Summer at the Library newsletters

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 29, 2021

 

 

This is the last Summer at the Library newsletter for this summer. We hope you enjoyed reading them, and learning about some of the new books and activities at the library this summer. Look out for the Biblio File returning soon!

 

 

Storytime has finished for this summer. We would like to thank everyone who participated this summer, and made Storytime a success. We had lots of fun, and hope you did too!

 

 

The library ghost was in a fantastical mood this week, knocking down Han Suyin’s The Enchantress. This book is a story of twins Colin and Bea who journey to eighteenth-century China. In this world of magic, emperors and treasure, Colin and Bea discover their destinies – one of love, and another of treachery. If you are interested in trying a fantasy book, take up our ghost’s recommendation, and try The Enchantress at the Pinawa Public Library! And keep an eye out for the library ghost in the Biblio File!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles

This week’s fiction pick is a Second World War story about books, forgiveness and friendship.

“Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have the perfect life with her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbour. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbour’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.” (Publisher)

Crime – While Justice Sleeps, by Stacey Abrams

From real-life lawyer Stacey Abrams comes a legal thriller about a young law clerk embroiled in a terrifying mystery.

“Avery Keene, a brilliant young law clerk for the legendary Justice Howard Wynn, is doing her best to hold her life together—excelling in an arduous job with the court while also dealing with a troubled family. When the shocking news breaks that Justice Wynn—the cantankerous swing vote on many current high-profile cases—has slipped into a coma, Avery’s life turns upside down. She is immediately notified that Justice Wynn has left instructions for her to serve as his legal guardian and power of attorney. Plunged into an explosive role she never anticipated, Avery finds that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching one of the most controversial cases before the court—a proposed merger between an American biotech company and an Indian genetics firm, which promises to unleash breathtaking results in the medical field. She also discovers that Wynn suspected a dangerously related conspiracy that infiltrates the highest power corridors of Washington.

As political wrangling ensues in Washington to potentially replace the ailing judge whose life and survival Avery controls, she begins to unravel a carefully constructed, chesslike sequence of clues left behind by Wynn. She comes to see that Wynn had a much more personal stake in the controversial case and realizes his complex puzzle will lead her directly into harm’s way in order to find the truth.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Swimming to Freedom: My Escape from China and the Cultural Revolution, by Kent Wong

This book is a memoir about a largely-unknown point in history, in which thousands risked swimming from China to Hong Kong to escape oppression.

“When Kent Wong was a young boy, his father, a patriotic Chinese official in the customs office in Hong Kong, joined an insurrection at work and returned with the family to the newly established People’s Republic of China. Hailed as heroes, they settled in the southern city of Canton. But Mao’s China was dangerous and unstable, with landlords executed en masse and millions dying of starvation during the Great Leap Forward.

Mao’s Hundred Flower Campaign ensnared Kent’s father. A decade later the Cultural Revolution closed schools, plunged the country into chaos, and scattered Kent and his sisters to disparate villages where they struggled to eke out a bare existence. Kent began to realize that with higher education closed to him (as the son of a “capitalist rightist”),  he had no future in China. So, when he hooked up with a dissident underground and heard about fellow countrymen braving extraordinary hardship to reach freedom by swimming across miles of open water to Hong Kong, he decided to risk his life for a better future.” (Publisher)

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 22, 2021

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is fairness! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some fair-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have six spots left for this week’s session!

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

Our library ghost must have been in a spacey mood this week, for he knocked down Leviathan Wakes, the first book in the Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. The Expanse series is a bestselling science fiction series in which much of the solar system has been colonised by humans. Superpowers Earth and the Martian Congressional Republic maintain an uneasy military alliance, but when an Earth ship is destroyed, Mars is blamed. As war brews, Jim Holden and his crew must uncover the secret beyond a derelict ship. So if you would like to try a science fiction story, take up our ghost’s recommendation, and check out Leviathan Wakes at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – Peaces, by Helen Oyeyemi

This book is a story about how a strange train journey changed one couple forever.

“When Otto and Xavier Shin declare their love, an aunt gifts them a trip on a sleeper train to mark their new commitment—and to get them out of her house. Setting off with their pet mongoose, Otto and Xavier arrive at their sleepy local train station, but quickly deduce that The Lucky Day is no ordinary locomotive. Their trip on this former tea-smuggling train has been curated beyond their wildest imaginations, complete with mysterious and welcoming touches, like ingredients for their favorite breakfast. They seem to be the only people on board, until Otto discovers a secretive woman who issues a surprising message. As further clues and questions pile up, and the trip upends everything they thought they knew, Otto and Xavier begin to see connections to their own pasts, connections that now bind them together.

