Library Book Nook – January 2020

Happy New Year!  If you find yourself trying to stay out of the cold, swing by the library first and check out a book, movie or a puzzle.  We have several puzzles that are available for a renewable two week period.  From 300 to 1500 pieces, we have puzzles that are sure to help you pass the long winter months. 

New in 2020 we will be offering a Door to Door program.  Any individual who is unable to get to the library due to age, surgery, illness, or disability can call the library and have books, movies, puzzles, etc. delivered to their home.  We will deliver on Tuesday afternoons and only within the city of Battle Creek.  If you are interested in this service give the library a call!

We will be having a Teddy Bear Sleepover on Friday, January 10th.  Children are welcome to bring a stuffed animal to the library on Friday before 6:00pm.  The stuffed animal will spend the night at the library having all kinds of stuffed animal fun!  Then the next morning, Saturday, January 11^th, the children are welcome to come back to the library for Story Time at 9:00am.  They will see and learn all about the fun their stuffed animal had overnight and take their stuffed animal home. 

Lego Club is starting!  Thanks to donations and a grant from the Nebraska Library Commission we are able to start a Lego club for students 2^nd-6^th grades.  We will have January’s  LEGO club on Thursday, January 9^th and 23^rd from 3:45-4:45.  No reservations are necessary at this time but depending on the turnout we may have to limit the amount of attendees in the future. 

New Books!!!

Adult Books

All the Flowers in Paris – Sarah Jio

Bloody Trail of the Mountain Man – William W. Johnstone

Christmas Bells – Jennifer Chiaverini

Criss Cross (book and audiobook) – James Patterson

Genesis – Robin Cook

How Happiness Happens – Max Lucado

A Minute to Midnight – David Baldacci

The Rise of Magicks – Nora Roberts

Smoke Screen – Terri Blackstock

Spy – Danielle Steel

Sword of Kings – Bernard Cornwell

Code of Honor – Tom Clancy

Twisted Twenty-six – Janet Evanovich

Young Adult & Junior Fiction

Alex Rider, Secret Weapon – Anthony Horowitz

Broken Throne – Victoria Aveyard

The Queen of Nothing – Holly Black

Top Secret Smackdown – Marc Barnett

Junior Readers and Picture Books

Alien vs. Bad Guys – Aaron Blabey

Do-You-Think-He-Saur-Us – Aaron Blabey

Superbad – Aaron Blabey

The Big Bad Wolf – Aaron Blabey

The Cool Bean – Jory John

Dog Man: Fetch-22 – Dav Pilkey

The Bathtime Battle – Shannon Hale

Black Forest Burglary – Thea Stilton

DVDs

Downton Abbey-The Movie

Abominable

The Library Book Nook — September 2019

School is back in session and things at the library are picking up again as well.  Our monthly Saturday morning storytimes for kids through 2nd grade returns on September 7th.  How are you doing? Story Time will focus on books that talk about emotions and feelings. We will sing some heartfelt songs and even have a smiley snack.  All are welcome!

For adults this month we have a new Book Club starting up!  We will meet the last Monday of every month in the meeting room.  We will offer the chance for adults to come at either 9:00 in the morning or 6:00 in the afternoon.  Adults do not need to come to both sessions but are welcome to if they want to socialize or hear others perspectives on the books.  We will always have coffee and the chance to talk with others about some pretty awesome books. Best of all we have extra copies of the books so there is no need to spend any money!  Stop by the library and pick up a copy to begin reading this month’s book!

Our Book Club book for September is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.  This quirky, curmudgeonly young lady finds herself infatuated with a singer and realizes she must change to get his attention. Through hilarious attempts to change the engrained routines of her life and with evolving friendships with the new IT guy and an old man , Eleanor Oliphant  

takes the reader on a life changing journey from a friendless, damaged soul who is just fine to a person who cherishes her life and the people in it.  Be ready to laugh and shed a tear or two!

Finally, thank you to all who helped make our Movie Under the Stars a success!  From financial donors who helped cover the movie license, to donors of equipment, to Farmers Pride for refreshments, to family and board members who helped behind the scenes, to organizers of Summer City Fest, to the Ball Association for use of the field, to those who take care of the park, and many more we thank you!  We are humbled to be a part of such a generous and supportive community. Thank you!

New Books:

Adult

Bitterroots – CJ Box

Catering to Nobody – Diane Mott Davidson

Cereal Murders – Diane Mott Davidson

Dark Age – Pierce Brown

Desperate Creek – Alex Kava

Evvie Drake Starts Over – Linda Holmes

Frontier America – William W. Johnstone

Game of Snipers – Stephen Hunter

Half Finished – Lauraine Snelling

Healing Jar – Wanda E. Brunstetter

Inn (Book and Audiobook) – James Patterson

Labyrinth – Catherine Coulter

Lake of the Ozarks – Bill Geist

Mustangers – Andrew J. Fenady

Real Murders – Charlaine Harris

Romanov Ransom – Clive Cussler

Someone We Know – Shari Lapena

The Third Victim – Phillip Margolin

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse – Charlaine Harris

Young Adult

Maybe This Time – Kasie West

Junior Fiction

Oceans Between Stars – Kevin Emerson

Sunny Side Up – Jennifer L. Holm

See You on a Starry Night – Lisa Schroeder

Surfside Girls: Mystery at the Old Rancho – Kim Dwinell

Wish on All the Stars – Lisa Schroeder

Junior Readers/Picture Books

Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls – Dav Pilkey

Field – Baptiste Paul

Ranger in Time: Night of Soldiers and Spies – Kate Messner

Owl Diaries: Trip to the Pumpkin Farm – Rebecca Elliott

The Very Last Castle – Travis Jonker

In the midst of the coldness of winter, we get to enjoy the wonderful month of February. Not only is February the shortest month, it is the month of love with Valentine’s Day falling in the middle. We set this day aside to remind ourselves to simply say, “I love you” to our friends and family. February is also a month where we get to honor. We get to honor those who have served our country in the highest public office, the presidency. We also dedicate this month to remembering and honoring those who have struggled for their civil rights by observing Black History Month. Whatever you chose to do this month in the midst of the coldness of the continual winter, we hope you take the time to simply love and honor. And, if you are so moved, we’ve got plenty of books to help you do both.

From Labor Day to Patriot Day and Autumn’s haunting call, this month reaches out to pull on your memories and  walk you through life’s changes. This is  a month of enchanting color to push you onward toward a quiet reverie as memory reclaims your longings.

What can the Fall do to fulfill your dreams and brighten memories? A tug at your heart, a whisper to your brain will lift your heart towards old memories and new good times. No one can see what you feel, but you can fully feel what you see in a turn of season.

Watch children race toward a pile of leaves, yellow, orange, tan and red. In a flash of energy they leap and spray the leafy mount, rolling and falling toward a merry heap of arms and legs reaching for the exhilaration of the season. Anyone else watching might wish for such freedom, and resist the display of childlike feelings. Little ones recognize a wondrous event and dive right in. Shouldn’t we all, in some way?

Never resist the call to enjoy nature’s call for play or the fragrance of a zesty Autumn! It’s a treat!

It’s Fall, y’all, and the youngsters are heading back to school. It’s a great time of year for the children, as they will soon begin to have lots of friends and fun both during and after school.

Their parents will also enjoy this season for many reasons. There’s a break from parental oversight while they’re in school. School will provide plenty of activities for children to enjoy and for parents to see and hear also.

Some of the most enlightening things happen at teachers’ conferences and sports events–not to mention school plays and band events. Members of the same family can easily enjoy the talents each member has at these moments, and quite often there are great things to brag about and a few funny ones to giggle over.

Now, I’m not saying that school isn’t a serious business. For goodness sake, I taught Junior High and High School students for 15 years. But the parts that stick in your heart the most should be the fun, the learning, and ‘oopses’ that go along with it.

Memories of these times can be something to cling to in not-so-fun times and revived to encourage us all to cling to our past a little. Have a great year kiddos. Enjoy, enjoy, parents. I’m a parent and grandparent and I wouldn’t trade any of the serious or hilarious times.

Have fun teachers, principals, lunchroom cooks, school nurse and all the other folks who live at school. It’s worth it.                                                                                                    

Wedding plans ‘n’marching bands carry us on. Sunny parades share a summer song. Flags of our Fathers steel  our hearts and weld our pride. Time’s a wastin’ ; and that’s no lie.

Wedding plans ‘n’marching bands carry us on. Colorful parades toast  a summer song. Flags of our Fathers steel  our hearts and Time’s a wastin’ to do our part.

*On June 7, at 4:30 p.m., Jeff Quinn will entertain us with magic, laughter and music at the Battle Creek Elementary Gym.

