December 14, 2003


Library Corner...
Gems from Joy: The movie "A league of Their Own" from several years ago was about the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. During World War ll when young male athletes were serving in the armed forces women began to participate in America's favorite pastime. Springfield Library has two new children's books about this turning point in sports for females. "Dirt on Their Skirts" by Doreen Rappaport and "Mama Played Baseball" by David A. Adler are beautifully illustrated stories that address this subject. Both books are entertaining and informative historical fiction for elementary aged children and their parents. In "Tilt," author Nicholas Shrady recounts the history of Italy's most bewildering architectural icon. The Tower of Pisa has defied all expectations for its demise, and recent renovations have insured its preservation for another three centuries. This book itself is physically skewed to promote its handling - a fabulous marketing ploy. Finally a book has been written for women to help them make a decision of a lifetime. "Do I Want To Be a Mom?" by Diana L. Dell, M.D. addresses the issues that women should consider before they make this monumental choice. Motherhood is definitely not for everyone and the pros and cons are voiced here by women from all walks of life. The nighttime winter sky is a wonderment of twinkling lights. "The Constellations: Stars & Stories" by Chris Sasaki examines the constellations and the stories that go with them. Beautiful sky maps and photographers will make astronomers out of even your youngest family members.




Leslie's Tips for Parents and Children:
"Ice Cream Cone for Sale" by Elaine Greenstein. This is the best kind of fun non-fiction. It seems pretty that we have had the ice cream cone since the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904, but who invented it? The book gives many points of view and eventually answers the question by citing the earliest patent for the cone maker. The illustrations are an excellent accompaniment to the text. They capture the feel of the era with lots of period street scenes of kids and nursemaids and horse drawn carts. "Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook" is written and illustrated by Michael Garland, this book is a lot of fun. Miss Smith's class gets a treat every time she reads to them from her special book, because the characters really come to life. Trouble ensues one day when she is not there and someone else reads the book. Then the characters escape and refuse to go back. Enjoyable and fun. "Saraha Special" by Esme Raji Codell. The book and the main character, Sahara Jones, are both on the brink of young adulthood. The clarity of the writing lefts a lot of light into this ultimately upbeat story about a sensitive ten-year-old girl and her emergence from confusion to excellence. She survives because of a good Mom and a love of books. She thrives because of a magical teacher and a love of writing. But this is a world in which a choice to succeed is in itself an act of courage. The author does not dwell on negatives of that but she does show them. And yet we get to see a world that holds love, and most of all, choices. It is a good story, with many wonderful things happening in the writing. The author has the kids in the class reveal themselves, their backgrounds and the physical appearances by their own speech, and their own writing. She also gives us two great characters in Sahara and Miss Pointy. She combines the right kind of angst and the right kind of humor in Sahara and balances Miss Pointy's wackiness with her sincerity.




Librarian's Pick of the Week:
"The Hanged Man's Song" by John Sandforn. In a break from his Lucas Davenport novels, Sanford reintroduces Kidd (referred to by his last name only), a self admitted computer geek who nevertheless is a very dangerous man. When Bobby Fields, the mysterious originator of a computer ring is murdered suddenly, all the members of the ring, including Kidd and a good friend of his, are in danger of being exposed. It would spoil the suspense for me to tell you what bobby and his ringmates are involved in, but lets say it could get them all killed. What Kidd and his friend John need to do is find Bobby's computer, which the murderer stole, and which holds encrypted files that the murderer is adept enough to open. On this wild ride up and down the State of louisiana is another friend of Kidd's, a master thief who calls herself LuEllen, who provides the sex that adds spice to the danger. This book is a quick read despite its 321 pages. Also a Pick: "Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free" by Kathleen Karr. In this terrific YA novel set in the early 1900s, Libby Dodge is a young girl in prison in Massachusettes for a crime which we learn about only at the end of the book. The story is based on a real event set in a real prison, Sherborn Women's Prison. Libby yearns for her freedom, but so do more hardened criminals sent to prison for prostitution, murder and thievery. When the prison gets Mrs. Wilkinson as its new Chaplin, she hears the inmates singing vaudeville tunes and decides to teach them the Hallelujah Chorus. Then it's on to a full-fledged and very ambitious project: the mounting of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance." As we get to know the women who come from all walks of life, we see how the opportunity to work together on something new and exciting brings them together to create beauty. You will come to care deeply about Libby's future, and a surprise awaits. Other new Ya titles: "The Speed of Light" by Ron Carlson; "Bottled Up" by Jaye Murray; "Cat's Eye Corner" by Tery Griggs; "Singin the Dogstar Blues" by Alison Goodman; "Inside Out" by Tery Griggs; "Princess in waiting" by Meg Cabot; "Alia Waking" by Laura McCaffrey; "Gravel Queen" by Tea Benduhn; "Wasteland" by Francesca Block; and "The Glass Cafe" by Gary Paulsen.




Eleanor's Good Stuff:
Crafts for Kids
Hints from Heloise
History of Whiskey
Holidays on the Net
Recipe Link
Tea Hyakka
As I run off an eighteen page list of patrons who have overdue items as of today, I am reminded that there has been a (small) outcry about the increase in fines, as passed by the Board in April. Here is the scoop: the Library is open seven days a week (and four nights a week) for a total of sixty-six hours, giving patrons the opportunity to return their items during the same hours in which they checked them out. We do not charge for holidays. When the library is not open, the book drop is available. Patrons also may return books and materials to other libraries or their book drops. They may also renew books over the phone if the books back on time. Please take advantage of that choice, but also a remember that fines are capped at $8.00 for an adult book and $6.00 for a children's book, and you will never pay more than that amount per book. The previous rule was to have the fine reach the cost of the book. Imagine the person who brought back an $80.00 book late, with a fine running up to $80.00! When you check your books out, check the due date card in the back of the books, and make a note of the date the books can be returned with incurring a fine. Post it on your refrigerator or somewhere else handy. Make a habit of checking your note every so often, so you can avoid fines. And if you do owe fines, it might make you feel better to know that fine helps the Library to buy more books!