And the winners are . . . Summer Sheffer, Eloise Bonneville, and Deana! Last week, Minnesota Book Award winner Jacqueline West announced the winners of the youth mystery writing contest during her visit to the library. Summer Sheffer, a fifth grader in the GATE Program of Stillwater Area Public Schools, took first place for her short story "The Sister Mystery." Runner-ups were Eloise Bonneville, a fourth grader at Rutherford Elementary, and Deana C., a sixth grader at Stillwater Middle School.
Twenty-nine young writers (ages 8-12) submitted stories to our mystery writing contest based on Long Lost, a middle-grade novel by Jacqueline West. Congratulations to all of the contest participants! West had the challenging job of reviewing these shadowy and mysterious tales and narrowing the field to the top three stories.
Winner: Summer Sheffer
Age 10, Fifth Grader in the GATE Program
Summer has two older sisters, an older brother, two dogs named Radar and Missile, and a cat named Cheeto. She enjoys reading, writing, and drawing. While she hasn't illustrated her own books yet, that could be a future accomplishment. Summer's favorite reads are the Warriors series (78 or so books long!) and the Wings of Fire series.
During her library visit, West read a portion of Summer’s story to the audience and explained why she selected it as the winning entry, “The descriptive language is beautiful, the writing flows clearly and logically, dialogue reveals character nicely, and I love the world the writer has imagined!” Read Summer's "The Sister Mystery."
Runner-Up: Eloise Bonneville
Age 9, Fourth Grader at Rutherford Elementary
Eloise has an older brother, a dog, and two cats. Eloise has been writing since she was about six years old and has been sharing her stories even longer. From an early age, Eloise would carry around paper with pretend writing and read her story to her family. One of Eloise's favorite books is The Doughnut Fix by Jessie Janowitz.
West recognized Eloise for her story “The Candy Quest.” West “especially loved the three witchy s'more sisters, Graham, Mallow, and Chocolate, melting together at the end!" Read Eloise's "The Candy Quest."
Runner-Up: Deana C.
Age 11, Sixth Grader at Stillwater Middle School
Deana has a younger sister and fish. She's always wanted a dog, but she might need to use her imagination for this! Deana has so many favorite books that it is hard to choose just a few titles. Some of her top picks are Amal Unbound and Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed and Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd.
Jacqueline noted that she selected Deana's story as a runner-up for its "moments of really beautiful figurative language." Read Deana's "The Lost History."
Shop the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library Used Book Sale for bargains on popular fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, teens, and children. Hardcover books, trade paperbacks, audiobooks, and movies are priced at just $2. Cash or check only. A $35 non-refundable charge applies for use of a scanner.
Members-Only Preview Sale*
Wednesday, Nov. 1 5-7:30 PM
*Not a member of Friends of the Stillwater Public Library? Join at the door.
Open to the Public
Thursday, Nov. 2 10:15 AM-7:30 PM
Friday, Nov. 3 10:15 AM-4:30 PM
Saturday, Nov. 4 10:15 AM-4:30 PM
Bag sale all day on Saturday! Fill a whole bag of books for just $10!
Help support the library one book at a time!
Library Closed
The library will be closed on Friday, November 10 in observance of Veterans Day and on Thursday, November 23 for Thanksgiving.
We Are Water MN
Come and experience the delightful exhibits and powerful stories at the library now through December 3, 2023. We Are Water MN is a traveling exhibit. Explore the science, history, story, culture, and relationships of water in Minnesota and the lower St. Croix River Valley.
We were honored to host Congresswoman Betty McCollum and her chief of staff for a tour of the exhibit this week. Below is a picture of McCollum (in middle of upper photo) as well as photos of other visitors enjoying the exhibit.
LIBBY TIPS & TRICKS
Did You Know?
When you're reading ebooks in Libby, you can adjust the font, text, size, lighting and more to tailor your reading experience to you! In an ebook, tap the center of the screen and then select the "A" to change the appearance.
Size of Text: Ebooks can instantly become large print books. Text can be bolded or enhanced to improve contrast. You can use the "Text Scale" slider to adjust the size of the text. For a wider range of text sizes, toggle "Include accessibility sizes."
Lighting: You can read in Bright, Sepia, or Dark modes in Libby. If your device is in dark mode, the reader in Libby will automatically use the dark theme unless you manually change it to bright or sepia.
Dyslexic Font: OpenDyslexic font may be used in Libby to increase readability for readers with dyslexia. Tap OpenDyslexic under "Book Design."
Need additional help with Libby? Stop in, call, or send an email with your questions, and we’ll help make sure you’re getting the most out of Libby when reading and listening to digital materials.
We're delighted to learn that Stillwater's beloved Lily Lake was removed from the state’s impaired waters list! Many of us grew up swimming and fishing in Lily Lake and can remember the thrill of swimming out to the far dock and jumping off the high diving board. Swimming lessons in the morning were cold but afternoon beach time was a treat. This postcard from the St. Croix Collection historic postcard collection features a photo taken in maybe the early 1960s.
A huge congratulations and pat on the back to those who spent the past 20 years making the delisting happen! You can read more about the accomplishment at stcroix360.com.
Stop by the gallery on the upper level to view works by local artists that reflect the themes found in the We Are Water MN exhibit. Works will be on exhibit in the gallery through December. Meet the artists on Thursday, November 16 at the library during a reception at 6:30 PM.
Wynn Davis: Wynn’s mixed media work reflects his participation in the outdoors. "Running over 5,400 miles a year, in some of the country’s most erogenous, wild, and urban areas has sharpened my mind, invigorated my body, and intensified my emotions." Some of the salvaged materials he finds along the road or in Little Free Libraries, and some he paints or draws. The pieces are records of observations, experiences, and feelings, brought together by curiosity and imagination.
Tony Hilscher:“My dedication as a painter, as someone who needs to translate the real world into a visual poem, is a life-long journey.” Tony devotes his time and passion to painting his impressions of the natural world, both in studio and plein-air work, whether it be the rivers and wetlands of the St. Croix Valley or the western region of the country.
Kami Mendlik:“The ever-changing is the constant in which keeps me endlessly curious and infinitely challenged.” In 2008, Kami Mendlik started and founded the St. Croix River School of Painting in Stillwater where she teaches the fundamentals of painting with a special emphasis on color. She has always had a special affinity for water. Especially the St. Croix River, streams, and ponds here in the Valley.
Lena Wolf Rothman:“Wherever color or light are present, where humans interact, where people engage in their work or daily pursuits, where landscapes reveal interesting line, moods, and color, I see life. For in the light we behold beauty, joy and color. Herein lies God’s creation. My goal as an artist is to express this through the subjects I paint. “
Robert Snyder: Robert is a retired landscape contractor and designer. He is also a Vietnam Veteran. He works mostly in watercolor and pencil and his subject matter varies, often including landscapes, military themes, sports figures, and portraits.
David Spohn:Raised in Chicago, David has lived in Minnesota for close to 50 years. Through his prints, drawings and books, his artistic goal has been to honor the quiet beauty of nature. His work concerns the small spaces in our natural world, and the simple stories that make our world a better place to live. Living in the St. Croix Valley, and particularly living in a woods surrounded by streams and ponds, has provided the inspiration for most of David’s work.
Bob White:Bob White is an artist and author whose work expresses a misspent youth. Instead of doing his homework, his nose was constantly in the outdoor books and sporting magazines of the day. Consequently, he has wandered between Alaska and Patagonia for four decades as an itinerant fishing guide, looking for gainful employment. He now paints and writes for a living; which is to say, he’s still searching.
