Native American Heritage Month

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Rhonna

by John Pecoraro, Assistant Director

November has been designated Native American Heritage Month to raise awareness about the challenges Native people have faced, historically and in the present. To learn more about the rich history and culture of Native American peoples, sample the writing of Native American authors.

Kiowa author, N. Scott Momaday, recounted the story of a young American Indian caught between the rhythm of the seasons and the dissipation of the twentieth century in his classic, House Made of Dawn. Momaday blended history, folklore, and memoir in telling the story of his Kiowa ancestors’ journey from their ancient beginnings in Montana to their final defeat and relocation to Rainy Mountain, Oklahoma in The Way to Rainy Mountain.

Leslie Marmon Silko of the Laguna Pueblo is the author of several collections of poetry and short stories, as well as novels and other writings. In one of her most recent works, The Turquoise Ledge, Silko wove tales from her family’s past into observations taken on her daily walks in the Sonoran desert. The result is a deeply personal reflection on the enormous spiritual power of the natural world, how creatures and landscapes communicate to us, and how they are all interconnected.

Abenaki writer Joseph Bruchac writes biographies for young readers, as well as fiction for children and adults. A performer known for his storytelling ability, Bruchac has also written a series of books for children retelling Native American stories and legends. When Bear and Brown Squirrel have a disagreement about whether Bear can stop the sun from rising, Brown Squirrel ends up with claw marks on his back in How Chipmunk Got His Stripes. When cornmeal is stolen from an elderly couple, Cherokee villagers find a way to drive off the thief in The Story of the Milky Way.

Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa, is the author of several bestselling novels featuring Native American characters. In her most recent, The Round House, Erdrich illuminated the harsh realities of contemporary life in a community where Ojibwe and white live uneasily together. In Plague of Doves, the lynchings of several Indians after a brutal murder haunted a small town on the edge of the Ojibwa reservation in North Dakota. Erdrich’s story revolves around the descendants of the victims and the vigilantes as over time they find their lives interconnected in unexpected ways.

Sherman Alexie, of Coeur d’Alene and Spokane ancestry, writes fiction exploring the despair, poverty, and alcoholism among the lives of Native American people. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a collection of interconnected stories about Victor Joseph and Thomas Builds-the-Fire, two young Native-American men living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Questions of authenticity and identity abound in Blasphemy, Alexie’s newest title. In this collection of old and new stories, characters grapple with racism, damaging stereotypes, poverty, alcoholism, diabetes, and the tragic loss of languages and customs.

Now you can share what you think about the books you’re read, CDs you’ve listened to, and DVDs or Blu-Rays you’ve watched. Click “Write a Review” under the book cover image in the library catalog, or look for the red “Reader Review” stars. Read what others have written, or click “Add a review for this,” to add your own review.

On Thursdays beginning November 29 Bookworm Buzz debuts on the library’s Facebook page. Interact in real time with library staff and others interested in books and reading.

Along Came Jones by Linda Windsor

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Rhonna

Diana Wells has nowhere to turn. She’s on the run from both sides of the law when she is run off the road by a horse. Along comes rough-around-the-edges hero, Shepherd Jones, who escaped a difficult past of his own to hide out on his inherited ranch. Together they figure out how to move on from the past and have faith to carry them into the future. Filled with action and humor, Along came Jones is a delight.

