July is here, bringing Anti-Boredom Month, National Baked Bean Month, National Foreign Language Month, National July Belongs to Blueberries Month, National Purposeful Parenting Month, and National Recreation and Parks Month.

This week is Freedom Week, and on Wednesday we celebrate the 225th anniversary of Independence Day, our nation’s birthday. Saturday is Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day and the anniversary of the day in 1898 when Hawaii was annexed by the United States. No change in government took place until 1900, when Congress made Hawaii an "incorporated" territory. Hawaii became a state in 1959.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

The library will be closed on Wednesday, July 4, so there will be no Wednesday story time this week. Saturday morning’s 10:00 story time features bubbles in stories and activities.

July 10’s Terrific Teen Tuesday will feature Henna Painting and Stamp Art, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Bondurant Room. On July 13, we’ll have another computer basics class for complete beginners starting at 9:00 a.m. The class is limited to six students, so call today to reserve your place!

BOOK TALK

The library’s Bob Kerwick provides this week’s book information. The Korean War is often referred to as the "Forgotten War." However, it has not been forgotten by the men who fought there nor by the families of the 37,000 Americans who died there. Historians and novelists have not overlooked it either. The library has a number of recent releases in the non-fiction area about this "Peace Action."

They include Stanley Weintraub's "MacArthur's War-Korea and the undoing Of an American Hero," in which he deflates the General's image and shows him as an insubordinate egotist who greatly underestimated his enemy and refused to believe that the Chinese had entered the war even after they had killed a large number of American troops.

"The Korean War" by Michael Hickey expands his coverage of the war to include the contributions of other nations who sent troops in response to the U.N. call. "Corpsmen" by Richard and Gerald Chappell is a compilation of letters sent home by twin brothers who both served as medical corpsmen in Korea.

On the fiction side, we have the James Michener classic "Bridges at Toko-Ri" in which he tells the story of the air war over Korea from the standpoint of the naval aviators flying off the aircraft carriers. James Brady's "Marines of Autumn" is the story of Captain Thomas Verity, USMC, who is recalled to active duty to serve a short stint in Korea because of his familiarity with a number of Chinese. He becomes caught up in the long march to the Chosin Reservoir, the massive intervention by the Chinese Army and the long retreat back to the sea.

"Dog Company Six" by Edwin Howard Simmons is another story of a marine Captain recalled to active duty at the beginning of the Korean War. Out of the military since WWII, he is placed in command of an infantry company and must earn the respect of his troops.

We also have an excellent four part video series that originally played on the history channel.

DID YOU KNOW?

Here are some hints for safer picnics from "Working Mother." Bring one cooler for hot foods and one for cold. Chill cold foods in the refrigerator before packing because coolers will not chill them to safe temperatures. Full coolers stay cooler longer, so fill empty space with ice or nonperishable foods. Keep coolers out of direct sun and the lids closed as much as possible. Put drinks in a separate cooler, since it will be opened more often. Put items you will need first into the picnic basket last so that they are on top when needed.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "Praise does wonders for a person’s hearing." (unknown)