Mercury Column

Winter Reading Challenge 2025

By Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

 

The cold weather has me wanting to curl up with a hot beverage and read a book, or ten. While I normally will do this without needing any reward, we at Manhattan Public Library do want to reward you for your winter reading! If you haven’t already, head on over to our reading challenges webpage at Manhattan Public Library’s Beanstack Reading Challenges, and join Manhattan Public Library’s Winter Reading Challenge: Light Up the Mind. Record your reading time and complete some fun activities to earn badges.

 

• What are the dates? The challenge runs December 1st through February 28th.
• Is it free? Yes, it’s free and you get prizes for signing up, meeting the halfway goal, and completing the challenge.
• Who can join? Adults, teens, and all children!
• Did you say prizes? Yes! All participants will receive a small prize for signing up, there is a selection of fidgets to pick from or a handy-dandy ice scraper for these frosty mornings for meeting the halfway goal of 1500 reading points, and a free book for completing the challenge by earning 3000 reading points.
• How do I get points? Points can be earned by reading (each minute = 1 point) and completing activities in Beanstack, such as visiting the library or having a hot drink while you read. Log the time you spend reading or listening to books. Get extra points toward the goals with repeatable activity badges. You will get 5-20 points per activity.
• Does it matter what I read? No! You can read anything, not just library books. Magazines, graphic novels, and audiobooks also count for your reading time.

 

Once you have registered, you are free to start reading and recording your minutes. Take some time out and explore the activities, another great way to earn points. Several of the activities are repeatable, like writing a book review, visiting the library, and having a pajama day! There are activities that encourage us to explore nature, our community, and library resources. Did you know that we create personalized reading lists? Or that we have monthly email newsletters, based on subjects, that recommend books?

 

Personalized reading lists (PRL) are a wonderful way to access new books without having to do the legwork, and a great way to earn up to 40 points. These librarian-created lists offer the opportunity to explore new genres, authors, and even new formats. We currently have two ways to fill out your personalized reading list request: you can complete one online or in person. To locate the online form, you will need to first go to our website at mhklibrary.org. Click on “Recommendations,” which is located directly under the catalog search box. This will take you to our “Books & More” page. Click on the “Personalized Reading List” option, MPL Personalized Reading Lists Form, and begin to fill out your form. If you prefer a paper option, you’ll find physical forms located near each service desk. When you complete a physical form, write as neatly as possible and make sure to return it to the Reference Desk, located on the second floor.

 

Our monthly email booklists are another easy way to get reading recommendations based on topics. The sign-up link is located on the same page as PRLs, you will just have to scroll down a little further to select the “E-mail Book Lists” option, MPL E-Mail Book Lists Form, and fill out the sign-up form. There are over 20 topics to choose from including Nature & Science, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and Current Events. There is no paper option for this, but we can assist you in signing up at the second-floor Reference Desk.

 

Still don’t know what to read? Come into the library and check out a book from one of our many displays and also earn points for visiting the library. There will be one display in each department dedicated to winter reading, along with displays located throughout the library. Grab a warm blanket, a hot beverage, and join us this winter in lighting up your mind with a good book!

 

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

 

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

Cozy Up With Healing Novels 

By Stephanie Wallace, Library Assistant 2, Adult Services

The turkey and pumpkin pie have been consumed, the Black Friday deals stashed away, and the in-laws are returning home. No matter how you spent your Thanksgiving, it’s been a busy week. After swinging between gratitude, greed, and people-pleasing, I know I’ll need a break. And what better way to relax and recuperate than with a cozy book?

“Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree introduced me to the cozy fantasy genre, and its prequel, “Bookshops & Bonedust,” only reaffirmed my adoration. Baldree’s books star a beefy orc mercenary named Viv who’s learning how to take life slow. In her first adventure, Viv arrives in a new city with the dream to open a coffee shop. In the prequel, Viv’s between jobs and healing from an injury while she helps restore a local seaside bookshop. Both novels blend the vibes of Dungeons & Dragons with comfy, cute fixer-uppers.

If you prefer leaf juice over bean juice and want a little more intrigue, try Rebecca Thorne’s “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea.” It’s the first in a trilogy starring a sapphic couple. Reyna, a queensguard who’s abandoned her post, wants nothing more than to open a tea shop in a remote mountain town and leave her bloody past behind. Her girlfriend, Kianthe is the voice and hands of the world’s magic, a heavy responsibility that only Reyna has helped lighten. But the Queen wants her wayward guard to answer for her betrayal, and the magic leaders of the world are clamoring for Kianthe’s attention. It’s a lot for two women to handle, but thankfully they have allies in their new home and each other to get through it.

