Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 97

Fall Family Fun @ KDL

B.Y.O.P: You bring the pumpkin, we’ll supply the fun. Click here for maps to all 18 KDL branches.

Awesome Autumn Adventure

Celebrate the season with autumn crafts, pumpkin decorating, games and bountiful farmyard fun. Please bring your own pumpkin.

Thursday, October 17, 10:00 AM – Walker branch

Monday, October 21, 10:00 AM and 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township branch

Wednesday, October 23, 10:00 and 11:00  AM – Caledonia Township branch

Wednesday, October 23, 10:00 AM – Plainfield Township branch

Thursday, October 24, 10:00 AM – Plainfield Township branch

Saturday, October 26, 2:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch

Monday, October 28, 6:30 PM – Byron Township branch

Tuesday, October 29, 10:30 AM – Sand Lake / Nelson Township branch

Tuesday, October 29, 6:30 PM – Comstock Park branch

Wednesday, October 30, 10:30 AM – Comstock Park branch

Thursday, October 31, 10:30 AM – Englehardt branch

Thursday, November 7, 6:30 PM – Tyrone Township branch

Family Pumpkin Carving

Want to make the coolest pumpkin ever? Funniest? Scariest? Most glamorous? Here is your chance. Bring your pumpkin and we’ll provide ideas, samples, tools, craft supplies and easy clean-up. Adult participation is required.

Thursday, October 17, 6:30 PM – Spencer Township branch

Saturday, October 26, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township branch

 

Loved the Movie? Try the Book!

With grey days and cold nights approaching, it’s time to curl up in your coziest chair with your new favorite movie in hand! Wait, what? Yes! Your favorite movie! Many books in the recent (and not-so-recent) past have been turned into movies, and while our beloved movies can give us stunning visuals and the dynamic perspective of its director, nothing beats the visual effects that your own imagination can provide! Become your own director when you any of read these titles…

Were you engrossed in the animation of Coraline that featured a courageous girl with a hardy spirit? Try the book! Coraline by Neil Gaiman tells the exciting and imaginative story of a young girl who finds her way through a bewildering door. On the other side is a world that is seemingly quite like her own, until things being to unravel. Follow her on a journey to save herself, her family and the souls of three new friends.

Maybe you felt the heartache of the young girl in the movie Speak. Try the book! Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is the story of a young girl who experiences a devastating event the summer before her freshman year of high school.

Did you fall in love with the travels that ended tragically for Chris McCandless in the movie Into the Wild? Try the book! Experience them in a new way with Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. This book looks into the mind and soul of Chris McCandless, who at 24 years old leaves his promising life in civilization to head into the remote Alaskan tundra.

Looking for something else? The recent blockbuster hit The Great Gatsby is based on a story that has been loved for generations. Try the book! Cozy up with The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This classic story, set in the 1920s, explores the love between wealthy Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan.

Already enjoyed all of these titles? Looking for more to read? Here’s a list of other great book-to-movie reads:

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Emma by Jane Austen
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
The Harry Potter  series by J.K. Rowling
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

Early Lit Bits: Book Review — “Count the Monkeys”

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett and Kevin Cornell

 This is not your typical counting book! It’s an interactive romp through the jungle, with the monkeys eluding the audience at each turn of the page. There is indeed counting in this goofy concept book, but instead of monkeys, we count mongooses (or is it mongeese?), crocodiles, grizzly bears and even a band of hungry lumberjacks! This book is perfect for reading to a group, inviting the audience to participate in the story as it progresses. Colorful illustrations combine with some serious silliness and make this book so much fun. Repeat readings of a story are a great way to get your child ready to read, so who is ready to count some monkeys…

 again?

-Liz W. at KDL’s Plainfield Branch

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

Catalog Unavailable Sunday Evening

The Lakeland Library Cooperative online catalog will be down for maintenance Sunday, October 13, from 6:00 – 9:00 PM.  Unfortunately, this means that a host of our services will be unavailable during this “downtime.”

Library services that WILL NOT be available:

Browsing both the “Encore” and the “classic / LakeNet” versions of the online catalog
Viewing your account online
Placing holds, renewing items, and paying fines
Requesting items through MeLCat
Placing holds on or downloading eBooks and eAudiobooks
Downloading music from Freegal
Watching streaming videos from hoopla

These services WILL still be available:

Accessing most online reference databases
Registering for library programs online

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

KDL Top Ten – 10/11/2013

View 10 of the most popular Teen Fiction titles this month at KDL – click on the link to the Top Ten List!

Celebrate Teen Read Week, October 13–19!

 

November 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!)

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

“William Bellman is a happily married father with a promising future, until an event from his childhood comes to haunt him and everyone he loves. Beautifully written with a vividly enticing setting, Bellman & Black is a truly gothic tale that will you have entwined in its arms until the very end.”

– Scott Lenski, Whitefish Bay Public Library, Whitefish Bay, WI

 

Through the Evil Days: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery
by Julia Spencer-Fleming

“Reverend Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne’s honeymoon retreat to the Adirondacks is interrupted by a brutal winter storm and a complicated police investigation involving a kidnapping, a drug ring and the murder of federal agents. Spencer-Fleming’s suspenseful and engrossing procedural introduces a fun, new character (Oscar the German Shepherd) and ends with a signature cliffhanger.”

– Leslie DeLooze, Richmond Memorial Library, Batavia, NY

 

The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son by Pat Conroy

“Pat Conroy’s amazing voice is back and makes me realize how much I have missed hearing it. The Death of Santini takes a hard look at what has been the most obvious influence on Conroy’s work — his family. Happily, this is not anything close to a pity party, but rather a lesson about how redemptive the powers of love and humor can be.”

