Upcoming Holiday Hours for January

Happy New Year!

Did you know that our hoopla app has tons of diet and fitness books for your enjoyment? To get to these selections, just:

• Go to: www.wcvpl.biblionix.com/catalog
• Scroll down until you see the hoopla link on the left side of the page.
• If you don't have an account, click on Register.
• Enter your email and library card info.
• Choose your book.
• Check-out.
• Read.
• Enjoy!

 Here are some of the available titles:

The Rainbow Diet by Deanna Minich is a "Holistic Approach to Radiant Health Through Foods and Supplements." Don't just eat your greens-eat your reds, yellows, and blues with this guide to the colorful world of nutrition and optimal health. Forget about bland, colorless diet foods. Vibrant health begins when we embrace the full spectrum of naturally occurring nutrients. In The Rainbow Diet, nutritionist and health expert Deanna Minich, PhD, explains how foods of different colors correspond to different dietary needs. You'll learn how to create a balanced meal featuring colorful foods that boost your mental clarity, emotional wellbeing, spiritual fulfillment, and more. Providing information on foods and supplements, Minich also includes delicious recipes, as well as activities to help you heal and flourish.The Rainbow Diet combines ancient healing and eating practices with modern nutritional science to create an integrated view of body, psychology, eating, and living. With this holistic approach, Minich gives readers an easy-to-follow guide to attaining physical, mental, and spiritual health through colorful whole foods and natural supplements." (from hoopla website)

Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life is by Suhas Kshirsagar and Michelle D. Seaton. "An eye-opening handbook from a leading Ayurvedic physician that blends cutting-edge science on "clock genes" with ancient eastern wisdom to help us understand how to harness the power of chronobiology to effortlessly lose weight, sleep better, exercise stronger, reduce stress, and boost our well-being."It's not you, it's your schedule." Does it sound like magic? It's not. We've all heard of circadian rhythms-those biological processes that give us jet lag and make us night owls or early birds. But few of us know just how profoundly these diurnal patterns affect our overall health. Bad habits like skipping meals, squeezing in workouts when it's convenient, working late into the night to maximize productivity and then trying to "catch up" on sleep during the weekend disrupt our natural cycles. A growing body of research on chronobiology reveals just how sensitive the human body is to these rhythms all the way down to the genetic level. Our "clock genes" control more than we realize, and small changes can make the difference between battling our bodies, and effortlessly managing weight, sleep, stress, inflammation, and more. Marrying ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with the latest scientific research, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar's holistic step-by-step 30-day plan gives you the tools-and the schedule-you need to transform your life. With diagnostic quizzes to determine your specific mind-body type, you will learn to adapt you schedule for effortless wellness for life." (from hoopla website)

Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge was written to help you "Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy-Until You're 80 and Beyond." The bestselling, breakthrough book on reversing the aging process, updated for its 15th anniversary to include important information about how the Younger Next Year rules affect the brain as well as the body. Yes, you can be functionally younger year after year, by following Harry and Chris's rules for exercise, eating, and connection." (from hoopla website)

The Big Book of 30-Day Fitness Challenges by Andie Thueson shows you "60 Habit-Forming Routines to Make Working Out Fun. Sticking to a fitness routine has never been this much fun! We all know we should be getting some level of physical activity every day. But it's hard to decide which kind. And it's even harder to find the time. Packed with fun fitness ideas, this creative and colorful book offers over 60 month-long challenges that solve both those issues. Each challenge is broken down day by day so you always know exactly what you should be doing, and provides a tracker so you can see your progress. The challenges range from low-impact yoga flows to running routines to family group activities, and also include support challenges and habits to improve your mental toughness and endurance. The Big Book of 30-Day Fitness Challenges will be the most fun you ever have exercising and the easiest way to build a healthy exercise habit." (from hoopla website)

We will be open on Friday, December 27 and Saturday, December 28 from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Holiday Hours

Want something to read, but we're closed? Well, why not try our Rbdigital app or our hoopla app? You can download audio, ebooks, magazines, graphic novels, and more. Just go to our catalog page - wcvpl.biblionix.com/catalog - to follow the Rbdigital and hoopla links to get started.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Give our December Reading Challenge a try!

