What's Next for Lisbeth Salander?

Devoted fans around the world were devastated when Stieg Larsson, author of the Millenium series died suddenly after publishing only three books in a series projected for ten.  Hope was revived briefly when information surfaced that the manuscript for an unfinished fourth novel was being fought over by Larsson's partner, family and his publisher.

Today, the publisher, Norstedts Forlag (who own the rights to the series), announced (yes, it's in Swedish, but Google Translator will take care of that for you) that they have contracted author David Lagercrantz to write a fourth Millenium novel, due to be published in August 2015.

So What Do Librarians Read?

It's a question we get asked all the time and the truthful answer is that if you ask 5 librarians that question, you'll get 25 answers. This, then, makes the one and only list of the Best Books of 2013 I'm going to publish very unique.

Near the end of November, librarians around the country were challenged to tweet their favorite titles from 2013 with the hashtag #libfaves13. For ten days, librarians tweeted one title each day and now the results have been released!

ELEANOR & PARK	Rowell, Rainbow
FANGIRL	Rowell, Rainbow
ROSIE PROJECT, THE	Simsion, Graeme
LIFE AFTER LIFE	Atkinson, Kate
OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE	Gaiman, Neil
CUCKOO'S CALLING	Galbraith, Robert /Rowling
GOLDFINCH, THE	Tartt, Donna
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN	Penny, Louise
INTERESTINGS, THE	Wolitzer, Meg
HUMAN DIVISION	Scalzi, John
LEXICON	Barry, Max
ME BEFORE YOU	Moyes, Jo Jo
NO GOOD DUKE GOES UNPUNISHED	MacLean, Sarah
WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES	Fowler, Karen Joy
BETTER NATE THAN EVER	Federle, Tim
DETROIT: AN AMERICAN AUTOPSY	LeDuff, Charlie
FLORA & ULYSSES: THE ILLUMINATED ADVENTURES	DiCamillo, Kate
GOLEM AND THE JINNI, THE	Wecker, Helene
LONGBOURN	Baker, Jo
BONE SEASON	Shannon, Samantha
CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES	Carriger, Gail
ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE	Carriger, Gail
HELP FOR THE HAUNTED	Searles, John
RELISH: MY LIFE IN THE KITCHEN	Knisley, Lucy
SOMEONE	McDermott, Alice
STORYTELLER	Picoult, Jodi
TENTH OF DECEMBER	Saunders, George
THINKING WOMAN'S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC, THE	Barker, Emily Croy
ANCILLARY JUSTICE	Leckie, Ann
COUNTING BY 7's	Sloan, Holly Goldberg
FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL	Fink, Sherri
GULP	Roach, Mary
HEIRESS EFFECT, THE	Milan, Courtney
HUSBAND'S SECRET, THE	Moriarty, Liane
JOURNEY	Becker, Aaron
P.S. BE ELEVEN	Williams-Garcia, Rita
RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA	McCreight, Kimberly
RETURNED, THE	Mott, Jason
SAGA	Vaughn, Brian K.
TALE FOR THE TIME BEING, A	Ozeki, Ruth
TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME	Brunt, Carol Rifka
VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE	Russell, Karen
WORLD'S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN	Hanagarne, Josh
AMERICANAH	Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi
AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED	Hosseini, Khaled
BOXERS & SAINTS	Yang, Gene Luen
BOY ON THE PORCH	Creech, Sharon
CALLING DR. LAURA	Georges, Laura
CINNAMON AND GUNPOWDER	Brown, Eli
CODE NAME VERITY	Wein, Elizabeth
COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN	Black, Holly
CRAZY RICH ASIANS	Kwan, Kevin
DOCTOR SLEEP	King, Stephen
DOLL BONES	Black, Holly
DREAM THIEVES	Steifvater, Maggie
ENGAGEMENTS, THE	Sullivan, J. Courtney
FAULT IN OUR STARS , THE (2012 title	Green, John
FLORA AND THE FLAMINGO	Idle, Molly
FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK	Quick, Matthew
LOST GIRLS	Kolker, Robert
NIGHT FILM	Pessl, Marisha
NOS4A2	Hill, Joe
OUT OF THE EASY	Sepetys, Ruta
REAL BOY, THE	Ursu, Anne
RIVER OF NO RETURN	Ridgway, Bee
ROSE UNDER FIRE	Wein, Elizabeth
S.	Dorst, Doug / Abrams, J.J.
SCARLET	Meyers, Marissa
SCREAMING STAIRCASE, THE	Stroud
SERAPHINA	Hartman, Rachel
VISITATION STREET	Pochoda, Ivy

Note that the list is in the order of the most votes received, and when multiple books received the same number of votes, they were then alphabetized.

