LIBRARY HOURS Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 2-6 p.m. Wednesday: 12-7 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-noon LaVail Aschoff, Director
Adult Fiction
“The Long Walk,” by Stephen King — Against the wishes of his mother, 16-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as the Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping...with the winner being awarded “The Prize” — anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystopian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line-the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you’re given a warning. Three warnings and you’re out of the game—permanently...
Adult Non-Fiction “Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom,” by Ilyon Woo — In 1848, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled white man and William posing as “his” slave, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North. Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country.
Kids’ Books
“Those Kids From Fawn Creek,” by Erin Estrada Kelly — There are 12 kids in the seventh grade at Fawn Creek Middle School. They’ve been together all their lives. And in this small factory town where everyone knows everything about everyone, that’s not necessarily a great thing. There are 13 desks in the seventh-grade classroom. That’s because Renni Dean’s father got a promotion, and the family moved to Grand Saintlodge, the nearest big town. Renni’s desk is empty, but Renni still knows their secrets; is still pulling their strings. When Orchid Mason arrives and slips gracefully into Renni’s chair, the other seventh graders don’t know what to think. Orchid — who was born in New York City but just moved to Fawn Creek from Paris - seems to float. Her dress skims the floor. She's wearing a flower behind her ear. Fawn Creek Middle might be small, but it has its tightly knit groups — the self-proclaimed “God Squad,” the jocks, the outsiders — just like anyplace else. Who will claim Orchid Mason? Who will save Orchid Mason? Or will Orchid Mason save them?
Young Adult Fiction
“The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox,” by Maggie O’Farrell — In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage-clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend’s attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital — where she has been locked away for more than 61 years. Iris’s grandmother Kitty always claimed to be an only child. But Esme’s papers prove she is Kitty’s sister, and Iris can see the shadow of her dead father in Esme’s face. Esme has been labeled harmless — sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But she’s still basically a stranger, a family member never mentioned by the family, and one who is sure to bring life-altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit?
State’s chickens, eggs reported
LINCOLN — All layers in Nebraska during March 2024 totaled 8.28 million, up from 6.90 million the previous year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Nebraska egg production during March totaled 206 million eggs, up from 173 million in 2023. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,493 eggs, compared to 2,514 eggs in 2023.
