Book Reviews – Cass County Public Library

New Holiday Titles Available

‘Tis the season for hot chocolate and good reading! Add to your holiday reading traditions this year by checking out

Book Reviews Websites and Databases

Brain Pickings, Charles Schulz, love, Love is Walking Hand in Hand, Maria Popova, Peanuts, Valentine's Day

“Love is Walking Hand In Hand”…and other definitions

Happy Valentine’s from your friends at the library!

Book Reviews Drexel

Chasing Hope, Kathryn Cushman

Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman is an inspiring story of two young women: one, an Olympic hopeful with dashed dreams, and the other a broken, angry teenager who is afraid to dream. It wasn’t easy. Giving up was always an option. Their unlikely friendship will encourage and challenge you.

Book Reviews

Allegiant, Anna Dewdney, Catching Fire, Command Authority, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, Divergent, Doctor Sleep, Ender’s Game, Erin Hunter, House of Hades, Hunger Games, Hurry Up Houdini, Insurgent, James Dean, Janet Evanovich, Jeff Kinney, John Flanagan, John Green, John Grisham, Knight at Dawn, Llama Llama, Markus Zusak, Mary Pope Osborne, Mockingjay, Orson Scott Card, Pete the Cat, Rick Riordan, Royal Ranger, Stephen King, Suzanne Collins, Sycamore Row, Takedown Twenty, The Book Thief, The Fault in Our Stars, Thunder Rising, Tom Clancy, Veronica Roth

Last minute gift ideas for readers of all ages

Looking for that last minute Christmas gift? —what about a book? Try your local stores for these titles that have been flying off the library shelves.

Book Reviews Drexel

A Time to Kill, Allegiant, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Divergent, Doctor Sleep, Helen Fielding, Heroes of Olympus, House of Hades, Jeff Kinney, John Grisham, Kinsey Millhone mysteries, Rick Riordan, Stephen King, Sue Grafton, Sycamore Row, The Shining, Veronica Roth, W is for Wasted

“Blockbuster” books for Fall 2013

Fall is usually a great time for brand new books and 2013 is no exception. Here are a few anticipated titles, including some new installments from some beloved series and a couple of long awaited sequels.

Book Reviews Harrisonville Programs and Events

Followed by Angels, hydrocephalus, inspirational, medical, memoir, Robin Holloway

Followed by Angels: An evening with the author

On Wednesday, July 31 at 6:00pm, local author, Robin Holloway, will discuss her book Followed by Angels: Life with Hydrocephalus at the Harrisonville library. A book signing will immediately follow.

Book Reviews Harrisonville

Missouri Libraries 2 Go, National Geographic Kids, road trips, Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas

How to Survive a Road Trip with Children

Today’s child has all the advantages of advanced technology. They can watch movies, listen to music or a favorite book, all at the touch of a button. Make sure you stop by your Cass County library branch before you leave on this summer’s vacation. The miles will slip away when you are listening to an audio book! Whether it’s Harry Potter books, The Boxcar Children, Skippy John Jones or Olivia, we’ve got you covered. Movies and music CD’s are available for both children and adults.

Book Reviews Harrisonville

Boston, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Boston, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Eyewitness Travel Family Guide: Florida, Florida, Frommer's Guides, Grand Teton National Park, Harvard University, Key West, Red Sox, travel, travel guides, Yellowstone National Park

It’s Time for Summer Vacations!

It’s that time of year to be going on summer vacations. I am just about to leave for Key West, Florida and I am so excited to see all of the interesting and new things there are to do! One of the best ways to find great local restaurants and attractions is to pick up a travel guide from your local library.

Book Reviews Genealogy Harrisonville Programs and Events

Carol Bohl, Cass County Historical Society, Janice Britz, Jenifer Dick, Linda Hammontree, local author, Mother's Day, Stories in Stitches: Quilts from the Cass County Quilt Documentation Project, tea

Tea & Quilts

Presenting the Program will be the authors of Stories in Stitches: Quilts from the Cass County Quilt Documentation Project. The full-color book includes photos of heritage quilts discovered in Cass County, Missouri along with quilt projects inspired by them. Authors Jenifer Dick, Carol Bohl and Janice Britz of Harrisonville and Linda Hammontree of Pleasant Hill collaborated to bring the book to life. It is the culmination of a Cass County Historical Society project to document quilts with county connections made before 1960.

Book Reviews

garden, gardening, Gardening 101, Martha Stewart, Spring

A Time to Plant

The snow is melting and the first day of spring is just one week away! Soon we will be seeing little bits of green sprouting up in the yard, reminding us of the warmth to come. And then come the flowers! Every color you can imagine painted perfectly on their delicate petals. Don’t forget the fruits and vegetables that will be growing over the coming months and how tasty (and nutritious!) they will be when grown. Why not take some time this spring to start your own garden?

Book Clubs Book Reviews Northern Resource Center Websites and Databases

apps, Downton Abbey, Goodreads, Listopia

Meet your Next Favorite Book at Goodreads

Goodreads is a social cataloging website for book nerds that launched in January 2007. As of July 2012 it had 10 million registered members with 20 million monthly visits. That’s a lot of book recommendations.

Book Reviews

Laura Ingalls Wilder, meteorology, snow storm, The Long Winter

Remembering another tough winter

Think this is a tough storm? Try the Laura Ingalls Wilder classic The Long Winter about the 1880-1881 winter that almost killed Laura and her family after deep snow prevented the trains from getting through to her small town for several months.

Archie Book Clubs Book Reviews Bookmobile Cass Teens Drexel Garden City Harrisonville Northern Resource Center Pleasant Hill

Life of Pi, On the Same Page, Yann Martel

On the Same Page: Life of Pi

There’s still time to participate in our annual community read project, On the Same Page. This year we’re reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel throughout February and March. It’s a story about stories, and features a young man in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Participation in any of the discussions earns you an entry in a drawing to win a Kindle Fire or other great prizes.

Book Reviews

Downton Abbey, England, Ian McKellen, Leicester, National Geographic, Richard III, William Shakespeare

This seems like a fitting time to re-read Shakespeare’s Richard III

Scientists believe they have discovered the lost burial place of Richard III – under a parking lot in Leicester, England. He died in battle at the age of 32 in 1485 and was the villainous main character of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Richard III.

Book Reviews Harrisonville Websites and Databases

Beverly Cleary, C. S. Lewis, chapter books, Goodreads, Hank the Cowdog, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Mouse and the Motorcycle

It’s the most wonderful time for a good chapter book

One of our favorite things to do with our kids as they got older was to read chapter books out loud. Because books are all about stories and imagination, they are a great alternative to screen time. The Christmas season with its cozy evenings and relaxed bedtimes is the perfect time for this.