CANTON, MI—Journalist and bestselling author Jeffrey Zaslow will speak Thursday, February 23 at 7:00 PM at the Canton Public Library. Zaslow’s newest novel, The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for our Daughters, debuted in January and recounts the hopes, dreams and transformations of thousands of women who visit Becker’s Bridal Salon in Fowler, Michigan.

He is also the author of The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and Friendship and coauthor of The Last Lecture with Randy Pausch, and more recently, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope with Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly. The National Society of Newspaper Columnists twice named Zaslow the best columnist in a newspaper with more than 100,000 circulation. In 2008, he received the Distinguished Column Writing Award from the New York Newspaper Publishers Association.

Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 and the crowds will be gathering in New Orleans for the festivities. Whether you're planning on joining them, or thinking about a trip to The Big Easy later in the year, we have books to help you Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Orleans embrace: with the secret gardens of the Vieux Carre by TJ Fisher, Roy F. Guste, Jr.

Eyewitness travel top 10 New Orleans by Paul Greenberg

Five books to help make life a little easier as you age:

I feel great about my hands: and other unexpected joys of aging by edited by Shari Graydon

AARP guide to revitalizing your home: beautiful living for the second half of life: reimagine, redesign, remodel by Rosemary Bakker

The social animal: the hidden sources of love, character, and achievement by David Brooks

Zombie felties: how to raise 16 gruesome felt creatures from the undead by Nicola Tedman & Sarah Skeate

Who doesn't love a cute zombie? This book has a whole cast of the adorable undead, from the Thrilla, Classic, and Bunny Zombies seen on the cover to zombie kitties, babies, brides, and many more. These crafts are easy to make and a lot of fun besides. Find more about zombie felties on Facebook.

1493: uncovering the new world Columbus created by Charles C.

New authors you might want to try:

Washed up by Susan Koefod

1222: a Hanne Wilhelmsen novel by Anne Holt; translated by Marlaine Delargy

Cold cruel winter: a Richard Nottingham mystery by Chris Nickson

All cry chaos: an Henri Poincaré mystery by Leonard Rosen

The bust DIY guide to life: making your way through every day by Laurie Henzel & Debbie Stoller — This book covers the gamut: all the things you love about BUST magazine and more. Crafting, cooking, and beauty tips are just the start. There is also info on being a landlady, polishing your resume, traveling, and much more. This is way more than a contemporary home economics book!

Arc of justice: a saga of race, civil rights, and murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin Boyle — is the 2012 Great Michigan Read, but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words:

DVDs

Eyes on the prize. Vol. 1, [videodisc]: America's civil rights movement by Blackside

According to an article from the Michigan Water Stewardship Program, as of Friday, June 27, wolves have officially been removed from the Federal Endangered Species List in the western Great Lakes region including Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The management authority over wolves in Michigan has been returned to the Department of Natural Resources.

Have you ever made a terrarium? They're all the rage lately and they're so easy to make. Check out this tutorial for terrarium ornaments, and take a look at some of the resources we have here at the library:

Terrarium craft: create 50 magical, miniature worlds by Amy Bryant Aiello & Kate Bryant; photography by Kate Baldwin

The new terrarium: creating beautiful displays for plants and nature by Tovah Martin and Kindra Clineff

A Ball For Daisy, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka, has been awarded the 2012 Caldecott Medal. This wordless picture book tells the story of a spirited dog named Daisy and her beloved red ball. Through a turn of events, she gains a brand-new friend and realizes there can be more than one way to have fun. The brightly colored, expressive illustrations make this story an entertaining read for kids and adults alike.

Furoshiki: the art of wrapping with fabric by Kumiko Nakayama-Geraerts — A furoshiki is a piece of cloth about one meter square. It is used to carry objects, and the art of wrapping furoshiki was established sometime in the 12th-14th century. The art of furoshiki is also heavily associated with gift giving, and the wrapping itself becomes part of the gift. This book contains specific instructions for wrapping objects of varying shapes, and the different knots that are required to secure the fabric. There are even techniques especially for carrying one or two books! Also included are patterns for embroidering your furoshiki.

Canton Seniors Book Discussion group will meet on Wednesday, March 28 from 2:00-3:00 PM in Canton Public Library's Group Study Room A. We are reading:

The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot — Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells-taken without her knowledge-became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first "immortal" human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years.

To Foster a sense of community and provide an opportunity for calm conversation, the Canton Public Library will host a book discussion for two book titles whose inclusion in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools AP curriculum was recently challenged. The first discussion will be Monday, February 27th at 7:00 PM and we will be discussing:

Beloved: a novel by Toni Morrison — According to the publisher, Random House, the book can be described as "Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history in a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free.

The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association has announced the nominees for the 2012 Dilys Award. This award is given to the mystery titles booksellers most enjoyed selling throughout the year. The winning novel will be announced at the Left Coast Crime Convention in Sacremento on March 31. This year's nominees are:

Faithful Place: a novel by Tana French

Wicked autumn: a Max Tudor novel by G.M. Malliet

The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid — Fans of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill should be interested in her recent article Methods and Madness in Mystery Readers Journal Winter 2011-2012 issue. Apparently Tony Hill, Clinical Psychologist and profiler came to Ms. McDermid as a fully developed character with his own agenda.

To foster a sense of community and provide an opportunity for calm conversation, the Canton Public Library will host a book discussion for two book titles whose inclusion in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools AP English curriculum was recently challenged.

Beloved, by Toni Morrison, will be the featured title of a February 27, 7:00 PM discussion and Waterland, by Graham Swift, will be discussed on March 27 at 7:00 PM.

"By hosting a discussion of these books, we can give our community a shared experience and promote a dialogue around the perspectives each individual brings from reading the book," says Rebecca Havenstein-Coughlin, department head of adult services. "The public library is an excellent forum for connecting our community in this manner."

The discussion will be led by library staff and is open to anyone in the Plymouth-Canton community ages 16 and older. Those interested in participating may register and pick up a copy of the book at the Canton Public Library beginning January 30.

Beloved: a novel by Toni Morrison — for which Morrison won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize, is described by its publisher, Random House, Inc., as "Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe's new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement."

Waterland by Graham Swift

AUSTENtatious crochet: 36 contemporary designs from the world of Jane Austen by Melissa Horozewski; photography by Chris Hynes — Are you a fan of Jane Austen? This book provides patterns for a wealth of crochet designs inspired by all six of Austen's classic novels. Also included is background information on the roles of fashion and needlework in Austen's time. Included are romantic sweaters, delicate necklaces, cozy afghans, and many more projects to keep your hands busy while you listen to Jane's works or watch on DVD.

Hi Kids!
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to meet some new friends. It looks like I am getting a good start! Scaredy Squirrel visited the library the other day. If you haven't read the adventures of this little fellow, you really should! As his name suggests, Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of lots of things… like germs and unicorns, and crowds, and Godzilla. However, he always seems to manage to overcome his fears with a little bit of pluck, and by playing dead. Scaredy certainly enjoyed his visit to the library! You can check out pictures from his adventure over on Flickr! Hmmmm… now who should I meet next?
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Getting your baby to sleep at night can be a challenge. For parents who need tips and advice for successful sleeping, we have several sleep guides available in the Parenting section in the Children's Department. Check out some of the titles listed below to help your baby (and yourself!) get some much-needed rest.

The complete guide to helping your baby sleep through the night so you can too: 101 tips and tricks every parent needs to know by Jessica Linnell

The baby sleeps tonight: your infant sleeping through the night by 9 weeks (yes, really!) by Shari Mezrah