Hiking tips

by Katie DiSalvo-Thronson, HCLS Administrative Branch Our staff and the collection can help you have a summer of exploration, enrichment, and educational adventure. Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll find what you need to get there. At every branch, you’ll find friendly people eager to point the way to the materials you want, listen to your questions and requests, and delight you with suggestions.

The library is your free, amazing resource, ready to help kids learn – and love it. And though we’ve had to learn in new ways this year, education experts tell us that PLAY promotes children’s learning (and it benefits adults, too!). So this summer, let HCLS assist your family in finding materials that inspire curiosity and excitement, while supporting the need for content-rich and diverse experiences. Bring your ideas to the library, and let’s see where they lead!

There are many ways to engage with your library this summer: in person, online, and through our curated materials with your needs in mind.

Where will the library take you? summer:TIMEfor adventuresby Brooke McCauley, HCLS Administrative Branch

Howard County is home to the beautiful Patapsco Valley State Park, so you don't have to travel far to experience scenic trails of varying lengths and levels of difficulty. Additionally, there are numerous bike trails and local paths from which to choose.

Apps such as All Trails can provide key information about trails in your desired area of exploration, and includes hiker reviews and photographs. State and local Recreation and Parks websites also contain information about enjoying the outdoors safely and considerately.

Here are a few tips for new hikers:

• Keep your hands free if possible by using a fanny pack or backpack.

• Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Some possible items to include Band-Aids, pain medication, sunscreen, protein snacks, water, toilet paper or wet wipes, and insect repellent.

• Make sure your phone is charged, but be aware that you may lose coverage in some wooded areas.

• Let someone know where you are going and the anticipated time of completion.

• Wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots. They also add a layer of protection in case of snake or insect bites. • Do your research and when possible check out parking, level of difficulty/length of trail, and landmarks in the area before the trip.

• Know when sunset happens, so you don't get caught walking in the dark.

• Check the weather. Inclement weather can prove dangerous on trails, especially those with water features.

• Listen to your body! Stop and rest or slow down when you need to. Track your time, especially for out and back trails. Factor in water and food, but remember many trails don't have restrooms.

• Layering of clothes can support you for changes in temperature and provide protection from the elements, poisonous or thorny bushes, insects bites.

• Learn what is blooming when so you can plan to see various displays, such as mountain laurel or dogwoods.

• Go early or later in the day to avoid crowds.

• Don't leave valuables in your car. Need binoculars, trekking poles, or a compass?

Borrow them from the DIY Center at Elkridge Branch!

Local Parks and Trails

Patapsco Valley State Park • Hilltop area • McKeldin

• Avalon

• Orange Grove • Hollofield

• Hamburg Rd near Frederick Rd.

Liberty Reservoir

Daniels Dam (Howard and Baltimore County)

Gunpowder Falls-Hemlock Trail

Prettyboy Trail

Loch Raven Resevoir

Masemore Hemlock Ravines Natural Area (along Gunpowder Falls)

Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail

Morgan Run Natural Environment Area (off Klees Mill Rd)

Making the Most of Local Day Trips

by Cherise Tasker, HCLS Central Branch

Ever visited a town or building for the first time only to feel like you’d been there before? A vivid novel creates a world that readers feel they’ve actually visited. When planned in advance, day trips bring books to life.

Beach Lovers

Generations of children have enjoyed Misty of Chincoteague, a Newbery Honor chapter book by Marguerite Henry. Based on the true story of Misty, a wild pony raised by orphaned siblings on their grandparents’ farm, the novel details how feral horses first came to the barrier islands of Maryland and Virginia. Title is also available as CD, Playaway, and eAudiobooks, along with a film adaptation on DVD. Chincoteague and Assateague Islands may require more than a day since these journeys exceed three hours, but for fans of horses and beautiful rugged beaches, they're well worth it. Although the end-of-July annual pony swim made famous by Misty is canceled this year due to COVID-19, the week-long carnival will still take place.

Architecture Enthusiasts

In the novel Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, Mamah Borthwick Cheney tells the story of her affair with Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America’s most famous architects. Wright’s Pope-Leighey House is about an hour away In Alexandria, VA (just a few miles from Mount Vernon). Fallingwater is about a three-hour trip to Mill Run, PA. Both offer tours rich in original Wright furnishings and stained-glass windows. Fallingwater sits inside a bucolic 5,100-acre nature reserve. Loving Frank is available in print and electronic versions.

History Buffs

Abolitionist John Brown’s 1859 raid of Harpers Ferry is reimagined in the National Book Award winner, Good Lord Bird by James McBride. Brown mistakes “Little Onion,” an enslaved boy, for a girl, allowing the protagonist to raid Harpers Ferry and have a wealth of experiences such as meeting Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. Available in print, eBook, and on CD, the novel is also a miniseries in our DVD collection. Travel to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia in under 90 minutes, and your can explore the National Historical Park’s battlefields, museums, hiking trails, canals, and shops. For kids, print the Junior Ranger certification activities, coloring pages, and photo and history scavenger hunt.

HCLS has a wonderful travel collection to help in planning book-to-travel adventures. In our high-traffic region, hit the road early to allow the most time at your designated spot. Then again, with audiobooks, the driving time is part of the fun.

Read these awesome books, then see the stories come to life on screen!

by Emily Bell, HCLS Central Branch Paddington by Michael Bond Follow the adventures of Paddington, the marmalade-loving bear from Peru, as he adjusts to life with a family of humans in London. The movie adaptations are the equivalent of a warm hug – wholesome and fun for all ages. For all ages. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

The heartwarming tale of a curmudgeonly old man Ove whose world is turned topsyturvy when a young family moves in next door. Will this new family be able to crack Ove’s tough exterior? For adults.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi This autobiographical graphic novel tells the story of Marjane Satrapi’s tumultuous childhood growing up in Iran amidst the Islamic Revolution. The film adaptation was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2007 Academy Awards. For ages 14+.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott’s beloved coming-of-age tale of the four March sisters has been adapted many times. Most recently, Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation garnered six Academy Award nominations and took home the prize for Best Costume Design. For ages 14+.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas The heart-wrenching story of Starr, a teen who witnesses her best friend’s murder at the hands of a police officer and has to deal with the emotional and political fallout that ensues. Check out these awesome books then see the stories come to life on screen! For ages 14+.

Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple After planning a big trip to Antarctica, the family matriarch Bernadette disappears with no notice and it's up to her teenage daughter to figure out what happened. Cate Blanchett stars as the titular character in the film adaptation. For adults.

You by Caroline Kepnes An eerie tale narrated by an obsessive stalker and master manipulator, Joe, who will stop at nothing to be with his dream girl. In the television series, Penn Badgley perfectly plays the role of the unassuming creep. For adults.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

The perfect twisty summer read, Moriarty’s novel features elementary school drama, female friendship, and mystery. Season 1 of the television show is a fairly faithful adaptation of the novel, and season 2 continues the story and expands on the aftermath of the book’s ending. For adults.