Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 102

Are You a Fan of True Crime?

Are you fascinated by true crime stories? Whether classics like In Cold Blood by Truman Capote intrigue you or more recent true crime stories like A Death in Italy: The Definitive Account of the Amanda Knox Case by John Follain are more your style, there is something for everyone in this genre. True crime stories can be frightening, strange, and mysterious all at once. If you are looking for your next true crime story check out our new True Crime booklist.

Check out the True Crime book display at the Plainfield Township branch that was created by Laura, one of our Adult Librarians:

Help Celebrate Amelia Bedelia’s Birthday

Celebrate Amelia Bedelia’s 50th birthday with a party featuring activities inspired by her books. We just hope she doesn’t bake a sponge cake.

Saturday, September 21, 10:00 AM – Gaines Township branch

Monday, September 30, 6:30 PM – Byron Township branch

Sunday, October 13, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids branch

Sunday, October 27, 2:00 PM – Cascade Township branch

Saturday, November 2, 10:00 AM – Krause Memorial branch

Thursday, November 7, 10:30 AM – Englehardt branch

Tuesday, November 12, 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch

Wednesday, November 13, 10:00 AM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch

Monday, November 18, 10:30 AM – Alto branch

Wednesday, November 20, 10:00 AM – Caledonia Township branch

For maps to all 18 of our branches, click here.

KDL Top Ten – 9/13/2013

This week’s Top Ten list highlights the 10 most checked-out eBooks at KDL this month.  Take a look at the list, and stop by KDL’s eBook site today!

October LibraryReads Staff Picks

You already know that your local KDL staff provide great recommendations when you’re looking for your next favorite book. Now library staff across the nation have connected to offer LibraryReads, a nationwide “Top 10″ list of favorite titles each month! Check out these upcoming titles that librarians across the country have read, loved, and want to share with you (including one recommended by KDL’s own Melissa DeWild!)

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

“Don Tillman, a brilliant geneticist, thinks that having women fill out a six-page, double-sided questionnaire before a date is logical and reasonable. Rosie Jarman, an impetuous barmaid, thinks Don should loosen up and learn to live a little. Follow the unlikely pair in this laugh-out-loud, feel-good story of unexpected joys, discovery and love.”

–  Paulette Brooks, Elm Grove Public Library, Elm Grove, WI

Longbourn by Jo Baker

“Using Pride and Prejudice’s familiar setting and characters, Baker tells a very different story of family, love and self-discovery. Bold and intelligent, Sarah is an orphaned housemaid whose days are filled with hard, body-punishing work. Baker doesn’t sugar-coat. A beautiful, uplifting novel full of mystery, hope and romance. Highly recommended for Austen fans and historical fiction readers.”

–  Jenifer May, Secaucus Public Library, Secaucus, NJ

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

“Spanning the oceans from India to Rhode Island, this is a story of brothers and allegiances, mothers and challenges, families and turmoil. Lahiri fleshes out her characters and events with such exquisite prose that I find myself rereading sentences just for the experience of their impact. Another literary triumph for Lahiri!”

– Jeanne Altman, Darien Library, Darien, CT

Cartwheel by Jennifer duBois

“College student Lily Hayes is an accident waiting to happen. While studying abroad in Buenos Aires, she becomes the prime suspect in her roommate Katy’s murder. DuBois’s haunting story captures a family shattered by their young daughter’s imprisonment. A well-written novel highly recommended for book clubs.”

– Karen Kilbride, Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis, MN

Hawthorn & Child by Keith Ridgway

“Ridgway has taken the ‘partner cops’ and ‘troubled cops’ sub-genres to new levels. Hawthorn is a haunted man with a callous worldview. Child is his apt foil: humane, funny and insightful. Set in contemporary London, the story draws readers quickly and completely into a complex, seedy world of crime, madness and despair.”

– Margaret Donovan, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA

The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement by Nick Saul & Andrea Curtis

“Nick Saul chronicles his years spent as director of The Stop, a community food center in Toronto, Ontario that reinvented itself by starting several innovative programs to combat poverty and hunger while building community in the process. Read this book and be inspired to create change in your own neighborhood!”

– Melissa DeWild, Kent District Library, Comstock Park, MI

We Are Water by Wally Lamb

“Annie Oh, a newly famous artist, sends her family into a tailspin when she announces her intention to marry her powerful gallerist, Viveca. While Annie’s husband Orion is devastated by the loss of his wife of 27 years, her children’s responses range from delight to denial. Good writing and distinct characters, personalities and voices.”

– Katie Karkheck, Valley Cottage Library, Valley Cottage, NY

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

“Fans of The Secret History will rediscover the Tartt they loved back in 1992. Readers who love the novelist for her richly developed, dark, multi-layered characters and thoroughly researched topics will not be disappointed. Tartt pulls together many threads of a story across a long span of pages and into a complete masterpiece.”

