Aurora Public Library Blog

Welcome to Aurora Public Library’s blog. A place where our library staff share their thoughts, insider knowledge and overall love of all things book and community.

Feel free to comment on posts, re-blog and enjoy. To ensure a civil and focused discussion, comments will be held for a brief period before being published.



Recent Posts
1  2 
July 2021 - Posts
Three on a Theme: Mountains

Votes have been counted and it's time for this month's Three on a Theme recommendations!

This month's options were MOUNTAINS vs. BEACH and the winner was...MOUNTAINS! Check out our staff’s recommendations below! 

Have book recommendation that we missed? Tell us about it in the comments!

ADULTS:
“The Bear” by Andrew Krivak

The Bear
In an Edenic future, a girl and her father live close to the land in the shadow of a lone mountain. They possess a few remnants of civilization: some books, a pane of glass, a set of flint and steel, a comb. The father teaches the girl how to fish and hunt, the secrets of the seasons and the stars. He is preparing her for an adulthood in harmony with nature, for they are the last two left. But when the girl suddenly finds herself alone in an unknown landscape, it is a bear that will lead her back home through a vast wilderness, which offers the greatest lessons of all, if she can only learn to listen. A cautionary tale of human fragility, of love and loss, “The Bear” is a stunning tribute to the beauty of nature's dominion.

TEENS:
“Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen


Hatchet
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

CHILDREN (J2):
“My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George 

My Side of the Mountain
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship.
Posted by [email protected]  On Jul 29, 2021 at 8:09 PM
  
Family Book Club

Welcome to Family Book Club! This is an exciting club for families who love to read and is appropriate for ages 8-15. The books chosen are always within the 3rd-6th grade level but both younger and older kids have enjoyed them! If your child is younger, I encourage the family to read the book aloud together or listen to the audiobook (if available)!

This month we are reading "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. When Emily moves to San Francisco, home of her literary hero Garrison Griswold, she soon becomes involved with a mystery involving one of his books. With the help of her new friend, James, they must solve puzzles in order to find the hidden prize but must be beware of others after the same thing! 
Please note: There is gun violence in chapters 1 & 39. The details Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story, "The Black Cat", is described in chapter 20.  
Genre: MYSTERY.

Chapters 33 -42
1. Even though Maddie is unpleasant, was it right for Emily and James to trick her?
2. I never trusted Mr. Remora. Did you?
3. Did you expect Hollister to be in on everything? I had wondered when Emily and James saw him in places they were also searching.
4. Did you like that this ended up being a treasure hunt?
5. What did you think of the book?

We will be having a special virtual event TODAY at 5 p.m.to meet the author! 
Please register here.
 
Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Unlimited eAudiobooks are available via HooplaDigital, free with your library card! Copies are also available through Prospector.


UPCOMING AUGUST BOOK
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart"The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart" by Stephanie Burgis

We will be having a special virtual event on Saturday, August 28 at 1 p.m. to meet the author! Please register here.
 
Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Unlimited eAudiobooks are available via HooplaDigital, free with your library card! The eAudiobook is also available via Overdrive. 
Posted by [email protected]  On Jul 26, 2021 at 11:20 AM
  
Family Book Club

Welcome to Family Book Club! This is an exciting club for families who love to read and is appropriate for ages 8-15. The books chosen are always within the 3rd-6th grade level but both younger and older kids have enjoyed them! If your child is younger, I encourage the family to read the book aloud together or listen to the audiobook (if available)!

This month we are reading "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. When Emily moves to San Francisco, home of her literary hero Garrison Griswold, she soon becomes involved with a mystery involving one of his books. With the help of her new friend, James, they must solve puzzles in order to find the hidden prize but must be beware of others after the same thing! 
Please note: There is gun violence in chapters 1 & 39. The details Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story, "The Black Cat", is described in chapter 20.  
Genre: MYSTERY.

Chapters 22 - 32
1. At this point in the story, are you more interested in Mr. Griswold’s game or the cipher competition between James and Maddie? 
2. How did you feel after Maddie had stolen James’ Baconian cipher?
3. Do you agree with James or Emily about the importance of the game?
4. Did you expect Mr. Quisling to be Babbage??
5. Do you think James will forgive Emily?
 
Next week read chapters 33-42!
We will be having a special virtual event on Monday, July 26 at 5 p.m.to meet the author! Please register here.
 

Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Unlimited eAudiobooks are available via HooplaDigital, free with your library card! Copies are also available through Prospector.
Posted by [email protected]  On Jul 19, 2021 at 11:58 AM
  
Family Book Club

Welcome to Family Book Club! This is an exciting club for families who love to read and is appropriate for ages 8-15. The books chosen are always within the 3rd-6th grade level but both younger and older kids have enjoyed them! If your child is younger, I encourage the family to read the book aloud together or listen to the audiobook (if available)!

This month we are reading "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. When Emily moves to San Francisco, home of her literary hero Garrison Griswold, she soon becomes involved with a mystery involving one of his books. With the help of her new friend, James, they must solve puzzles in order to find the hidden prize but must be beware of others after the same thing! 
Please note: There is gun violence in chapters 1 & 39. The details Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story, "The Black Cat", is described in chapter 20.  
Genre: MYSTERY.

Chapters 11 - 21
1. Have you ever had to start at a new school in the middle of the year? Were you as nervous as Emily?
2. Have you ever had a teacher like Mr. Quisling?
3. Do you think Maddie could be Babbage?
4. Have you read any Edgar Allan Poe stories?
5. Do you think Mr. Remora is an imposter or really Mr. Griswold’s book collector? Would you give him The Gold-Bug to save his job or would you keep it to finish the game first?
 
Next week read chapters 22-32!
We will be having a special virtual event on Monday, July 26 at 5 p.m.to meet the author! Please register here.
 

Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Unlimited eAudiobooks are available via HooplaDigital, free with your library card! Copies are also available through Prospector.
Posted by [email protected]  On Jul 13, 2021 at 12:25 PM
  
Family Book Club

Welcome to Family Book Club! This is an exciting club for families who love to read and is appropriate for ages 8-15. The books chosen are always within the 3rd-6th grade level but both younger and older kids have enjoyed them! If your child is younger, I encourage the family to read the book aloud together or listen to the audiobook (if available)!

This month we are reading "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. When Emily moves to San Francisco, home of her literary hero Garrison Griswold, she soon becomes involved with a mystery involving one of his books. With the help of her new friend, James, they must solve puzzles in order to find the hidden prize but must be beware of others after the same thing! 
Please note: There is gun violence in chapters 1 & 39. The details Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story, "The Black Cat", is described in chapter 20.  
Genre: MYSTERY.

Chapters 1 - 10
1. Have you ever moved to a new house? Have you ever moved to a different state? Did you think of your move (local or not) as a new adventure or were you less than happy about it?
2. Would you rather meet the Willy Wonka of candy-making or, as Emily compares Garrison Griswold, the Willy Wonka of book publishing? 
3. If you were a Book Scavenger, what name would you use on your cards?
4. When Matthew went down into the BART station, did you expect them to find The Gold-Bug? What do you think will happen now that they have it?
5. Would you participate in the Book Scavenger game if it were real? I know I would!
Next week read chapters 11-21!
 
We will be having a special virtual event on Monday, July 26 at 5 p.m.to meet the author! Please register here.
 

Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Tallyn's Reach Library. Please call 303.627.3050 if you'd like to put one on hold to be picked up at a different branch. Unlimited eAudiobooks are available via HooplaDigital, free with your library card! Copies are also available through Prospector.
Posted by [email protected]  On Jul 07, 2021 at 11:44 AM
  
1  2