The themed answers in this month's crossword are all movies or TV shows that feature a certain special type of travel. If you enjoy having a movie night, take a look at our Binge Box collection! Each box contains 4 to 6 DVDs on a theme.
New StoryWalk, The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear
StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children's book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the trail, you're directed to the next page in the story.
Courageous Conversations: A Rise in Hate
Hate incidents are on the rise, instilling fear across the country, including right here in Andover. Courageous Conversations presents a 5-part series on the rise in hate, where it stems from, and the personal impacts. Specifically, these conversations will focus on hate towards Black and Brown people, the LGBTQ community, the Jewish community, Asian Americans and Immigrants.
2023 Best Picture Nominees
This year's Oscar nominations were recently announced, and several of the year's Best Picture nominees are available at MHL, either on DVD or to stream from one of our Roku devices. You can check out the full list of nominees here, or keep reading on this page to see which of the Best Picture nominees you can watch in the comfort of your own home with a little help from your library card.
Year of the Rabbit
For many Asian cultures and others celebrating the lunar new year, 2023 will begin on Sunday, January 22nd. 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, so why not kick it off with one of these bunny-titled books?
January 2023 Mid-Month Sudoku
Okay, Sudoku fans—this month's puzzle comes with a party trick that involves numbers. You can do this with one person but it's more fun if you have a group.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
MHL will be closed on Monday, January 16th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. (We will be open our usual hours on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th). If you're looking to something to read over the weekend, you might be interested in one of these works of historical fiction set during the civil rights era. (You might also want to check out past lists like this Martin Luther King, Jr. reading list or this list of nonfiction about civil rights movements).
Waiting for the Barbara Walters Biopic? Try These!
Barbara Walters was the first woman to anchor a television news program for a national audience in 1976. Before that, she earned her stripes writing ad copy, press releases and magazine features. She eventually became a writer for CBS where the legendary Don Hewitt told her she'd never make it in broadcasting. She who laughs, lasts, right? Barbara Walters eventually became an award-winning broadcast journalist and celebrity in her own right, hosting hundreds of prime-time "personality" and "scoop journalism" programs. Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, Fidel Castro, Anwar Al Sadat, O.J. Simpson, Katherine Hepburn, and Taylor Swift are just a few of the global figures that she interviewed. Known for asking uncomfortable questions to powerful people unaccustomed to personal interrogations, Barbara Walters persisted in her distinctive style of reportage, critics be damned. Barbara Walters' 60+ year career set so many standards and broke so many barriers that we think the next pressing questions ought to be: When is the Barbara Walters biopic coming out? Will it be seven hours long to cover all of her accomplishments? We can't wait to see it!
Books With All the Feels
Have you signed up for MHL's Winter Reading Club? It's running this month for readers of all ages. For the winter reading club, you can read whatever books you'd like. But if you're looking for suggestions, here are some novels and memoirs for adult readers looking for "feels"--big emotions like love, anger, sadness. Big feelings!
January 5th is National Bird Day
Although birding is a hobby that can be enjoyed year-round, January 5th is National Bird Day. If you'd like to celebrate, here are some books about how to identify birds, as well as about how to attract them to your garden or simply to better understand them. You can also check out this page of other resources for birders from MHL!