"Making A Splash" at our libraries

We made a splash at our libraries this week with the launch of our 2010 summer reading program. The kids in Kalispell heard stories about bubbles and a pirate who hijacked a school bus. You never saw so many bubbles when the littlest ones created their own bubble makers. The older kids did a science experiment about water quality.In Columbia Falls the kids used their imaginations to go to the beach, by listening to beach stories, making an ocean in a jar, and creating their own seashell bracelets.The Bigfork kids heard some great stories about frogs and made frog puppets. Our Whitefish kids heard a story about a goofy pirate and looking for buried treasure and cabbages! There were lots of sharks "swimming" around there. Many sharks gave up some of their teeth so that kids could also make shark tooth necklaces. It's only the beginning....

Recently spotted....

Looks like these guys are headed to the Flathead County Libraries for the 2010 Summer Reading Program. We think they heard that this summer was going the perfect time to "Make A Splash" at our Children's programs. Or maybe they discovered that they could "Make Waves" with our teens! Why don't you join all of us for some fun?

check it out! Books

April 30th marked the 35th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, and the end of the Vietnam War. The New York Times Book Review chose the cover of the April 4th issue to review two novels set in that particular time and place--The Lotus Eaters and Matterhorn. The latter is still on my holds list, but I just finished the former, Tatjana Soli's haunting first novel, of a female war photographer's journey through those war years. Helen's "ambition in the larger world had faded until there was only her and the camera and the war." Check it out! a striking first novel.


The Vietnam era was a huge cultural influence for those of us coming of age in the late 60s, early 70s. This fall, the Flathead County Library System will feature Tim O'Brien's classic novel of the Vietnam War, The Things They Carried. Look for a Big Read calendar of events later this summer; and in the meantime, check out these new novels of the Vietnam War.

Summer Reads!

Hey Readers,
Check out NPR's list of summer reads handpicked by independent booksellers!

Stop by or give us a call for more suggestions. We'd also love to show you Novelist Plus, our database of recommended books! Check it out here (link is on the lower right). You'll need an active library card number to log in.