Category Archives: Entertainment

Kansas Families Tourism Program Opens May 25

2024 Sunflower Summer Program to Run

May 25-Aug.11

TOPEKA – Kansas Tourism has announced the 2024 Sunflower Summer program will be open for Kansas families on Saturday, May 25. Designed for Kansas students and their families, the Sunflower Summer program provides complimentary access to over 220 tourism attractions across the state. The 2024 Sunflower Summer season will run through August 11.

To participate, Kansas families with school-age children can download the Sunflower Summer app at the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or at SunflowerSummer.org to claim tickets to attraction venues. These digital tickets are redeemed upon arrival at the participating venue. Each user can only use tickets once per venue during the 2024 season.

“We’re excited to make this year’s growing Sunflower Summer program available to Kansas families,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “Our aim is to encourage Kansans’ to embark on unforgettable journeys and create lasting memories in their home state.”

Exclusive to Kansas families, the Sunflower Summer program is open to all Kansas families with school-aged students, pre-K through 12th grade, including public, private, and homeschooled.

Out-of-state students and families are not eligible to participate in Sunflower Summer.

Participating attractions include museums, discovery centers, historic sites, arboretums, water parks, amusement parks, zoos, guided trolley tours, live theater events and professional sports events. A comprehensive list of attractions participating in the 2024 Sunflower Summer program can be found on SunflowerSummer.org and on the mobile app.

To share your Sunflower Summer experiences on social media, use the hashtags #ToTheStarsKS and #SunflowerSummer as you post your travels. For more travel inspiration and tips about exploring Kansas, go to TravelKS.com.

About Kansas Tourism:

The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

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Fort Scott Soap Box Derby Reunion Race Is June 1

 

Clete Hall, Pete Allen, and Larry Ballou practice their created vehicles on Crawford Street for the race on June 1. Submitted photo.

Pete Allen, Larry Ballou, Clete Hall and Jerry Witt were all Boy Scouts in a Fort Scott Soapbox Derby in 1951.

1951 Fort Scott Tribune photo, which was submitted.

Now in their retirement years, the four will compete in a similar race called the Marmaton Challenge on June 1 at 9 a.m. at the hill on National Avenue at Oak Street.

The Marmaton Challenge is an event organized by Scoutmaster Seth Needham, of Pack 114. Funds raised will help scouts attend a summer camp.

“These are four survivors of the original soapbox racers from 1951, going at it again for a good cause,” Pete Allen said. “We all encourage the people to come down and support the scouts.”

About the Marmaton Classic Downhill Derby

Derby racing returns to Fort Scott Kansas, according to https://allevents.in/fort%20scott/marmaton-classic-downhill-derby

BSA Pack 114 is hosting a downhill Derby on June 1st.

All area cub scout packs and BSA troops are invited to attend. Additionally, there will be an Open Class so your company or organization can join the fun.

Get your team together for a fun day of racing, or just come to watch and cheer on your favorite team.

There will be three divisions: Cub Scouts, Troop, and Open Class

Registration and Check-in will be at 8 a.m., and racing will start at 9 a.m.

There will be many activities to attend throughout the day since the race is being held on the same day as Fort Scott’s yearly festival, The Good Ol’ Days. So get a team together, show your car off in the parade on Friday night, and come to Fort Scott for some downhill racing.

For additional information or to register, please email Seth Needham @ [email protected]

 

Gospel Singing Group The Williamsons At the First Southern Baptist Church May 16

 

Fort Scott First Southern Baptist Church

The Williamsons are coming to town! First Southern Baptist Church Fort Scott Kansas invites you to be a part an incredible night of music and inspiration featuring one of the top groups in Gospel Music-The Williamsons!

Mark your calendars for Thursday May 16th at 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) at 1818 South Main, Fort Scott, KS (across from Briggs Auto.

Free Will Offering!

Come join us for an incredible night of music and inspiration.

Calling All Creatives! Bourbon County Community Theatre Seeking New Members

 

Bourbon County Community Theatre was formed in late June of 2023 and has been working since to get up and running so the people of Bourbon County can soon have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy community theatre again.

