Adult – Charles County Public Library

Big World of Budgies

marianne — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000

Tweet tweet! Have you ever heard of the budgie before? Often called parakeets, these tiny parrots are full of personality! They’re from Australia, where they live in huge flocks. Budgies fly many miles across the outback for food, water and friends. Though loud and social with their own kind, they can take time to adjust to people. Once they’re comfortable, they are as chatty and playful as they are with other birds.

Quick Care Tips:

Cages:

The cage should mainly be a sleeping spot and a safe place to stay when no one is home. Budgies should spend as much time out of it as possible. When choosing a cage, get the biggest one you can, and make sure it’s longer than it is tall. This will let them fly and get exercise even when they’re cooped up! Even though we used to think they were okay, round cages aren’t good for any birds. They can hurt them and make them feel scared. Get a rectangular or square one instead! The cage should be cleaned once a week, too. This includes perches, toys, grates, and bedding.

Food

Budgies need a varied diet of pellets, fruit, vegetables, and a bit of seed. They’re picky eaters, and it can be very hard to change what they’re eating, even if it’s unhealthy. They won’t eat something just because it’s in a food dish, so the trick is to slowly show them new foods. Mixing with their current food, hanging it in the cage as a toy, wetting it, then pressing it into a mash, and even pretending to eat some yourself are all ways to get a budgie to eat. This can take time, and that’s okay. Remember to be patient and not give up!

Toys

They love to play like anyone else! Budgies need plenty of toys to keep themselves occupied! Their favorite toys are colorful things they can chew! Anything made of wood, cork, or paper is perfect! It gives them a way to take care of their beaks and engage their minds! Plastic is okay, but it doesn’t satisfy their chewing needs in the same way. Toys with small loops or chains aren’t recommended, because there is a chance they could get tangled and not be able to get out. Anything reflective is not good either. We used to think it was cute to see a bird playing with a mirror, but it can actually confuse and frustrate them when their “friend” in the reflection doesn’t respond the way another bird would.

Health

Budgies need to go to the vet like any other animal! Six-to-twelve-month checkups are important to make sure they’re healthy, but not just any vet will do. Birds are considered exotics, and they all need a specialized avian vet to look after them. Taking them to the doctor if anything seems wrong is a good idea too. Budgies pretend not to be sick, so they look strong in the wild and don’t get eaten, but it also means that when they start acting sick, they’re really sick. A good avian vet will make sure your budgie lives a long life!

Fun Budgie Facts/Did You Know?

Only green budgies live in the wild.
There are two types of budgies. The American budgie, which is most common, and the English budgie.
You can tell if a budgie is a boy or a girl by the color of its nose.
Budgies can learn to say more words than any other pet bird.
They can purposely drop their tail feathers if they get scared.
Budgies can live to be twenty-five years old.

Books from our collection:

Parakeets by Catherine Smith

Discusses choosing and caring for pet parakeets, including information about their physical characteristics, behaviors, and health requirements.

The Parakeet Handbook by Annette Wolter

Budgies: A Guide to Caring For Your Parakeet by Angela Davids

In nature and as pets — Is a budgie right for you? — Selecting a great budgie — Basic care — Proper feeding — Training time — For better health — Breeding basics — Color mutations.

Playful Parakeets by Katie Kawa

Introduces parakeets and describes how pet parakeets live.

Parakeets by Nikki Moustaki

Introduces parakeets and describes how pet parakeets live.

Beaky’s Guide to Caring For Your Bird by Isabel Thomas

“In this book, Beakie the Budgie reveals how readers should go about choosing a pet bird, what supplies they will need, how to make a new pet bird feel at home, and how to properly care for a pet bird, including feeding, exercising, and keeping a bird cage clean. Text is accompanied by clear, labeled photographs to further reinforce key concepts, and the use of an animal narrator also allows the book to be used to teach perspective.”

– Provided by Publisher

Parakeets by Kelley MacAulay

– Provided by Publisher

All information taken from the above sources.

Seeing and Celebrating Trans Lives: Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31, 2026

marianne — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:00:22 +0000

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On March 31, we observe Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) — a powerful, annual moment to uplift and celebrate transgender and nonbinary lives. This day is not just about recognition; it’s about community, resilience, and the ongoing work for justice.

What Is TDOV — and Why It Matters

Origins: TDOV was founded in 2010 by transgender advocate Rachel Crandall (then of Transgender Michigan). She created the day in response to a media narrative that too often centered on violence and victimhood. She envisioned a day for joy, celebration, and authentic visibility. GLAAD.org
Purpose: On this day, we honor the contributions of transgendered people, while also acknowledging the disproportionate challenges many face including discrimination, poverty, and violence.
Visibility is Complex: Visibility can bring affirmation, but it’s also “a double-edged sword.” Crandall herself has said that while visibility saved lives, it also opens people up to risks. Them’s Article on TDOV by Rachel Crandall-Crocker

The Current Moment: Why 2026 Calls for Visibility

According to GLAAD, transgender people continue to face intensified attacks, particularly through anti-trans legislation in many states, and reporting of physical violence.
Because many people still report not personally knowing a transgender person, media representation remains incredibly influential in shaping public understanding.
Accurate, nuanced storytelling matters more than ever both for themselves, and for broader social acceptance.

Voices of Wisdom: What Trans Elders Teach Us

GLAAD highlights a powerful piece from six community elders, those who reflect generation-spanning strength, creativity, and resilience.

Their reflections remind us that being transgender isn’t new; trans and nonbinary people have always existed, across cultures and histories.
They encourage both visibility and solidarity in calling on allies to speak up, advocate, and educate.

How to Mark TDOV — in 2026 and Beyond

If you’re thinking about how to celebrate or observe TDOV, consider:

1

Share Trans Stories

Use your platform, whether that be social media, blog, or newsletter to amplify the voices of transgender people, especially from underrepresented communities.
Share their art, writing, videos, or personal reflections.
2

Educate Yourself & Others

Use GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide to understand respectful and accurate language.

For reporters or content creators: include their voices in your stories, not just “about” them.
3

Support Trans-Led Organizations

Donate to or volunteer with transgender advocacy groups, whether local or national.

Elevate campaigns that defend transgender rights, health care access, and safety.
4

Create Safe Spaces

Whether at work, school, or in your community: commit to making spaces more inclusive.

Encourage conversations about gender, respect for pronouns, and allyship.

A Call to Action & Reflection

As we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility in 2026, let’s center gratitude, affirmation, and movement. Let’s make space for transgender joy, not just survival. Let’s live up to the vision Rachel Crandall had when she founded this day: a world where they don’t just exist, but thrive.

To every transgender person reading this: You are seen. You matter. Your life is worth celebrating, every single day.

To allies: Your voice matters too. Use it. Speak up. Stand with your community, not just today, but always.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

Reading Recommendations

Want to read a book by or about trans and gender non-conforming people? Here are a few staff recommendations to get you started.

Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution by Susan Stryker

Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events. Chapters cover the transsexual and transvestite communities in the years following World War II; trans radicalism and social change, which spanned from 1966 with the publication of The Transsexual Phenomenon, and lasted through the early 1970s; the mid-’70s to 1990-the era of identity politics and the changes witnessed in trans circles through these years; and the gender issues witnessed through the ’90s and ’00s.

Transgender History includes informative sidebars highlighting quotes from major texts and speeches in transgender history and brief biographies of key players, plus excerpts from transgender memoirs and discussion of treatments of transgenderism in popular culture.

Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

Part coming-of-age story, part mind-altering manifesto on gender and sexuality, coming directly to you from the life experiences of a transgender woman, Gender Outlaw breaks all the rules and leaves the reader forever changed.26 black-and-white illustrations.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Reese almost had it all: a loving relationship with Amy, an apartment in New York City, a job she didn’t hate. She had scraped together what previous generations of trans women could only dream of: a life of mundane, bourgeois comforts. The only thing missing was a child. But then her girlfriend, Amy, detransitioned and became Ames, and everything fell apart.

This provocative debut is about what happens at the emotional, messy, vulnerable corners of womanhood that platitudes and good intentions can’t reach. Torrey Peters brilliantly and fearlessly navigates the most dangerous taboos around gender, sex, and relationships, gifting us a thrillingly original, witty, and deeply moving novel.

The Natural Mother of the Child: A Memoir of Nonbinary Parenthood by Krys Malcom Belc

As a nonbinary, transmasculine parent, Krys Malcolm Belc has thought a lot about the interplay between parenthood and gender. Giving birth to his son Samson clarified his gender identity and allowed him to project a more masculine self. And yet, when his partner Anna adopted Samson, the legal documents listed Belc as “the natural mother of the child.”

The Natural Mother of the Child is the story of a person moving past societal expectations to take control of his own narrative, with prose that delights in the intimate dailiness of family life and explores how much we can ever really know when we enter into parenting.

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society and more.

Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity,what it means and how to think about it for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

Resources

Here are some helpful tools and reading if you want to go deeper:

GLAAD’s TDOV resource page: tips, fact sheets, media guidance. glaad.org
GLAAD’s “Message from 6 Trans Community Elders” for intergenerational insight. glaad.org
“Resources for Accurate & Inclusive Coverage” — especially useful for media creators. glaad.org
PFLAG’s TDOV toolkit for allies. PFLAG

The Constitution of the United States: Let Me Reintroduce Myself

marianne — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:31 +0000

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We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. —The Preamble of the U.S. Constitution, Copied from the National Archives

The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription | National Archives.

As we near the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, let’s talk about the law of the land: The Constitution of the United States.

We have all heard of it, we hear many references to it, especially in current political discourse, but have we read it? Do we know what it is about?

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of this country, meant to guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms. It is the guiding force of this nation. Every federal and state official–whether the president of the United States, a member of Congress, a soldier in the military, a police officer or a federal worker–promises to support and defend the Constitution. It is not to an individual, not to a foreign nation, but to this charter. This allegiance is meant to be a protection for all.

The Constitution was birthed out of tumultuous circumstances: a new nation in the throes of separating itself from a tyrannical power. The young country was under great pressure to provide safety and stability that the states were struggling to provide. The states especially needed support in covering war debts as well as conducting international trade and negotiating diplomacy. The federal government needed a way to meet these great demands and obligations.

This way, informed by numerous ideas that ranged from ancient texts about Sumerian law and the Magna Carta to scientific research on solar system orbits and biology about a body’s constitution, laid the groundwork for much discussion and debate. And this groundwork became the foundation for a great experiment on governance.

As if the nation, at this time, was not fully consumed with the great task of drafting the law of the land (known as the Constitutional Convention that started in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787), the thirteen states were simultaneously drafting their own constitutions. To put it colloquially: there was a lot going on. These processes of debating, contributing, voting, writing, and editing took an incredible amount of time and effort. In tandem, numerous state conventions were held to consider and vote on proposed changes to the working Constitution draft. The process was arduous and tedious. The exhausting back and forth between the contributors, writers, and state residents and legislators from every level spanned several months and required numerous revisions, many state conventions, and a multitude of compromises that eventually came to a tentative end. The term tentative seems to fit, as not everyone could be fully comfortable and in agreement. The same can be said for today. The final document was signed on September 17, 1787.

The U.S. Constitution is organized into three parts. The Preamble, The Articles, and The Amendments.

The Preamble is the introduction to The Constitution. It sets the intention and hopes of the newly birthed nation. Interestingly, it was added to the document almost as an afterthought. In recent times, however, the beginning phrase, “We the People of the United States…” is one of the most recognizable introductory phrases.

The Seven Articles lay out the structure of the federal government, detail each branch’s duties and responsibilities, and provide guidance on how the country should operate. One of the most important features, included in the Articles, that ensures fair representation in Congress, came out of the Connecticut Compromise of the Constitutional Convention. It established proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.

The Amendments are the active part of the U.S. Constitution. Although the Constitution was meant to resist change–to protect the citizens from dangerous influences or whims– it is also designed to allow for adjustment to fit current times. Or metaphorically speaking, the process is akin to mending a torn garment or amending a quilt by adding new squares to repair worn areas, resulting in an enhanced and more effective covering. They are also meant to provide stability and to allow a way to adjust to the will of the people without violence or insurrection. The means for making changes are outlined in Article V.

The first 10 Amendments are The Bill of Rights, which establish the fundamental protections every person in this country is entitled to. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791, and the last Amendment, the 27th, was certified on May 18, 1992.

The Bill of Rights

(—Copied from the National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript.)

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Although some of the language or circumstances surrounding the birth of the Constitution may seem unrelatable or old-fashioned, the themes and hopes still resonate. These ideals are still tirelessly fought for and maintained today.

This is the first blog in the U.S. Civics refresher series. Let’s revisit the basics and gain new insights together!

Did You Know?

”…Massachusetts is the oldest written constitution in the world still in use, and more than any other state constitution, it served as the model for the U.S. Constitution.”
Federalist versus Anti-Federalist: “Federalists not only supported the Constitution but subscribed to a particular set of ideas about politics and government, commerce and diplomacy. An “Anti-Federalist”, however, was anyone who objected to the Constitution on any ground. They “didn’t necessarily agree about much else.””
Amendments 13, 14, and 15 which abolished slavery, established the full rights of citizenship to birth and naturalized citizens, and gave citizens the right to vote are arguably the most influential and groundbreaking amendments.
The Amendment that never was ERA. The Equal Rights Amendment that would grant equal rights to all citizens regardless of sex, was vigorously advocated and hotly contested from the 1920’s to the 1980’s. The seeds for the Amendment, however, were planted before the United States was established.
Native nations in the United States have their own Constitutions. And some of these Constitutions have introduced the concept of granting rights to nature, which in turn inspired the environmental protection movements.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Charles County Public Library.

*Although the general content of this blog was inspired by the listed references, only the direct quotes from said references are footnoted.

References

Lepore, “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”, 57.

Lepore, “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”, 114.

Cong. Rsch. Serv., Constitution of the United States: Analysis and Interpretation, https://constitution.congress.gov (last visited January 23, 2026).

Lepore, Jill. These truths : a history of the United States. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.

Lepore, Jill. We the People : a history of the U.S. Constitution. New York: Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2025.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript (last visited January 13, 2026).

Learn More about the U.S. Constitution:

The U.S. Constitution: Why it Matters to You by Moira Rose Donohue

The U.S. Constitution by Kathy Allen

The U.S. Constitution: Discover How Democracy Works by Carla Mooney

The U.S. Constitution by Michael Burgan

How to Read the Constitution and Why by Kim Wehle

Know Your Rights!: A Modern Kid’s Guide to the American Constitution: We the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy

The Library of Congress: Digital Collections: Constitution: https://www.loc.gov/collections/?q=constitution

Hobby Helper

marianne — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:00:05 +0000

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Want to do something fun that gets you out of the house? Are you a student who can’t find any clubs at school that catch your attention? Never fear, the Hobby Helper is here!

This post will provide you with an eclectic list of library programs and local clubs that you can join to get you doing the things you love! Some of them are in Charles County, and some are specific to the entirety of Southern Maryland. Hopefully, you see something that will inspire you to try a new hobby or pick up an old one, and find your people in the Charles County/Southern Maryland community.

Library Specific Events

*Please click on the link to read more about program activities, registration requirements, and age recommendations.

Community Organizations

Music, Fine Arts, & Entertainment

Port Tobacco Players
Choral Society of St. Charles County
Children’s Voices of Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland Concert Band
Southern Maryland Independent Filmmaking
Cinema Sunday Club at the Charles Theatre
Southern Maryland Dancers
The Music Teachers Association of Charles County

Arts & Crafts

CSM Velocity Makerspace
Blacksmith Guild Central Maryland
Colors & Light Society of Southern Maryland
Mattawoman Creek Art Center
Southern Maryland Smockers
Southern Maryland Decorative Painters
Southern Maryland Artists

Games

Waldorf Chess Club
Games Club of Maryland

Science, Nature, & Plants

Charles County Master Gardeners
Maryland Bonsai Association
Southern Maryland Astronomical Society
Maryland Geocaching Society
Astronomy Club of Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland Audubon Society (SMAS)
Port Tobacco River Conservancy (PTRC)
Southern Maryland Native Plant Society
Brandywine Growers
Southern Maryland Rock & Mineral Club
Charles County Rocks
Forage Maryland
Maryland Mushrooms & Mycology
Charles County Amateur Radio Club (???)
Conservancy for Charles County

Pets & Animals

The Association of Southern Maryland Beekeepers (ASMB)
Humane Society of Charles County
Last Chance Animal Rescue

For Collectors & Enthusiasts

Mid-Atlantic Clown Association
Southern Maryland Ghost Hunters
Southern Maryland Antique Arts Association
Charles County Radio Control Club
St. Charles County Flying Club
Charles County Corvette Club
MD Volt Inc.
DMV Rod’s & Classic’s Car Club
Tri-County Cruisers Rod & Custom Car Club

Time Period, Heritage, & Historical Societies

The Barony of Dun Carraig (SoMD Chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism)
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House Museum
African American Heritage Society of Charles County, Inc. (AAHSOCIETYCC)
Celtic Society of Southern Maryland
Historic Preservation Commission
Historical Society of Charles County

Sports

Charles County Sportsman’s Club
Chesapeake Bay Running Club
Black Girls Run
Southern Maryland Sailing Association
Southern Maryland Mountain Bikers
Solomons Island Cycling
Southern Maryland Pickleball
Derby Dames
St. Charles County USBC Association

General Volunteer & Humanitarian Activities

PRIDE SOMD
Citizens for Charles County Public Library, Inc. (C4CCPL)
Free Mom Hugs
Charles County Meals on Wheels, Inc.
Our Place Waldorf

Of course, this list does not cover everything, but hopefully, it can serve as a starting point for you on your hobby journey. If you are interested in something that is a little further away than can be managed, make sure to ask around your local area, see if you have a closer chapter, or look into starting your own! Your librarians are always happy to help you do a little more research. Have fun!

*This blog is not intended to be an endorsement for any of the above groups or societies. Member fees may apply depending on the organization.

CCPL Staff Picks: Love Blossoms Around You 10 Non-fiction Books on Love and Relationships

marianne — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:00:50 +0000

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It’s that time of year when gifts of love are in your face–the flowers, the chocolates, teddy bears, and champagne! Here are 10 Non-Fiction Staff Picks on love and relationships.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion

“Personal transformation, that is grounded in self-love and has greater inner peace as the goal, will naturally teach you how to love better. Seeing yourself clearly opens the door to compassion for yourself and other people.” Love enters our lives in many forms: friends, family, and intimate partners. But all of these relationships are defined by the love we have for ourselves. If we see our relationships as opportunities to be fully present in our healing and learn to love each other better, yung pueblo assures us that we can transform and meet each other with compassion instead of judgment. In How to Love Better, yung pueblo examines all aspects of a relationship, from the rose-colored first days when you may be hesitant to show your full self, to the challenges that can arise without clear communication, to dealing with heartbreak and healing as you close a chapter of your life. The power of looking inward remains at the core of all his teachings. Ego and attachment can become barriers in a relationship, so the more self-aware you become, the more you can support your partner and yourself. Yung Pueblo’s understandings on embracing change, building a foundation of honesty, and learning to listen selflessly will resonate regardless of where you are in your healing journey. And his unique combination of poetry, personal experience, and thoughtful advice will help you grow and strengthen all your relationships.”

– Provided by Publisher

Matters of the Heart: Healing Your Relationship With Yourself and Those You Love

“As a psychologist and minister with more than twenty years of experience, Dr. Thema understands how challenging it can be to create and cultivate healthy relationships-and how critical it is for our well-being. Matters of the Heart draws on the wisdom of science, sacredness, and lived experience to help readers tend to the garden of their hearts and build their best relational lives. Love is not a level playing field, and improving your relationship with yourself, which includes healing trauma and setting boundaries, is often the first step toward leveling the field. Dr. Thema shares evidence-informed practices, traits, and skills that can enhance your relationships overall, as well as solutions to challenges within common relationship dynamics. With her wise and compassionate guidance, delve into: hot topics such as control issues, emotional unavailability, and releasing someone who doesn’t love you practical activation activities to apply what you learn from each chapter case studies that illuminate the process of healing and growing your heart how to shift your mindset and patterns around romance and so much more One of the major predictors of wellness is the nature of our relationships. Our culture is in a mental health crisis, exacerbated by the loneliness of the digital age and the realities of post-pandemic society. Whether you are trying to level up a happy relationship or rebuild trust after an unhappy one, Matters of the Heart will empower you to connect to yourself and to others, heal your heart, and thrive in all areas of your life.”

– Provided by Publisher

Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love

“Strengthen and deepen your love with a fun, ingenious program of eight life-changing conversations–on essential topics such as money, sex, and trust–from two of the world’s leading marriage researchers and clinicians. Navigating the challenges of long-term commitment takes effort–and it just got simpler, with this empowering, step-by-step guide to communicating about the things that matter most to you and your partner. Drawing on forty years of research from their world-famous Love Lab, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman invite couples on eight fun, easy, and profoundly rewarding dates, each one focused on a make-or-break issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams. Interactive activities and prompts provide motivation to stay open, stay curious, and, most of all, stay talking to each other. And the range–from the four skills you need for intimate conversation (including Put Into Words What You Are Feeling) to tips on being honest about your needs, while also validating your partner’s own emotions–will resonate, whether you’re newly together or a longtime couple looking to fortify your bond. You will discover (or rediscover) your partner like never before–and be able to realize your hopes and dreams for the love you desire and deserve.”

– Back Cover

8 Rules Of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go

“Instead of presenting love as an ethereal concept or a collection of cliches, Jay Shetty lays out specific, actionable steps to help you develop the skills to practice and nurture love better than ever before. He shares insights on how to win or lose together, how to define love, and why you don’t break up in a break-up. Inspired by Vedic wisdom and modern science, he tackles the entire relationship cycle, from first dates to moving in together to breaking up and starting over. And he shows us how to avoid falling for false promises and unfulfilling partners.”

– Provided by Publisher

Who Deserves Your Love: How To Create Boundaries to Start, Strengthen, or End Any Relationship

Who Deserves Your Love by KC Davis is a compassionate and practical guide to evaluating and managing your relationships, romantic, platonic, or otherwise. Drawing from her experience as a therapist, Davis helps readers identify which relationships are healthy and worth nurturing, and which may be harmful. She addresses difficult topics like conditional love, emotional boundaries, and when to step away from someone, even if they’re trying their best. With a focus on emotional regulation, setting standards, and understanding conflict, Davis offers tools like The Decision Tree to guide readers through complex decisions. The book is especially accessible to those with ADHD or depression, using short sections, lists, and diagrams to present insights in a clear, digestible format. Ultimately, it’s a gentle, honest approach to navigating hard relationships with care and clarity.

– Provided by Publisher

It Begins with You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life

The “host of the top relationship podcast, Jillian on Love reveals nine core truths about love and self-acceptance and provides … self-healing techniques and strategies to help us repair our relationship with ourselves and start building the rewarding [romantic] relationships we deserve.”

– Provided by Publisher

The Love Stories of the Bible Speak: 13 Biblical Lessons On Romance, Friendship, and Faith

“The Bible is full of ‘love’ stories. But the Biblical idea of love is so much bigger than we imagine.”

– Front Jacket Flap

People Tools for Love and Relationships: The Journey from Me to Us

Presents advice for building strong personal connections with others, with tools for addressing individual relationship issues and different approaches that can be used to resolve conflicts and differences in personality and goals.

– Publisher’s Description

Love After 50: How to Find It, Enjoy It, And Keep It

Studies keep showing that love after fifty is more satisfying than at any other stage in life. So if this is the promised land, how do you get there? In Love After 50, journalist Francine Russo interviews the best experts in the field and dozens of couples to help show you the way. Love after fifty can be more satisfying than at any other stage in life. Russo provides practical advice on recovering from the emotional damage of divorce, the grief of widowhood, or a history of unfulfilling relationships, building realistic requirements for a partner, and much more.

– Adapted from Jacket

How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace + Heal Your Relationships

“A groundbreaking guide to strengthening relationships, beginning with the one you have with yourself.”

– Provided by Publisher

Get Ready for the XXV Winter Olympic Games!

marianne — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:46:07 +0000

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The XXV Winter Olympic Games kick off this month in Milan, Italy! Olympians from around the world will compete in sports like hockey, figure skating, bobsledding, curling, and more. While the athletes’ performances on the ice and snow capture our attention, their stories of dedication, perseverance, and triumph over adversity are what make a lasting impact. This month, explore the journeys of impressive American Olympians and Paralympians from throughout history.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team by Wayne Coffey; foreword by Jim Craig

Once upon a time, they taught us to believe. They were the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, a blue-collar bunch led by an unconventional coach, and they engineered perhaps the greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. Their “Miracle on Ice” has become a national fairy tale, but the real Cinderella story is even more remarkable. It is a legacy of hope, hard work, and homegrown triumph. It is a chronicle of everyday heroes who just wanted to play hockey happily ever after. It is still unbelievable. The Boys of Winter is an evocative account of the improbable American adventure in Lake Placid, New York. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, Wayne Coffey explores the untold stories of the U.S. upstarts, their Soviet opponents, and the forces that brought them together.

The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph by Oksana Masters with Cassidy Randall

Oksana was born in Ukraine, in the shadow of Chernobyl. She was born with one kidney, a partial stomach, six toes on each foot, webbed fingers, no right bicep, and no thumbs. Her left leg was six inches shorter than her right, and she was missing both tibias. Relinquished to the orphanage system, Oksana encountered numerous abuses. Then Gay Masters, an unmarried American professor, saw a photo of the little girl; she waged a two-year war to rescue Oksana from her circumstances. In America, Oksana was fueled by a drive to succeed that still smoldered from childhood. She triumphed in not just one sport but four: winning against the world’s best in elite rowing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and road cycling competitions. Now considered one of the world’s top athletes, she is the recipient of seventeen Paralympic medals, the most of any US athlete of the Winter Games, Paralympic or Olympic. This is Oksana’s journey. Her message to anyone who doesn’t fit in: You can find a place where you excel, where you have worth.

– Adapted from Jacket

Rise: My Story by Lindsey Vonn

The first-ever memoir from the greatest female ski racer of all time, revealing never-before-told stories of her life in the fast lane, and the bold decisions that helped her break down barriers for athletes around the world.

– Provided by Publisher

Beautiful on the Outside: A Memoir by Adam Rippon

Former Olympic figure skater Rippon showcases his funny and inspiring personality in this entertaining memoir. From traveling to practices on the Greyhound bus next to ex-convicts to being so poor he could only afford to eat the free apples at his gym, Rippon got through the toughest times with a smile on his face, a glint in his eye, and a quip ready for anyone listening.

One Jump at a Time: My Story by Nathan Chen

The three-time World Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and the first Asian American man to stand at the highest podium in figure skating reflects on the events that led him to where he is today, in this testament to the love of family and the power of persistence, grit, and passion.

A Skating Life by Dorothy Hamill with Deborah Amelon

The dazzling smile, the signature haircut, the staple spin. Dorothy Hamill grew up on the ice, working toward the dream she was to accomplish by age nineteen: Olympic gold in figure skating. But life was not the picture of perfection it appeared to be. Dorothy faced a painful inner struggle–though she did not know about the depression that ran in her family until much later in life. Weeks and months away from home to train and compete took a difficult toll, yet little reprieve could be found in her tumultuous and fragile relationship with her parents. She went on to skate with the Ice Capades and to marry the man of her dreams, Dean Paul Martin, only to have the partnership end in heartache. A second failed marriage tested Dorothy’s trust yet again, but she found strength in what she did have–her daughter Alexandra, and her skating.

– From Publisher Description

And while it may not be a sport in the Winter Olympics, we’re in the midst of Basketball season in the US! Here are some titles about legendary American Olympic Basketball teams.

Inaugural Ballers by Andrew Maraniss (YA, Graphic Novel)

Twenty years before women’s soccer became an Olympic sport and two decades before the formation of the WNBA, the 1976 US women’s basketball team laid the foundation for the incredible rise of women’s sports in America at the youth, collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels. Though they were unknowns from small schools such as Delta State, the University of Tennessee at Martin and John F. Kennedy College of Wahoo, Nebraska, at the time of the ’76 Olympics, the American team included a roster of players who would go on to become some of the most legendary figures in the history of basketball. From Pat Head, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, Lusia Harris, coach Billie Moore, and beyond — these women took on the world and proved everyone wrong. Packed with black-and-white photos and thoroughly researched details about the beginnings of US women’s basketball, Inaugural Ballers is the fascinating story of the women who paved the way for girls everywhere.

Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever by Jack McCallum

They were the Beatles of basketball, the Mercury Seven in sneakers. In Dream Team, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team that captivated the world, kindled the hoop dreams of countless children around the planet, and remade the NBA into a global sensation. As a senior staff writer for Sports Illustrated, McCallum enjoyed a courtside seat for the most exciting basketball spectacle on earth, covering the Dream Team from its inception to the gold medal ceremony in Barcelona.

– Provided by Publisher

What to Read/Watch: Superbowl Sunday Edition

marianne — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:00:51 +0000

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Blue 42 Hut Hut Hike! Super Bowl LX is on Sunday, February 8th, in San Francisco, and both teams are going to try their best to win the big game and take home that famous silver Lombardi trophy. The game is sure to have it all, from receptions to tackles, and let’s not forget about those commercials that dazzle our senses during the breaks in the action. But wait, there’s a flag on the play because you don’t have any football books to read or movies to watch in anticipation of the big game. Luckily, the library is here to kick a field goal of wonderful recommendations straight down the uprights. Visit your library today before these truly tremendous recommendations get intercepted by another intrepid football fanatic. And remember, every day is a touchdown at the library!

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

Movies

Friday Night Lights: directed by Peter Berg-2005

From our Catalog:

Odessa is an oil town in the western part of Texas that is home to the Permian High School Panthers, the football team with the best winning record. The city’s economy is in a tailspin, but football is the one thing that brings all the people of Odessa together, and on Friday nights, as many as 20,000 people fill Permian’s football stadium to watch Coach Gary Gaines lead the team to victory. And in Odessa, a football victory is prized above all else. The players ponder the fact that there is little future in their hometown … and that a championship season can be as much a burden as a triumph.

Him: directed by Justin Tipping-2025

From our Catalog:

Him centers on a promising young football player, invited to train at the isolated compound of a dynasty team’s aging QB1. The legendary quarterback takes his protegee on a blood-chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, power and pursuit of excellence at any cost.

Any Given Sunday: directed by Oliver Stone-2000

From our Catalog:

Tony D’Amato, the embattled Sharks coach, faces a full-on blitz of team strife plus a new, marketing-savvy Sharks owner who’s sure Tony is way behind times.

Jerry Maguire: directed by Cameron Crowe-1997

From our Catalog:

A sports agent suddenly discovers his scruples and promptly loses his job. But with the help of one loyal colleague and one outrageous client, he learns that loving well is the best revenge.

Non-Fiction

When the Cheering Stops: Life After the NFL by Gay Culverhouse-2021

From Goodreads:

A heartfelt account of the difficulties football players face after they leave the NFL.

The NFL is the nation’s most popular sport, but the athletes who make the league rich suffer greatly once they step off the field.. Long after the lights have dimmed on their playing days, NFL players face emotional distress, physical injuries, and cognitive decline, often suffering on their own. Personal interviews with former players reveal that many struggle with finances, finding a second career, addiction, depression, and violence. While success stories are also shared, the unfortunate truth is that there are far more players left hurt and broken after retirement.

Written by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers president and founder of the Retired Player Assistance program, Gay Culverhouse, this book provides a unique inside perspective on the NFL and the long-term physical and emotional toll playing in the league takes on the players who make it great.

Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America’s Game by DeMaurice Smith-2025

From our Catalog:

During his fourteen years as the head of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith was a front-line advocate for football players through some of the most tumultuous crises in NFL history: Colin Kaepernick’s protests, Deflategate, a lockout, two collective bargaining agreements, and more. But after witnessing the league’s troubling response to discrimination and racial unrest, both within the league and beyond, Smith realized it was time to pull back the curtain and speak truth to power.

Drawing from his years of unprecedented access and unparalleled knowledge of America’s favorite sport, Smith documents his years leading the NFLPA and explains how the NFL distorts the truth, telling partial stories to insulate itself and grow its $20-billion-a-year brand-and the players’ battles to protect themselves. From contract negotiations to battles over suspensions, Smith shows us how the union fought to protect players from the greed, racism, and dishonesty on which the league is built. He also takes readers inside closed-door meetings and unreported conversations and confrontations with the industry’s most powerful figures, such as Robert Kraft, Jerry Jones, Tom Brady, and Roger Goodell.

Turf Wars puts every NFL crisis, both familiar and lesser known, within a broader cultural and historical context, framing the league’s extraordinary rise as a mirror to America’s own history. Revelatory and profound, Turf Wars is a book about the soul of football: its degradation and how to save it.

Every Day is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural & Economic Juggernaut by Ken Belson-2025

From our Catalog:

On February 11, 2024, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell & the league’s two most powerful owners, Jerry Jones & Robert Kraft, looked down at the spectacle before them. What they saw was the sport’s championship game, the Super Bowl, now a de facto national holiday, being played in a shiny new $2B stadium, home to the first franchise based in Las Vegas, after the league’s embrace of nationwide gambling. The moment was over 30 years in the making. “We’re not competing with the NBA or MLB,” Goodell later quipped in private. “Our competitors are Apple & Google.”

In Every Day is Sunday, veteran New York Times Business & NFL reporter, Ken Belson, traces the evolution of the league from “one of the four US professional sports,” into the cultural & economic juggernaut it is today. Belson illustrates how the league’s rise coincided with the arrival of Jones & Kraft in the early 90’s. He provides an inside look on how these two men reshaped the league, taking readers into the secretive owner’s meeting, how they decided Goodell was the right man to place as Commissioner, and how the three built, wielded, and held on to their collective power.

Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (and Doesn’t) by Mike Florio-2022

From our Catalog:

For almost twenty years now, the NFL has been simultaneously an athletic, financial, and cultural powerhouse-and a league that can’t seem to go more than a few weeks without stumbling into a scandal. Whether it’s about domestic violence, performance-enhancing drugs, racism, or head trauma, the NFL always seems to be in some kind of trouble. Yet no matter the drama, the TV networks keep showing games, the revenue keeps going up, and the viewers keep tuning in. How can a sports league-or any organization-operate this way? Why do the negative stories keep happening, and why don’t they ever seem to affect the bottom line?

In this wide-ranging book, Mike Florio takes readers from the boardroom to the locker room, from draft day to Super Bowl night, answering these questions and more, and showing what really goes on in the sport that America can’t seem to quit. Known for his constant stream of new information and his incisive commentary, Florio delivers again in this book. With new insights and reporting on scandals past and present, this book is sure to be the talk of the league.

Five Unique and Unusual Graphic Novels and Manga

marianne — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:28 +0000

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Graphic novels and manga are super versatile—seriously, they allow for tons of creativity and cool, unique approaches that lead to reading experiences and subject matter you just won’t find elsewhere. While a bunch of the big hits are for teens, there are also absolutely fantastic and gripping stories written just for adults. These adult narratives often really push the boundaries of the medium to dive into complex, grown-up themes. The mix of the art, the writing, and the whole package is totally one-of-a-kind!

We’ve pulled together a list of some must-read graphic novels and manga, all available right now in the Adult Graphic Novel section at your local public library.

Building Stories by Chris Ware

This multi-piece item contains 14 separate booklets and materials. It presents an illustrated tale, told in various books and folded sheets, about the residents in a three-story Chicago apartment building, including a lonely single woman, a couple who are growing to despise each other, and an elderly landlady. Due to the size, this item is an “in-house” item not available for check out, only accessible in person at the Waldorf West library.

Berserk by Kentarō Miura

With 41 books, this manga series has been beloved since it first began in 1989. Considered a classic, this gore-filled power fantasy of being a huge hero and swinging an even bigger sword is engaging even before the reader realizes the humor and emotional heart at the center of the characters.

A Right To Be Hostile: The Boondocks Treasury by Aaron McGruder; foreword by Michael Moore

The original comic strips inspired an acclaimed animated TV show that ran for 4 seasons. This book is a collection of the syndicated comic that provides a look at life in America as seen through the eyes of two African-American kids transplanted from the south side of Chicago to Woodcrest, a community in the middle of nowhere.

My Pancreas Broke But My Life Got Better by Kabi Nagata

This is the latest diary manga from the Harvey Award-winning creator of My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness and My Wandering Warrior Existence. In this new autobiographical manga following My Wandering Warrior Existence, Nagata Kabi has quit drinking in an attempt to get healthier, or she’s trying to, anyway. Her former struggles with alcohol led to pancreatitis and a serious hospitalization, and now she has no choice but to give up drinking. Follow the author as she details the quest to improve her health during a global pandemic.

Kill 6 Billion Demons by Tom Parkinson-Morgan

This series began as an online webcomic in 2013 and quickly enraptured thousands. Sorority sister Allison Ruth must travel to Throne, the ancient city at the center of the multiverse, in an epic bid to save her boyfriend from the clutches of the seven evil kings that rule creation (summary provided by the publisher). Eventually published as a physical book series, this is an inventive sci-fi epic with intricate illustrations.

Remember to check out Libby, the free library book and audiobook app, for even more graphic novels and manga. Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend.

The Science of Snow

marianne — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:00:57 +0000

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Brrrr, the trees are bare, and there is a chill in the air ~ winter is already here. January is a time for families to gather together as the weather turns cold. Have you ever wondered how snow is formed and why no two snowflakes are alike? Let’s take some time to learn all about the science of snow!

Hello, my name is Miss Sara, and in this blog, I will provide many fascinating facts about snow, including a link to a website devoted to Wilson A. Bentley, a 19th-century American farmer who is credited with being the first person to photograph a single snow crystal.

Next, there will be links to various charts and websites outlining the science behind a snowflake’s life cycle, different types (and shapes) of snowflakes, snowflake science, amazing videos of slivers of ice growing into snowflakes, and official snow terminology. Lastly, I will highlight one of our main CCPL children’s databases, National Geographic Kids, and some fun and educational children’s resources from our CCPL catalog.

Important Resources:

Below are interesting and educational facts about snow (facts pulled from various website sources, which are cited and linked below):

There are 35 basic snowflake shapes.
At 19 years old, Wilson A. Bentley was the first person to take close-up photographs of snowflakes.
Snow is made of tiny ice crystals. Snow forms super high up in the clouds. Water freezes into tiny snow crystals up in the clouds. If those crystals of ice get heavy enough, they fall down from the clouds as snow. On the way down, the tiny ice crystals bump into one another and then clump together to form snowflakes.
Snow and rain are types of precipitation (water that falls to the earth). Snow is frozen precipitation.
Snow is almost 90% air and clear (it only appears white because of how the winter sunlight reflects off of it). Every snowflake is unique, but scientists can sometimes find two snowflakes that look alike.
Wonder what makes a snowflake’s shape? The crystal shape is based on temperature, air moisture, and the direction and speed at which the snowflake falls.
Animals will grow “winter coats” that are white. This helps them stay camouflaged from predators while in the snow.
If there is a form of precipitation, the air temperature needs to be at or below freezing for it to snow. Snow melts when it’s warmer than 32 degrees.
Snow is one of the six main forms of precipitation. The others are called drizzle, rain, sleet, graupel, and hail. Have you ever heard of graupel? It is basically just a really soft version of hail.
Snowflakes almost always have 6 sides. But they can have 3 or 12 sides every once in a while.
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 septillion) snowflakes fall every winter.
Snowflakes can take two hours to travel from a cloud to the ground (but usually, it takes about one hour for a snowflake to reach the ground).
For the Winter Olympics, people have to use snow machines to make enough snow.
Snowy cities have places to put all the plowed snow…these giant piles can last until summer.
“Thundersnow” is a rare thunderstorm that happens while it is snowing.
You need to wear sunglasses in the snow. We usually associate sunny weather and sunglasses with summer and heat. However, snow has the ability to reflect a high level of ultraviolet radiation, which can burn your eyeballs and cause “snow blindness” if you do not wear protection.
It is never too cold for snow. While it can certainly be too warm for snow, there is no temperature too cold for snow. If snow does not happen in extremely low temperatures, it is just because there was no water or moisture in the air or the weather. It is frozen water after all, so water is necessary.
Have you ever heard of sleet? It may look like snow, but it is a little different. They are tiny, rainy particles that started out as water and froze on their way to the ground.
Have you ever seen frost in your front yard? While it may look like snow, it is not – it is actually made from water that was already on your ground or grass. The water froze because of low temperatures and looks a little bit like snow.
Japanese macaques love to make and play with snowballs; that’s one reason they are called “snow monkeys.”

Web site Sources:

Below is a link to a website devoted to 19th-century American farmer and amateur meteorologist Wilson Alwyn Bentley, who in January 1885 is credited with being the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. Read Mr. Bentley’s detailed biography (and view incredible photos of his beautiful snow crystals) below:

Wilson Alwyn Bentley

Here is a chart detailing the life cycle of a snowflake, which originally appeared in a January 2013 edition of The Calgary Sun and again in a December 2014 article from Wildcard Weather:

Image/Chart Source: https://wildcardweather.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/snowflakes-form.jpg

Below are the 35 different snowflake shapes, courtesy of SnowCrystals.com:

Image/Chart Source: http://www.snowcrystals.com/guide/snowtypes4.jpg

Below is another fascinating page courtesy of SnowCrystals.com, which details how snowflakes are formed:

Snowflake Science

Watch brief movie clips of real slivers of ice as they grow into snowflakes (also known as snow crystals) on a glass plate within a lab, courtesy of SnowCrystals.com:

Growing Snowflakes

Have you ever seen any of the following snow occurrences? Here are interesting (and some quite rare) snow terminology, courtesy of FarmersAlmanac.com:

Blizzard: A violent winter storm that combines subfreezing temperatures, strong winds, and snowfall. To officially qualify as a blizzard, a storm must reduce visibility to less than a quarter of a mile and last for at least three hours.
Cornice: An overhanging accumulation of ice and wind-blown snow, such as might be found on a cliff face.
Column: A type of snowflake that is shaped like a six-sided column.
Dendrite: A type of snowflake that has six points. This is the archetypal “snowflake” shape.
Finger drift: A narrow snowdrift across a roadway. So named because several of them together resemble the fingers on a hand.
Firn: Snow that is more than a year old, especially on the upper part of a glacier, but that has not yet consolidated into ice.
Flurry: A brief snowfall that produces little to no accumulation.
Graupel: Also called snow pellets, graupel refers to round, opaque snowflakes that almost look like polystyrene pellets. They form when regular snowflakes fall through ice-cold liquid clouds. Droplets from the clouds freeze onto the crystals, forming a solid mass. Graupel is similar to hail, but is smaller and less dense.
Ground blizzard: A windstorm that is not accompanied by snowfall, but which reduces visibility by lifting existing snow from the ground.
Lake-effect snow: Snow produced when icy winds move across a large body of warmer lake water. Common in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and Canada.
Needle: A type of snowflake that is much longer than it is wide.
New snow: Recent snowfall in which individual ice crystals can still be seen.
Old snow: Snowpack in which individual snow crystals can no longer be recognized.
Perennial snow: Snow that remains on the ground for more than a year.
Pillow drift: A wide, deep snowdrift across a roadway.
Polycrystal: A formation made up of several snowflakes that fuse into one massive flake.
Rimed snow: Snowflakes coated in tiny frozen water droplets called rime.
Ripples: Marks on the surface of snow, similar to the ripples in sand, caused by wind.
Roller: A naturally occurring cylinder of snow formed by the wind.
Sastrugi: Irregular grooves and ridges in snow caused by the wind.
Sleet: Rain mixed with snow.
Slush: Partially melted snow on the ground.
Snirt: Snow mixed with dirt.
Snow bridge: An arch formed by snow and wind.
Snowdrift: Snow on the ground that has been blown by the wind to a height greater than the actual amount of snow that has fallen.
Snow squall: A brief, intense snow shower that does not qualify as a blizzard due to its short duration.
Snowburst: An intense snow shower that produces a lot of accumulation in a short period of time.
Snowflake: A cluster of ice crystals that falls from a cloud.
Snowstorm: Any weather event that features large amounts of snowfall.
Sun cups: Shallow, bowl-shaped hollows formed by irregular patches of intense sunlight.
Whiteout: a blizzard or squall that reduces visibility to near zero.

Website Source:

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/how-many-words-snow-16650

Additional Resources:

Click on the link below to explore our children’s database, and search for all things winter and snow:

National Geographic Kids

Engage kids and young students to broaden their educational horizons with reputable, special, authoritative, and age-appropriate digital content that brings them the world in a way they have never seen before. National Geographic Kids will take them on amazing adventures in science, nature, wildlife, culture, geography, archaeology, and space.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

*All book cover photos are from Goodreads/all title descriptions are from the CCPL COSMOS website.

You may also check out our CCPL catalog for both entertaining and educational children’s resources on winter and the science of a snowflake, such as:

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino with Jon Nelson, Ph.D.

This book about the science of snow features photos of snow crystals in their beautiful diversity and includes how snow crystals are formed into different shapes and snow-crystal-catching instructions in the back of the book.