YA Friday

It's Friday and we're excited about first lines.  We love books that grab us from the first sentence, putting us the middle of a scene and compelling us to read on.   Do you have any favorite first lines?  What do you look for when you pick-up a book?  #YAFriday #firstlines #staycurious #readon  [Read More]

The Room & Hana-Bi

Text only version below PDF view. FilmReviews Mar16 Text only version below. The Room (2003) [99m] * D: Tommy Wiseau. C: Tommy Wiseau, Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero, Phillip Haldiman, Carolyn Minnott, Robyn Paris, Mike Holmes, Kyle Vogt, Greg Ellery. A bizarre (putting it mildly) banker uncovers the infidelity of his true love which initiates a … [Read More]

YA Friday

Do you love Percy Jackson?  Have you heard of "Rick Riordan Presents"?  It's a small branch of Disney-Hyperion Publishing that publishes four books a year selected by editor Stephanie Lurie and writer Rick Riordan to appeal to readers who love Rick Riordan's books.In Riordan's words:  "Our goal is to publish great middle grade authors from … [Read More]

YA Friday

It's Friday and Women's History month--so we're spotlighting a new junior fiction series about women's history with a focus on #ownvoices authors.  Created by YA author Corinne Duyvis in 2015, the #OwnVoices hashtag highlights books written by authors or illustrators who share an identity with the book's main character.  Have you read any of the Girls Survive … [Read More]

YA Friday

It's #YAFriday and we're highlighting graphic novels inspired by true stories. We love the way these books combine memoir, history, narrative, and art. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite nonfiction graphic novels?

Northeast Iowa RSVP Service Enterprise Certification

Northeast Iowa RSVP is pleased to announce that it has been certified by Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, as a Service Enterprise! Achieving Service Enterprise certification is a prestigious accomplishment for an organization. In fact, organizations that certify join the top 11 percent of nonprofits nationwide in volunteer management … [Read More]

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire & Departures

Text only version below image. Film Picks by Mark: Portrait Of A Lady On Fire & Departures Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019) [122m] *** D: Celine Sciamma, C: Noemie Merlant, Adele Haenel, Luana Bajrami, Valeria Golino, Armande Boulanger, Guy Delemarche, Clement Bouyssou. A painter (a statuesque Merlant) is commissioned to portrait a young … [Read More]