Bonnet Books

Are you looking for something to read with a focus on family, faith, and love? Do you enjoy a quieter pace of life and bucolic landscapes? Are you enchanted by the romance of Amish country? Perhaps you'd enjoy a Bonnet Book.

The term Bonnet Book is used to describe an increasingly popular sub-genre of romance set in Amish or Mennonite communities. The novels' covers often feature young women wearing a prayer kapp or bonnet, hence the alliterative nickname. The books tend to be gentle reads, though they might cover difficult topics such as mental illness or abuse. Often one of the main characters will be an outsider to the community, leading to the possibility of a forbidden romance. The authors themselves tend to be outsiders, though most books are well researched.

The Amish countryside is an increasingly popular setting for books, and not just for romance. You can find Amish murder mysteries, Amish werewolves, or cookbooks at Carnegie-Stout Public Library, but for fans of Bonnet Books we've compiled a handy list. Bookmarks are also available at the Recommendations Desk on the first floor.

If you're interested in checking out our collection of Amish Romance, you can start with this list of titles available at Carnegie-Stout.

Other links you might enjoy:

Amish Hearts: A blog maintained by a group of Amish Romance writers (Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, and Amy Clipston).

An article on Amish Romance from USA Today

An interview with Shelley Shepard Gray from NPR

An article from the Wall Street Journal focusing on Cindy Woodsmall

An article from Time Magazine focusing on Beverly Lewis

An article from the Telegraph-Herald on the local Amish community

Books to read in October

Ah, October! A time for apples, pumpkins, and gorgeous foliage, but as Halloween approaches our thoughts turn to ghosts, witches, and zombies. We here at the library are collecting lists of materials to fit the Halloween spirit.

Are you a fan of graphic novels? Check out these
Halloween Horror Comics

Do you enjoy paranormal romance? We have a list of
Romance for Halloween

Trick, Treat, or Murder? Try your sleuthing skills with a
Halloween Mystery

What's better suited to Halloween than an outbreak of the living dead? We have a number of books that cover the potentials of a
Zombie Attack

Check out this post for updates, or watch for posts on our Facebook page!

October is "Make a Will Month."

Join us on Sunday, October 10 at 2 p.m. in the Aigler Auditorium for an informational session about the importance of making a will. Alternate sessions will be occurring this October throughout the Dubuque area. These events are free to the public and include a personal inventory booklet.

See Press Release with Full Schedule Here.

Questions? Call Carnegie-Stout Public Library at (563) 589-4225, option 7.

Best Scene From Roman Holiday

Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) announces, "I would now like to meet some of the ladies and gentlemen of the Press (especially Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert)."

Woman's Day Essay Contest About Your Library

As the economy continues its slump, libraries nationwide continue to play an important role in communities everywhere, as people turn to them for free entertainment, to connect to the Internet and look for jobs. This spring, the Carnegie-Stout Public Library, the American Library Association (ALA) and Woman's Day magazine want to hear your thoughts on why the library is important to your community.

From now through May 9, 2010, women 18 and over are invited to tell their story in 700 words or less and email it to womansday@ala.org. Up to four stories will be highlighted in the March 2011 issue of Woman's Day. For more information and to read the official rules, visit www.womansday.com/ala.

The initiative was developed by Carnegie-Stout Public Library, Woman's Day and the Campaign for America's Libraries (www.ala.org/@yourlibrary), ALA's public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign's @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by ALA's Library Champions, corporations and foundations that advocate the importance of the library in American society.