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Adult & Electronic Services » Staff Picks
City of Shadows
By Ariana Franklin
In her mesmerizing novel City of Shadows, Ariana Franklin illuminates the period before one of history's most horrific events, the Holocaust, through the story of a beautiful but scarred Russian émigré and a German detective. The novel opens in 1922 Berlin; the German government is in crisis, inflation is staggering, anti-Semitism is rife, citizens are starving and Hitler has begun his rise to power. Esther, a Russian Jewish immigrant haunted by violent events in her past, keeps body and soul together working as a secretary to shady nightclub owner "Prince" Nick. He hatches a scheme to promote Anna, an asylum inmate who refuses to discuss her past, as Anastasia, the sole remaining heir to the Russian throne. Anna is being followed by a man intent on murder, and though she eludes him, others are not so lucky. Throughout the book, Germany increasingly falls under the Nazis’ brutal control, and a German detective becomes obsessed with finding a murderer. Franklin manages to weave together history, romance and mystery in this thrilling story of Berlin and its inhabitants in the period before World War II.
View in catalog: BOOK
You Know When the Men Are Gone
By Siobhan Fallon
The United States is currently involved in two major military interventions, sending troops regularly to Iraq and Afghanistan for deployments of up to a year. The personal cost of our military involvement is the subject of You Know When the Men are Gone, a collection of short stories by Siobhan Fallon. She explores the lives of the enlisted and their spouses at Fort Hood, Texas, detailing the overwhelming loneliness and fear that can occur for both when prolonged absences and violent experiences color their lives. This is a revealing book for Americans who depend on the military, yet know little about the disturbing effects of military life.
View item in catalog: BOOK EBOOK
A Sunless Sea
By Anne Perry
William Monk, River Police commander, finds the body of a middle-aged woman slashed open and left lying on a London pier. From this vicious, but seemingly straightforward murder, Anne Perry writes a whodunit set in 1864 that finds Monk, his wife Hester, and Sir Oliver Rathbone investigating not only the woman’s murder, but also the death of a prominent researcher intent on exposing the dangers of opium use. Commonly used as pain medication and widely available, opium was being considered for regulation by the British government. Powerful forces are both for and against the regulation of opium, a source of great wealth for those who imported and sold it. In an age when legal battles were decided on eyewitness accounts and evidence pieced together by clever lawyers, trials were both entertainment for the public and deadly serious for those accused, whose conviction often resulted in a quick hanging. Anne Perry is known as a master at evoking the atmosphere of Victorian London with its fog, hansom cabs and long-skirted, corseted ladies sweeping through the muck filled streets of the crowded city. She's also great at keeping the reader guessing until the very end of the mystery. Perry’s Monk series began in 1990 with Face of a Stranger, and if you wish to start from the beginning, Lakewood Public Library owns all 18 books in the series.
View in catalog: BOOK
A Catch of Consequence
By Diana Norman
The year is 1765, and revolt against English rule and taxation is in full swing in colonial America. Makepeace Burke serves food and drink to Patriots at her tavern on the Boston waterfront and provides a room for their secret meetings. The "catch" of the title is an English lord beaten and thrown into the harbor by an angry mob who sees anyone British as the enemy. Practical minded Makepeace sees a human in distress and fishes him out of the water. This action-filled beginning sets up a plot that takes Makepeace and her entourage - an actor brother, an Indian, a former slave and her son - to England and to a life filled with fortune and misfortune. Told with remarkable historic detail, A Catch of Consequence is the first book in a trilogy by Diana Norman, who also wrote Mistress of the Art of Death under the pen name Ariana Franklin. Makepeace is a worthy heroine to carry the reader across more than 25 years of revolutionary history, from America to France.
View in catalog: BOOK
Gilded Age: A Novel
By Claire McMillan
In Gilded Age, Claire McMillan tells the story of Ellie Hart, an arrestingly beautiful, thirty-something woman who has returned to Cleveland from New York City to lick her wounds after a disastrous marriage and a stint in rehab. She also retells the story of Lily Bart, the heroine of the 1904 novel The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. The author has a built-in audience both in readers who love the original Wharton novel and in those who know Cleveland. The setting is very specific, with descriptions of various neighborhoods, including University Circle, the Heights (Cleveland and Shaker) and the social functions populated by Clevelanders with a great deal of money. Readers will have to decide for themselves if they agree with the author's depictions of Cleveland and its environs. While the style of Gilded Age does not approach the beauty of The House of Mirth, the author does a convincing job of transforming the tragic story of a woman suited only for pleasure who struggles to find a place for herself in a world of wealth and privilege.
View in catalog: BOOK
An Unexpected Guest: a novel
By Anne Korkeakivi
American Clare Moorhouse is the wife of a British diplomat, who hopes to be reassigned to Ireland. The Irish posting is a professional coup for him but threatens to expose events from her past that she has worked hard to keep hidden. Like Clarissa Dalloway, Clare Moorhouse spends her day preparing for a dinner party. As Clare purchases flowers, plans the seating chart, and chooses the menu, she deals with unexpected crises (a son running away from school; an encounter with a suspected terrorist) and ghosts from her past. In this overt homage to Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, Korkeakivi allows Clare's mundane chores to churn up memories from her past as well as reflections about her life.
View in catalog: BOOK
Elegy for Eddie
By Jacqueline Winspear
In 1933, Maisie Dobbs investigates the death of Eddie Pettit, a "gentle giant" who lived in the same working class neighborhood in London where Maisie grew up. Born of an unwed mother in a horse stable, Eddie was unable to read, but had a gift for managing horses, as well as a remarkable memory. As Maisie unravels the story behind Eddie's death, she travels from the poorest sections of London to the homes of the wealthiest and most well-connected citizens. The shadow of World War I is still hanging over the citizens of London, but a new threat from Hitler's troops in Germany is beginning to take shape in the minds of some. This is the ninth installment of this excellent historical mystery series, begun in 2003 with Maisie Dobbs. Each book in the series explores the conflicting forces in Maisie's personal life, as well as the post World War I society in which she lives; all are excellent reads.
View in catalog: BOOK, EBOOK, AUDIOBOOK
The Beginner's Goodbye
By Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler makes a triumphal return to fiction with The Beginner’s Goodbye. Populated by the quirky Baltimore residents whom Tyler’s fans have grown to love, The Beginner’s Goodbye tells the story of Aaron Woolcott, a Stanford graduate and private book publisher who is grief-stricken by the sudden death of his wife, Dorothy. The subject of loss is an interesting one for Tyler to tackle; her husband of thirty-four years died in 1997. Tyler perfectly captures the social awkwardness that ensues when people try to deal with grief: well-intentioned neighbors who inundate Aaron with unwanted casseroles; employees who come bearing gifts (banana bread "heavy as bricks," travel brochures for extreme adventures); old friends who feel they can no longer mention their own wives in Aaron’s presence; a meddlesome sister who criticizes Dorothy's housekeeping abilities. Tyler's skills as a writer are legendary, and they are nowhere as evident as The Beginner's Goodbye, which is poignant, disquieting, and laugh-out-loud funny.
View in catalog: BOOK, EBOOK, AUDIOBOOK
Gone Girl
By Gillian Flynn
Amy and Nick are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, but their marriage has not been all wedded bliss. Amy, transplanted from Manhattan, resents living in Nick’s poky Missouri hometown with its Amway parties and casserole nights. Nick, a laid-off writer, is struggling with his mother’s death from cancer and his father’s Alzheimer’s. Then, on the day of their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing. As a suspense novel, Gone Girl is spine-tingling. The misunderstandings and deceptions that the characters wreak on themselves, each other, and the reader are chilling. But it is as a social satire that Gone Girl triumphs. From the abandoned mall occupied by drug addicts to the McMansion ghost town, where two remaining neighbors valiantly try to mow the lawns of all the foreclosed properties, Flynn captures the futility and inexplicableness of 21st-century American life.
View in catalog: BOOK, AUDIOBOOK
Bury Your Dead
By Louise Penny
Cozy fans will delight in Agatha award-winning Bury Your Dead, which is part of Canadian author Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. A historian is found murder in the Literary and Historical Society, and the motive points to the death of Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec, which occurred more than 400 years ago. The Chief Inspector will look into history to uncover secrets of the past, while also dealing with present demons in two intermingling plots. In the hearts of mystery fans, Gamache is right up there with other beloved detectives like Poirot, Sherlock Holmes and even Jessica Fletcher.
View in catalog: BOOK
In Zanesville
By Jo Ann Beard
This coming-of-age novel offers a funny, realistic look at a girl growing up in a central Illinois town in the 1970s. The fourteen-year-old narrator navigates life with a loyal best friend, an overwhelmed mother and a depressed, often drunken father. Those who remember the 70s will appreciate the descriptions of food, fashion and culture of the era, but any reader will be able to relate to the timeless depiction of entering ninth grade with a desire to both fit in and stand out.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Art of Fielding
By Chad Harbach
At first glance, The Art of Fielding is a novel that seems best suited for baseball aficionados. On the contrary, the reader need not be a baseball enthusiast to enjoy this read. The story follows Henry Skrimshander, a naturally gifted shortstop, and his teammates, fellow students, and faculty at Westish College. The star of the team, Henry seems destined for the pros and, in fact, his talent earns him the attention of some major league scouts. But the pressure leads to trouble when a bout of crippling self-doubt threatens to ruin his talent and erase any hope of a promising future for both Henry and his team. Chad Harbach has created a story that is at once suspenseful and humorous and leaves the reader rooting for the main character and wanting more of this story of ability, ambition and anxiety.
View in catalog: BOOK
Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America; The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster; and, In Watermelon Sugar
By Richard Brautigan
Omnibus collection of three Brautigan books (two novels and a book of poetry (The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster)) that works as a fine Brautigan primer. Trout Fishing in America is Brautigan at his best and is an American classic. Mayonnaise.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
By Mohsin Hamid
As a Pakistani student in America, Changez enjoys the best American life has to offer: an Ivy League education at Princeton, a lucrative job as a financial analyst with a prestigious Manhattan firm, company credit cards, and world travel. But after the events of 9/11, Changez finds himself increasingly uncomfortable in American society as his skin color and beard turn him overnight into an object of scrutiny and suspicion. Changez begins to rethink his impressions of America and to question his loyalties to America, to his family, and to his birth country. Told from the vantage point of an apparently chance meeting in a café, Hamid's novella is beautifully written, in turns humorous and suspenseful.
View in catalog: BOOK
The London Train
By Tessa Hadley
Paul is an uninspired writer living in Cardiff, Wales. He's on his second marriage; his daughter is pregnant; he has a best friend who lives nearby. In telling Paul's ordinary tale, Hadley artfully depicts everyday life: the toll on marriage and friendship taken by our hectic schedules; the minor annoyances of living with another person; the challenges of communicating with one's children. Halfway through the novel, Paul's story breaks off, and a new story begins. At first, this is disconcerting. Who are all these new characters? But one gradually realizes that the two stories overlap, and here is Hadley's true mastery as a writer. By writing two seemingly unrelated stories, Hadley is able to offer very different perceptions about and insights into her characters' lives, personalities and natures. Longlisted for the Orange prize, The London Train is a memorable account of ordinary life.
View in catalog: BOOK
High Fidelity
By Nick Hornby
Reeling from a recent, messy break-up, Rob Gordon, a thirty-something, down-on-his-luck record store owner contemplates the major failings of his romantic history. Nick Hornby's High Fidelity was adapted into the critically acclaimed film of the same name, starring John Cusack, in 2000. Lovers of the film, as well as those who are unfamiliar with the story, will delight in this book, which is at once heart-breaking and hilarious, filled with wry humor and witty insights about love and adulthood
View in catalog: BOOK
Blue Heaven
By C.J. Box
Two kids are on the run after witnessing a brutal murder committed by a group of crooked,retired LAPD cops in the woods of Kootenai Bay, Idaho. And now the cops are running after them to keep them quiet, and also operating under the guise of helping the local sheriff look for them. Will Jess Rawlins, a down and out cowboy be able to save them? This was a fast-paced and chilling read, with superb characterization that made the good guys believable and the bad guys even worse
View in catalog: BOOK
Murder on the Ballarat Train
By Kerry Greenwood
Fun and fearless Phryne Fisher, 1920s Australian flapper, takes on a murder investigation after chloroform fumes permeate the air of a train that she’s riding on. Soon after this mysterious incident, another sinister discovery is made when the badly beaten body of one of the train’s passengers is found. This is only one delightful installment of a this series, featuring the cheeky detective who mixes business with pleasure, leading to many trysts and solved mysteries.
View in catalog: BOOK
Leavenworth Case
By Anna Katherine Green
Everyone has heard of Sherlock Holmes, but Ebenezer Gryce was first. The Leavenworth Case is considered one of America’s first detective series, and it was written by one of the first female mystery writers. Wealthy merchant Horatio Leavenworth is murdered in his 5th Avenue mansion, his nieces are the prime suspects and one of them is set to inherit his fortune. This mystery is filled with juicy secrets, betrayal and enough misleading evidence to keep you guessing. If a thrilling mystery isn’t enough, this book provides an interesting look at high society in American during the late 19th century.
View in catalog: BOOK
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
By Neil Gaiman
In Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, Neil Gaiman once again shows us that he is truly a master at his craft. First printed in 1998, Smoke and Mirrors contains an eclectic group of short stories that are at times funny and are always a bit dark. In this anthology, Gaiman provides the readers some of his most interesting works of short fiction as well as why they were created. Some were written for different anthologies, and some were written for his own amusement. One was even written as a Christmas card! Regardless of the reason they were written, each and every one of these tales will leave you pondering what is real, and what is just the result of smoke and mirrors.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Lock Artist
By Steve Hamilton
In this thrilling Edgar Award winning crime novel, a horrific experience leaves Mike Smith unable to speak. His ability to keep his mouth shut, along with a knack for cracking safes leads him to a life of crime and eventually to prison. As the story bounces around in time and place, his past is slowly revealed and the mystery lies in "Why did he do it?" rather than "Whodunit?" Because it is told in first person by someone who doesn' speak, readers are given a closer look into the story and often know more than the other characters.
View in catalog: BOOK
Monsieur Pamplemousse
By Michael Bond
Move over Joanna Fluke, Diane Mott Davidson and all of the others, there's an old name on the gastronomic mystery scene- Michael Bond. Bond authored some of the best loved children's books of all time with Paddington Bear and during the 80s went on to write a funny and slightly bawdy series featuring the culinary detective Monsieur Pamplemousse. In the first in the series Pamplemousse along with his faithful canine companion Pomme Frites go undercover at a fine French restaurant to find out if it is worthy of the prestigious three stock pot rating in The Guide. The funny business starts when a fake head winds on a platter, and even more hilarity ensues with inflatable dolls and a cross-dressing Pamplemousse.
View in catalog: BOOK
Persepolis
By Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi tells the story of her childhood and family during the Iran-Iraq War during the 1980s in the form of a graphic novel. The illustrations are simple yet expressive, and help to tell this story with both humor and sincerity. As a girl, the spunky Satrapi loved Michael Jackson and Nike shoes, and this passion for all things western led to humorous run-ins with the fundamentalists. Being imprisoned by the new regime was glamorous in the eyes of the young Satrapi, but as conditions became more dangerous, Satrapi’s parents send her to school in Austria. For those who are reluctant to read graphic novels, the drawings help to propel this touching and timely story.
View in catalog: BOOK
Storm Front
By Jim Butcher
The first book in the popular Dresden Files series introduces us to Harry Dresden, Wizard. Harry may be a master of witchcraft, but he's for the little guy - helping the police solve their unexplainable cases. "My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure it at your own risk. When things get strange, when what goes bump in the night flicks on the lights, when no one else can help you, give me a call. I'm in the book."
View in catalog: BOOK
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai
By Ruiyan Xu
When the Swan Hotel collapses, Li Jing suffers a debilitating head injury and loses his ability to speak Chinese. Suffering from aphasia, he can speak only English, a language he last used when he was ten years old and, thus, cannot communicate with his wife and son, who speak only Chinese. Arriving to help Jing is Rosalyn Neal, an American speech therapist who specializes in aphasia. In this debut novel, Xu explores the sense of powerlessness one experiences when one loses the ability to communicate, whether the loss stems from a troubled marriage, from a disease such as aphasia, or from being a traveler in a foreign country. Xu’s writing is beautiful, and her descriptions of daily life in Shanghai (wash hanging on balconies; a breakfast of chive dumplings) are breathtaking.
