Herrick District Library

So Long....And thanks for all the fish?

2014-02-18T15:09:00.001-05:00

Greetings Blog-Readers!

Parting is such sweet sorrow and all that business, but the fact is, Herrick is moving on from the blogosphere. We've enjoyed our hours together, to be sure, but we believe we've found a better way to reach you, our faithful public.

In the meantime, keep an eye on our Twitter feed and our Facebook page for happenings at Herrick District Library and Herrick North Branch!

2014-02-11T15:49:00.002-05:00

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women
Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world—and it is now the newest Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 selection.

Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.

As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.

This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

Available as a Book Group to Go bag.

Attention Book Groups

2014-02-06T16:05:00.005-05:00

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

The one and only Fannie Flagg, beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, and I Still Dream About You, is at her hilarious and superb best in this new comic mystery novel about two women who are forced to reimagine who they are.

Mrs. Sookie Poole of Point Clear, Alabama, has just married off the last of her daughters and is looking forward to relaxing and perhaps traveling with her husband, Earle. The only thing left to contend with is her mother, the formidable Lenore Simmons Krackenberry. Lenore may be a lot of fun for other people, but is, for the most part, an overbearing presence for her daughter. Then one day, quite by accident, Sookie discovers a secret about her mother’s past that knocks her for a loop and suddenly calls into question everything she ever thought she knew about herself, her family, and her future.

Sookie begins a search for answers that takes her to California, the Midwest, and back in time, to the 1940s, when an irrepressible woman named Fritzi takes on the job of running her family’s filling station. Soon truck drivers are changing their routes to fill up at the All-Girl Filling Station. Then, Fritzi sees an opportunity for an even more groundbreaking adventure. As Sookie learns about the adventures of the girls at the All-Girl Filling Station, she finds herself with new inspiration for her own life.

Fabulous, fun-filled, spanning decades and generations, and centered on a little-known aspect of America’s twentieth-century story, The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion is another irresistible novel by the remarkable Fannie Flagg.

Available as a Book Group to Go bag.

Attention Book Groups

2014-02-05T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Available as a Book Group to Go Bag

Attention Book Groups

2014-01-08T10:22:00.002-05:00

Empty Mansions: the mysterious life of Huguette Clark and the spending

of a great American fortune

by Bill Dedman

When Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bill Dedman noticed in 2009 a grand home for sale, unoccupied for nearly sixty years, he stumbled through a surprising portal into American history. Empty Mansions is a rich mystery of wealth and loss, connecting the Gilded Age opulence of the nineteenth century with a twenty-first-century battle over a $300 million inheritance. At its heart is a reclusive heiress named Huguette Clark, a woman so secretive that, at the time of her death at age 104, no new photograph of her had been seen in decades. Though she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, why had she lived for twenty years in a simple hospital room, despite being in excellent health? Why were her valuables being sold off? Was she in control of her fortune, or controlled by those managing her money?

Dedman has collaborated with Huguette Clark’s cousin, Paul Clark Newell, Jr., one of the few relatives to have frequent conversations with her. Dedman and Newell tell a fairy tale in reverse: the bright, talented daughter, born into a family of extreme wealth and privilege, who secrets herself away from the outside world.

Available as a Book Group To Go bag.

What's Next for Lisbeth Salander?

2013-12-18T12:59:00.001-05:00

Devoted fans around the world were devastated when Stieg Larsson, author of the Millenium series died suddenly after publishing only three books in a series projected for ten. Hope was revived briefly when information surfaced that the manuscript for an unfinished fourth novel was being fought over by Larsson's partner, family and his publisher.

Today, the publisher, Norstedts Forlag (who own the rights to the series), announced (yes, it's in Swedish, but Google Translator will take care of that for you) that they have contracted author David Lagercrantz to write a fourth Millenium novel, due to be published in August 2015.

So What Do Librarians Read?

2013-12-14T12:03:00.002-05:00

It's a question we get asked all the time and the truthful answer is that if you ask 5 librarians that question, you'll get 25 answers. This, then, makes the one and only list of the Best Books of 2013 I'm going to publish very unique.

Near the end of November, librarians around the country were challenged to tweet their favorite titles from 2013 with the hashtag #libfaves13. For ten days, librarians tweeted one title each day and now the results have been released!

ELEANOR & PARK	Rowell, Rainbow
FANGIRL	Rowell, Rainbow
ROSIE PROJECT, THE	Simsion, Graeme
LIFE AFTER LIFE	Atkinson, Kate
OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE	Gaiman, Neil
CUCKOO'S CALLING	Galbraith, Robert /Rowling
GOLDFINCH, THE	Tartt, Donna
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN	Penny, Louise
INTERESTINGS, THE	Wolitzer, Meg
HUMAN DIVISION	Scalzi, John
LEXICON	Barry, Max
ME BEFORE YOU	Moyes, Jo Jo
NO GOOD DUKE GOES UNPUNISHED	MacLean, Sarah
WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES	Fowler, Karen Joy
BETTER NATE THAN EVER	Federle, Tim
DETROIT: AN AMERICAN AUTOPSY	LeDuff, Charlie
FLORA & ULYSSES: THE ILLUMINATED ADVENTURES	DiCamillo, Kate
GOLEM AND THE JINNI, THE	Wecker, Helene
LONGBOURN	Baker, Jo
BONE SEASON	Shannon, Samantha
CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES	Carriger, Gail
ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE	Carriger, Gail
HELP FOR THE HAUNTED	Searles, John
RELISH: MY LIFE IN THE KITCHEN	Knisley, Lucy
SOMEONE	McDermott, Alice
STORYTELLER	Picoult, Jodi
TENTH OF DECEMBER	Saunders, George
THINKING WOMAN'S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC, THE	Barker, Emily Croy
ANCILLARY JUSTICE	Leckie, Ann
COUNTING BY 7's	Sloan, Holly Goldberg
FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL	Fink, Sherri
GULP	Roach, Mary
HEIRESS EFFECT, THE	Milan, Courtney
HUSBAND'S SECRET, THE	Moriarty, Liane
JOURNEY	Becker, Aaron
P.S. BE ELEVEN	Williams-Garcia, Rita
RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA	McCreight, Kimberly
RETURNED, THE	Mott, Jason
SAGA	Vaughn, Brian K.
TALE FOR THE TIME BEING, A	Ozeki, Ruth
TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME	Brunt, Carol Rifka
VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE	Russell, Karen
WORLD'S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN	Hanagarne, Josh
AMERICANAH	Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi
AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED	Hosseini, Khaled
BOXERS & SAINTS	Yang, Gene Luen
BOY ON THE PORCH	Creech, Sharon
CALLING DR. LAURA	Georges, Laura
CINNAMON AND GUNPOWDER	Brown, Eli
CODE NAME VERITY	Wein, Elizabeth
COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN	Black, Holly
CRAZY RICH ASIANS	Kwan, Kevin
DOCTOR SLEEP	King, Stephen
DOLL BONES	Black, Holly
DREAM THIEVES	Steifvater, Maggie
ENGAGEMENTS, THE	Sullivan, J. Courtney
FAULT IN OUR STARS , THE (2012 title	Green, John
FLORA AND THE FLAMINGO	Idle, Molly
FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK	Quick, Matthew
LOST GIRLS	Kolker, Robert
NIGHT FILM	Pessl, Marisha
NOS4A2	Hill, Joe
OUT OF THE EASY	Sepetys, Ruta
REAL BOY, THE	Ursu, Anne
RIVER OF NO RETURN	Ridgway, Bee
ROSE UNDER FIRE	Wein, Elizabeth
S.	Dorst, Doug / Abrams, J.J.
SCARLET	Meyers, Marissa
SCREAMING STAIRCASE, THE	Stroud
SERAPHINA	Hartman, Rachel
VISITATION STREET	Pochoda, Ivy

Note that the list is in the order of the most votes received, and when multiple books received the same number of votes, they were then alphabetized.

Feel free to give us a call for help getting your hands on a copy of any of these titles!

Happy Holiday Reading!

Attention Book Groups

2013-12-05T16:51:00.001-05:00

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

The House Girl, the historical fiction debut by Tara Conklin, is an unforgettable story of love, history, and a search for justice, set in modern-day New York and 1852 Virginia.

Weaving together the story of an escaped slave in the pre–Civil War South and a determined junior lawyer, The House Girl follows Lina Sparrow as she looks for an appropriate lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking compensation for families of slaves. In her research, she learns about Lu Anne Bell, a renowned prewar artist whose famous works might have actually been painted by her slave, Josephine.

Featuring two remarkable, unforgettable heroines, Tara Conklin's The House Girl is riveting and powerful, literary fiction at its very best. Available as a Book Group to Go bag.

2013-11-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

Are you an avid reader? If you are and have not discovered goodreads.com, you may want to check it out. On goodreads you can keep track of all of the books you have read and would like to read. You can get reading ideas based on the books you have read and discuss books with other readers. There are literally thousands of reading groups you can join, depending on your interest. If you like trivia, there are quizzes on hundreds of books, including a never-ending book quiz. I have kept a list for over ten years of books I have read, and on goodreads I could enter them and then tag them under different categories, such as historical fiction, nonfiction, suspense, favorites, etc. It’s a great way to recommend books to people, depending on their reading preference. So, if you’re a reader I encourage you to give goodreads a try.

From Page to Screen: Flowers in the Attic

2013-11-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

It was probably inevitable. I mean, now that 50 Shades is being made into a movie the floodgates have opened and the bar of "questionable taste" has been....adjusted.

Without further ado, I give you the trailer for Flowers in the Attic.

Lest you are surprised Flowers hasn't been made into a movie before now, rest assured: a 1987 adaptation was released, but only hinted at the incest that is integral to the plot (the part that was 90% of the reason most of us weren't allowed to read the book). According to star Mason Dye, this adaptation will be different, saying "we stay very true to the book."

The new film adaptation will premiere on Lifetime, January 18, 2014. Incidentally, that leaves you plenty of time to read the book before you pop your popcorn.

Happy Reading!

World Book Night Returns!

2013-10-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Hey Book Lovers! It's time to get ready to share your passion!

World Book Night 2014 is already in the works, with titles having been released this past week and applications to be a Book Giver are open!

In case you've not yet experienced it, here's the long (in short) about World Book Night: each year, readers from around the country nominate books that they have loved and the top 35 most recommended books then go back to the presses and get snazzy new covers that mark them as a World Book Night title. Meanwhile, Book Lovers (such as yourself--hint hint) are busily signing up online, all over the country, to be Book Givers. You'll ask for your top three choices of the above-mentioned books. Early next year, you'll pick where you want to pick up your box of books and then, magically, a box will arrive at that place with your name on it and 20 copies of one of your top three picks. You, then, my devoted readers, will go out into the community on April 23 and give away the books, for free, to anyone willing to try them out!

The idea behind World Book Night is to get books into the hand of people who might not have books of their own, or people who are less inclined to read. The beauty of the book nominating system is that all these books have been selected by other readers--think of them as the Best of the Best in the People's Choice Awards.

If you're ready to get involved, go here to fill out the application to be a Book Giver. Want to know more about World Book Night? Check out the website to learn all about the story behind this great annual event. And if you're simply ready to read every single book on the list, give the Ask Here Desk at the library a call at 355-2730 and we'll help you get your hands on them.

Happy Reading!

2013-10-17T15:07:00.000-04:00

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

From the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, and The House at Riverton, a spellbinding novel of family secrets, murder, and enduring love:
During a picnic at her family’s farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a shocking crime, a crime that challenges everything she knows about her adored mother, Dorothy. Now, fifty years later, Laurel and her sisters are meeting at the farm to celebrate Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this is her last chance to discover the truth about that long-ago day, Laurel searches for answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past. Clue by clue, she traces a secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds thrown together in war-torn London—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—whose lives are forever after entwined. A gripping story of deception and passion, The Secret Keeper will keep you enthralled to the last page. Available as a book group to go bag.

Attention Book Groups

2013-10-12T15:23:00.001-04:00

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvenile hall. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian arent as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life answers that will ultimately free them both. Available as a book group to go bag.

Froggy is coming!!

2013-10-09T13:06:00.000-04:00

Froggy, that adorable character in Jonathan London’s books, is visiting the library tomorrow morning, Thursday, October 10 at 10:00 am! We are planning to read some Froggy books, of course, and we will have a simple craft for the kids too. Remember to bring your camera to get a picture of your child with the star of the day!

October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month

2013-10-02T10:48:00.000-04:00

Did you know that about 1 in 10,000 births results in a child with dwarfism, and that there are over 200 types of dwarfism? October is Dwarfism Awareness Month and Herrick is celebrating the contributions of little people (the preferred term for a person with dwarfism) to the print and visual arts.

Along with these very informative resources about dwarfism, check out Herrick's DVD collection of little people actors and issues dealing with dwarfism. And while you may be familiar with seeing and reading about dwarfs in the genre of science fiction--not to mention the renowned "munchkins" from the classic The Wizard of Oz--of perhaps greater interest are the memoirs written by and about little people, such as the work of authors Warwick Davis, Fred Gill, Shorty Rossi, Tiffanie DiDonato and Julie B. Genovese.

Take a little time to click on some of our links or do some independent research to educate yourself about dwarfism. And don't forget:

"A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than a giant himself." -- Robert Burton

Banned Humor

2013-09-26T15:47:00.000-04:00

Banned books week is about to come to a close for 2013. Many libraries celebrate this week by taking previously challenged or banned books and locking them behind glass. Anyone else need a headscratch?

Far more preferable: let's talk about it, think about, laugh about it, and maybe even (GASP) read it!
Want to know more? Head to the ALA website listing the most challenged books of the last ten years, and their challenge reasons (possibly legitimate to downright nonsensical). Then go forth and destroy your mind with reading!

They're Coming! They're Coming!!!

2013-09-26T15:04:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder why you can't find some of your favorite authors on OverDrive? Or scratch your head at why there are bestselling tittles that you can find almost everywhere except the library's ebook collection?

It's frustrating, but true: there are some books and some authors that library's simply can't get for you in digital form. The good news is that more and more publishers are coming around and making their books available for readers to get through their public libraries. Such is the case this week, when we found out that Penguin, one of the bigger publishers holding out on digital content, as arrived at an agreement with OverDrive as to how we can make their titles available to you!

I could bore you with the details, or cut to the chase: start keeping an eye on our OverDrive Collection because some of your favorite authors are going to start popping up--ones that you may have missed before. We're adding new titles daily and they include some of the greats like Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Jodi Picoult, Ken Follett, Julie Garwood, Catherine Coulter, Daniel Silva and Jayne Castle!

Can you tell we're geeked about this? If there's an author that you've been looking for on ebook, keep checking back, or feel free to drop by and let us know that you've been looking for someone. Your also welcome to hop on our website and fill out this quick form, and we'll do our best to get your suggestions added to our collection.

Welcome to OverDrive, Penguin! And to all of you, Happy Reading!

Attention Book Groups

2013-09-24T20:02:00.000-04:00

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Harold Fry, a retired sales representative and beleagured husband of Maureen, gets an letter from an old friend, Queenie, who tells him she is dying of cancer. He decides to send her a letter, and then instead of mailing it suddenly takes it upon himself to walk 600 miles across England to deliver it to her. He sets off totally unprepared with no phone, no food and the wrong clothes for a long journey. As he walks he reflects on his life and his failings as a husband and a father. His wife, Maureen actually begins to miss him as he travels. As he walks we find out more about his life and his past. Available as a Book Group To Go bag

Attention Book Groups

2013-09-19T14:45:00.001-04:00

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Before Louisa and Will meet, Will was a rich man from a wealthy family, closing multi-million dollar deals, skydiving and scaling mountains for entertainment, and playing the field with beautiful women, until a freak accident paralyzed him. Lou, on the other hand, has spent her whole life in a tiny English town, has had the same boyfriend for seven years, and reluctantly takes the job of caring for Will after she loses her job in a café. When Lou takes the job and they meet each other, they don't get along at first, but as time goes by they begin to care for each other, and eventually fall in love. Lou tries to convince Will that life is still worth living. Available as a Book Group To Go bag.

