Miss Julia Knows a Thing or Two by Ann B. Ross is the 22nd entry in the Miss Julia series. I’ve been a big fan of this series for many years, so I always enjoy getting back into it!
Forever supportive Julia Murdoch wants to help her friend, Etta Mae, facing future unemployment by buying a home healthcare business and selling it to her at a bargain price. Miss Julia’s neighbor, Mildred Allen, is facing the reality that she can longer care for her husband Horace at home. In addition Mildred has an unknown 6-year-old adopted granddaughter who is dropped off for Mildred to take care of at Christmas. Of course Miss Julia is ready, willing, and able to assist whenever she can.
Looking for quick feel-good stories, consider giving this series a try. When it comes to friendship, Miss Julia definitely knows a thing or two!
One recently added resource that you may have missed is Qello Concerts. Qello is your ticket to the front row to thousands of concerts and music documentaries available to stream in your home. Here’s a list of suggested concerts to get you started with Qello.
RiverCon, our first annual mini-con at the library, was moved to at home activities to keep everyone safe this summer. We have also adapted our RiverCon panel discussion to blog format so you can enjoy “meeting” amazing local comic artists and authors from home! Each Thursday morning from now until July 2nd you can read a new interview right here on Read it Or Weep.
Our first RiverCon interview kicks off with Karly West! Karly is the author and artist of The Scholarly Banana: Fitcher’s Bird and a Rocky River native! Read more about Karly here.
What inspired you to pursue a career in comics?
Karly: I have a lot of weird, varied interests that I stubbornly refuse to give up! As a kid, I wanted to be an artist, an author, and a teacher. College was the same story: I interviewed with the journalism department, the art department, and the education department, but I had the worst time making a decision. For whatever reason, even though I loved each of these subjects, none of these career paths felt like the right fit for me (note: I earned my degree in education, but I’ve worked as a professional artist since 2010). In 2016, I created The Scholarly Banana as my “dream project” that would enable me to do everything I loved in one fell swoop: Writing, Researching, Design, Sculpture, Photography, Photoshop, Teaching, and…being weird, I guess! I’m happy to say that this has been the most creatively satisfying (and challenging) thing I’ve ever done.
Was there a favorite comic book you read in your youth?
Karly: Fox Trot. Back in the 90s, I collected all the Fox Trot anthologies and spent countless hours drawing the Fox family. My honorable mention goes to Dilbert. Although I’ve never worked in a cubicle before, I think Scott Adams is hilarious. Side note: His nonfiction books are great, too.
Why do you think storytelling, specifically in the comic or graphic novel format, is important?
Karly: Pictures are just another form of communication, so a well-designed, well-written, artistic book should be the best of both worlds, right? Graphic novels are incredibly cinematic. They’re like highly-polished storyboards! But unlike movies, graphic novels let us enjoy stories at our own pace, which is fantastic. I love to re-read my favorite books to analyze and admire all the subtle details. Graphic novels and well-designed picture books are great for that.
How have folk tales, fairy tales, or mythology influenced your work?
Karly: I’ve been a voracious folklore nerd since 2002! More than anything, I love learning about the history and analysis of these ancient, influential stories. My favorite fairy tale books tend to be research-focused, though I don’t always have the mental energy to read college-level texts anymore. I created The Scholarly Banana to solve this problem! The Banana showcases the most exciting facts about folklore studies in a casual, friendly, and irreverently joyful way. It’s like a quirky, artsy CliffsNotes. But with fairy tales. And a banana.
Photo courtesy of Karly West.
Do you have a favorite folk tale, fairy tale, or myth?
Karly:The Story Of Grandmother is the tale that first got me hooked on folklore studies. Haha, I know the title sounds lame, but this is one of the craziest stories I’ve ever read! It’s an old French version of “Little Red Riding Hood.” However, the girl in this story doesn’t have a red hood, she unwittingly eats her grandmother for lunch, and she arranges her escape by telling the wolf that she has to go outside to use the bathroom. No joke. That’s the story.
What is a favorite comic book or graphic novel that you have read in the past year?
Karly: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll. It’s beautifully creepy. Can I get some honorable mentions for this too? I’m a big fan of Reza Farazmand’s Poorly Drawn Lines (IG @poorlydrawnlines) as well as Patt Kelley’s single-paneled comics (@pattkelley).
Photos courtesy of Karly West.
Thanks so much to Karly for participating in our blog interview! Keep your eyes peeled for her next Scholarly Banana book- The Juniper Tree!
There is no escaping the news and racism, policing, and protesting are currently the main headlines for most news outlets. More and more I have been hearing a cry to defund the police, an idea that I did not fully understand. Naturally, I took to the intern to begin my research, where I came across the book The End of Policing by Alex Vitale. I found it to be a quick read and interesting read.
Alex S. Vitale is a professor of sociology at Brooklyn College. He is also the coordinator of The Policing and Social Justice Project, an organization that “…advocates and supports organizing against harmful law enforcement strategies and has provided guidance for social justice and criminal justice reform efforts across the country.” Vitale has studied and written about policing for 25 and consult both police departments and human rights organizations.
The End of Policing is a broad history and analysis of the policing system in the United States. Chapters address police in schools, the policing of our borders, the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, and sex workers. He discusses theories of policing such as warrior policing and broken window policing. Vitale clearly outlines the roles that presidents and politicians on both sides of the aisle have played in contributing to the problems of policing. From union-busting to the war on drugs, from ICE to three strikes, from stop and frisk to closing mental institutions, our modern presidents have all enacted polices that have resulted in harmful policing practices. Vitale cites as a major issue with policing the idea that we rely on police to solve all of our problems, despite police not being qualified to do so. Police are expected to perform the jobs of mental health providers, social workers, addiction specialists, and more without the proper skills and at great cost to society. The author details how special courts, diversion programs, and jails are all more expensive to run than social services programs. His conclusion is that training and reform are not enough. Vitale argues that diverting funds into programs that work to prevent social problems, ie, mental health care, affordable house, access to jobs, etc can reduce crime an the need for policing.
This is an interesting, informative, and well-researched book that I found helpful in understanding the idea behind the call to defund police.
Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week. Whether you are looking for a romantic page-turner, an autobiography, or a medical thriller, we have something for you!
Night Sleep Death The Stars by Joyce Carol Oates – The book is a gripping examination of contemporary America through the prism of a family tragedy. An intimate exploration of race, class warfare and healing by the award-winning author of We Were the Mulvaneys follows the unexpected reactions of a wife and her adult children to a powerful patriarch’s death.
Broken Peopleby Sam Lansky – Groundbreaking and beautifully written, this novel about coming to grips with the past and ourselves follows recovering alcoholic Sam as he, with his sponsor’s blessing, partakes in healing ceremony involving an ancient herbal medicine administered by a shaman over the course of three days.
Stranger in the Lakeby Kimberly Belle – A newly married woman questions her husband’s involvement with a woman murdered in the lake behind their home and how it connects the unsolved case that shook the town decades before. By the best-selling author of The Marriage Lie.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon – A witty rom-com that explores the ” unique joys of strong female friendships and the particular struggles of Black women in the workplace, all within a great love story.” A smart, funny digital-age romance about real women living in the real world.
Perfectly Wounded by Mike Day & Robert Vera – The incredible true story of former Navy SEAL Mike Day, who survived being shot twenty-seven times while deployed in Iraq. Perfectly Wounded is the remarkable story of an American hero whose incredible survival defies explanation, and whose blessed life of service continues in the face of unimaginable odds.
Perfect Happiness by Kristyn Kusek Lewis – From the beloved author of Half of What You Hear, a perceptive and poignant novel about a woman discovering that her expertise can only get her so far in matters of the heart. In this bittersweet family love story, the author explores how easy it is to lose connection with the people closest to us, and what happens when we try to find our way back.
Safeby S. K. Barnett – Miraculously returning home after escaping the kidnappers who stole her in early childhood 12 years earlier, Jenny navigates difficult questions by her parents and older brother while struggling to avoid ongoing threats to her safety.
Daddy’s Girlsby Danielle Steel – Inheriting a California ranch upon their single father’s sudden death, three sisters evaluate their very different childhoods while uncovering paradigm-shifting secrets about their father’s identity that strengthen their bond with each other. By the best-selling author of The Wedding Dress.
The Sight of Youby Holly Miller – Unable to help falling in love with a woman who offers him a second chance, a man who secretly experiences dreams about the future makes a difficult choice in the face of a daunting premonition about their future together.
I may have mentioned that I’m finding it a bit hard to stick with an entire book right now. So when I find a novel that compels me to read it in one sitting, not only do I want to celebrate, I want to share!
My eBook for Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell became available on Saturday morning and as soon as I started it, I knew my chore list was shot. This fast-paced and suspenseful domestic thriller stars unreliable (and mostly unlike-able) characters who have shady pasts and who make many bad choices and stir up plenty of family drama.
Floral shop owner Charlotte has the perfect life, including money, a fabulous apartment, a beautiful daughter named Daisy, a handsome husband and a super successful business. Unfortunately, she is wracked by anxiety, is overprotective of her family, and can’t always sleep at night. Adding to her woes is her brother Rocco, who barely has his life together and whose taste in girlfriends has always been horrible, each one less tolerable than the last. But when Charlotte meets his newest girlfriend Ruth, she thinks maybe this time Rocco got it right.
In Ruth’s eyes, however, it is Charlotte who isn’t perfect. Ruth, who didn’t have a good relationship with her mother, thinks that Charlotte doesn’t appreciate what she has. Ruth longs for a daughter just like Daisy–or maybe even Daisy herself. Before too long, Ruth will turn Charlotte’s life upside down and will take readers on a journey filled with twists, turns, and plenty of juicy secrets.
Like cotton candy, this novel won’t overly fill you up or ruin your appetite for your next read, but it sure tastes good as a treat. If this sounds like your type of read, place a hold in our catalog here.
Here’s what’s happening for adults & teens at RRPL this week!
Summer Reading begins! Sign up at Beanstack or call us to register! For additional information, check out our Summer Reading Flyer.
MANNA FOOD TRUCK | All Ages | Wednesday, June 10, 5-7 pm Library Front Lawn Enjoy dinner from Manna Food Truck while you picnic on the lawn. Order online before the event from the link in our event calendar or at the truck the day of.
SMARTPHONE VIDEOMAKING | Adults & Teens | Thursdays, 7:00 – 8:30 pm June 11: (apps, writing, shooting) and June 25: (apps, editing, how to share) Bring your smartphone (any device) and learn how to write, shoot, and edit your video all from your phone with TV producer Hollie Brubaker. Be prepared with a full battery, storage space for new apps on your device, and an idea inspired by Rocky River. Each participant will be encouraged to share their work at our River of Stories event the week of July 21-27. Adults and Teens welcome. Register and you will be emailed an invitation to join this virtual event. Registration required.
MEET THE AUTHOR: ABBY L. VANDIVER | Adults | Thursday, June 11, 6:30 pm Abby L. Vandiver will talk about her recently published book, A Deadly Inside Scoop, first in her new series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, published by Penguin Berkley. Hear her exciting journey from lawyer, to successful self-published Amazon #1 bestselling author, to Penguin published author! Register and you will be emailed an invitation to join this virtual event. Registration required.
Check out the Information Kiosk in front of the library for more information, including Summer Reading, Summer Events and Summer Reading Slips.
In light of everything going on in the world right now, we’ve decided to pivot from choosing just one book to discuss for a whole month to sharing curated lists of books on difficult topics. Every Sunday, we’ll be linking books to help start kick-start discussion on challenging topics, as well as including links to local organizations that need your support. We know that these conversations will be hard, and they will make people uncomfortable, but we believe that they are important to have.
To start, we’ll be looking at race and racism, especially racism that predominantly affects Black people in America. All of the items below can be checked out right now from Hoopla with your library card and PIN – just click on the book cover!
What is privilege? Who has it? Who doesn’t? Why do some people have privilege while others don’t?
Name some examples of White Privilege.
Where do these privileges come from? What can people with privilege do that people without privilege can’t?
What is the cost of White Privilege for persons of color? What is the cost of White Privilege for white people?
How are issues like education, healthcare, poverty, housing, and economic status relate to White Privilege?
How are societal challenges like drugs, crime, failing schools, high drop out rates, and food deserts related to White Privilege?
Why is it challenging for white people to think about (and do something about) White Privilege?
When did you first realize you were white?
How do you see White Privilege demonstrated in media daily?
Questions from Chicago Theological Seminary. Click that link to find their White Privilege Glasses Discussion Guide, which has many helpful links to further reading and discussion.
Read it or Weep 