We’re hiring!
The library is now accepting applications for a part-time Custodian position. Please visit https://www.fondulaclibrary.org/about-us/jobs for more information.
FDL Reads: The Book of Dust
The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman
Reviewed by: Dave Gibbons, Library Volunteer
Genre: Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: People come and go from the trout pub, bringing with them news and gossip. Few notice young Malcolm Prescot the unassuming son of the pub’s owners, but he notices them. This sort of notice draws him into a intriguing world of spy work and espionage that comes abruptly to a head when the adventurous Lord Azrael leaves his daughter, a baby named Lyra at the local convent. Events quickly escalate as a flood tears through Malcolm’s world. Psychotic assassins, religious authorities and even the occasional obsessive witch are all trying to get the child, so it falls to Malcolm and his co-worker Alice to take the infant Lyra on a journey from their small hamlet up the flooded waters to find her father, all the while learning fragments of information about the mysterious substance called Dust.
My Review: As the first volume of a prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy also by Pulman, this book unfortunately suffers from the problems that many prequels do. Readers essentially know the ending, so the stakes are not exceptionally high. It is also nearly impossible to build up suspense regarding Dust and the science behind it as it has already been explained in previous books. The oppressive religious authorities that were the antagonists in the His Dark Materials trilogy are further demonized in The Book of Dust, eliminating even the scantest bit of subtlety. This heavy handed injection of Pulman’s views toward organized religion becomes a distraction, pulling even those who share his views out of the story. This being said, the story is a well written and exciting adventure, the main characters and their associates are relatable, and you do come to care about them. The world itself is colorful with an air of a “dungeons and dragons” campaign about it. Unfortunately I was still left with the question ”what was the point of all that?” something I hope will be explained in future volumes.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Adventure, Rebellious, Prequel
Give This a Try if You Like… The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, and Willow by Wayland Drew, George Lucas, and Bob Dolman
Rating: 3/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
Winter 2018 Newsletter Now Available
The latest issue of Community Connection, Fondulac District Library’s quarterly newsletter, is now available! It is mailed to residences within the library district and also is available for download and printing from our website. Printed copies can also be picked up at the library.
Whether you are into history, writing, gaming, music, science, or crafts, we’ve got something planned for everyone at the library this winter! Please take a moment to review the newsletter and mark your calendars with the great lineup of programs happening at Fondulac District Library through March. Enjoy!
FDL Reads: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Library Volunteer
Genre: Coming-of-age fiction
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: Rose first tastes the emotion in cooked items as she nears her 9th birthday. She arrives home from school to find her mother preparing to bake a cake. On the counter are eggs, sugar, flour, lemon peel, chocolate icing, and rainbow sprinkles. When the cake finishes baking, Rose sneaks a taste. The bite was initially delicious, but that impression is quickly replaced. Rose’s mouth filled “with the taste of smallness, the sensation of shrinking, of upset, tasting a distance [she] somehow knew was connected to [her] mother.” Her second taste – although yummy – includes “in each bite: absence, hunger, spiraling, hollows.” These are Rose’s first bites of tasting the emotion in her food, food of any and all types made by and grown by all kinds of people of varying emotions from many places. It is, at first, a heavy and frightening burden, made worse because nearly no one believes what she is encountering.
My Review: I don’t normally like coming-of-age fiction, but the premise of this book – as well as the delicious cake on the cover – intrigued me. I ended being very glad that I read this book! It’s written in the first person, so you are immediately drawn into Rose’s life and what she is thinking and feeling. Page by page, her emotional tasting expands, leading her to learn unimagined things about her dysfunctional family: a rather depressed mother who hasn’t found satisfaction in life, a father who is a good provider but retreats emotionally and a brother who echoes his parents’ dissatisfaction with life and emotional retreat. While my description here might make the book sound rather depressing to read, in fact it was quite interesting to read how each of the characters coped (or didn’t cope) with their lives and how Rose grows into her exceptional gift. I was left at the end with a sense of hope that a person could learn to cope with exceptional gifts and daunting circumstances. It’s a creative and satisfying read!
Three Words That Describe This Book: Extrasensory, Imaginative, Psychological
Give This a Try if You Like… thinking about where food comes from or reading about psychic phenomena
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
Online Research Resources
These and other online research resources are available at the library or online 24/7 with your Fondulac District Library card:
News, Magazines, and Journals – East Peoria Times Courier, Peoria Journal Star, popular magazines, and articles from scholarly publications
Genealogy – Ancestry Library Edition* and HeritageQuest Online
Automotive – Driving permit practice tests and car repair and maintenance information from Chilton Library
Careers and Education – Tools for resume building, job searching, certification exams, and more
Technology – Tutorials for Microsoft Office, social media, and Internet usage
Health – Wellness information and guides to symptoms, treatments, and drug interactions
Finance and Law – Legal forms, legal self-help, and information on the Constitutional Amendments
Geography, History, and Culture – Maps, statistics, and other information on nations worldwide
*Due to licensing restrictions, these resources are only available to users in the library.
Please visit or call the library at (309) 699-3917 if your have questions or need assistance with accessing these resources.
FDL Reads: Hellboy: The Storm and the Fury
Hellboy: The Storm and the Fury by Mike Mignola
Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Circulation Specialist
Genre: Graphic Novel – Horror
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: Nimue, former consort of Merlin, has raised an army of displaced and disgruntled magical beings. They are intent on destroying the world of men and of summoning The Dragon. Hellboy is all that can stand against them, and both sides are pushing him to take up the crown and summon his army. Which crown, you ask? Either the crown of Hell or the crown of England; both are his by right of birth. Destiny is pushing, but Hellboy is having none of it. Will he be able to fight an army alone and save the world?
My Review: The previous 11 volumes of the Hellboy series, as well as several issues of B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson and Edward Grey have been leading us up to this point. Little incidents prove to be the pebbles before the rock slide that catches up the world. You don’t have to have read them all, but it does fill in lots of gaps. This volume also seems to be the story line that will be the basis of the new Hellboy movie, slated to come out in 2018. Hellboy has had it rough. By this point, he’s been beaten more times that I can remember. He’s even died, although that might have been part of a hallucination (the pain was real enough for him to remember it). And as the story unravels, he learns of his heritage – the truth about who his mother and father are, and the purpose of his conception – and multiple versions of his destiny. He’s also found love in the form of Alice, a woman he saved from the fairies when she was a baby. I just want Hellboy to be happy, but it’s not in the cards.What surprised me with this is the tackling of the question free will and destiny/fate. Since the beginning, Hellboy has been told he has a destiny, that he was created for a purpose. He’s fought it every step of the way. Each person who tells him of his fate is usually met with a “screw you” response. Every person has also had different versions of what his destiny is, each one true, but not complete. This volume ties them all together and shows that no matter what path he takes, Hellboy was going to end up here. He takes on the task on his terms, but how much of it was his choice?
Three Words That Describe This Book: Wow, Exciting, Brutal
Give This a Try if You Like… Paranormal Adventure, Action Movies, Philosophical questions of freewill
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
FDL Reads: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
Reviewed by: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
Genre: Historical/Cultural Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Li-Yan is a member of the Akha people, an ethnic minority in the remote hills of China. The Akha are known for cultivating tea, a practice that has been passed down for generations. Li-Yan plans to follow in the footsteps of her mother and become a midwife, but when she meets and falls in love with another Akha boy, Li-Yan’s plans are forever changed.
My Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Lisa See. I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author several years ago and learned so much about the Chinese practice of foot-binding. See has again done quite a bit of research for The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. The details about the Akha culture and the art of cultivating tea are fascinating. This novel is full of emotion as the author explores the relationships between mother and daughter, the pain of loss, and the joy of finding yourself. I highly recommend this novel if you are interested in Asian culture and identity.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Heartbreaking, emotional, engaging
Give This a Try if You Like… Other books by Lisa See, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Leavers
Rating: 3/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
New & Upcoming Titles for Winter 2017
An updated list of New & Upcoming Titles at Fondulac District Library has been added to the website! The books on this list are available to check out or place on hold.
Here is a sampling of a few of the latest titles:
FDL Reads: The Clockwork Dagger
The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato
Reviewed by: Joscelyn Lockwood, Children’s Department
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Octavia Leander was orphaned by a never ending war, her parents killed in a bombing. Raised to embrace her gifts as medician by Miss Percival, she’s about to leave on her first real mission to heal a town ravaged by plague. However, she soon finds out upon boarding the airship that not everything is as clear cut as it seems. Political intrigue and secrets abound, and before the ship embarks, Octavia finds herself starting to doubt everything she thought she knew to be true.
My Review: The weaving of magic and science was remarkable compared to a lot of other magic-forward novels. I also enjoyed the amount of secrecy between characters, which runs alongside the overlying war plot. There were some negatives as well, namely how oblivious Octavia could be even when faced with overwhelming evidence toward a fact. Overall, I was left feeling like the character development was lacking compared to the great development of the world as a whole.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Mild, Underwhelming, Awkward
Give This a Try if You Like… Steampunk, Quick reads, Magic and Science Mixing.
Rating: 3/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
#FDL: High School Study Night
High School Study Night
One of the really cool things that happens at FDL is our lock-in study night program for students in grades 9 through 12. Twice a year, in May and December, the library opens its doors to high school students only for a few hours on the Sunday night before their midterm or final exams. This December, study night will be on the 17th. The library’s doors close to the public at 5pm and open back up to students at 5:30. Study night usually ends around 8pm. Although we hope students actually get studying done in the time they’re here, there are a couple of other reasons to come to study night.
- You get the library all to yourselves. Study night is a time for high school students to come to FDL and check it out without adults taking up all the space and shushing them. FDL has a dedicated Teen Area, but study night is a time for high school students to sit wherever they want and be themselves.
- Food. FDL knows that your brain needs fuel. That’s why we provide a wide variety of snacks and drinks for study night. Cookies, candy, chips, crackers, pretzels, soda, and water – it’s all there for you to much on while studying.
- Free books. Throughout the year, FDL gets books that are called ARCs. ARC stands for Advance Reader Copy. What that means is the book is not available yet for the general public to buy but will be soon. We get these books to promote them. A number of these books that we get are for teens. FDL holds onto those books for study night and gives them away to the students who show up. They’re pretty good books too.
- Gift cards. Before everyone leaves for the night, we do a drawing for gift cards to Barnes & Noble (sometimes Target). Anyone who comes to study night and stays until the end is automatically entered into the drawing.
- Extra credit. A lot of high school teachers offer extra credit to students who attend study night and stay for the duration of the event. You’ll have to check to see which teachers offer this, but the extra credit it totally worth it if your grade needs that extra bump.
So, FDL goes all out for study night. Signing up ahead of time is voluntary (you can also sign up at the event) and no ID is required to attend. Just bring your books and your brains – we hope to see you there!
Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist
About #FDL
Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.