It's all a matter of perspective...

In the last week, I've spent way too much money at places I don't usually frequent: the tire store and the dentist. Had to get a set of new tires (at the tire store, of course) and a crown and work done on some fillings (I'll let you guess). What I found amusing about both visits (well, as amused as you can be when somebody has a drill in your mouth -- yes, at the dentist!) -- is that in both places, the world seemed to revolve around either tires or teeth. Now, don't get me wrong, they're both very important, but I really don't think about either all that much, so the idea that they could figure so prominently in a world view was intriguing to me.

Here at the Library, I spend a lot of time thinking about books. What's new, what will happen to books in the future, will everbody be reading online instead of 'in print' -- you might say I get a little obsessed. My visits to the tire store and the dentist made me realize that maybe I was losing perspective on the Big Picture.

So my hope for you in this holiday season is that you get a chance to take a deep breath, step back, and think about what's really important to you. And if you need help, I'm sure I can find a book for you!

Local authors coming in December

Please join us Friday December 11 at 3 PM for local authors Heidi M. Thomas and Mary E. Trimble, both of whom have recently published novels with a Western theme.
Heidi M. Thomas' novel "Cowgirl Dreams" is based on her grandmother who rode steers in Montana rodeos during the 1920s. The book is suitable for both adult and young adult readers. Thomas writes, edits and teaches writing classes in Mount Vernon.
Award-winning Camano Island author Mary E. Trimble is the author of two books, "Rosemount" and "McClellan's Bluff". Her soon to be released romantic suspense novel "Tenderfoot" intertwines modern day ranching, a developing love story, and the events of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
This promises to be a fun afternoon. Copies of the books will be available for purchase.

"Good Food" film in Stanwood

Join director Melissa Young as she introduces the film "Good Food", an intimate look at the farmers, ranchers, and businesses that are creating a more sustainable food system in the Pacific Northwest. The film will be shown at 7PM at the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center, and Melissa will be on hand to answer your questions.

"Plenty" of Events Too

Here's a look at our "Plenty" calendar:

Tuesday September 22, at 7PM, Snow Goose Bookstore hosts a book discussion group.

Join us Thursday, October 8 "Together We Eat" 7 PM at the Floyd Norgaard Center in Stanwood as we feature a panel discussion of local farmers and foodies.

Saturday October 10, it's time for pumpkin painting at the Williams Pioneer Pumpkin Patch from 1-3 pm.

Wednesday October 14, the Stanwood Library reading group meets at Merrill Gardens at 6PM.

The film "Good Food" will be shown at the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center at 7PM on Monday October 26. Join us as filmakers Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young present their film and answer your questions.

Lots of "Plenty"

We're gearing up for our next Stanwood/Camano: Together We Read community read, which will be "Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100 Mile Diet" by Alisa Smith and J. B. Mackinnon. What's the 100 mile diet? The authors experimented for 1 year to see if they could eat only food produced within 100 miles of their home (Vancouver B.C., in their case.)Could they pull this off -- and actually enjoy themselves in the process?
We'll be announcing programs very soon, including a showing of the film "Good Food" and a panel discussion featuring local farmers, restaurant owners and more. Check back soon for more details!

Can't Keep a Good Zombie Down

Vampires have been doing very well for themselves recently, but zombies have been making a comeback of their own lately. And these aren't your grandfather's zombies, shuffling along at a glacial pace. No sir, the new breed of zombie is amped up and eager to have you for lunch. The most recent (and heretofore unlikely) appearance is in the recent literary mash-up "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies".
What could possibly be next? "A Tale of Two Cities and Werewolves"?

Best Kids' Books -- Ever?

A recent column in the New York Times about the "summer slide" featured a list of 13 Best Kids' Books (according to Nicholas Kristof). He mentions the importance of summer reading because tests have shown that without intellectual stimulation in the summer, kids lose 2 months of reading level. Here's his list, in order of difficulty from easier to harder:
1. "Charlotte's Web"
2. Hardy Boys series
3. "The Wind in the Willows"
4. Freddy the Pig series
5. Alex Rider series
6. Harry Potter series
7. "Gentle Ben"
8. "Anne of Green Gables"
9. "The Dog Who Wouldn't Be"
10. "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (hmmm, good luck with that one...)
11. "On to Oregon"
12. "The Prince and the Pauper"
13. "Lad, a Dog"