Author jeanboone1

The book cover depicts cartoon images of characters from classical Greek mythology, including Poseidon, Aphrodite, Perseus, and a harpy.

Greeking Out

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
The book cover depicts cartoon versions of various characters from classical Greek mythology, including the Cyclops, Athena, Zeus, and three snakes.

by Jean B.

Greek myths are having a moment. From the Percy Jackson series where Greek gods inhabit today’s world, to Madeline Miller’s feminist novel Circe, to the blues and jazz songs driving the hit musical Hadestown, ancient stories keep popping up in new guises.

There’s a reason myths have stuck around for thousands of years. The core elements – the heroes, quests, relationships, life lessons – are memorable and timeless, but not static. These stories can be told in endless ways and the details suited to the times in which we live. They’re riveting and relatable whether recounted around a fire, in a book, on a stage, or even – in our electronic age – on a podcast.  

Enter the epically popular creators of Greeking Out, a National Geographic Kids podcast and book series. This fall, Kenny Curtis, a 30-year veteran of kids’ radio, and his daughter, Jillian Hughes, are bringing their funny, family-friendly renditions of classic world myths to HCLS. The Greeking Out podcast started in 2019 as an extension of the National Geographic book series, Zeus the Mighty, but gained great popularity in its own right and now includes three print books, each a collection of 20 stories and associated sidebars (silly, snarky, informational), as well as comic illustrations, a glossary of people and places with pronunciation guides, and maps of ancient places referenced in the tales. Whew!  Material of mythic proportions! Irresistible titles like “Three Scary Old Ladies and One Dirty Eyeball” and “The Princess, the Cow, and the Giant with 100 Eyes,” instantly pull in readers, young and old alike.

The book cover depicts cartoon images of characters from classical Greek mythology, including Poseidon, Aphrodite, Perseus, and a harpy.

I saw this for myself on September 17, when an enthusiastic crowd at HCLS Central Branch listened with delight to Curtis’s rendition of Persephone’s story. Maybe you think you know it? Probably not like this! How did she really feel about the Underworld? Was she tricked or was she the trickster? Curtis gave his listeners lots to think about. And while the storyteller helped the audience see different perspectives and possibilities, he didn’t have free rein with the facts. Fortunately, the Oracle of Wi-Fi (modern descendant of the one that resided in Delphi, and bearing a close resemblance to Jillian Hughes) weighed in regularly to bestow all-knowing wisdom, definitions, cultural tidbits, and little-known facts. For example, did you know that strawberries are NOT berries? And acorns are fruit?   

An exciting takeaway, for sure, but even more noteworthy was the atmosphere in the room. Demonstrating the power of myth and storytelling skills, Curtis and Hughes held the audience of eight- to ten-year-olds (and their grownups) without screens, devices, or even togas –  just dramatic voices and entertaining material.   

If you’re thinking, “I’ve got to see this for myself!” – you’re in luck! The Greeking Out authors offer two more presentations in October: 

Thursday, October 16 at HCLS Miller Branch at 6 pm

Saturday, October 18 at HCLS Glenwood Branch at 12 pm 

Greeking Out books on sale from local independent bookseller The Last Word, and the authors will gladly sign them. Registration preferred, as space is limited.

The book cover depicts various mythological characters from around the globe, one holding a scythe, one about to eat an apple, and one goddess wearing traditional Hindu dress.

In the meantime, check out a copy from the library: 
Book 1: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths is available in print and as an e-book
Book 2: Heroes and Olympians is also available in print and as an e-book
Book 3: Tales from the Underworld, reaches into myths from other regions of the world. Set to be published on October 7, the latest book can be placed on hold.

While you’re waiting, listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Radio, Spotify, or YouTube. And for kids who just can’t get enough of these classic characters and stories, lots of other entertaining modern versions can keep them reading, including:

Goddess Girls/Thunder Girls by Joan Holub. Available as chapter books, first chapter books, and graphic novels. 

Myth-o-Mania by Kate McMullan. Chapter book series featuring classic characters telling their stories.

Heroes in Training various authors. Short chapter books with illustrations. 

You Choose Greek Myths various authors. Interactive stories put the reader in charge. 

Olympians by George O’Connor. Graphic novel series for kids, each volume about a particular god. 

Weird but True Know-It-All: Greek Mythology by Sarah Wassner Flynn. Trivia for fact fans.  

Be part of something epic and start Greeking Out!

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres.

A bright striped cover features a white a circle with the title and author information in it.

Hooray! I Ate My Math Homework!

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
A bright striped cover features a white a circle with the title and author information in it.

by Jean B.

HCLS offers many resources for supporting students: skill building activities on our website, research materials and guidance, Brainfuse online tutoring, and free access to computers and printing, to name just a few. Explore a new place to look for homework help – the cookbook aisle!

Why not start the school year with a plan to do more family cooking that fosters math learning and fun? Cooking with kids builds a wide range of math skills — from counting, sorting, and measuring, to sequencing, fractions, ratios, and budgeting. Best of all, instead of a completed worksheet, cooking produces something delicious to eat and share!

Start early and involve even the youngest children in kitchen tasks and food conversations. Ask them to count the ingredients or compare the measuring cups to find the biggest or smallest. Talk about the steps in the recipe and let them name what goes first, second, third, last. Make a pattern with cookies on a pan or fruit on a plate.

To get some great ideas for things to make with the littlest cooks, check out Look and Cook Breakfast: A First Book of Recipes in Pictures by Valorie Fisher. With simple recipes presented visually, pre-readers can decipher what happens at each step, while the grown-up oversees the sharp tools and oven. You’ll soon be feasting on Tasty Toast, Choco Pillows, and Topsy-Turvy Eggs! Older chefs can tackle more involved tasks. Challenge them to double or halve the quantity of one ingredient or work out the fractions involved in dividing a pizza equally. Let them help with grocery shopping, evaluating the price of ingredients for value or the correct quantity for a recipe.

Inspire them with The How-to Cookbook for Young Foodies by Janna Saltz and the editors of Delish, which offers great information on cooking techniques as well as recipes the whole family can enjoy like Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet, Chicken Tacos, or Chocolate Pizza.

Even cleanup can be a math game – your student builds spatial reasoning skills by puzzling out the best way to fit dishes in the dishwasher.

Cookbooks + Kids + Math = a win for everyone! This fall, strengthen your student’s math skills, create new and interesting meals, get help in the kitchen, and inspire a young chef!

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres. 

A real dog, who is all brown and wears a collar and leash, rests its head on robot dog, who is plugged into a socket. A mouse dangles from the dog's leash.

Pick a Bunch of Black-Eyed Susans This Summer

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
A lot of black-eyed susans in full bloom, showing bright yellow petals and a dark brown center.

by Jean B.

It’s summertime in Maryland and Black-Eyed Susans, the state flower, dot the landscape with their bright yellow blooms in gardens, along highway medians, and across open fields. Black-Eyed Susans also are blooming inside the library. These award-winning books for kids and young adults make a perfect choice for summertime reading.

The Black-Eyed Susan Book Award is Maryland’s student choice award, voted on by students in grades K-12 every year since 1992. With seven categories of competition, there are contenders for every age and reading preference: Picture Books (for grades K-2); Fiction/Nonfiction for grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and high school; and Graphic Novels for grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and high school.

Why pick a Black-Eyed Susan? The nominees for this award are selected by school librarians for high quality AND kid appeal. The winners have been voted the best by 20,000 students across Maryland – that’s a major stamp of approval!

But here’s the best reason to pick a Black-Eyed Susan: to make YOUR voice count for next year’s award winner! The 2025-26 nominees are out: students in participating schools or homeschool co-ops who read at least eight of the nominated picture books or three of the nominated fiction/nonfiction or graphic novel nominees will be eligible to vote in April 2026. HCLS also provides a pathway to voting through our Black-Eyed Susan book clubs at Central Branch.

Twenty thousand Maryland kids can’t be wrong! Here’s a sampling of what they liked best in 2024-25:

A large sea turtle swims through the blue waters, above the book title.
A real dog, who is all brown and wears a collar and leash, rests its head on robot dog, who is plugged into a socket. A mouse dangles from the dog's leash.
A person in a white T-shirt and long hair stands in front of a raging forest fire.

Picture Book winner:
Yoshi and the Ocean by Lindsay Moore tells the amazing true story of a sea turtle’s return to the wild after 20 years of care in a South African aquarium. With lyrical text and gorgeous artwork, this book follows Yoshi as she navigates a 25,000 mile journey across two oceans, mapped by a tracking device, to reach her original home. Beautiful to read with younger children, it also contains a wealth of information about ocean life, loggerhead turtles and oceanography.

Grades 3-5 Fiction/Nonfiction winner:
In Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, a real dog, a robot dog, and a mouse band together to engineer an escape from the Dogtown Shelter and find their forever homes. In this charming animal adventure, short chapters and fun illustrations make it a perfect choice for a family read aloud or for kids just beginning to tackle full-length chapter books.

Grades 6-8 Fiction/Nonfiction winner:
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz is an action-packed thriller for those who love survival stories. The book follows four middle school kids in different regions of North America, each battling climate-change natural disasters. Though their challenges are different and parallel, the kids’ fierce struggles are linked as part of a bigger picture requiring joint action.

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres. 

The Libary's mascot, Booker the Owl, is wearing his green shirt and a bandana over one eye as he takes aim at a star-shaped pinata in front of a sign that reads Happy Birthday.

Countdown to Summer (Reading): Celebrate Libraries!

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
The Libary's mascot, Booker the Owl, is wearing his green shirt and a bandana over one eye as he takes aim at a star-shaped pinata in front of a sign that reads Happy Birthday.

by Jean B.

Who’s counting the days until the end of school? Kids, of course, and teachers, no doubt. Even parents and caregivers may be looking forward to more flexible days and freedom from regular routines — a break from alarms, homework, and heavy backpacks.

At the library, however, we are counting the days until summer and gathering our energy, because your downtime is our opportunity — we can’t wait to spend more time with you! In fact, we’re throwing a summer-long party to celebrate the 85th birthday of HCLS and all the ways our community comes together through the library to learn, grow, and connect.

Let’s get the party started! Starting Monday, June 2, visit any branch for your Summer Reading game, complete with reading and activity ideas, prizes, and special events. WHO IS INVITED? EVERYONE!

Visit hclibrary.org/summer often for all your summer reading information and details.

Ages birth – 4
Children ages birth-4 learn, grow, and make connections by singing, talking, reading, writing, and playing. Read or do an activity from the suggestions, and color in a balloon.
Ages 5 – 10
Read, listen, learn, connect, and celebrate. Each time you read or do an activity, color in a candy. Keep reading! For both children’s games: Pick up a prize after completing 10 books and/or activities before August 31, while supplies last.
Teens: 11 – 18
Earn raffle tickets whenever you read, attend classes, borrow items, or complete challenges. When you complete 10 tickets, visit a branch to receive a prize and be entered into the grand prize drawing. Continue to submit raffle tickets all summer.
Adults: 18+
The third annual Adult Reading Challenge offers unique reading challenges and complimentary reading recommendations. Complete three or more challenges by the end of August, or read three or more books of your own choosing. Complete a finisher’s card and be automatically entered into our prize drawings. All finishers also receive a limited-edition prize, while supplies last!

Summer Reading Celebrations
For everyone.
Join us to celebrate 85 years of the Library and all things summer reading with activities for all ages.
Wed, Jun 25 from 3 – 6 pm at HCLS East Columbia Branch
Wed, Jun 25 from 5 – 8 pm at HCLS Central Branch
Wed, Jul 9 from 5 – 8 pm at HCLS Elkridge Branch
Sat, Jul 12 from 11 am – 1 pm at HCLS Savage Branch
Wed, Aug 13 from 4 – 7 pm at HCLS Glenwood Branch
Thu Aug 21 from 6 – 8 pm at HCLS Miller Branch
Celebrations sponsored in part by Friends & Foundation of HCLS.

The cover shades from dark orange at the top to a light orange at the bottom, with two kids sitting tailor fashion. The one on the left has a book open, with swirls of an dragon sketch coming from the pages.

National Library Week: Graphic Novels for Kids

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
National Library Week Poster shows four different, common scenarios at the library: reading, talking at the desk, using a sewing machine from the library of things, and someone drawing.

by Jean B.

What draws you into the library? Comfortable chairs and aisles of tall shelves, packed with interesting titles? Classes where you can learn or socialize? Play areas for children?

Libraries serve many needs these days and offer access to all kinds of media – not just the weighty tomes of classic literature. For many of our school-age customers, it’s the graphic novels that draw them in. Dogman to Batman, Smile and Guts – these titles possess a magnetic power to pull kids into the library, sometimes to the chagrin of their grown-ups. They ask: “Are graphic novels real reading, if they’re filled with pictures?”

This year’s theme and its honorary chairs, cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud, affirm the value and power of these stories told through comic-strip panels. In recent years, graphic novels and their creators have received the highest honors in children’s literature, recognizing their artistry as well as the many benefits these books bring to young readers in building literacy.

Reading specialists stress the importance of motivation for a child’s success in learning to read. Kids need to be interested in the stories presented to them to do the work of reading. So if Dogman gets them to keep reading, it’s just as valuable as a classic! For those who may have fallen behind early in the reading process and lost confidence, graphic novels can restore their motivation. The images are appealing, the word bubbles less intimidating than full pages of text, and children can be successful without feeling the books are “beneath them.”

Graphic novels also teach children how to integrate text and visual literacy — an essential skill in today’s multi-modal landscape. When kids tackle a website, advertisement, or YouTube instructional video, they need to absorb both images and text to decipher meaning. That is the world we all now live in, and careful reading of a great graphic novel sharpens this important skill.

At Central Branch, the graphic novel collection literally creates the gateway for entering the children’s department. But in a much broader sense, graphic novels offer a gateway to the vast variety of books and materials readers will find in the library. Once DRAWN IN to reading, the discoveries and stories are limitless!

The cover shades from dark orange at the top to a light orange at the bottom, with two kids sitting tailor fashion. The one on the left has a book open, with swirls of a sprite sketch coming from the pages.

Celebrate National Library Week by exploring some of these award-winning graphic novels, all based on real experiences:
El Deafo by Cece Bell
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Mexikid by Pedro Martin
Stargazing by Jen Wang.

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres. 

Fuel Creativity, Find Wellbeing

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
The photograph depicts a tray of colorful watercolors next to two paintbrushes and a pile of painted papers, against a background of golden twinkle lights.

by Jean B.
January is a time for new beginnings, offering both promise and uncertainty. It’s appropriate that we mark International Creativity Month in January because creating something new can simultaneously revitalize us and relieve stress. Research shows that engaging in creative activity enhances both mental and physical health, boosting our immune systems, countering depression, expanding brain connections, and reducing anxiety. When you immerse yourself in a creative task — whether it’s art, music, dance, writing, crafting, woodworking, needle arts, puzzling —your emotions find release, self-esteem grows, worries can fade. An act of creation provides a sense of control, accomplishment, joy, and optimism.

Are you ready to try something new? Do you have a creative impulse but need some ideas, support, tools, instruction? HCLS has resources you can use by yourself at home, or alongside others in our six lively branches. Spark your creativity in the New Year!

Unwind and Align
For adults. Register at bit.ly/wellness_mil
Sat, Jan 18 | 1 – 3 pm
HCLS Miller Branch
Experience seated Qigong breathwork, guided meditation and mindfulness, sound healing, and Reiki energy in an informal, open setting. Facilitated by Janice B. Wellness & Friends.

Two people, wearing white safety goggles, peer into the laser cutter at HCLS Glewood Branch.
12/18/24 – Creative customers make individual snowflake ornaments at HCLS Glenwood Branch + Makerspace.

CREATE AT THE LIBRARY

  • Reserve the recording booth at the Glenwood Branch makerspace and sing your heart out! Or use the laser engraver and 3D printer to create personalized objects (materials must be purchased).
  • In the Builders Barn, a variety of materials invite children to create.
  • Visit the DIY Center at the Elkridge Branch for instruction in all kinds of arts, from sewing machine skills to painting to woodworking.
  • Join groups at various branches for crocheting, knitting, coloring, crafting and camaraderie. Look out for occasional craft supply swaps at Central Branch if you’re changing hobbies to clean out the old and stock up for something new.
  • Dance, sing, play and experiment at every branch with the children in your life when you attend one of our many children’s classes.

BORROW FROM THE LIBRARY

  • Ukuleles! Borrow a kit that includes an ukulele, tuner, and case. (Then take online lessons through Artistworks, described below.)
  • How-to-books! Want to try out drawing Manga? Origami? Cooking? Woodcarving? You’ll find help on our shelves.
  • Framed works of art! Get inspiration for your own masterpiece by borrowing art from the Central and Glenwood branches.

LEARN ONLINE at hclibrary.org:

  • Explore ArtistWorks, a vast library of free self-paced online video classes, taught by Grammy Award-winning musicians. Among the many options: country vocals, jazz drums, flute, clarinet, bluegrass guitar – and of course, ukulele!
  • Discover HCLS’ YouTube channel featuring your favorite library staff as they demonstrate how to make stuff from DIY crafts, to children’s projects, to art techniques.

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres. 

Two small parcels wrapped in white paper with red butcher's twine holding holly greenery, sitting on a hardwood floor.

Giving Books as Gifts? We’ve Got Ideas

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
The picture depicts a boy sitting in a recliner with a fuzzy orange blanket over his lap, reading a book.


by Jean B.

We’re entering the season of gifts! If you are a book lover, you may want to share that love by giving books to everyone on your list. But the books you read and love may not be ones that will excite and capture the imagination of your recipients. What is the key to giving a “just right” book to someone else? The Library and its resources! Preparing for successful book shopping is as easy as 1,2,3.

One: Visit our six branches to get recommendations from our dedicated, expert staff who have a breadth of knowledge across genres, age, and audience. Whether it’s bestsellers or hidden gems, we LOVE to talk books. If you’re looking for children’s books, you’ll have the added bonus of seeing the book and its illustrations at the library before purchasing.

Two: Subscribe to HCLS newsletters to get specialized recommendations delivered to your email inbox regularly. No searching required, the ideas come directly to you! Our staff-curated newsletters, focused by age or interest, deliver monthly book recommendations as well as upcoming library events. We also offer NextReads newsletters which deliver book recommendations by genre. With 15 choices, from picture books to horror to romance, you’re sure to find helpful suggestions for any reader in your life Sign up for one or for many! To subscribe, go to our website, click on “Contact Us” and choose “Subscribe to Newsletters.”

Three: Get great ideas from NoveList, a free search tool provided through our website: choose NoveList under the “Book Recommendations” topic. Enter your library barcode and PIN. Start by selecting an age/ audience for your books, then your personalized browsing adventure begins!

Does your nephew love Captain Underpants? Search “Captain Underpants” and choose “Series read-alikes” to see a list of books that are similar in style. Is your aunt obsessed with Sweden? Choose the “location” filter and type in Sweden to get books that are set in that country or involve Swedish characters. Does your brother-in-law only read thrillers? Choose the genre filter for “suspense thrillers” and get access to multiple lists of specific ideas. For each book, you can read a brief description of the plot, plus the tags for genre, pace, story, and mood. For children’s books, you’ll find information about reading level, too. Each search produces a wealth of information and ideas.

Happy book-giving this holiday season!

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres.  

A bright yellow cover features a red cutout image of a revolver.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
A bright yellow cover features a red cutout image of a revolver.

by Jean B.

I took an uncharacteristic turn this summer by watching a movie before reading the book. Heresy! When my book club decided to read the Raymond Chandler classic, The Big Sleep, I felt unenthusiastic and decided to first check out the famous film adaptation, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. 

I discovered an atmospheric masterpiece that is like a train wreck: you can’t look away, even as the bodies are piling up and the unanswered questions are mounting faster. Seamy and steamy, the film’s careless violence and social dysfunction surprised me in a 1940s-era production. Of course, that’s why they call it film noir, right?  Bogart, as the hard boiled private detective Philip Marlowe, dives into the sordid world of the spoiled, rich Sternwood sisters (Bacall and Martha Vickers) to catch a blackmailer and through a meandering investigation, ignites all kinds of sparks – romantic and otherwise.   

I appreciated the film for its classic style and mesmerizing performances, but I also felt perplexed by the story. It turns out, I’m not alone: as one critic wrote, “The Big Sleep is the best scripted, best directed, best acted, and least comprehensible film noir ever made.” Interestingly, the screenplay was written by William Faulkner, known for his own complex literature. I wondered, did Faulkner make the plot incomprehensible or was that Chandler’s work? 

Clearly, it was time to read the book and find out for myself. Told in first person by Marlowe, the story unfolds through sharp dialogue and terse descriptions of people and urban landscapes. Having seen the movie first, I heard Humphrey Bogart’s voice as I read, a definite bonus! While I usually prefer to form my own image of a character from the author’s writing, Bogart and Bacall seemed perfectly suited to Chandler’s style and words, so I didn’t mind having them in my head. 

The book provided a wealth of detail and allowed me to add more depth to my understanding of the characters and their predicaments. Still, this is not the kind of mystery you try to solve on your own. As a detective, Marlowe makes no effort to be especially clever or careful; he doesn’t store up observations and deductions a la Sherlock Holmes. 

Instead, he confronts a suspicious character, spills whatever information he has, then stands back to see what happens. Although the plot feels more comprehensible in the book than the movie, it’s still like a many-layered onion: each time Marlowe deciphers one crime and its culprit, another one emerges and more motives, corruption, romantic relationships, and villainy appear. Still, Chandler’s language and pungent metaphors make the effort to untangle these webs worthwhile. When a writer can make even a dreary office evocative (“His office had the musty smell of years of routine”), you can’t help but turn the page to keep reading.  

So which was better:  the book or the movie? I’m glad to have experienced both. The Big Sleep is all about atmosphere – when you soak it up both through the author’s words and the performances of great actors on the screen, you get the full picture, even if you’re still a little fuzzy on whodunnit! 

Borrow either or both at HCLS: in print and on DVD.

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres.  

Booker, the library's mascot owl, strides out from a spinning globe while carrying a suitcase.

Summer Reading Adventures 2024

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
Booker, the library's mascot owl, strides out from a spinning globe while carrying a suitcase.

by Jean B.

It’s summer, hooray! So much free time!
It’s summer, oh, no! So much free time!

What will you do with the kids this summer? Check out the library’s summer reading program, which begins June 1. Join in the adventure. It’s FREE, it’s for everyone!

So what’s in it for you? FUN! Borrow music, dance and sing! Borrow puppets and put on a show. Take home the Gingerbread Man literacy activity kit, and build a boat that floats. Get a book of jokes to share. Take our Summer Reading Mascot on a journey as Flat Booker.

BOREDOM BUSTERS. Try some activity ideas from the summer reading game board at home, at the library, or in your neighborhood. Party at our branch Summer Reading Celebrations (see p. 11) scattered throughout the summer. You may discover safari surprises, mythological creatures, carnival games, and more. The one thing that you won’t find is boredom!

STRUCTURE and GOALS. Instead of school routines, use your game board as a daily brain-builder. Make a plan to read together every day and complete a space on the game board. Visit the library often — where your child can collect a stamp for completed activities, earn a sticker, and find more great things to borrow. It all builds to a great goal: complete the game and earn a summer reading prize – hooray!

A (SECRET) BOOST TO SCHOOL SKILLS. Did you know? Reading, singing, talking, writing, and playing all summer helps reduce “summer slide,” so your kids are ready for the transition to a new grade in August.

AIR CONDITIONED COMFORT. On the hottest days of summer, you can find cool spaces and even cooler events at HCLS’ six branches. Crafts, STEAM activities, games, book clubs, movies – it’s all happening at your library.

Get on board and pick up your map for a Summer Reading Adventure at any HCLS branch, beginning June 1. Bet you can’t wait for summer to arrive with lots of time to explore and learn. See you at the library!

Join Booker in games for ages birth – 4 and ages 5 – 10. Teens (ages 11 – 18) participate in a raffle. Adults receive the new 2024 Reading Challenges booklet.

For book lists, classes, and more, visit hclibrary.org/summer.

SUMMER READING CELEBRATIONS
For all ages. Drop in to these sessions happening all summer! For details, visit hclibrary.org/summer
Passport to Adventure
Tue, Jun 18; 3 – 7 pm | Glenwood Branch
Party on the Patio
Wed, Jun 26; 5 – 8 pm | Central Branch
Summer Reading Carnival
Fri, Jul 19; 11 am – 2 pm | East Columbia Branch
Summer Safari
Sat, Jul 20; 11 am – 2 pm | Savage Branch
Mythological Creatures of Legend
Thu, Aug 15; 6 – 8 pm | Miller
Summer Reading Celebration
Sat, Aug 24; 10 am – 4 pm | Elkridge Branch

Jean B. is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch who loves reading books for all ages when she isn’t enjoying the outdoors.

