SPL Shelf Life [adult]

This review appeared in The Stratford Gazette on September 29th. Written by Shauna Thomas, Librarian.

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner

@SPL:FIC Gortn

For fans of historical fiction writers like Philippa Gregory, or television series like The Tudors or The Borgias, I have good news! A relatively new author has emerged with the same spellbinding ability to piece together the remarkable personal lives of legendary historical figures. California author C.W. Gortner uses the same basic formula as Philippa Gregory – a first-person narrative of the life of a major historical figure – to great advantage.

In The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, Gortner tackles the incredible life of his titular subject with thorough research and empathic zeal. A contemporary of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England, Catherine de Medici suffers a traumatic childhood courtesy of the religious uprisings against her uncle, the corrupt Pope Clement VII. When these uprisings finally take everything from Catherine, she is coldly traded in marriage to Henri, son of the king of France. After the deaths of Henri’s father and older brother, Catherine finds herself queen of a nation torn between Catholicism and the Huguenots, facing changeable allies willing to exploit France’s strife to their own glory.

Her reign as Queen and Queen Mother is legendary for ruthlessness and bloodthirsty diplomatic techniques. However, as Gortner notes in his author’s afterword, his research revealed a very different side of her, one that would protect her family and France at all costs. Gortner’s weaving of grizzly elements like the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre with his version of Catherine’s inner dialogue constructs a character of surprising compassion, whatever her other flaws (which are fortunately many, and thoroughly engrossing).

Gortner also doesn’t shy away from some of the more salacious rumours about Catherine’s time in power. Her alleged propensity for second sight is investigated, as is her tumultuous affair with Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny. These are just a couple examples – for a woman as committed to her family and country as Catherine was, she lived in an uncompromising age and was often forced to make impossible choices. Within these pages lie more betrayal, intrigue, lust and murder than even the most outrageous soap operas could aspire to include. Gortner glamours his readers with thorough research draped in captivating language, creating a fascinating cast of characters with their own distinct voices. For fans of the historical fiction genre, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is a dishy, ripping read almost guaranteed to satisfy.

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Get Connected!

Learn more about the tools available to 21st century learners at the first “Get Connected” event, on October 4th from 7-8:30pm at the SERC library. The public and school libraries have partnered with the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus to provide an opportunity for you to plug in with tips and tricks from area librarians and technology experts.

 “The online world is changing at an incredibly fast rate. It’s important to know where and how to obtain reliable and accurate information online, rather than counting on a simple Google search” says Information Technology Development Librarian, Krista Robinson.  “This event is not just for parents of students, but also for anyone who is interested in discovering amazing resources available to them online.”

One of the topics that will be covered will focus on social media. “Social media is not a fad. It's a fast-changing form of media that can help you find a job opportunity, the perfect school or the love of your life. It can also help you lose all three, that's why we focus workshops on helping everyone practice safe social media.” Says Kayleigh Platz, Social Media Specialist from the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.

“Get Connected” will also include interactive presentations of various online research tools for children, for teens, for adults, free audio and ebooks, and the opportunity to try out various tech gadgets.  It is a free event, and no registration is necessary. Simply come to the SERC Library at 7pm.

The SERC Library is located between Northwestern Secondary School and St. Michaels Secondary School on Oakdale Avenue in Stratford. For more information call the Stratford Public Library at 519-271-0220. 

Get Connected is a project of the Stratford Public Library, Avon Maitland District School Board, Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board, and the University of Waterloo, Stratford Campus. 

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SPL Shelf Life [kids]

These reviews appeared in the Stratford Gazette on September 29th and was written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

Can Hens Give Milk?  by Joan Betty Stuchner, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Stuch

Shlomo, a poor farmer, had some hens and a rooster, but he couldn’t afford a cow to provide his family with milk. 

One night, Shlomo awoke with an idea. “That’s it!” he shouted. His daughter, Tova, rushed into his room and he explained, “A cow gives milk because she eats grass. If we feed grass to our hens, they will still lay eggs, but they will also give us milk!”

Shlomo’s family tried his idea the next day, but the hens had other ideas - which didn’t include eating grass! Instead, they preferred their usual grain.

Then Tova hatched the plan of rolling the grass into pellets that resembled grain. But the hens weren’t fooled. They refused the pellets again.

The next day, Tova had another idea. This time, the hens were fooled, and they ate the grass pellets … but they developed hiccups as a result. Worse, they stopped laying eggs, and of course, they didn’t produce milk either.

What to do now?

Finally, the wise Rabbi was consulted. After thinking for a little while, he had an excellent – and obvious – suggestion. A trade was made and the problem was solved! Shlomo now had both milk and eggs for his family.

But only a few days later, Shlomo again had a “brilliant” idea in the middle of the night …

Can Hens Give Milk? is one of the many humorous stories from the mythical town of Chelm, which, according to Jewish folklore, is populated mostly by silly people. Joe Weissmann’s vibrant, expressive illustrations add greatly to the appeal of this very entertaining children’s tale.

** Recommended for ages 4 to 8 years of age.

Tiny Little Fly, by Michael Rosen, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Rosen

Everyone knows how pesky a buzzing fly can be on a warm day, and the sly little fly in this story is being particularly bothersome. First, it lands on an elephant’s toes, then on a hippo’s ear, and then on a tiger’s claw. Each animal is determined to get rid of the little nuisance, muttering “I’m going to catch that fly!” However, each animal, despite their great size and strength, has trouble catching the tiny insect.

The animals roll, stomp, jump, wave and thrash about in their efforts to trap the fly. Nothing succeeds. Mayhem ensues, and in the end, Great Big Elephant, Great Big Hippo and Great Big Tiger fall into a big messy mud pool … while the tiny little fly, with a mischievous wink and a smile, flies away.

Michael Rosen’s humorous rhyming tale is an example of a “pattern” or “predictable” story. In this type of story, a consistent word pattern is used, containing a repeated refrain with which young children can easily join - a first step in building their confidence to begin the process of reading independently later on.

Michael Rosen is the well-known children’s author of  such picture books as The Bear in the Cave, Bear Flies High and Bear’s Day Out.

** Recommended for ages 3 to 6 years.  

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Handmade Culture & Culture Days

Tomorrow is a big day... it's SPL's Culture Day! 


Handmade Culture show & sale will be in the Library Auditorium from 10am-3pm. Come out and support local artisans. There are jewelery makers, book sellers, basket weavers, soap makers, mixed media artists and so much more.  The vendors will also be supporting the Friends of the Stratford Public Library. Admission is free. 


Human Library will be at Factory 163 from 11am-3pm. With a Human Library, the reader selects an interesting book, signs it out for up to 30 minutes, has a conversation, then returns the book. Chat, learn, and challenge your assumptions as you connect with people in your community in a new and unique way! Check out our selection of Best Sellers. This event is also free. 


What does art mean to you? Come to the lower floor of the library on Saturday to show us creatively... with paper!  While downstairs, be sure to check our Fly Like Arthur the Hawk art display. 


Lean more about what's happening in Stratford for Culture Days. 

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Thursdays at Noon

The Fall line up for SPL's Thursday Noon Hour Club is all set  begin... tomorrow! The first discussion will be all about what's happening at the Library this Fall... and let me tell you - we have a lot going on!


What: Noon hour speakers on a variety of topics
When: Thursday's at 12:00noon - 1pm
Where: Library Auditorium
Who: Anyone interested, simply show up - no registration needed
Cost: $1pp


Fall Lineup 
September 29 - Library Staff, Ignite SPL
October 6 - Joseph Hisey, Baroque Period and the Building of Rome : Architecture
October 13 - Joseph Hisey, Baroque Period and the Building of Rome : Sculpture
October 20 - Joseph Hisey, Baroque Period and the Building of Rome : Painting
October 27 - Mark Wales, Canada's National Food Strategy
November 3 - James Nichol, Mastery of Mystery
November 10 - Dr. Darren Marks, Holocaust Memoirs
November 17 - Carol Smith & Friends, Woman Composers
November 24 - Christmas Luncheon by Screaming Avocado (preregistration required) and Paul Finkelstein on Nunavut
December 1 - Cheryl MacDonald, Christmas in Ontario: Legends, Tales and Traditions of Early Canada

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Happy Birthday...

