Prepare to Discuss the World with Great Decisions 2021

Prepare to discuss the world as Great Decisions, a popular annual discussion series developed by the Foreign Policy Association and presented locally by faculty from the University of North Georgia, returns to Forsyth County Public Library on February 17, 2021.

Great Decisions 2021 will be presented as a series of eight online guest lectures and Q & A sessions hosted on FCPL's GoToMeeting platform. Participation is free, but advance registration for each session is required. Links to join each session will be emailed to registered participants in advance of each event.

The series will include the following topics:

Global Supply Chains and National Security

Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Dlynn Williams, Ph.D., Department Head, Political Science 

The shutdown of global supply chains due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought to the fore an issue with the high level of global economic interdependence: what happens when one country is the main source for an item, say face masks, and then can no longer supply the item? Countries suddenly unable to meet the demand for certain supplies are faced with growing calls for economic nationalism. What are some of the lasting effects that the pandemic could have on global supply chains and trade? How would this affect national security?

Persian Gulf Security Issues

Wednesday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Victoria Hightower, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History

The Persian Gulf remains tense as the rivalry between the regional powers of Saudi Arabia and Iran continues. Tensions escalated in early 2020 as the United States began to intervene in the Gulf, launching an airstrike that killed two Iranian military commanders. What are the historical influences that have led to these tensions? What role, if any, should the United States play? Is using military force a viable foreign policy option for 2021 and beyond?

Brexit and the European Union

Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Nathan Price, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science & International Affairs

With the “Brexit transition period” coming to an end this year, the United Kingdom will formally leave the European Union at the start of 2021. With negotiations between the two entities continuing to stall, what does the future of Europe and the UK look like? Will the UK survive a possible Scottish vote to leave? Who will step up and take command of Europe now that Angela Merkel is out of the spotlight?

Struggles Over the Melting Arctic

Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Hamid Serri, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Security Studies

U.S. President Donald Trump left many scratching their heads when it was rumored that he was looking to purchase the large island nation of Greenland from Denmark. While any potential deal seems highly unlikely, the event shows the changing opinion within the U.S. government toward engagement with the Arctic region. Because of climate change, large sheets of arctic ice are melting, exposing vast stores of natural gas and oil. With Russia and China already miles ahead with their Arctic strategies, can the U.S. catch up?

China's Role in Africa

Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Laurel Wei, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science

The Covid-19 crisis has put a massive strain on what was growing a positive economic and political relationship between China and the continent of Africa. As Chinese President Xi Jinping’s centerpiece “Belt and Road initiative” continues to expand Chinese power, the response to the spread of Covid-19, as well as the African government’s growing debt to China, has seen pushback. What are some of the growing economic and political issues between China and Africa?

The Korean Peninsula

Wednesday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Sung Shin Kim, Ph.D., Professor, History

The Korean Peninsula is facing a defining era. Attempts by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump to repair the rift between North and South have lost any momentum as Pyongyang continues to test long-range missiles for its nuclear weapons program. As the rift between the U.S. and China grows further, South Korea may end up in the middle of the two superpowers. What does the future hold for the U.S. relationship with the ROK? 

The end of globalization?

Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Cristian Harris, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Political Science

As the United States enters another election season, the merits and drawbacks of globalization are again being debated by the presidential candidates. With the passing of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s America First doctrine, protectionist policies have become more prevalent, challenging globalization. What is globalization and how will it be affected by protectionist trade policies? How will the United States and the world be affected by such policies? Is globalization really at an end, or in need of a refresh?

Roles of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic

Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. (Advance Registration Required)

Presented by Sam Rohrer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science

The Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the World Health Organization (WHO) into the limelight, for better and for worse. While some of the Trump administration’s criticism of the organization is unfair, the response to the early stages of the pandemic left many experts wanting more from the WHO. What is the WHO’s role in responding to international pandemics? What can be done to improve the WHO’s response to future global health crises?

For more information, or to register for any Great Decisions 2021 discussions, please visit the Events Calendar on www.forsythpl.org.

Staff Picks - The World to Come: a Novel by Dara Horn - Adult Fiction

The World to Come: A Novel by Dara Horn

Benjamin Ziskind has just been left to pick up the pieces after his wife divorces him, and one of those pieces ends up being a Marc Chagall painting that he steals impulsively from a museum. He recognizes it as a painting that hung on the wall of his parents' house during his childhood, and enlists his sister to help him cover up the theft. Eventually, even a museum employee is in on it, as they all attempt to find a way to rectify the situation. 

The World to Come follows three generations of their family, with Chagall's painting as a thread that winds through each of their stories. It's a story that doesn't shy away from the horrible misfortunes of life, but the darkness is offset by a richly creative imagining of what human souls experience in "the world to come" before they're born. I liked how this book had a web of interconnecting stories and it really delves into the characters' pasts. It really gave me a sense of how, even though our lives are finite, we’re all part of the grand scheme of things.

Taylor 
Collection Support Aide 
Post Road Library
#WeKnowBooks

Celebrating African American Heritage

Celebrate Black History Month 2021 with a special series of virtual guest lectures hosted by Forsyth County Public Library. Each event will be hosted on GoToMeeting and participation is free. Advance registration is suggested.

COVID-19: Lessons From the Harlem Renaissance

Historian and filmmaker Dr. Gnimbin A. Ouattara speaks on the Spanish Flu pandemic and the Harlem Renaissance on February 3 at 7:00 p.m.

More people died in the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic or “Spanish Flu” than in any other pandemic, war, or famine in history—50 to 100 million of the world’s 1.8 billion people died in sixteen weeks, from mid-September to mid-December of 1918. 675, 000 perished in the United States alone - more than in the US Civil War. The flu originated in January 1918 in Haskell County, Kansas. It spread to the army barracks of Camp Funston, now Ft. Riley, located three hundred miles to the east of Haskell County. Nine months earlier, on April 6, 1917, the United States had entered World War I with devastating consequences on the pandemic. Scientists were surprised that the black population, which was expected to fare poorly, had lower morbidity and mortality than the white population during the autumn of 1918. How did these experts and the Harlem Blues finally explain this apparent inconsistency? What lessons can the black population draw from the 1918 pandemic to protect itself during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Dr. Ouattara is a Fulbright scholar from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), West Africa. He is currently an Associate Professor of History and International Studies at Brenau University. He received his PhD in African History from Georgia State University in 2007. His published and unpublished research compares the work of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in the Cherokee Nation and West Africa within the contexts of the Atlantic slavery and the Western civilizing missions. He is also a Georgia State University Film School graduate, specializing in historical documentary filmmaking. His last film, published in 2016, is titled, Ali Mbomayé, a documentary that recounts for the first time the African perspective on the famous Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman Heavyweight title bout in 1974.

An Afternoon with Chef Kabui

Chef Njathi Kabui will speak on African food culture, sustainability, and food activism on February 13 at 2:00 p.m.

Chef Kabui was born in rural Kenya to a coffee farmer mother and restaurant owner father, both of whom took an active role in the Kenyan independence movement. Immigrating to the United States at the age of 20, Chef Kabui earned Masters degrees in both Medical and Urban Anthropology at the University of Memphis and a Bachelors in Political Science and Philosophy Studies at the historically black LeMoyne-Owen College. He now leverages his rich legacy by sharing his extensive knowledge of farming, culinary skills, and food justice as he travels across America, Europe, and Africa. He is committed to changing the way society views food, justice, and sustainability.

He has worked on many projects, and has spoken widely, appearing  on many forums dealing with issues of food justice and  sustainability. He has worked with major universities, communities groups as well as individuals clients in the U.S, Africa and other parts of the world. He appears regularly on the media speaking on matters of food literacy, sustainability and the intersection of food justice amongst African immigrants. He periodically writes about food, as well. 

Legacy of the Gullah Geechee

Dr. Eric Crawford will speak on the unique history and culture of the Gullah Geechee people on February 20 at 2:00 p.m.

The Gullah Geechee are a unique population of African slave descendants from widely separated regions of Africa, who today reside in isolated areas along the coast of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Through their geographic and cultural isolation and strong sense of identity, they are said to have preserved more of their African heritage than any other group in the United States. They are distinctive by their creole language, their African style arts, crafts, and music, and their spirituality.

Dr. Eric Crawford is the Director of The Charles Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies at Coastal Carolina University and the organizer of the annual International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora Conference. He holds a Ph.D. in musicology from The Catholic University of America, and his research focuses on the rich tradition of Gullah music. Beginning in 2007, he conducted extensive field recordings on Saint Helena Island, site of the historic Port Royal Experiment, and his transcriptions are held at the Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

In 2013, he participated in the Saint Helena Island Gullah Spirituals project, which was a collaborative effort among scholars and students to preserve and foster the study of the earliest recorded Negro spirituals. In 2014, The Atheneaum Press released a CD of his field recordings and accompanying booklet to the general public. Crawford is currently working on his book on the Saint Helena Island spirituals entitled De Ole Sheep Done Know De Road: In Search of the Gullah Spiritual, and he is conducting field recordings on historic Sandy Island, South Carolina.

For more information, or to register for events in the Celebrating African American Heritage series, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

OverBOOKed to Read: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

A well-crafted debut novel featuring a moving story of family, history, and the meaning of home, which takes place in the 1970s, following a Chinese-American family living in a small town in Ohio. Lydia, the favorite child, endures pressure from her parents to become a doctor and be popular in school. Unfortunately, Lydia is found dead, and her death sends the family dynamic into chaos. They are forced to confront secrets that have been pulling the family apart. Both a page-turner and an exploration of a fragile family dynamic, this novel uncovers the ways families struggle to understand one another.

Join the overBOOKed Book Club for a virtual discussion of this title on Thursday, February 8, 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 Everything I Never Told You 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!

Christina
Information Specialist
#WeKnowBooks

January 2021 Reading Challenge: When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamison and Omar Mohamed

 

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

This is the life story of Omar Mohamed, a young Somalian refugee growing up in Dabaab, a huge refugee camp in Kenya. Award-winning graphic novelist Victoria Jamieson illustrated Omar’s tale in an attempt to share his story, and the story of Dabaab and its residents, with a wider audience. The graphic novel format might at first seem an odd choice for such an intense storyline, but it works beautifully to bring the characters and camp to life. 

Omar and his brother Hassan have been in the refugee camp for seven years when we meet them. Omar spends his days caring for Hassan who has intellectual and medical disabilities.  His fierce love for Hassan and his commitment to keeping him safe is apparent throughout the story. Their father was killed when armed rebels invaded their village. In the chaos, Omar’s mother gave Hassan to him and told him to run. Separated from his mother and familiar neighbors, they end up living in the camp along with thousands and thousands of other refugees from many different African countries. Life in the camp is a bit boring; there are no toys and there’s never enough to eat, but the boys have friends, a caring foster parent, and each other. Omar longs to go to school, but worries about leaving Hassan unattended. Nimo and Miryam also love school and work very hard to succeed, but as girls, their path is much steeper. In addition to school work, they must also help with family chores, watch siblings, and face other cultural expectations.

Waiting is one of the prevalent themes of this novel – waiting for school to start, waiting in line for water, waiting for the food deliveries, and most of all, waiting and hoping for the coveted interview with UN officials who hold your future in their hands. Omar tells us often that none of the residents of Dabaab want to be refugees, that all of them long to return to their homeland, or barring that, the chance to be resettled in a safe place where they might do more than merely survive. Hope and hopelessness are both explored as various characters live and watch and wait.

I was quite moved by this novel. While the stated audience for this graphic novel is children grades 4 – 6, I recommend it for teens and adults as well. The illustrated first-person format succeeded in engaging not just my attention and emotions, but also my imagination and compassion. We often talk of books as being “mirrors and windows” – mirrors reflecting back our own experiences, or windows, allowing us a glimpse of another’s reality. I encourage you to look through the window that Jamison and Mohamed have shared with us.  

Amy Billings

Youth Services Specialist 

#WeKnowBooks

Staff Picks: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Looking for an adventure that will make you feel like a kid again? 

Check out The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

It's like a children's book but for adults! 

Travel with Linus, a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. (It sounded like a children's book for a second there, didn't it? Nope. It's from the Adult Collection.) 

The main character, Linus, is a forty-year-old man living a solitary life with his quirky cat and old record collection. He lives an endless cycle of days of welfare check visits to orphanages for magical children until he receives a summons from Extremely Upper Management. His new assignment is to travel to the most dangerous orphanage, one that has never been heard of before. He must overcome his fears and uncertainties to obtain the information required. However, everything changes the second he steps onto Marsyas Island. His experiences with the children and their caretaker, Arthur, challenge his views on happiness, bigotry, and what makes a family. 

This novel has elements of whimsy and fantasy that sparked my imagination. (Every time they mentioned Chauncey, the unidentifiable green blob, I pictured Bob from Monsters vs. Aliens!) Each character has a unique personality, which can be a bit dark at times, and is incredibly enjoyable to read about. The underlying themes of overcoming biases, finding who you are and what creates a family make this fun, dark-humored, surprising novel incredibly heartwarming. 

You can place a hold on The House in the Cerulean Sea and TJ Klune's other fantastic novels through our catalog here.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

January 2021 Reading Challenge: The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

 

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 

One of my favorite childhood books was The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder and I can vividly recall listening to the story during a family vacation via cassette tape checked out from our local library. (If cassettes sound dated, keep in mind that cars were only equipped with AM and FM radio at the time. To listen to a book-on-tape on the road, you had to bring your own tape player and extra batteries in case yours ran out.)     

Rereading the story of April and Melanie’s friendship and their fun-filled days spent imagining Ancient Egypt in the back lot of an antique store gave me a new perspective on the story and I highly recommend this Newberry Honor-winning book for fans of exceptional storytelling of any age. 

What makes The Egypt Game so special? 

Written in 1967, the novel chronicles a friendship between an African American girl named Melanie Ross and a White girl named April Hall who meet when April moves in with a grandmother she barely knows. April’s mother, a glamourous, widowed actress named Dorothea (April always calls by her first name) is a presence only in the sadly infrequent letters she sends to her daughter. Though April has a tough exterior, it’s obvious that she’s heartbroken to be separated from her mother. As a child reader, I interpreted April’s false eyelashes and upswept hairdo as evidence of her obvious sophistication, though in rereading the story as an adult they paint a different picture. 

April and Melanie bond over their love of imaginary games, and become fascinated with pharaohs and pyramids when April discovers a library book on Ancient Egypt. Without the internet, 24-hour cartoon networks, or adult supervision, the kids create their own Egypt in an empty lot behind a quiet antique store.     

Rediscovering the story reminds me of how much I love these characters, particularly, Melanie’s four-year-old brother, Marshall who is designated as Egypt’s young Pharaoh and won't be separated from his stuffed octopus, Security. 

News of a child killer in the vicinity gives the adults in the story obvious concerns for their kids' safety, but the trio, along with a neighbor and two classmates, remains determined to keep their game going. (Parents and offspring will differ sharply on their thoughts about the risk/reward ratio when they come to this chapter.)  

Child killers aren’t normally found in juvenile fiction but it’s not the only reason the book stirred up controversy.  In 1995 and 2009, schools in Texas attempted to ban the book for depictions of children in dangerous situations and its Egyptian worship rituals. Despite the objections, The Egypt Game has remained popular for over six decades!  If you enjoyed it as a kid, you may have an even greater appreciation for the story as an adult. And if you haven't read The Egypt Game, then you’re in for a real treat. 

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist
#WeKnowBooks

January 2021 Reading Challenge: Short & Skinny

 Short & Skinny by Mark Tatulli

There are a lot of what I call “growing pains” books for middle grade (grades 3-8) girls out there – books about those awkward years between childhood and becoming a teenager. Raina Telgemeier’s popular graphic novels, as well as many other popular series, come to mind. I wish more books like this had existed when I was a child, but I am glad they exist now. But as I looked at the many excellent and popular series for preteen girls, I was disappointed that I could not find similar books for boys. That was until I recently came across Mark Tatulli’s book Short and Skinny in the Juvenile Graphic Novel section at FCPL. I was very pleased to find a “growing pains” book from a boy’s point of view. 

Middle school student Mark is on the smaller side, and being short AND skinny has not been a great confidence booster. “Must Be This Tall to Ride” signs are the bane of his existence. He struggles with bullies and with getting the girl -- or even just talking to the girl. In a desperate move to bulk up, he tries all the miracle growth cures he sees in his comic books. Then he discovers something life-changing in the summer of 1977 – the movie Star Wars! His new obsession leads him to new creative discoveries, such as making his own version of his beloved film . . . and he learns that great things can happen-such as being the hero-no matter what his size.

The book is hilarious yet also heartwarming, and readers will root for the doggedly determined Mark – whether he is trying a new “miracle cure” to help him grow, building up the confidence to talk to a girl, or putting his mark on the movie he loves.

Reading Short & Skinny for the FCPL Reading Challenge was so enjoyable, and I hope library staff and patrons of all ages will enjoy this 2018 “growing pains” gem as well!

Jeanne McMahan
Information Specialist – MLIS

#WeKnowBooks

 

Kids' Book Spotlight - Teen Books for the New Year!

A New Year means new beginnings and new challenges! Check out these books from our Teen collection that are all about embracing and inspiring change.

Teen Middle (Grades 6-8)

The Other Half of Happy

by Rebecca Balacarcel

Twelve-year-old Quijana is a biracial girl, desperately trying to understand the changes that are going on in her life; her mother rarely gets home before bedtime, her father suddenly seems to be trying to get in touch with his Guatemalan roots (even though he never bothered to teach Quijana Spanish), she is about to start seventh grade in the Texas town where they live and she is worried about fitting in--and Quijana suspects that her parents are keeping secrets, because she is sure there is something wrong with her little brother, Memito, who is becoming increasingly hard to reach.

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

by Susin Nielsen

When thirteen-year-old Henry and his family move to the city to leave behind a secret tragedy, Henry finds a journal is his best friend.

Sea Change

by Frank Viva

Follows a young boy who is reluctantly sent to spend the summer in a remote part of Nova Scotia. As the summer wears on, the hero forges solid friendships with other kids in the small fishing community and is changed forever by the experience.

Empty

by Suzanne Weyn 

When, just ten years in the future, oil supplies run out and global warming leads to devastating storms, senior high school classmates Tom, Niki, Gwen, Hector, and Brock realize that the world as they know it is ending and lead the way to a more environmentally-friendly society.

The Moon Within

by Aida Salazar

Eleven-year-old (nearly twelve) Celi Rivera, who is a mix of Black-Puerto Rican-Mexican Indian is uncomfortable about her approaching period, and the changes that are happening to her body; she is horrified that her mother wants to hold a traditional public moon ceremony to celebrate the occasion--until she finds out that her best friend Magda is contemplating an even more profound change of life.

Teen High (Grades 9-12)

Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Matinee

by Jeff Zentner

Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six. But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder. Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too. As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.

The Hive 

by Barry Lyga

It's the near future -- the day after tomorrow -- and the government has shut down online bullying once and for all. With BLINQ, its new social media platform, users can "like" or "share," but they can also "condemn" posts -- and if condemns reach a certain level, users can exact punishment from the original poster in real life. No more anonymous trolling! Instead... hive justice. Seventeen-year-old Cassie McKinney is angry at everything. She's just lost her beloved father, a cult hero in the hacking world. She's been uprooted to a new apartment and -- worse -- a new school. Cassie is barely enduring senior year when she's drawn into a powerful group of girls and their effort to make their posts go viral. Cassie's just trying to be funny when she posts a cutting BLINQ. But when that BLINQ goes viral in all the worst ways, she becomes the target of a furious mob. Abandoned by her friends, betrayed by the system, and bristling at the injustice of it all, Cassie goes on the run. In the shadows, she finds people to help her hide. If she wants to clear her name, though, she will have to work with them to unravel a conspiracy beyond her imagination.

The Map from Here to There

by Emery Lord

High school senior Paige knows there is so much more to life after high school, but is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever? What happens after happily ever after? It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing "the rest of her life," Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be--how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Mike

by Andrew Norriss

Floyd is a teenage tennis prodigy. Since he was little, all he's ever known is the routine of training, of matches, of working hard to rise to the top. But something strange is happening. Floyd is being followed by a boy whom no one else can see. And Mike will go to all lengths to make himself heard. Floyd will discover that finding out what Mike wants will change the course of his entire life. A thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. Mike examines what it means to break free and find your own path. Even if it means throwing away the plans of a lifetime.

We Didn't Ask for This

by Adi Alsaid

Central International School's annual lock-in is legendary. Bonds are made. Contests are fought. Stories are forged that will be passed down from student to student for years to come. This year's lock-in begins normally enough. Then a group of students led by Marisa Cuevas stage an ecoprotest and chain themselves to the doors, vowing to keep everyone trapped inside until their list of demands is met. Some students rally to their cause -- but others are aggrieved to watch their own plans fall apart. Amira has trained all year to compete in the school decathlon on her own terms. Peejay intended to honor his brother by throwing the greatest party CIS has ever seen. Kenji was looking forward to making a splash at his improv showcase. Omar wanted to spend a little time with the boy he's been crushing on. Celeste, adrift in a new country, was hoping to connect with someone -- anyone. And Marisa, once so certain of her goals, must now decide how far she'll go to attain them. Every year, lock-in night changes lives. This year, it might just change the world.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

January 2021 Reading Challenge: The Trumpet of the Swan

Almost 50 years ago my grandparents gave me a set of E. B. White’s three classic books for children.  I loved Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web, but my favorite was The Trumpet of the Swan, the story of Louis, a trumpeter swan. Born without the ability to make sound on his own, which hampers his ability to communicate with other swans, he learns how to play a trumpet and how to read and write.

I haven’t read another book with such a deep affection for nature, for music, and for language. It describes the natural beauty of a pond in Canada, it celebrates musicians and composers such as Beethoven, Gershwin, and Louis Armstrong, and it encourages readers to look up wonderful new words, such as “crepuscular.”

My grandfather wrote the following inscription: “This book, written by a master wordsmith, will bring you much joy—share it—for that is what joy is for.”  Rereading The Trumpet of the Swan as part of the FCPL Reading Challenge brought me much joy, again, and I hope that rereading a childhood favorite also brings each of you joy.

Stephen Kight
Deputy Director

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Crush Your 2021 Reading Goals with Your Library

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.

Comment on this post or 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!

Kids' Book Spotlight - Chapter Books for the New Year!

 A New Year means new beginnings! Check out these books from our Juvenile collection that are all about embracing and inspiring change.

Beginning Chapter Books (Grades 1-3)

Change is in the Air, Mallory

by Laurie Friedman

Ten-year-old Mallory is not looking forward to the summer as her friends are either moving or away on vacation, but she soon learns that some changes can be good, and some things are forever.

Halfway to Perfect

by Nikki Grimes

Despite what Dyamonde and Free say, Damaria worries that she is getting fat, until a classmate's problem with diabetes causes her to change her thoughts about body image.

Owen Foote, Mighty Scientist

by Stephanie Greene

Third grade best friends Owen and Joseph struggle to come up with a great science fair project that they will both enjoy doing, then something goes wrong and they have to change their plans two days before the fair.

Too Much Space!

by Jonathan Roth

After being humiliated while on a field trip to Pluto, Bob, with the help of his alien friend Beep, tries to change his personality and overcome his fears (heights, darkness, space, and spiders) before the next field trip to a black hole. Includes facts about Pluto.

The Newest Princess

by Melody Mews

Itty Bitty Kitty just found out that she's going to become a princess! Itty is excited, but when she learns about all the things that are going to change, she's also nervous. Between trying out new hairstyles and being told that she can't go to regular school anymore, Itty begins to feel like she's not ready to be royal. Will Itty Bitty Kitty become Itty Bitty Princess Kitty after all?

Chapter Books (Grades 3-5)

The Exceptional Maggie Chowder

by Renee Beauregard Lute

Twelve-year-old Maggie Chowder strives to be like comic superhero Eagirl, and while her family life and friendships are in turmoil, an unforgettable trip to Comic Con helps her see that change is not all bad.

Extraordinary Birds

by Sandy Stark-Mcginnis

Eleven-year-old December waits to sprout wings and fly away, until a new foster mother changes her perspective on home and family.

The Turnover

by Mike Lupica

When a young basketball star decides to research his grandfather--and coach--for a school project, he uncovers a decades-old scandal that changes everything he thought he knew about his grandfather.

Lizzie Flying Solo

by Nanci Turner Steveson

A lyrical, poignant middle grade novel about embracing change, accepting help from others, and finding a place to call home. Perfect for fans of Raymie Nightingale. Lizzie St. Claire wants to be invisible. Forced to move out of her home, she and her mom now live in a transitional housing shelter, Good Hope, until they can get back on their feet. Lizzie just wants to keep her head down at Good Hope and her new school, so she doesn't have to admit the real reason she and her mom lost everything. But when Lizzie finds herself at the nearby Birchwood Stables, some new friends--along with the arrival of a frightened pony named Fire--help Lizzie to open up and accept help from those around her, even if it means she'll have more to lose if things change again.

Operation Frog Effect

by Sarah Scheerger

Ms. Graham's fifth-grade class wants to promote change in the world; but when eight of them take an assignment too far, they must take responsibility for their actions and unite for a cause they all believe in.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks

Library Limelight: Mary Ann Kowaleski, Collection Support Aide, Post Road Library

Library Limelight is intended to be a quick read to help FCPL patrons get to know our librarians, staff, and volunteers. We hope you enjoy learning about the people who make our libraries great!

