Meira Bienstock
BETHEL — These past three months, the most checked out kid’s book from the library is, ‘Fish in a Tree,’ by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Library Director Michelle Conroy explains. The plot? Ally’s a bit of a troublemaker to mask that she is secretly afraid to ask for help with her dyslexia. Her teacher spots it, though. With his help, she starts to discover possibilities. The novel hits at the theme: there’s nothing wrong with not fitting in. Although the book is from 2017, Conroy speculates someone must have read it and spread the word.
It is a junior book, so suggested for kids ages 10 through 14. It is 320 pages. Conroy says it’s a novel that can speak to both adults as well as kids.
The book series that Conroy says are a hit are the, “Nate the Great,” series, in particularly, “Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag,” by Marjorie Weinman Sharmet. Conroy says kids like these books because they’re a series but they don’t have to be read in any order; each book can stand alone. They’re also a mild-mystery so a page-turner. They’re easy to follow. The reading age is for six to nine; it is 80 pages.
Conroy explains series tend to do better, and kids will read everything an author has published. She said there have been more people in the library post pandemic then pre pandemic. Also, their website has been getting used more frequently. People can order ebooks or audobooks, and it will automatically delete itself after two weeks so the user doesn’t have to return it.
There is a Fiction Program every third Thursday of the month at 11 a.m. Conroy is looking for a junior or high school student who can help pick out fictional works. Currently, they are reading NY Times Best Selling Fiction Books. For more information, contact the library at bethellibrarymaine@gmail.com
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