On August 21, a total solar eclipse will take place in the continental United States for the first time since 1979. While total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months somewhere on the Earth's surface, the path of totality only goes through the same area every 375 years. Illinois is lucky to buck those odds. Total totality, the time in which…
Bookseller Sleuths
Summer in Chicago has its charms, but sometimes it's nice to just curl up in the air conditioning and read. To celebrate the new book by Michael Sullivan and summer reading in general, here are mysteries abut books and the people who love them, sometimes a little too much.. Matthew Sullivan's debut novel, Midnight at the…
That’s Swell, Orwell
Whenever people don't like the powers-that-be, which seems to be always, they start reading 1984 again, or maybe Animal Farm for fun, but for my money, George Orwell's best work is his nonfiction, where he offers cutting, observant remarks on authors, politics, his personal life and whatever strikes his fancy. My personal favorite is Homage to…
Quiz: How Well Do You Know the Harry Potter Books?
Can you believe the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was published 20 years ago? It feels like I've known Harry, Ron and Hermione forever! Since the whole world is celebrating this momentous occasion, we thought we'd get in on the fun with a little quiz to test how well you know the…
#TBT: Happy 75th Birthday, Harrison Ford!
Harrison Ford has been in some of my favorite movies of all time. So I was excited to find out we have something in common: we were both born in Chicago! Of course, that's where the similarities end. I'm a mild-mannered librarian, and he's a movie star responsible for bringing some of the most beloved…
5 Articles: Fidget Spinners for Kids and Parents
Fidget spinners are popping up everywhere. The trendy gadgets are marketed as fun for kids but also as the new stress ball for adults. Where did they come from? Can they really relieve stress, help people stay focused or even reduce the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Or are they just a gimmick that drives parents…
Toro! Books About Deaths in the Afternoon
Bullfighting is an ancient tradition, still practiced in Spain and Mexico. Hemingway was a real fan, writing Death in the Afternoon as a paean to his fascination. Of course, not everyone shares his approbation of the corrida, as a bullfight is called, and they have good arguments. Fan or foe, these are some books that deal with…
Meet Chicago Children’s Author Jim Aylesworth
There are many fantastic children’s authors from the Chicago area. One of my favorites is Jim Aylesworth. His playful, rhyming text and silly sounds make for great reading experiences. These picture books are sure to excite and engage kids over and over. It's summer, so start with Old Black Fly for a rumpus time of kids saying, "buzz…
Artists with Disabilities: Books for Kids
Do you know that some of the world's best-known artists lived with a disability? In honor of Disability Awareness Month, I'm recommending books for kids about a few famous artists with disabilities. Read about these artists, then see their work at the Art Institute of Chicago on one of our Summer Learning Challenge Family Field…
Happy 200th Birthday, Thoreau: Going to the Woods Stories
There are many reasons to celebrate Henry David Thoreau, but his decision to build a small cabin on Ralph Waldo Emerson's property in the woods near Walden Pond in order to "live deliberately" remains one of the most inspiring. Many people, whether inspired by Thoreau or not, have ventured into nature to live deliberately, seek…
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