Teens, take our survey!

Go to our survey for teens here.  Have a say in the programs at your library!

Brickhead Club this week

Holiday schedule

We will be closed on the following holidays:
Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve
Wednesday, December 25, Christmas
Wednesday, January 1, New Year's Day

We will be closing at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31.

We will be open regular hours all other days.

• No storytimes beginning this week until Saturday, January 14.

• No gaming night on Monday, December 23rd. It will be held on Monday, December 30.

• G.O.A.T. (high school teen advisory group) Christmas party will be held Monday, December 23rd, from 5-8 p.m.  Open to students in grades 9-12.  Please bring $5 for pizza; only hot chocolate will be provided.  Bring Christmas goodies if you wish.  Bring a white elephant gift to exchange. Wear your favorite holiday socks and hat.  We will be watching the movie Elf.

Take It From Our Teens

by Tiana Schweim

Litchfield library’s teen section of shelves is labeled YA, for Young Adult.  I got to thinking about that label recently.  You know, young adults are capable of juggling life and multi-tasking with the best of us!    Adolescents are a wonderful wealth of comedy and tragedy all wrapped up in eclectic packaging.  Their labels could all be stamped the same: YA Seeks Adventurous Relationship with Life!  I’ve learned not to judge a book by its cover.  Cracking open the cover of a teenager can encompass any genre you can imagine: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Adventure, Futuristic, Realistic, Historical, and Fantasy.  The challenge for me is to design teen programming that will offer a little bit of the abnormal anchored to good old-fashioned, non-fiction life in Litchfield.

Our teen program launched just a few months ago.  The handful of kids that were showing up to monthly book club discussions has grown into almost three dozen teens who are interested in getting involved in the decision-making process and advocating for event programming for their peers.  These young adults are academic, athletic, and have real-life families and part-time jobs that they are committed to.  They have relationships and friendships and they make time for reading as well.  These kids are as different as the content found between the covers of our YA books, but they all have one thing in common: They like to hang out at our library!

In October, we promoted Teen Read Week by hosting a short story contest.  We had twelve wonderful writers contribute their original manuscripts.  Our teens are authors!  We also hosted a teen advisory group event where we held our inaugural election of officers.  Our teens are voters and leaders!  The group decided to plan an event for December 1 to do a service project at the library.  This past Sunday, we had nine young adults who cleaned and decorated the library for Christmas.  Our teens are volunteers!  Our teens are decorators!  Our creative teens are inspired to see the work of their own hands and hearts come to fruition; they’re interested in investing in the community!

Tonight is the first big snowfall, and yet the library remains open to serve this community.  I sit here in our cozy public library with the reflection of twinkling lights all around me.  I wonder as my eyes wander around this giant room filled with shelves of every genre.  How many books were checked out today? How many hands have made use of our free computer stations, or our free Wi-Fi?  Will we ever know what we offer to the public as we hand them a book, a video, or a smile?  How lucky we are here in Litchfield to be blessed by the dreams and sacrifices of those who made our beautiful library a reality.

As Litchfield’s city sidewalks become busy sidewalks all dressed up in holiday style think of this.  Each day brings unique opportunity.  Maybe it’s time to get involved.  Maybe volunteering will be your resolution for 2014.  Don’t let the label on your shelf define who you are.  Take it from our teens, life is full of exciting new adventures, all you have to do is open the cover!

Note: The next Group Of Advising Teens (G.O.A.T.) event is scheduled for Monday, December 23, 5:00-8:00.  Bring a white elephant gift to exchange and $5 for pizza.  We will be watching the movie “Elf”.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL GOATS, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Our library's Group of Advising Teens (GOAT) cleaned and decorated the library for the holidays.  

They had fun, and it looks great!

