Books to celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day

January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day (and while we’re on the subject, Squirrel Awareness Month is October). To get into the spirit, here are some of my favorite squirrel books to check out from the library, whether you are looking to learn more about squirrels or want an entertaining squirrel-related read.

Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide by Richard W. Thorington
599.36 THO
Find it in the catalog!
This book is the go-to resource for all things squirrel-related. I love looking through the appendix of squirrels of the world. Can you pick out the fake squirrel name in the following list?

• fiery squirrel
• pale giant squirrel
• hairy-footed flying squirrel
• arrow flying squirrel
• sculptor squirrel
• shadow chipmunk

What did you guess? Well... they are all real!

Eastern Chipmunks: Secrets of Their Solitary Lives by Lawrence Wishner
599.3232 WIS
Find it in the catalog!
The author shares his findings and photographs after six years of observing a chipmunk colony near his home in Virginia. Even better, the chipmunks have awesome names like Lady Cheltenham, Fenwick, and Earwicker.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Nibbles and Me
(place a hold)
Find it in the catalog!
At the age of 14, film actress Elizabeth Taylor wrote this book about her pet chipmunk, Nibbles. Her sketches and drawings of Nibbles are also included. Originally published in 1946, Elizabeth Taylor's Nibbles and Me was re-released in 2002. A rare find and a really interesting read.

Those Darn Squirrels! (series) by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
I love these picture books. Whether you are three or 93, you will get a laugh out of this series about squirrels that eat from Old Man Fookwire's bird feeders and annoy him to no end.

Those Darn Squirrels! (book) JE RUBIN Find it in the catalog!	Those Darn Squirrels! (read along DVD) J-DVD THOSE Find it in the catalog!
Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door (book) JE RUBIN Find it in the catalog!	Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door (read along DVD) J-DVD THOSE Find it in the catalog!
Those Darn Squirrels Fly South (book) JE RUBIN Find it in the catalog!	Those Darn Squirrels Fly South (read along DVD) J-DVD THOSE Find it in the catalog!

Scaredy Squirrel (series) by Mélanie Watt
Cute books about a nervous, socially anxious, and very scaredy squirrel who thinks of every possible scenario that may go wrong and thoroughly prepares for each situation. Filled with whimsical details and funny lists, Mélanie Watt has created an endearing character. Maybe you relate to some of his phobias, or you root for him to overcome his nerves. Either way, readers young and old know what it's like to be afraid of something, and Scaredy always faces his fears in the end!

Scaredy Squirrel Find it in the catalog!	Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend Find it in the catalog!
Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach Find it in the catalog!	Scaredy Squirrel at Night Find it in the catalog!
Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party Find it in the catalog!	Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas Find it in the catalog!
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween Find it in the catalog!	Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping Find it in the catalog!

We have many picture books with squirrels in our children's department; here are a couple more of my absolute favorites:

Mario Makes a Move by Jill McElmurry JE MCELMURRY Find it in the catalog! A fun story, Mario desires to have his own unique dance move.

Earl the Squirrel by Don Freeman JE FREEMAN Find it in the catalog! Beautiful scratchboard art illustrations.

As you can probably tell, I am quite the squirrel fan. I pretty much consider every day to be Squirrel Appreciation Day; nothing makes me happier than to watch a squirrel darting around the grass or performing gymnastic acrobatics in a tree. One thing I have found from being an adamant squirrel admirer is that friends and family tend to share any squirrel or chipmunk related stories, observances, or photos with me. Sometimes I feel like a curator of squirrel memories and history. Do you have any squirrel stories to share? Write them in the comments!

Recommended Read: When You Reach Me

There are some great kids book out there that adults can enjoy too and I've got one such book for you: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I was first introduced to this book by my 11-year-old niece: "It's my favorite book. You have to read it."


Miranda, the protagonist sixth-grader, is likeable as she rambles around New York City in the late 1970s. She lives with her quirky single mother, who is obsessed with going on the TV game show $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda's life gets complicated when her best friend, Sam, inexplicably pushes her away and she begins to receive mysterious notes with messages that are important to the future, but have no context in the present, such as "I'm coming to save your friend's life, and my own." The story circles back on itself and you may end up wanting to re-read it to make sure everything holds up. 

Even though it's a mystery with a sci-fi time-travel bent, it's a quite realistic read overall and uses the time-travel angle poignantly. If you're a fan of L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, you'll enjoy this one, and if you need further convincing, When You Reach Me won the 2010 Newbery Medal.

My Favorite Reads of 2012

Highly scientific selection criteria:
-All books were read from start to finish by me.
-I enjoyed reading them.
-They were published in 2012.
-Adult fiction, non-fiction and teen books are included.

My Top Ten Books of 2012:

My list this year is has an obvious girly bent, but with Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Gone Girl, I think it's been a pretty strong year for female authors.  If anyone has suggestions for books that I've overlooked (and I'm sure there are plenty), please leave them in comments!  And if you are really bored, you can check out all the 2012 books I've read.

10).  These Days Are Ours by Michelle Hamioff
As a big Paul Simon fan, I was all ready biased towards this novel because the title references his song "The Obvious Child."  Set in just post 9/11 NYC, this book is a coming of age story following a jobless but wealthy recent college graduate, Hailey.  The characters in this book are not always likeable, but they are very realistic.

9).  The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman
Fans of historical mysteries should check out this novel set in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the 1660s.  This book is quite dark and it took me fifty or so pages to get into it, but the characters are quite interesting, including a young but strong Dutch businesswoman, Blandine van Couvering, and a British spy, Edward Drummond.

8).  Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
This is a great light read that still manages to be pretty smart.  Set in Oak Park, IL, Lucy Bloom is a single mom who just sold her house to send her nineteen year-old son to rehab.  Now broke, she takes a job cleaning the house of Marva Meier Rios- a famous artist and notoriously difficult woman and hoarder.  This book is funny, moving, and would make an interesting movie.  

7).  Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Set in England, the elderly Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend Queenie saying that she is dying of cancer.  After failing to write a letter to properly impart his regrets, he decides to take an impromptu walking journey to visit her.  At first this book didn't sound like my cup of tea, but after several recommendations, I checked it out and I'm really glad I did.  Although it is sometimes a sad and existential book, it is occasionally very funny.

6).  Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway
This novel is set in NYC and following a recent college graduate, Dawn, who gets a job working for a Glamour-esque magazine Charm.  She's in charge of tracking down past winners of the magazine's "Ten Girls to Watch" contest and is frankly just happy to have a job. The book has a fun, light premise, but it turned out to be way less formulaic and more inspiring than I initially would have guessed.  I really like the way the love triangle between Dawn, her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, Lily, is resolved. 

5).  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Everybody in the world (or at least this country) has probably read this book all ready.  I really enjoyed the first half of the book and after the big twist, I couldn't put the book down.  Dark Places is still my favorite book by Flynn, but Gone Girl is a great read.   

4).  Where'd You  Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
This is the funniest book on the list.  Bernadette Fox was once a brilliant architect but is now a very eccentric stay-at-home mom who hates her home city of Seattle and people in general.  After some increasingly odd behavior, Fox mysteriously goes missing before a promised trip to Antarctica.
 
3).  Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This is great, suspenseful memoir about Strayed's solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

2).  Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
This non-fiction book is a grand and absorbing read that takes place in modern day Mumbai.  Boo adds so many small details into the book that it reads like an excellent work of fiction, but is instead an incredible piece of journalism.

1).  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has been one of my favorite teen authors for a while and now he's gone and written a masterpiece!  This is an excellent novel about teens wrestling with existential issues, cancer and falling in love for the first time. 

Favorite Children books:

1).  Oh, No George by Chris Haughton
George is a dog who has trouble doing the right thing.  Will he learn from his lessons?

2).  Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
 Author Adam Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri are a very funny duo.  I love their Those Darn Squirrels! books, but this simple tale of non-spicy taco loving dragons is my favorite of their work.

3).  This is Not My Hat by J. Klassen
Klassen is one of my favorite illustrator's working today.  His books have a very distinctive (and cool) look to them.  This darkly funny book is the follow up to last year's I Want My Hat Back.  

Favorite Cookbooks:

1).  Homemade Winter by Yvette van Boven
I was a really big van Boven first Home Made last year, and this book is equally as compelling.  The design of the book is really cool, with a mixture of gorgeous food pictures and quirky illustrations.  And the book is loaded with great recipes for cooks who want to try making their food from scratch. 

2).  Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles, and Snacks by Rick Bayless
Margaritas are probably one of my favorite cocktails to go with food, and this book by one of Chicago's greatest chefs has tons of very fancy twists on the margarita.  This is a great cookbook for parties.

3).  Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson
As an avid baker, I get tired of seeing recipes for the same desserts over and over again in cook books.  But this book has lots of new, usual recipes to discover like avocado cake or black pepper and goat cheese truffles.  Vegan recipes and single portion desserts are also included.  It's a refreshingly unique book.  Joy Wilson's blog of the same name is a also a good read for foodies. 

4).  Feast of Ice and Fire by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
Inspired by the George R.R. Martin book series (Songs of Ice and Fire) which was turned into the HBO Series Game of Thrones, this book has lots of exotic ingredients and medieval flair.   I can't honestly say that I would make any of the recipes in the book, and I might even be a little bit afraid to eat some of the dishes.  However, it is really cool to browse.

5).  True Food by Andrew Weil
If you are looking for health conscious recipes, it's hard to to beat this beautifully photographed book. Best of all, Weil has recipes for cocktails!

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Author Frances Hodgson Burnett was born November 24, 1849, in Manchester, England. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1865, living near Knoxville, Tennessee. To help with her family's finances Frances started to submit stories to women's magazines, which lead to her publishing children's books, novels, and even plays.

In honor of her birthday, here are some materials in our collection you may want to check out. For the books, the years in parenthesis denote the original publication date.

The Secret Garden (1911)
Norton Critical Edition:
PB CLASSIC BURNETT (other versions also located in JUV FICTION BURNETT)
Find it in the catalog!

The Secret Garden is one of my favorite books. Mary Lennox, a spoiled, bratty girl, is sent to live at her reclusive uncle's Yorkshire estate in England after her parents die of cholera in India. Mary is transformed into an independent, active girl through her time spent out in nature in the gardens and develops close friendships with Martha, Dickon, and her cousin Colin.

We have two movie adaptations at the library. I love the 1993 movie adaptation, starring Kate Mabley and Maggie Smith:

The Secret Garden (1993)
J-DVD FICTION SECRET
Find it in the catalog!

The Secret Garden (1975 TV adaptation)
Find it in the catalog!

Other books by Frances Hodgson Burnett:

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

A Little Princess (1905)
PB CLASSIC BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

The Lost Prince (1915)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Sara Crewe: Or, What Happened at Miss Minchin's (1888)
JUV FICTION BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Biography:
Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden
by Angelica Shirley Carpenter
JUV BIOGRAPHY BURNETT
Find it in the catalog!

Good reads from the children's and teen departments

These books come recommended from Adult Summer Reading participants, but you won't find the books located in the Adult department....

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
TEEN ALEXIE
Find it in the catalog!
“Fantastic! I read it from start to finish the first day I had it. Anyone who parents, teaches, or mentors kids needs to read this for an eye-opening look at what prejudice can do to their self-esteem.”
– Ellen M.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
JUV FICTION KINNEY
Find it in the catalog!
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a great book and it is worth reading for both adults and middle schoolers. It is funny and pokes fun at many of the things people 20-30+ experienced. Quick read and worth reading."
-- Andrew F.

One by Kathryn Otoshi
NEW JE OTOSHI
Find it in the catalog!
"One is an awesome book for anyone who has kids or works with kids. As a teacher, I would recommend this book to everyone in the field. Kathryn Otoshi has an amazing way of taking a topic like bullying and presenting it in an approachable way through the use of brush strokes and colors. Incredible book! Must read for all who work with children."
-- Andrew F.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
JUV FICTION RIORDAN

The Battle of The Labyrinth
Find it in the catalog!
"The Battle of the Labyrinth was an exciting book. The plot was well-written with a good amount of excitement, love, and action. I loved the twist with one of the characters."
-- Sandra L.

The Last Olympian
Find it in the catalog!
“Perfect ending to the series. Loved how Riordan left the ending open for more books. It was the perfect mix of good reading for teens and adults.”
-- Sandra L.

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
JUV FICTION SPEARE
Find it in the catalog!
Recommended as a good coming-of-age story.

Cute Author Alert: Mac Barnett

Mac Barnett: In fact, almost all my ideas for books have come to me while traveling. The others occur to me while taking showers.
Adam Rex: Now he's got a hundred children's librarians picturing him in the shower. Le travail bien fait, Mac Barnett.
 

Mac Barnett is a children's book author and strongman-for-hire.  He is also a director of 826 LA, a non-profit organization that helps support and improve children's and teenagers' writing skills. 826 LA has a sense of humor and whimsy about itself not usually associated with after-school programs, including their store called the Echo Park Time Travel Mart (a convenience store for time travelers, motto: "Whenever you are, we're already then") and allowing Sam Rockwell the opportunity to tute children.  He participated in the Guys Read series started by author Jon Scieszka, which promotes reading and literacy to boys, you can read more about the program here and here (and see more pictures of Mac and fellow cute author Adam Rex). Just when I thought Mac couldn't get any dreamier, it turns out he's a fan of librarians too:

Cute Author Alert: Adam Rex

Not only is Adam Rex attractive, but he's talented too!  He is an illustrator and author of several children's books including Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Psst!, and the True Meaning of Smekday. Adam has a quirky sense of humor that stands out in all of his books, whether he is portraying the Phantom of the Opera being tortured by annoying earworms like "the Girl from Impanema" or naming the lead character in Smekday Gratuity (nickname: Tip).  Even the book trailer for Smekday is funny. it's a training video from the Boovs (aliens that invade Earth in the novel) featuring a stick-wielding Boov whacking knowledge into a human.  His blog is a lot of fun too; it has original artwork and anecdotes.

Check out a book written and illustrated by him:

Frankenstein Takes the Cake.
The True Meaning of Smekday.
Psst!
Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich.

Check out a book illustrated by him:

Guess Again! Written by Mac Barnett.
Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem. Written by Mac Barnett.
Lucy Rose: Busy Like You Can't Believe. Written by Katy Kelly.
Ste-e-e-e-eamboat a-comin'! Written by Jill Esbaum
Lucky Rose: Here's the Thing About Me. Written by Katy Kelly.
The Dirty Cowboy. Written by Amy Timberlake.