Larry McMurtry Ponders George Armstrong Custer

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Rhonna

By Marcia Allen, Technical Services & Collections Manager

Author Larry McMurtry achieved almost instant fame in 1985 when he wrote the now-famous saga of the West, Lonesome Dove. In fact, the novel earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was later developed into an Emmy Award-winning TV series that starred Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. McMurtry went on to write other tales of the West, but none achieved the same stardom of that Gus McCrae/Woodrow Call cattle drive partnership.
McMurtry’s latest is his take on the life of Custer, but readers hoping to find a definitive biography about the controversial Custer will be disappointed. McMurtry’s Custer does not follow the boyhood and maturing of the West Point graduate, nor does it contain an in-depth study of his development as a military leader. It mentions his parentage in passing and speaks of his siblings only in listing family members who died with him at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
McMurtry admits in the text that there are other writers, most notably Evan S. Connell in his magnificent biography, Son of the Morning Star, and Nathaniel Philbrick in his historical account, Last Stand, who have written outstanding accounts about Custer. McMurtry elected to write what he calls a “short biography,” designed to bring clarity to its subject.
Does he succeed? In some ways he does. We have clear notions of Custer’s character flaws. Yes, he graduated last in his class at West Point. Yes, he seems to have had an enormous ego that compelled him to behave rashly, making enemies of those who outranked him (like General Grant) as well as those he commanded (like troops he abandoned at the Washita Battleground). Yes, he had difficulty heeding authority, and was charged with disregarding orders an astounding number of times.
In contrast, we also have the Custer who was admired by many. He did conduct himself bravely during Civil War battles and was promoted to general in as astoundingly short time. He did verify the existence of gold in the Black Hills. And he did earn the admiration and loyalty of his wife, Libbie, who spent her widowhood defending his character to any who would listen.
McMurtry also presents a wide array of period photographs. We find Custer amid the troops in Civil War shots. We see portraits of the young Custer couple, taken at various encampments and forts. We peruse portraits of various Native American tribal leaders, especially shots of Sitting Bull who may or may not have encountered Custer on the hills of the Little Bighorn. We also find depictions of the battle itself: some romanticized heroic stances, others realistic imaginings of what might have occurred.
But the book has flaws of its own. There are times when the language is amazingly unsuited to the tale. McMurtry, for example, alludes to Custer and his doomed troops battling the countless numbers of Native American warriors with: “Surprise, surprise, you’re dead!” The book also takes tangents that have little relevance to the subject. The author, for example, spends unsubstantiated speculation about Custer’s involvement with a Cheyenne woman and with Libbie’s possible reaction to any dalliance. How this relates to events in 1876 in Montana remains unclear. And I am troubled by a photograph that is labeled “Custer with his horse, Comanche.” Comanche, the scarred survivor of Custer’s charge in the Montana hills, belonged to Myles Keogh, who was killed during the battle. It seems likely that the photograph was taken after the battle and that the man holding the bridle was not Custer at all.
Where is the appeal of the book? For those like me, who like enjoy reading about the American West, it offers unique ways of examining those past events. I was intrigued, for example, with McMurtry’s perceived likenesses between George Armstrong Custer and John C. Fremont, who like Custer, proved a controversial figure in his time. I also better understand the animosity between Libbie Custer and Major Marcus Reno, a man Libbie blamed for her husband’s death. And I think McMurtry’s assessment of the Little Bighorn Battle as the final blow against Native American independence is accurate. McMurtry’s book is not an authoritative account of Custer’s life, but it does illuminate aspects of a violent time clouded in question.

CMA Award Winners at Your Library

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Rhonna

The CMA Awards have come and gone, declaring the best and brightest in country music. Blake Shelton was the star of the show, winning Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist. He also contributed to the Song of the Year Over You with his wife Miranda Lambert, who won Female Vocalist, creating what some might call the unofficial “Most Touching Moment” award .

Other CMA Award winners and nominees that you’ll find at the library include:

Chief by Eric Church – Album of the Year
Lady Antebellum - Vocal Group of the Year nominee
Tailgates & Tanlines by Luke Bryan – Album of the Year nominee
Dirt Road Anthem by Jason Aldean – Single of the Year nominee
God Gave Me You by Blake Shelton – Song of the year nominee

Veteran’s Day Films

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Rhonna

We hear tidbits in the news about returning soldiers, but if you would like get a deeper look into the lives of our veterans, we have several documentaries that share their stories.

Hell and Back Again covers the story of US Marine Sergeant Nathan Harris. Struck by a machine-gun bullet in Afghanistan, Harris faces the emotional and physical challenges of re-adjusting to civilian life.

Restrepo chronicles a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan in one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military.

The Battle for Marjah follows the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines as they launch the operation to take over the Taliban stronghold Marjah.