View in catalog: BOOK
Room: a Novel
By Emma Dohoghue
Told entirely through the voice of five-year-old Jack, "Room" is ingenious and unsettling. His life with Ma, in the room with Rug and Wardrobe and Bed, is all Jack knows, although he occasionally glimpses the "planets" Outside on their TV set, and he can smell the Outside when Ma is visited at night by a man known to Jack as Old Nick. Jack is confused, but we are not, when Ma wakes him in the night with her turning on and off the Lamp, over and over; we understand the screaming game they play during the day, aiming their voices at the skylight. Jack becomes the hero of Ma's desperate escape plan, but their deliverance to the Outside world brings its own set of challenges. Jack is naturally overwhelmed by Outside reality with its abundance of light, noise, and people, and Ma's re-adjustment is problematic as well. This riveting book is heartbreaking at times, but not without relief and hope for Jack and his Ma.
View in catalog: BOOK
So Much Pretty
By Cara Hoffman
Set in a small town in upstate New York, So Much Pretty brings together a reporter from Cleveland, a family of organic farmers who fled New York City for a simpler life, and cast of local characters who mistrust any outsiders. Hoffman skillfully weaves together themes of domestic abuse and environmental degradation into a novel that examines contemporary family life, a violent crime, and a girl raised so far outside the mainstream that she believes taking vengeance into her own hands is the only way to achieve justice.
View in catalog: BOOK
Olive Kitteridge
By Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge is a retired math teacher in small town Crosby, Maine, and this "novel of short stories" reveals her to us in both larger and smaller portions, adding up to an impressive whole portrait of a complex and irascible woman. She and her husband Henry raise a son, only to see him marry "the wrong woman" and move to California - the stories that center on their family issues delve deeply into everyday fears and regrets mingled with love. Olive is not an easy character to like, but this book is not just looking for simple answers; other characters are as finely drawn in independent storylines that intersect with Olive's in unpredictable and sometimes seemingly random ways. The book as a whole presents a cohesive and sympathetic look at a variety of "types" of people, and the yearnings we all share, no matter how unique our lives appear on the surface. By its end, we know Olive pretty well and perhaps have glimpsed some portion of ourselves amid the populace of Crosby.
View in catalog: BOOK
Let the Great World Spin
By Colum McCann
McCann spins this National Book Award winner in New York City in the days surrounding the tightrope walk between the World Trade Center towers by Philippe Petit in August, 1974. The author weaves a moving tale of intersection and connection among a seemingly disparate cast of characters. We meet Corrigan, a monk who ministers to the local prostitutes, much to his brother's chagrin, along with the 'fallen women,' Jazzlyn and her mother Tillie, both dreaming of something better. Miles uptown, Claire and her husband, a judge, are still reeling from the death of their son in Vietnam, while Gloria, a member of Claire's survivors' group, struggles for her own peace. High above them all, the wire walker stuns and uplifts his watchers, and each of the characters finds some connection to the idea of the man on the wire. The writing is gorgeous; the chapters gracefully weave one character's narrative into another's. The wide-reaching plot defies summarization, because it's not strictly linear and so beautifully compressed, and much better experienced by the immersion of the reader. You might also be interested in the DVD Man On Wire, about Petit's amazing feat, in our documentary collection.
View in catalog: BOOK
Cutting For Stone
By Abraham Verghese
This is an insightful family saga, narrated by one of a pair of twins born to a doctor and a nun in Ethiopia in the 1950s. When their surgeon father absconds, the boys, Marion and Shiva Stone, are raised by two other doctors at the Mission Hospital, and display their innate gift for medicine from early ages. Their childhood in Addis Ababa is rich in detail, both of their personal development and of the political upheavals of the time, which come to play a part in every character’s life. When political unrest reaches the hospital, the boys are separated and our narrator, Marion, leaves to finish his medical education in America. Eventually, though, the past and present collide and the disparate family must come together again in a common, but tragic purpose. The reader will be touched by the themes of loyalty and sacrifice here, as well as fascinated by the artistry and humanity of medicine in the hands of this storyteller.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Rembrandt Affair
By Daniel Silva
Art restorer, professional assassin, and Israeli spy, Gabriel Allon makes a triumphant return in Silva’s latest thriller, “The Rembrandt Affair.” The theft of a Rembrandt painting forces Allon from his quasi-retirement and quiet idyll in the English countryside. He is soon traveling to Switzerland, where he battles corrupt bankers and tries to solve a murder. From his first Allon book “The Kill Artist”, Silva has captivated readers with the protagonist of Gabriel Allon -- a Harry Potter for grown-ups with green eyes, a troubled past, and an air of seeming invincibility. Silva is a masterful writer, and “The Rembrandt Affair” is one of his best works.
View in catalog: BOOK
One Day
By David Nicholls
Dexter and Emma know vaguely of one another throughout college, and then spend graduation night in each others’ arms. It is July 15th and the book unfolds as annual snapshots of that date. Their lives come together and drift apart over the passing years: Dex and Em are together as best friends on some anniversary days; on others, they have not spoken in months. One thing stays constant: their thoughts of “Em and Dex, Dex and Em” as they spend their lives working through their feelings and deciding what each really means to the other.
View in catalog: BOOK
Portrait of an Unknown Woman
By Vanora Bennett
The year is 1526, and King Henry VIII is on the throne, but rumors about the fate of the princes in the Tower (Edward V and Richard, Duke of York) are still circulating. Were they murdered by Richard III or his henchmen? Are they alive and living under assumed identities? Bennett's "unknown woman" is one figure in a group portrait, which is reproduced in beautiful detail both on the book’s cover and as its endsheet. In Bennett's fictionalized account, artist Hans Holbein arrives at the home of Sir Thomas More to paint a family portrait. By far the most intriguing part of the book occurs as Bennett describes Holbein's painting of his portraits including “the Ambassadors” and discusses how symbols, words, and props used in the paintings point to the solution of the mystery of the princes in the Tower. Fans of historical fiction about art such as Tracy Chevalier’s "Girl with the Pearl Earring" and Susan Vreeland's "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" will love Vanora Bennett's "Portrait of an Unknown Woman."
View in catalog: BOOK
Last Night in Twisted River
By John Irving
This novel is John Irving in classic form, reminding one of earlier favorites like Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany, a family saga full of engaging characters, spanning five decades with ease. The story begins with Dominic Baciagalupo supporting himself and his young son Danny by working as a cook in the sawmill town of Twisted River in 1954. The town is full of rough and ready, memorable friends and foes. After a horrible accident propels Dominic and Danny to a life on the run, the cook and his son forge new identities in different towns without ever totally escaping Twisted River. Irving balances moments of suspense and discovery with interludes of home life and Danny’s growth into adulthood. The author’s familiar archetypes are here too; the bears, the absent parent, and a sudden death or two. Irving expertly spins out his plot connection lines far and wide, to wind them back in significant ways later.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
By David Wroblewski
In this achingly beautiful story, young Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life in Wisconsin with his parents, Gar and Trudy, breeding and training exceptional dogs that are highly in demand. Though mute from birth, Edgar enjoys an almost symbiotic bond with the dogs under his charge. When Edgar’s father dies suddenly and his Uncle Claude begins insinuating himself more and more into Edgar’s and his mother’s lives, the boy’s world is changed forever. In a plot that mirrors Hamlet, Edgar soon finds himself pitted against his uncle in a desperate fight for his and his dogs’ survival. This first novel by Wroblewski has been translated into over 25 languages and was selected as a Best Book of the Year by numerous publications in 2008
View in catalog: BOOK
Await your reply
By Dan Chaon
Cleveland author Dan Chaon's critically-acclaimed new novel confronts the modern idea of identity and examines its role in one's levels of personal comfort and happiness, and in the trajectory of relationships. The separate stories develop as a brother is searching for his twin, a man is trying to outrun his past, and a girl is trying to erase hers. Every character is a powerful depiction of a life out of control. And while it is gripping to watch all three try to work through who they were, are and will be, their collision at the end produces the book's most satisfyingly thrilling moment.
