Illinois Reading Council Conference

Hi Everyone! Last week I attended the Illinois Reading Council Conference in Springfield, Illinois. What a great two days! There were so many authors to hear, books to look at, and speakers to inspire us that the time flew by quickly. My favorite session was with Sharon Draper who is a teacher as well as author. Believe me, she knows about the lives of young people! It is no wonder her books are so well written and received by the young adult population. Another session I will remember for a long time was with Margie Palatini who writes for the younger set of readers. Her books have always been some of my favorites bacause of the layers of humor she builds into her stories. She took the time to speak to a very small group of us after the session which was even more awesome! Needless to say, I came back to the Library with new ideas, new books, and renewed inspiration to share with all our Library guests.

New Books on the Non-fiction Shelves

Are you excited about Spring? We sure are here at the Library! One of our newest non-fiction books for spring is Backyard Vegetable Garden for Kids by Amie Leavitt. Use it to help you and your child plan your summer project.



Also new are two books on choosing and caring for a small pet: Skitter and Scoot: Bringing Home a Hamster and Scurry and Squeak: Bringing Home a Guinea Pig both by Amanda Tourville. These picture books are meant for a younger audience than most books on the subject, so will be great for those early readers.



For those readers who like biographies or racing, have fun reading about Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson by Matt Doeden.



Like gross books? Maybe Don't Touch That!: The Book of Gross, Poisenous, and Downright Icky Plants and Critters by Jeff Day will be just what makes your day. Maybe you want to learn more about the making of comics and graphic novels. John Hamilton's book, Graphic Novels, will guide you through the hows, whys, and wheres.



There are so many funny, informational books in the non-fiction sections of our shelves. Come in and browse. After all, spring has to have rainy days to make all those flowers bloom!