Library Notes Week of September 21

Summer Reading is officially over and was great fun. If you had a student who participated and completed the required number of hours to finish, they need to stop by and pick up a free paperback. If you are not sure if they “finished” the names are listed by the paperbacks. We also want to congratulate Heather Henriksen who won the drawing for a bike and helmet. Another winner was Amanda Grant who participated in the teen program. She won a basket full of gift certificates, a movie, candy and other fun stuff.


Our Children’s Specialist, KJ Cooper has provided the reviews this week. These are some of the latest young adult and juvenile books the library has on its shelves.

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti. This cautionary tale about a family of women with the worst collective luck with relationships rings true. The action surrounds Quinn, a seventeen year old girl who is just dumped by her boyfriend who she doesn’t even like that much. Quinn discovers that her father (who has just begun taking an interest in her and her little sister) stole more than the hearts of the women in his life. Quinn contacts her older half-sister and together with her younger sister and an gorgeous guy, set out to restore treasures to their rightful owners

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow. Using the name Lillith Saintcrow, the author has written two adult fantasy series. In her first book for Young Adults, she introduces sixteen-year-old Dru Anderson. Dru and her dad travel the land hunting dangerous supernatural beings (wulfen, blood suckers and zombies to name a few). She is more of a Harry Potter than a Bella Swan (even though she is dealing with vampires and werewolves and is in the center of a potential love-triangle), Dru is tough and can take care of herself or so she thinks until her father comes back from a hunt a changed “man”.

Stolen by Vivian Vande Velde. The main character is running in the woods, but she has no idea why. For that matter, she doesn’t remember any part of her life before that point. Then she hears the dogs. The girl is taken in by an older couple who have six year old Ravyn living with them. As they nurse her back to health after being attacked by the dogs, she learns of the disappearance of another child, Isabel, six years before, a baby who just disappeared (both from the same family) and the witch who lived in the woods who is blamed for both disappearances. Word gets around the village and Isabel’s parents come to claim her and take her home where she meets her suspicious eighteen year old sister, Honey.

Library Notes Week of August 31st

School is right around the corner. If you have a student in the La Conner School District be aware that we have some fantastic homework help links on our web page. The World Book Reference Center and American Indian History Online are great resources for students (and adults). You will need a password, but just give us a call and we can give it to you. The Rotary Club of La Conner pays for these two resources annually and we appreciate their support.

If you need a new read, stop by and check out one of these books.

The Moon Looked Down by Dorothy Garlock. When WWII breaks out, many Americans find their lives turned upside down, few more so than the Heller family. Seeking refuge from Hitler-controlled Germany, the Hellers had moved to smalltown Victory, Ill., only to find themselves, 10 years later, suspected by their neighbors of being Nazis. Feeling the threat to her family grow, headstrong 20-year-old Sophie Heller also feels powerless to stop it; soon, however, she meets a handsome, similarly frustrated schoolteacher named Cole Ambrose, whose bad leg prevents him from enlisting. Their instant attraction is, naturally defied by racist townsfolk bent on keeping them apart by whatever means necessary.

Guardian of Lies by Steve Martini. Katia, who's living with creepy Emerson Pike, a man old enough to be her grandfather, in a dilapidated estate surrounded by an expensive security fence, decides to return home to Costa Rica. In her flight, she just misses running into the legendary assassin known as the Mexecutioner, who sneaks into Pike's house.

Gone to the Dogs by Mary Guterson. Twenty something Rena, part-time Jew and full-time waitress, is depressed and moping after being dumped for another woman. In a mad moment, she steals her ex’s dog, and in the process of caring for Big Guy, she starts to recover from her depression and realizes it’s time to move on from her college apartment, job, and lifestyle.

Library Notes week of August 10

We have had a great time this summer with the various summer reading activities. One that is great fun is Reading with Lukas. Lukas is a trained reading buddy dog who is coming to the library every Tuesday morning from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Children in grade school can sign up for 10 minutes of reading aloud to Lucas. Studies show that this simple act can improve kids reading skills since he is a noncritical listener. Call us to sign up your child.

This week KJ, our Children’s Specialist, has provided us with some book reviews of recent young adult titles.

Michele Obama; An American Story by David Colbert. In 151 pages, this biography gives you a quick overview of our newest First Lady’s life and helps you understand the woman behind the President. Descended from an illiterate slave, the Robinsons emphasized the importance of an education, so both Michelle and her brother excelled in school. Instead of parlaying her Ivy League degree into a lucrative career as a lawyer, Michelle chose to work to better her community and now, the country.

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. This is Ms. Berry’s first novel and it shows great promise. Lucinda Chapdelaine lost her parents and their wealthy lifestyle at a young age. She was sent to live with her uncle (by marriage) and his second wife to live a Cinderella-like existence in their jewelry shop. Enter a mysterious lady with an even more mysterious gem stone, a prince and a thief. What ensues is a life-threatening adventure with underlying enchantment and romance that keeps you turning pages and wanting more.

Killer—a Pretty Little Liars Book by Sara Shepard. Hanna, Aria, Spencer and Emily are the liars for whom this series is named. Their lives of privilege are disrupted once again by murder…or is it? The body didn’t stay put long enough for law enforcement to record it. Their nemesis, an unknown texter named “A” threatens that Spencer could be next if she doesn’t figure things out. Reader reviews call this installment the best one yet. Warning: these books are not “stand-alones.” To really understand what is going on, you need to read the series.

Library Notes Week of July 13

We have some great programs coming up. Don’t miss Kimmy the Clown, July 14, 10 a.m. at the library. Kimmy enjoys encouraging children and adults to explore their imaginations and creativity, thus bringing a multitude of smiles and laughter! Making people comfortable in social settings and filling the room with laughter has always been one of Kimmy's attributes. Her high energy and bubbly personality is one that can charm any crowd; babies, young children, teens and adults!

Then we have Jennifer Bradbury, July 22, 11 a.m. at the High School Library. Jennifer Bradbury is an English teacher living in Burlington. She has written a popular teen book called Shift. Jennifer will be doing a writing workshop for our teens.

KJ has supplied the reviews this week. If you have someone interested in Young Adult books, recommend one of these.

Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus. At a grand old age of 16, Miley Cyrus has written her memoirs (at least she recognizes she’s got a lot of life yet to live). This collection of her thoughts and memories is written in a chatty style reminiscent of notes passed in history class. Fans of Hannah Montana aka Miley Stewart aka Miley Cyrus will enjoy this glimpse into her real world.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. When Nobody Owens’ family is murdered, Bod was toddling out of the house into the nearby graveyard. He is raised and educated by ghosts and a guardian who moves between the worlds of the living and the dead. Gaiman was inspired by Kipling’s classic, The Jungle Book and the chapters are a series of episodes as Bod grows from a baby to a teen. The Graveyard Book combines ghost story with a coming of age novel to the delight of readers who like quirky and creepy fare.

Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty. The fifth and final installment of the McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series starts with her running into ex-boyfriend Marcus Flutie. This finale takes place at the Newark Airport and centers around Jessica and Marcus. It is the only book of the series that is told in the third person, giving the reader the opportunity to understand Marcus without Jessica’s filters. Most of the book is conversation and that may put off some readers, but most agree this is a satisfactory conclusion to the series.

Sign up now to get a part in the Teen Murder Mystery Party – Death of a Vampire. The party is Friday, August 7th, 6:30 p.m. at the La Conner Regional Library. Pizza, pop and frights will be part of the evening.

Library Notes Week of June 29th

We are looking forward to the 4th of July parade this Saturday. I think the Friends of the Library will have an entry pushing some book carts and with any luck we will have a couple of people holding the library’s summer reading banner to remind everyone that children need to be reading this summer. Hope to see you there!

Stop in and check out a book from our new book shelf. Here are a few you
might be interested in.

Knockout by Catherine Coulter. FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock have their hands full when Savich is caught in a bank holdup near his Washington, D.C., home. The vicious attack leaves the criminal leader dead and his injured teen daughter swearing revenge. She manages to escape, leading the FBI on a bloody chase.

A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell. It’s 1931 in Berlin, and though the Weimar Republic has begun to crumble, the celebrated decadence of the era remains in full flower. Hannah Vogel is a crime reporter, on intimate terms with Berlin’s underbelly, but that doesn’t protect her from the shock of seeing her brother’s picture posted in the police department’s Hall of the Unnamed Dead. She’s reluctant to make a formal identification until she knows what happened to him; scandal may lurk behind his death, as Ernst was a cross-dressing cabaret star whose list of male lovers included at least one Nazi leader.

Fugitive by Phillip Margolin. Oregon attorney Amanda Jaffe takes on the case of a lifetime when she is tapped to defend Charlie Marsh, aka Guru Gabriel Sun. Marsh was a prisoner whose freedom came when he saved the life of a guard during a riot. He then changed his name and published a book in which he spoke of how you, too, could achieve personal transformation. The public ate it up, especially the wife of a U.S. congressman. After the congressman’s murder, both his wife and Marsh stood trial for the crime. Before the verdict was read, though, Marsh escaped, landing in Batanga, Africa. When Marsh finds he might be caught for bedding one of the tyrant’s wives he realizes that a trial in the U.S. bodes better for him than punishment at the hands of Batanga’s cruel ruler.

Library Notes Week of June 15

School is out (or should be soon) and it is vacation time. I hope you plan on stopping
by the library and checking out a book, video or maybe an audio book. If you need help the staff can always give you a recommendation. Next week they are headed to a two day class where they will get some reference training. I am sure they will come back with lots of great ideas on how to serve our patrons better.

You Can Observe a Lot by Watching by Yogi Berra. Berra and coauthor Kaplan have penned this charming book about teamwork. In anecdote after anecdote about his legendary career with the Yankees, his not-so-legendary career as a manager, and his days growing up on the streets of St. Louis, Berra shows how respect and cooperation made him a success on the field and in life. Lessons include the importance of punctuality, owning one's mistakes, and a positive attitude.

What’s Age Got to do With It? by Robin McGraw. Robin McGraw, wife of television talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw, receives thousands of emails from women asking her what she does to look and feel so vibrant, energetic and healthy at the age of 55. It all started back in Robin's twenties and thirties when pivotal moments in her life made her realize that if she did not put her health and well-being first, no one else would.

The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirstin Downey. Frances Perkins is no longer a household name, yet she was one of the most influential women of the twentieth century. Based on eight years of research, extensive archival materials, new documents, and exclusive access to Perkins’s family members and friends, this biography is the first complete portrait of a devoted public servant with a passionate personal life, a mother who changed the landscape of American business and society.

Library Notes week of May 4

I hope you remember to use our website from home. From our catalog you can check on when your books are due, renew books, and place holds from the comfort of your own home—24 hours per day!! We have other items on there as well. If you go to the program page you can see what some of the Summer Reading Programs are going to be. We have some great events scheduled. Oh and for you gals who attended our tea party last year we have scheduled another tea party for Sunday, May 31st. Look for more information soon!!

If you enjoy reading non-fiction, here are a few of the latest titles to arrive.

Selling Your Father’s Bones by Brian Schofield. This account of the Nez Percé's trials is a painful tale well told. British journalist Schofield writes a history of this Columbia River Valley tribe down to its present-day remnant, confined to a modest Idaho reservation. Casting a wide net, he also describes white settlement in the northwest, emphasizing its devastation of wildlife, soil, rivers and forests.

The Last Good Nights by John West. The Last Goodnights provides a unique, powerful, and unflinching look inside the reality of one of the most galvanizing issues of our time: assisted suicide. Told with intensity and bare honesty, John West’s account of the deaths of two brave people is gritty and loving, frightening and illuminating, nerve-wracking and even, at times, darkly humorous.

The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama by Gwen Ifill. Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama (all interviewed for this book), and also covers numerous up-and-coming figures from across the nation.