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Penny’s Picks! | A Booklist For Kids & Teens

Miss Penny from the Youth Services Department has hand-picked a selection of her current favorite books — and there’s something for a range of ages!

All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Penny Recommends...

A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope

by Patrice Caldwell

Sixteen stories by best selling and award winning authors, that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. Stories of love, betrayal, strength and resistance with true to life characters. It is amazing to be able to read different writing styles and diverse characters. Don’t miss this rare treasure of stories.

AGES: Young adults

Only Mostly Devastated

by Sophie Gonzales

This novel has been named one of the most exciting books of the year. On the list of Cosmopolitan Best 17 LGBT books. The story is inspired by Grease, complete with a group of Pink Ladies this realistic fiction book has wonderful characters that everyone can relate to. The voice of Ollie, is one of humor and introspection. Entertaining heartfelt dialogue with authentic, believable teen angst.

AGES: Young adults

Alice by Heart

by Steven Sater

This is a beautiful adaptation of the off-Broadway musical Spring Awakenings encourages readers to celebrate their imaginations. This is a journey through the mind of Alice, as she takes refuge in a London Tube station during WW II. Alice experiences grief, loss and first love with the help of her favorite book Alice in Wonderland .This is a great read for anyone who loves poetry, a good story, and love.

AGES: Young adults

Don't Read the Comments

by Eric Smith

Get ready to get your geek on! At first look this book is about a boy and a girl who find each other in the online gaming community.But its more than that, it’s an examination of the challenges teens face in the today’s world. This book examines a lot: racism, sexism, assault, income inequality, toxic online culture and more. Perfect book for anyone who loves gaming and relationships.

AGES: Young adults

What Kind of Girl

by Alyssa Sheinmel

These novel explores the topics of domestic violence and mental health in teens. The author does a great job of getting inside the victims minds and showing all their emotions and doubts that they are having. The book explores what constitutes abuse, do intentions matter? What authority figures ate the best to report to? Will anyone believe me? This novel is very emotional and sometimes hard to read, it is an important read for the #MeToo era.

AGES: Young adults

A Little Courage

by Taltal Levi

A sweet story of courage, imagination and friendship. A little creature loves to explore around the house during the day. The reader might be reminded of the Borrowers or Thumbelina. The illustrations while simple are very detailed. This little story inspires a sense of adventure, confidence and fun.

AGES: Preschool to second grade

One of These Is Not Like the Others

by Barney Saltzberg

This book points out and celebrates our differences. A book that begs to be read aloud. Readers are encouraged to notice both the similarities and differences between the characters. So clever, you will laugh out loud!

AGES: 2 to 5 years old

The Lineup: Baseball Biographies & Movies

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

The 2020 season of Major League Baseball is officially here! While this season is going to look a lot differently, we’re just happy to see baseball back in action. In celebration of the return of baseball, we’ve rounded up our favorite biographies and films to get you ready to cheer on your favorite team.

All of the titles featured here we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image.

Baseball Books — Biographies

This book takes you behind the scenes as friends and colleagues share their best, funniest and most poignant stories about an incredible guy and player.

The definitive and revealing biography of Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks, one of America's most iconic, beloved, and misunderstood baseball players.

An inspiring memoir from David Ross, the veteran catcher dubbed 'Grandpa Rossy '.

Superbly researched through interviews with family, friends and former Negro League and Major League players this is a spellbinding story of the athlete, showman, philosopher, and boundary-breaker Leroy "Satchel" Paige.

With his irreverent personality, laid-back approach, and penchant for the unexpected, Joe Maddon is a singular presence among Major League Baseball managers.

Journalist and baseball lover Ed Henry reveals for the first time the backstory of faith that guided Jackie Robinson into not only the baseball record books but the annals of civil rights advancement as well.

Authorized by Willie Mays this is the definitive biography of one of baseball's immortals.

The extraordinary life of Jackie Robinson is illuminated as never before in this full-scale biography by the author chosen by Jack's widow to tell her husband's story, and who was given unprecedented access to his private papers.

