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Teens, winter has arrived at last…the perfect time to hunker down with a good book (or two). If you are in the market for a good book (or two) to read in your winter hunker hole, I have news for you: we’re kicking off our Teen Winter Book Club here at A.K. Smiley Public Library, and we’d love for you to join us. We’ve got two titles lined up, and we’re giving away free copies for you to keep forever! But before you emerge from hibernation to grab your free book(s), let me tell you about what we’re reading. As a friendly reminder, we always encourage you to talk to your parents about what titles may be a good fit for you.

Seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan is the star of the YA historical fiction novel “The Downstairs Girl” by Stacey Lee. When Jo, a resourceful Chinese American living in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1890, is unfairly fired from her job as a hat-maker’s assistant, she resolves to not go quietly. Jo is spicy! She speaks her mind! She’s smart, skilled, and creative! It should be easy for her to land on her feet.

Unfortunately for Jo, 1890s Atlanta is not a friendly place for a Chinese worker who likes to speak her mind. Or a woman who likes to speak her mind. Or any person of color who likes to speak their mind. Jo’s determination turns to desperation as she is forced into a job as a handmaid for a bratty debutante, and has to figure out if becoming invisible is her only option for survival.

Want to walk around 1890s Atlanta in Jo’s shoes and then talk about it with a teen book club in 2026 Redlands? Then register for the Teen Winter Book Club and pick up a free copy of this book from the Young Readers’ Room at A.K. Smiley Public Library while supplies last.

In Maya MacGregor’s YA thriller “The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester,” eighteen-year-old Sam moves to Astoria, Oregon aching for a new start. As if high school isn’t hard enough, Sam is autistic, nonbinary, and attempting to heal from the trauma of surviving a hate crime that almost killed them. But Sam’s first night in their new home does nothing to calm their anxiety…Sam feels the unmistakable presence of someone else.

When Sam discovers a teenager died in their new room under mysterious circumstances 30 years ago, Sam knows the presence they feel is not imagined. With the help of a new community of found family, Sam resolves to crack the case, but it is quickly apparent someone does not want this case to be cracked, putting Sam in perilous crosshairs once again. And with school bullying re-surfacing, will Sam ever feel safe existing as their true self?

Even though the plots, settings, time periods, and characters featured in these two books appear to have nothing in common, they are bound by themes of visibility and survival. Both titles ask a question: who is safe to be seen in society?

If 1) you are a teenager and 2) this is a question you’re curious to explore and/or 3) you just want to read one or both of these books, join our Teen Winter Book Club. You are welcome to read just one of the titles, or both. We will have back-to-back book club parties to the discuss the books, and again, you are absolutely invited to come to just one or both. Free books are available for pick-up from the Young Readers’ Room at A.K. Smiley Public Library while supplies last. Come pick one (or both) up if you’re interested and then resume hunkering!

For more information about the titles, including reviews, and to register for the Teen Winter Book Club Parties, visit www.akspl.org/teens.

Kristina Naftzger is a Youth Services librarian at A.K. Smiley Public Library.

The 900s in the Dewey Decimal System is a diverse collection ranging from world civilizations to history to historical figures, and also travel. The 900s as a whole is a gigantic collection here at the library, but they offer a wealth of information for those who brave the stacks to find what they are looking for.

One of those areas that people are wanting information about is travel. Even though more and more travel information is online—there is still something about having an actual travel book on hand. Several countries that are always on travel lists are Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. The call number for travel books on these countries are the 940s—specifically 945.5, 946, and 949.4. These are three travel books that will be highlighted in this article.

Let’s start with sunny Spain. A good choice for a travel book is Fodor’s Travel: Essential Spain. It is small and compact and will fit nicely in a suitcase. It lists a variety of travel options for the budget-conscious traveler to the traveler where money is no object. There are maps of towns such as Granada and Toledo. There are also lists of sights to see such as the Alhambra, the Prado, and the Sagrada Familia basilica. It even includes a list of helpful Spanish phrases.

Moving from Spain to Italy (always a popular tourist spot) we have Rick Steves: Florence and Tuscany. Again, this is the perfect sized book to pack in a suitcase or backpack. Some of the highlights listed are the Palazzo Vecchio tour, sights to see while traveling with children, and the Duomo museum tour for art lovers. For Tuscany there is a chapter on Pisa (compete with the famous Leaning Tower) and the island of Elba known for its most famous resident, Napoleon Bonaparte. It is very easy to find things to do for every type of price range, and there are helpful tips on how to travel to and from the different areas. Again, there is a list of basic Italian words in the back of the book.

For Switzerland we again go to Fodor’s Travel: Essential Switzerland. This book would not take up much room in a suitcase. Zurich is one of the main highlights in the book. There are lists of festivals throughout the year. These would help someone plan what time of the year they would want to visit. There are also lists of hotels priced from high to low. Outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing are also highlighted. Included are lists of useful German, French, and Italian sayings. The Bernese Alps are also detailed. There are cable-car and train rides one can take to see the beauty of the mountains–all you need to plan a trip to the majestic Swiss Alps!

All in all, the 900s have a little bit of something for everyone. Come and check them out!

Allison Peyton is principal librarian at A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands, CA.

How is it already the end of December? It seems like only yesterday that I was recommending what books to read for the month of October. For this end of the year article, I will be providing a compilation, provided by library staff, of library materials that they have read, played, watched, or utilized, and are happy that the community has access to such valuable library materials.

Shannon – the Korean drama Vincenzo and the novel The Midnight Shift by Cheon Seon-Ran

Diane – the graphic novels Borders by Thomas King and White Bird by R. J. Palacio

Dawn – the novels Push by Sapphire and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Ciara – the video games Discounty, Borderlands 4, Silent Hill F

Vanessa – the databases Libby and Kanopy

Daniel – the international films Breadwinner, Memories of Murder, and Y Tu Mamá También

Celina – the database Ebook Central by ProQuest. It provides the user with information on topics the library may not have and is a great resource tool for college students.

Ruth – the paperback collection and the Ancestory.com database

And Kristina is grateful for the entire library collection because it offers books that resonate and reflect widely, so that every person in our community can feel the singular comfort of companionship of a story that feels like home.

By providing the community access to a diverse collection of library materials, we are promoting understanding and acceptance.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, and as George Harrison said,

Give me love

Give me love

Give me peace on Earth…

Shannon Harris is a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands.

There’s an argument to be made that animals are more common main characters than humans in children’s books. Think of your favorite book from when you were a kid. Is the main character an animal? A lot of mine happen to be mice… Wemberly, Lily, Angelina Ballerina. It’s always fun to see how the behaviors an animal has in nature inform their traits as a children’s book character. Cats are one of my favorite examples of this phenomenon: they’re usually aloof and anxious, yet they can be sweet and warm at their own discretion. These are a few books about animals and other creatures that are new to our collection in the Young Readers’ Room here at A.K. Smiley Library.

Accompany an earthling hedgehog named Re on his journey to a place where he can enjoy solitude in harmony in The Coziest Place on the Moon by Maria Popova. Re loves solitude, but the Earth can be a lonely place. Everything about this book is just so beautiful: the language, the themes, the illustrations, the connection between the characters. December is the perfect month to read this book: in the chaos of the holidays, the peaceful tranquility of the moon feels so welcome and necessary.

Lap Cat by Joren Cull is about a cat’s quest to find the warmest, most perfect lap in the land. Lap Cat will stop at nothing to reach this goal: Lap Cat will destroy; Lap Cat will become a menace to the town… Lap Cat will eventually learn his lesson and remedy his mistakes. Each character in this book has so much personality and the dialogue is so funny; it’s perfect to read aloud together with family. Cull’s illustrations are so much fun too, neon comics infused with medieval influences, and you’ll notice something new each time you flip through the book.

The story of a lighthouse keeper bear and a fish brought together by a colorful sail… Don’t Eat Eustace by Lian Cho follows these two characters as they become friends. The question looming throughout the story: will Bear or won’t Bear make Eustace into stew? It’s funny; it’s delightful; it’s heartwarming; and it’s strange.

Papilio follows its titular character through her stages of transformation from a caterpillar to a chrysalis to a butterfly. It’s written and illustrated by Ben Clanton (caterpillar), Corey R. Tabor (chrysalis), and Andy Chou Musser (butterfly). It’s such a sweet story, and Papilio is such an inspiration — she rolls with the punches of each new and unfamiliar stage of life, even in the face of danger. She learns that there is a solution to every problem as she finds her place in the world. But she’s also just happy to be alive, eat treats, and make friends.

I love nonfiction children’s books that are told as stories. In the World of Whales by Michelle Cusolito is a true story about a diver who was one of the first humans to witness a sperm whale birth. The diver shows the whales he isn’t a threat by mimicking their movements, and the result is an experience of mutual respect and curiosity. If you’re not already drawn in by this plot, just take a look at the cover. I’ve never not been blown away by the illustrations in a book about whales, and the beautiful blue textures and depth here are no exception.

Shibu’s Tail by Tess Thomas is about a shy cat with a very expressive tail. This tail is huge, poofy, and capable of morphing into Shibu’s big emotions. Embarrassed at just how expressive he is, Shibu tries suppressing his emotional expression, but this only causes his already big emotions to grow and grow. I read this book recently at Toddler Storytime, and if I’m being honest, the adults seemed more into it than the kids. Its main theme is fairly mature, a good reminder that will resonate with adults as well as children: your vulnerability can and will benefit you and those around you.

Come visit us in the Young Readers’ Room throughout this holiday season and look for a book or two on your favorite creature, or an animal you’re interested in learning about! We’re always happy to help you find what you’re looking for.

The holiday season has arrived and the Young Readers’ Room is ready with a plethora of holiday books and a couple of extra programs to suit your fancy.

The holiday book display can be found on the windowsills near the 900-book section as well as on a book cart nearby. We have Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa books available to check out. French, Spanish, and English language books adorn the cart with holiday magic.

A variety of picture books, early chapter books, non-fiction, chapter books, and recipe books are all a part of the mix.

You can peruse the windowsills and book cart to find the perfect holiday book to read to your children, or they may want to read one to you! The ever-popular A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens may be just the story you’re hoping to read this season. Or, you may go with Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas available in English, French or Spanish.

We also have the holiday CDs available along with the holiday DVD selection.

Book Buddies launched this month as well. Geared towards third to seventh graders, this month’s book selection is Spy School by Stuart Gibbs. Two meetings in the month of December will be held Wednesdays, December 3, and December 10, in the Assembly Room. Be sure to register your youngster by calling the Young Readers’ Room at (909) 798-7674. We look forward to a good read, fun activities, and snacks!

The Youth Services Department will be hosting a Holiday Karaoke Night on Wednesday, December 17, in the Contemporary Club. All ages are welcome to join us for an evening of singing, giggling, and snacking! Holiday and non-holiday songs will be available to choose from.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (rated PG) is the selection for the Holiday Movie Matinee to be shown on Sunday afternoon, December 21, at 2 p.m. in the Contemporary Club. All ages are welcome to attend this free matinee. Popcorn and juice will be served.

Happy holidays from the Youth Services Crew!

Pamela Martinez is Senior Librarian of Youth Services at A.K. Smiley Public Library.