Story Time in a Box for Back-to-School
Back to school time can mean new routines for the whole family. Sometimes we need help with those routines and that is where a Storytime in a Box kit can help! All of these kits include a few stories related to the theme, a flannel board, and fun games and activities!
Getting Dressed – Work on those self-dressing skills with shoe-tying practice, a sock matching game, and button/snap/zip toy. This kit also includes the super-fun Best Dressed Banana game!
Going to School – This kit helps separation anxiety about going back to school as well as establishing that morning routine.
ABCs – Lots of fun with letter games, puzzles and stories.
If going back to school means that you can not make it to our regular storytimes – there are many other topics that you can check out to make your own story times at home! Click here to view all of our Story Time in a Box Kits!
– Post by Julie Fonseca, Youth Services Assistant
FDL Reads: Anne of West Philly
Anne of West Philly by Ivy Weir and Myisha Haynes (Illustrator)
Reviewed by: Deb Alig, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Suggested Age: Middle school (11-14)
What is the book about? Anne of West Philly, by Ivy Weir, is a graphic novel retelling of L. M. Montgomery’s classic children’s novel Anne of Green Gables. If you’re familiar with Montgomery’s plot, you will find similarities in Weir’s adaptation. The characters’ names in the retelling are like the names in the original story, but the characters’ ethnicities are different. The characters in Anne of West Philly are mostly Black and Hispanic instead of White like in Anne of Green Gables. The setting is different too. Montgomery’s story takes place on Prince Edward Island in Canada during the late nineteenth century, and Weir’s retelling takes place in the city of West Philadelphia in Pennsylvania during modern time. Just like Montgomery’s Anne, Weir’s Anne is curious, energetic, competitive, imaginative, sensitive, and smart. But she also has a tendency to get into trouble which makes Marilla, her foster mom, question whether she and her brother Matthew should keep her. In both stories, Anne is good friends with Diana Barry, and she dislikes a popular boy named Gilbert Blythe who competes with her academically. In Montgomery’s telling, Anne eventually develops a crush on Gilbert, but in Weir’s adaptation, Anne develops a crush on a female character. In West Philly, Weir’s Anne attends a school with a STEM program and a robotics club which is very different than the one room school house on Prince Edward Island that Montgomery’s Anne attends. In both stories, the Cuthberts grow quite fond of Anne and choose to keep her as their own.
My Review: I am a fan of the original Anne of Green Gables, so naturally I enjoyed Weir and Hayne’s graphic retelling. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and bright, and they clearly capture the action that is taking place. The retelling is cleverly based on the original story with the main differences being the setting and the race of the characters. Children who are Black or Hispanic and who live in a modern day city may identify more with the characters in Anne of West Philly than with the characters in Anne of Green Gables. But regardless, the authors of both books, through their stories, encourage young readers to have good values, respectful behavior, kind attitudes, accepting mindsets, and loving hearts.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Surprising, Clever, and Entertaining
Give This a Try if You Like…The Secret Garden on 81t Street, also a graphic novel by Ivy Weir or Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden. The original Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery has been made into musicals, plays, animation, films, and live action TV programs.
Rating: 4.5/5
#FDL: While You’re Waiting to Read Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros’ The Fourth Wing is topping the bestseller charts this summer! While you are waiting to get your hands on this romantasy, try one of these similar titles in our collection.
A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire LegrandLady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She’s young, gorgeous, and rich. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists. Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.
Suspenseful fantasy, rich worldbuilding, Romantasy
At the Convent of Sweet Mercy, young girls are raised to be killers. In some few children the old bloods show, gifting rare talents that can be honed to deadly or mystic effect. But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls. A bloodstained child of nine falsely accused of murder, guilty of worse, Nona is stolen from the shadow of the noose. It takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist, but under Abbess Glass’s care there is much more to learn than the arts of death. Among her class Nona finds a new family—and new enemies.
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone–even the lowborn–a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders. Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet. But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.
Action packed, Fantasy Romance, Forbidden love
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa TahirUnder the Martial Empire, those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.
