Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really Is So Much More

By Courtney Carver

Adult Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Jill from the Winkler Branch 

"Project 333 is an invitation to create space in your closet, time in your life, and love in your heart."   You may be thinking, yes that sounds fantastic but where exactly are you going with this?

Let me give you some more information. 

First created by Carver in 2010, Project 333 is the fashion challenge where you mindfully choose 33 articles of clothing in which to dress for 3 months.  This includes clothing, jewelry, accessories, and shoes.  Only these 33 items can be in your fashion rotation for the full 3 months.  Also, the idea is that you are content with your 33 items and therefore you don't feel the need or pressure to go out and buy something new in that time frame.  Who doesn't want to save a bit of money these days?

    When I first started into this book I was a little skeptical of how this could actually work, especially with living in Canada where our seasons can change within a matter of hours.  There are a few exceptions to the rule, but the book describes all the positive benefits of this simple wardrobe lifestyle.  Carver thoughtfully guides you through each step to show you how this challenge can be achieved and with success.  There are also examples of real-life women from around the world who have completed and embraced this challenge and some who keep up with this on a regular basis.

    The author suggests that this challenge will overflow into other areas of your personal life.  It will allow more room mentally and physically into your space.  It will give you confidence to live with less and reevaluate other areas of your life where you feel there is excess.  I liked her perspective when she shared, "When you take on the challenge to dress with less, you'll challenge your relationship with stuff, your definition of enough, and what really makes you happy."

    For myself, this challenge definitely sounds appealing and it is something I may consider.  I'm sure I am not the only one who has wasted way too much time standing in front of her closet declaring that " I have nothing to wear!"  Carver notes it provides our days with less stress in the mornings, saves money, and allows for the simple joy of reducing items and decluttering your mind with just having less to deal with.  Consider this book if you are wishing to add simplicity, space, and clarity to your life.  

To place this book on hold, click here. 

Canadian Children's Book Week 2024

Canadian Children’s Book Week connects Canadian creators with children and teens across Canada. Our touring authors, illustrators, and storytellers speak to audiences about the delights of reading Canadian children’s books, and offer an inside look into their own work. These workshops and presentations can be a turning point in a child’s life, inspiring a lifelong love of reading. This year's Canadian Children's Book Week will be happening from April 28-May 7, 2024.

Joanna Cacao

This year the Winkler and Morden branches of South Central Regional Library are excited to host author/illustrator Joanna Cacao.  

Joanna Cacao is a Canadian Filipino author-illustrator who lives in snowy Winnipeg with her grumpy Pomeranian, Danny. Her first published collaboration, The Tryout, became an instant #1 Indie Bestseller and has gained starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness and School Library Journal. Joanna’s author-illustrator debut, The Secret of the Ravens, was published in 2023 by Clarion Books.

Ever wondered how artists go from an idea to a full fledged main character? Together with Joanna, brainstorm a brand new character from start to finish; from designing their hairstyle and clothes, to choosing their hopes and dreams. Discover the fundamentals of character creation, and what makes a character unique. Imagine and draw a character on your own or follow along as Joanna demonstrates live with the help of the audience/group. 

    Joanna will be in here on Tuesday April 20th at 11 am in Morden and 2 pm in Winkler.  Registration is required. Contact Morden or Winkler branches for more information.

Joanna's Book

Twin siblings Elliot and Liza only have each other. Their parents are gone. Their home was taken, and to survive on their own, they’re forced to scrounge up plastic and metal to trade for coin within an abandoned garbage heap. Desperate to escape the vagabond cycle that they’re trapped in, the answer to their plight seemingly appears when they stumble upon a Raven Quest—magical tasks offered by mysterious message-carrying ravens that when successfully completed, promise the victors coin and untold riches. In a gamble to change their fates, Elliot and Liza follow the trail of Raven Quests to the kingdom’s capital, where the greedy rulers of the Kawumiti Kingdom reign and young people are enlisted to train as royal mages for the kingdom's army. But the Ravens Quests aren’t as they seem, and the King is on a mission to hunt down vagrant participants like the twins. When a quest goes terribly wrong, Liza is poisoned, and Elliot finds himself racing against the clock to find the cure. Now the only way to save his sister is to join forces with a royal apprentice and a dark mage with mysterious motives of her own—even if it means sacrificing everything.

