It’s summertime, and (apologies to George Gershwin) the readin’ is easy! There are lots of Summer Reading Lists kicking about – Oprah, on Goodreads, in The Globe and Mail, and as part of the innumerable lists in our own FVRL Bibliocommons catalogue, just to name a few. All have great lists of easy reading for the summer.
Kristin and I have created a “Staff Picks” section at the library for the summer months. You’ll find our favourites – Joyner’s Dream (Sylvia Tyson), Astray (Emma Donoghue), The Sisters Brothers (Patrick deWitt), Maya’s Notebook (Isabel Allende), and more. We both intend to do some serious summer reading as well.
Right now I’m finishing Mary Roach’s latest, Gulp – a wild romp through the alimentary canal, from mouth to stomach and beyond. So far, it’s been hilarious with lots of “Really? Did not know that!” moments. Next up, is the Hope Library Book Club book selection, Charlotte Gill’s Eating Dirt. It’s a piece of non-fiction about tree-planters and Big Timber. And a beach read if the weather holds: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan.
And I might just have to check out The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes after falling in love with the Crawley family in the Masterpiece Theatre series, Downton Abbey. This is an exceptionally well-done version of Upstairs, Downstairs.
Kristin tells me that she’s reading Company of Liars by Karen Maitland and plans to pick up the classic, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes later this summer. She’s also earmarked Jared Diamond’s new book The World Until Yesterday and My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. Kristin is also recent convert to Downton Abbey!
All are available at your library. What’s on your summer list?
The library has a variety of Summer Reading Clubs – one for every age! We’ll be drawing for prizes every two weeks for the adults, every week for the kids and teens. And while you are at the library, why not pick up a Story Time in the Park writing kit for your family?
Each summer, the Story Time in the Park Committee (of the Fraser-Cascade Literacy Task Initiative – a partnership of Decoda Literacy Solutions, Hope Community Services, Agassiz Harrison Community Services, Fraser Valley Regional Library, School District 78 (Fraser-Cascade), Free Rein Associates, the University of the Fraser Valley and other stakeholders) sponsors a writing contest for all ages.
The winner in each category of the contest will have their work published and the overall winner will go on to have their book read at the 2014 Story Time at the Park. The categories for entering reflect the goal of the program: family literacy. Deadline for entries is August 17, so get writing!
At the library this month: Summer Reading Club fun! The Summer Blast-Off Party on July 5 was, dare I say it, a blast with bubbles, games and Andrew the Magician. Coming up on Friday, July 19 is the third annual Summer Reading Club Pet parade. Kids are encouraged to bring their favourite pet to the library between 2-3 p.m. to compete in this fun event.
At the Hope Library, summer means children’s programming. The adult programs begin again in September with Mike Starr’s (Fort Langley National Historic Site) presentation on brigade trail history, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m.
And here we come to the end of another Bibliotheca column. I’ve noticed that there are readers and there are writers. Of course, some who love to read also love to write. But when this column is due on the editor’s desk each month, I find myself woozy with trepidation. I can honestly say I have a mildly serious case of – here it is: “Word of the Day” - graphophobia. Perhaps a blog in the making?