Love bookshops but want more magic and the found family feeling of a Hallmark movie? Checkout “The Spellshop” by Sarah Durst. Librarian-on-the-run Kiela barely escapes the burning of her city with a boat full of magical library books and her best friend, a talking spider plant named Caz. While they bunker down in Kiela’s childhood home on a beautiful island with flying cats and mermaids, Kiela is confounded again and again by the unexpected troubles of surviving on her own and the kindness of her neighbors. It takes Kiela a while to learn to trust her new friends, but each step is as sweet as her homemade jam.

Much of cozy fantasy revolves around settling down and building up a new home, but if you’re hankering for a road trip, take “The Teller of Small Fortunes” by Julie Leong out for a spin. The eponymous fortune teller, Tao, is an immigrant traveler who goes town to town with her loyal mule, Laohu. Though Tao tries her hardest to avoid trouble, it finds her all the same when a pair of adventurers need her help to find a missing child. Before she knows it, Tao finds herself part of an amazing found family, and she needs to muster every ounce of courage she has to keep them safe.

Want cozy but don’t necessarily want fantasy? Allow me to introduce iyashikei, a Japanese subgenre related to slice-of-life. It loosely translates to “healing,” and they’re about contemplative stories that instill readers with a sense of peace or prompt them to reflect on their lives. If you’re a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s “My Neighbor Totoro” (which also has a manga adaptation), you’ve already experienced how iyashikei can be a wonderfully quiet and quaint experience.

Miyazaki’s latest movie, “The Boy and the Heron,” includes a reference to “How Do You Live?” by Genzaburo Yoshino. Both the movie and the book star young teen boys who are figuring out how they want to live their lives. Junichi “Copper” Honda, the protagonist of “How Do You Live?” earned his nickname because of his similarity to Copernicus. Like the astronomer who disproved the sun revolved around the Earth, Copper’s acknowledgement at the start of the story that the world does not revolve around himself is a watershed moment the narrative comes back to again and again. The book switches back and forth between Copper’s experiences at school and entries from his uncle’s journal, which he is writing for his nephew in hopes that he’ll remember all of the important life lessons he’s learning. Taken together, it feels like a love letter to my younger self and a message that teens today will appreciate.

Finally, to round off my recommendations for the cold weather ahead of us, take a vacation in the mountains with Afro’s “Laid Back Camp,” a delightful iyashikei manga. Join Rin Shima and Nadeshiko Kagamihara, two high schoolers who love camping, and their friends as they travel around Japan’s beautiful, wild retreats. Each volume focuses on a different real-life campground. As the girls explore and unwind, their friendships blossom and warm my heart like their nightly campfires.

As you settle in with your favorite warm beverage and a fluffy blanket or furry friend draped over your lap, I hope one of these titles will complete your perfect, cozy day.

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.

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Stephanie Wallace, Library Assistant 2, Adult Services

Teaching Literary Terms and Devices with Children’s Picture Books

By Hannah Atchison, Youth Services Librarian

English was always one of my favorite subjects. But when it came to learning literary terms, I lost interest quickly. College entry tests included them, so unfortunately, they were a necessity. I dragged my feet through it. The way we teach things plays a huge impact in whether the information taught will be absorbed. Using picture books to teach presents the material in both a fun and accessible way. Picture books can teach literary devices and terms in a way that makes learning them both quick and enjoyable. Here are a few fun reads from the children’s section at our library.

“The Mitten: a Ukrainian Folktale” adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett has magical, cozy illustrations. A mitten is dropped in the snow. Animals looking for warmth on a cold day climb into the mitten and stretch it until even a bear can fit inside. On each preceding page, there is a small picture on the far panel of the next approaching animal. These illustrations can be used to teach foreshadowing and prediction.

“Amelia Bedelia” by Peggy Parish is a beginning reader with pictures about a young woman working as a maid named Amelia Bedelia who takes everything she hears literally. Her misinterpretations of the tasks she is given have hilarious results that make readers of all ages laugh. Idioms can be a tricky concept to teach, but this book makes the experience fun and memorable.

“The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt uses personification of crayons, giving them human characteristics, to present a fun story from their perspectives. The crayons all have opinions about what they would rather be coloring instead of what they are usually used for. Personification is used in a ton of picture books. This is just one popular example.

“They All Saw a Cat” by Brendan Wenzel is about how perspective shapes what people, or animals in this case, see and understand. Each creature name is listed in all caps and the cat’s description is a short summary of the parts that make up a cat, but each illustration of the cat is a little bit different because of the way each creature sees the world and the cat as it relates to them.

