After relocating to a Michigan mill town following the 1871 Chicago fire, 12-year-old Adrian struggles to adjust to small-town life and faces the prospect of losing yet another home, his new friends and his secret hobby. The Town That Disappeared, a historical fiction novel by Battle Creek’s Sandy Carlson, is a delightful coming-of-age story based on real-life events that will teach young readers about area history, compassion and acceptance. It’s a good story to tell, and Carlson does a very nice job. Aimed at middle-school readers, this book definitely would appeal to the Guys Read set.

Carlson’s book is part of the Local Indie @ KDL collection, housed at the Cascade Township and Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branches. It was created to give independent authors, filmmakers and musicians the opportunity to be added to our shelves and to be featured by staff in order to increase viewers, readers and listeners.

Click here to browse our Local Indie @ KDL collection.

There are a lot of series written for teens, but sometimes one of those books disappoints and the whole series is never the same. Luckily, this is not the case with the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.

The first book, Finnikin of the Rock, helps set the backstory of the of the small kingdom called Lumatere, which is part of the Land of Skuldenore. Finnikin and his guardian have spent the last 10 years trying to find a home for the displaced people of their kingdom after the royal family was murdered and a curse is placed around the kingdom, which no one can cross. Their path is changed forever when they meet Evanjalin, who swears the heir to the throne is still alive.

The second book, Froi of the Exiles, picks up where Finnikin left off. Without giving away the ending of the first book, Froi is sent on a dangerous mission to the neighboring kingdom of Charyn, where he meets Quintana of Charyn (the third book title), the daughter of the king responsible for the death of the Lumatere royal family.

Each book was a pleasure to read and brought the characters to life, flaws and all. While the series has been wrapped up, I for one wouldn’t mind another book set in Lumatere! If you haven’t given this series a try, stop by your local library today to pick up a copy.

Do you like books that send shivers down your spine? Maybe you like your books with some odd twists. If so, the Dark and Twisted booklist should provide the thrills you’re looking for.

Some staff favorites from the list include Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist. One staff member even called The Monstrumoligist “the grossest book I’ve ever read.” Both are sure to keep you up at night.

Are you already making plans for summer? Don’t forget about all the FREE programs available at the library! The Summer 2013 issue of the KDL Kaleidoscope program guide is now available online. You’ll find all you need to know about summer events and get some great information on library resources and staff recommendations. (Printed guides will also be available in the branches by mid-May.)

It’s sure to be an exciting summer at KDL, and you don’t want to miss a thing. Check out the KDL Kaleidoscope today!

2013 is shaping up to be a great year for those of us who love seeing our favorite books on the big screen. But whether the movie is good or bad, it is always nice to read the book before you see the movie. Below is a list of just a few of the great books still coming out as movies this year, with the release dates. Stop in at your local branch to pick up a copy of the book now, or follow the link below to put one on hold.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – May 10
World War Z by Max Brooks – June 21
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan – August 7
Paranoia by Joseph Finder – August 16
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – August 23
Serena by Ron Rash – September 27
Carrie by Stephen King – October 18
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card – November 1
The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort – November 15
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – November 22
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug  by JRR Tolkien – December 13
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel – December 18
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber – December 25

What book do you think should be made into a movie?

If you have a band, this is where you can start your journey!

The Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch is looking for a few good teen bands to perform at the third annual…

What: Summer Reading kickoff event and rock & roll extravaganza

When: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 4:00 – 7:00 PM

Where: Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch amphitheater

Click here to access the online application form

KDL swings for the fences with this lineup!  To view 10 of the most popular adult and kids Baseball Nonfiction titles at KDL, click on the link to the KDL Top Ten List!

Just when many people think they know about everything KDL has to offer, they discover yet another free resource.

It happened to Craig Paull when he was searching online for a pair of relatively obscure books.. and the results pulled up something he hadn’t noticed before.

Read Craig’s full story here.

(Do you have a KDL story to share? Let us know!)

If you watched Skyfall and need more James Bond in your life, what do you do now?  There are plenty of great options to immerse you in the James Bond Universe, like reading the original novels by Ian Fleming. Fleming’s first book, Casino Royale, is a good place to start and it was also the first Daniel Craig film as Bond. There are 12 original novels by Fleming plus some short stories, though some authors have taken the series further, including Jeffery Deaver who wrote Carte Blanche: 007.

There are also Bond books for teens, like Charles Higson’s Young Bond series that begins with SilverFin. In SilverFin, a 14-year old James is fighting evil villains in the 1930s.  Another good choice is the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, which is heavily inspired by James Bond. In Stormbreaker, Alex’s uncle dies a mysterious death, leaving Alex to discover the truth and become a superspy himself.

If you are looking for similar action-filled novels with a bit of the James Bond aesthetic, try out Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt books and Ted Bell’s Alex Hawke novels.  There is plenty to watch and read for any Bond fan while waiting for the next movie installment.

On March 18, 1915, British and French forces launched an unlucky naval attack on the Ottoman Empire in the Dardanelles, the thin waterway in northwestern Turkey that separates Europe from Asia. The waterway was heavily mined, and even though the British swept the area before launching the attack, they still lost three ships. Two more were severely damaged.

I have a strong personal interest in WWI because my great-grandfather fought in the British Gallipoli Campaign, and he lost two older brothers within a week of one another in the Battle of the Somme.  The First World War always felt like a rushed subject in school, so I never had much interest in it until I found my family’s connection to it through genealogical research. To further my knowledge and learn more about it I used the WWI Nonfiction booklist to highlight some of the books available at KDL that deal with WWI and all the different battles that occurred.