Dachshunds on the shelf

When someone saw me walking my mini-dachshund through town the other day and asked how old she was I mistakenly said, "Oh, I've had her about a year". I realized much later that Sid, Sid Vicious if you're being formal, actually turned two this past February. I guess because she is still rather tiny, and also the fact I can't believe I own such a small dog, I sometimes forget just how long she's been here.

Small dogs have a way of growing on you and even show up in literature from time to time. Margaret Rey may be famous along with H.A. Rey for the Curious George series but also wrote about Pretzel, the longest dachshund in the world. Across the street from Pretzel lives another dachshund named Greta who lands herself in a bit of trouble that requires Pretzel to use his strength, and length, to rescue her.

Dachshunds show up in several books by author Ezra Jack Keats. Look for Willie the dachshund in Whistle for Willie, he appears on the front and back cover. Willie also shows up in another book by that author, Pet Show.

Hank Zipzer is the popular series by Henry Winkler. Hank named his dachsund Cheerio because of how she looked when she ran in circles after her own tail. She shows up in several episodes with one of the funniest being A Tale of Two Tails.

In Mr. Dogwood goes to Washington by Leigh Anne Florence kids get a view of Washington D.C. through the eyes of two dachshunds, Woodie and Chloe. Color illustrations in this small chapter book as well as a a fun story make this a great way to learn about our nation's history and see what a dachshund might look like if he joined Nasa and the space program.

Kids aren't the only ones bringing their dogs along for fun. Look in the mystery section for The Serpents Trail: a Maxie and Stretch Mystery by Sue Henry. Maxie finds it hard to believe she's left everything to travel in her Winnebago, this time to Alaska, but her mini-dachshund Stretch is always there for company, and to sniff out clues.



Our dog Sid was a very good friend for our lab Holly. Although I don't think any household should be subjected to teenagers and dachshunds together, the mix just makes for too much defiance in one small space, the arrival of Sid was perfect timing as Holly's health declined. She was a good friend to Holly and I suppose that's why I keep her around.

Time and Time again

Maybe it was just the Valentine's Weekend getting to me or not knowing what a triple toe pick sow cow was, but I thought I'd check out The Time Traveler's Wife on DVD. If you're like me and always seem to be at the bottom of a reserve list with thirty people ahead of you, perhaps you'll be interested in these books located in our Young Adult Department.

Check out Undercover by Beth Kephart. Sort of a modern day Cyrano remake Undercover tells the story of Elisa, the undercover author of many a love note penned for Theo as he tries to woo the lovely Lila. Elisa writes other letters, too. Letters to her father, the only one who seems to understand her. Scenes of ice skating on the frozen pond as Elisa withdraws to the one thing that makes her feel special, figure skating. Hey it's a love story and you might learn about that triple toe loop thing. The author, Kephart, is a figure skater so if anyone is going to know, she is.

For more of a time after time love theme check out Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn. Beginning with a life and death in prehistoric times and evolving into a love haunted by history, this book follows the lovers through the realms of ancient Egypt, Greece, up to the present day. Can all this have started through the desire of a beautiful green stone? You'll be hanging around the emerald counter at your mall's jewelry store.

Check out this book and it may have you looking for other documentation on reincarnation. A must read for the non-fiction crowd would be Only Love is Real: A Story of Soulmates Reunited by Brian L. Weiss. If you can't find that check out Many Lives, Many Masters, also by Weiss.

We're in Stitches!

Yes, it's true...Crochet Workshop is back on the calendar with a new six week workshop presented at the Amherst Public Library in cooperation with Pat Catan's of Amherst. Vivian will be there to help you review some of the stitches we learned in previous workshops and to get new members up to speed. Then we're off and running for six weeks where we'll make a scarf, six more weeks of winter you know, and then learn a new afgan pattern.

Bring along your size J crochet hook and a skein of "Peaches and Cream" yarn for the first night and any project yarn you choose after that. For those looking for more instruction check out some of the crochet books and DVDs we offer at the library. Crochet Basics, by the editors at Vogue Magazine, has some patterns perfect for beginners. Instructional DVDs and even books for left-hand crochet have been popular choices.

Younger crochet enthusiasts will appreciate Crochet Fantastic Jewelry, Hats, Purses, Pillows & More by Jane Davis. A great pattern is included for slippers and the photos in the back will get you started with basic stitches or act as a visual reminder after you leave the workshop.

Crochet with Wire by Nancie M. WIseman proves that crochet is not just for yarn as she takes you through some designs using light gauge wire along with beads and findings. For the rebellious at heart, check out Anticraft: Knitting Beading and Stitching for the Slightly Sinister by Renee Rigdon. Crafting with pagan overtones is presented in some fun projects including "Bad Eggs" and a Skull cross stitch pattern. The Tree of Life and Death is a beaded shine using peyote stiches and advanced beading techniques. The wican skirt might make a hit at the next staff meeting.

Our crochet workshop takes place Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the library's community room February 16, 23 and March 2, 9, 16, and 23. Call the reference desk at 440-988-4230 to register or just drop in on whatever dates you can join us.

Playing With Fire

The Girl Who Played With Fire is the second book in this Stockholm based Millenium trilogy that has sold more than 22 million copies worldwide. When author Stieg Larsson died unexpectedly in 2004 the rights to his manuscripts prompted a legal battle for publishing rights. The plots to ten different novels had been meticulously researched but never sent to print.

The first book in the series, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, introduces readers to Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Despite all the Swedish street names and towns that can't be typed on a standard keyboard, the plot quickly draws you in and before you know it you're purchasing book three from the United Kingdom because you just can't wait till the American release date in May 2010.

As my one German friend said, "Everyone from my best friend's little sister to my grandmother have all read the entire trilogy and are setting the TiVo for the European television series based on the books", (six episodes, two episodes for each book). Look for an English movie version in the works.

Testing, Testing

The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010 by Editors at America's Test Kitchen



Just bought this book over the weekend after realizing you need to register to read any of their online recipes. However the recipe for Maple Glazed Pork Roast that aired January 30 is not the same as the one listed in the 2010 cookbook. They've left out a key ingredient, cornstarch, in the book after claiming it was a secret ingredient in the coating used to brown the meat. So why was it left out of the book? I wonder how many of the other recipes are different.

View all my reviews >>

Check out The Best Light Recipe: a Best Recipe Classic at the Amherst Public Library. We also have several of America's Test Kitchen's DVDs to check out. All are from 2007 but some good recipes and seeing is believing.

Young Spenser

Author Robert B. Parker, mystery author and creator of the Spenser series, died at his Cambridge, Massachusetts home at the age of 77. With more than 60 books to his credit, and a new one yet to hit bookstands this month, people have returned to the library to read and re-read some of his earlier works.

This weekend I took home Parkers YA book, Chasing the Bear, the first book that offered an insight as to the origins of his popular Spenser character. Published in 2009 the story begins when Spenser is just 14, being raised by his father and two uncles. The story goes back and forth between Spenser's early life and the present day but is easy to follow and chapters are short. While someone not familiar with the Spenser series might have questions about current characters, the voice and pace of the story will quickly draw them in and have them exploring more books by this author. Read more about him in a recent New York Times article.