This organization is not just for those wanting to act (although plenty of that is needed!). If you are interested in the technical side of theatre, the advertising, the construction, the script reading, the… you name it; if you have an artistic bone in your body, no matter how that looks, BCCT is looking for YOU.

Bourbon County Community Theatre is having their year-end meeting on Wednesday, May 22nd, 6:00pm, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center and they would like to invite anyone with any interest in any aspect of community theatre to come see what they are all about.

There will be discussion about upcoming performances, voting on board positions, and talk about and clearing up odds and ends for the upcoming months. Any current members or those who become members that night will be allowed to vote on board positions for the upcoming season.

Attendance at this meeting will not commit you to anything! Come see the benefits of becoming a BCCT member!

Fort Scott Kicks Off Summer Activities This Saturday

The Gathering Place was completed in 2023.

The City of Fort Scott is sponsoring a free community event this Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 10 p.m. called Hello Summer Luau 2024.

The splash pad will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Fort Scott Farmers Market is under the pavilion from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Fort Scott Sensory Park and Splash Pad is on North National Avenue;.

Starting at 1 p.m. there will be vendors for hot dogs, kettle corn, pork rinds and lemonade. Face painting and hair tinsel will be available.

Free goodie bags will be given to the first 100 kids attending.

In the evening, live music will feature Vinyl Revival and Surfin USA two Kansas City bands.

“The purpose of this event is to have the community come together and be able to kick off summer 2024,” Payton Coyan, the City of Fort Scott Director of Human Resources, said.

Payton Coyan. Submitted photo

“We are excited to host the Hello Summer Luau to strengthen our community bonds. These events help develop a sense of belonging, community, and friendship! This event will be an alcohol and drug-free event. The whole event will be free for all individuals! We hope to see everyone in Downtown Fort Scott to kick off SUMMER 2024!”

The event will be at the Gathering Square in Downtown Fort Scott, on North National Avenue, south the Marmaton River Bridge

The Fort Scott Splash Pad opened in 2023.

The City of Fort Scott is so excited to invite everyone to kick off summer with a splash bash at the splashpad on May 18th, 2024,” she said. “The Farmers Market will kick it off that morning and then there will be over 15 vendors that have face painting, hair tinsel, ice cream, lemonade, snacks and we will also have special guest Sparky the Fire Dog. The City of Fort Scott will have gift bags for the first 100 kiddos and then Surfin’ USA and Vinyl Revival will be highlighting the evening from 6:30PM to 10:00PM. All Hit 103.9 will be there with live coverage, and is our platinum advertisement sponsor for this city-wide event. Come join the fun on May 18th, at the Splashpad in Downtown Fort Scott.”

“If we have inclement weather it will be moved to Memorial Hall,: Coyan said. “However, according to the weather forecast, we look like we are going to have great weather!”

Coyan and Mary Wyatt, the city’s Planning, Housing, and Community Development Director, are facilitating the event.

This is being paid for by the city’s  Fund 206 – Special Alcohol and Drugs (Prevention). This fund can only be utilized when Alcohol and Drugs are not allowed to be sold in the event space.

Mary Wyatt. Submitted photo.

 

Par Tee Girls At Woodland Hills May 15

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
Diane Striler – Par Tee Girls…

Come join us for good food, drinks, and community fellowship! Brickstreet BBQ will be serving food while the club house will be serving the drinks!

Wednesday, May 15th

5:30-9:00pm

Pulled Pork or Chicken Sandwiches: $7

Pulled Pork or Chicken Nachos: $11

Sides (Baked Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad): $3

Carry out available

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

Sign Up To Be In The Good Ol’ Days Parade by May 29

Good Ol’ Days Parade!

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is NOW taking entries for he GOOD OL’ DAYS PARADE that will take place in Fort Scott on Friday, May 31st at 6pm.

We encourage you to get your business, organization, friends, or family together and enter a float, walking unit, golf cart, car/truck, tractor, horse entry, or other! It is FREE to enter the parade and cash prizes will be awarded in each category.

