Gold Star Books

If you have been in the Children's Room lately, you probably had to walk around our shiny new display, the Gold Star Books. We put it where most people walk to make it hard to miss…... as if all the gold stars won't catch your attention!

It is stuffed with staff picks. By looking at the bookmark inside, you can see which staff member recommended it.  A few of the books won awards, some are our top favorites, and the rest are books that make us say, "Oh, I liked that one, I want someone else to find it!"  If you read one, let us know what you think about it!

~Jan

Historical Fantasy

Do you enjoy reading fantasy? What about historical fiction? If you’re a fan of both, you might enjoy one of these historical fantasies, books that have fantastic elements but which are based on historical events. Some books are set in a place almost the same as our world, and some are quite different, but all of them are pretty great!


For adults:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke: English magic has died out, or so everyone thinks. Those who call themselves magicians are scholars of magic, rather than practitioners. It is a shock for everyone when a gentleman named Gilbert Norrell demonstrates undoubtable magical ability. Eventually he takes a pupil named Jonathan Strange, whose approach is as different from Mr. Norrell’s as night from day. This book tells their story, in effortless and beautiful prose.

His Majesty’s Dragon, and sequels, by Naomi Novik: Best described as Master and Commander with dragons, His Majesty’s Dragon follows the British Navy’s Captain Laurence as he unwillingly becomes a dragon captain. Full of adventure and intrigue, this is a great series!

The Curse of Chalion, and sequels, by Lois McMaster Bujold: Three in a planned five-book series, the Chalion books take place in a world roughly analogous to early Renaissance Spain. There are plenty of courtly intrigues and a few good battles, and even a little bit of romance.




For teens:

Chime by Franny Billingsley: I know I’ve already said I enjoyed Chime a lot. One of the reasons for that is the fantastic setting, which takes its inspiration from the atmosphere of the English fen country in the early 1900s. That sounds kind of boring, but it’s a great way to look at a changing world, with an added sense of gloomy atmosphere and tension.

Foundling, and sequels, by D.M. Cornish: Probably geared toward younger teens, Cornish tells the story of Rossamünd, a Foundling in the Half-Continent, a world something like Baroque Europe. Cornish spent years inventing this world, and his work shows. He’s also a skilled artist whose drawings add depth and realism to the story.

The Thief, and sequels, by Megan Whalen Turner: This is one of my all-time favorite series, so I take every chance I can to mention it. But really, it’s also a great example of historical fantasy, with a meticulously-detailed world based on Byzantine Greece. With plenty of twists and surprises, plus awesome characters, this is definitely one to check out!

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell: A neat book by an Indianapolis author! Set in the high society of Baltimore in 1889, The Vespertine tells the story of a girl who is not what she seems to be. Mitchell nails the voice from the beginning of the book and I totally bought the romance. A nice blend of authentic detail and contemporary drama.




For younger readers:

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and sequels, by Joan Aiken: This book is the first in the series of the same name. In an England that never was, wolves are crossing the ice to threaten London. Meanwhile Sylvia must escape from an orphanage with the help of Simon the gooseboy. Madcap fun.

The Cabinet of Wonders, and sequels, by Marie Rutkoski: Set in 17th century Prague, The Cabinet of Wonders and its sequels tell the story of Petra Kronos, daughter of a master metal-worker whose ability to work metal with his mind lands him on the wrong side of the mad Prince of Bohemia. Petra is a fantastic, spunky character, and Rutkoski writes a chilling, thrilling story.

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis: Set in Regency England, this is the story of Kat Stephenson, the youngest of three sisters. While Elissa and Angeline try to be proper young ladies, Kat doesn’t care for polite society, or its decrees that magic is improper. Kat is a great character and her trials and tribulations are at times hilariously funny.





~Maureen

Cozy Mysteries

There’s nothing I like better than to curl up with a good, curious mystery book.  Whether it’s during my lunch break, on the couch in the evening, just before bed, on an airplane, on the beach, in a waiting room…doesn’t matter where.  I love a good murder mystery!

The literary establishment calls them “cozy mysteries”.  I call them entertaining.  A brief step out of reality.  Not only do I get to work on honing my detective skills while reading, I often learn a new recipe or tip for brewing a good cup of tea.  My husband thinks the titles are funny—like Scones and Bones,  Hail to the Chef or Scrub-a-Dub Dead.

