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The Redlands Adult Literacy Program has chosen the book, Harvesting Dreams, Defying the Odds to Achieve the American Dream, by Erica Alfaro as this year’s Community Read. The book was selected because of its focus on the life-changing impact of education, how determination can overcome adversity, and its invitation to everyone to dream BIG. Erica will share her challenging journey from immigrant, teenage mother, domestic abuse survivor, to earning her master’s degree and becoming a spokesperson for sharing your story and achieving your dreams. 

The Redlands Adult Literacy Program invites the community to meet author Erica Alfaro on Saturday, March 9th, 2024 at the Contemporary Club, 173 S. Eureka Street, Redlands. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 2:00 p.m. This is a free event open to everyone.

Harvesting Dreams has been read by over 100 members of the adult literacy community. They were moved by the challenges that Ms. Alfaro overcame in her quest for an education. Many adult learners who read her book said they could relate to her story and were inspired by her strength and courage.  

Cinderella Tran, an adult learner in the Adult Literacy Program, expressed her appreciation to the author by saying, “The book inspired me to think about how we have to encourage our children to get an education to better themselves.” Salma Marquez, a fellow-adult learner, said, “I think this book is inspirational for a lot of people especially Mexican people who came to this country. It is hard. Erica Alfaro is very strong.”  

Reading about the difficulties faced by Ms. Alfaro in her marriage, Yesenia Jimenez reflected, “I admire Erica for being a brave girl, even though she was very young, she knew how to take her place as a woman and distance herself from her boyfriend.” In her book, Erica shared that her boyfriend often discouraged her from continuing her education. Jeanne Fortier, an adult literacy tutor, reflected, “For Erica, giving up on her dreams for herself and her son was not an option.”  

Tutors and learners are well aware of the struggle that many people face to advance their education and they understand the courage and dedication necessary to advance themselves and their families in this ever more complicated world.  

This event is made possible through generous donations to the adult literacy program through the Friends of A.K. Smiley Public Library and support from the A.K. Smiley Public Library Endowment Fund. Copies of Harvesting Dreams are available for checkout at the Library. 

The ability to read and write at a level necessary to achieve your dreams is an essential need for everyone in the community.  Because the Redlands community has so many wonderful volunteers who donate their time to help others, the Redlands Adult Literacy Program is able to provide one-on-one tutoring in reading and writing for adults who need to improve their literacy skills to get better jobs, further their own education, help their children with schoolwork, or read a book.   

If you know someone who wants to improve their literacy, or if you would like to volunteer as an adult literacy tutor, please call 909.798.7565, ext. 4110, email literacy@akspl.org, or visit A.K. Smiley Public Library and ask for the adult literacy coordinator. All information is treated confidentially. You may also wish to visit www.akspl.org/literacy, to read more about the Redlands Adult Literacy Program. The next tutor orientation class will take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Please contact the literacy coordinator if you are interested in attending this class.

Happy New Year from the Youth Services Crew! We have a great selection of books here in the Young Readers’ Room for readers of all ages–kids’ books aren’t just for kids! Are you ready to find your new favorite book this year? Please come peruse our “New Books” shelf at your earliest convenience.

Picture books are such a joy to read over and over, and to linger over the pictures. Here is a list of five new picture books I thought you would enjoy to start out the New Year:

More than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean written by Roz MacLean flows from page to page filled with children who have a multitude of learning and communication abilities. The illustrations are colorful and mostly shared on a double spread. The end pages are laid out with communication access ideas for your children and how to share the love of communication for each individual child.

The Story of a Book is written by Joy McCullough and illustrated by Devon Holzwarth. This story transports the reader through the life of a book. Starting out on the shelf in the library, a brand-new addition to the shelf, this book is chosen by a potential reader. The book then travels to its next destination. Beautifully written and illustrated, this story will have you remembering some of the wonderful books you’ve read throughout your lifetime!

A Very CRANKY Book, is written and illustrated by a national bestseller duo: Angela & Tony DiTerlizzi. Everyone experiences the ol’ cranky mood every now and then, but what about a book? Can a book be ‘cranky?’ Check out this title and find out! What happens to a book when its shelf mates are checked out all the time, but this book, well, just stays put, no check-outs or browsing joy to be found? Let the crankiness go and read to your hearts delight with this laugh-out-loud story!

