Wednesday, July 1, 2015

July

Paul Engle: "Our small ears never had such a workout as on the Fourth of July, hearing not only our own bursting crackers but also those of our friends, and often the boom of homemade cannons shot off by daring boys."


It has been a long time since I've been double-dog dared, but it happened recently in my library. In the lobby. On a Monday morning.

In Cedar Rapids, the summer reading program dares library patrons of all ages to explore, imagine, change, learn and read. One question from Imagine It week, June 21-27, was if you could have one super power, what would it be? For the week including the Fourth of July, we're encouraged to make someone laugh, tell family and friends what we love about them, and make a list of things we do well. A future dare is to read a book but before reading the last chapter, write our own ending. How would you have ended The Girl on the Train or The Husband's Secret or Queen of the Tearling? Later this summer we'll write our bucket lists, start a journal, share a book or movie recommendation with friends, and learn a new word every day for one week. The library staff has dared us to read 300 minutes between June 1 and August 22. We've been double-dog dared to read 650 minutes; triple-dog dared to read 850 minutes.    

As summer settles in and the temperature rises, explore your hometown library. Find a new author to read or try a different genre. If you've never read science fiction or mysteries, now is the time. If you've always wondered how to grill a pizza (cookbooks/641.8248), now is the time. If you've been meaning to volunteer, now is the time. You've been double-dog dared!! 

                           * * * * *
New books on the shelves: Stuart Woods, Catherine Coulter, Brad Thor, Leah Stewart, A. J. Rich, Julia Pierpont, Robin Kirman, Paula McLain, Harper Lee, and Dr. Seuss. It's true - amid great controversy is the publication of Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman. And the estate of Dr. Seuss will release What Pet Should I Get? 

July is National Make a Difference to Children Month.



 John F. Kennedy Library
              July Days

1   -  International Joke Day
        Second Half of the New Year Day

2-5 - National Tom Sawyer Days

4   -  United States of America, 1776
        Birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804), The Scarlet Letter

8  -   Birth of Anna Quindlen (1952, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake 

10 - Teddy Bear Picnic Day
       Clerihew Day...Feeling silly? Write a four line poem with a rhyming scheme of AABB and make it biographical. Or, read Lost Clerihews of Paul Ingram. 

11  - Bowdler's Day. In honor of Dr. Thomas Bowdler who "cleaned up" William Shakespeare's writing. History can decide if Dr. Bowdler was a prude.

15  - Take Your Favorite Poet to Work Day. The poet's photo will be just fine!

20  - Birth of Cormac McCarthy (1933), The Road

22  - Spoonerism Day. In honor of Rev. William Spooner who had a habit of making verbal gaffes such as fighting a liar instead of lighting a fire.

23-26 - Hemingway Look-alike Days

24   - Tell an Old Joke Day..."A horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks, 'Why the long face?' "  

26  - Birth of George Bernard Shaw (1856), Man and Superman

30  - Paperback Book Day 

31  - Birth of J.K. Rowling (1965), Harry Potter series 

                                        
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