What’s new at Jacksonville Public Library:
“Glyph” by Ali Smith: Ghosts don’t exist. They don’t. End of story. However, it is haunting. Everything tells it. It all starts when Petra and her little sister Patch hear a horrifying story from the past and find themselves making up a ghost. Is it imaginary? Is it real? Then it all starts again 30 years later when Petra, now estranged from Patch, finds a phantom horse kicking the furniture to pieces in her bedroom. What to do? She phones her sister. In a chiaroscuro dance through our increasingly antagonistic era, “Glyph” asks if we’re attending to the history that’s made us and to the history we’re making.
“Art for Everyone: How to Collect Art & Personalize Your Space on Any Budget” by Liz Lidgett: Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, everyone wants their living space to feel like home, but decorating can feel overwhelming and expensive. Now, gallery owner and art industry expert Liz Lidgett offers a clear-eyed and inspiring handbook designed to make the art world accessible for both beginners and seasoned collectors. “Art for Everyone” simplifies the often-elitist terms and easily explains the language related to quality, pricing, commissioning and other key aspects of the art buying process. Along with affordable framing options to negotiating prices, it also offers advice for every budget. With room-by-room guidance, “Art for Everyone” transforms the intimidating world of art into an exciting, achievable journey.
“Michael”: The soundtrack for “Michael” gathers 13 songs featured in Antoine Fuqua’s high-grossing Michael Jackson biopic, covering Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the “Bad” era. A proper soundtrack, this isn’t meant to be taken as a definitive King of Pop overview. Instead, it mixes hits with album cuts and is heavily (also sensibly) weighted toward 1981-1983, containing not one but two selections from “Live” (from the Triumph tour) and more than half of “Thriller.” In the context of Jackson’s discography, this set is unique in that it combines material from the Motown and Epic eras. Otherwise, this is yet another collector’s item for devout fans.
“Unsettling Salad!” by Aaron Reynolds: Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you’re ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Thadeus Badger and the sticky situation he found himself in. Now, Thadeus is a typical badger. He and his best friend, Oliver Possum, love burgers as much as they dislike exercise. And they hate eating veggies even more. But when they make a deal with Oliver’s parents to eat an entire salad … well let’s just say the chompers might soon become the chomped. This is a creepy tale after all and even the healthiest things can turn on you. Join Jasper and Thadeus in this second Creepy Tales chapter book and learn from Thadeus’ mistakes before it’s too late!
The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program for kids is “Plant a Seed, Read!” Just as a farm grows food that nourishes our bodies, libraries grow ideas that nourish our minds. The program is under way now. Visit the library or jaxpl.org for more information.
This year’s Adult Summer Reading Program also is under way. Stop by the circulation desk any time to pick up a reading log for the chance to earn prizes for reading. List five books you have read this summer on your reading log, and your name will be entered for a grand prize drawing on Aug. 2. You will get a small prize just for turning in your reading log. Any adult is eligible to participate; no library card is required. The Adult Summer Reading Program runs through July 31.
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ staff will be at the library from 4 to 7 p.m. June 24 to help reunite Illinois residents with missing money through the I-Cash program. Statewide, Frerichs secures more than $5 billion in unclaimed cash and property.