Here there be dragons...

 

                                                    Photo by 順平 黃 on Unsplash

Chinese New Year begins on Saturday, Feb. 10^th and this year marks the year of the dragon! To celebrate, we’ll have a Take & Make dragon craft available for kids starting Feb. 5 and a Chinese New Year themed Movers & Makers on Feb. 9^th.  

Want to delve into a fantasyland populated by fire-breathing creatures?  Here are a few of our favorite dragon books:

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D’Lacey

Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey

Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer

Travel + History: Historical fiction set in other countries

 

Are you dreaming of escaping Wisconsin’s snowy winter? Travel around the world by book and learn some history in the process with these picks:

 

(India/Pakistan) A Moment Comes by Jennifer Bradbury

(Pakistan) Under the Tamarind Tree by Nigar Alam

(France) Paris Housekeeper by Renee Ryan

(France) Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

(Spain) Capitan Alatriste by Arturo Perez Reverte

(Italy) Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran

(Puerto Rico) Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos Figueroa

A Better World

On Martin Luther King Jr Day, we are reflecting on the kind of world we’d like to see and how to work toward it.   Here are a few books focused on positive steps toward a better future.  What titles would you add to the list?

Think Again by Adam Grant

The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist's Guide to the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac

Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides by Geoffrey L. Cohen 

Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt 

Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future by Cameron Herold

Seeing Others: How Recognition Works—and How It Can Heal a Divided World 

By Michèle Lamont

Community: the Structure of Belonging by Peter Block

Tribe: on Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria

MLK Day: Unity in the Community

 

Have you seen all the activities planned in Evansville for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?  If you love a good writing challenge, don’t miss the Library’s “I Have a Dream” Essay Contest! ($25 amazon gift card prize to winning entry!)  Entries are due today (Jan 8), but let us know if you need a time extension, we’d love to read your essays!

On Jan 15, join us at the library at 2 pm to hear an excerpt from MLK’s “I have a Dream” speech, followed by a reading from our essay contest winner. Light refreshments served.

We’ll have an MLK theme for our regular Storytime next week (Jan 17, 10 am).  Also, be sure to pick up a copy of the Community Reads book this year: The Hate U Give”by Angie Thomas.  Copies are available at the library (or to download at home.)  We’ll have a book discussion on Wed, Feb 21^st at 6 pm at the library to delve into the themes.

Other community events include a service opportunity: distributing food at Creekside Place, a food drive, and a reflective labyrinth walk.

 

We are excited to be able to offer the Evansville community a year of Masterclass for free!

The Eager Free Public Library is happy to partner with MasterClass to offer no-cost Annual Memberships to the entire MasterClass platform for one year (a $180 value). Use your mobile, desktop, or smart TV to access online classes taught by the best in arts & entertainment, writing, business, food, home & lifestyle, music, sports & gaming, and more.

Launched in 2015, MasterClass is the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s experts. With an annual membership, subscribers get unlimited access to 100+ instructors and classes across a wide range of subjects, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Kelly Wearstler’s design studio, Ron Finley’s garden and Neil Gaiman’s writing retreat. Get inspired by RuPaul, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes, and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn on your own terms—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge. Cinematic visuals and close-up, hands-on demonstrations make you feel like you’re one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable instructor guides help reinforce your learning. 

Membership numbers are limited, be sure to sign up soon. (First come, first served)  To register:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRBMtRrYr5pB5201MD3BjUsN7rTGrJNZyqTynoKHl9wj4mww/viewform?pli=1

Our grant with MasterClass begins mid-January and you’ll receive an email at that time that will explain how to access the classes.  We hope you enjoy the classes!