Peaces is about what it means to be seen by another person—whether it’s your lover or a stranger on a train—and what happens when things you thought were firmly in the past turn out to be right beside you.” (Publisher)

Crime – The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Plot is a twisty novel about an author who steals one of his student’s ideas – and finds it coming back to haunt him.

“When a young writer dies before completing his first novel, his teacher, Jake, (himself a failed novelist) helps himself to its plot. The resulting book is a phenomenal success. But what if somebody out there knows?

Somebody does. And if Jake can’t figure out who he’s dealing with, he risks something far worse than the loss of his career.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer, by Liza Rodman

What if the man who babysat you was a serial killer? This part memoir, part true crime story recount one woman’s experience of exactly that.

“Growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s, Liza Rodman was a lonely little girl. During the summers, while her mother worked days in a local motel and danced most nights in the Provincetown bars, her babysitter—the kind, handsome handyman at the motel where her mother worked—took her and her sister on adventures in his truck.

But there was one thing she didn’t know; their babysitter was a serial killer.

Some of his victims were buried—in pieces—right there, in his garden in the woods. Though Tony Costa’s gruesome case made screaming headlines in 1969 and beyond, Liza never made the connection between her friendly babysitter and the infamous killer of numerous women, including four in Massachusetts, until decades later.

Haunted by nightmares and horrified by what she learned, Liza became obsessed with the case. Now, she and cowriter Jennifer Jordan reveal the chilling and unforgettable true story of a charming but brutal psychopath through the eyes of a young girl who once called him her friend.” (Publisher)

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 15, 2021

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is Canada! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some Canada-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have three spots left for this week’s session!

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

Our library ghost had fun this week, knocking down a book from the new section for one of our librarians to trip over! This nefarious tripping device is Die Upon a Kiss, by Barbara Hambly. Die Upon a Kiss is a historical mystery, in which a controversial performance of Shakespeare’s Othello incites violence in 1830s New Orleans. So if you would like to try a historical mystery, take up our ghost’s recommendation, and check out Die Upon a Kiss at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – Falling, by T.J. Newman

This book is a thriller raved about by authors such as Lee Child, James Patterson and Janet Evanovich, in which a pilot must choose between whose lives to save: his passengers or his family.

“You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.” (Publisher)

Crime – Claw & Disorder, by Eileen Watkins

Claw & Disorder is a cozy mystery about a cat groomer who finds herself entangled in the mysteries of her small town.

“Around the quaint town of Chadwick, New Jersey, are two families in need of Cassie’s help. Wealthy perfectionist Gillian Foster is orchestrating the restoration of her family’s nineteenth-century home and wants her purebred Himalayan, Leya, boarded at Cassie’s Comfy Cats. Meanwhile, the elderly Tillmans are in dire straits, hoarding possessions and a clowder of cats in their run-down house. Perhaps Cassie can persuade the couple to surrender a few of their furry friends. Unfortunately, neither task is cut and dried…

Mrs. Tillman is mysteriously asphyxiated in the night, and suspicion falls on her husband—and their cats. Meanwhile, the Fosters host a banquet for the local historical society, and when one of their guests falls gravely ill Gillian is convinced someone is out to get her. After a second death occurs, it’s clear a killer isn’t pussyfooting around. Now it’s up to Cassie to get these houses in order before disaster pounces again…” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Summary

Over 1,300 unmarked graves have been found at former residential schools across Canada. As a library, we want to provide our patrons with resources to learn about this. Volume One of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is a summary of the six-year investigation by the commission into residential schools, the sufferings Indigenous children underwent there, and the effects the schools have today. The volume also contains the Commission’s 94 recommendations for true reconciliation.

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 8, 2021

 

 

New public health orders are now in effect. However, library restrictions at the Pinawa Public Library remain the same until further notice. Please visit our website for information on our current Covid-19 protocols.

We appreciate everyone’s efforts to help keep our patrons and staff safe.

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is bravery! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some brave-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have six spots left for this week’s session!

