Monday, April 30, 2012

May New Books











The Storm by Clive Cussler Published 5/29
In the middle of the Indian Ocean, a NUMA research vessel is taking water samples at sunset, when a crew member spots a sheen of black oil ahead of them. But it is not oil. Like a horde of army ants, a swarm of black particles suddenly attacks the ship, killing everyone aboard, while the ship itself goes up in flames.
A few hours later, Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are on their way to the Indian Ocean. What they will find there on the smoldering hulk of the ship will eventually lead them to the discovery of the most audacious scheme they have ever known: a plan to permanently alter the weather on a global scale. It will kill millions . . and it has already begun.










The Road to Grace by Richard Paul Evans Published 5/8
Reeling from the sudden loss of his wife, his home, and his business, Alan Christoffersen, a once-successful advertising executive, has left everything he knew behind and set off on an extraordinary cross-country journey. Carrying only a backpack, he is walking from Seattle to Key West, the farthest destination on his map.
Now almost halfway through his trek, Alan sets out to walk the nearly 1,000 miles between South Dakota and St. Louis, but it’s the people he meets along the way who give the journey its true meaning: a mysterious woman who follows Alan’s walk for close to a hundred miles, the ghost hunter searching graveyards for his wife, and the elderly Polish man who gives Alan a ride and shares a story that Alan will never forget.










Spilled Blood by Brian Freeman Published 5/1
A taut thriller about two rural Minnesota towns locked in a deadly feud--and a teenage girl caught in the crossfire.
Linked by the Spirit River, the two towns couldn't be more different: in affluent Barron, a powerful and secretive scientific research corporation enriches its residents, while downriver in blue-collar St. Croix, victims of that company's carcinogenic waste struggle to survive. The bad blood between the communities escalates into open warfare when the beautiful Ashlynn, daughter of the corporation's president, is found shot dead--and a St. Croix girl, Olivia Hawk, is accused of the crime. Reluctantly, Olivia's mother summons her estranged husband Christopher, a Minneapolis lawyer, to come defend his daughter. As Christopher struggles to unravel the mystery of Ashlynn's murder and save his own daughter, he uncovers some ugly truths that endanger the residents of both towns.










Afraid to Die by Lisa Jackson Published 5/1
Others may dread the chill of winter, but he relishes it. The way the frigid water preserves his victims, the feel of their icy skin beneath his fingers...And soon the world will see their beauty - and his vengeance. The town of Grizzly Falls is on edge in the wake of a serial killer, and Detective Selena Alvarez is no exception. That case was solved, but a new nightmare is about to unfold. There are two victims so far - their bodies found frozen solid and deliberately displayed. Both are women she knew. And each wears a piece of Selena's jewellery. Selena's partner, Detective Regan Pescoli, and the entire department are on the case, as is P.I. Dylan O'Keefe - a man Selena got too close to once before. But this killer already knows too much about Selena's secret terror, her flaws, and the past she's tried to outrun. And soon he'll show her that she has every reason to be afraid.



















The Wind Through The Keyhole by Stephen King Published 4/24

Roland Deschain and his ka-tetJake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy, the billy-bumbler—encounter a ferocious storm just after crossing the River Whye on their way to the Outer Baronies. As they shelter from the howling gale, Roland tells his friends not just one strange story but two . . . and in so doing, casts new light on his own troubled past.
In his early days as a gunslinger, in the guilt-ridden year following his mother’s death, Roland is sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape-shifter, a “skin-man” preying upon the population around Debaria. Roland takes charge of Bill Streeter, the brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast’s most recent slaughter. Only a teenager himself, Roland calms the boy and prepares him for the following day’s trials by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother often read to him at bedtime. “A person’s never too old for stories,” Roland says to Bill. “Man and boy, girl and woman, never too old. We live for them.” And indeed, the tale that Roland unfolds, the legend of Tim Stoutheart, is a timeless treasure for all ages, a story that lives for us.



















