We will soon be starting a new book for Kid’s Reading Hour as we finish up our current book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  For those who wish to join in, we will be reading Arf , by Spencer Quinn.  In this unusual mystery story, Birdie Gaux and her beloved dog Bowser are concerned and confused when someone breaks into their home, despite there being nothing to steal.  As they try to find the perplexing intruder, a strange girl begins asking odd questions about Birdie’s father, a policeman who was killed in the line of duty years ago. Bowser smells something fishy… or rather, cat-like, in the neighborhood, and things just aren’t adding up.  Birdie knows only one thing for certain- someone is coming after her family, and it’s up to her and Bowser to solve the case before it’s too late!

This book is great for kids 9 and up, so make sure to bring yours by and join in the fun!

An anonymous patron donated ten children’s books and a two non-fiction books this past week.  We would like to thank you, whoever you are, for helping us in this way!

Our featured books this week are The Silver Bowl, by Diane Stanley, and Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng.  

In Diane Stanley’s middle-grade novel The Silver Bowl,  young Molly leaves a home where nobody wants her, and goes to work as a scullery maid in the king’s castle.  Little does anyone in the castle know that Molly carries a deep secret- she sees visions, and when she does, those visions always come true.  

When Molly is entrusted with polishing a beautiful silver basin, she experiences a vision unlike any she has seen before: one that foretells doom for the royal family, threatening the life of Prince Alaric, whom  she has begun to fall for. With the help of her friends, Molly resolves to do everything she can to protect the prince and destroy the curse that follows his family…

Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere takes us away from the realm of fantasy and into Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland.  Shaker Heights is highly organized and planned, from its streets, to its people. Elena Richardson, no exception to this rule, finds the flow of her world interrupted when newcomer Mia Warren and her teenage daughter rent a house from her family.  Elena and Mia soon develop an unexpected friendship, which is put to the test when Mia’s mysterious past becomes an important piece in a family friend’s custody battle for an adopted infant from China. The conflict dramatically divides the town, and Elena’s determination to uncover Mia’s past devolves into an obsession that could cost her more dearly than she could ever imagine.  According to Kirkus Reviews, “With her second novel, Ng further proves she’s a sensitive, insightful writer with a striking ability to illuminate life in America.”

For our online resource of the week, I give you Business Source Premier, which offers information and analysis from top management and marketing journals.  Those who might benefit from this resource can access it through our computers here at the Northwood City Center Library. Come visit us to find out more!