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Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day

Cats are delightful and friendly creatures, regardless of their color. Forget about the old superstitions and give black cats the love they deserve!

 

Books Starring Black Cats for Children

Jane on Her Own    Big Cat, Little Cat    Splat the Cat    Top Cat      Can Cat and Bird Be Friends?    Tumford the Terrible

Jane on Her Own: A Catwings Tale by Ursula K. Le Guin (J PB LEGUIN)

When Jane, a cat with wings, leaves the safety of her farm to explore the world, she falls into the hands of a man who keeps her prisoner and exploits her for money.

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper (E COOPER)

A story of friendship begins, following the two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn’t come back.

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton (E SCOTTO)

A nervous Splat finds his first day at Cat School much better than he expected.

Top Cat by Lois Ehlert (E EHLERT)

The top cat in a household is reluctant to accept the arrival of a new kitten but decides to share various survival secrets with it.

Can Cat and Bird Be Friends? by Coll Muir (E MUIR)

Instead of eating Bird, Cat decides that friendship is better, but will the pair find something in common?

Tumford the Terrible by Nancy Tillman (E TILLMA)

Even though Tumford the cat is well loved by George and Violet Stoutt, they despair of ever teaching him to apologize when he does something wrong.

Si le das un pastelito a un gato escrito por Laura Numeroff (SPA E NUMERO)

Discover in Spanish a series of increasingly far-fetched events might occur if someone were to give a cupcake to a cat.

Bad Kitty Goes on Vacation by Nick Bruel (GN JF BRUEL N)

Kitty temporarily sets aside her plans for world domination to accompany her beloved Uncle Murray to Love Love Angel Kitty World, which proves to be adventurous in unexpected ways.

Pumpkin Cat by Anne Mortimer (E MORTIM)

Mouse shows Cat how to grow pumpkins, then turns one into a surprise. Includes facts about growing pumpkins.

Bruno, the Standing Cat by Nadine Robert & Jean Jullien (E ROBERT)

When a box arrives on Peter’s doorstep, he opens it to find Bruno, a cat who is standing up on two legs. It is very odd. Bruno likes to chew bubble gum, play house, and skateboard–and refuses to engage in any catlike behavior. But Peter likes Bruno, and so they become friends.

 

Black Cat Books for Adults

Close Encounters of the Furred Kind : New Adventures with My Sad Cat and Other Feline Friends                Homer's Odyssey : A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat               Undercover Kitty               A Three Book Problem : A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery             The Black Cat

Close Encounters of the Furred Kind by Tom Cox (636.8 COX)

Close Encounters of the Furred Kind begins with a long, emotional goodbye to Norfolk, and continues with another amazing new lease on life for The Bear, the Benjamin Button of the cat world, among the bluebells and verdant hedgerows of Devon. Readers who became attached to The Bear’s magical, owlish persona during his previous adventures will become more so here as he proves, once again, that he’s a cat with endless secrets and significantly more than nine lives.

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper (636.80929 COO)

A pet rescue volunteer and literacy outreach coordinator describes her relationship with a three-pound blind cat whose daredevil character and affectionate personality saw the author through six moves, a burglary, and the healing of her broken heart.

Undercover Kitty by Sofie Ryan (PB RYAN)

Hired to look into who is sabotaging cat shows in the state, Sarah, along with Charlotte’s Angels, finds things getting hairy when murder enters the competition, and must pounce on the killer before it’s too late.

A Three Book Problem by Vicki Delany (FIC DELANY V)

It’s a crisp, early October weekend, and business is slowing down as fall descends at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. A wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian has rented Suffolk Gardens House, where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country house weekend. It quickly becomes apparent that his guests don’t like each other–or their host. Soon a poisoned dart sails through the window of the library, creating a true three-book problem.

The Black Cat by Martha Grimes (FIC GRIMES M)

Jury investigates the death of a young escort who has been murdered behind a local pub. The only witness is the establishment’s black cat, who gives neither crook nor clue as to the girl’s identity or her killer’s.

 

 

 

Today is National Pet Day

“It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” John Grogan, American Author

Come learn about different types of pets, how to take care of a pet, and more at the Lititz Public Library!

 

May I Pet Your Dog? : The How-To Guide for Kids Meeting Dogs (and Dogs Meeting Kids)     May I pet your dog? : the how-to guide for kids meeting dogs (and dogs meeting kids)  by Stephanie Calmenson ; illustrated by Jan Ormerod.

Children encounter dogs wherever they go: in the park, on the sidewalk, at their friends’ homes. Sometimes it’s love at first sight, on both sides–but not always. The right way for a child to approach a dog to ensure that the first connection is a complete success begins with this question to the owner.

 

Sparky! Sparky! written by Jenny Offill ; illustrated by Chris Appelhans.

A child takes a sloth named Sparky as a pet.

 

The Perfect Pet  The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini ; illustrated by Bruce Whatley.

Bird? Bunny? Turtle? Fish? Elizabeth really, really wants a pet, but her parents say NO to all of her ideas. Instead, she ends up with a cactus called Carolyn. And after some very unsuccessful campaigning, to her wonderful surprise, Elizabeth encounters Doug — surely the most unusual and special pet of all.

 

Maisy Gets a Pet  Maisy gets a pet / Lucy Cousins.

Maisy is getting her very own pet! Join Maisy as she learns how to be a good pet owner, from being patient and gentle to vet visits and playtime

 

Cool Pet Treats : Easy Recipes for Kids to Bake  Cool pet treats : easy recipes for kids to bake / Pam Price

Feeding your pet has never been so much fun! From cornbread bones to tuna snacks, “Cool Pet Treats” contains kid-tested, cool recipes that will have children baking–and loving it!

 

  Small Pet Care : How to Look after Your Rabbit, Guinea Pig, or Hamster  Small pet care : how to look after your rabbit, guinea pig, or hamster / Annabel Blackledge

Colorful pictures and simple text illustrate the proper care and feeding of rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pig pets.

 

The Ultimate Pet Health Guide : Breakthrough Nutrition and Integrative Care for Dogs and Cats  The ultimate pet health guide : breakthrough nutrition and integrative care for dogs and cats by Gary Richter, M.S., D.V.M

As a holistic veterinarian and scientist, Dr. Gary Richter helps dog and cat owners to navigate the thicket of treatment options and separate the fact from the fiction.

 

You and Your Pet Bird  You & your pet bird by David Alderton ; photography by Cyril Laubscher

A complete guide to cage and aviary birds: their care, health, and behavior.

 

 

Kitten Care : A Guide for Young Pet Owners  Kitten care : a guide to loving and nurturing your pet by Kim Dennis-Bryan

Find out how to keep your new kitten healthy and happy with this fully illustrated guide. It’s packed with practical advice to help young owners care for their new pets. Kitten Care includes everything from advice on how to choose a kitten and what to expect behaviorally, to tips for feeding a growing cat and keeping a clean litter box.

 

The Secret Life of Pets  The secret life of pets / Illumination Entertainment ; written by Brian Lynch, Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio ; directed by Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney.

A hilarious comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.

 

A Dog's Purpose  A dog’s purpose / Amblin Entertainment and Reliance Entertainment present in association with Walden Media a Pariah production ; directed by Lasse Hallström ; screenplay by W. Bruce Cameron and four others

A dog looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners.

Supreme Court in the News

As we await what would be a historic moment for the United States Supreme Court should Ketanji Brown Jackson be confirmed, Lititz Public Library offers this selection of recent books on the history and members, past and present, of the Court. From Chief Justice Marbury, considered the father of the Supreme Court as we know it, to the contentious confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, we hope these books provide a lesson in how the Court began and the lives of its justices over the years.

John Marshall : The Forgotten FoJohn Marshall : the final founder : a biography and thoughts on the issues of American history he inspired / Robert Strauss – Eighteenth- and 19th-century contemporaries believed Marshall to be, if not the equal of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, at least very close to that pantheon. John Marshall: The Final Founder demonstrates that not only can Marshall be considered one of those Founding Fathers, but that what he did as the Chief Justice was not just significant, but the glue that held the union together after the original founding days. The Supreme Court met in the basement of the new Capitol building in Washington when Marshall took over, which is just about what the executive and legislative branches thought of the judiciary.

A user’s guide to democracy : how America works / Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy ; illustrated by Tom Toro –  It’s the book that sits on your desk for quick reference when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government, to what you can actually do to make your vote count, to how our founding documents practically affect our daily lives.

The American story : conversations with master historians / David M. Rubenstein – Through his popular program The David Rubenstein Show, David Rubenstein has established himself as one of our most thoughtful interviewers. Now, in The American Story, David captures the brilliance of our most esteemed historians, as well as the souls of their subjects. The book features introductions by Rubenstein as well a foreword by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to lead our national library. Richly illustrated with archival images from the Library of Congress, the book is destined to become a classic for serious readers of American history.

The Chief : The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John RobertsThe Chief : the life and turbulent times of Chief Justice John Roberts / Joan Biskupic – John Roberts was named to the Supreme Court in 2005 claiming he would act as a neutral umpire in deciding cases. His critics argue he has been anything but, pointing to his conservative victories on voting rights and campaign finance. Yet he broke from orthodoxy in his decision to preserve Obamacare. How are we to understand the motives of the most powerful judge in the land? In The Chief, … Biskupic contends that Roberts is torn between two, often divergent, priorities: to carry out a conservative agenda, and to protect the Court’s image and his place in history.

First : Sandra Day O’Connor / Evan Thomas – Based on exclusive interviews and access to the Supreme Court archives, this is the intimate, inspiring, and authoritative biography of America’s first female Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor–by New York Times bestselling author Evan Thomas.

The making of a justice : reflections on my first 94 years / Justice John Paul Stevens – When Justice John Paul Stevens retired from the Supreme Court of the United States in 2010, he left a legacy of service unequaled in the history of the Court. During his thirty-four-year tenure, Justice Stevens was a prolific writer, authoring more than 1000 opinions. In The Making of a Justice, he recounts his extraordinary life, offering an intimate and illuminating account of his service on the nation’s highest court.

Confirmation bias : inside Washington’s war over the Supreme Court, from Scalia’s death to Justice Kavanaugh / Carl Hulse – The Chief Washington Correspondent for the New York Times presents a richly detailed, news-breaking, and conversation-changing look at the unprecedented political fight to fill the Supreme Court seat made vacant by Antonin Scalia’s death–using it to explain the paralyzing and all but irreversible dysfunction across all three branches in the nation’s capital.

The Fourth Way : The Conservative Playbook for a Lasting GOP MajorityThe fourth way : the conservative playbook for a lasting GOP majority / Hugh Hewitt – Hewitt spells out how Trump and a unified GOP can transform the country and earn a lasting place in history. From defense to immigration, from entitlements to health care, Hewitt outlines how the new President, with the top leaders in Congress and with allies in fifty statehouses, can find a way out of the gridlock and the destructive showdowns that have marked the past quarter-century of American politics.

Dissent : the radicalization of the Republican Party and its capture of the Court / Jackie Calmes – An award-winning investigative journalist presents an account of the life and confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, featuring interviews with his accusers and evidence of his deceptions amongst the Republican Party’s drive toward the far right.

Justice on trial : the Kavanaugh confirmation and the future of the Supreme Court / Mollie Hemingway, Carrie Severino – Justice Anthony Kennedy slipped out of the Supreme Court building on June 27, 2018, and traveled incognito to the White House to inform President Donald Trump that he was retiring, setting in motion a political process that his successor, Brett Kavanaugh, would denounce three months later as a “national disgrace” and a “circus.”

Jane Against the World : Roe V. Wade and the Fight for Reproductive RightsJane against the world : Roe v. Wade and the fight for reproductive rights / Karen Blumenthal – A history of the fight for reproductive rights in the United States. Tracing the path to the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade and the continuing battle for women’s rights, Blumenthal examines the root causes of the current debate around abortion and repercussions that have affected generations of American women. This book intends to facilitate difficult discussions and awareness of a topic that is rarely touched on in school but affects each and every young person. Includes a glossary of legal and medical terms, timeline, and information about significant Supreme Court cases.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg : a life / Jane Sherron De Hart – The first full life–private, public, legal, philosophical–of the 107th Supreme Court Justice, one of the most profound and profoundly transformative legal minds of our time; a book fifteen years in work, written with the cooperation of Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself and based on many interviews with the justice, her husband, her children, her friends, and her associates.

Supreme inequality : the Supreme Court’s fifty-year battle for a more unjust America / Adam Cohen – In Supreme Inequality, bestselling author Adam Cohen surveys the most significant Supreme Court rulings since the Nixon era and exposes how, contrary to what Americans like to believe, the Supreme Court does little to protect the rights of the poor and disadvantaged; in fact, it has not been on their side for fifty years. Cohen proves beyond doubt that the modern Court has been one of the leading forces behind the nation’s soaring level of economic inequality, and that an institution revered as a source of fairness has been systematically making America less fair.

Top “Under the Radar” Books from Last Year

Panorama Project provides local booksellers with quarterly lists of popular fiction, nonfiction, and young adult titles that are in demand at public libraries beyond their initial promotional windows—optimized for local interest via regional groupings aligned with the American Booksellers Association’s (ABA) regional associations. Here are the top 20 picks for our region.

New Atlantic Region

The PromiseHell of a Book : A NovelNo One Is Talking about This : A NovelThe One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot : A NovelThe Crown of Gilded BonesLuckyNeon Gods : A Scorchingly Hot Modern Retelling of Hades and PersephoneHow Beautiful We Were : A NovelThe GuncleLocal Woman Missing : A Novel

The Promise / Damon Galgut – “Haunted by an unmet promise, the Swart family loses touch after the death of their matriarch. Adrift, the lives of the three siblings move separately through the uncharted waters of South Africa: Anton, the golden boy who bitterly resents his life’s unfulfilled promises; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by a nebulous feeling of guilt. Reunited by four funerals over three decades, the dwindling family reflects the atmosphere of its country– an atmosphere of resentment, renewal, and ultimately hope”

Hell of a book : or the altogether factual, Wholly Bona Fide story of a big dreams, hard luck, American-Made Mad Kid Jason Mott – “From a New York Times bestselling author, an astounding work of fiction, both incredibly funny and heartfelt, asking readers to embrace the fantastical in order to get to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon not only Black Americans, but America as a whole”

No one is talking about this Patricia Lockwood – Fragmentary and omniscient, incisive and sincere, No One Is Talking About This is at once a love letter to the endless scroll and a profound, modern meditation on love, language, and human connection from a singular voice in American literature.

The one hundred years of Lenni and Margot : a novel Marianne Cronin – “Life is short. No one knows that better than seventeen-year-old Lenni Petterssen. On the Terminal Ward, the nurses are offering their condolences already, but Lenni still has plenty of living to do. When she meets 83-year-old Margot Macrae, a fellow patient offering new friendship and enviable artistic skills, Lenni’s life begins to soar in ways she’d never imagined”

The crown of gilded bones Jennifer L. Armentrout – She’s been the victim and the survivor…The enemy and the warrior…A lover and heartmate…And now she will become Queen…
Follow Poppy in this latest installment of the Blood and Ash series.

Lucky Marissa Stapley – When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune. As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved–whose dark past is catching up with her, too. This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, multilayered character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.

Neon gods Katee Robert – “Society darling Persephone Dimitriou wants nothing to do with her mother’s ambitions. She has plans to leave the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start her life far away from the backstabbing and politics. But that all goes down the drain when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade. With no options left, Persephone flees Olympus and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed was a myth…a man who awakens her heart and her body to a world she never knew existed”

How beautiful we were : a novel Imbolo Mbue – Told from the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary, How Beautiful We Were is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community’s determination to hold on to its ancestral land and a young woman’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people’s freedom.

The guncle : a novel / Steven Rowley – A warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer. Patrick has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed. So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting–even if temporary–isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human. With the humor and heart we’ve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

Local woman missing Mary Kubica – Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community ese incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold. Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…

Dial a for AuntiesMary Jane : A NovelGreat Circle : A NovelThe Dictionary of Lost Words : A NovelIn a HolidazeThe Twelve Dates of ChristmasThe Plot : A NovelGold Diggers : A NovelThe Once and Future Witches

Dial A for Aunties / Jesse Q. Sutanto – What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family? You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!

Mary Jane : a novel / Jessica Anya Blau – “Almost Famous meets Daisy Jones and the Six in this funny, wise and tender novel about a fourteen-year-old girl’s coming of age in 1970s Baltimore, caught between her straight-laced family and the progressive family she nannies for – who happen to be secretly hiding a famous rock star and his movie star wife for the summer”

Great circle / Maggie Shipstead – “After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There –after encountering a pair of pilots passing through town in a beat up Cessna–Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian’s disappearance over the South Pacific. Vibrant, canny, disgusted with the claustrophobia of Hollywood, Hadley is eager to re-define herself after a romantic film franchise has imprisoned her in the grip of cult celebrity. Her immersion into the character of Marian unfolds, thrillingly, alongside Marian’s own story, as the two womens’ fates–and their hunger for self-determination in vastly different geographies and times– collide.”

The dictionary of lost words : a novel Pip Williams – “The Dictionary of Lost Words is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Before the lost word, there was another. It arrived at the Scriptorium in a second-hand envelope, the old address crossed out and Dr Murray, Sunnyside, Oxford, written in its place. It was Da’s job to open the post and mine to sit on his lap, like a queen on her throne, and help him ease each word out of its folded cradle. He’d tell me what pile to put it on and sometimes he’d pause, cover my hand with his, and guide my finger up and down and around the letters, sounding them into my ear. He’d say the word, and I would echo it, then he’d tell me what it meant.”

In a holidaze / Christina Lauren – It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

The twelve dates of Christmas Jenny Bayliss – When it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say “Bah, humbug.” The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn’t exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate’s found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt’s neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor . . . right? Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before–and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures–Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it’s least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it’s been right under her nose all along. . .

The plot / Jean Hanff Korelitz – Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect; he hasn’t written–let alone published–anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot.

Gold diggers / Sanjena Sathian – “An Indian-American serio-comic and magical realist epic love story about the perils of ambition, tracing the mysterious alchemy of its characters’ transformation from high school in an Atlanta suburb through young adulthood in the Bay Area.”

The once and future witches / Alix E. Harrow – In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive. There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.

The sixth wedding / Elin Hilderbrand – A postscript to the #1 New York Times bestseller 28 Summers – Jake McCloud returns to Nantucket for Labor Day weekend 2023, this time without Mallory.

Getting to Know Ukraine

Ukraine features heavily in today’s news with Russia’s invasion and subsequent hostilities. Yet, many of us know very little of its role in history. This small selection of books may help us have a greater understanding and appreciation for a country and culture that has had, and continues to have, a central place in European affairs.

Good Citizens Need Not Fear : StoriesGood citizens need not fear / Maria Reva“These immersive linked stories grapple with Ukrainian history through the waning years of the USSR and birth pangs of democracy…Reva’s characters spark off the page as they confront a brutal bureaucratic past with the only tool they possess–hope.”–O, The Oprah Magazine

Don’t tell the Nazis / a novel by Marsha Forchuk SkrypuchIt is June 1941 and after the brutal rule of the Soviets the people of Krystia’s small Ukrainian village are inclined to look on the German invaders as liberators; but soon the Nazis start rounding up Jewish Ukrainians, and Krystia is faced with a terrible choice–risk everything by helping her Jewish friends and neighbors to hide, or save herself and her family by doing nothing.

Here, right matters : an American story / Alexander S. VindmanRetired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who found himself at the center of a firestorm for his decision to report the infamous phone call that led to presidential impeachment, tells his own story for the first time. Here, Right Matters is a stirring account of Vindman’s childhood as an immigrant growing up in New York City, his career in service of his new home on the battlefield and at the White House, and the decisions leading up to, and fallout surrounding, his exposure of President Trump’s abuse of power.

Ukraine What everyone needs to know® / Serhy YekelchykConventional wisdom dictates that Ukraine’s political crises can be traced to the linguistic differences and divided political loyalties that have long fractured the country. However, this theory obscures the true significance of Ukraine’s recent civic revolution and the conflict’s crucial international dimension. The 2013-14 Ukrainian revolution presented authoritarian powers in Russia with both a democratic and a geopolitical challenge. In reality, political conflict in Ukraine is reflective of global discord, stemming from differing views on state power, civil society, and
democracy.

The last empire : the final days of the Soviet Union / Serhii PlokhyDescribes the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, dispelling the myth that the event was spurred on in part by the close relationship between George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev. Drawing on recently declassified documents and original interviews with key participants, Plokhy presents a bold new interpretation of the Soviet Union’s final months and argues that the key to the Soviet collapse was the inability of the two largest Soviet republics, Russia and Ukraine, to agree on the continuing existence of a unified state. By attributing the Soviet collapse to the impact of American actions, US policy makers overrated their own capacities in toppling and rebuilding foreign regimes. Not only was the key American role in the demise of the Soviet Union a myth, but this misplaced belief has guided – and haunted – American foreign policy ever since”

The Road to Unfreedom : Russia, Europe, AmericaThe road to unfreedom : Russia, Europe, America / Timothy Snyder – In this forceful and unsparing work of contemporary history, based on vast research as well as personal reporting, Snyder goes beyond the headlines to expose the true nature of the threat to democracy and law. To understand the challenge is to see, and perhaps renew, the fundamental political virtues offered by tradition and demanded by the future. By revealing the stark choices before us–between equality or oligarchy, individuality or totality, truth and falsehood–Snyder restores our understanding of the basis of our way of life, offering a way forward in a time of terrible uncertainty.

From Cold War to hot peace : an American ambassador in Putin’s Russia / Michael McFaul – In 2008, when Michael McFaul was asked to leave his perch at Stanford and join an unlikely presidential campaign, he had no idea that he would find himself at the beating heart of one of today’s most contentious and consequential international relationships. As President Barack Obama’s adviser on Russian affairs, McFaul helped craft the United States’ policy known as “reset” that fostered new and unprecedented collaboration between the two countries.

Lessons from the Edge : A MemoirLessons from the edge : a memoir / Marie Yovanovitch – An inspiring and urgent memoir by the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine–a pioneering diplomat who spent her career advancing democracy in the post-Soviet world, and who electrified the nation by speaking truth to power during the first impeachment of President Trump.

The sky unwashed / a novel by Irene Zabytko – Marusia Petrenko lives with her family in a small farming village in the Ukraine. The year is 1986. Her son, Yurko, leaves for his shift at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl. In a matter of hours, the lives of Marusia, her son, and the rest of the village change forever as they find themselves in a permanent evacuation of their village. Chernobyl has had a meltdown. Marusia eventually returns to the village along with 5 other older women who are determined to live out their days in the village of their birth.

More books which touch on Ukrainian life and history in different degrees

Masks Optional for Entrance

Trends continue to indicate that we are moving from the pandemic to endemic stages of COVID-19. Based on the CDC’s most recent guidance, and the low rate of transmission as reported by healthcare officials in Lancaster County, effective Tuesday, March 8th mask wearing is optional to enter the Lititz Public Library.

Please note, however, that masks may still be required for certain events and spaces within the library building until otherwise noted. In those cases, failure to comply with library policies will be considered a violation of the Library’s Code of Conduct and will be handled accordingly.

It is important to note that masks remain optional and acknowledge that wearing a mask is a personal choice. The Lititz Public Library fully supports anyone who chooses to wear a mask and expects all patrons and employees of the Library to be civil, respectful and understanding of this choice.

We will continue to monitor local health data to inform library policies. Should COVID-19 cases rise again to significant levels, the Library may reinstate the indoor masking policy and will communicate that immediately.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

 

National Homemade Bread Day – November 17th

Did you know that the oldest known remains of bread date back to 14,000 years ago! Bread plays a significant role in many rituals, ceremonies, and traditions and is one of the only foods that is consumed around the world.

Stop ‘loafing’ around! You really ‘knead’ to come into the Lititz Public Library to check out these and other great books about bread!

 

Bread and Wine : A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with RecipesBread & wine : a love letter to life around the table, with recipes / Shauna Niequist
Bread & Wine is a collection of essays about family relationships, friendships, and the meals that bring us together.

Friendship bread : a novel / Darien Gee
Still reeling from a personal tragedy that left her estranged from the sister who was once her best friend, Julia Evarts remains at a loss as to how to move on with her life until she receives an anonymous gift of Amish Friendship Bread with instructions on how to make the bread herself, and a request to share it with others.

Mastering bread : the art and practice of handmade sourdough, yeast bread, and pastry / Marc Vetri and Claire Kopp McWilliams with David Joachim ; photography by Ed Anderson
From a master of the artisan bread movement comes a comprehensive guide to making incredible bread at home, featuring more than 80 delicious recipes.

The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread : Cakes, Cookies, Bars, Pastries and More from New York City's Favorite BakeryThe sweeter side of Amy’s Bread / Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree ; photography by Aimé Herring
An instructional cookbook from the famed New York bakery demonstrates how to re-create its famed pastries and sweet treats, including Cherry Cream Scones, Pecan Sticky Buns, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pink Cake, and other scones, muffins, cookies, bars, biscotti, layer cakes, and more.

Healthy bread in five minutes a day : 100 new recipes featuring whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and gluten-free ingredients / Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François ; photography by Mark Luinenburg
Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day will show you that there is time enough for home-baked bread, and that it can be part of a healthy diet.

Fry Bread : A Native American Family StoryFry bread : a Native American family story / written by Kevin Noble Maillard ; illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories. Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

Bread, bread, bread / Ann Morris ; photographs by Ken Heyman
At any given moment, someone in the world is eating bread. From bagels to baguettes, bread defines a particular culture and way of life like no other food.

Bread comes to life : a garden of wheat and a loaf to eat / by George Levenson ; photography by Shmuel Thaler
An explanation in rhyme of how bread is made, including growing a crop of wheat, threshing, making dough and baking.

All You Knead Is LoveAll you knead is love / Tanya Guerrero
Banished from her abusive home for a summer with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona, twelve-year-old Alba feels hope and love while exploring a newly discovered passion for bread baking.

Bread and jam for Frances / by Russell Hoban ; pictures by Lillian Hoban
Frances decides she likes to eat only bread and jam at every meal–until to her surprise–her parents grant her wish.

One dough, ten breads : making great bread by hand / Sarah Black ; photography by Lauren Volo
Start with the simplest ‘plain white’ dough, then makes small changes to ingredients, proportions, and shapes to take explore ten foundation breads, from baguettes to ciabatta to whole-wheat pain de campagne to sourdough.

Kneadlessly Simple : Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead BreadsKneadlessly simple : fabulous, fuss-free, no-knead breads / Nancy Baggett
The kneadlessly simple method: nine easy steps to great bread.

 

 

“Santa’s Story” Holiday StoryWalk®

The Lititz Public Library’s holiday StoryWalk® title is Santa’s Story by Will Hillenbrand. Santa is ready to leave on Christmas Eve, but he can’t find the reindeer anywhere. What are the reindeer doing and when will they be ready? Participate in the StoryWalk® to find out!

A StoryWalk® combines two healthy activities, taking a walk and reading a book. It is a self-directed activity for people of all ages which encourages participants to read a children’s picture book in stages while walking along a short path. Participants are encouraged to complete a simple activity at each page. StoryWalks® promote literacy, physical activity, parental involvement, and ties to the community.

The StoryWalk® begins to the right of the entrance to the Lititz Public Library and moves counterclockwise around the library property.

Virtual PUMPKIN DECORATING CONTEST!

GET INTO THE FALL SPIRIT BY DECORATING A PUMPKIN. DECORATE OR CARVE YOUR PUMPKIN TO LOOK LIKE A FAVORITE BOOK CHARACTER OR MAKE IT FUNNY, SCARY, OR UNIQUE!

Your pumpkin photos will be posted on our Facebook Page and in the library. This contest is OPEN TO ALL AGES!

ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A PRIZE!
ONE LUCKY PARTICIPANT IN EACH AGE CATEGORY WILL RECEIVE A
“BEST-IN-SHOW” PRIZE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION Click Here!!

National South Carolina Day

Did you know each state had its own “National Day”? Us either, if truth be told. But while there are some dubious stories as to how these days got proclaimed for celebration, it presents a wonderful opportunity to highlight some sections of our collection. We missed National Pennsylvania Day (July 20th), but we caught this one in time – so here’s to The Palmetto State itself, South Carolina.

Explorer's Guide South CarolinaSouth Carolina / Ivey Page ; with photographs by the author – South Carolina is a destination steeped in fascinating history and natural beauty. With Page Ivey’s advice, you can experience everything the Palmetto State has to offer. (917.5704 PAG)

Raising the Hunley : the remarkable history and recovery of the lost Confederate submarine / Brian Hicks and Schuyler Kropf – Based on research by the scientists who unsealed the Hunley, an account of the Confederate submarine relates its disappearance on February 17, 1864, after a confrontation with a Union battleship, and its miraculous recovery from Charleston Harbor in 2000. (973.757 HIC)

My losing season / Pat Conroy – The author reflects on the place of sports in his life, describing his love of basketball, the role of the athlete for young men searching for their own identity, his education at the Citadel, and his journey to best-selling writer. (796.323 CONROY CON)

My Vanishing Country : A MemoirMy vanishing country : a memoir / Bakari Sellers – The small town of Denmark was once a thriving hub of South Carolina’s idyllic Low Country. Today, this majority African-American town with a population of 3,500 is emblematic of the “Forgotten South.” For Sellers, Denmark is the land on which his forefathers toiled to build lives of meaning and substance, despite systemic racism and Jim Crow laws. He shines a light on life in today’s rural South, where Americans still struggle for the basics of modern life: internet access, groceries, medical care, and clean water. (328.73092 SEL)

The invention of wings / Sue Monk KiddThe story follows Hetty “Handful” Grimke, a Charleston slave, and Sarah, the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family. The novel begins on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership over Handful, who is to be her handmaid. “The Invention of Wings” follows the next thirty-five years of their lives. Inspired in part by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke (a feminist, suffragist and, importantly, an abolitionist), Kidd allows herself to go beyond the record to flesh out the inner lives of all the characters, both real and imagined. (FIC KIDD S)

The bone code / Kathy Reichs – On the way to hurricane-ravaged Isle of Palms, a barrier island off the South Carolina coast, Tempe receives a call from the Charleston coroner. The storm has tossed ashore a medical waste container. Inside are two decomposed bodies wrapped in plastic sheeting and bound with electrical wire. Tempe recognizes many of the details as identical to those of an unsolved case she handled in Quebec years earlier. With a growing sense of foreboding, she travels to Montreal to gather evidence. (FIC REICHS K)

Dreams of FallingDreams of falling / Karen White – On the banks of the North Santee River stands a moss-draped oak that was once entrusted with the dreams of three young girls. Into the tree’s trunk, they placed their greatest hopes, written on ribbons, for safekeeping – including the most important one: Friends forever, come what may. But life can waylay the best of intentions… Nine years ago, a humiliated Larkin Lanier fled Georgetown, South Carolina, knowing she could never go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she realizes she has no choice but to return to the place she both loves and dreads – and to the family and friends who never stopped wishing for her to come home. (FIC WHITE K)

Drums of autumn / Diana Gabaldon – Cast ashore in the American Colonies, Claire and Jamie Fraser are faced with a bleak choice: return to a Scotland fallen into famine and poverty or seize the risky chance of a new life in a New World, menaced by Claire’s certain knowledge of the coming revolution. (CD FIC GABALD D)

The underground railroad : a novel / Colson Whitehead – Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood–where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned–Cora kills a young white boy who tries to capture her. Though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted. (FIC WHITEH C)

All That She Carried : The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family KeepsakeAll that she carried : the journey of Ashley’s sack, a black family keepsake / Tiya Miles – In 1850s South Carolina, just before nine-year-old Ashley was sold, her mother Rose gave her a sack filled with just a few things as a token of her love. Decades later, Ashley’s granddaughter Ruth embroidered this history on the bag–including Rose’s message that ‘It be filled with my Love always.’ Historian Tiya Miles carefully follows faint archival traces back to Charleston to find Rose in the kitchen where she may have packed the sack for Ashley. From Rose’s last resourceful gift to her daughter, Miles then follows the paths their lives and the lives of so many like them took to write a unique, innovative history of the lived experience of slavery in the United States. (305.48896073 MIL)

A walk to remember / Nicholas SparksA romance featuring a troublesome teenager in South Carolina who is changed for the better by the love of a girl. She is the angelic daughter of a local minister and the boy joins her in doing good deeds. But she has a secret which will break his heart. (FIC SPARKS N)

One summer / David Baldacci – Jack, terminally ill and preparing to say goodbye to his family, has a miraculous recovery after his wife is killed in a car accident and struggles to reunite his family at her childhood home on the South Carolina oceanfront. (FIC BALDAC D)

Net Numbers : A South Carolina Numbers BookNet numbers : a South Carolina number book / written by Carol Crane ; illustrated by Gary Palmer – Called the “great blue mountains of god” by the Cherokee, the Blue Ridge Mountains are only one of the wonders you will read about in Net Numbers: A South Carolina Number Book. Hours of entertainment await you as you learn about everything from Frogmore Stew and Clemson Blue Cheese, to Four Holes Swamp and Catawba Pottery. Whether spotted salamanders, 1000-year-old trees or sandy beaches, there is plenty in South Carolina to discover by the numbers. (J 975.7 CRA)

South Carolina : the Palmetto State / by Kristin Schuetz – As one of the original thirteen colonies and one of the most important states in the American Revolution, South Carolina is rich with history. It was even the battle of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor that ignited the Civil War in 1861. Students will learn all about the Palmetto State, including its geography, industries, and festivals. (J 917.57 SCH)

Hold the Flag HighHold the flag high / Catherine Clinton ; illustrated by Shane W. Evans – Describes the Civil War battle of Morris Island, South Carolina, during which Sargeant William H. Carney became the first African American to earn a Congressional Medal of Honor by preserving the flag. (J 973.734 CLI)

Robert Smalls : the boat thief / [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.] ; illustrations by Patrick FaricyRobert Smalls was a true American patriot. Despite the burdens America laid upon him, he loved our country. He believed in the “inherent justice” of American democracy and in the principles espoused in the Declaration of Independence. (JB SMALLS ROBERT KENNED)

Brown girl dreaming / Jacqueline Woodson – Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world.
(JB WOODSO JACQUE WOODSO)

The Beach House  Doc Hollywood    PATRIOT  RADIO (2003)

The beach house / Hallmark Channel presents ; a Hallmark Hall of Fame production – Cara Rutledge thought she had left her Southern roots and troubled family far behind. But an unusual request from her mother, coming just as her own life is spinning out of control, has Cara heading back to the scenic Low country of her childhood summers. Before long, the rhythms of the island open her heart in wonderful ways as she repairs the family beach house, becomes a bona fide ‘turtle lady’ and renews old acquaintances long thought lost. (DVD HALLMA BEACH)

Doc Hollywood / Warner Bros. presents a film by Michael Caton-Jones – Ben Stone is a brash, newly-minted MD whose cruise toward the medical fast lane of a Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice takes a small-town detour. He ends up in Grady, South Carolina, Squash Capital of the South and home of salt-of-the-earth folks who know it’s better to follow your heart than your wallet. (DVD DOC)

The patriot / Columbia Pictures presents a Mutual Film Company productionA hero of the French and Indian conflict, Benjamin Martin had renounced fighting forever to raise his family in peace. However, when British troops arrive at his South Carolina home and endanger his family, he takes up arms alongside his idealistic patriot son, Gabriel. (DVD PATRIO)

Radio / Revolution Studios presents a Tollin/Robbins production – The story of the relationship between a prominent high school football coach in a small South Carolina town and the illiterate, mentally-challenged man nicknamed Radio whom he mentors. Although their friendship raises some eyebrows at first, Radio’s growth under the coach’s guidance ultimately inspires the local townsfolk. (DVD RADIO)