No time?! Cat books for busy pet parents

June 1, 2018 | sobczakd
Shake cats by Carli Davidson

The fur flies in this irresistible third installment in the bestselling Shake series by popular pet photographer Carli Davidson, featuring adorable and hysterical color photographs of more than sixty cats caught mid-shake. Pet photographer Carli Davidson has enchanted readers around the world with her adorable photographs of man's best friend in Shake and Shake Puppies. Now, she turns her lens on felines in this sweet and heartwarming volume that is pure catnip for cat lovers. Shake Cats includes more than 130 gorgeous, highly detailed color pictures of felines in mid-shake. Like its predecessors Shake and Shake Puppies, it showcases a charming double-page layout--each spread features two images of the same cat placed side by side to capture the unique movement of the shake. Inside, fans will find a roster listing the names, ages, and breeds of cats photographed. Davidson also provides outtake images of her shoots with the cats, a short, insightful description that explains her process, and information about animal rescue to encourage people considering a new cat to choose a rescue animal.

Cat shaming by Pedro Andrade

What happens when your cat makes a mistake like ruining something valuable or going outside the litter box?  You can't ground or take away their allowance when your cat gets in trouble.  So what is the next best thing?  Cat Shaming!  Cat Shaming is a hilarious collection of photos from owners who express their frustration when their furry best friend does something bad.  Millions of cat owners can relate to the antics of these felines while the picture shows a shamed but adorable, innocent looking kitty. 

Cats on Instagram

Cat lovers, rejoice! This irresistible book compiles over 400 photos from the hugely popular Instagram profile @cats_of_instagram into a keepsake treasure. Playful categories including "bowties," "surprise!," and "happy cats" showcase all the charm and delightful quirks of the wide world of cats. This is a gift that will have feline fans smiling in recognition, surprise, and appreciation.

Four-legged Heroes

May 22, 2018 | sobczakd
Until Tuesday : a wounded warrior and the golden retriever who saved him by Luis Carlos Montalván

Tuesday has a personality that shines. I am not kidding when I say it is common for people to pull out their cell phones and take pictures of and with him. Tuesday is that kind of dog. And then, in passing, they notice me, the big man with the tight haircut. There is nothing about me--even the straight, stiff way I carry myself--that signals disabled. Until people notice the cane in my left hand, that is, and the way I lean on it every few steps. Then they realize my stiff walk and straight posture aren't just pride, and that Tuesday isn't just an ordinary dog. He walks directly beside me, for instance, so that my right leg always bisects his body. He nuzzles me when my breathing changes, and he moves immediately between me and the object--a cat, an overeager child, a suspiciously closed door--any time I feel apprehensive. Because beautiful, happy-go-lucky, favorite-of-the-neighborhood Tuesday isn't my pet; he's my service dog." Captain Luis Montalvan returned home from his second tour of duty in Iraq, having survived stab wounds, a traumatic brain injury, and three broken vertebrae. But the pressures of civilian life and his injuries proved too much to bear. Physical disabilities, agoraphobia, and crippling PTSD drove him to the edge of suicide. That's when he met Tuesday - his best friend forever. Tuesday came with his own history of challenges: from the Puppies Behind Bars program, to a home for troubled boys, to the streets of Manhattan, Tuesday blessed many lives on his way to Luis. Until Tuesday unforgettably twines the story of man and dog.

A dog's gift : the inspirational story of veterans and children healed by man's best friend by Bob Drury

A decade ago, former military counterintelligence officer Terry Henry joined his precocious young daughter, Kyria, on a trip to a nursing home in order to allow its residents to play with their family dog, a golden retriever named Riley. Terry was astounded by the transformations that unfolded before his eyes. Soon after, Terry and Kyria started their service dog organization, paws4people, with the goal of pairing dogs with human beings in need of healing, including traumatized and wounded war veterans and children living with physical, emotional, and intellectual disabilities.In A Dog's Gift, award-winning journalist and author Bob Drury movingly captures the story of a year in the life of paws4people and the broken bodies and souls the organization mends. The book follows the journey of pups bred by the organization from their loving, if rigorous, early training to an emotional event that terry and Kyria have christened "the bump," where each individual service dog chooses its new owner through an almost mystical connection that ignites the healing process. incorporating vivid storytelling, insights into canine wisdom, history, science, and moving tales of personal transformation, A Dog's Gift is a story of miracles bound to be embraced by not only the 60 million Americans who own dogs, but by anyone with a full heart and a loving soul.

