Catching Up With the Classics: 10 Books Turning 100 in 2024

It can be easy to get caught up in the fervor of all the best-selling new release novels coming out, but sometimes it can be fun to turn back to the classics. 

Books were once a luxury and a novelty. In the 1920s, books were often printed using the dry offset, also know as letterset process, which Britannica defines as: 

"A special plate prints directly onto the blanket of an offset press, and the blanket then offsets the image onto the paper. The process is called dry offset because the plate is not dampened as it would be in the offset lithography process."

This meant that it took weeks or months to print a book, a far cry from our techniques today! 

So let's dive in and rediscover some of the books that were printed in 1924.

A Passage to India, by E.M. Forster

Focusing on the subject matter of imperialism and cultural differences, A Passage to India explores the relationship between British settlers and the Indian people in the early 20th century. It was also made into an Oscar-winning film in 1984. 

The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Considered a classic series for children and middle schoolers, The Boxcar Children follows four orphaned siblings who take up residence in an abandoned boxcar and create a home. This series is still widely read and the series has even been spun off to include graphic novels. 

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, by Pablo Neruda

Pablo Naruda's most popular work, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, is a best-selling work that launched Naruda into the literary stratosphere. Published when he was only 19, it has sold over 20 million copies, and was the inspiration behind the film Neruda. 

The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann

One of the best known examples of bildungsroman (a novel dealing with the character's formative years), The Magic Mountain, follows a young German who visits his cousin in a tuberculosis sanitarium in the Swiss Alps. It deals with themes of death, disease and spirituality and is considered a monumental work of erudition and irony. 

The King of Elfland's Daughter, by Lord Dunsany

If you are a fantasy or science fiction lover, this one is for you. Often considered one of the most beloved fantasy novels of our time, The King of Elfland's Daughter tells the tale of a fairy bride who marries a mortal man. 

Billy Budd, by Herman Melville

Melville may be best known for Moby Dick, but fun fact: Billy Budd was released posthumously three decades after Melville's passing.  After being accused of mutiny, Billy Budd inadvertently kills his accuser, leading to trial. Billy Budd has also been adapted into a film, stage play, and an opera.

The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell

When it comes to classic short stories, The Most Dangerous Game is considered one of the most popular short stories of all time (up there with The Lottery or The Cask of Amontillado). Inspired by the big game safari hunts that were popular among the wealthy in the 1920s, The Most Dangerous Game puts the shoe on the other foot. It has been adapted into several film versions. 

When We Were Very Young, by A.A. Milne

Although Milne is most known for Winnie-the-Pooh, this collection of prose came out two years prior. One of the most notable poems in the collection, Teddy Bear feels like a precursor to Pooh. This is a must-read to little ones, as it celebrates childhood and family. 

The Home-Maker, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Canfield's The Home-Maker centers around a very proud housewife whose life is turned upside down by a near fatal accident that causes a shocking role reversal in her household. Many of the themes of societal expectations and family roles still resonate today. 

The Man in the Brown Suit, by Agatha Christie

While Hercule Poirot gets all the love, this freshman installation to the lesser known, Colonel Race Series deserves a bit of recognition. Like so many Christie novels, there is adventure, mystery, and murder. It has been adapted for television in both the U.S. and France, and is also a graphic novel!

It's fun to look back on these novels and explore what is similar in our world today, and what feels vastly different. How many of these classics have you read? 

Get Your Spring Cover Crops Ready With Our Seed Library

Spring is officially here, and if you're an avid gardener you know that Spring can be an ideal time for the establishment and growth of cover crops. With the ample rain, increase in temperatures and daylight hours, Spring is a great time to maximize the benefits of soil protection and nutrient retention.  

Peaceful Valley, one of our seed donors, recently pointed this out in a recent newsletter, and our seed librarian, Brianna Chase, recognized that we were fortunate enough to have had a recent donation of one of the very cover crops mentioned. 

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum): Warm-season cover crop renowned for its rapid growth and ability to attract beneficial insects. Its fibrous root system improves soil aggregation and nutrient cycling, while its prolific flowering provides nectar and pollen for pollinators. Buckwheat is particularly well-suited for spring planting, thriving in warmer temperatures and shorter growing seasons. 

If you haven't had a chance to acquaint yourself with our seed library at the Sandy Public Library, there is no time quite like the spring. 

With dozens of varieties of flowers, herbs, native plants, and vegetables, the goal of our seed library is to provide a free resource for our local community to share in the joy of growing, and create an opportunity to be more self-sufficient. 

Come check out our selection or donate any extra seeds you may have saved! 

Celebrating Teen Literature Day with Our Teen Librarian Rebecca Hanset

Every year, on April 18th, we recognize Celebrate Teen Literature Day. 

Beginning in 2007, Celebrate Teen Literature Day was created to encourage young people to read outside of their schoolwork more frequently. With the rise of the internet, and social media, less than 20% of teenagers report reading a book, magazine or newspaper daily for pleasure. 

So Celebrate Teen Literature Day was born. Not only to act as encouragement for teens to start reading more, but also to celebrate the growing genre of young adult literature, which often includes themes of identity, self-discovery, and the transition into adulthood. (No wonder it resonates with older audiences as well). 

In honor of Celebrate Teen Literature Day, we asked our Teen Librarian, Rebecca Hanset, a few questions about what drew her to the genre, and some of her favorite aspects of it. 

Did you always want to be a librarian? 

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a librarian. I’ve worked in libraries since I was a teen and the librarians I worked with encouraged me to go to library school. Now I work with teens and encourage them to get involved, pursue education and achieve goals, whatever they may be.

What made you choose teen literature in particular? 

I am particularly interested in coming of age stories that highlight the unique experiences and challenges that adolescents face. I want teens to have the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the literature they read.

Why do you think adult readers are drawn to teen literature?

I think adults find nostalgia in teen literature. I think we can connect to the coming of age stories because we are still coming of age to some degree. I think it’s fun to relive the intensity and brutality of “firsts,” like first love, first kiss, first heartbreak.

What is your favorite YA (Young Adult) book?

Oh, this is a hard one. 

Middle grade teen - Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech   -  I love anything by Sharon Creech

Young adult teen - Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer  - A dystopian, coming of age novel

Honorable mention: Anything by Ellen Hopkins - These books are gritty, mature-themed, and written in verse.

What is your favorite YA series?

The Selection by Cass Kiera - It’s like Cinderella meets The Bachelor. It’ a dystopian romance about being selected from 35 girls to move up the caste system and win the hand of a prince. 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes -  Puzzles, riddles, and codes, oh my. 

Similar to the movie Knives Out or Glass Onion.

Which books have the best YA cover art?

I have two:

Gabi, A Girl In Pieces by Isabel Quintero

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

If you could drop into any YA fantasy world, which one would it be and why?

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman -  How can you go wrong with armored polar bears? 

Book or series coming out that you're most excited about?

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Which teen book or series would you like to see be made into a movie?

I’d really hope The Inheritance Games is made into a movie or television series. I think there is something in the works with Amazon and Sony.

What is your favorite piece of classic teen literature?

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - As libraries continue to face book challenges and bans, this book highlights the importance of democratizing information, literature, and knowledge in order to prevent a dystopian future.

Thank you Rebecca!

Current Art Exhibition: In Bloom

Our current art exhibition, In Bloom, is on display in the Sandy Public Library until July 3rd. 

This collection of various mediums from different artists was designed to brighten your day through the showcasing of a single bloom or riot of blooms! 

Collaborating with the Wy'East Artisans Guild, we will be hosting a reception on Tuesday, April 16th from 6:00-7:00PM showcasing the artists work and their inspiration.

The Wy'East Artisans Guild is a group of local artists who organize exhibits for member's artwork and connect artists with art related information. WAG promotes art for all ages, through classes and community outreach. 

Monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30PM and are open to the public. They are currently meeting at the AntFarm in Sandy. 

For more information on artists, please contact Kim Nelson at kimbgay53@gmail.com.

            

D.E.A.R Day (and Happy Birthday Beverly Cleary!)

Every year, on April 12th, we celebrate Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R) day, a day for families to commit to drop all other distractions and spend 30 minutes reading together. 

D.E.A.R day has been officially celebrated since 2006, but do you know the origins of it? 

D.E.A.R. day was established on April 12, 2006 in honor of Beverly Cleary's 90th birthday. Drop Everything and Read was first established in Ramona Quimby, Age 8, when Ramona's teacher, Mrs. Whaley decides that "Sustained Silent Reading" doesn't sound very enticing. However, Ramona, being Ramona decides that D.E.A.R doesn't sound near as grown up as "Sustained Silent Reading", so she continues to call it S.S.R. and it's her favorite part of the day. 

The Ramona series, and other Beverly Cleary books continue to resonate deeply with young readers, and Cleary has sold 91 million books worldwide. 

So today, April 12th, celebrate this renowned Oregon author and commit to 30 minutes of zero distractions and reading. Whether that's reading to your kids, curling up with your favorite mystery, or picking up a biography of your favorite author, today is the day to Drop Everything and Read.

Oh, and we'd love to hear WHAT you're reading in the comments!

May 2024 Book Club Picks

 

Digital Book Club

Thursday, May 1, 2024
7:00 PM
Zoom

How Long 'Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin 

To sign up for the book club please e-mail Kat Aden: kaden@ci.sandy.or.us

Men's Book Club

Monday, May 6, 2024

7:00 PM

Sandy Public Library Community Room

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us

Women's Book Club

Thursday, May 9, 2024

6:00 PM

Sandy Public Library Community Room

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us

Hoodland Book Club

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

4:00 PM

Hoodland Library Community Room

Dinosaurs: A Novel by Lydia Millet

For further information please contact Lara Wilents: lwilents@ci.sandy.or.us

National Library Week and Fines for Food

 

Every year during National Library Week, the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries run their Fines for Food program. 

This is YOUR opportunity to not only pay off any of those pesky library fines, but also, give back to your community. 

Here's how it works:

During the week of April 7-13th, come into either the Sandy or Hoodland Library branch to pay your overdue fees. Anything you pay, the library will match. 

So if you have $2 in fines, you can give the library $1, and we'll pay the other, wiping the slate clean. 

Pretty good deal right?

But it gets better!

Because not only will you get to pay your fines, but every dollar that is paid during Fines for Food week will be donated to the local food banks (Sandy Action Center in Sandy and Neighborhood Missions in Hoodland). 

Come say hello, grab a few new books, pay those fines, and give back to your community from April 7-13th. 

Seed Library News - April 2024

Here's everything you may have missed from our awesome seed library newsletter this month:

As some of you may be aware, we had to postpone our Composting with Garden Debris and Worm Bins program at the last minute. I do apologize for the inconvenience as our presenter suffered an injury that very morning. After speaking with her last week, she is doing much better and we have rescheduled for August 15th at 6:00PM. I know it is several months away, but she needs time to heal. 

SAVE THE DATE
May 18th from 10:00AM - 1:00PM
Spring Garden Celebration
Location: Mt Hood Farmers Market
Join the Sandy Seed Library and the Sandy Garden Club for a day filled with plants, crafts and games. Special guests include Bee City with Parks and Rec, and Wy'East Artisans Guild. 

May 18th at 1:00 PM
Backyard Chickens with OSU Master Gardener Cindy Manselle
Location: Sandy Library Community Room

Bee City USA Update

Sandy's Bee City Action Group has generously donated a bee house to the library, along with a bunch of mason bee cocoons! We installed it and I planted a few flowers in hopes that there will be blooms in time for our bees when they emerge. 