Feel free to give us a call for help getting your hands on a copy of any of these titles!

Happy Holiday Reading!

Attention Book Groups

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

The House Girl, the historical fiction debut by Tara Conklin, is an unforgettable story of love, history, and a search for justice, set in modern-day New York and 1852 Virginia.

Weaving together the story of an escaped slave in the pre–Civil War South and a determined junior lawyer, The House Girl follows Lina Sparrow as she looks for an appropriate lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking compensation for families of slaves. In her research, she learns about Lu Anne Bell, a renowned prewar artist whose famous works might have actually been painted by her slave, Josephine.

Featuring two remarkable, unforgettable heroines, Tara Conklin's The House Girl is riveting and powerful, literary fiction at its very best.  Available as a Book Group to Go bag.

Are you an avid reader?  If you are and have not discovered goodreads.com, you may want to check it out.  On goodreads you can keep track of all of the books you have read and would like to read.  You can get reading ideas based on the books you have read and discuss books with other readers.  There are literally thousands of reading groups you can join, depending on your interest.   If you like trivia, there are quizzes on hundreds of books, including a never-ending book quiz.   I have kept a list for over ten years of books I have read, and on goodreads I could enter them and then tag them under different categories, such as historical fiction, nonfiction, suspense, favorites, etc.  It’s a great way to recommend books to people, depending on their reading preference.  So, if you’re a reader I encourage you to give goodreads a try. 

From Page to Screen: Flowers in the Attic

It was probably inevitable. I mean, now that 50 Shades is being made into a movie the floodgates have opened and the bar of "questionable taste" has been....adjusted.

Without further ado, I give you the trailer for Flowers in the Attic.



Lest you are surprised Flowers hasn't been made into a movie before now, rest assured: a 1987 adaptation was released, but only hinted at the incest that is integral to the plot (the part that was 90% of the reason most of us weren't allowed to read the book).  According to star Mason Dye, this adaptation will be different, saying "we stay very true to the book." 

The new film adaptation will premiere on Lifetime, January 18, 2014.  Incidentally, that leaves you plenty of time to read the book before you pop your popcorn.

Happy Reading!

World Book Night Returns!

Hey Book Lovers!  It's time to get ready to share your passion!

World Book Night 2014 is already in the works, with titles having been released this past week and applications to be a Book Giver are open!

In case you've not yet experienced it, here's the long (in short) about World Book Night: each year, readers from around the country nominate books that they have loved and the top 35 most recommended books then go back to the presses and get snazzy new covers that mark them as a World Book Night title.  Meanwhile, Book Lovers (such as yourself--hint hint) are busily signing up online, all over the country, to be Book Givers.  You'll ask for your top three choices of the above-mentioned books.  Early next year, you'll pick where you want to pick up your box of books and then, magically, a box will arrive at that place with your name on it and 20 copies of one of your top three picks.  You, then, my devoted readers, will go out into the community on April 23 and give away the books, for free, to anyone willing to try them out!

The idea behind World Book Night is to get books into the hand of people who might not have books of their own, or people who are less inclined to read.  The beauty of the book nominating system is that all these books have been selected by other readers--think of them as the Best of the Best in the People's Choice Awards.  

If you're ready to get involved, go here to fill out the application to be a Book Giver.  Want to know more about World Book Night?  Check out the website to learn all about the story behind this great annual event. And if you're simply ready to read every single book on the list, give the Ask Here Desk at the library a call at 355-2730 and we'll help you get your hands on them.

Happy Reading!

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

From the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, and The House at Riverton, a spellbinding novel of family secrets, murder, and enduring love:
During a picnic at her family’s farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a shocking crime, a crime that challenges everything she knows about her adored mother, Dorothy. Now, fifty years later, Laurel and her sisters are meeting at the farm to celebrate Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this is her last chance to discover the truth about that long-ago day, Laurel searches for answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past. Clue by clue, she traces a secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds thrown together in war-torn London—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—whose lives are forever after entwined. A gripping story of deception and passion, The Secret Keeper will keep you enthralled to the last page.  Available as a book group to go bag.

Attention Book Groups

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvenile hall. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian arent as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life answers that will ultimately free them both.  Available as a book group to go bag. 

Froggy is coming!!

Froggy, that adorable character in Jonathan London’s books, is visiting the library tomorrow morning, Thursday, October 10 at 10:00 am!  We are planning to read some Froggy books, of course, and we will have a simple craft for the kids too.  Remember to bring your camera to get a picture of your child with the star of the day!

October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month

Did you know that about 1 in 10,000 births results in a child with dwarfism, and that there are over 200 types of dwarfism? October is Dwarfism Awareness Month and Herrick is celebrating the contributions of little people (the preferred term for a person with dwarfism) to the print and visual arts.

Along with these very informative resources about dwarfism, check out Herrick's DVD collection of little people actors and issues dealing with dwarfism.  And while you may be familiar with seeing and reading about dwarfs in the genre of science fiction--not to mention the renowned "munchkins" from the classic The Wizard of Oz--of perhaps greater interest are the memoirs written by and about little people, such as the work of authors Warwick Davis, Fred Gill, Shorty Rossi, Tiffanie DiDonato and Julie B. Genovese.

Take a little time to click on some of our links or do some independent research to educate yourself about dwarfism.  And don't forget:

"A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than a giant himself." -- Robert Burton

Banned Humor

Banned books week is about to come to a close for 2013.  Many libraries celebrate this week by taking previously challenged or banned books and locking them behind glass.  Anyone else need a headscratch?

Far more preferable: let's talk about it, think about, laugh about it, and maybe even (GASP) read it!
Want to know more?  Head to the ALA website listing the most challenged books of the last ten years, and their challenge reasons (possibly legitimate to downright nonsensical).  Then go forth and destroy your mind with reading!

They're Coming! They're Coming!!!

Ever wonder why you can't find some of your favorite authors on OverDrive? Or scratch your head at why there are bestselling tittles that you can find almost everywhere except the library's ebook collection?

It's frustrating, but true: there are some books and some authors that library's simply can't get for you in digital form.  The good news is that more and more publishers are coming around and making their books available for readers to get through their public libraries.  Such is the case this week, when we found out that Penguin, one of the bigger publishers holding out on digital content, as arrived at an agreement with OverDrive as to how we can make their titles available to you!

I could bore you with the details, or cut to the chase: start keeping an eye on our OverDrive Collection because some of your favorite authors are going to start popping up--ones that you may have missed before.  We're adding new titles daily and they include some of the greats like Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Jodi Picoult, Ken Follett, Julie Garwood, Catherine Coulter, Daniel Silva and Jayne Castle!

Can you tell we're geeked about this?  If there's an author that you've been looking for on ebook, keep checking back, or feel free to drop by and let us know that you've been looking for someone.  Your also welcome to hop on our website and fill out this quick form, and we'll do our best to get your suggestions added to our collection.

Welcome to OverDrive, Penguin!  And to all of you, Happy Reading!

Attention Book Groups

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Harold Fry, a retired sales representative and beleagured husband of Maureen, gets an letter from an old friend, Queenie, who tells him she is dying of cancer.  He decides to send her a letter, and then instead of mailing it suddenly takes it upon himself to walk 600 miles across England to deliver it to her.  He sets off totally unprepared with no phone, no food and the wrong clothes for a long journey.  As he walks he reflects on his life and his failings as a husband and a father.  His wife, Maureen actually begins to miss him as he travels.  As he walks we find out more about his life and his past.  Available as a Book Group To Go bag  

Attention Book Groups

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Before Louisa and Will meet, Will was a rich man from a wealthy family, closing multi-million dollar deals, skydiving and scaling mountains for entertainment, and playing the field with beautiful women, until a freak accident paralyzed him.  Lou, on the other hand, has spent her whole life in a tiny English town, has had the same boyfriend for seven years, and reluctantly takes the job of caring for Will after she loses her job in a café.  When Lou takes the job and they meet each other, they don't get along at first, but as time goes by they begin to care for each other, and eventually fall in love.  Lou tries to convince Will that life is still worth living.  Available as a Book Group To Go bag.

Registrations are now open!

This fall Herrick will be offering a science program for kids in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades called "Fun with Physics."  Miss Heather, a Hope student who has been with us in the past, will be the teacher for this hands-on class.  Unfortunately we have to limit the number in attendance so sign up today.  You may register your child here or give us a call at 616-355-3736.

We are also still taking registrations for Literacy Heroes training.  If you like to read with kids and have an hour or more each week to volunteer you could make a difference in a child's life!   Training will take place on Monday, September 23, at 7:00 pm.  You may register for the training session here or call 616-355-3736 and we will sign you up.

There's a fun family craft program coming up too.  Families will be able to submit a craft for this competition!  So put on your thinking caps and start getting some ideas together.  More details to come!

Attention Book Groups

The Great Michigan Read for 2013-2014 is Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret.  It is a 2010 Michigan Notable Book written by Washington Post Associate Editor and Detroit native Steve Luxenberg.

Steve Luxenberg always thought his mother was an only child.  However, shortly before she died she casually mentioned that she had a disabled sister who was sent away at age two.  After his mother died Steve began looking for information on this sister.  As he dug, he discovered more and more untruths about his mother's life.  His aunt had not been sent away at age two but at age 21.  More lies surfaced.  He used his journalism skills while trying to remain empathetic to his mother as he uncovered the past.  The book is part memoir, part history and part detective story.   This title is available as a Book Group To Go bag.

For more information on Great Michigan Reads go to michiganhumanities.org.

Attention Book Groups

If you liked Call the Midwife or watched and enjoyed the series on PBS, you will probably like Jennifer Worth's next book in the series -- Shadows of the Workhouse.  This nonfiction title chronicles the lives of children growing up in England's workhouses and gives a startling glimpse into the lives of people in the poorest section of postwar London.  Available as a Book Group To Go Bag.  

Literacy Hero Training Coming Up!

You can be a hero!  

Read with at-risk kids in the greater Holland community, serving as a Literacy Hero volunteer.  If you are 18 years or older, enjoy working with kids one-on-one, and have an hour or two to share each week, this may be the opportunity you have been looking for! 

We will be training a new class of Literacy Heroes on Monday, September 23 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm!  If this is of interest to you please sign up on our website here.  

Attention Book Groups

If your book group would like to read something on the lighter side for a change, you can try our new book group bag, "Where'd you go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple.  In this title, when teenage Bee's notorious, hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled, and agoraphobic mother goes missing, Bee begins a trip that takes her to the ends of the earth to find her.  (Description from Novelist)

Book Sharing as a Positive Experience

I’m going to point out something that seems so simple but it needs to be said:  Please, remember to keep reading and book time a positive experience!  This alone can make all the difference between a non-reader and a reader.  Our emotions are not controllable.  How you feel is how you feel.

If an adult reader is stern or negative during reading time, it is almost certain the child will associate that with reading and will avoid reading if at all possible.  Negativity and fear are strong emotions for kids.  They are road blocks to learning of any kind.

On the other hand, if the adult is playful and enjoys books, it’s catchy!  A child is much more likely to enjoy books!

There are no rules about having to finish a book.  If the child loses interest just set the book aside and do something else for a while.  Let the child choose a different book to read.  It’s possible that the child is just not up for reading at that time.  Maybe you can find a time when the child is more rested or alert to try some book time.  Quality is more important than quantity!

To Bee or Not to Bee . . .

Bees in Holland?

The mysterious vanishing of the honey bee and the potential havoc that could be unleashed by their disappearance have been causing quite a stir in scientific and farming communities around the country.  However, did you know that our very own Holland City Council has been discussing bees as well, specifically the issue of whether or not to allow beekeeping in our lovely city?  Herrick District Library has a wealth of resources to help you educate yourself on this very important issue. Check out our many books on this topic, as well as the very informative documentary, Vanishing of the Bees.

Discussion of the beekeeping ordinance here in Holland will ensue during the August 21st City Council Meeting, held at 7:00 pm at City Hall.  The public is welcome, so if you have an opinion on this hot topic, please make your voice heard.

Attention Book Groups

Grand Valley State University's Community Reading Project this year is The Distance Between Us: a Memoir by Reyna Grande.  The author tells about her early years in Mexico, living in poverty with her grandparents, while her parents live illegally in the United States, working to make money to improve their lives back home in Mexico.  Reyna eventually travels to the United States with her brother and sister and her father, who she soon finds out is an alcoholic.  She lives also with her father's new wife, and her father is abusive to the entire family.  Throughout the book the author's perseverance and strength shine through.

This book is available as a Book Group to Go bag for book groups.

Read with your children.  Note the word WITH.  For pre-readers this looks different than it does for readers but I still think WITH is important!

If you are sharing a book with a pre-reader be sure to stop often.  Talk about the pictures.  Talk about how the characters are feeling.  Ask what is going to happen next.  Be sure to wait for answers.  The younger the child, the longer you should wait.  If you are both taking turns talking you are doing it right!  The child should be contributing to the story.

For beginner readers try taking turns with the reading task.  Maybe they read the left hand page and you the right.  They will tire faster than you will so don’t force it.  We all love to be read to.  But do continue to stop often.  Talk about the pictures.  Talk about how the characters must feel.  Ask what they think will happen next.  Once again, you should both be contributing to the conversation so allow time for them to talk.

For readers maybe you could take turns with chapters.  But there is no need to force it, as I said previously.  They will most likely still like you to read to them.  But, once again, don’t just read.  Stop and talk about the book and what is happening.

If you happen to have a reader that thinks they are too old to be read to (Nonsense!  I’m old and I love to be read to!!) maybe you could both read the same book and chat about it after each couple of chapters.  Another great way to share the books would be to start a parent/child book club.  You could all read the same book and then come together to talk about it.

You may see a pattern here.  Your interaction with your child’s reading process will help build language usage skills, comprehension, and vocabulary!  You will build a stronger bond with your child and hopefully instill a love of reading in the process!

Games to Play in the Car

Playing games in the car together is a great way to explore sounds and letters and even some arithmetic.  Remember playing alphabet?  Everyone works on finding the letters in the alphabet, starting with "a" and ending with "z", on road signs, billboards, business signs, and license plates as you travel.  This simple game of finding letters as we look through our car windows is a way of not only recognizing the different letters, but it also points out the importance that these letter groups have in our lives.  They make up words that help us maneuver through this world.

Another fun game is "I spy".  This game can have many hats.  Sure, for the little ones, you can use colors.  "I see something red."  But how about spicing it up for preschoolers with "I spy something that rhymes with..." or "I spy something that begins with /m/ (m sound)..."?  

Once they understand the letter sounds, try going through the alphabet, taking turns and naming something that begins with each letter.  

Person 1: apple

Person 2: bag

Person 3: car

Person 1: dump truck 

etc.

Of course, on the second time through the alphabet you can't reuse any words used the first time through!

My grandchildren in California play a game spying Volkswagen bugs.  The new models are worth 1 point and the old models are worth 3.  Once a person has claimed a sighting they have dibs on those points.  Each person keeps track of their own score.  This is a memory exercise and an adding exercise.  I, personally, think that a VW bug convertible should get some bonus points!

What I like best about all of these games is that you can play them as a family!  They are fun and, through repetition and your encouragement, they are learning something!

Attention Book Groups

Marriage can be a real killer.

One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn has written a fast-paced book about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong.

On a warm summer day in North Carthage, Missouri, Nick's wife Amy mysteriously disappears.  As the reader soon finds out Nick is not the best husband in the world, the blame falls on Nick, but more surprises await, and one finds out Amy is not exactly an ideal wife.

Gillian Flynn delivers a dark thriller which is difficult to put down.

Available as a Book Group to Go Bag.

Attention Book Groups

Set in a Wisconsin town just after the Civil War, A Prayer for the Dying opens on a languid summer day; only slowly do events reveal themselves as sinister, as one neighbor after another succumbs to a creeping, always fatal disease.  Our sole witness to this epidemic is Jacob Hansen, Friendship's sheriff, undertaker and pastor.  As the disease engulfs the town, Jacob must find a humane way to govern, as well as take care of his wife and baby daughter.

Dark, poetic and chilling, A Prayer for the Dying asks if it's possible to be a good man in a time of madness.

It confirms what some readers have known all along: Stewart O'Nan is not merely one of the best young novelists in America, but one of the finest novelists of our time.  (description from publisher)

Available as a Book Group to Go Bag.

Summer Journaling

I’ve got another literacy tip to keep your child practicing their literacy skills in a fun way this summer.  Practicing their writing skills sounds like a chore but remembering the fun parts of the day can be appealing!  If you add taking pictures or drawing that makes it even better.