Mary Ann Kowaleski
Collection Support Aide
Post Road Library

Where is your hometown?

Burlington, Vermont

How long have you been at FCPL?

13 years

What other jobs have you had at FCPL? 

Circulation Assistant and Information Specialist

Why did you choose to work in a library?

I was looking for something different after working for 15 years in the mortgage industry. I like helping people, reading books, and being busy. The library is the perfect place.

Describe your job in five words or less.

Busy, fast-paced, flexible

What is unique about your job?

The opportunity to preview new books when they arrive at the branch  

What is your favorite part of your job?

The variety of work

What’s the most interesting place you’ve lived or traveled?

I enjoyed living in Carson City, Nevada and loved touring the Netherlands.

What are your hobbies?

Walking/hiking, reading, traveling, and knitting

 What are you reading right now?

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

Paper books, eBooks, or audiobooks?

I prefer paper books. 

FCPL Simplifies Search for eBooks and eAudiobooks with SimplyE App

Beginning today, Forsyth County Public Library patrons can download the SimplyE app for Apple iOS or Android devices and simplify how they search, browse, and check out materials from the library's OverDrive and eRead Kids collections.

What is SimplyE?

SimplyE was created by a partnership of libraries and library consortia across the country, with The New York Public Library currently serving as lead partner. 

SimplyE makes it easy to browse, borrow, and read eBooks and eAudiobooks from FCPL's OverDrive and eRead Kids collections on your mobile device.

How do I set up a SimplyE account with my library card?

Follow these steps to begin using SimplyE:

1. Download and open the SimplyE app for Apple iOS or Android devices.
2. Select "Forsyth County Public Library"
3. Enter your library card account information.
4. Search, borrow, and begin reading!

What if I need help?

If you need assistance with your library card account or using the SimplyE app to access materials from Forsyth County Public Library's collections, please visit the Ask Us desk at any FCPL branch, call 770-781-9840, or Email a Librarian.

Kids' Book Spotlight - Picture Books for the New Year!

A New Year means new beginnings! Check out these books from our Easy and Early Reader collections that are all about embracing changes. 

Picture Books

Tim's Big Move

by Anke Wagner

Pico, a stuffed dog, worries that he will not like the new house when his owner tells him they are moving to a new town.

Little Tree

by Loren Long

Little Tree is very happy in the forest, where he is surrounded by other little trees and his leaves keep him cool in the heat of summer, but when autumn comes and the other trees drop their leaves, Little Tree cannot be persuaded to let his go, even after they wither and turn brown.

A New Home

by Tania De Regil

Moving to a new city can be exciting. But what if your new home isn't anything at all like your old home? Will you make friends? What will you eat? Where will you play? In a shared voice, a boy moving from New York City to Mexico City and a girl moving from Mexico City to New York City express their fears about leaving home to live in a new and unfamiliar place. Tania de Regil offers a heart-warming story about finding home wherever you go.

The Cow Who Climbed a Tree

by Gemma Merino

Although her sisters think she is silly, Tina is a curious cow who loves to explore and try new things.

The Water Princess

by Susan Verde

The story of one young girl's quest to bring clean drinking water to her African village.

Early Readers

Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster

by James Howe

When his cousin Wagster comes for a visit, Houndsley is excited. Wagster is all adventure and enthusiasm and razzle-dazzle, and all his friends love him. Even Catina thinks Wagster is fun and good at everything, and pretty soon Houndsley is starting to feel a little bit invisible. But Houndsley and Catina are best friends, and certainly Cousin Wagster won't change that -- right? James Howe and Marie-Louise Gay have created a tender and funny story about some of the ways that friendships can change, and how they also stay exactly the same.

A Baby Sister for Frances

by Russell Hoban

When things change around the house after her baby sister is born, Frances decides to run away--but not too far.

The Grumpy Lobster

by Cari Meister

Arno the lobster is always grumpy and his friends are starting to avoid him--can he change or will he always be alone?

Interrupting Cow and the Chicken Crossing the Road

by Jane Yolen

Interrupting Cow feels lonely because her barnyard friends are tired of her jokes, but when she meets an old rooster across the long, gray road, things change.

Willy the Worm

by Christianne Jones

Willie, a silly worm who pays friends to dig holes for him because he hates dirt and mud, changes his thinking after an accident.

Stephani Lindsey

Youth Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

#WeKnowBooks