Bookworm Gardens

Hi my fellow bookworms!

I hope you had a pleasant spring so far, as we are now heading into summer! Many libraries are now celebrating Summer Reading, so no matter what your age is, you should go check out your local public library and check out all the new events and books in store!

This past month, I had the pleasure of visiting the cutest little book-themed garden in Wisconsin, called Bookworm Gardens. I love to make it a point to visit places that are literature-themed -- it is both inspiring and fun! While the gardens are quite appealing to a younger crowd, it is still a fun walk and adventure down memory lane. The gardens host workshops for all ages, and even has themed weekends, like the fun Fairyfolk Festival, Haunted Hounds, or Boos and Brews! Each garden is based off of a children's book, and you could even read a copy of the book at the gardens! There are plans for expansion, so I cannot wait to visit again in the future. Check out the story of the gardens through their YouTube story here:

Here are some of the photos from my trip - can you figure out which theme each garden is?

(c) 2024 Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

Have you ever visited a place like Bookworm Gardens? If so, which one(s)? If not, what is on your bucket list?

Until next time, happy reading! :)

ALA Annual Conference Update

Hello my fellow bookworms!

This month has come and gone in a flash. Anything that I thought was going to happen did, but not the way I expected. In short, I wish I had more time for things, but you take what you can get. 

As mentioned in my last post, I was able to visit the ALA Annual Conference this past week in Washington, D.C. Due to a family emergency, I did not stay the entire time I expected to, but, my short excursion was an informative and fun experience overall. I was able to meet some authors, receive free books, see different publishers, learn what was happening in the publishing and library world, and much more. If you are able to attend the conference next year, do so! 

Here are some photos from my trip, including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and some of the exhibitions from above: 

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

A few authors and illustrators signed books for me during the conference. I would like to feature them this year, but have not yet had time to appreciate and read their works yet. Look out for more posts after I catch up on my homework for my summer class! I'm hoping to have a book binge fest this week to celebrate Independence Day here in the states. What are you guys up to this summer? Let me know in the comments! Happy Independence Day to those who celebrate!

Until next time - Happy Reading! :)

Hope City: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope by Neil Perry Gordon

Hello my fellow bookworms!

I finally bring to you today a book review on the book Hope City: The Alaskan Adventures of Percy Hope (Book One) by Neil Perry Gordon.

The beginning of Hope City begins with a quote from Jack London's Credo, a great introduction to the story. As I really enjoy this quote, I will share it with you:

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather choose that my spark burn out in a  brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent plant. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

- Jack London's Credo

Our story begins with Liam and Sam, two friends who live and work in San Francisco, California in 1898. Both seventeen years old and just graduating out of high school, the two have an inspiring graduation speech from none other than the Jack London (yes, the same one whose quote I just posted). With the last words of his speech, "Wake up before it's too late and live a life worthy to be remembered," Liam is inspired to take a steamship up to Alaska to prospect for gold, to live a life of adventure and do more than just live a boring life. He ropes in Sam, who is hesitant, since his father owns a general store and Sam helps in the day-to-day functions. Thankfully, Sam's parents give permission to take the summer off for adventure, with the exception of changing his name to something not Jewish, in order to avoid bigotry and possible harm. With the optimistic name of "Percy Hope," and with the words of Jack London to inspire him, Sam Percy sets off towards the wilderness of Alaska with Liam, in hopes of finding gold, exploring, and having a great story to tell about his life.

 

I enjoyed reading Hope City: The Alaskan Adventure of Percy Hope. Due to some of the mature language, certain references in the book, and the graphic detail of a couple of the twists in the book, I recommend this story for young adults (older teens) and up.

 

Hope City is a quick paced historical fiction adventure story that flips between the book's namesake, Percy Hope and Magnus Vega, the obvious antagonist of the novel. Magnus is introduced quite early on in the story as someone to avoid, but he always seems to pop up and make himself known. Magnus is the one who begins Percy's summer adventures, who after landing in Alaska all bright-eyed and bushy tailed, finds that the unnamed city he is in is to be named after him! Hope City is where quite a bit of the novel takes place, while the other portion is set in the sister city, Sunrise, the "bad twin" to Hope (i.e. gambling, drinking, etc. is done in Sunrise, while going to church and being an upstanding citizen is the way of life in Hope). There are other areas that both Percy and Liam visit, as they end up on a crazy ride of adventures throughout the novel, but the two realize as much as they enjoyed (and did not enjoy) everything they experienced, they miss the normalcy of home. Given that this is only book one, I imagine that we will be hearing about more adventures to come!

There are a few reoccurring story lines in the novel, two of which I would like to highlight. The first of which is that Percy (Sam) had to deal with an internal war with his fake name and his religious beliefs. He feels nervous that so much attention is focused on his "name," and that he has to attend a Catholic church, which he feels goes against his Jewish faith. While Hope City provides quite a bit of historical context, I would have loved to see a bit more expansion on this topic, as it is a frightening to hide your faith to stay safe, but still want to be true to it. 

 

The second story line that I enjoyed and would not mind to hear more of is our protagonists (and antagonists) meeting natives who lived in the areas surrounding the miners. I appreciate how Mr. Gordon emphasized that these communities of people were not heathens or ignorant, but wise and how they appreciate nature and work with it, not against it as the miners had. 

In all, there was one twist I did not quite care for, but either way, Hope City is filled with adventure, friendship, twists and turns, some romance, and history. I appreciate that the story highlighted that you must face the consequences of your actions, and that sometimes the line between a hero and a villain can be blurred - nothing is black and white. This is a story you can binge read and you will not realize where the time went!

You can now purchase Hope City on Amazon, where it is available via eBook, paperback, and Audible.

About the Author: Neil Gordon Perry

 

Beginning with his debut novel in 2018—A Cobbler’s Tale, followed by Moon Flower, The Righteous One, The Bomb Squad and Hope City, Neil Perry Gordon has established himself as a well-respected and prolific historical fiction novelist. His story telling ability has earned him high editorial praise from the likes of Kirkus, Midwest Book Review and others, including hundreds of four and five star reader reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Neil attributes his love of the writing process from his formative education at the Green Meadow Waldorf School, where he learned that subjects such as music, dance and theater, writing, literature, legends and myths, were not simply things to be read about and tested, but lessons to be experienced.

His creative writing methods and inspiration have been described as organic; meaning that he begins his work with a general storyline for his characters, rather than working with a formal, detailed outline. This encourages his writing to offer surprising twists and unexpected outcomes, which readers have celebrated. His novels have the attributes of being driven by an equal balance between character development and face-paced action, which moves his stories along at a swift page-turning pace.

Happy Halloween!

(c) Ylanite Koppens, Pexels

Happy Halloween! Are you in an area where you have snow today? So cold and such odd weather! I remember Halloween always being cold, but I don't ever remember snow! One good thing is the fact that it is weather you can settle down with, read a good book, and drink a good cup of coffee (or tea). :)




I have a few more random book updates for you, which may be of interested if you like to travel:

• There is a Free Little Library in Mize, Mississippi is designed to look like Doctor Who's TARDIS. (How cute!)
• The Book Fairies strike again, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leaving free books for Banned Books Week - including copies of Harry Potter!
• The New York Public Library has again found an innovative way to have more people read. They have posted classic novels on Instagram for you to read for free. FULL novels. The project is called Insta Novels, makes it super easy to read on the run. You can read to your hearts content, but make sure you have a good internet source - no one likes unnecessary cliffhangers.
• Speaking of New York, although this is part of a fictional universe, if you are a fan of Marvel / Spiderman, take a moment to read The Daily Bugle, now online!
• Flotsam, California has a book vending machine for an elementary school. Students who show acts of kindness and are "caught in the act" are rewarded with special tokens to use for the book vending machine to buy a new book for themselves. We could use more of these around!
• Mark Twain's original signature was found in a cave in Hannibal, Missouri. You can visit the cave made popular by The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and see if you can spot where Sam Clemens signed his name, too.
• For those who love romance, but do not know what to read next, try this Book Finder book search by Smart Bitches. I have to say, it is pretty fun to see what comes up and what you have not read yet. ;) 
• For those who love those online book scavenger hunts, the New Adult Winter Scavenger Hunt will be here soon enough! The game will start again towards the end of December. What is "new adult"? It is the genre of books for the (rough) ages of 18-25, with topics that touch upon more mature topics than your typical young adult books and may contain sex scenes. Think books from authors such as Sarah J. Maas (i.e. A Court of Thorns and Roses).

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I also wanted to share some bonus photos from the graphic novel The Last Amazon, because so much work went into the project, I just want to share it with you, fellow readers! Just as a refresher from my last post, The Last Amazon is an indie graphic novel from Apotheosis Studios by author Jamison Stone, illustrator David Granjo, and supporting artist Carlos Cardona. You can buy a copy on their website here (it's currently on sale!).

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

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(c) Valeriia Miller, Pexels

I have a couple new books for children to review that look to be great presents for the holiday season. Keep a lookout for more to come!

Stay warm and stay safe today, whether it is trick or treating, going to a party, or just relaxing and watching a scary movie. Until next time!

End of Summer

"I got that summertime, summertime sadness..." Yes, it is that time of the year again - end of summer, beginning of fall, school time, new book time! I have a few books to review and hope to do some reviewing this weekend. :)

Did anyone visit any neat places, maybe with a cool library or bookstore - or two? If you didn't, here are some fun facts that may influence your next travel plans:

• According to Travel and Leisure magazine, the Key West (Florida) is home to two hotels that provide waterproof books for guests to read poolside. The Gates Hotel and 24° North Hotel both have a library filled with classic novels that you can read to your hearts content, whether it be lounging in the sun or splashing around in the pool!
• A library of a different kind, Chicago, Illinois can now boast that it is home to The Chicago Tool Library, a volunteer-run space where area residents can rent out items that are not used all the time, but you may find yourself needing or wanting (i.e. pasta maker, screwdrivers, sewing machine, camera, etc.). The concept is not a novel one, but a good idea that is now spreading. Areas such as Ann Arbor, Michigan and Sacramento, California have such a system integrated into their public library system. We need all libraries to integrate this!
• Indianapolis, Indiana has a new way to promote reading: the Book Bike. The bookshelf on a bike is set up in places where residents (or anyone, really - no library card is needed!) can pick up a free book and get into a good story. Be quick, though, the Book Bike makes visits to events, such as farmers markets, and tends to run out of every book on hand! 
• The Free Library of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has book carts in parks called Libraries in the Park, so that children can read while enjoying the fresh air. I wish my library had something like this when I was little!

Philadelphia Library in the Park (c) Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

If you cannot get out and about, but still want to be part of something, you should look into helping out the Library of Congress. According to the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress currently has a project where they are transcribing suffragist papers and need your help! How do you go about transcribing? Check out the By the People campaign, where you can read and help type what you can make out in the writings, tag writings (think Facebook), and even help review final transcriptions. You can create an account to always come back to where you last left off. You can be a part of history by helping to promote it!

So what have you bookworms been up to? Tell me something fun you did this summer in the comments! :)

Dog Days of Summer (Road Trip Wishlist)

Hello fellow readers out there! What have YOU been reading this summer? Let me know with the #currentlyreadingblog to have your book featured on my blog widget!

I have been reading books that have been popular with YA, including The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken in anticipation for the movie that came out earlier this month. I have been wanting to read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - the movie was beautiful! I am #108 on the waiting list, down from around 250 earlier this summer. The bookstores have been popular with it, yet I have not seen it in stock at one of my favorite haunts!

Since it is the end of summer, I figured I would give you guys a taste of a road trip without being on one. Here is a list of bookstores and libraries around the world that I would LOVE to visit, in no particular order:

Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building (c) Library of Congress, www.loc.gov

• Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
• A national monument that was established in 1800, when President John Adams signed a bill allowing for a library of books "for the use of Congress," the Library of Congress is a massive library that had to be replaced over the years due to fire and war. President Thomas Jefferson's offered his personal library (6,487 books!), which Congress purchased in 1815 to replace the previous collection. You can view President Jefferson's original library today, as it is on display as an exhibition. The Library is also home to the U.S. Copyright Office, an office that administers a national copyright system, the National Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which offers the circulation of braille and audiobooks nationwide, and the Law Library of Congress, an international legal collection of law books. (www.loc.gov). If you are unable to visit the Library in person, I definitely recommend taking a tour online!

President John Adams' Stone Library (c) National Park Foundation, www.nationalparks.org

• The Stone Library at Adams National Historic Park, in Quincy, Massachusetts
• You can find this mini library in the middle of Adams National Historic Park! Built in 1870, the library was built to be fireproof, which is why it is also called The Stone Library. Approximately 10% of the volumes have originally belonged to the President, but the rest are a range of educational subjects you would find in libraries today. (www.nps.gov) If you cannot make it to this library location, the National Park Foundation offers an online tour of the property. 
 




Livraria Lello, (c) Ivo Rainha, Livraria Lello (https://www.livrarialello.pt)

• Livraria Lello Bookstore, Porto, Portugal
• Part of the intellectual upper-class of the society, brothers Jose and Antonio Lello opened the book establishment in 1881. It was later inaugurated as a bookstore in 1906, after the reconstruction by engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves. This bookstore is one of the oldest in the world, and features a mix of neo-gothic, art nouveau, and art deco design. From the outside, it looks like a medieval castle that was squashed into the business area! (www.livrarialello.pt) Fun fact: It believed by some to be an inspiration for J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter (!). 

Rovaniemi City Library, (c) Alvar Aalto, Rovaniemi City Library (www.libraries.fi)

• Rovaniemi City Library, Rovaniemi, Finland
• Recommended by my architecture-genius friend (the same one who visited Seattle in a previous blog post), this library was constructed in 1965 by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. A pioneer of modern architecture and design, Alvar treated each building he worked on as a work of art. (www.alvaraalto.fi) The design is similar to an open book and showcases the books beautifully. (www.libraries.fi) If you are interested in Alvar Aalto's work, please visit the Alvar Aalto Foundation website.

• Seattle Central Library, Seattle, Washington
• I really want to see this library, after all, one of my closest friends has and shared with me the beautiful and crazy architecture both on the outside and inside. Please read my previous blog post for more information. 
 


• New York Public Library, New York, New York
• I love this library! Located on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, the main branch of the New York Public Library houses the famous Rose Main Reading Room, the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal set, and thousands of items to read, watch, or listen to, including research collections. Please read my previous blog post on it for more information. 

I have a few more bookstores and libraries that I want to visit and will share with you in the future! Do you have a bookstore or library that you want to visit that is not featured? If so, please share in the comments below!

Hello Seattle!

Hi Gals and Guys,

I am in between a few books and am a bit behind on my requests. To those who I said I would review, please be patient, I am currently writing a review and am in between a couple more books. :)

In the meantime, I would like to share with you a bit of history from Seattle. With permission from my lovely friend with a passion for architecture, I would like to present to you... *drum roll please* the Seattle Public Library!

A bit of history:

(c) A.T.R. 2018

The Seattle Public Library had a rough start. In 1868, the town gathered to form a library association, which later became an official city department in 1890. Tight budgets led to a small existence for the library until 1899, when the library rented the Yesler Mansion, the "city's most elegant structure!" Unfortunately, in early 1901, a fire destroyed the mansion and much of the collection. The library had to be restored. Andrew Carnegie heard of the disaster and agreed to donate $200,000 to help create a fireproof library, which benefited the $50,000 budget the city had already raised towards a new library and maintenance. After much debate between city members and the library board, it was decided that the block between Fourth and Fifth Avenue and Madison and Spring Streets would be the new site of the library and was bought in 1902. An architecture competition then ensued, with a total of thirty firms competing! The ultimate winner of the contest was Peter J. Weber, who created a design for the library based on a Beaux-Arts design. Beaux-Arts architecture is a style that evolved from Roman and Greek influence, focusing on symmetry, interior spacing, columns and pediments, stone materials, statues/figures, a raised story, and a very decorative surface in all. (Seattle Public Library Website, Chicago Architecture Foundation)

(c) A.T.R. 2018

Over time, the library grew as the city did, with branches opening in the surrounding neighborhoods. Andrew Carnegie was a key philanthropist and donated much to fuel the growth of the libraries. But, by the 1920's and continuing into the depression, the library (termed the Carnegie Library due to the amount funded by the philanthropist) went through much change. Overzealous patrons who were down on their luck and a dwindling budget led to crowded facilities, an issue that helped push the city to develop a 10-year plan to expand the library. The library was also a source of information during wartime, with circulation increasing throughout the years. With its popularity rising, the library had to undergo physical changes to accommodate the public's needs. The old Carnegie library was knocked down, and in 1960, a new main library branch designed by a Seattle firm, Bindon & Wright. This new branch had a particularly interesting innovation - a drive-up window for book pick-ups! (Seattle Public Library Website)

(c) A.T.R. 2018

Celebrating its 100th birthday in 1991, the Seattle Public Library looked once more into revamping the premises. In 1998, a project titled "Libraries for All" proposed a makeover for the library, which gained much public approval, and the project was voted in. The project led to four new library branches in neighborhoods without libraries, as well as the overall expansion and renovation of current branches, including the large main branch. This once again led to a decision of who would design the new renovated branch. Out of 29 architecture projects, Rem Koolhaas won with his unique glass design, for which he won the highest architecture honor: a Pritzker Prize. Rem Koolhaas is known for his "gravity-defying" architecture designs, focusing much on glass and shape. His designs have built up his reputation to be one of the best architects of the 21st century! His design of the Seattle Public Library provided a glass and steel frame, which now houses a book spiral and a "living room" overlooking Fifth Avenue. The reopening of the main branch was in May 2004, with the Libraries for All project finishing in 2008. (Seattle Public Library Website, Architecture & Design Magazine)

A spectacular open and airy space to visit, relax, and read, the Seattle Public Library has helped provide a haven for those seeking knowledge and leisure since it was built. If you have not visited yet, both my friend and I highly recommend it!

(c) A.T.R. 2018

(c) A.T.R. 2018

(c) A.T.R. 2018

Have you visited any remarkable libraries lately and would like to share your story? Let me know in the comments below!