Click here to print the parade entry form, or you can click “Register” on this link to enter online!

The deadline is May 29th.

For more information about the Good Ol’ Days festival, click here!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

FSHS Thespians Perform Comedy Improv Show This Sunday

The Fort Scott High School Thespians perform their annual Spring Improv Comedy Show at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 12 at the FSHS Auditorium.

The show features improvised comedic scenes acted out on the spot using suggestions from the audience. Admission for the show is a free will donation at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Improv Troupe, named Scripted, is directed by FSHS teacher Mark Bergmann and sponsored by Thespian Director Angie Bin. Junior Cooper George serves as this year’s Improv Troupe Captain.

 

Upgrades on Fort Scott’s East Side Are In the Works

 

Third Street Park is east of Hwy. 69. This is the lower level with the ballpark. The upper level has playground equipment, a pavilion and bathrooms.

 

Upgrades to Third Street Park, Nelson Park and the Ellis Park Soccer Field are in the works by the City of Fort Scott.
“The City of Fort Scott is working on upgrades to the 3rd Street Park bathrooms, ” Mary Wyatt, Fort Scott’s Planning, Housing, and Community Development Director, said. “I’ve ordered new bathroom doors, Ron Hurd Construction is going to be framing in the new doors, Stoughton’s Plumbing will be drilling sink holes into the concrete in both bathrooms and installing sinks, we (the City of Fort Scott)are installing motion lights, security cameras, and automatic locks for the bathroom doors. Evergy (the electric utility)  has made a donation of a 35-foot pole to the project and CrawKan (Telephone Cooperative)  has also been involved in the technology aspect of this project.”
Mary Wyatt. Submitted photo.
Third Street Park is located at 600 E 3rd St., a few blocks east of Hwy. 69.
Volunteers John Crain and Josh Jones painted the bathroom at Third Street Park during the beginning of the upgrades last year.  Submitted photo.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team received a grant to install new playground equipment and new concrete stairs that have added better access in the multi-level park in 2023.

Rachel Carpenter. Submitted photo.

“Through funding from Patterson Family Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, HBCAT started the Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods placemaking projects,” according to Rachel Carpenter, HBCAT Director in a prior interview.

This playground equipment was installed last year at Third Street Park.

A Building Up Our Neighborhoods Placemaking project through HBCAT repaired the bathrooms and existing structures, including the basketball goal.

To view the prior story:

“HBCAT initially started the 3rd Street Park project in 2023 and had new playground equipment and fall protection installed, the City of Fort Scott promised assistance on the project in the form of upgrading the bathrooms,” Wyatt said.  “The City of Fort Scott has paid for the bathroom doors and security equipment and will be paying Stoughton’s Plumbing for their services and Jeff Allen for electrical work and CrawKan for the technology work, Ron Hurd Construction has volunteered to donate their time to frame in the new bathroom doors, and Evergy donated a bare 35-foot pole.”
John Crain and Josh Jones paint the bathroom at Third Street Park, in this 2023 photo. Submitted photo.
“The HBCAT 3rd Street Park project was paid for by a grant that HBCAT applied for and were awarded, but the bathrooms portion of the project is paid for by the City of Fort Scott,” Wyatt noted.
The bathroom completion timeline is the end of May.
“There are a lot of moving parts and coordinating of individuals and businesses to make it all come together, but it is my goal to have the bathrooms completed and opened to the public by Memorial Day weekend,” she said.
Wyatt has been working on other projects for youth.
Nelson Park is at Grant and Elm Street in Fort Scott.
“I am also currently working on a project to make upgrades to Nelson Park, I’ve recently attended several Community Development and Grant Writing workshops and have found many resources that could lead to grant funding opportunities to fund the Nelson Park project,” she said. Nelson Park can be accessed from East Wall Street, turning north on Grant Street
“A few months ago, I completed a project that brought flashing school zone speed limit signs to both Margrave Street on the east side of Fort Scott as well as on National Avenue on the west side of Fort Scott and also just received additional flashing school zone signs that will be placed on Horton Street. The cost of the flashing school zone signs were split between the USD234 school district and the City of Fort Scott.”
Ellis Park is located at !12th and Williams Street in Fort Scott. This is a view of the soccer field on Williams Street.
“I am also currently looking into a project that could hopefully help resurface the Ellis Park soccer field this summer,” she said. Ellis Park is near the Fort Scott Middle School, on Twelveth Street.

