Find peace in a good book

Christmas time can be a time of peace, joyfulness and happiness but it can also be a time of messiness and expense.

If you or any member of your family is looking for some stress-free allotments of solitude, think of us and what we offer at your library.

I quote House of Trelawney, by Hannah Rothschild, in which Tuffy says, “Our ability to tell, create and believe in stories is Homo Sapiens’ most powerful weapon. It’s how we organize ourselves, how we control each other, how we justify our decisions. If we don’t have them, we’d be like fleas or rabbits or any other member of the animal kingdom, beings just trying to get through the day.”

We here at the Clearview Public Library do have stories about fleas. We do have stories about rabbits. And we have all the books that make up the suggested readings in The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. If you are looking for stories about comfort, escape, adventure, love and opportunities, why not check out:

1) The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenberger;

2) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee;

3) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier;

4) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini;

5) Life of Pi by Yann Martel;

6) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen;

7) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott;

8) Beloved by Toni Morrison; and

9) A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.

These stories are available in print, movie and electronic formats at the three branches. These branches are open for business during our regular hours except for Saturday, Dec. 24 (open 9 a.m. to noon) and Saturday, Dec. 31 (open 9 a.m. to noon). Please call 705-466-3011 (Creemore), 705-424-6288 (New Lowell) and/or 705-428-3595 (Stayner) or visit www.clearview.library.on.ca if you have any questions about your library services.

If you require free at-home entertainment for the junior set over the holidays, our Mega-Kits of crafts and things-to-do will be available on Friday, Dec. 23 at high noon on a first-come, first-serve basis at all branches. These kits also promote what can be found in our collections of child-friendly science, arts and cookery books.

Great Stories Found Here is our brand logo and our promise to our members. It also is our Christmas message that we wish to share with established and new patrons. If you are requiring a last-minute fantastic gift idea, why not think about getting a library card for a Clearview Township resident?

Michele McKenzie is deputy CEO of the Clearview Public Library.