Harriet the Spy

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Youth Fiction--Lower Level--Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy is not a typical children’s book and Harriet Welch is not a typical child. At age 11, Harriet prefers work to play. Every day after school, she grabs her notebook and attends to her spy route. She’s been spying for years and believes that a good spy never gets caught. Her route involves everything from peeking in windows to sneaking into neighbor’s homes, which lends the story plenty of suspense. Her best friends, Sport and Janie, are equally responsible. Sport cleans and cooks for his father, a depressed writer. Janie concocts scientific experiments, often with explosive results. Fitzhugh’s children are serious about their interests and concerns, making this book a great read for intelligent children who dislike being talked down to.

The most important adult in Harriet’s life is her nanny, Ole Golly, who has been with her since birth. Ole Golly is the kind of wonderful mentor who accepts Harriet for who she is while gently prodding her to be open to new experiences. Harriet relies on Ole Golly’s guidance and assumes that she will always be around to help her find her way.

Then two terrible events turn Harriet’s world upside down: Ole Golly is taken away and her notebook—in which she’s written brutally honest observations--falls into the hands of her unforgiving classmates. Suddenly Harriet is an outcast with no one to turn to for help. What’s a cunning spy to do?

Children in grades 4-6 will enjoy Harriet the Spy for the suspense of Harriet’s adventures and for its memorable details: from Harriet's love of tomato sandwiches to the Boy with the Purple Socks. It’s also the kind of book that you can revisit as an adult for reasons beyond nostalgia. Fitzhugh’s characters are morally complex and as real as the people in your own neighborhood.

The Secret Chicken Society

The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox. Illustrated by Amanda Haley. Youth Early Chapter Books – Lower Level – COX

Daniel, our third-grade hero, is the second oldest in a family of six, which also includes teen older brother Tyler, sisters Kelsey (7) and Emmy (4), as well as a nurse mom and stay-at-home blogger dad. One day, his beautiful teacher, Mrs. Lopez, announces that the class is going to try to hatch some eggs. No one in the class is more excited or devoted to the five chicks that hatch than Daniel. When the school year ends and it’s time for the chicks to find permanent homes, though nearly all the kids put their names in for a chick, he’s the only one whose parents actually say yes. His family is on board (mostly) with the five adorable chicks. The neighbors’ reactions are more mixed – sweet Mrs. Grafalo next door loves them, but her grouchy husband (nicknamed Mr. Gruffalo) is sure one of them will be a loud rooster, and that they’ll get into his yard and destroy the garden. And when it turns out that one of the sweet chicks might actually be an illegal rooster, the siblings form the Secret Chicken Society to protect Peepers. This is realistic and funny family fiction on a trendy topic in early chapter book form, with enough details in the text and the appendix that would-be chicken owners could really get started. My seven-year-old son, normally a fan of adrenaline-filled epic fantasy, ate this up and begged for more chapters every night I read it to him.

It Can't Happen Here

It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
Adult Graphic Novels-Main Level GIA


The Great Depression was one of the defining events for the United States. In hindsight, it is easy for the current generation may just assume that our country was destined to pull through with our democratic system intact. But this was no guarantee. Powerful forces such as Father Coughlin, Huey Long, and the Business Plot against FDR were real, dangerous threats to American democracy. Authors such as Sinclair Lewis wrote works of fiction to criticize these authoritarian figures. Lewis’s 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here is one of the many novels written last century that warns Americans about how fragile democracy can actually be. Many Americans have always assumed that a dictatorship is not possible in this country but Lewis details in chilling fashion how such a takeover could have happened at this vulnerable point in history.

Americans during this point of the Great Depression were weary and uncertain about the future. In the story, the charismatic Senator Buzz Windrip rises to power with his paramilitary group the Minute Men along with promises to restore American greatness. Windrip gains support by using xenophobia, prejudice, and even promises of paying Americans a cash sum after he is elected. These promises, along with the general discontent in the country, help him win the election of 1936. Windrip quickly consolidates power by curbing the authority of Congress, lets corporations extend their influence, and silences any dissent. While some characters can see the horrible direction these actions will lead the country, others dismiss these fears because they simply cannot believe a real dictatorship can happen in the country, hence the title of the book. The rest of the novel sees the main character Doremus Jessup enduring the tightening state control over his life while struggling to find a way to fight back.

