February 2012 Events

For Youth and Families

Storytime with Miss Kris: 

• Tiny Tots, for children from birth to 3 years old, meets Tuesdays at 10 a.m. 
• Preschool Storytime, for children age 3 to kindergarten, meets Fridays at 10 a.m. 

Storytime with Miss Kris is an awesome opportunity for children and caregivers to spend quality time together.  Each session includes stories, games, music and movement, plus early literacy and social skill building activities.  This month, both groups will be learning about skating and sledding, birds of Wisconsin, Valentine’s Day celebrations, and trains. 

Exploration Art Studio (preschool to 3^rd grade) – Tuesday, February 7 from 4 to 5p.m.

Come to our Art Studio this month to experiment with different ways to paint.  Paint with your fingers, feathers, string and other things that aren’t paint brushes.  We’ll have lots of ideas to stretch your imagination and bring out your creativity.  All supplies are provided.  Dress to get messy. 

Rockin’ Robots (all ages) – Saturday, February 18 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

It’s a family robot party!  Join us for a variety of robot-related activities, including games, crafts and snacks.  Children under 9 must be accompanied by a caregiver age 12 or older.

For Tweens (age 9-12) 

Tween Build-a-Bot Craft  – Wednesday, February 15 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Bottles, cans, boxes, tape, bits and pieces of hardware. . . what will your pile of scraps become?  All materials provided.  Just bring your imagination!

For Teens (age 12+) 

Teen Book Club  – Thursday, February 9 from 4 to 5 p.m.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .  Set during World War II in Germany, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.  This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

 For Adults 

Clutter-free Living with Kids – Saturday, February 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Are you overwhelmed with raising children and everything that goes along with it?  Do you fantasize about having an orderly home and life?  Learn how to decide what to keep and what to get rid of and how to manage what's left, from school work and sports gear to toys, books, and clothes.  Your kids can help create and maintain order and Clutter Coach Kathi Miller will show you how!  Please register. 

Anime in the Morning – Saturday, February 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Yozakura Quartet (Episodes 1-5)     Not Rated

Summary:   In a town where humans and demons co-exist, it takes more than a normal police force to maintain the peace. Enter the Hiizumi Life Counseling Office, a fantastic foursome of unique teenagers, each gifted with an amazing super power.  They may not look as impressive as some other superhero teams, and they certainly don't have the most dynamic name ever, but come hell hounds or high water, but they will defend their city!

Be My Valentine! (age 12 to adult) - Saturday, February 11 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Super-stamper Laura Zaraza brings us a trio of Valentine crafts.  Learn to make a lovely Valentine card and two gift containers to load with sweets for your sweetheart.  All materials are provided. Please register. 

Adult Book Club – Thursday, February 16 at 7 p.m.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver takes us on an epic journey from the Mexico of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover. The Lacuna is the poignant story of a man pulled between two nations as well as an unforgettable portrait of the artist—and of art itself. 

Book-to-Movie Film Series – Saturday, February 25 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The Lincoln Lawyer (R) 

Michael “Mick” Haller, a slick, charismatic Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Having spent most of his career defending petty, gutter- variety criminals, Mick unexpectedly lands the case of a lifetime: defending a rich Beverly Hills playboy who is accused of attempted murder. However, what initially appears to be a straightforward case with a big money pay-off swiftly develops into a deadly match between two masters of manipulation and a crisis of conscience for Haller.  Bring a lunch; we’ll provide dessert and a beverage. 

English Conversation Group – Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.

For students learning English as a second language, this is a chance for you to practice everyday conversation skills.  This program is sponsored by the Walworth County Literacy Council. 

The library will be closed Friday, February 17.

2012 Book Discussion Selections

The Aram Book Discussion group meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. during the school year. June, July and August we meet on the 3rd Wednesday at 7 p.m.  Books and discussion guides are available at the library.  Anyone who has read the book is welcome to attend.

