Blog: Aurora Public Library Blog

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

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Family Book Club: "Out of My Shell" (Chapters 12-23)

Family Book Club

"Out of My Shell" by Jenny Goebel is our Family Book Club pick for November!

Out of My Shell: Chapters 12-23
1. Olivia helped the sea turtle by smashing the pool's emergency light. Was this the right thing to do?
2. Now the turtle has made a nest, Olivia realizes the eggs are not safe. What does she try to do to protect them?
3. Since her barrier didn't work, what do you think she'll try next?
4. If you were in Olivia's shoes, what would YOU do?
5. She left the nest alone and the eggs hatched but some of the babies went the wrong way! Do you think calling the aquarium was a good idea?
6. Everything resolves itself well in the end and Lanie teaches Olivia to see a bit of hope in their situation. How did you like the book?

Copies of "Out of My Shell" are available at Tallyn's Reach Library and Jefferson County Public Libraries and unlimited eAudiobooks are available via hoopla digital - free with your library card!

Join Aurora Public Library and Jefferson County Public Library for a live Q&A with author Jenny Goebel on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. via Zoom! Register here.

Posted by [email protected] On Nov 23, 2020 at 2:11 PM

Create It! Fall Doorhanger

Create It! Trick or Treat Boxes
by Karen

It's Make It Monday! This week, Karen shares a fun and easy DIY to make a festive doorhanger - perfect decor for fall!

Posted by [email protected] On Nov 23, 2020 at 9:00 AM

Read It! "The Little Shop of Lost Things" by Paula Brackston

Read It! "The Little Shop of Found Things" by Paula Brackston
by Nicole

Hello there! Like I said before, I am giving my reviews on the books that have been chosen to read in my virtual Wisconsin book club group! Once a month, we all get together on videochat and discuss the book we picked for that month. It’s been great to catch up with them since we moved out here, and even better being able to discuss books! Our next book we picked to read was “The Little Shop of Found Things” by Paula Brackston.

This was actually the book I recommended to the group because I had read other novels by Paula Brackston such as “The Witch’s Daughter” and “The Winter Witch”. She mostly writes historical fantasy novels which is why I was excited to read another book by her. “The LIttle Shop of Found Things” was published in 2018 and categorized as a historical fiction, romance and fantasy novel. All good genres rolled into one! This book is about a young woman named Xanthe (pronounced Z-an-thee) and her mother Flora who move from London to a tiny town named Marlborough for a fresh start. Xanthe has a unique gift, when she touches an antique they “sing” to her. Meaning she senses the stories they hold and where they might have come from. Xanthe and her mother open up an antiques shop, with the hopes of Xanthe’s gift will help them flourish. As they are preparing to open the shop, Xanthe finds an intense connection to a silver chatelaine. As she tries to examine it more, Xanthe is transported back to the chatelaine’s origins, the 17th Century. An unkown spirit also appears seeking Xanthe’s help by saving her daughter, who was wrongly accused. As Xanthe tries to save this girl in 1605, she also meets an architect named Samuel Appleby. Can he help her succeed in her quest or will he become the reason she can’t bear to leave?

I loved this concept of having a gift like that where you can touch objects and learn their past and stories, and some be able to visit the time of their origins. Xanthe is an admirable and loveable character who wants to help her mom succeed with their antique shop, while also wanting to help pure strangers such as the spirit and her daughter. Not only is there time-travel but also a budding romance. Xanthe finds herself desperately attempting to fit into the seventeeth century but also keeping to her true personality in the presence of Samuel. While we did enjoy the story, there were times we did feel that is a slower developing story than most. It takes some time for us to learn the chatelaine’s importance and why it’s so imperative that the spirit’s daughter must be saved. However if you enjoy a slower paced storytelling with a hint of romance, you will enjoy this book. And bonus: it’s part of a series! The sequel, “Secrets of the Chocolate House”, was published in 2019. And expected sometime this year will be the third installment of the series, “The Garden of Promises and Lies”.

For books similar to the "Little Shop of Found Things", check out “The Book Charmer” (Dove Pond, #1) by Karen Hawkins, “Midnight at the Blackbird Café” by Heather Webber and “The Witch's Kind” by Louisa Morgan.

Check back for my review of our next book club pick - “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

Posted by [email protected] On Nov 20, 2020 at 9:12 AM

Draw It! Polar Bear

Grab a pencil and paper - it's time to Draw It!  Our staff member Kristin shows how to draw an adorable polar bear!

Posted by [email protected] On Nov 19, 2020 at 12:53 PM

HELLO: E is for Elephant

HELLO stands for Hand-on Early Literacy for Little Ones. In this program children will sing songs, work on fine and gross motor skills, learn about letters, numbers and science and develop early literacy skills. Ages 0-6.

This week's video is all about the letter E, as in elephant!

Posted by [email protected] On Nov 19, 2020 at 12:52 PM

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