Check out our YouTube channel every last Friday of the month for Fresh Finds! Join Jessica on April 30th as she discusses 5 of APLD’s newest books for April! Subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any of our videos! Subscribe here.
Check out the five books below! Click on a cover to place a hold or learn more!
When I recently read A Time to Dance, I remembered again how much I enjoy reading books written in free verse. This has become an increasingly popular writing style in books for readers of all ages. Here are a few that I would definitely recommend to readers who want to try something a little bit different.
For younger elementary school readers:
For older elementary or middle grade readers:
For Teens or Adult readers:
Special mention must be made of two of my favorite writers who write in verse. Helen Frost is a Hoosier author who has written a wide variety of books for children including non-fiction, chapter books, and picture books. I am in awe of the variety of poetic forms she uses in her novels, and I have learned to look for the author’s note in the back that explains what she’s done. For example, in Diamond Willow, the story is told in diamond-shaped poems that contain a secret message revealed by the bold text. In The Braid, the characters’ voices are braided together by echoing words and rhythms.
I became a Margarita Engle fan when I read The Poet Slave of Cuba, a biography written in verse. In addition to numerous picture books, Engel has written a memoir in verse as well as historical novels set in Cuba and Panama.
Historical fiction is one of our most popular genres, and during the last few years, there have been some amazing novels written about World War II. Right now, we have a great selection of those on our “New Release” shelf, which means the books have been in the Library less than 4 months. Take a look at these newer books, but also share the name of your favorite WW II novel by posting the title and author in the comments.
The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear is unique among the listed books because it is part of the long-running Maisie Dobbs series. The rest of the books shown are stand-alone novels. Fans of the series know that Maisie served as a nurse in The Great War, trained as a private investigator, and now runs her own investigative agency. The Elephant of Belfast is notable for its focus on a short episode in the war’s history, the 1941 bombardment of Belfast.
Although many WW II novels are set in either France or England, Eternal by Lisa Scottoline is set in Italy and begins with Mussolini’s rise to power. If you are a fan of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Girl from the Channel Islands takes you to a similar setting during the German occupation.
Set during the London Blitz, The Last Night in London offers readers a story of friendship and espionage with a twist of betrayal. The Rose Code is also a spy novel, this time set in the top-secret facility known as Bletchley Park.
We seem to never get enough of World War fiction, so let us know your favorites!
I realize we read for lots of reasons. Maybe you read to escape, or maybe you read to learn something new or to improve your lifestyle. One reason I love reading is that it makes me curious about so many topics. Almost always, the book I’m reading, whether fiction or non-fiction, will lead me to look up more information about the book’s subject.
For years, I have been recording every book I read on both Librarything.com and Goodreads.com and listing subject tags for the books. Here’s a list of the last 10 books I’ve read, along with their tags and what I researched after reading the book.
I discovered this book on a library display during Black History month, shortly after reading a Facebook post about this man. I tagged this book with “aviation history, biography, non-fiction, and pilots”, and the book led me to read more about World War I, Paris, and the French Foreign Legion.
I had loved Yaa Gyasi’s earlier book Homegoing, so I was eager to read Transcendent Kingdom. This one sent me to Google to learn more about the opioid crisis in the southeastern U.S. I tagged this with “addictions, families, and opioids”.
I always try to find time to read the Newbery Medal book each year. This one was especially appealing to me since I love reading novels based on folklore. It earned the tags “Newbery Medal, folklore, Korean-Americans, families, and loss”. Of course, I had to learn more about the role of tigers in Korean folktales!
I have always enjoyed a good spy novel, and I really love historical novels with strong female characters. I had also been waiting impatiently for Kate Quinn to publish a new book! The tags I listed for this book are “codes, England, historical fiction, women’s roles, and World War II.” The book spurred an interest in the Enigma Code, the Bombe code-breaking machine, and all things related to Bletchley Park.
I’ve read several Young Adult novels that I loved by M.T. Anderson, so I was interested to see a non-fiction book by him. This had been on my “To Be Read” list for about five years! I loved the intersection of music and the attempts to maintain the spirit of the Russian people during World War II. I tagged it with “composers, music, non-fiction, Soviet Union, Russia, and World War II” and I followed up with some research on the composer and the siege of Leningrad.
I grew up eating both muscadines and scuppernongs, so this book caught my attention right away. It was a great southern story with family secrets, and I’m filing away the recipe I found online for muscadine jelly. My tags were “Georgia, families, family secrets, and southern fiction”.
Here’s another light and easy read, perfect for those who believe in second chances and the power of friendship. I tagged this novel with “canals, England, friendship, and second chances.” Afterwards, I spent time looking at pictures of narrowboats and at maps of British canals.
I love reading novels told in verse. They’re usually a fast read, and the format keeps even sad topics from becoming too overwhelming. This Young Adult book was about “classical dance, disabilities, and India”. I wanted to learn more about classical Indian dance and its connection to spirituality.
I picked this book up in a bookstore in my hometown and was surprised to learn about all the political corruption in a neighboring county during my high school years. My tags were ” civil rights, Georgia, non-fiction, political corruption, and racism”, but I could have also listed just about any vice. Unfortunately my searching on the internet verified that everything the author said was true.
I received this Kindle book free with my Prime subscription. Translated from Spanish, it gave me more insight into the hardships faced by civilians on Germany’s Eastern front in World War II. I tagged the book with “Germany, historical fiction, World War II, Poland, Prussia, refugees, and Russia” and the first thing I needed to look up was the difference in Prussia and Poland.
Have you ever read a book all the way through just to close it for the last time and say “wow, that was bleak”? Well, I’m here to make the case for those dark, dreary, haunting, and disturbing reads that keep you up at night long after you put them down. Welcome to Bleak Books with Olivia, your resident creepy book lover at the Aurora Public Library District.
I think it’s about time for a return to the classics, don’t you? The Picture of Dorian Gray has been on my want-to-read list for months. When discussing dastardly books, this one in particular always seems to come up in conversation at some point. Maybe it’s the cast full of unlikable characters, or maybe it’s the descent into all-out hedonism that drags our title character down into the depths of pure evil. Or maybe, it’s just a good, old-fashioned hate-read (I cast my vote for the latter). Either way, this book is the one to reach for when you just want a downright sickening read.
I must preface this review by saying that I actually enjoyed this book, and found it an easy read. All the parts were there to keep me flipping the pages well into the wee hours of the morning: drama, intrigue, a couple deaths, and, of course, art (I’m an art historian, so I was sold on that front!) but there was just something that really rubbed me the wrong way… in the best way.
Dorian Gray is a remarkably beautiful young man approaching adulthood when he is taken by a painter, Basil Hallward, to be his muse. At the studio, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a brilliant, conniving older man with a taste for the hedonistic, despite Victorian society conventions. Lord Henry convinces Dorian that aging will ruin his beauty and render him useless and irrelevant in the near future and Dorian begins to panic, making a foolish wish to transfer all of his blemishes, wrinkles, and marks of indulgence to a portrait Basil recently made of him. The wish works, and once Dorian discovers he will not age any longer, his lust for life grows to disastrous proportions that comes with a body count.
This book, as I mentioned before, became not just a hate-read, but an full-on loathe-read. Almost every character in the book is male, and often they gather around and discuss modern life, which always seems to involve several quips about how women are useless for anything other than being a beautiful wife. Dorian himself also becomes a reason to hate this book with all his pompous self-adoration and his complete foolishness throughout the entire novel. Wilde tried to make me sympathize with Dorian, who was led astray at an innocent young age by an arguably predatory older man, but it’s incredibly difficult to feel bad for a boy who knows of his wrongdoings, continues to do them, and even leaves a body count in his wake. Maybe Dorian Gray’s portrait preserves his atrocious attitude from boyhood well into his older years along with his good looks.
Although this description may have thrown you off, I encourage you to read it anyway! This book gives an honest depiction of how obsession with youth and beauty will do nothing but eat you alive. As I said before, it truly is a “loathe-read”, but you will at least finish the book with the satisfaction of knowing you certainly aren’t the only one that hates Dorian Gray.
Thank you for joining me on this dissection of one of my favorite Bleak Books. I hope to see you again sometime soon! Please take a look in the Adult Fiction section at the Aurora and Dillsboro Public Libraries for my favorite Bleak Books (including this one!) If you meet me in the library and have any Bleak Books suggestions, please let me know! I’m always looking for a new book to disrupt my life for a couple of weeks.
April is National Poetry Month! Check out these ideas on how to celebrate!
Stack up a pile of books to create a poem with the titles. You can use your own books, or books you’ve checked out from the library. You can use the one we made for inspiration!
If you’re new to poetry, try out A Beginner’s Guide to the Different Types of Poems from Book Riot. This breaks down 15 different poem forms. If you’re a little more versed in the world of poetry, check out this List of 168 Poetic Forms for Poets from Writer’s Digest. No matter which list you look at, you’ll be writing like a poet in no time!
Most states in the United States have a poet laureate. The poets laureate make public appearances at poetry readings or literary events, and promote awareness of poetry within their geographical region. Indiana’s poet laureate, Matthew Graham, is currently serving his two year term. Graham has lived in southern Indiana for 35 years and is a respected and recognized writer, teacher, and advocate for poetry and the arts. You can learn more about him HERE.
Head over to poets.org to sign up for their Poem-A-Day series, an original daily poetry series publishing new work by contemporary poets! Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Sign up and you’ll receive a poem in your inbox every day!
Check out the display in the stairwell this month at APL for books of poetry, or look for books beginning with the numbers 811 in the nonfiction section. Ask any staff member and they’ll help you find what you’re looking for as well!
Take a look at some of our titles!
Our Dillsboro branch will be holding it’s $1-A-Bag Book Sale from April 16th-17th. You’ll find something for everyone on your list – mysteries, thrillers, romance, classics, westerns, travel, crafts, DIY, DVD’s, audio books, CD’s, children’s books, large print, magazines, cookbooks and much, much more.
OR, if you’re preparing for spring cleaning, pick up some books about home organization and tidiness! Maybe add some fresh, new titles to your collection!
Hours are Friday the 16th from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Saturday the 17th from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Shop early and often. New books are continuously being added to the selection.
Join Jamie & Olivia as they read some of their favorite books about the weather! They’ll be singing some fun songs, doing yoga, making crafts, and teaching the sign for Wind! Storms & Stories will be available on our YouTube Channel on April 14th! Make sure to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss out on any of our other upcoming virtual programs.
Check out these other weather books! Click on a cover to place a hold!
Created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002, Money Smart Week® is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. In 2021, all programs will be held virtually. There will be one short webinar offered FREE to the public each day. The presenters would like you to register ahead of time.
You can register here for any or all of the virtual programs.
Saturday, April 10, 2021 @ 11:00 a.m. ET
“Talking Cents”
How do you talk to your children, aging parents, or life partner about money? It can be challenging to know where to start and what topics to bring up. Join us to discover some easy strategies and simple tools you can use to start these important conversations in a fun and comfortable manner. During this presentation, The University of Chicago Financial Education Initiative will provide tips for starting the often-challenging conversation about money with friends or family.
Sunday, April 11, 2021 @ 11:00 a.m. ET
“Savings: A Little Can Make a Big Difference”
Have you heard that saving three months’ living expenses is necessary to cover emergency expenses? Many financial education programs equate this amount with adequate emergency savings. While this guidance may work for some people, it isn’t a realistic goal for many. Learn how and why a much smaller amount of savings can help keep your rent/mortgage protected and utilities on and just how little you might need to save per paycheck to reach these realizable goals. As a bonus, achieving these recommended amounts will allow you to be more financially satisfied and less likely to have to resort to high cost borrowing options like pawn shops or payday loans. During this presentation, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation will review how even a very modest savings cushion can be associated with major life improvements.
