When the Weather Outside is Frightful …

When the days are short and gloomy, there’s nothing like digging into an epic story. Here are some sagas that will keep you engrossed for days and totally immerse you in another time or place.

Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy was written in the 1970s, but is one of the most highly-acclaimed versions of King Arthur and Camelot. Another series set in England is the Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell, also known as the Saxon Tales

The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart  Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell

He was a best-selling author of spy stories first, but Ken Follett is better known now for his sweeping Pillars of the Earth and Century trilogies.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett   Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

Edward Rutherfurd’s books are similar to those of James Michener, centered on a geographical location and the people that inhabit it through multiple generations. He has written books on places like London, Paris, New York, and a two-part series on Ireland.

New York by Edward Rutherfurd   The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd

If you’re already missing Poldark on Masterpiece Theatre, this may be the time to dive into the Poldark series by Winston Graham.

Poldark by Winston Graham  Demelza by Winston Graham

For a setting in America, try the Wilderness series by Sara Donati. The six-book series follows the fortunes of a family of English immigrants on the New York frontier. The Last Hundred Years trilogy by Jane Smiley would be another great choice, taking you on a literary adventure through cycles of birth and death, passion and betrayal that span a century in America.

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati  

For more multiple-generation sagas, check out this Book Riot blog post:

https://bookriot.com/2017/06/15/100-must-read-generational-family-novels/

 

2020 Hours of Service

In order to better serve the community, some of our operating hours will change, beginning on January 2, 2020. The changes are shown in red.

The Aurora Public Library

Monday 10 am – 6 pm

Tuesday 10 am – 8 pm

Wednesday 10 am – 6 pm

Thursday 10 am – 8 pm

Friday 10 am – 6 pm

Saturday 10 am – 3 pm

The Dillsboro Public Library

Monday 10 am – 6 pm

Tuesday 10 am – 6 pm

Wednesday 10 am – 6 pm

Thursday 10 am – 6 pm

Friday 10 am – 6 pm

Saturday 10 am – 3 pm

 

The Local History Library
@ the Depot

Tuesday 10 am – 6 pm

Wednesday 10 am – 6 pm

Thursday 10 am – 6 pm

1st & 3rd Saturday 10 am – 3 pm

(closed each day 12:30-1 pm)

 

 

Traditional Christmas Tales

 

The Aurora Public Library District has wonderful holiday stories to share with children of all ages, from The Night Before Christmas to newer books like Santa’s Story by Will Hillenbrand. When you’re choosing the stories you want to share or the stories you want to read, don’t forget to include some of these classic stories. They range from a few pages long to a story that will require several sittings to complete, but they are guaranteed to help you think about Christmas in a new way. Who knows? You might start a new holiday tradition with your family.

Before it was a ballet, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King was a story written by E.T.A. Hoffman. We have several retellings of this at the library, including ones illustrated by Maurice Sendak and Mary Englebreit. For adults, there is a Nutcracker origin tale written by Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked.

Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker    Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire

You probably know Pearl S. Buck as the author of the Pulitzer-winning novel The Good Earth. Did you know she also wrote a lovely Christmas short story called Christmas Day in the Morning? Another great read-aloud is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomeya touching story of the power of kindness.

Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck  The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

For many of us, Christmas is not complete without some version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Read it, or perhaps watch the DVD. We have  the George C. Scott version as well as Disney and Muppet versions. Another Christmas classic is The Gift of the Magi, complete with O. Henry’s signature ironic twist.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens  The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Other books in the Library offer collections of holiday stories and poems. You can find tales by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Henry Van Dyke, Madeleine L’Engle, Lois Lenski, and others. You’re sure to enjoy old favorites and discover new timeless tales to brighten your holiday season.

Home for Christmas: Stories for Young and Old A Newbery Christmas A Christmas Treasury of Yuletide Stories & Poems

 

Where Do the Animals Go?

The days are shorter, temperatures are colder, and a common question for children is “Where do the animals go when it’s cold?” Of course there are many answers to this: they dig under, they fly away, they hibernate, and they grow thicker coats, for example. If your child is curious, why not check out a book to read together? Here are some great choices from the library’s collection. So cuddle up, stay warm, and share the joys of reading and learning together!

When Winter Comes by Pearl Neuman   Secrets of Winter by Carron Brown

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner  Animals in Winter by Bancroft and Gelder

Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart   Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman