A Bookshelf Monstrosity

All Things Kid Lit: Binky Under Pressure

2011-11-05T16:45:00.000-05:00

Pick of the Week:

Binky Under Pressure
by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
Grades 2-6
64 pages

Binky faces off against an intruder: Gracie, the new foster cat. He must defend his turf and his humans, and find a way to get her out of his space station.

From School Library Journal:

Another winning entry in the series. In this installment, a new character enters Binky’s well-regulated space station. While Gracie poses as a foster cat competing for his humans’ affections, Binky soon realizes that she is in fact a captain in F.U.R.S.T. (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel), and she has come to evaluate the performance of his space-cat duties. The story is cinematically told; Spires pulls into close-ups at key moments and shifts fluidly between the vantage points of her two main characters. Pages are well laid out; while the placement and shape of panels vary, they always guide readers’ eyes easily through the action, and flashback and fantasy are easily distinguished from real-time events through the use of wavy panel boundaries. As always, the story is infused with laugh-out-loud moments aimed both at kids (Binky’s recurring bouts of space gas) and at adults (annoyed at Gracie, Binky thinks, “If this is what girls are like, he’s glad he’s fixed”).

You might also like:

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires
Binky to the Rescue by Ashley Spires
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett Krosoczka

Kid Lit News:

'The Phantom Tollbooth' Turns 50: Celebrating Timeless Illustrations

The Atlantic

October 31, 2011

The Phantom Tollbooth isn't merely one of the most celebrated children's books of all time, it's also one of those rare children's books with timeless philosophy for grown-ups, its map of The Kingdom of Wisdom a profound metaphor for curiosity and the human condition. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the beloved classic and there's hardly a better celebration than The Phantom Tollbooth 50th Anniversary Edition.

It's Almost That Time

2011-10-02T15:53:00.000-05:00

My official wedding checklist, which was a beast by the way at 124 to-dos, says I have seven days...I can make it!

Crossing over to the dark side...

2011-09-17T11:31:00.000-05:00

Yep. I have a Kindle. (Best wedding present ever!!!)

Regale me with your thoughts, tips, etc.

Libraries in the News

2011-09-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

Recognizing the impact of Ezra Jack Keats

Rocco Staino writes: “In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ezra Jack Keats’s groundbreaking picture book The Snowy Day (Penguin, 1962), the Jewish Museum has created the first major United States exhibition for the Caldecott-winning illustrator. ‘The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats’ show features over 80 original works, from preliminary sketches to final paintings and collages, and will remain at the New York City museum until January 29, 2012.”...

American Libraries news, Sept. 14

Edinburgh’s mysterious book sculptor strikes again

They have been described as the work of a “mystery book sculptor with a heart of gold.” Yet another miniature model fashioned out of a book has been left at one of Edinburgh’s cultural locations, and though the latest offering takes the form of a magnifying glass, there is still no clue as to who is behind them. The latest sculpture, found sitting on a bookshelf at Edinburgh Central Library, brings the tally discovered since March to seven. Edinburgh photographer Chris Scott has a roundup of photos, locations, and sources....
Edinburgh (U.K.) Evening News, Aug. 30; Central Station Blog, Aug. 31

More selections added to Great Web Sites for Kids
ALSC has added five more informative and engaging websites to Great Web Sites for Kids, its online resource containing hundreds of links to exceptional websites for children. Members of the ALSC GWS Committee review potential sites for inclusion and vote on the sites to be included....
ALSC, Sept. 13

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Elementary Edition

2011-09-02T17:45:00.000-05:00

Blackout

by John Rocco
Disney/Hyperion 2011

Summary:

Neighbors gather on the roof after the power goes out on a hot night in the city and start having so much fun not everyone is happy when the lights go back on.

Why You'll Love It:

Rocco’s lustrous, animation-quality artwork somehow manages to get richer the darker it gets, and features one of the silkiest skies since Van Gogh's Starry Night.
Page composition effectively intermingles boxed pages and panels with double-page spreads, generating action. Brilliantly designed, with comic bits such as a portrait of Edison on a wall and the cat running from a hand shadow of a dog.
In the most poignant spread, the family sits on the stoop, eating ice cream: "And no one was busy at all." It's a rare event these days.

Time to Sleep

by Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011

Summary:

Illustrations and text show the sleeping habits of various animals.

Why You'll Love It:

The illustrations are rendered in torn- and cut-paper collage, with each animal is set against a white background.
Fascinating behaviors are detailed with explanations, such as the "white stork sleeps in flight.by taking a series of naps that last just a few seconds each."

Aggie Gets Lost

by Lori Ries
Charlesbridge 2011

Summary:

Ben is heartbroken when his puppy Aggie goes missing while the two are playing fetch in the park, but he is determined to find his lost pet.

Why You'll Love It:

With clear and simple language, three short chapters, and abundant artwork that details the action, Aggie and Ben’s latest adventure is sure to be a favorite among beginning readers.
The short, succinct sentences are easy to understand, while they also reveal Ben’s emotions: “Did I pet her enough? Did I tell Aggie she was a good dog? I cannot sleep. I am too sad to sleep.”
Frank W. Dormer’s charming, stylized artwork authentically captures the lively jaunts to the park as well as Ben’s sorrow while Aggie is missing.
Careful observers will enjoy noticing the skunk in the illustrations well before he makes his mark on the story and will giggle all the more to see everyone holding their noses after Aggie is found.

Lost! A Dog Called Bear

by Wendy Orr
Henry Holt 2011

Summary:

When Logan's dog runs away as he and his mother are moving to a new home after his parents separate, a girl named Hannah, who longs for a dog of her own, finds him.

Why You'll Love It:

A warm tale that is filled with kid appeal. The main characters’ parallel stories pleasingly intertwine, and it is gratifying that the story ends happily for all involved.
Wendy Orr’s ability to convey emotions simply makes the story rich and satisfying. Logan feels “like the turkey’s wishbone being pulled apart after Thanksgiving dinner” as he deals with his parents’ separation. And Hannah’s feelings are often reflected in her ponytail, which “flips” and “quivers” when she’s happy, and “mopes” when she’s upset.
Short chapters and frequent illustrations make this early chapter book a perfect choice for newly independent readers.

Fractions = Trouble

by Claudia Mills
Farrar Straus Giroux

Summary:

Wilson Williams does not want anyone to know his parents have hired a tutor to help him with his math, but the secret could spell disaster for his friendship with Josh.

Why You'll Love It:

Familiar school concerns, nicely resolved, make this another excellent selection for early chapter-book readers.
The short chapters have believable dialogue and plenty of reader appeal.
Karas' scratchy grayscale drawings, one to a chapter, support the story.

My Humble Aplogies...

2011-07-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, dear readers, for my spotty posting as of late. The wedding is 3 months away, and it's crunch time. I've got invitations to mail, tuxes to choose, showers to attend, and DJs to book. Hopefully I'll be a faithful blogger once I've entered into wedded bliss. Right...

Anywho, I recently attended the Annual ALA Conference in New Orleans, which was great fun. My favorite pic from the trip by far is from a pub next door to our hotel very generously catering to the librarian invasion of their dear city by creating mixed drinks just for us:

I've been slowly plowing through some of the great ARCs received at the conference. Here are some that I'm most excited about reading:

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Crossed by Allie Condie (very ready for this sequel!)

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (loved her previous book, Alice I Have Been)

How to Save A Life by Sara Zarr

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonatha Auxier

The Women of the Cousin's War by Philippa Gregory (nonfiction)

The Scorpion Races by Stiefvater

The Swerve by Stephen Goldblatt

Mailbox Monday- June 20

2011-06-20T09:21:00.001-05:00

Mailbox Monday is on tour during the month of June at The Bluestocking Guide. Last week I received one book:

Can I See Your I.D.? True Stories of False Identities
by Chris Barton
Dial (April 14, 2011)

Summary:

Contains ten stories of true crime, fraud, and adventure, including accounts of a fake Asian princess, master thief Frank Abagnale, and a teen who "stole" a subway in 1993.

Reviews:

Rasco from RIF | Semicolon Blog

Books By Theme: Murder in Bloom

2011-05-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin."

~ H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), American author and satirist

All the Flowers Are Dying
by Lawrence Block

In a dark novel that alternates between alcoholic ex-cop Matthew Scudder's viewpoint and that of a ruthless serial killer, Scudder finds himself and those he loves the object of the cunning murderer's attention. Readers new to Scudder who want to watch him age over the course of the series will want to bypass this 16th entry and start with The Sins of the Fathers; Block fans who need a little something to tide them over while waiting to get their hands on A Drop of the Hard Stuff, Scudder's 17th novel that's due out next month, should try Robert B. Parker's Spenser books or J. A. Jance's J. P. Beaumont novels.

The Last Kashmiri Rose
by Barbara Cleverly

After a stint with a police force in colonial India, Scotland Yard detective and WWI veteran Joe Sandilands thinks he's going home to England. He couldn't be more wrong. The governor of Bengal requests his aid when the wife of a British officer is found dead. It looks like suicide, but when Sandilands investigates, he discovers that several wives have died over the last decade and that there are strange coincidences between the deaths--like each woman dying via her greatest fear (burning, cobra bite, etc.). Golden-age mystery fans will especially enjoy Barbara Cleverly's vividly drawn, well-plotted, and "spellbinding debut" (New York Times Book Review), which is the 1st in a series that now numbers eight.

The Name of the Rose
by Umberto Eco

In 1327, Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate charges of heresy against Franciscan monks at a rich Italian abbey, but his priorities shift when several monks die in bizarre ways. With his apprentice Adso of Melk, William investigates the murders and explores the abbey's strange medieval library. Written by an Italian professor of semiotics, The Name of the Rose is something of a modern classic. Originally published in English in 1983, it has sold millions of copies in multiple languages and is beloved by many. If you're in the mood to savor words and complex ideas, check this one out.

Queen of the Flowers: A Phryne Fisher Mystery
by Kerry Greenwood

Who is chosen as St. Kilda's Queen of the Flowers in 1928 Melbourne, Australia? The Honourable Phryne Fisher, of course! But the independent-minded, glamorous flapper and amateur sleuth finds herself dealing with more than her royal floral duties when one of her four young flower maidens vanishes. Phryne investigates, but more trouble occurs when Phyrne's own adopted daughter Ruth disappears. And then there's Phyrne's unexpected reunion with one of her many former lovers. Though this is the 14th book in this "consistently strong series" (Booklist), newcomers who like lighthearted tales peopled with witty, intriguing characters can start here.

Flower Net: A Red Princess Mystery
by Lisa See

Set largely in 1997 Beijing, Flower Net introduces Chinese detective Liu Hulan and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Stark. The two former lovers team up to solve two high-profile murders: the killings of both the son of the American ambassador to China and the son of one of China's elite. Though some readers may find this fast-paced, suspenseful novel to be less assured than Chinese-American author Lisa See's later books, those who enjoy learning about other cultures should check out this 1st in a trilogy (it's followed by The Interior and Dragon Bones). Fans who want to read more of See's writing about China but don't mind leaving murder behind should pick up one of her later, bestselling novels, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, or Shanghai Girls.

Mailbox Monday- May 23

2011-05-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is on tour at MariReads. I've been lazy with posting this month, so I'm just going to post a quick list of the books received. Be sure to visit the links to see the covers, summaries and videos!

Leaving Van Gogh by Carol Wallace: Spiegel & Grau; Reprint edition (April 19, 2011)
Noah Barleywater Runs Away by by John Boyne: David Fickling Books (May 10, 2011)
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt: Clarion Books (April 5, 2011)
The Map of Time by Felix Palma: Atria (June 28, 2011)
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch: Harper (June 7, 2011)
The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley: HarperCollins (April 26, 2011)
This Burns My Heart by Samuel Park: Simon & Schuster (July 12, 2011)
Relic Master: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher: Dial (May 17, 2011)
A Young Wife by Pam Lewis: Simon & Schuster (June 14, 2011)
The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly: Touchstone (June 7, 2011)

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Upper Elementary Edition

2011-05-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster

by Ursula Vernon

Dial Books, 2011

Summary:

Danny Dragonbreath and Wendell travel to Mexico to visit Danny's bat specialist cousin, but when a giant bat monster kidnaps Danny, Wendell gets his chance to play hero and save his friend before the bat monster makes Danny a permanent addition to her bat family.

Why You'll Love It:

An appealing and accessible format that brims with kid appeal. Ursula Vernon has a real knack for fun and funny situations and dialogue, and she is skilled at integrating her prose and bold, graphic-novel-style illustrations.
Danny and Wendell are a great pair. Their contrasting personalities—Danny is always up for adventure, Wendell is a worrier—play off each other and make for humorous interactions. (When they’re going upriver in a rubber boat and find out there are piranhas in the water, Danny’s reaction is, “That is so cool!” while Wendell’s response is, “I’m going to die . . .”).
An effective combination of real and fantastical bat-related elements. Danny and Wendell find a hurt bat, and Vernon identifies some species and sprinkles facts throughout the book (she also includes an end note about these endangered creatures).The giant false-vampire-bat monster is a memorable character.
Readers who are familiar with the Dragonbreath books will be thrilled to see a new title. Those who are new to the series will have no problem following the plot.

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero

by Marissa Moss

Abrams Books, 2011

Summary:

Describes the life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who disguised herself as a man, took the name Frank Thompson, joined a Michigan army regiment to fight in the Civil War, served as a nurse on the battlefield, and became a spy.

