Friday, August 30

Mississippi Book Recs for Kids!

As part of our Mississippi History display, we're sharing some awesome recommendations for juvenile fiction and nonfiction! Swing by the Brandon Library for more.


Fiction



A Thousand Never Evers by Shana Burg

In Kuckachoo, Mississippi, 1963, Addie Ann Pickett worships her brother Elias and follows in his footsteps by attending the black junior high school. But when her careless act leads to her brother’s disappearance and possible murder, Addie Ann, Mama, and Uncle Bump struggle with not knowing if he’s dead or alive. Then a good deed meant to unite Kuckachoo sets off a chain of explosive events. Addie Ann knows Old Man Adams left his land to the white and black people to plant a garden and reap its bounty together, but the mayor denies it. On garden picking day, Addie Ann’s family is sorely tested. Through tragedy, she finds the voice to lead a civil rights march all her own, and maybe change the future for her people.


Find it at the CMRLS here!




Fishtale by Hans Bauer

Sawyer Brown's family runs a catfish farm in rural Mississippi. When his widowed mom gets sick after her wedding ring is swallowed by a pond "cat," Sawyer is sure the missing ring is to blame. But he soon suspects that the pond cat has become the meal of a far more challenging catch. He sets out with his friends and his stowaway little sister to find the culprit that stole the ring. Journeying deep into the bayou, the foursome must band together to battle the elements, outwit a sneaky poacher, and overcome their differences in pursuit of a colossal catfish. But this is no ordinary fish. This is Ol' One Eye the biggest, oldest, smartest, and meanest durn cat that ever swam the Yazoo River! And before long, the adventurers aren't sure who's chasing who.


Find it at the CMRLS here!



Horns and Wrinkles by Jessica Lawson

How can you tell if a river’s under a spell? River trolls, rock trolls, blue-wing fairies—the usual suspects—the stretch of the Mississippi where Claire lives has rumors of them all, not that she’s ever spotted any. But then Claire’s cousin Duke takes a swim and sprouts a horn—a long, pointy, handsome thing. After that, Claire doesn’t have much choice but to believe that something rivery is going on, especially since she’s the only one who can help Duke lose his new addition. 

Readers of all ages will enjoy getting in—and out of—trouble with Claire and Duke in this nimble, sharp, and funny fantasy
.


Find it at the CMRLS here!





Non-fiction



Black Cat Bone: The Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson by Patrick Lewis

Legend credits his success to a midnight pact at a crossroads, but what is the real story of bluesman Robert Johnson?


Find it at the CMRLS here!





Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers

The Spies of Mississippi is a compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for African Americans during the Civil Rights era. This book sheds new light on one of the most momentous periods in American history.

Author Rick Bowers gives readers first-hand accounts of how neighbors spied on neighbors, teachers spied on students, ministers spied on church-goers, and spies even spied on spies.

The Spies of Mississippi will inspire readers with the stories of the brave citizens who overcame the forces of white supremacy to usher in a new era of hope and freedom—an age that has recently culminated in the election of Barack Obama.


Find it at the CMRLS here!



The Mad Potter by Jan Greenburg

When George Ohr's trove of pottery was discovered in 1967, years after his death, his true genius was discovered with it. The world could finally see how unique this artist really was!

Born in 1856 in Biloxi, Mississippi, George grew up to the sounds of the civil war and political unrest.When he was 22, his boyhood friend introduced him to the pottery wheel. The lost young man suddenly found his calling.

He started creating strangely crafted pots and vases, expressing his creativity and personality through the ceramic sculptures. Eventually, he had thousands at his fingertips. He took them to fairs and art shows, but nobody was buying these odd figures from this bizarre man. Eventually he retired, but not without hiding hundreds of his ceramics.


Find it at the CMRLS here!


Summaries collected and condensed from Goodreads.

Thursday, August 29

September Happenings at the Rez




September Happenings at the Rez


September Greetings! We hope that all of our patrons are ready for a great fall! This past summer has definitely been a hot one! We hope that after the summer our patrons are ready for cool nights around the bonfire, hot chocolate, and long evenings in front of the fire. The librarians at the Northwest point Reservoir are ready for the fun events that fall brings to the library. We hope you can join us for a great fall and all of our great events we have planned.

