Friends bond over books 
Book club members (from left to right) Joan McAdam, Debbie MacEwan, Liz Parenti, and Susan Haldeman are pals as well as readers. 
Those who have found themselves a great book club know the benefits of belonging to such a group - the exposure to great reads you might otherwise have skipped, the discussions that can be absorbing and educational even if you don't like the book, and, of course, the socialization.
One local book club has so enjoyed their get-togethers that they've been meeting for more than a decade, now.
It started over 11 years ago, when Joan McAdam, Liz Parenti, Debbie MacEwan, Susan Haldeman, and one of their other friends got together for dinner. During the course of the meal the idea to start a book club came up, and all but one of the group thought it was a great plan. They've been meeting about once a month ever since!
The group recently returned from celebrating their 11 years as a book club. To mark the occasion, they spent a weekend in the Berkshires, taking advantage of the trip to select a novel set in New England for their next meeting (Archer Mayor's Open Season).
That's one of the ways in which this particular club adds some fun and excitement to their meetings - by choosing different locales in which to discuss their selections. They once read a book about Julia Child, and then met at the Culinary Institute to discuss it. 
Like all book group members, these ladies agree that the club has given them the opportunity to read books they as individuals might never have chosen on their own.
If you've been meaning to find a book club but are at a loss as to where to begin, you can start by calling your library! Many (including Wallkill) offer book clubs of their own. You can also  check book stores, look at online sites that sometimes have listings of groups near you, or just start one of your own! Even if you only  have a couple of people involved, at first, word spreads quickly and before you know it you may have a larger group than you expected! 
Tuesday marks this year's SRP kickoff!
Last year's SRP opener packed the library lawn.
Food, activities, and a great show are set to start off this year's Summer Reading Program Tuesday!
The fun begins at 5 p.m. Join us on the library lawn and head over to the Boy Scouts' station for hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks. Let your kids play in the bouncy house and explore the Butterfly Garden and newly opened Little Free Library.
New York Life will have a  Child ID Booth  set up where parents can get photo IDs that have their kids' personal information on them.
At 6:30 p.m., the Sciencetellers will be here to wow the audience with their blend of storytelling, comedy, and (of course) science experiments.
Starting the day after the opener, the Summer Reading Program will be in full swing, complete with events, clubs, camps, workshops, and story times galore! Remember to check the online calendar if you need a reminder of what's going on on a particular day.
And don't forget to log your books! Though we know you know reading is its own reward, prizes never hurt, either...
Coming up at the Wallkill Public Library
Strike your own Keith Haring poster pose during Wednesday's Arts & Crafts!
Tuesday: Celebrate summer with the SRP Kickoff! Come at 5 p.m. for the food and fun, and stay for the 6:30 p.m. show by the Sciencetellers!
Wednesday: Mommy and Me is offered at 10 a.m., followed by Toddler Story Time at 11 a.m. Kindergarten Story Time takes place at 1 p.m. Book Buddies meet at 2:15 p.m. Arts & Crafts Time is at 3:30 p.m. - this week Keith Haring Poster Poses will be the day's project. The Chess Club meets from 6-7 p.m., as does the Adult/Family Craft.
Thursday: Science Camp is in session from 10:30 a.m. - noon. Acting with Ana takes place from 1-3 p.m. The Grade 2-6 Book Club meets at 3:30 p.m. The Knit and Crochet Club meets at 6:30 p.m.
Friday: The library is closed. Happy Fourth of July!!
 
Book club gets a visit from famous author
Local author Carol Goodman visited the library's fiction book club Tuesday night to discuss the group's June selection, her book, The Seduction of Water.
Goodman, who also writes under the pseudonyms Juliet Dark and Lee Caroll, has published 14 books. Her newest release is due out this fall.
 The Seduction of Water is her second novel. Inspired by Mohonk Mountain House as well as the Catskill Mountain House, the book centers around a writer who returns to the Catskill hotel where she grew up to research her mother's life in the hopes of writing her biography. She gets more than she bargained for when she unearths the mystery behind her mother's death.
Goodman, who lives in Red Hook, divides her time between writing and teaching at SUNY New Paltz. Born in Pennsylvania, she moved to Long Island at the age of 9, but had her sights set on residing in the Hudson Valley since attending college at Vassar.
A disciplined writer, Goodman's routine includes churning out the pages each morning, longhand in notebooks. She does the rewrites as she types them up. She wrote two books before getting her third, The Lake of Dead Languages, published in 2002, and has written prolifically since.
Many thanks to Carol for visiting the group - it made for a fascinating meeting!
Adults - you deserve to have fun, too!
It's hard not to become completely wrapped up in your kids' lives when you're running them between swimming, music lessons, camp, and other summer activities. But this season, when you have a minute to catch your breath, don't waste your time whiling away the hours in front of the TV - make the most of your leisure hours with some of the library's programming for adults!
Along with regular offerings like the Quilters' Circle, Textile Tuesdays, and the Knit and Crochet Club, the library is offering Swing Dance Lessons, an I Love Fabric bus trip, and a visit from a famous author!
Got2Lindy Dance Studios is offering the swing lessons from 6:30-7:30 p.m. July 8, 15, 22, and 29. The four-week course includes free childcare, but register soon before space runs out!
For quilting and sewing fans, the July 19 bus trip will include visits to The Patchwork Co. and Log Cabin Fabrics, all for just $34 round trip. Contact Carolyn at 895-3707 or cthorenz@rcls.org. to sign up.
In August, readers will have the opportunity to meet popular author Lynn Austin when she visits the library's fiction club. The sister of book club member Peggy Hach, Lynn visited last summer, as well, and gave the book group fascinating insights into her work. This summer's visit is sure to be another great success!
For information on these and other upcoming programs, call the library at 895-3707.
Blume lovers - stay tuned for new book!
It's been more than ten years since 76-year-old Judy Blume released a new book for adults, but the good news for her many fans is the wait is almost over!
Few details have been revealed about her new novel, other than that it's geared toward an adult audience and will be out next summer. Carole Baron at
Alfred A. Knopf, Blume's publisher, told The New York Times the book is "....pure Judy Blume, writing about family and about friendships, about love, about betrayal. It's quintessential Judy."
Blume's last book for grown-ups was Summer Sisters, published in 1998. Her other adult novels include Wifey and Smart Women.
But she's perhaps most beloved as a children's author. Since she published The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo in 1969, Blume has gone on to win more than 90 literary awards, thanks to such childhood classics as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and Superfudge.
We can't wait for her new one!
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