The Aurora Farmers Fair is fast approaching! Yay! Fair food! This is just a reminder that the Aurora Public Library and the Local History Library @ the Depot will be operating under different hours during the fair.
The Dillsboro Public Library’s hours of operation will remain the same. The entire Aurora Public Library District will also be closed on Monday, October 8 for Columbus Day, so make sure you plan accordingly. If you have any questions, stop in or give one of the branches a call!
First published in 2008, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has made its way to the small, streaming screen of Netflix just this year. I noticed it when I was scrolling through, looking for something to watch, and knew I had to read the book first before I watched the movie. I’m annoying like that.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows takes place just after the end of World War II in 1946. Parts of London remain piles of rubble and people still wait for loved ones to return from the prison camps they were sent to overseas. The war in its entire horror has not yet been realized by the characters, but life still goes on. Juliet Ashton is engaged in a cross-country tour of England, promoting the book she wrote under her pen name, Izzy Bickerstaff. The book is a compilation of the columns she wrote about life during World War II, and despite the success of it, Juliet wishes to retire her pen name and write something of substance under her own name.
While trying to come up with a book idea of her own, Juliet receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a complete stranger, who lives on the island of Guernsey and has come into possession of her old copy of Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb. Dawsey requests more information about the author and any other information and news Juliet can give him since the Nazis cut off all communication with the world outside of the island for five years during the German Occupation. Dawsey also mentions that he’s a part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which immediately piques Juliet’s interest. Thus begins a correspondence between Juliet, Dawsey, and other members of the society and their adventures during the war.
The premise of the novel itself is unique, but so is the epistolary format in which it is told. In other words, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is told completely in letters between the various characters, making it a super quick and entertaining read. The Netflix film features big-ticket names like Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Courtenay, and Penelope Wilton. I can’t wait to see it! (And compare/contrast/dissect every way in which the book is different; I’m annoying like that.)
Happy Reading! (And Watching!)
A new picture book, Dreamers by Yuyi Morales relate the story of the author’s move to the United States, but is also an inspirational tribute to the value that Public Libraries add to a community. Imagine the power of coming to a new country and discovering a world of books that can be explored and even checked out free of charge! Morales shares these two powerful statements in the author’s note at the end of the story. “One of the most important things I learned at the library is that through books we can find our path and our purpose. . . Kelly and I were Dreamers in the sense that all immigrants are Dreamers: we enter a new country carried by hopes and dreams, and carrying our own special gifts, to build a better future.”
Reading this beautiful book reminded me of two other inspiring picture books that highlight the services Public Libraries have provided for immigrants through the decades.
Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora relates the true story of a special relationship between a librarian and the son of migrant farm workers. Tomas Rivera went on to become the first minority Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside.
The Storyteller’s Candle by Lucia M. Gonzalez introduces Pura Belpre, the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library system. This warmhearted Spanish/English bilingual story adopts the perspectives of two children who are inspired by Belpre to enter a library for the very first time. There is now an annual award given by the American Library Association named for Pura Belpre; the award honors outstanding authors and illustrators who portray Latino culture in books for children.
Both the Aurora Public Library and the Dillsboro Public Library have hundreds of books combined. Though our collection is quite extensive and filled with every kind of book, there’s no possible way to have every single book in the world ever published. So thankfully we have a service called Inter-library loan.
Our ILL service gives our members access to a much wider range of materials than normally possible.
Any patron in good standing who has a membership that includes borrowing privileges.
Books, audio-books, movies, seasons, etc.
If we can get the item from within our state, there isn’t a charge!
Occasionally, we won’t be able to find an item and in this case any item received from out of state will carry a postage charge that depends on the material’s size and its weight. You are able to specify whether you’d like to avoid charges at the time of your request.
If the desired material is part of our Library’s current collection, we will not borrow it from another library.
However, if we have a title in Large Print and you would like it to be in regular print, we are able to borrow the title that way. As well as wishing for a title that is in regular print in large print.
If the material is less than six months old, many libraries will not lend it out. In many cases, we will add the material to our collection request.
*A collection request is a database we keep for any books that you wish for the library to purchase that is newer than six months old. We may or may not purchase the material depending on a vary of reasons.
Many ILL’s will take 7-14 business days to arrive, if you need the material sooner than that, it may be wise to consider another alternative.
When your loan has arrived, you will receive a notification from your preferred method (normally a phone call).
If you do receive a material from out of state, a charge will be placed on your account with an explanation.
Just like any other item within our collection, you will be responsible to return your item.
Late fees may apply.
Occasionally, a library will allow a renewal. If you are in need of a renewal, please contact the Aurora Library or the Dillsboro Library before the date your item is due.
We can give up to a week renewal while waiting for a reply back from the current lending library.
Because the materials are owned by other Libraries, it is important to return the materials in a timely manner. The due dates are generally determined by the lending library and can be as long as a month or as short as two weeks. Any fines/fees due to the material being returned late will be determined by the lending library and will be charged to you.
If you know exactly what item you would like, you are more than welcome to fill out our form on our website or come in or call either branch to request an ILL today!
If you request a DVD, the DVD will not count towards our DVD limit. This is the same for TV shows, as well.
Example: You request Lady Bird, and we receive the DVD from another library. You can still also check out two other DVD’s from our library.
There isn’t anything I don’t love about Cassandra Clare’s Prequel Series The Infernal Devices. The love triangle between Tessa, Jem, and Will is a story for anyone! If you’re like me, then at the end you’ll give your heart to these characters, you’ll laugh with them and even cry with them. I loved this series, and I’m guessing if you’re reading this article then you loved this series too! If you are still broken hearted over the ending of the series, here are 5 books that will help you move on from the heartache!
Lauren Kate captured my heart and soul with her series, Fallen. I have always been one that liked to read about past lives and loves so when I read the summary to the first book, I couldn’t keep from opening it up and falling in love with all the characters in this series.
The reason why this series is similar to the Infernal Devices is because of the paranormal fantasy part of it, the love story, as well as the boarding school that both authors incorporated within their story. I particularly adore both of the love triangles though in Fallen the love triangle is more in the first book than the others. I love the difference in both of the series too! Plus, have you seen the covers?!
Amanda Hocking has always been one of my favorite authors. All of her stories are unique and capture my heart in so many different ways! So much so that I recently just bought two of her series! Amanda’s trilogy Trylle has always been a beloved trilogy of mine and one that I’ve gone back to several times to reread!
Besides the paranormal fantasy and the love triangle, another reason why this trilogy is so similar to the Infernal Devices series is because of the uniqueness of the story. Besides the different world aspect, it also has imaginary creatures and two beautiful worlds that the main character is caught between! Did I mention she is a lost princess?
I haven’t read many of Julie Kagawa’s books but her series The Iron Fey really captured me. First, the cover was just so beautiful that it drew me in to pick up the book! Secondly, the story of Meghan was just so amazingly written that I couldn’t not read this series.
Once again, we have paranormal fantasy and a love triangle. Though, this book is perhaps maybe more like Amanda Hocking’s trilogy, Trylle, because of it’s faery theme, it also reminds me some of Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices because both Meghan and Tessa are eerily similar in many ways. They both feel different, they’re both magical, and they both are used as pawns in their stories.
Many people know Gena Showalter from her paranormal romance, the Lords of the Underworld but she recently just finished a series called Everlife. Tenley’s story was so unique and different that I couldn’t help but love it.
Besides the one common denominator, this story has realms instead of worlds and in order to enter a realm you have to die. Besides the worlds, Everlife and the Infernal Devices are both roughly set around a school or in the Everlife series, an Asylum. Though, there is somewhat of a love triangle, but it’s a difficult and confusing one to explain. The series is also very action packed and detailed which helps it to imagine the story.
Mother-Daughter duo P.C. and Kristin Cast aren’t as popular as the other authors in this list, but their series House of Night, are international bestsellers! The House of Night series follows Zoey Redbird as she is marked as a fledging (possible vampyre) and moves to the House of Night school. I have read almost all the books, and I have actually restarted the series and am currently on Tempted, the sixth book of the series.
Besides the paranormal fantasy genre being the common denominator, the setting of the House of Night series is also a school. There’s the common two worlds and hate crimes that are in both the Infernal Devices and House of Night. Zoey and Tessa are also alike with the love triangles, though Zoey is in more love triangles than Tessa’s one between her, Jem, and Will. I really enjoyed the House of Night series.
Each story is different and every author writes differently. I loved reading each series and I’ve gotten different feelings from each one. I love all of the authors and all of the characters just the same.
*Most of the books can be found at either library in the Teen Section.
** All the books can be found on our Digital Library.
In today’s world of technology, eBooks have grown to immense popularity. Though, there are still many people who prefer the feel of the books in their hands that print books haven’t gone out of style and may never go out of style. So…which one is winning the fight? 
ROUND ONE:
The average production cost for a $26 hardcover is $4.05.
The average production cost for a $9.99 eBook download is $0.50.
ROUND TWO:
A hardcover book can weigh up to 2.2 pounds.
An eBook reader or tablet can weight up to 8.5 ounces.
ROUND THREE:
71% of millennials in the UK and the US (those aged 18-34 years old) prefer print books.
37% of millennials prefer eBooks via tablet.
AND THE WINNER IS…..
It doesn’t matter what is more popular. Everyone has their preferences and that’s all that matters. If you prefer reading on a tablet, then great! If you prefer reading printed books, great! If you are a hybrid reader (reads anything), then great! AT LEAST YOU ARE READING!!!
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard the whole world buzzing about the new movie, Crazy Rich Asians, which is based on the first book in the Crazy Rich Asians series by Kevin Kwan. The movie is the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority Asian cast in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club in 1993, which is also based off of a book by the same name by Amy Tan. The movie has been breaking barriers and setting records since its release into theaters in the United States in August, and I was so excited when I found out that it was based on a series of young adult novels. (Apparently I had been living under a rock during the release of this series…)
New York native Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, anticipating meeting his family for the first time while spending quality time together at his family’s home. Despite Rachel’s assurance that Nick is The One, he might have left out a few minor details about his life in Singapore; namely, that he grew up in what is practically a palace and rode in more private planes than cars with a family who is more than wealthy. Oh, and he is also Singapore’s most eligible bachelor, painting a target on Rachel’s back the second she steps off the plane. Her vacation quickly turns into a war between old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.
