Mysterious Month at the Belleville Public Library

By Julia Lennips

BELLEVILLE – Seek out the Belleville Public Library as a month of mystery and suspense is just around the corner.

For a few years now the library has been hosting different programs and activities that are mystery themed for people to participate in throughout the month of May. The tradition continues again this year.

Vanessa Pritchard, the coordinator of children’s, youth and reader’s services, says this year the library is excited to have mystery author Barbara Fradkin for a book talk on Saturday May 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“She is the author of some really great mystery novels. She’s a winner of multiple awards and she’s going to be here signing and selling copies of her book. We’re really excited to have her it will be a really interesting event,” says Pritchard.

For adults there will be a game called “Puzzle It Out”. Everyday throughout May the library will be putting a new rebus puzzle on display in the library. A rebus puzzle combines the use of illustrative pictures with individual letters in order to make a certain word or phrase.

“We’re inviting adults to come down and take a look and see if they can solve the puzzle and if they can then they will earn a ballot towards a gift basket which will be drawn at the end of the month,” she says.

Adults can also participate in a daily mystery book trivia challenge which will test knowledge of popular mystery writers and novels. If they answer the trivia question then they will earn an extra ballot towards the mystery basket.

Teens ages 13 to 17 are invited to play emoji puzzles.

“Everyday there will be a new puzzle but instead of the rebus puzzles we’ll be using emojis to depict either a movie or a book or a song perhaps,” says Pritchard.

If they can identify what the answer is they will earn a ballot towards a specific teen gift basket, which will also be awarded at the end of the month.

Kids up to 12 years they can play “Guess Who?” games. There will be a photograph on the wall and each week clues will be provided. The kids will use the clues in order to eliminate suspects until only one criminal remains. Children who can identify the criminal will earn a ballot towards a children’s gift basket.

All of the age groups are invited to complete a mystery report.

“Any mystery novels they read throughout May if they fill in one of the mystery reports, which is similar to a book report style thing if they hand that in to us they will receive a free book as a prize while our supplies last,” said Pritchard.

“Last year we had a great response to May Mystery Month. We had different puzzles and different programs, and we try and do something a little bit different each year focusing around the theme of mystery. We had a lot of participants and a lot of interest last year it went quite well and I was very happy with it. We hope that we have a similar response this year as well,” says Pritchard.