Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise



The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart
Adult New Book Display Main Level - STUART


Balthazar Jones works at the Tower of London. He also lives there with this wife, Hebe, and their very old tortoise, Mrs. Cook. One day, Balthazar is informed that all the various animals given to the Queen over the years will be moved to the Tower grounds and Balthazar will be in charge of taking care of them. Hebe works at the London Underground Lost Property Office. Anything that is found on the subway is brought to Hebe. The jobs of the two main characters create all kinds of funny situations. All the interesting supporting characters and their interactions with one another add to the humor as well. However, the story also has some serious aspects to it, mainly concerning Balthazar and Hebe mourning the death of their young son a few years ago and its effect on their marriage. Overall, this is a very charming and touching book.


Zombies vs. Unicorns

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black vs. Justine Larbalestier.
Teen Short Stories – Main Level - ZOMBIES

Zombies are in right now. Really in, and I personally really don’t like them. That’s why I’m so glad that this anthology of short stories has come out, so that everyone can see once and for all why unicorns are so much cooler than zombies. That would be my way of looking at it, anyway. The book is geared towards a teen audience and has twelve stories, six each zombie and unicorn, each team headed by a separate editor. Here are the authors that I’ve heard of: Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Maureen Johnson, Diana Peterfreund, Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot and Libba Bray. These are very good authors, though I admit that the only zombie story I made it all the way through was Alaya Dawn Johnson’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, and that only because the opening comments described it as funny. (A thoughtful feature of this book is that every story is marked with a zombie or unicorn icon so if you are a diehard member of one team or another, as it turns out I am, you can avoid the stories from the other side.) Some of the stories are dark, like Kathleen Duey’s “The Third Virgin”. Some, like Naomi Novik’s “Purity Test” (what if the girl the unicorn picks isn’t really a virgin?) and Meg Cabot’s “Princess Prettypants”, where the unicorn literally farts rainbows, are hilarious. Every story is preceded by an argument between the two editors on the background of the story, tidbits about zombies or unicorns (depending) and the relative merits of zombies and unicorns. Even when I didn’t read the story, the notes were priceless. I hear the zombie stories were pretty good, too.

The book has an active web following, too – check out Team Unicorn’s “A Very Zombie Holiday” on Youtube.



Friday, December 17, 2010

The Quilter's Apprentice



The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


Matt McClure was out of a job and had a difficult time trying to find one in State College, PA. Matt and his wife Sarah decided to move to Waterford, PA where he accepted a full time job with a landscape architect firm. Now it was Sarah’s turn to be out of a job. She went on numerous interviews but to no avail. Matt was working to restore Elm Creek Manor. The owner of Elm Creek was Mrs. Sylvia Compson, she wanted to repair and restore the estate so she could sell it. Mrs. Compson offered Sarah a temporary position that consisted of cleaning and restoring the interior of Elm Creek. Sarah willingly took the job, with one condition though. Sarah wanted Mrs. Compson to teach her how to quilt. Sarah loved the quilting lessons very much; she loved hearing stories about Mrs. Compson’s life and what it was like growing up at Elm Creek. Sarah enjoyed quilting so much that she joined the Tangled Web Quilters. She invited Mrs. Compson to join her but she refused, and when Sarah brought it up at meeting some of the quilters were upset that Sarah would do that. Sarah was told that one of the members was Mrs. Compson’s sister in law and they have not spoken to each other in many years. Through the stories Mrs. Compson tells Sarah realizes that Mrs. Compson does not want to sell Elm Creek Manor and she regrets the events that estranged her from her family. Sarah needs to come up with a plan to keep Mrs. Compson from selling Elm Creek and to reunite her with her sister in law. Do not miss the other great novels in the Elm Creek Quilts series:

Round Robin by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Cross Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Paperbacks-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Quilter’s Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Master Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Sugar Camp Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


Circle of Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Quilter’s Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The New Year’s Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Winding Ways Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Quilter’s Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Lost Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


A Quilter’s Holiday by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI


The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Adult Fiction Shelves-Main Level– CHIAVERINI




Saturday, December 11, 2010

My Name is Mary Sutter


My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira Adult New Book Display - Main Level Oliveira

Mary Sutter is a 20-year-old midwife in Civil War-era New York. She dreams of becoming a surgeon, but can find no one to apprentice her. The medical school in Albany will not admit women. She decides to go to Washington D.C. to volunteer with army nurses. She's too young, and her mother pleads with her not go to, but she sneaks away. Even the famed Dorothea Dix won't take her on, so she has to find a willing surgeon to work with. She finds Dr. William Stipp in the Union Hotel (which has been converted to a war hospital). He begrudgingly takes her on, and ultimately finds her irreplacable! Mary is not squeamish about the brutality of war medicine: amputations are a necessity, and Mary skillfully helps Dr. Stipp in any way she can. Meanwhile, her sister and mother are at home in New York, begging her to return to deliver her sister's baby. Her sister's husband and her brother are both off fighting the war. This is a very realistic portrayal of women, medicine, and the Civil War...historical fiction at its best!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Alchemy and Meggy Swann



Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman
Teen Zone New Fiction - Main Level - CUSHMAN


The year is 1573 in England. Queen Elizabeth I is the reigning queen, and Meggy Swann is an adolescent girl who has been sent by her cruel mother to live with the father she has never known in filthy and smelly London. To top it all off, Meggy is crippled and is forced to learn her own way around the vast and unknown city. “Ye toads and vipers!”

When Meggy first arrives in London, she is hopeful that her father will care about her and want a relationship with her, but she soon realizes that his true love is himself and his “Great Work.” Indeed, he spends all of his hours locked in a laboratory mixing chemicals trying to change base metals into gold. He is also trying to find the “great elixir of life” or the fountain of youth. His “Great Work” doesn’t pay much, and Meggy is often hungry and cold. Left to fend for herself, Meggy soon learns her way around the streets of London and meets some kind people such as Roger Oldham (an old helper of her father’s), Master Cooper, and Printer Allyn. Printer Allyn prints many ballads which are sold on every street in London proclaiming interesting stories and the news of the day.