Jennah Anderson, Winner of Short Story Contest

Congratulations to Jennah Anderson, the winner of the Teen Read Week short story contest! Jennah's short story, "Finally Free" was selected from among 14 entries by a group of outside judges. Her printed story will remain on display for the public until the end of 2013. She receives a $50 gift card to Walmart which was generously donated by the Friends of the Library group (Thank you, Friends!). Jennah is a serious reader and advocate for library programming for teens. She was recently elected by her peers to the office of President of our new Teen Advisory Group. Jennah is a freshman at Litchfield High School. She enjoys reading, drawing, and is an aspiring writer. Her favorite author is Maggie Stiefvater. Way to go, Jennah!

"FINALLY FREE" by Jennah Anderson

The waves washed over me once again, sending me spiraling towards the cove.  I knew if I didn’t get out of the water, and soon, I would die.  The island my lifeboat had been headed towards towered above me.  I surfaced and gulped in air, trying to see over the waves.  My searches were hopeless though, only revealing rocky shoreline.  The waves would dash me upon the rocks and that would be the end of little Ana Pierce. 

Another wave descended upon me, bringing me even closer to the rocks.  Something bumped my leg, but I was far more worried about the rocks than any shark or squid that inhabited these waters.  I braced myself for the next wave, getting ready to swim under like I had seen surfers do on TV.  As I dove, I felt the water spiraling above me.  Coming up again, I looked to the shoreline, praying for a miracle.  Being this close to the rocks, if I didn’t find anything in this search, I was a goner.  

A sigh of relief overtook me as I found the sandy cove, hidden for view when I was farther out.  I began to swim diagonally towards the cove entrance, diving under every wave, swimming closer inch by inch.  As I swam closer though, fatigue began to set in, which didn’t surprise me, I had been swimming in the storm for quite sometime.  As I began to fantasize about land, a huge tube wave sent me crashing into the rocks.  I covered my head, managing to mainly shelter it, though I still hit pretty hard.  When the wave subsided, I was carried back out with the next waves undertow.  The next one slammed me against the jagged rocks again, and I felt a rib crack.  As I was again carried back out with an undertow, something grabbed my pant leg and dragged me farther under.  I prayed it would be over soon, as my breath began to leave my lungs, and the world turned black.

I woke up on the beach, facedown.  I propped myself up and began to cough up water, scaring myself with the amount I had ingested.  Turning over, I sat up, and glanced towards the island, bathed pale white in the moonlight.  I sighed as my searching showed me no one, leaving my unanswered question as to who rescued me.  I slowly managed to stand up, annoyed with my salt sticky t-shirt and jeans.  I made to move forward but I was stopped in my tracks by a pair of glowing red eyes.  There, standing before me, is what kept all of us kids out of the ocean.  What sent shivers down everyone's spines.  And what I had been told had slaughtered a whole towns years before on our home island.  An equitum aquæ.

A water horse.

The pitch black stallion advanced towards me, slowly and confidently.  I held still, praying it would get bored quickly without any chase.  It raised it’s slender head high and let out a shrill sound that reminded me of the sound of hurricane wind.  An answering keening came from the sea and the stallion glanced it’s way, pawing the sand.  Looking back my way, I could see the hatred in the horse’s eye, and it must have saw my fear.  It grinned, a gruesome horrifying smile of sharp pointed teeth, before taking another step further.

A splashing sound drew my attention towards the coves glassy smooth water.  The storm had subsided, though a wave was drawing nearer and nearer.  The stallion raised his head and let out a scream that shattered the silent night.  As the wave reached shore, the stallion rose to meet it.  Only then did I notice the other water horse, riding the wave in.  The equitum aquæ met each other with a sound like thunder, each keening their challenge to the other.  The stallions circled each other in the sand, and I backed away closing my eyes as they rose to meet each other again.  I heard a cry of pain and the sound of a horse running into the ocean.  I opened my eyes to see the pitch black stallion look me in the eye before retreating to the ocean.  With a single splash, he disappeared.

I heard the champion stallion began to keen his triumph, a scary sound sending chills down my spine.  I slowly turned to look at the champion, who practically glowed in the night light.  His main body was a rich cream color, stained on his neck with a streak of blood, while he had pitch black stockings.  His tail swished back and forth, showing that it too, along with his mane he was currently shaking, where pitch black.  He rose on his hind legs, pawing the air in front of him with a final scream before landing and turning to me, with his startlingly green eyes.

I dropped to my knees and put my head in my hands, I waited for him to kill me.

And waited.

“Are you alright?” a quiet whisper reached me.

I glanced up, only to jump back as my eyes alit upon a boy about my age squatting before me.  “Who are you?  Where the heck did you come from?” I cried, astonished that someone else was there.

He ran his hand through his night black hair, raising his green eyes to meet mine.  I gasped, then looked to his neck.  I groaned and buried my face in my hands yet again.  “Are you serious?  Am I really on this island, of all places?” I mumbled through my hands.

A quiet chuckle emanated from him.  “Yes it is this island,” he told me quietly, “they must really paint us out as terrible creatures on the mainland.”

“Ya think?  You just tried to kill another person...ah..er..horse...or...whatever,” I responded.

“Well, for the record, he was going to kill you.  Now I need to get you to safety, he was not pleased with my intervention.  He had his mind set on killing you, and he could come back at any time,” the mysterious boy said.

I raised my eyebrows and began to ask a question, but his silent stare stopped me.  “No questions, but I promise I can answer them later, once you are safe,” he told me. 

To Be Continued...

Homework help now available at the library on Mondays

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian

            We are going to begin offering homework and reading help on Mondays at the library.  A Minnesota Reading Corps tutor who is working in an area elementary school will be available in the Litchfield Library’s children’s area between two and four p.m. on most Mondays beginning in December.  For the kids in Litchfield schools, this will be just a short window after school, but homeschooled students and ACGC students will have a little more time to work with.  Our volunteer is also available at the Grove City public library from ten to noon on Mondays when ACGC isn’t in session. 

            Students in elementary and middle school are welcome to stop in during this time for practice with reading or help with any kind of homework.  They do not have to be struggling readers; our homework help time is open to anyone.  High school students who need help with reading or writing-related homework can also meet with our tutor, who has taught elementary and middle school in the past.  At this point, we plan for it to be a drop-in program, but we may start signing kids up for particular times if we get a big response. 

            Minnesota Reading Corps is an AmeriCorps program.  AmeriCorps was founded in 1993 as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  It is sometimes called “the domestic Peace Corps”.  According to their website, the volunteers are mostly full-time, and they typically make a service commitment of 10 months to a year.

            Minnesota Reading Corps is the largest state AmeriCorps program in the country.  They provide trained literacy tutors to schools for children age three through grade three. Their tutors work in Head Start classrooms, preschools, and elementary schools throughout the state.  The goal is to help students who are just below proficiency in reading become successful readers by the end of third grade. 

            Why third grade?  It’s the year when students switch from learning to read to reading to learn.  Multiple studies have found that students who are behind in reading skills in third grade begin to fall behind their peers, because reading is an essential way that students learn science, history, and other subjects.  A study released in 2011 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that students who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. 

The Reading Corps follows a research-based program to help kids who are just a little behind in reading skills catch up so that they can be successful in school in the years to come.  We are happy to work with this valuable program to bring their trained tutors into our libraries.

Here's your chance -- tell us what you think!

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian

Have you always wanted to tell library management what you think about the library?  Here’s your big chance to give us your opinion.    

Pioneerland Library System is creating a strategic plan for the next several years.  Right now we are offering a survey online to get input from the public.  It’s only seven questions long and very easy to complete.  You can take it even if you don’t use the library-- tell us why you don’t!  Please tell us what services you think are the most important for the library to offer and how you use our library. 

The survey will be available through our website and Pioneerland’s for the next couple of weeks.  Go to litchlibrary.blogspot.com or www.pioneerland.lib.mn.us to find it.  If you aren’t comfortable using a computer, come in to the library and ask a staff member to help you complete it on a library computer.

Here’s another chance for your voice to be heard: we have a short story contest going on for teens through the month of October.  The contest is open to grades 6 through 12.  The story should be 1000 words or less with no profanity or vulgar language.  Email your stories to litchfield.staff@pioneerland.lib.mn.us by November 1; we are not accepting entries on paper.  By entering the contest, you agree to have your story published on our blog in November. 