If you are interested in getting involved with the Bee City Action Group, the next meeting is April 9 from 5:30-6:30pm at the Community Center (38348 Pioneer Blvd, Sandy, OR 97055 | 503-668-5569).

If you are interested in keeping up with all of our Seed Library news, send an e-mail to our seed librarian, Brianna Chase at bchase@ci.sandy.or.us to be added to the list. 

Celebrating Children's Picture Book Day

For many of us, our earliest memories are being read to from our favorite picture book. We can still vividly remember our favorite artwork, and sometimes, we still may even be able to recite back some of our favorite verses. 

Founded in 1967 by Switzerland's International Board on Books for Young, Children's Picture Book Day is celebrated on April 2nd. Aimed to bring about love and interest in the written word for children, the movement spread and is now celebrated all over the world. 

In honor of Children's Picture Book Day, we asked some of the Sandy staff to share with us their favorite Children's Picture books. 

Sarah McIntyre
Library Director

2 of my favorites as a kid were What Do You Do, Dear and What Do You Say, Dear written by Sesyle Joslin and illustrated by Maurice Sendak.  Though they were simply books about etiquette and manners, I loved the whimsical nature of each of the scenarios the author put forth in the book.

One of my favorite books to read to kids is Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems.  I find the pigeon very easy to identify with and anthropomorphize.

Monica Smith
Children's Librarian

As far as picture books that had an impact on me as a kid: Anything by Richard Scarry. I was totally obsessed with his illustrations. I also loved the book, We Were Tired Of Living In a House by Liesel Moak Skorpen. The original version, with Pen and Ink illustrations, is what was read to me and I loved it. 

It would be hard for me to choose a picture book that I love the most now because there are so many! But I love Bark George by Jules Feiffer. There Are Cats In This Book by Viviane Schwartz is also really clever ad fun 

Maureen Houck
Reference Librarian

Both of my girls love Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. We have probably read it 1000 times, and it is one they often ask me to get from the library. 

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola is another favorite of theirs. That one we were reading so much we had to buy our own copy! 

One of my favorites from when I was a kid is Swimmy by Leo Lionni. 

Lara Wilent 

Library Clerk

One of MY favorites, and I think theirs (children), too, was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin. Another of my favorites was How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow? by Charlotte Pomerantz. Also, any Richard Scarry or Thomas the Tank Engine books. 

Joanna Beitler

On-Call Library Clerk

My kids always liked Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and the Flat Stanley books by Lori Haskins Houran. The Lady Bug Girl books by David Soman and the Eric Carle books like the Hungry Caterpillar and the Grouchy Caterpillar are favorites of my grandkids. My youngest granddaughter loves all the Mo Willems books and now that she's reading we read them together!

Chris Wilhelmi

Assistant Library Director

When I was young, a friend of the family gave us first editions of:

A Hole is to Dig by Ruth Krauss

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

What Do You Say, Dear and What Do You Do, Dear by Sesyle Joslin

We didn't own a lot of kids books and the library was very far away, so we read those all the time. And my favorite gift for a new baby is Peek-a-Who by Nina Laden. 

Molly Espenel

Library Clerk

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Serendipity books by Cosgrove

Dianne Downey

Library Assistant

Two books my daughter had me read over and over to her were:

Plain Noodles by Betty Waterton and The Tub People by Pam Conrad. They were really fun books! 

Kat Aden

On-Call Library Clerk

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, and Heckedy Peg by Audrey and Dan Wood. 

Brianna Chase

Library Clerk

Negative Cat by Sophie Blackall

Rebecca Hanset

Librarian

After the Fall by Dan Santat

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassan

Check out our library catalog to explore some of these Children's Picture Book selection. 

And let us know below what some of your favorite children's picture books that we missed are!