Library Columns
Stuffed Animals at the Library
by Miss Rachel
7/17/24
What are you likely to find in every toy box, diaper bag, children’s play area, and childhood bedroom? Stuffed animals! Now more commonly referred to as “stuffies,” these classic toys are great companions for kids of all ages. Like I mentioned in my last column, Bruce the bear is a very popular stuffie that kids enjoy seeking out in the children’s section. Stuffies are a fun component at the library!
We recently hosted a stuffie sleepover here at the library. If you’ve never heard of such an event, it’s probably what you are imagining. Kids bring in a stuffie of their choice on a Friday, and the stuffies stay overnight, getting into all kinds of crazy shenanigans. Look on our Facebook page or our website to see the pictures of the wild things the stuffed animals did: like play bingo, make music, play dodgeball, and read stories together before they went to sleep. The next day, the owners come back to the library to pick up their stuffies along with a packet of pictures and a certificate for participating in the stuffie sleepover.
But we also have quite the collection for our baby/toddler storytime on Wednesdays. While I initially had used a stuffed teddy bear in my lap to show how to do the lap bounces and songs with actions, the kids all decided to mirror me and put stuffies into their own laps. As long as the kids are having fun, we love using the stuffies at storytime!
In an article from the International Collegiate Journal of Science, studies have shown a number of benefits for kids who have their own stuffed animal companions. For example, stuffies can serve as transitional objects, providing comfort in unfamiliar or stressful situations. Stuffies can also aid children in developing and maintaining good sleep habits, as they provide physical and emotional comfort and support at bedtime. Logically, they can also help encourage kids to read – they serve as a captive audience. Stuffies aren’t just good for kids though. This article covers benefits of stuffed animals for adults as well, so you need not throw any of your cuddly companions out!
We also have a new picture book about a stuffed animal: “The Imposter” written by Laura Bower and illustrated by Kerisa Greene. In this story, a girl named Olive treasures her stuffie, Mr. Snuggles. When he goes missing one day, she is devastated. After many attempts to find and even recreate Mr. Snuggles, he miraculously reappears, and Olive rejoices! But when Olive sees that Mr. Snuggles has reappeared, she notices he’s not quite the same. Check out this book to see what happens next!
Stuffies, or stuffed animals, hold a special place in childhoods everywhere. Whether they’re participating in adventurous sleepovers at the library or joining toddlers in interactive storytimes, stuffies enrich lives with comfort, creativity, and companionship.
Lai, Vincent. “The Positives of Plushies: Stuffed Animals Have Benefits for Children and Adults – Icjs – International Collegiate Journal of Science.” ICJS, 21 Aug. 2021, icjs.us/the-positives-of-plushies-stuffed-animals-have-benefits-for-children-and-adults/.
Mother Bruce and Other Animal Books
by Miss Rachel
7/3/24
There are so many fun and exciting things that kids can find at the library. One of the best things to find during the summer is the summer reading program mascot. This year, kids can find a little stuffed bear named Bruce. When they do, they get to pick out a sticker or a temporary tattoo. While Bruce the bear might seem random, he is pretty significant within our reading program.
Bruce is the main character in Ryan T. Higgins’s book “Mother Bruce.” Higgins has also written several other books featuring the grumpy blue bear. But in this particular story, all Bruce wants is to have a delicious dish of hard-boiled goose eggs with honey salmon sauce. But as he begins to prepare the ingredients, the eggs hatch, and he is left with four tiny goslings. Grumpy Bruce is not pleased with this outcome, so he tries desperately to get rid of the geese. While making these desperate attempts, he ends up being a decent caregiver to the little ones.
So how does this relate to summer reading? With our theme of Read, Renew, Repeat, we’re encouraged to make responsible choices to help take care of our planet — that includes taking care of the creatures that live on it! Bruce reminds us that it can be hard work, but taking care of animals can be a rewarding adventure. In addition to “Mother Bruce,” you can find many new picture books about different animals here at the library.
“A Bear, A Fish, and A Fishy Wish” by Daniel Bernstrom
Just like Bruce, the bear in this story is very hungry. He sees a fish and is determined to fulfill his own wish: to eat the fish! But the fish has other ideas in mind. The rhyme and pacing of this delightful picture book will make your kids think and giggle.
“Chilla Gorilla and Lanky Lemur” by Kimberly Snyder and Jon Bier
Lanky Lemur has lots of feelings, but his friend Chilla Gorilla helps him to work through them. Throughout the story, they repeat the phrase, “Feelings come and go, yet in your heart is a calm place where peace and love can grow.” At the end of the book, Snyder and Bier included a note about how this meditation is a kid-friendly version of what is called the HeartAlign Meditation™. There are even audio tracks that you can access through a QR code for guiding you through these practices.
“Have You Seen An Elephant?” by Elina Ellis
Young explorer Alex is on an expedition to find some real elephants since she knows all about them. Her journey begins by asking all other kinds of animals if they have seen an elephant. She sprinkles lots of facts about elephants throughout her adventure that will get kids excited to learn more. The fun illustrations and guides to making your own research journal are going to make little readers want to find their own elephants!
“Flamingos Are Pretty Funky” by Abi Cushman
Before you go to the zoo, check out this book to help you brush up on your flamingo knowledge. Filled with facts about the six different species of flamingos, this book also features funky illustrations where the flamingos say pretty funky things. While the cover states that this is “A [not so] serious guide,” there is plenty to gain from checking this book out.
Read, Renew, Repeat is a complex theme that gives kids a lot to think about. We also like to make it fun by reading books about silly animals, like Bruce! As we continue on with our summer reading program here at the library, kids are still encouraged to come in and sign up, participate in the program, and attend storytimes and other great opportunities that we offer.
More Summer Reading Program Events
by Miss Rachel
6/19/24
The Summer Reading Program is off to an amazing start here at the library. By the end of week one, we already had over 200 people registered! Our first Friday storytime had an incredible turnout with 94 people showing up for our science program sponsored by the Friends of the Litchfield Library.
