Library Closings

The Library will be closed Wednesday, December 24th and Thursday, December 25th

to celebrate the coming holidays.

We will reopen Friday, December 26th.
Happy Holidays!

Santa Claus is coming to town!

On December 13th, Santa came to see us at the library.. He read a story and also shared the famous poem Twas the Night Before Christmas. Santa was even nice enough to hang around long enough to hear what all of the good little girls and boys want for Christmas. Everyone made reindeer antlers, decorated cookies and had a great time singing Christmas Carols!

Join us next year for this Ho-Ho-Holiday fun!

‘Artemis Fowl’ series hard to put down

If you like adventures, techno toys or fantasy … heck, if you like a good story, the “Artemis Fowl” series by Eoin (pronounced like “Owen”) Colfer is for you. Set in Ireland, this series is full of technology, adventure and characters that make all six books (so far) difficult to put down.

Artemis Fowl, our anti-hero, is a genius working pretty diligently to add “evil” to his genius status. His entire family tree is full of law-breakers, so being a criminal mastermind at the age of 12 is to be expected, right? With his fiercely loyal bodyguard, Butler (not his real name), a father who is presumed dead and a mother so wrapped up in her own grief that she can’t function, Artemis is free and capable of doing just about anything.

In the first book, Artemis has discovered that fairies and other creatures of myth exist and live in their highly advanced, subterranean civilization. He has devised a plan to replenish his family’s fortune by kidnapping a fairy and holding her for ransom. Unfortunately for LEPrecon (fairy police) officer Holly Short, she’s Artemis’ hostage. Artemis will go to great lengths to accomplish his goal, but with the likes of Foaly, a techno-guru centaur on their side, the fairies are pretty well-equipped to give Artemis and Butler a run for their money.

“The Arctic Incident” finds our fairy friend Holly Short and her LEPrecon Unit dealing with a plot that could expose the fairies’ existence to the entire human race. Meanwhile, Artemis has discovered that his father is, as he has always believed, alive and being held captive by the Russian mafia. The two forces — Fairy and Fowl — must band together to ensure that fairies stay secret and Artemis Sr. is rescued alive.

In “The Eternity Code,” Artemis is dead-set to complete one more criminal act before he goes legit. He has stolen fairy technology, made it into a supercomputer called the C Cube, and plans to sell it to American businessman Jon Spiro. Of course, things go wrong. First, the C Cube pings a fairy surveillance device (and threatens to expose fairies to the world at large), and then Spiro proves to be more maniacal than previously thought. Artemis has no choice but to call for the help of Holly Short to get the C Cube away from Spiro.

“The Opal Deception” centers on Opal Koboi, a pixie who — if not smarter — is definitely more evil than Artemis. Even though Artemis’ memories of his adventures with fairies (and all of the kindness he has learned because of them) have been wiped from his mind, Koboi still considers him Enemy No. 1. She has concocted a very elaborate plan to destroy Artemis and her other enemies — especially Holly Short and the fairy police. Part of her plan, of course, is to rule the world. The entire world. Obviously, she must be stopped, and who better to stop her than Artemis, Holly and the gang?

“The Lost Colony” gives Artemis his greatest challenge yet: puberty. On top of that, Artemis realizes that another-dimensional world full of demons who want to get revenge on humans is quickly unraveling and will soon collide with our own. Artemis calculates when the next inter-dimensional contact will be — and where — only to be out-smarted by the very attractive 12-year-old Minerva, who kidnaps the creature that appears. Now, Artemis must rescue the imp (a demon who hasn’t “warped”) which launches the usual suspects on a truly fantastic, inter-dimensional adventure.

Still can’t get enough Artemis? “The Time Paradox” takes Artemis back in time to battle his 10-year-old self so that he can find the cure for his mother’s mysterious and deadly disease.

Cari Boatright Rérat ~ Teen Librarian

Audiobooks offer riveting thrillers

‘The Darker Side’

By Cody McFadyen (Compact disc audiobook)

The transsexual son of a prominent Congressman is found murdered on a commercial airplane. No one witnessed the murder or saw the murderer, despite the fact that the murder occurred during the flight.
An autopsy reveals that the killer left a signature — a small silver cross inserted into the wound. At the request of the Congressman’s grieving wife, the FBI director himself summons FBl Special Agent Smoky Barrett and her team from L.A. to Washington, D.C. to work this extremely sensitive case.

Smoky and her team determine that the attacker has killed before. Another body is discovered with the murderer’s trademark cross in the wound.

As they probe further into the case, they realize that all the victims had something in common: deep secret sins that the killer made them confess before he killed them.

“The Preacher,” as Smoky and her team dub him, has taped all of his victim’s confessions and murders, and he begins putting them on a You-Tube-like Internet site. Clues also indicate that he has been killing for years and wants to be stopped. Smoky and her team race to find out how the Preacher discovered his victims’ secrets before he kills again and before the media discover the Internet videos.

“The Darker Side” is an intense, suspenseful thriller with well-developed characters and vivid descriptions. Joyce Bean lends her usual excellent narrative abilities to this thriller.

This is the third in the Smoky Barrett series, and I highly recommend reading the other books in the series, “Shadow Man” and “The Face of Death” first. Those thrillers give insight into Smoky’s deep emotional and physical scars.

The Joplin Public Library also owns the print version of “The Darker Side.”

‘Exposed’
by Alex Kava

A note is discovered at the bottom of a box of donuts delivered to the FBI offices at Quantico. The note appears to suggest a bomb threat to a Virginia home.

FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell and her boss, Assistant Director Cunningham, with a SWAT team and bomb squad, rush to the home where they believe there is about to be an explosion. But, instead of a bomb, Maggie and Cunningham find an extremely ill mother and her five-year-old daughter. Medical tests reveal that the little girl’s mother has the deadly Ebola virus.

Since Maggie and Cunningham have been exposed to the deadly virus, they are placed in quarantine at the United States Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).

Maggie is given a computer and spends her time in isolation as she waits to see if the deadly virus will manifest itself in her own body. She tracks clues to a killer who seems to be randomly sending out the virus in packages to people across the United States, and discovers that the killer employs clues from cases such as the 1980s Tylenol murders, the Beltway Sniper and the Unabomber.

Agent Tully, Maggie’s partner, investigates on the outside with information provided by Maggie. Tully’s daughter unknowingly provides a valuable clue at the same time that Tully’s ex-wife receives one of the deadly packages.

As the pieces of the puzzle start coming together, they discover that killer’s targeted victims may not be random at all.

Alex Kava’s psychological thriller is the sixth in the Maggie O’Dell series, but was the first for me. It works as a stand-alone novel, although I’m anxious to read the others now that I’ve been “exposed” to this author.

“Exposed” has several plot twists and turns, engaging characters and offers some insight into biomedical research. Tanya Eby Sirois does a fine narration with the audiobook.

Phyllis Seesengood ~ Technical Services Librarian

Esme Raji Codell Really is Fabulous!

This post may seem dated since the event took place in October at the annual Missouri Library Association Conference, however, I feel that anyone as fabulous as Esme deserves to be recognized no matter the tardiness of my post.

Every year at the MLA Conference the Children's Services Roundtable special interest group (of which I am the vice-chair) hosts a meal event, at which an author is invited to speak. This year we had the great fortune to secure award-winning author Esme Raji Codell. She was famous first for Education Esme, her bestselling diary of her first year of teaching and has authored several awarding winning books for children and adults, including Sahara Special, Vive la Paris, Sing a Song of Tuna Fish, and the invaluable guide How to Get Your Child to Love Reading.

Before picking Esme up at the airport, Tracy (my friend and CSRT chair) and I discussed what we thought Esme's personality would be like. We assumed that since she writes fabulous books, that she herself must also be quite fabulous, but one often hears stories about demanding authors, so we were not sure what to expect. From the moment Esme entered the terminal, we knew we were in for a treat. Not only was she gracious, kind and super fun to talk with, she was self-sufficient and the farthest thing from demanding.

The following day was the luncheon and despite Esme having a severe case of nerves before addressing the luncheon attendees, her La Vie en Reading presentation was a smashing success. She had the audience laughing, crying, and singing along with Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka. After signing numerous books and chit chatting with anyone who stopped by the autograph booth, it was time for Esme to depart for home. Tracy and I were sad to see her off, but felt great joy in knowing that we had gotten to meet such a special individual.

If you would like to read something by Esme stop by the Library and we can recommend something, or if you would like to read more about her visit http://planetesme.com.

Great New Children's Books

I love a good children's book- thank goodness I have two sons that love great books as well! Here are some of my favorite new books- I hope you enjoy them as well!

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea.


At the beginning of the book, a little dinosaur boldly declares that nothing can stop him. Readers then follow him on some of his big matches: dinosaur vs. leaves, dinosaur vs. a big slide, dinosaur vs. a bowl of spaghetti. Little dinosaur conquers them all, that is, until dinosaur vs. bedtime.

The illustrations are simple, interesting, and enough to keep your little one's attention. My 2 year old thought it was just hilarious to "ROAR" along with the book.

Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett



I first picked up this book because of the simple, yet beautiful illustrations. I was not disappointed when I looked inside. The story is about a little girl who has just been to the zoo. She and her sock monkey act out the type of animals that they have seen that day, including penguins, elephants, and, of course, monkeys. The text is simple, but fun, and the pictures are fantastic. This interactive book is a great read aloud for a young child.

And just in case you haven't had enough of Emily Gravett, who is quickly becoming a Children's Department favorite, check out some of her other books: Wolves, Orange Pear Apple Bear and her newest book, Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears.




Another departmental favorite is Zen Ties by Jon Muth.



This book is a great companion to the original, Zen Ties. Jon Muth introduces us to Stillwater, a giant panda who teaches parables to three young children. The storyline and lessons are beautiful and the artwork is stunning, which leaves us with a wonderful book to read to your children. I will admit that I didn't think my three year old would be interested in this book, but he listened, captivated the whole time. I'm sure your family will enjoy it as much as ours.

Santa is visiting the library!

All ages are invited to visit with Santa, sing Christmas carols, decorate a holiday cookie, and make wearable reindeer antlers.

Please provide your own camera to take a photograph with Santa.

The program is FREE and open to the public. For more information, call (417) 623-2184 or visit the Library website at www.joplinpubliclibrary.org.

‘Dirty Secrets’ abound in Gardiner novel

I love a good mystery. Each of these authors is new for me and now I’ll be looking for more of their works.


Happy reading!

‘The Dirty Secrets Club’

By Meg Gardiner



Everyone has secrets. Who has secrets so big and so shameful, even criminal, that they would prefer death over exposure? That’s the question forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett must find an answer to before others die.

Jo is called to a crime scene that looks as if someone intentionally drove off a bridge hitting a vehicle below. On the leg of the driver, Callie, is the word “dirty,” written in lipstick. On her arm is the word “pray.” The passenger is barely alive and whispers to Jo, “Stop it.” As Jo delves into Callie’s life, she soon learns about the Dirty Secrets Club, a group of people who confess their deepest secret in order to be part of this exclusive group. But the stakes are getting higher to belong. She learns that the San Francisco Police Department has been dealing with suicides or murder-suicides about every 48 hours. Jo is given 48 hours to find out who the next “suicide” will be.

Meg Gardiner expertly weaves the secrets and lives of people who seem to have nothing in common except money and a strong desire to keep their worst secret a secret. This is a page-turner and a book you won’t want to put down. Highly recommended.

‘Antiques to Die For’

By Jane K. Cleland


Josie Prescott is an antiques appraiser with her own antiques shop. Her life hasn’t really gone as she had planned but she’s doing fine in her New Hampshire coastal town.

Things seems to be going well until her good friend, Rosalie, turns up murdered, leaving a 12-year old younger sister, Paige, with nowhere to go. Paige reminds Josie of herself when her mother died, so until arrangements can be made for Paige to go live with her cousin and his family, Paige is staying with Josie.

As Josie delves into Rosalie’s murder, she discovers Rosalie has kept a number of secrets. Josie soon finds herself with a secret admirer who is not happy with her sleuthing in between activities at the antique shop.

This is the third installment of the “Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery” series. A good cozy read with lots of dialogue and action that stands well on its own.

‘When Darkness Falls’

By James Grippando



Jack Swyteck is a criminal attorney in Miami who’s very good at his job. Periodically he takes on pro-bono cases, which is what he believes his latest case to be. But when Falcon, a homeless man who has been arrested for threatening to jump off a bridge, comes up with $10,000 cash to cover his bail, Jack’s not sure things are as they seem.