Have a little off-time for the holidays?  Why not enjoy part of it snuggled in a comfortable chair with a good book?

If you're looking to try a new book or author, take a glance at this month's Reading Challenge for inspiration.

Large Print Christmas Fiction

Here Comes Santa Paws is a Melanie Travis Mystery by Laurien Berenson. "It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Connecticut, but Melanie Travis finds surviving this December may take a real Christmas miracle when a yuletide murderer comes to town . . . As Melanie attempts to deck the halls in a house overrun by pampered Poodles, her event planner friend, Claire, is busy playing Santa—beard and belly not included—for the wealthiest clientele on Connecticut’s Gold Coast. A personal shopper gig in the affluent town of New Canaan seems like business as usual. Except Claire’s stylish stint comes at a higher price than she bargains for when she stumbles over her newest customer’s dead body on the job. Named a prime suspect for murder, she begs for Melanie’s help, then vanishes like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. Determined to track down Claire, Melanie and her nosy Aunt Peg dash into a dizzying investigation that leads to even more questions. Why was homicide victim Lila Moran, a secretive woman with an untraceable past, permitted to live on a well-known socialite-turned-recluse’s private estate, and is Claire keeping her own incriminating secrets under wraps? Now, with a grinchy New Canaan detective on their case and disturbing clues piling up like presents beneath the tree, the crime-solving duo must rein in a sinister Kris Kringle before they’re the next ones on someone’s deadly wish list." (from Amazon.com)

You get three stories of faith, family, and love in An Amish Second Christmas. "For the Amish, the day after Christmas is for family, feasting, and exchanging simple gifts. And for three different couples, it will bring another precious chance for love.

THEIR SECOND CHANCE by Shelley Shepard Gray
Amish nanny Hannah Eicher never thought she’d ever see Rob Prince again. There was no way a relationship between her and the handsome English fireman could overcome her family’s objections—and their personal differences. But when he saves her from a sudden blaze, Hannah longs to see if they can turn holiday hope into a lifetime of happiness.

HIS AMISH ANGEL by Patricia Johns
She’s too outspoken to be a proper Amish wife. So as advice columnist “Miss Amish,” Maggie Lapp helps Amish and English with their romantic problems. But when her tradition-minded former fiancé accidentally reveals her secret, Maggie will need more than a miracle to make things right—and find a perfect love for all the Christmases to come.

AN HEIRLOOM CHRISTMAS by Virginia Wise
Rachel Miller won't let her disability keep her from selling heirloom plants and proving she can be independent. She certainly doesn't need reckless Joseph Webber working at her greenhouse to pay off a disastrous Rumspringa stunt. But she and Joseph have more in common than they think—and their surprising holiday partnership might just blossom into forever joy." (from Amazon.com)

"#1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns with a festive new Shopaholic adventure filled with holiday cheer and unexpected gifts. 'Tis the season for change and Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is embracing it, returning from the States to live in the charming village of Letherby and working with her best friend, Suze, in the gift shop of Suze's stately home. Life is good, especially now that Becky takes time every day for mindfulness . . . which actually means listening to a meditation tape while hunting down online bargains. But Becky still adores the traditions of Christmas: Her parents host, carols play on repeat, her mother pretends she made the Christmas pudding, and the neighbors come 'round for sherry in their terrible holiday sweaters. Things are looking cheerier than ever, until Becky's parents announce they're moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch--unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocados--and ask Becky if she'll host this year. What could possibly go wrong? Her sister demands a vegan turkey, her husband insists that he just wants aftershave--again, and little Minnie demands a very specific picnic hamper: Surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old-boyfriend-turned-rock-star and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear. But as the countdown to Christmas begins and her big-hearted plans take an unexpected turn toward disaster, Becky starts to wonder if chaos will ensue, or if she'll manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas after all." (from Amazon.com)

"Gathered in one volume for the very first time, here are three yuletide tales of mystery, murder, and romance, featuring your favorite sleuths . . .Includes Luscious Holiday Recipes!

