Posted in Adult, Audience, Historical, Mystery, Staff Picks, Uncategorized

Adventures and Murder with Hercule Poirot

Posted on by abbiebourelle

Before I moved to Sheboygan I had to commute to work. I had about a 40 minute drive at the time. I fought the boredom of the long drive by listening to audio books on CD. I had been getting into mysteries and knew that Agatha Christie was one of the big names in that genre. My journey began by picking up The Mysterious Affair at Styles (narrated by Hugh Fraser, who stars as Hastings in the Poirot TV show.) From that mystery I was hooked and needed more of the little Belgian detective and his excitable sidekick. After moving to Sheboygan a few years ago I switched from audiobook to paperback, the voices from the audio series still in my head for the various main characters. I finally came to the end of my journey with Hercule Poirot this past week with finishing the final book: Curtain. What a worthy ending to a great series and brilliant detective!

The Hercule Poirot Series by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie started writing her Poirot series in 1916 and had the first novel published in 1920. While the series is of the mystery genre it is fascinating as it provides a window into the time period it was written in. The series kicks off with Captain Hastings coming home with a war injury. WWI and WWII are not the focus of the books, but the impact of the wars are clearly seen throughout the series. From a historical standpoint it is interesting to get a glimpse of how WWII was affecting the English people as they tried to continue with their daily lives. This is most clearly shown in the title Taken at the Flood in which Poirot casually waits in a bomb shelter during a raid and listens to a stranger discuss a suspicious death. The series continues into the 1960’s where they provide a glimpse into the changing times and culture of that era. As I enjoy historical fiction as well, I found this element to be just as engaging as they mysteries themselves.

The mysteries kept me guessing from beginning to end. If you are a fan of mysteries like myself, you probably find yourself trying to solve it before the detective by the end. As for this series, just when I thought I had the system figured out, there would be some huge twist that I certainly was not expecting. If you are a fan of twist endings the book I most recommend in this series is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd as I believe that book had the biggest twist of the lot.

As for the characters, after the first book it felt as if they were already friends I had known for ages. Captain Hastings is young. He has a hopeless romantic personality and always tries to see the bright side of life. He is Poirot’s best friend and sidekick in the early books. In the later books Poirot meets Ariadne Oliver, the author of a mystery fiction series. She is also a lot of fun and has a quirky personality. Due to her fame as a writer of mystery fiction in the series, she ends up getting caught up in real murder mysteries and often has to come seek out Poirot for help. Hercule Poirot is of course the main hero of the series. He is a short Belgian detective who is known for his impressive mustache. He believes that any mystery can be solved by “using the little grey cells”. A student of psychology and the study of human nature, Poirot uses this to figure out the connections and motives in cases. It is interesting to see how the human mind works from his point of view. He has a very analytical mind which often plays against Hastings’ more fantastic theories. Poirot is a very immaculate person with an obsession for symmetry. These quirks provide often needed humor and serve to make him a rather endearing character in addition to helping him notice anything suspiciously out of place while solving a crime.

I started trying to compile a list of favorite titles to share in this article. Going back over each book I realized that I loved almost all of them. Elephants Can Remember seemed perhaps the weakest of them as Poirot did not seem to be in it as much as I would have liked. However that title comes right at the end before Curtain. Curtain, being the last novel, finished the series with a bang! (No pun intended). I was very satisfied with the ending and felt Agatha Christie did right by her characters and the series to wrap it up in the way she did.

Now that I have finished the book series I have been binge watching the TV show Poirot staring David Suchet and Hugh Fraser. I find it to be just as good as the books! There have also been three new movies based on Poirot books (A Haunting in Venice VERY loosely based.). The movies star Kenneth Branagh. You can also listen to Agatha Christie’s Poirot series on audio. When I first started searching for audio, I found there are a few different voice narrators. I recommend finding the set narrated by Hugh Fraser. He does the best in doing the various voices and pulling the reader into the story. Of course, you can also find all the titles in book format at the library or through our online catalogue. Happy reading!