The BOO-BOOS of Bluebell Elementary, written by Chelsea Lin Wallace and illustrated by Alison Farrell, will have readers turning the pages over and over as they connect with the kids in the story. The book opens up to a double-page spread of multiple colored band-aids. You may think, ‘Oh-oh!, what could possibly happen at an elementary school nurse’s office?’ Well, Mrs. Peatree is a school nurse at a local elementary school, and this story will enlighten you, through humor, of just how busy school nurses can be…thank you to all of our school nurses out there who keep our kids healthy and well!

My final picture book offering for you today is written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Robert Starling: I Am Happy! When you first turn the cover there is a red, floating, happy balloon that greets you and leads to the title page of an adorable, skipping puppy holding onto said balloon. What do puppies do when they are happy? Well, they wag their cute little tails, and maybe they swing and play with bubbles…who doesn’t like bubbles?! A joyful book that may just make you a little bit more happy once you’ve read it!

These five titles are just a sampling of our new books. Please come in and tell us which book is your favorite so far this year!

Today is the last day of 2023 and what better way to celebrate the close of this year and welcome 2024 than indulging in a selection of our latest dessert books. Cheers!

“I’ll Bring the Cake” by Mandy Merriman presents 100 artistically decorated multi-tiered cakes for every occasion or just because. Many flavors are inspired by beverages, seasonal fruit, cookies, and candies. Some examples would be Shamrock Shake Cake with Vanilla Mint Buttercream, Horchata Cake, Circus Animal Cookie Cake, Lemon Blackberry Poppy Seed Cake, and Twix Cake. If you love all the flavors but not the three-tier fuss, Mandy’s recipes can be made using 9×13, Bundt, and cupcake pans. Best of all, every single creation begins with a box of cake mix!

Explore the delectable world of chocolate desserts from Italy within the pages of “The Chocolate Spoon.” Learn how to make authentic Italian treats such as Dulce de Leche Brownies, Cinnamon Cannoli with Ganache and Cocoa Beans, Chocolate Gelato, and Chocolate, Custard, and Raspberry “Tiramisu.” For fans of hot chocolate, do indulge in a cup of Bicerin which is a classic beverage made with espresso, dark chocolate, and whipped cream.

“Snacking Bakes” by Yossy Arefi is filled with easy small batch bakes to quickly satisfy your desire for something sweet to eat. One 8×8 or 9-inch round pan is what you need to bake Frosted Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookie Bars, Pink Cookie Bars, Mocha Banana Cake, Apricot Coconut Cake, and Chewy Cocoa Brownies. The cookie recipes yield from 12 Almond Thumbprints to 24 Chocolate Chip Crispy Rangers. Each cookie recipe can be baked all at once on one or two baking sheets. As a bonus, Yossy provides three Sundae Sauce recipes. These sauces, along with a scoop of ice cream, can turn a simple snacking bake into a fancy dessert.

For more delicious treats to make and share (or not), turn to “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” by Danielle Kartes, Nancy Silverton’s “The Cookie That Changed My Life,” “Bake Your Heart Out” by Dan Langan, and “Baking Yesteryear” by B. Dylan Hollis.

We at Smiley Public Library wish you and yours a safe and very Happy New Year!

 

We didn’t always put up our Christmas trees as early as the day after Thanksgiving (or before!) Decades ago, our forefathers brought in trees they cut, possibly from the open hills surrounding them, on Christmas Eve. Before electric lights, they may have placed candles on the trees to illuminate the long, dark night.

The celebration of Christmas, and the feature of the tree as a symbol, is not solely a Christian observance; parts of its history we can trace back 4,000 years to the cradle of civilization, its roots in a festival of renewal in ancient Mesopotamia and in Roman revels. The origin of the tradition of bringing a Christmas tree into our homes is rather a ‘history-mystery’ fed by countless legends. But one of the first concrete examples to which we can refer is a 16^th century law in Alsace which determined the size allowed per citizen for this Christmas foliage. (source: 4000 Years of Christmas)

Whatever the origin or tradition from which the tree comes, it’s a beautiful one that seems to symbolize, at least to this observer, the peace and hope that the Christmas holiday has come to espouse. This is largely due to the constancy of the tree itself, a caretaker, who, putting down unshakeable roots, offers fruits, shade, an alluring aroma, and even the air we breathe, standing silent and strong, reliable.

Of course, it is not just the fir or pine tree species who steadfastly offers us these gifts, but all variety of these lovely creations. Let’s celebrate the trees by showcasing a few books new to Smiley Library that pay homage to them, the books themselves cherished offerings of the trees.