– Jennifer Dayton, Darien Library, Darien, CT

 

Someone Else’s Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

“Being held at gunpoint during a convenience store robbery jolts Shandi, a young single mom, out of her denial about her 3-year-old miracle son’s origins. When her rescuer, William, a geneticist with Asperger’s, offers a way to find out what really happened the night her son was conceived, Shandi has to face the past to find her own love story. I loved every page of this funny and endearing Southern novel.”

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

 

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

“A new Amy Tan novel is an event. Under her sharp-eyed observations of mothers and daughters and their inexplicable bonds, is a powerful story of love, family, courage, and history.”

– Kaite Stover, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO

 

Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson

“What causes a person to make bad choices, and to remain on a path so disastrous it could destroy a family? Thomson’s first novel raises these questions and explores the course of a failed marriage. The story is bitter and painful, but you’ll want to stick with it for the surprising turn that makes you wonder who is most to blame.”

– Nancy Russell, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH

 

The Cartographer of No Man’s Land by P. S. Duffy

“Angus MacGrath is caught between the artist he longs to be and the naval career his father believes is more fitting for a man supporting a family on the coast of Nova Scotia. Angus enlists in World War I with the promise of a safe cartographer’s job, but finds himself thrust on the front lines of battle in France. The emotional havoc is palpable. Life changes in the blink of an eye and Duffy does a masterful job of letting the reader watch everyone desperately trying to catch up.”

– Jennifer Hendzlik, Anythink Libraries, Thornton, CO

 

The Raven’s Eye: A Brock and Kolla Mystery by Barry Maitland

“The latest Brock/Kolla mystery begins with a sudden death on a London houseboat. Unusual setting, great plot, wonderful writing. This fabulous series is yet to be discovered by many American lovers of British police procedurals. Great recommendation for fans of Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, early Martha Grimes and Deborah Crombie.”

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

 

Death of a Nightingale by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis

“Compulsive do-gooder Nina Borg is now involved with Ukrainian detainees seeking asylum in Denmark. Among them are Natasha, an abused refugee and widow of a slain journalist, and her anxious 8-year-old daughter, Katerina. The two are pursued by a mysterious, powerful Ukrainian woman and Danish security forces, who consider Natasha a suspect in her fiance’s murder. Two plots gradually merge in a dramatic climax. Recommended for fans of Karin Fossum, Arnaldur Indridison, Colin Cotterill and mystery lovers who prefer plots that explore social justice and morality.”

– Margaret Donovan, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA

 

Parasite by Mira Grant

“Mira Grant’s first outing after the completion of the Newsflesh Trilogy lives up to the standard entirely. What a creepily plausible look at the medical industry and scientific experimentation. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the sequel to this one.”

– Emily Hartman, Spring Lake District Library, Spring Lake, MI

 

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

 

Workshops for Teen Filmmakers

Do you have a passion for film? Do you plan on entering the 2014 Kent County Teen Film Festival? We are offering a couple of teen programs that you don’t want to miss!

Writing and Drawing Storyboards for Film

Learn the pre-production process used in film and animation to develop awesome stories. Create simple drawings and add structure to describe your creative short film ideas before you pick up a camera.  Bring your best film concept. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited.

Saturday, October 26, 1:00 – 3:00 PM – Cascade Township branch

Filming and Video Editing Workshop

This fun-filled, full-day workshop will take you from camera-wielding novice to having a completely edited film under your belt. In partnership with the Community Media Center, all filming and editing equipment will be provided for the day. Pizza lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited.

Saturday, November 16, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Wyoming branch

These workshops are designed for, but not restricted to, teens who wish to create a film to submit for the Kent County Teen Film Festival. We hope to see you there!

 

Zinio Back Issues Now Available!

The good news just keeps coming for users of KDL’s digital collections! Besides the recent addition of free streaming video through hoopla and the much-requested ability to renew eBooks & eAudiobooks, now comes word that our digital magazine vendor, Zinio, has added back issues to their service!

Instead of having to make sure to login and download the current issue only during the month that it’s available, users of the library’s Zinio service can now browse and check out previous issues and catch up on what they have missed. Just click on the title of your choice to view the current issue and the 4 most recent previous issues. Or click on “Show more back issues” to view the complete collection of available back issues. As always, all issues can be downloaded to your computer or mobile app and are yours to keep, with no expiration dates or fines!

 

Need help? Check out our Downloading Instructions page (which includes a helpful video demo), call us at 616-784-2007, or fill out our Support Request Form.

 

Happy Downloading!

 

 

City of Bones Readalikes

If you like City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, then you will want to select your next great read from this booklist. There are plenty of books to choose from. Remember to read the book before you watch the movie, The Mortal Instruments.

    

 

Spooky Reads for Halloween

Let’s start October off right by listing some spooky reads for teens:

An oldie but goodie — and a personal favorite – is ‘s Abhorsen series (Currently it is a trilogy, but a fourth book is set to be published next year). The first book is Sabriel, which introduces the Old Kingdom magic and the Abhorsen, a powerful person who controls the bells and the gates of death.  When the Abhorsen goes missing, Sabriel will journey through the kingdom trying to find him, uncovering some dark secrets along the way.

If you like vampires but want something a little different, try The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. When a rogue vampire started contaminating humans with the vampire virus, whole cities were walled off to keep the epidemic contained. When Tana wakes up the morning after a party to find everyone dead except her ex-boyfriend and a vampire who was left chained, she decides to enter Coldtown with the two boys. But not everything is as it seems on the video streams, and Tana might not make it out alive.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake is for those who like creepy ghost stories. Cos Lowood kills ghosts, following in his father’s footsteps. But Anna, the 16-year old-ghost in Thunder Bay, has killed everyone who enters her house. Can Cos take care of the problem without loosing his heart or his head? Be sure to check out the sequel, Girl of Nightmares.