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#FDL: Poetry Collections for Poetry Month

April is Poetry Month. Check out one of these newer collections of poetry at our library!

A Year of Last Things By Michael Ondaatje

Following several of his internationally acclaimed novels, A Year of Last Things is Michael Ondaatje’s long-awaited return to poetry. In pieces that are sometimes witty, sometimes moving, and always wise, we journey back through time by way of alchemical leaps, unearthing writings by revered masters, moments of shared tenderness, and the abandoned landscapes we hold on to to rediscover the influence of every border crossed.

Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances By Kwame Alexander

In an intimate and non-traditional (or “new-fashioned”) memoir, Kwame Alexander shares snapshots of a man learning how to love. He takes us through stories of his parents: from being awkward newlyweds in the sticky Chicago summer of 1967, to the sometimes-confusing ways they showed their love to each other, and for him. He explores his own relationships—his difficulties as a newly wedded, 22-year-old father, and the precariousness of his early marriage working in a jazz club with his second wife. Alexander attempts to deal with the unravelling of his marriage and the grief of his mother’s recent passing while sharing the solace he found in learning how to perfect her famous fried chicken dish. Alexander weaves together memories of his past to try and understand his greatest love: his daughters.

Sing a Black Girl’s Song: The Unpublished Work of Ntozake Shange By Ntozake Shange

Sing a Black Girl’s Song is a new posthumous collection of Shange’s unpublished poems, essays, and plays from throughout the life of the seminal Black feminist writer. In these pages we meet young Shange, learn the moments that inspired for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf…, travel with an eclectic family of musicians, sit on “The Couch” opposite Shange’s therapist, and discover plays written after for colored girls’ international success. Sing a Black Girl’s Song houses, in their original form, the literary rebel’s politically charged verses from the Black Arts Movement era alongside her signature tender rhythm and cadence that capture the minutia and nuance of Black life.

Latitude Natasha Rao

Chosen as the winner of the 2021 APR/Honickman First Book Prize by Guggenheim Fellow Ada Limón, Natasha Rao’s debut collection Latitude abounds with sensory delights, rich in colors, flavors, and sounds. These poems explore the complexities of family, cultural identity, and coming of age. By turns vulnerable and bold, Latitude indulges in desire: “In my next life let me be a tomato/lusting and unafraid,” Rao writes, “…knowing I’ll end up in an eager mouth.”

*Annotations from the publishers

Posted by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

Susie Rivera2024-04-17T10:03:52-05:00April 17th, 2024|

Superstars of Women’s Basketball

Did you join the women’s sports bandwagon during March Madness? If you haven’t, no worries, there is still plenty of time! For all those aspiring women’s basketball fans, the library has you covered with some great books that will give you a crash course on all things women’s basketball just in time for the summer Olympics and WNBA season! (photo courtesy of ESPN)

Here are a few good reads that celebrate legendary and modern women’s basketball stars:

Suggested Ages: 8 and up

AT FDL!

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women’s Hoops On the Map
by Sue Macy

Inaugural Ballers : the True Story of the First US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team
by Andrew Maraniss

Women Athletes Who Rule!
by Elizabeth McGarr McCue

ON HOOPLA!

G.O.A.T. Women’s Basketball Teams
by Matt Doeden

Legends of Women’s Basketball
by Emma Huddleston

Women in Basketball
by A. W. Buckey

by Jacob Roberts, Youth Services Specialist

Julie Nutt2024-04-16T10:32:07-05:00April 16th, 2024|

FDL Reads: The Honey Bus

The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees by Meredith May

Reviewed By: Rebecca Cox, Business Manager

Genre: Non-Fiction

Suggested Age: Adults

What is This Book About? The Honey Bus is the story of Meredith May’s childhood and how after her parents divorce she found herself in California with her grandparents and forging a connection with her grandfather, who kept bees and made honey in the back of a converted old military bus in his yard. Meredith’s tough childhood is paralleled by the lessons she learns from helping her grandfather to keep bees and learning about the magic of the hive.

My Review: I am currently part of a beekeeping mentorship with Hilary Kearney (author of Queenspotting, the book I reviewed earlier this year) and this book popped up on the syllabus. I love hearing and reading about other people’s experiences with bees so I was quick to pick this book up but…very slow to finish it. This book is incredible and Meredith May’s gift for telling a story is just extraordinary, but the story itself is somewhat hard to digest at times. After her parents’ divorce, May’s mother takes her and her brother to live with her parents in California and then recedes into despair, re-emerging only to inflict pain on May in some horrifying ways. I would definitely add a trigger warning to this book for those who have dealt with emotional abuse because there is a fair share doled out, but May’s relationship with her grandfather and what he teaches her about bees is the biggest takeaway. Their bond and how he helped her to overcome an agonizing childhood is nothing short of beautiful.

