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Details: Written by McKayla; Published: 07 June 2019

We have all been there: caught by the intrigue, longing for the the possibility for love. Or just the next good read. After an excursion out to the bookshop, you carry the small stack of books you decided to buy and stand in line for the cashier. Your eyes wander, naturally still looking, and they notice a stand of what appears to be books entirely wrapped in brown butcher paper. A piece of twine warps around the edges and makes a perfect bow on the fronts. In black marker, bullet points are listed, telling you three random details about the book hidden underneath. All you must do is go up to the counter, purchase the mystery, and start your next adventure.

But do those kinds of dates ever really work out?

Personally, I have never been able to commit to a blind date with a book. It’s always seemed like a lot of commitment for a book I don’t even know. Right?

That’s why our blind date with a book series is going to work a bit differently. If you find that you are interested in one of the fabulous mystery books below, click the link and it’ll take you start to its catalog page. There you can come face to face with the book you’ve chosen and truly decide if it is the one that you have been longing for. All the intrigue with none of the worries.

Now, I hope you and your book have good time!

BLIND DATE #1

Murder mystery
First-person narrator
Quick read
Just wait until the end…

BLIND DATE #2

Time travel
Female protagonist
Fast paced with plenty of action and danger
And who is that stranger anyway?

BLIND DATE #3

Nonfiction
Underdogs
Redefining Success
What if our weaknesses give us an advantage?

BLIND DATE # 4

Regency romance
Utah author
Difficult mothers
Childhood friends.
Will they find love?

So, which did you choose?

#1: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD
By Agatha Christie
(1926)

#2: LIGHTNING
By Dean R. Koontz
(1988)

#3: DAVID AND GOLIATH
By Malcolm Gladwell
(2015)

#4: BLACKMOORE
By Julianne Donaldson
(2015)

Still looking for literary love? Check out round 2 here.

Details: Written by Alisha; Published: 05 June 2019

It’s summertime and that means the Summer Reading Program is upon us. Did you know that Summer Reading isn’t just for kids and teens? All you need is a library card and you can sign up and enjoy a summer full of fun activities, movies, and of course—reading! Everyone who reads four books earns a free tote bag. After that, the more you read the more prizes and chances you get to enter the online drawings at the end of July. Drawing prizes this year include:

Celestron Travel Telescope
Amazon Echo
Lego Apollo Saturn V Model Rocket
Kindle Paperwhite eReader
Provo Rec Center Pass (2 available)
Star Trek Catan
Beats Headphones
Gift Cards

The Grand Prize is a $300 Amazon gift card! So it’s time to get your reading on and start winning some prizes! If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some fun and powerful books to inspire you this summer.

DARING GREATLY
By Brené Brown
(2012)

If you haven’t read anything by Brené Brown, this will be a treat for you. She is a Researcher/Storyteller who studies shame and vulnerability. In the book she explains and expounds on the data from twelve years of research about vulnerability and how it makes us better human beings in the long run. This is a staple for anyone wanting to understand and improve their relationships with their kids, spouses, and friends.

BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR
By Elizabeth Gilbert
(2015)

Have you ever wanted to be more creative, more courageous, and more curious? Liz Gilbert, author of EAT, PRAY, LOVE, explores the nature of inspiration and what keeps us all living small and stagnant when it comes to our creativity. This book is a huge encouragement to anyone wanting to bring more joy and inspiration into their lives. It might be just the right nudge for you to tackle that big summer project.

THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP
By Marie Kondō
(2014)

Okay. So, maybe you have already heard of this book or you have watched the addicting Netflix series. Maybe you want to experience some life-changing magic of your own. This is a short, delightful book on the power of letting go of things that don’t bring you joy. Summertime can be the perfect time to make even small changes to your closet, your attic, or your garage. Get the kids involved. Ask yourself: do you really need four sets of measurement cups in your kitchen drawer? Choose the fabulous yellow ones and let the rest go!

GIRL, WASH YOUR FACE
By Rachel Hollis
(2018)

Rachel Hollis is impossible to not like. As founder of TheChicSite.com and CEO of a media company, she knows a lot about being authentic and selling your strengths. But what really makes Rachel like your best friend is that she talks about all the lies we tell ourselves that keep us insecure and unfulfilled. She starts each chapter with a lie and then talks about what helped her get over it and move forward. This is a laugh-out-loud-then-bring-you-to-your-knees memoir/self-help/management book.

WOLFPACK: HOW TO COME TOGETHER, UNLEASH OUR POWER, AND CHANGE THE GAME
By Abby Wambach
(2019)

I love Abby Wambach. And it’s not just because she is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion. It’s because she is such an amazing leader and person off of the field. In May she gave what soon became a viral commencement speech at Barnard College. In it she made the statement, “You were never Red Riding Hood. You were always the wolf.” She builds on this idea in her book, which isn’t just about leadership, but about coming together with your people and loving and supporting each other so that we all have a chance of making it through this life. If you are looking for inspiration this summer, you may just find it in Abby’s book.

Details: Written by Caitlyn; Published: 03 June 2019

Welcome to part 2 of our child brain development series. Today we will be talking about toddlers, or children from 18 months up to 3 years of age. As I mentioned in part 1 of this series, on infants, it is important to read, sing, and talk to your child every day, no matter how old they are. Now that they are talking more and more, however, it is essential to encourage your child’s new skills.Here are a few activities you and your child should take advantage of within the library:

STORY TIME

We recommended Story Time for infants, but now that your child is moving and talking more, they will get even more out of this activity. We have Book Babies and Toddler Time in the story circle, which are specifically geared toward this age group. Your child will not only get the chance to hear from our fantastic storytellers, but practice imitating their movements and sounds – key for development at this time.

PRESCHOOL PLAY

Although preschool typically starts around 3 years of age, the toys in the story circle during Preschool Play can be fun for your toddler as well. We also have several toys for young children next to the story room. Play is vital to child brain development, so letting them explore and learn both on their own and with your guidance is beneficial at this age.

JUNIOR DISCOVERY KITS

Explore a topic with your child using books, toys, and activities by checking out one of our junior discovery kits. In particular for toddlers, we recommend: colors, numbers, and shapes. These kits include toys that challenge their learning and level of play with stacking and matching.

Now to what you typically think of when bringing your child to the library: books.

You may have noticed your child loves to point at things and ask what it is or name it themselves. You can encourage this curiosity and connectivity through books with interactive and follow-along elements, like those below. Also, while reading together be sure to ask them questions, such as “Where is the dinosaur?” or, while pointing at the dinosaur, “What is that?”

WIGGLES
By Claire Zucchelli-Romer
(2018)

This fun book gives instructions to your child on using different fingers to make patterns. It is a beautiful little book packed with activity!

AROUND THE WORLD: A FOLLOW THE TRAIL BOOK
By Craig Shuttlewood
(2015)

Your child can follow this book around the world – with their finger! Not only do they learn as they go, and see pretty pictures, but they become more engaged with the book by utilizing this tactile attachment.

BABY DINOSAURS
By Dawn Sirett
(2018)

Similar to Around the World: A Follow the Trail Book, this book teaches your child about dinosaurs while having them tag along on the paper trail. I am no expert on this subject, so I will continue to refer to the following book for any questions you may have about how to help your child’s brain develop, both in the library and at home. You can check this out directly, or find it in one of our junior discovery kits mentioned above.

THE WHOLE-BRAIN CHILD
By Daniel Siegel
(2011)

This book goes into much more depth about child brain development and ways you can help your child in their growth. For more recommendations about how the library can help with the brain development of your growing child, stay tuned for more in this series on the blog.

Details: Written by Joella; Published: 31 May 2019

THE LOST GIRL
By Anne Ursu
(2019)

Iris and Lark are twin sisters and they do everything together—until their parents decide that they should start doing things on their own. Suddenly Iris who is often grounded in facts and reality feels like she is drifting without an anchor (her sister) and Lark becomes more and more withdrawn (from everyone including her sister). When mysterious ravens start watching the girls and items start disappearing all over town Iris figures out that something is amiss—only nobody believes her. With a dark magic threatening all that she holds dear, will Iris be able to overcome her frustrations and fears to save “the lost girl”?

WATCH HOLLOW
By Gregory Funaro
(2019)

Lucy and Oliver’s family has had a hard time since the death of their mother. When their father is given a chance to go and live in the grand Blackford House for the summer to fix an old clock in the building they feel like they are finally getting a break—only there is more to the mansion than the owner revealed and some of it is good and friendly and some is dark and evil. Can Lucy and Oliver figure out the puzzle to fixing the cuckoo clock and saving their family?

WINTERHOUSE
By Ben Guterson
(2018)

Elizabeth is an orphan who lives with her aunt and uncle (who don’t actually like her). Strangely, Elizabeth is mysteriously sent to Winterhouse—a grand hotel—for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday even though she knows that her aunt and uncle would never pay for her to go there. Elizabeth knows that something is up. Winterhouse turns out to be lovely—mostly. There are strange puzzles and bits of magic that keep Elizabeth and her friend Freddy on their toes. And Elizabeth is afraid that if she doesn’t solve the biggest puzzle of Winterhouse than it could be the end of everything. Will Elizabeth be able to figure out who is good and who is bad and what the clues to the puzzle really mean in time to save everyone and the hotel?

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