Before Jack knows it, Falcon is once again in trouble. This time he has killed a police officer, injured another and taken hostages in a local motel and is under investigation for the murder of another woman found in the trunk of the burned-out car (a Falcon) in which he lives. One of the hostages is Jack’s best friend and former death row inmate, Theo Knight.

In all of Falcon’s troubles, he continues to demand to speak to the mayor’s daughter. The mayor is not having any of this and wants Falcon dead. It’s up to Jack to figure out why and how to get Theo and the other hostages out safely.

This suspense novel is well written with lots of description and dialogue that puts the reader in the midst of the action. The characters are well-drawn and Grippando does a fantastic job intertwining their lives, past and present. Highly recommended.

Susan Wray is the director of Joplin Public Library.

The City of Ember

Ember is a completely self contained town. All of the food comes from giant storerooms and greenhouses. All of the books in the library, aside from the history of Ember, have been written by citizens over the years. All the light comes from lamps and floodlights around town, and when they are turned off, the town is completely dark. The book begins with two of the builders forming a plan for what will happen when the city’s supplies run low. They decide to leave instructions for escape in a special box which will open after 200 years. The box is entrusted to the Mayor of Ember, who does not know what it contains, and is passed to each subsequent Mayor. The box eventually becomes lost after the seventh Mayor tries to prematurely open it and dies before he can pass it on.

It’s the year 241 in Ember and Assignment Day at the school. All of the twelve-year-olds draw a slip of paper which has the job that they will perform indefinitely to keep Ember running. Lina Mayfleet receives a job in the Pipeworks, which is the underground workings of Ember, including the generator. A fellow classmate, Doon, draws the job of Messenger and promptly switches with Lina. Once Doon begins his job, he finds that he likes working in the Pipeworks and he wishes to become an electrician to assist with the generator, which is failing and leaving the town in occasional darkness. Lina enjoys delivering messages, but notices that Ember is falling apart, piece by piece, and the Mayor doesn’t seem concerned about the crumbling of the town.

Lina finds a document in her family’s apartment that has been torn to pieces by her little sister, Poppy. Lina examines the document and believes it to be something valuable, but she’s just not sure what it is or how it would be of use. She shows her friends, who don’t see the value, and finally seeks out Doon, who shows an interest in piecing this mystery together. The two soon realize that the document contains instructions for leaving Ember and exploring the Unknown Regions. The pair know nothing about the Unknown Regions, yet embark on a journey that could not only save themselves, but the entire City of Ember.

Though this book is written for children, it contains adult ideas and concepts that are very interesting. The book has the perfect amount of suspense, drama and character development to keep your attention, along with a plot line that makes you wonder how different our lives would be without many of the luxuries we now enjoy. Jeanne DuPrau wrote three additional books in this series: The People of Sparks, the Prophet of Yonwood and the Diamond of Darkhold. I enjoyed The City of Ember enough to read the entire series and it is my recommendation that you omit the third book from your reading log. It didn’t hold any valuable information and completely veered off the story set forth in the first two books. This book won the Mark Twain Award in 2006 and has recently been made into a feature film starring Bill Murray and Tim Robbins. If you’re looking for a great series for your child or yourself, The City of Ember might be just the ticket.

~Breana- Children's Assistant

Memoir an unmerciful mirror

The Night of the Gun
By David Carr

Although I love a good autobiography, the one genre I tend to avoid is the addiction memoir. I usually find them mawkish and somewhat lacking in truthfulness, as evidenced by the debacle with James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces.”

When I picked up “The Night of the Gun” by David Carr, it was with some trepidation. But I had heard him interviewed on National Public Radio and was intrigued by the book’s subtitle: “A reporter investigates the darkest story of his life. His own.”

His story did not disappoint. There are few books about which I say this, but I hated to put it down when sleep or work beckoned. Carr details his descent from hard-partying college student to full-blown crack addict, as well as repeated trips to rehab. Along the way, he raises twin daughters, squanders opportunities both professional and personal, battles cancer, and becomes a successful journalist.