 

Chamber Coffee hosted by Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore On May 9

 

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee hosted by Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore on Thursday, May 9th at 8am. Crooked Cactus Coffee, juice, and refreshments will be served, and attendees may register to win a special drawing.

Jordan and Randi Witt, new owners of Hedgehog.INK!, took ownership in February 2024. Hedgehog.INK! is your family-owned bookstore located in the historic downtown Fort Scott. With over 25 sections of new and used books, including a local authors section, you can find books in great condition at an affordable price and something for everyone! Hedgehog.INK! also carries products from several local vendors and offers freshly roasted Nutty Bavarian nuts.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information. Visit the Events Calendar and category of Chamber Coffees on fortscott.com for upcoming locations.

 

 

Good Ol’ Days Begins At The End Of May: Lavetta Simmons Is the Parade Grand Marshal

 

 

Good Ol’ Days on Main Street, 2023.

The 43rd annual Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days will happen May 31 through June 1 with the theme “Where Our History Comes to Life” said the steering committee chairman, Shawn O’Brien.

The kick-off is Friday, May 31,  from 4:30-6 p.m. with the chicken dinner catered by Chicken Marys for $10 for a two-piece dinner including  German potato salad, creamy cole slaw bread, and water.
“You can purchase your tickets at the Fort Scott Chamber office, 231 E. Wall,” O’Brien said. ” Pick up will be at the corner of Wall and Main.  You can drive through on the east side at Wall Street and Scott Avenue.”
The beginning of the parade in 2019.
“The largest parade of the year starts  Friday at 6 p.m. at 6th and Main Street,” he said.  “We are delighted to announce that Lavetta Simmons has been selected as this year’s Grand Marshal. Each year, our committee has the privilege of recognizing individuals who stand out and shine in our community, and Lavetta’s unwavering dedication to Care to Share has truly captured our hearts.”
Lavetta Simmons was one of the founders of Care to Share, an organization that supports cancer patients and their families.
“Lavetta’s heartfelt commitment to Care to Share over the years has left an indelible mark on countless lives,” he said. “Her compassion and kindness have provided solace and support to numerous cancer victims, survivors, as well as their families and friends. Though Lavetta has retired from her role at Care to Share, her dedication to service continues as she now attends to her family, serving as the epitome of the best babysitter. Join us in celebrating Lavetta Simmons and her remarkable contributions to our community.”
“This year we will feature some great entertainment on the stage at Skubitz Plaza,” O’Brien said. “Friday night will kick off at 7 p.m. with Nathan Ast Band followed by Blane Howard. Blane returns to Fort Scott for his second show. We are excited to host him again as he always has a great show.”
The stage at Skubitz Plaza will feature free entertainment.
“We will have local artists Jericho Jones and Holly Crays on Saturday, he said.  “Then finish out the Saturday evening with Left of Center which will play some great music along with karaoke. Bring your lawn chairs and come out and enjoy live music that features some great artists.
“The Red Garter show will return thanks to Kenny Clary and his wonderful group,” he said. “They always have an energy-packed show. This year they will have their show in the Liberty Theatre. We are excited to partner with a generous sponsor to host this show in the beautiful downtown Liberty Theatre.”
The Red Garter show will kick off Friday at 7 p.m. for one show, then resume Saturday at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a show every hour.
Jared Leek in the Good Ol’ Days parade in 2016.
“Jared Leek, owner of Liberty Theatre, an icon of the parade, will appear on the magical bike and we are so thankful for all the years that he has represented something that dates back to the start of the Good Ol’ Days”.

Many great family activities are planned for Saturday.

