​Hi!  This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit.

Monday will be the last Story Port session for the spring for our grade school kids.  Thanks to everyone who attended this year so far, and keep your ears open for summer library program information coming up next.

Greek and Roman myths may be among the oldest recorded stories, but their allure has persisted throughout the centuries.  Now first time author Jordanna Max Brodsky has brought a fresh, updated perspective to the mythical warrior huntress Artemis in The Immortals. In myths Artemis is a daughter of Zeus and twin sister to Apollo. In this updated tale she is called Selene DiSilva in modern day Manhattan. As Artemis she had all the powers a goddess is expected to have, and devoted her time to her virginal priestesses. As a modern woman in Manhattan her powers have diminished but she still works as a private investigator for threatened women. One evening walking her dog she comes across a murdered woman at the edge of a lake in Central Park. This woman, named Helen, wasn’t just murdered though, she was sacrificed in the style of a Greek ritual. In her own investigation Selene meets Theo Schultz, a local Greek myths historian at a local university, and past lover of Helen. Suddenly, isolated and semi-human Selene is regaining her goddess powers. Then, ancient Greek artifacts start disappearing from local museums. Someone is trying to bring back the ancients in all their glory, but Selene doesn’t go along lightly. She is, after all, also known as Protector of the Innocents, and what is happening is far from innocent.

The story is carefully researched, and modern plus ancient theories about the veracity and accuracy of ancient mythical Greece is woven throughout the gripping narrative. This is the first book of a planned series, but the next may not be published for a while.

​You can get the book reviewed here, which was The Immortals  by Jordanna Max Brodsky, and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit.  This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”

This Thursday the library will have a Bubble Tea Party in the Schafer Room at 7 pm.  Bubble tea is a fun, sweet drink that originated in Thailand and is very popular in South Korea.  Call the library by Wednesday to let us know if you want to stop by and try a new drink.  This weeks’ review will be devoted to an older book that is new in the children’s department, and a favorite of our youth services librarian, Mary Lou Heller.

A Caldecott Medal winning book published in 1995, Officer Buckle and Gloria is a top 100 teacher’s pick, named by the National Education Association in 2007. This book has stood the test of time very well. Officer Buckle is in charge of safety, and prides himself on keeping a list of every safety tip he can think of. He goes to area schools to give presentations to children on safety tips, but no one seems to listen, not even the teachers. The police department assigns Officer Buckle a police dog named Gloria. Gloria is a small-ish German shepherd, and Officer Buckle is glad to have a companion. The first safety presentation after Gloria joins is a surprise though.  The students actually seem to be paying attention! What Officer Buckle can’t see is that behind him and his boring presentation, Gloria is hilariously acting out the awful consequences of not following the safety tips. Officer Buckle’s presentations get more and more popular until a college comes to record one. Later on the TV Officer Buckle realizes Gloria has been the star of the show all along, and sadly he steps out of the next presentation. The kids are once again bored with only a mute Gloria on stage. Everyone forgets the safety tips and there is a big accident! Letters come pouring in, and Officer Buckle realizes his best safety tip yet: always stick with your buddy!

You can get more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit.

This week is also the library’s DEAR day activities on Tuesday.  If you don’t know what DEAR day is, be sure and stop by to find out! This week and next will be devoted to books new in the children’s department, specifically picture books.

Most of us know the legend of the Native American Hiawatha from the classic Nathaniel Hawthorne poem.  However, the real story of Hiawatha is quite different.  Robbie Robertson, legendary songwriter and member of the rock group The Band, is also a Native American who grew up learning the real story of Hiawatha. As an adult Robertson saw the need to tell the real story of Hiawatha and teamed up with illustrator David Shannon to write Hiawatha and the Peacemaker.  Illustrator Shannon has created numerous colorful oil paintings throughout the story, while included in the back cover is a CD with the song Robertson composed to accompany the book.

Told in first person, Hiawatha is introduced as a young Mohawk warrior who has lost all his family and home in a battle and wants bloody revenge against the evil Chief Tadodaho who provoked the fighting among the five Iroquis tribes. One day a Peacemaker arrives in a white stone canoe with an unusual request. The Peacemaker wants to unite the five tribes in peace, but needs a someone with a strong voice to be his spokesperson, as his voice is quiet and stuttering. Although Hiawatha is still filled with anger he agrees, and the two set about to meet with each tribal chief, gaining the trust of the Cayuga, Seneca, and Mohawk. The Oneida tribe demands a miraculous sign, and the Peacemaker is able to give one.  However, the chief of the last tribe Tadodaho of the Onondaga is filled with an evil spirit. The Peacemaker asks Hiawatha to administer medicine to the very chief who killed Hiawatha’s family. Can Hiawatha overcome his anger to do so and hopefully cure the evil chief?

You can get more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit.

I hope everyone survived any April Fool’s jokes you may have encountered last week! The rotating book van is visiting the library next week (not joking!) so stop by Wednesday to see the new titles. The next several weeks will be devoted to books new in the children’s department, specifically picture books.

Are there any early April birthdays out there?  Then this title may be for you.  Photographed in bright colors, Happy Birthday Cupcake by Terry Border shows the reader the effort one little cupcake with pink frosting has to go through to organize her birthday party for her friends.  And this is no easy task.  Chocolate Bar and Ice Cream Cone wouldn’t enjoy a beach party with the hot sun and sand getting into everything. A party on a boat would be fun, but alphabet soup my loose his lunch everywhere with the rocking of the boat.  She considers makeovers for everyone, planning out new frosting and sprinkles.  However, Hamburger may not enjoy frosting very much. Musical chairs at the party would be fun (with the music from beans – that musical fruit!) but if someone sat down quickly, Cupcake could be squished!  However, before all hope is lost Cupcake’s friend Muffin comes up with the perfect solution! 

The photographer of this fun story is known for putting wire hands and feet on food to turn everyday lunch items into unique and quirky characters, and other fun anthropomorphic art.  You can search online for his work, called Bent Objects.  Make sure you read this story AFTER a meal, as it will make you very hungry!

You can get more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit.