Now On View

*Quilt Show: “Amazement” is the title of The Scrap Bag Art Quilters’ annual show, which is on view until May 26. You will be amazed at the originality and finesse. The quilters live in towns surrounding Newtown.

*”Breaking Through: Meditation Boards:” An art exhibit by Pamela Hochstetter will be on view at the library until May 31 in the meeting room during normal library hours.

A reception for Pamela’s show will take place on Sunday, May 21, from 2 to 4 pm.  The public is invited to attend.

Children’s Programs

*Nutmeg Book Discussion: Students in grades 4-6 are invited to join our informal Nutmeg Book Discussion on Wednesday, May 31, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, when we will talk about Half and Half by Lensey Namioka.

Fiona Cheng knows who she is, but her mixed heritage (Chinese and Scottish) can never be explained with just one word. Supported by her family, she demonstrates that her two halves add up to a perfect whole.

Call 426-3851 to register.

Programs For Young Adults

*The Genocide in Darfur has been much in the news lately. Newtown Middle School students in the GATES program have researched this human rights issue and prepared an excellent display that is now on display in the Young Adult area.

Please visit us this month and view their posters to see this global issue through their eyes.

*The Magic Circle of Butterflies: Just back from his annual trip to observe the millions of butterflies during their annual migration, Eric Mollenhauer will show his personal footage and speak about the Monarch. He will also share related stories of conservation, global warming, deforestation and habitat preservation.

Mr Mollenhauer’s program, for students in grades 5 and up, will be on Tuesday, May 23, from 3:30 until 4:30 pm.

*Creative Writing Summer Camp: Sign-ups are open for Creative Writing Summer Camp.

Tom McMorran, an English teacher and Newtown resident, will lead the summer sessions for young people.  Camp will meet from 4 to 6 pm on Tuesdays for rising grades 6 and 7, July 11-August 8.

Camp will meet from 4 to 6 pm on Thursdays for rising grades 8 and up, July 6-August 3.

Participants are expected to attend all five sessions. Space is limited to ten writers in each class, with preference given to Newtown residents.

Visit the Booth Main Floor Circulation Desk or call the library to sign up.

Adult Programs

*Literature for a Lifetime: Patricia Barkman will lead discussions on four fiction books that deal with “Literature Around Catastrophic Events.”

Our generation has been witness to many natural and terrorist driven catastrophic events, from 9/11 and the tsunami of 2004 to Hurricane Katrina and others. Through the discussion of books in this series, participants will have an opportunity to examine some of the emotional, psychological, economic and political impacts events these have on people.

Participants will read The Bookseller of Kabul for the first discussion, on May 24; Balzac and the Little Seamstress for the June 7 discussion; Speak Memory for June 28; and Reading Lolita in Tehran for July 5.

All discussions will take place from 7 to 8:30 pm.  Multiple copies of the books are available at the library. Call if you have any questions.

*Vegetarian Cooking Pakistani Style: Chef Kanwal will give a cooking demonstration and tasting of delicious vegetarian dishes including aalloo gobhi (cauliflower with potatoes), choolay (chickpea curry), aalloo matar gajar (potatoes, carrots, and green peas), chana pallaow (rice with chickpeas), and aalloo bhaji (dry potatoes).

The class will be held on Thursday, June 1, 7 pm. It is limited to 15 participants and a $12 supply fee is requested.

Please sign up at the second floor circulation desk.

*Book Discussions at the Library: Upcoming programs include Tuesday, June 6, at 1 pm, Triangle: The Fire that Changed America by Dave Von Drehle; Monday, June 13, at 1 pm, Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver; and Thursday, June 15, at 7:30 pm, Bel Canto by Anne Patchett.

*Author Talk: Local author Carol Frei will give a talk and book signing on her new book, Snowblind, on Thursday, June 8, at 7 pm.

After the moral decline of American society in the 2020s, scientists discover that children can be screened to

determine their worker/nurturer tendencies. Workers are sterilized, can marry, and have careers. Nurturers marry and become professional parents. As a result of these roles, society’s problems are remedied.

Independent Film Series:

*Book Nook Notes: Baskets of children’s books are available in The Book Nook this week. Come get some great new titles for summer reading.

*Indie Films Returning: On June 6 at 7:30 the film Agata and the Storm will be shown.

*Help Needed: Are you an aficionado of LPs? Interested in putting your knowledge to work helping the Friends of the Library?

We have received a large order of unusual 78s and 33s for the book sale that need to be sorted and priced.

Please call Mary Maki at 426-3889 if you’d like to join the fun and can volunteer some of your time.

C.H. Booth Library, at 25 Main Street in Newtown, can be reached by calling 426-4533.