Stonington Free Library

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STAFF FAVORITES

 

Check out what we love from the SFL Catalog!

 

APRIL 2023

Brian 

Book: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Spooky atmosphere. Modern take on Gothic horror. Mushrooms.

Alyssa

Book: Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

Haunting story that highlights being Japanese American in the 1950s.

Laurie

Book: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

1790’s–an apothecary who distributes poison…A mysterious and clever read with compelling characters. I couldn’t put it down! Strongly recommend!

 

MARCH 2023

Dora

Book: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

A fun, light read about the power of love and family working together to rid their family of a curse. And it begins in a library!

Christie

Book: New and Selected Poems: Volume one by Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver shines a light on the small magic of living in the natural world. Some of my faves from the collection: 

  • When Death Comes 
  • Some Questions You Might Ask 
  • The Summer Day 
  • Wild Geese
  • The Journey
  • The Sea
  • Last Days

Bex

Book: Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell

The heartbreaking mystery of a mother who lost her child and her determination to find out what happened to her daughter.

 

FEBRUARY 2023

Micayla

Book: World Mythology: a very short introduction by David Leeming

The latest book by local author and professor David Leeming. Part of the Very Short Introduction series, this new title makes the topic of world mythology accessible for lifelong learning.

Heidi

Book: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

One of my favorites! A nice lighthearted sweet read.

Millie

Book: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Olga and her modern American family are a typical Brooklyn family chasing the elusive “American Dream.” You’ll find yourself desperately cheering them on as they deal with loss, abandonment, and exhaustion. This book deals with current affairs that make up many news headlines.

 

 

JANUARY 2023

Sarah

Book: The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

In this dystopian society, the government becomes involved when mothers make any child-rearing “mistakes.” Disturbing but well written, and thought provoking.

Laurie

Book: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry By Gabrielle Zevin

A.J. is a solitary but likable character who learns the power of love and companionship. The owner of “Island Books,” he cherishes words, books and stories! A book about caring.

Karla

DVD: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Strong child heroine.

 

DECEMBER 2022

Brian

DVD: Over the Garden Wall

A fall story that’s fun for the whole family. Amazing art and aesthetic.

Cathy

Book: Beartown by Fredrik Backman

The hopes and dreams of a small town rest on the success of a junior hockey team, but the courage of one individual threatens the community.

Sonya

Book: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

A fun read regarding a professor of genetics who designs a survey to find his wife. While doing this he encounters Rosie and helps her in finding her father, and possibly more than that…

 

NOVEMBER 2022

Molly

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

This book turns the English language inside out in a way that makes it new. Family history and self discovery!

Debbie

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

A teacher at a prestigious New England prep school uncovers a secret society called the Dark Rooms and sparks a gender war with deadly consequences.

Ivy

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

This is a book-lovers book. It is beautifully crafted, darkly humorous, and full of heart.

 

OCTOBER 2022

Maris

Book: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Science fiction with the ultimate importance of friendship and loyalty–totally a page turner (and you can skim some of the complex science)!

Sarah

Book: One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

This was my introduction to historical fiction. It is the account of a woman sent to marry the chief of the Cheyenne Nation in 1875 as part of a secret government program to send 1,000 white women to the American West.

Karla

Book: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Be transported to beautiful Botswana, where the No. 1 Ladies mete out justice. First in a series!

 

AUGUST 2022

Dora

DVD: A Man Called Ove

An unexpectedly fun and heartwarming story. Unusual and unique. Worth watching!

Sandra

DVD: What We Do in the Shadows

Because everything Taika Waititi and Matt Berry do is great fun.

Debbie

Book: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

This psychological thriller alternates between the past and present of a woman who wakes up in a hospital unable to move or speak. What is the truth and what is a lie?

JULY 2022

This month we feature Patron Picks!

Recent readers raved about these titles.

If you have a book to recommend, let us know so that we can add it to our display.

My Italian bulldozer : a novel by Alexander McCall Smith

Agent Sonya : Moscow's most daring wartime spy by Ben Macintyre

Every day is a gift : a memoir by Tammy Duckworth 

The art of hearing heartbeats : a novel by  Jan-Philipp Sendker

 

JUNE 2022

Sarah

Book: The Vanishing Half By Brit Bennett

“...at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of race, gender, and identity and the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person’s desires and expectations.”--from the publisher.  A great read!

Ivy

Book: On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

Star-crossed lovers reunited with the help of a daring and loyal spaceship crew. If you don’t read it, at least look through the gorgeous illustrations.

Millie

DVD: Book Club

Who doesn’t love a comedy about feisty women, tawdry books, and falling in love?

 

MAY 2022

Ivy

The mercies by Hargrave, Kiran Millwood

A doomed historical romance about tragic events you have most likely never heard of.

Millie

Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny by Gilson, Jean-Pierre

What better way to get inspired for the growing season than a book filled with the gardens that inspired Monet? Happy spring!

Karla

The other black girl by Harris, Zakiya Dalila

A mysterious psychological thriller.

 

APRIL 2022

Sonya

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple

Imagine leaving everything you have, including your family and career, and taking off. Fasten your seatbelt as you explore Bernadette’s adventures.

Millie

This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

A brutal murder, small town secrets, and broken trust make for a fast-paced thriller where anyone could be the killer. 

Karla

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

Summer-at-the-beach capers that bump up against race and class in witty ways.

 

MARCH 2022

Ivy

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

Very cute contemporary queer romance. She married a stranger in Vegas, but could it be true love??

Molly

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

A dark, funny sci-fi story about a sword fighting competition…in space…with necromancers. The first in a series. Jarring, hysterical, and campy.

Alyssa

Born a crime by Trevor Noah

Imagine your own birth being considered a criminal act? Trevor Noah takes readers on a journey of growing up in South Africa during apartheid–extremely enlightening!

 

FEBRUARY 2022

Karla

Book: Beatrix Potter: A life in nature by Linda Lear

Beatrix Potter was the original conservationist. Also the author of this book, Linda Lear, attended Connecticut College.

Sarah

Book: Winter World:The ingenuity of animal survival by Bernd Heinrich

This book provides rich detail of the minutiae of the natural world. On winter walks, it is easier to notice more clues about what wildlife live in an area. If you are curious about these wildlife signs, you will appreciate this fascinating book.

 

JANUARY 2022

Maris: 
Book: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Incredible debut novel with a wide ensemble of characters, linked by a traveling troupe of Shakespearean actors. Amazing this was written prior to the pandemic. 10 pt. series on HBO!!
Debbie:
Book: Cemetery Road by Greg Iles
A successful D.C. journalist is called back to his hometown to run the failing family newspaper. Add in reconnecting with his first love, two mysterious deaths, a shady billion-dollar business deal and a slew of long buried secrets and you have yourself a dynamite read!!
Sonya: 
Book: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
This book has many similarities to the current culture crises in America we are experiencing. Even though this book was written before the pandemic, we can definitely relate to it. Very well written autobiography.

 

DECEMBER 2021

Millie:

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

A good Dan Brown book for lovers of intrigue, legends, historical mysteries, and suspense. 

Brian:

Dune by Frank Herbert

Because even in the farthest reaches of space we are still human. “No more terrible disaster could befall your people than for them to fall into the hands of a Hero.”

Cathy:

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

A beautiful story about love and letting go.

 

NOVEMBER 2021

Marion:

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Brings together my love of art and literature. After reading I had to make a special trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan to view the painting.

Sonya:

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Takes place in a Connecticut hospital. A nurse has to make a decision between a family request and the oath she took as a nurse.

Alyssa:

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

Amazing perspective, told through the eyes of a parent whose child is going through the process of transitioning.

Who: Micayla

What: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

How: Book

Why: A solid Greek mythology retelling. I enjoyed both Ariadne & Phaedra’s points of views. Well written, introspective and gut wrenching. Focuses on the suffering and strength of women often overlooked in Greek mythology and how the exploits of well-known Greek gods/heroes affected them. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller.

--------------

Thanks to staff member Brian Walls, the Stonington Free Library now offers graphic novels for adults! What exactly is a graphic novel?

For those unaware, graphic novels focus on narrative storytelling that is often deeply intertwined with and reliant upon its visual structure. While we do offer graphic novels for kids and teens, this collection is aimed at an older audience and explores many themes like identity, race, and even trauma through concise writing and impactful imagery. However, if you are looking for something more lighthearted, educational, or even about cats, we’ve got you covered. The collection is comprised of authors and illustrators from around the world, each with their own unique and often gorgeous visual style. We at the Stonington Free Library hope that you will take the time to explore this new collection, and discover a story you won’t be able to take your eyes off of!

 

WHO: Micayla

WHAT: Beach Read by Emily Henry

HOW: Overdrive eBook and physical copy at SFL

WHY: A story about two authors of different genres, living in neighboring beach houses, who come up with an idea to cure their writers block…and maybe fall in love along the way? As the title suggests a great beach read (or poolside in my case)! Thoroughly enjoyed January and Gus’s characters and background. Funny and romantic, but includes harder hitting relatable life struggles as well. Will it end happily ever after like January’s novels or not so much like Gus’s? Pick it up to find out!

 

 

Tags

Adults book group Books & Reading children hallow-read halloween kids Library Life Mystery Dinner online Outreach social summer reading Sunday Evening Lecture Series teens Youth youth services

Archives

 


SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP – Join us on Thu
SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP - Join us on Thursday 6/8 @ 2pm to discuss Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon. "One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind. Ten years later she returns, but is inadvertently reunited the woman who has been raising Bea's abandoned child—now a bright, bold, cross-dressing girl named Lucy Pear, with secrets of her own." Email millie@stoningtonfreelibrary.org for more information!

It is with great pleasure that we announce staff m
It is with great pleasure that we announce staff member Alyssa Downey has been promoted to the new full-time position of Youth and Adult Services Librarian at Stonington Free Library (SFL). READ MORE HERE - https://conta.cc/43zOKyx

Our digital library is always open. https://www.st
Our digital library is always open. https://www.stoningtonfreelibrary.org/digital-library/

Today is our last Spring Storytime. Drop in with y
Today is our last Spring Storytime. Drop in with your toddler for a great time!

See what's new this week at the Stonington Free Li
See what's new this week at the Stonington Free Library at:

*** http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?in&p=5591-333 ***

There are five new bestsellers, five new movies, 15 new audiobooks, nine new children's books, and 19 other new books.

 The new bestsellers this week include "Magnolia Table, Volume 3," "Identity," and "Yellowface." The new movies this week include "Woodlawn," "Eternals," and "Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season."

AQUESTION OF THE MONTH Monthly program that begins
AQUESTION OF THE MONTH Monthly program that begins May 1 for ages 12 and under.


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Newsletter Archive

Events Calendar

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  • June 2023

Calendar of Events

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

S Sun

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1 event, 31

Featured 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

Featured May 31 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

On Wednesday's from 1-3pm knitters and crafters of all skill levels are welcome to bring projects to work on. This is a laid back meeting for knitting, sharing and asking

0 events, 1

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1 event, 3

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

MYSTERY DINNER 2023

June 3 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

MYSTERY DINNER 2023

BOOKS AND BEYOND - The Power of Your Library Card For over a decade, the Mystery Dinner has been the Stonington Free Library’s signature annual fundraising event. Join us for cocktails at the

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1 event, 5

10:00 am - 7:00 pm

June Grab & Go Paper Dolls Ages 4 and up

June 5 @ 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

June Grab & Go Paper Dolls Ages 4 and up

0 events, 6

1 event, 7

Featured 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

Featured June 7 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

On Wednesday's from 1-3pm knitters and crafters of all skill levels are welcome to bring projects to work on. This is a laid back meeting for knitting, sharing and asking

2 events, 8

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP

June 8 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP

Join us on Thursday 6/8 @ 2pm to discuss Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon. "One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

CONVERSATIONS ON DEATH AND DYING

June 8 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

CONVERSATIONS ON DEATH AND DYING

Most of us put off any discussion about this last stage in life. Why? It is going to happen to all of us whether we are ready or not. If

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Featured 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

Featured June 14 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

On Wednesday's from 1-3pm knitters and crafters of all skill levels are welcome to bring projects to work on. This is a laid back meeting for knitting, sharing and asking

1 event, 15

2023-06-15

Juliet Grames discusses The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

Juliet Grames discusses The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

June 15

Juliet Grames discusses The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

More details coming soon.

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1 event, 21

Featured 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

Featured June 21 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

On Wednesday's from 1-3pm knitters and crafters of all skill levels are welcome to bring projects to work on. This is a laid back meeting for knitting, sharing and asking

0 events, 22

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1 event, 28

Featured 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

Featured June 28 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

On Wednesday's from 1-3pm knitters and crafters of all skill levels are welcome to bring projects to work on. This is a laid back meeting for knitting, sharing and asking

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  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
May 31
Featured Featured May 31 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

  • There are no events on this day.
June 3
June 3 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

MYSTERY DINNER 2023

June 5
June 5 @ 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

June Grab & Go Paper Dolls Ages 4 and up

June 7
Featured Featured June 7 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

June 8
June 8 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP

June 8 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

CONVERSATIONS ON DEATH AND DYING

June 3
June 3 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

MYSTERY DINNER 2023

  • There are no events on this day.
June 5
June 5 @ 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

June Grab & Go Paper Dolls Ages 4 and up

  • There are no events on this day.
June 7
Featured Featured June 7 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

June 8
June 8 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

SFL THURSDAY AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP

June 8 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

CONVERSATIONS ON DEATH AND DYING

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June 14
Featured Featured June 14 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

June 15
All day

Juliet Grames discusses The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June 21
Featured Featured June 21 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June 28
Featured Featured June 28 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Event Series

Knitting Group

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
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PO Box 232
Stonington, CT 06378

860 535 0658 Phone
860 535 3945 Fax
email us

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LIBRARY HOURS

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Tuesday, 10-7
Wednesday, 10-7
Thursday, 10-7
Friday, 10-5
Saturday, 10-3
Sunday, 10-3

 

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© 2023 · Stonington Free Library · Photography by Peter Goldberg · Design & Development by // DESIGN AGENCY //

  • MY LIBRARY
    ▼
    • YOUTH LIBRARY
    • ADULT LIBRARY
    • USING THE LIBRARY
    • LIBRARY SERVICES
    • LIBRARY CATALOG
    • DIGITAL LIBRARY
  • WHAT’S HAPPENING
    ▼
    • BOOK GROUPS
    • NEWS
    • EVENTS
  • SUPPORT
    ▼
    • THE BATTLE OF STONINGTON 5K
    • BOOK SALE
    • CAPITAL CAMPAIGN 2020
    • MYSTERY DINNER
    • SPONSORSHIP
    • BOOK SALE
    • SUPPORT US
    • SUPPORTERS
    • VOLUNTEER
  • ABOUT US
    ▼
    • OUR MISSION
    • OUR PEOPLE
    • OUR COMMUNITY
    • OUTREACH
  • DONATE NOW