Max : best friend, hero, marine by Jennifer Li Shotz

When Justin's family adopts the military canine that was handled by Justin's departed brother, Kyle, Justin helps the troubled dog recover from the trauma it suffered in Afghanistan when Kyle was killed as the two investigate how Kyle died.

Remember our Veterans

May 22, 2018 | sobczakd

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer when we fire up the backyard grill or head out to the lake. It's also a day of remembrance for our veterans who sacrificed so much in service to our country. Americans have been commemorating Memorial Day since 1868. Happy 150th Memorial Day and check out some of these recommended dvds!

Last flag flying [videodisc]

Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.

May is Celiac Awareness Month

May 9, 2018 | sobczakd

Celiac disease is a serious condition that's caused when the body's immune system damages the small intestine. Gluten is the trigger. It's a protein found in wheat, rye and barley products. The disease can occur at any age, but it can be treated and managed by sticking to a gluten-free diet. Want to know more? Check out these resources and stayed tuned for a gluten-free program in June!

Jennifer's Way kitchen : easy allergen-free, anti-inflammatory recipes for a delicious life by Jennifer Esposito

After being diagnosed with celiac disease, actress Esposito founded Jennifer's Way Bakery in New York City, where she served up delicious gluten and allergen-free delights to customers. (The bakery is currently being relocated to an as-yet undisclosed location.) Now she's sharing her favorite recipes with us. Beginning with helpful tips to living gluten- and allergen-free, like taking a look at beauty and cleaning products, the book then makes its way to the heart of the home: the kitchen. Recipes are broken down into three parts: Pure Recipes for Healing, Clean Recipes for Living, and Indulgent Recipes for Splurging. While the Pure recipes are meant to restore digestive health, and the Clean recipes are meant to maintain it, both sections offer plenty of options for delicious eating. Start your day with a fruity hemp smoothie, have some herb-lemon-honey tuna steaks for dinner, and top it off with apple honey cake. Also including recipes for homemade milks and breads, Jennifer's Way Kitchen will be a welcome addition to the shelves of anyone looking to maintain their digestive and/or autoimmune health.

Against the grain : (extraordinary gluten-free recipes made from real, all-natural ingredients) by Nancy Cain

Nancy Cain came to gluten-free cooking simply enough: Her teenage son was diagnosed with celiac disease. After trying ready-made baking mixes and finding the results rubbery and tasteless, she pioneered gluten-free foods made entirely from natural ingredients--no xanthan or guar gums or other mystery chemical additives allowed. That led her to adapt many of her family's favorite recipes, including their beloved pizzas, pastas, and more, to this real food technique. In Against the Grain, Nancy finally shares 200 groundbreaking recipes for achieving airy, crisp breads, delicious baked goods, and gluten-free main dishes. For any of these cookies, cakes, pies, sandwiches, and casseroles, you use only natural ingredients such as buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, and ripe fruits and vegetables. Whether you're making Potato Rosemary Bread, iced Red Velvet Cupcakes, Lemon-Thyme-Summer Squash Ravioli, or Rainbow Chard and Kalamata Olive Pizza, you'll be able to use ingredients already in your pantry or easily found at your local supermarket. With ample information for gluten-free beginners and 100 colorful photographs, this book is a game changer for gluten-free households everywhere.

#activism #protest #resist

April 3, 2018 | sobczakd
Together we rise : behind the scenes at the protest heard round the world

In the year since the Women's March on Washington (and simultaneous marches around the globe), the organizers of the historic event have come together to share their experiences and the lessons they've learned in the time since Donald Trump's inauguration. This book is a collection of photos and oral histories that expertly blends the larger-than-life power of the movement and small-scale moments shared among the women in charge. The contributors reveal what it was like to be parents, lovers, and daughters during this charged time and graciously admit to the fear and skepticism many felt before the march. The book gives readers a picture of the diverse organizers behind the movement, reminding all that this event would not have been so successful without extreme intersectionality. Interspersed between the organizers' narratives are accounts of the day from women all over the world, explaining how that show of dissent impacted their lives, and notes from celebrities like America Ferrera, Roxane Gay, and Jill Solloway detailing their own views of the march. Large and plentiful photos show many shades of hope and inclusion in this energizing and emotional trip through the movement.

The making of Black lives matter : a brief history of an idea by Christopher J Lebron

Started in the wake of George Zimmerman's 2013 acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin, the #BlackLivesMatter movement has become a powerful and uncompromising campaign demanding redress for the brutal and unjustified treatment of black bodies by law enforcement in the United States. The movement is only a few years old, but as Christopher J. Lebron argues in this book, the sentiment behind it is not; the plea and demand that "Black Lives Matter" comes out of a much older and richer tradition arguing for the equal dignity--and not just equal rights--of black people. The Making of Black Lives Matter presents a condensed and accessible intellectual history that traces the genesis of the ideas that have built into the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Drawing on the work of revolutionary black public intellectuals, including Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Langston Hughes, Zora Neal Hurston, Anna Julia Cooper, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Lebron clarifies what it means to assert that "Black Lives Matter" when faced with contemporary instances of anti-black law enforcement. He also illuminates the crucial difference between the problem signaled by the social media hashtag and how we think that we ought to address the problem. As Lebron states, police body cameras, or even the exhortation for civil rights mean nothing in the absence of equality and dignity. To upset dominant practices of abuse, oppression and disregard, we must reach instead for radical sensibility. Radical sensibility requires that we become cognizant of the history of black thought and activism in order to make sense of the emotions, demands, and argument of present-day activists and public thinkers. Only in this way can we truly embrace and pursue the idea of racial progress in America.

Twitter and tear gas : the power and fragility of networked protest by Zeynep Tufecki

A firsthand account and incisive analysis of modern protest, revealing internet-fueled social movements' greatest strengths and frequent challenges To understand a thwarted Turkish coup, an anti-Wall Street encampment, and a packed Tahrir Square, we must first comprehend the power and the weaknesses of using new technologies to mobilize large numbers of people. Tufekci explains the nuanced trajectories of modern protests-how they form, how they operate differently from past protests, and why they have difficulty persisting in their long-term quests for change. Tufekci speaks from direct experience, combining on-the-ground interviews with insightful analysis. She describes how the internet helped the Zapatista uprisings in Mexico, the necessity of remote Twitter users to organize medical supplies during Arab Spring, the refusal to use bullhorns in the Occupy Movement that started in New York, and the empowering effect of tear gas in Istanbul's Gezi Park. These details from life inside social movements complete a moving investigation of authority, technology, and culture-and offer essential insights into the future of governance.

April is Autism Awareness Month

April 1, 2018 | sobczakd
Caring for autism : practical advice from a parent and physician by Michael A Ellis

Do you want to know what it's like to live with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a part of your daily family life? Or how you can you help yourself, your child with ASD, and the rest of your family to thrive while handling this multifaceted disorder? As the title suggests, this book is filled with practical advice from not only a physician trained in ASD but one who has a child with ASD at home. Ellis knows firsthand of what he speaks when advising parents about difficulties with family life, diagnosis, treatment choices, education, and parenting. The author also includes a chapter by his wife discussing the mother's point of view of raising three children and the challenges presented when the oldest has ASD. Other topics in this comprehensive and accessible look at all aspects of having a child with ASD and the effect on the entire family include ASD diagnosis, causes, medication, alternative medicine, education, therapies, and long-term planning. 

Iris Grace : how Thula the cat saved a little girl and her family by Arabella Carter-Johnson

When photographer Carter-Johnson and her husband received a diagnosis of autism on the severe end of the spectrum for their daughter, Iris, their world quickly changed. Various therapies were implemented, and painting became an unexpected medium for Iris to express herself in a way far beyond that of the typical three-year-old. (Prints of her artwork have been bought by people all over the world.) When traditional preschools didn't work, Carter-Johnson designed a homeschooling program and worked with Iris on her own. It was the arrival of Thula the cat, however, that made the largest impact on Iris. Able to intuitively sense and respond to Iris in a unique way, Thula accompanied Iris on bike rides, during late nights of insomnia, and even in the bathtub, helping Iris overcome her fear of baths. Thula could understand Iris on a deeper level, and they became inseparable. This is the story of Iris and her amazing cat and also that of a family willing to do whatever is necessary to help their child navigate and conquer a world that so often overwhelmed and confused her. Iris' story, as told and photographed by her mother, beautifully deciphers the way a child with autism sees and approaches the world, with a deft touch that makes for compelling reading.

Fall down 7 times get up 8 : a young man's voice from the silence of autism by Naoki Higashida

Naoki Higashida wrote, "The Reason I Jump," as a 13-year-old boy. Now, he shares his thoughts and experiences as a 24-year old young man with severe autism. In short, powerful chapters, he explores education, identity, family, society and personal growth. He also allows readers to experience profound moments we take for granted, like the thought-steps necessary for him to register that it's raining outside. Introduced by award-winning author David Mitchell (co-translator with his wife, KA Yoshida), this book is part memoir, part critique of a world that sees disabilities ahead of disabled people. It is a self-portrait-in-progress of a young man who happens to have autism, and who wants to help us understand it better.

Feminism Matters

March 18, 2018 | sobczakd
And the spirit moved them : the lost radical history of America's first feminists by Helen Hunt

Philanthropist and therapist Hunt (Faith and Feminism) addresses elements of early feminism, primarily its interracial and religious aspects, which she asserts were "lost in the [20th] century." "The origin of modern feminism is its Christian bedrock" is a central theme in the book, as Hunt revisits all-women antislavery conventions held in America in the late 1830s. Notable-but not necessarily forgotten-figures appear (generally referred to by their first names), among them Lydia Maria Child, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, and Lucretia Mott, and the lesser-known Mary Grew and Abby Kelly. Hunt is attentive to the involvement of black women, particularly Grace and Sarah Douglass and Sarah Forten. The book is framed by accounts of Hunt's personal history and involvement with women's organizations. Unfortunately, factual inaccuracies (e.g., she names Frederick Douglass as one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833) and unsubstantiated claims (she writes that a group of organizers "took to heart the words written decades earlier by Phillis Wheatley" but does not provide evidence of them having ever read Wheatley's work) plague this lighthearted treatment of a well-known segment in the history of the women's movement.

Funding feminism : monied women, philanthropy, and the women's movement, 1870-1967 by Joan Marie Johnson

Historian Johnson's (Northwestern Univ.) first book examines the role that wealthy white women have played in advancing women's rights through financial support for feminist causes. Across seven thematic, roughly chronological chapters, the author examines a century of female philanthropy in the areas of suffrage, labor, education, and birth control, persuasively arguing that donors with deep pockets persistently shaped the priorities and successes of organized feminism. Women such as Alva Belmont, Katherine McCormick, Mary Garrett, and Grace Dodge funded office space and paid positions in the suffrage movement, established working women's clubs, built living quarters for female students, and funded decades of research that brought us the birth control pill. Throughout, Johnson highlights the uneasy reality that such contributions-often crucial to movement successes-gave these women disproportionate influence among activists who were fighting for greater equality. Thus, feminist philanthropists often became controversial figures within the movement they helped to support. VERDICT This compelling work of original and much-needed research with be of interest not only to those who study the history of feminist activism but to those with an interest in the power that private money wields in social justice circles.