It’s not too late to encourage your child to keep a summer journal.  This is a good discipline that will strengthen writing skills and create a record of the summer.  Have them write one fun thing that they did that day or something funny that happened that day. They can draw pictures in the journal or add photographs.  Keep a journal yourself and share journal entries.  It’s a nice way to look back on the day together and talk about the good parts of your day.  These journals are also fun to go back and read in later years!

From Page to Screen--Catching FIre

I'd say it's the moment we've all been waiting for, but come on now--it's the trailer and in actuality, we still have to wait until November 22 for the movie.  Which is a bummer, but still, check this out:



Not bad for a teaser, eh?  It almost makes me wish we were closer to November, but then I think to myself... NAH!!!  It's July!  Go to the beach and read the book again, ya'll!
Happy Reading!

Reading is fun. Especially in the summer!

Keeping reading fun for kids through the summer  can be a challenge, but kids have a chance to do more leisure reading in the summer and you can take advantage of this.  They can read just for the fun of it and on any topic they choose!

Try making a weekly trip to the library together and let your child pick out books.  They may have interest in books that are too difficult for them to read on their own, but their interest can be a big motivator.  Try reading these books together.  Share the task and talk about the book together to ensure that they are understanding the content.  They also may pick books that are very easy for them.  This is not all bad.  Such books may give them confidence in their reading abilities.  Is there a younger child that they could share the book with?  

Even if your child is not reading yet, picking out their own books can be fun.  You can always sort out anything you might think is inappropriate before actually checking them out.  For many kids this is like going into a candy store and they can pick out whatever candy they want.  Yes, they do need some oversight!  

While you’re at the library pick out some books to read with your child at bedtime!  Don't forget that chapter books are great at bedtime for older children.  Read one or two chapters each night.  This is a good opportunity for the child to “re-cap” what has happened previously in the story before beginning each night.  Bedtime reading is great at any age.  We all want to know what’s going to happen next. I love being read to at nighttime and I’m not so young!  Is it bedtime yet??

Mix some reading into your Summer travels!

In my June 25 post I encouraged everyone to join one of our summer reading programs.  There are actually programs for everyone 0 – 100 years old  ... and older! 

Registering your child in a summer reading program is just one way that you can help them avoid the ”summer slide” where a child can actually lose reading skills if those skills are not exercised over the summer months.

There are other fun ways to keep them reading.  I’m planning to post some of my ideas on this topic in the coming weeks.  I am hoping you find some of the tips useful and fun!

Traveling this summer?  Check out a few books first.  We have books on Michigan and all the other states, other countries, wildlife, fishing, camping, bugs, outdoor sports, and much more.  This can make your trip more meaningful.  It may spark some latent interests!  Make it a family adventure and learn together.

Not traveling this summer?  Check out a few books and do some armchair travelling with your child!  You can go anywhere your imagination takes you!  Ancient Egypt, modern day China, France, Hawaii, Mars ...  You can even pick the weather!  This can be great fun.  Draw pictures of where you have traveled and write letters home to tell everyone about your activities and what a great time you are having!  Maybe you can even build a vehicle together for your travels.  Just imagine…..

Tom Rademacher at Herrick District Library!!

Our second author visit of the summer is but a week away!  Tom Rademacher, local legend of newspaper fame and master storyteller of the people around us, will be speaking on Tuesday night (that's the 16th) at 7:00 in the auditorium at the downtown library.
In case you aren't familiar with his work, Tom has written two books, Splitting Wood and Knocking at Your Door. His writing is best known for engagingly profiling stories of Western Michiganders both struggling and soaring--you might even find your neighbors featured in his work.
Mr. Rademacher's reputation for being a showman precedes him as we are told that he not only reads from his work, he is also a masterful harmonica player, forever ready to exhibit his talent!  Join us for the fun!
Tom will be available for signing after his talk, and his books will be available for sale the night of his talk.
See you there!

Splish Splash at HAC!

Did you know that we have Herrick Literacy Heroes who volunteer to go to the Holland Community Aquatic Center once a month to read at the Splish Splash Story Times?  On the first Monday of each month meet Miss Debbie or Miss Lori for some great stories, songs, and fingerplays!  We’re not sure who has more fun, the kids or the readers! 