JANUARY - The Soloist by Steven Lopez
Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless African American man, was standing on a corner coaxing memorable music from a two-stringed violin. It turns out, 30 years earlier, Ayers had been at Juilliard studying classical bass when he experienced the first in a series of schizophrenic episodes that turned his musical dreams into a nightmare. Now, worlds away from the concert halls he imagined gracing, Ayers spends his days on Los Angeles' Skid Row, fighting off rats and drug-frenzied fellow homeless and serenading passersby. The spot where Ayers has chosen to play is no accident; it's near the city's statue of Beethoven and just down the hill from Walt Disney Concert Hall. Lopez quickly becomes an integral part of Ayers' life, bringing him new instruments and even facilitating arrangements at a homeless shelter. But as he navigates the complex world of mental illness, Lopez discovers that good intentions (and good connections) are often powerless in the face of schizophrenia, a potent, prickly, unpredictable disease. .

FEBRUARY - The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Harrison William Shepherd is the product of a divorced American father and a Mexican mother. After getting kicked out of his American military academy, Harrison spends his formative years in Mexico in the 1930s in the household of Diego Rivera; his wife, Frida Kahlo, and their houseguest, Leon Trotsky, who is hiding from Soviet assassins. After Trotsky is assassinated, Harrison returns to the U.S., settling down in Asheville, N.C., where he becomes an author of historical potboilers and is later investigated as a possible subversive.

MARCH - Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins
This is the inside story of how America turned from a respected republic into a feared empire. John Perkins should know, he was an economic hit man. His job was to convince countries that are strategically important to the U.S., from Indonesia to Panama, to accept enormous loans for infrastructure development and to make sure that the lucrative projects were contracted to Halliburton, Bechtel, Brown and Root, and other United States engineering and construction companies.

APRIL - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Stranger in a Strange Land, winner of the 1962 Hugo Award, is the story of Valentine Michael Smith, born during, and the only survivor of, the first manned mission to Mars. Michael is raised by Martians, and he arrives on Earth as a true innocent: he has never seen a woman and has no knowledge of Earth's cultures or religions. But he brings turmoil with him, as he is the legal heir to an enormous financial empire, not to mention de facto owner of the planet Mars. With the irascible popular author Jubal Harshaw to protect him, Michael explores human morality and the meanings of love. He founds his own church, preaching free love and disseminating the psychic talents taught him by the Martians. Ultimately, he confronts the fate reserved for all messiahs.

MAY - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared--Lt. Louis Zamperini. Captured by the Japanese and driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor.

JUNE - The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
After the death of his mother, 12-year-old David mourns her loss alone in his attic bedroom, with only his books to keep him company. As his anger at her death grows with each day, the books begin to speak to him, telling their wild tales of dragons, princes, and knights. Soon reality and fantasy collide, and David finds himself in a land unlike his own, a world where monsters, evil sorceresses, and half-human wolves dwell. With the help of friends he meets in this strange land, David goes on a search for the King, who is said to have The Book of Lost Things; this book will help David find his way home. Along the way, David encounters many challenges that transform the boy into a man.

JULY - Learning to Die in Miami by Carlos M. N. Eire
The story takes readers from the journey to American itself (Eire was one of 14,000 unaccompanied refugee children in 1962's Operation Pedro Pan) through his time in foster homes, both kind and harsh, and eventually to joining his uncle in Chicago, where everyone came from somewhere else. Desperate to be American, the teen wants to kill the Cuban in himself, and the personal details are funny, furious, and heartbreaking, as he keeps changing his name (to Charles, Chuck, Charlie, back to Carlos). Now a professor at Yale, he still believes bilingualism is crap. He remembers prejudice and ignorance not only from classmates and textbooks but also in himself. He challenges sentimental slogans: absence does not make the heart grow fonder, as his reunion with his mother shows.

AUGUST - To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

Judith Whitman is a 44-year-old successful film editor in Los Angeles, with patient husband Malcolm, teenage daughter Camille, and a big secret -- she can't stop thinking about her first love, Willy Blunt.  Judith's life veers off course because of her obsession, and under an assumed name she hires a private detective to trace her Nebraska friend. She is shocked to find out that Willy ended up marrying her best friend; nevertheless, he returns her call and leaves a distressing message that he needs to see her immediately. Covering her trip with lies and a fabricated story about her mother being in a hospital in Mexico, Judith takes off for Nebraska for one last reunion with Willy.

SEPTEMBER - The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
In 1967, not long after the Six Day War, three young Arabs ventured into the town of Ramla, in Jewish Israel. They were on a pilgrimage to see their separate childhood homes, from which their families had been driven out nearly twenty years before during the Israeli war for independence. Only one was welcomed: Bashir Al-Khayri was greeted at the door by a young woman named Dalia. This act of kindness in the face of years of animosity and warfare is the starting point for a remarkable true story of two families, one Arab, one Jewish; an unlikely friendship that encompasses the entire modern history of Israelis and Palestinians and that holds in its framework a hope for true peace and reconciliation for the region.

OCTOBER - The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer

At the age of twenty-three Carrie Bell has spent her entire life in Wisconsin, with the same best friend and the same dependable, easygoing, high school sweetheart. Now to her dismay she has begun to find this life suffocating and is considering leaving it-and Mike-behind. But when Mike is paralyzed in a diving accident, leaving seems unforgivable and yet more necessary than ever. How much do we owe the people we love? Is it a sign of strength or weakness to walk away from someone in need?

NOVEMBER - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer, yet her cells--taken without her knowledge--became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first "immortal" human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer and viruses; helped lead to in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks is buried in an unmarked grave. Her family did not learn of her "immortality" until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. The story of the Lacks family is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

January 2012 Library Events

Storytime with Miss Kris

Storytime with Miss Kris is an awesome opportunity for children and caregivers to spend quality time together.  Each session includes stories, games, music and movement, plus early literacy and social skill building activities.  This month, both groups will be learning about birds, wintertime, and musical instruments.

• Tiny Tots, for children from birth to 3 years old - Tuesdays at 10 a.m. beginning January 10
• Preschool storytime, for children age 3 to 5 - Fridays at 10 a.m. beginning January 6

English Conversation Group – Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m.

For those learning English as a second language, this is the perfect opportunity to practice your everyday conversation skills.  The English conversation group is sponsored by the Walworth County Literacy Council.

Library Board Meeting – Thursday, January 12 at 4 p.m.

Library Board meetings are open to the public.

Teen Book Club (High School age only)
Thursday, January 12 at 4 p.m.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary:  It happens at the start of every November -- the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.  Books are available at the library for checkout.

LEGO Club (age 6 and up) – Monday, January 16 at 4 p.m.

LEGO fans age 6 and older are invited to build, create, and have fun with the library's LEGO collection.  LEGOs help build literacy skills for kids by encouraging storytelling, problem solving, and much, much more. 

Knitting 101 (3 sessions) – Tuesdays, January 17, 24 and 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

For ages 8 to adult.  Registration required

Meet once a week for three weeks with other beginning knitters to learn how to cast on and bind off, knit and purl.  Students will also complete a simple project.  There is no cost for this program and all supplies will be provided. 

Tween Snow-person Activity (age 9-12)
Wednesday, January 18 from 4 to 5 p.m.

It may be snowy outside, but you’ll be warm and dry when you attend the library’s snow-people building activity.  Bring your friends and put your heads together to design a snowman-shaped creature out of some very unsnowy materials.  Everything you need will be provided; just bring your most excellent ideas!

Teen Pizza and a Movie (age 13-18)
Thursday, January 19 from 12 to 2 p.m.

Cowboys & Aliens (rated PG-13, 118 minutes)

Share pizza with friends and watch a movie at the library on this early release day.  Cowboys & Aliens is an action-packed sci-fi western.  A stranger stumbles into the desert town of Absolution with no memory of his past and a futuristic shackle around his wrist. With the help of mysterious beauty Ella and the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde, he finds himself leading an unlikely posse of cowboys, outlaws, and Apache warriors against a common enemy from beyond this world in an epic showdown for survival.  

Adult Book Discussion
Thursday, January 19 from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

The Soloist by Steven Lopez

This portrait of gifted violinist Nathaniel Ayers traces his education at Juilliard, his struggles with schizophrenia, the factors that led to his homelessness in Los Angeles, his friendship with the author, and the author's efforts to improve the musician's life.

                                                                                                                               

Fairy Party – Saturday, January 21 from 11 a.m. to 12  p.m.

Dress in your fairy finest and join us for fairy fun.  Discover your fairy name, gather fairy treasure and dance in the enchanted garden.  Then eat treats sprinkled with pixie dust and crown yourself with flowers at this magical celebration. 

Book-to-Movie Film Series
Saturday, January 28 from 12 to 2:30 p.m.

The Help (Rated PG-13)

Based on the book by Kathryn Stockett, The Help tells the story of a young white woman in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960’s.  Skeeter returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives, and a small Mississippi town, upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families.  Bring your lunch.  Dessert and beverage will be provided.

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December Library Events

Storytime with Miss Kris will not meet in December.

Tiny Tots, for children from birth to 3 years old, will resume Tuesday, January 10 at 10 a.m. Preschool storytime, for children age 3 to kindergarten, will resume Friday, January 6 at 10 a.m. Storytime with Miss Kris is an awesome opportunity for children and caregivers to spend quality time together. Each session includes stories, games, music and movement, plus early literacy and social skill building activities.

LEGO Club (age 6 and up) – Monday, December 5 and 19 at 4 p.m.

LEGO fans age 6 and older are invited to build, create, and have fun with the library's LEGO collection. LEGOs help build literacy skills for kids by encouraging storytelling, problem solving, and much, much more.

Exploration Art Studio (Preschool – 3rd grade) – Tuesday, December 6 from 4 to 5 p.m.  Come to our Art Studio this month to experiment with different ways to paint. Paint with your fingers, feathers, string and other things that aren’t paint brushes. Try printing, stamping, and stenciling. We’ll have lots of ideas to stretch your imagination and bring out your creativity. All supplies are provided. Dress to get messy.

Friends of APL Spiced Nut Sale through December 17

Sale of “Sugar and Spice Pecans” continues this month while supplies last. Purchase a half-pound bag, specially decorated for the holidays and gift giving, for only $5. Buy directly from the Friends on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, or at the adult service desk during regular library hours. This seasonal specialty sells out fast, so plan ahead and shop early! The Friends will also offer a special book sale featuring a selection of cookbooks and holiday craft books.

Teen Book Club (High School only) - Thursday, December 8 @ 4 p.m.

If you liked The Hunger Games, then you'll love this month's book club pick, Divergent by Veronica Roth. In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. Books are available for check out at the library.

Santa Claus - Saturday, December 17 @ 10 a.m. – Noon

Santa’s coming to the library again this year. Kids, come meet him and tell him what you want for Christmas. Parents, bring your cameras for this perfect photo opportunity. We’ll also have cookies for you to eat and a special cookie decorating activity, both provided by the Friends of the Library.

Duct Tape Bonanza (Tweens age 9-12) - Wednesday, December 21 @ 4:00 p.m.

Duct tape returns . . . Make yourself something cool or make a present for someone else. We'll provide a massive amount of brightly colored duct tape and some project ideas. You provide the construction skills and your imagination!

Bleached Tees (Age 9+) - Tuesday, December 27 @ 1 p.m.

Bring a dark colored shirt to decorate using bleach markers. Rather than spend a lot of money to buy a bleached shirt at the mall, you can make these cool shirts for free at the library during your winter break.

Pizza and a Movie – Friday, December 30 @ 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Rated PG, 91 minutes)  Need some warm indoor fun

during winter break? We’ll be serving pizza and showing a movie at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 30. You may reserve tickets starting December 28 in person at the children’s desk or by phone at 262-728-3111, extension 117.

The library will be closed December 24, 26, 31 and January 2.

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November 2011 Events

Tiny Tots Story Time - Tuesdays @10 a.m.

Join us for songs, stories, and play time for the littlest ones at the library for children 18 months to 3 years old and their caregivers. Program runs September 6 through November 22.

Preschool Story Time - Fridays @ 10 a.m.

Children 3 to 5 and their favorite adults are invited to the library for an hour of stories, songs, interactive play and activities to help jumpstart their literacy skills each week. Program runs September 9 through November 18, with no meeting October 28.

LEGO Club - 1st and 3rd Monday @ 4 p.m.

LEGO fans age 6 and older are invited to build, create, and have fun with the library's LEGO collection. LEGOs help build literacy skills for kids by encouraging story telling, problem solving, and much, much more. Program runs September 19 through December 19. 

Exploration Art Studio (Preschool through 1st grade) - Tuesday, November 1 @ 3:30 p.m.

Is there anything more fun than play dough? We'll make play dough art, provide tools for building with play dough, and we'll have different kinds of play dough for interactive fun. We'll get messy, and all participants will get to take some play dough home with them, too.

Library Board Meeting – Thursday, November 10 @ 4 p.m.

Library Board meetings are open to the public.

 

Teen Book Club (High School only) - Thursday, November 10 @ 4 p.m.

What would happen if your spiritual beliefs were challenged by someone you really like? That's what's at stake for the main character in Melissa Walker's Small Town Sinners. Join us for the discussion. Books are available at the library for check out.

 

Minute to Win It (Age 12 and up) - Friday, November 11 @ 3:30 p.m.

Is there a better way to celebrate 11/11/11 than with a series of minute-or-less challenges where you can win prizes? Come on out for our take on this popular TV game show.

 

Animé in the Morning – Saturday, November 12 @ 10 a.m.
Night Raid 1931 (Rated for age 17+)
Summary: The year is 1931. The City is Shanghai. Ten years before America will enter World War II, the hydra’s teeth planted by the first great global conflict are beginning to germinate, hatching into spiders weaving the complex web of plots and conspiracies destined to inevitably draw entire nations, against their will, to the brink of destruction once more. And caught in the heart of these webs, desperately seeking to separate lies from truth, is Sakurai Kikan, an ultra-secret intelligence agency staffed by extraordinarily talented individuals with abilities far beyond those of normal humans. Their duty: stop the darkest plots and eliminate the greatest threats.

Facebook Basics – Tuesday, November 15 at 3 p.m.
Learn how to sign up for Facebook, manage your account including security, “friend” people, upload pictures, create wall posts, and other basic activities. Participants must have an e-mail account and know how to use it. Class size is limited; please pre-register.

Steal Bingo (Tweens age 8-12) - Wednesday, November 16 @ 3:30 p.m.
Imagine playing bingo and not knowing what prize you won? What about if you could steal prizes from other players for winning? Come on out for this hilarious twist on a classic game.

Teen Book Club (High School only) - Thursday, November 17 @ 4 p.m.
We'll be discussing Ruta Sepetyas's Between Shades of Gray this week. This historical fiction, set in 1941, is the story of Lina and her family, who are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp. Lina fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers. This book is based on true events. Books available for check out at the library.

Book Discussion – Thursday, November 17 @ 7 p.m.
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. But this year the wind of unwelcome change is blowing, and Straitley is finally contemplating retirement. He is joined this term by five new faculty members, including one who holds intimate and dangerous knowledge of St. Oswald's ways and secrets. Harboring dark ties to the school's past, this young teacher has arrived with one terrible goal: to destroy St. Oswald's.


Giant Monopoly - Friday, November 18 @ 3:30 p.m.

Did you miss this in the spring? Did you come out and want to try your luck again? Come out to play life-sized monopoly. Play as an individual or as part of a team in this fun and interactive game of wheeling and dealing.

  

Friends of APL Holiday Nut Sale

“Sugar and Spice Pecans” go on sale November 5. Purchase a half-pound bag, specially decorated for the holidays and gift giving, for only $5. Buy directly from the Friends on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, or at the adult service desk during regular library hours. This seasonal specialty sells out fast, so plan ahead and shop early! The Friends will also offer a special book sale featuring a selection of cookbooks and holiday-related craft books.

Food for Fines – November Only

Help restock the shelves at the Delavan Food Pantry while reducing or eliminating your overdue library fines. Bring a nonperishable food item to the library and we’ll take $1 off your overdue fines. Donations must be unopened, in good condition, and not past their expiration date. Examples of accepted food items: canned fruits and vegetables, pork & beans, boxed macaroni and cheese, soup, jelly, cereal, canned meat or fish, peanut butter, pasta, or canned sauces. Food for Fines may not be applied toward fees for lost or damaged items, nor will credit be given toward future fines. Food donations from those with no fines will be gratefully accepted.

The library will be closed November 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving.

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October 2011 Events

Tiny Tots Story Time - Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Join us for songs, stories, and play time for the littlest ones at the library for children 18 months to 3 years old and their caregivers. Program runs September 6 through November 22.


Preschool Story Time - Fridays at 10 a.m.
Children 3 to 5 and their favorite adults are invited to the library for an hour of stories, songs, interactive play and activities to help jumpstart their literacy skills each week. Program runs September 9 through November 18, with no meeting October 28.


LEGO Club - 1st and 3rd Mondays at 4 p.m.
LEGO fans age 6 and older are invited to build, create, and have fun with the library's LEGO collection. LEGOs help build literacy skills for kids by encouraging storytelling, problem solving, and much, much more. Program runs September 19 through December 19.

Exploration Art Studio - Tuesday, October 4 at 3:30 p.m.
Preschool through 1st graders are invited to join us for an hour of creative play. This month, we're going to play with nature. We'll create leaf rubbings, nature weaving, nature collages, and we'll paint on bark. If you have a favorite leaf you'd like to use, bring it with you. Dress to get messy!



Teen Book Club (High School only) - Thursday, October 6 at 3:30 p.m.
Join us as we discuss Amy Kathleen Ryan's science fiction novel Glow. In this adventure set aboard a space ship, two teens might be key to ensuring that human kind survives following the collapse of Earth. Copies are available for checkout from the library.


Library Board Meeting – Thursday, October 6 at 4 p.m.

Halloween Treats – Thursday, October 13 at 7 to 8 p.m.
Dress up your Halloween treats in spooky attire or prepare for your Halloween party with the help of Stampin’ Up demonstrator Laura Zaraza. We’ll make candy bar disguises and other fun Halloween-themed crafts. All materials will be furnished. Please pre-register.


Teen Read Week October 14 – 22
Participate with the library by checking out books, coming to a program, or writing a book/movie/music review this week for a chance to win a $25 gift card to Starbucks. It's as simple as that!

Teen Pizza and a Movie - Friday, October 14 at Noon
After school gets out for early release, head over to the library to watch I Am Number Four and enjoy pizza. There is such a thing as a free lunch!


Friends of Aram Public Library Annual Meeting – Saturday, October 15
Join the Friends for a closet clean-out book sale from 12 to 3 p.m. Then stay for their annual meeting which will include sampling some tasty treats from Brick Street Market, the Apple Barn, and other local specialty food shops. The meeting and food tasting runs from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.

Nuts in a Nutshell – Tuesday, October 18 at 4 p.m.
Join UW Extension family living educator Jenny Wehmeier for an exploration of all things nutty! Nuts and seeds add flavor and nutrition to any meal or snack. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that may reduce your risk of chronic disease. Learn all about the nut family and how to add nuts and seeds to your diet (samples and recipes included, of course). Those with nut allergies should NOT attend. Space is limited; please pre-register.

The Monster Mash - Wednesday, October 19 at 3:30 p.m.
Anyone 8 and older is welcome to participate! We'll be making monster book marks, toilet paper tube monsters, and felt monsters. Make one or make all three. We'll provide the supplies and you bring your monster-making skills.




Teen Book Club (High School only) - Thursday, October 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Join us to discuss Sarah Darer Littman's scary-because-it's-so-real novel Want to Go Private? Abby feels like she's losing control of her life, and she turns to spending more and more time on ChezTeen, a chat site she and best friend like to play on. But when she starts talking to Luke, a guy who becomes a closer and closer friend to her, even though they've never met, she begins to get a little too comfortable with him. Her life may even be at risk. The author will join us via Skype to talk about the book, too.

Book Discussion: Still Alice by Lisa Genova – Thursday, October 20 at 7 p.m.
Summary: Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer's disease. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to attend.

If it Floats Your Boat (Teens age 12 and older) - Friday, October 21 at 3 p.m.
We'll provide the pop and ice cream for you to make root beer floats and we'll show off tons of cool book trailers of books you can check out from the library. Haven't seen a book trailer before? It's like a movie trailer, advertising books like they're movies.

Book-to-Movie Film Series: Everything is Illuminated – Saturday, October 22 at 11:30 a.m. (for adults and teens age 13+)
In this book by Jonathan Safran Foer (movie rated PG-13, 106 minutes) a young man sets out to find the woman who may have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man, a dog, and a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in sublimely butchered English, he is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past. Copies of the book are available at the library. Bring your lunch to the movie and we’ll supply a beverage and dessert.

Pumpkin Gutting Party - Thursday, October 27 at 1 p.m.
Need some volunteer hours? Want to enjoy some pizza and pop while getting those hours? Come out and help us clean out the pumpkins we'll use for our pumpkin carving program. Dress to get a little messy, as we'll be gutting and cleaning, as well as enjoying some treats. It's a day off school for you!


Pumpkin Carving and Decoration - Friday, October 28 at 10 a.m.
We'll provide the pumpkins and the carving and decorating tools, and you bring your creativity. Come any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for this fun annual program for all ages.


World of Paranormal Investigation – Friday, October 28 at 6 p.m.
Ever wonder how researchers explore reports of ghosts and hauntings? Hear from a local team of paranormal researchers about the tools and methods they use, the haunted local places they've explored, and the mysteries they’ve solved.

More Novel Destinations Readers' Reviews!

Bikini Season by Sheila Roberts
Bikini Season is a fun and cute book about friendship.  A group of friends join together to diet together.  Everyone learns something about themselves along the way. Amid the funny situations they get into, they learn more about life, love, and friendship.  A great summer read! -- Dorris

Betrayal of Trust by J. A. Jance
J. A. Jance's new installment in the J. P. Beaumont series is an excellent police procedural that covers a multitude of dangers facing teens today, including snuff films, cyber bullying, predatorial advisors, non-functioning parents, and suicide.  There is just enough humor sprinkled through the story to lighten its message, and the sub-plot where Beau actually discovers who his father was is a nice twist and proof that these characters continue to surprise and entertain.  It's also refreshing to experience investigative work through the eyes of someone in their sixties, bad knees and all.

Tough love and courage reign in the end, families reunite as a gift for the dying, and reconstructive knee surgery looms as a starting point for the next time Jance treats her readers to more in the lives of these favorites.  It is a great story and scores 5/5 in my book!  -- Diane

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
As usual, Nora Roberts writes great attention-getting stories with attractive, assertive characters that are too good to be real.  Rowan fights fires by jumping out of airplanes.  She is beautiful and strong.  She can fight men bigger than she is.  She can't cook and I liked how she got upset when she learned that her dad was dating.  Her shortcomings made her more human.  They guy is also perfect. . . strong, good looking, and owns his own arcade business.  As always in Nora Roberts books, the couple solves the case and ends up with each other.  --Monica

Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
Julia Alvarez explores the interrelated stories of a boy and his farm in Vermont and a Mexican family's hardships in the U.S.  Alvarez challenges readers to see the whole picture of Mexican migrant families, especially those torn between family members who are legal and illegal.  Though the issues are difficult and a reality that some care not to explore, the story is heartwarming in its narration through the voices of two budding adolescents.  I recommend reading this book.  -- Colleen

The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey
Reading this book helped me understand the Old Testament better, especially the Psalms.  It shows, in simple everyday language, how the Old Testament relates to the present.  People avoid the Old Testament because they feel it's not relevant in today's society and/or it's hard to understand.  This book helps the reader gain a better understanding of these books.  --Joyce