Seeking Excellence
Stop by and buy a useful item. 100 percent of proceeds benefit the Drake Public Library.
Winona Whitaker, a Friend of the Drake Library showcases the merchandise available.
16 oz. stainless steel tumbler $9.00
$3.00 ea. or 2 for $5.00. Durable reusable tote bags.
Friends of the Drake Library Aluminum Water bottle
Every Hero has a story!
Spring and summer are yard sale season. Lots of advertisements for sales every week. If you have a yard sale or are cleaning out your house, remember the Drake Library accepts donations of books. We cannot come out in the community and pick them up, but donations may be dropped off at the library.
The books are evaluated by the staff. If we don’t add them to the library’s collection, we put them in the book nook. Books are sold for .10 cents each or a dollar per bag. All proceeds benefit the library
This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is “Every Hero has a Story”. The superhero theme will be present in the activities planned. The library will be providing capes to the readers. The superhero capes will be made out of sheets. The library is seeking donations of plain colored flat sheets. Sheets may be dropped off to the library. All sizes of sheets are needed.
JeNel has lots of activities planned for the Summer Reading Program. All children in Appanoose County are invited to participate in this fun free program. Friends of the Drake Public Library financially sponsor the event and some prizes are donated by area businesses. For more information, call JeNel at the library at 641-856-6676.
Another window decal.
One of the “characters” of the Summer Reading Program.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
War is bubbling just under the surface in the obscure medieval town that serves as a back drop for the story. A low ranking noble, Connor, rides around the country to obtain boys from orphanages. He has devised a most treasonous scheme to overthrow the thrown and gain control. Connor intends to train the boys in the manners of the court and royal family and in the end have one of the four orphans pretend to be the long lost youngest son of the King which of course would make him the rightful heir to the thrown. However in his carefully chosen crew of orphans Connor has a boy named Sage. Sage is a spirited young man with a mind, personality and agenda all his own.
This is a delightful tale of mystery, survival and adventure. I was thoroughly engaged all the way through. Sage has to be one of the best written characters I’ve encountered in a very long time. Smart, sharp and engaging but also with obvious flaws and short comings, his character was very well developed. I love how Jennifer Nielson showed that Sage’s strongest traits, he’s quick witted and resourceful; also get him in heaps of trouble. There are plenty of plot turns and twists to keep things exciting but the pace isn’t so fast and furiously written that it leaves you feeling rushed or frantic.
The False Prince is book one in Jennifer A. Nielson’s Ascension Trilogy. It has an Accelerated Reader level of 5.1 and is worth 12 points. I think strong readers grade 4 and up would be equipped to enjoy this book.
Review Submitted by Crystal McKissick
Enjoying a story together.
I feel overwhelmed today! Monday was “May the Fourth be with you” and yesterday was Cinco de Mayo or Revenge of the Fifth. The month of May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Bike Month and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month!
So many celebrations and events to honor and notice. Not to mention, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Graduation Day and don’t forget May Day! Or maybe you forgot your May Basket on May 1, 2015. I did! I was too busy filling out my calendar and planning my wardrobe around all the festivities.
A group of readers with JeNel.
I propose we have a National Relax Day! Nobody has to wear a special ribbon or call out a meaningful catch phrase. Everyone can relax and do what they want.
Librarians feel pressure to honor or share all the special days, such as Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd or Children’s Book Week (May 4-10). We dress up and make crafty bulletin boards. Storytimes are geared around these themes as well.
Let’s just take a deep breath, find a comfy spot and read a book—for fun! Fun, remember what that is? Not an assigned book or one that makes a person feel intelligent, the trashier the better! It is a non-event so feel free to be tacky.
People reading books together.
Maybe next year the powers that be will create a “Tacky Fun Book Day” event to mark the occasion.
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Drake Public Library whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.