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Details: Written by Tiffany; Published: 01 May 2019

Music is important in our house. I play a little piano, my husband plays the guitar and ukulele, my children are taking piano lessons, and we all love to sing. We own a lot of music books and sheet music, but as much as I would love to have my own full music library, it isn’t possible.

Thankfully, the library has tons of music! There are many compilations, anthologies and a huge span of books from classical to currently popular artists and musicals.

I love checking out music from the library. It adds variety to what we own. I have a chance to try out music I am considering to purchase. I am not an accomplished pianist - I'm mediocre at best - and I often need to see if the book will be enjoyable for me to own, based on how well I am able to sight-read the music (though if I would just buckle down and practice more often I would be able to play the more advanced stuff).

Here are a few of my favorites from the library I have tried.

NEWSIES
Composed by Alan Menken
(1992)

I was probably a little obsessed with the movie Newsies when it came out. My friends and I basically watched it every chance we could and memorized all the songs. The library has the original motion picture music as well as the new Broadway adaptation music book. I may have also recently shown the movie to my children and given my daughter the soundtrack on CD. It makes my heart happy to have the obsession continue to the next generation and have the music playing in my home.

THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER
Composed by Bruce Rowland
(1982)

When I was in high school I learned to play “Jessica’s Theme” and “The Man from Snowy River: Main Title Theme”. I just had the sheet music for those two songs. I love that the library has the entire book of music from the movie.

DISNEY’S PRINCESS COLLECTION
By Walt Disney Company
(2002)

This “Big Note Piano” version is available in the children’s department. If you have a princess lover, this is the collection for you. This is a simplified version even beginning piano students can successfully play.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
Composed by Benji Pasek
(2017)

Greatest Showman songs exploded last year. I loved that it was a well done movie, with amazing music AND I could share the entire experience with my children. We listened and sang along with the music together. It has been fun to extend our experience and fill our home with the music on the piano and guitar.

LA LA LAND
Composed by Justin Hurwitz
(2016)

I have always loved musicals and I am glad they are popular again. Although I haven’t yet shared this movie experience with my children, I love tinkering around and singing along to the jazzy songs on the piano.

Details: Written by Hannah; Published: 29 April 2019

Let’s face it. We all know what it’s like to be sick. Headaches, runny nose, chills, etc. All you want to do is curl up in a ball. You wonder if this awful feeling will last forever and if your left nostril will ever work again. It’s times like these that I enjoy pulling out a few books to distract myself from my misery, and to remind myself that I at least have a great excuse to read.

THE MASQUERADERS
By Georgette Heyer
(1928)

A fellow librarian recommended this book to me, and I’m so glad she did. This book revolves around a pair of siblings, Prudence and Robin. Certain circumstances require Robin to disguise himself as a woman. However, it would be most improper to have two women gallivanting around without protection. Thus, Prudence dawns the disguise of a man. The two then enter high society London and hilarity ensues.

DEALING WITH DRAGONS
By Patricia Wrede
(1990)

This book first graced my to-read-when-sick list in the fourth grade. It is one of my favorite books ever written. What’s not to love about a sassy princess who volunteers to work for a dragon? Princess Cimorene is not like other princesses. She is tall, dark haired, and would rather practice magic than a swoon. When her parents decide to marry her off to a prince she isn’t interested in, she decides to run away.

STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED
By Jeff Strand
(2017)

I recently listened to this book and I loved it. The story is fun, cute, and is just the thing to lift your spirits when you’re not feeling 100%. I honestly laughed out loud a few times. This book follows the life of 15-year-old Marcus. Due to a bet made by his great-grandfather, Marcus must perform an incredible magic trick in front of a large audience. There are only a few problems: he has stage fright, an evil magician is out to get him, and he needs a shark.

NOT MY TYPE
By Melanie Jacobson
(2011)

Yes, I admit it. My guilty pleasure is Covenant Communications romance novels. I just love a clean romance with a flourish of silliness. It gives me hope for a better world. And when I’m ill, I need all the hope I can get. In this story, Pepper Spicer is unlucky in love. After two failed engagements she takes a new job to repay her accrued debts. Unfortunately, her new job requires her to experience and write about online dating (this is only available as a book on CD).

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
By J.K. Rowling
(1997)

Of course Harry Potter is on this list. What better way to help soothe the soul than to be reminded of childhood? Adventures with wizards and witches will always cheer me up (especially the story of Harry Potter). An 11-year-old boy finds out he’s a wizard and leaves his extended family to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The more he learns about the wizard world, the more secrets he uncovers.

Details: Written by Ashleigh; Published: 26 April 2019

Find them in the catalog:

THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963

CODE WORD COURAGE

MOON OVER MANIFEST

Details: Written by Alisha; Published: 25 April 2019

Are you one of those people who love poetry? Is iambic pentameter your native tongue and do you speak in couplets and sonnets? Splendid.

But maybe, just maybe, poetry is a little intimidating to you? Or maybe you’ve just never had the time to get into it? If so, now is the time to learn to like or even love poetry and the Provo Library is the place to do it! Check out these awesome resources to start your poetic adventure!

POETRY 101: FROM SHAKESPEARE AND RUPI KAUR TO IAMBI PENTAMETER AND BLANK VERSE, EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POETRY
By Susan Dalzell
(2018)

Do you aspire to like poetry, but just aren’t sure where to start? Well, search no further! This is short guide will give you the 411 on the most celebrated voices in poetic history and clue you in to some of the newest and brightest stars in the poetry universe. Poetry doesn’t have to be boring or intimidating. It is as natural as your heartbeat, as familiar as your footsteps.

THE RED WHEELBARROW AND OTHER POEMS
by William Carlos Williams
(2018)

This slim volume holds the very best poems of someone who could be seen as the “original” Instagram poet. Writing in the 1940s and 1950s, Williams was a doctor and sometimes only had a prescription pad to write his poetry on. If you are looking for classic poetry that is short, stunning, and delightful, check out this new edition of his poems.

FIERCE FAIRYTALES: POEMS & STORIES TO STIR YOUR SOUL
by Nikita Gill
(2018)

These poems aren’t just clever twists on fairytales. They are a celebration of the person reading the book, hopefully that will be you, yes you! The first poem is an invocation of the importance of learning to love and to hold on to ourselves and to the final poem is a benediction thanking the readers of the world for holding the author when she was in pain, this book is more than just a fairytale gimmick. This is a book about us and what it means to be human.

THE DARK BETWEEN THE STARS: POEMS
By Atticus
(2018)

Atticus began his poetry career on Instagram. After garnering 700K followers he was approached with a book deal. Known for his jaw-dropping one liners and epigraphic style, Atticus is ever relatable, ever real. This is his second collection of poetry where he focuses on the connections between the light and the dark and great happiness and deep sorrow.

MILK AND HONEY
By Rupi Kaur
(2015)

This book is all about the journey from injury to healing. I think one of the reasons Kaur has become so popular is that she is imminently accessible. She writes about things that we all feel in ways that we could never explain by ourselves. Her poetry is brief, powerful, and beautiful.

Since April is National Poetry Month, it's time to celebrate the richness of the human experience. It’s time to honor those who give words to our most powerful feelings. Whether you are in love with poetry or just trying it out for the first time, this is YOUR month!

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