Christy's blog

If you're a fan of Dan Brown, Steve Berry, or James Rollins, check out Chris Kuzneski, author of the Jonathon Payne & David Jones series.  Payne and Jones are two wise cracking, special forces veterans turned adventurers who have a habit of falling into mysteries and stumbling across treasures. Check out their latest thriller, The Secret Crown.

Hidden among the crates in a recently discovered World War II bunker are documents stamped with an elaborate black swan, the insignia of the murdered King Ludwig II. According to legend, Ludwig stockpiled a massive treasure in the years before his death, a cache of gold and jewels that would finance the construction of the largest castle of all time. But in the years since his death, no one has found any evidence that Ludwig had hidden anything. Until now.

Jonathon Payne and David Jones are pulled into the mystery by a colleague of theirs, a former supply sergeant in the U.S. military who asks them to investigate. They agree to help and quickly find themselves in a life-or-death struggle to uncover the truth about Ludwig's murder and his mythical treasure.

See below to read Paynes & Jones's adventures from the beginning

Do your kids like books, games, arts & crafts, free homework help, and hanging out with their friends?

Check out our new after-school program BLAST- Brookfield Library After-School Time. BLAST is a daily after-school program that gives kids in grades 1-5 the opportunity to come to the library after school from 3-6 pm, Monday - Friday for supervised, educating & entertaining activities. BLAST is a free program open to Brookfield residents.  Parents interested in signing their kids up for BLAST must do so in person at the Information Desk. For more information on BLAST, contact Youth Services at 708-485-6917 x 140.

Sign your kids up to have a BLAST!!

As we all know, there are many great movies out there that started out as great books.  Check out our lineup of books that were recently released as a movie or are coming out soon. So whether you read the book before, or after you see the movie you'll have some inspiration for your reading list.

September 24 through October 1, 2011, the American Library Association and libraries across the country will be celebrating Banned Books Week, a week long celebration of the First Ammendment and our right to read freely.

Many beloved books from classics to modern tales have caused scandal at one point or another.  Celebrate your right to read freely by checking out these or other banned, censored, or challened titles.  For further inspiration, check out the ALA's list of Books Challenged or Banned in 2010-2011.

Canning and preserving fruits and vegetables is a great way to ensure your family eats healthy all year long.  Check out these great resources to learn more:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.  The Night Circus is projected to be THE BOOK of the fall.  Read it & see if you agree.

Check out Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, the hot new title by Riverside author Karen Dorneebos

A divorced mother who runs an antique letterpress business and is obsessed with all things from the Regency era auditions for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show that turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812.

Publisher's Weekly raves “Doornebos gives the historical romance novel a hilarious update in this delightful debut… The amusing secondary characters, sidesplitting faux pas, and fiery romance will make Doornebos an instant hit with readers."

If you're a fan of Charlaine Harris's popular Sookie Stackhouse series, check out these new releases with new short stories featuring Sookie and friends (and enemies). 

The Brookfield Public Library is celebrating the Dog Days of Summer this week.  Check out these dog friendly  reads...