Reading by the River

On This Day in History...

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:04:00 +0000

According to the History Channel's This Day in History Calendar, John Grisham was born on this day, February 8, in 1955. He is known for his best-selling legal thrillers. His first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in 1989. To date, he has written more than 20 books. Nine of his books have been made into movies. Check out one today! You can also follow the "This Day in History" calendar on Twitter. Other historical events for today include: Irish Race Horse Stolen in 1983; Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded in 1587; & Spud Webb wins dunk contest in 1986.

Valentine’s Day Trivia

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:13:00 +0000

St. Valentine's Day is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards. The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly lvoe flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

More cool Valentine’s Day Trivia can by found here.

New to the Waterford Library’s fitness collection

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Keep those New Year's Resolutions! Check out the newest fitness videos at the library!

Hatha & Flow Yoga for beginners
Hatha: Increase Flexibility & Dissolve Stress
Flow: Build Strength & Stamina
613.7046 ELE DVD 1-DISC

Yoga for stress relief & flexibility

Two easy to follow programs that dissolve tension,
relax muscles & rejuvenate the spirit.

613.7046 ELE DVD 1-DISC

Dance off the inches: Hip Hop Party
Drop inches & get dancer’s abs!

613.71 DAN DVD 1-DISC

Dance off the inches: Cardio Hip Hop
Dance your way to a leaner body & amazing abs

613.715 DAN DVD 1-DISC

10 minute Solution

Fat blasting dance mix. 10 minute dance workouts to shape your body.

613.71 DAN DVD 1-DISC

Why is Punxsutawney Phil top groundhog?

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:01:00 +0000

The Los Angeles Times Nation Now section ran a great article on why Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous groundhog who gets the most coverage. It states that he is the first groundhog to give predictions. He's been at this business for 126 years. Read the full article here.

Still, I will put my faith in Jimmy - Wisconsin's very own Sun Prairie groundhog - who predicted an early spring. Sun Praire officials have stated that Jimmy has never been wrong. Fingers crossed!

Parenting Resources

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:16:00 +0000

In the library we have different sections for different groups of people. One area that often gets overlooked is our parenting section. There are books and magazines for parents on raising, not only your baby or toddler, but also on your teen and tween. There's even some family cookbooks, and different cooking magazines for families who are on a budget. Food & Family or All You are both great magazine choices. If you're a family that homeschools, there are items for you like The Homeschool Handbook or Practical Homeschooling! If you're a parent and you're looking for new ideas, this is the spot you want to check out. And even though it's just a small section, it has lots of knowledge to lend out. Stop by the library today and have a peek!

Cabin Fever

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Cabin fever is an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period (as in a simple country vacation cottage during a long rain or snow). Symptoms include restlessness, irritability, paranoia, irrational frustration with everyday objects, forgetfulness, laughter, excessive sleeping, distrust of anyone they are with, and an urge to go outside even in the rain, snow, dark or hail.

The phrase is also used humorously to indicate simple boredom from being home alone. The term was first recorded in 1918. Other references have the term in use at least to 1906.

Yup, this is the time of year it usually sets in. The best therapy: get out there! If that’s not possible make sure you have a pile of good reading!

Proposed therapy for cabin fever
One therapy for cabin fever may be as simple as getting out and interacting with nature. Research has proven that even brief interactions with nature can promote improved cognitive functioning and overall well-being.

In popular culture

Steven King's novel The Shining (and its film adaptation) involves cabin fever. The plot follows a family of three trapped in an isolated resort in the dead of winter. Cabin fever stories may also involve a person or group of people on a deserted island or on a long space voyage.
In Muppet Treasure Island, after spending weeks at sea with no breeze to move the ship, most of the crew begin to develop cabin fever; then spontaneously burst into the musical number "Cabin Fever" where they sing of how the madness is affecting themselves.
An episode of Lost in season 4 is titled "Cabin Fever", having to do with a literal cabin (Jacob's).
In a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, Greg Heffley and his family are stuck inside his house during a snowstorm and Greg starts to develop cabin fever.
In the futuristic sci-fi film Pandorum, crew members of a space ship suffer from a fictional psychological condition called pandorum which has similarities to cabin fever.
"In a Far Country" is a wonderful short story by Jack London that chronicles how two men under the influence of cabin fever in the Far North winter devolve into murderous savages.

(source for comic strip: http://www.atpm.com/17.02/out-at-five.shtml)

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that January is almost over. Maybe spring is just around the corner. I should check to see what the long range forecast is. I could watch the weather channel, look online, or consult the Farmer's Almanac. Better yet, I could wait until February 2nd for Groundhog's Day. Punxsutawney Phil's shadow has been predicting an early spring or six more weeks of winter for the last 125 years at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania. February second is the midpoint of winter and was originally celebrated as Candlemas in Germany with the hedgehog in the starring role. Did you know that Punxsutawney Phil actually lives in a climate controlled home at the Punxsutawney Public Library and dines on dog food and ice cream? Our library may not have a real groundhog, but we do have some fun books to read for Grounhog's Day or actually anytime of the year. One of my new favorites for children is Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby. This charming picture book spins a delightful tale of friendship. Adults may want to check out the Groundhog's Day DVD with Bill Murray whch was actually fimed in nearby Woodstock, Illinois. I'm just wishing everyone enjoys February 2nd this year minus a repeat of last year's snowstorm. One final note: you may not want to rely on the groundhog's prediction because according to the National Climatic Data, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction is only 39% accurate.

American Library Association announces 2012 Youth Media Award winners | American Libraries Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:54:00 +0000

American Library Association announces 2012 Youth Media Award winners American Libraries Magazine

Watch for a brochure with a complete list of winners in the Juvenile Department! Happy reading!

Send Your Love

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is approaching fast.

It’s always a special day to celebrate when you have little ones at home. Looking for some great ideas to do with your family? Check out this great resource! Family Fun magazine can be checked out at the library, or a lot of their fun, family-friendly ideas are online for you to search, download and print activities you can do with your whole family! Included you will find recipes, craft projects and printable activities that are all perfect for busy families looking for fun ways to celebrate!

Two of their suggestions for Valentine's Day were:

Gnome Sweet Gnomes! Adorable!

and Heartfelt Pancakes (BTW - Librarians love heartfelt pancakes, too!)

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!

The Library Changed My Life

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Thanks to Library Board Member and library patron Ingrid for submitting today's uplifting story:

Everybody has daily things that stress them out—whether it’s the child who insists on dressing like it’s Summer during January, the co-worker with annoying habits or that tag that scratches the back of your neck all day long! My daily stressor has to do with mass media and how much time I spend in my car. Between driving for work, caring for my aging Mom and my refusal to give up neither my dentist nor hairstylist in Illinois, I drive nearly 20,000 miles every year. THAT is a lot of time spent listening to radio sound bytes, or even light meals of news from NPR. After I’ve heard the same biased news reports over twice in the same day and weather reports that I don’t even care about, I get irritated. After that, I try some strong leaning talk show—argh! They’re usually more irritated than I am and I begin to think responsibly about my use of time. Being a classical musician, I could expand my listening knowledge and become familiar with more, lengthy works. But this is the one style of music that doesn’t work well in automobiles—between summers with the windows down or traffic or defrosters blaring, driving is just too noisy to hear the soft parts!

I open my car door ONE MORE TIME and wonder out of boredom what styles straight jackets actually come in. THEN it hits me! My Waterford Public Library. Audio books! That’s the answer! So I browse the audio books aisle, selecting usually two books at a time. This way, if I don’t like one, I’m not left stranded listening to mind-numbing radio in the car. While I like the old fashioned CD versions and rejoice that my car’s CD player retains the exact spot within a track (this is especially good during days of errand-running with just short stops), one of our librarians explained just how easy it is to get setup to use the MP3 books as well. Driving now feels like I’m on vacation….ahhh.

So, if you’re using a great deal of fossil fuels like me, check out the audio book aisle at the library! But beware, you might fall behind on some of the headliner news items or on your daily prayer time.

Guide to Frost

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:56:00 +0000

Frost crystals grow from water vapor in the air, just like snow crystals. But while snow crystals form on suspended dust particles high in the clouds, frost crystals form near the ground on window panes, blades of grass or other solid surfaces.

Snowcrystals.com offered lots of information on the different kinds of frost including the art of growing your own snowflakes and designer frost at: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/designer1/designer1.htm

You can also stop in at the library to check out books of fun things to do in the snow, or just check out a movie to watch from inside the warm house while admiring the frost designs on your windowpane.

New Year's Resolutions!

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012 has begun and many of us made New Year's resolutions. One of the top three resolutions on lists each year is "get organized". It's on my list this year, too. The January 2012 copy of Good Housekeeping magazine features several articles for organizing our homes and helping us make the best use of time each day. The One-Minute Organizer, A to Z Storage Solutions by Donna Smallin gives tips for storing every item in your home. And Lori Baird's Cut the Clutter and Stow the Stuff gives quick tips to bring order to the household. These and more are available for check out at the library. Stop in and get started on those resolutions today!

Devil in the White City - A Review by Hannah

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

I just finished The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Although the book is nonfiction, it reads like fiction. Larson tells the story of two men in Chicago in the 1890s. One of them, Daniel Burnham, was the head architect of the 1893 World’s Fair. The other, H.H. Holmes, was a serial killer. For much of the book, the chapters alternate between the stories of the two men. Larson is a masterful storyteller, often ending a chapter with the hint of dark events yet to come. Before I started reading, I thought I would be most intrigued by the murder plot. I was mistaken. I didn’t realize how little I knew about the World’s Fair until I read the book. The fact that it even occurred is a small miracle. All of the buildings were erected and finished in roughly two years. That was no small feat given the size and technological advances of the buildings, further made difficult by the wet soil that constantly frustrated Chicago architects and builders. It’s mindblowing to realize that some things we are familiar with today debuted at the World’s fair nearly 120 years ago: Shredded Wheat, for example, as well as Juicy Fruit gum. In the other storyline, the reader gets a glimpse at a true sociopath, a terrifying serial killer. Holmes took advantage of the steady stream of young women flocking to Chicago for the fair, and with all of the excitement in the city at the time he managed to avoid detection for years. For fiction and nonfiction fans alike, The Devil in the White City is a riveting tale.

Chocoholics Unite (and Surprise Your Valentine)!

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:29:00 +0000

If you are a chocoholic, of if someone you love is, don’t miss the “Learn to Make Truffles” class here at the library on Saturday, January 21 from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Just think! You can surprise your Valentine or wow your guests at your next party with homemade truffles!

You’ll learn how to hand roll truffles, dip them in chocolate and add the finishing touches to make them special. Your personalized treats will go into a Valentine box for gift giving,

or a candy box to take home.

All you need will be provided. The class is limited to 12 students, and there are still a few seats available, but please sign up today!! The deadline to register is this Friday, January 13.

Linda Reinholtz, who owns Fox River Candy Designs will be your instructor. The class fee is $25 per person. Call the library (262-534-3988) or email dmorgan@waterford.lib.wi.us to get your name on the list, but you’ll need to come in to pay the fee in order to guarantee your seat.

Hey, guys, you can attend, too! Surprise your “someone special” on Valentine’s Day (or birthday, anniversary, or “just because”) with a box of truffles you made yourself!

Here’s a little something to leave a smile on your face and to
“perhaps confirm” that men SHOULD take the class--

“A man found a bottle on the beach.
He opened it and out popped a genie, who gave the man three wishes.
The man wished for a million dollars, and poof! There was a million dollars.
Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! There was a convertible.

Then, he wished he could be irresistible to all women…
Poof! He turned into a box of chocolates.”

Read On, Wisconsin!

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Read on Wisconsin is a literacy program that promotes high-quality books for children and teens. This program was started by former Wisconsin First Lady Jessica Doyle in 2004 and is now being run by the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) of the School of Eucation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This program is about connecting kids and teens with terrific books.

Each month features five different titles that children, families and teachers are encouraged to read and share. Additionally, children and teens are encouraged to make booktrailers about Read on Wisconsin titles that will be posted and shared on the site. This month's titles are:

For babies and toddlers: Hello Baby by Mem Fox
For Grades K - 2: The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos
For Grades 3 - 5: Zora and Me by Victoria Bond
For Middle School: Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
For High School: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

For all of the titles for the 2011 - 2012 school year, check out the Read On Wisconsin site. Place a hold in the SHARE catalog to be next in line for these great titles.

A great way to participate in this program would be to pick up one of these great books and stop in to read to Chester, the library's visiting therapy dog. Chester will be here today, next Wednesday, and the following Wednesday after school. Call or stop in to sign up.

December 29

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:51:00 +0000

Did you know…..

Until 46 B.C., December only had 29 days. But the Roman statesman Julius Caesar added two days to December, which made it 31 days.

