Curled Up With a Good Book

"Curled Up With a Good Book" is an e-zine (online magazine) that reviews books and offers author interviews. HERE is a link to their page of picture book reviews, a great resource for seeing whats new and interesting. As you know, Ms. Eileen tries to be very responsive to patrons' requests for books, so if you see something you'd like our library to own, let her know. Personally, I'm finding lots of books I'd like to have for storytimes.

A Home Visit

Some readers may remember that I was auctioned off in the Fall as part of the Friend's Holiday Auction. This weekend I had the GREAT pleasure of making my storytime visit to a Marlborough family. I really felt honored being in the presence of Ann, Emma, and Ally. We read and sang songs and I even made up a few on-the-spot songs about princesses and castles. It was fun for me and I hope it was fun for them. Some of the books we shared that night included the classic, fantastically illustrated "King Bidgood's in the Bathtub", by Audrey and Don Wood, "Yummy: My Favorite Nursery Stories", brightly illustrated and energetically retold by Lucy Cousins, and "Big Bear Hug", a sweet, tree-hugging tale by Nicolas Oldland. Thank you so much to the R. family for their warm, generous welcome and for their contribution to the library.

Laurence Anholt

Today, our superlative library page, Nancy M., pointed out a lovely new picture book, "The Magical Garden of Claude Monet" by Laurence Anholt. Julie and her dog, Louey, wander into a beautiful garden and are taken on a tour by it's "gardener" (Monet). Filled with Anholt's own lovely illustrations and faithful reproductions of Monet's classic works, this book is a feast for the eyes as well as a charming story. This is one in a series of books by Laurence Anholt featuring famous artists. Turns out Mr. Anholt is quite a prolific author and he and his author wife have a GREAT website (this is a clickable link). It is definitely worth a visit.

It's Award Season

All the movie awards on TV made me start thinking about book awards. The Center for Children's Books at the University of Illinois keeps an updated list of children's book awards with the 2009 winners listed HERE (this is a clickable link). Most of you probably know about the Caldicott and the Newbery, but did you know about the Theodore Geisel medal or the Kate Greenaway medal? Check them out and see which books took home the honors. Submitted for your web surfing fun and information.

New Truck Books!

Calling all truck lovers! Ms. Eileen has stocked our shelves with all sorts of truck books in every category, from JE picture books like "Little Dump Truck" by Margery Cuyler, JE-ER easy readers featuring Jon Scieszka's Trucktown series, great big non-fiction books like "Up Close Heavy Equipment", and a clever, funny take on nursery rhymes called "Truckery Rhymes". I think it's safe to say they'll be some truck-themed storytimes soon. Check them all out on the NEW shelf.

Snowy Books

Ms. Eileen has put up a display of snowy books on the shelf nearest the storytime room. The classic, "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats is there along with one of my all-time favorites, "A Hat for Minerva Louise", by Janet Morgan Stoeke. You'll see lots of old and new favorites, so check 'em out!

Happy New Year

It's been a terribly long time since I last posted! My holidays were busy...and happy. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and (for some of you) vacation as well. But we're back in gear at the library and our storytime schedule is posted. Registration for Marlborough residents begins Thursday, Jan. 14, and our out-of-town patrons can register beginning Jan. 21. Winter storytime classes begin on February 1st.

In the meantime, a wonderful new book has just arrived at the library and I have to share it with you. 'That Book Woman" by Heather Henson with illustrations by David Small, tells the story of Cal who lives in the Appalachian Hills where he works hard and, to his consternation, his sister reads all day. Then a mysterious traveler, who he calls the book woman, comes into their lives. This book was inspired by real life Pack Horse librarians who traveled by horse or mule through the Appalachians to bring books where there were no schools or libraries. It certainly makes me want to learn more and it's a great story, wonderfully told and beautifully illustrated.