This series will not disappoint if you love drama, romance, and all-consuming books that you won’t be able to put down. We have hard copies available as well as digital copies available from OverDrive. But you better hurry to put your name on the hold list because this series is super popular right now!
Representation is extremely important not only in the media, but in the mainstream media. With all the buzz from the movie, how could we not mention the books, too? Let me know what you think!
Happy Reading!
September 13 is National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day! Sometimes it can be hard to let go and let your little ones have free range anywhere, much less the kitchen where there are sharp knives, fire, and other dangerous items. The Aurora Public Library District has plenty of physical and digital copies of books to get your kids cooking with minimal supervision on your part!
Studies have shown that letting your kids help you out in the kitchen will make them more likely to eat what you put in front of them, including vegetables! So, if you do find yourself in the Library, here are some books you can check out for your kids to help make dishes from around the world:
If your family loves eating out but hates the bill afterward, try these cookbooks with your favorite ethnic recipes that you and your little chef can make right at home:
If you can’t stop in the library, be sure to check out a kid-friendly cookbook from OverDrive. You can prop your iPad, tablet, or smartphone up and cook straight from there! Let us know what you make!
Happy Eating! And Reading!
It’s time we talk about this very serious matter of Suicide and learn ways to prevent it and to be aware of it. This isn’t a topic taken lightly and isn’t a topic to be joked about, Suicide is the real deal and we need to be aware of it. It’s the 10th leading cause of death.
Every year 44, 965 Americans die by suicide. That’s roughly 123 suicides per day. For every suicide, 25 people fail. It’s difficult to understand what drives so many individuals to take their own life.
There isn’t a single answer. Suicides often happen when stress and health issues collide and create the feeling of hopelessness and despair. Depression is most common associated with suicide, and is often untreated. When conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance problems increase risk of suicide.
A suicidal person may have a change in behavior or presence that it entirely new. This is important if the new or different behavior is related to an event, loss, or even change. Many people who take their lives exhibit one or more of the warning signs.
If a person talks about:
If a person begins exhibiting these behaviors:
People who are contemplating suicide display many of the following moods:
If you see any warning signs in someone you care about. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable to bring up the topic, but ask anyways. You can’t make someone suicidal by showing you care. If you give them the opportunity to express their feelings, it can help them with their loneliness and negative feelings.
If someone you know is suicidal, be empathetic, and lend a listening ear. Let the person know that they are not alone and that you care. Don’t take the responsibility of making a person well, you can’t get better for a suicidal person, they have to make that commitment themselves. It takes courage to help someone who is suicidal.
Suicide is a serious issue and needs to be addressed and prevented. Mental Health is important. If a person is feeling depressed or anxious, get them help. Mental Health isn’t a myth and needs to be taken just as serious as any other disease. It isn’t a switch someone can turn on and off, depression and anxiety, any mental illness is a state of being. You can’t turn off your emotions like you can the lights in your house.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-2433) or 1-800-273-Talk (1-800-273-8255) or text HOME to 741741.
Please, don’t be afraid to call or ask for help.
Books about suicide or depression:
How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me
Touched by Suicide: Hope and Healing After Loss
Straight Talk about Teenage Suicide
Resources:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/suicide
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention/suicide-prevention.htm
https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
This debut novel by Johnathan French is truly a book no fantasy lover should miss, if Lord of the Rings and Son’s of Anarchy could have a baby it would be The Grey Bastards.
Such is the creed of the half-orcs dwelling in the Lot Lands. Sworn to hardened brotherhoods known as hoofs, these former slaves patrol their unforgiving country astride massive swine bred for war. They are all that stand between the decadent heart of noble Hispartha and marauding bands of full-blood orcs.
Jackal rides with the Grey Bastards, one of eight hoofs that have survived the harsh embrace of the Lots. Young, cunning and ambitious, he schemes to unseat the increasingly tyrannical founder of the Bastards, a plague-ridden warlord called the Claymaster. Supporting Jackal’s dangerous bid for leadership are Oats, a hulking mongrel with more orc than human blood, and Fetching, the only female rider in all the hoofs.
When the troubling appearance of a foreign sorcerer comes upon the heels of a faceless betrayal, Jackal’s plans are thrown into turmoil. He finds himself saddled with a captive elf girl whose very presence begins to unravel his alliances. With the anarchic blood rite of the Betrayer Moon close at hand, Jackal must decide where his loyalties truly lie, and carve out his place in a world that rewards only the vicious.
”The first Grey Bastards were potters, named not for our skin, but from the dry clay which covered it. We knew fire and heat and mud, until the day we rode into battle on the backs of hogs that knew only the yoke of a supply wagon. That day we became warriors. We were carving a path to freedom, though we didn’t know it then. Carving it with swords fallen from the hands of our fleeing masters, carving it through the flesh of our orc fathers.”