Labor Day Closing

CMRLS Libraries will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, in observance of Labor Day. Regular Library hours of operation will resume on Tuesday, September 3rd.  We hope you have a safe and happy Labor Day.

Fall Story Time
Join us Thursday, September 12th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. as we celebrate the arrival of fall with a special Fall into Fall Story Time! We will read books that are written about fall and sing songs that are written about the cooler months of fall! We hope to see you there!

Movie Matinee



Join us Thursday, September 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a matinee showing of Dumbo, a Walt Disney Pictures production rated (PG), lasting 1 hour and 52 minutes.
This live-action remake of the animated Disney classic stars Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and Eva Green. The film's (PG) rating is for peril/action, some thematic elements, and brief mild language.
Free popcorn available while supplies last.


High Noon Book Club

Join us Thursday, August 15th, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., for another meeting of the High Noon Book Club! This month we will have a "Book Report Meeting". All participants are encouraged to read a book of their own choosing and then give a report on it and we will choose the next book to read for the next meeting.  All participants are encouraged to bring their own brown bag lunch. Desserts will be provided courtesy of the Northwest Point Reservoir Library.  All who attend are also welcome to bring any desserts they want as well. We hope to see you there!


Loose Knit Group


Are you a master knitter who is looking to pass on your knowledge to a new generation of knitters? Are you a beginner who is looking to learn from master knitters? Come by the library every Tuesday, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  All experience levels are welcome as we work on our own projects.


Mugshots Family Trivia



Are you a trivia master looking for their next game to conquer? Are you a complete newbie to the game of trivia and wanting to know how the game is played? Come join us Tuesday, September 17th, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Mugshots of Flowood for  Mugshots Family Trivia Night.  It will be  another exciting night of great trivia courtesy of G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library and the Northwest Point Reservoir Library.

With the start of fall we hope that all of our patrons will continue to utilize our library services! We also hope that all of our patrons have a great and productive school year as well.

Monday, August 26

A Therapy Session Going to the Dogs, But in a Good Way at the Pearl Public Library!

Prepare yourself for a good time! 

A special Family Night program, Pizza and Pups! is on the way Tues. Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. 

Co-sponsored by Pizza Shack of Jackson, come meet Gunny, a gentle therapy dog, and enjoy award winning pizza!
Pizza and Pups! will be way more than just entertaining! It will be educational too! Learn what therapy dogs do.  

Therapy dogs have stable temperaments and are easy going.  They enjoy being petted, cuddled and handled! Therapy dogs visit various places like libraries, schools and rehabilitation centers. They are used to comfort people and give affection.

Pizza and Pups! is FREE and open to everyone! So, plan to come and bring the WHOLE family to see Gunny. He'll be the real star of the show!

And, speaking of a show, don't miss out on September's Third Thursday Flicks!
Harold and Maude is a dark comedy released in 1971. Come relax and watch  this FREE movie on the big screen, Thurs. Sept. 19 at 5:45. Refreshments will be served!

We'll see you there!

Friday, August 23

Book Recommendations - Young Adult Novels by Mississippi Authors

As part of our Mississippi History display, we're sharing some awesome recommendations for young adult fiction and nonfiction! Swing by the Brandon Library for more.

YA Fiction

Revolution by Deborah Wiles

It's 1964, and Sunny's town is being invaded. Or at least that's what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They're calling it Freedom Summer. Meanwhile, Sunny's life--and family--is getting complicated. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool, where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

Find it in the CMRLS here!



Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected invitation from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving for the lavish Wyndriven Abbey in the heart of Mississippi.
Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Find it in the CMRLS here!



Mosquitoland by David Arnold

After the sudden collapse of her family, Mim Malone is dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the “wastelands” of Mississippi, where she lives in a medicated milieu with her dad and new stepmom. Before the dust has a chance to settle, she learns her mother is sick back in Cleveland.  So she ditches her new life and hops aboard a northbound Greyhound bus to her real home and her real mother, meeting a quirky cast of fellow travelers along the way. But when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane.

Find it in the CMRLS here!

YA Non-Fiction


The Freedom Summer Murders by Don Mitchell

In June of 1964, three idealistic young men (one black and two white) were lynched by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi. They were trying to register African Americans to vote as part of the Freedom Summer effort to bring democracy to the South. Their disappearance and murder caused a national uproar and was one of the most significant incidents of the Civil Rights Movement, and contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. THE FREEDOM SUMMER MURDERS will be the first book for young people to take a comprehensive look at the brutal murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, through to the conviction in 2005 of mastermind Edgar Ray Killen. 

Find in the CMRLS here!

A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson

In 1955, people all over the United States knew that Emmett Louis Till was a fourteen-year-old African American boy lynched for supposedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. The brutality of his murder, the open-casket funeral, and the acquittal of the men tried for the crime drew wide media attention. Award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson reminds us of the boy whose fate helped spark the civil rights movement. This martyr’s wreath, woven from a little-known but sophisticated form of poetry, challenges us to speak out against modern-day injustices, to “speak what we see.”

Find it in the CMRLS here!


Events That Changed the Course of History: Mississippi Becoming a State 200 Years Later by Amanda Hutchins


Two hundred years ago, on Dec. 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state to join the Union. Follow Mississippi on its long path to statehood, from the habitation of the Chickasaw, Choctaw and other tribes dating all the way back to 10,000 B.C., to its first European settlement in 1699, to eventually becoming a U.S. territory after the Revolutionary War.
However, Mississippi only enjoyed its status as a state for about 43 years before its citizens voted to secede from the Union in early 1861, just a few short months before the beginning of the Civil War. In this book, you will learn just why Mississippi seceded, how the state fared during the war, and how it dealt with reconstruction after the Confederacy was dissolved.
From the development of the Blues, to the Civil Rights Movement, to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, there have been a great number of changes, both good and bad, in Mississippi in the past century, and there are sure to be more to come. Take a closer look at the Magnolia State's history and learn how its past has shaped the culture and people of Mississippi today.
Find in in the CMRLS here!

All summaries acquired via Goodreads.

Thursday, August 22

August Events for the Morton Library

It's Back to School Time!


             Be sure to come by  the library and check out our large selection of AR books
                      to help you get a head start on your AR reading for school.

Don't forget that every Tuesday morning at 10:30 we have Story Time for ages 3-5

Our themes for August are:
Aug. 6:  The Ocean
Aug 13:  Dinosaurs
Aug 20: School
Aug 27: All About Me

Events for K-6 Grade are:
Aug 15: Making shaving cream art paper at 5 p.m.

Events for Tweens are:
Aug 15: Painting With Your Feet at 5 p.m.

We also have an Adult event this month
Aug 22:  We will be painting coffee cups at 5.m.
             Due to limited supplies please sign up for this event prior to Aug 22.

The Friends of the Morton Library will be having a Silent Auction during the month of August
at the Library.  All proceeds go to the Friends of the Morton Library.
So come by and bid on some great items and help support your local library!


Monday, August 19

Time is Flying and September is just around the corner!

But August isn't over yet!

Don't forget that the Pearl Public Library features How-To Tuesday on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. 

So, don't miss the August How-To Tuesday on the 20th at 6 p.m. Join in fun stenciling using paper, paint, jar lids and a toothbrush! The program is free, no reservation required and materials are supplied!



And, for all you book lovers out there, The Pearl Morning Book Club meets every two weeks on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. If you aren't a member, no worries. Just stop on by. You can call the Pearl Library at 601-932-2562 for the title that will be discussed. The next meeting is Wed. Aug. 28 at 10 a.m.



If you can't make the Pearl Morning Book Club in August, plan on rolling in with the month of September! Hey, it happens every other week on Wednesday! Plenty of opportunities to get your read on!



Get your craft juices flowing first thing in September with Popsicle Stick Coasters, the Simply Crafts program on Tues. Sept. 3 at 6 p.m.  A Free program, no reservations required and materials supplied! Simply Crafts is every first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Don't miss out!

We'll see you there!

Friday, August 16

Mississippi Book Recs!

As part of our Mississippi History display, we're sharing some awesome recommendations for adult fiction and nonfiction! Swing by the Brandon Library for more.

ADULT FICTION:

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

When thirteen-year-old JoJo's father is released from prison, his mother Leonie packs her kids and a friend into her car and drives north to the heart of Mississippi and Parchman Farm, the State Penitentiary. At Parchman, there is another thirteen-year-old boy, the ghost of a dead inmate who carries all of the ugly history of the South with him. He too has something to teach Jojo about fathers and sons, legacies, violence, and love.

Find it in the CMRLS catalog here!



Paper Son by S.J. Rozan

When Lydia Chen's mother tells her a cousin Lydia didn’t know she had is in jail in Clarksdale, Mississippi—and that Lydia has to rush down south and get him out—Lydia finds herself rolling down Highway 61 with Bill Smith, her partner, behind the wheel. She soon finds that nothing in Mississippi is as she expected it to be. Including her cousin’s legal troubles—or possibly even his innocence.


Find it in the CMRLS catalog here!



Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith

Russell Gaines has been in Parchman penitentiary for eleven years. His sentence now up, Russell believes his debt has been paid. But when he returns home, he realizes others don't feel the same. Meanwhile, a woman named Maben and her young daughter trudge along the side of the interstate, spending their last dollar on a room for the night. By morning,  a dead deputy lies in the middle of the road, and all signs point to Maben. When their paths cross as morning dawns, Russell must decide whose life he will save—his own or those of the woman and child.

Find it in the CMRLS catalog here

ADULT NONFICTION:

Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South by Karen L. Cox

In 1932, the city of Natchez made national news when Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery--known in the press as the "Wild Man" and the "Goat Woman"--enlisted a black man named George Pearls to rob their reclusive neighbor, Jennie Merrill, at her estate. During the attempted robbery, Merrill was shot and killed.  Pearls was killed by an Arkansas policeman in an unrelated incident before he could face trial. 

However, the white community demanded "justice," and an innocent black woman named Emily Burns was ultimately sent to prison for the murder. Dana and Dockery not only avoided punishment but also lived to profit from the notoriety of the murder. Karen Cox highlights the larger ideas that made the tale so irresistible to the popular press and provides a unique lens through which to view the transformation of the plantation South into the fallen, Gothic South.


Find it in the CMRLS catalog here

Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta by Richard Grant

Richard Grant and his girlfriend of New York City buy an old plantation house in the Mississippi Delta on a remote, isolated strip of land, three miles beyond the tiny community of Pluto, where they learn to hunt, grow their own food, fend off alligators, and more. Grant brings an adept, empathetic eye to the fascinating people he meets, capturing the rich, extraordinary culture of the Delta, while tracking its utterly bizarre and criminal extremes. Reporting from all angles as only an outsider can, Grant also delves deeply into the Delta’s lingering racial tensions. Yet even as he observes major structural problems, he encounters many close, loving, and interdependent relationships between black and white families—and good reasons for hope.

Find it in the CMRLS catalog here!

The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American South by Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington

Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks spent a combined thirty years in prison before finally being exonerated in 2008 for the assault and murder of two three-year-old girls in rural Mississippi while the real killer remained free. Balko and Carrington chronicle the careeres of medical examiner Dr. Steven Hayne, who performed the vast majority of Mississippi's autopsies, while his friend Dr. Michael West, a local dentist, pitched himself as a forensic jack-of-all-trades. Together they became the go-to experts for prosecutors and helped put countless Mississippians in prison. But then some of those convictions--like that of Brooks and Brewer--began to fall apart. Balko and Carrington raise sobering questions about our criminal justice system's ability to address its issues with racism and forensic failures.

Find it in the CMRLS catalog here!

Summaries collected and condensed from Goodreads.

Monday, August 12

Almost Halfway Through August and Still Lots To Do At The Pearl Library!

You know.  The thing that makes the Family Night program - which is every second Tuesday of the month at the Pearl Library- really special is that well, it's for the WHOLE family!

That means August Family Night's Back to School Breakfast, Tues. Aug. 13 at 6 p.m, sponsored by Waffle House, is breakfast for dinner for EVERYONE!

So, come on in! The nice folks at Waffle House will be bringing a selection of breakfast items from their yummy menu, and it's FREE! 

Now, there will be a limited supply so be sure to get to the Pearl Library early!

Hey, nothing goes better with dinner than a movie! We all know that! That's why this is a great week at the Pearl Library. 



Following the Family Night feast on Tuesday is Third Thursday Flicks on Thurs. Aug. 15 at 5:45 p.m. 

Ben heads up adult programming at the Pearl Library and his big screen feature selection for this month is  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial which came out in 1982! What a movie! Directed by Steven Spielberg, it's a heartwarming story about a young boy, Elliott and a kind alien E.T.! Light refreshments will be served!

August programming wouldn't be complete without a creative element! August's How-To Tuesday offering on Tues. Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. will not let you down! Don't miss fun stenciling using paper, paint, jar lids and a TOOTHBRUSH! Yep, you read that right! See! Creative! No reservation needed and all materials supplied!



Remember all programs are FREE!

We'll see you there!

Monday, August 5

No Wafflin' Now! Plan to Come and Get It at the Pearl Public Library!

Can you hear that dinner bell a'ringin'? I know you can!

That's because the big grub night is soooooo close!

Family Night, Tues. Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. The Pearl Public Library. Be here!

It's Back to School Breakfast compliments of the Waffle House, and it's ...

FUHRRREEE! 

There will be enough breakfast vittles to feed 100 folks! So, please make sure you get to the Pearl Library early enough to get in on the feast!

You know the Waffle House doesn't play when it comes to great food! Be sure to work up an appetite before you come!  Wanna know how you can do that? Glad you asked!

Join in Simply Crafts on Tues. Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. and do some gardening! Yeah! They'll take recycled plastic bottles and turn them into PLANTERS! Cool, huh? I know!



You aren't finished yet! Got to keep on programming to get your HUNGRY ON! So, how do you spell that? B-I-N-G-O! 

That's Thurs. Aug. 8 at 6 p.m! BINGO FOR BOOKS! It's such a fun time and a chance to win not only books, but DVDs and video games too! Light refreshments will be served!

Don't miss out! 

We'll see you there!

Participate in Snapshot Day and Support Your Local CMRLS Branch



Tuesday, August 6, has been designated Snapshot Day by the Mississippi Library Commission. It is a day where libraries statewide will be photographing patrons to show the many ways libraries are relevant to our communities. In addition to photographs, you will be given an opportunity to tell us why your library is important to you.

Please participate in "A Day in the Life of Mississippi Libraries" by visiting your local library tomorrow. The best advocate for libraries is YOU, the patron, and we appreciate your support tomorrow and throughout the year.

Friday, August 2

Brandon Author Feature: John Floyd

Photo by Nancy Jacobs on
mswritersandmusicians.com

Say hello to John Floyd, a local author in Brandon who has written over 1000 published short stories, articles, poems, and more!
John grew up in Sallis, Mississippi with his parents and sister and graduated from Kosciusko High, after which he went to MSU for engineering. After graduating, he worked for IBM in Jackson, during which time he served in the U.S. Air Force at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, which is where he met his wife Carolyn. He says that the start of his writing career probably began in the airports and hotels on his travels during his thirty-year career at IBM.
His short stories have been featured in over 200 publications since the early nineties, after Carolyn convinced him to send his work to editors. He’s been nominated for several writing awards and won the 2007 Derringer Award for short mystery fiction. Though he’s tried out many different types of writing, he says short fiction is his favorite—a fact that can be clearly seen in his seven published short story collections. His most recent collection, The Barrens, came out in 2018 and includes a story featured in The Best American Mystery Stories 2018.