The Immortals: Evermore

Evermore by Alyson Noël
Teen Zone Fiction-Main Level – NOEL

Sixteen year old Ever Bloom is the only survivor in a car accident that claimed the lives of her parents, her younger sister, and the beloved family dog. Now Ever resides with her wealthy aunt in Southern California. As a result of the accident Ever can now see people’s auras and read their thoughts. At her old school Ever used to be popular, wear the latest trendy clothes and have a lot of friends. At her new school she is the freaky new girl that wears jeans, keeps her hood up on her sweatshirt and only has a couple of friends. Ever tries to block everything out by hiding in large sweatshirts and listening to her I-pod. Everything changes the day she meets Damen, the new boy in school. There are many things about Damen that intrigues Ever. She cannot see his aura or read his thoughts and is perplexed by his ability to make red tulips appear out of nowhere. Once Ever discovers the truth about Damen she discovers the truth about herself as well. Will Ever accept the fact of what she became even though she did not have a choice?

This is the first in a new fantasy series called The Immortals by Alyson Noël. If you are a fan of the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer than you will probably enjoy this series. The second book in the series is called Blue Moon. The third book called Shadowland will debuting January of 2010.

Age of Bronze

Age of Bronze. Vols 1-3 by Eric Shanower
Adult Graphic Novels – Main Level - AGE
There was this famous war in the Bronze Age in a city named Troy, about which many, many stories have been written over the centuries, including most famously the Iliad, which somehow doesn’t include some of the most famous bits of the legend. Shanower is doing his best to weave these stories into a cohesive whole. Not only did he read a lot of stories, but he did a lot of art and archeological research to make the settings, the clothes, and the people as accurate and realistic as possible. Historians will probably still find room to quibble, but this amount of research appeals to the library in me. Still, all would be lost if the story didn’t work. Shanower’s beautifully detailed drawings and expressive text bring the ancient characters to life. He’s made the decision not to have the gods appear in the story, though the characters nearly uniformly strongly believe in them and appear to receive messages from them. While a strong break from the Iliad, it’s a choice that makes the story more accessible to modern readers, who may pray for guidance but don’t generally view people as heroes who succeed only because the gods made it happen. It also makes the story deeper and more ambiguous: did Aphrodite really promise Helen to Paris? Or is this just another excuse from a young man who demonstrates overpowering arrogance and belief in his own charm from the very beginning, starting with deciding to win the royal athletic contests to win back his family’s bull and continuing on to kidnapping Helen instead of liberating the aged aunt he was sent to rescue, just because he didn’t care about an old woman. I just read the entry on the Iliad in Beowulf on the Beach by Jack Murnighan; one of the things he mentions is how cinematic Homer’s language is. This work feels cinematic as well, as the view zooms from close-ups to wide panoramas. Though in line with the Iliad, the war itself is just getting started at the end of volume three, there’s plenty of violence, sex and mayhem to keep things going in the meantime. This is a book that manages to be beautiful, macho and compelling all at the same time.

The Passion of the Hausfrau

The Passion of the Hausfrau by Nicole Chaison
New Book Shelves – Upper Level – 814.6 C

Chaison’s memoir of motherhood hits both the humor and the hurt of motherhood, told in text with comic-style illustrations in the margins. She talks about giving birth – once in a hospital utility closet and once in a feeding trough; about grocery shopping and Halloween costumes with children; about trying to maintain her relationship with her husband. But she also traces her journey to self-actualization, aligning her journey with those of the male and presumably childless heroes in the classics that fill her bookshelves. It’s this angle, I think, that got her a cover blurb from Alison Bechdel, whose Fun Home, while less funny, also journeyed through the classics. Chaison’s version of motherhood requires large amounts of both courage and humor seasoned with profanity; for those of similar bent, this is well worth reading.

Canterwood Crest Series

Take the Reins by Jessica Burkhart
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – JPB BURKHART

Take The Reins is the first in this debut series from a former equestrian turned author. Jessica Burkhart loved to ride horses but was unable to anymore. At a young age she decided to pursue writing and eventually started writing about horses and horseback riding because it was the one thing that she loved and the one thing she missed dearly. Jessica is able to ride horses through Sasha Silver and the other characters in this fun new series.

Sasha Silver is new to Canterwood Crest. On her first day with her horse Charm by her side she knows that she is in trouble. Not all the girls on the Equestrian team are friendly to her and some are downright mean. She finds a friend in her roommate Paige and an ally with Callie another member of the Equestrian team. Sasha is determined to prove that she fits in at Canterwood Crest. She tries her best as she auditions for the Advanced Riding Team in which only a handful of girls make it. Check out Take the Reins to find out if Sasha and Charm make the team! If you enjoy this book check out the others in the series:

Chasing Blue
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – JPB BURKHART

Behind the Bit
Youth New Book Shelves-Lower Level – JPB BURKHART

COMING SOON
Triple Fault August of 2009
Best Enemies October 2009
Little White Lies December 2009
Rival Revenge February 2010
Home Sweet Drama April 2010

The Twisted Window

The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan
Teen Zone Fiction - Main Level - DUNCAN

Adolescent Brad Johnson is very upset because his baby sister, Mindy, has been kidnapped by his estranged ex-stepfather Gavin Brummer. Brad has traced Gavin to Winfield, TX so he decides to travel from New Mexico to find Mindy. Once in Winfield, Brad seeks the help of teenage Tracy Lloyd, a young woman with a sad past. He begs Tracy to help him find his sister. Although Tracy is suspicious of this stranger, she decides to help Brad because of her own shaky relationship with her father. How can Tracy ignore the needs of a helpless little girl when she herself knows what it's like to have an uncaring parent?

Brad and Tracy develop a scheme to get Mindy back. Everything seems to be going according to plan when suddenly Tracy realizes that there is much more to the story than Brad has told her. What will Tracy do now? Can Mindy be found? Is Brad telling the truth? Is Brad crazy? These are just a few of the questions that will arise as this book is read.

The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan is an interesting psychological mystery. It's a short read with many surprising plot turns. If you are looking for something unusual and suspenseful then The Twisted Window is a great choice!

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level - SCH

There is a stage in the preschool years when many children become obsessed with superheroes. What three or four-year-old doesn’t long for the power to fly and to beat bad guys ten times his or her size? Yet good books for this age on the topic are surprisingly difficult to find. Poorly written easy reader books based on big budget films inappropriate for the age abound, as do picture books of similar quality but much denser text-per-page levels. Even using my librarian-fu on the catalog has had very limited success. I have seen a few good books (and alas, not written them down!), but here is a good recent entry:

Timothy Smallbeast, a young boy of indeterminate species, is not a superhero. But he really wishes he was! When his mother fixes his favorite pajamas, he finds that they make him superstrong. He promptly goes out and saves scads of people with his new powers, before disaster strikes and he finds that his powers have deserted him in his hour of need. This is a book aimed squarely at kids rather than all ages. However, for parents who want a good story for their superhero-loving young fry, one that won’t instill in their offspring a desire to see R-rated movies, one that they can read several times in a row without getting sick of, Timothy and the Strong Pajamas fits the bill just perfectly.

Darkborn

Darkborn by Alison Sinclair
Adult New Book Display – Main Level – SCI FIC SINCLAIR

In the city of Minhorne, Lightborn and Darkborn have always lived side by side, despite the fact that light is fatal to Darkborn and vice versa. Dr. Balthasar Hearne, Darkborn, gets a knock on his door just as the sunrise bell is ringing, and obeying ancient laws of hospitality, opens it. It’s his estranged younger brother’s former lover, now betrothed to a high society lord. Before next day comes, she has given birth to twins whose father, she impossibly claims, came to her in the day. Yet the unwanted twins appear to be sighted, impossible for Darkborn. Bal’s sister, the attending midwife, takes them to safety. That night, Bal is attacked and beaten by ruffians demanding the twins. He is saved by his Lightborn neighbor, but as they flee, they find his wife, Telmaine, and two daughters returning home from a society visit, unexpectedly accompanied by Baron Ishmael di Studier. The ruffians snatch the older girl on their way out. Despite his title, Ishmael is disreputable, a known mage who uses his powers to hunt the Shadowdwellers on the borders – important, but hardly proper for a baron. And only the Lightborn consider magic use truly acceptable. Lady Telmaine herself has magic, which she has concealed even from her husband her whole life and never learned to use. But now, with the plot rapidly thickening and both her husband and daughters’ lives in danger, she may need to risk her position in society.

