LIBRARY NEWS

New Easter and springtime books for youngsters

By Carole Howard and the Library Staff

Just in time for Easter and spring, we have a lovely selection of new books for youngsters:

• “Crafts for Easter” by Kathy Ross offers 20 simple springtime crafts especially designed for young children. This is one of a series of books on crafts for a variety of special days such as Valentine’s Day, Earth Day and Thanksgiving.
• “What Happens in Spring?” by Sara L. Latta is part of the seasons series, with different books for spring, summer, fall and winter. It aims to make science easy to read and fun to explore for young children.
• “It’s Spring!” by Linda Glaser with cut-paper illustrations by Susan Sawn uses a simple text and bold, beautiful paper sculptures to convey information about animal and plant life, clothing, weather and colors. It includes nature activities to do.
• “Bailey the Bunny” by Cathy Drinkwater Better is a delightful book for pre-kindergarten children.
• “Funny Bunnies” Little Bedtime Stories” contains a variety of stories for parents to read to their children.

Why is Easter so early?

Thereare 35 possible dates in spring to celebrate Easter, a so-called moveable feast day in the Christian Church year. Why is Easter so early this year? The short answer: Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This year the equinox is March 20 and the full moon on the 21st, so Easter is the 23rd – the earliest possible combination. The long answer is very, very long, covering thousands of years of history, arcane astronomical calculations and a little political wrangling. One interesting side note about the date of Easter is that the Eastern Orthodox churches do not celebrate Easter (called Pascha) on the same date as most other Christian churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses a different method to calculate the date and it generally falls a couple of weeks later than the western Easter.

Free Lifelong Learning lectures

The second spring Lifelong Learning lecture takes place next Saturday, March 29 at 3 p.m. when Fort Lewis art professors Dr. Amy Wendland and Dr. Marilee Jantzer-White discuss “By Design: Why We Buy, What We Believe” at the library. For the complete lineup of the spring series lectures arranged by program organizer Biz Greene, please visit the Lifelong Learning page on the library web site at www.pagosalibrary.org.

Large print mysteries and thrillers

“Under the Color of Law” by Michael McGarrity, featuring Santa Fe police chief Kevin Kerney, is one of 20 new mysteries and suspense large print books just added to our shelves. “McNally’s Alibi” by Lawrence Sanders is another in the Archy McNally mystery series. “Grievance” by K.C. Constantine looks at a steel magnate’s murder after a huge layoff at a factory in Pennsylvania. “Gone But Not Forgotten” by Philip Margolin is a murder mystery set in Portland, Oregon. “A Killing Night” by Jonathon King features private eye Max Freeman. “Perish Twice” and “Stranger in Paradise” are two of the latest from best-selling author Robert B. Parker. “Fade” is the latest thriller by Kyle Mills, another best-selling author. “Dakota” is a sequel to “Biting the Moon” by Martha Grimes.

Adult novels

“The Senator’s Wife” by Sue Miller is a portrait of two marriages and two unconventional women. “People of the Book” by Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks is a mystery surrounding a series of tiny artifacts in the bindings of a rare book. “Blasphemy” is a thriller about science and religion by Douglas Preston. “The Secret Between Us,” the story of a mother and daughter who make bad choices for the right reasons, is by best-selling author Barbara Delinsky.

Book for teens

“Darth Bane: Rule of Two” is the second book in this Star Wars series by Drew Karpyshyn.

Self-help books

“How Not To Look Old” by Charla Krupp offers a variety of ways for women in the gray-is-the-new-blonde set to look 10 years younger, 10 pounds lighter and 10 times better. “Happy For No Reason” by Marci Shimoff describes seven steps to help you become happy from the inside out. “Empty Cradle, Broken Heart” by developmental psychologist Deborah L. Davis offers reassurances to parents who struggle with anger, guilt and despair after the death of a baby. “ Temples on the Other Side” by Sylvia Browne explores how wisdom from “Beyond the Veil” can help you right now. “A New Earth” by spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle is a follow-up to his “The Power of Now.”

Thanks to our donors

For books and materials this week we thank Kathy Bennett, Windsor Chacey, Crystal Coughlin, Kent Davis, Karen and James Gavic, Donna Geiger, Carol Gunson, Pam Kircher, Jim Mathison, Jan Morey, Bobbie Rapp, Susan Vinzant, Bill Wetzel, Codie Wilson, Margaret Wilson and Rosalind Wu.

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