Lewis’s novel may come from a different era but its lessons can apply to any generation. During any economic distress, citizens may turn to easy answers while people in power use the circumstances to justify their actions. This book will easily appeal to fans of the genres of dystopian fiction, political fiction, or alternate history.

Marcelo in the Real World

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Teen Zone Fiction - Main Level - Stork

Marcelo Sandoval is a seventeen year old boy. He is high-functioning on the autistic spectrum, similar to Asperger's Syndrome. He goes to a special school where they keep horses, and Marcelo plans to spend his summer working as Stable Boy. His father has other plans.

Marcelo's father, Arturo, wants Marcelo to spend the summer working in his law firm. He wants Marcelo to experience the "real world," away from other autistic kids and with other "normal" working adults. He also wants Marcelo to finish high school in the public school system. Marcelo feels comfortable at his special school, though, and the thought of attending public school puts fear into his heart. The deal is that if Marcelo successfully finishes a summer working at the law firm, Arturo will let him decide where he finishes high school.

This is a great story. Marcelo's thought process and the way he approaches problems is interesting and at times even funny. What an interesting look into the mind of a highly intelligent, unique, young man! Marcelo's understanding - and misunderstanding - of people and situations will keep you turning pages in this quick read. Highly recommended!

Giant Monster

Giant Monster by Steve Niles
Adult Paperbacks-Main Level LEWIS


As a kid, the idea of giant monsters or creatures of any type in horror movies was always good for entertainment. I was a massive fan of the Godzilla movies as a child and enjoyed both Cloverfield and the King Kong remake as an adult. While many of these movies seem cheesy today, giant monster movies such as ones from the 1950’swere used as a cautionary tale against mankind’s unchecked technological daring. Steve Niles of 30 Days of Night fame tries to replicate the spectacle of these giant monster horror movies with the graphic novel Giant Monster. The format of a graphic novel seems ideal for this type of story. Movies are limited by their special effects budgets while graphic novels are only held back by the imagination of an artist.

The storyline is light and easy to follow. Space shuttle pilot Don Maggert is infected with a space parasite which turns him into a massive brainless red monstrosity which grows larger as it devours everything in sight. Normal human military methods never work in these situations so of course the only real solution is to unleash a giant killer robot built by a former Nazi scientist. As you might have guessed by that last sentence, the plot takes several bizarre twists. This graphic novel is intended for mature audiences as several scenes of monster destruction and the aftermath can be gruesome in their depiction. The artwork manages to convey the proper scale for two giant creatures fighting although the colors are dark and dreary. Niles gets the spectacle right but Giant Monster is not for those who are looking for the social commentary of the previously mentioned monster works. The characters are nothing more than archetypes of the figures seen in other stories such as the men in black government figures, a couple of kids who get stuck in the mix, and a general who wants to shoot first and ask questions later. But with a title as simple as Giant Monster, readers should already not expect much in-depth storytelling. What they should expect is a carnage filled scare fest perfect for any horror fan.

Battle of Blood and Ink

Battle of Blood and Ink by Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker.
Adult Graphic Novels – Main Level - BAT

The author’s note for this book says that the two guys were talking together about the craziest story they could come up with, and what they came up with was a floating city. The Floating City is a steampunky place, with distinct neighborhoods for different classes of people. Ashe, however, journalist and publisher of the insanely popular newspaper The Lurker’s Guide to the Floating City, goes wherever she wants. As the story opens, she has her friend and co-conspirator Tolban fly their little glider up close enough to catch the radio waves coming from a ship in distress. Not until the captain promises that he and his crew will go into slavery to the City are they allowed asylum. Once published, this secret is the one that finally determines the Provost of the City to stop the Lurker’s Guide. But Ashe is not without friends – she is not-so-secretly admired by Cardor, son of one of the richest citizens of the city. And for Ashe, being a target is only a reason to find more dark secrets to reveal and more ways to irritate those in power. The art is spare and angular black-and-white ink, which give it a modern feel despite the setting. The dark secrets were a little too dark to make this altogether light reading, and certainly make it most appropriate for adults or older teens, but this is a fun graphic adventure in a pseudo-Victorian, high-tech world.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Adult New Book Display – Main Level - SEMPLE

Simply put, I loved this book. I found myself laughing out loud while reading it and also being moved by the family relationships it explores. It is the story of a reclusive architect, Bernadette Fox, who lives in Seattle with her husband, Elgin, and 15 year old daughter, Bee. Bernadette is considered a genius in the architecture world, yet she hasn't designed anything in years. Instead, she spends her days getting into squabbles with other parents and neighbors and having a virtual assistant on the other side of the world take care of everything for her. She is also preparing for a family trip to Antarctica. However, right before the trip, Bernadette disappears. Bee tries to figure out what has happened to her mother and the novel is told through a series of emails, letters, notes, and other correspondence between characters, with commentary from Bee. Overall, Where'd You Go, Bernadette is an excellent and unique read.

Quiet

Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking
by Susan Cain
New Book Shelves - Upper Level - 155.232 C

I am an introvert. I would not say that I'm shy, exactly, but definitely introspective. I need a lot of alone time, and generally think before I speak. I feel most confident when I know my subject well, and prefer to write than speak. That said, I can deliver an engaging presentation to a room of 300 people (and have!), but running a meeting of 5 or 10 people is absolutely torturous.

This book is about how undervalued introverts are. We're seen as quiet, shy, and even non-participants by those who believe in what Cain calls "The Extrovert Ideal." As Cain's research reveals, though, introverts are responsible for some of the greatest innovations and inventions of our time, as well as masterpieces of art and music. We are team players and often excellent listeners - which lends itself to good leadership.

This book is for everyone, whether introvert or extrovert. It teaches us how to understand and appreciate each other; especially the particular intricacies of introverts.

Bitterblue

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Teen Zone New Fiction – Main Level – Cashore

In Cashore’s first book, Graceling, our heroes defeated the sadistic King Leck, whose Grace allowed him to force people to hurt themselves or others and believe that nothing bad was happening. They rescued his ten-year-old daughter, Bitterblue, and set her on the throne with a team of advisors. Now Bitterblue is 18 and trying to repair the damage her father did to the kingdom. We’re talking kidnapping girls from every village in the kingdom just as a start, so this is no small matter. Her advisors are for the most part men who served her father, as well. They have decided that what the kingdom needs is forwardthinkingness, so that nothing from Leck’s reign will be discussed or brought up for trial. All crimes committed during the reign are forgiven, because Leck could have forced any crime. But Bitterblue feels that she needs to know what her father did and what’s going on with the kingdom now if she is to do her job. She starts sneaking out at night, finding the hidden pubs where people tell stories, often obliquely related to what happened during Leck’s reign. The very first night she is out, she befriends two young trouble-makers, Saf and Teddy, giving her name as Sparks to protect her anonymity. Thus her trying to find out the truth starts out with lies, which always complicate matters. Katsa and Po make brief visits from time to time, but they are busy trying to topple evil kings in other nearby kingdoms, and so cannot stay. The more Bitterblue learns, the more she realizes that the problems in the kingdom are deep. They did not die along with Leck, and she must find out who among her advisors she can trust and who is perpetuating the problems. Bitterblue journeys through darkness trying to understand her father, comparing remembering and forgetting as paths to healing. There’s a lot of dealing with ciphers, as Bitterblue’s mother taught her the theories of ciphers in secret, and both her parents used ciphers to keep their secrets. And while Bitterblue’s darkness is dark indeed, there’s still light to balance it, from the beauty of art and the joy of friendship, with a bit of early romance. It was very satisfying to see Bitterblue find her way towards a more open justice. It’s not for reading when one needs unicorns and rainbows (one does, sometimes), but it is a hopeful treatment of a dark subject.

