May/June’s Maker Take is a Planting Kit.  Each kit contains a flower pot, soil, a plant cutting and set of directions. Interested in picking up a kit? Simply fill out the Google form then stop into the Library to pick up a Maker Take. Available while supplies last!

 

Submission Guidelines:

• Your submission may be short form writing (poetry), long form writing (personal essay or short story), or original visual art (photography, painting, sketching, drawing, or digital.)

• Your writing can be either fiction or non-fiction.

• Your work must either relate to Black History Month, Black history, uplift Black voices, or the Black experience.

• Your work must promote equality, diversity, and inclusion.

• Writing submissions must have correct grammar and spelling must be correct, and presentation of visual art submissions must be neat and organized.

• Absolutely no hate speech, talk of self-harm, or harm to others.

• The work submitted must be school appropriate. If the writer or artist submitting has any questions or concern about their work in this regard, they may contact school administration for clarification.

February’s Maker Take is a Valentine Kit. Each kit contains enough supplies to make 2 valentine cards.  Interested in picking up a kit? Simply fill out the Google form then stop into the Library to pick up a Maker Take. Available while supplies last!

 

 

Posting later than normal because it has been a busy start to the school year. I read 29 books this summer. Not as many as the summer of 2020, but still a lot!  The genres I read the most were Historical Fiction and Mystery/Thriller. 

Best Girl Boss Pairing in History: I discovered Kate Quinn's historical fiction and could not get enough of her writing. The Diamond Eye centers around a real-life Soviet female sniper during WWII who had the highest success rate of any sniper and who later became friends with Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.  

 

Twists I Didn't See Coming: I really love mysteries and always try to figure out it before the reveal at the end. The Paris Apartment kept me guessing with a few twists I didn't see coming. The building itself is character which was also an interesting element.

 

Hard to Read Even Harder to Put Down: iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy recounts her harrowing and heartbreaking childhood with an abusive mother and her eating disorder fight in I'm Glad My Mom Died.

 

Sequels I'm Not Sure We Needed: I loved Tracy Flick from Election and Izumi Tanaka from Tokyo Ever After when I originally read them. The sequels (Tracy Flick Can't Win and Tokyo Dreaming) both published this year were disappointing. The heroines did not live up to the spunk and tenacity they showed in their original novels.

 

 

 

Book Madness 2022 Details and Scoring

Love Book Bag

 

Like the idea of book titles selected just for you? Looking to branch out and read something new?  Let the HHS Library Media Center help! February's theme is Love. Each bag will contain 2 titles from the library collection, a 3D printed heart shaped fidget spinner keychain, Valentine's Day self-care tips, stickers and goodies.  Return the library books at the end of 4 weeks and keep the rest!  Fill out the Google form to sign up for a themed book bag. See Mrs. Domick for more information.

 

 

January Maker Take

 

The January Library Maker Take is a heart book folding project. What’s a Maker Take? It is a free take-and-make craft kit that helps you tap into your creative side. This month’s kit contains a book, book covering paper, a pencil, a ruler and directions.  It makes the perfect Valentine's gift for that special book bae. Interested in picking up a kit? Simply fill out this one question form then stop into the Library to pick up a Heart Book Folding Maker Take.  Available while supplies last!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Book Bag

Like the idea of titles selected just for you? Looking to branch out and read something new?  Ever wanted to try a subscription box service, but don’t have the cash? Let the Library help!  Fill out the themed book bag form.  December's theme is Winter. Each bag will contain 2 titles from the library collection, a 3D printed ornament activity, self-care tips, and goodies.  Return the library books at the end of 4 weeks and keep the rest. Limited quantities available. See Mrs. Domick in the Library for more details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Library is excited to introduce Maker Takes.  A Maker Take is a free take-and-make craft kit that helps you tap into your creative side. November’s Maker Take is origami. Each kit contains origami paper, links to video tutorials and directions for 3 origami creations (a box, jumping frog and flexagon aka paper fidget toy).  Interested in picking up a kit? Simply fill out this form then stop into the Library to pick up an Origami Maker Take.  Available while supplies last!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This summer I read more books than I ever had before.  A whopping 32 titles! 

 

Anti-Racist Readings: Started my anti-racist education this summer.  How to Be an Anti-Racist was one of the best titles I read on the subject. Highly recommended for everyone.

 

Historical Fiction that Feels Ripped from the Headlines: Fast Girls is about the Women's 1936 Olympics Team. The story addressing class, race and gender could have been written about females in sports today. 

 

Fantastic Opening Premise: I'll Never Tell opens with the patriarch of the family dying and using his will to accuse his son of murder.  The siblings must decide if their brother is guilty and cut him out of the estate. Or solve the decades old mystery of who at the summer camp is the true murderer. Overall, the title didn't exactly live up to the opening lines. But it was satisfying escapism.

 

Five Stars: The only 5 star rating I gave this summer was to Punching the Air.  The story of the Exonerated Five was deeply moving, powerful and poetic. Timely title that will spark conversations about race, inequality and policing.

 

Being stuck at home this Spring under "quarantine", I had a lot of time to clan out closets, craft and of course read.  Most of the titles I read leaned towards the escapist, but as Spring came to a close I picked up books with a racial & social justice bend.

 

The Prequel I Didn't Know I Needed: Fantastic deep dive on one of The Hunger Games most heinous characters. I was worried that Collins was going to have President Snow come out smelling like a rose. (Sorry I couldn't resist) But I need not have worried that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes would  be overly sympathetic.

 

Give This Character a Series: Tracy Beaumont (This is Not My America) is a cross between Starr Carter of The Hate U Give and girl detective Nancy Drew.  I'd love to see more of her fighting social justice and inequality.

 

Characters I Cannot Get Out of My Mind: It's a tie between the twin sisters in The Vanishing Half and the teacher & student in My Dark Vanessa. For very different reasons, I just cannot shake them from my imagination.

 

Dropped the Spirit Stick: Having been an 8-week sleepaway camp attendee in the mid-90s, I thought Camp Spirit was going to be my jam. This graphic novel just didn't capture the essence that was sleepaway camp in the era of grunge rock. However, anyone who has been a camper or a lover of teen camp experiences, will probably enjoy it.

 

 

Calling all Students! Please take this survey. We are interested in what you think, how you use the library, what you like, what you don't, etc. Basically, let us know how we are doing and how we can improve.

 

 

 

Encouraging students to become aware and involved in our democracy heading into 2020!

 

 

Lizzo is trending.  And librarians took notice.  Hence, the Lizzo Truth Hurts book display movement.  She's a philosopher, rapper and flutist.  She's body positive and honest.  What's not to love?

 

 

 

Looking at this list of 25 books and honestly it may be the most electric grouping of books I've read in a season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Challenging: For obviously reasons, The Mueller Report was a slog.  I made myself read 12 pages a day to get through it. 

 

Disappointed It Wasn't Real:  I started reading Daisy Jones and the Six thinking it was based on a real band.  A third through the book, I tried Googling the music to play while reading.  Bummer, none existed.  Totally fictional.  But loved it anyway.

 

Dreamed of These Characters:  The Dutch House really haunted me.  I woke thinking of the characters (including the house) and dreamed of them at night.

 

Lots of Food for Thought: A family navigating life with a transgender child.  This is How it Always is gave me lots to ponder.

 

Couldn't Wait to Read:  I am a big fan of The Handmaid's Tale book and series.  I couldn't wait for The Testaments.  Slightly disappointed, but it was still satisfying to see Gilead fall.

 

Best Book of All:  I truly enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing.  It was such a beautiful story of love, loss and acceptance.

 

 

Although you might not have actually been sorted by The Sorting House, but most of you know what Hogwarts house you'd be in.  It's no surprise that Mrs. Domick is a Ravenclaw. In case you don't know, try the Pottermore quiz.  Once you know, check out the book suggestions based on your Hogwarts house.

 

 

So if your a Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.....you might like these titles

 

And if you are a Hufflepuff or a Slytherin...you might enjoy reading these books:

 

 

 

The library is pleased to announce the winners of Book Madness 2019. The winning book character is Harry Potter. The world's favorite wizard beat out many other characters to become the Character Cage Match winner.

Over 100 brackets were handed in. Lots of brackets were busted early when Batman and Lorax didn't advance. And the bracket winners are:

3rd Place Tie - Isabella Orama and Morgan Prudenti with 120 pts.
2nd Place - Anthony Tufano with 124 pts.
and 1st Place - Zack Prymak with 134 pts.

Winners should pick up their Amazon gift card prizes in the Library. Congratulations to all the winners!

3/26/2019

 

Final Character Showdown!

Over 13,000 votes were cast in Round 4. It’s down to the Final Character Showdown. Harry Potter vs. Katniss Everdeen!  Cast your vote for who you would like to see be the overall character winner by March 28th. You can vote via the online ballot using your personal device or in the library. 

 

3/22/2019

It's the Final Four!

 

Thousands of votes have been cast over the three rounds. There have been some upsets and some surprises. We suspect a lot of brackets were busted! Cast your vote for who you would like to see advance to the fifth and final round by March 24th.  You can vote via the online ballot or in person in the library.

 

 

 

It is down to the Elite 8!

Round 3 Voting is Now Open!  Check out our online ballot. Or come to the library, there will also be a dedicated voting computer. Vote until March 20th at midnight to advance books to the next round.  Check back on March 21st to see which books made it to the Final Four! 

 

 

 

Book Madness Round 2 Voting is Now Open!  Check out our online ballot. Or come to the library, there will also be a dedicated voting computer. Vote until March 16th at midnight to advance books to the next round.  Check back on March 17th to see which books made it to Round 3! 

 

 

It's Book Madness time!!  The theme is Character Cage Match.  Thanks for all your suggestions and assistance in picking categories and characters. Completed brackets are due back by Friday, March 8th.  Round 1 voting will begin on March 9th via Google Forms.  It is open to all students and faculty.  Whole class and club participation is welcomed!

 

New Netflix Read-alikes on display!  Come on in and check them out.

 

If you binged Project Runway, try reading Generation T: 100 Ways to Transform a T-shirt, Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style and Subversive Seamster.

 

If you binged Gilmore Girls, try reading Along for the Ride, Gabi in Pieces and November Blues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you binged Big Bang Theory, try reading A Briefer History of Time, Armada and The New York Times Book of Mathematics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you binged Stranger Things, try reading Everlost, Heart Shaped Box and A Monster Calls.

 

If you binged Transparent, try reading Beyond Magenta, Every Day and Some Asembly Required.

 

 

 

 

Did you just binge a great show? It gave you all the feelings, right? You never wanted it to end. You just couldn't stop. Want that same feeling again? Check out this year's main display in the library. It will be updated and added to all year.  Not seeing your favorite binge?  Let Mrs. Domick know and she will add it.

  

If you binged Riverdale, try reading One of Us is Lying, No One Else Can Have You and We Were Liars.

 

If you binged The Walking Dead, try reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Zombies vs. Unicorns, Eat Brains Love and Rot and Ruin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you binged Black Mirror, try reading The Last One, Insignia, SYLO, Eye Minds, and For the Win.

 

If you binged Friday Night Lights, try reading Love, Football and Other Contact Sports, Dairy Queen and Friday Night Lights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

If you binged The Wire, try reading The Long Way Down, Beneath a Meth Moon and How it When Down.

 

If you binged Orange is the New Black, try reading No Choirboy, Rikers High, American Boys and American Street.

 

 

 

 

 

Last summer I read 30 books and this summer I vowed to read even more.  Somehow the summer got away from me. Maybe there were too many adventures to go on.  Too many shows to binge. Whatever the reason, I only read 22 books.  Again, it appears as though I read a lot of escapist literature and not one non-fiction. But I did read two biographies! I promise to do better next summer.

 

Overall favorite book I read was Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult.  There is nothing like being able to read an advance readers copy. And there is nothing like Picoult's ripped from the headlines stories and really make you think narratives.

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren made trees and botany interesting.  A phrase I never thought I would utter.

The book that should be made into a movie is The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay. It was a taunt, suspenseful thriller.  Would you kill a loved one if it meant saving the world?

A companion book to the #metoo movement is The Power by Naomi Alderman.  It imagines a world where women suddenly have a strange electricity that allows them strength over men toppling the patriarchy. But having women in charge may not be the utopia some envision.

Favorite YA title and recommended reading for U.S. History classes is Revolution by Deborah Wiles.  It is the 2nd book in the Sixties Trilogy and covers the tumultuous summer of 1964 in Mississippi.  Wiles alternates between narrators, includes news clippings and popular culture to bring the story to life.

 

And the numbers are in!  Click on the image below to view the full annual report.

 

April was Poetry Month!  If you happened to miss our Not Yo' Mama's Poetry! display due to testing closures of the library, check out the displayed books list.  The list contains traditionally structured poetry books, as well as, novels in verse; all with contemporary themes.

Our New Book Display is Read Woke

Will you be Woke? Stop by and check out these books!

The library is pleased to announce the winners of Book Madness 2018. The winning book title is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Max and the Wild Things beat out many childhood favorites to become the Spine to Spine winner.

Over 100 brackets were handed in. Lots of brackets were busted early when Harry Potter didn't advance. And the bracket winners are:

3rd Place - Miss Klie with 120 pts.
2nd Place - Mrs. Gallo with 122 pts.
and with almost a perfect bracket...

1st Place - Mrs. Campiglia with 154 pts.

The faculty really dominated this year! Congratulations to all the winners!

In honor of NCAA's Basketball March Madness, the Library is holding a Book Madness Tournament of Books contest. This year's theme is Childhood Throwback! Here's how to play:

1) Get a Book Madness bracket from the library or print one off.
2) Fill out the bracket. For each match up, choose which book you predict will win, down to the final round and Spin to Spine winner. 
3) Hand in your completed bracket to the Library by Friday, March 9th to be eligible to win the grand prize—a gift card to Amazon!

Online voting will begin on March 10th. By voting you can influence which books will advance and increase your chances of winning. The person whose prediction bracket most closely matches the winning bracket is the winner! A grand prize, 2nd place and 3rd place winner will be announced the week of April 9th.

Summer seems so far away and we are well into Fall, but I still wanted to share my 2017 summer reading list.  Not sure how I found the time to read 30 books. Maybe because it was a wetter, colder summer than years past.  Or maybe it was because I wanted to break my record from last year.  But read 30 books I did.  As I look at the list, it appears as though I read a lot of escapist literature and not one non-fiction or biography.  I will have to try harder next summer.

Here's this year's list with recommendations:

 

Overall favorite book I read was Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Tom Perrotta's Mrs. Fletcher was a close second.

Uniquest Style Award: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Had potential, but was ultimately disappointing: See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo made me cry like a baby.

I would recommend In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume to readers young and old because it highlighted a little known part of NJ history.

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond would make a great TV/Netflix series.

Heather, the Totality by Matthew Weiner was so creepy that I was happy it was a short book.

Can I Get Me a Sequel? Award: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart was one I didn't want to end even though it is basically a modern day rip off of The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict made me question the contributions and influence of many famous women/wives/lovers and their possibly forgotten place in history.

This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp became the most stolen book in the library this past year.  I finally snagged a copy and was able to read it.  It is a tough subject matter (a school shooting), but well worth it.

Extreme Makeover: Library Edition!

The Library is being redesigned!  The new space will be modern and fresh.  It will feel more like a college commons. New features include moveable furniture, charging stations, a cyber bar, an art wall, a makerspace and built-in multimedia.  Construction is set to begin June 1st and end just before school starts in September.  In the meantime, you can visit the temporary tiny library in the cafeteria office.  The Tiny Libray is offering the same great services, just in a smaller space!

 

In honor of February being National library Lovers month, we decided to create a Love at First Line book display.  They say the hardest line of a book to write is the first.  It has to draw the reader in and make them want more.  It also sets up the story clueing the reader into setting, time, dilemma and narrator. Stop by the library this month and see if you fall in love at first line!

Do you find it hard to distinguish real news from fake news?  You are not alone.  Most students have difficulty identifying fake news.  Compounding the issue are sensationalized articles that go viral and rising distrust of traditional media sources.  But all is not lost.  Identifying fake news just takes a little bit of critical thinking and follow up.

 

First you need to know the difference between misleading or fake news stories.  There are five different kinds of misleading or false news according to Dr. Melissa Zimdars, an associate professor at Merrimack College and Alexios Mantzarlis of the Poynter Institute:

• Fake news: These are the easiest to debunk and often come from known sham sites that are designed to look like real news outlets. They may include misleading photographs and headlines that, at first read, sound like they could be real.
• Misleading news: These are the hardest to debunk, because they often contain a kernel of truth: A fact, event or quote that has been taken out of context. Look for sensational headlines that aren't supported by the information in the article.
• Highly partisan news: A type of misleading news, this may be an interpretation of a real news event where the facts are manipulated to fit an agenda.
• Clickbait: The shocking or teasing headlines of these stories trick you into clicking for more information -- which may or may not live up to what was promised.
• Satire: This one is tough, because satire doesn't pretend to be real and serves a purpose as commentary or entertainment. But if people are not familiar with a satire site, they can share the news as if it is legitimate.

   

Second, you have to become a fact checker. Here are some simple questions to ask yourself when reading the news:

1. How believable is the story? The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus site is an excellent example.  Octopi live in the ocean. Trees grow on land. Just the title of the website alone should be raising doubts. Use common sense. If its not plausible, it is probably fake. Not sure? Fact check the article using Snopes, FactCheck or PolitiFact.   
2. What do I know about this news source?  First look at the web address and the About Us section of the site.  Often the web address gives away important information.  An example of a fake news site appearing like a legitimate one would be abcnews.com.co.  The genuine ABC News would not have a .co web extension.  The Contact Us reveals the owner of the site to be Dr. Paul "Un-Buzz Killington" Horner.  A real CEO of a major news organization would never put a crude nickname in quotes. Next ask yourself who runs it? How is it funded? What are the goals of the site?  What other sites does this page link to? What makes this site qualified to provide accurate information? What sources are cited? The answers to these questions all give clues about accuracy and bias.
3. Does the article use loaded words or phrases? Loaded words and phrases elicit strong emotions or imply bias or suggest a slanted opinion. It's a sneaky way the writer attempts to influence readers. Bias or opinion pieces are not necessarily inaccurate, wrong or bad, but readers need to acknowledge and question rather than accept at face value the information presented.  Take a look at these two headlines: Hollywood PR Firm Sunshine Sachs Cancels Christmas Parties Because Trump Won and Hollywood PR Firm Skips Holiday Parties, Donates to Charities Instead.  Both utilize linguistic tricks to invoke strong reactions.  Utilizing loaded words or phrases doesn't automatically make the news article fake, however, their usage should raise red flags.  You may need to search for the story elsewhere to verify information and decide if the story is real or fake, biased or impartial, accurate or false.

Remember just because you don't agree with the information doesn't make it false or fake. The ability to identify fake news from real news takes some practice, but before you know it you will be able to spot fake news with ease.

The HHS Library is not alone in it's love of all things Gilmore Girls.  With the "reboot" premiering on Netflix this past weekend, we decided to dedicate our November book display to the 339 books on Rory Gilmore's Reading list.  Stop down to the library to peruse the eclectic collection of reads featured in the seven seasons of Gilmore Girls. How many have you read on the list?  Take this quiz to find out!  Mrs. Domick has read 99 books on the list.

Wondering what the residents of Stars Hollow would be reading right now?  The NYPL came up with a list of books for each character.  Coincidentally, Mrs. Domick is currently reading the book NYPL believes Rory would be reading right now, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

The Library has purchased 4 new Kindle Fires in Tiger Orange. Each is stocked with over 200+ book titles and an Amazon Prime membership.  Amazon Prime allows Kindle Fire users unlimited access to books, current issue magazines, video steaming and over a million songs.  Interested in test driving one before putting it on your holiday wishlist? Traveling soon and want to pack light?  Want to have hundreds of books at your fingertips? Stop down and check one out today!

 

       In conjunction with the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, Hackettstown High School Library declares this week Freedom to Read Week!  This week, let’s talk about how we can all benefit from the American shared freedom to choose and read books for our own interests.

      According to the American Library Association (ALA), Banned Books Week is "an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Highlighting the value of free and open access to information, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek, to publish, to read, and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular".

      To learn more about Banned Books Week, visit ALA's Banned Books Week Q&A webpage and stop by the library to view the Banned Books Week display.

The library has acquired 4 new Kindle Fire tablets!  They will replace the 1st genration Kindles that have circulated since 2011.  The new Kindle Fires will allow students and staff to Read, Watch and Play all on one device.  We expect them to be ready for check out by October 3rd.

It's September 1st and school will officially start in a few days.  I will miss the lazy summer days of reading at the lake, at the beach, and on the deck.  This summer I broke my record for number of books read during the summer.  I read 28 books!  Some were YA, others were adult, two were non-fiction and quite a few were read with my 10 year old.

And here are the books.....

 
Favorite YA title was You, Me and Him.

The title that left me wanting more was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Guilty beach read was Here's to Us.

The one I didn't expect to love was We are the Ants.

Book that had so much potential, but disappointed was The Woman in Cabin 10.

Title that should be made into a movie is The Girls.

Title that lived up to the hype was Sweetbitter.

Book I'd recommend to anyone young and old is Miller's Valley.

All high schoolers should read The Beginning of Everything.

The novel I never read as a kid, but loved reading with my daughter was Shiloh.

 

Full Results:

 Bruce - 4

 The Geography of Girlhood - 26

 Boxers (A) - 5

 Boxers (B) - 1

 Pieces - 24

 Break-Up Artist - 5

 Winger - 2

 November Blues - 6

 Weight of Silence - 7

 Pandemonium - 2

 Does My Head Look Big in This? - 25

 The Human Body - 9

 Ice Cube - 6

 Feed - 4

 Lie - 7

 Abandon - 143

 Beauty Queens - 43

 Reckoning - 13

 Such a Rush - 24

 Fat Vampire - 58

 Leverage - 14

 I Spy - 75

 Twilight (A) - 141

 Twilight (B) - 21

 Twilight (C) - 8

 Cinder (A) - 36

 Read Between the Lines (A) - 11

 The Night Circus - 5

 Cinder (B) - 22

 Hoopi Shoopi Donna (A) - 18

 Hoopi Shoopi Donna (B) - 4

 Get Happy - 13

 Read Between the Lines (B) - 25

 Stiff - 107

 The Castaways - 78

Book Madness is officially over.  And the winners of the Book Madness bracket contest are:

• Third prize is awarded to Shannon Kerwin with a score of 86. 
• Second place goes to Emma Standing for her bracket score of 100. 
• First place is Allyson Stejakoski who had a near perfect bracket with a score of 144. 

All three winners correctly predicted the Spine to Spine winner to be City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Thank you to all the students and faculty who participated.

How did your bracket stack up? View the Winning Bracket!

In honor of NCAA's Basketball March Madness the Library is holding a Book Madness Tournament of Books contest. Here's how to play:

• Get a Book Madness bracket from the library or print it off the Library's website.
• Fill out the bracket to predict which book you think will win Book Madness. 
• For each match up, choose which book you think will win, down to the final round and Spin to Spine winner. 
• Hand in your completed bracket to the Library by Friday, March 18th to be eligible to win the grand prize—a gift card to Amazon!
• A grand prize, 2nd place and 3rd place winner will be announced the week of March 21st.

The person whose prediction bracket most closely matches the winning bracket is the winner! Anyone can vote, so tell your friends to play!

The Library is playing matchmaker.  During the month of February, check out a specially wrapped book from our display.  Going out on a blind date is a lot like opening up a new book - you never know what kind of experience you're going to have.  

 

Once you've gone on your "blind date," fill out a Rate Your Date slip or online form and return it to the library.  Who knows...maybe you will find your perfect match! 

      

 

 

The library has gotten some intriguing titles to kick off 2016!  

 

Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz has one of the most beautiful covers I've seen.  The intricate and glistening jacket design calls for you to pick it up.  Reviews for Lizard Radio are compelling with one reviewer (Jaclyn Anderson) calling it:  "An entertaining and thought-provoking read, this title will be a big hit for those who want something deeper from their dystopian fiction."

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and illustrations by Chris Riddell is available for the first time in the U.S.  Originally published oversees in 2013, it is retelling of "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty," a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment alongside her brave dwarf retainers.  Riddell's illustrations are equal parts gorgeous and creepy making them the perfect fit for a Gaiman story.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt is a slim volume that I feel will wallop a big punch.  The story's themes are foster care, friendship and teenage fatherhood.