Booklist: Many Colored Pages

by Savannah Winkler, Adult Services Librarian and Homebound Coordinator

This summer is shaping up to be a colorful one, especially at your local library. This year’s Summer Reading program is under way, and the theme is “Color Our World.” If you stop by the library, you’ll notice an array of color-themed decorations, including rainbow butterflies and giant paintbrushes.

But our decorations aren’t the only thing that’s bringing extra color to the library. If you frequent the library’s “New Books” collection, you may have noticed an interesting trend. Many books—particularly in the fantasy and romance genres—now have colorful sprayed edges, or pages with painted colors and designs on the outer sides of the book’s pages. Although sprayed or stenciled edges are nothing new, they’ve gained popularity amongst book collectors on internet spaces such as “BookTok” (aka, the book community on the app TikTok). For many readers, sprayed edges add an extra touch of aesthetic and personality to their favorite books. Here are a few of these books that you can find at the library.

All information about these books has been taken from our catalog, which you can visit at: https://catalog.manhattan.lib.ks.us/polaris/default.aspx

“Wooing the Witch Queen” by Stephanie Burgis:

“After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, Queen Saskia only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. She doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic. When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well….”

“His Face is the Sun” by Michelle Jabès Corpora:

“Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief. Tensions run as hot as the Khamsin winds in the great kingdom of Khetara. Rumors of the pharaoh’s mysterious illness abound, and with them, murmurs of rebellion grow. Meanwhile, in the quiet desert, a forgotten oracle begins to unfold, setting a dark prophecy into action and drawing together four strangers… Princess SITA lives in the abundance of the palace, and in a moment of passion, she unmasks a betrayal that will put her life—and the entire royal court—in grave danger. A priestess-in-training, NEFF strives to understand her intense visions from the gods, except theirs is not the only magic at play in the grand temple. As a farmer’s daughter, RAE knows how much the pharaoh’s men have taken from her land, her people. Still, who will step forward to confront the king? KARIM was raised among the pyramids of the Red Lands and survives on the wealth of the dead as a tomb robber. But amid the spoils, an ancient evil awakens. Bloodshed is coming. Only together do these four have the potential to save the kingdom from destruction. But when the dust has settled, who will sit on the throne of Khetara?”

“Story of My Life” by Lucy Score:

“Hazel is given a one-two punch when she’s forced to move out of her Upper East Side apartment and is given a final warning from her publisher. If she doesn’t turn in a book by her next deadline, they’re cutting her loose. Hazel rashly decides to leave what’s left of her city life behind and impulse buys a house in rural Pennsylvania sight unseen. How better to entertain the loyal readers she still has and rediscover her writing mojo than immersing herself in small-town life? Too bad this town looks to be on its last legs. At least she’s finding swoon-worthy inspiration from her hot, grumpy contractor Cam and his animal-rescuing, community-involved family. It’s all just research. What could go wrong?”

“Tea You at the Altar” by Rebecca Thorne:

“Kianthe and Reyna are ready to finally walk down the aisle–in just seven days, their wedding of a wifetime will be a reality. There’s loads to do–but like all best laid plans, everything seems to be going awry. Between their baby dragons causing mayhem in Tawney, Kianthe’s uptight parents inviting themselves to the wedding, and Reyna becoming embroiled in a secret plot to overthrow Queen Tilaine, the world seems against them–how are they going to live long enough to say ‘I do’?”

“A Monsoon Rising” by Thea Guanzon:

“After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands that was supposed to end the fighting; however, being married to their sworn foe feels far from peaceful. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric’s willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign. But the longer the couple are forced together, the harder it becomes to deny the feelings crackling like lightning between them. When the time comes to act, can she trust him, or must she ignore her heart for the sake of so many others?”

“Legacy of Gods” Series by Rina Kent:

“In this six-book series, a spicy dark romance takes place in rival universities—Kings U and Royal Elite University—where kids from American/Russian mafia families and the English royalty attend, respectively. This college romance series details the intense sexual attraction of brooding and angsty young protagonists who become obsessed in subduing their rivals in power plays and in bed.”

The Summer Reading Program is going on now and lasts through the end of July. Readers of all ages are invited to join the Reading Challenge and earn prizes such as coupons and free books. Learn more at mhklibrary.org/sr.

Will You Be My Neighbor? Community and Unity in Picture Books

By Hannah Atchison, Youth Services Librarian

All are welcome here. People from many ways of life and from all over the world meet at the public library. Libraries were first known as a place to collect and share knowledge, but it has also always been a community space. It is the duty of libraries to adapt to meet their community’s needs. This includes cultivating an environment where communities can blossom and a material collection that reflects that. Here is a selection of children’s picture books about building community and finding unity for everyone to enjoy. See through the eyes of a child again.

“All Are Neighbors” is one of several books we have by Alexandra Penfold. I enjoy all of them. This one includes themes of inclusion, belonging, and diversity. A new family moves into the neighborhood and is welcomed into the community. The pictures are joyful, bright, and inviting.

“The Little Bit Scary People” by Emily Jenkins is one of my favorites to recommend. Empathy is learned by the main character as they encounter both strangers and neighbors who seem scary at first because of their appearance or behavior. They choose to question their assumptions and see the best in those people. They give them grace, making up kind stories about them. Everyone has good days and bad days and that doesn’t make them a bad person.

“Thank You, Neighbor!” is about building community through helping others. Ruth Chan’s book was an excellent storytime book during our summer reading theme, “All Together Now” in 2023. The main character goes for a walk with their dog around the block. They take time to appreciate everyone they meet and how they help one another. The main character says thank you to their neighbors and community helpers and returns home.

“Enemy Pie” by Derek Munson stars a young boy who has made his first enemy – another boy who didn’t invite him to play. He tells his father who starts working on a special enemy pie for him to feed his enemy. His dad tells him to invite the boy over to the house while he makes the pie. While they play, the two kids slowly become friends. It turns out enemy pie is delicious.

“What if Everybody Thought That?” In this book by Ellen Javernick, the author teaches the reader the importance of questioning the way they think and the assumptions they make about others. Sometimes the assumptions we make are wrong and can be hurtful. If we learn to think more positively about each other, we make room for more positivity. There is no reason to limit or simplify one another.

“Finding Kindness”, a book by Deborah Underwood, introduces the idea that opportunities for kindness are everywhere. Each page leads to the next as gentle acts connect to one another. With every kindness given, more is spread. In small, simple ways everyone makes a positive impact.

“Stone Soup” is one of my favorite folktales. This story has been retold so many times. A beautiful feature of folktales. In this version by Jon J. Muth, three monks come across a village that is struggling to survive after the impact of famine, floods, and war. The monks subtly teach the community the importance of sharing with one another as a means of survival and the abundance that comes from seemingly nothing.

“Sweet People Are Everywhere” by Alice Walker is a reminder that there are good people everywhere. They are in every country and every family. No matter where you go, you can find a sweet person.

“They All Saw a Cat” is an important reminder that there are many perspectives in the world and all of them are valuable. Despite everyone in the story seeing the same cat, they all see it differently. Our perspective, literal vision and moral compass, is what affects how we interact with the world. This story, by Brendan Wenzel, uses color and shapes to provide a visual experience for the reader that mirrors the written lesson.

“Because Amelia Smiled,” another favorite of mine by David Ezra Stein, tells a story about how one small, good thing can start a chain of positive events that spread throughout the world. What goes around comes around – in the best way. What effort and emotions we put into the world will return to us.

No matter what is going on in your world, the library has room for you. The books and other materials in our collection are a community resource just like the rest of our facility. Your use of the library gives us the numbers and information that we in turn give to the people who help us provide our resources and services. Thank you for being an important part of your library community. As Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” once quoted, in times of need, “look for the helpers”. We are here.

Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Manhattan Public Library serves more than 75,000 people in the Riley County area through curated books and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

Exploring Art and Colors This Summer

By Jennifer Bergen

It’s time once again for the library’s Summer Reading program to begin! This year’s theme is “Color our World” as we focus on the many ways reading and learning brings vibrance to life. Signing up for summer reading means being connected to the library and your community, earning some fun prizes along the way by keeping track of how much time you spend reading, and joining in on enlightening activities and book discussions.

Summer Reading is for all ages, but it is especially important to involve children, from the youngest ages to the teens, to encourage them to keep their reading skills strong while on break from school. A little motivation for reluctant readers is always helpful, and we’ve got free books to give away, art supplies for prizes, and coupons from lots of local businesses.

Here are some books that will make their way into our programs for kids this summer.

“It’s a Firefly Night” by Dianne Ochiltree will be featured at the Glow-In-the-Dark Dance Parties this coming week. Illustrator Betsy Snyder’s fireflies light up the night sky in this colorful picture book. A girl and her dad are searching all over for fireflies to (temporarily!) catch in a jar. She counts them as she finds them, then later lets them fly free again in a moment that feels magical to children listening and nostalgic to the adults reading to them. At the dance parties, which include both stories and dance music, kids can hold up their glowsticks as pretend fireflies during the story. Then they can groove to favorite songs from musicals in the darkened storytime room with glowing lights and party favors.

“Pezzettino” by Leo Lionni is a classic from the 70’s that will be used at our Art Together Day for kindergarten through 5^th graders. The message of belonging and being yourself is still as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. In the story, a small square-shaped protagonist named Pezzettino feels lonely and confused because all the other creatures he meets are large, complicated, and made up of several squares. After the story, kids can color square pieces of paper that spell out the summer reading theme, “Color Our World,” and then we will connect the squares as a sort of mosaic art piece to display in the children’s room!

At a storytime session for ages 18 months old and up, Tim Miller’s picture book “Izzy Paints” will entertain the youngest in the crowd. This is a colorful story of a small koala who is inspired by what they see in an art museum — “The art speaks to Izzy. And Izzy listens.” In the simplest manner, Miller’s illustrations show the creative process from set up to finish, including experimentation, inspiration, and imagination. Young children can visit the library’s craft table after storytime to make their own creations or attend a special event like Family Art Night on June 24 or the Baby Art Party on July 17.

Each month, the library teams up with Sunset Zoo for a special animal-themed storytime. The July Zoofari Tails storytime features “Sylvie” by Jennifer Sattler, a favorite among the librarians. A little flamingo named Sylvie is so tired of being pink like all her family and every other flamingo she sees. She decides to sample some different colors and patterns on the beach to liven up her feathers, such as nibbling on a swimsuit, beach ball and lollipop! Ultimately, Sylvie realizes that being pink is not so bad, and she finally eats some shrimp to bring her color back to normal. Sunset Zoo generously donated some free zoo passes as Summer Reading prizes, and kids and their grown-ups can visit the zoo this summer to see flamingos and more.

Teens will also participate in the colorful fun with Tuesday and Thursday afternoon activities, including one on synesthesia, the ability to hear colors or see sounds. “The Color of Sound” by Emily Barth Isler explores this phenomenon through Rosie, a teen musical prodigy who decides to take a break from violin for the summer. As she spends time with her grandparents, Rosie is thrust into a glitch in space-time that forces her to examine her family, including herself, in a different light. Teens interested in synesthesia will be drawn to Rosie’s story, and they can join in at the library on July 15 for a synesthesia-inspired art session.

Adults will get to discuss a classic short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1892, at the June book club discussion. Written as journal entries by a woman who has decreasing mental abilities, the narration is fascinating and shocking and brings up questions about the treatment of women and mental health then and now. This book group has met its capacity, but there are many other adult programs that have room for more, including “Let’s Talk Art” on June 17 featuring two local artists, and Adult Free Forum nights where you can participate in a variety of activities or bring a craft project from home to work on.

Reading enriches our lives, and the library is your go-to for summer reads, free activities and relaxing down time. Try the Summer Reading challenge with friends or family to bring more color into your world!

Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.