The book cover shows Merci sitting on the steps outside her home next to a bike with a cell phone in her hand. Her grandparents are looking out of a window towards her and smiling, and there is a green car with a driver and passenger in the background. There are palm trees and a bright orange-pink sunset on the horizon.

National Library Week with Honorary Chairperson Meg Medina

jeanboone1 Leave a comment
The book cover shows Merci sitting on the steps outside her home next to a bike with a cell phone in her hand. Her grandparents are looking out of a window towards her and smiling, and there is a green car with a driver and passenger in the background. There are palm trees and a bright orange-pink sunset on the horizon.

By Jean B.

It’s time to celebrate libraries! We think every week is Library Week, but this annual event focuses attention on how libraries support and enrich our lives. Meg Medina observes:

“From book groups to lending sports equipment to providing a safe after-school hangout space and so much more, libraries support us wherever we find ourselves on the roadmap through life’s journey.”
In fact, libraries are there at life’s starting line, offering parents and caregivers of newborns, infants, and toddlers the opportunity to talk, sing, read, and play together in a positive environment. Early trips to the library may be a social lifeline for new parents as well as a fertile ground for growing confident, enthusiastic readers – it’s the very first chapter in a child’s educational experience!

“!Cuéntame!: Let’s talk books!” continues Medina, who is the Honorary Chairperson of National Library Week and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate National Library Week 2024.

Let’s talk about Medina’s award-winning books for kids. Merci Suárez Changes Gears, winner of the Newbery Award in 2019, opens a window into the lively world of a Cuban American family and the confusion of starting middle school. We can all can relate to the uncertainty and change that comes with middle school, but Merci Suárez experiences more than the usual bumps. As a scholarship student at Seaward Pines Academy, Merci finds herself on the outside. Her life at Las Casitas, the three little pink houses that sit side by side and hold her extended family together in a maelstrom of love and drama, is clearly different from that of her classmates. Her family shapes her life every day, whether she is playing soccer with her Papi’s team, hanging out with her grandparents, Lolo and Abuela, or babysitting her wild twin cousins. All that togetherness!  It’s a blessing and curse for a sixth grader trying to figure out how she fits in. On top of that, her beloved Lolo is behaving in strange and worrisome ways, and nobody wants to talk about it with Merci.   

In this book and the two books that follow it – Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays it Cool – Meg Medina opens a conversation about a universal theme – dealing with change – but immerses us in a specific setting that reflects her own experience as a Cuban American. With Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout the story and wonderful descriptions of foods, celebrations, and rituals familiar to this community, we see common problems from a new perspective, one that is infused with Florida heat and Cuban spice. Merci advances a grade with each book in the trilogy and learns to navigate the whole range of middle school challenges, from cliques to crushes, while adjusting to changes at home, too, as her brother goes to college and her grandfather’s health declines.  

The image shows two girls facing each other, nose to nose, in front of a moving truck with boxes inside, with the book title written on the side of the truck. Fall leaves and an apartment building are in the background.

Not into middle school drama? Medina portrays strong Latina girls in tough situations with honesty, humor, and heart for other age groups as well.  In the sweet picture book Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away, her young heroine faces the loss of her best friend and neighbor, but the bond of friendship proves more powerful than distance.  In the award-winning YA novel Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, Medina takes on high school bullying as experienced by Piddy Sanchez, a girl stressed by school and family issues.   

The book cover depicts the book's title on a locked, blue school locker.

Pick any of Medina’s books and you come away with a lot to talk about. The characters are real and their struggles and relationships are totally relatable. It’s everyday family life. At the same time, reading these stories told through a rich, cultural lens broadened my own experience and showed me something new in the everyday.    

“!Cuéntame!” Let’s have a conversation! Isn’t that what the Freedom to Read is all about?  

Merci Suarez Changes Gears is available in print, as an audiobook on CD, as a digital audiobook, and in e-book format.

Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away is available in print in English and Spanish and in e-book and e-audiobook formats, as well as in an animated adaptation on DVD.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass is available in print.

Jean B. is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch who loves reading books for all ages when she isn’t enjoying the outdoors.