“The Whole Hole Story” by Vivian McInerny is a picture book told using the literary method of stream of consciousness. The main character goes on an adventure as she explores the many imaginary uses of a hole. Each thought and experience slip into the next in a whimsical storytelling experience.

“Snappsy the Alligator: ‘Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!’” by Julie Falatko is one of many picture books we have using metalepsis. If you are not familiar with the term, it may help to understand what a frame story is. A frame story is a story within a story, like a folktale, that provides context for the literary piece. Metalepsis works similarly. The story recognizes that there are multiple levels within it: a “self-aware” book. In this story, the way metalepsis is used is by having a continuous conversation between the narrator and the main character, Snappsy, who is correcting them, ending with the narrator joining the story as a character.

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin and John Archambault is a classic from my childhood that uses an abundance of alliteration, words that touch that use the same beginning sound or letter. It is also an excellent example for teaching young children how to hear syllables in words by using the rhythm of the text.

“Poopsie Gets Lost” by Hannah E. Harrison is one of my current favorites. Poopsie is a house cat who is being convinced by “the narrator” to leave her home and explore the jungle outside. During the course of the story, both the reader and Poopsie slowly realize that maybe they shouldn’t be listening to “the narrator” after all. It’s a silly and dangerous adventure that also teaches the concept of an unreliable narrator. Don’t worry. It still has a happy ending.

Everything is better with picture books. Why not make the learning experience more fun? Picture books can be used to teach many things. Maybe there are other tricky concepts they can assist you and your students with. If you need help gathering more suggestions, you know where to find us.

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

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Hannah Atchison, Youth Services Librarian

To Read If You’re Being Stalked

By Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

I fully intended to give y’all a read list full of great books as it’s getting into cozy season. Unfortunately, Kansas doesn’t seem to have gotten the cool down memo, and a soon-to-be not personal matter has been weighing on me heavily. There is never an easy way to start this conversation, so here I go: I have a stalker. Yes, it is being handled through the legal channels, and yes, I am safe. However, in dealing with all the emotions and behavior, I became really curious about what sort of materials our library has on hand. Not just works of fiction, but if we had anything in non-fiction that would be useful. I should know by now that the answer is always “yes, we do.” Below is a list of books that deal with either true stories of stalking or give well balanced advice on how to spot behaviors and avoid a situation developing. There are books that address the complexity of cyberstalking vs. in person. And there is one book that is just for fun because sometimes you need levity in hard situations.

Before I dive in, I want to thank the wonderful officers at the RCPD, who have been very nice, responsive, and understanding; our district court for giving one the ability to file for certain orders completely online; and the crisis center for following up with me. The hugest of gratitude to my library family and their ability to be flexible. Finally, much love goes out to my friends and family, who have been supporting me. Okay, now books!

 

“The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence” by Gavin de Becker

“De Becker has made a career of protecting people and predicting violent behavior. Covering all the dangerous situations people typically face–street crime, domestic abuse, violence in the workplace–de Becker provides real-life examples and offers specific advice on restraining orders, self-defense, and more. The key to self-protection, he demonstrates, is learning how to trust our own intuitions.”

 

“In His Sights: A True Story of Love and Obsession” by Kate Brennan

“Kate Brennan’s visceral memoir lays bare the mind of a stalker and shows how a smart, successful woman can fall prey to a warped and powerful man who has the money and connections to keep her under his watchful eye. Both frightening and insightful, ‘In His Sights’ is a gripping tale of one woman’s descent into the dark side of love and how she has fought–and still struggles–to free herself.”

 

“Stalking Mary: One Man’s Fifteen-Year Obsession with His High-School Teacher” by Eileen Bridgeman Biernat 

“‘Stalking Mary’ is the true account of the kidnapping of Mary and Beth Stauffer, the thoughtless murder of a six-year-old boy named Jason Wilkman, and the psychosexual ploys of a dangerously deranged Shiue. Using court documents, video and audio transcriptions, personal interviews, and thousands of pages from Shiue’s own scripts, Eileen Bridgeman Biernat paints a harrowing picture of two families caught in the grip of a nightmare.”

 

“A Tangled Web: A Cyberstalker, a Deadly Obsession, and the Twisting Path to Justice” by Leslie Rule

“It appeared that Cari had dumped her new boyfriend, quit her job, and relinquished custody of her son to her mother–all by text. Her mother was alarmed and reported Cari missing. Police were skeptical of her claims. While her mother was afraid for Cari, Dave Kroupa was growing afraid of her, for he believed Cari was stalking him.”

