Groundbreaking Reads Book Reviews, Week 1

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber;  5 STARS
This book is a part of the Blossom Street series, but you really wouldn't need to read the books before this to read this book.  This book helps you remember what's important in life (family, friends) and shows us how we can bury ourselves in work, etc. so we don't have to deal with the emotions of life.  Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down.  -- Reviewed by LJ


Just Ask by Melody Carlson; 4 STARS (Diary of a Teenage Girl, #10)
The book is about a teenage girl trying to find her identity who writes a journal. The girl's name is Kim, and she is an adopted teenage girl who not only writes a journal but writes a newspaper advice column for her dad called Just Ask Jamie.  The main things that happen are a shooting at Kim's school, a dating relationship with Kim and Matthew, a school dance, and Kim's mom becoming diagnosed with cancer.  I like it because it is a very interesting book.  I like journals because I get to see someone's whole perspective and thoughts instead of a normal book where most of what is described is just what's happening. But I didn't give it a 5 rating because parts of it are sad. -- Reviewed by RG

The Hit by David Baldacci; 5 STARS (Will Robie, #2)
I found myself cheering for professional killers. Baldacci created a likeable hero and heroine who are proficient with weapons, but committed possible treason against their country. The book references or continues the story line in The Innocent book, bringing back Julie, the sulky teenager, and agent Vance from the FBI.  I highly recommend this book. Be prepared to be cheering for a couple of killers. -- Reviewed by MF

Nine Fruits of the Spirit - Gentleness by Robert Strand;  4 STARS
I liked it because of gave examples of gentleness: Moses (Numbers 12:1-16), page 23 of the book, actually "Moses was very humble -- more humble than any other person on earth."  A second example is "a gentle answer" (Proverbs 15:1).  A third example is Jesus when "He did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7). -- Reviewed by JG


Grace, Gold, and Glory by Gabrielle Douglas with Michelle Burford; 3 STARS
Gabby Douglas described her journey to becoming an Olympic champion for the 2012 USA ladies gymnastics team.  She told of the sacrifices her family made (especially her mom) and how she went through her periods of success and almost quitting gymnastics months before the Olympics.  I enjoyed reading this book mostly because she gave so much credit to God and because of the clear descriptions of her routines. The book, though, was all over the place -- not enough connecting points of events. -- Reviewed by JS


The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse; 4 STARS
The Book of the Maidservant is about a maidservant who traveled with a woman to the Holy Land.  The book describes the physical trials of the trip. Being a servant, she was responsible for the food and comfort activities of the trip. I enjoyed the book for many reasons.  It is historical fiction.  It deals with daily activities during the 1400's.  I feel thankful for the creature comforts we enjoy each day.  It is also from a woman's point of view. During that time period, women did not have any status. It is also the world which I came from; it is my heritage, my past. -- Reviewed by SV


NOTE:  Book reviews are provided by readers participating in the 2013 Adult Summer Reading Program.  If you would like to participate, it's not too late to sign up!

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July 2013 Library Events

Story Time with Miss Kris - Wednesdays @10 a.m. 
Toddlers and preschoolers, bring your favorite grown-up and join Miss Kris for stories, games, music and movement, plus early literacy and social skill building activities.

Tail Waggin' Tutors with Divot - Saturday, July 6 and August 3 @ 10 a.m.

Come to the library and read to a furry friend!  Sign up for a time slot at the Children's Desk.

The main objective of Tail Waggin’ Tutors is to provide a relaxed and “dog-friendly” atmosphere, which allows students to practice the skill of reading.  This program improves children's reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to an animal.  But not just any animal.  TDI companions are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owners/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children.  By sitting down next to a dog and reading, all threats of being judged are put aside and, instead, the child is able to relax and focus on reading. Reading and communication skills improve because the child is practicing the skill of reading, building self-esteem, and associating reading with something pleasant. 

Visit www.tdi-dog.org to learn more.  And don’t forget to sign up in person at the Children’s Desk or by phone at 262-728-3111 Ext. 117.  Divot and Missy can't wait to meet you!

