The Adult Contemporary Book Discussion Group is celebrating its 30th Anniversary of bonding over great books! Many of the authors we've chosen through the years have published new titles! Here's a list of what to read next from Adult Contemporary authors and enjoy reading throughout the 62 Days of Summer! 

The great alone by Kristin Hannah

Lenora Allbright is thirteen when her father convinces her mother, Cora, to forgo their inauspicious existence in Seattle and move to Kaneq, AK. It's 1974, and the former Vietnam POW sees a better future away from the noise and nightmares that plague him. Having been left a homestead by a buddy who died in the war, Ernt is secure in his beliefs, but never was a family less prepared for the reality of Alaska, the long, cold winters and isolation. Locals want to help out, especially classmate Matthew Walker, who likes everything about Leni. Yet the harsh conditions bring out the worst in Ernt, whose paranoia takes over their lives and exacerbates what Leni sees as the toxic relationship between her parents. The Allbrights are as green as greenhorns can be, and even first love must endure unimaginable hardship and tragedy as the wilderness tries to claim more victims.

Us against you : a novel by Fredrik Backman

A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don't expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they've always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it's a cruel blow when they hear that Beartown ice hockey might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact. As the tension mounts between the two adversaries, a newcomer arrives who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback.

Do you love the great outdoors? Well, July is your month because it's National Parks and Recreation Month! There are parks all around Canton to discover and explore! Don't forget to check the Michigan Activity Pass before you hop on your bike or grab your backpack! And stop by our display and take the quiz for activity poms! Check out some great resources to get you started on your National Parks adventure!

The Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges is the only book of its kind-a definitive and practical resource covering all the lodges in America's national parks, from luxurious inns to rustic cabins. National parks experts David and Kay Scott reveal how to leave behind the headaches and make planning the trip of a lifetime painless. Having visited nearly every national park area and lodge in America, they share their sage advice on how to choose a lodge that will best suit your taste and your pocketbook. With beautiful full-color photographs and detailed maps to help you find your way there, The Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges is your key to experiencing America's treasured lands in comfort! 

Explore the crystal clear waters on the Summit Lakes Trail at Lassen Volcanic National Park, take in the expansive views at Shenandoah National Park's Old Rag Mountain, or traverse the sandstone cliffs at Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. Choose your adventure from any of the forty-four national parks profiled throughout the book. This book delivers jaw-dropping photos, detailed hike descriptions and maps, ranger essays, and more, all of which combine to create an intimate look at the best our national parks have to offer.

The NHS tutors are taking a break during the summer and will be back in the fall. But no worries. You can sharpen your test preparation skills by using the LearningExpress Library database! Go to the library's homepage and select databases. Scroll down to Online Learning and Test Preparation. Sign up and off you go! Studying for a nursing school entrance exam or a civil service exam? All that and more is covered in LearningExpress's Career Preparation Center. Need to study for the GED? The High School Equivalency Center has everything to get you started. Looking for college admission test or essay pointers? The College Admissions Test Preparation Center has ACT, SAT, PSAT, AP and TOEFL practice tests. Thinking of graduate school? Check the College Students Center for GMAT, GRE, MCAT, PCAT, LSAT and MAT exam prep. How about refining your writing skills? Then Adult Core Skills is what you need. LearningExpress Library is a great testing tool and it's one of the great perks of having a Canton library card!  

June is National Dairy Month! Americans love dairy products. We consume about 275 pounds of milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream a year! Consuming dairy products helps maintain healthy bones, teeth and gums throughout our lives. Nutrients found in dairy products include calcium, protein, potassium and vitamins. Want to learn more? Visit Maybury Farm in Northville where you can meet farm animals and learn about farming. And check out some amazing books about all things dairy and dairy substitutes! 

A wide-ranging history of a surprisingly controversial form of nourishment. Milk, from humans and a variety of animals, is the subject of the latest enthusiastic investigation by the prolific Kurlansky (Paper: Paging Through History, 2016, etc.), winner of the James Beard Award and Bon Appetit's Food Writer of the Year Award, among other accolades. For 10,000 years, milk has been "the most argued-over food in human history," the author asserts, with experts opining about whether milk was fit for human consumption, whether babies should be breast-fed (and by whom—their own mothers or wet nurses), which mammal produced the best milk, whether milk should be pasteurized and homogenized, how cows should be raised and milked, and what effects such interventions as hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified crops have on the milk we consume. Although many cultures feature milk-based creation myths, breast-feeding has long been a source of contention. Excavations of ancient Roman gravesites have turned up baby milk bottles, indicating that some babies were artificially fed. In the Middle Ages, artificial feeding was common, with numerous recipes for baby formulas; in 1816, one writer advised that babies should be suckled on goats, setting off a trend throughout Europe. Also popular was the employment of wet nurses, who often became live-in domestics. The choice of wet nurse was not simple: Many believed that the baby would inherit the nurse's disposition and traits; one doctor recommended that "a brunette with her first child, which should be a boy" made the ideal wet nurse. Especially in cities, spoilage, unclean udders, and unsanitary dairies caused illness and a great number of infant deaths. Pasteurization was a solution, but consumers complained about the taste. Debate about the safety of raw milk, much prized by cheese makers and organic farmers, still rages. Kurlansky looks at the production of milk and its uses in liquid and solid form (yogurt, butter, cheese, ice cream, pudding) around the world throughout history and into the present.Chock-full of fascinating details and more than 100 recipes.

The average American eats 33 pounds of cheese a year, and physician and veganism advocate Barnard (Power Foods for the Brain) asserts that giving it up could be a route to improved overall health. Cheese, he warns, is an essentially unhealthy product-filled with fat, cholesterol, and sodium-and has addictive properties as well. Despite an overly alarmist tone, Barnard is effective in explaining how the "ultimate processed food" is manufactured, and, with plenty of statistics to hand, why it isn't healthful. To this end, he raises the array of medical problems potentially associated with dairy or obesity. Barnard's antidote is a standard plant-based food plan. Readers can eschew cheese and create healthier versions of favorite foods by following 70 recipes developed by vegan cookbook author Dreena Burton for meals, snacks, and desserts. The book also lists versatile cheese replacements employing nut butters, non-dairy plant milks, coconuts, and soy. 

The New York Times bestselling author of Dr. Kellyann's Bone Broth Diet reveals her powerful belly-slimming plan that will help you lose up to 10 pounds in 10 days! Are you sick and tired of your belly fat? Frustrated with diets that don't take it off? Angry that you don't look the way you want to look, and can't wear the clothes you want to wear? Naturopathic physician and weight loss specialist Dr. Kellyann Petrucci has spent over 20 years showing people how to do the impossible: take off stubborn belly fat. After guiding thousands of amazing transformations over her career, Dr. Petrucci has targeted the most powerful ways to flatten your belly--deprivation not included! In The 10-Day Belly Slimdown, you will learn the #1 biggest secret to rapid belly-blasting: "mini-fasting." This simple but revolutionary shift in the timing of your meals means you'll eat within a seven-hour window each day. While you're mini-fasting, you'll never feel hungry--luscious, satisfying bone broth will quench cravings and melt off pounds, collagen-packed shakes will kick your metabolism into overdrive, and "slim-gestion" foods, herbs, and spices will fight bloat, lower inflammation, and cleanse your gut. In combination, these strategies deliver incredible results quickly and safely. The 10-Day Belly Slimdown includes daily meal plans, batch cooking tips to make meal prep a snap, 80 delicious new recipes, and a sensible maintenance plan. As you heal your belly from the inside out, you'll feel younger, happier, and lighter than you thought possible.

Economists Payne and Barnett apply the principles of their discipline to weight loss in this uniquely themed and user-friendly guide. The authors share their stories of taking on and then shedding excess pounds and conclude that the crux of the obesity epidemic rests on the glut of food in the developed world. They argue that the habit of eating more than necessary is fueled by mass production of processed food and by a resulting culture of abundance that prizes instant gratification. To combat this trend, the two men suggest an "austerity program," as opposed to the "speculative boom" of choosing immediate gratification over long-term consequences. Their key suggestions include a daily weigh-in, becoming calorie conscious, eating one square meal a day (as opposed to three), rejecting fad diets, limiting variety, and adopting a "mini-feast/mini-fast" lifestyle. Payne and Barnett make clear that this is not a nutrition book, though they do advise limiting carbs and eating more fruits and vegetables. While some dieters may balk at the advice to "embrace hunger," others will find the authors' down-to-earth, realistic tactics (e.g., enjoy the occasional big meal, but cut back the next day) both motivating and sensible. 

Hyman (Eat Fat, Get Thin), a bestselling health author and practitioner of the "functional medicine" approach, revisits the topic of his earlier books: why a lack of understanding about good nutrition, coupled with misleading, conflicting media hype, leads to poor food choices and makes people sick and out of shape. Thus, Hyman recycles his diet plan once again. It remains a sensible, anti-inflammatory, whole-food/"real food" approach. Now called the Pegan Diet, it's intended to combine the best of the paleo plan with a vegan regimen. Pegan is a silly, paradoxical misnomer: no diet can be simultaneously paleo (meat, fats, and few vegetables/fruit) and vegan (with no animal products whatsoever). However, the diet's recommendations are basically sound: fresh, locally sourced, preferably organic food; nothing refined or processed; and a focus on not raising blood sugar. Adding to the impression that Hyman's book itself is less than fresh, he spends some time recapping the "10-Day Detox" from his earlier book The Blood Sugar Solution as a lead-in to the Pegan plan. The result is nothing new, but it should prove as popular as Hyman's earlier efforts with health enthusiasts who believe in the promises of functional medicine.

Dads. We all have one. We wouldn't be here without them. Each dad experiences fatherhood in different ways; but all dads share commonalities no matter who they are or where they come from. There's the easy stuff. But also the hard stuff like raising a family. It's not all instinct to be a good parent. It takes skills. Check out these books that help dads navigate through the ups and downs of parenthood but also celebrates the joy of just being a dad. 

Finally! A straight-up, honest book about parenting. In 2015, three months after his son, Charlie, was born, Coyne made a Facebook post about everything he'd learned so far about being a new parent. Touching on all the hottest topics (labor is like magic in that it's better if you don't know how it's done; snaps on baby clothes are the bane of parents' existence; caring for a newborn is like an extreme endurance contest where no prizes are awarded for the winner), the post went viral. In his first book, already a hit in his native England, Coyne describes his adventures in parenting through the first year of Charlie's life. And thank goodness. Irreverent and incredibly funny, this will have parents nodding along and laughing out loud as Coyne dishes on everything from how ill-prepared first-time parents are, to the joy of watching your baby discover new foods, to the awkwardness of wrestling a baby into a stroller, to avoiding old ladies in the grocery store, to how amazing life is with this new person in it. This tell-it-like-it-is memoir is certain to leave parents with the smug satisfaction that someone else understands.

College 101: A Girl's Guide to Freshman Year is a comprehensive and authentic guide for girls to everything college. Unlike other college guides,College 101 is written from the honest, humorous, and relatable first-person perspective of a young woman who recently experienced her freshman year, while also offering the advice of experts and unique experiences of other college-aged women. This dynamic guide shows girls what to really expect from their first year of college, including pro tips and common pitfalls to avoid. From managing academics and navigating frat culture on campus, to avoiding debt and getting enough sleep, this book answers all girls' questions about university life, including those they didn't even know they had! Presented in a dynamic and varied format, College 101 imparts seriously valuable information and secrets about the freshman year that every girl needs to make sure she survives (and actually enjoys) her first college experience.

College bound high school students have one thing in common: the extraordinary number of details to keep track of. With standardized test-taking, school visits, essays to write and so many forms to fill out, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Packed with worksheets, lists, advice and invaluable insight, The college bound organizer will help you: understand what admissions officers are looking for in an applicant, Prevent the common mistakes often made on applications, Build your personal profile and write your resume, Plan your individualized testing schedule, Research colleges to identify the schools that are a good fit, Develop a balanced list of schools, Secure your letters of recommendation, Ace your college interviews, Complete and submit the best applications possible, Apply for financial aid and scholarships, Meet all your deadlines, and help you make your final decision.

Completely updated to cover critical new changes to FAFSA deadlines and college application procedures, this revised edition of Get It Together for College covers everything from how to look for colleges to what to take to the dorm. Checklists, timelines, and FAQs are presented in a practical, quick format that helps students relieve stress and take control of the process. Features: * complete junior-senior year calendar showing what to do and when to do it * tips on how to wisely use social media to research colleges * best ways to prepare for college admission tests, including the redesigned SAT * step-by-step walk-through of the new FAFSA financial aid form * how to put an art portfolio together, or prepare for a music audition * how to get recommendations * journal pages for campus visits and college fairs Students and parents recognize the College Board and its #1 college planning website, collegeboard.com, as providers of clear, easy-to-use tools for college planning. More than two million students visit collegeboard.com each month.

Shake cats by Carli Davidson

The fur flies in this irresistible third installment in the bestselling Shake series by popular pet photographer Carli Davidson, featuring adorable and hysterical color photographs of more than sixty cats caught mid-shake. Pet photographer Carli Davidson has enchanted readers around the world with her adorable photographs of man's best friend in Shake and Shake Puppies. Now, she turns her lens on felines in this sweet and heartwarming volume that is pure catnip for cat lovers. Shake Cats includes more than 130 gorgeous, highly detailed color pictures of felines in mid-shake. Like its predecessors Shake and Shake Puppies, it showcases a charming double-page layout--each spread features two images of the same cat placed side by side to capture the unique movement of the shake. Inside, fans will find a roster listing the names, ages, and breeds of cats photographed. Davidson also provides outtake images of her shoots with the cats, a short, insightful description that explains her process, and information about animal rescue to encourage people considering a new cat to choose a rescue animal.

Cat shaming by Pedro Andrade

What happens when your cat makes a mistake like ruining something valuable or going outside the litter box?  You can't ground or take away their allowance when your cat gets in trouble.  So what is the next best thing?  Cat Shaming!  Cat Shaming is a hilarious collection of photos from owners who express their frustration when their furry best friend does something bad.  Millions of cat owners can relate to the antics of these felines while the picture shows a shamed but adorable, innocent looking kitty. 

Cat lovers, rejoice! This irresistible book compiles over 400 photos from the hugely popular Instagram profile @cats_of_instagram into a keepsake treasure. Playful categories including "bowties," "surprise!," and "happy cats" showcase all the charm and delightful quirks of the wide world of cats. This is a gift that will have feline fans smiling in recognition, surprise, and appreciation.

Shake puppies by Carli Davidson

The highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling book Shake, Shake Puppies also features 61 dogs caught mid-shake--only this time they're even more adorable and laughter inducing. Shake Puppies features two images of each dog placed side by side to capture the action of the shake--the tousled hair, the distorted expression, the flying water droplets. The photographs capture the dogs in the most candid of moments and were shot against brightly colored backdrops to make them fresh, lively, and inviting. Shake Puppies includes a roster listing the names, ages, and breeds of the dogs, as well as behind-the-scenes images that take readers into the studio with Carli Davidson and the smiling, playful pups. In the accompanying text, she offers never-before-shared insight into her creative process and reminds readers of the importance of animal adoption and quality pet care. Funny and heartwarming Shake Puppies is a colorful assemblage of photographs that are startling and endearing, revealing and irresistible.

The Puppy Bowl is the biggest event of the year for puppy athletes (and puppy lovers) everywhere. These pups might be cute, but they take their play seriously, tumbling over each others’ wagging tails, sniffing with wet noses, and barking in happy scrums, all in pursuit of good fun and friendly competition. Celebrating more than a decade of frolicking fun, Puppy Bowl: The Book collects all the most adorable and hilarious moments from The Cutest Show on Earth. From the starring puppy players to the halftime kitten show to the game’s coveted MVP (Most Valuable Puppy), this is one book no puppy fan will want to miss. Puppy Bowl: The Book captures all of the excitement you love most about the game—the playful tackles, the cutest stumbles, and the cheerful, yipping touchdowns—into one action-packed collection of the cutest puppies you’ve ever seen.

Dog lovers who haven't raised puppies from birth have missed out on one of the most remarkable and adorable times in a dog's life. From one to twenty-one days old, puppies undergo great changes, from needing their mothers' complete care to opening their eyes and ears to the outside world, growing, stretching their legs, and learning to become the dogs that they are. Author/photographer (and new mother) Traer Scott's love of dogs shines through these intimate images of a range of breeds and types, from champion pups to shelter strays, all of them irresistible. Including an introduction on puppies' development and the importance of their welfare, this delightful book reveals young dogs as they embark on the adventures of growing up.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer when we fire up the backyard grill or head out to the lake. It's also a day of remembrance for our veterans who sacrificed so much in service to our country. Americans have been commemorating Memorial Day since 1868. Happy 150th Memorial Day and check out some of these recommended dvds!

Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.

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