Kid Craft Club has been a success as well. So many creative minds come to the library making all kinds of awesome projects: binoculars, picture frames, masks, even light sabers! The limits feel endless with the imagination of the young artists in our community. With our Read, Renew, Repeat theme, the kids have done a fantastic job of using supplies from the “Upcycle Center” where they can find toilet paper rolls, cardboard, and other upcycled materials.
On top of all the cool things that have been going on, we have a lot more happening throughout the month of July.
On July 5th, we have a familiar guest coming to join us at storytime. DNR Interpretive Specialist Savannah Stephenson will be back to teach kids about birds (you may remember her from her wildfire presentation here in March). She has some great stories and fun activities planned that will be quite a hoot!
Sign up for a fun upcycle art class led by Aina Jane on Thursday, July 11th at 10:00am. Kids ages 8-18 are welcome to attend (parents/caregivers can also be present for the class). Be sure to sign up soon because the class size is limited. Participants are encouraged to bring a few small items from home, such as an old card, ribbon, or button, that they can use in their art project. Read, Renew, Repeat for the win!
The MN Science Museum will be here for our Friday storytime on July 12th. These skilled presenters will help kids to explore water in its different states. Our water droplet name tags on the wall are a great reminder of how important water is in our world. Learn more about our essential life source!
Come learn and read about pollinators on July 19th as soil conservationist Taylor Gabbert is coming to share her expertise. She’s also going to help us make pollinator blasts that you can take home and plant. What a cool way to help the planet!
For those who love to come back to the farm, our Meeker County Dairy Princesses will be hosting storytime on July 26th. These local celebrities share insight into the world of dairy farming, fun stories, and lots of fun!
The Summer Reading Program is well under way, but there’s still so much time to sign up and participate. Kids are able to complete challenges, earn library loot, and buy awesome prizes. Additionally, we have plenty of opportunities for families to come enjoy an exciting storytime where they might learn a little more about how they can Read, Renew, and Repeat!
What’s New for Adults at the Library?
by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian
June 7, 2024
The library is hopping now that summer has started. Families are looking for ways to keep the kids entertained, both at library programs and at home with stacks of books. Some school employees have more time to catch up on reading in the summer. Some community clubs and activities take a break in the summer months, giving their members more free time for a few months. Plus it’s easier to get to the library when we have so many hours of daylight and we’re not dealing with winter roads. We’ll see how the summer roads are once the local road construction projects get going.
So what’s new for adults at the library? There’s always something new, so I’ll highlight a handful of the latest additions to the fiction collection at the Litchfield Library to give you some ideas.
The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead is an old-fashioned locked-room mystery. In 1938 London, a man is shot and killed at the top of a Ferris wheel. His wife was the only other person in his carriage, and she insists that she’s innocent. As the wife’s lawyer investigates, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time during two other crimes that are impossible to explain. The lawyer turns to retired stage magician Joseph Spector for help in solving the illusions of the three cases. This is the second book in the Joseph Spector Locked-Room Mysteries series. Reviewers say that the clues are there for the reader to solve the case, but the novel is likely to outwit you.
City in Ruins is Don Winslow’s third and final book in the Danny Ryan series. This crime thriller is likely to appeal to fans of The Godfather, Scarface, and Goodfellas. Danny Ryan has risen from humble beginnings as a dock worker and low-level Irish mobster to respectability and immense wealth as a Las Vegas casino and hotel mogul. But when he tries to buy some prime real estate to build his dream resort, the FBI, Las Vegas business rivals, and old enemies go after him. Danny reluctantly becomes the kind of fighter he used to be, to save his son and his own life. Litchfield’s copy of this novel is in large print.
Lost Birds by Anne Hillerman is the 27th book in the Leaphorn, Chee, & Manuelito mystery series. Joe Leaphorn retired long ago from the Navajo Tribal Police but still works as a private detective. He is hired to find the birth parents of a woman who believes she may be Diné (Navajo) although her adoptive parents are white. Leaphorn finds evidence of a questionable adoption and parents who are keeping secrets. Meanwhile, Leaphorn receives a call from someone he knew decades ago, a call that suddenly ends with the sound of an explosion. Anne Hillerman is continuing the series started by her father Tony Hillerman.
Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin is Christian fiction, with a blend of historical fiction, mystery, and romance. Aleida, a young widow, flees to London from the Netherlands when Germany invades in 1940, and she is separated from her three-year-old son. She goes to work for an agency evacuating children to the countryside as she searches for him. In the midst of the Blitz, a series of unsolved murders also endangers Londoners, and BBC Radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood is affected by both perils. Aleida and Hugh grow close as they seek answers to their mysteries.
Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy is another Christian historical romance, and it’s also a Western. Beth Rutledge discovers that her tyrannical father plots to have her committed to an asylum, where he has already sent her mother. Beth rescues her mother, and the two set out on a wagon train to Idaho, posing as sisters. A wagon-train scout suspects that Beth is a wanted criminal until she tells him the truth. This is the first book in the planned Western Light series. Litchfield’s copy is in large print.
The Friends of the Litchfield Public Library will hold their quarterly meeting on Monday, June 17, at 4:00 p.m. in the library’s meeting room. New members are always welcome.
Litchfield Library’s Knitting Club will meet on the third Thursday of each month this summer. This month it will be on June 20. Adults and children are welcome to bring a knitting or crochet project to the meeting room between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. The program is informal, with an opportunity to ask questions of an expert knitter from the library staff, or just share ideas and enthusiasm for fiber arts with others who share the hobby.
Pioneerland libraries will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, for the Juneteenth holiday. Hours will be normal the rest of the week.
Whether you come to the library for an event, or to stock up on your reading material, the library is the place to be this summer.
Summer Reading Program 2024
by Miss Rachel
June 6, 2024
The school days are done, the sun is out, and it is time for the Summer Reading Program here at the library! The library offers tons of great presentations, activities, and challenges for any kid who wants to participate. This year’s theme of the Summer Reading Program is Read, Renew, Repeat! Maybe you have the same question that I had when I initially read this theme: what does that mean? If your mind went to the age-old saying “reduce, reuse, recycle,” you are not alone. This year’s theme is very much a reflection of that familiar phrase – just with a literary spin!
Who can participate? Any kid who wants a chance to earn some cool prizes! Any young reader (Pre-K through 18) can register, grab some reading challenges, and earn some Library Loot. Last summer, we started using a money system to help introduce kids to financial literacy. This year, we are bringing it back. Kids complete reading challenges, earn dollars of Library Loot, and then they can choose to spend their money on different kinds of prizes. A little independence at the library goes a long way!
Kid Craft Club is a new program we are doing every Tuesday from 4:00-5:00pm. Kids can bring their creativity to make something awesome. To further promote the idea of our theme, kids are encouraged to use upcycled materials, such as paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, paper scraps, and more.
We will continue host our monthly LEGO nights on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-7:30pm. Children and parents can come to the library’s meeting room to put together whatever imaginative creations you can invent.
We have awesome speakers and presentations coming in for our 10:00am Friday storytimes this summer too. Get out your planners to mark down all the fun opportunities at the library.
On June 14th, CLIMB Theatre is coming to perform the play “Country Mouse & City Mouse: Adventures in the Suburbs.” The story starts with the mice cousins taking a new adventure to the suburbs. But while Country Mouse wants to explore, City Mouse wants to relax. The CLIMB group manages to incorporate the Read, Renew, Repeat theme into their production alongside demonstrating empathy skills for the young audience.
The library is very excited to welcome authors David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka on June 21st. While we can all appreciate the wonderful story that is “Moo!”, these two have come out with a much more recent book titled “Go and Get With Rex” that you can check out here at the library. They also have a new story coming out in September that they might talk about, so don’t miss this visit.
For a little local fame, join us on June 28th for our Watercade Royalty. After reading some stories together and talking about their jobs as the royalty of the community, our crowned guests will join the kids in some creative crafts.
Join us this summer in our endeavors to read, renew, and repeat! We have so much more planned for the month of July, so stay tuned!
Plot Twist: The Library Column is Back!
by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian
May 24, 2024
What a plot twist! We said goodbye to the “Independent Review” only a few weeks ago, and here we are with a brand-new Litchfield newspaper. I am delighted to tell you that the library will once again have a weekly column in the paper. There’s so much to share with you this week.
We are coming up quickly on the start of the summer reading program. I’ll let Litchfield Children’s Librarian Rachel tell you more about it in next week’s edition, but it begins next Monday, June 3. This year’s theme is “Read, Renew, Repeat.” The library will be celebrating things like conservation, recycling, the environment, plants, and animals.
Children and teens up to age 18 can sign up for this self-paced program beginning on the 3rd, but no need to worry if you don’t get to the library that day. Sign up continues all summer, and the program ends August 31. The summer reading program dates are the same at the Grove City, Cosmos, and Dassel libraries.
Local businesses, if you would like to donate small prizes or gift certificates for things children and teens would enjoy as summer reading prizes, we are always happy to receive those. You can call or email me to discuss it. We give out prizes all summer, so there’s plenty of time. We publicly thank the businesses that donate at the end of the summer.
Miss Rachel will be leading a weekly program called Kid Craft Corner every Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. in the library’s meeting room. The first session will be on Tuesday, June 4, and the program will continue through August 13. This program is free to attend and there’s no need to sign up. Children younger than age 8 need to be accompanied by a caregiver.
Story times begin again on Wednesday, June 5, with the half-hour baby and toddler-focused story time at 10:15. On Fridays, the hour-long story time is at 10:00 a.m. and is geared to preschoolers and up, but kids of all ages are welcome at both. Many of this summer’s Friday story times feature special programs that will appeal to elementary school kids as well as preschoolers.
The first of those special programs will be on Friday, June 7, at 10 a.m. Science Heroes will present “Adventure of the Lost Treasure,” a combination of science and stories. Families are invited to join us on a treasure-hunting adventure deep within the jungle. The audience helps the performer act out the tale, as they use events in the story to explore exciting science concepts such as air pressure, energy transfer, and physical vs. chemical changes. Volunteers from the audience will help conduct the experiments, and the whole audience will get involved in changing variables, making predictions, and comparing results. Science Heroes was so much fun last year that we brought them back for a new program this year. Thank you to the Friends of the Litchfield Library for sponsoring this exciting program! This is free to attend, and no registration is required.
If 2:00 that day works better for your schedule, you can attend the same program at the Grove City Library.
Litchfield Library’s monthly teen program will be held on Saturday, June 8, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. Margaret will lead the kids in a Dungeons & Dragons escape room challenge. There’s no need to sign up for this free program for ages 11-18.
Have you wanted to check out the library’s books on CD or music CDs, but you don’t have a CD player? You can now check out a portable CD player from the library! The library purchased two of them through an accessibility grant from Prairielands Library System. One has adult and child-size headphones in the tote with it, and the other does not work with headphones. Both have radios as well as CD players. Audiobooks make books accessible to people with vision issues, learning disabilities, ADHD, and physical disabilities, as well as adults or children who are learning to read. Search the keyword “boombox” if you want to put a hold on one of these through the online catalog, or just ask at the front desk.
I offer my congratulations and best wishes to Brent, Kay, and the other local newspaper staff who are now serving the community at the “Litchfield Rail” and the “Hutchinson Station.” At the library we plan to subscribe to both. I hope many people will subscribe, so that we can keep local news alive in Litchfield. Thank you to all who play a part in keeping our community connected and informed.