How to Fold a Flag tells the stories of a group of U.S. soldiers as they return from Iraq and rebuild their lives, set against the backdrop of the 2008 election.

My Vietnam, Your Iraq covers eight Vietnam War veterans whose children chose to serve in the Iraq war, discussing their pride, challenges and fears.

Body of War – Paralyzed from the chest down after serving in Iraq for just one week, 25-year-old Tomas Young is forced to deal with the realities of war each and every day. For Tomas, learning to cope with his disability meant finding his voice to speak out against the war in Iraq.

The Soldier’s Heart - As the War in Iraq continues, the first measures of it’s psychological toll are coming in. For those who have survived the fighting, the battle is not over.

The Last Ridge: the Uphill Battles of the 10th Mountain Division documents one of the most heroic divisions in World War II with a mix of action shots and soldier’s commentaries and letters home.

In Iwo Jima Red Blood, Black Sand, 21 veterans of the tragic 1945 battle are interviewed.

I also want to mention the Veterans Oral History Project. The Riley County Historical Society recorded interviews with local veterans about their experiences. Although the quality of the recording is a bit rough, this treasure helps us to hold onto their stories.

Women’s Lives

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Rhonna

by Susan Withee, Adult Services Manager

I’m a pretty eclectic reader overall with interests that bounce around through much of the Dewey Decimal system and make forays into all sorts of fiction. But an ongoing and constant reading interest of mine is books about women’s lives, which have fascinated me since I climbed the stairs to the Children’s Room in the old Carnegie Library and checked out Abigail Adams: A Girl of Colonial Days. Since then I’ve continued to read anything from collections of women’s journals and letters, to books of humorous and true confessions, to biographies and personal memoirs, to social and cultural history. Here are some interesting books that I’ve enjoyed in the past year about women and their lives and history.

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure. Author McClure, a young woman with a very understanding boyfriend and a childhood obsession with writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, set out to revisit all the joy she experienced from the Little House series by traveling to locales from the books, researching the real Laura’s story, and experimenting in her own apartment with Laura-esque chores like grinding wheat and churning butter. Reminiscent of Sarah Vowell’s wacky and humorous travelogues through American history, McClure’s experiences and commentary are often hilarious and wry, and her observations on girlhood both in Laura’s time and now are penetrating and poignant. A fun and unexpectedly touching book.

The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters by Jeffrey Zaslow. A series of vignettes taken from a bridal shop owned and operated by three generations of strong, hard-working women in small-town rural Michigan, this is a tender, sympathetic look at the changing nature of weddings, marriages, and families since the shop opened during the Great Depression. The Magic Room is a wonderful book about ordinary women and the dreams, joys, and sorrows they encounter and share. (I especially recommend it if you, like me, are a secret devotee of the TV show Say Yes to the Dress!)

When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins. Starting out in 1960, when women still needed their husband’s permission to get a credit card and single women were routinely denied home mortgages (if they were even allowed to apply), this book tells the amazing story of five decades of nearly unimaginable social change in the lives of American women. For women and men of a certain age, this is a startling reminder of all they have lived through and witnessed first-hand, and for those young women who take the changes of the past 50 years for granted it’s a sobering revelation. Collins’ writing style is conversational, anecdotal, and witty and this social history is a page-turner – absorbing, enjoyable, and enlightening.

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman. Born into the ultra-orthodox, insular Satmar Hasidic sect, Deborah Feldman grew up under strict traditional religious and social customs that governed every aspect of everyday life, but she struggled to meet the group’s expectations and live the life prescribed for girls and women. Her first rebellion was to secretly visit a public library some distance from the Satmar neighborhood and read voraciously from secular and popular works in English. Her final attempt to conform, an arranged marriage, was a disaster, and with the birth of her own daughter, Deborah began planning her escape from the community. This is a fascinating look at a mysterious and secretive group; an absorbing and suspenseful personal memoir.

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist and novelist Quindlen looks back on her life from the milestone of her 60th birthday, and makes observations and offers perspectives in her trademark style – candid, astute, funny, acerbic, and touching. Of parenthood she writes, “Being a parent is not transactional. We do not get what we give. It is the ultimate pay-it-forward endeavor: We are good parents not so they will be loving enough to stay with us but so they will be strong enough to leave us.” About her aging body she writes, “I’ve finally recognized my body for what it is: a personality-delivery system, designed expressly to carry my character from place to place, now and in the years to come. It’s like a car, and while I like a red convertible or even a Bentley as well as the next person, what I really need are four tires and an engine.” Amen, Sister. This book was a delight.

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Rhonna

Elena is finally free of her mean stepmother and stepsisters, but isn’t sure what to do without any family or position to go to. Fortunately her fairy godmother swoops in to clarify the situation. Apparently, Elena was supposed to be a “Cinderella”, but the kingdom’s prince was only a child, so she has been reassigned as a fairy godmother. Elena takes quickly to the role, only regretting the loneliness of the position, when she encounters the rudest man she ever met and punishes him by turning him into a donkey. As he learns humility, she ponders whether she has the strength to question tradition. The Fairy Godmother is a delightfully funny tale filled with magic, adventure, and romance.

If You’re an Herbivore, This is Your Month

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Rhonna

by John Pecoraro, Assistant Director

Eat your vegetables if you want to grow big and strong, at least that’s what our parents and teachers have always told us. Remember: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Our entire lives we’ve been told to eat right to feel right. Some of us have heeded this advice; some of us haven’t. Vegetarians and vegans have taken this advice to heart. October is National Vegetarian Month, and the perfect time to remind ourselves of the variety of eating experiences on offer from the greens, reds, yellows, purples, and other colorful fruits and vegetables available in garden and market.

Vegetarians and vegans are not synonymous. According to Merriam-Webster Online, a vegetarian is someone whose diet is one “consisting wholly of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and sometimes eggs or dairy products.” This type of vegetarian is also referred to as a lacto-ovo vegetarian. Vegans, on the other hand, are strict vegetarians who do not consume animal or dairy products. All vegans are vegetarians, but not all vegetarians are vegans.

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just want to eat like one, Manhattan Public Library has a wide selection of the cookbooks you’ll need to help you create a royal feast. If you like to cook outdoors, Grilling Vegan Style by John Schlimm delivers a full plate of meal options. From creative vegetable classics like Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime and Pepper Sauce, to the art of grilling faux meats, this guide fires up 125 recipes for the backyard chef.

Also for grilling enthusiasts, Jolinda Hackett presents 225 backyard favorites in Cookouts Veggie Style. Learn how to make delicious and unique vegetarian dishes such as Crisped Camembert and Mango Quesadillas and Cajun-rubbed Portobello Caps. You’ll never miss burgers and hotdogs again.

For reluctant vegans, try Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin. Featuring mouthwatering photographs, this book explains that the key to good vegan cooking is substitution. Vegan versions of meat-eater favorites include the Avocado Reuben and “Chick’n” Pot Pie.

Former Bon Apetit columnist Marie Simmons begins Fresh & Fast Vegetarian with pages of fast cooking techniques, suggested tools, and lists of favorite ingredients. Only then does this author present recipes for 150 of her favorite dinners. From soups (White Bean and Fennel; Pumpkin and Tomato Soup with Cheese) to salads (Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado) to main dishes (Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Quick Black Bean Chili), this book has it all.

Vegetarian recipes are often a godsend to individuals on a gluten-free diet. Carol Fenster offers quick and delicious dishes for the healthy cook in 125 Gluten-free Vegetarian Recipes. From snacks and appetizers like Baked Kale Chips, to filling dinners like Chili Cornbread Casserole and Eggplant Parmesan Stacks, to decadent desserts like Tiramisu and Chocolate Mousse, Fenster makes gluten-free eating fun.

Joy Tienzo draws from a variety of influences to feature a diversity of innovative vegan dishes in Cook, Eat, Thrive. This author uses a series of symbols to indicate which recipes are raw, low fat, soy-free, and wheat-free, as well as recipes you can prepare in 30 minutes or less. Recipes range from well-known favorites (Buttermilk Pancakes) to more exotic dishes (Sage-Ricotta Gnocchi with Spicy Squash Mash).

