Today is the anniversary of the First Night Football Game, which was played between Mansfield State Normal School (now Mansfield University) and Wyoming Seminary in 1892. Thursday is the anniversary of the day in 1927 when George Herman "Babe" Ruth hit his 60th home run of the season. His record for the most homers in a single season stood for 34 years, until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Both Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire broke that record last year!

Saturday is also National Frugal Fun Day, a day to celebrate that having fun doesn't have to be costly! Do at least one fun thing that is free or low cost - go hiking, have a picnic, visit a museum or art gallery, or check out your Roswell Public Library! Monday is International Toot Your Flute Day

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. storytimes feature bats in stories and crafts, including a bat mobile. At Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime participants will learn about corn and popcorn with stories, displays, tasting, activities, and crafts.

BOOK TALK

The library's Bob Kerwick provides this week's book information. Many of our patrons are fans of Tony Hillerman and his mystery stories featuring Jim Chee and/or Joe Leaphorn, the fictional Navajo detectives. Officer Jim Chee is featured in "People of Darkness," "The Dark Wind," and "The Ghostway." Lt. Joe Leaphorn is found in "The Blessing Way," "Dancehall of the Dead," and "Listening Woman." They appear together in "Skinwalkers," "A Thief of Time," and "Talking God." Hillerman does an outstanding job of painting pictures American Southwest. If you are not already a fan, try any of these novels, and you'll be hooked.

If you are already a fan, but have grown tired of the long wait for the next book, you might want to try some of the other writers who are attempting to lay claim to territory once owned solely by Hillerman. James D. Doss uses Granite Creek, Colorado, as the setting for his novels, which feature Police Chief Scott Paris. Not a Native American himself, Scott joins forces with Charlie Moon, a Ute Tribal Policeman, who understands both the modern world and the mystical. This pair can be found in "The Shaman Sings," "The Shaman Laughs," and "The Shaman's Bones."

Also set in Colorado, Margaret Coel's mysteries feature Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and her confidante, Fr. John O'Malley, a Jesuit priest. The two amateur detectives, with their differing world views and cultural backgrounds, make for an interesting contrast as they attempt to solve some of the mysteries occurring on the Wind River Reservation. They are found in "The Eagle Catcher," "The Ghost Walker," "The Dream Stalker," and "The Story Teller."

Moving over to Oklahoma, we find stories of crime in the Cherokee community in novels by Jean Hager. Three of her novels, "The Grandfather Medicine," "Night Walker," and "Ghostland," feature the half-Cherokee police chief Mitch Bushyhead. Investigator Molly Bearpaw is featured in another three, "Ravenmocker," "The Redbird's Cry," and "Seven Black Stones."

Back in New Mexico, Aimee and David Thurlo have created a series of suspense stories featuring Ella Clah, Navajo FBI agent. In "Blackening Song," Ella returns to the reservation in Northern New Mexico after her father is murdered and her brother is the prime suspect. Other offerings by the Thurlos include "Black Mesa," "Second Shadow," "Spirit Walker," and "Timewalker."

DID YOU KNOW?

If your VCR has a year setting on it, which most do, you may not be able to use the programmed recording feature after 12/31/99. Instead of throwing it away and purchasing a new one, set it for the year 1972 because the days are the same as they year 2000!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it." Franklin P. Jones

JUDY ARMSTRONG, 624-7276

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