In time, Meggy’s father does start to talk to her, but mostly so he can have her help in the laboratory. While this isn’t exactly the life Meggy had envisioned for herself, she does her best because her beloved Gran would have wanted her to be positive. One day however, Meggy overhears two men talking to her father about an evil plot to murder a high official in Queen Elizabeth’s court. “Ye toads and vipers!” What will Meggy do? She can’t allow her father to get involved in something so wicked and evil, and yet what can she, a poor and crippled common girl, do to stop such a plot?

Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman is absolutely wonderful historical fiction written in the same vein as Ms. Cushman’s other novels which are always about young girls who face adversity and yet find their own way to succeed. Meggy is a great heroine to add to the long list of heroines created by Karen Cushman. If you enjoy historical fiction that is richly researched and detailed, then you will enjoy any of Karen Cushman’s fantastic young adult novels!


Thursday, December 2, 2010

Imaginalis



Imaginalis by J.M. DeMatteis
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – DeMATTEIS


Mehera Beatrice Crosby is devastated upon learning that her favorite book series Imaginalis will no longer be published. She was waiting for Book 5 forever and now she will not know how everything ended! She believed in these books and considered all the characters her friends. After learning the news Mehera starts receiving weird and strange text messages. She thought her friend from school was playing a joke on her. Mehera discovered it was really the characters from Imaginalis that were contacting her. The Imaginalians are counting on her to save them from Pralaya (the villain). Soon Mehera is going between worlds trying to save the Imaginalians. Through her strong belief that they are real and her determination to help her friends Mehera goes on a quest to find the author of the series. Together can they save the Imaginalians from disappearing in Nolandia or will they forget the Imaginalians ever existed?

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Still Missing



Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Adult New Books Display Main Level– STEVENS


It was another ordinary day for Annie O’Sullivan. She had an open house to run then she was off to have dinner with her boyfriend. The open house was slow but Annie had high hopes when just before closing another prospect came for a viewing. Annie was not as lucky as she thought, after showing the house to the man he abducted her and kept her captive for about 12 months in a remote cabin in the mountains. You learn Annie’s story through sessions with her psychiatrist. As you hear the horrific story unfold it is hard to imagine Annie’s life being put back together. Annie is also assisting in the police investigation to figure out who the kidnapper was and why he was fixated on Annie. There are some clues that do not make sense to Annie or the investigators. Readers will be shocked once the true story of Annie’s abduction unfolds. Chevy Stevens debuts a shocking, disturbing and great first novel.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Round Trip




Round Trip
Picture Book Shelves-Lower Level JON


Recently, I was talking with a fellow library worker about the importance of picture books, especially regarding the recent article in the New York Times about the declining popularity of the picture book. The idea of words and pictures together opens up children's minds to different ways of reading. There are picture books for adults, too. We call them Graphic Novels.

She recommended this picture book, Round Trip, as an example of what could be accomplished within the framework of the picture book. Round Trip is phenomenal. The story is relatively simple, with prose details that mainly serve to further the graphic element of the book. However, the book is interactive. Once one is done reading the book, one simply flips it over and reads it the other way. The simple, black and white illustrations are transformed into completely different images before your eyes.

I never read this book growing up, and had never heard of Ann Jonas before. As an adult, I really appreciate the art that went into this book and highly recommend it for children of all ages. Even grown up ones.

Friday, November 12, 2010

An Impartial Witness


An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd

Adult New Book Mystery Todd


The second in the WWI nurse Bess Crawford series. Having brought back wounded soldiers from the war in France to Hampshire in Britain, Bess was at the train station for a short leave in London. There she saw a woman sobbing and holding the arm of an officer in a Wiltshire regiment. Her distress stopped Bess because she knew her face from the photograph that one of her patient's, pilot Lieutenant Evanson, had kept by his side. When the Wiltshire officer mounted the train, the woman dashed out of the station. Bess tried to follow her, but lost her in the crowds.

Back in France Bess read in a newspaper that Mrs. Marjorie Evanson had been found dead. So begins a mystery that has several other people murdered or almost murdered, Bess crossing over to England as often as possible, a large cast of characters, including her wonderful father who had had his own regiment in India and his aide, Simon, who assists Beth.

A quicker read might have helped keep all of these characters straight, but it has a great sense of life in Britain during WWI and of the battlefields in France. Not as good as the Maisy Dobbs series, but a pleasant read nonetheless.



The Lacuna


The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Adult Cd Book Kingsolver


Kingsolver reads this beautifully written book herself, and while her voice is a bit soft, she does the book justice in an understated, non-dramatic way. I like her way of letting the book speak for itself without over dramatization. Kingsolver actually performs many of the accents very well, North Carolina and Mexican especially. Her Russian is serviceable. Kingsolver's greatest narration is for the character Violet Brown, Harrison Shepherd's stenographer, thanks to whom this story was not burned, but was instead locked away for 50 years.

The book is a saga of a boy who grew up in Mexico with his flighty Mexican mother who had left his American father in Washington, D.C. for an oil man who lived on an island. While that affair didn't last long, it provided Harrison days of pleasure of diving into water and finding a cave full of fish, that he discovered had another entrance on the ocean side that could be accessed at low tide. He loved to see how long he could stay under.

Later they move to Mexico City where he attends a church school, this in the days when the church is banned from pretty much everything; it is a school for the slow witted, though Harrison is very bright. He happens upon Frida Kahlo in the marketplace one day and offers to help her carry her bundles, thus coming into the employ of Diego Rivera as a plaster mixer. Harrison spends years in the Rivera household as cook, typist for guest Leon Trotsky, but after the brutal murder of Trotsky he returns to the States. There, in Ashville, N.C. he has a successful career as a writer of romantic novels about the Aztecs, until the House of un-American Activities begins to pursue him. It is a chilling reminder of our past 50 years ago, and a warning of what seems to be brewing in some circles today. Spectacular novel.



Stiltsville


Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel

Adult New Fiction Daniel


This piece of domestic fiction follows 26 year old Frances Ellerby on her first trip to Miami in a community of houses built on stilts in Biscayne Bay called Stiltsville. There she meets Dennis DuVal, the owner, and it isn't long before she moves from Atlanta to become part of his world, which includes his parents, his wild sister Bette, with whom she lives for a time, and his friend Marse who becomes her best friend.

Dennis and Francis eventually marry and have a daughter. Their life is wound into Miami's lush tropical beauty and way of life. They take their boat out to Stiltsville to fish, eating out on porches. They don't have many friends, mostly Dennis's parents, Bette and Marse and her various boyfriends of the moment. Neither Franny nor Dennis is extraordinary, but they have a singular love that enables them to ride out hurricanes and temptations and that holds them up when difficult times come. A heartwarming and unforgettable book.



Monday, November 8, 2010

Wink

Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed by J.C. Phillips.
Picture Book Shelves – Lower Level - PHI

Wink has always wanted to be a ninja, but when he finally is admitted to ninja school, he keeps getting into trouble. His kicking and jumping skills are fine, but he has difficulty with the silent and stealthy part. Every day, he returns home dejected and listens to advice from his grandmother over their evening tea. Finally, he finds a career where he fits in perfectly. The bright cut-out illustrations suit the story perfectly. This book is perfect for young would-be ninjas who have yet to master the silent and stealthy aspect, as well as anyone trying to find their place in the world.



Saturday, November 6, 2010

Blood, Sweat, and Chalk: The ultimate football playbook



Blood, Sweat, and Chalk: The Ultimate Football Playbook
by Tim Layden Adult Nonfiction – New Book Shelves Upper Level 796.332 L

Despite the scholarly pretensions of Baseball, Football is the most intellectual of the major sports. The physical aspects are more obvious, but strategy and concepts have a major effect on the games. “Blood, Sweat, and Chalk” by Tim Layden traces the evolution of offensive and defensive strategy throughout football history. From the Single Wing offense designed by Pop Warner in the early 1900’s to the Double A-gap blitz of today, football has always been an escalating intellectual arms race between offense and defense. Layden does an excellent job of making the basic concepts understandable to laymen. For fans who want to really understand the game of football and its history, this is a must-read.


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

College, Inc.



College, Inc.
College Search-Upper Level – 378.04 C


Frontline is a TV series produced by WGBH and shown on most PBS stations. Each episode is an hour long investigative documentary. There have been many great ones over the past 10 years, but a recent one that was released to DVD and is quite interesting in my opinion is College Inc.

College Inc. is about the history, rise, and issues with for profit colleges and universities which are different than public universities or non profit universities. Publicly funded higher education, such as community colleges and public universities, are run with publicly raised funds, either from the state or raised through a community college district, much like a library district or K-12 school district. They are governed by either community college district boards (locally elected) or in the case of public universities, by boards either elected directly by voters or appointed by other publicly elected officials.

Non profit colleges, such as Madonna University, receive no public funding, and raise capital through endowments and donations (mostly from alumni). They are run in many ways, like other non profit institutions. For profit schools, such as University of Phoenix, are run like corporations. They are run by publicly traded companies and therefore are responsible to shareholders. Like other publicly traded companies, their primary goal is to turn a profit.

College Inc. delves into the issues of for profit universities. It covers issues of priorties, funding, accreditation, admissions approaches and their focus on online education. The film discusses how many community colleges struggle, with falling funding, to accommodate the higher education capacity that for profit colleges step in to take up. Unfortunately, most for profit schools are much more expensive than community colleges and even most publicly funded universities, saddling more Americans with additional debt.

In a time when funding is dropping for many public institutions, this documentary raises the issue of how we should be providing education to those for whom other traditional universities and colleges are not an option or not appropriate. Recommended viewing for those interested in issues of education, public versus private control, and the nature of for profit instiutions.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

39 Clues Book One: The Maze of Bones



The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


Amy (age 14) and Dan (age 11) heard the devastating news that their grandmother Grace Cahill passed away. Amy and Dan were very close to Grace. They would visit her on the weekends and some relatives considered them to be Grace’s favorites. Amy and Dan are orphans; their guardian is Aunt Beatrice who wants nothing to do with them. She set them up in an apartment with an au pair, the most current of whom is Nellie Gomez. Aunt Beatrice accompanied the children to Grace’s funeral. They were amazed by the amount of relatives that were in attendance. At the funeral Amy and Dan were invited to the reading of Grace’s will along with a select few other relatives. They learn that they had a choice between receiving one million dollars from Grace or they could enter in a contest to find the greatest treasure of all. Amy and Dan decide to go for the treasure. They are offered the first clue and need to find a total of 39 clues. Amy and Dan are not the only family members fighting for the treasure either. The first clue is hard enough and now in competition with other relatives the race is on. As they decipher the first clue Amy and Dan learn how powerful the Cahill family is, especially with legendary relatives such as Ben Franklin and Wolfgang Mozart. Nellie accompanies Amy and Dan in their adventurous and dangerous quest for the 39 clues. Will they be able to find the second clue before the others?

The Maze of Bones is the kickoff novel in the 39 Clues series, all which are penned by famous authors. To continue onto the treasure check out the other titles:

One False Note by Gordon Korman
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


The Black Circle by Patrick Carman
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


In Too Deep by Jude Watson
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


The Viper’s Nest by Peter Lerangis
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


The Emperor’s Code by Gordon Korman
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – THIRTY-NINE CLUES


The Heirloom Tomato



Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table: Recipes, Portraits, and History of the World's Most Beautiful Fruit by Amy Goldman, photographs by Victor Schrager


Cooking Collection - Upper Level – 641.65642 G



Here's another gorgeous book for all the foodies out there! It is filled with recipes that sound great (like "Green Tomato and Currant Chutney"), and gorgeous color pictures as well. Every possible variety of tomato is profiled in the first half with full-color photos. The photos aren't just pictures of tomatoes, though; they are artfully designed so that the light shines perfectly on the tomatoes, with pretty dishes and pedastals and interesting backgrounds. This is as much an art book as it is an exhaustive history and portrait of tomatoes. There is a listing of seed sources at the back of the book. Stunning, mouthwatering, and practical all at once!


Monday, November 1, 2010

Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary



Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary
by Neil Corry Adult Nonfiction – New Book Shelves Upper Level 791.457 D

TARDIS. Dalek. Slitheen. Judoon. Ood. Krillitanes. Racnoss. Plasmavores. Carrionites. Toclafane. Sontaran. Vashta Nerada. Vespiforms. Pyroviles. Raxacofallapatorians. Bannakaffalatta. If these words mean anything to you, you need to read “Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary.” This book will keep you up to date on post-2005 events in the world’s longest-running sci-fi television series. While full coverage since 1963 would require a set of encyclopedias, this book gives the reader a solid background on events following the 2005 relaunch. It contains few new revelations, but will keep most fans sated until the new season begins. And no, the book isn’t bigger on the inside.



Saturday, October 23, 2010

Eden




Eden
Adult Graphic Novels-Main Level - EDE

Pablo Holmberg's new collection of short comic vignettes is immediately engaging. This is his first book publication, though he has been publishing online for years now. He lends a sense of honesty and whimsy that is refreshing to keep seeing in independent comix.

Eden is not really a graphic novel. It is more like a series of short comix poems or stories. Some are heartfelt. Some are funny. Some are cute. Some are thought provoking. Some have a wonderful sense of innocence. This book is a very quick read, and yet it gives the readers an idea of what is possible in comix and how stories can be told in four simple frames.

Published by Drawn and Quarterly, a Montreal based independent comix publisher, dedicated to finding great new talent in the independent comix world, this is a gem. Even if you are reading something else right now, you can take a break and savor this book all in one sitting, or read a few strips when you want, out of order if you please!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt


Saving CeeCee Honeycutt By Beth Hoffman

Adult New Fiction Hoffman


“Momma left her red satin shoes in the middle of the road. That’s what three eyewitnesses told the police.” And thus begins the tale of 12 year old Cecelia Rose Honeycutt, as told by Beth Hoffman in her charming debut novel Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.

The story begins in 1967 in Willoughby, Ohio, a place that is “absolute hell” according to CeeCee’s mother, a transplanted, mentally ill 1951 Vidalia Onion Queen who has a penchant for parading around town in her pageant gowns. Life is truly hell for CeeCee because her mother’s shocking behavior has made her a lonely outcast. When her mother is run over by a Happy Cow Ice Cream truck, CeeCee’s hapless father sends her to live with her great aunt Tootie in Savannah, Georgia, promising her “One day you’ll thank me for this.”

I don’t want to give this beautiful story away so I’m not going to reveal any more details. Suffice it to say that Southern charm, love, eccentricity, and acceptance are all major elements, and female friendship is warmly celebrated.

Anyone who enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes or Steel Magnolias will love this book.


Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Shadows: Books of Elsewhere Volume 1



The Shadows by Jacqueline West
Youth New Book Shelves -Lower Level – WEST


After Ms. McMartin passed away Olive Dunwoody and her parents moved into the fully furnished Victorian house. Olive is an only child so she passes her summer days away by exploring the old house and all of it's furnishings. Olive notices something weird, none of the pictures can be removed from the walls and what is even more weird some of the pictures seem to move! Since Olive was very keen on exploring she was always finding great trinkets. The best thing she found was a pair of spectacles. She discovered that while wearing the spectacles she can acutally go into the paintings. She then meets a most unusual creature, a talking cat! Horatio, the cat, warns Olive not to lose the glasses or spend too much time in a painting or she could be stuck there. While in the paintings she meets a boy named Morton. Olive promises Morton that she will help him be free. Olive is determined to learn more about the house, the paintings, the talking cats but she is not sure who to trust. Join Olive in her adventures into Elsewhere.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

A Dog's Purpose



A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
Adult New Books Display Main Level– CAMERON


This is a very touching novel told from the dog’s point of view. First off we meet Toby, who is rescued by a lovely lady who unfortunately does not have a license for her dog rescue operation. Senora, as Toby calls her, treats her dogs well, making sure they have food, water, and regular vet checkups. Since the rescue operation is not licensed poor Toby is euthanized. He is reborn again in a puppy mill. Once he was “adopted” his new owner left him in a hot car. A nice lady rescued him out of the car and took him in. He was named Bailey and was very loved by his family. He went on many great adventures and had a lifetime of happiness. His next incarnation he becomes a female! Ellie is a German shepherd search and rescue dog. After Ellie he becomes a black lab named Buddy. Through each of the dog’s reincarnations he/she has learned valuable lessons that stay with the dog throughout the years. Finally as Buddy do we learn the importance of all that he learned through the years as well as Buddy’s true purpose as a dog. This was a wonderful story, although there were a few sad times but overall this is a great book for all animal lovers. This book will make you want to go home and give your pet a big kiss and a hug!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Woodward Avenue: Cruising the Legendary Strip



Woodward Avenue: Cruising the Legendary Strip
by Robert Genat Adult Nonfiction – New Book Shelves Upper Level 977.434 G


Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when gasoline cost under 50 cents per gallon, Detroit was the center of the automotive universe, and big V-8’s ruled the road. “Woodward Avenue: Cruising the Legendary Strip by Robert Genat is a time trip of a book, vividly returning those of a certain age to their youth, and provoking envy in those of us too young to remember the years when auto careers were made or broken on how cars performed on Woodward late at night. The book focuses largely on the street-racing scene of the fifties and sixties, but also provides plenty of nostalgia for the more serene cruisers. Genat reminisces about the iconic Woodward drive-ins like Teds and the Totem Pole during a virtual cruise along the circuit between Royal Oak and Pontiac where the action took place. He goes into detail about the most legendary street racing machines of the time and their drivers, along with the radio stations and music that provided the soundtrack for a generation of drivers. A look at the Dream Cruise phenomenon that has cropped up over the last decade appropriately concludes the book; they are both celebrations of the glory days in the Motor City.


