November 2023

I had never heard of Cecilia Payne until I read The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of. This book, published in 2023, is written for children by Kirsten Larson and illustrated by Katherine Roy. Find it in the Junior Biography section of the Pine Bush Area Public Library.

Cecilia Payne was born in 1900 in England. Her mother moves the family to London so Cecilia’s older brother could go to a better school. Cecilia finds herself in a worse school. “She realizes her new school is a black hole with none of her favorite classes. No algebra. No German. No science. Not even any friends for a shy and studious girl like her.”

Later, a new science teacher arrives and things improve. Later still, Cecilia graduates, goes to college and changes majors to physics and becomes a scientist. She moves to America and works at Harvard, examining the sky through telescopes, and thinking about what stars are made of. She studies star rainbows, called spectrums. Helium and hydrogen are the important
elements, and she makes a scientific breakthrough.

In the back of the book is “Cecilia Payne: Science Superstar” and “A Star is Born” which includes wonderful drawings of the phases a protostar goes through on its way to becoming a star in the sky. The main text has those pictures too, on one side of a double page, and the other half has pictures of our young scientist, as she struggles on to where she means to be.

It’s a good book, and it flows right along. Find the explanations in the back, and be introduced to someone whom I should have heard of before this. Read The Fire of Stars and take fire at what you could be.

If you would like a copy to hang up on the fridge at home, stop by the library and pick one up. If you would like more information about or sign up for any of our events, give us a call.

Local gardening expert Kevin Cannon teaches us how to prepare our ornamental and vegetable gardens for winter and be a step ahead, come spring. Topics include mulching, trimming, what to do with all those leaves, flower bulbs, cover crops, protecting native flora and of course garlic.

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Local gardening expert Kevin Cannon teaches us how to prepare our ornamental and vegetable gardens for winter and be a step ahead, come spring. Topics include mulching, trimming, what to do with all those leaves, flower bulbs, cover crops, protecting native flora and of course garlic.

There is still time left to register. Call 845-744-4265 ext. 2 to sign up before 4:00pm Friday, October 27th.

Don’t have a pet? Come out and watch.

Red Ribbon Week started after the death of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who in 1985 was brutally murdered by drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. After his death, people wanted to honor his sacrifice. Local celebrations began in California – where Camarena grew up – in 1985, and in 1988 the National Family Partnership started the first National Red Ribbon Week.

Take some time today or tomorrow to watch our latest YouTube video.