As you may have noticed, I haven't been updating Kiddosphere on a regular basis. At the end of June 2018, I left my position as youth services librarian and became the new collection services development librarian. Same library, but totally different job. At the same time, I was planning a wedding and planning a move. Although I had intentions of keeping the blog active, it eventually became clear to me that I didn't have the time--and frankly, the desire--to keep up with the blog. I think eleven years is a good run for a blog. :-) Fauquier County staff members regularly contribute to posts o ..read more

Although the holiday season can be a time of high-stress and activity, it’s also an ideal time to get lost in a great read. Sure, you can’t go wrong with reading or rereading A Christmas Carol, but what if you’re wanting something with more contemporary humor or romance? What if a Christmas murder mystery is more your style, or if you want to share a Christmas story with a young child (or read a sweet children’s Christmas story for yourself? As someone who regularly rereads one or two children’s Christmas books every year, I’m all for adults reading children’s books!)? Each year brings an exp ..read more

I don't know about you, but I *love* reading books about the performing arts and sports.  If you feel the same way, you're in luck; we have a bunch of new books that you should grab for holiday travel or for putting on your wish list: Music and Dance: During the summer, my husband I and I enjoy going to concerts at a winery near our home; the bands are often tribute bands dedicated to a certain artist/group/genre. When the (awesome) 80s tribute band belted out, "YOU GOTTA FIGHT! FOR YOUR RIGHT! TO PAAAAAAATAAAY!" I'm not going to lie--I felt a little like Marcel Proust biting into ..read more

Following Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds may have replaced the old recipe box crammed with magazine clippings, but if the holds for our new and upcoming cookbooks are any indication, print cookbooks are here to stay. Recently, I wanted to expand and diversify our cookbook collection, so I did some hunting through review journals and online sources; I was thrilled when the hold requests started to pour in! If you're looking for some inspiration in the kitchen, try out some recipes from these new and forthcoming books: I had a feeling that All-Time Best Dinners for Two (from ..read more

Do you love a good scare? Does the anticipation of Halloween make you giddy? With 2018 being the 200th anniversary of the publication of “Frankenstein”, there’s no better time to revisit old classics and discover some new reads that will keep you up long past your bedtime. What exactly is a horror novel? Some think of classic monsters such as “Dracula”, Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic short stories, or the modern master of horror, Stephen King. Some might remember childhood favorites, such as R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series. The Horror Writers Association defines horror as “… not only blood and gor ..read more

In the months prior to my September 29th wedding, my regular reading crawled to a stop. No matter what book I had been eagerly waiting for, my attention span was nil for paying attention to anything other than a chapter book or two. I reasoned that once life settled down a bit (after moving to a new house, getting married, and going on our honeymoon), I would find interest in reading again. Yes--thankfully--I have--and just in time for some amazing fall titles. I am reading/planning to read a bunch of history/biography/memoir/historical fiction books for an upcoming project, and had read g ..read more

I love fall movie season. Sure, I love the blockbusters and superhero movies in the summer, but those get old after a while (although I *cannot* wait for Captain Marvel!). Fall brings out the "Oscar bait" movies--the movies that production studios have high hopes for come awards season. Sure, some of them can be overwrought "chewing the scenery" types (when my husband and I saw A Star is Born, we saw one of the most histrionic previews I have ever seen--already beloved on the movie festival circuit, apparently, but good grief....I was rolling my eyes), but there are some pretty awesome-soundin ..read more

Although it's currently cloudy, windy, and rainy with a chance of heavy thunderstorms and wind this weekend due to Hurricane Florence, fall weather is (hopefully!) soon approaching. Seasonal books are among my favorite type of books to read, and autumn-themed books are among the most beautifully illustrated in our collection. Here are some outstanding picks to get you ready for fall: Apple picking and visting the pumpkin patch are classic fall outings, as sweetly explored in Apples and Pumpkins. Since this ends with children trick-or-treating, this is a great title for anyone who wan ..read more

Believe it or not, fall is on its way (and it's hard to believe it when it feels like 100 degrees). If you're a college football fan, this past weekend was probably a fun one for you (unless your team lost...but remember that it's still early in the season! This could be your year!). With this upcoming weekend being the start of NFL season, football fans are definitely ready for some action. Why not spend some time during commercials reading a fun football book? Kids love books about lists and fun facts (I had a very favorite "book of lists" that I repeatedly checked out of the library whe ..read more

I hope you read some fantastic reads this summer! If you're looking for a very random list of books for adults and children, today is your lucky day. Here's what captured my attention in late July and early August: Books for Adults:  I'm working on biography/history/historical fiction ideas for a book club, so that's a large bulk of my adult fiction/nonfiction reading at the moment. Ali: A Life was published last year, to stellar reviews and several spots on "best of 2017" lists, so it's been on my radar for some time. I know nothing about wrestling and knew little about Ali's ..read more