We are holding this contest to observe Teen Read Week, an annual event celebrated in libraries across the country.

And, finally, there’s a new opportunity for teens to make a difference in our library.  The Teen Advisory Group (TAG) is a group of 9^th through 12^th graders from our area who want to make our library a great place for teens.  They will meet every month to discuss and plan programs, make book recommendations, and talk about other teen-related library issues.  They will also assist with Saturday storyhours, volunteer at the Watercade book sale, and do other occasional volunteering at the library.

The next meeting for TAG will be on Saturday, October 26, from 4-8 p.m.  The group will elect officers and begin planning, then have a Halloween costume contest, eat, and play games.  Signing up with Tiana ahead of time is required.

This is a brand-new group, so it’s a great opportunity for high school students to take on leadership roles.  Just think, it could sound good on a college application: president of the Litchfield Public Library’s teen advisory group.  Beyond that, though, it will be a great way to help make the library the kind of place teens want to use, to make friends, and to have fun.

This is your library.  It belongs to this community.  Get involved and make your voice heard.

Don't Let Summer Slide Away

by Tiana Schweim, Litchfield Library

Watercade marks the mid-point of summer for many of us in Litchfield.  With the final flash of fireworks, the distant cadence of the Mean-Green-Marching-Machine, and the Medallion tucked away for another long year, teens might just spiral into a self-proclaimed state of boredom until Labor Day!  My advice is to take a deep breath and exhale as you ponder opportunities at your local public library.

Our summer reading programs are in full-swing!  We have 46 students in grades 6-12 who have officially signed up for Groundbreaking Reads for Teens and are participating by keeping track of their titles and submitting book reviews for weekly drawings.

 New additions to our collection are Hunger and Fear which complete our collection of Michael Grant’s Gone series.  Our monthly teen book club has chosen to read the first book Gone for next month.  I encourage tweens & teens to checkout or download the book and join us for our next book club meeting on Monday, August 19^th at 3:00 here at the library—all students entering grades 6-12 are invited to show up!  We’d love you to join our discussion by telling us what you’ve been reading this summer.

Also new to our collection:

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer.  Younger fans of television cooking shows will delight in this quick-paced story laced with current trends including domestic abuse, inter-racial relationships, and a main character with a learning disability.  Bauer says the book is infused with humor.  About the process she says, “My best times as a writer are when I’m working on a book and laughing while I’m writing.”

Speaking of becoming famous, our teen book club participants have also recently had the pleasure of critiquing an original manuscript by Chantal Boon.  Boon is a local author from Dassel, MN, and is in the process of securing a publisher for her story The Sky is Watching.  It was interesting for the kids to meet and talk with Chantal about her background and the ideas for her book.  We certainly have some very talented writers in our book club groups and it’s a cool thought to ponder some of them becoming future authors as well.  We plan to keep in touch with Chantal and cheer her on through the process.

One big change to the programming calendar is the switch from an All-Night Lock-In to a 4-hour event.  All students who are entering grades 6-12 are invited to stop by the library and sign up for our July 31^st event which will begin at 8:00 PM when the library normally closes its doors and conclude at midnight.  We will provide a pizza party for everyone who has registered.  The night will also offer the chance to play various group games such as Ghost in the Graveyard, and participate in the Great Library Scavenger Hunt.  Best of all, prizes will be awarded!  What a great opportunity to hang out with your friends!  We need to thank SAMMIE (Southwest Area Multicounty Multitype Interlibrary Exchange) who has awarded us a grant to partially fund this event.

Don’t forget Gaming Night, every Monday from 6-8 PM, and Teen Tea with Tiana at Cricket Meadow on Tuesday, August 13^th at 10:00 AM.

So, you see, even though the Annual Watercade Book Sale has come and gone for another year, there’s no need to hang your head in sorrow.  Visit the Public Library today!

