FCPL Reading Challenge 2021

Happy New Year, fellow readers! As 2020 comes to a close, we can look back and say that it's been a strange and challenging year. While we know so many of our patrons have experienced hardships, we continue to be grateful for the opportunity to help each of you find enjoyment in reading. 

Thank You for Reading More in 2020

In January 2020, we challenged ourselves to read beyond our comfort zones. Our staff renewed its efforts to discover new books, new authors, and new stories to share with our patrons as we took on a new reading challenge each month.

All together, we discovered and shared over 250 books from classics to new releases, from fantasy to nonfiction, from audiobooks to graphic novels. A full list of Staff Reading Challenge 2020 books is available in our online catalog.

As we talked about these newly discovered books with our patrons, many of you decided to read along with us. We enjoyed hearing about the books you loved, the books that challenged your thinking, and the books that helped you learn something new.

Crush Your 2021 Reading Goals with Your Library

We loved talking books with our patrons so much that we're opening the next FCPL Reading Challenge to everyone!

Each month we'll post a new reading theme here on the Bookmarked blog, Facebook, and Instagram encouraging our staff and patrons to read from a specific genre or topic. 

Throughout the month, we'll post photos and reviews of the books we're reading and you can join the discussion by commenting in the threads posted on our social media channels.

Reading Challenge for January 2021

January's Reading Challenge is to reread a childhood favorite. If you're having trouble choosing a favorite book from your childhood, you could read a children's book published within the last five years instead.

Leave a comment on this blog, or comment in the FCPL Reading Challenge 2021 threads on Facebook and Instagram, to share what you're reading for this month's challenge.

#WeKnowBooks

If you need help selecting a book for any of our Reading Challenges in 2021, please Email a Librarian, use our book lists for kids, teens, and adults, or visit the Ask Us desk of any Forsyth County Public Library branch.

Thanks for reading along with us this year!

Staff Picks: Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver by Jill Heinerth

Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver by Jill Heinerth

Part adventure, part memoir from one of the few female cave divers in the world. If you are unfamiliar with cave diving, it is one of the most dangerous sports that few people have experienced. Jill Heinerth pushed barriers, made record dives, and explored where no human ever has. Each experience she shares keeps you in suspense and just hoping everyone involved survives. It is not a solo sport and everyone in the cave diving community relies on each other to stay alive.

Joan Dudzinski
Information Services Supervisor
#WeKnowBooks

Kids' Book Spotlight - Musical Reads for Teens

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything" ~Plato

Teen Middle (Grades 6-8)

Blackbird Fly

by Erin Estrada Kelly

Bullied at school, eighth-grader Apple, a Filipino American who loves the music of the Beatles, decides to change her life by learning how to play the guitar.

Lost Boys

by Darcey Rosenblatt

In 1982 Iran, twelve-year-old Reza is more interested in music than war, but enlists in obedience to his devout mother and soon finds himself in a prison camp in Iraq.

Emmy in the Key of Code

by Aimee Lucido

Twelve-year-old Emmy is the only one in her family who can't make music to save her life. And now that her dad's symphony job has uprooted her to a new city and school, everything seems even more off-key than usual. Until a computer class changes her tune -- Emmy discovers that her coding skills can really sing. Now life is starting to seem a little more upbeat, especially with computer whiz and possible best friend Abigail around to share tips and tricks with. But can Emmy hold on to her newfound confidence with bad news and big secrets just around the corner, or will her new life come to a screeching halt?

Guitar Notes

by Mary Amato

Tripp, who plays guitar only for himself, and Lyla, a cellist whose talent has already made her famous but not happy, form an unlikely friendship when they are forced to share a practice room at their high school.

All Summer Long

by Hope Larson

Thirteen-year-old Bina faces her first summer without her best friend, Austin, who has left for soccer camp.

Teen High (Grades 9-12)

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman

In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her extraordinary musical talents.

How You Ruined My Life

by Jeff Strand

Rod's life is going well until his rich, prankster cousin, Blake, moves in for three months--moving into his room and moving in on his girlfriend and band--ruining everything.

Wise Young Fool

by Sean Beaudoin

A teenage guitarist in a rock band deals with loss and anger as he relates the events that landed him in a juvenile detention center.

Super Fake Love Song

by David Yoon

When new-girl Cirrus mistakes self-described nerd Sunny Dae as the lead in a rock band, Sunny rolls with it forming a fake band with his friends, but as the lies continue he risks losing both Cirrus and his friends.

Here We Are Now

by Jasmine Warga

While her mother is out of town, sixteen-year-old Taliah accompanies her estranged father-a famous rock star who one day appears on her doorstep-to Oak Falls, Indiana, to meet his dying father and the rest of his family, and on the way, Taliah learns about how her parents met and separated, her mother's experience as a Jordanian immigrant, and her own ability to accept change and open up to others.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

World Reading Habits in 2020

 How much time do you spend reading each week? 

Readers in the United States average over five hours of reading a week. According to Global English Editing, readers in India top the chart by averaging more than ten hours of reading per week. 

Has the coronavirus changed your reading habits? 

The pandemic, lockdowns, and social distancing have resulted in a 35% increase in reading worldwide with 14% of respondents saying that they read significantly more in 2020. 

While many of us have been reading more this year, physical book sales have dropped 38% in the United States in favor of eBooks. Millennials may be leading the digital trend since they’re reading 40% more books this year due to the coronavirus. 

Apocalyptic fiction from past decades has seen a surge of interest in 2020.  

The Stand by Stephen King

First released in 1978 and updated in 1990, The Stand chronicles the lives of pandemic survivors in the United States and an epic battle of good versus evil. The story has been adapted twice, first on ABC in 1994 and again this year on CBS All Access. 

The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz

The Eyes of Darkness describes a virus with a 100% mortality rate called Wuhan-400.  Its similarities to Covid-19 sparked renewed interest in this 1981 science fiction novel in 2020.  

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist

#WeKnowBooks

Winter Reading Fun Begins December 23, 2020

'Tis the season to be reading! Mark your calendars to register, read, and win in Forsyth County Public Library's third annual Winter Reading Fun program beginning December 23, 2020.

Register Online

Between December 23, 2020 and January 5, 2021, patrons of all ages can register for Winter Reading Fun at forsythpl.beanstack.org.

Track Reading Time

Track the time you spend reading during winter break, December 23 - January 5, at forsythpl.beanstack.org.

Participants in the preschool, elementary, and teen categories who log at three hours of reading will earn 300 points and a prize for completing the challenge.

Participants of all ages who earn 300 points will be entered in grand prize raffle drawings.

Claim Your Prize

Completion prizes for kids and teens will be available in all library branches through January 13, 2021.

Grand Prize raffle drawings will be conducted on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Winners will be contacted individually to arrange prize pick up.

Winter Reading Fun Sponsors

FCPL extends its sincere thanks to FCPL Friends & Advocates for their generous support of Winter Reading Fun. We are also grateful to the local businesses who donated prizes for Winter Reading Fun participants who reach their 3-hour reading goal.

Looking for something to read?

If you'd like help finding something to read to reach your Winter Reading Fun goal, you can request personalized reading recommendations from our staff, check out book lists for kids, teens, and adults, or visit the Ask Us desk at any FCPL branch.

overBOOKed to Read: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

"One mistake can change the course of your life. You can never return to your original path or go back to the person you were."

Li-yan is one of the Akha people, an ethnic minority that lives in the remote mountains of mainland China. The lives of the people in her village revolve around the seasons, tradition, and the farming of tea. Everything changes when a stranger appears in the village. As Li-yan learns about the outside world, she begins to reject the customs that have guided life in her village for generations. When she has a baby out of wedlock, she decides to leave her baby, and an ancient tea cake, at an orphanage in a nearby city. From there, she continues her education and seeks to build a life for herself, while her daughter is adopted by an American couple. Even as mother and daughter yearn for each other, they are connected by the tradition and study of Pu'er, the tea that their family has cultivated and harvested for generations.

Join the overBOOKed Book Club for a virtual discussion of this title on Thursday, January 21, at 10:00 a.m. OverBOOKed meets virtually at 10:00 a.m. every third Thursday of the month. Register here to receive your GoToMeeting link to join the discussion!

The eBook and eAudiobook versions of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane are available through OverDrive. Anyone with a Forsyth County Library card can sign up for a free OverDrive account. Sign up for a free card today and start enjoying FCPL's digital catalog from wherever you are!

Melissa
Information Specialist
#WeKnowBooks

Kids' Book Spotlight - Music Magic Chapter Books

"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music." ~Ronald Reagan

Beginning Chapter Books (Grades 1-3)

Making the Band

by Martha Maker

Now that Emily, Maddie, Bella, and Sam's craft clubhouse is up and running, the friends spend all their free time there. They've made friendship bracelets, sewn pillows, and even built a potato clock! One day their teacher announces that there's an upcoming school talent show. What could be more perfect for four kids who have so many different talents? The only problem is, none of them can think of anything to do for the talent show! Then Sam gets a musical idea. Will the group have time to put their rockin' plan into action?

