WINTER READS

Winter is the perfect time to curl up with a good book!  With cold and snowy weather keeping you indoors, it is nice to get lost in a good book.  And, maybe enjoy some hot chocolate or tea along with it!

Here is a list of some newer books and classics to help get you through the long winter months ahead.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Vacationers by Emma Straub

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sherlock Holmes
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Circle by Dave Eggers
Three Brothers by Peter Ackroyd
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King


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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: DAN BROWN

Next month we will be reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code for our Book to Movie Club.  This book follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as he tries to solve puzzles and riddles that lead to a trail of clues hidden in the art of Leonard Da Vinci.  He teams up with Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist, and learns about the Priory of Sion.  These two must solve the puzzles in time or the Priory's ancient secret will be lost forever. 

Dan Brown is the author of six novels, four of which star Robert Langdon.  For more information on Dan Brown, visit http://www.danbrown.com/







Dan Brown's Novels:
Digital Fortress
Deception Point
Angels and Demons
The Da Vinci Code
The Lost Symbol
Inferno

Want more?  Here is a list of titles that are similar to The Da Vinci Code.  Pick one up today!

Relic by Tom Egeland
The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell
A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva
Seven Wonders by Ben Mezrich
The Camel Club by David Baldacci
The Third Secret by Steve Berry
The Genesis Code by John Case
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
O Jerusalem by Laurie R. King
The Eight by Katherine Neville
The Book of Q by Jonathan Rabb
The Secret Supper by Javier Sierra


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STORYBOUND

Who doesn't love a good story?  And, who hasn't wondered what it would be like to be a part of a story or be best friends with a favorite character?  Marissa Burt's Storybound follows Una Fairchild as she is suddenly transported into the Land of Story.

Marissa Burt is the author of three novels: Storybound, Story's End, and A Sliver of Stardust.

Want more books similar to Storybound?  Give one of these a try today!

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill
The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus
Rump: the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
The School for Good and Evil by Chainani Soman
The Library Card by Jerry Spinelli
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

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WINTER PICTURE BOOKS

December is here, and that means so is winter!  While winter doesn't officially start until later this month, it certainly feels like it already outside.  What better way to spend a winter evening, than to curl up with a blanket and read some winter themed books!


The Very Fairy Princess Sparkles in the Snow by Julie Andrews
Snow Day for Mouse by Judy Cox
The Mitten by Jan Brett
An Amazing Snowman by Barbara Jean Hicks
Five Little Penguins Slipping on the Ice by Steve Metzger
Penny Penguin Doesn't Like the Cold by Margie North
Chilly Catches a Cold by Sheila Sweeny Higginson
Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
A Very Special Snowflake by Don Hoffman
Pearl's New Skates by Holly Keller
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs



If you want to place a hold on any of these titles, you can do so by calling the Library.  Or, you can click on the hyperlinked title which will take you to RockCat.

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TIGER LILY

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson takes on the story of Peter Pan before he meets Wendy.  When Tiger Lily and Peter Pan meet they quickly form a lasting bond.  However, when Wendy Darling arrives, Tiger Lily will discover how far she is willing to go in order to keep Peter with her in Neverland.  This retelling of Peter Pan is told from the perspective of Tinkerbell as she watches everything unfold.

Want more Jodi Lynn Anderson?  Here is a list of her novels:
The Vanishing Season
Peaches
The Secrets of Peaches
Love and Peaches
Tiger Lily




Did you love Tiger Lily?  You may like one of these similar works too!

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Enchanted by Althea Kontis
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
In the Time of Dragon Moon by Janet Lee Carey

And, if you are looking for more Peter Pan retellings, you may find something you like listed below.

The Child Thief by Brom

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry
Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen
Tigerheart by Peter David

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MOCKINGJAY

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is now in theaters!  We've seen plenty of people reading and rereading Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay in order to get ready for the movie release.  But, now that the movie series is over, what will you read next?

If you haven't read The Hunger Games yet, place a hold on the books today!
1. The Hunger Games
2. Catching Fire
3. Mockingjay

If you loved The Hunger Games trilogy, then you may enjoy some of these series too.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
1. Divergent
2. Insurgent
3. Allegiant

Matched by Ally Condie
1. Matched
2. Crossed
3. Reached

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
1. The Maze Runner
2. The Scorch Trials
3. The Death Cure

Seven Kingdoms Trilogy by Kristin Cashore
1. Graceling
2. Fire
3. Bitterblue

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
1. Clockwork Angel
2. Clockwork Prince
3. Clockwork Princess

The Lunar Chronicles
1. Cinder
2. Scarlet
3. Cress
4. Winter
**Fairest is an additional novel to this series.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
1. Uglies
2. Pretties
3. Specials
4. Extras

The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry
1. The Giver
2. Gathering Blue
3. Messenger
4. Son

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
1. Beautiful Creatures
2. Beautiful Darkness
3. Beautiful Chaos
4. Beautiful Redemption

