What's New

The long hot summer months are upon us and what better way to spend them than staying inside and reading. It is my job here, at A.K. Smiley Public Library, to order books for the fiction collection, which includes horror, supernatural, and fantasy, some of my favorite genres. Here are some new titles that will be released this summer that will make you want to sleep with the lights on.

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel is one of the most anticipated books in horror fiction this season. This book will have the reader reconsidering a family reunion with a long lost cousin that may have been involved in a cult in their youth.

Hide by Kiersten White will have the reader rethinking visiting an amusement park any time soon. Fans of the hit Netflix show Squid Game will want to check this title out for sure.

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey shows how, sometimes, home isn’t where the heart is. This book will have the reader reluctant to visit their family home. If you enjoyed the Netflix show The Haunting of Hill House, then this book should be on your summer reading list.

So head on down to A.K. Smiley Public Library to check out these titles today. For more information, please visit our website at www.akspl.org, or call us at 909-798-7565.

Shannon Harris is a lover of all things scary and supernatural. She moonlights as a library specialist at A.K. Smiley Public Library during daytime hours.

Women have been inspiring contributors to the world of art throughout history. You’ll find wonderful books in our circulating collection featuring artists such as Frida Kahlo, Faith Ringgold, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Judy Chicago, Berthe Morisot, and Alice Neel. The following titles are the latest additions to this very important and intriguing collection.

Artemisia Gentileschi is known for her dramatic and realistic paintings depicting strong, assertive female characters. Born in Rome, 1593, she was a pupil of her father, a successful painter who studied in Caravaggio’s Baroque style of painting. Much of her art revolved around biblical and mythological themes. “Artemisia Gentileschi” by Sheila Barker covers the life of this fascinating painter while examining the cultural and political backgrounds of the time. An absorbing book with beautiful color reproductions throughout.

“The Women Who Changed Art Forever: Feminist Art – the Graphic Novel” by Valentina Grande and Eva Rossetti offers a unique graphic overview of four artists who brought the struggles and inequality towards women in the art world to light. As the authors state about the artists: “Each made their mark in their own powerful way. Judy Chicago made us reassess the female body, Faith Ringgold taught us that feminism is for everyone, Ana Mendieta pushed the boundaries of identity, while the Guerrilla Girls have taken the fight to the male-dominated museum.” After reading the short backgrounds on these art activists, take a more in-depth look into their lives and art with the following titles: “Judy Chicago: An American Vision” by Edward Lucie-Smith, “Faith Ringgold” by Lisa E. Farrington, or “Guerrilla Girls: The Art of Behaving Badly.”

Maggie Doherty’s “The Equivalents: A Story of Art, Female Friendship, and Liberation in the 1960s” focuses on poets Anne Sexton and Maxine Kumin, painter Barbara Swan, sculptor Marianna Pineda, and writer Tillie Olsen. These five women were some of the first to receive fellowships to the newly created Institute for Independent Study at Radcliffe College. A requirement for applicants was to have either a doctorate or “the equivalent” in creative achievement. So this group of friends dubbed themselves “the Equivalents.” Opening in 1961, the program was envisioned to help women with children pursue their dreams of becoming scholars and artists. It gave them the support and opportunities to follow their artistic passions. Doherty delves into the friendships, personalities, obstacles, and careers of these women and the progression of feminism in this captivating story.

The next time you visit Smiley Library, please stop by our circulating art collection. These paintings were created by the talented men and women from the Redlands Art Association and are available to check out and take home for six weeks. There is a limit of two pieces of art per checkout. It’s a great way to support our local artists and enjoy a piece of Redlands culture.

People often ask why adults need help with their reading and writing. Over the last 10 years, the Redlands Adult Literacy Program has learned that each adult learner has their own unique reason for seeking help with literacy. For example, some adult learners have learning disabilities and need the one-on-one tutoring that the Redlands Adult Literacy Program can provide. Other learners were unable to complete their education because their native country or their family’s economic circumstances did not allow them to advance beyond elementary school. These learners may work on fundamental skills that will allow them to eventually work on gaining their high school diploma or its equivalent.

Some learners graduated from high school but did not master the reading and writing skills necessary for getting advanced certifications or taking college-level classes. Other adult learners have completed high school and are working, but do not have the necessary skills to respond to the ever-increasing literacy requirements of the workplace. Through individualized support and hard work, adult learners overcome obstacles to further their own or their children’s education and/or advance in their career.

The following are examples of learners who have overcome past obstacles to improve their literacy:

Isabel Vidrio grew up in Mexico and attended school through grade 6; higher levels of schooling were unavailable to her as a child because there was no middle school in her town and there was not enough money for her to go to another town for school. When she joined the program, her goals were to improve her reading comprehension and writing skills so that she could communicate with her children’s teachers and help her children with school. Her hard work in adult literacy enabled Isabel to change her and her children’s lives. Isabel earned an alcohol and drug counselor certification and volunteers her time to counsel others.  She completed adult learner leadership training, and she is able to communicate effectively with her children’s teachers and medical professionals without using a translator. Isabel shared, “this program is important for me because I improved my English and my reading and writing skills and am no longer afraid to talk with others.”

Jeanne Fortier, Isabel’s tutor, wants others to know, “The adult literacy program truly changes lives! I have witnessed tremendous growth and confidence in our learners and I am so happy to be part of this amazing program.”

Pete Smith enrolled in the adult literacy program when his work requirements changed last year. He had worked as a custodian for two decades, but last year his supervisor began assigning him work through emails. This meant that he needed to be able to read his work assignments and write an email response to his supervisor. Talk-to-text functions were not robust enough for him, so he joined the Redlands Adult Literacy Program to improve his reading and writing. By meeting with his tutor twice each week, he advanced his literacy tremendously. He is now able to communicate at work through email. He also shared that he read a book for the first time, and he “enjoyed it.”

Another adult learner (who wishes to remain anonymous) joined the literacy program with the singular goal of gaining the reading and writing skills she needed to complete her high school education. After working diligently with her tutors for several years she improved her literacy skills, accomplished this impressive goal, and graduated from the literacy program. She has been accepted to the Adult School and is working on furthering her education by obtaining her high school diploma.

The Redlands community is enriched by the hard work and dedication of each adult learner. If you know of someone who needs help in reading and writing, please encourage them to take the first step in changing their life by contacting the Redlands Adult Literacy Program by calling Diane Shimota, Adult Literacy Coordinator, at 909-798-7565, ext. 4138. All services are free and confidential.

Picture books, with their incredible illustrations, drawings, or computerized renditions, come together with the words on the page to create a work of art. Please check out these books from our “New Books” section of the Young Readers’ Room: 

“WHEN I WAKE UP,” written by Seth Fishman and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley, will have your imagination running wild as you read the text and take in the illustrations. Muted and subdued colors fill each page with the softness of nature, human faces, and the wonderment of childhood. A book filled with ideas of what the narrator might do once they wake up…what will you do after you wake up tomorrow?! 

The next book’s author will be familiar name to many in the children’s literature field, Leo Lionni. A newly re-published book, “Mouse Seasons,” will take the reader through each of our four seasons through the eyes of a mouse family by asking a question on each page. The answers to the questions are located on the following pages! Simplistic artwork decorate each page with distinctive color and life-like drawings. I hope this book, first published in 1967, will bring you joy as it did for me! 

My next suggestion for your checkout pleasure is written by world-renowned author Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by our next Family Day guest, Rafael Lopez, “The Year We Learned to Fly.” Siblings take their grandmother’s advice one stormy, spring day. She suggested they embrace the day, even though the weather was not agreeable for outside play. Boredom will take a backseat for youngsters after reading this book! Ideas of creative thinking will take precedence as their imagination begins to develop fun with good dreams to come! 

“Close Your Eyes,” written by Robyn Wilson-Owen, is a precious bedtime story for all to enjoy. Five toddlers fill each two-page spread with their cuteness in hiding under the covers, exploring the outdoors, or finally falling asleep! This adventure story will tuck in your little ones and (hopefully!) help them to sleep! Large drawings and extra large text make this a perfect and quick bedtime story! 

To finish up my book suggestions, I’d like you to check out “Dad Bakes” by Katie Yamasaki. This is a story of a dad who is also a baker. This book shows the relationship with dad at the bakery and later, with his daughter and how they work and play together. At the end of the book, the author shares insight into rehabilitation programs for incarcerated parents, and how the time away affects the children involved. This book is a warm story of affection, love and family, and the joy we can bring to each other. 

“Gardening is medicine for our spirit, mind, and body. When we grow a garden that is in tune with the elements and the earth’s ebbs and flows, we’re cultivating more than meets the eye.”  Juliet Blankespoor

It’s not too late in the season to start growing your own fresh veggies and herbs! In her latest book, “Raised Bed Gardening,” CaliKim shows you how to build, fill, and plant a raised bed garden. Her detailed instructions, helpful tips, and photos make this book a good choice for new gardeners.

A profusion of gorgeous flowers in bold colors await you inside “The Flower Yard” by Arthur Parkinson. Every bloom within this book, from tulips and hyacinths to sweet peas, dahlias, and sunflowers, were grown in a mass of large containers. This is a wonderful book for armchair gardeners as well as for those looking for fresh inspiration.

“The Healing Garden” by Juliet Blankespoor is your entrance into the world of herbal plants. Juliet assists curious gardeners to learn about choosing, growing, harvesting, drying, and using herbs in medicinal and culinary recipes. Juliet profiles 32 easy-to-grow plants including yarrow, hibiscus, calendula, and bee balm.

“How to Garden When You Rent” by Matthew Pottage encourages gardeners living in temporary dwellings to beautify their outdoor surroundings. Any sized space, be it a balcony or a backyard, can benefit from Matthew’s creative ideas and projects. Before you begin, be sure to check with your landlord first.