Evergreen™ Featured Title: The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott

The Little Shadows

Marina Endicott
FIC Endic

The Little Shadows revolves around three sisters in the world of vaudeville before and during the First World War, ranging all across Western Canada and the United States. We follow the lives of all three in turn: Aurora, the eldest and most beautiful, who is sixteen when the book opens; thoughtful Clover, a year younger; and the youngest sister, joyous headstrong sprite Bella, who is thirteen.

If your reading of this book has intrigued you, you might want to explore this excerpt from a PBS documentary of vaudeville, featuring Blacks & Vaudeville

The girls, overseen by their fond but barely coping Mama, are forced to make their living as a singing act after the untimely death of their father. They begin with little besides youth and hope, but Marina Endicott’s genius is to show how the three girls slowly and steadily evolve into true artists even as they navigate their way to adulthood among a cast of extraordinary characters.

You can view a BookLounge interview with Marina Endicott talking about this book

Endicott’s website is also a wonderful resource, providing lots of extra resources on vaudeville, including a glossary of the lingo, playbills, and a list and links of vaudevillian music. Lots of fun to explore!

She also shares the UK version of the book cover… which do you prefer?

Don’t forget, if you read this book as part of SPL’s STARR Summer Reading program, you can claim 2 stamps on your Rewards Card, and also be eligible to vote during Ontario Public Library Week, October 20-26, to choose the winner of the Evergreen™ Award!

Find this book in the library catalogue

Find the other nominees on the Evergreen Shortlist

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Shelf Life [adult]

Breakthrough! Canada’s Greatest Inventions and Innovations by John Melady

@ SPL 609.2271 Mel

From medicine to agriculture, sports to theatre, small hand-held tools to a complex machine used on the International Space Station, Canadian inventions have helped to change the world.  In his book Breakthrough!  Canada’s Greatest Inventions and Innovations,author John Melady of Egmondville gives us a glimpse into the background of these discoveries and the individuals responsible for them.  The short biographies of each inventor add an element of human interest, offering readers a clear understanding of the inventor, the importance of their contribution, and how their inventions came to be.

Through 22 chapters the author introduces inventors from all parts of Canada, and Stratford  readers may be especially interested in the chapter about Tom Patterson, founder of the Stratford Festival.  Beginning with a historical background of the city, Melady sets the stage by describing a young Tom Patterson who envisioned a theatre in his hometown where Shakespearean plays could be performed.  Upon his return home after serving in World War II, he shared his dream with friends and then eventually politicians and people of influence.  Readers will be fascinated to discover the many challenges that he had to overcome in laying the foundation for the world-class theatre we know today as the Stratford Festival.

Another interesting Stratford connection in “Breakthrough” can be found in the chapter written about Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans, inventors of the light bulb.  The partners from Toronto connected with a famed American, Thomas Edison, who as a teenager worked as a telegrapher for the Grand Trunk Railway in Stratford.  Edison bought the rights to their invention, and often is given credit for inventing the light bulb.  “The two (Woodward and Evans) were up to something great, but neither gained much for it,” writes Melady.

Throughout this book the author’s conversational writing style makes it easy to absorb the wealth of information found in each chapter.  He engages the reader with  intriguing stories about Canadian inventions such as the snow blower, a crash position indicator for airplanes known as the “black box”, a machine built to travel across snow in the winter, goalie masks, the Robertson screwdriver and the Canadarm. 

Note:  John Melady will be guest speaker at “The Places You’ll Go”, a space-themed event hosted by Stratford Public Library at the Stratford Rotary Complex on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 7 pm.  Doors open at 6 pm and the author will be available to sign copies of “Breakthrough” as well as two other books “Maple Leaf In Space” and “Canadians in Space: The Forever Frontier”. Free tickets for this event are available at Stratford Public Library or at the door.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 25, 2013. Written by Trish MacGregor, Librarian.