They meet from 9:30 am to 10:00 am. at the Aquatic Center. That’s just before the preschool swim time which runs from 10:00 to noon.  It’s a great opportunity to exercise their brains as well as their bodies!  For more information see the Holland Aquatic Center’s informative flyer here.

This is just one of the many ways that our Literacy Heroes read with kids in our community.  They are doing great things!  If you like to read with kids, and have some time to volunteer, you may want to consider joining the team.   Our next training sessions for Literacy Heroes will be in September on the 23rd and 30th!  Mark your calendars and watch for more information on our website starting in August.

It's not too late!

Registrations for the children and teens reading programs will be available for most of the summer on our website or at the library.  We would like to encourage you to register your child, or set some reading goals for him/her, to help them keep their reading skills strong over the summer.  Make it fun! 

Story times continue through the summer and we are also offering some great special programs including a visit from the Traveling John Ball Zoo, Kalamazoo Nature Center, and Drummunity.  Get the details on our website or stop by to pick up an events calendar!

Attention Book Groups

In this powerful book two Pulitzer Prize winners, Nicholas Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn, issue a call to arms against our era's most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women in the developing world. They show that a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad and that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women's potential.  Available as a Book Group to Go Bag.
(description from Novelist)

PRIDE Comes to Holland

Holland PRIDE Festival June 29th

The LGBT PRIDE Festival arrives in Holland on June 29th, kicking off in Centennial Park at 1:00 and finishing at the Park Theater in the evening.  This will be the city's first outdoor PRIDE celebration!  Check out the schedule of events and be a part of history in the making.

You may not be aware that Herrick has a collection of LGBT films available for checkout.  They range from lighthearted comedies (like Kinky Boots and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), to international classics (check out Deepa Mehta's Fire, or the French masterpiece Ma Vie en Rose), to recent acquisitions (such as Albert Nobbs, Yossi, Yossi & Jagger, and In the Family).  Link to our catalog for a complete listing of LGBT films at Herrick.

Wade Rouse is Coming!!!

This is me, playing it casual....
"So...got plans for Tuesday night?"
"Nah."
"Want to go hear Wade Rouse speak at the library?"
"Wade Rouse? The guy that's on Michigan Radio?"
"That's him! Did you know that Writer's Magazine named him as the #2 person, dead or alive, that they'd like to have drinks with? He was behind Ernest Hemingway, but I think he got robbed."
"Agreed. Hemingway's hygiene would make drinks with him a grotesque misadventure."
"Seriously. I read At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream after they recommended it on The Today Show, but only after It's All Relative did I truly understand the beauty of boxed wine."
"He is a wise man.  So, when did you say he's going to be at the library?"
"Tuesday, June 25th at 7pm. He's signing books afterward."

And this is what I really want to say....
OH MY GOSH!!!  WADE ROUSE IS COMING!!!  WADE ROUSE, EVERYBODY!!!!  YOU HAVE TO COME! HE'S A BLAST!!!  AND SERIOUSLY, ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET!!!

Uh, right.  So....see you Tuesday night?

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.

To the Lighthouse . . . But Only on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Visit Tuesday or Thursday Only

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, access to Big Red Lighthouse will be restricted, according to the Holland Sentinel.  Residents will only be able to access the lighthouse from the south side on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  New housing is being erected, and it seems that there are concerns about trespassing and security.

So, for all of you avid bikers and hikers, all of you that enjoy walking your dogs, all of you lovers who enjoy a Lake Michigan sunset over our iconic Holland landmark . . . make sure you consult your calendars before heading out to Big Red.  Oh . . . and one more thing: make sure you don't plan on staying for longer than one hour.

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 governs the current policies pertaining to the running of Big Red, since the transfer of the property to the non-profit organization, Holland Harbor Lighthouse Historical Commission. The following excerpt, concerning accessibility to the Lighthouse, is quoted verbatim from the actual Preservation Act of 2000:

 “NHLPA recognizes the cultural, recreational, and educational value associated with historic light station properties by allowing these to be transferred at no cost to federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit corporations, educational agencies, and community development organizations. These entities must agree to comply with conditions set forth in NHLPA, and be financially able to maintain the historic light station. The eligible entity to which the historic light station is conveyed must make the station available for education, park, recreation, cultural or historic preservation purposes for the general public at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions.”

It begs the question, what is reasonable?  If you would like to sign a petition that seeks to reinstate less restrictive, perhaps more reasonable, public access to Big Red, sign here.