Why You'll Love It:

A fascinating story, engagingly presented. Readers will be inspired by Sarah Emma Edmonds’s grit and determination as she sees action on the battlefield, tends wounded soldiers, and spies for the Union Army.
Marissa Moss writes eloquently about the harsh realities of war: “One bloody battle followed another. Sometimes the North won, sometimes the South, but always the soldiers lost, thousands of them dying or maimed.”
John Hendrix’s distinctive illustrations—done predominantly in a palette of blues, oranges, and beiges—are striking and atmospheric. Characters practically leap off the page at times, and bold hand-drawn lettering—using a poster motif that evokes the Civil War era—splashes across spreads.
Excellent bookmaking, with a striking cover and an appealing design from start to finish. The backmatter includes author’s and artist’s notes that provide further context and lead to a deeper appreciation of the book.

Mad Scientist: Babymouse #14

by Jennifer Holm

Random House, 2011

Summary:

While working on a school science fair project, Babymouse discovers Squish, a new species of amoeba that talks and eats cupcakes.

Why You'll Love It:

Babymouse is a smart, funny character, to whom readers will easily relate. This installment will delight both fans of the series and newcomers.
The way daydreams and reality constantly interrupt each other is both amusing and realistic, and keeps the narrative enjoyable and interesting.
Vibrant illustrations, mostly in black and white, with pink to suggest the imagined passages, have fluid lines and an improvised feel.
The science-based jokes are fun, as is Babymouse’s ingenious solution to her science project dilemma. Her project also introduces a new character—who is the star of the new series Squish.

Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant
by Mark Jeffrey
Harper Collins, 2011

Summary:

Young Max, a troubled boy with a mysterious past, joins two other youths unaffected when the rest of the world was frozen in time on a journey across America--and time itself--seeking the source of the "Time-stop."

Why You'll Love It:

Immediately hooks readers with a captivating premise: time has stopped for everyone but a few kids, who now have free reign over the world.

Mark Jeffrey has created a vivid and inventive world. Rich descriptions leap off the page, for example: “[e]clipse-bitten red sunlight sprayed the jagged rocks along the roadside with the colors of sawdust and rust.”

Max’s and Casey’s outsider status—Max, because he’s an orphan, and Casey, because she’s impoverished—makes them sympathetic underdogs. Readers will admire the teens’ compassion, loyalty, and bravery in the face of (literally) alien circumstances.

Dino-Basketball
by Lisa Wheeler
Carolrhoda Books, 2011

Summary:

The meat-eating dinosaurs play against the plant-eating dinosaurs in a fast-paced basketball game.

Why You'll Love It:

The commentary is fast paced and exciting, the illustrations highlight basketball tradition and culture (cutting down the net, an audience showing team spirit), and the end is inspiring.
Gott's vividly colored illustrations are filled with energy-almost like sitting courtside.
Wheeler's staccato rhyming verse mimics both the play-by-play announcement and the action of a basketball game, making readers feel a part of the excitement. "Allo answers off the dribble. / Diplo takes it up the middle- / -T. rex charges from behind. / Steals the ball. It's Meaty time!"

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

2011-05-16T03:00:00.003-05:00

The Peach Keeper
by Sarah Addison Allen
Random House, March 2011
Fiction (Chick-Lit)
Copy Provided by TLC Book Tours

Summary:

Thirty-year-old Willa Jackson is reunited with Paxton Osgood, an old classmate from a prominent family, when he makes plans to restore the manor built by Willa's great-great grandfather, but construction unearths a skeleton and long-kept secrets, and Willa and Paxton bond during their search for the truth.

My Thoughts:

I've read reviews for all of Allen's books as they've come out over the years, and I've heard great things about her novels, particularly Garden Spells. When The Peach Keeper's 'blurb' mentioned the words 'Southern gothic mystery with a touch of magical realism,' I couldn't help but dive right in.

Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed in Allen's delivery. The premise is fantastic, right down to the dark and dirty side of the womens' society clubs of the South. A murder, a secret kept for decades, and a charismatic traveling salesman round out a recipe for a great read. The writing, however, often comes across as wooden and stilted. Some plot lines seem half-finished, as well as the development of most of the characters. I would love to read the same story written by a different author. Don't take my word for it, though. I am definitely in the minority!

Check out these other reviews:

Wednesday, April 13th: Knowing the Difference

Friday, April 15th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, April 18th: Bewitched Bookworms

Tuesday, April 19th: Book Reviews by Molly

Wednesday, April 20th: A Few More Pages

Thursday, April 21st: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Friday, April 22nd: Life in Review

Monday, April 25th: The Broke and the Bookish

Tuesday, April 26th: Life in the Thumb

Wednesday, April 27th: Crazy for Books

Friday, April 29th: A Fair Substitute for Heaven

Monday, May 2nd: Fizzy Thoughts

Tuesday, May 3rd: Coffee and a Book Chick

Wednesday, May 4th: Jenn’s Bookshelves

Thursday, May 5th: Alison’s Book Marks

Friday, May 6th: Bookfoolery and Babble

Monday, May 9th: A Library of My Own

Tuesday, May 10th: Teresa’s Reading Corner

Wednesday, May 11th: Unabridged Chick

Monday, May 16th: A Bookshelf Monstrosity

Wednesday, May 18th: Two Kids and Tired

Friday, May 20th: In the Next Room

Libraries in the News

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

BOOKS. Keep them. Yes, e-readers are amazing, and yes, they will probably become a more dominant reading platform over time, but consider this about a book: It has a terrific, high-resolution display. It is pretty durable; you could get it a little wet and all would not be lost. It has tremendous battery life. It is often inexpensive enough that, if you misplaced it, you would not be too upset. You can even borrow them free at sites called libraries.

~Sam Grobart, "Gadgets You Should Get Rid Of (or Not)", New York Times Personal Tech blog, March 23.

Where novels go to die
A bit like the Island of Misfit Toys from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV series, Parmly Billings Library’s basement is where neglected works of fiction—castaways, rarities, and ones that aren’t popular anymore—often wind up. Called the Montana Last Copy Fiction Depository, it houses nearly 70,000 fiction volumes, some of which are more than 100 years old, from libraries around Montana and other northwestern states. But plans for a new library in Billings do not include it....
Billings (Mont.) Gazette, Apr. 24

Top 20 Facebook apps for book lovers
Jason Boog writes: “Not all Facebook apps are dedicated to Farmville-style social games. Goodreads has the most popular book-related app on Facebook, counting more than 150,700 monthly active users. To celebrate 3,000 new friends on our GalleyCat Facebook page, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 book-focused apps on Facebook and ranked them in order of monthly active users.”...
GalleyCat, Apr. 24

NYPL lions (and their building) turn 100
Will Patience (right) have the patience to make it to 100? Will Fortitude have the fortitude? The lions in front of the New York Public Library (and the Stephen A. Schwarzman building that they guard) will be a century old on May 23. The library is planning a gala that will celebrate the building’s history, but did not want to forget the lions. So they have commissioned artist Nathan Sawaya to create a playful homage to them in Legos....
New York Times: City Room, Apr. 21

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Elementary Edition

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Loud Book

by Deborah Underwood
Houghton Mifflin, 2011

Summary:

From the blare of an alarm clock in the morning to snores and crickets in the evening, simple text explores the many loud noises one might hear during the course of a day.