Two websites that are especially good for finding cozy mysteries are:

www.stopyourekillingme.com  and  www.cozy-mystery.com

www.stopyourekillingme.com

www.cozy-mystery.com

Both places will help you find authors to read, find the books in chronological order (a must-have if you’re reading an authors series), and alert you to upcoming titles and new authors.  Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library belongs to Evergreen, which means if you can’t locate a title in our collection, you can most likely find one at another Evergreen library and have it sent here for you!

Some of my favorite cozy mystery authors are:

• Susan Wittig Albert
• Maggie Barbieri
• M. C. Beaton
• Laura Childs
• Barbara Colley
• Cleo Coyle
• Mary Daheim
• Diane Mott Davidson
• Joanne Fluke
• Earlene Fowler
• Julie Hyzy
• Leslie Meier
• Ann Purser
• Cynthia Riggs

(And yes, I know…they’re all female writers!)

If you’re in the mood for something light, fun, and entertaining—why not try a cozy mystery?  If you need a suggestion, I’ll be glad to help!

~Reann

Be the First to Know!

A Checklist for Identifying the First-To-Know Syndrome:
 Check all that apply.

__YES __NO  1. Do you envy those who just seem to know when the latest and greatest books first come out?
__YES __NO  2. Do you look forward to each Tuesday, hoping to be the first to nab the latest DVD releases?
__YES __NO  3. Do you find yourself hunting for something to read with little time to browse?
__YES __NO  4. Do you wish you were first in line for that new Jodi Picoult/James Patterson/Sandra Brown book?
__YES __NO  5. Do you have a hard time keeping up with the newest movie, music, and book releases? 


If you checked 'YES' to one or more of the above symptoms, there is a high possibility that you have what is known as First-To-Know Syndrome. First-To-Know Syndrome typically affects consumers of media (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) who enjoy anywhere from 1 book/CD/DVD per year to 5 or more per day. Symptoms can affect anyone of any age. The Syndrome, if untreated, can persist for weeks.

But wait! The Plainfield Library has a cure for that!

Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library now provides you with access to all the library's latest purchases so you can be the first to know! You can be first-to-know in any of these ways:

1. Stop by the library's homepage www.plainfieldlibrary.net, and scroll down until you see the New Book Alerts logo (pictured above). Click it and browse to see the latest new stuff!
2. Bookmark this address on your personal computer. Check it out occasionally when you have time!
3. Visit this website, then enter your email address into the 'Subscribe' box near the top right of the screen. You'll receive a periodic email newsletter with our latest releases!

Enjoy!

Meet Miss Mary Puppet: An Interview with Jan's Puppet

Miss Mary Puppet and her special quilt

We recently decided to interview Jan’s friend Miss Mary Puppet.

Us: Hi, Miss Mary! Let’s cut to the chase. What’s your story?

Miss Mary: (waving) Hi back! Right now my main thing is helping Jan do the Fabulous Fours & Fives program in the Great Beginnings Series.

Us: That’s the Early Literacy series of programs, isn’t it? Tell us about it.

Miss Mary: Sure, there are different program series for babies, one-year-olds, 2 & 3-year olds, and 4 & 5-year-olds. Babies are a lot different than five-year-olds, so the programs are different too. The Children’s Room people are always learning more about the best ways to do those programs. You could probably ask them if you want to know more about it. I know it’s educational but it just seems fun to me. That’s the idea, I guess.

Us: Interesting! How do you help?

Miss Mary: I always start the program by waving or saying hello, it’s a great welcome for the kids who are new. I love it when they wave or say hi back! We all have a little chat about the stories or something about the program. Sometimes I even lead the first song.

Us: Sounds fun. Do you listen to the stories too?

Miss Mary: Oh, sure. After my part I sit on my special quilt and enjoy the rest of the program. I love it all, especially the stories… and the Dance Along Gong Song at the end. It’s always fun to say hello to new friends.

Us: Why do you call your quilt special?

Miss Mary: Jan’s daughter made it for me a long, long time ago. It is yellow with buttons sewn on it.

Us: Have you known Jan a long time? You seem to work well together.

Miss Mary: I’ve known her since… practically forever. I guess I have been helping her for 20 years or more, pretty long. Before that I was a stuffed animal. That was a great job too. Jan bought me at a garage sale, washed me, and took out the stuffing. Then I could finally get a job where I move my hands!

Us: Wait, so you have been here for 20 years?

Miss Mary: Or more, yes. It sounds like a long time but Jan has been here doing programs for 26 years – and this isn’t even her first library! Sometimes she schedules a vacation for me and sends in another puppet, Zelda or Luna Bella, they like to get a chance too.

Us: It sounds like you have a great career at the library.