Mashi is the story of an unlikely hero who gets caught up in an American and Japanese baseball signing dispute and is forced to choose between his dreams in the United States or his duty in Japan.

A portrait of Babe Ruth and his partnership with business manager Christy Walsh traces how their strategies, achievements and notoriety established a blueprint for modern athletic stardom.

The autobiography of an African American who broke the color barrier in major league baseball and devoted his life to achieving justice.

Hall of Famers, clubhouse workers, coaches, and trainers offer their own unique take on Ryan in this book filled with never-before-told anecdotes, personal recollections and eyewitness accounts of his greatest games.

One of the most consistent superstars of his era, an incredibly gifted batter who compiled 3,630 career hits (1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road), won three World Series titles, and retired in 1963 in possession of 17 major-league records.

Here is Ryne the human being, Ryne the father, and Ryno the ball player. Here is the Ryne Sandberg that no one ever knew - until now.

A pitcher who achieved success at the major league level despite having been born without a right hand…he played ten seasons in MLB for the California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Some of the best players in Major League Baseball were born outside the United States, with Latino players representing one of the fastest growing ethnicities in the league.

Ortiz opens up about his life in baseball, about former teammates, opponents, coaches, and executives, and about the weight of expectation whenever he stepped up to the plate.

Roberto Clemente became one of the greatest Latino players in the major leagues, a ballplayer of determination, grace, and dignity who paved the way and set the highest standard for waves of Latino players who followed in later generations.

Drawing on interviews with friends and family, as well as teammates and opponents, this is an account of one of the biggest talents and most tragic figures ever to play baseball.

Classic and unforgettable baseball stories and anecdotes as only Yogi can tell them.

Films About Baseball

Want more recommendations?

You can check out all of our online booklists (for kids and for adults), or reach out to us! Our staff is ready and willing to make reading, listening, or viewing recommendations to you! Email us at reference@benlib.org or contact us via our online form!

What’s New: Thrillers for 2020

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists, What's New

Do you love a gripping page-turner that you just can’t put down? Below are a handful of our picks for the best new thrillers of 2020, hand-picked by our Adult Services Department staff. All of the titles featured here we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

The Missing American

by Kwei Quartey

After her dreams of becoming a police officer come crashing down, Emma starts working for a private detective agency in Accra. Anxious about her uncertain future and career in the city, she soon finds herself investigating the case of a missing American citizen in Ghana. In a plot that expands continents and the secrets of two countries, Emma must navigate a convoluted world of international scams, fetish priests, and the mysteries of the dead.

The Majesties

by Tiffany Tsao

Gwendolyn and Estella have always been as close as sisters can be. Growing up in a wealthy, eminent, and sometimes deceitful family, they’ve relied on each other for support and confidence. But now Gwendolyn is lying in a coma, the sole survivor of Estella’s poisoning of their whole clan. As Gwendolyn struggles to regain consciousness, she desperately retraces her memories, trying to uncover the moment that led to this shocking and brutal act. Was it their aunt’s mysterious death at sea? Estella’s unhappy marriage to a dangerously brutish man? Or were the shifting loyalties and unspoken resentments at the heart of their opulent world too much to bear? Can Gwendolyn, at last, confront the carefully buried mysteries in their family’s past and the truth about who she and her sister really are?

A Good Man

by Ani Katz

Paul Martin was a devoted family man who had all the trappings of an enviable life: a beautiful wife and daughter, a well-appointed home on Long Island’s north shore, a job at a prestigious Manhattan advertising firm. He was also a devoted son and brother, shielding the women in his orbit from the everyday horrors of the world. But what happens when Paul’s fragile ego is rocked? After committing an unspeakable act–that he can never undo–Paul grapples with his sense of self. Sometimes he casts himself as a victim and, at other times, a monster. All he ever did was try to be a good man, but he may actually be a very, very bad man.