Hercule Poirot books in order:
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
2. The Murder on the Links
3. Poirot Investigates
4. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
5. The Big Four
6. The Mystery of the Blue Train
7. Black Coffee
8. Peril At End House
9. Lord Edgware Dies
10. Murder on the Orient Express
11. Three Act Tragedy
12. Death in the Clouds
13. The ABC Murders
14. Murder in Mesopotamia
15. Cards on the Table
16. Dumb Witness
17. Death on the Nile
18. Murder in the Mews
19. Appointment With Death
20. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
21. Sad Cypress
22. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
23. Evil Under the Sun
24. Five Little Pigs
25. The Hollow
26. The Labors of Hercules
27. Taken at the Flood
28. Mrs. Mcginty’s Dead
29. After the Funeral
30. Hickory Dickory Dock
31. Dead Man’s Folly
32. Cat Among the Pigeons
33. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding *only in audio CD format in the catalog*
34. The Clocks
35. Third Girl
36. Hallowe’en Party
37. Elephants Can Remember
38. Curtain

Continue reading “Adventures and Murder with Hercule Poirot” →
Posted in Adult, New & Upcoming, Uncategorized

New! Simpl liftPlayer Music Player

Posted on by Aleah

Mead Public Library’s Experience Collection has a new item- the Simpl liftPlayer.

What is it?

The Simpl liftPlayer is an easy-to-use music player that was created for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. All you have to do is lift the top lid of the player and music will begin to play. There is a large button under that lid to skip a song, and then simply close the lid to stop the music.

Thanks to a generous grant from Sheboygan County’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), the Mead Public Library has 6 of these music players available for check out. Click here to see current availability.

Continue reading “New! Simpl liftPlayer Music Player” →
Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Games, Kids 5-12, Science Fiction, Teen & Young Adult

What’s New in Gaming for 2024?

Posted on by Zachary

It’s been a few months since I have written a blog post about games, and with Mead Comic Con happening on May 4th, I thought we were overdue for a geeky post. We’re getting new games throughout the year, but here’s what Mead has gotten so far for 2024! You’ll find the description of each game, from our catalog, to give you an idea of what each game is like.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

“Peach takes the stage to save the day! Use Stella’s power to transform into… Swordfighter Peach, Patissiere Peach, Kung Fu Peach… and more!”

Continue reading “What’s New in Gaming for 2024?” →
Posted in Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Film, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Thrillers

Movie Night With Kanopy

Posted on by Molly

Have you taken a look at Kanopy lately? There is so much great content I can barely make up my mind when it comes to choosing something to watch. Below, I listed several dynamic pictures to suit many tastes and aesthetics. Gather your friends, your family, and the snacks you love. Pull on your jim jams, get comfy, and enjoy the miracle of light that is moving pictures.

Classic movie night:
The Outlaw (1943) starring Jane Russel and directed by Howard Hughes
This is a Billy the Kid story, but the only thing people remember about this movie is Hughes’ supposedly engineered a bra to make sure Russel’s prominent chest was as chesty as a chest could ever boob. While Hughes may have applied his airplane smarts to brassiere design, the resulting garment was uncomfortable to the point of excessive pain. Russel would wear a regular bra and tell Hughes she was fitted in the monstrosity of his design. He wasn’t going to check, after all. No, I do not care if this story is apocryphal.

The Stranger (1946) written, directed by, and starring Orson Welles
One of Welles’ lesser known, but greatly enjoyable noir pictures. Welles plays a former Nazi supervillain who has disguised himself as a small New England town boy’s school teacher. He has to do a murder real quick to hide his true identity, which attracts the attention of a tenacious Edward G. Robinson, a man who prosecutes war criminals for the UN. A tense and entertaining game of cat and mouse ensues. 

Sunset Boulevard (1950) starring Gloria Swanson and directed by Billy Wilder
I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to call this one of the great pictures of the 20th century. We see the herald of old Hollywood colliding with new that wouldn’t actually happen for another 20 years. Here, the narrative is driven by the effects of film transitioning from silent to talkies a further 20 years prior. Blink and you’ll miss “wax work” stars like Buster Keaton and H.B. Warner portraying themselves. Eric Von Stroheim, the legendary and unfairly maligned silent picture director, stuns as Norma Desmond’s protective manservant. Mark your calendars and join the Movie Club discussion of this film at 8th Street Ale Haus on Thursday, August 15 2024. 

Family movie night:
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) directed by Lotte Reiniger
Gorgeous, meticulous animation using cut paper techniques of the Victorians. This may be slightly slow-moving for the very littles, but could be a good show to put on when it’s winding down to sleepy time. 

The Water Horse (2007) directed by Jay Russell
Delightful fantasy adventure with lots of cryptid action. This is based on a book of the same name by author Dick King-Smith. Wouldn’t it be fun to read this book as a family before you watch the movie? You could compare and contrast and decide which you like better and why. 

Kedi: The Cats of an Ancient City (2016) directed by Ceyda Torun
Enflame your family’s itch to travel with this charmer. The ancient city of Istanbul is famous for its numerous stray cats who are cared for by many but owned by none. Learn the reason why as the filmmaker follows seven different cats throughout their respective days. 

Horror movie night:
Battle Royale (2000) directed by Kinji Fukasaku
This is not a horror movie in the same vein as say, your Friday the 13ths or your Paranormal Activities or whatever, but it IS horrific. The film begins with a bus full of Japanese school kids getting gassed. They awake on an island, surrounded by various weapons. The group learns that only one person will be allowed to leave the island, and they have to do so by killing everyone else. Sometimes these high-concept films lose momentum or have muddy plots, but Battle Royale is as sharp and deadly in action and dialogue as the day it came out. Super creepy, exciting, and unforgettable. This is based on a very successful book of the same name.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) starring Vincent Price and directed by William Castle
This little oddball is an incredible cultural time capsule. Watch it straight on Kanopy to appreciate the scenery-chewing of a marvelous Vincent Price and the campy special effects. After that, check out this Rifftrax DVD. Rifftrax is where the boys from Mystery Science Theater 3000 took their brand of movie house heckling after the original cable show got canceled. They are joined by a razor sharp and always hilarious Paul F. Tompkins as they heckle, lampoon, mock, and adore House on Haunted Hill.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) directed by George Romero
This film is foundational to almost all other horror movies to follow. The low budget thrills are still effective, and often shocking. Tom Savini did a remake in 1990, and his monster makeup effects are so good you can practically smell them (so, SO glad you cannot). The remake also addresses the weakest aspect of the original: Barbara’s ineffectiveness. The 1990 Barbara takes action against the ravening hordes and is such a total badass. Original Barbara is panicking and weak when she’s not outright catatonic. This diminishes my personal enjoyment of Romero’s otherwise extremely entertaining film, but then again I have seen it approximately five thousand times.

Wildcard night:
In the Heat of the Night (1967) starring Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier
I recently read the excellent and extraordinary 2008 book Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris. The author does a deep dive into how the five 1968 Best Picture nominees came to be and what they signified for Hollywood’s trajectory. It made me feel desperate to re-watch In the Heat of the Night, which won the Best Picture Oscar of that year, so imagine my delight when I found it streaming on Kanopy, and not a single other streaming service for free. 

Hot Rod (2007) starring Andy Samberg and directed by Akiva Shaffer
The character of Hot Rod is himself, a wild card. Turn your brain off and let your mouth go slack. Let those silly Lonely Island boys take you on an adventure so unusual, many of the principal actors said they “did not understand” what the movie was about up to and past its release date. 