Many tree species that have populated the Earth for ages offer us the gift of wisdom, if we look closely enough. We see that California’s redwoods evolved needle-like leaves capable of absorbing fog, which spares the trees from having to transport water 350 or so feet from their roots to their uppermost branches. This fact and others are revealed in In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey Among Ancient Trees, in which author Anthony Fredericks takes the reader along on his travels to document ten of the oldest living species on Earth. He ruminates with educated imagery on those humans who may have lived among them tens of thousands of years ago. Fredericks also shares his interviews with scientists, and provides the specifics of dendrology, the study of woody plants, and its classifications.

Peter Wohlleben (The Hidden Life of Trees) continues this celebration of our aged friends in The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them. He shows us too, like Fredericks, that the old trees adapt to climate change by passing their wisdom through generations, and that this knowledge can ensure our future–if we are able to protect the ancient forests. Forester Wohlleben offers a pointed critique of harmful forestry practices that have wreaked havoc on the ecosystems, the animal and insect populations local to the forests, and urges humans to allow trees to heal themselves.

Other new books include Trees, a definition guide to over 500 species of trees from around the world. Botanist Allen Coombes explains what a tree is, how they are classified, and how to keep a record of the trees you have seen. Included are over 1,000 full-color photographs.

If you read Spanish, or know someone who does, new to our International Language Collection is a Spanish-language text featuring trees, or ‘árboles,’ El Dios del Jardín: Reflexiones Sobre la Cración, la Cultura y el Reino. Author Andrew Peterson shares his own story, “walking through a forest of memories,” by tying in the relevance of trees and nature in the Christian tradition. He builds a strong biblical connection between people and trees in his attempt to inspire the reader to see God working through nature.

You won’t want to miss The Tree and the River, a children’s picture book which, without a word, paints a poignant time-lapse portrait of humankind, and its impact on the natural world. Author/artist Aaron Becker uses as its center the life cycle of a tree on the banks of winding river. The tree grows from its youth into its ancient age, bearing silent witness to the flow of time and change and the dynamic effects, each on the other, between nature and man, between us and our beloved trees.

Have you been eyeing that new game but aren’t sure that you want to commit to buying it? Video games have arrived at A.K. Smiley Public Library! As our collection grows, here’s a quick look at just a few our recently acquired titles.

Get ready to bash Bowser once again in the new Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Rated E for Everyone) for Nintendo Switch. Mario and his friends have arrived in the nearby Flower Kingdom and are ready to explore. Bowser arrives as well with a very different goal in mind. Help Mario and his friends save the kingdom in an adventure that returns Mario to the traditional side-scrolling format of the original games. Play by yourself in single player mode or team up with friends in co-op mode. Find new power-ups and use them to stop Bowser and his henchmen.

Looking for a cute and quirky roguelite that relies heavily on stealth? Try out Nintendo Switch’s Haunted House (Rated E10 for Everyone 10 and up). Lyn Graves must brave a mansion full of ghosts and ghouls in order to rescue her uncle and friends. Players must solve puzzles and defeat bosses with their sneaking skills at the forefront. With such limited combat, players must rely on critical thinking skills instead of brute force. And due to its roguelite elements, every time a player is knocked out, the levels change, bringing unpredictability to the gameplay.

Spider-Man returns in Spider-Man 2 (Rated T for Teen) for the PlayStation 5. In this action-adventure, play not only as Peter Parker but also as Miles Morales as they take on villains in New York. Taking place around a year after the events of the first game, Morales and Parker are both trying to cope with the realities of being Spidermen and adults. The game’s open world format allows for hours of exploration as well as the chance to try out new abilities for both. Use your new powers to fight enemies like Kraven the Hunter, Lizard, and a new iteration of Venom while trying to find balance of life both inside and outside the suit.

Fulfill your prime directives in RoboCop: Rogue City for Xbox Series X (Rated M for Mature). Play as the titular character as you try to snuff out corruption in Detroit by any means necessary. Arrest criminals, investigate crimes, and issue parking tickets. But be warned, the choices you make will have consequences. This first-person shooter with a linear storyline will appeal to fans of the movies with cameos and Easter eggs. While this might be a brand-new story, Peter Weller reprises his role from the original movies to voice the game. Action abounds as you protect the innocent and uphold the law.

Interested in helping us expand our collection? The Library accepts gently used copies of games from the following systems: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Switch, and Wii. Games will be added to the circulating collection for patron use. Have suggestions for the collection, let us know! Happy Gaming, Gamers!

-Ciara Lightner is a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library who is currently playing Barbie’s Dreamhouse Adventure…because it’s fun.