Why You'll Love It:

Deborah Underwood invites young readers to think about sound in intriguing ways. Her catalog of loud moments includes things that sound loud (alarm clocks, fire truck sirens), as well as things that feel loud (burps during quiet time, a mother’s disapproval).
The book’s world feels cozy and lived-in, thanks to Renata Liwska’s adorable animals and soft color palette.
Readers will have fun comparing The Loud Book to The Quiet Book, which shares the same playful sensibility and appealing cast of characters.
Children may be inspired to think about the different kinds of moments that make up their days.

Owly and Wormy, Friends All Aflutter!

by Andy Runton
Athenum, 2011

Summary:

Good friends Owly and Wormy are disappointed when their new plant attracts fat, green, bug-like things, instead of butterflies, until a metamorphosis occurs.

Why You'll Love It:

Andy Runton conveys his story entirely through illustrations; even the characters’ “speech” bubbles contain only images and easily recognizable symbols. This approachable format will attract pre-readers, beginning readers, and reluctant readers.
The simple tale is full of heartwarming details and subtle humor, such as the nuanced expressions on Owly’s face and the appearance of a compact fluorescent lightbulb over his head when he has an idea.
Cute characters and saturated backgrounds give the bold artwork wide appeal. The design will also draw in lovers of comic books and the existing Owly graphic novels.
Attentive readers may notice cocoons gradually getting bigger on Owly’s plant. When Owly learns the relationship between caterpillars and butterflies, readers will, too. Or, if they already know the connection, they’ll have the joy of solving the mystery of the green bugs’ disappearance before Owly does.

Queen of the Falls

by Chris Van Allsburg
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011
Genre: Biography

Summary:

Recounts the stunt performed by sixty-two-year-old retired charm school instructor Annie Edson Taylor, who went over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel in an effort to gain fame and fortune.

Why You'll Love It:

It's Chris Van Allsburg! He's back! Do you really need any other reasons???

What's For Dinner? Quirky, Squirmy Poems from the Animal World

by Katherine B. Hauth
Charlesbridge, 2011
Genre: Poetry

Summary:

A collection of illustrated poems for children that explore the dietary preferences of animals, describing the menus of turkey vultures, archer fish, baby wasps, and more.

Why You'll Love It:

Biology, verse, and colorful cartoons make a fun combination in this collection of 29 poems in which the wordplay is sometimes as gruesome as the science.
Delectable poetic lessons on the food chain designed to help young readers rather literally digest the natural world.
Ink-and-watercolor images balance grotesque or absurd touches (think bulging eyes, sharp teeth, lolling tongues) with bright colors and attractive details.

Books By Theme: If You Like Bill Bryson

2011-04-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

"I could spend my life arriving each evening in a new city."

~ Bill Bryson, American author

Pass the Butterworms: Remote Journeys Oddly Rendered

by Tim Cahill

Vintage Departures, 1998

Outside magazine founding editor Tim Cahill offers a collection of travel essays that chronicle trips to such places as Mongolia, Yellowstone National Park, and Peru, where, on a serious note, he looks into a murder. To get a sense of Cahill's style, you just need to look at the titles of his books, such as Lost in My Own Backyard and A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg. While perhaps a bit more daring than Bryson in the adventures he embarks on, Cahill brings humor along with cogent and often personal commentary to his extensive travel writing; Bryson readers will certainly appreciate this as well as Cahill's companionable manner.

McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery in Ireland

by Pete McCarthy

St. Martin's Press, 2003

Though his family lived in England, Pete McCarthy's heart belonged to his mother's Irish homeland, thanks in part to youthful summers spent at his uncle's idyllic farm in Cork. McCarthy's Bar chronicles the comedian/writer/BBC host's amusing Irish adventures as he searched for his green roots in the Emerald Isle's countryside and, of course, her pubs (after all, one should "never pass a bar that has your name on it"). Fans of Bill Bryon's Notes on a Small Island may be particularly interested in this funny, authentic look at England's neighbor. For more McCarthy, check out The Road to McCarthy, which finds him traveling around the globe looking for other McCarthys.

Travels with Alice

by Calvin Trillin

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1999

In Travels with Alice, a lighthearted collection of essays first published in 1989, noted author and columnist Calvin Trillin recounts trips with his wife and two daughters. The family eats well (though they are more than familiar with Paris's fast-food restaurants) and enjoy amusing adventures in Europe and the Caribbean. Bryson fans might enjoy reading Trillin's work--although travel is not his specialty, he does go in search of interesting food and adventures, and his extremely humorous, conversational accounts resonate with insights into people and places.

Following the Equator

by Mark Twain

North Books, 2003

Though he passed away 100 years ago, Mark Twain hit the bestseller lists last year when his unexpurgated autobiography was released. Travelogue fans may not be as interested in that recent book as they would be in Following the Equator (also known as More Tramps Abroad), an account first published in 1897 of Twain's globetrotting adventure around the world at age 60 as part of a speaking tour (he needed the money). Readers who appreciate Bryson's wit might want to read what another of America's great humorists wrote about travel. Additionally, Bryson fans who share his appreciation of history might enjoy this time-capsule look at life in the 19th century.

Books by Theme was inspired by both Melissa at One Librarians Book Reviews's feature Listless Monday and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature. Be sure to check out their lists!

Mailbox Monday- April 25

2011-04-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

Mailbox Monday is on tour at Passages to the Past. I received two books last week.

The Girl Who Circumnaviagted Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
Feiwel & Friends (May 10, 2011)

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

Say Hello To Zorro!
by Carter Goodrich
Simon & Schuster (March 22, 2011)

Mister Bud is a dog of routine. He has wake up time, nap time, rest time, dinner time, etc. And everyone knows to follow his schedule.
Then disaster strikes. A stranger comes home at "make a fuss time" and throws everything off! Zorro is little bit bossy and Mister Bud wants nothing to do with him. But when the dogs discover they like the same things (like chasing the cat and napping), everything becomes more fun. As long as everyone follows the schedule.

A BIG thank you to all the above authors and publishers for providing the books!!!