Book of Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau
1. City of Ember
2. The People of Sparks
3. The Prophet of Yonwood
4. The Diamond of Darkhold

Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
1. Among the Hidden
2. Among the Imposters
3. Among the Betrayed
4. Among the Barons
5. Among the Brave
6. Among the Enemy
7. Among the Free

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
1. Birthmarked
2. Prized
3. Promised

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MY ANTONIA

The Eager Free Public Library is participating in the Big Read, and our book discussion will take place on Tuesday, November 17th.  This year's book is My Antonia by Willa Cather.  My Antonia is a classic American novel written in the early 1900s.  This book tells the story of an immigrant woman's life in Nebraska and is told through Jim Burden's reflections on his childhood friend Antonia Shimerda.

Willa Cather is the author of numerous novels, short fiction, poetry, and collected writings.  A list of her novels is below.

Alexander's Bridge
O Pioneers!
The Song of the Lark
My Antonia
One of Ours
A Lost Lady
The Professor's House
My Mortal Enemy
Death Comes for the Archbishop
Shadows on the Rock
Lucy Gayheart
Sapphira and the Slave Girl

If you enjoyed reading My Antonia, you may like some of these similar works:

The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Close Range by Annie Proulx
Ahab's Wife, or the Star Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund
Comanche Moon by Larry McMurtry
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Possession by A.S. Byatt
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf

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THINGS FALL APART

It's time to start thinking about the December Book Club pick!  Next month we will be reading and discussing Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.  Chinua Achebe was the author of numerous novels, children's books, short stories, poetry, and essays.  Things Fall Apart was his first novel and was written in the late 1950s.  This novel tells two stories, both focusing on Okonkwo, a man of an Ibo village in Nigeria.


Chinua Achebe's Novels:
Things Fall Apart
No Longer at Ease
Arrow of God
A Man of the People
Anthills of the Savannah
Chike and the River

Achebe's Children's Books:

How the Leopard Got His Claws
The Flute
The Drum

Works similar to Things Fall Apart:
Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela
Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Inheritors by William Golding
A Bend in the River by V.S. Naipaul
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu


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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: SHARON CREECH

Sharon Creech was a favorite author of mine when I was growing up, and I am happy to say that she is still writing today!  And, it is always good to remember that you are never too old to read children's books.

Sharon Creech grew up in Ohio and now lives in Maine with her husband.  She has written 19 books, and she plans on writing more.  If you are interested in learning more about this author, you can visit her website: http://www.sharoncreech.com/

Enjoy one of her books today!

Picture Books:
A Fine, Fine School
Fishing in the Air
Who's That Baby?

Novels:
Absolutely Normal Chaos
The Wanderer
Walk Two Moons
Bloomability
The Boy on the Porch
The Unfinished Angel
Ruby Holler
The Castle Corona
Chasing Redbird
Replay
Pleasing the Ghost
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
The Great Unexpected
Love That Dog
Hate That Cat
Heartbeat

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Picture Books About Monsters

Ms. Laura, one of the librarians here at Eager Free Public Library, LOVES monsters in pretty much any form—craft projects, movies, songs, and books! Since Halloween is coming up, we thought we’d share a list of monstrous (and not too scary) titles that are perfect for storytime and book sharing with young readers.

• Monster, Be Good! by Natalie Marshall
• The Monstore by Tara Lazar, illustrated by James Burks
• Buddy and the Bunnies in Don’t Play With Your Food by Bob Shea
• Spider Sandwiches by Claire Freedman, illustrated by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
• Nighty Night, Little Green Monster by Ed Emberley
• Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
• Mommy’s Little Monster by Dawn McNiff, illustrated by Kate Willis-Crowley
• Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin
• Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light
• Love Monster by Rachel Bright

Pick up one of these titles at your library or put one on hold through RockCat today!

Spooky Reads & Views for Grown-Ups

Today's roundup is mostly of adult books and DVDs, but a simple search in RockCat (limit to Eager Free Children or Eager Free Young Adult) will find similarly spooky stuff for younger readers.

Spooky Books

• Haunted Hikes: spine-tingling tales and trails from North America's national parks by Andrea Lankford
• Haunted Lake Superior by Hugh Bishop
• Haunted Wisconsin by Michael Norman and Beth Scott
• The Haunted Northwoods by Tom Hollatz 
• The Everything Ghost Book: spooky stories of haunted houses, phantom spirits, unexplained mysteries, and more by Jason Rich
• Ghosts of Madison, Wisconsin by Sherry Strub
• Famous Wisconsin Ghosts and Ghost Hunters by Hannah Heidi Levy and Brian G. Borton
• Ghost: Investigating the other side by Katherine M. Ramsland

Ghostly Movies & Documentaries

• America's Most Haunted Inns
• The Woman in Black
• The Innkeepers
• A Haunting: Echoes from the grave
• Paranormal Activity
• 1408
• The Shining

Get in the Halloween mood with one of these titles - call us to reserve one of these books or movies, or stop in to browse for more ideas. 

