We are excited to announce that the Play, Learn, Grow Early Literacy Center will officially open Sunday, September 28 at 2 p.m. 

We know many of you have been anxiously waiting for this exciting new addition to the library, so we are offering a few "sneak preview" times before the official opening. Parents and caregivers of  infants through five-year-olds are invited to bring the kids and sneak a peak Tuesday, September 16  from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., and/or Monday, September 22  from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Don't miss bestselling author Scott Westerfeld - of the Leviathan trilogy and the Uglies series - as he comes to Shorewood Library to promote his latest book!  

In his new novel, Afterworlds, Westerfeld abandons the dystopian worlds of Uglies and Leviathan for two separate but intertwined worlds: the real one in which young author Darcy has just sold her first novel, and the fantastic fictional one of that very novel Darcy wrote. It's a meta-fictional masterpiece - and definitely not just for young adults.  

Bring your own books to have signed, or be prepared to purchase some at the event from Boswell Book Company. Sponsored by Shorewood Library & Boswell Book Company.

• The Martian by Andy Weir - Kate the Clerk recommends his worthy adventure novel for its rare and startling scientific realism and precision. 
• Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen - our newest team member, Community & Adult Services Librarian Hayley, recommends this action-packed dystopian series opener saying, "Johansen gives us a strong female protagonist that we can admire for her integrity and actions rather than her appearance." 
• The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai - Assistant Director Emily recommends this new release, describing it as a mystery wrapped in realistic fiction wrapped in historical fiction wrapped in a ghost story.

You can always find more recommendations for what to read next (or listen to, or watch) on the library blog . The booklists on our website are also a great resource for finding recommended reading in your favorite genre or style! 

Book Event Focuses on Beloved "Green Sheet" Columnist

The Friends of the Library will co-sponsor an evening with Genevieve G. McBride and Stephen R. Byers, authors of Dear Mrs. Griggs: Women Readers Pour Out Their Hearts from the Heartland, on October 6, in the Shorewood Village Center Meeting Room. The free event will begin at 7 p.m. preceded by dessert and coffee at 6:30 p.m., and followed by a chance to purchase books signed by the authors.

The book, published by Marquette University Press, tells the story of Ione Quinby Griggs, longtime advice columnist for The Milwaukee Journal. Her column appeared in The Journal's popular "Green Sheet." The book examines Griggs' work decade by decade, starting with her column finding its voice in the Great Depression years, followed by World War II, the prosperous 1950s, and changing roles of women. Though Mrs. Griggs' column started as advice for the lovelorn, it grew to explore other topics of 20th century Midwestern life. Her common sense and empathy about family life attracted thousands of loyal readers.   

Griggs was a diminutive woman known for wearing hats, even as she worked at her typewriter. Anyone wearing a hat to the event will be eligible to enter a drawing to win a free copy of Dear Mrs. Griggs. McBride and Byers, both of whom knew Griggs personally, will talk about their research, the book and Mrs. Griggs. The Shorewood Historical Society, the Friends of the Library and the Shorewood Women's Club will co-sponsor the event.

Members of the 2014 Friends Board of Directors