Many cuisines have a tradition of meatless cooking. Troth Wells takes us on a gastronomic tour of the world with her One World Vegetarian Cookbook. Recipes include Indian Creamy Mixed Vegetable Curry, Greek Cheese Pies, Middle Eastern Baba Ghanoush, and even good old Boston Baked Beans from the U.S.A.

A vegan diet isn’t strictly about fruits and vegetables. Vegans do sometimes like dessert after a meal. Lickin’ the Beaters 2 by Siue Moffat includes a wealth of vegan chocolate and candy recipes to drool over. Presented with useful hints and a handy quick recipe indicator for those who simply cannot wait for their sugar fix, recipes include favorites such as pralines, cookies and cakes.

For the ultimate one-stop vegetarian cookbook, from the author of the classic How to Cook Everything, pick up How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. This is the definitive guide to meatless meals that will appeal to everyone who wants to cook simple but delicious meatless dishes, from health-conscious omnivores to passionate vegetarians.

Manhattan Public Library has an extensive collection of cookbooks for all levels of culinary expertise. Check them out. They’re guaranteed to make you hungry for more.

First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Rhonna

Exhausted of being in the public eye, recently widowed First Lady Cornelia needs some time away. Slipping away from her security detail she finds herself traveling across country in a yellow RV with a cranky steel worker and two crazy and lovable children.

Mat is taking a break from his disappointing job when he discovers that his ex-wife has left him with the guardianship of two children that aren’t his. He takes them across the country to find their grandmother and picks up a woman after her car is stolen. She’s odd but helpful and seems vaguely familiar.

Stuck in a RV with a surly teenager and a cranky baby, they learn to depend on each other and eventually appreciate each other even as they wittily bicker. First lady is a book that will tug your heartstrings and your funny bone.

Assistive Technology Center

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Rhonna

by Ann Pearce, Talking Books/Children’s Consultant

Manhattan Public Library’s Assistive Technology Center is the recipient of a $2,500 matching grant from Pilot International Foundation and the Little Apple Pilot Club. This is the third and final year of this grant. The grant has enabled the library to upgrade the Assistive Technology Center with new furniture, computers, software, and the addition of devices including an iPad, Kindle Touch, and a Livescribe Smartpen.
The focus of the grant this year is service to children. The Center is equipped with different software solutions in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and math. One such software solution is the family of programs from the company, Inspiration. Inspiration is recognized as a leader in visual thinking and learning. Inspiration has been available for several years in the Assistive Technology Center, and we have just added Kidspiration for younger children, and Inspiration Maps app for the iPad. Visual thinking is a style of learning that presents concepts in a visual way such as diagramming and outlining. To understand visual thinking, it’s easiest to think about brainstorming and being able to quickly put your thoughts down by either using images, words, or both. For many students, the writing process can be overwhelming. By using visually mapping, this process can be broken down into more manageable components. The user can then edit the content, and when ready, the software can convert the images to a traditional text outline.
Along with software and the addition of devices, part of the grant monies have been used to purchase books concerning brain health and related topics for the library’s collection. I recently read one of the books purchased, All About IEPs: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About IEPs by Peter W. D. Wright, Pamela Darr Wright, and Sandra Webb O’Connor. The school year has begun and for many students, their Individualized Education Program (IEP) is an important component in their pursuit of an education. For many students and parents, the IEP process can be daunting. This is a self-help book that takes the reader from the planning stages to resolving disputes with the school and everything in between. The authors have included a helpful glossary of terms and a list of the statutes and regulations pertaining to IEPs.
The book is divided into chapters related to the issues and decisions each IEP team needs to address, from measurable goals to transition after school. One chapter is devoted to the use of assistive or adaptive technology. The law defines an assistive technology device as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” Some of the assistive technologies that can benefit students with disabilities include text-to-speech, voice recognition, word prediction, screen readers, screen magnification, and talking dictionaries. Dr. Katherine Seelman, associate dean of rehabilitation science and technology at the University of Pittsburgh, is quoted in the book as saying, “For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”
The authors of this book are no strangers to special education. Peter Wright is an attorney who represents children with special needs and their families. Pamela Wright is a psychotherapist with training in psychology and clinical social work. Sandra O’Connor is the editor of “The Special Ed Advocate,” a newsletter about special education legal issues.
The Assistive Technology Center is a community resource equipped with technological solutions for children. Parents, teachers, and children are encouraged to take advantage of this resource. If you would like more information, or if you would like to make an appointment, call the library at 785-776-4741, extension 202. The Assistive Technology Center is open twenty hours a week from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Wednesday, with hours from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