The little book of feminist saints by Julia Pierpont

Novelist Pierpont (Among Ten Thousand Things) and illustrator Thapp collaborate to create a patchwork of biographical sketches on groundbreaking women, from well-known figures such as former first lady Michelle Obama and the Brontë sisters to lesser-known women such as WWII lieutenant Grace Hopper. The format plays off the Catholic saint-of-the-day book, meant to be read in intervals as a source of daily inspiration. Each entry aims to delineate one of the fascinating experiences and contributions of a women Pierpont and Thapp deem worthy of secular feminist sainthood. Pierpont plays around with style of the entries with varying degrees of success. The entry on Barbara Jordan, for example, is written entirely in the second-person, which is distracting and provides no real grounding of Jordan's accomplishments; the same is true for the entry on Ann and Cecile Richards, which is composed of quotes from the women themselves. There are moments when Pierpont strikes the perfect balance between style and content; the profiles of Helen Keller and Bea Arthur, for example, combine the right amount of introductory information with a written flair that renders these women as worthy idols. Thapp's colorful painted portraits of each subject enhance the book's appeal.

Have a Good Night

March 8, 2018 | sobczakd

Are you getting enough sleep? A good night's rest is essential for our bodies to rejuvenate and re-energize. What we do during the day can impact how well we sleep at night. Many factors can keep us awake and interrupt our natural sleep tempo such as stress or too much screen time before bed. Before you catch up on some zzz's, check out these books about sleep...but stay awake long enough to read them! Want to learn more? The National Sleep Foundation's website has great tips for helping you sleep more soundly. 

Let's talk about sleep : a guide to understanding and improving your slumber by Daniel A. Barone

A good night's sleep is often taken for granted, but its lack can lead to a variety of health problems. In this accessible study, Barone, a sleep specialist, examines what is known about sleep, what can go wrong, and what you can do to to fix it. He begins with sleep hygiene tips, suggestions that include having a consistent bedtime, keeping the bedroom dark and cool, shutting off blue light devices an hour before bed, and trying meditation. He uses patients' medical histories to define sleep disorders (sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, etc.). As he analyzes their stories, Barone offers various behavioral and medical solutions. The doctor admits that medications often have side effects and that people have difficulties adapting to sleep apparatus, including CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines, and experience fear of sleep testing, but he urges anyone who awakes without feeling rested to talk to a specialist. Informative without being alarming, this reassuring guide helps readers assess and take charge of their sleep issues.

The mindful way to a good night's sleep : discover how to use dreamwork, meditation, and journaling to sleep deeply and wake up well by Tzivia Gover

Bringing her yoga and mindfulness training to shed light (or perhaps dark) on how to get a good night's rest in this 24/7, go-go-go world, the author asks us to slow down and contemplate the value and importance of how we spend one-third of our lives. Both science facts and quotes from poets lace the pages with reasons why we would want to sleep better and explore our dreams. Gover provides a linear progression of nuts-and-bolts advice on how to get to sleep, stay asleep, experience lucid dreaming, remember dreams, keep a dream journal, and wake up with a smile. It's all told with gentle prose that makes this book delightful and inspiring as well as practical. 

Sensory Snacks: A Healthy Twist on Summer Snacks

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Making healthy choices can be a challenge all year round and sugary, carb-laden summer treats can be hard to resist. The library is the place to help your family achieve your best and healthiest summer ever by offering a family-friendly Sensory Snackfest! Join us in the Community Room to create your own healthy, homemade and wholesome snacks from our Snackfest stations: nut-free, gluten-free trail mix, rainbow healthful fruit kebabs, and super nutritious s’mores. We’ll take these classic summer snacks and give them a healthy twist without losing the fun. The library is where you can get your Snackfest fix! All ages and abilities are welcome; no registration required.

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There are no upcoming sessions available.

4th Wall Theatre Company Presents...

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Need an opportunity to showcase your hidden theatrical talents? Join us and the 4th Wall Theatre Company for an introductory, inclusive and interactive workshop in our Community Room! Learn the basics of becoming a star by breaking through the fourth wall and shine! Our program provides an enriching experience filled with music and movement to help build confidence through teamwork and cooperation. All ages and abilities are welcome! No registration required!

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There are no upcoming sessions available.

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