Monday, April 12, 2021 @ 1:00 p.m. ET
“Bank On It: Finding Safe + Affordable Bank Accounts”
Wary of opening a bank account due to hidden fees and charges? Worried that you need every dollar that you earn, and want to avoid being charged due to a minimum balance requirement? All valid concerns given that many bank account terms contain long, confusing language on fees and high minimum balance requirements. You might have considered skipping a bank to avoid this confusion in managing your money. But – did you know that unbanked families are estimated to spend over $40,000 in their lifetimes on financial fees? Join us to learn how to find accounts that remove the risk of overdraft, low balance charges and other high fees so that you can manage your money to spend on what you choose. During this presentation, the Economic Awareness Council will review the many ways in which selecting a high-quality, safe and affordable bank account can improve your life.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 @ 1:30 p.m. ET
“Understanding the Basics of Federal Student Loans”
Calling all borrowers, students and parents to join us in learning how U.S. Federal Student Aid (FSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Education, can help you – and how the division has adjusted their offerings to consider the impacts of Covid-19 on borrowers. Get a basic overview on federal student loan programs and learn tips to utilize federal student programs to help pay for education beyond high school. Learn how to create a FSA ID, and how to use new and redeveloped tools from the FSA. Gain insights on loan servicers, private student loans, debt relief scam prevention, monitoring your credit and default prevention. During this presentation, The U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid will share their core mission of ensuring that all eligible Americans benefit from federal financial assistance – including grants, loans and work-study programs – for education beyond high school.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 2:00 p.m. ET
“Tax-Related Fraud + Identity Theft “
Identity theft and tax scams have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Find out what to do if you are an identity theft victim. Learn how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can help. Discover how to protect your records and stay aware of Covid-19 tax scams and phishing schemes. During this presentation, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will share information on how to recognize signs that your identity has been stolen for tax-related issues.
Thursday, April 15, 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. ET
“Managing Personal Finances During Covid-19”
Learn suggestions for managing your money in a time of crisis. Topics covered include budgeting, emergency savings and managing debt. While some factors affecting financial security are beyond individual control, financial know-how can help all of us better manage our finances – especially during the sudden and drastic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. During this presentation, The Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) will aim to share the financial knowledge individuals need to fully participate in the economy and build secure futures.
Friday, April 16, 2021 @ 1:00 p.m. ET
“Housing Protections + Resources”
The session will help people understand where to turn if they are having trouble making rent payments. Homeowners will learn how they are protected under federal law from foreclosure and can temporarily pause or reduce their mortgage payments if they’re struggling financially. During this presentation, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will highlight resources that can help homeowners and renters during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 @ 11:30 a.m. ET
“Tips for Managing Money Ups and Downs”
The Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a financial blow to many U.S. individuals and families. Join this session to learn how to do your best with what you have available. Learn budgeting tips and tricks to help you plan ahead and meet your monthly financial obligations. During this presentation, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension will focus on easy steps you can take to get control of your money even when it doesn’t seem like enough.
Have you heard the term “Citizen Scientist”? A citizen scientist is an ordinary person, just like you, who observes, or measures, or identifies and who sends the information to actual scientists doing research around the world. Become a citizen scientist and help support your community for Earth Day by taking part in our tree-planting program! It’s simple and easy to do!
Children ages 3-8 can pick up a coloring sheet from the Citizen Science displays at the Dillsboro or Aurora Public Libraries and color a beautiful Earth Day scene. Once finished, write your name in the space provided and email a picture of your finished coloring sheet to hello@BlueDotKidsPress.com AND stephanie@eapld.org by April 26th and One Tree Planted will plant a tree for you! Children ages 9 and up can take a photo of a tree in your neighborhood an upload the picture to the free Tree Snap App. Email your photo to hello@BlueDotKidsPress.com AND stephanie@eapld.org by April 26th and One Tree Planted will plant a tree for you!
Pick up a book on our Citizen Science displays to read about trees and Earth Day to gain some Citizen Scientist skills! You can also scan the QR codes on the display to learn about more citizen science opportunities.