Lego Club - Monday, July 1 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Give our LEGO blocks a workout building anything from a dinosaur to a spaceship!  Then, give your creation a name and see it displayed in the library.

Carting K-9s and Sidewalk Chalk - Tuesday, July 2 @ 1:30 p.m.

Carting is a dog sport or activity in which a dog (usually a large breed, though any dog can do carting, regardless of breed or size) pulls a dogcart filled with supplies.  Sometimes, they even pull people!  And this event just happens to be one of those "sometimes."  Join APL and the Carting K-9s for a super fun event where these talented pups will give you a ride in their dogcart.  That's right, YOU!  How neat is that?!

Bicycle Decorating - Wednesday, July 3 @ 1:30 p.m.

Get your bicycle ready for summer with some cool decorations!  Jim's Bike Repair will also be offering free adjustments and safety checks so you can be sure your bike is ready to ride!

Movie: Independence Day (PG-13) - Wednesday, July 3 @1:30 p.m.

Powerful aliens launch an all-out invasion against the human race. The spectacle begins when massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies. But wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet. Now the world's only hope lies with a determined band of survivors, uniting for one last strike against the invaders - before it's the end of all mankind.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED JULY 4.  

Board Games - Monday, July 8 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Come down to the library for an afternoon of board games!  Snacks and games will be provided.

Shoe Deco: Fancify Your Footwear - Monday, July 8 @ 6:30 p.m.  Registration Required. 

Adults and teens, jazz up your summer with some fancy footwear.  Bring a pair of flip-flops or canvas shoes to decorate and dig into our splendid stash of materials to create a unique pair of summer shoes. 

Duke Otherwise - Tuesday, July 9 @ 1:30 p.m.

Duke Otherwise captivates audiences with his witty songs and his unique sportsmanship, while encouraging and stimulating creativity through storytelling and great musicianship.  Check him out at http://dukeotherwise.com!  Storywagon is sponsored by the Lakeshores Library System.

Family Reads in the Park - Wednesday, July 10 @ 1:30 p.m.

It's finally summer!  Enjoy the beautiful weather and celebrate in all things reading by joining us at Veteran's Park for Family Reads in the Park!  We'll provide the necessities: books, snacks, and blankets.  Or feel free to bring your own, if you'd like!

Making Paper Jewelry - Wednesday, July 10 @ 6 p.m.  Registration Required.

Design your own jewelry from paper beads you make yourself!  Make a necklace or bracelet and a carrying case for your creation.  Materials and instruction provided by Stampin' Up demonstrator Laura Zaraza. 

Tween/Teen: Pocket Scrapbooks - Thursday, July 11 @ 1:30 p.m.

Get ready to be creative as you learn how to make your very own pocket scrapbook!  All materials provided.  Registration is required.  Register at the Children's Desk starting Monday, July 8th at 9:00am.

LEGO Club - Monday, July 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Give our LEGO blocks a workout building anything from a dinosaur to a spaceship!  Then, give your creation a name and see it displayed in the library.

Garden Jewels Rock Art - Monday, July 15 @ 6:30 p.m.  Registration Required.

Add some bling to your berry patch or sparkle to your spinach bed!  Make your garden a thing of beauty when you transform an ordinary rock into a one-of-a-kind garden jewel.  All materials will be provided.   

Scott "Great Scott" Obermann - Tuesday, July 16 @ 1:30 p.m.

Get ready to go for the gold with Great Scott!  This show will be filled with magic, music, ventriloquism, puppets, and audience participation.  Be prepared to embark on an adventure and uncover a book-load of treasure at the library!   Check him out at www.wisconsinmagician.com.  Storywagon is sponsored by the Lakeshores Library System.

Fairy Gardens and Houses - Wednesday, July 17 @ 1:30 p.m.

Have you ever wanted to create a magical area for fairy folk to frolic?  Well, now's your chance!  Join us to learn how to make your very own fairy garden.  Kids, come create a fairy house!  Who knows, maybe it will encourage these magical creatures to take up residence in your garden... Children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult.

Aram Book Club: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - Wednesday, July 17 @ 6:30 p.m.

It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of her family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how both she and her mother became plural wives. Yet soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah.  Anyone who has read the book is welcome to attend.

Musical Tune-Up - Thursday, July 18 @ 1:30 p.m.

Have you ever noticed how much effect music has on us?  How it can completely change or compliment a mood/situation/time period?  Come explore music new and old, share your favorites, and even create a soundtrack--or two--for a favorite book and have it displayed in the Teen section at the library.

Board Games - Monday, July 22 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Come down to the library for an afternoon of board games!  Snacks and games will be provided.

Movie: Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (NR) - Monday, July 22 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

A documentary on the indigenous people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga; some 300 villagers whose daily routines have barely changed over the last century and live according to their own values and cultural traditions.

Wonderful Worms, Welty Environmental Center - Tuesday, July 23 @ 1:30 p.m.

Join APL and the Welty Environmental Center for Wonderful Worms, a program with stories, songs, interactive learning, and crafts - - all celebrating our friend, the worm!

Family Movie: Muppet Treasure Island (G) - Wednesday, July 24 @ 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Young Jim Hawkins gets caught up with the pirate Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint, in this Muppet adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.  Register at the Children's Desk starting Monday, July 22 at 9 a.m.

Tween/Teen Movie: The Goonies (PG) - Thursday, July 25 @ 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

"Hey, you guys!"  A group of misfit kids embark on a wild adventure--complete with pirates, outlaws, skeletons, booby traps, treasure, and a subterranean cavern--after finding a treasure map in this awesome 80's film.  As if that weren't cool enough, food will also be served.  NICE.  Register at the Children's Desk starting Tuesday, July 23 at 9 a.m.

Adventures with Ma and Pa - Friday, July 26 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Let Ma & Pa take you back in time with a super cool  museum right on the front lawn of the library.  Then, at 1:30 p.m., join us for a very special program: Forging Your Own Frontier Home, where participants will actually work together to construct a 5' x 6' log cabin!

Art Show and Reception: A guide to Aram's Art History - Friday, July 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  View the library's historic paintings while enjoying refreshments from Brick Street Market. Learn about Adolph and Ada Schulz, whose artwork is featured prominently in the library. 

Circus Camp - Saturday, July 27 @ 10 a.m.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk on a tightrope?  Or juggle like a pro?  What about being able to hula-hoop with the best of them?  Or maybe the role of the ringmaster is more your style?  Join us under APL's very own big top for a chance to explore your circus dreams and learn some really cool skills!

LEGO Club - Monday, July 29 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Give our LEGO blocks a workout building anything from a dinosaur to a spaceship!  Then, give your creation a name and see it displayed in the library.

Guilty Pleasures Book Club: Darkfever - Monday, July 29 @ 6 p.m.

When MacKayla Lane's sister is murdered, leaving a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone, Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

DinoRAWRS! - Tuesday, July 30 @ 1:30 p.m.

RAWR!  I'm a dinosaur!  And you can be one, too!  Join us for stories, games, crafts, and some good ol' dino fun!

Nature's Niche - Wednesday, July 31 @ 1:30 p.m.

Love animals?  Want to learn more about the creatures who dwell underground?  Join APL and Nature's Niche for a fun, fascinating, and educational program all about subterranean critters.  Did I mention there will be lots of LIVE ANIMALS to see??  How cool is that?!

Put Some Life in Your Funeral:  Planning Your "Groundbreaking" - Wednesday, July 31 @ 6 p.m.  Death and burial are subjects many of us find uncomfortable to discuss, but sooner or later everyone dies.  Plan ahead to make it easier on those loved ones you leave behind.  Learn about your funeral and burial options from Bobby Betzer, who will share his knowledge and experience (and a touch of humor) to painlessly guide you through the planning process.