Spring has finally sprung! I am so happy the vernal equinox has finally occurred and it’s spring. I am looking for green grass, new buds on the trees, flowers pushing up from the soil, and new books to read while I wait out the next three or four weeks until spring really starts here in south central Minnesota.

New to the library, though first published in English in 2021, is “The Capybaras” by Alfredo Soderguit. Displaced by hunting season a group of capybaras make the chicken’s run their new home. The chickens are not pleased and their temporary home comes with lots of rules. The most important being “4. Don’t question the rules”. Until one day when the capybaras save a chick from an aggressive dog. Then everything changes. This book is a charming look at how people may look and act differently from one another but are all really just looking for love and acceptance.

“Every Little Kindness” by Marta Bartolj is a wordless picture book that tells the story of a young woman who has lost her dog. As she makes her way through town putting up posters and looking for her dog she gives an apple to a young musician. That one small act of kindness sets off a chain reaction of kindness that spreads throughout the town. Little does she know that her kindness will ultimately be returned.

“The Bad Seed Goes to the Library” by Jory John is another installment in the life of The Bad Seed. This time The Bad Seed is actually happy because he has found a great book at the library. He reads the book cover to cover and then receives some bad news. The book must be returned to the library so another seed can enjoy it. Oh no, what will The Bad Seed do? I am so happy to see this popular picture book become a Level 1 reader. Young readers who are just sounding out words can share it with their adults.

Just in time for the spring growing season is “Grow: a Family Guide of Plants and How to Grow Them” by Riz Reyes. This beautifully illustrated book includes 15 different plants and instructions on how to grow them whether you have a big backyard or just a sunny window sill. The book also includes some interesting facts about each plant like how the tasty tomato is cousin to the poisonous nightshade plant and that lettuce was the first plant to be grown in space.

Are you are a fan of The Finniverse? The third book in the series by Michael Buckley has arrived. In “Finn and the Subatomic Slip and Slide,” Finn returns to a world he doesn’t recognize. Changing the past has altered the world he once knew and The Plague, which he thought he vanquished is now in charge. Finn must find his father to stop The Plague from destroying the earth. But nothing is going to be easy this time around, his friends who helped him on his two previous adventures don’t know him in this new reality and neither is inclined to put themselves in harm’s way to help a stranger. Can Finn find his father, save his friendships, and return to Earth in time to stop The Plague?

Please ask at the children’s desk if there is something you’re looking for and can’t find right away; we’re here to help. Check out our monthly calendar of programming too. We offer a variety of activities for all ages, from story time to book club for teens. You can find more information on our website at www.newulmlibrary.org on the Library Events page.

The library is located at 17 N. Broadway and is open to the public Monday to Thursdays 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday and Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.