Books to Escape In...

When the winter dreariness sets in, sometimes there’s nothing better than curling up with a book so absorbing that you read it in one sitting and don’t even notice that your foot is in pins and needles. Here are some of our favorites to escape the gray chill…

Which reads keep you comatose on the couch? Click "comment" to share your own picks so others can enjoy them!


East by Edith Pattou

If you like fantasy and folklore, this retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon will satisfy and entertain! --Christine


Joy School by Elizabeth Berg


Katie is so loveable because she notices all the right details. It's a quick read about her first true love. (Sequel to Durable Goods because the author loved the character so much) --Cara





I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak



Mystery, humor, romance, and a big stinky dog. --Beth

The Ramsay Scallop by Frances Temple
An adventure, a romance, and a fascinating slice of 13th-century medieval European life! --Christine



The Beduin's Gazelle by Frances Temple
Medieval Arabia in all its glory! Plus a romance and thrilling adventure! (Companion to The Ramsay Scallop) --Christine




Someone to Run With by David Grossman


Another big dog, pulling Israeli narrator Assaf along a mysterious path through the back streets of Jerusalum. Imagination meets difficult realities of life for young street performers, but hope prevails! --Cara

New Position just for the Teen Area

Hi, I'm Cara, the new Americorps*VISTA at Burlington's library. I studied English at Middlebury College, and in the two years since I left Vermont I have been teaching environmental education in gorgeous places across the Western hemisphere.
And now I’m here to enable your every wish! Well, not quite fairy-godmother style, but I’ll do my best…
My job will be to see what ideas you have for Young Adult materials and programming, and then to raise money and other resources to make it happen.
I'm psyched about lots of possibilities, including gaming nights, internet searching contests, book groups, decorating the teen space, printing a magazine, and programs to learn computer applications. (And that's just the beginning...)

Come check out the new space, post a quick review on the bulletin board, or make a request for a book, audio book or DVD you don't see in our catalog.

You can get involved now! Sign up at the library or email me to join the Teen Advisory Board and get control over what happens with teen services! (clovell@ci.Burlington.vt.us)
Or, put your name on a list to volunteer (and get community service credit) shelving books in the youth section.
Hope to see you soon...