get an early start and avoid waiting in line to register in person. Try it out and let us know what you think!

You can begin signing up for the reading programs in person at the library beginning June 10 or at our big kick-off party for the younger kids at Centennial Park on Tuesday, June 11.  See our website for details.

Can't make it on June 11?  Worry not.  We register kids for the reading programs through much of the summer.  Join us and register when you can, either on-line or here at the library! 

Bike Tech!

Did you know that we have some bicycle experts available to help you keep your bike in tip-top shape?  And it’s free!  They came last month and were a great hit.  Join us this month as they share their knowledge on bike mechanics and bike safety. 

Yes, you really get to bring your bicycle into the library and take it into the elevator to the lower level!!  Weird, eh?  Bring your bike to the May session of Bike Tech this Saturday, May 25 at 10:00 am., learn a bunch from our bike techies, and you may win an awesome tire valve light for your bike!  The bike doctors will be in to help you fix, maintain, or even customize your bike.