Share your love of reading at JCPL
Published 12:51 pm Wednesday, September 12, 2018
It’s true that the Jessamine County Public Library offers much more than just books — for example, we now loan WiFi hotspots and portable DVD players — but as a librarian and lifelong reader, my favorite part of my job is sharing my love of books with library patrons and colleagues. If the participation in this year’s Summer Learning Program is any indication, Jessamine County residents also love reading and listening to books. Adults alone turned in 3,408 reading logs this summer. That’s a lot of reading and listening!
Although Summer Learning may be over, the Jessamine County Public Library supports readers at all times of the year. Read on for more about programs and resources to help you connect with other book lovers and discover new reads at your local library.
Books and Bites Meetings
Enjoy refreshments and good conversation in this no-pressure book club that encourages you to read whatever you want. Get ideas for what to read next and share your favorite reads with this friendly group of book lovers. The librarians and members of Books and Bites read many different types of books, including nonfiction, mystery, fantasy, young adult, literary fiction and others so you’re sure to find a book you’ll love. Upcoming meetings are at 3 p.m. Sept. 12th and Oct. 10th. To register visit www.jesspublib.org.
Books and Bites Podcast
Can’t make it to our monthly Books and Bites meetings? Listen to the Books and Bites podcast. Each month, my colleague Melissa Coulston and I bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them. We often share recipes from JCPL’s cookbook collection. Recent episodes have focused on our favorite audiobooks; debut books about Appalachia; strong women; and the novel “Sing, Unburied, Sing” by Jesmyn Ward. For episode 16, author Kayla Rae Whitaker joined us to talk about her novel “The Animators,” part of which takes place in a fictional town in eastern Kentucky that resembles Whitaker’s hometown.
The Books and Bites podcast is available on Soundcloud, Google Play, iTunes, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen from our website at www.jesspublib.org/books-bites.
JCPL Book Club
If you’d like to participate in a traditional book club, join librarian Melissa Coulston on the last Monday of each month for refreshments and discussion of the selected book. At 6 p.m., Sept. 24th, the group will discuss Andrew Sean Greer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Less.” Receiving an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Arthur Less, a failed novelist on the eve of his 50th birthday, embarks on an international journey that finds him falling in love, risking his life, reinventing himself and making connections with the past. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the customer service desk. To register, visit our website at www.jesspublib.org.
JCPL Family Book Club
Share the love of reading with the whole family in the JCPL Family Book Club. The library invites families of all ages to read aloud the selected book together in the comfort of your own home. From Sept. 10th through Oct. 26th, we encourage you to set aside time each week for reading and discussing “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George.
As a special gift for participating, the first 50 families to register at the Children’s Desk will receive a copy of “My Side of the Mountain” to add to their home libraries. Since this book club does not meet in person, families can post their thoughts and “talk” with other members on our blog at jcplfamilybookclub.wordpress.com. We invite all of our participating families to attend a themed wrap-up party at 2 p.m. Oct. 27 located at JCPL 600 S. Main St..
NextReads
Newsletters
Get reading recommendations delivered to your inbox with Next-Reads. These free monthly email newsletters feature new and popular books in your favorite genres. Topics include Christian Fiction, Coming Soon, Mystery, History & Current Events, Kids’ Books, Teen Scene and more. To sign up go to the Books page of our website at www.jesspublib.org/books.
Book Match
For more personalized book recommendations, fill out a reader profile on our website. JCPL librarians will create a customized reading list just for you. Your reader profile and response will be kept in the strictest confidence. Create your profile at www.jesspublib.org/book-match.
Carrie Green is the reference/user education librarian at the Jessamine County Public Library.
Youth reads
NON-FICTION
“Real Friends”
By Shannon Hale (Author),
LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)
“Hale’s childhood struggles with friends and family come to achingly poignant life in this candid memoir told in graphic novel format. Over five chapters, readers follow a bookish and shy Hale from her earliest days in school through fifth grade, as she zealously guards her first friendship, negotiates forever changing friendship politics, and tries to stay on the good side of her turbulent oldest sister. It’s a wonderfully observed portrait of finding one’s place in your world.” – PW Reviews
PICTURE BOOK
“Stumpkin“
By Lucy Ruth Cummins (author & illustrator)
Stumpkin is the most handsome pumpkin on the block. He’s as orange as a traffic cone! Twice as round as a basketball! He has no bad side! He’s the perfect choice for a Halloween jack-o-lantern. There’s just one problem — Stumpkin has a stump, not a stem. And no one seems to want a stemless jack-o-lantern for their window. As Halloween night approaches, more and more of his fellow pumpkins leave, but poor Stumpkin remains. Will anyone give Stumpkin his chance to shine? A perfectly sweet Halloween tale to share with a group or for one-on-one reading.
AUDIO BOOK
“Endling #1: The Last”
By Katherine Applegate (author), Lisa Flanagan (narrator)
Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical dog-like species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra. After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species, the Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true. Along the way, she meets new allies — both animals and humans alike — who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family — one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world. With its enthralling characters, unique setting, and gripping adventure this series is the perfect next read for fans of Rick Riordan, Brian Jacques and Tui T. Sutherland.
CHAPTER BOOK
“The Language of Spells”
By Garret Weyr (Author),
Katie Harnett (Illustrator)
Grisha is a dragon in a world that’s forgotten how to see him. Maggie is an unusual child who thinks she’s perfectly ordinary. They’re an unlikely duo — but magic, like friendship, is funny. Sometimes it chooses those who might not look so likely. Magic has chosen Grisha and Maggie to solve the darkest mystery in Vienna. Decades ago, when World War II broke out, someone decided that there were too many dragons for all of them to be free. As they investigate, Grisha and Maggie ask the question everyone’s forgotten: Where have the missing dragons gone, and is there a way to save them? At once richly magical and tragically historical, ‘The Language of Spells’ is a novel full of adventure about remembering old stories, forging new ones, and the transformative power of friendship.
Teen reads
“The Hate U Give”
By Angie Thomas
Starr Carter witnesses her unarmed friend, Khalil, being shot and killed by a police officer. As the sole witness, Starr is forced to make difficult decisions that will impact the direction of a national news story. Soon to be a major motion picture in October, this book is recommended for high school students.
“Track Series: Ghost, Patina, Sunny, Lu”
By Jason Reynolds
Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu are all new members to their school track team. Each book focuses on a different athlete’s life, their struggles and what motivates them to run. This book is recommended for middle school students.
“Blood, Water, Paint”
By Joy McCullough
Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi is forced to produce work under her less talented father’s name due to societal standards. When a tutor and potential business partner rapes her, Artemisia is subjected to humiliation and torture in the Italian court to prove her story. Told in verse, this is an emotional rollercoaster that puts the reader in the artist’s mind. This book is recommended for high school students.
“Dread Nation”
By Justina Ireland
The Civil War has ended, but a zombie (shambler) apocalypse sets the stage for continued oppression during the Reconstruction era. Jane McKeen is one of many black teens trained as attendants and bodyguards to defend an upper-class and white society. Jane must contend with prejudice, navigate political scandal, and fight shambler hordes to survive and find independence. This book is recommended for high school students.
Adult reads
“There There”
By Tommy Orange
A debut novel featuring a wide range of characters gathering in Oakland for a pow-wow.
This critics’ favorite provides a unique perspective on the lives of Native Americans.
“The Rise and Fall of the
Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World”
By Steve Brusatte
A new scientific history of the dinosaurs, written by a prominent paleontologist.
If you haven’t read about dinosaurs since you were a child, this title is worth a look.
