Biographies offer both adults, children fun reads

National Library Lovers' Month is past but Cedar Rapids Public Library patrons show love for our libraries not only in February but all year long. What's not to love when you can choose great new, free materials at two different locations? New fiction and non-fiction are increasingly popular among library-goers as the community embraces the recent Take On Literacy initiative.

A new biography of the extremely talented writer who gave us the movies 'When Harry Met Sally,” 'Sleepless in Seattle,” 'You've Got Mail,” and 'Julie & Julia,” plus many memorable bestsellers, is one such popular selection. Richard Cohen's 'She Made Me Laugh: My Friend Nora Ephron” offers practically unparalleled insight into the life and art of a larger-than-life American author. Cohen, a close friend of Ephron's and a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, captures her wit, wisdom and sometimes acerbic personality, while lighting up the pages with a writing life well-lived.

For patrons who love to read the book and see the movie, check out Darryl W. Bullock's 'Florence! Foster!! Jenkins!!!: The Life of the World's Worst Opera Singer,” then see Meryl Streep's star turn as the irrepressible Grande Dame of 1940's New York's music world in the Oscar-nominated film. Both book and film share great stories and recreate colorful, famous historical characters.

Denizens of the City of Five Seasons will want to peruse a new book of local interest, 'Tree of Five Seasons: The Story” by Gary L. Anderson. A slim hardback, it sports beautiful photos and gives detailed background information on the genesis of the local landmark.

Two new children's books that both young and old will enjoy are 'A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of ‘The Snowy Day,'” and 'Teacup.” The former, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney with pictures by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson, charmingly delineates the impoverished upbringing of Keats, and shows how he developed his artistic skills to create urban stories and illustrations in children's books. His rendering of Peter, the boy featured in 'The Snowy Day,” was based on pictures from Life magazine that he had kept for 20 years. It has been hailed as the first mainstream children's book to feature an African American child. Likewise, Rebecca Young's 'Teacup” takes on the timely tale of refugees when a boy sets sail in search of a new life. With imaginative text and Matt Ottley's glorious illustrations, 'Teacup” elicits empathy for refugees in a delightful, child-like way. With a wonderful final twist, the author reminds us that on life's journey, we're all in the same boat.

l Melia Tatman is a librarian at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. For more information on library programs and materials, visit www.crlibrary.org.