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

The library ghost was in a dark mood this week, knocking down The Whisper Man by Alex North. In this suspense story, a father and son move to a small town for a fresh start. However, end up in the middle of the investigation to catch a serial killer who lures his victims out by whispering in their windows at night. So if you’re in the mood for a murder mystery, take up our ghost’s recommendation, and check out The Whisper Man at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – The Sister’s Tale, by Beth Powning

This book, by an award-winning Canadian author, is a story of the relationships that can save us when everything else falls apart.

“With murder dominating the news, the respected wife of a New Brunswick sea captain is drawn into the case of a British home child whose bad luck has turned worse. Mortified that she must purchase the girl in a pauper auction to save her from the lechery of wealthy townsmen, Josephine Galloway finds herself suddenly the proprietor of a boarding house kept afloat by the sweat and tears of a curious and not completely compatible collection of women. Among them is English girl Flora Salford, haunted by a missing piece of her life that she fears lost forever. Struggling to earn her place in this strange new country, Flora must decide if she can be the pillar Josephine’s household desperately needs when tragedy strikes.” (Publisher)

Crime – Winterkill, by Ragnar Jónasson

Winterkill is one of the library’s latest additions to our collection of Nordic Noir, and the final installment of the bestselling Dark Iceland series.

“A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing…

Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death…

As a violent blizzard closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór Arason must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth … one that will leave no one unscathed.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Unravelling Canada: a Knitting Odyssey, by Sylvia Olsen

In this book, Canadian author and knitter Sylvia Olsen recounts her cross-country knitting-themed road trip, and the discoveries about Canada and Canadians she made along the way.

“In 2015, Sylvia Olsen and her partner, Tex, embarked on a cross-Canada journey from the Salish Sea to the Atlantic Ocean to conduct workshops, exchange experiences with other knitters and, Olsen hoped, discover a fresh appreciation for Canada.

Along the way, with stops in over forty destinations, including urban centres as well as smaller communities like Sioux Lookout, ON, and Shelburne, NS, Olsen observed that the knitters of Canada are as diverse as their country’s geography. But their textured and colourful stories about knitting create a common narrative. With themes ranging from personal identity, cultural appropriation, provincial stereotypes and national icons to “boyfriend sweaters” and love stories, Unravelling Canada is both a celebration and a discovery of an ever-changing national landscape.” (Publisher)

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 1, 2021

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is Olympics! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some Olympic-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register!

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

It seems our library ghost is trying to make sure we don’t replace his section in the newsletter again. This past week, he knocked over a bunch of our books written by Pinawa authors! Our Home Grown shelf has a great variety, from the history of Pinawa to the fictionalized story of Helen of Troy to mystery novels set in the Whiteshell. So if you are looking for a new read, take up the library ghost’s recommendations and check out a book by a local author at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – The Burning Chambers, by Kate Mosse

This story is the first book in a historical romance duology about love, war and divided loyalties in mid-1500s France.

“Carcassonne 1562. Nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father’s bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, it contains just five words: SHE KNOWS THAT YOU LIVE.

But before Minou can decipher the mysterious message, a chance encounter with a young Huguenot convert, Piet Reydon, changes her destiny forever. For Piet has a dangerous mission of his own, and he will need Minou’s help if he is to get out of La Cité alive…” (Publisher)

Crime – The Shadow Man, by Helen Fields

From the author of the DI Callanach series, The Shadow Man is a stand-alone suspense mystery thriller.

“He collects his victims. But he doesn’t keep them safe.

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go.

Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth.

Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real.

And he’s watching.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Iconic Stories from 150 Years of Sport in Manitoba, by Sean Grassie

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers return to the football field this Thursday, their first game since their victory in the 2019 Grey Cup. That story, along with many others from over the last 150 years, is told in this book celebrating Manitoba athletes. From the Winnipeg hockey team that won the 1896 Stanley Cup to the MLA who won two Paralympic gold medals, this book written by Canadian mixed curling champion Sean Grassie celebrates the athletic achievements of Manitobans.

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

 

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 25, 2021

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is Bears! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some bear-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have seven spots left for this week’s session.

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

Our library ghost was very unhappy we replaced his book recommendation segment last week with our beautiful book pageant. This week he knocked over a bunch of Nordic Noir books. Nordic Noir is a sub-genre of crime fiction set in Scandinavian countries. These books are often dark and contain social criticisms. The stories are often told from a police point-of-view, and have morally complex narrators. Over the last year, our library has been expanding its Nordic Noir collection. So if you are looking for a darker read this summer, take up the library ghost’s recommendations and check a Nordic Noir book from the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – Aria, by Nazanine Hozar

Aria is the debut novel of an Iranian-Canadian author about the Iranian Revolution as experienced by an orphan girl named Aria, who must come to terms with the mysteries of her past and her future.

“Iran in the 1950s is wealthy in oil but riven by divisions of class, ethnicity, and religion, and its corrupt government is under foreign influence. At this volatile moment, an illiterate driver rescues a redheaded, blue-eyed baby girl who has been abandoned in a Tehran alley and names her Aria. When he can no longer care for her, he finds her a new home, setting her on an unlikely path from extreme deprivation to a life of privilege.

Along the way, Aria acquires three mother figures with secrets of their own: one who abuses her, one who adopts her, and one whose role in her life is initially mysterious. At university, Aria is drawn ever further from her poverty-stricken past, until the 1979 revolution brings her various worlds violently together again. She and her friends are swept up in the excitement and danger as the shah is overthrown, but the final stage of the revolution will bring the Ayatollah Khomeini to power at the head of a brutal theocracy – just as Aria has become a mother herself.” (Publisher)

Crime – Turn a Blind Eye, by Jeffrey Archer

The third book in the William Warwick series by New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Archer is a historical mystery digging out corruption at the heart of a famous police force.

“Newly promoted to Detective Inspector, William Warwick is tasked with a dangerous new line of work, to go undercover and expose crime of another kind: corruption at the heart of the Metropolitan Police Force. Along with detectives Rebecca Pankhurst and Nicky Bailey, his team is focused on following Detective Jerry Summers, a young officer whose lifestyle exceeds his income. But the investigation risks being compromised when Nicky falls for Summers.

Meanwhile, notorious drug baron Assem Rashidi goes on trial, defended by Booth Watson QC, while William’s father Sir Julian and sister Grace lead the prosecution case. And William’s wife Beth, now a new mother to twins, makes a surprising new friend in Christina Faulkner—the ex-wife of William’s former rival, criminal financier Miles – who has not only turned over a new leaf, but also has a new-found source of income when Faulkner dies suddenly of a heart attack and she stands to be sole inheritor of his estate.

As the undercover officers start to draw the threads together, William realizes that the corruption may go deeper still, and more of his colleagues than he first thought might be willing to turn a blind eye.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Every Falling Star, by Sungju Lee

This book is a true story of how a young boy survived the streets and managed to escape from North Korea.

“Every Falling Star is the memoir of Sungju Lee, who at the age of twelve was forced to live on the streets of North Korea and fend for himself. Sungju tells what it was like to be separated from his parents to be alone; to have to create a new family with his gang, his “brothers”; to be hungry every day; and to fear arrest, imprisonment and even execution.

In this compelling true story, Lee grimly reveals that many of the freedoms taken for granted in the West do not exist in other lands…and that hope if often all there is to cling to.” (Publisher)

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 21, 2021

 

 

We are reopening! As of Sunday July 18, the Pinawa Public Library is open to the public. We will still be providing curbside pick-up and drop-off for those who feel uncomfortable or are unable to come into the library.

Please see our website for new Covid-19 protocols.

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is Space! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some space-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have three spots left for this week’s session.

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

Our library ghost is on strike this week, so we cannot provide his list of book recommendations. Instead, we are having a Beautiful Book Pageant! We have selected five nominees with beautiful covers, and it is up our subscribers to pick the winner.

A Thousand Ships, by Natalie Haynes

This book is the story of the women of the Trojan War; from the Trojan women whose fates now lie in the hands of the Greeks, to the Amazon princess who fought Achilles on their behalf, to Penelope awaiting the return of Odysseus, to the three goddesses whose feud started it all.

Moral Compass, by Danielle Steel

For the first time, prestigious school Saint Ambrose Prep has just enrolled its female students. In such a heightened environment, even the smallest spark can become a raging fire.

The day after a party, Vivienne lies in the hospital, injured and with a dangerous level of alcohol in her blood. Only the handful of other pupils who were there when she was attacked know what happened, and they have closed ranks. As parents, students, staff and the media attempt to establish the truth, no-one at Saint Ambrose will escape the fallout.

The Trawlerman, by William Shaw

In the fourth book in the Alexandra Cupidi series, deceit is found in the most unlikely places. The brooding waters of the Kent coastline offer an ominous backdrop for this lively page-turner of corruption, mental health and the complexities of human connection.

The Italian Teacher, by Tom Rachman

What makes an artist? In The Italian Teacher, Tom Rachman displays a nuanced understanding of art and its demons. In his main character Pinch, who worships his abandoned father, he creates a portrait of vulnerability and frustrated talent that challenges the very idea of greatness.

Black Swan of Paris, by Karen Robards

This book follows three women in the Second World War. Celebrated singer and secret French Resistance member Genevieve Dumont is shocked when her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary – including assassination – but Genevieve refuses to let that happen, and reuniting with her long-lost sister, they set out across Occupied France to save her.

Be sure to let us know your vote for the most beautiful book!

 

 

The library has opened, but it can still be hard to find a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – The Heiress, by Molly Greeley

Those of us who have read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice may remember Anne de Bourgh, Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s sickly daughter who was supposed to marry Mr. Darcy. In this book, Molly Greeley tells Anne’s side of the story.

“As a fussy baby, Anne was prescribed laudanum to quiet her and has been given the opium-heavy syrup ever since, on account of her continuing ill health. While Lady Catherine is outraged when Darcy chooses not to marry her daughter, Anne barely even notices.

But little by little, she comes to see that what she has always been told is an affliction of nature might in fact be one of nurture – and one, therefore, that she can beat. She finally throws away her laudanum and seeks refuge at the London home of her cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Suddenly wide awake to the world but utterly unprepared, Anne must forge a new identity among those who have never seen the real her – including herself.” (Publisher)

Crime – We Begin at the End, by Chris Whitaker

An award-winning crime novel about the two types of families: the families we’re born into, and the families we create.

“Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer.

Now, he’s been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.

Duchess Radley, Star’s thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin – and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.

How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself?” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – War: How Conflict Shaped Us, by Margaret MacMillan

“Is peace an aberration? The bestselling author of Paris 1919 offers a provocative view of war as an essential component of humanity.” (Publisher)

In War, Margaret MacMillan lays out how organized war has shaped and been shaped by the arts, political ideas, geography and other forces. She delves into how societies create “the warrior,” the roles women have played in war, how war affects civilians, and how societies have tried to create rules regarding war. In essence, MacMillan points out how war and human society are deeply intertwined.

Check out these and other new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 11, 2021

 

 

This week’s Storytime theme is Things That Go! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Wednesday for some car, train, boat and plane-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Don’t forget to register, as we only have six spots left for this week’s session.

For more information on Covid-19 Protocols during Storytime, please see Pinawa Public Library Summer Reading Program Covid Modifications.

 

 

Ghosts are supposed to be scary, but our library ghost apparently isn’t – not if he knocked over a whole shelf of Sophie Kinsella books! Sophie Kinsella is a romance writer whose books are considered part of the “chick lit” genre, which is described as light, humorous books about modern women and their misadventures in life and love. So if you are looking for some light reading for the beach or the hammock, take up the library ghost’s recommendations and check out a Sophie Kinsella book from the Pinawa Public Library!

 

 

With the library closed, it’s hard to browse the shelves for a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – Chicken Sisters, by KJ Dell’Antonia

This debt fiction book, a Reese’s Book Club pick, is a story about the rivalries and bonds sisters share!

“In tiny Merinac, Kansas, Chicken Mimi’s and Chicken Frannie’s have spent a century vying to serve up the best fried chicken in the state – and the legendary feud between their respective owners, the Moores and the Pogociellos, has lasted just as long. No one feels the impact more than thirty-five-year-old widow Amanda Moore, who grew up working for her mom at Mimi’s before scandalously marrying Frank Pogociello and changing sides to work at Frannie’s. Tired of being caught in the middle, Amanda sends an SOS to Food Wars, the reality TV restaurant competition that promises $100,000 to the winner. But in doing so, she launches both families out of the frying pan and directly into the fire.

The last thing Brooklyn-based organisational guru Mae Moore, Amanda’s sister, wants is to go home to Kansas. But when her career implodes, Food Wars becomes her chance to step back into the limelight. Mae is certain she can make the fading Mimi’s look good – even if that pits her against Amanda and Frannie’s. With a greedy producer stoking the flames, their friendly rivalry quickly turns into a game of chicken. Yet when family secrets become public knowledge, the sisters must choose: will they fight with each other, or for their heritage? After all, all’s fair in love, and war, and chicken…” (Publisher)

Crime – The Next to Die, by Sophie Hannah

The tenth book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Hannah’s psychological mystery Culver Valley Crime series targets the danger friendship can bring.

“What if having a best friend was the most dangerous thing you could do?

A killer that the police are calling ‘Billy Dead Mates’ is murdering pairs of best friends, one by one.

Before they die, each victim is given a small white book…

For months, detectives have failed to catch Billy, or work out what the white books mean. And then a woman, scared by what she’s seen on the news, comes forward.

Stand-up comedian Kim Tribbeck has one of Billy’s peculiar little books. A stranger gave it to her at a gig she did a year ago. Was he Billy, and does he want to kill her? Kim has no friends and trusts no one, so how – and why – could she possibly be Billy Dead Mates’ next target?” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – Why Indigenous Literatures Matter, by Daniel Heath Justice

Our non-fiction pick this week is timely, informative and engaging look at Indigenous literature, while also offering viewpoints on how other forms of literature (for example, fantasy) can help us re-imagine our world and break-down stereotypes and barriers.

“Part survey of the field of Indigenous literary studies, part political and social history, and part literary polemic, Why Indigenous Literatures Matter considers how Indigenous writing works in the world through personal narrative, cultural analysis, and close readings of key creative and critical texts, guided by four central questions: How do we learn to be human? How do we become good relatives? How do we become good answers? How do we learn to live together?

This provocative volume challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about Indigenous literatures, history and politics, and to consider the important work of Indigenous writers in nurturing, restoring and establishing imaginative kinship with the world. In doing so, Daniel Heath Justice welcomes new audiences to Indigenous literary criticism while offering more seasoned readers a renewed appreciation for these transformative works and traditions.” (Publisher)

Check out these and other new books on the Pinawa Public Library website!

Pinawa Public Library

pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library

July 4, 2021

 

 

Summer is here, and with it, plenty of time to read in the sun, in the shade, on the beach, in a hammock…the options is endless! The library remains closed to the public, but we are continuing our curbside pick-up/drop-off and interlibrary loan services. If you need any assistance navigating the online reservation process, please call or email us and we are happy to help.

 

 

The children’s program returns this upcoming week with storytime on Wednesday July 7! With a Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Finals, the theme this week is Hockey. We only have ten slots, so register your child/grandchild quickly. We hope to see you on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 next week!

 

 

You may have heard in the Biblio File that we have been receiving visits from our library ghost! The library ghost had a lot of fun this week – he knocked down all our pamphlets and recommended some magazines to us by pushing them onto the floor. One of these magazines was a Brainspace magazine. Brainspace is a fun series for kids age 8-14 that combines educational topics kids find interesting and cool graphics to make learning fun. Take up our ghost’s recommendation, and check out a Brainspace magazine for your kid, grandkid or the kid inside you!

 

 

With the library closed, it’s hard to browse the shelves for a great book. Each week, Summer at the Library will highlight a few of the new and great additions to our library!

Fiction – The Jane Austen Society, by Natalie Jenner

The debt book of a Canadian author brings together an odd group of companions in their attempt to save the cottage where Jane Austen wrote her books.

“Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England’s finest novelists. Now it’s home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen’s legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.” (Publisher)

Crime – The Long Call, by Anne Cleeves

The first novel in a new series by an author much-loved in our library: Ann Cleeves!

“In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his estranged father’s funeral takes place. On the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back to the people and places of his past, as deadly secrets hidden at their hearts are revealed, and his new life is forced into a collision course with the world he thought he’d left behind.” (Publisher)

Non-fiction – The Lesser Known: A History of Oddities from the Heart of the Continent, by Darren Bernhardt

A made-in-Manitoba book, this collection of history stories is an ode to the weird and wonderful parts of Winnipeg’s past. From a notorious bank robber starting a mini-golf craze to election riots, The Lesser Known tells the odd and outrageous stories of Winnipeg that you never knew!

Check out these and other new books on the Pinawa Public Library website!

Pinawa Public Library

pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 28, 2020

 

 

As the number of Covid-19 cases in Manitoba grows higher, the Pinawa Public Library is encouraging the use of masks when in close proximity with other patrons in the library. We have available disposable masks at the library in case you do not have your own. Further policy on masks may come in the upcoming weeks.

 

 

This week’s book highlight is Songs for the End of the World, by Canadian author Saleema Nawaz. Written and revised between 2013 and 2019, Nawaz’s book about a new coronavirus draws many parallels with today’s situation. Her three main characters—a first responder in hard-hit New York, a pregnant singer questioning the world into which her child is coming, and a novelist whose bestseller is about a plague with eerie similarities—go through the pandemic creating connections to one another, and to the mysterious AMARIS girl, a woman at the first infection site. As the novel travels back and forth in time, it communicates a powerful message: none of us are ever truly alone, and realizing that may be what saves us.