... to Google! Google Search turns 13 years old today - can you believe it has been around since 1998? Google, by many is thought to be one of the easiest to use and the fastest search engines out there (besides a librarian of course), and most people use Google on a daily basis. Google indexes billions of web pages, and brings results back in seconds - really quite amazing isn't it? Read more about the history of Google on Mashable. 

Many people do not realize all the really cool services Google provides besides their famous search engine. There is Google Earth, Google Reader, Calendar, Documents, Chat, and much more. Come see demonstrations of these tools in our seminar Google: Beyond Searching on Wednesday October 26, 6:30-8:30pm.  Cost is $5 and will be held in the library auditorium.  Call 519-271-0220 x31 or email webmaster@pcin.on.ca to register. 

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SPL Shelf Life [adult]

This review appeared in The Stratford Gazette on September 22nd. Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian

Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank, by Phil & Kaja Foglio

@SPL: GN FIC Fogli

The above title may seem a bit long, but that’s nothing to its subtitle, “A Gaslamp Fantasy with Adventure, Romance and Mad Science”. It is the first of a ten-part graphic novel series called “Girl Genius” (Stratford Library has parts 1 through 9, number 10 is on its way), by the award-winning husband-wife team of Phil and Kaja Foglio; the Girl Genius series is regularly on the Best Adult Books for High School Students list from School Library Journal. After having read the entire series (and eagerly awaiting number ten), I can vouch that it is everything the subtitle states: a stylish, sprawling, steampunk adventure, with emphasis on the mad science (mostly the building of cogs-and-wheels devices of mass destruction) and the odd hint of romance thrown in for good measure. 

What I loved about this series is the humour - in particular a threesome of characters called the Jagermonsters who are an intriguing combination of brains and brawn, adorable and creepy - and always strangely witty in their brotherly-rivalry banter. Their job is to protect Agatha Heterodyne (and her talking cat), the last in a long line of powerful mad geniuses capable of singel-handedly building said machines, or 'clanks' of mass destruction and marvel. In an attempt to regain her heritage, she must escape a mad barron and his genuis son (who has a thing for Agatha), get to Mechanicsburg, where the Heterodyne castle waits for the true heir to repair it. Yes, the castle is alive (in a manner of speaking), and deadly. Along the way Agatha meets up with a troupe of travelling actors and becomes one of their strange family, gets possessed by the spirit of her crazed mother, battles a false Heterodyne heirs and a couple of sentient clanks who are out to destroy her, all the while without breaking her big Harry-Potter glasses. 

Beyond belief, to state the obvious, but it is an excellent adventure story, the illustrations are brilliant, the characters expressive and the humour is so sharp you could cut yourself laughing. And if graphic novels are not your thing, there is a full-size novel about Agatha's adventures, called "Agatha H. and the Airship City" to satisfy - and SPL has that one too. 

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SPL Shelf Life [kids]

These reviews appeared in the Stratford Gazette on September 22nd. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

The Brimstone Key, by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis, 369 pages.

@SPL:  J FIC Benz

In a previous series about the Grey Griffins, four regular kids from Avalon, Minnesota – Max, Natalia, Harley and Ernie - were trained to fight monsters and other forces of evil, working with the legendary Templar Knights.

In The Brimstone Key (Book One of a new series about the Grey Griffins,The Clockwork Chronicles) the four children attend the Iron Bridge Academy to learn more skills.

From their first day at the Academy, the four are immersed in an action-filled adventure when the malevolent Clockwork King, an avowed past enemy of the Templar Knights, returns to finish his malicious plan, which includes kidnapping some of the students at the school. Many of the students are changelings – humans who have at least one magical power, such as the ability to walk through walls or teleport themselves elsewhere, or even the power of hearing others’ unspoken thoughts. Their special abilities would undoubtedly be useful to the Clockwork King.

The Grey Griffins must use every ounce of their training and ingenuity to battle the Clockwork King’s terrifying six-armed ogres, clock-like robots and other monsters.

Young readers will be drawn into this action-filled story, set in a world which is both modern and magical, filled with beings such as pixies, leprechauns, faeries, gargoyles, monster serpents and ogres. (In fact, the world of the Grey Griffins bears various similarities to that of Harry Potter and Hogwarts.) The ending is a “cliff hanger”, so readers will likely want to read the sequel, entitled the Relic Hunters.

For those interested in reading the previous stories about Max, Natalia, Harley and Ernie, the first title of the Grey Griffins series is The Revenge of the Shadow King.

** Recommended for ages 9 to 13 years. 

The Last Synapsid, by Timothy Mason, 311 pages.

@SPL:  J FIC Mason

A second new story involving unusual, extraordinary creatures is Timothy Mason’s The Last Synapsid. Two prehistoric synapsids – one a gentle plant-eater, and the other a fierce flesh-eating gorgonopsid – are transported from the Permian Era to the small, isolated modern-day town of Faith, Colorado.
When twelve-year-old Rob and his best friend, Phoebe, learn that a neighbourhood pet has mysteriously disappeared in Faith, they are curious. Then another pet disappears, and another – and then a horse. Rob and Phoebe can’t believe the sheriff’s theory that a mountain lion or a coyote is responsible.

They decide to climb the mountain at the edge of town. There they meet the friendly synapsid, “Sid”, who has slipped through a hole in time to pursue the gorgonopsid, who refuses to return to the Permian Era. Of course, the gorgonopsid is responsible for the disappearance of the town’s animals.

Miraculously, Sid can speak their language, and he asks Rob and Phoebe for their help. It is vital that both creatures return to their own time. If they don’t, the whole course of history will change, and humankind will never evolve.

The involvement of a mysterious, sinister stranger, “Dr. Jenkins”, increases the suspense/danger content of this gripping time travel adventure/mystery story, which also manages to incorporate some fascinating science and history.

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Is Facebook charging?

You may have read the following message on Facebook over the weekend:


FACEBOOK JUST RELEASED THEIR PRICE GRID FOR MEMBERSHIP. $9.99 PER MONTH FOR GOLD MEMBER SERVICES, $6.99 PER MONTH FOR SILVER MEMBER SERVICES, $3.99 PER MONTH FOR BRONZE MEMBER SERVICES, FREE IF YOU COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WHEN YOU SIGN ON TOMORROW MORNING YOU WILL BE PROMPTED FOR PAYMENT INFO...IT IS OFFICIAL IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO NOT PAY!


Do not fret - Facebook is not releasing a price grid for memberships. Facebook makes their money from the advertisements on the site - not from user accounts.  


So if you see this notice on a friend's profile, you may want to let them know nicely that it is a hoax and not to be giving out their credit card number.


To read more on this, check out the Naked Security article and follow them on Facebook to stay up on social media news. 

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Human Library is back for Culture Days

As part of Culture Days, this year the Stratford Public Library will be holding a Human Library at Factory 163, 11am-3pm on Saturday October 1.  [more SPL events]


A Human Library is much like a typical library - the reader selects an interesting book, signs it out for up to 30 minutes, has a conversation, then returns the book. Chat, learn, and challenge your assumptions as you connect with people in your community in a new and unique way! 


To reserve a book, call the library at 519-271-0220 or drop in to Factory 163 on October 1st.


Available Titles:


The Life of a Clown
A class clown for most of his life, Chad Bogle ignored his principal’s advice and became a real clown! Magic, juggling (learning with golf balls can hurt!), balloon sculptures and stilt-walking are all part of his repertoire. What does it take to be a professional clown? Check out Bogle the Clown to learn about clowning around.


Building Community: The Life of a Music Virologist
In a city known for its music, Nathan McKay helps the music grow and stay alive. His dream to put Stratford on the map musically is becoming a reality. Nathan’s skill can be seen in everything from encouraging up and coming Stratford musicians, (such as a young Justin Beiber), to producing and promoting music for much larger festivals such as Savour Stratford, The Virtual Blackout, and Stratford Blues & Ribfest . A “music junkie” with a background in Entertainment Administration, his passion for the local music scene is brought to life in this intriguing music biography.


A World Ambassador for Peace
This fascinating biography highlights the work of a Relief and Developmental Professional who has worked for UNICEF and other humanitarian agencies. Dr. Gezahgn Wordofa was born in Ethiopia, and met and married his Stratford-born wife in Moscow, where he was stationed for 15 years. Named to his current position by the Russian Social Academy, fluent in Russian and widely travelled, he and his family now make their home in Stratford. And his boss is Angelina Jolie! 


Migrating with the Birds
An Elegant Trogon is perhaps the most unusual bird Ken Clarke has found, in the more than 700 species he has seen or heard. His travels around continental North America, and even more remote areas of the world, will give you a rare glimpse of the life of a birder.


Urban Shamanism 
Shamanism is an ancient form of personal development and healing pre-dating all known religions and philosophies. A medical intuitive, Reiki Master, Shamanic practitioner, Thanadoula and a cancer survivor, Janet Sinclair aligns with these ancient transformative tools and techniques. Janet shares her awareness and experiences of the extraordinary within an ordinary urban life.


The Art of The Tailor
Visitors to the Fortress of Louisboug see reenactments in historically authentic 18th century clothing, thanks to the work of Robert Doyle, Costume Designer, Author, and Artist. Forty years of costume design expertise, three classic books on costuming, and two innovative theatre design programs equals one fascinating man! He has worked for theatres across the country and is a Member of the Order of Canada. This “book” is also an author! His books are now classics: Waisted Efforts, about corset making; Laundry, the definitive work about cleaning clothes; and The Art of The Tailor, the complete book of tailoring techniques for the theatre. 


Coast to Coast Robot Tour 
“We are going on a cross-Canada tour, to teach Artistic Robot Workshops to students…” So began the adventures of entrepreneur Kristen Keller. Her goal - to teach 100,000 students how to make robots, learn through their strengths, and have fun doing it. What she didn't account for, was what happened when nothing went as planned! Kristen will share her inspirational journey, and provide answers to the question of what NOT to do when touring across Canada! A humorous book, definitely worth reading.


A Stratford Star 
Singing, acting and dancing led Olivia Kramer to community theatre and the Stratford Festival stage. However, competing in Stratford Star (aka Stratford Idol) gained her a trophy and the title of Stratford Star 2011. Olivia writes her own music, sings and sometimes performs with her guitar. Read about this talented young woman and how she is making a name for herself. 


A Bucket of Change
Six years ago, a 6 year old Ian MacGregor first heard the story of Ryan Hreljac, founder of Ryan’s Well Foundation, who was raising funds for fresh water wells in Africa. Ian thought, “If Ryan can do it, I can too….” And he has! Read how Ian has raised awareness and money to support four wells in Uganda, over the past five years. An amazing accomplishment for a 12 year old!


Open up your world - borrow a book from the Human Library! 

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SPL Shelf Life [kids]

These reviews appeared in the Stratford Gazette on September 15th. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

An Edible Alphabet: 26 Reasons to Love the Farm, by Carol Watterson, 44 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Wat

The letter “I” may be for ice cream, but what is ice cream made of? It’s made from cream or milk, which, of course, is produced on a farm. But such connections aren’t an “of course” for the many young children who don’t live on a farm or in a rural area, who may not know where their food originates. It’s important – especially at a time when Canada’s family-owned farms are decreasing in number – that children learn what comes from farms and the tremendous role that farms play in our food supply.