Mini Reviews

2011-04-20T18:55:00.000-05:00

One Day

by David Nicholls
Vintage Contemporaries, 2009
Genre: Fiction

Summary:

The single day that Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley spend together in 1988, the day after college graduation in Edinburgh, makes a distinct impression on each of them and a relationship forms only after they part ways and are reunited once a year on the same day for twenty years.

My Thoughts:

This book started slowly for me, but I was soon eagerly turning the pages to see what would be happening to Dexter and Emma on July 15th of each year. I loved watching their lives progress on the page. Their friendship ebbed and flowed, much like many of mine do now as I near my thirties. A real tearjearker moment happened toward the end of the book that I am embarrased to say I didn't see coming. I don't usually cry while reading, but I sobbed during part of this one. Just warning you.

The Highest Tide

by Jim Lynch
Bloomsbury, 2005
Genre: Fiction/Coming-of-age

Summary:

When thirteen-year-old Miles O'Malley discovers a rare deep-sea creature stranded in the mud of the tidal flats of Puget Sound, he finds himself thrown into the limelight, but when he continues discovering rare ocean creatures, some begin to wonder if he is an unlikely prophet.

My Thoughts:

This is a lovely, quiet book that kept reminding me of A Separate Peace. And The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, for some reason. I loved reading Lynch's descriptions of the fantasic sea creatures found by Miles in the Puget Sound tidal flats.

Smile

by Raina Telgemeier
Graphix, 2010
Genre: Graphic Novel

Summary:

The author relates, in graphic form, her experiences after she injured her two front teeth and had to have surgeries and wear embarrassing braces and headgear, all while also dealing with the trials and tribulations of middle school.

My Thoughts:

Almost everyone has a dental horror story. I know I do.

Fifth grade + volleyball + knocked out front tooth = hating gym class for the rest of my life

I've had pretty much every horrific dental and orthodontial procedure invented happen inside my mouth, so I could definitely relate to Telgemeier's adolescent experiences with knocked out teeth, braces, and the insecurities that come along with being thirteen. Another great addition to the graphic novel genre that my upper elementary and middle school students can't seem to get enough of.

This Librarian's Quick Picks: High School Edition

2011-04-19T17:38:00.000-05:00

The Queen of Water
by Laura Resau
Genre: Fiction

Summary:

Living in a village in Ecuador, a Quechua Indian girl is sent to work as an indentured servant for an upper class "mestizo" family.

Why you'll love it:

Rooted in Farinango’s true story, the honest, first-person, present-tense narrative is occasionally detailed and repetitive, but it dramatizes the classic search for home with rare complexity and no sentimentality or easy resolutions.
Bright spots of humor and warmth are woven throughout, and readers will agonize for Virginia while seething at her tormentors.
The complexities of class and ethnicity within Ecuadorian society are explained seamlessly within the context of the first-person narrative, and a glossary and pronunciation guide further help to plunge readers into the novel's world.

The Darlings Are Forever
by Melissa Kantor
Genre: Fiction

Summary:

Best friends Jane, Victoria, and Natalya, who call themselves the Darlings, find their relationship tested when they start their freshman year at three very different high schools.

Why You'll Love It:

The girls are easy to care about, and the message-that true friendships can change and grow and still be maintained-will appeal to fans of Ann Brashares's "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series (Delacorte).
The problems and crises that arise are credible and not always predictable, the dialogue rings true, and the girls are well-developed characters that avoid stereotype.
The third-person narration shifts from girl to girl as it sensitively explores their experiences.

Between Shades of Gray
by Ruta Sepetys
Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Based on the author's family, includes a historical note.

Why You'll Love It:

A tender and moving story filled with details that make the places and events described come to life.
Ruta Sepetys drew inspiration for the book, her first novel, from interviews with Lithuanian refugees and her own family’s experiences. Not surprisingly, then, the characters, with all their foibles, dreams, and flaws, are incredibly realistic and sympathetic.
Though the book has heavy themes, readers will race through it, desperate to know what happens next.

Consumed
by Kate Cann
Genre: Supernatural Fiction

Summary:

A new manager brings many changes to Morton's Keep, capitalizing on its gothic atmosphere and history, but Rayne sees ominous signs indicating that the one thing that has not changed is the evil presence she had thought was destroyed.

Why You'll Love It:

Kate Cann is a top-notch suspense writer, weaving together a murder mystery with pagan folklore to build to a thrilling climactic confrontation of good versus evil.
Rayne’s spot-on teenage uncertainties, her complex romance with Ethan, and the small details of life at Morton’s Keep create a convincing reality, making the story’s supernatural elements even more striking.
Readers of Possessed, the previous book, will be uneasy as the mysterious new manager, Miss Skelton, gradually takes control of Morton’s Keep. (Those new to the series may want to start with Possessed to enhance their experience.)

Blink and Caution
by Tim Wynne-Jones
Genre: Fiction

Summary:

Blink, hoping to steal some breakfast, is forced to go on the run after stumbling upon the fake kidnapping of a CEO and recovering the man's cell phone, and he meets up with Caution, a girl trying to ditch her drug-dealing boyfriend, who identifies Blink as a mark until he tugs at her heart strings.

Why You'll Love It:

The crime-drama element of the novel, involving a dispute over corporate uranium mining on Indian-owned land, has enough suspense and action to keep readers interested while they forge a connection with the main characters.
Separate narratives-with spot-on dialogue and an effective use of a second-person point of view-come together to unite the two characters in a breathtaking thriller as they search for the kidnapped businessman and maybe make a fair sum of money in the process.
Wynne-Jones does an excellent job of portraying the pair's budding relationship as they learn to trust one another in highly charged circumstances.

Libraries in the News

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

“There something definitely different about playing the New York Public Library. There’s not many venues I play that have big stone lions outside, apart from my house, of course.”

—Musician Elvis Costello, who performed in November for a small audience at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Spinner, Mar. 31.

Where did steampunk come from?
Jess Nevins writes: “The task of defining steampunk has become surprisingly difficult. Wildly differing definitions are currently in use. But certain tropes appear in most definitions of steampunk. Steam power and dirigibles are so common in steampunk as to be stereotypical or even archetypal steampunk iconography. The following is a baker’s dozen of the more interesting uses of these steampunk tropes in fiction of the pulp years.”...

io9, Apr. 4

Gone with the Wind manuscript rediscovered
A page from American literary history, stored away at the Pequot Library in Southport, Connecticut, since the 1950s and rarely on public view, is back in the spotlight. The last four chapters of the final typescript of the novel Gone With the Wind—believed to have been burned by the husband of author Margaret Mitchell following her death in 1949—will be exhibited through May 7 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the book. The manuscript was donated to the library by George P. Brett Jr., head of Macmillan publishing and president of the library in 1953–1958. The only other remaining chapters of the typescript are chapters 43 and 44, held in a vault in Atlanta....
Bridgeport Connecticut Post, Mar. 30

Pastor hacks library’s filter to view child porn
The case of a Hernando, Mississippi, minister busted for child porn on a public library computer has tongues wagging. Oak Grove Baptist Church Pastor Eddie Prince faces one count of possession of child pornography. His arrest has people wondering how he got caught doing such a private thing in the middle of the Hernando Public Library. But library staffers saw Prince in December and reported him to the manager, who called police. Patron Sharon Savittieri thinks the public library is one of the best places to use a computer to access the internet, because of its usually effective filters....
WREG-TV, Memphis, Tenn., Apr. 5

Mailbox Monday- April 11

2011-04-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

Mailbox Monday is on tour this month at Passages to the Past. Last week I received six books.

