This month we introduce Rachel H. in our Meet the Staff post. Rachel brought a lively cheerfulness to the O’Fallon Public Library when she joined us in June, and she is still a source of youthful energy. When you see her at the front desk, be sure to ask her about Star Wars.
In our recent interview, Rachel said she really likes working in circulation – especially meeting new and different kinds of people. “I really like books,” she said, “it runs in the family. My mom was a librarian.”
A few of Rachel’s favorite books, include The Alienist by Caleb Carr. She is adamant that the book is much better than the TV series.
by Rick Riordan
The Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima is a beloved YA fantasy series and her favorite children’s books include The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin and anything by Rick Riordan,
Rachel’s spirit animal is a sea turtle, she said.”I really like the ocean and the turtles are double sided – soft and squishy on the inside, but they have a hard shell.” It’s possible a certain movie influenced this choice. “When I was a child, my favorite character from Finding Nemo was a sea turtle named Crush.”
Rachel majored in Historical Studies at SIUE specializing in Ancient Civilizations and Linguistics with a minor in Religious and Classical Studies. Her long-term goal is to be a professional researcher.
As much as Rachel loves books, she admitted her secret obsession is “anything Star Wars – especially Rogue One.” She even has a favorite action figure: Anakin Skywalker.
The Lord of the Rings soundtracks by Howard Shore and John Williams’s Star Wars soundtracks were her listening choices while completing homework in college. Rachel’s especially drawn to the soundtrack of Revenge of the Sith. However, she said, her ringtone is “Duel of the Fates” from Episode 1.
Rachel reports she is a hardcore St. Louis Blues and Cardinals fan. Although she enjoys playing pick-up basketball and volleyball games, currently her favorite outdoor activity is long-boarding. A long-board, Rachel explained, is similar to a skateboard but is larger, can be faster, and is often used for cruising. After a long shift at the library, Rachel loves to relax in her hammock and read a good.
If you have any questions about book, movie, or music recommendations for you or your children, Rachel has plenty of ideas!
More titles from Rachel’s Favs:
Finding Nemo When Nemo, a young clownfish, is unexpectedly carried far from home, his overprotective father, Marlin, and Dory, a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish, embark on an epic journey that leads to encounters with vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish and hungry seagulls! Rated G. Director: Andrew Stanton; Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen Degeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis, Joe Ranft, Geoffrey Rush, Andrew Stanton, Elizabeth Perkins, Nicholas Bird, Bob Peterson, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana, Bruce Spence, Bill Hunter, LuLu Ebeling, Jordy Ranft, Erica Beck, Erik Per Sullivan, John Ratzenberger.
The Demon King: Seven Realms Novel, Book 1 by Cinda Williams Chima -When 16-year-old Han Alister and his Clan friend Dancer encounter three underage wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea, he has no idea that this event will precipitate a cascade of disasters that will threaten everything he cares about. Han takes an amulet from one of the wizards, Micah Bayar, to prevent him from using it against them. Only later does he learn that it has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. And the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back. Han’s life is complicated enough. He’s the former streetlord of the Raggers—a street gang in the city of Fellsmarch. His street name, Cuffs, comes from the mysterious silver bracelets he’s worn all his life—cuffs that are impossible to take off. Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna has her own battles to fight. As heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, she’s just spent three years of relative freedom with her father’s family at Demonai Camp—riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Now court life in Fellsmarch pinches like a pair of too-small shoes.
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