 

“Unrequited: Women and Romantic Obsession” by Lisa A. Phillips

“The summer Lisa A. Phillips turned thirty, she fell in love with someone who didn’t return her feelings. She soon became obsessed. She followed him around, called him compulsively, and talked about him endlessly. One desperate morning, after she snuck into his apartment building, he picked up a baseball bat to protect himself and began to dial 911. Her unrequited love had changed her from a sane, conscientious college teacher and radio reporter into someone she barely recognized.”

 

“Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls” by Carrie Goldberg with Jeannine Amber 

“We are all a moment away from having our life overtaken by somebody hell-bent on our destruction. ‘Nobody’s Victim’ invites readers to join Carrie on the front lines of the war against sexual violence and privacy violations as she fights for revenge porn and sextortion laws, uncovers major Title IX violations, and sues tech companies, schools, and powerful sexual predators.”

 

“How to Drag a Body and Other Safety Tips You Hope to Never Need: Survival Tricks for Hacking, Hurricanes, and Hazards Life Might Throw at You” by Judith Matloff

“‘Be Prepared’ is a great motto– but what does it mean in today’s constantly changing world? In an age of mass shootings, devastating natural disasters, and digital attacks, we yearn for some control. As a seasoned war correspondent, Matloff shares her tried-and-true methods to help you confidently handle whatever challenges come your way.”

 

If you or anybody you know is the victim of domestic violence, in any of its forms, I encourage you to reach out to The Crisis Center here in Manhattan at (785) 539-2785. If it is an emergency, please dial 911. If you feel you are in imminent danger or fear a threat of harm, please dial 911.

 

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

 

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

Spooky Season = Stephen King

By Victoria Lafean, Adult Programming Librarian

With the chillier season coming upon us, I tend to look forward to a snuggle on the couch with a blanket, a fire in the fireplace, and a good book. The author I tend to gravitate to is Stephen King. Below you will find the horrors and thrillers you are used to from Stephen King, yet there are some more lighthearted stories that include love, acceptance, and coming of age. He is the “King” for a reason.

“The Shining” by Stephen King

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote and sinister. The only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted child.

“Misery” by Stephen King

Paul Sheldon is a bestselling novelist who has finally met his number one fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes, and she is more than a rabid reader–she is Paul’s nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also furious that the author has killed off her favorite character in his latest book. Annie becomes his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house. Annie wants Paul to write a book that brings Misery back to life–just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an axe. And if they don’t work, she can get really nasty.

“The Mist” by Stephen King

David Drayton, his son Billy, and their neighbor Brent Norton head to the local grocery store to replenish supplies following a freak storm. Once there, they and other local citizens are trapped by a strange mist that has enveloped the town and in which strange creatures are lurking. The Mist is a quick little journey into the frightened mind, and the way fear plays itself out within a group of strangers.

“Bag of Bones” by Stephen King

“Bag of Bones” recounts the plight of 40-year-old bestselling novelist Mike Noonan, who is unable to stop grieving even four years after the sudden death of his wife, Jo, and who can no longer bear to face the blank screen of his word processor. Noonan receives paranormal visitations and unknowingly falls in love with a young woman and her daughter. He then becomes involved in a very ugly and violent custody battle.

“The Girl who loved Tom Gordon” by Stephen King

Trisha McFarland was to spend Saturday with her older brother, Pete, and her recently divorced mother on a hike in the Appalachian Trail. When she wanders off to escape their constant bickering. Trisha strays deeper into a wilderness full of peril and terror. For solace she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox games and the performances of her hero, number 36, pitcher Tom Gordon. This story explores our deep dread of the unknown and the extent to which faith can conquer it and a girl’s steadfast spirit.

“Dolores Claiborne” by Stephen King

Forced by overwhelming evidence to confess her life of crime, Dolores Claiborne, a foul-tempered New Englander, describes how her fractured marriage years before caused her heart to turn murderous. Suspected of killing Vera Donovan, her wealthy employer, Dolores Claiborne tells police the story of her life, harkening back to the suspicious death of her husband, thirty years earlier. Dolores also tells of Vera’s physical and mental decline and of her loyalty to an employer who had become emotionally demanding and vindictive.

“Gwendy’s Button Box” by Stephen King

There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson had taken the stairs, up the cliffside to find solace and escape the teasing of peers. A stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head was a small, neat black hat. He gives her a beautiful button box. He explains that the button box can cause both chaos and good. Bewitched by the box, Gwendy takes it and goes home to hide it from her parents.

“Later” by Stephen King

Sometimes growing up means facing your demons. The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Jamie has the ability to see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine—as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave. It is a terrifying and touching story of innocence lost and the trials that test our sense of right and wrong. It is a powerful, haunting, unforgettable exploration of what it takes to stand up to evil in all the faces it wears.

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

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Victoria Lafean, Adult Programming Librarian

October Reads
By Savannah Winkler, Adult Services Librarian
When the season begins to change, I often find myself remembering one of my favorite literary quotes: “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” This quote comes from L.M. Montgomery’s classic novel “Anne of Green Gables,” in which a young orphan (Anne) begins a new life on a farm in Prince Edward Island. In the same passage, Anne admires the royal crimson orchard, the golden sunshine, and the maple branches she wants to use to decorate her bedroom walls. According to Anne, it would be terrible if we “skipped from September to November.” I have to agree with her. Life simply wouldn’t be as enjoyable without Octobers. The fall season is made even more enjoyable with a good selection of books to read. So, for this list of recommendations, I thought why not combine two of my favorite things: books and October.
I read the children’s book “Small Spaces” by Katherine Arden a few years ago, and now it tops my list whenever I think of the quintessential October story. Sixth grader Ollie couldn’t have predicted the consequences of stealing an old book from a strange woman. Inside the book is a warning to “avoid large places at night…keep to small” and eerie tales about “the smiling man.” However, it’s not until later, on a school field trip to a local farm, that Ollie begins to understand the book’s messages. Amongst a haunting field full of scarecrows, Ollie learns that “the smiling man” may be real after all. I highly recommend “Small Spaces” for some autumnal and lightly creepy reading.
I have to admit that before writing this article, I had never picked up an Alice Hoffman book before. If you’re not already familiar, Hoffman is the author of the best-selling “Practical Magic” series. The books in the series include: “Practical Magic,” “Magic Lessons,” “The Rules of Magic,” and “The Book of Magic.” Each novel follows a different member of the Owens family and their magically complicated lives. Since the 1600s, the Owens women have practiced witchcraft. In “Practical Magic,” sisters Sally and Gillian, raised by their aunts in their whimsical home, are all too familiar with love potions and special herbs. Now in adulthood, they must use their magical knowledge in the face of loss and grief. Hoffman’s mystical and lush writing style is perfect for October. If you enjoy the books, you may also want to check out the library’s copy of the “Practical Magic” film, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.
Maybe you’re someone who enjoys the spooky more than the cozy. Don’t worry, there’s plenty for you at the library. Although not actually set in October, “The September House” by Carissa Orlando will still get you in the mood for the season. The story follows Margaret as she prepares for another September in her large Victorian mansion. Margaret’s home isn’t like most. Every September, the mansion’s walls ooze blood, and the ghosts come out of their hiding spots. After years of these occurrences, Margaret’s husband finally leaves. But Margaret is determined to stay…no matter what. If you need more tales about haunted houses, “The Silent Companions” by Laura Purcell and “When Ghosts Call Us Home” by Katya de Becerra are two other options for a chilling October night.
Lastly, this wouldn’t be a fall reading list if I didn’t mention some of the many season-inspired picture books in our Children’s collection. “The Scarecrow’s Dance” by Jane Yolen is an atmospheric story about a scarecrow who gives up his post to enjoy an evening dance across his field. If your little one is excited about carving pumpkins, then “Too Many Pumpkins” by Linda White and “Ready for Pumpkins” by Kate Duke are two fun options to read together. And lastly, “I Got the Spooky Spirit” by Connie Schofield-Morrison is a new rhythmic book about a young girl who excitedly prepares for Halloween night.
I hope this list has provided you with at least one or two festive books to enjoy this month. If you’re still looking for more ideas, consider joining in on our Danger and Donuts book discussion from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 24. Also happening this month at the library is our first ever Mystery Writing workshop. Learn how to write a mystery from experienced mystery writer Steven Miller from 6 – 7 p.m. Friday, October 18 in the auditorium. Registration is not required for either of these events.
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.

Freed Between The Lines

By Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

The American Library Association (ALA) does many things for the profession from establishing guidelines for librarians across the board, to ethical requirements, to hosting a public policy and advocacy board, and tracking book challenges across the country through their Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). The OIF has been tracking book challenges and collecting data about challenged books since 1990, while the ALA established its now famous ‘Banned Books Week’ in 1982. In 2006, the organizations started to release the State of the Libraries Report. The report is published yearly and reflects the data collected for the previous year. According to the ALA State of America’s Libraries Report for 2024, they documented “4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023—a 65% surge over 2022 numbers—as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources…The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023.”

 

You’ll often notice that we, libraries, interchange the use of challenged and banned, making things more complicated than this librarian feels necessary. We do not ban books. Book bans happen at the state, county, and city levels by those governing bodies. The rhetoric we use around challenged and banned books is intended to highlight what is happening, to shine a light on the things taking place in schools and public libraries across the country. When you visit Manhattan Public Library during September, you will notice that, while we do have a display up, we have decided to use the word ‘challenge’. Merriam-Webster defines challenge as “to confront, to call out, to question” while defining ban(ned) as “to prohibit or forbid.” Neither the public library nor the ALA is banning anything. As organizations we are highlighting what is being challenged.

Below you will find the rankings of the most challenged books for 2023. You may notice that all but one of these books are young adult focused, and I urge you to think about why that is. Another interesting fact is Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” has appeared on the list almost every year since the organization began collecting data and has constantly been in the top 35 most challenged books from 1990-2023, ranking 3rd in 2022.

 

1. “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe

Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity–what it means and how to think about it–for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

 

2. “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson

In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

 

3. “This Book Is Gay” by Juno Dawson

This book is for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual preference. This book is for anyone who’s ever dared to wonder. This book is for YOU. This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBTQ also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations.

 

4. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky

This is the story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie’s letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares.

 

5. “Flamer” by Mike Curato

It’s the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone’s going through changes–but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can’t stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.

 

6. “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison

Pecola Breedlove, a young eleven-year-old black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in. Yet as her dreams grow more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife.

 

7/8. (tie) “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews

Seventeen-year-old Greg has managed to become part of every social group at his Pittsburgh high school without having any friends, but his life changes when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a girl he once knew in Hebrew school who has leukemia.

 

7/8. (tie) “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching … for freedom, safety, community, family, love.

 

9. “Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

Is what I’m feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I know how to behave? How do I fix it when I make a mistake? Let’s talk about it. Growing up is complicated.

 

10. “Sold” by Patricia McCormick

Thirteen-year-old Lakshmi leaves her poor mountain home in Nepal thinking that she is to work in the city as a maid only to find that she has been sold into the sex slave trade in India and that there is no hope of escape.

To investigate more, please visit the ALA’s website at https://www.ala.org/bbooks or come on by and take a look at our display while snagging a library exclusive bookmark. As always, feel free to reach out to me as the Readers’ Advisory Librarian at aswartz@mhklibrary.org for a personalized reading list or suggested readings of any sort.

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

 

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

LEGO: Adults Can Have Fun Too

By Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

I love LEGO. Do you love LEGO? Your friendly neighborhood readers’ advisory librarian is a huge fan of this interlocking brick system. Honestly, feel free to come by my office at the library to see my collection. I have a whole garden of flowers and a small collection of books, even a pop-up book. At home my collection is slightly nerdier, including many Star Wars ships, The Big Bang Theory set, Disney Villains, and even a LEGO Atari. LEGO has always embraced the idea that they are for everyone, but it wasn’t until 2017 that they started marketing directly to adults; the first adult age range sets weren’t released until 2020.

People often ask me why I LEGO. At first it was because I was stuck inside due to COVID, but now I find it helps me focus if I am getting overwhelmed or stressed. I can sit down and mindlessly snap bricks together while calming my anxiety and slowing my mind. It truly is an exercise in meditation for me. I tell you all this (a) for you to get to know me better, and (b) to introduce you to the LEGO book collection we have in our adult non-fiction.

“Toy Time!: From Hula Hoops to He-Man to Hungry Hungry Hippos: A Look Back at the Most-Beloved Toys of Decades Past” by Christopher Byrne.
“A nostalgic celebration of the most beloved toys of decades past—like Twister, LEGOs, My Little Ponies, Lite Brite, Viewmaster, Transformers . . . and much more. Attractive, gifty, and fully illustrated with photos of vintage toy packaging, advertisements, and of course the toys themselves, ‘Toy Time!’ is chock full of fun facts, trivia, and memories about the toys you cherished most.”

“LEGO: A Love Story” by Jonathan Bender.
“There are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world. Bender discovers the men and women who are skewing the averages with collections of hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks. What is it about the ubiquitous, brightly colored toys that makes them so hard for everyone to put down? In search of answers and adventure, Jonathan Bender sets out to explore the quirky world of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) while becoming a builder himself.”