Breaking News by Fern Michaels Published 5/1

Teresa “Toots” Amelia Loudenberry is extending her stay in Charleston to help care for her ailing housekeeper, Bernice. Here in her beloved hometown, the air is rich with the scent of azaleas and honeysuckle and there’s always a pitcher of sweet tea (or something a little stronger) close to hand. Not that the ladies have much time for relaxing. Ida’s new line of cosmetics, “Seasoned,” is about to launch, and Toots, Mavis, and Sophia are relishing their new career as models. Most exciting of all, Toots’s daughter, Abby, is getting married. Toots has her hands full, especially when Abby’s criminal ex-boss resurfaces and the bride-to-be jeopardizes her big day in order to catch him. Toots is so busy taking care of the upcoming nuptials that she’s blindsided by her own unexpected romance. After eight husbands, she’s sworn never to get involved again. But every godmother, fairy or otherwise, loves a story that ends with happily-ever-after…





















11th Hours by James Patterson  Published 5/7
Your best friendLindsay Boxer is pregnant at last! But her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals. And it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Anyone could be the killer--even her closest friends.
Or a vicious killer?
Lindsay is called next to the most bizarre crime scene she's ever seen: two bodiless heads elaborately displayed in the garden of a world-famous actor. Another head is unearthed in the garden, and Lindsay realizes that the ground could hide hundreds of victims.
You won't know until the 11th hour






















Stolen Prey by John Sanford Published 5/15
Lucas Davenport has seen many terrible murder scenes. This is one of the worst. In the small Minnesota town of Deephaven, an entire family has been killed—husband, wife, two daughters, dogs.

There’s something about the scene that pokes at Lucas’s cop instincts—it looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched-earth retribution he’s seen in drug killings sometimes. But this is a seriously upscale town, and the husband was an executive vice president at a big bank. It just doesn’t seem to fit.

Until it does. And where it leads Lucas will take him into the darkest nightmare of his life. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Mark Twain Wisdom


Poetry STorytime Week of April 23

Poems and Poetry is this week's theme. You will hear funny poems some that rhyme and some that do not.  Pictures of this storytime and past storytimes may be founat:http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Doug Ohman at Kasson Library

Doug Ohman a photographer of the Byways series of books about Minnesota. His Prairie Lakes Forest Minnesota State Parks was the subject of the Friends of the Library Hot Reads program at the Kasson Library Monday night, April 19th.





Ohman shared some of his over 200 photos of the 66 Minnesota State Parks and this project took over 1 1/2 years to finish. His amusing antidotes of why he chose certain pictures had the 41 people present laugh out loud and remember their own experiences in our state parks.

Photographer Doug Ohman was chosen for the 7 book Byways series by the Minnesota Historical Society. Some of the other subjects of his books are Libraries, Barns, School Houses, Cabins, Courthouses, Churches, and Prairie Lake Forest Minnesota's State Parks.

Pictures of this event and others can be found at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Monday, April 16, 2012

Red Storytime week of April 16th



Children's Librarian Ingvild has chosen RED as this week's theme. Children will hear stories that deal with red objects.

Pictures of this event and others can be found at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/


Friday, April 6, 2012

I was reading one of my favorite librarian bloggers and ran across a new radio station to listen to on your computers or e-devices. Tasha Saecker is the assistant director of the Appleton Public Library in Appleton, WI.

For those of you who have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I am always on the lookout for new ways to listen to music online.
Well, this time it is Pandora (one of my favorite sources for music) that has a new competitor. Raditaz has a two-prong approach to music that works really well. First, just like with Pandora, you can create your own stations using any artist, band or song. If you do this, you can give the song a love or thumbs down sign. That builds the station for you based on your preferences and is exactly like Pandora.
What I use Raditaz for more often is to use it like a radio I can fast forward. They have many genre stations that pull songs from the top of the lists. Unlike Pandora, which has more lesser known tracks and is a great music discovery engine, Raditaz plays the songs you are currently hearing on the radio.
For me, that means that I still use both services. It just depends what I’m in the mood for at the time.







My name is Tasha Saecker, and I am the assistant director of the Appleton Public Library in Appleton, WI.

Monday, April 2, 2012

14th Annual Dodge County Expo

The 14th annual Dodge County Expo was a huge success for us, especially being placed next to the 3 Dodge County Authors!

Friends of the Library and the Library Director were there for the 5th year promoting the library and Friends programs and activities. A drawing was held and 10 winners will receive a $5.00 Friends Book Sale Gift Certificate to be used at the June 7-11, 2012 book sale. Congratulations!! to all of the winners.

Easter Storytime April 2-5

Children's Librarian Ingvild has chosen Easter as this week's storytime theme. Plan on attending this great event and hear all of the bunny stories and work on a wonderful craft.
Pictures of this event and other cam be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/