For any of you out there who have an interest in starting a book club, let me introduce you to Kit Keeper!  

Kit Keeper is a service made available to us through the state library.  With it, you can order a “kit” to start your own book club or reading group.  These kits usually include a set of ten duplicate books (or more), a discussion guide, and a sign-in sheet to keep track of your items.  Distribute the books, meet and discuss, and have fun!  The kit is then returned so it can be shipped off to the next club in line.  

Kit Keeper currently has 95 kits available with books of all kinds of genres.  Hot new adult fiction books like The Girl on the Train, gems in children’s literature such as From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,  and  young adult adventures like Heist Society.  Non-fiction and classic literature kits are also available.  

If Kit Keeper is of interest to you, come talk to us at the library!  We’d be happy to help you out.  

 

For the Featured Fiction of  the week I bring you  The Big Over Easy, a peculiar tale that falls somewhere between the genres of detective fiction and- of all things- nursery rhymes!  

Detective Inspector Jack Spratt, a family man and head of the Nursery Crime Division, is fresh off a stinging failure to see three wiley pigs convicted for the murder of a certain wolf.  Now he must overcome the tide of the public’s ill opinion of him and face a new challenge:  solving the mystery of Humpty Dumpty’s untimely death.  His murder, in addition to shattering his eggy-shell, also threatens to shatter a sinister plot involving money-laundering, bullion smuggling, problems with beanstalks…. And on top of all that, the Jellyman is coming to town.  

 

Readers of this unusual story and its sequel, The Fourth Bear, say “[Jasper Fforde] knows a thing or two about leaping into new worlds… it’s hard not to see what all the enthusiasm is about.” – Janet Maslin, the New York Times

Have a book that you want to read- but find it always seems to be checked out when you want it?  Or worse- none of your local libraries even have it?   I feel your pain!  Fortunately, for those of us desperate to get our hands on a book, Library2Go, the North Dakota Digital Consortium, has a broad selection of ebooks that are easy to borrow and access.  Both fiction and non-fiction alike are available, in genres anywhere from children’s fantasy to true crime stories.  On the Library2Go website, you can either search for specific titles you’d like, or browse through many categories offered, like “Military Reads”, “Page to Screen”  (books adapted to film), “The Suspense is Killing Me”, and even audiobooks!  

If you’re interested in this helpful and convenient digital library, talk to us at the Northwood City Center Library or visit library2go.overdrive.com to sign with Facebook or your library card and start browsing!

 

Our featured book for this week is The Art of Forgery by Noah Charney, which takes us into the fascinating scandalous world of forgery, often considered the world’s most glamorous crime.  Noah Charney, an expert in the study of art crime, examines some of the most notable adventures- and misadventures- of the master forgers from history up until today.  He exposes the tricks of their trade, explores their diverse and captivating motivations, and the thrilling tales of how they were eventually caught.

According to the book itself- “Welcome to the world of forgery.  A word of warning- don’t always believe your eyes.”

 

If ever you want to find out what books or other media are available in our library, check out our online catalog, which lists all the books we have on our shelves, and where to find them!  Just go to www.northwoodndlibrary.org, and in the side menu, click “Catalog”!  There you can search for a title and see if and where it can be checked out.  And remember, if there’s a title we don’t have in our collection, you can request an inter-library loan as well!  The book you want will be shipped to us from another library for you to read as soon as it becomes available!

 

Our Featured Fiction of the week is Circling the Sun, by New York Times bestselling author Paula McLain.  

In this character-driven novel, Beryl Markham is an english woman raised in Kenya during the Roaring Twenties.  A child of two worlds- having been raised by both her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share his estate- Beryl is a bold and passionate woman in love with the land she has always called home.  As she forges her path as a horse trainer with her own unconventional style, Beryl finds herself in unfamiliar territory when she falls in love with the charismatic Denys Finch Hatton, whose relationship with her takes her to new and unexpected heights.

Set against the majestic landscape of Africa in the early 20th century and based on the true story of long-distance pilot Beryl Markham, Circling the Sun is praised by Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You, as she says “Paula McLain has such a gift for bringing characters to life.  I loved discovering the singular Beryl Markham, with all her strengths and passions and complexities…”

 

For this and more titles like it, visit our General Fiction section in the Northwood City Center Library!

Our used booksale, which began on Saturday, December 2nd, has three days left before closing down on Friday the 8th.  There are still many books to choose from- Romance, General Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, and more!  We have whole collections from authors such as Dean Koontz, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and Marry Higgins Clark among others.   At only $0.50 each, these books are the perfect opportunity for reading enthusiasts to satisfy their literary appetites during the snowy days of December.

Don’t miss this opportunity!  Come by the Northwood City Center Library and find the book for you!

 

 

 

This past week we had our first story time for preschool aged children when Wendy Peterson’s daycare group came for a visit.  The kids enjoyed a selection of stories including Pete the Cat and Little Quack’s Hide and Seek.

Preschool reading hour will continue each following Thursday at 10:30 am.  If any of you are parents of young children who you think would enjoy this, you are welcome to join us!

On Saturday the 18th in November, we will begin our new book for Kid’s Reading Hour- Geoffrey Trease’s Bows Against the Barons!

First published in 1934, Bows Against the Barons tells the story of sixteen-year-old Dicken, a serf in medieval England during the reign of Richard the Lionhearted.  When he accidentally kills one of the King’s deer, Dickon is forced to flee to the woods as an outlaw.  There he meets the harper Alan-a-Dale and is welcomed into Robin Hood’s band of revolutionaries!

As Robin’s messenger, Dickon finds himself caught up in a harrowing adventure as the peasants of Nottinghamshire attempt to win their freedom back from their cruel and greedy masters.

Come with us as we begin this exciting tale on Saturdays, 10:30-11:30 AM!  Kid’s Reading Hour is for children ages 9-12, though parents and siblings are welcome to join us as well.