I Wonder Why Penguins Can't Fly by Pat Jacobs

I Wonder Penguins Can’t Fly takes a look at the coldest places on Earth – the Poles. Readers will learn about animals that live at the Poles, such as polar bears, penguins and seals; and also discover how plants survive at the Poles, why the polar ice caps are in danger of melting, and how scientists gather important information about the climate and more in the harshest environment.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Thirty-year-old Willa Jackson might be returning to her rural North Carolina home to escape her failed marriage, but what awaits her is anything but a smooth, quiet healing period. Instead, Willa tosses herself into a 75-year-old murder mystery and a developing relationship with a local benefactor. The new novel by Sarah Addison Allen (The Girl Who Chased the Moon; Garden Spells; The Sugar Queen) contains a poignant mix of human drama, sibling feuds, and Southern hospitality.

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

After her father's death, the orphaned heroine of Bow's YA debut novel supports herself by carving wooden talismans in a vaguely Russian village ruled by superstition. When strange things start happening, Kate, already considered "halfway to a witch" because of her knife skills, must leave or risk being burned at the stake. She makes a bargain with Linay, a real witch, trading her shadow for things she needs to flee as well as her "heart's wish," which, poignantly, turns out to be someone to talk to: her cat, Taggle, can now speak. Kate connects with a caravan of "Roamers," and it soon becomes clear that Linay took her shadow for evil purposes. Despite the talking animal (who nearly steals the show) and graceful writing (Kate carries Taggle around her neck, "draped bonelessly, like a fur collar with glittering eyes"), this is a dark and complex tale, full of violence--knives cut a lot more than wood. The ending, which reverses nearly every bad thing that has happened along the way, is a bit much, but Kate is undeniably a sympathetic character deserving of happiness.

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

Author/documentary filmmaker Jon Ronson has made a career writing about people on the outskirts. His Them: Adventures with Extremists and The Men Who Stare at Goats have both been hits; in fact, the latter book also became a major motion picture. His latest full immersion into craziness begins when he learns of a British prisoner who, in a foolhardy plan for early release, pretends that he is insane. This foxy hoax worked so well that the convict finds himself incarcerated as incurably mad. From that dizzying takeoff, Ronson's book cruises to theories about CEO and politician psychopaths and interviews with neurologists about telltale clues of mental dysfunction. A refreshing take on the grim topic of lunacy.

Hester by Paula Reed

Upon the death of her demonic husband, Hester Prynne is left a widow, and her daughter, Pearl, a wealthy heiress. Hester takes her daughter to live a quiet life in England, only to find herself drawn into the circle of the most powerful Puritan of all time, Oliver Cromwell.

From the moment Hester donned the famous scarlet letter, it instilled in her the power to see the sins and hypocrisy of others, an ability not lost on the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. To Cromwell, Hester's sight is either a sign of sorcery or a divine gift that Hester must use to assist the divinely chosen, as he deems himself, in his scheming to control England. Since sorcery carries a death sentence, Hester is compelled against her will to use her sight to assist Cromwell. She soon finds herself entangled in a web of political intrigue, espionage, and forbidden love.

Hester will carry readers away to seventeenth-century England with a deeply human story of family, love, history, desire, weakness, and the human ideal.

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin

When a mysterious man arrives one day on Orange Street, the children who live on the block try to find out who he is and why he’s there. Little do they know that his story—and the story of a very old orange tree—connects to each of their personal worries in ways they never could have imagined. From impressing friends to dealing with an expanding family to understanding a younger sibling’s illness, the characters’ storylines come together around that orange tree.

Taking place over the course of a day and a half, Joanne Rocklin’s masterful novel deftly builds a story about family, childhood anxieties, and the importance of connection. In the end the fate of the tree (and the kids who care for it) reminds us of the magic of the everyday and of the rich history all around us.

A BIG thank you to all the above authors and publishers for providing the books!!!

Books By Theme: It's elementary, my dear Watson...

2011-04-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

No doubt many mystery writers point to Conan Doyle as an influence, but some have gone a step further, writing additional cases for Sherlock Holmes. In Caleb Carr's The Italian Secretary, a series of killings at Holyrood House in Edinburgh bear an uncanny resemblance to crimes committed against the advisors of Mary, Queen of Scots 300 years earlier. Holmes and Watson are called in to solve the case before anyone close to Queen Victoria—or the monarch herself—ends up dead.

If the appeal is the Victorian setting, suggest Gyles Brandreth's series opener, Oscar Wilde And A Death of No Importance, in which Arthur Conan Doyle helps his friend Oscar Wilde discover the truth about the murder of an artist's model. What unfolds is a plot familiar to anyone who's read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but the duo's path to the truth is the real treat for Conan Doyle fans.

If you crave more mysteries, there's Laurie R. King's excellent Mary Russell series. In the ninth and most recent title, The Language of Bees, Mary is in Sussex deciphering the destruction of one of Holmes's beehives while Holmes looks for a missing wife and her daughter. But Holmes needs Mary—and his brother Mycroft—to help him solve the case. Each title stands on its own, but if you want to watch the development of Mary and Sherlock's relationship, start with the first, The Beekeeper's Apprentice.

For something contemporary and different, pick up Michael Robertson's The Baker Street Letters. Brothers Reggie and Nigel Heath rent an office on Baker Street, with the stipulation that they must answer letters sent to Sherlock Holmes. After reading a 20-year-old missive from a little girl in California, Nigel disappears, leaving a dead body behind. More of a caper than an intellectual mystery, but Holmes fans and even mystery book groups will enjoy the ride.

All summaries are from Library Journal.

Books by Theme was inspired by both Melissa at One Librarians Book Reviews's feature Listless Monday and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature. Be sure to check out their lists!

Mini Reviews

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Cutting For Stone
Author: Abraham Verghese
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Vintage Books, 2009
Summary: Twin brothers Marion and Shiva Stone come of age in Ethiopia, sharing a deep bond that has helped them survive the loss of their parents and the country's political upheaval, but when they both fall for the same woman, their bond is broken and the two go their separate ways, until a medical crisis reunites them.

This was the best book I've read in the last six months. Hands down. Cutting for Stone is one of those books that you read while walking throughout your apartment, not really caring if you run into walls on the way to the bathroom. I've always been fascinated with the occupation of surgery, which is what both Marion and Shiva, as well as their adoptive parents, do for a living. I'm looking forward to reading Verghese's nonfiction offerings.

You Might Also Like:

Chang and Eng by Darin Strauss
Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee
The Girls by Lori Lansens

Title: Survivor
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Genre: Satire/Psychological Fiction
Publisher: W.W. Norton, 1999
Summary: Just before committing suicide, Tender Branson dictates his life story and reveals what life was like as a member of the Creedish Death Cult.

For those of you not already familiar with Palaniuk's work, I will warn you: it is an acquired taste. I had no trouble taking it in, mind you, but many people find him morbid. If you like dark humor, you will enjoy his work. But please stick with the early stuff, especially this one, Lullaby, or Diary. They are his best.

You Might Also Like:

American Desert by Percival Everett

Title: This is Where I Leave You
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Dutton, 2009
Summary: Judd Foxman honors his father's dying request by spending a week with his dysfunctional family while simultaneously coping with his wife's infidelity.

After Judd's father passes away, the Foxman siblings discover they are expected to sit shiva at their childhood home. Every sibling has their own personal issues they are dealing with in addition to the death of their father. In spite of all this, the book is hilarious. I picked up an ARC of this book at the ALA Annual Conference a couple of years ago, and it's been sitting on my bookshelf waiting on me. After reading a great review lauding Tropper's literary prowess, I decided it was time I give him a shot. So glad I did. I'd like to read Tropper's How To Talk To A Widower next.

You Might Also Like:

Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Middle School Edition

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Lost in the River of Grass
by Ginny Rorby
Genre: Survival Fiction

Summary:

When two Florida teenagers become stranded on a tiny island in the Everglades, they attempt to walk ten miles through swampland to reach civilization.

Why You'll Love It:

Readers will pull for Sarah, thirteen, and Andy, fifteen, as they face poisonous snakes, gators, fire ants, and hunger and thirst while they try to make their way out of a remote part of the Everglades on foot. Sarah insists on adopting a duckling, Teapot, to Andy’s dismay—it will only slow them down—but Teapot is a good mascot, and caring for him gives them a psychological boost through their ordeal.

Details about the Everglades and the plants and animals that inhabit it emerge contextually in the suspenseful narrative, giving the story its distinct sense of place and adding depth to the adventure: “Things in our path slither away in startling bursts of speed. If what flees is a gator, it leaves a trail of tiny bubbles on the surface. . . . Water snakes, once they sense the vibration of our approach, swim along the surface, and disappear into the saw grass.”

Sarah and Andy’s relationship is believable—their romance alternates between being prickly and being affable; they snipe at each other, but they obviously care for one another.

Pathfinder
by Orson Scott Card
Genre: Fantasy

Summary:

Thirteen-year-old Rigg has a secret ability to see the paths of others' pasts, but revelations after his father's death set him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either control his destiny or kill him.

Why You'll Love It:

The first in a series, Card’s latest title has much in common with his Ender Wiggins books: precocious teens with complementary special talents, callously manipulative government authorities, endlessly creative worlds, and Card’s refusal to dumb down a plot for a young audience.
While Card delves deeply into his story's knotted twists and turns, readers should have no trouble following the philosophical and scientific mysteries, which the characters are parsing right along with them.
This novel should appeal to Card's legion of fans as well as anyone who enjoys speculative fiction with characters who rely on quick thinking rather than violence or tales of mind-bending time-travel conundrums.

Demonglass: A Hex Hall Novel
by Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Fantasy

Summary:

After learning that she is capable of dangerous magic, Sophie Mercer goes to England with her father, friend Jenna, and Cal hoping to have her powers removed, but soon she learns that she is being hunted by the Eye--and haunted by Elodie.

Why You'll Love It:

Rachel Hawkins’s sequel to Hex Hall combines everything fans could ask for: a sprawling and splendorous castle (thirty-one kitchens! ninety-eight bathrooms!), a hot love triangle, an enchanted ball . . . and multi-limbed ghouls, creepy demons, and necromancy.

Sophie Mercer continues to win over readers—and warlocks—with her arch sense of humor. (When a vampire orders Earl Grey at high tea, Sophie cracks, he’ll actually getEarl Grey.)

Hawkins keeps upping the intrigue: How is it that ghosts can’t see or hear the living, but Elodie’s ghost keeps trying to talk to Sophie? Why does Sophie’s upcoming summer destination, Thorne Abbey, sound so familiar? And how—and, more importantly, why—did Daisy and Nick, two teenagers suffering from retrograde amnesia, get turned into demons?

Some of these questions are answered in an explosive, world-inverting finale—which, along with the questions that remain, will have readers counting down the days to the next Hex Hall installment.

Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth
by Jay Hosler
Genre: Nonfiction/Graphic Novel

Summary:

In graphic novel format, follows Bloort 183, an asexual alien scientist, as he explains the fundamentals of evolution to King Floorsh and his son.

Why You'll Love It:

Clear and thorough text describes the history of life on Earth from its very beginning.

The information is kept light and entertaining, delivered by alien scientist Bloort to lofty King Floorsh and the enthusiastic—but easily distracted—Prince Floorsh.

Detailed artwork helps readers visualize life forms from the five-eyed opabinia to wild boars, and dramatizes abstract concepts such as natural selection.

The book includes plenty of fun jokes as well. For example, it imagines Charles Darwin saying that people went “ape” for natural selection, and pictures eukaryote cells and endosymbiotic bacteria visiting a therapist to discuss how much they need each other.

Books By Theme: YA Lit for People who think YA lit sucks

2011-03-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group.Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 172p.

In the age of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, it can be easy to forget that in our nation's not-so-distant past, a homegrown terrorist organization held large parts of the country hostage. The Ku Klux Klan began with six young male members in 1866 and grew through the rest of the 19th and into the 20th centuries to include an estimated five million men and women. Bartoletti does not censor the hateful language of the Klan's threats or the depictions of their victims. From the chilling cover with a sweat-soaked hood to the picture of thousands of Klansmen marching down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1925, Bartoletti's juxtaposition of word and image brings to light a shadowy legacy that is with us still.

Fleischman, Sid. Sir Charlie: Chaplin, The Funniest Man in the World. Greenwillow Bks. 268p.

Charlie Chaplin was born into poverty yet became one of the richest and most successful entertainers of his age. Then his adopted nation turned on him, forcing him into artistic exile for the better part of 20 years. As he did for Mark Twain in The Trouble Begins at 8 (2009), Fleischman here treats his subject with wit and wisdom, bringing to light details that will surprise even the biggest silent film fan. For instance, did you know that Jim Henson's Muppets now occupy the studio that Chaplin built? Published posthumously, this last book from a master storyteller humanizes a Hollywood legend.