Books and Teens...Both Delightful!

by Tiana Schweim

Some people need no introduction…others do.  That being said, I’d like to take a brief moment to introduce my new role as teen librarian at the Litchfield Public Library.  For the past eight years I have enjoyed supervising and acting as librarian in the Litchfield High School Media Center.  My involvement with teenagers became a comfortable niche for me; the “daily grind” wasn’t as gritty as many of you would imagine.  Teenagers are delightful!  I smile when I think of the young man who couldn’t find the map of railroads from North America to Europe—I encouraged him to share his project with me upon completion!  Reference questions at this library range a broader spectrum when dealing with patrons from age birth to “antique”…but the immediate gratification that swells inside of me is the same no matter what the outcome.  Just the other day I enjoyed a delightful conversation with a man about his quest to discover his heritage.  An hour later one of our frequent and favorite little guys was zipping around to find me so he could give my legs a squeeze and tell me he loved me.  Now THAT is gratifying!

 I remember the young ladies who would slip into my office to discuss grades, parents, boys, and maybe a book they were reading.  I was never too much of a lady myself to discuss topics with the guys either.  Boy, have I heard about building a house and tweaking the engine of your truck!  I was greeted with hugs, and would cry every year at commencement.  I do not intend for any of that to change.  I have gleaned more from building relationships with teens in the last eight years than I could have ever imagined!  I hope to see familiar faces joining in on the events I’ve planned for this summer.  Take a look and pleeeeeeease join us!

·         On June 17^th at 6:00 we will kick off our Monday night Teen Gaming Night.  We will introduce Settlers of Catan and Quirkle—two very different games that both offer hours of fun for all players!  Players can join us ANY Monday night for the rest of the summer.  Why bother?  Game play encourages community and creates teambuilding.  It promotes creative and critical thinking and leads to research.  Plus, it’s FUN!

·         Are you ready for this?  July 31^st-August 1^st we are hosting a LOCK-IN!  Do you understand what I’m saying?  Think “Night at the Museum” meets “The Hunger Games”. We have been awarded a SAMMIE (Southwest Area Multicounty Multitype Interlibrary Exchange) grant, which will partially fund our food and fun for this event.  Space is limited so pick up your parent permission slip soon!  When the library locks its doors on the 31^st ,  will you be inside?

·         Teen Tea with Tiana will be a special morning just for us.  Register ahead of time at the library and I will treat you to a FREE scone or muffin.  Youth ages 13-17 are encouraged to meet on Tuesday morning, August 13^th, 10:00 AM at Cricket Meadow.  We will be discussing life and our favorite reads.

“Books themselves need no defense.

Their spokesmen come and go, their readers live and die, they remain constant.”

–Lawrence Clark Powell

One thing that will remain constant is our Monthly Book Club.  Please join us on the following dates at 3:00 to discuss titles and topics for future book clubs: June 17^th, July 15^th, and August 19^th.  We plan to split into separate Middle and High School sections in September.

Being invited to join the team of wonderful people at Pioneerland in Litchfield was an easy choice, and one that leaves me flourishing under familiar circumstances.  Books come in, books go out.  An inquiry, a reference question, a phone call…  Rest assured, I have my backpack stocked full of high school resources including book report requirements!  Stop on over to the public library today—I can’t wait to see you!

Sign up for our gaming club

Photo taken by lydia_shiningbrightly, used under a Creative Commons license

We're starting a Monday night gaming club on July 30th, 6-8 p.m.  Volunteer Jason Olson will be leading it in our library meeting room.  Sign up at the library for becoming a regular, weekly gamer, a casual, drop-in gamer, or a one-time game demonstrator.  Depending on the numbers of people who sign up, we may need dungeon masters.  We will be playing Dungeons & Dragons (3.5), Magic: The Gathering, and any tabletop games that people want to bring in.  No gambling (poker, etc.).  Ages 10 to adult, unless a younger child is accompanied by an adult.

Do you have a game you'd like to demonstrate?  Settlers of Catan? Gloom? Rory's Story Cubes? (I think the library owns a set of the last one.)  Talk to Beth and set up a Monday to lead that.  Must be appropriate for pre-teens.

Kati, Emma and Janet Review YA Books

By Jan Pease

Inviting teens to be guest book- reviewers is part of the teen program, “Own the Night” this year at Litchfield library. It is so interesting to read what these avid young readers have to say about “their” books.


Kati, age 13, has already turned in three book reviews. She read “Withering Tights,” by Louise Rennison. Rennison is an English author who writes hilarious books that are very, well, British. She says “she lives in Brighton, the San Francisco of England (apart from the sun, Americans, the Golden Gate Bridge, and earthquakes.)” In “Withering Tights,” Tallulah, a young cousin of regular character Georgia Nicholson, attends a summer drama camp. Kati says, “It was very good and it tells about someone trying to find who she really is.” Katie gave “Withering Tights” five stars.

Kati also read “Kiss of Life,” by Daniel Waters. “Kiss of Life” is part of Waters’ “Generation Dead” series, part of the paranormal romance phenomena in young adult titles. Kati says, “It’s an amazing book that will make you to not put it down; it’s full of suspense.” She gave it five stars.

Kati’s third book was “The Teashop Girls,” by Laura Schaefer. Ms. Schaefer visited Litchfield and talked about her book and tea parties in 2010. Kati gave the book three and a half stars, and said, “I feel that way because it was good but I wanted it to be longer to make the ending better.”

Emma, age 13, read “They Never Came Back,” by Caroline B. Cooney, who is famous for writing suspense novels for young people. “They Never Came Back” centers on a young woman with a new identity living with a foster family because her wealthy parents have left the country after being accused of embezzlement. Emma gave the book four stars because “I thought that it was a very good book. The reason for 4 stars is that there are a few spots in the book that get confusing.” School Library Journal agrees with Emma, stating in a review by Jennifer Barnes (not our librarian in Grove City) “Cooney's adaptation of a complex fraud story for this age group is interesting if one can look beyond some weaknesses.”

Janet, age 12, read “My Side of the Mountain,” by Jean Craighead George. This is a classic story of adventure and survival, as a young boy lives on his own in the Catskill Mountains. Janet gave the book five stars and says, “The writing is excellent and shows instead of just telling. You get pulled in by the story of a boy running away from home and stay for the ride. A book for all ages. After you finish the book you’ll have a strong urge to go camping.”

Book reviews aren’t like a book report. They can describe what you feel about a book, and whether you would recommend the book to someone else. If you’re 12 – 18, pick up a book review form and express yourself. See you at the library!

Our Friend Jack - C.S. Lewis

By Jan Pease and Raechel K.

If I say the name, C.S. Lewis, some immediately think of his wonderful series, “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Others might think of his great books about Christianity, such as “Mere Christianity,” or “The Screwtape Letters.” Someone else might be a fan of his science fiction series, “Space Trilogy.” But my friend Raechel, who is 16 now, has read one his most difficult books, “Till We Have Faces.”


“Till We Have Faces” is a retelling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. The myth of Cupid and Psyche has been told and retold in many forms, including “Beauty and the Beast.” The invisible castle, the mysterious husband who cannot be glimpsed, coming in the night to his wife, and the forbidden look and its consequences are all familiar elements of the various versions that originated with the Greek myth from long ago.

C.S. Lewis told the myth from the perspective of Psyche’s older sister, Orual (Or ‘w’ ahl). Lewis originally titled his working manuscripts "Bareface.” The word "face" refers to Orual’s deformity, which she covers with a mask. It also refers to the original myth, in which Psyche was not allowed to see Cupid's face, so her intimate encounters with him would be veiled in darkness. His editor was afraid that people would think his book was a western if the title was “Bareface!” Lewis chose “Till We Have Faces,” which refers to a line from the book in which Orual says, "How can [the gods] meet us face to face till we have faces?"

Raechel’s thoughts about “Till We Have Faces:” “I was thoroughly impressed with this book, especially the ending of it. C.S. Lewis had an extremely valuable talent that has lasted in his writing for years now. I was amazed and delighted with how deep and well written “Till We Have Faces” was. There is more to it than just the surface words, and it is quite thought provoking. I really loved the last paragraph in the book: how C.S. Lewis had Orual word it was absolutely perfect. I definitely think it is a five star book. Ages 14 and up, perhaps.”

The paragraph mentioned is this: “I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice? Only words, words; to be led out to battle against other words. Long did I hate you, long did I fear you. I might”- The epilogue states that the manuscript was found under the head of the queen, who must have died as she wrote the final words. Do we fill in the end of the sentence for ourselves?

C.S. Lewis died November 22, 1963, to very little notice. The end of his life was overshadowed by the assassination of John F. Kennedy on that very day. Information for this article was found online and in the 1966 version of “Till We Have Faces.”

I’m looking for teen book reviewers, like Raechel,  who will write me a short book review. Forms are available at the desk. I will include student book reviews in future articles, a fun part of “Own the Night,” the teen reading program for this summer. Summer Reading programs in Meeker County will begin on June 4th. Grove City’s kickoff is from 1-3 p.m.; kids will decorate T-shirts. Dassel’s kickoff is from 3-6 and Litchfield’s is from 3-7. Kids in Dassel and Litchfield will decorate pillowcases to help them “Dream Big, Read.” See you at the library!

Raechel says.........

By Jan Pease

I’m introducing a guest book reviewer, 15 year old Raechel Kelly, who graciously agreed to produce three “teen book reviews” as part of “You Are Here” the summer reading program for teenagers.   Raechel is a delightful young person who happens to be an avid reader.    

One of her selections is the book, “Pearl in the Sand,” by Tessa Afshar.  Raechel says, “This book was an amazing retelling of Rahab, from the Bible, and her story of faith.  As reading it, I found that it really enchanted the Old Testament.  The book is fiction, and so cleverly written.  Ms. Afshar did a beautiful job with this Bible account, and I was blessed to read it.” 

I would add this bit of information from Amazon.com.  “Pearl in the Sand” was published in 2010 by Moody Press, and is available at Litchfield Library.  Tessa Afshar was born in a Muslim family in Iran and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She survived English boarding school for girls before moving to the United States permanently. Tessa holds an MDIV from Yale University where she served as co-Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the last twelve years in full and part-time Christian work and currently serves as the leader of Women’s and Prayer ministries at a church in New England.

Another book chosen by Raechel is “Dug Down Deep,” by Joshua Harris. Raechel says, “I highly recommend this book to everyone.  This is a non-fiction read that uncovers a lot of truth, and shows the lies we unknowingly believe.  No matter where you are in this life, you will surely learn something from this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and have learned a lot from it.”

Me, again, adding a little more to Raechel’s thoughts.  “Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters” was published in 2010 by Multnomah Books.  It is available at Amazon.com and by interlibrary loan through Mnlink.  Joshua Harris writes about matters of faith for young adults and is best known for his books about relationships and dating.        

Raechel’s final selection was an entire series of books, “The Knights of Arrethtrae” by Chuck Black.  Rachel says, “I couldn’t pick just one of the six books to review, so I decided I’d do the whole series.  These books were so great in many ways.  They’re filled with excitement, bravery, courage and most importantly, faith in the Lord.  The books are individual stories of knights and ladies as they go through with their training and missions.  These books blessed me hugely, and encouraged me.”

I would add that this is a series of books published in recent years by Multnomah.  They are available at amazon.com and by interlibrary loan through Mnlink.  Chuck Black, according to amazon.com, spent eight years in the Air Force traveling the world as an F-16 fighter pilot and a communications engineer. Today, Chuck is the author of seven novels and a product-design engineer. He has invented or co-invented eleven patented construction products now being sold internationally.   He lives with his family in North Dakota.

Thanks, Raechel, for enthusiastically taking on this challenge.   We’re looking for other teen book reviewers, so please speak to a staff member at the library if you’re interested.   See you at the library!