This novel was well put together. It has an interesting premise and a taut plot without overwhelming with too many characters or details of the world. The characters were sympathetic. The kidnapped child fell just under my low threshold for child or parental suffering (I won’t read books, thriller or thoughtful, that center on a child’s death), and the thriller-aspect just the right pace to tempt me to stay up a few minutes late without keeping me up all night. The only downside is that (common for fantasy) it’s the first of a trilogy, the next volume due out next year, and the mystery behind the mystery isn’t solved this book.

Jules and Jim

Jules and Jim by Francois Truffaut
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - JUL

Next to Jean Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” Francois Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim” could be considered one of the most influential films of the French New Wave movement. The story revolves around two writers Jules and Jim who after giving up on “professionals” in their search for love, find themselves both enamored with the free spirited Catherine. The film follows the two inseparable men through their whimsical youth, and into the First World War where they fight on opposing sides. The two are reunited after the war but neither can shake their love for the uncontrollable Catherine. While the romance the men share with Catherine runs hot and cold and ultimately ends in tragedy, the true love story is the relationship between Jules and Jim.

Although the tale is a great one rife with thematic messages about friendship, love, and lost innocence, one can not overlook Truffaut’s influence with regard to style. Take a look at the Wes Anderson film “The Royal Tennenbaums” and the beginning of “Jules and Jim” and you’ll see striking similarities in the presentation. Anderson himself even quotes Truffaut in “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” when the title character says “not this one Klaus,” just as Jules says “not this one Jim,” with regard to not sharing Catherine. Of course Wes Anderson isn’t the only filmmaker to be influenced by Truffaut. His reach extends to the likes of Spielberg, Scorsese, Paul Mazursky, and Blake Edwards. Take a look at any of his films from “The 400 Blows” to “The Last Metro” and you’ll see why.

Also by Truffaut:

The Last Metro
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - LAS

Shoot the Piano Player
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - SHO

The Story of Adele H.
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - STO

The 400 Blows
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - FOU

Day for Night
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - DAY

Related Material:

Breathless by Jean Luc Godard
Foreign Film DVD's - Main Level - BRE

Francois Truffaut
Adult Video Biography - Upper Level - BIO TRUFFAUT

Truffaut by Truffaut by Dominique Rabourdin
Adult Biography - Upper Level - O'SIZE/BIO TRUFFAUT

Moving Day

Moving Day by Meg Cabot
Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - CABOT

Nine year old Allie Finkle is happy with her life in a nice predictable suburb and steady, yet slightly boring, friends. Thus, when her parents inform her that they plan to move to another part of town into an old fixer-upper, Allie is not pleased. First, she’ll have to change schools. Second, she won’t get to hang out with her best friend, Mary Kay Shiner, very much anymore. Finally, and most importantly, the Finkle’s new home is haunted! All of these reasons plus more make Allie certain that “moving day” should never happen.

Moving Day, the first book in Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls series by Meg Cabot, is truly an interesting and funny book. Allie will stop at nothing to prevent her family from moving into the run-down home that her parents so desperately love. After seeing a scary movie with her “fun” Uncle Jay, Allie is convinced that a “zombie hand” lives in the Finkle’s new attic. In her eyes, she has to protect her family from a terrible fate. In the meantime, Allie gets into a bad fight with her best friend Mary Kay and soon faces the wrath of Mary Kay and Mary Kay’s new best friend Brittany Hauser.

Hmmm . . . maybe moving won’t be so bad after all?

Read by Tara Sands, the audio book version of this novel is truly delightful! Tara has a wonderful way of making Allie and all of her pluckiness come to life. This is a winning series because it is relatable and very humorous. The other books in the series are: The New Girl and Best Friends and Drama Queens.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Youth New Dvds-Lower Level – B


This is a great new youth movie that the library has available. Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) is an over-pampered spoiled Chihuahua. She indulges in weekly manicures and pedicures, has a personal shopper and wears a custom made Harry Winston diamond collar. Chloe hangs out with her other pampered dog friends by the pool. Papi (voiced by George Lopez) the landscaper’s Chihuahua is in love with Chloe and would do anything for her but Chloe will not give him the time of day.