October Events at the Public Library

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Rhonna

by Susan Withee, Adult Services Manager

Along with our customarily full calendar of stellar activities for kids and youth, Manhattan Public Library and its co-sponsors will offer some unusual opportunities for fall fun to families and individuals of all ages this October. The beauty of the season and the crisp, cool weather make it a great time to be out and about, so plan to join us for any or all of our events which, as always, are free and open to the public.

Starting this week, the public will be unleashed on the streets of downtown Manhattan in search of gargoyles, Aesop’s fox, a relic of an historic flood, and the letter W. A new and updated edition of our popular Architectural Scavenger Hunt, co-sponsored this fall by Downtown Manhattan, Inc., will be held during the entire month of October. To begin the hunt, pick up a brochure at the library at 629 Poyntz Avenue, or print one from the library’s website. Next, search for the architectural features pictured in the brochure and write down their locations. Then, bring your results back to the library and enter the drawing for a chance to win prizes donated by Downtown Manhattan businesses including the Pathfinder, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Cary Company, AJ’s Pizzeria, and DMI. Prize drawings will be held at the end of the month, and winners will be from among those who completed the hunt successfully. This is a fun activity for all ages and a great way for you, your family, or visiting friends or relatives to explore Manhattan! More information can be found by visiting the library at 629 Poyntz Avenue, at the website, or by calling 785-776-4741, extension 141.

Attend another blockbuster movie event at Manhattan Public Library on Saturday, October 13, when we’ll show the film that started it all on the big screen in the library auditorium at 2:00 p.m. The festivities will include refreshments and special prizes and activities, and movie-goers are encouraged to come in costume if they wish! Local sponsors include Varsity Donuts, Wal-Mart, and Hastings. The celebration is part of Star Wars Reads Day, a national event created by LucasFilm, international publisher Dorling-Kindersley, and other publishing partners. This film is rated PG.

If you enjoy a brain challenge along with your entertainment, come to Manhattan Public Library on Saturday, October 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. when the KSU Math Department and Math Circle Seminar will host a drop-in birthday celebration and math games event in honor of world-renowned mathematician Martin Gardner (1914-2010) in the library’s Groesbeck Room. Gardner, a math and science writer who specialized in “recreational mathematics,” wrote a monthly column, “Mathematical Games,” which ran for over 25 years in Scientific American magazine. His writing introduced a wide popular audience to math puzzles, games, and paradoxes, such as Soma cubes, Tangrams, the works of M.C. Escher, Penrose tiling, and the Golden Ratio. Gardner authored books of brainteasers, puzzles, and logic problems for thinkers of all ages, and many of his books are available from Manhattan Public Library. The program is appropriate for older children, youth, and adults, and will include opportunities for participants to work on a variety of math puzzles and games.

Books really are a metaphor for life’s adventures

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Rhonna

By Janene Hill, Young Adult Librarian

When starting a book, the anticipation can be tremendous.
Who will these characters be? Which ones will I like/love/despise? Where will the story take me? Will there be adventure? Tragedy? Laughter? Tears?
If we are lucky, a few chapters in we have settled in with good friends, in a familiar setting. We have become comfortable in this new world. We can’t wait to see what each turn of the page will bring.
We’ve settled in and become comfortable. Yes, twists and turns in the plot may make us anxious, but with luck, our heroes/heroines will come out of the situation without too much damage. Though they, and we, may not see it for some time, hopefully they have learned and grown from their ventures.
Then, many times before we know it, the story is coming to a close. We begin to realize we will soon have to let go of all of the people, places, and things to which we have become attached. We know the end our time with them is near.
Then, it is over. You put the book down and reflect on everything that just happened. Whether it took a few hours or a few weeks for us to get through the story, if it is one we enjoyed, it is a bittersweet moment. We hope for a sequel, but know that more often than not, this is the end.
Now we can only imagine what happens next. For our favorite characters, we imagine greatness in their future. Happiness, love, and all good things.
I’m sure I am not the first person to realize that books really do reflect life. Even if the adventures are way beyond anything we would actually experience in real life, the jest of the scenario is relatable.
Such is true for me this week.
After six and a half years as Young Adult Librarian at Manhattan Public Library, I say goodbye this week to head off to the next adventure in my career.
From my first day at MPL, I have always known this was a special position at a special library. In my time we have been able to take the Young Adult area from a single isle of books in a far corner, to a welcoming section with seating, displays, and a booming programming schedule.
While I am apprehensive about leaving MPL, I take comfort in knowing that staff and teens will work to keep the programs going and continue to build this crucial area.
So many people have worked alongside me over the past few years to encourage teen reading and get teens active at the library that I could never thank them all; but I hope the next YA Librarian at MPL will have the wonderful experiences that I did in meeting teens, community members, educators, parents, and all those involved in other community organizations.
The hardest thing for me this week will be to say farewell to some teens I have known for many years now. When I came some were just approaching middle school, and now those same kids are in their last year(s) of high school. I have seen so many of them grow into wonderful young men and ladies and can’t wait to hear about all of their accomplishments in the near future.
Looking back on the first time I ever wrote this column as a staff member at MPL, I was able to speak more about what a Young Adult Librarian is and what they do.
I pointed out that telling someone you work with teenagers causes one of three reactions: fear, sympathy, or confusion. To this day, that is still true.
However, I am now able to add in the description of my job that “my” teens are so much fun and appreciate me for who I am and what I can do for them that every day is an adventure, and every time I get to be around the teens I learn more about teens, about my job, and about myself. Working with teenagers for more than nine years has given me a unique perspective on the world, one which I believe keeps me young.
The volume of my life that has taken place around Manhattan Public Library has been a good one. With lots of twists and turns, but ultimately with a happy ending that leaves us all looking forward to what happens next.
With all this in mind, I leave you with a quote I recently found by Terry Pratchett in his YA book Nation.
“No more words. We know them all, all the words that should not be said. But you have made my world more perfect.”

Kansas Notable Books for 2012……And the Winners Are?

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Rhonna

by Mary Newkirk, Adult Services Librarian

Every year a handful of Kansas book lovers have the difficult job of choosing their favorite books written by Kansans or about Kansas. This group of representatives from the Kansas Center for the Book, choose a list of the best books published the previous year by Kansas authors or about our state and then forward this list to the State Librarian for the final selections.

They must consider many titles including fiction, nonfiction, adult and young adult books. In early July the 2012 list was announced. Yesterday, the winning authors were awarded medals at the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka. The following titles were chosen as the winners of the seventh Kansas Notable Book list.