Registrations are now open!

2013-09-16T12:24:00.000-04:00

This fall Herrick will be offering a science program for kids in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades called "Fun with Physics." Miss Heather, a Hope student who has been with us in the past, will be the teacher for this hands-on class. Unfortunately we have to limit the number in attendance so sign up today. You may register your child here or give us a call at 616-355-3736.

We are also still taking registrations for Literacy Heroes training. If you like to read with kids and have an hour or more each week to volunteer you could make a difference in a child's life! Training will take place on Monday, September 23, at 7:00 pm. You may register for the training session here or call 616-355-3736 and we will sign you up.

There's a fun family craft program coming up too. Families will be able to submit a craft for this competition! So put on your thinking caps and start getting some ideas together. More details to come!

Attention Book Groups

2013-09-05T16:08:00.001-04:00

The Great Michigan Read for 2013-2014 is Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret. It is a 2010 Michigan Notable Book written by Washington Post Associate Editor and Detroit native Steve Luxenberg.

Steve Luxenberg always thought his mother was an only child. However, shortly before she died she casually mentioned that she had a disabled sister who was sent away at age two. After his mother died Steve began looking for information on this sister. As he dug, he discovered more and more untruths about his mother's life. His aunt had not been sent away at age two but at age 21. More lies surfaced. He used his journalism skills while trying to remain empathetic to his mother as he uncovered the past. The book is part memoir, part history and part detective story. This title is available as a Book Group To Go bag.

For more information on Great Michigan Reads go to michiganhumanities.org.

Attention Book Groups

2013-08-27T19:46:00.002-04:00

If you liked Call the Midwife or watched and enjoyed the series on PBS, you will probably like Jennifer Worth's next book in the series -- Shadows of the Workhouse. This nonfiction title chronicles the lives of children growing up in England's workhouses and gives a startling glimpse into the lives of people in the poorest section of postwar London. Available as a Book Group To Go Bag.

Literacy Hero Training Coming Up!

2013-08-27T14:39:00.001-04:00

You can be a hero!

Read with at-risk kids in the greater Holland community, serving as a Literacy Hero volunteer. If you are 18 years or older, enjoy working with kids one-on-one, and have an hour or two to share each week, this may be the opportunity you have been looking for!

We will be training a new class of Literacy Heroes on Monday, September 23 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm! If this is of interest to you please sign up on our website here.

Attention Book Groups

2013-08-23T17:41:00.000-04:00

If your book group would like to read something on the lighter side for a change, you can try our new book group bag, "Where'd you go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple. In this title, when teenage Bee's notorious, hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled, and agoraphobic mother goes missing, Bee begins a trip that takes her to the ends of the earth to find her. (Description from Novelist)

Book Sharing as a Positive Experience

2013-08-21T17:23:00.000-04:00

I’m going to point out something that seems so simple but it needs to be said: Please, remember to keep reading and book time a positive experience! This alone can make all the difference between a non-reader and a reader. Our emotions are not controllable. How you feel is how you feel.

If an adult reader is stern or negative during reading time, it is almost certain the child will associate that with reading and will avoid reading if at all possible. Negativity and fear are strong emotions for kids. They are road blocks to learning of any kind.

On the other hand, if the adult is playful and enjoys books, it’s catchy! A child is much more likely to enjoy books!

There are no rules about having to finish a book. If the child loses interest just set the book aside and do something else for a while. Let the child choose a different book to read. It’s possible that the child is just not up for reading at that time. Maybe you can find a time when the child is more rested or alert to try some book time. Quality is more important than quantity!