Library AF

Our August title is a previous Science Friday Book Club selection that had me sharing wild facts with my reader friends. I'm excited to dig back into Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben Goldfarb.

"An eye-opening account of the global ecological transformations wrought by roads, from the award-winning author of Eager. Some 40 million miles of roadways encircle the earth, yet we tend to regard them only as infrastructure for human convenience. While roads are so ubiquitous they’re practically invisible to us, wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption. In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb travels throughout the United States and around the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet. A million animals are killed by cars each day in the U.S. alone, but as the new science of road ecology shows, the harms of highways extend far beyond roadkill. Creatures from antelope to salmon are losing their ability to migrate in search of food and mates; invasive plants hitch rides in tire treads; road salt contaminates lakes and rivers; and the very noise of traffic chases songbirds from vast swaths of habitat. Yet road ecologists are also seeking to blunt the destruction through innovative solutions. Goldfarb meets with conservationists building bridges for California’s mountain lions and tunnels for English toads, engineers deconstructing the labyrinth of logging roads that web national forests, animal rehabbers caring for Tasmania’s car-orphaned wallabies, and community organizers working to undo the havoc highways have wreaked upon American cities. Today, as our planet’s road network continues to grow exponentially, the science of road ecology has become increasingly vital. Written with passion and curiosity, Crossings is a sweeping, spirited, and timely investigation into how humans have altered the natural world―and how we can create a better future for all living beings."

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Sacramento Public Library and the American River Parkway Foundation are delighted to extend their collaboration and bring more book-based programming to the parkway in 2026.

I learned about nature journaling at a recent library conference and was thrilled to see how accessible and low stakes the activities were. We will have a brief introduction to nature journaling, do some warm-up exercises, spend some time journaling independently, followed by a wrap-up as a whole group. All materials will be provided.

Parking info TBD

Other business:

• This program will take place outdoors. You are encouraged to wear clothing and footwear that provide some protection and bring what you need to feel comfortable (water, hat, sunscreen, etc.).
• Bring a chair or blanket if you have one! Some seating will be available onsite.

I'm finally ready to dip my toe into the extraordinary literary world of Silvia Moreno-Garcia! Her works have consistently popped up on "best of" lists and "great book club selections," so I'm looking forward to cracking the spine on Gods of Jade and Shadow, a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Favorite Fantasy (2019).

"The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld."

Synopsis from Goodreads.com