Rumble in the Bronx (1995) starring Jackie Chan
Have you ever heard of a cooler movie title?! This was Jackie Chan’s breakout crossover hit for American audiences. He’d already been making movies in Hong Kong for like 20 years up to this point, and this is one of his best. Known for mind-boggling action pieces, and tightly choreographed fight sequences, it’s not hard to understand how this picture won over American audiences and increased the already blazing light of Chan’s international celebrity.  

All of the films I mentioned above are available for checkout on Kanopy as of April 26th, 2024, but may be subject to change over time as the lineup can shift from month to month. In fact, when I REALLY can’t make up my mind about what I would like to watch, I go to the “leaving this month” category and choose something I won’t have access to for long. I think the urgency helps me make a choice. 

I linked each title to the Monarch catalog DVD listing, if one prefers physical media. Click the link to see the listing which also tends to include a brief description. 

Still not finding something you’re excited to watch? Please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Movies service by clicking HERE. Share some of your favorites with us and we’ll send you five movie titles you might love. We are always happy, nay, THRILLED to help people find the library material they love whether it’s books, movies, music or something else. Baking tool collection, anyone?

Posted in Adult, Fiction, Staff Picks, Teen & Young Adult, Uncategorized

Manga and cats, what could be better?

Posted on by Corrina

Dear reader, today I am returning to talk about a most epic of combinations. Manga and cats! Has there ever been a better combination? Perhaps coffee and cats surpasses it, but not by much in my opinion.

The first manga I’m going to talk about is Nights With a Cat by Kyuryu Z. When I tell you this is one of the funniest mangas I have ever read, I’m not exaggerating! I laugh out loud and smile the whole time I’m reading it. The way the author portrays Kyuruga, the cat, is so authentic and realistic for cat owners.

I also enjoy living vicariously through the main character, Fuuta, and his sister as they interact with a very affectionate Kyuruga. You see, dear reader, I live with a cat who is not very affectionate. Abraham (Abe for short) is a cat that wants affection on his terms, and usually for about a minute and then he’s done! However, because he is like that, it makes the moments when he jumps up on my bed and lays by me of his own volition that much more special.

Nights With a Cat by Kyuryu Z

When Fuuta comes home tired at night, all he wants to do is spend time with his sister’s cat, Kyuruga. So many of the mysterious habits and mannerisms of house cats―from the surprising array of shapes Kyuruga likes to twist into, to the bizarre challenge of getting a good photo of him, to his lightning-fast mood changes―are carefully reproduced in this relaxed and cute comedy about living with an adorable furball!

The next manga I’m going to talk about is a shonen manga, which, if you’ve read my previous blog post on manga, you will remember that this means this is a manga aimed primarily at a young male audience, typically characterized by action-filled plots.

There is indeed a ton of action in this manga in the form of, you guessed it, games! You didn’t see that coming at all, did you, dear reader? Luckily I’m here to inform you, no worries.

I grew up playing car games with my brother, but I was nowhere near as obsessed with games as the main character, Riko, is in this manga. I find her enthusiasm for them quite charming, though. The way she goes over the top in response to a win or bad draw is hilarious! I also appreciate the short chapters at the end of the longer ones that feature Riko from Musubi the cat’s perspective. I was basically born into a cat family so I’ve never experienced first-time cat ownership, but the way Riko fumbles through it, as well as constantly relates it to the gaming world, treating it like a leveling up scenario will really charm you!

Continue reading “Manga and cats, what could be better?” →
Posted in Uncategorized

Memory Caregiver Kits

Posted on by Aleah

Did you know that Mead Library has memory caregiver kits? These kits are put together to support caregivers of those experiencing symptoms of dementia in all of it’s stages. Early stage kits focus on a goal with a tangible outcome. Early to mid stage kits involve activities that are broken into manageable chunks, so the user can focus on the experience rather than the overall outcome. Mid to late stage kits focus more on experience as well as sensations from an activity. Below are some of the items you might find in your kit:

Colored Pencils and Coloring Pages

Coloring can be a very relaxing activity for those experience dementia symptoms. It allows a person to focus and “zone out” for a period of time, as well as relieve stress and improve a person’s mood.

Continue reading “Memory Caregiver Kits” →
Posted in Adult, Fiction, Film, Staff Picks

Martial Arts Films for Your Next Movie Night

Posted on by Ryan

Every day I feel like I’m turning more and more into my dad. I sneeze obnoxiously loud like him. I’m starting to get some gray hairs. I even sit at the dinner table the same way he does after eating — with my arms crossed over my chest and a sleepy look on my face. I imagine one day I’ll just wake up and find I’m a mini version of him (I’m technically taller than him so maybe a slightly bigger version? I don’t know but you get what I mean!)

One of the more recent dad-isms I’ve developed has involved watching one of his favorite kinds of movies: martial arts films. While I haven’t quite gotten into mobster movies yet like him — a story for another time when I inevitably do — I have been really enjoying films that include martial arts. Mainly the more comedic ones, but some serious ones here and there. Here’s a small helping of some of my favorites so far.

Shaolin Soccer (2004)

To kick things off, I’m starting with Shaolin Soccer for one simple reason: it combines my dad’s love for martial arts movies with his lifelong passion for soccer, a sport he played seriously for many years growing up.

In this movie, Shaolin kung fu master Sing — played by director Stephen Chow — teams up with former soccer star “Golden Leg” Fung to challenge Team Evil to a game of soccer, using the power of martial arts to pull off some over-the-top stunts, score some goals, and share the powers of Shaolin kung fu with the world.

With some funny dialogue, a goofy plot, and over-the-top special effects, this engaging movie provides quite a few laughs from start to finish. I can see why this was one of my dad’s favorites now.

Continue reading “Martial Arts Films for Your Next Movie Night” →
Posted in Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Historical, Horror, LGBTQI+, Mystery, Nonfiction, Teen & Young Adult, Thrillers

Book Club Ideas From Me to You

Posted on by Molly

One thing I love about working as a librarian is the ability to provide classic services and programs. It doesn’t get much classic-er than the good ol’ book club.

We here at Mead run a variety of book clubs to suit an array of tastes and interests. We also provide circulating book kits (six to twelve copies of one title) available for public checkout. Below, I listed a few book club themes along with some titles that would make for excellent discussions in each category.

Mystery Club

Mead already has a fantastic mystery book club called Moonlight and Murder. Meetings occur every other month at The Black Pig. It’s a long-established group that even COVID could not defeat. 

Since mysteries are my main jam, I thought it couldn’t hurt to list some of the best books in this genre that I’ve encountered lately. The mystery titles I picked are highly sought-after new releases that all came out within the last year. 

  • None of This is True (2023) by Lisa Jewell; excellent use of the unreliable narrator trope. I had to read this as fast as possible or I would have lost my mind. 
  • Bright Young Women (2023) by Jessica Knoll; a feminist and fictionalized account of a famous 1979 Florida sorority house murder spree that focuses on the victims and not the booger-eating alcoholic dipshit who committed the crimes. Important AND infuriating. 
  • The Frozen River (2023) by Ariel Lawhon; easily one of the best books I have read in the past 10 years. It’s based on the real-life diaries of 18th century midwife Martha Ballard. Her diary is in circulation, too. Books featuring elements of pregnancy and childbirth are usually off-putting to me, but this was different. This made me feel how powerful we can be as women, and reminded me not to take for granted all the gains we’ve made socially, politically, and professionally over the intervening two hundred years. 
  • The Teacher (2024) by Freida McFadden; if you’re not familiar with McFadden’s brand of bonkers, you are in for a treat. In this book, everyone is making terrible choices all the time and no one is very likable, which makes the comeuppance all the more delicious. Messy messy messy.

Film Criticism Club

I run a movie club. It’s awesome. We watch a movie on our own and come together to discuss as a group, just like a book club. Join us at 8th Street Ale Haus third Thursdays to see what I mean. 

Film is a particular interest of mine, and I have been encountering more and more film writing and criticism when I prepare for a movie club meeting. This list represents some high points of film writing from over the last few decades, while still being accessible to popular audiences. Doesn’t that sound like a fun book club? I KNOW!!!!!

  • Life Itself: a Memoir (2011) by Roger Ebert; I love him. I LOVE HIM. Fascinating man living through fascinating times. The passages about trying to interview Robert Mitchum made me laugh so hard I cried, and that’s just the first thing that comes to mind. The world is a poorer place without my beloved Ebert. “Movies are like a machine that generates empathy.”
  • Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of New Hollywood (2008) by Mark Harris; inventive breakdown that uses the five 1967 Best Picture nominees- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; The Graduate; In the Heat of the Night; Doctor Doolittle; and Bonnie and Clyde to examine the transition from Old Hollywood to New that came to pass in the late 1960s.
  • For Keeps (1994) by Pauline Kael; one of the more important and original voices in 20th century film criticism. Her opinions often contradicted prevalent voices of the day. She was famous for only ever watching a picture once before reviewing it. 
  • Cinema Speculation (2022) by Quentin Tarantino; it doesn’t matter how you feel about his oeuvre, this man loves movies and his enthusiasm only serves the medium. Tarantino literally grew up in Los Angeles movie houses when his mother started bringing him along at the age of seven in 1970. He formats this book into ten chapters, one for each year of the 1970s, and focuses on one film for each year as a departure point to expound on.  

YA Book Club, but for adults

About one out of four books I read could be considered Young Adult. This genre label is more useful as a tool to identify reading level as opposed to quality, with the understanding that reading really is ageless. Some among us have  knee-jerk reactions to material produced for a younger audience, but fellas, y’all are missing out when avoiding YA and juvenile material. 

The books I listed are all titles I encountered as a whole adult. Most shattered me emotionally, in the best way possible (looking at you, The Outsiders). Another thing they all have in common are killer plotlines, accessible prose, and relatable depictions of memorable characters.

  • The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990) by Avi; o! To be a 13-year-old girl matching wits with an amoral ship’s captain on the high seas in the mid-19th century! 
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) by Stephen Chbosky; remember what it was like to feel ugly, vulnerable, beautiful, and powerful all at once? This story helps to remember. 
  • The Outsiders (1967) by S.E. Hinton; this book made me sob real tears. What a beautiful story, which still resonates with readers old and new, fifty years later. 
  • Ghost (2016) by Jason Reynolds; part one of the Track series. If I had the time and inclination I would assign all four volumes of this series for an adult book discussion. Each novella highlights one of four members of a junior high track team, and each stands alone as narratives. The real magic lies within the intertwining and deepening of the stories with each successive installment. If you haven’t read any Jason Reynolds at all yet, what are you even doing? One of the best YA writers in all the land, maybe ever. 

Horror Book Club

At one time I thought I did not like horror fiction, but then I saw some best-of lists, and it turns out I have read a lot of horror fiction. Once I realized my affinity for the genre, I started cultivating my own best-of list. Mead does not have a horror book club! Maybe you should start one!

Here are some of my favorites that could work great in a book club scenario:

  • My Heart is a Chainsaw (2021) by Stephen Graham Jones; this truly upsetting love letter to slasher films is proof positive that Jones is one of the foremost voices in modern horror lit. Lots to discuss here, from treatment of indigenous people to family dynamics and mental health. Don’t worry, the library owns most of the slasher movies mentioned in this book.  
  • Ring Shout (2020) by P. Djeli Clark; what if the racist 1915 film Birth of a Nation caused actual demons to walk the earth? This book freaked me out bad, but in the hands of a writer as talented as Clark, it was tough to put down.  
  • The Hollow Places (2020) by T. Kingfisher; this author is a particular favorite of mine, so I write about her a lot. Kingfisher has a way of tilting the world off kilter just so. Atmospheric, humorous, and unexpectedly gooey at times (I mean like, people turn into goo, not emotionally-speaking), no one does horror like this.
  • How to Sell a Haunted House (2023) by Grady Hendrix; this guy has been cranking out bangers since 2016’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism. In How to Sell a Haunted House, Hendrix brings actual scares and dread to his take on grief portrayed as a haunted house. Most of the work in his back catalog would work great for a book club discussion, too. 

