Staff Picks For My Fellow "True Crime" Aficionados

If you enjoy listening to podcasts like Morbid, My Favorite Murder, or Crime Junkie, check out these books on true crime. As a fan of these types of podcasts myself, I really enjoy the downloadable audio versions of these books. What makes them even more interesting is that they are all narrated by the author. If you have not tried an audiobook yet, download Libby and give it a try—it is free with your library card!

What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher

This memoir is a very honest look into the life of a New York City death investigator. It pairs all of the grizzly details of investigating death along with personal growth and enlightenment. Butcher does not shy away from exposing her own shortcomings as she reveals her battles with addiction and relationship struggles. She uses dark humor to cope with some of the most harrowing cases during her time as Death Investigator in Manhattan.

Winter Break Survival Guide: Week 1

Parents and caregivers, you made it through the first half of the school year! 

Now it’s winter break and as happy as you are to have some quality time with the kids at home for the next few weeks, chances are it won’t be long until you hear the first cries of “I’m bored.” 

Not to worry, we have some ideas to help you make your family’s winter break more fun and educational without breaking the bank. 

Register for Winter Reading Fun on December 19!

Registration for Winter Reading Fun begins on December 19. This fun, free reading challenge will run from Tuesday, December 19–January 21.

Illuminate Your Hanukkah Celebration with These DeLIGHTful Library Resources

Hey there, fellow bookworms and knowledge seekers! With the Festival of Lights beginning tonight, we're diving into the fascinating world of Hanukkah and the treasure trove of resources available at Forsyth County Public Library. So, grab a latke, light a candle, and let's explore the magic of Hanukkah together!

Staff Picks: Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds

 

Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds

Bestselling children's book author Aaron Reynolds has an interesting view of vultures. Reynold’s picture book Nerdy Birds and its sequel, Nerdy Birdy Tweets, chronicle an avian friendship between Nerdy Birdy and Vulture. Both books are illustrated by the Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Matt Davis and offer timely lessons on friendship that could even alter your opinion of a certain carrion-eating bird.  

What would you do if you found an injured vulture? 

Recently a patron came in and asked if we could tell her what to do about an injured vulture. Her friend in a neighboring county had spotted the bird and called her for advice. She didn’t know the answer but told her friend, “I’m right by the library. I’ll run in and ask.”  

Her instincts were right. I was happy to inform her and her out-of-county friend that several organizations that can assist people who encounter injured wildlife. 

Meet Author Dion Leonard and Gobi at the Post Road Library!

 

Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard

Looking for a book with a touch of adventure and suspense but filled with compassion and hope? It's fitting that a book about a little dog with such a big spirit contains so much within it. If you're into marathons or sports, if you like dogs, or if you enjoy reading about international affairs, you'll enjoy this intriguing story. 

Meet author Dion Leonard and his canine companion, Gobi at Finding Gobi: The Inspirational and True Story at the Post Road Library on December 6, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Free eResources for FCPL Card Holders: Consumer Reports

 

As we head into the holiday shopping season, how can you make sure you’re getting the best value for your hard-earned cash? 

One trusted source for accurate product reviews is Consumer Reports. Forsyth County Library card holders can access CR’s product reviews online through our eResources page. Print editions of Consumer Reports magazine are available for checkout at each of our four branches. When you're comparison shopping, remember that your library card gives you free access to reliable product reviews from Consumer Reports. 

Staff Picks: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

 

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Do you equate verbal skills with intelligence? 

The question becomes a plot point in Angie Kim’s new novel, Happiness Falls, in which a young man on the autism spectrum rushes home from a hike with his father unable to explain why his father isn't with him.  

Fifteen-year-old Eugene Parkson exhibits signs of Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes developmental problems with speech and balance, intellectual disabilities, seizures, and unusual smiling and laughing. While Eugene’s enigmatic behavior is cause for concern and resentment from his siblings, their father wonders whether Eugene’s energetic jumping and carefree facial expressions indicate genuine happiness or are simply symptoms of his condition. 

Staff Picks: Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan

 

Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Do you love epics?

In a recent discussion, my son mentioned he had begun to read a series by Robert Jordan. My first thought was that Robert Jordan wrote some long books! But I began the series on audiobooks, and before I knew it, I was off to the world of Wheel of Time, using both eAudiobooks and traditional audiobooks on CD. As I cobbled together a blog to discuss this series, my son provided an intriguing and fun recap of his own:

Need a new high fantasy series? Have lots of time to kill? 

Wheel of Time: 4.4 million words to satisfy your fancy.

Meet Katie LeDuc, FCPL's October Library Limelight!

Ever heard of a “joyful community book fairy”? You have now! Allow me to introduce the newest member of the FCPL Outreach team, Outreach Specialist Katie LeDuc! She uses that creative moniker to describe her job at FCPL in five words or less.

Katie at Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest, Hungary with the famous parliament building in the background

Hailing from Granby, Connecticut, Katie is a lover of education and reading, which she says makes the library the perfect place to be. Those two passions prompted

Staff Picks: Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

 

Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko

A sixteen-year-old girl’s life takes some very weird turns when she notices a strange man watching her during her beach vacation with her mother. Every time Shasha successfully evades the stranger, she awakens in a terrifying time loop until she finally agrees to hear his bizarre request. 

At precisely four in the morning, Shasha is instructed to swim out to a buoy in the ocean. When she complies, she receives three gold coins and is ordered to continue the practice daily. But when she oversleeps one morning, a close family friend pays the consequences. 

Halloween Books for Kids

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday, and I love to share the experience with my son. We spend more time outside playing in the fallen leaves and eating pumpkin spice rolls (his new favorite treat). He helps me decorate the house with bats, ghosts and skeletons, and he loves roaming the Halloween sections with me at the stores. One of my favorite things to do is bring home Halloween books from the library for us to read together. The following are the ones he requests the most. 

Cookie Boo by Ruth Paul

This rhythmic read aloud narrates the adventures of seven cookies who climb out of the cookie tin and go walking the neighborhood on Halloween. Their paths cross a monster with a sweet tooth. Can they return to the safety of their tin? 

Frankenslime by Joy Keller

“It’s ALIVE!!!” Victoria and her assistant, her dog Igor, love making slime and taking notes on their experiments. She is always on the hunt for better, more creative slime. One thunderous rainy night, she is struck by an amazing idea. But the experiment does not go as planned. Should they run for their lives or...could it turn out to be a good creation? You can’t go wrong with a book about slime and dogs, two things my son loves. 

Library Celebrates National Friends of the Library Week 2023

The staff of Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) would like to recognize and thank the FCPL Friends and Advocates as part of the 18th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, October 15-21, 2023. 

Friends Bookstore Leaders: Jodie Barger (Friends President), Meg Leiveille (Sharon Forks Bookstore)
Sharon Jones (Post Road Bookstore), Kelly Esbeck (Cumming Bookstore), Jan Parsons (Post Road Bookstore), Abbey Harkrider (Cumming Bookstore)

Since the FCPL Friends and Advocates were established in 1995, they have raised nearly $640,000 through used book sales, membership fees, and other donations to fund special programs, materials, and resources beyond the library's regular budget. 

Staff Picks: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

 

How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

A fugitive nurse with a history of hurrying patients to their deathbeds adopts a new identity as a librarian at the Carlyle Public Library. Margo keeps the patrons in line while keeping her dark secrets to herself—until a failed novelist becomes the new reference librarian and questions Margo about her abrupt career change. 

Horror Books in Hollywood

October brings cooler weather, warmer drinks, and spooky reads. Stories often circulate about strange coincidences and tragedies surrounding the Hollywood production of films like The Exorcist and Poltergeist. These new horror books pose similar questions about what really happens behind the scenes. 

Silvia Moreno's Silver Nitrate is set in ‘90s Mexico City and revolves around a film reel cursed by a Nazi Occultist. The protagonist, Montserrat, is having trouble finding work as a sound editor. When her best friend and former soap opera star, Tristen, befriends the cult horror director who created the film, they're challenged to shoot the missing scene to break the curse. Strange things occur as they unravel the mystery of the film and the occultist. 

Come Craft with Us!

Did you know that craft programs at the library aren't just for kids? CrafterNoon, an adult craft program, meets at the Cumming Library every second Friday of the month from 2:00–4:00 p.m. This past September, patrons joined us to learn about book binding and had the opportunity to make three different types of books: a manila envelope and a business envelope book, which both use the three-hole pamphlet stitch to bind the pages together, and the no-sew accordion-style book.

StokerFest at the Cumming Library

 

Calling all vampires and vampire hunters! Sink your teeth into the Cumming Library's adult program series, StokerFest. Throughout the month of October, we will host a variety of programs in celebration of Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. Upcoming programs include a spooky craft for adults and a visit from a cryptozoologist!

ATLAS - At The Library After School - Traveling Through History at Sharon Forks Library

The school year is underway which means the return of ATLAS (At The Library After School) at the Sharon Forks branch. This program gives our elementary-aged children the opportunity to explore and learn about different topics any time they are at the library through hands-on activities.

Novel Realities Book Discussion Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

 

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

In Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, bounty hunter Rick Deckard “retires” escaped androids hiding in war-ravaged San Francisco. Since the androids look exactly like humans, Deckard administers empathy tests to determine which suspects are on his hitlist. But the newest android version, the Nexus-6, responds with human-like emotions that can foil the test. Rick Deckard’s job becomes even more complicated when he becomes romantically involved with a sophisticated Nexus-6 named Rachel who's programmed to believe she's human.  

Our Novel Realities book club will discuss Rick Deckard’s dilemma and Philip K. Dick’s vision of the future in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on Thursday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sharon Forks Library. Check out the novel, watch the film adaptation, Blade Runner, or view my 2020 Book Chat on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and come join our discussion. 

Staff Picks: A Simple Plan by Scott Smith

 

A Simple Plan by Scott Smith

What would you do if you found four million dollars? 

Three men in rural Ohio think they've hit the jackpot when they find the wreckage of a small plane, the body of its pilot, and a duffel bag full of one hundred dollar bills in a nature preserve on New Year's Day. Rather than notify authorities, they decide to split the windfall among themselves. As a precaution, they plan to hide the money until they’re sure no one will suspect them of taking it.  

Almost immediately tensions arise, confidences are betrayed, and promises are broken. Concealing the crime of opportunity becomes more complicated–and leads to a rising body count–in this suspenseful story about moral compromises that you won't want to put down. 

Staff Picks: Kill the Next One by Federico Axat

 

Kill the Next One by Federico Axat

In Federico Axat’s Kill the Next One, a married father of two with a terminal brain tumor and suicidal intent is abruptly interrupted by a stranger with an unusual proposition. Ted McKay’s mysterious visitor claims to be part of a covert organization that rights wrongs by targeting killers who’ve escaped justice. In exchange for Ted performing a hitjob on two well-deserving targets, someone from the organization will quickly eliminate Ted. It's a tempting Devil's bargain that spares Ted from taking his own life.  

But things don’t seem as straightforward once Ted pulls off his half of the arrangement. Unusual details raise Ted’s suspicions about the organization he’s killed for. Dark secrets from Ted's past start to emerge, and he experiences unsettling hallucinations. The story's mind-bending twists will captivate fans of psychological suspense and speculative fiction.  

Federico Axat was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Kill the Next One is his first novel to be translated into English. Check out our FCPL Hispanic Authors booklist for more titles by Hispanic authors and the events page for our Hispanic Heritage Month Series. 

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Novel Realities Book Discussion The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a new spin on the H.G. Wells classic novel The Island of Doctor Moreau. We will discuss The Daughter of Doctor Moreau at the next Novel Realities book discussion group at the Sharon Forks Library on Thursday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m.

The story takes place in 19th century Mexico, specifically on the Yucatán peninsula, an area so remote that it was often referred to as an island. There we find Carlota Moreau, the young, dutiful daughter of the doctor who spends his time creating animal-human hybrids to further his scientific pursuits. 

Staff Picks: Mushrooms of the Southeast by Todd F. Elliott and Steven L. Stephenson

 

Often when I’m going for a hike, one of my top concerns is the weight of my pack. Water is the heaviest thing I carry, and I have to make sure to take more than I need because I invariably end up needing more than I expect. Georgia’s heat and humidity are no joke. Typically, a book is the last thing you want to take on a hike. They’re heavy and can’t get wet, and when you’ve gone twelve miles without pulling the thing out, you regret packing it in the first place (I know because I’ve been that person). But isn’t there a way you can still learn about what you see along your hike?

Using an app, such as Seek by iNaturalist, is usually the best way to identify species you may encounter on your hike. That said, finding the species of a fungi on an app like Seek is very difficult! Fungi tend to be less distinctive between species by looking with the naked eye or with a camera. Instead I’ve found success with guide books on my fungus focused forays. 

I highly recommend Mushrooms of the Southeast by Todd F. Elliott and Steven L. Stephenson. This book has a great sorting tool (called a dichotomous key), detailed descriptions, full-color images, a glossary and index, a very helpful introduction, and drawings to illustrate the parts of a mushroom. Another thing I love about this book is the ruler on the back cover! If you’re looking for a guide book on fungi, plants, or even insects, a ruler is an excellent built-in tool. Any time I am looking to invest in a guide book, I like to see what is available first. Checking out a book before you pick the guide you want is always a good call, so run to your local library and see what they have.   

Staff Picks: The Last Saxon King by Andrew Varga

The Last Saxon King by Andrew Varga

I am a sucker for books about time travel, and I recently found a new young adult series called Jump in Time by Andrew Varga. The first book in the series is called The Last Saxon King, and I read the entire book over one weekend! It was the perfect combination of historical fiction, action, adventure, and science fiction (and maybe just a little romance).

Staff Picks: The Last by Hanna Jameson

 

The Last by Hanna Jameson

A mixed group of international tourists, academic conference attendees, and staff members at a remote Swiss resort debate whether to remain at the lodge or face the unknown when a nuclear weapon detonates over Washington D.C., cutting off their communication with the outside world.  

Hanna Jameson’s The Last is a suspense story set in unprecedented times. American history professor Jon Keller realizes his marriage issues aren't as important as he previously thought when he finds himself among strangers during a global crisis. 

Summer Reading Success!

All good things must come to an end, including our "All Together Now" 2023 Summer Reading Challenge. 

But before we put the prize carts away, there's something we want you to know...

SEC Football: Saturdays in the South with Author G.A. Morris III

Have you ever wondered about what happens on the sidelines at Southeastern Conference (SEC) football games? Grab your favorite jersey and join author G.A. Morris III for college football officiating behind the scenes, just in time for the start of the college football season!

Join us at the Cumming Library on Monday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. for SEC Football: Saturdays in the South. G.A. "Gus" Morris III will talk about his new book, Saturdays in the South. In the book, Morris takes a dive into his 31 year SEC career, which included 23 Bowl Games and 5 SEC Championship Games.

Celebrating Post Road Library’s 10th Anniversary

Come celebrate the community success of Post Road Library on Saturday, August 12.

It has been an amazing ten years since the Post Road Library opened its doors on August 24, 2013. The branch will be showcasing some of the highlights from the building of the library to many of the past years’ programs. Post Road Library has been well-used, and the numbers prove it!

Staff Picks: Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman

Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman

Are fish intelligent? 

You may be surprised to learn that some species of fish demonstrate high levels of intelligence. Fish have been known to use tools to crush shells, deceive and manipulate predators, and even use massage to regulate stress.  A fictional creation of author Ned Beauman, the venomous lumpsucker, is the subject and title of a cautionary science fiction novel set in the near future.  

Venomous Lumpsucker paints a bleak but comic portrait of an environmental apocalypse and is part of a growing subgenre of books called eco-thrillers. 

Staff Picks: All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay 

In Willam Landay’s latest novel, All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, a woman goes missing in November of 1975. Did she leave her family or come to harm? As the years pass, the case grows cold. Though there are circumstantial reasons to suspect her husband, a criminal defense lawyer, no one is charged. Decades later, an author and family friend turns his writer’s eye to the story. 

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me has an interesting, almost metafiction structure with four distinct narrative voices revealing individual accounts of the tragedy and aftermath: the writer, memorializing the daughter's confusion and loss; the mother herself, observing her children from a mysterious vantage point; her youngest son in early adulthood, managing complicated feelings about his father; and the husband as he deals with age-related memory issues in the final months of his life. It's both an emotional family drama and a compelling mystery with multiple twists. 

Staff Picks: The Time Has Come by Will Leitch

 

The Time Has Come by Will Leitch

The lives of seven strangers intersect on the most intense night of their lives in The Time Has Come, the latest novel by Georgia author Will Leitch.

The story revolves around a family-operated pharmacy that casts a long shadow over residents of America's quintessential college town, Athens, Georgia. 

With the passing of the family patriarch, Theo Lindbergh becomes the reluctant public face of Lindbergh Pharmacy. At the same time, a retired school teacher with a long-standing grudge against the Lindbergh family plots a reckoning she feels is long overdue. 

When Miss Lamm (a compassionate teacher known to her students on her better days as Mommy Mario) confronts Theo at the drugstore, a mixed group of customers become the victims, witnesses, and first responders at a shooting. The Time Has Come chronicles the events that bring each one of them—a widow, a nurse, a musician, a lawyer, a contractor, and his son—to Lindbergh Pharmacy. As fans of Leitch's 2021 novel How Lucky already know, the author has a genuine gift for crafting relatable characters.  

The Time Has Come perfectly captures the range of attitudes in small town America as individuals from all walks of life re-emerge from pandemic isolation and tensions flare. Fans of novels like Frederick Backman’s Anxious People and Before the Fall by Noah Hawley will appreciate this dramatic character-rich story. 

From Journalist to Novelist with Will Leitch kicks off FCPL's 2023 Forsyth Writes Together series on August 8. Mr. Leitch will share his experiences in writing and publishing and discuss his novels The Time Has Come and How Lucky, both set in Georgia Bulldogs territory.  

How Lucky was an Edgar Award Nominee for Best Novel in 2022 and won the Alex Award in 2022 which honors novels written for adults that have special appeal for young adults. 

All Together Now Amateur Photo Exhibit

Throughout May FCPL solicited submissions for an amateur photography exhibit. The theme of the exhibit corresponds to our Summer Reading Fun theme, “All Together Now.” 

We asked patrons to capture what togetherness looks like to them, and the submissions we received are striking. 

The photos are being displayed at the Sharon Forks Library throughout the end of July, and most can also be found on the website. Click here to explore the 2023 All Together Now digital exhibition. 

Some are colorful, some are adorable, some are funny, some are inspiring, some are heartwarming…and all are stunning!

Brooke Rose

Information Services Supervisor 

Ride and Read: Motorcycle Safety Demonstration and Bike Show

Zip up your jackets and put on your helmets, motorcycles are coming to the library! Have you ever wondered what it takes to hop on a motorcycle and feel the wind rushing past as you ride down the highway?

Join us at the Cumming Library on Saturday, July 15 from 1:00-3:30 p.m. for Ride and Read, a presentation from the Forsyth County Sherriff's Office on motorcycle safety and a bike demonstration in the parking lot. You'll learn what is needed to stay safe while on a motorcycle and what to be aware of as a regular motorist, and you'll see some motorcycles up close and personal.

Get ready to flip up your kickstand, twist the throttle, and ride over to the Cumming Library!

Kegan and Melissa

Information Specialists

Cumming Library

Meet Elizabeth Hernandez, FCPL's June Library Limelight!

You may have seen her walking around one of the branches with a hand truck and a bin full of books or passed her driving through town in the Library box truck. She’s a critical component of FCPL, making sure that the branches stay connected and clean. Her name is…

Staff Picks: Trashlands by Alison Stine

 

Trashlands by Alison Stine

Alison Stine’s dystopian novel Trashlands envisions a world where environmental catastrophes have radically altered the American landscape and human civilization. The story takes place in Scrappalachia, a wasteland of broken vehicles, contaminated rivers, and extreme poverty where nonbiodegradable plastic is the only material of value. In Scrappalachia, people find shelter wherever they can, usually in abandoned vehicles or makeshift shelters.  A man as cruel as his name, Rattlesnake Master, runs a club called Trashlands, where women are forced to entertain in exchange for room and board.

Necessities like eyeglasses and expired medicines are traded for things like milk jugs, pool noodles, water bottles, and credit cards. Children are often abducted and housed in prison factories that make structural materials for building new cities far to the north. 

Despite the grim setting, survivors band together, form friendships, marry, and raise children. Some create art and strive to memorialize their world. Others teach the next generation about their lost heritage.   

Staff Picks: Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

 

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

Books took me to places I could never go otherwise. They shared the confessions of people I'd never witnessed. The emotions I could never feel, and the events I hadn't experienced could all be found in those volumes.

Won-pyung Sohn, Almond

In Almond by Won-pyung Sohn, a young man living with a condition called Alexithymia narrates his daily life in Korea. People who have the condition have difficulty expressing themselves or recognizing emotions, including their own. In the novel, Yunjae's emotional responses are subdued and he can't sense or express fear. Though Yunjae’s mother and grandmother provide daily reminders on how to act in school, he's regularly teased and taunted by classmates. 

When Yunjae’s family becomes the victim of random violence on his 16th birthday, he's ill prepared to manage life on his own or tend to his family's bookstore in his mother's absence. Meeting new people, including a troubled young man fueled by resentment, and stepping outside of his comfort zone have mixed results and unexpected consequences in this thoughtful novel about growing up without a roadmap. 

Local Writers Meetup July 11 at Sharon Forks Library

 

Are you interested in writing but aren’t sure where to begin?

No matter what stage you’re at with your writing or what your writing goals are, our upcoming Local Writers Meetup offers a great opportunity to meet other area authors and discuss all aspects of writing life. 

Find your inspiration and jumpstart your writing journey at our Local Writers Meetup on Tuesday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m.at the Sharon Forks Library.

Each Forsyth County library offers a monthly writing group for adults where writers can exchange feedback on all types of writing. In addition, our Cumming Library also has a writing club for teens.  

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist  

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.

  Louis L'Amour            

Staff Picks: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell - Adult Fiction

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

In The Family Upstairs, a twenty-five-year-old woman inherits a mansion in a fashionable London neighborhood and learns it was the site of a murder/suicide that left her an orphan. 

The novel uses dual timelines to reveal the bizarre circumstances that left three people dead, two children missing, and a ten-month-old baby discovered alive in a London mansion two decades earlier.   

As Libby Jones learns more about the grim fate of her birth parents, her older brother shares the story of how his mother’s hospitality to a new friend led to abuse and violence at the hands of a charismatic charlatan. Meanwhile, their long-lost sister struggles to raise funds to bring her own family back to London for a revealing reunion. 

Beach Reads for Dads

Happy Father's Day! In celebration of all things dad, we created this list of recommended reads because dads need "beach reads," too. From thrillers to history to food, this list has a little bit of everything. Enjoy!

Meet Author Emily Matheis! A Special Family Storytime: Opal's Springtime Birdhouse by Emily Matheis

 

Opal's Springtime Birdhouse by Emily Matheis

At Young Carpenter’s Camp boys and girls design creative birdhouses with pompoms, bells, and springs hoping to win the first-place blue ribbon prize. Opal uses a thoughtful strategy to design her simple, sturdy birdhouse, reading about birds and applying carpentry basics. She doesn’t impress the judges, but the pair of bluebirds who move into her birdhouse obviously appreciate her work. 

Opal’s Springtime Birdhouse shows boys and girls using STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) to design unique birdhouses and contains a positive message about handling unexpected outcomes. 

Emily Matheis, Author

I couldn’t be more excited to see Opal’s Springtime Birdhouse on our library shelves. Author Emily Matheis is a Sharon Forks Library patron and member of the Sharon Forks Writers’ Group who writes for children and adults. 

Sharon Forks Library will present Meet Author Emily Matheis! A Special Family Storytime on Monday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. This program includes a story, craft, and Q&A with author Emily Matheis. 

Sign up for FCPL's Summer Reading Program and win prizes for reading and other activities. See all of the library's summer events on FCPL's event calendar.  

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Get Inspired to Write with Cumming Library Writing Boxes

What can a writer write? Look inside a Cumming Library Writing Box for creative inspiration! 

Stories, poems, postcards, letters, recipes, memories, newsletters, zines, comics, scrolls, newspapers, treasure maps, hieroglyphics, and secret messages with codes are some examples of different ways to get students writing. 

 

The Cumming Library has two Writing Boxes available for patrons to use with everything you need to get going on one of these projects! Patrons can request a box at the Ask Us desk, take the box to a quiet table and browse for ideas to help their writing juices flow.

Staff Picks: In The Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

In the Lives of the Puppets is a postmodern retelling of the story of Pinocchio that raises timely questions about artificial intelligence and human compassion.  

T.J. Klune’s version of the classic tale takes place in a post-human world inhabited by robots of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments. A fatherly artificial human named Gio uses his engineering skills to create a fairy-tale homestead in the forest where he raises an orphaned human as his son. While Gio spends his time in his shop, his son Victor and two companions—Nurse Ratched (Nurse Registered Automaton To Care, Heal, Educate, and Drill) and a sentient Roomba named Rambo—discover a partially destroyed robot named Hap. More curious than cautious, Young Victor restores Hap’s functionality, only to realize too late that his newest companion is a HARP (Human Annihilation Response Protocol).  

One of my favorite passages in In the Lives of Puppets comes from Rambo the vacuum.    

I know it seems hard, but we have to be brave. Your brain is telling you that you can’t, but you don’t always have to listen to it. Sometimes it tells you white lies.  I know it does to me. It says, “No, you won’t make it because you’ll die a horribly painful death where your entire body will be crushed and all of your innards will fall out." 

Staff Picks: The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum - Adult Fiction

 

The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum

When you get stuck in traffic or caught in a storm, is it fate, chance, or something else? 

In Yoav Blum’s The Coincidence Makers, missed buses, lost luggage, and chance encounters are often the result of covert manipulations performed by coincidence makers assigned to secretly steer societies and individual destinies. 

The novel focuses on a team of new operators who are still learning the ropes on setting events in motion to influence individuals to fall in love, switch careers, or find inspiration.  But not all coincidences are so benevolent and even the coincidence makers can become subjects of manipulation. 

Meet Brooke West, FCPL's May Library Limelight!

Brooke West began a little over a year ago as the Information Services Supervisor at the Hampton Park Library, but FCPL is only a chapter in her story. 

Brooke studied Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Georgia State University. While completing this degree, she was required to do an internship. Brooke chose to intern at a microscopic library in her hometown of Athens, GA, where she worked with a Spanish speaking community. She found joy in connecting people to the resources that they needed. Knowing that she wanted to pursue a master’s degree, she decided on Valdosta State University as her next stop. Brooke’s mother was also a big reader, so working in libraries is something that makes her feel connected to her. 

A Summer with Jane Austen

My dear Forsyth County residents,

The Season is about to begin, and I can hardly wait. Everyone in society knows that the library is the place to be and to be seen. Have you heard the news that the Cumming Library will be celebrating all things me this June?

My event calendar is as follows:

Friday, June 9 - Regency Crafts with Jane Austen (Ticketed Program)

I plan to craft an elegant cameo ornament. You can come learn all about me during a fascinating presentation.

Saturday, June 17 - Learn Regency Dance

Come and learn how to dance as I do. I do hope you won't be a wallflower!

Saturday, June 24 - ESCAPE from Mr. Wickham! (Registration Required)

Help me salvage my family's reputation and discover where Mr. Wickham has taken my sister Lydia.

Do please refer to my social calendar for more event details, and don't forget to dress in your Regency best!

Sincerely,

Melissa

Information Specialist

Cumming Library

Collection Highlight: Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 - Part 2

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Forsyth County Public Library offers patrons a wide array of current books about keeping the mind healthy, preventing and healing mental illness, and practicing self-care.

In addition to mental health help books like the ones listed in my post earlier this month, FCPL also offers several free online resources that can be accessed through the library website and by entering a library card number and PIN. Here is a sampling: 

A Community Resources Guide and Mental Health Helplist can be accessed on the library eResources page.

FCPL also offers several Medicine, Health, and Wellness resources that provide eBooks, articles, and websites. A few examples are: 

MedlinePlus 
Alt HealthWatch (Alternative Medicine)
Consumer Health Complete

Visit our Community Resource Guide and Mental Health Helplist under eResources or ask a librarian for additional mental health resources for you or for a loved one. 

Read more for a few more current print titles.

Summer Cookbooks and Recipes: A Recommendation List

Summer is here! It’s time for pool snacks, picnics, cook-outs, and frozen treats. Check out this list of cookbooks for some new recipes you can enjoy all summer long. 

Staff Picks - That Time I Loved You: Stories by Carrianne Leung - Adult Fiction

 

That Time I Loved You: Stories by Carrianne Leung

Sandwiched between Baby Boomers and Millennials, Generation X–people born between 1965 and 1980–don’t seem to receive as much attention as the generations they follow and precede.  

What defines Generation X? 

Gen Xers came of age during a societal shift that included advances in computer technology, more women working outside of the home, and changing American demographics. Dubbed the latchkey generation, members of Generation X are considered the least parented generation in recent history. For better or for worse, adolescents and young children enjoying unstructured free time provides fertile ground for writers like Carrianne Leung to explore 1970s society in her short story collection, That Time I Loved You. 

In That Time I Loved You, families from China, Hong Kong, Portugal, Italy, Jamaica, and America pursue individual dreams and fight unique battles amid picturesque tree-lined streets as residents, both young and old, deal with hidden desires and difficulties 70s style -- behind closed doors. Each of the linked stories takes place within one Ontario neighborhood in 1979, a year marked by a rash of tragic deaths among adult neighbors in the diverse community. This insightful collection explores issues involving race, sexuality, class, and grief while painting a nostalgic (but never idealized) portrait of life before smartphones and social media. 

As a fan of literary fiction and a Gen Xer myself, I really enjoyed this thoughtful short story collection populated by memorable characters from across the globe.