The Holdout

by Graham Moore

Maya Seale believes that Bobby Nock is innocent, so she becomes determined to persuade her fellow jurors of it. Ten years after the trial and Maya’s successful campaign for his innocence, a documentary crew starts to look into what happened between the jurors behind closed doors. Maya, now a defense attorney, finds her life under scrutiny, as a body of one of her fellow jurors is found in her apartment.

The Rabbit Hunter

by Lars Kepler

Ten little rabbits, all dressed in white tried to get to heaven on the end of a kite. Kite string got broken, down they all fell, Instead of going to heaven, they all went to… It begins with a nursery rhyme. Nineteen minutes later you die. A masked stranger stands in the shadows. He watches his victim through the window. He will kill him slowly–make him pay. Soon the Rabbit Hunter has claimed another three victims. This predator will stop at nothing to reap his ultimate revenge. It’s up to Joona Linna and Saga Bauer to untangle one of the most complex cases of their career, and follow the killer’s trail of destruction back to one horrific night of violence.

Hi Five

by Joe Ide

Isaiah Quintabe, the genius PI who combines book smarts, street smarts, and enough blistering action to melt the pavement of East Long Beach, is back with a new adventure. Fresh off the beating he took at the hands of a gang of ex-Abu Ghraib thugs working as paramilitary contractors, IQ is determined to build a life for himself with his new girlfriend, Grace. For once, he wants to be normal–a normal guy, with a normal PI business, doing the best he can. But this is IQ, and trouble is never far behind him. Joined by his faithful band of fast-talking, sharp-tongued partners, Deronda and Dodson, the cases are wild, the mysteries twisty, and the driving fast.

The Janes

by Louisa Luna

On the outskirts of San Diego, the bodies of two young women are discovered. They have no names, no IDs, and no family looking for them. Fearing the possibility of a human trafficking ring, the police and FBI reach out to Alice Vega, a private investigator known for finding the missing, for help in finding out who the Janes were – and finding the others who are missing. Alice Vega is a powerful woman whose determination is matched only by her intellect, and, along with her partner Cap, she will stop at nothing to find the Janes before it is too late.

Deep State

by Chris Hauty

Recently elected President Richard Monroe–populist, controversial, and divisive–is at the center of an increasingly polarized Washington, DC. Never has the partisan drama been so tense or the paranoia so rampant. In the midst of contentious political turf wars, the White House chief of staff is found dead in his house. A tenacious intern discovers a single, ominous clue that suggests he died from something other than natural causes, and that a wide-ranging conspiracy is running beneath the surface of everyday events: powerful government figures are scheming to undermine the rule of law–and democracy itself. The unthinkable is happening. The Deep State is real. Who will die to keep its secrets and who will kill to uncover the truth?

Want more recommendations?

“Be Yourself” Booklist | For Kids

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Miss Diane from the Youth Services Department has hand-picked her favorite picture books encouraging kids to “be yourself”!

All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Miss D's "Be Yourself" Picks

Giraffes Can't Dance

by Giles Andreae

Gerald the giraffe wants nothing more then to dance but all the animals laugh at him…that is until he learns to dance to his own tune.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

The Story of Ferdinand

by Munro Leaf

Ferdinand isn’t like the other bulls. He just wants to sit and smell the flowers. So, what do you think happen when he’s picked for the bullfights in Madrid?

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

The Little White Owl

by Tracey Corderoy

The little white owl meets some colorful owls and wants to share his happy stories, and his toast, with them. They’re not interested in a plain white owl and that’s when the magic begins!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Elmer

by David McKee

All the other elephants are grey, but Elmer is a patchwork of colors and he hates it! Find out what happens when he sets off one day to make a change.

AGES: 4 to 8 years old

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

by Tom Percival

Norman is perfectly normal, until one day when he grows wings! He loves his wings but will everyone else? See what he does to hide who he really is.

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Tacky the Penguin

by Helen Lester

Tacky is pretty odd compared to the other pretty penguins. But, when hunters show up, being different can save the day!