Miss Mary: I sure do. Being a favorite teddy bear and then becoming a puppet… who could ask for anything more?

Us: Thanks for telling us about your job, Miss Mary.

Miss Mary: Before we are done, can I add a *special hello* to my 4 & 5-year-old friends, and to my older friends who used to come to the programs?

Us: Of course.

Miss Mary Puppet: (waves) Hello!


Are you familiar with Miss Mary Puppet? Have you ever been to a program with her or with Jan? Comment below and let us know; we're sure they would both love to hear of it!

Michelle is a Cookbook Junkie!

I am a cookbook junkie. I probably read cookbooks more than I actually cook. Not sure what that says about me, but I digress. I do love cooking though, and it makes me sad that some people don’t like to do something as simple as feeding themselves healthy eats that don’t come out of a box. Here is a list of a few cookbooks that make it super simple to make yourself a great meal that doesn’t consist of ramen or powdered cheese! By the way, this is not by any means an all-inclusive list. Many of these books are available here at the library, but some are not. But never fear! You can still place these titles on hold using your library card number. Other libraries in the consortium that have them can ship them here for you to pick up!

1. How to Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food by Mark Bittman. Start here. Don’t know how to boil water? Bittman will give you directions, and even a picture. Not. Even. Joking. This book is a clearly written, easy guide to many everyday foods.

2. Anyone Can Cook! and Anyone Can Bake! By Better Homes and Gardens. These books are similar to your Grandmother’s BHG red and white checkerboard cookbook only in title. The Anyone! books concisely guide one through the recipe, and even have an Ask Mom list on the bottom of each page for reference.

3. Semi-Homemade: The Complete Cookbook by Sandra Lee. Ms. Lee is one of the “celebrity chefs” who actually teaches people how to cook the way people are, well, actually going to cook. She uses 80% prepared ingredients, and 20% fresh ingredients, so if the phrase chop an onion makes you hyperventilate, Sandra won’t judge, and will allow you to buy pre-chopped veggies.

4. The PDQ Vegetarian Cookbook: 240 Healthy and Easy No-Prep Recipes for Busy Cooks,  and Supermarket Vegan, both by Donna Klein. I have listed these both for those lazy veggie people out there (myself included). These are the best veg cookbooks I have read. Klein uses readily available ingredients to whip up some delicious meals…no extra trip to Trader Joe’s needed…even though we all know we’ll go anyway for the Two Buck Chuck.

5. Everyday Food: Fresh, Fast, Flavorful and Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Living. Don’t mistake these with Martha’s other cookbooks unless you’re feeling saucy and want to make a four-course Thanksgiving dinner (no-thank-you). These books are compilations of recipes in the Everyday Food magazine (which is great as well). Recipes are simple; the hardest part will be gathering the ingredients. If you aren’t a cook, you may not have paprika just hanging out in the spice cabinet. Well, you probably don’t even have a spice cabinet…but anyway….onward!

6. Fix it and Forget It series by Phyllis Pellman Good. If you don’t cook, slow cookers will be your best friend. This series of books reads like a church cookbook: the recipes are from ladies (and a few gentlemen) around the nation, and are all compiled for your crockpot pleasure in these books. Most of the recipes consist of 1) Get the ingredients together, and 2) Turn the slow cooker on and wait. Almost as easy as takeout.

Happy cooking! You can do it! When your meal turns out well, let me know. (If you make cookies, feel free to, you know, share!)

-Michelle

Who Else Loves Traveling?

Traveling has always been a big hobby of mine. I'm always looking for new places to travel. From the beaches of Puerto Vallarta to the streets of London, I enjoy seeing the sites and learning about other cultures.

Books have always been a great source of information for my travels. Books allow you to find information quickly, sometimes even faster than websites. When I travel around the States, I also use the Chamber of Commerce web sites as a way to explore towns before I get there. These town web sites give you a glance at the most important local attractions to visit.

Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library's open source integrated library system, Evergreen, has broadened my horizons as to what types of travel material I can get. Adding so many libraries together on one system allows for a huge amount of material to be transferred from one library to another. This summer I will be heading to Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Vancouver, Canada. I have checked out several DVDs and books about these destinations from our library. I use the Internet here at the library to search for more information. Using my college degree in Travel and Hospitality has allowed me to dig even deeper into travel information. One of my college books has invaluable world travel information. So: books and web sites help us explore different places in our world. Betty White says, "In a world where technology has taken over way we read, it is always comforting to physically hold a book."

David Loves to Travel! - photo slideshow

Dave