With Carol Watterson’s An Edible Alphabet: 26 Reasons to Love the Farm, children will learn about the many foods and food products which are produced on farms, as well as the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. They’ll learn some neat facts about farms, farm animals and crops. For example, they’ll discover that sheep have an excellent sense of smell because they have scent glands in front of their eyes as well as on their feet, that the chicken is the closest living relative to the tyrannosaurus rex, that a “kohlrabi” is a vegetable, and that the largest pumpkin in the world weighed more than 1700 pounds (771 kilograms)!

This fun and educational alphabet book features colorful, attractive illustrations, with each letter depicted clearly in upper and lower case. For added interest, children are encouraged to find a little ladybug hiding on each page.

By the way, did you know that there are more chickens than people in the world? Another fowl fact: did you know that roosters don’t crow only in the early morning? (They also crow during the day to warn the hens of danger or trouble in the barnyard … or just to remind them who’s “boss”!)

** Recommended for ages 3 to 6 years.

B is for Blue Planet: An Earth Science Alphabet, by Ruth Strother, 38 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Str

Our earth is unique for many reasons. For one thing, it is the only planet in our solar system that can support life as we know it, and it’s the only planet which is covered by bodies of water. In fact, ¾ of the earth’s surface is covered by water. That’s why it’s sometimes known as “the blue planet” – because the oceans make our planet look blue when viewed from space. Therefore, “B” is for “blue planet”.

 “C” is for “coral” because coral reefs are one of the largest natural formations on earth. In fact, coral reefs can be seen from outer space. However, these natural wonders have actually required thousands – even millions – of years to grow. They’re stunning, and they provide a rich habitat for many marine species, but coral reefs are also fragile, easily damaged by warming water temperatures and pollution.

Glaciers, rocks, landforms, rainforests, deserts, tides, weather, volcanoes, geysers, plants, the northern lights, and other wondrous features of our planet are highlighted in this alphabet book, and the threats to their existence and well-being, such as climate change and pollution, are addressed.

The attractive, detailed art by Bob Marstall emphasizes the beauty of our incomparable world in this informative picture book, which is intended for a school-aged child.

** Recommended for ages 5 to 9 years.

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SPL Shelf Life [adult]

This review appeared in The Stratford Gazette on September 15th. Written by Shauna Thomas, Librarian.

Starting From Happy By Patricia Marx

@SPL: FIC Marx

Once, in the final year of my undergrad, I lost my mind in essay format. It was the gruelling end of a weird semester and the course was Linguistic Epistemology (or Underwater Basket-weaving, if you prefer). For the final essay, I was supposed to investigate the possibility of expressing a natural language's functions entirely in symbolic logic.

Long story short, I went barking on stress and 5 different caffeine delivery options, and threw the whole notion out the window with 12 hours to go. Natural language isn't a logically coherent system. Can't be. Humans use it. Have you met humans? Half of them can't figure out how to text each other, and the other half have murdered natural language. I filled 20 pages with a manic ode to joyous illogic in nonverbal communication. For my breakdown, I received a generous mark in the mid-70s.

This isn't a non sequitur to distract you from the fact that there's no book review happening. Honest. The same kind of panic-fuelled adventure in chemistry and extreme sleeplessness seems to have propelled Patricia Marx's Starting From Happy. Right from the get-go, it's apparent that Marx is meeting a book contract the most gleeful way she knows how – as obviously as possible.

Starting From Happyopens with a “PROLEGOMENON” meant, as Marx notes in wistful sarcasm, to have been penned by Philip Roth. Except, he “backed out.” After trying to get several other authors - Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, Cormac McCarthy (who was “under the weather, existentially speaking”), Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, and the deceased John Updike - to pen the intro and pad her word count, Marx gives up. She spends the rest of her own intro typing animal sounds to hit word count and avoid litigation. She closes the book with fan/hate mail and an index that uses imaginary numbers to refer to nonexistent people and events. You have to admire the panache.

But how's the book in between? Without question, this is the funniest book I've read this year. Arranged in tiny chaplettes of a few sentences rather than chapters, Marx uses their brevity to create a kind of mosaic sketch of the lives of Immogene and Wally, the couple at the centre of Starting From Happy. It follows their disjointed NYC courtship and social scene through their lives together, stringing together a genuinely touching story out of a series of blisteringly sarcastic fragments of scenes and conversations.

By the time you finish Starting From Happy you might be confused, but you'll also be bowled-over by the sheer blazing postmodernism of the project. By letting all the seams show, Marx constructs a novel that has deeply clever things to say about what literature means in the twilight years of the paper book's reign. If you took Comp Lit and people have a hard time knowing whether you're kidding, you should probably read this book.

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Waterloo Lectures Are Back!

The ever popular Waterloo Lectures are back in Fall 2011. The first lecture will be Wednesday September 21 at 7pm. The lecture will feature Professor John North discussing the Victorian Village & City Life.  Find out how you can use newspapers and periodicals to learn more about the Victorian Age – you even get two months free access to a database. If you have an interest in genealogy, fashion, humanitarian activity, theatre, education, science or military life, you don’t want to miss this lecture. 


Upcoming Lectures

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Poetry Stratford Fall Line Up

There are a number of wonderful poets speaking at the library this Fall. The events are open to everyone and best of all they are free! All events will be held in the library auditorium.

Nature Poet, Don McKay
Wednesday, September 21, 2 pm
Award winning nature poet will be here to share his passion for birds and nature through his poetry.
Open Mike All StarsThursday, October 13, 7:30 pm
Past winners of Open Mikes, Mark Hertzberger, Ted Baxter and Jeffrey Garland will read their poems.
James Reaney Memorial Lecture: Working with ReaneySunday, October 16, 2:30pm
Composer Peter Denny and colleagues will tell us what it was like to work with Stratford poet James Reaney.  A presentation of an unproduced opera by Reaney called Terrible Swift Sword will be featured.
Open MikeWednesday November 9, 7:30pm
Are you a budding poet? Share your works at our Open Mike. [guidelines]

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My Reading History

One of the things we often get asked is "Can you check to see if I've taken this book out before?" - the short answer is no.  But you now can. In the library catalogue (aka BiblioCommons), you can choose to retain your Reading History. This list will then grow as you borrow them from the library.  This history of what you have checked out is private and only viewable when you log into your online account. 
  
To set up Recently Returned:

1. Login to your account.
2. Click on Account Settings at the top of the page.
3. Click on Privacy in the new menu that appears.
4. Check the box marked “Enable Recently Returned”.
5. Click on Save.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

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SPL Shelf Life [kids]

These reviews appeared in the Stratford Gazette on September 8th. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

My Friend Mei Jing, by Anna McQuinn, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP McQui

On the first day of grade two, the teacher asked Monifa and Mei Jung to sit next to each other… and the two girls have been best friends since then.

Monifa and Mei Jung do just about everything together, and they share many interests. They love doing arts, crafts and dance; they like the same colours; they enjoy camping together in Monifa’s backyard, and they enjoy dressing up (especially as princesses). Both of them adore Mei Jung’s new puppy, and each wants to be a veterinarian someday. (In fact, they plan to open an animal clinic and work together. Monifa will be in charge of setting broken bones and Mei Jung will groom the animals.) 

Something else that the girls share is an appreciation of the other’s cultural heritage. Mei Jung likes to learn the meanings of the Yoruba names and words that Monifa’s family has brought from Nigeria. And Monifa loves tasting Chinese foods, learning to use chopsticks, and participating in the Chinese New Year customs that Mei Jung’s family enjoys.  

The ethnic differences found in a diverse community are celebrated in this book, but it’s the interests that both girls share which make them such good friends. And both girls would agree: there are few things in life better than a best friend!

 Irvin Cheung and Ben Frey’s art work is a colourful blend of photography and comic drawings – a perfect match for this appealing story.

** Recommended for ages 4 to 7 years.

One of Us, by Peggy Moss, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Moss

It was Roberta’s first day at Baker School.

When she walked into her new classroom, she noticed a group of girls wearing their hair in a ponytail, like Roberta. “Sit here” said one of them. “You are one of us.” However, when Roberta went to climb on the monkey bars at recess, the group told her, “We don’t play on the playground. We sit here and talk.”

So Roberta joined the Monkey Bar Group on the playground.

But when the Monkey Bar Group went to the cafeteria to eat lunch and discovered that Roberta had a flowered lunchbox instead of a monkey lunchbox, she was directed to the group of kids with flowered lunchboxes. She joined them, feeling a little confused. Taking out her pita roll-up, she was then directed to the pita-roll-up-lunch-group… so Roberta moved again.

But Roberta wasn’t wearing cowboy boots, and all of the kids in the pita-roll-up group were wearing cowboy boots….

Finally, Roberta decided to sit by herself.

Then she was approached by a girl – a girl who belonged to a group in which no two students were the same. Each student had different interests, lunches, clothing and hair styles.

At the end of this wise children’s fable–like story which celebrates people’s differences and likenesses, all the students at Baker School begin to play together, realizing that they do not have to be alike in every way.

** Recommended for ages 4 to 8 years.

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SPL Shelf Life [adult]

This review appeared in The Stratford Gazette on September 8th. Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian.

The Griff by Christopher Moore and Ian Corson with Jennyson Rosero

@SPL: GN FIC Moore

Those who like Christopher Moore’s books – You Suck, Fool, and Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, to name but a few of the tamer titles – will be euphoric that he has contributed a story to the world of graphic novels. It should have been a movie, except (according to Moore) people are liars and it never got made, which is why he teamed up with a screenwriter (Ian Corson) to get this little gem out there.  The story is a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Independence Day and Free Willy. The heroes are a Squirrel mascot, a street-wise skateboarder, a computer games graphic artist, a wanna-be Navy SEAL, and an Orca trainer. The villains are little green men from outer space and their dragon-like pets. So yes, it is very much a Christopher Moore creation - the dialogue is trademark Moore (complete with the odd expletive), the story is just as antic, the characters are a mixture of the silly and bizarre – some of which are less silly and more bizarre than you want to know. The artwork by Jennyson Rosero is a combination of old-fashioned DC Comic Hero style and the angular expressiveness of Manga, with dark, atmospheric colouring from Cirque Studios fitting for an earth-has-just-been-devastated-by-lizards-flying-amok kind of story (without ever being too gory or gruesome).  Do our heroes all make it? No. Are the flying lizards all defeated? No. Does it have a happy ending? Maybe. Is that any reason for not reading The Griff? No. It is irreverent and funny and Whedonesque and a great merriment of an action adventure. Bon appetite!

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Everyone has a story...

Do you have a unique life story that you would like to share? If so, consider volunteering to be a "book". As a living book, people will sign up to "read" you in a conversation and learn all about your compelling background.  Book volunteers can come from all walks of life. One of the goals of the Human Library program is to increase people’s understanding of uncommon lifestyle choices or difficult situations. The Human Library tries to peel away the labels or stereotypes we may have, and shine a light on those who may feel invisible.

The Human Library will all take place at Factory 163 on October 1, 11am-3pm.  The Human Library is part of the 2011 Culture Days celebrations. 

For more details, visit our website: http://www.stratford.library.on.ca/culturedays.html

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Argh... Science.

Science was one of those subjects in school that didn't come easy for me... I wish the Science Reference Center had been around back in the early '90s. The Science Reference Centreis an amazing web resource that we have subscribed to so that members of the Stratford Public Library can do online research on all things science related. The content is authoritative and reliable, coming from key resources - and for the most part, can't be found using Google. 

The Science Reference Centre is designed to meet every student's science research needs, Science Reference Center contains full text for hundreds of science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other sources. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology & wildlife.

Try Science Reference Centre - all you need is your library card to access, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - anywhere you have Internet!

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