“We will have a bounce house at 3rd and Main Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $5 unlimited bouncing. Tulsa Gelly Ball will return this year at 2nd and Main. They have always been a family fun event. There is a cost for each participant, hide, roll, and avoid being shot at through a maze of obstacles. We will also offer free balloon artist and caricature drawings. These have been a great hit over the past few years.”

“We have some new food trucks coming in, and locals that will feature tacos, burgers, chicken, Hawaiian dishes, BBQ, fried fish, fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and much more,” he said.
Good Ol’ Days food truck.
‘The food trucks are always a huge hit as they feature fun options that we can’t get locally. We are excited to feature some new food that we have not had before,” he said.
Vendors and sponsors are needed for the event.
The steering committee chairman is O’Brien, Vice Chair Charlotte Thompson, Secretary Kayla Hall, Treasurer Cheryl VanHoecke, Fort Scott National Historic Site representative Carl Brenner, and members, Tim VanHoecke, Shaylynn Clements, Angel Wilson, and Trey Sharp.
To learn more:
O’Brien has been on the committee for 11 years and chairman for 5 years.
Shawn O’Brien,
“I want to thank our community for their generous support and contributions,” he said. “Our festival would not be possible without so many volunteers and passionate people. The City of Fort Scott is gracious with their city workers, the Fire department and Police department and so many countless others.”
“This will be my last year as chairman, and I am looking forward to enjoying the Good Ol’ Days as I did 12 years ago strolling down the street and enjoying the food, crafts, and fun,” he said. “If you would like to become a part of the committee, please let me know as we are looking for people to join our fun team.”

SEK Library Newsletter

The SEKnFind Newsletter
April 2024

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Just for the summer
by Abby Jimenez

With every person they date finding their soulmate the second they break up, Justin and Emma decide to date each other and break up to cancel each other’s curse out, but their quick fling turns into something more when their families get involved and they catch real feelings for each other. Original.

The unquiet bones : a novel
by Loreth Anne White

When human remains are found, reopening a decades-old case, a group of friends, highly respected, affluent members of their communities, begins to fracture as homicide detective Jane Munro and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ella Queen get closer to the truth of what happened on an autumn night 47 years ago.

The best way to bury your husband
by Alexia Casale

After killing her husband—a truly terrible man, Sally finds herself leading an extremely unusual self-help group of women who have come together to heal the damage their husbands have done—and to work out a plan to get rid of the bodies and get away with it. Original.

Victim : a novel
by Andrew Boryga

A hustler from a family of hustlers, Javi Perez, after college graduation, writes a viral essay embellishing his life story, which lands him a gig at a legendary magazine, but when his childhood best friend is released from prison, Javi offers to cut him in on the deal in exchange for his silence.

Crow talk : a novel
by Eileen Garvin

The best-selling author of The Music of Bees returns with the story of the unlikely friendship between a lonely ornithologist and an Irish musician working to save an injured crow in the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Happy medium
by Sarah Adler

Gretchen Acorn, a fake spirit medium, is hired to cleanse a skeptical goat farmer’s property where she is shocked to find herself face-to-face with a very real ghost who wants to help the landowners avoid a long-standing curse. Original.

Night falls on Predicament Avenue
by Jaime Jo Wright

“In 1910, Effie joins forces with an English newcomer to discover what lies behind the doors of the abandoned house on Predicament Avenue. In the present day, Norah reluctantly inherits the house turned bed and breakfast, where her first guest, a crime historian and podcaster, is set on uncovering the truth about what haunts this place”

I cheerfully refuse : a novel
by Leif Enger

In a climate-ravaged America, a grieving musician sails a sentient Lake Superior, seeking his lost love amidst rising corpses, crumbling empires, and an unexpected rebellion sparked by his own gentle spirit.

Ghost station
by S. A. Barnes

While part of a small space exploration crew on an abandoned planet, a psychologist confronts a gruesome murder and twisted secrets as she races to prevent history from repeating itself in the form of space-borne madness. 125,000 first printing.