#DigitalVertigo

Digital Vertigo : how today's online social revolution is dividing, diminishing, and disorienting us by Andrew Keen
New Book Shelves - Upper Level - 302.231 K

Are you a member of a social network? If you're like me, you belong to several. Between Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Groupon, and any number of other online communities, it is easier than ever to connect to other like-minded people. Sounds great, right?

@ajkeen (the author, Andrew Keen's Twitter handle) disagrees. In this book, he makes the argument that the more connected we are, the lonelier and less powerful we become. He acknowledges that the social media revolution is the most significant since the Industrial Revolution, but at a cost. It is so easy to voice our opinions and share our ideas and our whereabouts that we often alienate others. People may say things online that they wouldn't necessarily say out loud, which can offend or just plain annoy our online connections. Also, the more we share online, the less weight our words carry. Our points of view become just a part of the stream.

Keen also points out that as we join more networks and make more connections, we share more information about ourselves in more places. We want to participate in our networks and share with our "friends." Meanwhile, we complain about online security and privacy and want to keep our online information to ourselves. There's a catch-22 between wanting to share more and wanting that information to be private.

Finally, Keen says that we become lonelier as the very term "friend" becomes more and more shallow. Our networks, whether made up of "followers" or "friends" or some other term, are often surface connections. People collect connections, but do not often seek out relationships with those people. Why do we want to be so connected to people we care so little for?

This is a great book to make social networkers think about the information they share and who they share it with. We should re-evaluate our goals in using social networks. This book is a real eye-opener!

Oh No, George!

OH NO, GEORGE! by Chris Haughton
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level – HAU

When the owners are away, the dogs (or at least George) will play! When George’s owner Harry leaves for the day, George promises to be good. But, as George finds himself faced by a number of temptations, including cake on the kitchen table and a cat that is just begging to be chased, he realizes that being good is a lot harder than he ever expected.

With its retro illustrations and simple humor, Oh No, George! is sure to be a hit in any household. Children will love looking at the different comical expressions on George’s face and repeating the phrase 'Oh No, George!' with you as you read this book aloud. Released this year, Oh No, George! has all the right stuff to become a classic picture book.

Why Don't Penguins Feet Freeze?

Why Don't Penguins Feet Freeze? by New Scientist
Adult Non-Fiction-Upper Level 500 N

Life is filled with little questions that we sometimes do not even think about until they are spoken out loud. Why does skin become wrinkled after being in water? Why do birds not fall off their perches after falling asleep? What makes a boomerang come back to the thrower? And of course the age old question, why don’t penguins’ feet freeze? New Scientist magazine answers these types of questions and more in Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze which is a collection of questions written by the public to the magazine. Anyone who has had a random question such as these and cannot get to a librarian for answers would find much to enjoy in this book. The book is a quirky composite of scientific fact, trivia, humor, and also anecdotes from the experts in the various fields the questions come from and is sure to amuse all types of readers. Also pay attention to the penguin illustration on the far right of each page while flipping through the book to get a funny cartoon effect.

Six Feet Under: The Complete First Season

Six Feet Under: The Complete First Season
DVD Collection-TV SIX

Six Feet Under is a show about saying goodbye. With rare exception, each episode begins with the death of a person whose body will pass through Fisher & Sons Funeral Home. The deaths range from devastatingly sad to darkly humorous and involve everything from interactions with machinery gone awry to visions of the Rapture. You see the Fisher family talk with the deceased person’s loved ones (or, in some cases, the person who is stuck tying up the loose ends for someone they only knew in passing…or for an ex-spouse). Sometimes, you even see the Fishers talk with the deceased themselves. Such interactions are similar to when Dexter Morgan interfaces with his dead father on Dexter. The words and actions of the deceased are dictated by whatever issue is currently vexing the living, making the visions less like hallucinations and more like projections.

Among those who are laid to rest by the Fisher family is patriarch Nathanial Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins, The Visitor), whose death kicks off the pilot episode when he is hit by a bus on Christmas Eve. He reappears throughout the series, interacting with wife Ruth (Frances Conroy, American Horror Story), adult sons Nate Jr. (Peter Krause, Parenthood) and David (Michael C. Hall, Dexter) and teenage daughter Claire (Lauren Ambrose, Can't Hardly Wait) in some of the show’s most poignant moments.

Part of what makes Six Feet Under so memorable is the complexity of its characters. You see each of the Fishers and their acquaintances in their best and worst moments. As a result, you’ll love and loathe each in turn. For better or for worse, you’ll also wonder about the interior lives of everyone you know or meet in real life.

When creator Alan Ball (American Beauty, True Blood) announced in 2005 that the show’s fifth season would be its last, I remember thinking, “surely this is a mistake.” There were still so many stories that could have been told and so many aspects of each character that could be explored. However, as anyone who has watched the show’s powerhouse finale knows, it wasn’t an error but rather the decision of someone who knew how to say goodbye with grace.

Defending Jacob

Defending Jacob William Landay

Adult New Fiction Landay




Imagine your teenage son has just been accused of murder. You have a happy family, a powerful job as a District Attorney, and your family is beloved in the community. Now it’s all gone. That is what happens to Andy Barber when his 14 year old son, Jacob, is accused of murdering a classmate.

This novel reads like a cross between John Grisham and Jodi Picoult. The setting is primarily in the courtroom where Jacob is being tried but the now unemployed Andy is our narrator and his instincts to protect his family are central to the story. He refuses to believe that Jacob could do such a thing while his wife, Laurie, isn’t so sure. The evidence does seem compelling. And then there is the “murder gene.” Nope, I’m not going to tell you about that one. You’ll have to read the story to find out.

The book is as compelling a read as any I’ve experienced. And the ending! Well, when I finished the book, I uttered a single expletive and sat there feeling utterly spent. What a book.

Bird & Squirrel On the Run

BIRD & SQUIRREL ON THE RUN by James Burks
Youth Graphic Novels – Lower Level – BIR

In this colorful graphic novel, two unlikely friends, a nervous squirrel and a carefree bird, join together to escape the menacing cat that wants to eat them. When Squirrel’s winter nut supply is destroyed in his attempts to save Bird from the evil cat’s claws, Bird and Squirrel decide to escape the upcoming cruel weather by embarking on a road trip south. Along the way, Bird annoys Squirrel with his laissez-faire attitude and the theme song he created for the duo.

Despite their differences, Bird and Squirrel must find a way to work together to escape the hungry cat that seems to be lurking around every corner. Will they survive the cat, and each other? Recommended for children and adults alike, Bird & Squirrel On the Run will have you laughing and rooting for the animal pair until the very end.

Homeland: The Complete First Season

Homeland: The Complete First Season
DVD Collection-TV HOM

CIA officer Carrie Mathison receives intelligence that an American prisoner of war has been turned by terrorists. When U.S. Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody is found alive after having been presumed dead for eight years, Carrie cannot shake her suspicion that he is the POW in question. While the CIA pats itself on the back for helping to recover Brody and media outlets clamber to interview the man everyone considers a war hero, Carrie will stop at nothing to prove that he is not what he seems. Glimpses into the past eight years of Brody’s life reveal that he has plenty to hide. However, Carrie has secrets of her own. The early revelation that she is taking an anti-psychotic casts doubt on her sanity and judgment.

In Homeland: The Complete First Season, Carrie Mathison and Nicholas Brody engage in an intense game of cat-and-mouse. Both are nuanced characters who compete for the viewer’s sympathy and trust. Claire Danes (My So-Called Life, Temple Grandin) as Carrie Mathison and Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers, Life) as Nicholas Brody turn in three-dimensional performances. Though their characters are damaged, you cannot help but care about them. A taut thriller, the drama in Homeland unfolds organically. The twists—while shocking—never feel contrived. This show is an excellent choice for people who enjoy complex dramas like Six Feet Under, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones. The second season premieres September 30th on Showtime.

Empress of the World

Empress of the World by Sara Ryan
Teen Zone Fiction Ryan

Nicola Lancaster attends a summer camp for the talented and gifted. She hopes to discover whether she can make her dream of becoming an archeologist a reality. She uncovers more than artifacts, though, when she meets Battle Davies. Battle has the grace of a dancer, the reserve of a preacher’s daughter, and the defensiveness of someone shielding an emotional wound. Battle’s older brother, Nick, ran away from home and has not been heard from since. Battle keeps the pain she feels over Nick’s absence a secret. Among their friends at camp, only Nicola knows about Nick. She wants to do something for Battle—make a sweeping gesture that will set her world right again. She also wants to sort out her own feelings regarding Battle. She’s been attracted to boys before, but now finds herself fancying another girl. Ryan expertly captures how tricky it is to negotiate a new relationship—especially when you are unsure of your own identity.

Clockwork Angels

Clockwork Angels by Rush
CD Bins - Rock - R

The newest album from Canadian progressive rock group Rush is amazing. I've been a fan of Rush for years. Whenever you're a life-long fan of a music group, you begin to worry that each album is as good as it can possibly get for them. How could Rush possibly top themselves again? Well, they've done it. I really, really loved Snakes & Arrows (2007), but Clockwork Angels is just as good. It's a concept album with a companion science fiction novel, coming in September (Clockwork Angels: The Novel by Kevin Anderson, who's a long-time friend of drummer Neil Peart). Themes of time, angels, miracles, divinity, voyages, and characters called "The Watchmaker," "The Anarchist," and "The Pedlar" create steam-punk greatness. Halo Effect, Wish Them Well, and The Garden are among my favorite tracks, but there's not a bad song on the album! Rush is touring soon, making a stop in Detroit on September 18. Get your tickets soon!

Blue Asylum

Blue Asylum by Kate Hepinstall
Adult New Book Display-Main Level - HEPINSTALL

Iris Dunleavy was sent to Sanibel Asylum to be restored to a good wife. Her crime? She disagreed with her slave-holding husband and helped his slaves to escape. Even worse in his eyes, she escaped with them. At Sanibel, she meets Ambrose Weller, a confederate soldier. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from the war, but the civil war-era doctor just considers him as crazy as the others. Iris and Ambrose fall in love, and conspire with the doctor's twelve-year-old son to get off the island. But where will they go? Who will take them in? Can Iris handle Ambrose's fits of rage and grief? This is a beautifully-written novel with layers of complexity.

At the Mountains of Madness

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P Lovecraft
Adult Science Fiction-LOVECRAFT

The horror/sci-fi genre has a number of pioneers when it comes to well-known authors. H.P Lovecraft may not be as famous as other authors from his era, but his ideas influenced a generation of fiction writers and he has a dedicated contemporary fan base. His book At the Mountains of Madness is one of his essential works and a part of his Cthulhu Mythos. Horror readers who are unaware of his writings and mythology have probably at least seen his ideas in other people’s work. Movies such as Hellboy and some novels from authors like Stephen King are admittedly done in the Lovecraftian style. The plot itself for At the Mountains of Madness is deceptively simple. A scientific expedition to Antarctica discovers a vast city and also uncovers evidence of an ancient civilization that once ruled over the planet before humans. As the scientists Danforth and Dyer piece together the history of these Old Ones, the two quickly realize that they are not alone and that something has awakened after eons of sleep.

The themes of the story are similar to previous Lovecraft works. Lovecraft’s horror comes not from the typical blood and guts common in horror works now, but from building a sense of dread and fear along with showing humanity’s basic cosmic insignificance when compared with the Old Ones. The story makes it clear that the former masters of the world would have little trouble retaking what was theirs if they reawaken. This central tenant of Lovecraft’s mythology, that mankind’s power and place on earth is nowhere near as secure as we seem to think, is a far more horrifying prospect than is typically seen in horror stories then and now.