Friday, September 24, 2010

The Last Song



The Last Song
New Dvd Shelves - Main Level - DRAMA LAS


The Last Song tells the story of teenage Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s (Miley Cyrus) summer with her estranged father (Greg Kinnear) at a small Georgia beach town. Her parents divorced years before and in the process, her father stopped visiting Ronnie and her younger brother Jonah. Ronnie is extremely angry about this abandonment and decides to stop nurturing her talent as a pianist which is a gift that her father helped foster.

At first, Ronnie is very unhappy about being forced to spend the summer with her father and little brother. She feels like an outsider because she has been living in New York City for many years. Moreover, there is a rumor that her father started a fire in the historic town church so he has become an outcast in the town. Thus, Ronnie feels very alone until she meets Will (Liam Hemsworth). Will is a blonde, athletic, and caring young local boy who takes a liking to the ornery Ronnie right from the beginning. Ronnie is not having any of his advances until she realizes that Will cares about the things that matter the most to her. Soon Ronnie is wrapped up in her first romance and all the joy and delight that accompany such experiences. As her heart softens, Ronnie even decides to play the piano for the first time in a long while. She is finally happy and begins to make amends with her father. The summer is turning into a joyful time, until a few tragic secrets come to light.

The Last Song which was directed by Julie Anne Robinson was written before the novel of the same name. Both were written by celebrated author Nicholas Sparks. Since the movie was filmed on location in a beautiful beach town called Tybee Island, Georgia, there is a magical feel to it that only enhances viewers’ enjoyment. Anyone who enjoys love stories with deep messages of forgiveness and hope will love The Last Song.



Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Tinderbox



The Tinderbox by Jo Bannister
Adult Mysteries - Main Level – BANNISTER


A fifteen-year-old girl goes missing after her clarinet exam. She was a happy, well-loved, cared for, upper-middle class teenager in Birmingham. It makes no sense to her family, and the police have no leads. Six years later, her brother sees a documentary in school about homeless people in an area of London called "The Tinderbox." He thinks he sees Cassie in the background, and shows it to his parents. Laurence Schoefield, their father, heads for The Tinderbox to find her.

The Tinderbox is an incredibly dangerous place. One must belong to a "family" in order to gain protection and stability. "Jonah the Loner" does not belong to a family, though, and somehow finds himself helping Laurence Schoefield try to find his daughter. Jonah and Schoefield find themselves in treacherous situations, barely escaping with their lives on more than one occasion. They have a mutual distrust of each other, and yet a loyalty they can't explain. Their relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the book.

The action is great. This book has a fast pace with enough grit to make you cringe as you feel the discomfort of its homeless characters. Will Laurence Schoefield find his daughter? Will she come home with him? Will Jonah let Schoefield help him? Will they even get out alive? You'll have to read the book to find out. Trust me - it's worth it! I'd read another book by Jo Bannister!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer



Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
Youth Fiction-Lower Level – GRISHAM


Theodore “Theo” Boone is a very smart 8th grader. When he grows up he can’t decide if he wants to be a lawyer or a judge. Theo’s parents are both lawyers and they have their own law firm called Boone and Boone. Theo’s Uncle Ike used to be a lawyer, but Theo only sees Uncle Ike on Mondays for 30 minutes and in an unspoken agreement Ike never comes around Theo’s parents. Theo likes to spend all his free time hanging out at the courthouse. He knows everyone there; clerks, bailiffs, lawyers and even judges. The biggest case that Strattenburg has ever had is about to start. Peter Duffy is on trial for the brutal murder of his wife. The case is all anyone can talk about. Theo’s friends always come to him for advice. Theo’s friend Julio asked for help in a big way. Julio has information about the murder case that will convict Peter Duffy of murdering his wife. Theo is now in a bind, the trial has already started but he knows a key piece of the story. He promised Julio that he would keep everything a secret so Julio would not get in trouble. Theo makes a very hard decision and asks his Uncle Ike for help. Theo hopes that Ike will be able to keep Julio's secret as well. Grisham leaves a cliffhanger at the end ensuring a sequel. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer 2 is due out 2011.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Killer of Sheep



Killer of Sheep: The Charles Burnett Collection by Charles Burnett
DVD Collection - Main Level - DRAMA KIL


Killer of Sheep takes place in the Watts district of Los Angeles during the 1970s. Stan is a husband and father working long hours at a slaughterhouse while trying to keep up with the work at home. Although there is not much of a plot, the film is filled with sad and interesting situations that are all centered on the difficult lives of these people. “I come from a working-class environment and I wanted to express what the realities were. People were trying to get jobs, and once they found jobs they were fully concerned with keeping them. And they were confronted with other problems, with serious problems at home for example, which made things much more difficult,” Charles Burnett said about making this film.

Charles Burnett wrote, directed, shot and edited this film for his final thesis at UCLA in 1978. The film did not get a theatrical release until 2007 because of licensing issues with the music. For this reason, Killer of Sheep has been relatively unknown to most of the public. Despite its popular anonymity, it has received the Critic’s award at the 1981 Berlin Film Festival, won the 1991 Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, was selected in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1990, and in 2002 was selected as one of the National Society of Film Critics’ 100 Essential Films of all time.

If you enjoy the Italian neo-realist aesthetic (think Federico Fellini and Roberto Rossellini) or just appreciate a good film, then give Killer of Sheep a try.


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

I Was Told There'd Be Cake



I Was Told There’d Be Cake: Essays by Sloane Crosley
Adult Nonfiction – Upper Level – 814.6 C


This book of essays by Sloane Crosley, who is a book publicist, is a great read. She writes about her life and the awkward situations she manages to get herself into in New York City after college. For example, one of the longer essays is about how her childhood best friend, who she has not seen or spoken to since high school, suddenly asks Crosley to be her maid of honor. Or there is the fact that Crosley has a collection of plastic toy ponies that she embarrassingly keeps hidden in a kitchen drawer, worrying about what her family will think of her if she dies and they find them. Some of Crosley’s essays are about her childhood memories, such as playing Oregon Trail, attending summer camp, and hiding family members’ toothbrushes when she was angry. Overall, Crosley’s essays are very funny and fans of David Sedaris and similar authors will enjoy her book.


Alone



Alone by Lisa Gardner
Adult Fiction Shelves Main Level- GARDNER

When Catherine Gagnon was twelve years old she was kidnapped, tortured and held in an underground pit for 28 days until hunters found her purely by accident. Now 25 years later she faces new hardships and tragedy. Her husband Jimmy, beloved son of a Federal Judge, was shot and killed by a sniper. Police were called to the Gagnon residence because Jimmy was holding his wife and son at gunpoint. Bobby Dodge is the sniper that pulled the trigger. Little did he know that action would change the course of his career and ultimately his life. Bobby was convinced that he followed protocol and did everything by the book when it came to the shooting of Jimmy Gagnon. Now his life is falling apart, the judge is personally going after Bobby for murdering his son saying that Bobby and Catherine were in on the murder together. Meanwhile the man who was convicted of kidnapping Catherine is out on parole and starts stalking Catherine. Was the shooting of Jimmy Gagnon justified? Who is behind all the strange occurrences? If you enjoy this book check out the others in the D.D. Warren series.




Hide by Lisa Gardner
Adult Mysteries Main Level- GARDNER











The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
Adult Fiction Shelves Main Level- GARDNER











Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner
Adult New Book Display Main Level- MYSTERY GARDNER

Monday, August 30, 2010

Sky Masters

Sky Masters by Dale Brown
Adult Fiction – Main Level – BROWN

Brown is a popular and fairly prolific author in the action-adventure category. As a former U.S. Air Force Captain, he brings his inside knowledge of the action and technology of the Air Force into his books. In this book, a conflict over a small island between China and the Philippines brings the U.S. Air Force into play with new, secret and super-powerful planes and miniature, nearly invisible satellites. The technology is described in detail, and the action moves rapidly from one locale to another with cinematic precision. Those who love tales of military action with a focus on the plot and the machines will blast through this and come back for more.



Sunday, August 29, 2010

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. Read by Janet Song
Youth CD Books – Lower Level - LIN

Once upon a time in China, there was a village on Fruitless Mountain where everything was brown with dust and nothing grew. In that village, the only thing with color is Minli, a girl whose hair is glossy black and whose cheeks are pink. Although she works just as hard in the rice fields as anyone else, her joy is listening to the tales of magic that her Da tells her every evening, even though her mother is convinced that they are a waste of time. One day, a goldfish seller comes into town. This sets off a chain of events that leads to Minli going on a journey to find the Old Man of the Moon, who has the Book of Fortune, so that Minli can ask him how to bring life to Fruitless Mountain. On the way, she meets a dragon who wants to ask the Old Man of the Moon why he can’t fly. The main narrative is woven through with other stories, those that Da tells or that Minli hears along the way. At first, they seem to be just another poetic detail in an already lyrical story, but as Minli’s journey goes on, she meets more and more characters from the stories, all of them interconnected in ways that the original stories didn’t hint at. This was a Newbury Honor book, and I’m not sure how I missed it when it first came out last year. Janet Song’s resonant voice conveys the story beautifully. I listened to it in the car with my son and had to force myself switch to my own book after dropping him off. Though he might enjoy this more when he's a bit older than five, I'd recommend this now to fans of Donna Jo Napoli.


Blind Submission



Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
Adult Fiction - Main Level – GINSBERG


Angel Robinson is a voracious reader. Her new job at the Lucy Fiamma Literary Agency allows her to read many of the submissions coming in. As it turns out, Angel has a knack for editing and picking the next big bestseller, too. One particular manuscript catches Angel's attention: Blind Submission. It is set in a literary agency, which peaks her interest immediately. The author wishes to remain anonymous, so Angel plays along. She edits each chapter submitted, then emails it back to Anonymous. The story starts to become more and more familiar, more coincidental; more like Angel's own life. She can't figure out if Anonymous is her boyfriend, who is angry that Angel won't use her new position to help him get published, or a new author they signed who seems a bit infatuated with her.

This is a light, easy read that is fun to watch unfold. Who is writing Blind Submission? What will happen when the murder chapter, promised by the author, is submitted? Of course, Lucy Fiamma herself is a difficult person to work for, in a "Devil Wears Prada" sort of way. This is a great weekend or vacation read!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key



Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - GANTOS


Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos is the first book in a series of four books about delightfully hyper Joey Pigza. The other books are:
Joey Pigza Loses Control, What Would Joey Do?, and I Am Not Joey Pigza.

Joey's parents are divorced, and when he was quite young his mother left him with his ornery grandmother to look for Joey's alcoholic father, Carter Pigza. Thus, for a few years of his life, Joey is raised by his grandma (his father's mother). Joey's grandma is mean and grouchy and is unable to help Joey with his own problematic behavior which is a result of his ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

As a result, when Joey's mom returns one day, Joey is kind of a mess. He is on "dud meds" and has caused many problems at school. Poor Joey means well, but he gets so curious and energized that he often makes poor decisions. Eventually, there is an accident at school, and Joey is sent to a special education center.

While at the center, Joey is given thorough attention and learns some positive tools to use in order to be successful in life. Most importantly, with the help of new medication, Joey learns he isn't "bad" or "crazy." He's just a bit different.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is interesting and well told. It is a great book to read for all those curious about what it is like to have ADHD. Also, the audio version which is read by Jack Gantos is extremely entertaining. Mr. Gantos really knows Joey and brings the story to complete life. I love this series and would highly recommend it to anyone!


Monday, August 23, 2010

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

The Big Short By Michael Lewis

New Adult Nonfiction 330.973 L


Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side, Moneyball, and Liar’s Poker revisits the topic that began his writing career, Wall Street. In The Big Short Lewis explores the collapse of the U.S. financial system in 2008 from the viewpoint of those who saw it coming and profited from it. Lewis does an excellent job at detailing the technical aspect of the financial systems woes that revolved around the creation of exotic financial instruments that consisted of bonds created from home mortgages. Those who saw this collapse coming for years included a lawyer turned financial analyst, an Asperger’s stricken neurologist turned money manager with one glass eye, and an obnoxious Deutsche Bank bond trader. Their various interactions with large U.S. and European banks make for great reading as both sides think they are getting over on the other. In the end, the biggest losers turn out to be the bondholders, stockholders, homeowners, and taxpayers stuck with the bill from these outrageous gambles. This is an excellent addition to the growing literature on our country’s financial system collapse.


Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Super Mario Galaxy 2



Super Mario Galaxy 2
Youth Video Games-Lower Level – VG SUP


Princess Peach is kidnapped and it is up to Mario to rescue her in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The space based fun continues from Super Mario Galaxy (2007). There are all new galaxies and a new feature of special power up abilities when teamed up with Yoshi. There is Cloud Mario, where Mario can create clouds to jump on. There is Rock Mario, where Mario can turn into a boulder and roll around to break objects. Drill Mario lets you drill through objects. As an added bonus there is Yoshi who can gobble up enemies. There are some stages of the game where you can play as Luigi as well. The goal of the game is to collect stars from planet to planet. To unlock harder levels with more challenges you will need to collect Comet Metals. Super Mario Galaxy 2 improved on all the greatness and fun that Super Mario Galaxy offered.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Roast Figs Sugar Snow



Roast Figs Sugar Snow: Winter Food to Warm the Soul by Mitchell Beazley
Cooking Collection - Upper Level – 641.5 H


My husband likes figs. That's an understatement. He loves figs, and has asked repeatedly to plant a fig tree in our yard. I like figs as much as the next person, but other than eating dried figs out of the bag, I'm not sure what to do with them. When I saw this cookbook, I had to investigate.

What a treat! This book is filled with some of the most beautiful, delicious-looking food photography I've ever seen! One can enjoy just poring over the pictures in this book, whether you like figs or not. Not every recipe has a photo, but those scattered throughout the book are gorgeous.

Some of the recipes...ok, if I'm being honest, many of the recipes are not things I would cook at home. I'm a pretty adventurous eater, and would not hesitate to order most of them in a restaurant, but "Salad of Smoked Duck with Farro, Red Chicory, and Pomegranates" and "Smoked Eel with Poppy Seed Cakes and Apple and Beet Relish" are just not going to come out of my kitchen. "Roast Figs, Shallots, and Chestnuts with Gorgonzola Polenta" just might. "Roast Figs and Plums in Vodka with Cardamom Cream" might, too.

This is more than just a cookbook. It includes descriptions and short essays that are really interesting and describe various ingredients and techniques, as well as food culture and history. I found this a fascinating book to browse through and soak up little tidbits here and there througout. You don't have to be a foodie to get into this one, but what a treat for those interested in food and interesting ingredients!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Nobodies Album

 The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst

Adult New Fiction Parkhurst

Octavia Frost is a novelist whose life is once again thrown upside down when her rock star son, Milo, is accused of murdering his girlfriend. Did he do it? Did he not do it? Even Milo himself is not sure. Octavia is still recovering from the pain of having lost both her husband and young daughter in a tragic accident when Milo was just 9 years old. Mother and son have become estranged ever since Milo read the line “They were exactly the wrong two to die” in one of Octavia’s novels. Octavia thought she was only writing fiction but now she’s not sure.
In what seems to be an attempt to rewrite her own history, Octavia has decided that she needs to rewrite the endings to all her previous books. Her publisher is willing to support this experiment and publish a book consisting solely of new endings. Octavia submits her new book and heads to see her son. She wants to rewrite real life, as well. Confused and in pain, Milo eventually accepts Octavia’s gentle attempts to reconcile and find out what really happened the night of his girlfriend Bettina’s murder.
Parkhurst intersperses Octavia’s new endings as chapters throughout The Nobodies Album. Sounds confusing, right? This is where Parkhurst really proves her skill as a writer. Rather than come across as confusing, they add to the story’s emotional complexity.
This is a book that works on many levels, and which convincingly explores the concepts of guilt and innocence… and forgiveness. Oh, and it’s a pretty decent little mystery, too.


Friday, August 6, 2010

Power Hungry: The Myths of "Green" Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future by Robert Bryce



Power Hungry: the Myths of “Green” Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future
by Robert Bryce Adult Nonfiction – New Book Shelves Upper Level 333.79 B



“Power Hungry” explains and runs the numbers on various types of “Green” energy generation, and the math doesn’t turn out the way supporters would prefer. Anyone interested in the energy debate in this country should read this book; it will open their eyes even if they disagree with the conclusions Bryce reaches. Simply put, he does not feel that solar and wind power are sufficient in their current forms to even begin taking over supplying the world’s power needs and will not be anytime soon. In his opinion the logical choice is Natural Gas in the short term and increased Nuclear power in the long term. He explains the terminology and science understandably without condescending to the reader, and even manages to make it interesting. Bryce notes the inconvenient realities that most authors overlook, such as the need for building natural gas generators alongside windmills to supply power when the wind doesn’t blow. Unfortunately, flipping them on and off reduces their efficiency to the point that leaving them on all the time would use no more fuel and supply enough additional power to make the windmills unnecessary. Heresies like these win Bryce few friends among environmentalists, but it does make for educational reading. For those desiring further reading or disputing what he says, Bryce includes seventy pages of fully cited notes and documentation, with web addresses for the source articles and a full bibliography.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Fallen



Fallen by Lauren Kate
Teen Zone New Fiction-Main Level – KATE


Luce has been seeing dark shadows her entire life. She does not talk about them because she knows that no one else can see them. Luce is spending her senior year of high school at a Sword and Cross Reform School. She is not happy about being there but after the tragedy that took place the year before she has no choice. Luce’s boyfriend died in a mysterious fire and the only thing that Luce really remembers is the dark shadows that surrounded them before the fire. Luce’s new school is interesting, the dress code is all black and there are strict rules to follow. Luce’s new classmates are intriguing as well. She is not sure who to trust and who is her friend. Luce first sees Daniel and feels an instant pull toward him. At first Daniel wants nothing to do with her. The sweet and sensitive Cam is also quite smitten with Luce and will do anything and everything for her. Luce will do anything in her power to get to know Daniel, even if it kills her and eventually they develop a strong bond. Now that Luce is at Sword and Cross the strange dark shadows are appearing more frequently. The triangle between Cam, Daniel and Luce has astonishing twists and turns. Some questions are answered but a lot more are left unanswered leaving the reader wondering what will happen next. Torment (due out September 2010) is the next book is this new paranormal teen fiction series.


Torment by Lauren Kate



Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Sweater Quest

Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini
New Book Shelves – Upper Level – CRAFTS 746.432 M

Martini’s last book, Hillbilly Gothic was a memoir of severe postpartum psychosis. Grim subject, that one, saved by Martini’s delightful sense of humor. This book brings the same thoughtful approach and humor to a more cheerful topic, one also dear to my heart (did you know that the sanity and well-being of new mothers was a cause dear to my heart? It is.) Martini took up knitting as part of her sanity-maintaining efforts – hooray! And in this book she tracks her quest to knit one exquisitely beautiful, terrifically difficult sweater, after a knitting diet of mostly hats. She starts by going over the tangled history of the gifted yet prickly knitting designer Alice Starmore, as well as a little bit of the Tudors, the inspiration for Starmore’s pattern book in which is contained Martini’s dream pattern. The supplies are hard to come by; the technique takes some work to master. But this isn’t just about this one project. Over the course of the year, Martini visits various knitting luminaries to discuss deep knitting questions with them: why do we knit? If she is knitting a Starmore sweater designed it to be knit with Starmore’s brand of yarn, no longer available, is it still a Starmore? How much of the sweater is Starmore and how much Martini, and does it matter? Many of the knitting luminaries are ones whose blogs and books I read myself – Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner of http://www.mason-dixonknitting.com, and Stephanie Pearl McPhee, aka http://www.yarnharlot.ca, as well as Clara Parkes, whose The Knitter’s Book of Wool is on our new bookshelf. She’s still both funny and insightful; this was another book where I found myself reading bits aloud to my love every other page or so, and even that was restraining myself. Thank you for sharing, Martini. The sweater is beautiful.


Afghan Star




Afghan Star
Dvd Collection-Main Level - DOCUMENT AFG

American Idol is one of the most successful shows in the history of American Television. While there have been many international adaptations (American Idol itself being an adaptation of the British Pop Idol) no adaptation has raised as much controversy in its own country as Afghan Star. In a country with a recent history of cultural repression under the Taliban, coupled with an even more recent new government after the US led invasion, some people are rallying around this new television sensation where many Afghans are voting for the first time.

Afghan Star follows one season of the show of the same name, broadcast on Tolo TV. The four front runner contestants represent four different ethnic groups within Afghanistan. The competition gives different ethnic groups someone to rally behind, but the competition also brings the country together.

The filmmaker interviews the producer of the show and you get such an interesting perspective. He lauds Kabul as being "cosmopolitan" and as you learn throughout the movie, for Afghanistan, it is. Some of the hometowns of a few of the contestants start to get angry about the content though, especially when one of the female contestants dances (modestly, but still dances) while singing one of her songs.

For anyone interested in contemporary Afghan culture, especially how it blends old world tradition with influences from global pop culture, this film is for you!
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Monday, July 26, 2010

The Dog with Golden Eyes



The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur
Youth Fiction - Lower Level - WILBUR


Cassie Beasley is a lonely 13-year-old girl living in California. Her mother works many late nights as a waitress at the local fast food restaurant, and her father recently left the family without saying goodbye. Furthermore, her very best friend, Lindsay, has ditched Cassie for "cooler" friends. As a result, Cassie finds herself with plenty of time on her hands and frequently tries to fill her sadness with food. If only her father would come back; then everything would be normal again.

In the meantime, Cassie would absolutely love to own a dog. Her mother doesn't want a dog because of the time and cost that an animal requires. Thus, when Cassie spies a beautiful white dog around her house one day, she decides not to tell anyone about her discovery. She soon begins to feed the dog every day and as time passes, the dog makes friends with Cassie and takes her to the woods behind Cassie's house—his home.

Feeding this large dog with yellowish eyes which Cassie thinks is an Alaskan dog is quite expensive. Therefore, Cassie has to secretly get a job weeding a local neighbor's yard to earn the necessary funds. In addition, with the help of her science teacher Cassie spends plenty of time researching Alaskan dogs. As days pass, Cassie starts to realize that “her” dog isn’t like any other Alaskan dog. Could he perhaps be a wolf?

Written in a simple yet absorbing manner, The Dog with Golden Eyes by Frances Wilbur is a fascinating story filled with many true facts about dogs and wolves. Moreover, Cassie is a relatable and delightful character who matures and learns life lessons throughout the novel. Any animal lover who enjoys the bonds that exist between humans and animals will deeply enjoy this sweet little story!


Thursday, July 22, 2010

Detroit Disassembled


Detroit Disassembled
Photographs by Andrew Moore
Essay by Philip Levine


New Book Shelves – Upper Level – 779.4 M

Fort Pontrain, Paris of the Midwest, Motown, Motor City… Throughout its relatively long history, Detroit has been known as many things. Now, we mostly see it as a tragic demise from its grandeur of only two generations ago. In this photo essay entitled Detroit Disassembled, photographer Andrew Moore unabashedly shows us the reality Detroit faces today – crumbling landmarks, deserted factories, pieces of history that are literally rotting. Looking closer, one catches glimpses of artistic surrealism (I never thought I’d see DalĂ­’s famous melting clocks in real life) or the sublime (the deserted Michigan Central Station is surely as beautiful as it is incredibly frightening). To an outsider, Detroit could easily be mistaken as a battlefield or even a not-so-far-away post-apocalyptic future. At no point in Detroit Disassembled is there a chance to look away.


Through his grim photographs, Moore is silently posing an uneasy question: What now? How do we deal with a city whose history is rotting away, poverty abounds, and land is abandoned and left to be consumed by nature, square miles at a time? The solutions may be as radical as the questions.