Chloe is left in the care of Rachel (played by Piper Perabo), her owner's irresponsible niece. Rachel heads to Mexico with her girlfriends and is forced to take along Chloe. Not wanting to be left out of the fun Chloe escapes the room and while trying to find Rachel is captured and is taken to a dog fighting ring. The hunt is then on when Rachel finds Chloe missing. She even gets more help when the Landscaper and his dog Papi find out Chloe is missing. Papi will do anything to save Chloe. Chloe has some fun and scary adventures as she tries to find her way back to Beverly Hills.

Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Youth Fiction – Lower Level – Barry

For anyone looking for a story of magic and adventure, may I suggest Peter and the Starcatchers? This fast-moving adventure with a sense of humor takes us back to a time when Peter Pan was just Peter, an orphan with a dismal and probably short future. Peter, still the leader of a small gang of orphans, is being sent to a barbarian king on a faraway island, onboard a small and dingy ship. Also onboard is young Molly, apprentice Starcatcher. Apparently, when stars fall on earth, the starstuff causes magical mutations, often harmful, so that it must be removed from earth by the Starcatchers before it can cause too much damage. Sure enough, a large and leaky chest of starstuff features prominently in the plot, as does the evil Captain Stache and his pirate crew. The plot will keep you on the edge of your seat and the characters are charming and believable. The book, for me, restored the magic of Peter Pan that was missing when I reread the original, with its old-fashioned mores. It's an origin story well worth reading.

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty

Boys Will Be Boys By Jeff Pearlman

Adult Nonfiction - Upper Level - 796.322 P


The Dallas Cowboys of the 1990’s, a dynasty by any definition, put together one of the greatest championship runs in the history of professional sports by capturing 3 Super Bowl titles in 4 seasons. What led to their meteoric rise and similarly rapid decline are detailed in this excellent account by Jeff Pearlman. But this story has much more to do about what happened off the field than what actually occurred on it.


Rising from the ashes of a disastrous 1-15 campaign in 1989 was a young, fierce squad ready to conquer the league. Team owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson assembled a young and talented roster that flourished on the field, but was fueled by the off the field lifestyle that came with being a Cowboy. Their all night partying, drug use, and womanizing are notorious, but these activities accurately portrayed the attitudes and beliefs of their owner, Jerry Jones. The team went so far as to purchase a large home in suburban Dallas, known as the White House, where teammates could openly engage in the debauchery that made them famous.


Despite all of this, the team thrived on the field. After back-to-back Super Bowl victories, Jimmy Johnson realized the tension between him and the owner was too much to handle, so he resigned. While the team was able to capture another Super Bowl with Barry Switzer at the helm, the Cowboys were never the same. The lifestyle that made them a dynasty also led to their downfall, ending literally in a pool of blood during the team’s training camp in 1998. The inside information gathered by Pearlman allows him to present a fully detailed account of the Dallas Cowboys dynasty. Highly recommended for any football fan.

The Flirt

The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro
Adult Paperbacks – Upper Level – TESSARO

Imagine yourself finding that the spark has gone out of your marriage. You’d like to get things going again, but since part of the problem is that you’re not feeling amorous, either, you’re not sure where to start. If you are a man in London, enter the hired flirt, a “professional massager of the female ego”, who will conduct a chaste yet thrilling flirtation with your wife. She’ll start being excited about herself, and you’ll start being excited about her. On the other hand, if you are a woman in a similar position, you could visit Bordello, and have the proprietress make seductive yet subtle custom lingerie, such that you won’t look like you’re trying at all, but your husband will nevertheless find you irresistible.

These are the two businesses that we are introduced to at the beginning of this book, along with a mélange of characters. There’s Hughie, an out-of-work actor, applying for the job of professional flirt, and his love of the moment, Leticia Vane, proprietress of Bordello. Hughie’s running up a tab at the local café, where Rose, a young single mother, is the waitress. Sam, a regular there and a plumber is called to fix a problem at Bordello. Rose interviews for a household job at the home of Olivia, a rich and sad American, but Olivia takes her for an up-and-coming artist instead. Jonathan works for Olivia’s wife Arnaud, a tennis ball billionaire. Not only is Arnaud an impossible boss, but Jonathan’s wife Amy is pregnant for the fourth time and both of them are wondering what happened to their dream of domestic bliss. The interlocking characters and plot lines rise like beaten egg whites to make a delightful meringue of a book, filled with comic situations and bittersweet chocolate reflections on the messiness of love and the fleeting nature of romance.