To check out Joanna's book The Secret of the Ravens, click here.

For more information on Canadian Children's Book Week, visit their website at https://bookcentre.ca/book-week

Witchcraft: A History In Thirteen Trials

 By Marion Gibson

Adult Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Britany from the Winkler Branch

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved reading this one. If you're into the history of the witchcraft trials across Europe, Africa and present day North America, I highly recommend this read, however, it is a vivid one, so trigger warning. You will learn about how political, and religious leaders stigmatized this craft negatively, and how they still do to this day, through racism, sexism and religionism and just HOW DEEP those beliefs still run. You'll learn how disproportionally these accusations were thrown at certain groups of people and what they did to those "convicted" of witchcraft. It's interesting how much culture was stolen from many spiritual groups, like the Indigenous or the Pagans. Did you know that wishing on a candle on your birthday cake came from the Pagans? 

To place this book on hold, click here.

I Love to Read Month Patron Book Reviews

During I Love to Read month in February, the Winkler Branch invited patrons to leave a book review in exchange for a ticket to our draw.  We thought we would share a couple of the reviews we received. Hope  you enjoy reading them!

To place Uni's Wish for Wings on hold, click here.  Or here.

To place Biscuit Loves the Park on hold, click here.   Or here.

 

Altar of Eden

By James Rollins

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Heidi

    This thrilling books weaves together real science with a fictional tale about what happens when some genetically altered animals are found in an illegal fishing trolley off the Louisiana coast.  Dr. Lorna Polk, state veterinarian, is called on by Agent Jack Menard of U.S. Border Patrol to find out what is wrong with the animals and, most importantly, what kind of animal escaped.  The answer to that question sends both teams into a panic as they try to locate the escaped monster and answer the bigger question of who would do this and, more importantly, why.

    This book covers themes including gene editing, for profit research, and of course it includes a little bit of romance.

    If you like mind-bending books about the intersection of history, science, and religion formatted as action novels, James Rollins is the author for you.

To place this book on hold, click here.

Shadows

 By Robin McKinley

Young Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Linda from the Winkler Branch

    Maggie's new stepfather is freaking her out.  Not that there's anything wrong with him precisely, nothing she can explain anyway.  If she says the shadows around him move on their own, she's going to sound crazy.  magic has been more or less stamped out in Newworld, and Maggie doesn't need a foreigner bringing it back, never mind actually living in her house and being married to her mother.  But magic is really hard to eradicate, and Stepfather Val may just be the start of a bigger magic outbreak that will suck Maggie in.

    Full disclosure: I am a fan of Robing McKinley and I've enjoyed everything she's written.  Shadows is no exception.  I love McKinley's worldbuilding, which is detailed down to the Newworld slang.  her characters feel real and I love that Maggie is strong without being perfect, and has the courage to step up even when she's very uncertain of the outcome.  Add in a good-sized handful of colorful animal characters, a few secrets, and government of coverup, and you've got Shadows: a book worth reading, and then re-reading.

To place this book on hold, click here.

The Name Of This Book Is Secret

 Author: Pseudonymous Bosch (pen name of Raphael Simon)

Junior Fiction

Volume 1 in the Secret Series

Reviewed by Mikaela-Summer Reading Programmer

Rating: ⅘ scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream

Review:

This book truly goes out to the kids (and adults) with habitually overactive imaginations. The Name of This Book Is Secret is written in a style reminiscent of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, through the framing of a narrator who constantly breaks the fourth wall- a whole chapter is blacked out “for our own protection”- which is a further testament to the author’s dedication to feeding into imagination. It’s through this elaborate framing device we meet Cass, an eleven-year-old girl best known for her constant survivalist prepping, and sort-of friend Max-Ernest, a boy who cuts all of his hairs the exact same length so as to not leave any out.

Our preteen protagonists are thrown into a world of mystery, history, and the unknown by way of discovering a magician’s abandoned tome- along with the evil Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L who seek the book for their own nefarious purposes.

I don’t want to give away too much- this story is layered with twist after turn, and despite its junior fiction categorization it’s an exciting read for all ages. There’s a whimsy Bosch has brought to the world, one that I appreciated as a middle schooler, and now as an adult. Read this book, for your own good!

To place this book on hold, click here.