Reading book reviews are a great way to find new titles to read, but have you ever considered writing them yourself? Sharing your critiques and compliments of books are a great way to help others evaluate whether they’re worth reading or not. Glowing reviews also help great books that just don’t happen to have a lot of marketing going into their publications, get more attention.

Anyone can write a book review, but there is an art to writing a good one that really tells others if a book is a good fit for them. Good book reviews are not too long, but at the same time get at what struck you most about the book. Book review readers want to know more than that you enjoyed it and would recommend it. You want to summarise the main themes of the book and pick out what you thought stood out to you the most (and whether it was good or bad). Compare it to other similar books.

Get some more ideas on how to format your book reviews here:

BOOK RIOT's "How to Write a Book Review"

Grammarly's "How to Write a Book Review"

What are some places you can share your book reviews?

The most common book review websites are Amazon.com and Goodreads.com, but who says you have to only leave your book reviews on sites people go to looking for reviews? Why not post them on Facebook or Instagram and see what your friends think? Maybe they’ll have some book review ideas to give back to you!

Canton is home to a wide variety of dining choices. Whether your craving is for fast food or fine dining, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, or any of a vast number of delicious ethnic cuisines, you're bound to find it in Canton. And although our dining experience has been altered for the time being, you can still satisfy your hunger pangs by patronizing the many restaurants in Canton that are offering delivery and pick-up during this stressful time. But since, we're all spending a lot more time at home these days, its also a good time to learn some new recipes and practice some of our cooking skills. So whether you're choice is to "eat out" or stay in, we've got you covered.

Barbecuing is a great way to "eat out" and stay at home!

• BBQ & Grilling) Recipes (from AllRecipes.com)
• Grilling Food & Grilling Tips (from Kingsford) 

Or try some of these recipes especially compiled for "eating in."

• Cooking Through It
• Quarantine Cooking

For a variety of dining experiences, try some of of these resources:

Emedia 

• cloudlibrary  Listen to this great selection of cook books for adults and kids.
• Hoopla​  Streaming books, audio and video on all kinds of cooking, including cooking for kids
• Overdrive  ebooks and audiobooks for all ages.

The Library's collection is full of great cookbooks. Here are a few to get you started:

Cookbooks for All Ages

• The best comfort food on the planet  by Kerry Altiero
• The big book of pressure cooker cooking: make healthy and delicious breakfasts, soups, and desserts with your instant pot electric pressure cooker  by Hope Comerford  (ebook)
• The complete cookbook for young chefs  (ebook)
• Copycat restaurant favorites by Taste of Home
• Everyday is Saturday: recipes + strategies for easy cooking, every day of the week  by Sarah Copeland  (ebook)
• From scratch: 10 meals, 175 recipes, and dozens of techniques you will use over and over  by Michael Ruhlman (ebook)
• The healthy cookbook for teens: 100 fast & easy delicious recipes  by Noah Michaud
• The little library year: seasonal cooking and reading  by Kate Young  (ebook)
• Simply real eating: everyday recipes and rituals for a healthy life made simple by Sarah Adler

Websites

• AllRecipes  Thousands of recipes searchable by style, ingredients, and world cuisine.
• Simply Recipes  Recipes with seasonal ingredients.  Includes an archives of over 30 years’ worth of old family recipes.
• Yummly  Easy to follow recipes from breakfast to dinner.

Websites (Kids & Teens)

• Cooking with Kids  Nutritious snack and meal ideas that you can prepare together as a family.
• The Kids Cook Monday  Family friendly recipes and video demonstrations.
• Spatulatta  Beinning cooking tips and recipes for kids and families to make together.
• 13 Super Easy Meals Teens Can Make Themselves  Simple. no-fuss recipes from MarthaStewart.com

Podcasts

• Burnt Toast  Host Michael Harlan Turkell explores a different aspect of food culture and community.
• The Menu  Discusses everything from restaurants and chef culture to home cooking and more.
• Radio Cherry Bombe  Host Kerry Diamond features interviews with the most creative women in the world of food.
• The Splendid Table  Award-winning food writer Francis Lam hosts conversations about food culture, eating and cooking.
• A Taste of the Past  A weekly journey through the history of food with culinary historian Linda Pelaccio.

Head back to 62 Days of Summer for more ways to participate in the summer program!

At this all-ages STEAM Stop, you'll learn how to use your STEAM skills to survive in the wilderness.  Use the links below to find activities you can do at home. 

Each instructional sheet includes 2-3 fun STEAM activities, a supply list, and step-by-step instructions. 

Grab your smartphone, dig out an old camera, or purchase one online. Photography can be a fun, artistic outlet that begins with you and a camera but can evolve into so much more. Whether at home, in nature, or about town, you can discover endless subjects to capture and share with family or across social media. Check out these links to get started.

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer page for more ways to participate in the summer program!

The summer months are usually the time we can go see all of  those blockbuster movies we look forward to all year. Think Jaws. The Dark Knight. E.T. Jurassic Park. And although our summer movie experience is different this year, there are still many ways to watch and appreciate our favorite films. Changes are coming to this year's film festivals as well. YouTube announced that they would feature a free online global film festival called We Are One which began May 29 and ran through June 7. Twenty of the world's most famous film festivals presented including the Cannes Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Toronto Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival. A full schedule of future events will be posted on the festival's YouTube page. Even the Oscars are in for some big changes this year. Although only a temporary change, streaming-only movies will be eligible for awards at the 2021 Academy Awards presentation for the first time. Theater closures have pushed many studios to either release movies online or delay them for months. But in the meantime there are lots of ways to enjoy the movies this summer! And don't forget the popcorn!