The Devil's Paintbox

The Devil’s Paintbox by Victoria McKernan.
Teen Zone New Fiction – Main Level - MCKERNAN

Adolescent Aiden Lynch and his younger sister Maddy are in dire straits on their Kansas farm in post Civil War America when they meet a charismatic stranger named Jefferson J. Jackson. Jackson is leading a wagon train to the west and offers them a place with the group in exchange for Aiden’s promise to work as a logger in Washington Territory. With their whole family deceased and almost certain death facing them due to starvation, Aiden and Maddy agree to join this adventure.

An adventure it is with interesting new friends, beautiful landscapes, sickness, accidents, harsh weather conditions, Indians, and smallpox also known as “the devil’s paint.” Along the way, Aiden makes friendships with Indians from the Nez Perce tribe and tries to help save them from smallpox. Meanwhile, Maddy finds herself wanting to become a doctor at a time when women were expected to keep their place and get married. Will these two very young Americans be able to achieve their dreams in spite of harsh realities?

The Devil’s Paintbox by Victoria McKernan is a very rich and deep novel. McKernan expertly ties a sad part of White/Native American history, the fact that Native Americans were not allowed to be vaccinated against smallpox during the post Civil War era, into the deep belly of her plot. This novel does not sugar coat how harsh life was for such pioneers as Aiden and Maddy who were basically facing the threat of death every single day of their lives. Still there is a hopefulness to the book in the fact that both teens find inner strength to cope with the demons that surround them. Their humanity is universal and will touch all readers because no matter what the time period is, we all face the same weaknesses of the human spirit. If you are a fan of thought-provoking historical fiction, then this is the novel for you.

The Good Neighbors: Kin

The Good Neighbors. Volume 1: Kin by Holly Black. Illustrated by Ted Naifeh.
Teen Graphic Novels – Main Level - GOO

Rue Silver is sixteen years old. She has a boyfriend and a group of friends who like to break into abandoned buildings and take photographs. Her mother has been quietly missing for three weeks and her father is suddenly involved in a murder case. And she’s starting to see things that she can’t tell anyone about, because they’ll think she’s crazy. They are the faeries of the old tales, the ones called Kindly and Good in hopes of preventing unwanted attentions. Rue learns that her vanished mother was a faery herself. A battle is beginning, and Rue must decide whose side she is on, and how much she can tell her friends. This is the first volume of what’s obviously planned as a much longer series. It’s a very solid start. The story strikes just the right balance between realistic and spooky, and the shaded paintings bring this out perfectly. I got a strong Buffy vibe off of it, not in a copy-cat kind of way, but in the circle of high school friends with a snarky sense of humor and a smart, tough girl going it with some help, but mostly alone. Black is also the author of The Spiderwick Chronicles. This does feel like it’s coming from the same imagination, but more from real older legend, and definitely more sophisticated and for an older audience. I’m really looking forward to the next one.

Bloom Blox

Boom Blox
Video Games Main Level – VG - BOO

Boom Blox for the Wii is a very entertaining game. The object of the game is to throw, push or blow up certain items before continuing to a new level. Before you even are able to play the game you need to go through a series of training exercises. These exercises give you a sampling of the different levels you will need to complete. They start off easy and gradually get harder. The game is much like Jenga, where you have to move items without knocking down the entire structure. In order to unlock new levels you need to get a gold, silver, or bronze medal on the previous level. The medals are based on the amount of points you receive while playing the level. This game can be played for hours at a time trying to beat your previous scores. You can also play with multiple players either cooperatively or against each other. If you want a few hours of mindless fun, check out Boom Blox.

