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Off the Shelf: A look at new books

By Kathryn Tatnall Youth Services Librarian My favorite part of the month is when the new books arrive at the library. I love to look through every book I have ordered for the Children and Teen areas of the library. Some go in a pile that I know I have to check out right away. Others will go on a list for future reading. And the rest go directly to the shelves after a good perusal. Here are a few that I found worth noting for you. In “All of the Factors of Why I love Tractors” by Davina Bell (Junior Picture book Bell), Frankie is thrilled that his day includes a visit to the ...

Antiques & Collecting: No doubt what this figure was selling

By Terry and Kim Kovel Advertising signs are most popular when they include a well-known brand name or recognizable mascot. Sometimes, a sign doesn’t have a name or brand attached, but there’s no mistaking what it’s for. This three-dimensional pig’s head made of carved and painted wood with glass eyes was made for a butcher’s shop. It sold at Cowan’s Auction in Cincinnati for $3,125. The buyer may be a collector of advertising and store furnishings, might have an interest in the meat industry, or may have recognized the pig’s value as an interesting work of folk art. ...

Off the Shelf: Attention: Music lovers

If you want to know the rest of the story about some of your favorite musicians, please consider the following titles from our new nonfiction shelf. The “Lyrics 1956 to the Present” by Paul McCartney is the 2021 Barnes & Noble Book of the Year. This fascinating glimpse into Paul McCartney’s songwriting is currently on order, but you can get your name on the holds list through our library catalog, or give us a call and we will add you to the growing list of holds for this one. Continuing in this same vibe is “Beatles: Get Back” by the Beatles. It is the “official account ...

Scherenschnitte is a paper cutting art form. It was known to the ancient Chinese and others, and it became popular again in the early 1800s, especially in the Pennsylvania area. A group of the pictures were sold at folk art auctions in New England about 2011 to 2019. They often pictured a spread-wing eagle with lacy trim. Each was signed “G.B. French.” They were described as the work of an artist working in the early 1800s. Other folk art theorems and watercolors were part of his signed work. Most were mounted in frames about 15 inches by 22 inches with painted corner blocks. We ...

Off the Shelf: A dose of bitter with the sweet

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving, or at least one that brought gratitude to mind. Delicious food, of course, has set my mind to thinking about flavors. I’ve decided that bitterness is a very misunderstood flavor. To be clear, I’m not talking about bitterness as an emotion. Being bitter emotionally has been linked to a number of health problems. No, I’m just talking about bitter food, the kind that leaves that strange taste in your mouth that has you questioning your ability to make good decisions. Much maligned by many a patient taking medicine, bitterness is viewed as ...

Family Living Focus: Noise Pollution

Your mother was right when she told you to turn down the volume. Too much noise not only pollutes the environment; it can permanently damage your hearing. More than 22 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have already permanently damaged their hearing by exposure to loud sounds. And research is finding that an ever-increasing number of young people have the hearing loss typically found in older adults. It is easier than you think to permanently damage your hearing. The blast of a firecracker at close range can do it in an instant. Repeated exposures to loud engines like ...