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Shelf Life [kids]

Wild Colt by Lois Szymanski, 40 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Szyma

    

Full-page pictures created in oil paint bring to life a beautiful new children’s book which portrays a young Chincoteague pony’s first summer. 

    

After his birth, his mother lovingly cares for and encourages her little brown and white foal as he rests and then begins to take his first tentative steps.

    

In the coming days the colt eats dune and marsh grasses, drinks fresh water at a nearby water hole, and discovers the birds, turtles, raccoons, deer and other creatures which share his coastal wetland habitat on Chincoteague Island.  Soon he is busy exploring everywhere.

   

Through the long lazy days of the summer, the colt runs, plays, jumps, kicks and races with the other young ponies on the island.

    

Sometimes he is startled by the mysterious booming thunder and lightning flashes of a sudden thunderstorm.

    

Near the end of the summer, he and the other colts are rounded up for the yearly wild pony auction on the island, where he is purchased by the family of a young girl who has always wanted a pony. It is apparent that the colt will be very much loved in his new home.

    

This gentle story, told in light, rhyming verse, may be especially appropriate as a bedtime read-aloud. Facts about wetlands and their creatures are included at the end of this charming book by Lois Szymanski, who has written other children’s books about horses (Sea Feather and A Perfect Pony).                                              

** Recommended for ages 4 to 8 years.

Darcy by Whitney Sanderson, 142 pages.

@ SPL:  J FIC Horse

    

Set in early 20^th-century Ireland, Darcy is the tenth title in the popular “Horse Diaries” series of children’s stories, each narrated from the horse’s point of view.

    

For the first year of her life, Darcy is free to spend her days running, playing and exploring. Then she is put to work on the McKenna farm. As a small, hardy Connemara pony, she quickly grows accustomed to the hard work of an Irish farm horse, pulling carts filled with peat turf from the bog, hauling loads of seaweed from the coast to spread as fertilizer on the fields, working in the fields and carrying family members to the places they need to go. Sundays are a day of rest.

    

Darcy is content with her life.  She is happy to work hard for the McKenna family, who love her and treat her well.

    

On one occasion, she displays her running prowess when she is challenged to race an English thoroughbred across the rugged Irish countryside – and wins, despite the odds. On another occasion, Darcy’s great speed saves the day when the McKenna family faces a medical emergency. 

     

A heart-warming, well-written story which encompasses both the happy and sad times in the life of a pony, Darcy (or any of the other titles in the Horse Diaries series, such as Koda, Golden Sun or Bell’s Star) would be an excellent choice for those who love horses and other animals. Because each book in the “Horse Diaries” series tells the story of a different horse, in a different time and place in history, the books can be read alone or in any order. 

** Recommended for ages 8 to 11 years. 

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 25, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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downloadLibrary Updates

We have excellent news for those of you enjoying free access to ebooks and audiobooks using downloadLibrary - improvements have been made. 

Here's what's new:

• The number of copies in the library's digital collection is displayed on the Holds page.

• The Holds page also shows the number of patrons on the wait-list

• Mobile users: pinch-to-zoom function has been restored and the 'Borrow / Place a Hold' button has been moved closer to the top.

Have questions or need help getting started? Visit the downloadLibrary page, drop by the Library or call us at 519-271-0220. 

If you like reading on tablets, computers or smartphone devices we have MORE good news. Last month SPL launched a new service called Zinio that offers 80 free popular digital magazine titles for our patrons. Learn more on the website or give us a shout.

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Evergreen™ Featured Title: Tell It To the Trees by Anita Rau Badami

Tell It To the Trees
Anita Rau Badami
FIC Badam

Secrets, family ties, isolation in Northern B.C. – all these elements come together in the latest novel by Anita Rau Badami. If you want to discover the interior lives of new Canadians who are facing massive changes, this one is for you. What, or who, is it about? Read on…

One freezing winter morning a dead body is found in the backyard of the Dharma family’s house. It’s the body of Anu Krishnan.

