Dead end in Norvelt by Jack Gantos — justly deserved winning the Newbery. It is an entertaining as well enriching read set in 1962 Norvelt, Pennsylvania — a real place. Indeed, the story is partly autobiographical which is why the main character's name is Jackie Gantos. Jackie is grounded for the summer for doing a couple dumb things. He ends up having to be the "hired hands" for an arthritic elderly neighbor, Miss Volker. As he transcribes the obituaries for the local paper, a sinister pattern begins to emerge — far too many of the town's elderly are dying in rapid succession by bizarre causes. Zany characters and wild escapades are intermixed with fascinating historical facts about not only Norvelt, but renowned figures in world history.

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

I'm talking about the book and also the horses…

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater is about killer horses. Magical, man-eating, maiming-people-within-the-first-few-chapters horses from the sea. And people who ride them. Don't roll your eyes at me. I'm serious. And, it's brilliant. Stiefvater somehow pulls off this strange mix of horror and horses and romance. Yes, it's also a love story. It's also a broken people finding each other story. A turning to animals when others let you down story. The animals just happen to be man-eating horses from the sea. The result is nothing short of beautiful. Check it out.

This episodic story was originally published online and was a collaboration between the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance and the Library of Congress's Center for the Book. It began as a national literacy project for young people to help launch the READ.gov website. Nineteen celebrated children's book authors and illustrators have joined together to write a fun, humorous, adventure tale like no other:

Dead end in Norvelt by Jack Gantos — has been awarded the Newbery Medal for 2012.

Newbery Honor books for 2012 are:

Inside out & back again by Thanhha Lai

Breaking Stalin's nose by written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

2011 North American Hammett Prize nominees have been announced by the International Crime Writers Association — North American Branch. The organization will name the Hammett Prize winner, during the Bloody Words Conference, in Toronto, June 1-3, 2012. The winner will receive a bronze trophy, designed by sculptor Peter Boiger.

Feast day of fools: a novel by James Lee Burke

Claire DeWitt and the city of the dead [sound recording]: [a mystery] by Sara Gran

The Orphan Master's Son: a novel by Adam Johnson — Author Adam Johnson will speak at Nicola's Books on Tuesday, January 24 at 7:00 PM in Ann Arbor.

These new romances are on order and will be coming in soon. Get your name on the hold list now.

Run from Fear by Alden, Jami

Darkness Bound by Cameron, Stella

I Want Candy by Donovan, Susan

The Mystery Writers of America have announced its nominees for the 2012 Edgar Awards for the best mystery writing in fiction, non-fiction, television, and production.

Set in an Edwardian country house in 1912, the popular PBS series Downton Abbey centers on the Crawley family, their servants and their life at their grand country home. However, the death of the Crawley heir aboard the Titanic, sets in motion a succession of changes for both the family and the servants. The second season — which began on PBS on January 8 — has moved forward to the years 1916-17 and portrays the effect that World War I has on all of their lives. This Emmy Award winning series is written by Julian Fellowes and stars Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, and Elizabeth McGovern. If you enjoy this period of history try some of the following titles.

Books

The American heiress: a novel by Daisy Goodwin — Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England.

Below Stairs — The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey" by Powell, Margaret — The remarkable true story of a woman who served in one of the great houses of England as a kitchen maid.

On Thursday April 12th from Noon to 1:00 PM we will be discussing the Everyone's Reading 2012 selection:

Lethal by Sandra Brown — When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that "sick" man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won't be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word. But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can't be trusted.

Cam Jansen and Choose Your Own Adventure will soon have new homes in the J Fiction collection. Cam Jansen will be shelved under the author's name, Adler. Choose Your Own Adventure will be shelved as J Fiction Choose because more than one author writes for this series. Again, we appreciate your patience and understanding while these items are temporarily unavailable in order to change the spine labels.

If you are anxiously awaiting George R. R. Martin's next book, you may need some reading material in the mean time. Don't despair — there are plenty of great fantasy series available. Check out this list from io9 for some ideas.

Do you love the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems? Always looking to get your hands on another one of their adventures? Now we've made it a lot easier to find them on the shelf! The library recently purchased several additional copies of this funny, award-winning series. You can find them all in the Readers section in the Children's Department. Happy reading!

Murder in the 11th house: a Starlight Detective Agency mystery by Mitchell Scott Lewis

All cry chaos: an Henri Poincaré mystery by Leonard Rosen

Ghouls, ghouls, ghouls by Victoria Laurie

Blood ties by Jane A.

This popular children's series is moving from the series section to its new home in J Fiction. It will be found under the author's last name, Warner. We appreciate your patience and understanding while these items are temporarily unavailable in order to change the spine labels.

The Paris wife [Large print]: a novel by Paula McLain

Doc [Large print] by Mary Doria Russell

Treason at Lisson Grove [Large print]: a Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novel by Anne Perry

Books can be deceiving [Large print] by Jenn McKinlay

The first winner of the Printz Award in 2000 and author of amazing novels before and since, Walter Dean Myers, has been named the next national ambassador for young children's literature.

The language of flowers: a novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Winterdance: the fine madness of running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen

My name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

1984: a novel by George Orwell ; with an afterword by Erich Fromm

What's the first book you will read this year? Have you made any reading resolutions for 2012? Last year I promised myself I would catch up on all my favorite authors, I think I read about 60% of my authors' list. This year I've promised myself to use all the reading diaries I've received over the past several years. I think this will be an easier resolution to keep.