– Kim Dorman, Princeton Public Library, Princeton, NJ

The Tilted World by Tom Franklin & Beth Ann Fennelly

“The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 is the backdrop for one of my favorite historical novels of the last few years. Bootleggers, revenuers, an orphaned child, extreme weather, a disintegrating marriage and romance. There are no dull characters or moments in this beautifully-written story.”

– Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC

Hunting Season: Immigration and Murder in an All-American Town by Mirta Ojito

“Ojito, a former New York Times reporter, chronicles the events leading up to the 2008 murder of an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant on Long Island, detailing the reactions of family and community members, government officials, civic leaders and public library staff. A nuanced and in-depth look at hate crimes, and a powerful story that deserves to be told.”

– Anne Lee, Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

See http://libraryreads.org for more information and find your next great read!

 

Great Reads on eightWest

Looking for your next great read? Morgan from our East Grand Rapids branch recently appeared on eightWest to share her recommendations for all ages. Watch the segment and then request one today!

Some Monsters Are Different by David Milgrim
Mo Willems books (and don’t miss our special Mo Willems events!)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Gone series by Michael Grant
Great by Choice
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Pick Your Next Must-Read

Patron Story: A Boy, Dogs & Books

Lesson learned: the more ruff the reading, the less rough the reading.

Daniel Deindorfer was not yet in kindergarten when he and his mom visited the Cascade Township branch and saw the dogs. More specifically, dogs lounging on blankets in quiet corners of the library, seemingly all-ears as they were being read to by children.

One look at that, said his mother, and dog-lover Daniel was in. The summers of 2006 and 2007, Daniel was signed up every chance he could to read to West Michigan Therapy Dogs Inc. through the Ruff Readers programs at the Cascade and Englehardt branches.

Read Daniel’s story here.

 

Attention Gamers & Comic Book Fans!

KDL is partnering with GrandCon Gaming & Comic Arts Convention for a geek-tastic extravaganza where you can revel in

Board game tourneys
Author signings
Role playing events
Special screenings of movies
And so much more!

SEPTEMBER 20–22

Prince Conference Center

1800 East Beltline Ave SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Tomorrow (Friday, September 13) is your LAST CHANCE to pre-register and save on your badges. Get your geek on, see you at GrandCon!

For the first 600 attendees, with your valid badge and the presentation of your KDL card, college student, educator, or military/law enforcement ID, GrandCon will give you a $3 credit to spend while you are at the convention. (Valid current ID must be presented for this one-time credit. This credit will not stack with multiple ID’s that you may own.)

 

Summer May Be Over, But…

We recently completed an extremely successful Summer Reading program at KDL, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to rest on our laurels. Our Summer Programming Workgroup was hard at work this morning already planning programs for Summer 2014… and boy are they going to be good!

It’s not easy planning the busiest summer reading program of any public library in the state, but it sure is worth it!

 

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

If you are very lucky and read a LOT, a book comes along that really grabs your attention and makes you beg for the next one!  Well, Brandon Sanderson’s soon to be released Steelheart is one of those books for me.  From the opening bank scene to the Reckoner’s hideout to the final battle, this book delivers the action, friendship, mystery and fight to the death!

Ordinary people started developing superpowers after Calamity came to the skies, but that type of power brought out the worst and the average person suffered under the iron fists.  David witnessed his father’s murder when Steelheart exerted his power over the city, destroying all other Epics who challenged him.  But David has devoted the last ten years of his life to studying the local Epics, especially Steelheart and now he wants to join the Reckoners, the only resistance group willing to take down Epics.

What he discovers will change the course of his life and his city forever.

 

Write Michigan: What Goes Around…

For Kentwood-based novelist Kristina Riggle, being tasked to write the foreword of the second annual Write Michigan short story contest anthology and deliver the keynote address at the awards gala in March brings back memories of the start of her own writing career.

Kristina started entering the annual Grand Rapids Press and Festival of the Arts short story contest in middle school. As an East Kentwood High School sophomore in 1990, the then-15-year-old won first place in her age group.

“I was blown away” she recalled. “I have loved writing since I can remember. It was probably the first time where I thought ‘Wow, I could seriously do this for a living someday.’ All the positive support from people who didn’t even know me made a huge difference. To get so much attention for something you already love to do, that’s gold.”

For Riggle, whose fifth novel will be published in the fall, it’s all about encouraging new writing talent.

“I was supported so much in my writing,” she said. “I’m so excited to be part of paying that forward.”

Speaking of writing support, there’s still time to register for free writing workshops for teens and adults. Details can be found here.