View in catalog: BOOK
Finding Nouf
By Zoe Ferraris
Finding Nouf is more than just a mystery, it's a rare look into the hidden world of modern Saudi society and gender segregation. A few days before Nouf is to be married, she disappears. Desert guide Nayir al-Sharqi is called on by the girl's family to search for their daughter. When her body turns up and it is discovered that she is several months pregnant, the family doesn't seem to care about finding the truth. Nayir must team up with female government lab worker to uncover the secret of what happened to Nouf.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Princess of Burundi
By Kjell Eriksson
Readers who enjoy Henning Mankell and other Scandinavian crime writers will find this character driven story of the brutal murder of a hardworking family man and tropical fish expert with a past enthralling. Inspector Ann Lindell is supposed to be on maternity leave, but she is determined to find the killer involved in this seemingly motiveless crime. This mystery is packed with emotion, as we see the toll a murder takes on a family that is already falling apart. Eriksson is so skillful in his description of the setting, that you can feel the bitter chill of the Swedish landscape.
View in catalog: BOOK
Manual of Detection
By Jedediah Berry
In this dreamy and befuddled mystery/fantasy, lowly detective agency clerk Charles Unwin is promoted to detective after two of his superiors vanish. To make matters worse, his assistant keeps dozing off and his detective manual is missing a chapter. Unwin discovers that previously solved cases were solved incorrectly and he must battle a peculiar cast of goons from a carnival, which is a front for organized crime. Unwin must uncover the truth by battling somnambulists and learning the art of dream detection. Well-read fans of fantasy, classic detective and magical realist fiction will appreciate all of the clever nods to these genres.
View in catalog: BOOK
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
By C. Alan Bradley
In the summer of 1950, a dead body turns up in the cucumber patch at the de Luce's English Victorian mansion. 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist and amateur sleuth, sets out to solve the murder by piecing together a series of seemingly unrelated events that lead to her reclusive father's past. The eccentric cast of characters is rounded out with Flavia's bullying older sisters, a housekeeper that makes pies no one will eat and the gardener, who is one of her father's old war pals. This cozy yet clever mystery is the first in a series and won the 2009 Agatha Award, as well as several awards.
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The Life of Pi
By Yann Martel
The Life of Pi is a wildly imaginative coming-of-age survival story that takes readers from a zoo in Pondicherry, India to the rough waters of the Pacific to a fantastical carnivorous island home to meerkats. The story reminds me of stories of books that I read in my youth, like Theodore Taylor's The Cay and Hatchet by Gary Paulsen in that it is a bona fide adventure and survival novel. It is the art of storytelling and faith in something that keep the reader entertained throughout this novel with elements of magical realism that test readers' trust and perception as the story unfolds.
View in catalog: BOOK
Bossypants
By Tina Fey
Tina Fey, one of the most powerful and beloved women in entertainment, brings sharp wit and uncanny observational skill to everything she does, from television to major motion pictures. She's managed to be known as both the thinking man's sex symbol, and every woman's alter-ego/imaginary best friend. Now, for the first time, Fey takes her writing talent off-screen and into the pages of an audiobook. From her disastrous honeymoon cruise to the oversold joys of breastfeeding, from how to assemble the perfect female body to the working mom's inner thoughts (when cleaning under the couch: eat the Cheerio, pocket the penny.)
View in catalog: BOOK AUDIOBOOK
Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship
By Gail Caldwell
Gail Caldwell and Carolyn Knapp had much in common: both were award-winning columnists; both lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts; both were freelance writers who worked primarily from home; both were training young dogs; and both were recovering alcoholics. After several years of hearing about one another and running into each other at parties, the two met again while walking their dogs and became fast friends. They shared daily routines of phone calls, dog training, long walks, and rowing on the Charles River. But then Knapp received a terminal diagnosis. Caldwell's exploration of loss and grief is an amazing tribute to the invincible power of friendship.
View in catalog: BOOK
The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72
By Molly Peacock
A friend of the writer Jonathan Swift, Mary Delany was born in 1700 and initially lived a rather conventional life. At the age of seventeen, she entered into an arranged marriage with a drunkard forty-three years her senior. Following her first husband's death, Mary remained single for over twenty years, before marrying an Irish clergyman. After her second husband's death, Mary felt aimless. Then one day she noticed a geranium shedding its petals. Picking up scissors, paper, a bobbin, a scalpel, and tweezers, Mary began to cut paper and to glue many layers of paper to make floral collages. At the age of seventy-two, Mary had discovered her life's calling. Her collages, which she called "mosaicks" are both breathtaking and biologically exact. Several are reproduced in Peacock's gorgeous book. Over nine hundred of Mary's mosaicks were donated to the British Museum, where they are still enjoyed today. Peacock relies on extensive quotes from Mary's letters to reveal much of her life: her disastrous first marriage; the contentment she found in Ireland; her lifelong friendship with a beloved sister. At times, Peacock annoyingly inserts snippets from her own life into the narrative in an effort to draw parallels between her life and Mary's. However, despite these intrusions, it is Mary's story of discovering, at the age of seventy-two, her passion for botanical collages which makes Peacock's book inspirational and offers hope for the undiscovered in each of us.
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The Johnstown Flood
By David McCullough
The first book by acclaimed historian David McCullough, The Johnstown Flood captures the zeitgeist of late nineteenth century Pennsylvania. With a burgeoning steel industry, Johnstown was a growing and prosperous city. McCullough details the events and people who played a role in what would become America's largest natural disaster in its history.
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The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse that Inspired a Nation
By Elizabeth Letts
After fleeing from the Nazis, Harry de Leyer settles in Long Island, where he becomes a school’s riding instructor. Harry is given eighty dollars to purchase a docile, dependable horse for the students to ride. When car trouble causes Harry to be late for the auction, most of the horses have been sold, and the remaining few are being carted off to the knackers. Harry purchases Snowman, seemingly an aging, docile, grey gelding. However, after Snowman repeatedly jumps five fences each morning in order to visit Harry, Harry begins to realize that Snowman may have hidden potential. Elizabeth Letts, herself a champion equestrian, writes an entertaining and touching account of the special bond between Harry and Snowman, who was destined to be a champion.
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The Perfect Summer: England, 1911, Just Before the Storm
By Juliet Nicolson
England in the summer of 1911 is uncharacteristically warm. While the nobility are enjoying parties, factory workers are sweltering. Although it is well before the beginning of World War I, there is plenty of foreshadowing of the coming "storm." Nicolson, the sister of writer Adam Nicolson, and the granddaughter of novelist Vita Sackville-West, offers glimpses of a civilization that is disappearing before its participants’ eyes. In this meticulously researched account, Nicolson portrays various participants in Edwardian society: landed gentry, royalty, suffragists, women jam factory employees, and striking dockworkers. The reader wants to tell the Edwardians to wake up and notice what’s going on before it's too late, before all that they take for granted disappears forever
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She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey through Poems
By Caroline Kennedy (editor)
In this entrancing anthology, Caroline Kennedy collects poems which capture all the stages of life -- from falling in love to surviving marriage, from the joys of romance, friendship, and youth to the difficulties of coping with age, death, and grief. Each passage of life is introduced with a brief essay by Kennedy in which she recalls events in her own life and reveals why particular poems are important to her. The anthology contains old favorites such as "Leap Before You Look" (W. H. Auden) as well as unfamiliar, yet wonderful, poems such as "The Greatest Love" (Anna Swir) "Hairwashing" (Julia Alvarez), and "Protocols" (Vikram Seth). Since Lakewood Public Library owns the book and the CD audiobook, you can read the poems, listen to them, or do both.
View in catalog: BOOK AUDIOBOOK
The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece
By Edward Dolnick
Fans of art history and detective stories will love this true story of Scotland Yard art sleuth Charley Hill and the hunt for a missing masterpiece. The morning the 1994 Winter Olympics began in Lillehammer, two thieves broke into Norway’s National Gallery and stole Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The theft stumped Norwegian law enforcement and threatened to embarrass a nation in the limelight. As a colorful and intriguing as a made up character, Detective Charley Hill plays the part of a rough and tough cop, and an appreciator of fine art.