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China Isaac Stern

Adult Nonfiction DVD 782.2S

This DVD, produced by Hopewell Foundation and Thirteen/WNET, documents the first visit of a Western Musician to China following the end of the Cultural Revolution. Isaac Stern was invited by the Chinese government to tour the country, teach students, and otherwise share musical experiences with musicians in China. The original film covers Stern’s 1979 journey, brief tours of the countryside, and the teaching of master classes. Only a few minutes are spent on the impact of the Cultural Revolution on musicianship… western musical education ceased… teachers of western music were imprisoned.
This DVD also includes documentary film of Isaac Stern’s return trip to China 20 years later (2000). He comments that the musicians are playing better now, more able to express themselves individually in music; and he reiterates the importance of music in the development of a civilized society.
I would refer you to one of the extras on this DVD… the film called “The Gentleman from Shanghai”. In this 26 minute retrospective, Professor Tan’s narration of his life in music is interspersed with historical accounts of Japan’s invasion of Shanghai in 1937 and subsequent surrender in 1945, the nationalization of the orchestra in 1948, the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in 1966. Tan speaks at some length about his imprisonment, and later, about forgiveness.
View this DVD for a look at classical music education and cultural exchange against the backdrop of 20th century Chinese history.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child.
Picture Book Shelves - Lower Level - CHI

Little Lola hates mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, peas, fish sticks, potatoes, and most of all tomatoes. How will her brother Charlie feed her dinner tonight? He comes up with a clever way of getting Lola to believe that carrots are orange twiglets from Jupiter, and peas are green drops from Greenland. Likewise, fish sticks come from an undersea market, and mashed potatoes are really cloud fluff from Mount Fuji. Soon Lola is happily eating all of her supposedly least favorite foods. The biggest shock is when Lola herself comes up with a way to enjoy the dreaded tomatoes.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child is a funny and enjoyable picture book for all those fussy eaters out there. The illustrations mix different styles including real photography which makes this book a truly "delicious" treat!

God Grew Tired of Us

God Grew Tired of Us Directed by Christopher Quinn
DVD Collection - Main Level - DOCUMENT GOD

“God Grew Tired of Us” tells the true story of three Sudanese men who after facing genocide, starvation, and dehydration are relocated to the United States. After being split from their families and escaping government troops, thousands of displaced men known as “The Lost Boys of Sudan” were forced to travel on foot for months until they reached Ethiopia. However, they would soon be forced to escape Ethiopia when a civil war broke out there as well. During this journey to a refugee camp in Kenya, the group would suffer from disease, violence, and death. Within the camp the refugees formed a bond that would remain strong even when 3,800 of them are relocated to America.

“God Grew Tired of Us” chronicles the culture shock these men face by highlighting the challenges three of the men have as they attempt to achieve the American dream. Everyday conveniences such as garbage cans, supermarkets, and flushable toilets become strange new experiences. While some of the men cope better than others, one of the most remarkable aspects of the film is the way in which they make the best of their circumstances. It should serve as a lesson to those of us out there that whine about our situation in life and yet do nothing to better it.

One of the men in particular, John Bul Dau who worked 60 hours a week while obtaining an associates degree, is a prime example of taking what you have and making the most out of it. He has founded three non-profit organizations, The Sudanese Lost Boys Foundation of Central New York, The American Care for Sudan, and the John Dau Sudan Foundation which was founded in July 2007 to develop health facilities that currently do not exist for most of the populations of Duk, Twic East and Bor South Counties in the State of Jonglei in Southern Sudan. “God Grew Tired of Us” is not only a great film because of the social awareness it raises, but it also serves as a beacon of hope for those of us who find ourselves struggling to get by in life.

For More information on the Lost Boys of Sudan check out:

The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler
Adult Non-fiction - Upper Level - 305.8B

The Lost Boys of Sudan by Megan Mylan & Jon Shenk
Teen Non-fiction DVD - Main Level - 973L

Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island

Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island by Patrick Livingston

Adult Nonfiction 977.43L


In a detailed history of Bob-Lo Island, Patrick Livingston discusses international borders, illegal immigration, race relations, the advent of the auto industry, provocative dance, war economics, and, of course, the boats, dance halls, roller rinks and amusement parks. I had had no idea there was such intrigue associated with the Island, recalling only the mostly boring boat ride required to get to the amusement park.

The ferry company that serviced the island and other river destinations in the early years found itself in competition with the Ambassador Bridge, Windsor Tunnel and the popularity of the automobile. In later years, of course, competition came from Cedar Point. In between, there were management changes, bankruptcies, population shifts, morality shifts, and the like.

Summer Dreams is filled with pictured miscellany, photographs and advertisements from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and the authors own collection. Read and reminisce.