*Visit  the Lied Battle Creek Public Library on June 21, 2 p.m. to enjoy some great music, featuring Connie Lade and her guitar.  Refreshments are quite possible and fun is guaranteed.

This month is going to grab us by the hand and whisk us away. It’s already looking like Spring is coming: flocks of ducks flew overhead this morning when I came to work –and they were headed North! However, I was going South to the Public Library with sun shining in my face and a yellow cat running alongside my car as I headed for the river bridge. I don’t know where she was going.

Remnants of snow scattered along my path as I got closer to Battle Creek, and now at 1:40 pm, there are more puddles than little snow drifts along the street.

Business was a little slow from 9 a.m. till closing. A few adults and a handful of children came in and retrieved books to read or movies to take home, but it’s possible other people were busy outside. Our small quota of  patrons didn’t stay too long either.

It’s a little nippy yet, but this looks good for the beginning of Spring. You know, those ducks were encouraging each other to keep flying–pretty loudly, too. It made me want to shout a little.

If the weather stays friendly, it will be somewhat harder to stay inside and work. It might be tempting to play hooky and enjoy  the weather. Who knows? A holiday might come along and rescue us. It’s been known to happen. Now what is the next holiday coming to our rescue???

And then it snowed! I guess the next holiday must be Grab Your Shovel Day,  right?

What is the most special day in the month of February?? It could be the day my mother was born. It could be the wedding date someone chose. Could it be the sad day my father died, five days before mother’s 50th birthday?

No! It has to be Valentine’s Day, February 14. Every year this holiday reminds us of someone, some event, a happy party, or a special valentine. And–it gives everyone a chance to remember a friend or a member of your family with a genuine expression of love. Many songs remind us: “what the world needs now is love, sweet love”.

Why is this holiday bigger than personal occasions? Because all of us need to reclaim our membership to humanity, to reach out where needed and spread a good word. Some may feel it’s silly and mushy, but tell that to someone living alone or someone lying in a hospital bed with no visitors. Greet your friends and neighbors. Encourage our little ones to share their happiness. Pat your dog’s head, just in case he’s forgotten who you are!

So the New Year flies in and drags Old Man Winter with her, seeding the sidewalks with sleet, ice pellets and snow.

Oh, but the second week finds sunshine sparkling the snow left behind on the sidewalks, and the children come out to be squinting shyly in the sun, wondering where the rest of the snow bunnies went.

It’s a ragged world; changes occur with a gasp of breath and howl of frigid air. Where are we going this time? we ask. And the answer depends on where we stand: bravely in every gust or cowering inside, refusing to be tossed around.

Then the next Fury hurls sleet into the wind, splitting the clouds with ice and a wail. And with each gust the New Year sails ahead guiding and directing the tempest. How long can this continue? Where will the sails in the skies steer us?

Quiet settles with the snowflakes gently floating, and Howling drowns with a whimper, a cough and a sigh. Sunlight peeps down at a shifting sweep of white, as below, the tempest drifts quietly away. Silence assumes the end of another storm, and all sigh their relief.

January will chase into February soon, raising a song of hope. Something new may overtake our experience, raising a flag of triumph for a new day.

Here, in Lied Battle Creek Public Library, our working staff really enjoys decorating for holidays. I mean, we sometimes get so carried away that all you can really notice is the decor. Should you come in unaware,you might be startled at the blatant garishness of our efforts.

Take the month of October, if you can. We are leaping into one of our best collections of Fall and Halloween decor.  (Don’t tell anyone, but there’s a ‘dead witch’ under our easy chair–well at least her legs are.) Once in awhile, during October, someone will ease into that chair without noticing the legs sticking out underneath (purple stockings and orange shoes is a tip-off). But sometimes they do notice and they pull out the headless torso and toss it aside. One does want to be careful not to annoy the deceased.

Black cats, orange strings of lights with black spiders dripping from them, and ghastly decorated leafless trees adorned with pumpkins and creepy smiling pumpkins are not our only talents. There are evil-looking black owls perched in the Young Adult room on a ledge infested with black and silver feathered nests and the demanding warning – BEWARE!

Ghosts and  creepy pumpkins’ faces peer in from the windows. A giant black spider with a purple back and evil red eyes glaring down from the ceiling encourages you to COME IN!

Of course we have the run-of-the-mill Autumn leaves to settle your nerves a bit before you leave. We don’t want anyone to think there’s something unusual about our library. You will drop in, won’t you? We really miss you when you don’t. Ha ha ha ha!