Pinawa Public Library
www.pinawapubliclibrary.com
The Biblio File
August 12, 2019
When did you start to love reading? Everyone has a different memory. For kids, learning to read is often a tough mountain to climb and because of this, they are often reluctant at first. What is the best way to encourage an early reader? Our 10-year old source says cartoons! He remembers being frustrated by reading until he found Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes and Fox Trot. You would be surprised at the amount of “big words” in these books that spark explanation and conversation. Let them read what they love to read – it will encourage a lifetime love of books.
When I first started working at the library I had never heard of Louise Penny. It’s a surprise I was even hired with that serious omission in my reading history. I started to notice that patron after patron was checking out her books, and that there was great excitement and long wait list drawn up every time a new book came out. What was all the fuss about?? I started asking patrons and they all had a different reason for loving the books but with a common thread – everyone felt like they were immersed into the town that Penny creates, and that they knew the characters like their very own neighbours – they HAD to know what would happen next to their friends.
The series is based on the character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. The stories usually take place in the village of Three Pines, with Gamache investigating the murders of various people in each novel. The town is inspired by various parts of Quebec’s Eastern Townships, the area where Penny lives.
Never a big fan of crime novels, I skeptically tried the first book. Penny writes in a way that I would describe as “light crime” – not gory or frightening but descriptive enough that you feel you are immersed in the case. Penny will have you feeling like a Three Pines resident by book one, and you will be planning your trip to Quebec to see all of the beautiful buildings and areas that inspire her. I’m now on book five, and highly recommend this series to anyone who asks and even a few who don’t.
There are 14 books in the series so far, with the 15th slated to be released this month.