What struck me most about “The Night of the Gun” was Carr’s lack of self-pity. He takes a microscopic, unsympathetic look at himself. He had a family that loved him, some education, a lot of talent, and a series of jobs that would have allowed him to advance far in his chosen career had he managed to stay clean.

Basically, he was a major screw-up, and it was no one’s fault but his own. As he puts it, “Truly ennobling personal narratives describe a person overcoming the bad hand that fate has dealt him, not someone like me, who takes good cards and sets them on fire.”

As expected, he admits to abusing ridiculous amounts of illegal substances, but he also doesn’t spare the reader the grittier aspects of his dark period. He confesses to dealing drugs, beating up his girlfriend, pulling a gun on a good friend, even leaving his infant daughters alone in a car on a cold Minnesota night while he went to score drugs.

The latter two incidents become central to the book. “The Night of the Gun” touches on an event that was a mystery to Carr until he started researching his hazy past. (He put his reporting skills to work, spending years interviewing people who had known him at various points in his life, and examining old medical and arrest records.)

He recollects a night when he ended up on a good friend’s doorstep, very high and very confrontational; his friend met him at the door with a gun. Or so Carr thought, until he interviewed his friend years later. He closes this first chapter with a sentence replete with meaning: “This is a story about who had the gun.”

The winter night he abandoned his daughters in a car for hours was his rock-bottom. The walk back to his car — “with drugs in my pocket and a cold dread in all corners of my being” — must have been the longest of his life. He knew they were alive only when he saw their breath.

“God had looked after the twins, and by proxy me, but I realized at that moment that I had made a mistake. He could not easily forgive. I made a decision at that instant never to be that man again.”

From that point on, his story takes a more hopeful turn, though not a completely charmed one. His daughters go into temporary foster care while he again checks in to rehab. (The passage in which he describes rehab staff disinfecting the oozing track marks in his arms left me a bit queasy.)

After completing treatment, he takes back his daughters and gradually rebuilds his life, only temporarily sidetracked by a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He begins to eke out a living in journalism, building on his successes and repairing his tarnished image. He marries and has another child.

Yet he continues to fight his demons. It makes for painful reading when he describes how he started drinking again, nearly losing everything he had worked so hard to rebuild.

As the book closes, Carr admits that his sobriety — like any addict’s, I suppose — is not an entirely rock-solid thing: “I could be drunk tomorrow or shooting dope even as you read this but the chances of that are low as long as I make a daily decision to embrace who I really am and then be satisfied with that at the end of the day.”

In keeping with the candor that imbues “Night of the Gun,” Carr remains realistic but hopeful to the end. And despite his determination not to be heroic, there is something ennobling about that.

~Lisa E. Brown - Administrative Assistant

'Hunger' addictive intro to series

‘The Hunger Games’
By Suzanne Collins
(Young adult)


The United States no longer exists. North America has been broken up into 12 districts and the country is run dictatorship-style from a city known as the Capital. Each year, two teenagers are chosen by lottery from each of the 12 districts to take part in a reality television show called “The Hunger Games.” During the “games” the teenagers are pitted against each other and made to fight to the death. The last player left alive is the winner and earns a life of privilege and ease.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen is a resident of District 12, or what used to be known as Appalachia. She lives in a poor mining community where every day is a struggle to survive. On the day of the lottery, her younger sister’s name is drawn and Katniss steps up to take her place — a selfless decision, made all the more courageous since no one has won from District 12 in 30 years. To complicate things further, the male District 12 contest, Peeta Mellark, once helped Katniss out of a difficult situation.

The pair arrive in the Capital, create a spectacle at the opening ceremonies, garner new skills from group training sessions, showcase their individual talents before the judges, steal the show at the final interview and are finally thrust into the grisly winner-take-all game.

Suzanne Collins, the author of the “Gregor the Overlander” series, has written another breathtaking series opener. Readers will find it impossible to put down her newest page-turner. The reality television show premise is intriguing, especially in today’s reality television-loving culture; and while the nonstop action reeks of violence, Collins’ matter-of-fact writing style lessens the gruesomeness. Collins has outdone herself with this addictive book that teenagers and adults alike will greedily devour.

‘Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat’
By Lynne Jonell
(Fourth through eighth grade)


Emmy Addison used to be happy, but all that changed when her loving, attentive parents inherited a fortune from her Great-Great-Uncle William. Suddenly Emmy’s life was turned upside down. Her family moved across town to live in a mansion, she started attending a different school, her parents started taking lavish trips to far away destinations, and she was left in the care of Miss Barmy, a cruel nanny.

Now, not only is Emmy lonely, but she feels invisible. At school, her teacher cannot remember her name; none of the students talk to her; and she thinks that she might be imagining things because she can hear the class pet, a rat, insulting her classmates.

However, after Joe, one of the popular boys in her class, discovers that he is able to hear the rat, Emmy no longer feels so invisible. Joe and Emmy are fast friends and this friendship allows Emmy to finally get to solve the mystery of what is happening to her family.

Jonell’s extraordinary characters are the heart of this mystery/adventure combo. Readers are likely to find themselves laughing aloud as they drink in every word of this clever tale.

~Jeana Gockley- Children's Librarian

This Week at the Library (November 23rd - 29th)

Monday, November 24th: Joplin Public Library Book Club will meet from 7:00 - 8:30 to discuss this month's book The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas.



Tuesday, November 25th, 6:00 - 8:30 pm : Classic Cinema at the Library will be showing Dinner at Eight. Millicent Jordan is pre-occupied with the plans she is making for a high-class dinner party. Her husband, Oliver, is in failing health, and he is also worried because someone is trying to buy up the stock in his shipping business.


The library will be closed Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th for Thanksgiving.


Storytime is now on a short break and will resume the 12th of January.

Molly American Girl Club!!

Saturday, November 22nd we had an American Girl Club at the library to celebrate America's favorite American Girl, Molly! We played games, made marbles and ate s'mores at our backyard "campout." Here are a couple of pictures from our party!



















Join us January 24th as we celebrate another American Girl!

Coffee Talk Flyer (December)

Please click on the file below to view full-size.

Coffee Talk

The Library hosts a monthly informational presentation known as "Coffee Talk," so named because aside from the interesting presentations, the Library also provides coffee free of charge.

Upcoming topics include a presentation in December on the "holiday truce" of WWI that spontaneously broke out along the front lines and allowed the soldiers to celebrate Christmas and bury their dead. Early next year, we will be hosting presentations on both Langston Hughes and Frank James.

"Coffee Talk" is held the first Tuesday of every month at 10am. It is free and open to the public. You do not need a library card to attend.

Winter Storytime Break

The Children's Department will be taking a Winter Storytime Break starting the week of November 24th. Storytime will resume the week of January 12, 2009. For a completely listing of times visit the Children's Desk or go to http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org/kids/.

Please feel free to visit the library even though storytime is not in session. I tend to believe that December is the best time to check out books because the library is not so busy and you can find almost anything your heart desires waiting on the shelf for you.

During Winter Storytime Break, the Children’s Department will be busy planning for upcoming programs, such as Spring Storytime, American Girl Club, and Summer Reading Club.

"Off the Stacks"

Our name, Off the Stacks, comes from our library lingo for the shelves of books, lovingly referred to as "the stacks."

As I walk around the library daily, re-shelving books, I'm filled with sadness when I see some of MY favorite books sitting on the shelf unread. I know that there are millions of books in the world and no one can read all of them (a concept I struggle with daily) but there are certain books that are so rich and lovely they deserve another life through our reading of them and perpetuating the story in our thoughts.

One series that I believe deserves a long afterlife is the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley.
This series was recommended to me by a co-worker, and based on her suggestion, I picked up the first in the series, The Fairy-tale Detectives. The book begins with sisters Sabrina and Daphne Grimm going to live with their eccentric (and some would say crazy) Grandmother in Fairyport Landing. After the death of their parents, the girls are moved from foster home to foster home, finding and making reasons to be removed from each. Unaware they even have a Grandmother, the girls are unsure about their recent placement, and their doubts are made even larger by the fact that their Grandmother, Relda, is a fairy tale detective. The girls find out that Fairyport Landing is not a normal town, but rather, a town that houses fairy tale characters from many stories, such as Prince Charming, who serves as the mayor of the town, Snow White, who teaches at the Elementary school, and even the Big Bad Wolf. They aren't merely characters in a story, but real people who live normal lives. Well, sort of normal. All of the fairy tale characters, referred to as "Everafters" are trapped in the town due to a spell placed by one of Sabrina and Daphne's relatives. In order to keep the peace and protect the rest of the world, Granny Relda ensures that there's no funny business and the Everafters are behaving in their small town. Will the girls become accustomed to this new life that seems to fantastical to be real? And, if they decide to stay, what other odd and mysterious creatures will they meet along the way?
This book is full of fairy tale references and gives you a different view of the traditionally dark Grimm's Fairy Tales. The creativity and ingenuity in these book can't be beat and each book leaves you wanting for more. There are currently six book released in this series, and the author, Michael Buckley, has announced that there will be eight or nine. These books are located in the Juvenile Fiction section.

~Breana - Joplin Public Library Children's Assistant

Unfamiliar Territory

We're exploring new worlds here with our new Joplin Public Library blog! This blog was created to provide you with up to date information about library programs, give you book suggestions when you're looking for a good new read, and allow you to get to know your library a little bit better. Please visit us often not only at the blog, but also at the library. And, as always, if you have any suggestions, let us know.

NoveList offers great resource for readers

Are you looking for something new to read, want to know the next title in a series, or just have a favorite book and would like to find similar books? NoveList can help.
NoveList is a reader’s advisory database that you can use in the library or from home with your library card. A staff of 35 professionals read and review books across all types of fiction and for all ages.
NoveList is very easy to use and updated frequently. The database has over 150,000 fiction titles covering all ages, from infant through adult. On the opening screen you can do basic searches, limit to age, browse award winners, look at read-alikes and recommended reads, or view discussion guides and feature articles. Help is available on every screen and a click on the Tour NoveList link takes you to a support site where you can view a video, sign up for a training session or access online help sheets.
There is also a Spotlight feature highlighting special parts of the database for adults and teens/older kids. It also has a What’s New link to update you on enhancements and new content for all age groups. If you want to explore the different types or genres of fiction, look under the Readers’ Advisory tab. Outlines are provided that identify the components of the genre, key titles and the authors to read.
When searching in NoveList you have the option to do the basic search on the opening screen or click on the Advanced Search link. Under Advanced Search you can combine terms, search in different fields and/or choose the lists or categories you would like searched.
A basic search on “Cinderella” results in 404 titles. These titles cover all age ranges and include everything from the classic tale (including a pop-up version) to variations on the tale to works with Cinderella in the title or description such as Sarah Strohmeyer’s “Cinderella Pact.”
You can browse through all 404 books or you can limit by the tabs on the top of the results lists. By choosing a tab you can look at the titles in the list that are award winners, books on the Grab and Go or Recommended lists and books in series. You can also find titles that have book talks available and Curricular Connections. Curricular Connections provide help for those teaching sections using books such as “Multicultural Cinderellas.”
On the results list you get not only the title and author but also publisher and year of publication, the popularity of the title (1-4 stars), the age group and a summary. For some books you can also get an author biography and/or reviews. A click on the title opens the full record with additional information on reading level, grade level and subject headings. You have the option to print, e-mail, save or add to a list.
You can also find similar titles to the one you have displayed. From a list of the subject headings you can choose a subject heading and click on it to find additional titles. If you want to find books from similar authors instead of similar subjects, look at the Read-alikes on the opening screen.
NoveList also has the option to create your own account. It is a very simple process and allows you to save lists, save preferences for your use of NoveList, save your search history, share your folder with other people and create alerts and RSS feeds. With the alerts and RSS feeds you can be notified when something new is added to the database that meets the criteria you set for a search.
So the next time you want a new author because you have read all of the Janet Evanovich books, you need to know the order of the Mitford series or you want a list of good books to read, try NoveList and discover all the ways it can help.

~Patty Crane - Reference Librarian

American Girl Club - Saturday, November 22nd

Saturday, November 22nd, the Children's Department will be having the final American Girl Club for the fall. Starting at 11:00 and lasting until 12:30, we'll celebrate American Girl Molly McIntire. Molly grew up during World War 2 and with father stationed overseas, Molly and her family learned to make due with less and celebrate their patriotism. Join us for a "backyard" camp out to learn more about Molly and the time that she lived. We'll be making s'mores, creating your own marbles and playing lots of fun games. (For children grades K-5)