Dogar, Sharon. Annexed. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 341p.

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl is sacred territory, so it is with great skepticism that I approached Dogar's retelling of the story from Peter Van Pels's viewpoint. The result is both a fresh perspective on a familiar story and a meditation on the tragedy of a lost generation of Jewish youth. While Peter strains under the annex's cramped conditions for the better part of two years, another side of Anne is revealed. It might have been annoying at times to live in close quarters with a young aspiring memoirist. Knowing how the story ends does not stay the impact of the book's final pages.

Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver. Roaring Brook Pr. 204p.

Sig is alone with the frozen body of his father, awaiting the return of his family, when a stranger comes to the door. Gunther Wolff claims that Sig's father owes him half a fortune in gold and will not leave until it is produced. To Sig's knowledge, the only thing of value in their tiny cabin is an ancient revolver in the store room. Should he use it, knowing that bringing a gun into this game of cat-and-mouse could result in his own death? I am deeply glad that I read Revolver in August, because it would take far more than a toddy and Snuggie to warm the chill that permeates every page of this Arctic thriller.

Reinhardt, Dana. The Things a Brother Knows. Wendy Lamb Bks. 245p.

Levi's brother Boaz returns home after three years in the U.S. Marines, unrecognizable to his family. The once-popular and -outgoing athlete now stays in his room all day with the radio turned to static andwon't get in a car. When Boaz announces that he will be hiking the Appalachian Trail for the summer, Levi knows that he is lying and follows his brother on a very different journey that leads from their home in Boston to Washington, DC, with stops to meet the families of Boaz's comrades. One of my all-time favorite books is Bobbie Ann Mason's In Country (1985; the 1989 film version stars a youngish Bruce Willis), so naturally, the story's conclusion at the Vietnam Memorial had me sobbing uncontrollably. Nevertheless, the power of this story is in the brothers' journey and their relationship, which builds step by step and mile by mile.

Books by Theme was inspired by both Melissa at One Librarians Book Reviews's feature Listless Monday and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature. Be sure to check out their lists!

The Four Month Challenge - Part 6

2011-03-25T14:06:00.011-05:00

Love these four month challenges- it's become my one and only challenge that I ever really follow through with, so I've decided to just keep it simple and run with it! The next cycle is from April-July 2011, I believe.

Visit the official Four Month Challenge site for more information or to sign yourself up!

Here are the categories:

5 POINT CHALLENGES
~~Read a book that the author’s name begins with A for April IN April (first or last name)~~: Matched by Allie Condie

~~Read a book that the author’s name begins with M for May IN May (first or last name)~~: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

~~Read a book that the author’s name begins with J for June IN June (first name only)~~: The Summons by John Grisham

Read a book that the author’s name begins with J for July IN July (last name only)

~~Read a book that begins with the S for Spring~~: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

10 POINT CHALLENGES
~~Read a ‘debut’ novel (an author’s first book)~~: The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch

Read a book where the author wrote under a pseudonym

~~Read a book with a male on the cover (male only, no female~~): Iron House by Jon Hart

~~Read a book with a female on the cover (female only, no male)~~: I'd Know You Anywhere by Lisa Lippman

Read a book with a house on the cover

15 POINT CHALLENGES
Read a book that you previously DID NOT finish

~~Read a book with a flower on the cover OR in the title:~~ The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Read a book with a reference to a fairy tale (Cinderella theme, Alice in Wonderland theme, etc)

~~Read a book that the author was born during the Spring season~~: Smile by Raina Tegemeier (born May 26)

~~Read a book that has won awards~~: One Day by David Nicholls

20 POINT CHALLENGES
Read something that is next in a series

~~Read a book that the title begins with either your first or last initial:~~ Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank (First inital is 'A')

Read a book where the main character is an author

Read a book having to do with ghosts, reincarnation, etc.

Read a book with one of the Four Elements in the title – Fire, Water, Wind, Earth

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Elementary Edition

2011-03-13T08:47:00.000-05:00

Miss Lina's Ballerinas
by Grace Maccarone
Grades PreS-1

Ballet instructor Miss Lina has a solution when her eight students, who always dance in pairs, are distraught when a ninth girl joins the class.

Why You'll Love It:

Davenier’s free-spirited drawings and color washes add a sense of music as well as movement to the scenes.
It reminds me of the Madeline books.
Makes a great introduction to a math lesson on number groupings.

Rain School
by James Rumford
Grades K-3

The children arrive on the first day of school and build a mud structure to be their classroom for the next nine months until the rainy season comes and washes it all away.

Why You'll Love It:

This book gives young children a glimpse into the school life of children in another part of the world.
The message of the story is clear-while the school structure may be temporary, education is permanent.
Rumford's illustrations make great use of color, dark brown skin and bright shirts, shorts and dresses against golden backgrounds, the hues applied in smudgy layers that infuse each scene with warmth-until the gray rains arrive.

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems
by Kristine O'Connell George
Grades 1-4

A collection of poems in which Jess explores the joys and aggravations of being Emma's big sister.

Why You'll Love It:

The straightforward, honest poems contain a whole range of feelings: embarrassment, fury, affection, and pure terror.
The poems and art tell an absorbing story -- complete with a few tense moments and a warm, believable conclusion.
Spring-colored line drawings in pen-and-ink and digital media are filled with engaging details, expressive characters, and lots of humor, and bring the family dynamics to life.

Gold! Gold from the American River!
by Don Brown
Grades 4-6

Introduces young readers to the history of the California gold rush, describing the journey to California, the process of panning for gold, and the fortunes that this gold brought many different people.

Why You'll Love It:

The author does not hesitate to reveal the darker side of mining communities. One illustration vividly depicts the shotgun murder of an American Indian, with a description of the tragic fate of many Indians in the goldfields through violence, disease, and enslavement.
The inventive page compositions and scratchy watercolor cartoon figures carry small, telling dramas (the tiny grin that punctuates a successful panner’s face is priceless), and sweeping western landscapes come into full relief.

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret UFOs
by Donald J. Sobol
Grades 2-4

Ten brief cases allow the reader to match wits with ten-year-old crime-buster, Encyclopedia Brown, as he investigates such cases as whether a diary of George Washington's mother is authentic, or if a UFO picture supposedly taken by the army is real.

Why You'll Love It:

Each of the ten chapters is a brief, self-contained mystery; readers might choose to dip into the book, reading a case or two at a time, or they may devour the book in one sitting.

James Bernardin’s detailed illustrations enhance the stories, showing Encyclopedia Brown in action.

Young sleuths can consult the solutions at the back of the book—whether they’re stumped or to confirm their exceptional detective work.