Honorable mention YA/Horror Book Club crossover:

  • Clown in a Cornfield (2020) by Adam Cesare; thinly veiled criticism of the MAGA crowd that imagines what would happen if conservatives straight up started murdering people they didn’t align with politically. Super violent and grody, this book practically has a smell to it. Despite all that, it is such a lot of fun to read if you love slasher fiction as much as I do. 

While I personally dislike reading on a schedule (hence running movie club which only cuts into two hours of my leisure time as opposed to several), many thrive on it. My goal was to provide a starting point and some solid book picks for those who are interested in running their own book group. Figure out a venue and some snacks, and a charming evening awaits. 

Don’t want to start your own book group? Consider attending one of ours. Click the links to see current book picks (as of March 28, 2024), meeting locations, and timings:

Posted in Adult, Staff Picks, Teen & Young Adult, Uncategorized

Manga with a message

Posted on by Corrina

Dear reader, today I want to talk with you about manga. I’ve been devouring it lately so I figured, why not talk about it?

First of all, what is manga? Manga is an umbrella term for a wide variety of comic books or graphic novels originally produced and published in Japan. Unlike American comic books, which are usually printed in full color, Japanese manga are almost always published in black and white.

There are also several different demographics of manga, three of which I will be talking about today.

Shonen – targeted at tween and teen boys

Shojo – targeted at tween and teen girls

Seinen – targeted at adult men 18+

Josei – targeted at adult women 18+

Kodomomuke – targeted at young children

The first manga I’m going to talk about is A Sign of Affection by suu Morishita. This is a shojo manga.

A Sign of Affection by suu Morishita

Yuki, who’s always been deaf, is used to communicating with sign language and her phone. But she’s not used to English, so when a tourist from overseas asks for directions, she nearly panics…until a handsome stranger steps in to help. His name is Itsuomi, and it turns out he’s a friend of a friend. A charismatic globetrotter, Itsuomi speaks three languages, but he’s never had a deaf friend. The two feel drawn to each other and plan a date on a romantic winter’s night…but Yuki’s friend is afraid that she might be setting herself up to get hurt. Could this be something real? Or will these feelings melt away with the snow?

Dear reader, I am thoroughly enjoying this manga! The author does a marvelous job showing how Yuki navigates her world, and in portraying the difficulties she encounters from day to day as a deaf person. She has friends who are supportive, but also people who use the knowledge of sign language against her. Throughout the series you can see Yuki striving for and achieving independence, and of course witness her growing relationship with Itsuomi. I’m sure you will fall in love with the characters as much as I did!

Continue reading “Manga with a message” →
Posted in Uncategorized

What’s New in Mead’s Experience Collection

Posted on by Aleah

Yup, that’s right! Mead has new things for it’s library of things! If you aren’t familiar with Mead’s Experience Collection, this is a collection of non-traditional library items. It includes free entry passes for a variety of locations, STEM kits, baking pans, games, ukulele’s, and so much more! You can find our display of all of the items right when you walk into the library, or take a search through monarchcatalog.org for Mead Public Library Experience Collection. Here are a few of our newest additions:

Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV Metal detector

This is one of those things you wish you had while walking down the beach to see if you find any treasure.  If you’ve wanted one, but just haven’t convinced yourself to get one yet, try out Mead’s Metal Detector!

This metal detector is perfect for searching in rugged ground conditions.  There are 3 modes, which include Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and 2-Tone audio mode.  There is a Disc/notch control that you can set to distinguish between target metals and unwanted metals.

Continue reading “What’s New in Mead’s Experience Collection” →