• How to Make Movie-Style Popcorn
• How to Make Stovetop Popcorn
• And if You Want to Go to the Drive-In...

Emedia

• Hoopla  Thousands of titles from major Hollywood studios are available for streaming, from anime to westerns - and everything in between! CPL Library card required.
• Kanopy  Stream movies and documentaries from award-winning filmmakers, including the best in independent, classic film, and world cinema. CPL Library card required.
• Kanopy Kids Kanopy Kids features a collection of films and TV series that inspire and inform, helping children develop social emotional skills and reinforcing valuable learning topics, such as history, science, and new languages. CPL Library card required.
• Crackle. An ad-supported streaming service that offers both movies and TV shows.  No account required.
• IMDbTV. Ad-supported streaming movies and TV shows. Must create a free account.
• Popcornflix Kids.  Ad-supported streaming service for family-friendly movies & TV shows.
• Tubi TV. Access to thousands of free movies for all ages - not commercial free, however. No account required.​

Books About the Movies

• Pictures at a revolution: five movies and the birth of the new Hollywood  by Mark Harris (ebook) and (audiobook)
• The inventor and the tycoon: a Gilded Age murder and the birth of moving pictures by Edward Ball (ebook) and (audiobook)
• Pauline Kael: a life in the dark by Brian Kellow (ebook)
• Five came back: a story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris (ebook)
• Movies (and other things): a collection of questions asked, answered, illustrated by Shea Serrano
• Life moves pretty fast: the lessons we learned from eighties movies (and why we don't learn them from movies anymore) by Hadley Freeman

Books For Kids

• You can work in movies by Samantha Bell
• Where is Hollywood? by Dina Anastasio
• Hollywood trivia : what you never knew about celebrity life, fame and fortune by Elizabeth Weitzman
• Behind [the] scenes movie careers by Danielle S. Hammelef
• Who invented the movie camera? : Edison vs. Friese-Greene by Karen Latchana Kenney
• Who is Steven Spielberg? by Stephanie Spinner (ebook)
• Who is George Lucas? by Pam Pollack (ebook)
• Pixarpedia by Barbara Bazaldua
• The wimpy kid movie diary by Jeff Kinney (ebook)
• Movie props and special effects by Anastasia Suen

Head back to 62 Days of Summer for more ways to participate in the summer program!

One silver lining to the COVID-19 outbreak is that our lack of activity has benefited wildlife and the environment in unanticipated ways - including birds. Scientists have noted that fewer cars and planes makes a quieter soundscape for birds and humans. There may never have been a better time to enjoy birds and to fulfill your "Go Bird Watching" 62 Days 62 Ways square. The beauty of this activity is that you do not even have to leave the comfort of your home - just look out your window! Here are some suggestions to help you get started:

• Birding for Beginners from the National Park Service or Bird Watching for Beginners on YouTube
• Bird identification book or app - ​Audubon Bird Guide App is free and popular
• Bird feeder - You can make one with Creativebug class Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders. (CPL card required)
• Make your yard bird-friendly.

Activities:

• In addition to the bird feeder, Creativebug also has classes to help you make cute Yarn Birds and Paper Birds. (CPL card required)
• Audubon for Kids has some great bird-themed activities. Check out other kid-friendly arts and crafts!
• Interactive Bird Migration Maps - Spring 2020 Hummingbird Migration Map and Sightings and/or birdmigration.com which keeps track of Hummingbirds, Orioles and Purple Martins. You can even add your bird sightings!
• Raining out or you just don't feel like going outside?
  • The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has fantastic live bird cams or you can watch the Falcon Live Cam from the Detroit Zoo.
  • Birds of North America with Jason Ward - a fun YouTube series all about birds and those that love them.
• Take a picture of birds you see, bird feeders you made, or one of your bird crafts and share them with CPL! #howdoyou62

Resources:

It is necessary to experiment and learn about the things related to the gross area of science because though it seems a bit yucky, it is necessary for us to understand how things work. An example would be studying sweat and perspiration to make sure that our bodies are fueled correctly for the activities we want to participate in. Another relates to understanding how our skin repairs itself with blisters, scabs, and scars to help facilitate healing and prevent infection. Everyone poops, so why not explore and learn more on the physics related to poop? And finally, we have some experiments to uncover the germiest place in your home. Tune into this TED Talk on Gross Science to find out more about the importance of the gross part of science. 

Want to experiment on your own? Below are some activities and materials for all ages and abilities to explore this topic in different ways. 

Blowing bubbles is the quintessential summer activity. It's been done by kids of all ages for centuries, and bubbles were even inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014. We've gathered up some fantastic resources for all your bubbly fun this summer. Want to mix up your own solution, read about the science behind soap bubbles, or learn how to make giant bubbles? Check out the round-up of books, bubble recipes, and art project ideas below.

Head back to the 62 Days of Summer home page for more ways to participate in the summer program!

Are you are planning a staycation this summer and need some ideas about places to visit and things to do?  Metro Detroit has a lot to offer!  Be sure to check websites for hours and possible closures.