Happy New Decade!

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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 11th, 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 2nd-6th grades.  We will have January’s  LEGO club on Thursday, January 9th and 23rd 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

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Book Nook for September 2019

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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

Hopping time to be in Battle Creek!

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April is here and there is so much going on this month at the library and in the community!  We have an exciting living history program presented by Darrel Draper where he will perform in character as President Theodore Roosevelt.  This educational and entertaining program is for people of all ages and will be held at the Community Pride Care Center at 2:00 Sunday, April 7th.  The next Saturday the library will be stuffed with children and families as they get to make their own stuffed animal at our Make a Pal Stuffing Party.  Ms. Cherie Werner will read a heart-warming story about the wonderful role our stuffed friends make in our lives then the stuffing will begin!  If you missed the pre-order date there are extra “pals” available for the cost of $12 each.  Inquire at the library for more information.

Do you love pancakes?  If you do April in Battle Creek is going to be a lip-smacking month for you!  On April 7th the youth group at St. Johns will be having a pancake feed from 10:30 to 12:30 with Grubbs providing their delicious pancakes.  Then on Saturday, April 13th the Battle Creek Lions Club will take to the griddle to flip up some mouth-watering pancakes at the community clubhouse in the city park.  They will begin serving at 10:00 and continue till 1:00.

While are mouths are watering over pancakes, don’t forget there’s also a few more Friday night Knights of Columbus Fish Fries at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall.  They serve from 5:30-8:00pm and carryouts are available!

Our schools have book fairs, plays, and sporting events as well this month.  One event to note is the Battle Creek Scholarship Banquet on Friday, April 5th.  The speaker will be alum, Angie Klein.  Make sure you call the high school for your reservations!

Is that music you hear?  Well, not yet, but there will soon be music and dancing at the Fire Hall for the Annual Fireman’s Ball on April 13th from 8:00pm to 1:00am.  Ask your favorite fireman for tickets!

That’s not the end to the Battle Creek events!  Easter is coming!  That means worship services at St. Patricks and St. Johns but also a special visit from the Easter Bunny.  There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 0-8 at the city park on April 13th at 11am.  So on April 13th, you and your child can come to the library at 9 make a stuffed pal, head to the park for some pancakes from the Lions Club, have the children find eggs at 11 and then go home take a nap and find a babysitter and come back into town for a night of music and dancing.  Sounds like a hopping fun day and a wonderful month to be in Battle Creek!

 

PS… If we’ve missed any community events, we apologize!

February: A Month to Love and Honor

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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.

A Fond Farewell

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It is almost time to bid a fond farewell to our library director of 17 years, Kathy Bretschneider.  Kathy has served the community of Battle Creek faithfully with her wit and knowledge of all things English.  The City of Battle Creek will host an open house for Kathy on Friday, November 30th from 3pm to 5pm in the library meeting room.  Come wish this special lady a very happy retirement!

Summer heat leads to Autumn breezes- – –

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Squirrel Eating Acorn

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!

School bells ring–are ya listening?

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Image result for school days images

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.                                                                                                    Image result for school days images

Be Cool, Back to School

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Image result for Nebraska

July will soon slide into August and many wonderful opportunities are looking for you, kids. You still have a few short weeks of summer fun, of course, and that is a real opportunity.

One thing you could do is take a vacation to somewhere close that is not expensive and yet full of fun; like: the County Fair in your area–or a rodeo if it’s close enough. Explore area lakes and rivers (with your family and friends) and find out how great it is to be a Nebraskan. Some Nebraskans enjoy inviting their neighbors for an outdoor dinner, especially if they live in the country. Someone who might be visiting from out of state would most likely love an invitation to a country barbecue (or even a small town barbecue): does anyone have Gov.Pete Ricketts’ email?

Other ideas might include visiting grandparents wherever they live or inviting them to your outdoor barbecue.

You might even try writing a card or note to the teacher you will be working with next school year: tell he or she what your best qualities are or an activity that you’ve never tried in school–like being pen-pals with the principal.

Summers are short but there is still some time to look around and describe to your mom or dad what is best about Nebraska summers. Better yet write a pen pal and invite them to see how much fun we have.

Remember always that if you and your friends were born in Nebraska, there are many children who weren’t. You could start a Pen Pal Club  with your classmates and write to those children asking them what is  the best feature of their state. How do you find them? Start with cousins or friends who live elsewhere. Or when you go back to school ask the new kids who just arrived. It’s a great way to find a new friend.

And don’t forget to tell everyone how great the weather is here in good old Nebraska!

‘pretty little june bug walkin’ along, wings whistlin’ makin’ a song’

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Image result for cartoon june bugWedding 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.Image result for wedding

May, we join you . . .

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Image result for Mothers day

The current month is justifiably important to Americans. Three holidays present a real picture of the devotion of our people to ‘life, liberty and the American way’. Most citizens of this world love their home country and its celebrations of life, to be sure. But the month of May in the USA represents some of our deepest, emotional ties to each other as citizens.

Mother’s Day (this year May 13) reconnects families in so many ways. American families rely so much on their mothers for family history, traditions, and what’s cooking on special occasions. Togetherness is represented on this day in May as a tradition. Without Mom there would be no family. Dad, of course, gets his due on Father’s Day in somewhat the same way. He’s the head of the household, its leader and guide. Yet Mother is the glue, the emotional center of the family. Both are needed and respected.

Armed Forces Day on May 19 is a tradition in the USA evolving over the years of conflict and struggle to maintain our way of life, and protect our citizens. Celebrating and honoring the American soldier, who fought and sometimes died in defense of this land, is an honor we cannot forgo. As time has a way of changing things, our Armed Forces are not just men, but also women these days. We salute those who face great struggles and desperate times on behalf of our country. And we admire those who come through the strife with a quiet pride at our country’s progress.

Last, but not least, Memorial Day is an honor and duty Americans serve with gratefulness. Memorial Day represents the Americans who fought and died, or served and survived, perhaps. But it is also a time to remember fellow citizens who pass away and are remembered for their part in our way of life.  Truly, this month gives us much to reflect on and to talk proudly about.

Oh, there are many times in a year Americans celebrate their fellow citizens and their country. And it’s good to think about how lucky we are to work here together–to challenge each other and congratulate our country on its ability to move ahead and to glance back in time somehow.