Great Non-Fiction Books for Kids

There are a lot of kids who prefer to read non-fiction over fiction, but for many adults, non-fiction titles may not come to mind quickly when helping your child or student choose a book to read together or on their own. Here are some great non-fiction books for kids that we can recommend!

• The Boy in Number Four by Kara Kootstra, illustrated by Regan Thomson
• Hippos Can't Swim: and other fun facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Pete Oswald
• Now and Ben: the modern inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Baretta
• Tuesday Tucks Me In: the loyal bond between a soldier and his service dog by Fmr. Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan, with Bret Witter, photographs by Dan Dion
• 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts by R.J. Palacio

I have to put a plug in also for the Cooperative Children's Book Center's Bibliographies and Booklists, which include a wealth of non-fiction titles that are also outstanding for kids, with ideas for topics like Food, the Environment, and Science and Scientists, to name just a few!

Fun Beginning Chapter Books

This week's book list comes to us from Imagination Soup. This is a roundup of fun and relatively new beginning chapter books for kids who have graduated from easy readers and are ready to take on chapter books (but not quite ready to jump in to juvenile fiction). These books are fast-paced, with interesting characters, illustrations, and print that is a little bit bigger than your average juvenile novel to make for easier reading. Enjoy!

• Big Bad Detective Agency by Bruce Hale
• Tank and Fizz: the Case of the Slime Stampede by Liam O'Donnell, illustrated by Mike Deas
• Snoop Troop by Kirk Scroggs
• Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot by Dave Pilkey
• The Magical Animal Adoption Agency by Kallie George
• Finley Flowers by Jessica Young
• The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken: the Next Misadventure by Doreen Cronin

Remember, you can put any of these books on hold through RockCat, or you can call the library and we can place a hold for you. 

ROYAL FICTION

The Taming of Queen, Philippa Gregory's latest novel, is the inspiration for this blog entry.  Many historical fiction fans are specifically fans of historical fiction involving royal families.  Philippa Gregory's newest book takes place in Henry VIII's court during the time of his marriage to his sixth and final wife Katherine Parr.

If you are a fan of royal fiction, then you may want to try some of the books listed here.  This is just a brief list as there are many more out there!

The Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle
Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir
Katherine by Anya Seton
The October Horse by Colleen McCullough
The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
Elizabeth I by Margaret George
The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
The Second Empress by Michelle Moran
Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki
Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire
The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
Anastasia and Her Sisters by Carolyn Meyer

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JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL

Next month, we will be reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke for book club.  The story takes place in 19th century England and follows Mr. Norrell and his pupil Jonathan Strange.  Clarke's work was recently turned into a miniseries that received positive reviews.

You can place a hold on the book, or the miniseries, through RockCat or by calling the library at 608-882-2260.

If you enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, you may like some of these works as well.






The Prestige by Christopher Priest: Two you magicians clash during a séance, and from then on their lives become intertwined.  Both men try to outdo and expose the other.  This rivalry takes them to highs in their careers, but comes at a cost.

The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates takes place in twentieth century Princeton, NJ.  A curse causes the disappearance of a young woman, and her brother sets out to find her. 

The Magician King by Lev Grossman follows Quentin and his friends who are now the kings and queens of Fillory.  Quentin and Julia set off an a ship to the outer edges of their kingdom.  However, their trip turns into an adventure when they are returned to Quentin's parents' home.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Behind the scenes at the circus is a fierce competition between two young magicians: Celia and Marco.  As they compete, the two fall in love.  Who will win, and how will everything play out?


The Quick by Lauren Owen tells the story of James Norbury, a poet in London.  As he navigates the world of high society, he finds love and happiness.  However, he vanishes without a trace.  His sister Charlotte sets out to find her brother, and her search leads her to a mysterious institution: The Aegolius Club.


Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson follows Daniel Waterhouse in his pursuit of knowledge from the greatest minds in Europe.


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MARY POPPINS

Book to Movie Club meets on Thursday, September 24th, and our book for this month is Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers.  Growing up, Mary Poppins was a favorite movie of mine, but I never read the book until this year!

P.L. Travers was born in Australia as Helen Lyndon Goff.  She eventually moved to London where she wrote and published Mary Poppins.  The first book was published in 1934, and she continued to write more books about Mary.  For more information on P.L. Travers, you can visit http://www.biography.com/people/pl-travers-21358293#life-as-a-writer

Mary Poppins Series:
1.  Mary Poppins
2.  Mary Poppins Comes Back
3.  Mary Poppins Opens the Door
4.  Mary Poppins in the Park
5.  Mary Poppins From A to Z
6.  Mary Poppins in the Kitchen
7.  Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane
8.  Mary Poppins and the House Next Door

Already finished with Mary Poppins?  Give one of these books a try!

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Bed-Knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty Bard MacDonald
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming


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