Staff Picks

April is Poetry Month

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April is National Poetry Month—hope you’ve stopped by to see our “Poet-tree” at the main desk! Even for avid readers, poetry is often thought of as being hard to read or understand. I’ll admit it’s been a while since I’ve read a poem. But being the word nerd that I am, I thought I’d share some of my favorites.   My grandmother gave me Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses when I was a little girl. I was enthralled by the beautifully detailed illustrations and quickly became enamored with the way the words flowed. It’s quite possible that …

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Dance into Spring with an old fashioned musical borrowed from the Gardiner Public Library

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Easter Parade (1948) starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.  When his long-time dance partner abandons him for the Ziegfeld Follies, Don Hewes decides to show who’s who what’s what by choosing any girl out of a chorus line and transforming her into a star. So he makes his choice and takes his chances. Of course, since Fred Astaire portrays Don and Judy Garland plays the chorine, we know we’re in for an entertainment sure thing. Babes in Arms (1939) starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.  This classic film stars Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland as teenagers living in Seaport, Long …

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New Books in the Library

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FICTION: Almost famous women by Megan Bergman.  Here are stories that explore the lives of unforgettable women in history such as Beryl Markham and Edna St. Vincent Millay’s talented sister, Norma. The alphabet house by Jussi Adler-Olsen.  A psychological thriller set in World War II Nazi Germany mental hospital and in 1970s London. Black River by S.M. Hulse.  A tense Western that tells the story of a man marked by a prison riot as he returns to the town – and the convict – who shaped him. Crash and burn by Lisa Gardner.  The investigation of an accident in New …

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Winter Watching While Watching Winter

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Looking for something to do on a cold winter day in Maine?  Here are a few . . . “cool” film ideas for you! W – White Fang I – Ice Age N – Northern Exposure T – True Lies E – Empire Strikes Back R – Return to Snowy River W – White Nights A – Arctic Tale T – Titanic C – Cool Runnings H – Happy Feet I – Iron Will N – North to Alaska G – Golden Compass

The Return of Poirot

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I read my first Agatha Christie book when I was 10 years old and “upta camp” for the summer at Tacoma Lakes. I was hunting for a book to read, and came across a large print book of my grandmother’s. It was The Body in the Library and I was hooked from page one!   Having died in 1976, Agatha Christie is still the most prolific mystery writer, the most translated author, and is arguably the best-selling author of all time. (I am quite the Christie nerd and can easily spout all kinds of factoids.) In fact, I am such …

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Movie Scenes In The Library!

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I’m thinking of movies with key scenes that were set in a library.  Can you come up with others? Ghostbusters (1984) – The beginning of the movies has a female specter wrecking havoc on an old card catalog Breakfast Club (1985) – School detention is held in the library The Day After Tomorrow(2004) – Survivors of a world disaster take refuge in the New York Public Library   Gone With The Wind(1939) – Scarlett first meets Rhett in the home library when she flings a porcelain piece at the departing Ashley The Librarian(2004) – Where else would the world’s mysterious …

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