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.
A Yarn About the World - Berlin
with Tyler
It's #TravelTuesday!
Our resident globetrotter Tyler shares his travel experiences. This
time, take a trip to Berlin! Tyler shares the important role Berlin has
played in world history while sharing photos of modern Berlin.
Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
May Family Book Club
with Tess
In this club we read middle grade fiction appropriate for ages 6-12, but anyone is welcome if you enjoy children's literature! I will be posting discussion questions weekly based on the book we are reading and I will also provide activities that relate. Please comment on the discussion questions so we can stay connected through reading!
May's book is "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker! Available instantly through hoopla digital as an eBook and an eAudiobook.
1. Pax and Peter have a close relationship. Do you have a pet that you feel close to? Would you travel to find them if they were lost?
2. Do you like that the chapters take turns between Peter and Pax's point of view?
3. What do you think of the other foxes that Pax meets? Can he trust them?
4. Do you understand why the vixen does not trust Pax?
5. There is a war starting between the humans, which is why Peter has to go live with his grandfather. Do you think this will be a major theme in the book? Do you think it will keep Peter and Pax apart?
Share your answers to the questions below in the comments and tell us what you think of the book so far!
Game Reviews by Brandon, Elizabeth, Kristin & Stacy
Hello everyone! We hope you’ll enjoy these reviews for free games to amuse you during this time. These are a mix of browser and smartphone games - none of them will cost you anything to play.
Relaxing games to help you de-stress.
Alto’s Adventure
A game available on your app store for iPhone, Android and Windows
Plug in your headphones, because this game will deserve all of your attention. For my fellow Coloradans out there, we have been missing our sweet, sweet mountain time. Bring the serenity and beauty of the mountains with you, everywhere you go. Your goal is simple, last as long as you can shredding through the slopes. Pits and rocks are scattered about, but a simple tap or click will result in your character jumping and flipping over any peril that may come their way. Upgrades are unlockable such as a wingsuit and characters with unique skill-sets are available as you progress through the game with no microtransactions required. I would highly recommend the Zen Mode where your progress does not reset after making a mistake. You can endlessly continue on your adventure. It should be noted that you can compare how far you’ve made it with other players on the online leaderboards, but that will not be what brings you back to this game. The captivating visuals and soothing music will put the worries of your world on hold as you fall into the trance that is "Alto’s Adventure". - Brandon
Winter Bells
A browser-based game available here
A soothing game where you play as a bunny who jumps on bells to climb into the sky. You get more points the higher you jump, but with the calming music and the cute design, it's hard to feel punished for falling. Click initially to move, but after that you can control the bunny just based on mouse movements. Pro tip: Birds double your current score, so they're definitely worth going for. - Kristin
Lieve Oma
Available free through itch.io here
It’s mushroom season, and your grandmother has asked you to help her pick penny buns. Except, of course, this isn’t about mushrooms: it’s about walking through the woods in the early autumn with your grandmother, who loves you whether you find one penny bun or a hundred. Unlike the other games in this blog post, Lieve Oma doesn’t have a high score chart or a leaderboard. You don’t have to jump or climb, just walk using the arrow keys or WASD. Soft piano music plays as you trundle along in your grandmother’s footsteps: you’ve been lonely and sad, you see, but she’s here to listen and promise that everything is going to be okay. Nothing bad happens in this game. I walked and found a few mushrooms, and then my character went home to have hot cocoa and mushroom risotto. This game's pure comfort food. - Elizabeth
Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector
A game available on your app store for either iPhone or Android.
A passive game where you collect photos of as many different neighbor cats as you can! It’s simple: you buy new cat toys and food with in-game money given to you by your friendly kitties, place them in your house and/or yard, close the app and when you check in later you’ll find a many variety of kitties enjoying your snacks and toys! With 60+ cats to collect, there are so many different personalities to meet and collect – starting with your first visitor, a cute white cat named Snowball, to my personal favorite, a cardboard train-conducting, hat-wearing, whistle-blowing cat name Conductor Whiskers. - Stacy
What are your comfort food games? Did you net a high score playing Winter Bells or enjoy a few hours of Zen Mode in Alto’s Adventure? Let us know in the comments!
**Video may contain spoilers**
Join APL staff each week for a discussion of some of their current reads! Each week they will discuss a book from a different genre. Join the discussion live on Facebook each Friday at 1 p.m. (MST) and leave your thoughts in the comments below!
The next discussion will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2020 on our Facebook page and will feature "The Wild Geese" by Mori Ōgai (available instantly on hoopladigital.com).
Other upcoming titles, all available instantly from hoopla digital, include:
- May 15, "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben
- May 22, "All Out: the No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages" by Saundra Mitchell
- May 29, "A Princess in Theory: Reluctant Royals #1" by Alyssa Cole
Draw It! by Kristin
Grab a pencil and piece of paper - it's time to Draw It! Our APL staff member Kristin shows step-by-step how to draw a pirate ship ready to sail the seas (or soar off to Neverland)!
Let us know how your pirate ship turns out in the comments below and tell us which drawing tutorial you'd like to see next!
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