THE TWELVE DESSERTS OF CHRISTMAS by JOANNE FLUKE
It’s the perfect mix of naughty and nice when two lovestruck boarding school teachers watch six kids over Christmas break. But when someone wants the cozy couple’s romance to burn out faster than a scorched fruitcake, it’s Hannah Swensen to the rescue, armed with her sleuthing
skills—and twelve deliciously festive recipes.

NIGHTMARE ON ELF STREET by LAURA LEVINE
Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa’s elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she’s teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he’s found murdered on the job—and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer.

THE CHRISTMAS THIEF by LESLIE MEIER
Elizabeth Stone is ready for a white Christmas in Tinker’s Cove, Maine—until a fancy Yule ball at the Florida hotel where she works dumps snow on her plans. The sponsor’s jewels have gone missing and the police are asking about her ties to a cute mystery guest. Good thing Elizabeth’s mother, Lucy Stone, flew down to surprise her. ʼTis the season for a little investigating." (from Amazon.com)

Join us for our 3rd Annual Cookie Swap in December

Next Week is Thanksgiving!

Here are a few cookbooks that may help you plan your perfect Thanksgiving!

How to Celebrate Everything helps families slow down, capture the moments that matter--and eat well while doing it. "Families crave rituals," says Jenny Rosenstrach, and by rituals she means not just the big celebrations--Valentine's Day dinners, Mother's Day brunches, Thanksgiving feasts--but the little ones we may not even realize are rituals: A platter of deluxe nachos on Super Bowl Sunday or a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes after every braces-tightening session. Whether simple or elaborate, daily or annually, these rituals all serve the same purpose for Rosenstrach: to bring comfort, connection, and meaning to everyday family life. Recipes here are organized into groupings unique to Rosenstrach but familiar to everyone: Our Family Rituals (think tomato sandwiches for lunch after a family walk to the market, or homemade popovers on sleepover mornings); Holidays We Didn't Invent, including Friday Challah and Easter Ham (yes, both, more on that inside); a Halloween Launch Party for trick-or-treaters, featuring a self-serve simmering pot of Chicken Chorizo Chili. A section on Birthdays includes Rosenstrach's legendary chocolate frosted "mud" cake as well as a one-size-fits-all party planner with menus that do not rely on pizza. Lastly, in Family Dinners you'll find celebratory Sunday meals (Soy-Glazed Grilled Pork Chops, Harissa Roasted Chicken, Summer Cobbler) alongside Rosenstrach's signature easy weeknight fare (Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt, Shrimp Tacos with Avocado "Butter," and vegetable-packed Burrito Bowls)--all of which translate to prime quality time with the family. In this digital, overscheduled age,

"Ree shows you how to ring in your favorite holidays with inspired menus for breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, parties, deliveries, and feasts, accompanied by fun instructions and hundreds of her signature step-by-step photos. Filled with creative and flavorful ideas for intimate dinners, group gatherings, and family meals, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays includes dozens of mouthwatering dishes (with nineteen recipes for Thanksgiving alone!), helping home cooks create a variety of delights. Whip up a Resolution Smoothie on New Year’s Day; Whiskey BBQ Sliders and Dr Pepper Cupcakes for The Big Game; Glazed Ham for Easter; Watermelon Sangria for a sizzling Fourth of July cookout; and perfect Popcorn Balls on Halloween. For Christmas, Ree includes special homemade treats, including Caramel Apple Rolls, Christmas Rum Cake, and a selection of smile-inducing cookies, perfect for Christmas deliveries to family and friends. Enjoy holidays all year ’round...Pioneer Woman style!" (from Amazon.com)

 "Thanksgiving is perhaps the most American holiday of all, a celebration of beloved foods, and customs that evoke happy memories of good times shared with family and friends. Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining is a complete guide to creating those favorite traditions in your own home. Equal parts cookbook and how-to manual, it presents five menus for entertaining over the Thanksgiving weekend, including three distinctive ideas for the holiday feast. Fot traditionalists, there is a classic New England Thanksgiving dinner featuring roasted turkey with pan gravy and all the trimmings, including an old-fashioned oyster stuffing,, cranberry relish, and buttery mashed potatoes. A contemporary California-style holiday menu showcases a butterflied turkey and light, seasonal Mediterranean-inspired accompaniments, while an elegant southern buffet offers a glorious glazed ham, spooned bread, and collard greens. Because Thanksgiving entertaining often extends beyond the holiday meal, this book includes menus for a casual Day-After Lunch, with turkey sandwiches and snacks, and a homey weekend breakfast, with French toast, smoothies, and an irresistible Pumpkin Bread. In addition to the nearly fifty recipes, there are step-by-step instructions for decorating your home, setting an attractive table, and making a variety of festive drinks -- all lavishly illustrated with color photographs. Detailed work plans accompany each menu, and helpful reference sections provide guidelines on tableware and glassware, setting up a buffet, pairing food and wine, and more. You'll find everything you need to know to host a memorable Thanksgiving that both you and your guests will enjoy." (from Amazon.com)

"Historical Thanksgiving Cookery is chock full of delightfully delicious ideas favored by many famous families of yesteryear. It contains the prized recipes for those Thanksgiving dishes served and eaten by some of the heroes of the Revolutionary War. You will be able to fix and then eat the same things served to those great men who so bravely signed the Declaration of Independence. You will be able to enjoy sharing an identical Thanksgiving meal with those who wore both the blue and the gray during the War Between the States, or as some unreconstructed Southerners still refer to it, the War of Northern Aggression.Yes, every recipe found in this unique book was a popular favorite throughout the Thanksgiving holidays in our nation's long and colorful history. Many were coveted within a particular family and handed down from generation to generation. Others are historical gems, for they were the inventions of, or the favorites of, some notable family or individual from the past. Here they are being presented, for the first time, for America's families of today to have the fun and experience the thrill of cooking and baking. And lastly, to thankfully pass a blessing over before eating - be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner - on Thanksgiving Day." (from Amazon.com)

"Every fourth Thursday of November, Americans open their homes to friends and families. But when was the last time most of us made dinner for such a big crowd? With Thanksgiving 101 by your side, preparing for the holiday will be a pleasure. With step-by-step instructions for classic Thanksgiving dishes, as well as new twists on old favorites, this book will become gravy-stained in its first outing. Whether you're looking for new ways to cook turkey; traditional trimmings, chutneys, or chowders; a vegetarian entrée; or fresh ideas for regional classics, including Cajun-or Italian-inspired tastes, Thanksgiving 101 serves up a delicious education for novice and experienced cooks alike. And cooks will turn to these dishes all year long whenever they are throwing a big party.With foolproof recipes, detailed menu timetables, and down-to-earth advice, Thanksgiving 101 is the holiday cook's best friend." (from Amazon.com)

Thanksgiving is approaching fast - plan ahead!

Don't forget that you can make use of our many online services even when our doors are closed (Acorn TV, Hoopla, RBDigital, TumbleBooks, and more!)

Enjoy the Wildlife

"Why was gin and tonic the cocktail of choice for British colonists in India and Africa? What does Starbucks have to thank for its global domination? What has protected the lives of popes for millennia? Why did Scotland surrender its sovereignty to England? What was George Washington's secret weapon during the American Revolution? The answer to all these questions, and many more, is the mosquito.  Across our planet since the dawn of humankind, this nefarious pest, roughly the size and weight of a grape seed, has been at the frontlines of history as the grim reaper, the harvester of human populations, and the ultimate agent of historical change. As the mosquito transformed the landscapes of civilization, humans were unwittingly required to respond to its piercing impact and universal projection of power.  The mosquito has determined the fates of empires and nations, razed and crippled economies, and decided the outcome of pivotal wars, killing nearly half of humanity along the way. She (only females bite) has dispatched an estimated 52 billion people from a total of 108 billion throughout our relatively brief existence. As the greatest purveyor of extermination we have ever known, she has played a greater role in shaping our human story than any other living thing with which we share our global village.  Imagine for a moment a world without deadly mosquitoes, or any mosquitoes, for that matter? Our history and the world we know, or think we know, would be completely unrecognizable.  Driven by surprising insights and fast-paced storytelling, The Mosquito by Timothy C. Winegard is the extraordinary untold story of the mosquito’s reign through human history and her indelible impact on our modern world order." (from Amazon.com)

"In Supernavigators, award-winning author David Barrie catches us up on the cutting-edge science. Here are astounding animals of every stripe: Dung beetles that steer by the light of the Milky Way. Ants and bees that rely on patterns of light invisible to humans. Sea turtles and moths that find their way using Earth’s magnetic field. Humpback whales that swim thousands of miles while holding a rocksteady course. Birds that can locate their nests on a tiny island after crisscrossing an ocean. The age of viewing animals as unthinking drones is over. As Supernavigators makes clear, a stunning array of species command senses and skills—and arguably, types of intelligence—beyond our own. Weaving together interviews with leading animal behaviorists and the groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize–winning scientists, David Barrie reveals these wonders in a whole new light." (from Amazon.com)

"Every year, before they decide to take defensive action, vulnerable homeowners throughout North America suffer expensive damage as deer and various other pesky mammals devour their gardens and landscape plants. Deer-Resistant Landscaping by Neil Soderstrom arms homeowners with the proven strategies they need to repel and combat deer and 21 other troubling pests, from armadillos, chipmunks, and gophers to rabbits, raccoons, skunks, and squirrels.
Outstanding features include:

• strategies for every season and every size pest— from simple, low-cost home remedies, scare tactics, and deterrents to live trapping, barriers, and community action procedures suitable for more intense problems
• interviews with and tips from regional gardening and wildlife control experts from coast to coast
• encyclopedic coverage of more than 1,000 resistant plants—especially those least likely to be grazed upon or destroyed by deer, based on scientific studies and a consensus of gardening authorities throughout the continent
• stunning full-color wildlife photography featuring deer and pest behaviors as well as solutions and deterrents

With more than 400 of the author's own gorgeous wildlife photos as well as ones by the legendary naturalist Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III, the most published wildlife photographer in North America, Deer-Resistant Landscaping provides the most wide-ranging, authoritative, and helpful information on this topic ever assembled in one volume." (from Amazon.com)

"Make a Home for Wildlife by Charles Fergus helps you see your property in new ways and is the resource you need to take the sometimes daunting steps to improve the quality of your land.
According to U.S. Forest Service, 250 million acres of woods and forests in the United States are privately held by 10 million individuals/families. Whether you live on a quarter-acre lot in the suburbs, own a 20-acre woodland retreat, run a farm of 100 acres, or belong to an outdoor club with hundreds or thousands of acres, you can make changes to the land—improvements that will turn your property into a better home for wildlife. Habitat projects can be simple or complex, short-term or spanning decades. Cost can be minimal—a few hours of your time spent doing pleasant work in the outdoors—or can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. And there is funding to help landowners make wildlife habitat. Focusing on the eastern US from Canada to Florida and west to the Great Plains, this book describes basic habitat types—forest, shrublands, grasslands, and wetlands—and highlights over 150 select native and introduced trees, shrubs, and plants, explaining how they are used—or not—by wildlife. The book includes more than 100 profiles of prominent and interesting species of insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals with information on animals and their habitat needs. Large and small mammals, resident and migratory birds, and insects are covered. Fergus relates stories of landowners who have made habitat in different states and regions in different ways." (from Amazon.com)