Bat to the Bone

by Marcie Colleen

Flying Blind. The bat-only punk rock band. Coming to the Grumpy Woods. The Super Happy Party Bears love rock 'n' roll! The other Grumpy Woods residents do not. To them, this "music" sounds like BOOM! BOOM! REEN-REEN-WAAAHHHHH! And the band's nighttime shows are keeping everyone awake! When the bears join the band and get groovin', the rest of the Grumpy Woods townscritters go undercover to wreak havoc at the show. Will the bears rock the party or will Mayor Quill stop the music?

Arthur Plays the Blues

by Stephen Krensky

When Arthur fails to show up for his second piano lesson, his music teacher dismisses him.

Sarai Saves the Music

by Sarai Gonzalez 

When cuts in the school budget threatens the band program, Sarai organizes a benefit concert to raise money, and gains the attention of her favorite singer, Sparkles Sanchez.

Rock & Roll

by Dotti Enderle

When the ghost of a rock star interferes with a music concert that Dandy, Malcolm, and his sister Cocoa are attending, the ghost detectors are on the

job--but this time the key to victory may be a video game.

Chapter Books (Grades 3-5)

The Mystwick School of   Musicraft

by Jessica Khoury

Twelve-year-old Amelia gets the opportunity to attend a boarding school and learn how to use music to create magic, hoping to become a Maestro like her deceased mother.

Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace

by Nan Marino

When musical prodigy, Elvis Ruby, completely freezes up on television, he is forced to hide out in the Pinelands of New Jersey and try to find his way back to the music once again with the help of a new friend.

I [Heart] Band!

by Michelle Schusterman

On her first day of seventh grade, Holly Mead learns that her new band director is surprisingly strict and that her best friend has replaced her with the new French horn player.

The Eleventh Trade

by Alyssa Hollingsworth

They say you can't get something for nothing, but nothing is all Sami has. When his grandfather's most prized possession-a traditional Afghan instrument called a rebāb-is stolen, Sami resolves to get it back. He finds it at a music store, but it costs $700, and Sami doesn't have even one penny. What he does have is a keychain that has caught the eye of his classmate. If he trades the keychain for something more valuable, could he keep trading until he has $700? Sami is about to find out.

Not Your All-American Girl

by Madelyn Rosenberg

Sixth-graders Lauren and Tara have always done everything together so it is only natural that they both try out for their middle school musical play, about an "all-American" girl in 1958; Tara gets the lead role, as usual, because in the teacher's mind Lauren, half-Jewish and half-Chinese, does not fit the image of all-American girl--Lauren is hurt but resolved to support her friend, but her two grandmothers are furious and they intend to do something about it.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

Kids' Book Spotlight - Picture Books and Early Readers for Little Musicians

"Music is the heart of life." ~Franz Liszt

Picture Books

A Fox Found a Box

by Ged Adamson

When a little fox finds a radio, he shares the songs and music with his animal friends, but after it goes quiet, the little fox begins to hear the music found in nature.

Sunny Day

by Joe Raposo

To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Sesame Street, beloved picture-book artists have each created an artwork interpreting a different line from "Sunny Day," the iconic Sesame Street theme song.

Tallulah Plays the Tuba

by Tiffany Stone

Tallulah dreams of playing the tuba, but she's small and the tuba is very large. Everyone around her tells her to wait until she's bigger, but Tallulah can't wait--she just has to play the tuba in her school band. With determination and a lot of creativity, Tallulah hatches a plan that she hopes will turn her musical dream into reality.

The Heart of a Whale

by Anna Pignataro

Whale's beautiful song calms a wriggly octopus, cheers a sad urchin, and much more but cannot cure his loneliness without the help of his friends.

Wild Symphony

by Dan Brown

Invites children to travel through trees and across seas with Maestro Mouse and his musical friends, who visit with a sequence of animals on spreads that incorporate clues to a coded message. Young readers will meet a big blue whale and speedy cheetahs, tiny beetles and graceful swans. The poems combined with the music tell a story and reveal a funny or interesting side of each animal's personality.

Early Readers

Pinkalicious and the Pinkettes

by Victoria Kann

Pinkalicious and her friends want to start a band, but they don't have any instruments! Pinkalicious will need to find a creative answer. When Pinkalicious realizes there are amazing sounds all around, she figures out what to do.

Journey to You

by Natasha Bouchard

A Step 3 Step Into Reading leveled reader based on the Disney/Pixar animated film takes younger fans on a journey from the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms of the universe to explore some of life's most important questions.

Daniel Can Dance!

by Delphine Finnegan

Daniel can tap, clap, and dance along with the music! Who will join him?

Miguel's Music

by Liz Rivera

Miguel loves music, but his family says it is not allowed. Will he ever change their minds?

Chuck's Band

by Peggy Perry Anderson

Chuck and his barnyard friends form a band, but they have trouble finding an instrument for Fat Cat Pat to play, since all the cat wants to do is sleep all day.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

'Tis the Season for Treats

Now that we are firmly in the season of baking and treats, FCPL patrons should know that help is abundantly available!

FCPL has over 1,200 cookbooks in our collection and provides access to more than 15 food and cooking eMagazines, such as Bon Appetit, All Recipes, and Food Network through RBdigital and Flipster on FCPL's website.

Here are some FCPL cookbook facts:

·        Sharon Forks has 700+, Cumming has 650+,  Post Road has 700+,  Hampton Park has 550+, and FCPL also has 150+ cookbooks for kids and teens.

 Check out some of the newest cookbooks in our collection:

Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Katie Culpin

This cookbook features Southern favorites that have been redesigned to be healthier and more accessible for people with dietary restrictions. Some of the featured recipes include lemon squares, herb biscuits, and lemon blueberry cream pie. The author also includes information about making healthy nut butters, jams, and fruit butters.

The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook by Carroll Pellegrinelli

This cookbook features more than 60 simple recipes with easy-to-follow guidelines to ensure success. The author also provides great decorating ideas and suggests treats that are great for parties or for gifting to family and friends. 

The Cozy Christmas Movie Cookbook by Holly Carpenter

One thing many people look forward to the most about this time of year is the time to watch a favorite Christmas movie. This new cookbook features 100 recipes inspired by these beloved films, and the recipes cover snacks, cookies, and cakes, warm drinks and cocktails, and more.  

Amy Whitten
Information Specialist

#WeKnowBooks

Staff Picks: Non-Fiction Books for Introverts

Are you an introvert? Be proud! Introverts have many positive and essential qualities, and you can learn to use them to your advantage in a world that favors extroversion. Take time during this period of social distancing to check out books that will help you unleash the power of your inner introvert!

Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength by Laurie Helgoe

Most Americans, whether introverted or extroverted, have learned to look like extroverts," writes psychologist (and introvert) Heilgoe in this well-written and well-reasoned analysis that challenges the perception of introverts as a silent, problematic minority. The author reveals that 57% of the U.S. population identify as introverts and are so commonly misunderstood because many of them have become adept at mimicking extroversion to get by. Heilgoe encourages introverts to see themselves as perfectly functional and to fulfill their need for solitude with regular retreats and creating a private space in their homes. Helpful sections detail why introverts need extroverts in their lives and how extroverts depend on introverts for their artistic contributions and inner "richness."

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking  by Susan Cain

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society--from Van Gogh's sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer. Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with the indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. This book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Hiding in the Bathroom: an Introvert's Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You'd Rather Stay Home) by Morra Aarons-Mele

Aarons-Melle offers practical tips to help readers build strong relationships and achieve their own definition of professional success. She includes exercises to help readers evaluate their own work/life fit and manage anxiety. By taking control and building your own version of success, you can build a fantastic, prosperous career and a balanced, happy life on your own terms.

The Introvert's Guide to the Workplace: Concrete Strategies for Bosses and Employees to Thrive and Succeed by Thea Orozco 

This book is every working introverts handbook that they can reference throughout their career for guidance on tricky or draining situations, and motivation to enlist the power of their inner introvert to succeed. Learn about how to combat interview anxiety, make meaningful connections at networking events, be heard and noticed at meetings or on the stage, overcome imposter syndrome, and become an effective leader with your introvert strengths.

The Introvert's Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job, to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving On Up by Jane Finkle

This handbook demonstrates how to use your introverted qualities to their best advantage, then add a few extroverted skills to round out a forceful combination for ultimate career success. 

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan

What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she'd normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Jessica sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much, much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author's hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a little bit braver.

Introverts in Love: The Quiet Way to Happily Ever After by Sophia Dembling

This is a a friendly and accessible guide to dating and relationships for introverts. Love is tricky for everyone--and different personality types can face their own unique problems. This book is a guide to romance that takes you through the frequently outgoing world of dating, courting, and relationships, helping you navigate issues that are particular to introverts, from making conversation at parties to the challenges of dating an extrovert.

The Irresistible Introvert: Harness the Power of Quiet Charisma in a Loud World by Michaela Chung

One third to one half of Americans are introverts in a culture that celebrates-even enforces-an ideal of extroversion and a cult of personality. Political leaders are charismatic, celebrities bask in the spotlight, and authority figures are assertive. It is no surprise that a "quiet revolution" has begun to emerge among the "invisible" half of the population, asserting that they are just as powerful in their own unique ways.        

Jeanne McMahan

Information Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks