Saturday, August 25^th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Children’s Author Jeanne M. Freeman and Illustrator Anne Recchia
Join us on the town common as we meet this local author and artist who collaborated on a picture book titled Katie’s Pond. For the last couple of years in the spirit of “Art in August,” we have welcomed illustrators to learn more about their work. This year, we are excited to meet the creators of a book about Horn Pond....More

Sunday, September 16^th from 2-4 p.m.
Children’s Author and Illustrator Matt Tavares
Our favorite Winchester-raised children’s book illustrator has a new picture book, Iron Hans: A Grimms’ Fairy Tale. Filled with his beautiful artwork, this book makes a nice addition to any child’s library. We are excited to welcome him back for a Sunday afternoon signing....More

Saturday, September 29^th from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Launch of WINCHESTER READS
The WINCHESTER READS committee is unveiling their choice for the town-wide read at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual flea market. Held in the Jenks Center’s parking lot, please stop by the WINCHESTER READS booth to learn more about the upcoming events surrounding their pick, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin’s Three Cups of Tea....More

Dede writes: To truly enjoy your vacation, you need a book—or books! Five rainy days in the Berkshires or endless airport delays are rescued by having the right book on hand. Transport yourself to India with the fattest book around: Sacred Games (0061130354) by Vikram Chandra. Disappear into the crowds of Mumbai (Bombay) in Chandra's suspenseful story of a Sikh police officer and his opponent, a complicated and fascinating criminal. Finally, you will have the time to devote to this stunning novel....More

Keeping the World Away (0345496337) by Margaret Forster is a novel to appreciate anywhere this summer—even on your own back porch. Forster does not have to imagine the small painting by Gwen John that is the center of the book; a version of it is on display in a British museum as I write. Gwen, the sister of the celebrated painter Augustus John, was Rodin’s lover in Paris, and the painting of a small serene room marked the end of their affair. The painting was given to a friend, lost and then found, traveling from one young woman to another through the generations. The picture symbolizes each woman’s quest for self. In the art world today, Gwen John is seen as a more influential painter than Augustus and that, too, is part of the book’s power....More

Wallace Stegner’s Crossing to Safety (037575931X) is my favorite novel by this important American writer. In her introduction to this edition of the book, Terry Tempest Williams writes that all of his work explores the theme of “what it means to love.” This study of lifelong love and friendship between two very different couples in an academic world moved me to tears....More

Stephen L. Carter’s New England White (0375413626) is another novel set in academia. University president Lemaster Carlyle and his wife Julia, deputy dean at the university’s divinity school, face racial attacks and political complications when they discover the body of a colleague dead in a ditch during a winter storm. The fact that all three are African-American and that the university is a prominent one (not Yale, says the author, who is a professor of law there) makes the tension even greater. Adding more tension is the fact that Lemaster keeps in close touch with his college roommate, the President of the United States. Carter has woven a story that keeps the reader entertained and informed....More

Gretchen writes: Borkmann's Point (1400030323) by Hakan Nesser is a tightly written mystery novel. Swedish Chief Inspector Van Veeteren finds himself in a corner: he has almost too much information about a serial killer. To dissolve this factual smokescreen, Van Veeteren resorts to another inspector’s “point.” He stops searching for tracks and leads thereby clearing his mind to untangle the existing investigative threads that eventually lead to a surprising murderer and a rather touching ending. This dramatic crime story is balanced by an undertale that introduces the inspector and his colleagues in a warm, endearing light. Although new to American readers, Nesser is known throughout Europe for his “perfectly accomplished,” unique novels and has received many awards, including the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy Prize....More

William Boyd’s Restless (1596912375) is an espionage novel at its gripping best—a wonderful book for summer reading! In 1939, a woman eventually known as Sally Gilmartin is recruited to be an English spy. Flash forward to 1976 when, in fear for her life, Sally must reveal her true identity to Ruth, her adult daughter. This tale travels seamlessly through past and present, building to a dramatic climax. Along the way, the relationship between mother and daughter grows and changes, producing a satisfying subplot. Full of imaginative and historical details, Restless is a complex and intelligent book that captures the reader from the first page to the end.
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In A Month in the Country (0940322471) by J. L. Carr, Birkin, a veteran of World War I, is hired to uncover a medieval mural that was found in a remote Yorkshire church. Over the summer, as he gradually reveals the work of an anonymous painter, Birken himself is slowly restored to a hopeful life. A Month in the Country, which won the Guardian Fiction Prize, has been described as “unlike anything else in modern English literature.” “Oddly haunting,” this gentle novel leaves readers with a sense of peacefulness....More

Alice writes: I am in the midst of reading two books that are due to be released in August, and I am really enjoying both. The first, Letter from Point Clear (0805077669) by Dennis McFarland, is a wonderful novel that focuses the dysfunctional Owen family as they reunite in Point Clear, Alabama, less than a year after the death of the family’s patriarch, Roy. The youngest daughter, Bonnie, had returned to tend her sick father and to settle the estate; however, while home, she meets her husband, an evangelical preacher. Having spent a decade in NYC as an out-of-work actress and habitually poor decision-maker, her older siblings fly to Alabama to assess the situation and rescue Bonnie. Ellen and Morris left the South long ago and have become Northeasterners. Morris has been in a relationship with a man named Richard for more than a decade, but this does not jive well with the values of the preacher. Having already “saved” Bonnie, Pastor Vandorpe hopes to save Morris. Joining into this family reunion (and drama) are Pastor’s parents, and the scene that plays out involves heated discussions about everything from homosexuality and gay marriage to religion and property ownership. With sensitivity and humor, McFarland has written a story about how disparate characters can truly be connected, an idea that could save us all!...More

I am more than halfway through Laura Moriarty’s The Rest of Her Life (1401302718), which is reminiscent of the haunting family dramas that such novelists as Jodi Picoult expertly write. In fact, Picoult gave a glowing review of this novel. When a daughter in one Kansas family is involved in a horrible accident, the repercussions are felt amidst the family and throughout the town. The mother, Leigh, had been struggling with her relationship with her daughter, Kara, and the accident brings these intense and deeply-seeded emotions to the forefront. Leigh is forced to confront her troubled relationship with her daughter, her resentment toward her husband (who gets along well with Kara) and her long-buried angst about her own neglectful mother. This novel is very compelling and fast-paced, making it a great selection for book groups....More

Pat writes: All in Just One Cookie (0060090928) by Susan E. Goodman is a fun and informative read for all ages. Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite of everyone, but did you ever wonder where the many ingredients come from? This picture book begins as Grandma learns that visitors are coming, and she needs to bake some cookies. As she gathers up what she needs, her dog and cat research what she uses and where each ingredient comes from. Salt, butter, flour, soda: the delightful illustrations by Timothy Bush make the story of chocolate chip cookies great fun to read. ...More

Animal Friends: A Collection of Poems for Chrildren (0805038175) is a new anthology that is beautifully illustrated with watercolor, pencil and ink drawings by Michael Hague. In a picture book-sized format, Hague presents both classic and contemporary poetry that expresses the wonders of nature and animals, reinforcing our knowledge of and respect for the earth’s creatures....More

A new series titled “Insiders,” for the upper elementary and middle school student, was recently released. The four titles in this series—Space (1416938605), Dinosaurs (1416938575), Egypt (1416938583) and Oceans (1416938591)—are filled with facts and information as well as amazing photographs and illustrations. These books make a wonderful addition to a child’s nonfiction collection....More

A new series titled “Insiders,” for the upper elementary and middle school student, was recently released. The four titles in this series—Space (1416938605), Dinosaurs (1416938575), Egypt (1416938583) and Oceans (1416938591)—are filled with facts and information as well as amazing photographs and illustrations. These books make a wonderful addition to a child’s nonfiction collection....More

A new series titled “Insiders,” for the upper elementary and middle school student, was recently released. The four titles in this series—Space (1416938605), Dinosaurs (1416938575), Egypt (1416938583) and Oceans (1416938591)—are filled with facts and information as well as amazing photographs and illustrations. These books make a wonderful addition to a child’s nonfiction collection....More

Marilyn writes: In Garden of the Purple Dragon (1423103386), Carole Wilkinson continues the story of Ping who lives in the time of the Han Dynasty. The young orphan has survived her days as a slave at Huangling Palace but will face new challenges in the desolate mountains of Tai Shan. It is up to her to take care of a baby dragon named Kai. Food is scarce, and Ping must be vigilant to escape from their enemies. Even though she had not read Wilkinson’s previous book, Dragon Keeper (1423101715), student reviewer Erica recommended this book, calling it “wonderful.” She is looking forward to the next book. This story of courage and friendship is recommended for readers aged eight to twelve....More

Marilyn writes: In Garden of the Purple Dragon (1423103386), Carole Wilkinson continues the story of Ping who lives in the time of the Han Dynasty. The young orphan has survived her days as a slave at Huangling Palace but will face new challenges in the desolate mountains of Tai Shan. It is up to her to take care of a baby dragon named Kai. Food is scarce, and Ping must be vigilant to escape from their enemies. Even though she had not read Wilkinson’s previous book, Dragon Keeper (1423101715), student reviewer Erica recommended this book, calling it “wonderful.” She is looking forward to the next book. This story of courage and friendship is recommended for readers aged eight to twelve....More

Ari, aged 13, tells us that Billy Hooten Owlboy (0440421802) by Thomas E. Sniegoski is “about a boy named Billy Hooten. He is twelve years old and sort of strange. Billy spends much of his time building robots and reading comic books. His family thinks he should have more friends and be more active. One afternoon, Billy hears cries for help and discovers a goblin named Archibald who tries to convince Billy that he is the next “Owlboy,” a famous superhero in Monstrous City (a city underground). Billy accepts his new super-hero role and helps protect Montsrous City. I really liked this book. It was filled with adventure, monsters and comedy. I would recommend this book to fifth through ninth graders or anyone who likes adventures in comedy.”...More

Stephanie, 13, reviewed The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney (006113158X) by Suzanne Harper. Steph writes, “Sparrow Delaney has a big secret. She’s a gifted psychic and has been since the age of five. But she doesn’t want anyone to know, even her family of psychics. So, understandably, she is a little edgy starting high school. She meets many new people like chatty Fiona and sullen Jack, but the most unique of her new friends is a ghost named Luke whom Sparrow refuses to help. While she struggles through school, she also struggles with the endless arguments with her spirit guides. Will she let her gift be known? I enjoyed this book because the characters were really funny. I also liked the ending. I recommend it for ages ten and up.”...More

In Marlane Kennedy’s Me and the Pumpkin Queen (0061140228), 11-year old Mildred is focused on growing a prize-winning pumpkin. Ever since she was six—the spring after her mother died of cancer—Mildred has been trying to grow the big pumpkins she and her mother always admired at her hometown’s annual pumpkin show. This is a warm and lovely story about determination. Student reviewer Emily, 11, writes that Me and the Pumpkin Queen is a good book for third through seventh graders and “anyone who likes giant pumpkins.”...More

Judy H. writes: Newbery Honor Winner Jennifer Holm has a new novel for the 9 to 12-year old reader, Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf (0689852819). In scrapbook format, Ginny narrates her seventh grade year with all of her humorous and somewhat disastrous experiences—including dying her hair pink, losing the lead in ballet and destroying her science project. This is an enjoyable and hilarious look at middle school through the eyes of a 12-year old....More