Moon of the turning leaves : a novel
by Waubgeshig Rice

When a community of Anishinaabe people, with their natural resources dwindling, needs to find a new home, Evan Whitesky leads a dangerous mission back to their ancestral home in the Great Lakes region, during which they encounter other survivors, some who thrive on violence.

Matterhorn
by Christopher Reich

When his son Will dies following in his footsteps, former CIA agent Mac Dekker, forced into hiding after being framed for treason, returns to the field to uncover the secrets Will was hiding and finds himself working to stop a terrorist plot that threatens thousands.

The man from Waco
by William W. Johnstone

Sacrificing his freedom by confessing to his desperate brother’s crime, John Bannack, while on work detail outside the prison, saves the judge who sentenced him from a bloody prison break, in return the judge releases him and employs him as his bodyguard and avenger. Original.

New Audiobooks

Darling Girls
by Sally Hepworth

Two women who escaped an overly-strict home with a foster mother on a farm are called back to their childhood home and into the orbit of their former guardian when human bones are discovered beneath the farmhouse. 300,000 first printing.

The County Line
by Steve Weddle

During the Great Depression, Cottonmouth Tomlin, after the death of his uncle, returns home to Columbia County to the broken-down outlaw camp—the sum of his family legacy, but soon pushes the boundaries of the community’s forgiving nature as he is faced with hard choices. Original.

The Morningside
by Téa Obreht

After being expelled from their ancestral home, Silvia and her mother finally settle at the Morningside, a crumbling luxury tower in Island City where Silvia’s aunt Ena serves as the superintendent. Silvia feels unmoored in her new life because her mother has been so diligently secretive about their family’s past. Silvia knows almost nothing about the place where she was born and spent her early years, nor does she know why she and her mother had to leave. But in Ena there is an opening: a person willing to give the young girl glimpses into the folktales of her demolished homeland, a place of natural beauty and communal spirit that is lacking in Silvia’s lonely and impoverished reality. Enchanted by Ena’s stories, Silvia begins seeing the world with magical possibilities and becomes obsessed with the mysterious older woman who lives in the penthouse of the Morningside. Silvia’s mission to unravel the truth about this woman’s life, and her own haunted past, may end up costing her everything.

New Nonfiction

Before it’s gone : stories from the front lines of climate change in small town America
by Jonathan Vigliotti

A veteran journalist embarks on a poignant American odyssey, tracing the human toll of climate change that is no longer just a warming future, guiding readers across our current wildfire-ravaged landscapes, hurricane-battered coasts and vanishing ecosystems.

The age of magical overthinking : notes on modern irrationality
by Amanda Montell

Utilizing her linguistic insights and sociological explorations, the best-selling author of Cultish and host of the podcast Sounds Like a Cult delves into the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, including“magical thinking,” offering a prevailing message of hope, empathy and forgiveness for our anxiety-riddled human selves.

The anxious generation : how the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness
by Jonathan Haidt

“After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on most measures. Why? In [this book], social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the ‘play-based childhood’ began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the ‘phone-based childhood’ in the early 2010s.”

Briefly perfectly human : making an authentic life by getting real about the end
by Alua Arthur

“A deeply transformative memoir that reframes how we think about death and how it can help us lead better, more fulfilling and authentic lives, from America’s preeminent death doula”

Alien earths : the new science of planet hunting in the cosmos
by Lisa Kaltenegger

An astrophysicist unlocks the mysteries of alien worlds, from lava planets to multi-sun systems, using Earth as a key and humanity’s curiosity as fuel, in a thrilling quest to answer whether we are alone in the universe. 50,000 first printing.

A year full of pots : container flowers all seasons
by Sarah Raven

“Master the art of growing flowers in pots year round with inspiration from stunning full-color images and expert advice from the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Year Full of Flowers.”

Food Gifts : 150+ irresistible recipes for crafting personalized presents
by Elle Simone Scott

A food stylist and cast of America’s Test Kitchen offers an all-occasion guide to making 150 homemade, delicious food gifts including Fruits of the Forest Liqueur, Banana Caramel Pie in a Jar and Chocolate Ginger Truffles. Illustrations.