Penelope’s Poetry Parlor: July

Our theme for the library this year is What a Wonderful World, and to that end, we’re focusing on seeing the wonder in our world. Usually, every month at the desk, we have an article available for patrons to read and discuss with Julie, our library director, but this year, we’re handing out poems instead. Our trusty library goose is also helping us pen a monthly column that focuses on some of the gems in our poetry collection.

For July, our poem is William Carlos Williams’s “The Red Wheelbarrow.” Williams is a noted American Modernist poet, and this poem is considered a quintessential example of Imagist poetry. Imagists were more interested in writing about concrete things rather than abstractions, and they favored precise language while doing so. Though Williams was a noted poet during his time, it was not his day job. He made his living as a pediatric doctor while writing during his leisure time.

Book Buzz: Beach Reads, the Gritty, the Breezy, and the Literary

Every month, we’re profiling new-ish releases that are getting critical and commercial buzz. For July, we’re celebrating beach reads of all varieties. Even if you can’t make it to a beach to read them. We’re looking at a haunting true crime story, a suspenseful thriller, a clever romance, an intergenerational family mystery, a new cozy mystery, and some literary fiction set in Hawaii.

Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer

Tarisai wants nothing more than a normal childhood, wherein she is allowed to do normal childish things. However, she spends her early years sequestered away from, well, everything. She occasionally gets visits from her mother, The Lady, but mostly she is raised by the servants. It seems like everything will change when her mother sends her to the empire’s capital city to compete with other children for the chance to serve on the crown prince’s council, but her mother only allows Tarisai to go because of her own nefarious plans. Namely, that once Tarisai is accepted as a trusted council member, she will assassinate the crown prince. Complications ensue.

Melinda recommended this book to me earlier this year, and I am so glad she did. It’s a really unique, interesting reading. Thanks so much for the great recommendation, Melinda!

What a Wonderful World: July

This year, our theme at the library is What A Wonderful World. We’re focusing on a different color for each month, and July’s is cardinal red. To that end, we’re highlighting books at the library with that color (or something close to it) on the cover!