8 Wonders of Kansas! Guidebook by Marci Penner
The 8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook is a 272-page book filled with over 800 beautiful photos of the 216 entries in the 8 Wonders of Kansas contests. Author Marci Penner has created another useful tour guide to help us enjoy our state’s highlights.
The Afterlives of Trees by Wyatt Townley
This new collection of poems by Wyatt Townley uses trees as a motif to explore the theme of transformation.
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming
This is the thrilling story of America’s most celebrated female flyer, Amelia Earhart, who was born in Atchison. It is told alternating between Amelia’s life from childhood up until her last flight and the exhaustive search for her and her missing plane. Level: middle graders.
Bent Road: A Novel by Lori Roy
Arthur Scott tries to escape the race riots of 1967 Detroit by returning with his family to the tiny Kansas town he left 25 years ago after the violent death of his sister.
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
For a man forced into the presidency, the legacy of James Garfield extended far beyond his lifetime, Destiny of the Republic revisits his meteoric rise within the military and government with meticulous research and intimate focus.
Doc: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell
Dr. John Henry Holliday, an ailing Southern gentleman, arrives in Dodge City with a prostitute who helps him find high-stakes poker games that will support them both in high style. The unlikely friendship of Doc Holliday and a fearless lawman named Wyatt Earp begins here.
The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley
Roderick Townley spins a magical tale of lies and truths, of secrets kept and secrets revealed in this adventure story for youth or the adventurous at heart.
Liar’s Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce
One of Kirkus Blog’s Favorite YA Novels of 2011, Liar’s Moon is a sequel to StarCrossed. These are high-fantasy, forbidden magic with castles, prisons, poisons and passion.
My Ruby Slippers: The Road Back to Kansas by Tracy Seeley
At 39, settled in San Francisco, a midlife crisis shakes Seely to her roots — she tells the story of a search for Kansas roots, the tale of a woman with an impassioned if vague sense of mission: to find the meaning of home.
The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory
by James N. Leiker and Ramon Powers
The Northern Cheyenne in 1878, attempted to flee from Indian Territory back to their Montana homeland. This important event in American Indian history is equally important in the history of towns like Oberlin, Kan., where Cheyenne warriors killed more than 40 settlers and in turn suffered great losses through violent encounters with the U.S. Army.
Osa and Martin: For the Love of Adventure by Kelly Enright
Legendary filmmakers and adventurers Osa and Martin Johnson, via film, brought the jungles of Africa and the South Pacific to millions of Americans from the 1910s to 1940s. Kelly Enright brings this amazing couple fully to life, chronicling their journey from a honeymoon among cannibals to safari camps in lion country.
Prairie Fire: A Great Plains History by Julie Courtwright
This traces the history of both natural and intentional fires from Native American practices to the current use of controlled burns as an effective land management tool, along the way sharing the personal accounts of people whose lives have been touched by fire.
Rode by Thomas Fox Averill
This is the imagined story behind Jimmy Driftwood’s ballad “Tennessee Stud”, a story of the legendary exploits of the greatest horse that ever lived and his owner.
Send Me Work: Stories by Katherine Karlin
In this collection of short stories, Karlin offers rare insight into the place of work in the lives of women.
Tapped Out: Rear Naked Chokes, the Octagon, and the Last Emperor: An Odyssey in Mixed Martial Arts by Matthew Polly
At the age of 36, author Matthew Polly decides to immerse himself in Mixed Martial Arts training and competition in order to write a book about it.

This is the only honor for Kansas books by Kansans, highlighting our lively contemporary writing community and encouraging readers to enjoy some of the best writing of the authors among us.

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Rhonna

Izzy Spellman never really had a chance for a normal life. Raised by private investigators, she joined the family business at 12, establishing a pattern of snooping and distrust that doesn’t bode well for healthy relationships. Her parents routinely run background checks on her boyfriends. Her uncle Ray regularly disappears on binges of his assorted addictions. Her brother David, the supposedly normal one, has been hiding something. Even her baby sister is mastering the art of extortion within the family. Meanwhile Izzy tries to solve an unsolvable case and maintain a fairly normal (if completely dishonest) relationship with the dentist of her dreams.

I was told to read The Spellman Files because I like the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Both series are hilarious mysteries with entertaining young female characters who can’t quite get it together, but Spellman is less slapstick and more clever. This tale of mystery, suspense, and family dysfunction will keep you laughing all the way through.

Dan Gets a Minivan: Life at the Intersection of Dude and Dad

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Rhonna

Dan Zevin is a stay-at-home dad in Brooklyn. There is nothing earth shattering in his story of taking care of his kids, walking the dog, trying to make a living, and wondering if his life is headed in the right direction. That may be the true gift of his writing, the ability to take the everyday struggles that all parents face and show the humor. Dan Gets a Minivan won’t provide you with any helpful advice, but it will make you laugh out loud – at Zevin, but also a bit at yourself. A must read for anyone who has children.

Little Apple Bookworm

Author Archives: Rhonna