The Stories We Share
by Miss Rachel
April 24, 2024
I’ll be honest: I struggled a lot trying to figure out a way to write this final library column for the Independent Review. When I’ve had trouble coming up with a topic to write about in the past, I’d often walk over to the cart of new books and try to see if there was a common theme with at least a few titles. But this time, I decided to think about what the common theme is between the library and the newspaper. We share stories. We both give people what they want to read about, and we share as much as we possibly can. We try to make information available that is current and accurate to the people in the community. We share the goal of keeping people informed.
In this sense, I’ve thought about the connection between the newspaper and the library to be like a friendship. Maybe it’s because I’m the children’s librarian, but I think that we could compare our relationship to a fun literary duo like Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, or Beezus and Ramona. To honor that friendship, I’d like to share a few more of the new stories about friendships here at the library.
“Imagine You and Me” by Benson Shum
Best friends Randall (the bear) and Parker (the human) do all kinds of fun things together: build sandcastles, eat ice cream, swim with mermaids, and more. But when they meet a group of bears hanging out, Randall finds himself playing more and more with the other bears and less with his good friend Parker. While Randall finds new confidence in himself, he remembers his friend Parker and the good times they shared together.
“Jump for Joy” by Karen Gray Ruelle
Joy loves dogs. Jump loves kids. They try to create their own versions of each, but they’re not fulfilled. When they find each other, they celebrate with many joyous jumps. The connection they share is so beautiful, you might find yourself clutching your own pet.
“The Invisible String” by Patrice Karst
This heartwarming story is about a set of twins that are looking for a little comfort during hard times. Their mom teaches them about an invisible string that connects us all, so we’re never really alone. No matter where we are, this string of love keeps us close.
Just like how the Litchfield Public Library and the Independent Review have shared a connection, the characters in these books share bonds that hold even after the story ends. Thank you to the Independent Review for being a supportive friend who helps promote the events and resources here at the library.
Moving forward, we ask that the community go to our website www.litchfield.lib.mn.us or our Facebook page to find out more details about upcoming events, like the Summer Reading Program. There are lots of great things planned for when the weather warms up.
Farewell to the Litchfield Independent Review
by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian
4/11/24
It is with sadness that I write this column, my final one in the soon-to-cease Independent Review. I have been a columnist for the newspaper since I became the Litchfield Library’s head librarian thirteen years ago, taking over from previous head librarian Jeanette Stottrup. I can’t lie: it has been a bit like a constant homework assignment, with an essay to write every other week. But it has also been a wonderful opportunity for me and for the library.
The newspaper has allowed me to reach the people who then showed up to restart our wonderful Friends of the Litchfield Library group. It has given me the opportunity to tell the general public about new books, and I have enjoyed it immensely when people would come in and say to me, “I read your article; can I get that book you talked about?” The column has been a way to share all types of library news, whether about programs, new technology, updated policies, or any other developments.
I know people have read my column through the years, because I have heard from them about the things they learned from it. People have also come into the library talking about the columns written by the Litchfield children’s librarian, who has taken turns with me to write the weekly article: Jan Pease, Rachelle Golde, and now Rachel Clark, during the years I have worked at the library. From what I can find in the library records, it appears that there has been a Litchfield Library column in the Independent Review since the 1980s.
One of the lasting joys for me personally is that having a regular column in the local newspaper allowed me to become a part of history. Newspapers become part of the historical record. At the library, we have microfilm of the Litchfield Independent back to the 1800s, and I help people view those reels regularly. People most often look for family history, but they also seek out community history. Newspapers help us find details about the past, gathered at the time things happened, rather than based on someone’s memory later.
The mother of a close friend of mine wrote a column for her Wisconsin hometown paper for many years. After her mom died last year, my friend went to the microfilm collection at her hometown library and found her mom’s writings. Her mother was part of the archives of her local history, and her children still have access to the things she wrote.
I don’t know how Litchfield or Hutchinson happenings will be recorded and archived going forward, or how people will find a central, reliable source of information on current local events, other than the radio station. This is an issue in so many communities these days as newspapers are shut down. No one is archiving social media or the ever-changing websites run by multiple organizations. We will all need to be mindful of finding the facts of local news instead of just believing the rumors that inevitably spread in any community.
According to the Associated Press in late 2023, the United States has lost one-third of its newspapers and two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005. Most of these were weekly publications in areas with few or no other sources for news, with rural and impoverished areas affected the most. Studies have shown that the absence of a reliable local news source increases political polarization and misinformation, and that a void in news coverage allows more political corruption, which can result when there are no journalists covering local government. This concern is bigger than just Litchfield and Hutchinson, and it’s not the fault of our local newspapers. It’s a troubling trend for our entire country.
I would like to thank the staff of the Independent Review and the Leader for their many years of excellent work. Editor Brent Schacherer produced newspapers of outstanding quality, and I’m grateful for the years of service he gave the community. I wish him and his staff well as they transition to life after the end of these newspapers.
To find out what’s happening at the library going forward, visit our website at www.litchfield.lib.mn.us. We update it often, and we have started creating a monthly events calendar that’s posted on the “Library Calendar” tab of that site. You can pick up a paper version of the calendar at the front desk. The library also has a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a TikTok account; just make sure you’re looking at the Litchfield Library in Minnesota, since there are Litchfields all over the country that have libraries!
And, of course, you can always stop in and take a look at all of the new books, DVDs, and CDs at the library, as well as the flyers about upcoming library events. There is a community bulletin board in the copy room where anyone can post a flyer, so that’s another source of printed information about events happening in the community.
It has been my privilege to speak to you through this column for so many years. Thank you for reading!
Relate to Your Reading
by Miss Rachel
4/10/24
You may have seen on social media or even heard someone say out loud, “Adulting is hard.” While most adults will agree with that statement, it’s also important for us to acknowledge that being a kid is hard. Being a teenager is incredibly hard too! Factor in any kind of neurodivergence or chronic illness, and life is that much more difficult. Luckily for readers, authors are coming out with more relatable books to show younger readers that while life can be hard, it’s not impossible.
ADHD is not an easy condition to describe. But in the picture book “Lost Inside My Head,” Vigg uses metaphor to try and help showcase what it looks like for the main character Vincent. After
struggling with a presentation in his class, Vincent becomes frustrated with himself. He then describes to the reader how his mind is set up like a house with many spaces and aspects: each part has a specific purpose, like the space room is a good place for him to go when he feels overwhelmed. This picture book has a lot of layers to it, but it’s a great resource for someone trying to understand ADHD.
Some chronic illnesses, like Crohn’s disease, are invisible. Kids can appear to be “normal” or “healthy” until symptoms arise or new medications have side effects. In the middle grade book “Will On The Inside” by Andrew Eliopulos, main character Will has to learn how to navigate life with Crohn’s disease. On top of trying to manage this new crucial aspect of his life, Will also has to handle middle school relationships and his own sense of identity.
On a different (music) note, “The Color of Sound” by Emily Barth Isler features musical prodigy
Rosie. She has synesthesia, meaning she sees colors when listening to music. Her mother’s expectations prompt twelve-year-old Rosie to take a break from her musical gift and spend time visiting her grandparents. On this trip, Rosie learns all about her family, her music, and herself. This middle grade book explores intergenerational relationships alongside a unique sensory experience.
For our young adult readers, the book “Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal” by Gretchen Schreiber 
explores another angle. Schreiber starts the book with an important author’s note: “This is one story and it cannot be all things to everyone. I know what it is to hunt for yourself on the shelves and the betrayal and frustration that comes from a story being close but just slightly off.” No matter your own health background, main character Ellie is relatable. Her “home” life includes shining on the speech and debate team with her friends. But her “hospital” life includes a lot of frustration and uncertainty. While Ellie wants to separate those lives and simply choose the first, she’s not given that choice.
Books can provide validation for our own lived experiences. But they can also teach us so much about the people around us that we love. Whatever kind of reading experience you’re looking for, we can help you find it at the library.
Trends in Adult Winter Reading
by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian
March 28, 2024Every year it’s fun to see what Litchfield folks read for the annual adult winter reading program at the library. This year, 121 people participated in the program. They turned in reading logs for 514 different books, which they read and rated since the program began in January.
Participants choose what they want to read, which leads to so much variety. This year no books were read by more than two of the people who turned in reviews.
The most-read author in this year’s winter reading program was Agatha Christie. She has been popular in previous years, too. Not bad for an author who died 48 years ago! This year’s winter readers turned in twelve reviews of nine of her books, which included The Mysterious Affair at Styles and The Murder on the Links.
Coming in second was William Kent Krueger, the tremendously popular Minnesota author. Our readers turned in nine reviews of nine different books by him, which included Fox Creek and Sulfur Springs.
Tying for third place were Nora Roberts and James Patterson, with eight reviews each. For Roberts, these were eight different titles, and for Patterson they were seven unique titles and a repeat. Other popular authors included Lisa Jackson, Tamera Alexander, Linda Lael Miller, John Sandford, and Sara Shepard.
The most popular genres were romance and mystery. The participants read very few science fiction, fantasy, or horror novels.
Classics were well-represented among this year’s books, including Jane Eyre, A Study in Scarlet, Dracula, and multiple works by Plato. Recent bestsellers were also in the mix, including Fourth Wing, Lessons in Chemistry, House of Flame and Shadow, and The Inmate.
In addition to novels for adults, participants in the program can choose to read nonfiction, or books for young readers, and they did both. The most popular subject in nonfiction was Christianity. Other topics included law, gardening, cooking, finance, dieting, raising chickens, and ice fishing. Juvenile and YA books included the Goosebumpsand the Warriorsseries.
Some of the participants read multiple books by one author. Others read a wide variety. When you participate in the program, you read whatever you want! Credit goes to library staff member Mikaila for compiling these interesting statistics about this year’s program.
Thank you to the Friends of the Litchfield Public Library for sponsoring the prize drawing for the program. Everyone who turned in a reading log by March 16 with six books read and rated was entered into the drawing for three gift certificates to local businesses. It’s a fun bonus on top of the small prizes that everyone gets for taking part in this reading challenge.
Watch for more information on the library’s summer reading program for children and teens that begins in June. The adult winter program will be offered again in January of next year.
Oscar Movies at the Library
by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian
March 15, 2024
The 96th Academy Awards were presented this month. Wondering how you could watch the movies people are talking about? You can check out some of the Oscar winners on DVD at the library, and more will be coming as they’re released on disc.
The historical biopic Oppenheimerwas the big winner this year, winning seven of the thirteen awards it was nominated for: Best Picture, Directing, Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Cinematography, Score, and Film Editing. This three-hour juggernaut was one of the top-grossing movies of the year, after only Barbie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. If you didn’t catch it in the theater, by itself or as part of a “Barbenheimer” marathon, you can now watch it on DVD by checking it out at the library.
Oppenheimer is based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. This sophisticated movie shows audiences the complicated life and personality of the scientist who led the effort to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. After the bomb was successfully created at Los Alamos Laboratory, Oppenheimer went on to confront the moral issues that arose from its creation, and to struggle under McCarthyism.
Poor Things was the next biggest winner of the night, winning four awards out of the eleven nominations it had. The movie’s star Emma Stone won the award for Actress in a Leading Role, and the film also won the awards for Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Production Design. The movie is based on the book Poor Things by Alasdair Grey. While described as bizarre and over-the-top, this movie uses a Frankenstein-style story to do what science fiction has always done: comment on our current society. Bella is brought back to life with an adult body and an infant brain by a scientist in Victorian London, and the men in her life are unable to contain her. This film is on order and will soon be available to check out.
Barbiewas one of the most popular movies of last year, and it was nominated for eight Oscars. It won one of them: Original Song, for “What Was I Made For?” In this existential comedy, Barbie lives in perfect Barbie Land until sadness, thoughts of mortality, and other human realities begin intruding into her life. She travels to our world to find out why, discovering the problems and the beauty of being human. While people dismiss this as a toy-related movie, it’s so much more than that; with themes of gender equality, motherhood, the meaning of life, and self-worth, it’s primarily for adults. This was my favorite movie of last year. It’s available to check out at the library.
The Holdovers was nominated for five Oscars, and it won one: Actress in a Supporting Role for Da’Vine Joy Randolph. This dramatic comedy (or comic drama?) features a grumpy teacher at a New England boarding school who is forced to babysit the few students who have to stay on campus over Christmas break. With a vintage style that makes it look like a movie made in the year it’s set (1970-71), this movie is sweet, sad, funny, and insightful, as the characters gradually reveal the personal issues underneath their prickly exteriors. This movie is available to check out from the library.
20 Days in Mariupol won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. This PBS film is the work of a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the city of Mariupol as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. The filmmakers show the atrocities that don’t make it on the sanitized news coverage, in an effort to bear witness to the events that happened at the start of the war. Cosmos Library has this film in its collection now, and Litchfield Library will be getting the DVD, also.
The library collection also has these movies, which were nominated for Oscars but didn’t win: The Color Purple, Elemental, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Golda, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Past Lives, The Creator, Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One, and Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3. As other nominees become available on DVD, the library is likely to acquire them.
Oscar movies usually aren’t an escape from life, but they can help us reflect on life and the human condition. If you’re a movie buff, check out the library’s DVD collection for these and other high-quality films.
Books to Turn You on Your Head
by Miss Rachel
3/13/24
With all that has happened in the past few years, we don’t often know what to expect in life. Some of us cling to books to bring us familiar comforts: predictable characters, foreseeable plotlines, happy endings, and so on. But sometimes, it’s fun to have books that completely surprise you as a reader. If you have little readers in your house, you might find yourself craving a different kind of book that will not feel like the same book you’ve had to reread over a hundred times (while we recommend rereading books to young ones, we know how frustrating it can be). Here are some new books at the library that will keep readers of all ages on their toes!
“Hidden Creature Features” by Jane Park
There are many obvious animal adaptations visible to humans, like different beaks on birds in different environments. But there are so many more adaptations that we may not be aware of, and this book uncovers lots of interesting facts. Each page introduces a new animal and leads you to guess what the unique feature might be. In a format that is easy to read with young ones, “Hidden Creature Features” is a book that will certainly make your head spin!
“A Llama Is Not An Alpaca: And Other Mistaken Identities” by Karen Jameson
I’ve never much paid attention to whether or not a llama is an alpaca or vice versa. But if you check out this book, not only will you learn the difference between those, you’ll learn the differences between hares and rabbits, porpoises and dolphins, crocodiles and gators, and many more easily confused duos. This book is also fun to read with young ones because of its great rhyme scheme and colorful illustrations by Lorna Scobie.
“Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs” by Paulette Bourgeois
As a once upon a time English teacher, I appreciate works of literature for the lessons they teach, the symbolism included, the allegory to uncover, and more. Analyzing texts is one of my favorite things to do. This book goes beyond literary analysis to really fact check the well-known tale of the three little pigs. Professor Goose narrates this with intense scrutiny of how structurally, the wolf could not really blow down the straw house of the first little pig, and the professor uses plenty of data to back up her claims. If you like a more literal view of these tales, check out “Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs.”
“The Wrong Book” by Drew Daywalt
We see lots of books at the library that go through common facts for little ones, such as animals and their sounds: cow goes, “Moo,” and so on. But this book quickly spins out of control making incorrect statements about all kinds of animals, objects, people, and so on. Kids can have fun correcting this book and making things right as the pages get sillier and sillier.
Children’s authors are finding new and clever ways to get readers’ attention. No matter whether you’re looking for books to surprise you or books to bring you familiar comforts, we have plenty to read at the library.
Smokey Bear Turns 80
by Miss Rachel
2/28/24
You might remember the Disney film “Bambi” for its heartbreaking family story. But did you know that in 1942, Disney loaned the characters to the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention program (CFFP) for one year? After that year was up, the CFFP program needed to find a mascot all their own. They came up with the classic Smokey Bear.
This March, we are celebrating Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday at the library. We want to engage our young patrons in reading about wildfire prevention, forests, and natural resource careers, while exploring the local environment.
On March 26th at 4:00pm, Interpretive Naturalist Savannah Stephenson will be at the Litchfield Public Library. Kids of all ages are welcome to come and learn about the difference between controlled burns and wildfires. Additionally, attendees will get the chance to observe different prairie plant roots to see why some plants survive fire better than others.
For the month of March, kids can participate in the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge here at the library. Kids can complete different activities centered around reading and learning about nature to earn points. Once they’ve earned 8 points, they can come in for a prize. Attending storytimes and the event on March 26th are also worth points for the challenge.
We have plenty of books that qualify for the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge. Come take a look at some of our newest additions!
If you’re interested in reading more specifically about wildfires, we have several new books for young readers. “They Hold the Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them” by Dan Paley is a nonfiction picture book that informs readers about how firefighters take on the deadly natural disasters. “Wildfire!” by Ashley Wolff is another picture book that
shows the hardships that the animals face when fire breaks out on Spruce Mountain. For fans of graphic novels, “Wildfire” by Breena Bard follows the story of young Julianna whose home is destroyed in a wildfire. How can Julianna move on from this devastation?
Young science explorers might be intrigued by the book “Search for a Giant Squid: Pick Your Path” by Amy Seto Forrester. Readers start out by picking their submersible, then their pilot and dive site, and continue on their exciting adventure. Packed with facts and terminology from the field, young readers can learn a lot from this venture.
Not everyone wants to read nonfiction, and for those readers, I suggest “a slightly scientific fairy tale” by Sandra Fay called “The Three Little Tardigrades.” For those who don’t know,
tardigrades are more commonly known as moss piglets or water bears. With a Big Hairy Wolf Spider as the villain, this story is somewhat reminiscent of the story of the three little pigs. Perhaps the familiarity and the slightly scientific take may be just right for your next read with your young reader.
Smokey Bear continues to remind us to that “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Come to the library with your young readers throughout March to celebrate his 80th birthday.
“About the Campaign.” Smokey Bear, 4 Aug. 2021, smokeybear.com/en/smokeys-history/about-the-campaign.
Reading Presidentially
by Beth Cronk, County Librarian
2/21/24
During this week of Presidents Day and George Washington’s birthday, it can be interesting to learn about the history of the American presidents. Litchfield Library has many books that share information about their lives and legacies.
One brand-new book about the presidents is Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House by Jared Cohen. The presidents profiled are Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Grover Cleveland, William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter, and George W. Bush. Each made a unique decision about what to do for the rest of their lives after leaving the presidency.
Patti Davis, the daughter of Ronald Reagan, has a new book out about her family. Dear Mom and Dad: A Letter About Family, Memory, and the America We Once Knew is a memoir written in the form of a letter to Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Davis’s beautiful writing has been praised by reviewers, as has the candid but kind way she depicts her complicated family and her role within it.
James Garfield isn’t a president most of us know much about. A recent biography by C.W. Goodyear has tried to change that. President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier has been called “the most comprehensive Garfield biography in almost fifty years” by the Wall Street Journal. Although he was president only 200 days before he was assassinated, he had a long and important political career. The last president to be born in a log cabin, Garfield rose from poverty to become a professor, a college president, and a state senator, before fighting for the Union as a general in the Civil War. He went on to become the leading Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving for nearly two decades in a polarized era. As time went on, he became a peacemaker, and he was elected president because of his ability to overcome divisions.
Another short-term president, Gerald Ford, is the subject of another recent biography: Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford. Author Richard Norton Smith is an award-winning biographer of presidents and other significant historical figures. In this biography, Smith starts with Ford’s difficult childhood, then moves on to his early anti-establishment political views and his relationship with his wife Betty. Most of the book is about the events of his presidency, something often overshadowed by the way he became president. Smith adds context by looking at the legacies of the decisions Ford made in office. The Wall Street Journal included this new biography on its list of the top ten books of 2023.
For an interesting look at the culinary side of the presidency, pick up Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House by Alex Prud’homme. Prud’homme was Julia Child’s co-author of her memoir My Life in France. In his new book, he examines the importance of the president’s dining table to issues such as diplomacy, race, class, and food trends. Did you know that Thomas Jefferson loved eggplant, or that every day Richard Nixon ate cottage cheese with barbecue sauce? One chapter is titled “Dwight D. Eisenhower: The President who cooked.”
If you prefer your history as historical fiction, look for the recent novel The General and Julia by Jon Clinch. In it, Ulysses S. Grant is writing his memoirs as he’s dying from cancer. To do so, he looks back on his life as the Civil War-winning general, a president fighting for the rights of Black Americans, a farmer turned businessman who lost all of his money to a swindler, and a devoted husband and father.
So many books are available to read about the American presidents. If you’re looking for Lincoln, check out the current display of books about him on the end of one of the adult paperback shelves. If you’re looking for any other president, you can check the catalog for the subject “presidents” or the name of the one you’re seeking. Many but not all of these books are in the U.S. history section: 973 in the Dewey Decimal system. Learning about past presidents is a great way to understand more about American history.
Books to Beat Bullying
Valentine’s Day 2024
by Miss Rachel
I admit it. I’m a millennial who will occasionally spend some time scrolling through social media. Normally, I look for animals doing goofy things. But not so long ago, I heard a song that caught my attention. The song “If I Were A Fish” was written by singer/songwriters corook and Olivia Barton in response to some incredibly hateful comments they received on the internet. The lyrics speak for themselves:
“Why’s everybody on the internet so mean? Why’s everybody so afraid of what they’ve never seen? . . . How lucky are we? Of all the fish in the sea? You get to be you, and I get to be me.”
Embracing their differences, the duo decided to spread the message that different is great no matter what other people say. They even went a step farther and turned the song into an adorable picture book of the same name that you can check out from our library.
We have lots of books that encourage kids to be their own unique selves. We also have books to encourage kindness, which can be checked out to celebrate Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 28th. Pink Shirt Day is a day to raise awareness around the issue of bullying. While the day started in Nova Scotia, it is now celebrated in many different countries around the world. If you’re looking for more reading options to celebrate Pink Shirt Day, take a look at our new shelf!
“Mina Belongs Here” by Sandra Niebuhr-Siebert and Lars Baus
Books like this one are a great way to teach kids how to empathize with others. In “Mina Belongs Here,” main character Mina is very nervous about starting kindergarten at a new school. Not only does she not know anyone at this new school, she also doesn’t speak the same language. As Mina learns more words and meets new friends, she figures out where she belongs.
“Jawbreaker” by Christina Wyman
If you’ve ever had braces, headgear, or any kind of orthodontal device, you might be able to relate to the main character in this book, Max. With Class II malocclusion (severe overbite), she’s doomed to wear orthodontic headgear. The school bullies take the opportunity to tease her while she deals with drama at home.
Picture books and chapter books alike can help kids to see the importance of kindness to everyone regardless of looks, teeth, language, or whatever sets someone apart. Celebrate Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 28th by reading some books about kindness and respecting differences (all while wearing a pink shirt perhaps). As corook and Olivia sing, “We’re as free as can be to be the you-est of you and the me-ist of me.”
Minnesota Book Award Finalists at the Library
by Beth Cronk, County Librarian
February 7, 2024
The finalists for the Minnesota Book Awards were announced on January 27. These annual awards celebrate outstanding books written or illustrated by Minnesotans. The Litchfield Library has some of the finalists in a variety of categories, and it’s likely that more will join the collection now that they’ve been honored in this way.
Smoke on the Waterfront: The Northern Waters Smokehaus Cookbook was written by Ned Netzel, Nic Peloquin, Mary K. Tennis, Greg Conley, and Eric Goerdt. The Northern Waters Smokehaus is a restaurant in Duluth, Minnesota, that has been in business since 1998. This cookbook is an entertaining look at the work these restauranteurs do and the recipes they have created. If you’d like to learn to smoke fish or meat, make pickles or a salad, or create a tasty sandwich, this book has something for you. If you’ve enjoyed eating at Northern Waters, you may find your favorite menu item! Smoke on the Waterfront is a finalist in the category of General Nonfiction.
The fantasy novel Ink Blood Sister Scribe was chosen by the Good Morning America Book Club in June of last year. NPR chose it for their 2023 “Books We Love” list, and the New York Times included it on their notable books list for 2023. Minnesota author and Macalester professor Emma Törzs wrote this novel about two estranged half-sisters and a family library of magical books that contains a deadly secret. Ink Blood Sister Scribe is a finalist in the category of Genre Fiction.
Trauma Sponges: Dispatches from the Scarred Heart of Emergency Response is a memoir published by University of Minnesota Press. Author Jeremy Norton has been a firefighter and EMT with the Minneapolis Fire Department since 2000, and he has a master’s degree in creative writing. Norton shares his decades of experience as a first responder, interacting with sick, injured, dying, and devastated people. Norton and his crew were responders at the scene of George Floyd’s murder, and they faced all of the aftermath, as well. His book is described as having a rare insider perspective on the machismo in the profession, as well as the toll the constant trauma takes on individuals. Trauma Sponges is nominated in the category of Memoir & Creative Nonfiction.
Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence is a book by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Ellison gives his account of the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd, explaining the route that the prosecutors in his office took when pursuing the case. Ellison also sat down with police officers, historians, judges, activists, and legislators to discuss solutions to the larger issues. Break the Wheel is a finalist for the Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction.
Also a finalist in the Minnesota Nonfiction category is Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota’s Mined Lands. Author Pete Kero is an environmental engineer who co-created Redhead Mountain Bike Park in Chisolm, MN, built on former minelands. In the book, Kero shares how the mining industry, local residents, and tourists coexist on the Mesabi Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota. In the 1950s, residents started turning formerly mined areas into newly useful spaces. In the 1980s, the Mine Reclamation Rules began requiring mining companies to care for the land as they were extracting ore from it. Then in the 2000s, the Laurentian Vision Project brought together landscape architects, engineers, and local residents to guide the area’s development of these spaces.
The novel A Council of Dolls is by Mona Susan Power, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This work of historical fiction tells the stories of three women and their dolls. Sissy is a Chicago girl born in 1961 to a volatile and dangerous mother. Lillian, born in 1925 on her ancestral lands, is sent with her sister to an Indian boarding school where they are abused by nuns. Cora, born in 1888 on the Standing Rock Reservation, is also sent to a residential school where they burn her beloved doll. A Council of Dolls was longlisted for the National Book Award, and it is now a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in the category of Novel & Short Story.
To see the complete list of finalists, visit the website of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, the organization that runs the Minnesota Book Awards. There are categories for children’s literature, middle grade literature, young adult literature, and poetry, as well. Winners will be announced May 7. Enjoy the excellent books that Minnesota authors and illustrators have created!
Use the Library to Meet Your New Year’s Resolutions
December 27, 2023
by Beth Cronk
Have you been thinking about your New Year’s resolutions? According to a recent article in Forbes magazine, about a third of Americans typically set a resolution or goal for the coming year. USA Today newspaper has shared statistics from Statista, a German data gathering company, showing that Americans’ top New Year’s resolutions for 2024 are saving money, exercising more, eating healthier, spending more time with family and friends, and losing weight.
The public library is a great resource if you want to reduce your spending, even while pursuing some of the other goals on that list.
Instead of buying all of the books you read, or having an Audible subscription, you can check out a vast range of them from the library. The same is true for movies. If we don’t have a print book or a movie on DVD in our local library, you can order those from libraries all over the state of Minnesota. Children’s books and children’s DVDs don’t have late fees anymore; as long as you return them, you won’t even have the expense of fines for those unless they’re damaged.
Want to save money by dropping your streaming service or cable TV? While many streaming TV shows aren’t available on DVD, some are. Take a look in the library catalog to find out if we have the show you want to watch.
If you need to save money on subscriptions, you can visit the library to read local and regional newspapers and check out magazines. Our library system also has a large collection of magazines available on the Libby e-book platform.
Library programs are always free to attend. You can find free entertainment and education by attending storytimes, teen programs, book clubs, LEGO programs, knitting clubs, craft programs, science programs, and author events at the library. Some library craft programs are offered through free take-home kits. Attending library programs with your loved ones can help you meet your goal of spending time with family and friends!
Our library system offers free access to Creativebug, an arts and crafts instructional website. If your resolutions include pursuing your hobbies or learning new skills, this can be a way to try something new without having to pay for a class.
Technology is expensive. If you want to save on your data usage on your cell phone or home internet, you can come to the library to use the free wi-fi. It even works from the parking lot. We also loan hotspots so that you can have free wi-fi at home for 4 weeks, although these days there is a long wait for those. The library has laptops available to check out for four weeks, plus desktop computers for use at the library – both good ways to have a computer to use without having to buy one. It’s also inexpensive to print at the Litchfield Library: just ten cents per page for black and white prints or copies and fifty cents per page for color. Compared to buying ink cartridges, it can be a good deal.
If your goals include exercise and fitness, you can find books about those topics at the library, as well as workout videos. An enormous selection of cookbooks is available to check out, including many featuring healthy recipes.
If you visit the I Love Libraries calculator website at ilovelibraries.org/what-libraries-do/calculator, you can enter the number of books and movies you have checked out this year, as well as other library services you have used, to get an estimate of how much you saved by using the public library this year. Take good care of your finances, your health, and your general wellbeing by making the library a part of your new year.