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 21, 2020

 

 

Storytime is over for the summer as of this past Wednesday. We want to thank everyone who came out to listen to some stories, and we hope you enjoyed Storytime this year as much as we did. Thank you for making a different year a success!

 

 

This week’s Book Highlight is Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump. This bestselling book is written by President Donald Trump’s niece, a clinical psychologist, who reveals how specific events, general family patterns and a strained relationship with his father helped create who Donald Trump is. Mary recounts her first-hand view of family events and history to create an understanding of what makes Donald and the rest of the Trump family tick, and what makes them powerful. This book is currently out, so make sure to put your name on the reserve list through our website, by phone/email or by coming down to the library.

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 14, 2020

 

 

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin triggered months of protests and social change that are still ongoing. To affirm that black lives matter, and recognizing our patrons might want to read about this subject, we have set up a Black Stories Matter book display, which displays books in our collection written by black authors.

 

 

Next week is our last storytime of the summer, where we’ll be reading some of our favourite books, and have party-themed jokes, snacks and a craft. Reminder to register; all our Wednesday slots are filled, and we only have a couple slots open for Tuesday. We hope to see you and your kid/grandkid on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 Tuesday or Wednesday!

 

 

This week, Summer at the Library highlights She, a Scandinavian-style suspense crime novel by Scottish author Pete Brassett. The first book in the Detective Inspector Munro series, She follows burly Scottish Detective Inspector James Munroe and Charlotte West, a Detective Sergeant new to the force with lots to prove. Their first case together is a missing person investigation turned serial killer hunt that becomes deadly when bodies are found sliced to pieces. A woman was placed at the scene of the crime, but finding her identity turns out to be a challenge harder than either of them imagined.

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

August 7, 2020

 

 

Next week’s storytime theme is dinosaurs! Join us on the rocks in front of the library for dino-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft. Registration is necessary; we only have a few spots left. We hope to see you on the rocks at 1:30 Tuesday or Wednesday!

 

 

Our book highlight this week is Potlatch Blanket for a China Man, by Canadian author Mei-Li Lee. Drawing on the multicultural history of British Columbia, Lee’s historical fiction story follows Tew Kin, a young scholar, from his home in China to the new colony in a distant world. Tew makes new friendships and alliances amongst other marginalised peoples—First Nations, Blacks, Hawaiians, Mexicans—but an accusation of murder forces him to flee. Following Tew from China to Fort Hope, from Langley to Barkerville, Potlatch Blanket for a China Man gives another perspective on colonial Canada.

Be sure to check out all our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 31, 2020

 

 

Please note the library will be closed for the August Long Weekend. We re-open on Tuesday August 4 at 1:00. Have a great long weekend!

 

 

Did you grow up on Robert Munsch books? Join us for a Robert Munsch-themed storytime next week with jokes, stories, snack and a craft! Registration is required. We hope to see you and your kids/grandkids on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 Tuesday or Wednesday!

 

 

This week, we highlight Possess the Air, a biography of Italian freedom fighters by Canadian author Taras Grescoe. In 1931, at the height of Mussolini’s power, leaflets dropped down onto Rome from the sky by resistance members determined to broadcast the dictator’s power and xenophobia. Possess the Air is an account of those fighters; ordinary Italian citizens who spoke up when most of the country remained silent or were willing to trade their liberty for the extreme nationalism and glory provided by fascism—elements that exist in society today.

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 24, 2020

 

 

Do you love stories that take you into a new world of fantasy and adventure? If so, come to storytime next week, where we’ll have magic-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft. Remember to register! We hope to see you and your kids/grandkids on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 Tuesday or Wednesday!

 

 

This week, Summer at the Library highlights The War Widow, by Tara Moss; a crime novel set in Sydney, Australia just after the end of the Second World War. Billy Walker, the protagonist, is a former war correspondent, but finds herself pushed to the sidelines by the newspapers to find jobs for the returning soldiers. Billy decides to re-open her lost father’s private investigation agency, and clients start knocking. But then European immigrants appear at her door, their son missing, and as Billy starts to investigate, the people she questions show up dead. As the danger grows, Billy realizes that the aftereffects of the war are still haunting her and the rest of Sydney. This is the first book in the Billy Walker Mystery series.

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 17, 2020

 

 

Do good books make you want to put on your cape and fly? Next week’s storytime theme is superheroes, where we’ll have hero-themed jokes, stories, snack and a craft! A new feature has been added, starting next week: a book thermometer. Together, count up the books your kid/grandkid reads over the week and add them to our thermometer at storytime as we try to reach our goal of 50 books! There are only four spots left for each session next week, so make sure you register. We hope to see you and your kids/grandkids on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 on Tuesday or Wednesday!

 

 

What would you do if you had all the time and money in the world? That is the question posed by this week’s book highlight: The Price of Time, by Tim Tigner. The bestselling mystery author’s newest series follows partners Zachary Chase and Skylar Fawkes as they hunt down scientists who may have discovered the fountain of youth and the secret to immortality. And as the protagonists try to keep this discovery a secret, the novel asks a question of its reader: “Would your character change if you had all the money in the world? And all the time? Would you become a better person? Or worse?”

Be sure to check out the rest of our new books at the Pinawa Public Library!

Pinawa Public Library

www.pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library Newsletter

July 10, 2020

 

 

Inter-library loan is back! Starting Monday July 12, the Pinawa Public Library will be resuming limited inter-library loan service. Currently, we will only be servicing loans inside Manitoba, and excluding university loans. As many libraries are still closed or have not opted to resume inter-library loan service yet, book options may be limited and we might not be able to borrow the book you would like.

 

 

The theme for this week’s storytime is animals! Join us on the rocks outside the library at 1:30 on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons for jokes, stories, snack and an easy craft! Reminder, registration is necessary, especially as there are six spots left on Tuesday and only two left for Wednesday. We hope to see you and your child/grandchild at storytime this week!

 

 

This week, our book highlight is a non-fiction one by Dr. Merv Letts. Flashback of a Prairie Kid: Growing up on the Prairies in the little town of Minnedosa, Manitoba in the 1940s and 1950s is a collection of Dr. Letts’ memories growing up in Minnedosa, and the challenges it and other small Manitoba towns faced in the 1940s and ‘50s. Some of his memories focus on the war effort in prairie towns, others on sports like hockey on open-air rinks or curling, and the book is full of pictures from Dr. Letts’ adventures. Be sure to come by the Pinawa Public Library to check out the rest of our new books!

Pinawa Public Library

pinawapubliclibrary.com

Summer at the Library

July 3, 2020

 

 

It’s summer and the library is open for our summer hours! In case you missed it, we are back to semi-normal service. Library entrance is open to three people at a time on a first come, first serve basis. The computers are also open, but are limited to half an hour maximum usage and need an appointment. If you feel safer reserving online and picking up books from the back doors, we are continuing that service.

 

 

The children’s program returns this upcoming week with storytime on Tuesday July 7 and Wednesday July 8! The theme this week is Under the Sea. We only have six spots left in each slot, so register your child/grandchild quickly. We hope to see you on the rocks in front of the library at 1:30 next week!

 

 

Each week the Summer at the Library newsletter will preview a book new to our collection. This week, we’re looking at Translated From the Gibberish by Indian-Canadian author Anosh Irani. Irani moved to Vancouver from Mumbai in 1998, where he began his career as an award-winning author and playwright. Translated From the Gibberish is a collection of short memoirs of Irani’s adventures in Canada and one short story based on Irani’s experiences as an Indian immigrant in Canada. Be sure to come by the Pinawa Public Library to check out more of our new books!

An excerpt from Translated From the Gibberish:

I once had a yoga teacher who would use the word “exile” when he meant to say “exhale.” This was because of his accent. I was still in Bombay, before leaving for Canada twenty years ago. I had a perpetually blocked nose thanks to a deviated septum, and my family doctor – Dr. Hansotia – sent me to this man.

“Exile! Exile! Exile!” the teacher would say, letting out the breath from his belly and mouth at great speed, encouraging us to do the same. I found the idea of breathing in a closed space with fifteen other humans quite repugnant – all those germs moving around with the arrogance of frequent flyers, threatening to enter whomever they chose. But the word “exile” stayed with me, purely for its comic effect. Back then, I hardly knew what “exile” meant. Little did I know that the word would enter me more than any other germ, cause me to sneeze, writhe with fever, laugh, dance, dream, cry, do who knows what, as time went on, as a result of hurling myself from Bombay to Vancouver like a swashbuckling pirate.