Young Adult, Richly Detailed, Dystopia, Romance Fantasy
-Annotations from the publishers
–Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
FDL: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
By: Rebecca Skloot
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Adult Services Specialist
Genre: Non-fiction, Biographical
Suggested Age: Teens, Adults
What is the book about? Henrietta Lacks’ life was short, she only lived to be 31 years old. However, her legacy as the source of the first “immortal” human cell line was something that the world knew nothing about for decades. As a young student, the author (Rebecca Skloot) became fascinated with finding out more about Henrietta Lacks…a person who was only briefly acknowledged by one of her biology teachers, but no other information seemed to be known about her. Skloot wanted to find out more and clung to any nugget of information that she happened upon. Until one day, she was given the chance to talk to the surviving family of Henrietta Lacks, but there was a catch. They were not eager to share with the outside world. This book follows three main narratives: Henrietta Lacks’ disease progression, her family’s history (before and after her death), and the cells cultured from her tumor (cells that did not die) known as “HeLa.”
My Review: I thought this book was an emotional rollercoaster, but a rewarding listen (CD audiobook). The author spent nearly 10 years investigating and working with the Lacks family to find out anything they could about Henrietta and HeLa. Medical researchers gained the “miracle” of the HeLa cells that led to many important medical breakthroughs, including three Nobel Prizes. However, HeLa didn’t benefit Henrietta’s children, children that were thrust into a new life without their mother. I was at times saddened, shocked, outraged, encouraged, and uplifted by this book. For me, knowing that in recent news, her descendants have successfully sued and settled with at least one of the companies that continues to profit from HeLa cells added to my feeling of closure at the end of the book. Henrietta’s story is one that needed to be shared with the world.
Trigger warning: violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and the N word.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Tragic, Whirlwind, Invaluable
Give This a Try if You Like…Lab Girl by Hope Jaren, The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 4.5/5
FDL Reads: House of Hunger
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Horror
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Marion Shaw is a young maid who lives with her addict brother in the industrial town of Prane. After years of abuse from her employer, Marion finds a tempting ad in the paper. A noble house from the north is calling for young women to become “bloodmaids.” Women who bleed for the House of Hunger so that aristocrats can feed off the blood’s “healing” properties. The setting resembles that of nineteenth century Europe, where noble houses rule an agrarian society and industrialized cities breed poverty. Set in a different world than our own, House of Hunger tells the story of an underprivileged woman finding the opportunity of a lifetime. However, this opportunity comes at a cost as Marion maneuvers the House politics and discovers a dark secret no one is prepared to handle.
My Review: This is a very interesting gothic horror that gives the feel of a vampire novel, without actually having vampires. Marion Shaw is seduced into becoming a bloodmaid as she is showered with fine lodging and sweets galore. All she has to do is feed the nobles, especially the House Head, Countess Lisavet, her blood. The Countess is intoxicated by Marion’s blood and a budding romance begins to bloom after they first meet. Naturally, there is jealousy lurking among the other bloodmaids and being the favorite comes at a high price. This book offers a great deal of gothic depictions within an aristocratic lifestyle, rife with violence and gluttony. And, of course, there is a heinous House secret that Marion must unearth if she ever wants to survive the House of Hunger. This book is great if you like gothic horror, vampires, or any sort of creepy genre.
Three Words that Describe this Book: horror, gothic, vampirism
Give This A Try if You Like… Handmaid’s Tale, Interview with the Vampire, Jane Eyre, Rebecca, Dowry of the Dead
Rating: 4/5
Find Your Voice Writing Contest for Kids– Winners!
We’re excited to announce the winners of our Find Your Voice Writing Contest for kids!
A big congratulations to our winners! We had so many fantastic entries for this summer’s writing contest. It was hard to choose. Thank you to all of the talented authors who participated!
Ages 5-7
1st place: Kinley Smith
2nd place: Avery Clarkson
3rd place: Elena Lynn
Ages 8-10
1st place: Cali Rumpel
2nd place: Valerie Lynn
3rd place: Piper Cole
Ages 11-14
1st place: Harlow Sharum
2nd place: Clay Jordan
3rd place: Isabel Bone
Follow the links below to read our winning stories. There’s still time for teens and adults to participate in their writing contest!
The Summer Picnic by Kinley Smith
Daisy’s Lesson by Avery Clarkson
Even Circuses Are Hard Work by Valerie Lynn
Where Has Summer Gone by Piper Cole