Today in history:

Richard Atwater was born December 29, 1892

Molly Garrett Bang was born on December 29, 1943

She wrote Ten, Nine, Eight and The Paper Crane. She has also won several Caldecott Honor Awards for her illustrations.

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was born in Staunton, Va., on December 29, 1856.

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was born in Raleigh, N.C., on December 29, 1808.

William E. Gladstone, the four-time prime minister of Great Britain, was born on December 29, 1809.

Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29, 1845.

Make your own mark in history and do something spectacular today!

12 Days of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:44:00 +0000

It’s the third day of Christmas also known as December 28. We are bombarded with Christmas sales, music and decorations before Thanksgiving and on December 26 Christmas is packed up, put away, ready for November 2012. Did you know that the Twelve Days of Christmas actually start on December 26 and ends on January 6? Santa has come, the presents have been opened and now is the time to truly enjoy the spirit of this holiday season throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas. Start by joining us today for a Magic of the Season magic show presented by magician Jim Mitchell at 10:00.

New Year's Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:34:00 +0000

The New Year's holiday always causes me to take a few minutes and reflect on past years. The first year on my own, the first year married, the first year in my own home, the first year my home was filled with children, the smiles, the frowns, the contentment and the panic that goes hand-in-hand with life fill my memories. While searching for a blog topic today, I found a website, historyorb.com that offered an easy-to-use "Today in History" link that broadened my personal reflections into one filled with historical events from around the world on any given day. Today, December 27 for example, did you know that The Hawaiian Fire Department was established in 1850? Also on this day in 1932, Radio City Music Hall opened in New York city. In 1968, Apollo 8 returned to earth. And Knots Landing premiered on CBS-TV on this day in 1979. It was really interesting to see what had happened on my birthday, my anniversay, and my kids' birthdays. As you reflect on years gone by this New Years, take a minute to explore this fun site. Wishing you a safe, fun, and happy new year!

Happy Hanukkah!

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:12:00 +0000

Christmas is not the only special holiday in December. Those of Jewish faith will celebrate Hanukkah for eight nights beginning December 20th and continuing until December 28th. Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights commemorates the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem. This holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah each night, playing the dreidel game, gift giving, and the making of special foods including latkes (potato pancakes). Children enjoy learning about other cultures and celebrations. One way to do this is by reading. We have several books you may want to check out to share with your family. One enjoyable book for four to eight year olds is Mrs. Greenberg's Messy Hanukkah by Linda Glaser. It's a lively and fun read which introduces children to Hanukkah and also includes a recipe for latkes. Happy Hanukkah!

Christmas Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:41:00 +0000

“In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit entered – flushed, but smiling proudly – with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top.

Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage. Mrs. Cratchit said that now the weight was off her mind, she would confess she had had her doubts about the quantity of flour. Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so. Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing.”
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

Christmas puddings of the Cratchit’s time often took weeks to prepare. For those of us out of time or kitchen-challenged, I found a more modern version of Plum Pudding with Brandy Butter Sauce that could be served as a grand finale to your Christmas meal.

Plum Pudding with Brandy Butter Sauce

(from Christmas Cheer: Recipes and Party Ideas Anne Van Wagner Child, ed. 1993)
1 pound pitted prunes, chopped
1 cup brandy
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground mace
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup molasses
½ teaspoon dried grated lemon peel
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped alnuts

SAUCE

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brandy
Ground nutmeg to garnish

For plum pudding, combine prunes and brandy in a medium bowl. Cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and mace. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, molasses, and lemon peel; beat until smooth. Beat dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately into creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts and prunes (including brandy). Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes, cover with aluminum foil, and bake about 15 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove sides of pan.

For sauce, combine sugar, butter, cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Garnish with nutmeg. Cut pudding into wedges and serve with warm sauce. Yield: about 18 servings.

May your Christmas dinner be shared with close family, friends, and good food,

just like the Cratchits. Merry Christmas.

Read Around the Christmas Tree Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Join us tonight at 6:30 for our family storytime event Read Around the Christmas Tree. The program will last about 30 minutes and is geared for all ages. We will read a few holiday stories, sing a song or two, and dance the jingle hop all by the light of the Christmas tree. See you there!

Word Trivia

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Check out this Trivia about language and the origins of a few words and “sayings.”

1. “Aromatherapy” is a term coined by French chemist René Maurie Gattefossé in the 1920’s to describe the practice of using essential oils taken from plants, flowers, roots, seeds, etc., in healing.

2. In the 19^th century, craftsmen who made hats were known to be excitable and irrational, as well as to tremble with palsy and mix up their words. Such behavior gave rise to the familiar expression “Mad as a hatter.” The disorder, called Hatter’s shakes, was caused by chronic mercury poisoning from the solution used to treat the felt from which they made their hats. Attacking the central nervous system, the toxin led to behavioral symptoms.

3. The term “bonfire” comes from using old bones, stored up through the summer, to make a fire with in winter and to keep warm. It is also thought to come from the 1500s when the Bishop of London named Edward Bonner ordered the burning at the stake of over 300 men and women, because of their lack of faith. Hence the name Bon Fire.

4. “Burning the candle at both ends” comes from the days before electricity when clerks to wealthy people would work late into the night. Of course, they used a candle to light their work. To make more light, they would light both ends of the candle, but the candle would burn out twice as fast! So, the term came to mean someone who would work hard but wear themselves out.

5. “Long in the tooth,” meaning “old,” was originally used to describe horses. As horses age, their gums recede, giving the impression that their teeth are growing. The longer the teeth look, the older the horse.

6. “Second string,” meaning “replacement or backup,” comes from the Middle Ages. An archer always carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke.

7. The “O” when used as a prefix in Irish surnames means “descendant of.”

8. The idiom “pillar of salt” means to have a stroke, or to become paralyzed and dead. Remember when Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family were leaving Sodom and Gomorrah? The Bible says Lot’s wife looked back in longing to return to the place they were leaving and “turned into a pillar of salt” as a result.

9. The last thing to happen is the “ultimate.” The next-to-last is the “penultimate,” and the second-to-last is the “antepenultimate.”

10. The phrase “sleep tight” originated from when mattresses were set upon ropes woven through the bed frame. To remedy sagging ropes, one would use a bed key to tighten the rope.

So, “sleep tight” and “don’t let the bedbugs bite!”

Making Memories

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:51:00 +0000

Christmas time is full of rushing and chasing and crazy schedules. Taking time to read is a gift you can give yourself. Find a few moments to curl up with a favorite holiday story and treat yourself. If you have little ones, model for them the joy of reading as you set aside special time to read some holiday classics together. These are the memories that will stay with you and will be cherished by your child. Some of my favorites for preschoolers include:

Dream Snow by Eric Carle

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

I'm Not Santa by Jonathan Allen

One Christmas Night by Christina Butler

Whatever you choose, enjoy the relaxation that comes with a good read.

Spirit of Christmas by Tillman

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

Bring home a holiday book to share with your family. And, join us next Tuesday, December 20 at 6:30 for Read Around the Christmas Tree, a storytime event for the whole family.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Library Style

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:49:00 +0000

'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Library Style

by Fullerton Public Library
by Lisë Chlebanowski (with help from Clement Clarke Moore)

‘Twas the night before Christmas, not a book to be found
Not a textbook, a paperback or tome, spiral bound.
The stockings were hung from the chimney with care
In hopes that the Librarian soon would be there.
The children were gathered, bored silly in their beds
For no books could be found out loud to be read!
There were toys and games and puzzles and maps
But nothing to read – might as well take a nap!
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter!
We sprang from our beds to see what was the matter
Then, what we saw – what was that? Rats?
No! A miniature bookcart led by eight tiny cats.
With a gorgeous driver, by the name of Marian,
I knew in a moment it must be the Librarian!
Faster than speed reading, the cats flew with perfect aim
And Marian whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
Now Gatsby! Now Holden! Now Lorax & Grinch!
On Rhett! On Scarlett! On Atticus & Finch!
The cats echoed their names to one and to all.
They flew to the roof and they flew to the wall!
And then, from the roof I heard tiny paws
The prancing and preening of kitty cat claws
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Marian came with a bound.
She was dressed in her work clothes, from her head to her foot
The bundle of books she carried was covered in soot,
She had come straight from the library where books are free.
To patrons with cards it’s a book potpourri!
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,
She distributed books and left nothing unread!
She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And filled all the stockings; She was more than a clerk!
Then she sprang to her bookcart, to her team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard her exclaim, as she drove out of sight,

"Season’s Readings to all, and to all a good-night.”