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

How to Be a Lion

by Ed Vere

Leonard the lion and Marianne the duck are best friends. But the other bully lions say a lion a duck can’t be friends, ducks are for eating! How many ways exactly are there to be a lion?

AGES: 3 to 7 years old

Spoon

by Amy Krouse Rosethal

Spoon was always a happy utensil, until one day when he decides fork, knife and chopsticks are much cooler. But wait until you read what they think about that!

AGES: 3 to 6 years old

Founding Families | The Lesters

By bcplweb Founding Families, Local History

Welcome to “Founding Families”, a local history series that highlights and features a founding family of Bensenville through ancestry, photos, and more. Stay tuned for more Founding Families to be featured on our website and as a part of our “Flashback Friday” series on Facebook. In the meantime, be sure to browse the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives for more local history information.

Frederick E. Lester, son of Edward Lester, was born July 3, 1828, in Clinton County, New York. Edward’s third son John, made a claim at what is now Irving Park Rd and Salt Creek in 1834, at the northern end of Dunklee’s Grove. In 1835, his father Edward brought the rest of their family to the DuPage County claim, arriving November 1st. The Lester family were parents Edward and Hannah, five boys and two girls. Louis, Marshall, John, Daniel, Frederick, Julie, and Acinthia.

Their first shanty was 14×16, which served as living quarters through their first winter. A 30×40 block house was erected in the spring of 1836. Oldest daughter Julie ran the first Addison Township school in 1836, housed in a log cabin.

Frederick Lester was the youngest son and went on a threshing tours up the Fox River for eight seasons, until his leg was crushed and amputated when he was 18. After recovering, he began driving cattle, and was married to Julia A. Dunklee, daughter of one of the first settlers, Ebenezer Dunklee, in 1854. Frederick and Julia had four boys and four girls.

In 1873 Frederick Lester gave the Chicago & Pacific Rail Road right of way and ground for a new station (in present day Wood Dale), paying for much of the construction after the single line railroad from Chicago to Elgin was completed. Soon after, Frederick Lester and Frederick Heuer built the first industry in the area, a cheese and butter factory next to the station.

A post office was established in Salt Creek in 1874, with Frederick Lester being appointed postmaster by Gen. U.S. Grant, President. Frederick Lester died shortly after the station he helped build, was moved for a new general store and saloon, in 1891.

Our Digital Librarian & Archivist has been reorganizing and preserving the Library’s physical local history collection and digitizing resources for the Illinois Digital Archive. To start browsing the Bensenville Historical Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives, please visit: benlib.org/local-history-online.

Local history questions? Please contact Digital Librarian & Archivist, Elizabeth Morris, at emorris@benlib.org.

Sources:

1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois
DuPage County Historical Society Website, Wood Dale History, by Mary Lou Mittel

Now Recommending: Great Eats & Cool Treats

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Need some new recipe ideas and inspirations for your summertime cooking? Look no further! Whether you prefer to be behind the grill, or if you’d rather stay cool in the kitchen, we’ve got a variety of cookbooks in our collection — grilling, barbecuing, salads, sandwiches, and sweet treats — all perfect for summertime fun and good eating.

by Christine France — Tempting savory and sweet barbecue recipes, as well as new ideas for salads and accompaniments, salsas, dips and marinades.

by Danielle Bennett — Packed with simple recipes for casual, down-to-earth family food.

by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby — Demonstrating their cardinal principle: cooking your food can be as much fun as eating it!

by America’s Test Kitchen Editors — If you can eat it, you can cook it on the grill and do it better with ATK.

by Bill Kim with Chandra Ram — 80 recipes tailored for home cooks, includes suitable substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients.

by Tom Colicchio — Creates new classics like Tuna with Fennel, Black Olives, and Lemon; and elevates basic cold cuts through imaginative and tasty combinations.

from the editors of Food52 — New salad blends made substantial with vegetables, meats, grains, beans, fish, seafood, pasta, or bread.

by Michele Jordan-- Make stand-out salads & sides with over 50 recipes for sensational vinaigrettes, salad dressings, and sauces.

by Gunter Beer — Taste tempting creations to suit all occasions.

by Matt Kadey — Turn up the flavor-not the heat… with these fast and fun no-cook meals!

Be sure to check-out issues of the Allrecipes magazine — available at the library and for curbside pickup. Check out their website www.allrecipes.com for seasonal inspiration!

by Leslie Bilderback — Mouthwatering collection of shortcuts & classic techniques that help you achieve delicious results.

by Bruce Weinstein — Fill your summer days with scrumptious frozen treats and beverages!

by Nathalie Jordi, David Carrell and Joel Horowitz — Pair new ingredients, balance sweetness, and explore fruits (and vegetables and herbs!)--in simple recipes that work with standard ice pop molds or improvised ones.

by Adams Media — Featuring step-by-step instructions and nutritional data for each tasty drink, break out your blenders!

by Christine Watson — Crammed with refreshing recipes, clear and easy to follow.

Want more recommendations?

If You Liked… “Little Fires Everywhere”

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists, If You Liked...

Did you love Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng? It’s also now a mini-series on Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington! If you’re looking for more reads like this one, check out this list of read-alikes.

Such a Fun Age

by Kiley Reid

A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both. With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times.

Commonwealth

by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth is the story of two broken families and the paths their lives take over the course of 40 years, through love and marriage, death and divorce, and a dark secret from childhood that lies underneath it all. Told with equal measures of humor and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together.

The Leavers

by Lisa Ko

One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, Polly, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, goes to her job at a nail salon-and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her. With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left mystified and bereft. Eventually adopted by a pair of well-meaning white professors, Deming is moved from the Bronx to a small town upstate and renamed Daniel Wilkinson. But far from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his adoptive parents’ desire that he assimilate with his memories of his mother and the community he left behind.

Ask Again, Yes

by Mary Beth Keane

In Mary Beth Keane’s extraordinary novel, a lifelong friendship and love blossoms between Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope, born six months apart. One shocking night their loyalties are divided, and their bond will be tested again and again over the next thirty years. Heartbreaking and redemptive, Ask Again, Yes is a gorgeous and generous portrait of the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness.

The Mothers

by Brit Bennett

A dazzling debut novel from an exciting new voice, The Mothers is a surprising story about young love, a big secret in a small community–and the things that ultimately haunt us most. Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett’s mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret.

The Perfect Nanny

by Leila Slimani

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth

by Lindsey Lee Johnson

The wealthy enclaves north of San Francisco are not the paradise they appear to be, and nobody knows this better than the students of a local high school. Despite being raised with all the opportunities money can buy, these vulnerable kids are navigating a treacherous adolescence in which every action, every rumor, every feeling, is potentially postable, shareable, viral.

A Good Neighborhood

by Therese Anne Fowler

A gripping contemporary novel that examines the American dream through the lens of two families living side by side in an idyllic neighborhood, and the one summer that changes their lives irrevocably. A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―what does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don’t see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

Big Little Lies

by Liane Moriarty

A murder…A tragic accident…Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.

The Gifted School

by Bruce Holsinger

Crystal, Colorado. Four young families juggle the stresses of parenthood, careers, and marriage. As the kids head for middle school, the families are still tight. But when an exclusive magnet school for ‘gifted children’ is being built, cracks begin to form in their relationships. As the parents go to great lengths to ensure their child is accepted, relationships turn toxic and secrets are exposed.

Want more recommendations?

A Father’s Day Booklist | For Kids

By bcplweb Booklists, Booklists

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21! Our Youth Services staff handpicked a bunch of their favorite books all about dads! All of the books featured here are books that we have in our collection. To see if an item is available to check out or place on hold, click the cover image or button to the right of the description.

Our Favorite Father's Day Picks

Father's Day

by Anne Rockwell

What’s the perfect gift for Dad? In Mrs. Madoff’s class, it’s a book made just for him. First the kids think about their special moments with their fathers. Sam’s dad is so strong, he can carry Sam on his shoulders. Eveline’s dad sings to her when Maman has to work at night. Jessica writes about her father in Texas and her stepfather at home. And when it’s time to celebrate at school, both of her fathers give Jessica the best surprise of all.

The Night Before Father's Day

by Natasha Wing

In rhyming text based on “The Night Before Christmas”, Mom and the kids have a plan to surprise Dad with a special gift. When Dad goes for a bike ride, everyone gets to work. Dad wakes up the next day to find his garage newly organized and his car sparkly clean. So, of course, he celebrates by taking everyone for a spin!

I Love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Celebrate Dad’s special day by saying “I Love You” — with a little help from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This bright and colorful book is the ideal way to tell the person you call “Dad” how much you love them.

A Brave Bear

by Sean Taylor

After suggesting he and his father go to the river to cool down, a little bear tries to impress his father along the way.

For very young children just beginning to dare to do new things and their supportive and loving parents, this gentle read-aloud just might be the best thing in the world.

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

by Karamo Brown

I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye, and Jason Brown―featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed.

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

Loving and thoughtful, playful and daring, cuddly and caring–daddies are awesome. This gentle rhyming text celebrates the special bond between father and child. Adorable doggy daddy and pup illustrations make this perfect for sharing!

Daddies are Awesome

by Meredith Costain

So you want to surprise your dad? You’re in luck! The pages of this book are full of tips on how to become a super dad surpriser, including tips for things you can make, do, or find—just for your dad.

Two siblings provide instructions for how to surprise one’s dad, including surprises you can make, do, or find — and how to plan a Special Day surprise party for him.

My Two Dads and Me

by Michael Joosten

Celebrate Pride every day with this adorable board book for the babies and toddlers of gay fathers, featuring a variety of diverse, loving families with two dads. Families with same-sex parents are celebrated in this board book that follows busy dads and their kids throughout their day — eating breakfast, getting dressed, heading out to the park, and settling back in at night with a bubble bath and a good-night lullaby.

More favorites... Click the cover to view in our online catalog!

by Dan Bar-El

A gang of mythical creatures is roaming around a magical land having a great time, until Bigfoot gets his foot stuck in a tree trunk and Unicorn gets her horn impaled on a table and Robot’s saw-arm gets rusted into position. But no fear! Dad is there to fix things – even when a Sneaky Flying Alligator Pirate steals the Fairy Queen Ballerina Doctor’s wand.

When a Dad Says I Love You

by Douglas Wood

How do you like to hear “I love you”? This cozy picture book shows all the ways dads can say it best.

Dads know how to do everything. They can help with homework and carry you on their shoulders. They can make pancakes and teach you how to sing songs. These loving actions are just some of the ways dads show how much they care—and no matter how he says it, “I love you” is wonderful to hear!

Founding Families | The Fischers

By bcplweb Founding Families, Local History

Christian Fischer and his brother Conrad’s oldest child, Henry Deitrich Fischer, both from the Kingdom of Hanover in Germany, arrived in Illinois separately in 1833 and 1834. Christian was one of the first three Bensenville settlers and made a 1000-acre claim, near Grand Avenue and Church Rd. The settlers found plentiful timber and water, and flat prairie without stones. Henry worked carrying ashes for soap-making in the frontier town of Chicago, and also worked in a sawmill up north in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Christian’s brother Conrad Fischer and his wife Louisa arrived with their five children in 1836. They had sailed across the Atlantic to New York city, and lost one of their daughters to drowning while taking a boat up the Hudson River. They then traveled west on the Erie Canal and by ship across the Great Lakes. Henry walked to Chicago from Green Bay, to reunite with mother, father and siblings.

Christian met his brothers family in Chicago, and they walked to their land claim in northeast DuPage county, where they cut down trees from Dunklee’s Grove and built their new home.

Henry married Anna Franzen, from Prussia, in 1837, and they had eight children. The Fischer family prospered as farmers and leaders in the township. Conrad and Louisa Fischer donated land for a schoolhouse which his brother Henry Fischer built in 1851. The school taught English language to German immigrant children. Henry was an elected supervisor, and was Justice of the Peace from 1854 until his death in 1868, at the age of only 53 years.

The construction of the Fischer windmill, on Grand Avenue in front of Mount Emblem Cemetery, was begun in 1847. A well known cabinet maker, Henry Korthauer, helped build the mechanism, while men from Holland assisted with the three year construction period. The mill ground corn and wheat until 1916, and housed the Edward Ehlers family, after the Fischers sold the mill and moved to Oregon.

Local history questions? Please contact Digital Librarian & Archivist, Elizabeth Morris, at emorris@benlib.org.

Documents and photographs obtained from: Find A Grave and Ancestry.Com and 1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois (DuPage County Historical Society).

History from Books, DuPage at 150 (Moore & Bray), Bensenville (Sebastian), 1874 Atlas & History of DuPage County, Illinois (DuPage County Historical Society), and Kenneth Ritzert, History of Bensenville, (DuPage County Historical Society website).

Bensenville/DuPage County Community Assistance Resources

By bcplweb Resources

DuPage County Health Department COVID-19 Testing Sites

DuPage CRF Housing Assistance Program

DuPage County is providing Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) in the form of Emergency and Short-term Assistance in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This emergency rental assistance targets low income households who have experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and whose financial hardship has not been resolved through another source of assistance. The DuPage CRF Housing Assistance Program is for DuPage County residents only. Properties requesting mortgage assistance must be located in DuPage County. Learn more. (En español.)

DuPage County Resource Network

DuPage CRIS (Community Resource Information System) is a resource for housing, health and medical, legal, employment, transportation, food, and income support in DuPage County. CRIS is managed by DuPage County Community Services Intake and Referral, where they connect DuPage County residents with programs that can assist in many areas of need. Learn more

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The DuPage County Community Services Department’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program assists low-income households by offsetting the rising cost of home energy through direct financial assistance, energy counseling, outreach and education. An overdue bill or disconnect notice is not required to receive LIHEAP assistance. For more application information, including how to apply, or to schedule a phone appointment, DuPage County residents may call (630) 407-6500, (800) 942-9412 (toll-free) or visit: www.dupageco.org/LIHEAP/

Bensenville Wood Dale Food Pantry

The Bensenville & Wood Dale Food Pantry remains open to serve the community. However, to ensure the health of its volunteers and its continued service, their hours of operation have changed. They will now be open only on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., located at 192 S. Center Street in Bensenville. Learn more

Looking for DuPage county food pantries? Visit: communityhungernetwork.org

Unemployment Due to COVID-19 Business Closures

workNet DuPage is committed to providing workers and businesses with every tool in their arsenal to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than ever. Learn more

Illinois workNet, along with affiliates and community partners, provide one-stop delivery of services, connecting individuals, employers, and education and workforce partners to career planning, education and training, employment resources and tools and workforce programs. Illinois workNet seamlessly connects people to local and statewide in-person and online services and is open to all Illinois’ citizens, employers, and education and workforce partners. Learn more

Applying for Unemployment Benefits

Access information regarding how to apply for unemployment through the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Access IDES services, learn how to file an unemployment insurance claim, and more.

The new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program via the Illinois Dept. of Employment Security, provides benefits for many individuals who have been determined ineligible for state unemployment benefits, including self-employed workers and independent contractors. Learn more

DuPage County Small Business Assistance Programs and Services

In an effort to assist small businesses and independent contractors impacted by COVID-19, DuPage County in conjunction with Choose DuPage is providing grants to use for employee retention payroll, utilities, and rent. Learn more

Find information and resources regarding workNet DuPage business services related to COVID-19.

Coronavirus Fraud & Criminal Intent: Information from the Federal Trade Commission

For consumers | How to avoid coronavirus scams.
For businesses | How to get support, avoid scams, and follow appropriate practices in the marketplace.
Robocall scams | Consumer advice, robocall recordings, government information, promotional materials and more.

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