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Doctor Who and Philosophy: Bigger On the Inside
By Courtland Lewis and Paula Smithka
Fans of the show, Doctor Who, will no doubt enjoy this philosophical look at the show and the characters. A compilation of essays written by a team of philosophers who are also fans of the show, Doctor Who and Philosophy takes a deeper look into the issues brought up by this long-running series. Ethics, personal identity, science and human culture are among some of the subjects tackled by the essay authors. By examining episodes from the classic and new series, this anthology of essays, edited by Courtland Lewis and Paula Smithka, is great for those not only interested in the show, but for those that are looking for an introduction to philosophy.
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Fire and Rain: the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970
By David Browne
As the 1960s came to an end, so did the Beatles, as any music historian will tell you. The pivotal year of 1970 saw other changes as well, changes that would reflect a rapidly changing society and a disillusioned youth. While the Beatles knew they were splitting up, amid much rancor, Simon & Garfunkel were just completing what would be their last album together, the masterful Bridge Over Troubled Water, unaware that it would be their last record. Meanwhile, the competitive band members of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were fighting with rising fame (and each other) and compiling a new album to promote their tenuous foursome. Just under the radar, but gaining ground, was a troubled young troubadour named James Taylor, who would record Sweet Baby James, a classic of the burgeoning confessional songwriting genre. The author's sharp focus on just this one year in music and history and just these few talented representatives who reflected the culture is incisively unique and makes this book a standout.
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Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
By Joshua Foer
As a freelance journalist, Foer is assigned to cover the U.S. Memory Championship. While interviewing competitors, Foer stumbles across the concept of "memory palaces" and realizes that great memorizers are made, not born. Foer decides to interview more people with phenomenal memories and to learn their secrets. Foer's quest takes him all over the world as he meets the many eccentric personalities in the world of memorization, takes self-help classes, spends hours memorizing decks of cards (to the dismay of his parents, who wish he would find a "real job"), and even competes in a memory competition. Although "Moonwalking with Einstein" does provide some useful memorization tips, it should be read for the sheer pleasure of Foer's writing style – self-deprecating, acerbic, and bitingly humorous.
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The Memory Palace
By Mira Bartok
This memoir tells the story of the author's long struggle to survive her mother's spiraling schizophrenia. Set mainly in Cleveland, the book begins with Bartok and her sister's reunion with their dying mother, Norma, in 2006. It has been years since either girl saw Norma, since her uncontrolled illness eventually drove both children to seek out new lives with new names far away from their past. However, the treasures they unearth in their mom's stored belongings become a path to reclaim and heal the relationship so long lost. Bartok develops the chapters as her own memory palace, revisiting her childhood in Cleveland's west side neighborhoods, and journeying on into her recent years, in which she has suffered a memory-effecting brain injury. It is a sad retelling, at times a frightening one too; but what comes shining through all of the neglect, abuse, and heartache is the author's constant determination to see her ‘real' mom under the madness.
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Townie: A Memoir
By Andre Dubus III
Andre Dubus III (bestselling author of "House of Sand and Fog") is the son of acclaimed American writer Andre Dubus ("We Don't Live Here Anymore"). Many of Dubus pere's stories concern divorce from the parents' points of view. In "Townie: A Memoir" Dubus fils discusses divorce from a child's perspective. When Dubus III is 10 years old, his dad leaves the family and moves in with a female graduate student. "Townie" tells of Dubus III's poverty stricken childhood in the industrial northeast – living in dismal rentals, eating "frito pie" for dinner, struggling to find money for food and clothes. Although Dubus III initially resents his father, he grows up to share many of this father's interests including exercise, weight training, writing, and teaching, and is able to forgive and to care for his father. A poignant and touching memoir.
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Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
By Amy Chua
The daughter of Chinese-American immigrants (and a Yale law professor), Amy Chua discusses her quest to raise successful, respectful, and musically-gifted children. According to Chua, Western parents sacrifice success in the interest of building a child's self-esteem. Some of Chua's ideas may raise the hackles of Western readers (no play dates, no sleepovers, practice music for five hours a day), but Chua's thesis is interesting, and her stories about her two daughters (one docile, one a rebel) and their pets are wonderfully entertaining.
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Mountains beyond Mountains
By Tracy Kidder
This is the biography of Dr. Paul Farmer, who with a trio of friends and a million dollars in "seed" money from a Boston philanthropist created a charitable institution called Partners in Health which established a complex of public health facilities on the central plateau of Haiti. He also became interested in providing a cure to multiple drug resistant tuberculosis and with the Institute for Health and Social Justice (the research and education division of Partners in Health) and his associate Jim Yong Kim, he started a movement to lower prices for the second-line drugs necessary to treat resistant tuberculosis and successfully lobbied the World Health Organization for changes in treatment recommendations for tuberculosis. This is a very inspiring story of one man’s accomplishments in health care.
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Just Kids
By Patti Smith
This 2010 National Book Award winning memoir by punk poet/performer Smith is a well written elegy to her lover, best friend, and roommate during their hardscrabble years, Robert Mapplethorpe. Smith recounts how a chance meeting in 1967 began a relationship that would last until Robert's death from AIDS in 1989. The two young people, she from an artistic and supportive family and he from a stricter Catholic one, felt an immediate bond and became each other's anchor and truest sounding board.
They had some very lean years, but eventually both Smith and Mapplethorpe found fame and fortune in the arts. In the years before their success, though, Patti and Robert roamed a New York City that has long since disappeared, and found it both wonderful and cruel. Smith's nostalgic tone is just right in this particular regard. Later, marriage and family life drew Patti a little apart from Robert, who by that time had met the patron/lover of his life and was happily gaining notoriety with his provocative photography. But when Robert was sick and dying, Patti was near him till the end. The love they shared is palpably apparent throughout this retelling and although there is heartbreak, there are also light and entertaining scenes of success and warmth and connection.
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Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose
By Tony Hsieh
In a book that is part memoir and part business advice book, Harvard-educated entrepreneur Tony Hsieh recounts his business failings (worm farm, magic kit) and successes (selling LinkExchange to Microsoft for $265 million, selling Zappos to Amazon for $1.2 billion). In the first half of the book, Hsieh shares anecdotes from his childhood and from his student days at Harvard. The second half of the book focuses on Zappos: its early struggles, its corporate philosophy, and its company culture. Hsieh shows that concentrating on making customers happy can result in satisfied consumers, happy employees, and a phenomenally successful business.
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The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
By Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis, bestselling author of The Blind Side and a former employee of Salomon Brothers, explores the financial crisis resulting from the collapse of the subprime mortgage industry. More specifically, Lewis finds and interviews prophets of financial doom –- those hedge fund managers and economists who predicted and profited from the subprime mayhem while most of the world, including Wall Street, banks, and the U.S. Government, was blithely unaware of the imminent collapse. As he has already proved in "Liar's Poker" and "The Blind Side", Lewis is a skillful and entertaining writer; he easily makes the world of finance and hedge funds both engrossing and accessible.
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Methland : The Death and Life of an American Small Town
By Nick Reding
Journalist Nick Reding was in the Midwest researching an unrelated story when he arrived in Olewein, Iowa and started hearing about how methamphetamine was destroying the lives of its citizens. Schools discontinued bake sales after receiving meth-tainted baked goods; fumes from meth labs rendered apartments uninhabitable, and people cooking meth suffered horrific burns, yet kept using meth. Reding’s interviews with doctors, attorneys, dealers, users, hospital staff, and the overworked police show how pervasive meth is. But is meth the cause or effect of small town America’s woes? In documenting the destruction of small towns, Reding also explores the disappearance of industry, the high level of unemployment, and the aimlessness that permeates society, yet Reding also manages to offer cautious optimism about the future.
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Half A Life
By Darin Strauss
"Half my life ago, I killed a girl." Half A Life is the autobiographical story of a middle-aged writer who has never gotten over an incident near the end of his high school senior year. Exonerated by witnesses and the police, but not by his own conscience, Strauss examines the emotions that hindered his ability to move past an event, a horrible event, decades in his past.
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Decoded
By Jay-Z
Part memoir, part stylish coffee table book, Jay-Z’s Decoded takes readers from his hard knock roots in the housing projects of Brooklyn, to his iconic status as one of music’s most talented rappers and business men. Jay-Z weaves between narrative and explication; he expounds on specific lyrics to give his audience a glimpse into what made him into the man that he is today. But this book is not just about the man- it’s about hip hop, the music industry and the African American experience. His honesty and self-awareness make this a rewarding and insightful read.
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
By Rebecca Skloot
When Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951, her cells were collected and stored during surgery, without her knowledge. This book is the astonishing story of those cells, which continued to divide and flourish in test tubes and which would become the scientific basis for much of cancer research in the last half century. And while the book tells tales of medical breakthroughs linked to HeLa cells (as they are called), including the polio vaccine, it is also a very human story of loss and heritage. The ten years it took Skloot to research and write her book are reflected in a precise, yet readable discussion of scientific facts and an overriding poignant bond between Skloot and the Lacks family, especially with Henrietta's daughter, Deborah. It's no wonder that The New York Times chose this book for its Notable Books of 2010 List; it looks squarely at some shameful medical practices in a prejudiced society, but Skloot also successfully makes this book a testament to the very real Henrietta Lacks.
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The Art of The Sonnet
By Stephen Burt and David Mikics
A beautiful, chronologically-arranged collection of sonnets. Some of the sonnets are well known, many more are unfamiliar yet beautiful (several translated from other languages). Each sonnet is accompanied by a short commentary authored by Burt or Mikics. This collection can be enjoyed so many different ways. Read the sonnets in order to see how the form evolved. Choose a sonnet at random and read about its history or meaning (often the commentary is more enlightening than the sonnet itself). Compare the descriptions written by Burt with those written by Mikics. Browse first lines to discover a new favorite.
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The Disappearing Spoon: and other true tales of madness, love, and the history of the world from the periodic table of the elements
By Sam Kean
The eccentric cousin, the predictable ancestor, bitter feuds, and family solidarity. No, these aren’t Sam Kean's relatives; they are elements on the periodic table. Kean, an award-winning science writer, views the periodic table's rows and columns as families which share characteristics and behavior. He offers page-turning anecdotes about these traits and about the assumptions, mistakes, rivalries, and history behind the creation of the periodic table. People who love chemistry will discover a wealth of new information. The scientifically-challenged will find that chemistry can be amazingly entertaining.
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The Wave: In pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Oceans
By Susan Casey
Are our oceans increasingly prey to giant, unpredictable waves? Is global warming intensifying the seas’ severity? How many ships disappear each year, and why aren’t these disappearances reported? Why do surfers risk their lives to surf 100 foot waves? Casey’s quest to answer these questions takes her to Hawaii, Tahiti, London, Alaska, and South Africa, where she interviews champion surfers, ships’ captains, insurance underwriters, and scientists. Casey’s writing is descriptive and exhilarating. The Wave captures the ocean’s awesome power and also delivers an important message about our environment.
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Glass Castle: A Memoir
By Jeannette Walls
In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover.
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Nickel and dimed: on (not) getting by in America
By Barbara Ehrenreich
Having a job does not necessarily mean one is making a living; at least a living on which you could actually live. Ehrenreich examines the physical and psychological stress experienced by the "working poor" by demanding bosses and repetitive, degrading tasks, with no end in sight and no sign of advancement or improvement. Even working overtime never means a big enough paycheck to get ahead or to even get caught up, and the exhaustion and injury sustained can set one back ever further. The vicious cycle Ehrenreich describes (and lived) is analyzed academically, yet is also treated with unprecedented compassion and humanity.
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Reading Lolita in Tehran
By Azar Nafisi
A true book club's book, this memoir follows a book club made up of seven women and their experiences reading controversial Western literature in Iran. Azar Nafisi , a former professor at the University of Allameh Tabatabei, heads the group, who meets secretly and encourages the women to speak their minds not only about the literature at hand, but also about their experiences in the turbulent country. Through this book club, they began to see some parallels between themselves and the characters and found that reading to be essential to their survival in an oppressive world.
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Charlie Chan : the untold story of the honorable detective and his rendezvous with American history
By Yunte Huang
This odd duck combination of sprawling history and modern personal narrative answers questions you never thought to ask about Hawaiian politics, Chinese immigration, Swedish drunkards, Ivy League snobs and good old Hollywood money. Chang Apana, the quiet, fearless, real-life inspiration for the honorable detective, turns out to be a real American hero--it doesn't matter that he's nothing like Charlie Chan. For the Chinese born author of this book and for Chan's Ohio-born creator, racial ventriloquism isn't so much racist as it is an avenue for outsider expression.
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A girl named Zippy : growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana
By Haven Kimmel
A humorous celebration of small-town oddballs and peculiar relatives, Zippy's memoir engages like few others. From the complications of day-to-day life with older siblings, to discovering the fallibility of parents and other adults, it is easy to identify with this story, and difficult to put the book down. Memories seen both through the eyes of a child and through the lens of the child grown-up will remind the reader of their own past selves and cause a nostalgic ache for even the worst of times.
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Packing for Mars: the Curious Science of Life in the Void
By Mary Roach
Mary Roach is not your "typical" science writer; she makes the facts of her subjects instantly accessible and wraps them in a sense of humor. In Packing for Mars, Roach asks the quirky questions we all may have pondered. How do astronauts use the toilet? Why is it rude to float upside down while conversing? The answers are here in her exploration of life in space. Check out Roach's other best selling books: Stiff:The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife and
Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex.
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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
By Erik Larson
Just before the turn of the century, Chicago was trying to establish itself as a world-class metropolis. The city triumphed over New York, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis and was awarded the honor of hosting the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America tells two stories of the World's Fair, both stories involve highly industrious and intelligent men; in one, the architect that built the elaborate fair and the other, a serial killer. Fans of history, true crime and murder mysteries will find this to be both a fascinating and macabre read.
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A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
By Bill Bryson
The appeal of Bill Bryson's writing is his humanity. Whether being intimidated, and even defeated, by steep climbs, or feeling incapable of strapping on his rucksack tomorrow after a grueling hike today, Bryson is a mere mortal attempting a remarkable feat. The 2,100+ mile march from Georgia to Maine proves too much for most who attempt it (including the author), but his humor and attitude, and historical anecdotes along the way, make for an irresistible journey.
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The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Science Medicine in Jazz Age New York
By Deborah Blum
In this true crime tale, New York City's first official forensics team play detectives in search of the poisons responsible for so many deaths in the city. This book is not only an early history of forensic science, but it's also a fascinating history of this time, from Prohibition and the beginnings of organized crime to the beginning of the FDA and Marie Curie's radium discovery. Each chapter features a different deadly poison, and tells the story of a murder and the chemistry behind each toxin, then details the methods devised that would forever change the relationship between science and crime
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Flash Burnout
By L.K. Madigan
When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom. Blake's participation in the ensuing drama opens up a world of trouble.This book deals with serious issues (drug addiction, parental abandonment, sex), but contains a lot of humor. Interesting information about photography is sprinkled throughout the story. Told from a male point of view, Blake's experiences range from the comic (surviving his dad's birth control talk) to the tragic (a harrowing after-hours visit to the morgue).
View in catalog: BOOK, EBOOK
Need
By Carrie Jones
When Zara moves to frigid Maine after the death of her stepfather, her life begins to unravel with the appearance of a mysterious stalker and the disappearance of a young man her age. Zara finds friends and romance along the way as she tries to find answers to questions she never really knew she had. This book is full of action and keeps the reader involved and on the edge of their seat. "Twilight" fans should like this story.
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Born to Rock
By Gordon Korman
Before graduation, Leo Caraway is wrongly accused of cheating and loses his scholarship to Harvard. He then finds out he is the result of a one-night stand with punk legend, King Maggot of the angriest band in America, Purge. Desperate to find the money to get to Harvard, Leo ends up touring with King Maggot's band as a roadie. This story details the shenanigans of rock 'n' roll, his burgeoning relationship with who he believes is his real father, and his coming of age.
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Please Ignore Vera Dietz
By A.S. King
18-year-old Vera is used to keeping secrets. For years she has kept her mother's scandalous past a secret and her best friend Charlie's abusive home life a secret. After Charlie's untimely death, Vera must decide if she can forgive him for betraying her and reveal the secret that could restore his reputation.
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Perfect Chemistry
By Simone Elkeles
At Fairfield High School in Chicago, Brittany Ellis is the “golden girl” with a seemingly perfect life. Alex Fuentes is her complete opposite; a gang member who is feared by his classmates. When they unexpectedly become lab partners, they must fight the romantic feelings that develop between them.
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Undercover
By Beth Kephart
Elisa is a gifted and talented writer who acts as a modern day Cyrano de Bergerac for the boys at her school. The love notes she pens cause girls to become enamored with their would be suitors. Elisa is content with her role until her unrequited love, Theo Moses, requests her help to make beautiful and popular Lila fall in love with him. Will Elisa find the courage to declare her true feelings for Theo, or will Lilla win his affections?
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The Boy Who Couldn't Die
By William Sleator
When his best friend dies in a plane crash, sixteen-year-old Ken has a ritual performed that will make him invulnerable, but soon learns that he has become the puppet of a zombie master. Ken must recover his soul or face a life of unspeakable darkness.
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Down Sand Mountain
By Steve Watkins
It's 1966 and Dewey Turner is determined to begin the school year right. No more being the brunt of every joke. No more "Deweyitis." Unfortunately, events do not go as Dewey planned and he becomes a complete outcast. Dewey finds solace in his friendship with fellow outsider Darla Turkel and through their friendship gains an awareness of issues like race, segregation, and the harsh realities of the Vietnam War.
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Gentlemen
By Michael Northrop
Readers, especially boys, will be captivated by the chilling story of an unpopular group of tenth graders who make mistakes and poor decisions. When one of the teens disappears, the others begin to suspect their English teacher may be involved.
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Three Black Swans
By Caroline B. Cooney
Missy and her cousin Claire are best friends who finish each other’s sentences and practically read each other's minds. It's an eerie connection-so eerie that Missy has questions she wants to put to her parents, but she’s afraid to ask. Missy decides to use a school project about scientific hoaxes to try to uncover the answers. Missy and Claire soon realize that they’ve opened Pandora's box and much more than they ever imagined has come out.
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Freaky Green Eyes
By Joyce Carol Oates
When her parents separate, Franky Pierson has no trouble deciding whose side she is on. After all, her mother is the one who chose to leave. When her mother is suddenly reported missing, Franky believes she simply pulled a disappearing act and deserted the family for good. But a part of Franky, a part she calls Freaky Green Eyes, know that something is wrong. To uncover the truth, Freaky Green Eyes must open Franky’s eyes to what is really happening.
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The Great White Man-Eating Shark
By Margaret Mahy
This is a humorous cautionary tale, with an unlikable main character. It’s acceptable for children to feel ill regard towards Norvin as they read about his selfish, sneaky antics. Looking a bit like a shark, Norvin scares off the other swimmers and finds himself in happy, aquatic solitude -- until he is discovered by an amorous female shark. Youngsters may cheer at the conclusion as Norvin gets his just reward. The artwork complements the story with simple, boldly colored drawings.
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The Boy Who Saved Cleveland
By James Cross Giblin
During a malaria epidemic in late eighteenth-century Cleveland, Ohio, ten-year-old Seth Doan surprises his family, neighbors, and himself by having the strength to carry and grind enough corn to feed everyone. The short length and large print of this book may make it appealing to reluctant readers. The historical setting is sure to captivate young history lovers.
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Vanishing Act
By John Feinstein
Invited to spend the week at the U.S. Open as junior sports writers, Susan Carol and Stevie are all set to enjoy a week of watching professional tennis. When one of the top seeded players disappears, Stevie and Susan Carol become involved in the mystery. If you like sports, particularly tennis, this is the book for you. The historic grounds of the U.S. Open are described so well you might feel that if you stopped by you could find your way around. The author does a bit of name dropping and if you know tennis at all, you will recognize many players and announcers. The well developed characters and their sleuthing make for a satisfying reading experience.
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Piggins
By Jane Yolen
This tale is a good early mystery story for children. The clues are explained carefully so the reader can see how Piggins uses this information to make decisions. The illustrations are attractive and very detailed which adds to the feel of the book as an old English mystery.
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Gnat Stokes and the Foggy Bottom Swamp Queen
By Sally M. Keehn
This story is based on a Scottish ballad called “Tam Lin” and is set in the Smokey Mountains of Eastern Tennessee. Gnat Stokes narrates this tale in a soft Appalachian accent. It is enough to make the reader feel as though they have slipped back in time to the 19th century. One night a swamp cat falls into Gnat’s arms with a charmed locket caught in its teeth. The message inside the locket inspires Gnat to develop a plan to save the life of Goodlow Pryce, missing for seven years and assumed taken by Zelda, the Swamp Queen. This fast read is both fantasy and historical fiction.
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Bad Day at Riverbend
By Chris Van Allsburg
Van Allsburg creates a story within a story in this creatively written picture book. Vigilant Sheriff Ned Hardy is determined to find the culprit of the slimy "color" attack on his town. Finally, both the reader and Ned Hardy and his cronies discover that the town of Riverbend has become a part of a young boy’s coloring book. This book would be a great choice for a younger child who enjoys coloring and any older child who appreciates a unique story.
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The Enormous Egg
By Oliver Butterworth
Young Nate Twitchell lives with his family in rural Freedom, New Hampshire, and his daily life consists of taking care of the family's chickens and fishing with his friend. One day he discovers an unusually large egg which hatches to reveal a triceratops! This is an exciting story, but it is also a satirical look at American society. The book mocks business and America's consumer mentality and the American government (a senator tries to pass a bill that will kill the dinosaur because it costs too much to feed and it is "out of date.") This book is a great read for kids just interested in an exciting story about a dinosaur or can be used as a creative, interdisciplinary way of teaching about the government.
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Feathers
By Jacqueline Woodson
This 2008 Newbery Honor book packs an emotional punch as we learn about Frannie's feelings towards her deaf brother Sean, her mother's pregnancy, the class bully Trevor, her religious best friend Samantha, and the unusual new boy at school. Frannie proves to be a young girl who is dealing with a multitude of emotions and concerns in her seemingly uncomplicated life. Children may enjoy this story because they could relate to the feelings that many experience while growing up and learning to cope with life's situations and challenges.
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Gunstories: Life-Changing Experiences with Guns
By S. Beth Atkin
The author spent five years talking to teens and collecting their stories about how guns have affected their lives. Each storyteller has a different viewpoint about guns. Some are responsible marksmen and are pro-firearms. Others have been victims of shootings, or have known victims of shootings. One of the most poignant stories is from Sarah Davis, a friend of one of the shooters in the Columbine tragedy in Colorado. Each experience is told in the storyteller’s own words, with all their own nuances, which helps the reader see the teller more clearly.
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Space Race
By Sylvia Waugh
Thomas and his father appear to be a quiet family to their Belthorp, England neighbors. After five years on Earth,their research mission is complete and they are scheduled to return to the planet Ormingat. As they try to return to their spaceship, they are separated by an accident that threatens their trip. Thomas is faced with the decision to stay or go. Which will he choose?
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Silly Little Goose
By Nancy Tafuri
One windy day Goose goes off to find a place to nest. Each time she finds a warm and comfy spot she discovers it belongs to someone else. As the farmer’s hat blows through the pages of the book so does Goose. She is found in the pig pen, the cat’s bed, and even the hen house before she finally settles in the farmer’s hat that has blown under a bush. The warm illustrations lead the reader through this simple story of Goose’s search for the perfect nest. The writing is simple and fun and the repetitive phrase in the story makes this a good book for pre-readers to "read" to others.
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Out of My Mind
By Sharon M. Draper
This book is filled with excitement and heartbreak as we learn the story of Melody, a brilliant fifth-grader with cerebral palsy. The author captures the frustration Melody feels on a daily basis as we follow her at home, in her special education class, mainstreamed into an inclusion class, and participating in an academic competition. Children reading this book may gain an understanding of challenges faced by classmates with special needs. More importantly, they may develop an understanding of the emotions and feelings of a disabled child.
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George and Martha
By James Marshall
This book has five quick stories about best friends. The first is about eating soup you don't like because your friend made it. The next is about not being able to fly away in a balloon. Another is about being sorry you spied on a friend. Making a friend realize they were acting silly, and making a friend feel better about himself round out the stories. The book shows how friends can help each other be better people.
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The Hatmaker's Sign
By Candace Fleming
The Hatmaker's Sign recounts the tale of Thomas Jefferson's struggle to accept criticism of his first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Comforting his friend, Benjamin Franklin tells a parable about a hat maker who makes a sign for his new hat shop. Everyone who sees the sign makes some changes to it until it is nothing but a blank board. The moral is that if you show something written to the public, everyone will have a change or comment about it.The story and its message lends itself to discussion. This would be a great book for children studying Colonial America and our founding fathers.
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Far North
By Will Hobbs
This thrilling account of winter wilderness survival is fast-paced and action-packed. Boarding school roommates Gabe and Raymond, two boys from very different cultures, bond and work together to overcome extreme obstacles in a frozen world of moose, wolves, and bears. The reader will find this realistic fiction compelling, riveting, and never dull.
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The Spiderwick Chronicles /Book One: The Field Guide
By Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Mallory, Jared, and Simon Grace are less than thrilled when their family moves from New York City to their great aunt's boring old Victorian house in the country. The children quickly realize their new home is anything but boring. After hearing noises inside the walls, the Grace children discover a dumbwaiter which takes them to a secret room without a door. There they discover an intriguing ancient, hand-copied field guide to faeries. The children are convinced the creatures described in the book are real. The Field Guide is a light, quick read that is mildly suspenseful, but not too frightening for young readers.
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One-Eyed Jake
By Pat Hutchins
One-Eyed Jake sails the sea stealing cargo from every ship he encounters; feathers from a cargo ship, fish from the fisherman, and jewelry from the passenger ship. He plunders until his crew is unhappy and his ship is overloaded. Yet, One Eyed Jake still wants more. Hutchins tells her story of greed and it's consequences in a fun and easy to read language that will appeal to all readers. Her illustrations are bold and vivid enough to draw the eyes of even the squirmiest little one. The lesson learner in this pirate tale is an invaluable one.
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Alexander's Midnight Snack
By Catherine Stock
This is a delightful ABC book starring an elephant who wears striped pajamas. Children will enjoy this amusing approach to the alphabet as they see Alexander consume numerous items of food in the middle of the night while his parents are asleep. A giggle will certainly arise as the reader spots the hungry elephant peering through the holes of a big wedge of swiss cheese perched on his trunk. The final illustration (Alexander's mother when she comes down to the kitchen the next morning and sees a mess) could lead to a discussion of actions and consequences.
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Where are you going Manyoni?
By Catherine Stock
Manyoni's walk to school differs greatly from that of any child in the United States. Lush watercolors capture the vast landscape and feel of the quiet morning. Wild animals are sprinkled throughout the scenery. On her daily trek to school, Manyoni passes baboons and impalas, much like an American child might pass a squirrel. While the school buildings are very different from what an American child has experienced, the students playing in the schoolyard seem familiar. A list of words is provided at the end of the story to give an idea of the sound and color of the spoken word in that particular part of Africa. Pictures of animals found throughout the story are shown at the end of the book. This encourages the reader to revisit the story and seek out these animals that blend in so well with their surroundings. Catherine Stock has successfully transported readers to a faraway land with her straightforward story and beautiful illustrations.
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Diary of a Worm
By Doreen Cronin
This laugh out loud picture book is terrific for all ages. Readers might pick up a few tidbits of factual information while seeing the world through a worm's eye. The unique diary format and silly pictures by Harry Bliss add to the book's appeal. Destined to become a classic, Diary of a Worm has been followed by the equally hilarious Diary of a Spider and Diary of a Fly.
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Odd and the Frost Giants
By Neil Gaiman
Odd decided to leave his home village when he encountered an eagle, a bear and a fox. Soon he discovers that the eagle, bear and fox aren't actually animals at all. They are the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Loki. Tricked by frost giants and now far away from Asgard, the animals seek Odd's help in trying to regain Asgard and be transformed back into their god-forms.
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The Name of this Book is Secret
By Pseudonymous Bosch
Cassandra and Max-Ernest stumble upon a full-fledged mystery involving a magician who died in a strange and unnatural fire. The twosome find the magician’s journal and must decipher it while outwitting the nefarious Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais. Do they survive? Do they solve the mystery? Read the book and find out.
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The Wheels on the Race Car
By Alexander Zane
Based on the popular children's standard "The Wheels on the Bus," The Wheels on the Race Car takes the reader through a race with sound effects and movements. Cute diagrams of the accompanying "dance moves" can be found illustrated on the book's end papers, adding to the charm.
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Bucking the Sarge
By Christopher Paul Curtis
In Flint Michigan, everyone knows "The Sarge" and everyone fears her, even her own son. The Sarge is a money-grubbing slumlord and her son, Luther, is trying to better himself. The Sarge is cold, wicked, and calculating, while Luther dreams of becoming a philosopher and making the world a better place. Luther keeps trying to do his best even though his mom is trying to turn him into a wicked man.
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Smile
By Raina Telgemeier
Sixth grader Raina is horrified after an accident severely injures her two front teeth. Raina is subject to surgery, braces, retainers, and even embarrassing head gear. Besides all of that, Raina must endure natural disasters, unfriendly friends, and boy trouble.
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The Wednesday Wars
By Gary D. Schmidt
It is 1967 and seventh grader Holling Hoodhood’s teacher hates him. At least he thinks she hates him; especially after she tells him that every Wednesday afternoon, while half of his classmates are at Catechism and the other half are at Hebrew school, Holling will be studying the plays of Shakespeare. But Holling learns just more than the love of the Bard, he learns valuable lessons about life, love, and himself as well.
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A Castle on Viola Street
By Anne DiSalvo
This story emphasizes the importance of working together, not only as a family seeking a better life, but also as a community to make a better world. It also demonstrates to children the power of remaining positive despite rough times. The illustrations are bright and cheerful, and reflect the diversity of an urban landscape, from the bustling streets to the abandoned boarded-up buildings. This inspiring story will touch readers.
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Grandfather's Journey
By Allen Say
Autobiographical in nature, this book is filled with striking illustrations that showcase the grand vistas of both Japan and the United States. The book reflects on Say's Japanese-American heritage and shows his love and appreciation for two different countries and cultures.
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Crispin: The Cross of Lead
By Avi
A young teen's life quickly changes after the death of his mother. He learns his given name is Crispin and that he must keep his mother's cross safe. After the priest that has been helping him is killed, Crispin becomes a wolf's head, which means anyone can kill him for a reward. Crispin runs for his life while attempting to solve the mystery of his past.
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The Best Place
By Susan Meddaugh
Children are likely to become emotionally involved with the tale of a wolf that embarks on a journey to discovery to find the best place in the world. Human feelings such as anger, embarrassment, regret, confusion, and fear are exhibited by animal characters throughout the story. Colorful illustrations carry the reader to a gratifying resolution.
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Elijah of Buxton
By Christopher Paul Curtis
Eleven year old Elijah has grown up with the terrible stories friends and family tell about their time as slaves, but being freeborn himself, he has no personal experience with slavery. All that changes when a member of the Buxton community steals a large sum of money that was to be used to buy freedom for several slaves. Elijah and his friend, Mr. Leroy, set off on a difficult and dangerous journey to retrieve the stolen money. It is a journey that will test Elijah in ways he never imagined, and change the way he sees the world forever.
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The Sisters Grimm, Book One: The Fairytale Detectives
By Michael Buckley
This book paints a picture of a world where humans and fairy-tale creatures live side-by-side in rural New York. Two orphan sisters, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have been brought to live in Ferryport with a grandmother whom they thought was dead. Heartbroken and wary, the girls are immediately swept up in a mystery that includes giants, pixies, fairies, and witches.
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A Friendship for Today
By Patricia McKissack
12-year-old Rosemary is an African American student with good enough grades to be admitted to a whites only school. Rosemary must deal with harassment and other obstacles as she begins school. Through a touching set of circumstances, a white girl, Grace, becomes good friends with Rosemary. The book touches on themes of divorce, polio, integration, educational disparity, and poverty in a realistic manner without glamorizing them. Though the protagonists are female, the book serves as a fine discussion springboard for all readers.
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A Mink, A Fink, A Skating Rink: What is a Noun?
By Brian P. Cleary
This is an excellent choice for young readers interested in learning grammar. The book is informational without the wordy explanations that turn readers away. The nouns in the book are easily identifiable, and the creative illustrations portray the words and phrases in action.
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