Copy

November 2021
Natchitoches Parish Library
Lagniappe

Have a Merry Motion Picture With The NPL

The Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) is hosting another outdoor movie this month, this time at Natchitoches City Park on Amulet St. Get in the Christmas spirit early with Disney’s The Santa Clause on Friday, November 19th at 6:30 PM. This family-friendly film is rated PG and has a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes.

Released in 1994, The Santa Clause is now considered a holiday classic. Tim Allen shines bright in this magical, larger-than-life hit comedy. On Christmas Eve, divorced dad Scott Calvin and his son discover Santa Claus has fallen off their roof. When Scott takes the reins of the magical sleigh, he finds that he is now the new Santa and must convince a world of disbelievers, including himself.

There is no admission fee and free concessions, sponsored by the Friends of the NPL, will be available. Attendees may also bring their own food and drink. As seating will be in the amphitheater area of the park, people are encouraged to bring chairs or a blanket. Follow the NPL’s Facebook Event for updates and more information.
The NPL has hosted several movies in City Park on Amulet to great success. Free refreshments will be sponsored by the Friends of the NPL.

New and On Order






Would you like to share your writing with others? Have a poem, story, review, or an excerpt that you have selected from your writings?

Please contact Alan Niette, NPL Community Outreach Coordinator, at alan@natlib.org. We will gladly share your tales with our readers!

Free Kids Coding Classes Through The Library

According to code.org, 90% of parents want their child to study computer science, yet only 1 in 4 schools nationally offer coding education. This is a compelling statistic, and the Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) has taken steps to bridge this gap in access! The NPL now provides access to Prenda’s learn-to-code web-based software for all library cardholders.

Prenda includes hundreds of coding tutorials and activities that gamify learning and lets coders build real-world portfolios as they go. These portfolio projects have children build dozens of real websites, video games, apps, animation, and programs. And with over 13 coding languages, including Scratch, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, and more, there is something to catch anyone’s interest. Everything about Prenda’s platform is designed to allow kids to take ownership over their learning experience.

Sign your child up for an account today! Visit natlib.org, click “E-Books & More,” then “Digital Resources,” and finally, “Learn to code with Prenda.” If you have problems creating an account, you may call the NPL for help at 318-357-3280, or message their Facebook page. Library cards are available for free to all Natchitoches Parish residents and those that work in the parish. To sign up for a card today, text LIBRARYCARD to 318-357-3280 or visit either library branch location.

Digital Hoopla Picks From the Library

Audiobook: Elatsoe (9h 2m, 2020). By Darcie Little Badger, read by Kinsale Hueston.
Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly every day, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Darcie Little Badger is an extraordinary debut talent in the world of speculative fiction.
 
Movie: Autumn In New York (1h 44m, 2000, PG13).
48 year-old restaurateur Will (Richard Gere) is successful, single and determined to keep it that way. Will has never thought seriously about marriage or commitment until he meets Charlotte (Winona Ryder). Charming, vivacious and radiantly beautiful, Charlotte is unlike anyone Will's ever known before, and as their relationship blossoms into something rare and wonderful, they both realize that this love will last a lifetime. But a lifetime may be much shorter than either of them expect.
eBook: Heaven (2021).
By Mieko Kawakami.
From the bestselling author of Breasts and Eggs and international literary sensation Mieko Kawakami, a sharp and illuminating novel about the impact of violence and the power of solidarity in our contemporary societies.

Hailed as a bold foray into new literary territory, Kawakami's novel is told in the voice of a 14-year-old student subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate who suffers similar treatment at the hands of her tormentors.

These raw and realistic portrayals of bullying are counter-balanced by textured exposition of the philosophical and religious debates concerning violence to which the weak are subjected.

Kawakami's simple yet profound new work stands as a dazzling testament to her literary talent. There can be little doubt that it has cemented her reputation as one of the most important young authors working to expand the boundaries of contemporary Japanese literature.
 

From the Stacks: Featured Cookbook

641.6 ROG—The International Spud, by Mara Reid Rogers.

Versatile and varied, the humble potato—or spud, as it is affectionately called—has traveled far from its South American home to become a welcome table guest around the world. The International Spud is not only a terrific collection of more than sixty potato dishes for every occasion, but also a fascinatingly offbeat treasury of potato facts, fancies, lore, and superstition. For a retiring vegetable that grows quietly underground, the potato has often lived in the spotlight, in games, songs, slang, and folklore. It has been the favorite of both kings and peasants, and the treasured pantry companion for cooks of all cuisines.


Dum Aloo (pg. 128)

From: India (potatoes in spicy yogurt sauce)
Serves: 6


Ingredients:
  • 1/4c usli ghee or safflower oil, plus more if needed
  • 10 small new potatoes, peeled, pricked all over with a fork, and quartered; if large, cut into eights so all pieces are uniform in size, or use a melon baller to scoop the flesh from 4 large boiling potatoes into small balls
  • 1c finely chopped onion
  • 1 Tbsp freshly grated peeled gingerroot
  • 4 cardamom pods, preferably green, shelled, seeds ground
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cayenne (red) pepper
  • 2 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2c plain low-fat yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/2c freshly grated coconut or
  • unsweetened shredded coconut, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
 
Instructions:
  1. In a large heavy skillet or 6-8 quart saucepan (large enough to hold the potatoes in a single layer) over medium-high heat, heat 3 Tbsp of the usli ghee. Add the potatoes and sauté them, adding more usli ghee if needed to coast the skillet, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are well browned and test tender when pierced with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a heatproof bowl and reserve.
  2. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp usli ghee to the skillet along with the onion. Sauté the onion for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the ginger, cardamom pods, turmeric, cayenne, ground coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice, stirring vigorously for 10 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the yogurt, coconut, salt, and pepper until well blended. Bring to a boil. Add the reserved potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

NOTE: If the sauce is too thick, stir in a few Tbsp water until desired consistency is reached.

This recipe is best when made at least 4 hours in advance or up to 2 days ahead. Let cool, wrap, and refrigerate. Reheat over low heat before serving.
Email Us Your Recipe
“I love to read a little bit of everything, but Fantasy books have always been my favorite. One of my recent favorites is a YA fantasy book called Sorcery Of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. It's about a magical library filled with books that turn into monsters, and a girl charged with guarding them. Which I thought was awesome for obvious reasons.”
-Madison
NPL Instagram
NPL Facebook
NPL Homepage
NPL YouTube
NPL Twitter
Copyright © 2021 The Natchitoches Parish Library, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

The views and statements submitted for use in our newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the NPL.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp