Now that the holidays are winding down, join us for the start of a whole new season of fun at the Fuquay-Varina Community Library. Our “Storytimes” and other youth programs return this month along with great displays and the ever popular “Valentines for Veterans.” January is a great month to visit the library!

Main Display

Get ready for a break from the cold weather. Join us for books that offer “Hot Escapes from Winter Chills.”

Adult Fiction

• “A Salty Piece of Land” by Jimmy Buffet

Tully Mars finds himself regretting a decision to help find the missing lens belonging to the Cayo Loco lighthouse, in a tequila-inspired adventure, featuring such characters as Indian shaman Ix-Nay and boatman Captain Kirk.

• “The Beachcomber” by Josephine Cox

Two Strangers… The windswept village of West Bay is hope, an escape and a future for Kathy Wilson, who dreams of turning the empty cottage she inherited into a home free of the pain and scorn she suffered back in London. As the summer slowly passes, she puzzles silently over her fascination with an enigmatic wanderer who strolls the beach below her window.

• “The Beach House” by Jane Green

Disregarding local gossip that pegs her as an eccentric, 65-year-old Nantucket widow, Nan skinny-dips in unattended pools and steals her neighbors’ flowers before her dwindling funds force her to take in boarders, a change that brings an unexpected visitor.

• “Islands” by Anne Rivers Siddons

Anny Butler is a caretaker, a nurturer, first for her own brothers and sisters, and then as a director of an agency devoted to the welfare of children. What she has never had is a real family. That changes when she meets and marries Lewis Aiken. When they marry, she finds her family: not a traditional one, but a group of Charleston friends called “the Scrubs” who are inseparable.

Adult Non-Fiction

• “Fodor’s 2012 Caribbean” edited by Erich B. Wechter (917.29 FODOR)

Full-color guide: make your trip to the Caribbean unforgettable with maps, illustrated features and color photos. Customize your trip with simple planning tools for top experiences and attractions as well as practical advice for getting around.

• “Frommer’s Walt Disney World and Orlando 2013” by Laura Miller (917.592 FROMM)

Insider advice on all the major theme parks in Orlando, from Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventures. The author, a longtime theme park aficionado and the mother of five, has done it all.

• “Frommer’s Hawaii 2012” by Jeannette Foster (919.69 FROMM)

With Frommer’s in hand, travelers will know where to find secluded beaches, secret spots for snorkeling, the best outfitters to choose for everything from diving to deep-sea fishing and where to find the top galleries and shops.

• “Frommer’s Las Vegas 2013” by Rick Garman (917.93 FROMM)

Full-color throughout: provides insider advice on navigating the Strip as you explore some of the famous casino hotels and attractions. Plus tips on: everything to do in downtown, info on free entertainment and on hidden gems away from the Strip, where to find the best gourmet dining and buffets as well as the hottest clubs, hippest bars and coolest shows in town.

Now hear this! Adult audio books

Still need a few more suggestions for something tropical in January? Enjoy these audiobooks set in warmer climes.

• “Cuba” by Stephen Coonts

• “The Jungle” by Clive Cussler

• “The Island” by Elin Hilderbrand

• “Chaser” by Elmore Leonard

Youth Programs – Toddlers, Preschool, School Age and Teens

We’re back! Just as we promised, the Storytimes and other programs you love are starting again this month. Stop by and see your favorite Youth Services Librarian, Miss Laura, for more stories and fun.

Storytime

Baby Storytime

• 20-minute lap time program for moms and babies

• Wednesdays at 10 a.m. throughout January

Toddler Storytime

• For Toddlers ages 1-3

• Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. throughout January

Preschool Storytime

• For Preschoolers ages 3-5

• Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. throughout January

Family Storytime

• For Preschoolers ages 3-5

• Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. throughout January

K – Fifth Adventures

Discover Snow!

• Why are snowflakes symmetrical? Facts and stories about snow

• Plus, we will make a snow gauge

• Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Cool Beans!

• READ a Jack and the Beanstalk fractured fairy tale

• Plus, make a bean mosaic to celebrate bean day

• Thursday, Jan. 10 at 4:30 p.m.

Explore Peaceful People!

• Facts and stories about people of peace

• We’ll also make a unity wreath for the library

• Thursday, Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Discover Robots With Lego Fanatics!

• Sponsored by Bounce U of Apex

• MUST Preregister! Call 919-557-2788

• Thursday, Jan. 24 at 4:30 p.m.

Create Bird Feeders!

• Facts and stories about birds

• Plus, we will make a simple bird feeder

• Thursday, Jan. 31 at 4:30 p.m.

Community Programs

Valentines for Veterans

• All ages are invited to visit the library and make a card.

• Cards will be delivered to local veterans in time for Valentine’s Day.

• Teens can earn two volunteer hours when they make five Valentines.

• Jan. 22 to Feb. 3

Youth Main Display

On Jan. 28, the 2013 Caldecott Winner will be announced. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Here are past winners to read and enjoy.

• 2012 Winner: “A Ball for Daisy” by Chris Raschka

Winner of the 2012 Randolph Caldecott Medal, this story is about love and loss. Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy’s anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. The author explores in pictures the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. Raschka’s signature illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.

• 2011 Winner: “A Sick Day for Amos McGee” by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Friends come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In Amos McGee’s case, all sorts of species, too! Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor.

• 2010 Winner: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney’s wordless adaptation of one of Aesop’s most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he’d planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher’s trap.

• 1961 Winner: “Baboushka and the Three Kings” by Ruth Robbins, illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov

This book is based on the Russian folktale about an old woman’s endless search for the Christ child.

• 1940 Winner: “Abraham Lincoln” by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

From his humble beginnings in the Kentucky wilderness to the peak of his career as President, this picture biography brings Lincoln to life for first-time readers.