For Anu, a writer seeking a secluded retreat from the city, the Dharmas’ “back-house” in the sleepy mountain town of Merrit’s Point was the ideal spot to take a year off and begin writing. But the Vikram who Anu remembers now has a new wife, arranged in India after his first wife’s death in a car accident.

Anu’s arrival will change the balance of the Dharma household. Young Varsha, deeply affected by her mother’s death and desperate to keep her new family together, becomes increasingly suspicious of Anu’s relationship with her stepmother. Varsha’s singular attention to keeping her family together, and the secrets that emerge as Anu and Suman become friends, create cracks in the Dharma family that can only spell certain disaster.

Watch the brief book trailer to get a sense of this story’s atmosphere:

To discover more about this novel, listen in to Shelagh Rogers discussing it with Badami, or watch Badami chat with Allen Gregg of TVO.

Don’t forget, if you read this book as part of SPL’s STARR Summer Reading program, you can claim 2 stamps on your Rewards Card, and also be eligible to vote during Ontario Public Library Week, October 20-26, to choose the winner of the Evergreen™ Award! 

 Find this book in the library catalogue 

 Find the other nominees on the Evergreen Shortlist

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Shelf Life [adult]

Shakespeare’s Rebel By C.C. Humphreys

@SPL: FIC Humph

The best swashbuckling tale-teller since Raphael Sabatini, C.C. Humphreys’ latest novel crosses a number of genres. Mystery, history, the political espionage of Elizabeth I’s court (long after her cousin Mary Stuart has been dispatched), and of course, swordplay. But the hero, John Lawley is not just a mercenary soldier-for-hire, his first love is the stage – specifically, setting fights for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, in the company of one William Shakespeare. We first meet our hero as he is coming out a hangover of epic proportions; a man given to legendary alcoholic tears whenever upset is not generally the heroic type, but Humphreys gives Lawley a few things to strive toward – the woman he has always loved, a son who shows promise for the stage, and most importantly, the will to avoid getting stuck within the political machinations of Queen Elizabeth, her soldier-lover Robert Deveraux, and her chief minister, Robert Cecil (grandson of one Lord Burleigh, if you’ve seen Mary Stuart at the Stratford Festival). No such luck, as Deveraux depends on him to keep his warrior spirit up when he is ordered to invade Ireland and bring back a traitor, Cecil wants him to spy on Deveraux, and Elizabeth, who comes to realize she is more closely connected to Lawley than either is comfortable with, wants Lawley to use his friendship with Shakespeare to persuade him to produce the most patriotic of plays during the tense final years of her reign. Easier done than said, as Lawley and the players find – the public tide has turned, they demand more of their theatre, and they might – just might – be ready for Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy of all, the play Lawley is afraid will ultimately consume his friend.  Shakespeare’s Rebel is Humphreys best since his first, The French Executioner, but even fans of his Jack Absolute series will find subtle connections therein. A thoroughly researched, enjoyable and meaty summer read. Find it, and other titles reviewed in this column at http://spl.bibliocommons.com under the tag Shelf Life Reviewed.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 18, 2013. Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian.

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Shelf Life [kids]

Boom! by Mary Lyn Ray, 30 pages.

@ SPL: JP Ray

Rosie was a little white dog who was very brave, just like the boy who owned her. She wasn’t afraid of cats, sirens, fire trucks, garbage trucks, or big animals such as tigers (although she had met very few of these). She had no fear of shadows at night, feather dusters, vacuum cleaners or even baths.  

    

However, there was something that frightened Rosie very much … and that something was thunder.

    

“When a storm began to rumble, this small dog who was usually a brave dog, wasn’t.” Rosie scuttled away and hid under a chair, under a rug, behind a sofa and even inside a big sock. Nothing calmed her - not the boy’s reassurance that the storm would end, the songs he sang to her or even the treats he offered to her.

    

At last the boy snuggled up with Rosie on the safest place he knew – his bed - and they waited out the storm together.  When the booming thunder finally ended, the sky cleared; everything was quiet again … and Rosie was a brave dog once more.

    

Sometimes, facing frightening things with someone else is the best response.

    

Parents will appreciate this reassuring story that addresses a common fear for preschoolers (and pets) in gentle, rhythmic language. The empathy shown by the boy for his pet is touching and the large illustrations, which have a “retro” look, add humour to this appealing story.

** Recommended for ages 3 to 6 years.

    

Are We There Yet?  by Sam Williams, 32 pages.

@ SPL: JP Willi

     

What parent on a long trip with young children hasn’t heard the often-repeated refrain, “Are we there yet?” 

    

In Sam Williams’ picture book, wise Mother Duck decides to take her four ducklings on a long walk after hearing their continual complaints that their “small” pond is boring. The family sets off across the meadow and past the fields, where they see ponies, sheep, cows, and pigs.

    

Only one of the ducklings, the littlest, appears to be interested in the new sights and sounds that they experience on the way. The others complain that they are bored and frequently ask, “Are we there yet?”   

    

After stopping for a delicious picnic lunch of duckweed sandwiches, the ducks resume their journey. Now, as they waddle along, Mother Duck hears squabbling amongst the sibling ducklings, complaints of being tired, hot and bored, and the inevitable question “Are we there yet?”

     

But when the ducklings at last reach their destination, they are surprised and delighted to see … their own beautiful, enormous, refreshing, familiar pond once again! 

    

This beautifully-illustrated story demonstrates the truth that perhaps the grass isn’t always greener near the other pond. 

    

Note: parents may be interested in borrowing some books about family car travel this summer, such as Jill Smolinski’s “60 Super Simple Travel Games” or Shando Varda’s “101 Family Vacation Games: Have Fun While Traveling”.

** Recommended for ages 3 to 5 years. 

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 18, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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Evergreen™ Featured Title: Triggers by Robert J. Sawyer

Triggers 
Robert J. Sawyer
FIC Sawye

It quickly becomes clear that the electromagnetic pulse generated by the bomb amplified and scrambled Dr. Singh’s equipment, allowing a random group of people to access one another’s minds. And now one of those people has access to the president’s memories—including classified information regarding an upcoming military mission, which, if revealed, could cost countless lives. But the task of determining who has switched memories with whom is a daunting one, particularly when some of the people involved have reasons to lie…

Triggers has been optioned for the big screen – and author Robert Sawyer even gets a chance to adapt his own work! Read all about it at Wired.com

Suspense…political intrigue…speculative science…this book is a page-turner! What’s it all about?

On the eve of a secret military operation, an assassin’s bullet strikes U.S. President Seth Jerrison. He is rushed to hospital, where surgeons struggle to save his life. At the same hospital, Canadian researcher Dr. Ranjip Singh is experimenting with a device that can erase traumatic memories. Then a terrorist bomb detonates. In the operating room, the president suffers cardiac arrest. He has a near-death experience—but the memories that flash through Jerrison’s mind are not his memories.

At Sawyer’s blog he rounds up many links and mentions of Triggers in the media and across the web, including a discussion of skin colour and the role of the novelist in mentioning or not mentioning such characteristics in their writing. He even gives the Evergreen™ a shout-out!

Want to see Sawyer chatting about his writing, about science fiction, and the desire to live forever? Check out his TEDxManitoba presentation – it’s only 15 minutes long but that’s fifteen minutes of thought-provoking talk.

Don’t forget, if you read this book as part of SPL’s STARR Summer Reading program, you can claim 2 stamps on your Rewards Card, and also be eligible to vote during Ontario Public Library Week, October 20-26, to choose the winner of the Evergreen™ Award!

Find this book in the library catalogue

Find the other nominees on the Evergreen Shortlist

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Shelf Life [kids]

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night by Lenore Look, 175 pages.

@ SPL:  J FIC Look

    

Poor Alvin Ho! In previous books he’s been “allergic to” (i.e.  frightened by) many things:  girls, school, science projects, camping trips, birthday parties and various other scary things.  Now, in the fifth book of the series, Alvin Ho; Allergic to Babies, Burglars and Other Bumps in the Night, he comes face-to-face with the biggest, most fearsome challenge yet in his short seven-year life:  a new baby in his family!

    

That’s right – Alvin’s mother is going to have another baby.  Alvin’s parents and siblings are delighted, which confuses Alvin.  Don’t they realize what a new baby means?  It could be another girl! Even if Alvin escapes having another sister, there will be stinky diapers to change – lots of them!  Babies make other messes too ... and lots of noise ... and does anyone in the family realize that babies are non-returnable? 

    

As if a new baby isn’t enough for Alvin to cope with, a burglar has been reported in the neighbourhood and his dad is away on a week-long business trip.

    

The news of a burglar makes Alvin (who is, admittedly, more than slightly phobic) very nervous, but for this he can take some action.  He dons his “Firecracker Man” costume, attempts to give the family dog some anti-burglar training, and constructs a burglar trap with his older brother, Calvin.

    

However, a new baby is an entirely different problem....

    

Lenore Look’s hilarious books about Alvin can be compared to Melanie Watt’s picture books about Scaredy Squirrel, a neurotic rodent who worries about everything.  The Alvin chapter books would be fun choices to read aloud as a family, especially as they will be enjoyed by many children who cannot yet read chapter books for themselves.

** Recommended interest level: ages 6 to 9 years of age.

How to Beat the Bully Without Really Trying, by Scott Starkey, 258 pages.

@ SPL:  J FIC Stark

    

Pint-size Rodney Rathbone’s first encounter with Josh, the meanest bully in Rodney’s new school, is on the school bus on the first day of class.  Josh leaves no doubt in Rodney’s mind that he is “out to get him”.  Josh, it appears, hates new kids. 

    

When Rodney is confronted by Josh after school, Rodney thinks that he’s “toast”, but it isn’t to be.  In a quirky turn of events, Josh is hit on the head by a stray baseball – a ball which no one except Rodney sees.  Everyone, including Josh, believes that Rodney has knocked Josh down. 

    

Rodney instantly becomes known throughout the school as a superhero.   He insists that he’s just lucky, but no one believes him.

    

Now Rodney has trouble of a different sort.  He soon discovers that keeping his new reputation as a “tough guy” is much more difficult than attaining it, however accidentally, in the first place.  An added complication is that the meanest teacher in the school, Ms Lutzkraut, is being especially vindictive to Rodney for mispronouncing her name on the first day of school.

Readers will find themselves cheering for Rodney in this humorous, light-hearted story about school and bullying.  

    

Scott Starkey is an elementary school teacher whose keen understanding of students and their insecurities is evident in his debut novel.
** Recommended for ages 8 to 11 years.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 11, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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Learn a New Language for Free

Do you have big summer travel plans? Going abroad for school in the fall? Start learning the language of your destination country using Powerspeak Languages.

Powerspeak is free with your library card and can be easily accessed from the comfort of home. Language courses include Spanish, French, German, Mandarin and an ESL program to improve your English. 

Visit our Databases page on the website and select Languages. To log in from home enter your library barcode. If you need assistance give us a call at 519-271-0220.

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Evergreen™ Featured Title: The Deception of Livvy Higgs by Donna Morrissey

The Deception of Livvy Higgs
Donna Morrissey
FIC Morri

This is the story of Livvy Higgs, East Coaster and older woman reviewing the path of her life, written by an author known for the powerful writing and Atlantic Canada settings in her many novels. What is this one all about?

For two traumatic days, Livvy Higgs is besieged by a series of small heart attacks while the ghost of her younger self leads her back through a past devastated by lies and secrets.

The story opens in Halifax in 2009, travels back to the French Shore of Newfoundland during the mid-thirties and the heyday of the Maritime shipping industry, makes its way to wartorn Halifax during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II, then leaps ahead to the bedside of the elder Livvy.

In The Deception of Livvy Higgs, the inimitable Morrissey has written a powerful tale, the Stone Angel of the East Coast.

Morrissey has said that this book was inspired by the life of a former neighbour, but the fashion of writing books from the perspective of elderly women looking back and taking stock of their long lives seems to be a noticeable trend in Canadian fiction. For some examples held by our library, check out this Bibliocommons list, Ladies Looking Back.

You can watch Morrissey being interviewed quite recently, on Global Halifax, shortly after this book was nominated for an Atlantic Book Award:  

To get to know Morrissey a bit better, read this lengthy article about her run-in with anxiety, panic attacks and phobias,sparked by a doctor (wrongly) telling her that she had tetanus and had six months to live. Her strong personality really comes through!

Don’t forget, if you read this book as part of SPL’s STARR Summer Reading program, you can claim 2 stamps on your Rewards Card, and also be eligible to vote during Ontario Public Library Week, October 20-26, to choose the winner of the Evergreen™ Award!

Find this book in the library catalogue

Find the other nominees on the Evergreen Shortlist

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Ready, Set, Snap!

SPL is having a contest! The SPL Life Photo Contest!

Give us your best shot – your photographic impressions of the energy, serenity, beauty or mystery of Stratford’s most dynamic facility – The Stratford Public Library. The winning submissions will be featured in a library photo exhibit and on the library’s new website (set to be launched Fall 2013).

Submission ideas include:

• The Beauty of the Building: Try to capture the unique physical form of the library

• Space-to-Place: Show us how the library is so much more than a building but rather a place where the community lives! e.g. favourite reading spots, highlighting where the action is, etc.

• Creative Vision: Use your creativity and technological savvy! Imaginative, innovative and inspired photographic manipulations involving the library are welcome! 

• In and Out: Our experiences of the library are steeped in ongoing movements and interactions between other spaces; images can include an interface between inside/outside the library (e.g. through a window or a doorway)

• Library After Hours: Night scenes, shadowy sights; can you ‘see’ the mystery and intrigue of the library

• The People of the Library: The library was built for people! Images may include actual people using the library space (preferably not excessively posed). Be spontaneous and have fun - but be sure you have their permission!

The deadline for entries is July 31, 2013. Be sure to read the full submission information and contest rules and guidelines before you start snapping!.

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Website Survey

We want to hear form you! We are currently in the early stages of redesigning our website and are seeking feedback from the community.

Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey online: Stratford Public Library Website Redesign Survey

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Shelf Life [kids]

Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric A. Kimmel, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Kimme

    

In this quirky “spin” on the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk tale, a young cowboy, Jack, climbs Mount Pecos to recover his daddy’s barbecue recipe book, stolen years ago by a greedy giant.  Jack’s father had once been known far and wide for making the best barbecue sauce in West Texas.

    

When he reaches the giant’s ramshackle cabin and sneaks inside, Jack finds an unlikely ally: a talking jukebox (which speaks in Patsy Cline and Hank Williams lyrics).

    

The giant discovers Jack in his cabin and threatens to “roll him in salsa and pico de gallo, and gobble him up.”  Instead, after finishing an enormous meal of barbecued ribs, the giant falls asleep and the jukebox helps Jack to find the stolen recipe book.

     

As Jack and the jukebox escape from the cabin, the giant awakens and pursues them in his heavy-duty, super-large pickup truck.  Jack outwits the giant, returns home and uses the precious cookbook to open a new restaurant that serves (what else?) the best barbecue recipes in West Texas. 

    

Jack’s resourcefulness, the larger-than-life illustrations, the silliness and the exaggerations in this Texan tall tale are sure to make it a favourite choice for young children.

    

An interesting note about Texas barbecue is included at the end of the book by author Eric Kimmel, who has written over 50 stories for children, including Rip Van Winkle’s Return and Blackbeard’s Last Fight.

** Recommended for ages 4 to 7 years. 

Pirates Don’t Say Please!  By Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Knowl

    

Everyone knows that pirates have no time or use for manners!

    

When young Pirate Billy Nelson refuses to wash his hands, say “Please” and use his manners at the lunch table, his mother sends him to his room (“the brig”) without lunch.  She tells him to not to return until he leaves behind his rude pirate ways and language and is once again her polite son.  Plundering a chicken leg, Billy navigates to his room where he goes on an imaginary journey to find some buried pirate treasure.

    

Before his quest is finished, he is deserted by Elephant for not saying “Thank you”, and refused a ride by the pirate ship’s captain for not saying “Please”.

    

Eventually, he reaches his buried treasure, but while he is digging it up, a problem arises - his tummy begins to growl ferociously. 

    

Suddenly Billy realizes that good manners may be worth more than any pirate treasure or loot.  He digs up his lost manners instead, washes his hands and finds his mother – just in time for dinner!

    

Adrian Tans’ expressive illustrations bring Billy, his mother and his scallywag pirate friends to life in this laugh-aloud story of a young boy who learns about the importance of using good manners, even at home.     

** Recommended for ages 4 to 7 years.      

Visit http://www.stratford.library.on.ca/, phone us at 519-271-0220 or visit us in person to find out about the many FUN, free reading programs for children being offered at the Stratford Public Library this summer.  Our theme is “GO!”

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on July 4, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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Zinio Digital Magazines Have Arrived

We're taking beach reading to a whole new level with Zinio!

Zinio offers digital magazines to download to your computer, tablet and smartphone. The Library has over 75 subscriptions to popular magazine titles including Azure, Cottage Life, EcoParent, Field & Stream, Outdoor Photography and Town & Country Weddings. Get current issues, keep them as long as you'd like, and take as many as you want.

Come to our Zinio Launch Party to get assistance setting up your device.

Thursday July 11, drop-in between 6:30 - 8pm

Library Auditorium, Free

Visit our website for more information about Zinio and instructions on how to get started today.
* You must register two accounts to be fully registered.

With thanks to Friends of the Stratford Public Library and members of the Stratford General Hospital medical staff for their generous donations.

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Evergreen™ Featured Title: Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

Indian Horse
Richard Wagamese
FIC Wagam

Are you familiar with this title, a 2013 contender on Canada Reads? If not, here’s a short summary:

Saul Indian Horse has hit bottom. His last binge almost killed him, and now he’s a reluctant resident in a treatment centre for alcoholics, surrounded by people he’s sure will never understand him. But Saul wants peace, and he grudgingly comes to see that he’ll find it only through telling his story.

Indian Horse unfolds against the bleak loveliness of northern Ontario, all rock, marsh, bog and cedar. Wagamese writes with a spare beauty, penetrating the heart of a remarkable Ojibway man.

Richard Wagamese is known for his many novels, essays and short stories depicting Native life in Canada.  He also writes a thoughtful and personal blog about the writing life, called World of Wonders.

Wagamese recently won the 2013 Canada Council Molson Prize in the Arts, honouring “outstanding lifetime achievements and ongoing contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of Canada”. He gave a brief interview to Open Book Ontario after his win, talking about his own writing process.

You can listen to Shelagh Rogers’ extended interview with Wagamese on The Next Chapter, a fascinating 40 minute talk. If you have the time, it’s well worth checking out.

Finally, Wagamese is also a great storyteller, with live performances available online. Watch Part 1 of a 3 part “Performance Storytelling” series to get a taste of his style. If you like it, click over to YouTube to watch the rest!

 

Don’t forget, if you read this book as part of SPL’s STARR Summer Reading program, you can claim 2 stamps on your Rewards Card, and also be eligible to vote during Ontario Public Library Week, October 20-26, to choose the winner of the Evergreen™ Award!

Find this book in the library catalogue

Find the other nominees on the Evergreen Shortlist

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