Three Words that Describe this Book: Inspiring, Informative, Beautiful

Give this a try if you like… Loving Edie by Meredith May, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Homes

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2024-04-11T11:26:25-05:00April 11th, 2024|

FDL Reads: Never Lie

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

Reviewed By: Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist

Genre: Fiction

Suggested age: Adults

What is this book about? Ethan and Tricia are looking to buy their first home. They get an opportunity to view a mansion, the former home of a psychiatrist who went missing several months before. A terrible blizzard traps them inside with no way of leaving soon. Dr. Hale’s possessions are still there, including hidden audio tapes from patient sessions. When Tricia finds them, she can’t stop from listening. Slowly but surely, the clues about Dr. Hale’s disappearance are revealed along with many other sinister secrets.

My review: This book is a faced-paced psychological thriller that is a bit reminiscent of classic gothic novels. There is a giant, old mansion where you know something evil has happened. Mysteries not only surround the disappearance of Dr. Hale, but something seems off about one of the main characters as well. There are many red herrings that seem very obvious, but the twists and the end are clever, though looking back some POVs don’t seem to totally add up. This is a quick, tightly wound novel that will keep you turning pages until the end!

Three words that describe this book: Suspenseful, fast-paced, psychological

Give this a try if you like: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, The Guest List by Lucy Foley, The Co-Worker by Freida McFadden

Rating: 4/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2024-04-09T16:19:33-05:00April 9th, 2024|

#FDL: Mystery Thrillers – March Giveaway!

Mystery Thrillers – March Giveaway

If you crave fast-paced action laced with riddles and danger, these upcoming titles are for you.

The Memory Bank by Brian Shea & Raquel ByrnesMarcie R. Rendon

Expected publication: 03/19/24

When a series of high-profile deaths is linked to a lethal conspiracy, Detective Morgan Reed must risk everything to uncover the truth. Technology pioneer Dr. Gerard Price is at the height of his scientific career. After years of research in the field of memory augmentation, he’s just made a world-changing breakthrough. But his life’s work is mysteriously cut short by a fatal overdose in a seedy motel. All evidence points to a suicide, and the case is closed…until Detective Morgan Reed begins working a series of similarly strange deaths.

As Reed joins forces with Detective Natalie De La Cruz to expose the lies and corporate treachery at the heart of the suicides, they discover a shocking plot that will put thousands of lives at risk. In a world where cutting-edge technology meets dirty money, Reed and De La Cruz must navigate the labyrinths of an impenetrable network to save countless innocents from certain death…as their own lives hang in the balance. Former detective and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Brian Shea teams up with Raquel Byrnes for this explosive techno-thriller that will keep you up all night—perfect for fans of Michael Crichton and David Baldacci.

The North Line by Matt Riordan

Expected Publication: 04/02/24

In Matt Riordan’s debut novel, a college student in need of quick money finds work on an Alaskan fishing boat in the unforgiving Bering Sea. Even at the ragged edge of civilization, some lines should not be crossed. Riordan pairs personal experiences with a master storyteller’s eye in a piercing examination of the quest for identity in the face of tempests within and without.

Everyone believes Adam to be something he’s not. Sometimes that’s because he’s told them a story. Sometimes he’s told himself one. But when Adam joins an Alaskan fishing crew that’s promising quick money, the dangerous work and harsh lifestyle strip away all fabrications and force a dark-hearted exploration of who he really is.

On the unforgiving Bering Sea, Adam finds the adventure and authenticity of a fisherman’s life revelatory. The labor required to seize bounty from the ocean invigorates him, and the often crude comradery accompanies a welcome, hard-earned wisdom. But when a strike threatens the entire season and violence stalks the waves, Adam is thrust into a struggle for survival at the edge of the world, where evolutionary and social forces collide for outcomes beyond anyone’s control.

The General’s Gold by LynDee Walker & Bruce Robert Coffin

Expected publication: 04/16/24

A treasure so priceless, it’s worth killing for… When Mark Hawkins is found dead in a seedy motel, police deem it an accidental overdose. But billionaire computer genius Avery Turner suspects there might be more to the story. Her old friend was on the trail of the legendary General’s Gold, and now Avery is determined to pick up where he left off… Teaming up with Carter Mosley, a deep-sea shipwreck diver and adrenaline junkie turned social media sensation, Avery embarks on a dangerous quest for the treasure—and the truth.

From Florida to Maine, and from the mountains of Virginia to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, they face treacherous gangs, man-eating sharks, and a world of deception and double-crosses. As they navigate hidden clues and uncertain allies, Avery and Carter must outwit their deadly adversaries and unravel the mystery surrounding the General’s Gold. But in this high-stakes game, losing the treasure could cost them their lives. Unearth the year’s most exhilarating treasure-hunting thriller. Join bestselling authors LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin in a pulse-pounding action-adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you love the action of Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series and the intrigue of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, dive into The General’s Gold today!

The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Expected publication: 05/07/24

In this atmospheric thriller set at a luxury memoir-writing workshop on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a grieving mother goes undercover to investigate her daughter’s mysterious death.

Rose, the mother of 20-something aspiring writer Jules, has waited three months for answers about her daughter’s death. Why was she swimming alone when she feared the water? Why did she stop texting days before she was last seen? When the official investigation rules the death an accidental drowning, the body possibly lost forever in Central America’s deepest lake, an unsatisfied Rose travels to the memoir workshop herself. She hopes to draw her own conclusion—and find closure.

When Rose arrives, she is swept into the curious world created by her daughter’s literary hero, the famous writing teacher Eva Marshall, a charismatic woman known for her candid—and controversial—memoirs. As Rose uncovers details about the days leading up to Jules’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that this glamorous retreat package is hiding ugly truths. Is Lake Atitlan a place where traumatized women come to heal or a place where deeper injury is inflicted?

Perfect for fans of Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, and Julia Bartz, The Deepest Lake is both a sharp look at the sometimes toxic, exclusionary world of high-class writing workshops and an achingly poignant view of a mother’s grief.

-Annotations from the publishers

–Post by Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist

Giveaway

Enter your name here for a chance to win ARCs of the books mentioned in this post. One entry per person. Drawing to be held approximately 7 days after this post.

ARCs are “advanced reading copies.” These are free copies of a new books given by a publisher to librarians and other reviewers before the book is printed for mass distribution.

#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria.

Susie Rivera2024-03-28T19:29:48-05:00March 28th, 2024|

FDL Reads: Butterfly Yellow

Title: Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai

Reviewer: Deb Alig, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Historical Fiction

Suggested Age: Young Adult Literature

What is this book about? It’s 1981 and Hang, an eighteen-year-old Vietnamese refugee who just arrived at her Uncle’s house after living in a camp in the Philippines, is on a bus heading to Amarillo, Texas with the help of her cousin En Di, hoping to find her younger brother who was taken to America in 1975 during Operation Babylift. She is heading to Amarillo because she was given a slip of paper from an American volunteer with an Amarillo address on it when her brother was taken from her and put on a plane. Hang gets sick while on the bus so the driver pulls over and leaves her alone at a rest stop. She approaches an elderly couple for help and shows them a card that En Di made which says, “I come from Vietnam to rescue my brother.” The couple then encourages an eighteen-year-old aspiring cowboy named LeeRoy whom they meet to drive her to Amarillo, and as fate would have it, he does. Unfortunately, the address in Amarillo is a dilapidated church with no sign of Hang’s brother living there. Fortunately, Hang and LeeRoy meet Mrs. Brown who lives next door who remembers a young Vietnamese boy who was adopted and taken to Los Cedros Ranch in Canyon, Texas. Hang sketches a picture of her brother, Linh, and Mrs. Brown recognizes him, but refers to him as David. Hang and LeeRoy head to the Los Cedros Ranch. When they arrive it is clear that Linh does not remember his sister and Linh’s adoptive mother, Cora, is troubled that they are there. Cora feels threatened by Hang’s presence, and to complicate matters, Hang and Linh’s uncle who lives in Texas shows up at the ranch and pressures Hang to testify in front of a judge that Linh was kidnapped and therefore cannot be legally adopted by Cora. But Hang knows better. She has been keeping a secret for six years. Linh was not kidnapped. He was taken by the Americans as an orphan when she attempted to escape Vietnam by plane with him in 1975. Hence, Cora can legally adopt him.

LeeRoy and Hang get hired by Mr. Morgan, Cora’s neighbor, to work on his ranch for the summer. David, or Linh, cares for his horse at the stable and also helps out at the ranch. Cora has made it clear to Hang that she is not to spend any time with her son. Though she is not to go near him, she is grateful that she can see him even from a distance. When she has the chance to talk with him, he ignores her. She feels as though he does not remember her, their family, or Vietnam. She writes 184 stories about Vietnam as best she can in English and sketches pictures of fruit in hopes her brother will remember or recognize something from his past. The climax of the book occurs near the end when LeeRoy, Hang, and David go to the fair where they ride a Ferris Wheel. While at the top, a yellow butterfly lands on David, and Hang begins to sing in Vietnamese a song about a yellow butterfly that she used to sing to her brother when he was little. Surprisingly, David begins to sing along with his sister in Vietnamese. After six long years of missing her little brother while he was in the United States and she was in Vietnam, Hang’s dream of reconnecting with him has finally come true as symbolized by the yellow butterfly which signifies hope in Vietnamese culture.

My Review: Butterfly Yellow is a complex book to read. First, the story takes place in both Vietnam and the United States during two different time periods. Second, there are two main characters, LeeRoy and Hang, who have specific life goals that intertwine with each other. Third, Hang tries to speak in English, but with Vietnamese pronunciation, which makes her dialogue very difficult to understand.

While reading this book, I learned about the struggles of Vietnamese families at the end of the war and about the Vietnamese refugees who came to the United States to relocate. I also learned about Vietnamese customs, language, and culture. Overall, the story was very intriguing. I highly recommend reading this book.

Rating: 5/5

Three Words that Describe this Book: historical, traumatic, hopeful

Give this a try if you like: Inside Out and Back Again; When Clouds Touch Us; Listen, Slowly (all by Thanhha Lai)

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2024-03-27T14:54:33-05:00March 27th, 2024|

FDL Reads: Wishtree

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Reviewed By: Jacob Roberts, Youth Services Specialist

Genre: Fiction

Suggested age: 8-11 years old

What is this book about? A beloved local tree, named Red, has spent it’s whole life observing the community around them. They are the one place everybody can go to relinquish their wishes. The community has always welcomed everybody that has ventured into their small town. However, hate starts to bubble up in the community, when a new family moves across the street, and the police find the word “leave” carved into Red’s trunk. There is soon talk about getting rid of old traditions, and the tree that goes along with them. None of this would bother Red, except that they feel they have spent too much of life just observing, and long to make an active difference in this new family’s life.

My review: Applegate does a great job at balancing rightly deserved sorrowful, with seemingly unexplainable optimism. Red has such a playful contemplation, even when they face the end of their life. This book does a perfect job at introducing young readers to the skill of reflection. It never feels overly philosophical. Everything that Red reflects on throughout the book is well written, and simplified for the recommended age range.

Three words that describe this book: Heartfelt, contemplative, pure

Give this a try if you like: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

FDL Reads

Susie Rivera2024-03-21T18:24:35-05:00March 21st, 2024|

Children’s Books for Spring

Spring’s greatest joy beyond a doubt is when it brings the children out – Edgar Guest

It is said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Springtime arrives in the middle of the month. March is a picture of baby bunnies, baby chicks and flowers. March also brings us the beginning of daylight-saving time, St. Patrick’s Day, Good Friday, and Easter.

There are so many delightful books about the season of spring. Many of the subjects covered in these books are about warming temperatures and new life. These books focus on the end of hibernation, the sprouting of seeds, the budding of trees, and the return of migratory birds. March is a month full of new life and new beginnings.

Abracadabra, It’s Spring!

Bloom, Boom!

Diego’s Springtime Fiesta

Finding Spring

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

Spring is Here

by Christy Schurter, Youth Services Assistant

Julie Nutt2024-03-07T14:12:12-06:00March 15th, 2024|

FDL Reads: The Salt Grows Heavy

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Communications Specialist

Genre: Horror

Suggested age: Adult, Young Adult

What is this book about? “You may think you know how the fairy tale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes. On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood, and three “saints” who control them. The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruelest parts of their true natures if they hope to survive.” (-annotation from the publisher)

My review: This is NOT The Little Mermaid – unless Ariel has fangs and hungers for blood, and her merman husband cut out her tongue. While the mermaid’s daughters are responsible for burning her land-husband’s kingdom to the ground, they are not mentioned beyond a few sentences. (I was really looking forward to some creepy-kid mermaids.)

I didn’t have to wait long for my creepy kids, though – something akin to Lord of the Flies, or Children of the Corn, is going on in the woods just outside the remains of the kingdom. The children are not unlike the mermaid in some ways – they are not wholly human, both in behavior and biology. The children’s unusual behavior and physical characteristics are the work of three unscrupulous “saints,” who seem more like Nazi doctors experimenting on their captives.

The relationship between the mermaid and the plague doctor is platonic, but peppered with affection and true love. The plague doctor’s pronoun throughout the story is they/them, by the mermaid’s description. However, the pair’s feelings for each other surpass pronouns, gender, and even species, to form a bond that continues to flourish beyond death. The descriptions of grief and loss are not heartbreaking, but glittery like the billowing hair and shimmering scales of a mermaid. Their story is described beautifully in the author’s acknowledgements: “…people who won’t give up on each other, who stay even when the world crumbles to ash, who hold on even when there’s nothing but hope.”

Three words that describe this book: alluring, gruesome, tragic

Give this a try if you like: Japanese horror; fairy tales with a dark twist; movies or books with creepy kids

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

Susie Rivera2024-03-13T13:28:35-05:00March 13th, 2024|

#FDL: Nonfiction for Women’s History Month

Check out one of these fascinating nonfiction books about remarkable women for Women’s History Month! Try one these or find more available through our collection.

How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez

She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II Denise Kiernan

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong

The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos by Judy Batalion

A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry

Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine by Olivia Campbell

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon