One of the projects that I have been working on at the library is a spreadsheet of all of the Wisconsin authors that we have in our collection. I am marking the physical books with a sticker that says Wisconsin Author. We are by no means representing all of the authors in the world that have a Wisconsin connection, but just that ones that we have in our collection at the Whitefish Bay Public Library. Much of the initial research was done by Samantha Spottek, who was one of our librarians, but has taken another job up north. I have added to her list and verified the residence or connection of these writers to our state.

It’s now been seven months since the March lock-down. While some things are opening up, life is far from normal. And, for those of us older than a ‘certain age,’ we’re told to be particularly careful. Since we can’t return to all of our normal pursuits, it is helpful to find new things to do outside.

I have always loved history! I enjoy learning about events of the past and historical fiction transports the reader back in time giving one a front row seat to the past. Authors spend countless hours researching documents, written text and sources from the time to paint as complete a picture as possible of the events of the day. The authors give voice to the characters of the past as they bring history to life in a way that non-fiction is unable to do. By giving dialogue to the characters of the past, the reader feels like they are witnessing the private life of Abe Lincoln as he struggles to govern a nation torn by Civil War, or the Lindberghs as they grapple with the kidnapping of their only child, or what life was like in a concentration camp in The Tattooist of Auschwitz

As this ‘safer at home and OK outdoors’ environment continues, however, it can be helpful to find new routines. Walking or otherwise traveling through the same routes is getting more than a bit boring. Therefore, this missive offers some recreational ideas that you might not have considered—things that you can do safely in Whitefish Bay and which might prove to be fun ways to enjoy the outdoors.

We, as readers, have the wonderful opportunity to live the lives of others through books. As a lover of history, I feel we have so much to learn from our past; to know where we came from, to learn how far we have yet to go, and to understand other peoples’ lives and perspectives. Listed here are some of my favorite historical fiction books for those in fourth grade and up (adults too).

Jane Austen’s charming comedies of manners have delighted and entertained us since the 19th century. Since the publication of Pride and Prejudice in 1813, countless retellings and reimagined versions of the novel have been written. It seems like we just can’t get enough of the story of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennet. Here are some recent adaptations of everyone’s favorite regency romance.

January is book awards time for the publishing world. One children’s and young adult book author who is consistently in the awards conversation is Steve Sheinkin, who also happens to be one of my favorite authors. Early on his career, he wrote text books, and he tried to incorporate interesting facts and stories not normally covered in textbooks. But the interesting stories were too numerous to try to fit into the textbooks, and he instead set off on his own to write exciting, well-researched nonfiction books for children and young adults. He also uses his background in screenplay writing to create perfectly paced books that you don’t want to put down. You can’t go wrong with any of his books, but here are my favorites.

Historical fiction has always been one of my favorite genres, and 2017 has been a great year for new books in this genre. Read about a few that have captured the imagination of readers across the world.