“The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination” by Jens Andersen and translated by Caroline Waight.
“The extraordinary inside story of the LEGO company—producer of the most beloved and popular toy on the planet—based on unprecedented access to the founding family that still owns the company, chronicling the brand’s improbable journey to become the empire that it is today”

“Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry” by David C. Robertson with Bill Breen.
“In the 1990s, LEGO failed to keep pace with the revolutionary changes in kids’ lives and began sliding into irrelevance. It took a new LEGO management team, faced with the growing rage for electronic toys, few barriers to entry, and ultra-demanding consumers, to reinvent the innovation rule book and transform LEGO into one of the world’s most profitable, fastest-growing companies.”

“Beautiful LEGO” by Mike Doyle.
“Mix hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks with dozens of artists, and what do you get? ‘Beautiful LEGO,’ a compendium of LEGO artwork that showcases a stunning array of pieces ranging from incredibly lifelike replicas of everyday objects and famous monuments to imaginative renderings of spaceships, mansions, and mythical creatures.”

“Forbidden LEGO: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against!” by Ulrik Pilegaard and Mike Dooley.
“Written by a former master LEGO designer, this full color book contains projects that break the LEGO Company’s rules for building. Learn how to build a catapult that shoots M&Ms; a gun that fires LEGO beams; a continuous fire ping-pong ball launcher; and more! Tips and tricks will give you ideas for inventing your own creative model designs.”

“LEGO Architecture: The Visual Guide” by Philip Wilkinson in collaboration with Adam Reed.
“Beautifully illustrated and annotated, this visual guide allows you to explore the LEGO team’s creative process in building and understand how LEGO artists translated such iconic buildings into these buildable LEGO sets. Stunning images and in-depth exploration of the real buildings provide you with a comprehensive look at the creation of these intricate sets.”

The library also has a large LEGO book collection in children’s, several video games, and, of course, the movie available for check out. Swing by the library and browse the books, stop by and say hi to look at my collection, and even check to see if we are using them on displays. This month several of the fairytale books will be on display in the Young Adult section on our Fairytale Adaptations display.

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

Goosebumps in the Summer Heat

By Rachel Cunningham, Circulation Manager

The pools are closed, kids are back in school, and the call of pumpkin patches and cozy socks has begun to tempt me into believing autumn is near. While the Kansas weather may disagree, I’ve begun daydreaming of sweater weather with chilly nights and brisk mornings. At times I even allow myself to imagine an evening walk without the threat of mosquitoes. But while my zinnias are still in full bloom and tomatoes continue to ripen on the vine, I’ll have to settle for the chill of mystery and thriller books – with the aid of central air – for a few more weeks.

“The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore has received attention from both local readers and celebrities. Alternating between perspectives over decades of time, “The God of the Woods” begins in August 1975 at a summer camp. Moore unravels the story of the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar from Camp Emerson in the Adirondack mountains. However, Barbara is not the typical camper. She’s a descendent of the notable Van Laar family, the owners and employers of the camp and surrounding estate. The same family whose son, Bear, went missing 14 years before. Intertwining the 1961 disappearance of Bear alongside the 1975 search for Barbara, Moore provides the perspective of camp counselor, Louise; Barbara’s mother, Alice; the detective, Judyta; camper, Tracy; estate gardener, Carl; and other notable characters. Chatter amongst the campers suggests that it could be an escaped serial killer, Jacob Sluiter. However, the buried truth may be darker and more familiar than they imagined. Although the novel is primarily a mystery, Moore also comments on the difficult transition of childhood self-awareness through her rich characterization: as said about one character, “Her voice, it seemed, had been continuously decrescendoing since birth, so that by age twelve, she could scarcely be heard.” Moore’s artful writing pulls the reader into the story and envelopes them in the lives of the characters within.

Award-winning author, Laura McHugh, released her latest mystery thriller in April of this year. “Safe and Sound” also shares a timeline across decades. Kylee and Amelia have spent their lives planning an escape from their hometown of Beaumont, Missouri, just like their older cousin Grace. Beaumont is a small town with even smaller opportunities, where “no one leaves.” No one, including their older cousin Grace, who went missing six years ago and left a bloody scene behind. The police have no leads, and Kylee and Amelia don’t believe their cousin would disappear for so many years without reaching out to them. McHugh weaves together Grace’s months before her disappearance alongside Kylee and Amelia’s unexpected unwinding of Grace’s last days. Will they still be able to leave if they might be able to catch her killer, or even more, find her alive? As Kylee and Amelia unearth darker and more disturbing secrets about their family and neighbors, they find themselves in the same grave danger as their cousin. Similar to her other books, “Safe and Sound” includes a plot driven by well-developed characters, which has become one of McHugh’s trademarks.

Many true crime podcast listeners are familiar with the podcast “Crime Junkie,” hosted by Ashley Flowers. “All Good People Here” is Ashley Flowers’s debut novel. Written in alternating timelines and different perspectives, Flowers reveals the 1996 murder of 6-year-old January Jacobs while giving the contemporary account of Margot Davies, a journalist who was best friends with January at the time of her murder. Margot has recently moved back to Wakarusa to care for her uncle who is battling dementia. Determined to continue her career remotely, Margot attempts to balance writing articles, researching, and keeping tabs on her uncle. Her plan begins to deteriorate when a young girl in a neighboring town is murdered in a similar manner to January Jacobs. Margot’s fixation on the connections between the cases begins to exhume long buried secrets, leaving her with more questions about her own past. But when Margot begins receiving threats, she has to wonder if the killer will come after her next. Flowers has also collaborated with Alex Kiester in a new book slated to release next spring for readers who enjoyed “All Good People Here.”

Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee when the weather will turn to fall. However, I might suggest joining the next Donuts and Danger book club discussion at the library if you’d like to meet some like-minded mystery and thriller seeking friends. Our next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 26th, 2024, and as the name suggests, donuts will be provided to complement the book discussions. As with all library programs, this event is free to attend.

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.

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Rachel Cunningham, Circulation Manager

 

Curious about Appalachia: A Booklist

By Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

What happens when a Vice-Presidential candidate also happens to have written a book? Super long hold lists, long patron wait times, and struggling with the ability to order more (because everyone wants more) is the lesson being felt by almost every library in the country. If you happen to be on one of those lists, here are several alternatives you can read that will also provide a unique look into Appalachia.

All information for these titles has been taken from our catalog, which can be accessed at Manhattan Public Library Catalog.

 

“The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia” by Emma Copley Eisenberg.
In the early evening of June 25, 1980, in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, two middle-class outsiders named Vicki Durian, 26, and Nancy Santomero, 19, were murdered in an isolated clearing. Emma Copley Eisenberg spent years living in Pocahontas and re-investigating these brutal acts. Using the past and the present, she shows how this mysterious act of violence has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates, and the stories they tell about themselves.

 

“The Prettiest Star” by Carter Sickels.
Small-town Appalachia doesn’t have a lot going for it, but it’s where Brian is from, where his family is, and where he’s chosen to return to die. At eighteen, Brian, like so many other promising young gay men, arrived in New York City without much more than a love for the freedom and release from his past that it promised. It is a novel that speaks to the question of what home and family means when we try to forge a life for ourselves in a world that can be harsh and unpredictable.

 

“When These Mountains Burn” by David Joy.
When his addict son gets in deep with his dealer, it takes everything Raymond Mathis has to bail him out of trouble one last time. Frustrated by the slow pace and limitations of the law, Raymond decides to take matters into his own hands. For months, the DEA has been chasing the drug supply in the mountains to no avail, when a lead sets one agent on a path to crack the case wide open … but he’ll need help from the most unexpected quarter. As chance brings together these men from different sides of a relentless epidemic, each may come to find that his opportunity for redemption lies with the others.

 

“Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy” edited by Anthony Harkins and Meredith McCarroll.
J. D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” has defined Appalachia for much of the nation. “Appalachian Reckoning” is a retort, at turns rigorous, critical, angry, and hopeful. It allows Appalachians from varied backgrounds to tell their own diverse and complex stories through an imaginative blend of scholarship, prose, poetry, and photography. It provides a deeply personal portrait of a place that is at once culturally rich and economically distressed, unique and typically American.

 

“Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America” by Eliza Griswold.
Griswold tells the story of the energy boom’s impact on a small town at the edge of Appalachia–and one woman’s transformation from a struggling single parent to an unlikely activist. Stacey Haney is a local nurse working hard to raise two kids and keep up her small farm when the fracking industry comes to her hometown of Amity, Pennsylvania. When mysterious illnesses begin to afflict her children, she appeals to the company for help. Its representatives insist that nothing is wrong. Soon a community that has long been suspicious of outsiders faces wrenching new questions about who is responsible for redressing their ills. Griswold reveals what happens when an imperiled town faces a crisis of values.

 

If you still are needing to put yourself on hold for one of our many copies of “Hillbilly Elegy,” you can do so by logging into your library account and placing a hold from there or give us a call and we can place that hold for you. We have one copy of the large print book with two more on order. If you are wanting a “standard” print option, we have seven copies. Want to listen to it? We have one copy of the book on CD and three digital audio book copies available through Sunflower eLibrary.

 

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 book and other media collections, knowledgeable staff, relevant programming for all ages, and meeting space. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian